RTHK: Maxwell declines to testify in sex abuse trial

Ghislaine Maxwell's defence rested its case in her sex abuse trial on Friday after the British socialite told the judge prosecutors had not proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

In two days of testimony from former employees of Jeffrey Epstein, a psychologist specialising in memory, and an ex-girlfriend of the late financier, the defence sought to undercut the testimony of four women who said Maxwell set them up for sexual abuse by Epstein when they were teenagers.

Maxwell, 59, pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sex trafficking and other crimes. Her attorneys argued she is being made a scapegoat for Epstein's conduct. Epstein killed himself in 2019 at the age of 66 in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial on sex crimes charges.

Maxwell told US District Judge Alison Nathan that she would not testify in her own defense on Friday.

"Your honour, the government has not proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt and so there is no need for me to testify," said Maxwell, standing up in the courtroom.

Maxwell's attorney Bobbi Sternheim wrapped her arm around her back as she spoke. Defendants in US criminal trials are not required to testify, and often do not, since the burden of proof is on prosecutors.

Closing arguments in the trial are expected on Monday in federal court in Manhattan. The jury would then begin deliberations.

Nathan advised jurors to "be cautious out there" before sending them home for the weekend. Covid-19 cases are on the rise in New York, and Nathan earlier on Friday said she wanted to avoid "unnecessary delays" to the trial.

"I want to see everybody back here Monday," Nathan said. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-12-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Death toll in Philippines storm reaches 23

At least 23 people have been killed in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, officials said on Saturday, with "alarming" reports of destruction on islands that bore the brunt of the storm.

More than 300,000 people fled their homes and beachfront resorts as Typhoon Rai ravaged the southern and central regions of the archipelago, knocking out communications and electricity in many areas, ripping off roofs and toppling concrete power poles.

Rai was a super typhoon when it smashed into the popular tourist island of Siargao on Thursday, packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometres per hour.

Aerial photos shared by the military showed widespread damage in the town of General Luna where many surfers and holidaymakers had flocked ahead of Christmas, with buildings stripped of roofs and debris littering the ground.

The neighbouring island of Dinagat had been "levelled to the ground" by the storm, Governor Arlene Bag-ao wrote on Facebook, saying houses, boats and fields were destroyed.

"Walls and roofs were torn and blown off by Odette like paper," Bag-ao said, using the local name for the typhoon.

"We have a dwindling supply of food and water. Electricity and telecommunications are down."

Rai's wind speeds eased to 150 kph as it barrelled across the country, dumping torrential rain that flooded villages, uprooting trees and shattering wooden structures.

It emerged over the South China Sea on Saturday and was headed towards Vietnam, the state weather forecaster said.

"This is indeed one of the most powerful storms that has hit the Philippines in the month of December in the last decade," Alberto Bocanegra, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the Philippines, told AFP.

"The information we are receiving and the pictures we are receiving are very alarming."

The Hong Kong Observatory has said it expects Rai to take a northerly track in the South China Sea. It's direction is uncertain and it is expected to weaken. (AFP, additional reporting by RTHK)

This story has been published on: 2021-12-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Support to electoral staff given

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip and Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang inspected polling stations today to give support to civil service colleagues who are busy preparing for the 2021 Legislative Council General Election.

The election will be held tomorrow and around 38,000 civil servants have been assigned by various departments to carry out important electoral duties.

Mr Nip visited the polling station and the counting station at the Convention & Exhibition Centre, saying colleagues should do their best, remain highly vigilant, take extra steps and work together to make the election a success.

He also appealed to all voters, in particular civil service colleagues, to cast their votes tomorrow to elect members of the new term of LegCo for Hong Kong's future.

He said the election is of great significance as it is the first LegCo General Election after the electoral system has been improved and the principle of patriots administering Hong Kong has been implemented.

To secure adequate manpower, the Government has for the first time assigned suitable serving civil service colleagues to work as electoral staff in different ranks and categories. It is also an obligatory duty and important mission for our colleagues to undertake electoral tasks, he added.

In accordance with the Civil Service Regulation, the Secretary for the Civil Service had earlier given instructions to civil service colleagues assigned by heads of departments to take up electoral duties in the LegCo General Election with a view to ensuring the smooth conduct of the election.

To facilitate polling staff to cast their votes, the Government has adopted various measures including a priority queue for polling staff and transport arrangements so that they can return to work after casting their votes as soon as possible.

Mr Tsang inspected the polling stations at North Point Community Hall and St Anna Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten in Quarry Bay this morning to get updates on the preparatory work for the election tomorrow and rehearsal sessions for electoral staff.

He also visited the central counting station and Election Committee constituency polling station at the Convention & Exhibition Centre to observe the training and practice sessions with simulated scenarios for staff.

He thanked all electoral staff for their efforts in carrying out the preparatory work, and reminded them to adhere to the principles of high efficiency, humanity and safety when implementing electoral arrangements, with a view to conducting the election in a fair, open and honest manner, while ensuring a smooth process of ballot paper issuing and polling so as to shorten the waiting time of electors as far as possible.

While visiting the central counting station, he reminded staff to perform every counting procedure against the clock in order to confirm the results as soon as possible.

Mr Tsang again urged all electors to cast their votes tomorrow to elect the new term of LegCo members who are patriotic and dedicated to serving Hong Kong citizens.

This story has been published on: 2021-12-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Police to ensure smooth election

Police will strive to ensure that the Legislative Council General Election will be conducted safely and smoothly tomorrow, Commissioner of Police Siu Chak-yee said today.

Mr Siu said Police would adopt a comprehensive approach to deploy over 10,000 officers, including officers in uniform, in plain-clothes and from specialised units as well as special constables to patrol, monitor and gather intelligence so as to ensure that the election will be held smoothly while the public can safely cast their votes.

He stressed Police have the determination and capability to pursue any law-breakers and will not condone any illegal acts. Police will intervene swiftly and resolutely enforce the law once anyone is found attempting to undermine the election, he added.

The police chief appealed to the public to exercise their civil rights by voting tomorrow.

The Security Bureau said law enforcement agencies were prepared to ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the election.

The bureau said Police will continue to enhance intelligence gathering and cyber patrols for early identification and deterrence of acts endangering public safety by saboteurs, and at the same time strengthen interception to prevent individuals possessing illegal items from entering election sites and other important public places.

Police will also work with the special constables comprising members of various disciplined services departments to carry out high-profile patrols at places where crowds gather and around important buildings, and will take resolute law enforcement action to combat any conduct endangering public order and safety.

The bureau reiterated that inciting others to cast blank votes or not to vote by public activities during an election period may contravene the Elections (Corrupt & Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, whether the conduct occurs in Hong Kong or elsewhere.

The public are reminded not to engage in making illegal appeals or repost relevant illegal content. The bureau emphasised that the Government will take resolute action against any illegal conduct and not allow culprits to remain at large.

The bureau urged electors to treasure their civil rights and vote actively in the interests of Hong Kong tomorrow to select capable people, laying a solid foundation for the implementation of patriots administering Hong Kong and thereby contributing to the future development of the city.

This story has been published on: 2021-12-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Laos to reopen to vaccinated group tours

Laos has announced plans to partially re-open to foreign travellers in the new year, throwing a lifeline to the tourism industry after borders were sealed for more than 18 months to keep out Covid.

Fully vaccinated visitors on pre-booked tours will be able to enter from January 1 and visit the capital Vientiane, eco-tourism hotspot Vang Vieng and Unesco World Heritage-listed Luang Prabang, state media reported on Friday.

Further destinations will be opened up in April and July as vaccination rates in Laos increase.

But entry will only be available to tourists from 17 nations, mostly Southeast Asian and European countries as well as China, the United States, Australia and Canada.

All visitors will also need to test negative for Covid before arriving.

The nation this month opened a US$6 billion Beijing-built railway that connects its capital to the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming.

Health authorities are now rushing to deliver Covid booster shots to people living in tourist spots along the train line in anticipation of an influx of travellers.

Laos was receiving about 4.7 million foreign tourists each year before the pandemic.

But Covid led to an 80 percent downturn in international visitor numbers in 2020, with the economy in the doldrums despite very few coronavirus cases in Laos in the early stages of the pandemic.

Economic growth declined to 0.4 percent in 2020, the lowest in three decades, according to the World Bank.

Hopes for a rebound in 2021 were dashed after infection numbers skyrocketed in recent months. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-12-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Electoral chief inspects polling stations

Ahead of the 2021 Legislative Council General Election tomorrow, Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman Barnabas Fung visited the polling stations at the Convention & Exhibition Centre and the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point today.

Mr Fung visited the Election Committee constituency polling station this morning and inspected staff making final preparations for tomorrow's polling arrangements.

He said as in the past electoral arrangement, electors can cast all their votes at the same polling station while the Election Committee constituency electors will be allocated to the Convention & Exhibition Centre polling station.

After visiting the polling station at the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point this afternoon, Mr Fung said it is the first time the city has set up polling stations at boundary control points for the Legislative Council General Election.

The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) thanked the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau for coordinating and making arrangements to set up polling stations at Heung Yuen Wai, Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line control points, facilitating eligible geographical constituency and functional constituency electors who are now in the Mainland to return to Hong Kong to vote tomorrow.

In order to control the risk of spreading disease, the polling stations will adopt closed-loop management.

After polling hours, the polling stations will be turned into counting stations.

Except for electors who have been assigned to the boundary control point polling stations, candidates or their agents and electoral staff, entry to or exit from the polling stations will be prohibited and public observation of the counting process will not be arranged. But candidates or their agents can apply to enter the polling stations to observe the counting process.

Mr Fung said an online live broadcast of the counting process at these three counting stations will be arranged by the Registration & Electoral Office. The public can watch it in real time through Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) TV 32 and the Information Services Department website.

Given the remote location and closed-loop management of the three polling stations at boundary control points, the EAC has decided to allow these staff to vote at these polling stations. Other government officers on duty at the relevant boundary control points, such as staff of the Department of Health, the Immigration Department, the Police Force, the Customs & Excise Department, can also vote at these polling stations.

Mr Fung called on registered electors to vote tomorrow. He reminded electors who have yet to receive a poll card, that they should confirm their registration status and check the polling station to which they are allocated through the Online Voter Information Enquiry System or call 2891 1001.

This story has been published on: 2021-12-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Bamboo Airways to launch direct flights to Australia

Bamboo Airways has announced plans to open a direct air route to Australia early next year.



The air route linking HCM City and Melbourne will initially have four flights per week. Bamboo Airways will consider raising the frequency to four based on the market demand.





A flight of Bamboo Airways



The route will help to shorten the travel time between the two cities by half to eight hours. Bamboo Airways will use Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for the route.



The airlines will also mull over the launch of flights connecting Hanoi and Melbourne.



Deputy General Director of Bamboo Airways Nguyen Manh Quan said that the direct air route is expected to boost business and tourism ties with Australia



Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Lorie Argus said she was proud to welcome a new international carrier while dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, Vietnam was one of our most popular overseas leisure destinations, and we have no doubt that Bamboo Airways will be embraced by Victorian travellers, she added.





Bamboos Melbourne-Ho Chi Minh City service will be the carriers first Australian venture since launching freight operations in 2020, with flights subject to regulatory approval.

Australia is now home to 300,000 Vietnamese people who mostly live in Sydney and Melbourne.


Xi stresses building unified national market, enhancing government oversight

Xinhua) 09:05, December 18, 2021

BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged efforts to build a unified national market at a faster pace and enhance government oversight efficacy.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, also stressed furthering the construction of world-class universities and first-class disciplines.

He made the remarks while chairing the 23rd meeting of the central commission for deepening overall reform.

The meeting reviewed and approved a series of guidelines, including that on accelerating the building of a unified national market, on enhancing government oversight efficacy, and on furthering the construction of world-class universities and first-class disciplines. Others include guidelines on strengthening ethical governance of science and technology and on promoting individual pension development.

Noting that developing a socialist market economy is notable pioneering work of the CPC, Xi, who heads the commission, said the key is to properly handle the relationship between the government and the market.

"We will fully leverage the decisive role of the market in allocating resources and give better play to the role of government," Xi said.

To build a new development paradigm, it is imperative to speed up the building of a unified national market that is efficient, standardized, open and allows fair competition. It is also vital to establish unified market rules and regulations across the country and promote the smooth flow of goods, factors, and resources on a wider scale, he said.

Xi urged efforts to speed up the transformation of government functions, improve government oversight efficiency, promote better alignment between an efficient market and a capable government, and protect legitimate rights and interests of companies and people's lives and property.

The country should deepen institutional reforms and coordinate efforts to develop first-class universities and disciplines on a categorized basis.

In terms of ethics in science and technology, Xi stressed upholding principles such as serving the well-being of humanity, respecting people's right to life, and maintaining openness and transparency in science and technology, and fostering a cultural concept and safeguard mechanisms of "technology for social good."

While developing private pensions suitable for China's national conditions, the country should combine such pensions with basic pension insurance, enterprise annuity, and occupational pensions to make the pension insurance functions more complete, he said.

Li Keqiang, Wang Huning, and Han Zheng, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy heads of the central commission for deepening overall reform, attended the meeting.

The meeting emphasized that China should leverage its unified market to agglomerate resources, promote growth, encourage innovation, optimize labor division, and enhance competition.

China will speed up sorting through and doing away with regulations and practices that impede the development of a unified market and fair competition.

The country should prioritize building a unified market with the implementation of major regional strategies and coordinated regional development strategies.

The meeting also called for enhancing the efficacy of government oversight and putting in place a system of comprehensive inter-agency regulation.

China will adhere to law-based regulations, move quickly to advance legislation in key areas, emerging areas, and areas related to foreign affairs, and improve the standardization and transparency of its regulations, said the meeting.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
New technologies make Chinese astronauts' in orbit lives easier

Xinhua) 09:16, December 18, 2021

Students watch Wang Yaping (R) demonstrating drinking water in China's space station, at the China Science and Technology Museum in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 9, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts are living and working more conveniently and comfortably in orbit with the application of advanced information technology, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

There are smart home systems in China's space station core module Tianhe, Bai Linhou, deputy chief designer of the space station at the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), under the CASC, said at a press conference Friday.

Astronauts can control the lighting and kitchen equipment of the core module through mobile apps. They can also surf the Internet and video chat with their family and friends, Bai said.

With an acousto-optic system equipped in the core module, the astronauts are able to sleep at night instead of being on duty, Bai added.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
China's online audio-visual industry embraces innovative development

09:25, December 18, 2021 By Li Xueqin ( People's Daily

A buyer purchases fill light instruments for livestream shows at the China Yiwu Network Broadcast and Short Video Industry Expo held on Sept. 12, 2021. (Photo by Gong Xianming/People's Daily Online)

Online audio-visual industry is currently gathering huge energy for China to boost the cultural sector, develop digital economy and expand domestic demand.

As of June this year, 944 million Chinese watched videos online, including short videos, accounting for 93.4 percent of the country's total internet users, according to the 48th China Statistical Report on Internet Development released by the China Internet Network Information Center.

In recent years, online audio-visual industry has embraced vigorous development in China. An increasing number of high-quality programs are emerging.

Web series are currently on a virtuous cycle, mirroring social changes and people's lives, said an annual report on the development of China's audio-visual new media issued by a research center under the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA).

Meanwhile, variety shows are releasing more positive energy, while social reality, as well as art and culture have become hot topics of the prospering web documentaries, the report said. Besides, original net animations would become phenomenal every now and then for both the contents and technologies they present.

A series of fine audio and visual programs have been welcomed by Chinese users in recent years, including The City, The People, a radio drama that reels off touching stories happening in the fight against COVID-19 in Wuhan, and docudrama Dunhuang - Edge of the World, which discovers the mysterious history of the city of Dunhuang from a global perspective. A short video introducing the treasures of China's Tang Dynasty (618-907) has also become phenomenal for bringing relics in a museum "back to life."

The online audio-visual industry has nurtured multiple business models, including membership, advertising, copy right, live commerce and intellectual property ecology building. According to the NRTA, the industry reported revenue of over 83 billion yuan ($13.03 billion) in paid subscription and copy right services.

"The online audio-visual industry has brought huge changes to the society. It has not only created business opportunities, but also offered various products for people's cultural life," said Yin Hong, a professor with the School of Journalism and Communication at Tsinghua University. The industry has offered a strong support for social stability and people's sense of happiness amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

Short videos portraying rural life are enjoying a high popularity among viewers. Short videos under the hashtag of "recording my rural life" have been played 113.5 billion times on Kuaishou, a short video social platform. Douyin, another popular short video social platform also known as TikTok outside of China, has launched an online activity to encourage short video contents about agriculture, rural areas and farmers, and the activity has achieved total views of 76.7 billion.

Today, more and more people are joining the creation of audio and visual contents, to demonstrate the new image of Chinese farmers and vitalize the countryside via short videos and other media forms.

Audio and visual products of premium quality are not only popular in China. They have also attracted a number of followers overseas and become a window displaying China to the outside world. For instance, Chinese video blogger Li Ziqi has made her name for making videos introducing Chinese rural lifestyles and China's traditional food culture, and Chinese master carpenter Grandpa Amu also became a hit on overseas social platforms for his skilled use of Chinese mortise and tenon structures.

"I came to know many Chinese video bloggers on Tik Tok and other platforms, where I have learned different customs across China," said a German surnamed Claus.

The annual report on the development of China's audio-visual new media analyzed that culture and technology will be a major trend in the online audio-visual industry and serve as an engine driving the industry. AI-powered video synthesis tools, big data video searching systems, holography and other audio and visual technologies will continuously improve the communication efficiency of contents and bring better interactive experiences.

China is making efforts to fully exploit technological innovation, a "key variable," so as to promote integrated, high-definition and featured development of the audio-visual industry, build a batch of new mainstream media with great influence and competitiveness, and build a brand new omnimedia communication system.

The country will advance the development of high-definition videos, and offer users with high-definition, virtual reality, augmented reality, panoramic, holographic and other premium audio-visual services, so as to better meet people's demand for a better life and lead a new trend of cultural consumption.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
China expects important consensus of Iran nuke talks turned into final agreement ASAP: envoy

Xinhua) 10:50, December 18, 2021

VIENNA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- As the seventh round of the Iran nuclear talks concluded here on Friday, a Chinese envoy said that China expects the important consensus reached in this round to be translated into a final agreement as soon as possible.

Wang Qun, Chinese envoy to the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations in Vienna, said that after three weeks of intense negotiations and through the concerted effort of all parties, the seventh round of talks produced important consensus and new documents, laying a solid foundation for advancing the follow-up negotiations as well as for bringing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) back on track.

He pointed out that the Iran nuclear issue is now at a crossroads.

"China appreciates the important and irreplaceable role played by the European Union as a coordinator in the negotiations; affirms the seriousness, flexibility and pragmatism of all parties during the negotiations; highly appreciates Iran's agreement to move forward on the basis of previous negotiations; and welcomes the important consensus reached between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the monitoring of the relevant nuclear facilities," he said.

China expects all parties to continue to work in solidarity and to vigorously promote the resumption of negotiations in compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, he added.

Wang emphasized that China has always been committed to safeguarding the JCPOA, participating constructively in the current round of negotiations, and striving to promote positive progress in the negotiations.

He said that in a phone conversation with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Thursday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi spelled out his country's expectations and clarified its positions on further promoting the negotiation process.

"During this round of negotiations, China put forward important ideas and suggestions," said the Chinese envoy. "We have also had good communication and cooperation with the delegations of the United States, Iran and other parties. We maintained our unswerving commitment to continue the process of political and diplomatic settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue and played a constructive role in keeping the negotiations on the right track."

Wang said that China looks forward to the early launch of the eighth round of negotiations and expects to reunite with all the parties in Vienna to translate the important consensus reached in the latest round into a final agreement as soon as possible.

Based on the experience of the previous seven rounds, Wang said, China has the following suggestions for the follow-up negotiations.

The first is to stick firmly with the right direction of the negotiations. Despite difficulties and obstacles, this round has led to the conclusion of several outcome documents and consensus.

"This clearly shows that dialogue and negotiation are the only way to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue," Wang said. "We should maintain this hard-won good momentum, actively respond to each other's legitimate concerns, and reach an early arrangement acceptable to all parties for the United States and Iran to resume the implementation of the agreement."

The second suggestion is to focus on the substantive text negotiations. Following the latest round, all participants in the talks have a clearer understanding of others' positions and concerns and reached the latest text that integrates the positions of all parties, he said.

"As a next step, we should improve the joint document, and simultaneously we should keep the lifting of sanctions a priority issue that must be resolved," Wang said.

The third suggestion is to maintain a positive atmosphere during the negotiations, he said, as it is in the common interest of all parties to return to the JCPOA.

"We hope that all parties will maintain an objective and rational spirit, fully demonstrate patience, and cherish the hard-won positive atmosphere during the negotiations in the spirit of pragmatic cooperation and in search of a common ground."

Wang stressed that China will continue to firmly support the United States and Iran in resuming the negotiations for the implementation of the agreement, participate constructively in the follow-up talks, and work with all parties to promote the early negotiation outcomes.

The seventh round of the JCPOA talks, which started on Nov. 29, concluded here on Friday. The talks were chaired by Enrique Mora, deputy secretary general of the European External Action Service, and were attended by the representatives of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and Iran.

The next round of negotiations is scheduled to start before the end of this year.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
U.S. San Francisco mayor declares state of emergency in Tenderloin neighborhood

Xinhua) 10:52, December 18, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Friday declared an official state of emergency in the Tenderloin neighborhood, allowing the city to waive certain laws to quickly address the crisis of people dying of drug overdoses on the streets of the neighborhood as part of the Tenderloin Emergency Intervention Plan.

The drug overdose problem has worsened, particularly over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, putting the lives of San Franciscans in serious risk, the announcement said.

The emergency declaration allows the city to expedite the implementation of emergency programs like waiving rules around contract procurement and waiving zoning and planning codes to quickly open a temporary linkage site where people with substance use issues can receive behavioral health services and get off the street. The emergency declaration will apply to actions taken within the boundaries of the Tenderloin Police District, according to the announcement.

"The situation in the Tenderloin is an emergency and it calls for an emergency response," said Breed. "We will use that focus and coordination to disrupt the illegal activity in the neighborhood, to get people the treatment and support they need, and to make the Tenderloin a safer, more livable place for the families and children who call the neighborhood home."

"We are losing over two people a day to drug overdoses ... This is a public health emergency demanding a crisis level response, with massive urgency, coordination, and determination to confront this epidemic," said City Supervisor Matt Haney.

The declaration of emergency must be ratified by the Board of Supervisors within the next seven days, and will exist for no longer than 90 days.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
HK LegCo candidates gear up for 1st election without threats and provocations; residents prepare to defend new normal by voting

11:05, December 18, 2021 By Chen Qingqing, Zhang Hui ( Global Times

Staff members work at a counting station in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

It has been a very busy week for candidates running for the Hong Kong Legislative Council (LegCo) election, to be held on Sunday, as some of them have a packed schedule for campaigning, attending forums to mobilize the public to vote, and using all kinds of social media platforms. As Hong Kong will soon embrace its first LegCo election since the national security law for Hong Kong and electoral reform took effect, which bars radical anti-China and anti-government rioters from entering the local governance structure, the city is expecting a peaceful, rational and practical election, which, experts said, will also be the new normal for the political landscape.

"I'm optimistic for the upcoming election," said Lai Siu Chung, a 49-year-old bus driver, who attended a candidate forum at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC) on Friday. Lai told the Global Times that he believes 90 percent of voters who attended the forum will vote on Sunday. About 1,000 residents attended the forum with palpable high enthusiasm for election day, he said.

In the eyes of Hung Kam-in, a campaign manager of a candidate, this year's election campaign was smooth, secure and rational, and the patriotic voices were heard by more local residents.

"Previous LegCo elections in Hong Kong used to look like elections in the US in terms of campaign means, as opposition forces used inflammatory and emotional language to stir up the emotions of voters, making them vote with their emotions regardless of right or wrong, and incited confrontations with other candidates," Hung told the Global Times on Friday.

Hung, who spent around six hours every day since November to campaign at different communities, said more patriotic organizations showed up this year in streets and communities.

"They [candidates] liked to stand in streets encouraging people to vote because they feel much safer since the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong and they know their campaigns will not be threatened," he said, noting that the opposition candidates are more rational this year and the radical opposition forces have been disqualified.

Ahead of the district council election in 2019, pro-establishment lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu was stabbed in Tuen Mun by a man who approached him with a floral bouquet and a hidden knife, sparking growing concerns over outspoken pro-government lawmakers being violently attacked by radicals.

While Western media outlets such as Reuters, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera, which have been covering Hong Kong issues in a biased and selective way for a long time, try to depict this year's LegCo election as "unfair" and a "selection rather than election," and amplify how tame election day on Sunday will be, more Hong Kong residents voiced support for the new election system and their expectations for the seventh LegCo that will commence in January 2022.

Under the national security law for Hong Kong and electoral reform that ensure only patriots govern the city, those shocking and chaotic scenes that occurred at the LegCo meetings in previous years won't be seen again, and the council won't be a place for meaningless political battles again, former lawmakers, scholars and local residents said.

New normal

The LegCo elections used to see intense conflicts as some radical candidates from the opposition often attacked their opponents fiercely, hyping some controversial topics and tapping into public sentiment against the HKSAR government or the mainland. But now the overall atmosphere is calm and candidates are competing with each other in a civilized way, Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

Under the principle of only patriots governing Hong Kong, "such manner should be a new normal for Hong Kong political life," Lau said.

Numerous campaigning took place in Hong Kong this week, all in a peaceful manner. But when some people looked back to the previous LegCo election or the district council election in 2019, they remembered candidates pointing fingers at each other, spreading rumors and even making personal attacks or insults.

"For the future, for ourselves," read banners in pink and blue attached on 100 double-decker buses, taxis and trucks, which made tours across the city on Thursday, attracting hundreds of residents. They waved banners encouraging the public to vote on Sunday, as the polling stations will stay open from 8:30 am to 10:30 pm that day.

Some residents cheered the "far-reaching significance" of the LegCo election, as a recent survey from research firm Zijing suggested that 70 percent of 1,528 registered voters recognized the fairness of the LegCo election under the new electoral system, featuring broad representation.

China's top lawmakers unanimously approved the electoral reform plan for Hong Kong in March, another major step following the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong in fixing the loopholes in the city's governance structure.

In May, lawmakers in Hong Kong finalized amendments for the election overhaul which increased the seats of the LegCo from 70 to 90, including 40 seats from the Election Committee, 30 from functional constituencies, and 20 which are directly elected.

The electoral reform is designed to shield the city from rioting, citywide rampage and unprecedent social turmoil in 2019, as some former lawmakers who are also anti-China radical rioters played a major role in fueling the hatred and anti-government sentiment. But more importantly, the overhaul will end filibustering tactics commonly used by radical opposition lawmakers, who used the LegCo as a place for battling with the HKSAR government and lawmakers from other political groups, even if bills proposed by the government or other lawmakers were beneficial to Hong Kong society.

The Global Times discovered that at least 108 bills on livelihood, including medical, traffic, elderly care, and local infrastructure projects were delayed between 2014 and 2020, according to incomplete statistics, due to filibustering and other tools designed by opposition lawmakers to bring dysfunction to the LegCo.

For instance, many were shocked by a scene on May 28, 2020 when a former lawmaker from the opposition camp - Ted Hui Chi-fung, who absconded to Britain last year - dropped rotten plants in the LegCo chamber during the national anthem law debate, precipitating a six-hour break in the session.

When deliberations resumed on the afternoon of June 4, Hui was ejected after again throwing a plastic bottle containing a foul-smelling liquid even before the meeting had begun. Local officials and experts called it "complete chaos" that the LegCo - a place of debating on and adopting bills while supervising governance - no longer functioned normally.

When we look back, the LegCo used to be like a place to wage battles no matter what the circumstance was. Whether the bill was good or bad, opposition lawmakers fought against it only because they had a different political stance or ideological leaning, Tik Chi-yuen, a former lawmaker from the pan-democracy camp, told the Global Times in a recent interview.

"Turning the LegCo into a place for political battles over the past year served no good for theHKSAR government, political groups, Hong Kong citizens and social development," Tik said, noting that it should be a place for problem solving, not troublemaking.

After dozens of lawmakers from the opposition were disqualified for failing to fulfill the requirement of only patriots governing Hong Kong or resigned, thesixth LegCo (2020-2021) became highly effective as 124 of 128 proposed bills were passed, 50 percent more than previous LegCo sessions, where an average of 80 bills were passed, according to data from the website of the LegCo.

Without secessionist lawmakers, who only aimed to sabotage Hong Kong, we've done the work that had not been finished in the past four years, Ho, who is also running this year, told the Global Times on Friday.

"I believe we'll continue on this right path in the next LegCo, as some urgent bills need to be proposed," Ho said, noting that advancing Article 23, pushing forward the reforms in the judiciary and media, as well as deepening housing reform are among the top priorities.

Getting ready

The regional emblem hung in the Chamber of the LegCo was replaced with the national emblem on Friday as part of preparations for the oath-taking after the LegCo election on Sunday. The new lawmakers will take office in January.

As a major way of defying the upcoming election, foreign media outlets like the AFP highlighted possible low turnout, which is also a way foreign media outlets and observers used to question the legitimacy of the election.

"I think the turnout does not mean anything," Carrie Lam, chief executive of the HKSAR government, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview recently.

"There is a saying that when the government is doing well and its credibility is high, voter turnout will decrease because the people do not have a strong demand to choose different lawmakers to supervise the government," she said.

To echo the foreign media hyping of possible low turnout, secessionists and anti-government figures such as Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Ted Hui have been vocal on overseas social media platforms, calling on people not to vote.

Hong Kong local authorities enforced the law resolutely, and sued two people who reposted such inflammatory posts of Hui for the first time since the amendment of election-related local laws in May.

Although the city has restored social order under the national security law for Hong Kong and electoral reform over the past year, local officials warned of possible attacks on election day as there are still secessionists who colluded with external forces to seek occasions to subvert the authority and instigate another social turmoil.

The Hong Kong Police Force also told the Global Times in an earlier email that it would dispatch the appropriate police force on Sunday to ensure the LegCo election is held smoothly.

John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Secretary for Administration, along with Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, inspected the central counting station at HKCEC, and Lee also described the upcoming election as the one of "the largest scale," as about 40,000 staff will handle the votes and counting.

As the election looms, Hong Kong is also expected to see the plan of resuming travel between the city and the mainland soon, as this serves as a boost to Hong Kong's economic recovery. And to facilitate the voting process for Hong Kong residents who live and work in the mainland, polling stations have been set up for the first time at checkpoints on the mainland-Hong Kong border.

Several Hong Kong residents told the Global Times that with the new election and the upcoming border reopening, they are more confident in Hong Kong's future development and their future.

Franky Yeung, manager for several companies in South China's Guangdong Province and founding president of the Hong Kong Island District Industries and Commercial Association, told the Global Times that he and some 20 Hong Kong residents who stayed in the Chinese mainland will vote at boundary control point polling stations in Shenzhen on Sunday, and many of them hope the new LegCo members will help accelerate the process of border reopening between Hong Kong and the mainland.

Cheung Kai-yuen, deputy president of the Kowloon Women's Organizations Federation, told the Global Times on Friday that she will "definitely" vote on Sunday, and her two daughters who live in Shenzhen will also drive to the polling station to vote.

Cheung said Sunday's voting is an obligation for all Hong Kong voters, and as the first LegCo election under the new election system and after the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong, she will defend the new election system under the "one country, two systems" by voting.

She and other voters around her are pinning their hopes on the new LegCo members to improve people's lives, and they wish that the new members could truly speak for residents, and put forward constructive proposals on issues like housing, education, traffic and healthcare.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
U.S. appeals court lifts injunction on Biden's vaccine mandate for large companies

Xinhua) 13:28, December 18, 2021

A signage reminding employees of wearing face masks in all indoor public settings is seen at the front door of the Metro Headquarters in Los Angeles, California, the United States, Dec. 15, 2021. (Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ruled to reinstate the vaccine mandate of President Joe Biden's administration for large private sector employers.

The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio, lifted a November injunction that had temporarily suspended the rule from the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which requires companies with 100 or more employees to vaccinate their workforce or make them subject to weekly testing and compulsory masking.

The decision was made after a 2-1 vote on the court's three-judge panel, with an opinion written by Judge Jane Stranch saying that OSHA is authorized by Congress "to assure safe and healthful working conditions for the nation's work force and to preserve the nation's human resources."

"The record establishes that COVID-19 has continued to spread, mutate, kill and block the safe return of American workers to their jobs. To protect workers, OSHA can and must be able to respond to dangers as they evolve," she said.

The ruling came as the Biden administration last month stopped the implementation of the mandate, which would otherwise take effect on Jan. 4 and affect some 80 million people, to comply with a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The 5th Circuit's ruling argued that OSHA exceeded its authority to regulate employers' conduct, a claim shared by the dissenting judge in the 6th Circuit's ruling.

While handing the Biden administration a temporary victory, the 6th Circuit's ruling could be appealed to the Supreme Court, which is likely to have the final say over the controversial issue.

Separately, the Biden administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to allow the full enforcement of a nationwide requirement that health-care workers be vaccinated if they work at facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid. The policy was suspended by lower courts amid opposition from two dozen states.

The increasingly heated legal fight over vaccine mandates came against the backdrop of U.S. COVID-19 death toll surpassing 800,000, yet another grim milestone.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
New Zealand reports 4 more cases of Omicron variant at border

Xinhua) 14:21, December 18, 2021

WELLINGTON, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand has identified four more COVID-19 cases of Omicron variant among recent international arrivals, taking the total in the country to eight, said New Zealand's Ministry of Health in a statement on Saturday.

All infected are isolated in the border quarantine facilities, said the statement, adding that New Zealand has reported 49 new cases of COVID-19.

Of the 49 new cases, 39 were community cases across New Zealand, and 10 were imported cases, said the ministry.

Among the new community infections, 25 were recorded in the largest city of Auckland, 11 in Bay of Plenty, two in the Lakes region, and one in Taranaki, the ministry said.

The total case number of COVID-19 in the current Delta variant outbreak in the community has reached 10,168, mainly in Auckland and peripheral regions, it added.

There were 49 COVID-19 patients in New Zealand hospitals, it said.

New Zealand recorded 12,996 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, said the ministry, noting that 90 percent of the eligible population have fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Under the country's "traffic light" COVID-19 Protection Framework, the largest city Auckland and part of the North Island are at red settings, with the rest of the country at orange settings.

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Liang Jun)
The restrictions on the pill had been in place since the FDA approved the drug in 2000 and were lifted temporarily by the government earlier this year because of the pandemic. That enabled women to consult health care providers by telemedicine and receive the pills by mail. The FDA's decision makes that temporary change permanent.

The medication, generically known as mifepristone, is approved for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy and is also sometimes prescribed to treat women who are having miscarriages. "The FDA's decision will come as a tremendous relief for countless abortion and miscarriage patients," said Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union.

The decision by the Food and Drug Administration comes as the right to obtain an abortion, established in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance.

The U.S. government on Thursday permanently eased some restrictions on a pill used to terminate early pregnancies, allowing the drug to be sent by mail rather than requiring it to be dispensed in person.

As a result of the FDA rule change, many patients will not need to go to a clinic, medical office or hospital in person to receive the medication but can opt to receive the pill through the mail from a certified prescriber or pharmacy. The decision will increase access to medication abortion for women in remote and rural areas without providers nearby. Low-income women who face obstacles reaching clinics such as lack of transportation and inability to take time off work will also gain greater access to the drug.

However, 19 states including Texas have laws that supersede the FDA decision by barring telehealth consultations or the mailing of abortion pills. Women in those states would not be able to make use of the rule change at home but could potentially travel to other states to obtain medication abortion.

States such as California and New York that have sought to strengthen access to abortion may make the drug available to women from other states. The change is likely to add to the intense U.S. political debate over abortion. Conservative Supreme Court justices indicated in Dec. 1 oral arguments over an abortion ban in Mississippi at 15 weeks of pregnancy that they were open to either gutting Roe or overturning it entirely. A decision is due by the end of June.

The Charlotte Lozier Institute and Susan B. Anthony List, which advocate against abortion, said in a statement that the FDA decision ignored data on complications and put women at risk. The groups called on the FDA to restore the in-person dispensing requirement and add restrictions.

FDA records show that of the 3.7 million women who took Mifeprex, the branded version of the drug, to terminate a pregnancy between September 2000 and December 2018, 24 died from complications.

 Some Restrictions Remain

The FDA left in place some restrictions, such as the need to use a certified pharmacy and requiring the prescribers to be certified. The ACLU said it was "disappointing that the FDA fell short of repealing all of its medically unnecessary restrictions on mifepristone, and these remaining obstacles should also be lifted."

The organization sued the U.S. government on behalf of a Hawaii doctor and several professional health care associations in 2017, challenging the restrictions that it said limited access to medication abortion. Medication abortion involves two drugs, taken over a day or two. The first, mifepristone, blocks the pregnancy-sustaining hormone progesterone. The second, misoprostol, induces uterine contractions.
Press Release

December 18, 2021 Dispatch from Crame No. 1,191:

Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Duterte's claim of depleted funds due to COVID-19 In the midst of the catastrophic devastation suffered by Dinagat, Siargao, and other small island provinces, Duterte has the gall to say that he has already spent all the money of government for COVID-19 response. This coming from a president who acts as the defense lawyer of Michael Yang, Darghani, Linconn Ong, and Christopher Lloyd Lao who managed to siphon off 10 billion pesos from government coffers, money that was spent buying Porsches and Lamborghinis. This is 10 billion that could have been spared for the relief operations and reconstruction of small provinces levelled by Typhoon "Odette". Instead, this 10 billion was pocketed and used to buy Porsches and Lamborghinis in a country where the income of small island provinces could not even afford generators for emergency power in the aftermath of super typhoons. Kung wala na palang pera para sa pantugon sa pandemya at sa taun-taong mga bagyong dumadaan sa ating bansa, patunay lang yan na dapat na talagang bawasan ang budget ng NTF-ELCAC na mahilig mang-red tag ng mga kritiko ng gobyerno, at magsilbing dagdag na pork barrel para sa Ehekutibo. The best counter-insurgency strategy is - and always has been - for government to serve the people well, to attend to their basic and immediate needs, and to be responsible in spending the national coffers. But Duterte, being less of a leader and more of a tyrant, would rather add insult to injury by withholding funds from those devastated by a totally predictable disaster that visits our country every year like clockwork. Duterte might as well tell the hungry, unsheltered, and devastated people of Siargao and Dinagat: "Let them eat cake!" But Mr. President, they cannot even have Christmas now because you gave all their money to Pharmally and wasted more of taxpayers' money on your red-tagging pet project, instead of saving it for relief operations needed for the expected devastation wrought by the yearend's super typhoon. (Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_from_crame_no_1191)


Press Release

December 18, 2021 De Lima supports SIM Card registration bill, but alarmed over possible data exposure Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima expressed alarm over a provision in the proposed SIM Card Registration Act which may expose the data of users and embolden law enforcement agencies to abuse the information in their hands. De Lima refers to Sec. 5 of Senate Bill No. (SB) No. 2395, which requires the public telecommunication entity (PTE) to forward the registration information of users to a centralized database accessible by both the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). "The goals of the proposed measure are laudable and seemingly adaptive to the technological advancements of the new century, which is why, in principle, I have no objections to the proposed bill on SIM card registration, for as long as the intrusions on individual privacy it entails are narrowly tailored to achieve that goal," De Lima said in a previous Comment on the Committee Report which endorsed the bill. Said Comment was submitted to the Office of the Chairperson of the Committee on Public Services and Principal Sponsor of the Bill, Senator Grace Poe, last Sept. 13, via email. "However, if the measures go beyond achieving ownership registration, as is now effectively implemented among post-paid subscribers, then it becomes less of a safeguard for public interest, and more of an opportunistic measure taken by a government to impose a surveillance state on its citizenry," she added. Last Dec. 16, the Senate unanimously approved on third and final reading SB No. 2395 or the proposed SIM Card Registration bill, which seeks to eradicate criminal activities aided by mobile phones, the internet or other electronic communication devices. Notably, the bill penalizes the use of fictitious identities to register SIM cards and the unauthorized sale of registered SIM cards. De Lima noted that there is already a method by which ownership registration is most effectively implemented, particularly through a readily verifiable database in the possession of telecommunications service providers. "The existing system for post-paid subscribers is not only effective for the purpose of ownership registration, it is likewise effective in serving as a protection against undue intrusions by the state or state actors," she said. "Therefore, that being said, my only objection is to Section 5, which requires the PTE to forward the registration info to a centralized database accessible by both the NTC and DICT," she added. The lady Senator from Bicol pointed out that not even post-paid subscribers are subjected to such kind of exposure of their data to the NTC and DITC by their private service telecommunications providers. "The bill should only place the prepaid subscribers in the same footing as post-paid subscribers. "This will be enough to discourage criminal use of SIM cards if the user will not be able to hide in anonymity and instead his information can be acquired upon legitimate request from his provider, the same way post-paid subscribers are discouraged from using their phones illegally as these can be directly traced to them by the provider," she said. "This provision is likely to embolden and empower law enforcement agencies to the point of promoting a propensity to abuse the information in their hands, since there is no other agency or branch of government that could effectively check their actions in accessing information that is already in their possession," she added. Except for Section 5, De Lima stressed: "I find nothing fundamentally objectionable to the bill, considering the rampant illegitimate use of prepaid SIM cards whose ownership cannot be traced."
Lacson Revisits PMA Cadet Barracks He Helped Restore

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City - This was where it all started 50 years ago.

Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson on Saturday attended the blessing and inauguration of the New Florendo Hall, the cadet barracks of the Philippine Military Academy, his Alma Mater.

Lacson was here to mark the 50th anniversary of the Philippine Military Academy "Matatag" Class of 1971.

In 2016, Lacson - in his capacity as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee of Finance and sponsor of the DND budget for FY 2017 - sought an investigation into why Florendo Hall had been allowed to deteriorate.

He inquired with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana if they can include in their spending program the repair of the PMA Florendo Hall.

For the 2017 budget, Lacson proposed an institutional amendment increasing the allocation for the construction of new cadet barracks in the PMA from the original P100 million to P335.02 million.

Lacson graduated from the PMA as a member of the "Matatag" Class of 1971. He went on to have a decorated career in the Philippine Constabulary where he maintained a no-take policy, headed the Philippine National Police and restore its glory days through his brand of leadership by example, and served in the Philippine Senate where he earned a reputation as the watchdog of the national budget.

All throughout his public service, Lacson upheld the values he learned from the PMA - Courage, Integrity and Loyalty; and stood by his personal motto, "Ang tama ipaglaban, ang mali labanan (What is right must be kept right, what is wrong must be set right)."
Press Release

December 18, 2021 Lacson: PMA Virtues My Guide in Navigating PH's Challenges FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City - The values of Courage, Integrity and Loyalty will be the guide of Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson in addressing the challenges facing the country, should he be elected President in 2022. Lacson said these virtues, which he learned as a member of the PMA Matatag Class of 1971, are much-needed in facing the "unprecedented" and humongous problems. "These virtues are much-warranted in today's unprecedented challenges: the long-term impact of the pandemic, the ballooning national debt, the biggest dip of our economy, the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea, as well as the undeniable climate crisis," he said during his speech at the 50th anniversary of the PMA Class 1971 here. It was at the PMA that Lacson learned not just the three virtues of Courage, Integrity and Loyalty - but he also developed his brand of leadership by example and his personal motto, "What is right must be kept right, what is wrong must be set right." He noted that the members of the Matatag Class of 1971 are at the forefront of many key points of our nation's history. "Living up to our class moniker, our class fought and bled in many battles - we stood at the forefront of armed rebellions and peaceful revolutions that set the course of our nation's history. Even in our second careers as elected or appointed public officials, as well as in private enterprises, within us is our ironclad commitment to the virtues taught to us by our beloved Alma Mater," he said. Now, he said the PMA figures to play a major role in the Philippines' "digital renaissance" in the next three years. He cited the first National Cyber Defense Academy and the largest intelligent network through Project Lightning in Baguio City as major examples. "This breakthrough technology is our way to revolutionize our connectivity landscape which already addresses the speed, cost, and efficiency requirements to literally connect everything," he said, adding he was impressed with Baguio's Smart City Command Center which he toured Friday. He said the command center is the realization of Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong's vision of operationalizing digital governance to unlock even more socio-economic opportunities in the city. "Imagine if this can be replicated all over the country. Initially 146 cities, wow, you can just imagine. It's all digital. This is a dream come true. Sana sooner than later ma-implement ni Mayor Benjie (I hope Mayor Magalong can implement this sooner than later)," Lacson said after seeing the command center in action on Friday. Also, Lacson said he and his "mistahs" must pace themselves with the thriving digital economy "that is bound to change not only our defense system, but literally every single aspect of our nation's well-being." "Indeed, what we are bound to do, as leaders in various sectors of our country, is to stay the course and keep in pace with pivotal transformations in our society - akin to that of the meaningful governance reforms of Baguio City Mayor and fellow cavalier, Benjie Magalong," he said. "Only if we institute the much-needed reforms of our society in line with the demands of our time can we live up to the legacy of being 'Matatag': strong, unbowed and unyielding," he added. Lacson is running for President under Partido Reporma.
Press Release

December 18, 2021 Villar cites importance of OTOP to help spur eco growth amid pandemic SAYING that the coronavirus has crippled our livelihood and means of earning, Senator Cynthia Villar has recognized the important role of the "One Town One Pasko" (OTOP) program of the Department of Industry (DOT) to help the economy bounce back. During the opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Grand OTOP Provincial Trade Fair with the theme: "OTOPasko: Atinito!" last December16 at Vista Mall in Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Villar commended the DTI Laguna for supporting our local micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). "The OTOP program of the government is really intended for MSMEs and I am glad that the DTI has levelled it up through its OTOP Next Gen program that assists the inproduct development and enhances services in terms of assistance in improving quality, design, packaging, marketability, standards compliance among others," related the senator. And with the eased restrictions, she said many people will go out to buy their needs for the Christmas season, and this would be lead by Laguna residents here in this place. "That is really the essence of OTOPto patronize our own. It enables localities and communities to develop, support, and promote products or services that are rooted in its local culture, community resource, creativity, connection, and competitive advantage," noted Villar. "As their own 'pride-of-place,' these are offerings where they can be the best at or best renowned for," she further stated. Villar also said there are indeed many areas where we can help our MSMEs to further improve their businesses and income. "We can make this happen with the collaborative efforts of the private sector and the government especially since the MSMEs is the engine of the country's growth." The MSMEs, Villar said, comprise more than 99 percent of businesses in our country and provide employment to over 65 percent of Filipinos. She also related that many of our big companies started as MSMEs. She specifically cited the real estate business of their family which started with a small gravel and sand company. Now, it is already a publicly listed corporation. "So I can relate with small entrepreneurs and that is why we have a soft spot for MSMEs and we promote entrepreneurship. (Former Senate President ) Manny (Villar) and I as well as the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), have always been active advocates of entrepreneurship," she said. As entrepreneurs ourselves, Villar said they know that entrepreneurship is the key to economic freedom of Filipinos. She mentioned that from a small gravel and sand company, with two second-hand delivery trucks, she said her husband has created the country's largest homebuilder (Vista Land). As a lawmaker, Villar helps pursue legislations that will benefit MSMEs. She led the passage of legislations for entrepreneurs. Among which is the Magna Carta of Micro-Enterprises and Republic Act No. 9178 or the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs). Villar was also the co-author and co-sponsor of the "Youth Entrepreneurship Act" or Republic Act 10679 (enacted into law in 2015). It encourages a new generation of entrepreneurs by promoting entrepreneurship and financial education among Filipino youth. "As we promote entrepreneurship and we develop a new generation of entrepreneurs, we also pave the way for the creation of more MSMEs," she said. She noted thaf wealth and a high majority of jobs are created by small businesses started by entrepreneurially-minded individuals, many of whom go on to create big businesses. Prior to being a senator, Villar was the Managing Director of Villar SIPAG. "It is in managing it when I transitioned into a social entrepreneur. The flagship project of Villar SIPAG that I continue to pursue until now, is the establishment of livelihood projects," said Villar, adding they had built over 3,000 all of the country, which can be considered micro small enterprises.
Mubadala, one of Abu Dhabis sovereign fund, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Fincantieri, the Europes largest shipbuilder in Europe to develop innovative projects in the naval, marine and industrial sectors, Trade Arabia reports.

Per the agreement, will work together through specialized subsidiaries to jointly advance a number of leading innovation and industrial projects. Moreover, studies to identify other areas of collaboration, such as the development of integrated industrial services for waste transformation platforms for small and medium commercial and industrial facilities, will be carried out in line with the circular economy. Mubadala, through its subsidiary Sanad, will also offer after sales services to Fincantieri products as well as other OEMs products, the Bahraini media notes citing UAE state-run news agency WAM.

The agreement was signed by Abdulla Abdul Aziz Al Shamsi, Head of UAE New Initiatives at Mubadala, and Giuseppe Giordo, General Manager of Fincantieri Naval Vessels Division.

As a responsible long term investor, and an active player in the global energy transition sector, Mubadala has long pioneered and championed a balanced energy mix through a holistic and diversified energy portfolio in the UAE and abroad. Through this agreement, we are committed to advancing the role innovation in energy technologies can play to meet future energy demand with our partners at Fincantieri, and other technology developers, operating companies and like-minded organizations, Al Shamsi said.

This is a first step to strengthen our presence in the UAE, and is a demonstration of the great versatility of our Group, which today is able to offer unique management skills and technologies in the Naval, Maritime and Industrial sectors. Thanks to this agreement we will leverage our mutual know-how and investment capabilities to identify projects of common interest in the UAE and contributing to the development of the countrys advanced fields of technologies, said Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantier.

Fincnatier according to its website is one of the worlds largest shipbuilding groups, global Italian leader in cruise ship design, reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors, from naval to offshore vessels, from high-complexity ferries to mega yachts, as well as production of systems and component equipment for mechanical and electrical segments, from cruise ship interiors solutions, electronic and software systems, to infrastructures and maritime constructions, as well as after-sales services.

The group become Europes largest shipbuilder after acquiring Vard in 2013  doubling its size to become the fourth largest shipbuilder in the world.

Written by: Jaber Ali on December 18, 2021. on December 17, 2021.
Chinese tech giant Huawei will launch during the second half (H2) of 2022 an electric car model in Egypt, supplied with Huaweis operating system, Ahmed Abdel-Aal, Vice President of Huawei Egypt has revealed to Al Mal News, Arab Finance reports.

The company according Abdel-Aal, is negotiating with its commercial partners to make the electric car available in Egypt before the end of 2022, pointing to Huaweis endeavor to launch a number of different products in the Egyptian market during the coming period, including the smart phone sector.

Egypt is planning to become an electrical car manufacturer in the future. State-owned El Nasr Automotive suspended a plan to build electric vehicles in partnership with Chinese car maker Dongfeng Motor, but plans to search for other partners.

The country is also planning to build a network of 3,000 charging stations around Cairo and Alexandria over the next two years.

Early this month, General Motors Co and its Egypt dealer Al Mansour Automotive Co. signed to study joint manufacturing of electric vehicles in Egypt and, once finished, ask the government for support.

Written by: Jaber Ali on December 18, 2021. on December 17, 2021.
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By Trend

Details of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan and delegation of Turkish Demiroren Holdings delegation have been disclosed, Trend reports citing the ministry.

The MoU signed by Azerbaijani minister Mikayil Jabbarov and the holdings board chairman Yildirim Demiroren envisages the organization of production and sale of pharmaceutical products through the creation of a joint venture in Azerbaijan.

Within the document, its planned to allot an appropriate area in the Pirallahi industrial park for the construction of an enterprise, the participation of the Azerbaijan Investment Company in the project and the creation of new jobs with the participation of at least 150 local residents.

According to the memorandum, Demiroren Holding will invest $40 million in the project, and the production process will be organized in accordance with GMP standards on the basis of appropriate licenses from leading qualified companies.

Besides, the document envisages the exchange of knowledge and experience, development of research programs at local universities and support for the development of related industries.

Demiroren Holding is a Turkish conglomerate. The holding includes companies in the field of energy, real estate, construction, education, media, advertising, tourism and digital technologies. The group of companies also organizes lotteries in Turkey.

The holding, which organized a joint venture with the renowned Italian gambling operator Sisal SpA, acquired the operating rights of the Turkish national lottery Milli Piyango in 2019 for the next 10 years. Its also engaged in import of the latest international gaming technologies.

Demiroren Holding is also the owner of one of the largest media groups in Turkey. The media group includes popular TV and radio channels such as CNN Turk, Channel D, as well as newspapers such as Milliyet, Hurriyet, Posta.

According to the agreement signed in February this year, Azerlotereya OJSC was transferred to the management of the subsidiary company YMT Sans B.V., which is part of Demiroren Holding. Taking advantage of the favorable business and investment climate created in Azerbaijan, Demiroren Holding decided to start its second project after Azerlottery as soon as possible.
Azerbaijan and Japan discussed the expansion of ties between businessmen, Trend reports on Dec. 17 citing Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarovs message on Twitter.

During the meeting with Junichi Wada, the Ambassador of Japan to Azerbaijan, we exchanged views on the expansion of relations between business circles, investment promotion and the establishment of the Azerbaijan Trade House in Tokyo, the minister tweeted.
Trend:

Azerbaijan is open to initiatives to expand inter-regional transport connectivity and bring Asia closer to European transport architecture, said Azerbaijans Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, Trend reports.

He made the remarks at the 4th United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Ministerial Conference on Transport.

Azerbaijan managed to keep open all of our land borders for freight traffic during the pandemic. Due to special trade and transport facilitation measures at the ports and land crossing-borders, we successfully moved essential and general goods and medical supplies. Freight traffic continued with limited disruptions in railway network, added the minister.

Nabiyev pointed out that the lessons learned during the pandemic demonstrate that a coordinated regional approach would contribute to a more cost-effective and efficient response to any disruption of supply chain and distribution of risks.

Therefore, we attach great importance to promoting cooperation with countries of the ESCAP and look forward to deepening integration with our existing partners, he explained.
By Trend

Zangazur corridor will ensure the shortest land route from Asia to Europe, said Azerbaijans Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, Trend reports.

He made the remarks at the 4th United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Ministerial Conference on Transport.

"The trilateral Statement among Azerbaijan, Russian Federation, and Armenia signed on November 10, 2020, included a reference to the transportation corridor linking Azerbaijans western regions with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The creation of this corridor will have an immense effect on the development of transportation for the whole region. This corridor will not only help to widen transport integration in South Caucasus but also will ensure the shortest land route from Asia to Europe and vice versa," said the minister.

Nabiyev expressed hope that ESCAP will continue to play an active role in promoting economic cooperation in the region and coordinating joint efforts of its member states for the benefit of the region as a whole.
By Trend

The leadership of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, who is visiting the Kalbajar and Lachin districts, took part in the opening of newly built military facilities, Trend reports citing the Defense Ministry on Dec. 18.

According to the ministry, as part of the visit, the purchased new ski equipment, which ensures uninterrupted transportation of personnel and cargo through snow-covered areas with difficult terrain, was examined.
By Trend

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov left for Pakistan to participate in an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, dedicated to the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

According to the ministry, bilateral meetings of the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister are planned within the framework of the visit.
Emaar, the UAE's integrated real estate development company, is getting ready to ring in 2022 with a firework show, choreographed to laser, lights and music.

Called 'Eve of Wonders', people across the globe are invited to see the spectacle as Emaar decorates the night sky as the clock strikes midnight on December 31, with pyrotechnics, light & laser extravaganza that will light up Dubai Downtown.

In line with the theme, a new laser feature is making its debut at The Dubai Fountain in sync with Burj Khalifa's programme, creating a memorable event that is poised to redefine new year's celebrations, PRNewswire reported.

Whether in Downtown Dubai, watching online, or on television worldwide, the public is guaranteed a gala event to welcome in the new year. Emaar NYE 2022 will be broadcast live and live-streamed from 8.30 p.m. local time on mydubainewyear.com.

Emaar Founder Mohamed Alabbar said: "The UAE, and Dubai, inspire hope and optimism, and bring together a global community to shape the future. This year's celebration is a tribute to our nation's achievements in the past 50 years. It also highlights our leadership's vision to create a new age of progress through openness and collaboration, and Emaar is proud to be part of it."

Those wishing to access Downtown Dubai on December 31 can do so by using the U by Emaar app and its easy-to-use pre-registration process. Guests, including Emaar Boulevard residents and hotel guests, can log on to the app and follow the steps to access all Downtown Dubai locations.

After registration, they will receive individual QR codes that can be used to gain access to Downtown Dubai on New Year's Eve.
Wipro Limited, a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire LeanSwift Solutions, a system integrator of Infor Products headquartered in Florida, US.

Its key service capabilities include ERP, e-commerce, digital transformation, supply chain, warehouse management systems, business intelligence and integrations.

LeanSwift has development offices across US, Sweden and India and its strong portfolio of clients span multiple industries, including manufacturing, distribution, chemicals, fashion and food & beverages.

Its core business is providing consulting, business solutions and technical services to customers in the Infor space. They have been recognized by Infor as Innovation Partner of the Year  North America in 2020 and with the Innovation Award in 2018.

The acquisition aligns with Wipros strategy to invest and expand its cloud transformation business through Wipro FullStride Cloud Services.

LeanSwift through its capabilities in both the consulting and implementation space, will complement Wipros Infor cloud practice, and will also establish Wipro as a market leader in the Infor industry cloud services.

The combined entity will provide Wipro an edge in key transformation deals, especially in the manufacturing and distribution industry, combining Infor CloudSuite and broader cloud-native digital capabilities.

Welcoming LeanSwift into the fold, Harish Dwarkanhalli, President  Applications & Data, iDEAS, Wipro, said: "Wipros deep domain capabilities and integrated cloud portfolio under Wipro FullStride Cloud Services, combined with LeanSwifts strong Infor credentials, brings a unique value proposition for our customers to drive digital transformation based on Infors industry cloud platforms."

"This acquisition will establish a strong, industry-focused Infor Practice that will help us win large deals in the Cloud ERP space," he added.

LeanSwift CEO Anise Madh said: "We are very proud of our team and we sincerely thank our customers through this incredible journey. We are very excited to join the Wipro team. Over the last 10 years, LeanSwift has gathered deep functional and technical expertise working across the globe for various customers."

"We have built value added products and carved a niche for ourselves in the industry as an Infor services specialist. Our complementary capabilities and shared vision will drive change in the industries that we serve, find new growth opportunities for our employees, and help our clients realize value," he added.

Koch Industries CIO and Chief Transformation Officer Paul Krebs said: "Wipro has been one of our strategic partners in our transformation journey leveraging Infor CloudSuite products. I am pleased to learn about their continued investment in the Infor Cloud space."

"It showcases Wipros commitment towards strengthening their Infor capabilities and thereby serving their and Infors customers better," he added.

Deanna Gibbs Lanier, Senior VP (Strategy, Growth and Partnerships) Infor said: "Wipro is one of the premier global system integrators in the Infor ecosystem, with a common goal to support customers throughout their business transformation journey."

"Infor is at the forefront of providing transformational micro-verticalized products and we are experiencing significant traction in this space. We are thrilled that Wipro and LeanSwift are coming together to deliver the best of Infor Solutions to our current customers and new Infor cloud adopters. We look forward to fostering a stronger relationship with Wipro to grow Infors presence in the enterprise cloud business, more precisely in manufacturing and distribution industries," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The Mauritian tourism family has welcomed the decision by the French government to remove Mauritius from its list of 'scarlet' destinations, just a few days after its classification as part of this list.

In a joint statement, the Public/Private Tourism Sector Committee said: "We wish to thank the French Ambassador, Florence Causse-Tissier, whose intervention was instrumental in removing Mauritius from the 'scarlet' list, for her support."

Following the announcement, travel to Mauritius from France has resumed for people vaccinated with an EMA-approved vaccine (Pfizer / Comirnaty, Moderna, AstraZeneca / Vaxzeria / Covishield, Janssen). Restrictions are, however, applicable to non-vaccinated travellers.

The statement added: "Our priority remains the safety and security of our residents and visitors, so the rigorous arrival protocols related to Covid-19 remain in force. All visitors to Mauritius are required to be vaccinated, and to undergo PCR testing within 72 hours prior to travel, on arrival and in the days following.

"Two months after the re-opening of our borders, the tourism industry has come through some significant challenges. The entire value chain - airlines, hotels, restaurants, attractions, tour operators, taxis and more  is united to ensure that the recovery of Mauritian tourism is a success."-TradeArabia News Service
Having developed some of the worlds acclaimed hotels and resorts in exotic destinations, General Hotel Management Ltd (GHM) will commemorate its 30th anniversary with a series of celebrations featuring inspiring luxury experiences through 2022.

As part of its global expansion plan, GHM will unveil The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort in Doha, Qatar in 2022, The Chedi El Gouna, Red Sea, Egypt in 2022 and at least five more projects in the pipeline.

CEO Tommy Lai said: Over the last three decades, GHM has built a legacy of hospitality excellence with a distinctive Asian identity. Through our operating experience in uncommon destinations, we have acquired valuable insights, local knowledge and cultural sensitivities that appeal to discerning luxury travellers.

Our landmark hotels and resorts embrace a strong sense of native identity and genuine way of life in every destination to deliver transformative travel experiences. Based on the success of our Style to Remember over the past 30 years, we look forward to creating more remarkable experiences in desirable destinations for the new era of travel.

GHMs portfolio comprises three brands: The Chedi, The Chedi Club and soon-to-be unveiled lifestyle brand, The Serai. Referencing a place of tranquillity and meditation, The Chedi beckons guests to seek respite in its sanctuaries of calm, which include The Chedi Muscat, Oman, The Chedi Andermatt, Switzerland, The Chedi Hotel and Residences Lustica Bay, Montenegro and The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah, UAE.

The GHM experience is elevated with The Chedi Club, which prioritises guests need for exclusivity with bespoke offerings and quality services. The Serai is GHMs newest brand. At its core lies the concept of building a borderless global community for those in search of meaningful connections and experiences.-TradeArabia News Service
Royal Jordanian has announced the launch of RJ Chauffeur Service, offering a tailored product to its customers.

The new service gives RJ customers who travel from/to Queen Alia International Airport the opportunity to book both their RJ ticket and their airport ride at the same time.

Passengers can book their air ticket and their car ride from/to the airport through the RJ website, call centre, and any sales office. The chauffeur service is ideal for passengers arriving to or travelling from Amman and comes with complimentary Wi-Fi connection during the ride.

Chief Commercial Officer Karime Makhlouf said: We are aiming to offer convenient and trusted services to our guests at affordable prices. We initiated the RJ Chauffeur Service to make it easier for our passengers to book their air and land transportation from one point of sale.

He added that the service is run by trained and professional drivers who speak Arabic and English.

Customers can book their ride 48 hours prior to their departure from or arrival to Amman.-TradeArabia News Service
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Senate Republican leadership concurs that a Greitens primary victory would hand the seat to Democrats. But so far theyve taken a hands-off approach, convinced Greitens campaign will implode as he struggles to raise money and continues to be dogged by the scandal, according to two Republican strategists working on Senate races, who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. That could change if Greitens candidacy gains steam, the strategists said.
Across the country, the precise number of elected officials of color who have had their districts changed in such ways is difficult to pinpoint. The New York Times identified more than two dozen of these officials, but there are probably significantly more in county and municipal districts. And whose seats are vulnerable or safe depends on a variety of factors, including the political environment at the time of elections.
Burglaries were up sharply in 2020 but have declined slightly this year; motor vehicle thefts also spiked in 2020 and have stayed about the same this year. Retail theft is more difficult to track because it is made up of several different crimes, but local news reports have said San Francisco has consistently been one of the top 10 cities for retail theft nationwide and suggested that the retail industry has exaggerated the financial impact.
The downside is that you dont want them sequestered again because they need to be social, and parents do get concerned when (kids) dont get to mingle together and hang out. There is that fine line of wanting them to be safe at home, but then also making sure that theyre OK mentally.
The patches, which depict the American flag in black and white with one blue line to represent police, were the subject of debate in the village this summer. Activists said the shoulder patches were hurtful to people of color because the symbols had been used by white supremacists at a deadly protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, and at the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, among other events. They expressed further disappointment at the sale.
Danny Simmons, 28, of the 7700 block of South Honore Street in the Gresham neighborhood, was charged with first-degree murder in the Oct. 22 fatal shooting of 17-year-old Tremayne Maltbia in the 7800 block of South Wood Street, also in the Gresham neighborhood, police said.
We have to do everything possible to make sure that kids that are coming to this country in the future are getting the education they need and theyre able to have parents present in their lives, Rodriguez said. Its so important for us to be here today because thats how things get done around here.
But major non-lobbying costs were included in refunds. For example, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, whos under indictment, was listed in a chart as being paid $1.8 million in compensation and benefits in 2011 for non-lobbying activity. John Hooker, a former top executive and lobbyist also indicted, received $1.15 million in compensation and benefits in 2011 for similar non-lobbying activity. And Fidel Marquez, an ex-executive who oversaw lobbying and who has pleaded guilty, earned $748,000 in 2012, also for non-lobbying activity. Those payments are included in ComEds proposed refund, ComEd said.
Sims, a Democrat from Posen, announced in October she wont run for reelection in 2022. That followed the finding by the countys independent inspector general that an unnamed elected official  later confirmed to be Sims  retaliated against an employee for reporting sexual misconduct. At the time, the longtime commissioner had little to say to the Tribune about the watchdog investigation other than: Everything is a learning experience. Its over. I have nothing to say about it.
Let me tell you what: Rahm Emanuel could not have been more forthright on that issue. He was quizzed on it by several senators in the Foreign Relations Committee, and he expected it, Durbin said. I thought his answers were honest and heartfelt on an issue that we all look back on with some regret that it wasnt handled differently. But mayors make a lot of decisions, and thats why Im sure he wishes he had it to do over. But he was very honest about it before the committee.
On December 3, 2021, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President Xi Jinping held a virtual meeting with General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith.

Xi Jinping pointed out that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Laos diplomatic relations and the Year of China-Laos Friendship. Over the past 60 years, China-Laos relations have been able to stand the tests of international changes and grow stronger over time. The key is that both sides stick to common ideals, trust each other, offer mutual assistance and share the same future.

Xi Jinping stressed that both China and Laos are led by communist parties and are socialist-oriented, which is the essential feature of bilateral relations. Facing the complicated and severe external environment and the arduous tasks of COVID-19 prevention and control as well as economic and social development in the two countries, China and Laos should uphold the common cause of socialism from a political and strategic perspective, push relations between the two parties and the two countries to new levels continuously and continue to build an unbreakable China-Laos community with a shared future.

The two sides should jointly safeguard the political and institutional security of China and Laos. China is willing to strengthen strategic communication with Laos, deepen exchanges of experience in national governance, and provide support and assistance to the best of its capability for Laos' national construction. The two sides should give full play to the comprehensive coordinating role of the Joint Committee for China-Laos Economic Corridor Cooperation, advance China-Laos practical cooperation in a coordinated manner, promote high-quality development of Belt and Road cooperation and continuously upgrade practical cooperation. The opening and operation of the China-Laos Railway today will soon make Laos' dream of becoming a land-linked country come true. We should realize not only "hard connectivity", but also "soft connectivity" to ensure the follow-up operation, maintenance and security of the railway, so as to build a high-quality and sustainable economic belt along the routes to benefit the people. It is necessary to promote cooperation in new infrastructure projects, enhance the level of energy inter-connectivity between China and Laos, and strengthen cooperation in agriculture, economic development zones, finance and other fields.

Xi Jinping stressed that as serving the people is the shared purpose of the two parties, putting people first should also be embodied in China-Laos relations so as to bring more and better benefits to the people of the two countries. China will continue to provide COVID-19 vaccines and anti-pandemic materials and other supports to Laos, strengthen cooperation in medical care and rural poverty alleviation, deepen youth, cultural and local exchanges, and enhance the sense of fulfillment and happiness of the two peoples. China is willing to work with Laos to practice true multilateralism, implement the Global Development Initiative, promote the building of a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, and jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Thongloun expressed his warm congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC and the historic and important achievements of the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. Thongloun expressed gratitude for the long-standing and valuable support and help from President Xi Jinping, the CPC, and the Chinese government and people. I fully agree with President Xi Jinping's high evaluation of the relations between the two parties and the two countries and the important opinions on the development of bilateral relations. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, the Laos-China Railway has been completed and been put into operation, and the Lao people have finally realized the railway dream. The Lao side is willing to work with the Chinese side to keep close high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, maximize the economic benefits of the Laos-China Railway, and promote economic cooperation between the two countries so as to achieve more outcomes. China has always been an important pillar of safeguarding regional and world peace and stability. China has consistently pursued a peaceful and friendly diplomacy policy, which has been widely recognized by the international community and is gaining firm support from more and more peace-loving countries in the world. The Lao side firmly supports China's legitimate position on issues of core interests and China's successful hosting of the Beijing Olympic Winter Games. Laos is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China in international affairs, promote the development of the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership, and make positive contributions to maintaining regional peace, stability and development.

Ding Xuexiang, Liu He, He Lifeng and other officials attended the event.
China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said Friday that it stands ready to further communicate with its counterparts in the United States on audit oversight cooperation.

"Currently, dialogues on audit oversight cooperation between the Chinese and U.S. regulators are ongoing and have yielded positive progress," said the CSRC.

The CSRC said it welcomes the attitude of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) of the United States to engage with it to search for a solution to the issue proactively.

"With full respect for international norms as well as laws of both jurisdictions, and in the spirit of mutual respect and trust-building, we believe the regulators will be able to find a solution to satisfy regulatory mandates of both sides," said the CSRC.

The move will be in the best interests of global investors and sound development of the capital markets in the two countries, it added.

Regarding the report released by the PCAOB about the history and status of bilateral audit oversight cooperation, the CSRC said it has not fully reflected the stance and efforts made by the Chinese authorities in an objective manner.

"Regulatory authorities in China stick as always to openness and cooperation in dealing with international affairs," said the CSRC, stressing that it respects the PCAOB's mandate to oversee the quality of audit works.

"It is consistent with international norms to resolve the issue of inspection and investigation over Chinese accounting firms registered with the PCAOB through a framework of international cooperative arrangement," said the CSRC.

The CSRC and the Ministry of Finance have for several times proposed to the U.S. regulators joint inspection solutions to address remaining issues in supervisory and enforcement cooperation, it added.
Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region plans to build 100 science popularization centers in the region's southern areas by 2025 for the popularization of scientific knowledge among the rural youth.

The project was jointly initiated in 2019 by Xinjiang Association for Science and Technology and a Beijing-based intelligent technology firm.

A total of 37 such facilities have been set up in Kashgar, Hotan and Aksu prefectures as well as the Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bayingolin.

Teenagers in these science popularization centers can attend lectures and experience advanced technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence, said Su Hong, head of the association's Youth Science and Technology Center.

"The centers provide rural children and teenagers with opportunities to explore the field of science and strengthen hands-on learning," Su said, adding that the initiative can help create an environment to cultivate the love, understanding and use of scientific knowledge among villagers.

In recent years, the association has encouraged tech enterprises and scientific organizations to pair up with rural schools in the southern part of Xinjiang, helping them promote science education among primary and middle school students.
Archaeologists said Friday that they had found the earliest evidence of Chinese people using monascus to make alcohol in 8,000-year-old clay pots unearthed in central China.

A large amount of monascus hypha and cleistothecia, together with fermented starch grains from rice, were detected in remnants of two clay pots found in the Peiligang cultural site in Henan Province, said Li Yongqiang, an assistant researcher with the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The discovery indicates that the pots were once used for brewing and storing alcohol, Li said.

Peiligang is one of the earliest village ruins in China, dating back about 8,000 years. It provides important evidence for studies on the origin and development of agriculture, pottery making, the textile industry as well as alcohol making techniques in ancient times.
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Lithuania has never applied for an extension of the identification documents of its diplomats in China, and was "simply starting a rumor" by claiming that it didn't get a reply from China for its request for an extension, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Thursday that Chinese authorities had informed Lithuanian diplomats that their identification cards would soon no longer be valid, and that the Lithuanian side was "given extremely short time", but "did not get any answer" to its request for a longer period, according to Reuters.

Rebuking Landsbergis' remarks, Wang said that Lithuania created "a farce" by suddenly having all its diplomats leave China without informing China in advance.

After Lithuania allowed Taiwan authorities to set up a "representative office" there, China announced the downgrading of its ties with the Baltic country to the level of charge d'affaires in November.

The measure conforms to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, general international law and practice, and the diplomatic principle of reciprocity, Wang said at a news conference.

Under the circumstances that bilateral ties had already been downgraded, China asked the Lithuanian mission in China to renew the identification documents for its diplomats, Wang said.

Such a move is a normal procedure of China's service for and management of foreign diplomatic missions, conforms to international law and conventions, and does not affect the Lithuanian diplomats' normal performance of duty or their life, he said.

In the meantime, China, according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, guarantees safety and lawful rights of all diplomatic missions in the country, and ensures normal operation of all the missions, including Lithuania's, Wang said.

"Instead of facing and rectifying its mistake, Lithuania spread false information and tried to deflect its responsibility, which China regrets deeply and opposes firmly," Wang said. "Lithuania's attempt to create the false impression of 'one China, one Taiwan' and undermine China's sovereignty will fail."

Also, Lithuania is "totally miscalculating" by "attempting to blackmail China politically", Wang added.

Regarding Czech media reports that China may detain a Lithuanian national without criminal charges, Wang said the reports are "purely fictional and very absurd".

Commenting on a resolution the foreign affairs committee of the senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic passed to call for the Czech government to support the departure of Lithuanian diplomats in China, Wang urged "the relevant side to ... observe the one-China principle and take concrete actions to maintain the healthy development of bilateral ties and China-Europe ties".
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Democracy not a one-size-fits-all product: Chinese envoy - Xinhua

Democracy is not a one-size-fits-all product that has only one model or configuration for the whole world, a senior Chinese envoy in Australia has said in an article published on The Canberra Times on Wednesday.

"Whether a country is democratic or not should only be judged by its own people," Wang Xining, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Australia, said in the article titled "Why China's 'people's democracy' is a high-quality democracy."

"Democracy, ultimately, is whether the people can truly be the masters of their own country," Wang said, noting the whole-process people's democracy created by the Communist Party of China has secured extraordinary historical achievements.

In the article, Wang explained the whole-process people's democracy in China, which includes democratic elections, consultation, decision-making, management and supervision. "It is a model of socialist democracy that covers all aspects of the democratic process and all sectors of society," he said.

Democracy not a one-size-fits-all product: Chinese envoy - Xinhua

He pointed out people in some Western countries are awakened only to cast a vote but become dormant afterwards; they are offered great hopes during electoral campaigning but have no say afterwards; and they are offered fulsome promises during electoral canvassing but are left empty-handed afterwards. "That is no true democracy," he said.

Wang stressed "there is no best democracy, only better."

China never exports its democratic model as every country has the right to choose a democratic system that suits its own national conditions, he said, noting that history has repeatedly proven that "it is not feasible for China to copy the political system of other countries."

"We should adopt an attitude of inclusiveness, learn from the strengths of others, digest and absorb them in the light of China's national conditions, so that we can turn them into our own strength, better ensuring that the Chinese people are the true masters of the country."
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Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressed the 2021 meeting of the Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation via video link on Friday.

As the world is faced with the crucial juncture of economic recovery, China is willing to work with all partners to follow a people-centered cooperation philosophy, carry out high-quality and high-standard cooperation, and strive for the vision of global common development, Wang said.

Wang said the joint building of the Belt and Road (B&R) has achieved concrete results since the initiative was put forward eight years ago.

China will stick to openness instead of closing doors to the outside world, and follow win-win results instead of seeking zero-sum game, so as to contribute to building a community with a shared future for humanity through high-quality B&R construction, Wang said.
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"I think Blinken was not welcomed! The trip was an embarrassment in the 1st place," a Twitter post about U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Southeast Asia questioned the real cause of the interruption of the trip.

The post, by Dr. David Oualaalou identified as Host of the Geopolitics in Conflict Show, has had dozens of follow-ups mostly supporting his idea that the true story was Blinken was not welcome.

Some of the follow-ups said, "Found himself not welcomed anywhere. So go home." "Blinken is the image of the American Administration: totally clueless about what the rest of the world wants."

Twitter name Khoo Chooi Hock wrote that Asians are more worldly than Americans. They know that the U.S. government can't be trusted. Not with the track record they have. The U.S. should heed the saying, "... you cannot fool all the people all the time."

"Who give Indonesia vaccines when the country was ravaged by Covid? definitely not the white man," wrote Baksothebest.

Kuantan goh followed up with "what we ASEAN wants is trade and prosperity, not war and conflicts. This guy's main rhetoric is: China is a threat to everyone, China is undemocratic, China suppressed its citizens, China carried out Xinjiang Genocide. But millions of us who travel to China know the truth."

"Except all those China's threat, this guy practically offered nothing. It made me wonder if American lives in a parallel world. ASEAN has enjoyed great trade and prosperity with China over past decades and trade exceeds new high every year," continued Kuantan goh.

Thucydides used much stronger language: "All he does on each step of his visits is to demonize China, the ASEAN's biggest and growing trade partner and major investor. They want him to fxxk off and get out of their way."

After visiting the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Malaysia on his trip, Blinken cut short his itinerary abruptly before the planned visit to Thailand, with an announced reason that a reporter traveling with him tested positive with COVID-19.
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China refutes U.S. claim concerning AUKUS cooperation - China.org.cn

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday refuted a U.S. claim concerning Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) trilateral nuclear submarine cooperation, urging the three not to go ahead with the cooperation and the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Secretariat not to have consultation with the three countries on the so-called safeguards arrangements until consensus is reached by all parties.

It has been reported that a senior U.S. State Department official, who asked not to be named, said on Thursday the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) does not prohibit Australia from working with the United States and Britain to build nuclear-powered submarines.

The world can be absolutely certain that there is no diversion of uranium to a weapons program, the official reportedly said, noting that Australia plans to equip the submarines with conventional rather than nuclear weapons, and that it has made clear that it would "not build nuclear facilities on its territory that would contribute to a weapons capability."

Nuclear submarine cooperation under the AUKUS trilateral security partnership poses a serious risk of nuclear proliferation, and clearly violates the objective and purpose of the NPT, spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press briefing.

He said the existing IAEA safeguards arrangement cannot effectively monitor the power reactors of nuclear submarines, therefore, there is no way to ensure that Australia won't divert these nuclear materials to the manufacturing of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices.

"The United States claims the world can be certain that there is no diversion of uranium to a weapons program, but can just a verbal commitment dispel the doubts of the international community?" the spokesperson asked. He said that the United States previously promised Russia that it would not push forward NATO's eastward expansion, but everyone has seen how the United States broke that pledge.

Wang said AUKUS have fully exposed their "double standards," which are bound to have far-reaching negative impacts on the resolution of regional nuclear hotspot issues, and may ultimately lead to the collapse of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.

"If the United States can transfer weapons-grade nuclear materials to Australia, a non-nuclear-weapon state, what reason does it have to oppose the production of highly enriched uranium by other non-nuclear-weapon states?" Wang asked.

The IAEA Board of Governors in November added issues related to the trilateral nuclear submarine cooperation to its official agenda and held discussions, which reflected the serious concerns shared broadly by member states of the Board of Governors, Wang said.

"The United States claims that AUKUS would instead set 'a precedent of the highest possible level of safeguards' for any similar deals in the future. What qualifications do the three countries have to set standards for other countries?" Wang questioned.

Wang stressed that the safeguards issue regarding the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation bears on the integrity and efficacy of the IAEA and concerns the interests of all member states, and should be discussed by all IAEA member states. He said China has suggested that the IAEA should establish a special committee open to all member states to properly seek a solution acceptable to all parties.

"China maintains that, pending a consensus reached by all parties, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia should not go ahead with relevant cooperation and the Secretariat of the IAEA should not have consultation with the three countries on the so-called safeguards arrangement," the spokesperson said.
Hyderabad,: Rape on girls, even infants, has become commonplace now and acts of sexual depravity have ceased to shock the society. Whats also worrisome is the rapid rise in the number of boys getting involved in sexual offences.

Additional commissioner of police, Shikha Goel, said here on Friday that 75 per cent of the cases of rapes on minors had happened in the age group of 15-18. Studies have also observed that rapes nowadays are committed more by known family members and neighbours. Trust plays an important role. Young minds get wooed easily and fall prey to such evil designs.

As per research, there is a healthy sexual activity/exploration in the age group of 16-18 both among boys and girls. Because the age of consent has been raised to 18, sexual activity under 18 has become a punishable crime. In many cases, parents who are opposed to their daughters making sexual choices have tended to use criminal law to control their daughters and punish the men with whom they tried having sexual intimacy.

While the United Nations continues to promote democracy as the best system to secure womens dignity and rights, India as the world's largest democracy fails to ensure full protection to the nation's women.

Rape is the fourth most common crime against women in India. A rape case is registered every 15 minutes but justice in most cases is delayed or denied.

Organisations campaigning against rape try to teach women how to defend and protect themselves. What is also important is to teach such accused not to indulge in such actions and impose harsher sanctions, and also ensure justice is served promptly.

According counseling psychologist Dr. Diana Monteiro, parents should begin educating their children at a young age so that they feel comfortable speaking about such aspects.

"Youngsters now are getting exposed to pornographic material on the net. This, combined with a lack of proper supervision and moral guidance, leads children to acts like rape, she added.

Shikha Goel said, We encourage greater reporting of such issues to bring awareness among people, to help them come forward and seek police help. This would start the criminal justice process and legal action will be 'deterrent' not only to the accused in a particular case but a deterrent for any person whos likely to commit such offences.

Law prescribes death penalty for those who rape minors. However, a problem arises where the rapists themselves are minors.

Law is strict, but implementation is not. Due to societal pressure, many dont open up or come forward to make things public. Only emotionally strong people come out and seek judicial help. I think it is important that people get assurance from the government that the victims will be looked after well, and its also important that their details are kept confidential, says S Gowtham, Telangana high court advocate.

Confessing that less than 10 per cent of the victims seek assistance from law enforcement, a woman requesting anonymity said many who faced sexual violence do not report or come forward to make statements about their experiences due to family-related fears or the fear of not being accepted in the society and of receiving no support from their parents.

According to Section 82 of the IPC, 1860, Nothing is an offence that is done by a child under seven years of age.

Thus, Section 82 grants absolute immunity to children below seven years of age from criminal liability. Law presumes a child less than seven years of age to be doli incapax. This is a Latin term meaning, incapable of evil.

Underage perpetrators

Around 1,013 cases were registered against juveniles in Telangana in 2020. Of these, 50 crimes were committed against women and 72 persons had been accused of rapes.

In India, 5,974 cases were registered against juveniles in 2020. A total of 7,475 juveniles were apprehended in 5,974 cases, out of which 6,774 were arrested under IPC cases and 701 under special and local laws (SLL) in metropolitan cities in 2020.

A majority (75.5 per cent) of juveniles in conflict with law apprehended under Indian Penal Code (IPC) & SLL were in the age group of 16 -18 (5,644 out of 7,475) in 2020.



Orders courts have passed in recent years:



Will you marry her? Supreme Court asks government servant charged with repeatedly raping minor girl.

In a recent judgment, Bombay HCs Nagpur bench ruled that the act of groping a childs breast, without any skin-to-skin contact, is not sexual assault under the law.

Allahabad High Court has observes that 'oral sex' with a minor does not come under the 'aggravated sexual assault' category in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act
The workers' protest since late Friday night, is over allegations related to hospitalisation of 8 employees due to poor quality of food served in canteen, according to preliminary inputs. (Representational Image: PTI)

Chennai: A large number of women workers of a company near here, which assembles and manufactures smart phone spares, resorted to a flash protest, blocking the busy Chennai-Bengaluru highway that led to traffic blockade on Saturday.

The workers' protest since late Friday night, is over allegations related to hospitalisation of 8 employees due to poor quality of food served in canteen, according to preliminary inputs.

In view of the protest, many vehicles including cargo trucks were stranded on the highway at Sunguvarchatiram in Kancheepuram district.

District authorities and police officials are holding talks with the protesters.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao announced on Friday that the ruling TRS will continue its fight against the BJP-led government in Delhi on the issue of paddy procurement. Our party workers would hold protest rallies in all the 119 assembly constituencies on December 20 and burn effigies of BJP and the Centre to protest against non-procurement of paddy from Telangana, the chief minister said.

The CM said his party has decided to send a delegation of six ministers and MPs to Delhi on Saturday to take up with the Centre the issue of Kharif paddy procurement. While the Centre and the state government were engaged in a tussle over the non-procurement of paddy from Telangana in the rabi season, for the past two months, the TS government now wants to raise the issue of the FCI fixing a lower procurement target even for ongoing Kharif procurement.

The delegation will seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union food minister Piyush Goyal to discuss the Kharif paddy issue and bring to their notice the concerns of the Telangana government over the low procurement target fixed by the FCI for TS during Kharif.

KCR said the government would continue with the Rythu Bandhu scheme without imposing any restrictions. Agriculture officials had sought curbs like extending the scheme to only such farmers who opt for non-paddy crops. Such restrictions will further trouble the farmers, the CM felt.

The CM presided over a meeting of TRS leaders at Telangana Bhavan on Friday, attended by all ministers, party MPs, MLAs, MLCs, zilla parishad chairpersons, district cooperative marketing society (DCMS) presidents, district cooperative central bank (DCCB) presidents, Rythu Bandhu district committees chiefs, state-level corporation chairpersons and the party's state executive committee members.

Agriculture minister Niranjan Reddy addressed a press conference at Telangana Bhavan to say that the state government has been strongly protesting against the Centre's decision not to procure paddy from TS in the upcoming rabi. The Centre has pushed Telangana into crisis even in the ongoing kharif procurement season. It has agreed to procure only 60 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in kharif while the estimated production in Telangana is between 1.30 crore tonnes to 1.50 crore tonnes. This would mean the Centre would procure only half of the paddy produced in Telangana in kharif. We will meet Union food minister in Delhi and ask him what we should do with the remaining half paddy. We are also trying for an appointment with the PM to discuss these matters," Reddy said.

He said the chief minister has asked his ministers, party MLAs and other leaders to create awareness among farmers to sow alternative crops other than paddy, by holding frequent meetings in their districts and constituencies. KCR has asked party leaders to utilise Rythu Vedikas constructed in all the villages to hold such meetings and to expose the double standards of the BJP-led government at the Centre vis-a-vis its refusal to pick paddy from TS while it is procuring entire paddy produced from Punjab and a few other states, he added.
TIRUPATI: Telugu Desam president Chandrababu Naidu has reiterated that Amaravati would go down in history as the People's Capital and there would be no Jagan Reddy Capital in Andhra Pradesh state.

The TD chief on Friday took part in the Amaravati Parirakshana Mahodyama Sabha organised in Tirupati as part of the valedictory of the 450km-walkathon (Nyayasthanam to devasthanam) taken up by Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi-Joint Action Committee (APS-JAC) members.

Naidu said the leaders of even the national political parties came here to support Amaravati and chief minister Jagan should explain whether these leaders also belonged to that one particular caste against which the YSR Congress party leaders were making allegations.

BJP expressed its support to Amaravati as the one and only capital. Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan has already conveyed his solidarity to the farmers' struggle. CPI is supporting the movement right from the beginning and CPM leaders, who might not have attended this meeting, also vowed their support to the movement. But the ruling YSRC was the only party that started betraying Amaravati farmers and thereby all the five-crore people of AP, he said.

Naidu wondered why CM Jagan was not changing his stand when all the opposition parties are opposing the three capitals plan.

In fact, Jagan took a complete U-turn over the establishment of capital in Amaravati. When he was in opposition, he said at least 30,000 acres of land is required to establish a capital city and promised his support for declaring Amaravati as the state capital. But now, he took a complete a U-turn even as 35,000 acres of land is available in Amaravati, Naidu said.

He said the farmers and women, including the aged people, completed the mega walkathon despite blisters and swellings in their legs and despite foisting of false cases by police and constant harassment from the ruling party. Amaravati farmers were agitating for over 725 days. Over 180 agitators have died so far for the cause of One Capital One State. Thousands of false cases were also filed and over 100 were filed against people who took up the padayatra only, he added.

Naidu flayed the government for filing SC, ST atrocities against the SC/ST farmers in Amaravati. What crimes have these farmers committed to deserve such inhuman treatment at the hands of this heartless regime, he asked.

The TDP chief said Jagan was running his government from the buildings constructed for Secretariat, Assembly and residential quarters in Amaravati.

Meanwhile, former state BJP chief Kanna Lakshmi Narayana, CPI national secretary Narayana, CPI state secretary Ramakrishna and a host of leaders from various parties including TDP, BJP, Jana Sena, Congress, CPI etc took part in the meeting. They expressed their solidarity to the prolonged struggle of Amaravati farmers.
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah on Friday demanded the resignation of state minister Byrathi Basavraj alleging him of criminal conspiracy and forgery.

Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said, "A person filed a complaint in a court alleging that Karnataka Minister Byrathi Basavraj, BJP MLC R Shankar and three others hatched a conspiracy to knock off his property based using forged documents."

"The court took cognizance of offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery. A case was registered in a special court and summons were issued. These are powerful people and may influence the probe. Minister Byrathi Basavraj should not continue as a minister," he added.

Meanwhile, Congress MLAs staged a protest in the Assembly demanding resignation of the minister.

Last month, Bengaluru chief metropolitan magistrate court ordered a criminal case to be filed against Byrathi, R Shankar and others under several sections of IPC.
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Poland issued a threat to strike back at Brussels and added that it disagrees with the EU over interference and pushes for independence from the body. Polish leadership added that it would not sit back while its laws are dictated, which is unacceptable.

Lately, the European Union has been beset by disagreements from energy to other matters that affect its unity.

Members of Parliament could alienate Poland

One issue is that Poland is at arms over what Brussels is doing, and concern over judicial independence has been raised recently, reported the Express UK.

A session of the European Parliament is scheduled this week on Wednesday, and it will have particular concerns regarding its member Poland. But, the Members of Parliament (MEPs) might alienate their members because it allegedly does not display European values. The Polish Constitutional Court decided that there are incompatibilities with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) that must be separate from its constitution, cited Livemint.

According to the Polish court that mentioned Article six of the ECHR, a guarantee to a fair trial had a different interpretation. The European Court of Human Rights could decide who could be the judge of a tribunal. This did not sit right and compromised the independence of the country.

Based on that law, the European court will for the poles to accept it regardless. In May, a Polish firm was denied a fair hearing. The reason is that the Tribunal judge was not under a lawful appointment that angered some in its execution.

Read Also: Vladimir Putin Threatened Placing Nuclear Missiles on the EU Border if the US and NATO will Continue its Provocation

Another concern that the MEPs touched on is how sexual and reproductive health and rights should be. One fear is that there will be no confidentiality of the pregnancies and miscarriages to be reported in one register with no exceptions.

Part of the EU's rules is that doctors are tied to reports, no ifs or buts. This all-encompassing register will be ready for next month too.

Poland issues ultimatum for dictatorial overreach

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, issued a warning last October that Poland will be meted penalties for non-compliance. She added that no European Union member could not defy the body's edicts, noted the Times.

Von der Leyen added that Brussels has the right to give fines and take away voting right as an EU member. But, the Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, had a few words to express.

Last October, Morawiecki spoke to the Polskieradio outlet and remarked the bloc is getting dictatorial by forcing his country to comply.

Morawiecki stated that the European Commission could start World War 3 over this impasse. He added that there would be an answer with anything they had to use if they did.

He called the European Commission too unfair and far-reaching to end with Poland defending itself. There is no room for dictators in the union, and he stressed other options are there to choose from.

Piotr Muller, a spokesperson to the PM, explained what the reference meant. It was hyperbole to express his opinion when he spoke of the exchange.

Hungary and Poland are not happy about the overreach of the European Commission in its enforcement of EU laws.

Poland threatened to strike back at Brussels for such a dictatorial overreach that is unacceptable, and even the pope said the EU needs to get back to basics.

Related Article: Joe Biden Blindsides His EU Partners, Considers the Grievances of the Kremlin in Shocking Twist

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The European Union is at an impasse, and adapting special measures on the Belarus border is imminent. It is the same thing way back in 2015 that the bloc dealt with during a migration crisis, and now another one.

The Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has not lessened his trajectory and met the EU, forcing the members to decide, being careful not to add to the bloc's woes.

EU's provisional emergency measures for the bloc

Discussions by the European Parliament will bring everything to place, and the EU Council has an answer that will be accepted.

A solution by the EU council is provisional during emergency measures with the EU borders with Belarus, activating Article 78(3) of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), reported the Express UK.

In 2015, the measures were activated in the border crisis to manage about 160,000 people from Italy and Greece borders to ensure a balanced distribution of migrants in the bloc.

Provisos in the Articles mention whether one or more states have many aliens from third countries. Adopting provisional measures to assist members. Once the body has gotten a consensus from the parliament, it will act accordingly.

Resolving a humanitarian crisis at the Belarus border

Its implementation by the European Union will fix the dilemma of the humanitarian crisis at the borders of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Moscow-aligned Belarus border.

Read Also: China Warns Biden To Stop Meddling in Taiwan Affairs To Avoid Consequences

This trio of EU states is experiencing a mass exodus of nationals from the Middle East and Africa heading headlong to pass over the Belarusian borders in 2021. Lukashenko is blamed for this deluge of residents overloading the shared Polish border, citing the BBC.

Joining the fray, US President Joe Biden did his usual posturing by promising those affected EU members of extensive military assistance against the Russian raid on the Ukraine border, noted the presidential adviser of Lithuania.

Last week, US President Biden promised Central European NATO members more military support as concern grows over a Russian troop build-up on the border with Ukraine, Lithuania's presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said.

According to the adviser who said that the White House would do everything transparently, there would be no deals behind anyone's back, the representative told reporters.

Biden conferred with leaders of NATO countries close to Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine by phone. The border nations are jumpy about the whole border crisis with Belarus.

Skaisgiryte remarked that military assistance was mentioned in the convo, but not who or specifics, noted Global World News.

In Ukraine, close to the southern part of Russia, are men and hardware on standby. Also, pro-Russian separatists are against Kiev, and possible invasion is not true.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied that his forces are poised to attack, but counter what he sees as an expansion to eastern Europe and its border. The west is painting Moscow as the bad guy when NATO is not innocent of provocative actions themselves.

Events at the Belarus border and the European Union are connected. Even Nord Stream 2 is part of the geopolitical situation that is so complex, as getting the migrants into the EU will not be an easy sell.

Related Article: Vladimir Putin Threatened Placing Nuclear Missiles on EU Border If US, NATO Will Continue Provocation

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During the Biden-Putin negotiations, the EU got ignored over the fate of the Ukraine border that the White House has decided. These are echoes of what happened in Afghanistan, where European Union members and the UK were out of the loop as well.

According to a geopolitical think tank, Brussel has been disenfranchised by a two-way negotiation disgracing the body.

US-Russia talks ignore EU

European Union is not part of the discussions between Washington and Moscow about the Ukraine border, stated Anastasiya Shapochkina, president of the Eastern Circles think tank.

Shapochkina said that the teleconference between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden on December 7 that lasted 120-minutes excludes Brussels, a sign that two-way talks relegated the bloc to a wrong position, reported the Express UK.

She said that Washington had placed Brussels in the weakest position, intentionally, cites France 24. It must be noted that Biden consulted and addressed the bloc, to at least concerns to raise the west.

The negotiations disassociate the European body over the Ukraine issue, as France and Germany with the Normandy format as mediators, but Biden has booted them out, noted Techno Charger.

It is a win-win that favored the Kremlin like a redux of the US-Russia set-up when the two were the only superpowers. Russian President Vladimir Putin has done it and is a force to reckon with, and Kiev is now in a rock and a hard place. Europe is now squarely in the hands of Putin, and the EU got blindsided by the Biden-Putin negotiations, which have a stake in it.

Read Also: Expert Predicts Joe Biden's Failure To Stop a Ukraine Invasion As West Hesitates After Russian Weapon Demo

Shapochkina added that the bloc has some leverage with the Nord Stream 2. It is untouchable and is one of the Kremlin's interests with everything riding on it that makes Europe not be easily crossed. Also, the Kremlin wants the project more than anything.

Sanctions against Russia and the energy sector are symbolic at most. The gas imports are essential to the bloc that it will be costly if they lose 30 percent of Russian gas or if it stops, even the US has begged Putin but was rebuffed.

In effect, leaders in Brussel cannot stop gas from Russia and sanction them because it will mean shooting itself in the foot. The bloc has too much invested in trade and foreign policy of most leader European nations.

US warns on Ukraine invasion which Russia denies

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked big earlier and threatened an invasion over the southern border shared with Ukraine.

He added that Russia should be concerned that the US will send troops and support its western allies to have the worst sanctions if there is an invasion last November. Demanded that Russian troops leave the area and threaten Ukraine instead of following. Putin upped the ante and prepped nuclear and hypersonic missiles, and the US could not do anything.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it does not trust the eastern expansion of the European Union is suspicious, and the border will be secured.

Another is that NATO disregards Putin's input and still supports Kiev, as one of the Kremlin's red lines. The Biden-Putin negotiations in which the EU got ignored is a serious sign that the bloc is not dealt with evenly by the White House.

Related Article: Joe Biden Blindsides His EU Partners, Considers the Grievances of the Kremlin in Shocking Twist

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Boris Johnson has had it with Joe Biden and the shabby treatment of Brexit Britain despite the patience and entreaties to consider the special relationship. UK PM Johnson expressed that the US President has an agenda against Brexit that was suggested by his actions.

Other UK politicians like Nigel Farage have assailed the White House over instances that the US treated the special relationship between the US and UK as frivolity.

US lifts Japan, EU tariffs while Britain remains

The US leader offered to stop steel tariffs from getting added to Japanese imports this week, but London had nothing provided. For the record, the tariffs were placed by Donald Trump before Brexit, reported the Express UK.

Aggrieved Brexit was treated by the US leader rudely because it was not only Japan but the European Union with lifted tariffs. Leaving Britain's in place, Washington does not want to budge on it. The president claims that the UK has not asked to lift its tariff.

The current US administration failed to mention the visit of Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan a week ago. She stated that there is hope that their closest western ally will resolve it but recalled the imposition on the UK, citing the BBC.

Read Also: Joe Biden Abandons Britain in the North Ireland Protocol, Threatens Similar Appeasement in Favor of the EU

Britons like PM Boris are furious that US President Biden is at heart opposed to Brexit Britain, and withholding not tariff or free trade deal is evidence of his indifference to an ally who supported the US. London stood by as the EU lambasted Washington during several occasions like the Afghanistan fallout and the AUKUS deal.

Biden slammed on betrayal of UK

Readers commented that Biden is allegedly intent on the failure of Brexit and Boris Johnson, adding that the US leader is too incompetent and very dangerous. Another stated there should be no surprise about it since the forgetful leader never liked Brexit UK.

Many netizens are convinced that the UK will not get anything if the current US leader is in power. They want Mr. Biden out from the office, which many share. Another reader posted that a change is needed and that a world leader's presence only messes things up. Sources say that the White House is actively the UK pay how the post-Brexit talks about the Northern Ireland Protocol (NIP), noted the Politico.

The US openly interfered in these negotiations and publicly favored the EU over its close ally. A comment by the Department for International Trade said the NIP should not be a factor to drop UK tariffs, but Washington still maintained its view.

One source mentioned they were surprised why the issue of the NIP is not a determiner of how he should deal with the UK, adding that changes in the NIP are for the protection of the Belfast [Good Friday] Agreement in the internal market of Britain.

One more comment on social media was harsh, saying that Biden is out of his league better keep out of Brexit. Another questioned his right to dictate to the UK.

Finally, a comment suggested that it is better to make the best steel and not sell it to the US. Many agreed but mocked Biden's probable answer.

PM Boris Johnson has had it with President Joe Biden for his snubbing Brexit Britain far too many times, and this is another likely fail of the White House to date.

Related Article: Biden Chooses Trade Deal With EU Instead of the UK Leading to Another Disappointment for Downing Street

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Kim Potter, a former Minnesota police officer, sobbed in court on Friday as she testified in her trial for the shooting death of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man.

"It just became chaotic," Potter told the 12-member Hennepin County District Court jury as she described Wright's death on April 11, 2021.

Potter, 49, testified in her own defense during her manslaughter trial, where she is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter. During a traffic check in the Minneapolis suburb, the 26-year veteran policeman - who is white and has since resigned from the Brooklyn Center Police Department - fatally shot Wright.

Kimberly Potter emotionally apologizes for shooting Daunte Wright

Potter, who pleaded not guilty to both counts, stated that when she shot Wright in the chest, she intended to get her Taser, which was holstered on the other side of her body. Potter shouts, "Taser! Taser! Taser!" before shooting Wright as he tries to sit down in the driver's seat of his car, according to body-camera footage previously shown in court to jurors, Insider reported.

Potter said she did not recall stating she was going to prison when being questioned by defense counsel Earl Gray. During cross-examination, Potter sobbed again on the stand as body-camera footage of the event was shown frame-by-frame for the jury.

Judge Regina Chu of Hennepin County took a pause for lunch because the former officer was obviously distressed. Former Sgt. Mychal Johnson, who had gone to the scene that April day, had "a look of panic on his face" during a confrontation with Wright seconds before the shooting, Potter said earlier Friday.

Potter's case relies heavily on the fact that Johnson was leaning into the automobile from the passenger side just seconds before the incident. Johnson previously testified that if Wright had managed to evade the traffic stop while he was inside the car, he would have been "probably dragged" and maybe murdered.

Under questioning from one of her lawyers, Potter stated that she had no training on "weapons confusion," claiming that it was referenced in training but not something that her officers were physically taught to do. She also claimed that, in her 26 years on the job, she had never used a Taser while on duty though she had brought it out a few occasions and that she had never fired her pistol until the day she shot Wright.

Read Also: Authorities Charge Pennsylvania Teen After Fatally Shooting 5-Year-Old Brother Using Father's Gun

Potter describes how she shot Daunte Wright

Officer Anthony Luckey, who was instructing Potter, claimed he spotted Wright's car in a turn lane with the signal turned on incorrectly, as well as an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror and expired plates.

Luckey wanted to stop the car, but she wouldn't have done so if she'd been on patrol alone herself, she said, given the long wait for Minnesota drivers to renew their vehicle registrations at the time of the pandemic. They were compelled to arrest Wright after discovering he had a bench warrant for a firearms violation, she added since the warrant "was an order of the court," as per HuffPost.

Potter's lawyers have tried to paint the scenario as perilous for the police throughout the trial, claiming that Johnson would be dragged down the street if Wright was allowed to drive away. They've maintained that even if Potter pulled the wrong weapon, she was justified in employing force.

Per MIRROR, after a week of witness testimony, prosecutors rested their case on Thursday, focusing on proving Potter's considerable training, which they said made her legally liable in Wright's death.

Prior to the incident, Potter had worked for 26 years as a police officer in the Minneapolis neighborhood of Brooklyn Center, which sparked three nights of protests, with opponents claiming it was yet another example of police violence against Black people.

Related Article: O.J. Simpson Becomes Free Again After Court Granted Early Release from Parole

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The House Select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis says that former United States President Donald Trump's administration officials purposely tried to "undermine" the country's COVID-19 response to prioritize political efforts.

In a statement, the committee, which worked for months to interview various Trump officials, said the Republican businessman's administration during his presidency cooperated with each other to undermine the public health response to the coronavirus pandemic. They allegedly blocked officials from speaking publicly, watering down testing guidance, and even planning to interfere with other public health guidance.

Undermine Public Health Guidance

The report also detailed several other documents and interviews that have been released throughout the year. However, there were new examples where authorities adapted health guidance despite concerns from various officials regarding the potentially harmful effects of the revisions, CNN reported.

The House Select Subcommittee's report alleged that Trump's administration was "responsible for a series of critical failures that undermined the nation's ability to respond effectively to the coronavirus pandemic." The report claims that the former president's allies prioritized politics over science when responding to the health crisis.

The committee's report details how the Trump administration had an apparent disregard for the clear, urgent warning regarding the approaching coronavirus pandemic. The documents detail how the former president's actions, along with his cronies, have stifled the nation's efforts to procure much-needed resources, equipment, and supplies, contributing to the large number of American lives lost to the pandemic.

Read Also: CDC Recommends Moderna, Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccines Over J&J Due to Rare Blood Clot Cases

On Jan. 21, 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the first reported case of the coronavirus in the United States. It took the Trump administration nearly a month before declaring the coronavirus outbreak to be a public health emergency, USA Today reported.

In a statement, the deputy director for infectious diseases at the CDC, Dr. Jay Butler, told the committee that Trump's White House instructed him to give "softened" guidance to religious and faith communities. The official said he was forced to give guidance to American citizens, including the protocol on masks and church services, that were not in line with critical health recommendations.

Prioritizing Politics Over Science

In the committee's report, Butler said that he was doing a lot of "soul searching" about whether or not he should have agreed to the Republican businessman's efforts to make the changes. "Clearly, it was a directive, but that was a real struggle as I felt like what had been done was not good public health practice," UPI reported.

The White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, Dr. Deborah Birx, said she was extremely upset about one meeting with a group of "fringe doctors." She allegedly told her colleagues that she would not be attending the meeting, the report said.

The official's reason for not attending the meeting was over a proposal to allow the coronavirus to spread unchecked across the United States in an attempt to achieve herd immunity, which she claims that a group of doctors supported. Later on in the health crisis, the proposal was leaked to news media and universally received scrutiny among the medical community for its apparent irresponsible views.



Related Article: Commendable Work by Northshore Clinical Labs Has Helped Hundreds of Thousands Test for COVID-19

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After calling the prosecution's accusations against her "unproven" and refusing to testify, Ghislaine Maxwell has put her sex-trafficking case on hold. Her decision came after her attorneys questioned nine witnesses over the course of two days.

Maxwell, 59, has denied recruiting teenage females for pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's abuse. On Monday, closing arguments will begin. If convicted of sex trafficking and perjury, the Briton faces up to 80 years in jail, BBC reported.

Maxwell declines to testify as defense rests case

Prosecutors have described Maxwell as a predator who preyed on young girls and then sold them to Epstein, her former boyfriend and business partner. They called 24 witnesses, including four accused, over the course of two weeks of testimony.

Her defenders, on the other hand, claimed that the accusers' evidence was tainted by "memory, manipulation, and money." They also claimed that the government was looking for a scapegoat to blame for Epstein's misdeeds. While awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking accusations, Epstein died in a prison cell in 2019. His death was determined to be a suicide.

A Maxwell family representative earlier stated that she would not testify because she was "extremely delicate" after being mistreated in custody. Meanwhile, Maxwell's defense team protested on Friday that they needed more time to gather witnesses.

Maxwell, 59, pleaded not guilty to allegations of sex trafficking resulting from her encounters with four teenagers between 1994 and 2004. Maxwell was intimately connected with and later worked for Epstein during that time, as per USA Today.

Although she did not testify in front of the jury, Maxwell appeared to be engaged in her defense during the trial's first three weeks, writing messages to her attorneys and hugging them as she entered and exited court each day. Attorney Sternheim's arm was placed around Maxwell's lower back as she proclaimed her desire not to testify.

Her defense called another of Jeffrey Epstein's former lovers to the stand earlier Friday: a former Miss Sweden, a New York City doctor, and a tabloid fixture who told the jury she trusted the financier with her young daughters and denied taking part in a group sexual encounter with one of the key accusers.

Eva Andersson-Dubin, 60, testified that she dated Epstein "on and off" from 1983 until the early 1990s, prior to his relationship with Maxwell. After their breakup, Epstein and Andersson-Dubin remained friends, and she married another wealthy investor, Glenn Dubin, in 1994, with whom she had three children.

Read Also: Authorities Charge Pennsylvania Teen After Fatally Shooting 5-Year-Old Brother Using Father's Gun

Ghislaine Maxwell's defense attacks accusers' memories

As they began their defense in the British socialite's sex trafficking trial, Ghislaine Maxwell's attorneys recruited a high-profile false memory specialist who had worked with Harvey Weinstein and OJ Simpson.

Dr. Elizabeth Loftus, who is paid $600 per hour, has been summoned to refute the claims of four women who claim Maxwell groomed them for sexual assault by pedophile tycoon Jeffrey Epstein.

Loftus said in a federal court in Manhattan that people may recall events that never happened with certainty. She testified to the jury how she and her colleagues had effectively implanted fake memories in the minds of research subjects.

Maxwell's lawyers claim that the memories of her four accusers have been tainted with time, with the alleged abuse occurring between 1994 and 2004. Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sex trafficking as well as other crimes.

Per Daily Mail, her attorneys claim that she is being prosecuted in place of Epstein, who was discovered hung in his Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial. The accusers did not mention Maxwell during early meetings with law enforcement, according to Maxwell's attorneys, and Loftus' testimony might help them claim that their recollections of Maxwell's participation were influenced by news stories or inquiries posed by FBI agents.

Related Article: Ghislaine Maxwell Set To Call More Witnesses in Sex Trafficking Trial But "Little Black Book" of High-Profile Contacts Won't Be Released

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Authorities reported that at least 24 people have died after a massive fire broke out at a building in Osaka, Japan, in one of the area's shopping districts, engulfing the fourth floor at around 10:18 a.m. local time.

There were reports sent to the local fire department about the fire in the Kita district, where firefighters almost fully extinguished the flames by 10:46 a.m., the fire department said. In a statement, Osaka Police said that their officers were investigating the fire and looking to determine the cause of the accident, suspecting a potential arson case.

Japanese Fire

A video recording of the accident showed a fleet of fire trucks approaching the site of the fire and firefighters battling the massive flames. The fire caused smoke to billow out of the windows, with photographs showing charred window frames and the inside of the fourth floor of the building destroyed, CNN reported.

Read Also: Kamala Harris Claims She, Joe Biden Barely Talks About 2024 Election; Vice President Barely Beats "Let's Go, Brandon" in Google Searches

Police revealed they were searching for a man in his 50s or 60s who witnesses say they saw was carrying a paper bag that had unidentified liquid dripping. Some officials believe the suspect could be among the 24 people killed in the incident or is one of the three people who were resuscitated and are in serious conditions. Authorities also suspect him to have fled the scene, a police investigator, who requested anonymity, said.

The first fire officials who arrived at the scene of the fire discovered 27 people in a state of cardiac arrest, said Akira Kishimoto, an official from the Osaka fire department. They found one woman conscious, who they brought down from the building using an aerial ladder while she was on the sixth floor of the building. Officials quickly transported the victim to a hospital where she is being treated for her wounds.

Arson Case

Japanese authorities have a custom of describing victims with no vital signs as being in a state of "shinpa teishi" which is a state of cardiac and pulmonary arrest. They do not confirm deaths until they are pronounced at hospitals and until they complete other necessary procedures, ABC News reported.

The accident, if it really was a case of arson, would be the third time in less than two months in the country that has one of the lowest murder rates in the world. The incident also comes six weeks after a train rider wearing a Joker costume injured 17 people in Tokyo after he attacked passengers, brandishing a knife, and trying to set ablaze on board.

Authorities arrested another individual early last month on arson charges after he set a fire inside a bullet train in Kyushu in the southern parts of Japan. The fire on Friday came two years after the most notorious case of arson in the country's modern history. The incident killed 33 people and occurred at an anime studio in Kyoto, near Osaka, and injured dozens of other residents, quickly becoming one of the country's worst cases of mass murder in decades, the New York Times reported.



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@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Health officials are warning people worldwide of the threat of the Omicron variant as it continues to spread across various countries at an accelerated rate and urges residents to be careful even if the new variant is milder than the Delta variant.

While there are many who are currently saying that the Omicron variant is milder than the other coronavirus variants, it is not yet completely certain. The new variant could still cause widespread outbreaks, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Omicron Variant's Spread

In a technical briefing last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the Omicron variant was spreading much faster than the Delta variant in South Africa. However, the new variant also appeared to be spreading much faster in other countries where Delta circulation was high, including the United Kingdom.

The global health agency said that with the currently accessible data, authorities expect that the Omicron variant will outpace the Delta variant where community transmission occurs. While it remains unclear how severe the new variant's symptoms are, it has so far been diagnosed as being mild compared to the Delta variant, CNN reported.

However, a new study shows that the risk of reinfection with the new Omicron variant was more than five times higher and showed no signs of being milder than the Delta variant. The situation comes as infection rates across Europe have soared and continue to threaten year-end festivities.

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The Imperial College London was responsible for conducting the study that was based on UK Health Security Agency and National Health Service data on individuals who were found to be positive for the coronavirus in a PCR test in England between Nov. 29 and Dec. 11. While the study said that there was no evidence that the Omicron had a different severity compared to the Delta variant, there was still limited data on hospitalizations of infected patients.

Severity of the New Variant

"Controlling for vaccine status, age, sex, ethnicity, asymptomatic status, region, and specimen data, Omicron was associated with a 5.4-fold higher risk of reinfection compared with Delta," said the study, which was dated Dec. 16, Reuters reported.

The fear of the Omicron variant comes as a new pill from Pfizer in treating the coronavirus infection is being hailed as a game-changer. Many believe it could significantly reduce the number of hospitalizations and deaths related to the widespread disease.

However, the demand for the treatment, which is called Paxlovid, is expected to drastically outrun available supply. The situation could stifle its ability to fight what medical professionals say is an incoming wave of infections brought by the new variant.

Many experts are urging United States President Joe Biden's administration to take measures to support the manufacturing capacity of the pill by enlisting the help of other companies to increase the number of doses that Pfizer can make.

In a statement, the director of the Duke Global Health Innovation Center, Krishna Udayakumar, said that she believes they should be doing everything they can to support each other. The official said that the process requires a full-court press, The Hill reported.



Related Article: Family Accused of Fueling Opioid Epidemic Loses Protection After Judge Tosses $4.5 Billion Settlement

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A new Android Joker app, named Color Message, deceived 500,000 Android users. In relation to this, there is a simple way to prevent downloading a Joker malware-infected app.

New Android Joker App Steals Money

Joker, a trojan infection, is one of the most dangerous malware attacks affecting Android users. Cybercriminals usually attach it to Google Play Store apps to make it appear legitimate.

For background information, Google had to remove over 1,700 apps from its Google Play Store after identifying that they carried the malware due to its widespread use.

Despite the fact that these apps were deleted from the Google Play Store after they were discovered, consumers may still have them downloaded and installed on their phones.

In relation to this, Joker was recently discovered hidden in an app that was downloaded 500,000 times, per Pradeo.

Joker is classified as fleeceware since its primary function is to imitate clicks and intercept SMS messages to manipulate users into subscribing to unwanted paid premium services.

Pradeo added that Joker creates an extremely discrete footprint that can be difficult to spot by using as little code as possible and properly hiding it. This malware was discovered in hundreds of applications during the past two years.

Cybersecurity specialists in Pradeo regularly updates an article listing of Joker malware-infected mobile apps available on the Google Play Store. In the most recent update published on Thursday, it has identified an app called Color Message.

Tech Spot reported that Color Message was a program that enabled users to customize their standard SMS messages app. Over 500,000 Android users downloaded it, only to realize its true purpose when it was too late.

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Furthermore, through Pradeo Security's engine, it has revealed that the Color Message application accesses users' contact lists and exfiltrates them over the network. Simultaneously, the software subscribes users to undesired paid services without their knowledge.

The program could disguise its icon once installed, making it difficult to delete.

Additionally, the application's brief terms and conditions are placed on an unbranded one-page blog and it does not identify the range of the Android Joker app's activities on users' devices.

For instance, one of the Joker app victims attempted to contact the app's creator through its legal page's comment area, while other users are directly complaining about the scam in the Google App Store's comment section.

However, it seems that no one was answering the concerns of the Android Joker app victims.

Since it poses a threat to several Android users, Color Message has been removed from Google Play Store and people who have downloaded it should delete it right now.

How to Spot Android Joker Apps?

Apart from the regularly updated article of Cybersecurity researchers of Pradeo, Android users should follow the analyst from Kaspersky named Tatyana Shishkova on Twitter.

In Shishkova's Twitter, she shared several Android Joker apps that people should uninstall and avoid installing.

In her recent post, she identified four Joker-infected apps such as Camera Translator, Smart Emoji Message, Blood Pressure Checker and Imagination Camera.

Moreover, she explained that the Imagination Camera has more than 1,000 installs. However, as of writing, it appears that apps Blood Pressure Checker and Imagination Camera were already deleted.

Related Article: 7 New 'Joker' Apps That Steal Cash, Text Messages Found in Google Play Store [How to Uninstall, Track Malware]
Thinking if you should get your COVID-19 booster shot? According to researchers, the Omicron variant might be less severe, but it multiplies roughly 70 times faster than Delta. Even worse, it can partially escape immunity from vaccines!

Many Americans are probably familiar with the Omicron variant. However, not all might be aware of its unique features. According to recent studies, it has a high transmissibility rate that should not be underestimated.

COVID-19 Omicron Variant Spread Rate

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong just revealed their latest findings on Omicron. They said the virus "replicated less efficiently (more than 10 times lower) in the human lung tissue than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, which may suggest lower severity of disease," per the New York Post.

This implies that victims might not suffer from severe illnesses or death. However, there is still a cause for concern because the virus transmits between humans faster than any of the previous strains.

If underestimated, the virus might "very likely" spread among both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Researchers theorized that by infecting more people, the Omicron variant might also mutate to a more severe strain.

On top of its spread rate, researchers emphasized a second issue with the Omicron variant.

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COVID-19 Vaccine vs. Omicron: Resistance Revealed

According to researchers from the Columbia University, the Omicron variant might be resistant to vaccine and booster shots, which could be devastating news for the country.

They said, "a striking feature of this variant is the large number of spike mutations that pose a threat to the efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapies," per a different New York Post report.

Pairing up Omicron's transmissibility to its vaccine-immunity feature, it might soon become the dominant COVID-19 strain in the U.S., eclipsing the Delta variant.

Experts emphasized in the study that "it is not too far-fetched to think that this [COVID-19] is now only a mutation or two away from being pan-resistant to current antibodies. We must devise strategies that anticipate the evolutional direction of the virus and develop agents that target better conserved viral elements," as New York Post furthered.

The situation is still developing and experts have yet to reveal another solution against this threat. For now, Americans are being urged to get their booster shots, if only to combat against the previous variants.

It is worth noting that earlier this week, the White House just announced its "tragic milestone" of 800,000 deaths due to COVID-19. During the announcement, President Joe Biden also released a statement saying, "I urge all Americans: do your patriotic duty to keep our country safe, to protect yourself and those around you, and to honor the memory of all those we have lost. Now is the time."

Americans are also recommended to watch out and avoid areas on infection with the Omicron variant. Fortunately, there are a few online tools that can make this job easier.



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Citizens visit the bronze statues of their late leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, Dec. 16, on the occasion of 10th anniversary of demise of Kim Jong-il. AP-Yonhap



North Korea's state media called for "absolute trust" in leader Kim Jong-un, as the country marked 10 years since the death of former leader Kim Jong-il on Friday.



Kim died on Dec. 17, 2011, after having ruled the reclusive regime since the death of his father and national founder, Kim Il-sung, in 1994. Kim Jong-un, the third son of the late leader, took over the helm of the North in another hereditary succession of power.



In a front-page editorial, the North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said the country should push ahead with efforts to accomplish the first-year goals of its five-year development plan unveiled at a January party congress under Kim's leadership.



"All people and soldiers should have absolute trust in the general secretary, have their fate and future completely entrusted to him and guard his safety and authority," the editorial said.






Argentine Ambassador to Korea Alfredo Bascou unveils the plaque for the Mafalda Cultural Space, named after iconic Argentine comic strip character Mafalda, at the country's embassy in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Embassy of Argentina in Korea





By Kwon Mee-yoo







The Embassy of Argentina in Korea opened the Mafalda Cultural Space that will showcase the Latin American country's rich culture to Koreans.







"As we look on the eve of the very important 60 years of diplomatic relations between the Argentine Republic and the Republic of Korea, it is an honor and a pleasure to welcome you to the opening of the Mafalda Cultural Space at the Embassy of Argentina," Argentine Ambassador to Korea Alfredo Bascou said during the opening ceremony, Thursday







The space's name Mafalda comes from a famous Argentine comic strip character created by Joaquin Salvador Lavado Tejon, also known as Quino.







Mafalda is a six-year-old girl who seeks social equality. She is an iconic character in Latin America, taking into consideration the political context as the comic strip ran from 1964 to 1973, when many Latin American countries were under military dictatorships.







"Perhaps not everyone here knows the Mafalda, but for Argentines it is an icon of our culture. Mafalda is a curious, restless girl with a committed attitude toward the world that became an icon of Argentine customs and personality," the ambassador explained.







"Naming our cultural space Mafalda is both a tribute to its creator and a pleasure for all of us. The intensity of Korean cultural life motivated us to inaugurate this cultural space, from where we will continue with the initiatives interrupted by the pandemic, such as a tango school and Argentine cinema screening, and we will start new events such as seminars on Argentine culture and art exhibitions," ambassador Bascou said.







"We hope that the Mafalda Cultural Space will play a great role in presenting and propagating the Argentines and their culture in Korea," Park Wan-soo, president of the Society of Argentina in Korea, said in his congratulatory remarks.






A noncommissioned Air Force officer was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment Friday for sexually abusing a female colleague who later took her own life, according to a military court.







The master sergeant, surnamed Jang, was accused of groping the victim of the same rank inside a car in March. He also blackmailed her not to report the case to the authorities while sending threatening text messages.







"Even if the defendant is not solely responsible for the victim's death, it seems that the mental damage caused by the molestation was the main cause of the extreme choice of suicide," the General Military Court in Seoul said in the ruling.







"It is inevitable to give a heavy punishment corresponding to the nature of the crime," it added.







The ruling came seven months after the victim took her own life in May. Prosecutors had sought a 15-year jail term for Jang in October.







The sexual abuse case sparked intense public fury, particularly as the Air Force is under criticism for failing to take appropriate steps to protect the victim while attempting to downplay the incident.







In June, Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Seong-yong stepped down to take responsibility. (Yonhap)




This article is the 27th in a series about Koreans adopted abroad. Apparently, many Koreans never expected that the children it had sent away via adoption would return as adults with questions demanding to be answered. However, thousands of adoptees visit Korea each year. Once they rediscover this country, it becomes a turning point in their lives. We should embrace the dialogue with adoptees to discover the path to recovering our collective humanity.  ED.



By Tim Hanstein





Intercultural communication can be challenging. Honestly, no matter how hard adoptees try to re-adapt to Korean culture, we will never be entirely Korean again. Having been socialized in the West, this cultural influence dominates our behaviors. We are westerners trapped in Korean bodies. We may be more open to Korean culture, but still, we are not Koreans with legal (and cultural) Korean identities. Nevertheless, I appreciate the warm welcome Koreans give me and I am happy to be considered as a part of Korean society.







Having visited Korea 10 times, and worked with Korean government agencies for many years, the devil is in the details: despite being welcomed, I experience how the system is careless toward foreigners, including us.







Let me provide some examples of what I consider careless.







In my role as an adoptee representative, I communicate with official bodies responsible for adoptee work. What I experience frequently is a lack of understanding of the applicants' backgrounds and circumstances. We adoptees have full-time jobs and dedicate our free time to volunteering for the causes of adoptees living abroad. Tight deadlines are very difficult to meet for small volunteer-run organizations.







Additionally, even the software that is being used can sometimes prove to be a bottleneck, since HWP-files are not common at all internationally. Perplexingly, most online registration processes require Korean phone numbers for verification. Furthermore, Korean accounting standards are applied, which are often in conflict with the stricter accounting rules of our home countries. A little more awareness, sympathy and understanding of our perspectives would be very much appreciated when collaborating.







It took me a while, but I managed to obtain all the required documents for a residence permit, as well as other necessary things, including my Korean phone number, to be able to identify myself. Nevertheless, on many occasions, Korea makes me feel like I am a second-class citizen.







The incidents that annoyed me most during the last several months were both linked to rental cars. One rental car company rejected my reservation hours before pickup, with the explanation that the company doesn't rent this car to foreign nationals. What an insult! How would you feel if you were denied a service when traveling abroad simply based on having a different nationality?







Another rental car company rented a car to me but insisted on me having a Korean guardian. I am an adult. I have a residence permit. I have a drivers license, and I have a credit card. I fulfill all requirements for renting a car! There is no need for a guardian. I assume that a U.S. soldier or western tourist renting a car would not have had to deal with this "special" treatment and rudeness. As I was with my Korean partner who is fluent in Korean, this situation of course made me look like a dependent minor even at my age.







There are also language issues. A western person mumbling the worst "annyeonghaseyo" is celebrated like a K-pop star by any "halmeoni," while every adoptee who has started the hard journey of regaining her/his mother tongue, is faced with: "Why do you speak Korean so badly?" Alternatively, Koreans finish our sentences for us. I know that speed matters here, but we are trying hard to learn Korean, too.







Further, there is an injustice when the government determines whether an overseas Korean who is fully vaccinated can receive a quarantine exemption. Currently, with the exception of important business travelers, only overseas Koreans who are visiting their biological families are allowed a quarantine-free visit to Korea. Theoretically, we adoptees in many cases have biological family in Korea. However, since we are not registered in the family registry, this situation means that we have no proof to be eligible for this quarantine-free visit, despite our full vaccination status. So it is

that the government is finally moving to recognize foreign nationals' vaccination histories abroad so that they can be verified as "vaccinated" against COVID-19,







I highly appreciate the Korean government's efforts on behalf of adoptees and the recognition that my small, volunteer-run organization receives. But to empower a win-win relationship for both sides  the adoptees and Korean society  I hope it pays more attention to our voices.







For that, creating an official advisory council of adoptees would be great. Adoptees have built up a unique intercontinental network that has existed for decades and we can discuss what needs to be improved for our community.







Another program many want is a resettlement program that provides, for example, an innovation hub, shared offices or operational support for start-up businesses for the first months. Many high-qualified adoptees are currently at the peak of their careers, and some are leading experts in key industries. Many are interested in coming to Korea. Their participation in Korean society presents a great opportunity to solidify the countrys position in global competition. One could even adopt the following mindset in Korea: "We have lost daughters and sons to almost every important market in the West, but we have a chance to have them back with all their knowledge and expertise!"







We adoptees can become part of Korean society again. We adoptees are ready!






Pope Francis leaves after holding an ecumenical prayer with migrants at the Parish Church of the Holy Cross in Nicosia, Cyprus, Dec. 3. Reuters-Yonhap



Pope Francis celebrated his 85th birthday Friday, a milestone made even more remarkable given the COVID-19 pandemic, his summertime intestinal surgery and the weight of history: His predecessor retired at this age and the last pope to have lived any longer was Leo XIII over a century ago.



Yet Francis is going strong, recently concluding a whirlwind trip to Cyprus and Greece after his pandemic-defying jaunts this year to Iraq, Slovakia and Hungary. And he shows no sign of slowing down his campaign to make the post-COVID world a more environmentally sustainable, economically just and fraternal place where the poor are prioritized.



Francis also has set in motion an unprecedented two-year consultation of rank-and-file Catholics on making the church more attuned to the laity.



''I see a lot of energy,'' said the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, one of Francis' trusted Jesuit communications gurus. ''What we're seeing is the natural expression, the fruit of the seeds that he has sown.''



But Francis is also beset by problems at home and abroad and is facing a sustained campaign of opposition from the conservative Catholic right. He has responded with the papal equivalent of ''no more Mr. Nice Guy.''



After spending the first eight years of his papacy gently nudging Catholic hierarchs to embrace financial prudence and responsible governance, Francis took the gloves off this year, and appears poised to keep it that way.



Since his last birthday, Francis ordered a 10% pay cut for cardinals across the board, and slashed salaries to a lesser degree for Vatican employees, in a bid to rein in the Vatican's $57 million budget deficit.



To fight corruption, he imposed a $45 gift cap for Holy See personnel. He passed a law allowing cardinals and bishops to be criminally prosecuted by the Vatican's lay-led tribunal, setting the stage for the high-profile trial underway of his onetime close adviser, Cardinal Angelo Becciu, on finance-related charges.



Outside the Vatican, he hasn't made many new friends, either. After approving a 2019 law outlining the way cardinals and bishops could be investigated for sex abuse cover-ups, the past year saw nearly a dozen Polish episcopal heads roll.



Francis also approved term limits for leaders of lay Catholic movements to try to curb their abuses of power, resulting in the forced removal of influential church leaders. He recently accepted the resignation of the Paris archbishop after a media storm alleging governance and personal improprieties.



''In the past year, Pope Francis has accelerated his efforts at reform by putting real teeth into the church's canon law regarding finances,'' the Rev. Robert Gahl, director of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross's Program of Church Management, said.



''While celebrating his birthday, Vatican watchers are also looking for more concrete signs of compliance regarding the pope's new rules, especially from those who report directly to him within the Vatican,'' Gahl said in an email, noting that a change in culture is needed alongside Francis' new policies and regulations.



Despite Francis' tough line, the pope nevertheless got a round of birthday applause from Holy See cardinals, bishops and priests who joined him for an Advent meditation on Friday morning. Later in the day, he welcomed a dozen African and Syrian migrants whom the Vatican helped resettle from Cyprus.



If there was anything Francis did this past year that riled his critics, it was his July decision to reverse his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, and re-impose restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass. Francis said he needed to take action because Benedict's 2007 decision to allow freer celebration of the old rite had divided the church and been exploited by conservatives.



''Some wanted me dead,'' Francis said of his critics.



Speaking with fellow Jesuits in Slovakia in September, Francis confided that he knew his 10-day hospital stay in July for surgery to remove 33 centimeters (about 13 inches) of his large intestine had fueled hope among some conservative Catholics eager for a new pope.



''I know there were even meetings among priests who thought the pope was in worse shape than what was being said,'' he told the Jesuits, in comments that were later published in the Vatican-approved Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica. ''They were preparing the conclave.''



That may not have been the case, but if history is any guide, those priests might not have been wrong to have at least discussed the prospect.



Benedict was 85 when he resigned in February 2013, becoming the first pope to step down in 600 years and paving the way for Francis' election. While enjoying robust health at the time, Benedict said he simply didn't have the strength to carry on.



Before him, John Paul II died at age 84 and John Paul I died at 65 after just 33 days on the job. In fact, all 20th-century popes died in their early 80s or younger, with the exception of Pope Leo XIII, who was 93 when he died in 1903.



Early on in his pontificate, Francis predicted a short papacy of two or three years, and credited Benedict with having ''opened the door'' to future papal retirements.



But the Argentine Jesuit made clear after his July surgery that resigning ''didn't even cross my mind.''



That is welcome news to Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of the top women at the Vatican. Francis tapped her to help organize the two-year consultation process of Catholics around the globe that will end in 2023 with a meeting of bishops, known as a synod.



Becquart knows well what the pope is up against as he tries to remake the church into a less clerical, more laity-focused institution.



''It's a call to change,'' she told a conference this week. ''And we can say it's not an easy path.'' (AP)


A woman wearing a mask walks near shadows cast by other visitors to a shopping mall in Beijing, Dec. 14. AP-Yonhap





China risks losing an opportunity to leverage its trade clout and offset United States containment efforts if it continues with its harsh border restrictions in 2022, a prominent Chinese academic has warned, as calls mount for Beijing to strike a balance between economic growth and COVID-19 prevention.



China's restrictions on international travel could compromise efforts to foster closer diplomatic ties with major trading partners next year, said Zhao Kejin, an expert on China's foreign policy and U.S.-China relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing. He said Beijing should consider easing its border policy.



"Not a comprehensive reopening, but a targeted reopening," he said at a virtual forum Thursday.



His comments come as the Biden administration gathers US allies to challenge China on a number of fronts, from Taiwan to human rights and trade.



Washington has applied pressure through its democracy summit this month, a renewed trilateral partnership with the European Union and Japan on trade, the Quad military alliance and the American-U.K.-Australian security pact known as Aukus.



China could counter the U.S. by leveraging its 1.4 billion-strong consumer market and prominence in global trade, Zhao said.



He added China will host international organizations like BRICS in the next year, which will offer it the chance to influence international rules in areas such as climate change, economic cooperation and the digital economy.



China officially filed an application to join the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement in November, amid rising competition over data and cybersecurity.



At the same event, Liang Wannian, a professor with the Vanke School of Public Health at Tsinghua University, said it was "crucial" to balance pandemic control with the economy.



Beijing has refused to budge from its zero-tolerance approach to the coronavirus. Inbound travel options for China have been cut drastically and quarantine requirements can be up to 21 days depending on what province travelers arrive in.



In a tone-setting economic conference last week, top Chinese decision-makers said the country will stick to the principle of "preventing the coronavirus from re-entering the country or rebounding at home" ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics and the 20th National Party Congress of the Communist Party next year.





Chinese President Xi Jinping waves next to Premier Li Keqiang and former President Hu Jintao at the end of the event marking the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China, on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, July 1. Reuters-Yonhap


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When you join Verizon Verizon is one of the world's leading providers of technology and communications services, transforming the way we connect across the globe. We're a diverse network of people driven by our shared ambition to shape a better future. Here, we have the ability to learn and grow at the speed of technology, and the space to create within every role. Together, we are moving the world forward - and you can too. Dream it. Build it. Do it here. What you'll be doing... As a Verizon Solutions Specialist, you'll have the power to control your own career in one of our retail stores. You'll apply your unique talents, passion for technology, and customer service skills to create the ultimate in-store experience. In this role you will be: Providing customers with products and solutions which helps to simplify and organize their lives.

Creating personal connections to make tech look simple.

Generating sales by using your passion for cutting edge technology.

Helping customers enjoy the best things about their new products so they can begin using and enjoying them immediately.

Excelling in a team-based compensation environment.

Assisting with store opening and closing duties.

Supporting other Verizon stores within close proximity (based on business needs). This position offers full-time benefits, including medical, dental, 401k, educational assistance, and employee discounts that start on day one. Must be willing to work evenings, weekends, and holidays and to pick up additional shifts, if necessary. Join today and earn $43000 - $50000 / year! What we're looking for... You'll need to have: High school diploma or GED.

Bilingual fluency in Spanish and English.

One or more years of work experience.

Willingness to work evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Willingness to work additional shifts, if necessary, typically during the summer months, November through December, and / or during peak vacation periods. Even better if you have: Associate's degree.

Customer service and/or sales experience. Why Verizon? Verizon is an award winning company and has been recognized by the Diversity Best Practices Inclusion Index, Working Mother Magazine, as a best company for multicultural women, as a top 10 Best for Vets employer, and as a top 10 Military Spouse Friendly Employer. Being surrounded by great technology is the start. Being surrounded by great people makes it even better. Thousands of locations, millions of connections. A personal experience for each customer created by you. Be challenged. Our technologies and our customers' needs are always evolving. You'll be at the forefront of the tech world's latest trends. After you apply... You may be required to take an assessment. It takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. If you're selected to move forward, one of our recruiters will reach out to tell you more about the role and answer your questions. Equal Employment Opportunity We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer - and celebrate our employees' differences, including race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, and Veteran status. At Verizon, we know that diversity makes us stronger. We are committed to a collaborative, inclusive environment that encourages authenticity and fosters a sense of belonging. We strive for everyone to feel valued, connected, and empowered to reach their potential and contribute their best. Check out our page to learn more. COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement Verizon requires new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Verizon provides reasonable accommodations consistent with legal requirements (e.g., for medical or religious reasons).

Category



Retail Salespersons

Education



High School or Equivalent

Experience



1 to 20+ years

Job type



Full time




Producer | Design - Events Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Marketing Summary

Posted: Dec 16, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200323435 The client leads all advertising and marketing efforts to ensure the flawless development and execution of world-class communications. The Design Team is responsible for the design and art direction of core communications -including product launches and seasonal campaigns-across Retail, Channel, Packaging, Keynote, and Events. Working in a highly collaborative manner, a primary focus of the Design Team is to define the look and feel of all product imagery through experimentation, critical thinking, and extraordinary attention to detail. The Events Producer role provides support for the creative development and implementation of design assets and materials for all our corporate events. Our events require a wide range of deliverables, including large-format, printed graphics, interactive and web assets, wearables, and 3D fixtures. Key Qualifications Proactively establish rapport and drive results throughout an organization at all levels and across departments in a highly-matrixed organization.

Support the creative development and production process that encompasses a broad range of marketing/messaging vehicles.

Think critically, solve problems, and be disciplined in their approach to marketing and creative development.

Be self-motivated, resourceful, highly organized, adaptable, and results-oriented with a positive attitude.

Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills.

8 - 10 years experience in project management preferably at a creatively driven

event or ad agency, design firm, or in-house marketing communications or creative services department.

Experience with Events or marketing in branded environments a strong plus, but not required. Description The Events Producer is responsible for overseeing the creative development of materials from inception to completion, including helping the Creative team understand the relevant product messaging, target audience, and various venue considerations. The position works cross-functionally with our Corporate Events group to ensure deliverables are well defined and are appropriately carried out to achieve desired results. The position ensures the materials are produced on strategy, on time, and within budget. Day-to-day responsibilities include maintaining work flow, internal reviews, schedules, and budget management to create a smooth workflow for the cross- functional teams involved. The position works closely with other teams within the Marcom group, including Creative, Interactive, Print Production, Photo, Video and Studio to produce all deliverables. Education & Experience Bachelor's degree preferred.




AI/ML - Sr Full Stack Engineer, Siri Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Machine Learning and AI Summary

Posted: Dec 16, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200322192 Play a part in the next revolution in human-computer interaction. Contribute to a product that is redefining mobile and desktop computing. Create groundbreaking technology for large scale systems, spoken language, big data, and artificial intelligence. And work with the people who created the intelligent assistant that helps millions of people get things done - just by asking. The vision for the Siri Reliability team is to empower Siri organization by developing innovative tools infrastructure, automated data analysis and visualization to improve Siri performance and reliability for our customers. Join us, and impact hundreds of millions of customers across a plethora of Apple of devices! Key Qualifications Experience in developing Large Scale tools infrastructure, Automated data analysis and Visualization.

Expert knowledge of one or more object-oriented programming languages (Java, C++, Scala).

Expert knowledge of one or more scripting languages (Python, Ruby, Bash etc.).

Understanding of large scale distributed system architectures

Solid knowledge of algorithms and design patterns.

Excellent communication skills, and thrive in a collaborative team environment, strong problem solving skills, critical thinker, and self-starter

Strong desire to learn, push the envelope, and share knowledge with others.

Passionate about customer focus, with the understanding of business impact to drive the system improvement Description The Siri team is looking for a hardworking developer who is a creative problem-solver, thrives in a fast-paced environment, can work well across teams and organizations, and has a passion for quality. We thrive in designing and implementing frameworks and other infrastructure for data analysis, creating tools with elegant and effective user interfaces. As a Full Stack Engineer on the Siri Reliability Team, you will have significant responsibility and influence in improving Siri during early phase of software development lifecycle by building pipelines and infrastructure, automated data analysis and visualization to improve Siri performance and reliability. You will be expected to work closely with product teams to help them understand the reliability and user experience of the products we build. Also, analyzing opportunities to improve user experience with Siri and help drive those improvements with the product teams. Our engineers collaborate with engineering, design, QA, operations, and project management, to make sure Siri is reliable on all Apple platforms. You will have experience in developing large-scale tools and infrastructure to provide insights into how our products are performing in production. If you're interested, you probably are a generalist engineer, defying categorization. Strong programming, excellent problem- solving and communication skills, and a passion to make the best products possible is the key for success in our group. Education & Experience BS or MS in Computer Science or related field or equivalent experience Additional Requirements Apple is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We also take affirmative action to offer employment and advancement opportunities to all applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Apple will not discriminate or retaliate against applicants who inquire about, disclose, or discuss their compensation or that of other applicants.






Sophie Gladima honored the opening of the second of the MSGBC Oil, Gas and Power 2021 Conference & Exhibition, Senegals largest energy event, with an address to an audience of Ministers, CEOs and VIPs on Friday, with a message directed at uniting Africas participation at 2022s COP27 climate summit.

Its together that we find the solutions for the challenges ahead. We must be united in our vision and our ambitions. When we head to the COP 27 next year, with H.E. President Macky Sall at the head of the African Union, we must go with a common African voice, to defend Africas interests and vision for the years ahead, the Minister declared.

The Minister further commented on the many opportunities present in Senegals developing energy landscape and how those resources will play a part in the countrys climate commitments. Further, she praised the value of the discussions held during this historic conference and celebrated the growing role of women in the energy sector.

I would like to reinforce the importance of the topics discussed here yesterday and today, and the fundamental role of this gathering for the growth of our industry. It is also with great pleasure that I celebrate all the women participating in these panels. Increasing the number of women in the energy sector is fundamental for the future of the industry and I appeal to trainers and educators to help drive Africas youth to take their place within this great sector, she concluded.

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As the Omicron variant dominates the COVID-19 news cycle, new research from the Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC) indicates that people in African Union Member States are overwhelmingly willing to get vaccinated. Across 19 countries, 78% of people surveyed by PERC indicated that they had been or were willing to get vaccinated.

However, as of November 2021, less than 7% of the African continent has been vaccinated. This gap between acceptance and coverage demonstrates a substantial unmet need and underscores the importance of consistent and predictable vaccine supply as well as increased support for vaccination programs in Africa. The latest PERC report considers why global vaccination efforts have been plagued by inequity, as well as the logistical challenges to vaccinating the African continent. The report further outlines the continued importance of preventive measuresparticularly individual measures such as masking and social distancingthat minimize the social or economic harm that can occur when mobility, economic and social gathering restrictions are imposed.

We must work urgently toward equitable access to safe and effective vaccines on the African continent, said Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The PERC data show that demand for vaccines is substantially higher than supply.

At 78%, vaccine acceptance was higher than in the previous PERC survey fielded earlier this year (67%), which may indicate the success of risk communication campaigns. In five surveyed countriesGuinea, Morocco, Mozambique, Tunisia and Zimbabweacceptance was 90% or higher. Vaccine acceptance was high among both those who trusted their governments pandemic response and those who felt COVID-19 posed a personal risk to them or to their country. Such high acceptance contradicts media reports suggesting that low vaccination rates across Africa are due to hesitancy.

Among the 20% of respondents who expressed vaccine hesitancy, the top reasons were: low risk perception (24%), not having enough information about vaccines (22%) and lack of trust in government (17%). The reasons for low risk perception are complex, but officials can take concrete action to address them. Offering more and better information to people about COVID-19 and vaccines through trusted sources, particularly health care providers, coupled with consistent and reliable vaccine supply, can further increase acceptance. Respondents top information sources included local health centers, television and radio.

A number of bottlenecks have contributed to the failure to achieve higher vaccination coverage. Unpredictable supplyin terms of volume, timing and shelf lifethreatens countries ability to meet demand. When offered, vaccination is frequently inconvenient, requiring people to travel far distances or visit vaccination sites at inopportune times.

I am heartened by the efforts of the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) and the COVAX facility to expand vaccine access, said Amanda McClelland, Senior Vice President of Prevent Epidemics at Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies. But there is still work to do. Vaccine donations sent too close to expiry dates, for example, leave countries unable to launch effective vaccination campaigns.

COVID-19 preventive measures remain crucial to mitigate the health impact of the virus. PERC researchers analyzed what influences support for and adherence to such measures and found that individual actionshandwashing, mask-wearing and social distancingall garnered support from at least 90% of survey respondents. Such high support suggests that these key measures can continue to be effective strategies for reducing COVID-19 transmission.

Preventive measures restricting gathering or movement received less support. Unemployment and food insecurity were widespread among survey respondents and made adherence to restrictive community measures a challenge. PERC researchers concluded that such measures should be targeted to specific, high-risk populations as needed to minimize harm.

Income loss also may have had an adverse impact on access to essential health services. Cost and affordability were cited as the primary obstacles to receiving care. Declines in the number of health visits have likely contributed to declines across key health indicators. PERC researchers advocate for urgent investment to stabilize health systems and regain progress lost during the pandemic.

The PERC data enable policymakers to both save lives and minimize impacts on livelihoods, said Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies. The global community has an opportunity to invest in health care workers and public health infrastructure to support vaccine delivery and COVID-19 care and prevention in the near term, and also repair and restore health service delivery disrupted by COVID-19 for the long term.

Based on their findings, PERC authors recommend:

-The global community should support AU Member States in supplying vaccines at a better coordinated and more systematic pace to allow broader, more effective and equitable distribution. Resources and expertise to support vaccine delivery must be part of the supply machinery to ensure coverage.

-COVID-19 preventive measures (described as public health and social measures, or PHSMs, in the report) are critical to mitigate COVID-19 transmission, particularly as new, possibly more transmissible, variants emerge in under-vaccinated populations. Promoting adherence must remain a top priority.

-Ministries of Health have competing prioritiesboth maintaining longer-term investments in endemic diseases, such as HIV and tuberculosis, and preparing for and responding to immediate epidemics, such as yellow fever, Ebola and measles. Investments in preparing health security systems can be utilized both for COVID-19-specific responses and long-term priorities.

-Strengthening health data systems to be better prepared for health threats is critical. It is important that investments prioritize epidemiological data, as well as contextual data and data on community perceptions and actions toward countermeasures for disease mitigation and prevention. Together with the data itself, timely collection, analysis and dissemination are integral to systems strengthening and emergency response.

-The global community and national governments should investto the fullest extent possiblein public health infrastructure and social protection programs that build and maintain resilience, in order to improve health and economic outcomes and reduce the opportunity costs of vaccination and PHSM adherence.

The PERC surveythe fourth in its Using Data to Find a Balance serieswas fielded in September, when many countries in Africa were recovering from a third wave of COVID-19 driven by the Delta variant and before the emergence of the Omicron variant. PERC polled approximately 23,000 people across 19 African Union Member States; compiled social, economic and epidemiological data from a range of sources; and compared results from previous surveys conducted in February 2021 and August 2020. A French version of the report will be available in January 2022.

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Sports

Aussies tighten grip on 2nd Test against Eng

Australias Michael Neser, second left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Englands Haseeb Hameed, left, during the 2nd day of their Ashes test match. (AP/PTI)

ADELAIDE, DEC 17 (IANS) | Publish Date: 12/17/2021 1:13:50 PM IST

Australia removed England openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed to leave the tourists at 17/2 in 8.4 overs, trailing by 456 runs at stumps on day two of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval.

After Australia, on the back of counter-attack from the lower-order, declared at 473/9 in the first innings, Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser took out Burns and Hameed before a large lightning strike outside the venue forced early stumps to be called on a day thoroughly dominated by Australia.

In the final session, debutant Neser and Starc inflicted more misery on England with stunning late cameos. Neser and Starc shared a rollicking 58-run stand off just 51 balls as the hosts lower-order, along with Jhye Richardson, added 89 runs in only 10 overs before captain Steve Smith declared the innings.

With the ball, Starc struck on the first ball of his second over as Burns edged a nipping away delivery straight to Steve Smith at second slip. Neser got his first Test wicket on just his second ball as Haseeb Hammed chipped to mid-on.

Earlier, Marnus Labuschagne competed his sixth Test century while Steve Smith fell short of his and Carey chipped in with a half-century as Australia piled on the runs on an improved yet hapless England bowling attack.

Resuming from 221/2, Smith got the first boundary with a fierce cut through point off James Anderson.

Labuschagne, who ended day one unbeaten on 95, reached his maiden century in the Ashes with a streaky edge past the slip cordon off Anderson for his eighth boundary in a gritty knock. Labuschagne reached the three-figure mark in 287 balls, making this his slowest century in Test cricket.

The right-handed batter, who earned two reprieves on 21 and 95, was caught behind by keeper Jos Buttler on 102 off Ollie Robinsons first delivery of the day. But replays showed that Robinsons foot was on the line with nothing behind, giving Labuschagne another life.

Eventually, Robinson had the last laugh in his next over, with a nip-backer that Labuschagne shouldered arms to and hitting him on the knee roll of back pad. The 27-year-old reviewed but couldnt change the decision. Smith, in company of Travis Head, continued to move forward to reach his 32nd half-century, with a top-edge flying past Buttler while pulling a short ball from Ben Stokes. Head lofted over Joe Roots head but the England captain got his wicket on the next ball, foxing the left-hander into yorking himself.

Cameron Green didnt last long as Stokes got one to move past the outer edge and hit the top of off-stump.

Smith and Carey ensured that Australia didnt lose another wicket till dinner break arrived. After the break, Carey, the hometown boy, was watchful at start but looked for scoring opportunities whenever it came while Smith was on cruise mode.

The 91-run stand between Smith and Carey was broken by James Anderson, whose low nip-backer rapped Smith plumb in front of the pads. Smiths dismissal on 93 meant that he missed out on his 28th Test century,16th as skipper and 12th in the Ashes.

Brief Scores: Australia 473 for 9 decl in 150.4 overs (Marnus Labuschagne 103, David Warner 95, Steve Smith 93; James Anderson 2/58) lead England 17/2 in 8.4 overs (Michael Neser 1/4, Mitchell Starc 1/11) by 456 runs.
Post Mortem

NSF memorandum to Prime Minister

By Nagaland Post | Publish Date: 12/17/2021 1:24:17 PM IST

We bring warm greetings from the Office of the Naga Students Federation.

The Grim Story of AFSPA in Naga Homeland

The very India that prides itself to be the worlds largest democracy has adopted for itself the very repressive, oppressive and inhuman instrument to subjugate a people much against their will and aspiration.

The AFSPA (as amended in 1972 and 1986) has empowered the Indian military and paramilitary war machines with unlimited powers to extend their evil claws and judicial impunity to arrest, torture, kill and to commit everything inhuman.

For sixty years and more the Nagas have been suffering from the colonial mindset of the Indian Government and continues to suffer. We have seen almost all our villages and fields burnt down several times, our womenfolk and mothers disgraced, our menfolk arrested without warrant or jailed without trail, our histories re-written and our indigenous and cultural practices spat upon and degraded, by Indian armies.

The simplicity of our life and the joys of our living have been terribly exposed to the frustration of colonialism, the sinews of three-four generations have been made to crawl under the shadows of death and psychological warfare. And yet, we have never failed ourselves thus far.

Every time the dignity of livelihood, existence, freedom and happiness is trampled upon without any remorse by the Government of Indian agencies - these perpetrators receive medals, awards, and honour for every Naga the Indian Government war machines kill, arrest, rape, loot or torture and they continue to be free from any legal prosecution.

The AFSPA 1958, which has been imposed upon our birth-rights ever since Indo-Naga conflict started, protects and defends the Indian military and intelligence personnel for violating human rights and security, in clear contravention of existing international standings on war ethics, human rights, and entitlements, to which India is also a signatory.

It no longer remains a myth that the AFSPA rears the devil in the Indian armed forces personnel whose acts of impunity continues unabated as the draconian Act continues to shield them from being held accountable for their nefarious actions.

The federation would like to substantiate the sorry state of affairs of the Naga people under the AFSPA regime by chronologically citing some major atrocities perpetrated upon the Nagas by the ruthless Indian armed forces across the Naga homeland while being shielded by the repressive AFSPA.

1960: POCHURY BLACK DAY: 1960 (Phor village, Yisi village &Matikhru village)

On 1st September, 1960, 6 (six) Civilians from Phor village were tortured to death, and on September 3rd, 1960 another 3 (three) civilians from Yisi village were beaten to death.

Whereas, another 9 innocent lives were taken by the 16th Punjab regiment and their death bodies were dumped inside the village chiefs house and burned down along with other houses and granaries. Within a span of one week 18 innocent lives were lost.

To this day 6th September is observed as BLACK DAY by the people of Pochury tribe.

9th December 1970: Cheswezy

18 girls and nine married women were mass raped by the Indian Troops and 53 women were molested.

11th July 1971: Yenkeli

Armies sacrilegiously raped four teenage girls at the pulpit of a church, for the nagas the church is a sacred institution and such profanity is not tolerated. Till today, the church remains forlorn. In 1956, before AFSPA came into force, this village was burned down to ashes and the whole villagers were made to hide in the jungles till 1959.

8th January 1987: Sheanghah Mokok

13 civilians from Sheanghah Mokok village were ambushed by the Indian armed force while returning from the field. 3 civilians were declared spot dead while 10 were gravely injured. Despite declaring themselves as civilians the Indian armed forces did not hesitate to shoot at them.

9th July 1987: Oinam

OPERATION BLUEBIRD was launched by the 21 Assam Rifles on 9th July, 1987 which lasted till October 1987. 27 Persons were killed, Three women were raped and five women sexually molested. More than Three hundred (300) persons were tortured by the 21 Assam Rifles. 125 residential houses were burned, 112 houses were dismantled, 6 Schools and 10 Churches were dismantled.

27th December 1994: Mokokchung

7 civilians were gunned down, another 5 were burned alive including one infant, and more than a dozen individuals went missing. 89 shops, 48 houses, 17 vehicles and 7 two wheelers were razed to ashes, excluding those destroyed by gunfire and shelling.

26th January 1995; Akuluto

A young mother, breast-feeding her 1 year old baby was shot dead while fracturing the arm of the baby.

5th MARCH 1995: Kohima

Kohima Town was under siege for 2 hours by the 16th Rashtriya Rifles consequent of a tyre bursting from their own convoy. 7 persons including two minor girls of three and half years and 8 years old child were killed, 22 persons injured by shrapnels and bullets, 15 physically assaulted and 22 persons were arrested and tortured. Out of the total victims, 14 were women.

15th AUGUST 1996: Tseminyu

The 17 Assam Rifles forcibly gathered the men folks from Tseminyu South village at RSA Ground and were brutally tortured at gun point. 1006 live ammunitions were reportedly fired and 3 hand grenades were hurled at the innocent civilians.

Miraculously none of which exploded. Four innocent civilians were killed including a student. Over the years, those who survived the incident gradually succumbed to their physical injuries.

16th July 2015: Wuzu

Two minor students, Master Tuzali and Miss Aso were killed and one pregnant mother named Esther was injured to the indiscriminate firing of the 46th Assam Rifles CCoy of Akhegwo post under the command of Major Surinder Singh.

4th December 2021: Oting

While 8 innocent coal miners were returning home from a mining site, 6 civilians were brutally killed in cold blood in broad daylight while 2 were gravely injured by the 21 Para Forces of the Indian Army.

Another 7 civilians who belonged to the search party were mercilessly killed on that fateful evening. On the following day, another civilian was killed while protesting against the atrocious act perpetrated by the Armed forces.

The fact that the above mentioned dehumanizing and atrocious acts committed upon the Naga people by the Indian armed forces are the just tip of an iceberg with its base spread across the entire ocean floor. Given an opportunity, the federation is more than willing to present a detailed and comprehensive report to your kind self and your good office at any appointed time.

Our Demands:

Incidents of the Indian Armed forces subjugating the Naga people and even indiscriminately firing upon them is not unprecedented in our Naga Homeland as the GOI continues to suppress the legitimate peoples movement through military means even after having realized that the same will not reap in the desired dividends. It is at the least appalling to see those trained to protect the sovereignty and integrity of India indulging in target practices with the innocent Naga civilians instead of serving the very purpose for which they are trained for.

More so, the audacity of some Indian leaders coming out publicly to defend the atrocious acts and thereby legitimizing the murders, tortures, rapes, molestations etc upon the innocent Naga civilians and botched army operations has been deeply hurting the sentiments of the Naga people while also flaring up our emotions. This blatant attempt to finish the Naga race through an undeclared war cannot be accepted, come what may.

It is in this light that the NSF representing the aspirations and the voices of the Naga younger generations, spread across four Indian states and two international countries, place this representation containing three core demands, seeking your prompt attention and intervention.

1) Immediate justice for the Oting victims and expedite judgements and delivery of justice to all pending cases related to excesses committed by the Indian Armed Forces upon Nagas:

The Federation demands that the Government of India (GOI) sets up a court monitored committee to be headed by a retired Supreme Court/High court judge in-order to ensure that the Oting incidents are probed in a fair and impartial manner.

The Federation reiterate our stand that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) being set up by the government of Nagaland will not do justice to the wilful acts of the Indian Armed forces under the protection of the repressive AFSPA. More so, the GOI must admit to the utter failure of its intelligence agencies and publicly apologize to the Naga people for furthering their subjugation of the Nagas through its policy of militarisation. Justice should be delivered immediately to the victims of the gruesome Oting incidents and to all the pending cases related to the excesses committed by the Indian armed forces.

2) Immediate repeal of the draconian Armed forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958:

The Federation sees no rationale as to why the entire Naga homeland within India is tagged as disturbed areas and the repressive AFSPA is thrust upon its people when the Indo-Naga political dialogues been held at the Prime Ministers level is at a very crucial stage.

More so, the prevailing law and order situation in the Naga inhabited areas does not merit the Act which has only been used as a tool for psychological warfare against the Naga people. It is only because of AFSPA that the Indian armed forces continue to operate with impunity while forgetting all values & virtues that inhibits a sober soul.

It is, therefore, demanded of the GOI to immediately withdraw the atrocious AFSPA from our Naga homeland and also repeal the same without any excuses whatsoever.

3) Expedite Naga Political Solution: The Nagas in the course of standing for our unique history and pursuing our common goal have suffered enough. The sacrifices of many Nagas whether they are dead or alive, is not a struggle for Naga identity alone; It is also a struggle for self determination, a struggle against the imposition of alien culture and values upon us.

It is in this background that NSF made its standpoint crystal clear that economic packages or monetary assistance cannot purchase the rights of the Naga people. The envisaged solution must be mutually agreed upon on the negotiating table and not an imposed one. Rather, the GOI should not hesitate from allowing the Naga people to retain their legitimate rights.

Given the official recognition of the unique history of the Nagas by the GOI, The Naga people strongly urge your Honble self to not compare or subject the Naga issue to any other political issues in the country and that the promise of a unique solution based on the unique history which is inclusive, honourable & acceptable is brought forth at the earliest. We appeal in the greater interest of the Nagas and other communities and the Indian Nation to impartially and honourably deliberate the issues emerging from the situation in order to usher in an era of PEACE through optimum utilisation of your political will.

NSF president,

Kegwayhun Tep,

NSF general secretary,

Siipuni Ng Philo
Business

SBI reaffirms its commitment to Indian Army; renews MoU

SBI and Army officials after signing the MoU.

DIMAPUR | Publish Date: 12/17/2021 1:03:32 PM IST

State Bank of India (SBI) announced that it has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army, to offer benefits to all serving as well as retired army personnel and their families through its Defence Salary Package (DSP) Scheme.

As per the release, SBI will offer an enhanced complimentary personal accidental insurance (Death) cover, air accidental insurance (Death) cover, permanent/partial disability covers. Bank offers attractive interest rates and concessional processing charges to defence personnel on home loan, car loan, and Xpress credit personal loan. Platinum debit card offered to all commissioned officers.

It also supports education of children and marriage of girl child of deceased army personnel, it added.

Accordingly, the services rendered by Defence Personnel and recognizing their contribution in nation building, SBI also offers, zero-balance savings bank accounts with many complimentary benefits and waiver of service charges, it said.

The MoU was signed in New Delhi in the presence of AG Lt. Gen. Harsha Gupta, C S Setty, MD (R&DB) SBI; DG (MP&PS) Lt. Gen R P Kalita; Saloni Narayan DMD (Retail Business) SBI; Devendra Kumar, CGM (Personal Banking) SBI and other senior officials from the Army and the bank.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-16 20:29:00|Editor: huaxia

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The Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit is held in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 17, 2021. (Xinhua)

ISTANBUL, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkey is seeking to enhance its cooperation and business ties with African nations, as the Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit kicked off here Thursday at a time when the country is witnessing a currency slump.

The three-day summit, themed "Enhanced Partnership for Development and Prosperity," started with a meeting of high-level officials in the Turkish financial hub Istanbul, diplomatic sources said.

The summit had been postponed twice mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic after the previous two summits were held in 2008 and 2014 in Istanbul and Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, respectively.

Heads of state and government as well as ministers are expected to attend the event, which is expected to launch a new stage in Turkey's relations with the African Union and African countries, according to Turkish officials.

A five-year action plan on several topics such as peace, security, trade, investment, infrastructure and health care, is expected to be reviewed at the summit.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has attached significance to Africa and visited more than 30 nations there during his 19-year tenure as prime minister or president of Turkey.

Trade between Turkey and Africa rose from 5.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2003 to 25.3 billion in 2020, according to official data. Erdogan has announced that Turkey aims to double its trade with Africa to 50 billion dollars.

Turkish companies have strengthened their presence across Africa, mainly investing in the areas of construction, steel, cement, textiles, household goods, and electronic devices, according to African Business, an online business magazine.

South Africa is Turkey's largest trading partner on the continent, with a bilateral trade value of 1.3 billion dollars in 2019, but Ethiopia, where Turkish firms have more than 20,000 employees, has drawn nearly one-third of Turkey's investment in sub-Saharan Africa, the magazine added.

Turkey's policy toward Africa has expanded from merely focusing on economic relations to include business, aid, diplomacy, culture, and military support, said foreign policy analyst Serkan Demirtas.

"With this summit in Istanbul, Turkey is spreading a clear message that it will continue to strive to further capitalize from the growing momentum in relationships," he told Xinhua.

The bid to expand African trade comes amid a nearly 50 percent devaluation in the Turkish lira this year, which makes Turkey's exports even more competitive.

Demirtas said that Turkey's long-standing relations with Africa have now reached an important turning point.

"Turkey's bonds with the continent have strengthened after it became an observing member of the African Union in 2005 and a strategic partner of it in 2008," he said.

"In 2013, an important step was taken to further improve relations with the continent by the launching of the Africa Partnership Policy," the expert said.

Turkey's military sales to Africa have significantly increased in recent years, especially in the aviation sector.

The number of Turkish embassies in Africa has risen from 12 in 2002 to 43 now, with a mission soon to open in Guinea-Bissau, while the number of African embassies in Ankara rose from 10 in 2008 to 37 in 2021, according to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In October, Erdogan visited Angola, Nigeria, and Togo, and met with leaders and investors.

Turkey also operates direct flights to many African countries, and its flagship carrier Turkish Airlines now flies to 61 destinations on the continent. Enditem

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during the Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 17, 2021. (Xinhua)

Participants of the Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit pose for a group photo in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 17, 2021. (Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 15:11:30|Editor: huaxia

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File photo shows Marcos Rodriguez (R) checking the fermentation of tobacco leaves in Dongfang, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Yan Yujing)

HAIKOU, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- When Marcos Rodriguez arrives in the city of Dongfang, south China's Hainan Province, he holds up a handful of earth and takes a deep sniff at it.

"It smells just like home," he said.

Rodriguez, 50, is a tobacco planting expert from Nicaragua. Born and raised in a family that runs cigar businesses, he became an expert at a young age. By age 14, he started making a living from growing tobacco.

In 2018, Rodriguez heard from a friend that the environment in Dongfang is conducive to growing high-quality black tobacco plants. After consideration, he took his wife Laura along and went to the city at the invitation of Yonder Oriental, a local tobacco material provider, in late 2018.

Rodriguez became a field manager for the company, and the couple's planting career began taking roots in China.

Though far away from Nicaragua, the couple found a sense of home when they arrived in Tian'an Village under Dongfang.

"The climate, plants and even the air here are so similar to Nicaragua," said Rodriguez. "When we arrived, I just hopped out of the car and smelled the earth."

In the beginning, local villagers knew little about cigars or tobacco, as they were used to planting local vegetables. Rodriguez began teaching the locals hired by the company how to grow black tobacco leaves.

They could not understand each other at first, but Rodriguez, with the help of the company's translator and more of the translation application on his mobile phone, taught them disinsection, picking, fertilizing and weeding the fields.

The couple get along quite well with the locals. They often sit together after work while Rodriguez enjoys a drink of fresh coconut water his Chinese friends send him.

"We had a good harvest in the first season. Now, after more than two years of fermentation, the cigar leaves have very good quality," said Rodriguez. "We plan to expand about 133 hectares of tobacco plant fields next year."

On weekends, Rodriguez and Laura would take high-speed trains to a church in Haikou, the provincial capital. They often travel around Hainan when they are off work to shop or watch surfing competitions.

"It has been three years since we came to Hainan, and we want to stay here and grow the best cigar leaves," Rodriguez said. Enditem

File photo shows Marcos Rodriguez and his wife Laura checking the growth of tobacco leaves in Dongfang, south China's Hainan Province, in May 2019. (Xinhua/Yan Yujing)

File photo shows Marcos Rodriguez making cigars with tobacco leaves in Dongfang, south China's Hainan Province, Sept. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Yan Yujing)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 22:15:44|Editor: huaxia

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Ibrahim Sumaila tries a self-designed bike at his workshop in Tema, Ghana, on Oct. 21, 2021. The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)

ACCRA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true.

Despite being born into a poor family with little education, Ibrahim did not allow the setback to deter him from pursuing his life ambition. He has defeated impediments and is building bicycles and motorbikes propelled by two-stroke engines that use oil mixed with gasoline or petrol. He also uses discarded scrap metals in molding the bikes.

He told Xinhua at his make-shift workshop at a suburb of Tema city,that he had to go through struggles by working as a laborer in 2010 after his secondary education for almost eight years to raise funds to acquire a welding machine for his work since there was no one to support him financially.

"I grew up as an artist, did painting and all stuff before I learned the bicycle mechanic. I worked as a laborer just to get some money for my welding machine. I tried to open my shop around 2018 to repair bicycles and later got to know that more of my customers were shifting from bicycles to motorbikes. So I decided to motorize a bicycle so that I will still maintain my customers," he told Xinhua.

After almost three years of establishing his shop, Ibrahim has been able to combine talent and passion to mold and build motorized bicycles, motorbikes that are used by both able-bodied and people with disabilities within the Ashaiman municipality and its environs.

The motorbike he manufactures, according to him, are of high-quality standards and expressed the hope of using it to create job opportunities, among others.

"For my motorbike, I look at the nature of our road and the comfort. My dream is to turn this thing into a company, something big, bigger than this, that can even create employment," he said.

Despite the efforts to be a top-notch engineer in Ghana, he is inundated with several challenges including inadequate and modern tools for his operations, limited space as well as access to scraps.

He urged Africans to believe in their fellows with talents in all fields and support them.

"I would like to tell everybody especially my people here in Ghana and Africa as a whole that we should respect talent. I think we should help people with talent and the country will go far," Ibrahim said.

Paul Larweh Godzi, a tailor by profession and also a school proprietor who has been riding a motorbike produced by Ibrahim for two years now recounts how it has facilitated his mobility.

"Initially mobility for me was very difficult. I had to depend on people to get what I want but with this one, I just sit on it, get to where I want to go, and do whatever I want to do," said Godzi.

Godzi appealed to the government and corporate organizations to support Ibrahim to produce more bikes for people with disabilities across the country.

"There are a lot of persons with a disability like me who could have done more to cater for themselves and their families but because they cannot go far, it's becoming difficult for them and so what this man is doing for us persons with disabilities are a lot and so I want the government or any corporate organizations to help," he added.

In Ghana, there are no known motorbike manufacturers as all are imported for both commercial and private use. Ibrahim said he hoped more local innovators could spring up to change the narrative in the near future. Enditem

Ibrahim Sumaila works on a component for his motorized bikes at his workshop in Tema, Ghana, on Oct. 21, 2021. The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)

Ibrahim Sumaila works on a component for his motorized bikes at his workshop in Tema, Ghana, on Oct. 21, 2021. The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)

Ibrahim Sumaila checks components for a motorized bike at his workshop in Tema, Ghana, on Oct. 21, 2021. The manufacturing, assemblage, building of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles sound alien to many, while Ibrahim Sumaila, a 38-year-old Ghanaian engineer has emerged to make it happen, making his childhood dream come true. (Xinhua/Xu Zheng)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-17 23:12:18|Editor: huaxia

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Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on July 4, 2021 shows Chinese astronaut Nie Haisheng staying inside Tianhe in cooperation with Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo for their extravehicular activities (EVAs). (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese astronauts live and work more conveniently and comfortably in orbit with the application of advanced information technology, said the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

There are smart home systems in China's space station core module Tianhe, Bai Linhou, deputy chief designer of the space station at the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) under the CASC, said at a press conference Friday.

Astronauts can control the lighting and kitchen equipment of the core module through mobile apps. They can also navigate the internet and video chat with their family and friends, Bai said.

With an acousto-optic system equipped in the core module, the astronauts can sleep at night instead of being on duty, Bai added.

Tang Hongbo, one of the three astronauts of China's Shenzhou-12 crewed mission, said that the crew members could have a hot meal in about half an hour.

He also said astronauts sleep well in orbit thanks to a loudspeaker that informs them if anything goes wrong.

Convenient living and working is a significant part of China's manned spacecraft design, Bai said.

Researchers have furnished the core module well so that astronauts can work comfortably, Bai added. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 00:09:18|Editor: huaxia

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden (Xinhua)

Russia asked the United States to prevent further eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.



MOSCOW, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday published a draft treaty it has proposed to the United States on security guarantees.

Both countries shall not undertake actions nor participate in or support activities that affect the security of each other, the document read.

One should not use the territories of other countries to prepare or carry out an armed attack against the other or other actions affecting core security interests of the other, it said.

Russia asked the United States to prevent further eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and deny the former Soviet republics accession to the alliance.

The United States would be banned from establishing military bases in the former Soviet republics that are not NATO members, from using their infrastructure for military activity, and from developing bilateral military cooperation with them, it said.

One would be prohibited from deploying armed forces and armaments in the areas where such deployment could threaten the other, except on its own territory, according to the draft document.

One should not deploy ground-launched intermediate- and shorter-range missiles both on and outside its national territory, from which such weapons can attack the other, it said.

Russia and the United States would be banned from deploying nuclear weapons outside their national territories, and they must return such weapons already deployed outside their national territories.

The 8-article draft treaty has been sent to the United States for consideration. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 05:15:27|Editor: huaxia

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A student walks past a social distance floor sticker on the campus of Imperial College London in London, Britain, Dec. 16, 2021.(Xinhua/Li Ying)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Sky News Friday that Omicron is a "very serious threat" and that the country is seeing a "very serious wave coming through."

LONDON, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Britain reported 93,045 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, breaking the daily record for the third consecutive day and bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 11,190,354, according to official figures released Friday.

Another 3,201 Omicron cases have been found in Britain, the biggest daily increase since the COVID-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total Omicron cases found in the country to 14,909, said the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The country also reported a further 111 coronavirus-related deaths, taking the national death toll to 147,048.

The latest data came as a study by Imperial College London showed that the risk of reinfection from Omicron is more than five times higher than Delta and shows no sign of being milder than the previous coronavirus variant.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Sky News Friday that Omicron is a "very serious threat" and that the country is seeing a "very serious wave coming through."

People walk past a sign requiring people to wear face coverings in London, Britain, on Dec. 9, 2021. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua)

Meanwhile, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Omicron cases have been rising exponentially in Scotland, with cases doubling every two to three days.

England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty has advised people to prioritize events that matter to them in the run-up to Christmas. Whitty said the record for daily hospital admissions for COVID could be broken in the coming weeks, and urged people not to "mix with people you don't have to."

More than 89 percent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 81 percent have received both doses, according to the latest figures. More than 44 percent have received booster jabs, or the third dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

A person waits outside a COVID-19 Walk In Vaccination Center in London, Britain on Dec. 6, 2021. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua) 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 14:00:19|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on March 12, 2021 shows the exterior of the headquarters of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Things you need to know about the upcoming HKSAR LegCo election: What is LegCo? How is 2021 election different? Why is it important?

HONG KONG, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will hold the Legislative Council (LegCo) election on Dec. 19, the first since the improvement to its electoral system.

More than 600 polling stations will be open across Hong Kong on the polling day for about 4.5 million registered electors to cast their votes.

The following are the things you need to know about the key election.





WHAT IS LEGCO?

The political structure of the HKSAR is set out in Chapter IV of the Basic Law of the HKSAR and it lays down an executive-led system headed by the chief executive of the HKSAR. The Basic Law further allocates the powers and functions among the three branches: the executive authorities, the legislature, and the judiciary.

They complement each other with the common goal of upholding national unity and territorial integrity, and maintaining the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. Their powers emanate from the central authorities.

The main powers and functions of the LegCo include: to enact, amend or repeal laws; to examine and approve budgets, taxation, and public expenditure; and to raise questions on the work of the HKSAR government.

Aerial photo taken on June 27, 2017 shows the scenery on both sides of the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)





HOW IS 2021 ELECTION DIFFERENT?

The election for members of the HKSAR's seventh-term LegCo, originally scheduled for Sept. 6, 2020, has been postponed for over a year due to COVID-19, and it will be the first since improvement was made to the HKSAR electoral system by China's top legislature.

On March 30, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress adopted the amended Annex II to the Basic Law of the HKSAR, which sets out in detail the new methods for forming the LegCo to better implement the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong."

The membership of the seventh term of the HKSAR LegCo will increase from 70 to 90 and the members are to be elected by the Election Committee constituency (40 seats), functional constituencies (30 seats), and geographical constituencies (20 seats), respectively.





WHY IS LEGCO ELECTION IMPORTANT?

Hong Kong has been plagued by entrenched problems ranging from housing shortage to a wide wealth gap, and young people long for more opportunities. Political distractions over the past years have left such issues unsolved for too long, because in the past, elections in Hong Kong always descended into chaos and were used by external anti-China forces to endanger national security and undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

Improving the electoral system of the HKSAR has plugged the institutional loophole for those anti-China elements to take advantage of elections to enter the governance structure of the HKSAR. So far, social responses regarding the upcoming LegCo election have fully demonstrated the characteristics of broad representation, political inclusiveness, balanced participation, and fair competition.

The LegCo election is expected to produce new faces and create a new atmosphere, which is of great significance to the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" and to the steady and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems."

People wave China's national flag in Tsim Sha Tsui, south China's Hong Kong, Oct. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)





WHO ARE CANDIDATES?

A total of 153 candidates have been validly nominated for the election. They include elites from the business, academic and professional sectors, as well as representatives of laborers, employees and small- and medium-sized businesses at the grassroot level. There are also experienced veterans in politics as well as young people.

About half of them are first-time candidates for public office. They will compete for 90 seats, and all the seats are contested and no one can be automatically elected, which is unprecedented since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland in 1997.

In the Election Committee constituency, 51 candidates are vying for 40 seats; in the functional constituencies, 67 candidates are contesting for 30 seats; and in the geographical constituencies, 35 candidates are competing for 20 seats.





WHEN WILL HKSAR'S 7TH-TERM LEGCO BEGIN?

The Chief Executive in Council, in accordance with the Legislative Council Ordinance, has specified Jan. 1, 2022 as the commencement date of the seventh-term LegCo of the HKSAR.

In addition, under the ordinance, the chief executive of the HKSAR has specified Jan. 12, 2022 as the date on which the 2022 legislative session is to begin, and 11:00 a.m. local time of Jan. 12, 2022 as the time for holding the first meeting of the seventh LegCo.

The term of office of the LegCo is four years.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 17:51:06|Editor: huaxia

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A Mercedes Benz new energy vehicle is displayed at the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Despite the pandemic-induced worldwide economic slowdown, global investors have continued to double down on investment in China this year, demonstrating a vote of confidence in the nation's stable economic outlook and its opening-up commitment.

German carmaker BMW recently announced its upgraded strategy for the Chinese market, with three new or upgraded plants slated to open in 2022.

"What moves China today will move the world tomorrow. It is a perfect place and a great partner for the BMW Group to drive transformation," said Nicolas Peter, member of the board of management of BMW AG responsible for finance and China affairs, at a press briefing.

"Next year, three new or upgraded plants will open in Shenyang and Zhangjiagang. We will soon be launching the second BMW battery electric vehicle from Shenyang. It is a fully electric 3-series, further enhancing China's position as one of BMW Group's top three new energy vehicle production bases in the world," Peter added.

TREND-BUCKING FDI GROWTH

While the global economy and trade have been interrupted by the pandemic, China has defied the trends of global investment slump to post stellar growth.

In the first 11 months of the year, foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, rose 15.9 percent year on year to 1.04 trillion yuan, or 157.2 billion U.S. dollars, the Ministry of Commerce said.

This figure has already topped the one-trillion-yuan mark, surpassing that of the whole-year FDI in 2020 and confirming China's continued dominance as the top investment destination.

Progress was also made in terms of the structure of foreign investment. During the Jan.-Nov. period, FDI into the service sector increased 17 percent year on year, and high-tech industries saw FDI inflow jump 19.3 percent, reflecting an optimized investment portfolio.

Thanks to China's stable economic growth and policy dividends, more foreign investments have opted to enter China, and flow to emerging industries, noted Zhang Jun, chief economist with Morgan Stanley Securities (China) Co., Ltd.

OPENING-UP COMMITMENT

The pouring investments speak volumes about China's commitment to opening up more sectors for foreign investment.

In recent years, China has trimmed nearly two thirds of the negative list for foreign investment. A new version of the list is slated to be unveiled by the end of the year.

The country has also been actively advancing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022, and applying to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership to further boost economic integration and expand market access.

"We feel, in our efforts of expanding and improving local partnerships, that we are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the digitalization and high-quality development of transportation in the country," said Juergen Model, CEO of Siemens Mobility Greater China.

The company added two joint ventures in China this year to further strengthen local partnerships, Model added.

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND

With a population of more than 1.4 billion and a middle-income group of over 400 million people, China presents unlimited opportunities.

The country is working to expand imports, develop technological innovations and achieve its carbon peaking and neutrality goals, which have spawned emerging industries including digital, services and environmental protection.

Eyeing China's development, global investors are revamping themselves to cash in on the enormous business opportunities.

A report from the French bank Societe Generale estimated that to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China's green investment needs to reach 2.2 trillion yuan per year in the current decade, and the amount will grow to 3.9 trillion yuan in the period from 2031 to 2060.

Noting the massive potential, French multinational Schneider Electric has planned to build a green smart-manufacturing innovation center in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu to enhance its competitiveness.

"China's carbon peaking and neutrality goals send a signal that only those who harness advanced energy conservation technologies and sound digital transformation measures will attain competitiveness and sustainable growth," said Yin Zheng, executive vice president of the company. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 19:31:44|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Aug. 10, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- It seems Washington's obsession with weaponizing human rights shows no signs of letting up.

Right after its so-called "Summit for Democracy," the United States issued a joint statement with Australia, Denmark and Norway on an Export Controls and Human Rights Initiative, clamoring to stem the flow of key technologies to what they claimed as "authoritarian" governments.

Once again Washington has staged another clumsy show to politically manipulate and economically bully others under the cloak of "human rights."

The country has long abused the concepts of "democracy" and "human rights" as weapons to suppress the rise of other countries and as a fig leaf to disguise its despicable history and morbid obsession with supremacy.

In fact, linking export controls with human rights is merely a ploy from Washington's old playbook. It wants "like-minded" states to use export controls to prevent the proliferation of software and other technologies used to enable what it believes are serious human rights abuses.

He who excuses himself accuses himself. The more Washington seeks to attack others as a self-proclaimed human rights "preacher," the more it exposes itself as a de-facto human rights violator from within and without.

Instead of waking up to its bleak reality at home of rampant gun violence, a widening wealth gap, deepening racial divisions and a failed COVID-19 response, Washington has chosen to shift the focus onto the human rights records of other countries.

Most recently, the U.S. administration went to great lengths to win an extradition appeal against Julian Assange, a whistleblower who exposed U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq and who is an Australian citizen living on British soil.

Lurking behind Washington's impulse to accuse other countries of human rights violations while paying scant attention to its own shortcomings at home is a Cold War mentality and hegemonic mindset.

China hawks in Washington fear the Asian country's rise. They regard China as a main rival, advocate a continuous hardline policy to exert pressure across all fronts and constantly interfere in China's internal affairs, all in a bid to curb China's development and modernization.

These hawks have grown increasingly adept at using "democracy" and "human rights" concerns to fool the American public and much of the world into believing that China is a threat to global peace and stability while bolstering its own hegemony.

As suggested by French website Le Grand Soir, democracy has long become a "weapon of massive destruction" for the United States to attack countries with different views.

Human rights are "now being used as a cudgel, as a pretext" for the West, and especially the United States to "dominate the globe," Daniel Kovalik, human rights expert and lawyer at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, has warned.

Washington seeks to whitewash power politics with "democracy" and "human rights" and stifle reason and justice with hegemony and self-interest, laying bare a deep-rooted political bias and mentality of Western-centrism.

With its international credibility on the decline, gone are the days when the United States could flaunt its human rights or tout itself as a "beacon for democracy."

Such attempts to demonize other nations are manipulative and divisive at a time when unity across the world is needed the most. Washington should quit using human rights as a pretext to assault other countries and focus instead on rectifying its own human rights abuses at home and abroad. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 18:07:38|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has created a platform for promoting multilateralism, inclusive growth, peace and cohesion, Erastus Mwencha, former deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, told Xinhua on Friday.

The ongoing construction of BRI projects -- including roads, railways, ports and digital infrastructure -- have been a game changer in Africa where they have spurred connectivity and seamless trade, Mwencha said on the sidelines of the 2021 meeting of the Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation that he attended via video link.

He observed that speedy implementation of transport infrastructure, energy and information and communications technology projects under the BRI has reduced the cost of doing business, in addition to empowering Africans and the bulk of the global south.

Mwencha singled out the 480-km Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway for revolutionizing passenger and freight transport in Kenya.

The railway "has transported millions of metric tons of cargo ... Its contribution to the Kenyan economy is huge," said Mwencha, adding that the railway has also facilitated technology transfer, promoting vocational skills for young people.

He said Kenya is among other African countries including Egypt, Senegal and Ethiopia where BRI projects have accelerated infrastructure modernization, market linkages, and skills and capacity building for youth.

China has also guaranteed on-time delivery of vital commodities including essential medical supplies like vaccines and protective gear against a backdrop of damaged global supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

He suggested continuous construction of BRI projects in order to support livelihoods and buffer an economic fallout caused by the pandemic.

Despite its positive contribution to Africa's growth and stability, the BRI is likely to encounter headwinds linked to geopolitics, the pandemic and climate change, Mwencha warned.

He pointed out smear campaigns waged by some Western powers who fear that the BRI could change the status quo. "There are deliberate attempts to scuttle the implementation of the BRI and disorganize societies that could benefit from it, even though it is a model that is inclusive, consultative and reaches both the low and mighty," said Mwencha.

Mwencha called on African countries to reject geopolitical maneuvers aimed at undermining the BRI since the continent stands to gain immensely in terms of improved manufacturing capacity, technology and skills transfer and green financing.

The former deputy chairperson said the BRI is in Africa's best interest. "We need capacity to manufacture vaccines," Mwencha said. "It will bring in technology and capital required to grow our digital economy. It will also promote human to human interactions." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 19:19:47|Editor: huaxia

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A woman wearing a mask walks on a street in Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 18, 2021. Egypt confirmed its first three cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Health Ministry announced late on Friday. Two of the cases are not showing any symptoms, while the third suffers mild symptoms, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)



CAIRO, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Egypt confirmed its first three cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Health Ministry announced late on Friday.

Two of the cases are not showing any symptoms, while the third suffers mild symptoms, the ministry said in a statement.

The three cases were isolated in hospitals, and all precautionary measures were taken for those in contact with them, it added.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Egypt reached 373,509, including 21,277 deaths, while 310,749 cases have fully recovered, according the ministry. Enditem

A man wearing a mask walks on a street in Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 18, 2021. Egypt confirmed its first three cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Health Ministry announced late on Friday. Two of the cases are not showing any symptoms, while the third suffers mild symptoms, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

A man wearing a mask is seen on a bus in Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 18, 2021. Egypt confirmed its first three cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Health Ministry announced late on Friday. Two of the cases are not showing any symptoms, while the third suffers mild symptoms, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

People wearing masks walk on a street in Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 18, 2021. Egypt confirmed its first three cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Health Ministry announced late on Friday. Two of the cases are not showing any symptoms, while the third suffers mild symptoms, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

A woman wearing a mask walks on a street in Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 18, 2021. Egypt confirmed its first three cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Health Ministry announced late on Friday. Two of the cases are not showing any symptoms, while the third suffers mild symptoms, the ministry said in a statement. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 23:08:20|Editor: huaxia

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by Mahmoud Darwesh

TRIPOLI, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The voting process in Libya will face significant challenges as the election date approaches, according to political analysts in the northern Africa country.

The political division that followed the technical preparations for Libya's presidential elections, according to analysts, made it a challenging process that could not be held on December 24 as planned.

More than 2.5 million Libyan citizens are expected to vote in the presidential elections on December 24, according to a roadmap set by the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum. The High National Electoral Commission in Libya postponed the publication of the official list of candidates, which was due at least 15 days before the election, on December 11, saying it planned to conduct judicial and legal procedures related to the election.

The Libyan parliamentary elections, originally planned to be held on the same day as the presidential poll, have been postponed to January 2022.

After the delay of presidential candidates publication, Libyan political analyst Faraj al-Dali believes that the decision to postpone the elections has already been made and would be revealed in a few days.

"The Elections Commission's failure to publish the final list of candidates would indirectly push towards the postponement of the elections," said al-Dali.

Abubakr Mahmoud, a Libyan political analyst, said that holding presidential elections on December 24 is no longer feasible, and a new date must be selected that is acceptable to all parties.

Miloud al-Haj, a Libyan law professor, believes that the controversial presidential candidates are a major cause to affect the chance of holding the elections on time.

"Since a number of controversial figures, primarily Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, announced their candidacy for the presidential elections, the electoral process has reached a clear polarizing phase," said al-Haj.

"I don't think many Libyans will accept Muammar Gaddafi's son to return to power, especially given the legal persecutions he faces both at home and abroad," he added.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi who was toppled and killed in 2011, announced running for president in November. However, he is facing several legal issues in Libya and abroad.

The International Criminal Court issued a red notice against Saif al-Islam Gaddafi for alleged war crimes committed in Libya in 2011.

Later in November, a group of unidentified gunmen attacked a Libyan court in the southern city of Sebha, as the court was processing an appeal by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi against his presidential election campaign being rejected.

Libya has been suffering insecurity and political instability since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 16:21:55|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Two dacoits were killed and three policemen injured in an exchange of fire in Rawalpindi city of Punjab province during the wee hours of Saturday, police sources said.

The incident occurred when police tried to apprehend the outlaws on receiving a report of a robbery, triggering the exchange of fire between the two sides, sources from the Rawalpindi police told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

During the clash, two dacoits from a group wanted in several police reports of street crimes in Rawalpindi and Islamabad were killed.

The injured policemen were shifted to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, with one of them said to be in critical condition. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 19:15:10|Editor: huaxia

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Rescuers work at the explosion site in Karachi, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2021. At least 10 people were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at the ground floor of a two-storey building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, police and hospital sources said. (Str/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at the ground floor of a two-storey building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, police and hospital sources said.

Ten bodies and 12 injured people have currently been registered on the hospital record, and most of the injured are in critical condition after being seriously wounded in the incident, Muhammad Sabir Memon, chief operating officer of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Institute of Trauma to which all the victims were shifted, told media.

In a statement, the Karachi police said that the explosion was due to leakage of gas in the building containing a private bank and several other offices, according to the reports.

The building was partially collapsed in the explosion, and several people are feared to be trapped inside the rubbles.

The rescue teams have called in heavy machinery to remove the debris in order to find the trapped people.

Karachi is the provincial capital of Sindh. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressed sorrow over the incident and directed police to investigate into the incident keeping the possibility of terrorism into consideration.

Bomb disposal squad has arrived at the site for further investigation. Enditem

Security personnel examine the explosion site in Karachi, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2021. At least 10 people were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at the ground floor of a two-storey building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, police and hospital sources said. (Str/Xinhua)

A damaged building is seen at the explosion site in Karachi, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2021. At least 10 people were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at the ground floor of a two-storey building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, police and hospital sources said. (Str/Xinhua)

People gather at the explosion site in Karachi, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2021. At least 10 people were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at the ground floor of a two-storey building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, police and hospital sources said. (Str/Xinhua)

Security personnel cordon off the explosion site in Karachi, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2021. At least 10 people were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at the ground floor of a two-storey building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, police and hospital sources said. (Str/Xinhua)

A damaged vehicle is seen at the explosion site in Karachi, Pakistan, Dec. 18, 2021. At least 10 people were killed and 12 others injured in an explosion at the ground floor of a two-storey building in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday, police and hospital sources said. (Str/Xinhua)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 22:18:49|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and seven others injured as a blast went off in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Saturday, health officials said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-19 01:08:45|Editor: huaxia

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KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), a coalition of parties based in the northern Borneo state of Sarawak allied to the federal government retained its hold on the state government by a landslide victory on Saturday.

The GPS took 75 of 82 state assembly seats, while the main opposition party Pakatan Harapan (PH) won two seats and another opposition party Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) won four seats, the election commission said.

The results for one remaining seat have been delayed due to continuing bad weather hitting the country.

The elections were triggered following the expiry of the state government's 2016 mandate, but had been delayed by COVID-19 pandemic, with a state of emergency imposed in the state from July to November this year to slow the spread of the outbreak. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 19:17:44|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia registered 27,434 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide tally to 10,186,823, the official monitoring and response center said Saturday.

The nationwide death toll grew by 1,076 to 296,180, while the number of recoveries increased by 38,041 to 8,952,266.

Meanwhile, Moscow, Russia's worst-hit region, reported 2,283 new cases, taking its total to 2,000,067. The Russian capital was followed by Saint Petersburg with 1,997 new cases.

Over 76.5 million Russian citizens had received at least one dose of a vaccine as of Friday and over 70.8 million of them had been fully vaccinated.

The level of herd immunity in the country stands at 58.2 percent, data released on Friday showed. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-18 23:54:58|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Limitations on the U.S.-China scientific and technological exchanges and collaboration, including restrictions on Chinese scientists and students, are in the interest of neither side, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has said.

Qin made the remarks in an interview with Kim Montgomery, director of International Affairs and Science Diplomacy and executive editor of Science & Diplomacy magazine, on China's science diplomacy initiatives. The story was published on Friday.

"Scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation have played an important role in the development of China-U.S. relations and are still an important part of our bilateral relationship," said Qin.

Over the past four decades, more than 30 protocols and agreements in a wide range of areas including health, climate change, ecological protection and nuclear safety have been signed under the framework of agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between China and the United States, he said.

"When China and the United States work together to address global issues as the ones I just mentioned, and jointly manage the uncertainties of emerging technologies, we can deliver greater benefits to our two peoples and better prepare humanity for an uncertain future," said Qin.

The ambassador noted that even before the United States and China officially established diplomatic relations, then U.S. President Jimmy Carter's science advisor visited China.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than 40 years ago, China-U.S. relations have made historic progress, despite some twists and turns and the many differences in the two countries' social systems, histories, cultures and approaches to development, said Qin.

"We are ready to work with the United States to respect each other, peacefully coexist, and pursue cooperation," he added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-12-19 00:14:19|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- It's among China's diplomatic priorities to work with the United States and the international community to find science-based solutions to shared problems like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has said in an interview published Friday night.

"The goal of China's diplomacy today is to work towards world peace and promote global development. We value the role of science and technology in diplomacy," said Qin in an interview with Kim Montgomery, director of International Affairs and Science Diplomacy and executive editor of Science & Diplomacy, on China's science diplomacy initiatives.

According to the interview posted on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the United States, Qin said China is ready to carry out international space cooperation with other countries on the basis of mutual respect, openness, inclusiveness, equality, and mutual benefit.

China will continue to intensify international cooperation in the expansion of space station functions, space science and its applications, and the joint flight of Chinese and foreign astronauts, he said.

China has invited all United Nations member states to submit cooperative pilot projects to board the Chinese space station to provide a new model of international cooperation for future space explorations, said Qin, adding that nine projects from 17 countries have been selected.

He further said that China has shared information and experience and strengthened international cooperation in the joint R&D for vaccines, treatments, and testing.

Noting that China has partnered with 30 countries on COVID-19 vaccine cooperation to promote the fair international distribution of vaccines, Qin said, "We hope that China and the United States will strengthen their scientific and technological cooperation to help the world overcome the pandemic as soon as possible."

Referring to climate change, he said there is a lot of room for China-U.S. cooperation.

Both countries are transitioning to renewable energy faster than any other countries in the world, and are looking for advancements in clean energy technologies, he said, adding that though the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, a typical example of bilateral research cooperation, has been suspended, China hopes to find a new model of cooperation regarding clean energy.

Noting that China has adopted a host of strategies and actions on climate despite economic and social difficulties, the ambassador said, "South-South cooperation is an essential means for less-developed countries to help each other and develop together."

Citing China's cooperation with Comoros in fighting malaria, Qin highlighted that China has been helping developing countries to localize mature and applicable technologies, establish joint laboratories, conduct joint research, train local people on applicable technologies and carry out exchanges among young scientists. Enditem
Chief Murinye from Masvingo will face disciplinary action for his utterances last weekend during which he attacked President Mnangagwa and hinted on an imaginary possible coup.

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga did not take kindly to the chiefs utterances and yesterday told the annual Chiefs Conference that such statements can only be said by a drunk.

What we have seen in the past few days is never done, he said. Zvekuti munhu anosimuka otaura zvaanoda kuna paramount chief is never done. Zvinoitwa nemunhu anwa mutoriro. In this country its never done.

We have one Munhumutapa (President Mnangagwa), we have one leader and it is that leader we give respect. It is that leader we show the entire nation what respect is all about. So, what has been done by Chief Murinye is going to be investigated by the Minister of Local Government and the chiefs council and if found guilty, disciplinary action would be taken.

This is Zimbabwe. I thought I should say this, I respect Munhumutapa (President Mnangagwa) and no one touches him as long as I live.

Chiefs Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira distanced the traditional leaders from Chief Murinyes utterances.

I want to tell the President that we are with you as an institution, what was said is an individuals views and does not reflect the views of the institution, in fact, its the direct opposite of our views, he said.

Earlier, Chief Charumbira had thanked the President for giving them audience to discuss issues affecting the country.

He said President Mnangagwa had restored the dignity of the institution of traditional leaders that was undermined by the colonial regime.

Chief Charumbira thanked the President for agreeing that chiefs change their official attire from the red robes and hat introduced by the colonial regime to new ones reflective of local customs and traditions. Herald
In a daring move alien to Zimbabwean traditional leaders, Chief Murinye born Ephias Munodawafa who recently castigated the President Emmerson Mnangagwa administration for failing to deal with corruption, has said he is not afraid and is prepared for anything as far as his recent utterances are concerned.

Chief Murinye recently made headlines after making bold statements while addressing mourners at the funeral of Public Service Commission (PSC) Head of the Pay and Benefits Development and Management Agency Elson Gonye in his area spewing vitriol against corrupt elements in Mnangagwas administration.

The traditional leader told mourners that there was every reason to call upon Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Phillip Valerio Sibanda to repeat what they did in November 2017 (apparent reference to the sanitized military coup that overthrew former president Mugabe).

When contacted for further clarification and comment over his utterances, Chief Murinye declined to give names of the individuals involved in the corrupt activities but pointed out a case that took place in Masvingo in which a truck full of fertilizers meant for the local people was allegedly diverted to Harare for selling at the parallel market in Harare.

It is a bit difficult to mention names but about two or three months ago, came a truck full of fertilizer, someone came and whispered to me that the truck was taking the fertilizer to Harare and sell it at the black market.

After that I took the registration numbers of the vehicle, called the Propol and also went to Chivi road block to notify the police manning the block on the development but up to now, nothing has been done, said Chief Murinye.

He also said he is prepared for the consequences that are likely to follow his criticism of corrupt and criminal activities among top government officials.

I am not afraid and I am prepared for whatever I will face. If they want to kill me, they can come and kill me I am not afraid, said Chief Murinye.

At Gonyes funeral, Chief Murinye implored Mnangagwa to take heed to his call and put his house in order, if he wanted to retain power in the 2023 harmonised polls that are just one and half years away.

ED is my nephew, if he fails to listen to my advice, in 2023 he will not make it. People are disgruntled, they are seeing what is going on and they will punish you in the ballot box.

We are fed up, sick and tired of these crooks and criminals. We do not want this anymore. Criminals have no place in Zimbabwe, wherever minerals pop up the same individuals claim ownership and everything along the way. ED has got a good vision but he is surrounded by criminals. We do not know if it will be the best option for us to go to Valerio Sibanda so that he can repeat what he did. We do not want that. We are fed up of being the laughing stock of the world because if you go to South Africa and they ask you where you come from, you feel ashamed to the extent that you can even think of hiding your passport.

Have you observed the humility of this home, have you seen it? What if they were those guys with nepotism and tribalism you have taken from high up there? If you visit other peoples homesteads, you would just realise how well other people are living, said Chief Murinye.

He further castigated people who are siphoning public funds for personal benefits like buying properties in leafy suburbs in Harare.

If you go to areas like Borrowdale, you wonder where the owners of such properties get the money to construct them. I am not proud of that kind of money; give me nothing even if it means stripping me of the chieftainship. I would rather be with my people and enjoy the sanity of the Heavens which demands righteousness than reveling in dirty or bloody wealth acquisition.

How do we celebrate when someone boasts that the wealth he possesses is too much to the extent that he would only be declared broke when he reaches the levels of Strive Masiiwa (Econet founder), a son of the former president for that matter. You think we are happy with such kind of issues prevailing? Whoever gets into power should rein his/her children so that they know the nation belongs to the people and not individuals. We have supported the ruling party because it is our party, but do not betray that support by doing whatever you wish to.

There was a gold rush at Hwendedzo. Musara went there and proposed incorporation of the community in sharing the proceeds, there were top army officials with people being chased away. That is nonsense, said Chief Murinye.

As if responding to the issue, a Twitter handle believed to be run by Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba tweeted that Chief Murinye had called him to clear the air.

WHEN CHIEF MURINYE CALLED: Today I got an unexpected call from Chief Murinye who fondly addresses me as the son of Manheru, with all the attendant semantic consequences. His message was brief: he hates the way opposition forces are abusing his strong indignation with his President and his party, ZANU-PF.

He explained what triggered the outburst. Further, he says he has since sobered up and is ready to explain himself. So guys, dont think you are about to score; take chill pill!!!!, reads the statement.

Contacted for comment again to clarify on the tweet, Chief Murinye said he was in a meeting before his mobile phone went unreachable the rest of the afternoon.

Barely a month ago, Chiefs Council President Fortune Charumbira had a video of himself shot at Zanu PF national conference in Bindura while claiming that Chiefs are the true owners of Zanu PF as a party and challenges the leadership to involve them in the affairs than inviting them as guests at annual conferences and congress. TellZimNews
Households that consume less than 200 units of electricity per month will now have to fork out an extra $66 after the Zimbabwe Electricity S...
New York, US (PANA) - In a message to celebrate International Migrants Day on Saturday, the United Nations Secretary-General has said that expressing solidarity with migrants on the move has never been more urgent
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Twenty Malian illegal migrants in Libya were repatriated Friday via the Maitigua International Airport as part of a voluntary return programme, the body for combating illegal migration announced
Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - The World Bank will soon release US$300 million to support the employment of young people and women in Benin, the financial institution announced on Saturday
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
President Ram Nath Kovind will begin his four-day Kerala visit on December 21 during which will attend several programmes, sources said here on Saturday.

He will reach Kannur on December 21 from where he will proceed to the Central University at Kasargode and reach Kochi the same day.

The following day, the President will participate in an event at the Cochin Naval base and return to the state capital the next day, the sources said.

On 23rd morning, he will address a public meeting in connection with the inauguration of the P.N.Panikkar Foundation and leave for Delhi the next day.
Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is hosting the third India-Central Asia dialogue which will be attended by his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

"The holding of annual meetings of the India-Central Asia Dialogue is symbolic of the interest on the part of all member countries for greater engagement between them in a spirit of friendship, trust and mutual understanding," according to Ministry of External spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

"The foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said, adding that they will exchange views on regional and international issues of global interest.

The current situation in Afghanistan will be a major topic of discussion at the three-day India-Central Asia Dialogue.

The recent developments in Afghanistan after the Taliban's takeover have reinforced the importance of Central Asian countries with Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan- that share borders with Afghanistan.

Earlier, the national security advisors of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan took part in India-hosted regional dialogue on Afghanistan in November.

The top leaders of these Central Asian countries are likely to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations next year as government has reached out to these five countries for the participation of their top leaders as chief guests.
Complaints of irregularities are being received from several places during the counting of votes in panchayat election in Bihar. In East Champaran district, several candidates are alleging manipulation during counting of votes in panchayat elections. They believe that there has been a lot of confusion in the counting.

Chief candidate of Bhopatpur, southern region of Kotwa block of Motihari, Uma Singh, has also complained of irregularities in counting. She believes that the counting was biased, and despite winning, she was declared defeated.

In a conversation with Sahara Samay, Uma Singh said, "I was treated badly, first I was told that I have won by 176 votes and then suddenly I was declared defeated by 106 votes. There was some conspiracy behind it. The EVMs were opened without calling my agent."

"They were not shown EVM numbers. I demanded re-counting but the authorities ignored me. I was insulted. Even after several requests, the officers were not ready for re-counting of votes and even threatened to arrest me", she further said.

Uma Singh has accused the counting officials of favouritism. She alleged that the victory certificate was issued despite complaints of irregularities in counting.

For candidates like Uma Singh, court is now the last resort.

Moreover, the large scale irregularities in counting have raised questions about the fairness of panchayat elections in Bihar.
India successfully test fired new generation nuclear capable ballistic missile 'Agni P' on Saturday, the Defence Ministry said.

The ministry said that Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the new generation nuclear capable ballistic missile 'Agni P' from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the coast of Odisha at 11.06 a.m.

"Various telemetry, radar, electro-optical stations and down range ships positioned along the eastern coast tracked and monitored the missile trajectory and parameters. The missile followed text book trajectory meeting all mission objectives with high level of accuracy," the ministry said.

The 'Agni P' is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant ballistic missile with dual redundant navigation and guidance system. This second flight-test has proven the reliable performance of all the advanced technologies integrated into the system.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO for the successful flight test and expressed his happiness for the excellent performance of the system.

Chairman DRDO Dr G. Satheesh Reddy appreciated the efforts of the team to have done the second development flight trial with many additional features and congratulated for the consecutive success within the same calendar year.
Cheap devices emitting radio interference

Hi I'm Phil VK2CPR,

Christmas is nearly upon us, the WIA, notified by the German regulator through our regulatory committee, alerts us to be aware of radio interference. One unfortunate side effect of the Christmas celebration is the dumping on our market of cheap devices emitting radio interference.

At the moment, USB battery chargers and action cameras are particularly conspicuous with the German Federal Network Agency. At first glance, many electrical products are very cheap bargains. In reality, however, they are inferior products that cause radio interference.

In recent weeks, the Federal Network Agency has increasingly found LED products of all kinds, but especially Christmas lighting, that do not meet the legal requirements. The spectrum ranges from simple LED lamps to LED recessed and ceiling lights to outdoor lighting (LED floodlights). Colour-changing and other Christmas lighting for indoors and outdoors are also popular items to buy in the run-up to Christmas. The prices of these products are usually significantly lower than those of well-known brand products, especially in online retail. This can be an indication of inferiority and undercutting of legal requirements.

The board moved to create an IT committee Chaired by board member Peter Schrader VK4EA. The committee will initially consist of Marc Hillman (VK3OHM) & Robert Broomhead (VK3DN). We are always interested in hearing from interested amateurs who may wish to contribute. The committees objective is to review existing systems and formulate a plan to improve information technology guidelines and report back to the Board with recommendations.

Amateur radio as a vehicle for technology literacy

We know that amateur radio provides a ready source of emergency communications capability. The WIA believe that the time is ripe for Australia to reap the rewards offered by Amateur Radio as a vehicle for fostering future technology literacy.

A peer reviewed paper by Burger, & van de Groenendaal, explores amateur radio as an entry level vehicle for aspiring future technologists. The authors argue that amateur radio provides the training and equipping of individuals with skills and experience to develop, install and run future sophisticated telecommunications infrastructure.

Harmonisation of the amateur radio syllabus

During the past decade, there has been considerable standardisation in international amateur radio licencing. The biggest single initiative has been the adoption of the European Conference of the Postal and Telecommunications (CEPT) recommendation. This recommendation prescribes a standard syllabus for the examination for radio amateurs.

Administrations that accept and implement the CEPT can issue a Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate (HAREC) to their licensees. The emergence of the HAREC as a simple mechanism for aligning global syllabus. Consequently, nations may train and licence their amateur population, using training material that is freely available on the Web. The HAREC is accepted almost anywhere in the territories of participating countries. That is, most of Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Peru and South Africa.

Cheers and 73s for now de Phil VK2CPR
Pandemic causes cancellation of IARU-R1 interim meeting in April IARU Region 1 have announced they have cancelled their planned interim meeting in April due to the pandemic



It was decided at the recent EC meeting that we cancel the April interim meeting in Vienna. The pandemic situation look increasingly difficult and travel plus a physical meeting in April will most likely not be safe.



At the same meeting it was decided to plan for an interim meeting in Friedrichshafen the days just before HAM RADIO Friedrichshafen 2022 (June 2426). Planning has started and we will come back in January with more information to member societies and call for papers for the HF (C4), VHF+ (C5) and EMC (C7) committees.



The final decision for a physical interim meeting will be taken in April.



73 Mats, SM6EAN

Region 1 secretary



Source IARU Region 1

https://www.iaru-r1.org/2021/iaru-r1-interim-meeting-2022/
Algiers, Dec 18 2021 (SPS) - Morocco uses a real "media machine" against the Sahrawis, said Mohamed Salem Ahmed Laabeid, director of the Sahrawi television RASD TV, who said that this same "machine" is supported by foreign media.



"Morocco uses a real media machine, including TV channels, radio stations, newspapers and websites. It is supported by foreign media in different countries," said Mohamed Salem Ahmed Laabeid to APS.



This situation "pushes us to implement a new media policy," he said.



The other strong point of the Sahrawis is the rightness of their cause, now supported by UN resolutions and decisions of international law.



A "dangerous" blackout is imposed on the Sahrawi issue by both Arab and Western media, he lamented.



"The Arab and foreign channels obscure the Sahrawi issue and avoid showing what is happening in the occupied territories," he added.



062/700
Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) today (December 18) welcomed the first direct Transavia France flight from Paris Orly Airport thus - signaling the commencement of two weekly round trips between the French capital and Amman.

The inaugural flight was received with the customary water arch salute and greeted by representatives from Airport International Group, and Transavia Frances general sales agent Link Aero Trading Agency.

"We remain committed to developing QAIAs route network and presenting tourists from around the world with the chance to visit and explore Jordan," stated Airport International Group CEO, Nicolas Claude.

"Our efforts are closely aligned with those of our steadfast partners - the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Jordan Tourism Board - as we work together to stimulate local tourism, advance the sector and strengthen the national economy," he added.

Airport International Group is a Jordanian company comprising local and international investors with proven experience in airport rehabilitation, enhancement, operation and management. In 2007, following a transparent and open international tender, the Government of Jordan awarded Airport International Group a 25-year Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession agreement to manage the rehabilitation, expansion and operation of Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA); Jordans prime gateway to the world.

Since the agreement commenced, QAIA has ranked first place for four years in the Airport Service Quality Surveys Best Airport by Size and Region: Middle East category for airports serving 5 to 15 million passengers and was amongst the top two in the Best Airport by Region: Middle East category for four consecutive years.

On the environmental front, in 2018, QAIA was the first airport in the region to reach Level 3+ Neutrality of the Airport Carbon Accreditation program, which was further renewed and extended until 2022.
New Delhi, Dec 18 (UNI) India is hosting the Third India-Central Asia Dialogue tomorrow that will see the Foreign Ministers of the five Central Asian republics in attendance  marking New Delhis endeavour to further deepen ties with the geopolitically strategic region.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be hosting the Dialogue, which would be attended by the Foreign Ministers of all five countries.

They are: Russian Kazakbaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic; Abdulaziz Kamilov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmeistan; Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic Of Kazakhstan; and Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.

As part of the Third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the Foreign Ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries, with particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation. They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, especially Afghanistan.

The Foreign Ministers are expected to pay a joint courtesy call on PM Narendra Modi .

Tomorrow's meeting comes amid reports that the leaders from the five Central Asian countries could be the chief guests on Republic Day in January 2022.

The second meeting of the Dialogue was organized by India in October 2020 in digital video conference format.

There has been increased ongoing engagement between India and the five Central Asian countries in the last few years.

India considers Central Asia as part of its extended neighbourhood.

EAM Jaishankar visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan this year, and met with the Turkmenistan Foreign Minister in October this year.

The holding of the annual India-Central Asia Dialogue is symbolic of the interest on the part of all member countries for greater engagement between them in a spirit of friendship, trust and mutual understanding, the MEA said.

While India shares deep civilisational ties with the five countries, the importance of Central Asia also lies in the fact that the region serves as a land bridge between Asia and Europe and is bestowed with rich natural resources.

But geographical connectivity has been a hindrance, and India and the five countries are working to push the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, plus other projects, including the Chabahar in Iran.

At the last India-Central Asia Dialogue, held in October 2020 in virtual format, the Acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan had attended as a special invitee. Three of the countries, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, share land border with Afghanistan, and all five have been concerned about terrorism spilling over across from Afghanistan, where the Taliban are now in command.

The security chiefs of the five countries were in India on November 10 at the invite of NSA Ajit Doval for the conclave on Afghanistan.

At the last meeting, India had offered US$ 1 billion Line of Credit for priority developmental projects in fields such as connectivity, energy, IT, healthcare, education, agriculture etc. The five countries had also welcomed Indias offer to provide grant assistance for implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) for furthering socio-economic development in the countries.

To give an impetus to business ties, which have not been encouraging, the India-Central Asia Business Council (ICABC) was launched in New Delhi on February 6, 2020, comprising FICCI and business chambers from the five countries.

Soon after assuming office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited all the Central Asian countries in July 2015, signifying India's determination to bring the region back in focus in India's foreign policy.

The First meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue was held on January 13, 2019 in Samarkand (Uzbekistan).

UNI/RN
New Delhi, Dec 18 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held talks with visiting Tajikistan Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin here, with the discussions focusing on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, including Afghanistan.

Glad to welcome FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin of Tajikistan in India.

"Look forward to our talks, the EAM said in a tweet.

The two sides are to also undertake a comprehensive review of the bilateral cooperation.

The Foreign Minister of Tajikistan is visiting India from December 18-20 at the invite of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The Tajik FM is also to meet other dignitaries during the visit.

Afghanistan is expected to figure in the talks as Tajikistan shares an over 1,300 km border with that country, and the Tajik leadership has been vocal in its disapproval of the Taliban takeover and demanded a more inclusive government, with representatives from the country's large Tajik population.

India and Tajikistan have seen an active exchange of visits this year.

EAM Jaishankar was there for a bilateral visit and for the Heart of Asia conference in March, the SCO FM's meeting in June and the SCO heads of Council meeting in September

NSA Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Tajikistan in June for SCO meetings, while the Tajik security chief was in India in February and again in November for the NSA level meeting on Afghanistan.

The visit of the Tajikistan Foreign Minister will sustain the high level of dialogue between the two sides and the strategic partnership between the two countries, the MEA said.

UNI/RN
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Source: Xinhua| 2021-02-04 01:20:24|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's State Emergency Commission (SEC) on Wednesday decided to impose lockdown measures again here in the capital city Ulan Bator during the traditional White Moon festival or the Lunar New Year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The total lockdown for a period of two weeks in the city will take effect on Feb. 11 or Lunar New Year's Eve known as "Bituun" in Mongolia, according to the SEC.

"During this holiday, people visit their parents, relatives and friends. So, there is no other way but to reimpose a 24-hour strict lockdown in the capital city to prevent the situation of coronavirus infection from getting worse," Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan, head of the SEC or deputy prime minister, said at a press conference.

Last month, the Mongolian government made a decision not to publicly celebrate the traditional White Moon festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Mongolians are still preparing for the holiday which is actually a combination of ringing the old year out and the new year in, as well as a celebration when families get together.

Mongolia confirmed its first case of COVID-19 in March 2020. Its first local transmission was detected in early November, when a woman tested positive after her husband returning from Russia finished his 21-day mandatory quarantine.

The incident triggered a nationwide lockdown that was later extended in Ulan Bator and two provinces until Dec. 11. After that, the Mongolian government reimposed lockdown measures in Ulan Bator, which was the hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak, from Dec. 23 to Jan. 6 and extended the strict all-day lockdown until Jan. 11 to curb resurging local cases.

So far, Mongolia has reported 1,859 COVID-19 cases, and more than 1,000 of them were detected in Ulan Bator, home to over half of the country's 3.3 million population. Enditem
Through the halfway point of December, it's already one of the worst months of the pandemic for Cayuga County.

With 70 new cases on Thursday, the county is up to 922 new cases in December. It's the fifth-highest monthly total of the pandemic, trailing December 2020 (2,024), January 2021 (2,010), September (1,079) and November (955). The county will likely pass the September and November totals in the next few days.

While new cases have emerged over the last five months, the recent post-Thanksgiving spike has added to the already high numbers. Since the holiday on Nov. 25, the county has 1,126 new cases in three weeks. About one-third of those new cases (354) have been reported in the last four days.

Kathleen Cuddy, the county's public health director, told reporters on Tuesday that the COVID case surge is being fueled by gatherings, including Thanksgiving dinners, sporting events and a musical performance.

Other statistics show why it's particularly bad in Cayuga County. The case rate is 484.49 per 100,000 people, and the seven-day average positivity rate is 10.69%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But hospitalizations, which increased last winter when there was a huge surge in cases, haven't spiked at the same clip. While there are 458 active cases, 16 residents are hospitalized with COVID-19  about 3.5% of all cases. At this point one year ago, there were 516 active cases and 26 hospitalizations  a little over 5% of the positive cases. That total does not include residents who were hospitalized outside of the county. The health department didn't track those numbers until last summer.

Cuddy and Cayuga County Legislature Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman urged residents to get vaccinated. The county's vaccination rate is 56%, with nearly 43,000 fully vaccinated people. Among the eligible population ages 5 and older, the vaccination rate is 59%.

The health department will hold two vaccination clinics before Christmas  from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Both clinics will be held at the Fingerlakes Mall Event Center.

Registration is required. To register, go to cayugacounty.us/health and click on the link for COVID-19 vaccine clinics.

In other news:

 Cayuga County health officials don't know whether the omicron variant is in the county. There have been confirmed cases in neighboring counties, though. On Friday, Cornell University in Tompkins County  Cayuga's neighbor to the south  learned that more than 100 of its recent positive cases were infected with the omicron variant.

Based on the discovery of the omicron variant in other counties, the health department said "we can assume that it will be here soon, if not already."

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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An Auburn man has been indicted on a robbery charge, about 18 months after a different robbery for which he was previously arrested.
New York Democrats pretend their policies  COVID mandates, wage minimums, green regs, high taxes  dont hurt the economy, but theres a reason New York City and state so often lag the rest of country economically. The latest numbers on New York jobs are a perfect example.

While the nation has recovered nearly all the jobs lost during the pandemic, New York City has regained just a bit more than half the whopping 1 million positions that vanished here. In the 12 months through October, the United States recovered 6 million jobs, vs. a measly 174,000 added in the Big Apple. Gothams 9.4 percent jobless rate is more than double the nations 4.6 percent.

The whole state lags: Its October unemployment rate was 6.9 percent. And New Yorks rates would be far higher if so many ex-workers hadnt given up looking for a job.

The slow-as-molasses return of tourists and office workers leaves countless retail stores, restaurants and hotels  whose business they depend on  shuttered or operating at a far smaller scale, throttling job growth. Per the Partnership for New York City, only 8 percent of office workers were back on-site full-time last month.

It certainly looks to me like were going to have a much slower, much more drawn-out recovery, says Center for New York City Affairs economist James Parrott.

New Yorks harsh lockdowns imposed by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio clearly took a devastating toll on business and employment, with low- and middle-class workers hit hardest. Now, new rules are hampering the rebound.

In the city, de Blasio actually ordered private businesses to enforce a vaccine mandate. Gov. Kathy Hochul then followed with her own broad-brush order for universal indoor masking unless everyone is vaxxed. Those decrees can only further stall the economy.

On Tuesday, Hochul ridiculously blamed the mayor for extending her edict to the Big Apple, claiming shed have exempted the city except that it already had a more restrictive requirement in place.

What a pathetic cop-out. De Blasio and Hochul are both either clueless or heartless: They either have no idea how to deal with the now far-less-dangerous threat from COVID, or they care more about their image as bold leaders than about New Yorkers jobs.

 New York Post

There are times we wonder just who the heck our elected officials think they are.

Weve wondered it about both Republicans and Democrats, but the latest example is Gov. Kathy Hochuls signing of a bill that dramatically weakens the power of the Independent Redistricting Commission only weeks after voters statewide rejected an amendment to the state Constitution that also weakened the commission.

Most people would take the voters rejection of Proposition 1 on the November election ballot as a sign that voters want to see the Independent Redistricting Commission have a real opportunity to work. But by signing legislation passed earlier this year by the state Legislature allowing the legislature to draw new state legislative and congressional boundaries if the commission doesnt pass a plan by Jan. 15, Hochul has thumbed her nose at voters.

Why would Democrats on the redistricting commission work with Republicans to pass a plan when they know that by sitting on their hands until Jan. 15, the Democratic Party can draw the lines however they choose?

Voters spoke clearly in November that they disagreed with election and redistricting policies pushed by Democrats. Evidently, Hochul has chosen not to listen  or couldnt hear the voice of the voters through her partisan earmuffs.

 Dunkirk Evening Observer

Fridays announcement by Gov. Kathy Hochul that a statewide mask mandate was going to begin Monday shouldnt have surprised anyone.

Cases, and more importantly hospitalizations, are trending in the wrong direction. The health care system is overrun with COVID-19 cases right now, and requiring masks indoors  particularly in areas where people tend to be packed in tightly  makes some sense. Its also good to see that the requirement comes with a 30-day limit as intended by legislation passed last year by the state Legislature.

We all know, however, that a mask mandate is only as good as the enforcement behind it, which is why we can understand why state Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, and others say a mask mandate has questionable benefits.

Increasing vaccination rates in rural areas has unquestioned benefits. Something else Borrello said, in our opinion, would be helpful  an increase in free, pop-up COVID-19 testing sites.

We have already heard that testing availability is strained here, making ideas like testing children so they can stay in school a difficult proposition. Increasing the availability of testing could make just as much a difference in how rural counties handle COVID-19 as a mask mandate does.

A three-day rapid testing site in the county Health Departments building on Fourth Street, Jamestown, is a good first step in areas where COVID-19 is surging again. In our view, the state must make a more regular commitment to having such testing available to help keep people who dont need hospital or urgent care services away from an already burdened system.

 Jamestown Post-Journal
Global Times - It has been a very busy week for candidates running for the Hong Kong Legislative Council (LegCo) election, to be held on Sunday, as some of them have a packed schedule for campaigning, attending forums to mobilize the public to vote, and using all kinds of social media platforms. As Hong Kong will soon embrace its first LegCo election since the national security law for Hong Kong and electoral reform took effect, which bars radical anti-China and anti-government rioters from entering the local governance structure, the city is expecting a peaceful, rational and practical election, which, experts said, will also be the new normal for the political landscape.

"I'm optimistic for the upcoming election," said Lai Siu Chung, a 49-year-old bus driver, who attended a candidate forum at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC) on Friday. Lai told the Global Times that he believes 90 percent of voters who attended the forum will vote on Sunday. About 1,000 residents attended the forum with palpable high enthusiasm for election day, he said.

In the eyes of Hung Kam-in, a campaign manager of a candidate, this year's election campaign was smooth, secure and rational, and the patriotic voices were heard by more local residents.

"Previous LegCo elections in Hong Kong used to look like elections in the US in terms of campaign means, as opposition forces used inflammatory and emotional language to stir up the emotions of voters, making them vote with their emotions regardless of right or wrong, and incited confrontations with other candidates," Hung told the Global Times on Friday.

Hung, who spent around six hours every day since November to campaign at different communities, said more patriotic organizations showed up this year in streets and communities.

"They [candidates] liked to stand in streets encouraging people to vote because they feel much safer since the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong and they know their campaigns will not be threatened," he said, noting that the opposition candidates are more rational this year and the radical opposition forces have been disqualified.

Ahead of the district council election in 2019, pro-establishment lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu was stabbed in Tuen Mun by a man who approached him with a floral bouquet and a hidden knife, sparking growing concerns over outspoken pro-government lawmakers being violently attacked by radicals.

While Western media outlets such as Reuters, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera, which have been covering Hong Kong issues in a biased and selective way for a long time, try to depict this year's LegCo election as "unfair" and a "selection rather than election," and amplify how tame election day on Sunday will be, more Hong Kong residents voiced support for the new election system and their expectations for the seventh LegCo that will commence in January 2022.

Under the national security law for Hong Kong and electoral reform that ensure only patriots govern the city, those shocking and chaotic scenes that occurred at the LegCo meetings in previous years won't be seen again, and the council won't be a place for meaningless political battles again, former lawmakers, scholars and local residents said.

New normal

The LegCo elections used to see intense conflicts as some radical candidates from the opposition often attacked their opponents fiercely, hyping some controversial topics and tapping into public sentiment against the HKSAR government or the mainland. But now the overall atmosphere is calm and candidates are competing with each other in a civilized way, Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

Under the principle of only patriots governing Hong Kong, "such manner should be a new normal for Hong Kong political life," Lau said.

Numerous campaigning took place in Hong Kong this week, all in a peaceful manner. But when some people looked back to the previous LegCo election or the district council election in 2019, they remembered candidates pointing fingers at each other, spreading rumors and even making personal attacks or insults.

"For the future, for ourselves," read banners in pink and blue attached on 100 double-decker buses, taxis and trucks, which made tours across the city on Thursday, attracting hundreds of residents. They waved banners encouraging the public to vote on Sunday, as the polling stations will stay open from 8:30 am to 10:30 pm that day.

Some residents cheered the "far-reaching significance" of the LegCo election, as a recent survey from research firm Zijing suggested that 70 percent of 1,528 registered voters recognized the fairness of the LegCo election under the new electoral system, featuring broad representation.

China's top lawmakers unanimously approved the electoral reform plan for Hong Kong in March, another major step following the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong in fixing the loopholes in the city's governance structure.

In May, lawmakers in Hong Kong finalized amendments for the election overhaul which increased the seats of the LegCo from 70 to 90, including 40 seats from the Election Committee, 30 from functional constituencies, and 20 which are directly elected.

The electoral reform is designed to shield the city from rioting, citywide rampage and unprecedent social turmoil in 2019, as some former lawmakers who are also anti-China radical rioters played a major role in fueling the hatred and anti-government sentiment. But more importantly, the overhaul will end filibustering tactics commonly used by radical opposition lawmakers, who used the LegCo as a place for battling with the HKSAR government and lawmakers from other political groups, even if bills proposed by the government or other lawmakers were beneficial to Hong Kong society.

The Global Times discovered that at least 108 bills on livelihood, including medical, traffic, elderly care, and local infrastructure projects were delayed between 2014 and 2020, according to incomplete statistics, due to filibustering and other tools designed by opposition lawmakers to bring dysfunction to the LegCo.

For instance, many were shocked by a scene on May 28, 2020 when a former lawmaker from the opposition camp - Ted Hui Chi-fung, who absconded to Britain last year - dropped rotten plants in the LegCo chamber during the national anthem law debate, precipitating a six-hour break in the session.

When deliberations resumed on the afternoon of June 4, Hui was ejected after again throwing a plastic bottle containing a foul-smelling liquid even before the meeting had begun. Local officials and experts called it "complete chaos" that the LegCo - a place of debating on and adopting bills while supervising governance - no longer functioned normally.

When we look back, the LegCo used to be like a place to wage battles no matter what the circumstance was. Whether the bill was good or bad, opposition lawmakers fought against it only because they had a different political stance or ideological leaning, Tik Chi-yuen, a former lawmaker from the pan-democracy camp, told the Global Times in a recent interview.

"Turning the LegCo into a place for political battles over the past year served no good for theHKSAR government, political groups, Hong Kong citizens and social development," Tik said, noting that it should be a place for problem solving, not troublemaking.

After dozens of lawmakers from the opposition were disqualified for failing to fulfill the requirement of only patriots governing Hong Kong or resigned, thesixth LegCo (2020-2021) became highly effective as 124 of 128 proposed bills were passed, 50 percent more than previous LegCo sessions, where an average of 80 bills were passed, according to data from the website of the LegCo.

Without secessionist lawmakers, who only aimed to sabotage Hong Kong, we've done the work that had not been finished in the past four years, Ho, who is also running this year, told the Global Times on Friday.

"I believe we'll continue on this right path in the next LegCo, as some urgent bills need to be proposed," Ho said, noting that advancing Article 23, pushing forward the reforms in the judiciary and media, as well as deepening housing reform are among the top priorities.

Getting ready

The regional emblem hung in the Chamber of the LegCo was replaced with the national emblem on Friday as part of preparations for the oath-taking after the LegCo election on Sunday. The new lawmakers will take office in January.

As a major way of defying the upcoming election, foreign media outlets like the AFP highlighted possible low turnout, which is also a way foreign media outlets and observers used to question the legitimacy of the election.

"I think the turnout does not mean anything," Carrie Lam, chief executive of the HKSAR government, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview recently.

"There is a saying that when the government is doing well and its credibility is high, voter turnout will decrease because the people do not have a strong demand to choose different lawmakers to supervise the government," she said.

To echo the foreign media hyping of possible low turnout, secessionists and anti-government figures such as Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Ted Hui have been vocal on overseas social media platforms, calling on people not to vote.

Hong Kong local authorities enforced the law resolutely, and sued two people who reposted such inflammatory posts of Hui for the first time since the amendment of election-related local laws in May.

Although the city has restored social order under the national security law for Hong Kong and electoral reform over the past year, local officials warned of possible attacks on election day as there are still secessionists who colluded with external forces to seek occasions to subvert the authority and instigate another social turmoil.

The Hong Kong Police Force also told the Global Times in an earlier email that it would dispatch the appropriate police force on Sunday to ensure the LegCo election is held smoothly.

John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Secretary for Administration, along with Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, inspected the central counting station at HKCEC, and Lee also described the upcoming election as the one of "the largest scale," as about 40,000 staff will handle the votes and counting.

As the election looms, Hong Kong is also expected to see the plan of resuming travel between the city and the mainland soon, as this serves as a boost to Hong Kong's economic recovery. And to facilitate the voting process for Hong Kong residents who live and work in the mainland, polling stations have been set up for the first time at checkpoints on the mainland-Hong Kong border.

Several Hong Kong residents told the Global Times that with the new election and the upcoming border reopening, they are more confident in Hong Kong's future development and their future.

Franky Yeung, manager for several companies in South China's Guangdong Province and founding president of the Hong Kong Island District Industries and Commercial Association, told the Global Times that he and some 20 Hong Kong residents who stayed in the Chinese mainland will vote at boundary control point polling stations in Shenzhen on Sunday, and many of them hope the new LegCo members will help accelerate the process of border reopening between Hong Kong and the mainland.

Cheung Kai-yuen, deputy president of the Kowloon Women's Organizations Federation, told the Global Times on Friday that she will "definitely" vote on Sunday, and her two daughters who live in Shenzhen will also drive to the polling station to vote.

Cheung said Sunday's voting is an obligation for all Hong Kong voters, and as the first LegCo election under the new election system and after the implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong, she will defend the new election system under the "one country, two systems" by voting.

She and other voters around her are pinning their hopes on the new LegCo members to improve people's lives, and they wish that the new members could truly speak for residents, and put forward constructive proposals on issues like housing, education, traffic and healthcare.
Just two days after Taiwanese-American crooner Wang Leehom () announced he was divorcing his Taiwanese wife of eight years Lee Jinglei () on Wednesday (Dec. 15), she responded by issuing a massive Instagram post that revealed a long list of alleged indiscretions ranging from infidelity to prostitution.

On Friday evening (Dec. 17), Lee unleashed a nine-page tirade on Instagram that covered multiple aspects of their relationship in intimate detail. In the post, she lamented that if she had known beforehand that he wanted to live a "single life" she would never have married him and given birth to his three children.

She wrote that in signing an "unequal prenuptial agreement," she understood that the property obtained before the marriage is his. However, indicating litigation over his fortune earned of eight years of marriage, she said "the property after marriage was earned by our mutual efforts."

Lee bitterly wrote that Wang had used her as a "chess piece," taking advantage of her empathy and love to make her his "shield." She claimed that he "hid behind her" to gain the power he desired and in the process "you're the angel and I'm the devil."

Alluding to rumors that he had had affairs with celebrities such as BY2's Yumi Bai (), Lee wrote that Wang had repeated what he had told the media, that he would not comment on the reports. As more reports of these alleged affairs have started to come in, she wrote "I will no longer bear your cross for you."

Lee recalled that she first met Wang when she was 16, and he was 26. She wrote that after he had courted her for a while, they went on a date in which they held hands and because of his status as an idol, "I held no defense in my heart," and they had sex.

The next day, she recalls that he stated that he did not want a relationship. She claimed to have later found out that she was one of several such "friends" he had engaged in sex with in "many cities."

Lee then revealed an incident in which Wang was allegedly caught on camera soliciting a prostitute and claimed there is "video proof of all of this." She wrote that Wang admitted this incident to her and "has a problem and cannot control himself."

At the time, she expressed her desire to part ways, but he insisted that she would be his "only one" in the future, and they married and started a family. However, she claims that after a concert in Shanghai, he disappeared for one night and she later learned that he had met with a "friend with benefits" and partied the night away.

Lee alleged that she discovered photos of the encounter and that he continued to see the woman, allegedly exchanging nude photos on his birthday. In an apparent reference to recent sightings with a famous actress in September, Lee also said that Wang had an affair with a "married woman with children" who he allegedly coordinated with in concealing their relationship from her husband.

The post went into even further detail of the crooner's alleged indiscretions when she wrote that he cataloged the prostitutes he had slept with by their features. She claimed that this included some "staff members" who interact with the family.

Saving the biggest bombshell for last, she expressed her hope that Wang could "face yourself with honesty, ignore the world's judgment, and be with the right person." Many netizens on Weibo are speculating this is a reference to Chinese male concert pianist Li Yundi (), with whom many have speculated Wang has had a romantic relationship with for eight years.

The following is a partial English translation of Lee's Instagram post:

"Writing this letter is the hardest decision Ive had to make  life is truly difficult. I think, only by facing this bravely and frankly can this all go back to zero, and we can each get a chance at being reborn. I also hope that my anecdote can inspire some thought in you, who is deeply immersed or who is about to begin this journey.

When I married, I thought we would be family for life, so I wholeheartedly put everything I had into our family. As you are 10 years older than me and wanted many children, I was constantly being ushered to bear more children, so I gave up my job and my personal life, and made you and our children the center of my life. Most of the time during our marriage, Im either preparing to get pregnant, pregnant, or nursing after giving birth  of course, I like children myself, and I was the one who agreed to have them, but if I had known after having these three children you will leave our family because you want to live a single life, and I would need to raise the three children as a de facto single parent, I would never have agreed.

Having been married to you for so long, subject to constant suspicion by you and your family  humiliation and cold violence. In the beginning, I was forced to sign an unequal prenuptial agreement, you wanted to protect your property before marriage, I can understand that and completely accept it, but the property after marriage was earned by our mutual efforts, and came from each of us doing our own jobs; the house is under your name, the car is under your mothers name, properties were transferred very clearly for the fear that I might take any 'advantage' of you.

You came to vent to me and ask for help, I offered a helping hand, I thought simply I was saving my love from torment, but in retrospect, I realized that after all, Im just a chess piece in your hand; you used my empathy and love for you and made me your shield. You hid behind me, using me to get back the power you want bit by bit, and in the process, youre the angel, and Im the devil.

What really chilled me was that in the end, you said that I should trust you, you said youll do the talking, youll protect us, you and your team are fully prepared to manipulate the media and talk. What was the result? You protected only yourself. You used your network and media connections and made me your shield, attacking me to protect yourself. Youre the one in the wrong, but your mother and I bore all the public opinion and negative reports, while you were untouched.

I asked you, since the news isnt real, can you make a clarification for me, you said because you already said in the statement you would not respond, so further responses would not be a good idea, I said I understood. Then  an hour later, while browsing the news, what I saw was the scandal of your affair, and you quickly clarifying for yourself.

I will no longer bear your cross for you  Whether or not your relationship with her involves anything unusual, you both know. The relations men and women share and your values have submersed my knowledge, ones partner/ex-partner/and their friends, everyone  are all 'good friends.'

I met you when I was 16, thinking back to the past 20 years, everything suddenly cleared up, everything had a trace, only I was blind to them. I was still underage at the time, you were 26, you asked for my number, told me I was pretty, was ambiguous with your language, and chatted with me for at least an hour every time you called  After you broke up, we met again in the same city, you were very considerate to me and held my purse, took me out, and we had a lot of fun together, then you held my hand. Since you are a high-quality idol, I held no defense in my heart, we got together naturally and had sex. The next morning, however, you told me you didnt want a relationship.

In the end, as I found out later, people like me, you actually have many 'friends' like this in many cities. You were caught on camera taking girls home for the night, you were caught calling a prostitute, and there is in fact video proof of all this  you admitted all these to me, too. You admitted these are your problems, you cannot control yourself.

I asked to part ways, you called me for weeks to ask me to stay, saying you wouldnt do it anymore, I would be your 'only' in the future, and gradually we began to build a family together. One day, after your concert in Shanghai ended, you didnt call me, I couldnt locate you until the morning. Later I found out you and your friend-with-benefit drank and partied all night, taking all kinds of photos, with your face pressed against her breast as well as lip-licking. After marriage, you continued as usual with her, you had me, but when you received a series of nude photos to wish you happy birthday, you happily responded.

Another girl, also your friend-with-benefits, who is married and has kids herself, and wants you to help lie to her husband  even knowing youre breaking the law, you ran to her house to party with her. I was pregnant and about to give birth, your dance instructor 'friend' messaged you to say he is sad because he thought you were together  Later, I found you kept a record of features of the prostitutes you hired, including a few staff members that are around us, how much more humiliated could I be?

I also hope you can face yourself honestly, ignore the worlds judgment, and be with the right person."
Despite struggling with worker shortages, disrupted supply chains and increased shipping costs, Montana manufacturers fared relatively well during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic and could see a return to pre-pandemic activity this year, according to a new report released by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center at Montana State University.

The 2021 Montana Manufacturing Report, which analyzes the results of a survey administered by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana, concludes that Montana manufacturing bounced back relatively quickly from the deep economic drop" starting in March 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19. The report also tracks Montana's manufacturing sector against national trends in 2020 and assesses the impact of MMEC's work.

Of the 140 manufacturing firms that responded to the survey reporting their activity in 2020:

 One-third saw an increase in total sales and profits over the previous year, while 40% saw a decrease.

 59% kept their same number of employees, 16% increased employment and 25% reduced employment.

 58% did not reduce their production capacity.
Students took over different sections of the van. Freshman Daniel Adams worked on a quarter panel, and after the semester of painting he is eager to register for more specialty painting courses in the spring.

I look forward to diving into that and attaining really good painting skills. Its kind of an art, he said.

Adams made a few mistakes, like when he painted too heavily and saw drips. He sanded and buffed the body again and for the most part it turned out wonderful, he said. But, mistakes are part of the experience, said Wodrich.

I want them to approach something theyre not expecting, he said. I want to get them using some critical thinking to solve problems.

All of the old paint on the van was peeling and needed to be stripped, which isn't typical. Next semester, students will practice body work and Wodrich hopes to teach them about repairing vehicles that have collided with deer, a common accident in Montana.
North Dakota's Agriculture Department is offering tips for how to help farmers in Kentucky impacted by devastating tornadoes in that state last week.

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. Lives were lost, entire towns were destroyed and the agriculture community was hit hard.

The agriculture community always comes together to help each other in times of need, he said. If you want to help impacted Kentucky farmers and ranchers, there are several ways to do so.

Money donations may be made to the Kentucky Agriculture Relief Fund at https://www.gofundme.com/f/kyagrelieffund. Farm materials donations, such as fencing, may be made to the Kentucky Ag Disaster Donations operation. More information is available at https://www.kyagr.com/tornado/.

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PINE RIDGE, S.D.  Middle schooler Rarity Cournoyer stood at the heart of the Red Cloud Indian School campus and chanted a prayer song firmly and solemnly in the Lakota language  in a place where past generations of students were punished for speaking their mother tongue.

Her classmates stood around her at a prayer circle designed with archetypes of Native American spirituality, with a circular sidewalk representing a traditional medicine wheel.

Lakota language teacher Amery Brave Heart walked quietly with a small bundle of smoldering sage stems. Brave Heart  sporting a long braid on the very campus where his grandfather, Basil Brave Heart, said he had his long hair shorn and carelessly trampled on as a newly arrived pupil  offered the sage to each student as part of a brief smudging or purification ritual, in which they symbolically waved the scented smoke toward themselves.

Such scenes would have been hard to imagine here decades ago when Holy Rosary Mission  as the Catholic K-12 school was then named  formed part of a network of boarding schools across North America where generations of Indigenous children were brought to weaken their bonds to tribe and family and assimilate them into the dominant white, English-speaking, Christian culture.

But while Lakota staff, language and ritual have increasingly become central to Red Cloud, the 133-year-old school has never fully reckoned with this history, which has alienated many Lakota living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, one of the nations largest.

Now the school is undertaking what it calls a Truth and Healing process, seeking to hear the stories of former students, open its archives and face its past.

The ceremony at the prayer circle was a way of acknowledging that history, one of several small gatherings held at Red Cloud on the last day of September to mark whats come to be known across North America as Orange Shirt Day.

Many students and teachers wore orange in solidarity with Indigenous children of past generations who suffered cultural loss, family rupture and sometimes abuse and neglect while compelled to attend residential schools from the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries.

The event commemorates the long-ago account of an Indigenous woman in Canada whose residential school confiscated her orange shirt  a cherished gift from her grandmother  and made her wear a uniform.

Our ancestors faced a lot in their time, but they remained resilient, Red Cloud senior Mia Murdoch told fellow students during the high schools observance. They werent allowed to express themselves or to rejoice in who they were. We as young people now have those privileges. ... Orange Shirt Day is not just a single day. It is a confrontation of the past and a conversation that takes place over a long period.

The schools Truth and Healing process, begun in 2020, is following four steps described as confrontation, understanding, healing and transformation.

Were really in the early stages of confrontation, said Maka Black Elk, executive director for Truth and Healing at Red Cloud.

I think people want to rush quickly to healing because its hopeful ... but theres a lot more that needs to happen before we can, he said.

That includes giving former students a chance to tell their stories, whether in public settings or confidentially.

It will also involve a deep dive into school archives, even if it yields stories "we dont want to hear, Black Elk said.

The Truth and Healing process comes amid larger-scale reckonings by governments and church groups that ran residential schools.

Earlier this year in Canada, specialists using ground-penetrating radar discovered hundreds of unmarked graves at former school sites. A 2015 report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada said residential schools were often abusive, unsanitary and unsafe.

While school conditions varied across the U.S. and Canada, and some former students say they had positive experiences, even schools with better track records were serving in the larger project of cultural assimilation  what some call cultural genocide.

At least 367 such boarding schools once operated across the United States, about 40 percent of them affiliated with Catholic or Protestant churches, according to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. Most have closed, and most of the remaining ones, including Red Cloud, no longer board students overnight.

Holy Rosary, long staffed by Jesuit brothers and Franciscan nuns, boarded students for nearly a century after its founding in 1888.

A small group of Jesuits remain, but much else has changed at what is now a day school, with a total enrollment of 600 at its main campus and a second elementary school about 30 miles away.

Still, the wounds remain for many.

This is something that people in the community who are from here have known about for a long time, Black Elk said. Its their family history.

Black Elk said the school plans to use ground-penetrating radar next summer where unmarked graves are suspected  in tandem with archival research about student deaths.

It isnt to do a quick and dirty measure of what your number (of graves) is. Thats actually traumatizing, he said. Really what ground-penetrating radar is about is healing. Youre finding people. Youre trying to find names, and a story about why that person is there.

The Jesuits at the school, as elsewhere, are undergoing their own soul-searching.

U.S. and Canadian Jesuit leaders issued a statement of regret in August for the suppression of Native culture. They pledged to help shine the light of truth on this history.

"The pain or the trauma of that past can hold us back no matter what positive moves weve made, said the Rev. Peter Klink, former president and now vice president for mission and identity at Red Cloud. Weve got to pursue the truth so that we understand fully the past.

AP journalist Emily Leshner contributed to this report.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and a federal agency are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject an appeal of the five-year-old lawsuit over the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The project developer in the appeal seeks to have the high court reinstate a federal permit for the lines Missouri River crossing.

The justices are expected to decide early next year whether to take up the case. The appeal follows a January ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit affirming part of a lower court order that revoked the permit and required a new environmental review of the pipeline.

Though the dispute over the pipeline garnered national attention, the D.C. Circuits decision plowed no new ground, lawyers for Standing Rock and other Sioux tribes fighting the pipeline wrote in a brief filed Thursday.

The tribes argued that the justices should decline the pipeline developers petition to hear the case because appeals courts are not split on the issues surrounding the dispute. Disagreement among lower courts can prompt the Supreme Court to weigh in on an issue.

The tribes say the D.C. Circuit judges applied a conventional review of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' permitting decisions and found no abuse of discretion in the lower courts order revoking the permit.

The Corps permitted the pipelines river crossing, which is just upstream from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and where tribal members fear a leak could occur and harm their water supply. The pipeline is controlled by Texas-based Energy Transfer, which has long maintained that the line is safe.

Past court decisions have found shortcomings in the Corps' original environmental analysis of the pipeline. The agency began a lengthier review last year and has pushed back the anticipated completion date several times. Attorneys for the Corps said in a court document filed Friday that the study should wrap up in November 2022, two months later than its previous estimate.

The tribes in their brief said that once the review is complete, "The Corps will make a new permitting decision on a new record. In short, the (pipeline companys) petition presents no question that merits review by this Court.

The Corps on Friday joined Standing Rock in opposing Dakota Access's appeal. The agency said a question at the heart of the dispute -- whether federal law obligates the agency to prepare a more thorough environmental review -- "will lack any substantial importance after the Corps in fact prepares one."

Dakota Access has transported a significant portion of North Dakotas oil production since 2017. The pipeline operator filed the appeal with the Supreme Court in September, arguing that lower courts indeed disagree on issues raised in the lawsuit.

If the Supreme Court allows the D.C. Circuit's ruling on the case to stand, it "would establish a novel precedent of breathtaking scope that could delay or thwart any number of other national infrastructure projects," lawyers for Dakota Access wrote at the time.

The devastating economic and environmental consequences of a potential shutdown of DAPL -- including billions in tax revenues and tens of thousands of jobs for North Dakota and neighboring states -- also warrant this Courts intervention, Dakota Access said.

The pipeline extends from the Bakken oil fields of western North Dakota to Illinois. Energy Transfer recently expanded the pipelines capacity by building additional pump stations along the pipeline route. The pipeline is expected to one day transport as much as 1.1 million barrels of oil per day, equal to North Dakotas current daily oil output.

The case before the Supreme Court began when Standing Rock sued in 2016. The tribe has long sought to shut down the pipeline.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

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Like a lot of people, I get a ton of thirsty emails from Donald Trump. On Saturday, he sent this note: "See you in Sunrise, FL, in a little while and tomorrow, Orlando. Big crowds!"

He was referring to the first installment of his road show with former Fox host Bill O'Reilly. Attendance was lackluster.

It would be silly to read too much into this. While I would consider tickets to an O'Reilly-Trump roadshow expensive at any price, including free, these tickets -- at least prior to last-minute discounts -- were pretty steep.

But other evidence suggests Trump's appeal is becoming more selective -- to borrow a term from "Spinal Tap." His ability to draw big TV viewership started to crater back in June.

Trump's clout with GOP voters, while still significant, seems less formidable all the time. Sean Parnell, his handpicked candidate in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate primary, dropped out of the race. Prominent Trump toady Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks, who opposed certification of Biden's victory, is falling behind his Republican primary opponent Katie Britt despite Trump's endorsement of Brooks. Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama recently raised eyebrows by attending a Britt fundraiser. Sen. Lisa Murkowski may have a tough reelection fight ahead of her, but Murkowski, not her Trump-backed opponent, will have the support of the national Republican Party.

Trump still polls well among Republicans, but according to a Pew survey in October, about half don't want to see him run again. In November, the Des Moines Register's widely respected Iowa Poll found that 61% of Iowa Republicans said they are more aligned with the party than with Trump, while only 26% said they were more aligned with Trump than with the party.

And, of course, there was the big GOP victory in Virginia last month, led by gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin. The message for Republicans in competitive states: Don't repudiate Trump, but don't embrace him too much either, and larger numbers of Trump-hostile Republicans and independents will return to the GOP fold.

Some of this is Trump's own fault. He reserves most of his passion for his bogus claims about the election being stolen. And while he's persuaded a dismaying number of Republicans to tell pollsters they believe that the 2020 election was "rigged," the only pundits and politicians still talking about it are fringe characters, like pillow magnate Mike Lindell, bilking the true believers for donations and clicks. Trump's new social media startup looks like a similar effort on a larger scale. Even Rupert Murdoch has told him to move on.

Now, it's easy to tell the opposite story -- that Trump remains the leader of the Republican Party and the presumptive nominee if he runs. We hear it constantly because there's a weird convergence between Trump-friendly media and Trump-hostile media; they share an obsession with Trump's stranglehold of the GOP. The anti-Trump outfit the Lincoln Project is virtually begging Trump to run again.

The thing to keep in mind, however, is that the Trump-addicted audience is a smaller slice of the electorate than either side would like to admit. It's big enough to drive cable news coverage (and donations), but those outlets service a very thin slice of the public.

Perhaps the most telling sign is that even Trump himself doesn't think it's a foregone conclusion he could secure the nomination. He's reportedly livid with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for not publicly declaring he won't run for president if Trump does. Part of that is Trump's ego-driven desire to demonstrate his dominance, but it's also a sign that he feels the need to clear the field rather than compete in it. He could certainly be goaded into running again, just as he was in 2016. But the more likely scenario is that Trump will continue to keep everyone guessing until the last minute to maximize attention and profit. The best way to ensure he doesn't run again is for Republicans like DeSantis to signal he'll have to work for it and thus risk looking like a loser -- twice.

The next Trump chapter in American politics probably won't be satisfying to either his passionate supporters or opponents. The anti-Trump folks aren't likely to get to see him in an orange jumpsuit and his cultists won't live to see some sort of coronation. He'll fade away, leaving his nominal party and country worse off for him ever having come down that escalator in the first place.

Jonah Goldberg writes for the Los Angeles Times.

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When the Legislature convenes in 2023 it will be missing some key players. So far four high-profile legislators have announced plans not to seek reelection. Another lawmaker is being forced to the sidelines by redistricting.

Sen. Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, and Rep. George Keiser, R-Bismarck, were the latest this week to announce their retirements. Earlier, Sen. Nicole Poolman, R-Bismarck, and Sen. Erin Oban, D-Bismarck, said they were not seeking reelection.

The Legislature is losing a lot of experience, especially with Wardner and Keiser. Wardner has been in the Legislature since 1991, first in the House and then after being elected to the Senate in 1998. Hes been the Senate majority leader since 2011. Keiser has been in the House since 1993.

Poolman has been in the Senate since 2013 and Oban since 2015. Sen. Joan Heckaman, D-New Rockford, the Senate minority leader who has been in the Legislature since 2007, has no choice but to at least temporarily leave the Legislature. Redistricting has placed her in a new district that doesnt have an election in 2022.

All five have been solid lawmakers who have been involved in important legislation. There no doubt will be others who decide not to return. Legislative turnover isnt unusual, but to lose this much experience will have an impact.

The Tribune editorial board hasnt been in favor of term limits, and this is one of the reasons why. Legislators often know when its time to move on or take a break. If they dont, voters can make the decision for them. And experience counts when it comes to getting legislation passed.

These five legislators have shown an ability to work with their colleagues and a willingness to compromise. They could be hard bargainers, but not unreasonable.

Voters in their districts must consider the qualities in the legislators they are losing. When candidates announce for their seats, voters must evaluate how well they match up to those leaving. Do they show the ability to listen to all sides and compromise when necessary?

The Legislature doesnt need firebrands focused on a few issues with no desire to work with others. The Legislature spends too much time on bills that arent relevant and have little chance of approval.

When asked what he wanted his legacy to be, Wardner responded, He cared about the people of North Dakota.

Thats a simple and essential legacy for a legislator. Its one the other four lawmakers share.

Its something voters should consider when they go to the polls. Do the candidates truly care about all of he people of North Dakota or are they fixated on a few issues? The departing legislators have established standards we can use to judge future candidates.

They have earned our thanks and appreciation for their work.

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This week marks the first anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccine being administered in North Dakota. I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the public health workers, health care providers, tribal leadership, pharmacies, partners, and all members of TeamND for the efforts undertaken this past year to provide North Dakotans with access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The COVID-19 virus has changed our lives. It has impacted how business is conducted, how education is delivered, as well as how people interact with one another. When the vaccine was authorized for use and arrived in our state, North Dakota had one of the fastest rollouts of the COVID-19 vaccine in the nation and was consistently in the top three states for the number of doses administered the first couple of months. North Dakota long-term care resident vaccination rates are in the top 10 in the country.

More than 400 providers in North Dakota enrolled to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, ensuring access across the state. According to the CDC's data tracker, we have reached a milestone this week with more than 974,790 doses of vaccine administered in North Dakota.

The 70% of North Dakotans over age 18 who have chosen to receive the vaccine have taken an important step to protect themselves from the risks of COVID-19 disease. This novel virus continues to impact the world, and vaccination continues to be our best defense against the virus.

As we look forward to the joy of the holiday season and the promise of a new year ahead, our work in fighting this virus is not over. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, booster vaccines help to bolster waning immunity. All North Dakotans ages 16 and older are recommended to receive a booster dose. Early studies show a booster dose is effective and is needed to provide greater protection against the omicron variant. Booster doses are especially important for those 50 and older who are at higher risk for severe disease and for those who are around our most vulnerable. Children ages 5 and older are also recommended to be vaccinated.

The virus has claimed the lives of 1,948 North Dakotans and left many others grappling with loss and long-term impacts of the disease. We mourn with you the loss of what the future may have been. We will continue to remember and honor their lives.

As North Dakotans, we are strong. We face challenges head on, and we care for one another. In this season of hope, we look forward to the arrival of new antivirals that will supplement the vaccines and further reduce risk to lives and livelihoods.

Thank you for your support of public health workers and health care professionals working across our state.

Nizar Wehbi is the North Dakota state health officer.

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On this date in 1796, near the end of his second term as president, George Washington published The Address of Gen. Washington to the People of America on His Declining the Presidency of the United States. Better known subsequently as his farewell address, it is his announcement of retirement from the presidency and from public life. He says, moreover, that he had wanted to retire after his first term but that considerations of duty had dissuaded him: The strength of my inclination to do this previous to the last election had even led to the preparation of an address to declare it to you; but mature reflection on the then perplexed and critical posture of our affairs with foreign nations and the unanimous advice of persons entitled to my confidence impelled me to abandon the idea.

Washingtons address is cited less often than it used to be  though once revered as a civic Scripture, it is now almost forgotten, in the words of journalist John Avlon. One tradition that lives on is the annual reading of the address in the Senate on Washingtons birthday.

The addresss most frequently cited passage is perhaps a paragraph on the essential place of morality, and particularly of religion, in civic life. The address deals with many other topics, lesser known but still worth citing, and thus Im hesitant to cite this paragraph again, but it aligns so closely with Actons mission that I cant skip over it:

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness  these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

If the connection with Acton isnt clear enough already, we can look to the paragraph immediately following, in which Washington all but gives an endorsement of think tanks:

It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule indeed extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who that is a sincere friend to it can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric? Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.

In other words, virtue is necessary for a free society to function. Such a society is dependent on knowledge of its foundations, and thus on institutions to spread that knowledge, since civil society is only as good as the individuals it comprises.

Washingtons address deals extensively with the Union, characterizing it as a preeminent good that ought to be closely guarded. He makes some allusion to regional tensions that would erupt into the Civil War seven decades later. Following that he examines even more extensively the spirit of party, which he saw as a great danger to the new nation. Many of his statements in this regard seem prophetic, even more so in the polarized atmosphere we have now.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.In governments purely elective, [a spirit of party is] not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose; and there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.

We could keep quoting the address all day, but I only wanted to give a few pertinent samples here. All Americans would benefit, though, from reading the entire text. Washington isnt called the Father of his Country for nothing, and 223 years later his words have lost none of their relevance. Idaho Senator Dirk Kempthorne, who was chosen to read the address in the Senate in 1993, wrote afterwards: The fact that his words were written as a guiding light for the future of this nation makes the actual moment of the delivery of the speech timelessas citizens we must never lose our exposure and connection to the principles and wisdom of our Founding Fathers.

(Homepage photo credit: public domain.)
In recent months, Japan has come under fire for racially profiling people who visit the country. As a result, the US embassy has even issued a warning for Americans who decide to visit Japan. But is Japan inherently racist, or is the entire issue a massive cultural misunderstanding?

There can be no argument that Japan, as a homogenous country, doesn't have the same level of racial sensitivity found in America. Still, it would be wrong to attribute the insensitivity to racism as opposed to a lack of exposure. The issue of race in the West is inseparable from our perspective as Americans, irrespective of which side we take. I mean, racists obviously have strong feelings, albeit incorrect, about the issue of racism in America too. For Japanese natives, the concept of racism, on the whole, is more theoretical than functional due to the lack of ethnic diversity in the country.

In the video linked above, YouTuber and Japanese native Nobita from Japan provides a heartfelt explanation from the Japanese perspective. As a Black man infatuated with Japanese culture, I found the video enlightening and interesting. I hope you find it equally as illuminating.
Lox Club Review: How to Get Accepted to the Elite Jewish Dating App & What to Expect

A Look at Lox Club, a Membership-Based App Advertised for Jewish Singles

Nowadays, theres a dating app for just about every religion, sexual preference, hobby, and interest you can think of  from dog lovers, music fans, and fitness fanatics to sober, polyamorous, and bi-curious people, you name it. The idea, of course, is that these niche apps boost the odds that youll find someone you have things in common with.

Case in point: Lox Club, a relatively new platform thats aimed at Jews with ridiculously high standards. Being described like a Raya for Jewish people (and the people who love them), it isnt super easy to get accepted onto this membership-based app.

As it turns out, the whole idea for Lox Club started as a joke. Founder Austin Kevitch has said the site was initially intended to be a parody of all the dating apps and sites he found so superficial and cringe-y. But it was peak COVID-19 times, leaving many super lonely with more time on their hands to actively search for love. Within just a few days, more than 1,000 people had applied for the Kevitch's app before it even fully existed, leaving him with something unexpectedly special on his hands.

RELATED: The Trick to Joining Raya, One of the Most Exclusive Dating Services Out There

Lox Club, which officially launched in the fall of 2020, has since attracted a slew of eager applicants looking for  you know, the kind of person you want to grab a late-night bite at Katzs deli with or someone your sweet grandmother would take a liking to. Unfortunately, not everyone gets approved, and there are some important considerations youll want to make when submitting your application to increase your odds of acceptance.

Intrigued? We dont blame you.

Heres how to use Lox Club, plus some tips for getting approved and making the most of your app experience.

Applying to Lox Club

The first thing to know? Lox Club is currently only available in select cities: New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. That said, the company plans to launch in more regions as soon as possible.

When filling out basic info like your name, gender, and gender(s) youre interested in, youll also provide your hometown and current location, college, current job, and brief career history. Youll also be asked to explain why you want to join the Lox Club community, a key component to being accepted onto the exclusive app.

Were really looking for thoughtful applicants who make the effort to share a bit more about themselves, including their aspirations and interest in joining Lox, Kevitch told AskMen.

All applicants are required to submit one recent photo of themselves, as well as the link to their Instagram account (or LinkedIn if they dont have social media). The membership board uses this to verify an applicants identity across platforms, thus keeping catfishers and other shady characters off the app entirely.

How Members Are Chosen on Lox Club

Just like the brined salmon its named after, Lox Club isnt just for Jewish people. Rather, its for authentic, well-rounded people with ambitious dreams and careers who dont take themselves too seriously.

Our focus with Lox Club has always been more about connecting people with shared values, says Kevitch. The goal is to curate a culture with our members around keeping close bonds with family and friends, being ambitious and career-oriented, and giving back to their communities or engaging in service. Were Jewish ourselves so were well-versed in those values, but you dont have to be Jewish to have them too. We like to say that Lox Club is like a deli  culturally Jewish, sure, but anyone can enjoy it.

Still, only around 20% of Lox Club applicants are accepted. As for what the membership committee looks for, Kevitch says that showing youre driven, passionate, and balanced and taking the time to provide thorough, thoughtful responses to the questions can go a long way.

Lox Club advises submitting a photo where your face is clearly visible  no far-away body shots or selfies with sunglasses. Ultimately, theyre just seeking non-douchey, ambitious, funny, down-to-earth people.

We dont care about Instagram followers, and we tend to vibe with people who also dont care about that, notes Kevitch. Self-awareness is hot. So is someone who takes time to carefully consider their application responses. Were looking for people who are intentional about being engaged with the platform and our events, not just looking for another dating app to aimlessly swipe on.

You can typically expect a decision on your application within a couple of weeks, and if youre accepted, youll get a notification from the app with a warm welcome. Even if youre not approved, you'll be offered a place on the waiting list instead of a flat-out rejection.

Being Waitlisted for Lox Club

According to Kevitch, there are several factors that might lead to being waitlisted rather than outright accepted. Those who do not take the application process seriously (no, emojis are not ever considered a real or appropriate answer), or who are very clearly only looking for non-committal hook-ups will likely be placed on the waitlist.

No judgment, he says, its just not what Lox Club is all about.

There are currently about 20,000 people on that waitlist, but dont stress  Lox Club reviews this list weekly for potential new members, and theyll send you a push notification as soon as your application status changes.

Membership Fees for Lox Club

Once accepted, everyone pays a certainly amount to officially join.

This ensures each member is joining for the right reasons, and serious about finding a meaningful connection according to the Lox Club team.

Those fees are as follows: $36 for three months, $60 for six months, or $96 for 12 months.

Building Your Profile on Lox Club

Your profile on Lox Club includes a career and ambitions section, followed by school, work, location, and hometown. Members are also required to add six photos of themselves and answer three prompts, which they select from a long list of questions.

Those prompts range from sharing your bar/bat mitzvah theme to admitting the last thing you Googled or the most neurotic thing about you. Have fun with these! They're a great opportunity to let your sparkling personality shine through (and whats going to help rack up those matches).

How to Use Lox Club

In the interest of creating a culture in which every like feels meaningful and intentional rather than a numbers game, Lox Club has a limit on the number of members you can see at one time.

We like to keep you on your toes, so the exact number changes every single time, explains Kevitch. Members typically will see around 10 members every six hours unless they choose to skip the wait and purchase extra swipes.

Once you and someone else both mutually hit the like button on each others profiles, youll both be notified that you have a new match. You cant communicate with someone directly until they have expressed mutual interest.

Undoubtedly, one of the most unique features of the app is that all members have access to a matchmaker, who can help you spruce up your profile and make suggestions regarding images and prompts that are most likely to attract matches.

Kevitch tells AskMen that theyre also working on a new feature where you can share a handwritten note to another member who really catches your eye.

Ultimately, the best way to be successful on Lox Club, says Kevitch, is to be thorough in sharing as much information about yourself as possible.

One-word answers to your prompts are not going to cut it, he explains. Humor is key, but also substance. Who are you? Whats your personality like? What am I getting myself into? I dont want to read a novel, but I also dont want to just see that your morning routine consists of smoothie, yoga, shower. Give us a little bit of a taste. Get a little weird with it.

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HOUSTON, Dec. 17, 2021 /CNW/ -- Mayflower Wind Energy LLC (Mayflower), the 50-50 joint venture between Shell New Energies US LLC (Shell) and OW North America LLC, has been awarded the right to provide 400 MW of offshore wind energy by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its three biggest utilities as part of Massachusetts' 83C III offshore wind energy procurement. Combined with its power purchase agreement of 804 MW awarded in 2019 from the 83C II procurement round, Mayflower could deliver more than 1200 MW of clean energy to electricity customers throughout Massachusetts and New England. That is enough energy each day to power over half a million homes and businesses.

Shell Oil Company Logo. (PRNewsFoto/Shell Oil Company)

With today's announcement, Mayflower will start development of the federal lease area and continue pursuing additional energy contracts until the full 2000 MW maximum lease capacity is realized. Subject to a future investment decision, operations are expected to be commissioned in the mid to late 2020s. The award is accompanied by an economic development package that includes commitments to spend up to $42.3 million, including $27 million over 10 years to the South Coast Community Foundation.

"This has been a significant week for our company and renewables businesses. Announcing a substantial expansion of our global solar portfolio along with this considerable offshore wind contract award showcases Shell's progress towards providing zero- and lower-carbon assets and technologies," said Wael Sawan, Integrated Gas and Renewables & Energy Solutions Director. "Shell remains committed to meeting our customers' needs by providing a range of renewable power generation options."

Shell's target is to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society's progress towards achieving net-zero. As part of the measures to fulfill its targets, Shell is progressing its wind business by building on a foundation of offshore experience and leveraging operational excellence, including safety and cost-efficiency, with positive community and regulatory relationships.

Story continues

Notes to editors

The total economic package will support the building of the offshore wind supply chain; provide for education and training of an offshore wind workforce; make significant investments in local ports, businesses, and infrastructure; as well as offer diversity, equity, and inclusion measures that include the hiring of specialized firms and support for low-income electric consumers, among other measures.

Mayflower Wind is one of Shell's two significant US offshore wind entries. In June 2021 Atlantic Shores, a joint venture with Shell New Energies LLC and EDF Renewables North America, won the rights to provide 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable offshore energy to New Jersey, enough energy to power over 700,000 homes.

Subject to a future investment decision, Mayflower will develop and operate in an area located approximately 30 miles south of Martha's Vineyard and 20 miles south of Nantucket.

Shell aims to sell more than 560 terawatt-hours globally per year by 2030 as part of its Integrated Power business, twice as much electricity as the company sells today, and expects to serve more than 15 million retail and business customers worldwide as a leading provider of clean Power-as-a-Service.

On February 11, 2021, Shell set forth its Powering Progress strategy, including details of how it will achieve its target to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, in step with society's progress as it works towards the Paris Agreement goal of limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5C. In October 2021, Shell set a target to reduce absolute emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2016 levels, which includes all Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

For more details on Shell's Powering Progress strategy, please visit www.shell.com/poweringprogress. For more details on Shell's climate target, please visit www.shell.com/climatetarget.

Cautionary note

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this press release "Shell", "Shell Group" and "Group" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this press release refer to entities over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as "joint ventures" and "joint operations", respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

Shell's operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, Shell's operating plans, outlooks, budgets and pricing assumptions do not reflect our net-zero emissions target. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell's operating plans, outlooks, budgets and pricing assumptions to reflect this movement.

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "aim", "ambition", ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'', ''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', "milestones", ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'', ''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'', ''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this press release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell plc's Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2020 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this press release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, December 17, 2021. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

The contents of websites referred to in this press release do not form part of this press release.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this press release that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

Cision

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Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones and Zane Mellor

GoFundMe' Tasmania Police Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones and Zane Mellor

Australian authorities have identified the five children who tragically died after winds tossed a jumping castle 32 feet into the air at a primary school.

In a post on Facebook, Tasmania Police on Friday confirmed that Addison Stewart, 11, Zane Mellor, 12, Jye Sheehan, 12, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, 12, and Peter Dodt, 12, all died in the incident on Thursday at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport.

"Our thoughts continue to be with the families, loved ones and all those affected by this tragedy," police wrote in their statement.

Authorities confirmed in a separate post that another three children remain in the hospital in critical condition. One child who was injured is now recovering at home, they said.

"An absolute tragedy is the only way to describe this event," Tasmania Police Commissioner Darren Hine said in a statement. "There's no doubt this incident will leave its mark, and I know people are sending their thoughts and prayers from right across the country, and even further afield."

cuddly toys and messages left at a makeshift memorial outside the Hillcrest Primary School

RICHARD BROOKS/AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images Stuffed animals and flowers left outside the school for the victims

RELATED: 4 Children Dead at School in Australia After Jumping Castle Is Blown Into Air by Strong Winds

The freak accident happened around 10 a.m. local time as "close to 40" fifth and sixth-graders were "taking part in the end of term activities," according to Tasmania Police.

A significant local wind event swept through the area, which caused a jumping castle and several inflatable "zorb" balls to lift into the air while the students were using them. Initially, police said four children had died but that number later rose to five.

Police are currently investigating the incident alongside WorkSafe Tasmania, and stated in Friday's post that they are preparing a report for the coroner.

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The Education Department also confirmed that a temporary ban on jumping castles at state schools would remain in place until the investigation was complete, according to news.au.com.

"The Department of Education has policies and procedures in place in relation to holding a range of activities on school sites. These policies and procedures are reviewed and updated regularly," the spokesperson said, per the outlet. "The Department of Education put a hold on the use of jumping castle-style equipment until the results of the investigation are known."

In the wake of the students' identities being released, several tributes were made as the community expressed their heartbreak.

RELATED VIDEO: Six Kids Electrocuted on Amusement Park Ride

Outside of the primary school, flowers and stuffed animals were left in honor of the victims, as shown in photos captured by local journalists.

A GoFundMe page was launched by a community member to help the impacted families with financial support and provide them with "much-needed gifts in this time of such sadness." In just one day, it has raised over 1,061,960 AUD (about $757,119 USD).

"I don't know of or are related to any of the affected children but this is something close to my heart and it was something simple I could do," organizer Zoe Smith wrote on the page. "I was moved by the tragedy at Hillcrest Primary School and wanted to do something to support the families throughout Christmas."

Other GoFundMe pages, created in honor of each specific victim, were also launched, raising hundreds to thousands more for the families.

On a fundraiser for Stewart, the 11-year-old was remembered by family members as "a sweet kind, old soul."

RELATED: Multiple Students Injured and 1 in Critical Condition After Bounce House Is Blown Into the Air

Mellor's family friends said on his GoFundMe that he "was such a beautiful, caring, gentle soul who had challenges growing up with his autism and ADHD, but that never set him back. He kept achieving."

A GoFundMe page for Dodt was set up by his aunt, who lovingly called the 12-year-old "our 'Lil Red Ninja.'"

"He was at school enjoying his last day with his friends when tragedy would change many lives for always," organizer Donna-marie Curtis wrote on the page. "Peter, being my nephew, this has hit home hard."

Another GoFundMe page for Dodt, set up by his other aunt, Tamara Scott, stated that her nephew "was full of life and adventures."

Counseling has been made available for those impacted by the incident. Hine promised that Tasmania police "will be doing everything we can to support our community going forward."

"We know Tasmanians will come together to support each other at this difficult time," Hine added. "Again, my heart goes out to all those affected, and my thoughts are with them."
In today's fast-paced news environment, it can be hard to keep up. For your weekend reading, we've started in-case-you-missed-it compilations of some of the week's top USA TODAY Opinion pieces. As always, thanks for reading, and for your feedback.

 USA TODAY Opinion editors

By Peter Rex

"The debate over COVID-19 vaccines is thoroughly politicized and deeply personal for many people, which counsels against forcing people to make such an intimate choice about their health and bodies. Furthermore, employees are generally dependent on their jobs, and its fundamentally inappropriate to use their livelihood as leverage to compel action outside the core functions of a business. As a CEO, my narrow rights over employees should stay narrow, and given the complexity of this issue, the prudent course is to give employees the freedom to make their own choice."

By The Editorial Board

"USA TODAY's Editorial Board has never favored setting aside the Senate filibuster. It is not that the parliamentary rule requiring 60 votes to advance legislation is somehow sacrosanct. After all, it's not in the Constitution. But it engenders the kind of consensus Americans yearn for in republican government and, as a result, can restore a measure of sorely lacking trust. (The bipartisan infrastructure bill is an example.)"

By Jason Snead

"Bills passed in Texas, Georgia and other states are designed to improve elections by expanding early voting and streamlining procedures around absentee ballots and drop boxes, while ensuring that every vote is legal and that results are reliable and delivered in a timely manner. That builds confidence in democracy and encourages citizens to vote. Criticism of these laws is heavy on hyperbole and light on substance."

Story continues

By Dennis Aftergut

"In Terwilligers Monday letter to the committee, he called contempt inappropriate given Meadows testimonial immunity. That is a lawyer euphemism for his 5th Amendment right not to provide answers that might tend to incriminate him. Meadows lawyer avoided those words, which could invite the public to think that by invoking 5th Amendment rights, he was admitting guilt. Recall President Donald Trumps 2017 query, If you're innocent, why are you taking the 5th Amendment?

By John Hoberman

"The International Olympic Committee, or the IOC, has a long entanglement with political dictatorships and their crimes. The approach of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing is one more example of this disgraceful tradition and President Joe Bidens announcement of an America diplomatic boycott is simply not enough. It is a shocking disregard of Chinas horrific abuse of a million members of the Uyghur ethnic minority it has confined in concentration camps."

Mike Thompson, USA TODAY

By Jill Lawrence

"The revelations of The Beatles: Get Back are stark for those of us who, like me, were among the 73 million Americans (nearly 40% of the entire population!) who watched the Beatles live TV debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964. Five years later, watching them ignite both creativity and tension in the studio, you wonder how they managed to stuff their personalities into those identical suits and haircuts for so long."

By Peter Funt

"Of course, much could change before the midterms next November, and even more shifts will undoubtedly occur between now and presidential voting in 2024. A sign of hope for Democrats came with passage of the eight-year, $1 trillion infrastructure bill  a key element in Bidens 2020 campaign. Meanwhile, prospects for taming the pandemic  with booster shots, child vaccinations and new pills for COVID treatment  could place the Biden Administration in a much more favorable position with voters in the months ahead, although the omicron variant could change that."

By Michael OHanlon

"President Joe Biden has taken the Russian troop buildup seriously, as he should. His call last week with President Vladimir Putin provided a good start to crisis management. Warning Putin about much more severe economic punishment than Russia has experienced to date, if it should invade Ukraine, Biden struck the right balance. He appears to have avoided ill-advised threats to start World War III over a distant part of Europe not integral to core American security, yet sent an unmistakable message of firmness."

Mike Thompson, USA TODAY

By Suzette Hackney

"My voice was raised, but I was still attempting to be respectful. I've been a journalist for many years. I can't think of a time when I've challenged a stranger in an interview like that. I talk to people with whom I don't agree every day. I'm certain she felt comfortable saying such despicable things to me because I am a Black woman. I found it unacceptable."

By Deborah Watts

"As the cousin of Emmett Till, I was disappointed by the Department of Justice decision last week to close the investigation into his death. In 1955, at the age of 14, while visiting family in Mississippi, Emmett was dragged out of bed, tortured and killed by Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam. They then dumped his body in a river. All of this over allegations that he flirted with a white woman."

By Connie Schultz

"The mall was packed. We stood in line for a half-hour, slowly making our way up to Santas stage. When it was time, I hugged my daughter and said, loudly, 'Caitlin, its your turn to see Santa!' Santa  that wonderful man with the real beard and excellent hearing  broke into the biggest smile. 'Caitlin!' he bellowed. 'Is that you?' My daughter grabbed my hand. 'Mommy,' she whispered, 'Its him!' She ran into Santas open arms and for a little while longer, we both believed."

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Olympic boycott, abortion, filibusters, NATO's expansion: top columns
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17)  Energy firm Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corporation (SPNEC) still emerged with gains on its market debut Friday despite experiencing bear territory in intraday trading.

SPNEC's shares closed at 1.01 apiece, 1% higher than its offer price. Its shares opened at 0.95 and reached an intraday low of 0.76.

The company completed its 2.7-billion initial public offering, with its base offer nearly twice oversubscribed after receiving 5.3 billion in orders.

RELATED: Solar Philippines unit raising 2.7B capital for 50-MW solar farm

"With this IPO, we hope it can be said, that capital should not be the constraint for our country's transition to renewable energy, as long as companies deliver," Solar Philippines founder Leandro Leviste said.

Proceeds of the IPO will help finance the company's first 50-megawatt solar power facility.

"On behalf of the Philippine Exchange Company, I'd like to congratulate Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corporation on its IPO and for being the first mover in the renewable energy space to list in the Exchange," PSE President Ramon Monzon said during the bell-ringing ceremony.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 18)  The government has already administered more than 100 million coronavirus shots, a million of which were boosters given to Filipinos for additional protection against COVID-19.

Data from the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard on Saturday showed that 100,600,809 doses were administered as of Dec. 17.

Of this number, 56,167,765 were administered as first doses. Meanwhile, 43,351,844 were already fully vaccinated.

A total of 1,081,200 received their boosters.

"This gargantuan milestone is a huge turnaround from the scarcity of vaccine supplies we have once faced at the beginning of our vaccination program," Health Sec. Francisco Duque said in a statement on Friday.

"This sparks hope that we can continue to march forward in this pandemic," he added.

Over the past week, around 658,687 average daily doses have been administered.

More than 2 million doses were administered in the second round of the nationwide immunization drive, a bit far from the government's target of inoculating seven million Filipinos from Dec. 15 to 17 alone.

The government is also considering shortening the period of booster shots to three months after the second dose due to the threat of the Omicron variant.

READ: Govt mulls providing booster shot 3 months after 2nd vaccine dose

However, there are no talks yet about the possibility of allowing a fourth shot in the country.

"Wala pa tayong nasa horizon na fourth shot pero hindi malayo 'yan kasi alam naman natin na maraming pag-aaral. Titingnan natin sa ibang bansa kung anong nangyayari," Health Usec. Myrna Cabotaje said in a government briefing.

[Translation: A fourth shot is not yet on the horizon but that's not impossible because we know that a lot of studies are being conducted. We will look at developments in other countries.]

"As of now, booster pa lang (As of now, we are only allowing boosters). It's a third dose and additional dose to two-dose series," she added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 18)  The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed one of the seven petitions filed to bar former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. from seeking the country's highest post.

In a decision dated Dec. 16, the Comelec Second Division said it denied the petition against Marcos, which sought to declare him as a nuisance candidate.

READ: LIST: Petitions against Bongbong Marcos' 2022 presidential bid

Filed by a fellow presidential aspirant Danilo Lihaylihay, the division said the former failed to submit a copy of Marcos' certificate of candidacy (COC).

Lihaylihay's evidence is "grossly insufficient considering that the COC it sought to cancel was not even attached to the petition."

"It pays to ask, how could we cancel something which is not found in the records of this case?" the decision read, signed by presiding commissioner Socorro Inting.

"On the contrary, Respondent has sufficiently established that he actually has a bona fide intention to run for President of the country," it said.

The decision even noted that Marcos, who has been leading presidential surveys, served as vice governor, governor, and representative of Ilocos Norte. The son of the late dictator also secured a seat in the Senate, and was a vice presidential candidate in 2016.

"In stark contrast to what Petitioner attempts to depict, the circumstances obtaining in this case actually demonstrate that Respondent has a bona fide intention to run for President of the country," it said.

There are still four disqualification petitions and two seeking to cancel Marcos' COC, which are all based on the presidential aspirant's conviction for not filing his income tax returns for four years.

Reacting to the poll body's decision, the camp of Marcos said "the dismissal of the case is expected".

In an issued statement, Marcos' spokesperson Attorney Victor Rodriguez said the case was among "the multiple nuisance petitions" filed against the standard bearer of the Partdo Federal ng Pilipinas.

"We have always maintained that there exist no legal basis to cancel the certificate of candidacy nor disqualify UniTeam presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos and that elections are won and settled through the ballots on election day not by maliciously filing nuisance petitions," he said.

CNN Philippines correspondent Melissa Lopez contributed to this report.
(CNN)  Russia has continued to amass new troops near Ukraine's border in recent days, despite President Joe Biden urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate tensions during a virtual meeting last week.

More Russian military units have been sent to the border area in recent days, sources familiar with the intelligence tell CNN. US and Ukrainian officials have also seen evidence that Russia has begun diverting commercial air and rail systems to support the military effort, though similar air and rail activity was visible in the spring during Russia's last military buildup that was ultimately pulled back.

The latest US intelligence assessments place more than 50 so-called "Battalion Tactical Groups" deployed on and around the Ukraine border with six more in transit on the way. These groups, which can typically include as many as 900 personnel each, are highly diversified and fairly self-sufficient combat units with a combination of troops, artillery, anti-tank weapons, reconnaissance and engineering units. BTGs, as they're known, played a leading role in Russian military activity in Ukraine in 2014.

The Biden administration still sees a window to deter a Russian invasion, assessing that Putin has not yet decided whether to launch an attack. But a White House official emphasized to CNN that "we believe talks would be more productive were they to happen in an environment of de-escalation, instead of escalation."

Russia has been demanding security guarantees from the US and NATO, including a binding pledge that NATO won't expand further east and will not allow Ukraine to join the military alliance, according to a draft proposal posted online Friday by Russia's foreign ministry. Russian officials presented Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried with the proposals while she was in Moscow this week, which Donfried said she would share with US allies and partners.

But despite an offer to facilitate a meeting with Russia and NATO to discuss Moscow's concerns, Biden has signaled that the US will not make any concessions on either NATO or Ukraine's future.

"One nation can't force another nation to change its border; one nation cannot tell another to change its politics; and nations can't tell others who they can work with," Biden told Putin during their meeting, according to a senior White House official.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg echoed that sentiment in a press conference on Thursday. "We believe that dialogue is important especially when times are difficult as they are now," he said. "And our invitation to Moscow to meet in the NATO-Russia Council stands, and we are ready to sit down. But we will never compromise on the right of every sovereign nation, as Ukraine, to choose his own path and of the principle that it is for Ukraine and the 30 Allies to decide when Ukraine is ready to join the Alliance."

Recent satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies and provided to CNN show that Russia has massed troops and equipment as close as 30 miles away from Ukraine's border. The images show an increase between September 7 and December 5 in the number of Russian military vehicles in the southwestern Russian city of Soloti. Russia appeared to be setting up a new regiment within its 3rd Motor Rifle Division, an infantry division of Russia's ground forces, according to Michael Kofman, the research program director in the Russia Studies Program at CNA.

"The 3rd division is still being set up, as is the 144th," Kofman said. But he noted that the main source of Russia's buildup can be seen more in the movements by Russia's 6th army, the 1st in Voronezh, the 41st in Yelnya, and the 58th and 49th armies in Crimea.

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, who just returned from Ukraine, told reporters earlier this week that the next step to watch in the evolution of the Russian presence near the Ukrainian border is if they call up reserve forces.

Russia continues to deny that it is putting the pieces in place for an invasion. But Putin has said that Russia has the right to "defend its security" in the face of a potential eastward push by NATO.

The Biden administration is still weighing whether to send more weapons and equipment to Ukrainians, following shipments in the last two months of Javelin anti-tank missiles and Command Launch Units, Island Class Patrol Boats, first aid kits, secure radios, electronics, medical equipment, engines, generators, spare parts, as well as small arms and ammunition.

Ukrainian officials have also been pushing for air defense systems, like Patriot surface-to-air missiles, from the US, according to people familiar with their requests.

But National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has conveyed the US' concerns that such shipments might be viewed by Russia as highly provocative, at a moment when the US, Europe and NATO are trying to get Moscow to de-escalate. Still, the White House has not ruled anything out completely, apart from putting US troops on the ground in Ukraine.

"As we pursue diplomatic channels, we will also prepare for all contingencies," Sullivan told reporters earlier this month. "Just as we have been doing for weeks now, including through the preparation of specific responses to Russian escalation should they be required  specific, robust, clear responses should they be required."

This story was first published on CNN.com "Russia continues to amass new troops near Ukraine's border despite Biden urging Putin to de-escalate tensions"
(CNN)  A Chinese property developer that was once one of the country's largest says it has lost contact with a wealth manager that it gave $313 million. It's just the latest blow to China's embattled real estate sector.

China Fortune Land Development said in a stock exchange filing on Thursday that it entrusted the money to China Create Capital, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, to invest in fixed-income financial products. It said it expected an annual return of 7% to 10% on its investment.

The Chinese developer says now, though, that it hasn't been able to contact China Create Capital.

Fortune Land said that it doesn't yet know how the missing funds will affect its profits. It added that it will "actively cooperate" with a Chinese police investigation "to protect the company and shareholders' interests."

Like other Chinese real estate firms, Fortune Land has had a terrible year. Shares in the Shanghai-listed company have fallen more than 70% since the start of 2021.

Many major players have struggled since the Chinese government began trying to cool the real estate market, raising the specter of wider problems across a sector that accounts for as much as 30% of GDP, including related industries.

Evergrande  one of the country's largest and most indebted developers  defaulted on its debt earlier this month. Analysts have long been concerned that its collapse could trigger wider risks for China's property market, hurting homeowners and the broader financial system.

China is now scrambling to contain the fallout, with the central bank announcing this month that it would pump $188 billion into the economy.

 CNN's Beijing bureau and Laura He contributed to this report.

This story was first published on CNN.com "China Fortune Land gave $313 million to a wealth manager. Now the developer can't find it"
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 18)  Philippine Airlines (PAL) realized a "critical" development on its hopes to survive the COVID pandemic after winning a United States court approval of its recovery plan.

In a statement, PAL reported that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York has approved its plan of reorganization, adding it received "overwhelming creditor support throughout the process."

"Todays court approval represents a critical moment in our journey to emerge as a stronger airline," said Gilbert F. Santa Maria, PAL president and chief operating officer.

"We have a few more procedural steps to take before we can complete the Chapter 11 process, after which we will focus intensely on serving the public, navigating the continuing challenges of the pandemic and economic recovery, and sustaining the links that connect our archipelago," he said.

The flag carrier said the plan was accepted by "100% of the votes cast, which were from PALs primary aircraft lessors and lenders, original equipment manufacturers and maintenance, repair, and overhaul service providers, and certain funded debt lenders."

PAL noted it expects to emerge from the Chapter 11 process before the year ends.

Under the restructuring plan, the Tan-led airline seeks to slash $2 billion in borrowings, cut its operating fleet capacity by 25%, and raise $655 million in new financing.

READ: PAL confident to exit rehab plan within the year, hit pre-pandemic levels by 2024-2025

PAL is servicing flights to 32 international and 29 domestic destinations from its hubs in Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

The airline also hopes to restore more routes and boost flight frequencies.

"Following implementation of the plan, PAL will be better positioned to capture travel demand and serve the needs of global citizens, actively contributing to the Philippine economy," it said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 18) Over 2.3 million coronavirus shots were administered during the latest three-day mass vaccination drive of the government, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.

In a briefing, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje reported that a total of 2,369,216 doses were administered from Dec. 15 to 17 in areas that participated in the second round of the "Bayanihan, Bakunahan" program.

"Mga 31% iyan ng ating total target na seven million (That's around 31% of our total target of seven million)," she said.

Cabotaje admitted that the drive was affected by Typhoon Odette, which battered several parts of the Visayas and Mindanao in the past few days.

The government earlier said the inoculation program in regions that would be affected by Odette would be moved to Dec. 20 to 22.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 18) The Department of Health said it is trying to gather more reports on possible COVID-19 vaccine wastage in areas hit by Typhoon Odette.

In terms of the wastage, we are trying to get more reports, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said in a Saturday briefing.

Cabotaje said officials are awaiting further information from various regions including Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the Bangsamoro region.

The agency is also verifying a vehicular accident report in Calabarzon which could have also resulted in wastage of doses, she added.

We are coordinating with the OCD [Office of Civil Defense], even our military, para makita natin kung ano iyong kalagayan ng ating mga vaccines (so that we can check the condition of our vaccines), she said.

Cabojate likewise floated the possibility that some coronavirus shots may have been affected by the power outages in some areas.

We may have some vaccines that have been compromised because of power outages," she pointed out. "While we have been prepared, baka sa katagalan tapos iyong problema ng fuel, etcetera (it could have lasted long, there may have been problems in fuel).

Typhoon Odette left a trail of destruction in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao  toppling power lines, damaging homes and roads, and leaving at least four people dead in its wake.

The storm left the Philippine monitoring area on Saturday afternoon.

Cabotaje also noted that vaccine deliveries were hampered by the typhoon due to flight cancellations.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 18) - National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairman Rene Escalante said the agency is dismayed over the lack of consultation in the revision of the 1,000 banknote.

The new design - which drew mixed reactions online - features a Philippine eagle in front, replacing World War II heroes Jose Abad Santos, Josefa Llanes Escoda, and Gen. Vicente Lim. Escalante said the NHCP was not part of the decision-making process of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

"Hindi po talaga kami kasama sa proseso. Kaya ang kwan ko dito, lahat ng question paano ito nangyari, bakit ganyan yung naging decision [We were really included in the process. That's why my take on this, all questions like how did this happen, why was this the decision] The NHCP is not the rightful agency that can give accurate answers on this," he told CNN Philippines.

The NHCP is the main agency tasked to promote and preserve Philippine historical heritage and legacies. Escalante said he was disappointed with BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno's earlier statement that the NHCP approved the revision.

Escalante clarified that the NHCP is only a consultant to the BSP on historical accuracy and other related matters. The final decision remains with the BSP and the Office of the President. He now wants the NHCP to be more involved in future decision-making.

"This is really something that the BSP should think about. As I repeat, the timing and then the decision whether to consult NHCP or not. It's really beyond our control. So I just hope the process will be different," he said.

Escalante said he's unsure why they were not involved this time around. He cited the time they were consulted for the commemorative 5,000 bill with the portrait of LapuLapu. Escalante reiterated the importance of honoring our national heroes - one way is through keeping their faces on our currency.

"I think it is incumbent on me to defend our historical heroes. Particularly itong nasa pera nating 1,000 kasi sila yung kumakatawan sa period ng ating history na masasabi nating nangangailang talaga ng pag-alala at pagpupugay. So kapag nawala sila sa pera, yun po ang epekto nito yung representasyon ng occupation years sa ating monetary system ay mawawala," he said.

[Translation: I think it is incumbent upon me to defend our historical heroes. Especially the ones on the 1,000 because they represent the period of our history which we can say needs to be remembered and honored. So if we remove them on our currency, the effect will be the absence of representation of the occupation years.]

Escalante said the NHCP board has yet to convene to discuss their stand on the matter. They will no longer have meetings this year.

The University of the Philippines History Department has also criticized the BSP for its decision, calling it a slap on the face of our national heroes.

RELATED: UP history dept. to BSP: 1,000 bill revision 'a slap on the face of our heroes'

However, Diokno clarified they will not be phasing out the current 1,000 bills. He said they will not be demonetized once the new ones are in circulation. Diokno also explained the inspiration behind the new banknote design.

"Like the heroes theme, the flora and fauna theme allows us to demonstrate our pride and distinction as a people and a nation. It will remind us of our nation's commitment to ensure sustainable future for everyone," he said last Monday.

According to the BSP New Generation Currency Primer, it's common practice for central banks to revise their designs for coins and banknotes to guard against counterfeiters.

The central bank expects the first batch of polymer 1,000 bills to arrive in April 2022.

RELATED: BSP: First batch of polymer 1,000 bills to arrive April 2022; Australia to print banknotes
(CNN) Fully vaccinated international travelers arriving in Sydney and Melbourne will no longer have to quarantine for 72 hours starting Tuesday, December 21, Australian government officials announced Thursday.

In a joint statement, the premiers of New South Wales and Victoria said international travelers who are fully vaccinated will instead be required to show proof of a negative result from a Covid-19 PCR test within three days of boarding their flight and another test 24 hours after arrival.

Travelers will be isolated until they receive a negative result on the test taken after arrival.

Travelers in New South Wales are also required to get a follow-up test six days after their arrival. In Victoria, an additional test is needed between the fifth and the seventh day after arrival.

Passengers arriving from overseas into New South Wales and Victoria 18 years and older who are not considered fully vaccinated must still go directly into a 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine, the statement said.

The ease of restrictions comes after New South Wales reported a daily record of 2,313 Covid-19 cases.

'Simplifying the process'

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said the changes are aimed at clarifying the process for international travelers.

"We know it has been a challenging time for international travel with new rules and the emergence of the Omicron variant, but this announcement is about simplifying the process and making sure Australia's two biggest cities have a consistent approach," Perrottet said.

Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino said with more than 92% of Victoria's population double-vaccinated, the new policy will protect the community while helping them learn to live with Covid-19.

"Victorians have given themselves the strongest chance of living safely with coronavirus and enjoying more freedoms this festive season, while we continue to monitor the Omicron variant," Merlino said.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Sydney and Melbourne relaxing isolation rules for fully vaccinated international travelers."
A states attorney general is critically important in battling any federal government overreach, according to Nebraska Senator Mike Hilgers.

Hilgers  who is the speaker of the legislature and currently represents District 21 - said the Cornhusker state has such an attorney general in current Nebraska AG Doug Peterson. But when the incumbent recently announced he wasnt running for reelection, Hilgers said he knew it was vital that someone continue Petersons tremendous work.

Earlier this week, Hilgers announced hes throwing his name in the ring for the Nebraska attorney general office.

I think the attorney general is the primary principal force for protecting the rule of law and the constitution, Hilgers told The Telegram Thursday. Youve certainly seen that played out over the last year and even longer.  It is critically important to have a strong attorney general fighting those battles. We have had a really strong, good one, Doug Peterson.

He said such federal overreach has reached a fever pitch during the Biden administration.

Fellow State Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus, who represents District 22, said Hilgers has a lot of talent and should be the frontrunner for the position.

Hes done a great job in the legislature and I would support him, Moser said.

Hilgers has received endorsements from Gov. Pete Ricketts, Lt. Gov. Mike Foley, U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer and U.S. Reps Adrian Smith and Don Bacon.

Moser said hes enjoyed working with Hilgers over the past few years.

Hes been a good leader in the legislature, Moser said. Itll be different without him. Itll be a little bit of a vacuum without him there. Nevertheless, its a good thing for him. Its something that fits his skill set.

Hilgers said the position is like running a large law office. The attorney general has to be involved in large litigations with complex legal issues, he added.

Hilgers has experience in the law field. He said with his background it would help him if elected attorney general.

He started Hilgers Graben law firm, which has offices across the United States, including locations in Lincoln, Omaha, Atlanta, Denver and Dallas. Hilgers attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, receiving a degree in economics before earning his law degree from the University of Chicago.

Ive been in federal court in Texas, California and several other places, Hilgers said. Im used to working on complex litigation.

Outside of his background in law, Hilgers said he believes he has a track record in the Nebraska legislature in fighting for the constitution.

Hilgers said supporting law enforcement personnel in todays environment is vital in the wake of the "defund the police" movement. He added that such talk undermines their great work.

On the heels of that, Hilgers said the state needs to reinforce the criminal laws across Nebraska - with an emphasis on smaller communities.

If you think about child abuse prosecution or human trafficking  thats really important that the attorney general plays an important role, he said.

Defending Nebraska water rights is also a key issue, the AG hopeful said.

Water is one of our most important resources, Hilgers said. Its a scarce resource. Its one where states have to negotiate and  sometimes  has to fight amongst themselves over water rights. Nebraska has been no stranger to that. Over the coming years and future, I predict there will be more and more fights. I think we need a strong AG who will help defend Nebraskas water rights for our communities and ag producers.

Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net.

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SBI Subsidiary to Launch Japans First Bitcoin, Altcoin Fund for Individual Investors

Source: Adobe/chanchai

The Japanese financial giant and crypto heavyweight SBI Holdings has unveiled the nations first crypto fund for individual retail investors  although they will need to have deep pockets if they want to take part.

As well as its extensive securities and banking operations, SBI operates or part-owns a number of crypto exchanges, as well as a crypto mining arm. It is also one of Ripples closest affiliates. And after another bullish year for the company in crypto, SBI has come good on a promise to unleash a Japan-based crypto fund before the end of 2021, Nikkei reported.

Investors will need to stump up around USD 44,100 to join the fund, which will be made up of seven tokens, including the Ripple-associated XRP and bitcoin (BTC). The firm appears to have withheld the names of the remaining five tokens, but these are thought to be leading altcoins, while ethereum (ETH) could also be among their number.

In a separate article on the same matter, Nikkei also reported that the fund will seek to raise at least over USD 88m, with no upper limit. Investors stakes will be locked into the fund for a year. Investors will also need to pay a 3.3% sales fee and a 0.66% annual management fee. The product will be distributed by the SBI subsidiary Morningstar.

The fund will seek to buy crypto at favorable prices over a three-month period, and will then seek to liquidize these holdings over the subsequent three months, also at favorable prices in order to reduce risk.

The firm hinted that the fund had been designed to appeal to customers who prefer high-risk (and thus high-reward) investments. The media outlet noted that it would likely appeal to wealthy customers due to its prohibitively high entry requirements.

The company first announced plans to establish a crypto fund in June 2020, and the Morningstar CEO in September hinted that the company was working on a fund that featured BTC, XRP, and ETH, as well as litecoin (LTC) and bitcoin cash (BCH).

At the time, the Morningstar chief also added that if this first fund proved successful with investors, the firm would consider launching a second offering.

___

Learn more:

- SBI Boss Says that China Is Leading the CBDC Race  Ahead of the USA and Europe

- Japans SBI to Merge Its Crypto Exchanges a Year After Rival Takeover



- Japanese Regulator Eyes Stablecoin, Wallet Provider Regulations in 2022

- Japanese Crypto Sector Launches Consolidated Tax Reform Bid
It looks like it is (the time capsule), said Clark Mercer, Northam's chief of staff. We're hoping it hasn't been damaged by water over the last 100-plus years.

A newspaper article from 1887 suggests the capsule contains Civil War memorabilia and a picture of Lincoln lying in his coffin, although historians believe its doubtful the picture is an actual photograph, which would be rare and valuable.

Records from the Library of Virginia suggest that 37 Richmond residents, organizations and businesses contributed about 60 objects to the capsule, many of which are believed to be related to the Confederacy.

If workers confirm the box is the time capsule, it will be transported to the state Department of Historic Resources to be opened using best practices for historic preservation to maintain the integrity of the artifacts.

The Lee statue, which became a symbol of racial injustice, was one of five Confederate tributes along Richmonds Monument Avenue and the only one that belonged to the state. The four city-owned statues were taken down in 2020, but the Lee statue removal was blocked by two lawsuits until a ruling from the Supreme Court of Virginia in September cleared the way for it to be taken down.
He vowed that hed never leave Carrie in a dark forest without a flashlight and a lantern on the way out. I would never do that to the audience.

Darren Star, who created Sex and the City, said the twist opened up a new chapter and also weighed in on the commercial spoof: I loved it. I have a Peloton and I dont believe the bike killed Mr. Big.

Where in the world

is Samantha?In London, and giving her once-close pals the silent treatment after Carrie dropped Samantha as her publicist  a tiff that seems to echo Cattralls 2018 social media post in which she criticized Parker and said, You are not my friend.

When the series minus Cattrall was announced last January, Parker brushed aside a fans post suggesting a feud. No. I dont dislike her, Parker replied. Ive never said that. Never would. Samantha isnt part of this story. But she will always be part of us.

Davis, an executive producer on the series along with Parker and Nixon, said they found the scripted explanation for Samanthas absence very realistic, adding, You dont stay friends forever with everyone in your life. ... Things change.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Del. Jay Jones, a Democratic member of the Virginia House from Norfolk who mounted a serious but unsuccessful primary challenge in the race for attorney general this year, announced Thursday he was resigning his seat.

In a public letter, the two-term House member said the decision to step away by the end of the year was based on a desire to prioritize time with his family as he and his wife prepare to welcome their first child.

I want to put my family first and be the best dad and the most supportive and present husband that I can possibly be, he wrote.

Gov. Ralph Northam will schedule a special election at a time to be determined to fill the Norfolk-based 89th District seat, Northam's spokeswoman, Alena Yarmosky, said.
Near the shopping cart was a large plastic container that held the remains of two women. One has been tentatively identified as Cheyenne Brown, 29, whose disappearance had been under investigation by Washington, D.C., police. The second body found in Fairfax County has not yet been identified.

The three victims who have been identified all went missing in the last few months. Police say they are trying to research Robinsons life going back many years to see if there might be more victims.

Thats what worries us, Davis said. He didnt suddenly turn into who he is three months ago.

Harrisonburg Police Chief Kelley Warner said Robinson has not given police any kind of cooperative statement since his arrest. Police arrested him relatively quickly after the bodies in Harrisonburg were found, based on video surveillance and cellphone records, Warner said.

Robinsons lawyer, Louis Nagy, declined to comment on the substance of the charges against his client in Harrisonburg. Robinson has not yet been formally charged in Fairfax County, but police said charges are forthcoming.
Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content.

(THE CONVERSATION) As the days become shorter and the nights become longer and darker, we are reminded that indeed winter is coming. As a child I would dread this time of the year. Not only was there was less time to play outside, but there was a string of holidays that my Iranian family didnt celebrate, from Hanukkah to Christmas, which made me feel I didnt belong in our new home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

At the age of 11, I asked my parents for a Christmas tree. Thats when my grandmother, Ghamarjoon, placed two pomegranates in my hands and two in my mothers and introduced me to Shab-e-Yalda: shab meaning night, and yalda meaning birth or light. It is a holiday celebrated by millions of people from Iran to Azerbaijan to the U.S., on Dec. 21, the winter solstice.
Cases of the omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were confirmed in Oregon for the first time this week, leading the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland to update its predictive modeling for what the picture of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations will look like.

OHSU projections are currently showing that an omicron surge could lead to higher caseloads and hospitalizations by mid-January. At its peak, an omicron spike could see hospitalizations around the state approach or exceed 2,000 patients.

To put that into perspective, data from the Oregon Health Authority shows that hospitalizations peaked in the past week at 408 while the highest number of ICU beds taken up by COVID-19 patients was 106, both reported on Mondays report that also includes weekend data.

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While experts say that early data shows omicron leads to fewer deaths than prior variants, the increased caseloads and hospitalizations could overwhelm an already crippled hospital network.

We are still experiencing a delta surge, OHSU Chief Medical Officer Dr. Renee Edwards said. If we combined this with the delta projects  I think it would look, frankly, even more concerning.

The specter of a potential new wave of cases has put an even sharper focus on protection for vulnerable Oregonians.

Nursing homes

This makes the outbreaks at mid-valley nursing and retirement homes particularly important to track. In Linn and Benton counties, there are six senior living communities with active outbreaks, the largest at Bonaventure of Albany Memory Care, which has logged 24 cases and no deaths since Nov. 9, according to OHA data.

A company representative said earlier this week that it currently has 12 residents who tested positive and is ramping up its partnerships with local pharmacies, like Walgreens, to offer booster vaccine clinics to residents and employees.

In an email from the company, Bonaventure says that its staff is fully compliant with Oregons vaccine mandate and the site in Albany will be screening all visitors and doing temperature and symptom screenings for all residents.

Other reported outbreaks include: Willamette Springs Memory Care in Corvallis (10 cases and two deaths since Oct. 26), Stoneybrook Assisted Living (five cases and no deaths since Nov. 9), Waverly Place Assisted Living in Albany (five cases and no deaths since Nov. 9), the Mennonite Home in Albany (five cases since Nov. 11), and the Oregon Veterans Home in Lebanon (19 cases and one death since Nov. 18).

The Oregon Veterans Home was also the site of an outbreak dated to Aug. 10, in which 56 cases were logged and one death.

Focus on boosters

During a press conference Friday afternoon, Gov. Kate Brown and officials from OHSU and the Oregon Health Authority said the focus over the next four weeks will be on getting elderly folks and others at greater risk from omicron transmission their booster shots.

Our focus right now over next couple of weeks is to get most vulnerable Oregonians boosted, Brown said during the video conference. We are literally on a race against the clock.

Everyone 16 or older is eligible for a booster shot in Oregon, so long as you are six months past completing your vaccine series. Recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can receive a booster dose after two months.

Outbreak report

Other reported outbreaks in the mid-valley include two workplaces and one child care setting, all in Linn County. There have been 50 cases reported at the Target Distribution Center in Albany since Oct. 21, and Oregon Freeze Dry has reported seven cases to OHA since Nov. 3.

The child care facility with active cases is at Little Peoples Child Care in Albany, with eight cases since Nov. 4.

There are 42 mid-valley schools with active caseloads, meaning two or more cases within the past four weeks. There are 25 schools that meet this definition in Linn County, compared to 17 in Benton County.

The Linn County schools with active caseloads are: Timber Ridge School in Albany (five student cases since Dec. 11), Meadow Ridge Elementary School in Albany (two students since Dec. 9), Oak Elementary in Albany (one student since Dec. 9), Lebanon High School (four students since Dec. 8), Green Acres Elementary in Lebanon (two students and one staff since Dec. 7), East Linn Christian Academy in Lebanon (two students since Dec. 6), Central Linn Junior/Senior High in Halsey (two students since Dec. 6), Albany Christian School (one student since Dec. 5), Liberty Elementary School in Albany (one student since Dec. 4), Sunrise Elementary School in Albany (six students and one staff since Dec. 4), Mari-Linn School in Lyons (five students since Dec. 1), Harrisburg Middle School (one student since Nov. 30), Periwinkle Elementary in Albany (four students since Nov. 30), Memorial Middle School in Albany (two students and one staff since Nov. 30), South Shore Elementary in Albany (three students since Nov. 30), Lacomb School in Lebanon (two students since Nov. 30), Santiam Junior/Senior High School in Mill City (one student since Nov. 30), Central Linn Elementary School (one staff since Nov. 29), Riverview School in Lebanon (one student since Nov. 28), Cascades Elementary School in Lebanon (two students since Nov. 28), Pioneer School in Lebanon (one student since Nov. 25), Calapooia Middle School in Albany (one student since Nov. 25), Ashbrook Independent School in Corvallis (one staff since Nov. 24), Scio Middle School (one student since Nov. 24), Central Elementary School in Albany (two students since Nov. 22).

The Benton County schools with active caseloads are: Cheldelin Middle School in Corvallis (two student cases since Dec. 10), Alsea Charter School (four students since Dec. 5), Jaguar Elementary in Corvallis (four students since Dec. 5), Wildcat Elementary in Corvallis (one student since Dec. 3), Monroe Grade School (two students and one staff since Dec. 2), North Albany Middle School (two students since Dec. 2), West Albany High School (three students since Dec. 2), Sweet Home High School (two students since Dec. 2), Scio High School (one student since Dec. 2), Mountainview Elementary School in Corvallis (two students since Nov. 29), Lincoln Elementary School in Corvallis (one student since Nov. 28), Garfield Elementary School in Corvallis (two students since Nov. 27), Linus Pauling Middle School in Corvallis (two students since Nov. 27), South Albany High (one student since Nov. 26), Seven Oak Middle School in Lebanon (three students since Nov. 26), Harrisburg High School (one student since Nov. 26), Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis (one student since Nov. 18).

Staff writer Cody Mann contributed to this report.

Troy Shinn covers healthcare, natural resources and Linn County government. He can be reached at 541-812-6114 or troy.shinn@lee.net. He can be found on Twitter at @troydshinn.

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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. 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Which team are you the most optimistic about as we start 2022?

You voted:
Colorado will soon be welcoming our latest crop of refugees; these from Afghanistan. The Afghans who risked their lives working with Americans during the two-decade Afghanistan war are, for most of us, welcome guests. But between the flashing, welcome smile, and the first blush of newness, a day comes when we are reduced to the quotidian grind of living side by side with distinctly different people from far away. It has its own inherent problems that we can overcome if we make an effort to name them and to find ways to cope with them. It might actually be a joyful and fulfilling endeavor, given open minds and hearts.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 796 members and Farley Nuclear Plant employees spent Friday morning providing gifts to local families and ensuring over 60 Wiregrass children will have an opportunity to experience the magic of Christmas.

Each year union members and Farley employees partner with Wiregrass nonprofit organizations House of Ruth, Southeast Alabama Child Advocacy Center, and Alfred Saliba Family Services Center to gather Christmas wish lists for area children in need.

Each kid who gives a gift list gets every item they wish for, Rhonda Roberts, Farley employee and project organizer, said. That one year they can get whatever they want for Christmas. We get everything on their list.

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The project, which was started by Carolyn Jordan in 1985 out of her home garage, also ensures families have a Christmas meal by providing nonperishable food items and gift cards to Publix.

Roberts said the project has continued to grow over the years.

Clay Campbell wore his Santa suit and said that volunteers work hard to make sure this event is successful each year.
A representative of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines said the government's decision to reopen regular international flights from January 1 was a positive sign for the recovery of Vietnam's aviation industry.

The airline has "fully prepared resources" for the resumption, said the rep who did not want to be named.

From November until next month, the carrier will operate a total of 15 commercial flights to bring foreign tourists to Quang Nam, Quang Ninh, Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa and Da Nang City  destinations approved for reopening to international visitors.

The carrier is also ready to reopen flights to Northeast Asia and the U.S. where the vaccination rate is very high and there is high demand for repatriation among overseas Vietnamese, especially during Tet, or the Lunar New Year holiday.

Dang Ngoc Hoa, chairman of Vietnam Airlines, said at a recent extraordinary general meeting of shareholders that the reopening of regular flights meant the very survival of the carrier. Before the Covid pandemic struck, international flights used to account for 65 percent of the carrier's total revenues, he noted.

Hoang Ngoc Thach, commercial director of Bamboo Airways, said the airline has secured flight slots at major airports in the U.S. and France; and it has also purchased wide-body aircraft in preparation for resuming international flights.

After nearly two years of grounding regular international flights, the government last week approved the January 1, 2022 resumption of commercial flights between Vietnam and nine destinations with high vaccination rates and good pandemic control measures in place.

From January 1, regular flights are scheduled to resume to San Francisco or Los Angeles (the U.S.), Singapore, Bangkok (Thailand), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Vientiane (Laos), Beijing/Guangzhou (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (South Korea), and Taipei (Taiwan).

In the second phase, scheduled from January 16, will add flights on routes connecting Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Hong Kong, Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Sydney (Australia), and Moscow (Russia).

Travel firms excited

Besides the carriers, travel firms in the country also see the resumption of international flights as a lifeline for tourism recovery after nearly two years.

They are hoping to welcome more foreign tourists to the country next year.

Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, deputy marketing head at major travel firm Vietravel, told VnExpress International that the firm plans to welcome four groups of tourists from Southeast Asian countries in January and February to Phu Quoc Island in the Mekong Delta province Kien Giang.

"In order to welcome international tourists next summer, Vietnam needs to officially reopen regular international flights and relax entry regulations that allow fully immunized tourists to be exempt from quarantine," she said.

Vietravel, which has begun operating its own airline, also expects to bring back European tourists to Vietnam next April.

Pham Duy Nghia, director of Hanoi-based tour operator Vietfood Travel, said his company plans to organize charter flights to bring foreign tourists to Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province next month.

Tourists can book a tour package of six days or seven days to enjoy a vacation at sequestered resorts and on luxury cruise ships in Ha Long Bay, a world heritage site.

Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Marketing Communications Director of HCMC-based Saigontourist Travel Service Company, said when the government agreed to resume international flights, some of the company's partners from Europe booked tours to Vietnam from March to May next year.

"This is a positive sign for Vietnam's tourism," she said.

Vietnam grounded all international flights in March last year, allowing only Vietnamese citizens, foreign experts, investors, and highly-skilled workers to come in on special flights.

Since the country reopened to international tourism last month, over 1,100 visitors have arrived on commercial flights, and the tourism industry expects to welcome back 15,000 tourists by the end of this month.
" " A 5G sign is shown on screen during a keynote address by Qualcomm Inc. CEO Steve Mollenkopf at CES 2017 in Las Vegas. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

In the U.S., 4G is still the reigning king of cellphone communications standards. But providers are now rolling out long anticipated 5G infrastructure across America and around the world. With 5G, end users like you should see crazy fast data transfer speeds that allow for all sorts of amazing smartphone magic.

5G is the fifth generation (thus, the "G") of mobile wireless systems, a way for devices, both mobile and stationary, to send and receive data without being plugged into a wall in your home or at the office. Typically, a new generation is named (sometimes retroactively) when it denotes a significant leap in wireless mobile technologies. 5G might enable driverless cars, delivery drones, and may even replace the WiFi in your home and office.

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You can buy a 5G phone right now if you want, but you may want to hold off. Keep in mind that 5G isn't yet available everywhere  in fact, it's still pretty rare around the world. As of January 2020, just 30 U.S. cities had substantial 5G coverage. That includes, of course, major metro areas like Los Angeles and New York City, among others. Other countries, like South Korea and China, actually got the jump on 5G and have more robust infrastructures in place now  there are roughly 90 and 60 cities in those countries, respectively, sporting this high-speed technology [source: Whitney].

In these high-tech countries, engineers are building a network that is  in select places, anyway  able to provide download speeds of about 10,000 Mbps (megabits per second). Various tests show that in cities around the nation, 5G is already hitting speeds that are 10 times faster than 4G [source: McGarry]. With those kinds of blazing speeds will come even more complex and powerful smartphone apps, among many other benefits. Remember when it took 15 seconds to download a 5MB MP3 file via 3G connection? With 5G, you may be able to download an entire movie in just moments. Giddy-up!

Whether you're an early adopter or slow to adopt new technologies, there's no arguing that mobile communications are transforming modern life, and it's likely that 5G bring even more changes. Keep reading and you'll find out what 5G is and how it might speed up your already quick-paced personal and professional life.
ELKO  An Elko woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the strangling death of her adult daughter last year.

Judith Zavala, 62, received her sentence Wednesday from Elko District Judge Al Kacin, and will be eligible for parole in 10 years.

A jury found Zavala guilty of second degree murder on Oct. 14.

Defense counsel from the Elko County Public Defenders office, including Kelsey Angeley and Matthew Pennell, explained to jurors that Zavala had reached a breaking point after caring for 24-year-old April around the clock for two years.

April was believed to autistic from an early age and Zavala said her condition had worsened due to changes in behavior that lessened her ability to communicate. She had also become incontinent and required more one-on-one care.

On the afternoon of June 14, 2020, Zavala was helping April get dressed when April refused assistance. Zavala said at that moment she broke and put her hands around Aprils neck until she stopped breathing.

Initially, Zavala said her daughter stopped breathing and fell to the floor, adding that she did not know how to administer CPR and did not call 911 or seek help from a neighbor. The next day during an interview with investigators, she confessed that she snapped and strangled April.

The prosecution, led by Elko County Deputy District Attorney Justin Barainca, asked the jury to find Zavala guilty of first-degree murder.

Zavala was credited with 549 days served in the Elko County Jail.

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Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!!! While the weather this week was anything but delightful, we received much needed moisture that will help provide some fish habitat for next year. All the major drainage basins in Nevada are above 100% of median year to date precipitation and the snowpack is building.

While we are in that gray area between open water fishing and ice fishing, this is a good time to organize and clean up your gear from a summers worth of fishing and to make sure you have everything you need for ice fishing.

Lets talk about winterizing spinning tackle. Take the rod apart, clean it with cold soapy water, dry it and inspect it for damage. Check the guides to make sure they arent loose or that there arent rough edges that might damage your line. Replace any guides necessary. Its not that hard and directions can be found on the internet.

Take the reel apart, remove any grit or sand. You can use compressed air or a stiff brush to remove any of the dry gunk, wash the reel, rinse and dry it off. Follow the manufacturers recommendations for lubrication.

What to do about the fishing line? Monofilament line absorbs water, which weakens it, decreases its sensitivity, and make knots less effective. Sunlight also degrades monofilament, especially if left in the car where it goes through heating and cooling cycles.

Monofilament is a synthetic material that is made by heating polymers and extruding them through a form making a long single strand. Since heat is involved, it only stands to reason that exposing to extreme heat will affect it adversely. Many anglers replace their monofilament at least once a year and those who compete will replace it more often. So now is the time to replace it. Store the rod, reel and line in a cool place away from sunlight.

Clean out your tackle box. It is amazing the stuff that ends up accumulating there. I have found globs of soft plastics in the bottom from leaving my box in the car on a hot summer day. Clean and re-organize it. Clean off your lures and baits, tightening the eyes on them, replacing worn split rings and sharpen the hooks. Make sure everything is dry and store with the rest of your gear in a dark, cool place.

Once the warm weather fishing gear is taken care of, take the holidays and spend them youre your family. I know that after a few weeks of being underfoot indoors when the weather is bad, my wife is more than ready to get rid of me for a day of ice fishing on the weekend. Next weeks fishing report will cover ice fishing gear and basic tactics.

WildhorseAs of Thursday, Dec. 16, Wildhorse was about a third covered in ice. Last weekend it had completely frozen over but the high winds opened the main body of water back up. the lake to freeze completely over this weekend. The State Park reported a foot of snow on the ground by Thursday morning. Wildhorse was stocked approximately 50,000 trout this fall. Stocking is done here for the year.

South Fork reservoirOn Thursday, Dec. 16, the lake was 95% open water. Just the coves and part of the shorelines were starting to have ice. The main body of the lake is open, but fishing has been slow as the surface water temperatures are in the low 30s. South Fork will probably ice up over the weekend with unsafe ice. With the current weather pattern expect all ice to be unsafe for at least a few weeks and we may not have safe ice at South Fork this year. If there is safe ice, chances are it wont last very long. South Fork was stocked with approximately 39,000 trout this fall. Stocking is done for the year.

Jiggs/Zunino reservoirAlmost dry and no fish.

Wilson reservoirNo recent report but expect similar conditions as at South Fork. The road to Wilson is 4WD only with the snow. The boat ramp is out of the water and is unusable.

Ruby lake NWRHarrison Pass is closed so anglers will need to access the Refuge through Secret Pass though as of Thursday, the roads were snow packed with some drifting. With the weather expect trout fishing to be slow to fair in the collection ditch with ice starting to cover much of it. Fishing may improve between storm fronts. There is ice in the south marsh and the dock is out of the water. Leech patterns, balanced leeches, crystal buggers, #14-16 hares ears, and #16-18 PT nymphs and chironomids under an indicator are probably the best bet for the collection ditch. Other flies working include the usual small nymphs, olive soft hackles, red or blue copper Johns, and prince nymphs. Egg patterns should be working at this time. Spin anglers should be using small spinners in black or olive with contrasting yellow or red colors. On warmer cloudy afternoons if there appears to be a hatch, blue wing olive flies in smaller sizes may work.

JAKES CREEK/BOIES RESERVOIR

This lake is mostly ice covered with unsafe ice and by the time this report is published will probably be completely froze with unsafe ice. More than likely it will be unsafe until after New Years.

COLD CREEK RESERVOIR

Cold Creek Reservoir was salvaged so that water control structure could be fixed to prevent leaking. When the control structure is fixed, the reservoir will be filled and NDOW will begin rebuilding the fishery in spring or summer of 2022 depending upon water conditions.

CAVE LAKE

The water levels continue to drop at Cave Lake in an anticipation of renovation efforts on the dam in 2022. NDOW conducted a fish salvage last week and moved some very nice brown trout ranging in size from eight to 25 inches into Comins Lake. A few of the larger brown trout were pushing seven pounds. Cave Lake is closed to fishing due to shorelines that are very soft and dangerous due to the complete saturation of the soil as the lake is drained. By draining the lake it should shave a couple of years off the re-building of the dam and cut costs tremendously. It will also make the project much safer for those performing the work.

COMINS LAKE

Comins Lake is covered with unsafe ice. Expect the ice to remain unsafe until sometime in early January. Construction of a brand-new boat launch and shade structures was completed early in November. Comins Lake was stocked with approximately 14,000 trout this fall along with brown trout salvaged from Cave Lake. Stocking is done for the year.

ILLIPAH

Illipah Reservoir is sitting at a water capacity of about 50% and this lake is mostly ice covered with unsafe ice and still a bit of open water in the middle. Expect it to freeze completely over the weekend. Dont expect safe ice until after New Years.

ANGEL LAKE

The road to Angel Lake is closed for the winter and the lake is ice covered and there will be no more fishing reports until late spring or early summer depending upon snowfall this winter.

ALPINE LAKES

Alpine lakes are frozen over and there will be no more fishing reports until late spring or early summer depending upon snowfall.

STREAMS

With the recent precipitation stream flows have improved. However, shorelines are slippery and dangerous with ice and snow. With colder water temperatures expect stream fishing to be slow. As of December 16, the East Fork of the Owyhee near Mountain City was still showing ice but expect flows between 10 and 15 cfs, the Bruneau River at 12.9 cfs, the Jarbidge at 6.1 cfs, Salmon Falls Creek at 49 cfs, Lamoille Creek at 7.5 cfs, the South Fork of the Humboldt at 11.7 cfs, Cleve Creek at 5.1 cfs, Steptoe Creek at 2.2 cfs and Kingston Creek at 2.8 cfs.

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The Haitian national police have confirmed that all 17 members of a North American Christian missionary group kidnapped two months ago have now been released. Five had previously been released, but the remaining 12 were found in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haitis capital.

Officials have not yet said whether any ransom was paid to secure their safe release but it is known that the United States government does not pay ransom fees, for fear of encouraging further kidnappings.

The hostages two months of captivity highlights the precarious situation in Haiti where criminal gangs have assumed power in the captial in the aftermath of the assassination of former President Jovenel Moise in July.

All 17 hostages have been set free in Haiti

In October the 400 Mawozo gang, which is thought to control the Ganthier commune, where the missionary workers were captured, took 17 people hostage  six men, six women and five children. The New York Times reports that the 12 recently released hostages will travel to Miami but the US Embassy in Haiti has so far declined to comment on the situation.

Those kidnapped were predominantly American, with one Canadian citizen amongst them. They were working for an Ohio-based organisation called Christian Aid Ministries which organises missionary trips.

"We glorify God for answered prayerthe remaining twelve hostages are FREE! Join us in praising God that all seventeen of our loved ones are now safe," Christian Aid Ministries wrote in a statement.

"Thank you for your fervent prayers throughout the past two months. We hope to provide more information as we are able."

What is the current situation in Haiti?

Back in April ten people were kidnapped in a commune called Croix-des-Bouquets, just to the north of Port-au-Prince. That group included four Catholic priests and two French citizens and is also thought to have been carried out by the 400 Mawozo gang.

In recent years the public safety situation in Haiti had been getting increasingly insecure with kidnappings and violent attacks becoming more common. Speaking to NBC News in October, Daniel Foote said: "The gangs run Port-au-Prince. It is in their control.

Foote was formerly a US special envoy for Haiti but he resigned in protest to President Bidens refusal to grant refugee status to Haitians travelling to the States on humanitarian grounds. In September some 28,000 Haitians gathered under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas in hope of escaping the increasingly dangerous situation in the capital.

The assassination of former President Moise left a void in the nations political and social structures and several violent gangs have moved in the fill the absence. Gangs essentially control many of the supply routes in and out of Port-au-Prince and have been able to hoard what depleted reserves of fuel, medical supplies and other resources are left in the capital.
There are only four countries people from the United States can visit if do not want to provide a negative test for covid-19 or proof of vaccination. However, all travelers should be able to provide a covid-19 test taken within the last twenty-four hours before departing for the United States.

Before booking a trip to one of these locations, people should consider the rapid increases in covid-19 cases being seen in many parts of the country. While not many details have been confirmed about the Omicron variant, many experts believe it is more contagious than the Delta variant which led to a massive wave of deaths and hospitalizations in many countries, including the US.

Costa Rica

Vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers are able to visit Costa Rica without providing a negative covid-19 test. However, unvaccinated travelers will need to purchase an international insurance plan in order to enter the country.

What should the insurance plan cover?

Unvaccinated travelers hoping to visit Costa Rica will need to provide proof of a medical insurance policy to cover any COVID-19 related medical treatment or quarantine lodging while in Costa Rica. This type of insurance will not be needed for visitors under eighteen. Those looking to purchase a private international insurance plan should keep in mind that immigration officials may verify that the plan is valid for the dates the holder will be in Costa Rica, must cover medicals expenses in cases of COVID-19 related medical treatment in the amount of 50,000 USD, and it must also include minimum coverage of 2,000 USD for extended lodging expenses due to COVID-19 related illness.

The government also offers unvaccinated travelers the option to purchase a Costa Rican medical insurance policy through the National Insurance Institute (INS) or Sagicor of Costa Rica, covering the duration of your stay in Costa Rica. Those who would like to take advantage of this option should email seguros@ict.go.cr for questions about insurance coverage or to verify your current insurance policy will be accepted in Costa Rica.

Are there any mobility restrictions or a curfew in Costa Rica?

No. But some non-essential services hoping to operate at full capacity are able to require vaccinations.

Dominican Republic

Travelers from the United States are not required to have a vaccine to enter or provide a negative PCR test. However, US citizens can receive covid-19 vaccines on their trip. There are no mobility restrictions in the country.

El Salvador

On 17 November 2021, the government of El Salvador removed the vaccine requirement for travelers from the United States. A negative covid-19 is not required for entry either. Upon arrival, travelers are not required to quarantine and there are no mobility restrictions or curfews currently in place.

Mexico

While there are no vaccination or testing requirements for travelers from the United States, entry can be denied if authorities do not consider the purpose of the travel essential. Some parts of the country do have curfews and mobility restrictions in place and travelers should research those before making booking their trips.
Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends the 28th APEC Economic Leaders Meeting (AELM) via videoconference (Photo: VNA)



Assessing Vietnams achievements in its international integration during an interview given to the Vietnam News Agencys resident correspondent in London, Smith said Vietnam is now recognised as a trusted partner in trade, defence and security by the worlds leading economies, and a serious influencer with the United Nations, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

He believed this position will enable Vietnams diplomats to further increase global trade and influence to achieve the status of a high-income country by 2045.



Vice Chairman of the Vietnam-UK Network (VNUK Network) Paul Smith (Photo: VNA)



Commenting on Vietnams foreign policy described as bamboo with strong roots by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the VNUK Network Vice Chairman said this is very appropriate, particularly in the flexibility that is required to build global relationships and in dealing with security and defence challenges.



Smith said Vietnam has built a significant international presence internationally, become a respected and trusted trading partner now sitting as a fulcrum in ASEAN and Asia with increasing trade partnerships in over 220 countries.



Few other emerging economies have achieved such stellar progress and such high levels of respect in such a short time frame, he remarked.

Officials of CPTPP signatories pose for a group photo (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)



Smith believed the UK can become Vietnams largest European trading partner over the next few years through collaboration in health care, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and sustainability, education, and technology sectors.



Meanwhile, President of the Foreign Relations Commission of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico Alfredo Femat Banuelos believed that Vietnam has affirmed its increasingly growing role and position in the regional and international arenas with a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations.



Speaking to VNAs correspondents in Mexico, he underlined that this foreign policy has helped Vietnam raise its pillar role in ASEAN as well as other multilateral forums.



Femat said achievements in economic diplomacy has helped Vietnam stay firmly on the course to become an industrialised and modernised country.



In addition, Vietnams success in cultural diplomacy has proved that culture is the key and means to access and bolster dialogue and mutual understanding between nations across the globe, he stated./.
The project will electrify the track linking Bukhara, Miskin, Urgench, and Khivaa UNESCO world heritage site in the Khorezm region. It will enable the operation of high-speed trains that run at up to 250 kilometers per hour, cutting travel time between Bukhara and Khiva by up to two hours, and making the journey to Khiva from the capital Tashkent possible in seven hours.

Reliable and safe transport infrastructure is a key driver of economic growth, particularly in double landlocked Uzbekistan, said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov. ADBs project will help create an economic corridor linking the heritage-rich Khorezm region to the rest of Uzbekistan, supporting the recovery in tourism from COVID-19, and further establishing the country as a regional transit hub.



Source: Internet

The project is part of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Corridor 2, which links the Peoples Republic of China to Europe via Central Asia. It will help improve Uzbekistans connectivity and trade with neighboring countries and further afield, by expanding the frequency and quality of train services.



ADB will also support the development of the tourism industry in the project area by developing an electronic ticketing system, training and involving women in tourism management, and guiding urban development around train stations with access and safety features for women, children, the elderly, and the mobility impaired.



Once the Bukhara to Khiva line is electrified, annual passenger traffic is expected to increase from around 280,000 passengers this year to more than 1,000,000 passengers by 2026. Freight is projected to reach a total of 11.8 million tons per year by 2026.



ADBs project will have several beneficial impacts on agriculture, industry, and tourism, said ADB Director of Transport and Communications for Central and West Asia Hideaki Iwasaki. It will also support Uzbekistans shift to low-carbon transportation by enabling the railway lines switch from diesel traction to electricity, supporting the countrys efforts to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement.



The government has also requested a loan of USD108 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, subject to its board approval. ADB will partially administer this loan. ADB will also provide a USD300,000 technical assistance grant to support key gender actions such as training select women students in railway operations and management.



Since Uzbekistan joined ADB in 1995, the bank has committed loans, grants, and technical assistance of more than USD10 billion to support the countrys development. Uzbekistan is a member of CAREC, which promotes economic growth and sustainable development through cooperation among its member countries, supported by development partners. ADB is the secretariat of the CAREC Program./.
Egypts Centre for Public Opinion Research Baseera has announced the results of its 2021 survey of the best actors, TV anchors, footballers, TV channels, and series in Egypt.
More than six million people in drought-hit areas of eastern and southern Ethiopia will need "life-saving" assistance this year, the UN's emergency response agency said in a new report.
France reported a record-smashing 271,686 daily virus cases Tuesday as Omicron infections race across the country, burdening hospital staff and threatening to disrupt transport, schools, and other services.
Award-winning Egyptian designer Naiema Agamy, who worked over decades with the best-known directors and the most successful theatre troupes, died on Monday in Cairo after a struggle with illness.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched an ambitious new road map earlier this year to tackle the least treated diseases on the planet.

For decades, when it came to diseases and ailments ravishing developing countries, the attention of scientists, campaigners and other stakeholders was directed at HIV, tuberculosis, cholera, and other well known diseases.

This left behind many other lesser-known health dangers and diseases, which are categorised by the WHO as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)

NTDs are called "neglected," because they generally afflict the world's poor and historically have not received as much attention as other diseases.

The WHO states that these diseases are very common in 149 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, affecting more than 1.4 billion people (including more than 500 million children) and costing developing economies billions of dollars every year.

However, in the last decade, there has been significant progress towards eliminating the suffering caused by neglected tropical diseases. Today the number of people at risk has decreased by 500 million

The most common NTDs are: dengue, lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, and leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis, leprosy, food-borne Trematodiases, Loiasis, Onchocerciasis, Schistosomiasis, Buruli ulcer and Chagas disease.

The WHO launched a new roadmap to combat NTDs earlier this year, challenging countries to eliminate 90 percent of these diseases by 2030.

The targets in this ambitious road map (2021  2030) include: decrease in the number of people needing treatment for NTDs by 90 percent, elimination of at least one NTD in 100 countries, eradication of two NTDs and decrease in the NTD-related disability-adjusted life years by 75 percent.

At the launch of the road map, the WHO issued a statement saying that to ensure that no one is left behind, several joint cooperative measures between the concerned parties are required across sectors (such as health, education, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene) in order to maintain progress and accomplish the 2030 goals.

The new road map provides an opportunity to create platforms to make young people essential participants in combating these diseases.

The WHO stated that recent progress has depended on research as a critical component of diagnoses, treatment strategies and ways to reach hard-to-reach groups. These efforts have resulted in a more effective three-drug treatment for lymphatic filariasis, development of a new drug for sleeping sickness, pediatric formulation of a Schistosomiasis drug, alternatives to Buruli ulcer surgery and alternatives to injections of yaws.

Focusing on neglected tropical diseases is an opportunity to address health inequalities within societies, which undermines the economic and development prospects of countries at the global level. Moreover, NTD programs play an important role in achieving stronger and more resilient health systems through capacity building, information systems sharing, and the combination of financing and community participation that will ultimately contribute to or lead to universal health coverage.

As for Egypt, the Ministry of Health and Population has said that the country has a long history in combating neglected tropical diseases.

Egypt has obtained the WHOs certification that it is free from lymphatic filariasis as a threat to public health and exerts continuous efforts to eliminate leprosy, rabies, trachoma and Schistosomiasis.

The WHOs regional and country level offices cooperate with Egypts health ministry to provide technical support for capacity building, provision of necessary drugs, equipment and community awareness across the country.

In a press release, the WHO representative in Egypt, stated "Egypt is a pioneering country in combating endemic tropical diseases for decades, and the World Health Organisation has been working as a partner of the Ministry of Health and Population in its effective efforts to support efforts to eliminate endemic tropical diseases."

For example, the WHO has provided around 26 million tablets for Schistosomiasis control in the last two years, and 28 million mebendazole tablets in the last three years to control intestinal worms in school children.

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Egypt announced on Friday that it has detected its first three cases of the new coronavirus highly transmissible variant Omicron in Egyptian nationals who had returned from abroad at Cairo International Airport.

The three detected cases were ordered to be placed in an isolation hospital, the Egyptian Ministry of Health stated, noting that two of whom were not experiencing any symptoms, while the third was suffering mild symptoms.

The Omicron cases were discovered on Thursday after the genomes were sequenced from 26 COVID-19 cases that were earlier detected among a group of arrivals at Cairo International Airport, the statement explained, without providing further details concerning the nationality of the infected people or their departure points.

However, Health Ministry Spokesman Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar later told the media that the three Omicron cases were detected in Egyptians who arrived from one of the countries that reported cases of the new variant.

The health ministry said it has applied all precautionary measures following the detection of the Omicron cases, including tracing all people who came into contact with them, stressing that the country's tracing and surveillance system detected no more Omicron cases at any of the airports or seaports.

Egypt has recently tightened pandemic-related safety measures at its ports due to mounting concerns over the Omicron variant, which the World Health Organization labeled a variant of concern.

The entry into Egypt by land, sea, or air is limited to arrivals who are vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the WHO or the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA); otherwise, arrivals must present a negative PCR test certificate or undergo testing upon arrival.

Under the rules, If the on-arrival test comes back positive, non-Egyptian arrival shall be deported, and Egyptian arrival shall be transferred to a designated hospital for coronavirus patients at their expense.

In addition, the health ministry also announced the detection of 910 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the total infection tally officially to 373,509 since the outbreak began in February 2020.

The ministry also reported 43 new deaths, bringing the total number of deaths from the virus to 21,277.

The statement added that 700 patients have been discharged from hospitals after recovering from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 310,749.

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Egypt is proud to host 6 million migrants and refugees and is keen to provide them with decent life just as Egyptian citizens, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday on the occasion of the International Migrants Day.

Egypt has always considered migration as a positive phenomenon and an important means to achieve development in origin and destination countries, and it [migration] contributes to the convergence of civilizations and cultures, which leads to the strengthening of tolerance and the spread of a culture of peace and understanding and acceptance of the other, the statement added.

In October, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said at the Visegrad Group (V4) summit in Hungary that he does not allow his country to be a transit point for irregular migrants seeking to reach Europe.

El-Sisi stressed that Egypt had no camps for those refugees, but it, from a human rights-based approach, treats them as guests on its soil, allowing them at the same time to join its schools and universities as well as being covered in its coronavirus vaccination campaign.

According to the UN Refugees Agency (UNHCR), Egypt hosts officially more than 265,000 refugees from 65 countries above them Syria, followed by Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Yemen, and Somalia.

According to other sources including official statements, Egypt has hosted not less than 500,000 Syrians alone since the start of the crisis in Syria.

International Organization for Migration IOM states that there are around 3 million migrants in Egypt.

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Canadas Federal government lifted on Friday its travel ban on 10 African countries including Egypt while it reimposes for Canadians taking short trips abroad to get a Covid-19 test before returning back to the country over Coronavirus Omicron variant spread fear.

Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced at a Friday press conference in Ottawa that the travel ban imposed on 10 African countries since late November would be lifted effective 18 December at 11:59 p.m. ET.

The decision to impose the travel ban on Egypt, South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria and Malawi drew huge criticism of the Canadian government as the Omicron variant spread to over 77 countries including countries in the west.

While we recognize that this initial emergency measure created controversy, we believe it was a necessary measure to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada at a time of uncertainty, Jean-Yves Duclos said at the press conference adding that given the current situation in Canada this measure has served its purpose and is no longer necessary.

A number of Egyptian MPs expressed their dismay towards the Canadian decision to impose a travel ban on Egypt and other 9 African countries over Omicron variant concerns.

In a statement before parliament in early December, Karim Darwish, the head of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee asked Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry to consult with the ambassador of Canada on the reason for including Egypt in the travel list.

Egypts flagship carrier EgyptAir suspended its direct flights to Toronto in early December over that travel ban.

The decision of Canada to include Egypt in its travel ban over Omicron cases when the country officially did not record a single case of the variant locally was taken following the decision of Switzerland to place five countries including Egypt on its 10-days quarantine list and oblige travelers from those countries to present negative (PCR) results.

In early December, Switzerland removed Egypt and other countries from the list.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for countries to keep calm and take "rational, proportional risk-reduction measures in response to the new, fast-spreading variant.

The Egyptian Health Ministry announced on Friday that it recorded officially its first three Omicron variant cases for travelers who return back to the country and were discovered at Cairo International Airport.

The three patients are currently in quarantine at a Cairo-isolation hospital.

Canadas health minister announced on Friday that his country requires Canadians and permanent residents who travel abroad for short trips less than 70 hours to get a negative Covid-19 (PCR) test before returning to Canada starting from 21 December.

The travelers must take the test in a country other than Canada, he said.

According to Canadian media, this rule was dropped in November.

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EgyptAir announced on Saturday the resumption of direct flights between Cairo and Toronto from Tuesday after the Canadian governments decision to remove Egypt and nine other African countries from its travel ban list over Covid-19s Omicron variant.

On EgyptAirs website, travelers choosing a direct flight from Cairo to Toronto are required to submit Covid-19 information to enter Canada including providing a quarantine plan. They are told to download ArrivaCAN mobile application to submit the information before travel.

Canada imposed a travel ban on 10 African countries, including Egypt, in late November over the Covid-19 Omicron variant concerns leading EgyptAir to suspend all the direct flights between Cairo and Toronto since early December.

On Friday, Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told a press conference in Ottawa that the travel ban imposed on the 10 African countries would be lifted effective 18 December at 11:59 p.m. ET.

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Egypts Public Prosecution referred a teacher to criminal trial for bullying a student with disabilities in an inclusion classroom in the Shubra district of Cairo.

The teacher verbally abused [the student], using phrases through which she aimed to put him down and make a mockery of him in his social surrounding during class, the prosecution said in a statement on Thursday.

The students father issued a complaint to the prosecution accusing the teacher of bullying his son after he asked to sit down in a desk at the front of the classroom.

The teacher refused, ostracised him, mocked him in front of his colleagues, and then punished him by directing him to the schools headmistress, the prosecution added.

The teacher denied the accusations, claiming that she scolded the student for coming to class late and that she directed him to the headmistress after he threatened to speak to his parents.

Ezz El-Din Sherif, the 13-year-old student, suffers from an intellectual disability, severe visual impairment, and a congenital eye defect, according to a complaint filed to the public prosecution by lawyer Heba Mostafa earlier this week.

In remarks to the Al-Shorouk private newspaper after the prosecutions decision, Mostafa said she filed the complaint against the teacher as well as the headmistress.

The teacher called the student dumb and blind, when he asked to move to a desk at the front of the classroom and sent him to the headmistress, Mostafa said.

The headmistress then detained the student in her office and obliged him to clean the floor and wash cups as a punishment then beat the child for accidentally breaking one of the cups, Mostafa claims.

The prosecutions decision to refer the teacher to trial is a positive step to deter those bullying people with disabilities, Mostafa added.

In October, the Egyptian House of Representatives approved a legislative amendment that toughens penalties against bullying persons with disabilities, raising the maximum sentence to five years in prison.

The number of people with disabilities in Egypt surpasses 10 million, according to figures of the states statistical agency (CAPMAS), Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine El-Qabbaj said in December last year.

Egypt also has more than 108,000 disabled students in inclusion classrooms nationwide, the education ministry said earlier this month.

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The northern governorates of Matrouh, Beheira, and Alexandria announced suspending classes in school on Sunday due to bad weather forecast during the coming two days.

Alexandria also suspended classes on Monday for all public and private schools as well as classes in Al-Azhar system, a statement by the governorate read.

Moderate to heavy rain is expected along the northern coast and Delta on Sunday and Monday, the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) said on Saturday.

This includes the governorates of Matrouh, Alexandria, Beheira, Kafr El-Sheikh and Damietta on both days as well as the governorates of Daqahliya and Port Said on Monday.

Dust storms are also likely to hit various parts of the country on Sunday, including parts of Greater Cairo, Lower Egypt, northern coast, cities of the Suez Canal, and northern Upper Egypt.

The sandstorms are expected to cause poor visibility and lower the temperature, the EMA said.

Alexandria Governor Mohamed El-Sherif also ordered a paid-day-off on Sunday and Monday for female employees who tend for a child under 12 years of age.

Employees in leadership positions and shift workers in Alexandria schools will report to work as usual, in accordance with the requirements set by heads of the education directorates.

The decision was made to preserve public safety and allow authorities to deal with the effects of the bad weather, the Alexandria governorate said.

Waves of bad weather and rainfall over the past month have forced many governorates to briefly close school to allow the removal of excess water from streets and protect students.

Bad weather may disturb navigation in the Mediterranean, causing waves to rise to 2-4 metres on Sunday and to 4-5 metres on Monday, the EMA expected.

Earlier this month, five-metre-high waves broke into streets in various areas of Alexandria governorate and flooded parts of the Engineers Syndicate Club overlooking the corniche.

A young woman was also injured as part of the corniche fence collapsed in the Louran neighbourhood due to the powerful winds and high sea waves.

Alexandria has been witnessing a series of annual rain storms (Nawa) since November with authorities raising the level of preparedness, sending vacuum trucks to remove water from streets, and cleaning storm drains.

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A Palestinian woman on Saturday stabbed an Israeli settler near a disputed holy site in Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, wounding him slightly, a border guard spokesperson said.

The attack took place near a flashpoint site known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarch and to Muslims as the Ibrahimi mosque, a place revered by both faiths.

Israeli border guards said they had arrested the attacker, a 65-year-old Palestinian woman from a nearby village, the statement added.

The wounded man was a 38-year-old resident of the nearby settlement of Kiryat Arba.

Israel seized the West Bank in the Six-Day War of 1967. Since then nearly 700,000 Jewish Israelis have moved into West Bank and east Jerusalem settlements that much of the international community regard as illegal.

Hebron, the largest city in the West Bank with some 200,000 Palestinian residents, also has some 1,000 Jewish settlers living there under heavy protection from the Israeli army.

The attack comes as Israeli security forces continue a manhunt for the assailants behind a deadly shooting on Thursday near the northern West Bank wildcat settlement outpost of Homesh.

Israel's army said Palestinian attackers opened fire on a car, killing 25-year-old Jewish religious student and settler Yehuda Dimentman.

No one has claimed responsibility for that attack, but multiple Palestinian organisations praised the shooting.

It is the latest violence over the past month, which has seen Palestinian attacks on Israelis and the killing of Palestinians by Israeli troops during clashes.

On Friday, United Nations Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said he was "alarmed by the escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, including east Jerusalem, which is claiming the lives of Israelis and Palestinians".

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The new corona mutant "Omicron" prompted European governments to announce new restrictions to combat its spread.

The French government banned public concerts and fireworks displays at New Year's celebrations, and called people to avoid large gatherings and to limit the number of family members congregating at Christmas.

"The fifth wave is here and it is here in full force,'' French Prime Minister Jean Castex told a news conference, adding that the fast-spreading omicron variant is expected to dominate infections in France at the start of January.

With a daily average of 50,704 infections over the last week and 60,866 on Thursday alone, the prime minister also warned people who still refuse to get vaccinated, without a credible health reason.

"While we gave a lot of time to those who have hesitated and had doubts, we will reinforce incentives for vaccination in January because it is not acceptable that the refusal of a few million people to get vaccinated puts an entire country at risk'' Castex said.

Meanwhile, the Danish government announced Friday it would close cinemas, theatres and concert halls and restrict restaurant opening hours over a record number of daily Covid-19 cases, accelerated by the Omicron variant.

The government also plans to close other gathering places such as amusement parks and museums.

"Theatres, cinemas and concert halls, they will have to close," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told a news conference.

The measures will come into force on Sunday morning for four weeks, the government said.

This is a sharp turnaround for the Nordic country, which had lifted all restrictions on September 10, before reintroducing a coronapass at the beginning of November and then announcing a first round of restrictions last week.

Denmark is among those countries with the highest numbers of confirmed Omicron cases.

More than 2,500 cases of the reportedly more transmissible variant have been recorded in the last 24 hours.

In Ireland, which has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, Prime Minister Micheal Martin announced on Friday new restrictions, as bars and restaurants will close from 8:00 pm from Sunday until January 30 in a bid to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

Martin also announced that indoor and outdoor events held earlier than 8 pm would be limited to 50 percent capacity, while weddings will be allowed a maximum of 100 guests.

*This story was compiled by Ahram Online

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Two years ago, NI Capital, a leading Egyptian financial services company, began the initial public offering (IPO) of Egypts national charitable education fund.

The fund, named the Education for Life Fund, is modelled after Islamic charitable endowments, or wawf, Ghada El-Nashar, its executive director, told Al-Ahram Weekly, adding that it is a national, non-profit fund that aims at the sustainable development of education in Egypt.

With subscriptions worth LE100 million by banks, companies, and leading businessmen, it kickstarted its work in 2021.

The subscribers are investors and partners in the development of education, El-Nashar said, explaining that investments in the fund remain in the names of their owners, though they relinquish returns either forever or for a specific period of time, with these being invested in projects in the education sector.

NI Capital manages the investment, and the funds operations are supervised by the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA).

Many projects start strong and then falter because of the sustainability of financing. But the new fund tries to overcome this by relying solely on revenues and keeping the seed money intact while being invested for further returns, El-Nashar said.

The fund targets the upgrading of all aspects of education from school premises to curricula. It can build new schools and revamp run-down ones and provide for shortages in school furniture, equipment, or educational tools. It can also train teachers, buy copyrights, and fund scholarships for excelling students. It can support schools for special-needs students.

Focus in its first year of operations has been on technical schools and vocational training. There are 2,500 technical schools affiliated to the Ministry of Education and Technical Education in Egypt covering various specialisations, with technical education being a substitute for the high-school diploma the Thanaweya Amma. Students enrol in technical education after the ninth grade.

The schools include training in trade, agriculture, industry, and hospitality. The fund is upgrading three of these schools in the tracks of the Applied Technology Schools (ATS) already implemented by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with the private sector. These schools focus on training qualified technicians in various specialisations.

One of the schools overseen by the fund is the ElectroMisr School, which is being developed with Schneider Electric Egypt and the European Institute for Cooperation and Development (IECD).

Two more agriculture-centred vocational training schools are being developed by the fund in Minya, one in partnership with Nahr Al-Khair for Development and Agricultural Investment and Environmental Services, an Egyptian company. The other is being revamped in partnership with the Al-Anani Foundation for Development, the development arm of the Daqahliya Agricultural Group.

The ATS schools are designed to address the skills gap in Egypt, El-Nashar said, explaining that they seek to find out what the private sector needs in terms of graduates and then design the curriculum accordingly.

Investors provide the equipment in the schools and give the students the opportunity to train at factory premises, while the fund usually finances the academic partner, explained El-Nashar. The Ministry of Education provides the premises and covers running costs, she added.

The academic partner runs the schools alongside managers from the Ministry of Education. The school team is interviewed by the academic partner to make sure it will be able to work within the new system. If found unsuitable, its members are retrained or transferred to another school working under the old system. More teachers are hired if needed.

The academic partner also provides the international accreditation for certificates earned by students, thus enabling them to work around the world. This also helps to prevent illegal migration, since instead of travelling illegally, graduates can apply for decent jobs with their certificates, El-Nashar said.

The fund also aims to empower girls through its work with technical schools, she said. Girls are accepted in all specialisations, she noted, pointing out that they are already enrolled in ATS schools for construction services and automobiles, areas often viewed as solely for men.

Cultural skills are tackled in the schools, El-Nashar said, through their teaching students not merely technical skills, but also discipline and precision.

The model has proven its efficiency in schools implemented previously by the Ministry of Education with other private-sector partners, including ones specialising in jewelry, telecommunications, retail, automobiles, construction, and home appliances. Students are clamouring to enter these successful schools, noted El-Nashar, because they can land jobs in factories owned by private investors or be recruited quickly by other factories looking for skilled labour.

The students also have the option to enroll in Egypts newly created vocational technology universities, she added. The government plans to create eight of these, three of which are already operational and five are in the making. Another option is for students to apply to the Egyptian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) for financing to set up their own projects.

El-Nashar said the fund plans to expand its activities through more fundraising in the future. Among its priorities will be developing digital educational platforms, which can represent huge investments in technology and content. The fund also plans to pay greater attention to nursing education, given that the Covid-19 pandemic has proved that Egypt suffers from a shortage of nursing staff, she said.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 December, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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Chair of the Chamber of Engineering Industries at the Federation of Egyptian Industries Mohamed Al-Mohandess explains what Egypt is doing to advance the localisation of its engineering industry to Al-Ahram Weekly.

Egypts industrial sector is increasing the percentage of local components used in final products, with engineering industries succeeding in localising between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of their components over the past five years, said Mohamed Al-Mohandess, chair of the Chamber of Engineering Industries at the Federation of Egyptian Industries, in an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly.

Restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic had turned out to be a blessing in disguise, Al-Mohandess said, adding that they had encouraged the engineering industries to rely on local components, pinpoint deficiencies in the sector, resolve associated challenges, and benefit from the experiences of leading industrial countries sharing similar conditions.

Egypts engineering exports in the first nine months of 2021 grew by 43 per cent to record $2.28 billion, up from $1.59 billion in the same period of 2020, according to Egypts Engineering Export Council.

Localising industry contributes to increasing employment, raising exports, relieving pressure on foreign currency holdings, and reducing imports, Al-Mohandess said. The improvements have been felt particularly in household appliances, and there is still a way to go in increasing the percentage of local components used in heavy industry, currently standing at less than 40 per cent.

The localisation had been done in collaboration between the government and the private sector, Al-Mohandess said. The government has targeted increasing Egypts non-petroleum exports to $100 billion a year over the coming five years while raising the percentage of local components used in industry, he added.

People can see for themselves the improvements in the engineering industries through the increased availability of high-quality household appliances that can easily compete with imported products, Al-Mohandess said.

Egypt adopted European import standards in September to ensure the quality of imported products and protect Egyptian factories from competing with low-quality products at cheap prices, he added.

The step is critical to protecting and developing local industry, Al-Mohandess said, adding that cheap and low-quality imported products are harmful to Egyptian industry and consumers.

The improvements in the engineering industries sector have been reflected in the increase in the membership of the Chamber of Engineering Industries from 4,000 to 12,000 members over the past four years, he said.

Al-Mohandess did not reveal the number of factories that had stopped production during the Covid-19 pandemic, but he said the chamber was conducting field visits to identify problems. The main challenges are financial or technical. Some have to do with an inability to develop or buy new equipment. We try to solve these problems, especially those of smaller companies founded by younger people, he added.

The banking sector is a partner of the industrial sector, and we sit together with the banks to explain and resolve any problems that arise with the ultimate aim of growing the Egyptian economy, Al-Mohandess said, urging the banks to look into each case individually and to take into consideration the impacts of the pandemic on the local and global economy.

Regarding the initiative to manufacture electronic equipment in Egypt that was launched in 2018, Al-Mohandess said that the field was important yet complicated and the country has some way to go in it.

People have got used to importing electronic products, but today we are manufacturing them. This is a difficult phase that requires a lot of time and effort and needs to benefit from others experiences, he said.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 December, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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The Council of Europes warning to Turkey over human rights violations is part of complex calculations regarding the relations between Europe and Turkey.

On 3 December, the Council of Europes Committee of Ministers notified Turkey that it would start infringement proceedings over the countrys failure to comply with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) order to free human rights activist Osman Kavala.

In their next meeting on 2 February 2022, after a last consultation with the ECHR, the Committee may proceed with measures that could include suspending Turkeys voting rights or its membership of the Council of Europe. It has given Turkey up to 19 January 2022 to respond.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded more quickly than that in his idiosyncratic way to the Council of Europe warning. In our eyes, these [ECHR] rulings are null and void. We have explained it over and over again. They may understand it or not. We dont recognise European Union decisions over the ones handed down by our judiciary, he said.

Turkish commentator Zulfikar Dogan writing in the Turkish newspaper Ahval pointed out how radically Erdogans comment deviates from a long tradition of Turkish political thinking, which committed to abide by the rulings of the ECHR when Turkey first started its accession talks with the EU.

His position also deviates from Turkish law. Under Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution, ECHR rulings are binding on Turkey. The article states that international agreements ratified by Turkey have the force of law and that they cannot be challenged in the Constitutional Court on the grounds that they are unconstitutional.

The article adds that should there be a conflict between the provisions of international agreements ratified by Turkey concerning fundamental rights and freedoms and the provisions of domestic laws, the provisions of international agreements shall prevail.

While some commentators say Erdogan is merely being consistent with his general disdain for the rule of law, others believe his defiance of the Council of Europe is being staged for the forthcoming elections in Turkey. He might also be gambling on the possibility that the Council of Europe ministers are not as united in their resolve to sanction Ankara as they may appear.

Some commentators have wondered how far Erdogan might take his brinksmanship. In other areas where he had earlier followed a more aggressive foreign policy, he is now being more cautious. A case in point is the Eastern Mediterranean, where Erdogan launched his so-called Mavi Vatan (Blue Homeland) doctrine, an irredentist project focused on reviving the maritime power of the former Ottoman Empire.

But instead of provocatively sending warships into Greek and Cypriot territorial waters, Erdogan has been exercising uncharacteristic restraint, even if he gives his spokesmen leave to utter veiled threats. His eyes are on Washington, which last week approved the sale of four new Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) warships made by Lockheed Martin to Greece at an estimated cost of $6.9 billion. The US has also agreed to upgrade the Greek Navys four German-built MEKO frigates, which will cost Athens $2.5 billion.

The US state department explained that the sales were intended to help Greece to meet current and future threats by providing an effective combatant deterrent capability to protect maritime interests and infrastructure in support of its strategic location on NATOs southern flank.

France has also been helping Greece upgrade its military capacities. On 28 September, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Athens had made a deal with France to buy three heavily armed Belharra class frigates as part of a deeper strategic partnership between the two countries to defend their shared interests in the Mediterranean.

Describing these developments as unproductive, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said they will only strengthen our determination to protect our rights and the rights of the Republic of Northern Cyprus in the Aegean and Mediterranean.

However, in fact Turkeys hands are tied in the face of a rush of regional developments and desperate economic straits at home. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar might claim that the balance of forces in the region will not change with a handful of used planes, referring to the 24 advanced Dassault Rafale fighter jets Greece also bought from France, but this omits mention of the huge problems in Turkeys efforts to upgrade its own airforce thanks to Erdogans insistence on purchasing the Russian S-400 missile system.

These things spoke for themselves when Erdogan remained mute when Nicosia awarded a licence to Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum to drill for oil and gas in Cypriot waters in the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey claims that part of the field in question violates its continental shelf. While Erdogan may be upset that Turkeys good friend and brother Qatar is a partner in the licencing agreement, he cannot afford to alienate Doha at a time when his countrys economic straits are narrowing.

While the Europeans have multiple concerns over the state of human rights and the rule of law in Turkey, they are also nervous about the question of immigration and refugees, especially after the recent trouble along the border with Belarus. In the opinion of many quarters in Europe, some regimes on Europes doorstep use refugees as a weapon in a covert war and as pawns on a geopolitical chessboard.

Belarus has faced this charge, but the glare has also fallen on Turkey. In 2015, Ankara signed an agreement to shelter refugees from war-torn Syria and prevent them from entering Europe in exchange for a 3 billion euros package. Then, in February 2020, Erdogan threatened to let thousands of refugees pour into Europe in what was described as an act of political blackmail.

Many predict that Erdogan will resort to this threat again if the Council of Europe contemplates suspending Turkeys membership. But the Committee of Ministers will be weighing other factors as well.

Turkish-European relations are complex and are characterised by an array of shared concerns and interwoven interests. Analysts foresee behind-the-scenes pressures to keep the ministers from adopting punitive measures that could push Ankara to desperate measures. Many advise keeping their fingers crossed for the Turkish elections in June 2023 at the latest in the hope that these will usher in a post-Erdogan era in Turkey and a healthier climate all around.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 December, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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Palestinian municipal elections took place in the West Bank last weekend, but they were boycotted in the Gaza Strip in a sign of continuing inter-Palestinian divisions.

The first round of the Palestinian local elections, which include municipal councils and local government bodies, took place on Sunday.

While the elections were held in the West Bank, they did not take place in the Gaza Strip, as Hamas, which has been in power in Gaza since 2007, refused to hold the elections there. This reignited a row between Hamas, Fatah and other factions, which accused each other of obstructing this key component of the democratic process.

Sundays elections took place at 154 local bodies in the West Bank, with 66.14 per cent of the 405,687 eligible voters casting their ballots. Altogether, 268,318 people went to the polls. 96.5 per cent of their ballots were valid, 1.01 per cent were blank and 2.43 were invalid, according to the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, which is overseeing the elections.

The Commission said that the results showed that independent lists had won 70.86 per cent of the 1,503 seats, while party lists had won 29.14 per cent of the seats. Positions at 162 local bodies were filled unopposed because there was only one list contesting the elections.

The second round of the elections will be in March 2022, and Palestinian factions and human rights groups are urging Hamas to allow elections to be held in the Gaza Strip so it is included in the process. Hamas, however, has refused to participate as the group appoints members of local and municipal councils from a pool of its supporters.

This weeks results reflect the ongoing political crisis in Palestine, with many Palestinian factions, especially Fatah and Hamas, resorting to nominating and supporting allegedly independent lists and directing their supporters to vote for them.

According to Palestinian analysts, the two groups decided to hide behind independent lists in most municipal bodies because of the demographic nature of the West Bank where clans control some areas.

The main reason, however, was the growing anger towards the Palestinian Authority (PA) and government, which represents Fatah, they said.

Fatah decided to support lists that included families or individuals who are popular and have good followings. Hamas did not want to officially participate in the elections, especially since it was blocking them in the Gaza Strip, which is why it decided to support independent lists driven by Hamas or left-wing parties angry at the PA.

The elections sparked quarrels among Palestinian forces about who should be held responsible for obstructing the Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections. Palestinians were scheduled to hold legislative and presidential elections in May 2021 and July 2021, respectively. However, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decided to cancel the elections because Israel would not allow voting to take place in Occupied Jerusalem.

Hamas saw this as an attempt to avoid the elections, while the PA and Fatah insisted that elections would not be held as long as Israel was banning them in Jerusalem, the capital of the anticipated state of Palestine.

Palestinian Minister of Local Government Majdi Al-Saleh said Hamas had been taking illegal steps to prevent local elections in the Gaza Strip, describing the group as the main obstacle facing elections in Gaza.

Hamas is blocking elections in the Gaza Strip, Al-Saleh said. It appoints the chairmen of local and municipal councils illegally and under false pretenses. He added that the Palestinian government had sent mediators to convince Hamas to hold the elections, but they had failed.

By blocking elections in the Gaza Strip, Hamas is breaking the law and violating the rights of citizens to practise democracy, Al-Saleh said, noting that if Hamas changed its position then elections would be held in the Strip on 26 March 2022.

Ahmed Al-Majdalani, a member of the Palestinian Liberation Organisations (PLO) Executive Committee and secretary-general of the Popular Struggle Front (PSF), said that municipal elections are part of the democratic process and are a right of citizens of all political stripes, irrespective of political affiliations.

He said it was unacceptable to continue obstructing and delaying elections in Gaza at a time when Hamas was participating in elections in the West Bank in different ways.

Wassel Abu Youssef, secretary-general of the Palestinian Liberation Front (PLF), said he regretted Hamas continued refusal to give citizens their right to exercise democracy in the Gaza Strip. He urged Hamas to hold elections in March 2022 at 11 polling stations, which could then be a foundation paving the way to general elections and an end to divisions, he said.

The Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) said that Hamas arguments for blocking local elections in Gaza are not convincing. It does not have the right to prevent Gazans from participating in elections.

A delegation from the ICHR visited Gaza last month in a bid to persuade Hamas to hold elections. It hopes that the second round of the elections will still take place in Gaza in March 2022.

Hamas said it had not agreed to municipal elections in Gaza because they should be part of a comprehensive electoral process, including municipal councils, local governing bodies, the suspended Palestinian parliament and presidential elections.

The group views the PAs reason for cancelling the general legislative and presidential elections as a continuation of the inter-Palestinian political crisis and an attempt to avoid holding landmark elections in the Palestinian Territories.

Hamas and Fatah do not see eye-to-eye on several issues, most notably the elections, which is part of the political paralysis in Palestinian politics. The fracture between the two sides has been in place for 15 years without any prospect it will resolve soon. Suggestions by US officials to form a national unity government to prepare the climate for holding general elections also came to nothing due to diverging views between Hamas and Fatah.

Abbas wants Hamas to declare its full commitment to international resolutions before it can be part of a national unity government. He is concerned that if Hamas joins the cabinet before making this commitment, the new government could be subject to political and economic sanctions.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 December, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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A Capitol rioter who attacked police officers working to hold back the angry pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6 was sentenced Friday to more than five years behind bars, the most so far for anyone sentenced in the insurrection.

Insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump swarm the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. [File photo: AP]

Robert Palmer, 54, of Largo, Florida, wept as he told U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that he recently watched a video of his actions that day and could not believe what he was seeing.

Your honor. Im really really ashamed of what I did, he said through tears.

Palmer was one of several rioters sentenced on Friday in District of Columbia court for their actions that day, when the angry mob descended to disrupt the certification of Joe Bidens victory following a rally by then-President Donald Trump. Scores of police were beaten and bloodied, five people died and there was about $1.5 million in damage done to the U.S. Capitol. Palmer is the 65th defendant to be sentenced overall. More than 700 people have been charged.

A college student who posted online that Infamy is just as good as fame after she climbed through a broken window at Capitol was sentenced to a month in jail for her actions. Gracyn Courtright, 23, of Hurricane, West Virginia, didn't injure anyone, though, and her sentence reflected that.

But Palmer made his way to the front line during the chaos and started to attack, throwing a wooden plank, spraying a fire extinguisher, then hurling it when it was done. He rooted around for other objects, prosecutors said. He was briefly pepper-sprayed by police before he attacked officers again with a pole. He pleaded guilty to attacking officers.

Palmer said in a handwritten letter to the judge that he felt betrayed by Trump and his allies who fed them conspiracy theories.

Trump supporters were lied to by those at the time who had great power," he wrote. "They kept spitting out the false narrative about a stolen election and how it was our duty to stand up to tyranny.

Palmer, who has been held at the D.C. jail among fetid conditions that prompted a review by authorities, said it wasn't fair that he be punished so severely when the ringleaders aren't even behind bars.

The judge agreed  to a point. It is true that the people who extorted you and encouraged you and rallied you to go and take action have not been charged, she said. That is not the courts decision. I have my opinions but they are not relevant.

Before Palmers sentencing of 63 months, the longest prison term handed down for a Capitol rioter was 41 months. That was the sentence received by both Jacob Chansley, the Arizona man who wore a horned fur hat, bare chest and face paint inside the Capitol; and New Jersey gym owner Scott Fairlamb, the first person to be sentenced for assaulting a law enforcement officer during the riot.

It has to be made clear ... trying to stop the peaceful transition of power and assaulting law enforcement officers is going to be met with certain punishment," the judge said. There are going to be consequences. I'm not making an example of you. I'm sentencing you for the conduct you did.

Courtright, 23, of Hurricane, West Virginia, sobbed as she told U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper that if I could take back anything in my life it would be my actions on Jan. 6.

She posted photos of herself online  like scores of other rioters  reveling in the moment. Cant wait to tell my grandkids I was here! she wrote, and inside the Senate chamber, she was photographed holding a Members only sign.

I will never be the same girl again, the University of Kentucky student said through tears. This has changed me completely.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 18, 2021 - 16:17 | All, World, Japan

The Senate on Saturday approved Rahm Emanuel, who served as a top aide to former President Barack Obama, as the next U.S. ambassador to Japan, filling the key post that has been vacant for more than two years.

The 62-year-old former White House chief of staff, known for his close ties with President Joe Biden, will play a crucial role in one of the most important bilateral relationships for the United States amid China's growing assertiveness in the region and North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

During a Senate confirmation hearing in October, Emanuel vowed to enhance U.S.-Japan ties as China seeks to "conquer through division," and said he would welcome any major increase in Japan's defense spending.

While ties between Tokyo and Seoul remain soured over wartime history issues, he has also called for creating a common front with the United States, Japan and South Korea in dealing with North Korea and other challenges.

The Biden administration views Tokyo as a key player in the U.S. strategy of bringing together allies and partners in the region to counter Beijing's increasing clout. Japan is also a member of the Quad along with the United States, Australia and India -- a group of major Indo-Pacific democracies pressing for a "free and open" region.

Emanuel, also known for his abrasive style, was White House chief of staff from 2009 to 2010 for Obama, whom Biden served as vice president, before becoming Chicago's mayor for two terms from 2011 to 2019.

While the White House has hailed Emanuel's "extensive experience" as a public servant, his appointment to the high-profile ambassadorial role has been contentious among some left-wing Democrats as he had faced allegations of covering up a fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white police officer when he was mayor.

Emanuel was also a member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009.

The ambassadorial post has been vacant since William Hagerty stepped down in July 2019 to run for the Senate.

In March last year, Biden's predecessor Donald Trump nominated Kenneth Weinstein -- then head of the Washington-based conservative think tank the Hudson Institute -- as the next U.S. ambassador to Japan.

But before Weinstein's nomination was put to a Senate vote, Republican Trump was defeated by Democrat Biden in the 2020 presidential election.

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KYODO NEWS - Dec 18, 2021 - 22:41 | World, All

A Taiwan referendum that sought to reinstate a ban on imports of U.S. pork failed Saturday, averting a blow to ties with Washington at a time when China has stepped up diplomatic and military pressure on the self-ruled island.

The government of President Tsai Ing-wen had lifted the pork ban in January, but consumers and the main opposition Nationalist Party (KMT) were calling for the ban to be reinstated because the pork contains traces of a leanness-enhancing drug approved for use in livestock in the United States.

All four referendums held Saturday, including one seeking to move the site of a proposed liquefied natural gas terminal and another seeking to resume construction of a nuclear power plant, failed, giving the Tsai government a popular mandate for its key policies.

For a referendum to pass, at least a quarter of the roughly 19.83 million eligible voters, or around 4.96 million, need to approve the proposal. But none met the threshold, and there were more "no" votes than "yes" ones in all four referendums.

KMT Chairman Eric Chu conceded defeat at a news conference, calling the outcome "regrettable."

Taiwan had long suspended imports of beef and pork from the United States due to concerns over mad cow disease and trace amounts of animal feed additives. But Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party government said last year that from January the pork ban would be lifted and restrictions on U.S. beef further relaxed.

The easing of the measures led to the resumption of long-delayed talks under the 1994 U.S.-Taiwan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement. The Tsai government also hoped that the move would help Taiwan's bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal.

Under increasing pressure from Beijing, which considers Taiwan a renegade province, the government was urging the public to vote against the import ban lest its reinstatement impact Taiwan-U.S. relations negatively.

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KYODO NEWS - Dec 18, 2021 - 12:10 | World, All

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Friday called for pursuing through a forum of Pacific Rim economies the possibility of a digital trade agreement, amid concerns that the United States may be falling behind China in taking the lead in writing key trade rules in the region.

"We write to urge you to utilize and work with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation...to encourage strong outcomes" in the next leaders' meeting, Democrat Robert Menendez, chairman of the committee, and Republican James Risch, the ranking member of the committee, said in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Among the priorities the administration of President Joe Biden should work on with other APEC peers, which include countries such as Japan and Australia, are promoting a "common set of technology standards, including the possibility of a digital trade agreement," the two said.

The letter also called for improving efficiency in semiconductor supply chains and cybersecurity as well as advancing cooperation that reduces barriers to cross-border investment in emerging markets.

The calls from the senators came as China is stepping up its trade diplomacy in the region, applying in September to join a Pacific free trade agreement currently known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, from which the United States pulled out in 2017.

The deal, involving 11 countries such as Japan and Australia plus the United States, was expected to serve as a counterweight to China's growing economic clout. But former President Donald Trump described it as a "job-killing" arrangement.

The United States is also not part of a mega trade deal involving 15 Asia-Pacific countries including China, Japan and South Korea, which was signed in November. Beijing, meanwhile, said in November that it has applied to join an agreement between Singapore, Chile and New Zealand that aims to collaborate on digital trade.

While many experts in the United States believe it will be difficult to win a congressional majority for a comprehensive free trade agreement anytime soon, concerns are growing that the United States is giving way to China in trade-rule setting efforts.

A group of Republican lawmakers of the Senate Committee on Finance also sent a letter in November to Biden requesting that the administration begin digital trade negotiations with U.S. allies and partners in Asia to set "high standard rules" in the region.

Digital rules should be worked out to reflect American values, such as by ensuring free flows of data, promoting cybersecurity, protecting human rights and combating censorship, they said.

APEC groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 18, 2021 - 19:11 | Japan, All

Police suspect a 61-year-old male patient of starting a fire at a mental clinic in Osaka that killed 24 people, investigative sources said Saturday.

The police found the man's registration card for the clinic during a search of a place related to him, the sources said.

The man, who the sources say is in serious condition, is among 27 people taken to the hospital after the fire Friday raced through the clinic in a multiple tenant building in the western Japan city.

Related coverage:

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On Saturday, police and firefighters conducted a joint investigation into the site, located on the fourth floor of the building in Osaka's Kita Ward, to determine the cause of the fire.

The police also searched a house believed to be the man's and where another fire broke out about 30 minutes before the building fire.

"No one knows him around here," said one of residents living near the house in Nishiyodogawa Ward in the city. A part of the floor of the house was burned in the fire, the police said.

A woman in her 80s who lives nearby said the house had been vacant for many years, but recently a man was seen going in and out of the house. "I asked him, 'Have you moved?' and he said, 'Yes'," the woman said.

The police are investigating the incident as a case of suspected murder and arson. They were also still trying to confirm the identities of the 24 victims -- 14 men and 10 women.

The man is believed to have ignited a highly inflammable liquid he had stashed in a paper bag near the entrance of the clinic around 10:15 a.m. Friday, according to the sources.

Firefighters found most of the victims unresponsive when they reached the site.

The police said they have yet to contact the clinic's director Kotaro Nishizawa, leading investigators to believe he might be one of the victims.

Keita Suzuki, one of Nishizawa's acquaintances, said, "He is not the kind of person to earn the enmity of others. I hope he is safe."

With flames and smoke billowing out of shattered windows, the blaze was nearly extinguished by around 10:45 a.m. Friday, after burning 25 square meters, about one-third of the clinic's floor space.

The police quoted witnesses as saying Friday that the suspect had placed the paper bag near a heater in the clinic's reception area. He then kicked the bag, igniting the fire when the liquid flowed out.

The victims, aged around their 20s to 60s, may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

On Friday, the clinic was scheduled to hold a group session for patients on temporary sick leave to help them get back to work.

Some of the victims may have been there to attend the session.
KYODO NEWS - Dec 18, 2021 - 18:15 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Saturday Japan will extend its tight entry rules until at least early next year to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The government initially said the rules, banning new entries by foreigners worldwide and requiring returning Japanese nationals and foreign residents to quarantine in government-designated facilities, would be in place for about a month to year-end.

Kishida told reporters that the government will continue with the rules until more details of the Omicron variant are known. "We will study the situation after the year-end and New Year (holiday)."

On Friday, Kishida announced the plan to expedite third doses of coronavirus vaccines by shortening the current eight-month interval between the second jab and a booster.

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New Delhi:

Congress leader P Chidambaram's plea challenging the Delhi High Court verdict dismissing his anticipatory bail plea in the INX Media case would be heard on Friday by the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice R Banumathi.

Chidambaram, who was arrested by the CBI on Wednesday in the case, had approached the top court against the high court's August 20 verdict.

A special CBI court on Thursday allowed CBI custody of Chidambaram till August 26 in the case.

The Congress leader was arrested after he failed to get protection on Wednesday from the Supreme Court which decided to hear on Friday his plea seeking stay of the high court order. His plea would be heard in the apex court by a bench comprising Justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna.

On Wednesday, Registrar (Judicial) of the apex court had informed Chidambaram's lawyers that Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi has listed the matter for hearing on Friday.

Chidambaram, who was home minister and finance minister in the UPA government from 2004-2014, had sought a stay on the Delhi High Court's August 20 judgement which had dismissed his anticipatory bail plea, paving the way for his arrest in cases related to the INX Media scam. The cases have been lodged by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Repeated attempts were made by his lawyers Wednesday for seeking urgent hearing on Chidambaram's plea the same day itself, but the CJI decided that the case will be heard on Friday.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had opposed the plea of Chidambaram for hearing the matter on oral mentioning saying that the papers are not with him.

Chidambaram had suffered a major setback on August 20 when the high court dismissed his anticipatory bail in the INX Media case describing him as the "kingpin", and paved the way for the investigating agencies, CBI and ED, to arrest him.

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New Delhi:

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked his party's workers and followers living abroad to help highlight the Kashmir issue internationally. The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf decided to highlight the Kashmir issue at all the world forums.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after New Delhi abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.A A

During a meeting with his party's Overseas Secretary Abdullah Riar on Wednesday, the prime minister directed the party leaders and workers to hold protest in New York against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the UN General Assembly session next month.A

Pakistan has got much support internationally over the Kashmir issue. More than two weeks after India revoked the special status of Kashmir, support continues to build for New Delhias actions.A

Three more nations have now backed Indiaas stance on Kashmir that abrogation of Article 370 is an internal matter and that Kashmir, as an issue, is a bilateral one - between India and Pakistan.

While Britain joined the growing list of nations that have backed Indiaas stance on Kashmir, on Tuesday, France and Bangladesh came out in open support today (Wednesday). This came even as United States President Donald Trump reiterated his offer of mediation on the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan is expected to take the Kashmir issue to International Court of Justice (ICJ). Pakistan said that it would take its dispute with India over Kashmir to the ICJ after India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, Pakistan's plan to raise the matter at the United Nations failed as members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decided at informal consultations that the issue was a bilateral one between New Delhi and Islamabad.

(With PTI Inputs)

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New Delhi:

Krishna Janmashtami popularly known as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. Krishna is believed to be born at midnight (Ashtami) in the Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadon. He is known to be one of the most powerful incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

This year Janmashtami falls between August 23 and August 24. The festival is also known as the Dahi Handi in Maharashtra.

History and Significance:

As per the Indian mythology, Lord Krishna, son of Devaki and King Vasudeva lived over 5200 years ago in Mathura. Unfortunately, Devaki's brother Kansa, who was the then ruler of Mathura, wanted to kill Krishna as he was believed to be the reason for his fall. In the meantime, Vasudeva in a bid to protect Krishna from Kansa's evil forces took him to Gokul where he was raised by his foster parents Nanda and Yashoda.

From dodging several assassinations attempts by uncle Kansa to growing up as a charming cow herder in Gokul, every minute details of Krishna's much-celebrated life can be found in Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Krishna Janmashtami is being celebrated to worship Lord Krishna so that he eliminates the evil forces and good may always triumph. To seek his blessings, Krishna Abhishek (bathing Krishnas idol) is performed, where milk, ghee and water are offered to the deity. Lakhs of Hindu followers also throng temples to offer prayers to him. His devotees also observe fast for the entire day.

Date and Muhurat:

Date of Janmashtami: August 24

Ashtami Tithi Begins - 08:08 (23rd August)

Ashtami Tithi Ends - 08:31 (24th August)

Parana time - Post 5:59 AM on August 25

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New Delhi:

Indian Air Force (IAF) has postponed its AFCAT examination which was scheduled to be held on August 24 at Srinagar exam centres due to Kashmir clampdown that started after Article 370 was revoked making Jammu and Kashmir a Union Territory. The fresh date for the examination in Srinagar will be notified later, an official statement said.

The admit cards for the same were made available from August 5. Indian Air force in February had invited online application from enthusiastic and adventurous Indian citizens to join the Indian Air Force s commissioned officers in Flying, Ground Duty (Technical), ground Duty (non technical) branches.

However, the examination scheduled to be held at centres established at Leh and Jammu would be conducted as per the fixed schedule.

A statement by Directorate of Information, Jammu and Kashmir reads, "However, the examination scheduled to be held at centres established at Leh and Jammu would be conducted as per the fixed schedule."

In a statement issued by the IAF, it said that due to the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the candidates are not able to download their Hall Tickets for the examination and the decision has been taken to postpone the examination for the convenience of candidates who have been allotted Srinagar centre.

The AFCAT 2019 will be of two hours duration and will contain multiple-choice questions on verbal ability, numerical ability, reasoning, general awareness and military aptitude.

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Lahore:

A Pakistan court on Thursday rejected a request made by the parents of social media star Qandeel Baloch to pardon her brothers, who are accused of killing her.

Fouzia Azeem, better known as Baloch, was strangled to death at her home in Multan, Punjab province, on July 15, 2016 by her brother Waseem Azeem. Waseem later confessed to have killed his 26-year-old sister because she brought "disrepute" to the "family's honour" with her "risque videos and statements posted on social media".

Her brother Aslam Shaheen was also an accused in the case, which attracted much global attention.

On Wednesday, Qandeel's parents -- Muhammad Azeem and Anwar Bibi -- who are complainant in this case, submitted an affidavit in a Multan court, stating that they have forgiven her alleged murderers and asked the court to acquit them. They also backtracked from their earlier statement that Qandeel was killed in the name of honour.

On Thursday, Multan Sessions Court judge Imran Sharif dismissed the parent's plea, observing that the "court no longer accepts pardon or reconciliation in honour killing cases". He said the trial will proceed as per law.

The case is pending in the court for the last three years and a total six suspects are facing the trial.

The judge also asked Qandeel's father if he has pardoned the other four suspects as well, to which Muhammad replied, "No. I have only pardoned my two sons and want the court punish the other suspects."

In their affidavit, Qandeel's parents stated that her murder case was registered on July 16, 2016, while the change to the Anti-Honour Killing Laws which prevents killers from walking free after a pardon was made three months later. Thus, it was not applicable in this murder case.

The Anti-Honour Killing legislation mandates life imprisonment for honour killings, but whether a murder can be defined as a crime of honour is left to the judge's discretion. The court also observed that the parent's pardon would set a wrong precedent.

"Do you realise what impact your pardon will have on the other accused (in such cases)?" the judge asked the parents. Qandeel's parents in their affidavit also stated that her murder was not an act of "honour killing".

The slain social media star's parents had once before also requested the court to wrap up the murder case, saying they had forgiven both their sons, but their appeal was dismissed with the judge citing the anti-honour killing law.

After the law was passed in October 2016, Qandeel's parents had initially vowed not to forgive the alleged murderers. Qandeel became famous for her bold social media posts - pictures, videos and comments. But these were considered outrageous by the largely conservative Pakistani community.

Every year over 1,000 women are murdered in Pakistan in so called 'honour killings' committed by their male relatives.

It was Qandeel's murder that restarted the debate in the Muslim country that lead to the passing of an amendment to Pakistan's Penal Code in October 2016, allowing the police to take over from the victim's family as the main complainant in the case of an honour killing. The amendment made it impossible for the family to use the country's laws that allow close relatives of murder victims to pardon the killers.

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Mumbai:

Largest privates sector lender HDFC Bank on Thursday said it is aiming to add two million credit and debit cards targeted exclusively at youngsters in the next two years.

The offering launched for millennials - generally referred to people born in the 1980s or thereafter - includes a range of credit, debit, prepaid and EMI (earnest monthly instalments) variants.

The bank said this demography represents 34 per cent of the Indian population and added that till now, it didnt have an offering specifically targeted at this segment.

READ | State Bank of India announces home, auto loans at cheaper rates during festival season

We will have two million of these cards in the next two years, Parag Rao, HDFC Banks country head for card payment products, told reporters in Mumbai.

A bank official said in five years, it is aiming to have 10 million of the cards in force in the market. The cards, christened Millennia come with a slew of features like a 5 per cent cash back on shopping and a one per cent fuel surcharge waiver.

There is a nominal fee which can be waived off if the usage is higher, Rao said, adding that the bank has a credit card base of 13 million and 27 million on the debit cards front.

READ | '$5-trillion GDP target cant be met unless': Bankers sound alarm

The focus of the new offering is on the new to bank customers, he said, adding that a fourth of its existing credit card base is already such customers. At present, 28 per cent of its credit card base can be classified as millennials, he said.

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New Delhi:

We have some important news for the candidates who have appeared for the SBI PO examination. The SBI PO Result 2019 will be declared soon. The result was supposed to be declared by third week of August as per the official notification published by State bank of India. The PO result is expected to release either tomorrow or on August 24, 2019. Soon after the formal declaration of the results, the same will be available on the official website of the bank i.e. sbi.co.in/careers.

For the convenience of the candidates, we have mentioned the steps through which they can check the results:

Visit the official website of the bank on sbi.co.in/careers

Visit the official website of the bank on sbi.co.in/careers Go the career page of SBI. Select the link which says SBI PO Mains Result 2019

The link will redirect to a new page. Enter requisite details and click on submit button to proceed and check result

SBI PO Mains Result 2019 will display on the screen

Download the result for further reference

The candidates who will be checking their results must take the print out of the same for future references. The examination is conducted to fill a total of 2000 posts of Probationary Officer. Candidates who will qualify the Main examination will be called for interview.

The main examination was conducted on July 20, 2019. The exam comprised objective test of 200 marks and descriptive test of 50 marks. The exam was conducted through online mode across various centres of the country.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left on a three-nation tour of France, UAE and Bahrain. PM Modi will visit the three countries from August 22 to 26. He will reach France on Thursday.

Ahead of his visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the engagements will strengthen India's relations with time-tested friends and help explore new areas of cooperation. In his departure statement, the prime minister said his visit to France reflects the strong strategic partnership which the two countries deeply value and share.

From August 22-23, he will have bilateral meetings in France, including a summit interaction with President Emmanuel Macron and a meeting with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe. Modi will also interact with the Indian community and dedicate a memorial to the Indian victims of the two Air India crashes in France in the 1950s and 1960s.

Later, from August 25-26, he will participate in the G7 Summit meetings as Biarritz Partner at the invitation of President Macron in the sessions on Environment, Climate, Oceans and on Digital Transformation.

"India and France have excellent bilateral ties, which are reinforced by a shared vision to cooperate for further enhancing peace and prosperity for our two countries and the world at large," the prime minister said.

He said the strong strategic and economic partnership is complemented by a shared perspective on major global concerns such as terrorism and climate change.

"I am confident that this visit will further promote our long-standing and valued friendship with France for mutual prosperity, peace and progress," Modi said.

During the visit to the United Arab Emirates from August 23-24, the prime minister said he looks forward to discuss with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the entire gamut of bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Modi said he also looks forward to jointly release the stamp to commemorate the 150th?birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi along with the Crown Prince.

"It will be an honour to receive the 'Order of Zayed', the highest civilian decoration conferred by the UAE government, during this visit. I will also formally launch RuPay card to expand the network of cashless transactions abroad," the prime minister said in the statement.

Frequent high-level interactions between India and the UAE testify to our vibrant relations, he said.

The UAE is the third-largest trade partner and fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India, he said.

"The qualitative enhancement of these ties is among one of our foremost foreign policy achievements. The visit would further strengthen our multifaceted bilateral ties with the UAE," Modi said.

The prime minister will be in Bahrain from August 24-25. This will be the first ever prime ministerial visit from India to the Kingdom.

"I look forward to discussing with Prime Minister Prince Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa the ways to further boost our bilateral relations and share views on regional and international issues of mutual interest," Modi said.

The prime minister would also be meeting King of Bahrain Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and other leaders.

"I would also take the opportunity to interact with the Indian diaspora. I will be blessed to be present at the formal beginning of the re-development of the temple of Shreenathji - the oldest in the Gulf region, in the wake of the auspicious festival of Janmashtami. I am confident that this visit would further deepen our relationship across the sectors," Modi said.

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Delhi:

A day after clashes broke out between protesters and the police in Delhis Tughlakabad area during an agitation against the recent demolition of a Ravidas Mandir in the national capital, almost all schools remain shut in the South-East Delhi locality. According to a Times of India report, several daycare centres and private schools decided not to hold classes today. Heavy police deployment can be seen in the area since the Wednesday clashes.

The police reportedly resorted to teargas firing and lathicharge as the protesters started pelting stones after returning from the Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi to protest the demolition of the temple.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also slammed the government for using force against protesters. Hitting out at the BJP government for police using batons to disperse protestors, Priyanka said "insult" of the voices of marginalised sector cannot be tolerated. A protest by against the demolition of the temple turned violent on Wednesday night, leaving several people, including policemen, injured.

Heavy police force was deployed in the area as tension prevailed after police used batons to disperse the protesters and detained Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and 50 others.

The Ravidas Temple was demolished by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) earlier this month on the orders of the Supreme Court.

BJP leader and former Union minister Vijay Goel criticised the Aam Aadmi Party for allegedly politicising the issue. Goel said that he held a meeting with community leaders recently and offered them a solution, but the AAP wanted to score brownie points.

"I have proposed that the temple be built at an alternative place after the approval of the Supreme Court. If they agree, we will take the matter up with the DDA," he said.
Delhi:

Students at primary government school in Mirzapur are being served plain chapatis and salt under midday meal scheme. The nutritious food is served under the flagship programme. Though the website of the Uttar Pradesh mid-day meal authority shows pulses rice, rotis and vegetables as part of the menu, the ground reality is far from the claims. After the photos went viral on social media, the authorities sprang into action. Reacting to the development, District Magistrate Anurag Patel said, "negligence happened at teacher and supervisor's level. The teacher has been suspended. A response has been sought from supervisor."

Patel also said that the basic shiksha adhikari (BSA) has been instructed to carry out a probe into the matter and ensure strict action against those responsible for it. There should be no laxity in it.

Kajal, a student at the school was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, "I had salt with chappatis today in my lunch. Sometimes, we are given vegetables with chappatis but for today's meal we just got salt." Several other children at the school claimed they had not received any milk too during the meal.

According to the official website of the Midday Meal Scheme, more than 25.25 lakhs cook-cum-helper are engaged by the State/UTs during 2016-17. The scheme is the worlds largest school meal programme and reaches an estimated 12 crore children across 12 lakh schools in India.

In 2002, the Supreme Court directed the government to provide cooked midday meals (as opposed to providing dry rations) in all government and government aided primary schools. Calorie norms for the meals have been regularly revised starting from 300 calories in 2004, when the scheme was relaunched as the Midday Meal Scheme. Currently, the scheme provides children in government aided schools and education centres a cooked meal for a minimum of 200 days.

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New Delhi:

The Congress on Thursday slammed the Narendra Modi government for political vendetta and using the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate to target former Union Minister P Chidambaram. Addressing media in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the whole drama was an attempt to divert attention to more pressing issues. "Sinking economy, job losses, devaluation of rupee, we now see depths to which desperate BJP govt will stoop," Surjewala said. "False charges" being heaped up on senior political rivals to "silence" everyone in country, Surjewala added. He further said that a seasoned politician has been arrested on statement of woman charged with murder of her own daughter. Surjewala alleged that the Modi government is using the CBI, the ED as "personal revenge-seeking depts" for party in power as also those ruling country."India witnessed broad daylight murder of democracy as also rule of law in last two days," Surjewala added.

On Wednesday, high-voltage drama unfolded after Chidambaram, who reportedly went incommunicado soon after Delhi High Courts rejected his plea seeking interim protection from the arrest by the CBI and the ED, appeared before the media at Congress headquarters. Addressing the media, the former finance minister said that if he has to choose between the liberty and the life, he will always choose liberty.

"I was aghast that I was accused of hiding from the law. On the contrary, I was engaged in pursuit of justice," Chidambaram said at a press conference. "Now I shall walk with a clear conscience and head held high. In the name of freedom, I can only hope and pray that investigative agencies will respect the law," he added.

Soon after his dramatic appearance, a team of CBI rushed to the Congress headquarters in Delhi to arrest him but by the time they reached, he left for his residence. However, teams of CBI and ED followed the Congress leader to his residence and finally arrested him.

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New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi on Friday backed party leader Jairam Ramesh's remarks on PM Narendra Modi, saying always demonising the prime minister was wrong. This came after Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said PM Modis governance model is not a complete negative story and not recognizing his work and demonizing him all the time is not going to help.

Singhvi in a tweeted wrote, "Always said demonising Modi wrong. Not only is he PM of nation, a one way opposition actually helps him (sic)."



Ramesh had said, It is time we recognize Modis work and what he did between 2014 and 2019 due to which he was voted back to power by over 30 per cent of the electorate.

Ramesh made the remarks while launching a book, Malevolent Republic: A Short History of the New India written by Kapil Satish Komireddi, a political analyst. He (Modi) talks in a language that connects him with the people. Unless we recognize that he is doing things which people recognise and which have not been done in the past, we are not going to be able to confront this guy, said the Congress leader.

Also, if you are going to demonize him all the time, you are not going to be able to confront him, warned the former Union minister, who held portfolios of Rural Development, and Drinking Water and Sanitation ministries in the Manmohan Singh government.

Ramesh sought to clarify that he is not asking anyone to praise or applaud the prime minister, but only wants the political class to at least recognise the traits he has brought to the governanceparticularly the economics of governance.

Let me tell you it is not a completely negative story when it comes to economics of the governance, the politics of the governance is completely different, said the noted economist, adding the social relations that have been created out of his governance model is also completely different.

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Bengaluru:

JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda on Thursday indicated that the Congress-JDS coalition government collapsed because the national party's high command decided to make his son HD Kumaraswamy the chief minister without consulting its leader Siddaramaiah.

Continuing to target Siddaramaiah, the former prime minister termed the Congress high command decision 'wrong', a day after he had alleged that a few Congress friends wanted to unseat the coalition government as they could not see Kumaraswamy as Chief Minister.

I have clearly said that without taking Siddaramaiah, who was Chief Minister for five years, into confidence, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi all of a sudden came and said Kumaraswamy is the next Chief Minister, it was their wrong decision, Gowda told reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday.

He was referring to his interview to a news paper in which he had held Siddaramiah responsible for the collapse of the government last month, but in remarks made on Wednesday did not name Siddaramaiah.

The coalition government collapsed on July 22 after the confidence motion moved Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy was defeated in the assembly, bringing to an end his 14-month long turbulent tenure marked by dissidence within the Congress.

Raising a banner of rebellion, sixteen MLAs (13 from the Congress and 3 JDS) had resigned as legislators which culminated in the fall of the coalition government.

Siddaramaiah had come under criticism after the government collapsed as most of the rebel Congress MLAs, including ST Somashekar, Byrati Basavaraj, MTB Nagaraj, Munirathna and K Sudhakar, were considered his loyalists.

However, rubbishing claims that he instigated those MLAs to resign and destabilise the government, Siddaramaiah had called the allegation as false made with malafide intention.

Rebel MLAs are trying to shift the blame on me after widespread public backlash against them for betraying & back-stabbing both the electorate & the party. Everything will be clear when the dust settles but by then they would have bitten the dust, he had tweeted.

Congress and JD(S) considered as arch rivals, especially in old Mysuru region, had bitterly fought against each other during the 2018 assembly polls, but joined hands after the elections threw up a hung verdict to keep BJP, the single largest party in the 225 member assembly, out of power.

Since day one, the government was facing trouble from within as barring the top leaders of both parties, their rank and file did not accepted the alliance. Reflecting strains in the JD(S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka, Kumaraswamy had once said he was "not happy" being in the top post and was swallowing the pain like 'Vishakantha' (Lord Shiva), who drank poison.

At one stage, many legislators and also Ministers from the Congress demanded that their legislature party chief Siddaramaiah be made the Chief Minister, prompting Kumaraswamy to even threatening to step down before the rebels took the decisive step of resigning as MLAs.

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Islamabad:

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday held a telephonic conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the Kashmir issue. During the talks, the prime minister emphasised that India scrapping the special status to Jammu and Kashmir has serious implications for peace and security in the region and the international community has the responsibility to act urgently, the Foreign Office said.

Merkel said Germany was closely observing the situation and underlined the importance of de-escalation of tensions and resolution of the issue peacefully, it stated. India has categorically told the international community that removing the special status to Jammu and Kashmir was an internal matter and has also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also briefed his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid on the Kashmir issue, the Foreign Office said. Qureshi urged Maldives to play a constructive role for peace and stability in the region and peaceful settlement of disputes, it said.

In a snub to Qureshi, Shahid told him that the Maldives viewed the decision taken by India regarding Article 370 of the Indian Constitution as an internal matter.

Minister Shahid thanked Minister Qureshi for the telephone call and stated that both Pakistan and India are close friends and bilateral partners of the Maldives and stressed the importance of resolving differences between countries amicably through peaceful means, the Maldives foreign ministry said in a statement in Male.

Qureshi also telephoned his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono and discussed the Kashmir issue with him.

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New Delhi:

The 21-gun salute tradition during the cremation of former Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra could not be completed as all the 22 rifles brought for the purpose failed to fire.

Mishra passed away on August 19 and the cremation took place at Balua Bazar on Wednesday amid with full state honours.

In accordance with the tradition, a 21-gun salute had to be given to the departed soul. As the policemen got ready to fire from their guns, none of the guns could actually fire. The policemen tried their best but not a single firing-action could be carried out, the police said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and other senior police officials were present during the cremation process.

According to reports quoting eye-witnesses, even senior officers tried to make the guns work but failed to find any solution. The cremation rituals were completed without the gun salute.

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New Delhi :

Benchmark equity index Sensex plummeted 587 points on Thursday, pressured by heavy selling in banking and energy stocks amid weak global cues. Investor sentiment also tanked after Chief Economic Adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian virtually ruled out a stimulus package from the government.

The 30-share Sensex sank 587.44 points, or 1.59 per cent, to 36,472.93. It hit an intra-day low of 36,391.35 and a high of 37,087.58. The broader NSE Nifty ended 177.35 points, or 1.62 per cent, down at 10,741.35. During the day, it plunged to a low of 10,718.30 and touched a high of 10,908.25.

Yes Bank was the biggest laggard in the Sensex pack, plummeting 13.91 per cent, followed by Vedanta, Bajaj Finance and Tata Motors, which declined up to 7.76 per cent. ONGC, SBI, Hero MotoCorp, ICICI Bank, Tata Steel, HDFC twins and RIL also ended in the red.

Tech Mahindra, TCS, HUL and HCL Tech were the only gainers, spurting up to 1.57 per cent. According to traders, Chief Economic Adviser Subramanians comments practically ruling out a stimulus package for the economy weighed on investor sentiment.

In the previous session, the 30-share Sensex settled 267.64 points, or 0.72 per cent, lower at 37,060.37. The broader NSE Nifty too ended 98.30 points, or 0.89 per cent, down at 10,918.70.

Top laggards in the Sensex pack included Vedanta, Yes Bank, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank, ONGC, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, HDFC Bank and SBI, which fell up to 3 per cent.

While ITC, L&T, HUL, Kotak Bank, TCS and TechM rose up to 1.37 per cent.

If we basically expect the government to use taxpayers money to intervene every time when there are some sunsets, then I think you introduce possible moral hazards from too big to fail and as well as the possibility of a situation where profits are private and losses are socialised, Subramanian said at an event.

Globally, markets were jittery ahead of comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, US. Elsewhere in Asia, Shanghai Composite Index and Nikkei ended on a positive note, while Hang Seng and Kospi settled in the red.

Equities in Europe were trading lower in their respective early sessions. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee depreciated 33 paise to 71.88 against the US dollar intra-day. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.65 per cent to USD 60.69 per barrel.

(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

While the Indian economy has been skidding to a historic low, presenting a serious challenge to the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy on Thursday claimed something contradictory to the ongoing slowdown.

Addressing a gathering in Gorakhpur, Murthy said that India has become the software development centre all over the world with the country's economy growing at 6 to 7 per cent this year only. "Our foreign exchange reserve has crossed 400 billion-dollar already as investors' confidence is at a historic high," he added.

Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy in Gorakhpur: Our economy is growing at 6 to 7 per cent this year. India has become the software development centre of the world. Our foreign exchange reserve has crossed 400 billion dollar. Investor confidence is at a historic high. (22.08) pic.twitter.com/jglAGxwRI4  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 23, 2019

READ | Slowdown 'unprecedented', need 'extraordinary' steps to deal with it: NITI Aayog

On job creation, the MSP founder said, "Our government has to become more citizen friendly and remove obstacles to entrepreneurs to create larger and larger number of jobs. Our economic policies have to be less populist and more based on expertise. We have to shun jingoism".

"While it's easy to drape ourselves in our national flag and shout 'Mera Bharat Mahaan' or 'Jai Ho', it is difficult to practice values. We have to identify ourselves as Indians first and rise above states, religion and caste," he went on to claim further.

India's economy is showing signs of slowdown, with hi-frequency indicators like industrial output posting subdued growth and automobile sales touching historical lows. In January-March quarter, the growth rate slowed to five-year low of 5.8 per cent, due to poor performance in agriculture and manufacturing sectors. The official data also stated that India's unemployment rate rises to 45-year high of 6.1 per cent in 2017-18.

READ | Trump says he had to 'take China on', regardless of short-term impact on US economy

Meanwhile, a Nomura report suggests that the economic growth is set to slow further in the April-June quarter of this year to 5.7 per cent amid contraction in consumption, weak investments and an under-performing service sector. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) will come out with the GDP figures for the first quarter (April-June) on August 30.

At present, the automobile sector is facing its worst crisis in two decades and reports suggest thousands of job losses in the auto and ancillary industry. In the real estate sector, the number of unsold homes has increased, while fast-moving consumer goods companies have reported a decline in volume growth in the first quarter.

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New Delhi: S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister (EAM), welcomed Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, who is in India visit to attend the India-Central Asia Dialogue's third round. "We are delighted to welcome Tajikistan's FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin to India. I'm looking forward to speaking with you "Jaishankar sent out a tweet.

Sirojiddin Muhriddin, the Tajik foreign minister, reached India on Saturday for a three-day official visit, during which he is set to discuss with S Jaishankar on bilateral, regional, and international topics of mutual concern. The visit of Tajikistan's foreign minister will maintain the momentum of high-level talks and expand the strategic cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

In New Delhi on Sunday, Jaishankar will host the third edition of the India-Central Asia Dialogue. The summit will be in presence of the foreign ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Foreign ministers from Central Asian countries are set to pay a joint courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the India-Central Asia Dialogue's third meeting.

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Urvashi Rautela, who won hearts with her stellar performances in Bollywood, had recently gone to Israel. In fact, she played her role as a judge in the Miss Universe 2021 Pageant here. In the meantime, the actor did not lag behind in making India proud. Urvashi Rautela's achievement is important in representing her country and watching India win the Miss Universe pageant. India has recently won the Miss Universe 2021 title.

Urvashi Rautela has now returned to India after India's victory in the Miss Universe 2021 pageant. India has won the Miss Universe crown after 21 years. In such a situation, it is a great achievement for every Single India, and many Indians are happy. Amidst all this, when actress Urvashi came to India, everyone's eyes were fixed on her outfit. In fact, Urvashi Rautela, who looked as beautiful as ever, was spotted at the airport. Here Adakara carried a baby pink dress designed by Poshio and Scarlett. The highlight of the dress is that the actress' dress costs around Rs 5 lakh.

In fact, the actress was seen wearing a diamond-studded cold shoulder crop top and miniskirt and baby pink high stilettos. Her dress was amazing and the one who saw her kept watching. She looked gorgeous in this look. She had accessories with diamond earrings and bracelets to make her look special. Talking about Adakara's work, she is all set to make her Tamil debut with a big budget sci-fi Tamil film. It's going to be very exciting for them.

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Mumbai: Amidst the increasing number of omicron cases, there has been big news from Navi Mumbai. 16 students of a school here have been found to be infected with corona. All the students are said to study in class 8th to 11th. Today, after such a large number of students were infected, the administration has been shaken and everyone is shocked. Sources said, the father of a student studying in the school had returned to India from Qatar a few days ago. Now his entire family, including the man who has returned from abroad, underwent a covid test, and the man's covid report was negative in the test, but the investigation has found the son positive.

About 650 students from the school where the child was studying are said to have undergone a covid test and 16 students have reported positive. On the other hand, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a release informing that a 29-year-old man who returned to Mumbai from New York in the US has been found to be infected with omicron. He said there is no symptom in the person. It has also been said that the man had taken three doses of the Pfizer Coronavirus vaccine. The man was found infected with the coronary during an investigation at the airport on November 9 and his sample was then sent for genome sequencing. From where his report has come positive. The BMC says two persons who came in contact with it were also investigated.

Both have been found negative in the investigation. The infected person has been admitted to the hospital and has no symptoms so far. Let me tell you all that now the number of omicron infected people in Mumbai has gone up to 15. Five of the list are from outside Mumbai, but 13 of these patients have already been discharged from hospitals. Thus, the number of omicone patients in Maharashtra has gone up to 40.

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Amsterdam: The new variant of Corona Omicron is currently spreading very fast around the world. WHO says the virus has spread to 77 countries so far and is infecting people at a higher speed than any variant of corona. The risk is also high. In view of this threat, all countries are making all new and old efforts, from imposing lockdown to increasing testing as a precautionary measure to break the chain of infection. Health experts, who advise the Netherlands on the Covid-19 strategy, on the other hand, say, "The country will have to do a complete lockdown (Complete Lockdown) to avoid omicrons.''

In fact, recently, Health Minister Hugo de Jong held a cabinet meeting and after this meeting, he spoke to the journalists there. Speaking on the occasion, he said, "The government is concerned about the growing spread of the new variant of Corona, Omicron. 'I won't say anything on my behalf, but the government will follow the advice of health experts,' said Hugo de Jong. The government of Netherlands PM Mark Rutte is scheduled to hold a meeting with health experts today. The meeting will decide on the steps to be taken to break the chain of omicon.

In Netherland, in November, people staged violent protests against the coronavirus restrictions. Several civilians were injured in police retaliation during the protest, though there have been protests against coronavirus restrictions in the past.

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(Bloomberg) -- A major Tsinghua Unigroup Co. shareholder has pushed back against a prominent government-backed funds takeover bid, casting doubt on a deal portrayed as a bailout of one of Chinas most important but debt-ridden semiconductor players.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Zhao Weiguos holding firm Jiankun, which owns 49% of Unigroup, sent a memo to domestic executives and creditors decrying a takeover bid led by JAC Capital as undervaluing his company, according to a copy of the letter seen by Bloomberg News and verified by people familiar with the matter.

In his communique, the industry veteran singled out how the deal valued Yangtze Memory, one of the groups prime assets, at just 47.9 billion yuan ($7.5 billion) versus a deserved valuation closer to 160 billion yuan, according to the memo. Zhao claimed JACs rescue plan would result in 73.4 billion yuan of state asset losses, he said in the memo.

Shares in listed affiliate Unisplendour Corp. fell more than 9% in Shenzhen on Thursday. Representatives for Unigroup and JAC didnt respond to requests for comment.

Zhaos outcry threatens to disrupt the proposed rescue of Unigroup, which has become a national security issue since Xi Jinping advanced a strategy for self-sufficiency in key technologies in competition with the U.S. The Beijing-based company affiliated with prestigious Tsinghua University -- Xis alma mater -- remains a linchpin in a race for technological supremacy.

It clouds the proposal by JAC, a state-backed semiconductor investment fund, that last week defeated a rival consortium led by Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Chinese officials had been leaning toward the Alibaba consortium as recently as last month, but the e-commerce giants stock listing in the U.S. has raised concerns, Bloomberg News has reported. American regulators are tightening auditing requirements for U.S.-listed companies, which could expose Chinas leading chip company to the disclosure of sensitive information if it were owned by Alibaba, people familiar with the matter said.

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JAC and affiliate Wise Road Capital had offered 60 billion yuan to pay off debts to creditors. The Alibaba consortium, which includes funds backed by the Zhejiang government, had proposed a deal of more than 50 billion yuan to help keep the chipmaker afloat. Any agreement would likely include conditions for restructuring Unigroups roughly 100 billion yuan-plus of onshore and offshore debt, Bloomberg News reported in November.

Read more: Alibaba-Led Bid for Unigroup Is Said to Hit Last-Minute Snag

Unigroup expanded rapidly during a decade-long stimulus blitz that fueled heady economic expansion through binging on credit. Unigroup and its affiliates went on an acquisition spree, buying up foreign names including RDA Microelectronics Inc. and Spreadtrum Communications Inc. en route to building Chinas most sophisticated maker of 5G chips in Unisoc.

H3C, a joint venture with Hewlett Packard, is a key server supplier to the Chinese government and state-owned enterprises. And in 2017, it unveiled its signature project: Yangtze Memory, which competes against Micron Technology Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. The company at one point harbored aspirations to become the nations first giant in the global semiconductor industry and once planned a $23 billion bid for U.S. memory-chip giant Micron.

Read more: Secretive Chinese Committee Draws Up List to Replace U.S. Tech

But concern over the scale of Chinas resulting debt mountain prompted a de-leveraging campaign from around 2017, choking off the spigot for borrowing. That coincided also with a newfound impetus to restructure the sprawling corporate empires that have sprung up around the nations top universities, including Tsinghua.

The Chinese semiconductor titan in 2020 defaulted on a bond and in July a court ordered it to overhaul its debt, prompting it to invite strategic investors with deep pockets as well as the capability to run a major chipmaking and cloud business.

Read more: Alibaba Unveils One of Chinas Most Advanced Chips

(Updates with losses and share action from the third paragraph. A previous version of the story was corrected to reflect Yangtze Memorys valuation.)

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Chicago, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IV Solution and Ketamine Centers of Chicago is the citys first private facility to offer clinically proven intravenous ketamine therapy for the treatment of depression, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and other ailments. These treatments are done in a state-of-the-art facility by medical professionals that fully believe in tailoring treatments to meet each patients needs. Safety is also at the forefront of every treatment that this facility administers and the clinics staff is committed to providing the best patient outcomes that seek to improve a patients quality of life and overall well-being. The leader of the medical team at IV Solution and Ketamine Centers of Chicago is Dr. Bal Nandra, who has nearly 20-years of experience in the field of anesthesia and critical care. He says, For many years the main way to treat those with mental health issues was to medicate them. While this did seem to help some patients, there were other drawbacks associated with using this approach to treat such conditions as anxiety. This includes the tendency of patients to over-medicate themselves. Sometimes these treatments even resulted in what is known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Thats why we here at the IV Solution and Ketamine Centers of Chicago use treatments that take a much different approach when it comes to helping people deal with an assortment of mental health issues.

Dr. Nandra went on to state that their ketamine infusion treatments typically take around 45-minutes to perform. They are undertaken with the patient lying down comfortably during the duration of them. At which time the patients blood pressure and other vital signs are constantly monitored. He also mentioned that patients experience different durations that their treatments will last. At first, it may only be as little as 1 or 2 months and then after a few sessions, a patient may be able to go up to 6-months without needing another infusion. It was also mentioned that these treatments typically produce the desired results very quickly, can tap into worrisome & bothersome thinking patterns, and may help lessen or eliminate an anxious or depressed patients dependency on medications. Other mental health concerns that ketamine therapy may be able to help with include those that suffer from OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). These are common mental health issues that can severely complicate a persons ability to lead a full and productive life. Dr. Nandra pointed out that ketamine infusion is also a clinically proven therapy for chronic pain. This includes Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) which typically occurs in the hands, feet, arms, or legs after an injury takes place in one of these areas. The team leader at the center even talked about how many patients seek out ketamine infusion therapies to help them try and get over the migraine headaches that they frequently experience.

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Chicago IV Solution logo

Many of those in the Chicago area that have sought help from the center have been extremely pleased with the treatments that they have received. Brian Shehan stated, Took amazing care of me. I was in the middle of a real meltdown and they got me in immediately. Everyone on staff was compassionate and friendly. Dr. Lopez is an angel of mercy. They may have saved my life. Tara Piryaei proclaimed, Very caring and patient staff, they made me feel very welcomed and calm. Also, its a tidy and clean facility that makes me feel comfortable being there during COVID. Ive had a wonderful experience with every staff person I have met. If you are thinking about checking this place out, I definitely recommend calling in for a consult. Great work Chicago IV Solution!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQjVkoqDjwk

Those that would like a free consultation to find out how the therapies offered at the IV Solution and Ketamine Centers of Chicago fibromyalgia management solutions may benefit them can contact the center by phone, email, or by filling out and sending in the form thats found on their website. Dr. Nandra also stated that their competent team of anesthesiologists, registered nurses, and support staff performs their potentially life-changing therapies on an outpatient basis in private, confidential settings.

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For more information about IV Solution & Ketamine Centers of Chicago, contact the company here:



IV Solution & Ketamine Centers of Chicago

Bal Nandra, M.D.

(844) 948-6337

b.nandra@chicagoivsolution.com

712 N Dearborn St

Chicago, IL 60654

CONTACT: Bal Nandra, M.D.




Press release boilerplates should not be boring. They should compel readers to learn more about your business and brand.

KISS PR Dallas PR Company for Small Business Marketing & SEO & Podcast Marketing

Here is a handy guide that will help you plan for press release distribution in 2022.

Here is a handy guide that will help you plan for press release distribution in 2022.

Dallas, TX , Dec. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just in time for 2022, KISS PR brand story wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year.

Here is a handy guide that will help you plan for press release distribution in 2022.

As a leading growth marketing company helping small to medium-sized businesses we use online press releases to build brand image and reputation by spotlighting stories that make them unique as part of our growth marketing strategy.

When you publish a press release, your branding should be consistent. What you write in the body should also reflect in your boilerplate. A hasty-made boilerplate that doesnt compel readers to learn more about your brand is a waste of space. A professionally-made one that resonates well with your branding helps you establish a more credible name, shared KISS PR Brand Story Editor Agnes Zang.

Read the full resource here. How to Create a Professional and Compelling Press Release Boilerplate

Put simply the press release needs to cover:

Zang reiterated that the point of publishing press releases is to build brand and reputation. Crafting a professional and compelling boilerplate is crucial as companies need to showcase the most important information about their business to the right audience.

Zang invites companies that need help creating traction and a name for their business to check out KISS PR Brand Story.

Write down what makes their company a leader in their industry.

Describe how the company is different from others and how it benefits customers.

Highlight the most recent milestones and awards.

Keep it super simple. Dont use complex terms.

Keep sentences short between 160-320 characters.

Strategically use SEO keywords, think user first, and not search engines.

Link your website and social media but don't overdo it.

Use Canva for compelling images.

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About KISS PR Brand Story

KISS PR Brand Story is Texass leading marketing, storytelling and press release distribution platform that offers SMEs, freelancers, and SEO agencies white label press release services. We focus on helping industry movers and leaders gain more profit by allowing them to sell their PR services using their own branding. With more than 43000 stories published for clients all over the globe, KISS PR Brand Story is currently expanding their operations from Cayman Islands, Dallas, New York City, and more recently in West Palm, Florida.

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The debate around social medias impact on mental health is hardly new, but the conversation has recaptured the worlds attention in light of reports this fall that suggest Facebook has been well aware of the toxic mental health consequences of its platforms for teens.

While this data -- and the knowledge that Facebook ignored these concerns -- is troubling, understanding social medias impact on mental health isnt all that simple. In fact, theres a strong argument to be made that social media can offer safe, affirming spaces and connections for young people on the journey to discover themselves and their identities.

These benefits are too often pushed aside while the dark consequences of social media rage on. The fact is that todays popular social networking platforms, like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and more, are designed with monetization as a top priority. At their core, these apps encourage excessive use because more user hours on the app equal more ad support.

The tech industry has an opportunity -- and a responsibility -- to make space for platforms that arent dependent on ad dollars.

While some have responded to the latest backlash by declaring that spaces like Instagram should be strictly reserved for adults, I strongly believe that its possible to build a social media environment that is beneficial for teenagers -- one that helps them discover themselves and affirm who they are; one that lets them explore their identities freely; and one that comforts them in times of darkness and helps them know they are not alone.

Im not sure this future can be cultivated by reactive features alone, but there is potential for social media giants to team up with other organizations and nonprofits to make social media a safer place for all people.

Creating space for ad-supported and nonprofit social media

While its difficult to imagine a world where for-profit social media is not a monopoly, it doesnt have to be this way. It may not be realistic to eliminate ad-supported social media apps completely, but the tech industry does have an opportunity -- and responsibility -- to make space for platforms that arent dependent on ad dollars.

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If the number of views, clicks and ads were secondary to peoples wants and needs, we could revolutionize the way social media platforms work. Together, we could build communities that users can come to on their own terms -- whether to escape pressure from other apps, connect with peers or find an accepting place where they can be themselves.

While a handful of ad-free social media spaces already exist -- such as Ello and TrevorSpace, The Trevor Projects social networking site for LGBTQ+ young people -- they are much smaller and have fewer features, and therefore may not attract the high volume of users who are accustomed to the bells and whistles that come with social media apps such as Instagram.

There also needs to be a space online for young people to explore their identities anonymously, which is nearly impossible when social media companies prioritize ad support over their users mental health and well-being. Advertisers want to know exactly who is spending time on social media so they can target users based on their age, gender, behavior and identities. This becomes especially problematic for young users who want to use social media as a vehicle for figuring out who they are but cant do so discreetly.

In order to overcome this, the industry as a whole needs to make more investments in social media spaces whose purpose isn't profit. Over the past few years, tech giants have made incredible strides in product innovation, which could be applied to other sites that give users a safe place to express themselves and find supportive communities.

Theres a time and place for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other ad-supported apps, but theres also a clear need and want for online spaces that arent driven by revenue. It doesnt have to be one or the other, and we can work together to make room for both.

With TrevorSpace, for example, weve invested in research to better understand our users wants and needs, without the added pressure of meeting specific revenue goals. Through this research, weve learned that our users look to the internet to explore their identities and value having a safe space where they can express themselves.

What if we used AI for good?

Beyond investing in more nonprofit social media platforms, theres also an opportunity for tech companies to apply their leading-edge AI developments to improve the user experience on social media and alleviate some of the mental health stressors caused by spending too much time online.

Social media sites currently use machine learning to inform algorithms that encourage people to spend more time online, but its possibilities extend far beyond that. We know that technology has the power to support peoples mental health instead of exacerbating mental illness, so what if we used AI to give users newfound control over social media?

Imagine if AI could help people find what they really need in a given moment -- like guiding users to content that makes them laugh when they want to laugh or cry when they want to cry, facilitating connections between like-minded users that build positive relationships, or suggesting resources that give them skills or knowledge that positively impact their life.

The majority of social media apps today use AI to determine our feeds, for you pages and timelines for us. However, if we instead used AI to let people guide their own journeys on social media, we could foster a fundamentally different emotional experience  one that supported their wants and needs instead of simply monopolizing their time and attention.

This sounds like a no-brainer, and some may even believe this is already happening. However, as recently bolstered by former Facebook product manager Frances Haugens testimony, this is simply not how the content we see is curated in the current hands of social media leaders. That must change.

Thanks to unprecedented innovations and research in social media, we have the technology needed to create sites that are conducive to our well-being; its just a matter of investing time and resources in developing them and creating space for nonprofit apps to coexist with major ad-supported apps.

Looking ahead, I see the potential for social media companies to partner with nonprofit companies to develop AI that gives users control over the content they see and how they interact with it, but it would take major time, investment and collaboration from both parties. It would also require social media giants to be OK with making room for much-needed alternative apps in the space.

Making social media safer and healthier for all people is a goal that many nonprofits, including The Trevor Project, are dedicated to realizing, and we would greatly benefit from social media companies help making it happen.
People walk past a board showing the currency exchange rates outside an exchange office in Istanbul

By Tuvan Gumrukcu and Mehmet Emin Caliskan

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Turkey's largest business group urged President Tayyip Erdogan's government on Saturday to abandon a monetary policy based on low rates that has prompted a crash in the lira, and called for a return to "rules of economic science".

The lira hit a record low beyond 17 against the U.S. dollar on Friday following fears of an inflationary spiral brought on by Erdogan's new policy in the face of soaring prices.

At the low, the currency had lost some 55% of its value this year, including 37% in the last 30 days.

The TUSIAD business group said it had warned the government of the negative impacts of the low-rates policy, and that the economic woes were harming businesses and citizens.

"As a result of the instability we have been experiencing in recent times, it has become clear that goals under this economic programme that is being attempted will not be achieved," it said in a statement.

It said "an environment of distrust and instability has been created" and the economic model risked causing "much bigger" problems in the future.

"Even exports, expected to benefit the most from this, have been harmed under this environment," it said.

Under pressure from Erdogan, the central bank has cut rates by 500 basis points since September. Erdogan has said the model will boost exports, employment and investments, while achieving high growth. Economists have called his experiment "reckless".

Later on Saturday, Turkey's banking association said Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati had briefed the association, the BDDK banking watchdog, and state bank managers over the new economic model at talks aimed at discussing "healthy, consistent growth".

Devlet Bahceli, an Erdogan ally and leader of the nationalist party MHP, dismissed the "problematic" statement by TUSIAD and said the new economic policy would succeed despite a "siege" on the economy.

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But Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) repeated a call for immediate elections and Meral Aksener, Chairwoman of the opposition Iyi party, said on Friday that Erdogan should resign.

"You have no fear of God, we understand, but at least have shame in front of people," she wrote on Twitter.

Several polls have shown support for Erdogan and his ruling AK Party at multi-year lows. Elections are scheduled for latest mid-2023.

Erdogan announced a 50% increase in the minimum wage that is widely expected to boost overall consumer price inflation by 3.5 to 10 percentage points. Economists expect inflation to soar beyond 30% next year.

Bakery worker Zeki Erdogan said the planned increase in the minimum wage was insufficient.

"It is really hard to make a living and pay the rent, gas, electricity, and water bills with 4,250 lira per month," he added. "The future is not bright."

(Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu, Editing by Clelia Oziel and Timothy Heritage)
Caroline County supervisors decided to defer a rezoning request to develop a solar farm. They wanted more time for a site visit and to get questions answered.

But the Board of Supervisors approved a different rezoning this week, for a multi-use office and industrial project to be built on the site of the Virginia Bazaar.

Whalebone Solar is seeking a special exception permit for a minor solar energy facility to be built on 30 acres off State Route 2 in Woodford, 3 1/2 miles from the CarolineSpotsylvania County border. The Planning Commission forwarded the request to the board with no recommendation after a tied vote.

Three residents who spoke at a public hearing this week opposed the project, expressing concerns that wildlife would be displaced, stormwater runoff could become a major issue and the bucolic scenery that Caroline offers would be lost.

Mary Hodge of Woodford said the land would be more efficient for growing food than making electricity.

Whatever the political climate is thats propelling this movement, please realize [solar power] is not clean, it is not green, and believe it or not, its not good for the environment, she said.
They know their kids, and this is us helping the parents feel empowered, McCall said.

Most families experience some degree of financial stress around the holidays, but it can be more acute when a family member is in jail, said FailSafe volunteer Brenda Amaya.

Often, Amaya said, grandparents or single parents are caring for the incarcerated persons children. In addition to everyday expenses and holiday expenses, they are having to put money on the books for the person behind bars, to pay for room and board, medication, medical treatment, dental care, commissary, food, phone calls, postal expenses and more, she said.

But No. 1, I hope this is a safe space where families can come out and say, I have a loved one who is incarcerated, without the shame and stigma, Amaya said. Its like the Me, too movement. Families can say, Me, too.

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Amaya discovered FailSafe when her younger brother went to prison four years ago. She said it was difficult to talk about the stress of what the family was going through with some of her friends.
The Spotsylvania County School Board approved a spending plan on Monday for $14.6 million in carryover funds, which requires the approval of the Board of Supervisors.

On Tuesday, supervisors failed to set a date for a necessary public hearing to make the budget adjustment by allocating the funds. Two votes on different motions to set a date for the public hearing failed in 33 ties.

The Livingston District has no vote as its representative, Barry Jett, died in November. A special election to replace him is scheduled for February.

The board previously approved the carryover funds as part of the countys budget.

On Tuesday, supervisors Tim McLaughlin and David Ross pushed to delay voting on the plan.

We just got this, McLaughlin said, adding that the new information includes bonuses.

He said the issue should be addressed early next month when new members start on the School Board and Board of Supervisors.

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There may be a different recommendation as far as how that $14 million carryover is spent, Mclaughlin said.
Stafford Hospital, which has six ICU beds, started the telemedicine program Dec. 7. Mary Washington Hospital, which has 38 ICU beds and has treated most COVID-19 patients in the region, will go live with the service in early January.

The e-ICU wont be the only example of new technology in the new year. Also in January, robots will be navigating the hallways of Mary Washington Hospital, making deliveries from one department to another and saving some stepsand timefor their human counterparts.

Nurses whove been working long hours during the pandemic may spend up to 30 percent of their shifts fetching and gathering supplies, said Dr. Vivian Chu, co-founder of Diligent Robotics, a Texas company that developed robots named Moxi.

Nurses and clinical care teams get pulled in so many directions and I love that we can integrate Moxi robots into the team to help relieve some of this stress, Chu said.

Eileen Dohmann, chief nursing officer at Mary Washington Healthcare, agreed.

If Moxi can take away some of those tasks that dont require an RN or a CNA or a tech to do, then Moxi is going to help us, she said.

THE FUTURE IS HERE
The Texas law was specifically drafted to evade federal court review. The last thing Newsom should be doing is encouraging more widespread use of the tactic.

It isnt difficult to imagine Texas or another red state drafting laws against gay marriage, vaccinations, birth control, transgender rights or gun control.

You can go on and on with examples, said Chemerinsky.

Of late, weve witnessed far too many examples of what can transpire when citizens feel empowered to take the law into their own hands.

The Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was led by a mob that wanted to decertify the presidential election.

Two people were killed and another wounded after teenager Kyle Rittenhouse drove 20 miles from his Illinois home to help impose order on civil unrest.

Three white Georgia men chased down and murdered Ahmaud Arbery, a black man they suspected of burglary who was jogging along a street.

We should be seeking to curtail vigilante justice, not encourage it.
WASHINGTON (AP)  In the months since President Joe Biden warned Russia's Vladimir Putin that he needed to crack down on ransomware gangs in his country, there hasnt been a massive attack like the one last May that resulted in gasoline shortages. But thats small comfort to Ken Trzaska.

Trzaska is president of Lewis & Clark Community College, a small Illinois school that canceled classes for days after a ransomware attack last month that knocked critical computer systems offline.

That first day, Trzaska said, I think all of us were probably up 20-plus hours, just moving through the process, trying to get our arms around what happened.

Even if the United States isnt currently enduring large-scale, front-page ransomware attacks on par with ones earlier this year that targeted the global meat supply or kept millions of Americans from filling their gas tanks, the problem hasn't disappeared. In fact, the attack on Trzaska's college was part of a barrage of lower-profile episodes that have upended the businesses, governments, schools and hospitals that were hit.

The colleges ordeal reflects the challenges the Biden administration faces in stamping out the threat  and its uneven progress in doing so since ransomware became an urgent national security problem last spring.

U.S. officials have recaptured some ransom payments, cracked down on abuses of cryptocurrency, and made some arrests. Spy agencies have launched attacks against ransomware groups and the U.S. has pushed federal, state and local governments, as well as private industries, to boost protections.

Yet six months after Biden's admonitions to Putin, its hard to tell whether hackers have eased up because of U.S. pressure. Smaller-scale attacks continue, with ransomware criminals continuing to operate from Russia with seeming impunity. Administration officials have given conflicting assessments about whether Russia's behavior has changed since last summer. Further complicating matters, ransomware is no longer at the top of the U.S.-Russia agenda, with Washington focused on dissuading Putin from invading Ukraine.

The White House said in a statement that it was determined to fight all ransomware through its various tools but that the governments response depends on the severity of the attack.

There are some that are law enforcement matters and others that are high impact, disruptive ransomware activity posing a direct national security threat that require other measures, the White House statement said.

Ransomware attacks  in which hackers lock up victims data and demand exorbitant sums to return it  surfaced as a national security emergency for the administration after a May attack on Colonial Pipeline, which supplies nearly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast.

The attack prompted the company to halt operations, causing gas shortages for days, though it resumed service after paying more than $4 million in ransom. Soon after came an attack on meat processor JBS, which paid an $11 million ransom.

Biden met with Putin in June in Geneva, where he suggested critical infrastructure sectors should be off limits for ransomware and said the U.S. should know in six months to a year whether we have a cybersecurity arrangement that begins to bring some order.

He reiterated the message in July, days after a major attack on a software company, Kaseya, that affected hundreds of businesses, and said he expected Russia to take action on cybercriminals when the U.S. provides enough information to do so.

Since then, there have been some notable attacks from groups believed to be based in Russia, including against Sinclair Broadcast Group and the National Rifle Association, but none of the same consequence or impact of those from last spring or summer.

One reason may be increased U.S. government scrutiny, or fear of it.

The Biden administration in September sanctioned a Russia-based virtual currency exchange that officials say helped ransomware gangs launder funds. Last month, the Justice Department unsealed charges against a suspected Ukrainian ransomware operator who was arrested in Poland, and has recovered millions of dollars in ransom payments. Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of U.S. Cyber Command, told The New York Times his agency has begun offensive operations against ransomware groups. The White House says that whole-of-government effort will continue.

I think the ransomware folks, the ones conducting them, are stepping back like, Hey, if we do that, thats going to get the United States government coming after us offensively, Kevin Powers, security strategy adviser for cyber risk firm CyberSaint, said of attacks against critical infrastructure.

U.S. officials, meanwhile, have shared a small number of names of suspected ransomware operators with Russian officials, who have said they have started investigating, according to two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Its unclear what Russia will do with those names, though Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted the countries have been having a useful dialogue and said a working mechanism has been established and is actually functioning.

It's also hard to measure the impact of individual arrests on the overall threat. Even as the suspected ransomware hacker awaits extradition to the U.S. following his arrest in Poland, another who was indicted by federal prosecutors was later reported by a British tabloid to be living comfortably in Russia and driving luxury cars.

Some are skeptical about attributing any drop-off in high-profile attacks to U.S. efforts.

It could have just been a fluke, said Dmitri Alperovitch, former chief technology officer of the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. He said asking Russia to crack down on large-scale attacks wont work because its way too granular of a request to calibrate criminal activity they dont even fully control.

Top American officials have given conflicting answers about ransomware trends since Bidens discussions with Putin. Some FBI and Justice Department officials say theyve seen no change in Russian behavior. National Cyber Director Chris Inglis said there's been a discernible decrease in attacks but that it was too soon to say why.

Its hard to quantify the number of attacks given the lack of baseline information and uneven reporting from victims, though the absence of disruptive incidents is an important marker for a White House trying to focus its attention on the most significant national security risks and catastrophic breaches.

Victims of ransomware attacks in the past few months have included hospitals, small businesses, colleges like Howard University  which briefly took many of its systems offline after discovering a September attack  and Virginia's legislature.

The attack at Lewis & Clark, in Godfrey, Illinois, was discovered two days before Thanksgiving when the school's IT director detected suspicious activity and proactively took systems offline, said Trzaska, the president.

A ransom note from hackers demanded a payment, though Trzaska declined to reveal the sum or identify the culprits. Though many attacks come from hackers in Russia or Eastern Europe, some originate elsewhere.

With vital education systems affected, including email and the school's online learning platform, administrators canceled classes for days after the Thanksgiving break and communicated updates to students via social media and through a public alert system.

The college, which had backups on the majority of its servers, resumed operations this month.

The ordeal was daunting enough to inspire Trzaska and another college president who he says endured a similar experience to plan a cybersecurity panel.

The stock quote from everyone," Trzaska said, is not if it's going to happen but when it's going to happen."

Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writer Dasha Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Imagine a Christmas Eve service by a campfire.

While a guitarist plays, you sing Silent Night, first sung by guitar in 1818. You sing other songs, too, pray, and hear the Christmas story.

Reminiscent of how early settlers might have celebrated the Christs birth, the outdoor event is one of four different types of Christmas Eve services planned Dec. 24 at First Lutheran Church.

Not everybodys the same so thats why were intentional about doing each one differently, said the Rev. Ernesto Medina, lead pastor. Its how were choosing to love.

As in the past, the church will continue to offer Christmas Eve services at 2, 4 and 7 p.m., with the new outdoor service at 10 p.m., all at 3200 E. Military Ave.

The public is invited to attend the services, which range from indoor formal and casual family services to an outdoor campfire event.

We are offering a variety of ways to enter the story  each of them different from another, so you pick which one is best for you, which one will make you feel the joy in the best possible way, said Medina, lead pastor.

Options are:

 2 p.m.  The church choir will sing three songs and attendees will sing lots of Christmas carols. Its a nice service, Medina said. Its like a Sunday on steroids. The church is beautiful.

 4 p.m.  This is a family, intergenerational service. Designed to be a comfortable and fun, it will feature the Unrehearsed Paper Bag Christmas Pageant.

When attendees enter, theyll find 80 paper bags. Each person  children and adults  take a bag. Those who find cotton balls in their bags are sheep. People with a piece of fabric in their bags are shepherds, while those who find garland are angels.

Were going to read the Christmas story, just like Linus did on A Charlie Brown Christmas  just straight out of Scripture, Medina said.

Three or four times during the reading of the Christmas story, there will be a pause.

When the shepherds are mentioned, all the people representing shepherds and sheep will come and stand at the altar.

The angels will come to the altar when the heavenly beings are mentioned in the story.

When baby Jesus is mentioned, a baby  probably in a car seat  will be brought to the altar.

Thus, the church has a living nativity while the story is told. In between the different times when people come to the altar, attendees will sing the first line of a Christmas carol.

 7 p.m.  This will be similar to a formal, midnight service. A soloist will sing O Holy Night.

 10 p.m.  The outdoor service will take place around a fire ring by the churchs mission center.

What weve imagined here is, What was it like before there was a town of Fremont? Before there were churches or buildings and people were just starting to move here, Medina said.

Medina believes those early settlers would have dressed warmly and gathered around a campfire.

So attendees of this service will gather around a campfire, too.

Were going to make sure we have our gloves and hats on and our jackets, Medina said. Were going to sing Christmas carols. Were going to tell the Christmas story, say prayers for the world, prayers for peace. Were going sing some more Christmas carols and then well say, goodnight.

The only musical instrument will be a guitar.

Were going to sing Silent Night the way it was written, which is led by a guitar, Medina said.

History records that the song first was performed in 1818 in an Austrian church in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. It was accompanied by guitar after river flooding possibly had damaged the church organ.

Its just a different way to celebrate Christmas, Medina said. Its just nice to be together.

Medina encourages the public to attend Christmas Eve services at First Lutheran, adding, We are thankful we are able to provide different options to celebrate Christmas together.

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Saturday

HomeStore, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart-to-heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. There will be karaoke by Curtis Morris from 7-11 p.m.

Childrens Christmas Party, 2-4 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. Parents and grandparents of young children are asked to bring children 10 years and under to the party. There will be games, prizes and a visit from Santa Claus. Hot dogs, chips and hot chocolate will be available. Parents and grandparents are asked to bring a small, wrapped gift with their childs name on it for Santa to hand out.

Pathfinder Chorus Christmas Concert, 2 p.m., St. Patrick Catholic Church, 3400 E. 16th St., Fremont. Admission is free. A freewill donation will be accepted for the Salvation Army in Fremont. The theme of the show is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! The show will feature a variety of secular and sacred songs.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Spiritual 12-Step Recovery Program, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous The Lie is Dead meeting, 8 p.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Sunday

Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity meeting, 10:30 a.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to 6 p.m., 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. There will be a coin auction at noon.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Monday

TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 850 N. Broad St., Fremont. Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Visitors (preteens, teens and adults  male and female) are welcome. The first meeting is free. For more information, call Janet Bloemker at 402-721-8952.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Lightkeepers Womens Group, 10 a.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. There will be a trustees meeting at 4 p.m.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Celebrate Recovery, 6:30 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road.

Keene Memorial Library board meeting, 6:30 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. The meeting will be held in person and electronically to allow remote meeting access via computer or telephone. The link and instructions are provided on the agenda and is posted in the agenda section of the citys website at www.fremontne.gov.

Fresh Hope Mental Health Support Group, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 854 meeting, 7 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club.

Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

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Theres no room in the inn  if youre an airplane.

Although Fremont has hotels to house guests who come to the city, it doesnt have a place to house aircraft that come here from other locations.

The current maintenance hangar at Fremont Municipal Airport is too small to house those aircraft, a concern for people who fly here.

They dont want to let their airplanes sit outside because of the weather, said Jim Kjeldgaard, fixed base operator.

Business owners and other guests dont want their planes outdoors when hail or other storms occur.

Thats especially true of multi-million dollar corporate jets that bring people to Fremont on business or to look at the city as a companys future site.

For many months, the airports advisory board has been seeking funds to construct a corporate hangar that would house incoming planes and serve as a maintenance hangar where aircraft is inspected and repaired.

The topic came up again Friday morning as the committee reviewed the airports Capital Improvement Program plan.

As theyve sought funds for a corporate hangar, board members questioned plans for a $3.8 million extension of Taxiway A  $383,080 which would come from the city  and suggested a less costly alternative.

The Taxiway A extension is proposed for 2024.

Dave Goedeken, director of public works for the city, said there is no money for airport projects in the citys Capital Improvement plan for the fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23. The council removed airport projects in the budget for those years.

Board members talked about the Taxiway A project during the meeting.

Taxiway A is not necessary, said Bill Dugan, board member. Its not something we have to have. Its not a safety issue.

Taxiway A runs parallel to the runway. The proposed project would extend this taxiway to the south end of the runway.

Dugan wondered if the nearby former runway 1-19 could be rehabilitated as a taxiway instead.

Goedeken said he has talked with Anna Lannin of the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics, about Taxiway A.

He said they believe if this project were submitted for federal dollars, it could receive anywhere from 90% to 100% in federal funding.

We would do away with 1-19, Goedeken said, noting that it needs major improvements to make it viable.

Board member Eric Johnson, however, believes 1-19 could be rehabilitated relatively inexpensively for now.

The concrete underneath it seems to be in pretty good shape. The asphalts shot, obviously, Johnson said.

Board chairman Bob Steenblock also wondered  if the city didnt have to come up with the almost $400,000 for its share of the Taxiway A extension  what it would cost to grind down the current asphalt and then apply a new asphalt overlay on 1-19.

Doesnt that bring it up to a runway status? Steenblock asked.

Johnson believes after the 1-19 pavement rehabilitation project is completed the Taxiway A extension could be moved back and funds used for the corporate hangar.

Goedeken said hed talk with Lannin about their ideas.

In related news about funding, Johnson said Fremont is set to receive $159,000 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is providing $15 billion for airport-related projects.

Theres not a lot of detail on it, said Johnson, adding he doesnt know when it will be available.

The Federal Aviation Administration states on its website that funds can be invested in runways, taxiways, safety and sustainability projects, as well as terminal, airport-transit connections and roadway projects.

Members also learned the Fremont airport will have $300,000 in entitlement funds from the federal government for future projects. In the past, such funds have been used for local projects like the new aircraft parking apron.

The board reviewed the capital improvement plan which provides an outline of proposed projects for the coming years with estimated costs.

Phase I proposed projects include rehabilitation of a runway section and connecting taxiway slated for 2023. The total estimated cost is $2.3 million. If approved, the federal government would pay more than $2 million. The citys share would be $230,000.

Goedeken said the Nebraska Department of Transportation sent a pavement assessment team to the airport about a month ago. The team is seeing in Fremont what its witnessing across the state  Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR).

Goedeken told the Tribune this occurs when a chemical in cement reacts to rock particles when it gets wet and crystalizes. The concrete tries to expand and breaks.

Its increasing the deterioration more quickly than what they had anticipated so we need to get in there do some rehab on that, Goedeken said, adding that this is a priority project.

Other proposed Phase I projects are:

The $3.8 million Taxiway A extension project, slated for 2024, which would receive more than $3.4 million in federal funds.

Rehabilitation of the asphalt apron and connecting taxiway slated for 2025 with a total estimated cost of $374,760. Of that, the federal share would be $337,284 with the local share at $37,476.

Johnson expressed concern that a project to update the Airport Layout Plan (ALP), originally slated for 2023, was moved from Phase I to Phase II with a projected 2030 date.

The ALP update is projected to cost $350,000. Of that, $315,000 would come from federal funds while $35,000 would be local cost.

Johnson said the actual approval date of that plan was 1998, although there have been updates.

But it was never looked at real hard for our future needs, for hangars, Johnson said. To me, thats kind of a critical project, thats just my opinion, especially with all this potential money coming out and we dont really have a good plan moving forward, we might be at the back of the pack.

Kjeldgaard agreed.

Especially considering local cost would be roughly $35,000 for this $350,000 study. Thats pretty cheap. We do need the airport layout plan updated. The one weve got doesnt even look like the airport weve got anymore, Kjeldgaard said.

Tom Randall, board vice chairman, wondered why the corporate hangar project wasnt part of the CIP plan.

Goedeken said theres no funding for it.

Thats an important thing for the viability of our airport, Randall said. From my perspective, the corporate hangar is a very high priority and should be in the process of funding, however we make that happen.

Work is progressing on the new airport terminal, which will be constructed entirely through local funding. The project is on track for completion by Feb. 1.

In May 2020, the advisory committee discovered that the original plan for an airport terminal and a corporate hangar was over budget, with an estimated cost of $3.6 million.

Mike Wachal, structural engineer and chief financial officer at Davis Design, said the terminal, minus fees, was estimated to cost $1.7 million. The corporate hangar, minus fees, was estimated to cost $1.6 million.

During Fridays meeting, Goedeken said he stands by the decision to have a corporate hangar, but also shared insights with the advisory board.

I got kinda taken to the wood shed by the city council when we were doing the design on the corporate hangar, he said.

Councilmembers wondered why a corporate hangar was needed when a terminal already was going to be built.

Its going to be a tough sell when it gets to the city council, Goedeken said of the corporate hangar.

Goedeken cited other requests that have come before the council, like a new police station, more firefighters and expansion of the fire station and street department shop, along with the need for road work.

At one point, Kjeldgaard wondered if the city could apply for grants for the airport like it has for other projects.

Kjeldgaard also said there is no room to expand the current maintenance hangar.

Whats more, he told the Tribune that the maintenance hangar is about  mile from the new terminal.

There is no lounge or other place for people to stay while work is being done on their aircraft.

When planes come in, maintenance crew members will need to leave the hangar to drive people from there to the new terminal. They also will need to leave the hangar to take care of other needs that arise at the terminal if no one is there, along with driving there to use the bathroom since the hangar doesnt have one.

Kjeldgaard and board members also discussed the need for repairs on smaller, city-owned hangars. Johnson wondered if insurance would pay for some of those repairs.

The airport advisory committee meets at 8:15 a.m. on the third Friday of each month in the current airport terminal at 1203 W. 23rd St. Meetings are open to the public.

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The unrecognized Taliban government in Afghanistan has appealed to the international community to help counter a worsening economic crisis that threatens to drive more migrants out of the country.

Taliban representative Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, who holds the post of deputy foreign minister, made the appeal at a meeting in Kabul on December 18 to mark the United Nations' International Migrants Day.

The conference was attended by representatives of the International Organization for Migration and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Stanikzai called on the United States, which has blocked billions of dollars of Afghanistan's reserves, to help the country recover from decades of war.

The United Nations has estimated that millions of Afghans could face hunger this winter following the abrupt withdrawal of international aid after the Taliban seized power. Millions are unemployed, and the banking system is unreliable.

The United States has refused to release some $9 billion in Afghan central-bank reserves or to lift sanctions against Taliban leaders.

Taliban de facto Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Red Cross officials on December 18 and assured them that international aid groups were welcome in Afghanistan and would be able to work unhindered.

The Taliban took over the country in mid-August, shortly after the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. No country has yet recognized the Islamist Taliban government.

Based on reporting by Reuters
Uzbekistan has sent experts to the northern Afghanistan city of Mazar-e Sharif to help repair its airport equipment and restart operations.

The Uzbek special presidential envoy for Afghanistan, Ismatilla Ergashev, said on December 17 that the technicians would complete their work on the airport early next year.

The assistance reflects a willingness by neighboring Central Asian states to engage with the Taliban after the movement toppled the Western-backed government in mid-August as U.S. and allied forces withdrew.

Uzbekistan has also helped the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other aid groups set up a humanitarian hub in the southern Uzbek border city of Termez.

The UN refugee agency has so far sent 100 tons of humanitarian aid to a logistics center in Termez.

Earlier this week, the UN agency sent its first two aid trucks filled with 40 tons of basic necessities such as kitchen kits and plastic sheeting from the border city to Mazar-e Sharif.

Afghanistan is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe, with more than half of its population at risk of not having enough to eat during the winter, according to the UN.

Based on reporting by Reuters and RFE/RL's Uzbek Service
The death toll from a sewer gas explosion in Karachi, Pakistan, grew to 17 on December 19 as some critically injured people died overnight and two more bodies were recovered in the debris left from the blast, police said.

Twelve people initially were reported dead after the explosion on December 18 in a sewage system in the commercial hub of Pakistan. Authorities have ruled out terrorism as the cause.

They are instead focusing on building-code violations. Many sewage channels in the countrys biggest city have been covered by concrete structures built illegally over them.

Senior police officer Sarfaraz Nawaz Shaikh said the loss of lives and property could be blamed on human error in allowing construction over the sewer.

The blast destroyed the HBL bank building constructed over the sewer and damaged a nearby gas station. The bank building was one of several ordered to be vacated after violating building laws, according to Mukhtar Abro, a local administrator.

An investigative team quoted by the news outlet Dawn.com said the blast occurred due to the release of gases from the sewage line beneath the building housing the bank and another office.

This report and an examination of the site showed that the bank and the other office were constructed on the sewage line illegally and continuous leaking of gases from the [drain] caused this incident, the investigators said, according to Dawn.com.

Based on reporting by AP, dpa, and Dawn.com
A mayoral candidate in northwestern Pakistan has been shot dead in a drive-by attack just ahead of elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

Local police say Omar Khitab Sherani was gunned down on the night of December 17-18 in the Dera Ismail Khan district by two men riding on motorcycles.

Sherani, a member of Pakistan's secular Awami National Party (ANP), was a candidate in elections on December 19 that will determine the head of a "tehsil," or subdistrict, in Dera Ismail Khan district.

A local ANP leader told RFE/RL that Sherani's body was discovered on the morning of December 18 on a street in front of his home.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and police have launched an investigation.

Members of the ANP staged a protest against Sherani's assassination on December 18 and placed his body in front of the town hall in Dera Ismail Khan. Protesters chanted anti-government slogans, saying the government had failed to protect the political leadership.

Local elections will be held in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on December 19, and in 18 districts on January 16.

The elections feature 35,000 candidates and will determine the makeup of 66 tehsil councils as well as 2,382 town and village council seats.
Covered in drops of sweat, paint and at least a small amount of blood, the couple cant help but smile while they talk about building the bar around them.

No, its not just a bar. Its a gay piano bar.

And its not just a place to grab a glass of Prosecco on tap. Its a place to feel safe and loved, no matter who you love, and free to sing along to whatever tune is coming from the piano.

At least thats the goal.

Business partners and boyfriends Josh Franklin, a Colorado Springs native, and John Wolfe, who grew up in West Virginia, are used to being on Broadway stages and touring theaters across the country. But theyve (mostly) paused their jobs in the arts to open Icons, what theyre emphasizing as the downtown areas only food and beverage establishment designed and geared toward the LGBTQIA community.

A grand opening is planned for Friday.

During tough days of renovating the space at 3 E. Bijou St., formerly Bellas Bakery, Franklin doesnt forget why hes building this.

And why hes doing this here, in a town that was not always kind to a teenager bold enough to come out in high school in the 1990s.

There was the homophobic slur spray-painted on his car, found after homecoming his senior year. There were harsh chants  Josh is gay!  during his marching band performances.

You know, he says now. Kids can be mean.

Back then, the cruelty was heavy. Staying in Colorado Springs felt impossible for Franklin. So he left. With big dreams of acting and of being accepted, he moved to New York City. He stayed for the next 18 years, appearing in Broadway shows like Grease, Legally Blonde and Ghost. Hes also recorded two albums of original music.

As those dreams were coming true, Franklin met a boy who loved to dance. They both had dogs. They both had big dreams. There was an instant connection.

They told each other their stories. Franklin shared about his hometown, which kind of sounded like Wolfes time in college in Utah.

My sexuality was found out, Wolfe said. And I wasnt able to go there anymore.

When it was time to bring Wolfe home to meet his family about five years ago, Franklin set low expectations for Colorado Springs.

I think anybody going back to their hometown is going to have a certain perspective, Wolfe said.

Wolfe, on the other hand, saw something else.

My impression was this was going to be the next best thing, he said.

Franklins mind started to change, too.

His fresh eyes on Colorado Springs got me excited, he said. I could see the growth and the momentum.

They bought a house here and rented it out while continuing to tour and work in New York.

After Franklin performed in a show on New Years Eve in 2019 with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, the couple decided to finally stay for a while in the house they bought.

I knew I could make a bigger difference in Colorado Springs than I ever could in New York, Franklin said. And it would mean more.

Then the coronavirus pandemic halted their theater commitments, leaving time to come up with new dreams. They thought of all the cities smaller than Colorado Springs theyd visited and what was missing here.

We couldnt believe there still wasnt a gay bar downtown, Franklin said, adding that it can send the message that this community doesnt embrace LGBTQ people.

As he points out, there are gay friendly bars in town. And Club Q, a gay bar located on North Academy Boulevard, offers more of a club vibe compared to the mellow feel the owners of Icons are going for.

The 2,100-square foot space will lean into the theme of queer icons, says Franklin. There will be a 7-foot painting of Dorothys red slippers and a wall of black-and-white portraits of faces who have influenced the LGBTQ community. Local artist Molly McClure was commissioned to paint vibrant murals of stars like Nina Simone and Lady Gaga.

The menu will offer themed cocktails like the Ricky Martini alongside food items such as over the top hot dogs. There will often be live music in one form or another.

Bartenders will make you a drink and then sing to you, Franklin said. And if theyre too busy, well sing something for you on the piano.

Both Franklin and Wolfe plan on regularly lending their performing skills at the bar.

Since moving back here, Franklin says he feels Colorado Springs is a loving place to live.

The couple hopes Icons adds to that.

Being part of Icons  means offering hope to LGBTQIA youth and adults for a life outside of the shadows, proud of our struggles and our demand for acceptance, they wrote on a GoFundMe campaign for the bar. Something little Josh had only dreamt about growing up in this beautiful town.
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An investigator marks evidence at the scene of a shooting Nov. 5 at Nome Park in Aurora. The newest suspects to be arrested in the shooting, boys ages 15 and 16, were taken into custody without incident and booked on charges of attempted first-degree murder, according to the Aurora Police Department.
Colorado officials have identified what they believe is the state's first case of omicron community spread, and Gov. Jared Polis said Thursday morning that it was "only a matter of time" before the new strain "becomes the prevalent variant in Colorado."
Forty Years Ago This Week: Arapahoe County Republican activist Freda Poundstone returned from a trip to Washington D.C. for what was a whirlwind trip of political meetings, and topping her agenda had been a meeting with President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush.
One Garner man had a whirlwind of a day Wednesday, and it wasn't the storm that blew him away.

Michael Duregger purchased a $5 Holiday Crossword ticket at Kwik Star, 150 E. U.S. Highway 18 in Garner, and claimed his $50,000 prize Wednesday at the lottery's Mason City regional office, according to a press release.

The $50,000 Holiday Crossword features 13 top prizes of $50,000. All nonwinning holiday scratch tickets can be entered into the lottery's Warehouse Dash Play It Again promotion, which awards cash prizes, and trips to Chicago for a 90-second Warehouse Dash shopping spree. For rules and complete details, visit ialottery.com

Gretchen Burnette is a Weeklies Editor and Daily Reporter at the Globe Gazette. You can reach her by phone at 641.421.0523 or at Gretchen.Burnette@GlobeGazette.com

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A 28-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of a woman found in a northside home after a fire in September.

Dominick Daniel Degner, 28, is in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on first degree murder charges, according to a press release issued on Friday afternoon by the Mason City Police Department.

Tonette Wolfe, 24, of Mason City, was found by firefighters who were responding to a fire call at 5:06 a.m. on Sept. 7 at 123 N. Tennessee Ave. Degner and Wolfe shared the home.

In the months since Wolfe's body was found, police put up barricades and crime scene tape around the perimeter of the property. A security camera facing the front door was also installed.

The press release says the MCPD was assisted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa State Fire Marshal.

A request for the cause and manner of Wolfe's death to the state Medical Examiner's Office was referred to the state Department of Public Health. Spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand said in an email in mid-November that that had yet to be determined.

The property is owned by Steven Vandenberg and was valued at $22,370. Along with property damage, there was approximately $5,000 in damages to personal belongings.

A criminal complaint for Degner has not yet been filed in Cerro Gordo County District Court, but Degner has been previously convicted of burglary, criminal mischief and harassment in other Iowa courts.

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DES MOINES -- The state board that provides oversight of physicians has received 17 complaints about doctors in Iowa spreading false or misleading information about COVID-19, a state official said.

Of those 17 complaints, five have been dismissed without the board taking any disciplinary action; 12 complaints remain under investigation, according to Kent Nebel, executive director of the Iowa Board of Medicine.

That puts Iowa in the vast majority nationally: roughly 1 in 5 state medical boards has taken disciplinary action against a licensee for disseminating false or misleading information about COVID-19, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards.

And just 1 in 4 state medical boards has published statements about the dissemination of false or misleading COVID information, according to the national federation.

The complaints also put Iowa in line with national trends: two-thirds of state medical boards have experienced an increase in complaints relating to licensees disseminating false or misleading information, according to the national federation.

The staggering number of state medical boards that have seen an increase in COVID-19 disinformation complaints is a sign of how widespread the issue has become, Humayun J. Chaudhry, president and CEO of the Federation of State Medical Boards, said in a news release. We are encouraged by the number of boards that have already taken action to combat COVID-19 disinformation by disciplining physicians who engage in that behavior and by reminding all physicians that their words and actions matter, and they should think twice before spreading disinformation that may harm patients.

Under Iowa law, all complaint and investigation information is confidential, Nebel said. If any disciplinary action is taken, that would become a public record.

The Board evaluates each complaint on a case-by-case basis to determine whether a physician has engaged in conduct that may be harmful to patients or the public, Nebel said.

In Iowa, 7,680 people have died from COVID-19 or COVID-related causes, according to state public health data. The state, like many other areas in the country, is currently experiencing another wave of infections, once again putting significant stress on hospitals. The 843 Iowans hospitalized for COVID is the most since late November of 2020, in the heart of the worst of the pandemic.

In Iowa, 58.4% of the population is fully vaccinated, according to federal data. Thats the 25th-highest rate in the nation.

This summer, the Federation of State Medical Boards board of directors issued a statement responding to what it called a dramatic increase in the dissemination of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and disinformation by physicians and other health care professionals on social media platforms, online and in the media. The statement warned that such actions could result in disciplinary action, including the suspension or revocation of medical licenses.

Due to their specialized knowledge and training, licensed physicians possess a high degree of public trust and therefore have a powerful platform in society, whether they recognize it or not. They also have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interests of their patients and must share information that is factual, scientifically grounded and consensus-driven for the betterment of public health, the statement said. Spreading inaccurate COVID-19 vaccine information contradicts that responsibility, threatens to further erode public trust in the medical profession and puts all patients at risk.

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Educators announced plans to increase security in response to TikTok posts warning of shooting and bomb threats at schools around the country Friday as officials assured parents the viral posts were not considered credible.

The social media threats had many educators on edge as they circulated in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Michigan, which has been followed by numerous copycat threats to schools elsewhere.

School officials in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania said Thursday there would be an increased police presence because of the threats.

The vague, anonymous posts circulating online warned that multiple schools would receive shooting and bomb threats.

The administrators said local police departments would increase their presence around schools "out of an abundance of caution."

Mason City Schools Superintendent Dave Versteeg said the police department provided officers to Mason City High School, and all district buildings reviewed their safety procedures on Friday.

"We regularly communicated with school officials and provided extra patrol to school facilities during our patrol shifts," said Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley. "It is really important that parents communicate with their children about how to properly use social media, how to report unusual or suspicious behavior when they see it, and what to do when they are concerned about a classmate or friends wellbeing."

Versteeg said teachers in the district generally understood that there was no actual threat.

"Each of the buildings has emergency plans for a variety of situations, including an active shooter," said Versteeg via email. "Our teachers are also excellent at assessing the needs of their students and alerting other professionals such as counselors, social workers and nurses (when the need arises.)

Mason City High School sophomore Maximus Dhabalt said there wasn't a lot of people in his classes, adding that his friends all knew what was going on but it wasn't brought up.

"My parents and I kind of talked about it. Since they arrested two people and it's kind of going on social media, like all over the U.S., we kind of thought it was just whatever and didn't want to live in fear kind of thing," said Dhabalt.

Another student said they were "freaking out" because no one wanted to come to school on Friday, noting that each of their classes had around a dozen students maximum in attendance.

Audra Mulholland, who is also a sophomore at the high school said that while the classrooms were a lot more bare than normal, there was a plus side to that.

School was really interesting. There was no one there, one of my classes only had three people in it, said Mulholland. It was just kind of a relaxing day cause no one was there.

Versteeg said the high school had around 25% of its student body absent on Friday.

"Today, school districts and law enforcement across Iowa worked together to address perceived threats against schools across the nation being posted on social media platforms," Iowa Division of Intelligence Assistant Director Pat Wyamire said in a statement late Friday afternoon. "The Iowa Department of Public Safety monitored the situation throughout the day, and worked with school districts and local law enforcement on a small handful of concerns. No creditable threats of immediate action were received by the Division of Intelligence."

In a statement on Twitter, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to investigate.

"We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness," the statement said, "which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok."

At least a few districts announced plans to close school buildings Friday, including Gilroy High School in northern California. Gilroy police said they found threats on social media not to be credible, but school officials said final exams scheduled for Friday, the last day before winter break, would be postponed to January out of an abundance of caution.

"Making the decision to cancel classes tomorrow has not been an easy one," Principal Greg Kapaku said in a message to parents.

The Michigan State Police, among law enforcement agencies responding to the posts, said in a statement Thursday it was unaware of any credible threats.

Internet companies such as TikTok are generally exempt from liability under U.S. law for the material users post on their networks, thanks in large part to the legal "safe harbor" they are given by Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act.

"It would be unlikely that TikTok would be liable if there were actually to be a shooting," said Jeff Kosseff, who wrote a book about Section 230 and teaches cybersecurity law at the U.S. Naval Academy. "Even without 230, there are just a lot of barriers against being able to bring a cause of action against the medium on which a threat was posted."

But Kosseff, who got a warning about the TikTok challenge Thursday from his daughter's school district in Arlington, Virginia, said that doesn't mean TikTok can't do something about it.

"They have a lot of flexibility to be doing the right thing and taking down harmful content. I am hopeful they are doing that," he said.

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Cases linked to three ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks in the Dan River Region continue to rise, the Virginia Department of Health reported Friday.

There are now 58 infections connected with an outbreak at Westover Christian Academy in Danville, up from 44 reported last week. The health department only updates details surrounding certain outbreaks once a week and sometimes data is delayed reaching the dashboard.

Reported Oct. 20, the health department still classifies the Westover outbreak as ongoing. Thats because officials retain that designation until 28 days have passed without a positive case surfacing.

Westover officials did not respond to questions from the Register & Bee in time for publication.

An ongoing outbreak  reported Oct. 20  at Gretna Health and Rehabilitation Center increased by two cases to 37 infections, the health department reported. There are six deaths associated with those cases.

Another infection was recorded at the Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute to bring the total to 27 cases associated with that still-active outbreak reported Oct. 26.

No other outbreaks have surfaced this week in the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District. So far, 2,074 cases and 120 deaths are linked across 83 outbreaks in Danville and Pittsylvania County since the start of the pandemic.

The majority of those outbreaks are in a catch-all congregate setting category that includes everything from businesses to churches. There have to be two cases linked to the same setting before health officials will declare an outbreak.

Current cases

Cases artificially surged Thursday when 173 new infections appeared for Danville and Pittsylvania County. A backlog of data from September is blamed for the bump, said Linda Scarborough, a spokesperson with the Virginia Department of Health.

With the dramatic jump in cases, the regions seven-day rolling average is now skewed and doesnt represent a current snapshot of the pandemic. Before those 173 cases appeared, Danville and Pittsylvania County combined were adding about two dozen new COVID-19 infections per day. Virginias caseloads have increased 10% from the previous week.

Week-over-week hospitalizations have jumped 20% in the commonwealth. As of Friday, there were 1,403 patients being treated for COVID-19 throughout the state.

The Dan River Regions positivity rate  a figure that measures the positive COVID-19 results against all tests administered  remains elevated. Pittsylvania Countys rate has increased to 20%, meaning 1-in-5 people who undergo a COVID-19 test yield a positive result. Danvilles rate stood at 9.78% as of Friday morning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Both localities are well above the 5% threshold the CDC uses to measure community spread of the virus. Its one reason both areas  and nearly all of Virginia  are categorized at the highest possible risk of virus transmission.

In these areas, federal and state health authorities recommend wearing face coverings in public indoor settings in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Vaccine recommendation

On Thursday, the state health department adopted the CDCs stance to recommend Moderna or Pfizer vaccines over the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot.

After briefly pausing the J&J vaccine in April over a rare blood-clotting issue, the CDC has continued to monitor the situation. Recent data show people who received the Johnson & Johnson version have a higher rate of developing the blood-clotting issue, although its still very rare.

Bottom line, this is simply about following the science, said Dr. Danny Avula, the states vaccine liaison. Virginia will be following the CDCs recommendations, as we have throughout the course of the pandemic.

The CDC reports 54 blood-clotting issues documented between March 2 and Aug. 31. As of last week there were nine deaths associated with it. Putting it in perspective, there have been more than 17 million Johnson & Johnson vaccines administered.

Weve collected and studied the data and are acting accordingly, all with the goal of patient safety foremost in our minds, Avula wrote in a statement.
Jingle and sleigh bells may be ringing later on this holiday week, but COVID-19 alarm bells sounded Friday with the latest report from the University of Virginia.

In the span of a few weeks, models went from showing a relatively minor increase in coronavirus infections heading into 2022 to yet another surge that could be three times higher than this past winter.

The difference? The omicron variant is now factored into forecasts.

UVas Biocomplexity Institute presents a plethora of paths forward as the pandemic enters its second year. Its something the university has performed since the early days of the pandemic.

Much like weather models, the simulations at UVa show whats possible given the current mix of information. UVa terms these as forecasts instead of predictions. The goal is to provide scientific data on the possibilities, giving residents the ability to alter behavior that previously helped stave off other dire warnings.

On the present course scenario, cases would gradually rise starting early next year and peak at a low level in April.

At this point, the adaptive scenario seems optimistic, researchers said.

While there are still many questions swirling around the newly discovered omicron variant, the extreme rate of transmission  the ability to hop from person-to-person  outweighs early evidence it may cause less severe illness.

Omicron has not been detected in Danville or Pittsylvania County, Brookie Crawford, a spokesperson with the Virginia Department of Health, confirmed Friday.

UVas omicron scenario suggests a rapid rise in cases in the coming weeks peaking in March. That surge would be nearly three times last years record level of infections fueled mostly by holiday gatherings.

Though early and muddled by the current complex immunity profile for COVID-19, it appears that the Omicron variant may cause less severe disease than previous variants, researchers wrote in Fridays report. Even if Omicrons severity is similar to or lower than seasonal flus we find ourselves in much the same place as early in the pandemic.

Thats because this new altered version of the coronavirus shows it can infect people who have natural immunity  those whove contracted COVID-19 before  and the unboosted population, the report notes.

Locally, the omicron scenario could show about 1,200 cases per week in Danville and Pittsylvania County, almost double the 688 record set Jan. 10.

UVas projections factor in the variants reduced severity. However, it still shows hospitalizations  already rising now  could easily top the peaks of last winter, a time that pushed many health systems to the limit.

Vaccines

In light of the new Omicron variant and the rise in cases and complications as more people gather indoors with the holidays and with the colder weather, we encourage everyone eligible for a vaccine or booster to get it this month to continue to protect your health and to keep friends and loved ones safe during your holiday celebrations and travel, Dr. Scott Spillmann, director of the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District, told the Register & Bee via email Friday.

In recent weeks Danville has inched closer to having half of its population considered fully vaccinated. As of Saturday morning, 49.9% of residents have achieved that status. Over in Pittsylvania County, 47.7% of the population falls under the fully vaccinated designation.

The problem  noted in previous UVa reports  is the effectiveness of vaccinations wanes over time. Thats why federal, state and local health experts are rallying for residents to again roll up their sleeves for a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

So far, 16.7% of Danville residents and 14.9% of those who live in Pittsylvania County have received a booster dose.

Cases have increased over the last several weeks in Virginia, the same trend unfolding across the nation. Locally, the numbers are blurred by an artificial bump from 173 infections added Thursday from a backlog dating to September. Before the data dump, Danville and Pittsylvania County were adding about two dozen new COVID-19 cases per day.

Nearly every corner of the commonwealth is in the highest risk category for COVID-19 spread, most retaining that designation since the delta variant stormed the scene over the summer, spurring the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Holidays

The good news is that each of us have more tools available to limit the number of infections this holiday season, UVa researchers wrote in Fridays report.

Unlike last year when health officials strongly advised against seasonal gatherings, vaccinations and boosters have provided the dash of confidence for celebrations.

Thats not to say there wont be risks.

Though there is some preliminary evidence that it may not be quite as severe as Delta, it still poses a serious health risk, UVa experts said. Furthermore, with its increased immune escape, it has the potential to cause a significant number of reinfections, as well as another major surge.

Along with vaccines, the health department advises residents wear a mask in indoor public spaces and reconsider inside holiday activities where its hard to wear a mask, like dining.

Gathering outside or in well-ventilated spaces also reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19. Above all, if anyone feels sick or shows any signs of COVID-19, they should stay home and away from others.

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For parent Shelley Mayhew, high-speed internet access in Pittsylvania County would enhance her childrens learning.

Its very difficult, Mayhew said of the lack of broadband where she lives in Climax. I have two students in the school system. Its very difficult for them to complete any online assignments that theyre given.

She and her husband have attempted to obtain high-speed internet, but they cannot get a signal from the companies theyve contacted, she said.

We have tried many providers, Mayhew said.

But the days of struggling to get hooked up to broadband will likely be over for county residents in the next few years. The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors set a goal in 2019 as part of a strategic plan that at least 90% of county residents have broadband access by 2024.

Nearly $40 million in state grant money announced last week will help pay to deliver access to thousands of unserved residents in the county.

Pittsylvania County and RiverStreet Networks have been awarded $39.5 million from the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative for the $75 million fiber-to-the home network that will bring access to 12,000 unserved locations in three years, county officials announced Tuesday afternoon.

The endeavor is part of a larger, multi-locality project.

This grant award is a major milestone in meeting our commitment to bring reliable and affordable internet access to unserved households in Pittsylvania County, Bob Warren, chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors, said last week.

Pittsylvania County, Pittsylvania County Schools and RiverStreet Networks signed a memorandum of understanding in September, jointly committing to leverage all possible funding opportunities to continue expanding fiber across the county. For the first phase of the project, the county and the school system committed a combined $16.5 million to the effort, which RiverStreet Networks matched with $19.6 million. The remainder of the funding, $39.5 million, will come from the state grant.

The award is part of more than $722 million that was allocated to 35 projects across the commonwealth.

The $39.5 million award is part of a larger, $87 million grant for RiverStreet Networks and the West Piedmont Planning District Commission, which includes several other rural Virginia counties. The Department of Housing and Community Development administers the program, which provides financial assistance to extend broadband service to unserved areas.

Climax resident Denise Walker does not have reliable access to an internet provider other than using her cellphone hot spots.

Most recently, we have secured a jetpack from our cellphone provider, which is still not incredibly reliable but it is our only option, Walker told the Danville Register & Bee.

A jetpack is a product that allows connection to the internet on more than one device.

From March to May 2020  and one day every week last school year  Walkers elementary-school child had to leave home to attend remote meetings where assignments were given and submitted.

A lot of her learning took place outside of her home at her relatives who had more reliable internet, Walker said.

There were hot spots at certain schools, but that did not work successfully for the Walkers due to scheduling conflicts with her and her husbands jobs.

But the jetpack has provided better access than before, she added.

That has helped some, Walker said. We are in a much better place than we have been.

Funding

The county and the school division are both contributing part of the funds received from the American Rescue Plan Act to the broadband project, with the county investing $6.5 million and the school system contributing $5.5 million, according to a news release from the county.

The remaining $4.5 million will be covered through a revenue sharing agreement with RiverStreet Networks. All of the money generated through the agreement will be re-invested into additional broadband construction efforts, according to the news release.

The county and RiverStreet are pursuing additional funding opportunities and grants to expand the scope of the fiber-to-the-home network across the county.

In September, numerous individuals in the county wrote letters of support for the state grant, citing dire need for high-speed internet access.

The citizens of Pittsylvania County have long suffered with little to no internet service in many of our rural areas, wrote Tony Lundy, president and CEO of Mobile Container Service Inc., in the county.

Lack of internet service has also adversely affected Lundys business, he wrote.

We have customers all over the U.S. and Canada, he wrote to Tamarah Holmes, director of the Office of Broadband under the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development VATI Program. The lack of a fast internet service makes invoicing customers a slow process and has greatly hampered our growth and the amount of additional employees that we could hire. The local cable and internet providers have customers in Westbridge Farm within 250 feet of my office, but refuse to give us service because of the River Ridge Road address.

In another letter to Holmes, Pittsylvania County Schools supervisor of Title 1/instructional programs Cedric J. Hairston wrote, Pittsylvania is the largest land-area county in our state; therefore, many of our citizens in these identified areas suffer with little to no internet service. This became a major challenge over the past 18 months as many of our students in the division had to rely on an adult to take them to a schools hot spot, which was located as far as 15 miles from their home in order to receive or submit their lessons.

Kim Haymore, principal at Stony Mill Elementary School, wrote to Holmes that parents with multiple children had to assign times for them to connect to the internet because their internet service would not support multiple users.

This resulted in students missing several instructional lessons per day, Haymore wrote, referring to virtual school that took place during the pandemic. Parents should never be faced with deciding which child can receive instruction and which child cannot.

Also, where internet service is available in county, its usually slow, unreliable and extremely sensitive to weather, she added.

A simple rain shower or strong wind can take out internet service for hours, she wrote. This limits both teachers and students from accessing instructional materials while at home.

The price

But what about citizens who may not be able to afford high-speed internet, those for whom the added amenity would mean another bill?

Robert Taylor, business development manager for RiverStreet Networks, said the company has a discount program in place and is also signing up for the new Federal Communication Commissions Affordable Connectivity Program.

The program will supply up to a $30 credit per month for internet service for eligible households, Taylor said. Other help will be offered to customers, as well, he said.

Additionally, RSN knows that a major hurdle for low income households to get internet service is the one-time connection cost, he added. This is one reason why RSN covers the expense to connect any location within 2,000 feet of their fiber run and is also working with the state to hopefully cover long loop fees in a new program that they are thinking about launching in the near future.

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Gov. Ralph Northams press secretary said Saturday that the governor is reversing a decision by his health commissioner to lay off 14 people who monitor drinking water in Virginia.

The announcement saves the jobs of 11 full-time and three part-time employees in the state Department of Healths Office of Drinking Water. It comes three days after the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on the layoffs and how they would have canceled 180 years of combined experience by six engineers who serve as field directors across the state.

The Governor has directed the Department of Health and the Department of Planning and Budget to fix the Office of Drinking Waters budget shortfall now so that no one will lose their positions  this office and these individuals are too important to do otherwise, Alena Yarmosky, the governors press secretary, said in an email.

The individuals affected are being notified now and we will work with the Office of Drinking Water to ensure their budget practices do not put them in this unfortunate situation again.

The offices field directors who were being laid off work in offices in Abingdon, Lexington, Danville, Culpeper, Richmond and Norfolk.

The Department of Health cited a budgeting error in 2019 as the reason for the layoffs. Yarmosky said the Department of Planning and Budget considers it a spending error by the Office of Drinking Water. That year, the office director approved pay raises for 55 employees and opened a field office of four people in Richmond.

Norm Oliver, the state health commissioner, said in an interview this week that the office director got bad information from Department of Health administrators. Despite the state being flush with cash, including proposing to add positions in the office to carry out new projects with federal money, Oliver defended the layoffs.

That did not make sense to officials involved in water monitoring, because those to be laid off included the field directors  the most experienced people in the office of just over 100 employees which already has vacancies the director says are prompting extra work without extra pay.

The office monitors water quality across the state, enforces drinking water standards in state and federal law, handles inspections and permits, and assists with lab testing.

The Virginia Rural Water Association wrote a letter to the state saying the layoffs were reckless and irresponsible and would have lasting effects on the states ability to monitor drinking water systems.

Oliver said he did not notify his boss, the health secretary, about the layoffs, which were to go into effect Jan. 9.

Within days of the Governors office first hearing of this issue, it has been resolved, Yarmosky wrote, adding that the governors office had no knowledge of the layoffs until they were reported by The Times-Dispatch.
FAIRFAX  Police in Virginia say the discovery of four bodies at two different locations in the state are the work of a serial killer who used a shopping cart to transport his victims' bodies after meeting them on dating sites.

At a press conference Friday, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis dubbed the suspect, 35-year-old Anthony Robinson of Washington, D.C., the "shopping cart killer" and said police are working to determine if there are other victims.

Davis said Robinson, who was taken into custody in Rockingham County last month, has lived in multiple locations along the East Coast in recent years.

Police in Harrisonburg arrested Robinson last month and charged him with two counts of murder after finding two bodies in a vacant lot in the city.

"The good thing is he's in custody. The challenge that remains is identifying other victims," Davis said.

Evidence uncovered after Robinson's arrest led police to search an area near the Moon Inn in Fairfax County south of Alexandria.

During the search, detectives noticed a shopping cart and recalled that a shopping cart had been used to transport the bodies in the Harrisonburg cases, said Ed O'Carroll, commander of the major crimes unit in Fairfax County.

Near the shopping cart was a large plastic container that held the remains of two women. One has been tentatively identified as Cheyenne Brown, 29, whose disappearance had been under investigation by Washington, D.C., police. The second body found in Fairfax County has not yet been identified.

The three victims who have been identified all went missing in the last few months. Police say they are trying to research Robinson's life going back many years to see if there might be more victims.

"That's what worries us," Davis said. "He didn't suddenly turn into who he is three months ago."

All three victims who have been identified met Robinson through dating websites. Police believe his dating history may provide clues into any additional victims.

Police did not say whether the victims were sexually assaulted, but Davis stated bluntly during the press conference that the suspect did "unspeakable things with his victims."

The two victims who were found dead in Harrisonburg were previously identified as Tonita Lorice Smith, 39, of Charlottesville, and Allene Elizabeth "Beth" Redmon, 54, of Harrisonburg.
Kelly said the airline adopted a mask requirement aboard its flights in May 2020, before the federal government required it, and that employees and customers have felt it has been an important layer of protection, and I certainly agree with that. He said the airline would continue to rely on the advice of our medical experts regarding the necessity of masks.

Parker later said on social media he agreed with my fellow CEOs that being onboard a plane is proven to be a safe and healthy indoor environment. But he said that his statement at the hearing was unclear and that he supported the federal mask mandate Full stop.

While HEPA filtration systems are highly effective at reducing the transmission of viruses, they do not completely eliminate risk aboard flights, according to Linsey Marr, an aerosol scientist at Virginia Tech.
HIGH POINT  Five candidates associated with a group critical of the direction of Guilford County Schools announced plans Thursday to run as a united slate for the five seats voters will fill on the Guilford County Board of Education next year.

One incumbent and four challengers are associated with the campaign through Take Back Our Schools-GCS, whose members have for the past year raised questions and criticism with policies such as the COVID-19 mask mandate, how race and history are addressed in classes and what they see as lack of serious attention to school security.

Members and supporters of the group have spoken regularly at school board meetings and demonstrated outside the school district headquarters north of downtown Greensboro before and during meetings.

The slate of candidates are running under the banner New Vision, New Direction. They are:

Republican school board member Linda Welborn in District 4, which covers parts of Greensboro and Guilford County. Welborn has nine years of board service.
Along with this weeks roll call votes, the Senate also passed by voice vote the following legislation: a bill to ensure that goods made with forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China do not enter the United States market; and the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act to direct the Health and Human Services Department to support research on, and expanded access to, investigational drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

U.S. House

Meadows contempt resolution: The House has passed a resolution, sponsored by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, D-Miss., to find Mark Meadows, President Trumps chief of staff, in contempt of Congress for not complying with a subpoena from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. Thompson said: This is about Mr. Meadows refusing to comply with a subpoena to discuss the records he himself turned over. Now he is hiding behind excuses. An opponent, Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said the select committee had no legal authority because it had failed to meet the House charter that required it to have 13 members rather than its actual nine. The vote on Tuesday, Dec. 14, was 222-208.
Dec. 15Two High Point-area residents facing criminal charges in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol now also are included in a federal civil lawsuit filed by the attorney general for the District of Columbia. Attorney General Karl Racine filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers and 31 members of those groups in an ...
A Capitol rioter who attacked police officers working to keep back the angry mob on Jan. 6 was sentenced Friday to more than five years behind bars, the most so far for anyone sentenced in the insurrection.

Robert Palmer, 54, of Largo, Florida, wept as he told U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that he recently watched a video of his actions that day and could not believe what he was seeing.

Your honor. Im really really ashamed of what I did, he said weeping.

Palmer was one of a few rioters sentenced on Friday in District of Columbia court for their actions on Jan. 6 when the angry mob descended after a rally by then-President Donald Trump to disrupt the certification of Joe Bidens victory.

Scores of police were beaten and blooded, five people died and there was about $1.5 million in damage done to the U.S. Capitol. Palmer is the 65th defendant to be sentenced overall. More than 700 people have been charged.
The group has done a total of five hikes alongside family and friends since its launch in October.

I am very happy that there is a hiking group. Having a Latino one is important because we can share our culture and different dialects of Spanish. It has been a great experience to do what I like (hiking) with people who share the same interest, said Peruvian native and Charlotte resident Claudia Ramos, 44.

Like many members of the group, Ramos heard of the group through Ortiz, then spread the word to friends interested in the same activity.

Thanks to the group, Ramos experienced hiking for the first time and was able to create many memories alongside other members.

It has been a beautiful experience. It is amazing to be able to have a connection with different people from all parts of the world, Ramos said.

Participants of the hikes are from around North Carolina. Some drive more than 50 miles to head out to the next adventure. These hikers also bring their children to take part in the hike, exposing them to sunlight and nature.
After a minute of silence was observed, Ilham Ahmed, Head of the Executive Body of the of Syria's Democratic Council said '' the most important outcomes of the conference was the formation of a committee to lead dialogue with the Damascus government, this committee contributed in developing the dialogue''.

Ilham Ahmed said there were many meetings held with western countries the last of which was in Stockholm there were many new Syrian figures took part in these meetings and we contacted many national figures to set a program to terminate the Syrian crisis.

Ilham Ahmed noted to the Russian role adding it gave no results up to date, the main reason behind that is the Syrian government that refuses dialogue and insists to prolong the crisis.

The second axes focused on administrative issues where Lorans Bursan read the report filed by the Follow up Committee that was given birth by the Jazira and Euphrates Conference.

In turn Ebid Hamid al- Mihbash said ''20% posts are going to be assigned to expertise and women would be represented in a 50% in associations and bodies of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and the youths are going to be represented in all administrations''.

In the end Mihbash and Bursan answered questions posed by attendees.

L..A

ANHA
Marli Vincent beat the odds a decade ago, when she graduated from the then University of Montana-Helena with her associate's degree in medical office administration after becoming a mother in her teens. Today, she will receive her associate's degree in nursing at Helena College's first-ever fall graduation ceremony.

When Vincent crossed the stage in 2011, the then 23-year-old mother of three was among the 2% of women who go on to earn a degree after having a child in their teens.

She now admits her degree in medical office administration was a concession she made at that time. Her true goal was always to be a registered nurse.

"I literally have photos of my first grade Halloween costume where I was dressed up as a nurse," Vincent said. "I've always wanted to be a nurse. That was always my goal."

Today's graduation is the culmination of a process that started back in 2007, when Vincent initially did her prerequisite courses for nursing. But being a student with young children proved difficult, and she ended up spending some time as a stay-at-home mom.

Vincent now has four children. Her husband was deployed to Alabama for a while, and that is where she earned her licensed practical nurse certificate.

Upon her return to Helena, Vincent worked full-time as an LPN at PureView. In the fall of 2020, when her oldest was 16 and her youngest was 9, Vincent decided it was time to hit the books hard and earn her nursing degree. She continued working full-time throughout this process.

"My husband was a big push in helping me go back to school," Vincent said. "He would call the college and make sure I had everything I needed. Our kids being a bit older helped out too, the three older ones each have a night where they make dinner, which takes that pressure off me."

Vincent already has a job lined up on the surgical floor at St. Peter's Health. She said she is looking forward to being more hands-on and noted that one of her favorite experiences was working at the clinic at God's Love for PureView.

"This is kind of a lesson I hope my kids take away from it. You can do anything you want, you just have to work for it. Even if you have to wait," Vincent said. "My husband and I always move forward and always work towards our goals."

Vincent said she really appreciated the education she received at Helena College. She said you can't beat the price for the quality of the education provided at Helena College. Although the program was harder to get into, Vincent said her professors were very hands-on and the coursework wasn't as all-consuming for her. She said her class was able to ask so many pertinent real-life questions that made a huge difference for her personally.

Vincent did not realize she was part of the first-ever fall graduation for Helena College, but said she was very glad the option was available.

"It feels good to be able to get out there and help fight this battle," Vincent said.

According to Helena College officials, 67 students are graduating this fall. About 20 of them opted to participate in the individual walk-through ceremonies scheduled for 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. today at the Helena College Donaldson Campus.

"We are so excited to host our first-ever fall graduation and give our students the opportunity to mark this milestone in real time with their friends and family, rather than waiting until spring," said Helena College Dean Sandra Bauman. "Our new, individualized format for celebrating graduation at Helena College has made this change possible and we are so happy to have our students and those they hold dear with us to celebrate."

Helena College does have some experience with hosting walk-through commencement ceremonies, opting to use this method in May due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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DECATUR  James Lesesne Wells will never know that a seventh-grader at Stephen Decatur Middle School created a dating profile for him  a make-believe one  as a class project.

This is amazing, to see kids being exposed to the Harlem Renaissance, said Marques Stewart, P-12 director of teaching and learning for Decatur schools. I think it was a true historical moment for the African-American culture, where our artists were known.

He said he thought Amber St. Arnold, the young artist responsible for the project, showed a lot of creativity.

This is his profile, and a little bit about him, she said, showing her drawings depicting two views of a cellphone screen. And this, she added, is a text message conversation with someone who messaged him.

Wells was a graphic artist during the Harlem Renaissance and an art professor at Howard University from 1929 to 1968. He is credited with being a pioneer for modern art education.

Teacher Merry Lanker said the students were tasked with creating presentations on their Harlem Renaissance topics. They could create posters, booklets, slide shows or whatever struck their fancy and on Friday, Lanker held an open house in her classroom to allow the students to give their presentations to family, friends and district officials like Stewart. They could choose from among visual artists, musicians and writers and had to do their own research on the topic.

The Harlem Renaissance lasted from the 1910s through the 1930s, when Harlem became a Black cultural mecca. Prominent artists like poet Langston Hughes, anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston and musician Louis Armstrong rose to prominence during that time, and had significant influence on the arts.

Marcus Garvey led a movement to try to relocate people back to Africa during that time, and one of Lanker's students chose to profile him.

Some kids have never even heard of him, so it was really interesting to watch their investigative process and see them as they learn about these people that they maybe don't know that much about, Lanker said. To me, the most rewarding thing is seeing them share that information with everybody else.

Eighth-grader Gleniya Millsap chose Hurston because, she said, she had the courage to write things that were controversial at the time. Hurston's best-known work, Their Eyes Were Watching God, was published in 1937 and her work centered on celebrating African-American culture of the rural South.

For Kayden Spence, Archibald Motley Jr.'s art depicted the racial attitudes of the time.

He was born in the 1890s and it was a time of racism, no doubt, Kayden said. When he started doing art in the 1920s, it was more of a racist piece of art, but back then, it wasn't racist because that's how people normalized Black people back then.

Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter

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DECATUR  After two days of triple-digit positive cases of COVID-19, Macon County saw another 153 new cases on Friday.

The Macon County Health Department reported 106 cases Tuesday and 134 Thursday, reflecting a trend of increasing positive cases across the state.

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Friday said there had been 59,312 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease in Illinois, including 316 additional deaths since Dec. 10.

Macon County has reported 18,516 positive cases since the pandemic began. Of those, the health department said 74.9% of cases have been reported among white residents, 21% among Black residents, 3.4% among others and 0.6% Asian.

Women make up 54.5% of cases while men make up 45.5% of cases.

There have been 259 deaths, and 45 residents remain hospitalized.

The health department also has identified 604 cases of COVID-19 variants in Macon County.

The most prevalent are the the Delta variants, with 355 cases. There also have been 143 cases of the Alpha variant, 87 cases of the Gamma variants, seven cases of the Epsilon variants, four cases of the Beta variant, three cases of the Mu variant, two cases of the B.1.2 variant, two cases of the B variant and one case of the B.1 variant.

Those numbers represent variants since April 1 of this year, when the first two cases of variants were identified.

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It's been almost six years since their last collective bargaining agreement expired and more than two years since city officials and union representatives agreed to terms on a new labor contract, but East St. Louis police officers are still waiting for a pay raise.

During a special meeting on Oct. 11, city aldermen approved a resolution authorizing a new contract. But seven members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 126, which represents the officers in contract negotiations, confirmed this week that they have not received the 2% raise nor the five years worth of retroactive pay ordered by a court-appointed arbitrator on Aug. 2 of this year.

It's not clear why the city has delayed the raises. But documents obtained by the Belleville News-Democrat show that both sides of the negotiating table agreed to terms of the new contract in 2019 before a former city manager persuaded the city council to vote against it, citing East St. Louis' long-standing financial woes.

The intervening time has been given to special meetings and missed deadlines and, say the rank-and-file officers, have created a serious breach of trust with both the city and their own union leadership.

The officers say they have been willing to compromise given the city's financial position.

At the arbitration hearing, documents show, Fraternal Order of Police attorney Robert Jones argued that East St. Louis cops are paid less than officers in comparably sized cities and that they've accepted raise amounts below annual cost of living increases for each year since 2015. In the meantime, the attorney argued, East St. Louis officers are charged with patrolling the streets of a city that ranks nationally for its rate of violent crime.

Members of FOP Lodge 126 have rejected a subsequent settlement agreement negotiated in October by the FOP and city attorneys and say their next step toward resolving the dispute will be litigation.

Officers who spoke to the BND have asked that their names not be published out of fear of reprisal, including the loss of their jobs. Union officials who were directly involved with negotiations aren't talking at all.

City Attorney C.J. Barecevic, who negotiated two settlements with the police union, has not responded to repeated requests for an interview.

Jones, the police union attorney who negotiated a settlement city alderman approved last month, and Ryan Olier, a field representative for the Fraternal Order of Police who negotiated the original contract in 2019, also have not returned repeated requests for comment.

The arbitration ruling

Court-appointed arbitrator Jacalyn Zimmerman ruled on Aug. 2 that the East St. Louis City Council reneged on the tentative contract agreement made in 2019 between representatives of the Fraternal Order of Police and East St. Louis officials, which provided all officers with the rank of sergeant and below a 2% raise beginning on the first of each year from 2016 through 2019.

Zimmerman gave the city 30 days to institute the raises and to make good on four years worth of retroactive pay.

According to a document filed with the St. Clair County Court, Baricevic presented the terms of the tentative agreement to members of the city council in October of 2019 and explained that "it would constitute unfair labor practice under the (Illinois Labor Relations) Act should the Council not ratify it," because the city had already agreed to them.

That's when council members voted against the new contract's salary provisions on a recommendation from former City Manager Brooke Smith who, though she had signed off on the deal, told council members the city could not afford to implement raises, let alone five years of retroactive pay increases.

Smith, who is now an assistant city manager for University City, Missouri, declined to comment for this article.

The arbitration ruling does not indicate how much the retroactive pay would total. But any officer who was on the city's payroll since the last contract expired in 2015, even if they have left the East St. Louis Police Department or retired, is entitled to a prorated share.

According to the court documents, Smith said she felt obligated to sign off on the tentative agreement because it had been negotiated by her predecessor prior to her hiring earlier in 2019. She told the city council, however, that the contract threatened the ability of the police and fire departments to remain operational.

The city already had absorbed two financial blows in 2019, she reminded them:

1.

City sales and property taxes revenues had suffered due to falling profits at the Casino Queen. Profits that once topped $14 million per year had fallen to just $6 million by 2019. Year-to-date revenue in October 2020 had fallen to $2 million  owed in part to the COVID-19 pandemic  leaving the city with a $7.6 million budget deficit for 2021, Smith testified during the arbitration hearing.

1.

The Illinois Comptroller's office had seized more than $4 million of revenue bound for the city's general fund and redirected it to East St. Louis' police and firefighter pension funds to make up for the city's missed contributions. The BND reported in February 2020 that the revenue "intercept" caused interruptions to city services, delayed the budgeted hiring of at least five new police officers and threatened the jobs of firefighters and operation of one of the department's engine houses. Smith also testified during the arbitration hearing that city hall staff had been reduced by eight employees to save money.

Applications for aid and other state and federal loans have been problematic, Smith told the arbitrator, because the city has "a backlog" of uncompleted budget audits.

In her ruling, Zimmerman recognized that East St. Louis' fiscal problems have been long-standing and well known, but "the fact that salary increases may be difficult to pay does not demonstrate an inability to pay."

She also pointed out that, despite the fiscal hurdles, negotiators on both sides had already agreed to the terms of the tentative contract prior to the city council voting against it.

"... the City has suffered these problems for a very long time, and the City officials who were involved in the bargaining, as well as its counsel, were well aware of the state of the City's finances when they presented the City's offer and incorporated it into the TA (tentative agreement). They obviously believed that the City would find a way to grant its police officers, who work in very difficult circumstances, some additional compensation."

Zimmerman upheld the tentative agreement, which provided the police officers an immediate 2% raise and retroactive annual raises to 2015 to be paid in an unspecified lump sum amount.

A new deal

According to the documents acquired by the BND, Baricevic and Jones, the Fraternal Order of Police attorney, reached a new "settlement" on Oct. 8, more than five weeks after Zimmerman's deadline for the city to comply with her ruling.

Its terms provide all the same compensation benefits outlined in the original contract, adding that the two sides have 90 days to negotiate the total amount of retroactive pay that is due the officers. The city has proposed a settlement amount of $148,830.52.

The city also agreed to dismiss its appeal of Zimmerman's decision, even though Illinois law makes arbitration rulings final and binding unless fraud or a conflict of interest can be proven. In turn, the union agreed to waive any pay grievance retroactively.

City council members voted unanimously to approve the settlement in a special meeting held three days after it was signed by Baricevic and Jones. East St. Louis City Manager Carlos Mayfield said the 2% raises will start Jan. 1, 2022.

Rank-and-file members of East St. Louis police union, however, issued a letter back to the city on Oct. 14 flatly rejecting the settlement, stating that they were not given the opportunity to vote on it and arguing that Zimmerman's ruling is final.

According to the letter, a digitally scanned copy of which was obtained by the Belleville News-Democrat, the officers confronted Jones and Olier with their dissatisfaction during an Oct. 13 union meeting.

"After further discussion, the members of FOP Lodge #126 expressed deep resentment for the nature and manner this signed agreement was introduced and handled," it reads. "The members of FOP Lodge #126 vote to reject the pay raises proposed in the signed agreement between Baricevic and Jones.

"On August 2, 2021, Jackie Zimmerman, a duly recognized and appointed arbitrator, found and ordered 2% raises to be paid to the members of the East St. Louis Department Bargaining Unit (FOP Lodge #126) represented by the Fraternal Order of Police, retroactive to the previously bargained for contract."

The letter further states that the officers consider the settlement "null and void," since a legally binding ruling already had been made by Zimmerman.

"The arbitrator's award is final and binding, therefore there are no more negotiations to be had or side agreements to be made in this matter. ... therefore the process going forward is litigation."

The letter was signed by Lodge 126 President Robert Sallie, Vice President Leland Cherry and Trustee Andre Henson, none of which provided the copy obtained by the BND.

East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III said he could not comment on the negotiations, other than to confirm details spelled out in public records.

"The last thing we voted on was given to us by their attorney and agreed to by our attorney. We supported that," East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III. "All the numbers or figures were negotiated by the two attorneys.

"The city will try to meet all of its financial responsibilities as best as we can."

East St. Louis police officers will receive a portion of federal American Rescue Plan funds the city has received. Council members approved giving front-line city workers  including those with the police, fire and public works departments  $1 million total in back hazard pay.

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With the help of volunteer elves from around the community, the New Braunfels Police Department's Blue Santa program recently delivered Christ
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MOSCOW (AP)  Russia sent a pair of nuclear-capable long-range bombers to patrol the skies over Belarus on Saturday, a mission intended to underline close defense ties between the two allies amid tensions with the West.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the two Tu-22M3 strategic strike bombers practiced performing joint tasks with the Belarusian air force and air defense. Su-30 fighter jets that Russia has supplied to Belarus escorted the bombers.

Saturdays four-hour patrol marked Russia's third such mission in Belarus since last month and took place amid Western concerns over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine's border.

Moscow has denied harboring plans to invade Ukraine and pressed the United States for security guarantees that would exclude NATO expanding into Ukraine or deploying weapons there. The U.S. and its allies are almost certain to reject Moscow's demands.
Of all the years political drama, the most surprising may be the U.S. governments actions on unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs  better known as UFOs.

The opening act came in June, when the Pentagon and the director of national intelligence delivered an astonishing report to Congress addressing UAPs. Most of these phenomena turn out to have prosaic explanations  such as weather balloons, space debris and atmospheric effects in the sky  with a small percentage exhibiting unusual flight characteristics that suggest advanced technology.

The June report, however, found the opposite. It could account for only one of the 144 UAP sightings between 2004 and 2021 that it examined, including 80 observed with multiple sensors such as high-tech military radar and infrared cameras mounted on warplanes.
One of the reasons Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy withdrew GOP participation from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection was Democrats refusal to let Trumpian firebrand Jim Jordan be seated on the committee. Now Democrats stance regarding the Ohio Republican has been validated, in spades.

The committee has revealed that Jordan forwarded a text to Donald Trumps Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, on Jan. 5 outlining the bogus theory that Vice President Mike Pence could invalidate the 2020 election results in key battleground states, subverting the will of the people in order to keep Trump in office. Jordan wanted to be part of an investigation that he knew would ultimately examine his own behavior, in other words.

The question now (in addition to whether Jordan even deserves to be seated in Congress, given this clear evidence of his contempt of democracy) is how many other prominent Republicans were active participants in this attempted coup against the voters. It looks increasingly like a party-wide effort  and one thats still underway with an eye toward future elections.
Eldridge also got Potter to say that she didn't plan to use deadly force.

Eldridge drove hard at Potters training, getting her to agree that her use-of-force training was a key component to being an officer. Potter testified that she was also trained on when to use force and how much to use, and that there was a policy that dictated what officers could or could not do.

Potter testified under questioning by one of her lawyers that she had no training on weapons confusion, saying it was mentioned in training but wasn't something her departments officers were physically trained on. She also said she never used a Taser while on duty during her 26 years on the force, though she had pulled it out a few times to de-escalate situations, and that she never used her gun until the day she shot Wright.

Potter, who was training Officer Anthony Luckey, said Luckey noticed Wrights car in a turn lane with the signal turned on inappropriately, then saw an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror as well as expired tags.
The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoards Dairyman.

Northwest Iowa dairy producers have the opportunity to learn about emerging dairy industry issues on Feb. 8 at Dairy Day, an event hosted in Northwest Iowa at the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

During the program, producers will explore methods of euthanasia, composting mortalities, farm personalities, transition cow nutrition, milk marketing, industry updates, and more.



We are excited to bring back our annual Dairy Days program in person this year, said Fred Hall, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach in Northwest Iowa. This program gives producers a chance to learn about a variety of topics and be able to network with other producers and industry representatives.

Presenters will include:

Jan Shearer, extension veterinarian at Iowa State, Methods of Euthanasia and their Effects on Carcass Disposal

Brian Dougherty and Kris Kohl, ag engineers with ISU Extension and Outreach, Composting Mortalities

Larry Tranel, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, How Personalities Affect Your Farm and Family

Gail Carpenter, assistant teaching professor in dairy production at Iowa State, Care and Feeding of the Transition Cow

Lunch will be at noon, followed by Lightning Talks presented by dairy specialists Fred Hall, Jennifer Bentley and Gail Carpenter, on the topics of milk marketing, the Iowa Dairy Survey and Milker Training Resources.



A $15 registration fee covers the noon meal and cost of resource materials. Pre-registration is requested by Friday, Feb. 4 to reserve a meal. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/JKB8U2 or call 712-737-4230.

Vouchers for the event may be available through your local agri-service providers or veterinarians. For more information on vouchers or the event, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office at 712-737-4230.

Dairy Days will also be offered Jan. 25 in Elma, Jan. 26 in Calmar, Jan. 27 in New Vienna, and Feb. 1 in Kalona.
Get Comfortable in Oak Ridge

As you plan your visit to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, one of the Manhattan Projects secret cities, youll find an abundance of dining and lodging options. Use the links below to explore what is available.


Jan. 4A Cleveland County man was killed last week while trying to help someone at the scene of a crash. At around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Richard Darren Ivey, 53, was driving an 18-wheeler on Interstate 71 in Ohio when he watched a woman lose control of her car and crash. According to reports, Ivey pulled over to help the woman as she tried to get her infant child out of the car when another ...
Initially, Haiy Le was a meek girl. Slowly, she became more at ease and talkative. She took pride in her appearance, and dressed more stylishly. This change was significant and impressive.

Haiy Le was granted interviews for admission and scholarships at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill, Duke University, several highly regarded colleges in the Northeast, and two fine universities in California.

Mentoring Haiy Le was a unique and memorable experience. I consistently believed in her potential for tremendous success.

On a beautiful spring afternoon, Haiy Le greeted me with a radiant smile. She had been offered a "full ride" scholarship. Which university did Haiy Le accept the scholarship offer?

Stanford University in California!

Haiy Le left for college two months later. I treasure the post card that she sent me when she first arrived at Stanford. She earned both her bachelor's and Maste'rs degrees from Stanford University. She became a leader in several campus organizations.

I reflect on Haiy Le's achievement. Helping this young woman to succeed has made my own life sweeter, and more complete. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to help a high school student to learn, mature, and achieve.

Robyn writes about everyday people who touch her in amazing ways. Robyn enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets.
Staton named supervisor at West & Company

MATTOON  West & Company, LLC is pleased to announce that Kathleen M. Staton has joined the firms Mattoon office as a supervisor.

Staton holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Illinois State University and a masters of business administration with an accounting concentration from Eastern Illinois University. She resides in Mattoon.

Staton comes to West & Company, LLC with 13 years of previous tax, audit and general accounting experience with both a private company and a public accounting firm.

The partner in charge of the Mattoon office, Diana Smith, stated, We are very happy to add Kathleen to our team. Her experience fits very well with our clientele, allowing us to strengthen our Mattoon office with another experienced professional.

LLCU promotes Drake to manager

MATTOON  Land of Lincoln Credit Union has announce the promotion of Jeff Drake to mortgage loan manager.

Drake has been an employee of LLCU for eight years, serving as a consumer Loan Officer and Mortgage Loan Officer. Prior to working at LLCU, Drake earned his BA and MA from Eastern Illinois University.

Jeff possesses a wealth of knowledge in the mortgage lending arena, stated Howard Martin, LLCU chief lending officer. Additionally, he is resourceful, helpful and incredibly motivated. This combination is exactly what we need in a leader for the LLCU Mortgage Lending Department in order to take our member service to the next level.

We have an incredible team of mortgage lenders and loan processors here at LLCU, stated Jeff Drake. I am beyond humbled to be selected to lead this team to an even greater level of service, a level that will put so many people in the home of their dreams through LLCU lending.

Drake will work out of the Mattoon branch located at 720 Broadway Ave., but will oversee all mortgage lending and Processing Staff throughout the entire LLCU 27-county service area.

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SPRINGFIELD  A requirement that doctors notify the parents of a minor seeking an abortion is no longer on the books in Illinois.

The legislation barely passed out of the Democratic-controlled legislature during the fall session with some Democrats joining Republicans in opposition. The repeal passed in a 62-51 House vote and a 64-52 vote in the Senate.

Those who supported the repeal, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, have said the law did nothing to protect the most vulnerable young people  those living in unsafe and unstable households.

Pritzkers signature came as the U.S. Supreme Court has given signals it intends to weaken abortion rights that have been in place since the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

With reproductive rights under attack across the nation, Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to health care services, Pritzker said. This repeal was essential, because it was the most vulnerable pregnant minors who were punished by this law: victims of rape and physical abuse in unsafe homes.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which championed the legislation, noted that the measure includes the creation of a working group that will focus on educating young pregnant women and parents. The group will help identify needs of those young people that include education, housing, employment, food access, and child care, the ACLU said.

As it stands now, the law allows minors seeking an abortion to ask a judge to waive the notification requirement if they fear for their safety. Since 2013, when the law went into effect after years of legal challenges, judges granted more than 99.5% of bypass requests in Illinois, according to the ACLU, which has argued the notification law serves no public policy purpose.

Abortion rights advocates have criticized the judicial proceedings for, among other things, forcing pregnant teens to share very personal, and potentially embarrassing, details about their sexual histories.

We saw the harm caused by PNA firsthand while representing young people in courts all across Illinois, Colleen Connell, the ACLU of Illinoiss executive director, said in a statement. We celebrate this measure  and the recognition by the State of Illinois that all people must have the ability to make their own reproductive health care decisions.

The law was originally passed during a brief period when the General Assembly was controlled by Republicans.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in a statement said the signing "marks a dark and disgraceful moment in the history of the state of Illinois."

Paprocki speaks about the legislation in October

"This most heinous offense against God and neighbor is now made more easily accessible to minor children than tattoos or getting their ears pierced," he said.

Opponents of the repeal have argued that parents shouldnt be kept in the dark about their childrens well-being, particularly when they decide to have an abortion. Theyve also tied it to larger concerns about parental rights.

One of the measures most outspoken opponents on Friday said Pritzkers signing of the bill takes away a parents right to know about their childs well-being and removes a layer of protection that could leave a minor more vulnerable to sexual abuse, exploitation and human trafficking.

This significant change in our law is out of touch with a majority of Illinoisans and puts girls in Illinois  and across the Midwest  in danger, Rep. Avery Bourne, a Republican from Morrisonville, who spoke out against the repeal proposal on the House floor during the fall session, said Friday in a statement.

Parents deserve the right to know if their minor child is seeking any major medical procedure, especially one like an abortion where there can be serious short and long term consequences, said Bourne, whose name has floated through GOP circles as a potential candidate for lieutenant governor in the 2022 election.

Illinois Right to Live Action, an anti-abortion group, also decried the new law.

Minor girls in Illinois cannot get their ears pierced or even receive an aspirin at school without their parents consent, the group said in a statement. Now these same young girls can obtain an abortion, a serious medical procedure that takes the life of a preborn child and poses numerous medical and psychological risks, without their parents even knowing. This defies comprehension.

The Reproductive Health Act established in Illinois law a fundamental right to reproductive health care, including abortion, in 2019. Nearly 1,100 Illinois minors had abortions in 2018, according the Illinois Department of Public Healths website.

The Chicago Tribune and Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.

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William McGuffey

William Holmes McGuffey (September 23, 1800-May 4, 1873) was a college professor and president who is best known for writing the McGuffey Readers, the first widely used series of elementary school-level textbooks.

The sale of more than 120 million copies of McGuffey Readers, sold between 1836 and 1960, placed its sales in a category with the Bible and Websters Dictionary.

Williams family immigrated from Scotland to Pennsylvania in 1774. The family would move farther into the frontier as they re-located to a rural part of Ohio.

Always a very bright and well-educated young man, McGuffey became an instructor in a one-room schoolhouse in Calcutta, Ohio. He later traveled through the frontier areas of Ohio, Kentucky, and western Pennsylvania finding positions as a teacher.

He taught children ranging in age from six to 21. His work day often found him teaching six days a week and spending eleven hours a day in the classroom.

Having a thrust for knowledge he attended and graduated in 1826 from Pennsylvanias Washington College.

Truman and Smith, a Cincinnati publisher wanted to publish a series of four graded readers for schoolchildren. Based upon a recommendation from Harriet Beecher Stowe, the publisher hired McGuffey and along with Williams brother Alexander, they wrote the fifth and sixth readers for The McGuffey Readers series. His books were very popular and still continue to be used for homeschooling.

McGuffey would marry Harriet Spinning of Dayton, Ohio in 1827. They would have five children, who were expected to act with submission and obedience. McGuffey believed in the importance of education and religion to live successful lives.

As was the practice in the 1800s, McGuffey and Harriet had as many as three slaves while living in Virginia. One of their slaves with the name of Gibbons was literate. Gibbons was said to be self-taught and also said to have been instructed by McGuffeys daughter Maria. Gibbons would later become a minister in Washington, D.C.

In addition to teaching, McGuffey was licensed as a minister in the Presbyterian Church. In addition to teaching and also serving as president of Cincinnati College he would devote much of his life to preaching.

During the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era, McGuffey was generous in his donations to the poor and African Americans.

McGuffey died May 4, 1873 at the University of Virginia, and is buried in the University of Virginia Cemetery, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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The dissenting shareholders argued that fair value for their Reynolds shares was between $81.21 and $94.33.

Because the dissenting shareholders chose not to tender their shares, Reynolds opted to pay the amount the corporation estimates to be the fair value of their shares at $59.64, plus interest, according to the Business Court ruling.

The justice wrote in a 56-page ruling that the Business Court properly determined the fair value of shares ... the $59.64 per share, plus interest, Reynolds paid these shareholders (the dissenters) equals or exceeds the fair value of Reynolds shares as of the date of the merger.

The justice agreed with the Business Court judgment that that no further payments to (the dissenters) are required.

In addressing the dissenters objection to how the fair value was determined, the justice ruled the dissenters characterization of the analysis performed by the Business Court is inconsistent with any fair reading of the challenged judgment.

Background
East China, 216 Summit Square Blvd., Winston-Salem, will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The regular menu will be available, no lunch specials. 336-377-9191

Grandma Rubys Country Cookin, 6110 University Parkway, Winston-Salem, will be open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. breakfast and other menu items will be served. 336-377-9227.

Sir Winston Wine Loft & Restaurant, 104 W. Fourth St. in the Hotel Indigo, will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and then 4:30 to 8 p.m. Reservations are not required.

The Katharine Brasserie and Bar, 51 E. Fourth St., will be open for breakfast 7 a.m. - 10 a.m., brunch 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and no dinner service. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 336-761-0203.

Downtown Thai & Pho, 271 W. Fourth St., will be open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and then from 5 to 10 p.m.

Nawab Indian Cuisine, 129 S. Stratford Road, will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 5 to 10 p.m.

Sampan Chinese Restaurant, 985 Peters Creek Parkway, will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Take-out only.

Additionally, some chains such as Waffle House and IHOP are traditionally open for Christmas.
Paula Wilkins has seen how support from the community can help schools transform students. She was named principal at Cook Elementary School in 2016 shortly after it was named the lowest-performing elementary school in the state. Volunteers played a crucial role in helping the school steadily increase its scores, particularly in reading and science, said Wilkins.

Wilkins is now the executive director of Project Impact, an organization that partners with the school district to improve early childhood education.

You cant just make traction within the walls of the building, said Wilkins. My philosophy was how do you let the community in? I believe that was a huge part of our transformation. When people came to visit, they couldnt tell who was a TA (teaching assistant) and who was a volunteer. We didnt always have the staffing capacity to address needs.

Wilkins has been out in the community talking with different groups about the initiative, trying to get more volunteers to work in a program that she said can change a life.

Hagerty said he felt a quick connection with his student at Kimberley Park. Beyond that one-to-one connection with a struggling reader, Hagerty sees big-picture implications for improving literacy.
Gates also was a leader at the newspaper.

To his credit, John respected and listened to the people who worked for him, said Brinson, who lives in Currituck and is a contributing writer for the Virginian-Pilot editorial page. He would let his editorial writers argue their side of various issues and was usually open to our thoughts.

Carl Crothers, a former Journal executive editor and vice president, said that Gates reminded him of William F. Buckley Jr.

John was a really incisive thinker of big ideas, Crothers said. He (Gates) was brilliant and erudite in his manner, but he related to everyone, every man. He was just a nice guy.

Crothers said he didnt always agree with Gates politics.

John was a conservative, but he always welcomed everyones ideas, Crothers said. And he really did a lot for Winston-Salem.

Gates was passionate about Winston-Salem, Forsyth County and North Carolina as he focused on local issues, Laughrun said.
KITTERY, Maine (AP)  An African refugee collaborated on a children's book that draws from his experience growing up in Maine's largest city.

Terry Farish, of Kittery, wrote the book with OD Bonny, who provided the inspiration for A Feast for Joseph. It tells the story of a young refugee who adapts to a new life in Portland.

Despite finding a better life, Joseph still longs for the family and friends  and food  he left behind at a refugee camp.

He still has good friends there, so hes missing all the people, how they used to cook and the music, and thats what hes homesick for, Farish told WMTW-TV.

In the book, Joseph makes a friend and they cook an African feast that brings together the community.

I think friendship is one of the most important things to come from this book, but personally, for me my favorite is tradition and the food, said Bonny, whose family fled South Sudan. The family ended up at Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda before coming to Maine. Bonny has since moved to Nebraska.
Michael Lubelfeld, superintendent of North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park, Illinois, described an all hands on deck approach whether a report comes in about a scuffle between students or a serious threat.

He recalled a scenario in one of the districts middle schools last year, in which a child was overheard indicating he wanted to do a violent act. It was close to the end of the day, with little time to investigate. So he summoned police, who arrived in force.

It was unsubstantiated but we didnt have time to really do a thoughtful investigation, Lubelfeld said, so we basically called in the cavalry and then informed the community why we did it.

I would rather overreact, he said, and I can take the criticism for that.

The Michigan attack came only hours after the defendant, Ethan Crumbley, returned to class after the school summoned him and his parents to discuss worrying behavior, including the drawing with the gun and the words: The thoughts wont stop. Help me. Ethan told a counselor it was part of a video game he was designing.
Tricia McManuss experience working for a Florida school system prepared her to be superintendent of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. And the experience changed her life. She saw inequities firsthand, starting as a fourth-grade teacher and working her way up to principal.

All of that changed my entire line of focus. Inequity is a travesty. It became a moral imperative for me to do something about it, she said in a recent meeting with Winston-Salem State Universitys Center for the Study of Economic Mobility (CSEM).

McManus shares CSEMs emphasis on data-based research to evaluate the efficacy of programs and, if necessary, improve them. CSEM has explored the adverse effects of school systems not being able to get many of the best teachers to the lowest-performing schools, and those of students of low resources not having full access to the internet. She saw those issues and others working for Hillsborough County Public Schools in the Tampa area of Florida.

The Florida system takes in more than 200,000 students in 240 schools. Our system, with 52,000 students in 80 schools, is considerably smaller. But McManus says All the challenges are very similar.
Two learned men of science, a minister and a physician, wanted people to adopt a preventative practice proven elsewhere. Cotton Mather, a leader of the Puritan church and a man of science, had an enslaved man working for him. Likely of Coromantee heritage from todays Ghana, the man had been given the name Onesimus. Mather knew him to be an intelligent fellow and had taught him to read and write English. Onesimus had told Mather five years earlier how his people inoculated themselves against smallpox. He showed Mather his own childhood inoculation scar. Mather researched the method as practiced in Islamic countries and prepared himself to promote it when the need next came.

In 1721, Mather shared this medical information with Dr. Zabdiel Boylston, who successfully inoculated his son and two enslaved servants. Mather and Boylston became eager promoters of inoculation, but the procedure was controversial. Arguments for and arguments against abounded. Mather promoted it from his pulpit. He was a man of influence, of course, but also controversial. Thirty years earlier, he had affected the thinking of those who tried and hanged innocent men and women caught up in the hysteria of the Salem witch trials. So, if Mather was for it, both Franklins were against it. The New England Courant satirized the medical procedure and printed opposing arguments by doctors who claimed inoculation spread the disease rather than prevented it. Others, veering into conspiracy theories, argued that using the African folk medicine was a way for the enslaved to spread the disease to white citizens and effect a slave revolt. The truly fearful turned to violence; someone threw a firebomb into Mathers house. Another opponent believed ministers should stop meddling in matters of science. Others argued that inoculation was not scriptural and should not be practiced. The public divided themselves on this issue by what they believed.
The path Tripathi took was far slower. For more than a decade, the Indian actor who relocated to South Korea more than a decade ago, spent countless hours singing in humble theaters and taking on minor film gigs. Then came "Squid Game" and sudden, massive popularity.

The pandemic stopped live theater in its tracks, so Adrienne Warren pivoted. While waiting for Broadway to restart, she turned to a project she never would have been able had she still been starring in the title role in "Tina  The Tina Turner Musical."

Warren lost and gained 30 pounds to play civil rights catalyst Mamie Till-Mobley  whose son Emmett Till was brutally murdered in the Jim Crow South  in the upcoming ABC series "Women of the Movement." She co-founded the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, which uses storytelling to dismantle the systems that perpetuate racism. And when Broadway resumed, she came back to earn her first Tony Award.

Idris' popularity has grown exponentially over the past four seasons of the critically-acclaimed series "Snowfall." His breakthrough role landed him other opportunities including "The Twilight Zone," "Black Mirror," "Farming" and Netflix's "Outside the Wire."
OMAHA  Following the recent death of an Omaha woman who was badly burned in 2019, the Douglas County Attorneys Office is reviewing the criminal case against the womans husband, who has been accused of setting her on fire.

Carl Bohm, 68, is currently charged with first-degree arson and two counts of first-degree assault. Authorities have said he started a fire Feb. 25, 2019, at the family home near 39th Street and Himebaugh Avenue.

Bohms wife, Janet Franks-Bohm, suffered third-degree burns on more than 60% of her body in the fire. The couples daughter, Amanda Bohm, suffered second-degree burns.

Omaha Police Department officials said Thursday that they had been notified that Franks-Bohm recently died in Colorado. They said the local coroner determined that her death was directly related to the injuries she suffered in the 2019 fire and ruled her death a homicide.

The Douglas County Attorneys Office is reviewing the case to determine the appropriate charges related to this new information, police said in a statement.
Cohen said the domestic terror threat has not lessened since Biden announced the new strategy. If anything, its worse.

We continue to face a threat environment that is dangerous, complex and highly volatile, Cohen said, adding that the volatility of the environment is not going to change.

The U.S. has grappled with a highly divisive set of conflicts in the past two years, including the Black Lives Matter protests following police killings of African Americans, government mandates tied to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, and conspiracy theories over President Donald Trumps defeat in the 2020 election. All of these were piled on top of lingering conflicts that festered during Trumps four years in office.

Foreign governments and intelligence services have studied these divisions and fanned the flames on social media, Cohen said, amplifying messages by the most extreme groups in the U.S. and injecting their own.

They are looking to have these narratives picked up by the mainstream media, he said. This is a technique thats being used by our adversaries, and theyre being used to destabilize our country.
The Corrections Department knew Armendariz and other inmates associated with him posed a threat to Williams, and he was placed on a "keep separate" list.

Despite that and assurances to Williams' mother they wouldn't be housed together, Armendariz was transferred to the Tecumseh prison where Williams was serving his sentence and on May 25, 2018, was moved to his housing unit.

Fearing he would be assaulted or killed, Williams assaulted Armendariz. He was ultimately transferred to the State Penitentiary, where two inmates entered his cell and stabbed him multiple times in what was believed to be retaliation for the assault at Tecumseh.

In 2019, Williams sued. The state moved to dismiss the case and Lancaster County District Judge Lori Maret granted the motion in July 2020, and Williams appealed.

In Friday's decision, the majority agreed with Maret's decision, which found that Williams' case was barred by sovereign immunity because it arose from multiple layers of assault and battery.

"Our cases construing and applying the intentional tort exception have consistently barred claims like the one alleged by Williams," the majority justices wrote.
The Energy Department has also invested $400 million to help build a small modular reactor power plant in Idaho designed by Oregon-based NuScale Power. The test plant is expected to be completed by 2029.

Bostelman said that some new-generation reactors would be small enough to fit on the back of a truck and that the small modular reactors could be stacked together, or added later, to create an electric generation station as small or large as needed. The smaller size and simpler design would require less water, she said, so they could be located in desert climates.

What about waste? Bostelman said some of the new plants use spent nuclear fuel. And despite a decades-long battle that ultimately canceled plans for a national repository for high-level radioactive waste in Nevada, there have been no incidents involving nuclear waste in the United States, she said.

The new technologies are the result of 60 years of research, and are a tremendous improvement over reactors now in use, Bostelman said.

I would very much encourage people to do research on this and not to hold onto old myths, especially related to waste, she said.
While a flouring mill was erected in 1881, the population rebounded to 75 and the new weekly One Hundredth Meridian was born and that June the town name was changed from Cozad to Gould, possibly in honor of U.P. speculator Jay Gould. John Cozads hotel was purchased by S. A. Hendee in 1883, becoming the Hendee House as John Cozad and his family fled the city partially because Cozad shot and killed Alfred Pearson over a pasturing dispute.

John Cozads son Robert Henry Cozad also left, changing his name to Robert Henri, to distance himself from his father. Robert Henri then studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Academie Julian and Ecole des Beaux Arts and is credited as being one of the founders of the Ashcan School of American Realism. With none of the Cozad family still in residence, the towns name was changed back to Cozad in October of 1885.

In 1906 Charles Allen built the two-story, cement block Allen Opera House at 8th and Meridian for his general store, and Cozad State Bank, with a 500-seat auditorium on the second floor. The opera house functioned until 1917 then lost its stage to a fire, was converted to offices and still later sitting empty
RACINE  Some evidence is impossible for a defendant to get around: fingerprints, DNA, and this past week in Racine County Circuit Court, cartoon underpants.

George Pearson-Robb, 21, of Milwaukee was found guilty Friday of armed robbery with threat of force as party to a crime, three counts of kidnapping and bank robbery. The jury deliberated for about three hours before bringing back the guilty verdict.

The defendant had attempted to argue he was not the third man in surveillance video of the June 29, 2019, armed robbery of Wells Fargo Bank, 1700 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

The robbers covered their heads and wore face masks, making them impossible to identify from just the video.

However, law enforcement officers obtained a photo of the defendant from the day before the bank robbery where Pearson-Robb could be seen wearing a black Victorias Secret jacket with the word PINK on it and his pants worn low, exposing cartoon PDA boxers  the exact outfit the third suspect is wearing in the surveillance video of the bank robbery.

Early in the case, the defense tried to make the case that Pearson-Robb had taken off the PINK jacket and someone else had picked it up to wear to the bank robbery. Unless the person also picked up and put on his underpants, the person in the picture and the surveillance video were one and the same.

Case history

Officers from the Racine Police Department were dispatched at about 6:42 a.m. on June 28, 2019, to the Wells Fargo branch.

Events culminating in the bank robbery began the evening before when William Q. Howell, now 21, and Donterious L. Robb, now 26, allegedly approached the branch manager of Wells Fargo, who was at home in Kenosha and getting her two children out of a car after arriving home.

The bank manager was pregnant at the time and her children were then 5 and 2 years old.

Howell and Robb brandished firearms and forced the woman into the backseat of her car before getting in her car and driving to Milwaukee.

During the trip, they allegedly took her cellphone and wallet. Robb allegedly pointed what appeared to be a gun at her for the entire ride. Investigators later learned the handguns used were fake, but the victim testified that she thought they were real.

When Howell and Robb arrived in Milwaukee, they put the woman and her daughters in the basement of the house where they were staying, which was the home of Pearson-Robbs mother.

Howell and Robb allegedly told her they wanted access to the bank vault the next morning.

In the early-morning hours of the next day, the woman and her two children were transported to Wells Fargo in Racine.

On that trip to Racine, all three suspects were in the car. The state argued that Pearson-Robb was that third suspect.

Once the bank manager gained entry to the bank, she was threatened at gunpoint until she was able to give the men access to money.

The victim managed to shut a door, locking herself and her two children in the bank with the conspirators on the other side of the locked door.

The conspirators fled with $47,000.

Third man

On Friday, Howell took to the stand to testify that Pearson-Robb was not the third suspect seen in the surveillance video.

Instead, he said, the third suspect was another friend, one who died in 2019, a victim of gun violence.

However, that assertion was a problematic one for the defense.

First, law enforcement had obtained hours and hours of security footage from cameras in Racine and Kenosha, which showed a heavily damaged maroon vehicle tailing the victim as she left the bank at the end of the day, picked up her children, and ran errands.

The next time law enforcement came across that maroon vehicle, it was in the custody of Pearson-Robb, broken down by the side of the road in Racine County, not long after the kidnapping.

The Racine County District Attorneys Office successfully argued that while the other two suspects were carjacking the victim and taking her to Milwaukee, Pearson-Robb was driving the suspect vehicle back to Milwaukee.

He did not make it.

Instead, a Wisconsin state trooper found him by the side of the highway, towed the vehicle, and gave Pearson-Robb a ride back to the Pilot Travel Center at Highway Ks intersection with Interstate 94, since at that time no one yet knew of the kidnapping.

While he was at the Pilot making a call so that Howell could pick him up, his image was captured by a surveillance camera, footage later obtained by the Racine Police Department.

In a still image from the surveillance video, Pearson-Robb could be seen in the black Victorias Secret PINK jacket, his pants low, with PDA cartoon boxer shorts exposed. Which was the exact outfit the third suspect in the bank robbery was wearing the next day.

Sentencing

With Pearson-Robb having been convicted of the five charges, a sentencing hearing was set for Feb. 25, 2022.

Howells sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 7, 2022.

In January, Donterious L. Robb was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Lamarra Powell, 20, who was the girlfriend of Pearson-Robb at the time, also has been charged with three counts of kidnapping and bank robbery, as party to a crime, on all three charges.

Powell testified for the state as part of a negotiated settlement with the DAs Office. Her case has been on hold awaiting Pearson-Robbs jury trial.

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RACINE  One of the men already convicted in the June 2019 kidnapping that culminated in a Wells Fargo Bank branch robbery took to the stand Friday to say one of the men accused of being an accomplice was not actually involved. But the state was quick to poke holes in the convicts claims.

The defendant is George K. Pearson-Robb, 21, who was charged with armed robbery with threat of force as party to a crime, three counts of kidnapping, and robbery of a financial institution for his alleged part in the heist.

The witness was William Q. Howell, 21, who pleaded guilty in June to armed robbery with threat of force, kidnapping and robbery of a financial institution. As a result of a negotiated settlement with the Racine County District Attorneys Office, two of Howells kidnapping charges were dropped. He is awaiting sentencing. Donterious Robb has already been convicted and sentenced to 35 years in prison for his involvement in the bank robbery and kidnapping.

Howell told the jury another of his friends was the third person seen in the bank surveillance video, not Pearson-Robb.

The jury began deliberations Friday. A verdict had not been announced as The Journal Times went to press.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Flynn called the sudden testimony of the witness convenient for the defendant, especially in light of the fact Howell had never mentioned the name of the third co-conspirator before the start of trial, nearly 2 1/2 years after the crime.

She noted the friend implicated by Howell died in 2019 and asked, Isnt that convenient for you? Isnt that convenient for George?

No, Howell responded.

The friend, whom Howell had reportedly known since elementary school, died as a result of gun violence. Howell said he initially protected the friend because the friend was not in jail, and he wanted to make sure it stayed that way. Pearson-Robb is also reportedly a longtime friend of Howells.

When asked if he would lie to protect his friend, Howell responded: No.

Case history

'They came out of nowhere' | Bank manager kidnapped last year testifies in trial of alleged robber One of them alleged kidnappers spoke with his victim throughout the night, she testified, talking about "little things" like birthdays and their kids. I was hoping if I was nice, he would be nice to me," she said.

Officers from the Racine Police Department were dispatched at approximately 6:42 a.m. on June 29, 2019 to Wells Fargo on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive for the report of a bank robbery.

Events culminating in the bank robbery actually began the evening before when Howell and Robb approached the branch manager of the downtown Wells Fargo, who was at home in Kenosha and getting her two children out of the car after arriving home.

The bank manager was pregnant at the time, and her children were 5 and 2 years old.

Howell and Robb brandished firearms and forced the woman into the backseat of her car before getting in her car and driving to Milwaukee. During the trip, they allegedly took her cellphone and wallet.

Robb allegedly pointed what appeared to be a gun at her for the entire ride. Investigators later learned the handguns used were fake, but the victim testified that she thought they were real.

When Howell and Robb arrived in Milwaukee, they put the woman and her daughters in the basement of the house where they were staying.

Howell and Robb allegedly told her they wanted access to the bank vault the next morning.

In the early-morning hours of the next day, the woman and her two children were transported to Wells Fargo in Racine. At this point, all three suspects were in the car; however, their faces were covered, and the victim later could not identify the suspects.

At the bank the victim was threatened with a gun until she was able to get give the men access to the money.

Following the robbery, the victim in the case managed to shut a door, locking herself and her two children in the bank with the conspirators on the wrong side of the locked door. The conspirators fled with $47,000.

Fridays testimony

Howells assertion that Pearson-Robb was not involved in the kidnapping and bank robbery was problematic, the state pointed out, primarily because it did not quite fit with the known facts.

From surveillance video collected all over Racine and Kenosha, law enforcement officers knew the suspects had driven from Milwaukee to Racine in a maroon vehicle with extensive body damage that belonged to Robbs girlfriend.

They also knew from the same surveillance video that the suspects followed the victim in that maroon vehicle from Racine to Kenosha. That same maroon vehicle could be seen tailing the victim as she ran errands around Kenosha.

Later that evening, as the victims were being driven to Milwaukee, a state trooper came across that maroon vehicle broken down by the side of the road in Racine County, and in the custody of Pearson-Robb.

The trooper had the car towed. There is no question the defendant was in Racine in the suspect car, prosecutors said.

Howell said the three conspirators did not drive the maroon vehicle from Racine to Kenosha, and instead that they had stolen a white car for that trip.

But there was no evidence that a white vehicle had been stolen in the area on that day, according to the Racine Police Department.

Further, Howell could not explain how Pearson-Robb ended up in Racine County with the car they had allegedly used in the crime, nor how the car was in surveillance video tailing the victims when, acccording to Howell, they were now in a white vehicle.

Statements

Flynn questioned the witness as to how he could have left Pearson-Robb sitting in jail so long without ever mentioning it was another man who assisted in the crime.

When confronted by police with the names of the other two suspects the day after his arrest on July 8, 2019, Howell asked: What does George have to do with this?

The defense contends that Howell did not give any names to investigators; rather, it was the investigators who supplied the names. The tape of the interview was played for the jury and that turned out to be true: law enforcement officers did supply the names of Howells co-conspirators. But it is also true that Howell did not correct investigators when they continued to assert that Pearson-Robb was the third suspect.

Howells statements to police and from the stand were frequently contradictory, making him appear to be an unreliable witness.

Howell told investigators he was brought into the conspiracy late, which he admitted on the stand was not true, and that he was only ever supposed to be the driver, even though he fully participated in the kidnapping and the bank robbery, as was seen on the surveillance video.

Despite his full participation, he only received a few thousand dollars, somewhere between $4,000 and $8,000, while the other two conspirators divvied up $40,000 between them.

The state has not said how much money was recovered. All three men went on a shopping spree just hours after the bank robbery.

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RACINE  Current Racine Unified School District Board of Education members are expected to vote Monday to fill the recently vacated District One seat.

RUSD School Board member resigns; district seeks replacement A Racine Unified board member resigned last week. Now, the district is looking to fill the seat, with applications due before the end of the month.

In November, Amy Cimbalnik resigned, leaving her seat open to be filled by a board designee. The seats term ends in April, meaning any candidate selected by the board would not only need to run for election but fall into the new district lines in order to keep the seat.

The board, according to RUSD Board President Brian OConnell, could make a short-term appointment.

I will mention that it would be technically possible for the board to make a short-term appointment to the vacancy, OConnell said. Whether or not the board believes thats the best course, is Im sure something that will come into their consideration as we get closer to voting on the candidate.

The four candidates being considered are Amanda Bengston, Tonya C. Evans, William Hartenberger and Theresa F. Villar.

William Hartenberger

Hartenberger moved to Racine with his wife a couple of years ago. They have a 1-year-old daughter, who he said will eventually sit in an RUSD classroom.

Hartenberger is looking for a way another way to give back to the community and currently works at a nonprofit college, Shepherds College in Union Grove, teaching students with disabilities to provide them life skills and job skills to hopefully live independently. Hartenberger said he believes that all students can be lifelong learners.

Because we chose this place to live, I just wanted to take the opportunity to try and serve my community, Hartenberger said.

In response to several questions raised by current board members, Hartenbergers solution was group activities or community oriented efforts to support all students success.

Im fully supportive of having a community that that supports their kids, I want to try to get the neighborhoods involved, the community involved, to become role models for students, Hartenberger said. If its just teachers that are with them, teachers are great, of course, but it takes more than a teacher to help students succeed.

Hartenberger is organizing to run for election in the spring and would be eligible to continue his role should he be appointed.

Theresa Villar

Theresa Villar was a high school teacher for 15 years  teaching in Cleveland and Clearwater, Florida, for a number of years before deciding to change career paths and attending Marquette Law School. There, she earned her certificate in dispute resolution and her law degree.

She went on to work in several legal positions advocating for children, including being a guardian ad litem for Racine County. Villar currently works as an assistant district attorney for Racine County, where she prosecutes in all Child in Need of Protection and/or Services cases. With two young children of her own in RUSD, one of which has an Individualized Education Plan, Villar is familiar with the workings of district.

In Villars opinion, trauma has influenced the lives of the many children she has interacted with and is something she believes impacts the lives of those in RUSD, including teachers. By working to address trauma, Villar believes more students will find success and remain in the classroom. When asked why she was the best person to fill the seat, Villar said that while she might not be, she has a lot to bring to the position.

Well, I think I am a good person, I dont know that Im the best person, Villar said. But I certainly have a passion for education. Ive got a background in education. I have a passion for children and have really spent my entire adult life advocating for children, supporting children and learning to understand children better. So, I believe I have a lot to bring because of my various experiences, a lot to bring to the school board.

Villar, while admitting she has not quite started the process, does plan to run for the seat in April.

Tonya Evans

Evans comes from a line of public-school teachers; her mother and grandmother were both teachers. Before moving to Racine about 20 years ago, Evans said she worked with an organization that established health clinics in schools that provided families access to doctors, dentists and mental health professionals. While in the role, she worked with local government, school officials and community members in order to bring the clinics to fruition. Evans also has experience within RUSD, as her daughter is a recent Case High School graduate.

Evans family was also involved in the district through community drives and services put on for Julian Thomas by their church. Evans plans to run for the seat come election time in the spring. Evans emphasized that while ensuring students have a valuable school experience is important, so is preparing them for a future beyond RUSD.

Listen, I dont know it all and I dont have all the answers, Evans said. But, what I do have is a willingness to do the work while applying and enduring the necessary pressure so that our children can dream big, remain hopeful and have a chance.

Amanda Bengston

Bengston works as a nurse in Racine, has been in the health care field for more than 15 years and is an already involved with RUSD through its Parent Leadership Network. She is also seeking the presidency with a local Parent Teacher Association.

She also emphasized district communication with parents and increasing their involvement. This included connecting RUSD parents to resources, such as parenting classes that were offered by Childrens Hospital through the district. Bengston believes this would help strengthen students chance for success in the classroom.

Though she would not be eligible to run for re-election come April for the district Cimbalnik had been elected to, Bengston said she wants to be able to step up and help the community in the meantime.

I really have a lot at stake here and want to make sure that I can do whatever I can in the community, in the school, and thats why Im joining all these different avenues to make sure that I can do that, Bengston said. Because I think its really important that everybody gets on the same page, and just follows the Golden Rule: treat everybody how they want to be treated, and just try to implement whatever we can to make sure that these kids have the opportunities and the parents have the opportunities available to help their students succeed.

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COVID-19 outbreaks are hitting the Wisconsin prison system once again, with active cases among prisoners breaking 300 for the first time this week since January, when vaccines had not yet started to get distributed to prisoners.

On Friday, the total number of active COVID-19 cases was 283, according to data from the Department of Corrections.

After starting off November with just five active cases across the states 37 adult prison facilities, COVID-19 infections ticked up toward the end of the month to around a few dozen. By Nov. 30, there were nearly 50 active cases.

Cases continued to rise through December and broke 300 for the first time on Monday, when there were 308 active cases. On Tuesday, there were 319.

The last time active cases were this high was Jan. 10, when the prison system had 308 active cases among prisoners, including a 200-case outbreak at Oakhill Correctional Institution in Oregon. Prisoners were not able to get vaccines at that time. They became eligible March 1.

A total of 82% of adult and youth prisoners were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Dec. 7, the most recent day data were available. Some prisoners have gotten boosted, but its unclear how many at this point. That information was not available.

The newest cases are spread across 17 prisons, a few with major outbreaks. Jackson Correctional Institution had the most active cases at 90, as of Friday. Dodge Correctional Institution was next at 86. Columbia Correctional Institution had 13. Taycheedah Correctional Institution had 11, and Racine Correctional Institution/Sturtevant Transitional Facility had 31.

There were 150 cases among staff on Thursday, according to self-reported data provided by the department.

Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 11,461 prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19. Thats well over half of the current population of roughly 20,000, but that number fluctuates as people are sentenced to prison or inmates are released after completing their sentences.

Thirty-two people have died after getting infected with COVID-19 while incarcerated in the Wisconsin prison system. That number hasnt changed since July 27.

State Journal reporter Lucas Robinson contributed to this report.
If the last 10 years have reaffirmed anything for retiring American Family Insurance CEO Jack Salzwedel, its how quickly markets can change.

But when CEO-elect Bill Westrate takes over come January, he will be uniquely positioned to adapt to the new and unforeseen market conditions of the coming decade, Salzwedel said, partly because Westrate has an extensive background in actuarial science.

Actuarial science uses math and statistics to assess risk in the fields of insurance and finance  an immensely useful discipline amid crises like the ongoing pandemic, Salzwedel said.

Salzwedel, who has led American Family since 2011, is departing early next year. He is leaving behind a legacy of innovation that Westrate said he plans to build upon  what analysts used to call a sleepy, Midwestern company has rapidly expanded across the U.S., and established a reputation for not only investing in businesses that address social issues, but fostering an inclusive workplace culture.

Its weird because its truly not my legacy, Salzwedel said. Its a group of people that Ive been able to lead. Our group will be known for tremendous business results.

Westrate brings with him almost three decades of actuarial expertise, being a graduate of Iowa-based Northwestern College.

He previously worked as an underwriting representative for Iowa-based IMT Insurance, and as an actuarial analyst for Allied Insurance Group in Iowa.

In 1996, Westrate began his tenure with American Family Insurance, rising through the ranks until becoming enterprise president in 2017. In 2020, Westrate became the American Family CEO-elect.

On how to continue American Familys current growth, Westrate said his plan is to keep up what has been a series of mergers and acquisitions since 2012. He declined to go into specifics.

But Michigan-born Westrate said any decision would put customers at the fore.

Nine years ago, American Family bought Tennessee-based auto insurer The General.

American Family has since acquired Boston-based Homesite Insurance, as well as De Pere-based CONNECT, a home and automotive insurance company formerly known as Ameriprise. In 2018, Florida-based Main Street American Group Mutual Holdings merged with American Family.

Westrate said he will additionally pursue more opportunities to cement American Familys place as a venture capital hub, philanthropic powerhouse and people-centric business.

Thats beside already owning the Spark building on Madisons East Side, home to startup coworking space Starting Block, the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact and DreamBank, a digital community center.

Of recent philanthropic efforts, the company said it would funnel $105 million over the next half-decade to organizations looking to close equity gaps. The money comes from American Familys Free to Dream program.

Internally, the firm raised its base wages to $20 an hour, and vowed last fall to increase the diversity of its teams up to 50% by 2024, among various other inclusivity initiatives.

There are also plans to add to the practice of hiring employees for positions that best suit their ambitions, Westrate said.

Ive been a beneficiary of that culture, said Westrate, adding that he likes to place bets on people, and see what they are capable of.

The one point of uncertainty that comes with the new role, Westrate said, is the emergence of new technologies. But embracing them is part of his ongoing journey as a leader, he said.

We might not know where this company is going to be, but we jump when we need to jump, said Salzwedel, adding that he will still maintain a presence on American Familys board of directors upon retirement.

That mindset around agility  this is something Ive learned from Jack, Westrate said.

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MEDFORD  Leaders at Aspirus Medford Hospital gathered this week to assess their situation: 19 patients, double the regular load. Twelve with COVID-19, 11 of them unvaccinated. Three on ventilators, with another likely needing ventilation soon.

The small facility in north-central Wisconsin normally would send ventilated patients to the larger Aspirus Wausau Hospital nearly 50 miles away, but its critical care beds were full. In Medford, four emergency room patients were waiting for hospital beds. To open more beds, the hospital needs more nurses. Theyre in short supply.

Were kind of burning on the inside, and nobodys aware, said Susan Moretz, a nurse who oversees outpatient services in Medford.

Hospitals around the state are overwhelmed by another surge of COVID-19 patients and an influx of people needing other care, and rural hospitals are especially stretched to the limit, administrators say. With flu season starting, holiday gatherings ripe for spreading illness and the emerging omicron variant of the coronavirus showing signs of unprecedented transmission, the situation could soon become even more dire.

Last week was the worst we have ever seen in the whole pandemic, said Lisa Schnedler, CEO of Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville. Were just holding our breath to see what happens next, particularly with Christmas, New Years and now this new variant.

In Medford, a city of 4,300 people where many jobs involve making windows, cheese or frozen pizza, hospital workers feel frustration from being in the county with the states lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate. Just 34.5% of residents in Taylor County had received at least one dose as of Friday, compared to 61.3% statewide and 79.9% in Dane County.

Amanda Keeling, a nurse who grew up in Medford and moved back after going to school in Oshkosh and working in Green Bay, said some friends and family dont believe her when she says the steady stream of COVID-19 patients is wearing her and other nurses out. Theres little interest in discussing how more vaccination could make the situation more manageable, she said.

Last year, we were heroes, Keeling said. This year, people dont want to hear us talk about it. ... I dont think people want to be told what to do.

Pushing the limit

On Wednesday morning, when a Wisconsin State Journal reporter and photographer visited the Medford hospital, Keeling joined nine other staff for a task that has become all too familiar: They gathered around the bed of a ventilated COVID-19 patient who had been put on her stomach the night before to help her lungs get more oxygen.

As a respiratory therapist held the breathing tube and a nurse managed the feeding and sedation lines, four others stood on each side of the bed and flipped the large patient on her back. Several hours later, workers would gather to put the patient on her stomach again, a process carried out each day for each patient on a ventilator.

Before September, Medford didnt keep ventilated patients. But as the delta variant surge of COVID-19 made it hard to transfer patients elsewhere, the 25-bed hospital took on a function it wasnt set up to handle.

Were pushing the highest end of our skill level right now, said David Warren, a respiratory therapist who cares for ventilated patients and others on high-flow oxygen. He has been working 50 hours a week or more.

Many of the COVID-19 patients in Medford are in their 30s, 40s or 50s, younger than during the surge a year ago, before vaccines became available and were widely adopted by older adults. Like elsewhere, the patients are treated with the steroid dexamethasone, the antiviral remdesivir or monoclonal antibodies, as appropriate, said Vickie Woelfel, one of the nurse practitioners who treats them.

For the ventilated patients, the Medford hospital uses UW Healths eICU, getting help online from UW experts in Madison on how to manage intensive care needs.

Its saddening and frustrating to see so many people here who might not have had to be here if they had been vaccinated, Woelfel said. I personally havent had a person yet who says they wish they had been vaccinated. Im waiting for that day.

In the eight-bed emergency room, which is seeing 900 patients a month, up from the normal flow of about 600, staff put patients in nearby clinic rooms when needed. When those rooms are full, they hang sheets in the hallway around a chair or a cot, for a makeshift space.

The constant challenge takes its toll, said Kari Rickert, an ER nurse who has a 5-year-old daughter. Youre just exhausted when you get home. ... Sometimes I dont have the energy she deserves.

Strain widespread

Hayward Area Memorial Hospital, about 110 miles northwest of Medford, is experiencing similar strain. Emergency room visits are up 47% this year, and inpatient volume last month was 59% higher than November 2020, said CEO Luke Beirl.

He is struggling to fill 60 job openings, many in direct patient care. We thought last year was challenging, Beirl said. Its nothing compared to this year.

At Sauk Prairie Healthcare in Prairie du Sac, about 25 miles northwest of Madison, CEO Shawn Lerch pointed to another way to measure the impact: in blood gas kits, used to measure oxygen levels in blood, a key indicator of how coronavirus patients are doing. The hospital typically uses 20 of the kits per month.

Right now, were using 20 per day, Lerch said. Our teams have gone to heroic measures to ensure that safety and quality is maintained, but its not sustainable. We are burning the candle at both ends, and then some.

Schnedler, the Dodgeville hospital CEO, said all six of its COVID-19 patients as of Thursday were unvaccinated. A week earlier, there were more COVID-19 patients, along with many others, including seven in the birthing center and seven in the ER waiting for beds.

We had zero beds available, she said. It was the perfect storm.

Skepticism persists

In Medford, with no sign of patient demand slowing, Jessica Faude is trying to figure out how the hospital might handle an even larger load.

The hospital has a few double rooms, but COVID-19 guidelines say patients shouldnt be paired when community transmission is high  which, in Wisconsin, is everywhere. For non-ventilated patients, one nurse typically cares for five people per shift. The hospitals surge plan calls for going to six or seven, but that can cause even more stress.

Faude, a nurse who oversees patient care services, has tried to hire contract nurses from agencies, but they are in high demand nationwide. To get somebody to want to come to rural Wisconsin, in winter, is hard, she said.

Like many employees at the hospital, Faude has lived in Taylor County her whole life. Like most, shes been working extra shifts and is exhausted. Like the others, she wishes her community would take the pandemic more seriously.

Since the pandemic began, 26 of the hospitals COVID-19 patients have died. As of Friday, 106 of the 137 COVID-19 patients at Aspirus 17 hospitals in Wisconsin and Michigans Upper Peninsula were not fully vaccinated, including at least 39 of the 43 in intensive care.

But Faude said many people in the area distrust health care workers. Some demand that their loved ones be treated with ivermectin, an anti-parasitic livestock pill that doctors say is not suitable for humans with COVID-19, she said. Skepticism of vaccination seems entrenched, she said.

They feel like its this big hoax that the government is trying to push on people, and so they dont trust where the vaccines coming from or the intentions behind it, Faude said.

CEO Dale Hustedt also sees denial in the community. They refuse to accept that COVID is here and that its real and that people are dying from it, he said.

But vaccinated or not, Hustedt said patients with COVID-19 or other conditions will continue to get care as long as the hospital can handle them.

You dont know when its going to end, but you know you have to stay with it and keep working hard, he said.
1. Crime. Too much violence, too many shootings. Police have to get a handle on it.

2. Coronavirus. The omicron variant and others to follow threaten the community.

3. Roads. Killeen-area roads are still a mess after last years storm  a serious problem.

4.Government. Elections are on the horizon, and voters will have hard choices to make.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say which single issue will stand out at this point.

Vote

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KEARNEY  Grace Tolstedt doesnt know who nominated her to speak at the University of Nebraska at Kearneys winter commencement ceremony.

The call from the Chancellors Office came as a total surprise.

I was completely taken aback, Tolstedt said. I had no idea.

Whoever that mystery person is, they made a great recommendation.

Tolstedt exemplifies the UNK experience and the positive impact this campus has on students.

Its an honor to be the person who gets to say thank you, she said.

A graduate of Alliance High School, Tolstedt arrived at UNK with some uncertainty about her future. After 3 1/2 years of growing and learning, she walked across the stage Friday to receive a bachelors degree in criminal justice with minors in political science and public law.
ROME (AP)  Pope Francis celebrated his 85th birthday on Friday, a milestone made even more remarkable given the coronavirus pandemic, his summertime intestinal surgery and the weight of history: His predecessor retired at this age and the last pope to have lived any longer was Leo XIII over a century ago.

Yet Francis is going strong, recently concluding a whirlwind trip to Cyprus and Greece after his pandemic-defying jaunts this year to Iraq, Slovakia and Hungary. He has set in motion an unprecedented two-year consultation of rank-and-file Catholics on making the church more attuned to the laity, and shows no sign of slowing down on his campaign to make the post-COVID world a more environmentally sustainable, economically just and fraternal place where the poor are prioritized.

"I see a lot of energy," said the Rev. Antonio Spadaro, one of Francis' trusted Jesuit communications gurus. "What we're seeing is the natural expression, the fruit of the seeds that he has sown."

But Francis also is beset by problems at home and abroad and is facing a sustained campaign of opposition from the conservative Catholic right. He has responded with the papal equivalent of "no more Mr. Nice Guy." Read the full story here:

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On Dec. 17, Rep. Ron Kind announced that Wisconsin airports will receive $39.7 million in funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, with over $4.3 million headed to airports in the Third Congressional District. The money can be invested in runways, taxiways, safety and sustainability projects as well as terminal, airport-transit connections, and roadway projects. More funding for Wisconsin airports is expected in years to come.

Viroqua Municipal Airport is receiving a $159,000 Airport Infrastructure Grant in Fiscal Year 2022 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Our rural and regional airports in Wisconsins Third Congressional District connect us to the rest of our state, the country, and the world, Kind said. This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will help our airports upgrade their infrastructure and improve safety, all while creating good-paying jobs for Wisconsinites.

For a full list of Wisconsin airports receiving , click here.

Kind voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on Nov. 5, and the package was signed into law Nov. 15. This legislation will provide Wisconsin with an estimated $5.2 billion to repair our highways, $225 million to replace and repair bridges, $100 million to expand broadband access to all Wisconsinites, $592 million for improved public transportation options, $198 million for infrastructure development for airports over the next five years, and more.

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CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  On billboards throughout northern Nevada, Republican gubernatorial candidate Joey Gilbert can be seen with clenched fists and a promise: Joey Gilbert Law, Fighting for Nevada.

Now, Gilbert is fighting efforts to reprimand him by the State Bar of Nevada. Gilbert has yet to be disciplined, but a screening panel that reviewed his work sent him a draft letter of reprimand in August alleging he harmed a client and violated the bars rules of professional conduct.

Your misconduct actually injured your client, albeit not substantially because he had no formal deadline for filing the petition. Your misconduct actually injured the integrity of the profession as well, Richard Williamson, the chair of a disciplinary panel convened by the bar, wrote in the Aug. 27 letter to Gilbert.

Gilbert is an attorney and former professional boxer who in the last year has become one of Nevada's most prominent voices calling into question the 2020 election result and decrying coronavirus vaccines. He was present in Washington, D.C., during the Jan. 6 insurrection but has said he did not enter the Capitol. Gilbert is running in a crowded primary field of Republicans hoping to unseat Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022.

The letter obtained by The Associated Press was confirmed as authentic by the State Bar of Nevada.

The Nevada Bar appoints three-member panels to evaluate grievances lodged by clients claiming harm against its attorneys. After deliberation, panels can impose sanctions, reprimand an attorney or dismiss the allegations. If the panel chooses sanctions or a reprimand, it must provide the attorney an opportunity to review the allegations and file an objection within 14 days.

Gilbert filed a motion to dismiss the letter, which the disciplinary panel denied on Dec. 1, according to filings provided by his attorney, Dominic Gentile.

Gentile said Gilbert denied all the allegations in the letter and planned to continue to fight the bar over its process and conclusions. He said the draft letter was not a public record and the State Bar should not have commented on it at this stage.

There is no final determination as to the validity of any grievance against Mr. Gilbert. A lawyer is entitled to a live hearing at which witnesses must be called to testify and be subject to cross-examination, he said.

Bar counsel Daniel Hooge said the letter was unofficial and Gilbert would not be formally disciplined until the panel holds another hearing.

While the Supreme Court of Nevada retains ultimate authority to regulate the legal profession, the Office of the Bar Counsel serves as the Courts arm to investigate and prosecute claims that a lawyer has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct. Our primary goal is to protect the public, Hooge said.

The panel's consideration comes as Gilbert campaigns throughout Nevada ahead of the Republican gubernatorial primary next June and files headline-grabbing lawsuits challenging vaccine and mask mandates.

To voters, Gilbert cites his legal work as evidence that he's the best choice to be Nevada's next governor and committed to fighting for the state.

In stump speeches he's made across the state and shared on his Facebook page, he says the legal work he's done throughout the pandemic prove his willingness to be in the trenches, fighting, referencing cases such as Calvary Chapel Lone Mountain's ongoing challenges to Nevada's coronavirus-related capacity cap on religious gatherings.

Gilbert is part of the legal team representing that church in Las Vegas, which along with another in rural Nevada, won an appeal challenging a statewide capacity cap on religious gatherings. The 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals ruled in favor of the church after the governor had rolled back the restrictions in question.

The State Bar letter claims Gilbert's firm allowed employees who weren't licensed attorneys to handle a case without supervision  a violation of professional standards and bar requirements. It alleges that a law student, who was supposed to be under Gilberts supervision per bar rules, falsely implied to a client that a petition had been filed in court when it had not.

Though Gilbert's client had paid a $3,500 retainer four months prior, the firm later dropped him as a client and returned the deposit. The draft letter also reprimands Gilbert for violating a diligence rule by not promptly alerting the client that he did not want to represent him.

Gentile said Gilbert denied the allegations.

After speaking to employees mentioned in the letter, Gentile said he believes the disciplinary panel hadn't sufficiently investigated the incident. He said he was confident the reprimand would be dismissed.

"What Joey Gilbert is doing here is he's standing up for his integrity," Gentile said.

The State Bar of Nevada said it has about 9,000 active members and prosecutes roughly 200 to 300 grievances annually. In 2021, it issued 24 reprimands, nine stayed suspensions and 15 actual suspensions. One attorney was disbarred.

Associated Press writer Scott Sonner contributed reporting from Reno. Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Mayo Clinic Health System experts touched on COVID-19 vaccinations for youth and the emergence of the omicron variant Friday during an online forum, sharing tips to prevent viral spread and urging inoculation.

Kids, Vaccines, and Variants: COVID-19 Here and Now featured Dr. Robert Jacobson, pediatrician and vaccine researcher with the Mayo Clinic Childrens Center, Mayo infectious disease expert Dr. Raj Palraj and Dr. Paul Mueller, regional vice president for Mayo Clinic Health System in Southwest Wisconsin.

Vaccination for youth

The CDC in November gave EUA for use of the Pfizer vaccine in youth 5-11, a category comprising around 28 million. Given in 10 microgram doses, a third the amount used in teens and adults, the vaccine proved safe and effective, offering 91% protection, in a trial.

Side effects experienced by children were similar to those experienced by adults, including headache, fatigue, sore arm and possibly fever, typically dissipating in 24-48 hours. Doses will be spaced 21 days apart, as are the adult shots.

While youth have generally been less physically impacted by the coronavirus, with lower infection, hospitalization and death rates, experts still strongly urge vaccination. In the U.S., in the 5 to 11 age group around 8,300 have been hospitalized due to the virus, with a third requiring intensive care, and 94 have died. Youth infections total over 1.9 million.

An FDA report, Benefits-Risks of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Ages 5 to 11 Years, published Oct. 26, indicates for every million youth age 5 to 11 vaccinated, 58,000 infections, 241 hospitalizations, 77 intensive care unit stays and one death could be prevented. Of those million, up to 106 youth could develop myocarditis as a result of vaccination, but the vast majority would recover.

As of Dec. 16, 18.5% of La Crosse County youth 5-11 had received at least one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. For the week ending Dec. 13, coronavirus cases among La Crosse County children age 5-9 was 96.5 per 100,000 per day, and for those age 10-14 the rate was 97.2 per 100,000 per day.

Vaccination is still being studied in those under 5. Jacobson says data from Pfizer is likely to be presented in the first quarter of 2022.

Omicron variant

While still dwarfed by the delta variant, the omicron strain now makes up 3% of COVID infections in the U.S., and levels are expected to rise. The U.S. has historically been a few weeks behind the U.K. in infection patterns, and in London omicron is now the dominant strain, making up around a third of infections.

The U.K. has hit daily records for COVID cases this week, with over 88,000 infections Thursday and 93,000 Friday. CDC modeling predicts an omicron wave in the U.S. next month.

While spreading faster than delta, infections seem be milder. In South Africa, where omicron was discovered in late November, during a one-week period only 1.7% of patients with omicron required hospitalization, compared to 19% of those infected with delta.

However, Palraj says, Omicron still poses a big risk to our healthcare system, with the sheer number of infections it can cause to increase hospitalizations. With healthcare entities already overwhelmed with high patient loads and staffing shortages, it is a storm the community may not be able to weather without increased vaccination, and booster, rates.

The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene had sequenced 13 omicron infections statewide as of Friday, and about 38 states have now confirmed cases.

Data from Pfizer, looking at Israel and South Africa, found two doses of their vaccine is less effective against omicron, but a third dose increases protection. Inoculation remains effective in greatly lowering risk of hospitalization and death. Vaccines designed to target omicron are in the works.

Navigating the holiday season

The experts touched on encouraging family members and friends who are vaccine hesitant to get their shots, with Jacobson suggesting they recommend getting their information from a trusted medical expert.

Its probably the most important thing that can occur, Jacobson says. Many people who have made the decision not to get the vaccine have not talked to their primary care provider. Theyve shared it with their neighbors, their family members, theyve talked back to the television set, they have chatted about it but they havent actually brought their concerns to the person who is in charge of their medicine, who has helped them through injury and illnesses.

Mueller advises approaching the topic with love and compassion, letting them know you care about their health and the health of the family and the community. Letting them know being vaccinated also protects those around them may help as well.

Part of it is the sobering statistics  800,000 Americans have died of this disease, Mueller says.

Vaccination, including boosters, masking, distancing and sanitation remain crucial, Mueller notes.

Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net.

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A murder charge has now been filed against a man accused of killing a woman and stuffing her corpse in a suitcase, which was left at a farm in rural Chippewa County.

Jose E. Dominguez-Garcia, 24, was charged Wednesday in Chippewa County Court with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree intentional homicide of an unborn child and hiding a corpse.

The body of Rosaly Cindy Chavarria Rodriguez, who was 25 at the time she went missing in July 2020, was discovered at a farmhouse in the town of Wheaton on Oct. 14, 2020. She lived in the Lake Delton area.

A DNA profile was used to positively identify the corpse.

Chippewa County Judge James Isaacson signed a warrant for Dominguez-Garcias arrest, and the county will extradite him if hes located. However, it is unclear if he is still in the United States.

Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said he had been working with several law enforcement agencies and wanted to make sure they were looking for the right person. He acknowledged that law enforcement isnt sure where the suspect is located. Newell said he felt it was important to bring the charges forward at this time.

These charges are important to the family, Newell said. It allows the family the knowledge that charges are being pursued against the person who killed their daughter, and the process is under way.

The criminal complaint states that authorities were aware Rodriguez went missing and was last seen working at Sprechers restaurant in Lake Delton on July 2, 2020. Dominguez-Garcia, who was dating her, picked up her last paycheck on July 23, 2020.

Dominguez-Garcia also worked at the restaurant. An officer in the Reedsburg Police Department interviewed Dominguez-Garcia on July 23, 2020. He told the officer they had broken up on July 4, 2020, after he learned she was cheating on him. He was aware that Rosaly was pregnant, and she had told him the father was a different person. He last worked on July 22, 2020, the day before he spoke to officers.

Police located Dominguez-Garcias car  a red 2003 Volkswagen Jetta  on Aug. 26, 2020, in Wisconsin Dells. There was a red gelatin substance, and there were dead flies and maggots in the car.

The detective noted that based on his law enforcement training and experience with death investigations that what he was looking at were the fluids released through orifices indicating the beginning of a decaying body that had been in the trunk of the vehicle.

That car was observed on surveillance footage July 23 along 2655 Highway T, where Rodriguezs body was later discovered.

Medical records show that Rodriguez was seven weeks, five days pregnant at a doctors visit June 18, 2020, and had an estimated due date of Jan. 30, 2021.

Her body was found on a vacant farm between 20th and 30th avenues, along the Highway T corridor, south of 29 Pines. Officers learned of the body being at the farm during a drug investigation, when an informant told them about it.

Police arrived at the farmhouse and located it, stuffed inside a purple suitcase. The body was heavily decomposed. While no identification was with the body, police suspected it was Rodriguez.

The deceased body was was wearing black stretch pants and a black T-shirt that read Sprechers Restaurant and Pub, which is located in Wisconsin Dells. Her long hair fit the description sent out in her missing person profile.

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MOSCOW (AP)  Russia sent a pair of nuclear-capable long-range bombers to patrol the skies over Belarus on Saturday, a mission intended to underline close defense ties between the two allies amid tensions with the West.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the two Tu-22M3 strategic strike bombers practiced performing joint tasks with the Belarusian air force and air defense. Su-30 fighter jets that Russia has supplied to Belarus escorted the bombers.

Saturdays four-hour patrol marked Russia's third such mission in Belarus since last month and took place amid Western concerns over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine's border.

Moscow has denied harboring plans to invade Ukraine and pressed the United States for security guarantees that would exclude NATO expanding into Ukraine or deploying weapons there. The U.S. and its allies are almost certain to reject Moscow's demands.

Some Ukrainian officials have voiced concern that Russia may use Belarus as a base for attacking their country from the north. Amid his own tensions with the European Union, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said last month that his country would be ready to host Russian nuclear weapons.

The European Union has accused the authoritarian Lukashenko of encouraging migrants and refugees to use his country as a backdoor to illegally enter neighboring EU member nations Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. The EU imposed sanctions on Lukashenko's government for its crackdown on internal dissent after Lukashenkos disputed 2020 reelection.

The Belarusian leader wouldnt elaborate on what kind of Russian weapons Belarus would be willing to accommodate, but noted that the ex-Soviet nation has carefully preserved the necessary military infrastructure dating back to the time of the USSR.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described Lukashenkos offer as a serious warning prompted by reckless Western policy.

Belarus' top diplomat, Vladimir Makei, seconded Lukashenko's statement in an interview released Saturday. He said Belarus could agree to host nuclear weapons as part of its response to possible NATO activities in Poland.

Echoing Russian concerns about growing ties between Ukraine and NATO, Makei said the Western military alliance was Ukraine into a bridgehead against Russia.

Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine contributed.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Gov. Kim Reynolds office on Friday announced a new system for handling open record requests, a day after three media organizations filed a lawsuit that alleges she has repeatedly violated the states open records laws by ignoring requests for government records, some for more than a year.

Reynolds' spokesman Alex Murphy sent an email to reporters Friday saying the coronavirus pandemic created increased records requests and they are still being processed.

Due to this enhanced volume, we have revisited our open records process and have made changes to help efficiently complete requests, he said.

Murphy said reporters with outstanding requests will be notified of their status.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa is representing Laura Belin, who operates the liberal-leaning Bleeding Heartland blog; Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council; and Clark Kauffman, a reporter for the Iowa Capital Dispatch, in a lawsuit filed Thursday in state court.

The reporters say they have tried to get public records from Reynolds office starting as early as April 2020 without success despite waiting for months and in some cases, well over a year. Often, the governors office didnt acknowledge the records requests or respond to inquiries.

Murphy said the governor's office would not comment on the lawsuit.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Connecticut tests babies for 73 disorders shortly after birth, the most of any state, while Wisconsin screens for 47, fewer than surrounding states, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA.

But the numbers can be deceiving, said Dr. Mei Baker, co-director of newborn screening at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. She is also a member of HRSAs Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children.

We never get into a counting game, Baker said. You really cannot judge a program by how many conditions they list.

Connecticut says it screens for five hemoglobin traits that make people carriers for sickle cell disease from birth, though carriers dont have the blood disease. Wisconsin also detects and reports the carriers but doesnt list them on its newborn screening panel, Baker said.

Connecticut also lists two conditions related to phenylketonuria, or PKU, a protein disorder that can cause intellectually disability. Wisconsin, which lists PKU, can also pick up the related conditions but doesnt list them, Baker said.

Similarly, Connecticut, Michigan and Minnesota list T cell conditions related to severe combined immune deficiency, or SCID. Wisconsin lists SCID and also detects the T cell conditions but doesnt list them.

Additional examples involve disorders Wisconsin picks up incidentally when screening for targeted conditions, Baker said. While some states list those, Wisconsin doesnt unless they meet the states newborn screening criteria, she said.

In 2011, Wisconsin removed three enzyme conditions from its panel because they were found to be benign. One had been found primarily in the states Hmong community. Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois list some or all of them.

Wisconsin screens for two hemoglobin disorders not listed by many states: beta thalassemia major and hemoglobin e-beta thalassemia. They are more prominent among southeast Asians, Baker said.

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Bell Hooks, Groundbreaking Feminist Thinker, Dies at 69

Bell hooks, the groundbreaking author, educator and activist whose explorations of how race, gender, economics and politics intertwined helped shape academic and popular debates over the past 40 years, has died. She was 69.

In a statement issued through William Morrow Publishers, hooks family announced that she died Wednesday in Berea, Kentucky, home to the bell hooks center at Berea College. Additional details were not immediately available, although her close friend Dr. Linda Strong-Leek said she had been ill for a long time.

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Related News: WATCH: Bell Hooks on Interlocking Systems of Domination

She was a giant, no nonsense person who lived by her own rules, and spoke her own truth in a time when Black people, and women especially, did not feel empowered to do that, Dr. Strong-Leek, a former provost of Berea College, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. It was a privilege to know her, and the world is a lesser place today because she is gone. There will never be another bell hooks.

Starting in the 1970s, hooks was a profound presence in the classroom and on the page. She drew upon professional scholarship and personal history as she completed dozens of books that influenced countless peers and helped provide a framework for current debates about race, class and feminism. Her notable works included Aint I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism, Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center and All About Love: New Visions. She also wrote poetry and childrens stories and appeared in such documentaries as Black Is  Black Aint and Hillbilly.

Rejecting the isolation of feminism, civil rights and economics into separate fields, she was a believer in community and connectivity and how racism, sexism and economic disparity reinforced each other. Among her most famous expressions was her definition of feminism, which she called a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression.

Ibram X. Kendi, Roxane Gay, Tressie McMillan Cottom and others mourned hooks. Author Saeed Jones noted that her death came just a week after the loss of the celebrated Black author and critic Greg Tate. It all feels so pointed, he tweeted Wednesday.

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Hooks honors included an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation, which champions diversity in literature. She taught at numerous schools, including Yale University, Oberlin College and City College of New York. She joined the Berea College faculty in 2004 and a decade later founded the center named for her, where many and varied expressions of difference can thrive. One former student at Yale, the author Min Jin Lee, would write in The New York Times in 2019 that in hooks classroom everything felt so intense and crackling like the way the air can feel heavy before a long-awaited rain.

hooks was born Gloria Jean Watkins in 1952 in the segregated town of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and later gave herself the pen name bell hooks in honor of her maternal great-grandmother, while also spelling the words in lower case to establish her own identity and way of thinking. She loved reading from an early age, remembering how books gave her visions of new worlds that forced her out of her comfort zones.

Her early influences ranged from James Baldwin and fellow Kentucky author Wendell Berry to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King was my teacher for understanding the importance of beloved community. He had a profound awareness that the people involved in oppressive institutions will not change from the logics and practices of domination without engagement with those who are striving for a better way, she said in an interview that ran in Appalachian Heritage in 2012.

She majored in English at Stanford University and received a masters in English from the University of Wisconsin. It was the 1970s, the height of second wave feminism, but hooks _ this bold young black female from rural Kentucky _ felt apart from the movement and its white and female comrades. She was still in college when she began writing Aint I a Woman, named for a speech by Sojourner Truth and a now-canonical look at how the devaluation of black womanhood occurred as a result of the sexual exploitation of black women during slavery.

Over the following decades, Hooks examined how stereotypes influence everything from music and movies (the oppositional gaze) to love, writing in All About Love that much of what we were taught about the nature of love makes no sense when applied to daily life. She also documented at length the collective identity and past of Black people in rural Kentucky, a part of the state often depicted as largely white and homogeneous.

We chart our lives by everything we remember from the mundane moment to the majestic. We know ourselves through the art and act of remembering, she wrote in Belonging: A Culture of Place, published in 2009.

I pay tribute to the past as a resource that can serve as a foundation for us to revision and renew our commitment to the present, to making a world where all people can live fully and well, where everyone, can belong.

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Associated Press Writer Piper Hudspeth Blackburn in Louisville, Kentucky contributed to this report.
LA County Reports 3,360 New Cases of COVID-19, 27 More Deaths

Los Angeles County reported 3,360 new cases of COVID-19 today, along with 27 additional deaths associated with the virus and eight more confirmed cases of the Omicron variant. The number of new cases is the highest in months, and comes one day after officials announced stepped-up efforts to combat the pandemic, including new rules for attending large events.

The new Omicron cases brings the countys confirmed total to 38. Of the eight cases reported Friday, five people were fully vaccinated and one received a booster. One person reported international travel and one person reported domestic travel, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday that there is no evidence to suggest the new variant causes more severe symptoms than previous versions, but it is more transmissible than other variants.

Based on the data collected to date, we anticipate that Omicron will circulate more widely in L.A. County in the very near future, leading to many more cases over a short period of time, particularly given increased gatherings with travel over the winter holiday, Ferrer said. Unvaccinated individuals appear to remain at the highest risk, but all the evidence to date indicates that those fully vaccinated are also at increased risk, particularly for getting infected and infecting others.

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In a small piece of good news, the number of county residents hospitalized with COVID-19 fell to 749 on Friday, down from 772 on Thursday, according to the latest state figures. Of those patients, 182 were in intensive care, unchanged from the previous day.

Beginning Friday, anyone attending indoor or outdoor mega-events in the county who cannot provide proof of full vaccination was required to provide proof of a negative COVID test within one day (if antigen test) or two days (if PCR test) of the event.

Children under age 2 are exempt from the rule for indoor events, and children under 5 are exempt for outdoor events. This is a change from the previous health order, which required proof of a negative test within 72 hours. The county defines mega-events as indoor gatherings of more than 1,000 people or outdoor events of more than 10,000 people.

Meanwhile, officials noted Thursdays action by an advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which unanimously voted to give a preferential recommendation to mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna over the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to rare but serious blood clots associated with the latter.

Dr. Isaac See of the CDC said health officials have confirmed 54 cases of the blood clots  nine of which have been fatal  and two additional deaths suspected to be related to the blood clotting issue. L.A. County officials say that as of Dec. 12, over 530,000 residents have received a dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

We remind residents that L.A. Countys supply of mRNA vaccines is abundant and that when it is time to get a booster dose, individuals previously vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should consider boosters with Pfizer or Moderna, the health department said Friday.

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We appreciate the CDCs guidance on vaccine choice, Ferrer said. While any vaccine is better than no vaccine, we urge those who have received Johnson and Johnson vaccines to obtain booster doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to ensure they are well protected from both suffering severe COVID outcomes.

The countys health department also said Friday that compliance with mask-wearing mandates in the public and business sector was high, and credited the practice with keeping transmission low in public schools. With more than 1.55 million students across 3,000 L.A. County schools, officials said they are routinely seeing fewer than a dozen outbreaks each week. And out of more than 1,500 site visits conducted from Dec. 4-10, the vast majority of businesses and industries, including restaurants, bars, food markets and hair salons, had masking compliance rates above 95% . Los Angeles County has logged 1,556,685 cases of COVID-19 and 27,413 fatalities since the pandemic began.
LAUSD: `No Reason to Believe Our Schools Are in Any Danger Amid Viral Threats

With schools across the nation on heightened alert because of a vague, viral social-media threat of on-campus violence, Los Angeles Unified schools and other area districts were open today  with LAUSD saying there is no reason to believe our schools are in any danger.

The safety and well-being of our students and employees is of utmost importance, the school district said Thursday night in a statement. In recent days we have become aware of various threats of violence toward our schools. While there is no reason to believe our schools are in any danger, please know we take all such threats very seriously and take any action necessary to ensure the continued safety of our school communities.

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Our school administrators work with school site staff, Los Angeles School Police and local and federal school officials  where warranted  to ensure that all threats are fully investigated and handled appropriately. We also encourage employees, students and families to follow Los Angeles Unifieds message, `if you see something, say something.

The statement came amid a viral threat on the social-media platform TikTok warning of nationwide on-campus violence  which authorities have characterized as non-credible. Still, some school districts around the country, ranging from Minnesota to Texas, shut down Friday, reports said. No other area districts reported closures, but the threats were acknowledged and taken seriously by school officials and law enforcement across the region.

The FBIs Los Angeles office said it was not aware of any known credible threats to schools in the region, and a Los Angeles Police Department detective told ABC7 the department was unaware of any specific local threats. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security also said Friday it has no evidence of credible threats  but urged the public to remain alert. The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriffs station tweeted that it was

aware of the nationwide threat against schools and that at this time no credible threats have been identified, nor are any threats specified to schools in the Santa Clarita Valley. The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriffs Station will continue to monitor the situation & will be providing additional patrol checks throughout schools.

Long Beach Unified sent a note to parents saying, LBUSD and local law enforcement are aware of an anonymous general threat communicated through TikTok and social media against schools nationwide, identifying Friday, December 17, 2021, as `National School Shooting Day.

State and local law enforcement officers have investigated the threat, did not find any specific links to Long Beach Unified School District, and have determined the threat is not credible, the LBUSD said. Local law enforcement continues to work with our district to support the safety of our students and staff. The LAUSD, meanwhile, also urged parents to warn their children about responsible use of social media.

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Please take time to talk to you child about the appropriate use of social media, and to remind them that their actions and words have consequences, the district said. Meanwhile, a teenage boy was in custody in Corona today on suspicion of posting threats of violence directed at his Corona middle school.

The 14-year-old was taken into custody at his home Wednesday by school resource officers assigned to area high schools after a student at Auburndale Intermediate School reported receiving a threat on social media regarding a possible attack at the school on Thursday, said Cpl. Tobias Kouroubacalis, a police department spokesman. Kouroubacalis said the boys parents were cooperative and no weapons were found at the home. The teen was taken to the Riverside County Juvenile Hall.
LeVar Burton joins Scripps National Spelling Bee as host

LeVar Burton has been hired as host of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, giving the competition a celebrity headliner whos also a longtime literacy advocate as Scripps takes over production of the bee telecast.

Burton, who played Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and was the longtime host of the childrens educational program Reading Rainbow, told The Associated Press ahead of Thursdays announcement by Scripps that he said yes immediately when approached about the hosting role. Burton comes from a family of educators and said the bee represents the inspirational, aspirational ideal of education.

I want to normalize the pursuit of knowledge in this culture. That wouldnt be a bad thing, would it? Burton said. Not just making stuff up and calling it a fact. Achievement through knowledge, scholarship, putting in the work to gain the reward.

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Burton described the opportunity as one of many that have come his way since his unsuccessful public campaign to become the permanent host of Jeopardy! (He will also serve as grand marshal of the upcoming Rose Parade.) His bid to succeed the late Alex Trebek attracted plenty of goodwill online while the shows producers were roundly criticized for their decision to hire Mike Richards, who stepped down shortly thereafter when his past insensitive comments were revealed.

The 64-year-old Burton described himself as an above-average but hardly distinguished speller whos as impressed by the bee winners as any other fan.

He cheered for this years champion, Zaila Avant-garde _ the first African American winner in the bees history _ and said the recent dominance of South Asian spellers should also be celebrated. Until this year, the bee had an Indian-American champion or co-champion every year since 2008.

Zaila was a surprise, and a bit of an anomaly, Burton said. Im big for rooting for the underdog. As an underdog myself, I really identify.

Burtons hire comes at a time of transition for the bee, which has undergone several major changes since executive director J. Michael Durnil took over early this year. Scripps announced this fall it has ended its 27-year partnership with ESPN, which brought the bee to millions of viewers and promoted it like a major sporting event.

The bee will air next year on the Scripps-owned networks ION and Bounce and will stream online. According to Cincinnati-based Scripps, those networks are each available in nearly 120 million U.S. households.

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Burtons exact duties as host are to be determined. Various ESPN hosts served as lead announcer for the bee over the years but were only heard on the telecast and had no interaction with the spellers during the competition. Watching the bee on TV is different by necessity from watching it in person because the TV hosts can share with the audience the correct spelling of a word before its spelled onstage and analyze its tricky components.

Burton said he expects to serve as a bridge between the kids and the audience and highlight their accomplishments.

Helping to tell the stories of these kids, thats something that I know I can bring to the proceedings, he said.

Other familiar faces from the bee will return in their usual roles: pronouncers Jacques Bailly and Brian Sietsema and head judge Mary Brooks. And the bee will return to its usual venue, a convention center outside Washington, after the COVID-19 pandemic led to its cancellation last year and a mostly virtual format this year, with the in-person finals limited to a dozen spellers at an ESPN campus in Florida.

Scripps plans for the bee to be contested entirely in person during the week after Memorial Day, with more than 200 spellers participating _ back as much to normal as possible, Durnil said.

Reading Rainbow went off the air in 2009, which means the current generation of spellers _ kids compete through the eighth grade _ grew up without Burton celebrating the written word on public television. However, he has gained some younger fans whove discovered his work on Star Trek through streaming.

Burtons name recognition, though, isnt universal.

Told by the AP that Burton would be the host, Chaitra Thummala, the 2021 runner-up who hopes to compete again next year, was hardly star-struck.

I think its great. I think its good to have the bee have some publicity. I think itll be fun, said Chaitra, a seventh-grader from Frisco, Texas. I dont know him, I dont know who he is at all, so I cant say much on it.
Poet and advocate Crystal Williams named next RISD president

Crystal Williams, an award-winning poet who currently leads Boston Universitys diversity and inclusion efforts, has been named the next president of the Rhode Island School of Design, the schools board of trustees announced Thursday.

Williams was selected from more than 100 candidates and will become the schools 18th president effective April 1, the board said.

Michael Spalter, the boards chair, said the school was looking for a leader with receptivity, an aesthetic sensibility, the skill to communicate in a community that trades in images and materials, and something even more intangible: a deep, abiding empathy that can bind us all together.

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We found all of that and more in Crystal Williams, Spalter said in a statement.

Williams has been at Boston University since 2017, where she now serves as vice president and associate provost for community and inclusion. Her more than two decades in higher education also include leadership roles at Bates College in Maine and Reed College in Oregon.

A poet and essayist, Williams has published four collections of poetry, and her work is part of the Museum of Modern Arts Poetry Project, a tour of poems responding to pieces in the museums permanent collection.

In a statement, Williams called it a profound honor to be named president, adding that art, education and equity and justice are the three foundational focuses of my life and everything about me.

I entered this search because I believe in the value of art and design to elevate and amplify the human experience, and to narrate who we have been and who we can become, Williams wrote.

She succeeds Rosanne Somerson, who is retiring and will serve as RISDs first president emerita.

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Related News: WATCH: Crystal Williams, RISDs next President
Women Breaking through to Top Roles in Black Churches

When an opening for bishop arose in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in 2010, Teresa Jefferson-Snorton looked around to see if any women were offering to be candidates.

None were.

She knew that since its founding 140 years earlier by Black Methodists emerging from slavery, the denomination had never elected a woman bishop.

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I was like, oh my goodness, this cant be, she recalled. If no one steps forward, it gives the church a pass.

Jefferson-Snorton, who had spent decades as a pastor, chaplain and theological educator, undertook several months of intensive prayer before discerning she was feeling a call to this from God. Then she put her name forward.

To an extent, it was a political statement, said Jefferson-Snorton.

Despite opposition from some who said the denomination wasnt ready for a woman bishop, she was elected the CMEs 59th bishop, overseeing 217 churches across Alabama and Florida.

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This story is part of a series by The Associated Press and Religion News Service on womens roles in male-led religions.

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Jefferson-Snorton said people there have come to accept her in the role _ if awkwardly at times.

I cant tell you how many times people said, `Yes sir, to me, she said. I just remind them, `Yes maam is OK.

Eleven years later, she remains the CMEs only woman bishop, a status made vivid in an official photo of the churchs college of bishops, where she sits among 16 men, all in purple and white vestments.

Most major Black Christian denominations in the U.S. have no doctrinal bar to ordained women leaders in the way that Catholicism and some other denominations do, and women have preached and been ordained in historically Black churches since at least the 19th century.

Yet denominational leadership remained all-male until the 21st century, and women are still the exception in the top rungs.

Earlier this year, the Rev. Gina Stewart became the first woman president of a major Black Baptist organization, the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Society, an organization that responds to disasters and fights poverty, hunger and human trafficking.

Whenever a woman is placed in a role that is traditionally male, theres always some negativity that surrounds it, Stewart said, but in her first 90 days as president, she has received congratulatory calls from some male denominational leaders and support from her male predecessors, without encountering any major resistance.

Theres a shifting taking place, Stewart said, noting that more women have been promoted to lead important departments in the church.

We know that its long overdue, added Stewart, who is the senior pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. But we give those organizations that are making the effort credit, taking the initiative and giving women that opportunity.

Religious organizations still need to do more to provide women chances for leadership development, said the Rev. Maisha Handy, associate professor of religion and education at the Interdenominational Theological Center, a consortium of historically African American seminaries in Atlanta.

Weve certainly made strides around that in recent years, in recent decades, but we still have a long way to go, said Handy, who is also executive director of the Center for Black Womens Justice at ITC.

Women pastors often receive assignments to smaller congregations with fewer resources or opportunities to gain experience and preparation for denominational leadership, Handy said.

Its not just about ordination. Its about placement, said Handy.

When Black denominations got their start in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, according to Handy, their biblical interpretations were affected by the cultural attitudes around them. When you think about the kind of patriarchy and misogyny that is intrinsic to American history and culture, it makes sense that it was reflected also in those denominations, she said.

To be sure, women have long exercised authority in non-ordained roles, outnumbering men in local church membership and also leading their own organizations within denominations.

But from the first, women had limited access to the pulpit, though some challenged those barriers.

If the man may preach, because the savior died for him, why not the woman? Jarena Lee, the first woman lay preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, asked in the early 19th century.

A sister denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, ordained Mary Small, its first woman minister, in 1898. By the mid-20th century, the CME and AME churches were ordaining women as well. Records are less precise among the more decentralized Baptists, but womens ordination was long the exception among them.

In 2000, Vashti Murphy McKenzie was elected the first woman bishop in the AME Church. McKenzie, now retired, was later joined by more women bishops, though men still comprise most of the AME episcopacy. The AME Zion Church followed, electing Mildred Bonnie Hines bishop in 2008, as did the CME with Jefferson-Snorton in 2010.

Jefferson-Snorton, who in October was elected chair of the governing board of the National Council of Churches, said she is still sometimes questioned about biblical passages that are cited to justify giving men sole power to preach or lead. She cites other passages, such as one declaring that in Christ there is neither male nor female.

I often start with the story of Resurrection morning, when Jesus female followers were told to go and proclaim he had risen from the dead, she added.

If Jesus had not intended for women to be bearers of good news, that would never have happened, said Jefferson-Snorton.

But to those who are more hostile in questioning womens ministry, I often say to them, `God called me to this ministry, so if you have a problem with it, you need to talk to God, because I did not call myself, she said.

In the Church of God in Christ, a historically Black Pentecostal denomination, women have made their influence felt in other ways. Traditionally only men have been recognized as ordained ministers or bishops, while women have led its Womens Department, which oversees auxiliaries. COGIC officials didnt respond to questions about womens roles in the denomination.

But after the death of her husband, COGICs first elected presiding bishop, Mother Mary P. Patterson, a retired real estate agent who headed her own travel agency, founded the Pentecostal Heritage Connection, dedicated to planting historical markers honoring COGIC leaders across the South. In November, a ceremony unveiling the final marker, an 8-foot aluminum sign on a corner in Little Rock, Arkansas, was attended by regional religious leaders, a representative of the governor and scholars who traveled to the state for the occasion.

Sherry Sherrod DuPree, a Florida historian and former president of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, said Pattersons effort is an example of how women lead in a denomination known for its patriarchal hierarchy.

She is a quiet praying lady who `stays in her lane but is active in getting jobs done without fanfare, one of the skills of COGIC women, said DuPree.

Patterson said, it shows other young women that you dont have to be behind the pulpit in order to do a work for the Lord.
People do their Christmas shopping before the Dutch government's announcement of a "strict" Christmas lockdown, in Nijmegen, Netherlands, December 18, 2021

Bars, cafes, and all but the most essential stores will close in the Netherlands until mid-January, as the Netherlands goes into hard lockdown in a bid to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

The new restrictions were announced by the government on Saturday evening, after an emergency meeting of Prime Minister Mark Ruttes cabinet that afternoon. The lockdown was recommended by the governments Outbreak Management Team.

A sudden press conference on Saturday, four days after the last one, does not indicate anything good," Rutte said during a televised briefing, before delivering the bad news: The Netherlands goes back into lockdown, it shuts again.

As of Sunday morning, all stores, services, and hospitality venues will close until January 14, save for a few essential outlets like supermarkets and pharmacies. Bars and cafes will shut, and restaurants will provide take-out meals only. Schools, many of which are already finished for Christmas, will close their doors.

Officially, those celebrating Christmas at home will be subject to restrictions, too. Throughout the lockdown, a maximum of two visitors per household will apply. Exceptions will be made for Christmas Day and New Years Eve, the latter a day typically celebrated in the Netherlands with drinks, parties, and home fireworks.

The Netherlands has been under partial lockdown since late November, with face masks required in most settings and non-essential locations forced to close between 5pm and 5am. However, the new restrictions mark the sharpest curbs on freedom and socialization since the country entered a hard lockdown this time last year.

While the average number of new cases reported every day has fallen from a record 22,450 in late November, the country is still clocking an average of 15,000 new infections every day, up from just under 10,000 the last time the country went into hard lockdown. Deaths, however, have not increased to match the caseload, with 50 deaths reported on Saturday, around the same daily figure as a year ago.

And while the new measures are ostensibly being taken to curb the spread of the highly transmissible and apparently vaccine-resistant Omicron variant of Covid-19, early data suggests that this new variant causes significantly milder symptoms than previous strains.

The Netherlands is not the only European country to reimpose restrictions over the variant, however. In the UK, ministers will reportedly propose a post-Christmas lockdown to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and in Denmark, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has announced a raft of new restrictions on stores and hospitality venues. In Ireland on Friday, the government announced earlier closing times for pubs and restaurants to last until the end of January.

Source: RT
Mas

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Researchers say Chinas improvements in quantum computing will help its armed forces, which are the worlds third strongest.

Quantum computing is a kind of computing that lets high-powered machines solve problems that are too difficult for normal computers.

The idea for quantum computing was discovered by American physicist Richard Feynman in 1980. International Institute for Strategic Studies said in a 2019 study that it has two important military uses. It can understand secret military messages and it can break into secure communications.

Alexander Vuving is a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific center for security studies in Hawaii. He said he thinks China spends a lot of money on research and development. He also said that the government uses private, civilian companies to develop its military.

Last month consulting business Booz Allen Hamilton said that within 10 years Chinese threat groups will gather information that permits quantum computers to find new, valuable materials. These could include drugs and chemicals.

China on the move

It is not known how far Chinese researchers have developed quantum computing. The U.S. defense departments 2021 report to Congress on China says the Asian superpower continues to seek leadership in important technologies with possible military uses.

The report added that Chinas 14th Five-Year Plan, an economic plan, pushes quantum technology in many fields.

Heather West is a researcher with market research business IDC in Massachusetts. She said Quantum computing could help find hidden military vehicles. It could also permit countries to gain more information about other countrys militaries.

Vuving said quantum computing around the world is at a nascent stage. But many countries are in a race to develop it. He said they include the United States, India, Japan, and Germany, in addition to China. He said anyone in the lead would likely not last long, as competitors would quickly copy their improvements.

Multiple countries at risk?

Chen Yi-fan is an assistant professor of diplomacy and international relations at Tamkang University in Taiwan. Chen said, Taiwan, the United States or the European Union are all likely targets for China to launch quantum computing attacks as long as countries do not have robust quantum cryptography to defend.

In August 2020, the administration of then-President Donald Trump, National Science Foundation and Department of Energy announced a plan to spend $625 million over five years on quantum research and development.

Were seeing a lot of research and development going into the Department of Defense in the U.S., West said. She said I dont think they would be pouring money into it if they didnt think there was that potential.

Carl Thayer is a retired professor of politics at the University of New South Wales in Australia. He said smaller countries could not compete with Chinas quantum computing resources. He added that they would need engineers, technicians and money.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Ralph Jennings reported this story for Voice of America. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

____________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

professor  n. a teacher especially of the highest rank at a college or university

consult  v. to give professional advice to a person, organization, or company for a fee

nascent  adj. beginning to exist: recently formed or developed

robust  adj. successful or impressive and not likely to fail or weaken

cryptography  n. the process of writing or reading secret messages or codes

potential n. a quality that something has that can be developed to make it better
The American space agency NASA says a spacecraft has entered the suns outermost atmosphere for the first time.

The Parker Solar Probe traveled through the solar atmospheres outer edge  known as the corona  in April, scientists announced this week. They said it took them a few months to examine data from the spacecraft and to confirm the result.

Unlike Earth, the sun does not have a solid surface. Instead, it is a superheated ball of material held together by gravity and magnetic forces.

Some solar material escapes and is released into space in what is known as the solar wind. The solar wind is the flow of charged particles, known as plasma, released from the corona into space.

The Parker Solar Probe was launched in 2018 with a main goal of studying the solar wind. Scientists say being able to study the solar wind and the corona close up can help them better understand how solar activity influences Earth.

NASA has described the spacecrafts entry into the outermost atmosphere as successfully touching the sun.

Nour Raouafi is the project scientist on the mission. He is with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland. Raouafi called the finding "fascinatingly exciting.

The spacecraft is now able to sense conditions in the magnetically-influenced corona for the very first time, Raouafi said.

He added that the evidence used to confirm the findings included data on magnetic fields and the solar wind, as well as images. We can actually see the spacecraft flying through coronal structures that can be observed during a total solar eclipse, Raouafi said.

Scientists announced the findings during a meeting of the American Geophysical Union. Results were also published by the American Physical Society.

The scientists reported Parker was about 13 million kilometers from the center of the sun when it crossed the boundary between the solar atmosphere and the solar wind. They said the spacecraft was able to go in and out of the corona at least three times.

The Parker team said early data also suggested the spacecraft may have entered the corona during its ninth close pass in August. But further study is needed to make a confirmation. The scientists said Parker made its 10th close pass last month.

The spacecraft is expected to keep getting closer to the sun and diving deeper into the corona until its final orbit, planned for 2025.

Im Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press and NASA reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

___________________________________________

Words in This Story

fascinating  adj. extremely interesting

eclipse  n. a situation in which the sun is covered by the moon, or the moon is covered by the Earths shadow
Hundreds of dinosaur footprints and bones have been found in Poland. The prints are in such good condition that even the scaly skin can be seen.

The finding gives important information about the complex environment that existed about 200 million years ago, researchers said.

The Polish Geological Institute-National Research Institute described the find as a treasure trove, meaning a collection of valuable things.

The footprints and bones were found in a clay mine in Borkowice, 130 kilometers south of Warsaw.

Scientists Grzegorz Pienkowski from the National Geological Institute in Warsaw and Grzegorz Niedzwiedzki from Uppsala University in Sweden found the remains.

Niedzwiedzki said the find offers much information.

"In the traces left by dinosaurs, you can read their behavior and habits... we have traces left by dinosaurs running, swimming, resting and sitting, he said.

The largest footprints measure 40 centimeters. The researchers said those were left by meat eaters, or carnivores. In many prints, the skin left a very clear image.

"In order for such a state of preservation to be possible, a very special sequence of events had to take place in a short time," Pienkowski said in a statement.

Several hundred dinosaur tracks, representing at least seven kinds of dinosaurs, have been found and geologists say they are likely to find more. They have also discovered small pieces of bone from animals and fish.

Im John Russell.

Alan Charlish and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

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Words in This Story

scaly  adj. covered with scales or flakes

trace  n. something (such as a mark or an object) which shows that someone or something was in a particular place

habit  n. a usual way of behaving : something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way

preservation  n. the degree to which something is kept safe from harm or ruin

sequence  n. the order in which things happen or should happen
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One student and their parents agreed to help the Lexington Police Department and Cooperative Operations for Drug Enforcement (CODE) task force arrange to buy from hector048.

The meeting was arranged at Morton Elementary near the playground, where it was stated hector048 had met for sales in the past.

The student identified the vehicle hector048 had driven to past meetups, and a felony traffic stop was then conducted by CODE and Lexington police officers.

Lugo was alone in the vehicle and allegedly had his phone open and unlocked in his lap with Snapchat open. The app showed a conversation between hector048 and the students account, according to the court records.

Lugo was arrested and booked into the Dawson County Jail. His vehicle was sealed and a search warrant was executed.

Lugo has also been charged with four felonies in Harlan County after a search warrant was executed on his residence in Orleans after his arrest in Lexington.

Officers with the CODE task force located drug paraphernalia, THC vape cartridges, around 6.7 pounds of THC edibles, $25,670 in currency and a large machete, according to court documents.

A warrant was issued for his arrest on Nov. 12 and he was taken into custody after his court appearance in Lexington on Nov. 16.
Just like last year, the Optimists also provided a sweatshirt, stocking cap, gloves and a blanket for each child. Maloley said, in some cases, the parents were happier to receive the warm clothes for their children as they were the toys.

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Maloley said the Optimists mission with the event is to provide a Christmas these children deserve, in addition to the essential items they need day-to-day throughout the Nebraska winter.

It wasnt just the 10 Optimists Club members at the event, around 40 community volunteers would take different shifts throughout the day helping to wrap up the toys the parents had picked out.

One of the tables was manned by employees of Lexington Regional Health Center throughout the day.

Brenna Bartruff said LRHC always tries to get a crew together to help out with the event and give back to the community. She said it matches with the hospitals mission and vision. Around 5-10 LRHC employees would be manning the gift wrapping tables throughout the day.

She said she and her co-workers wanted to help in any capacity they could and that the Optimist Club was doing an amazing job not only providing gifts for children but warm clothing as well.
Placed on an "indefinite probation" after her conviction on the assault charge, Colvin was never informed her probation had ended, her legal team said.

'I want us to move forward and be better'

While Parks' arrest came months after Colvins', Parks got more attention during the civil rights movement in part because her image was more "acceptable to a white" community, Colvin told CNN earlier this year. Parks was older, married and lighter-skinned, Colvin said.

Still, Colvin went on to join the plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, a 1956 case that made its way to the Supreme Court, which ordered officials in Montgomery  and across Alabama  to end bus segregation.

"People said I was crazy," Colvin previously told CNN of the event that led to her arrest. "Because I was 15 years old and defiant and shouting, 'It's my constitutional right!'"

Colvin sought the expungement because she wanted to move to Texas with her family, her legal team and relatives previously told CNN.
The auditor said he filed a report with the county sheriff's department because it was not the first time Mrozinski "has engaged in such public threats (which need to stop), and because, to the degree that the leaver of the snake wanted to be anonymous, and make me feel fear and uncertainty, I would have no way of knowing whether the package might have been laced with some kind of substance that might be harmful to me, or my staff."

LaPorte County Sheriff Public Information Officer Derek J. Allen said Friday morning the report was not yet completed.

Stabosz said it is his hope the other two county commissioners and County Council will censure Mrozinski, demand he stop the threats against him and apologize "for the degraded chest-thumping we have seen from him, which evokes primitive notions of the Wild West."

Mrozinski did not apologize, and instead said the "practical joke should serve as comic relief" compared to the auditor's "collection of offensives," which include being sued for defamation.
Following the recent death of an Omaha woman who was badly burned in 2019, the Douglas County Attorneys Office is reviewing the criminal case against the womans husband, who has been accused of setting her on fire.

Carl Bohm, 68, is currently charged with first-degree arson and two counts of first-degree assault. Authorities have said he started a fire Feb. 25, 2019, at the family home near 39th Street and Himebaugh Avenue.

Bohms wife, Janet Franks-Bohm, suffered third-degree burns on more than 60% of her body in the fire. The couples daughter, Amanda Bohm, suffered second-degree burns.

Omaha Police Department officials said Thursday that they had been notified that Franks-Bohm recently died in Colorado. They said the local coroner determined that her death was directly related to the injuries she suffered in the 2019 fire and ruled her death a homicide.

The Douglas County Attorneys Office is reviewing the case to determine the appropriate charges related to this new information, police said in a statement.
A trio of people who may be traveling the country tried to commit fraud Tuesday afternoon at Sams Club, according to the Grand Island Police.

Amanda Matamala Contreras and two men purchased $3,300 worth of gift cards using a stolen credit card from Fort Collins, Colorado, GIPD reports.

The two men fled the scene.

Police say Matamala Contreras provided a false name and fake identification card to an officer when questioned.

Matamala Contreras, 22, was arrested for unauthorized use of a transaction device, false reporting and identity theft.

She has no permanent address. It appears she is from the country of Chile, said Grand Island Capt. Jim Duering.

Police came close to apprehending one of the men Tuesday afternoon.

Sgt. Phoukhong Manivong said a witness saw the man run across U.S. 281 from Hobby Lobby and try to enter Red Lobster, and walked past Conestoga Mall. Manivong saw the man, from a couple of blocks away, at 14th Street and Webb Road and tried to make contact with him.

This guy was fast, Manivong said.
WASHINGTON  An engineer who worked for decades as a federal defense contractor was arrested in Lead on charges of trying to pass classified information to someone he thought was a Russian agent but was actually an undercover FBI employee, the Justice Department said Thursday.

The FBI conducted an undercover operation against John Murray Rowe Jr., 63, of South Dakota, after he was fired from his job for security violations and because he had been identified as a potential insider threat, federal officials said.

As part of the investigation, Rowe traded more than 300 emails with an undercover FBI employee who approached him in March 2020 posing as a Russian agent, the government said. Rowe shared operational details about U.S. military fighter jets in one email, and in another, said: If I cant get a job here then Ill go work for the other team, according to court documents.

Court records do not list a lawyer for Rowe. Prosecutors say Rowe had worked for nearly 40 years as a test engineer for defense contractors and held security clearances.
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Benzene concerns resurface: New development digs up old fears about Gulf Park pipeline

JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Work on two new homes in what was once Gulf Park in the Wildbriar neighborhood is now underway. Construction on the two lots began after work was finished on the two neighboring lots. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Walter McLendon, who lives in the Wildbriar neighborhood inside Loop 287, said he isnt concerned about his home. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Walter and Linda McLendons home sits on an active remediation site created by benzene leaks along the former Mesquite Pipeline.

Walter McLendons home sits on an active remediation site created by benzene leaks along the former Mesquite Pipeline.

McLendon, who lives in the Wildbriar neighborhood inside Loop 287, said he isnt concerned about his home. He receives regular communications about the site, and he and his wife have not experienced any health issues associated with benzene exposure.

McLendons home sits far back into a four-acre wooded lot at the corner of Copeland Street and Allendale Drive. It isnt clearly visible to drivers along Copeland  the busiest street in the neighborhood. McLendons father built the home when there were few other houses around and lived there, as the neighborhood grew, into his 90s.

The house, built in 1954, is filled with memories from the many years McLendons parents lived there. Furniture worn comfortably from years of use, a train set for McClendons grandchildren, old pictures, toys and crafts fill the mid-century home.

McLendon and his wife, Linda, took ownership of the home in 2009 after McLendons father and stepmother died.

Across the street, close to the former Gulf Park, sit two newly constructed houses. The For Sale sign in front of one is gone and a fence was erected around the property. The other is still listed as available. Work on two new homes in what was once Gulf Park is now underway.

The park was closed in 2003 out of an abundance of caution after the city of Lufkin learned the nearby Mesquite Pipeline that had been used by Gulf Oil Co. to transport benzene, among other oil and gas products, was leaking at properties near FM 58. Leaks later were discovered in the Wildbriar neighborhood where Gulf Park was located.

Local property developer David Frankens uncovered the abandoned pipeline on one of his projects in the early 2000s. It was determined at the time that the pipeline was abandoned by Chevron after the company acquired it from Gulf Oil in the 1980s, reporting by The Lufkin Daily News indicates.

This discovery resulted in a lawsuit filed by more than 300 plaintiffs against Chevron that was ultimately settled outside of court. Chevron is still remediating 12 areas affected by the site, one of which is McLendons property.

Bob Flournoy (the Lufkin attorney who started the lawsuit) came out and tried to talk my brother and I into signing up for the lawsuit, McLendon said. He took us out to the park and he made a statement that it rained one day and he went over there and watched gasoline boil out of the ground. Thats never happened.

First of all, the pipeline wasnt under the park. Its under my property.

The pipeline does run through a corner of the Allendale properties, specifically the one closest to Copeland Street, according to a map McLendon provided. But his property, and the one right next to his, was home to a larger portion of the pipeline.

Long term (more than a year) exposure to benzene, a chemical of concern, can lead to a decrease in red blood cells, excessive bleeding, affect the immune system and harm a persons bone marrow, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Groundwater worries

The McLendons have lived on this property for more than a decade and report being physically healthy, despite their propertys status as an active remediation site due to the benzene and other chemicals found in a shallow aquifer below the property.

McLendon is a member of the Woodlawn Water Supply Corp. and knows quite a bit about water. While he isnt concerned about the benezene contamination on his property because of Chevrons communication, he said he is actually very concerned about 50 chemicals the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hasnt classified as dangerous that are present in water supplies.

Regardless of the McLendons experiences, local residents recall the efforts of Flournoy and other attorneys who would lead the community into a several-year battle against Chevron. As a result, many believe the former Gulf Park property was, and may still be, contaminated.

Eighteen years ago, the city of Lufkin closed Gulf Park due to contamination from an underground pipeline, said Joe McCleskey, the Allendale property developer. McCleskey said he has signed a non-disclosure agreement with Chevron regarding the properties.

Since that time, a clean bill of health was obtained by Chevron from the Environmental Protection Agency and other state agencies. The current facts regarding this property are  we were able to purchase the land, have it platted, permitted and cleared for new construction by the city of Lufkin.

The city evaluated remediation activities on the two parcels of land prior to their sale and confirmed support for the development in October 2020, said Lara Sweeney, corporate affairs manager for Midstream and Chevron.

(Chevron) continues to conduct groundwater monitoring on a separate parcel of land in Lufkin, TX, which we have no plans to sell unless/until (the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) confirms that no further remediation action is required, she said.

The city of Lufkin has no such records, and former assistant city manager Jason Arnold said it is not within the citys purview to issue a clean bill of health on environmental matters. Carmen Assunto, a public information officer for the EPA, found no records of there being an incident at the former park. Karen Sanchez, the legal assistant of the Office of General Counsel for the Railroad Commission of Texas, also said staff found no records of the pipeline.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality never listed the park as a remediation site, according to Tiffany Young, who works in media relations for the TCEQ. On its website, the agency does list properties to the south and west of the former Gulf Park, though the pipeline cuts through a small corner of the Allendale property, a map provided by McLendon shows.

McLendon receives quarterly reports from the company regarding the benzene levels, and they are improving. The latest report showed the benzene levels below the critical residential protection level established by the TCEQ.

Remediation efforts

The fact that there are these reports suggests the company is following the regulations for the cleanup of the spill, said Jason C. Paul, a Stephen F. Austin State University instructor who works in the Division of Environmental Science.

Paul worked with oil and gas companies on remediation efforts during his career in environmental science. He said he would be more concerned if there were issues and the company wasnt reporting them.

He reviewed documents provided by the McLendons from Chevron, which offer some insight into the remediation of the McLendons property.

When we talk about chemicals of concern  COCs  there are different types of routes of exposure, Paul said. We can ingest it, we can inhale it, we can absorb it. So all of these things take into account the routes of exposure.

Benzene is a non-aqueous phase liquid, meaning it floats on water. It will sink through the soil but land on top of the first water source it reaches and it wont typically go further, Paul said.

That means that when it hits my first groundwater-bearing unit, which is likely Class 3 and not drinking water, its not going to continue down because the physics just dont work that way, Paul said. Benzene is going to stay at the shallowest groundwater bearing zone.

The fact the company is still remediating this site also suggests there may be some residual releases from the Mesquite Pipeline, he said. The chemicals could have seeped into the different clays and soils, which could affect its downward mobility and continue to show up in testing.

While the reports state it has affected potable water, or drinking water, they also state it has affected a Class 3 groundwater bearing unit, or a shallow aquifer that produces water but not necessarily water someone would want to drink, he said.

Paul said residents need to keep in mind two things: Residential areas have much more stringent standards than those at an industrial site  residents arent, on average, going to drink water sourced near a refinery, for example; and Lufkin residents typically use water produced by the city of Lufkin, which undergoes a treatment process and reports water quality on an annual basis.

Even then, many residents, including the McLendons, have additional filters for their water as it comes through the tap.

If a family were to install a private water well along the remediation sites and tap into the affected aquifer, it would have to account for the potential benzene exposure. But Paul doesnt believe anyone would want to tap into a shallow aquifer because there are other issues with which residents would have to contend.

Paul said he was most curious about the depth of the monitoring wells Chevron installed on the McLendons property because this would explain exactly what aquifer was affected and further detail the impacts of the contamination.

That there is a drinking water supply doesnt mean, necessarily, theres a risk, Paul said. It depends on the depth of the monitoring wells in relation to the depth of the screened interval of the drinking water well.

So if theyre monitoring the same screened interval as the drinking water well, and theyre telling you that theyre having detections, then theres a concern. OK? And thats not even a unique issue.

If this were the case, the company would alert the community and provide drinking water until the issue could be remediated, Paul said.

Texas Water Development Board records show the monitoring wells at a depth of 25 feet, which suggests to Paul they are screening at a depth of 10-16 feet below the ground surface, he said.

I am almost certain that they screened a Class 3 ground water bearing unit, which would actually have a higher standard than the (protective concentration levels) they were comparing the results to, he said. The greatest threat would be for the shallow ground water bearing unit to seep into a neighboring surface water.

If this occurred, though, it still likely wouldnt be threatening because the chemical would be so diluted. He believes the water development board information is good news and indicates the risk of exposure from the remediation site would be low or minimal.

Property for sale

However, Chevron is selling the property that adjoins McLendons despite it being so close to McLendons home  an active remediation site. McLendon uses the land as a driveway.

This property is home to the Sunoco Pipeline, which transports benzene and has been used as a right of way by the company for years, McLendon said. The former Mesquite Pipeline also ran through the property, he said.

You cannot build a house over here  the pipeline is going right through the middle of the properties and you cant build a house within 15 feet of where the pipeline is. But there is a house over here across the street, he said, referencing a home across the corner from his own, and its built within 10 feet of the pipeline.

The pipeline travels 197 miles from Longview to Nederland, through Jefferson, Hardin, Tyler, Polk, Angelina, Nacogdoches, Rusk and Gregg counties.

This is the same pipeline and pump station that leaked in Diboll in 2015, releasing 60 barrels of crude oil, causing an estimated $50,000 in damages and closing the facility until it was cleaned, according to documents from the Texas Railroad Commission. The incident was cleaned up and the case closed, records state.

The most recent complaint against the pipeline was in October 2021, when a Longview man complained the pipeline was exposed on his property, commission documents found on its website show. The Railroad Commission found the company to be in compliance after an inspection, those same records indicate.

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At 1 p.m., the electoral count started. It began normally, with the two sides debating the electoral count from certain states ... But as they got into it, we started getting security alerts on our phones, and you could see that there were members on the floor looking at their phones. At one point I told my editor, "I'm going to go outside and try to look out a window and see what's going on." And a gallery staffer and I went and looked out a front window of the Capitol. It was kind of like one of those moments in a movie where it's just like, "Oh my gosh," because we looked outside and there were just so many people. Usually there's a perimeter at events like this, but there was no perimeter and people were just right up against the building.

All of a sudden there was a lockdown at the Capitol. The House was gaveling in and out of session and there was a lot of chaos on the floor as members were trying to figure out what was going on. And then at some point they gaveled out for a final time and a Capitol Police officer went up to the rostrum and started talking in the microphone. That's where you see the president speaking at the State of the Union  that is not a normal thing for a Capitol Police officer to be talking to members from the rostrum. And he said, "there has been a breach and tear gas was dispersed in the Capitol Rotunda." He said to members, "you need to get your gas masks out from underneath your chairs," and I don't think many members even knew there were gas masks under their chairs. So it was total pandemonium on the floor. People are yelling out, "Lock the doors! Lock the doors!" There were some members who were yelling about Trump, and a Democrat yelled at Republicans, "This is your fault!" It was just total chaos. One member was up on his desk trying to help people get their gas masks on, and eventually they gave us gas masks in the press gallery and we're trying to figure them out, and we have no idea how to open this thing or whether we should put it on. And when you open it, there's this really, really loud buzzing. So all of a sudden there's this loud buzzing just echoing through the whole chamber. And at one point we looked down and the House chaplain, who had just started a couple of days before, was saying a prayer. That was definitely a moment where it was like, "OK, this is pretty serious."
Last week was the worst we have ever seen in the whole pandemic, said Lisa Schnedler, CEO of Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville. Were just holding our breath to see what happens next, particularly with Christmas, New Years and now this new variant.

In Medford, a city of 4,300 people where many jobs involve making windows, cheese or frozen pizza, hospital workers feel frustration from being in the county with the states lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate. Just 34.5% of residents in Taylor County had received at least one dose as of Friday, compared to 61.3% statewide and 79.9% in Dane County.

Amanda Keeling, a nurse who grew up in Medford and moved back after going to school in Oshkosh and working in Green Bay, said some friends and family dont believe her when she says the steady stream of COVID-19 patients is wearing her and other nurses out. Theres little interest in discussing how more vaccination could make the situation more manageable, she said.

Last year, we were heroes, Keeling said. This year, people dont want to hear us talk about it. ... I dont think people want to be told what to do.

Pushing the limit
You placed an order last week and still havent received the shipping confirmation. Or maybe the package is in transit, but its location hasn't been updated in days.

The supply chain issues that experts warned us about heading into the holiday shopping season have materialized. Theres a real possibility that your gifts wont arrive in time for holiday celebrations. So what are your options?

If you still want the gift

Double-check the order status

Retailers and shipping carriers are overloaded during the busy holiday season and may simply be slow to provide updates. Be patient and wait it out another day or two, if you can. Theres a good chance the package is in motion and will arrive in time.

If youre concerned, call or email the retailers customer service. A representative may be able to share more details about your online order or work with you to find a solution. For example, if it turns out your item got lost in the shuffle, perhaps the seller will resend it at an expedited shipping speed.

You can also try reaching out directly to the carrier. If its actually in transit, the retailer more than likely will have just about as much information as you. Once its left them, its really in the hands of that transportation provider at that point, says G. Tony Bell, an assistant professor in the department of supply chain management at Rutgers Business School.

Set up tracking alerts

Shoppers can use apps such as Deliveries or AfterShip to track packages coming from multiple retailers or carriers in one place, says Jane Boyd Thomas, a marketing professor at Winthrop University in South Carolina. You can also set up notifications to receive automatic order updates.

What should you do if you get a delivery notice but dont see the package? Before you start spinning your wheels backtracking it, ask your neighbors, Thomas says. If its still nowhere to be found, follow up with the retailer or shipping service.

Give a place holder

If it appears the gift wont arrive on schedule, think of a creative backup plan. Write a description of the present in a card or print out a picture and put it in a gift-wrapped box, kind of like an IOU that its coming, Thomas says. That way, the recipient still gets the experience of opening a gift, even though the item isnt physically present.

Is your giftee more the instant-gratification type? Get a bonus gift to hold them over until the package arrives. Bell suggests something smaller or less expensive than the original gift.

Either way you go, be upfront about the situation. Its important to set expectations, especially with children, who may not be as open to something alternative or something different, Bell says.

If you no longer want the gift

Pick a replacement

If the order goes haywire or waiting just isnt worth the hassle, it might be best to scrap the original idea completely. You can get a thoughtful new present even if theres no time to ship something else. Reliable last-minute options include an electronic gift card or booking an experience, such as a camping trip or spa day.

If you prefer to give something tangible, Thomas recommends shopping at local small businesses. Many of them will have great gift ideas for you that you havent even thought of. So youre not only going to get a gift, youre probably going to have something hopefully even more unique, she says.

Retailers big and small may run sales on Super Saturday, the final Saturday before Christmas. Prepare to shop or pick up orders in-store to get discounted gifts in hand by the holidays.

Cancel or return the item

You can usually cancel an order that hasn't processed or shipped and get a full refund. But even if you miss the cancellation period, you can likely return the item after it arrives.

Many retailers have extended holiday return policies. However, certain items or categories may be excluded. For example, Macys has a 90-day return window for most items, but a 14-day window for Apple products and tech accessories.

Check retailers websites for policy details. Read the fine print carefully to make sure you understand the conditions and deadlines.

Take a 14-day return policy, for instance. Does it mean the day that it leaves their warehouse? Is that when the clock on 14 days for returns starts ticking? Is it the day that it leaves there, or is it the day that it shows up at your doorstep? Thomas says.

Youll also want to pay close attention to things like whether you can return the item in-store instead of shipping it back, and whether youll get refunded in the original form of payment or in-store credit. If something isnt clear, give the retailer a call or use the online chat function to ask questions, Thomas says.

***

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BOISE (AP)  Boise attorney Debora Kristensen Grasham has been appointed to be the next U.S. magistrate judge for the District of Idaho.

David Nye, chief U.S. District Judge for Idaho, made the announcement Thursday, the Idaho Press reported.

Grasham is succeeding current Idaho U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale who is retiring after 14 years on the bench. Grasham starts on April 1, and Dale will still continue to hear some cases.

Grasham said in a prepared statement that she is truly honored and humbled to follow Dale in the post.

I have known and admired Judge Dale for many years. Hers are big shoes to fill, not only because she has been such an outstanding jurist but because she has broken the proverbial glass ceiling at our court, allowing people like me to dream that I could someday serve in a similar capacity, Grasham said. I am committed to working hard to carry on the tradition of excellence that Judge Dale, and all members of our federal bench, have demonstrated to the citizens of Idaho.

Grasham is a senior partner at the Boise law firm Givens Pursley and is a former president of the Idaho State Bar. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and holds a law degree from the University of Santa Clara School of Law. A recognized expert on media law, she is a current board member of the Idaho Press Club.

Nye lauded Grashams extensive experience as a litigator and her volunteer work serving on several federal court committees.

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BOISE  Chad Houck, who had been a member of the competitive Republican race to lead the Idaho Secretary of States Office, is withdrawing his candidacy, according to a news release.

Houck, the current chief deputy in the office  the top position below Secretary of State Lawerence Denney  was considered to be fairly well-positioned in the race. Denneys wife, Donna Denney, served as Houcks campaign treasurer, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting.

In the release, Houck said he was withdrawing primarily for family reasons.

I have two children at key times in their lives, finishing high school and headed to college in the next 18 months, he said in the release. Im not willing to miss what time I have left by being on the campaign trail.

Houck, who recently received a masters degree in homeland security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School, said he still will pursue cybersecurity work outside of government.

Under the leadership of Secretary Denney, we secured the funding from state and federal sources to dramatically improve our cybersecurity posture ... but there are still things that need to be done, tools to be developed, that I cant do from inside the Statehouse, he said.

Other Republicans still vying for the position include Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane and state Sen. Mary Souza, of Coeur dAlene. State Rep. Dorothy Moon, of Stanley, announced in November that she was running. They will compete in Mays primary.

McGrane and Moon have both received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, according to campaign finance data from the secretary of states website. Souza has raised nearly $20,000 in large contributions, according to the website. The Secretary of States Office requires prompt reporting of contributions that equal or exceed $1,000. Smaller contributions must also be reported, but will not be visible to the public until January.

According to data on the website, Houcks campaign has not received any large contributions other than a $5,000 loan Houck filed on his own behalf. In a phone interview with the Statesman, he said he had received commitments from donors but had asked them not to give money to his campaign until he made up his mind.

I didnt want to take any dollars from someone until I was absolutely certain that I was going to continue, he said. So the only money in my campaign was my own at this point, by intent.

Houck announced his candidacy in May.

The secretary of states responsibilities include overseeing state elections, registering businesses, producing government services such as statistical information about the state, and maintaining Idahos will registry.

Denney, a Republican and former speaker of the Idaho House, has served as secretary of state since 2015 after being elected in 2014, and has indicated that he will not seek another term, according to the Idaho Press.

On Friday, Houck said Denney has not made that announcement on whether he will run. Denney could not be reached for comment Friday.

The 2022 primary election is scheduled for May 17.

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BOISE  After nearly 30 years in the world of child protection, Ada County Magistrate Judge Andrew Ellis has worked with many different social workers. Probably hundreds, by this point.

He calls the job a psychological meat grinder.

As the Idaho Capital Sun has reported, turnover rates among mid-level social workers at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare have been higher in the past two years, in part because some former social workers say workflow changes at the department made the job impossibly difficult and stressful.

Ellis is used to seeing new social workers burn out quickly and move on, but the recent departure of more veteran workers at the department has surprised him. The turnover among mid-level social workers jumped from 19% in 2020 to 36% in 2021, making it the fourth-highest turnover rate across the agency.

Social workers with experience, knowledge and talent are vitally important, Ellis said, especially if a familys case ends up in court, and losing them has clear consequences from his vantage point.

The quality of the social worker directly translates to the success or failure of one of these cases. Somebody could go to the Department of Health and Welfare right now or look at files in the last couple years, and you would see a direct correlation between successful outcomes and the quality and competency of the social worker assigned, Ellis said. It sometimes hurts my ego, to be honest, because I like to think that I play a role, but the Gods honest truth is that the actual key to a child protection case first and foremost is the parents commitment to change  but secondarily, it is the quality of social work that is provided to that parent.

Too few people, too much work, unpaid overtime at Idaho health department

During the 2021 fiscal year, 83 people voluntarily quit their jobs in the Child Welfare division of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. At least 24 of those resignations were mid-level social workers, who said in their exit interviews that stress and workload was the primary reason they quit.

If you have a social worker who is responsive, who is organized, who is making sure that services are offered quickly and following up to ensure the parent is complying and has just that unquantifiable sort of good human touch where they just can connect with people and encourage but not judge, those social workers achieve great outcomes compared to, say, the general population, Ellis said.

Social workers across Idaho, and particularly in the Boise area, have been struggling under the weight of increasing workloads as more staffers leave and arent replaced. The number of calls for safety assessments, which occur when someone calls the Department of Health and Welfare out of concern that a child might be in danger, have only increased over the past year. Those who normally work in case management or as upper-level management are taking on safety assessment work because there simply arent enough people.

Less than half of the normal amount of safety assessors are still working in the Boise office  a problem that has been brewing since at least 2019, according to former staffers.

Health and Welfare Deputy Director Miren Unsworth told the Idaho Capital Sun that the redesign and changes to workflow have been positive, and reduced the case backlog by nearly 70%. Vacant positions are an issue the department is trying to address through recruitment efforts and training on how to manage burnout. But Unsworth said the problems would be much worse without the changes implemented in the redesign.

Prior to the redesign, the department said the average safety assessor had 32 open cases at any given time. Today, that average is down to 10 open cases. Unsworth said according to the departments calculations, if current vacancies in staff were filled, the gap of 55 more workers would be filled with the 24 additions made in the past three years. But she acknowledged more will still be needed in the future.

Fewer Idaho children reunited with parents in 2021

Case managers, who take over when an assessment determines a child is in an unsafe environment, are also taking on high caseloads. The standard recommendation is 10 to 12 cases per worker, but most are averaging 20 or more cases, some of which have multiple children involved.

On top of the already high workload, case managers and safety assessors have been assigned shifts at Airbnb rentals to stay with foster children who have no other options for placement. Social workers at Health and Welfare are also exempt employees, meaning they arent paid overtime for working more than 40 hours.

Former Boise case management supervisor Lorena Sorensen, who left the department in October after more than seven years there, said she and her staff routinely worked 60 hours per week and logged many hours of comp time. But with such high caseloads, the comp time that was earned went unused, even if a worker wanted to take vacation. Comp time also isnt paid out when a worker quits.

People dont have the time to do the work. You dont have the time that you need to be able to provide the families with the resources that they need to be able to support them, to help support the foster families, Sorensen said.

The consequences of not having that time available may be starting to show in data from the department.

For a case manager, the primary goal at the end of a case is to reunite children with their parents or caregivers, Sorensen said. As long as it is safe and appropriate, children generally have better health outcomes when they can go back home. But that requires a social worker to work with the family to resolve the issues that led to a child coming into the states care in the first place, whether the problems were mental health, substance abuse or discipline related.

If a child comes out of foster care and is not reunified with caregivers, he or she is adopted.

But with heavy caseloads and extra process changes that have required case managers to take on more adoption and safety assessment work, reunification rates fell by 8% in the past year.

Unsworth said those numbers fluctuate in any given year and may have been influenced by the pandemic and backlogs in the court system.

Can I say definitively what thats related to? No, I cant, Unsworth said. I think theres probably a myriad of factors that played into that. Potentially theres some things related to what that meant with case manager workloads, but I think its probably significantly more factors than that.

Sorensen said cases become much more difficult when a social worker leaves and the case is transferred at a midway point to another worker. The relationships and knowledge of that particular family goes with the person who left, and the workload gets even larger.

When you have three, four, five different case workers on a case because people quit, it just kind of makes things not move as quickly as they potentially could, Sorensen said. The social worker (ends up) just doing the bare minimum. Theyre writing reports, theyre seeing kids, but thats all.

Idaho health department has seen a drop in timeliness of responses to safety calls

Safety assessments have also seen a drop in timely responses since 2019 as workers struggle to keep up with low staffing. When a referral is made to check on a child, it is given a priority status of one, two or three based on the reported allegations:

Priority I: The highest priority, when a child is believed to be in imminent danger, or a child has died, and abuse is suspected. An immediate response is required upon notification of a Priority I referral.

Priority II: For issues such as non-life-threatening physical abuse, neglect or sexual abuse. A social worker will respond within 48 hours of receiving the referral.

Priority III: For cases with circumstances such as adequate supervision for children, no proper food or shelter, or potentially dangerous living conditions. A social worker will respond within 72 hours of receiving the referral.

According to data from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, 12,526 assessments were assigned in fiscal year 2021, and adhered to the time standards defined in policy in 79.3% of cases. That percentage dropped from 81.4% in 2020, and 83.8% in 2019.

Broken out by priority status, the highest priority cases have only seen a slight decrease from 85% in 2019 to 84.4% in 2021. But Priority III referrals have dropped from 83.2% timely responses in 2019 to 77.7% in 2021.

Cameron Gilliland, administrator of Family and Community Services at the department, said every referral receives a response, but they are granting whats called a variance when the timeliness standard cant be met because teams are overwhelmed.

It may take a little longer, but everything is seen, and everything is tracked, Gilliland said. A regional manager is usually involved in the decision to grant a variance. Theyre very particular about those based on what the safety issue is. We get calls in for messy houses versus calls for physical abuse, or something like that.

Fruitland Republican legislator says department needs to ask for more resources

Unsworth said the department plans to request 13 additional positions from the Idaho Legislature when the next session begins in January. The Child Protection Legislative Oversight Committee, which was formed following a report from the Office of Performance Evaluations on Idahos child care system in 2017, met on Dec. 10 to discuss various issues related to child welfare and is expected to meet again in early January.

Sen. Abby Lee, R-Fruitland, is chairwoman of the child protection committee and has questioned Unsworth at legislative meetings in prior years about low requests for additional positions. Lee said she is troubled by the number of children staying in Airbnbs and hotel rooms, and she hopes to see requests that match the need this year.

Im really looking for some better leadership from the department to make the requests that need to be made, Lee said. Our children in our state deserve to be safe, and primarily thats their parents responsibility, but when parents are not, were going to step in and do that. So Im looking at the department to put more resources into it.

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The Big Lie  the idea that President Joe Biden stole the 2020 election  has taken hold in Idaho, a state that is armed to the teeth, where almost 1 in 5 people now believe political violence is acceptable.

How long will the political leadership in the Gem State remain silent about that?

Youre left to ponder this question in the midst of a new study commissioned by the Frank Church Institute at Boise State University. Conducted by the polling firm Morning Consult, it delved into five Western states  Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming  that are either ignored by or are melded into a larger national narrative.

In Idahos case, distrust of the federal government is traditionally deeper when the White House is held by a Democrat. So its no surprise to see that 75 percent of Idahoans told Morning Consult they feel alienated from Washington, D.C., or that 59 percent believe the national government puts the interests of others ahead of them.

But a year after former President Donald Trump asserted widespread election fraud  with no evidence to back it up  and then instigated a Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol while Congress was certifying Bidens victory  these answers are striking:

58 percent of Idahoans agree that the presidential election had widespread election fraud, and the results were not decided fairly, (undermining) my confidence in democracy.

59 percent believe people voted illegally.

49 percent believe the election was rigged.

40 percent say the election had widespread fraud and the results were not decided fairly.

The state is evenly split  44 percent to 44 percent  about whether Biden was legitimately elected.

Throughout the five states, only 25 percent of Republicans believe Biden defeated Trump.

If you distrust the federal government and believe the election was stolen, whats next?

Heres what Idahoans told Morning Consult:

17 percent say political violence is justified in a democracy when you believe things have gotten so bad that the government is not acting in the best interests of the people.

16 percent definitely or probably believe the actions of those involved (in the Jan. 6 insurrection) were justified.

59 percent believe it very or somewhat likely to see more violence on government officials or buildings in the future.

Across the region, 25 percent of Republicans believe political violence would be justified vs. 13 percent of Democrats.

Who will persuade them otherwise?

Not information sources. The news media, internet and social media have been discredited. In Idaho, 91 percent dont trust social media; 92 percent dont believe internet sources and 86 percent are skeptical toward the news media.

And not someone outside their political comfort zone. In Idaho, 80 percent say people of different political viewpoints find it difficult to talk to each other.

The Church Institute is silent in terms of a remedy. Its mission was to take the temperature of democracy in the Intermountain West.

But the polling pointed to at least a couple of bright spots.

Theyre tired of the hyperpartisanship  69 percent of Idahoans said they want their elected officials to find compromise and common ground between political parties.

And theyre aware of the problem  87 percent of Idahoans say theyre concerned about the health of democracy in the country; 58 percent say theyre concerned about the health of democracy within their state.

So it comes down to the political leaders they trust  Idahos elected Republican leadership to finally break their yearlong silence and speak the truth to their constituents about what happened on Nov. 3, 2020, and its aftermath.

Setting a worthy but solitary example was Idaho Secretary of State Lawerence Denney, who earlier this year systemically debunked My Pillow Guy Mike Lindells wildly off-base assertions that even in ruby red Idaho, Biden stole votes from Trump. For good measure, Denneys office sent the bill for conducting recounts in three counties  about $6,500  to Lindell.

But from the states all-Republican congressional delegation and the other state officials, youve heard zilch.

Its easy to understand: Amid all the intraparty acrimony and fear of antagonizing Trump ahead of next springs closed GOP primary, candidates are hesitant to stick their necks out.

But whats the alternative?

How much worse do things have to get before any Idaho Republican leader  a governor, a senator or a congressman  patriotically puts the country first and punctures the Big Lie?  M.T.

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Virginia Governor Ralph Northam congratulated future SEED Fund students in Martinsville-Henry County with a video.

Gov. Northam said to this years kindergarten class, We believe in you. We want to be with you every step of the way and help you make your dreams come true. Listen to your parents and teachers when they tell you college is possible and waiting for you at home. We know you can do it. We are so proud of you and what your future holds.

The Harvest Foundation in September announced a $10.3 million investment over 13 years to guarantee the SEED Fund at Patrick & Henry Community College will provide a college education at no cost for high school graduates in MHC.

Jeannie Lowery is a kindergarten teacher at G.W. Carver Elementary School who said shes thankful to the Harvest Foundation and P&HCC for investing in the future of local children.

Its such a great feeling to talk to a kindergartner about their dreams for the future, about going to college to fulfill those dreams, and knowing that its a reality for them, Lowery said.

I am very excited about the SEED program and its future impact on the Martinsville community, said Dr. Zeb Talley, superintendent of Martinsville City Public Schools. It will lessen the opportunity gap for everyone.

Sandy Strayer, superintendent of Henry County Public Schools, said, "The SEED Fund is a guarantee that those who wish to prepare for careers that require higher education can do so without also encumbering debt."

Harvest President Kate Keller underscores Gov. Northams prevailing message of hope as a beacon for future SEED Fund students and the entire community.

As Gov. Northam shared in his video to local kindergarteners, an entire generation of students has reassurance and hope through the SEED Fund that they can attend college and pursue their future dreams, Keller said. It all starts with a vision and hope for a brighter future. We cant move forward in our community without hope.

Dr. Greg Hodges, president of Patrick & Henry Community College, said the SEED Fund is part of the communitys resurgence.

As Gov. Northam noted, SEED is really about the future of this community as an entire generation of students will never have to ask, Can I afford to go to college? That is the kind of investment that redefines and accelerates the economic renaissance already underway in our region.

To qualify for the SEED Fund, a high school graduate must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5. They must be a resident of Martinsville-Henry County and have in-state residency status at the time of the award. SEED students must file a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year, and complete eight hours of community service before July 31 for each year of participation.

Students are eligible immediately following graduation from high school, completing a GED program (high-school age population only), or a homeschool program. Once an application to the fall semester at P&HCC is completed, an application to the SEED Fund must be completed on time.

To find out more about the SEED Fund, visit www.patrickhenry.edu/seed. Visit www.theharvestfoundation.org for additional information on the foundation and its programming.

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Dale Wagoner will be the new county administrator of Henry County on July 1, the day Tim Hall retires from that post.

Hall announced his intention to retire to the Henry County Board of Supervisors at the boards regular meeting on Tuesday.

The board accepted Halls resignation and immediately named Wagoner as his replacement.

Hall became the county administrator in July 2012, and two months later he named Wagoner to be his deputy administrator.

Mr. Wagoners knowledge, work ethic and integrity, along with his experience and leadership capability, make him an ideal fit for the position of county administrator, said Henry County Board Chair Jim Adams in a news release from the county. He will do an outstanding job for the board and for the people of Henry County.

Wagoner began his career with Henry County as a public safety intern in 1992 and was promoted to an EMS training coordinator that same year and to an EMS coordinator in 1995.

He became the deputy director of Public Safety in 1996, served as the interim human resources director in 2003 and Public Safety director in 2007.

Working at Public Safety and with the many dedicated fire and EMS volunteers were some of the most rewarding times of my career, said Wagoner Friday in an interview with the Bulletin. I tried to do the best that I could do with the tasks before me and learn as much as I could along the way. Climbing a career ladder was never a goal; it just happened.

Wagoner said regardless of the job, he has always felt that Henry County is home.

Wagoners rise through the ranks is similar to that of former County Administrator Benny Summerlin, who died of cancer in 2012 at the age of 53. Both men became administrators through their work in public safety.

Benny Summerlin was a wonderful mentor and friend, said Wagoner. My public safety experiences and many other life experiences provided an opportunity to learn much about my community. It also provided many opportunities to build relationships, work in teams and prioritize tasks.

Wagoner has also held teaching positions at Patrick & Henry Community College, National Business College, Carilion Clinic and SOVAH HealthMartinsville.

He has served as president and board chairman of the United Way of Martinsville-Henry County and president of the board of directors for the Martinsville/Henry County 911 Communications Center and is a life member of the Bassett Rescue Squad.

He also is a recipient of the prestigious Governors Award for Excellence in Emergency Medical Services.

Wagoner will take over the helm at Henry County during a tumultuous period. Martinsville is pursuing reversion from a city to a town, projected by Henry County to be at a significant cost to Henry County taxpayers.

At the very meeting where it was decided Wagoner would become the new county administrator, the board of supervisors voted to reject a voluntary settlement agreement with the city that it previously had approved.

As the administrator, I will have the responsibility to the board and the citizens they represent to implement policy, effectively and efficiently as possible, said Wagoner. As we navigate the uncertainty of reversion, I will work diligently to mitigate its impact on county residents, as I have up to this point.

If we reach a point that the town is part of the county, I will give the same commitment to all of the county residents, including those in the new town.

Wagoner declined to speculate on how he sees the process of Martinsvilles reversion playing out, noting that Hall continues to be the administrator until July and much can happen between now and July.

Wagoner is a graduate of Bassett High School; received a bachelors of science degree in computer science from Ferrum College in 1993 and a masters degree in public administration from Virginia Tech in 2002; and completed extended studies at the University of Colorados Graduate School of Public Affairs and the University of Virginia.

Although the Henry County Public Service Authority (PSA) is a separate entity, traditionally the county administrator also serves as the general manager of the PSA.

Wagoner now serves as the PSA assistant general manager, and the board recommended Adams begin discussions with the PSA about Wagoner becoming its general manager.

Said Wagoner: Henry County is home and I cant think of anywhere else I would rather be, so lets all work together to make our community the best place in the world to live, work, learn and play.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt.

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The BEAR Closet is such an important asset to McDowell County, said Byrd. They do great work helping mothers of all ages in the county. Most everything is free to anyone who needs it. They give out new car seats for half price, but even if someone still couldnt afford it, theyll work something out to make sure you have what you need. Philista truly goes above and beyond. Its been an honor to work with the BEAR Closet, and with the continued needs in the county, I look forward to seeing the BEAR Closet grow to serve even more people.

What does the BEAR Closet mean to me? asks Nikki Chester. I believe there is a definite need for programs like this in our community. Some 15 years ago, with my first born, there was a similar program that helped me tremendously in a time of big changes and rude awakenings. That charity provided me with resources I didnt have access to otherwise, and I will be eternally grateful for the services and goods they provided my infant daughter and I. So not only have I been on the receiving end of help, and know what a relief it is to find somewhere that will. I also am now in a position to give back. I choose to help Philista, and the BEAR Closet often, because I admire her heart and her tenacity. Her drive is for something very near and dear to me, and I try to help the cause every chance I get. She runs a very needed service, and I know Im not the only one whos grateful for her and the BEAR Closet both.
SYDNEY (AP)  Five children died and four others were in critical condition on Thursday after falling from a bouncy castle that was lifted 33 feet into the air by a gust of wind at a school on Australia's island state of Tasmania.

The school was holding a celebration to mark the end of the school year.

The children who died included two boys and two girls in year 6, which would make them 10 or 11 years old, said Tasmania police Commissioner Darren Hine. Police later Thursday confirmed a fifth child died in the hospital.

Five other children were being treated, including four in critical condition. Hine said an investigation is underway.

Images published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation showed police officers consoling each other as paramedics provided first aid to victims.

Parents arrived at the school gate to collect their children as helicopters ferried the injured to hospitals.

Tasmania state Premier Peter Gutwein called the incident "simply inconceivable... I know this is a strong and caring community that will stand together and support one another."
The umbrella organization United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) has called for massive participation in the launch of the celebration of Rabat, African Capital of Culture, scheduled for January 2022.

The call was launched during the 26th session of the Executive Committee and the annual session of the Pan-African Council of UCLG Africa, recently held in Rabat, said Friday the continental organization of local governments in a statement.

I am counting on your support to accomplish the exhilarating task of presiding our continental organization of local governments, at a time when (our organization) must ensure that the local authorities of Africa play their role during the major events that will take place in 2022, namely: the celebration of Rabat, African Capital of Culture, the launch of which should take place on January 24, 2022, president of UCLG Africa and mayor of Libreville (Gabon), Christine Mba Ndutume Mihindou, was quoted as saying in the statement.

The Organizing Committee of African Capitals of Culture had postponed the official launch of the celebration of Rabat, African Capital of Culture, initially scheduled for March 26, 2020, to a later date due to COVID-19 pandemic.

She also reiterated her commitment to serve the organization and to mobilize all energies so that we can together meet the challenges of African local governments, and expressed thanks for the constant support that King Mohammed VI has always provided to the organization.

Christine Mba Ndutume Mihindou, who chaired the meetings of the two bodies, urged the elected officials to mobilize for the other major events of 2022, including the Round Table of Mayors on African participation in Water Governance, within the framework of the 9th World Water Forum scheduled to take place from March 22 to March 26, 2022 in Dakar, Senegal; the 9th edition of the Africities Summit to be held from May 17 to May 21, 2022 in Kisumu, Kenya, the 7th UCLG World Congress to be held from October 10 to October 14, 2022 in Daejeon, South Korea, and the COP27 scheduled to take place in Egypt in November 2022.

We must ensure a physical presence of the greatest number of our members at these various events, and I am counting on you to mobilize them in the different regions of the continent, she said to the delegates.

At the opening of the executive committee, Asmaa Rhlalou, mayor of Rabat, stressed that as the first woman elected mayor of the Moroccan capital city, I would have liked this meeting to be held face-to-face so that you can discover the achievements and projects that King Mohammed VI has launched through the project of Rabat, City of lights, Cultural capital of Morocco.

This meeting is an opportunity for an exchange of expertise and an efficient implementation of the decentralized cooperation that our organization UCLG Africa seeks to establish, she added.

During these meetings, the Executive Committee approved the activity report of the General Secretariat for the period from June to November 2021 and adopted the 2022 budget and work plan of UCLG Africa.
Dr. David Lo is a distinguished professor of biomedical sciences at UC Riverside. Credit: I. Pittalwala, UC Riverside.

Biomedical scientists at the University of California, Riverside, propose a way for drugs to be more effective against inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, in which the intestine undergoes inflammation.

IBD, a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine, includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. It is commonly treated with one of several available biological drugs that block an inflammatory molecule called Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, or TNF-alpha, from binding to two receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2. Only about 50% of patients are helped long term by this treatment.

"TNF-alpha does drive much of the inflammation and tissue destruction in IBD," said Dr. David D. Lo, a distinguished professor of biomedical sciences in the School of Medicine, who led the study appearing in the Journal of Crohn's and Colitis. "It's why it is targeted by drugs. Our interest in this study was to look for a more targeted therapy that might have better impact than the existing approach, which is to block all TNF-alpha."

Lo explained that people have two different receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2, in each of their cells that bind TNF-alpha. Currently, TNF-alpha-targeted drugs block both TNFR1 and TNFR2. Lo's experiments were done in mice, which have the same two receptors. The pattern of inflammation in mice is similar to that seen in humans.

TNF-alpha, produced by the body's cells, also induces specialized immune and other cells, which both promote inflammation and suppress it. Thus, TNF-alpha plays a role in the destruction and the healing of tissuesa double-edged sword. Lo said evidence exists that TNFR1 may be driving most of the destructive effects of IBD, whereas TNFR2 may drive the healing and restorative effects.

"If you block both the receptors, you block the destructive effects and the recovery," he said. "To circumvent this, in our work we opted to do selective targeting of TNFR1."

Lo's group was encouraged by two pieces of evidence suggesting that targeting TNFR1 may be a more beneficial strategy. The researchers used a reagent from INmune Bio, a biotechnology company, that was selective for blocking TNFR1. Mice treated with this reagent were found to benefit from it. The researchers also did genetic targeting of TNFR1 to reduce its signaling. The impact, they found, was dramatic.

"When we reduced TNFR1 signaling, the mice showed a significant benefit relative to mice who had the full level of TNFR1 signaling," Lo said. "This approach may offer more opportunity to TNFR2 to contribute to the healing."

According to Lo, mice that have a genetic deficiency in TNFR2 get much more severe disease, suggesting that TNFR2 does indeed have beneficial effects.

"Without TNFR2, IBD is a lot worse," he said.

Several diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis, are related to the action of TNF-alpha. Indeed, different tissues in the body are differently sensitive to the effects of TNF-alpha. The role of the receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2 varies in the different tissues.

"TNF-alpha is a very common way in which your body reacts to inflammatory triggers, such as infection," Lo said. "This protein can mediate several processes in the body to promote inflammation. The inflammation arises to clear an infection or kill a tumor. But in autoimmune diseases, the same inflammation and tissue damage that TNF-alpha provokes are what drive the disease. In other words, you want TNF-alpha at the right time to knock off a certain infection but once that is accomplished, you don't want this protein to be around any longer. Many diseases are linked to TNF-alpha lingering in tissues."

Lo said the current research was a combination of testing approved drugs that are used in the clinic as well as examining more detailed questions related to the mechanisms of disease and protection.

"It's about continuously finding better cutting-edge drugs and better targets to treat diseases," he said.

Lo was joined in the study by Rajrupa Chakraborty, Mia R. Maltz, Diana Del Castillo, Purvi N. Tandel, Nathalie Messih, and Martha Anguiano.

The research paper is titled "Selective targeting of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1 induces stable protection from Crohn's-like ileitis in TNFdARE mice."

Explore further New insight for developing more effective drugs to combat inflammatory bowel disease

More information: Rajrupa Chakraborty et al, Selective targeting of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1 induces stable protection from Crohn's-like ileitis in TNF ARE mice, Journal of Crohn's and Colitis (2021). Rajrupa Chakraborty et al, Selective targeting of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1 induces stable protection from Crohn's-like ileitis in TNF ARE mice,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjab222
USask doctoral student Shannah Dutrisac pictured without a tattoo, with a neutral flower tattoo, and with a provocative skull tattoo. Dutrisacs face was blurred out in the versions shown to peer reviewers. Credit: University of Saskatchewan

New University of Saskatchewan (USask) research suggests that to potential clients, psychologists with visible, provocative tattoos seem more confident, interesting, likable, less lazy, and more competent than psychologists with no tattoos or with less provocative ink.

"Having visible tattoos may signal greater originality and authenticity to clients," said Dr. Alexandra Zidenberg (Ph.D.), former USask doctoral student and lead author on the study.

The study just published in the journal Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, is the first to explore the impact of psychologists' tattoos on the perceptions of potential clients. Previous studies have focused mainly on the self-perception of psychologists with tattoos, and on perceptions of other psychologists.

The research team, supervised by USask professor and registered doctoral psychologist Dr. Mark Olver (Ph.D.), and including doctoral student Shannah Dutrisac, surveyed 534 participants online about their perceptions of a fictitious psychologist's profile.

While the profile text describing the psychologist was identical, participants saw a slightly different photo: a young woman with a prominent flower tattooed on her arm, with a skull, or without a tattoo.

"Having a neutral tattoo seems to be statistically equivalent to having no tattoo, and having a provocative tattoo appears to have a mildly positive effect on how people rate the psychologist," said Zidenberg.

Credit: University of Saskatchewan

Participants did see the psychologist without tattoos as more "professional," but that did not translate into negative feelings or an unwillingness to seek care from her, said Zidenberg.

The results of the USask study run counter to previous research findings and popular direction to conceal tattoos and other personal characteristics.

"Really surprising was that participants without tattoos seemed to have a more positive view of the psychologist with a provocative tattoo," said Zidenberg.

"Psychology is pretty unique," said Zidenberg. "Tattoos may signal authenticity in a way that's more appreciated than in other health-care fields."

The initial study participants were mostly women, heterosexual, Caucasian, urban, university-educated, and young, with an average age of 23 years old.

The research team next intends to look at an expanded group of participants and extend the study using photos of psychologists that are more diverse in gender presentation and skin color.

More information: Alexandra M. Zidenberg et al, "No ragrets": Public perceptions of tattooed mental health professionals., Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (2021). Alexandra M. Zidenberg et al, "No ragrets": Public perceptions of tattooed mental health professionals.,(2021). DOI: 10.1037/pro0000441
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  A health care company whose investors include a venture capital firm run by Connecticuts first lady will exit the COVID-19 testing business after questions were raised about contracts it received to run state testing sites.

The CT Mirror reported Friday that Sema4, the company backed by Annie Lamonts venture capital firm, has told public health officials and investors that it will leave COVID testing in mid-January and return to its core business, genomic testing.

Stamford-based Sema4 said in a statement that the testing landscape had changed significantly, with more lab capacity and testing options than at the start of the pandemic, and that now is the appropriate time to dedicate our resources to Sema4s core mission.

Gov. Ned Lamont said last month that his wifes investment had yet to generate a profit, but that any earnings she made would be donated to 4-CT, an independent nonprofit charity created last year to address unmet needs caused by the pandemic.

Sema4 received a $17.2 million contract from the state in July 2020 to provide COVID-19 testing and later received a no-bid contract worth $8.4 million to provide testing in long-term care facilities.

It was also among four companies the state hired in July to manage 23 COVID-19 testing sites.

The CT Mirror reported that Annie Lamonts company, Oak HC/FT, first invested in Sema4 in 2019, when the state, then run by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, awarded the company two start-up loans. She invested again two months after her husbands administration signed its first contract with the company, the CT Mirror reported.

Gov. Lamont has said that his office had nothing to do with signing the contract, which was negotiated by the Office of the State Comptroller. The states ethics office has found no conflict of interest with the contract.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SATURDAY, Dec. 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Like Mr. Grinch, heartburn can crush your holiday, but there are easy ways to prevent it.

"Heartburn is caused by acidic stomach content moving into the esophagus, or gullet, which is much less resistant to acid," said Dr. James East, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. "This results in irritation and damage to the lining of the esophagus, literally a burn, that causes pain."

Some holiday favorites can be culprits. Eating large, fatty, greasy or spicy meals can trigger heartburn, as can onions, citrus fruits, tomato-based foods, and even chocolate and peppermint. Alcohol, fizzy beverages and caffeine can bring on heartburn, too.

Chronic heartburn is known as GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.

So how can you avoid it and still enjoy your holiday celebration?

Taking antacids or even acid-suppressing drugs before eating can reduce heartburn symptoms, East said. But, he warned, don't use them to overindulge.

While these medications lower acid, they don't stop the regurgitation that can accompany reflux, so overeating can still lead to uncomfortable symptoms, East said.

"Moderation in both food and alcohol, and enjoying the range of dishes available from your host is a better strategy than additional medication," he said in a Mayo Clinic news release.

Reducing anxiety and stress might also help.

"Being stressed or anxious can lead to gut nerves being oversensitive where they fire off pain signals, such as cramping or bloating, at much lower levels of stimulation than would normally be required," East noted.

Techniques such as mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy or hypnotherapy can help reduce stress and anxiety.

Physical positioning also plays a role in heartburn.

"Classical triggers for reflux include a large fatty meal late in the day, with alcohol, and then lying down flat," East said.

To avoid heartburn, do the opposite, he suggested. Have your main meal in the middle of the day, don't eat within three hours of bedtime, avoid fatty foods, moderate your alcohol intake and consider raising the head of your bed.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on heartburn.

SOURCE: Mayo Clinic, news release, Dec. 13, 2021

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HONOLULU (AP)  The number of new COVID-19 cases in Honolulu has surged nearly fivefold in the past two weeks, according to data from the Hawaii state Department of Health.

Oahu recorded a seven-day average of 251 cases on Friday, compared to 53 cases on Dec. 2. Other islands have also experienced more cases but not as many.

We are seeing an alarming increase in the number of cases,  Gov. David Ige said at a news conference.

Dr. Libby Char, the health department's director, said gatherings over Thanksgiving were a factor, as was an increase in holiday travel and people taking their masks off to eat in indoor settings.

The arrival in Hawaii of the omicron variant, which Char said appears to be more transmissible than prior mutations, was another.

As of Dec. 4, 5% of Oahu's cases were of the omicron variety and the department has identified additional suspect cases since. So far omicron cases haven't been detected on other islands but Char said it was inevitable they will be.

Char said omicron was likely to become the dominant variant in Hawaii early next year, based on how the mutation has behaved in the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Both the delta and omicron variants were behind the current growth in cases in the state, she said.

Ige said he would be meeting with the state's mayors to discussion COVID-19 protocols. He said he didn't plan to change the state's Safe Travels program, which requires incoming travelers wanting to avoid 10 days of quarantine to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure for Hawaii.

Char said while omicron appears to be less virulent than other mutations, Hawaii may experience even more hospitalizations than earlier phases of the pandemic because the greater ease of transmissions may lead more people to get sick.

Dont be fooled into thinking that it wont affect our hospitals and our families, she said.

Ige noted hospitalizations tend to rise about 10 days after case numbers. He the state's hospitals have lately had about 30 to 40 COVID patients. That's far below the peak of more than 400 marked during the summer when the delta variant fueled a surge of cases.

Char urged people to get vaccinated. She recommended those who received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than six months ago to get a third shot.

Please go get a booster shot. Dont wait. Go get it now, Char said. She reminded people to wear masks and keep their distance from others. She said gatherings should be small and large groups should meet outdoors and in well-ventilated places.

A posting on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website that was updated on Thursday said the omicron variant will likely spread more easily than the original COVID-19 virus but it's unknown how easily it spreads compared to delta.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Oregon's treasurer is exploring legal options with the state attorney general in the state's large investment in a smartphone spyware company  a firm that has been denounced by human rights groups, the U.S. government and tech giants.

In 2017, the Oregon Investment Council unanimously committed $233 million in the state employee retirement fund to a new private equity fund called Novalpina Capital, which later acquired a majority share of NSO Group, an Israeli company that produces smartphone spyware.

The company's Pegasus spyware, which can turn a smartphone into an eavesdropping device and rummage through emails, documents, texts and photos, has been used by repressive regimes against dissidents, human rights workers and journalists.

NSO Group has been hit by numerous lawsuits, including by Facebook and Apple. Last month it was blacklisted by the U.S. government along with another company for developing and supplying spyware to foreign governments that used these tools to maliciously target government officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists, academics, and embassy workers.

Earlier this year, London-based Novalpina Capital became so dysfunctional because of a bitter dispute between its partners that investors, including Oregon, stripped them of control of the fund and handed it to an outfit called Berkeley Research Group.

Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read supports sanctioning global technology companies that facilitate human rights violations and the oppression of journalists by selling technology to authoritarian regimes," Read's spokeswoman, Amy Bates, said in a statement Thursday to The Associated Press.

The Oregon Treasury has been working with Berkeley Research Group and counsel to obtain a full accounting of the prior fund managers investment activities over the past several years, said Bates, who declined to elaborate.

As of two months ago, Berkeley Research Group had not been granted clearance by the Israeli government to receive any sensitive information about NSO Group, the Guardian newspaper reported. Berkeley Research Group did not immediately respond to questions on whether they have since gained access to the information.

"Earlier this month, the Treasurer also reached out to Oregons Attorney General on various legal options available to Oregons retirement fund, Bates said.

Some observers took the consultations to mean that Oregon is seeking a legal way of dropping the investment.

NSOs big investor, the State of Oregon retirement fund ... has developed cold feet, tweeted John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher of Citizen Lab, which is based at the University of Toronto and has investigated deployment of the Pegasus spyware and whom it targeted.

He said it appears that Oregon is looking for the exit.

Read and fellow members of the Oregon Investment Council recently told leaders of the Legislature that state law specifies investments must make the moneys as productive as possible.

When we exit investments, we do so for performance reasons, not political or personal ones, Read and four other members of the OIC wrote in their Oct. 25 letter.

Bates pointed out that Oregon is a limited partner in private equity fund investments and consequently doesn't participate in how such a fund does its business once an investment is made, but is deeply disturbed by reports about developments concerning NSO Group.

For its part, NSO Group said in a statement Wednesday that it has chosen ethics upon revenues, and we strongly believe that our contribution to the global security including US national interests should have the opportunity to be presented.

We only sell to governments authorized by the State of Israel, for the sole purpose of preventing terror and crime. Once the software is sold, the company does not operate the system, the company added.

AP reporter Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Many educators around the state of Montana are feeling anxious about the impending monthslong closure of the Office of Public Instructions online licensure service at the end of this year.

Between Jan. 1 and May 6, they will have to submit licensing applications by mail or wait to apply online when a new system goes live in early June.

That includes prospective new teachers, who need the licenses to start their careers in the classroom.

A backlog of applications at OPI's licensing office was a notable concern in two recent letters penned by 12 school superintendents to voice no confidence with Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen's leadership. A letter of support for Arntzen garnered nearly 500 signatures earlier this week.

The uneasiness among those administrators is also being felt by teaching students who are preparing to graduate.

Anika Melzer-Roush, who graduated from the University of Montanas Phyllis J. Washington College of Education this fall, is one of those people. Although shes already completed her online application and is waiting to submit a few more documents that will be available to her after graduation, shes still a bit stressed about the transition.

First I got concerned, like, Oh my god, I would like to get my license before I apply for a job for next school year, but when we talked to the head of licensure here in the program, she said that new applications can be in before Dec. 31, so its kind of a rush," Melzer-Roush said.

Once college graduates receive their teaching degree from an accredited program, like the college of education at UM, they have to complete a background check and collect and notarize their transcripts, get a letter of recommendation from the university and the results from their Praxis test  an American teacher certification exam.

"Luckily, I have my Praxis score  so Im kind of ahead of it there," Melzer-Roush said. "But basically, I have to have everything in by February at the latest.

Melzer-Roush took the exam last summer and has her results ready to submit, but she knows of several other prospective teachers who completed student teaching this semester who have not taken the Praxis test. It can take up to a month to get results back, adding another delay in their ability to apply for a license.

She completed her student teaching this semester in a kindergarten classroom at Hellgate Elementary. The experience reaffirmed that she had chosen the right degree option, she said. She has a long-term substitute position lined up for the following semester in a sixth-grade class at the same school.

Although she has a job lined up for after graduation, Melzer-Roush wants to find a permanent position to kick-start her career. Many school districts start advertising positions in early spring and she wants to make sure she has everything she needs to secure her dream job.

She and other graduates worry that if they dont have their licenses by the time they apply for jobs in the spring, superintendents might be wary of hiring them, she said.

While she would like to teach overseas in Germany, where some of her family lives, she has her heart set on teaching in Montana for the time being, though she would consider venturing out of state if she struggles to get a license during the transition.

I could definitely see, like if I couldnt get my Montana (license) and I needed a job and I found it somewhere else, I could see myself going to a different state, Melzer-Roush said. I could definitely think of a few people in our cohort who would go to another state to get a job if they could get a license there.

I mean, they have families to support, themselves to support, and if theyre not able to get one here, I mean, why would you stay here and not be able to do the job you went to school for?

Licensure timelines

OPI's online system will be closed to the public as they prepare to upgrade MSEIS and move to RANDA Solutions, which will have a fully web-based interface with automated intake, review and evaluation for licenses.

The intent is to eliminate the current manual process used by OPI staff.

MSEIS is shutting down to the public at the end of the year because the OPI will be working with RANDA Solutions to create a new, more efficient streamlined and user friendly teacher licensure system, OPI wrote in its online FAQ about the transition. The main reason we are shutting down the system is to provide necessary time for RANDA and the OPI to transfer a complete set of data and licenses from the current system and prevent the transfer of incomplete applications or files.

The new RANDA Solutions online licensing system is expected to be active for public use on June 1, 2022. RANDA Solutions is the same system used by Tennessee, Colorado and Kentucky. It has processed more than 56,000 teacher licenses in the last two years.

For teachers seeking to renew their license, they will be able to mail a paper application, including hard copy documents and payment, to the OPI between Jan. 1, 2022 and May 6, 2022. Teachers can also wait until the new system is active at the beginning of June.

School districts are unable to pay unlicensed educators after they have worked for 60 days, according to Montana state law. Licenses do not expire until June 30 for teachers who need to renew in the new year and the OPI is extending a two-month grace period to complete professional development and apply for their license. Educators whose licenses expire in 2022 cannot apply for renewal before the first of the year.

College graduates hoping to teach in Montana after their fall commencement can apply online before Dec. 31, 2021, and can email or mail supporting documents to the OPI until Feb. 28, 2022. After the online system closes at the end of the year, recent graduates can submit a paper application for initial licensure through May 6, 2022. However, their respective university recommendation can only be submitted digitally until Feb. 28, 2022; after that it must be mailed.

At a recent legislative Education Interim Budget Subcommittee meeting, Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Sharyl Allen said that the slowest months for license applications are September and December. The busiest is between January and July.

About 50% of all licensing applications are submitted in a paper format, Allen said.

I believe that our staff is equipped and prepared to handle these transitions that have people a bit worried right now, Allen said at the meeting.

What about renewing?

For Ryan Cooney, a high school teacher in Helena whose license expires in June 2022, hes not sure if he would be better off submitting a paper application or waiting until the beginning of June to renew.

He is leaning toward mailing his application to get a jump on the process.

Up until this point it was almost one of those things that for better or for worse  you didnt really think much about (renewing your license) until the end of the school year going into the summer in which you needed to renew because it was such a seamless process, Cooney said.

Cooney graduated from UM Western in 2007 and has renewed his license multiple times. This is the first time hes contemplated the application so early in the school year. He described the messaging he and other Montana educators received about the changes at the licensure office as quite convoluted, quite confusing.

Last year, Cooney had a few questions regarding his renewal credits and reached out to OPI in the middle of September, but it took nearly two months to receive an automated reply. He got an answer from an employee about a week later.

I got my question answered, and luckily I was not up against the clock or anything or rushing to get anything done, but I remember at the time feeling quite frustrated and disconcerted that this had never happened before, Cooney said.

It seems like everybody is in a panic, which to be honest, does not give me as a teacher needing to renew my license a whole lot of comfort going into this process because this is my livelihood, this is my career, this is how I pay the bills and more importantly, this is how I am able to go into my classroom year after year and provide my students with the services that they need, he continued.

Cooney hopes Arntzen can get the application backlog straightened out, he said.

I still want to see her succeed and I want to see the wonderful system of education here in Montana that Ive benefited from  that I want my son to benefit from, I want us to continue to build this up and not tear it down, Cooney said.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Stung by recent headline-grabbing smash-and-grab robberies, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said he will seek more than $300 million in state funding over three years to boost law enforcement efforts to combat retail theft.

The issue of crime and violence is top of mind all throughout not only the state of California but across the United States, highlighted recently by some high-profile retail theft operations, Newsom said.

He added that these organized retail mobs ... (have) a profound impact on our feelings of safety here in this state, this region and as I note, this country.

Newsom proposed giving $255 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies to put more police at stores to deter organized retail crime over the next three years.

An additional $30 million over three years in the proposed budget he sends to lawmakers next month would go to county district attorneys to support prosecutions of retail and auto theft-related crimes.

Another $18 million over three years would go to create a new organized theft special unit under the state attorney general, with investigators and prosecutors dedicated to pursuing organized crime ringleaders.

Retailers in California and in cities elsewhere around the U.S., including Chicago and Minneapolis, have recently been victimized by large-scale thefts when groups of people show up in groups for mass shoplifting events or to enter stores and smash and grab from display cases.

Solo shoplifters and retail thieves have also been a growing problem for California retailers, who have said the criminals face little if any consequences after they are caught.

Earlier this month, Newsom criticized local prosecutors for not doing enough to crack down on the criminals by using existing state laws.

He defended a voter-approved 2014 initiative that reduced certain thefts from felonies to misdemeanors, though prosecutors said it left them without enough legal tools.

Newsom on Friday proposed another $20 million to aid small businesses victimized by smash-and-grab robberies.

He also plans to turn an existing retail theft task force into a permanent smash and grab enforcement unit.

Working under the task force, California Highway Patrol enforcement fleets would coordinate with local law enforcement departments to target organized retail and auto theft in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles and San Diego regions.

Auto thefts had become a particularly perplexing problem in the Bay Area, driving tourists away from some high crime areas.

Newsom said he will also work with state lawmakers to improve highway camera technology to help solve crimes, and correspondingly boost highway patrols based on real-time data.

He emphasized that long-term crime rates in California have come down, but said California and other U.S. states have experienced a recent upswing in organized retail theft and violent crimes, including those involving firearms.

Homicides in California jumped 31% last year, while politically progressive Oakland recently reversed course on police defunding due to a surge in homicides and gun violence. And on Friday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency to confront crime in one of the citys poorest and most drug-infested neighborhoods.

Former governor Jerry Brown, a fellow Democrat who championed easing lengthy criminal punishments, said in a television interview that there needs to be a carrot-and-stick approach that includes some punishment for lower level crimes.

Newsom proposed what he called the largest gun buyback program in America  $25 million for matching grants to local law enforcement agencies to collect guns and increase awareness of gun violence.

He also promised more but unspecified additional funding for Californias Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis.

He reiterated the plan he announced last weekend to allow private citizens to sue those who make, sell or distribute illegal assault weapons and untraceable ghost guns, ghost gun kits or parts. Texas uses a similar method to try to restrict abortions.

If a law (in Texas) is going to be used to put womens lives at risk, we will use that law to protect peoples lives, Newsom said.

Finally, Newsom proposed $20 million to support efforts by the California National Guard to fight the importation of illegal drugs  particularly fentanyl flowing into the state from Mexico  by targeting transnational criminal organizations.

The proposal to combat retail theft was hailed by the leaders of the California Retailers Association and California Chamber of Commerce.

Californians have had enough, said Jennifer Barrera, chamber president and CEO.

Newsom was joined by Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley  who warned that retail thieves are terrorizing our communities  and by Attorney General Rob Bonta, who was appointed by Newsom to the post to fill a vacancy.

Both Newsom and Bonta are Democrats seeking re-election next year and Republicans already are making crime a campaign issue.

Newsom earlier this week pledged that his January budget will propose at least $100 million in local grants to remove garbage and beautify public spaces associated with homelessness, another important campaign theme.

The proposed spending to combat crime and to clean up neighborhoods represent fractions of the states annual operating budget, which this year exceeds $260 billion and is projected to have at least a $31 billion surplus next year.

Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk said Democrats are finally waking up to soft-on-crime policies that he said have turned this once-majestic state into a sanctuary for criminals.

While opponents believe Democrats are vulnerable on the issues, Newsom in September easily prevailed over an effort to recall him in midterm.

Rescue California, one of the groups the promoted the failed recall, on Thursday called on Newsom to call a special legislative session to target smash-and-grab thefts that the group said are plaguing California. Members also urged Newsom to support rescinding the 2014 ballot measure that eased criminal penalties for theft and drug crimes.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)  The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote Friday to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo, meaning the coffee retailer, for the first time, will have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store.

We don't want to fight Starbucks  we're asking them to turn over a new leaf, said Jaz Brisack, an organizer at the store, one of three New York Starbucks locations that petitioned the labor board for a union election in October.

Voting wrapped up last week and the board certified the results of the Buffalo employees' 19-8 vote Friday.

Workers United, the union representing the employees, filed formal objections in the other two elections late Thursday, delaying certification. The objections claim Starbucks waged a shock and awe campaign meant to dissuade workers from voting to unionize.

The 50-year-old company has actively fought unionization for decades, saying its more than 8,000 company-owned U.S. stores function best when it works directly with employees.

Workers at a store in the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg voted 12-8 against a union. The outcome of a Cheektowaga store's vote could not be determined because both sides challenged seven separate votes. Union organizers said six of the votes were cast by ineligible employees.

If the outcome of the ballot challenges favors unionization, organizers will drop the objection to the Cheektowaga results, attorney Ian Hayes said.

The objections say Starbucks employees were subjected to a massive campaign of overwhelming psychological force from the moment they publicly expressed the desire to form a union.

Dozens of managers were sent in to speak against the efforts in individual and group meetings with employees, according to the filings. Workers were told they could lose benefits under a union, and pro-union employees were spied on and saw their schedules changed and hours reduced.

The actions disrupted the laboratory conditions considered necessary for a fair election, the union said.

These claims are grossly inaccurate. We did not and do not engage in intimidation tactics, Starbucks responded in a statement. We are partners and we show up for one another. Thats what we do and what we continue to do.

If the NLRB determines that the claims could be grounds for setting aside an election, it would order a hearing to determine whether a new election should be held.

Workers at all three stores began voting by mail last month on whether they wanted to be represented by Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union.

After the Buffalo vote, Starbucks workers at two locations in Boston petitioned the NLRB for union elections. Three other Buffalo-area stores and a store in Mesa, Arizona, also have filed petitions with the labor board for their own union elections. Those cases are pending.

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For the first time, two families of bison are being transferred from the Fort Peck Reservation to the Yakama Nation in Washington and the Modoc Nation in Oklahoma.

Each tribe will receive a family of 28 bison under the Bison Conservation Transfer Program that began in 2019. The transfers are overseen by a coalition that includes the Fort Peck Tribes, InterTribal Buffalo Council, Yellowstone National Park and Defenders of Wildlife.

Bison are incredibly social animals, so one of the key goals of this program is to maintain these social structures once they arrive at their new home, Chamois Andersen, senior Rockies and Plains representative at Defenders of Wildlife, said in a statement.

Before shipment could occur, agents from the U.S. Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service conducted a final brucellosis test in Fort Pecks quarantine facility. After receiving negative results, the animals were cleared for transfer.

The Yakama Nation started a bison program in 1991, when the tribe bought about a dozen from a member, according to a Yakima Herald story. The herd grew to a peak of 200 head before being reduced. Some of the bison meat is given to tribal elders and distributed through the Yakama Nation Diabetes Program, the Herald reported.

The Modoc Nation has a herd of about 200 bison, including 16 it acquired from Grand Canyon National Park last year. The tribe slaughters some of the bison and sells the meat.

The Bison Conservation Transfer Program is designed to allow disease-free Yellowstone bison to be shared with tribes. Since 2019, the program has sent 154 bison from Yellowstone to the Fort Peck Reservation where they can be quarantined until they are certified disease-free and can be redistributed to other tribes.

This year, Yellowstone plans to capture 400 bison to identify 80 that can be enrolled in the quarantine program. The bison will be held in newly built pens on 20 acres near Gardiner.

Without the program, the bison could end up being sent to slaughter under an agreement with the state of Montana meant to reduce the park's bison population. Tribes and state hunters also pursue the bison on public lands west and north of the park. The concentration of hunters and carcasses has raised concerns among some residents and conservation groups.

This winter, the Interagency Bison Management Plan partners agreed to allow 600 to 900 bison to be killed. That could include an additional 200 being captured by the Park Service and sent to slaughter or enrolled in the quarantine program.

The park's current bison population is estimated at 5,450 animals. Last year hunters killed 187 bison. None were captured by the Park Service.

Since 1984, more than 8,600 bison have been shipped to slaughter. In the same time frame, more than 4,500 were killed by mostly tribal hunters.

Despite the demand for cultural herds, the threat of brucellosis  a bacterial infection that can cause pregnant young cattle, elk and bison to abort  and limited capacity to quarantine bison meant slaughter was the only option under the Interagency Bison Management Plan that oversees Yellowstone bison. With the opening of the Fort Peck quarantine facility, these excess bison are finding new homes on their historic range and tribal lands.

The program is the result of a partnership between Yellowstone National Park, the state of Montana, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, InterTribal Buffalo Council and nongovernment partners such as Defenders.

The bison sent from the Fort Peck reservation are direct descendants of the last survivors of the mass slaughters during the 19th century. While American bison once boasted a population of more than 30 million across North America, only about 1,000 remained by 1900, mostly in captivity, along with a small herd holed up in a remote area of Yellowstone.

Though saved from extinction and numbering 500,000 today, almost all bison are managed as livestock and contain cattle genetics. An exception is the Yellowstone herd, which is why they are so highly valued for conservation efforts.

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As the new system to handle paying for in-school mental health treatment for Montana students with serious emotional problems is on the brink of being put into place, school districts around the state say its not workable.

The Comprehensive School and Community Treatment program connects licensed or supervised in-training practitioners from a mental health center and behavioral health aides with children who can get services at school, in their homes or in the community.

Earlier this year the state Legislature moved the program to the Office of Public Instruction, citing frustrations with how the state Department of Public Health and Human Services navigated past funding hurdles.

School districts have always been obligated to pick up a third of the cost of the program thats a part of Montana Medicaid. But historically they did it through in-kind matches like providing physical space for treatment or laptops  not cash. After first raising concerns about that in-kind approach in 2013, the federal government finally stopped allowing it last year.

The state health department stepped in to cover the cost, arguing it didn't want mental health care taken from students in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. But earlier this year the state Legislature objected to the health departments spending without lawmakers' approval and put a halt to that approach.

Instead, lawmakers put about $2.2 million toward stopgap money to pay for schools share of the costs while the state health department went back to the federal government with a plan where schools put up a third of the cost. Nearly $1.3 million of the bridge money has already been paid out, and more claims could be pending.

While districts have said since this summer it would be difficult to find the cash for their third of the costs, on Thursday administrators told an interim legislative committee that other requirements OPI is trying to institute are unworkable. Administrators also called for better communication from OPI.

Leadership at OPI, however, told the committee it had made significant efforts to meet with schools and the third-party providers of mental health services.

One of the key points of dispute is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that OPI says schools must sign to get the money they spend matched by the federal government. The process is called an intergovernmental transfer and was simplified by one legislative staffer as schools sending the federal government $1 to get $3 in return to pay for mental health services.

Our legal counsel has advised us not to sign the MOU because there are concerns about (the MOU language) and we have asked for those to be addressed and they have not, Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Michal Hill told an interim legislative committee Wednesday.

A spokesperson for OPI said late Wednesday the memorandum template originated with the federal government.

It is our understanding that this was the thinnest template that fits the requirements, as we did not want to burden our schools, wrote Brian OLeary.

OLeary said OPI sent the template to the Montana School Boards Association and legal entities that serve schools for review. OPI then submitted changes to the state health department, which added its own before sending to the federal government for approval. After the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid signed off, the memorandum went to school districts for their own review.

Mike Waterman, the executive director of business services for Bozeman Public Schools, said AA school districts, the states largest, have agreed theyre not comfortable with the proposed structure and on our legal counsels advice we don't intend to commit to it as it currently exists.

Waterman said one AA district has already backed out of the CSCT program due to its complexities. He said that could be one of the reasons theres been a decline in services provided.

Deputy Superintendent Sharyl Allen presented the committee with numbers showing a drop in students getting mental health treatment. The number of students served by the program hovered above 5,000 since 2015 but fell in 2020 to 4,556, when many children were not at school in-person, and then to 3,827 this year after the legislative actions caused many districts to change how services are provided.

Denise Williams, the executive director of the Montana Association of School Business Officials, told the committee schools are concerned about additional reporting requirements. She said what OPI plans to require goes beyond what the federal government asks for. She said shes sent OPI suggestions on how to eliminate what she called duplicate reporting but that she hasnt seen those implemented yet.

Waterman said schools already do sufficient financial reporting and that what OPI proposed is extremely complex and labor-intensive and would require hiring additional staff.

Quinn Holzer, assistant director of the Legislative Fiscal Division, said the recordkeeping requirements from OPI are more complicated than similar arrangements with county nursing homes.

Mary Windecker, the executive director of the Behavioral Health Alliance of Montana, said the mental health service organizations she represented are ready to provide mental health treatment but school districts arent comfortable signing the memorandum to secure money to pay for those services.

It is almost 6 oclock on Dec. 15, Windecker told the committee when she testified Wednesday. (The new plan) is supposed to go into effect Jan. 1.  The providers are not pulling out, theyre there and ready to provide services. The school districts do not feel comfortable signing a very complicated MOU regarding the match.

Windecker said part of the issue is that navigating Medicaid is a complicated process that OPI isnt familiar with.

The bottom line is that after Jan. 1 when schools come back, thousands of kids are not going to receive CSCT services, not because the providers dont want to provide it, not because the schools dont want them in schools, but simply because the schools do not feel comfortable signing the contracts.

Waterman said a joint meeting between OPI, the state health department, schools and providers is very desperately needed.

At this point the proposed solution is neither widely understood at the school level nor is it workable, Waterman said.

Allen pointed to a handout provided to the legislative committee showing OPI had held 14 virtual meetings, 17 individual ones with districts and with third parties like legislative subcommittees and education advocates. She said those were in addition to meetings between OPI and the state health department.

We have been working diligently together to communicate with our districts and our third-party providers, Allen said.

Jay Phillips, the Centralized Services senior manager, said OPI has also been talking with schools about other options.

That could include creating a mental health center it would administer. Phillips pointed to feedback from rural schools about a decline in third-party providers because of staffing issues as a challenge schools face.

Moving back to an in-kind match could also be a viable option, though it would take a year and a half or longer and still need to be approved by the federal government, Phillips said.

To go back to that setup, it would take at least a year of documenting the rates charged by providers and submitting that information to the federal government, said Children's Mental Health Bureau Chief Meghan Peel. The plan would still need to get federal approval after that.

Near the end of the meeting, Republican state Rep. David Bedey, of Hamilton, said the program has never passed into law and only created administratively. He suggested legislation to put the program into law, which he said would be the best way in the long run to ensure the program continues.

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I think the ransomware folks, the ones conducting them, are stepping back like, Hey, if we do that, thats going to get the United States government coming after us offensively, Kevin Powers, security strategy adviser for cyber risk firm CyberSaint, said of attacks against critical infrastructure.

U.S. officials, meanwhile, have shared a small number of names of suspected ransomware operators with Russian officials, who have said they have started investigating, according to two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Its unclear what Russia will do with those names, though Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted the countries have been having a useful dialogue and said a working mechanism has been established and is actually functioning.

It's also hard to measure the impact of individual arrests on the overall threat. Even as the suspected ransomware hacker awaits extradition to the U.S. following his arrest in Poland, another who was indicted by federal prosecutors was later reported by a British tabloid to be living comfortably in Russia and driving luxury cars.

Some are skeptical about attributing any drop-off in high-profile attacks to U.S. efforts.
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MUSCATINE  While trending discussion on the social media platform TikTok regarding Friday being American School Shooting Day is vague and many authorities have dismissed it as non-credible, the Muscatine Community School District remained vigilant for any problems that may have arisen as a result.

The district and the Muscatine Police Department report both are investigating any possible local connections to the anonymous nationwide threat. According to a news release, no credible evidence has been uncovered locally with a connection to the event.

Our district is working with the Muscatine Police Department to vigilantly investigate whether there are any local connections to these social media posts, Superintendent Clint Christopher said in a letter to the community. At this time, MPD has not acquired any evidence that would deem these threats credible in our area.

He said that out of an abundance of caution, the district remained in close contact with the police throughout the day.
Based in Berlin, Ohio, Christian Aid Ministries, or CAM, is supported and staffed by conservative Anabaptists, a range of Mennonite, Amish and related groups whose hallmarks include nonresistance to evil, plain dress and separation from mainstream society.

In keeping with Anabaptist teaching, which puts a premium on forgiveness, Troyer offered conciliatory words to the captors.

A word to the kidnappers: We do not know all of the challenges you face. We do believe that violence and oppression of others can never be justified. You caused our hostages and their families a lot of suffering, he said. However, Jesus taught us by word and by his own example that the power of forgiving love is stronger than the hate of violent force. Therefore, we extend forgiveness to you.

Troyer said the hostages had prayed for their captors and told them about Gods love and their need to repent.

The missionaries were abducted Oct. 16 shortly after visiting an orphanage in Ganthier, in the Croix-des-Bouquets area, where they verified it had received aid from CAM and played with the children, Troyer said.
In response, Sumlin indicated there had been six others involved in the conspiracy. Pressed to identify them, he refused.

Why, asked another community member, was he protecting the other conspirators?

"I'd like to hope they learned from what's going to happen to me," Sumlin explained. He said he didn't think any of them had been arrested, and he wanted to keep it that way. He hoped his and Jarvis' punishment would dissuade them from future arms dealings.

For many in the EOD community, Sumlin's mea culpa and excuses about needing money were not enough. He had crossed a line by selling items that could have killed one of their own.

Sumlin and Jarvis had faced decades in prison, but both reached deals with federal prosecutors. They pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle goods from the United States.

The other seven counts were dropped. The maximum term was now 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

But they didn't even get that.

Each was sentenced to five years' probation, and Jarvis was ordered to mental health counseling and required to take prescribed medication.
Even without support for Googles apps and mobile services on its smartphones, Huawei has continued to be a dominant player in the South African mid-range smartphone market and is making significant in-roads into other product segments.

That is according to former Huawei South Africa consumer business CTO Akhram Mohamed, who recently moved to head of cybersecurity and privacy at the company.

Huawei has been diversifying its product range outside smartphones and tablets to include laptops, audio devices, wearables, and monitors  devices that dont rely on Google Mobile Services (GMS).

Some have speculated that this was necessitated by a drop in smartphone sales after a US ban cut Huawei off from Google apps and GMS.

But Mohamed told MyBroadband that 2021 has been extremely encouraging for Huawei, with even smartphone sales beating its expectations.

Perhaps we cut ourselves short a little bit because, unlike Europe and some of the other territories, South Africa has been absolutely phenomenal, Mohamed said.

When it comes to our smartphone business in general, its been very resilient, he stated.

If you are looking at the value market, which is what Huawei always competed on, then certainly we are doing well.

Mohamed said that Huawei still held a dominant 40% market share of smartphones sold in South Africa in the $200 to $500 (R3,000 to R8,000) price band.

That is massive, considering we dont sell GMS [Google Mobile Services] phones, Mohamed said.

Weve already depleted the models we had with GMS, so everything now, being sold, is HMS based.

Some of the companys models in this pricing segment include the Nova Y60, Nova 8i, P Smart 2021, and P40 Lite.

Another area in which Huawei has had huge success is its PC business.

Mohamed said Huaweis PC shipments surged 350% in South Africa, resulting in a revenue increase of 400% in this segment.

He said that this was evidence that despite geopolitics and certain technology restrictions limiting Huawei, the Huawei brand was trusted in the country and had loyal South African followers.

The company first introduced its Huawei MateBook laptop line-up to the country in 2020.

It now includes the premium MateBook X Pro, affordable MateBook D series, and business-focused MateBook B range.

Mohamed added the PC figures might have been even better had Huawei not taken a conservative approach with its initial line-up.

I think we could have done much better than that if we were more aggressive, he stated.

Its not easy when you are a new entrant into the market, especially when youve already got the likes of Dell, HP, and Lenovo in the country, and theyve got brand affinity, he stated.

Now you come with just one SKU and you are trying to penetrate and compete.

Even with its limited initial range, Huawei became number one in its select channels within three months, Mohamed claimed.

He also noted Huawei recorded a 400% increase in sales in the local audio devices market and was now the second-best-selling wearables manufacturer in the country.
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in several changes being made to international travel regulations in an attempt to restrict the spread of the virus.

Travel to and from South Africa picked up in 2021 following the lifting of travel restrictions and increased vaccination rates worldwide.

Those wishing to travel to and from South Africa will need to adhere to specific regulations under our current adjusted level-one lockdown.

The regulations include:

Travellers need to provide a valid certificate with a negative Covid-19 test outcome, recognised by the World Health Organisation or equivalent local accredited authority, within 72 hours before the date of travel. Authorities have the right to verify the authenticity of the certificate.

If a traveller cannot produce a valid certificate showing their Covid-19 status upon arrival in South Africa, the traveller will have to complete an antigen test at their own cost.

Should a traveller test positive for Covid-19, they shall be required to isolate him or herself for ten days at their own expense.

Passengers must wear a face mask at all times and may only remove a face mask during an emergency or when instructed by cabin crew to take it off and must observe social distancing.

Travellers must also adhere to the regulations of their destination countries.

MyBroadband recently spoke to a person who had travelled to Dubai, and they explained that they needed to provide a negative PCR test result no more than 48 hours old, and do a rapid test at the airport prior to departure.

Upon arrival, travellers have to get another PCR test and must isolate in their hotel until they get their results. Results are usually available within 24 hours.

Before they could leave the United Arab Emirates, they had to get another PCR test in compliance with South African traveller protocols.



A MyBroadband staff member also recently travelled to Botswana. After adhering to the necessary regulations, they observed that most changes  barring wearing masks during the flight  were evident within the airports and not the flights themselves.

Many of the entry and exits at the international terminal were closed, while those that previously allowed for both entry and exit were now dedicated to one or the other.

As a result, it took quite a bit of walking to get to the right doors to enter or exit the building, which you might have to consider if you plan to cut it close on your timing.

Each entrance had a sanitising station for passengers and visitors. Security personnel also checked peoples temperatures using a thermal camera.

Check-in was mainly similar to the process followed before the Covid-19 pandemic, with the only addition being the completion of the Covid-19 traveller health questionnaire.

Filling out the form was easier said than done as there were no pens available. Therefore, it is important to bring a pen or download the form and complete it in advance.

The form is also embedded in this article.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the opening of international travel in South Africa towards the end of 2020.

We are also opening up international travel to all countries subject to the necessary health protocols and the presentation of a negative Covid-19 certificate, he said.

Despite this, it still took some time for travel to and from the country to pick up, as several countries still had travel restrictions against South Africa.

The United Kingdom only lifted its travel restrictions in October 2021, after which it  and the US  promptly re-established its travel ban for South Africa upon the discovery of the Omicron variant.

According to a Bloomberg report, more than 90 countries closed their borders to travellers from South Africa after the new variant emerged.

As a result of the impact on our tourism sector, South Africa is unlikely to achieve its economic growth forecast of 5.1% for 2021.

The UK removed all 11 countries from its red list earlier this week.
Though it focuses on marking the same miraculous occurrence as in the West  the birth of Jesus in a Bethlehem manger  Filipino Christmas traditions have their own unique flavor, figuratively and literally.

In other words, if there are Parols, the Simbang Gabi, the Belens and bibingkas  its probably Christmas in the Philippines or the Filipino American community.

According to several Napa and Solano County area Filipino-American community leaders, Filipino Christmas starts in the fall and stretches through the first of the year.

Christmas starts in September, said Elmer Manaid, president of the Fil-Am of American Canyon club. Theres a saying  Christmas starts once the months ending in bur start. I think we have officially the longest Christmas season  till January. Christmas trees and lights start going up in September. Christmas lanterns made out of bamboo and colored paper that kids make in school. Christmas music starts playing on radio stations. And it carries on until the first Sunday in January, with the Feast of the Three Kings.

Living in American Canyon since 2007, and the owner of a business providing residential care for disabled adults, Manaid offers one possible explanation for the longer holiday season.

Remember, we dont have Thanksgiving and other holidays, like Halloween, he said.

There are other possible factors, as well, he said.

I grew up in Manila, and was urbanized, but in the rural areas, many live a very simple life  farmers, agriculture business  working very hard, out in the fields tending their animals  and the end of the year is the harvest. (Christmas) celebrates and gives thanks for a bountiful year. It also comes near the end of the typhoon season. We get about 100 typhoons between June and November, and by December theyre grateful for surviving. Mostly, I think its a celebration of a good year.

The Filipino holiday season typically kicks off with Parol-making events, said Lucy Luchi Marte of American Canyon, who teaches Filipino language at Vallejos Jesse Bethel High School.

As the areas unofficial culture bearer, Marte also produces an annual Parol Festival.

Parols are Christmas lanterns that represent the Star of Bethlehem, and are hung outside of peoples homes as an expression of shared faith and hope, she said. There is no greater symbol of the Filipino Christmas than the parol.

For Filipinos, making parols marks the beginning of the Christmas season, Marte said. We want to celebrate and continue the tradition so that the next generation will not forget this beautiful tradition.

The word Parol comes from the Spanish word, Farol, or lantern. Its history can be traced to the Pinata, she said, the idea for which came from Spain to Italy in the 1300s, to Mexico and finally to the Philippines in the late 1500s, when the Spaniards brought it along with Christianity to the islands.

The parol was originally used to light the way to church where Filipinos attended the Misa de Gallo or Mass of the Rooster, which is held on Dec. 16, Marte said.

Parols are traditionally made from bamboo sticks and rice paper and sometimes cellophane with a tassel at each point, like a shooting star, she said. Candles were originally used to light the inside but now variations of lights are used.

Like many who grew up in the Philippines, Manaid treasures many fond memories of Christmas there.

Growing up Catholic  and 90 percent of the Philippines is Catholic  Christmas Eve mass was the biggest tradition everybody did, before dinner at midnight, he said. The dinner is called bountiful dinner, or Noche Buena. Holy Family Catholic Church in American Canyon does this still. I think theres very strong support among the Filipino community to keep these traditions.

Like Marte, Manaid said many Filipino traditions resulted from the islands being a Spanish colony 300 to 400 years ago.

The dinner is my favorite part, he said. The food that really binds the family and the whole community together. Its very communal. Theres a lot of sharing  food, music, celebrations  its not just a family event, and I think that translates to how in this small diaspora really, Filipinos try to bring that community everywhere we go.

Manaid described bibingkas  a rice pancake topped with cheese and sometimes coconut shavings  as his favorite holiday fare.

I loved it as a kid, he said. People would set up food carts outside of church and you could smell it cooking outside. And I remember looking forward to getting out of church and getting some of that. It makes Christmas official.

The holiday food was big in the Aliga household, too, said retired U.S. Army Col. Nestor Aliga of Vallejo, who works with veterans groups around the area.

Bibingkas in the Aliga family, are rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves and baked in clay pots, and a favorite treat.

I grew up in a small town in northern Philippines until 1967, Aliga said. We did not have electricity so we cooked by burning wood. I still remember the unique taste/flavor that the banana leaves and local wood smoke would leave on the food.

As the eighth of nine siblings, one had to be quick on the draw to get the goodies, he said.

On many dinners, I would sneak and store extra food under my shirt because there seemed to be very little food left if you are not fast enough to eat, he said. One time, my mom ordered me to get up to get something and most of the food fell on my tsinelas or shower shoes. So I gingerly walked around a corner to try to save the food but our skinny, underfed dog ate it before I could save any.

Manaid and Marte both said they prefer the less commercialized Filipino Christmas tradition to the American version.

I think the part where Christmas in America is very commercial  about who gets the nicest gift, has the most lights, the tallest tree, Manaid said. In the Philippines its simpler and therefore more meaningful. People put up what they have. Its maybe more sacred than commercial. Its about the birth of Jesus there more. The western influence is of Santa and reindeer. There its the birth of Christ. No elves or reindeers. A lot of that has changed, though, honestly, with the prevalence of western influence.

Filipinos take great pride in their Christmas traditions, and work to keep them alive in the United States, but they are gradually becoming more Western, Manaid said.

Id have to say its the pride of the Filipino to say ours is better, bigger, more solemn, but to tell the truth, its really the same because in the past 50 years theres been a strong western influence with media, social media and the western Christmas has really been adopted. Many used to go home just for Christmas because they dont feel its as meaningful to do it here.

This, Manaid said, is one of several reasons why many Filipinos hang on to the old ways.

Its a heritage thing, he said. The history; the beauty will all die out if we didnt continue it. Our children would lose that sense of identity if we didnt carry it on.

At 40, Manaid said he can already see the traditions disappearing.

People my age or older  people born here of my age -- are lost because when their parents migrated they were thinking that assimilation was the best strategy for fitting in, and they didnt teach their kids the language or the culture, he said. Now that whole idea is changing. These people feel lost. I know Im not like them, but they wish they knew the music, the language, the clothing, the culture. Now that theyre raising their own children with as much of those things as they can.

And its not just passing the traditions to the next generation thats important, he said. Its in the sharing and understanding across cultures that allows for respect and acceptance.

The more we share our culture with people willing to know about it, the better we will all get along and respect each other, he said. The goal is to minimize the hate.
A man was sentenced to state prison after being previously convicted by a Napa jury on nine counts involving sexual assaults on children and trying to dissuade a witness from reporting a crime.

Lucio Villegas, 49, was sentenced to 202 years to life in state prison by Napa County Superior Court Judge Scott Young. Young also awarded $625,000 in damages to the survivors and their families, said a press release from the Napa County District Attorneys Office.

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The convictions were the result of sexual contact with one family member and two close family friends between 2010 and 2019 in Napa County, the press release said. The survivors were between seven and 14 years old at the time of the molestations.

The investigation by the Napa Police Department was prompted by a report of abuse to one of the survivors schools.

While the People acknowledge that this is a severe sentence, it is absolutely appropriate, Deputy District Attorney Agnes Dziadur said in the release. This defendant deserved no leniency. He deserved to be punished in a way that was commensurate with his horrific actions. I hope that with this sentence, the survivors can begin their healing process.

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

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The Russian peacekeepers ensured the safe passage of more than 400 vehicles to Nagorno-Karabakh and back through observation posts and the Lachin corridor per day, the Russian Defense Ministry reports.

At the observation posts of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, we monitor the maintenance of the ceasefire regime and implement the checkpoint regime. Each car is subject to inspection, and if necessary, we ask the driver to get out of the car to inspect the interior of the car," said Ivan Padalka, a spokesman for the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

Twenty-seven observation posts of the Russian peacekeeping forces are located along the entire contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh and in the Lachin corridor.

Russian peacekeepers provide round-the-clock monitoring of the situation and control over the observance of the ceasefire regime, as well as ensure the safe entry and exit of vehicles and people through the Lachin corridor.
Against the background of the fall of the Turkish lira, Apple again raised prices for its products sold in Turkey on Saturday, the TASS correspondent reported.

The company is raising prices for the second time in the past three weeks to compensate for the decline in value due to the fall in the Turkish national currency. If in mid-November the cheapest model of the iPhone 13 was sold for 11,999 Turkish lira, now the price has increased to 21,499 lira.

In the case of the iPhone 13 Pro, the price has increased from 15,999 to 28,999 Turkish Lira.

Meanwhile, on November 24, Apple completely suspended the sale of Apple gadgets for two days, because due to a sharp drop in the lira, products became cheaper in comparison with the US prices.
134 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

12 law enforcement officers killed in Almaty

Razm.info: At least 78 casualties in Azerbaijan armed forces become known in 2021

CSTO sends peacekeepers to Kazakhstan

Armenia President: May your hearts and homes be filled with peace, goodness

More than 1,000 people injured in Kazakhstan unrest

Catholicos of All Armenians serving Christmas Divine Liturgy

MFA: No Armenia citizens at the moment among those affected by Kazakhstan events

Blinken, Israel FM discuss Russia, Ukraine, Iran

Christmas and Revelation: Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Nativity and Baptism of Christ

Dozens neutralized during attempts to attack administrative buildings of Kazakhstans Almaty

Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan leaders discuss situation in Kazakhstan

Kremlin website posts Armenia PM statement on CSTO decision to send peacekeepers to Kazakhstan

Armenia PM: CSTO will send peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan

Airport of Kazakhstans Almaty freed during special operations

8 police and military killed in Kazakhstan: 317 more wounded

Protesters in Kazakhstan tear down Nazarbayev's monument

Special representatives of Armenia and Turkey meeting to take place on January 14 in Moscow

Azerbaijani defense ministry denies news of servicemen deaths

State of emergency introduced throughout Kazakhstan

EU calls on all sides in Kazakhstan to avoid escalation and violence

Azerbaijan starts receiving Turkmen gas through Iran

Prime Minister Pashinyan congratulates Armenians on Christmas

Protesters seize Almaty airport in Kazakhstan

Andranik Grigoryan is the CEO of Converse Bank, Chairman of Executive Management

France intends to help Azerbaijan in search of missing persons during 1st Karabakh war

Aeroflot cancels flight to Almaty: Aktau airport not working

Arnak Avetisyan appointed Armenian State Property Management Committees chair

Armenia appoints new ambassador to Russia

Christmas Eve liturgy takes place in Armenia's Etchmiadzin

Attempts to demolish a monument of Nazarbayev in Kazakhstan

Armenia deputy PM Mher Grigoryan to co-chair intergovernmental joint commission with Iran

Media: Internet cut off in Nursultan and Almaty

Armenia Prosecutor General to head for Moscow

Armenia premier to send 10-member delegation to Russia

Dollar gains value in Armenia

Kazakh president delivers new speech to nation

Kazakhstan protesters disarm police: Mir TV channel's office vandalized

Kazakhstan presidential residence set on fire

Almaty commandant: More than 500 civilians are beaten

OSCE calls for de-escalation of Kazakhstan situation

Protesters try to break into residence of Kazakhstan's president

Kazakh security forces take the side of protesters

Kazakh protesters seize Kazakh president's residence and destroy TV channels premises

Baghdad military base hit by missile attack

Armenian traces destroyed in occupied Shushi

Prosecutor's office building is on fire: State of emergency in Almaty

Azerbaijan declares 2022 year of occupied Armenian city of Shushi

Justice minister not commenting on arresting Armenian captives returned from Azerbaijan

Yerevan homeless shelter residents picketing in front of Armenia labor, social affairs ministry

Hong Kong imposes ban on flights from 8 countries due to COVID-19

Protesters in Almaty riot hospitals and clinics

PM: I have hard time imagining how Omicron variant cannot enter Armenia

New council of Armenias Parakar does not convene first session, new village mayor not elected

7 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh

Armenia cargo transportation via railway drops but passengers increase in 2021

Government hands over Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine certified rights with 15% Armenia-owned shares

Borrell says EU cannot be a neutral spectator in talks with Russia

Armenian PM urges to throw plastic bags out of life

Oil prices stabilize after jump

Premier recalls that anti-tobacco law has entered into force in Armenia as of January 1

129 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Kazakhstan President accepts governments resignation

Armenia State Property Management Committee dismissed

Armenia PM: We are entering 2022 with quite serious start to reforms

New council of Armenias Parakar convenes first session, village mayor election on agenda

New York prosecutor drops sex crime case against ex-governor Cuomo

England, Wales to make taking pictures of breastfeeding mothers in public illegal

Paraguay presidential guard dies after being impaled by deer while on duty

Flights delayed at Kazakhstan's Aktau airport as rallies continue

NATO foreign ministers to hold videoconference ahead of meeting with Russia

Ford to double production capacity for electric version of F-150 pickup

Oil prices rise by 1%

Borrell not to discuss Nord Stream 2 during Ukraine visit

Mercedes-Benz presents new electric car Vision EQXX

Kazakh authorities to satisfy protesters' demands for lower gas prices

Flooding in Iran: at least 8 people killed

Turkish lira drops for another 4%

Taliban army to be reinforced with suicide bombers

Doctors reveal details of Brazil presidents health condition

NATO head plans special meeting with Russia amid Ukraine crisis

Russian peacekeepers ensure safe entry to Karabakh for about 2,000 vehicles

Wave of protests against COVID-19 measures across Germany

Karabakh President holds new years first working consultation with law enforcement agencies heads

Coronavirus vaccines in Armenia are complemented with another one

Armenia soldier remanded in custody for inflicting fatal gunshot wound to fellow serviceman

Gas futures price in Europe exceed $ 1,000

US holds virtual inauguration ceremony for COVID-19-infected mayor

US court forbids Pentagon to punish military personnel refusing vaccinations

Armenia PM: We need to open new strategic page for transformation of customs service

Armenia ambassador delivers lecture for U.S. Naval War College students

5-month-old baby dies in Yerevan hospital

Armenias Vardenis town hall chief of staff signs mayor-elect inauguration session minutes

Georgia to not attend 2nd 3+3-format meeting in Turkey either, its ambassador says

Turkey airline applies for conducting flights between Istanbul and Yerevan

China urges Russia and US to continue reducing nuclear arsenals

Person, 58, dies in fire in Armenias Hrazdan

Blinken and Cavusoglu discuss relations with Armenia

Armenia law enforcement not permitting reporters to enter Vardenis town hall building

Mayor-elect of Armenias Vardenis takes oath of office at town hall courtyard
UK party probe head forced to quit

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing increased pressure over accusations that his staff enjoyed Christmas parties during last year's lockdown. Photo: AP

Britain's top civil servant Simon Case has stepped down from leading an investigation into alleged parties last year in government offices in breach of Covid-19 lockdowns after an event was held in his own office.



"To ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence the Cabinet Secretary has recused himself for the remainder of the process," a spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office said.



"The work will be concluded by Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.



"She will ascertain the facts and present her findings to the Prime Minister."



A video emerged earlier this month showing Johnson's staff laughing and joking about a Downing Street party during a 2020 Christmas lockdown when such festivities were banned, resulting in condemnation from political opponents and the public.



Johnson, who has said he had been assured Covid rules were not broken and that there had been no party, asked Case to investigate.



The alleged parties have dismayed voters who were told by government to sacrifice their own Christmas events last year.



Johnson's Conservatives lost an election in a previous stronghold on Friday, stepping up pressure from his own lawmakers to reform his operation in Number 10.



The victorious centrist Liberal Democrat candidate in the North Shropshire seat, Helen Morgan, said voters had said loudly and clearly: "Boris Johnson, the party is over."



Case stepped down after the Guido Fawkes website said two events were held in his private office last December. The BBC said invitations were sent out for one of the events titled "Christmas Party!"



A government spokesperson quoted by the BBC said office staff had taken part in a virtual quiz, with a small number joining from their desks.



Case played no part in the event, but had walked through the team's office on the way to his own office, the spokesperson added, according to the BBC. (Reuters)
Laos to reopen to vaccinated group tours

The Unesco World Heritage-listed town of Luang Prabang will be among the first places in Laos to reopen to foreign tourists. File image: Shutterstock

Laos has announced plans to partially re-open to foreign travellers in the new year, throwing a lifeline to the tourism industry after borders were sealed for more than 18 months to keep out Covid.



Fully vaccinated visitors on pre-booked tours will be able to enter from January 1 and visit the capital Vientiane, eco-tourism hotspot Vang Vieng and Unesco World Heritage-listed Luang Prabang, state media reported on Friday.



Further destinations will be opened up in April and July as vaccination rates in Laos increase.



But entry will only be available to tourists from 17 nations, mostly Southeast Asian and European countries as well as China, the United States, Australia and Canada.



All visitors will also need to test negative for Covid before arriving.



The nation this month opened a US$6 billion Beijing-built railway that connects its capital to the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming.



Health authorities are now rushing to deliver Covid booster shots to people living in tourist spots along the train line in anticipation of an influx of travellers.



Laos was receiving about 4.7 million foreign tourists each year before the pandemic.



But Covid led to an 80 percent downturn in international visitor numbers in 2020, with the economy in the doldrums despite very few coronavirus cases in Laos in the early stages of the pandemic.



Economic growth declined to 0.4 percent in 2020, the lowest in three decades, according to the World Bank.



Hopes for a rebound in 2021 were dashed after infection numbers skyrocketed in recent months. (AFP)
US Senate confirms US ambassador to Japan

Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel arrives on Capitol Hill ahead of his nomination hearing. Photo: AFP

The US Senate early Saturday confirmed President Joe Biden's nominee Rahm Emanuel to be ambassador to Japan, despite questions about the murder of a Black teenager by a white police officer when Emanuel was mayor of Chicago.



The Senate approved Emanuel by a vote of 48-21 in a middle-of-the-night session, with three of Biden's fellow Democrats voting against his nomination.



Emanuel is a former member of the House of Representatives and was the first White House chief of staff when President Barack Obama was president and Biden was vice president.



Supporters backed him for the post in Tokyo because of his long record in public service at a time when Washington is looking to Asian allies such as Japan to help push back against a rising China.



Detractors said they would not back Emanuel because of his handling of the shooting seven years ago of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, who died after police office Jason Van Dyke fired his weapon multiple times.



Then-Mayor Emanuel's handling of the case was criticised, especially because a video showing the shooting was not released for more than a year.



Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and jailed for nearly seven years and four Chicago police officers were fired over McDonald's death, which highlighted racial tensions in the United States' third-largest city.



Biden nominated Emanuel in August. At his confirmation hearing in October, Emanuel said he thought about McDonald's death every day and that, as mayor, he was responsible and accountable. (Reuters)
Syed Faraz Abbas, Deputy Secretary of the Evacuee Waqf Property Board, welcomed the Hindu yatris upon their arrival at the Wagah border crossing in Lahore on Friday.

The temple is considered to be the oldest and holiest place of the Hindu religion in Pakistan.

There is also a sacred pond which the Hindus associate with Lord Shiva.

Members of Hindu community of Pakistan will also visit the temple on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, Abbas said that all the arrangements, including security, accommodation and transport of the yatrees had been finalised.

He added that relevant officials of the Evacuee Waqf Property Board would also accompany the Indian pilgrims, the report said.

The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued visas to 112 Indian Hindu pilgrims from December 17 to 23.

The pilgrims would return via Wagah border on December 23.

--IANS san/ksk/

( 188 Words)

2021-12-18-13:32:25 (IANS)
According to the Prime Minister's Office, this is a part of the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to boost the investment climate in the country, and the motive of the Friday's meeting was to gather inputs ahead of the next budget for FY22.

"He (Modi) discussed the efforts undertaken by the government to bring in more reforms, future potential of initiatives like PM GatiShakti, and steps taken to reduce the unnecessary compliance burden," the PMO said in a statement.

"He also mentioned the innovation happening in India at the grassroot level and the boost to the startup ecosystem," it added.

The representatives also discussed the opportunities that are emerging because of India's exemplary climate commitments including the ones in the sphere of energy transitions, the statement added.

The private equity funds and venture capitalists gave inputs about areas like FinTech and Financial Management, and Software as a Service (Saas).

--IANS ad-rv/vd

( 188 Words)

2021-12-18-00:05:03 (IANS)
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], December 18 (ANI/PR Newswire): Cotelligent- a TechDemocracy Company, one of the top providers of cybersecurity products and services, notably Identity and Access Management solutions set up a new Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Cybersecurity at Skyview, Hyderabad. The Centre of Excellence was inaugurated by Minister for Information Technology and Urban Development, Government of Telangana, Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (KTR), and the Secretary to the Department of IT, Government of Telangana, Jayesh Ranjan in the presence of Srikiran Patibandla, Founder & CEO, Cotelligent and other leaders from the tech, IT, and cybersecurity industries from across the country. The #CyberWarriors initiative was also revealed, which is a one-of-a-kind effort to recruit, educate, train, and create a talent pool of cybersecurity experts to make Telangana the country's nerve centre for cybersecurity practice, innovation, and research. The Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity at Hyderabad will serve as the engineering and remote delivery hub of operations for TechDemocracy. It will play a key role in assisting businesses in managing cyber threats, compliance requirements, as well as serving as a focus for global cybersecurity innovation. Cotelligent intends to expand its workforce by 1000-plus personnel over the next five years. Cotelligent will also work with the Telangana government through TASK to train and develop 2000-plus #CyberWarriors through their Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad, thereby cementing Cybersecurity as vital technical expertise coming out of Telangana. To support these goals, Cotelligent will be investing actively over the next 5 years for the #Cyber Warrior initiative. Cotelligent's Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity @ Skyview Hyderabad: Cotelligent's Centre for excellence for Cybersecurity @ Skyview, Hyderabad is spread in about 20,000 square feet area with a capacity to house over 500 employees and staff. The office space significantly incorporates multiple collaboration and brainstorming spaces located throughout the premises with an Innovator-themed layout. It witnesses the conceded open-air and high vaulted rooms that blend cubicle workspaces with break-out zones and relaxation spaces. The numerous meeting and breakout rooms with bright, multi-coloured decor, with playful furniture like bean bags, swing chairs, quiet-space alcoves, etc. is perfect for employee collaboration sessions. Subsequently, the eye-feast walls and rooms are adorned with aspirational-themed artwork that will encourage employees. A large, centrally placed amphitheatre, with multi-tier seating, is perfect for guest speaker sessions and company events. The centre is planned to create stimulating dialogue and emit disruptive innovations & solutions for cybersecurity for different businesses. Speaking on the occasion, Srikiran Patibandla, Founder & CEO, Cotelligent - a TechDemocracy company said, "As more businesses move on the cloud, Data security and identity access management are emerging the critical requirements for enterprises. More enterprises are identifying cybersecurity as a critical investment area. TechDemocracy with over two decades of expertise, and the ability to deliver customized solutions is well poised to serve the global customers with their IT requirements. The Centre for Excellence for Cybersecurity in India will serve as the engineering and remote delivery centre of operations for the Global clientele for TechDemocracy. The Cotelligent team in India will leverage the best practices across consulting delivery and software tools like Intellicta, which has been developed by the Cotelligent team based here in Hyderabad, to provide senior business decision-makers to evaluate the in-depth effectiveness of their cybersecurity, governance, risk, and compliance programs." He further added, "We are delighted to collaborate with the Government of Telangana in the digital transformation, data management, and security services for the state. As our contribution towards the cause, we will play a pivotal role in training and developing #CyberWarriors, to help the state pioneer the Cybersecurity transformation in the country." A Cyber Symposium was organized by Cotelligent in association with Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, Hyderabad - a DSCI company, a NASSCOM initiative, to bring perspectives on Cyber Security from leading experts in the industry. This story is provided by PR Newswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PR Newswire)
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 18 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Twin Health, makers of the Whole-Body Digital Twin technology, today announced the appointment of Prabh Singh as the CEO for its India operations. Founded in 2018, Twin Health invented the Whole-Body Digital Twin to reverse and prevent chronic metabolic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, while improving energy and physical health. The health tech firm had recently raised $155 million Series C funding to scale its presence in India and the U.S. Prabh Singh will head the India operations for strategy, marketing, regulatory, public policy, go-to-market, product, and technology divisions. He will be responsible for scaling Twin Health in India as the country has the second-highest number of lifestyle-related diseases in the world after China. Prabh is currently serving as EVP and Head of Subscriptions at the Disney-owned video streaming service Hotstar and will take over his new position at Twin Health in January 2022. "I am delighted to have the opportunity to transform the quality of life for millions in India through the revolutionary technology invented by Twin Health. Twin Health's consumer-centric technology will be a game-changer in reimagining and redefining healthcare in India. I look forward to partnering with Twin Health's missionary founder - Jahangir, who wants to make a huge and positive impact on the World," said Prabh Singh. Commenting on the development, Jahangir Mohammed, Founder and CEO, Twin Health said, "I am excited to welcome Prabh to the Twin Health family. Prabh is a tremendous leader and has demonstrated expertise in strategically growing strong businesses. His track record, experience and excitement about joining our team makes him an ideal leader for India as we continue to grow the business, transform healthcare and impact lives." Prabh has two decades of consumer and technology experience across India and Asia. He has worked at Hindustan Unilever, Google and most recently with Hotstar, where he is credited for building Hotstar as the #1 subscription service in India and the largest contributor to Disney+ global subscribers. Prabh is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow and College of Business Studies, University of Delhi. Twin Health is backed by Sequoia Capital India, ICONIQ Growth, Perceptive Advisors, Corner Ventures, Tru Arrow Partners, LTS Investments, Helena and Sofina. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
New Delhi [India], December 18 (ANI/ATK): On the occasion of International Men's Day on November 19, 2021, Unified Brainz organised 'Men Leaders To Look Upto in 2021', an event celebrating the success of men leading by example. The ceremony marked the presence of some most sought-after lineup of men leaders who were featured from different walks of life sharing a passionate journey. The UAE remains to be one of the most feasible and attractive business hubs and H.E. Eng. Ali AlSuwaidi was facilitated for his contribution and relentless efforts to make a difference in this country while promoting unity as well as sustainability. Born and raised in the UAE, H.E. took up Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, and graduated with high honours in 1992. Driven with a passion and a vision to make a difference, he started his career in the downstream energy sector through Emirates General Petroleum Corporation. He later joined the upstream energy sector as head of marketing and operations in Dolphin Energy. Afterwards, he got the opportunity to work in construction and sustainability at Tecom Investments. Before joining the Ajman Free Zone (AFZ), H.E. held various top-level positions in the marine and maritime industry where he gained significant experience in leading an organization. Equipped with leadership expertise acquired from his previous roles, he was appointed as the Director-General of AFZ in 2020. Since he took office, AFZ has witnessed significant growth and achieved several milestones. During the first half of 2021, AFZ recorded a 35 per cent increase in newly registered companies compared to the same period in 2020. This year recorded 867 newly registered companies in the free zone versus 567 companies last year. Their number reached a total of 1,717 in 2020, while their operational performance grew 23 per cent compared to 2019. Speaking about his passion and drive, AlSuwaidi said: "I am inspired by the life of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. His passion, commitment, and initiatives to create a better world have been my constant source of inspiration." Expressing the role of the family in his success, he said: "Setting my priorities right has enabled me to balance my career and personal life. Finding that balance can be challenging, but it is essential. I make sure to give equal priority and time to my family, and I share my decisions with them to ensure that they feel my commitment. I believe that to succeed in life, you must have your family's support." As a leader, AlSuwaidi'sgreatest strength comes from having a clear vision of what he wants and the determination and resourcefulness on how to achieve it. In addition, he also values the importance of having a capable, agile and strong team, winning their cooperation, and ensuring that they understand the objectives behind every task. "I don't know if this is a weakness, but I am a very persistent person which others may consider a negative trait. I don't give up on people easily, and I keep pushing them to try until they succeed," H.E. added. A dynamic team player, AlSuwaidi has been honoured with numerous awards on behalf of his team. Recently, the FDI magazine awarded AFZ as the 7thbest global free zone along with other major commendations. To know more about us, check www.passionvista.com or to nominate for upcoming projects email us at info@passionvista.com AlSuwaidi is all praise for the UAE and Ajman governments for providing support to people and businesses to minimize the impact of the pandemic. He says: "We surpassed the pandemic due to our team's ability to adapt to unprecedented situations, the relentless support from the government, as well as our strategic policies and robust systems that helped in the remote working set-up. Our Business continuity and sustained operations allowed us to support our business partners as well." "The UAE and Ajman are ideal places to set up, grow your business, and contribute to environmental sustainability as they provide the necessary tools, services, and network of support to achieve your goals. With this, I reaffirm my support to our wise leaders who have demonstrated tolerance, unity, and respect in the pursuit of progress and making a difference", he further added. This story is provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ATK)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 18 (ANI/PNN): Recently launched crime drama series 'Missing Chapter' on MX Player is gaining huge popularity in the world of OTT. The much-hyped murder mystery is in conversations for all good reasons. Ajay Rajpal, a fashion entrepreneur and an actor, is already a talk of the town for playing the role of an investigative cop Abhimaan. Audiences have been praising him for his phenomenal acting. His strong character in the episode gives him enough mileage to showcase his inordinate artistic capabilities. He not only enjoyed working with his fellow actors, especially SOTY fame Sahil Anand, but also cherished the experience he had with the entire production unit. Ajay Rajpal said, "It was a great learning experience and an immense pleasure working with the team. I thoroughly enjoyed the character and playing as an investigative officer inspector Abhimaan. I wish to work on many more interesting projects and would like to explore myself as an actor in different roles and characters. Thank you once again to banner Flying Bird Pictures, producer Danish Siddiquie for trusting me and offering the fabulous opportunity." He strongly believes that all of us should work towards having a positive mindset and healthy lifestyle. With a post-graduate degree in strategy and management, Ajay has spent over a decade in business consultancy for automotive, aviation and BFSI brands in Australia and India. Let's keep an eye out and watch Ajay in upcoming projects. https://mxplayer.in/detail/episode/f3638018c6939b56aa472ec88762a6d1 This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN)
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 18 (ANI/BusinessWire India): MGM Healthcare, a super-speciality hospital in the heart of Chennai city, today announced that it has successfully performed a rare 10-hour surgery on a 69-year-old Brajeshwar, from West Bengal and cured his long-drawn hearing ailment that caused constant ringing in both his ears. Five years passed and the disability from the constant sound became very difficult for him. The severity of his tinnitus scored 4 out of a total of 5. A video consultation was arranged. Dr Sridhar, after a detailed history taking and looking at all his investigations, asked for an MRI to look at the hearing nerves on both sides. The MRI of the brain was done and seen by the neuroradiologist Dr Aarthi Deepesh. It showed that there were blood vessels that were in close contact with the hearing nerves of both sides. A second video consultation was done and the patient and his family were counselled that he would perhaps be helped by surgery - Microvascular Decompression of the Cochleo-vestibular Nerve Complex. Dr K Sridhar, Director and Group Head, Institute of Neurosciences & Spinal Disorders who headed the surgical team said this is the first time in the world that a Microvascular Decompression of the Cochleo-vestibular Nerve, was performed on both the ears at the same time. "The patient wanted both sides to be done at the same time as it would be difficult to come again from their town in Bengal. Two days after the surgery, the Tinnitus reduced considerably, and the patient was discharged from the hospital," explained Dr Sridhar. Brajeshwar, from West Bengal, approached the doctors at MGM Healthcare with the complaint of constant ringing in one of his ears. A video consultation with Dr Sridhar ascertained that he was suffering from a condition called "Intractable Tinnitus". The patient and his family were counselled that a surgery can cure his condition. The challenging surgery was performed on December 6. For patients who are suffering from this condition, it can affect in many areas of a person's life, including relationships, work, and overall health. In some cases, it can weaken the mental health and lead to severe anxiety and depression. The constant high-pitched ringing and buzzing in the ear results in sleeplessness affecting their capability to concentrate. The success rate of Microvascular Decompression surgery for Tinnitus is around 80 per cent and it takes a couple of months for the condition to be cured completely. The reason is attributed to the "memory" of the sound that remains ingrained in the Neural pathway, and which disappears only slowly. Dr Sridhar commenting on the accomplishment, said, "This unique case is a perfect example of how MGM Healthcare is the destination to provide the best treatment with innovative technologies. We have high-end equipment with a proper system in place to address each of the patients' concerns." Harish Manian CEO, MGM Healthcare said, "We are extremely happy that we were able to help this patient who has travelled from approximately 1800 km away in search of an answer to his extremely disabling problem of Tinnitus which had destroyed his quality of life." He further added that the significance of the surgery is the faster improvement in the quality of life that patients with Tinnitus face. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], December 18 (ANI/NewsVoir): TI Cycles of India (TII), part of the Murugappa Group, today, announced Montra brand to lead its Electric Vehicle (EVs) business. Montra, an existing brand under TII has stood for achievement, strength, fearlessness and an ambitious spirit. With the rapidly evolving mobility landscape, the brand too is evolving while retaining its values. To begin with, the Montra brand will enter EVs business in three segments - last-mile commute, last-mile delivery and personal mobility. Under last-mile commute, TII's first venture will be in the 3-wheel electric autos, which is expected to be launched in Q1 of FY22-23. In last-mile delivery segment, 3W electric cargo vehicles will be introduced. TII has already launched E-Bicycles in the personal mobility segment. With a range of best in class EVs, TII plans to improve people's quality of life through eco-friendly mobility solutions. Commenting on the announcement, Vellayan Subbiah, MD, Tube Investments of India said, "We have been an integral part of the mobility industry through our bicycle, automotive body/components and manufacturing businesses. Our foray into Electric Vehicle is a step forward in line with our long-term vision, to be an integral part of Electric Mobility and revolutionize the automotive segment through product and creating an ecosystem for the segment to flourish. The Montra logo is designed to symbolize our brand value and long-term ambition." The brand aims to power the dreams and ambitions of a whole new generation by designing smart, best-in-class mobility solutions that fuel progress. The New Logo is inspired by an Eagle representing rising ambition, vision, fearlessness, agility, efficiency and tenacity to go for glory. Teaser Link: youtu.be/4oUX-9l9iXY Established in 1949 by the Murugappa Group in collaboration with Tube Investments (UK), TI Cycles has transitioned from just dealing with Bike manufacture and design to becoming an expert in mobility and well-being solutions. Known best for its flagship Bike brands - BSA, Hercules and Montra, TI Cycles has practically created and perfected every new cycle category in the country. TI Cycles has plants at Ambattur/Chennai and Rajpura, through which it serves its nationwide 2500 plus dealer-network. The energy of the company can be felt nationwide, thanks to its primary dealers and 10,000 plus secondary dealers. Founded in 1900, the INR 417 billion (41,713 Crores) Murugappa Group is one of India's leading business conglomerates. The Group has 29 businesses including ten listed Companies traded in NSE & BSE. Headquartered in Chennai, the major Companies of the Group include Carborundum Universal Ltd., CG Power and Industrial Solutions Ltd., Cholamandalam Financial Holdings Ltd., Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd., Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd., Coromandel International Ltd., Coromandel Engineering Company Ltd., E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd., Parry Agro Industries Ltd., Shanthi Gears Ltd., Tube Investments of India Ltd. and Wendt (India) Ltd. The Group holds a leadership position in several product lines including Abrasives, Technical Ceramics, Electro Minerals, Auto Components & Systems, Bicycles, Fertilisers, Sugar, Tea and Spirulina (Nutraceuticals). The Group has forged strong alliances with leading international companies such as Groupe Chimique Tunisien, Foskor, Mitsui Sumitomo, Morgan Advanced Materials, Yanmar & Co. and Compagnie Des Phosphates De Gafsa (CPG). The Group has a wide geographical presence all over India and spanning 6 continents. Renowned brands like BSA, Hercules, Montra, Mach City, Ballmaster, Ajax, Parry's, Chola, Gromor, Shanthi Gears and Paramfos are from the Murugappa stable. The Group fosters an environment of professionalism and has a workforce of over 51,000 employees. For more details, please visit www.murugappa.com. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 18 (ANI/NewsVoir): MET Rishikul Vidyalaya is proud to announce that Carlisha Mendonca from AS and A Levels (Batch 2019-21) has received the prestigious 'Outstanding Cambridge Learner Award' for high achievement in Cambridge International AS Level Media Studies for the November 2020 Cambridge examinations series. The global Cambridge awards, which recognises exceptional learner achievement in Cambridge examinations around the world in over 40 countries for various subjects at Cambridge IGCSE, O Level and International AS & A levels, celebrates and acknowledges the achievement of high-performing learners. Every time a learner performs well in their Cambridge examinations, they open up a world of opportunities. On her part, the delighted Carlisha thanks all the MRV teachers and advisors who have been there for her in every step of the way, helping her to explore, understand and comprehend minute topics in all the AS level subjects. In her remarks, Dr G Nagashree, Principal, MET Rishikul Vidyalaya said, "Carlisha has been our sincere and dedicated student who pursued her academic preparation diligently. This has led to her stupendous performance at the global level. I am extremely proud to congratulate Carlisha who is our student of the first batch of AS and A levels for becoming the winner of the Cambridge Outstanding Learner Award." Kudos to Carlisha Mendonca on her noteworthy performance, talent and hard work! MRV wishes her every success in the future. MRV is a registered Cambridge International School in Mumbai offering Cambridge Primary, Cambridge Secondary, IGCSE and AS & A levels programmes. With dynamic research and experiential learning models, state-of-the-art facilities, excellent educators, integration of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, MRV is empowered by a mission to create responsible global citizens, visit www.mrv.edu.in to know more about MET Rishikul Vidyalaya. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam said on Saturday that the central government would soon create a dedicated body to promote exports from India which will have footprint in states and Indian missions. Addressing the FICCI Annual Convention and 94th AGM, Subrahmanyam said the government is working on "future ready commerce". "This will work on multiple things. First and foremost, there will be a separate export promotion wing with a footprint in all Indian missions abroad and in every state of India," he said. According to Subrahmanyam, bilateral and multilateral engagement departments will be constituted under the trade negotiation wing. "The flavour of today is bilateral trade, and the government is negotiating Free Trade Agreements with multiple countries such as UAE, Australia, United States, EU, which will be completed by next year. These will cover many other aspects such as public procurement, intellectual property, social development etc," he said. He said market intelligence will also be set up across the states which will be a great boon for the industry in boosting their export. In addition, the Ministry is working on a Brand India strategy under an overarching objective of trade promotion across the globe. V R Sharma, Co-Chair, FICCI Steel Committee and Managing Director, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, shared various exports related issues on behalf of the industry. These include reduction of operating costs (like for utilities, transportation, processing costs), export credit, and guarantees in India that remain expensive. (ANI)
About 14,000 men and women are employed in the Foxconn Technology unit that makes electronic components, iPhones for Apple and others.

Many of the women workers are staying in the nearby dormitories.

According to the workers, Wednesday several women workers were affected due to food poisoning after having lunch at one of the dormitories on Wednesday.

The affected workers were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment and some were admitted.

According to the workers, the management did not give any proper answer when queried about the health condition of their colleagues who were admitted to the hospital.

On Friday night, the women workers squatted on the highway disrupting the traffic.

The protest continued on Saturday morning as well and government officials are talking with the protesters.

--IANS vj/ksk/

( 168 Words)

2021-12-18-13:12:58 (IANS)
Taking to his Instagram handle on Saturday, the 'Sardhar Udham' star posted a sunkissed carfie in which he can be seen donning a black hoodie, shades and a matching cap.

Vicky and Katrina, fondly called VicKat by fans, returned to Mumbai on Tuesday after enjoying a romantic honeymoon, which reports suggest was in the Maldives. The duo had jetted off to the exotic island country after tying the knot on December 9.

The couple had married in an extremely private, intimate ceremony at the luxurious Six Senses Fort Barwara in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan.

They will reportedly throw a wedding reception party for the film fraternity in the upcoming days. (ANI)
A third woman has come forward to accuse 'Sex and the City' actor Chris Noth of sexual assault. However, the actor has denied the allegation calling it "bad fiction". As per People magazine, a woman who wished to remain anonymous but used the pseudonym, Ava recently told Daily Beast that the 67-year-old actor had sexually assaulted her while working at a New York City restaurant in 2010. According to the outlet, she was 18 years old at the time of the sexual assault. However, the veteran star has denied the woman's account. "The story is a complete fabrication, and the alleged accounts detailed throughout read like a piece of bad fiction," a rep for Noth told People magazine on Friday. "As Chris stated yesterday, he has and would never cross that line," the representative added. Ava, who had recently graduated from an acting conservatory, told Daily Beast that she was hired at Da Marino as a hostess who also sang on nights the restaurant had a pianist. Ava alleged that Noth was often at the restaurant, saying that he "was always intoxicated" whenever he came into the restaurant. "I cannot remember in detail how many times we spoke, but with great familiarity, one night he told my boss I would sing with him even though I hadn't filled the restaurant yet," she said. After their performance, Ava stated that she and Noth "talked about her career and hometown of Toronto" at a table while he repeatedly pulled her onto his lap while groping her and "pressing me onto his erection." According to Ava, Noth kept repeating, "I love Canadian women," while doing so. At the end of her shift, Ava alleged that she went to her manager's office to get paid for the night, and Noth followed her. "He acted as if we had intentionally snuck off together clandestinely," she told the outlet, adding that she found him, "sloppy," "heavy," and "strong". "At first, it felt as though I was the only person in the universe who could hear me saying 'no,' " she told the outlet, adding that Noth pressed her body against a desk, kissed her, and digitally penetrated her. "I was so hopeful that would be the end of it," she continued, adding she tried to push him with her arms and body, "My limbs hurt in the morning." "He wasn't hearing 'no,' but he heard me when I said 'not here' and convinced him that I would meet him somewhere else," Ava explained. She also said that Noth had texted her from his home and asked for her address to send a car, but she never replied. This news comes after two women came forward with sexual assault allegations against the 'And Just Like That' actor. One incident allegedly occurred in Los Angeles in 2004, and the other in New York in 2015, detailed in a report published by The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday. 'Law and Order' actor Zoe Lister-Jones also posted a statement on her Instagram handle on Friday where she alleged that Noth "is a sexual predator." Noth has denied all the allegations levelled against him, calling the encounters "consensual". (ANI)
'Sex and the City' actor Chris Noth has been dropped as a client by talent agency A3 Artists Agency, a day after sexual assault allegations surfaced against him. As per Variety, Noth had only recently signed with A3 earlier this year. The actor was accused of rape by two women in separate incidents in a report published on Thursday by the Hollywood Reporter. Noth has denied the allegations as "categorically false" and has said the incidents from 2004 and 2015 were "consensual". A third woman, who wished to remain anonymous but used the pseudonym, Ava, also came forward to accuse the 67-year-old actor on Friday. News of A3 Artists Agency parting ways with Noth was first reported by Deadline. A representative for Noth declined to comment on the matter other than to reiterate that the actor stands by his statement and his denial. In the recent report by The Hollywood Reporter, Noth is accused of sexual assault by two separate women, who spoke anonymously to the publication in order to protect their privacy. The women, who do not know each other, spoke under the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31. Both women told the outlet that the renewed attention for Noth with HBO Max's new series 'And Just Like That' brought up painful memories, prompting them to come forward with their stories. Lily first reached out to The Hollywood Reporter in August, and Zoe first spoke to the magazine in October, according to the outlet. (ANI)
After four seasons, American actor Kaylee Bryant has announced her exit from CW's 'Legacies', a 'Vampire Diaries' and 'Originals' spin-off series. According to E! News, the 24-year-old actor, who portrayed Josie Saltzman, the twin daughter of Alaric Saltzman and Josette Laughlin that dates Finch, since the show premiered in 2018, took to Instagram on the premiere date of her last episode as a regular to express gratitude to fans of the series. "As a fan of The Vampire Diaries universe myself. I am so grateful to the fans and will love them always and forever for welcoming and accepting me into this world," Bryant wrote. She continued, "Josie has helped so many beautiful humans feel comfortable in their sexuality, and I hope her legacy lives on so that one day everyone feels free to love whoever they want regardless of gender." On the episode, Josie bought a one-way ticket out of Mystic Falls, saying goodbye to both the town and her girlfriend, Finch. "When I come back, we can see where you and I are," Josie said to Finch during their emotional farewell. Though fans will miss the siphoner greatly, it may not be her last appearance on the series. In a statement, executive producers Julie Plec and Brett Matthews wrote, "While it's heartbreaking to say goodbye to such a beloved Super Squad member, we wish Kaylee happiness and success. We look forward to watching her career grow in the future, and our door at "Legacies" will always be open to her, because the world is simply a better place with Josie Saltzman in it." Though she's departing 'Legacies', on December 1, Bryant had announced on Instagram that she would be joining 'Big Little Lies star' Jeffrey Nordling in the new thriller film, 'The Locksmith', as per E! News. (ANI)
The 'Tiger Zinda Hai' actor took to her Instagram handle and posted a photo of her beautiful bridal mehendi and her white and red chooda that new brides wear.

Posting a snap of her mehndi hands against sea and sand in the background, Katrina dropped a red heart emoji in the caption. Celebs like Huma Qureshi, Neha Dhupia and fans of the actor poured in love in the comment section of the post.

Vicky and Katrina, fondly called VicKat by fans, returned to Mumbai on Tuesday after enjoying a romantic honeymoon, which reports suggest was in the Maldives. The duo had jetted off to the exotic island country after tying the knot on December 9.

The couple had married in an extremely private ceremony at the luxurious Six Senses Fort Barwara in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan.

Ever since Vicky and Katrina got back to Mumbai, they have been sharing on social media beautiful moments from the various wedding functions. (ANI)
With a couple arriving from the UAE testing positive for Omicron, the total number of cases in Kerala of the new Covid variant have risen to 7, state Health Minister Veena George said on Friday. She said the couple, aged 68 and 67, hails from Ernakulam and had arrived from Sharjah on December 8. "Since the UAE does not come in the high risk list of countries, the two, after arriving, were in self-isolation and underwent a RT-PCR test on December 11 and 12 and they tested positive for Covid. Then these samples were sent for genomic sequencing and tested positive for Omicron," said George. "The primary contacts of the husband were six people, while the wife had one. There were 54 passengers on the flight from Sharjah and those who have come in direct contact with the couple have been asked to undergo the test. With this, the number of Omicron cases among those who arrived from non-risk countries have gone up to three, hence all those arriving from non-high risk category have all been directed to strictly undergo self-isolation for two weeks," she added. --IANS sg/vd ( 205 Words) 2021-12-17-22:42:23 (IANS)
The scientific data on anti-viral Covid pills still does not support that these medicines will be useful at the moment as it has been found that they need to be given earlier even before the diagnosis of the disease, Indian Council of Medical Research Director General Balram Bhargava said on Friday. In a briefing on the present situation of Covid and new variant Omicron in the country, he said that it is very important to have low-intensity festivities and avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings. Joint Secretary, Health, Luv Agarwal, said that new Covid cases are being reported below 10,000 for the past 20 days. The case positivity for the last 1 week was 0.65 per cent. Currently, Kerala contributes 40.31 per cent to the total number of active cases in the country, he said. India is administering Covid-19 vaccine doses at the highest rate in the world and the daily rate of doses administered is 4.8 times the rate of doses administered in the US and 12.5 times the rate of doses administered in the UK, he said. On new Covid variant, he said that a total of 101 Omicron cases across 11 states have been reported so far. "There is no evidence to suggest that vaccines are not effective against Omicron variant," he said, adding that it is likely that Omicron will outpace Delta variant where community transmission occurs as per a WHO report. NITI Aayog's Member, Health, Dr V.K. Paul said: "A new phase of the Covid-19 pandemic is being experienced in Europe with a steep rise in cases." About genome sequencing, he said that sequencing of every sample is not possible. "It is a surveillance and pandemic assessment and tracking tool, not a diagnostic tool as of now." --IANS avr/vd ( 313 Words) 2021-12-18-00:00:47 (IANS)
The overall coronavirus death toll has risen to 19,208 including seven new deaths, Xinhua news agency quoted the ministry as saying.

The number of recoveries has reached 504,856 on Friday, and over 5.87 million samples have been tested for Covid-19 so far in the Asian country, according to the ministry.

The health ministry on Friday lifted the stay-at-home order in two more townships in Mandalay Region starting on Saturday as the townships have reported fewer Covid-19 infections.

Myanmar detected its first two Covid-19 positive cases on March 23 last year.

--IANS int/shs

( 130 Words)

2021-12-18-01:44:32 (IANS)
The European Commission put forward proposals to ensure timely supply of medicines to Northern Ireland (NI) from the rest of the UK, announced officials. "The Commission is today proposing a bespoke arrangement for the supply of medicines to Northern Ireland. It means that everyone in Northern Ireland will have access to the same medicines at the same time as elsewhere in the UK, while ensuring that the integrity of the EU Single Market is protected," said Maros Sefcovic, Vice-president of the European Commission and co-chair of the EU-UK Joint Committee and Partnership Council. Not only generic medicines, such as paracetamol, but also life-saving medicines such as cancer treatment, are included, Xinhua news agency quoted Sefcovic as saying at a press conference. In line with the proposals, if a new medicine has been authorised in the UK, but not yet in the EU, it will be temporarily supplied to patients in Northern Ireland pending authorisation in the EU, European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides told the same press conference. Those temporary authorizations should be time-limited and end as soon as the Commission has granted the authorisation to market the medicine, she added. The European Commission's proposals still need to be sent to the European Parliament and the Council for examination and endorsement. The UK's departure from the EU, also called Brexit, led to a complicated situation on the Island of Ireland. To avoid a hard border on the island, the UK's Northern Ireland was integrated into the EU Single Market, under the Protocol of Ireland/Northern Ireland. Goods leaving Great Britain to enter Northern Ireland, including medicine, are subjected to the EU Single Market's custom duties and inspections, creating delays and effectively cutting out supplies in Northern Ireland. --IANS int/shs ( 303 Words) 2021-12-18-06:56:43 (IANS)
A team of international researchers recently highlighted the importance of standard health check-ups for emergency workers-- firefighters, police and health staff to avoid heart events at work that might harm themselves or others. The research has been published in the 'European Society of Cardiology Journal'. The study summed up existing knowledge on screening, surveillance and risk management in hazardous jobs - defined as those where cardiovascular disease has the potential to impact the safety of the employee and/or others and the employer has a duty to manage these risks. In addition to emergency workers, hazardous occupations included bus and lorry drivers, pilots, aircrew and astronauts. But the research highlighted that "the lack of consensus or contemporary evidence typically results in decisions being made based on expert opinion. This can result in a lack of consistency in clinical decision-making which is increasingly being challenged, both by employees and employers." The authors said more research was needed to determine the optimal balance between protecting workers and the public while avoiding career-ending false-positive results. For firefighters, cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death while on duty, a trend that has increased over the last two decades. Heart attacks and sudden cardiac death account for 45 per cent of deaths among fire-fighters while on active duty and primarily occur during fire suppression activities. Review author Dr Iain T. Parsons of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK said, "If we take the example of firefighters, we know that the act of fire fighting is associated with sudden cardiac death from coronary artery disease. Presently fire services examine cardiovascular fitness, but the tests vary widely by country." "In high hazard occupations, it is very common to apply a minimum physical fitness standard," he continued. "Standards of physical fitness and strength have the two distinct advantages. First, ensuring that employees can undertake key physical tasks that are required in their role. And second, that the failure to reach certain physical fitness thresholds will expose undiagnosed health problems (particularly in the cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems) which would be associated with greatly increased risk to the affected individual, their co-workers or members of the public," he said. "However, optimal screening or periodic examination should be backed by evidence, and this is lacking presently," said Dr Parsons. "Further research is required into when to assess fitness, what additional measures could decrease morbidity or mortality (e.g. electrocardiogram or risk scoring) and what the downsides are of implementing these measures e.g. in terms of cost, false positives and the loss of workforce," he added. Regarding pilots, there is a lack of standardisation surrounding the licensing requirements to ensure air safety. "Despite recent efforts to unify standards to improve consensus in cardiovascular risk assessment, diverse approaches exist to evaluate a pilot's risk of [cardiovascular] events," stated the paper. "Requirements to report medical conditions to authorities are also variable across regulatory jurisdictions," the researchers said. As for astronauts, the authors predicted that with the advent of commercial space travel and space tourism, the occupational management of astronauts is likely to increase. Dr Parsons said, "It may be that qualified astronauts who are 'mission responsible' for space tourists will require more robust screening as a cardiac event in one with responsibility for relative laymen could be even more catastrophic. However, this would be dependent on the vehicle and planned journey as well as the degree of automation. I would anticipate that future models of safety would be based on the aviation precedence with dual qualified astronauts required per mission." The authors called for collaboration among employers, regulatory bodies and medical societies to provide transparent criteria for occupational screening that balance individual health, patient rights, and public safety. Dr Parsons said, "The most pressing need is to achieve societal standardisation of how to screen and risk manage workers as well as provide an opportunity to provide preventative care so as to keep people employed. In addition, most research in this field has been conducted on men. As women increasingly take on hazardous roles it is crucial that studies examine how best to assess and monitor their cardiovascular risk and ultimately prevent dangerous health issues." (ANI)
According to Houston Methodist researchers who released results on a new combined therapy with the potential to improve outcomes for these hard-to-treat breast cancer patients, a drug used to treat cardiac failure has shown promising results in treating triple-negative breast cancer. The study appeared in the journal Science Translational Medicine. A research team led by Jenny Chang, M.D., a breast medical oncologist and director of the Houston Methodist Dr Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center, found variants in a gene called RPL39 that work through a pathway called nitric oxide. Through the combination of chemotherapy and a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor called L-NMMA, which was developed at Houston Methodist, researchers were able to regress tumour growth of triple-negative breast cancer and prevent cancer from spreading. Historically, patients with cancers resistant to chemotherapy have about a 25-30 per cent chance of responding when used with older drugs that target the immune system. The response rate using the Houston Methodist-discovered drug L-NMMA is about 50 per cent. "This is an effective way of cutting short drug development and getting it into patients as quickly as possible," said Chang, who is the corresponding author of the study. HE added, "This process has taken us less than five years and saved billions of dollars, giving us the opportunity to provide this new therapy faster for our patients." This research builds on previous work from Houston Methodist that identified a gene mutation driving the formation of the most aggressive type of triple-negative breast cancer, as well as finding a compound that blocked it. "In addition to developing a novel anti-inflammatory regimen that can increase the efficacy of chemotherapy in treating triple-negative breast cancer, we can also potentially predict which patient will respond to our novel treatment regimen, which will then allow non-responders to switch treatment options sooner." Next up, Chang and her colleagues are planning multi-national phase three trials globally to evaluate the efficacy of L-NMMA in more patients. If these trials are successful, then they will file for FDA approval of the drug. Houston Methodist also will seek an orphan indication from the FDA for metaplastic breast cancer, a rare and aggressive subtype of triple-negative breast cancer. According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, metaplastic breast cancers account for less than 1 per cent of all breast cancers. The National Cancer Institute has awarded Houston Methodist a grant to take this into global phase three clinical trials, which will begin early in 2022. This work was supported, in part, by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (grant number U54 CA210181), the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Moran Foundation, Causes for a Cure, and philanthropic support from Dr Mary and Mr Ron Neal, and the Center for Drug Repositioning and Development Program (CREDO). (ANI)
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding CBI inquiry into the source of income of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's sister-in-law Kajari Banerjee has been filed at the Calcutta High Court. The case is likely to be heard soon. The PIL was filed following the declaration by Kajari Banerjee that shows she and her husband -- Samir Banerjee, have a cumulative property worth nearly Rs 5 crore. Kajari Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress candidate for ward number 73 in her affidavit, announced she has a moveable property worth more than Rs 2.45 crore and an unmoveable property worth Rs 1.5 crore. On the other hand, the chief minister's brother Samir Banerjee has moveable property worth nearly Rs 29 lakh and unmoveable property worth Rs 70 lakh which cumulatively is around Rs 5 crore. Giving a detail of the property, Kajari Banerjee in her affidavit mentioned that she is the owner of nine plots of land including plots in Birbhum, Kolkata and even at Puri and Talcher in Odisha. Not only Kajari, even her husband owns five properties including one residential building in Kalighat. She also has gold ornaments of around 400 grams worth nearly Rs 20 lakh. Both 53-year-old Kajari and her husband who has declared themselves as social workers have an annual income of Rs 25.7 lakh and Rs 17.8 lakh, respectively. Interestingly enough, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee's net worth assets have gone down in the last 5 years. In her self-sworn affidavit filed before the Election Commission of India, Mamata declared that her net worth is Rs 16.72 lakh which is 48 per cent less compared to her 2016 assets. The 66-year-old leader's total movable assets were worth Rs 30.45 lakh before the assembly election in 2016. The Trinamool Congress supremo, who contested from Nandigram assembly constituency in Purba Medinipur district, does not own any vehicle or property. Her income for the year 2019-20 was Rs 10,34,370. --IANS sbg/pgh ( 334 Words) 2021-12-17-21:19:41 (IANS)
Earlier, the Chief Minister condoled the death of veteran politicians and former union minister RL Jalappa and said that he was credited with the establishment of many educational institutions and social work.

"RL Jalappa was credited with the establishment of many educational institutions and social work. May the Lord give peace to their soul. I pray for the family and the fans to give them the strength to overcome this pain," said an official statement issued by CMO.

On Friday, the veteran politician who served as a Union minister passed away due to health complications. (ANI)
A documentary titled 'The Spirit of the Ganga' would be screened on Sunday to launch a campaign for raising awareness about Ganga pollution and driving the youth and community into action, besides active river clean up drives. The documentarywill be screened for a select audience which will include former Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and current Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, U.P. Singh, and Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Rajiv Mishra. The crowd-funded film is a result of the zeal of an 18-year-old and his volunteers who travelled across the Ganga and conducted several programmes involving the community with a focus on Gangetic dolphins. Sumair Handa Bakshi, the young mind behind the 'The Spirit of The Ganga', is the founder of 'Save the Spirit of the Sea Foundation', and is now on a mission to work on rivers, especially Ganga. Save the Spirit of the Sea works towards the conservation of aquatic life through awareness, volunteerism and is currently working on a global movement to preserve river Ganga. As a part of the project, Handa with his team travelled across the river basin for direct action. They raised Rs 20 lakh through crowd funding for the documentary and other community related work along the banks of Ganga. "We undertook our first journey in 2019 to Bihar. Then after the initial lockdown in 2020, we went to Haridwar, Rishikesh and Devprayag," Handa told IANS. In January 2020, the team had documented cleaning along the Yamuna with school children from across Delhi-NCR. Handa, who is currently pursuing a degree in finance with a minor in marine biology from the University of South Florida in the US, said that his earliest protests started when he was in school. For the cause of the environment, he and his friends raised slogans outside the Japanese Embassy in Delhi against dolphin slaughter and also raised the issue on social media. --IANS niv/arm ( 330 Words) 2021-12-17-23:24:39 (IANS)
MoS Bhatt in a written reply to Lok Sabha said that the pilot site was commissioned in February 2021.

He further said that Bharat Electronics Limited has signed a contract with Indian Air Force (IAF) for establishing the Systems for 23 Air Bases across the country. (ANI)
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday slammed the Central government for their decision to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 and termed it "ridiculous". Taking to Twitter, Owaisi said that both men and women should be allowed to legally marry at 18 as they're treated as adults by the law for all other purposes. "Modi government has decided to increase the age of marriage for women to 21. This is typical paternalism that we have come to expect from the govt. 18-year-old men and women can sign contracts, start businesses, choose Prime Ministers and elect MPs and MLAs but not marry? They can consent to sexual relationships and live-in partnerships but cannot choose their life partners? Just ridiculous," said AIMIM chief. He allegedly said that there are 12 million kids married before they even turned 10. "Child marriages are rampant despite a law. Every fourth woman in India was married before turning 18 but only 785 criminal cases of child marriages were recorded. If child marriages have reduced from before, it is due to education and economic progress, not criminal law," he said. Owaisi said that more than the legal age of marriage, it is improved education and better economic prospects for youngsters, that impacts when they marry. 45 per cent of the poorest households had child marriages; only 10 per cent of the wealthiest households did so. "If Modi was sincere, he would have focused on increasing economic opportunities for women. Yet India is the only country where women's participation in the workforce is dwindling. It fell to 16% in 2020 from 26 per cent in 2005," he added. He further said that it is essential to improve their educational outcomes to ensure autonomous decision-making. "What has the government done to improve education for girls? 79 per cent of Rs 446.72 Beti Bachao Beti Padhao budget was spent on adverts. You want us to believe that this government has sincere intentions?" he asked. He added that men and women are treated as adults at 18 for most critical things. "Why is marriage any different? The legal age is not really a criteria; the essential goal must be to ensure education, economic progress and human development," he added. Earlier on Wednesday, the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21. The government is likely to propose a bill in Parliament during the ongoing winter session. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Goa on December 19 to attend 60 years of Goa's independence celebration, said Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. "PM Modi has been invited to the program to celebrate 60 years of Goa's independence. He will reach Azad Maidan at around 2 pm. This will be followed by the Prime Minister's program at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium at 3 pm," said Sawant. Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over 650 crores during his visit. According to Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Goa Liberation Day is celebrated on December 19 every year to mark the success of 'Operation Vijay' undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces that liberated Goa from Portuguese rule. PM Modi will also felicitate the freedom fighters and veterans of 'Operation Vijay' at the function. The Prime Minister will inaugurate multiple development projects including the renovated Fort Aguada Jail Museum, Super Speciality Block at Goa Medical College, New South Goa District Hospital, Aviation Skill Development Center at Mopa Airport and the Gas-insulated Substation at Dabolim-Navelim, Margao. He will also lay the foundation stone for the India International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust at Goa. It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to improve medical infrastructure and provide top class medical facilities across the country. In line with this vision, the Super Speciality Block at Goa Medical College and Hospital has been constructed at a cost of over Rs. 380 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana scheme, the PMO statement said. It is the only state of the art super speciality hospital in the entire state of Goa, providing high-end super speciality services. It will provide specialized services like angioplasty, bypass surgery, liver transplant, kidney transplant, dialysis etc. The Super Speciality Block will also house a 1000 LPM PSA plant installed under PM-CARES. As per the release, The New South Goa District Hospital, built at a cost of around Rs 220 crores is equipped with modern medical infrastructure including OPD services in 33 specialities, the latest diagnostic and laboratory facilities and services like Physiotherapy, Audiometry etc. The hospital has 500 oxygenated beds, 5500 litre LMO tanks and 2 PSA plants of 600 lpm. The re-development of Aguada Fort Jail Museum as a Heritage Tourism destination under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme has been done at a cost of over Rs 28 crore, it said in a statement. Before Goa's liberation, Aguada Fort was used to incarcerate and torturing the freedom fighters. The Museum will highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by the prominent freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Goa and will be a befitting tribute to them. The Aviation Skill Development Center at the upcoming Mopa Airport, built at a cost of around Rs 8.5 crore, is aimed at providing training in 16 different job profiles. The trainees will be able to get job opportunities in the Mopa Airport project as it becomes operational, as well as at other Airports in India and abroad. Gas Insulated Substation at Davorlim-Navelim, Margao has been constructed at a cost of around Rs 16 crores under the Integrated Power Development Scheme of the Ministry of Power, Government of India. It will provide stable power supply to the villages of Davorlim, Nessai, Navelim, Aquem-Baixo and Telaulim. The India International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust will be established in line with the focus of the government to transform Goa into a hub of higher and technical education. The Prime Minister will also release a Special Cover and Special Cancellation to mark the commemoration of the Indian Armed Forces freeing Goa from Portuguese rule. He will also release 'My Stamp' depicting the Hutatma Smarak at Patradevi, which salutes the great sacrifices made by the martyrs of the Goa Liberation Movement. During his visit, the Prime Minister will pay Floral Tributes at Martyr's Memorial, Azad Maidan, Panaji. He will also attend the Sail Parade and FlyPast at Miramar, Panaji. (ANI)
The Assam government has amended a section Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021 to allow transportation of cattle from one district to another, which was barred earlier, informed Ashok Singhal, State Cabinet Minister. "Cattle Bill has been amended to allow transportation of cattle from one district to another, though it will not be allowed in districts having an international border," said Singhal on Friday. The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill,2021 says that the sale of beef or its products will not be allowed in areas that have a predominant population of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and other non-beef-eating communities or within a radius of five km of any temple, satra (Vaishnavite monastery), or other religious institutions belonging to Hindus, or any other institution or area as may be prescribed by the competent authority. The bill provides for the protection of cattle by regulating their "slaughter, consumption, illegal transportation". It seeks to replace Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 1950. (ANI)
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson Justice Arun Mishra on Friday said it would be wrong to generalise that human rights get violated due to the imposition of AFSPA in some of the northeastern states. Justice Mishra said this while interacting with the media after a two-day public hearing on the complaints related to human rights violations in the five northeastern state. The government should be reviewing the need for application or withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), he told the media, adding that the commission acting and directing the authorities where it finds violation by the authorities, that compensation should be paid. In reference to the December 4 incident in which 14 people were killed and 30 injured by the security forces in the Mon district of Nagaland, the rights panel chief said that the commission had taken up the case suo-moto on the basis of media reports and issued notices to the concerned authorities. Mishra said that the NHRC has sought a report from the Union Home Ministry and the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the Nagaland government. He refused to make any comments on the incident and related development after the December 4 firing. To a question on the series of encounters in Assam, the NHRC Chairperson said that all encounters cannot be fake, you cannot generalise all the encounters in the same frame. Around 28 accused including suspected militants, have been killed and around 40 others injured in Assam since early May when police fired on them as the "accused allegedly tried to escape from custody or during operations". The NHRC held a two-day public hearing on 31 cases pertaining to the complaints related to human rights violations in five northeastern states -- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim and Nagaland and the hearing and opinion gathering were held at the Assam Administrative Staff College in Guwahati on Thursday and Friday. The NHRC chairperson stated that humans are the best creation of God and we have the sense to think about the protection of human rights of the people which includes Right to Food, Health, Education, better environment and so on. He also stated that human rights violation takes place only when the same are not respected. "Being the public servants it is our duty to protect the rights of the people and not the court. Commission comes into picture only when there is serious and grave nature of human rights violation or when the government machinery fails in their duties. He said that the police carry weapons to protect the human being and not to become violators of human rights. "A jail should be like an Ashram, where the prisoners need to be reformed, so that when they come out from the jail, they should be responsible citizens and should not indulge in criminal activities again. It is the duty of the state governments to adopt mechanisms to reform the society," Justice Mishra said. --IANS sc/pgh ( 507 Words) 2021-12-18-00:07:09 (IANS)
The Centre on Friday told the Rajya Sabha that over 5 lakh complaints were registered against e-commerce companies from April 2019 to November 2021. "A total of 5,12,919 complaints pertaining to e-commerce companies were registered with the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) during the period between April 2019 and November 2021," Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha. According to the data furnished by the Minister, Maharashtra reported the highest number of complaints at 64,924, followed by Uttar Pradesh (63,265) and Delhi (50,522). Choubey said that according to Consumer Protection (e-commerce) Rules, 2020, every marketplace e-commerce entity is required to provide in a clear and accessible manner, at an appropriate place on its platform, all information provided to it by the sellers, including name and contact numbers, and designation of the grievance officer for consumer grievance redressal or for reporting any other matter. In this regard, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued an advisory dated October 1, 2021 to industry associations requesting them to give wide publicity to the provisions of the above noted rules and impress upon their members to ensure compliance of the rules to ensure that adequate redressal mechanism is accessible to the consumers while purchasing goods or services using e-commerce platforms. --IANS uj/arm ( 244 Words) 2021-12-18-00:09:41 (IANS)
Indian Army under the aegis of Swarnim Vijay Varsh Celebrations organized two days' musical gala event at Rampur in Baramulla district of North Kashmir, to commemorate the 50th Year of Glorious Victory of Indian Armed forces in 1971 War. The festivities took off in Boniyar on a grand scale from December 16 to 17. The two-day gala event commenced with remembering the war heroes and wreath-laying ceremony at Pir Panjal Brigade War Memorial wherein Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Uri, District Development Council (DDC) Boniyar, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Uri, war veterans and Army Officers paid homage to the fallen soldiers. Cultural programmes and celebrations were organised at Army Goodwill School (AGS), Boniyar and Community centre, Bandi. Songs by the local music group imbued the atmosphere into the shades of patriotism and nationalistic fervour, students presented various cultural performances. The chilling weather was lit up when the Joint Pipe Band of Army and Students of AGS Boniyar took the stage and played military tunes which mesmerized everyone and left them awestruck and the celebrations reached their zenith. Speaking to ANI, Abdul Majeed Bhat, an ex-soldier said, "I fought the 1971 war. The fight began on December 3, 1971, and it was fought for 13 days with Pakistan from all the borders of India. On December 16 with a ceasefire the war ended." Irtiza Muneer, a participant of the program said that she is very happy that she got a chance to perform in the programme which is organised for the country. "Swarnim Vijay Varsh celebration was organised in our school. We performed a dance to patriotic songs. We are very happy to perform for the country. We are celebrating this event to celebrate the victory of the 1971 war which was fought with Pakistan," said Irtiza. A local resident, Mubarak Ahmad said that all Kashmiri wants peace, development and harmony like all other States. "We are celebrating a 1971 war. Soldiers who participated in the 1971 war and other wars were also called here. They were given honour here. We want peace in the valley. We want peace to prevail in Jammu and Kashmir. We Kashmiri wants peace, development and happiness like all other States in the country. I also request the Prime Minister to bring a new atmosphere in Kashmir. We need a path of progress," said Ahmad. Syed Abid Rizvi, a school teacher said, "They are gathered to celebrate Golden jubilee of 1971 war. Very good programs were performed by students today. I want to pay homage to all those who laid their lives in the war and we wish that peace and harmony spread all over the country. Another ex-soldier, Abdul Majeed congratulated all the soldiers who participated in the 1971 war. "When we fought with Pakistan in Bangladesh, 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrender. I want to congratulate all those soldiers who participated in the war and succeeded. Our Indian Army is a very strong force," he said. The country proudly celebrates its emphatic victory over Pakistan as "Vijay Diwas" on 16 December every year since 1971. On this day in the year 1971, independent India achieved a decisive victory over East Pakistan, in a war that the Indian Armed Forces planned, executed, and carried out with precision leading to the capture of over 93,000 prisoners, ultimately resulting in the liberation of Bangladesh. (ANI)
Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Minister of Higher Education R Bindu over the issue of appointment in universities and said he is not able to work in an environment where "I find too much political interference in the working of universities." "I am not able to work in this environment where I find too much political interference in the working of the university and the autonomy of the university is being completely eroded,' said Khan. Reiterating his demand that the Chief Minister should bring an ordinance to hand over the powers of the chancellor to CM himself, Khan said, "conflict comes when you assert your authority against some other authority. I have requested that you bring an ordinance, you become the chancellor, let anybody become the chancellor, but for me, it is not possible to see this kind of political interference." Governor had sent a letter to Chief Minister on December 8 expressing his displeasure over political appointments in state's universities. "Everything is out. Minister (higher education) has written letters to me. The rules and the law clearly provide that there will be a selection committee that will be independent. They do not work even under the instruction of the chancellor. Here, the minister is writing a letter that such and such could be appointed," he said. Earlier reacting to the letter sent by the Governor, CM Vijayan had said, "The appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University was signed by the Governor. The denial after signing was not correct. The rejection of the signed order may be due to other interference. Deviations in the Governor's position may be due to pressure." "University chancellor post is not something that we are desire. We do not have any such intention. The government has not made any such move. What government wishes is that the Governor should continue in that post," he said. Opposition parties Congress and BJP have also criticized Chief Minister and State Government for nepotism and political interference in universities. Opposition parties also demanded judicial enquiry on all appointments in universities made by Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the last six years. (ANI)
"A girl student told me that there is no cleanliness in the toilets of the school, because of which the students face problems," Minister Pradhuman Singh Tomar told ANI.

"I have taken a pledge of 30 days of cleanliness and I will go to some institute every day and clean it, I want the message of cleanliness to reach all the people, I am doing this so that everyone gets motivated towards cleanliness," he added.

Besides appealing to people to maintain cleanliness, he also instructed the municipal officials to keep the toilets of the schools clean every day. (ANI)
Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said, "A person filed a complaint in a court alleging that Karnataka Minister Byrathi Basavraj, BJP MLC R Shankar and three others hatched a conspiracy to knock off his property based using forged documents."

"The court took cognizance of offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy and forgery. A case was registered in a special court and summons were issued. These are powerful people and may influence the probe. Minister Byrathi Basavraj should not continue as a minister," he added.

Meanwhile, Congress MLAs staged a protest in the Assembly demanding resignation of the minister.

Last month, Bengaluru chief metropolitan magistrate court ordered a criminal case to be filed against Byrathi, R Shankar and others under several sections of IPC. (ANI)
27 people had been arrested for attacking the Sangolli Rayanna statue in the Belagavi district of Karnataka, informed the police. "27 arrested in 3 police station limits in Belagavi for attacking the Sangolli Rayanna statue," said K Tyagarajan, commissioner of police, Belagavi. Tension erupted in Belagavi after a purported video that showed some people pouring black ink on the face of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Sankey Tank Road in Bengaluru went viral. Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) followers gathered in Belagavi and protested against the Karnataka government at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Chowk. The miscreants smashed around 26 vehicles of the Karnataka government and police at Belagavi. The protestors alleged that Kannada goons have defaced a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bangalore. "The insult on Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bengaluru is an insult to Hindu society as well. Shivaji maharaja has dedicated His life to Hindu samaj. Act of Some miscreants insulting the statue of Shivaji maharaja is highly condemnable," said Abhay Patil, MLA Belagavi constituency. "I request the chief minister as well as Home Minister to take appropriate action against the culprits behind the incident. The incident is an insult to the nation. I request the Chief Minister and Home Minister to take proper action against the culprits behind it and make sure this kind of incident will not occur again," he added. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Home minister said, "Strict action will be taken against anyone who indulged in such incidents, no one will be spared," said Araga Jnanendra". "I condemn the incident in which miscreants damaged the statue of Sangolli Rayanna, a legendary hero of the state," he said. "Sangolli Rayanna and Shivaji Maharaj, they are the pride of all of us. Every citizen is a proud and proud Indian son because of such personality," he stated. "In their name, some mischief, misconduct, and degrading linguistic and fraternal affiliation is an inexorable offense," he further stated. "I have received information on this, and have already filed an FIR related to the Bangalore and Belgavi incident and some have been detained. I urge the people of the state to cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony," he said. (ANI)
A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court has granted bail to all accused persons in a Coal block case related to M/s Sunil Hi-tech Engineers Ltd. Special CBI Judge Arun Bhardwaj in an order passed on December 16, 2021 said that, "as the case of accused comes in category A, the applications for bail are allowed and accused are admitted to bail, subject to furnishing personal bond and surety bond for a sum of Rs 2,00,000 with the further condition that they will not try to influence prosecution witnesses or tamper with the evidence and before leaving the country, they will take permission of the court." Sanjay Kumar, Deputy Legal Advisor (DLA) for CBI agreed with the submissions made by Counsel appearing for accused persons, Court noted. Advocate Vijay Aggarwal along with Advocate Mudit Jain, Counsel for Sunil Ratnakar Gutte argued that as per guidelines of the Supreme Court, the case of the accused would come under category A which deals with the offences punishable with imprisonment up to 7 years or less. Advocate Aggarwal further argued that for grant of bail seriousness of the charge and severity of punishment has to be taken into consideration and in the present case the offence is only punishable with Seven (7) Years and the accused has deep roots in the society and fulfills the triple test for grant of bail. Lawyers also argued that CBI has also filed the charge-sheet against the accused without arresting him and the Court had issued summons to the accused in the present matter, therefore the Custody of the accused was not required as the accused person has cooperated throughout the investigation including appearing before Investigation officer whenever called. M/s Sunil Hi-tech was being represented by Counsel Honey Satpal for Liquidator, Sunil Ratnakar Gutte appeared along with Advocate Vijay Aggarwal and Advocate Mudit Jain, Vishwanath Iyer, Authorised Representative of M/s aXYKno Capital Services Pvt Ltd appeared along with Advocate Vikram Hegde, R Ramakrishnan appeared along with Advocate Vikram Hegde, Dominic Gabriel Philip (the then Managing Director, Maharashtra State Mining Corporation Limited) appeared along with Advocate Pankaj Kapoor, Avinash Manohar Rao Warjukar (the then Managing Director, Maharashtra State Mining Corporation Limited) appeared along with Advocate Pankaj Kapoor. Special Court had issued summons to all the accused persons pursuant to the chargesheet filed in the Court by CBI Section 120B r/w Section 420 IPC and 13 (2) read with 13(1)(d) of P.C. Act, 1988 alleging that M/s Sunil Hi-tech Engineers Ltd, which was not fulfilling the technical evaluation as it did not have any mining experience in open cast or underground mining operations, but the Tender Committee consisting of the then Chairman, the then MD, the consultant etc, treated M/s Sunil Hi-Tech Engineering Ltd as technically qualified and their price bid along with the price bid of others was opened. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Goa on Sunday to attend Goa Liberation Day celebrations at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Goa's Taleigao at around 3 pm, informed the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). As per the PMO, the Prime Minister will felicitate the freedom fighters and veterans of 'Operation Vijay' at the function. Goa Liberation Day is celebrated on December 19 every year to mark the success of 'Operation Vijay' undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces that liberated Goa from Portuguese rule. Prime Minister will inaugurate multiple development projects including the renovated Fort Aguada Jail Museum, Super Speciality Block at Goa Medical College, New South Goa District Hospital, Aviation Skill Development Center at Mopa Airport and the Gas-insulated Substation at Dabolim-Navelim, Margao. He will also lay the foundation stone for the India International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust at Goa. It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to improve medical infrastructure and provide top-class medical facilities across the country. In line with this vision, the Super Speciality Block at Goa Medical College and Hospital has been constructed at a cost of over Rs. 380 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana scheme. It is the only state-of-the-art super specialty hospital in the entire state of Goa, providing high-end super specialty services. It will provide specialized services like angioplasty, bypass surgery, liver transplant, kidney transplant, dialysis etc. The Super Speciality Block will also house a 1000 LPM PSA plant installed under PM-CARES. The New South Goa District Hospital, built at a cost of around Rs.220 crores, is equipped with modern medical infrastructure including OPD services in 33 specialities, the latest diagnostic and laboratory facilities and services like Physiotherapy, Audiometry etc. The hospital has 500 oxygenated beds, 5500 litre LMO tank and 2 PSA plants of 600 litres per minute (lpm). The re-development of Aguada Fort Jail Museum as a Heritage Tourism destination under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, has been done at a cost of over Rs. 28 crore. Before Goa's liberation, Aguada Fort was used to incarcerate and torture the freedom fighters. The Museum will highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by the prominent freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Goa and will be a befitting tribute to them. The Aviation Skill Development Center at the upcoming Mopa Airport, built at a cost of around Rs. 8.5 crore, is aimed at providing training in 16 different job profiles. The trainees will be able to get job opportunities in the Mopa Airport project as it becomes operational, as well as at other Airports in India and abroad. Gas Insulated Substation at Davorlim-Navelim, Margao has been constructed at a cost of around Rs.16 crores under the Integrated Power Development Scheme of the Ministry of Power, Government of India. It will provide stable power supply to the villages of Davorlim, Nessai, Navelim, Aquem-Baixo and Telaulim. The India International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust will be established in line with the focus of the government to transform Goa into a hub of higher and technical education. Prime Minister will also release a Special Cover and Special Cancellation to mark the commemoration of the Indian Armed Forces freeing Goa from Portuguese rule. This special episode of history is shown on the special cover, whereas the special cancellation depicts the war memorial at Indian Naval Ship Gomantak, constructed in memory of seven young gallant sailors and other personnel who laid down their lives in "Operation Vijay". The Prime Minister will also release 'My Stamp' depicting the Hutatma Smarak at Patradevi, which salutes the great sacrifices made by the martyrs of the Goa Liberation Movement. A 'Meghdoot Post Card' depicting a collage of pictures of different events during the Goa Liberation Struggle will also be presented to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister will also distribute awards to the best Panchayat/Municipality, Swayampurna Mitras and beneficiaries of Swayampurna Goa Programme. During his visit, at around 2:15 pm, the Prime Minister will also pay floral tributes at Martyr's Memorial, Azad Maidan, Panaji. At around 2:30 pm, he will attend the Sail Parade and flypast at Miramar, Panaji. (ANI)
Out of the 36 Rafale aircrafts for which India had signed a contract with France, 32 have been delivered and out of the remaining four, three will arrive in India on time, that is, in February next year, said Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Saturday. "As far as discussions on Rafale are concerned, we're thankful to them (France) for timely deliveries. You know that contract was for 36 aircraft,32 of which have been delivered. Out of the remaining four, 3 will arrive on time in Feb," said the IAF chief while addressing a press conference in Dundigal after reviewing the Combined Graduation Parade at Dundigal Air Force Academy. He further stated that the last Rafale aircraft which will have India-specific enhancements will be delivered after all its trials are conducted. "Last aircraft which will have India-specific enhancements will be delivered after all its trials conclude. We discussed with Defence Minister, future maintenance issues of Rafale and setting up of D-level maintenance in India," said the IAF chief on discussions with the French delegation. The IAF chief's remarks on Rafale comes a day after French Defence Minister Florence Parly, citing close strategic ties between India and France, said that her country was ready to provide more Rafale combat aircraft if India wants them. In New Delhi for the annual defence dialogue between the two countries, the French Defence Minister also targeted China for behaving aggressively in the region including the South China Sea where it attempts to hamper freedom of navigation in open seas. "We as France are ready to answer any additional needs or request that could be made by India. We know that an aircraft carrier will soon be delivered. Aircraft are needed. So we are open and ready to provide any other Rafale if this is India's decision," Parly said in an interaction at the Ananta Centre think tank. The French Defence Minister pointed out that the Indian Navy was soon to get the delivery of its second aircraft carrier INS Vikrant for which it would need more fighter aircraft. France has delivered 30 Rafale aircraft to India. Six more are set to be delivered by April next year. Indian Navy is looking for 57 combat aircraft for its second aircraft carrier and the French Rafale aircraft is one of the contenders. India signed its biggest ever defence deal with France in 2016 as part of which 36 Rafale aircraft were to be inducted into the Air Force. More than 30 planes have already arrived while the last few would be here by the end of this financial year. India deployed the French aircraft swiftly along the border in the ongoing standoff with China. (ANI)
Hitting back at the criticizers of the Centre's decision to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said that the constitutional rights of women in India should not get influenced by 'Talibani thinking'. This country is run by constitutional principles, he added. "I am shocked and surprised to know that some people are slamming this decision as they feel that a girl would become rogue if the age of marriage is raised to 21 years. This kind of thought process can only be termed as 'Talibani thinking' rather than Indian thinking," Naqvi said while addressing the minority day celebration in Delhi. "The constitutional rights of a woman, women empowerment, women's respect in this country must not be influenced by 'Talibani thinking'.This country is run by constitutional principles," he stated. "There is a need for social empowerment along with educational empowerment for women, " he added. "A lot of countries including the Islamic countries have brought changes in the marriage provisions to empower women," he stated. Earlier on Wednesday, the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21. The government is likely to propose a bill in Parliament during the ongoing winter session. (ANI)
As the number of COVID-19 variants omicron cases reaches over 100 in India, the Indian health experts said that the new variant might be less severe, however, the high transmissibility rate could be a worrying factor. The health experts have asked the country to be cautious the same way it was during the second wave of COVID-19. They also emphasized on the need for a booster dose and had asked the people to follow a COVID-appropiate behaviour. Experts emphasised that the administration must keep a close watch this time, and institute tough preventive measures (if required) early. Dr G C Khilnani, Chairman Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, PSRI Hospital views said, "we have seen COVID-19 spread in India after a time lag of 3- 4 months from its spread in Western Europe, hence we need to be just as cautious as we were in the second wave. The protection that vaccination offered against infection also declines with the passage of time. It is time we announce a policy for a booster dose for people with comorbodities." "Evidences till date have shown that the latest variant multiplies at a faster rate causing infection at a faster rate but the cases reported in India showed milder infections," he added. Dr Sheeba Marwah, Assistant Professor and COVID-19 Nodal Officer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vardhma in Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital told ANI, "though the severity of infection caused by this variant has been reported to be lesser as compared to its predecessor, yet the nearly 70 times faster replication is the cause of worry." "Having the propensity to making even the fully vaccinated its prey, we might head toward inevitable third wave," added Dr Marwah. Detected in South Africa, Omicron, the latest Covid variant which is also "highly transmissible" has now been reported in six states. Several studies are going on at present to understand the contagiousness of the virus and the effectiveness of existing vaccines against it. Amid a surge in cases of Omicron variant in the country, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday issued new guidelines for international travellers from 'at-risk' countries arriving at six major airports to mandatorily prebook an RT-PCR test starting December 20. (ANI)
A 44-year-old man was arrested in Coimbatore for killing a Class 10 student after sexually assaulting and dumping her body near a wasteyard. The accused, Muthukumar, is a construction worker and was known to the 14-year-old victim's family. The girl's mother lodged a complaint with the East Ramanathapuram all-women police station on December 13, stating that her daughter was missing since December 11. The woman, who is separated from her husband for the past eight years, was living with her mother and two daughters aged 17 and 14. The woman in her complaint said that after she, her mother and her elder daughter went to work, her younger daughter was alone at home and when she returned home by 4 p.m., the girl was missing and her cellphone was switched off. When the police launched an investigation on Thursday, they found the decomposed body of the girl with her hands and feet tied and a rope around her neck. The investigation revealed that, Muthukumar, who had borrowed 2.5 sovereigns of gold from the teen's mother, had reportedly called the girl to his house under the pretext of returning the gold. He then sexually assaulted her and killed her. Ramanathapuram all-women police, in a statement, said that Muthukumar later entered the girl's house, stole 1.75 sovereigns of gold and decamped with it. According to the Deputy Commission of Police, E.S. Uma, he confessed the crime and said that he had broke into the house and stole 1.75 sovereigns of gold to convince the mother that the victim took the gold and eloped with someone. Muthukumar was produced before the Judicial magistrate court and remanded to custody. --IANS aal/sks/ksk/ ( 290 Words) 2021-12-18-10:15:16 (IANS)
The arrested were identified as Lalit Pal, a resident of Rajiv Nagar in Begumpur and Shahjahan from Bihar's Darbhanga. They were currently living in Narela.

Last night, acting on a tip-off that two people are involved in illegal cattle slaughtering, police rushed to the spot. However, on seeing the police, they tried to flee and fired at the police team. In the retaliatory firing, Shahjahan was hit by a bullet on the leg, police said.

According to police, he was running a dairy for the past eight years and under its guise ran an illegal slaughtering business. Lalit Pal also got involved in the illegal activity with Shahjahan.

Both the people would see spot stray cattle during the day and at night sedate them inject them with some injections and put them in a vehicle and take them away.

Few injections, a knife, a pistol, 2 live cartridges, and empty shells along with a tied animal were found when they have been apprehended.

Shahjahan was earlier arrested in similar cases in Alipur police station in 2015 and Kotwali police station in 2016 where he had an encounter with the police.

Further investigation is on, police said.

--IANS jw/shb/

( 237 Words)

2021-12-18-11:06:26 (IANS)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday emphasized that with the current reforms undertaken by the Centre, the size of the Indian defence and aerospace sector is likely to reach Rs 5 lakh crore by 2047 from the current 85,000 crore. Singh added that the private sector plays a huge role in achieving this goal. Addressing the FICCI's Annual Convention and 94th annual general meeting on the theme 'India Beyond 75', Singh said that to promote the domestic companies under Atmanirbhar Bharat, the government is working to expand the Positive Indigenization List of 208 items to 1,000 items. "In this decade, we will increase the items under the Positive list for Indigenization from current 209 to over 1000. The government now looks at the private industry as their partners and in fulfilling the objective of attaining Atmanirbhar Raksha Utpadan," he stressed. Assuring the industry of full government support, the defence minister said that the role of the government is that of a facilitator. "Government is committed to increasing the budget outlay for defence procurement from Indian industry," he noted. Singh further stressed that going forward, India will focus on manufacturing defence equipment and platforms within India. Inviting global companies to invest in India's defence and aerospace, he said, "Come Make in India, come make for India, come make for the world." Highlighting the initiatives taken by the government to increase private sector participation and global companies, the Defence Minister said, "The Indian defence industry has realized that the opportune time has come for its take-off to higher trajectories. Corporatization of OFB is probably the biggest reform in defence production sector since independence." Speaking on the occasion, FICCI President Uday Shankar said that Indian defence export has increased by 325 per cent in the last five years, making India one of the major global suppliers of defence equipment. "India is now not just importing from, but working with its major defence partners including Israel, Russia, South Korea, USA etc, in the co-development and co-production projects in cutting edge technologies," he added. Sanjiv Mehta, President-Elect, FICCI said that the provision of the 'Make' category of capital acquisition in Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) is a vital pillar for realizing the vision behind the 'Make in India' initiative of the government. "It enables fostering indigenous capabilities through design and development by both public and private sector in a faster time frame," he added. (ANI)
Taking a veiled dig at Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday raised questions over the alleged scams involving crores of money in cooperative banks of Maharashtra. Shah today attended Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Literary Award distribution programme and Cooperation Council Conference in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar. Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said, "I have not come to make political remarks here. Just want to tell workers of the Cooperative movement that the Centre is with them. But simultaneously, we need to increase efficiency, bring in professional students and give them command." "We need to free the cooperative movement of shortcomings. There was a time when district cooperative banks of Maharashtra were looked up to, but today there are only three left. How did scams involving crores of money happen? Did RBI do it? No RBI didn't do it," he added. Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Maharashtra starting today, will attend various public events in Pune on December 19. (ANI)
Following income tax department raid on Samajwadi Party functionary Rajeev Rai's premises, the aide of party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said that the action was taken against him as the central government did not like him helping people. Reacting to the raid on his premises in Mau, the national spokesperson of the Samajwadi Party said: "I have no criminal background or black money. I help people and the BJP Government did not like it. This is a result of that." "If you do anything, they will make a video recording, register an FIR and you will fight a case unnecessarily," Rai said. According to IT department sources, several raids were conducted at various places in Uttar Pradesh. The premises of RCL Group promoter Manoj Yadav in Mainpuri and that of another close aide of Akhilesh Yadav, Jainendra Yadav, in Lucknow was also searched earlier today. (ANI)
The bag used by DRDO scientist Bharat Bhusan Kataria to carry explosives to Delhi's Rohini court, where a low-intensity blast was reported earlier this month, helped Delhi Police nab him. Kataria has been booked for allegedly planting a low-intensity bomb inside a courtroom at Rohini Court Complex. According to the initial investigation, accused DRDO scientist Bharat Bhusan Kataria, who was arrested on December 17, had protracted legal battles with Advocate Amit Vashisht, said Delhi Police Commissioner, Rakesh Asthana on Saturday. Speaking to the reporters here, Asthana said, "Delhi Police Special Cell's Northern Range was conducting the investigation with additional help from two specialised units. In order to zero down, we identified the cars that had entered on 9th December inside the court complex. Around 100 CCTV cameras were analysed and suspicious movements were zeroed down CCTVs of nearby residents inside and outside the complex. To corroborate the suspicious movements we also analysed local residents." The commissioner further told the media that CCTV footage of 1000 hours was analysed. Talking about the timeline of the incident that took place earlier this month, Asthana said that the scientist had taken a different route into the courtroom to deceive the security mechanism. "According to the CCTV footage analysed by Delhi Police, it was seen that the scientist had got two bags and in order to deceive the security mechanism he took a different route and placed one bag inside the courtroom. His entry was at 9:33 am and after the blast, he left the courtroom at 10:35 am, he said. Talking more about the investigation, the police commissioner said that the logo of the bag used by the scientist helped in nabbing him. "The bag in which the bomb was brought inside had a particular logo. Delhi Police reached out to the manufacturer of the bag which is a Mumbai-based company. The bag used was last manufactured in 2006. However, the company still exists. After accessing the stock list, police was able to zero in on the accused," he said. Asthana informed that the FSL and NSG teams had examined the crime spot and concluded that the materials used in the explosive were easily available. "FSL and NSG teams had examined the crime spot and it was seen that the materials used to make the IED are easily available. The anti-theft mechanisms in two-wheelers were used to make the remote control. However, the explosives hadn't blasted due to which it was a low-intensity blast. Sharp nails and other materials used couldn't trigger. When Delhi Police arrested Bharat Bhushan Kataria, sharp nails were recovered from his house," he said. A low-intensity explosion in a laptop bag took place at the Rohini court complex on December 9. No causality was reported in the incident. However, a court staff sustained minor injuries and was admitted to a hospital. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also participated in the 'yatra'.

Addressing a public gathering, Nadda said, "We have seen a new story of development in Uttarakhand. Earlier, when a passenger used to come to Uttarakhand, he used to get the one signal - one-way traffic. Now all roads are open 24 hours in BJP government."

"The enthusiasm and euphoria that I see in Uttarakhand show that the people of Uttarakhand have made up their mind to bless the BJP again," Nadda said.

Uttarakhand Assembly elections are scheduled for next year. In the 2017 Uttarakhand Assembly elections, BJP won 57 seats, Congress won 11 seats and two seats were won by others. (ANI)
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash on Saturday said that the alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Punjab Lok Congress for forthcoming Punjab assembly polls is beneficial for both parties and expressed confidence of the alliance winning the election. He said the BJP will fight the polls in the state with full enthusiasm. The union minister, who is MP from Hoshairpur, said that there will be seat sharing talks with Punjab Lok Congress, the new party floated by former state chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh after his resignation from Congress. "It is a good alliance which is going to be beneficial for both parties. When someone fights elections, he fights to win. We are the largest party in the country and we will fight the election with complete enthusiasm. We will talk about seat-sharing, on which seat they have to fight and on which seat we have to," Som Parkash told ANI. The minister said Capt Amarinder Singh talks about "nationalism and nation" and people respect him. "He (Capt Amarinder Singh) had said that they should have an alliance with the BJP and he met Union Minister Shekhawat yesterday and decided that we would fight the election together. We have been holding talks with him for quite some time. He met Union Home Minister Amit Shah as well. Now as the election has come near, matters have been concluded," Som Parkash said. Asked about Amarinder Singh floating the party months before the polls, Som Prakash said "the Congress did not respect him". "The people of Punjab have seen that Congress did not respect him. Later on, he made his own party. He is a big name in Punjab. He has been the chief minister for so long. People respect him. Punjab is a border state and security of the borders should always be the priority. The Punjab government does not talk about it," Som Parkash, a former IAS officer, said. He also referred to farmers ending their protest on borders of Delhi after Centre's decision to repeal three farm laws and also Gurnam Singh Chaduni, a member of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, deciding to float a political front in the run up to the Punjab polls. "Since the farmers' protest has ended, we expect that we will see some positive results in the elections. The farmer brothers have gone back to their work. Some people want to fight the election. We have heard that Gurnam Singh Chaduni has said that some people want to fight elections. Whosoever wants to fight the election, they should. Everyone should get the opportunity," Som Parkash said. Shekhawat had said after his meeting with Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday that the BJP and Punjab Lok Congress will fight the assembly polls together. (ANI)
Hours after the Sangolli Rayanna statue in Karnataka was vandalized by miscreants, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday asserted that he will not allow anyone to take law in their hands. Addressing the reporters over the matter, Bommai said, "Responsible people shouldn't provoke anybody. Shivaji Maharaj, Sangolli Rayanna and Rani Chennamma united the country. If we start fighting in their name, it will be an injustice to the fight by them." "The responsible people should not provoke others for violence and take law and order into their hands. As far as Karnataka is concerned, we will not allow anybody to take the law into their hands," the Chief Minister said. As many as 27 people have been arrested for allegedly attacking the Sangolli Rayanna statue in the Belagavi district of Karnataka, informed the police on Friday. "27 arrested in 3 police station limits in Belagavi for attacking the Sangolli Rayanna statue," said K Tyagarajan, commissioner of police, Belagavi. Tension erupted in Belagavi after a purported video that showed some people pouring black ink on the face of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Sankey Tank Road in Bengaluru went viral.Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) followers gathered in Belagavi and protested against the Karnataka government at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Chowk. The miscreants smashed around 26 vehicles of the Karnataka government and police at Belagavi. The protestors alleged that Kannada goons have defaced a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bangalore. "The insult on Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bengaluru is an insult to Hindu society as well. Shivaji maharaja has dedicated His life to Hindu samaj. Act of Some miscreants insulting the statue of Shivaji maharaja is highly condemnable," said Abhay Patil, MLA Belagavi constituency. "I request the chief minister as well as Home Minister to take appropriate action against the culprits behind the incident. The incident is an insult to the nation. I request the Chief Minister and Home Minister to take proper action against the culprits behind it and make sure this kind of incident will not occur again," he added. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Home minister said, "Strict action will be taken against anyone who indulged in such incidents. No one will be spared. I condemn the incident in which miscreants damaged the statue of Sangolli Rayanna, a legendary hero of the state. Sangolli Rayanna and Shivaji Maharaj, they are the pride of all of us. Every citizen is a proud and proud Indian son because of such personality." "In their name, some mischief, misconduct, and degrading linguistic and fraternal affiliation is an inexorable offense. I have received information on this, and have already filed an FIR related to the Bangalore and Belgavi incident and some have been detained. I urge the people of the state to cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony," he said. (ANI)
Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President and Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said that the state's 19 per cent Muslim population need their own political leadership "to stop tortures and discrimination against them". Addressing a public rally in Meerut, Owaisi said, "I am here to appeal to all of you that Uttar Pradesh's 19 per cent Muslims need their own political strength, leadership and participation, to get respect, education for our youth and to stop tortures and discrimination. When will Muslims wake up?" Further hitting out at the Centre for protecting Union Minister of State Ajay Mishra Teni, the AIMIM chief said, "MoS Teni conspired and as a result, his son killed four farmers. But PM Modi does not remove Teni because he does not want to upset the Brahmin society of Uttar Pradesh." Notably, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur violence case on Tuesday termed the incident that led to the death of eight people as "a pre-planned conspiracy". The minister and his son Ashish have denied the charges. However, Ashish Mishra and several others have been booked for murder. The AIMIM chief also slammed the Central government over its decision to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21. "Now the Centre has raised the legal age of marriage for women to 21. As per law, you can maintain sexual relations with a woman at the age of 18, but cannot marry her at 18 years of age? What is PM Modi's problem with marriage," he said. "Now BJP will say Owaisi and Muslims do not talk for the benefit of women. Modi Ji, when did you become our uncle? 'Uncles' just sit around and ask questions, now, the 'uncle' is saying don't marry," he added. Earlier on Wednesday, the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to raise the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21. The government is likely to propose a bill in Parliament during the ongoing winter session. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls are scheduled for early next year. In the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 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. The rest of the seats were bagged by other candidates. (ANI)
Disruptions in the Parliament Houses are aberrations in democracy and freedom of media is indispensable for the successful functioning of democracy, said Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh on Saturday here in Parliament premises. The Deputy Chairman said that media is a vital interface between the Parliament and the people of the country while inaugurating a two-day sensitization programme for media persons covering parliamentary proceedings. Addressing the programme that was attended by over 40 journalists from various print and electronic media organisations, Harivansh stated that the media is the fourth pillar of democracy which has an important role in strengthening the democratic institutions and processes. He described media as a vital interface between the Parliament and the People of the country and stated that both the Parliament and the media complement each other and both cannot function effectively without each other in a democracy. While recognizing the importance of information technology revolution, Harivansh stated that print, electronic, digital and social media and FM Radio have a wider reach and helped in bringing political debates closer to the people that augur well for promoting participatory democracy. Quoting the former Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Late Krishan Kant's views on the Parliament and media, Harivansh stated that the functions of media are to entertain, inform and educate. The Deputy Speaker stated that former Chairman of Rajya Sabha Late Krishan Kant described the relationship between Parliament and the media in the context of Mahabharata and Gita where Parliament was called Dharmakshetra. He considered Sanjay and Babhruvahan, the famous characters of the 'Mahabharat' together as performing the role of media. Harivansh termed disruptions in the House as aberrations in democracy affecting the credibility and dignity of legislative institutions. He said that media has every right to highlight these challenges of democratic institutions, and added that serious and constructive discussions of members should also get space in media. Harivansh said that it is very important to highlight the issues of public importance raised in the House, important recommendations made by Parliamentary Committees and constructive work done by Members of Parliament to sustain public trust and confidence. He stated that Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu emphasized the need for effective use of precious Parliamentary time to increase the productivity of the House and to restore public trust in Parliamentary institutions. Harivansh asserted that freedom is never absolute and freedom of speech and expression is subject to reasonable restrictions. He said that protection has been provided to the press and media under article 361A of the Constitution of India and the Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication Act, 1977) to publish substantially two reports of the proceedings of Parliament unless the publication is proved to have been made with malice. "Despite these constitutional and legal provisions, the Parliament and the Press sometimes come into conflict with each other in an attempt to defend their independence." He later stressed the need to strike the right balance between these two institutions. The Deputy Chairman mentioned that while reporting the proceedings of the House, it is necessary to understand the procedural dynamics along with the procedure, precedents and practices and stressed the need for objective and unbiased reporting on what takes place on the floor of the House with utmost care and restraint in a correct perspective. Harivansh also emphasized the need for proper coverage of the Committee Reports and added that Parliamentary Committees function in a nonpartisan manner and examine schemes and budgets of the Government. "But the Committee reports get less media coverage," he said. Speaking on the reporting of budgets, Harivansh said that media makes extensive coverage of budget, however, there is relatively less reporting on its expenditure part. Therefore, the Deputy Chairman urged media to make comprehensive coverage of the budget expenditure. Harivansh further noted that the media should focus not only on the outcome of the Bills but also on debates where members express diverse views. He further stated that answers to the questions asked by Members in the Parliament contain valuable information in not only making citizens more aware of the policies of the Government but can also empower journalists for their work. On this occasion, P. C. Mody, Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha while delivering a welcome address said that media plays a major role in bringing Parliament closer to the people by reporting on the activities of Parliament. He added that Parliament and media are two important pillars of modern democracy and both perform important roles and responsibilities in strengthening the Parliamentary system of governance. (ANI)
The Central government has constituted a Delimitation Commission headed by Justice (Retd.) Ranjana Prakash Desai for the purpose of delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier in Lok Sabha, the Minister of State (MoS) for Home Nityanand Rai informed that the delimitation of constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir will be completed as soon as possible adding that the commission held extensive consultation with various stakeholders in the Union Territory.

He said that the Commission has held extensive consultation with various stakeholders like State Election Commissioner of UT of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Secretary, Registrar General of India, Surveyor General of India, District Election Officers of all 20 districts. (ANI)
From waiving off loans for all farmers and providing jobs for 20 lakh youth, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday made several promises to the people of Uttar Pradesh if her party was voted to power in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Addressing a rally here, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Congress will waive off loans for all farmers and small businessmen, half the electricity bills, give employment to 20 lakh youth and Rs 25,000 to all the families who suffered due to COVID-19." "In case of disease, the government will provide healthcare of Rs 10,000. To politically empower women, 40 per cent tickets will be given to them. Girl students will get smartphones and scooty to empower them and for their security," she said adding the present government has led people astray. In presence of her brother and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi also hit out at the BJP government and said that they have been "spreading a web of lies" ever since they formed the government both at the Centre and the state. Amethi had been a Congress bastion and Rahul Gandhi had represented Amethi for 15 years in Lok Sabha before he was defeated from the constituency in the year 2019. He won from Wayanad in Kerala from where he had simultaneously contested from. The visit of the Congress leaders to Amethi comes ahead of Assembly polls in the state slated to be held early next year. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday heaped praises on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and coined a new slogan "UP plus Yogi bahut hai upyogi (UP plus Yogi is very useful)". Addressing the people on the foundation stone laying of Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, PM Modi said, "Today, the people of entire Uttar Pradesh are saying - UP plus Yogi, bahut hai upyogi (it is very useful). UP plus Yogi, bahut hai Upyogi'." "You are well aware of what was the law and order situation in western UP before the government was formed under the leadership of Yogi ji," he said. Slamming the Opposition parties in the state, PM Modi said, "These people have a problem with the cleanliness campaign of Ganga ji. It is these people who question the army's action against the masters of terror. These are the people who put the Made in India corona vaccine made by Indian scientists in the dock." "We have had some political parties here who have problems with the heritage of the country and also with the development of the country. Problem with the heritage of the country is because they worry more about their vote bank. Problem with the development of the country is because the dependence of the poor and common human beings on them is decreasing day by day," PM Modi said. Lauding the efforts of the 'double-engine' government here, the Prime Minister said, "You remember the condition of five years ago. Except in some areas of the state, electricity was not available in other cities and villages. The government of double engine has not only given about 80 lakh free electricity connections in UP, but every district is being given much more electricity than before." Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Ganga Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur on Saturday. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya were also present at the inauguration event. According to Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the inspiration behind the expressway is the vision of the Prime Minister to provide fast-paced connectivity across the country.The 594-kilometre long six-lane expressway will be built at a cost of over Rs 36,200 crore. Starting near the Bijauli village in Meerut, the expressway will extend till near the Judapur Dandu village in Prayagraj. It will pass through Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Budaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj.Upon completion of work, it will become the longest expressway of Uttar Pradesh, connecting the western and eastern regions of the state. A 3.5-kilometre long air-strip for assisting emergency take-off and landing of Air Force planes will also be constructed on the expressway in Shahjahanpur. An industrial corridor is also proposed to be built along the expressway. The expressway will also give a fillip to multiple sectors including industrial development, trade, agriculture, tourism etc. It will provide a big boost to the socio-economic development of the region. The Ganga Expressway was approved on November 26, 2020. This expressway will be completed by 2024. Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are slated for early next year. (ANI)
Day after the Supreme Court stayed probe by West Bengal government into the Pegasus matter, BJP said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wants to spread 'jungle raj' by not trusting constitutional institutions. Speaking to ANI today, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, "It seems that every time, Mamata Banerjee wants to spread jungle raj by breaching the dignity and not trusting the constitutional institutions." "As everyone knows, Supreme Court is looking into the Pegasus matter. When the matter was being heard in the Supreme Court, it was recommended by the government to constitute a special committee and accepting this recommendation, the Supreme Court made a decision. A special committee was formed that is investigating the entire matter and will give its report on all aspects. But, Mamata didi chooses to violate the privacy of the proceedings of the Court," Bhatia said. "Special committee is constituted by the Supreme Court. Does she not have faith?" Bhatia asked. The BJP spokesperson said this committee of Banerjee can write the report by using her pen. "Banerjee does this time and again. If you insult the Supreme Court, then the people of India will not tolerate it. You repeatedly accuse constitutional institutions of making unwarranted allegations. This time, you have shown that you do not have faith in the Supreme Court. It is strongly condemned by BJP," he added. The Supreme Court on Friday restrained the two-member Inquiry Commission headed by former top court judge Justice Madan B Lokur, constituted by the State of West Bengal to investigate into allegation relating to Pegasus Spyware snooping case. A Bench of Chief Justice of India NV, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli while putting a stay on all the proceedings of the Commission also issued notices to the Commission. The matter was listed today after the petitioner NGO "Global Village Foundation Charitable Trust" told the Bench that the Commission set up by the West Bengal was going ahead with the probe even when the apex court has constituted an independent expert committee to examine the Pegasus allegations. At the outset, the CJI asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for the West Bengal government, "Mr Singhvi, what is this? Last time you gave the undertaking (that Commission will not go ahead with its probe). Again you started the inquiry?" Singhvi replied that he had conveyed the need for restraint to the Commission and state government cannot control the Commission. To this, the Bench ordered, "We understand the state's predicament. Issue notice to all parties. We stay proceedings." Earlier, the apex court was assured by the West Bengal government that the Commission will not go ahead with the inquiry. On October 27, the Supreme Court had constituted an independent committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice RV Raveendran to probe into the Pegasus allegations. (ANI)
Section 144 CrPC has been imposed in Belagavi for two days beginning Sunday morning following protests after reports of vandalisation of statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji and freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna. "In the wake of protests after the desecration of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Sangolli Rayanna statues last night, a prohibitory order has been extended under Sec 144 CRPC from 6 AM on December 19 to 6 AM on December 20 in Belagavi," Dr K. Thiyagarajan, Police Commissioner said today. "A few people gathered at Sambhaji Circle last night, demanding strict action on the desecration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Bengaluru, on Friday. We assured an investigation but they attacked police officials, vandalized private and government vehicles," said Belagavi DCP Vikram Amte. "Later another case was registered when the Sangolli Rayanna statue was vandalised last night. After the investigation, we have arrested a total of 27 people till now in both cases," said Belagavi DCP Vikram Amte. Tension erupted in Belagavi after a purported video that showed some people pouring black ink on statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Sankey Tank Road in Bengaluru went viral. Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) followers gathered in Belagavi and protested against the Karnataka government at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Chowk. The miscreants smashed around 26 vehicles of the Karnataka government and police at Belagavi. The protestors alleged that Kannada goons have defaced a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bangalore. "The insult on Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bengaluru is an insult to Hindu society as well. Shivaji maharaja has dedicated His life to Hindu samaj. Act of Some miscreants insulting the statue of Shivaji maharaja is highly condemnable," said Abhay Patil, MLA Belagavi constituency. "I request the chief minister as well as Home Minister to take appropriate action against the culprits behind the incident. The incident is an insult to the nation. I request the Chief Minister and Home Minister to take proper action against the culprits behind it and make sure this kind of incident will not occur again," he added. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Home minister said, "Strict action will be taken against anyone who indulged in such incidents, no one will be spared," said Araga Jnanendra". "I condemn the incident in which miscreants damaged the statue of Sangolli Rayanna, a legendary hero of the state," he said. "Sangolli Rayanna and Shivaji Maharaj, they are the pride of all of us. Every citizen is a proud and proud Indian son because of such personality," he stated. "In their name, some mischief, misconduct, and degrading linguistic and fraternal affiliation is an inexorable offense," he further stated. "I have received information on this, and have already filed an FIR related to the Bangalore and Belgavi incident and some have been detained. I urge the people of the state to cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony," he said. (ANI)
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sardar Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday expressed shock over the alleged attempt to commit sacrilege at Golden Temple in Amritsar and said there clearly is a "deep-rooted conspiracy" behind it. In a statement here, Badal said that it is impossible to believe that this could be the act of just one person. "There clearly is a deep-rooted conspiracy behind it. Never since the Mughals, the Masands and the Operation Bluestar has the sanctity of Harmandar Sahib been made the target of such outrage. This is beyond belief," he said. The SAD leader said that today's development has left the entire Sikh population in a state of shock. He said that there seems a "conspiracy to inflict wounds of Sikh minds and to disturb peace and communal harmony" in the state. Badal came down heavily against the state government saying that there were strong indications of such a conspiracy being weaved. "Only the other day, there was a shocking incident of gutka sahib being thrown in the holy sarovar. After that, the state agencies could not have been unaware of a deep rooted conspiracy that led to today's shocking sequent of events. But no one did anything nor took any steps to prevent such a heinous crime from happening. What are the intelligence agencies doing?" asked Badal. The former Deputy CM said that there clearly is a "deep-rooted conspiracy" going on and those at the helm have a lot to answer for this. A man was beaten to death in an altercation by angry devotees after he allegedly attempted to commit sacrilege at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, police said on Saturday. The incident took place during evening prayers today when the man jumped over the metal railing around the Guru Granth Sahib and allegedly attempted to desecrate the Holy Book of the Sikhs with a sword. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) of Amritsar City, Parminder Singh Bhandal told ANI: "Today, one 24-25-year-old man barged inside Golden Temple where the holy book (Guru Granth Sahib) is kept. He tried desecrating it with a sword and was escorted out by the Sangat people. He later died in an altercation." The man was later declared dead by officials. (ANI)
Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that the government is keen to make the country self-reliant in terms of defence equipment and is urging countries to come here and 'make for India' and and 'make for world'. Addressing the 94th Annual General Body meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) today, Singh said that India wants to produce its defence equipment within the country and is keen that friendly countries like the US, Russia and France use India as the base for their manufacturing units. "Most of the countries in the world are friends with India. The US, Russia came here and yesterday only, the Defense Minister of France met me here. We told every friendly country that keeping in mind the nation's security, we want to make India's defence materials within the country now," he said. "We are saying this to every country in the world: 'Come Make In India', 'Come Make for India' and 'Come Make for the world'," he added. The Defence Minister said that India and Russia inked a deal for the production of six lakh AK-203 assault rifles in Amethi. This project worth more than Rs 5,000 crore is going to be completed with the help of Russia, he said. "The countries in the world are understanding our point. Many foreign companies want to come here and manufacture defence equipment. We have also made the path easier for them. FDI in the defence sector has been increased to 74 per cent under automatic route and 100 per cent under government route." "Under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign, we are prioritizing defence equipment made in India over foreign goods. We have prepared a 'Positive Indesignation List' of 209 such defence equipment, which will not be imported after the prescribed limit," he said. The Union Minister further said that if the Defence Minister of a country is positive about defence production, then it is 'good news' for every Indian company working in the defence sector. "This is a golden opportunity that the industry should take advantage of." "You people are well aware that the timeline of most of the projects in the defence sector is not in months but in years. There are some projects which even take decades. One of the good things that our government has done is that we have succeeded in reducing the timeline of all types of projects to some extent. Not only this, but we have also successfully completed the unfinished projects of the previous governments," he added. The Defence Minister also emphasized that with the reforms undertaken by the Centre, the size of the Indian defence and aerospace sector is likely to reach Rs 5 lakh crore by 2047 from the current Rs 85,000 crores, adding that the private sector plays a huge role in achieving this goal. (ANI)
While opposing Portugal and US led motion on Goa in the UN Security Council, India's representative had said that the "elimination of the last vestiges of colonialism in India" was an "article of faith" for the Indian people, "Charter or no Charter, security Council or no security Council." While paying tribute to the British and US efforts to persuade India to refrain from military action, Portugal dictator Antonio Salazar said that both Powers had "suffered a defeat at the gates of Goa." While the US was staunchly opposed to the Liberation of Goa, the USSR resolutely backed India on the Goa issue. As per Keesing's Record of World Events, President Leonid Brezhnev, who was on a State visit to India at the time of the Goa crisis, said in Bombay on December 18 that the USSR had "complete sympathy for the Indian people's desire to liberate Goa, Daman, and Diu from Portuguese colonialism." USSR leader Nikita Khrushchev sent a telegram to Jawaharlal Nehru saying that "the resolute actions of the Government of India to do away with outposts of colonialism in its territory were absolutely lawful and justified," and declaring that the Soviet people "unanimously approve of these actions". Similar expressions of unreserved support for India were made by governmental leaders in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, and Eastern Germany, as per Keesing's. The then State Department spokesman Lincoln White said on December 18 that Dean Rusk had informed the Indian Ambassador in Washington, B.K. Nehru that the US "deeply regrets the use of force" by India in her dispute with Portugal. A strong criticism of the Indian action was made by Adlai Stevenson in the UN. The Portuguese request for a security Council debate was approved by the Council by the bare minimum of seven votes after Dr Loutfi, as current president of the Council, had expressed his own country's reservations about the Portuguese charges; Zorin of the USSR opposed a debate on the ground that the matter was "exclusively within the domestic jurisdiction" of India and that Goa, Daman, and Diu could not be considered as "other than provisionally under the colonial control of Portugal." As per Keesing's, on a vote, seven members supported Portugal's request for a debate (the US, Great Britain, France, Turkey, Chile, Ecuador, and Nationalist China), two opposed (the Soviet Union and Ceylon), and two abstained (the UAR and Liberia). Dr Loutfi thereupon invited the Portuguese and Indian representatives (Dr Vieira Garin and C.S. Jha) to state their countries' ease, without a vote. Jha said that the "elimination of the last vestiges of colonialism in India" was an "article of faith" for the Indian people, "Charter or no Charter, security Council or no security Council." Describing Goa, Daman, and Diu as "an inalienable part of India unlawfully occupied by Portugal," he accused the latter country of having "rudely rejected" all previous Indian attempts for a settlement; asserted that Portugal "would not have been able to take such an arrogant stand on this question but for the support rendered by the NATO countries"; and described as a "legal fiction" the Portuguese contention that her possessions in India were part of metropolitan Portugal. The principal speakers in the ensuing debate were Adlai Stevenson of the US, who strongly criticized India's resort to force in her dispute with Portugal, and Zorin of the USSR, who defended India's action, as per Keesing's records. Stevenson said, "Here we are confronted by the shocking news that the Indian Minister of Defence [Krishna Menan], so well known in these halls for his advice on peace and his tireless enjoinders to everyone else to seek the way of compromise, was on the borders of Goa inspecting his troops at the zero hour of invasion." "Let us be perfectly clear what is at stake. It is the question of the use of armed force by one State against another -- an act clearly forbidden by the Charter. We [the US) have opposed such action in the past by our closest friends as well as by others. We opposed it in Korea in 1950, in Suez and Hungary in 1956, and in the Congo in 1950. We do so again in Goa in 1961...", Keesing's records show. "We realize fully the depths of the differences between India and Portugal concerning the future of Goa. We realize that India maintains that Goa by rights should belong to India. Doubtless India would hold, therefore, that its action is aimed at a just end; But if our Charter means anything, it means that States are obligated to renounce the use of force, to seek a solution of their differences by peaceful means, to utilize the procedures of the UN when other peaceful means have failed", he added. "Prime Minister Nehru himself has often said that no right end can be served by a wrong means. The Indian tradition of non-violence has inspired the whole world, but this act of force mocks the faith of India's frequent declarations of exalted principle. It is a lamentable departure not only from the Charter but from India's own professions of faith", Stevenson said. The US representative said, "This action is all the more painful to my country because we have in recent weeks made repeated appeals to India to refrain from the use of force. This has included not only a series of diplomatic approaches in Washington and New Delhi but also a personal message from President Kennedy to Prime Minister Nehru on December 13 indicating our earnest hope that India would not resort to force to solve the Goa problem. As a culmination of these efforts, the US Government on December 16 made an appeal to Prime Minister Nehru, both through the US Ambassador in Delhi and through the Indian Ambassador in Washington, to suspend preparations for the use of force in connection with a direct offer of US help in seeking a peaceful solution to the problem". Zorin maintained that the Goan question was wholly within India's domestic jurisdiction and could not be considered by the security Council. If discussion was necessary, however, the subject of discussion should be "the question of the violation by Portugal of the declaration on granting independence to colonial countries and peoples" [i.e. the anti-colonialist resolution adopted at the 15th Assembly session.] Zorin said as soon, however, as "the question comes up of supporting the liberation from colonial dependence of peoples and territories which constitute an integral part of India, high-falutin pronouncements are immediately made of violations of the UN Charter...", Keesing's records show. After asserting that the US and Great Britain "are, acting in solidarity with their NATO ally -- the colonial Power of Portugal," Zorin expressed the Soviet Union's "solidarity with the people of India and Goa in their fight for liberation from Portuguese colonial domination." In a speech to the Portuguese National Assembly on January 3, 1962, Dr Salazar said that the security Council's failure to halt a clear case of aggression against a small country, due to the Soviet veto, showed that effective power in the UN had passed to the Communist and AfroAsian countries; the Indian representative's statement that his country would persist in its policy, "Charter or no Charter, security Council or no security Council," constituted such a challenge to the United Nations that it would have been "better to consider it defunct on the spot." While he did not yet know whether Portugal would be the first country to leave the UN, she would "surely be among the first"; meanwhile, Portugal would refuse all collaboration with the UN "in everything that is not in our direct interest", Keesing's Records said. While paying tribute to the British and US efforts to persuade India to refrain from military action, Dr Salazar said that both Powers had "suffered a defeat at the gates of Goa." As regards the Anglo-Portuguese alliance, Portugal would re-examine it to see if any "positive content" remained. In the course of his speech he accused Britain of delaying for a week her reply to Portugal's request to be allowed the use of certain airfields; "had it not been for this delay," he said, "we should certainly have found alternative routes and we could have rushed to India reinforcements in men and material for a sustained defence of the territory." Dr Salazar's allegation that the British Government had delayed overflights by Portuguese aircraft to Goa was denied by the British Foreign Office, Keesing's records show. (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in) --IANS san/skp/ ( 1431 Words) 2021-12-18-17:14:45 (IANS)
International reaction to India's annexation of Goa, hitherto a colony of Portugal, was at best mixed; indeed, quite hostile in western countries when it happened 60 years ago. Keesing's Record of World Events, reveals the Portuguese delegate at the United Nations Dr Vasco Vieira Garin on December 18 requested an immediate meeting of the Security Council. He described Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's move as "the result of cold-blooded premeditation" and "a clear and flagrant violation of the sovereign rights of Portugal and of the UN Charter". In a letter to the president of the council, Dr Omar Loutfi of the United Arab Republic (a political union between Egypt and Syria, dissolved in 1961), Dr Vieira Garin said India had launched "a full-scale unprovoked armed attack on the territories of Goa, Daman and Diu, comprising the Portuguese State of India". Portugal sought the council meeting "to put a stop to the condemnable act of aggression by the Indian union" and to "order a ceasefire and withdrawal forthwith from the Portuguese territories of Goa, Daman and Diu of the invading forces of the Indian Union". Dr Loutfi expressed his country's reservations about the Portuguese charges; but a council debate was approved by majority vote among the members. The Soviet Union opposed the debate on the grounds that the matter was "exclusively within the domestic jurisdiction" of India and the territories concerned could not be considered to be anything "other than provisionally under the colonial control of Portugal". The United States, Britain, France, Turkey, Chile, Ecuador and Taiwan (then a permanent member of the UNSC), however, supported a debate. Other than the Soviet Union, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) opposed the request, while the UAR and Liberia abstained. The debate was held without a vote. The Indian Representative at the UN, C.S. Jha, when asked to state his country's case, said the "elimination of the last vestiges of colonialism in India" was an "article of faith" for the Indian people. He described Goa, Daman and Diu as "an inalienable part of India unlawfully occupied by Portugal". He cited that Lisbon had "rudely rejected" all previous Indian attempts at a settlement. The US, Britain, France and Turkey then moved a four-point resolution against India. Seven UNSC members voted in favour, four against. But the motion was defeated by a Soviet veto. President Leonid Brezhnev was, in fact, on a state visit to India when the Indian takeover took place. He asserted in Mumbai that the Soviet Union had "complete sympathy for the Indian people's desire to liberate Goa, Daman and Diu from Portuguese colonialism". Soviet premier, Nikita Krushchev cabled Nehru to say "the resolute actions of the Government of India to do away with outposts of colonialism in its territory were absolutely lawful and justified". Non-aligned countries like Yugoslavia, Indonesia, Ghana, Morocco, Tunisia endorsed India's move, as did the Afro-Asian bloc in general, other than Pakistan, which called it "naked militarism". West Germany, Australia and New Zealand fell in line with the West. On 3 January 1962, Dr Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, prime minister of Portugal, told the Portuguese National Assembly: "Since we do not accept the validity of the fait accompli, the Goa question has not yet ended and we might truthfully say that it is just the beginning." Portugal continued to recognise parliamentarians elected to the National Assembly from Goa, Daman and Diu. They continued to be eligible for Portuguese citizenship. The upshot of this is Antonio Costa, who is of Goan origin, is today Portugal's prime minister. Salazar blamed Britain. "The very prudent British school of diplomacy has one special feature that I greatly admire," he sarcastically said, "which is, to make every effort, even in the gravest circumstances, to obtain concrete undertakings in exchange for vague promises." India's relations with Portugal remained tense for decades, until Lisbon's rhetoric and resistance gradually petered out. --IANS ashish/skp/ ( 662 Words) 2021-12-18-17:16:23 (IANS)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is in favour of complete ban on private cryptocurrencies in India, people in the know of the matter told ANI. RBI has conveyed its stance at the 592nd meeting of its Central Board of Directors held in Lucknow on Friday under the Chairmanship of Governor Shaktikanta Das. The board discussed various aspects relating to central Bank digital currency and private crypto currencies and reviewed the current domestic and global economic situation, evolving challenges and remedial measures. Sources told ANI that government is not likely to bring a bill on cryptocurrency in the ongoing winter session of the Parliament. A government source told that it was not discussed in the last cabinet meeting. The winter session of parliament is scheduled to end on December 23. A bill on cryptocurrency was among 26 new bills on the agenda of the government for the winter session. Vikash Ahuja, CEO of crypto exchange Crosstower told ANI that nearly 15 million Indian retail investors representing 1.8 per cent of the population have invested over $6.6 billion in crypto assets. "India has a huge potential to become a global leader in this technology. Being a digital first country, this innovative technology needs the framework," he said. "Crypto is a new, innovative technology but just a part of a bigger economical boost that blockchain offers for financial activities such as lending, payments, and distributing credit. It is the Web 3.0. and India should embrace this new technology. With the right policies, India is extremely well-positioned to allow the revolution in information technology to improve Indian citizens' quality of life, creating jobs and reinvigorating the economy," he added. He hoped that the proposed bill will allow innovation while providing for consumer protection. "With the government's plans to present a crypto regulation bill in the parliament's winter session, we look forward to it and hope to see a balanced approach - allowing innovation while at the same time balancing the need for consumer protection. We strongly believe Web 3.0 has the potential to drive $1.1 trillion of economic value for India by 2032. We see growth potential for the sector in 2022 as well. With the right policies and regulatory framework, we believe India can become a global leader in this technology," he said. Sanjiv Mehta, CMD, HUL said cryptocurrency is an issue which should be left to central bank to deal with. "RBI decides the monetary policy and it should be left on RBI to decide the future of cryptocurrency," he said.Uday Shankar, president, FICCI, said government is looking into the matter very seriously. "Government wants to check the misuse of the technology. At appropriate time government will take appropriate decision keeping all the aspects in mind," he said. (ANI)
The All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Islam, a prominent face of the Barelvi movement, said on Saturday that it has launched a 'Muttahida Hindustan' or 'One India' movement in the subcontinent, and will take it across the globe. Speaking at an event, Maulana Shahbuddin Razvi, national general secretary of All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Islam, said that they want India of old time like the way it was in 1658 AD. He was endorsed by other prominent Muslim persons on the dias. The Muslim body, which claims to be the prominent organisation of the Barelvi sect, is also working on social reforms of the community and trying to eradicate social evils from the Muslim society. The organisation's general secretary, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, told IANS, "India should attain Muttahida Hindustan (Akhand Bharat) status with the merger of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Burma, Tibet, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as it was in 1658 AD. And the organisation has initiated a movement at global level for this." He said if Germany can unite, why not the Indian subcontinent, especially given the common culture that exists in the region. "It will make India a strong country and we are trying to motivate people on this," he said. The Tanzeem agenda is similar to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as its chief Mohan Bhagwat had on November 26 said that the country had witnessed a major stumble at the time of Partition which cannot be forgotten, and thus will not be repeated again. Bhagwat has been advocating 'Akhand Bharat' at various events. He termed the Partition as an unforgettable event, and asserted that the pain of division will only end when the Partition would be revoked. Bhagwat had said that a conspiracy was hatched for the Partition of India, which continues even today. Partition reportedly took place for peace, but even after that, there were riots in the country, he had said. The Tanzeem is also working to eradicate social evils and has issued strong statements against dowry and spending of lavish money in weddings. It has appealed to the Muslims to vote in elections after thinking properly. It also said that as per Islamic law, the female heir should get her share in property. The Tanzeem believes that only Sufism is the response to terrorism, and it can only be defeated by promoting the Sufi culture and practice. --IANS miz/arm ( 403 Words) 2021-12-18-20:52:02 (IANS)
Speaking at a press conference, Chaduni said, "If opium farming is allowed, Punjab can progress a lot. Do not take this as a joke."

The farmer leader announced the launch of his new party, 'Sanyukt Sangharsh Party' here on Saturday.

He alleged that the policymakers are promoting capitalism, hence, he is forming a new party to help the common people and the poor.

"Farming business starting from sowing till the produce reaches consumers should be in farmers' hands," the farmer leader said.

He also said that his party will try to contest all 117-assembly seats in the state.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to contest Punjab Assembly elections in alliance with former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's party Punjab Lok Congress.

On November 2, former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh resigned from the Congress party and announced a new party Punjab Lok Congress ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

Punjab assembly polls will be held in 2022.

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. (ANI)
Police on Saturday busted a fake certificate racket with the arrest of two persons in the Basheerbagh area of Hyderabad and seized several fake educational certificates and other incriminating material from their possession. Based on credible information, sleuths of the Commissioner's Task Force, Central Zone Team, raided on consultancy namely "Cubez Overseas Education Services Private Limited" situated at 7th floor, Babukhan Estate, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad and busted fake educational certificates and documents racket who provides fake educational certificates of Intermediate, Degree, B.Tech and other fake documents to candidates. The accused are Syed Naveed alias Faisal, owner of the consultancy, and Syed Owais Ali, DTP Operator. "220 Fake Educational Certificates, Telangana University B. com Degree and 63 connected certificates. 130 Andhra University B.Tech and connected Certificates. 27 Intermediate Certificates of Maharashtra Board. Apart from certificate six computers, two HP Printer cum Scanner, four laptops, one entry register, three empty certificate papers bundles were recovered from their possession," said police. "The accused Syed Naveed is running a consultancy business styled as "Cubez Overseas Education Services Private Limited" and doing all types of online works, DTP work, Visa Processing, Certification works etc. As his business running in losses, he hatched a plan to prepare fake certificates and documents such as salary slips, medical fitness certificates, offer letters, reliving letters and collecting an amount of Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 from each candidate," said Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar. The police further said that Owais Ali was working as an agent for Syed Naveed. Both of them were sending candidates to various universities in US and UK and received their share of commission from the universities. He also prepares fake educational certificates for the private jobs who are working in Gulf countries in private sectors for their internal promotions. In this manner, he is illegally preparing the fake certificates and earning easy money. "The accused persons along with seized material were handed over to the SHO, Saifabad Police Station for taking necessary action," Kumar added. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
A total of 33 awards were presented to companies and academic and research institutions for their industrial innovations at the 27th DST CII Technology Summit 2021 on Friday. The 8th CII Industrial Innovation Awards 2021, conferred by Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Dr. S Chandrasekhar and past president, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Chairman, CII National Startup Council, Kris Gopalakrishnan, included top 25 Innovative Company Awards, seven awards to academic and research institutions, and a grand award. The company awards were given for processes, products, services, technologies, and other types of innovations which have the ability to fuel growth in the industry, and the awards to academic and research institutions were given for their contribution in assisting various private and public enterprises in their endeavours. The grand award was given to the most innovative company of the year. A special category of award was also introduced this year for the industry fostering innovation through industry-academia collaboration. "We, as a nation, stand today as one of the leading nations in the world in terms of scientific and technological prowess. India climbed to 46th rank in Global Innovation Index 2021, a leap of 35 places in just 6 years, and we look forward to reaching among the top 5 innovative countries in the world," Dr Chandrasekhar said in his keynote address. He stressed on the need for agricultural innovations to reorient agricultural practices to match up to global benchmark and increase per hectare production to match up to Brazil or China. "We need to further focus on creating the right environment for innovation-led enterprise (by catering to internal market needs such as energy, water, transport, healthcare, food security) to reap the benefits. Both Indian government and industry are closely working together for convergence of technology and enterprise, but need to work more closely for handholding and embracing. This will be a game-changer for the economy and society," he added. Dr Chandrasekhar urged innovators to bring in innovations to make the healthcare sector affordable and sustainable and continue nurturing them to revolutionise the industries for an exciting future. He emphasised that awards like these will help innovators to find investors which will turn the innovations into products of tomorrow. The CII Industrial Innovation Awards were instituted in 2014 to identify and celebrate innovative Indian enterprises across industry segments and sectors. --IANS uj/vd ( 404 Words) 2021-12-17-22:50:31 (IANS)
According to a new research, artificial intelligence can predict which people who attend memory clinics will develop dementia within two years with 92 per cent accuracy. The study has been published in 'JAMA Network Open Journal'. Using data from more than 15,300 patients in the US, research from the University of Exeter found that a form of artificial intelligence called machine learning can accurately tell who will go on to develop dementia. The technique worked by spotting hidden patterns in the data and learning who most at risk is. The study funded by Alzheimer's Research UK, also suggested that the algorithm could help reduce the number of people who may have been falsely diagnosed with dementia. The researchers analysed data from people who attended a network of 30 National Alzheimer's Coordinating Centre memory clinics in the US. The attendees did not have dementia at the start of the study, though many were experiencing problems with memory or other brain functions. In the study timeframe between 2005 and 2015, one in ten attendees (1,568) received a new diagnosis of dementia within two years of visiting the memory clinic. The research found that the machine learning model could predict these new dementia cases with up to 92 per cent accuracy -- and far more accurately than two existing alternative research methods. The researchers also found for the first time that around eight per cent (130) of the dementia diagnoses appeared to be made in error, as their diagnosis was subsequently reversed. Machine learning models accurately identified more than 80 per cent of these inconsistent diagnoses. Artificial intelligence can not only accurately predict who will be diagnosed with dementia, but it also has the potential to improve the accuracy of these diagnoses. Professor David Llewellyn, an Alan Turing Fellow based at the University of Exeter, who oversaw the study, said, "We're now able to teach computers to accurately predict who will go on to develop dementia within two years. We're also excited to learn that our machine learning approach was able to identify patients who may have been misdiagnosed. This has the potential to reduce the guesswork in clinical practice and significantly improve the diagnostic pathway, helping families access the support they need as swiftly and as accurately as possible." Dr Janice Ranson, Research Fellow at the University of Exeter added, "We know that dementia is a highly feared condition. Embedding machine learning in memory clinics could help ensure the diagnosis is far more accurate, reducing the unnecessary distress that a wrong diagnosis could cause." The researchers found that machine learning worked efficiently, using patient information routinely available in clinics, such as memory and brain function, performance on cognitive tests and specific lifestyle factors. The team now plans to conduct follow-up studies to evaluate the practical use of the machine learning method in clinics, to assess whether it can be rolled out to improve dementia diagnosis, treatment and care. Dr Rosa Sancho, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK said, "Artificial intelligence has huge potential for improving early detection of the diseases that cause dementia and could revolutionise the diagnosis process for people concerned about themselves or a loved one showing symptoms. This technique is a significant improvement over existing alternative approaches and could give doctors a basis for recommending lifestyle changes and identifying people who might benefit from support or in-depth assessments." (ANI)
Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj, who leads the Thai province of Tak bordering the conflict-hit Karen state, said in a Thai Public Broadcasting Service report that there were hundreds of children among the refugees.

Thai authorities are working to provide everyone with food and shelter, he added.

Clashes between ethnic minority separatists from the Karen National Union and troops loyal to Myanmar's military government, in power since the February 1 coup, erupted this week after soldiers raided the province.

In recent weeks, the UN Human Rights Office has received multiple reports of villages being burned, including protected structures, such as places of religious worship and residential buildings.

Since the coup, General Min Aung Hlaing's forces have repeatedly failed to respect their obligations under international law to protect the country's people, said Colville.

As a result, more than 1,300 individuals have lost their lives and another 10,600 have been detained. (ANI)
In October 2019, Taiwan and Singapore signed the "National Defense Exchange and Security Cooperation Agreement."

However, as the pandemic raged on, and Singapore began engaging in exchanges with China's People's Liberation Army, Taiwan suspended military cooperation with the city-state, Taiwan News reported.

Singaporean army troops were stationed in barracks at a Taiwan Army base in Kaohsiung's Fengshan District earlier this week. They carried out parachute training on Monday at the Chaochou landing field in Pingtung County, per UDN.

Singapore Army troops have conducted airborne training in Pingtung in the past.

Taiwan-Singapore military cooperation first began in 1975, when Premier Chiang Ching-kuo and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew signed an agreement to launch "Project Starlight." (ANI)
Russia and NATO shall not strengthen their security individually, including in the framework of international organisations, military alliances or coalitions at the expense of the security of others, read the document published by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Xinhua news agency reported.

They should settle disputes via peaceful means and refrain from the use or threat of force, and exercise restraint in military planning and conducting drills to avoid dangerous situations, it said.

Moscow suggested that Russia and NATO reaffirm that they do not consider each other as adversaries.

Russia and the NATO member states as of May 27, 1997 would be banned from deploying military forces and weaponry on the territory of any of the other countries in Europe in addition to the forces stationed on that territory as of May 27, 1997.

Both sides would be prohibited from deploying land-based intermediate- and short-range missiles in areas allowing them to reach the territory of each other.

Russia asked NATO to stop further enlargement, including the accession of Ukraine, and to cease any military activity in Ukraine and other countries in the Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and the Central Asia.

The 9-article draft agreement has been sent to NATO for consideration.

--IANS int/shs

( 239 Words)

2021-12-18-03:18:23 (IANS)
Taliban's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday left for Pakistan to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Afghanistan, local media reported. "Acting FM Amir Khan Muttaqi and his accompanying delegation left Kabul for Islamabad today to attend the OIC meeting on Afghanistan on Sunday. Talking to reporters at Kabul airport, Muttaqi said no one will be allowed to threaten any country from Afghanistan's territory," Tolo News tweeted. In order to get the Taliban international recognition, Islamabad earlier on Monday invited the Islamic Emirate to the summit of the OIC which is scheduled to be held on December 19. In addition to the members of the OIC, Pakistan media had reported that delegations from the US, Russia, Britain, the European Union, the World Bank and humanitarian organizations have also been invited to the conference. The OIC session will focus on ways to mobilise support for providing adequate food, medicine, and shelter to millions of people in Afghanistan who are in dire need after the fall of Kabul in mid-August, the Pakistani publication had said. It has been more than 100 days since the Taliban seized control over Afghanistan but it has not been recognized by any nation of the world yet. Respect for women and human rights, establishing inclusive government, not allowing Afghanistan to become safe haven of terrorism are the preconditions for the recognition set by the international community. The Taliban has so far implemented none of these but has been promising to do so. (ANI)
According to Sputnik, the flights were organized upon the instructions of President Vladimir Putin to evacuate over 300 people from Afghanistan.

"Each Russian military transport aircraft is carrying humanitarian aid from Russia for the Afghan people. A total of 36 tons of humanitarian cargo including food and medication have been airlifted [to Afghanistan]," the Russian News Agency quoted the country's Defense Ministry statement.

It further added that medical crews are aboard each aircraft to provide the evacuees with the necessary help.

This evacuation group is the fourth organized by Russia, and the planes are to fly Russian and Kyrgyz citizens and Afghan students studying in Russia out of Afghanistan.

From August 26 to December 1, Russia evacuated 770 Russian, Belarusian, Kyrgyz, Armenian, Ukrainian, and Afghan citizens from the country, and sent 72 tons of humanitarian aid, Sputnik reported citing the defense ministry statement.

The Taliban took over control of Kabul on August 15 and following this the country has been battered by deepening economic, humanitarian and security crisis.

A combination of a suspension of foreign aid, the freezing of Afghan government assets, and international sanctions on the Taliban, have plunged a country already suffering from high poverty levels into a full-blown economic crisis.

The international community, from governments to non-governmental organizations, has been providing various assistance to the Afghan people. (ANI)
The correlation between the birth of sovereign Bangladesh in 1971, and then the grisly and repugnant massacre of over 130 children of an Army-run school in Peshawar by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in 2014 shows the traces of extremism and presence of terrorist assets, in the present-day military establishment in Pakistan. The two major setbacks that Pakistan suffered on 16 December - first the country's inglorious dismemberment and the birth of sovereign Bangladesh in 1971, and then the grisly and repugnant massacre of over 130 children of an Army-run school in Peshawar by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in December 16, 2014 - both trace their roots to the oppressive, intrinsically flawed, and largely self-serving policies pursued by the country's military, according to European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, Pakistan state through a combination of direct forcible takeovers of power such as its Army has held sway over the country through most of its existence undermining the other levers of the state. On the other hand, Pakistan state has used one thread that has run constantly has been the single-minded focus on serving and enriching the military establishment, even if that meant the average Pakistani citizen and the taxpayer was made to suffer damaging costs in the process, according to European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Meanwhile, the loss of more than half of Pakistan's population and about 15% of its territory in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971 was the result of the Army's indulgence in inhuman oppression and deprivation in East Pakistan. Further, the heartless terrorist attack targeting the children in 2014 was the fallout of the Pakistan military establishment's conscious policy of the past several decades to actively promote extremism and terrorism as a means to protect and promote its own supremacy. Earlier, misuse of religion by the Pakistani military establishment for political purposes was the key reasons behind one of the most heart-wrenching and harrowing terrorist attacks in modern times. On 16 December 2014, seven TTP militants attacked an army-run school in Peshawar killing 141 people, 132 of them children. Also, when it comes to the misuse of extremist and terrorist assets, the policies of the present day military establishment in Pakistan is hardly different from the ones that held power in 1971 or in 2014, according to European Foundation for South Asian Studies. Further, as Taliban back in power in Afghanistan, with the Haqqanis holding important ministerial positions there, but the military has also surrendered before, and made peace with, the banned religious extremist group the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), which justifies violence in the name of faith. For the sake of the people of Pakistan, the country's hybrid leadership will change the dangerous and chaotic course it is charting for the country before its policies lead to another calamity of the scale of 1971 or another tragedy of the nature of 2014, according to European Foundation for South Asian Studies. (ANI)
At least 24 people were killed Friday in a fire incident at a mental clinic in Osaka and the police are investigating the incident as a case of suspected murder and arson. The fire department in the biggest city in western Japan said a total of 28 people were injured, adding it received a report at 10:18 a.m. that a fire had started on the fourth floor of the building, which had no fire sprinklers, according to Kyodo News. Earlier, the police said a man believed to be in his 50s or 60s who visited the clinic on that floor was responsible for the blaze. He was among the 28 taken to a hospital and remains unconscious, according to the sources. The police found the man's registration card for the clinic during a search of a place related to him, the sources said. Further, the Osaka department said it did not confirm any fire protection deficiencies in the entire building, located in the Kitashinchi district known for bars and nightclubs, when it conducted a safety inspection in March 2019, according to Kyodo News. Further, of the 28 injured, the police said, a woman in her 20s rescued from the sixth floor of the building was slightly injured. . Meanwhile, the condition of the remaining two was not known. The police said the two were women in their 20s and 30s. The family of the clinic's director said it could not get in touch with him, according to Kyodo News. About 30 minutes before the blaze at the clinic, there was another fire at a house in Osaka where the man used to live, and the police are investigating the possible connection with the suspected arson, investigative sources said. (ANI)
Chinese espionage operations in the United States is at their highest level, said media report, adding that recently US extradited a high-level Chinese spy to the US from Europe. "At the beginning of November this year, the United States extradited a high-level Chinese spy to the US from Europe. The Chinese official in question is Yanjun Xu, a Deputy Director in China's Ministry of State Security (MSS), mainly responsible for external intelligence. It is the first time that an official at this level has been moved to the US for trial," The HK post reported. The report stressed that how serious an issue Chinese espionage activity in the USbecomes clear from the fact that the FBI opening a new counterintelligence case into China every 12 hours. On November 5, the US Federal Court verdict stated that Xu is a Chinese national and Deputy Division Director of the Sixth Bureau of the Jiangsu Province, Ministry of State Security. Laying down the conviction, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division said, "This conviction of a card-carrying intelligence officer for economic espionage underscores that trade secret theft is integral to the PRC government's plans to modernize its industries". The Xu case is pathbreaking because he could provide leads to other Chinese espionage activity directed against the US, said the report. Citing the US think tank CSIS survey of Chinese espionage in the US since 2000, The HK Post reported that this survey lists 160 publicly reported instances of Chinese espionage directed at the US since 2000. Of the total, 42 per cent cases were carried out by the Chinese military or government employees. Of the 160 incidents, it was found that 24 per cent occurred between 2000-2009, while 76 per cent occurred between 2010-2021. Christopher Wray, FBI Director had testified earlier this year that the US government had experienced a 1,300 per cent increase in economic espionage investigations over the last few years. "I don't think there is any country that presents a more severe threat to our innovation, our economic security, and our democratic ideas," The HK Post quoted Wray as saying to the Senate Intelligence Committee talking about the threat from China in this regard. (ANI)
The ministers also signed agreements on diplomatic training and program of cooperation.

"Productive discussions with my friend, Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Exchanged views on expanding our bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building. Valued his insights on regional developments," Jaishankar tweeted.

"Signed agreements on diplomatic training and program of cooperation," the minister said in another tweet.

Sirojiddin Muhriddin is on an official visit to India from December 18-20 and will attend the 3rd meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue. On Sunday, Jaishankar will be hosting the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi.

Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting.

As part of the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier, a meeting in this format was organised by India in October 2020 in digital video conference format. (ANI)
A US federal appeals court has ruled to reinstate President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for large private sector companies. Friday's ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio, lifted a November injunction that had temporarily suspended the rule from the Labour Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which requires companies with 100 or more employees to vaccinate their workforce or make them subject to weekly testing and compulsory masking, reports Xinhua news agency. The decision was made after a 2-1 vote on the court's three-judge panel, with an opinion written by Judge Jane Stranch saying that OSHA is authorised by Congress "to assure safe and healthful working conditions for the nation's work force and to preserve the nation's human resources". "The record establishes that Covid-19 has continued to spread, mutate, kill and block the safe return of American workers to their jobs. To protect workers, OSHA can and must be able to respond to dangers as they evolve," she said. The ruling came as the Biden administration last month stopped the implementation of the mandate, which would otherwise take effect on January 4, 2022 and affect some 80 million people, to comply with a decision by the Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana. The 5th Circuit's ruling argued that OSHA exceeded its authority to regulate employers' conduct, a claim shared by the dissenting judge in the 6th Circuit's ruling. While handing the Biden administration a temporary victory, the 6th Circuit's ruling could be appealed to the Supreme Court, which is likely to have the final say over the controversial issue. Separately, the Biden administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to allow the full enforcement of a nationwide requirement that health-care workers be vaccinated if they work at facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid. The policy was suspended by lower courts amid opposition from two dozen states. The increasingly heated legal fight over vaccine mandates came against the backdrop of the death toll surpassing 800,000, yet another grim milestone. --IANS ksk/ ( 357 Words) 2021-12-18-11:10:12 (IANS)
Pakistan is set to host a special meeting of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on December 19, which will focus on ways to help Afghanistan navigate its way out of an emerging humanitarian and economic crisis. In addition to the members of the OIC, Pakistan media reported that delegations from the US, Russia, Britain, the European Union, the World Bank and humanitarian organizations have also been invited to the conference. The OIC-led conference will be the biggest international gathering on Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the country in mid-August on the heels of a US-led foreign troop exit after 20 years. But, the question arises that does Pakistan want to rally OIC countries to extend assistance to the Taliban? Pakistan has been blamed globally the for burgeoning Afghanistan crisis and helping the Taliban. Pakistan is rallying 57-member OIC Muslim countries to help Afghanistan stave off a crisis while also cajoling the neighboring country's new Taliban rulers to soften their image abroad. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on December 4 made a formal announcement for the OIC meeting stating that the purpose of the summit was to avert a humanitarian crisis rearing its head in Afghanistan following the US withdrawal. Addressing a press conference, he had said the session would draw world leaders' attention towards the fact that a lack of prompt response would lead to food shortages for some 22.8 million people and affect about 3.2m children with malnutrition in Afghanistan. He had added that the conference would help mobilize resources to support Afghanistan. The foreign minister had said the upcoming extraordinary session of the OIC was being held in Pakistan after a gap of 41 years, reported Dawn. This is yet another attempt at pushing the interim Afghanistan government towards international recognition. Meanwhile, Taliban's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday left for Pakistan to attend the OIC summit on Afghanistan, local media reported. "Acting FM Amir Khan Muttaqi and his accompanying delegation left Kabul for Islamabad today to attend the OIC meeting on Afghanistan on Sunday. Talking to reporters at Kabul airport, Muttaqi said no one will be allowed to threaten any country from Afghanistan's territory," Tolo News tweeted. The OIC session will focus on ways to mobilize support for providing adequate food, medicine, and shelter to millions of people in Afghanistan who are in dire need after the fall of Kabul in mid-August, the Pakistani publication had said. It has been more than 100 days since the Taliban seized control over Afghanistan but it has not been recognized by any nation of the world yet. Respect for women and human rights, establishing inclusive government, not allowing Afghanistan to become a safe haven of terrorism are the preconditions for the recognition set by the international community. The Taliban has so far implemented none of these but has been promising to do so.Afghanistan is facing a looming economic meltdown and humanitarian catastrophe in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover. Billions of dollars worth of the country's assets abroad, mostly in the US, have been frozen and international funding to the country has ceased. (ANI)
The strike on Maulvi Faqir Mohammad came a week after the outfit unilaterally announced to end the month-long ceasefire, accusing the Imran Khan government of breaching peace talks.

A drone strike hit a guesthouse on the compound in Kunar, targeting a senior TTP member. However, the missile failed to explode, Pakistani newspaper Daily Pakistan reported citing a Paris based agency.

According to the report, the senior TTP leader escaped unhurt. The report added that the TTP commander was about three meters away from the compound when the drone fired a missile.

Earlier this year, the TTP commander was released by the Taliban after US military drawdown from Afghanistan. Prior to this, he reportedly spent eight years in Bagram prison.

Pakistan's attempts to negotiate with extremist groups will have serious security repercussions as such actions tend to be viewed as a sign of weakness, according to a think tank.

"Firstly, the removal of the name of the TLP... as a proscribed organisation has set a dangerous precedent in the country, as it came days after its violent protest march to Islamabad. This bizarre move will only strengthen extremists and anti-state elements in the country," Sehar Kamran, head of the Center for Pakistan and Gulf Studies think tank, told Sputnik.

Kamran further argued that it is highly unlikely that the decriminalisation of such extremist groups will facilitate their integration into the political life of the country and their consequent de-radicalization. (ANI)
"By no means it is a matter of funding general projects," Lindner said, stressing that the money would only be used to cushion damage resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The fund's resources are used in a targeted manner, for transformative investments," Xinhua news agency quoted Lindner as saying in the Bundestag debate on the supplementary budget, which was approved by the new Olaf Scholz government on Monday.

Opposition parties accused the government of violating the country's constitution by approving the reallocation of unused funds that were originally earmarked for fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Due to the pandemic, Germany's so-called debt brake, which stipulates that federal and state budgets must generally be balanced without revenues from borrowing, was temporarily suspended but is to apply again from 2023.

Lindner confirmed the government's plans to resume compliance with the debt brake, pointing out that many investments had been put on hold because of the pandemic.

"We must not lose time in the transformation process," he added, "not only people need a booster, but also the economic development."

--IANS ksk/

( 206 Words)

2021-12-18-12:20:55 (IANS)
"Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov arrives in Delhi to attend the 3rd India-Central Asia Dialogue," tweeted Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi.

The third India-Central Asia Dialogue will begin today in New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will host the three-day Dialogue.

Earlier, Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi arrived in New Delhi today to attend the dialogue. On Friday, Foreign Minister of Kyrgyz Republic, Ruslan Kazakbaev and Tajikistan Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin had arrived in New Delhi.

Ahead of the dialogue, Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin met Jaishankar and exchanged views on expanding bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building.

The ministers also signed agreements on diplomatic training and program of cooperation.

"Productive discussions with my friend, Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Exchanged views on expanding our bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building. Valued his insights on regional developments," Jaishankar tweeted.

During the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the Ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries with particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation.

Earlier, the second meeting was organised by India in October 2020 in digital video conference format. (ANI)
Paris [France], December 18 (ANI/Sputnik): The Paris town hall announced on Saturday the cancellation of all holiday festivities which were planned to take place on Champs-Elysees on December 31, including the big New Year fireworks, to limit the spread of COVID-19. "The City of Paris regrets to announce of the cancellation of all festivities planned to take place on the Champs-Elysees on December 31 due to the resurgence of the pandemic," the town hall said in a statement. According to the town hall, the festivities were cancelled amid a resurgence of the virus and following the recommendations of the police department and the regional agency of health (ARS). Despite the cancellation of the fireworks and other festivities that were planned for December 31, the town hall noted that people will still be able to enjoy the holiday spirit near the Hotel de Ville until January 2 and near the Bastille Palace until December 26, where some festive events will still take place. Last year, the country had cancelled all Chirstmas and New Year celebrations amid a nationwide curfew imposed to help tackle the pandemic which was only lifted for Christmas Eve. On Friday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex asked town halls to cancel concerts and New Year's Eve fireworks in a bid to limit the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Following Castex's speech, the country closed off its borders for people travelling from the UK, which has been struggling from a surge in Omicron cases. In early December, French Health Minister Olivier Veran said that a fifth coronavirus wave is expected to peak in late January in France. The country reported 58,128 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. Over 76% of the population is fully vaccinated. (ANI/Sputnik)
"Tajikistan Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Sirojiddin Muhriddin called on Speaker Lok Sabha @ombirlakota in Parliament House today. During the call on, the two leaders recalled strong civilizational ties between the two countries," tweeted Lok Sabha.

Muhriddin is on an official visit to India from December 18-20 and will attend the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue.

"The two leaders also exchanged views on crucial areas of mutual cooperation such as COVID-19 mitigation, education, tourism, capicity building of Members of Parliament and officials," tweeted Lok Sabha.

Earlier in the day, he met External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and exchanged views on expanding bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building.

The ministers also signed agreements on diplomatic training and program of cooperation.

"Productive discussions with my friend, Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Exchanged views on expanding our bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building. Valued his insights on regional developments," Jaishankar tweeted.

On Sunday, Jaishankar will be hosting the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi.

Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting.

As part of the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier, a meeting in this format was organised by India in October 2020 in digital video conference format. (ANI)
Expressing concern about developments in Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday appreciated Tajikistan's role in the evacuation of Indians from Afghanistan in August and September and noted the progress in bilateral cooperation between the two countries in nearly three decades of diplomatic ties. Jaishankar made these remarks during his meeting with Tajikistan foreign minister where he exchanged views on expanding bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building. The two ministers also signed agreements on diplomatic training and program of cooperation. "We've also, of course as neighbours of Afghanistan, we have been very concerned at the developments there. And the participation of the Secretary of your Security Council in the Regional Security Dialogue, which we hosted in November, is something which is deeply appreciated," Jaishankar said in his opening remarks at his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan. "I would also like to publicly thank you for the tremendous support that you gave us during the evacuation of Indians from Afghanistan in August and September, both Indians as well as some members of the Afghan minority community," he added. Noting the good bilateral relations between the two sides, Jaishankar highlighted the close cooperating between the two countries in the United Nations (UN) and in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The minister also noted the mutual support between the two countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. "We were happy to provide 'Made in India' vaccines and certainly now we look forward to easier travel between India and Tajikistan through recognition of our vaccine certificates." Sirojiddin Muhriddin is on an official visit to India from December 18-20 and will attend the 3rd meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue. Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting. As part of the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Earlier, a meeting in this format was organised by India in October 2020 in digital video conference format. (ANI)
The news was shared by the Russian Defence Ministry and it added that the evacuees consisted of Russian and Kyrgyz citizens and Afghan students studying in Russia, reported Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, the planes delivered humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

"Three military transport aircraft that shipped humanitarian aid to Kabul Airport, left Afghanistan with evacuated citizens aboard. About 200 Russian and Kyrgyz citizens and Afghan students who study in Russia are aboard the Ilyushin Il-76 planes," the statement read.

The planes will land at the Chkalovsky airport in the Moscow Region, according to the ministry.

This evacuation operation is the fourth organized by the Defence Ministry upon the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin, reported Sputnik. (ANI)
The blast happened in Karachi's Shershah area, Pakistan Urdu news channel Samaa reported. A building that hosted a bank partially collapsed in the blast.

The Pakistani publication said that police and rescue officials rushed to the spot and the injured had been moved to a nearby hospital. Media reports say that several people are suspected to be trapped under the rubble.

The nature of the blast is being determined by the police who is investigating the blast. Some media reports suggest the incident occurred due to gas leakage or detonation of explosives.

Special Assistant to the Pakistan Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker Alamgir Khan's father, Dilawar Khan, had also died in the blast.

"We share the grief of Alamgir Khan and other bereaved families," Gill tweeted in Urdu. (ANI)
A new on the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, has shed light on how Chabad House was chosen as a Jewish target, according to a London-based Jewish weekly newspaper. In 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists (LeT) carried out 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks killing atleast 174 people and leaving 300 wounded. During the 26/11 terror attack, six Jews were murdered by terrorists. Rather than being an opportunistic target, the Chabad House was sought out as a Jewish location, the Jewish Chronicle (JC) reported citing government sources in India. Wiretap recordings of Mumbai attackers have revealed how the terrorists chose a Jewish target and other locations as part of a plan to strike several communities and to elicit maximum attention from the world's media. According to the newspaper, the recordings of the terrorists discussing their selection of targets is confirmation of the strategy was used in the deployment of the 10 heavily armed terrorists, all of them Pakistani nationals. The report further stated that among the voices heard is that of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, who is said to have masterminded the Mumbai attacks. The Jewish Chronicle report further said that an Israeli filmmaker was told by Indian government sources about the wiretap tapes while working on a documentary about Mumbai's Jewish community. "They've got recordings from the terrorists where they specifically mention the Chabad House as a target. When they crossed with the boat to Mumbai they knew where they were headed. That was one of the targets on the list," he told the JC. "They knew targeting Jews was going to make more headlines." The director added that the Jewish community in India and in Mumbai was never persecuted. "There's a thriving community. It's a great example of a country where Jews were never persecuted and in today's world that's really rare. It's a city of 23 million people and it's made out of many, many different religions and they all get along. The purpose of this attack was to shatter this harmony." Israeli filmmaker Oren Rosenfeld's film, tracing the history of Mumbai's jew community from the destruction of the first temple to the present day, is set to be released in 2022. (ANI)
"Foreign Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov arrives in Delhi to attend the 3rd India-Central Asia Dialogue," tweeted Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is hosting the third India-Central Asia Dialogue which began today in New Delhi.

Earlier, Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi arrived in New Delhi today to attend the dialogue. On Friday, Foreign Minister of Kyrgyz Republic, Ruslan Kazakbaev and Tajikistan Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin had arrived in New Delhi.

Ahead of the dialogue, the Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin met Jaishankar and exchanged views on expanding bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building.

The ministers also signed agreements on diplomatic training and program of cooperation.

"Productive discussions with my friend, Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Exchanged views on expanding our bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building. Valued his insights on regional developments," Jaishankar tweeted.

During the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries with a particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation.

Earlier, the second meeting was organized by India in October 2020 in digital video conference format. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday hosted the Foreign Ministers of Central Asian countries to a welcome dinner ahead of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi tomorrow. "Hosted the Central Asian Foreign Ministers to a welcome dinner before our Dialogue tomorrow. The cultural show was just one more reminder of our closeness," Jaishankar tweeted. Jaishankar is set to host the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi on Sunday that is aimed to further strengthen ties between the member countries, with a particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation. This meeting, which will last till December 20, will see participation from Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. It assumes importance due to the ongoing humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban's takeover of the country, Jaishankar has met several of the participating ministers for talks focusing on the issues concerning the troubled country. "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be hosting the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi from Dec 18-20. Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said earlier this week. "The ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and central Asian countries but a particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation. They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest," Bagchi added. As part of the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "There has been ongoing engagement between India and five Central Asian countries over the last few years. India considers Central Asia as part of its extended neighbourhood. EAM visited Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan this year. He also met the foreign minister of Turkmenistan this year," MEA spokesperson had said. "The holding of the India-Central Asia Dialogue is symbolic of the interest on part of all members countries for greater engagements between them in a spirit of friendship, trust and mutual understanding," he added. (ANI)
On the seventh anniversary of the deadly attack against Army Public School students in Peshawar by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Pakistani media has come out all guns blazing on the subsequent governments which it says gives space to extremists and lets them become stronger. On December 16, 2014, six terrorists affiliated with the TTP attacked the Army Public School in the northwestern city of Peshawar. 147 people, including 132 children, were killed in the attack. Writing for Daily Pakistan, a Pakistani political scientist Abdul Basit said, "If the state gives space to extremists and lets them become stronger and gather support from the masses until they become a potential threat to the security only to be crushed by brute force, the chances of the approach becoming successful are minimal. Frankenstein monsters are hard to chain." "Creating them for political goals is easy but disposing of them off is a messy thing to do. It is catastrophic. The mistakes must not be repeated," he added. This comes as Imran Khan government is holding negotiations with the TTP, which has resulted in widespread criticism from the opposition parties. Last week, TTP announced it would not extend the month-long ceasefire after it accused Islamabad of failing to fulfil its obligations under the agreement. Earlier this week, former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari slammed the Imran Khan government for failure to implement the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism, adding that the APS tragedy is "still a bleeding wound." Zardari had said that until criminals are apprehended, the country will continue to owe the "innocent martyrs." Former Pak president said that the APS tragedy is "still a bleeding wound." The Pakistani Taliban, which is engaged in talks with the Imran Khan government, is yet to show any remorse for the 2014 Peshawar school massacre, according to Dawn. The Pakistani newspaper also had raised questions over the lack of transparency over the terms on which these negotiations with the TTP. It also pointed that there is little to suggest that the terror outfit is ready and willing to relinquish its violent ways. "Firstly, the removal of the name of the TLP... as a proscribed organisation has set a dangerous precedent in the country, as it came days after its violent protest march to Islamabad. This bizarre move will only strengthen extremists and anti-state elements in the country," Sehar Kamran, head of the Center for Pakistan and Gulf Studies think tank, told Russian news agency Sputnik. (ANI)
Responding to the issue of allowing Naseer Ahmad Faiq to assume the seat of Afghanistan's permanent representative at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the Taliban on Saturday urged the world body to act on principles of impartiality. Taliban's nominee for the UN, Suhail Shaheen has told Radio Free of Afghanistan that the UN must act based on the principles of impartiality and allow him to assume the seat, reported Khaama Press. Shaheen added that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is ruling the entire country so the seat must necessarily be given to the envoy of IEA, not to someone who has no sovereignty nor is part of the ruling government in Afghanistan. "The UN must resolve the issue based on principle and do not allow the problem to further be worsened," added Shaheen. Afghanistan's permanent mission base in New York on Friday, December 17 in a press statement said that Naseer Ahmad Faiq will assume the post of Permanent Representative in the UN after Ghulam Isaczai resigned from the post, reported Khaama Press. No country has yet recognized the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. On Thursday, Ghulam Isaczai, who had been appointed Afghanistan's envoy to the UN by now-ousted President Ashraf Ghani and remained at the position even after the Taliban takeover, resigned. In September, the Taliban addressed the UN, informing them that Isaczai's mission had been completed and "he no longer represents Afghanistan." The Taliban further informed the United Nations that Shaheen had been nominated as Afghanistan's permanent representative to the UN and requested they proceed with his approval. Responding to Taliban requests, the UNGA in December adopted a resolution to postpone a decision on who will represent Afghanistan at the UN, refusing to provide international recognition of the "de facto" Taliban authority in Afghanistan and replace the envoy appointed by the "democratically-elected government." (ANI)
The injured include women and a child, sources told Geo News.

The police said that cars and motorcycles on Shahrah-e-Iqbal were damaged as a result of the blast.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo condemned the incident, vowing that the government would ensure the best possible medical facilities for those injured.

DIG Fida Hussain said explosive material was affixed on the motorcycle, and that the police and the bomb disposal squad were currently investigating the blast. (ANI)
Santa Claus

The Christmas season has a rich tradition of classic holiday literature. And while most of us are already familiar with such well-loved Christmas tales as How The Grinch Stole Christmas and A Christmas Carol, there is a whole winter wonderland of little known or overlooked stories, poems, and essays that explore other, sometime darker, aspects of Old Saint Nicks favorite time of year.

Here are 10 additions to the Christmas canon, filled with Elves, ghosts and Santa himself, to entertain both the young and the young at heart.

Letters From Father Christmas by J. R. R. Tolkien

"Letters from Father Christmas" is a collection of letters written and illustrated by J. R. R. Tolkien between 1920 and 1943 for his children. The illustrated correspondence, ostensibly from Santa Claus, was written over a 22-year period as the children grew up. In the letters, Father Christmas recaps the activities of the preceding year at the North Pole. The work offers a fascinating counterpoint to the authors more well known works, including The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote

A tale of love and friendship for readers of all ages, Capotes autobiographical story describes the adventures of the seven-year-old narrator and his elderly distant cousin as they make presents in preparation for Christmas. One of the overriding themes of A Christmas Memory is how friendships are forged among social outcasts, a motif that Capote would turn to again and again in his work.

Silent Night: The Story of the WWI Christmas Truce by Stanley Weintraub

Weintraub recounts the improbable but true story of the 1914 WWI Christmas truce, when shelling subsided and small, lit fir trees appeared along the parapets across the 440-mile Western Front. First hand accounts tell of German and British troops laying down their arms and singing to each other across enemy lines, exchanging presents of cigarettes and plum pudding, and eating together, despite orders to keep shooting.

Story continues

The Elves and the Shoemaker by The Brothers Grimm

A classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale about a down on his luck shoemaker who receives some unexpected help, in this case from three young elves. Dating back to 1806, The Elves and the Shoemaker is a story about the virtues of generosity and the rewards of hard work.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by Frank Baum

A biography of the legendary man in the red suit by none other than the author of The Wizard of Oz, this book from 1902 offers an inside look at the life and times of Santa Claus. From the time hes found as a baby in the Forest of Burzee to his early love of toy making and his final role as the immortal bearer of gifts, this book offers the inside skinny on the Jolly Old Elf.

Amazing Peace by Maya Angelou

In this deeply moving poem, Angelou implores humanity to embrace the peace and promise of Christmas. Read by the poet at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree at the White House on December 1, 2005, Amazing Peace asks how we can look beyond complexion and see community.

Smee by A.M. Burrage

Part of the great tradition of Christmas ghost stories, Smee recounts a game of sinister hide-and-seek played by a group of friends on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately for the group, a mysterious and menacing stranger decides to join their game, placing their fun, and their very lives, in danger.

Dark Christmas by Jeanette Winterson

A more recent addition to the canon of spooky Christmas fables, this 2013 story is firmly in the tradition of the old-fashioned, creepy haunted house story. "Dark Christmas" has all the hallmarks of a classic creeper: an isolated narrator alone in an old house; odd footsteps in hallways and empty rooms; a phone that refuses to work; and oddest of all, a strange Nativity scene that appears in the attic.

The Twelve Terrors of Christmas by John Updike and Edward Gorey

Famed illustrator Edward Gorey teamed up with novelist John Updike for this off-kilter look at Christmas traditions. The pairs decidedly non-traditional take on the holida is sure to tickle the funny bone of even the most cynical Scrooge. Among other musings, the book asks, A man of no plausible address, with no apparent source for his considerable wealth, comes down the chimney after midnight while decent, law-abiding citizens are snug in their bedsis this not, at the least, cause for alarm?

"What Christmas is as We Grow Older" by Charles Dickens

Originally published in 1851, Dickens wrote this short essay after the deaths of his father and daughter. While suggesting that Christmas should be a time of gratitude and forgiveness, Dickens notes how the excitement of the holiday can curdle into bitterness in later life. Dickens writes, Therefore, as we grow older, let us be more thankful that the circle of our Christmas associations and of the lessons that they bring, expands! Let us welcome every one of them, and summon them to take their places by the Christmas hearth.

This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Truman Capote and J. R. R. Tolkien among authors of Christmas stories
SARASOTA, FL  Seven of the top 10 Hottest Neighborhoods of 2022 in the United States are located in the Sarasota area, according to a Redfin analysis.

The annual list from the real estate website ranks U.S. ZIP codes by reviewing year-over-year growth in listing views on the site. It also looks at the Redfin Compete Score, which measures the difficulty of buying a home in a ZIP code based on number of days on the market, number of homes that sold about their listing prices and sale-to-list price ratio, Redfin said. This years list used data from September.

No. 1 on the list for 2022 is South Sarasota. The following local communities also make the list:

No. 2 - East Venice

No. 3 - Englewood

No. 4 - Venice

No. 5 - Nokomis

No. 6 - The Meadows

No. 10 - Downtown Fort Myers

Another Florida city, Weston, came in at No. 8 on the list.

Outside the Sunshine State, Chatham in Cape Cod, Massachusetts made No. 7, while Lake Lure, North Carolina is No. 9.

The Sarasota area has changed radically over the past year, said local Redfin real estate agent Eric Auciello. Many of the towns surrounding Sarasota are exploding in popularity because so many people are getting priced out of Sarasota proper or moving in from out of state to work remotely and take advantage of the sunshine, low taxes and relative affordability. A lot of the neighborhoods house hunters are flocking to have historically been retirement communities, but are becoming younger with all of the first-time buyers and early retirees moving in.

These communities are also likely gaining steam because retirement is on the rise among older Americans, according to Redfin. More than 3 million Americans have retired early due to the pandemic, according to Bloomberg.

The Sarasota metro area was the eighth most popular destination for house hunters looking to switch metros in the third quarter, Redfin said. Thats based on net inflow, a measure of how many more Redfin.com home searchers looked to move into a metro than leave. More than 67 percent of home searches in the Sarasota metro area came from a different metro area.

This article originally appeared on the Sarasota Patch
KABUL (Reuters) - Senior Taliban officials appealed on Saturday for international help to combat a deepening economic crisis that has fuelled fears of another refugee exodus from Afghanistan.

The comments, at a special meeting to mark the U.N.'s international migrants day, underlined the new Islamist Taliban government's push to engage with the world community, four months after they seized power in Kabul.

The movement's deputy Foreign Minister, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, said it was the responsibility of countries like the United States, which have blocked billions of dollars of central bank reserves, to help Afghanistan recover after decades of war.

"The impact of the frozen funds is on the common people and not Taliban authorities," he told the conference, attended by representatives of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR, the United Nations refugee organization.

U.N. bodies estimate that millions of Afghans could face hunger over the winter without urgent help, but aid has been hampered by international unwillingness to engage directly with the Taliban, in part because of concern over rights for women and political inclusion.

The abrupt withdrawal of foreign aid following the Taliban victory has pushed Afghanistan's fragile economy close to collapse. Millions are without work and the banking system is only partially functional.

"If the political and economic situation doesn't change, there will be more migration," Stanikzai said.

The United States has issued guidance that would permit personal cash remittances to Afghanistan but it has not relented on its refusal to release the $9 billion in central bank reserves or lift sanctions on a number of Taliban leaders.

Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross on Saturday in Islamabad, ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

He said the Taliban welcomed international humanitarian organisations and gave assurances that they would be allowed to work unimpeded.

(Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by Catherine Evans)
AGOURA HILLS, CA  State Sen. Henry Stern Thursday officially announced his candidacy for the Third District seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors being vacated by Sheila Kuehl.

Stern is currently a senator representing most of the San Fernando Valley. He announced his candidacy standing on a street in Sherman Oaks via Zoom. He waited until the county's districts were redrawn, he said, following the new map's approval Wednesday.

He indicated that, if elected, he would focus on quality-of-life issues in L.A. County.



"We started here because this is where you are. People are living in our streets, people are dying on the streets, and nobody feels safe on the streets in LA anymore. That's a problem that the county has to fix," Stern said in an announcement video on Twitter.

See Also: Newsom Unveils Proposal To Crack Down On Crime In CA

In his announcement, Stern mentioned his work in the area on wildfires, the COVID-19 pandemic and addressing homelessness.

In his time as an elected official, Stern has sought to bolster the state's wildfire preparedness, push to have the state address climate change, change the state's election laws, aid people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and assist the elderly and disabled populations.

He was first elected to the senate in 2016 and reelected in 2020. For the 2021-2022 year, Stern will serve on the Climate Change Policies Committee, Natural Resources and Water Committee, Environmental Quality Committee and more.



Stern  a Senate Democrat who is seeking what is officially a nonpartisan seat on the five-member Board of Supervisors  joins a field that also includes West Hollywood Councilwoman Lindsey P. Horvath, Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin and Assemblyman Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica. Horvath has been endorsed by Kuehl, Supervisor Janice Hahn and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.



Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, confirmed on Tuesday to the political news website Politico that he is "seriously considering" running for the seat representing the San Fernando Valley and Westside.

Story continues

City News Service contributed to this story.







This article originally appeared on the Agoura Hills Patch
Construction crews working at the site of a roof collapse at an Amazon distribution center in Edwardsville, Illinois, on December 11. Reuters/Lawrence Bryant

Tornado drills were rarely performed in the Amazon warehouse that collapsed, employees told Insider.

Shelter areas were bathrooms and break rooms, rather than built-for-purpose structures.

Amazon employees said they didn't think the company took extreme weather seriously.

As the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, started to collapse on December 11, the workers set a challenge: Get to one end of the warehouse, which was the length of five football fields, and shelter in the break room or bathroom.

These were the designated tornado safe zones, Amazon employees told Insider. They couldn't fit all of the staff in there, but that was the only choice they had because leaving through an EF3 category tornado with wind speed estimated at 136 mph to 165 mph wasn't an option.

Six people died in the warehouse collapse, which left families grieving and traumatized those who survived the destruction.

The city of Edwardsville, Illinois, is no stranger to tornadoes. Rebecca (whose name has been changed for fear of losing her job), an assistant manager at an Amazon warehouse directly across the street from the one the tornado hit, said: "We live in an area of the states called Tornado Alley. Amazon should take that seriously."

While tornado drills exist in theory, they're rarely practiced or explained, so most employees don't know how to safely manage a tornado, Rebecca said.

Emergency vehicles surrounded the site of an Amazon distribution warehouse with a collapsed roof in Edwardsville, Illinois, after storms hit the Midwest. Lawrence Bryant/Reuters

That meant that chaos erupted when the walls of the Amazon warehouse began to disintegrate after the tornado hit the building, she said.

Rebecca, who used to work in the safety division of Amazon, told Insider "Amazon doesn't have actual bunkers or anything like that for tornados. Instead, it would just be equivalent to shelter near a bathroom or place where there are some walls to stop something falling directly on top of you."

And Cari McCollum, a former Amazon warehouse worker in Illinois, agreed. She told Insider that, during a tornado, "wherever you were, you were supposed to stop what you were doing and go straight to the closest designated area for shelter. And those were the rear restrooms, and break area and the front restrooms."

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One of the deceased, whom Rebecca knew, died trying to get people into the safe zones, she said.

An Amazon spokesperson told Insider: "Our leaders on the ground followed their training moving quickly to get people to take shelter immediately. Employees were directed to shelter in place at the designated Assembly Area at the front of the building, which was near a restroom."

Insider's Katherine Long detailed the 911 calls from inside the collapsing warehouse, which heard Amazon employees saying the bathroom was "blocked in on us," and, "and we're underneath a bunch of rubble. I hear other people screaming but I don't know where they are.  I'm so scared. Please help me."

Some Amazon workers said that more Edwardsville workers might have survived if Amazon had a more rigorous focus on preparing for natural disasters, The Intercept reports.

Amazon staff expected to work in extreme weather

Both Rebecca and McCollum said that going into work when a tornado warning was in place was standard practice at Amazon.

It's a "'the show must go on' type of thing," McCollum said. "You know, you just kind of gotta go in, and if there's a real warning, then we would get a shelter in place, and then get to wondering whether or not it was structurally able to withstand something" such as a tornado.

Workers removed debris after a tornado destroyed an Amazon warehouse in Illinois. Tim Vizer/AFP via Getty Images

"I was devastated having known people that work there and worried for them," McCollum said. "But I wasn't surprised that it was damaged because I had the feeling that it wasn't really that strong."

It's not the first time that Amazon staff have had to work through extreme weather. Insider's Grace Dean previously reported that warehouse staff had to work through an extreme heatwave. The company supplied employees with iced scarves rather than allocated leave.

When Insider asked Rebecca and McCollum whether Amazon employees could take leave in incidents of extreme weather, they said they could, but only within the limitations of allotted paid or unpaid leave. If you've used up your days off  which is likely close to the holiday season, where workers often take time off to be with their families  then you either go into work or risk being fired for missing your shifts.

Hannah Towey's report for Insider on this issue detailed how one Amazon delivery driver in Kentucky, another state devastated by intense tornadoes, was refused leave by the company as a tornado ravaged the countryside around her until she tweeted one of the company's top executives.

A satellite image showed the aftermath of a tornado in Edwardsville, Illinois, which destroyed hundreds of yards of an Amazon facility and killed at least six people. Satellite image 2021 Maxar Technologies

'It just feels like all the employees may as well be robots or inanimate objects'

McCollum told Insider about the wide-reaching effects that the deaths of six Amazon employees had on their colleagues.

The grief and fear were one element  rushing to check whether their friends were working on the day of the collapse, for example  but another was the "alienation" of employees. And this, McCollum said, started from the top with Jeff Bezos, who was celebrating the sixth launch of his Blue Origin rocket as the warehouse collapsed.

Jeff Bezos. Reuters

"There was an emergency situation going on, and that should have taken priority," McCollum added. "It just feels like all the employees may as well be robots or inanimate objects."

These safety fears for Amazon workers, which are not new, have led to calls for legislators to challenge Amazon and its treatment of its employees.

Warehouse Workers for Justice, a group working to organize Amazon workers in Illinois, said: "Because of Amazon's poor record of worker safety in the relentless pursuit of profit, we call on Illinois legislators to convene a hearing to ensure all Amazon facilities are places of safety for workers and that no family has to worry whether or not their loved ones will make it home from work after an extreme weather event."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the warehouse collapse.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Mark Zacovic, COD's interim vice president of human resources and employee relations, has been named interim superintendent/president of Monterey Peninsula College, the College of the Desert Board of Trustees announced Friday.

He is the second COD vice president this week to land the top job at another California community college.

Annebelle Nery, COD's vice president of instruction, was announced on Tuesday as the next president of Santa Ana College effective Jan. 3. Santa Ana College is part of the the Rancho Santiago Community College District. In June, she was named one of three finalists for the COD presidency after Superintendent/President Joel Kinnamon retired earlier in the year.

Zacovic helped coordinate a public forum at which presidential finalists, including Nery and Garcia, spoke.

COD Superintendent/President Martha Garcia congratulated both of them during Friday's board meeting.

"We honor (Nery). We wish her the best, and we will miss her and I look forward to working with her in the same role obviously at a different institution," Garcia said.

Similarly, Garcia said she looked forward to working with Zacovic as a colleague.

"He has served this district about three years, and I'm extremely grateful," she said.

Zacovic's interim contract was approved 5-0 by the Monterey Peninsula College governing board on Dec. 15. His term will begin on Jan. 18, 2022. He will receive an annual salary of $275,000.

Zacovic has been interim vice president at COD since July 2018, and from 2011 to 2015, he was president of Cuyamaca College in El Cajon.

Jonathan Horwitz covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach him at jonathan.horwitz@desertsun.com or @Writes_Jonathan.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Mark Zacovic, COD's interim vice president of HR, leaving for Monterey Peninsula College
Kids were spread out all over the hallways of Grisham Middle School on Thursday after school. They were wrapping present after present, then bringing them into a big pile in the center of the hallway.

For the 10th year, Grisham Middle School has chosen one Season for Caring family and collected gifts on that family's wish list.

This year the school chose the Rivera family from Liberty Hill. Mom Ashley Rivera, 33, has stage 4 breast cancer. Her husband, Bryan Rivera, 38, lost his job, and they have burned through all of their savings. They have four children, three of whom have a neuromuscular disease.

The family was nominated by Wonders & Worries, a local nonprofit that helps children who have a caregiver with a serious illness.

Read more: Ashley Rivera: Cancer, children's health, job loss keep family in financial strain

Students wrap presents Thursday at Grisham Middle School. The school has adopted the Rivera family from Wonders & Worries as part of the Statesman Season for Caring campaign.

All of the money raised through Season for Caring helps featured families like the Riveras first, but then helps hundreds of other families throughout the year with basic needs such as rent payments, utilities, groceries and medical care.

This year the Grisham Middle School community donated more than $6,731 in gift cards and more than $7,000 in gifts. It was the most the school has ever donated to Season for Caring.

Grisham started participating in Season for Caring in 2010 after art teacher Kristin Goodman read a story about Nancy Knox, a mom with ovarian cancer and two little kids.

That year, Goodman asked her classes to bring an item on Knox's Season for Caring wish list instead of getting her a Christmas gift. The students delivered gifts of all kinds, more than Goodman could ever have imagined.

Goodman remembered that Knox said she wanted to get better so she could be with her kids and give back because she had been helped. Knox died that May, but her story of wanting to give back and the way Goodman's students showed up made an impression.

Kids helping kids: Rawson Saunders School helps medically fragile 2-year-old, family for Christmas

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Each year, Goodman in the art department and a teacher in the theater department have spearheaded the collection effort.

This year, during nine school days and one weekend, Grisham students asked their friends and relatives for donations. Some went door to door in their neighborhoods and handed out flyers. They dressed up as walking billboards and made posters that hung throughout the school about the Riveras and their needs.

Students wrap presents Thursday at Grisham Middle School. The school first donated to a family for Season for Caring in 2010. It had to skip 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions but resumed the tradition this year. Some high school students who participated while in middle school came back to help.

Seventh grader Max Hebert went door-to-door asking for donations. "People can be very generous if you ask," Max said.

On Thursday, 87 kids showed up after school to wrap all the presents: clothes and shoes for each family member, bedding, toys and kitchen supplies. Most of the kids were from the middle school, but some Westwood High School students who had participated when they were in middle school returned to help.

One Westwood High senior, Sam Newlin, collected $1,200 in gift cards from H-E-B for the family.

"Miss Goodman impacted my life a lot," Newlin said. "She taught me leadership, compassion  that's Season for Caring, how to be organized and art."

When Goodman explained to this year's art students about Season for Caring and the challenge of making as much impact for one family, some of the students thought it was a monumental task. Only the eighth graders at the school had experienced Season for Caring before. Last year the school had to take a year off because students were mostly learning virtually, and they couldn't collect donations because of COVID-19 rules.

Andrew Walsh, a sixth grader at Grisham Middle School, carries a comforter Thursday to add to the pile of Christmas presents the school collected to donate to one of the Statesman Season for Caring families.

"I was very nervous," said Sofia Granados, a seventh grader. She worried that they wouldn't get many donations.

That's always Goodman's worry as well, especially this year, when families in her school are still hurting from the economic impact of the pandemic, and because it's been such a difficult four school semesters.

The students and the greater Grisham community came through. "This year the kids have worked harder than every before," Goodman said.

She told the kids on Thursday: "It's been a really, really tough last 2 years of school, and I know that some of you sitting here have had some challenges just like the family we are helping. ... It means more than ever that we were able to come together to do something like this. We're all going through a hard time. We needed something good right now. ...

"When you can't control all the stuff swirling around you that is challenging and frustrating and sometimes making you sad, I know for me the one thing that never fails is that it always feels good to do something for someone else," Goodman told the students.

More help needed: 'A heartbreaking time': Pandemic felt most by families Austin's nonprofits serve

"It's a great feeling to have all this love during Christmas time," said Geet Nijhawan, a seventh grader.

This year was the first Season for Caring for new theater teacher Kati Garrett. "It's really special, y'all," she told the students. "It makes me really proud to be a Grizzly (the school mascot)."

Marielly Torres, a seventh grader, said she was really happy to participate. "Not everybody has what we have," she said.

Her family has gone through hard times and needed to ask for people to help them. \

"It changed our lives forever," she said.

The Grisham students have completed most of the family's wishes, including a second refrigerator donated by Factory Builder Stores to help store 6-year-old son Caleb's medical supplies because he needs to use a feeding tube.

The family still needs help with medical bills, a generator, a playscape, equine therapy to work on core strength and balance, and converting the garage to a play space and medical storage area.

To help with an item on the Riveras' wish list, contact, Wonders & Worries, 512-329-5757, wondersandworries.org.

Donate to Statesman Season for Caring

The Sheth family is matching up to $500,000 in donations.

Find out more about Season for Caring, read the stories of the featured families and make a donation at statesman.com/seasonforcaring. You also can find a coupon to mail in a donation on Page 2B.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Season for Caring, Grisham Middle School raises more than $13,700 to help mom with cancer
Though Betty White died on Dec. 31, 2021, just weeks before her 100th birthday, fans will still be able to celebrate her life and career on the milestone day.

A film commemorating her birth, "Betty White: 100 Years Young," will still be shown in select theaters on Monday, Jan. 17, including in the Phoenix area; tickets are available through Fathom events. The movie was planned as a 100th birthday celebration.

Valley movie theaters that will offer the film include AMC Esplanade 14, AMC Deer Valley 17 in Phoenix and AMC Westgate 20 in Glendale.

The 1-hour and 40-minute film features cameos from White's friends, including Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Jimmy Kimmel and others.

All tickets are $13.38.

Celebrating Betty White: Betty White's life and career in photos

The film will highlight key moments in the actress's long career and her performances in "The Golden Girls," hosting "SNL," "Hot in Cleveland," "The Proposal" and a special lost episode from White's first sitcom.

White, who was born on Jan. 17, 1922, near Chicago, was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995 and has earned eight Emmy Awards in a variety of categories. She has long been revered as "America's sweetheart" with some fans praising her as the person of the century.

When speaking on her longevity last year, White told People, "I am blessed with good health, so turning 99 is no different than turning 98."

"Don't take yourself too seriously. You can lie to others  not that I would  but you cannot lie to yourself," White told People.

Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Celebrate Betty White's 100th birthday with '100 Years Young' movie
A Beverly Hills man arrested this week in connection with the suspected overdose deaths of a model and her friend was accused Friday of sexually assaulting four women, authorities said.

David Brian Pearce, 39, was charged with two counts of forcible rape, one count of rape of an unconscious or asleep person and sexual penetration by a foreign object, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office said in a news release.

This case is evolving and we continue to work with law enforcement in developing evidence of other possible crimes, district attorney George Gascon said in a statement.

The alleged assaults occurred in 2010, 2019 and 2020, the district attorney's office said.

Separately, the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday that Pearce was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after he and two other masked men allegedly dropped off Christy Giles, 24, and Hilda Marcela Cabrales Arzola, 26, at different Los Angeles hospitals on Nov. 13.

Giles was unconscious and soon pronounced dead. Cabrales Arzola died on Nov. 24.

Christy Giles. (@christygilesx via Instagram)

Records from the Los Angeles County coroner show that their causes of death have not yet been determined, but Los Angeles police said in a statement that investigators believe the women overdosed after they were given drugs at a home west of downtown Los Angeles.

Giles' husband, Jan Cilliers, told NBC Los Angeles that she and a friend had been out party-hopping when they followed a group of men to an after-party.

The men allegedly drove the women to the hospitals in a black Prius with no license plates.

It isnt clear if Pearce has a lawyer. Efforts to reach him Friday were unsuccessful.

The two other men, Michael Ansbach, 47, and Brandt Osborn, 42, were accused of accessory to manslaughter in the deaths of Giles and Cabrales Arzola.

The district attorneys office hasnt filed charges in that case. A spokesman said prosecutors asked police for further investigation.

Jail records showed that Ansbach was released on bond Thursday. Osborn was released Friday and his arrest was turned into a detention, jail records show.

No immediate response was received to messages left at phone numbers listed under their names.
Nearly 100 boats participate in the opening day of the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade on Wednesday. (Scott Smeltzer/Daily Pilot)

With Omicron rapidly spreading and its implications unclear, how should people approach the coming holiday season? Should plans be altered?

Some experts think it would be prudent to make some adjustments, although many health experts this year are also emphasizing the importance of seeing family and friends after many people spent the last winter holiday season following stay-at-home orders.

"Unfortunately, we're seeing indications of a winter surge on the heels of the Thanksgiving holiday. Case rates and daily hospitalization admissions are steadily increasing, and we anticipate that they will continue to increase," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. "If we fail to take common sense safety measures right now, we could find ourselves in a dangerous place by the end of the month and into January."

"We are obviously going into another surge, and we have to prepare for the possibility of more hospitalizations," said Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, an Orange County deputy health officer. It's important to get vaccinated, get boosted if eligible, upgrade masks, get tested, stay home when sick, and improve ventilation.

Health officials urged people to use strategies to avoid infection, noting that the long-term effects from disease from the new strain is unknown. The speed at which Omicron transmits seems formidable; Chinsio-Kwong referred to a recent study out of Hong Kong suggesting that Omicron "infects and multiplies 70 times faster than the Delta variant."

Here's what experts say about plans for the holiday season.

Can family holiday gatherings continue?

The U.S. government's top infectious diseases expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has consistently said in television interviews that holiday gatherings can continue, but advised common-sense measures  it's safer if everyone is vaccinated and has received a booster shot.

"If you and your family are vaccinated and boosted hopefully, you should feel comfortable about having a holiday situation where you have dinners and gatherings in your own home with family and friends. But that will only be safe if people get vaccinated," Fauci told ABC.

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Fauci told NBC that his children are coming to visit for the holidays, traveling by plane from all parts of the nation.

"They are vaccinated and boostered, so we can feel very comfortable in having our plans to be together as a family in our home with some friends who are also boostered and vaccinated," Fauci said. "And I feel we can be, we can feel safe," while adding, "nothing is 100% risk-free."

But he expressed worry about unvaccinated people. "They are going to be very vulnerable," Fauci said. Unvaccinated people remain far more likely to transmit the virus and get infected, and more likely to get severe illness and die from COVID-19.

What kinds of gatherings are higher risk?

Large holiday gatherings are riskier than smaller ones.

One concerning outbreak was one in Oslo, where more than 100 people attended a Christmas party at a restaurant in late November.

Most of the 111 attendees who agreed to be interviewed by researchers were in their 30s and 40s, said Dr. Carlos del Rio, an infectious-disease expert at Emory University School of Medicine, at a forum held by UC San Francisco on Thursday.

The vast majority of the party's attendees were vaccinated with two doses of an mRNA vaccine, according to a study summarizing the incident.

Eighty people  or more than 70% of the party's attendees  subsequently were diagnosed with a coronavirus infection, mostly with the Omicron variant, Del Rio said. Everyone had to show a negative test taken one to three days before the party, "and yet, there was infection there."

Symptoms of the guests included cough, lethargy, headache and sore throat. No one was hospitalized.

Coronavirus infection was also reported in more than 60 other people who visited the same restaurant on the same night as the Christmas party.

It's clear that the coronavirus is airborne, and there are data that suggest that the virus can hang around the air for an hour or two after an infected person leaves a room, Del Rio said.

"That superspreader event in Norway is like a perfect example of how you can disseminate COVID very quickly: You put a bunch of people together in a place that probably has poor ventilation because it's winter time; you have them talking loudly at each other all night, without a mask  I mean, they're basically enjoying themselves of course, it's gonna lead to lots of spread," said Dr. Paul Sax, an infectious diseases expert at Harvard Medical School, at the UC San Francisco forum.

Airborne viruses can get easily diluted outside, Sax said.

What is some advice about attending large gatherings?

People who are particularly risk-averse, or who are older or have a weakened immune system, may want to think twice about attending large, crowded indoor gatherings where people aren't wearing masks.

A big problem that has become more noticeable, especially with the newest variants, is how there seems to be an increased chance that vaccinated, boosted asymptomatic people can still be unknowingly infected and be contagious.

That's why wearing masks in indoor public settings still remains an essential strategy at this particular moment in the pandemic, even if you're already vaccinated and have received a booster shot, local health officials say.

"Vaccinated people  as we have seen every single week for the last few months  are catching and spreading COVID. And masks protect both you and the people with whom you've had contact," Ferrer said. "While vaccines are an extraordinarily powerful tool for preventing infection and severe illness or death in the people who receive them, their protection is not 100%.

"People who have been vaccinated can still get infected. And while more severe illness is rare among people that have been vaccinated, even a moderate illness can make you feel pretty lousy," Ferrer added.

Vaccinations and booster shots provide good protection, but it's not perfect, Ferrer said at a town hall meeting. And it's riskier while coronavirus transmission is high, which it is in much of Southern California.

"When we go out and about we have to make some good choices," Ferrer said. "You may want to avoid that big holiday party that's indoors at a hotel, or that huge wedding that's going to have 500 people, all eating and drinking together for hours on end."

Although California has a mask requirement for indoor public settings, people don't wear masks while eating and drinking.

For some people, based on their age or particular underlying health condition, they may decide they may not want to take a risk of attending such a gathering.

"Because we know for some of us, those risks are going to be too significant for us to take right now with all of the transmission we have in our county," Ferrer said.

"If we have a variant that's evading our vaccines more than the variants we've experienced to date, then those of us who are fully vaccinated, we've done our part, we've gotten boosted. [But] we still have risk, and we need to be very careful," Ferrer said.

What can be done to make gatherings safer?

"The risk really is when you're in close contact with poor ventilation," said Chinsio-Kwong. "The transmission occurs when people are not being careful about the preventive measures."

Gatherings outdoors will be safer. "We do not encourage large gatherings indoors at all. We still think you'll be much, much safer  if you need to have a large gathering  to take that gathering outdoors," Ferrer said.

If indoors, smaller gatherings are safer than larger ones, and Ferrer urged people to adhere to the order to wear masks in indoor public settings. She suggested that the time for eating and drinking be limited, so there's not a situation where people are doing so for hours at a time, not wearing masks, which raises the risk of transmission.

"The more people that you're around  and particularly if you're in close contact with lots and lots of different people  the greater your chances is going to be of getting infected. That's going to apply whether you're vaccinated or you're unvaccinated," Ferrer said.

If the chances are high that people aren't going to be wearing masks at large events, if an event has a lot of people, "the chances that there are people there who are infected are pretty high," Ferrer said.

People should also think about the risks to people in their family should they get infected. Those who live with people at high risk for severe complications should they get COVID-19 "may want to delay for a while the kinds of activities you do that put you in a lot of contact with potentially other people who could be infected," Ferrer said.

What about theme parks?

Theme parks can still be attended in a relatively safer way, Chinsio-Kwong said, since the experience is largely outdoors. She advised that people wear a well-fitted mask and take it off only when there's good ventilation around.

What about the theater?

It's less risky to attend theaters if you keep a fitted upgraded mask on at all times and don't eat or drink in the theater, according to Chinsio-Kwong.

Should people upgrade their masks?

While cloth masks are good, surgical masks or higher-grade masks offer better protection, Chinsio-Kwong said, and people at higher risk because they are immune compromised should consider upgrading to an N95-style mask.

Should vaccinated people expect more breakthrough cases?

Chinsio-Kwong said with Omicron, officials do expect higher numbers of breakthrough infections for vaccinated people, which can lead to symptomatic illness. Nonetheless, it's expected that the chances of getting hospitalized  even due to Omicron  for vaccinated people will be lower than for unvaccinated people.

Should people get coronavirus tests before meeting?

"If you're going to be indoors, you all should be testing before you show up at that gathering," Ferrer said. There are hundreds of testing sites across L.A. County; and rapid test kits can be bought at pharmacies or ordered online.

Testing at L.A. County-run sites are free regardless of immigration status. Orange County residents can request free self-collection test kits that will be sent to them, and residents can then submit specimens to the lab in an envelope with prepaid shipping.

"Even if you're fully vaccinated, getting tested before or after gatherings or parties ... can make a difference in whether you expose someone you love to the virus," said Dr. Dawn Terashita, associate director of L.A. County's acute communicable disease control program, at the town hall.

What should you do if you have symptoms of COVID?

If you have symptoms, get tested. A negative rapid test result may seem promising, but Terashita suggested that a symptomatic person follow that test with a PCR test, in which a sample must be sent to a lab for analysis, with results coming back in one to two days.

Anyone who is symptomatic  even with a negative rapid test  should stay home and stay away from others, Terashita said. Rapid tests can result in a small number of people getting a negative test result when they're actually positive.

If a rapid test turns up positive, "you must consider yourself infected and isolate immediately," Terashita said. You can consider following up the rapid test with a PCR test to confirm the infection.

It's irresponsible for people who test positive to continue going out and leaving the home without adhering to isolation requirements, Ferrer said. Those who test positive must stay home for at least 10 days since symptoms first started, or, if there are no symptoms, then at least 10 days after the test was taken.

Do some infectious disease experts plan to visit older relatives this holiday season?

They're making slightly different decisions  but all say it's essential to be vaccinated and boosted.

Dr. Rachel Bystritsky, a UC San Francisco infectious diseases doctor, said at the UC San Francisco forum she'd get tested before seeing her vaccinated 97-year-old grandmother and would have them both wear masks during the visit.

Sax said he visits elderly parents and takes a rapid test right before he sees them. He said it's important that people do the test as close as possible to the actual visit itself, and not the morning of the visit, nor the day before.

Sax said he wouldn't go visit them if he had any signs of a respiratory illness, such as a scratchy throat, even if the rapid test results showed a negative result.

"People should not use rapid tests, when they have a respiratory tract infection, as a way of reassuring themselves falsely that they may not have COVID. I've heard that mistake made numerous times," Sax said. A negative rapid test result, while symptomatic for some kind of illness, doesn't rule out a COVID-19 infection, Sax said.

"I would not go visit grandma with a respiratory tract infection in the COVID-19 era, period," Sax said.

After the test, Sax said he acts normally around his parents, and doesn't try to keep distance from them, nor wear a mask. "That's what I do with our friends when they come over for dinner," Sax said at the forum.

Del Rio said he plans on getting together with members of his family to see his vaccinated 87-year-old mother.

The rules? If you have any symptoms of illness, you don't come in, and everyone gets tested just before they go in. "Once everybody's tested negative, and everybody's vaccinated and boosted  no masks," Del Rio said.

What are some experts saying about indoor dining?

Experts offered different points of view, and noted that people can make different decisions based on their own levels of risk tolerance.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases expert at UC San Francisco, said he would still feel comfortable dining in an indoor restaurant in places like Los Angeles County or the San Francisco Bay Area.

I still feel comfortable doing indoor dining, personally, being boosted, Chin-Hong said Friday.  I would wear a mask until I get to the table, but I dont feel myself terribly at risk.

People who might have more reason to be cautious could be those who are older or immune compromised, as well as vaccinated people who havent received their booster shot, Chin-Hong said.

Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the UC San Francisco Department of Medicine, said on Twitter on Friday that, as a fairly healthy 64-year-old who is moderately risk-averse and has received three shots of the Pfizer vaccine, he would not dine in an indoor public setting even in San Francisco, but would outdoors.

He also said, context matters: what might be safe for a healthy 30-year-old could be way too unsafe for a frail octogenarian."

Its not about you alone. That healthy 30-year-old can spread Covid unwittingly to someone at high risk, including a loved one. So decisions about risk need to account for risk to others, Wachter wrote.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Chris Noth has been accused of sexual assault by three women. Future Publishing/Getty Images

A3 Artists Agency has dropped actor Chris Noth, a representative told Insider.

Noth was accused of sexual assault by three women after the reboot premiere of "And Just Like That."

He has denied all of the allegations.

Chris Noth was dropped by his talent agency on Friday after three women came forward with sexual assault claims against the actor.

A representative for A3 Artists Agency confirmed to Insider that it parted ways with the "Sex and the City" star. "I can confirm that Chris Noth is no longer a client," the representative said via email.

Representatives for Chris Noth, 67, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

The news comes after a third woman accused Noth of sexually assaulting her in 2010 when she was 18 years old, according to The Daily Beast. A representative for Noth did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, but his publicist told The Daily Beast Noth "denies this as ever happening and has no idea who this woman is."

On Thursday The Hollywood Reporter published a report in which two women accused the actor of sexual assault.

The women, who do not know each other and presented their allegations "months apart," said they came forward with their claims because "And Just Like That" promotions had "stirred painful memories of incidents" for them.

One woman, who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter under the pseudonym "Zoe," claimed that Noth sexually assaulted her in 2004 when she was 22. The other woman, who used the pseudonym "Lily," accused Noth of sexually assaulting her in 2015 when she was 25.

In a statement to Insider's Rebecca Cohen and Esme Mazzeo, Noth denied the allegations from the two women and said they were false.

"The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false. These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago  no always means no  that is a line I did not cross," the statement reads.

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"The encounters were consensual. It's difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out," Noth continued in the statement. "I don't know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women."

Chris Noth and Sarah Jessica Parker seen on the set of "And Just Like That..." in New York City. James Devaney/GC Images/Getty Images

The allegations against Noth come after his character, Mr. Big, made his return in the "Sex and the City" reboot, "And Just Like That."

In the premiere episode, fans were shocked when Mr. Big suddenly died after a workout on his Peloton bike. Shortly after, Peloton stocks plunged, and the company released a statement that the company was unaware that one of its bikes would be used in the premiere.

After the episode, Peloton released a commercial featuring Noth, actor Ryan Reynolds, and Peloton instructor Jess King 48 hours after the episode premiered. The company has since removed the ad from social media following the sexual assault allegations. Reynolds, who produced the ad through his Maximum Effort production company, also deleted the posts from his Twitter and Instagram accounts, according to Newsweek.

"Every single sexual assault accusation must be taken seriously. We were unaware of these allegations when we featured Chris Noth in our response to HBO's reboot," a Peloton spokesperson told Variety. "As we seek to learn more, we have stopped promoting this video and archived related social posts."

Read the original article on Insider
As part of their Christmas Wishes program, United Way of Gaston County served more than 90 seniors citizens and gave them food boxes donated by the Food Lion in Dallas alongside gifts that contained everyday necessities.

United Way of Gaston County shifted its Christmas Wishes focus this year from helping families with children to older residents in the community.

More than 90 older Gaston residents were given gifts this year by the United Way's Christmas Wishes program.

"To see the smiles on the faces, or the tears of joy just to receive a gift, and the appreciation for the gifts that were given are worth the time that was put into every gift purchased," said Rita Davis of United Way of Gaston County. "The senior citizens did not ask for anything extravagant just the necessities to help them on a daily basis."

United Way of Gaston County also wants to thank everyone for their sponsorship and those who adopted a particular person. The Food Lion in Dallas also provided food boxes that were given out with each gift to every senior citizen, Davis said.

United Way of Gaston County gave the senior citizen community gift boxes for Christmas Wishes. A Food Lion in Dallas donated food boxes and money to make the program a success.

Beatriz Guerrero can be reached at 704-869-1828 or on Twitter@BeatrizGue_

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United Way of Gaston County gave the senior citizen community gift boxes for Christmas Wishes. Volunteers were able to serve more than 90 senior citizens of the program.

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United Way of Gaston County gave the senior citizen community gift boxes for Christmas Wishes. Volunteers were able to serve more than 90 senior citizens of the program.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Christmas Wishes serves senior citizens in Gaston County
By Jason Lange

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. federal agency on Saturday said it could start issuing citations to companies as soon as Jan. 10 for failure to comply with a nationwide mandate that they either vaccinate or test regularly for COVID-19, as a U.S. Supreme Court showdown over the policy looms.

The announcement came one day after a U.S. appeals court reinstated the Biden administration policy that requires large businesses to verify employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing.

Another court in November had blocked the rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the legal battle is expected to continue to the Supreme Court.

On Saturday, OSHA said it would not cite companies for any kind of noncompliance with the rule before Jan. 10 "to provide employers with sufficient time to come into compliance." OSHA also said citations around COVID-19 testing would not begin before Feb. 9.

The OSHA rule applies to businesses with at least 100 workers and covers 80 million American workers.

The rule has triggered a significant backlash, particularly in Republican-leaning states. Republicans hope to make popular frustration with COVID-19 safety measures a central theme in political campaigns ahead of the November 2022 congressional elections, when Republican hope to seize control of Congress.

President Joe Biden has argued the vaccine mandate is essential for fighting the pandemic, which has killed more than 750,000 Americans and weighed on the economy.

Biden will announce new steps for fighting the pandemic on Tuesday, a White House spokesperson said.

The debate coincides with public health officials bracing for a "tidal wave" https://www.reuters.com/world/us/tidal-wave-omicron-could-put-us-covid-19-surge-into-overdrive-2021-12-17 of coronavirus infections in the United States as the more transmissible Omicron variant spreads rapidly worldwide.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by David Gregorio)
How can a City get away with stealing roughly $50,000 from two former police officers?

Naples Police officers Brad Gallagher and Ryan Harp have been asking that for nearly a year. Both men recently left the department, granted disability retirement because of catastrophic injuries sustained in the line of duty.

"I've done nothing but serve my community this entire time and then I get treated like this by the city of Naples, it just blows me away," Gallagher told the Naples Daily News.

The former officers are U.S. Army Veterans who bought back their military service credits by paying the City of Naples over half of their yearly salaries in a lump sum.

The 'Military Buyback Program' is a benefit for all veterans with active duty military service time to receive credit for their military service time to be added to their years of civil service with the government and increases their retirement annuity.

When the two retired within the last year, department officials told them they would receive the bare minimum benefit equal to 42% of their final average compensation.

Brad Gallagher and Ryan Harp speak at the Police Officers' / Firefighters' Pension Boards of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

But there is a problem. The military years they bought back were not enough to raise their benefit over 42%, a minimum both officers say is already hard to survive off. Since they did not benefit from their buyback,they asked to be refunded, but the city said no.

"They don't want to give me any of it. It was crazy because it was my money that I bought for my military time," Gallagher said. "They have no reason, they just arbitrarily made this decision that they don't want to give it to me."

After leaving the U.S. Army in 2000 and a 10-year stint as a deputy in Polk County, Gallagher joined the Naples department in 2011 before a catastrophic knee injury ended his police career last year.

While preparing to calculate their pension benefits, they each paid a $500 assessment fee, Harp in 2017 and Gallagher in 2019 to have the city's actuary tell them how much they would have to pay to purchase their military service credits.

Story continues

For Harp, the buyback was around $27,000 for four years of his military service, and Gallagher purchased roughly four years of credit, totaling $28,929 that the actuary told him had to be paid in a lump sum.

Harp told the Naples Daily News that he paid $20,000 upfront from his savings in June 2017, and then $1,230 every month for six months out of a paycheck. His salary was $54,000. In 2019 Gallagher's pay was $57,703 due to working overtime, but in 2020 his pay dropped to a base salary of $55,252.

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Harp served as a military police officer from 2006 to 2010 with Fort Leonard-Wood, Missouri, Charlie Company 795; Fort Sill Oklahoma 40th MP Detachment; and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 500th MP Company. He was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant E-5.

"If they cared for veterans why would you withhold money for a service that was bought and was not used? There is nothing in the policy that states they can not give our money back," Harp said. "We are not speaking of a couple of hundred dollars here, even though during this time every penny counts. This is thousands we as veterans paid out of our own familys pockets. Understand we are not asking for anything that wasnt ours or that we didnt earn."

City ordinance

The discussion on military buyback refunds for Gallagher and Harp has come up during all four pension board meetings this year. Each time the board decided to push the discussion to the next meeting.

For Gallagher, the issue boils down to the city's unwillingness to draft an appropriate policy statement for what they say is a rare occurrence: a vested police officer granted disability retirement for an on-the-job injury, who also happens to have bought back military service credits.

From the perspective of the City and the pension board, the issue comes down to what the city ordinance says, or rather, what it does not say. Specifically, Sec. 29-316 (j) which states:

Any police officer who shall retire from the service of the city under this section as a result of a line-of-duty disability shall receive a minimum benefit equal to 42 percent of final average compensation and, if as a result of a non-line-of-duty disability, a minimum benefit equal to 25 percent of final average compensation.

Gallagher shared emails with the Naples Daily News between him and Elizabeth Willis, senior accountant for the city's finance department, showing that he had brought up how the Florida Retirement System policy includes a minimum benefit equal to 65% of final average compensation.

"Regardless, procedures of the FRS cannot be applied to our membership. We are required to follow our ordinances and plan assumptions. " Willis wrote in an email to Gallaghar on Sept. 21.

"The board did have their (sic.) regularly scheduled board meeting on September 3, 2021. As promised, I made sure that the board would discuss the buyback at that meeting and inquire with the board professionals as to whether or not we could do anything with the buyback," Willis wrote in her email. "Unfortunately both the actuary and the legal professionals agreed that we have no provision to return buyback contributions."

Refunding military buybacks

The Naples Daily News contacted Joel Huffman, FRS Benefit Administrator with the Bureau of Retirement Calculations to ask about refunding military buybacks.

"Members do have the opportunity to request a refund of that service," Huffman said. "There is not really a scenario I can think of where we should say no to the refund. Because they had paid for it and we are going to remove the service credit associated with that purchase ...

"Basically if they had said in their disability retirement application that they did not think it would be worth to keep it in the long run, and asked 'can I just request a refund,' then we would say 'absolutely, go ahead'."

Huffman added, I don't know of a policy that is formally written out, I also don't know any Florida administrative code that says we can't or can. It's just something we do."

Joe Whitehead disagrees that a lack of ordinance language should mean the officer's military buybacks cannot be refunded. He is a former Naples police detective and was the chairman of the police officers' retirement trust fund board of trustees for 20 years. He resigned from the board after its June meeting.

He explained the typical scenario of an officer buying back their military years.

"Let's say you did five years in the Army and then became a police officer for the next 20 years. And then you buy the five back and it would bring you to the equivalent of 25 years of service, so when you retire you get the benefit of what you spent because five years of additional service would calculate into your pension."

Whitehead said that in his two decades on the board he had only come across a few situations that dealt with military buybacks but never had he come across Harp and Gallagher's circumstances.

When he discussed the issue at the June meeting, he said no one had a clear vision or answer.

"The question becomes since they put that in and it was intended to calculate their pension to a higher pension benefit level, what do we do? Because this is the first time it has come up," he told the Naples Daily News.

"My thoughts were, if they paid for something that they did not get the benefit of, then it should probably be refunded," Whitehead said. "The reason I think this is important is because you put your own money into this so something should be coming back to you for your investment."

Because Harp and Gallagher retired due to disability, the benefits they are owed are calculated differently.

"The board cannot take any action, if they do they're subject to being sued, but the city council should take it up."

Hurt on the job

In April 2015, Harp was making a traffic stop on Goodlette-Frank Road when he was struck by his patrol car after a drunken driver hit another car.

His patrol car struck his right arm while he was standing next to the drivers door of a vehicle he had pulled over, Florida Highway Patrol reports show.

Initial reports indicate Harp went to Naples Community Hospital with minor injuries. But Harp says the incident "was my major injury that started everything."

It had been the third car crash he had been involved in during his career with the Naples PD. After he returned from light duty, he was hit again within 10 days.

On April 21, 2015, Naples Police officer Ryan Harp was struck by his own patrol car after it was hit from behind by a drunk driver, while he was making a traffic stop in the city.

It was Harp's decision to retire due to his injury in October 2020.

"But I was not given proper care by my first doctors under workers comp," Harp told the Naples Daily News. "They didnt believe my back was injured badly and it finally ruptured and I waited for a while for an MRI, which finally showed the extent of my injuries."

More: Naples officer struck during traffic stop in alcohol-related crash

Gallagher was handed a termination letter on Jan. 21, 2021, effective three days later.

"Our records indicate that you have been unable to work full duty without restrictions since June 24, 2019, due to an injury sustained in the line of duty," the letter said. "Unfortunately, the Police Department can no longer accommodate the light-duty work restrictions assigned by your physician. Therefore, I regret to inform you that it is the City's intent to separate you from employment with the City for medical reasons."

Gallagher says the letter was a low blow.

"They almost treat you as a criminal," he said. "The time they gave me my notice of termination, I walked back to my office from the lieutenant's office, I went to the bathroom, I came back and I couldn't even get into the office area because they had already shut off my key fob."

"It was a complete shock, I had no benefits after that month was over so my kids went without any kind of health insurance for three months," he said.

Looking ahead

During the December police pension board meeting Gallagher and Harp spoke during public comment.

Harp told the board he was concerned that the panel had done nothing about the issue.

"Pretty much we are just trying to figure out what is going on," Harp said to the board.

"We have the issue of $27,000 that we paid, 50% of our salary paid in a short time frame" he said. "We were hacking out our money during that time where you're not going on vacations, you're not eating steak dinners because you're trying to pay off something that is going to benefit you later down the road."

"Now we have paid for a service that is not being provided to us, so I feel like my money is being stolen from me ...

"This issue was really brought up in June, but now we're sitting here in December without our money, coming up on Christmas and we're here twiddling our thumbs wondering what the board is going to do."

Gallagher had the same complaints about the delay.

"We're just kicking the can down the road, every department seems to just be kicking it off to the next meeting or kicking off to someone else's blame."

The board discussed a concern that not resolving the buyback question quickly may make recruitment even harder for the department that already has an officer shortage.

As we're recruiting people from out of state we have to keep open the idea that this may become an issue and we may very well become a model for other plans," said board member Michael Herman. The meeting ended after a motion was passed for their attorney to draft an amendment to the ordinance to be given to the city council to speed up their decision-making process.

Gallagher and Harp left the pension board meeting with mixed feelings.

"No one chooses to be disabled from a career they have been doing for over 20 years," Gallagher said. "I'm fighting for all veterans and disabled officers to have the retirement board return their own money that is owed to them by the city.

Gallagher and Harp are now urging the Naples community to email Mayor Teresa Heitmann and council members to voice their support.

The city fights us on everything so this will be an ongoing fight, but my thing is to make sure a change happens so that this never happened to another veteran or first responder ever again Harp added.

On Monday, Dec. 13, the Naples City Council met during a closed meeting to discuss the military buyback and refund issue. While it is not known what was discussed during the meeting, Naples City Councilman Ted Blankenship said the council has asked the city manager to investigate.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: How can Naples get away with stealing from 2 former police officers?
GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: The following story contains graphic content about the shooting death of an animal some readers might find disturbing. Reader caution is advised.

BALLINGER  Video footage of an animal control officer shooting a dog here this week has led to public outrage and scrutiny of the incident, which the city of Winters is defending.

The animal control officer was acting in the normal course of his duties, according to a statement from the Winters Police Department.

Winters resident Angela New doesn't agree.

New, who lives across the street from where the shooting took place, uploaded a cellphone video roughly a minute-long of the shooting that occurred Tuesday. New also has her own surveillance cameras.

Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, an animal control officer with the City of Winters can be seen standing near a white pickup parked outside a home. As the animal control officer speaks to a second city mployee wearing a yellow vest, New can be heard berating them both.

Two City of Winters employees look at Baxter who jumped a fence to a neighbor's house and was in an enclosed yard. The dog's owners, who live next door, say they were not contacted before, or after the shooting of their dog.

"I've watched this dog run around my neighborhood for days now, and he's never attacked any of us," New says in the video.

On the other side of a fence is a dog named "Baxter," a 3-year-old Great Dane that had jumped into a neighbor's yard Tuesday.

Both the city employee and the animal control officer claim in the video the dog had tried to bite them. As a result, the animal control officer already had shot Baxter at least once .

"You're not doing your job as a dog catcher by letting the (expletive) thing suffer like that," New can be heard in the video.

Shortly after New's remarks, the animal control officer walks over to the dog. As Baxter limps toward the officer from the other side of the fence, the officer leans over the fence, points a handgun, pulls the trigger and fires again.

What we know about 'Baxter'

Baxter, a 3 month old Great Dane puppy, was shot by a Winters, TX code enforcement officer on the morning of December 14. A cell phone video captured part of the incident and has causes an outrage from the public.

The dog belonged to the Hooser family and had jumped the fence to the next door neighbor's yard. According to New, the family had moved to Winters on Nov. 7.

Story continues

New's surveillance camera shows her pulling out of her driveway and pausing after she is out on the street. She claims the officer shot the dog a total of three times.

"The (code enforcement officer) shot the dog twice as I was leaving my driveway. I heard the first shot. Then I drove around the block and heard a second shot," New said.

When New pulled back up to her house a couple of minutes later, she filmed the video that has caused outrage against the city employees.

"They were just standing there with their hands in their pockets, laughing and talking. The dog was lying there on the ground and trying to get up," New said.

"I was upset and yelled at them about shooting the dog and it suffering while they stood there laughing," she said

Despite New's statements, no laughter from either men can be heard in the video.

A screenshot from a video taken by Angela New moments before a dog, which had jumped into a neighbor's fence, was shot by city employees.

City defends actions of animal control officers

In a story reported by an Abilene TV station, the Winters Police Department reported the dog had been "an ongoing safety concern" at the residence where the dog was shot and killed.

"Multiple issues had taken place prior, at the residence, regarding the dog getting into the fenced-in area of the residence, and being aggressive toward the property owner and the owner's cats, killing some of them," police said.

Police also expressed concern for an elderly woman who lives at the residence being unable to defend herself against such a "large, aggressive dog."

New disagreed with the police department's statement.

"I don't believe that there were any complaints against the dog. Once, we saw the lady who lives in that house sitting on the back porch, smoking a cigarette, and the dog was there as well. It wasn't doing anything aggressive. It was just sitting there."

Baxter's owner, Jessica Hooser, said animal control officers didn't contact her prior to the shooting and she isn't aware of any complaints against her dog.

"No, we never received any reports or complaints from anyone, including the neighbor involved with the shooting," Hooser said.

Hooser commented on the grief that her family is experiencing.

"Baxter was a fun loving giant goofball. We knew he was determined to get out and we were doing everything in our power with our split schedules to fix every spot but he kept finding a way out. Baxter was always sheltered and I think with the new house and chain link fence he could see the new exciting outside world and adventures. Our hearts are breaking because how he suffered was not at all what he deserved"

The Runnels County Register could not verify if official complaints had been filed against the dog as of Thursdaybut submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to police requesting and previous complaints against the dog, and requesting a copy of the incident report in which the officer shot the dog.

Hooser also said neither police nor any city employees alerted her of the shooting, which Hooser said she found out about from neighbors later that day.

"Some neighbors came by the house and let my husband know what had happened. Then he messaged me because I was at work," Hooser said, adding that she and her husband work different shifts.

"Someone is almost always at the house. They could have easily let us know if he was being bothersome," Hooser said.

Animal control officer chose lethal force

According to the report, the animal control officer observed the dog "foaming from the mouth, and it did not have a collar or tags indicating it had been vaccinated against rabies."

The officer tried "multiple times to make friendly contact with the dog," according to the report, including "offering the back of his hand to the dog through the chain link fence, to which the dog tried to snap and bite him through."

The officer was unable to use a catch pole, deeming the action too dangerous to himself and risking allowing the dog back onto the streets, according to the report.

Police said that after all other options were exhausted, "the decision was made to neutralize the dog by means of a firearm discharge," the report states.

New contends the dog was not barking or charging anyone.

"He was just a very sweet dog," New said.

The video from her cell phone and surveillance camera footage that New provided to the Runnels County Register do not appear to show the dog being aggressive.

Baxter, a 3-year old Great Dane, was shot by a Winters, TX code enforcement officer on the morning of December 14. A cell phone video captured part of the incident and has causes an outrage from the public.

Winters Police defended the actions of the animal control officers in a statement they released to media.

"After shooting the dog in the head one time, the animal control officer waited to determine if the dog had succumbed to the injury, before attempting to safely remove the dog," a report stated.

While not naming New directly, police say "a neighbor confronted the officer while recording video, which prevented him from killing the dog in a timely manner."

"The verbal confrontation drew (the officers) attention away from the dog, interfering with (his) ability to carry out his official duties in a timely manner, by being concerned with the approaching citizen's demeanor and their safety, while discharging a firearm," according to a statement.

A screenshot from a video of two City of Winters employees moments before shooting a dog that had jumped into a neighbors yard. The video has since caused public outrage and scrutiny.

Justice for Baxter?

New's cellphone video originally was posted by Slater Lindley, who lives in Winters. The video has been shared thousands of times with more than 10,000 views and hundreds of comments

Many residents of Winters have posted photos of the dog with the caption, "Justice for Baxter."

The comments and reactions to the video show the depth of the outrage, shock and anger felt by those who have watched the video.

"I feel that if I had not witnessed (the) code enforcement officer killing the dog, the family never would have known what happened, because after shooting the dog they picked the dog up and took off. The dog has come over to my house a couple of times. He was never aggressive. He was sweet and would lick my hand. I cried after I shut the video off. They just picked up the dog and hauled it off," New says.

New contacted members of the city council to make a complaint, showing a conversation between her and the mayor on Facebook Messenger.

"I contacted the mayor, Mark Burkhart, and city councilman Elmer Buckaloo at 9:07 a.m. Tuesday. The mayor thanked me and said that he'd look into it," New said.

Requests for comments police department, other than what is in the TV story, have not been returned.

Winters city councilman Elmer Buckaloo released the following statement:

"I have been made aware of the situation and believe that I do not have enough information at this time to make a judgement. There will be a council meeting on (Monday). If you would like to address the members please come to the meeting and voice your feelings."

This article originally appeared on Runnels County Register: Winters controversial dog shooting by city employee causes outrage
A former employee of Cook County Commissioner Deborah Sims has filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging Sims fired her for reporting sexual misconduct by a high-ranking staffer with whom Sims had a romantic relationship, according to the complaint.

The complaint was filed by a longtime worker in Sims office who alleges she was subjected to retaliation and sex discrimination by Sims and her chief of staff. The former aide said she was fired in October  just months after a separate investigation by the county watchdog agency concluded Sims had retaliated against her for reporting sexual harassment.

Sims denied the allegations in a Thursday statement through her spokesman, Sean Howard. Her chief of staff, who Sims confirmed remains in office, did not respond to a request for comment.

These latest allegations are baseless and without merit, Sims statement read. She did not elaborate, citing Cook County policy against commenting on personnel matters.

Sims continued: Our office has not been notified, subpoenaed, nor received any request to interview or question any employee on our staff. The Cook County Inspector Generals office thoroughly investigated (the former employees) claims and provided to our office recommendations in which we have fully complied.

Sims, a Democrat from Posen, announced in October she wont run for reelection in 2022. That followed the finding by the countys independent inspector general that an unnamed elected official  later confirmed to be Sims  retaliated against an employee for reporting sexual misconduct. At the time, the longtime commissioner had little to say to the Tribune about the watchdog investigation other than: Everything is a learning experience. Its over. I have nothing to say about it.

Rich Dvorak, lawyer for the woman who filed the complaint, countered this week that it wasnt over for my client.

I dont think (Sims) learned anything from this, Dvorak said. She certainly doesnt sound like she learned the lesson. She doesnt sound like shes contrite, and I think thats a wholly inadequate response.

Story continues

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According to the EEOC complaint from the former aide, Sims chief of staff made sexually predatory advances toward her that started in September 2016 and continued even more aggressively as time passed. The complaint identifies the chief of staff as Sims boyfriend. Sims did not address the nature of their relationship in her statement, nor did the inspector generals public summary of the investigation.

The first instance happened, according to the EEOC complaint, when the chief of staff said he wanted to offer an extra pair of hands during the aides physical therapy sessions for a medical condition. From that fall to early spring 2017, the chief of staff told the aide on three occasions that he would like to engage in oral sex with her the complaint states.

The Complainant was frightened, humiliated, and degraded by this behavior, the document reads, adding that she verbally and physically rejected the chief of staffs advances.

Then, the chief of staff began ignoring the aides phone calls, lying about meetings being canceled, and bad-mouthing her to Sims, according to the complaint. In May 2017, Sims questioned the aide about the staff members fraying relationship with the chief of staff, leading to the aide reporting that he sexually harassed her, the complaint states.

The aide and her husband then met with Sims and the chief of staff, who hung his head as the aide detailed her experiences and presented texts she received from him, the complaint says.

After the meeting, Sims called the aides husband and claimed the aide was encouraging the chief of staffs advances, says the complaint, which also asserted Sims at one point cruelly disparaged the aides marriage to her late husband in a conversation with the aides child.

When the watchdog report came out in July, Sims, through her spokesman, told the Tribune she accepted the inspector generals findings and does not condone any form of sexual harassment or retaliation.

Months later, Sims fired the aide, saying the office was moving in a different direction, according to the complaint. Sims later announced she will not run for reelection. But to the aide, this was flimsy pretext for what appeared to be retaliation, the complaint say.

Howard confirmed the aide is no longer on Sims payroll but did not comment on why, citing a personnel matter. Dvorak provided paperwork appearing to confirm his client was terminated.

Sims, in her statement, noted the aide first filed a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights that was dismissed. However, the state agency declined to pursue the case because it lacked jurisdiction, according to a copy of the dismissal.

The aides EEOC complaint says she has suffered depression and weight loss and now requires therapy and anti-anxiety medication, which she attributes to her ordeal at work and loss of her job.

Her well-being has been suffering for a while, Dvorak said, The kicker was getting fired. I mean, its so obvious why she was fired.  That definitely took a toll on her.

ayin@chicagotribune.com
The dirty secret of elections is that voters dont pick their elected representatives; elected representatives pick their voters.

Its certainly true these days as congressional districts all over the country are being redrawn according to the population figures in the 2020 Census.

Because these redistricting efforts are almost always left to the party in power to decide, they frequently spawn complaints of gerrymandering due to the creative way the district lines get drawn.

For example, in North Carolina, a state nearly evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, and where Trump won with 49.93% of the vote last year, state Republicans drew new congressional districts last month that divided voters in a way that made 10 of the 14 House seats in North Carolina Republican-majority districts.

In Ohio, where Trump got 53% of the vote, the new voting maps have made 80% of the districts more likely to elect Republicans.

New political maps for Florida are in the works.

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Prisoners don't vote, but their bodies matter

You might imagine that Florida is free of gerrymandering, considering that In 2010, Florida voters passed an anti-gerrymandering constitutional amendment. It says that voting districts may not be drawn to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party.

But its best to think of that voter initiative as a speed bump to gerrymandering in Florida, not a stop sign.

Especially when it comes to what is known as prison gerrymandering.

STARKE, Fla. -- Florida has a chance to fix years of self-inflicted damage from "lock 'em up" laws, and pass legislation that would reduce state prison populations, save taxpayers money and maybe, show some compassion.

Floridas got the third-largest number of incarcerated state residents in the country. The latest count is about 149,000 of them.

Floridas 27 congressional districts are drawn in a way to keep the population in each district about even  which these days is 769,221 people, according to state figures.

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Floridas big prison population comes into play because each prisoner is counted as a state resident, one whose body matters for the map drawing, but whose interests are negligible due to felons being prohibited from voting.

So where these invisible constituents get counted is important: They can either be counted as residents of the usually rural part of Florida where they are being housed. Or they can be counted as residents of the part of Florida where they had lived before being shipped off to prison and where they will most likely return when their prison sentences are completed.

District maps can give or take away voters

Neither way is all that accurate: The Census locks in their address for 10 years, which is about five years longer than the average Florida prison sentence.

The U.S. Census says that where you lived on April 1, 2020, is where you are counted.

But thats a 231-year-old rule thats being changed around the country this year as states draw their maps. The change, though, is not happening in Florida, where it would really matter.

Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino

More than a dozen states, some in response to civil-rights lawsuits, have concluded that the fair thing to do is to count prisoners as residents of where they lived before they were locked up.

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Virginia and Pennsylvania have all taken some action to count prisoners in a way that avoids prison gerrymandering.

Theyre being spurred on by groups such the NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Prison Policy Initiative to stop counting prisons as homes.

Civil rights group on the lookout for prison gerrymandering

In short, prison gerrymandering ensures that the bodies of mostly (non-white) people in detention are used to bolster the voting strength of the largely, white, rural districts where incarceration facilities are located  an average of 100 miles away from the homes of people who are incarcerated  and seals that distribution of power for a decade, the ACLU wrote.

In 2016, a U.S. District Court ruling found that prison gerrymandering in Floridas rural Jefferson County unconstitutionally diluted the power of voters in nearby districts.

In that case, a county commission and school board district were drawn in a way that made 43.2% of the voting-age population in those districts the voting-ineligible inmates at the Jefferson Correctional Institution.

Prison gerrymandering also allows states to create sham minority-majority districts that comply with the Voting Rights Act while not actually empowering Black voters.

In one case, that unspoken plan was said aloud by then-State Rep. Janet Adkins, who thought she was speaking privately to a group of Republican activists when talking about using prisoners to skew the numbers in a minority-heavy congressional district in North Florida, Politico reported.

Its a perfect storm, Adkins said. Youre now reducing the percentage of minorities in that district and youve drawn it in such a fashion that perhaps a majority, or maybe not a majority, but a number of them will live in prisons, thereby not being able to vote.

With prison gerrymandering still in play for the current round of political mapmaking in Florida, there will be about 149,000 pawns on the board.

Hope for the best, expect the worst.

fcerabino@gannett.com

@FranklyFlorida

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida's big prison population counted in redistricting maps
Oxygen

A Texas man has been indicted for the 2010 murder of his former live-in girlfriends daughter as prosecutors reveal for the first time how she was killed. A grand jury in Mitchell County indicted Shawn C. Adkins, 35, last week on one count of murder and one count of tampering with evidence in the death of Colorado City girl Hailey Dunn, 13, local outlet KTAB-TV reports. In court documents obtained by KTAB, prosecutors allege that Adkins killed the eighth-grader by striking her in the head with a
CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH  The Heights Libraries made a sudden decision to close all of their branches for the weekend.

The library system announced the closures on Saturday morning. They said rising COVID-19 case levels in the region prompted library leaders to close all branches on Saturday and Sunday.

The library system said it was "sorry for the inconvenience."

Hospitalization levels are hitting record highs in parts of the state, largely due to unvaccinated populations. The Cleveland Clinic urged Ohioans to get vaccinated, saying it was "near capacity" in many of its hospitals. Many hospital systems have delayed nonessential surgeries to preserve bed space.

The current COVID-19 surge is also infecting and sickening increasingly younger people.

Over the past two weeks, more than 20 percent of Ohio patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 were under the age of 50, said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the state health department. He added that people 40 and younger make up 13 percent of Ohio's COVID-19 hospitalizations.



The vast majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, approximately 95 percent, are among people who were not vaccinated against the virus, Vanderhoff said.



This article originally appeared on the Cleveland Heights Patch




Covington Catholic graduate Nick Sandmann reached a settlement with NBC over their coverage of an interaction he had with Omaha Tribe elder Nathan Phillips while attending the March for Life in 2019.

"At this time I would like to release that NBC and I have reached a settlement. The terms are confidential," Sandmann tweeted on Friday.

At this time I would like to release that NBC and I have reached a settlement. The terms are confidential. - Nicholas Sandmann (@N1ckSandmann) December 17, 2021

Court documents filed Friday indicate that NBC and Sandmann both agreed to dismiss the case without judgement from the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Kentucky, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Sandmann became widely known after a video of his interaction with Phillips at the Lincoln Memorial in 2019 went viral, and was reported on by the media.

Sandmann sued multiple outlets for their portrayals of the incident.

In the lawsuit against NBC, Sandmann claimed the network "unleashed its vast corporate wealth, influence, and power against Nicholas to falsely attack him despite the fact that at the time, he was a 16-year-old high school student," the Enquirer reported.

Sandmann previously reached settlements with CNN and The Washington Post.

Lawsuits he has filed against several other outlets remain ongoing.
Erie County Executive-elect Brenton Davis is being accused by county government leaders of overstepping his bounds  or at the very least, causing confusion.

In a letter sent Tuesday to a number of boards, commissions and authorities across the county, Davis transition team leader, Roger Richards, advised recipients to take no action on personnel or contracts until Davis, a Republican, takes office in January.

Transition team: GOP's Davis, county-executive elect, creates transition team; picks include big donor, Dems

Davis wins: Brenton Davis wins Erie County executive race; Tyler Titus concedes

Erie lawyer Roger Richards, shown in this June 2019 file photo and is Erie County Executive-elect Brenton Davis' transition team leader. In a letter to members of boards and commissions in Erie County, Richards advised recipients to take no action on personnel or contracts until Davis takes office in January.

Richards, a local attorney, touted Davis' margin of victory in the November election as a sign of a mandate to "steer an independent course," and wrote that committing to any new, long-term obligations before Davis takes office would be "ill-advised and counterproductive."

"We are therefore advising against any extensions, cancellations or terminations of personnel or outside contracts by any board, agency or commission until the new county executive has had the opportunity to assess the work and offer input on how best to continue and to strengthen the important work of these organizations," Richard said in the letter.

Richards could not be reached for comment Friday.

Erie County Executive-elect Brenton Davis takes questions during a news conference in Millcreek Township on Nov. 3.

However, Davis spokesman Dennis Roddy said in a statement to the Erie Times-News, "Lets drop the pretense. The new administration is trying to ensure (County Executive) Kathy Dahlkemper doesnt load these boards and commissions with her friends on her way out the door."

Davis' priorities: Increased vaccination rates, bipartisanship among Davis' top priorities upon taking office

'A classic case of overreach'

Dahlkemper, along with County Council members Andre Horton and Mary Rennie, sent a letter Thursday to more than 20 boards, commissions and authorities, advising them to ignore Richards' letter.

"You should continue to feel free to discharge your full responsibilities as you believe is in the best interests of our community," the letter stated.

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In an interview with the Erie Times-News on Friday, Dahlkemper, a Democrat, said Davis has never worked in government and may not understand that boards and commissions have the autonomy to make decisions without political influence.

"I'm not saying that (Davis) shouldn't be aware or be involved, but to tell them not to make any decisions ties their hands when they're autonomous from the county executive office," she said.

Dahlkemper added that several people who received Richards' letter were not even county executive appointments, but were appointed by the County Council, the city of Erie or even another county, in the case of northwest Pennsylvania's eight-county Northwest Commission.

Derek Martin, executive director of the Erie International Airport Authority, said it was "surprising" when members of the Airport Authority board received Richards' letter.

"It was sent out on behalf of Brenton Davis, so I don't know if the person who sent it was aware of what the statute requires," Martin said.

Despite the letter's request, the board voted Wednesday on two resolutions to appoint the Knox Law Firm as solicitor for fiscal year 2022 and the appointment of McGill Power Bell & Associates for the 2021 audit  both actions that needed to be completed, Martin said.

"The board continued with the business of the work they had to do," he said.

Airport improvements: Erie airport director is back on the job; private pilots call for taxiway improvements

Rennie, who serves as chairwoman of the County Council's personnel committee, said she received multiple emails from board and commission members expressing confusion over the letter.

"It's a real classic case of overreach," she said. "I can see (Davis) wanting to get his bearings. But it's not appropriate for him to be putting the brakes on most of these. (Board and commissions) can't hold up the way they do business based on one public official."

Horton agreed, stating "there is only one government at a time."

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Brenton Davis: Erie County executive-elect tells boards to refrain from long-term obligations




Congressional Democrats are ending their first year in a unified Washington with tensions running high - among their own members.

The inability to get Build Back Better (BBB) and voting rights legislation done, despite months of behind-the-scenes talks on both, has Democrats increasingly venting their frustration.

The standstill is in many ways opening up old wounds - between the House and Senate, moderates and progressives, and progressives and leadership - that dominated headlines for months this year.

"It is actually delusional to believe Dems can get re-elected without acting on filibuster or student debt, Biden breaking his BBB promise, letting CTC lapse, 0 path to citizenship, etc," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) in one of several tweets critical of both the Senate and leadership.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) took a veiled swipe at Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) in an MSNBC interview, saying that there are "two Democrats who, in my view, are kind of acting like Republicans."

"You've got two people saying, 'You know what? Hey, if you don't do it my way - I don't care what the president wants. I don't care what 48 of my colleagues want. It's my way or the highway,'" he added.

Part of what's fueling the frustrations, at least for progressives, is the belief that there was an agreement made with all congressional Democrats that the Build Back Better climate and social spending legislation should move in tandem with the bipartisan infrastructure package.

Most House progressives ultimately helped pass the infrastructure bill, saying that President Biden assured them he could get 50 votes for the spending package in the Senate. But so far those votes haven't materialized, and the Senate is still punting the bill into 2022.

"You may recall that the agreement from the beginning was that there was one package: Part of it would be the bipartisan infrastructure, but the other part would be all these things that are now in Build Back Better," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). "Obviously we are having a problem pulling the second half of that across the finish line."

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Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, described himself as "frustrated and disappointed" because they had missed an "opportunity" to work out a deal on the spending bill.

Manchin has also bristled this week under an intense media focus around Capitol Hill. The moderate-minded Democrat is swarmed several times a day as he goes to and from the Senate floor or party lunches by reporters trying to nail down his positions on the spending bill or on discussions about changing the Senate rules.

"This is bullshit. You're bullshit," Manchin yelled at reporters this week.

He's also regularly started telling gaggles of reporters that he's "got nothing - N-O-T-H-I-N-G." On Friday, coming out of the final caucus meeting of the year Senate Democrats are expected to have, Manchin remained silent as reporters peppered him with questions before adding as he walked onto the floor, "Merry Christmas."

Even as Democrats traded shots, they also played up their legislative accomplishments amid headlines about how they are facing roadblocks on their biggest priorities.

"Of course we wanted to get the Build Back Better bill done by the end of the year, but this is also a moment to celebrate some pretty impressive achievements by this Congress and this president," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). "I think there's a yin and yang to the end of the year."

"We set our objectives sky high - we did - and we shouldn't be ashamed of that, but we also should not be ashamed of what we did get done," he added.

Democratic senators are also frustrated about their inability - so far - to change the Senate's rules.

Republicans have blocked several voting rights bills this year using the 60-vote legislative filibuster, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was able to drag out end-of-the-year votes on Biden's ambassador and judicial nominees.

A group of Senate Democrats are trying to find a proposal that could win over all 50 members of their caucus on changing the rules, with an eye toward passing voting rights legislation and smaller changes that would "restore the Senate."

"The reason we're doing the rules change is that we actually want to debate bills instead of this bull where you walk in and you speak and then someone sends out a tweet to raise money. That's about what's happening now," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee.

"We're good at immediate crises ... but when it comes to these really, really important long-term things that a lot of other industrialized nations are dealing with, we're not," she added. "We're making a mockery out of our democracy."

Senators are hoping that leaving town until early January could help cool tensions and provide the space for a breakthrough. Senators typically stay in session in Washington, D.C, for a few weeks at a time and get noticeably more irritated when they cut into those breaks. The Senate had been expected to leave for the year on Dec. 10.

"I will tell you that I think it's healthy that senators are going home to eggnog and fruitcake. Maybe that will improve their attitudes," Durbin said during a CNN interview.

The White House and some Senate Democrats want to be able to return to the Build Back Better legislation in January, and Democrats are signaling they now want to pass voting rights legislation before the formal start of the 2022 election.

But hanging over both is Manchin.

"I think it can get moving in January," said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), but asked if Manchin would be there by then, he added, "I don't know."

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) interrupted when a reporter started to ask him if Manchin would support a rules change: "I am not about to try to speak for Sen. Manchin."
Good morning, Fall River! Today is Sunday, Dec. 19. Six days to go until Christmas. Travel might not be the best idea at the moment, given the state of COVID and its variants, but you can still get away, kinda, with a cute Christmas movie like "The Holiday." And we're not only saying that because we would love a little cottage like the one Iris has in that movie.

The cottage that inspired the one in the movie "The Holiday."

Before we get lost in our whimsical travel fantasies, let's take a look at today's top stories:

Sunday Reads

This week's Sunday Read is about Diman Regional Vocational Tech High School, which has announced that it has secured more than $145 million in state funding for the project to replace its current school building. The Massachusetts School Building Authority announced last week that it had awarded Diman a grant of up to $145,772,694 for a new school. Diman and the MSBA will next have to work out a Project Funding Agreement. This will determine the projects exact budget and the conditions under which the district will receive its grant.

Experts urge COVID vaccines for kids as Fall River cases surge

With new cases rising, and more than a month after the first COVID vaccine was approved for kids ages 5 to 11, only 11.4% of that age group in Fall River has gotten the shot  far below the state average of 38% of kids statewide. But health officials say there's no need to worry about giving kids the COVID vaccine  millions of children nationwide have gotten it successfully, it can benefit them and their loved ones, and has even given Fall River kids a chance at winning big money.

"We want to encourage anyone 5 and up to take advantage of that vaccine," said Fall River Health and Human Services Director Tess Curran. "These vaccines are safe, and theyre effective. ... Its the best way to protect kids and their families from a potential COVID outbreak within the home and any negative health outcomes across an individual family."

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Santa Claus to ride through Westport

Don't forget, if you're in Westport, Santa Claus is coming to town today. Check out the route for his ride through town, right here.

Weather

Your three-day forecast.

Join us

Not one of our beloved digital subscribers yet? You can become one right now, and join the growing team of people dedicated to preserving great local news. Its so easy  go to HeraldNews.com/subscribenow and check out the options. For just a few cents a day, you get all-you-can-read local news, and youll be keeping local journalism alive in our community!

Check out all these stories and more at HeraldNews.com. Have a great rest of the weekend, everyone!

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: The Herald News Daily Briefing newsletter Dec 19 2021
If its the 15th of the month, its time for state Comptroller Tom DiNapolis monthly cash report. And the numbers from Dec. 15 show, no surprise here, Albanys tax collections keep soaring above projections from the budget adopted April 1. The excess is now at $8.8 billion. Its even up $1.3 billion since Gov. Hochuls Division of the Budgets latest projections. The state is swimming in unplanned revenue that has been growing each month since the Legislature approved this fiscal years spending plan.

Some of this unexpected money, $1.4 billion of it, must, must, must go back to New Yorkers who were wrongly forced to pay taxes on their unemployment compensation collected during COVID.

This aggrieved class of 3.9 million New Yorkers lost their paychecks in 2020 and received jobless benefits. Congress compassionately exempted $10,200 for each federal taxpayer, but Albany failed to follow through for state taxpayers even though almost the entire state Senate, 56 of 63 senators, have sponsored a bill to do so. But a bill is not a law, so people had to pay, an average of $365.

Now its time to rebate that back to the masses.

The smart move is for Hochul to put the rebate at the center of her proposed January budget. We will see next month. However, with political season upon us, we asked all the contenders who want to replace her as governor next year where they stand.

Democrats Jumaane Williams and Tom Suozzi disagree on much, but here they are in lockstep in supporting the rebate. Tish James also signed on before she dropped out of the contest and chose to run again for attorney general. Bill de Blasio, who isnt formally running, ducked our queries. Well keep asking him. Among the Republicans, Rob Astorino and Andrew Giuliani immediately signed on, while supposed frontrunner Lee Zeldin has been silent. Come on, Mr. Congressman, this isnt a hard one. Why cant you say whether youd cut a break to nearly 4 million New Yorkers who lost their jobs?
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNBC people who've received COVID-19 vaccinations "can still enjoy a social gathering" for the holidays.

He said vaccinated, boosted people "should feel reasonably comfortable" but "we may need to be more restrictive" if numbers worsen.

The WHO says Omicron cases are doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission.

Dr. Anthony Fauci says it's safe for vaccinated people to get together for the holidays despite the surge in COVID-19 cases from the Omicron coronavirus variant.

"If you are vaccinated, your family is vaccinated, you have friends who are vaccinated and hopefully also boosted, you can still enjoy a social gathering, generally in a home," Fauci said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday.

Fauci also spoke about holiday travel, saying he'd be comfortable with it. "I would have no problem getting on an airplane. I'm vaccinated. I'm boosted. I know we have to wear a mask on an airplane," he said.

He noted that N95 masks are "the best" at keeping out aerosol and droplet particles but said a regular surgical mask and cloth mask work fine as well. He also cautioned that the situation is rapidly evolving.

"If the counts keep going up and the test positivity keeps going up, we may need to be more restrictive," Fauci said. "But for right now, people who are vaccinated and boosted should feel reasonably comfortable."

The World Health Organization said Saturday that cases of the Omicron variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, according to Reuters. The agency added that 89 countries have now reported Omicron cases.

In the US, Omicron accounted for 2.9% of sequenced COVID-19 cases in the week ending December 11, according to data from the CDC. In the Department of Health and Human Services region that includes New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, Omicron was responsible for 13.1% of sequenced cases that same week. This is the highest proportion of omicron cases seen in any of the 10 designated regions.

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Early data suggests Omicron may be more transmissible than other strains. However, it may produce milder cases, perhaps because of protection from vaccines.

As of December 17, more than 806,000 people have died of the coronavirus in the US, with nearly 50.8 million confirmed cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Read the original article on Business Insider
While walking the picket line Saturday morning, Karin Rack, RN, of Rutland expresses her joy over the tentative agreement reached between St. Vincent Hospital and the Massachsuetts Nurses Association.

WORCESTER  If you hear cars honking on the streets surrounding St. Vincent Hospital this weekend, don't be alarmed.

The chorus of horns that echoed Saturday were in solidarity with the nurses on the picket line, the day after a tentative agreement was reached Friday between the hospital and the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

The resolution comes after 700 nurses have been striking for a historic 285 days, ushering an end to two years of negotiations, with more than 43 negotiating sessions.

Friday's agreement was reached after two weeks of discussions with federal mediators, and finally settled during an in-person session at a Dorchester union hall led by U.S. Secretary of Labor and former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, according to an MNA press release.

Details of the agreement have yet to be released by the union. Nurses will remain on the picket line until the agreement is ratified, which is expected to take a few weeks.

Lots of smiles for nurses walk the picket line Saturday morning over the tentative agreement reached between St. Vincent Hospital and the Massachusetts Nurses Association. Among them are Linda Bellows, left, of Charlton, Meg Starbard of Rutland, Matthew O'Sullivan of Auburn, Sherrie Fiske of Shrewsbury and Christine Setterlund of Jefferson.

"I fully expect that there will be an overwhelming 'yes' vote. We've made improvements in many areas  staffing, safety, health insurance and finally getting everybody returned to their job," Marie Ritacco, registered nurse and vice president of the MNA, said Saturday. "It's a tremendous victory for the nurses of St. Vincent Hospital, for the patients that we serve, for our community in Central Massachusetts, and for organized labor."

Ritacco said they don't know exactly how many striking nurses will choose to return to the hospital but believes that when they look at the contract the union has achieved, it would be difficult to walk away.

About 200 nurses gathered at the local Teamsters Union office to be informed of the agreement details, get questions answered and to celebrate together.

"They're absolutely elated. I mean, you're not going to be thrilled with every single facet of a compromise because that's what it is but it's good for nurses. It's good for patients," Ritacco said.

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Relief mixed with surprise, uncertainty

At the hospital, the atmosphere is a mixture of relief and uncertainty.

"We have plans to reorient the nurses who have been out back to the hospital. We are going to be focused on culture and a healing process and making sure that everybody's working collaboratively and that the wounds of the past are put beside us and that we work together in the best interest of patient care," Carolyn Jackson, CEO of St. Vincent Hospital, said in an interview Saturday.

Picket signs wait to be used at strike headquarters on East Central Street.

Both Jackson and union representatives credited Walsh's involvement in coming to an agreement, which Jackson said felt like it would never end.

"I think there were a lot of people, myself included, who were surprised that things reached a tentative agreement yesterday. I was optimistic but I've been optimistic in the past. So I think the stars aligned and we were able to finally find a common ground," Jackson said.

When the strike started in March, Tenet Healthcare, owners of the hospital, were spending more than $30,000 a day for police presence over the strike. Jackson declined to comment on the total financial cost incurred by the hospital for strike-related expenses in the last nine months.

When the moment of truth came Friday evening, Kathy Duszak, a registered nurse, was Christmas shopping at Natick Mall. As soon as she joined the Zoom call through which the announcement was made, she heard cheering and yelling.

"They were saying we were going back to work. And I started crying my eyes out, sitting on a couch in the middle of Natick Mall. People looked at me like I was crazy, but I was so happy," Duszak, of Worcester, said.

Tears of joy

There was a lot of crying on that Zoom call, and some champagne too. But even as nurses celebrate, there's anxiety about going back in after being on the picket line, away from the job for nine months.

"To have to go back and get reoriented with the floor, the work, with new people that you don't know  lot of anxiety. But, you know, people are just happy to be going back to their jobs and we have to figure out a cohesiveness between the nurses that were on strike and the nurses that are inside," registered nurse Christine Setterlund said.

Ritacco said they'd been discussing these issues for a while and expects all nurses, striking or otherwise, to be professional and put patients first.

"The time for the discord is done. We have done something here that we set out to do and now have no reason to walk in and be vindictive," she said. "Now we want to start the healing process. We're not going to be best friends with the nurses that crossed our picket line, but we're going to work together for the health and welfare of the patients."

When nurses walked out in March, they'd already witnessed great tragedy, which spurred their decision to strike.

"We witnessed some of the most tragic loss for families, worse than we had ever seen in our whole careers. Nurses were the only ones in the rooms with patients, to hold someone's hand and be their connection to their family," Ritacco said. "A few words for the last time because even their family couldn't come. Nurses are changed forever. And we realized that if we weren't going to stand up and speak out for our patients and ourselves, nobody would."

Stressful times

Now to go back, with the rise in COVID-19 cases and fears about the omicron variant, makes this homecoming even more stressful. And the last nine months have not been easy for the nurses. Hopes were squashed when other agreements fell through at the last moment took an emotional toll, and after so many months, many striking nurses had to get other jobs.

"The other thing was knowing what was happening in there. One of our PCAs (personal care assistants) called me on my cellphone and said, 'Linda, I have a patient that wants to talk to you,' " Linda Bellows of Charlton said. "The patient had had a knee replacement before the strike. And she was in there again, and said, 'It's so different, they don't take care of us the way you girls took care of us.' And there's an element of guilt with that."

But the nine months on the picket line together have brought many of the nurses closer together, knitting a closer community.

"People in other departments who might not have known each other now support, encourage each other. Obviously, there's a lot of ups and downs when you go through a strike - happiness, depression, fear  but we all just kind of work together," Setterlund said.

This "huge victory" for the nurses comes on the heels of many other workers' strikes nationwide, including health care workers. To others out on the picket line, Ritacco expressed solidarity.

"It's a very difficult decision to walk off the job, but our only power is our solidarity. It's a monumental task to take on a multibillion-dollar corporation but we knew we did it for the right reasons, and I would say, 'Don't shrink away from that'," Ritacco said. "The United States of America is where everyone should be valued. We're not mice on wheels, we're people.

"We have families and yes, we will give and give more than we ever thought we could give but we have to know that we're valued, that we have what we need, we have proper rest and that we are valued."

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: St. Vincent Hospital nurses express elation, anxiety over strike's end.
In closing arguments Friday, a lawyer for Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes suggested wealthy investors in her failed blood-testing startup like the family of former U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos either knew or should have known the risk they were taking.

Holmes' lawyer, Kevin Downey, told jurors his client acted transparently. In tables shown on screens throughout the courtroom, Downey named at least seven wealthy Theranos investors and their professional advisers, including one for the billionaire DeVos family, explaining they'd signed agreements attesting to their understanding that their investments in Theranos were speculative.

Speaking to Yahoo Finance on Friday, legal analyst and former prosecutor Michele Hagan, who has attended the entire trial, explained why Holmes' lawyers would want to emphasize the sophistication of investors: "If they did their own due diligence, their own investigation, if they relied on something other than her representations to them, then the jury could find her not guilty."

Holmes is defending 11 counts of fraud and conspiracy for allegedly misrepresenting the viability of Theranos blood-testing technology to investors and paying customers. She was indicted back in 2018 after Theranos imploded under regulatory scrutiny, along with Theranos COO and her onetime boyfriend, Sunny Balwani. He faces the same charges and is scheduled to stand trial next year.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 10: Billy Evans (L) walks with his partner Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes (R) as they arrive at the Robert F. Peckham Federal Building on December 10, 2021 in San Jose, California. s. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In making his final case for his client, Downey addressed alleged misrepresentations made by Holmes to investors, who included a number of high-profile figures such as Rupert Murdoch, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, and legendary venture capitalist Tim Draper. Those alleged misrepresentations included the suggestion that Theranos' device could perform hundreds of diagnostics tests from a finger prick of blood.

When she was communicating to investors about the company's technology, Downey said Holmes was referencing her companys 4.0 testing device that had shown promising results in validation tests. If you go back and lookyoull see Holmes was talking about the series 4 device, Downey said, referring to the 2013-2015 time frame when she's accused of defrauding investors. He characterized evidence presented by prosecutors that referred to the 3.5 version as a fundamental disconnect."

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Rebutting prosecutors' claims that Holmes lied to investors about the extent of Theranos' engagements with the military, Downey pointed to a contract for a study on Theranos' device that the company entered into with U.S. Central Command, as well as U.S. Special Operations Command, and U.S. Africa Command.

"These projects were real projects, Downey said.

During Downeys four-hour closing, he made no mention of Holmes' claims that her co-defendant, Balwani, emotionally, sexually, and physically abused her. The former CEO gave tearful testimony about the alleged abuse, which Balwani has denied. That four-hour closing was followed by final words from the prosecution, which gave its closing argument on Thursday.

In the government's final address to the jury, U.S. Assistant Attorney John Bostic portrayed Holmes as anything but transparent.

The version of Theranos just described was never real, Bostic said.

Holmes tried to conceal shortcomings of its device, such as its inability to process a suite of common tests from a few drops of blood, according to Bostic. She also hid the quality control issues that plagued the companys analyzer around the same time in 2013 that it pushed the product to market in a partnership with Walgreens, according to Bostic. She even passed off another company's blood-testing capabilities as her own, he said.

After Bostic spoke, Judge Edward Davila handed the case over to the jury, with the directive to refrain from consuming any media about the highly publicized case. Two alternate jurors remain impaneled to step in if they're needed.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed.

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Elizabeth Holmes legal team portrayed failed Silicon Valley entrepreneur as a confident leader who, even as her doomed startup Theranos crashed and burned, stuck with her belief in the now-discredited blood-testing technology as they turned the fraud case over to jurors on Friday.

At the first sign of trouble crooks cash out, criminals cover up, and rats flee a sinking ship, Holmes attorney Kevin Downey said during closing arguments. But Holmes didnt do any of that. Why? Because she believed in this technology. She stayed the whole time, and she went down with that ship when it went down.

And yet, it's that devotion to the company Holmes famously dropped out of Stanford University at age 19 for  so that she could focus her life around its success  that federal prosecutors say provided the former CEO and founder with the motivation to resort to fraud.

She did this on behalf of the company, Assistant US Attorney John Bostic told jurors in a rebuttal to the defense. She committed these crimes because she was desperate for the company to succeed.

Now, a 12-person jury will decide if Holmes, 37, intentionally defrauded investors and patients by making misleading and false statements about the capabilities of her blood-testing technology, the companys work with the military and pharmaceutical giants, and the accuracy of its test results. The jury were given instructions late Friday after a trial that stretched more than three months and featured testimony from more than 30 witnesses, including Holmes. Over the course of seven days, the former CEO and founder of Theranos  whose downfall attracted intense media coverage and public scrutiny  denied that shed ever tried to mislead anyone, expressed regrets, deflected blame, and accused her former second-in-command and ex-boyfriend of psychologically and sexually abusing her during their decadelong relationship.

Her fate will likely hinge, legal experts say, on whether her testimony raises enough doubt in jurors minds about the evidence prosecutors laid out. And while Holmes statements about abuse were the most striking and emotional part of the trial, the jury could find that even if she were a victim, it doesnt absolve her of responsibility for what she said as CEO.

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The jury may not find a sufficient connection between the alleged abuse and whether she was able to have the intent to defraud, Diane Birnholz, a former federal prosecutor and lecturer in law at the UCLA School of Law, told BuzzFeed News. Both can be true: She could have been abused, and she could still have intended to defraud those investors and patients.

Prosecutors have alleged that Holmes conspired with her ex-boyfriend Ramesh Sunny Balwani, who was Theranoss president and chief operating officer, to defraud investors as well as patients, and doctors who used the companys laboratory services. Holmes is charged with nine counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each count carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if she is convicted. Balwani is facing the same charges as Holmes and is set to go on trial next month.

The former Silicon Valley entrepreneur had sought to disrupt healthcare with Theranoss propriety machine, which she claimed could run hundreds of tests on just a few drops of blood. The companys device was supposedly faster, cheaper, and more accurate than all other blood-testing lab equipment on the market and promised to bring critical diagnostics into drugstores, homes, and even battlefields. But as a Wall Street Journal investigation revealed in 2015, in reality, the machine could run only a small number of the tests, and its results were often inaccurate or unreliable. Instead, Theranos relied on commercially available machines to run the majority of its tests, diluting the drops of blood to increase volume for some tests and using much larger samples drawn from patients arms for others.

The real version of Theranos, where the defendant went to work every day, was dramatically different than the rosy picture that she was painting for others, Bostic said.

That, however, did not negate the fact that Holmes and others at Theranos worked hard to achieve her vision. The disease that plagued Theranos wasnt a lack of effort, Bostic added. It was a lack of honesty

Over the course of his closing arguments on Thursday and Friday, Downey offered a different view of the evidence and tried to poke holes in the prosecutions narrative, as he argued that the former CEO wasnt trying to hide anything. He showed jurors multiple slides of names of former employees, doctors, and others that the government did not call to the witness stand to suggest that the governments portrayal of Theranos was not the full story. He also tried to distance Holmes and her actions from some of the investors she is alleged to have defrauded, suggesting that they had limited direct contact with her and didnt rely on the issues highlighted by prosecutors  like misrepresentations about Theranoss work with the military and drug companies  in their decisions to invest.

With regard to the troubling test results that multiple patients testified about at trial, Downey said that by the time Holmes was informed of the issues, they had been resolved.

And while Holmes admitted that she had made several mistakes along the way  like providing journalist Roger Parloff inaccurate information for his 2014 Fortune magazine cover story  Downey argued that her statements about the capabilities of Theranoss devices were aspirational.

You know what Ms. Holmes did in her life. You know that she left school. She gave up a college education that people would give their right arm for, he told the jury. Why? Because she believed she was building a technology that would change the world.

Bostic took aim at several of Holmes teams arguments in his rebuttal Friday afternoon. For instance, he noted that investors, board members, and journalists left conversations with Holmes with the understanding that she was talking about Theranoss present-day capabilities when she led them to believe that the companys devices were being actively used by the military and that they could run hundreds of tests on a few drops of blood from a finger stick.

"A lie is a lie at the moment that its made, Bostic said. It does not matter whether Ms. Holmes had the intent to make the lie true or to avoid being found out.

Jurors have been instructed not to be swayed by sympathy and to consider all of the evidence while keeping in mind that it's up to them to determine how much weight to give each witnesss testimony or trial exhibit.

Birnholz, who previously prosecuted fraud cases for the US attorneys office in Los Angeles, said that while Holmes testimony will likely be top of mind for jurors, they may find that her statements about abuse are not central to the case.

Her credibility is absolutely essential  and if the jury believes her, then they likely won't convict, Birnholz said. But I think it boils down more to what she was saying to investors, what she knew at the time, what her behavior was while she was running that company, how involved was she.

Robert Weisberg, a criminal law professor at Stanford, said the jury might have a hard time squaring the evidence with the different personas Holmes presented, namely that of a romantic innovator who was totally in control and a person who didnt have agency due to an abusive partner. That dilemma could help or hurt her in the end, he said.

She was an excellent performer [as a witness], but the script she had to work with was deeply flawed, Weisberg said.

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The Daily Beast

ABDUAZIZ MADYAROVMOSCOWThe unprecedented protests sweeping Russias neighboring country of Kazakhstan entered their fourth day on Wednesday with a declaration of a nationwide state of emergency, the resignation of the government, and an announcement that a Moscow-led alliance of six former Soviet countries will be sending in peacekeeping troops to take control of the situation. As the countrys rich elite took off in their private jets, the revolutionsparked in part by hiked up fuel prices
WORCESTER, MA  One of the longest strikes in Massachusetts in recent memory may be over. Nurses at St. Vincent Hospital and hospital executives reached an agreement on Friday about bringing the nurses back to work, an issue that has kept the nurses on strike for several months.

The agreement came after a day of negotiations in Dorchester with former Boston mayor and Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA).



The nurses and the hospital came to an agreement over a new labor contract months ago. But nurses remained on the picket line over a return-to-work agreement. The hospital said at the time that as many as 15 percent of striking nurses would not be able to return to the jobs they left when the strike began in March.

The agreement reached Friday will allow the nurses to return to their original jobs, shifts and hours, according to the MNA.

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, speaking to St. Vincent nurses in April. (Neal McNamara/Patch)

With this agreement we can go back into that building with great pride not just in what we got in writing in the agreement, but for what we have built together as nurses who know they did everything they could for their patients and their community, nurse and MNA negotiator Dominique Muldoon said in a news release. Once this is ratified by the members, we are now committed to getting back into that building as soon as possible to provide the care our patients deserve.



The St. Vincent nurses will now vote to accept the deal, which would allow them to begin returning to the hospital to work.

A St. Vincent spokesperson said the agreement reflects a sense of urgency around "clinical challenges" expected this winter  likely a reference to growing coronavirus cases and the spreading omicron variant.

"The new contract will provide enhancements for patients and our team, and we are glad to finally end the strike and put our sole focus back on patient care, St. Vincent CEO Carolyn Jackson said. We will be setting a new tone at St. Vincent Hospital: We are one team with a common purpose. Not striking nurses versus replacement nurses. Not nurses versus management. One team united behind the principles of professionalism, excellence, accountability and compassion.

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The first day of the St. Vincent nurses strike on March 8. (Neal McNamara/Patch)

Nurses at St. Vincent Hospital first walked off the job in March, demanding higher staffing levels inside the hospital and a new employment contract. The strike attracted national attention, and every federal elected official in Massachusetts, from U.S. Sen. Ed Markey to U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, has backed the nurses. Local politicians have also walked the picket line and asked hospital executives to end the strike.



Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty called for an end to the strike as recently as last week during a press conference revealing a surge in local coronavirus cases.

According to the MNA, the 285-day strike was the longest by nurses in more than a decade, and the second-longest in state history.

This article originally appeared on the Worcester Patch
Turkey will send 15 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Africa, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday at a major summit of the continent's leaders, adding that the low vaccination rates there were a blot on humanity.

Ankara has invested heavily in developing trade and diplomatic ties with the world's poorest continent during Erdogan's rule as prime minister and then president since 2003.

Speaking to dozens of attending leaders and ministers, Erdogan said Turkey would ship 15 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Africa, where cases are rapidly rising and vaccination rates are low.

"We are aware of the global injustice in accessing the Covid-19 vaccine and Africa's unjust treatment," Erdogan said.

"It is disgraceful for humanity that only six percent of Africa's population has been vaccinated."

Turkey is developing its own vaccine, known as Turkovac, which is in the process of receiving emergency use approval.

Following any authorisation, it will be shared with Africa, Erdogan said.

It was not immediately clear from his remarks whether Turkey would first send some doses of the internationally approved vaccines it was currently using, including those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech.

"In order to contribute to the resolution of this issue, within our means, we plan to share 15 million vaccine doses in the period ahead," he said.

- Soaring infection rates -

The number of new infections in Africa has shot up by 57 percent in the past week, according to AFP calculations based on official figures.

South Africa is the hardest-hit country, becoming one of the first in the world affected by the new Omicron variant, which is believed to be even more contagious than past coronavirus strains.

Erdogan said Turkey wanted to strengthen relations with Africa in a wide range of areas including health, defence, energy, agriculture and technology.

"The real potential between us goes far beyond the targets we have," he said.

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In a final declaration, Turkey and African countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in several fields, including health "through further health sector investments".

"With the declaration we have accepted at this summit and the joint action plan, we agreed on a road map to deepen our relations," Erdogan told a closing media event.

- Focus on trade -

Trade between Turkey and Africa has grown in the past 20 years from $5.4 billion to $25.3 billion (4.8 billion euros to 22.5 billion euros) last year.

And in the first 11 months of 2021, it had reached $30 billion, Erdogan said.

Turkey has set an even higher target of trade volume for the future: $75 billion.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the third Turkish-African summit -- by far the largest to date -- was being attended by 16 African heads of state and 102 ministers, including 26 top diplomats.

Erdogan also held one-on-one meetings with African heads of state, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who have both expressed an interest in Turkey's defence industry.

The next Turkey-Africa summit will be held in 2026 in an unspecified African country.

raz/zak/ah
Erie County's number of new COVID-19 cases declined significantly last week, though local health officials worry that holiday gatherings and the new omicron variant could spark yet another spike.

Also, COVID-19 deaths continue to rise as Erie County reported 12 deaths Friday and 27 for the week.

A total of 989 newly confirmed cases in the county was reported Dec. 10-16, a sharp drop from 1,328 reported Dec. 3-9, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. It is the fewest number of weekly cases reported since Oct. 29-Nov. 4.

More: Erie County reports 15 COVID-19 deaths, including two people who received booster shots

But cases are rising in larger cities, such as New York City, as the omicron variant spreads. The variant has not been reported in Erie County as of Friday morning.

"We are seeing with omicron that cases double every three days," said Charlotte Berringer, R.N., director of community health services for the Erie County Department of Health. "It looks like omicron spreads more easily than the delta variant does."

Charlotte Berringer, R.N., director of community health services for the Erie County Department of Health, said the COVID-19 omicron variant spreads more easily than the delta variant does.

Families are also preparing to gather for Christmas and New Year's Day. The county reported a record-high 335 new cases Dec. 2, a week after Thanksgiving, another holiday when families gather indoors.

Berringer said people who have received their COVID-19 booster shots should feel safe gathering indoors with other fully vaccinated family members. Unvaccinated people should wear a mask if they choose to gather indoors with people outside of their household.

"We have seen at least one social event lead to an outbreak," said Berringer, who declined to identify the gathering.

Here is a look at the county's vaccination rates as of Friday, according to the state Health Department:

54.2%  county residents who are fully vaccinated

62.6%  county residents who have received at least one dose of vaccine

57.4%  eligible county residents (5 and older) who are fully vaccinated

66%  eligible county residents who have received at least one dose

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A total of 53,352 additional vaccine doses (third and booster doses) has been administered in the county since Aug. 13.

More: A rare bright spot: Erie County's COVID-19 vaccinations on the rise

COVID-19 hospitalizations declined last week

COVID-19 hospitalizations also have declined in recent days, slightly easing the strain on local hospitals.

Data: COVID-19 hospital capacity in Erie County, surrounding area

The average daily number of county residents hospitalized dropped from 115.6 between Dec. 3-9 to 110.6 between Dec. 10-16. On Friday, 88 county residents were hospitalized due to COVID-19, one of the lowest totals in more than a month.

"We had a difficult week last week, not because of our volumes but because of a couple of (COVID-19) deaths involving patients in their 30s," Christopher Clark, D.O., Saint Vincent president, said Tuesday. "Our rate of admission wasn't the highest it's been but we still had a heavy week."

More: County executive-elect Davis plans to change Erie County's approach to COVID-19

Here is a look at the rest of the county's COVID-19 measurements between Dec. 3-9 and Dec. 10-16 from the state Health Department:

The incidence rate of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents declined from 492.3 to 366.7.

The COVID-19 test positivity rate dropped from 20.1% to 17.4%.

The average daily number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators declined from 15 to 10.9.

The percentage of emergency department visits due to COVID-19 symptoms dropped from 1.8% to 1.7%.

Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNBruce.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County's COVID-19 cases drop but officials worried about omicron
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The former Minnesota police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright alternated between tears, statements of remorse and clipped, matter-of-fact answers as she testified at her trial on manslaughter charges in the death of the Black motorist.

But Kim Potters testimony on Friday was notably scant on a key element of her defense  that she made a mistake when she drew her handgun instead of her Taser and killed Wright during a traffic stop last April in Brooklyn Center.

One legal expert who spoke to The Associated Press said the defense may have been intentionally vague on that point, but others said it appeared to be a missed opportunity for Potter to tell jurors how a mix-up might have occurred and what she was thinking  something jurors were likely waiting to hear.

I didnt think they pulled enough out of Potter because we did not get into her mind, said Marsh Halberg, a Minneapolis defense attorney who is not connected to the case.

Under questioning from her attorney Earl Gray, Potter testified that as officers were struggling with Wright, she saw her supervisor, Sgt. Mychal Johnson, leaning into the car with a look of fear in his face. As she cried on the stand, she went on to say: I remember yelling, Taser, Taser, Taser, and nothing happened, and then he told me I shot him." Body camera video recorded Wright saying, Ah, he shot me" before the car took off.

He got her to admit that she saw fear on Johnsons face, but didnt explore that further, said John Baker, a former defense attorney who is now teaching aspiring police officers at St. Cloud State University. He shouldve gone much further and asked her to testify more on that," Baker said.

He added that Gray didn't have Potter explain the mistake, saying: They didnt even address it.

Mike Brandt, another Minneapolis attorney watching the case, said breaking down the moments surrounding the shooting may have been effective, but the defense made a tactical decision that it wasnt going to be necessary and leave it, perhaps, more vague if you will.

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Brandt said the goal of putting Potter, who is white, on the stand was to humanize her for the jury, something he thinks was done successfully. Brandt said Gray did a good job of using Potter's words to paint a picture of a woman who was inspired to become an officer at an early age, who had no complaints against her and who didn't seek to move up the ranks because she liked working on the streets.

While the experts believed Potter's tears were genuine, they had mixed views on how her emotions might have played for the jury.

It was almost gut-wrenching actually to watch, particularly on cross. Her facial expressions looked like she was actively reliving the trauma of the experience, said Rachel Moran, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Moran said its hard not to believe that Potter is horrified and sorry for what she has done. But while some people might empathize with Potter, others might take issue with the fact that she needed comforting after the shooting when the focus should have been on Wright, Moran said.

Moran said the fact that her lawyers didnt get into Potter's mindset was strange, saying she believes one of the first questions that should've been asked was whether Potter meant to shoot Wright.

Experts said Erin Eldridge, the prosecutor who questioned Potter, was generally strong in cross-examination.

Brandt said Potter came across as too defensive and slightly combative when she gave short answers to Eldridge, but he said Eldridge started looking like a bully when Potter began crying. Moran said Eldridge wasn't particularly aggressive, but kept bulldozing through her cross-examination, even as Potter had what Moran called a visible breakdown. She said it's hard to say how that will play with the jury.

Moran also said that Potters immediate reaction to the shooting, which is seen on the police videos, shows she knew she did something horribly wrong and did not intend to use her gun. She said Eldridge was strong in establishing that during her cross-examination.

Notably, Eldridge at one point got Potter to agree that she didnt plan to use deadly force  Potter's attorneys have been arguing that even if this wasn't a mistake, Potter would have been justified in using deadly force because she feared Johnson's life was in danger.

Baker said another highlight was when Eldridge walked Potter through the body camera video and showed Potter what she did.

It was really damning when she got the video of the freeze frame of her with her hand on what appeared to be her weapon as she was still standing by and about to come in, Baker said. I think she did a great job of impeaching her.

Baker said if the jurors had begun deliberating shortly after Potters testimony, her emotional display might have had more of an effect. He said having the weekend between her testimony and closing arguments gives jurors some distance.

Legal experts said Potters testimony wasnt as strong as they expected it to be.

Baker said the defense spent too much time on the justification for the traffic stop, and there wasn't enough focus on the moments when she pulled out her gun instead of her Taser. Baker said Potter didn't provide any explanation of what she did at that moment, something he called problematic for the defense.

Halberg added on Friday: I thought today was going to be the knockout punch. But that was not the case.

___

Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright
The claim: Photo shows person with sign reading 'Wear a Mask or Go To Jail' amid 1918 Spanish flu

With a few exemptions, travelers on public airlines, trains, metros and buses can face fines between $500 and $3,000 for refusing to wear a mask properly.

Such mandates have generated intense controversy and, at times, face-to-face aggression. Disputes over federal mask requirements have been cited in thousands of unruly passenger reports to the Federal Aviation Administration.

However, if a photo circulating in a popular Facebook post is to be believed, even stricter mandates existed during the Spanish influenza epidemic in 1918 and 1919.

Fact check: Why is the 1918 influenza virus called 'Spanish flu'?

In the black-and-white image, a sign reading "Wear a Mask or Go To Jail" is pinned to a young woman's coat. She stands next to two young men, white cloth masks and brimmed felt hats obscuring all but their eyes.

"1918, Spanish Flu," the photo is captioned in a Dec. 14 post. "Wear a mask or go to jail."

Over 1,300 users shared the Facebook post with the image. However, some commenters were skeptical, writing that the masks, the sign or both had been photoshopped into the image.

They weren't. The photo is authentic. and the sign's warning is accurate, too. Historical records show some "mask slackers" faced weeks of jail time and hefty fines in some cities with mask mandates.

USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook page that shared the picture for comment.

Special access for subscribers! Click here to sign up for our fact-check text chat

Photo taken in California in 1918, where 'mask slackers' could indeed face jail time

The popular photo gives us a window into regulations around mask-wearing during the Spanish influenza epidemic, which stretched from fall 1918 into 1919.

The original photo was taken by local photographer Raymond Coyne in November 1918 at a train station in Mill Valley, California, according to Natalie Snoyman, library supervisor and archivist at the Mill Valley Public Library's Lucretia Little History Room.

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The image cited in the post is a cropped version of the original, which shows seven people in masks. They're members of a hiking group called "Hash and Eggers" that had stopped for breakfast in Mill Valley.

The sign worn by the woman on the right, reading "WEAR A MASK OR GO TO JAIL," reflects local and state mask ordinances that had gone into effect that fall.

"That wasnt just an empty threat," Snoyman said. "Newspapers show that there was a mask ordinance in effect in Marin in the fall of 1918, when the pandemic was at its first peak."

Right around the time when the photo was taken, four local men had been arrested and fined $30 each  equivalent to $570 in today's dollars  for refusing to wear masks in public, she said.

In nearby San Francisco, more than a hundred men were arrested on a single day for the same offense. Courts gave them penalties ranging from $5 fines to sentences of a month in jail, the San Francisco Examiner reported in October 1918.

Members of "Hash and Eggers" hiking group pose for a group picture at a train station in Mill Valley, California, briefly removing their cloth masks. The photo was taken by fellow member Raymond Coyne during the first peak of the Spanish flu, November 1918.

Fact check: Philadelphia ended lockdown early during 1918 flu and saw major spike in cases

Our rating: True

Based on our research, we rate TRUE the claim that a photo shows a person with a sign reading "Wear a Mask or Go To Jail" during the 1918 Spanish influenza outbreak. The photo was taken in November 1918 and comes from the archives of the Mill Valley Public Library. Newspaper and other historical records show that several localities had implemented penalties that included jail time for people who refused to wear masks.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: During Spanish Flu, some 'mask slackers' faced jail time
The claim: Time magazine's 2021 Person of the Year is 'the men & women Biden failed in Afghanistan'

At the end of each year, the internet buzzes with speculation about who Time magazine will pick as its much-anticipated Person of the Year.

A Dec. 16 Facebook post claims the magazine made a somber choice this year.

The post seemingly shows the cover of a Person of the Year issue depicting the caskets carrying 13 American service members killed in Afghanistan in August. Accompanying text says "the men and women Biden failed in Afghanistan" are the magazine's choice.

The post received more than 1,000 likes and 400 shares in a day.

But it's not a real cover. Time chose billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk as its Person of the Year.

Special access for subscribers! Click here to sign up for our fact-check text chat

USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment.

Elon Musk is 2021 Person of the Year

Thirteen U.S. service members died Aug. 26 in a suicide bombing attack outside Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport, where thousands attempted to flee after the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

Among those killed were 11 Marines, one Navy hospital corpsman and one Army soldier, according to the Pentagon. The Biden administration was heavily criticized for its handling of the situation.

But Time didn't highlight that event with its Person of the Year selection.

The magazine announced Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, as its pick for the 2021 Person of the Year on Dec. 13.

The cover of Time magazine's Person of the Year issue featuring billionaire Elon Musk.

"Person of the Year is a marker of influence, and few individuals have had more influence than Musk on life on Earth, and potentially life off Earth too," wrote Time Editor-in-Chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal. "In 2021, Musk emerged not just as the worlds richest person but also as perhaps the richest example of a massive shift in our society."

The image in the altered Time cover posted on Facebook was shared Aug. 29 by the U.S. Marine Corps' Twitter account.

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Fact check: Image claiming to show Musk and Maxwell as Time's Person of the Year is altered

Time's Person of the Year covers are frequently altered. USA TODAY has previously debunked fake covers of now-former President Donald Trump, Ghislaine Maxwell, Adolf Hitler, China's Xi Jinping and pandemic health care workers.

Our rating: Altered

Based on our research, we rate ALTERED a photo claiming to show that Time magazine's 2021 Person of the Year is "the men & women Biden failed in Afghanistan." Time chose billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk as its person of the year, not the 13 U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan in August.

Our fact-check sources:

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Elon Musk is Time's Person of the Year, not fallen Marines
The Daily Beast

via Facebook A deputy district attorney and up-and-coming Republican political star in Californias Orange County has died abruptly after telling friends she contracted COVID-19.Kelly Ernby, a presumed candidate for the state Assembly in 2022, was only 46 years old. According to the Los Angeles Times, she fell ill shortly after speaking out against vaccine mandates at a rally organized by Turning Point USA on Dec. 4.Theres nothing that matters more than our freedoms right now, she was quoted
A healthcare worker administrates a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to a student during a vaccination clinic for ages 5 - 11 hosted by Jewel Osco in Wheeling, Ill., on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021





A federal appeals court on Friday reinstated the Biden administration's vaccine-or-test mandate for businesses with at least 100 employees, a measure that impacts tens of millions of workers across the country.

The decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit comes after the Biden administration asked the Cincinnati-based court in late November to reinstate its workplace vaccine mandate that was blocked by a court order.

The appeals court said in its Friday ruling that "based on the wealth of information" in its 153-page preamble that explains why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued an emergency temporary standard, "it is difficult to imagine what more OSHA could do or rely on to justify its finding that workers face a grave danger in the workplace."

"It is not appropriate to second-guess that agency determination considering the substantial evidence, including many peer-reviewed scientific studies, on which it relied. Indeed, OSHA need not demonstrate scientific certainty," the court continued.

The court said that it would be dissolving a stay issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in November as a result.

"OSHA has demonstrated the pervasive danger that COVID-19 poses to workers-unvaccinated workers in particular-in their workplaces," the court said in its ruling.

The news comes amid growing concern over a surge in coronavirus cases in the U.S. amid the holiday season and the emergence of the omicron variant.

The omicron strain, first detected in South Africa, became a variant of concern for the World Health Organization shortly after Thanksgiving, and is believed to be highly transmissible. However, scientists and public health experts are still working to figure out if the symptoms of infection by omicron are more severe than previous strains.

The surge in cases has prompted local officials and businesses to cease lax operation. For example, professional sports teams have postponed games due to infection, and some schools are temporarily switching to online learning.

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In early November, a vaccine-or-test mandate was issued by OSHA, an administration that is part of the Labor Department. The mandate requires businesses with at least 100 employees to either require its workers get vaccinated or submit to regular testing and wearing facial coverings.

Days later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit issued a stay on the federal mandate following a legal challenge by the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Utah and South Carolina.

Some legal experts braced for a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit following the 5th Circuit's decision to stay. The 6th Circuit is considered a conservative court, though less so than the 5th Circuit.

It is unclear at this moment if the court's Friday decision will be challenged.
A Florida sheriff praised a homeowner for standing his ground and shooting an attempted home invader on Wednesday.

"The homeowner did exactly what he should have," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told WFLA-TV after a man in Lakeland, Florida shot an intruder in his home.

WHY DESANTIS' BOLD CRITICAL RACE THEORY MOVE MATTERS TO ALL OF US

"He had a gun, he knew how to use it, it was loaded, and he shot him a lot," Judd said. "He gave him an early Christmas present. Only Santa Claus gets to come in your house  and Santa Claus is invited."

According to police, the homeowner says an intruder tossed a flower pot through the glass French doors of the home in an attempt to gain entry from the back porch. The homeowner then shot the intruder three times.

FLORIDA PROPOSES 24-HOUR-A-DAY ALLIGATOR HUNTING

Police arrived on the scene and found 42-year-old Steven Stillwell shot on the living room floor. Stillwell was rushed to the hospital and was in critical, but stable condition.

"Im proud of our homeowner for defending himself," Judd added. "Its called a Castle Doctrine. He has the right to protect himself and his home from unknown intruders."

Sheriff Grady Judd speaks about the arrest of Pastor Terry Jones during his press conference at the PCSO Southwest District substation in Lakeland, Florida in a file photo. REUTERS/Pierre DuCharme

The homeowner's name has not been revealed since the sheriff's office considers him a victim.

The sheriffs office says the incident is under investigation and criminal charges are pending against Stillwell who has a lengthy criminal record.
A decorated Naval Gulf War veteran has filed a lawsuit accusing the former commander of the Grizzly Youth Academy of sexual harassment over a period of more than two years.

Chief Warrant Officer Simone Y. Hosey alleges sexual harassment and wrongful termination against Lt. Col. Francisco Flores, with whom she worked after Flores was appointed to command the Grizzly Youth Academy in July 2018, according to the complaint filed in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court.

The California National Guards Grizzly Academy is a residential program for youth ages 16 to 18 who have dropped out of school or are seriously behind in credits needed to graduate. The program receives federal and state funding.

Hosey accuses Flores of making sexual comments around her and asking her deeply personal questions about her private life, asserting himself improperly as her de facto supervisor, exerting control over her duties and assignments without authority, and threatening retaliation to those who complained about him.

He made sexual advances towards Chief Hosey, including asking her to go out to dinner and dancing during a business trip, the lawsuit claims. He also regularly discussed, both with Chief Hosey and within her hearing, his desire to engage in particular sex acts, in general and specifically with Chief Hoseys sister.

The lawsuit noted: Flores repeatedly told Chief Hosey that he would retaliate against anyone who complained about him and make them pay, which initially made her fearful to lodge a complaint.

Chief Warrant Officer Simone Hosey has filed a lawsuit against the former commander of Grizzly Youth Academy, Lt. Francisco Flores, alleging sexual harassment.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Hosey by SLO attorney Jeffrey Stulberg, represents one side of the case.

Besides Flores, the lawsuit also names the California Military Department and its leadership, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Maj. Gen. Jay Coggan, and Brigadier Gen. Peter Cross.

Cross, who oversees the California Military Department Youth & Community Programs Task Force that includes Grizzly, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Flores is no longer the commander of the Grizzly Youth Academy, and was reassigned to command the Discovery Challenge Academy in Lathrop, according to Stulbergs news release.

He didnt respond to a request for comment left at the admissions office at the Lathrop youth academy.

Former Grizzly Youth Academy Cmdr. Francisco Flores has been accused of sexual harassment.

Lawsuit alleges years of sexual harassment

Hoseys complaint alleges that she was subjected to years of extreme and outrageous sexual harassment, according to a news release issued by Stulbergs office.

After a Navy career that ended in 1998 and included duty in the Gulf War as well as awards including the Southwest Asian Service Medal and Bronze Star, Hosey served honorably for 20 years on state active duty in the California State National Guard, most recently as state outreach coordinator for the Guards Youth and Community Programs, the news release said.

Throughout her National Guard career, Hosey was stationed at the Grizzly Youth Academy on the grounds of Camp San Luis Obispo and worked in program recruitment at Grizzly for 12 years before moving into the statewide outreach role.

In her tenure at Grizzly, before Flores arrived, she thrived while exceeding all recruitment targets and holding positions of increasing responsibility, before being promoted to the higher position, her lawsuit notes.

From the beginning, Flores appeared jealous of Chief Hoseys statewide position and threatened by her successful career, the news release said. In October 2018, he embarked on a two-and-a-half-year campaign calculated to intimidate her and erode her career, using outrageous acts of sexual harassment as a weapon.

Cadets from the Grizzly Youth Academy march in the Pinedorado Parade in 2018. A former commander of the program has been accused of sexual harassment.

Hoseys attorney claims Californias Military Department failed to take any action to end Flores intimidating and abusive behavior, which led to another employee quitting.

Another female employee quit rather than endure the abuse, the news release states. Flores repeatedly told Chief Hosey that he would retaliate against anyone who complained about him and make them pay.

After filing a complaint through her chain of command in May, as far as Hosey knows, no official investigation has been launched, nor has any disciplinary action been taken against Flores, according to the release.

Details of the harassment claims

Among the allegations, the lawsuit states that Flores insisted on taking her to lunch, even inserting himself into planned meetings to prevent Chief Hosey from having work-related discussions with colleagues to which he was not privy.

He repeatedly discussed his need for a (sex act) and asked Chief Hosey for her sisters photograph and phone number, insinuating that her sister would perform these and other sexual acts on him, the lawsuit said.

Other harassment included calling her by her first name and pronouncing it in a suggestive manner as Simoooooooone in front of other GYA staff and demanding that Chief Hosey and her son perform personal favors for him outside of work hours including remodeling his condominium; and changing his clothes in front of Chief Hosey while giving her orders in his office.

Hosey and Flores both reported to Cross, but Flores began systematically inserting himself between Chief Hosey and state command, becoming her de facto supervisor, according to the lawsuit.

Chief Warrant Officer Simone Hosey has filed a lawsuit against the former commander of Grizzly Youth Academy, Lt. Francisco Flores, alleging sexual harassment.

Before Flores came to Grizzly, the lawsuit alleged Flores was removed from command at the Oakland Military Academy amid various allegations of misconduct, including the mistreatment of minor students.

Although she was still ostensibly working for the (California Military Departments) commander of Youth and Community Programs and was therefore (Flores) equal in the chain of command, (Flores) began to exert command control over Chief Hosey, the lawsuit notes. He placed her in a cubicle in his own building where he could watch her, even though protocol demanded she have her own office.

On a business trip in October 2018, they rode in the same car from SLO, and Flores wanted Hosey to help him shop for a new outfit that evening, the lawsuit alleges.

Once they got there, (Flores) demanded that they leave early rather than staying to network with colleagues as was customary, Hosey alleges. He then asked Chief Hosey to have dinner alone with him and go dancing. Chief Hosey refused. She felt threatened by his unwelcome advances.

On the ride home, Flores asked several questions about her private life that Hosey believes were designed to belittle and control her.

Given the intimate nature of his questioning, Chief Hosey also believes that (Flores) had already reviewed her personnel file, the lawsuit notes.

Aftermath of her complaint

After filing a complaint for an Inspector General investigation in May, Hosey took a leave from work, and the lawsuit states that she was still too physically ill from the emotional distress caused by Flores treatment to return to work.

To date, Chief Hosey continues to suffer from severe emotional distress related to her prior employment with (Flores) which, in turn, causes her to suffer debilitating physical symptoms including uncontrollable vomiting, the lawsuit states. She is unable to work and has struggled to obtain either disability or retirement benefits.

According to her lawyer, after Hosey was placed on medical leave seeking treatment, the California Military Department convened a Medical Evaluation Board and declared her unfit for active duty in September 2021, effectively ending her career.

When faced with a choice of who to protect, the California Military Department and its leaders blatantly ignored their moral, ethical, and legal duty to Chief Hosey, the news release said. They chose instead to preserve the career of a cruel and predatory man at the expense of a highly successful female officer who had served them loyally and with distinction for 20 years.
I hope my vaccination might set us on a path to transparency, trust and, ultimately, equal access to quality medical care across all communities.

When I rolled up my sleeve to get the countrys first COVID-19 vaccine, little did I know that Day One of the countrys climb back from our pandemic hell would also be my plunge into life as a public figure.

New York critical care nurse Sandra Lindsay has received the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine, making her the first healthcare professional in the country to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (Jan. 4)

I view that moment on Dec. 14, 2020, now with overwhelming gratitude, as this years holiday season started so differently. The weekend with my grandson and Thanksgiving meal with my mother are a beautiful, stark contrast from this time last year.

At the time of my inoculation, the country was experiencing another rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Front-line workers like me had spent months watching hundreds of thousands of patients die, many of them alone because of social-distancing policies in our hospitals.

Struggling through the pandemic

Personally, my family and I were facing serious challenges.

The virus made it dangerous for me to support my mother emotionally in person as she mourned her sisters death. At the same time, my son and daughter-in-law traveled between their home and a neonatal intensive care unit to oversee their sons care.

Avery was born prematurely as the city locked down during the pandemics first wave. Here I was, a nurse trained to save people in the direst circumstances, and I couldnt help feeling so helpless in the fate of my baby grandson. I wished he had an easier entrance into what I considered a ruthless world. I prayed that his life would be easier in years to come.

July 7, 2021: Grand marshal Sandra Lindsay, a health care worker who was the first person in the country to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot, waves to spectators as she leads marchers through the Financial District as confetti falls during a parade honoring essential workers for their efforts in getting New York City through the COVID-19 pandemic in New York.

I was burned out, fearful and exhausted. However, I, like my colleagues, refused to miss a day of work. I was determined to show up for my team and my family.

I had learned about COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials but never imagined I would get the first dose after approval for use  or that it would push me to take on such an activist role.

Discovering this part of my identity over the last year has led to a sense of pride. It also led to a personal reckoning.

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Thats because some people on the extreme political right and left used my vaccination to undermine the vaccine effort, distort the clear mission of public health and/or bend our countrys meaning of individual liberty.

Quelling disinformation

Ive had to take on another role, that of an educator, to keep people from chipping away at the historic medical marvel these vaccines have become. I want to keep misinformation and disinformation at bay  especially when it comes to those hit hardest by the disease.

Im referring to communities of color. As a Black woman, an immigrant from Jamaica and a proud U.S. citizen, I wanted to be a positive influence in a time of need. But sometimes that idea, too, was twisted into a different narrative.

White supremacists used my vaccination to find creative ways to peddle hatred. There were also some from my own community who said I allowed myself to be manipulated.

My vaccination cannot alter the history of Black peoples abuse under the cover of medical advancement.

Nonetheless, I do hope it might set us on a path to transparency, trust and, ultimately, equal access to quality medical care across all communities.

Ive been extremely fortunate to meet world leaders since getting my shot, using my experience to highlight the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Ive had the honor of being grand marshal at New York Citys ticker-tape parade recognizing health care heroes; I celebrated my heritage at the White House with President Joe Biden; I traveled to meet with the prime minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, and to speak to the people of the island nation.

It has been a long year, but if some drew inspiration from my spotlighted vaccination to get inoculated themselves, Id do it all again. Its a natural extension of my nursing career.

As we learn about new variants, I hope that anyone who is still vaccine hesitant can see how immunizations work to slow transmissions, hospitalizations and deaths from this unforgiving virus.

I want us to rely more on science than politics.

If this past year has proved anything, its that it isnt always easy to work together, but weve also learned how important it is for us to never give up for the sake of health equity  not just in our country, but every country around the globe.

I committed to making this world a better place long before I got my vaccine and, since then, have gained a deeper understanding of my professional and personal impact. I will continue to keep politics and patriotism firmly in their place to make room for our next steps, together, to one day reach an end to this pandemic.

Sandra Lindsay, director of Patient Critical Care Services at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, was the first person in the United States to receive a COVID-19 vaccine outside of a clinical trial.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Front-line nurse: I received the first US COVID-19 vaccine
BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany will impose quarantine on travellers from Britain from midnight on Monday and require a negative COVID-19 test for entry into the country, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said on Saturday.

Germany's regional health ministers had urged the national government on Saturday to introduce tougher rules on people arriving from Britain, where the Omicron coronavirus variant has sparked a surge in infections.

At a meeting, the ministers called on Berlin to classify Britain as a virus-variant area, enforcing a two-week quarantine on all travellers including those who are vaccinated.

"The spread of Omicron in the UK is very evident. ... We have to prevent the spread for as long as possible and slow it down as much as possible," the ministers said in a statement.

Britain has reported record daily COVID-19 infections for the past three days, reaching over 90,000 on Friday.

Infections rose steeply in Germany through October and November, but have been slowly falling since December, with 50,968 reported on Friday.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Victoria WalderseeEditing by Mark Potter and Leslie Adler)
Eshan Arora, left, his mother Virtu Arora, center and Nikki Kalva with the American Desi Society unload boxes of masks at the San Joaquin County Office of Education in Stockton in August

Website: http://www.facebook.com/AmericanDesiSociety

About the organization: The American Desi Society is a nonprofit community charitable organization committed to contributing to society. Past events include Holidays without Hunger, World Food day and toy giveaways.

What the American Desi Society needs: Donations are needed to support the various programs such as providing a hot meal to a family of four or one grocery bag; a hot dish to 30 homeless people; holiday meals for a family or consider unrestricted funding to support our programs.

To contact: (209) 266-3374

This article originally appeared on The Record: American Desi Society seeks support through The Giving Spirit
Dec. 18First Jerry Kill, then Mike Sanford Jr.

After the Gophers football team opens the 2022 season with Kill leading New Mexico State at Huntington Bank Stadium on Sept. 1, Minnesota will host Sanford and Colorado on Sept. 17.

Sanford, let go as the Gophers offensive coordinator in late November, was hired by the Buffaloes to be their new offensive coordinator, the school announced Friday.

Sanford's passing offense lagged behind the churning rushing attack in 2021, but head coach P.J. Fleck spoke in general terms about why he decided to not bring Sanford back in 2022.

"I just felt like we needed a change on offense," Fleck said Dec. 5. "Mike is a tremendous person and a wonderful football coach. I just felt like we needed a new direction in the leadership at that position."

The Gophers re-hired Kirk Ciarrocca as offensive coordinator on Dec. 6 and extended the contract for defensive coordinator Joe Rossi last week. Rossi's defense shutout the Buffaloes in a 30-0 win in Boulder on Sept. 18.

"Mike's extensive experience and pedigree speaks for itself," Colorado coach Karl Dorrell said in a statement. "What attracted me to him was his familiarity with the Pac-12 and this part of the country, his coaching experience, success as a coordinator and developing players over his career."

Before Minnesota, Sanford was at Stanford for three seasons 2011-13, then Boise State, Notre Dame, Western Kentucky and Utah State before coming to Minnesota for the 2020 season.
Dec. 18COLUMBUS  Calling Ohio's coronavirus crisis a "perfect storm"  a term he's used before  Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday called out 1,050 members of the Ohio National Guard, including 150 medical professionals, to help overtasked hospitals deal with staffing shortages.

The deployment will start Monday and involve 150 guardsmen who have medical backgrounds. The governor said guard members already working on the front lines in medical settings will not be shifted from their current duties.

The rest of the guard members will help with nonmedical support in hospitals, dealing with such things as patient transport and food distribution.

Mr. DeWine also moved to allow hospitals to bring in nurses and other medical personnel from other states that may not be dealing with the same level of issues as Ohio's hospitals.

The governor noted that earlier stages of the crisis revolved around bed shortages.

"Today it is about personnel," he said during a news conference. "Twenty-two months of this pandemic has taken its toll on our health-care workers. That is certainly, certainly understandable. We cannot thank them enough for the work that they have done and the work they continue to do. Twenty-two months they have fought this war."

As of Friday, there were 4,723 people in Ohio's hospitals with coronavirus.

"This is the highest number of cases we've had in our hospitals from COVID since Dec. 22, 2020," Mr. DeWine said. "We are also approaching an all-time high number. ... Almost all hospitals in Zone 1, right across the northern part of the state of Ohio, have stopped elective surgeries."

He said the worst part of that appears to be occurring in the northeast.

Mr. DeWine spoke from the governor's residence in Bexley, outside Columbus. He is again self-quarantining after exposure to someone later confirmed to have coronavirus. He said he and First Lady Fran DeWine tested negative again Friday.

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The "perfect storm" he described is a combination of the resurging delta variant, the rapid omicron variant's rapid spread, the staffing crisis, and the upcoming holidays for which family gatherings could add fuel to the fire.

The rate at which Ohio is adding new infections and filling hospital beds, presumably because of the still-dominant delta variant, again rivals the worst numbers from last winter. A year ago vaccines were just becoming available to what was then pent-up demand, particularly among the vulnerable elderly in nursing homes.

Today the numbers are surging again even though 57.8 percent of all eligible Ohioans age 5 and older are fully vaccinated, with many also having gotten booster shots.

With omicron spreading rapidly, Mr. DeWine said infection rates can be expected to be high.

"Hospitalization is what we need at this point to really focus on," Mr. DeWine said. "We know that booster shots are huge in keeping people out of the hospital. We also know that first shots are huge.... Somewhere between 90 and 95 percent of those who go into our hospitals are not vaccinated. It's very simple. If we have more people vaccinated, we will cut down those numbers."

The state reported 10,025 new infections, well above the three-week average of 7,623 but still below the peaks of last winter. Both hospital and intensive-care admissions were above their averages at 395 and 43, respectively.

Mercy Health and ProMedica have reported staffing numbers to Gov. DeWine's office, as staffing issues continue to challenge local health systems.

An allocation of personnel is likely at some point, said Dr. Brian Kaminski, ProMedica vice president of quality and safety, who requested assistance for nonclinical positions.

Over the past three weeks several ProMedica hospitals have been at capacity and physicians are selectively postponing some procedures to adjust to high volume, he said.

"The hospitals are stressed and staffing is an issue," he said.

Erica Blake, Mercy Health's director of public relations and communication, said Mercy will continue to work closely with the state.

"As we work through this challenging time, we ask that our communities do their part to stay safe including wearing masks when appropriate, frequent hand washing, and avoiding contact with others if not feeling well. Additionally, we strongly recommend the COVID-19 vaccine as it is safe, highly effective, and the way our communities will move beyond this pandemic," she said.

Elective surgeries continue as scheduled at McLaren St. Luke's Hospital in Maumee despite of high volume resulting from coronavirus admissions and other chronic illnesses, said Ginger Petrat, director of corporate marketing.

Staff shortages pose significant challenges, and a $15,000 sign-on bonus is being offered for acute-care nurses, she added.

"The community can help ease bustling ERs by knowing where to go for care. For non-emergent care, such as treatment for minor influenza symptoms, common colds, or minor injuries, individuals should always call their doctor's office first before visiting the ER," Ms. Petrat said.

Blade staff writer Nancy Gagnet contributed to this report.

First Published December 17, 2021, 11:31am
Glen Becerra

For 20 years I served on the Simi Valley City Council and for nine of those 20 years, I served as a member of the California Lutheran University Board of Regents.

During that time, I supported the Universitys Upward Bound and Stem programs through my generous former employer, Southern California Edison, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. I also gave time and professional expertise to the university. The university is important to me and to the community we live in.

Unfortunately, something has gone terribly wrong at CLU. CLU today is not the same university I served. While I was on the Board of Regents, the University President Chris Kimball went to our Congressman, Elton Gallegly, to ask him to place his 26 years of public service records in the trust of the school.

More: Reagan Foundation threatens to remove late president's name from fellowship program at CLU

More: Former Rep. Gallegly sues CLU, alleges public center in his name never fully established

More: CLU president says Gallegly's replica office at the school not much of a draw

The intent was to archive, maintain and make them available to the public, to create a space that would serve as a place to digitally access the Congressmans papers, to replicate his office in Washington D.C., and to establish a fellowship program for individuals who would one day go out and use his or her education to make the world a better place. The Galleglys also wanted to establish a distinguished speaker series.

The university told the Congressman that he would not have to raise any funds to support these efforts. To date, however, the former Congressman is the one who has raised the funds to build the building, fund the fellowships and archive the papers. Additionally, he hosted the first and only distinguished speaker, Condoleezza Rice, a huge triumph for the school.

Since then, with no logical explanation, the university has gone out of its way to undo all the commitments they made when they signed the agreement/contract with the Congressman, which includes the vital connection to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation. The new CLU President, Lori Varlotta, unfortunately is pushing this path forward, and it is to the detriment of the university.

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To honor all the donors whose generosity funded the building space, fellowships, and archives, I am asking the University President to allow a forensic audit of all the money raised and spent in support of these programs. Additionally, I request that CLU honor its commitment to maintain the replica Congressional office and meeting space. Donors specifically gave to build the office as part of the center. To dismantle the office breaks a commitment with the donors and raises ethical issues regarding how that money was used.

When I left the Board of Regents, former President Kimball asked me to chair the Gallegly Center advisory council, which I did. Now even this council, made up of prominent members of Ventura County, is being disbanded. Not sure what the university is hiding or afraid of, but as an institution of higher learning, the Gallegly Center is exactly what it should be all about.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Guest column: CLU hasn't honored commitments to Gallegly
Health officials are urging Sarasota-Manatee area residents to get a COVID-19 booster shot to prepare for a potential surge of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in Florida between Sunday and Thursday, according to Thomas Unnasch, a Distinguished Health Professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health.

He said on Friday that the omicron variant was really starting to take hold in the past three or four days.

Im really concerned that were going to see a huge outbreak here thats probably going to end up peaking in the state maybe by the first week in January, he said.

Omicron and boosters: Do COVID-19 boosters protect against omicron? Where and when can I get a booster in Florida?

More on COVID-19: Asolo Rep is moving forward after positive COVID-19 cases canceled 10 days of Hair

Heather Vermilyea, a Resident Physician at Sarasota Memorial, administers a COVID-19 vaccination earlier this year.

The Florida Department of Health reported 291 new COVID-19 cases in Sarasota County for the week of Dec. 10-16. This is an increase over the previous week's case number, 253.

Manatee County had 239 cases for the week, compared with 214 for the week of Dec. 3-9.

Dr. Manuel Gordillo, an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, said in a statement that the omicron variant is much more infectious than other strains of COVID-19  its three times more infectious than the delta variant, for example.

Studies show that omicron may evade the antibody protection provided by vaccines, according to Gordillo.

And in South Africa, where most people are younger and unvaccinated, it also is infecting people with natural immunity from a previous COVID infection, the epidemiologist said.

The good news, he continued, is that vaccines are still very effective at preventing severe illness from COVID-19 and booster shots appear to further bolster your protection.

Getting a booster now, or as soon as you are eligible, is key for those who have already been fully vaccinated, he said.

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Gordillo also recommends that those who havent completed their vaccine series should do so as soon as possible and then get a booster as soon as theyre eligible.

If we follow the COVID vaccination/booster and other public health recommendations, we can slow the spread of infection, reduce the risk of severe disease, and even mild illness, which can lead to disruption in our supply chain and mass absences in the workplace, he said.

The situation at Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Sarasota Memorial spokesperson Kim Savage said in an email that the hospital system hasnt seen any significant spikes in hospitalized patients in the past two weeks. The system reported on Friday that it was treating 24 COVID-19 inpatients. These patients either are COVID-19-positive or are cleared of infection, but still being hospitalized.

The Herald-Tribune asked Savage if the health system had detected any omicron cases at its hospitals, and she replied that they dont have the advanced testing platforms needed to differentiate between strains of COVID-19. She directed the Herald-Tribune to the health department.

Chuck Henry, the health officer for the Florida Department of Health's Sarasota County office, said the omicron variant data was being tracked by the DOHs state office. The Herald-Tribune was not able to reach a state office spokesperson by press time.

In case you missed it: Sarasota government employees aren't mandated to get vaccinated against COVID-19

Booster demand in Sarasota and Manatee Counties

A few Sarasota-Manatee area pharmacies told the Herald-Tribune that theyve seen at least somewhat more interest in COVID-19 vaccines  specifically in boosters  lately.

Ahlam Faqqouseh, a pharmacist at FamilyCare Discount Pharmacy in Bradenton, said she has seen an increase in interest for vaccinations  specifically boosters  starting in about early November. Different age groups became eligible for the booster over the course of the fall.

John Knisley, a district leader for CVS, said CVS pharmacies in Sarasota County have definitely seen a little bit more interest in vaccinations, too. But the company is meeting the demand.

Were successfully meeting demand for COVID vaccinations for the 5-11 population and boosters for individuals 18 and over, a CVS statement said.

Anne Snabes covers city and county government for the Herald-Tribune. You can contact her at asnabes@gannett.com or (941) 228-3321 and follow her on Twitter at @a_snabes.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Health officials urge COVID booster shots for Sarasota-Manatee area residents
COVID-19 is back and so is testing. (Double ugh.)

The COVID surge has us scrambling plans for holiday parties, travel to grandmas house and return to office. Its also creating a mad rush for COVID tests.

Welcome (back) to our onerous new reality, with vaccine mandates, masks requirements and testing protocols. And with testing comes the oh-so familiar questions: When were you tested? Where? Which kind of test?

I was thinking about the sheer volume of human, never mind economic activity associated with COVID testing and decided to delve into this for my column, focusing mostly on rapid tests, because thats where much of the action is right now.

Testing has certainly become part of my life. Not quite like brushing my teeth, but like grocery shopping, which is to say once a week or so. Since Nov. 1 for instance Ive been tested nine times, (most recently yesterday) and I anticipate a similar cadence going forward. Im seeing family members and co-workers getting tested in increasing numbers and frequency as well. (Your experience may vary of course.)

A few months ago it looked like the need to test was winding down, but the variants and especially Omicron reversed that trend. Not only did we the people think testing was going away, (remember the days of scheduling PCR tests at a doctors office?), but so did at least one test maker, more on that below.

Before we get into the current situation with tests, lets do a quick 101. As you may know (and forgive me if this is elementary, Watson), generally speaking there are two types of COVID tests at this point; the first being molecular tests, the most common being PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, if you will) tests that usually require a lab. (Yes, there are also some molecular tests using for instance CRISPR technology, as well as isothermal nucleic acid amplification, digital polymerase chain reaction, microarray analysis, and next-generation sequencing. Got that?)

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The second type of tests are antigen or rapid tests, which can be done on site (school, office, party, etc.) or even at home, which as I said I will focus on.

PCR tests detect the presence of the virus itself and are more accurate, but more expensive and take more time to produce results. Antigen tests, according to the CDC "detect the presence of a specific viral antigen, which implies current viral infection" and as "rapid tests" suggest, take only 15 minutes of waiting time, with the whole process requiring less than a half hour. Rapid tests are also cheap but less accurate.

Next, some unassailable facts. The U.S. has not exactly led the world in testing protocols or the rollout of tests. Our government made a decision to support vaccine efforts (and not so much tests) and sent billions of dollars to Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson either to develop the vaccine or to buy vaccines or both  which I wrote about two weeks ago: Guess who pays for all those millions of COVID-19 vaccines. No major efforts were made with tests really, until early October, when the Biden administration said it would buy $1 billion of rapid tests.

At a White House briefing in October, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said that by the end of the year, the U.S. will have a run rate of about a half billion tests per month, about half of which will be ... the popular at-home test as well as the PCR tests that people can take at a pharmacy, clinic or doctors office.

End of the year would be right about now. And yes, tests are out there. Sort of. Amazon was sold out when I looked yesterday. But Walmart.com was not. Many drug stores in NYC where I live didnt have any. As for PCR tests, some street kiosks offering tests now have long lines.

A COVID-19 testing site in New York City. Credit: Andy Serwer

Testing shortages are not the norm in other developed countries though. In England, testing has become part of daily routine for many of its citizens. And tests are free and easy to get, according to CBS News.

Getting the test kits couldn't be easier," the London correspondent notes. "They're readily available at pretty much every pharmacy in the country. Anyone can just walk in and ask for them  and they're completely free, usually distributed in boxes of five or seven. You can go back and get as many as you need.

Meanwhile, the White House has been getting testy over its coronavirus testing regimen. NPRs Mara Liasson recently pressed White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on rapid tests by asking why not just make them free and have them available everywhere? Psaki responded  seemingly sarcastically  by asking: Should we just send one to every American?

Jen Psaki somewhat mockingly asks reporter at the White House Daily Press Briefing if the US should be sending out rapid #COVID19 tests to every household.



In the UK you can order 1 pack (containing 7 tests) everyday. https://t.co/ErnSsiLxxl pic.twitter.com/L7ruKWdy5n  Matt Karolian (@mkarolian) December 6, 2021

The exchange went viral and prompted this come-backer from Erica Wilkinson of Slate: It is true that mailing a single test to every American would be kind of silly, and expensive (thats why they should be sending many tests  as for the cost, were in a pandemic!)

Looks like we will in fact be needing many more tests. The Washington Post reported yesterday afternoon: Students who have been exposed to the coronavirus can safely continue in-person learning if they are regularly tested for the virus at school, avoiding disruptive at-home quarantines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

How did we get behind the eight-ball with tests? What we needed was a project warp speed for testing, says Neil J. Sehgal, an assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. That didn't happen under the previous administration, whose stance was that more tests weren't necessarily better and in fact, more testing led to more cases."

He added: "Whether it was through bad advice or an abundance of optimism, both the former and current administrations really banked on vaccines putting an end to the pandemic. That drove this delay on large scale federally-backed purchases of COVID-19 tests.

Sehgal says the FDA has also played a role here. [The] slow regulatory approval process has ... What's the right way to put this? It's reduced the availability, he says. It's created some of the supply constraints that we are seeing in the availability of rapid tests. More than 30 antigen tests have been developed in the U.S., but very few of those have FDA authorization for over the counter use. This is one of the reasons that we see less availability in the U.S., compared to the EU. That's because the FDA has taken a stricter stance than its European counterparts. More recently, in some of the comments from folks in the administration, they had held up that the FDA is very thoroughly vetting tests before they come to market.

Dr. Michael Mina certainly has some thoughts on this subject. Mina, chief science officer of eMed, (more on eMed in a minute) and former assistant professor of epidemiology & immunology and infectious diseases at Harvards T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has been an outspoken advocate for full deployment of rapid tests, and even for prioritizing them over PCR tests.

With rapid tests "individuals can take ownership over their small slice of public health, Mina says. And that's really the only way we can battle a pandemic like this, is when we bring the public into the process. And we have done a horrible job at doing that."

The FDA currently does not formally recognize that there is such a thing as a test for public health, Mina continues. We have such a biomedical centric approach to everything. We have institutions and policies that cannot get out of their own way to understand that a test doesn't have to be a medical diagnostic test."

Mina added: "Public health agencies actually helped block the roll out of these powerful public health tools because they saw it through one lens, which is Our job is to track the epidemic.' And they didn't really have a lens of saying 'our job is to just ensure everyone has the tools to not transmit to their family.

OK so now, what is eMed? It is a digital testing platform, founded and led by Dr. Patrice Harris, which has partnered with Abbott, maker of the BinaxNOW rapid test, and offering online supervision and verification of the test. This fills a need because home tests have been potentially problematic because a) people sometimes didnt do them right and b) they arent accepted in some cases because you cant really prove that the test you upload is yours. With eMed, a technician walks you through the process, watches you take the test and waits for the results and verifies it.

I just tried using eMed this past week  and it worked  and will use it again when coming back from Europe where Im traveling tomorrow (gulp). When I return to the U.S., Im flying on United Airlines, which is requiring either a PCR or rapid lab test, or an eMed certified test.

But now weve gotten ahead of ourselves. What about eMeds partner, Abbott and its Abbott BinaxNOW test? How big of a deal is it? Does it work? Answer: The test is in fact a pretty big deal and it seems to work well. When the pandemic hit early last year, Abbott, like so many health care companies, plunged full bore into new types of work. CEO Robert Ford pulled company scientists off other projects and directed them to four testing projects. The effort paid off. According to the company:

Abbott launched the BinaxNOW professional test nationwide in August 2020 and scaled up production at its new U.S. manufacturing facilities to produce 50 million tests per month. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) purchased the company's first 150 million tests, sending them to K-12 schools, nursing homes, historically black colleges and universities, and underserved communities, where they remain in use today and serve as a powerful tool to help prevent the virus from spreading.

Abbott Labs BinaxNOW COVID-19 home test. Credit: Andy Serwer

Abbott didnt receive FDA approval for retail distribution though, until this March and first rolled out the tests at Walgreens, Walmart and CVS on April 19. The BinaxNOW test has quickly become a big business. In Abbotts third quarter, released in late October, the company reported COVID-19 testing-related sales of $1.9 billion, of which approximately $1.6 billion were rapid tests. This out of total sales of $10.9 billion. Retail cost of these tests, as you may know, goes for $23 for a box of two tests. So thats a lot of sold tests.

Unlike vaccines, which are 100% free, testing is more complicated. Walk-up kiosks here in New York are giving free PCR tests, (paid for by Uncle Sam, perhaps, since I have been able to procure them when I didnt have my insurance card.) After that, well, Ill turn things over to our ace medical reporter, Anjalee Khemlani who says:

1. Many experts want insurers to cover the costs of testing but its an incredibly imperfect system. Many tests are generally not covered (for example testing for work or for travel). You are likely on your own for that.

2. It will soon be possible to get reimbursed for some at-home tests but its a real pain as everyone knows and many experts acknowledge its a bad system.

3. Going in person to same day facilities is one of the few ways you can get it directly covered for free. But even thats imperfect: Anjalee saw an urgent care clinic and a pharmacy next door to each other. The urgent care would test for free but the pharmacy was charging $50, which was in theory reimbursable.

For now, you can buy a rapid test and then try your luck getting reimbursed from your insurer or depending on your use case, maybe even by your employer. Still at least we have access to tests now, unlike last year when only PCR tests were available, along with the occasional outrageous bill.

We've long believed in the trend to decentralize some of the testing," Abbott CEO Ford told Khemlani in a November interview. It's not an either or. It's an and,' Ford said. A lot of testing historically has been done in hospitals and labs. And what we see now with COVID is this trend to be able to add on a different type of testing, one that's a little bit more decentralized.

Ford talked about Abbotts app, (which Ive also used). Not only did we develop the Binax test, but we also developed a companion app called Navica that connects the test with your phone so that you can have your green pass to say, hey, I tested, and I've been tested negative. So I think that's an important aspect of it.

It hasnt been smooth sailing for Abbott, though. This past summer, the company laid off hundreds of workers and closed a facility which manufactured tests. Revenue projections swung too. In January the company forecast $6.5 billion to $7 billion in annual COVID test revenue. By last summer the forecast was down to $4 billion to $4.5 billion. Abbotts stock (ABT) has slightly outpaced the overall market year-to-date (up 26% versus 23% year) and since the beginning of the pandemic (from March 2, 2020 to yesterday up 70% versus 56%.) In other words, COVID testing has been a good business for Abbott so far, but it hasnt been a game changer like the vaccine for Moderna.

BTW, I dont begrudge Abbott for making money here. Its a risky, expensive business that with any luck will go away at some point. Abbott and the others are helping us fight COVID, saving untold numbers of lives as well as who knows how much money by preventing the spread.

And there is an urgency here, according to Ed Yong of The Atlantic, in this recent piece. Tests work detecting Omicron, but its tricky.

Omicron may also be especially difficult to catch before it spreads to others, because its incubation period the window between infection and symptoms  seems to be very short. At an Oslo Christmas party, almost three-quarters of attendees were infected even though all reported a negative test result one to three days before.

What we really need is something rare in modern America, a sense of common purpose. As Yong notes: Like the variants that preceded it, Omicron requires individuals to think and act for the collective good which is to say, it poses a heightened version of the same challenge that the U.S. has failed for two straight years, in bipartisan fashion.

Testing saves lives, but rather than get with the program, too many of us channel our inner 6-year-old, as in: You cant make me do that.

Wish I could tell them to go sit in a corner. In the meantime, expect more testing of ourselves and our society.

This article was featured in a Saturday edition of the Morning Brief on December 18, 2021. Get the Morning Brief sent directly to your inbox every Monday to Friday by 6:30 a.m. ET. Subscribe

Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified Abbott Labs CEO Robert Ford as Richard. It has been corrected. The story also corrected its definition of how Antigen tests work. They detect the presence of a specific viral antigen, not antibodies. A photo caption has also been updated to clarify that the BinaxNOW COVID-19 home test is manufactured by Abbott Labs, not eMed.

Andy Serwer is editor-in-chief of Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter: @serwer

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

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The New York Times

A mother in rural Wisconsin said she felt utterly helpless as she sent her 13-year-old off to school. Another, in suburban New Jersey, expressed frustration that her highly vaccinated district had returned to remote learning. One in Chicago said she hoped the citys teachers followed through on their threat to walk out so her 12-year-old daughter wouldnt have to return to a crowded classroom. This is parenthood nearly two years into the pandemic, as schools reopen after the holidays. Or dont




Today is Friday. Welcome to Hillicon Valley, detailing all you need to know about tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Subscribe here: thehill.com/newsletter-signup.

Follow The Hill's cyber reporter, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and tech team, Chris Mills Rodrigo (@millsrodrigo) and Rebecca Klar (@rebeccaklar_), for more coverage.

Security was stepped up at schools across the nation Friday after shooting and bomb threats were made on TikTok, with some schools canceling classes as a precaution.

Meanwhile, federal agencies were ordered to take immediate steps to investigate and patch their systems against a major vulnerability in Apache logging library log4j, and...

Let's jump into the news.

Schools on high alert

Schools nationwide have increased security in response to shooting and bomb threats that have been made on TikTok.

Red flag: Schools in Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania have said classes on Friday would see an increase in police presence or would be canceled altogether due to the threats made on the social media platform, The Associated Press reports.

"We are writing to inform you and not alarm you," school administrations from Oak Park and River Forest, Ill., told parents. "We have been made aware of a nationwide viral TikTok trend about 'school shooting and bomb threats for every school in the USA even elementary' on Friday, December 17."

The school said the local police department would be in the area as a precaution.

Gilroy High School in Northern California made the decision to cancel school on Friday after threats were found against it on social media and postponed the last day of finals until January.

"Making the decision to cancel classes tomorrow has not been an easy one," Principal Greg Kapaku told parents.

On the lookout: TikTok acknowledged the threats circulating online, saying the platform is working with authorities and that none of the posts have been deemed credible.

Story continues

Read more here.

Patch your systems now

Federal agencies on Friday were ordered to immediately investigate and patch systems to prevent exploitation of a massive vulnerability in Apache logging library log4j that has been increasingly used by nations and cybercriminals to target organizations around the world.

Directive: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an emergency directive giving agencies until Dec. 23 to identify which software is impacted by log4j and then either deploy patches against these vulnerabilities or remove the impacted software from the network. The agencies must report all impacted software and actions taken to CISA by Dec. 28.

Following these actions, CISA will provide a report in February to the secretary of Homeland Security and to the Office of Management and Budget, and will keep working with partners to help remediate the vulnerability.

The vulnerability, first uncovered a week ago, has sent cybersecurity professionals scrambling to address the issue, which has been particularly difficult given that log4j is a fundamental ingredient of much of the software used by major companies.

Nation states have quickly moved to try to take advantage of the situation, with Microsoft and Mandiant reporting earlier this week that Chinese and Iranian hackers had been attempting to exploit the log4j vulnerability.

Huge stakes: Exploitation has reached massive levels worldwide, with a spokesperson for Check Point Software telling The Hill Friday that the company had seen 3.8 million attempts to use the vulnerability, more than 100 attempts per moment globally, and that around half of all corporate networks worldwide had been targeted.

Read more here.

HABIT CHANGES NEEDED

A rollout of President Biden's proposed network of 500,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations must be paired with a "paradigm shift" in the way Americans view driving, a House lawmaker said this week.

"I've spent my entire life ... with a sort of pre-existing infrastructure in my mind - gas stations on every corner, right?" Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) told reporters during a tour of an EV charging pilot project in his home district on Thursday.

"My daughter, who's 3, by the time she's my age...one would hope that every one of those gas stations is replaced by a charging network," he said.

The Colorado project, which enables a two-way transfer of electricity between a car and a building, allows a vehicle to be charged through the system when energy demand is minimal while sending power back to the building during peak hours.

The City of Boulder has tested the system using a Nissan Leaf from its fleet connected to a local recreation center. The project is a joint partnership between Boulder and Virginia-based Fermata Energy, which produces "vehicle-to-building" charging systems.

Read more on the project.

A MESSAGE FROM HUAWEI

BITS AND PIECES

An op-ed to chew on: Washington shouldn't pat itself on the back for its cybersecurity spending just yet

Lighter click: May the booster shot win

Notable links from around the web:

'Amazon won't let us leave' (Vice Motherboard / Matthew Gault)

The Harvard job offer no one at Harvard ever heard of (The New York Times / Jeffrey Gettleman, Kate Conger and Suhasini Raj)

Drones could be enlisted to fight tornados and other climate disasters (The Washington Post / Steven Zeitchik)

One last thing: A renewed push

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Key federal cybersecurity officials are pushing for passage of legislation to create mandates for certain organizations to report cyberattacks amid the fallout from a massive vulnerability in Apache logging package Log4j, which has left organizations worldwide vulnerable.

Bipartisan legislation to establish cyber incident reporting standards was set to be included in the compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), but was removed at the last minute due to concerns from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) about the scope of the bill. Scott's concerns were addressed, but not in time for the provision to be included in the NDAA.

It was set to be the main congressional response to a series of major attacks this year that have included high profile ransomware attacks on Colonial Pipeline and JBS USA, along with the SolarWinds hack, which led to at least nine federal agencies and 100 private sector groups being breached.

The legislation would require critical infrastructure companies to report a cyberattack to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) within 72 hours of discovery, and report any ransomware payments made within 24 hours. Currently, there is no law on the books requiring these organizations to report incidents, making it far more difficult for the federal government to respond.

In the wake of the new Log4j vulnerability, which has sent cybersecurity professionals worldwide racing to patch systems before nation states including China and Iran can exploit the issue, top officials are pushing hard for Congress to revisit cyber incident reporting.

Read more here.

A MESSAGE FROM HUAWEI

That's it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hill's technology and cybersecurity pages for the latest news and coverage. We'll see you Monday.




For those who are not getting it



An Indian Officer is "KEEN" to know the identity of the Chinese officer. So when asked what was the name of Indian Officer, our Witty Major replied saying "I am Major "Keen" Kumar"



Smart man, wish to meet him one day





 Hemanth Kumar  (@hemanth310n813e) December 14, 2021
A federal judge has rejected an attempt by Prince Andrews legal team to include a news article describing accuser Virginia Giuffre as a money-hungry sex kitten as they attempt to have her civil lawsuit against him dismissed.

In a filing on 16 December, US District Court Lewis Kaplan called the request to include several press clippings an apparent public relations stunt. A request by the senior royals legal team to include Ms Giuffres alleged manuscript of The Billionaires Playboy Club, a 139-page memoir detailing accusations against pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was also rejected by the judge.

The attempts to include the documents appear to have been submitted for whatever public relations purposes defendants advisors may have had in mind, the judge wrote.

Ms Giuffre, 38, has claimed she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with the Queens son in 2001 when she was 17 years old. Prince Andrew has denied the allegations against him.

Ms Giuffre is seeking unspecified damages in a civil suit against the prince.

In October court filings, attorneys for Prince Andrew cited reports from The New York Daily News, The New York Post and The Daily Mail to support a motion to dismiss the case. The lawyers alleged that the articles undermine Ms Guiffres claims.

The motion to dismiss includes quotes made by Ms Giuffres ex-boyfriend Philip Guderyon to the New York Daily News in 2015.

The article, which is headlined Jeffrey Epstein accuser was not a sex slave, but a money-hungry sex kitten, her former friends say, quotes Mr Guderyon as calling Ms Giuffre the head b**** at the financiers Palm Beach mansion.

Shed have like nine or 10 girls she used to bring to him, he said, according to the Daily News.

Prince Andrews attorneys also argued that an interview Ms Giuffre gave toThe Daily Mail in 2011 for an alleged payment of $160,000 was among her attempts to profit from allegations against Epstein and others by selling stories and photographs to the press and entering into secret agreements to resolve her claims against her alleged abusers.

Story continues

It is unfortunate, but undeniable, that sensationalism and innuendo have prevailed over the truth, the Dukes attorneys argued in October filings.

Ms Giuffres legal team has said the filings amount to an attempt to smear her.

However, Judge Kaplan did agree to allow evidence on Ms Giuffres 2009 settlement with Epstein which is central to Prince Andrews argument to dismiss the claims against him. A federal judge in a separate case had ordered that details from the settlement be made public absent any objections from Epsteins estate.

Ms Giuffres attempt to dismiss the settlement from her case against Prince Andrew is completely without merit, Judge Kaplan wrote.

The court is asked to take notice of only its existence, its authenticity, and the words it contains  not its legal effect and not the truth of any of its statements, said the judge, adding that there is no dispute among the parties over its authenticity.

Ms Giuffres attorneys have argued that the Epstein settlement is irrelevant to the current case.

Epstein, 66, killed himself inside a New York prison cell in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His former girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently on trial on criminal sex trafficking charges following allegations that she recruited teenagers for Epstein to abuse from 1994 to 2004. She has pleaded not guilty.

Prince Andrews representatives did not provide comment to The Independent.
Michelle Odinet, a city court judge in Lafayette, Louisiana, has been temporarily disqualified from the bench after she was caught using a racial slur in a home video that circulated online this week.

The Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana released an order on Friday granting a motion for interim disqualification. Odinet on Thursday requested an unpaid leave of absence with the Louisiana Supreme Court.

It is ordered, adjudged, and decreed that Judge Michelle Odinet, Lafayette City Court, Lafayette Parish, State of Louisiana, be and hereby is disqualified from exercising judicial functions, without salary, during the pendency of further proceedings in these matters, the order stated, noting Odinets interim disqualification was effective immediately.

Odinet was widely condemned after a video taken in her home captured people hurling a string of racial slurs and other disturbing comments as her family watched security camera footage of an alleged attempted car burglary at their home.

The judge did not initially disclose that she was one of the people who used the racial slur in the video in a statement to The Current published on Monday. But her attorney, Dane Ciolino, has since confirmed to The New York Times that she used the slur.

Lafayette City Court Judge Michelle Odinet, a Republican, was elected in November 2020. (Photo: Lafayette City Court)

The video, which shows security footage of an attempted burglary playing as voices in the background laugh and recount what took place, was leaked by an unknown source and published online by The Current.

Someone can be heard saying, And moms yelling, n****r, n****r! to which another voice responds, We have a n****r, its a n****r! Like a roach.

Odinet, who has four adult children, is humiliated, embarrassed and sorry for what she has done and the trouble that she has caused to her community, Ciolino said in a statement to HuffPost on Thursday.

The accused burglar, who is Black, has since been arrested and charged with two counts of simple burglary. Lafayette Police Sergeant Paul Mouton told local CBS affiliate KLFY 10 News that no weapon was found on the accused burglar despite Odinets previous claims that he was armed.

Story continues

The judge, a Republican who was elected to office in November 2020, told The Current in a statement published Monday that she was given a sedative at the time of the video.

She also claimed she had zero recollection of the video and the disturbing language used during it.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Kraftwerks Robot Pop inspired everyone from David Bowie to Daft Punk (Peter Boettcher/Spruth Magers)

Im standing on a street corner in downtown Dusseldorf, listening to two jolly German musicologists called Michael Wenzel and Sven-Andre Dreyer explaining the genesis of electronic music. It all feels rather comical, like a surreal Monty Python sketch, but although its bordering on the absurd its absolutely fascinating nonetheless. Sven and Michael are telling me how it all began here in Dusseldorf. Right here, in fact, in the building in front of us. Today that building is a smart apartment block, but 50 years ago it was a club called Creamcheese, and it was here that a local band called Kraftwerk played their first gig, a gig that changed the course of modern music.

Today Kraftwerk are widely  and quite rightly  regarded as the most influential musicians of modern times. A group that pioneered the use of electronic instruments, and created a brand new sound that fed a myriad of other genres. The list of bands whove sampled them reads like an A-Z of popular music. Their Robot Pop inspired everyone from David Bowie to Daft Punk, from the Pet Shop Boys to Coldplay. Their influence has been so universal, its almost become invisible  virtually every new release is infused with an echo of their style. And, as Sven and Michael explain, it all started here, in this grungy, glitzy city on the west bank of the River Rhine.

Im back in Dusseldorf for the opening of a new exhibition called Electro  From Kraftwerk to Techno. The idea is to capture the spirit of electronic dance culture, the club culture, the rave culture, explains the shows French co-curator Jean-Yves Leloup. This show has already been to Paris and London, but its spiritual home is here in Kraftwerks hometown, and through close co-operation with Kraftwerk founder-member, Ralf Hutter, it has expanded the section of the exhibition devoted to this citys most famous sons.

Its an absorbing, uplifting survey, which follows the evolution of electronic music, from its Teutonic origins here in the Rhineland to British new wave bands like Joy Division and Depeche Mode, then across the Atlantic to House and Hip-Hop bands in Detroit and Chicago, and then back to Europe via dance music, in clubs from Manchester to Ibiza. So why did it all begin in Dusseldorf? Ive come here to find out.

Story continues

Karl Bartos, Ralf Hutter, Florian Schneider and Wolfgang Flur in 1978 (-)

I usually fly to Dusseldorf, but this time I came by train, which felt fitting. The most famous photo of the band was taken in Dusseldorf train station. Kraftwerks mesmeric anthem, Trans-Europe Express, was a celebration of international train travel. But was their connection with this city mere coincidence? Not at all. As Sven and Michael point out, although Kraftwerk was a one-off, like the Beatles in Liverpool they emerged from a communal culture which was rooted in a particular time and place.

Dusseldorf has always been a centre of the arts, but until the 1970s its dominant artform was fine art, not music. Since the 19th century, Dusseldorf Kunstakademie had been renowned as one of Europes most important art schools, and after the Second World War it became a leading forum for West Germanys re-emerging counterculture. Leading German artists like Joseph Beuys, Gerhard Richter, Anselm Kiefer and Sigmar Polke came here, as students and teachers, alongside some of Europes finest photographers: Bernd and Hilla Becher, Thomas Ruff, Thomas Struth and Andreas Gursky  Gurskys photos of raves form a key part of the Kunstpalast exhibition. The art school became a focal point for musicians as well as artists, and its large student body gave them a captive audience. For several years, Kraftwerk were merely one part of a nascent movement that included bands like Neu!, also from Dusseldorf, and Can, from nearby Cologne.

Like all great artists, they described the world around them  an anonymous urban landscape of subways, neon lights and autobahns

Like most German cities, Dusseldorf had been reduced to rubble by Allied bombers and the Kunstakademie and the Kunstpalast were among the few buildings that survived. During the 1950s and 1960s, the city was rebuilt in a perfunctory modern style. This austere functionality was largely a matter of necessity, but it was also ideological. German culture had been utterly discredited by the Nazis. German architects didnt want to repair or restore the past. They wanted to sweep it all away and rebuild Germany anew. Dusseldorf was recreated as a New World city of bland apartment blocks and busy highways. But it wasnt just about the architecture  it was also a lifestyle choice. West Germans turned their backs on traditional German culture and embraced the popular culture of their conquerors and liberators: American fashion, American cinema and, above all, American music.

By the time Kraftwerk came along, this infatuation with Americana had begun to lose its lustre. After the student protests of 1968, the US seemed less like a liberator than an oppressor. For these students, the Vietnam War loomed larger than the Second World War. Kraftwerk emerged from a group of young musicians who were looking for a new style of music, something with European roots, rather than just a hollow pastiche of Anglo-Saxon pop. We wanted to oppose the superiority of Anglo-American music with something frightfully German, quipped former Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flur, in Rudi Eschs landmark book about electronic music in Dusseldorf, Electri_City. Yet for these musicians, it was equally important to distance themselves from the German culture that produced the Holocaust. The idea was to reinvent music after the apocalypse, says Jean-Yves Leloup. They had to reinvent their own culture  the idea was to invent a culture for themselves.

Ralf Hutters robot (Kraftwerk/Spruth Magers)

This geopolitical backdrop was much the same throughout West Germany, but Dusseldorf was uniquely fertile ground for the movement which became known as Krautrock. Shorn of its eastern territories and divided by the Iron Curtain, Germanys centre of gravity had shifted westward, from the River Elbe to the River Rhine. Dusseldorf was part of a cluster of Rhineland cities which formed the industrial powerhouse of West Germany. During the wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle) of the 1950s and 1960s, it became the richest city in the region, a centre for fashion as well as art. Dusseldorf is a compact city, and the juxtaposition of grime and glamour is dramatic. The altstadt (old town) is full of lively clubs and bars. Konigsallee is one of Germanys smartest shopping streets, full of chic designer stores, Claudia Schiffer was discovered in a nightclub here.

For a musical movement which pioneered the use of synthesizers, money was important. Fifty years ago, the cost of a synth was way beyond the reach of most wannabe musicians. Florian Schneider, who co-founded Kraftwerk in 1970, came from a wealthy family  his father was a prestigious architect. He had enough money to buy a synth, and the rest is history.

Dusseldorf is a compact city, and the juxtaposition of grime and glamour is dramatic (Getty)

Synthesizers had appeared in popular music before, but only fleetingly. Kraftwerk were the first band to build their entire sound around them. It wasnt just the instruments which were groundbreaking. The music was also something new. Previously, German pop had mimicked American rock music. Kraftwerks music, conversely, had more in common with Bach and Mozart than Chuck Berry. It felt closer to classical music than rocknroll. They thought about music anew, says Sven-Andre Dreyer. They made completely different music to other musicians worldwide.

Theres a strong and innovative way of making rhythms, says Leloup. There are some very memorable melodies. The riffs on tracks like Tour de France sound so archetypal, so elemental, it feels as if theyve always been there, like the melodies from The Magic Flute, or Eine Kleine Nachtmusik.

Kraftwerks early compositions were largely instrumental. It was their lyrics which transformed these modernist sonatas into timeless works of art. Like all great artists, they described the world around them  an anonymous urban landscape of subways, neon lights and autobahns. This was the sound of the city. Kraftwerk were the first musicians to encapsulate this brave new world. As Flur recalls, in Electri_City: In our rehearsal room, studio and shared flat, a sound was created that would travel the world.

Musicologist Michael Wenzel giving a The Sound of Dusseldorf tour (Markus Luigs)

Such is the influence of Kraftwerk that nowadays this kind of subject matter is so commonplace, its difficult to convey how revolutionary this approach was at the time. The early Seventies was an era of prog rock, glam rock and heavy metal. The music was baroque, the lyrics were verbose and the outfits were flamboyant. Conversely, Kraftwerk sang songs about transport and computers. This robotic minimalism was unheard of. Even the name of the band, which is German for power station, set them apart.

The music was the most important thing, but Kraftwerks look was also radical, a reflection of their clean-cut, dispassionate aesthetic. Finally, we did the unthinkable  we bought suits and wore ties, recalled Wolfgang Flur. A rock band dressed like neat and tidy sales reps is no big deal today, but in the mid seventies it was shocking. You could tell at first glance, before you heard a note, that this was something new. The record sleeves were also artworks in their own right. Music, costume and branding combined to produce a gesamtkunstwerk, a united, multifaceted, total work of art.

The sound that grew out of these rustbelt conurbations was percussive and mechanical, forged in the steelworks and factories

To promote their breakthrough album, Autobahn, Kraftwerk toured the UK, but the British music press didnt get it. For Gods sake, keep the robots out of music, wailed the Melody Maker. This is what your fathers fought to save you from, shrieked the NME. Its an indication of how avant-garde they were that their first appearance on British television wasnt as aspiring pop stars on Top of the Pops but as boffins on Tomorrows World.

Yet despite the incomprehension of the music critics, Kraftwerk were already making British converts. Andy McCluskey saw Kraftwerk in 1975 at the Liverpool Empire. Suitably inspired, he formed the seminal British synthpop band, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Musically, we are much more the sons of Dusseldorf than we are the sons of Liverpool, he said. For him, bands like Neu! and Kraftwerk loomed far larger than the Beatles. Kraftwerk is a common language for all the British bands of the new wave, confirms Michael Wenzel. Within a few years, the British pop charts were awash with electronic bands inspired by Kraftwerk: Visage, Soft Cell, Ultravox, Eurythmics, Heaven 17, the Human League The list goes on and on.

More established artists caught on too. David Bowie namechecked Florian Schneider on his Heroes album. Kraftwerk returned the compliment on Trans Europe Express. Yet it wasnt until 1981 that Kraftwerk topped the British charts. They released a single called Computer Love, taken from their new album Computer World, but British DJs preferred to play the B side, an older song called The Model, from their previous album, The Man Machine. Re-released as a single, it became Britains number one.

Kraftwerks music was forged in steelworks and factories (Peter Boettcher/Spruth Magers)

Kraftwerk are often described as futuristic, but in fact their work is closely connected with the past, the German past. We are the children of Fritz Lang and Wernher von Braun, declared Ralf Hutter. Fritz Lang created the visionary movie, Metropolis; Wernher von Braun developed the V2 missile for the Nazis, and then went on to play a leading role in the Nasa space programme. This wasnt an endorsement, but an acknowledgement of the weight of German history, the best and worst of times. There are traces of Dada in their work, and the Bauhaus. Our reality is an electronic reality, said Hutter. After Kraftwerk, all the bands that came before suddenly seemed terribly old fashioned.

Even more remarkable was Kraftwerks influence on African-American music. You might think these two worlds would be poles apart, but the African-American response was supremely egalitarian. Unlike British rock critics, making snide jokes about the war, they knew nothing about Kraftwerk or where they came from. They simply loved the music. Its no coincidence that Detroit and Chicago, where Kraftwerk first took off Stateside, are industrial cities, like Dusseldorf. The sound that grew out of these rustbelt conurbations was percussive and mechanical, forged in the steelworks and factories. Kraftwerk even composed a song called Metal on Metal. Youre always confronted by a soundscape that is very industrial, says Michael Wenzel.

It was a workers city, says Alain Bieber, co-curator of the exhibition, over coffee in the Kunstpalast. But is Dusseldorf still a workers city today? The old industries are long gone. Nowadays its a hi-tech hub. Sure enough, the electronic future that Kraftwerk foresaw 50 years ago has finally arrived. Not everyone here is wealthy, by any means, and a lot of the city still looks drab, but its a pricey place to live nowadays. Gentrification has transformed Dusseldorf, and on the whole its a lot better than before, but inevitably something has been lost along the way. I dont think the musical revolution that happened here in the 1970s could happen here today. But that doesnt mean the storys over. The history of electronic music will never be finished, says Bieber. It will evolve, it will change. The next big thing could happen anywhere, on any continent, in any city on the planet.

Electronic dance music is a global movement, concurs Jean-Yves Leloup. It can be very underground or hugely mainstream. And Kraftwerk were there at the beginning. Would it have happened, eventually, without them? Maybe, but it wouldnt have been quite the same. Kraftwerk requisitioned the escapist euphoria of Disco, and used it to scrutinise the lonely wonder of the modern world. Fifty years on, the soundscape they created has become so ubiquitous that theyve vanished into the foreground, into the aural fabric of our daily lives.

Electro  from Kraftwerk to Techno is at the Dusseldorf Kunstpalast (www.kunstpalast.de) until 22 May 2022. For more information about music in Dusseldorf visit www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de
Kristin Davis appeared on the most recent episode of "The Late Late Show with James Corden." CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

Kristin Davis appeared on Friday's episode of "The Late Late Show with James Corden."

Davis said she auditioned for the role of Monica Geller on "Friends," which was played by Courteney Cox.

Davis went on to play Charlotte York in "Sex and the City" and the show's reboot.

Kristin Davis almost snagged one of the most popular roles on the hit sitcom series "Friends."

On Friday, Davis appeared on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" to talk about the "Sex and the City" reboot, "And Just Like That." Davis, 56, recalled auditioning for the role of Monica Geller alongside Courteney Cox, 57, who would eventually land the coveted role.

Davis said she was "one of like 8,000 young ladies who read for Monica."

"Courteney and I were in the same yoga class at the time, and we used to hang out," Davis said. "The rest of us were, like, unemployed actor-waitresses types and we would hang out after class."

Davis continued, saying that she discovered Cox scored the role while shopping together.

"One day, Courteney was like, 'Hey guys, do you want to come car shopping with me?'" Davis added that Cox was excited because she had just filmed a TV pilot that she thought would do well.

Davis said that Cox decided to purchase a Porsche.

"We were like, 'Wow! Is she for real?'" Davis said. "And it was 'Friends,' and it did go very well."

Cox played Monica Geller on the NBC series for ten years before the 1994 show ended in 2004.

Courtney Cox on the set of "Friends."

Courteney Cox scored the role of Monica Geller on "Friends."NBC/Getty Images

Although Davis later appeared in another role on "Friends," she became a household name after playing Charlotte York in the "Sex and the City" franchise which premiered in 1998 and ran until 2004. The series reboot, "And Just Like That," debuted this month on HBO Max.

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Recently, Davis shot down critics who made negative comments about her appearance after paparazzi arrived at the "And Just Like That" set "trying to get bad pictures."

"I feel angry, and I don't want to feel angry all the time, so I don't look at it, I just know it's there," Davis told The Times UK.

Davis also recalled how some media outlets focused on her weight while the original series aired.

"They would write articles every week about how I was 'pear-shaped,' which I didn't feel was a compliment at the time," she said. "It would stress me out a fair amount because I couldn't avoid it. I kind of feel like that's how it is now too."

This week, controversy hit the "Sex and the City" reboot as Chris Noth  who played Mr. Big  was accused of sexually assaulting three women. In separate interviews with The Hollywood Reporter, two women claimed that Noth sexually assaulted them in 2004 and 2015, respectively.

In a statement to Insider's Rebecca Cohen and Esme Mazzeo, Noth denied the allegations from the two women and said they were false.

One day later, a third woman accused Noth of sexual assault in 2010 in a report published by The Daily Beast. A representative for Noth told the outlet that the actor denies the accusation.

Following the accusations, Noth was dropped by A3 Artists Agency.

Read the original article on Insider
INDIANAPOLIS  When U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issues a warning, the other conservative members of the nations high bench would be wise to pay attention.

Roberts, after all, has shown himself to be a canny and determined defender of both the courts stature and the Republican Partys interests.

John Krull, director of TheStateHouseFile.com

One of his decisions that most rankled rabid conservative partisans  his 2012 affirmation of the Affordable Care Act  likely saved the GOP from disaster in that election year. Stripping millions of voters of their health care not long before they cast their ballots is not a plan for political success, regardless of what firebreathers on the right might believe.

But, more important, with his deciding vote, Roberts also reaffirmed the Supreme Courts role as the ultimate arbiter of constitutional principle. He made clear that he did not see himself as a kind of John Marshall in reverse, a figure who waived rather than established the courts position of final authority on fundamental matters.

Thats why Roberts is sounding alarms now. It comes amid the wrangling over a new Texas abortion law that turns the task of curtailing rights that are constitutionally guaranteed  at least for now  over to bounty hunters and vigilantes.

Much of the attention on these court battles thus far has focused on the pointed but pertinent dissents from the courts liberal members  particularly that of Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the constitution and its reading are just political acts? Sotomayor asked during oral arguments over another state law, this one from Mississippi, aimed at attacking reproductive rights.

The justices argument is aimed at the way people view the court. She contends, persuasively, that a public that once saw the Supreme Court as a dispassionate interpreter of the constitution and enduring notions of liberty and self-governance soon will see the high bench as just a collection of political hacks seeking partisan gains, however fleeting those gains may be.

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More: Column: I trust our children to learn the truth about American history

Roberts concern, not surprisingly, is more measured but even more sweeping. He fears that the nations justices are on the verge of discarding the courts status as the final authority on questions of constitutional principle.

Hes afraid his conservative colleagues will force upon him the role hes always rejected, that of being the chief justice who rejected Marshalls signal achievement in Marbury v. Madison and returned the court to a position of relative irrelevance.

Thats why, in his dissent in Whole Womans Health v. Jackson, Roberts cited a Supreme Court ruling from the early days of the republic.

If the legislatures of the several states may, at will, annul the judgments of the courts of the United States, and destroy the rights acquired under those judgments, the constitution itself becomes a solemn mockery, Roberts quoted from an 1809 ruling.

He then drove home the point, speaking in his own voice.

The nature of the federal right infringed does not matter; it is the role of the Supreme Court in our constitutional system that is at stake, the chief justice wrote.

Hes right.

If Texas or Mississippi or any other state is allowed to determine which constitutional rights are to be allowed, then everything everywhere will be up for grabs  and the Supreme Court will be but a shadow of itself.

Blue states will be able to decide that the Heller decision that established an individuals right to bear arms under the Second Amendment really isnt valid. Even questions of religious liberty may come into question.

More: Golarz: Finding harmony through meticulous care and love of God

The fretting over how the battling over abortion will affect Americas political landscape likely has been overblown. If the court allows the Texas or the Mississippi law to stand  as it appears ready to do  abortions wont disappear.

Poor women without many choices will suffer, but women of means still will be able to travel to states where theyre legal. The effect will be to harden but not fundamentally alter our ideological and cultural battle lines  to institutionalize our deep national divisions.

Red states will become redder.

Blue states will become bluer.

But the undercutting of the Supreme Courts role in American life will have lasting and most likely devastating consequences for us all. Every argument will turn into an unending demolition derby.

John Roberts has reason to be worried.

John Krull is director of Franklin College's Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Krull: An attack on the Supreme Court itself
Smishing  the practice of sending fraudulent text messages targeting individuals to give personal and/or banking information  has existed pretty much as long as texting has.

Who could be more vulnerable to fall for a smishing scam? Whether they are robot-generated or written by people, everyone is susceptible yet the most vulnerable could be those who dont easily distinguish spelling or grammatical errors when reading quickly or in a second-learned language, are financially strapped, anxious about their economic safety and/or surrounded by misinformation.

A large population that sometimes shares these characteristics is Latino immigrants. Text messages are a main source of communication  and information  among Latinos (whether limited in English proficiency or not) across the country as with their family and friends abroad.

Though anyone with a cellphone can receive a fraudulent text message from someone impersonating a bank, the increased targeting of Latinos, "I think it has to do with the fact that many of them use WhatsApp to communicate with families across the border or in their native country, because it is one of the most cost-effective methods for them to be able to communicate," Jose Rodriguez, president and CEO of El Concilio, said.

As the (COVID-19) pandemic started, the number of scams shared within the Spanish speaking community increased along with the need for help, reported NBC News.

Locally, across the state and nation, the Hispanic-Latino population has been one of the most disproportionately affected by COVID-19 during this ongoing pandemic. Given the dire circumstances some Latino immigrants have found themselves in since 2020, economic and health challenges have made them an even more so vulnerable population to smishing scams.

Currently, El Concilio hosts pop-up vaccination clinics around the Stockton-metro area. One of the things that we tell folks is that they are going to get a text message from the state letting them know about their appointment or where they can get the follow-up, things like that, Rodriguez said.

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Though the community-based organization is alerting people they'll receive official state and/or vaccine COVID-19 text messages, "sometimes when they get a message that is COVID-19 related but its not what we said it would be, they are calling to verify if thats legit, Rodriguez said.

He said some of the fraudulent COVID-19 messages people that have received ask for people's personal and/or banking information for them to receive help from the government or an organization. Ive come across a few people who have admitted that they fell for it and started the process, but then they claim that they didnt complete the process."

"What they have done  they claim  is that they have called us (El Concilio) to verify that this (scam text) is legitimate or not, because they are concerned about the message that they received," Rodriguez said.

Spam messages  messages sent on the internet to a large number of recipients  can sometimes be scams, too. More than 47 billion spam texts had been sent as of October 2021, up 55% from the year before, NPR reported based on a report published in August by RoboKiller, a spam-blocking company.

Federal Communications Commission received roughly 14,000 complaints about unwanted text messages in 2020, up 146% from the year before, NPR reported. By October 2021, the commission had received nearly 10,000 complaints about scam texts.

How to prevent falling for a scam via text, emails, calls and/or WhatsApp messages?

Be aware : Keep an eye out for calls and texts from numbers you dont have saved in your contact list. An amount of spam texts and calls are robot-generated or made by people in other countries were English isnt the first-learned language. Spelling, grammar and/or typing mistakes can be telling signs of a spam message.

Take a second to think : If a message or person in a call asks for your bank PIN number, Social Security number, account, card and/or personal information, take a pause and think about what is happening. Banks will not ask for sensitive information over the phone and the government is not threatening to suspend Social Security numbers. Social Security numbers do not get suspended. It is understandable that panic and adrenaline might take over when you feel your safety and/or money is in danger but take a moment to think about what the spam call or text is asking from you.

You can call a source you trust to verify the legitimacy of a text or call : Rodriguez wants to remind the community that whenever they receive something that they are suspicious of, "dont hesitate to reach out to us (El Concilio) or other organizations that you trust to verify this information. He said if someone is suspicious of a text or call, then they should go with their gut and call (a trusted source) to make sure it is legitimate.

The government still sends physical, paper mail : Beware if you get messages with links claiming to be the source for stimulus bonus or government funds. All  local, state, and federal  governments still send mail via the United States Postal Office and have official, full-length links that host official information. If you get digital communication from someone claiming to be from the government, pause before answering or clicking on anything. Safest bet is to check with local agencies by calling them yourself or checking the official websites for any announcements.

You can report spam and fraudulent numbers to the Federal Trade Commission : The FTC has a national Do Not Call, list server where you can report fraudulent numbers and/or register your phone to avoid them at donotcall.gov.

WhatsApp began marking messages as Forwarded, and Forwarded many times: With more than two billion users across the world, WhatsApp is a very popular private-messaging app between migrants in the U.S. and families at home and has become a principal source of information and communication for Hispanics and Latinos. The Meta-owned app now includes a message above texts that have been forwarded once or many times along with an arrow (or two-arrow) emoji on the top left corner. WhatsApp has become an application where misinformation is easily shared via texts, so being cautious of forwarded messages and links is a safe practice.

Record reporter Laura Diaz covers social justice and societal issues. She can be reached at ldiaz@recordnet.com or on Twitter @laurasdiaz_. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: COVID-19 made Latinos more vulnerable to spam texts, here's how to spot them
Dec. 18LeRoy-Ostrander senior Anna Welsh learned a lot about her community when she chose to do her senior project on raising funds for Paint the Town Pink this year.

Welsh learned that people are willing to give to a good cause and she also learned that breast cancer hits a lot closer to home than she realized. Welsh recently raised $4,647 for PTTP through donations that she obtained through reaching out to the community and holding Pink Nights for the L-O volleyball and football teams.

Anna Welsh, a senior from LeRoy-Ostrander High School, chose Paint The Town Pink for her senior project, raising $4,637!. Photo provided

"At first I just wanted to do it for the cause, but after I started doing this, I was told about people in the community who had breast cancer that I was not even aware of. That helped me stay focused to make sure I did a good job on this," Welsh said. "This cause has always been something I've liked helping with over the past few years. Breast cancer is a huge thing and hopefully we can find a cure for it someday. I wanted to be a part of it."

Welsh was able to organize her fundraising through a Facebook account and letters to the community. She also received help from her mom and assistant volleyball coach Angie Olson, especially on the night of the volleyball game, since Welsh was playing in the contest.

"There were a lot of people who donated and it turned out really great," Welsh said. "There were many businesses from around LeRoy and I even had businesses from the Iowa and the Spring Valley area as well."

George Aslanidi, PhD, Associate Professor, is one of the beneficiaries of PTTP as he is working in Molecular Bioengineering with the hopes of developing a Cancer vaccine.

Aslanidi said the seed money he receives from PTTP has helped him immensely.

"PTTP is a great event and it's one of the best fundraising events that I have ever seen," Aslanidi said. "We are extremely grateful for the community to raise money so we can initiate pilot projects."

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Aslanidi works with dogs who have cancer and he's trying to develop a vaccine that can help them, so he can begin working on a vaccine for humans.

"I've never been able to retrieve major funds for this, so the seed money is very helpful," Aslanidi said. "It's similar to a vaccine against infectious diseases. You are teaching a system how to fight cancer. If we succeed, it will not only help to treat dogs, our furry friends, but it will also be immediately applicable for clinical trials for humans."

Welsh is thankful for everyone who stepped up to help her cause.

"I would like to thank everybody who donated and everyone who supported my project from LeRoy, Houston and Spring Grove," Welsh said.
By William Schomberg

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain reported a surge in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday which government advisors said could be just the tip of the iceberg, and London's mayor declared a "major incident" to help the city's hospitals cope.

The number of Omicron cases recorded across the country hit almost 25,000 as of 1800 GMT on Friday, up by more than 10,000 cases from 24 hours earlier, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Seven people believed to have had the Omicron variant had died as of Thursday, up from one death in the UKHSA's previous data which ran up to Tuesday. Admissions to hospital of people thought to have the variant increased to 85 from 65.

The government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said it was "almost certain" that hundreds of thousands of people were being infected with the variant every day and were not being picked up in the figures.

SAGE said without a further tightening of COVID-19 rules, "modelling indicates a peak of at least 3,000 hospital admissions per day in England," they said in minutes of a meeting on Dec. 16.

Last January, before Britain's vaccination campaign gathered speed, daily hospital admissions in the United Kingdom as a whole surged above 4,000.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced a rebellion in his governing Conservative Party over some of the measures he has taken so far to try to curb COVID-19's latest spread. A newspaper said on Saturday that Johnson's Brexit minister, David Frost, had resigned in part because of the new rules.

The advisors said it was too early to assess the severity of disease caused by Omicron but if there was a modest reduction compared to the Delta variant, "very high numbers of infections would still lead to significant pressure on hospitals".

London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a "major incident" - which allows for closer coordination between public agencies and possibly more central government support - as COVID-19 hospital admissions in the city rose by nearly 30% this week.

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He said health worker absences had also increased.

"This is a statement of how serious things are," he said.

Khan, from the opposition Labour Party, also declared a major incident in January, when rising COVID-19 cases threatened to overwhelm hospitals.

The Omicron variant https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/how-worried-should-we-be-about-omicron-variant-2021-12-14 is estimated to account for more than 80% of new COVID-19 cases in London, officials said on Friday.

EMERGENCY MEETING

Johnson was due to chair an emergency committee meeting over the weekend with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which have their own powers over public health.

A report in The Times newspaper said officials were preparing draft rules which, if introduced, would ban indoor mixing in England -- except for work -- for two weeks after Christmas when pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor table service.

People would be able to meet in groups of up to six outdoors, the newspaper said, adding that ministers were yet to formally consider the plans.

Johnson said on Friday "we are not closing things down".

A government spokesperson said the government would continue to "look closely at all the emerging data and we'll keep our measures under review as we learn more about this variant".

The number of all new COVID-19 cases reported in official data fell to 90,418 from a record high of more than 93,000 on Friday, but that was still the country's second-highest daily toll. Figures typically dip at the weekend.

Cases were up 44.4% over the seven days to Dec. 18 compared with the previous week.

Police clashed with a group of protesters opposed to the latest COVID-19 restrictions near Johnson's Downing Street office and residence on Saturday. A number of officers were injured but so far no arrests had been made, police said.

(Editing by Helen Popper, Timothy Heritage and Catherine Evans)
Ligue 1 club Lyon have barred their supporters from attending away matches until further notice after the latest incident involving their fans led to the abandonment of Friday's French Cup match with Paris FC.

The club said in a statement on Saturday that "more than ever we must eradicate hooliganism and ban all those who are enemies, by their acts, of football."

It is the second match this season involving Lyon fans which has had to be abandoned -- their home league game with Marseille was called off after OM captain Dimitri Payet was hit on the head with a plastic bottle.

This week's game saw flares fired off between the two sets of supporters and fighting around the stand containing the Lyon fans leading to people spilling onto the pitch. The referee called off the match at half-time.

Lyon were being held 1-1 by the Ligue 2 outfit.

"Until further notice and until the light is shone on who the perpetrators are, Lyon have decided to forbid our supporters to travel to away matches," they said in the statement.

Noel Le Graet, president of the French Football Federation (FFF), denounced the incidents as "intolerable" and said the hooligans had to be "chased from sporting venues".

"The right decision was taken by the referee to stop the match as quickly as possible, he reacted very well in what was a difficult situation.

"These groups of pseudo supporters, who are at the root of these incidents and the violence, have no business being in a stadium."

The FFF's disciplinary commission also issued a statement on Saturday saying it would meet early next week to discuss the incident.

"The subsequent disciplinary decisions will be taken the following week before the next round of the French Cup (the last 32 on Jan 2/3)," it said in a statement.

The Paris public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the violence.

The latest bout of hooliganism came just a day after the French government announced new measures to combat the rising tide of violence in French football stadia.

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Among the measures was that matches will be called off definitively if a player or official is injured by a projectile thrown from the stands.

They also demanded that decisions as to whether a game should be called off due to other reasons -- such as fighting between rival fans -- be taken within half an hour.

Such decisions must be reached without club presidents being involved. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas received a five-match ban on Wednesday over his behaviour following the interruption of the Lyon-Marseille match.

Plastic bottles are neither to be sold or allowed into stadia by July 1 at the latest.

Ligue 1 and second-tier clubs must also have security measures in place from the 2022-23 season against projectiles being thrown, which the regional police chief can order them to install for particular matches.

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Maj. Matamba Kaalima, left, Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree, and Maj. Scott Cottle.

Two long-time members of the Summit County Sheriff's Office were promoted from captain to the rank of major Friday and formally placed in charge of the office's operations and corrections divisions.

Maj. Scott Cottle, a 30-year veteran, is head of the department's operations division.

Maj. Matamba Kaalima, a 19-year veteran, is in charge of the corrections division.

They fill the operational roles held by two former assistant chiefs, Richard "Rick" Armsey and Doug Smith, who Sheriff Kandy Fatheree promoted in January after she took office then terminated in October.

Though the two former chiefs had said their terminations came as a surprise, Eric Czetli, Fatherees chief of staff, said the sheriff only intended to have Armsey and Smith in the chief positions for her first year to help with her transition.

More: Summit sheriff terminates two chiefs she promoted after taking office earlier this year

Czetli said Friday that the new majors will be the operational commanders of their respective divisions, while Fatheree has reorganized administrative functions.

"What she has done is she has come in and changed the organizational chart as she sees it fitting into her management style," he said.

He said he department's organizational chart still includes positions for chief of operations and chief of corrections.

She's going to be posting a position for a civilian administrator overall for the jail," Czetli said. "That person is going to work hand-in-hand with Maj. Kaalima, who is the commander of corrections. That position is going to be posted by the first of the year."

He said the new majors are both competent, experienced officers.

"Scott Cottle has years of experience. He's run both of those divisions ... There's no rush to fill that chief's position," Czetli said.

Maj. Matamba Kaalima and Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree.

Kaalima's career in corrections

Kaalima, a graduate of Central Hower High School, joined the Summit County Sheriffs Office as a full-time deputy in 2003, following some time as a special deputy and a part -timer.

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His entire career has been in corrections and he is recognized as the highest-ranked Black officer in the department's history.

"I enjoy working in the jail and dealing with those issues," he said. "For me, it's really more of a calling to work at the jail and work with the folks here to protect the community and to work in that regard."

Throughout his time at both the Glenwood Jail and Summit County Jail, Kaalima rose through the ranks to sergeant in 2013, lieutenant in 2016, administrative lieutenant in 2019 and captain in 2020.

He said serving as the department's highest ranked Black officer is a testament to Fatheree's commitment to diversity.

"She made that very clear in her promotion of me, and seeing something in me in that she wanted to trust me," he said. "She made promises to diversify the department, and she showed that she was going to do that by putting someone in charge of our largest division."

Kaalima received commendations in 2011 and 2018 for his outstanding administrative leadership and was honored with the Supervisor of the Year award in 2018.

Kaalima lives in Akron with his wife and three children. In his spare time, he plays the trumpet and enjoys reading and writing poetry. He is also a published author, with an article he wrote for American Jails Magazine.

Maj. Scott Cottle and Sheriff Kandy Fatheree.

Cottle heads operations

Cottle was born in Colorado, raised in Wayne County and studied political science at the University of Akron. He joined the Summit County Sheriffs Office as a part-time deputy after graduating from the police academy in 1991. He was hired as a full-time deputy in 1992.

After one year with the Corrections Division at the Summit County Jail, he was transferred to the patrol division, then to the Summit County Narcotics Unit.

He was promoted to sergeant in 1999. Ten years later, he was transferred to the Investigations Bureau and was promoted to lieutenant in 2011, then captain in 2019 and became supervisor over both the Investigations Bureau and Patrol.

Cottle said he was prepared to retire, but Fatheree asked him to stay.

"I look at it as an opportunity to try and help the deputies, help the agencies and help other agencies as well," he said. "We're the backup for all the police departments that may need any help from us and I want to be sure we're there to assist them."

Cottle helped develop the litter cleanup program for misdemeanor inmates, was involved in the development of the Sheriffs Office Crash Reconstruction Unit, helped form the Summit County Human Trafficking Task Force and helped organize the Street Crimes Unit in Green.

Among his many commendations are two for his assistance and leadership in locating missing children and three life-saving awards. In 2007 and 2019, he was given the Supervisor of the Year award.

In addition to his police work, Cottle has operated a 500-acre cattle farm for the past 25 years. He has three daughters, and in his spare time enjoys deer hunting and drag racing.

Eric Marotta can be reached at 330-541-9433, or emarotta@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarottaEric.

Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree introduces newly promoted staffers.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Summit County sheriff names new leaders for operations, corrections
BAMAKO (Reuters) -Mali's foreign affairs ministry said that Chad planned to deploy 1,000 additional soldiers to Mali to reinforce its troops battling insurgents there, as France scales back its military presence in Africa's Sahel region.

Chadian soldiers make up nearly 1,400 of the United Nations' 13,000-troop peacekeeping force in north and central Mali, where an Islamist insurgency has flourished despite a nine-year effort by international armies to contain it.

The upcoming deployment will reinforce those and other Chadian troops as former colonial ruler France scales back its 5,000-strong regional counter-terrorism mission known as Barkhane, Mali's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement late on Friday.

"The deployment is part of a bilateral framework at the request of the Government of Chad for reinforcing its contingent in Northern Mali following the reconfiguration of the Barkhane force," the ministry said in a statement.

President Emmanuel Macron on Friday cancelled a Dec. 20-21 trip to Mali to visit French troops amid concerns over the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Chad government spokesperson Azem Bermendoa told Reuters on Saturday that additional troops would soon be sent to Mali, but he declined to specify the size of the contingent or a deployment timeline.

"After the withdrawal of French troops, we found it urgent to strengthen the operational and tactical capacity of our contingent while waiting for the Malian army and the (U.N.) Blue Helmets to reorganize their deployments," Bermendoa said.

Chad deployed some 1,000 soldiers to the tri-border region of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali in February to reinforce national armies after France first publicly mulled reducing its regional presence.

France plans to withdraw nearly half of its contingent by 2023, moving more assets to Niger, and encouraging other European special forces to work alongside local armies.

(Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo and Mahamat Ramadane Writing by Cooper InveenEditing by Clelia Oziel and Mark Potter)
A Jackson County judge has ordered back-to-back life sentences for a 61-year-old man convicted of fatally stabbing a member of the Missouri National Guard along I-470 in an act of road rage three years ago.

Nicholas M. Webb, of Pleasant Hill, was assigned the punishment four months after he was found guilty at trial of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 23-year-old Cody Harter.

Before the May 2018 killing, Webb had spent time in state prison for a separate murder committed in 1980.

The sentences, issued by Judge Marco Roland on Friday, represent the maximum under Missouri law for each charge.

A Lees Summit police officer found Harter stabbed to death on May 5, 2018 after responding to a crash in the area of I-470 and the merge with Missouri Highway 291. Callers were advising police that there was a man lying on the ground and bleeding.

Harter was pronounced dead at the scene by responding firefighters.

One witness told an investigating officer that there had been a fight between Harter and another man who had been driving a silver car. At one point, Harter was seen holding his hands in the air and retreating before the men both pulled to the shoulder of the road. The silver car was later seen speeding down the highway.

Police landed on Webb as a suspect after interviewing several witnesses and receiving information from a confidential source. During an initial interview with detectives, Webb allegedly told them he had exchanged words with a man near the scene of Harters death but that the encounter was no big deal. He claimed at the time that he had nothing to do with the killing, court records state.

Shortly after Harters death, the Harter family came forward asking the community to help police solve the killing. The family described the 23-year-old as a kindhearted and generous young man who served a tour in Iraq as a loadmaster with the Guard.

Webb, who turns 62 later this month, was sentenced in 1981 to 35 years in prison for a killing in Cass County. He was released less than a year before Harter was killed.
After flying home from Chicago on Saturday, Shawn Triplett drove straight to where most of the damage was. A tornado had struck his hometown of Mayfield, Kentucky, a day before, killing at least 76 people  including 12 children  across the state and destroying most homes and buildings. Triplett, a Marine with a truck full of recovery equipment, wanted to do anything he could to help.

Its a cliche thing to say, but in the Marine Corps, theres this saying that Marines run toward the gunfight; they run toward danger, Triplett told BuzzFeed News. I had that mentality turned on. I was ready to go. Lets do something right now.

He first went to a volunteer center, where he met Liam Kennedy, a photojournalist from Bloomberg. Triplett offered to escort him around town so he could take photos. Thats when the two discovered the destroyed theater.

I ended up in the back of the theater, and it was just real sobering, Triplett said. It was the first time that day that we had a chance to just stand there and take it all in, and we werent even talking. We were just taking it in and taking a break.

Triplett pulled out his iPhone to snap a photo for his own memory. He didnt think much of it until a few days later when he posted a series of his photos to Reddit. The photos show the empty theater, the town from eight stories high, crushed mail trucks, and the sun setting over piles of debris. As of Friday, the post has more than 157,000 upvotes.

I just stood there, staring off and just letting all the emotions, you know, they all hit you at once," Triplett said. "I havent been able to find one word to describe everything.

The pair also found a tall building across from the town's courthouse, where they climbed up to the eighth floor so they could see the town from a bird's-eye view.

Ive seen plenty of war zones, Triplett said. Ive seen just absolute destruction, what bombs and gunfire and things can do, in my years of the Marine Corps, and Ive never seen anything with that much destruction.

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Triplett is happy for publications to use his photos because he wants to draw more attention to the toy drive he is putting on for the kids who lost everything in the tornado right before Christmas. While he was in a churchs gym that was serving as a shelter, he walked around and overheard a son crying to his mother about losing his Christmas.

It just broke me in half, Triplett said. I lost it. I dont know all the variables of their story. Theyre at a shelter. They probably lost their home, maybe they lost their jobs, maybe they lost their actual Christmas. I dont know. It was just too much for me. That statement just split me in half.

Triplett began reaching out to his friends on social media and raising money for a toy drive. A GoFundMe fundraiser has surpassed $45,000 as of Friday. He said every dollar will go to toys, even if he loses money in gas and wrapping paper.

Looking around Mayfield, Triplett said, he's reminded of the Mister Rogers quote, When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.

Every time I go back into town, Im not paying attention to the destructive mess that I saw on the first day," Triplett said. "Im paying attention to, wow, everybodys coming together."

More on this
Jodi Miller

As the year comes to a close, Id like to highlight just some of the accomplishments from 2021, both large and small.

Several projects, completed through public works, fire department, police department, the Freeport Public Library, community development and various partnerships with the city are celebrated as we head into 2022.

The citys public works department began 2021 amid heavy snow removal, clearing over 12,000 miles of snow and putting in over 1,380 hours to keep Freeports streets safe for travel.

After snow season, the department tackled several projects. The Empire reconstruction project included the reconstruction of Empire Street to Park Boulevard and Burchard Avenue. Four thousand tons of asphalt, 18,000 square feet of Americans with Disabilities Act compliant sidewalks and ramps, 15 new storm water manholes, 400 linear feet of storm water main and 3,600 feet of new, city-owned fiber optic conduit made up this 1.07-mile-long project.

Meanwhile, contractors completed the construction of well no. 11 on Field Circle. Following the completion of the new Water Treatment Plant, this well 11 is capable of providing 40% of the citys drinking water from a high-quality and high-volume aquafer. Similarly, over 7,300 feet of water main, fire hydrants, and distribution water valves were replaced throughout the city.

Another accomplishment by the public works department is the replacement of 260 lead service lines. The State of Illinois leads the country in having the highest number of lead service lines, with Chicago having nearly 390,000 within its city limits. In 2021, Chicago only replaced 20 of these lines. Freeport replaced 13 times more lead service lines than the city of Chicago.

More: Coming Soon: Former ShopKo building in Freeport to become CubeSmart

Safety continues to be at the forefront of decisions made throughout the city. The fire department not only added new, lifesaving equipment for their paramedics and firefighters, but also continued critical education and implemented the Tactical Emergency Medical Services Program.

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This tactical team was fully equipped and deployable by July 2021. Since its creation, the team has seven fully trained medics and has had 10 special deployments. Along with this, the fire department has hosted several community outreach programs. The department and Fire Marshal Broshous spent the month of October 2021 educating children about fire safety and burn prevention.

The police department implemented new programs to better serve its public. The first of which is the Social Services program. This program responds to crisis situations like mental health and domestic violence, as well as aims to build relationships with groups in our community. The department also hosted two major crime mitigation events: Drug Enforcement Administration drug takeback events that netted approximately 800 pounds of prescription drugs and a gun buy-back event in March that took 48 guns off the streets of Freeport.

In conjunction with the city of Freeports information technology department, the police department transitioned data backups to a new data infrastructure. This new data backup increased capacity and efficiency. Another tool added to the department was the ShotSpotter Program, which helps officers respond to shots fired before they are reported by residents.

With three years of work through the community development department, Freeport was awarded the Pre-disaster Mitigation Grant through the Federal Emergency Management Association for $3.8 million to acquire, relocate and demolish homes affected in the floodway.

The Freeport Public Library hosted several events to keep children and adults alike engaged in community activities. Staying open throughout 2021 meant that the library could provide critical resources and public access internet to those affected by school district shut-downs. The Freeport Public Library also received over $13,000 in grant funds to renovate library spaces and added over 4,000 items in their collection.

And finally, in an otherwise unpredictable year, there has been $140 million in investment in the Enterprise Zone and 285 jobs created or retained. Thirteen businesses have been awarded grants through the Small Business Navigator for the Back2Business grant program totaling more than $350,000.

In 2021, there were 32 ribbon cuttings: 20 new businesses, 10 new ownership or expanded businesses, one ground-breaking for the citys new water treatment facility and one project completion ribbon cutting on Empire Street.

The city of Freeport and Stephenson County approved an intergovernmental agreement to extend water and sewer along Lamm Road from Walnut to Mill Race Crossing Industrial Park.

The ShopKo building was acquired by True Storage and is currently investing $2.7 million in remodeling. And very soon, we will all see the demolition of the old K-Mart building and the construction of the new building that Hy-Vee will call home.

Let love and kindness be your motivation in all you do and together we can show the world that Freeport is a great place to live, work and play. Thank you for being a part of it.

Jodi Miller is the mayor of Freeport.

This article originally appeared on Journal Standard: Mayors View: Freeport had a busy year of service and upgrades
Emma Broyles

John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock Miss America 2022 Emma Broyles

Emma Broyles is ready to make an impact as Miss America 2022.

Broyles, who won the national competition on Thursday night, tells PEOPLE she feels "absolutely incredible" knowing that she is the first Miss Alaska to claim the Miss America crown  and also what is believed to be the first Korean-American winner.

"Being the first Korean Miss America, that we know of, is really cool because I think about when I was younger and I was growing up and not really seeing Korean women who looked like me in popular media," says Broyles, 20. "I remember I was ashamed of my heritage and I was avoiding embracing it at all costs."

"Now that I'm older, I've really been able to embrace my ethnicity and embrace my background, embrace the journey that my grandparents made 50 or so years ago," she continues. "And I think that having a woman who's kind of an underdog  being only 20 from Alaska and being half-Korean  is representative of all that Miss America stands for."

Broyles wowed the panel of judges throughout the competition on Thursday, especially during the challenge portion, in which the Top 3 finalists were asked what they would do in a real-life situation.

Emma Broyles

John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock Emma Broyles winning the Miss America 2022 crown

RELATED: Emma Broyles Crowned Miss America 2022 After Last Year's Competition Was Canceled Due to Pandemic

Broyles  who is currently studying at Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University (ASU) to become a dermatologist, per her bio  was asked how she would handle a male representative of a major sponsor making inappropriate comments and sexual advances toward her, according to USA Today.

"I know in my heart that as a woman, I am never going to let somebody treat me like that because women should never be treated like objects," Broyles responded. "Women can be angry. We cannot be content with things that are happening."

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Broyles also opened up about her mental health during the competition and revealed that she had struggled with ADHD and dermatillomania, which is a form of OCD, for years.

"I am real. I have flaws... and because of that, I am a better person," Broyles told the audience, per USA Today. "During COVID, it was an incredibly difficult time for me, being isolated in my college dorm for so long. It was that point when I hit rock bottom when I realized I can be so much more than that."

Speaking to PEOPLE about winning the crown after sharing that vulnerable part of her life, Broyles said she hoped it would give hope to others going through similar struggles.

"One of the most important things for me is coming into everything that I do with a sense of vulnerability and transparency," she says. "I think that people tend to put Miss America on this pedestal and say, 'Wow... she's living this fabulous, glamorous life.'"

RELATED: Miss America Will Be First to Reign for 2 Years Due to Pandemic: 'I Better Be a Jeopardy Question'

"They don't realize we deal with very, very real struggles," she continues. "And I strive to be an inspiration for anyone out there who maybe struggled with the same things I am or who is going through a tough time."

"Getting to share my story with how difficult it was for me at this time last year, and how I managed to pull myself out by my bootstraps, and now here I am a year later, as Miss America, I hope at least one person out there feels like they can see themselves in me and feel inspired, and feel like there is hope for them and that they would be able to get out of that [dark] place, as well," she adds.

In addition to struggling mentally, Broyles says knows what it's like to overcome self-doubt, having been a full-time student at ASU this past semester, taking 21 credits and working two jobs while simultaneously holding her Miss Alaska title.

"When I first was crowned Miss Alaska, I had a lot of doubt because I thought that I was going to have to drop out of school for the year or transfer to the University of Alaska," she explains. "I remember thinking, 'Should I give up my title? I don't know if I can be a good Miss Alaska while living in Arizona during the school year.' It was a difficult time for me."

RELATED VIDEO: Miss America Eliminates Swimsuit Competition: 'We Are No Longer a Pageant'

"I took three of my finals on the day I left for Miss America," she adds. "But I think it goes to show that the women in this program are hardworking... it was difficult but I made it through and ultimately, now I'm Miss America and things worked out in the end."

As she looks ahead, Broyles intends on taking a year off of school to focus on her Miss America duties before finishing college and heading to medical school for dermatology.

"I really want to get out there and show people who Miss America is and what Miss America does," she says. "And hopefully, one day, I'll change people's lives in the way my dermatologist changed mine."

But first, Broyles says, "I think the best way to celebrate [my win] is to kick back, relax and enjoy my Christmas. Then I can get jumpstarted on the journey of being Miss America 2022."
A Jackson County Judge on Friday sentenced a Pleasant Hill man  convicted in the 2018 murder of a Missouri National Guard member  to consecutive life sentences.

Nicholas Webb, 61, was found guilty of second degree murder and criminal action by a Jackson County jury in August. Webb will serve a life sentence in prison for each charge, consecutively, according to a release from the Jackson County Prosecutors Office.

Webb was convicted of killing 23-year-old Cody Harter, a Missouri National Guard member, who he stabbed to death in May 2018.

The killing stemmed from a dispute over merging lanes on Interstate 470 in Lees Summit. Webb and Harter were both driving northbound on Missouri 291 toward a merge, according to court documents.

Webb was previously convicted in a separate case of second-degree murder in 1981. He had been released from prison less than a year before he was accused of stabbing Harter during a disagreement on the highway.

Lees Summit officers were dispatched to Interstate 470 in the area of Colbern Road after receiving calls of a man lying on the ground.

Surveillance video and witness testimony helped police identify Webb as the suspect. Court records showed that while in custody, Webb said he got out of his vehicle and exchanged words with the driver of a truck.

Webb allegedly told police while in custody that he and another driver had stopped over confusion about a merging lane. Webb said the other driver did not seem mad, according to court documents.

A witness told police he saw a man matching Webbs description take a swing at another man, according to court documents

After further investigation, police found Webb had been arrested in Liberty on the same day as the apparent homicide. He had a knife in his pocket during the Liberty arrest.

In the aftermath of his death, family described Harter as kindhearted and generous. He was a loadmaster with the Missouri Air National Guard who did a tour in Iraq, his mother Kerrie Harter, previously told The Star.

The Stars Bill Lukitsch, Glenn E. Rice and Robert A. Cronkleton contributed to this report.
Lydia Seabol Avant. [Staff file photo/The Tuscaloosa News]

I was hiking with relatives in the hills outside of Vikersund, Norway, looking for a Christmas tree when I couldnt help but think of home.

It had been almost five months since I left the U.S. in August 2000 to study at the University of Oslo, Norway. And while my semester was done, I decided to extend my trip so that I could spend Christmas with one of my closest friends, a Norwegian medical student who also happened to be a distant cousin. We had gotten to know each other as children first as pen pals, and then we had visited each other in our respective countries as teenagers.

And that day, shortly before Christmas, we were in the woods, looking for a tree in the freezing cold. There was no snow since it had been unusually warm through most of the fall. But it was bitterly cold, regardless.

While I had enjoyed my semester abroad, the holidays reminded me how much I missed my sister, my parents and grandparents. I wanted to go out on a date with my college boyfriend, play with my dogs and snuggle up to my cat at home.

I knew that soon, on Christmas Eve, my family would be sitting down to a dinner of Swedish meatballs, potatoes and lefse  a family tradition honoring our Scandinavian roots  and they would go to church on Christmas Eve. It was the first time I wasnt with them for Christmas, something difficult for anyone, but especially a 19-year-old girl half a world away.

My Norwegian cousins and I had found a tree to cut in a clearing that overlooked the Tyrifjorden, a lake that bordered the Engelstad farm, the farm where my ancestors came from in the mid-1800s. It was that farm that we brought the tree back to; where we spent the evening rolling marzipan treats to be decorated like fruit.

On Christmas Eve, we did not eat Swedish meatballs or lefse, but instead we had dried leg of lamb and mashed rutabagas, along with a rice porridge and a mulled cider after dinner.

We went to the Christmas Eve service at Heggen Kirke, a church nearby built in the 1600s, a wooden structure with red tiled roof where my ancestors attended for generations  and still do.

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During the service, I couldnt help but think about my family back home. But I also stared at the baptismal font with an antique, brass plate hanging from the wall nearby. This was the place my family came from. That font was where my great, great grandfather had been baptized as a baby before coming to America.

Later that evening, we played Christmas music while decorating the tree, which included lots of little elves called Nisse, which are the Norwegian version of Santa Claus. As much as I missed home, I knew I would be back in the U.S. soon  and that I needed to appreciate the moment, spending Christmas with my Norwegian relatives, in a place where my ancestors once lived.

Its been 21 years since that Norwegian Christmas, and not a year goes by that I dont think about the hike in the woods above the farm, especially now when I decorate my own, not-so-alive Christmas tree at home with my kids. We dont make marzipan fruit, but I do think of Norway as I fry rosettes with my children, another Scandinavian family tradition passed down the generations. And although we dont eat lamb or rutabagas on Christmas Eve, we still have Swedish meatballs and lefse, and we go to church with our extended family.

Ive sometimes told my kids about the time I spent Christmas on the family farm in Norway, with our relatives so far away. And I tell them that as homesick as I was at the time, I learned a valuable lesson, too  so many of us celebrate the holidays in different ways. We have different traditions, and eat different foods, too. We may be with family each year, or in other times, like in the pandemic, not. But what is important is the fact that we take a moment to realize why we celebrate and be thankful.

Happy holidays.

Lydia Seabol Avant writes The Mom Stop for The Tuscaloosa News. Reach her at momstopcolumn@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: THE MOM STOP: Memories of my Norwegian Christmas still warm my soul




Happy Friday and welcome to On The Money, your nightly guide to everything affecting your bills, bank account and bottom line. Subscribe here: thehill.com/newsletter-signup.

Today's Big Deal: Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) indicated that the Senate won't pass the Build Back Better Act this year. We'll also tell you about the White House exploring the possibility of double child tax credit payments in February and the pressure facing President Biden on student loans.

For The Hill, we're Naomi Jagoda and Aris Folley. Write Naomi at njagoda@thehill.com or @NJagoda and Aris Folley at afolley@thehill.com or @ArisFolley. You can reach our Finance team colleague Sylvan Lane at slane@thehill.com or @SylvanLane.

Let's get to it.

Schumer: Build Back Better won't pass in 2021

Sens. C Schumer (D-N.Y.) and S Whitehouse (D-R.I.) leave a Senate Democratic luncheon on Friday, December 17, 2021 to discuss the way forward on the legislative agenda.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday acknowledged that talks between President Biden and centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) will continue, a clear signal that Biden's sweeping climate and social spending plan will not pass this year.

"The president requested more time to continue his negotiations, and so we will keep working with him, hand in hand, to bring this bill over the finish line and deliver on these much-needed provisions," Schumer said in remarks on the floor.

He did not provide any clear timeline for when the more than 2,000-page bill might eventually come to the floor. The subtext of Schumer's statement was that Congress will adjourn for the year without a Senate vote on the Build Back Better Act, despite his efforts to get the bill passed by Christmas.

Schumer's remarks about the state of the Build Back Better bill came after Biden released a statement on Thursday in which the president said that his talks with Manchin will stretch until at least next week.

Democratic senators say that the Senate parliamentarian also has to finish meeting with both sides to advise on whether the components of the bill meet the Senate's stringent Byrd rule.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that most Republicans are eager to get out of town and are glad that Build Back Better didn't pass this year.

Story continues

Read more from The Hill's Alexander Bolton here.

A MESSAGE FROM CITI

Tackling the startup world's gender, race and ethnic funding gap.

With our $200 million Impact Investment Fund we are seeking opportunities to invest in businesses that are led or owned by women and minority entrepreneurs, helping to create equitable access to venture capital funding.

LEADING THE DAY

White House says double child tax credit payments possible in February

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday said that the Biden administration is looking into the possibility of making double child tax credit payments in February if the president's social spending package is enacted in January.

"If we get it done in January, we've talked to Treasury officials and others about doing double payments in February as an option," Psaki said during a gaggle with reporters aboard Air Force One.

Psaki's comments come as monthly child tax credit payments established under President Biden's coronavirus relief law are set to expire at the end of the year.

The White House and congressional Democrats want to extend the payments as part of a massive social spending and climate package. However, the bill is not on track to become law before the end of the year.

Democratic lawmakers have indicated that they don't have a viable backup plan to extend the monthly payments before they expire.

Read more from Naomi here.

SALLIE MAE BACK

Pressure builds on Biden ahead of student loan cliff

President Biden is facing an avalanche of pressure over his administration's plans to require millions of Americans to resume student loan payments in the coming weeks.

In recent days, the White House has drawn widespread blowback as advocates and progressives implore the administration to push back - or forego entirely - a February date to lift a pandemic forbearance on student loan payments.

"This is going to be a hard blow to people who have struggled throughout this pandemic. It's the wrong move," Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told The Hill.

Aris has more here.

WH disappointed by immigration decision

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday said that it is deeply disappointing that the Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough rejected the most recent plan from Democrats for including immigration reform in President Biden's Build Back Better bill.

"The decision by the parliamentarian is deeply disappointing and relegates millions to an uncertain and frightening future," Psaki told reporters on Friday.

The parliamentarian told senators that immigration reform doesn't meet the rules for what can be included in a budget measure bypassing the Senate's filibuster, a major setback for Democrats hoping to provide a pathway to citizenship in the sweeping climate and spending bill.

Read more from The Hill's Alex Gangitano here.

A MESSAGE FROM CITI

Tackling the startup world's gender, race and ethnic funding gap.

With our $200 million Impact Investment Fund we are seeking opportunities to invest in businesses that are led or owned by women and minority entrepreneurs, helping to create equitable access to venture capital funding.

Good to Know

The Securities and Exchange Commission just announced a $125 million fine against J.P. Morgan Securities, part of banking and investment company JPMorgan Chase, because it said employees evaded reporting requirements by using WhatsApp and other messaging services.

Here's what else have our eye on:

China on Friday said that the U.S. has "no scruples" after it passed a bill against the Xinjiang region and applied new sanctions to the area for human rights abuses.

Peloton has retracted actor Chris Noth's viral ad after two women alleged he sexually assaulted them in separate incidents.

That's it for today. Thanks for reading and check out The Hill's Finance page for the latest news and coverage. We'll see you next week.
By Bart H. Meijer and Stephanie van den Berg

THE HAGUE (Reuters) -The Netherlands will go into a strict lockdown over the Christmas and New Year period to try to contain the highly- contagious Omicron coronavirus variant, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday.

All non-essential shops and services, including restaurants, hairdressers, museums and gyms will be closed from Sunday until Jan. 14. All schools will be shut until at least Jan. 9.

"The Netherlands is again shutting down. That is unavoidable because of the fifth wave that is coming at us with the Omicron variant," Rutte told a televised news conference.

Other measures include a recommendation that households receive no more than two visitors and that gatherings outside are also limited to a maximum of two people.

A failure to act now would likely lead to "an unmanageable situation in hospitals", which have already scaled back regular care to make space for COVID-19 patients, Rutte said.

Infections in the Netherlands have dropped from record levels in recent weeks after the introduction of a nighttime lockdown late last month. The Omicron variant arrived as the country was already battling a wave in coronavirus infections.

Cases of the variant have surged since it was first found in the Netherlands three weeks ago, while hospitals are struggling with the large numbers of COVID-19 patients in their wards, near the highest levels this year.

Omicron is expected to become the most dominant variant of the virus in the Netherlands between Christmas and New Year's Eve, leading Dutch infectious disease expert Jaap van Dissel said.

While more than 85% of the Dutch adult population is vaccinated, fewer than 9% of adults have had a booster shot, one of the lowest rates in Europe.

On Saturday the National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) reported a total of over 2.9 million COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with 20,420 reported deaths. There were 14,616 new infections reported in 24 hours.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg and Bart Meijer; Writing by Anthony DeutschEditing by Mark Potter, Catherine Evans and Frances Kerry)
Junior ROTC Cadet Ashleigh Hornsby grasped one side of a wreath as Montgomery police Chief Ramona Harris held the other.

Together, the two walked the evergreen, adorned with a red Christmas bow, and placed it at the base of a tree near a plaque for Officer John R. Pugh.

Pugh, whose name appears on the first tree of a long line, was on duty when he was killed in 1886.

His name was not the only read aloud Friday, during the annual wreath laying for fallen officers and homicide victims in the King Hill and Newtown communities.

Cubie Rae Hayes with And Justice for All, in partnership with Citizens that Care, organized the event to coincide with several other acts of service honoring the legacy of Greg Calhoun, a Montgomery businessman and philanthropist who died in 2018.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Kirsten Fiscus at 334-318-1798 or KFiscus@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KDFiscus

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Montgomery wreath laying in honor of fallen officers, homicide victims
Terry O'Donnell

A state representative was accused Friday in a grand jury indictment of misusing his power to change the law so his wife could become a tag agent.

Terry O'Donnell is charged in the indictment with five felonies and three misdemeanors. "He denies any wrongdoing," his attorney, Mack Martin, said.

His wife, Teresa O'Donnell, faces three felonies and one misdemeanor.

The most severe offense, conspiracy against the state, has a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

An Oklahoma County grand jury returned the indictment Friday.

O'Donnell, R-Catoosa, is the second highest-ranking member of the House.

He introduced a bill in 2019 that allowed spouses of legislators to serve as tag agents.

The Oklahoma Tax Commission appointed his wife to take over the Catoosa Tag Agency on Aug. 1, 2019, three months after Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the bill into law.

The lawmaker told The Oklahoman last year he did not do anything wrong or inappropriate.

He said his wife had no intention of becoming a tag agent when he ran "this piece of legislation." He said she sought the appointment after her mother died unexpectedly from pancreatic cancer.

Her mother, Georgia McAfee, had been in charge of the Catoosa Tag Agency for more than 40 years. Teresa O'Donnell had worked there for more than four years before her appointment.

Grand jurors alleged the two submitted a fraudulent application to the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

Commissioners were told she managed the daily operation of the office and supervised four clerks when she actually was only a part-time worker with no supervisory authority, grand jurors alleged.

Commissioners also were told they could check with her present supervisor about her job experience. At the time, McAfee was in hospice care, semi-conscious only from time to time and unable to answer any questions, according to the indictment.

In a statement Friday night, the legislator said "political operatives in Oklahoma City are using this to discredit our family's character and destroy our reputation as a personal vendetta against me."

Story continues

"We will vigorously defend our integrity," he said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Rep. Terry O'Donnell indicted on charges of misusing power
By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) -The Omicron coronavirus variant has been reported in 89 countries and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.

Omicron is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity, but it is unclear if this is due to the virus' ability to evade immunity, its inherent increased transmissibility or a combination of both, the WHO said in an update.

The agency designated Omicron a variant of concern on Nov. 26, soon after it was first detected, and much is still not known about it, including the severity of the illness it causes.

"There are still limited data on the clinical severity of Omicron," the WHO said. "More data are needed to understand the severity profile and how severity is impacted by vaccination and pre-existing immunity."

It added, "There are still limited available data, and no peer-reviewed evidence, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness to date for Omicron".

The WHO warned that with cases rising so rapidly, hospitals could be overwhelmed in some places.

"Hospitalizations in the UK and South Africa continue to rise, and given rapidly increasing case counts, it is possible that many healthcare systems may become quickly overwhelmed."

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay and Silke KoltrowitzEditing by Mark Heinrich and Frances Kerry)
PINOLE AND HERCULES, CA  Public health officials across the Bay Area, including in Contra Costa County, on Friday, urged Pinole, Hercules and all other eligible Bay Area residents to get vaccinated and, if eligible, get a booster shot right away to protect against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.

Evidence of the variant has been detected in several Bay Area counties, including one case in Napa County and one in Sonoma County. While there have been no confirmed cases of the Omicron variant reported to Contra Costa Health Services as of Friday morning, evidence of the variant has been detected in a county wastewater sample, county health officials said.

Now more than ever, receiving a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are eligible is an urgent, healthy choice to protect yourself and your family, said Dr. Chris Farnitano, health officer for Contra Costa County. Even if you were fully vaccinated earlier this year, two shots are no longer enough. We know protection against infection from the vaccines declines over time, so booster doses are critical for everyone who was vaccinated at least 6 months ago.



Public health officials in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties as well as the City of Berkeley, agreed that everyone should get a booster shot when eligible, but particularly those over 50 or those with significant underlying health conditions.

As of Friday, 31.9 percent of eligible Contra Costa residents had received a booster, and approximately 246,000 residents 50 and older had yet to get their booster shot.



The Bay Area public health agencies said residents should get a booster if they are at least 16 years old and:

6 months have passed since their second dose of Moderna (for 18+)

6 months have passed since their second dose of Pfizer (for 16+)

2 months have passed since their Johnson & Johnson Dose (for 18+)

According to a joint statement from Public health officials in Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties. as well as the City of Berkeley:



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"Many more cases of Omicron are expected to be reported in the coming days and weeks, and, based on the exponential growth in cases being seen in Europe, there is a significant risk of exponential growth in 2 of 2 COVID-19 cases in our region. The United Kingdom currently has more COVID-19 cases than at any time during the two-year pandemic. Other highly vaccinated countries that mirror the Bay Areas high vaccination rates, such as Denmark and Norway, are predicting Omicron will become the dominant variant in a matter of days.

"Evidence suggests that Omicron spreads more rapidly than other variants, and more is being learned every day. Although some evidence suggests that a lower percentage of people infected with Omicron may be hospitalized and die, if a surge causes many thousands of new cases per day, even a small percentage of that total entering our hospitals will overwhelm healthcare delivery systems."

Bay Area public health officials also said Friday that in addition to vaccinations and boosters, masking, testing, ventilation, and distancing remain an effective multi-layered defense against COVID-19.

"As the holiday season is upon us, people should stay mindful of risks and take steps to decrease them," the health officials said.

According to Bay Area health officials, if people must travel or gather for the holidays:

Anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 should isolate themselves and get tested as soon as possible.

Get tested before gathering or traveling, upon return, and again 3-5 days later.

Have everyone ages 5+ get their COVID-19 vaccine and booster if eligible.

Take advantage of quick and easy home test kits available in pharmacies and stores.

Wear a mask indoors and in crowded settings.

Keep group gatherings small. Gather with close family units.

Outside gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings.

Be particularly cautious around elderly or immunocompromised individuals and consider COVID-19 testing before such interactions.

"Parents of very young children and those who have not been vaccinated should make sure to take all advised precautions," Bay Area public health officials said. "Avoid large gatherings. Always wear a mask in indoor public settings (unless under age 2)."

Residents of Pinole and Hercules can visit Coronavirus.cchealth.org/get-vaccinated for more information or make an appointment at Contra Costa Health Services no-cost vaccination clinics online or by calling 1-833-829-2626.

This article originally appeared on the Pinole-Hercules Patch
Chief Michel Moore, left, and Mayor Eric Garcetti have pushed to reinstate pretrial incarceration. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

The pandemic pushed L.A. County to instate a zero bail policy, but our leaders are willfully denying the positive results.

Under the policy, individuals accused of low-level offenses are released while they await trial without having to pay bail. The zero-bail policy has saved lives since March 2020 and coincided with drops in property crime.

Law enforcement officials have predictably opposed zero bail, as they resist any reform that moves away from mass incarceration. LAPD Chief Michel Moore blasted the policy this month after a string of smash-and-grab thefts from stores. He said that criminal elements had been emboldened because pretrial jail had become less likely than it used to be. He seemed to lament that all 14 people arrested in connection with the 11 incidents had been released from police custody as they await trial.

But their releases arent entirely explained by the zero-bail order. If any were arrested for serious or violent offenses, like robbery (theft using force or fear), they would not be covered by zero bail and would have had the usual bail set. Moore himself said the suspects were released for various reasons: because they were juveniles, posted bail or met criteria for zero bail. Blurring that distinction helps Moore to make his case against a successful policy.

Mayor Eric Garcetti has joined the police chief in this distortion. There are people who need to be behind bars," he said. "We have opened up a lot of the city because were in a better place with COVID. We should be able to also open up our jails, and we should be able to have judges that put people behind those bars as well.

Comments like those reveal that political self-interest builds up the practice of pretrial incarceration and undermines sensible reforms rooted in the collective desire for public safety. Community-based pretrial release does not increase recidivism; pretrial incarceration does. It exacts a high fiscal as well as human cost, shouldered by all taxpayers and especially by families, who are disproportionately from low-income communities and communities of color. People held on pretrial detention, often because they cannot afford bail, are presumed innocent because they have not been convicted of a crime. They may lose a job or a home or custody of a child, and some may even be pressured into pleading guilty just to get a plea deal that reduces jail time.

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In March 2020 as COVID-19 spread in crowded jails and prisons around the country, L.A. County and court officials took necessary steps to reduce the jail population. It was a good idea then, and it still is. Yet now, Moore and Garcetti seem intent on scoring political points. The LAPD has taken the 14 arrests from the smash-and-grab thefts as an opportunity to advance an unrelated agenda focused on promoting pretrial incarceration.

A month after the zero-bail order went into effect, Moore publicly challenged the policy. He pointed out that people who had been released from custody made up 5% of recent arrestees, instead of 4% in the period a year earlier  a statistically insignificant difference. He did not take into account that at the time, overall arrests were down 37%, meaning that under the zero-bail order, fewer people were rearrested than had been before the zero-bail order. The minor increase in proportion of arrests hardly justifies ending a life-saving policy.

Such distortions are the standard playbook for sustaining mass incarceration and inflating police budgets. Law enforcement has also relentlessly vilified Proposition 47, which reclassified certain felony offenses as misdemeanors. Critics blame the 2014 state ballot initiative for increased crime and continue to call for its repeal. But in fact, Proposition 47 reduced recidivism rates. California saw no increase in violent crime and only small and brief upticks in property crimes after its passage, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Similarly, in New York, law enforcement leaders blamed bail reform for a rise in shootings, even though police data revealed that the two were unrelated.

When asked after the smash-and-grabs whether thefts had increased overall, Moore pointed to an increase in car thefts, but otherwise avoided the question. Robberies in Los Angeles are down substantially from 2019, as are burglaries and property crimes there overall.

Researchers who have tracked bail reform policies have found that a zero-bail policy does not contribute to an increase in crime. In fact, there is ample evidence that pretrial incarceration increases the chances that a person will be charged with a new offense, because of the harmful consequences of incarceration, including loss of employment, separation from families and isolating individuals from their community.

Reducing pretrial detention is a worthwhile reform in any era, not only because of the pandemic, and the zero-bail policy should be continued.

Ambrose Brooks S. is the coalition coordinator of JusticeLA and a campaign coordinator at Dignity & Power NOW.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
In 1968, fashion was groovy and McDonalds was celebrating their brand-new sandwich, the Big Mac, which sold for 49 cents. Yet, not everything was a bed of roses. In fact, when you look out at the major events from 53 years ago it does not paint a pretty picture.

The Vietnam War had been ramping up and the casualties were getting higher and higher. It was in 1968 when the war started to become generally acknowledged as unwinnable for the United States. There were protests, marches, and our country was in a place of uncertainty.

A few years earlier, in 1964, The Civil Rights Act, which helped expedite the ending of segregation, was signed into law. Yet that doesnt mean that racism went away. As people continued to clash, sometimes violently, because of the color of our skin, there were still people who symbolized hope. Martin Luther King Jr, a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement, was one of these symbols of hope, a light shining, and on April 4, 1968, he was assassinated.

With conflict over Vietnam and our involvement, with race relations running high, our countrys passion, and hope, and fear, and violence, all carried over into politics. On June 5, 1968, another symbol of hope for many people, a candidate to become president, Bobby Kennedy, was assassinated while walking through a hotel kitchen.

If you look at the major events of 1968, it was not a good year for our country. It was a time of darkness. It was a time of waiting, hoping, for light to shine again. It was a time when we needed someone, something, a symbol, anything, to latch onto so that we could feel the future is going to be OK.

On Dec. 21, 1968, Apollo 8 launched on a mission to orbit the moon. After 69 hours of space flight traveling to the moon, they entered its orbit. The three astronauts aboard, Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders became the first human beings to orbit the moon. As they orbited the moon they would lose sight of Earth and the moon would block their communication with NASA. In orbit they were in a time of darkness and all they could do was to prepare and wait.

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They would orbit the moon nine times in total. On their fourth orbit, they became the first people to see the Earth rise. We see the sun rise and the sun set, but over the moon, these astronauts saw the Earth rise and took a photograph you have probably seen before, titled Earthrise.

To be in the dark, on the other side of the moon cut off from the rest of humanity, waiting for that moment to see Earth again, to see hope again, to see Gods promise again  can you imagine? Can you imagine waiting outside the manger to hear the babys first cry? Do you find yourself now waiting to be assured that some things are still right with the world?

Throughout the mission, Apollo 8 would do television broadcasts. Their most famous was on Dec. 24, during their ninth and final orbit around the moon, a broadcast from Apollo 8 became the most watched television broadcast ever. At the end of a dark year, a group of three, after being farther away from Earth than anyone has ever been before, began a broadcast which played before 500 million people around the world  and they read from Genesis 1. After reading a few verses about Gods creation they concluded with, And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you  all of you on the good Earth.

The message of Scripture, of the Gospel, of Christmas, is that even after times of darkness God promises us that light will shine through. The light of Christ, the magnificent wonder we celebrate this Christmas, will never be extinguished. Let us share the light of love with the world, especially in times of anxiety and fear. Amen and Merry Christmas.

Rev. Dan Robertson pastors at First Presbyterian Church of Fairbury

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Rev. Dan Robertson looks at dealing with problems in Pastor's Corner
Newly obtained Pentagon documents show that the US air wars in the Middle East have been marked by "deeply flawed intelligence" and resulted in thousands of civilian deaths, including many children, the New York Times reported Saturday.

It said a trove of confidential documents covering more than 1,300 reports of civilian casualties undercuts the government's portrayal of a war fought with precision bombs.

Pledges of transparency and accountability, it said, had regularly fallen short.

"Not a single record provided includes a finding of wrongdoing or disciplinary action," the paper reported in what it said was the first of a two-part series.

While several of the cases mentioned by the Times have been previously reported, it said its investigation showed that the number of civilian deaths had been "drastically undercounted," by at least several hundred.

- Surveillance flaws -

Among three cases cited was a July 19, 2016 bombing by US special forces of what were believed to be three Islamic State group staging areas in northern Syria. Initial reports were of 85 fighters killed. Instead, the dead were 120 farmers and other villagers.

Another example was a November 2015 attack in Ramadi, Iraq after a man was seen dragging "an unknown heavy object" into an Islamic State position. The "object," a review found, was a child, who died in the strike.

Poor or inadequate surveillance footage often contributed to deadly targeting failures, the report said.

More recently, the United States had to retract its claim that a vehicle destroyed by a drone on a Kabul street in August had contained bombs. Victims of the strike, it turned out, were 10 members of a family, including children.

Many civilian survivors of US attacks, the report says, were left with disabilities requiring expensive treatment, but condolence payments numbered fewer than a dozen.

Asked for comment, Captain Bill Urban, spokesman for the US Central Command, told the Times that "even with the best technology in the world, mistakes do happen, whether based on incomplete information or misinterpretation of the information available. And we try to learn from those mistakes.

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"We work diligently to avoid such harm. We investigate each credible instance. And we regret each loss of innocent life."

- Unseen from the air -

The US air campaign in the Middle East grew rapidly in the final years of former president Barack Obama's administration, as public support waned for the seemingly endless ground wars.

Obama said the new approach, often using unmanned aircraft controlled from far away, represented "the most precise air campaign in history," able to keep civilian deaths to a minimum.

The new technology made it possible to destroy a part of a house filled with enemy fighters while leaving the rest of the structure standing, the Pentagon said.

But over a five-year period, US forces executed more than 50,000 airstrikes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, the report said, with much less than the advertised precision.

In compiling its report, the Times said its reporters had "visited more than 100 casualty sites and interviewed scores of surviving residents and current and former American officials."

The paper obtained the Pentagon documents through Freedom of Information requests beginning in March 2017 and lawsuits filed against the Defense Department and the Central Command. A new suit seeks records from Afghanistan.

Before launching air strikes, the military must navigate elaborate protocols to estimate and minimize civilian deaths.

But there are several ways available intelligence can mislead, fall short, or at times lead to disastrous errors.

For example, the Times said, video shot from the air does not show people in buildings, under foliage or under tarpaulins or aluminum covers.

And available data can be misinterpreted, as when people running to a fresh bombing site are assumed to be militants, not would-be rescuers.

Sometimes, the Times said, "Men on motorcycles moving 'in formation,' displaying the 'signature' of an imminent attack, were just men on motorcycles."

Captain Urban, the Central Command spokesman, said air-war planners do their best under exceedingly difficult conditions.

But he added that "in many combat situations, where targeteers face credible threat streams and do not have the luxury of time, the fog of war can lead to decisions that tragically result in civilian harm."

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Phoenix police are seeking the location of a 2015 Dodge Challenger with the Arizona license plate AMA 3BC.

The Phoenix Police Department is asking for information regarding the location of a vehicle suspected of being used in a homicide last week.

Sgt. Ann Justus, a department spokesperson, said police are searching for a white 2015 Dodge Challenger with the Arizona license plate AMA 3BC.

Justus said the vehicle could have been involved in Dec. 9 incident when police found 38-year-old Stella Montes suffering from a gunshot wound after her car crashed into a wall near Seventh Avenue and Beardsley Road just before 2 p.m.

She was taken to a local hospital where she later died from her injuries.

Police said at the time they believe Montes was in or near her car when she was shot by another person in another vehicle after some kind of "dispute."

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at 602-444-2474 or perry.vandell@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @PerryVandell.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police seek public help locating suspect vehicle tied to homicide
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  A Palestinian woman was detained after she stabbed and lightly wounded a Jewish settler in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, police said, following two days of violence across the territory.

In a statement, the Israeli border police said officers arrested a 65-year-old Palestinian woman after she stabbed and wrestled with the 38-year-old settler in the center of the highly contested city of Hebron. Officers managed to detain the woman without firing rounds and took her away for questioning, police said.

There has been no immediate Palestinian comment on the incident.

The incident took place at a checkpoint near the burial site of religious patriarch Abraham, known to Jews as the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque. Hebron is the West Banks largest city and is a frequent flashpoint between settlers and Palestinians.

The city is home to more than 200,000 Palestinians as well as several hundred ultranationalist and radical Jewish settlers who live in the citys downtown area in heavily fortified enclaves protected by the military.

Saturdays stabbing comes amid a weekend of Israeli-Palestinian violence across the West Bank.

On Thursday evening, Jewish settler Yehuda Dimentman was shot dead by Palestinian gunmen near an abandoned settlement outpost, igniting a string of settler retaliation attacks on Friday that left two Palestinians with moderate injuries.

Thursdays shooting took place near Homesh, a former settlement evacuated as part of Israels withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. In recent years, settlers have re-established an unauthorized outpost at the site, one of dozens of outposts in the West Bank that are considered illegal but often tolerated by the Israeli government.

Israeli leaders have vowed to find the assailants responsible for the killing and have deployed a large number of troops across the northern West Bank. According to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, Israeli troops have cordoned off roads between the northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Jenin on Saturday morning and are conducting searches in nearby villages.

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Past months have seen an increase in stabbing attacks against Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was left seriously injured after being stabbed by a Palestinian attacker outside the walls of Jerusalems Old City. The attacker was shot dead by Israeli police. Last week, a 14-year-old Palestinian girl stabbed and lightly wounded a Jewish woman in a tense neighborhood in east Jerusalem.

Settler violence against Palestinians has similarly increased this fall. Last month, Jewish settlers attacked a group of Palestinian farmers with clubs and pepper spray in the farmland surrounding Homesh, injuring four people.

Israel captured east Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The territories are home to more than 700,000 Jewish settlers, although Palestinians seek both areas as parts of their future independent state. The majority of the international community considers settlements to be illegal and the major obstacle to peace.
A man driving through an Alexandria intersection was hit by a bullet Friday afternoon when guns were fired on both sides of his vehicle, according to police.

The Alexandria Police Department says the 62-year-old man arrived at its Bolton Avenue headquarters around 3:44 p.m. with a bullet wound to his upper left thigh. He was taken to a hospital for the injury, which was not life threatening, according to a news release.

Police: Pineville man dies after losing control of motorcycle

This week: 4 female inmates arrested after 2 fentanyl overdoses at Rapides jail

He told police he had been driving in his vehicle with his 24-year-old son near the intersection of Chester and Levin streets "when gunshots rang out on both sides of their vehicle, striking the vehicle several times," the release reads.

The man drove home, and his son got out of the vehicle. Then the man drive to police headquarters.

An investigation is underway, but police have no suspects.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the department's Detective Division at 318-441-6416.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Man shot while driving near Chester, Levin streets in Alexandria
Protesters in support of a ban on gas heat and stoves in new buildings, demonstrate outside City Hall in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Dieu-Nalio Chery/The New York Times)

In a nation that is already deeply split along partisan lines over the pandemic response, racial equity and abortion, add this: gas stoves and furnaces.

This week, New York City moved to ban gas hookups in new buildings, joining cities in blue states such as California, Massachusetts and Washington that want to shift homes away from burning natural gas because it releases carbon dioxide, which causes global warming.

Instead, developers in New York City will have to install electric heat pumps and electric kitchen ranges in newly constructed buildings.

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But the growing push to electrify homes has triggered a political backlash: At least 20 mostly red states, including Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Ohio and Texas, have passed laws that forbid their cities from restricting gas use. Most of these bills have passed in the past year, backed by the natural gas industry and local gas utilities, which see electrification as a looming threat to their bottom line.

Homes and buildings are directly responsible for about 13% of Americas annual greenhouse gas emissions, largely from natural gas burned in furnaces, water heaters, stoves, ovens and clothes dryers. Curbing that pollution is crucial, experts say, if the nation hopes to stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by 2050, as President Joe Biden has proposed.

People understand the potential of renewable energy. Weve really reduced emissions in the power sector. Were doing a lot more on electric vehicles now, said Dylan Sullivan, a senior scientist for the climate and clean energy program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. Gas use in buildings, he said, is the new issue and one thats going to be a big focus over the next decade.

The best way to clean up buildings, states such as California have concluded, is by converting them to run largely on electricity. That means ditching gas furnaces in favor of electric heat pumps, which essentially act like air conditioners that can run in two directions, providing heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. As states continue to add wind and solar power to their electric grids, emissions from these appliances should decline even more.

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But the gas industry has lobbied in statehouses across the country to slow the shift away from gas. It argues that gas appliances are widely popular and still cost less than electric versions for many consumers. Opponents have also warned that a rush to electrify homes could strain power grids, particularly in the winter when heating needs soar, at a time when states such as California and Texas are already struggling to meet demand.

Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the American Gas Association, an industry group, said efforts to disconnect homes and businesses from the extensive network of gas pipelines would make it difficult to supply those buildings with low-carbon alternatives that might be available in the future, such as hydrogen or biogas.

Eliminating natural gas and our delivery infrastructure forecloses on current and future innovation opportunities, she said.

The question of whether to use natural gas in homes has become part of the culture wars, pitting climate activists against industry and other interest groups. Some chefs and restaurant owners have argued that they wont be able to cook certain dishes as well without gas. Environmentalists counter that gas stoves are a source of indoor air pollution, contributing to diseases such as asthma.

Like many climate policies, the push to phase out natural gas in buildings began in California.

In 2019, Berkeley became the first city to ban gas hookups in most new homes and buildings, citing climate change. Since then, at least 50 California cities, including San Francisco and Sacramento, have adopted similar rules, often over the objections of local gas utilities.

The movement quickly spread. This year, Seattle and Eugene, Oregon, put forward measures to ban gas hookups in new buildings. Last month, Denver approved an ordinance requiring large buildings to shift to electric heating and cooling when cost effective. And Wednesday, New York City became the largest city in the world to ban gas in new buildings, requiring those up to seven stories tall to go all-electric by 2023 and larger buildings to do so by 2027. (The bill would not affect existing buildings.)

As the push for electrification has sped up, the gas industry has mounted a counteroffensive.

In March 2020, Sue Forrester, a lobbyist for the American Gas Association, warned a meeting of utility executives that the campaign against natural gas was growing quickly and that the industry needed to really change the narrative and say that we are part of Americas clean energy future, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by The New York Times.

But industry talking about industry isnt effective, Forrester warned.

So she outlined a plan to work with community groups to build support for state legislation that would bar cities from restricting gas, which she framed as protecting consumer choice.

The idea behind choice is to really get ahead of the localities, the big cities and counties and say we are allowing our customers the right to have, to be hooked up, to any kind of energy they would like, she said.

That spring, Arizona, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Louisiana passed laws that barred cities from banning natural gas. In Oklahoma, the gas industry drew support from groups such as the AARP, the influential lobby for older Americans, as well as restaurants, hotels, homebuilders and barbecue equipment makers.

The message was: You dont want these California liberals telling you that you cant have a gas stove, said Mary Boren, a Democratic state senator in Oklahoma who voted against the bill.

In a statement, Bill Malcolm, a senior legislative representative at the AARP, said the group had supported legislative and regulatory initiatives allowing customers to continue to use the fuel of their choice to heat their homes and cook their food. He added: Outright bans on certain fuel options would run contrary to that choice.

Asked this week about its lobbying campaign, American Gas Association spokesperson Jake Rubin said the group had studied the implications of electrification as well as public perception of policies that would force American families to replace their natural gas appliances with more-expensive, less-efficient alternatives. The association has shared this research with groups that rely on the affordability and reliability of natural gas like restaurants, manufacturers, appliance makers, homebuilders and low-income families and encouraged them to make their voices heard about the damaging impacts of these policies.

This year, Republican-controlled legislatures in 16 additional states have passed measures to forbid cities from banning gas: Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming. A similar bill in North Carolina was recently vetoed by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, while another such bill is being debated in Pennsylvania.

Even in states that arent considering gas bans, the pushback has been fierce.

This year in Nevada, Lesley Cohen, a Democratic state legislator, proposed a bill to apply greater scrutiny to new natural gas infrastructure. The states largest gas utility, Southwest Gas, worked to defeat the legislation, enlisting a wide range of allies, including the AARP. The president of the Latin Chamber of Commerce warned that the bill could force abuelo and abuela to make a choice between medicine and groceries or heating their home affordably in the winter.

I was getting calls from people who literally thought that in 2023 they were going to lose their gas stoves, said Cohen, who eventually withdrew the bill. That was absolutely not what the bill did.

For now, natural gas remains the dominant fuel in much of the country, heating nearly half of American homes. Electric heat pumps, by contrast, satisfy just 5% of heating demand nationwide.

But the cost of electrification is dropping, at least for new construction.

An analysis last year from the Rocky Mountain Institute, a research group focused on climate policy, found that in many major cities, including Austin, Texas, Boston, New York and Seattle, it is now often cheaper to build a new all-electric single family home than a new home fueled by gas, in part because modern-day heat pumps work more effectively in frigid weather and there are savings from not having to extend new gas lines into homes.

Tim Kohut is director of sustainable design at National Community Renaissance, a developer building a 184-unit affordable-housing project in San Bernardino, California, that will use only electric appliances and feature solar panels on roofs to reduce bills even though the city has not banned gas. He said that cost was the biggest consideration.

The guys I work with on the construction team, they are not tree-huggers; they are pragmatic general contractors, Kohut said. Theyre not interested about doing this because of climate change; it is all economics.

Still, building a new all-electric home from scratch is one thing. It will probably prove more difficult and costly to retrofit the millions of existing homes and apartment buildings that already depend on gas, since doing so often requires additional renovations, such as new ductwork or wiring. At least 17 states now offer incentives for consumers to install heat pumps, but finding contractors familiar with the technology can still be a challenge.

A market shift away from natural gas is likely to proceed slowly unless states put in place additional policies and building codes, said Sue McFaddin, who consulted on a recent all-electric housing development near Fort Collins, Colorado. Were not going to meet our climate goals if we just go by the market, she said.

The electrification push could potentially get a boost from Congress, where Democrats are currently debating a massive climate and social policy bill that would include several key provisions to cut emissions from buildings, including $6.25 billion to provide rebates to homeowners who replace fossil-fuel appliances with electric versions.

But that raises another complication: Experts have warned that as more homeowners go electric, gas utilities will still have to pay to maintain their existing network of pipelines, which could mean higher costs for the smaller base of remaining customers, many of whom may be low-income.

It was that death spiral that Cohen, the Nevada legislator, was hoping to address with her legislation in March. After her bill died, Nevadas regulators opened an investigation into the future of natural gas in the state, studying how to ensure a smooth transition for gas customers as the state pushed to slash emissions.

I think its pretty clear that there are going to be changes in the market, Cohen said, and we need to start planning.

 2021 The New York Times Company
After being met with little acknowledgment at a recent Hillsborough School Board meeting, people are organizing in response to a Tampa Bay Times investigation that found teens felt belittled and punished when they sought help to stop sexual harassment.

Former Blake High School student Rufus del Valle, who was featured in the Times story, launched an online petition this week demanding an independent investigation into the school districts policies regarding sexual harassment. He is also planning a protest at the Jan. 11 School Board meeting.

These efforts come after calls at Tuesdays board meeting for the district to investigate. Del Valle was among those demanding action. Superintendent Addison Davis made brief remarks, saying officials cannot speak because of student privacy laws and asking the public to not interpret the silence as the district not caring.

But that is exactly how some students have perceived it.

The fact that weve gotten to this point where Rufus has confronted the board members and they still didnt seem like they care? Thats just a sad thing, said Alexandra Reyes, a former student featured in the Times story. They have the power to change so much about this district.

She said she didnt understand why the district wouldnt want to investigate after hearing from students that they feel unsafe and unheard in the current system.

Blake High junior Kassandra Glor also felt let down by the districts response.

It makes me feel like they do not care about us because if so many students are going through this, why did you not change it? Or try to help it? Or even speak about it? Glor said.

Glor said she felt seen by the Times story and, as a result, hopeful there might be change.

I didnt think a lot could be done about it, she said. Or that a lot of people went through the same thing.

Civil rights advocates say the Times story shines an important spotlight on sexual harassment and student rights in K-12, which have gotten little attention. The federal law Title IX requires schools to protect students from sexual harassment, but a lot of the focus has been on colleges.

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Finally, somebody is calling attention to this, said Theresa Prichard, associate director and general counsel for the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence. I feel like we are going around trying to put out fires, and there needs to be this massive shift, and there needs to be change.

Prichard said its critical that current and former students have support and dont feel alone as they call on Hillsborough to act.

Its really important for the public to know what is going on and to get involved, she said.

The Times story also was cited in a brief filed this week by the American Civil Liberties Union and 15 other advocacy groups  including the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence  in support of a student in a Georgia case that is on appeal with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. In that case, a student reported being raped and was suspended, according to court filings. The 11th Circuit covers Florida, so the outcome would affect Florida students.

Sandra Park, a senior attorney with the ACLU Womens Rights Project, said they want the higher court to make clear that when a student reports sexual harassment, it is protected speech. The school should not be punishing that student, she said.

Its a really terrible message and directly contrary to the protections of Title IX, Park said.

The Times story detailed how two Blake students reported to police that theyd been raped on campus and were suspended. The incidents were years apart and involved the same boy. One of the girls spoke to the Times and gave her account of how traumatizing the experience of being disbelieved and punished had been. She told the Times she hoped that by speaking about what happened  something she struggles with  district leaders might in the future not punish someone who is seeking help, consider how they can be more sensitive and reflect on the fact that it is difficult to come forward and students dont make these allegations lightly.

After reading the story, former Blake student Erin Melvin, now 21, told the Times that she also tried to report the same boy and, instead of getting help, she was blamed and humiliated.

Melvin said the boy cornered her one day and asked her to have sex in the bathroom and, when she refused, told her she was so small he could just pick her up and force her to have sex with him. She said the incident had been scary, but reporting it was worse.

Melvin said she went to a school official, who told Melvin she was tired of hearing girls complain about this particular boy. She was told that she and other girls should be ashamed for making false reports. Melvin said administration officials viewed the security footage, which backed up her story and showed the boy putting his fingers in her hair, whispering to her and touching her.

I remember them saying cynically that they thought that if it wasnt for the clothes I was wearing, he probably wouldnt be interested and that probably wouldnt have happened, she recounted to the Times.

She was crushed, she said, and disappointed.

I felt if they arent listening to me, who else are they not listening to? The proof is right here, she said.

She said all that happened was she had to change her lunch period to get away from him, upending some of her classes. She said she wasnt offered counseling, and she walked out of the office in tears, embarrassed. Meanwhile, she said, she was afraid one day the boy would come back and make good on his promise and there wouldnt be any help.

Park said if students are coming forward saying they dont feel safe to report because of punitive or other responses from the school, the district should be engaging in self-reflection about how they respond to students.

Del Valle said he felt Davis comments were an attempt to reframe the issue, as no one was asking him to speak about specific students.

They need transparency, and they also need to think about how you build trust again, said Nan Stein, a senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women who has spent more than 30 years studying sexual harassment in schools. How do you think youre going to build trust in the students and their parents and the community unless you do talk?

If you need help:

The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay offers services to those who have experienced unwanted sexual contact. You can access sexual assault services 24/7 by calling 211 or visiting www.crisiscenter.com. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

The ACLU offers a fact sheet to help students understand their Title IX rights, which you can access here.

Know Your Title IX offers resources to help students understand their rights under Title IX, which you can access here.

The U.S. Department of Education enforces Title IX. Complaints with that agency may be filed here.
Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- VinFast will stop making gas-powered autos by the end of 2022 -- just two-and-a-half years after the first ones rolled off the companys northern Vietnam assembly lines -- as it ramps up global sales of electric SUVs with plans for EV factories in the U.S. and Germany.Most Read from BloombergWHO Downplays Threat of Covid-19 Variant Found in FranceU.S. Logs Record 1 Million Virus Cases With Data DelayOmicron Cases Are Hitting Highs, But New Data Put End in SightHawkish Fed Sparks T
England were staring down the barrel of another sorry defeat on Saturday, dismissed for 236 then forced to watch as Australia batted again and stretched their lead in the day-night second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

Joe Root and Dawid Malan had survived the opening session of day three unscathed, building a 128-run stand as they chased Australia's imposing first-innings 473 for nine declared.

But it all came crashing down after the dinner break with both players removed in quick succession, Root for 62 and Malan for 80, sparking a collapse that saw England slump from 150 for two to 236 all out.

Making matters worse, they did so against a second-string attack with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood both missing.

Stand-in Australian skipper Steve Smith could have enforced the follow-on, but chose to rest his bowlers and send in the openers to turn the screw with two days left.

They negotiated some 75 minutes for the loss of David Warner for 13, needlessly run out after a disastrous mix-up with Marcus Harris, who remains unbeaten on 21.

Nightwatchman Michael Neser was on two as Australia reached 45 for one, building their lead to 282.

Hostile pace from Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon's dangerous spin did the damage to England, complemented by Cameron Green, who bagged Root for the second consecutive time.

Starc claimed 4-37 and Lyon 3-58.

"It's pretty frustrating and disappointing -- to lose two wickets like we did on Friday night, then get ourselves back into a position where we could get within touching distance of them," said Malan.

"Ultimately Rooty or myself should have gone on and got a big hundred."

- Australia 'hold the cards' -

England crashed by nine wickets in the first Test at Brisbane and if they go 2-0 down in Adelaide the Ashes are as good as gone, needing to win all three remaining Tests.

Australia bowled repeat maidens at the start of the second session and Root looked increasingly uncomfortable against Green, who was starting to find movement with the pink ball.

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Having passed 1,600 Test runs in a calendar year -- only the fourth player in history to do so -- Root poked at a Green delivery and got an edge to Smith at slip, leaving him still searching for an elusive first-ever century in Australia.

Malan soon followed, slashing at a Starc thunderbolt that took a nick, again into Smith's safe hands. Malan has now scored nine Test 50s but only converted one into a century.

"We let it meander a little bit through the first session," Starc said, while heaping praise on all-rounder Green.

"He's a serious talent for a young kid, he's a great addition to our bowling attack, he was extremely good in that session after the break."

Starc added: "We hold all the cards in terms of when we want to bowl and how big a lead we want to have, we've certainly got a few options on the table."

Like in Brisbane, England's batting folded. Ollie Pope survived a bat-pad review but only lasted two more balls, charging down the wicket to Lyon and edging to Marnus Labuschagne at short leg on five.

Jos Buttler fell without scoring to Starc and England trudged off to tea on 197 for six.

It didn't take long for Australia to clean up the rest with Chris Woakes and Ollie Robinson also undone by Lyon, and when Ben Stokes was bowled by Green for 34, it was all but over.

- Bright start -

England had resumed at 17 for two after losing openers Rory Burns (four) and Haseeb Hameed (six) to a fiery 40-minute spell from Starc, Neser and Jhye Richardson under lights on Friday evening.

Root strode out on five, alongside Malan on one.

They had perfect early batting conditions on a flat Adelaide pitch and Root settled, slamming a well-timed drive for four to boost his confidence.

Starc was hit for 11 off his first over and the pair quickly brought up their 50 partnership.

Malan completed his 50 with a single off Neser, while Root hit Richardson to the boundary to reach his 52nd half-century.

mp/pst
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has sent long-range strategic Tu-22M3 bombers to join patrols of air space along the western borders of ally Belarus, the Belarusian defence ministry said on Saturday.

Su-30SM fighters jets from both countries were also part of patrols, the Belarus military said.

Belarus borders to the west and northwest with Poland and Lithuania, member states of the European Union. Belarus' relations with the EU are tense over a migrant crisis along its western border.

(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Russia may take new measures to bolster security if the U.S. takes aggressive action and ignores requests ruling out NATO's eastward expansion into Ukraine, a senior diplomat said Saturday, AP reports.

Driving the news: Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday that Western allies are "extending the limits of whats possible" regarding relations with Russia, per AP.

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Ryabkov also warned that Moscow would "take care of our security and act in a way similar to NATOs logic" if the organization doesn't take Russia's demands seriously.

He didn't specify what actions Russia may take if the West rejects its demands, per AP.

The big picture: Ryabkov's remarks come one day after the Russian government released a draft of a new treaty proposal with NATO that would rule out eastward expansion and all military activity in former Soviet republics, Axios' Zachary Basu reports.

The proposal also demands that the U.S. and NATO do not cooperate with former Soviet states, including Ukraine and other Eastern European countries.

The treaty proposal comes as the threat of Russian invasion over Europe looms, and as the U.S. and other NATO allies have increased their military presence and activities in the alliance's "eastern flank."

What he's saying: "We dont want a conflict. We want to reach an agreement on a reasonable basis," Ryabkov said.

"Before making any conclusions what to do next and what steps could be taken, we need to make sure that the answer is negative. I hope that the answer will be relatively constructive and we engage in talks."

Go deeper: U.S. to consider Russia's NATO proposal, but calls some demands "unacceptable"

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Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) is pushing for voting rights protections as well as an end to the filibuster in the hopes of ending what she has deemed to be Republican lies regarding voter fraud.



On Wednesday, the Japanese American Hawaii senator took to the Senate floor to say Democrats are shifting their attention from President Joe Biden's Build Back Better bill to protecting minorities right to vote.





I'm speaking live from the Senate floor on voting rights and the need to eliminate the filibuster. WATCH: https://t.co/tWpWpmPEEk

 Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 16, 2021







Hirono accused former President Donald Trump and his supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 of continuing their Republican lies by claiming voter fraud.



Before President Trump, Republicans at least tried to pretend that their laws werent blatantly discriminatory, she said.



She said that voting restrictions such as refusing to aid voters who dont speak English and removal of vote-by-mail ballots prevent many minorities from voting.



On Thursday, Hirono appeared on "CNN Newsroom to alert the public about the increase in voter suppression bills being passed by Republicans in state legislatures across the nation, reported RealClearPolitics.



"What Im seeing are voter suppression bills being enacted by state legislatures across the country, so that is a direct threat to our democracy, she told anchor Erica Hill. We need to take action to support voter protection laws.



Hirono went on to claim that in order to support the Trump-backed narrative that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, Republicans need to support the passage of all of these voter suppression bills that will really stop minority people, the Black people, Chicanos, Asian-American people from voting. Thats where theyre going because this is their effort to retain power."



Featured Image via Senator Mazie Hirono

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Fox News

A novel Omicron strain of the coronavirus has started to tear through the United States, but on Friday night, Fox News host Tucker Carlson and right-wing radio pundit Jesse Kelly focused on scoffing at women selflessly serving in the United States military.

The segment lifted off with Carlson taking a swing at remarks made by Christopher Grady, who was confirmed on Friday by the U.S. Senate to the post of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Fox News host played a clip from the hearing in which Grady expressed support for the idea of understanding the ecosystem pertaining to the role of the militarys gender adviser.

Kelly, best known for making incendiary and sexist remarks on the network, then stepped up to the plate to go on (yet again) another sexist tirade.

Tucker Carlson's guest: "We don't need a military that's woman-friendly, that's gay friendly" we need men "who want to sit on a throne of Chinese skulls, but we don't have that now. We can't get women off of naval vessels, that should be step one but most are pregnant anyway." pic.twitter.com/9uNzdbx0ON  nikki mccann ramirez (@NikkiMcR) December 18, 2021

Carlson asked Kelly: Do you think the key to remaining competitive with the Chinese military is more gender advisers?

Oh, theres no question, Tucker, the C-list pundit snarked. I mean, China right now, and Russia, theyre both testing hypersonic missiles that can turn New York City to ash. Russia is actually developing and has developed satellites that can push our satellites out of orbit and cripple our military. Our military, though, they're focused on the important things. We want to focus on climate change, and we definitely have to make sure there are enough tampons in the restrooms at the Pentagon.

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The Fox News host, who has never served in the military and apparently doesnt understand the concept of pursuing multiple policies at once, seemingly agreed with the degrading remarks about women who deploy to warzones.

Thats kind of what theyre saying, Carlson said. Theres a psychological term for this, and it escapes my memory at the moment, where theres a massive real threat that you can't deal with, so you scurry off and deal with imaginary threats to make yourself feel in control. That kind of feels like what we're watching.

Tucker Pats Florida Surgeon General on Back as COVID Numbers Explode

But then, Kelly took it a step farther and said that the U.S. military should not be woman-friendly or gay-friendly.

We dont need a military thats woman-friendly. We dont need a military thats gay-friendly, with all due respect to the Air Force. We need a military thats flat-out hostile. We need a military full of Type-A men who want to sit on a throne of Chinese skulls, but we dont have that now. We cant even get women off of naval vessels, he said. That should be step one, but most of them are already pregnant anyway.

According to a 2020 report from the military publication Stars and Stripes, the percentage of women serving in the military year on year has seen minuscule partial percentage upticks. Yet there remain countless reasons why women leave the ranks, including problems they perceived within the military's organizational culture such a lack of female mentors.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A snowboarder rides down Slide Peak at Snow Valley Mountain Resort.

Another ski resort has opened its doors this week for skiers and snowboarders looking for fresh powder.

Snow Valley Mountain Resort in Running Springs began its 84th season Thursday, two days after a winter storm pelted Southern California.

The storm, which caused flooding in the San Bernardino Mountains, also dropped about 16 to 20 inches of new snow, with more being made by machines, resort officials said.

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Snow Valley Mountain Resort looks forward to providing wonderful winter experiences to Southern Californians," said Kevin Somes, the resort's vice president, and general manager.

Mountain High Resort near Wrightwood in the San Gabriel Mountains also started its season this month on Tuesday, the storm hit.

The resort reported receiving 10 inches of new snowfall within the past week, with 6 inches from the storm alone.

Big Bear Mountain Resort, which includes the ski areas Bear Mountain and Snow Summit, opened Dec. 2, although no snow had fallen in the area since March, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Instead, the report said at the time it was relying on manufactured powder and cold temperatures.

The recent storm changed that, however. Big Bear Mountain reported 10 inches of new snow had fallen, adding to a snow base that was 2 to 3 feet deep.

High temperatures are expected to reach the low 40s during Saturday and Sunday, with sunny conditions in the Big Bear Lake area. Overnight, theyre expected to drop to 17 and 19, respectively, according to the National Weather Service.

A wind advisory is also in effect from 3 a.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday for the San Bernardino County mountains and valleys. Forecasters predict winds from the northeast at 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 to 50 mph.

The National Weather Service warned that winds could blow down tree limbs and a few power outages may result.

Daily Press reporter Martin Estacio may be reached at 760-955-5358 or MEstacio@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_mestacio.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Ski resorts open after winter storm in Southern California
The Naples showroom of Smith and DeShields is located at 2360 Trade Center Way.

Smith & DeShields, one of Floridas oldest, family owned building supply companies, will celebrate its 65th year in business in 2022.

Partners Aris Smith and Clyde DeShields, both of whom worked for a mill shop in Deerfield Beach, decided to go out on their own in 1957, opening their first showroom in Boca Raton.

Its success prompted Clyde DeShields, who bought out his partner upon Smiths retirement in 1981, to open a second location in Naples in 1990 due to the areas expected growth spurt. Two additional Florida locations were later added, one in Jupiter and the other in Fort Myers.

The building supply business certainly has changed over the past 65 years, reflected Steve DeShields, President of the company. Back in the late 50s  early 60s  there was simply a lack of variety of materials. All doors were 6- 8 hollow core doors and 1-3/8 thick, and most were flat panel. As for crown moulding, base boards and casings, consumers had only about three options. Today, the variety of doors and trim is limitless.

In fact, Steve DeShields has also been designing his own products for the past several years.

Steves profiles for Crown, Casing and Baseboard have really taken off, proudly noted Cynthia DeShields, Vice President of the company. He designs the profiles based on market trends and where he thinks they are heading. Several of his designs are now stocked items due to their overwhelming success.

When launched in 1957, Smith & DeShields was known as a door company. As it added a large line of hardware it subsequently became known as the door and hardware company.

However, over the last 20 years we have become best known for our extensive moulding selection and as the largest stocking dealer in the state of Florida, said Steve DeShields.

As for what separates Smith & DeShields from its competitors, DeShields spoke just two words  our people.

We are a family owned and operated company and consider our employees an extension of our family, he stated. Were proud to say most of our staff has been with us most of their careers. One of our underlying philosophies has always been to promote from within. Some of our top salespeople started as drivers many years ago.

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He continued, As we reach various milestones, we always think back to my father, Clyde. We take great comfort in knowing we have carried on his legacy and continue to pull from his philosophies on a regular basis. We have no doubt hes smiling down on the business and our employees.

With four phenomenal locations, DeShields estimates millions of customers have walked through their doors throughout the past 65 years. And future plans predict millions more.

We are looking to expand into the Fort Lauderdale area as well as expand our Fort Myers location so its similar in size to our Jupiter location, said DeShields. We truly want to have a larger presence in Lee County.

For more details regarding Smith & DeShields, the wide range of quality products they offer or to tour their gallery of amazing projects, visit smithanddeshields.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Smith & DeShields marks 65th anniverary
Dec. 17NORWICH  A juvenile was arrested Thursday night in connection to a social media post that threatened Norwich schools, according to police, as schools across the country were on high alert for threats stemming from TikTok and other social platforms.

Families were notified in a letter from administrators early Friday that all Norwich Public Schools and Norwich Free Academy would be closed following an alleged threat involving a gun that students saw on the social media app Snapchat about 8 p.m. Thursday.

Capt. James Veiga with the Norwich Police Department said that they, along with schools across the nation, were thoroughly investigating any threats. They found one of those threats to be credible, he said, and therefore made an arrest.

"The social media story allegedly referenced a threat to the school as well as a picture of what appeared to be a handgun," Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow wrote in the letter to families.

She said schools were closed "so that the police could fully investigate this matter" before staff members and students return.

Police did not say whether the arrest was connected to a Snapchat post, but confirmed it was linked to a threatening social media post. They also did not say what charges the juvenile faces.

The juvenile's name and age were not released because of the juvenile's age.

On Friday morning, Stringfellow said the posts reported by students were "by someone they believe to be a Norwich Public Schools student." Police contacted students involved and visited homes overnight but could not verify whether the threat was credible by 2:30 a.m., prompting the closure order.

NFA Head of School Brian Kelly also said Friday morning that school officials were alerted to "some concerning social media posts," and said police are investigating. NFA was closed, also out of an abundance of caution, he said.

Schools nationwide were on high alert Friday due to a viral TikTok trend that spread posts about potential threats to schools. Norwich Public Schools officials initially said Thursday that they were monitoring the trend and there would be added police presence at all schools as a safety measure.

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Multiple students saw the Snapchat story on Thursday night and reported it to their families, who contacted administrators at Teachers Memorial Global Magnet Middle School.

After those reports were made, Stringfellow decided to cancel school. "I was not willing to risk the safety of our students and staff," she said, so closed schools "out of an abundance of caution."

No information was available about who posted the Snapchat story, whether they were a student or what specifically it said.

The superintendent in the letter to families also commended the students who reported the threat. "They reacted in the safest way possible and I am extremely grateful to them."

Police said they were keeping an eye on any and all threats reported Friday.

"As they come in, we're investigating each and every one that shows any ties to a Norwich school or student," Veiga said.

c.bessette@theday.com

t.hartz@theday.com
MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's truck drivers have called off a three-day strike during the week leading up to Christmas after reaching an agreement with the government late on Friday, the national truck driving association said.

It said the agreement means drivers will not have to load and unload goods from trucks, a "historic claim of the sector that benefits working conditions."

The agreement will also halve the amount of time drivers will have to wait before they are entitled to extra pay and ensure tolls on heavy transport are not implemented without the agreement of the national truck driving association.

The strike had been called from midnight on Dec. 19 to midnight on Dec. 22. Truck drivers had accused the government of ignoring their grievances and clients of insensitivity and exploitative behaviour.

It would have disrupted supply chains and goods delivery at a time of heightened economic activity in the run up to Christmas and New Year celebrations.

"This is an historic agreement that improves the conditions for the transport of goods and will make it possible to cancel the stoppages planned for Christmas," Transport Minister Raquel Sanchez tweeted.

(Reporting by Jessica Jones; Editing by Mark Potter)
By Arriana McLymore and Richa Naidu

NEW YORK/CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. retailers opened their doors on Saturday to what they hope will be swarms of shoppers searching for last-minute holiday gifts, despite surging cases of the coronavirus, including the new, highly-contagious Omicron variant.

The last Saturday before Christmas  dubbed 'Super Saturday'  is typically one of the busiest shopping days of the year, marked by a rush to buy last-minutes gifts to tuck under the Christmas tree.

The risks to shoppers this year, however, are not just that merchandise might be out of stock, but also that in-person shopping could trigger more coronavirus infections - making Super Saturday a super-spreader event.

Toy store owner Katherine Nguyen says she anticipates more people to shop in person at her three Chicago-area locations compared to the last Saturday before Christmas 2020, or even the last Saturday before the pre-pandemic Christmas of 2019.

"It's like the new variant is the new normal  the environment has gotten a little used to that," she said.

Foot-traffic tracking firm Placer.ai said it expects more people to visit stores this weekend than on the same weekend last year. Sensormatic Solutions, a data firm that measures store visits, cited a nearly 48% increase in foot traffic on the Friday after Thanksgiving compared to a year earlier as a sign that people would want to shop in-person.

A supply chain logjam https://www.reuters.com/business/us-companies-keep-prices-high-supply-chain-headaches-persist-2021-10-27 has left many people also feeling nervous about not getting merchandise ordered online in time for the Dec. 25 holiday.

"Consumers have been bombarded with messages about the impact of supply shortages on the availability of holiday gifts," said David Berson, chief economist at Nationwide in Columbus, Ohio.

Nguyen said her three stores never received shipments of merchandise for about 15% of their toy catalog. The toys, she says, are "sitting on a container in Long Beach, California, outside of the water waiting to come in."

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FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service set Dec. 15 as the deadline for ground deliveries to reach homes in time for Christmas, which means that shoppers still in search of gifts may have little choice but to shop in stores if they want to avoid fees for expedited shipping.

FedEx and rival United Parcel Service each say they have hired enough workers to manage the holiday peak, when the number of daily packages they handle easily doubles.

Unlike last year, many consumers heeded advice from retailers to shop early - easing pressure on carriers by spreading demand over a longer period of time. But online shoppers may see more delays as Christmas approaches, according to Cathy Morrow Roberson, president of consultancy Logistics Trends & Insights.

(Reporting by Arriana McLymore in New York and Richa Nadu in Chicago, and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles. Additional reporting by Siddharth Cavale. Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Chris Noth seen on the set of "Equalizer" on February 5, 2021. James Devaney/GC Images/Getty Images

Chris Noth has been accused of sexual assault by a third woman, The Daily Beast reported.

The Hollywood Reporter previously reported allegations against the "Sex and the City" star.

Noth called those allegations "categorically false" in a statement to Insider.

A third woman has come forward to accuse the actor Chris Noth of sexual assault, The Daily Beast reported Friday.

The accusation comes one day after The Hollywood Reporter published the accounts of two women accusing Noth of sexual assault. The "Sex and the City" star called the allegations "categorically false" on Thursday.

The latest accusation comes from a 30-year-old woman who says Noth, 67, sexually assaulted her in 2010 when she was 18 and working as a hostess at a restaurant in Manhattan.

The woman, whose real name is not used in the story, told The Daily Beast Noth followed her into a back office of the restaurant when she was picking up her pay at the end of her shift.

She said Noth kissed and groped her and tried to digitally penetrate her, and did not react to her telling him "no." She said she was able to get away by suggesting they go to his apartment. When he left the restaurant she ignored his texts to send a car to pick her up and instead went home, she said.

A representative for Noth did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, but his publicist told The Daily Beast Noth "denies this as ever happening and has no idea who this woman is."

On Thursday, The Hollywood Reporter published sexual assault allegations against Noth concerning incidents that occurred in 2004 and 2015 with two separate woman, whose real names were not revealed.

Noth denied the allegations in a statement to Insider's Rebecca Cohen and Esme Mazzeo on Thursday.

"The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false. These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago  no always means no  that is a line I did not cross," his statement read. "The encounters were consensual."

Read the original article on Insider
By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. Air Force crew members supporting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's travel last week to the United Kingdom and Southeast Asia have tested positive for the coronavirus, a spokesperson for the airforce said.

The new cases, which had not been previously disclosed, bring the total number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 traveling on Blinken's plane last week to three. On Wednesday, the State Department disclosed https://www.reuters.com/world/us/blinken-cuts-short-asia-trip-after-covid-19-case-among-travelling-group-2021-12-15 that a member of the press corps accompanying the top U.S. diplomat on the trip had also tested positive.

The Air Force did not say when or at which stop of Blinken's trip the crew members tested positive. The journalist was identified as a positive case late on Tuesday, after being tested upon arrival in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, where the person is still isolating.

"Both aircrew members were fully vaccinated. Neither had come into close contact with the Secretary of State or senior staff," an Air Force spokesperson told Reuters in an email late on Friday. "One aircrew member is asymptomatic, while the other is experiencing mild symptoms."

"Both are following host nation COVID-19 protocols," the spokesperson said, indicating that the individuals were dropped off the plane at the location where they were identified as positive cases.

Earlier this week, Blinken had to cut short his trip to Southeast Asia after the State Department disclosed that the member of his traveling press corps had tested positive. On Monday, Blinken had visited Indonesia, but following the journalist's positive COVID test, Blinken scrapped the final leg of the trip and returned to Washington without traveling to Thailand.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Wednesday: "Blinken and his senior staff" tested negative following the positive case among the press corps. Price's statement, however, made no reference to others traveling on the plane with Blinken.

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When asked on Saturday about the two crew members, a State Department spokesperson in a statement did not directly comment on them. "Regarding disclosure, as is standard with contact tracing and in accordance with CDC guidelines, we inform close contacts of positive cases," the agency said.

The trip to Southeast Asia was Blinken's first to the region since President Joe Biden took office in January.

The Biden administration has sought to shore up ties with a region that had become uncertain about U.S. commitment during a period of perceived neglect under former President Donald Trump.

China expanded its influence in Southeast Asia, pushing investment and trade integration, at a time when Trump had withdrawn from a U.S.-inspired Pacific trade pact that sought to challenge Beijing's economic clout.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Ted Cruz will get a vote in January on his bill to slap sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline in a deal struck with Democrats in which he agreed to lift holds on dozens of President Joe Biden's nominees for ambassador posts.

In the agreement reached early Saturday between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, and Cruz, the Senate will vote before Jan. 14 on Cruz's bill to place sanctions on the Russia-to-Germany natural gas pipeline.

The deal cleared the way for the Senate's approval of roughly three dozen ambassadors, including former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as ambassador to Japan.

Under the agreement, Cruz's bill, which would impose measures on the pipeline under previous mandates, will need 60 votes to pass. That is a hurdle in the 50-50 Senate, where bipartisanship is scarce.

Democrats this autumn had been rallying around a separate measure that would place sanctions on Nord Stream 2 and Russian officials only if Russia invaded Ukraine, but that legislation was dropped from annual defense policy legislation.

A senior Republican congressional aide said on Saturday he believed Cruz's bill would pass.

Biden opposes Nord Stream 2, which is completed but awaiting approvals from Germany, because it would bypass Ukraine, depriving it of transit fees and potentially undermining its struggle against Russia. The administration also believes the project would increase Russia's leverage over Europe. Moscow says the project is only commercial.

The White House and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In May, the Biden administration placed sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, the company that controls the pipeline. But it immediately waived the sanctions, saying the project was already mostly built and as the administration sought to repair ties with ally Germany.

Germany is taking time to approve the pipeline. In a setback for Nord Stream 2, Germany's energy regulator said on Thursday https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/german-regulator-says-nord-stream-2-launch-not-expected-h1-2022-2021-12-16 that no decision on whether to allow it to be commissioned is expected in the first half of 2022.

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Leslie Adler)
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientific advisors to Britain's government said it was "almost certain" that hundreds of thousands of people were being infected with the Omicron coronavirus variant every day and hospital admissions were likely to surge.

"Currently observed numbers of Omicron infections admitted to hospital in the UK are probably around one tenth of the true number because the data lags of hospital reporting," the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies said in minutes of a meeting on Dec. 16.

Data published on Saturday showed confirmed Omicron cases hit 24,968 as of 1800 GMT on Dec. 17, up by just over 10,000 cases from 24 hours earlier.

Without further measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, "modelling indicates a peak of at least 3,000 hospital admissions per day in England," according to the minutes of the meeting.

(Writing by William Schomberg, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
The national mandate will cover more than two-thirds of US workers

A federal appeals court has reinstated a vaccine-or-testing mandate for large US businesses.

The mandate will require workers at private companies with more than 100 employees to get fully vaccinated against Covid-19, or be tested weekly.

It had been blocked by a court ruling last month, with critics citing "grave statutory and constitutional" issues.

But a three-judge panel ruled on Friday that delaying its implementation would hinder efforts against Covid-19.

The ruling, which would cover more than two-thirds of the nation's workers, marked a major win for President Joe Biden. But opponents have signalled plans to appeal the verdict at the Supreme Court.

Many businesses in the US already require their employees to be vaccinated. There are also requirements for military and federal contractors.

The latest mandate is set to be in place from 4 January.

In addition to its vaccine and testing regulations, it also requires companies to determine which of their employees are vaccinated, and to enforce a mask mandate among unvaccinated workers.

It was issued by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in November. OSHA argued that it could save more than 6,500 lives and prevent a quarter of a million hospitalizations during the six months it would be in effect.

But the mandate attracted a raft of legal challenges from 27 states, as well as private companies and industry groups. Opponents argued that OSHA did not have the legal authority to enforce the rule, and that it would be costly and lead to worker shortages.

In a 2-1 ruling, the judges said these concerns were "entirely speculative".

"Fundamentally, the [rule] is an important step in curtailing the transmission of a deadly virus that has killed over 800,000 people in the United States, brought our healthcare system to its knees, forced businesses to shut down for months on end, and cost hundreds of thousands of workers their jobs," wrote Circuit Judge Jane Stranch.

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Job Creators Network, a conservative advocacy group that was party to the case, said in a statement that it was disappointed with the decision.

"This mandate adds an incredible burden on small business owners who are still suffering negative effects of the pandemic," it added.

Similar mandates for healthcare workers and federal contractors are currently being held up in separate court disputes across the US.

More than 72% of the US population has received at least one Covid vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, some 80 million people in the US remain unvaccinated.
By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -The Vatican on Saturday warned conservative Roman Catholics who have balked at Pope Francis' decision to restrict the old traditionalist Latin Mass that they were sowing division and engaging in "sterile polemics".

The Vatican department overseeing sacraments and liturgy issued a directive in response to bishops' requests for clarification following a document in July in which Francis overturned decisions by his two predecessors and tightened access to the Mass.

Since July some conservatives, including bishops, have openly defied the pope, resulting in the latest chapter of what some have dubbed the Church's "liturgy wars".

Religious conservatives in the United States in particular have used the Latin Mass debate to align with politically conservative media outlets to criticise the pope over a host of other issues such as climate change, immigration and social justice.

"As pastors we must not lend ourselves to sterile polemics, capable only of creating division, in which the ritual (the Mass) itself is often exploited by ideological viewpoints," Archbishop Arthur Roche, head of the department, wrote in an introductory letter to the responses to 11 questions.

Saturday's document said conservatives who favour the Latin Mass cannot use such a sacred part of Catholicism to deny the "validity and legitimacy" of the reforms of the 1962-1965 Second Vatican Council, which included an opening to the modern world and dialogue with other religions, particularly Judaism.

It also made clear that pre-Vatican II Latin rites should not be used for other sacraments, such as confirmation.

Joseph Shaw, chairman of the Latin Mass Society in Britain said in a tweet that the document "will have serious negative consequences" and drive Catholics who want to remain in unity with their bishop to join extremist groups.

Before the Council, Catholic Mass was an elaborate ritual led in Latin by a priest facing east with his back to the congregation. Vatican II modernised the liturgy, including more active participation by the congregation, and had the priest face the faithful to pray in their local language.

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Traditionalists, who are a small but very vocal minority in the 1.3 billion-member Church, have rejected the new Mass, which is known as the Novus Ordo and entered into general use in the early 1970s. Many missed the Latin rites sense of mystery and awe and the centuries-old sacred music that went with it.

Both former Pope Benedict and Pope John Paul II had relaxed restrictions on the Latin Mass in an olive branch to conservatives.

In re-introducing the restrictions in July, Francis said his predecessors' leniency, while well-intentioned, had been "exploited" for ideological reasons.

(Reporting by Philip PullellaEditing by Frances Kerry)
John McKeen / Getty Images

NY AG Letitia James sued a tri-state area pet store chain called Shake A Paw on Thursday.

The lawsuit alleged that the stores had mistreated their animals and misled customers.

Animal records' showed more than half were sick at the time of sale and most came from puppy mills.

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Long Island pet store Shake a Paw on Thursday, alleging that the store knowingly sold sick and injured animals, with some puppies dying within days of purchase.

According to the lawsuit, at least 52% of the puppies were coughing, sneezing, or had an upper respiratory infection when purchased, with over half infected with parasites, and close to ten percent diagnosed with pneumonia.

One hospital, Sunrise Animal Hospital, treated at least 251 animals who were sold by the store.

"The illnesses and congenital defects in these animals were found to be consistent with puppies that are purchased from puppy mills," James wrote, adding that the stores sourced over 2,000 puppies from puppy mills since 2016, and alleged they lied to customers about the breeders they used.

The lawsuit is seeking restitution for the duped customers, civil penalties as well as a permanent injunction preventing the stores from selling, importing, exporting, bartering, exchanging, or gifting any animals in the future.

The AG's office analyzed records from Shake A Paw and found that 62% of the animals were sold a week after receiving a health certificate, through a network of selected veterinarians.

James' lawsuit added that alongside interviews with disgruntled customers who were promised the "highest quality, healthiest and most friendly puppies," according to the store's website, a former veterinarian testified that he discontinued a contract with the stores because of "the frequency with which Shake A Paw puppies were presenting at his practice with severe, sometimes life-threatening illnesses, shortly after their sale."

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The Attorney General's office also alleged that Shake A Paw broke the law and "gave customers the run around" by not honoring their own guarantees, which included the promise of a full refund should a pet die, or paying for up to half of the cost of potential surgery.

"Shake A Paw representatives also directed consumers to the company's own veterinarians, who often failed to diagnose illnesses; telling consumers that they would not be reimbursed if they visited their own veterinarians," James wrote.

In the press release, James said that the state has frozen the store's assets as well.

"I just hope that in the future other families don't have to suffer the same grief that we did. I'm proud that I could be involved in this because it feels like I'm getting justice for my dog Merlin," said Erin Laxton, who purchased a dog from the company. Merlin passed away weeks after the purchase.

Insider reached out to the Attorney General's office and to Shake a Paw for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
Lawyers for Liberty University and its former communications executive, Scott Lamb, will try to work out how to return sensitive school data after two contentious days in federal court.

Lamb first filed suit after he was fired in early October, claiming the school did so in retaliation for objections hed raised over corrupt practices, and Liberty has filed a counterclaim against him demanding $3 million in damages.

The schools response included a more immediate request for an injunction against Lamb, asking for the return of Libertys files and a gag order against Lamb, among other measures. That injunction was the purpose for what was at times intense testimony and debate Thursday and Friday in U.S. District Court in Lynchburg.

Lambs position is tied to a few matters related to the school. His lawsuit is based in accusations Liberty violated Title IX, which among other things covers how colleges and universities handle claims of sexual assault.

Thats been a sore spot for Liberty in the past half-year, following a large lawsuit from a dozen women accusing LU of pushing reports of sexual assaults under the rug, along with other court cases and media detailing similar accusations.

Besides that, Lamb has linked his firing to the end of an internal investigation Liberty launched into general misuse of school funds and power, following the resignation of its former president, Jerry Falwell Jr. Lamb has said he spoke to investigators for up to 25 hours of interviews, and his attorney asked questions of witnesses Thursday about such misuse allegations against senior school executives.

Where Liberty has kept its eye financially, though, has been on Lambs involvement with its Standing for Freedom Center. Formerly known as the Falkirk Center, the school-owned and operated entity is meant to influence young people toward conservative and Christian thinking largely through social media, with critics considering it conspiracy theory-ridden propaganda.

Libertys lawyers have pointed to early budgets for the center, along with a list of other documents about the center that were recovered from Lambs work computer after he was fired, as trade secrets Lamb still possessed and could take elsewhere, knowing that it attracted donors for the school.

Figures for the center werent disclosed in court, and as one witness pointed out, the centers budget is rolled into Libertys budget and isnt specified in tax documents  though in 2019, the most recent year for which tax documents are available, the center was in its infancy.

Lamb has said hes questioned whether the centers political agenda crossed the line for LUs status as a tax-exempt institution, though as he said in testimony Friday, his office oversaw the center and he was tasked by Falwell to grow it.

In general, this weeks hearing ended up with longer stretches of testimony than expected, during which Lamb and his lawyers extracted some striking claims.

Lamb said from the witness stand Friday he was scripted to lie about Title IX matters as Libertys media liaison by the schools general counsel, David Corry, on at least three occasions, which Lamb said he refused to do.

Lamb has said publicly a speech drafted for current LU President Jerry Prevo to use at convocation Oct. 1 included a promise that Prevo had hired legal counsel to investigate Title IX issues on campus, which Lamb said he wasnt aware of at the time.

Disputes Lamb had over the school administrations response to concerns over the Title IX matters  namely, a campaign by current students  culminated in Lamb writing a memo that was discussed exhaustively in court but hasnt been disclosed. The memo was written on that Friday, Oct. 1, and a meeting that eventually led to Lambs firing took place the following Monday, according to evidence in the case.

Reached for comment Friday, Corry deferred to a statement from the school.

The hearing demonstrated again why Mr. Lambs credibility is reasonably questioned. The universitys legal team, for instance, never prepared false statements regarding Title IX for the press to be delivered by any spokesperson, a statement from the school reads. We will not take the time to correct Lambs myriad misleading statements but as time goes by it will become more apparent that what Lamb has asserted since his termination is false.

Characterized by Libertys lawyer as an enthusiastic talker whos been playing a media game, Lamb slipped other controversial claims about Liberty into his hearing. He suggested both Falwell and Prevo have harbored mistrust for school systems and executives, saying Prevo asked Lamb at one point whether Prevos office was bugged, and Lambs attorney asked questions about personal use of jets on the schools dime.

Lamb dodged questions about whether he wiped his work computer after being fired, eventually admitting to deleting personal files before handing the device back. Libertys attorneys focused on his copying of school documents and recording work conversations, which Lamb contended was essential to his job.

Frequently prodding the hearing on rather than dancing around this thing, U.S. District Court Judge Norman Moon indicated at the end of Fridays hearing that Libertys injunction should be given. He encouraged attorneys to negotiate how to transfer data from Lambs files back to the school efficiently.

Attorneys argued over who should pay for technical assistance doing so, with Libertys lawyer stating Falwell has been similarly sorting through personal and LU documents for months in a separate and ongoing lawsuit involving the school.

The core issues in Lambs suit and Libertys counterclaim are scheduled for a trial next year.

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RICHMOND  Virginia state employees who serve at the will of the governor remain largely in limbo about their employment status heading into the Christmas holiday, having not received formal notices from Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkins transition team about whether they should pack up or stay put.

Dozens of government workers  top officials at the states agencies, governors staff and others  can be replaced without reason by a governor, and many traditionally are removed when new administrations come in.

But some in highly technical roles, or with decades of experience serving both parties, might be interested in staying or asked to do so out of need. Many remain in the dark about the will of the new administration, according to multiple people reached by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

As had been the case in prior administrations, those notices will be sent when circumstances require them, said Devin OMalley, a spokesman for the Youngkin transition. OMalley did not say whether any notices, or how many, had gone out so far.

Youngkin, whose tenure as governor will be his first stint in elected office, will take control of government on Jan. 15. So far, the transition has been slow to name the new administrations top brass. On Monday, he announced his first Cabinet secretary: Aimee Rogstad Guidera will serve as secretary of education.

Guidera, president of Guidera Strategy, was founder and chief executive of the Data Quality Campaign. For 12 years she led the national organization advocating for improved quality, accessibility and use of education data to increase student achievement.

Guidera previously served as the director of the Washington, D.C., office of the National Center for Educational Achievement. She started her career working on education policy at the National Governors Association.

Youngkin has emphasized that school choice will be a key focus of his tenure as governor.

Meanwhile, at-will employees traditionally are political appointees as opposed to career state employees who are the states equivalent of the civil service.

Those who have not received word from the Youngkin transition team include current leaders in key roles, such as Virginia Health Commissioner Norman Oliver, the physician who has led the states health department through the COVID-19 pandemic  coordinating the states public health response.

Oliver said in an interview that he would like to continue overseeing critical work and improvements at the health department, where he has worked since spring 2018.

The governor-elect asked anybody who wanted to work in the Youngkin administration to apply for that position through that web portal they had. I put in my application for state health commissioner, Oliver said.

For lower-ranked workers at multiple other agencies, the lack of clarity has been disconcerting, said multiple people familiar with the process.

For the sake of a smooth transition, the incoming Youngkin administration might want to retain personnel in key technical roles at least temporarily until it can make its own picks to fill the posts. Under state rules, the Youngkin administration could retain workers for up to 120 days in a transition period.

A state law, the Workforce Transition Act, offers employees who are removed by an incoming administration severance pay depending on their length of service. Without a formal notice detailing the end of their service, that benefit wont kick in.

For these workers, its really a grueling process. You have no idea whats going to happen, whether you have to move or find a new job, said Bill Leighty, who was an adviser for the transitions of Govs. Bob McDonnell, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.

Its a really difficult time for anyone waiting, said Leighty, who served as the chief of staff to Kaine and Warner and wrote a handbook for the National Governors Association on gubernatorial transitions.

Leighty said that based on the length of service of many Cabinet heads, and the political shift that will take place at the Executive Mansion, he expects abnormally high turnover of top government roles.

That might prompt Youngkin to keep some at-will workers, at least on a temporary basis.

You dont replace somebody with nobody, he said.
RICHMOND  The masonry crew already had worked nine straight days  most of them for 12 hours per day  disassembling the pedestal when worker Cleon James saw something he had never seen before. He was jackhammering between the granite blocks when he came upon a layer of mortar that had been cleanly spread with a trowel.

James and his crew leader, Tim Albee, grabbed a hammer and chisel and tapped at the mortar. What lay beneath was a copper box measuring 14 by 14 by 8 inches. Albee ran to the edge of the scaffolding and shouted down to Michael Spence, the construction superintendent.

They had found something.

It was 7:11 a.m. Friday  the workers meticulously noted the time  when they discovered what is believed to be a time capsule placed in the Robert E. Lee statues pedestal in 1887. Its contents are believed to include Confederate memorabilia including a potentially rare photo of Abraham Lincoln in his grave.

Erected in 1890, the statue of Robert E. Lee that stood on Monument Avenue for more than 130 years came down in September. State officials announced earlier this month they would disassemble the 40-foot granite plinth and then give the plot of land to the City of Richmond.

The crew spent six hours Friday carefully removing the 1,500-pound block containing the box and transporting it via articulated forklift to the Department of Historic Resources, where officials expect to open it in the coming days.

Having discovered what they could not find three months earlier, the mood was uplifting.

Im invigorated, Spence said. Its incredible. Its a great piece of history.

Back in September, the Connecticut-based Summit Masonry crew spent a full day looking for the time capsule. They never found it.

Ive been getting a hard time back at the office not finding it the first time, Albee said.

Theres a good reason why they came up empty handed. The capsule was nowhere near where they thought it would be.

***

Newspaper accounts from 1887 described how the capsule was placed in a cornerstone during a ceremony three years before the statue was complete. Masonic tradition indicated the northeast corner was the most likely destination. So the crew spent 12 hours looking near the ground of the northeast corner.

It turns out the time capsule was placed 20 feet up, inside the pedestal, toward the northwest side of the structure.

The granite block containing the capsule could be considered a cornerstone, Albee said, because its on the corner of the pedestals interior structure. Putting the capsule inside the pedestal was a sensible decision, Spence added, because on the outside, it could have been stolen.

The masonry crew discovered the Lee pedestal has two structures, an inside or backup structure and an outside facade. In between the two, the builders placed rocks, boulders and mortar to fill the space. Concrete would have been too expensive at the time, Spence said.

This is just quality craftsmanship, Spence added.

While the location seemingly did not match the 1887 newspaper accounts, the color and size of the box did.

According to the newspapers, there are 60 objects inside, mostly of Confederate origin, including: a history of Monumental Church; a collection of Confederate buttons; a copy of Carlton McCarthys Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia; bullets, a piece of shell and a Minie ball lodged in a piece of wood; a battle flag; a Confederate bond; the Oct. 26, 1887, edition of The Richmond Dispatch; and  most famously  a picture of Abraham Lincoln in his grave.

The photo of a deceased Lincoln placed beneath a Confederate hero was meant as an insult toward the Union, said Dale Brumfield, an author and historian who has studied the capsules history. The time capsule was one more way to celebrate the Lost Cause.

Photos of Lincoln after his death are rare, and if its a unique photo, it could be worth $250,000, Brumfield estimated. Or it could be a fake or reproduction with no real value. Or it could be destroyed from more than a century of air and water.

But given the capsule was placed up high and not on the ground increases the likelihood that boxs contents arent damaged, Brumfield said.

It was dry as a bone when we found it, Spence said.

***

At 2 p.m., one of the workers blasted an air horn, and the block containing the box was hoisted into the air by a crane and placed on the ground. Worried they might damage the capsule, workers moved the entire 1,500 pound block holding it.

Once the time capsule was on the ground, the workers from Summit kept disassembling. The pedestal is composed of 500 to 600 granite blocks, some weighing as much as 9,000 pounds, Albee said.

Each block has been labeled, placed on a wood pallet on a flatbed truck, and transported away to a storage facility.

Albee has meticulously charted the location of each stone and marked them with a letter and number. Should someone want to rebuild the pedestal at some point in the future, there will be a blueprint waiting for its assembly.

The job is about half done, and Summit hopes to finish by Dec. 23. The crew has never done a job like this before, Albee said. Much of their work has taken place at Yale University, where they dissemble, restore and reassemble old buildings.

Were glad to be a part of it, Albee said. This is a big deal.

After the workers placed the capsule and its block on the forklift, they covered it in shrink wrap and duct taped it together. With a police escort, a worker drove the forklift  at about four miles an hour  down Monument Avenue toward the Department of Historic Resources.

Staffers there will have to chisel away some of the granite in order to pry away the box, said Julie Langan, director of the department. Then they will X-ray it in hopes of ascertaining how to open it without causing damage.

Sometime next week, DHR staffers plan to open it, possibly settling the long-wondered mystery of whats inside.
RICHMOND  Gov. Ralph Northams press secretary said Saturday that the governor is reversing a decision by his health commissioner to lay off 14 people who monitor drinking water in Virginia.

The announcement saves the jobs of 11 full-time and three part-time employees in the state Department of Healths Office of Drinking Water. It comes three days after the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on the layoffs and how they would have canceled 180 years of combined experience by six engineers who serve as field directors across the state.

The Governor has directed the Department of Health and the Department of Planning and Budget to fix the Office of Drinking Waters budget shortfall now so that no one will lose their positions  this office and these individuals are too important to do otherwise, Alena Yarmosky, the governors press secretary, said in an email.

The individuals affected are being notified now and we will work with the Office of Drinking Water to ensure their budget practices do not put them in this unfortunate situation again.

The Department of Health cited a budgeting error in 2019 as the reason for the layoffs. Yarmosky said the Department of Planning and Budget considers it a spending error by the Office of Drinking Water. That year, the office director approved pay raises for 55 employees and opened a field office of four people in Richmond.

Norm Oliver, the state health commissioner, said in an interview this week that the office director got bad information from Department of Health administrators. Despite the state being flush with cash, including proposing to add positions in the office to carry out new projects with federal money, Oliver defended the layoffs.

That did not make sense to officials involved in water monitoring, because those to be laid off included the field directors  the most experienced people in the office of just over 100 employees which already has vacancies the director says are prompting extra work without extra pay.

The office monitors water quality across the state, enforces drinking water standards in state and federal law, handles inspections and permits, and assists with lab testing.

The Virginia Rural Water Association wrote a letter to the state saying the layoffs were reckless and irresponsible and would have lasting effects on the states ability to monitor drinking water systems.

Oliver said he did not notify his boss, the health secretary, about the layoffs, which were to go into effect Jan. 9.

Within days of the Governors office first hearing of this issue, it has been resolved, Yarmosky wrote, adding that the governors office had no knowledge of the layoffs until they were reported by The Times-Dispatch.
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has announced plans to shorten the interval between the second and third coronavirus vaccinations for medical professionals and certain elderly people to six months from the current eight.

Kishida said on Friday that the Moderna vaccine approved on Thursday for third doses will be used for the boosters. He said the interval will be shortened for about 31 million people after obtaining the opinion of experts.

The government will be shortening the interval for healthcare personnel and seniors in care homes, who are at high risk of serious illness, to six months. In addition, it plans to shorten the interval for other seniors to seven months starting next February.

Kishida also said the government will begin the supply of oral drugs, which have been described as effective against the Omicron variant, by the end of the year.

He said the government has already secured 1.6 million doses of the oral drug, Molnupiravir, developed by Merck. Kishida also said he and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla agreed in principle during a phone conference earlier in the day to secure 2 million doses of the company's oral drug. He said the government will continue to negotiate to finalize the deal, including on the timing of delivery.
Japans success in driving down Covid-19 cases has mystified experts but scientists have now identified a genetic X-factor among its population that may have helped the country turn its outbreak around.

Daily Covid cases in the country reached more than 23,000 on August 26 but have since fallen sharply to around 100 a day, with numbers remaining steady even as it heads into winter.

Scientists have struggled to explain the dramatic turnaround with some pointing to the influence of some X-factor. One theory suggested the virus was driven to a natural extinction after several mutations led to it being unable to make copies of itself.

However, Japanese researchers from the Riken Institute in Tokyo have now found a possible genetic advantage that may explain the countrys success, and published their findings in the British journal Communications Biology last week.

The researchers found ethnic Japanese people are more likely to have a specific genetic feature related to white blood cells that could be helping the body to fight Covid-19.

It could be considered an X-factor, Riken immunotherapy laboratory team leader Professor Shin-ichiro Fujii told Nikkei Asia.

The protein located on the surface of white blood cells called HLA-A24, is common among some Asian groups, and is found in about 60 per cent of ethnic Japanese people, but is only present around 10-20 per cent of European and American populations.

HLA-A24 helps to activate the bodys killer T cells and researchers believe that the protein helps T-cells to remember past infections caused by seasonal coronaviruses and to potentially respond when exposed to Covid-19.
The US Senate has voted to make former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel the next ambassador to Japan. Emanuel will fill a post that has been vacant for two and a half years.

The one-time member of the House of Representatives went on to serve as Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama. He then spent eight years as mayor of Chicago, during which time he faced criticism for his handling of a fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white police officer.

Emanuel needed support from Republican senators to secure the nomination as some progressive members of the Democratic Party voted against it.

Emanuel told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in October that he would strengthen the alliance with Japan in order to stand up to China.

The US has not had an ambassador to Japan since William Hagerty stepped down in July 2019 to run for the Senate.
Sindh [Pakistan]: At least 12 people died and dozens were injured in a blast in Pakistans Sindh province on Saturday afternoon.

The explosion took place in Karachis Shershah area, Pakistan Urdu news channel Samaa reported. Reportedly, a building that hosted a bank partially collapsed in the blast.

The Pakistani publication said that police and rescue officials rushed to the spot and the injured have been moved to a nearby hospital.

Media reports said that several people are suspected to be trapped under the rubble.

The nature of the blast is being determined by the police who is investigating the blast.

Some Pakistani media reports suggest the incident occurred due to gas leakage or detonation of explosives.
A pair of Council Bluffs men were recently sentenced to prison in federal court on separate charges.

On Tuesday, Clarence L. Woolsoncroft, 58, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, while that day Michael M. Loth, 42, was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

According to court documents, Woolsoncroft pleaded guilty to the firearm offense in August of 2021. Woolsoncroft will serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office:

In April of 2021, the Council Bluffs Police Department received an anonymous telephone call reporting Woolsoncroft, who was a convicted felon, had firearms. The caller also reported Woolsoncroft threatened him or her. Police began an investigation that led to a search warrant being served on Woolsoncrofts residence and the subsequent recovery of two handguns and three shotguns with a large amount of assorted ammunition.

The investigation found Woolsoncroft had pointed an unloaded handgun at a person and pulled the trigger, before telling the person the firearm was not loaded.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said on March 4, Loth was parked at a gas station and law enforcement stopped to talk to him after noticing his car did not have a front license plate. Communications advised the officers Loth had a warrant for his arrest for a violation of supervised release. A trained and certified narcotics-sniffing dog alerted and indicated to the odor of a controlled substance in Loths vehicle and police searched the car. A firearm with a loaded magazine and 109 grams of methamphetamine were located.

The Council Bluffs Police Department, Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriffs Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were part of one or both investigations.

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Hospitals across the nation are seeing a rise in COVID-19 patients  including those in the Council Bluffs-Omaha area.

In January, COVID-19 cases began to decline rapidly, said Dr. Gary Anthone, chief medical officer and director of public health for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services during a Zoom media call on Thursday. Anthone, as well as other doctors from the Methodist Health System, CHI Health and Nebraska Medicine, expressed their concerns about COVID-19. When the delta COVID-19 variant was found in the United States, cases began to rise again, he said.

What the difference is now, compared to what it was in November of 2020, we now have our hospitals running at a lot higher capacity because they are not only taking care of COVID-19 patients, which is mostly what they were doing in October, November, December and January of last year and early this year, but also taking care of patients in the hospital who are in for other medical reasons, Anthone said.

Dr. Angela Hewlett, infectious diseases specialist at Nebraska Medicine and medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, said the med center is in the process of devoting an entire hospital tower to COVID-19 patients. There are currently more than 100 patients hospitalized at the center with COVID-19.

I think its important for people to remember that these beds were not unoccupied, Hewlett said.

The beds were occupied with other patients with heart problems, lung problems, diabetes, strokes and other diagnoses similar to that, which means those patients have to be moved to other parts of the hospital, she said.

That is very disturbing for us to watch because we want to take care of our patients who need us, she said. We have difficulty doing that with the COVID-19 surge we are seeing.

Dr. Matthew Donahue, acting state epidemiologist for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, said that it is more clear now than it was two weeks ago that the rate of increases for cases and hospitalizations isnt slowing. Over the past four to five weeks there has been a steady increase of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Every time a COVID-19 patient is being admitted to the hospital we are putting a stress on the hospital system, the actual bed capacity, the actual staffing capacity and thats why were trying to get across to the public now the situation that we are in, Anthone said.

Donahue said COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations keep increasing with no clear signs of decreasing or stabilizing.

It also appears so far that vaccines continue to prevent hospitalization and death, even with patients infected with the omicron COVID-19 variant, Donahue said. And that boosted individuals especially are seeing high levels of protection.

That is really reassuring and that reinforces the importance of vaccination now more than ever.

The Daily Nonpareil previously reported that as of Wednesday, the last available date for data, 58.1% of Iowans were fully vaccinated, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. That includes a 53.2% rate in Pottawattamie County. Both are lower than the national average of 61.1%.

Donahue said that non-vaccinated individuals are being hospitalized at rates 10 times higher than those who are vaccinated.

Hewlett brought up the importance of masks, saying individuals need to upgrade their masks to ones with multiple layers  KN95s, N95s or surgical masks for example.

I implore people to step up their mask game, Hewlett said during the Zoom call Thursday. Wearing a flimsy piece of cloth over your face isnt going to do it these days.

Hewlett also said that large indoor events should not be happening  especially if masking and social distancing are not in place.

In order to protect our capacity and to make sure that we can provide the care that we need for you and our families, we really need to fix this, she said.

Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan, chief of infectious disease at CHI Health-Creighton University said one of her biggest concerns was the severity of cases in young patients, saying it was very shocking and concerning.

Vivekanandan said patients in their 30s and 40s were getting very ill and she was worried about the omicron COVID-19 variant and what is yet to come, especially with health care workers being so burnt out already.

For the holidays, get a shot to stay out of the hospital and get a shot to save a life, Donahue said.

Pottawattamie County hosts weekly vaccine clinics from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Veterans Affairs building, 636 Sixth Ave.

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"All of the people involved with this lawsuit should regret being here," the judge wrote in his order. "To begin with, nearly every public official draws the attention of critics and cranks who have opinions they insist on sharing."
A trio of people who may be traveling the country tried to commit fraud Tuesday afternoon at Sams Club, according to the Grand Island Police.

Amanda Matamala Contreras and two men purchased $3,300 worth of gift cards using a stolen credit card from Fort Collins, Colorado, GIPD reports.

The two men fled the scene.

Police say Matamala Contreras provided a false name and fake identification card to an officer when questioned.

Matamala Contreras, 22, was arrested for unauthorized use of a transaction device, false reporting and identity theft.

She has no permanent address. It appears she is from the country of Chile, said Grand Island Capt. Jim Duering.

Police came close to apprehending one of the men Tuesday afternoon.

Sgt. Phoukhong Manivong said a witness saw the man run across U.S. 281 from Hobby Lobby and try to enter Red Lobster, and walked past Conestoga Mall. Manivong saw the man, from a couple of blocks away, at 14th Street and Webb Road and tried to make contact with him.

This guy was fast, Manivong said.

Were still trying to identify and track them down, Duering said Wednesday.

The method the group uses is similar to other types of crimes being reported. Duering doesnt know if the trio actually committed those crimes.

But police know that Matamala Contreras and her accomplices have traveled a wide area. They have found ties between Matamala Contreras and Florida, Colorado and California, Duering said.

We do think that they are nomadic criminals, he said.
Property owners who ask to remove their names from online property searches to conceal their address may keep their names confidential under a ruling the Iowa Supreme Court published Friday.

Des Moines Register reporter Clark Kauffman filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board against Polk County Assessor Randy Ripperger in 2017 after Ripperger refused to release a list of people who had requested their names be removed from the countys online search-by-name property search database. The list includes police officers, prosecutors, judges, and crime victims who want to make it harder for criminals or harassers to find out where they live. There are more than 3,500 property owners on the list.

Kauffman alleged that Ripperger was violating the states open records law by refusing to provide the list of names. Kauffman said in a hearing that he sought the disabled name list to determine who opts in to the policy and find out if developers, landlords or slumlords are trying to keep their names from public disclosure.

The board, which under Iowa law is empowered to enforce the states open records law, found in 2018 that Ripperger had violated the law. An administrative law judge and a state court judge affirmed that conclusion and Ripperger appealed.

The court concluded that the list of names fits within an exception the legislature allowed in the state law. The open records law provides confidentiality for communications with a government body by private citizens outside of government who would not have made the communication if they had known it would be made public.

The court found the list was a public record but that it fit witin the exception to disclosure as a communication intended to be confidential.

Communications requesting removal from the assessors search-by-name function are useful to promote public safety, especially for those in risky occupations or victims of domestic abuse who want to make it harder for potential assailants to locate their home addresses. When, as here, the record custodian could reasonably believe disclosure of the list would deter such communications, that determination should be upheld, not second-guessed, even if others could reasonably disagree with the custodian, the court said.

The court sent the case back to the board to determine who falls within the meaning of the law as being outside of government for a determination about whether some names may not fit the exception to the law.

Justice Thomas Waterman wrote the opinion, which was supported by Chief Justice Susan Christensen and Justice Dana Oxley. Three justices did not consider the case and Justice Edward Mansfield disagreed.

Mansfield said in a dissenting opinion that the 2012 law creating the board gives it the authority to interpret the open records law and the court should give deference to that authority. He said, citing language from the open records law, that free and open examination of public records is generally in the public interest even though such examination may cause inconvenience or embarrassment to public officials or others.
DES MOINES  The state board that provides oversight of physicians has received 17 complaints about doctors in Iowa spreading false or misleading information about COVID-19, a state official said.

Of those 17 complaints, five have been dismissed without the board taking any disciplinary action; 12 complaints remain under investigation, according to Kent Nebel, executive director of the Iowa Board of Medicine.

That puts Iowa in the vast majority nationally: roughly 1 in 5 state medical boards has taken disciplinary action against a licensee for disseminating false or misleading information about COVID-19, according to the Federation of State Medical Boards.

And just 1 in 4 state medical boards has published statements about the dissemination of false or misleading COVID-19 information, according to the national federation.

The complaints also put Iowa in line with national trends: two-thirds of state medical boards have experienced an increase in complaints relating to licensees disseminating false or misleading information, according to the national federation.

The staggering number of state medical boards that have seen an increase in COVID-19 disinformation complaints is a sign of how widespread the issue has become, Humayun J. Chaudhry, president and CEO of the Federation of State Medical Boards, said in a news release. We are encouraged by the number of boards that have already taken action to combat COVID-19 disinformation by disciplining physicians who engage in that behavior and by reminding all physicians that their words and actions matter, and they should think twice before spreading disinformation that may harm patients.

Under Iowa law, all complaint and investigation information is confidential, Nebel said. If any disciplinary action is taken, that would become a public record.

The Board evaluates each complaint on a case-by-case basis to determine whether a physician has engaged in conduct that may be harmful to patients or the public, Nebel said.

In Iowa, 7,680 people have died from COVID-19 or COVID-19-related causes, according to state public health data. The state, like many other areas in the country, is currently experiencing another wave of infections, once again putting significant stress on hospitals. The 843 Iowans hospitalized for COVID-19 is the most since late November of 2020, in the heart of the worst of the pandemic.

In Iowa, 58.4% of the population is fully vaccinated, according to federal data. Thats the 25th-highest rate in the nation.

This summer, the Federation of State Medical Boards board of directors issued a statement responding to what it called a dramatic increase in the dissemination of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and disinformation by physicians and other health care professionals on social media platforms, online and in the media. The statement warned that such actions could result in disciplinary action, including the suspension or revocation of medical licenses.

Due to their specialized knowledge and training, licensed physicians possess a high degree of public trust and therefore have a powerful platform in society, whether they recognize it or not. They also have an ethical and professional responsibility to practice medicine in the best interests of their patients and must share information that is factual, scientifically grounded and consensus-driven for the betterment of public health, the statement said. Spreading inaccurate COVID-19 vaccine information contradicts that responsibility, threatens to further erode public trust in the medical profession and puts all patients at risk.
JOHNSTON  Mariannette Miller-Meeks called it an extremely difficult decision to run in Iowas new 1st Congressional District in 2022.

The new district contains much of the current 2nd District that Miller-Meeks, a Republican, represents now. But it does not contain her home in Ottumwa, which got drawn into the new 3rd District.

So after the states redistricting process forced Miller-Meeks to decide to run in an almost entirely new district against an incumbent  3rd District Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne  or move from her home into a district that is more familiar, Miller-Meeks said she agonized of the decision.

That was an extremely difficult decision, Miller-Meeks said Friday during recording of this weekends episode of Iowa Press on Iowa PBS. You want to represent your hometown, and my hometown  was put into District 3. But 80% of the district I currently represent, and which I know very well having been both in residency at the University of Iowa, on faculty at the University of Iowa, and then I had a private practice in Burlington  so it is a district that I know very well.

So it was an extraordinarily difficult decision to make, and finally came to the decision that I would run in the district which 80% of I currently represent.

While state law allows for Iowans to represent a district in Congress without living in that district, Miller-Meeks said she plans to look for a place to live in the new 1st District, although she also said she will not sell her house in Ottumwa.

Miller-Meeks was first elected to Congress in 2020, winning by a mere six vote out of nearly 400,000 cast. The victory came on her fourth try: she was the Republican nominee for Congress in eastern Iowas 2nd District three times and was unsuccessful each time in her bid to unseat Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack.

Kyle Kuehl, a Bettendorf business owner, also announced his candidacy as a Republican in the new 1st District. The only Democrat in the race thus far is Christina Bohannan, an attorney, law professor and state lawmaker from Iowa City.

The race should draw national attention, as the district is fairly balanced politically, according to state voter registration figures. And the U.S. House majority is very much up for grabs in the collective House races.

Absolutely. I in no way think that this is going to be an easy re-elect. It is going to be very challenging, as challenging as the election in 2020, Miller-Meeks said. I will work very hard. I am known to be a very strong campaigner, I am known to be out and visiting and with people and I will continue to do that.

Miller-Meeks said during her brief time thus far in Congress, she is proud of her work on legislative proposals on legal immigration and efforts to lower prescription drug prices. She was the only Iowa Republican to vote in favor of the special committee that is investigating the January 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol, and during Fridays recording she defended her vote against a federal bill that provided funding for infrastructure projects across the country.

Iowa Press airs on Iowa PBS at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and noon on Sundays, and can be viewed online at iowapbs.org.
Nebraskas two largest utilities are closely watching the development of a new generation of smaller, simpler and purportedly safer nuclear reactors to see how they might fit into plans for more carbon-free electricity.

Representatives of the Nebraska Public Power District and the Omaha Public Power District were among those attending an October seminar in Lincoln on advanced nuclear power, where advocates said new technologies will ensure that nuclear power is a player in Americas energy future.

The next generation of advanced nuclear technology is something were following pretty closely, said Tom Kent, president and CEO of NPPD, which operates one of the 55 nuclear power plants in the United States.

Nuclear power  either extending the life of existing reactors or using new generation micro and modular reactors  is going to be part of reducing carbon emissions, Kent said.

At OPPD, which shut down its nuclear power plant at Fort Calhoun in 2016, an official said the new nuclear technologies are intriguing.

Tim Uehling, a senior director in the decommissioning of the Fort Calhoun facility, said that if the new technologies prove to be commercially viable, they could become options to help the Omaha-based power district achieve its goal of a net-zero carbon footprint by 2050.

Last week, NPPDs board also adopted a goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Some environmental groups are urging caution about what they consider unproven technologies, calling them PowerPoint reactors. They point out that none of the new-generation plants have been built and that it will be a decade or more before its known if they are commercially practical and affordable.

Edwin Lyman, an expert on nuclear power safety with the Union of Concerned Scientists, is not optimistic that the new, smaller reactors will be feasible.

These plants face many hurdles to commercial deployment, Lyman said. Cost is probably the biggest problem, as even operating reactors are having trouble competing with other electricity sources such as renewables.

But their development is gaining momentum because of the support and financial backing of people such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who bills it as a way to combat climate change. There are also efforts underway by a group of Nebraskans, including the wife of a state senator, to promote the new technologies.

That group organized the October seminar, the Nebraska Advanced Nuclear Forum. It drew 170 people, including Gov. Pete Ricketts and several state senators. The forum was a follow-up to the passage of a bill last spring that allows nuclear energy projects to qualify for tax credits under the states new economic development law, the ImagiNE Act.

The purpose of the daylong forum was to educate and to dispel concerns associated with nuclear power, such as meltdowns or partial meltdowns at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, Chernobyl in Ukraine and, most recently, the Fukushima power station in Japan, which was hit by a tsunami in 2011.

There also has been controversy over how and where to dispose of spent fuel and low-level radioactive waste. Nebraska had to pay a $146 million court judgment after it refused to license a proposed low-level radioactive waste repository in Boyd County.

But advocates maintain that a new generation of nuclear power plants will be different and, because of the way they are cooled, will be much safer.

Jan Bostelman, a chemical and nuclear engineer whose husband, Bruce, is a state senator, said the passive design of the new reactors relies on gravity, instead of mechanical pumps, to circulate coolant. Thus, she said, a meltdown cant be caused by a power outage that shuts down the cooling pumps.

Gates company, TerraPower, would use liquid sodium instead of water to cool its plants. TerraPower recently announced that it would build its first reactor in Kemmerer, Wyoming, where a coal-fired power plant is to be shut down. The $4 billion project will get half of its funding from a U.S. Department of Energy grant. Once completed, which is anticipated in 2028, it would be operated by Rocky Mountain Power, a division of Berkshire Hathaway Energys PacifiCorp.

The Energy Department has also invested $400 million to help build a small modular reactor power plant in Idaho designed by Oregon-based NuScale Power. The test plant is expected to be completed by 2029.

Bostelman said that some new-generation reactors would be small enough to fit on the back of a truck and that the small modular reactors could be stacked together, or added later, to create an electric generation station as small or large as needed. The smaller size and simpler design would require less water, she said, so they could be located in desert climates.

What about waste? Bostelman said some of the new plants use spent nuclear fuel. And despite a decades-long battle that ultimately canceled plans for a national repository for high-level radioactive waste in Nevada, there have been no incidents involving nuclear waste in the United States, she said.

The new technologies are the result of 60 years of research, and are a tremendous improvement over reactors now in use, Bostelman said.

I would very much encourage people to do research on this and not to hold onto old myths, especially related to waste, she said.

Ricketts, when he spoke at the nuclear power forum, said it is unacceptable for the state to endure another round of rolling blackouts, like those seen during the extreme cold snap in February.

The nation, the governor said, needs a power source that can operate around the clock and is reliable, affordable and sustainable. Nuclear power, he said, should be part of an all of the above energy strategy.

Doubters, including the Sierra Club, question whether the new technologies are really better and whether federal money should be spent on other alternatives.

Arnie Gundersen, a nuclear engineer with Fairewinds Energy Education, a nonprofit that says it provides undistorted information about nuclear energy, wrote an open letter to Gates in August, saying that liquid sodium-cooled reactors have a 70-year history of failure.

In Nebraska, the new incentives for nuclear energy passed on a 47-0 vote. Advocates point out that the state gets about 24% of its total electricity from NPPDs Cooper Nuclear Station, which provides about 600 jobs.

Bostelman said the new nuclear technologies provide an economic opportunity for the state because they would provide high-paying jobs in rural areas. She teaches a class at Southeast Community College on working in the nuclear power industry, and Bostelman said many of her students want to remain in the state.

Advocates acknowledge that they have a job ahead to improve the public perception of nuclear energy, but at least a couple of polls indicate that support for it is rising and that younger people are more receptive to it than older generations.

Kent, the CEO of NPPD, said that his district will have to decide fairly soon whether to seek an extension to operate its nuclear plant past 2035 or look for other ways to generate electricity. He said that NPPD has talked with three advanced nuclear power vendors and that the utility will need a mix of base load power sources to keep the lights on when the wind isnt blowing and the sun isnt shining.

Waiting several years to see if the new nuclear technologies are proven isnt a concern, Kent said.

In utility terms, having something available by the end of the decade is pretty quick, he said.
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Moroccos Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) arrested a 24-year-old ISIS supporter in Sale, Rabats twin city, Thursday.

The suspect was plotting terror acts across Morocco and had connections with another ISIS member, the BCIJ said in a statement released Friday evening.

This arrest is the result of bilateral cooperation relations and close coordination between the services of Moroccos General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), intelligence services and U.S. law enforcement agencies, as part of their joint efforts to confront the dangers of violent extremism and terrorist threats, the statement said.

Initial investigation revealed that the suspect had prepared digital content in which he pledged allegiance to the alleged emir of the ISIS terrorist organization and was planning to join the organizations camps abroad before he recently decided to take part in a terrorist project in Morocco by using explosive devices, BCIJ underlined.

According to the investigation, the suspect made two attempts to prepare explosive devices, a fact which was confirmed by the searches carried out and which led to the seizure of electronic devices, materials and remains of products suspected of being used in the preparation of explosives.

This security operation shows the importance and effectiveness of bilateral cooperation between the DGST and the U.S. security and intelligence services in the area of the fight against violent extremism and terrorist dangers at the international level, the statement pointed out.

On Thursday, the US State Department highlighted in its Country Reports on Terrorism 2020 Moroccos comprehensive counterterrorism approach and stressed that the United States and Morocco have a long history of strong counterterrorism cooperation.

The annual report welcomed the Kingdoms efforts in the fight against terrorism, noting that the Government of Morocco continued to implement its comprehensive strategy, which includes vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and terrorist counter-radicalization policies.

In 2020, Moroccos counterterrorism efforts largely mitigated its risk of terrorism, the report found out.

Moroccan law enforcement leveraged intelligence collection, police work, and collaboration with international partners to conduct counterterrorism operations, the report underlined, noting that there were no reported terrorist incidents in Morocco in 2020.

Moroccan law enforcement agencies participated in a wide range of U.S.-sponsored programs to improve the countrys counterterrorism technical and investigative capabilities, including financial investigation, intelligence analysis, and cybersecurity, the document added.

The State Department highlighted Moroccos policy to combat violent extremism, noting that Morocco has a comprehensive CVE strategy that prioritizes economic and human development in addition to countering terrorist/violent extremist radicalization and oversight of the religious sphere.

Since 2002, Moroccan security services have dismantled more than 2,000 terror cells, arrested over 3,353 people for their alleged involvement in terrorist activities, and aborted over 500 terrorist plots.
The first crew member, who was symptomatic, tested positive in Jakarta, after arriving in the Indonesian capital from Liverpool, England, where Blinken participated in a Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting.

It was not immediately clear where the second crew member tested positive, but the journalist tested positive in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, according to the State Department, which has declined to comment on the Air Force cases.

The journalist's diagnosis in Malaysia set off a panic among the traveling party because of quarantine requirements for those testing positive at the next stop in Thailand.

Presented with a series of options to avoid the possibility of others testing positive, especially before the Christmas holiday, Blinken opted to curtail his trip. Instead of spending Wednesday night in Thailand and having meetings there the next day, Blinken made a brief stop at the airport in Bangkok to replace the infected crew members and did not leave his plane.

He then flew to Guam, an American territory in the Pacific, and then to Hawaii before returning to Washington early Friday morning.
President Joe Biden picked up where his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama left off, Hilgers said, notably with efforts to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates and forbid states from using federal pandemic funds to lower their own taxes.

While Obamas administration was pretty aggressive in kind of getting out of their constitutional lane, Bidens has taken it to another level, he said. The only place to fight back is in the (federal) courthouse.

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Hilgers acknowledged that presidents of both parties have moved to expand executive powers.

He blamed that on the countrys large inability of late to legislate through Congress as the Constitution intended.

The speaker said nothing immediately comes to mind when asked if he would have challenged executive actions by former GOP President Donald Trump.

But upholding the law is not a partisan exercise, he added.

He knows what it takes to run a large legal organization, Hilgers said. His own firm has grown to employ more than 60 lawyers in nine offices from coast to coast.
A technician inspects scans of platelets on a monitor during COVID-19 antibody neutralization testing in a laboratory at the African Health Research Institute (AHRI) in Durban, South Africa, on December 15. Photo: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In Gauteng, South Africas Omicron epicenter, the wave seems to be cresting. In other parts of the country, too, the terrifyingly fast rise of the new variant appears already to be slowing and even receding. This is very encouraging, since it suggests that Omicron waves elsewhere in the world may also be, if disorientingly fast, also mercifully short. But it is also a bit confusing, given that the wave has peaked well before anything like it had fully penetrated the local population, and given that everything we know about the new variant is that neither infection-acquired immunity nor two vaccine doses do much at all to stop transmission.

But this is not a phenomenon peculiar to Omicron. At earlier stages of the pandemic, in sometimes less dramatic ways, other waves have crested and declined much before crude models mightve suggested the vulnerable population had been exhausted. Sometimes, this has led to premature predictions of early herd immunity: Last summer, Youyang Gu, whod distinguished himself as a modeler of the pandemic, suggested that in parts of the U.S., at least, communities could be reaching temporary herd immunity with exposure levels between 10 percent and 35 percent. More recently, Philippe Lemoine has argued that population structure is a hugely underappreciated factor in pandemic spread, and that we shouldnt keep turning back to models based on simple inputs like doubling time (how long it takes caseloads to grow by a factor of two) or Rt (how many people each infected person infects, on average).

On Friday, I spoke with Trevor Bedford, of Seattles Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, about how to make sense of this phenomenon, and how comfortably we can count on the Omicron waves taking a similar turn, on a similar timetable, elsewhere in the world.

Im curious to talk to you about the state of play generally, but I wanted to start with what were seeing in Gauteng, where the wave already appears to be cresting, though many fewer people appear to have been infected than are vulnerable  especially when you consider that, while people whove been infected or vaccinated already may be protected against severe disease, there is hardly any protection against infection per se. Which means, in terms of infection, this is almost a virgin population, so to speak. How do you understand that?

Yeah, its a really good question. Ive been looking into this a bit. The basic idea is that we can measure Rt, and theres a very simple equation that will convert Rt into your population attack rate: how many people will be infected in the entire epidemic wave. That projection is quite linear. With Delta and the Delta Rt of 1.5  when it was coming in  I was able to convert that to an attack rate that ultimately matched what we saw. I did that by assuming it would really be mostly targeting the people that arent vaccinated or infected previously.

With Omicron, and its initial Rt being three-ish, that same equation should give you something like 90 percent of the population infected. But from what weve seen in South Africa, it seems like the wave is crashing well before that. So something is going on.

What do you think it is?

The options that I have been thinking about  theres five of them. Theyre non mutually exclusive. So to go through 

Please.

First, theres the simple limit to testing capacity. As things increase, our testing capacity doesnt increase as fast, and so were missing more and more cases. That can give you a distorted picture  it could look like a plateau in Gauteng, but you could imagine its really a much higher crest.

Like the top of a mountain has been chopped off by bad testing.

I also bet we can expect a lot more underreporting of Omicron, compared to previous wave, because its more mild, either through existing immunity or through actual reduction of intrinsic severity. And if, on average, youve reduced the severity of cases, thered be a lot of people that dont bother to come to the hospital or to get tested. And so as a rough guess, you might go from like one in ten cases reported in South Africa to one in 20 or even one in 30 cases  that wouldnt seem unreasonable to me. And that makes it so that at the same caseload of Delta versus Omicron you could actually have three times as many infections with Omicron.

We could also have a change in generation interval. If we have Omicron kind of doubling at this very fast two- or three-day rate, you dont actually have to have Rt be three. You could have actually just made the whole thing faster without having the number of secondary infections being much higher. And we dont have no way of knowing that at this moment.

The last two are, it might not be that the entire population is susceptible to Omicron. Maybe half the population is susceptible. And then, finally, I think theres a network effect  that as things kind of percolate through the community, you can imagine those transmission chains circling back on themselves and hitting someone that has already been exposed.

Rather than continue to spread outward from the initial case, in other words, the fact of natural social networks and limited niches means that chains of transmission cant continue indefinitely.

And so that would make these waves slow as they reach some per-capita size, just a natural epidemiological phenomenon. Take something from each of those five categories, and I think you have the answer.

The first three things you talked about are phenomena that are to some degree particular to Omicron and South Africa. The last two are ones that we can also apply to these earlier waves. When we think about the Delta wave in the U.K., for instance, should we assume that when that wave peaked and crested that something like the full vulnerable population had been reached by Delta?

No. With Rt you can actually calculate what proportion of the susceptible population should get this. The way that I was thinking about Delta was that not the entire population was susceptible, because a lot of the population was previously infected or had two vaccine doses and hadnt yet waned so much. And so that will give you maybe 50 percent of the population thats actually susceptible. And then an RT of 1.5, which is what Delta was coming in with, will give you maybe a 30 percent attack rates.

One of the fundamentals of this dynamical modeling field is that epidemics crash not when theyve infected everyone but when your number of secondary infections is less than one, when Rt falls below one. So even if we have an initial Rt of two, the numbers are quite big, but you dont infect the whole population. You infect almost 80 percent of the susceptible population. With an Rt of three you may infect 90 percent of the susceptible population. But this is without any of those network effects. Its just a model of free mixing, where people encounter other people at an even rate.

And then how do we account for our experience with Delta in the U.S.? We had a peak, we had a decline, but it didnt get anywhere near zero. Were still going through the Delta wave. It was a similar dynamic in the U.K.: Fast rise, a peak, followed by what is at first a rapid decline, sort of symmetrical to the rise, but then it flattens out and keeps going, rather than disappearing to zero.

For Delta, my best guess is that kind of slowing down and then picking back up again was due to a combination of continued waning  where boosters and third doses werent being given that rapidly, and we were getting farther and farther out from the initial vaccination  combined with seasonality. That would be my explanation.

Relatedly, going off things that Imperial College has done, we can expect that the AstraZeneca vaccine in the U.K. to have less protective effect than Pfizer. And that can explain the kind of systematically high levels of Delta circulation in the U.K., compared to perhaps the U.S.

Before we move on, can I ask you one question about severity with Delta?

Yes, for sure.

This is something that has been preoccupying my thinking for months now, and Ive asked a lot of people and honestly havent gotten a particularly good answer. Now, of course, cases are imperfect measures of true infections, but the case-fatality rate for Delta here in the U.S. is basically the same as it was in the winter surge, before vaccination. And though you can quibble with the CDC numbers, even its only 75 percent of American seniors that have gotten fully vaccinated, and even if that meant there were enough unvaccinated and vulnerable people out there you could get 1,000 or 2,000 deaths a day, you would also expect that same number of deaths would imply or require a much higher level of cases than we have.

And in fact, that has been the dynamic in the U.K. and many other countries, which are often a bit better vaccinated than the U.S., but not in a different ballpark vaccination level. There, theyve seen this quite dramatic decoupling, even through Delta  when there has been an uptick in severe cases and death, it has been accompanied by much higher caseloads. Why havent we seen that in the U.S.?

I dont have a super obvious explanation there. If we look at places like King County, Washington, where we have decent data, 30 percent of infections before Omicron were breakthrough infections. And so with the U.S. having less vaccination than other places, we can still have Delta percolating through primarily the unvaccinated population. And so you can go from a case-fatality rate of 1.75 only down to 1.25 because still a large fraction of your cases are in the unvaccinated population.

If we do a very simple 10-day projection of this rate of growth we get ~2100 daily Omicron cases in King County on Dec 22. This is ~3.5 times the Delta peak in King County in August and this is only 1 week away. 11/12 pic.twitter.com/eCmbMwXaTM  Trevor Bedford (@trvrb) December 17, 2021

Fair enough. But the other dynamic that applies to this is that we have an incredible age skew in terms of mortality risk and we have a real age skew in terms of vaccination as well, with the elderly much more likely to be vaccinated. Which means that the unvaccinated population in September and October of this year was really different, with a different age structure, than the unvaccinated population in the winter surge, since a huge fraction of the elderly are no longer in the unvaccinated group. So what were seeing is not just spread primarily through the unvaccinated but through an unvaccinated population that is fundamentally different, which is to say younger, because weve done a relatively good job of vaccinating the elderly. And because mortality risk skews so dramatically with age I would expect that an unvaccinated population whose median age is 30 would have a much, much different case-fatality rate than one whose median age was 40. But its not. Its basically the same.

Yeah. Its a super good question. Ive been looking at this as well and I dont have a great answer. For CFR we get a really precipitous decline in March and April  this is due to the vaccine rollout, targeting older individuals first. And so it really drops. And then it comes back up as vaccines become more equitable among age groups by the time we get to June. So I think some of its there.

For over-65s, we can see the big peak last winter  but not as bad as in Delta, thanks to vaccination. Whereas if we look in the 35 to 44 category, theres just a much larger fraction of 35 to 44 year olds who are getting COVID in September and fewer of them vaccinated so you can still get this big jump in mortality. But about your central question of why given what we know about how strong the age-mortality effect is, I would still have expected CFR to change much more dramatically.

One reason why this is sort of relevant now, I think, is that it raises the question of how much we can extrapolate from the U.K. experience with Omicron to what we can expect here. So lets talk a little bit about what youre seeing in South Africa and to some degree and in the U.K. and how you think we should think about it in terms of whats likely it happen in America.

The severity is something thats been frustratingly hard to get a read on. If we recall back to spring 2020, we were arguing with John Ioannidis and everyone else  there was this vast range of severity that was being argued about at that time. So I can understand why its taking longer to resolve this time around as well.

And now we have to factor in the question of immunity, too.

Exactly. There, it was mostly about the denominator. Now its kind of also about the denominator, but we also have to separate out people with immunity from people without. And I think that we definitely have an effect from immunity. It might also be intrinsically less severe. I think thats entirely entirely possible, but also that what were seeing might be explained entirely by immunity. I dont have a good guess between those two. But if were at like 80 percent-ish of the population with some kind of immunity in the U.S., and over 90 percent in the U.K., we can expect this wave to be more mild, because a larger fraction of cases will be reinfections or breakthroughs.

And so I would strongly suspect that on a case-fatality basis, the rate will be much lower with Omicron. But well have a lot of cases, too, because now we have all of these individuals available to the virus that were werent available before.

Because of reinfection, you mean, and how effective Omicron is at getting to those whove already been sick.

So I havent been able to get a good read on what to expect for severity. I can expect caseloads that are huge. I can easily expect a 50 percent attack rate from Omicron. I can easily expect that.

Thats 160 million cases.

But I dont have a great read on severity. It seems to me like the most realistic numbers weve seen are from the modeling report from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. They have these different scenarios. In their pessimistic scenario, they have about as many deaths as the previous winter; in the optimistic scenario, many fewer.

I think its about 30 percent in that optimistic scenario. But it doesnt seem to reflect any reduced severity of the disease, does it?

I think they were assuming it was the same, that theres no intrinsic difference and we can just explain the observed difference via immunity.

Does that seem plausible to you? Some of the numbers that weve seen today  the hospitalization rate may have fallen by 91 percent, the death rate of people in hospital may have fallen by two-thirds  do you think you could get that large in effect just through additional acquired immunity? This is just compared to the last wave, so its not all that long ago. Could you get that scale of an effect just through acquired immunity? It would seem to be that reduced virulences has to be at least a part of the story, no?

Yeah, if those numbers are real, then I think you would have to have lower intrinsic severity.

So what does that tell us about what to expect in the U.S.? The U.K. data decoupled, with much faster rate of case growth than hospitalization, and the U.S. did not. If we see in the next couple of weeks a really mild wave in the U.K., can we safely assume the same will be true here?

No, I dont think so. At this point, I wouldve wanted that CFR to diverge. We havent seen it diverge. I would think that were getting close  decently close  to 80 percent population immunity in the U.S., since even though weve had lower vaccination rate the virus makes up for that by infecting more people. That level of protection should be blunting things, but it wont be blunting things quite as much as wed expect in the U.K. where theyve had more vaccination.

But things are growing quickly enough that London only appears five days ahead of Seattle, so were not going to have much lead time. What Im hoping for from the U.K. more is better data. They do amazing work that they can actually tie together individual infections to outcomes.

Which could allow us to track severity a little more easily, since we wont be so confused about questions of population immunity. But the speed thing is a bit distressing. Ive been thinking about it a lot, that the models arent all that useful to us, right now, given how quickly the actual cases are coming. Anything else youd suggest we think about in contemplating whats about to come?

Maybe two small thoughts. One is, were doing a lot of arguing over intrinsic severity.

Whether what were seeing reflects immunity or reduced severity.

But in some sense, it doesnt really matter. This is going to be less severe, either because of immunity or intrinsic severity or both. What matters much more than what drives that reduced severity is how reduced it is. People are arguing about those factors like, if it is intrinsically less severe, that means we dont need to worry about it.

But the difference between being 30 percent less severe and 30 times less severe is really, really important.

Yeah, exactly. So the scale of reduction is much more important than the mechanism.

And then two is, even if were not completely at endemicity, were pretty close. And so this may be, effectively, what endemicity looks like, and we can see how bad that feels. If we continue to have things like Omicron continuing to emerge, we can maybe expect this every year.
This is a great honor for our school. Summia was prepared and competed well, said Daowei Zhang, an Alumni Professor, the George W. Peake Professor of Forest Economics and Policy and the schools associate dean of research.

She is courageous and serves as a role model for all of our graduate students in research and research communication, he said in the release.

When Rahma was asked why she decided to participate in the competition, she said, to hone my presentation skills and banish my fear of speaking in public.

In the future, Rahman wants to have a career in academia, and she believes this competition will help her become a better communicator and independent scholar, according to the release.

I hope during this preparation process and the competition, she will gain precious experience to move forward with her career goal, Yucheng Peng said in the release.

Peng is Rahmans major advisor and assistant professor of sustainable packaging and bioproducts in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.
Insider reported that a clip circulating on Twitter shows Jenne, 38, being approached by a staff member who asks him to leave the plane for non-compliance with the airlines mask requirements.

While prior attempts at wearing the thong typically saw Jenne making it to his destination, this time that wasnt the case. He told NBC 2 that he was met by the Broward County Sheriffs Office after being removed from the plane.

Eventually, they called TSA and airport security, said Jenne, according to NBC 2.

Fox 4 reported that other passengers started to speak up shortly after Jenne left the plane, which can be seen in the Twitter clip. And the report cited Jenne, who said that several passengers ended up getting off the plane, in apparent support.

Jenne explained why the rule doesnt make sense to him: Theres nothing more absurd than having to wear a mask until I get to cruising altitude so that I can order Titos by the double and snack on pretzels, Fox 4 cited.

Insider cited Jennes interview with NBC affiliate, WBBH News, where he compared his actions to that of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.
CMS mandate (health care employers). The vaccine mandate issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which applies to certain employers who receive Medicare or Medicaid funds, was preliminarily enjoined on Nov. 29 by a federal court in Missouri. The injunction applied only to the states that had filed the lawsuit challenging the mandate. Those states were Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. The next day, a federal court in Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction against the mandate in the remainder of the 50 states.

This week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the Louisiana injunction should not apply nationwide but only to the states that were plaintiffs in that lawsuit. Those states are Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia.

Meanwhile, in Texas, a federal judge on Wednesday granted a preliminary injunction against the mandate that applies only in the State of Texas.

So, as of yesterday, the CMS mandate is enjoined in 25 of the 50 states and not enjoined in the other 25 of the 50 states. So far, the CMS has not announced what it plans to do, if anything, in the way of enforcement.

Tammy C. Woolley is Senior Counsel in the Opelika, Alabama, office of Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP, and can be contacted at twoolley@constangy.com. This article is adapted from a recent post on the award-winning blog, Employment and Labor Insider, of which my colleague, Robin Shea, is proprietor.
[ spoilers for the 3 people who actually watch this show ] also apparently lizzie is a vampire now and alaric is still in a coma while one of his underage daughters bounces across the country and the other one is changing species. #useless

OP unashamedly enjoys the cheesiness that is the latest show in the Vampire Diaries universe, Legacies. After the midseason finale last night, in which Bryant's character Josie Saltzman got on a bus to San Francisco in order to try and find a solution to save Hope, who currently has her humanity shut off, TVLine dropped a bombshell - an interview in which Kaylee Bryant confirms that she will not be returning to the show as a series regular. (Yes, they literally put her on a bus.) Kaylee claims that leaving is her own choice, but some fans aren't so sure.Legacies fans have been suspicious ever since the announcement dropped, especially since it came out of nowhere, with many pointing the finger at Julie Plec, showrunner Brett Matthews, and/ or failed lawyer Matt Davis. Supposedly Brett Matthews has made racist comments about Kaylee's family before and we all know how creepy Matt Davis is and wonder what he has on Julie Plec to continue being employed by her. (Bryant and both of her remaining co-leads, Danielle Rose Russell (Hope Mikaelson) and Jenny Boyd (Lizzie Saltzman, Bryant's character's fraternal twin sister) all unfollowed Matt Davis in early 2020).Given Julie Plec's track record with minorities(*cough*BonnieBennett*cough*),some fans are noticing a similar pattern crop up - although the Legacies cast is much more diverse than the original Vampire Diaries cast (There are 3 Black actors still on the show, 1 Asian actor, and 1 Native American actor) - one of the Black characters was sort-of killed off in early season 3 and now Bryant, a queer actress who plays a pansexual (bisexual?) character chose to leave for "career reasons."what do you think, ontd?is it really just career reasons or is there more going on here?should matt davis be fired and why is the answer yes?and why does julie plec keep getting shows?
While plenty of cities and industries are planning to move away from natural gas, the transition will take time and natural gas still has a key role to play in powering the world

A large portion of a cities emissions comes from its buildings, so these moves by cities to reduce the natural gas consumption associated with buildings could have a major effect

The New York City Council moved to ban natural gas hookups for new buildings this week as part of its plans to decarbonize

New York is the latest of several American and European cities to announce new gas-use curbing policies, through a ban on natural gas connections to new housing. There has been speculation that governments may start to restrict the residential and commercial use of gas as they aim to achieve net-zero carbon emissions sooner than originally intended. However, few countries have set a clear date for when to cut gas use, as many see it as a means to bridge the gap between dirtier fossil fuels and the sufficient availability of renewable alternatives. There have been several moves by state governments over the past year to curb the use of gas within the next decade. This week, the New York City Council moved to ban natural gas hookups for new buildings. The Act is expected to come into effect by late 2023 in several buildings under seven stories, and by 2027 for taller buildings. Although certain businesses, such as restaurants and hospitals, are exempt.

While existing buildings do not currently fall under the ban, new construction proposals after 2027 will have to use electricity rather than gas for heating and cooking. As the sixth-largest consumer of gas in the U.S., this will support the citys plan to decarbonize. This forms a key part of its clean energy standard, as New York hopes to run on 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and use 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.

Mayor Bill de Blasio stated of the ban, "If the largest city in America can take this critical step to ban gas use, any city can do the same". Further, "This is how to fight back against climate change on the local level and guarantee a green city for generations to come."

Similar bans have already been announced in other parts of the U.S. such as the ban on appliances, like gas furnaces and gas water heaters, in new builds in Seattle. The ban, introduced in February, applies to commercial spaces and buildings over four stories tall. New constructions will also be required to have energy-efficient windows, insulation, lighting, and ventilation systems. However, residential housing under four stories does not fall under this type of legislation.

Similarly, in November last year, San Francisco announced a ban from June 2021 on natural gas heating, gas appliances, and gas fireplaces in new constructions. This ban affected the planned development of 54,000 homes as well as all future construction plans. The city Board of Supervisors stated decarbonization as the main driver for the ban and the prevention of fires or gas leaks during earthquakes as a secondary incentive.

San Francisco District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman stated, All-electric construction in new buildings is a critical step toward a safer, healthier San Francisco and planet for future generations.

Buildings in New York, Seattle, and San Francisco, alongside air travel, account for the majority of the cities greenhouse gas emissions, meaning moves to reduce CO2 waste from housing and commercial spaces will greatly support the battle against climate change.

Meanwhile, in California, both gas appliances and certain outdoor equipment, such as lawnmowers that run on gasoline, could soon be banned. In August, energy regulators in the state approved new energy efficiency standards to expand the use of electric appliances for heating and water in new homes and businesses. California has been revising its gas use since around 2019, with over two dozen cities having passed measures to reduce natural gas use in that time.

Related: Europes Gas Prices Plunge As Russia Signals More Supply Is Coming

But its not just fossil-fuel use in buildings that California is targeting. The state is also considering plans to ban the sale of gasoline-powered outdoor power equipment after January 2024 and gas-powered home generators by 2028. These new policies would target personal use, whereas several green initiatives to date have affected industry, meaning individuals will be made to change their habits. Both natural gas and petrol product use will be curbed for residents of California should these plans go ahead.

And its not just in the U.S. these moves to curb personal fossil fuel use are going ahead. Rumours in the U.K. have been circulating over the last few years around gas boiler bans. Leading energy firm EDF expects the government to ban gas boilers starting as early as 2025, as part of its plan to achieve net-zero by 2050.

To date, no such ban has been introduced, despite hints at new policy during the COP26 summit. Instead, the government is incentivising homes to make the switch with a $6600 grant to install low-carbon head pumps, aimed at 90,000 houses. But critics say this is just a drop in the ocean. With a population of around 70 million, environmentalists are calling on the government to implement a clear plan to phase out gas use in the U.K.

As gas bans spread across the U.S., alongside curbs in other personal petrol product use, and conversations heat up in the U.K., it appears only a matter of time until cities around the world push for a switch away from natural gas to renewable alternatives, in both commercial spaces and homes.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Russia has been accused of putting pressure on Europe by reducing supplies into the continent, in order to get Nord Stream 2 approved, which could reduce Ukraines influence in the region.

The soaring prices reflect current market conditions across Europe, and follow continued geopolitical uncertainty and rising tensions over the 759-mile Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

UK gas prices surged to an all-time high of 350p per therm on Thursday, up 520 percent year-to-date amid soaring demand and continued supply concerns across the continent this winter.

While prices dropped to 320p per therm on the UK Natural Gas Futures on Friday morning, the benchmark remains ahead of Asias liquefied natural gas.

Nathan Piper, head of oil and gas research at Investec anticipated that gas prices would remain high as economies recover from the pandemic.

He said: We believe there is a high likelihood of both prolonged and even higher prices through winter with after-effects that could stretch beyond the next two years.

The soaring prices reflect current market conditions across Europe, and follow continued geopolitical uncertainty and rising tensions over the 759-mile Nord Stream 2 pipeline which would double Russian gas exports into Germany.

The Kremlin-backed controversial gas project  which would supply 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year  has been completed but awaits approval from German regulators, who are yet to certify the pipeline due to concerns over its governance.

Earlier this week, the regulator announced that no decision on certifying the pipeline is expected in the first half of next year.

There will be no decisions in the first half of 2022, said Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) President Jochen Homann.

Russia has been accused of putting pressure on Europe by reducing supplies into the continent, in order to get Nord Stream 2 approved, which could reduce Ukraines influence in the region.

President Vladimir Putin has dismissed these claims as politically motivated blather.

Gazproms export growth decreased to less than five percent in recent months  although the energy giant insists it has honored all agreed contracts.

However, Germany has warned Russia the pipeline will be rejected if Russia invades Ukraine, with 120,000 troops currently positioned near its eastern border.

Investec believed these tensions would inevitably influence prices over winter  while the lack of Nord Stream 2 would continue to limit overall energy supplies.

Piper said: We expect political tensions around the Nord Stream 2 start-up will increase as US and EU consider economic sanctions on Russia with repercussions on EU gas supply, increasing UK and EU gas price volatility.

The analyst also suggested the continued rising costs would make it more difficult for the UK and EU to refill supplies with both countries suffering from decisions to reduce storage capacity as part of the transition to renewable sources.

The UK reportedly can only store gas seven days in advance since scrapping its largest rough storage site in Yokrshire.

He said: Continued higher gas prices will make refilling UK/EU gas storage facilities next summer challenging, and EU gas storage is already at multi-year lows. High gas prices this summer meant storage was low going into winter, while LNG continued to be exported to Asia. Next summer, the situation could be more acute.

Soaring wholesale gas prices have already contributed to 25 UK energy firms ceasing trading over the past three months, with over four million customers directly affected.

By City AM

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
But he said the CBD business in Nebraska wont really take off until the state legalizes cannabis for medicinal uses.

Right now, the Bader brothers and Naumann market their sunglasses and other products at trade shows and farmers markets, and via their Hemp3D.com website. They are producing some custom orders, such as hemp plastic keychains imprinted with a logo, and a plate for tailgating that includes a handy holder for a beverage. They also make hemp chess sets, and a line of bowls and display boxes, as well as can openers, guitar picks and earrings.

It is as much art and fashion as it is a manufacturing company, Andrew Bader said, as he assembled a pair of sunglasses.

Former Nebraska Secretary of State Allen Beermann, who is among the brothers early customers, said its fun to wear the hemp shades.

People ask where did you get those glasses? Beermann said. When I tell them theyre made of hemp, theyre really stunned.

As for the future, the brothers are looking to rent a facility and expand production, and hoping to lure investors so they can upgrade the molds they use to fashion their sunglasses.
Crime-and-courts

Violent night in Omaha's Capitol District replayed during murder trial

It was a June 2020 weekend in the new Capitol District in downtown Omaha. Early in the pandemic. Early in the morning.

Both factors led to a light crowd at the Epoca Cantina, a Mexican restaurant that alternates as a dance club after dinner. Maybe a couple dozen people were there, some at tables, some on the dance floor.

A group of 20-somethings had gathered to celebrate the birthday of the deejay performing that night, Luis Sandoval. People were dining, drinking, dancing. Lincoln resident Jose Juarez was sitting next to his girlfriend of a couple months, Sharon Miranda, the couple occasionally canoodling.

Miranda Jr.

The calm was soon pierced by chaos: Prosecutors say Mirandas estranged husband, Marlon Miranda Jr., 27, was hanging by the music stand, talking with the deejay. Then he grabbed Juarez, 26, from behind as he sat at the table. A struggle ensued. Employees broke it up and thought that they sent Juarez and Miranda separate ways, one out the front door and one out the back.

It would be the least of the violence that night. Within minutes, prosecutors say, Juarez was shot multiple times near 12th and Davenport Streets, Sharon was screaming hysterically as Miranda slammed her head against the brick wall of a parking garage, and off-duty Bellevue Police Sgt. John Stuck fired off nine shots at Miranda.

Hit twice, Miranda survived. So did Sharon. Juarez  full name Jose Santos Parra Juarez  did not.

The chaos  some on camera, most of it not  was replayed this week as Miranda stands trial in Douglas County District Court on a charge of first-degree murder and weapon use.

Authorities have called Stucks actions heroic, saying he stopped Mirandas rampage and most likely saved Sharons life. But defense attorney Bill Pfeffer took aim at Stucks actions, questioning why he shot at Miranda and noting repeatedly that he missed seven of his nine shots.

Youre an expert marksman.  You fired nine shots from that close, and you missed seven times, Pfeffer said.

Stuck said he didnt believe that he missed seven, then later relented that he might have. At first, he was point shooting  in which an officer fires without looking through a guide. Two shots hit Miranda  one went through his leg near the knee, the other grazed his ankle.

The shots worked. Prosecutors John Alagaban and Desiree Stormont say Miranda let go of Sharon and threw his gun to the side. Tests later determined that the gun was the same one used to shoot and kill Juarez.

Fist fight escalates to fatal shooting in Capitol District; suspect to be held without bail A fatal shooting near a Capitol District restaurant grew out of a fist fight between the alleged shooter and his former wife's boyfriend, an assistant Douglas County attorney said Wednesday.

Pfeffer didnt just go after Stuck. As testimony from bargoers, the off-duty officer and Sharon Miranda suggested that Marlon Miranda fired out of rage, Pfeffer tried to set up a self-defense argument, suggesting that Juarez was the instigator and wanted to fight Miranda.

According to testimony:

As the night dragged into the early morning of June 13, 2020, Marlon was hanging out by the deejay booth, his attention fixed on Sharon.

Sharon testified Friday that she wasnt surprised that her estranged husband was there, even though she was with her boyfriend. The two had been separated for 10 months and were sharing custody of their daughter. All of them, including Juarez and Marlon, were there to celebrate their friends birthday.

We were supposed to have fun, enjoy our time together and dance and celebrate Luis, Sharon said.

Then Marlon approached his estranged wife and Juarez at the bar. He waved away a greeting from Juarez and hugged Sharon and her cousin. He later asked Sharon and the cousin to dance. They both said no.

He was very upset, Sharon said. Aggressive.

About 1:30 a.m., the silent footage of security cameras would bear witness to unspeakable events. Juarez, in a white shirt, leaned over to smooch Sharon as they sat at a table. Soon after, Sharon left for the bathroom. Soon after that, a man in a multicolored shirt  prosecutors say it was Miranda  leaned over as if to whisper in Juarezs ear.

He instead grabbed Juarez by the neck, twisting his head like a wrestler in a ring. Juarez got to his feet, and the two tussled to the ground. A bar manager and security guard separated the two. Juarez emerged with a cut to his eye, apparently from a scratch. Bar owner Juan Magana took Juarez to a bathroom and gave him a towel to wipe up the blood. A security guard escorted Miranda out the front door.

Miranda soon returned and grabbed his jacket from near the deejay stand.

Sharon said she emerged from the bathroom to hear that Marlon Miranda had attacked Juarez. She and Juarez were led out through the back door.

I was pretty distraught, Sharon said. I stopped Jose because I kept apologizing for Marlon attacking him in the bar.

Just then, a cousin walking ahead screamed at Sharon that Miranda was rushing up behind them.

Miranda was screaming, shouting something  I cant recall what, Sharon said. In seconds, he was on top of the couple.

Between long, tear-filled pauses, Sharon testified that she tried to yell at Marlon to get away when he reached over her and shot Juarez. In the process, Miranda knocked Sharon down. She looked up, she said, to see Marlon.

He stood right over (Juarez) and shot him some more, Sharon said, weeping.

Police make arrest in fatal downtown Omaha shooting Omaha police made an arrest in a downtown shooting that left a man dead earlier this month in the Capitol District.

Sharon testified that Miranda then grabbed her off the ground and dragged her to a brick wall, near a bike rack.

At that point, Stuck was in his fourth hour working security in the district, a courtyard where bargoers can mix among several establishments.

Wearing a polo with POLICE on the back and khaki tactical pants and his gun, he had watched as security dismissed the man later identified as Miranda.

Now Stuck heard the loud pop of gunshots. He scaled the steps on the north side of the Capitol District onto Davenport Street, which looks like an alley.

He headed west toward 12th Street and saw a man down, with people tending to him. From about 15 yards away, he saw a gunman slamming a womans head against the brick wall of the downtown Marriott parking garage. A gun was in his right hand, angled toward the woman.

Police! Stop! Stuck yelled.

The woman, later identified as Sharon, was screaming. Stuck pointed his handgun and pulled the trigger.

Pfeffer, Mirandas attorney, suggested that Stuck was endangering bystanders by firing into the night. Stuck resisted that line of questioning, saying a concrete pillar from Interstate 480 was his backstop in case he missed.

Pfeffer persisted, challenging Stuck on whether he was shooting first and asking questions second. He suggested that Stuck defied police protocol by never ordering Miranda to drop the gun.

Thats not how it works, Stuck said matter-of-factly.

A woman was in danger, with a gunman holding her, he said. Stuck further pushed back at Pfeffers suggestion that his bullets could have hit the woman. The gunman was facing east; the woman west. Stuck said he angled himself so that he was shooting at the gunman, toward the north.

You fired nine times and missed seven? Pfeffer asked.

I dont think I missed seven, Stuck said.

Pfeffer: Well, he got shot once in the knee and once in the ankle. Where did the other seven go?

Stuck: To the backstop.

Rather than rip Stuck, authorities have praised his instincts and quick reaction. No one knows whether Sharon Miranda would have survived had Stuck not rounded that corner and intervened. The actions of a hero, one law enforcement official said.

The trial is expected to conclude next week.
On Dec. 10, the investigating committee chair, Sen. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson, sent a letter requesting the digital data from the election computers and hardware used in the 2020 election by Fulton County.

Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems warned Fulton County that granting the Senate Republicans' contractor access to its equipment to get the digital data violates their contract.

But Dominion  whose voting equipment has been at the center of some of the most feverish conspiracy theories about last year's presidential election  said Fulton County has a backup copy of the data that it could simply provide without granting access to Dominion's equipment.

However, a lawyer representing Fulton County, Tom King, said in an interview Saturday that digital election data is not only what Dush wants.

Rather, Dush wants the Senate Republicans contractor, Envoy Sage, to conduct a forensic investigation to determine if Dominions equipment used there was the same equipment as was certified by the state of Pennsylvania for use in last years election, King said.
An Omaha man who recorded himself just outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 is cooperating with federal investigators several months after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from the insurrection.

Brandon Straka, 45, was scheduled to appear in court for sentencing in the coming week, but prosecutors and Strakas attorneys on Friday requested that the proceedings be delayed for a month, according to a court filing.

The request, first reported by the news outlet Politico on Friday, states that earlier this month Straka provided the government with information that could impact prosecutors sentencing recommendation.

Because the governments sentencing recommendation may be impacted based on the newly discovered information, the government and defendant request a 30-day continuance of this case so that the information can be properly evaluated, the motion states.

Strakas cooperation signals that he is adhering to the terms of a plea agreement in which the government dropped a felony charge.
Hit twice, Miranda survived. So did Sharon. Juarez  full name Jose Santos Parra Juarez  did not.

The chaos  some on camera, most of it not  was replayed this week as Miranda stands trial in Douglas County District Court on a charge of first-degree murder and weapon use.

Authorities have called Stucks actions heroic, saying he stopped Mirandas rampage and most likely saved Sharons life. But defense attorney Bill Pfeffer took aim at Stucks actions, questioning why he shot at Miranda and noting repeatedly that he missed seven of his nine shots.

Youre an expert marksman.  You fired nine shots from that close, and you missed seven times, Pfeffer said.

Stuck said he didnt believe that he missed seven, then later relented that he might have. At first, he was point shooting  in which an officer fires without looking through a guide. Two shots hit Miranda  one went through his leg near the knee, the other grazed his ankle.

The shots worked. Prosecutors John Alagaban and Desiree Stormont say Miranda let go of Sharon and threw his gun to the side. Tests later determined that the gun was the same one used to shoot and kill Juarez.
Growing up, Les and Melanie Robbins were the kind of people who could have benefited from a program like Goodfellows. Now, theyre paying it forward by supporting the program annually.

The Robbinses, through the Robbins Charitable Family Foundation, contributed $7,500 to Goodfellows this year and have been donating to the organization since they established the foundation 10 years ago.

The foundations board consists of Les and Melanie, their four children and their childrens spouses, who decide together how to distribute their donations.

I consider my family my greatest accomplishment, Les said. So for us to be able to do this, its just amazing.

Along with Goodfellows, the foundation also contributes to other area nonprofits and funds scholarships for University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska-Lincoln students.

With Goodfellows, we know it goes directly to direct support for people that are needing it to help them get back on their feet, Les said. So thats always been one of our top ones, one of our favorites.
CULPEPER, Va. (AP)  A man accused of shooting at sheriff's deputies and other cars during a chase in Virginia died after his vehicle crashed into an embankment, police said.

Jeremy Yates, 21, of Culpeper, died at the scene of Friday night's crash on a road in Rappahannock County near the Culpeper County line, according to a Virginia State Police news release.

Nobody else was injured in the incident.

Yates' body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Manassas for an autopsy.

Investigators recovered two handguns from Yates' 2018 Chevrolet Colorado after the crash, police said.

The State Police is investigating the shooting and chase. The pursuit started after the Culpeper Police Department advised other law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for Yates and warned that he may be armed with a gun.

Yates fled after deputies from the Madison County Sheriffs Office approached his vehicle around 9 p.m. He fired at passing vehicles and at sheriff's deputies during the chase, which ended when Yates' vehicle veered off a road and overturned, the news release says.
Prison officials assured Williams and his mother that Armendariz was not a threat because he was housed in the special management unit, or solitary confinement, away from the general prison population.

But, despite repeated requests by Williams to transfer out of Tecumseh, Armendariz was released from solitary confinement in May 2018 and housed in the same unit as Williams.

Williams, according to the Supreme Court ruling, said he had no choice but to protect himself, so he assaulted Armendariz. That landed Williams in solitary confinement for five days. Later, Williams was transferred to the State Penitentiary in Lincoln after several requests from his mother.

But on Sept. 22, 2018, two inmates stabbed Williams several times in his cell. Prison officials said their Gang Intel was that the attack was in retaliation for Williams assault on Armendariz.

That prompted a negligence lawsuit by Williams, claiming that prison officials knew he was in danger yet failed to protect him. He asked for damages to cover future lost wages, disabilities and medical costs.

But Lancaster County District Judge Lori Maret dismissed the lawsuit because it arose out of multiple layers of assault/battery.
At least two candidates have announced theyre running to represent west Omaha in the Nebraska Legislature in 2022.

R. Brad von Gillern, a registered Republican and former Lueder Construction CEO, and Cindy Maxwell-Ostdiek, a registered nonpartisan voter and active observer of the State Legislature, have each announced campaigns for District 4.

The west Omaha district is roughly bordered by West Maple Road to the north, U.S. Highway 275 to the south, 132nd Street to the east and 180th Street to the west. Its currently represented by State Sen. Robert Hilkemann, a registered Republican who was first elected in 2014. Hes barred from running again due to term limits.

According to von Gillerns campaign website, he grew up in Omaha and graduated from Burke High School and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 1991 he took a job with Lueder Construction, where he rose through the ranks to ultimately lead the company as president in 2000 and later as CEO. He sold his remaining interest in the business earlier this year and is now the companys director of business development.

von Gillern is on the Salvation Armys Omaha advisory board, an elder at Lifegate Church and on the leadership team of Omaha Leaders.
Grasz suggested a couple of changes to language that would ensure that casinos are required to post signs about casino gambling and that they are prohibited from targeting certain groups, such as seniors, with advertising.

Pat Loontjer, whose organization Gambling With The Good Life has been on the forefront of opposition to expanded gambling since 1995, said she was disappointed to lose the battle to keep casinos out of the state but nonetheless supports the proposed rules.

It looks very thorough, and it looks like you put a lot of time and energy into it, she said.

But Loontjer did say that one thing she does not want to see is expansion of casinos beyond the existing six horse tracks in the state.

Were vehemently opposed to any form of expansion other than the six that were going to happen, she said.

The amendment language did not spell out how many casinos are allowed.
The first analysis looked at the potential for starting an inpatient treatment facility on the Lincoln Regional Center campus. The facility would be geared toward treating teenagers who now are being sent out of state for care.

Karen Chinn, a consultant who worked on the study, said Nebraska youths are going to other states because private, in-state treatment programs will not take them.

Such youths are typically teens with aggressive and violent behavior who have experienced trauma and out of home placement from an early age. Most have serious mental health and substance abuse problems. Some have a history of sexual offending. Some have developmental disabilities.

She said Nebraska sent between 39 and 74 such youths to other states every year from 2015 through this year. About two-thirds were on juvenile probation, while the others were in the child welfare system. They were sent as far away as Tennessee and South Carolina and typically spent four to six months in those out-of-state facilities.

Chinn said the state paid $9.1 million for the care of such teens in 2019.
Nebraska has maintained its status as the state with the lowest rate through much of the pandemic. October was down slightly from the September rate of 2%.

According to a report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, Nebraskas labor force participation rate stayed at 68.4%, 0.4 percentage points lower than a year ago and tied for third in the country. That statistic measures the percentage of people 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

Nebraskas employment-to-population ratio rose from 67.1 to 67.2 in November, ranking first among U.S. states and 0.8 percentage points higher than a year ago, according to the report.

Two Nebraska economists told The World-Herald that its not unusual for the states unemployment rate to be below the national average.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss listed several reasons why, including that the states mix of industries isnt as sensitive to the business cycle as, say, auto manufacturing.
The car that was involved in the crash was overturned and resting on its roof with three men trapped inside. Britton was able to remove two of the men and get them to safety. He then returned to the car to help the third man, who was severely injured and trapped underneath the car.

The situation became even more serious when the car caught fire. A second bystander helped Britton lift the vehicle with their bare hands and place the unstable vehicle on its side. This allowed Britton to remove the unconscious man through a broken window. He was able to do this only seconds before the car was completely engulfed in flames.

Britton was able to pull the third man to a safe spot away from the car. He performed CPR and attempted to control bleeding caused by multiple injuries.

Britton said his experiences in the Coast Guard played a big role in his response to the accident.

When I saw the accident my only thought was to go do whatever I needed to do to help, Britton said. In the Coast Guard we train to be constantly ready to save lives, and that mindset doesnt change just because we arent in uniform. The Coast Guard is full of people who wouldve acted exactly as I did in that situation.
BLOOMINGTON  Social media has exploded over the past four months with rumors and speculation about the mysterious disappearance and death of Jelani Day.

Posts have dissected the limited amount of information released by authorities about the 25-year-olds final days and theorized how he ended up in the Illinois River. Some dispute the findings of the autopsy and official records while scouring the internet for possible connections to the late Illinois State University graduate student.

As the case has become a national story, there also has been a growing focus on the Beyond/Hello cannabis dispensary in Bloomington, where authorities say Day was last seen alive.

Bloomington police Officer John Fermon, a department spokesman, confirmed to The Pantagraph that theyve opened an investigation into "criminal complaints that were reported to the BPD" stemming from social media posts and accounts.

He would not elaborate about the nature of the inquiry.

The Bloomington Police Department also denied a Pantagraph Freedom of Information Act Request for any reports related to harassment at the store, stating that it would "interfere with a pending or actually and reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings."

Officials for Boca Raton, Florida-based Jushi Holdings Inc., which operates more than two dozen cannabis dispensaries across the country, in November approached The Pantagraph about the social media posts related to the Day investigation.

A spokesperson told The Pantagraph the company is facing "bizarre" allegations on social media based on Day's Aug. 24 visit to the store. A family member of one of those named in the posts reached out to Jushi to ask the company to help clear up rumors, the official said.

Some posts questioned why police didnt release security footage of Day leaving the business, the spokesperson said. There also have been alarming threats of violence, prompting the business to file reports with local police, the FBI and Facebook itself, the official said.

The posts, the company official said, are "exploiting the confusion and anxiety of people surrounding the death.

The newspaper agreed to a request by the company to not name employees because Jushi said doing so would invite additional harassment and threats. The information provided by them through a spokesperson was verified by The Pantagraph.

Day, of Danville, was reported missing Aug. 25, the day after he was shown to be at the 1515 N. Veterans Parkway Beyond/Hello dispensary, according to police. His body was pulled from the Illinois River in the Peru area, 60 miles north of ISU, on Sept. 4.

An autopsy determined he had drowned, but Days family is adamant that he was murdered. They have been critical of the investigation and have said the case wasnt getting enough attention from law enforcement. There also were concerns about how long it took to identify Days remains.

Exploiting the confusion and anxiety of people

The Jushi official said the Facebook posts about the Bloomington store were initially questions about why the dispensary's security footage only showed Day entering the building. The company opened the Bloomington store in February.

As part of the preliminary missing person investigation, Bloomington police downloaded security camera footage onto a hard drive, the company spokesperson said. Images from that footage showing Day entering the building were used to help the public identify him.

When social media posts began circulating, Jushi asked that the department release video of Day leaving the store, but that has yet to happen, the company official said. Numerous Facebook posts zeroed in on the lack of any images showing Day exiting the store and speculated something happened inside.

One Facebook account has posted various photos of people with Day and incorrectly claimed they worked at the store, the spokesperson said. Personal and private information also was made public.

As a large retailer, Jushi deals with "internet trolls" for a variety of reasons, the official said. In this case, theyve filed complaints with Facebook about the posts but no steps have been taken, the spokesperson said.

"Many posts have been reported for harassment, false information, and in some cases death threats depending on the comments, however, at least from what we observed, very little of this activity has been addressed by Facebook," the spokesperson said.

Facebook did not respond to a request from The Pantagraph to comment for this story.

Generally, police departments don't release evidence

Asked about the security camera footage, Fermon, the police official, said the department did not release the video because the case had evolved into a multi-jurisdictional death investigation in which BPD is not the lead agency or media contact.

"That is a decision to be made by the Jelani Day Task Force  not by me or the BPD," he said. "Generally, police departments don't release evidence unless it assists in investigations or if it's required to be released by FOIA."

Jushi provided The Pantagraph with a recording of security footage appearing to show Day leaving the business the morning of Aug. 24 and entering the parking lot.

Jushi has also filed reports with the Bloomington police and FBI Cybercrimes division regarding the posts.

An FBI spokesperson said the agency "does not comment on whether an investigation does or does not exist," but the circumstances of the incident are something the FBI would investigate. The agency does not release information on investigations in most instances, the official said.

Fermon said they were notified of "several issues on and/or stemming from social media posts and social media accounts.

He said people can file reports by calling the BPD's non-emergency line at (309) 820-8888 or call 911 in an emergency.

Fermon added that people can report social posts violating Facebook's community standards. More information on the company's community standards is at transparency.fb.com.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 and Day's family is offering a $25,000 reward for information.

Anyone with information on the disappearance and death of Day is asked to call (800) 225-5324 or go to tips.fbi.gov. Tips can be submitted anonymously.

Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry.

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CHICAGO - Two people are dead, and at least seven others were wounded, including a 14-year-old boy who flagged down police and said he and his brother were both shot on Doty Avenue where officers found his sibling shot in the neck and lying in the street.

That fatal attack happened about 7 p.m. in the South Deering community in the 11000 block of South Doty Avenue on the Southeast Side.

Police said the young teenage boy stopped officers and told them he and his brother had just been shot. Officers went to an address and discovered a male victim unresponsive in the street. The boys brother was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the neck, and was later pronounced dead.

The 14-year-old was taken to Comer Childrens Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right wrist, and was listed in good condition, police said.

The latest homicide, happened about 3 a.m. Saturday in the Old Irving Park neighborhood in the 4700 block of West Irving Park Road.

Police said a 35-year-old man was stopped at a red light in his vehicle when someone inside a black SUV fired shots. The victim fled west and struck a parked vehicle in the 4800 block of West Irving Park.

The victim was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center with gunshot wounds to the chest and right side, and was pronounced dead.

The deceased victims from overnight had yet to be identified.

In other shootings, Friday evening into Saturday morning:

Shortly before 1:30 a.m., a 35-year-old man was standing on the sidewalk in the 1600 block of West 115th Street in the Morgan Park neighborhood when he heard shots and felt pain. The man suffered a gunshot wound to the right leg, and was taken in fair condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, police said.

Shortly before 1 a.m., a 30-year-old man was shot while he was sitting at a bus stop and was caught in an exchange of gunfire between two vehicles in the 1600 block of North Austin Avenue in the Galewood neighborhood. The victim got himself to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park with a wound to the right leg, and was listed in good condition, police said.

Shortly after 11 p.m. Friday, a 19-year-old man was walking on the sidewalk when he heard shots and felt pain. The victim would not tell police the location, but he walked to Advocate Trinity Hospital with a gunshot wound to the back, and was listed in fair condition, police said.

About 9:30 p.m., a 22-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were both shot while leaving a restaurant in the 400 block of North Wabash Avenue in the Near North neighborhood. Police said someone inside a white Audi got out the vehicle, pulled out a weapon and began shooting in the victims direction. The gunman got back into the Audi and fled the scene. The man suffered multiple wounds to his body, and was taken in serious condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the woman was taken to the same hospital with a wound to the thigh and was listed in good condition, police said.

Shortly before 9 p.m., a 26-year-old man was shot while traveling in the 5700 block of South Aberdeen Street in the Englewood neighborhood. Police said someone inside a blue Infiniti shot at the victim before fleeing the scene. The victim suffered a graze wound to the forehead, but refused to go to the hospital.

No one was in custody for any of the shootings, and detectives were investigating.

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CHICAGO - The U.S. Senate voted early Saturday morning to confirm former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as ambassador to Japan, officially opening yet another act in a three-decade political career that has run through two White Houses, Capitol Hill, Chicago City Hall and, now, the American embassy in Tokyo.

The Senate voted 48-to-21 to confirm Emanuel, with the longtime political operator receiving support  as well as opposition  from Democrats and Republicans alike.

The vote came in the middle of the night after Democrats struck a deal with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who agreed to lift a hold he had placed on 32 of President Joe Bidens nominees in exchange for allowing a vote next month on legislation related to a Russian gas pipeline for which Cruz has wanted to place sanctions. Given the late hour that the Senate concluded its business for the year, just 69 senators were present to confirm Emanuel.

Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon voted against Emanuel while progressive independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont did not vote. Eight Republicans voted in favor of Emanuel: Sens. Roy Blunt of Missouri, Susan Collins of Maine, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, John Thune of South Dakota and Todd Young of Indiana.

Illinois U.S. Sens. Richard Durbin and Tammy Duckworth both voted to confirm Emanuel, who released a statement saying he and wife Amy Rule were eager to get started in Tokyo.

Im humbled and appreciative of President Bidens confidence he has placed in me and grateful for the Senates bipartisan support, especially from Sen. Durbin and Sen. Duckworth, Emanuel said in a statement. As ambassador, I will work tirelessly to deepen our ties as our countries confront common challenges. While Chicago will always be home, Amy and I look forward to this next chapter in Japan.

The former mayor now will be asked to execute diplomacy at the highest levels of the U.S. government, the latest evolution in a political career often defined by a reputation he cultivated as a brash political insider with an affinity for four-letter words and a talent for raising loads of campaign cash.

Emanuels return to government marks a second spin through the revolving door between the public and private sectors. Emanuels two stints in investment banking, first after his time in the Clinton White House and again after his eight years as mayor, helped him make more than $31 million, records show.

The former mayors deep D.C. experience as senior adviser to former President Bill Clinton, first chief of staff to former President Barack Obama and a Democratic leader in the U.S. House provided much of the foundation for his nomination as ambassador, but it was his eight polarizing years as Chicagos mayor that dominated debate over his confirmation.

Civil rights leaders and prominent progressives argued Emanuels handling of Laquan McDonalds murder by police while he was mayor should disqualify him for representing the United States abroad, pointing to a well-known chain of events following the Black teens death as reason enough to believe his administration tried to cover up the severity of the shooting.

Police dashcam footage of the killing, which showed then-Officer Jason Van Dyke pumping 16 shots into McDonald as he walked away holding a knife, captivated the country and led to Van Dykes conviction for second-degree murder. The videos release was ordered by a judge and coincided with prosecutors filing murder charges more than a year after the shooting  and after Emanuels administration and aldermen had already paid McDonalds family a $5 million settlement without a lawsuit being filed.

In his confirmation hearing, Emanuel both defended and expressed regret over how he handled the McDonald shooting, an event that roiled his tenure as mayor and resulted in weeks of street protests, calls for his resignation and a plummeting approval rating. Emanuel once again rejected the cover-up accusations while saying he underestimated the need for true police reform.

The former mayor produced letters of support from McDonalds great uncle, Black aldermen and community leaders while former Chicago Inspector General Joseph Ferguson wrote a letter to senators concluding there was no evidence Emanuel or his administration engaged in a cover-up.

Emanuels Senate confirmation hearing took place on the seventh anniversary of McDonalds death, which infuriated some Chicago activists and progressives who had called for senators to reject his nomination. But in the end, Emanuel had far too much support for them to overcome, from Biden, from Republicans and from Democrats with whom hed served and strategized for decades.

Two progressives on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sens. Merkley of Oregon and Markey of Massachusetts, voted against Emanuels nomination, but several Republicans backed Emanuel, including Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the ranking GOP member, and Sen. Hagerty of Tennessee, who was ambassador to Japan under former President Donald Trump.

Prior to Saturdays vote, Durbin, who introduced Emanuel for his committee hearing, dismissed the Democratic votes against the mayor lauded his success in recruiting Republican votes.

There were also a number of Republican senators on that committee who voted for Rahm, who as you might expect, is very talented and was doing his homework, Durbin said when asked about Merkley and Markeys opposition. We understood the two Democrats who voted, No in committee and I spoke to both of them personally and understood where they were coming from. No arm twisting involved.

Merkley pointedly questioned Emanuel about when he learned specific details of the McDonald shooting before committee chairman, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, cut Merkley off for going over his allotted time. Merkley cited the McDonald case for his reason for voting against Emanuel while Markey did not offer a public explanation.

Black Lives Matter. Here in the halls of Congress, it is important that we not just speak and believe these words, but put them into action in the decisions we make, Merkley said following his committee vote.

Merkleys comments echoed those of several progressive House Democrats, who argued Emanuels handling of the McDonald shooting should disqualify him from the post. That included U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who called Bidens appointment of Emanuel deeply shameful.

The former mayor, however, had the support of high-profile establishment Democrats, including Biden, Clinton, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Whip James Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black member of Congress.

Durbin, the No. 2 ranking Senate Democrat, said he backed Emanuel because hell be a very excellent representative in a critical country. He applauded the former mayors responses to the sharp questioning over the McDonald case.

Let me tell you what: Rahm Emanuel could not have been more forthright on that issue. He was quizzed on it by several senators in the Foreign Relations Committee, and he expected it, Durbin said. I thought his answers were honest and heartfelt on an issue that we all look back on with some regret that it wasnt handled differently. But mayors make a lot of decisions, and thats why Im sure he wishes he had it to do over. But he was very honest about it before the committee.

Prior to the full Senate vote, Duckworth offered a more tepid assessment of Emanuels appointment.

At the end of the day, I support President Biden, and he nominated (Emanuel), and he was voted out of committee, so I intend to support the president, said Duckworth, who has yet to face significant opposition in her bid next year for a second term. Thats the best course of action.

Asked if she thought the criticism of Emanuel over McDonalds killing was fair, Duckworth replied, Yeah. I think that the Laquan McDonald situation was very poorly handled, and I was deeply disturbed by what happened.

Not enough, however, for Duckworth to vote against the prominent politician from her home state.

Following months of speculation, Biden nominated Emanuel for the post in August after the former mayor lost out on being named transportation secretary to former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

In his confirmation hearing, Emanuel emphasized the importance of strengthening ties to Japan amid heightened economic and military ambitions from China in the region.

Emanuel touted his travel to Japan as mayor and his work with international mayors on climate change as experience that prepared him for an ambassadorship. The former mayor told the committee that after his trip to Tokyo, the governor there signed on to the Chicago Climate Charter municipal agreement he created and two Japanese companies, DMG Mori and Beam Suntory, relocated offices to Chicago.

As mayor, my administration made it a priority to bring the world to Chicago, and Chicago to the world, Emanuel said. During my tenure, Chicago led the nation in corporate relocations and foreign direct investment for seven consecutive years.

Emanuels 44-member delegation for that 2018 trade trip to Japan and China was made up mostly of business heavyweights, including donors with ties to nearly $2 million in contributions to Emanuels campaign, the Tribune reported at the time.

Since leaving office in May 2019, Emanuel reported earning $13.5 million, according to his financial disclosure forms filed with the Senate.

Most of that came from Centerview Partners, a boutique Wall Street firm that paid Emanuel more than $12 million for his investment banking work, Emanuels filing shows. Firm co-founder Blair Effron contributed $61,500 to Emanuels mayoral campaign and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, who also works at Centerview, gave more than $70,000.

Emanuel also reported getting paid $700,000 as a consultant for Wicklow Capital. The firms president, Dan Tierney, contributed more than $138,000 to the former mayor as he prepared a bid for a third term that he later abandoned.

According to his ethics disclosure, Emanuel made another $310,000 for his role as a Sunday morning political analyst for ABC, $150,000 in director fees from GoHealth, Inc. and $331,000 in public speaking fees, which the former mayor said he donated to charity.

The $13.5 million comes on top of the more than $18 million Emanuel made in a little more than two years after leaving the Clinton White House in 1998. As ambassador to Japan, Emanuel will be expected to work closely with Japanese companies, and is likely to develop relationships that could prove valuable in the future should the former mayor again return to investment banking.

Emanuel will be the latest in a long line of high-profile diplomats to hold the Japan ambassadorship. The Japanese are said to covet an ambassador with close ties to the president, and Emanuel certainly meets that standard after serving with then-Vice President Biden in the Obama White House and informally advising him during the 2020 campaign.

Emanuel enters the role with the most political and government experience since Howard H. Baker Jr., the former Republican Senate majority leader who was former President Ronald Reagans chief of staff before becoming ambassador to Japan under former President George W. Bush. Former Vice President Walter Mondale was ambassador to Japan in the Clinton administration, while Obama chose California fundraiser and businessman John Roos for the post, followed by Caroline Kennedy, daughter of former President John F. Kennedy.

The Tokyo-bound Emanuel will take over a foreign post that has been vacant for more than two years. Hagerty resigned in July 2019 as Trumps ambassador in Tokyo to run for Senate. Trump never appointed a replacement.

In voicing his support for Emanuel, Hagerty said the former mayor shares my unwavering conviction that the U.S.-Japan relationships is the cornerstone for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Its a region thats becoming even more dangerous day by day and that makes the position of U.S. ambassador to Japan all the more important for the United States, the Tennessee Republican said. This is a position that has remained vacant for far too long.

During his confirmation hearing, senators raised everything from North Korean ballistic missile tests in the region and Chinas increasing aggressiveness in the South China Sea to the need to preserve Taiwans independence and crack down on intellectual property theft from Beijing.

In response, Emanuel said the U.S. is at a critical juncture with its foreign policy in the region.

China, Russia, North Korea are trying to find cracks and fissures in the alliances between the United States and Japan and South Korea, Emanuel said. Our job as a facilitator is to create the bonds of unity that we speak with one voice, one interest. This is one of, if not the highest priority  to find that unity so we can confront the attempt by China and North Korea to divide us.

Prior to her vote Saturday, Duckworth noted how long the ambassadorship had been left vacant.

We desperately need an ambassador in Japan. This is a part of the world that is under continued stress from the Peoples Republic of China, both on a national security footing but also economically in terms of supply chain, Duckworth said. So, it would be really good to get an ambassador in that position, and this is who the president has picked. So, I will support the president.

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On the campaign trail in 2020, then candidate Joe Biden posed as hawk on Russia. In response to reports (later discredited) that then President Donald Trump had ignored intelligence suggesting Russia had paid for bounties on U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Biden declared that Trumps entire presidency has been a gift to Putin.

Bidens attitude was partly explained by his partys obsession with the (also discredited) theory that Trump conspired with Russia to win the 2016 election. And Trumps own inexplicable sycophancy toward Russian President Vladimir Putin bolstered this Democratic narrative. So its understandable that some voters believed Biden would take a harder line on Putin than Trump.

Eleven months into Bidens presidency, that harder line has yet to emerge. In the current crisis in Ukraine, for example, Biden and his administration have told Putin that there will be devastating sanctions if he orders the troops amassed on Ukraines border to invade. At the same time, Biden has invited Putin to a NATO summit to air his grievances about the alliance he seeks to break apart. The Biden administration has also sent mixed messages on whether Ukraine should give separatists in the Donbas region special political status before Russia withdraws its forces and dismantles the illegal armed groups it created during its first invasion of Ukraine in 2014.

Another aspect of Bidens policy is that coercive measures against Russia are proposed as a consequence only if it invades. This makes Putins destabilizing troop buildup on Ukraines border essentially cost-free. Biden still hasnt used his congressionally mandated authority to send up to $200 million in military aid to Ukraine, an authority that exists for just this type of an emergency. Last week a group of Democratic House lawmakers urged the White House to tap this fund.

The Biden administration has also declined to enforce significant sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would bypass Ukraine and provide natural gas directly to Germany, depriving the struggling Ukrainian country of a critical source of revenue and a hedge against Russian belligerence. The U.S. has hinted that such sanctions would be enforced if there were an invasion, but for now Russia has a path to securing one of Putins strategic priorities.

Bidens approach to Russia is part of a pattern. Consider the lack of response to Russias hack earlier this year of the Colonial oil pipeline, which led to gasoline shortages across the U.S. Biden warned Putin that the U.S. would respond if Russian hackers targeted critical infrastructure again, but did not respond to the pipeline hack itself.

Biden also appeased Russia during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Initially, the U.S. wanted counterterrorism agreements with Afghanistans neighbors, such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. But Russia instructed those governments to decline to meet with the U.S., leading the Biden administration to pursue a counterterrorism partnership with Russia instead. This is a tacit acknowledgement of Putins claim to hold dominion over the republics that were once part of the Soviet Union.

Alina Polyokova, the president and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, told me that while she has been pleased with some of the recent rhetoric from the administration, many of her interlocutors in Eastern Europe are shocked that Biden has not pursued a more hawkish policy against Russia. A lot of this is revealing that much of the criticism of Russia from the Democratic side was because of Trump and doesnt reflect policy, she said.

This presents a political crisis for Democrats, in addition to the strategic crisis in Ukraine. For four years, Democrats portrayed themselves as a party of Russia hawks, in contrast to a president they saw as Putins lackey. But since Biden came into office, his administration has stopped enforcing major sanctions on Russias pipeline to Germany, held off on punishing Russian hacks of critical infrastructure and now seeks to deter a Russian invasion of Ukraine with threats alone.

Some might call that appeasement. Others might say Bidens presidency so far has been a gift to Vladimir Putin.

.

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist

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Many bear blame in bills delay

Last month I read a Pantagraph opinion article written by Mike Matejka discussing the recent infrastructure bill passed into law. He laments that the bill took too long to pass and points fingers at certain Republican lawmakers opposed to it.

I agree that it was a long time in coming to fruition, but many bear the blame. Back in the beginning of the Trump administration infrastructure was a focus, but Trump wanted to include border security enhancement as part of any package. The Democrat lawmakers would not support it. Instead, the Congressional Democrats spent their time attempting to impeach and remove Trump from office based on a bogus claim that he conspired with the Russians to steal the 2016 presidential election. After the Dems took control of the House in the midterm elections of 2018 not much got done in Washington, D.C. due to the focus on the Trump-Russia collusion thing.

Earlier this year, Biden and the Democrats had an opportunity to jump start an infrastructure game plan, but instead proposed a monstrous package that included something called human infrastructure. After the Senate Republicans and some common sense Democrats restructured the bill to focus on actual infrastructure items, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 passed easily in the Senate on August 10. It was then sent to the House for final passage. Instead of acting on it promptly, the House Democrats held up the vote on this important legislation attempting to tie it into yet another unrelated several trillion dollar monstrosity social policy package named the Build Back Better Act. Finally a bi-partisan effort to separate the two prevailed, and the infrastructure bill was passed last month.

Going forward, hopefully the Democrat lawmakers in Washington have learned a lesson, and will stay focused on the matter at hand.

Rick Skelley, Bloomington

Faith can bring

salvation

So, 2021 is winding down and soon the New Year 2022, hopefully without too much craziness.

Im not the only one who thinks things in this world is totally out of control. Mostly due to the worlds human residents, and not really climate change or political malfeasance or alien invasions. Most everyone is experiencing malaise of pandemic exhaustion and political overload not unlike a blown megawatt fuse.

Can things be different? Can humans change?

Due to fallen creation, humans are tainted with sin and transgressions by ancestral first parents. Sin and brokenness are the default error code embedded into our spiritual DNA which cannot be solved or healed be human power or scientific cure.

Yet, the merciful kindness and immeasurable love of God, as our creator, for his fallen creation, a perfect baby was born to Jewish parents in Bethlehem that cold starry night more than 2,000 years ago. He was Yeshua, Jesus the Christ, as a baby born to a virgin, while darkness prevailed over the Judean hills, just as the ancient prophet Isaiah predicted.

No human goodness or works of virtuous deeds can save our souls. The seed of sin is in the heart and mind of all people. This explains why the world is on a mad course toward delusion and division and destruction.

But faith in Jesus alone by his grace, a person is saved, and the heart is changed. This Christmas will you truly remember Jesus as the babe of Bethlehem for salvation of fallen creation. Science cannot cure the sinful heart. Your salvation in Jesus the Christ yields a reconciled heart for God.

What might 2022 be like? With ceaseless hope, Jesus as the baby from Bethlehem offers peace on earth and goodwill to all people. Amen.

Leon Kaeb, Bloomington

Reagan isnt providing answers

I find that most of Michael Reagans articles dont make sense, or other articles need more investigating before he puts them in print. Now he has written an article on Dr. Fauci. It was insulting and rude. It was awful what he wrote.

Here is another article that he doesnt know what hes talking about. Dr. Fauci has given the public all the information he has, to keep the public safe. Hes done a great job. He cant wave a magic wand, or take it all away.

Well, Mr. Reagan what would you do different? I dont think you have a good answer to that. Its time for you to take a vacation and reflect on what you write next time.

Shirley Folz, Bloomington

Mother Nature fires warning shot

December 15 was an overlooked exclamation point in the winter heat wave sweeping the country, shattering temperature records, and leaving rack, ruin, and death in its wake. The Twin Cities temperature reached about 65, or 27 degrees above the 38 degree average.

Mild weather? Lets time shift those 27 extra degrees to the Ides of Julys 85 degree average. The temperature is then 112. Add summer humidity and the heat index score will run into the 130s. Thats the high danger zone in the National Weather Services heat index chart. String several similar days together, a likely summer outcome, and we have a killer heat wave.

What have Illinois officials done to prepare for this inevitability? Nothing. When ISU students, Bernie Sanders supporters, and Illinois Peoples Action members implored the city councils to prepare for such an event, we were turned down. When we requested McLean County Emergency Medical Services to review its heat stroke protocol  the same kind of protocol that played a role in countless deaths in the Chicago (1995), Paris (2003), and Moscow (2010) heat waves  we were rebuffed. Apparently, the physiology of Central Illinoisans is qualitatively different from big city humans.

At least McLean EMS engaged us in dialogue which beats the governors office. There, two certified-delivery letters, four emails, and a message left in a call box (after a 35-minute wait) were all met with frosty silence. Hundreds to over a thousand unnecessary deaths in a heat wave? Meh.

On December 15, Mother Nature sent an emergency call to our officials. Most likely, no one picked up the phone. Illinois leaders are too busy doing what leaders do everywhere: driving into the future by looking through the rearview mirror.

Passengers: fasten seatbelts; brace for impact  expect no rescue.

William Rau, Bloomington

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Government is investing and will continue to invest heavily in the Ghana Armed Forces to not only bring it at par with other reputable armed forces in the world, but also to sharpen their readiness to protect the nation against the growing threats in the West Africa sub-region.



Speaking at the Graduation Ceremony for Short Service Commission and Special Duties Course 59 at the Ghana Military Academy and Training School (MATS) at Teshie in Accra on Friday, 17th December, 2021 Vice President Bawumia said the peace in the sub region continues to be assailed by a myriad of threats, and Government will continue to provide the necessary logistics to the Armed Forces for the protection of the countrys borders.



Parts of our sub-region are engulfed by terrorism and embroiled in various forms of deprivation, unrest and violence. Ghanas northern frontiers are seriously threatened, calling for a comprehensive approach to state security.



Thus, government has commenced the strategic expansion and modernization of the Ghana Armed Forces in line with the threat analysis and matching these with the acquisition of the requisite equipment, logistics, infrastructure development and increase in manpower.



The expansion has already seen the creation and the establishment of the Army Special Operations Brigade, Armoured Brigade and 2 Mechanized Battalions. The Bundase and Daboya Training Camps have been improved with the construction of new accommodation and training infrastructure to enhance training and learning.



Additionally, the Government is constructing Eight Hundred and Thirty-Two (832) accommodation units for the Ghana Armed Forces which are currently at various levels of completion in all the Garrisons.



Furthermore, plans are far advanced for the construction and equipping of 15 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) across our northern frontiers for the Ghana Armed Forces. These FOBs include FOB Dollar Power; FOB Hamile; FOB Tumu; FOB Navrongo; FOB Bawku; FOB Nalerigu; FOB Bunkpurugu; FOB Saboba; FOB Bimbilla; FOB Damongo; FOB Bole; FOB Jirapa; Forward Logistics Base at Wa; Forward Logistics Base Bolgatanga and Main Logistics Base at Tamale.



The Vice President continued:



In the same vein, the government intends to equip the Ghana Navy with Offshore Patrol Vessels and Fast Patrol Boats to counter piracy and other maritime threats and protect our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).



Plans are also in place to equip the Air force with assorted aircrafts comprising Casa C2A5 Maritime Patrol Aircrafts, Mi  171SH Military Airlift Helicopters, VIP Transport Helicopters (H 225) and Mi35 Gunship.



All these investments are to ensure that the Ghana Armed Forces are well equipped and motivated to deliver on its mandates of safeguarding the peace, integrity and security of the nation and maintaining Ghanas contribution to international peace and security.



The quality of training and other logistics are also receiving heavy investments, Dr Bawumia disclosed.



Government is delivering on its promise to reconstruct and upgrade the Ghana Military Academy to bring it at par with other reputable Military Academies in the world. As I speak today, I am delighted to say that, the first phase of the construction works of the Ghana Military Academy is almost complete.



Aside the renovated Officer Cadets Mess and the Academy Parade Square which were completed and commissioned by the President of the Republic on 13 November last year and have since been fully operational, the 320-seating capacity two-storey Classroom Block is completed whilst the magnificent Administration Block is 95% complete.



The constructions of Cadets Accommodation Block, the Platoon Commanders Accommodation and the Boundary Fence Wall are progressing steadily.



Dr Bawumia expressed governments appreciation for the role played by the military in the fight against illegal mining, saying I applaud the Ghana Armed Forces for the successes chalked in clearing our water bodies of illegal miners, and urge you and the other security services to remain undaunted in the fight against illegal mining and lumbering.



Vice President Bawumia, before conferring the Presidential Commission on the Graduating Officer Cadets, reminded the graduands that the interest of the nation should always be paramount in their conduct during their entire careers.



In view of this, you need to uphold professionalism at all times. You are always reminded that patriotism, discipline and responsiveness to operational exigencies are essential and the nation expects nothing less from you.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Member of Parliament (MP) for Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako Mensah has rebuked the Presidential aspirants in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) whose billboards have been mounted in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.



The NPP has warned the aspirants to halt their campaigns till when the party will give permission for its members to engage in internal contests.



A statement by the NPP leadership ahead of the party's delegates conference this Saturday read; Prior to and during the conference from December 18 to 20, 2021, no billboards and or signboards, banners or any kind of outdoor signage with the images and or names of individual members, with or without the consent of the individual, shall be acceptable. This applies to the area within the Greater Kumasi Metropolis. All such displays, if put up already, should be removed.



"Any person, with or without his or her consent, whose image is flaunted on any advocacy material and who does not take active steps to desist from any public display of aspiration for a position within the precincts of Greater Kumasi runs a higher risk of disqualification in the event nominations are declared open."



But the directive of the leadership has fallen on deaf ears as billboards of some of the aspirants have crowded Kumasi.



Hon. Collins Adomako-Mensah, speaking on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', scolded the aspirants saying ''Billboards don't win election. If billboards win election, we would have defeated the NDC in 2016. Billboards don't win election. So, if you are a potential aspirant and you feel, by your billboard, you will win the election; then you are just killing yourself''.



He, therefore, is urging them to comply with the party's directive.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Nigerian actress, Tonto Dikeh has disclosed her most feared Nigerian celebrity.



Tonto Dikeh, in an Instagram post, said she will dare not pick a bone with Jim Iyke adding that he might end up teaching her a brutal lesson.



This was after she was asked during an interactive session with fans whether she (Tonto Dikeh) will blog about Jim Iyke if ever she had an opportunity to be a blogger.



In her response, she said: Lmaooo someone said if I be blogger, will I blog about Jim Iyke? E be like say una no like me. Jim go create violence before court date. Una never know Jim. Abeg crase pass crase Biko. Abeg make una leave me o. Na malaria I get. No be die I wan die.



Her reaction has sparked mixed reactions from fans on social media.



Nigerian actor, Jim Iyke has been captured in a series of banters (physical and verbal) with anyone who crosses his path.





Source: mynigeria.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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" " Friends, family and residents of Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood attend a vigil for 10-year-old Lena Nunez on June 29, 2020. Nunez was shot and killed by a stray bullet while watching television with her brother in her grandmother's home. Gun violence soared in Chicago in 2020. Scott Olson/Getty Images

In 2020, more than 4,000 people were victims of gun violence in the city of Chicago. That number was almost 1,500 more from the year before. Those 4,000 were just part of the story in a particularly (if not historically) violent year in the Windy City, which reported a staggering 769 homicides in 2020, a more than 55 percent jump from 2019.

Chicago, of course, is not alone among U.S. cities struggling against a rising level of violent crime, much of it gun-related. The surge has put a spotlight on one possible tool to combat the problem, a decades-old technology that, these days, can almost instantaneously root out the location of a gunshot and quickly dispatch law enforcement to the scene.

President Joe Biden recognized the lure of such tech in June 2021 when he trumpeted money from the American Rescue Plan that he said could be earmarked for "gunshot detection systems." He was referring to companies like ShotSpotter, a Silicon Valley firm that sells "acoustic surveillance technology"  read: hardware, software and an around-the-clock service that detects and pinpoints the location of gunshots  to law enforcement agencies.

No one is touting these systems as a cure-all to the nation's gun-violence problem. The epidemic has far too many causes and is way too deeply ingrained in society for one easy solution, no matter how well it does, or doesn't work.

But ShotSpotter, and other technology like it, could be a critical component in calming things down and turning back the swelling tide of violence.

"The goal is to improve public safety," says Ron Teachman, the company's director of public safety solutions and a longtime law enforcement agent in New Bedford, Massachusetts and South Bend, Indiana. "Getting the police to respond comprehensively and effectively. Enhance community trust. Improve community collaboration. And ultimately, reduce gun violence."

" " The ShotSpotter system uses an array of microphones that can detect, identify and send alerts when and where guns have been fired. ShotSpotter

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How Gunshot Detection Works

The ShotSpotter system, which is the major provider of gunshot detection systems to the civilian market, is based on an array of microphones that can detect, identify and wirelessly send an alert when a gun has been fired, alerting local law enforcement to the time and location of the shot within 60 seconds. (Other companies like Raytheon Technologies provide of gunshot detection systems to the armed forces.)

The number of sensors that are deployed in any given area depends on a range of factors, including architecture and topography. Engineers will map out an area, decide where the sensors should be located, and how many, then go about building the coverage.

ShotSpotter will place the sensors, first, on rooftops of government buildings (less red tape). They'll go for commercial and residential buildings next, with permission, and then may put these high-tech microphones at various heights along a streetscape, including on utility poles.

(ShotSpotter, though, only provides gunshot location with latitude and longitude, not on height.) Teachman says that, generally, an average square mile can be covered by 20 to 25 sensors, which are wired for power but send their alerts wirelessly.

When a gun is fired, several of these sensitive sensors are triggered, enabling the system to triangulate  Teachman says more often it's "multi-angulate"  the relatively exact coordinates of the sound. This all happens in seconds; even milliseconds.

The information is sped to a ShotSpotter Incident Review Center, where it's first analyzed by computer algorithms, flagged as a possible gunshot, and then listened to by humans sitting in a 911-type environment. Within a minute  often, it's something like 45 seconds  an alert is conveyed to police, via smartphone, desktop computer, laptop or even smartwatch, marking a precise location of the shot on a map. Authorities respond as needed, depending on local policies.

" " Once a gunshot is detected by the SpotShotter system, it's analyzed by computers then sent to be reviewed by a person at a call center who can then dispatch police to the exact location where the gun was fired. ShotSpotter

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Refining the Technology

Over the years, the algorithms have been refined and now can differentiate between the sound of fireworks, say and an automatic handgun. The software has been improved to account for different atmospheric and weather conditions, and can single out a shot while discounting, for example, a car backfire. The program considers echoes and acoustic anomalies that may be unique to an area.

The system is not effective with suppressed sounds  a shot from a "silencer" on a handgun, from inside a vehicle, within an apartment, or against a human body  because the sound is not as widely available for the sensors to pick up. Still, if it's out on the street or in other public places like parks or schoolyards (in 2019, 66 percent of homicides in Chicago and 44 percent of shootings happened in streets or alleys), ShotSpotter will hear.

And when police are dispatched, they don't go to the place where a 911 caller alerted them. They go to where the actual shot was picked up by the sensors.

"We dispatch to the dot, which could be driveways, backyards, alleys, fields, parking lots. Going to the dot increases the likelihood of finding a victim, finding evidence, saving a life," says Teachman, referring to the pin on the alert map that marks the spot of the shot. "Many times, officers say, 'I rolled up in my car in the dark and got out and I was almost stepping on a spent shell casing.'"

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How Effective Is It?

ShotSpotter and similar systems are not without critics. A recent report from the MacArthur Justice Center at Northwestern University's School of Law found that an alarming majority of ShotSpotter's reports turn up no proof of gunshots or of any gun-related crimes. The report, in effect, accuses ShotSpotter of sending cops on phantom calls, making situations worse.

"High-tech tools can create a false justification for the broken status quo of policing and can end up exacerbating existing racial disparities," Jonathan Manes, an attorney for the MacArthur Center and a driving force behind the report, said in a news release. "We needed to know whether this system actually does what it claims to do. It does not."

A July 2021 article in Vice, too, accuses ShotSpotter and police of monkeying with results to manufacture favorable evidence in court cases, an allegation the company denies. "ShotSpotter has never altered the information in a court-admissible detailed forensic report based on fitting a police narrative," the company says in a release. "The idea that ShotSpotter 'alters' or 'fabricates' evidence in any way is an outrageous lie and would be a criminal offense. We follow the facts and data for our forensic analysis. Period."

ShotSpotter  used in more than 100 cities worldwide, including big cities like Chicago, San Francisco, Oakland, Detroit and New York City  claims several success stories, including a 29 percent drop in homicides in the first year it was used in West Palm Beach, Florida; a 30 percent reduction in shootings over the first four months it was deployed in Cleveland, Ohio; a 26 percent reduction in violent crime in a hot spot in Las Vegas, Nevada; a 56 percent drop in the number of gun-violence victims over an eight-year period the system was used in Omaha, Nebraska.

According to the company, ShotSpotter increases the number of gun incidents that are reported, to the point that some 97 percent of external gunfire in a monitored area is identified by the system. (The vast majority of gunfire, ShotSpotter says, is not reported otherwise to police.) The company says the system also drastically cuts down response time, gets victims transported to hospitals more quickly, and improves investigation by pinpointing the location of the incident more accurately.

All the focus on gunshots, Teachman insists, has another hugely important benefit: Gunshot detection systems act as deterrents to the bad guys and help police officers better connect with the people whom they're trying to protect and serve.

"Ultimately, you reduce gun violence by identifying those perpetrators and bringing them to justice. When people start seeing police responding, you start building a community trust. And that's what we're hoping for," Teachman says. "It's not just a police response. We're not going to arrest our way out of the gun-violence problem. It requires a community engagement as well. But the community has to believe in the public safety officials that are working with them. And that's what we're in the business of doing."

" " Once a gunshot has been vetted and confirmed, police can respond to its exact location, often in time to get victims of gunshots to the hospital for lifesaving treatment. ShotSpotter

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING All that tech doesn't come cheaply. More than 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) of the city of Chicago are covered by the ShotSpotter system. For that, the city will pay the company up to $33 million in a three-year contract that ends in August 2021. The contract can be extended through 2023.
The eruption, the first in La Palma since 1971, is the longest on record on the island of around 83,000 people.

As soon as he heard that La Palma's volcano had erupted, Australian geologist Matt Pankhurst loaded his microscope into his car and raced to catch a ferry to the Spanish island.

Like other scientists around the world, he was eager to get a first-hand look at the rare and valuable data spilling out of the Cumbre Vieja volcano off Africa's northwest coast.

"It's a huge opportunity to learn," said the scientist with Involcan, the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute.

"The more observations we make closer to the time that material has come out of the volcano, the more chance we have of making a scientific impact."

A few kilometers (miles) from where the volcano shot up from flat ground on September 19, he and other scientists have set up an improvised lab in a house provided by the local authorities.

Neatly lined up on tables inside are obscure volcanic rocks collected from the ash-covered ground around the volcano, all of them labeled ahead of further analysis.

"At the moment, this is by far the most closely watched volcanic episode that has ever happened in the Canaries," Pankhurst said.

The eruption, the first in La Palma since 1971, is the longest on record on the island of around 83,000 people.

No injuries or deaths have been directly linked to the eruption, but the lava flow has destroyed 1,345 homes, mainly in the island's west, and forced more than 7,000 people to evacuate.

Australian geologist Matt Pankhurst says the volcano eruption on La Palma is 'a huge opportunity to learn'

'Collaborative effort'

At the foot of the fuming volcano, in an area closed to the public, scientists have been collecting lava samples, using metal sticks when it is still hot and hammers when it has cooled.

They then cut down the rocks into small samples that can be sent off to colleagues for analysis around the world.

"It's a collaborative effort," said Pankhurst.

The volcano fell silent on Monday evening and scientists are cautiously optimistic that after three months of explosions and earthquakes, the eruption may be ending.

But at a lookout providing a clear view of the volcano, Maria Jose Blanco, the director of the National Geographic Institute in the Canary Islands, warned the area was still under observation.

"To be able to say that the eruption is definitely over, these parameters need to stay at similar levels for at least 10 days," she said, standing in the square near a small church in the municipality of El Paso that has drawn scores of scientists, journalists and bystanders to watch the eruption.

At the foot of the fuming volcano, scientists have been collecting lava samples for analysis.

Further down the slope at her institute's control center, some 70 experts have worked away since the start of the eruption.

They will have to keep monitoring the volcano even after it ends as the mountain will continue to spew toxic gases for a long spell, complicating life on the island.

'Can't ignore nature'

Governments must prepare better to face future volcanic crises, because population density is only increasing, said Blanco, whose frequent media appearances in recent weeks have made her a familiar face in Spain.

"We can't live with our backs to nature and forget that this is a volcanic archipelago, that eruptions have occurred in the past and will continue to occur," she said.

Since the autumn, the slow-moving lava has covered over 1,200 hectares (about 3,000 acres) of land on its way to the Atlantic, dealing a blow to the island's two key industriestourism and banana farming.

Also standing in the church square, Vicente Soler, a volcanologist with Spain's National Research Council, said the eruption had hit the island where it most hurt.

Volcanologist Vicente Soler says he hoped attempting to explain the eruption could 'to a small extent, help the local population'

"The most populated and richest area economically for agriculture is this one," he said of the land affected.

"The first month was very hard, because you saw houses burning and collapsing every day," he added.

But the scientist, also a regular commentator on Spanish television, said he was proud to have monitored the eruption and hoped that attempting to explain the event could "to a small extent, help the local population."

As Soler spoke, a young man recognized him and his trademark white hair from the news, and asked to take a selfie with him.

"Thanks for your work," the young man said, before heading off.

Explore further Scientists cautious as erupting Spanish volcano falls quiet

 2021 AFP
Credit: NASA

The NASA-led James Webb Space Telescope, which includes hardware designed and built at UCL and which will image the very first stars to shine in the Universe, is scheduled to be launched into space later this month.

The telescope, one of the great space observatories following Hubble, will be launched on-board the Ariane rocket from Europe's spaceport in French Guiana on or after Friday 24 December. It will take 30 days for the telescope to reach the Lagrange point 2, about a million miles from Earth, where it will begin operating. UCL astronomers will be among the first to analyse its observations of the Universe.

The missiona partnership between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA)  is expected to make breakthrough discoveries in all fields of astronomy by investigating the light of the Universe at (invisible) infrared wavelengths.

A team at the UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory designed and built a key piece of hardware for one of the telescope's four instruments, a near-infrared spectrometer called the NIRSpec. About the size of a double bed, the NIRSpec measures light split into different wavelengths.

The UCL-built component, called the Calibration Source, consists of 11 mini-telescopes projecting light into a sphere, the output of which produces an even illumination of the NIRSpec detectors.

This reference illumination reveals the sensitivity and arrangement of every part of NIRSpec's optics and detectors to different wavelengths of light, allowing astronomers to more precisely measure the properties of light emitted by planets, stars and galaxies.

Professor Mark Cropper (UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory) said: "The launch of James Webb is a landmark moment for science. UCL's contribution took place over 14 years, between 1997 and 2010. Our unit, the Calibration Source, aims to ensure astronomers can measure the faintest signals from the early Universe as precisely as possible. It does this by flooding the NIRSpec optics and detectors with uniform light, revealing the varying sensitivities of different parts of the detectors to different wavelengths. In doing so, it will help astronomers determine the age and motions of the oldest stars we can see and the properties of the oldest galaxies."

Chris Brockley-Blatt (UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory), who managed the project at UCL, said: "I am delighted that a component built at our laboratory will be playing a role in one of the major scientific endeavours of the 21st century."

The final work to design and build the component took place between 2005 and 2010. UCL scientists and engineers, supported by researchers at Durham University, also built a larger replica of the unit together with other equipment so that NIRSpec could be rigorously tested on Earth at minus 30 degrees.

Meanwhile, two UCL astronomers, Professor Richard Ellis and Dr. Aayush Saxena, will be analysing the first cycles of observations from James Webb to probe the evolution of the first stars, galaxies and black holes.

Professor Ellis (UCL Physics & Astronomy), who was the only Europe-based member of the 1995 "HST and beyond" strategic committee that proposed what would later be known as the James Webb Space Telescope, said: "This is a hugely exciting development! After 25 years of hard work by hundreds of scientists and engineers, we are about to witness a revolution in observational astronomy comparable to that achieved by the famous Hubble Space Telescope. One of the key goals of James Webb is to witness and characterise 'cosmic dawn' - the time when galaxies and stars first emerged from darkness. We believe this important event occurred between 250 and 350 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only 2% of its present age and that James Webb is capable of directly observing it."

Another UCL astrophysicist, Professor Michael Barlow (UCL Physics & Astronomy) is a member of the European Science Team for James Webb's mid-infrared imager (MIRI), which involves advising the instrument team and planning how to use 450 hours of MIRI's observation time. He is co-leading a programme of observations of the remnant of Supernova 1987A, one of the brightest exploding stars astronomers have ever seen.
GLENS FALLS  A century ago, The Post-Star welcomed a new service club to the city.

Any organization conceived in a spirit of helpfulness and dedicated to the welfare of its members, and the community in general, is a worthwhile organization and as such should be awarded a cordial welcome, The Post-Star editorialized on May 10, 1922. In behalf of its readers, The Post-Star, therefore, takes pleasure in welcoming to this galaxy of boosters The Rotary Club, and in wishing for it a long and uninterrupted period of usefulness.

Glens Falls Rotary Club charter members Charter members of the Glens Falls Rotary Club in 1922:

The local club recently began a yearlong celebration of its centennial, which will conclude with a yet-to-be determined major community service project.

So, we want to give something back to the community, said Jean Lapper, a past club president who is co-chairwoman of the 100th anniversary celebration committee.

Throughout the year, the committee will chronicle the history of the club, its mission, and its continued relevance in the community through printed materials, social networking and displays, with a major event in May or June.

It will be more in the nature of a showcase and an exhibit, as opposed to a dinner, Lapper said.

In 1922, several members of the Troy Rotary Club helped to organize the Glens Falls club, which held an organization meeting in April at the Gift and Tea Shop at the Glens Falls Insurance Co. building, located at what is now a grassy area at the bend in Bay Street, across from Crandall Public Library, The Post-Star reported on April 28.

Pandemic caused club to alter its meetings The COVID-19 lockdown that began in March 2020 caused the Glens Falls Rotary Club to rethink tradition, just as the club was gearing up to celebrate its centennial.

Largely through the efforts of Frank M. Smalley, who was to become the clubs first president and is still one of the most enthusiastic members, the spade work was done, The Post-Star reported in a Feb. 23, 1955, report for the local clubs 33rd anniversary.

Smalley was the local clubs president in 1922, 1923 and 1924.

The club, after the April organizational meeting, continued meeting every Thursday for lunch, leading up to the club receiving its charter on June 1.

Dwight Marvin, editor of The Troy Record and a member of the Troy Rotary Club, presented the charter.

John Healey Jr., Ernest Robinson, Joseph Foxell and Avery Eldrid, of the Troy Rotary Club, and John Tremaine, of the Albany Rotary Club, spoke.

A year later, 50 members of the Troy Rotary Club came to Glens Falls to help the local club celebrate its first anniversary at a dinner at the Glens Falls YMCA.

Last night they returned to Glens Falls to visit their child and found that the local club had developed into a healthy youngster, The Post-Star reported on June 8, 1923.

Paul Harris, a lawyer, started the first Rotary Club in Chicago in 1905 as a way for professionals to discuss ideas and make long-lasting friendships.

Band leader and composer John Philip Sousa was among the early Glens Falls Rotary Club speakers when he was a guest of honor at the July 20, 1922, meeting at the Finch, Pruyn & Co. cafeteria.

The March King was in the city to perform with his band that afternoon in a concert at The Rialto Theatre on Warren Street.

Mr. Sousa entertained the Rotarians with an interesting address regarding some of his experiences and travels abroad, The Post-Star reported.

Club member Fred Chapman, a Finch Pruyn executive, had invited the club to meet that week at the paper mill.

As well as members, about a dozen guests attended the meeting, including Louis Hyde and Maurice Hoopes of Finch Pruyn.

About fifty men were in attendance and at the conclusion of the party they proclaimed the officers of Finch, Pruyn and Company royal hosts, according to The Post-Star.

Another early local Rotary Club meeting was held June 22, 1922, at the Imperial Wall Paper and Color Works factory in Queensbury, later the Ceiba-Geigy plant.

Members that attended took home a patriotic souvenir.

Each guest was presented with a neat souvenir in the nature of a paper American shield, being a product of the Imperial Color Works, The Post-Star reported the next day.

Owner George Tait, who lived in the brick mansion next to Crandall Park, was a gregarious host.

The Rotarians did full justice to the splendid dinner served, which was a la Imperial in every sense of the word, all of the vegetables served being fresh from the Imperial farm.

After lunch, the Rotarians toured the factory.

Weekly Thursday Rotary Club meetings rotated from place to place until The Queensbury Hotel opened in 1926, when it became the clubs regular meeting place. Common locations for meetings prior to 1926 included The Rockwell House hotel, the Glens Falls YMCA cafeteria and the Gift and Tea Shop at the Glens Falls Insurance Co. building.

The Glens Falls Rotary Club was No. 1,180 in what was still a relatively young Rotary movement.

New Rotary clubs were established in Newfoundland, Norway, Peru and Denmark in the same year.

Now there are more than 46,000 Rotary clubs worldwide.

Rotary International has long had two mottoes: Service above self and One profits most who serves best.

The Glens Falls Rotary Club has demonstrated those mottoes from its beginning.

It was announced at the clubs charter meeting that the initial community service focus of the new club would be to financially assist local Boy Scout troops.

The Rotary clubs throughout the country take a deep interest in boys and the local organization is no exception, The Post-Star reported on June 2. The members will foster the Boy Scout movement and any other movement for the boys generally.

A few weeks later, the club launched its first community service project.

At the June 15 meeting at the Glens Falls YMCA cafeteria, Dr. Davis Baker, a local surgeon who was a charter club member, spoke about the fledgling Glens Falls Boy Scout Band, and suggested that the Rotary Club could help out.

The club referred the matter to a committee, which did not take long to deliberate.

On June 19, The Post-Star reported that the new Rotary Club would pay for music lessons for one year for beginning band members taking up the study of clarinet, trombone, bass horn or saxophone, and would subsidize the purchase of instruments for needy families.

Families receiving assistance were required to make a long-term commitment to musical study.

Rotary Club members viewed music as a character builder.

Not only is a knowledge (of music) a source of pleasure, but it adds much to ones prestige. It is often a valuable financial asset, and those who deal with delinquent boys testify that comparatively few boys that are interested in music get into trouble.

Since that beginning, the local Rotary Club has raised countless dollars for community projects, and continues to do so.

In 1955, the club purchased an anesthesia machine for Glens Falls Hospital and a hydraulic lift for the local chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association of America to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Rotary International.

Over the past 20 years, the club has raised more than $2 million for community and international projects,

What I love about the club is that when you come up with an idea, people listen and say, What can we do to help? Lapper said.

An example of that, she said, was in 2005 when Kay Walter, a Rotary Club member, spoke about Pure Water for the World, an initiative to distribute household water filters in developing countries to prevent the spread of waterborne disease and improve the economy of poor communities to manufacture the filters.

Rotary Club members brainstormed and the next year organized the Water Walk, an annual event at Crandall Park for more than a decade to raise funds and educate the public about water quality issues.

In its first seven years, the Water Walk raised $100,000.

In 2011, the local club established the annual Rotary 5K foot race, beginning and ending at the campus of SUNY Adirondack, to raise money for local charities.

Each year the club selects two local charities to split the proceeds from the race.

In the early 1990s, the club began holding fried dough sales at local events such as the Adirondack Balloon Festival, Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council festival and others, annually raising from $10,000 to $20,000 or more for local charitable projects.

In 2004, the club spent $42,000 to buy a 28-foot concessions trailer equipped with three commercial fryers, refrigeration and a fire suppression system. The purchase cut the number of volunteers needed roughly in half, to between 10 and 15 per shift, because less setup and teardown was involved, The Post-Star reported at the time.

The local Rotary Club has long collaborated with The Post-Stars annual Warm the Children campaign to provide winter clothing for children of needy families.

The clubs new focus will be on environmental projects, Lapper said.

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Warren County Health Services reported 66 new COVID cases and 69 recoveries on Friday.

Of the new cases, 33 involved fully vaccinated individuals, according to the report.

As of Friday, Warren County reported 13 residents are hospitalized, all experiencing moderate illness. Eleven of the 13 patients are unvaccinated.

Ray Agnew, Glens Falls Hospital spokesman, said the hospital had 37 COVID patients on Friday, with three individuals in the ICU and seven off of isolation.

In a news release, the county reported a total of 1,743 breakthrough cases out of the 46,190 fully vaccinated residents. The report stated, 77.5% of the countys population has received one dose of the COVID vaccine.

The county reported 60 booster shots were administered at the clinic held on Thursday.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate is now 8.1%.

Health Services said on Friday that 714 residents were under mandatory quarantine.

Recent potential COVID exposures noted by Warren County include:

Lowes Home Improvement Center, Quaker Road, Queensbury, Dec. 12, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., no mask worn.

Hannaford, Broad Street, Glens Falls, Dec. 13, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., no mask worn.

Price Chopper/Market 32, Route 9, Queensbury, Dec. 9, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Dec. 10, 12 and 13, day shift. Mask worn.

Washington County

The Washington County Public Health Department reported 33 new COVID cases and 64 recoveries on Friday.

According to the report, five of the new cases involve vaccinated individuals.

Eight residents are hospitalized.

The Health Department reported 1,320 persons were under monitoring on Friday, with 292 active cases.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate is now 8.8%.

The county has recorded 1,059 breakthrough cases out of the 37,092 fully vaccinated residents.

Hudson Headwaters Health Network and Health Foundation will hold local COVID-19 vaccination clinics for youths (first dose Pfizer) ages 5-18 at the Historic Salem Courthouse in the Mobile Health Center on the following days:

Dec. 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dec. 27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dec. 28, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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FORT EDWARD  The number of Washington County residents under monitoring for COVID-19 on Thursday was about a third higher than on the same date in 2020.

Deputy Director of Public Safety Tim Hardy told the county Board of Supervisors on Friday that 1,320 people are being monitored this year compared to 866 last year.

The number of active cases was more than double, from 123 to 292.

Eight people were in the hospital compared to two on the same date last year.

The cumulative death toll has increased from 13 to 67. The number of confirmed cases, 7,623, amounts to 12.4% of the countys population of 61,197.

Presenting his monthly update to the supervisors, Hardy said county Public Health is continuing to urge people to be vaccinated and is organizing vaccination clinics. The percentage of the countys population that has received at least one dose has increased to 64.8%, but that lags the the state average of 76.3%.

Now that children ages 5 and up are eligible for vaccination, the department is holding clinics for children at public schools, including Hudson Falls and Greenwich, through its #VaxToSchool program. Hudson Headwaters Health Networks mobile health center will offer vaccinations for children ages 5-18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 20, 27 and 28 at the Historic Salem Courthouse. Appointments are recommended and may be made by calling the mobile health center at 518-623-0871 or online at hhhn.org/coronavirus.

The county has seen some breakthrough cases in people who are fully vaccinated, but they amount to only 1,059 of 37,092 residents, or 2.8%. Twenty-nine of those people had to be hospitalized, or 0.078%. and nine have died, or 0.028%. The rest had mild or no symptoms, Hardy said.

Public Health is doing contact tracing seven days a week and has added staff to keep up with cases, Hardy said.

Hardy noted the mask mandate recently issued by Gov. Kathy Hochul, requiring masks or vaccinations in all indoor public spaces from Dec. 13 through Jan. 15. County Board of Supervisors Chairman Samuel Hall issued a statement encouraging county residents to be responsible, courteous, and understanding to our business owners and community organizations relative to the state requirement, but said the countys public health team does not have the resources to enforce the mandate.

In related business, Supervisor Dana Haff of Hartford objected to a one-month overlap for a new Public Health employee replacing a person who is retiring, and a four-month overlap for a supervising public health nurse and registered professional nurse in the same department. Haff called the shadowing period excessive in both cases and said it would not be allowed in the private sector.

County Administrator Melissa Fitch, Personnel Committee Chairman Matthew Hicks of Granville and committee members Evera Sue Clary of Salem and David OBrien of Hampton supported the overlap. Fitch said Public Health requested the arrangement.

Its pretty much all COVID response now, Fitch said.

You can see how stressed they are, OBrien said. They need all the help they can get.

Haff voted with the rest of the board to approve the position with the one-month overlap, but cast the sole no vote on the four-month overlap.

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+3 Egg Harbor City man wins brand new roof in a giveaway event EGG HARBOR CITY  On Thursday morning, Leonard Forand Jr. had some unexpected guests at his 

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They will hit the road again during Christmas week to deliver to Youth and Family Services in Atlantic City and the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia outpatient center in Mays Landing before turning onto the Atlantic City Expressway toward Philadelphia for stops at the Ronald McDonald House, CHOP, Gift of Life Family House and St. Christophers Hospital for Children. They also scour social media and will deliver to any child they learn about who is battling cancer, leukemia or any other life-threatening disease.

I guess you could call us a busy family; we are constantly on the go, said Andrea Pugliese 36. Giving back and helping others is just something my husband and I always did, and over the years, our sons saw the impact of what we do and how rewarding it is to help people.

The boys  Tyler, 17, Blake, 8, and Noah, 6  are always eager to pitch in and have formed bonds with many of the kids and families they have met through the years. Built with Love stays involved with families year-round by organizing trips to local movie theaters and other activities and participating in fundraising events.
President Joe Bidens administration has gone out of its way to signal toughness toward Russias military buildup on Ukraines border. Biden himself said he told Russian President Vladimir Putin that if he ordered an invasion, the U.S. was prepared to unleash economic consequences on Russia like none hes ever seen or ever have been seen.

Those economic consequences would probably include excluding Russia from the Swift system for international electronic payments, and possibly a reimposition of U.S. sanctions on companies working on the construction of the Nordstream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany. Biden has also threatened to increase weapons shipments to Ukraine and bolster the defenses of vulnerable NATO allies on Ukraines border.

It remains to be seen whether any of this will dissuade Putin from invading Ukraine. But even if it does, Putins troop buildup has already earned him some initial concessions: Along with his warnings, Biden has offered Putin what the White House is calling diplomatic off-ramps. Jake Sullivan, Bidens national security adviser, on described these off-ramps as support for the largely moribund peace process based on the Minsk agreements in 2014 and 2015, and an invitation for Putin to engage in consultations with NATO over his concerns about the alliance.
Let illegal immigrants strengthen own nations

I am ashamed of President Biden for offering illegal immigrants $450,000 for being separated from their families at the border. The president said these illegals will make the country stronger. If that is so, why dont they go back to their country and make it stronger, rather than being a dangerous safety and taxation risk on Americans?

What about our service men and women separated from their families under dangerous life-and-death conditions? Are they not equally important as the illegals?

The members of the House and Senate must defeat the corrupt communistic regime that is desecrating American values, freedoms, work ethics and principles that America was founded on. If they dont, then Americans will suffer as victims of the destruction of the greatest nation in the world, by the enemy from within.

Terry Portnoy

Millville

GOP hasnt condemned Donald Trump enough
"We are against the grant because of who is in place to do the work," Robinson said. "Our plan right now is to get the grant paused, or if we can get the grant modified, change out the contractors or return the grant.

"None of the stakeholders in the community of Rock Island were ever contacted," he said. "We found out about it after the grant was awarded. We are assuming they are going to document Black history in Rock Island and then create a trail, but we don't have answers about it."

A press release from the Coalition states, "We consider the lack of any discussion with the African American community in planning and realizing funded programs or projects associated with the grant to be an issue of exclusion, reinforcing the reality of inequality that prevails in Rock Island and the Quad Cities."

City Manager Randy Tweet said the city submitted the grant on behalf of Media Link and Pearson Consulting. Pearson, who is Black, has done work on the African American Story Trail in Iowa. Tweet said the timeline to submit the grant was only a window of two to three days, leaving little to no time to seek community feedback.
Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family remain named defendants in our ongoing litigation and we will hold them accountable for their unlawful behavior, one way or another, she said.

The main issue on the appeal was the lawfulness of the measures that would extend legal protections to Sackler family members.

Such third-party releases are not used in most bankruptcy cases, but they are common in cases such as Purdues, in which the companies involved are burdened with lawsuits and have relatively little value  but their wealthy owners could contribute.

The Purdue deal would not protect family members from criminal charges. But so far none have been filed, and there are no signs any are forthcoming, though some activists are calling for them.

In her ruling Thursday, McMahon focused on whether bankruptcy law even allows for the kind of deal the company and its creditors struck if there are objections to it.

The great unsettled question in this case is whether the Bankruptcy Court  or any court  is statutorily authorized to grant such releases. This issue has split the federal Circuits for decades, she wrote.
Greg Seefeldt sees middle school as a place where students are asking some of the toughest questions of their lives.

In that adolescent stage, theyre making that transition in identity, said Seefeldt, the principal at Douglas Middle School. Am I the family person? Am I an individual? That struggle is one that every middle-schooler goes through.

Then he added with a chuckle, And its one we all try to forget.

Seefeldt was describing middle school trials that may be intensified by the pandemic and the instability it's generated. In the case of Douglas Middle School, adolescent struggles are also occurring at a school with a population that has, for the most part, grown over the past decade or so, with more growth anticipated. About 670 students are attending Douglas Middle School this school year.

In the midst of such challenges, the school is participating in Project AWARE, a national program designed, among other things, to bolster awareness and training surrounding mental health issues and to connect children and their families with needed services.

Douglas Middle School is partnering with Black Hills Special Services Cooperative and Behavior Management Systems. Black Hills Special Services Cooperative is administering the grant on a local level, Seefeldt said.

Ultimately, the grant comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Its administered at the state level by the South Dakota Department of Education and the South Dakota Department of Social Services, departments that are partnering with school districts and community mental health centers to improve access to mental health services, according to the South Dakota Department of Education website.

Douglas Middle School was among a cluster of schools in the state that began participating in a Project AWARE pilot program in 2018, according to the state Department of Education website.

By 2019, staff members from Black Hills Special Services Cooperative and Behavior Management Systems began working at the middle school.

Its really designed to focus on the whole school population and what their needs are, said Carrie Carney, community Project AWARE manager with Black Hills Special Services Cooperative. She said social-emotional, behavioral and academic support are all part of the program.

Carney also noted that Project AWARE works with what's called the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support framework. That, she said, includes three tiers, with the first involving services designed for all students  and then becoming more specialized with each tier.

One of the practices under the first tier, Carney explained, is the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports framework  known as PBIS.

With PBIS we really focus on connections with the students and building a warm atmosphere with students, Seefeldt said. It takes away from the traditional model you see in the movies and on TV where discipline comes first.

Carney said that all students participate in PBIS, and they also receive presentations focusing on the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Other practices also fall under the first tier, she said.

The second tier, Carney explained, involves targeted intervention. That, she said, includes work with individual students and groups of students who may be struggling with classes, social interactions or other issues.

The third tier includes more intensive services, and its handled by Jennifer Marshik, a systems of care coordinator with Behavior Management Systems, a Rapid City-based organization offering counseling and other services. Marshik said most of the children she works with can benefit from outside therapy. She works with families as well.

The (students) might need a community-based counselor, she said, noting that her work with Behavior Management Systems gives her access to such counseling. She also helps students and families locate essential needs such as food, clothing and school supplies.

Seefeldt stressed the importance of having more adults in the building ready to talk with students.

The students will approach a trusted adult, whether its a teacher or a custodian or a Project Aware (staff member), he said. Whats nice about it is that the adults in the building have more opportunities to have conversations and bring resources to the kids.

Seefeldt said the school district also has one social worker who can now increase the time she spends at other schools.

Shes wonderful at what she does, Seefeldt said, but he noted the benefit of having new staff members devoted strictly to the middle school.

Having Carrie and Jennifer here allows that social worker to spend more time in other buildings, he said. It enhances the capacity of our building as well as the district.

And now, after the descent of the pandemic, the presence of trusted adults may be particularly important.

Having to reintegrate into a school environment has been tough for students, Carney said.

And searching for identity, as Seefeldt explained, can be a trying process for middle-school students in even the most ordinary of times.

Carney said the grant runs on a year-by-year basis for up to five years. She said after Jan. 1, people in the district and at the state level will discuss strategies to sustain the progress.

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Rapid City Area Schools closed on Friday in light of a threat that mentioned the name of one of its schools. Later, the threat was traced to an Iowa school of the same name.

Six Sioux City, Iowa students have been charged with harassment in connection with multiple social media threats against schools on Friday, including a school called "North Middle," according to the Sioux City Journal. A "North Middle School" exists in Sioux City, Iowa, as well as in Rapid City.

Before daybreak on Friday, though, the target of the threat was not clear and concerns about the North Middle School in Rapid City seemed credible.

Superintendent Lori Simon said in an interview that she needed to make a decision about whether to cancel school after receiving an email, shortly after 5 a.m. on Friday, alerting her to a TikTok post with a possible threat to North Middle School. She forwarded the message to law enforcement.

"At that point I had to make a decision about school," she said, noting that the police "were investigating what they perceived to be a credible threat." So, she sent a message early Friday morning to staff and families announcing the district-wide closure.

The Rapid City Police Department reported on Facebook that they were "notified of a threatening social media post directed at North Middle School" although it was unclear if it was directed at the Rapid City school. In the course of the investigation, the police said it appears that post "originated in Iowa."

In a series of tweets Friday morning, the Rapid City Police Department described how the threat and response unfolded.

"This morning, police were notified of a threatening social media post directed at a 'North Middle School.' Law enforcement began investigating the origin of the post to determine whether or not it applied to the local North Middle School.

"In the spirit of caution for the safety of students, RCAS made the decision to cancel school today as the investigation into the threat continued.

"At this time, local law enforcement has yet to find any credible or actionable threat directed at our local school system. In the time since the investigation began, we believe the post about North Middle School originated in Iowa.

"Regardless, we will continue to work with RCAS to protect the safety and well-being of our students and schools."

Simon sent another message to RCAS families Friday afternoon explaining the succession of events earlier in the day and noting that she "made the decision to cancel school today to ensure the safety of our students and staff." She also informed families about events in Iowa and offered some relevant social media tips.

In the earlier interview, Simon noted that district officials would confer to determine a protocol to follow if similar social media threats surface in the future. Since Friday was the last day of classes before winter break, Simon said officials would also work with families to arrange times to pick up belongings they need to take home.

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Hamilton School District will no longer require masking for all grades starting Jan. 3.

The school board made the change Tuesday during a regular board meeting, after a 5-minute discussion with only two comments.

Superintendent Tom Korst made the proposal in old business.

In review of the Districts Safe Return and Continuity of Services Plan, this is part of our ESSER [Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund] funding requirement, so Im proposing an updated plan, Korst said. The big difference, realistically, is the fact that vaccinations are readily available for our students ages 12 and under. I think we can reasonably consider removing the mask mandate by Jan. 3, Monday. I think it is a reasonable consideration. We see Helena and other school districts doing it at the same point in time.

Board Chair Patrick Hanley asked for comments.

Mr. Alsop asked if the change would make no masking mandatory but Korst clarified that it would be voluntary.

Richard Huls requested that the school board not push vaccinations, because they are still experimental, he said.

The motion passed unanimously.

HSD started the school year with a policy for everyone to wear masks on buses, a federal mandate. Masks were recommended for grades 6-12. For grades PK5, masks were recommended, but not required, while students were in their regular classrooms and while they were outdoors. Masks were required when PK-5 students were in large groups indoors where social distancing could not be maintained.

On Thursday, Communications Director Justine Stewart said a post was sent out on the schools website and social media.

The HSD3 post said, Important Message from HSD#3 Due to the readily available opportunity to vaccinate, Hamilton School District #3 will no longer require masking for all grades effective January 3, 2022. It is important to note that this does not include buses. Masking on buses is a federal mandate.

Steward said the Transformational Learning Program, which gives students the option of learning online, will remain in place.

Our Transformational Learning Program is something that is staying, she said. It will continue to be offered in our district. Weve found it seems to work well for some families and will probably never go away. Families can continue to be part of the district and do what works for them.

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A Hamilton woman was charged with felony criminal mischief after she allegedly backed into a Stevensville police car following an altercation at her ex-husbands home.

Jessica Lynn Smalling, 34, appeared Friday before Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey on the felony charge.

Stevensville police were dispatched to a residence on Dec. 16 at 8:46 p.m. for a possible criminal trespass, the charging affidavit said.

Upon arriving, a Stevensville officer learned that Smalling had shown up at her ex-husbands residence unannounced. She had been asked to leave. When the officer approached her, the affidavit said she went to her vehicle while yelling profanities.

The officer attempted to talk with the woman through the closed drivers side window on her car. Another officer had arrived and was standing on other side of the vehicle.

At that point, the affidavit said Smalling raised her middle finger and backed her vehicle into the front of the police car parked behind her.

The affidavit said the officers believed the action was intentional because there was room for Smalling to drive forward. The damage to the patrol vehicle exceeded $1,500.

Bailey set bond at $1,000.

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A 3-year-old child was killed Thursday afternoon when her Lewistown home caught fire trapping her inside, the Lewistown Police Department reported Friday.

At about 1:30 p.m. Thursday, a Lewistown firefighter called dispatch to report smoke coming from a trailer home on the 300 block of West Water Street. Police and fire arrived to find flames coming from inside the trailer.

A woman standing outside the home told first responders that her three-year-old daughter was still inside. Firefighters and police attempted to save the girl, but were unable to make it past the blaze and enter the building.

Crews recovered the girls body after extinguishing the fire. The mother was taken to the local hospital where she was treated for injuries from the fire and then transferred to another hospital for further care.

One Lewistown Police officer was injured and treated locally for injuries he sustained while trying to rescue the girl, the release stated. The officer has since been released from the hospital. The State Fire Marshal and local authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

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When children ages 5 to 11 were approved for Pfizer's lower-dose pediatric COVID-19 vaccine in November, Annie Edwards was eager to get her daughter Hannah, then 5, the shot because of underlying health conditions she has stemming from her premature birth.

"She was on a ventilator for the first month of her life. Throughout this whole COVID ordeal, I just keep thinking of those memories," Edwards said.

Many parents in more urban areas of Montana quickly found the vaccine when it became available. The search was more challenging for Edwards, who lives in rural Dawson County, where just 38% of the eligible population in the eastern Montana county of 9,000 residents is fully vaccinated.

She called the Dawson County Health Department, but officials said they were waiting for more parents to show interest before scheduling a clinic for kids to get the shots. The local hospital wasn't offering the vaccine for younger kids either.

Waiting wasn't an option for Edwards. So she and her daughter made the nearly 500-mile round trip to Billings while visiting family for Thanksgiving weekend. They are scheduled to return Dec. 19 for the girl's second dose.

"How many people can say, 'Yeah, I'll make two trips to Billings?' That's a lot of miles," Edwards said, acknowledging that she was fortunate to have the means to do so.

Dr. Lauren Wilson, a Missoula-based pediatrician and the vice president of the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, has heard from parents like Edwards across the state who can't find the shot in their hometowns.

"I think availability of the vaccine in rural areas is absolutely a factor in Montana's struggle to vaccinate as quickly as other states," she said.

The state and many local public health agencies have not produced targeted campaigns to educate people about where children ages 5 to 11 can get vaccinated, making it that much harder on parents. Wilson said a lack of access and a lack of promotion are both playing a role in Montana's lagging vaccination rate for younger kids.

So far, about 15% of the estimated 90,000 children in that age group statewide have received a first dose of the pediatric COVID vaccine. Montana ranks 33rd among states on vaccination rate for younger children, and its rate lags behind the national one of nearly 17%, according to a KFF analysis of federal data.

Twenty-two of Montana's 56 counties had vaccinated fewer than 5% of kids ages 5 to 11 as of Dec. 10, according to data gathered by the state health department.

A half-dozen counties reported vaccinating no children younger than 12: Carter, Daniels, Dawson, Garfield, McCone and Wibaux. All six are in rural eastern Montana, where driving distances between towns are great.

In both McCone and Wibaux counties, health officials said that they aren't offering the shot because of low demand and that it would be difficult to go through the minimum order of 100 doses within the 10-week period that shots can be stored in a regular freezer or refrigerator. The shots can be stored longer in special ultracold storage units that are few and far between in rural areas of Montana.

Parents in McCone and Wibaux counties who want their young children to be vaccinated must drive 40 to 100 miles round trip.

Despite storage issues and low demand, some rural health departments, like the one in Richland County, are offering the pediatric shot. Public health nurse Kathy Helmuth said she's seen parents from parts of eastern Montana where the pediatric shot isn't available make the trek to vaccine clinics she has put on at local schools.

In November, Helmuth vaccinated nearly 40 kids, more than she expected. Some shots had to be thrown out, she said, because the demand was too low to get through a 10-dose vial.

"I keep having to remind myself everyone we get vaccinated is important and that's more important than the dose or doses I might be wasting," she said.

Local health departments that are struggling to provide vaccines because of storage or low demand are encouraged to reach out to state health officials, according to Jon Ebelt, a spokesperson for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.

Ebelt declined to answer questions about what areas the department had identified as vaccine deserts or whether any local health departments had reached out for help.

Jennifer Kates, senior vice president of global health and HIV policy at KFF, said the number of kids being vaccinated nationally had slowed by the Thanksgiving holiday and has continued to decline.

"If it's not very easy, very accessible and top of mind, they're not going to do it for reasons that are complicated," she said.

Kates said politics may be affecting people's willingness to get their children vaccinated in deeply conservative states like Montana. According to KFF's latest survey data, about half of Republicans said they won't get their 5- to 11-year-olds vaccinated, and an additional 10% said they'd do so only if required.

Kates said educating parents about how the pediatric vaccine is safe and effective will take more effort than was necessary for earlier rollouts for older kids. That burden will largely fall to state and local health departments, she said.

Montana's state health department has said it will continue to promote COVID vaccines for everybody who is eligible but doesn't plan to promote the shots for kids, as Utah has done.

The Montana Medical Association is planning a statewide campaign directed at families. And Matt Kelley, CEO of the Montana Public Health Institute, said his organization is working with local health departments to promote the shot for kids.

"It's a chicken-and-an-egg thing. You need to have a certain amount of demand to have a clinic be sustainable, but in order to have a demand, you have to have that access out there," Kelley said.

Kelley said mobile vaccine clinics can be part of the solution.

Pharm406, a Billings-based mobile pharmacy, has been offering vaccine clinics in eastern and central Montana throughout the pandemic. Owner Kyle Austin said he's put on about 15 pediatric vaccine clinics. He said that turnout was low for his clinic in Glasgow but that he vaccinated 60 kids in Red Lodge.

"It's really hard to tell where the demand is," Austin said.

In Sanders County, on the western edge of Montana, getting to the closest pediatric shot requires a 70-mile round trip into Idaho or a drive of more than 100 miles to and from western Montana's larger communities.

So far, 99% of the county's children ages 5 to 11 have yet to receive a first dose.

"We most certainly will see lower vaccination rates because of that barrier," said Nick Lawyer, a local medical provider and the county's former health officer.

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******

Sweeney has learned a lot firsthand about adaptive living in the past decade.

It started when he went to work on a Monday with some back pains. He was an avid runner and rock climber, so he thought those pains were a result of exercising too much.

I had a stroke in my spine. Its kind of unusual and it leads up into your brain so its like being in both places. They figured it out and put me in a medically induced coma, he said. When I got out of it, thats when I had to figure out what my life was going to be going forward. It just devastates a family, especially when something like this happens suddenly.

Sweeney, now 67, was single at the time he was trying to find a place to live. He ended up on the first floor of his parents house because ramps could be built to get into the house.

His first renovation of a fully adaptive home was for himself, a couple of years after the stroke. He has since renovated his current home in the Westover Hills neighborhood. He also oversaw renovations of two other homes for clients.
Who's challenging it: The rule was challenged in four separate lawsuits filed by Republican-led states, mostly in groups. Florida and Texas mounted their own challenges. The states argued that there were no grounds for an emergency rule, that CMS had no clear legal authority to issue the mandate and that the rule infringes on states' responsibilities.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold nationally, but a ruling Dec. 15 gives it the possibility of moving ahead in about half the states. A Missouri-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Nov. 29 barring its enforcement in 10 states that had originally sued. The next day, a Louisiana-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement in the rest of the states. But on Dec. 15, that was narrowed to the 14 suing in that court. And on Dec. 15, a federal judge in Texas granted an injunction that applies only to that state. After the decisions, there is a possibility the mandate could be enforced in 25 states where no injunction is in place. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid have not said whether they will pursue that path.
The delta and omicron variants of the coronavirus are trying to spoil the holiday spirit, but there still are ways to enjoy the festivities.

The explosive spread of the omicron variant is causing many to wonder if they should cancel their holiday plans. The omicron mutation is expected to overtake the delta variant in the United States within weeks.

Health experts know that people need to spend time together, so they are offering advice. Above all, getting vaccinated remains the best defense and getting a booster shot further increases protection.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, skipped gathering for the holidays last year with his three adult daughters. But this year, Fauci, his wife and his daughters are all vaccinated with boosters, and they plan to spend the holidays together, even seeing a few friends who also are vaccinated and boosted.

"We can feel safe," Fauci said this week on NBC's "Nightly News." "Nothing is 100% risk-free."
Vaccinated people aren't nine times more likely to be hospitalized

A post circulating on Instagram last month cites a blog post by a lawyer representing Deborah Conrad, a former physician's assistant at United Memorial Medical Center in Rochester, New York, to falsely claim that people are "9x more likely to be hospitalized if they are vaccinated over unvaccinated patients." Conrad wrote to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration earlier this year warning of possible "serious injuries from COVID-19 vaccines." In the blog post, it notes that Conrad saw the number of patients in the hospital had "increased dramatically" and claimed that 90% of them were vaccinated against COVID. The hospital disputes her figures. Conrad provides no information for when the patients she reported were hospitalized, and her spokespeople declined to clarify. Her letter was sent in July 2021, and in it, she claims to have alerted the FDA of her concerns in April and May. Hospital records show that in July, just 60% of the facility's inpatients had received the vaccine, according to Rochester Regional Health spokesperson Jillian Parker. In early April, 15% of hospital patients were vaccinated. And on May 24, 25% of the hospital patients were vaccinated. Conrad also argued that she found an increase in various illnesses  including blood clots, Bell's palsy, pneumonia and strokes  after the initial roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. She logged these in VAERS, or the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which allows anyone to submit reports. But VAERS reports are not verified and do not prove that the illnesses are connected to the vaccine. In a response to The Associated Press, Conrad's legal team acknowledged that she "did not speculate on causation and only did what she was obligated to do: report to VAERS any adverse event following vaccination that led to hospitalization." No doctors or experts at the hospital raised the same concerns about a rise of these illnesses, Parker said. Parker acknowledged that admissions had gone up at the time, but said the hospital attributed the rise to other factors, including patients deferring care during the height of the COVID pandemic, or scheduling elective surgery that was put off. Conrad's lawyer said she "stands by her observations and her reporting." Several experts told the AP that studies have shown serious side effects from the vaccine to be rare. And many of the illnesses Conrad listed  including Bell's palsy, pneumonia and strokes  are not known side effects of the shots, they said. "The vaccine is not causing all of these conditions that she's concerned about," said Dr. Melanie Swift, the associate medical director for occupational health service at the Mayo Clinic. As more of the country is vaccinated, the community's vaccination rate will be reflected in hospitals' patients, she explained. Blood clots have been one of the rare side effects of the vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was briefly paused in 2020 over those concerns. But federal regulators allowed the shots to resume less than two weeks later after the risk was found to be rare.
Gov. Ralph Northams press secretary said Saturday that the governor is reversing a decision by his health commissioner to lay off 14 people who monitor drinking water in Virginia.

The announcement saves the jobs of 11 full-time and three part-time employees in the state Department of Healths Office of Drinking Water. It comes three days after the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on the layoffs and how they would have canceled 180 years of combined experience by six engineers who serve as field directors across the state.

The Governor has directed the Department of Health and the Department of Planning and Budget to fix the Office of Drinking Waters budget shortfall now so that no one will lose their positions  this office and these individuals are too important to do otherwise, said Alena Yarmosky, the governors press secretary, in an email.

The individuals affected are being notified now and we will work with the Office of Drinking Water to ensure their budget practices do not put them in this unfortunate situation again.
RICHMOND  A special election has been set for next month to fill the seat of a Democratic member of the Virginia House from Norfolk who is resigning his seat.

Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn issued a writ of election on Friday initiating a special election that will be held Jan. 11 to fill the seat vacated by Del. Jay Jones in the 89th District. The deadline to file for candidacy for the vacancy is 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Jones announced Thursday that he would step down by the end of the year. He mounted a serious but unsuccessful primary challenge against incumbent Mark Herring in the race for attorney general this year and was seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

In a public letter, the two-term House member said the decision to step away by years end was based on a desire to prioritize time with his family as he and his wife prepare to welcome their first child.

I want to put my family first and be the best dad and the most supportive and present husband that I can possibly be, he wrote.
Simultaneously, there must be investments in designing meaningful career pathways for health care workers. The commonwealth must embrace the concept of lifelong learning through a health sciences highway, where engagement begins in high school and continually provides opportunities to grow.

With a new administration, the opportunity exists to establish a center of authority in the governors office to address with the current barriers in both employment and education challenges. Virginia must immediately coalesce funding by creating a public-private partnership to engage employers in regional collaboratives. Only by doing this can we develop the backbone infrastructure needed to meet our current and future needs for health care workers.

Terry L. Austin, R-Botetourt, represents the 19th District in the Virginia House of Delegates. Contact him at: Deltaustin@house.virginia.gov

William A. Hazel Jr., M.D., is senior deputy executive director of the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation and former Virginia secretary of health and human resources. Contact him at: whazel@claudemoore.org
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Environmental regulators have approved a permit for an explosive waste incinerator at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, which will eventually replace outdoor burning that has concerned nearby residents for years.

But the $145 million facility will not be operational until October 2026, according to Claire Powell, a spokeswoman for BAE Systems, a private company that operates the huge munitions plant for the Army.

In the meantime, some hazardous waste will continue to go to an open burning ground along the banks of the New River. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality renewed a 10-year permit for that operation in August.

Under the open-burning permit, the amount of propellant waste that can be incinerated per day  up to 10,000 pounds  was reduced by about half. Officials at the plant, also known as the Radford arsenal, say they were already well below the limit.

Most of the hazardous waste disposal is currently handled in enclosed incinerators.

Nonetheless, nearby residents worry that the process releases toxins into the surrounding soil, air and water. Those concerns have not been eased by plans for a new, indoor incinerator.

"The DEQ must provide strict regulation for a facility that is burning toxic chemicals so close to residents and population centers," Alyssa Carpenter, chair of Citizens for Arsenal Accountability, said during a public comment session earlier this year.

Carpenter, who lived less than mile from the arsenal while attending Virginia Tech and now suffers from thyroid disease, urged environmental officials to consider alternative technologies for hazardous waste disposal that do not involve incineration.

But Powell said the Army considers the incinerator "the best and safest solution for disposing of energetic waste."

In a detailed report released Friday, DEQ wrote that a risk assessment determined that the permitted releases from the new incinerator were low enough to protect human health and the environment.

The agency reached a similar conclusion for the open burning grounds. In 2018, an independent analysis by two Virginia Tech teams backed that finding.

Fires in the open burning ground produce what DEQ calls "constituents of concern"  perchlorate, chlorate, chloride, carbon tetrachloride, methylene chloride, chloromethane and methane. But the toxins have not been found to migrate off site in quantities that threaten human health.

Waste and byproducts at the arsenal are too volatile to be dumped in a hazardous materials landfill. In some cases, floor sweepings can contain tiny bits of metal, which could cause a spark or explosion inside a traditional incinerator.

Before the waste is ignited in large metal pans at the open burning ground, sirens and flashing lights warn boaters passing by on the New River. Nearby residents have reported hearing large explosions.

The new incinerator will be a thermal treatment facility that, when completed, will reduce open burning by more than 95%, Powell said. Construction is scheduled to begin next year.

The arsenal, which is about 5 miles north of Radford, is close to numerous homes, an elementary school and a farm used to grow produce for Virginia Tech students.

Built in the early 1940s during the run-up to American involvement in World War II, the plant is the nation's core manufacturer of propellant. More than 90% of military munitions and commercial ammunition trace part of their manufacture from the plant.

The unforgiving nature of the raw ingredients handled at the facility has led to a number of environmental enforcement actions.

"In recent years, RAAP's operations have continued to pollute the environment and harm human health as a result of numerous releases of toxic compounds," Khushi Desai, an attorney for Earthjustice, wrote in asking DEQ to take the plant's past record into account when considering the latest permit application.

In a written response, DEQ said there are no outstanding violations that involve hazardous waste management at the arsenal.

The arsenal ranks first on DEQ's annual list of the top sources of toxins in Virginia, a listing that is largely based on the amount of nitrate compounds released into the New River. Those releases, however, do not violate state regulations.

In recent years, the plant has eliminated a coal-fired powerhouse and made other environmental improvements, according to Powell. "It is some of the most sweeping progress made since the plant went into operation in 1940," she wrote in an email.

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ABINGDON  When schools transitioned quickly and unexpectedly to virtual learning at the pandemics outset, a harsh spotlight fell on the lack of affordable child care in the United Way region that includes part of the New River Valley.

Yet, now that most schools have returned to full in-person instruction, the child care need continues.

Last Wednesday morning, Dr. Dennis Carter, Smyth County Schools superintendent, told a gathering of about 150 of the regions public, private and social sector leaders, As we transitioned back to in-person instruction, we continue to face child care limitations. Many of our families are unable to work due to limited child care, expense of child care, or lack of after-school programs.

Regional leaders were gathered to discuss what roles their organizations and communities could play in Ready SWVA, an economic development project specifically targeted toward workforce development.

Southwest Virginia employers have told us the region is losing the young, talented workforce in the labor ecosystem, said Travis Staton, president and CEO of United Way of Southwest Virginia, which organized the event. A major barrier to retaining those talented young employees and potential employees is insufficient access to child care.

The child care need is significant in this rural section of Virginia.

In a news release, Staton explained that the gap between available child care slots and the need is more than twice as great in rural Virginia communities (20.4%) than in urban Virginia (9.1%).

During the pandemic, Carter noted that many school divisions found creative, collective ways to partially meet this need. As well, he said, many agencies and organizations are continuing the search for solutions. However, the superintendent noted that many of those efforts are being done in an isolated manner.

He supports the Ready SWVA initiative that will help to pull all of our efforts together to meet the needs of the community and to help our parents get back to work and stay in our region to raise their families.

Ready SWVA, Staton said, will create a new early childhood system that will expand access to affordable child care, strengthen the current network of providers, and build a cohort of professional early childhood educators.

This will create a minimum of 324 new slots across Southwest Virginia through the creation of five new facilities, while at the same time supporting the regions network of 206 existing child care providers, Staton said in the news release.

According to that release, Ready SWVA will:

Provide quality, accessible child care, allowing current residents who are out of the workforce because of child care constraints to return to work.

Develop a regional cohort of professional, credentialed early childhood educators.

Support regional comprehensive economic development strategies created by each planning district commission to attract new talent, young families and higher-paying jobs.

Support entrepreneurs in Southwest Virginia by developing an emerging industry sector as a sustainable small business with support from a shared services alliance.

Provide long-term outcomes of a healthy, appropriately educated and trained, financially stable workforce through high quality curriculum preparing young students for school success.

The Ready SWVA team acknowledges that such endeavor comes with a significant price tag.

They project that the initiative will require $16 million in seed money, including $7 million for facilities and three years of operations at $3 million per year.

The United Way of Southwest Virginia is lobbying for that funding to be included in Virginias upcoming state budget. Long-term, the United Way hopes to interconnect federal and state funds with private sector investments to further fund the project.

The big goal of Ready SWVA is to build public-private partnerships to address child care issues that are preventing folks and families and individuals from re-entering the workforce or remaining gainfully employed, Staton said in the release. Over the next three years, this initiative will work across 21 localities to build an effective quality child care supply that can help address this problem in our region.

In addition to Carter, the Dec. 8 event included a panel discussion featuring private sector representatives Whitney Czelusniak from AEP and Todd Norris from Ballad Health, voices from government including Del. Terry Kilgore and Pulaski County Administrator Jonathan Sweet.

Kilgore, in a pre-recorded message, told the crowd he believes the incoming Youngkin administration in Richmond will be supportive.

This is transformational. I think it gives us an opportunity to lead, Kilgore said. Its going to play along Governor-elect Youngkins plans to make our community colleges more involved with public-private partnerships. Bringing business training, education and child care all into the same room is going to create a win-win for everybody.

Norris said Ballad Health is enthusiastic about Ready SWVA because it brings together players from multiple sectors to address a dire economic need. The issue of access to child care has hit home for every business in our region and every business in America, Norris said, so it creates a burning platform for us to work together to derive a sustainable solution.

Czelusniak said Ready SWVA has the opportunity not only to keep Southwest Virginians gainfully employed and to keep businesses running at their full potential, but also creates a unique opportunity to attract young talent and young families back to the region.

Utilizing a collective impact model like Ready SWVA, and everyone coming together to address these issues will certainly help alleviate the lack of accessible child care SWVA parents are facing, Carter added.

There is a plan and strategy with achievable stratagems, and there is a region with multiple communities and businesses coming together to get behind a solvable challenge, Sweet said. If we strive to work together to solve the child care access issue it will benefit everyone, including our employers, our education system, each one of us personally.

Another facet of the child care issue, Carter said, is the push to develop a universal pre-K program allowing access for all 3- and 4-year-olds to public education.

While Carter called the opportunity to reach many more students wonderful, the superintendent noted that the pre-K initiative brings its own set of challenges.

This will take more than a quick adjustment. It will require attention to additional space and instructional staff. This situation [Ready SWVA] lends itself very well to the idea of a public-private partnership to help address those immediate needs until some school divisions can build their capacity.

Carter concluded, Our goal is to prepare our children to be productive citizens in society and have the opportunity to achieve tremendous success in our region living, working and raising their families. Addressing child care is an important piece to help achieve this goal.
Gov. Ralph Northams press secretary said Saturday that the governor is reversing a decision by his health commissioner to lay off 14 people who monitor drinking water in Virginia.

The announcement saves the jobs of 11 full-time and three part-time employees in the state Department of Healths Office of Drinking Water. It comes three days after the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported on the layoffs and how they would have canceled 180 years of combined experience by six engineers who serve as field directors across the state.

The Governor has directed the Department of Health and the Department of Planning and Budget to fix the Office of Drinking Waters budget shortfall now so that no one will lose their positions  this office and these individuals are too important to do otherwise, Alena Yarmosky, the governors press secretary, said in an email.

The individuals affected are being notified now and we will work with the Office of Drinking Water to ensure their budget practices do not put them in this unfortunate situation again.

The Department of Health cited a budgeting error in 2019 as the reason for the layoffs. Yarmosky said the Department of Planning and Budget considers it a spending error by the Office of Drinking Water. That year, the office director approved pay raises for 55 employees and opened a field office of four people in Richmond.

Norm Oliver, the state health commissioner, said in an interview this week that the office director got bad information from Department of Health administrators. Despite the state being flush with cash, including proposing to add positions in the office to carry out new projects with federal money, Oliver defended the layoffs.

That did not make sense to officials involved in water monitoring, because those to be laid off included the field directorsthe most experienced people in the office of just over 100 employees which already has vacancies the director says are prompting extra work without extra pay.

The office monitors water quality across the state, enforces drinking water standards in state and federal law, handles inspections and permits, and assists with lab testing.

The Virginia Rural Water Association wrote a letter to the state saying the layoffs were reckless and irresponsible and would have lasting effects on the states ability to monitor drinking water systems.

Oliver said he did not notify his boss, the health secretary, about the layoffs, which were to go into effect Jan. 9.

Within days of the Governors office first hearing of this issue, it has been resolved, Yarmosky wrote, adding that the governors office had no knowledge of the layoffs until they were reported by The Times-Dispatch.

People involved in waterworks said they were shocked that state employees who put their heart and soul into safe drinking water were considered expendable.

Jesse Royall, a longtime member of the state Waterworks Advisory Committee, said he was thankful the governor re-evaluated the decision. The Governor again put the protection of public health as a priority, he said.
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" " Researchers associated with the Crowther Lab in Switzerland found that global tree restoration to the tune of 900 million acres (0.9 billion hectares) of canopy cover  an area that's approximately the size of the U.S.  is our most effective climate change solution to date. W101/Getty Images

In recent years, climate change has loomed like a dark specter over the globe, contributing to everything from gentrification in Miami to refugees fleeing drought and crop shortages in Guatemala. But the urgency around the issue reached new heights in 2018 when the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that rapid, "far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society" would be needed in order to drop carbon dioxide levels by 2030 and prevent catastrophic global warming.

Scientists have indeed proposed drastic measures  just not in the way that you might think. In the same IPCC report, the U.N. suggests that adding 2.5 billion acres (1 billion hectares) of forest to the world could limit global warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) by 2050. In other words: Responding to climate change will require planting new trees. A lot of them.

And now, the U.N. might just have the data to back up their proposal.

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Trees Restore Carbon

In a study published July 5, 2019, in the journal Science, a group of researchers associated with the Crowther Lab in Switzerland found that global tree restoration to the tune of 223 million acres (900 million hectares) of canopy cover  an area that's approximately the size of the U.S.  is "our most effective climate change solution to date." These trees would store 205 billion tons (186 metric tons) of carbon, or roughly two thirds of the carbon that has been emitted "as a result of human activity since the Industrial Revolution," according to a press release. Although some news reports have said this much forest restoration is the equivalent of roughly 1 trillion trees, this statistic is actually linked to an estimate from an older 2015 study.

Jean-Francois Bastin, the Crowther Lab's study lead author, breaks down their 2019 analysis by email. "The idea was to estimate what tree cover could be expected when you removed the 'human factor,' i.e. what specific types of forest would naturally occur in the absence of other development, and where," he says. Bastin and his team used a form of artificial intelligence known as "machine learning" to build "a model to link tree cover with climate/soil/topography, based on 78,000 observations of tree cover in protected areas."

The researchers then projected the data further to estimate the "total potential tree cover of the planet," Bastin explains. Afterward, the team excluded land currently being used for urban settlements, croplands and existing forests, which yielded the total amount of land available for restoration. The study includes a map showing how much tree coverage different parts of the globe can support; the top three areas include Russia, Canada and the U.S.

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A Worldwide Effort at Reforestation

In many ways, the study's timing couldn't be more perfect, as it aligns with current global efforts around ecological restoration. One example is the Trillion Trees Vision, which seeks to restore 1 trillion trees by 2050. Another is the Bonn Challenge, which is a partnership between the government of Germany and the U.N.'s International Union for Conservation of Nature that aims to restore 371 million acres (150 million hectares) degraded and deforested landscapes into restoration and 864 million acres (350 million hectares) by 2030.

You might be thinking, well, that sounds pretty easy. Let's all roll up our sleeves and save the planet by planting one tree at a time  right? But some experts say the situation is actually a little more complicated than that rosy picture. Especially if most nations don't chip in to help.

"Implementation of forest restoration on the scale discussed in this paper is not as straightforward as it might seem," says Jim Hallett, chair of the board of directors for the Society for Ecological Restoration. "By 2018, there were commitments of over 420 million acres (170 million hectares) by 58 nations, which exceeds the Bonn Challenge goal. Current estimates indicate that around 29 percent of the committed lands are now under restoration, but most of this work has been done by a few countries."

As of 2021, the Bonn Challenge has surpassed its goal of restoring 371 million acres, and has pledges from more than 60 countries to restore 518 million acres (210 million hectares) deforested lands.

Hallett cites major challenges to implementing restoration on such a global scale, "including financing, governance, land tenure and ownership, [and] capacity to do the work." Hallett concludes, "there is ample evidence that, in some contexts, if the benefits of restoration are not equally shared, the project will fail. So incentive programs have to be carefully developed."

Although Hallett agrees that forest restoration is important to addressing climate change, restoration alone will likely not be enough. It takes time, after all, to implement such big restoration projects and also for these trees to store carbon. And Hallett stresses that "the possibility of future restoration should not be used as an excuse for degrading intact lands."

" " Every 15 minutes around the world, an area of forest the size of the National Mall is lost. Alan Belward/Cornell University Library and Powerhouse Museum/HowStuffWorks

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Will Planting Trees Really Work?

Other scientists question not only the practicality of the study's claims, but also the study's very methodology. "Many of the allegedly available restoration areas are clearly unsuitable for more trees than they currently support. If you look closely at the map, a large proportion of these areas are in regions where soils are permanently frozen," says Eike Luedeling, a climate change researcher and professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Bonn.

Luedeling continues, "The methodology implicitly (probably not on purpose) implies that carbon stock is proportional to canopy cover, i.e. ecosystems without trees contain no carbon. This is clearly false and strongly inflates the global estimate [of restoration]."

Jan Borner, Luedeling's colleague and a professor for economics of sustainable land use at the University of Bonn, is similarly skeptical. Borner says that some areas being proposed for restoration under the current study are already in use for other purposes. Borner considers the study to be an "interesting academic exercise ... but as a [climate change] mitigation strategy proposal (and it is being advertised as such!), it sends a misleading signal to the international climate policy debate."

But don't fret just yet. Both Bastin and Hallett emphasize that the U.N. has declared 2021 to 2030 the "Decade on Ecosystem Restoration," which could spur nations to act quickly  and some countries are already tackling the initiative head on. And, according to Hallett, forest restoration boasts far more perks than just impacting climate change, including maintaining  or even increasing  biodiversity and preserving the ecosystem that we humans rely upon for our food and water.

But even the study's authors acknowledge that it's going to take a lot of goodwill to make this grand vision a reality.

"What we need is universal action: international agencies, NGOs, governments, all citizens  anyone can be involved," says Bastian. "Local communities and small organizations may be especially effective. While they do not have the same reach as national agencies, they have the benefit of knowing what works best in their own backyards."

This story is part of Covering Climate Now, a global collaboration of more than 250 news outlets to strengthen coverage of the climate story.

Now That's Ambitious Ethiopia made headlines for reportedly planting 350 million trees in only a day at the end of July 2019 as part of the country's effort to fight deforestation and climate change.

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Originally Published: Aug 1, 2019
" " Brothers Mark Kelly and Scott Kelly participated in the landmark NASA twins study. NASA

Have you ever wondered exactly what happens to the human body when it's suspended in space for an extended period of time? Based on Hollywood productions alone, men and women who navigate the galaxy always seem to be just fine by the time they land back on Earth, but are astronauts so lucky in reality? NASA made it its mission to find out, and the results may surprise you.

In a new landmark DNA study just published in the April 12, 2019 issue of the journal Science, researchers from John Hopkins, Stanford and other institutions reveal that after a year in space, astronaut Scott Kelly experienced no major, long-term differences to his epigenome (a.k.a. the record of chemical changes to DNA) compared to that of his twin brother, Arizona Senate candidate Mark Kelly, who stayed firmly planted on Earth. (Mark is the husband of former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who was shot point blank during a constituent meeting held outdoors in Casas Adobes, Arizona.)

While the scientists behind the study say the implications of their work aren't entirely clear yet, it appears additional research on the genomes of astronauts in space could help predict what kinds of unique health issues they may be at risk for.

"The Twins Study has been an important step toward understanding epigenetics and gene expression in human spaceflight," J.D. Polk, DO, chief health and medical officer, NASA headquarters, said in a statement. "This has helped inform the need for personalized medicine and its role in keeping astronauts healthy during deep space exploration, as NASA goes forward to the Moon and journeys onward to Mars."

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Bodies In Space

Here's the deal with putting your body in space: It exposes you to harmful ultraviolet rays, radiation, limited food and exercise, lower gravity, disrupted sleep cycles and an unknown number of other potential hazards. And while scientists have spent decades studying the effects of space travel on astronauts, most of these men and women have traveled on missions that max out at six months. In order to travel somewhere, like say, Mars, missions need to be much longer, and scientists say it's critical to understand the effects these super-extended missions have on the human body.

"This is the dawn of human genomics in space," Andrew Feinberg, M.D., the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Biomedical Engineering and Mental Health at Johns Hopkins University said in a statement. "We developed the methods for doing these types of human genomic studies, and we should be doing more research to draw conclusions about what happens to humans in space."

When scientists talk about epigenetics changes, they're referring to chemical DNA tweaks. These tiny alterations may have a major impact on a person's health by influencing the way genes are expressed, but they don't affect the genetic code itself. Potential problems pop up when epigenetic changes happen at the wrong time or place and in turn cause certain genes to turn on or off at the inappropriate time and place.

A major advantage of this new research is the fact that it studies identical twins who naturally have identical genetic material. But while the study subjects offer a rare and unique glimpse into the potential for long-term genetic changes in space, the researchers are quick to admit the tiny sample size means more testing is essential. "Since we only have two people in our study, we can't say that these changes are due to space travel itself," Feinberg said. "We need more studies of astronauts to draw such conclusions."

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Twins Study Methodology

The methodology for the study involved collecting blood samples, physiological data and cognitive measurements from each Kelly twin at various points over a 27-month period, before, during and after Scott's one-year space mission. If you're wondering how in the world (or universe) Scott's samples reached the scientists from space, they were transported via a rocket (yes, seriously).

In the future, scientists hope to process and store samples onboard the International Space Station itself, but for the purposes of this study, samples were rocketed back to Earth and processed within 48 hours. Then Feinberg and his team examined the brothers' genomes, looking for epigenetic changes, specifically focusing on two types of white blood cells and examining a process called methylation, which occurs when chemical changes called methyl groups are added onto the DNA.

Generally speaking, there were just about as many epigenetic changes in Scott as there were in his twin. The biggest difference was observed nine months into Scott's space mission when 79 percent of his DNA was methylated (when methyl is added to DNA), compared to 83 percent of Mark's DNA. The locations of methylation were different in both men; Scott's methylation appeared near genes in immune system response, which researchers believe correlates with additional data that found Scott had increased markers associated with inflammation.

"It was encouraging to see that there was no massive disruption of the epigenome in either Mark or Scott," former postdoctoral student/current senior scientist at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Lindsay Rizzardi, said in a statement. "However, with only two people in the study, we're limited in the conclusions we can draw about the effect of space travel on the genome. But the findings give us clues to what we should examine more closely in future studies of astronauts."

Now That's Interesting One other weird thing happened to Scott in space: The shape of one of his eyeballs changed. By the time he got back to Earth, his retinal nerve and the folds in the choroid layer that surround the eye were thicker. These kinds of changes have been observed in other male astronauts before, but not females.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Francis Marion University on Friday and Saturday had a record number of South Carolina residents among graduates in the fall class of 2021 during two commencement ceremonies.

FMU awarded a total of 248 degrees at the ceremonies, which were held at the Smith University Center on the universitys campus. Of those who graduated, 97 percent were residents of the Palmetto state, the highest percentage of any class in the universitys history.

Diplomas awarded this semester included 179 baccalaureate, and 69 masters and specialists degrees.

Graduates from the School of Education and School of Health Sciences received diplomas the evening of December 17, while those from the School of Business and College of Liberal Arts were celebrated at a morning ceremony December 18.

The School of Health Sciences awarded 54 undergraduate degrees as part of the fall 2021 contingent. The School of Business had 31 undergraduates, and the School of Education presented 12 undergraduates with diplomas.
FLORENCE, S.C.  After a years hiatus of wreathing Florence National Cemetery the public was again turned loose to get the job done  with COVID precautions.

There was no gathering for speakers or ceremony for the Wreaths Across America event, just a quick briefing on the proper way to place a wreath  bow up while you say the name of the veteran on the marker.

The Scouts were, for the most part, assigned to the historic section the cemetery while adult organizations were assigned to the new section.

Families who paid for a wreath specific to their loved ones grave were given wreaths to place before the start of the event.

We want to honor our veterans, said Sharon Russell with the Blue Star Mothers of Coastal Carolina.

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Also on hand this year were South Carolina State Guard members to assist with the heavy lifting, moving and placing of boxes of wreaths.

Today we are assisting; we set up shop assisting Blue Star mothers but there are a lot of civic groups in attendance today, said Sgt. Joseph Goldsmith, public information officer with the Guard.
My daughter has a nice little house in a safe neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.

Until recently she never really had to worry about crime or her personal safety.

But now suburban places like hers in Northern California and Southern California are being hit by a crime wave that has never hit them before.

As youve seen on national TV, smash-and-grab gangs are hitting shopping malls like the one near her  the same one I often take my granddaughters to.

And now there are even young thugs wholl follow you home from the mall and break into your house.

Its no wonder my daughter is afraid to go out to her mailbox in the dark by herself.

Shes not alone. Many people in the multi-troubled state of California are living in fear.

It is bad enough that for almost two years the Democrats in charge of the state government have used the war on COVID as an excuse to expand their powers and abuse us with strict lockdowns, school closings and mandates.
(Screengrab/@kalpanama11)

A few employees of Foxconn, the manufacturer of Apple iPhones and Amazon Firestick, were hospitalised with food poisoning in a southern Indian state, leading to a sit-in protest by their colleagues on Saturday, according to reports.

The workers of the Taiwan-based factory in Sriperumbudur town of Tamil Nadu were hospitalised earlier this week, a source told Reuters news agency. However, additional details of their condition are unknown.

The incident sparked protests by hundreds of women workers of the factory who blocked the Chennai-Bengaluru national highway at Sriperumbudur town, which is in the outskirts of the city.

The demonstrators demanded answers about the well being of their colleagues from the company officials after a rumour spread that one of the women who had taken ill died at the hospital, reported The Hindu.

The protesters alleged that the management of the factory did not give them answers when they approached them to know about their sick colleagues.

Four women workers were hospitalised following a bout of food poisoning at one of the dormitories of Foxconn in Tiruvallur district three days ago. But they were later discharged, it reported.

The officials said the news of a womans death was totally false.

The protests began on Friday night and continued till Saturday as workers staged demonstrations.

Story continues

The district and labour department officials held talks with the protesters to dispel the rumours but managed to disperse just some of the people at the sit-in.

Some have dispersed, some are still there. Kancheepuram Collector is also there on the spot, officials told the newspaper.

Foxconn has not issued a statement over the allegations. The Independent has reached out to company for comment.

Foxconn Technology Group is a Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturer headquartered in Tucheng, New Taipei City. It is known as Hon Hai Precision Industry in Taiwan with majority of factories located in East Asia and others in Brazil, India, Europe, and Mexico.
Singapores GIC sees potential opportunities to do deals and buy debt in Chinas battered real estate sector . (PHOTO: REUTERS/Anshuman Daga)

By David Ramli

(Bloomberg)  Singapores US$744 billion sovereign wealth fund sees potential opportunities to do deals and buy debt in Chinas battered real estate sector, confident Beijing wont let things spiral out of control following several defaults.

We continue to have confidence that it is a good investment market for us, said Lim Chow Kiat, chief executive officer of GIC. We are not moving away from being involved in the Chinese real estate market.

Chinas property sector has been roiled by defaults at China Evergrande Group and other developers, sparking concerns about contagion that could hamper growth in the worlds second-largest economy. The sell-off has pushed Chinese junk bond yields above 20% in recent weeks, prompting analysts to start seeing value in the sector. Some firms are raising funds to buy up assets at what they believe to be bargain prices.

GIC, which has been investing in Chinese property for two decades, is also seeing potential in the hard-hit sector. The fund has recently struck deals in commercial areas like logistics, and is confident that the Chinese government can contain the fallout from the property crackdown.

We believe they have enough central bank balance sheet, and within their system they have enough levers to make sure that things do not spiral out of control, Lim said in an interview from his Singapore office.When asked if its time to go bigger in the space, Lim said it could be, while warning that investors have to be selective about the developers they work with. GICs equity holdings included China Vanke Co., the nations second-biggest developer, according to Bloomberg data as of September.

When the market goes through a significant change it could throw up opportunities for long-term investors, said Lim, who has led GIC for almost five years. We have been looking at them closely.

Liew Tzu Mi, head of fixed income at GIC, later added that the fund was looking at potential opportunities in Chinese property bonds given the emergence of value in some parts of the market. She said that investments would be driven by bottom-up evaluations of credit names.

Story continues

Sovereign Bonds

Liew is also bullish on Chinese sovereign debt, which has risen in tandem with the countrys growing influence. Chinas government bonds have jumped 7.3% this year, among the biggest gainers of 46 sovereign markets tracked by Bloomberg.

We have been actually invested for a long time already, Liew said, drawn to the bonds relative high yields and low co-relation with global markets. You can infer that we really like that market.

Structurally, it definitely has a place in our portfolio, Lim added. Probably a bigger place down the road.

GIC, created 40 years ago to help manage the city-states reserves, doesnt publish its assets, though they are estimated at about US$744 billion by research firm Global SWF. About 34% of the funds assets were in Asia, including Japan, as of March.

 2021 Bloomberg L.P.
Alam Gul Haqqani (C), head of the passport office, says the Taliban will resume issuing passports after a deluge of applications caused biometric equipment to break down (AFP/WAKIL KOHSAR)

Afghanistan's Taliban authorities said Saturday they will resume issuing passports in Kabul, giving hope to citizens who feel threatened living under the Islamists' rule.

Thousands of Afghans have applied for new travel documents to escape a growing economic as well as a humanitarian crisis described by the United Nations as an "avalanche of hunger".

Authorities will start issuing the documents from Sunday at Kabul's passport office, Alam Gul Haqqani, the head of the passport department in the interior ministry, told reporters.

The Taliban stopped issuing passports shortly after their August 15 return to power, as tens of thousands of people scrambled to Kabul's only airport in a bid to catch any international flight that could evacuate them.

In October, authorities reopened the passport office in Kabul only to suspend work days later as a flood of applications caused the biometric equipment to break down.

"All the technical issues have now been resolved," Haqqani said, adding that initially travel documents will be given to those who had already applied before the office suspended work.

New applications will be accepted from January 10.

Many Afghans who wanted to visit neighbouring Pakistan for medical treatment have also been blocked in the absence of valid passports.

"My mother has some health issues and we needed to go to Pakistan a long time ago, but we could not because the passport department was closed," said Jamshid, who like many Afghans goes by only one name.

"We are happy now ... we can get our passports and go to Pakistan," he said as many began gathering outside the passport office after Saturday's announcement.

- Call for refugees to return -

Issuing passports -- and allowing people to leave amid the growing humanitarian crisis -- is seen as a test of the Taliban's commitment to the international community.

The Taliban are pressing donors to restore billions of dollars in aid that was suspended when the previous Western-backed regime imploded in the final stages of a US military withdrawal.

Story continues

The abrupt withholding of aid has amounted to an "unprecedented" fiscal shock for an economy already battered by drought and decades of war, according to the United Nations Development Programme.

The crisis has forced many to sell household possessions to buy food.

On Saturday, the Taliban government's deputy foreign minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai urged aid agencies to apply pressure for the release of nearly $10 billion worth of assets held in the United States.

Stanekzai also urged all Afghan refugees to return now that the war had ended.

"We invite and encourage everyone to return to Afghanistan, even our political opponents," he said at a function held to mark International Migrants Day.

Afghanistan's minister for refugees Khalil Haqqani said that humanitarian organisations must help Afghan refugees return home.

"Afghan refugees living in camps abroad are in a bad situation. They have to return to Afghanistan and work here," said Haqqani, who is a member of the Haqqani network, which was branded a terror group by Washington.

Over the past four decades, more than six million Afghans have fled the country to escape war and economic crises, most of them living in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan.

The international community has so far not recognised the current Taliban government that was formed after the chaotic withdrawal of US-led foreign troops.

International flights, mainly to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, have meanwhile slowly resumed at Kabul airport after the facility was trashed in August when crowds of people scrambled to evacuate.

bur-jd/lb
Welcome to the Baker Prairie Bluff Condo Community in Sergeant Bluff Iowa! This open concept 2 bedroom, 2 bath, ranch style home is efficient and roomy with lots of natural lighting and a wonderful relaxing feel. The vaulted ceiling in the great room creates a dramatic living space and is open to the kitchen and dining area with access to your rear patio. The open kitchen has lots of upgraded soft close cabinets, quartz counters and center island with drop lighting. The master bedroom has great windows with an en-suite master bath with a tiled walk in closet, double vanity and walk-in closet. This quality home has main floor laundry, doors to your private patio, full unfinished basement with an egress window and plumbing for an additional bath, double car attached garage, interior and exterior upgraded finishes and all the comforts of home! Enjoy a new kind of comfort & convenience with condo living. Look for completion in the Spring of 2022. You still have still to pick some interior finishes!
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  Nebraska's unemployment rate dropped once again to the lowest level on record in November, beating the previous national record it set the prior month, according to labor statistics released Friday.

The state Department of Labor reported a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 1.8% last month, down from 1.9% in October. No other state has seen its rate drop below 2% since data collection began in 1976.

Nebraska has maintained its status as the state with the lowest rate through much of the pandemic. The October rate was down slightly from the September rate of 2%.

Nebraska has struggled with a chronic worker shortage even before the pandemic, a trend that has driven up wages and made it difficult for employers to hire and expand. Prominent business groups in the state have identified the lack of employees as their top concern.

The average rate is even lower in Nebraska's largest cities. The Omaha area reported an unemployment rate of 1.5%, while the Lincoln area had a 1.1% rate and Grand Island recorded 1.2%.

Nebraska and other rural states typically have unemployment rates lower than the national average for a combination of reasons, including fewer people per job, more jobs with ties to agriculture and food production that are considered essential, and policies that discourage unemployment.

Some groups have argued that the unemployment rate is an incomplete picture of the state's economic health because it doesn't count people who have stopped looking for work.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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RAPID CITY, S.D. -- A former Rapid City priest convicted of stealing donations from Catholic churches is appealing his sentence.

Marcin Garbacz's attorney told Eighth Circuit appeals court judges Thursday that the priest was ordered to pay restitution for money that wasnt necessarily stolen.

But the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Koliner, said the priest deposited about $260,000 in cash that couldnt be otherwise explained.

After a weeklong jury trial in early 2020, Garbacz was convicted for stealing from three Catholic churches in Rapid City over several years.

He deposited some of the money in his bank accounts and bought luxury items such as gold-plated chalices, bronze statues, a $10,000 diamond ring and a grand piano, according to court documents.

The jury found him guilty of 50 counts of wire fraud as well as money laundering, transporting stolen money, and filing false tax returns, South Dakota Public Broadcasting reported.

Federal Judge Jeffrey Viken sentenced Garbacz to serve nearly eight years in federal prison and ordered him to make restitution of more than $258,000, to be split equally among the three churches.

Assistant Federal Public Defender Bryan Dean said the government did not have evidence at trial that all the money Garbacz deposited was stolen. But Koliner argued Garbacz was caught on camera stealing deposit bags from one of the churches and admitted he had been stealing donations for years.

Garbacz is asking the Eighth Circuit to reverse and vacate his convictions or remand the sentence for a new restitution determination.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

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A federal judge's decision to reject a multibillion dollar opioid settlement involving OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is being hailed as a step toward justice by advocates who have long called for greater accountability for the family that owns the company.

But not everyone involved in the arduous settlement process is celebrating, including some advocates who have lost loved ones to the nation's ongoing  and growing  addiction crisis. The ruling Thursday from New York-based U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon is a blow to those who sought to use billions of dollars from Purdue and from the Sackler family members involved with the company to fight the epidemic.

It could be dragged out for months, if not years, said Cheryl Juaire of Massachusetts, who has lost two grown sons to opioid overdoses.

Juaire founded an organization for grieving parents and was a voice for victims on a committee during the Purdue bankruptcy proceedings that led to the settlement vacated this week.

Every day, 265 people are dying. The attorneys are getting richer because theyve still got a job to do, and lives are being lost, she said. "When is somebody going to say, This is all about the lives?

Avi Israel also lost a son to opioid addiction, but sees this week's ruling differently. Like Juaire, he has dedicated his life to fighting addiction, starting Save the Michaels of the World, a group that has helped get 1,200 people in western New York into addiction treatment this year.

He said Thursday's decision was the right one.

You could give me all the money in the world; thats not going to bring my son back, said Israel, who also sits on a state board that helps distribute money New York brings in from opioid litigation.

Allowing lawsuits to move forward against Sackler family members could have a more long-lasting effect by deterring corporate executives from pushing medications they know could cause harm.

I want them to know what it feels like for millions of us in this holiday season, when you sit at the table and you stare at an empty chair and you know that all of that could have been avoided," he said.

The contrasting views of justice in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy reflect a complicated case at the center of multiple lawsuits seeking to hold players in the drug industry accountable for the nationwide epidemic of addiction and overdoses. Combined, prescription and illicit versions of the drugs have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the past two decades, and it's gotten worse during the coronavirus pandemic. Federal officials say there were 100,000 overdose deaths in the 12 months that ended in April, the majority of them from opioids.

The Purdue case is the highest-profile, but it's not the largest opioid settlement in the works. The drug distribution companies AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson, plus drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, have agreed to a settlement worth $26 billion over time. The deal relies on having a critical mass of local governments surrender their right to sue and sign on.

Facing thousands of lawsuits from state and local governments, unions, hospitals and others, Purdue filed for bankruptcy protection in 2019 as part of an effort to settle the cases. After negotiations and mediation, it reached a deal supported by the overwhelming majority of state and local governments, as well as individuals with claims who voted on it.

The plan calls for Sackler family members to give up ownership of Purdue. The transformed company would continue to make OxyContin, but with profits going to fight the opioid crisis. It also would try to develop low- or no-cost drugs to reverse overdoses and treat addictions. Sackler family members would contribute $4.5 billion over time in cash and charitable assets.

Most of the money would flow to government entities, which would be obligated to use it to fight the crisis and not just to fill their budgets.

The most important thing to me is that in the plan, every single penny has to be used for the epidemic, Juaire said.

Because of the advocacy of Juaire and other representatives of victims, a portion of the settlement  $750 million  would go to individual victims and their families. Payments were expected to range from $3,500 to $48,000. That set the Purdue deal apart from other large opioid settlements, where money for individual victims is not included.

But the deal came with one catch that angered many advocates, state attorneys general and others: The Sacklers would be protected from all current and future civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids.

Under a 2020 settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the company pleaded guilty to criminal charges in a deal that would waive most of their $8.3 billion in penalties and forfeitures as long as it entered a settlement that would use money to fight the opioid crisis. Members of the Sackler family agreed separately to pay $225 million to settle federal civil claims. There are no indications that criminal charges could emerge against family members, though some activists are pressing officials to file them.

Eight states and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee, a part of the Department of Justice, objected to the bankruptcy settlement and appealed after a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge accepted the deal in September.

Their arguments swayed Judge McMahon. In her ruling, she said bankruptcy law does not give judges the power to accept deals that protect people who are not themselves filing for bankruptcy protection if some parties in the case don't agree.

The decision puts a fine point on the idea that there cannot be two systems of justice in this country, one for the wealthy and one for everyone else," Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in an interview Friday.

Purdue said it would appeal but that it also would keep trying to find a settlement all parties would accept.

McMahon anticipated an appeal in her ruling: This opinion will not be the last word on the subject, nor should it be. She said the issue of third-party releases has hovered over bankruptcy law for decades, with federal circuit courts disagreeing about whether they can be granted.

The appeal will go to the New York-based U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. It's expected that whichever side loses will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in.

Congress also has considered legislation that would prohibit the kind of protections granted to Sackler family members, but the bill has stalled.

Representatives of the Sackler family have said in court, depositions and congressional hearings that they have not done anything improper and are not responsible for the opioid epidemic. They have not commented on Thursday's ruling.

The Department of Justice, under different leadership than it was 13 months ago when Purdue pleaded guilty, praised McMahon's decision.

The bankruptcy court did not have the authority to deprive victims of the opioid crisis of their right to sue the Sackler family," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Oregon's treasurer is exploring legal options with the state attorney general in the state's large investment in a smartphone spyware company  a firm that has been denounced by human rights groups, the U.S. government and tech giants.

In 2017, the Oregon Investment Council unanimously committed $233 million in the state employee retirement fund to a new private equity fund called Novalpina Capital, which later acquired a majority share of NSO Group, an Israeli company that produces smartphone spyware.

The company's Pegasus spyware, which can turn a smartphone into an eavesdropping device and rummage through emails, documents, texts and photos, has been used by repressive regimes against dissidents, human rights workers and journalists.

NSO Group has been hit by numerous lawsuits, including by Facebook and Apple. Last month it was blacklisted by the U.S. government along with another company for developing and supplying spyware to foreign governments that used these tools to maliciously target government officials, journalists, businesspeople, activists, academics, and embassy workers.

Earlier this year, London-based Novalpina Capital became so dysfunctional because of a bitter dispute between its partners that investors, including Oregon, stripped them of control of the fund and handed it to an outfit called Berkeley Research Group.

Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read supports sanctioning global technology companies that facilitate human rights violations and the oppression of journalists by selling technology to authoritarian regimes," Read's spokeswoman, Amy Bates, said in a statement Thursday to The Associated Press.

The Oregon Treasury has been working with Berkeley Research Group and counsel to obtain a full accounting of the prior fund managers investment activities over the past several years, said Bates, who declined to elaborate.

As of two months ago, Berkeley Research Group had not been granted clearance by the Israeli government to receive any sensitive information about NSO Group, the Guardian newspaper reported. Berkeley Research Group did not immediately respond to questions on whether they have since gained access to the information.

"Earlier this month, the Treasurer also reached out to Oregons Attorney General on various legal options available to Oregons retirement fund, Bates said.

Some observers took the consultations to mean that Oregon is seeking a legal way of dropping the investment.

NSOs big investor, the State of Oregon retirement fund ... has developed cold feet, tweeted John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher of Citizen Lab, which is based at the University of Toronto and has investigated deployment of the Pegasus spyware and whom it targeted.

He said it appears that Oregon is looking for the exit.

Read and fellow members of the Oregon Investment Council recently told leaders of the Legislature that state law specifies investments must make the moneys as productive as possible.

When we exit investments, we do so for performance reasons, not political or personal ones, Read and four other members of the OIC wrote in their Oct. 25 letter.

Bates pointed out that Oregon is a limited partner in private equity fund investments and consequently doesn't participate in how such a fund does its business once an investment is made, but is deeply disturbed by reports about developments concerning NSO Group.

For its part, NSO Group said in a statement Wednesday that it has chosen ethics upon revenues, and we strongly believe that our contribution to the global security including US national interests should have the opportunity to be presented.

We only sell to governments authorized by the State of Israel, for the sole purpose of preventing terror and crime. Once the software is sold, the company does not operate the system, the company added.

AP reporter Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Iowa may have to wait to see a share of a $4.3 billion settlement with Purdue Pharmas owners over the opioid crisis  millions the state intended to provide pain killer abuse prevention, treatment and recovery efforts  after a federal judge rejected the deal.

A U.S. District Court judge on Thursday rejected OxyContin maker Purdue Pharmas bankruptcy settlement of thousands of lawsuits, including from Iowa, over the opioid epidemic because of a provision in the deal that would protect members of the Sackler family from facing litigation of their own.

Judge Colleen McMahon in New York found that federal bankruptcy law does not give the bankruptcy judge who had accepted the plan the authority to grant that kind of release for people who are not declaring bankruptcy themselves.

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, who was among state attorneys general to join the legal action against Purdue, estimated the state would have received about $25 million to address opioid abuse.

Although Miller said no settlement could make up for the misconduct of Purdue and the Sackler family, who own the company, the settlement was in the best interests of Iowans, however, and will go a long way toward abating the opioid crisis the defendants helped create.

However, those efforts now appear to be on hold until the lawsuit is resolved. In a statement issued after the judges ruling Thursday, Purdue said it will appeal the ruling and, at the same time, try to forge another plan with its creditors.

We are hopeful this matter will be resolved quickly in order to make funds available to help abate the opioid crisis in Iowa, the Attorney Generals Office said in a statement Friday.

In May 2019, Iowa sued Purdue Pharma and its former president and board chairman, Richard Sackler, alleging that the drug company engaged in unfair, deceptive and unlawful practices in the marketing of OxyContin. The lawsuit alleged that Purdue officials repeatedly made false and deceptive claims that OxyContin was safe and suitable for a wide range of pain patients.

Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that Purdue claimed that OxyContin posed a low risk of addiction; that symptoms of addiction were only pseudoaddiction indicating the need for more opioids; that long-term opioid use improved patients quality of life and function; and that opioids were suitable for vulnerable groups, such as elderly patients and veterans.

Purdue filed for bankruptcy after Iowa and other states sued.

The company said in its statement that the ruling will not hurt its operations.

It will delay, and perhaps end, the ability of creditors, communities, and individuals to receive billions in value to abate the opioid crisis, said Steve Miller, chairman of the Purdue board. These funds are needed now more than ever as overdose rates hit record-highs, and we are confident that we can successfully appeal this decision and deliver desperately needed funds to the communities and individuals suffering in the midst of this crisis.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who was among a handful of state officials seeking to have the deal undone, called the ruling a seismic victory for justice and accountability. Tong said the ruling will reopen the deeply flawed Purdue bankruptcy and force the Sackler family to confront the pain and devastation they have caused.

The opioid crisis has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the United States over the last two decades. In Iowa, the state Public Health Department earlier this year reported that opioid-related deaths rose in 2020 from 157 to 213.

Most state and local governments, Native American tribes, individual opioid victims and others who voted said the plan worked out in the bankruptcy court should be accepted.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, like several others, sued Sackler family members and opposed the settlement before eventually agreeing to it this year. She said in a statement that if the deal doesnt hold up, shes ready to resume the lawsuit.

Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family remain named defendants in our ongoing litigation and we will hold them accountable for their unlawful behavior, one way or another, she said.

The main issue on the appeal was the lawfulness of the measures that would extend legal protections to Sackler family members.

Such third-party releases are not used in most bankruptcy cases, but they are common in cases such as Purdues, in which the companies involved are burdened with lawsuits and have relatively little value  but their wealthy owners could contribute.

The Purdue deal would not protect family members from criminal charges. But so far none have been filed, and there are no signs any are forthcoming, though some activists are calling for them.

In her ruling Thursday, McMahon focused on whether bankruptcy law even allows for the kind of deal the company and its creditors struck if there are objections to it.

The great unsettled question in this case is whether the Bankruptcy Court  or any court  is statutorily authorized to grant such releases. This issue has split the federal Circuits for decades, she wrote.

She also noted that other courts will weigh in on the case. The next step is likely before the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

This opinion will not be the last word on the subject, nor should it be, she wrote. This issue has hovered over bankruptcy law for thirty-five years.

James Q. Lynch of The Gazette Des Moines Bureau and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa -- A man charged with murder in a Lake Park, Iowa, homicide pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge and has agreed to testify against his co-defendant.

Justice Berntson, 24, appeared in Dickinson County District Court and pleaded guilty to attempted murder, a charge reduced from first-degree murder. Charges of second-degree theft and conspiracy to commit second-degree theft will be dismissed.

Had be gone to trial and been found guilty of first-degree murder, Berntson would have faced a sentence of life in prison without parole. Instead, he agreed to a 25-year prison sentence for attempted murder and must serve at least 17.5 years before he's eligible for parole.

District Judge Shayne Mayer accepted Berntson's plea and ordered sentencing to be set after co-defendant Allison Decker's case is resolved.

Decker, 26, has pleaded not guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree theft and conspiracy to commit second-degree theft. According to his plea agreement, Berntson will testify at her trial, scheduled for May 17. Berntson will remain in custody.

Berntson and Decker were arrested and charged in July in connection with the death of 25-year-old Angel Bastman, whose body was found Dec. 22 at her home at 104 Maple Ave. in Lake Park. According to court documents, Bastman was killed at approximately 5 p.m. Dec. 21. Authorities have declined to comment on the cause of death.

Investigators determined Bastman's rental car was missing from her home, and four days later, police spotted Berntson driving it in Sioux City. A vehicle pursuit ensued, and Berntson, who gave an Elk Point, South Dakota, address at the time, was arrested after crashing the car.

Court documents say that Berntson and Decker, who said in court documents she lives in Sioux City, both were found in possession of property belonging to Bastman and her family. Witnesses and electronic communications records showed that both Berntson and Decker made statements that they were involved in Bastman's death.

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SAC CITY, Iowa -- An attempted murder case against a Storm Lake, Iowa, man has been dismissed, but prosecutors intend to refile charges once he's paroled from prison.

District Judge Kurt Stoebe on Tuesday dismissed attempted murder and willful injury charges against Dalton Goodman after Sac County Attorney Ben Smith sought the dismissal. Theft charges in two other cases also were dropped.

Goodman, 26, was charged with the Dec. 23, 2019, stabbing of Andrew Corderman in the back during an altercation at a house in the 500 block of South 13th Street in Sac City. Corderman was hospitalized with a punctured lung. Goodman pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to stand trial earlier this month. His attorney had filed notice that Goodman would claim self-defense as a defense.

Smith filed a motion to dismiss the case, due in part to Goodman's March 29 sentencing to a 10-year prison sentence on drug charges in Clay County. Smith said in his motion to dismiss that Goodman had backed out of an agreement to plead guilty in the Sac County cases and said he would only plead guilty if Smith reduced the charges further.

Smith said he had no intention to reduce the charge and doubted Goodman would plead guilty anyway.

Because Goodman is now in prison, transporting him to Sac County for depositions and other hearings in the three Sac County cases would cost several thousand dollars. Smith said in his motion to dismiss that the Iowa Department of Corrections said Goodman is likely to be paroled in June, possibly sooner. Smith said it was more economical to dismiss the charges now, then refile them once Goodman is paroled.

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SIOUX CITY -- Six Sioux City students have been charged with harassment in connection with various social media threats against the schools on Friday.

None of the threats were legitimate but were intended to cause alarm among the students, according to a press release from the Sioux City Police Department.

In response, additional police officers patrolled the schools on Friday and many parents chose to keep their children home for the day.

On Thursday, the Sioux City district alerted parents of a national school threat made on social media that said school shootings and bomb threats would occur in schools across the nation on Friday. The alert also asked parents and students to report concerning posts.

Since the notification, Sioux City police started receiving reports of other threats against the schools.

A few of the threats included:

- A subject telling several people he was planning on bringing a gun to school;

- A conversation in which a student was implying threats against East Middle;

- A post depicting a gun with a threat towards North Middle and;

- A video on TikTok of several students at East High School pointing their phones like guns.

Six students were charged with harassment and the district has taken steps to keep these students out of the school until the investigations are completed, according to the release.

"Appropriate discipline measures will also be taken by the schools that could include suspension and expulsion," according to the release.

For fear of the threats, some parents chose to keep their kids home from school for the day. District director of communications Leslie Heying said absences across the district were considerably higher than normal.

"We do contribute this, in large part, to these social media threats, she said.

"It is very unfortunate how social media has negatively impacted our District this week including the feeling of safety among our students and staff and, ultimately, the education of our students."

Additional evidence into the threats will be acquired from the social media platforms through legal processes and additional charges may occur.

These are not the first social media threats to be investigated this week.

On Tuesday, East High and East Middle schools were put on lockdown due to a social media threat on another popular social media platform Snapchat.

A 14-year-old female was arrested after creating the post with the intent to cause alarm but had no plan for carrying out the threat.

At the same time, a 15-year-old male was identified as creating a threat towards West High School.

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Avalee Little Whirlwind was at her Lame Deer home just after noon Sunday when her brother George Little Eagle showed up to tell her their Uncle Dukey had been attacked and killed by dogs.

Rage and grief filled her mind. She grabbed her .22 caliber rifle and headed for the scene of the attack on the towns south side.

She arrived to find two Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers and a Rosebud County Sheriffs deputy. She got out of her car with the gun case in hand, told the officers who she was and that the man dead in the street was her uncle.

Her uncle, Duke Little Whirlwind, 58, lay lifeless under a tarp. His bicycle was nearby. Blood pooled around him. Avalee took in the scene quickly, but her mind was also on the dogs.

She yelled at the officers with her cased gun in hand. She demanded to know why they had done nothing about the dogs circling in the periphery around her uncles lifeless body.

I looked around and I saw some dogs kind of running all over, just in and out of wherever, Little Whirlwind said. She counted five or six dogs. I started hollering at [the officers], How come you guys didnt do nothing about these dogs? 

The officers shouted at her to stay back and asked what she was doing there. She told them she had come to shoot the dogs responsible. She showed the officers the rifle case and reiterated she was going to shoot the dogs.

From there things grew tense. The officers told her to get back and leave. Little Whirlwind threw the gun and case into the back seat of her vehicle. Instead of the rifle, she said, she went to grab her phone to record the officers. One of the officers drew his gun and pointed it at her, she said.

(Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesperson Robyn Broyles responded to a request for comment with a press release reported on earlier in the week. In response to specific follow-up questions about Little Whirlwind's account of the events, Broyles said BIA had nothing further to add citing the ongoing investigation.)

I was trying to record them [with a phone], and they came up, she said. A separate officer grabbed a Taser and pointed it at her. She said she didnt resist. The officers put her in handcuffs.

They were really mad, she said. They were really pissed off at me.

Her Uncles son, Curtis Little Whirlwind, and her brother watched the officers handcuff her. The three family members kept yelling for the officers to shoot the dogs.

[The dogs] were running around us with blood on them, she said. I could just see these dogs running around us and the BIA officers were just standing there.

The officers put her in the back of their patrol truck and told her they could charge her with aggravated assault with a weapon, according to Little Whirlwind.

I said for what? she said. That gun was not for you guys, that gun was for those dogs and I told you guys that.

The officers told Little Whirlwind they understood she was upset and they let her go but confiscated her gun, she said.

The officers did nothing about the dogs, according to Little Whirlwind, something members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council confirm. Hours later, when Duke Little Whirlwinds body was removed by the coroner and the officers left the scene, the dogs were left behind to prowl the blood-soaked street.

They just ran around there all night, Little Whirlwind said.

The next day, the dogs owners took four of the dogs out of town and shot them. Little Whirlwind said a female pitbull had recently birthed puppies and was the instigator in the attack. She demanded to go see the dogs bodies and she photographed them.

The deadly attack

Duke Little Whirlwind was walking his bicycle to his brothers house at noon on Sunday when the dogs attacked and killed him. The commotion of the attack brought people from their homes. The BIA law enforcement said they responded to calls of a dog attack, but when they arrived Duke Little Whirlwind was dead.

There were no dogs present, and to date, no dogs have been located or captured, the press release said.

Rosebud County Sheriff Allen Fulton confirmed the dog attack was the cause of death. The BIA press release also said the attack caused his death and added that drugs and alcohol were suspected factors in the case.

The next day the family met with the Rosebud County deputy coroner. They asked about seeing Duke Little Whirlwinds body, but the coroner cautioned them against seeing the body due to its grisly appearance.

He didnt want family members to go through that, she said. The body "can't be viewed, so that really hurts."

Reservation's dog problem

Packs of feral dogs roam Lame Deer and other communities on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, according to Tribal Council member Lane Spotted Elk. The problem has been a longstanding battle for Tribal leadership. A series of violent dog attacks in 2019 sent area residents to the hospital and forced the Council to pass an ordinance that year to confront the problem.

The ordinance authorized BIA law enforcement to capture and eliminate dangerous dogs or more simply put, any dog not restrained by leash, fence or residence that has bitten someone else or poses a serious threat to people.

But in the more than two years since the ordinance passed, the BIA has taken no action to cull the wild packs or capture the animals, according to Spotted Elk. In the beginning he said the BIA asked for the ordinance and opportunity to take care of the dog problem, but after its passage they recanted and told the council they could not comply with the ordinance due to federal rules governing the use of their firearms.

Spotted Elk said the BIA chief of police told the Council any discharge of their service pistols would lead to an internal investigation by the agency that the officers did not want to go through. So, the ordinance went unenforced until mid-2021 when the Tribe invested in traps and hired employees to capture the dogs and either take them to shelters or humanely euthanize them.

That process is slow explained Spotted Elk and the council said they have only been able to capture and relocate about 30 animals. When compared with the total number of animals on the reservation, the task of controlling the dog population seems insurmountable.

But Spotted Elk, and other Tribal Council members like his cousin Diane Spotted Elk, want the public to take action too by being responsible pet owners. They want owners to spay and neuter their animals, to get them rabies vaccines, and to contain their dogs in their residence or yards.

I have a heart for dogs, I love dogs, said Diane Spotted Elk. But there has to be boundaries. If Im going to own a dog, I better take care of it. Not you or him. Im not going to put that responsibility on anyone else.

The Tribe has held spay, neuter and rabies clinics to educate pet owners and try to control the feral animal population and prevent diseases, but participation has suffered with COVID restrictions.

Dogs sacred to tribe

And not all Northern Cheyenne members think euthanizing dogs is acceptable, explained Diane Spotted Elk. The dog has a long-standing and sacred relationship with the Northern Cheyenne people that dates back centuries. The animals sacredness to the Tribe is even present in the name Dog Soldier, which was given to a sect of Cheyenne warriors.

So, some tribal members believe killing the animals could bring more harm than good to the Tribe. Diane Spotted Elk said the animals in question are not the same animals the Cheyenne people traveled the prairies and mountains with generations earlier.

Diane Spotted Elk agreed the Tribe has a long history with dogs. But not pitbulls, not Chihuahuas, not Yorkies, Not German Shepherds, not Blue Heelers, she said. There was a specific kind of dog that traveled with the Northern Cheyenne and they havent existed in over a hundred years. So these dogs are not the sacred dogs.

Avalee Little Whirlwind agrees. She wanted people to hear her uncles story and to take action about the dog problem.

I heard my grandma say it, take it away. She spoke in Cheyenne. Take it away, she said. Whenever someone was badly bitten or attacked, meaning she would want it killed. She never said they were too sacred to kill, Little Whirlwind said, reading from prepared remarks shed written about her uncle.

We have a relationship with our four-legged Oeskeso [pronounced osh-kiss]. There were things they did for us. They helped us. We had ceremony with them. We have rules though. What happened to these rules? We, our Cheyenne people, believe once a dog or dogs attack us they are to be killed. And we dont cry for them, because they have lived. Im not saying kill every dog on the rez because not all of them are bad.

She continued by describing her uncle as a good man, beloved by his family. She said he was a Lame Deer man who grew up in town and walked the streets his whole life. She recalled his success as a champion fancy dancer. She said his presence will be missed.

In Northern Cheyenne tradition a spiritual elder will paint the face of a deceased man during his wake ceremony to send him "home."

We cannot even feel him and this is very important to us, she continued. To see him and have him painted. We are devastated that he met his death in this way.

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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy says the state commerce commissioner is retiring next month.

Julie Anderson has led the state Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development since the start of Dunleavy's term.

Dunleavy's office says Anderson's retirement is effective Jan. 14. The governor, in a statement, thanked Anderson for her work and congratulated her on her retirement.

Dunleavy will announce a new commissioner at a later time, his office said. Whoever he appoints will be subject to legislative confirmation.

Dunleavy previously appointed Paula Vrana as commissioner of the Department of Administration and Ryan Anderson as commissioner of the state transportation department. Vrana and Anderson still await confirmation, which are normally taken up during regular legislative sessions. The next such session opens in January.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled on Friday that nonprofit charter schools cant avoid facing civil fraud claims alleging mismanagement of taxpayer money by arguing they are immune from such lawsuits like a state agency.

The justices reversed a 2019 Court of Appeals decision that had dismissed claims against Kinston Charter Academy, which closed abruptly to 190 students and their teachers in 2013. A 2016 lawsuit by then-Attorney General Roy Cooper sought financial damages for the state and monetary penalties against the academy, its CEO and the chair of its board.

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that receive state funds on a per-pupil basis and have more flexibility  with instruction and enrollment among them  than traditional K-12 schools. They are overseen by the State Board of Education.

Kinston Charter Academy and leaders were accused by Cooper's office of violating the states False Claims Act and deceptive trade laws. State attorneys allege the school provided a bogus upgraded enrollment estimate to state education officials that meant receiving additional funds, even as leaders knew the school would not last the 2013-14 school year.

Academy CEO Ozie Hall and his wife, board leader Demyra McDonald-Hall, unsuccessfully sought to get the lawsuit dismissed by a Wake County trial judge. They in turn asked the Court of Appeals to step in, saying the academy was protected from liability under the doctrine of sovereign immunity, which exempts state government from most lawsuits unless an agency consents to be sued.

A three-judge panel of the intermediate appeals court agreed with the academy, saying it was entitled to such immunity and that it didnt fit the definition of a person who is the target of state litigation under the False Claims Act.

Associate Justice Sam Ervin IV, writing the lone opinion for the Supreme Court, emphasized that the General Assembly declined to describe charter schools as agencies of the state in the law authorizing them in the 1990s, but rather entities that operate independently of existing schools.

State government attorneys wrote in a brief that sovereign immunity doesnt make sense because any financial judgement would be paid by the Kinston school, rather than the state treasury, which the immunity doctrine is designed to protect. Even while charter schools appear to have a form of immunity similar to that of local school boards, it likely wouldn't matter because the state's sovereignty is superior, according to an opinion footnote.

As for the False Claims Act, a charter school would appear to fit the definition of a person given what the states goal is regarding the fraudulent use of taxpayer funds, according to Ervin.

The obvious purpose of the False Claims Act is to ensure that public funds are spent in the manner for which they were intended instead of being misappropriated, misspent or misused, he wrote, while reversing most of the Court of Appeals decisions. The Supreme Court did uphold the Court of Appeals ruling that Ozie Hall cannot be dismissed from the complaint for now on claims that he was immune as a public official. The case, which now returns to Wake County court, has not gone to trial.

The academy, which had struggled financially for years, enrolled barely half of the 366 students that it had estimated it would enroll in fall 2013, contributing to an overpayment by the state of more than $344,000, Fridays opinion reads. The lawsuit also alleged students were misled into thinking the school would remain open.

Associate Justice Phil Berger Jr. wrote the 2019 Court of Appeals opinion dismissing claims at the school when he served on that court. He didnt participate in the deliberations leading to Fridays ruling, the court said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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LAS VEGAS (AP)  The Nevada prisons chief who will be responsible for carrying out the states first execution by lethal injection in more than 15 year if the courts allow it to proceed assured a federal judge Friday he would halt the procedure if there were any complications.

Im going to err on the side of caution, said Charles Daniels, director of the Nevada Department of Corrections.

His testimony came as lawyers for convicted inmate Zane Michael Floyd try to prove the states plan for a never-before-used combination of three or four drugs including the anesthetic ketamine and the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl would subject Floyd to an agonizingly cruel and inhumane death.

Witnesses for the state have testified this week thats not the case because the first stages of application of the drugs would render Floyd unconscious and unaware of any pain.

No date has been set for the execution that would be carried out at the state prison in Ely.

Floyd, 46, does not want to die. He was convicted in 2000 of killing four people and wounding a fifth in a 1999 shotgun attack at a Las Vegas grocery store.

U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware heard four days of testimony this week, including more than six hours on Friday before wrapping up. He didn't set a date for the next hearing, but has said the proceedings could continue into January.

Nevadas chief medical officer, Dr. Ihsan Azzam, testified on Thursday he could not give an opinion on the effectiveness of the combination of drugs at issue.

Daniels said Friday he too lacks expertise needed to render such an opinion. He said he relies on trained medical officials for such decisions, including the attending physician who would be present at the execution.

I dont even play a doctor on TV, Daniels said.

When in doubt, we can stop this ... When in doubt, we will halt it," he testified. If the attending physician is advising me to stop, were stopping, period. Im not going to override the attending physician.

The state wanted to execute Floyd this summer, but state and federal judges have issued orders postponing Floyds execution to allow time to hear challenges to the constitutionality of the lethal injection plan drawn up by prison officials and the combination of drugs.

Floyd also has appeals pending before the Nevada Supreme Court and the 9th U.S. District Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The Minnesota police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright told jurors at her manslaughter trial on Friday that she didnt want to hurt anybody that day, saying during sometimes tearful testimony that she shouted a warning about using her Taser on Wright after she saw fear in a fellow officers face.

Kim Potter, 49, has said she meant to draw her Taser instead of her handgun during the April 11 traffic stop in Brooklyn Center when she killed Wright. She testified that she was sorry it happened" and that she doesnt remember what she said or everything that happened after the shooting, saying much of her memory of those moments is missing.

Potter is charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist who was pulled over for having expired license plate tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Potter, who was training another officer at the time, said she probably wouldn't have pulled Wright's car over if she had been on her own that day because many drivers were late on renewing their tags at that point of the pandemic.

After she and the other two officers at the scene that day decided to arrest Wright on an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation, the encounter just went chaotic," Potter told the jury. Wright pulled away from the officers and got back in his car, police body camera footage of the traffic stop shows.

I remember yelling, Taser, Taser, Taser, and nothing happened, and then he told me I shot him, Potter said through tears. Her body camera video recorded Wright saying, Ah, he shot me an instant after the shooting.

Potters attorneys argued that she made a mistake but also would have been justified in using deadly force if she had meant to because one of the other officers, then-Sgt. Mychal Johnson, was at risk of being dragged by Wrights car.

Johnson testified last week that he was leaning into the car to make sure the gear shifter was in park and to shut off the vehicle, and that he had grabbed Wright's right arm with both hands to try to handcuff him. He said at the time he couldn't see what Potter was doing, but began backing out when he heard Potter shout, Taser!

Composite video appeared to show Johnsons hands still in the car at the time the shot was fired.

Potter said nothing in court about making a mistake, and she seemed to give a chronology of what happened without providing insight into what she was thinking.

During cross-examination, prosecutor Erin Eldridge noted that Potter testified that she decided to draw her Taser after she saw Johnson looked scared. Potter agreed that was her testimony. But Eldridge said Potter told a defense expert that she didn't know why she drew her Taser. Quoting from the expert's report, Eldridge said that Potter said: I dont have an answer, my brain said grab the Taser. Potter told the court she didn't recall saying that.

Eldridge also got Potter to say that she didn't plan to use deadly force.

Eldridge drove hard at Potters training, getting her to agree that her use-of-force training was a key component to being an officer. Potter testified that she was also trained on when to use force and how much to use, and that there was a policy that dictated what officers could or could not do.

Potter testified under questioning by one of her lawyers that she had no training on weapons confusion, saying it was mentioned in training but wasn't something her departments officers were physically trained on. She also said she never used a Taser while on duty during her 26 years on the force, though she had pulled it out a few times to de-escalate situations, and that she never used her gun until the day she shot Wright.

Potter, who was training Officer Anthony Luckey, said Luckey noticed Wrights car in a turn lane with the signal turned on inappropriately, then saw an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror as well as expired tags.

She said Luckey wanted to stop the vehicle, and although she most likely wouldn't have done so if shed been on patrol by herself, it is important for trainees to have many encounters with the public. She said after they found there was a warrant for Wright's arrest, they were required to take him into custody.

She said they also were required to find out who Wrights female passenger was because a woman  a different one, as it turned out  had taken out a restraining order against him.

While defense attorney Earl Gray walked her though what happened, he did not ask her whether she meant to draw her Taser. A prosecution witness testified earlier in the week that she would not have decided to use her Taser if she thought there was a danger it could cause a death or great bodily harm.

Potter, who resigned two days after the shooting, was matter-of-fact and gave brief answers for most of the cross-examination.

Under questioning by her own attorney, Potter said she has been in therapy since the shooting, and that she left Minnesota and is no longer a police officer. She said she quit the police force because there was so much bad things happening. ... I didnt want anything bad to happen to the city.

Wright's death set off angry demonstrations for several days in Brooklyn Center. It happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd.

Before Potter took the stand, a defense witness testified that police officers can mistakenly draw their guns instead of Tasers under high-stress situations because their ingrained training takes over.

Laurence Miller, a psychologist who teaches at Florida Atlantic University, said that the more someone repeats the same act, the less they have to think about it. Miller said that when a person learns a new skill, memory of an old skill might override that, resulting in an action error in which an intended action has an unintended effect.

You intend to do one thing, think youre doing that thing, but do something else and only realize later that the action that you intended was not the one you took, he said.

Some experts are skeptical of the theory. Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina who is not involved in Potter's trial, has said theres no science behind it.

On cross-examination, Eldridge quoted from a 2010 article Miller wrote in which he described how police can avoid what he termed one big mistake. He wrote that many such mistakes are preventable through proper training and practice.

State sentencing guidelines call for just over seven years in prison upon conviction of first-degree manslaughter and four years for second-degree, though prosecutors have said they plan to push for longer sentences.

Both sides will present closing arguments Monday before the case goes to the mostly white jury.

Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. Associated Press writers Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis also contributed.

Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A truck driver has been sentenced to 110 years in prison in the deadly 2019 crash that killed four in Colorado. Millions of people want his sentence changed.

More than 2.8 million people have signed a petition to lessen the sentence for Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, a 26-year-old truck driver who was sentenced to over a century in prison.

There are many things Rogel could have done to avoid the courts, but he took responsibility, showed up and severely apologized to the victims families, the petition said. Some of the families even offered Forgiveness. Rogel is not a criminal.

In 2019, Aguilera-Mederos was involved in a 28-car pileup that killed four people on Interstate 70 in Colorado. Aguilera-Mederos said he lost control of the semi-trucks brakes and crashed into traffic.

Police say he was driving 85 mph just before the crash.

Aguilera-Mederos was convicted of 27 counts, including four counts of vehicular homicide and six counts of first-degree assault.

A judge in Jefferson County sentenced Aguilera-Mederos to 110 years in prison on Monday.

I accept and respect what the defendant has said about his lack of intent to hurt people, but he made a series of terrible decisions, reckless decisions, District Court Judge Bruce Jones said, according to CBS Denver. If I had the discretion, it would not be my sentence.

The 110-year sentence for Aguilera-Mederos is twice as long as the sentence some murderers have received in the state, according to the Denver Post. His convictions triggered state law that requires a minimum 110-year sentence.

Many people, including the millions who signed the petition, want the sentence changed.

This is a grossly excessive sentence, Mark Silverstein, legal director for the ACLU of Colorado, told the Denver Post. It cries out for the reform of sentencing laws. But I think calls for change also need to be directed at the seldom-criticized but largely unchecked power of prosecutors.

Domingo Garcia, the national president of Latino civil rights organization LULAC, told The Denver Channel that the organization is supporting the petition and the case is so egregious.

Garcia told the news outlet the group is planning to look into the district attorney to see if there is any evidence of racial discrimination in the charges.

Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King , however, said the crash was devastating to victims and the actions of Aguilera-Mederos resulted in four deaths.

The sentence, which our office requested the minimum for, is within the purview of the court and reflects the judgment of the legislature, King told the news outlet. Just as the law mandates this outcome, it also provides future opportunity to revisit the sentence, and we will again pursue an appropriate outcome if that opportunity arises, after consulting with the victims and survivors and receiving their input.

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:

Vaccinated people aren't nine times more likely to be hospitalized

CLAIM: People who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are nine times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are unvaccinated.

THE FACTS: The false assertion that vaccinated people are more likely to be hospitalized is based on one former physician assistant's claim that 90% of all patients admitted to her hospital during a recent period were vaccinated against COVID-19. But the hospital records show the vaccination rate was far lower and there was no evidence of any connection between vaccination status and the various illnesses that led to the hospitalizations.

A post circulating on Instagram last month cites a blog post by a lawyer representing Deborah Conrad, a former physician's assistant at United Memorial Medical Center in Rochester, New York, to falsely claim that people are "9x more likely to be hospitalized if they are vaccinated over unvaccinated patients." Conrad wrote to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration earlier this year warning of possible "serious injuries from COVID-19 vaccines." In the blog post, it notes that Conrad saw the number of patients in the hospital had "increased dramatically" and claimed that 90% of them were vaccinated against COVID. The hospital disputes her figures. Conrad provides no information for when the patients she reported were hospitalized, and her spokespeople declined to clarify. Her letter was sent in July 2021, and in it, she claims to have alerted the FDA of her concerns in April and May. Hospital records show that in July, just 60% of the facility's inpatients had received the vaccine, according to Rochester Regional Health spokesperson Jillian Parker. In early April, 15% of hospital patients were vaccinated. And on May 24, 25% of the hospital patients were vaccinated. Conrad also argued that she found an increase in various illnesses  including blood clots, Bell's palsy, pneumonia and strokes  after the initial roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. She logged these in VAERS, or the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which allows anyone to submit reports. But VAERS reports are not verified and do not prove that the illnesses are connected to the vaccine. In a response to The Associated Press, Conrad's legal team acknowledged that she "did not speculate on causation and only did what she was obligated to do: report to VAERS any adverse event following vaccination that led to hospitalization." No doctors or experts at the hospital raised the same concerns about a rise of these illnesses, Parker said. Parker acknowledged that admissions had gone up at the time, but said the hospital attributed the rise to other factors, including patients deferring care during the height of the COVID pandemic, or scheduling elective surgery that was put off. Conrad's lawyer said she "stands by her observations and her reporting." Several experts told the AP that studies have shown serious side effects from the vaccine to be rare. And many of the illnesses Conrad listed  including Bell's palsy, pneumonia and strokes  are not known side effects of the shots, they said. "The vaccine is not causing all of these conditions that she's concerned about," said Dr. Melanie Swift, the associate medical director for occupational health service at the Mayo Clinic. As more of the country is vaccinated, the community's vaccination rate will be reflected in hospitals' patients, she explained. Blood clots have been one of the rare side effects of the vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was briefly paused in 2020 over those concerns. But federal regulators allowed the shots to resume less than two weeks later after the risk was found to be rare.

 Associated Press writer Karena Phan in Santa Maria, California, contributed this report.

Queensland is not punishing unvaccinated people for coughing in public

CLAIM: Australia is punishing unvaccinated people who cough or sneeze in public with fines and jail time.

THE FACTS: Authorities in Queensland, Australia, are not punishing unvaccinated people who cough or sneeze in public. However, people who intentionally spit, cough or sneeze on public officials or workers, or threaten to do so, face fines and jail time under an April 2020 public health order issued amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In December 2021, Queensland officials announced that the policy, which applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, would be expanded to include more types of workers. Inaccurate claims regarding the directive have since circulated widely on social media. One erroneous tweet posted Sunday falsely claimed that "from the 17th of December, The Unvaccinated will be fined up to $13,000 or 6 months in prison, for offences such as sneezing or coughing in public." The claims leave out the fact that the policy, which isn't new, only applies to deliberate acts of sneezing, coughing, or spitting on public officials or workers, as well as threats to do so, according to Queensland officials. "These measures aren't targeting unvaccinated people. If you go into a retail store or a coffee shop or anywhere and deliberately cough on someone with the intent of causing fear, it doesn't matter if you're vaccinated or not, you're causing an offense," a spokesperson for Queensland Health told The Associated Press. Earlier this month, Queensland officials announced that they would relax COVID-19 measures for businesses and add a variety of new restrictions for unvaccinated people. As part of the new measures, the existing policy regarding intentional coughing, sneezing, or spitting will be expanded to include such deliberate acts against hospitality workers. Violating the directive is punishable by fines up to $13,785 or a maximum of six months imprisonment. The policy covers workers while they are at their place of work and during their commutes to and from work. The current directive states that there are "increasing reports of people intentionally spitting at or coughing or sneezing on public officials and workers during the COVID-19 declared public health emergency." During a Dec. 7 press conference, Yvette D'Ath, the Queensland minister for health and ambulance services, said that the measure was intended to "protect" workers from "appalling behavior" while they were just trying to do their jobs.

 Associated Press writer Josh Kelety in Phoenix contributed this report.

Santa wasn't arrested for mask violation at German market

CLAIM: Santa was arrested at a Christmas market in Germany because he wasn't wearing a mask.

THE FACTS: A man in a Santa costume was detained by police at a Christmas market in Stralsund, Germany, but police said it was because he refused to show identification at an unregistered protest against vaccine mandates, not because he wasn't wearing a mask.

A video circulating on Twitter shows a man dressed like Santa being escorted out of a Christmas market in Germany. The video is accompanied by claims on social media saying he refused to wear a mask. A statement issued by the Stralsund Police said that authorities responded late Monday to a report of an unregistered gathering at the 'Old Market' square in Stralsund, where about 65 people had gathered and "appeared to be voicing their opinion on the current coronavirus measures and a vaccine mandate." Parliament last week approved compulsory vaccinations for health care professionals, but a general vaccine mandate isn't in force. Officers asked participants to show their IDs, noting that the gathering wasn't registered and therefore constituted a criminal offense for the organizer. The man dressed as Santa, who wasn't working at the Christmas market, refused to provide his name to officers, according to the report, and pulled away as police escorted him out. The police statement said a complaint was made against the 47-year-old local man "on suspicion of resisting law enforcement officers," among other allegations. He was released by police that evening after being identified. The incident is similar to another case elsewhere in Germany this month. A video claimed to show an elderly woman being detained by police because she didn't have a vaccine passport. However, police said the woman, 80, was being briefly detained during an unauthorized protest because she did not provide German authorities with identification. Witnesses confirmed the police account. According to authorities, only IDs were checked on the scene, not vaccination passports.

 Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin and Phan contributed this report.

Clips show 2020 protests in France, not anti-vaccine rallies

CLAIM: Video shows people rioting against vaccine mandates in France.

THE FACTS: The videos recently posted on social media show scenes from November 2020 protests against a security law in France that would restrict the filming of police officers, not an anti-vaccine demonstration. The widely shared video pieced together two clips taken by separate people during the 2020 protests in Paris to make the false claim that the footage is from 2021.

The video shows protesters clashing with police while surrounded by clouds of tear gas. "Horror in France as vaccine mandate riot sees protesters beaten by armed police - WATCH," a Twitter post stated. "Looks like the French police are losing," wrote another. But the clips were first posted on social media in November 2020, when dozens of rallies took place against an initial provision in the law that would make it illegal to publish photos or video of on-duty police officers with harmful intent, The Associated Press reported at the time. The miscaptioned video in the Twitter post uses two separate clips from the protests. The first 40 seconds of the post came from a Facebook live stream recorded on Nov. 28, 2020, by Vecu, a French media outlet. It shows rioting near Bastille Majestic Cinema Paris, which is visible in the background. The footage in the second portion of the video from 0:40 to 1:21 showing rioters attacking police was taken by French journalist Amar Taoualit, and features a watermark with his Twitter handle @Taoualitamar. Taoualit confirmed to the AP that he filmed the material second portion of the video on Nov. 28, 2020, during demonstrations against the security law.

 Associated Press writer Arijeta Lajka in New York contributed this report.

Fox News is not banned in Canada or the UK

CLAIM: Canada and the U.K. both banned Fox News.

THE FACTS: Neither Canada nor the U.K. has banned Fox News. The network remains authorized for distribution in Canada and it voluntarily pulled itself from U.K. airwaves in 2017.

A widely shared tweet purporting to share a "FUN FACT," falsely claimed that the two major U.S. allies had permanently banned the television channel. However, the claim isn't a "fact" at all. Instead, it parrots a false narrative that has circulated online for years. Fox News is currently authorized for distribution in Canada, said Isabella Maestri, a spokesperson for Canada's broadcasting regulator, the Canadian Radiotelevision and Telecommunications Commission. The channel is featured on a public list of non-Canadian services and stations that are greenlit for distribution in Canada, accessible on the CRTC's website. Being on that list means that a Canadian television provider is authorized to distribute the service, Maestri told the AP in an email. The Canadian Cable Television Association first sought permission to broadcast Fox News and several other non-Canadian networks in the country in 2003, according to an archived letter on the CRTC's website. The CRTC rejected that request, citing concerns about competitiveness and a need for more information. A year later, in 2004, the CRTC approved Fox News for distribution. The AP has previously debunked the claim that the U.K. banned Fox News. According to both Fox News and U.K. officials, U.K. regulators never banned the channel from operating in the region. Instead, Fox News voluntarily stopped broadcasting in the U.K. in 2017 due to the channel's low viewership there.

 Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed this report with additional reporting from Kelety and Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia.

___

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A school bus crashed on a rural southeast Texas road Friday, killing an adult bus aide and injuring the driver and three students, one seriously.

The Texas Department of Public Safety says the Hempstead school district bus with four students and two adults aboard crashed at 12:10 p.m. Friday. Sgt. Erik Burse said the bus rolled over on Farm-to-Market Road 1887, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Hempstead or about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of Houston. It was not immediately clear what caused the rollover, Burse said.

A high school girl was airlifted to a Houston hospital in serious condition, while two students went by ambulance to a hospital in Katy, 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of the crash site, Burse said. One student was not injured.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP)  NASA is shooting for next Friday  Christmas Eve  to launch its newest space telescope.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson confirmed Friday that the James Webb Space Telescope will attempt to blast off on Dec. 24. A European Ariane rocket will provide the lift from South Americas French Guiana.

The $10 billion Webb  considered the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope  was supposed to soar Saturday, but was jolted by a clamp during launch preparations, resulting in a four-day delay. Then a bad communication link on the rocket had to be fixed, postponing the launch another two days.

U.S. and European space officials signed off Friday on the launch date, following one last round of testing.

Nelson expects a smaller crowd at the launch site because of the holidays. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:20 a.m. EST.

Since its Christmas Eve, all the congressional delegations that were going down, all of that has evaporated, he told The Associated Press. Even the NASA and contractor team has dwindled, he noted. But he'll be there.

Already years late in flying, Webb will look back to almost the beginning of time, to when the first stars and galaxies were forming, while also examining the atmospheres of planets orbiting stars closer to home. NASA is partnering with the European and Canadian space agencies on the mega project.

Theres so much riding on this," Nelson said, opening up just all kinds of new understanding and revelations about the universe."

Is there a better Christmas present than seeing the telescope launch? Nelson answered by breaking into song: All I want for Christmas are not my two front teeth, but for the success of JWST -- referring to the telescope by its acronym.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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HONOLULU (AP)  A working group tasked by the state Legislature to come up with recommendations for a new management plan for Hawaii's tallest peak and its affiliated telescopes released the first draft of its proposal Friday.

Mauna Kea is the proposed site for what would be the worlds largest optical telescope  the Thirty Meter Telescope. The giant telescope project has sparked a cultural movement among Native Hawaiians who believe the mountain is sacred. Construction of the massive instrument has been blocked by opponents.

The group, which was asked in a House resolution earlier this year to develop the report, suggested a new governing entity for the mountain, which is managed by the University of Hawaii.

The group recommended that the university not have a seat on the board of the new governing body. The university's lease expires in 2033.

The University of Hawaii was represented at the table during the working group discussions," said the group's chairperson, Rep. Mark Nakashima, a Democrat whose Hilo district includes Mauna Kea. One of the premises of the resolution was that the university failed in some of its duties and responsibilities to the Native Hawaiian population, and so it was not included in the final management structure.

The group could not come to a consensus on whether someone from the astronomy field should participate and recommended any such involvement be in an advisory capacity.

The group did not discuss or make any recommendations about the Thirty Meter Telescope project.

The working group early on discussed the fact that ... some of those decisions were not in our control," Nakashima said.

Other entities have come down and decided that, not the least of which is the Hawaii Supreme Court, he said. "And so we did not touch upon that discussion.

The proposed management structure should include many Native Hawaiians, especially those from the Big Island where Mauna Kea stands, the reports said.

Native Hawaiian Pualani Kanahele, one of the groups cultural advisers, is relieved to have Indigenous voices at the table.

Im just happy at the fact that at this time we are allowed to have input into what goes on on the mountain, she said. We included a lot of cultural aspects in the report.

The group recommended the eventual decommissioning of the telescopes that sit atop the mountain and to have those areas restored to their natural state. The group emphasized cultural and environmental restoration of the mountain.

It also said the new management team should develop a framework that limits the development of new observatories on the summit.

The mountain is already home to more than a dozen of the world's most advanced telescopes.

Opponents of the telescopes say Mauna Keas observatories desecrate the peak and harm the environment.

Scientists and other supporters of the telescopes say the summit offers some of the best conditions for astronomical observations in the world. Some of the research from Mauna Kea has contributed to science's understanding of black holes and gravity, among other major breakthroughs.

The report will be open to public comment until early January. The group will conduct a final review and submit its recommendations to state lawmakers to be considered.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  A new analysis has found that Nebraska could save money and keep the states most troubled youths closer to home by starting a state-run adolescent psychiatric facility.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the analysis was presented to the Legislatures Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Special Oversight Committee on Friday.

Karen Chinn, a consultant who worked on the study, said Nebraska youths are going to other states because private, in-state treatment programs will not take them.

Such youths are typically teens with aggressive and violent behavior who have experienced trauma and out of home placement from an early age.

She said Nebraska sent between 39 and 74 such youths to states as far away as Tennessee and South Carolina every year from 2015 through this year. The cost of doing so was $9.1 million in 2019.

Her analysis showed that the state could operate a 24-bed psychiatric residential treatment facility for an estimated cost of $3.8 million annually. The study estimated that such a facility could be built on the state psychiatric hospital campus in Lincoln for $12.7 million.

Chinn told the committee that they also could serve the same youths by working to expand the capacities of private treatment programs to handle more difficult youths.

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Omaha World-Herald.

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There was so much genuflecting at Gov. Kim Reynolds public budget hearing this week, if you were watching you would have thought had tuned into a Catholic Mass instead of a government meeting.

What it was not, was an effective use of government time or an honest discussion about the states $8 billion budget.

Mostly lobbyists representing various business and interest groups spoke during the roughly one-hour public budget hearing, which was conducted virtually. Speakers were called by the governors chief of staff, and one-by-one heaped praise upon Reynolds for any of a number of things, including her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, her shepherding of the states finances and her general awesomeness.

OK, that last one didnt really happen, but it may as well have. This was not a budget meeting in any true sense of the term. It was not a constructive conversation about how best to manage the states spending for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

It was instead a gathering of business, industry and advocacy leaders who did little more than applaud Reynolds, perhaps hoping that she will remember them fondly when she crafts and ultimately proposes her state budget in January. (The final state budget must also be approved by the Iowa Legislature.)

This is not to say that any business, industry or advocacy leaders should not be fans of Reynolds. Thats an individual evaluation everyone is free to make. And if recent polling from the Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll is any indication, a majority of Iowans  a slim majority, but a majority nonetheless  approve of the work Reynolds has done as governor.

But the kind of adoration on display at this weeks hearing is better served for private meetings  or a campaign rally.

This was a public budget hearing  or at least, it was supposed to be. A public budget hearing should be an opportunity for, you know, elected officials to hear from the public about the state budget. Its right in the title, folks.

There was nary an aggressive request or contrary opinion spoken during the hearing. Its pretty safe to assume there are more than one or two people in this state who have ideas on state spending that dont align with the hearings March of the Yes-men and -women. But, we didnt hear from any of those folks.

Former Gov. Terry Branstad, under whom Reynolds served as lieutenant governor, conducted these public budget hearings very differently. Taking a cue from his predecessor, Gov. Robert Ray, Branstad actually held multiple public budget hearings: one for each state agency, and then one for public comment. It was a far more complete and public airing of the plan for state spending and allowed for at least some comment beyond the cheerleading squad.

Governments business should be conducted as much as possible in public and with the publics input. This weeks public budget hearing fell short of that mark.

Erin Murphy covers Iowa politics and government for Lee Enterprises. His email address is erin.murphy@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter at @ErinDMurphy.

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In courthouse statues around the world, justice is depicted as a woman holding scales to symbolize the weighing of evidence.

But for years, it has been men who donned an overwhelming share of judicial robes in Nebraska.

So its a welcome sign that, as reported last week by the World-Heralds Todd Cooper, women now account for more than one-third of the Douglas County District Court judges. Thats roughly equal to the percentage of females who make up the Nebraska state bar.

Statewide, 29% of district judges are women, while 34% of county court judges are women.

Its a national trend that is finally reaching Nebraska, said Raneta Mack, a professor at Creighton University School of Law.

In Douglas County, major turnover in recent years has opened the door to more women on the bench.

The shift became more clear last week when two longtime attorneys, both women, took their places on the bench: LeAnne Srb, who was an assistant public defender before becoming a district court referee overseeing child support cases, and Molly Keane, a deputy Douglas County attorney.

As Cooper noted, the growing number of women judges is partly driven by the increase in women lawyers.

These days, law schools tend to be split almost equally between the sexes, and those women have been filling more spots in law firms, government offices and courtrooms.

But the latest milestone also represents Gov. Pete Ricketts commendable record of appointing women to the bench.

Three of the five Douglas County district judges chosen by Ricketts in the past two years were women. Going back a decade, five of 11 appointees during that period by Ricketts and his predecessor, former Gov. Dave Heineman, were women.

A Ricketts spokesman said the governor does not consider gender or other demographics when making selections, but instead focuses on qualities such as experience, qualifications, temperament and judicial philosophy.

Even so, its a positive development to see qualified women rise to leadership positions that have historically been dominated by men.

Coopers article quotes Douglas County Public Defender Tom Riley, who noted that the increase in female judges is mirrored by the growing role of women throughout the Douglas County Courthouse.

Currently, more than half of his offices public defenders are female. The same is true in the Douglas County Attorneys Office.

Brenda Beadle, chief deputy Douglas County attorney, said the difference from when she started at the courthouse three decades ago is stark.

The courthouse used to be a good-old-boys club, she said. But now, for example, women head the criminal, civil and juvenile divisions of the County Attorneys Office.

Times have definitely changed. Theres very qualified men, and theres very qualified women  women in power and women in leadership. I cant tell you how much different it is.

While Nebraska women have made significant gains in the courtroom, other aspects of diversity still lag.

About 7% of the states district court judges  four of 57  are black or Latino. All four were appointed by either Heineman or Ricketts.

Before 2005, Nebraska had no district court judges of color.

Just 5% to 6% of Nebraskas 4,371 attorneys are people of color, according to Nebraska State Bar Association figures.

Just as its encouraging to see that women have made so much progress in recent decades, it would be good for an increasingly diverse Nebraska if more qualified people of color find opportunities to serve in the states judicial system.

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A federal appeals court gave the green light for President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large private employers to be implemented as it reversed a previous decision that had put it on hold. The final say over the mandate, which affects some 84 million workers across the United States, will likely rest in the hands of the Supreme Court as opponents immediately filed appeals.

The split ruling by the three-judge panel of the Ohio-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit overturned a ruling last month by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans, that had blocked the rule. When it was initially unveiled, the mandate from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was supposed to take effect Jan. 4. On Saturday, the Department of Labor said workers who arent vaccinated wont have to be regularly tested until Feb. 9. The delay is to account for any uncertainty that may have been sparked by the legal challenges, the department said.

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The rule for large private employers was unveiled shortly after Biden announced in September that his administration would put in place several rules to increase vaccination rates as a way of combating the pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 Americans. OSHA issued the rule regarding large employers last month that required companies with 100 or more employees to require vaccination of most workers. Those who arent vaccinated would have to wear masks indoors and undergo weekly COVID-19 tests. The rules, which would not apply to those who work outdoors or only from home, was challenged by several Republican-led states, private businesses and conservative legal groups.

In the ruling Friday, the majority said that the mandate falls well within OSHAs authority and theres clear evidence to justify the rule. It is difficult to imagine what more OSHA could do or rely on to justify its finding that workers face a grave danger in the workplace, reads the majority opinion. It is not appropriate to second-guess that agency determination considering the substantial evidence, including many peer-reviewed scientific studies, on which it relied. The 2-1 ruling had Judge Jane Stranch, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, and Judge Julia Gibbons, appointed by President George W. Bush, in the majority. Judge Joan Larsen, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, was the lone dissenter.

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The White House welcomed the ruling, which comes at a time when public health officials are warning a surge of COVID-19 cases is imminent as the more transmissible omicron variant continues to spread rapidly. The OSHA vaccination or testing rule will ensure businesses enact measures that will protect their employees, Kevin Munoz, a White House spokesman, said in a statement. Especially as the U.S. faces the highly transmissible Omicron variant, its critical we move forward with vaccination requirements and protections for workers with the urgency needed in this moment.

At least three petitions were almost immediately filed with the Supreme Court asking the justices to block the mandate. A group of business groups warned that the mandate could lead lots of people to quit their jobs. The resulting labor upheaval will devastate already fragile supply chains and labor markets at the peak holiday season, reads the petition.
The story of Gabby Petito transfixed much of the nation earlier this year. When the young blond woman went missing on a trip with her boyfriend, cable news and social media churned out endless updates and tips, which eventually contributed to discovering her body and revealing her killer.

But for Black families, Black men, Black women, and Black children who go missing, trying to find loved ones can be a lonely and devastating journey. They frequently fight to persuade police to do anything, even to take a report. And you can forget cable news; often local media wont take these stories seriously. And family members feel they have to lead their own investigations to have even the smallest chance of bringing their loved ones home. That issue is at the center of HBOs recent documentary series, Black And Missing, which highlights the work of the Black and Missing Foundation. For A Word, I spoke with Derrica Wilson, the organizations co-founder and CEO. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Jason Johnson: Derrica, give us an idea of how many Black people go missing every year compared to the white population? What is the scope of the problem were looking at here?

Derrica WIlson: Nearly 14 years ago when we started the organization, 30 percent of missing persons in the United States were persons of color. And that number has since increased to 40 percent. I would also like to add that when we started the organization, there were more missing Black men than there were Black women at that time, and were starting to see that uptick again. Just in 2021, were starting to see those numbers of missing Black men elevate.

So were speaking in scope of more than 200,000 Black and brown people reported missing, and thats according to the FBI statistics. But I think its very important to focus in on a keyword: reported. That is the key word because there are times when families go to report their loved ones missing and a police report is not even taken.



Wow. Or theyre discouraged from filing the report and theyre told, Just go back home. Im sure theyll eventually show up.

Yeah. Theyll show up. Of course. Yes. Or, They just needed some fresh air [to] cool off. Yes. They hear it all.

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So the lack of police attention and care is a big part of the difficulty in bringing missing Black people back. Now youre a former police officer yourself. Talk about how the police not only treat missing Black people differently, but treat the families looking for missing Black people differently than they do white folks.

It just seems that we are dehumanized, we are criminalized in all aspects. When it comes to our missing children, theyre labeled as runaways. Runaways are not receiving the Amber Alert. And, quite frankly, theres really no sense of urgency. Its this notion that, Oh, this child left. So whatever happens to him or her, they brought it on themselves. And thats the way its frowned upon.

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If you looked at a flyer now, one says missing and one says runaway, the messaging is not created equal. People are less likely to share a flyer that says runaway. And when it comes to missing adults male and female again, they are considered impoverished or some sort of criminal and it really isnt a sense of urgency. We have families that reach out to law enforcement to have their cases taken and their loved ones to be sought after, and law enforcement will immediately put up a mugshot versus using the picture that the family has provided to law enforcement. So again, that really sends a negative message. And people, when youre asking for community assistance in finding these missing individuals, theyre very judgmental on the back end. Theyre like, Well, that is a mugshot. That person is a criminal. So whatever happened they brought it on themselves.

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So, Gwen Ifill used to talk about missing white woman syndrome, which weve all seen. A white girl goes missing for more than 24 hours. She doesnt come back from work or prom or her wedding or something and theres 24-hour news coverage. And yet Black people can be missing. Youve had Black adult scientists and professional people who cant be found. Can you talk about some of the obstacles that youve faced trying to bring awareness to the stories of missing Black people?

We all know the names Natalee Holloway, Laci Peterson, Chandra Levy, Caylee Anthony, Elizabeth Smart, Gabby Petito, but can you name one, just one, missing persons of color, male, female, child, that has elevated mainstream media? It doesnt exist. And so with the decision makers in the newsroom, they typically dont look like us so they dont think our stories are sensational enough and they dont want to cover it. When it comes to law for enforcement, again, theyre not taking the cases seriously. I think about Daniel Robinson, whos missing out of Arizona, the Black geologist, and his father who served our country on the front lines. But yet he cant even get the assistance that we paid for from our tax dollars. He cant get those resources to help him find his son. Its something broken in the system. We all have a responsibility to correct these issues with law enforcement. We have to correct the issues with the media. And then the community also plays a vital role as well.

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So the film does a deep dive into why police often dismiss missing Black children as runaways, even when the evidence points in another direction. In the documentary, John Walsh, the founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says, I have dealt with so many cases that nobody looked for them because a cop decided that kid was a runaway. And that kid wasnt a runaway. That kid was a kidnapped kid. Cops are going, Yeah, another Black kid. Theyre missing all the time. And nobody calls you out at the end when they find their body. Who has the right to sign the death warrant of a kid by saying, Runaway. Forget about it. Talk a little bit about that attitude and how you saw it play out when you were on the force and in the work you do now.

John Walsh, he was absolutely accurate. I mean, this is the view of our community when our children are going missing. Oh, just another Black kid. And thats how they look at it. Working as a police officer, I saw things firsthand. I remember, and as you probably saw in the film, I talked about a young lady that was missing from the neighboring jurisdiction. She had been missing for days and she was stuck in a hotel. She was a victim of domestic violence. But she was stuck at a hotel in the city of Falls Church for days. And I never saw her flyer come across my desk. I didnt know that she was missing until after I had rescued her.

Listen to the entire episode below, or subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Two weeks ago, after oral arguments concluded in the Mississippi abortion case Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, once it became clear that there were possibly five votes on the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, and very likely six votes to hollow out its protections without completely overruling it, President Joe Biden gave a statement. Here is a snippet of what he said: I support Roe v. Wade.  I think its a rational position to take and I continue to support it. A week later, as that same Supreme Court allowed a six-week abortion ban in Texas to remain in effect for its hundredth-plus day, Biden issued another statement, this time saying, I am very concerned by the Supreme Courts decision to allow S.B. 8 to remain in effect in light of the significant consequences that law has for women in Texas and around the country, and for the rule of law. He added that he remained deeply committed to the constitutional right recognized in Roe v. Wade nearly five decades ago. He urged Congress to pass the Womens Health Protection Act.

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Since September, when S.B. 8 was allowed to go into effect, millions of American women have been trying to absorb the possibility that their reproductive, contraceptive, and intimate lives may be subject to wildly intrusive state regulation, and that the current Supreme Court is unbothered by this turn of events. (As a sidenote, case name notwithstanding, the word woman appears once in the Neil Gorsuchwritten majority opinion in the S.B. 8 decision, and its quoting the Texas statute.) And as Americans, particularly women, absorbed the shocking news that for the first time in history the high court was openly debating overturning precedent that has been reaffirmed multiple times in a case that vastly expandedrather than limiteda basic freedom, the messaging from a White House, the House of Representatives, and the Senate, all controlled by Democrats, was a perfect reflection of the same shocked powerlessness most women were feeling themselves. How did this happen?

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There was, to be sure, lots of talk of quickly bringing the Womens Health Protection Act to the Senate floor. The WHPA, which passed with historic support in the House in September, would attempt to codify Roe v. Wade. Sen. Susan Collins has said she opposes the WHPA, although after the argument in Dobbs, she also says she supports codifying Roe, which is fairly classic Collins. But still, the possibility of nine other Republican senators signing off on this bill is zero, so it cannot survive a filibuster. The WHPA, in other words, cannot get through the Senate as currently constituted for the same reason voting rights reforms cannot get through the Senate as currently constituted. (Unrelatedly but also wholly relatedly: The Virginia legislature cant get abortion protections done because legislators have to travel for the holidays instead.)

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There has also been, to be sure, lots of shouting about pack the court in recent weeks. Its clear that the momentum for serious court reform has ticked up fractionally in recent months, and that prominent members of the Biden court commission are now in support, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren has now signed off as well. But nobody believes that packing the courta remedy never urged by the 36-member Biden commission that was never tasked with making recommendations in the first placeis something this Congress or the Biden administration is prioritizing anytime soon. And so, as is the case with stymied voting rights reforms, it seems as though every possible avenue to fundamental democracy reform eventually wrecks on the shoals of a faltering democracy. Meanwhile, the president is responding to crises of democracy by restating his support for Roe v. Wade. He is blandly trying to mollify us by suggesting that its OK for everyone to rely on Congress and a court reform commission to do precisely those things they demonstrably cannot achieve.

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America has a democracy problem that is, in no small part, the result of its refusal to acknowledge that it has a democracy problem. As many an observer has noted, this is not how wed be covering the collapse of functioning government were it happening anywhere else. But here, even as democracy experts are pulling all the rip cords, ringing all the bells, and sounding all the blazing alarms, most of us are simply frogs in pots, rooting for our respective teams and making eloquent statements about our commitments to Roe v. Wade, or to voting rights, or infrastructure funding, or some magical trick that might pack the court by this weekend.

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As Mark Joseph Stern and I wrote this fall, the Supreme Court doesnt care that millions of Americans are freaking out about losing reproductive liberty by July. Sixty percent of Americans want the Supreme Court to uphold Roe and Casey. Seventy-five percent believe that the decision to have an abortion should be left to pregnant people and their doctors. But since Roe was codified in 1973, states have enacted 1,327 abortion restrictions into law, 580 of which were put in place since 2011. Nearly 100 of those restrictions were put in place this year alone. Democracy is not solving the problem of female reproductive autonomy. Democracy is causing it.

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This week, we learned that the Biden administration has pivoted back to prioritizing voting rights. Thats promising in no small part because the only direct way to repair democracy is to protect voting. But where it trips up is that it is still unclear if there is any actual mechanism to force voting reform on a country that is making free and fair elections less likely by the day. Nobody wants to see members of the Biden administration setting themselves ablaze screaming that doom is anon, but the persistent message that everything will be taken care of by bipartisan cooperation between one party that believes in government and one that believes in malapportioned, nihilist, racist election subversion is in fact contributing to the failure of government. You can only hear election officials describe democracy subversion as a five-alarm fire, as Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic secretary of state in Michigan told the Times this week, and wonder why women are losing abortion freedoms, so many times. The good folks in the Biden administration really need to stop mouthing platitudes about the generalized supporting of Roe and the vague need to pass good laws, and connect the failure of womens rights to the failure of representative democracy and the courts. Im not sure what the Biden administration is waiting for, but I am more certain by the day that by July it will be far too late.
The Netherlands is taking drastic measures to try to contain the spread of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant. All non-essential stores and servicesincluding bars, restaurants, gyms, schools, and museumswill be closed from Sunday until the middle of January. The Netherlands is again shutting down. That is unavoidable because of the fifth wave that is coming at us with the Omicron variant, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Saturday. Rutte made clear the decision was not taken lightly, characterizing it as terrible for everyone, especially on the eve of the holidays but it was the best way to prevent things from getting even worse. We have to act now to prevent a worst-case scenario, he said. Without measures, we could be witnessing an uncontrollable situation at the start of January.

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In addition to the closures the Dutch government is also calling on people to avoid social contact as much as possible, limiting guests in homes to two people over the age of 13. The number will double to four during Christmas and New Years celebrations. In the meantime, officials said the government will redouble its efforts to hand out booster shots while omicron cases still account for a minority of the total. Officials expect omicron to become the dominant variant by the new year.

The Netherlands has become the first European country to announce a full lockdown at a time when cases of the omicron variant are surging across the continent and several countries are imposing restrictions as a result. The omicron variant is spreading at lightning speed across Europe, French Prime Minister Jean Castex warned, saying it will likely be dominant in France by early January. Amid the surge, Paris canceled its planned New Years Eve fireworks and officials are urging people to isolate as much as possible during the holidays. The French government will also put forward a bill in parliament to make sure only vaccinated people can be allowed to enter indoor spaces such as bars, restaurants, and movie theaters.

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Other countries are also instituting restrictions in time for the holidays. In Denmark, for example, theaters, amusement parks, museums, and music venues have been closed. In Ireland, an 8 p.m. curfew on pubs and bars has been implemented. In the U.K., the government imposed new rules requiring masks to be worn indoors and people to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test to go to large events and nightclubs. Some experts are calling on the British government to do more amid record-breaking case numbers, warning that at this rate of infection it wont be long until hospitals are overwhelmed.
Leading into Friday, school districts around the country notified parents of a reported National Shoot Up Your School Day TikTok trend, which had supposedly encouraged students to commit violence on Dec. 17. Federal and state law enforcement agencies asserted that the supposed threats are not credible, and TikTok said it could not find any evidence of such a trend, though school districts had been heightening their security measures and increasing police presence on campuses out of an abundance of caution. Some schools even opted to shut down for the day, and many parents reportedly kept their kids home.

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Publicly available details about the trend are scarce. Dozens of local news outlets have reported on the social media phenomenon, though they have largely been unable to identify the original TikTok videos promoting the national day of violence or specific regional threats that resulted from the supposed trend. One possible exception is in Tooele County, Utah, where a screenshot of a threat circulated on Facebook, which read in part, Im [sic] am so tired of everything on December 17 I will shoot up the school this is your only warning please dont go! The post specifically names a school with the initials GHS, which some parents in the area reportedly thought was a reference to the countys Granger High School, though officials claim that it is more likely a school in California or Colorado. Utah officials also asserted that the trend was originally an attempt by students to get out of class that spiraled out of control. Otherwise, though, there seems to be very little evidence of the trend available online; videos still on TikTok by Friday about National Shoot Up Your School Day were virtually all either warnings to stay safe or criticisms of the trend. TikTok also announced that it exhaustively searched for content that promotes violence at schools today, but have still found nothing. The platform is, however, removing alarmist warnings about the trend that violate policies around misinformation.

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Just found out that tomorrow is national shoot up your school day I hate it here pic.twitter.com/HYLYctrNr9    (@3jarsh5me) December 17, 2021

Kept my son home today. Easy decision. Its his birthday and more importantly, random school threats make parents uneasy. 

National Shoot Up Your School Day

I hope they find those responsible for this soon. pic.twitter.com/2D1lepF5kW  Julie Lewis (@supersleuthgrl) December 16, 2021

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I just received the below email from my school district. The threat, or "challenge," as some have referred to it, reportedly calls on students to commit acts of violence on Dec. 17th "National Shoot Up Your School Day. This is terrifying! pic.twitter.com/Is48id9x2F  Grass (@DewyGrassBlades) December 17, 2021

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While its understandable that administrators and parents would want to take extra precautions, particularly given the school shooting in Michigan last month that killed four students, the frenzy thats been whipped up in the wake of this supposed TikTok trend is reminiscent of past social media panics that did not turn out to be as serious as people feared. Recently, administrators, law enforcement, and Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal got worked up over a TikTok trend known as the Devious Licks Challenge in September, which apparently encouraged adolescents to steal items like hand sanitizer and inflict property damage at their schools. Students in some cases filmed themselves destroying bathroom tiles or purloining urinal cakes, and TikTok quickly cracked down on the content and banned the #deviouslick hashtag. Teachers and administrators then became concerned that the Devious Licks Challenge was mutating into sometime more violent when a list of spinoff TikTok challenges appeared to be spreading on Facebook. One of the challenges was to slap a teacher. A student in Convington, Louisiana was arrested in October for assaulting a disabled teacher in connection with the challenge, though the challenge generally did not seem to be translating to real-world incidents in the same way Devious Licks had. The podcast Reply All ended up conducting an investigation into this slapping challenge and discovered that it was actually an ecosystem of parents, teachers, and school safety experts that were primarily spreading the list of challenges on social media, not teens. Indeed, concerned adults were amplifying the slapping challenge to order to warn in other without looking into whether students were actually gravitating to it.

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You also might remember the Momo Challenge in 2019, which featured a ghastly bird woman on YouTube and other social media sites who was allegedly encouraging kids to commit self-harm. International news outlets initially began reporting on the challenge, with a 12-year-old girls suicide in Argentina gaining worldwide attention. (Local authorities, however, were unable to establish a connection between Momo and the incident.) Soon, social media influencers like Kim Kardashian were posting warnings about kids being targeted by Momo. The frenzy was likely fueled in part by the infamous 2014 stabbing in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in which two tween girls attempted to murder a classmate in order to gain favor with Slender Man, a fictional horror character that gained prominence through internet memes. (One of the assailants was later diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia.) Internet researchers, however, found that evidence of a Momo trend was mostly anecdotal and very likely a hoax. As with the school challenge, people warning about Momo were largely unable to produce actual posts or videos encouraging kids to hurt themselves or others.

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Rumors about kids and teens participating in deadly fads have been fueling handwringing news coverage for decades, though social media seems to be putting these panics into over drive. Tracking the spread of certain trends on social media and judging whether theyre actually substantive is notoriously difficulteven researchers can have trouble doing thisso it makes sense that a parent or administrator might just err on the side of warning about a supposedly dangerous fad just to be safe. However, it seems that this tendency often has the consequence of giving more oxygen to what was initially a nonstarter.
The Slovak-American biotechnologist has got 13 patents, organises meetings of the Slovak scientific community in the US.

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America is an optimistic country. It welcomes the optimists and the determined, says Ivica Labuda, a Slovak scientist who has been living in the US for more than 30 years now. She considers the changes that occurred in Slovakia during that time amazing, although the atmosphere in the country does not really reflect that.

"I would wish for training in optimism for Slovakia," Ivica Labuda says. "Optimism is a must, coupled with hard work. When one leaves, one gains the distance to see Slovakia better. We are prouder of Slovakia here than people who actually live there."

Ivica Labuda is the director of the Master's in Biotechnology programme at the Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She owns six patents from her time in Czechoslovak science, and seven patents in the US. She left her homeland, then Czechoslovakia, shortly before the fall of the totalitarian regime, together with her brother. They made their way to Austria through former Yugoslavia, and from there on to the US. Though driven by the desire for freedom, professor Labuda admits the decision to leave her home was one of the hardest in her life. They left, conscious of the fact they wouldn't be able to return.

The then Czechoslovak courts sentenced her and her brother for emigration to two years in prison. She still has that verdict filed in her documents, as well as the later pardon that the republic granted to emigrants after the fall of the regime.

A haven for Slovak scientists

Although beginning in a foreign land is always hard, scientists have the advantage that every laboratory is basically the same, an environment where cultural and language barriers are erased.

"As soon as I enter the laboratory, I am at home. We speak the same language," Labuda says. Her brother, who travelled to the US with her, had it harder: as an architect, he needed to pass 13 exams and work for three different architects before he was granted a license.

Ivica Labuda worked at the Chemistry Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV). Thanks to her work there, she had been in contact with several foreign universities, laboratories and scientists. After her departure from Bratislava, they offered to help her.

"I knew various scientific groups. I wrote to professors that I was coming to the US and that I needed help. One of the professors even let me and my brother stay at his home for three months. That's the kind of good luck one needs to have, next to courage."

Good luck, good health and freedom are keys in life, in her opinion. "As Louis Pasteur once said, chance favours only the prepared mind. Perhaps it is most important to be able to recognise the chances that life brings. They don't happen to everybody, and not everybody can recognise them."

Ivica Labuda (right) at the Slovak Embassy with friends from Slovakia: dr.Cecilia Rakousek and Sabina Sabados. (Source: Courtesy of I.L.)

The century of biotechnology

After her arrival to the US she did well in academic circles and she considered enrolling for a postdoc at the prestigious Princeton University. In the end, she opted for a career in business. "The feeling of better financial security was decisive, as well as the chance to work in a dynamic team."

For more than 18 years she taught students as an external lecturer, while working for several transnational companies, including Kraft and La Roche. Dr. Labuda is now director of the Master's in Biotechnology programme at the Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

She has eight professors at the programme that she leads. In addition, there is a number of lecturers from business sectors, external lecturers like she once used to be.

In her role as the director, she tries to build ties between Georgetown University and Slovakia. "I continue looking for ways and opportunities for Slovak students to be able to come and study here or take part in our lectures. It is much more complicated compared to the building of ties between universities within the European Union, but it is worth the effort."

When speaking of biotechnology, she displays a lot of enthusiasm for the field of science she has devoted practically her whole professional life to. Biotechnology is flourishing and incredible possibilities are opening up ahead of this scientific field.

"I always say that we live in the century of biotechnology," she says. Thanks to the knowledge scientists have gained, as well as accessible technology, biotechnologists are able to answer questions and help in areas where they had no answers previously.

Since the time of the first biotechnologist, Louis Pasteur, the discovery of DNA and the possibilities to change it meant a major breakthrough. "In connection with amazing technologies and knowledge it creates grounds for new combinations, both for new drugs as well as for the development of vaccines against Covid-19. The progress is amazing," the scientist says.

The perhaps best known use of biotechnology nowadays is in gene therapy. "In many cases, we are able to give individual patients tailor-made medicines, to make sure they work the best for the patient. This mainly happens in cancer treatment. We also try to find ways to boost our own immune system to be able to prevent diseases on its own. The possibilities are endless and very beneficial."

Family at home and at work

During her career in the US, Ivica Labuda has learned that mentors' advice is important. The professional contacts she had built helped her immensely after she arrived to the US. "One needs to actively seek mentors and continuously communicate with them."

She recalls her boss at La Roche. "I found out that early morning was the best time to get hold of him. Thanks to that, I extracted a lot of advice from him, and we became close on the human level, too."

Ivica Labuda thus recommends young people to create a network on the professional basis. "Our professional family is equally important in life as our family at home."

As a young scientist, she met her husband, a scientist as well, while yachting in Manhattan. They got married at the lighthouse in the port town of Newport.

"My husband is my rock. He's got an amazing brain, he develops very interesting technologies. I always laugh when I tell him that he can understand my work, but I cannot understand his. And that's completely alright."

Their children, twins, have Slovak roots after their mother and French after their father. At the same time they are Americans, born and raised in the USA. As students, they follow in the footsteps of their parents: their daughter studies biology and their son physics.

Unlike the usual six months of maternity leave, Ivica Labuda stayed at home with her twins for two years. She stresses it was her decision. "There is now a lot of focus on women who can do it all, family and work. In my opinion we shouldn't forget to let women choose. We don't all need to be superwomen."

While on maternity leave, Ivica Labuda decided to do her own business and started two companies, a consultancy firm and one joint project with her former colleagues. Together they still make their own cosmetics. The business gave her more flexibility - she was at home with her children and at the same time maintained contacts with her colleagues.

Living in New York is not a television life

USA and particularly New York are famous from books and movies, so people often have a wrong idea of the actual life in the metropolis that became home for Ivica Labuda and her family.

"Everything is different, obviously. Not everyone has a huge apartment at Manhattan, not even if they are successful. The television life is unrealistic."

A person coming from another part of the world, like herself, has the hardest time for the first ten years, according to Ivica Labuda. "We weren't born here. We have different habits and attitudes, and we expect someone to address us to take the next step, but that's not what happens here. You need to set your own goals, prepare your position, and know what you want."

Ivica Labuda remains in close contact with the Slovak community in New York. She organises meetings of Slovak scientists working in the USA as the head of commission for science. Her connection with Slovakia is also through her family, her education and her youth.

"I will always be Slovak. I still have a lot of it in my blood. And my children are still proud to be associated with Slovakia, even though it is just one of their three cultures."

Ivica Labuda wishes Slovakia would make more effort to connect with people like her, Slovaks living abroad. "We have a massive brain drain. It is normal that talent leaves. The important thing is now they can also return."

This article was published with the support of a grant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic.
Slovak professional Katarina Bridova made her career in New York's world of finance.

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Even after twenty years in the US, Katarina Bridova prepares a Slovak Christmas for her family: lentil soup and fish with potato salad instead of the traditional American turkey for dinner.

They eat their Christmas dinner on December 24, according to Slovak tradition. Bridova finds all the ingredients she needs at the Polish store nearby.

"They've got everything imaginable, from food to magazines," said the Slovak professional who made her way into the American world of finance. "We even find Slovak crosswords for my parents when they are visiting."

Along with her American husband and their two preschool-age daughters, she lives in Connecticut. Her children then experience a Slovak Christmas even if they do not really know Slovakia that well. Since the pandemic complicated intercontinental travel, only the younger daughter has been to Slovakia so far.

A successful woman in a mans world

After 20 years in the USA, Katarina Bridova works for one of the most respected financial institutions in the world, Morgan Stanley. Despite the aggressive working hours, she says it is a dream job for her.

As vice president at Morgan Stanley she administers three private credit funds offering loans to medium-sized companies. Through private equity firms they are able to offer these companies larger amounts than regular banks, for longer periods. Each of the funds administered by the successful Slovak is worth more than a billion dollars.

The New York financial world gathers the worlds most assertive talent. Its well known to be a world dominated by aggressive men. At the same time, women are encouraged to make it, too.

Bridova has managed to find her place in this world after she understood what was expected of her: to raise her hand when she needs help, as well as when there is an opportunity she wants to take. I was first hired to administer one fund, but when I proved myself, we ended up at a place where Im administering three funds at once. Its not just because of my good time management, but also because they knew I always ask when I dont know something, and Im not afraid of new things.

Time management and the good organization of ones work is paramount for success in her profession, according to Bridova. Effective communication is key as well. Communication is definitely a must. When things start going wrong, one needs to speak up quickly and talk it out."

Life in the US was a shock at first

Bridova did not think of studying in the US. She learned good English at the Evangelical lyceum in Bratislava thanks to American lecturers and pastors. It was from them that she learned about the possibility of winning a scholarship at an American university through sports.

Once she made it to the University of Maryland, she needed to come to terms with a number of obstacles: financial, cultural and language-related, as well as the sudden great distance from her family in Slovakia. Her scholarship covered her tuition fees, but it did not suffice for other expenses. That was why Bridova needed to find a job alongside her studies.

"I also needed to come to terms with the fact that many students around me had to pay that tuition out of their own pockets," she admitted.

The language barrier complicated her life in the US at first. "Initially, I did not always understand my classmates perfectly well, and I tried to hide that. We still laugh about it together," she said.

The biggest shock came from the fact that she suddenly needed to join the life of a huge university. "Nothing could have prepared me for a campus with 50,000 students," Bridova recalls her beginnings in the US.

At that time, she was not sure she wanted to stay and live on the other side of the ocean. Gradually, she gained experience and built the self-confidence that living abroad requires.

Work must bring joy

Life in New York is first and foremost about hard work, according to Bridova.

"We work hard late into the night. People are surprised to find out how much I work. I work for every single cent I make," Bridova said. Yet she likes her career and she feels happy, also thanks to the support she continues to receive from her husband and the fact that they managed to find a work-family balance together.

Katarina Bridova and her family. (Source: Courtesy of K.B.)

"Everyone needs to find what works best for them. When you work 12 hours a day, it must not be forced. It should bring you joy, especially if it's not your own company you're working for. One needs to find what brings one joy, and be happy with who they are."

The decision to live abroad also means a decision to live away from one's family. Bridova admits that it is hard even after 20 years to be far from her parents and friends.

"When I was at school, we could afford to phone only once in a while," she recalled. "Ten minutes cost 50 dollars, unimaginable now. My parents could not imagine what I was going through and they were happy I was in the US. Today, technology allows us to be in more frequent contact."

Easier among optimists

Bridova maintains Slovak culture and passes it on to her daughters, not just at Christmas. Through the Slovak community in the US, she keeps in lively contact with Slovaks who, just like her, know how hard it sometimes gets to live abroad and always feel like a stranger. "It's a secondary family of sorts, we cheer for one other and we can call each other if anything comes up."

Now she only comes to Slovakia as a visitor, and so focuses on things that bring her joy than the political situation in the country. She wishes Slovakia's people were more openminded towards the unknown, and more positive.

"In a way, one needs to appreciate what one's got. And since social networks are only about shortcuts, people can easily misunderstand. Nobody gives you anything for free, and it's always about what you invest."

It is a big difference for people not to see examples of those who are humble yet adhere to the right values and succeed. "America pushes you into being positive and when you are surrounded by optimists, it's easier to kick off. It would be great if people in Slovakia get to see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and one should not give up."

What would convince her to come back and live in Slovakia? "A pension," she laughs. "Even after twenty years I have friendships for life there. I would definitely like to give my two daughters a chance to see where their mother grew up, spend summers there, or choose to study in Europe."

This article was published thanks to the grant support of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Slovak Republic.
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/anti-vaccination-protest-held-in-front-of-israeli-prime-ministers-home-1091634500.html

Videos: Anti-Vaccination Protest Held in Front of Israeli Prime Ministers Home

Videos: Anti-Vaccination Protest Held in Front of Israeli Prime Ministers Home

Dozens of Israelis have organized a protest against coronavirus vaccination and the so-called "green pass" in front of the house of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, police spokesman Mikhail Zingerman told Sputnik.

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The demonstration was held in the city of Ra'anana, located north of Tel Aviv, on Saturday. Bennett had decided to live in his private home in Raanana and not move to the premiers official residence in Jerusalem.According to the Israeli police spokesman, traffic had to be diverted in Raanana on Saturday night because of the protest.The so-called "green pass" allows Israelis who are vaccinated or who have recovered from COVID-19 to enter certain venues.In an effort to get more people vaccinated amid the spread of the omicron strain of the coronavirus, Israel has introduced travel restrictions for its citizens and has banned the entry of foreigners until December 29.

Thomas Turk Egged on no doubt, by the few truther Docs remaining in our Chosenite stolen land. .''FrontLine News. BREAKING: Israeli physicians, scientists advise FDA of 'severe concerns' regarding reliability and legality of official Israeli COVID vaccine data''. 2

Nevi'im How much Pfizer can be pumped into a human being, with very little effect on the spread of the omicron? 1

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https://sputniknews.com/20211218/appeals-court-reinstates-bidens-vaccine-or-testing-mandate-rules-for-large-businesses--1091625511.html

Appeals Court Reinstates Bidens Vaccine-or-Testing Mandate Rules for Large Businesses

Appeals Court Reinstates Bidens Vaccine-or-Testing Mandate Rules for Large Businesses

The US Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Friday reinstated a Biden rule requiring businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure their work staff is fully vaccinated, or wear masks and submit to weekly testing by 4 January.

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The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati on Friday reinstated a Biden administration rule requiring businesses with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated, or wear masks and submit to weekly COVID-19 testing by 4 January 2022.The decision thus overturned a November ruling by the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court in New Orleans that had blocked the government from implementing the rule, issued by the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA's order has faced a wave of lawsuits from businesses and Republican-controlled states. In response, the White House welcomed the decision, touted as part of its key COVID-19 strategy. He underscored that due to concerns triggered by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus, it was critical we move forward with vaccination requirements and protections for workers with the urgency needed in this moment. Several business groups moved swiftly to challenge the ruling, either filing an appeal to the Supreme Court on Friday evening or announcing their intention to do so. The National Retail Federation said it would consider additional legal options, while also continuing to prepare our members to comply with this onerous mandate. President Joe Biden had announced in September that the rule would be developed as part of a sweeping strategy to boost coronavirus immunisation rates and curb the spread of the pandemic.The OSHA-issued rule for large employers obligates companies to require vaccinations by 4 January, while unvaccinated employees would be obligated to wear masks indoors starting 5 December, and be tested weekly for the virus at the outset of the new year. The rule does not apply to workers with an exemption from the jabs for medical or religious reasons, or employees who do not come into close contact with other people at their workplace. Businesses groups such as the National Retail Federation, the American Trucking Associations, and the National Federation of Independent Business as well as several GOP-led states involved in the lawsuit challenging the rule have argued that it exposes companies to financial risk for refusing to comply. However, the appeals court on Friday disputed the argument laid out in the suit led by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, and joined by fellow Republican attorneys general in Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia.The Biden administration was forced to stop implementation and enforcement of the vaccine mandate after an order issued by the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana, blocked it. At the time, Judge Kurt D. Englehardt said the requirements were staggeringly overbroad and raised serious constitutional concerns. Other components of the White Houses COVID-19 strategy, such as vaccine requirements for health workers and federal contractors, are also facing legal suits. According to the Biden administration, an estimated 22 million people would get vaccinated against the coronavirus and that 250,000 hospitalisations would be prevented because of the rule applying to more than 84 million workers.

https://sputniknews.com/20211209/two-democrats-join-50-senate-republicans-in-vote-to-throw-out-bidens-vaccine-mandate-1091370893.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211217/federal-judge-issues-injunction-in-texas-vs-biden-admin-case-over-vaccine-mandate-1091587938.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211130/federal-judge-blocks-bidens-vaccine-mandate-for-medical-staff-in-10-states-1091124961.html

Preterist-ADSeventy Its not really Biden whos the power behind all this . Its his masters who not only control the federal government but control the US judicial system. Theyre using the mandates and climate change for The Great Reset. 1

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https://sputniknews.com/20211218/closed-skies-russia-formally-quits-post-cold-war-era-confidence-building-treaty-after-us-withdrawal-1091625167.html

Closed Skies: Russia Formally Quits Post-Cold War Era Confidence-building Treaty After US Withdrawal

Closed Skies: Russia Formally Quits Post-Cold War Era Confidence-building Treaty After US Withdrawal

The Treaty on Open Skies was signed in 1992 at the end of the Cold War

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Russia formally ceased its participation in the Treaty on Open Skies on Saturday, doing so after the failure by Washingtons European allies to give Moscow iron-clad guarantees that information collected during observation flights over Russian territory would not be handed over to the US.In a statement released on the occasion, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that without US and Russian participation, the effectiveness of the treaty would decline dramatically.We respect the decision of the participating States remaining in the Treaty to continue its implementation. We wish them constructive and fruitful collaboration. However, it is obvious that without the participation of the United States and our country, the effectiveness of the Treaty on Open Skies will decrease sharply: the area of application will drop by about 80 percent, and the number of Open Skies missions planned for 2022 will severely decrease, the ministry said.The ministry stressed that Russias decision to withdraw from the treaty was not taken without difficulty, but ultimately made after weighing calculations of the implications for international security.During its participation in the treaty, Russia conducted 646 flights, and allowed for 449 flights to be carried out over its territory among the 1,580 total flights made. The countrys jets became the first to switch to digital surveillance equipment within the framework of the treaty.Decades of fruitful implementation of the Treaty on Open Skies showed that it served well as a tool for strengthening confidence and security, creating additional opportunities for an objective and unbiased assessment of the military potential and military activities of the participating States, the ministry stressed.Closed SkiesThe Treaty on Open Skies was negotiated, signed and ratified in 1992, and stepped into force in 2002, becoming one of numerous confidence-building measures between former Cold War adversaries after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The treaty enabled member states to freely collect information about one anothers military forces and activities on a scheduled basis using specially designated surveillance aircraft.At its peak, the treatys members included 34 members, among them Russia, the United States, Belarus, Ukraine and Georgia, most of NATOs European allies, Finland, Sweden, and Canada. In May 2020, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would be withdrawing from the agreement based on alleged repeated violations of its terms by Russia. Moscow dismissed the allegations, and pointed to alleged treaty violations by the US itself. Washington formally completed its withdrawal from the agreement in November 2020.Russia initially attempted to save the treaty, saying it would stay on if the remaining states (most of them US allies in NATO) could provide Moscow with firm guarantees that they would not transfer any data obtained during overflights to the Pentagon. The other participants refused to do so.In January 2021, Russia said that the US decision to scrap the agreement upset the balance of interests of the remaining participants, and announced plans to withdraw. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hinted that Moscow would immediately reconsider its decision if the incoming Biden administration moved to return the US to the full implementation of the treaty. Candidate Biden had categorised Trumps withdrawal from Treaty on Open Skies as a mistake, but did nothing to rectify the decision after coming into office.Russian President Vladimir Putin formally signed a bill renouncing the Treaty on Open Skies into law in June 2021, with Moscow giving the necessary six month notice on withdrawal to remaining members.Following Russias exit from the treaty, it remains unclear what Belarus  Russias ally under the Collective Security Treaty Organization alliance, will do next. Minsk has previously indicated that its continued participation will be carefully considered in consultation with Moscow. If Belarus follows Russia and withdraws, the only non-NATO powers left in the treaty will be Finland and Sweden. Earlier this month, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said his country retains "the option" to join the alliance.The Treaty on Open Skies is one of multiple post-Cold War security agreements abandoned by Washington in over the past two decades. In 2002, the United States quit the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, prompting Moscow to dust off Soviet-era plans for the development of hypersonic weapons systems (the first of which became operational in 2017). In 2019, the Trump administration pulled out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF)  which banned the development, production and fielding of missiles in the 500 to 5,500 km range. In 2020, Trump threatened to let the clock run out on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty  the last remaining major nuclear agreement between Russia and the United States, unless Chinas nuclear arsenal was included. The Biden administration reversed Trumps position on New START at the last minute, agreeing to extend it by five years in January 2021.

https://sputniknews.com/20211014/us-asks-russia-to-remove-missiles-violating-treaty-which-washington-unilaterally-scrapped-1089929896.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211013/putin-says-global-arms-race-has-accelerated-thanks-to-us-withdrawal-from-abm-treaty-1089892648.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210610/russia-will-not-reconsider-withdrawal-from-open-skies-treaty-deputy-foreign-minister-says-1083115340.html

keyboardcosmetics Russophobia, a condition where the sufferer believes Russia is both about to collapse, and take over the world. 12

Ladyshadow The US has gone above and beyond to destroy any treaty that doesn't support their terrorist agenda, confidence-building exercise is a waste of time if it involves the US who has never fully maintained a treaty. 7

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https://sputniknews.com/20211218/cruzn-for-a-bruisin-gop-senator-releases-hold-on-biden-nominees-for-nord-stream-2-sanctions-vote-1091630870.html

Cruzn for a Bruisin: GOP Senator Releases Hold on Biden Nominees for Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Vote

Cruzn for a Bruisin: GOP Senator Releases Hold on Biden Nominees for Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Vote

Texas Senator Ted Cruz spent months blocking the Senate confirmation of President Joe Bidens nominees for important diplomatic postings over the... 18.12.2021, Sputnik International

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Senator Ted Cruz has clinched a deal with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to lift a hold on the confirmation of 32 Biden diplomatic nominees in exchange for a vote next month on his proposed sanctions legislation against Nord Stream 2, Politico reports, citing two people said to be familiar with the agreement.The Biden administration has faced one of the most abysmal Senate confirmation rates in US history, with over 50 top diplomats and national security officials blocked by Republicans nearly a year into the Democratic presidents term.On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the Senate to act urgently to confirm Bidens ambassadors for the sake of our national security. Up to that point, he said, only 16 percent of US ambassadorships had been filled, compared with 70-90 percent in the last three administrations.And virtually every challenge we face, including dealing with Russia, with China, with non-state factors, were hampered by the fact that we dont have our full national security and foreign policy team on the field, Blinken complained.Cruz and other Republicans had sought to include the new Nord Stream 2 sanctions into the must-pass National Defence Authorization Act bill  the $770 billion military budget bill passed by the Congress on Wednesday and heading to the presidents desk for signature. The sanctions were cut from the bill last week after Cruz and Schumer reached a separate deal to stop holding up the confirmation of seven more diplomatic appointments.In a statement early Saturday, Schumer announced that agreement with Cruz and the Republicans had allowed the Senate to confirm 41 ambassadors, plus nine judicial nominees, two circuit judges and five other officials. Its been a long day but a good days work. I think my colleagues, the majority leader said.Cruz is leading the GOP charge in trying to stop Nord Stream 2 from coming online, issuing a statement last month saying that there was still time to do so despite the pipelines completion as it awaits certification. The Texas senator proposes rescinding the sanctions waiver against Nord Stream 2 AG  the pipelines operator, and argues the need to threaten any entity participating in certifying the pipeline with the full force of crippling American sanctions.In July, in a bid to improve relations with the USs German allies post-Trump, President Biden and then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel reached an agreement committing the US to drop its sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG, on the condition that Russia does not us the pipeline as an energy weapon. Berlin considers Nord Stream 2 as a major guarantee of its energy security and a strictly economic, non-political project.Once commissioned, the pipeline will be able to pump up to 55 billion cubic meters per year of gas from Russia to northeastern Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, doubling the capacity of the existing Nord Stream network.

https://sputniknews.com/20211214/blinken-urges-senate-to-act-to-confirm-bidens-ambassador-picks-1091505340.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211207/proposed-us-defense-spending-bill-does-not-include-nord-stream-2-sanctions-1091328802.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211216/germanys-gas-reserves-plummet-to-record-low-as-nord-stream-2-left-on-ice-1091574081.html

vot tak " President Biden and then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel reached an agreement committing the US to drop its sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG" ... The deal was the american israeloamerican colony would drop or limit their NS 2 related sanctions and the german israeloamerican colony would use bureaucratic bs to block the pipeline coming into use. The zio-traitor and war criminal cruz, along with zio-traitor/war criminal schumer are acting on orders coming from israel through israel's political enforcers at aipac & co. 6

Zeke Aln Its a strange form of democratic freedom when you get sanctioned for expressing your right to vote as you choose! 5

6

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chuck schumer, sanctions, senate, ted cruz, nord stream 2
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/ex-theranos-chiefs-fraud-case-goes-to-jury-after-3-month-trial-1091622145.html

Ex-Theranos Chief's Fraud Case Goes to Jury After 3-Month Trial

Ex-Theranos Chief's Fraud Case Goes to Jury After 3-Month Trial

The jury of eight men and four women received the case of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes who is facing criminal fraud charges regarding her company's claims to have invented an innovative blood test technology

2021-12-18T07:53+0000

2021-12-18T07:53+0000

2021-12-18T07:53+0000

us

jury

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Over the past three months, 32 witnesses gave their testimonies on the case. The jury of the federal court in San Jose, California, received the case on Friday, after listening to closing arguments from the prosecution and the defence, and will return to deliberate on Monday morning.Holmes' lawyer Kevin Downey described her as an entrepreneur "building a business and not a criminal enterprise," according to the CNN broadcaster. However, the prosecution claims that the businesswoman intentionally lied to investors and misrepresented her blood-testing startup as a cutting-edge technology.Theranos, founded in 2003, attracted millions in investment on claims that it invented reliable methods to test blood for a range of diseases using only several drops. At one point, the company was considered worth more than $9 billion, thus making Holmes a billionaire and earning her numerous mentions as an extremely successful entrepreneur.However, the 2015 article by the Wall Street Journal suggested that the company's own testing equipment might produce unreliable results and Theranos was using other manufacturers' machines to run their tests. The publication was followed by closer examinations by authorities, lawsuits and, eventually, criminal charges for Holmes and former Theranos chief operating officer, Ramesh Balwani.

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us, jury
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/german-vice-chancellor-calls-nord-stream-2-geopolitical-mistake-1091628834.html

German Vice Chancellor Calls Nord Stream 2 Geopolitical Mistake

German Vice Chancellor Calls Nord Stream 2 Geopolitical Mistake

German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck has described the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as a geopolitical mistake.

2021-12-18T14:24+0000

2021-12-18T14:24+0000

2021-12-18T14:26+0000

germany

nord stream 2

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"Geopolitics-wise, the Nord Stream 2 was a mistake. All European countries, except Germany and Austria, have always been against it. Now the pipeline is built. The issue of whether it can be launched remains open. This matter has to be resolved under the European and national law," Habeck, a co-chair of the Alliance 90/The Greens party, said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, published on Saturday.Nord Stream 2 is a joint venture of Gazprom, Royal Dutch Shell, OMV, Engie, Uniper, and Wintershall. The project is designed to carry natural gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The pipeline was completed in September and is now undergoing certification in Germany, which has been stalled by the Federal Network Agency's demand to create a German subsidiary and then file a separate bid on its behalf.

Sertorio The mistake was making a coalition with the Green party, which probably thinks that a war with Russia will be good for the environment... 22

LeonDegrelle The German companies help these US stooges to rise to power. Good luck now. 17

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germany, nord stream 2
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/iran-asks-why-iaea-doesnt-use-capabilities-to-stop-nuclear-sabotage-amid-camera-snap-spat-1091630174.html

Iran Asks Why IAEA Doesnt Use Capabilities to Stop Nuclear Sabotage Amid Camera Snap Spat

Iran Asks Why IAEA Doesnt Use Capabilities to Stop Nuclear Sabotage Amid Camera Snap Spat

On Friday, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi expressed doubts that footage from one of the four agency cameras installed at the... 18.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-18T16:11+0000

2021-12-18T16:11+0000

2021-12-18T16:11+0000

iran

nuclear

camera

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An official from Irans Atomic Energy Organization has responded to Rafael Grossis claims that the memory card of the camera that was destroyed in Junes attack against the Karaj installation had gone missing and that Tehran owes the IAEA an explanation.The camera media storage device being sought by the IAEA chief has been destroyed in a sabotage operation, and the IAEA must answer why it does not use its capabilities to prevent such sabotage attacks, which have known origins, the official said, speaking to Iran's Noor News.Iran suspects that the Karaj facility was sabotaged by Israels Mossad on 23 June. The Islamic Republic has also accused Israel of systematically assassinating its nuclear scientists, and has charged Tel Aviv with the November 2020 murder of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the de facto chief of Irans nuclear programme.Israel neither confirms nor denies carrying out operations against Irans nuclear programme, but adheres to the Begin Doctrine, named after former prime minister Menachem Begin, under which Tel Aviv grants itself the right to take any action deemed necessary to stop any other Middle Eastern power from developing nuclear weapons. Israel is suspected of possessing an arsenal of up to 400 nuclear weapons, but neither confirms nor denies having them in a policy known as deliberate ambiguity.Iran has repeatedly accused the United States and the European of sticking to a very shameful double standard regarding Israels suspected nuclear weapons, and has asked why the Jewish State seems to be able to get away with possessing such arms with no international oversight while Iran is kept under a watchful eye despite being a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and fully implementing IAEA safeguards.Camera DealAfter the incident at Karaj, Iran removed the four IAEA cameras which monitored the facility, including the one irreparably damaged, and showed them to IAEA inspectors. Iran and the IAEA reached an agreement Wednesday to replace the cameras amid negotiations in Vienna on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal, with the equipment expected to be installed in [the] coming days. However, Iranian officials have clarified that Tehran would hold on to the footage snapped by the cameras and hand it over to the IAEA only after illegal US sanctions are lifted, with full storage devices to be removed and placed under joint Iranian-IAEA supervision until then.The seventh round of JCPOA talks concluded Friday. A date for an eighth round has yet to be announced. Iran had warned prior to the negotiations what it wouldnt continue talks for the sake of talks indefinitely.The Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018. In early 2021, the Biden administration began negotiations with Iran and other members of the agreement on a US return to the deal, and agreed in principle to the need to remove sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation. However, the countries disagree on which side should make the first move, with Iran saying the US has to lift its crushing restrictions, while Washington says Tehran must return to its JCPOA commitments on the production, enrichment and stockpiling of nuclear material. Iranian negotiators have expressed trepidation over reported US attempts to modify the text of the agreement to include Irans regional activities and conventional missile programme  both of which Tehran considers nonnegotiable.

https://sputniknews.com/20210930/irans-nuclear-chief-says-june-sabotage-inflicted-severe-damage-on-karaj-facility-1089554371.html

Ladyshadow Why is it always assumed that Iran is at fault, the world knows the US and her puppets have carried out numerous sabotage operations around the globe? 8

vigilante The IAEA is failing in protecting it's members. Instead it harasses them. Iran made a mistake to join it and i guess no country in the world want to be s member of such an inefficient and biased organisation. Will Australia, soon a nuclear country join the IAEA? No! 7

7

iran

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https://sputniknews.com/20211218/jacob-rees-mogg-has-absolute-faith-in-bojo-leadership-amid-north-shropshire-backlash-1091622461.html

Jacob Rees-Mogg Has 'Absolute Faith' in BoJo Leadership Amid North Shropshire Backlash

Jacob Rees-Mogg Has 'Absolute Faith' in BoJo Leadership Amid North Shropshire Backlash

Leader of the UK House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg has defended Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the North Shropshire by-election drubbing for the Conservatives.

2021-12-18T08:45+0000

2021-12-18T08:45+0000

2021-12-18T08:45+0000

boris johnson

brexit

jacob rees-mogg

uk conservative party

uk

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Leader of the UK House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg has defended Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the North Shropshire by-election drubbing for the Conservatives. Writing in the Express, he applauded the fact that Johnson was typically noble for taking the blame for the disappointing result for the Conservative Party in the by-election in North Shropshire. The Tories had lost a typically safe seat in Thursday's election to the Liberal Democrats. Helen Morgan, the partys candidate, secured 17,957 votes, a majority of 5,925, indicating a swing of 34.2 percentage points from the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats. The seat in the third largest constituency by area in the West Midlands region, held by the Tories since 1997, had been up for grabs after the resignation of ex-lawmaker Owen Paterson. The former MP found himself at the center of a sleaze scandal after he was discovered to have breached Commons paid advocacy rules. After the results of the by-election, Conservative party chair Oliver Dowden said that voters had been prompted to give the government a kicking as they were fed up with sleaze allegations. Frenzy of Allegations The humiliating loss has been feeding into a frenzy of allegations plaguing Johnsons leadership of late. Ranging from claims of sleaze over the Owen Paterson scandal to the alleged Downing Street lockdown-breaching staff Christmas parties last year, they have prompted senior MPs to warn that the PM was in last orders time. According to UK media outlets, veteran backbencher Roger Gale warned Johnson that one more strike and hes out. Ruth Davidson, ex-Scottish Tory leader, was cited by the BBC as saying that the PM was drinking in the last chance saloon and MPs were looking for a bit of bloody grip to be exerted. Amid a chorus of voices accusing the Prime Minister of weak leadership and a succession of failings, Jacob Rees-Mogg underscored that is vital to support Boris Johnsons vision. He touted the fact that England had greatly benefited from his leadership. He applauded the decision to establish the Vaccines Taskforce, which provided vaccines that saved countless British lives. The Lord President of the Council insisted that it was Boris Johnsons foresight on COVID-19 vaccines and furlough that allowed the nations economy to reopen. We have seen record job growth, a dynamic economy and a pay rise for many of the UKs workers, he wrote in the outlet. Among other achievements, he hailed AUKUS, the newly-signed trade deal with Australia, efforts to sort out issues plaguing the asylum system that would eject migrants gaining illegal entry into the country. Johnsons crackdown on crime by adding an extra 11,000 police officers to the taskforce as part of the Police Uplift Programme and a strategy to tackle serious violence were also singled out. Man Who Delivered Brexit' Weighing in on the reports of a possible leadership challenge to Boris Johnson from his opponents, Jacob Rees-Mogg warned they simply lack the dynamism and charisma to take risks. Rebellious Tory MPs, infuriated by Johnsons series of blunders and scandals are said to have urged the PM to radically overhaul his Downing Street team. The demands grew more insistent particularly after Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, tasked with probing No 10 parties during lockdown, quit after it was revealed he was purportedly aware of a Christmas party held by his own private office during that time. While attempting to placate Tory rebels and steer them away from talk about a new leader, Iain Duncan Smith, former Tory leader and cabinet minister, is cited as warning Johnson that changes need to be made to his staff over the alleged breaches. However, as part of his principal line of defence, Rees-Mogg insisted that Boris Johnson deserved kudos as the man who broke the deadlock in Parliament to deliver Brexit. I have absolute faith in his leadership, concluded Jacob Rees-Mogg. Amid the recent scandals, the UK Labour Party has pulled ahead in the polls. The latest Opinium poll for the Observer also shows 57% of voters believe that Boris Johnson should resign. The PMs personal ratings have also taken a hit, falling to -35%, down 14 points from what was already a record low of -21% two weeks earlier.

https://sputniknews.com/20211217/boris-johnson-takes-personal-responsibility-for-north-shropshire-by-election-fiasco-1091604785.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211217/after-torys-north-shropshire-defeat-bojos-ouster-is-just-a-matter-of-time-academics-say-1091606857.html

Alba1970 this is because if Boris falls so does Jacob Rees-Mogg as he is also mired in corruption and tax dodging 1

Patricia Miller I have made 96,760 Buck just last month by working online from my home. I am a full time college student and just doing this in my free time for few hours per week by using my laptop.Everyone can check this out and start making cash online in a very easy way by just following instructions .COPY This Website.HERE www.cash46.com 0

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https://sputniknews.com/20211218/mayor-of-london-declares-major-incident-over-surge-in-covid-cases-1091629458.html

Mayor of London Declares 'Major Incident' Over Surge in COVID Cases

Mayor of London Declares 'Major Incident' Over Surge in COVID Cases

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has declared a "major incident" to help the city's overwhelmed hospitals amid a surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant.

2021-12-18T15:24+0000

2021-12-18T15:24+0000

2021-12-18T16:03+0000

uk

covid-19

incident

sadiq khan

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has declared a "major incident" to help the city's overwhelmed hospitals amid a surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant."This is a statement of how serious things are," the mayor said, as quoted by Reuters. The UK Health Security Agency said on Saturday that the number of confirmed Omicron variant COVID-19 cases stood at 24,968 as of 17 December, up by more than 10,000 cases from 24 hours earlier.A major incident is usually declared when a situation or an event has had serious consequences and requires special arrangements to be enforced by authorities.Although UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday "we are not closing things down," health officials are reportedly preparing draft new rules that  in case they are introduced  will ban indoor mixing in England except for work for two weeks after Christmas.

https://sputniknews.com/20211215/boris-johnson-vows-to-get-on-with-job-amid-tory-rebellion-over-covid-rules-1091543425.html

LeonDegrelle What surge you morons? There's not a single dead person in Africa by the Omicron variant yet! 3

keyboardcosmetics Just in time for CHRIST MASS. How convenient for the Powers of Darkness. Never let a good crisis go to waste. -Winston Churchill. 2

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https://sputniknews.com/20211218/president-biden-recalls-his-fight-for-desegregation-in-delaware-1091616997.html

President Biden Recalls His Fight for Desegregation in Delaware

President Biden Recalls His Fight for Desegregation in Delaware

On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan and co-host John Kiriakou discussed current events including Google being criticized for the treatment... 18.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-18T08:03+0000

2021-12-18T08:03+0000

2021-12-18T08:03+0000

bbc

aliens

us

ufo

cia

sharia law

fbi

the backstory

radio

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President Biden Recalls His Fight for Desegregation in Delaware On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan and co-host John Kiriakou discussed current events including Google being criticized for the treatment of black female employees, and the CDC reporting eight cases of myocarditis in elementary school students who received the Pfizer vaccine.

GUESTJamarl Thomas - Host of Fault Lines | Ufology, Hillary Clinton Promising Information on UFOs, and The Department of DefenseAddy Adds - Former Teacher, Reporter, and Commentator | The Rothschild Family, False Memories, and The Jury on the Ghislaine Maxwell TrialIn the first hour, Lee and John spoke with Jamarl Thomas about his experience with UFOs, more UFO sightings by the public, and the 2022 midterms. Jamarl talked about the new UFO task force by the DOD and politicians discussing UFOs. Jamarl discussed his predictions for the 2022 midterms and the Democrats expected to lose by large margins.In the second hour, Lee and John spoke with Addy Adds about the defense team of Ghislaine Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell's refusal to testify, and the Maxwell family. Addy spoke about the trial expected to end before Christmas and the defense team tactics. Addy talked about the charges against Ghislaine Maxwell and Addy's prediction on which charges the jury will find Ghislaine guilty of.Also, we discuss President Biden's trip to Delaware.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

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bbc, aliens, us, ufo, cia, sharia law, fbi, the backstory, , radio
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/scientists-to-biden-cut-nuclear-arsenal-by-a-third-and-declare-us-wont-use-nukes-in-conflict-first-1091625888.html

Scientists to Biden: Cut Nuclear Arsenal by a Third and Declare US Won't Use Nukes in Conflict First

Scientists to Biden: Cut Nuclear Arsenal by a Third and Declare US Won't Use Nukes in Conflict First

About 700 scientists and engineers, 21 Nobel laureates among them, wrote an open letter to US President Joe Biden on Thursday, asking him to cut the US nuclear arsenal by a third.

2021-12-18T13:44+0000

2021-12-18T13:44+0000

2021-12-18T18:55+0000

joe biden

us

nuclear

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About 700 scientists and engineers, 21 Nobel laureates among them, wrote an open letter to US President Joe Biden on Thursday asking him to cut the US nuclear arsenal by a third and to declare that the country would never use nuclear weapons in a conflict first. The letter also calls on the president to change the American practice that gives the commander in chief sole authority to order the use of nuclear weapons. Biden has been urged to add an important safeguard against a possible future president who is unstable or who orders a reckless attack.The authors of the letter (most of whom are members of the National Academy of Sciences and the Union of Concerned Scientists) believe that by making clear that the United States will never start a nuclear war, it reduces the likelihood that a conflict or crisis will escalate to nuclear war. Like each US president usually does in the first year or two of his term, Biden is expected to unveil his nuclear strategy early next year.

Golem "believe that by making clear that the United States will never start a nuclear war, it reduces the likelihood that a conflict or crisis will escalate to nuclear war.......................... Like anybody believes the US and what comes out of the sociopaths in washington, US has ZERO credibilty, if war begins and they start getting the worst of it the vermin WILL resort to nuclear weapons declaration or no declaration. 5

vot tak The israelis have already told biden to ignore this sensible proposal. 5

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Sofia Chegodaeva

joe biden, us, nuclear
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/trump-says-us-jews-either-dont-like-israel-or-dont-care-about-israel-1091619002.html

Trump Says US Jews Either Dont Like Israel or Dont Care About Israel

Trump Says US Jews Either Dont Like Israel or Dont Care About Israel

Trump Says Jews in US Either Dont Like Israel or Dont Care About Israel

2021-12-18T03:52+0000

2021-12-18T03:52+0000

2021-12-18T03:53+0000

us

israel

donald trump jr

jewish diaspora

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Former US President Donald Trump claimed in an interview on Friday that Jewish people in the US either dont like Israel or dont care about Israel.Trump, who was widely supported by white evangelical voters during the 2016 and 2020 election campaigns, noted that the evangelical Christians love Israel more than the Jews in this country. Meanwhile, Jewish, as well as the Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu communities, have traditionally been more inclined to vote for Democratic candidates, such as Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, according to polls.Trump recalled his father, a residential real estate developer, was very close to many Jewish people, because it was Brooklyn real estate, Brooklyn and Queens.He also slammed Joe Biden and Barack Obama, who still get a lot of votes from the Jewish people.His remarks were heavily criticized by the American Jewish Congress, who said Trump fuels dangerous stereotypes about Jews.Meanwhile, Trump as president adopted a rather pro-Israeli policy that faced backlash from the Arab world. In particular, the US recognized an indivisible Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, although East Jerusalem is considered an Occupied Palestinian Territory under international law. The Trump administration also decided to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.Apart from that, Trump recognized Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories as well as Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which the UN considers to be occupied Syrian lands.With respect to Israeli interests, Washington withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, in 2018, which has been strongly opposed by Tel Aviv since it was agreed to in 2015.In addition, the US mediated and facilitated last year the Abraham Accords, agreements on the normalization of relations between Israel and some Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.Despite his strong policy tilt toward Israel, Trump appeared to be deeply disappointed after then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to congratulate his Democratic opponent Joe Biden after the latter was declared the winner of the US presidential election."He was very early  like, earlier than most. I haven't spoken to him since. F*ck him," Trump was said to have told an Axios journalist.

Hess Trump is a retard Jews servant. During his presidency, Trump served Israel and the Jews, while he left Americans living in misery. All he wants is Jewish money. 14

armor That man should be ignored completely. He has been well overtaken. He should stay quiet now. History is moving. 11

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us, israel, donald trump jr, jewish diaspora
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/uae-move-to-scrap-f-35-deal-reflects-waning-us-power-in-multipolar-world-analysts-say-1091619494.html

UAE Move to Scrap F-35 Deal Reflects Waning US Power in Multipolar World, Analysts Say

UAE Move to Scrap F-35 Deal Reflects Waning US Power in Multipolar World, Analysts Say

UAE Move to Scrap F-35 Deal Reflects Waning US Power in Multipolar World, Analysts Say

2021-12-18T03:49+0000

2021-12-18T03:49+0000

2021-12-18T03:49+0000

world

opinion

uae

us military

f-35

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Abu Dhabi earlier this week suspended talks on a $23 billion deal to buy fifty F-35 jets, in addition to drones and advanced munitions. Onerous US restrictions designed to protect against Chinese espionage have reportedly been a major driver of the UAEs decision.On Friday, a US administration official told reporters the two sides are still trying to work out concerns related to the deal, including certain requests the UAE asked for during the Trump administration.Former UK Ambassador to Syria Peter Ford believes Washingtons hubristic demands such as disabling any capacity the aircraft might have to harm Israel, gave the UAE good excuses to exit the deal.The UAE, he added, hates the strings the US wants to attach that would purportedly ensure that "even theoretically" the acquisition would not diminish Israel's military superiority.Moreover, Ford added, the UAE is not willing to pay an inflated price for fighter aircraft when modern warfare is now more about drones, as illustrated in the Iranian attack on a Saudi oil facility in 2019 and Turkeys use of advanced drones to halt Syrian government advances in Idlib last year."If the deal goes ahead at all I would expect the planes to go now for a fire sale price," the former ambassador said.Waning Empire in Multipolar WorldFord also said the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is another development that has likely helped shift the UAEs thinking on the F-35 deal.Historian and political commentator Dan Lazare thinks the main problem for the United States is "imperial over-extension" - a reality allies like the UAE are starting to fully realize.The US military, Lazare explained, was theoretically equipped to fight a two-front war on opposite sides of the globe. However, he warned, the US was now facing the prospects of fighting on three fronts: the South China Sea/Taiwan Strait, the Persian Gulf, and in and around the Black Sea."US weakness is increasingly apparent and other countries have begun making alternative arrangements in response," Lazare told Sputnik.Lazare said India's agreement to meet with Russia and China and its recent decision to produce 600K AK-203 assault rifles under a Russian license are examples of this phenomenon. Recent security talks between Russia and Indonesia fell into the same category, as did the emerging Chinese-Iranian military partnership and the new alliance between China and Nicaragua, he said.US tensions with the UAE over F-35s and drones reflected the same general trend. The emirates had, in fact, long pursued a relatively independent policy vis-a-vis the US, Iran, and the Saudis, Lazare recalled.Negotiations over the F-35 sale would certainly continue for the present, but the UAE statement this week had marked a genuine change in Washingtons standing in the region, Lazare cautioned."Undoubtedly, talks will go on as the two sides try to reach a modus vivendi. But the message is clear: Multipolarity has arrived and the Persian Gulf is no longer a US lake," he concluded.

https://sputniknews.com/20211203/france-uae-sign-multi-billion-dollar-rafale-warplanes-deal-1091219847.html

vigilante The UAE would prefer Turkey's drones that come without string attached to F35 that are crippled to prevent it's use against Israel 4

vigilante The UAE is leading a movement that could snowball in the region. Peace with Iran is a better deal that buying expensive weapons from the US to deter Iran. Anyway Iran has no intention of invading any country , contrary to Israel that invaded the Golan and Lebanese land while expabding Jewish settlements in occupied Palestine. 4

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world, opinion, uae, us military, f-35
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/we-were-useful-idiots-haitian-presidents-suspected-assassins-claim-they-were-framed-1091633289.html

We Were Useful Idiots: Haitian Presidents Suspected Assassins Claim They Were Framed

We Were Useful Idiots: Haitian Presidents Suspected Assassins Claim They Were Framed

At least 44 suspects, including 18 Colombian nationals and at least three US citizens, were detained on suspicion of involvement in the brutal 7 July... 18.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-18T20:31+0000

2021-12-18T20:31+0000

2021-12-18T20:44+0000

venezuela

haiti

united states

colombia

assassination

alleged assassins

jovenel moise

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Five Colombian nationals being held in a Haitian prison on suspicion of involvement in the murder of the countrys president have come forward to claim they are innocent, and to allege they were framed by the real killers.All five of the interviewed men are ex-soldiers in the Colombian army, and claim they arrived in Haiti a month before Moises murder to work for a shady US-based private security company known as CTU Security. The mercenaries were reportedly promised that they would be paid between $2,700 and $3,000 a month, but were never paid.In mid-July, Venezuelan National Assembly speaker Jorge Rodriguez revealed that CTU was also involved in an assassination plot against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in 2018. According to the official, the same company was also involved in Operation Gideon  the bizarre botched May 2020 operation involving Venezuelan dissidents and US mercenaries operating out of Colombia which attempted to sneak into Caracas, kidnap Maduro and fly him back to the US for prosecution on trumped-up drug charges.We were told that we were going to provide security for a Haitian presidential candidate. We had no idea what was going to happen, one of the men interviewed by CNN said.Involved But Not InvolvedAfter arriving in Haiti, the suspects and over a dozen other Colombian nationals were stationed in a compound in Port-au-Prince near the presidents villa. The interviewees admitted to being part of the convoy that traveled to Moises home on the night of the murder, but insisted that they were not involved in the killing itself. The men declined to elaborate on the extent of their involvement, citing a lack of legal representation.After Moises death, the five men were transported out of the presidential compound, fled to an empty building during a Haitian security sweep, and then made their way to the Taiwanese Embassy (Haiti is one of 14 UN members still officially recognizing the Chinese islands status as a separate country).Taiwanese officials claim a group of 11 mercenaries forcibly entered its Port-au-Prince embassy following the Haitian presidents killing.These individuals later turned themselves in to the authorities, and according to the five interviewed men, faced beatings, stabbings and torture, were deprived of food, and faced threats against their families. The men said they were forced to sign documents in French which they didnt understand, with security officers reportedly writing their statements for them. Haitian authorities maintain that translators were on hand and clarified what the suspects were signing.The five suspects have yet to be formally charged, and claim the only legal representation they have been offered has been junior apprenticing lawyers who dont speak Spanish.At no point has someone looked me in the face and said, This is why you are here.' We obviously know why were in here but there is no rule of law or due process here. Everyone should be innocent until proven guilty and we all have rights to legal representation, one prisoner complained.The best thing that could happen is that this is brought to an international tribunal. When I am out of this country, I will tell the world everything I know, one of the men promised.Murder MysteryHaitian police identified a total of 26 Colombians and two American nationals they said were linked to President Moises brutal 7 July assassination, during which he was shot 12 times. Moises wife, first lady Martine Marie Etienne Moise, was also heavily wounded in the attack, and believes she survived only because the Spanish-speaking mercenaries who stormed the presidential residents took her for dead. In August, she called on the United Nations Security Council to help Haiti find those responsible for her husbands murder.Three of the Colombians involved in the assassination were killed during the manhunt undertaken after Moises murder, and police recovered a large stash of weapons and other materials used by the assailants. Two of the US nationals thought to be involved claimed that they were translators, and insisted that the mercenaries were supposed to arrest Moise, not kill him. These claims have not been corroborated.The intrigue surrounding the Haitian presidents death deepened after Venezuelan media reported that a private jet that was used to transport some of the mercenaries into Haiti was also used to fly self-proclaimed Venezuelan interim president Juan Guaido around for negotiations. In late July, the Pentagon also confirmed that seven of the Colombians arrested had received training at a US academy.The assassination put the impoverished nation in a state of martial law. Moise was killed ahead of the expected 26 September presidential and legislative elections, which were to coincide with a referendum on a new constitution. These were postponed following the provisional electoral council by acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry.Moises political leanings and international affiliations added another layer of complexity to his death. Unlike Venezuelas Maduro or Cubas Castro, the businessman-turned-politician was not known to have any qualms with Washington. His liberal center-right Haitian Tel Kale Party attracted criticism for alleged large-scale corruption schemes involving the Clinton Global Initiative following Haitis devastating 2010 earthquake. The US State Department supported him to the hilt in his spat with Haitis Superior Judicial Council about whether he could stay on as president until February 2022 after his term formally expired in February 2021.Former Haitian police officer-turned G9 gang federation leader Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier has characterized the presidents killing as a national and international conspiracy against Haiti involving business elites, opposition figures and the police.

https://sputniknews.com/20210713/company-involved-in-haitian-presidents-murder-plotted-to-assassinate-maduro-in-2018-caracas-says-1083378936.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210803/-someone-gave-the-order-haiti-presidents-widow-seeks-uns-help-to-find-her-husbands-assassins-1083514599.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210723/pentagon-confirms-seven-colombians-arrested-for-moises-murder-trained-at-us-armys-whinsec-school-1083443107.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210712/who-are-barbecue-and-el-coqui-and-why-are-their-gangs-involved-in-violence-iin-venezuela-and-haiti-1083366978.html

Rot Hchild Colombia is a neoliberal puppet state owned by the Rothschilds and Zionist banksters ever since they demonized, captured and killed Pablo Escobor. The current president has been genociding indegenious activists ever since. 5

smilingjack sounds like an episode of Archer with slater. f#ck up after f#ck up after f#ck up 2

5

venezuela

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Ilya Tsukanov

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venezuela, haiti, united states, colombia, assassination, alleged assassins, jovenel moise
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/weekly-news-wrap-up-putin-and-xi-talk-security-bidens-poll-numbers-crater-1091618666.html

Weekly News Wrap Up; Putin and Xi Talk Security; Biden's Poll Numbers Crater

Weekly News Wrap Up; Putin and Xi Talk Security; Biden's Poll Numbers Crater

Presidents Putin and Xi hold a virtual meeting to discuss the US Empire's aggression and strengthen their strategic partnership. 18.12.2021, Sputnik International

2021-12-18T08:07+0000

2021-12-18T08:07+0000

2021-12-18T08:07+0000

ethiopia

vladimir putin

cuba

nato

assange

xi

barbados

nord stream 2

jcpoa

the critical hour

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Weekly News Wrap Up; Putin and Xi Talk Security; Biden's Poll Numbers Crater Presidents Putin and Xi hold a virtual meeting to discuss the US Empire's aggression and strengthen their strategic partnership.

Caleb Maupin, journalist and political analyst, joins us to wrap up the important stories for the week. In a display of arbitrary and capricious censorship, YouTube blocked RT's German-language TV channel on its first day of operation without an explanation. Also, Cuba hosts the 20th ALBA-TCP summit, China supports Russia against NATO aggression, and Russia is shocked by the conduct of the E-3 States during the Iran negotiations in Vienna.Gerald Horne, professor of history at the University of Houston, author, historian, and researcher, joins us to discuss this week's important stories. Barbados has declared its independence from the British empire. Also, Russia has published a detailed proposal for a new Russia-US-NATO security treaty, President Xi glows when discussing his country's partnership with Russia, the US announces a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics, a South African court orders former president Jacob Zuma back to jail, and the Turkey-Africa summit takes ties to a new stage.Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and co-founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, joins us to wrap up the important stories for the week. We discuss the meeting between Presidents Putin and Xi, the political instability of Ukraine, and the recent ruling that Julian Assange can be extradited to the United States.Ajamu Baraka, 2016 US vice-presidential candidate for the Green Party, and Margaret Kimberley, editor and senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and author of "Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents," come together to discuss this week's stories. We discuss the need to support Julian Assange, the US Empire's shift to Africa, Central and South American countries pulling free of US domination, the Biden administration's dismal poll numbers, and Israel's murder and abuse of the Palestinians.Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "America's Undeclared War," and Martin Sieff, senior fellow at the American University in Moscow, come together to talk politics. We discuss the disturbing US support of Nazis in Ukraine, the meeting between Presidents Putin and Xi, Germany's recent move to stall Nord Stream 2, and Joe Biden's disastrous drop in support.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

ethiopia

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ethiopia, vladimir putin, cuba, nato, assange, xi, barbados, nord stream 2, jcpoa, the critical hour, , radio
https://sputniknews.com/20211218/wrong-joe-in-the-wh-tweeps-wince-as-vp-harris-snaps-at-charlamagne-for-asking-who-real-potus-is-1091627022.html

'Wrong Joe in the WH': Tweeps Wince as VP Harris Snaps at Charlamagne For Asking Who 'Real' POTUS Is

'Wrong Joe in the WH': Tweeps Wince as VP Harris Snaps at Charlamagne For Asking Who 'Real' POTUS Is

Kamala Harris got into a heated exchange with TV host Charlamagne Tha God on Friday after he asked her, pointblank, who the nation's "real" president was.

2021-12-18T13:30+0000

2021-12-18T13:30+0000

2021-12-18T13:30+0000

joe biden

us

sen. joe manchin (d-west virginia)

kamala harris

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Kamala Harris got into a heated exchange with TV host Charlamagne Tha God on Friday after he asked her, point blank, who the nation's "real" president was.The TV host had weighed in on the fact that West Virginia moderate Democrat Joe Manchin was "holding up progress" on President Bidens sweeping spending legislation being debated on Capitol Hill.In response to the prodding from the TV host, Kamala Harris replied that President Biden was the nation's leader. As Charlamagne quipped I can't tell sometimes, Symone Sanders, Harris aide, appeared to be saying off-camera that the interview should be cut short. They're acting like they can't hear me, continued Charlamagne. However, an increasingly livid Kamala Harris insisted she could hear him. Wagging her finger at him, the VP, who was recently referred to as "President Harris" yet again by gaffe-prone Biden himself, reiterated, Cmon, Charlamagne! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, its Joe Biden." The $1.75 trillion social spending and climate change bill, legislation has been passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives after it passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, but faces opposition in the Senate. As Democrats have only 50 Senate seats, with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking a tie, Biden needs every Democratic Senator to support the legislation.Manchin has raised multiple objections to Joe Bidens landmark Build Back Better legislation, originally opposing its $3.5 trillion price tag, which has since been whittled down to $1.75 trillion and excluded paid family leave in its framework. He has since doubled down on opposition to child tax credit, saying that rather than extending it for one year, it should be extended for 10 years.In the interview, Kamala Harris also pointed to the Democrats razor-thin majority in the Senate and accused the Republicans of being united in their opposition to the Presidents signature legislation.According to the VP, one of the aspects of the plan, such as the child tax credit, would lower "Black child poverty by 50%." As she reiterated that there was more effort to be made and she would not give up" on the legislation, Charlamagne said Americans need Harris to be the "superhero who saves democracy." "That Kamala Harris  that's the one I like," he said, referencing her testy response to his question about who was in charge in the country. On social media, users were unimpressed with the VPs response to the trick question lobbed at her by the TV host.

https://sputniknews.com/20211217/joe-biden-calls-kamala-harris-president-during-speech-at-south-carolina-state-university---video-1091613261.html

https://sputniknews.com/20211217/democrats-fume-over-manchins-resistance-to-bidens-build-back-better-bill-1091611061.html

Preterist-ADSeventy Shes wrong and she knows it. Unfortunately, Judaea, of 1933 fame, is the real ruler of the USA. 0

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Svetlana Ekimenko

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joe biden, us, sen. joe manchin (d-west virginia), kamala harris
Manhattan Night and Conquest AS came out on top in Friday night's (Dec. 17) co-featured Preferred 3 events at The Raceway at Western Fair District.

Returning to The Raceway where she won the Fillies & Mares Preferred 3 Pace on November 26, the Anita Ouellette-trained Manhattan Night delivered as the 3-5 favourite in this week's $10,000 event, scoring in 1:56.2 off a perfect pocket trip engineered by Travis Henry.

Leaving three-wide from post five, Manhattan Night tucked into the two-hole behind Randomirogeo (Jason Ryan) early on and followed through fractions of :28, :57.2 and 1:26 while Buttermilk Hanover (Marc St. Louis Jr.) pressed the pace first-up. The top two continued to battle noses apart into the stretch, but Manhattan Night shot through up the passing lane to prevail in a three-across finish. Buttermilk Hanover edged out Randomirogeo for the runner-up honours.

After picking up a pair of cheques in her last two starts competing at the Preferred 2 level at Flamboro Downs, Manhattan Night returned to the London winner's circle and she paid $3.40 for a $2 win ticket.

Owned by Luc Ouellette Inc., the homebred five-year-old daughter of Dali out of Manhattan Killean has won seven of her 29 starts this year while adding nearly $62,000 to her bankroll that is approaching the $200,000 mark. The victory was her 21st lifetime.

In the next race, Conquest AS survived an overland journey to win the matching Preferred 3 for trotters after missing by just a nose in an added-distance version of this class one week ago.

Driven by Marc St. Louis Jr., Conquest AS was sent postward as the 3-2 second choice and he advanced from the backfield to match strides with the popular pacesetter Los Ballykeelamigo (Jason Ryan) after fractions of :29.2, 1:00.2 and 1:29. Racing head-to-head turning for home, Conquest AS took over command in the stretch to prevail by one length in 1:59.2, equalling his winning time in this class on November 25. Missys Magic Man (Ryan Holliday), the longest shot on the board at 75-1, shot through the inside lane to nab second-place while Los Ballykeelamigo, bet down to 6-5, held on for third. The winner returned $5.10.

Duane Marfisi trains Conquest AS, who notched his fifth win from 32 starts this year and pushed his annual income over the $50,000 mark. Lifetime, he has won 14 races and nearly $150,000 in purses. The four-year-old Conway Hall-Cordele AS gelding is owned by Roy Sproxton, Harbhajan Singh Dhillon, Darryl Kaplan and Green And Gold Ltd.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Western Fair Raceway.
Windsong Leo fought off late challenges inside and out to preserve his victory in the $16,000 Open Handicap Pace at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows on Friday (Dec. 17).

Windsong Leo quarter-poled to the top and remained in control until the top of the stretch where his stablemate, Rockin Ron, loomed large outside while Carolina Beach angled for the Lightning Lane. But the nine-year-old Jeremes Jet-Windsong Goldie gelding held firm for Dave Palone, downing Carolina Beach by three parts of a length in 1:50.4, with Rockin Ron a close-up third.

It was career win 67 for Windsong Leo and lifted his lifetime bankroll to $808,522. Ron Burke trains him for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Phillip Collura.

Elsewhere on Fridays card, 14-year-old Dream Out Loud N, who faces mandatory retirement at the end of December, won his eighth straight and 19th this year in a $10,000 Claiming Pace. The victory lifted him back into a tie with Winning Shadow and Swan Fine Lady for most 2021 wins in North America. Palone piloted the Bettors Delight-Nothin Butadreamer gelding for trainer Marcus Marashian, who owns with Tina Porfilio.

Jim Pantaleano and Palone each collected three wins on the 11-race card.

Live harness racing at The Meadows resumes Tuesday when the 13-race program features a $17,603.99 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 p.m.

(Meadows Standardbred Owners Association)
One of the finest Atlantic-bred pacers to ever grace the Eastern Seaboard will find himself back in the main event Sunday (Dec. 19) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

The city track has 10 dashes scheduled for Sunday starting at 12:30 P.M. Sock It Away is back in preferred action on the card as he leaves from Post 3 in the $3,400 top pace with David Dowling in the seat for trainer Kevin MacLean and owner Reg MacPherson of Stratford. The Pang Shui colt put together a miraculous streak of 16 straight stakes wins during his sophomore year in 2018 but has battled injuries in recent years. Sock It Away got away last in his most recent race but found himself on top by over six lengths at the finish and will now step up to the top level Saturday.

Also in the field are The Rev (Ken Murphy), Screen Test (Corey MacPherson), Chocolate Swirl (Adam Merner) and Bugsy Maguire (Dale Spence).

The Sunday afternoon Post Time Picks places Sock It Away firmly on top.

Sock It Away has the heart of a champion and every defining characteristic that creates a great horse. If he is anywhere close to himself there is no stopping him for a second straight win.

The back-up class hits the track in Race 8 with Mc Pat selected as the top dog from Post 5 after dropping out of the preferred level. Merner drives the Gilles Barrieau trainee for owners Everette Hanson and Donald Stevenson of New Brunswick as the pacer looks to add to his six wins from 2021. Doc Darryl has been perhaps the hottest pacer around lately and will leave from Post 3 for driver Ken Murphy while Ambyr Campbell steers Better Than Cash from Post 1.

Race 6 will see My Land attempt to extend his four-race win streak from Post 4 as he sits undefeated on the Eastern Seaboard of Canada. Merner will drive the son of Badlands Hanover from the Jennifer Doyle barn of Earnscliffe.

Catch all the action live at the track or tune into the worldwide broadcast at Redshores.ca. Live streaming is also available at the Red Shores Youtube page and online wagering can be found at HPIBet.com. To view the entries for Sunday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Sunday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park.

(Red Shores)
After being beaten a head in last weeks Joe Lighthill by track record-holder Pridecrest, Silverhill Volo looms the overwhelming favourite from the rail in the featured trot on Sunday (Dec. 19) at Cal Expo.

A 10-race card will be presented by Watch and Wager LLC with first post at 5:00 p.m. The card will also feature second and final leg of eliminations for next weeks Alan Horowitz Memorial.

Silverhill Volo will be making his third start since returning from Chicago and appears to hold quite an advantage in the field of six with owner/driver/trainer Chip Lackey at the controls from the cozy inside slot.

The veteran trotter put in a huge try over a sloppy track in last weeks Lighthill, carving out the fractions and then putting on quite a battle with heavily-favoured Pridecrest to lose a heartbreaker while finishing more than a half-dozen lengths ahead of the rest of the cast.

This 10-year-old Muscle Hill gelding is eying his 30th career snapshot from 155 trips to the post and is working his way to the $200,000 earnings plateau with a 1:55.1 mark that was recorded in Pennsylvania six years ago.

Mandeville was up for third in the Lighthill and figures to move forward off that effort as it was his first since returning from Oak Grove and he had the outside post that evening. Gerry Longo owns trains and drives the nine-year-old gelding, who has $334,000 in his account and a 1:54 career standard.

Rounding out the field are Hypocrisy, Boaster Coaster, Major Al Mar and Jesses Student.

Things are heating up for next Sundays $20,000 Alan Horowitz Final with leg two of the elimination heats occupying the first and seventh race slot on the program.

The first division will find two of last weeks three Horowitz victors squaring off with Gear Upn Go Moe doing battle with Northbrook Ron, while the second division is headed by last weeks coast-to-coast victor Frisky Pedro.

Mandatory payouts, low takeout wagers

In addition to the three low-takeout wagers, there will be mandatory payouts for all bets on Sunday evening.

The three reduced 16% takeout wagers are the 20-cent early and late Pick 5 and the 20-cent Pick 4, with a $25,000-guaranteed pool on the latter.

To provide some idea of the value attached, last Sundays 20-cent Pick 5 returned a healthy $1,575, despite the fact that the sequence featured a 1-9 favourite in Joe Lighthill Trot hero Pridecrest and even-money Northbrook Ron, who accounted for one of the Alan Horowitz Memorial eliminations.

Happy Holidays from Cal Expo! Live harness Racing resumes Sunday, December 26.

(Cal Expo)
Some observers took the consultations to mean that Oregon is seeking a legal way of dropping the investment.

NSOs big investor, the State of Oregon retirement fund ... has developed cold feet, tweeted John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher of Citizen Lab, which is based at the University of Toronto and has investigated deployment of the Pegasus spyware and whom it targeted.

He said it appears that Oregon is looking for the exit.

Read and fellow members of the Oregon Investment Council recently told leaders of the Legislature that state law specifies investments must make the moneys as productive as possible.

When we exit investments, we do so for performance reasons, not political or personal ones, Read and four other members of the OIC wrote in their Oct. 25 letter.

Bates pointed out that Oregon is a limited partner in private equity fund investments and consequently doesn't participate in how such a fund does its business once an investment is made, but is deeply disturbed by reports about developments concerning NSO Group.
Having a strong AG is really at the top of the list of things that are really important at this time, right now, he said. ...The need is there.

He cited a leadership style of good communication, strong understanding, trying to treat people with respect as traits that will benefit him as the states attorney general.

Ive found one of the things that drew me into politics in the first place  I felt there was room for my voice, he said.

As a legislator, he said, he has shown that he is willing to take unique positions on issues, including passage of LB 616, a bill that allowed build-finance of construction for roads, highways and bridges in the state, accelerating construction of large, high priority projects like Lincolns South Beltway. Another bill, LB 1119, created a direct primary care pilot program for the states health insurance program, giving employees more choices in health care.

During his travels across the state this week, he said, his focus has been on getting out to as many communities as he could. Visits included stops in the Panhandle communities of Alliance, Chadron and Sidney.
She also said she was concerned about the states academic proficiency. The states Department of Education released these reports earlier this month. They show that only 48% of Nebraska students are proficient in language arts and just 46% are proficient in mathematics.

From parents to educators, local school boards to superintendents, people are very concerned about the direction of education in Nebraska, Tegtmeier said. ...Theyre the ones who understand best what the (students) needs are. I want to be a representative who is listening to her constituents. I think thats the key.

With experience educating in private schools, public schools, and a homeschool setting, Tegtmeier said she could connect with constituents who employ any of these education methods.

They know best what their community needs, she said, adding that people in District 7 want more local control over educational matters.

She said she has focused many of her campaigns issues based on what potential constituents in these fields have told her about.
Security researchers said they found malware on the Apple iPhone of Egyptian dissident Ayman Nour.

Security researchers said Thursday they found two kinds of commercial malware on the Apple iPhone of a leading exiled Egyptian dissident, providing new evidence of the depth and diversity of the abusive hacker-for-hire industry. One piece of malware recently found on an iPhone belonging to Ayman Nour, a dissident and 2005 Egyptian presidential candidate who subsequently spent three years in jail, originated with the increasingly embattled NSO Group of Israel. That company was recently blacklisted by Washington. The other was from a company called Cytrox, which also has Israeli ties. This was the first documentation of a hack by Cytrox, a little-known NSO Group rival.

The spyware was uncovered by digital sleuths at the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab, who said two different governments hired the competing mercenaries to hack Nour's iPhone. Both instances of malware were simultaneously active on the phone, investigators said after examining its logs. The researchers said they traced the Cytrox hack to Egypt but didn't know who was behind the NSO Group infection.

The researchers said in a report that the intrusions highlight how hacking civil society transcends any specific mercenary spyware company.

In detailing the Cytrox infection, the researchers said they found the phone of a second Egyptian exile, who asked not to be identified, also hacked with Cytrox's Predator malware. But the bigger discovery, in a joint probe with Facebook, was that Cytrox has customers in countries beyond Egypt including Armenia, Greece, Indonesia, Madagascar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia.

Facebook's owner, Meta, announced on Thursday a flurry of takedowns of accounts affiliated with seven surveillance-for-hire firms  including Cytrox  and notified about 50,000 people in more than 100 countries including journalists, dissidents and clergy who may have been targeted by them. It said it deleted about 300 Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to Cytrox, which appears to operate out of North Macedonia.

Cytrox's last known CEO, Ivo Malinkovski, could not be located for comment. He scrubbed his LinkedIn page earlier this month to remove mention of his Cytrox affiliation -- though a coffee mug with the company name was in his profile photo. The business intelligence website Crunchbase says Cytrox was founded in a Tel Aviv suburb in 2017.

Citizen Lab researcher Bill Marzak said investigators found the malware on Nour's iPhone after it was running hot in June. He said the Cytrox malware appears to pull the same tricks as NSO Group's Pegasus product  in particular, turning a smartphone into an eavesdropping device and siphoning out its vital data. One captured module records all sides of a live conversation, he said.

Nour said in an interview from Turkey that he was not surprised by the discovery, as he's sure he has been under Egyptian surveillance for years. Nour said he suspected Egyptian military intelligence in the Cytrox hack. An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman did not respond to calls and texts requesting comment.

Cytrox was part of a shadowy alliance of surveillance tech companies known as Intellexa that was formed to compete with NSO Group. Founded in 2019 by a former Israeli military officer and entrepreneur named Tal Dilian, Intellexa includes companies that have run afoul of authorities in various countries for alleged abuses.

Four executives of one such firm, Nexa Technologies, were charged in France this year for complicity of torture in Libya while criminal charges were filed against three company executives for complicity of torture and enforced disappearance in Egypt. The company allegedly sold spy tech to Libya in 2007 and to Egypt in 2014.

On its website, Intellexa describes itself as EU-based and regulated, with six sites and R&D labs throughout Europe, but lists no address. Its web page is vague about its offerings, although as recently as October it said that in addition to covert mass collection" it provides systems to access target devices and networks via Wi-Fi and wireless networks. Intellexa said its tools are used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies against terrorists and crimes including financial fraud.

The Associated Press left messages for Dilian and also tried to reach Intellexa through a form on its website, but received no response.

In addition to his involvement in Intellexa, Dilian ran afoul of authorities in Cyprus in 2019 after showing off a spy van there to a Forbes reporter. His company was reportedly fined $1 million as result. He also founded and later sold to NSO Group a company called Circle Technologies, which geolocated cellphones.

The hacker-for-hire industry is facing increased scrutiny as well as regulatory and legal pressure. That includes a call by a group of U.S. lawmakers this week to sanction NSO Group, Nexa and their top executives.

The Biden administration last month added NSO Group and another Israeli firm, Candiru, to a blacklist that bars U.S. companies from providing them with technology. And Apple announced last month that it was suing NSO Group, with the tech giant calling the company's employees amoral 21st century mercenaries. Facebook sued NSO Group in 2019 for allegedly violating its WhatsApp messenger app.

Earlier this month, Israel's Defense Ministry said it was tightening oversight over cybersecurity exports to prevent abuse.

Citzen Lab researchers, who have been tracking NSO Group exploits since 2015, are skeptical. If NSO Group were to disappear tomorrow, competitors could step in without missing a beat with off-the-shelf replacement spyware, they say.

The firms targeted by Facebook in the takedowns announced Thursday included four Israeli companies: Cobwebs, Cognyte, Black Cube, and Bluehawk CI, as well India-based BellTroX and an unknown organisation in China. They provide a variety of different kinds of surveillance activity, ranging from simple intelligence collection through fake accounts to wholesale intrusion.

Nour urged international action against hacker-for-hire firms, whether it comes from Israel or anywhere else. In the end, the biggest problem is those who use these digital monsters to eat and kill innocent people. That includes nonviolent activists and journalists including Nour's late friend, Jamal Khashoggi.

The Saudi journalist was slain in 2018 at his country's Istanbul consulate and is also believed to have been targeted by phone-surveillance software.
A SpaceX rocket carried 52 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from California early Saturday.

A SpaceX rocket carried 52 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from California early Saturday. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from coastal Vandenberg Space Force Base at 4:41 am and arced over the Pacific. The Falcon's first stage returned and landed on a SpaceX droneship in the ocean. It was the 11th launch and recovery of the stage.

The second stage continued into orbit and deployment of the satellites was confirmed, said launch commentator Youmei Zhou at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California.

Starlink is a satellite-based global internet system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring internet access to underserved areas of the world.

Saturday's mission was the 34th launch for Starlink, a constellation of nearly 2,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.

SpaceX also was scheduled to launch a Turkish communications satellite from Florida at 10:58 pm EST Saturday.

Musk Wants SpaceX to Turn CO2 From Atmosphere Into Rocket Fuel

(Bloomberg) Billionaire Elon Musk is pushing ahead with an attempt to utilize emissions contributing to climate change, tweeting that his rocket company will launch a program to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and use it to power spacecraft.

The chairman and chief executive officer of Space Exploration Technologies Corp., Musk announced the project on Dec. 13, shortly after being named Person of the Year by Time magazine.

SpaceX is starting a program to take CO2 out of atmosphere & turn it into rocket fuel, he tweeted. Using carbon dioxide to power space travel will also be important for Mars, he added in a subsequent missive.

Musks proposal quickly met with skepticism from some of his Twitter followers, who cast doubt on its viability.

SpaceX, which has become a go-to provider of launch services for customers such as NASA, is developing rockets for deep-space travel that could send humans to Mars. Musk told an interviewer last year that he was confident a crewed mission to the red planet could take place in 2026.

Musk, the worlds richest man thanks to the popularity of his electric-vehicle maker, Tesla Inc., said in January he would donate $100 million toward a prize for the best carbon-capture technology.

The new initiative to make rocket fuel would rely on a type of technology, direct air capture (DAC), still in its early stages of development. The worlds largest DAC plant, a facility in Iceland, began operation in September and will take 4,000 tons annually from the air, about double the worlds previous DAC capacity.

Musk has used his Twitter account before for statements that appear on first glance to be impulsive or trolling. He announced via a tweet last week that he was considering giving up his jobs and becoming an influencer full-time.

Last month, he taunted Senator Bernie Sanders, 80, after the Vermont independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats reiterated his call for the wealthy to pay more in taxes.

I keep forgetting that youre alive, the billionaire tweeted at the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.

Musk has been offloading part of his stake in Tesla, selling $906.5 million of the companys shares in his most-recent transaction, according to regulatory filings dated Monday.

Tesla shares have slumped 21% since Musk pledged on Twitter to dispose of 10% of his stake in early November.
Elizabeth Holmes (L), founder and former CEO of blood testing company Theranos, is seen at the courthouse at her fraud trial in San Jose, California in September 2021.

Jurors late Friday began deliberating whether fallen Silicon Valley star Elizabeth Holmes conned investors or earnestly believed the technology used by her blood-testing startup could revolutionize the industry.

After more than three months of testimony, during which Holmes testified in her own defense, the panel of four women and eight men was sent to mull whether she is guilty of fraud charges that could send her to prison for years.

Jurors went home in the evening and will resume deliberations next week.

During closing arguments, prosecutors accused Holmes of choosing "fraud over failure," lying to investors and patients as her technology fizzled and cash ran low.

Holmes's lawyer Kevin Downey countered that Holmes truly believed in her invention, and was on the cusp of realizing her dreamof doing a wide range of blood tests with just a few drops of bloodwhen the startup sank.

"First sign of trouble, crooks cash out, criminals cover up and rats flee a sinking ship," Downey told jurors, pointing out that Holmes worked until the end to salvage the startup and never sold any shares in the company.

"She went down with that ship when it went down," Downey said.

Holmes potentially faces years in prison if convicted on allegations she defrauded investors and clients of her once-hyped firm Theranos, which collapsed after it was revealed the machines did not work as promised.

The high-profile case has drawn intense media attention and posed questions about how far startups can bend the truth.

Holmes launched Theranos in 2003 at age 19, eventually promising self-service testing machines that could run an analytical gamut cheaply and on just a few drops of blooda pledge shattered under fraud allegations.

In many ways, Holmes fit the stereotypical image of a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, from her dark-colored turtleneck sweaters that evoked tech legend Steve Jobs to her dropping out of California's elite Stanford University.

Explore further US prosecutors argue Theranos founder chose fraud over failure

 2021 AFP
Additionally, because the intent of PSP was to enable passenger air carriers to resume their pre-pandemic operations and to ensure employees would not be laid off, your decision appears to violate the spirit if not the letter of the law as well as the promises your industry made to Congress when it came begging for Federal assistance, the letter stated.

Six questions were asked about Uniteds decision; one asking if United alerted College Station or Killeen about the possibility they might lose air service in the future if enplanements or load factors did not improve? If so, when and what was the outcome of those discussions?

Sessions said in a statement that locals deserve an answer to this situation.

Central Texans deserve information as to the circumstances and rationale behind Uniteds decision to stop flights out of Killeen and College Station. I am greatly disappointed in this decision as United received $10.9 billion in CARES Act grants in 2020, and now they are creating unnecessary challenges for local residents and businesses, Sessions said. Just as travel is starting to bounce back, Uniteds termination from local airports countrywide does not sit well with me. I look forward to receiving thoughtful answers from Mr. Kirby.
The capital murder conviction for College Station death row inmate Gabriel Hall was upheld by an appeals court last week.

Hall, now 28, was convicted in 2015 of murdering retired Texas A&M University professor Edwin Shaar and stabbing Shaars wife, Linda, at their College Station home in October 2011. Hall was an 18-year-old student at A&M Consolidated High School at the time of the murder.

Because of the death sentence, the case, which was tried in the 272nd District Court in Brazos County, was automatically appealed to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, and Halls defense team raised 15 points, including that evidence was insufficient to support the jurys decision that Hall posed a future threat to the community.

In a 47-page ruling issued Dec. 8, the court concluded that the defense attorneys points were without merit. The defense team has filed a motion for the court to reconsider, according to the Brazos County District Attorneys Office, which declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing appeals process.

Defense attorneys working on the case did not respond to requests for comment.
What kind of man  or teenage boy, for all we know  kills a young father in front of his children? Is that some sadistic idea that came from a video game, or did the shooter think of that on his own?

I need to go over this to make sure Ive not become numb to the incessant news of violence in Baltimore, as the seventh straight year of 300-plus homicides comes to a close.

According to police, some hooded and masked thug walked up to 34-year-old Jake Rogers last Thursday morning and shot him while Rogers was helping his three children into a minivan in front of his house in the Waltherson neighborhood. A neighbor heard gunshots and children screaming.

Imagine the effect this will have on those kids  seeing their father shot, then falling dead on the front lawn.

Guns are everywhere  in the hands of the angry and the violent, the stupid and the cruel, the mentally ill and the suicidal. Guns are in the hands of calculating killers and impulsive idiots.

I keep thinking of those three children.
The issues with Log4j continued to stack up as the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) on Friday rolled out yet another patch  version 2.17.0  for the widely used logging library that could be exploited by malicious actors to stage a denial-of-service (DoS) attack.

Tracked as CVE-2021-45105 (CVSS score: 7.5), the new vulnerability affects all versions of the tool from 2.0-beta9 to 2.16.0, which the open-source nonprofit shipped earlier this week to remediate a second flaw that could result in remote code execution (CVE-2021-45046), which, in turn, stemmed from an "incomplete" fix for CVE-2021-44228, otherwise called the Log4Shell vulnerability.

"Apache Log4j2 versions 2.0-alpha1 through 2.16.0 did not protect from uncontrolled recursion from self-referential lookups," the ASF explained in a revised advisory. "When the logging configuration uses a non-default Pattern Layout with a Context Lookup (for example, $${ctx:loginId}), attackers with control over Thread Context Map (MDC) input data can craft malicious input data that contains a recursive lookup, resulting in a StackOverflowError that will terminate the process."

Hideki Okamoto of Akamai Technologies and an anonymous vulnerability researcher have been credited with reporting the flaw. Log4j versions 1.x, however, are not affected by CVE-2021-45105.

It's worth pointing out that the severity score of CVE-2021-45046, originally classified as a DoS bug, has since been revised from 3.7 to 9.0, to reflect the fact that an attacker could abuse the vulnerability to send a specially crafted string that leads to "information leak and remote code execution in some environments and local code execution in all environments," corroborating a previous report from security researchers at Praetorian.

The project maintainers also noted that Log4j versions 1.x have reached end of life and are no longer supported, and that security flaws uncovered in the utility after August 2015 will not be fixed, urging users to upgrade to Log4j 2 to get the latest fixes.

The fixes are the latest in what's a highly dynamic situation as the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an emergency directive mandating federal civilian departments and agencies to immediately patch their internet-facing systems for the Apache Log4j vulnerabilities by December 23, 2021, citing that the weaknesses pose an "unacceptable risk."

The development also comes as the Log4j flaws have emerged as a lucrative attack vector and a focal point for exploitation by multiple threat actors, including nation-backed hackers from the likes of China, Iran, North Korea, and Turkey as well as the Conti ransomware gang, to carry out an array of follow-on malicious activities. This marks the first time the vulnerability has come under the radar of a sophisticated crimeware cartel.

"The current exploitation led to multiple use cases through which the Conti group tested the possibilities of utilizing the Log4j 2 exploit," AdvIntel researchers said. "the criminals pursued targeting specific vulnerable Log4j 2 VMware vCenter [servers] for lateral movement directly from the compromised network resulting in vCenter access affecting U.S. and European victim networks from the pre-existent Cobalt Strike sessions."

Among the others to leverage the bug are cryptocurrency miners, botnets, remote access trojans, initial access brokers, and a new ransomware strain called Khonsari. Israeli security firm Check Point said it recorded over 3.7 million exploitation attempts to date, with 46% of those intrusions made by known malicious groups.
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered an entirely new attack vector that enables adversaries to exploit the Log4Shell vulnerability on servers locally by using a JavaScript WebSocket connection.

"This newly-discovered attack vector means that anyone with a vulnerable Log4j version on their machine or local private network can browse a website and potentially trigger the vulnerability," Matthew Warner, CTO of Blumira, said. "At this point, there is no proof of active exploitation. This vector significantly expands the attack surface and can impact services even running as localhost which were not exposed to any network."

WebSockets allow for two-way communications between a web browser (or other client application) and a server, unlike HTTP, which is unidirectional where the client sends the request and the server sends the response.

While the issue can be resolved by updating all local development and internet-facing environments to Log4j 2.16.0, Apache on Friday rolled out version 2.17.0, which remediates a denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability tracked as CVE-2021-45105 (CVSS score: 7.5), making it the third Log 4j2 flaw to come to light after CVE-2021-45046 and CVE-2021-44228.

The complete list of flaws discovered to date in the logging framework after the original Log4Shell remote code execution bug was disclosed is as follows 

CVE-2021-44228 (CVSS score: 10.0) - A remote code execution vulnerability affecting Log4j versions from 2.0-beta9 to 2.14.1 (Fixed in version 2.15.0)

(CVSS score: 10.0) - A remote code execution vulnerability affecting Log4j versions from 2.0-beta9 to 2.14.1 (Fixed in version 2.15.0) CVE-2021-45046 (CVSS score: 9.0) - An information leak and remote code execution vulnerability affecting Log4j versions from 2.0-beta9 to 2.15.0, excluding 2.12.2 (Fixed in version 2.16.0)

(CVSS score: 9.0) - An information leak and remote code execution vulnerability affecting Log4j versions from 2.0-beta9 to 2.15.0, excluding 2.12.2 (Fixed in version 2.16.0) CVE-2021-45105 (CVSS score: 7.5) - A denial-of-service vulnerability affecting Log4j versions from 2.0-beta9 to 2.16.0 (Fixed in version 2.17.0)

(CVSS score: 7.5) - A denial-of-service vulnerability affecting Log4j versions from 2.0-beta9 to 2.16.0 (Fixed in version 2.17.0) CVE-2021-4104 (CVSS score: 8.1) - An untrusted deserialization flaw affecting Log4j version 1.2 (No fix available; Upgrade to version 2.17.0)

"We shouldn't be surprised that additional vulnerabilities were discovered in Log4j given the additional specific focus on the library," Jake Williams, CTO and co-founder of incident response firm BreachQuest, said. "Similar to Log4j, this summer the original PrintNightmare vulnerability disclosure led to the discovery of multiple additional distinct vulnerabilities. The discovery of additional vulnerabilities in Log4j shouldn't cause concern about the security of log4j itself. If anything, Log4j is more secure because of the additional attention paid by researchers."

The latest development comes as a number of threat actors have piled on the Log4j flaws to mount a variety of attacks, including ransomware infections involving the Russia-based Conti group and a new ransomware strain named Khonsari. What's more, the Log4j remote code execution flaw has also opened the door to a third ransomware family known as TellYouThePass that's being used in attacks against Windows and Linux devices, according to researchers from Sangfor and Curated Intel.

Bitdefender Honeypots Signal Active Log4Shell 0-Day Attacks Underway

The easily exploited, ubiquitous vulnerability, aside from spawning as many as 60 variations, has presented a perfect window of opportunity for adversaries, with Romanian cybersecurity firm Bitdefender noting that more than 50% of the attacks are leveraging the Tor anonymity service to mask their true origins.

"In other words, threat actors exploiting Log4j are routing their attacks through machines that are closer to their intended targets and just because we don't see countries commonly associated with cybersecurity threats at the top of the list does not mean that attacks did not originate there," Martin Zugec, technical solutions director at Bitdefender, said.

According to telemetry data collected between December 11 and December 15, Germany and the U.S. alone accounted for 60% of all the exploitation attempts. The most common attack targets during the observation period were the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Romania, Germany, Australia, France, the Netherlands, Brazil, and Italy.

Google: Over 35,000 Java Packages Affected by the Log4j Flaw

The development also coincides with an analysis from Google's Open Source Insights Team, which found that roughly 35,863 Java packages  accounting for over 8% of the Maven Central repository  use vulnerable versions of the Apache Log4j library. Of the affected artifacts, only around 7,000 packages have a direct dependency on Log4j.

"User's lack of visibility into their dependencies and transitive dependencies has made patching difficult; it has also made it difficult to determine the full blast radius of this vulnerability," Google's James Wetter and Nicky Ringland said. But on the positive side of things, 2,620 of the impacted packages have already been fixed less than a week after disclosure.

"There will likely be some time before we understand the full fallout of the log4j vulnerability, but only because it's embedded in so much software," Williams said. "This has nothing to do with threat actor malware. It has to do with the difficulty in finding the myriad places the library is embedded. The vulnerability itself will provide initial access for threat actors who will later perform privilege escalation and lateral movement  that's where the real risk is."
Asked about his desire for the job, Hilgers said, the American system works when we have a strong rule of law and a constitutional system thats respected.

During the last 10 years, and maybe even a little bit longer than that, those two things have been under threat, which is affecting Nebraska families and companies in really significant ways, especially through the federal government and its overreach.

When youre running to protect the rule of law and the Constitution, you have to first address where those threats are coming from, and right now thats the federal government, he said.

Just in the last several months, Americans have seen a federal government acting in a way that he hasnt seen in his lifetime, he said.

The Biden administration has experienced three court losses in trying to enforce vaccine mandates, he noted. Federal officials have an eviction moratorium which they admitted was probably unconstitutional, and they continue to enforce it.

Battles such as those must be fought in courtrooms, he said, where he has good experience.

Hilgers promises to support and defend, rather than defund, law enforcement,
I think weve done all that we can reasonably do to make that a supportable and defensible request, he said.

Infrastructure must be the first priority for the long-term plan, Ogg said.

Its unreasonable to expect new construction unless we can take care of what weve got and where were at, he said. Step one is, hopefully, improvement of the infrastructure.

Ogg said he was excited to have a plan completed.

Some things are wants and reaches that are not financially sustainable or supportable, and thats why we hired a professional to ascertain and rank some of those, he said.

Ogg applauded the effort to prepare the master plan.

As we went into the process I think one of the greatest opportunities for us all was to bring the community together around one table and visit openly and candidly about how can this facility best serve central Nebraska, he said. I think its important we use that momentum and that synergy going forward.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  All of the people reported missing in Kentucky after tornadoes swept through the state last weekend have been accounted for, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday.

Beshear hailed the report by state emergency management officials and said he hoped it meant that no additional people in Kentucky would be found dead from the storm.

How about a piece of good news today?" Beshear said at the beginning of a briefing Saturday on recovery efforts. Right now, missing persons based on this tornado event are at zero.

The Democratic governor said the 78 people killed in what he described as the most destructive tornado event in the state's history was still a huge number of Kentuckians to lose."

We mourn with their families, he said.

There was some confusion over the number of deaths, Beshear said, because his staff believes there have been 78 deaths, though state emergency management officials and the state health department put the current count at 75.

Beshear said officials were working to resolve the discrepancy and added, I hope they are right," referring to health and emergency management officials.
They fell in love with both each other and the floral business. Todd had started delivering flowers at Kearney Floral while a UNK student in 1975. After graduation, he turned down a job offer at a musical dinner theater in Denver to work at Kearney Floral. He stayed there, happily, for 46 years. When he and Lois married in 1982, it became her life, too.

Theres never been a day when I havent wanted to go into work, he said. We didnt say no to anything. There was no project beyond what we could do.

Planting the seeds

In his early years at Kearney Floral, Todd did planting, watering and transplanting. By 1980, he got into floral design and gradually began ordering flowers.

He and Lois purchased the business in 1990 when former owner Jack Erickson retired. Kearney Floral, founded in 1907, had been purchased by the Ericksons in 1924.

The Ericksons felt like we were family. We were honored to think they would entrust us with something that had been in their family over 66 years, Todd said.
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CARBONDALE  The Jackson County States Attorneys office is teaming up with volunteers in the community to offer free music lessons to teens and children in a new initiative to provide more opportunities to youth in the community.

States Attorney Joseph Cervantez announced the Ready to Play initiative on Friday at the Fields Apartment's Community Building.

Ready to Play Jackson County offers individual instruction for various instruments including: piano, cello, violin, guitar, trumpet and percussion at no cost to students, according to Cervantez.

Cervantez said there are a lot of great programs in the community already like those at the Dentmon Center and the Boys and Girls Club, but he noticed a gap when it came to music.

This isn't about saying that a violin or a piano is going to save the world. But one thing that does help is to make sure that kids have opportunities, Cervantez said. Because after all, it's about making sure the kids fall in love with something and have opportunities.

Cervantez said a Paul Simon Institute Intern, Francesca Birkett, was instrumental in starting the program and organizing it.

In addition to Birkett and volunteers in town who are teaching lessons, others in the community are stepping in to help.

Erica Willis, Manager and Regional Supervisor at the Fields Apartments Building has helped with the program and turned the community building into a music space and The Practice Pad, Sound Core, Mikes Music, Baldwin Piano & Organ Center, the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority and Shivelbine Music are all sponsors.

There is nothing more important than investing in resources that engage our youth and young adults. I have confidence that this program will provide another safe place for our youth and young adults to learn music, and to develop, Cervantez said in a news release. Meanwhile, its important that the community see the various community organizations come together and demonstrate that we all have one goal, to serve and meet the needs of our community.

The initial locations for the lessons are the Fields Apartments Community Building, the Eurma C. Hayes Center and the Dentmon Center, but Cervantez said he hopes to branch out to more locations.

Cervantez said the program is in need of volunteers, board members and instruments but they have a sustainable structure set up and are able to teach quite a few students.

We think that we can have quite a few kids involved at the same time. And we're gonna need help to grow the program, Cervantez said. We have the building blocks necessary to keep this program going, but we need help too.

For more about Ready 2 Play Jackson County, visit ready2playjacksoncounty.com. The website has information about how to volunteer, sign up for lessons, or get in contact with the program.

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CHICAGO - Nineteen aldermen signed on this week to a City Council resolution aimed at improving public restroom access in Chicago, a long-standing problem for residents, tourists, people experiencing homelessness and the medically vulnerable.

Ald. Daniel La Spata, 1st, pitched the resolution following a Tribune investigation finding that large swaths of Chicago have few or no publicly operated bathrooms.

What jumps out for most people is that this is related primarily to homelessness, but really its for all Chicagoans, La Spata said in an interview. Anyone whos out for a run, any parent whos out with their child  and had an emergency need and felt like they had no options, this is a resolution promoting a solution for you.

The measure, co-sponsored by Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, 33rd, calls on City Council to develop a plan to increase public restroom access. More than 20 organizations and state officials are also backing the resolution, including the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, Arab American Family Services and the Center on Halsted.

Tedd Peso, director of strategic partnerships at The Night Ministry, helped develop the resolution along with La Spatas office and said he hopes the pilot project will create more conversation around a serious personal and public health issue.

Access to public restrooms is critically important for people, for using the restroom, hand-washing, things like that, Peso said. Ive heard stories of folks who dont take medications that their doctors recommend because theyre not able to access public restrooms during the day.

Illinois Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Portage Park, who has signed on in support of the resolution, said she and the Jefferson Park Working Group on Homelessness saw firsthand the difference a public restroom can make in a high-need area when portable toilets appeared for little over a week near the Jefferson Park L stop earlier this year as part of a maintenance project.

People were getting off the bus and making a beeline to the restroom, LaPointe said. We got reports of people that were homeless saying, Wow this is amazing, I have what I need; I feel valued.

Local business owners shared positive feedback too, LaPointe said, and have since supported the working groups ongoing effort to bring a public bathroom to the area. A restroom pilot program could work well in a location like the Jefferson Park transit hub, she said.

We know there are parts of the city that would welcome this, LaPointe said.

The Tribune report, published in October, identified and mapped as many barrier-free public restrooms as possible. Most of the public restrooms are not open at night, and dozens close during the fall and winter months. Though the Chicago Transit Authority maintains roughly 250 restrooms, they are not open to members of the public.

Public urination and defecation is prohibited by a city ordinance, and Chicago police officers have issued more than 29,000 tickets for it since 2016, according to department data.

The lack of public restrooms is particularly problematic for the citys homeless population and those with medical needs that require urgent access to a restroom facility, though the problem can affect anyone using Chicagos public spaces.

La Spata said that though the resolution is not binding, he is optimistic it will lead to exploring various solutions used in other cities, like adding stand-alone restrooms and incentivizing businesses to offer access, as well as looking at funding that is already available to the city through homelessness support services.

It doesnt have to be a one-size-fits-all for meeting this need, as long as were looking seriously about how we do meet this need, La Spata said.

The matter was assigned Wednesday to the councils Committee on Health and Human Relations.

Other locales have made recent efforts to improve access to public restrooms through adding temporary or permanent toilet facilities. The city of Portland, Oregon, designed and installed several crime- and graffiti-resistant Portland Loo stand-alone restrooms. San Francisco developed a job training program employing attendants to monitor restrooms throughout the city in an effort to address complaints about public urination and defecation while reducing safety issues at the toilet facilities. Washington, D.C., is testing out a pilot program that would add two low-maintenance stand-alone public toilets that are open 24/7, as well as mimic a program in England that incentivizes businesses that open their restrooms to the public during business hours.

In Illinois, the last major successful effort to increase restroom access was a state law that went into effect in 2005. That law requires most businesses to allow individuals with medical issues like Crohns disease, colitis or pregnancy access to private restrooms.

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The former Illinois State Police Merit Board financial officer charged with theft and forgery for allegedly falsifying overtime reports is now being accused of falsely listing the agencys top lawyer as her treasurer in a campaign for a local office in Springfield.

Dan Dykstra, the boards chief legal counsel, asked the Illinois State Board of Elections this month to strike his name as treasurer from political action committee records filed by Jenny Thornley in her unsuccessful 2019 run for a seat on the Springfield convention center board

Though his signature is on the Thornley campaign paperwork, Dykstra wrote in a letter to the elections board that it appears Ms. Thornley used a signature stamp to affix my signature to the form.

The campaign filing that included what was represented as Dykstras signature states that willfully filing a false or incomplete statement of organization is subject to a civil penalty of at least $1,001 and up to $5,000.

Thornley, a volunteer in Gov. J.B. Pritzkers 2018 campaign for governor, was fired from the merit board last year.

She was charged in September with forgery, theft and official misconduct for allegedly padding her paycheck with extra overtime worth $10,513, records showed. She has pleaded not guilty.

In the indictment, Thornley is accused of stealing the money by allegedly forging documents purportedly signed by Jack Garcia, the merit boards boss at the time.

Carl Draper, Thornleys attorney, said he was unfamiliar with Thornleys campaign for the convention board or any of the paperwork connected to that campaign.

Draper said the campaign case is completely unrelated to the criminal charges she faces.

The Tribune reported earlier this month that, in addition to the criminal charges, Thornley is under scrutiny by Pritzker administration officials and the attorney generals office after she collected more than $71,000 in workers compensation and disability benefits tied to her unsubstantiated allegations of sexual assault.

As Garcia closed in on an internal investigation in January 2020 of Thornleys alleged overtime theft, she accused him of groping her in the agencys Springfield office, a charge he has denied.

Over the 2020 Super Bowl weekend, Thornley sent emails to top Pritzker aides and a text to the governors wife, M.K. Pritzker, for help in addressing the sexual misconduct allegations.

The first lady responded by saying she best not get involved and that Thornley should leave it up to state officials to review, according to emails the Tribune obtained.

An outside investigation led by former federal prosecutor Christina Egan deemed evidence sufficient to accuse Thornley of theft but insufficient to back her allegation that Garcia assaulted her. The outside investigation cost nearly $500,000, largely funded through court fees that go to the merit board.

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M.K. Pritzker was among donors to Thornleys failed 2019 bid for the convention center board, giving $500 in March 2019 to her low-budget campaign, according to campaign records.

The size of the first ladys donation is small when considering the many large contributions given by the billionaire Pritzker family over the years, but it is an example of how the Pritzkers often help people politically who have supported them, according to a governors spokeswoman.

Dykstra did not know until recently that Thornley had put his name down as treasurer of her political action committee on official state records, he said in an interview.

I was unaware that I was listed as her treasurer, and I never agreed to be her treasurer, he said. He made a similar statement in a Dec. 6 letter notifying state election officials of the apparent error.

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Journalists from around the country sat for hours last week in an otherwise empty Cook County courtroom, waiting for word from jurors cloistered in a back room deliberating actor Jussie Smolletts legal fate.

The jurors seemed to be silent. But it turns out their communications with the judge were just being kept from public view.

In a somewhat unusual move, Judge James Linn handled most questions posed by the jury behind the scenes, during animated phone discussions in his chambers with prosecutors and Smolletts defense and in the presence of a court reporter.

The move stood in stark contrast to the usual process at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, where juror questions and other important trial matters are nearly always addressed in open court, providing observers with some indication of how jurors might be processing the evidence.

The break from protocol was magnified because the Smollett trial was one of the most closely-watched Cook County cases in years, drawing nationwide attention because of the actors celebrity and in part because a lack of transparency in initial court proceedings led to widespread confusion and the emergence of conspiracy theories.

And it wasnt just questions from jurors that were handled behind closed doors, records show. At the beginning of the second week of the eight-day trial, prosecutors filed a petition to hold one of Smolletts attorneys in contempt  a move that was never even mentioned in open court.

The jury of six men and six women deliberated for about nine hours over two days before convicting Smollett last week on five out of six felony counts alleging he lied to police about being the victim of a hate crime attack.

As members of the media waited out the deliberations, attorneys from both sides could be seen periodically going back to Linns chambers, but they were barred from telling reporters what was discussed because of an agreement with the court not to speak to the media during the trial.

Smollett was not present during a Dec. 9 conference in Linns chambers because his attorneys waived his appearance, according to a transcript of the proceedings obtained by the Tribune.

And the questions were handled over the phone, apparently so as not to inconvenience the attorneys by making them come to the courtroom during the lengthy deliberations.

The record of talks between Linn and attorneys shows some extended legal sparring over jurors requests to see transcripts of testimony.

The transcript also clarifies Linns decision to let jurors access the entirety of Smolletts Good Morning America interview. That choice became the center of swirling rumors and incorrect information online after Smollett was found guilty  a murkiness that may have been avoided if it had been discussed out in the open.

The lawyers arent even in court because they have other things that they want to do, and the courts trying to work with the lawyers and let them be in their offices and take care of everything else that (theyre) responsible for, Linn said, according to the transcript.

Trial proceedings in Illinois must be open to the press and public unless a judge makes specific findings to the contrary, according to an overview of Illinois public-access law published by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

But jury questions might be a more gray area; one Illinois court has ruled that even the defendant does not have an absolute right to be present while attorneys discuss the jurys notes.

On the evening of Dec. 8, in their first hours of deliberations, the jurors sent a note asking to see a calendar that prosecutors had used as a demonstrative exhibit. That request was ultimately denied.

The next day, deliberations resumed about 9:15 a.m.; it is unclear when jurors sent Linn their next note, which requested police reports and the transcript of testimony from Officer Muhammad Baig. Baig testified early in the trial that he responded to a report of a battery in Streeterville one frigid night in January 2019 and met Smollett at his apartment with a noose around his neck.

Police reports are not considered to be evidence and were not sent back to jurors. Transcripts are often sent back to the jury room when available.

But two of Smolletts attorneys objected, saying they had never heard of giving jurors testimony transcripts and that it could misrepresent the witness actual testimony because it cant reflect the matters of demeanor, tone, and voice.

The discussion apparently grew animated. Twice the court reporter could not distinguish between different speakers, and had to transcribe that there was simultaneous crosstalk.

Linn ultimately gave jurors the transcript of Baigs testimony, saying it had been his regular practice to do so during his decades on the bench.

Im surprised that youve never experienced such a thing, he said. This is something that happens routinely. The jury asked for a transcript. If we have them, we give it to them. Ive done that every time.

Later on in the day, transcripts from two other witnesses, Chicago police detectives Kimberly Murray and Robert Graves, were also sent to jurors at their request over the defenses objections. Graves interviewed Smollett about two weeks after the attack; jurors ultimately acquitted Smollett on the charge of lying to Graves.

Also discussed in chambers Dec. 9 was Smolletts 2019 Good Morning America interview, portions of which were shown to jurors during the trial. Prosecutors had asked the day before that Linn send the full interview back to the jury room so jurors could view it; Linn denied the request, since only parts of the video had been played in court.

But Linn changed his mind after thinking about it further, he said, according to the transcript. The whole video had been properly entered into evidence, so all of it could be viewed by jurors. I think I was perhaps being too cautious yesterday, he said.

The defense objected strenuously. And word spread in the next few days among Smollett supporters on social media, with some accusing Linn of jury tampering, claiming incorrectly that he had given jurors the video without attorneys asking him to.

At the end of the in-chambers session, Linn told the attorneys that hed been advised by the court reporters that the Tribune was requesting a transcript of their discussion.

The judge agreed with attorneys for both sides that the transcript could be released because this is something that normally would be done in open court.

Then if they want to pay for transcripts from your office, youre welcome to give them transcripts, the judge said. The documents were made available at an expedited rate of $5.50 per page.

Another high-profile matter apparently resolved off the record was the petition by prosecutors to hold defense attorney Tamara Walker in contempt of court for violating an apparently unwritten agreement not to speak to the media before the verdict.

Walker had given the Tribune an interview about her allegations that Linn lunged at her during a sidebar huddle.

Nothing was said in open court about the motion; it was withdrawn Dec. 10, the day after the verdict was reached.

In their motion to withdraw the request, special prosecutors said they had conferred further with Smolletts attorneys and the court about the matter.

In light of that conference, and based on further discussion between the (office of the special prosecutor) and Ms. Walker, the OSP has elected not to proceed with the Contempt Petition, the motion stated.

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South Carolina State Universitys College of Business and Information Systems has been awarded a $366,000 U.S. Department of Education Business and International Education (BIE) grant.

The BIE grant is one of only 20 such awards this year to colleges and universities across the nation as part of a national grant competition. The grant awards $183,112 in new federal funds each year for two years, with a total two-year value of approximately $366,000.

Dr. David Jamison, associate professor of marketing, is the project director with Dr. Barbara Adams, dean of the college, as assistant project director.

The grant titled Expanding International Education in the Curriculum and Business Community, supports four primary activities:

The creation of a 15-credit-hour Certificate in International Business to include four new courses -- Export Management, International Supply Chain Management, International Business Internship, and A Global Business Environment multidisciplinary course.

The creation and delivery of training materials and resources for global export management and supply chain management for small businesses through the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub, Orangeburg Innovation Center, and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

The creation of a Global Business speaker series as part of the existing College of Business Executive Speaker Series.

The development of a student study abroad program with at least one foreign educational institution with financial support for business students participating in foreign travel experiences.

The College of Business will partner with the regional SBDC to provide international business workshops for small businesses and other community stakeholders.

Part of the College of Business' mission is to prepare students to compete in a global society, so we are excited that this grant will expand the globalization of our curriculum and provide students with study abroad opportunities to help them understand and experience the culture of another country, Adams said. The International Business Certificate, which will be open to all students across majors will provide additional credentials to make students more marketable in the global workplace.

It's also important that entrepreneurs and small businesses learn to engage in exporting and importing to maximize the growth of their businesses. In collaboration with our regional SBDC, this grant will assist in providing this service to the community, Adams said.

The Department of Education awarded the last round of BIE grants nearly 10 years ago. The program was suspended due to a series of budget reductions by the Department of Education. This years grants mark a return of the program and a renewed emphasis on the expansion of international business education among university business programs.

SC State is proud to be among this new cadre of grantees. While the grant is focused on developing the business curriculum, the entire university community is expected to benefit and is invited to participate in the activities that will be sponsored by the grant.

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The Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office is working to determine what led to the deaths of two males on Friday.

We've spent the night investigating what happened, Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a release.

We have two individuals, each appear to have at least one gunshot wound, he said.

Orangeburg County Sheriff's investigators received a call just after 5 p.m. Friday reporting two males were lying in a yard near the junction of Belleville Road and Coleman Avenue.

At this point no motive has been identified.

The names of the males have not been released. Autopsies have been scheduled for a later date.

If anyone has any information on the incident, they are urged to contact the sheriffs office at 803-534-3550 or Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

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Two young males are dead following a Friday evening shooting incident, Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office Maj. Rene Williams said.

The shooting occurred around 5:30 p.m. in the side yard of a Belleville Road home in Orangeburg. The home is at the intersection of Coleman Avenue.

Williams said deputies arrived at the scene within minutes.

The shooting doesnt appear to be random, but a motive hasnt been determined, Williams said.

No suspects are in custody in Fridays fatal shooting.

Three people have been shot to death in the Orangeburg area since Monday.

Richard Bull, 39, of St. Matthews, died Monday from a gunshot wound to his upper body on Stilton Road.

On Friday, the sheriffs office announced Robert Hayward, 42, of Malibu Drive, Orangeburg, is charged with murder in Bulls death. Hayward remains jailed, without bond, at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD.

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Visits by President Joe Biden and Congressman James E. Clyburn in Orangeburg on Friday are considered honors by former board members, Orangeburgs mayor and South Carolina State University alumni.

Regional Medical Center trustee Chairman the Rev. Dr. Caesar Richburg called their visits a historic moment especially for a sitting president to visit Orangeburg and particularly a sitting president that was remarkably supported by the county in his pursuit of being president.

Richburg was one of a few selected to attend a reception for Biden and House Majority Whip Clyburn at the Orangeburg Municipal Airport following the commencement service.

Richburg said he had a very brief conversation with Biden about concerns of Orangeburg becoming a medical desert between Charleston and Columbia, if we would lose RMC.

He noted Biden offered much expressions of interest and said his office would follow up the discussion with Richburg.

Richburg said RMC is doing well amidst the challenges were facing and all rural hospitals are facing.

Richburg said he mentioned to Biden the importance of rural health care.

We appreciate President Biden and Congressman Clyburn taking part in the commencement ceremony at S.C. State University, Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said.

It is a great honor to be able to host them at one of the states oldest and most historically significant Black institutions.

Not only has this been an honor for the City of Orangeburg and South Carolina State University, this is an experience todays graduates will never forget, Butler said.

It is not every day that the president of the United States speaks during your graduation. This will be a story for these graduates to tell their children and grandchildren, he said.

Butler said the devoted men and women serving on the City of Orangeburgs council appreciate this exposure for the city.

Butler noted that S.C. State is an important asset to the Orangeburg community, particularly highlighted by Bidens remarks about historically Black colleges and universities producing a significant portion of the workforce in the United States.

Its an honor to have the president of the United States on this campus and for his leadership, said former South Carolina State University board of trustees chairman Tony Grant of Columbia before he boarded a shuttle bus to the Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center for the graduation ceremony.

Grant served as board chairman from 1993 to 1997.

Its an incredible honor. If you look at the history of this institution, you look at providing education for people of color and you look at the leader of the free world on this campus, its just a great honor, Grant said.

And to see where the university has come and how weve grown and the number of graduates it has created and brought into society as contributing members of society, its an incredible honor, he said of Bidens visit.

Hamilton Grant, the son of Tony Grant and also a former S.C. State board member, said he was at Fridays commencement honoring all of the graduates and their accomplishments and then seeing what theyll do.

Obviously having Congressman Clyburn here is an amazing thing and having a sitting U.S. president come give the commencement is wonderful, not only for our students but for the state of South Carolina, Hamilton Grant said. He served as a board member from 2018 until this past January.

Hes a 2011 graduate of the university.

Cora Hunter, whos been working for 14 years at S.C. State in security and safety capacities, said Friday morning was an earlier-than-average workday for her.

She and others in security reported to the campus at 3 a.m.

For Hunter, her workdays as a campus police department dispatcher typically begin around 6 or 7 a.m., she said.

Even with the early start, It was exciting, she said, because we knew whats going to happen. The president is coming so we were very, very, very excited.

Its a very exciting day, it really is, she said, theres really no words to describe having the president of the United States visiting us.

Its very emotional; its very exciting, she said.

Hunter said its emotional because I never thought a president would actually come here.

She noted that then-Sen. Barack Obama visited the university back in 2007, but its just exciting President Biden is coming here, she said.

Connie Portee, a 2010 masters graduate of S.C. State, noted shes Just excited the presidents here.

Im here today because I really want to hear what he has to say to us and just to be here to see the graduates and also Clyburn, majority whip, Portee said.

After the commencement and Biden meeting with guests at the Orangeburg airport, he returned to the airport in Columbia via motorcade.

Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD

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South Carolina State University graduates celebrated their personal accomplishments while watching their alma mater make history on Friday.

President Joe Biden traveled to Orangeburg to address the graduates at S.C. State.

It was an amazing experience, graduate Sinia Hamilton said. It was the first time in history that our president came to our HBCU. I feel very proud to be a part of that history and to just have the pictures in my phone to show in the future.

I was really nervous, she continued. But Biden made me feel comfortable because he said a joke like every time you went up there.

The university had 138 graduates walk across the stage in the presence of the president, who also addressed the crowd.

Andrae Boyland of Texas, who earned a masters degree, appreciated Bidens discussion of issues the Black community faces.

I thought it was amazing for Biden to take time out of his busy schedule to come speak to us, she said. His presence shows his appreciation for HBCUs. It is an all-around historical moment for HBCUs.

Ashley Thompson, a mass communications graduate, said she loved the message of perseverance.

Our president shows he really knows what is going on in our community, Thompson said.

The thing that most resonated with me was the funding for HBCUs and the way to help get rid of voter suppression, she said. Voter suppression is something that has been going on for generations.

Engineering graduate Woodrow Moses described the commencement ceremony and Biden's visit as very legendary.

His command and his determination for us is to do better and keep pushing forward no matter how many obstacles may get in the way," Moses said.

Always just stand up and do what is best for you. Always go out and strive to be the best person you can possibly be, especially when it comes to voting, Moses said. A lot of people elect not to do it, but people don't realize our voice and our vote counts regardless of the situation.

Royal Clemonth, a psychology graduate, said the commencement ceremonies were very exciting and in some ways surreal.

I can't believe I have a picture with the president, she said.

The event was also about personal achievement.

Gabriel Thomas, who earned a bachelors degree in nuclear engineering, called graduation an exciting moment.

The road to get here has been long and very difficult. Its very exciting. Im glad to finally be here and walk across the stage and show my years of college have finally paid off, he said.

He was surprised Biden had time to visit.

He did speak on a lot of key issues we do face in America today, how we should have more Black doctors, more Black lawyers, more Black engineers, which I am one, he said.

Errica Bishop attended to see her son, Roderick, graduate. Hes a summa cum laude graduate, a presidential scholar and a part of the Emily England Clyburn Honors College. Hes also a legacy, following in the footsteps of his father.

Bishop said its absolutely wonderful that the president was able to speak to the graduates.

Hes definitely an advocate for the African American community and I do believe he will get the job done. I believe he has a plan in place for it to get done and I trust he has surrounded himself with the right people so he can achieve his goals, she said.

When asked how they felt upon graduating, Jazzmin Brown, Sidney Young and Sokhna Fall shouted out a number of words: "relieved, happy, excited, accomplished and proud of myself.

Young appreciated how Biden told students to keep on moving, to never give up and to keep on pursuing after South Carolina State University.

Mary Thompson, who is a 1960 graduate of S.C. State, saw her granddaughter graduate.

It is the most exciting time, Thompson said. Even if he didn't say anything but hello, she can tell her grandchildren that The president spoke at my commencement.

Henry Campbell, who graduated with a degree in business management, said Bidens speech was encouraging.

He very much told us what to do with our lives and told us how to carry ourselves and never forget where we come from, Campbell said.

It is very historic, Campbell continued. I don't think we could ever ask for any other better visitor.

Acting Speech Pathology and Audiology Chair Dr. Jessica Berry said Bidens visit puts South Carolina State University on the map.

Im so excited for our students that they got to sit in the presence of a sitting president who, honestly, was a stutterer and a lot of our speech pathology graduates get to work people just like him to make their lives better, she said.

She hopes the high-profile visitor draws others to the campus of S.C State and encourages them to be enrolled as students here.

It took work to make things just right for the visitors.

S.C. State Custodial Manager Malika Marshall said, Over the course of the week, weve been cleaning, making sure the facility here and other facilities are clean and in tip-top shape.

It is something I will always remember. Ive never gotten chance to go even near a president or anyone of this magnitude, so its absolutely amazing to be able to have a small part in making this an awesome occasion and getting to see him, she said.

State Sen. Vernon Stephens, D-Bowman, appreciated Bidens focus on reminding the graduates of their roots and the historical impact of HBCUs in America.

The challenge is for them to continue the legacy and this institution has been a vital part of that legacy, Stephens said.

While he does not remember his commencement speaker, he is sure the graduating class of 2021 will.

This is truly a historical moment for them to stand by a sitting president and to receive their college degree, Stephens said.

State Rep. Jerry Govan, D-Orangeburg, said it was a great day for S.C. State and for Orangeburg.

The town is excited. I have heard constituents call and saying How is he coming in? We want to stand by the road and wave. It is an exciting time for Orangeburg to have this kind of attention.

Students will remember Bidens appearance for the rest if their lives, he said.

It speaks volumes in terms of what it means to this institution, to its leadership and more importantly to why we serve in the first place to serve the students and the parents, he said.

T&D Managing Editor Gene Crider contributed to this report.

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Visits by President Joe Biden and Congressman James E. Clyburn in Orangeburg on Friday are considered honors by former board members, Orangebu
KITTERY, Maine (AP)  An African refugee collaborated on a children's book that draws from his experience growing up in Maine's largest city.

Terry Farish, of Kittery, wrote the book with OD Bonny, who provided the inspiration for A Feast for Joseph. It tells the story of a young refugee who adapts to a new life in Portland.

Despite finding a better life, Joseph still longs for the family and friends  and food  he left behind at a refugee camp.

He still has good friends there, so hes missing all the people, how they used to cook and the music, and thats what hes homesick for, Farish told WMTW-TV.

In the book, Joseph makes a friend and they cook an African feast that brings together the community.

I think friendship is one of the most important things to come from this book, but personally, for me my favorite is tradition and the food, said Bonny, whose family fled South Sudan. The family ended up at Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda before coming to Maine. Bonny has since moved to Nebraska.

After the two met in 2013, Bonny performed a rap he'd created about a young-adult novel Farish wrote about a Sudanese immigrant who settled in Maine, she told Seacoastonline.com.

The new book is aimed at elementary school-aged children. It was published in September by Toronto-based Groundwood Books.

It was illustrated by Canadian Ken Daley, himself the son of immigrants, who said the story about being homesick and the connection to culture and food resonated with him, as well. My parents emigrated from Dominica to Canada, so yes I drew on my family experience to help illustrate the story, he told The Associated Press.

Maine is the nation's whitest state, but it's home to a growing population of immigrants and refugees from Africa.

There is a population from Somalia that numbers more than 10,000, mostly based in Portland and in Lewiston. There have been significant numbers of immigrants from other African countries as well.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Ten people have died in Wyoming prisons in the last year, according to data from the Wyoming Department of Corrections.

Six of those deaths among incarcerated people were caused by COVID.

WDOC does not release the cause of death for people who die while in their care, out of concern for their medical privacy. It does perform autopsies on each deceased person to determine the cause, though the results are kept confidential.

Since December 2020, the state penitentiary in Rawlins and the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution have each reported two deaths related to COVID-19.

The honor farm in Riverton and the Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp in Newcastle have each reported one.

COVID-19 deaths

The first death in Wyoming prisons attributed to COVID-19 was reported on Jan. 22, after Wyoming spent most of the first year of the pandemic as one of just a handful of states without a prison COVID death.

The department confirmed that that first death was a male inmate who had been incarcerated at the Wyoming Honor Farm in Riverton prior to being hospitalized with the virus and dying on Dec. 22, 2020.

The second Wyoming prison death related to COVID was reported on Mar. 11, and its third on Mar. 27. After that, it was nearly eight months before the fourth was announced in mid-November.

Over the summer and early fall, state prisons saw very few to no cases across all facilities. Starting in mid-September, case numbers again began to rise, mirroring the rest of the state, as the delta variant took hold.

The three most recent COVID deaths in Wyoming prisons were confirmed in the last five weeks, between Nov. 18 and Dec. 16. While cases of coronavirus have trended down across the state during that period, cases in prisons  particularly WMCI and the state penitentiary  have spiked this fall and early winter.

The Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution experienced the largest COVID-19 surge in the states prisons to date starting in October. At its peak, one in three people incarcerated there were positive for the virus.

Much of the virus spread inside prison facilities may be attributed to low rates of vaccination among staff, department spokesperson Paul Martin said in the fall.

According to the most recent numbers available, around 40% of prison employees were fully vaccinated, at rates consistent at the time with the rest of the state. Among prison inmates, full vaccination rates reached as much as 64% by the end of July before dipping to 58% in the fall after some vaccinated people left the facilities.

Now, the state penitentiary is coming off of a spike in cases that saw roughly one in four residents there testing positive within a three-week period.

Ten deaths

Since this time last year, WDOC has reported the death of 10 people, all male, in its state prison facilities. Roughly 1,800 people are incarcerated across five facilities in the state, according to the most recent count.

The majority of the deaths, six of 10, came from people who had been incarcerated in Torrington. The facility is home to the states prison hospice program.

On Dec. 22, 2020, the department announced that Steven Newport, who was serving a five to seven year sentence at the Wyoming Honor Farm for drug charges, died that same day while hospitalized in Salt Lake City.

In February, WDOC reported that two people incarcerated at the Wyoming State Penitentiary  Stephen Green, 73, and Gary Belden, 67  died within one week of each other. Both Green and Belden had been at the Carbon County Hospital in Rawlins at the time of their deaths.

Green, serving a life sentence for attempted first-degree murder, died on Feb. 8. Belden had been incarcerated on charges of first-degree murder and sexual assault. According to the department, he died on Feb. 15.

Two people incarcerated at the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution died in the spring, and another four within a four-week period in the fall.

Clarence Hinckleys death was reported on Mar. 27, the day after the third COVID death was confirmed. He was 57, and was serving a five- to 12-year sentence for drug possession before being transported to Wyoming Medical Center prior to his death.

On May 29, the department announced the death of WMCI resident Bruce Leslie, a 57-year-old Casper native who was sentenced to life on a 1999 first-degree sexual assault invasion charge.

After several months without any deaths reported, on Oct. 4 WDOC confirmed that Jerry Tapp died four months after being sentenced for aggravated assault and battery. Tapp, 79, had been at the Community Hospital in Torrington, and was incarcerated at WMCI.

Two weeks later, the department confirmed the death of 71-year-old Desmond Triplett, serving time for second-degree sexual abuse of a minor before being transported to the Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff for treatment.

Roughly one week after that, the department announced that WMCI resident Harry Alford, 65, sentenced in North Dakota for first-degree murder, had died on Oct. 29 while at the North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley.

Frank Apodaca, who was being treated at the Torrington hospital, was confirmed dead on Nov. 5. He was 66, and had been convicted of third-degree sexual assault and intrusion in Laramie County.

The most recent death confirmed by the department came on Nov. 8, when Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp resident Chris Montoya died while at Wyoming Medical Center.

Follow city and crime reporter Ellen Gerst on Twitter at @ellengerst.

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The Federalist Papers, it has been said, constitute one of the most important works in the world of political science ever written in the history of the United States. There is little exaggeration, if any, in saying that that The Federalist is surpassed only by the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence as an iconic writing in our nations political history.

Authored by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, the 85 essays thoroughly explained the meaning of the Constitution proposed to Americans eager to know what delegates to the Constitutional Convention had produced in Philadelphia as a new national charter. The Federalist writings thus represented the matured conclusions of the framers of the Constitution.

Federalist 78, written by Hamilton, stands as one of the most penetrating essays of the entire lot. It leaves no doubt that the framers intended the federal judiciary to exercise the power of judicial review and pours the foundation for Chief Justice John Marshalls defense of it in the landmark case of Marbury v. Madison.

Hamiltons tightly knit paper represented a powerful response to critics of judicial review including, mostly prominently, New Yorks Robert Yates, writing under the pen name, Brutus. The Brutus-Hamilton exchange furnished informed delegates to the various state ratifying conventions with powerful confirmation that the Constitution did, indeed, boast the power of judicial review.

First and foremost, the fact that Yates, a delegate to the Convention, and a justice of the New York Supreme Court, wrote critically of the power of judicial review and warned of its abuses, confirmed the existence of judicial review. In his Letters of Brutus, Yates opposed judicial review, in part, because it would operate to a total subversion of the state judiciaries, if not to the legislative authority of the states, and because of the difficulty of removing federal judges from the bench through the power of impeachment.

Yates lamented the placement of the reviewing power in the hands of federal judges, including Supreme Court Justices. They are, he wrote, authorized by the Constitution to decide in the last resort what is the extent of the powers of Congress. He added, If, therefore, the legislature pass any laws inconsistent with the sense the judges put on the Constitution, they will declare it void; and therefore in this respect their power is superior to that of the legislature. Yatess greatest fear was that judges would impose their own biases, political and otherwise, in the interpretation of the Constitution.

Yatess confirmation of the availability of judicial review spared Hamilton from widespread accusations that the authority was his creation alone. However, Yatess attack on the exercise of judicial power, the possibility that it would be exercised arbitrarily, left Hamilton with the heavy burden of persuading readers that judges would not abuse their authority, and the lighter responsibility of explaining the theoretical implications of judicial review.

Hamilton famously wrote of the exercise of judicial power that judges have neither the power of the purse nor the power of the sword, leaving the judiciary in the dreaded position of being the least dangerous branch of government. As Hamilton observed, judges have the duty to give voice to the terms and commands of the Constitution. Judges, he cautioned, would not behave like legislators and give voice to their own preferences and biases. His critics could be forgiven for recalling that Hamilton, in 1778, had warned of the trackless imaginations of judges and their frequent abuses of power. For his part, Hamilton was complaining about English, not American, judges. Critics asked, however, if the differences were so great?

Students of the Constitution are indebted to Hamiltons scholarly explanation in Federalist 78 of the ways and means of the exercise of judicial review and his effective rebuttal of Yatess claim that its availability renders judges superior to the legislature.

Hamilton denied that the act of declaring a statute unconstitutional on grounds that it violated the Constitution established judicial supremacy. The ratification of the Constitution represents the will of the people, he explained, as does the passage of a statute by the representatives of the people. However, the approval of the Constitution represents a higher expression of the will of the people. Simply put, when the people ratify the Constitution, it is approving the content of a document that is clear and comprehensible to them. The expression of that will is grounded in greater certainty, and yielding more clarity, than that represented in a vote for legislators who, at the time of their election, have not made clear where they stand on issues that have yet to emerge and bills yet to be written.

When the Court, as explained in No.78, exercises judicial review and holds a legislative measure unconstitutional, it is not asserting judicial superiority over the legislature. Rather, it is simply upholding the superior expression of the will of the people, as reflected in the ratification of the Constitution, over the inferior expression of the will of the people seen in the election of representatives. As Hamilton observes, the Court is upholding the intention of the people to the intention of their agents.

In Federalist No. 78, Hamilton reproduced the conclusions of those who wrote the Constitution. The founders intended the federal courts to exercise the power of judicial review, which was first announced in Marbury v. Madison in 1803. But Hamiltons reply to Brutus that judges would not, in the course of constitutional interpretation, impose their own political preferences and biases, remains the subject of ongoing debate, one heightened in our time by cases that raise the prospect of judicial revision of constitutional principles and precedents.

David Adler, PHD, is a noted author who lectures nationally and internationally on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Presidential power. His scholarly writings have been cited by the US Supreme Court and lower courts by both Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress. Adlers column is supported in part through a grant from Wyoming Humanities funded by the Why it Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and funded by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Adler can be reached at david.adler@alturasinstitute.com

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It will soon cost you at least a dollar or two more to enjoy a Carib or Stag beer as bar owners say a price increase by Carib Brewery has left them with no other alternative but to charge customers more.

Carib Brewery, in a statement on Monday, announced a $1 retail price increase per bottle or can would apply to its Carib, Carib Pilsner, Stag, Carib Blue, Royal Extra Stout, Coors, Heineken, Guinness, Smirnoff Ice and Blue Moon products.
Two homes in Maraval which are occupied by businessman Adrian Scoon were searched yesterday 
Pima County made good on its promise to sue the city of Tucson over its plan to charge residents in some unincorporated areas more for their water.

The filing Friday in Pima County Superior Court argues that the citys new differential rates, which went into effect Dec. 1, are discriminatory, violate a state law requiring municipal utilities set rates that are just and reasonable, and violates the state constitutions prohibition on special laws. The law firm of Snell and Wilmer LLP was hired by the county to file the lawsuit, which names the city, Mayor Regina Romero, council members and City Manager Michael Ortega as defendants.

Pima County and the Board of Supervisors didnt want this, said board Chair Sharon Bronson in a news release. We spent a year asking and even pleading with the city not to do what should be clear to everyone is unfair, unreasonable and unconstitutional. We gave them ample proof that what they were doing was wrong and illegal. Yet the City Council did it anyway. We have no option left but to seek relief from the court and protect county taxpayers from this ill-considered and illegal action by the mayor and council.
Downtown Tucsons newest luxury apartment complex is open, commanding rents of up to more than $3,000 a month and interest from out-of-town transfers and locals alike.

Built on the site of the former La Placita Village, 110 S. Church Ave., the six-story The Flin complex by local developers HSL Properties Inc., is about 20% leased and has a waiting list for its coveted top-floor lofts. More than 120 units still await final touches before they are available for lease.

Named after the Flin family, the original operators of El Charro Cafe that operated there from 1935 to 1968, that building remains intact and has been split between a resident clubhouse and local coffee shop, Savaya Coffee Market, which will be open to the public next year.

The 245-unit complex has studios, one- , two- and three-bedroom units and seven lofts.

Rents range from $1,175 to $3,025 a month. Monthly add-ons include $95 per vehicle or $125 for two-space tandem parking and water and trash service from $70 to $100 a month, depending on size.

Pets are allowed for an additional $30 a month, up to two pets.

The units all have washers and dryers and varying sized patios.

La Plaza de la Mesilla, where the historic gazebo sits, remains a public space, and HSL placed metal luminaries next to it with cutout names of all the residents and businesses that were displaced when La Placita Village was built in the early 1970s as part of an urban renewal project that displaced hundreds of barrio residents and historic structures, said Omar Mireles, president of HSL Properties.

From a nod to the old to a touch of new, The Flin has a 23-seat movie theater, a two-story gymnasium with north-facing views and a rooftop gathering spot with grills and outdoor kitchen.

Downtown has come a long way

Tucson native Gary Kraft had been living downtown for a couple of years and eagerly awaiting The Flin to be finished.

He and his son, Carter, moved in at the end of October.

I love to just go out the front door and go walking somewhere, he said. I have a car but dont have to use it that often.

Kraft, who works at the federal courthouse, recalled when downtown was deserted in the 1990s and early 2000s.

I remember Hotel Congress in the 80s being a punk place and now its so sophisticated, he said. Ive been downtown almost two years now and think Im here for a while.

Engineer Patrick Sagman relocated from the Dallas area to work for a Tucson firm and was attracted to The Flin during his online search for apartments.

I liked the location and  that it was new  attracted me, he said. I like the movie theater, rooftop socializing and the gym.

He moved in at the end of October and it was his first visit to Tucson.

Tucson is beautiful, Sagman said. I enjoy hiking and the activities around the downtown area.

And, Im enjoying the food, too.

Rounding out the TCC block

Next door to The Flin, HSL owns the Hotel Arizona, which is undergoing a renovation to reopen as a Hyatt brand in 2023 and will round out the Tucson Convention Center block.

They will also build a senior living complex between the hotel and The Flin, with between 80 and 100 units in one- and two-bedroom models with a movie theater.

Last week the Rio Nuevo board unanimously approved HSLs requests for 150 parking spots dedicated to the future hotel in the garage behind the TCC Music Hall.

The board agreed there would be no charge for two years, after which each spot will cost $15 a day or the market rate at that time.

HSL expects to spend about $40 million on renovations for the hotel.

Details on the senior living complex brand or costs have not yet been announced.

Contact reporter Gabriela Rico at grico@tucson.com

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One, Chad McBroom, died in August of COVID-19. Two others died in November  Anibal Tony Perez and Martin Barrios. The agency did not verify the apparent cause of death, COVID-19, but instead referred to the deaths obliquely as being in the line of duty.

The agencys insistence on publicizing the deaths as on-duty, while obscuring the causes, feels like a return to the stigma that colored the earliest days of the pandemic. Its out of touch with the moment, when we must recognize reality and redouble our efforts.

None of us knows exactly how to get past the pandemic. If we did, wed be done by now.

But to help out the hospitals and minimize its effects, we at least have to acknowledge its back. Then, we can use experience to give us some cause for hope.

Experience tells us what works to keep us at least from not getting hospitalized, if not from getting sick. Get vaccinated and boosted, wear a mask indoors, keep physical distance, improve filters on indoor ventilation, get in good physical condition.
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP)  Time is of the essence for the Salvation Army in New Mexico now that the Grinch has thrown a wrench into the group's holiday toy program.

A van loaded with $6,000 worth of toys set to be passed out to hundreds of children was stolen this week from a store parking lot in Farmington.

It is a pretty Grinch-like thing to do," Farmington police spokesperson Nicole Brown told the Farmington Daily Times.

Brown said a detective conducted interviews following Tuesday's theft and the investigation is ongoing.

Farmington police reached out via Facebook for the publics help in finding the white minivan.

Shock, disbelief, just how somebody could do that  especially in a marked vehicle, taking gifts for children, Lt. Christopher Rockwell with the Salvation Army Farmington Corps told KOB-TV.
A nonprofit that oversees three Tulsa career schools has bought the campuses real estate for $35 million, a broker said.

Community HigherEd, which owns and operates Community Care College, Oklahoma Technical College and Clary Sage College, purchased the institutions land and buildings from Teresa Knox, president of Hickory House Properties LLC, founder and former head of the schools, said Jim Stephens, who handled the transaction for both parties.

We have been in business for about 27 years, and weve been renting these spaces, Polly Agarwal, chief financial officer for Community HigherEd, said by phone. It was definitely an extraordinary opportunity that came along the way for all three colleges.

That is going to help us build some assets and community outreach, fundraising and being connected more to the philanthropists. This is a great move for all three colleges.

Community Care College, located on four acres in a three-story, 66,000-square-foot building at 4242 S. Sheridan Road, offers degrees in areas such as dental assisting, medical assisting, paralegal and business administration.
Ijames, who said he wrote the Taser policy for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, also testified that it was very unlikely Wright could have driven away had Potter actually used her Taser. That contradicted a prosecution use-of-force expert who testified earlier that using either a gun or a Taser on Wright would have made things worse because he could have been incapacitated and his vehicle could have become a weapon.

After Potter shot Wright, his car took off and crashed seconds later into an oncoming vehicle, hurting his passenger and someone in the other car.

Ijames said a Taser is the most effective tool to incapacitate someone when used properly, second only to a gunshot to the head. He also said officers had to assume that Wright very likely could have a gun because he had one in the past, and that it would have been a dereliction of duty for them not to have tried to arrest him.

But Ijames said deadly force is warranted if an officer is halfway inside a vehicle that is about to be put into drive. In Wrights case, two other officers were trying to get him out of the car when Potter shot him.
Drummond was a Republican candidate for state attorney general in 2018 and is seeking the office again in 2022.

He carried 55 of the states 77 counties but lost to eventual general election winner Mike Hunter by 271 votes out of nearly 300,000 cast in the 2018 GOP runoff election.

Drummond announced that he would seek the office again shortly after Hunter resigned from the office in May.

Court papers filed Friday indicate that the federal government has agreed to dismiss without prejudice  meaning the government could move to file again  its lawsuit against Drummond, the Drummond Ranch LLC and Drummond Cattle LLC. The latter plaintiff was added to the list of defendants in October 2019.

The government declined to elaborate as to why the case was dismissed without prejudice other than to say it served the ends of justice in this matter.

As part of the settlement papers, both parties agreed to pay their own attorney fees, while Drummond, Drummond Ranch LLC and Drummond Cattle LLC all agreed not to pursue legal action against the federal government for the filing or prosecution of this action.
Epics response was: `This is a farce; its inaccurate; a 36% error rate was admitted; its a work of fiction written by a former reporter; this is politics. Our team started doing the review  this was not a farce, said Clark.

Of the $307,000 calculation he said was made by Epics internal auditing team, Clark added: It is definitely an outlier when you look at the state auditors work over 15 months  the very fine, detailed work that they put in. Our review aligns with their work.

Campbell commented: I dont even know how to characterize that other than shocking. This is just shocking,  and the state auditor was dealing with a school that would not cooperate.

Ginger Casper, Epics board secretary, said, I think its appalling.

Epic Superintendent Bart Banfield said it should be noted that the school systems now-former internal auditor who did the work and reported the $300,000 was hired by the former management company.

Campbell closed the discussion with: We cant fight this. We owe this. The school did this. It was not us, but the entity did it. Now we have to determine what we are going to do about it.
Tom Colbert became the first black person to serve as chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court when he was sworn in on this day in 2013.
The faithless often keep a low profile even in African countries where laws against blasphemy and renouncing religion are not on the books or are rarely enforced, such as Malawi in southeast Africa.

Most of them, they hold their views in hiding simply because they are afraid of social consequences such as losing jobs or financial support from their parents, said Wonderful Mkhutche, president of the support group Humanists Malawi.

A former church deacon, Mkhutche began to question his Christian faith while pursuing a theology and religious studies degree. He continued to attend worship services for two years to keep up appearances, but stopped in 2013.

Earlier this year he self-published a book on humanism and politics in Malawi, arguing for the abandonment of government-sanctioned religious acts such as national prayers for good rains to help farmers. While his book attracted media attention, he said he is now forced to distribute it himself because many stores won't stock it.

Leo Igwe, who founded the Humanist Association of Nigeria and researches religion at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, agreed that nones pretending to be believers is common.
Thousands of disabled individuals across the country are forced to live in poverty due to the restrictive nature of Supplemental Security Income.

As a disabled student social worker, this issue hits close to home. For many people with disabilities, myself included, there is an underlying fear of the future. How will I support myself? Can I meet my own needs?

Well, the good news is that there is a government program to help: Supplemental Security Income. It was created to provide financial support for the elderly and disabled who cannot meet their basic needs on their own.

However, the SSI program doesnt provide enough assistance for its recipients to actually meet their needs. Benefits sit significantly below the poverty line. An SSI recipient cannot have more than $2,000 in assets at any time.

This means recipients cant save for emergencies or they risk losing all their benefits. A disabled person who chooses to get married may lose their benefits entirely. Disabled individuals still do not have marriage equality.
Vietnams Bamboo Airways has announced its regular direct air route connecting the Southeast Asian country with Australia at a launching ceremony held at the Melbourne International Airport on Friday.

Under its plan, the carrier will officially operate commercial flights on the direct route from early 2022 to link Vietnams southern business hub Ho Chi Minh City with Melbourne, the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria.

The initial operating frequency is two round trips per week but may be increased to four flights per week later, depending on the actual market demand.

The flights will help shorten the travel time between the two cities to around eight hours, saving up to eight hours compared to connecting flights.

Bamboo Airways is also considering launch of regular direct flights connecting Vietnams capital Hanoi with Melbourne.

Such flights will use Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, a type of modern, fuel-efficient wide-body aircraft with many utilities and services.

When the carrier conducts the first Vietnam - Australia direct flight early next month, it will become the first international airline to run a new route to Melbourne since the COVID-19 epidemic appeared.

Australia is the home to more than 300,000 Vietnamese, mainly concentrated in Melbourne and Sydney, the largest and most populous city of Australia.

In 2019, the arrivals of Australian visitors to Vietnam reached more than 383,000, just behind those from the U.S., Russia and some other Asian countries, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft of Bamboo Airways is seen at the Melbourne International Airport in Victoria, Australia. Photo: Bamboo Airways

We hope that coming regular direct flights will help optimize the benefits of passengers from both countries while substantially contributing to the promotion of bilateral cooperation in economy, culture, and people-to-people exchange, Nguyen Manh Quan, Bamboo Airways permanent deputy general director, said at the inaugural ceremony, where the carrier and the Melbourne Airport also signed a bilateral support agreement.

The direct route will mark a new and important step in the business ties between Bamboo Airways and the Melbourne Airport since the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in November 2019.

Victorian Trade Minister Martin Pakula said the new route "would support thousands of jobs in Melbourne's aviation industry and along the supply chain," the online West Australian newspaper reported.

Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Lorie Argus said she was proud to welcome a new international carrier while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the airports website.

Adding a new airline in the midst of a global pandemic is a testament to the strength of Melbournes tourism appeal, and our airports ability to handle passengers safely, she said.

Bamboo Airways said it has cooperated with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in testing the electronic health passport, IATA Travel Pass, which will be applied in international flights in the coming time.

Earlier in late September, Bamboo Airways launched direct flights between Vietnam and the U.S., before opening another direct route between Vietnam and the UK a month later.

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Many cheap Chinese vegetable and fruit products have been imported massively into Vietnam and overwhelmed the domestic market, with some of them being fraudulently labeled as Vietnamese items to help buyers earn big profits, a reportage by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper has shown.

Such low-priced imports, which have dominated both physical and virtual markets in Vietnam, include those of high demand during the coming Tet, or Lunar New Year, holiday, such as dried fruits and fruit jams, and vegetable products, like carrots, potatoes and onions.

Many e-commerce websites have recently drawn attention from consumers by offering dried green grapes originated from Ninh Thuan, a south-central Vietnamese province, for VND50,000 - 80,000 (US$2.2 - 3.5) per kilogram, much cheaper than normal market prices of the famous specialty.

Tuoi Tre reporters contacted a Hanoi-based trader via Facebook ads on Ninh Thuan raisin and was offered such products for VND60,000-70,000 ($2.6 - 3) per kilogram.

I assure you that my raisins are genuine Ninh Thuan ones. They are processed from seedless grapes and have trademarks and labels, the seller said.

Meanwhile, Pham Huu Nhat Kha, a grape grower in Ninh Thuan, commented that almost all grapes grown in the province are seedy varieties and taste a bit sour.

Meanwhile, the dried green grapes advertised online are seedless ones with a very sweet taste and thinner skin, which are typical characteristics of Chinese green grapes.

Tran Ai Nhu, representing Ninh Thuan-based Ba Moi Company, told Tuoi Tre that local farmers sell fresh green grapes for VND60,000 - 70,000 per kilogram depending on varieties, with the minimum price being more than VND30,000 ($1.3) per kilogram.

A computer screen shows raisin products of unknown origin put up for sale on a website. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

Usually, one kilogram of dried grapes is processed from five to eight kilograms of fresh grapes, the representative said.

Therefore, genuine Ninh Thuan raisins are often sold for at least VND200,000 ($8.7) per kilogram, while dried seedless grapes advertised as Ninh Thuan raisins are very likely to be Chinese imports, Nhu concluded.

Likewise, many kiwi jam products are offering for VND60,000 to VND120,000 ($5.2) per kilogram, with the sellers assuring that their products have been made from Vietnamese kiwi.

However, some dealers told Tuoi Tre reporters that this fruit cannot be grown in the Southeast Asian country.

In order to earn high profits, traders have falsely claimed Chinese fruit products not only as Vietnamese ones but also as those originated from the U.S. or Australia.

Along with fruit products, many vegetable items of Chinese origin have been falsely claimed as from Da Lat, a temperate climate city famous for vegetable cultivation in Vietnams Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

A trader of vegetables in Ho Chi Minh Citys Binh Thanh District admitted that almost of the carrots, onions and potatoes at his shop were of Chinese origin, but he still introduced them to buyers as Da Lat vegetables for higher profits.

I have to advertise my vegetables as Da Lat products since many consumers are usually afraid of Chinese commodities, the shops owner, called himself Dat, told Tuoi Tre reporters.

According to a representative of Hoc Mon wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh City, dozens of cheap Chinese farming commodities have been sent to this market in large quantities, such as purple cabbages, cauliflowers, green broccolis, carrots, yellow potatoes, and garlics.

Similarly, Thu Duc agricultural wholesale market has also seen a huge inflow of low-priced Chinese fruits such as persimmons, pears, yellow tangerines and red tangerines, seedless grapes.

As prices of many domestic agricultural products, especially those from Da Lat, usually pick up during the year-end, many traders of cheap Chinese farm produce have falsely labeled their products as Da Lat items to attract buyers, said Luu Duc Lap, director of Lam Dong-based Agri Duc Tien Co., Ltd.

Many Chinese farming products, like carrots, potatoes and cabbages, are priced at about VND10,000 ($0.43) lower than the same domestic products for each kilogram. Therefore, some dishonest traders have cheated clients for huge illegitimate profits, Lap said.

A representative of Shopee, an e-commerce platform, said that it has applied stricter control measures to suppliers while expanding customers interests and rights such as allowing them to return purchased items or giving them satisfactory compensation.

A Lazada representative also said that it has tightened regulations on the origin and quality of food and cosmetics sold on the platform, but many sellers have evaded the regulations by registering false information about products and their categories.

As online shopping has recently increased sharply due to the COVID-19 epidemic, especially during the pre-Tet period, market monitors could detect and handle a part of violations only, despite control activities having been strengthened, said Tran Huu Linh, general director of the General Department of Market Surveillance.

Next year, we will present to the government an anti-counterfeiting campaign in the e-commerce environment, with focus put on enhancing responsibilities of online trading floors and their suppliers to better product quality control, Linh said.

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Many families who call Cho Lon neighborhood home are putting their foot down and refusing to move out of apartments that have been attached to their families for decades, despite the governments relocation plan meant to send them to modern condo buildings.

Ho Chi Minh Citys Cho Lon neighborhood  the citys Chinatown  spans several blocks across Districts 5, 6 and 11. Though dozens of the units in the areas apartment blocks are inhabited by as many seven families, the residents of this historic area enjoy peaceful lives in the same place their families have called home for over a hundred years.

Now, a relocation plan being carried out by the government threatens to change that.

Decades of memories

Khong To Muoi, a 76-year-old retired grandmother who lives with her six children and many of her grandchildren in an apartment block on Tran Hung Dao Street in District 5, is proud that her familys legacy in the neighborhood dates back 111 years.

Though her unit is just under 30 square meters, over the years, her family has managed to find space to create four separate rooms on the ground floor and two additional rooms on a loft.

According to Tran Binh Phong, a public officer in Muois neighborhood, the apartment Muoi lives in was built in the 1910s by the Hoi Dinh Minh Huong Gia Thanh, an association established by a Chinese community.

The majority of the families in the apartment block are Chinese-Vietnamese.

When the block was first built, the residents of each floor all shared a single restroom. Then, after the government took over the ownership of the apartment blocks, the residents began renovating and building private toilets in their units.

Only one deserted public restroom remains, tucked away in a corner on the first floor near the stairs.

While residents of the block have lived peacefully for decades, a relocation plan announced in 2017 threatens to uproot the lives of the 119 residents who call the blocks 21 flats home.

With each apartment ranging in size from just 25 to 40 square meters, selling the units off to investors poses a challenge due to limited renovation options.

Ly Thi Mai, a resident of an apartment in the heart of Phung Hung Market, also in District 5, likely shares the same fate at Muoi.

Mai has been living in her apartment for over 70 years. Her husband works as a traditional medicine pharmacist in Cho Lon.

Residents of the Hao Sy Phuong residential area in Ho Chi Minh City chat on the buildings balcony. This apartment block is over 111 years old. Photo: Le Van / Tuoi Tre

We were told in 2017 to move to [a new apartment building in District 5 called] Thuan Kieu Plaza, but all of us residents refused, Mai said.

Our apartment block is still in good condition. Generations of us have lived here and want to keep living here with our children, so we declined to go.

Phan Kim Hien, 49, his mother Phan Ha Lan, 80, his brother and the brothers family have lived in the same building as Mai since the block was first built.

Hien works as a chef during the day and he and his brother care for their mother in the evenings.

Twenty years ago, only Chinese people lived in this apartment block, Hien shared.

Everyone who lives here is tied to Phung Hung Market, which is called the food market for the rich among Chinese people.

My mother used to sell coffee and Chinese noodles at the market and my brother and I worked as her helpers.

Hiens grandparents came to Vietnam from Guang Dong Province in China. As a child, his evenings were spent with his entire family eating snacks and drinking tea in front of the apartment.

He hopes to pass those same memories onto his own children.

Relocating would take that dream away.

The neighborhood kids used to have so much fun playing in the common area and on the rooftop. We had such great times with our neighbors during Chinese festivals and the Lunar New Year. We love it here and dont want to go anywhere else.

Packing up

Residents of the Hao Sy Phuong area in District 5 are also affected by the relocation plan.

The apartment block was first built by Hui Bon Hoa Group between 1910 and 1920. It boasts 67 units, 86 households, and 245 residents on its two floors.

Over the years, the storied apartment building has become a favorite place for film makers and photographers looking to add a vintage backdrop to their works.

While residents of Hao Sy Phuong once welcomed these visitors with open arms, the litter and damage left behind by film crews has turned them off to outsiders.

No filming, no photographs is now printed on signs across the block.

Lac Que Huong, a 70-year-old resident of Hao Sy Phuong, has ties to the apartment block stretching back to 1901 when her grandparents first moved in after relocating to Ho Chi Minh City.

Huong happily shows off rental agreements and tax documents dating back to Frances colonial rule over Vietnam to anyone who does not believe her.

Living with Huong are her two other families, one of which Huong shares ownership with.

Huongs grandfather, Lac Phat, worked for Hui Bon Hoa Group in 1901. The other family that shares ownership over the apartment is Huongs grandfathers business partner.

Altogether, the four bedrooms in the 80-square-meter unit are home to four tenants over 70 years old and their five grandchildren.

According to Huong, there were over 30 people living in the flat before 1975.

On the blocks upper level is another flat that is home to two families and a total of 10 residents.

One of those residents is Tran Mui, a 58-year-old who is the youngest among her nine siblings.

Living with her is her 65-year-old brother and his children. Together, they look after their father  93-year-old Tran Huy.

According to an official in the blocks neighborhood, the entire building was once owned by Hui Bon Hoa, a large real estate group.

When Mr. Hui Bon Hoa began leasing these apartments, people began making down payments, he said.

Chinese people often grouped up to share this expense.

For example, flat 17 was at first rented by La Nhuan, but she then asked Tran Huy to move in and he has lived there with his children ever since.

According to Mui, living with so many people rarely causes problems.

Chinese people tend to be live in harmony, so we hardly ever argue or fight, she said.

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An 11th grader has had his health monitored at a medical center in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Nam after health workers accidentally administered two doses of COVID-19 vaccine to him just a few minutes apart on Thursday.

The student, C.V.D., has been in a stable condition after his hospitalization, Nguyen Van Tan, principal of Tran Cao Van High School in Quang Nams Tam Ky City said on Friday.

The citys medical center organized a COVID-19 vaccination session for 1,191 students at the high school, using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, on Thursday, according to Tan.

This student misunderstood that he should get two injections, each at one of the two injection tables set up at the site, without knowing that a person can only get one shot, Tan said.

Due to the large number of students, the medical staff thought that the student had not been vaccinated, so they injected him [with a second shot].

After discovering D.s case, the school management board contacted his family and took him to Tam Ky Citys Medical Center to have his health monitored to avoid any complications.

Pham Thanh Binh, director of the medical center, admitted his medical staffs mistake in the incident, reassuring that there should be no problems for a boy like D. to receive two vaccine jabs, each dose of which is only half of that for adults, within one day.

D.s health has remained normal, and the boy is expected to return home on Friday, according to Binh.

Binh added that he requested his medical staff to avoid similar mistakes as they will go on with inoculating more students in the city against the coronavirus.

The center will handle health workers involving in D.s incident later, according to Binh, while the Quang Nam Department of Health has asked Binhs center to report the case in detail.

Quang Nam has 140,387 children aged 12 to 17 eligible for vaccination against the coronavirus, according to the provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

The central province started giving injections to the children from December 11, with 29,206 doses administered by the end of Thursday, including 7,590 jabs on that day.

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Politics

-- State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc will leave Vietnam for an official visit to Cambodia from December 21 to 22 following an invitation of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.

Society

-- As of 4:00 am on Saturday, Typhoon Rai was 250 kilometers south-southeast of Song Tu Tay Island in Vietnams Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago, packing winds of 150-165km per hour and gusts of up to 220km an hour.

-- Police in central Thua Thien-Hue Province on Friday have broken up a ring forging stamps and documents for many large-scale agencies and organizations which had illegally earned more than VND30 billion (US$1.30 million).

-- The Peoples Court of Ho Chi Minh City on Friday gave two Taiwanese men death sentences for trafficking 606 kilograms of methamphetamine to the city last year.

-- Police in Hanoi on Friday arrested and launched an investigation against a 24-year-old man suspected of raping his girlfriends younger sister.

-- Visitors flocked to Da Lat City in Vietnams Central Highlands on Thursday and Friday for weekend getaways, causing serious congestion at Chuoi Pass COVID-19 checkpoint on National Highway No. 20 leading to the city.

Lifestyle

-- On Friday night, Ho Chi Minh City-based acrobat duo Giang Brothers returned to Spain to break their own record  climbing 90 stairs in 52 seconds while doing a head-to-head balancing act, a career-making feat they achieved in 2016.

-- Authorities of Ho Chi Minh City on Friday have launced a tour package named Tu Sai Gon Xua den TPHCM (From the old Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City), meant to meet visitors needs during the recovery stage of the citys tourism.

World News

-- Pfizer Inc said on Friday the COVID-19 pandemic could extend through next year and announced plans to develop a three-dose vaccine regimen for children ages 2 to 16, a move that could delay its authorisation, Reuters reported.

-- Reuters cited French Prime Minister Jean Castex as saying on Friday that the country will from next month reduce the time between second and third COVID-19 vaccination injections to four months and require people to show proof of vaccination to enter some venues.

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A commune chairman in Vietnams northern Hai Phong City that had just been suspended from his post over negligence in COVID-19 pandemic prevention caused a fatal traffic accident while driving a pickup truck on Friday.

Dinh Van Ba, chairman of Lap Le Commune in Hai Phongs Thuy Nguyen District, steered the pickup truck and caused the traffic accident that killed Dinh Thi H. on the spot at around 3:00 pm on Friday, an official from the district Peoples Committee confirmed later the same day.

H.s husband has been hospitalized following the collision while police have launched an investigation into the case.

On Thursday, the Peoples Committee of Thuy Nguyen just temporarily suspended Ba from work for 15 days due to his negligence in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic in the locality, according to the said official.

The scene of a fatal traffic accident caused by a commune chairman in Hai Phong City, Vietnam, December 17, 2021. Photo: Dai Nguyen / Tuoi Tre

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Authorities in many localities of Vietnams Mekong Delta region have stepped up preparations for the inoculation of additional and booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to local people to avert possible complications of the coronavirus pandemic.

An Giang Province has prepared plans to give additional primary shots and booster jabs to local people and will begin the vaccination campaign next week, Tran Quang Hien, director of the provincial Department of Health, said on Friday.

The province has sought an allocation of 1.4 million more vaccine doses from the Health Ministry to carry out the campaign, according to Hien.

Among the adults eligible for the shots, about 500,000 people with underlying diseases or immunocompromised conditions will be given priority.

The remaining subjects will receive injections in January 2022.

The campaign is expected to reach completion at the beginning of February 2022.

For younger vaccine recipients, the province plans to finish inoculating about 49,000 children from 12 to 17 years old, who have not been fully vaccinated, by the end of this week.

Health workers in An Giang have so far administered the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 102.54 percent and 56.47 percent of the 12-17 age group, respectively.

The corresponding figures for people from 18 years old are 97.94 percent and 95.38 percent.

A health worker administers a dose of COVID-19 vaccine to a woman in An Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo: Buu Dau / Tuoi Tre

In Vinh Long, the provincial Department of Health reported that 31,368 adults, or over four percent of the provinces population of about 1.1 million, have received the third doses after ten days of its inoculation drive.

The province intends to give the third doses to 782,000 eligible adults within this month, with the priority given to the same people as An Giang.

Up to date, the number of people who received the first injection has accounted for 99.7 percent of the population, and the two-dose recipients have made up 96.6 percent.

The respective ratios in children from 12 to 17 years old are 99.12 percent and 93.36 percent, respectively.

In Soc Trang, health workers have been administering additional primary shots to frontline forces and people with immunocompromised conditions since the beginning of this month, according to Tran Van Dung, deputy director of the provincial health department.

In the same move, Ca Mau has proposed the Ministry of Health provide 65,000 additional doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to faciliate the administration of additional and booster doses this month, according to provincial chairman Huynh Quoc Viet.

The number of newly-detected COVID-19 cases in Vietnams Mekong Delta region has continued to increase over the past days, notably with Ca Mau, Ben Tre, and Vinh Long reporting an average infection rate of 500 daily new cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days.

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AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington shared their disappointment. (BBC)

AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington have both broken down in tears during their first interview since announcing they would have to drop out of the Strictly Come Dancing final.

The couple had been due to compete in tonight's BBC One live final, but after TV presenter Odudu damaged the ligament in her ankle earlier in the week, she was advised by doctors that it was just too risky to take part.

Read more: Strictly fans call for Rhys Stephenson to return for final

Speaking on Strictly: It Takes Two on Friday a few hours after announcing their sad news, both Odudu and Widdrington cried as they explained what had happened.

A tearful Odudu said: "It wasn't the way we wanted to come out.

The disappointment left both stars in tears. (BBC)

"Do you know what, we had the best time and on Monday we rehearsed and we were just excited like, 'Right, we're going to do the jive, we're going to do the Charleston, what a way to end our experience.'

"My ankle's given way and my ligament has ruptured and it's just not going to happen. We're gutted because we were ready to smash it."

Odudu, who revealed she had even asked whether it would be possible to dance in her moonboot that has been fitted to support her ankle, added: "This isn't the way that we wanted to go out, obviously, but even just looking back at all of those moments, it's just been an absolute pleasure dancing with Kai every single week, so thank you."

Widdrington is competing as a pro dancer in Strictly for the first year, having previously worked on Ireland's Dancing with the Stars.

He also cried as he said: "It wasnt [meant to be] and we were really hoping that we were going to get over the line and get into the final and dance in the final.

Read more: Fred Sirieix 'vomiting and bleeding' after training for Strictly Christmas special

"We had two very energetic dances  the Charleston and the Jive  and we were like if we can change them, maybe we can do something, but the injury was just too bad and at the end of the day, AJs health is number one concern.

Story continues

"So although we wont be dancing in the final, we earned our place in the final."

Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice will compete against John Whaite and Johannes Radebe in tonight's Strictly final, which is now down to just two couples.

Watch: Strictly 2021 stars share most stressful moments on the show
French President Emmanuel Macron Friday cancelled a trip to Mali to meet transitional leader Colonel Assimi Goita after France announced new measures to battle the pandemic.

Macron was to meet Goita on Monday, for the first time since the Malian colonel was sworn into office in June after leading the country's second coup in less than a year.

Macron was also supposed to pay a Christmas visit to French troops stationed there to fight a jihadist insurgency in the country.

"This decision was taken for consistency between the measures announced at national level and the president's international agenda, and to not expose our troops" as France battles a fifth wave of the virus, the president's office said in a statement.

The office said, however, that a Christmas meal prepared by the president's chef would be flown over to French military personnel stationed in the Sahel country.

It added that organising the meeting with the Goita had been tricky even before the cancellation.

Macron had wished to meet Goita in the presence of Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo and Chad's leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, but Chad refused this format.

Chad and other neighbouring countries are also involved in the fight against the jihadists.

The planned visit was due at a tense time in relations between France and Mali.

Paris is deeply concerned over the possibility that Russian mercenaries could be deployed in the African country as France begins to draw down its troops there.

Castex cancels Jordan visit

With France in the grip of its fifth COVID-19 wave, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a new push on Friday to get people vaccinated and said people would have to show proof of vaccination to enter some venues.

Castex also cancelled a trip planned to visit French troops stationed in Jordan from December 31 to January 1.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS)
But Dinah's brothers, outraged by this act of violence against their sister, devise a plan. (Some have argued that they were more outraged by Shechem's non-Israelite status and by their sister's act of premarital intercourse than by the suggested marriage -- see Dinah: Bible at the Jewish Women's Archive.) They explain that they couldn't marry off their sister to a man who isn't circumcised. They say to Hamor that if every man in the village will agree to be circumcised, then they will let their sister marry into this community. Then, when every man in the village is incapacitated and healing from this elective surgery, the brothers slaughter all of them. They kill every male in the village, and take their wives and children as captives. They take all of the wealth and livestock which belonged to that village.

That may seem ironic when we reach the very next story: Dinah's encounter with a local man named Shechem, which some translations call seduction, though most translations name as rape. Afterwards, Torah tells us, Shechem falls in love with her, speaks tenderly to her, and sends his father Hamor to procure her as a wife. Later in Exodus 22:15 we will read that "If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and has sex with her, he must pay the customary bride price and marry her" -- perhaps a troubling practice, to our modern sensibilities, but apparently an accepted one in the ancient Near East. And that's exactly what Shechem does.

I'll say more about Jacob's encounters on the banks of the Jabbok in my d'var Torah this coming Shabbat. (If you don't live locally and can't make it to services, never fear, I'll post it here on Sunday.) Today I'm focusing on a different aspect of the parsha. Note that Torah refers here to his eleven children, but we know that Jacob had twelve children at this point -- eleven boys, plus Dinah. Why, then, does Torah say eleven? Rashi explains, quoting Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah) that Jacob hid Dinah in a box so that Esau would not see her and seek to marry her. Jacob was so afraid of his twin brother's animal appetites that he concealed Dinah in a coffin to keep her safe.

That same night, he got up, took his two wives, his two maidservants, and his eleven children, and crossed at a ford of the Jabbok. (Bereshit/Genesis 32:23, in this week's Torah portion, Vayishlach )

This post focuses on an act of Biblical rape, and on silencing and rape in our own world. If that is likely to be triggering for you, please feel free to skip it.

In order to hear Dinah's voice, we look instead to the white fire. Some classical midrash argues that Dinah becomes the wife of Job, which is regarded as a punishment for Jacob since he withheld her from Esau. (How Dinah's ensuing suffering is seen as a punishment for her father but not for her is a sign of her invisibility in her own story.) Another midrash suggests that she gives birth to a daughter who is taken by the archangel Michael to Egypt, and raised by a childless Egyptian priest, and becomes known as Asenath, daughter of Potiphera: the woman who will marry Joseph. In that version there's a kind of redemption for Dinah's child, if not for Dinah herself.

Anita Diamant's midrashic novel The Red Tent gives voice and agency to Dinah, showing us a Dinah who genuinely loved Shechem and hoped to be his bride. In that version of the story, after the slaughter, Dinah escapes to Egypt, gives birth to a son, and eventually reconciles with her brother Joseph. It's still a difficult story, rife with violence -- the slaughter, sacking, and plunder of that entire village -- but in Diamant's imagining, Dinah is a whole, vibrant human being who tells her own story as she understands it. Reading that book felt to me like a tikkun, a healing, because it gave Dinah voice. But I know that it's a reading which goes counter to the ways my tradition has usually read this story.

In Torah, Dinah is silent (or silenced.) And Dinah is raped. I believe that these two acts of violence against women are connected.

Think of all the times and places in human history when women haven't been able to tell our own stories. That silencing constricts our freedom as surely as Jacob's box constricted Dinah's. The people and the structures of power responsible for silencing us may think they're keeping us "safe" -- but in this week's Torah portion, we see that keeping a woman hidden or silent offers no protection. If you read the text as most of our commentators have read it, Dinah is raped by a stranger. If you read the text through Diamant's (and the JWA's) feminist lenses, giving Dinah agency in this act of unmarried sexuality, there's no rape -- but Dinah's trust is violated by her brothers and their acts of violence. Either way, her silence does not help her.

How might her story have been different if Dinah had been allowed to participate wholly in the journeying of her family -- if, like her brothers, she had been able to walk freely in the open air -- if, like her brothers, she had been given a voice to speak out or talk back or tell it as she saw it? How might our stories be different if every woman in the world were granted those freedoms as a matter of course? Dinah's story challenges us with its very familiarity. A woman, rendered invisible and silent. A woman, raped. Maybe the only upside here is that the ensuing violence of the "honor killing" is directed against Shechem and his people, and not against Dinah herself... but I find that to be scant comfort indeed.

Some of the structures which silence women today are almost invisible. Societal expectations, peer pressure, the desire to be liked, the fear that if we speak what's true for us we will be shunned or left alone -- not to mention the outrage and active silencing coming from men who don't like it when we get uppity. (Don't believe me? Try The Unspoken Rules that Silence Women in Leadership; Michigan Women Lawmakers Silenced By GOP After Abortion Debate 'Temper Tantrum'; 700 Texans gather for 'People's Fillibuster,' GOP Lawmaker Tries to Silence Repetitive Testimony; Six insidious ways social media can be used to silence women. Those are just a few links; there are many more.)

Rape itself is a tool frequently used to keep women silent. (See Breaking the silence: addressing rape culture in America; see Rape Culture Exists: An Open Letter, posted just this week; see 50 facts about rape.) Every two minutes, a sexual assault takes place in America, and most of the victims are women. Around the world, one in three women has been abused, beaten, or coerced into sex. And most of these stories are never told, because girls are taught -- in ways both obvious and subtle -- that if we speak out, we will be punished further. We have learned that it is safer to remain silent.

These structures of oppression are hard to dismantle. But that doesn't give us a pass on dismantling them all the same. I know that the Pirkei Avot line "It's not incumbent on us to finish the task, but neither are we free to refrain from beginning it" has come to feel like a hoary old chestnut, it's quoted so often -- but it's still true. We are not free to refrain from this work.

How can we honor Dinah, the silent twelfth child of Jacob? By changing the world we live in so that it is no longer one in which this story could happen.

Dinah's story calls us to stop the silencing of women, to stop violence against women, to change the whole system in which rape and violence and shaming and silencing happen. We can create a different world. And we must.

Image source: "Looking out of the red tent" by Renee Kahn.

My thanks are due to everyone who responded to my tweet earlier today asking for suggestions of actions we can take to end rape culture and the silencing of women.


Elections scheduled for Dec. 24 are now uncertain because of haggling among Libya's political factions, Al-Monitor writes. Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, late leader Moammar Gadhafi's second son and once heir, will run in Libyas Dec. 24 presidential elections. The High National Election Commission (HNEC) objected to his application, but a court in the southern city of Sabha reinstated him on Dec. 2, rejecting HNECs appeal.

Gadhafi was among 25 others who were disqualified, most of whom have now been readmitted into the crowded race. HNECs Resolution 79 cited missing documents and noncompliance with the presidential election law.

Gadhafi is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity during the uprising of 2011 that toppled his late father. At the time, he had no official role in either the government or the army and security forces. In 2015, he was tried and sentenced to death by a court in Tripoli heavily criticized by international rights groups. Two years later, he was released after Libyas parliament passed a general amnesty law from which he and many others benefited.

Gadhafi was out of the public view between 2017-2021, prompting speculation about his whereabouts and whether he was even alive. During that time, he was active behind the scenes, meeting supporters and mediating tribal conflicts, particularly in southern Libya.

Yusuf, one of his closest associates (he requested that his family name not be published), told Al-Monitor that the young Gadhafi was always active, working almost every day. According to Yusuf, Gadhafi played a very successful role in reconciling two of Sabahs biggest tribes last year. He also kept in contact with his representative in Europe, Mohammed Abu Ajeila al-Ghadi, who went on to represent him in the UN-led dialogue that elected Libyas Unity Government Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, whose government gained a vote of confidence on March 10.

In a surprising move, Gadhafi gave his first interview in over a decade to The New York Times magazine in which he said my guards are now my friends, referring to the Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Brigade, an armed group based in the western city of Zintan, which first captured him in November 2011 as he tried to flee the country after the fall of his fathers government a month earlier. The same group would secure his trip across more than 700 kilometers (434 miles) to Sabha in the south to register Gadhafi on Nov. 14 for the presidential elections.

Now that he is officially in the race despite the HNECs attempts to disqualify him, his close supporters are keeping a watchful eye over what might transpire. Yusuf believes there is a concerted effort by different political actors and foreign countries to have him disqualified from the race. Without naming any specific country, Yusuf said, Many countries do not like him.

When asked whether Gadhafi stands a chance in winning the elections, Yusuf said, [Im] 100% sure that Saif will win. Libya has neither official nor professional opinion polls, but Yusuf pointed to social media as an indicator. "All over Facebook, [Saif] is the favorite contestant. In the absence of any official polls, relying on social media becomes the obvious choice to get a read on the mood of the general public.

The same opinion is shared by Suleiman Hussein, a social sciences professor at Tripoli University, who thinks Gadhafi is popular and lucky at the same time. His popularity was reflected in people taking to the streets in many Libyan towns in celebration when he first announced his candidacy. "The continued failure of all governments that came to power since 2011 is the most effective campaigner in support of Saif. This is what makes him lucky too, he added.

Libya has gone through difficult spells of civil war, helped by NATO, which toppled the Gadhafi government in October 2011. Living conditions for ordinary people have deteriorated, and many Libyans now are unable to afford basic necessities. Hussein said, Libyans support Saif because they miss his father, the late colonel who was murdered on Oct. 20, 2011. Libyans miss the security and peace provided by the senior Gadhafi, said the professor.

Social and tribal leader Ali Aljamal, from Bani Walid southwest of Tripoli, told Al-Monitor in a phone interview that Bani Walid and many other cities are voting for their son (Saif). The mountain town has always been pro-Gadhafi, and it is only logical that we vote for his son, he added.

Saad Ibrahim, from Sirte, the late Gadhafis birthplace, told Al-Monitor over the phone, I think Saif will win at least 70% of the votes in the city of around 120,000 people." Ibrahim, a lawyer and social activist, thinks Sirte has a chance now to show where its loyalty lies.

The coastal city suffered tremendous losses and destruction during the civil war of 2011, and it was there that Gadhafi, the father, made his last stand against the rebels. In 2015, the city became the stronghold of the Islamic State before the terror group was ejected a year later.

As for the ICC arrest warrant for Gadhafi, Ibrahim told Al-Monitor, The ICC has no bearing on Libyas internal affairs. Libya is not party to the international court, and it is not alone in being outside the court."

A former US diplomat with strong ties to the Biden administration speaking anonymously told Al-Monitor that America would not mind dealing with Libya even if Gadhafi is elected president. I do not expect Saif to be officially received in Washington, but dealing with his government would not be a problem, the former diplomat added.

Still, Gadhafis supporters are worried about what might be "cooking behind the scenes," as Ibrahim puts it. It is unclear if the elections will take place in a few days. Stephanie Williams, the former acting UN envoy to Libya who is credited with mediating the deal that made elections possible, returned after leaving the mission last summer. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Williams on Dec. 6 as his special adviser on Libya after his current envoy, Jan Kubis, announced his resignation last month. While Williams will not take over the UN mission, she will be in charge of the political file in Libya, including elections. Last year and earlier this year, she succeeded in bringing Libyan factions to a series of negotiation rounds that produced the political roadmap that called for the December elections. The experienced former US diplomat also played an active role in brokering the October 2020 cease-fire that is still holding.

Gadhafis close advisers believe Libyas future is at stake and their man is in the best position to return security and stability. They point to the fact that he has not been involved in any violence in the country since 2011, which, according to Yusuf, makes him favored by the majority of Libyans. The big question remains whether the polls will actually open on Dec. 24. And if they are delayed, as most expect, when will Libyans get the chance to vote for their president?
EU leaders failed to agree on how to respond to the ongoing problem of high energy prices at Thursday's (16 December) European summit. After two rounds of negotiations lasting for hours, leaders finally gave up on plans to adopt a joint statement on energy late last night, with member states disagreeing over the causes of the surging prices.

Since the summer, natural gas prices all over the globe have spiked. European countries rely on imports to fulfill their gas needs, EUObserver writes. But with stronger than expected economic recovery, lower supply from Russia, and high demand in China, prices for gas futures have reached record highs, hitting 130 per megawatt-hour on the Dutch Title Transfer Facility, the most important European benchmark.

At the previous EU summit in October, member states agreed on a set of national measures to cushion the effects for the most vulnerable citizens. A group of mainly Eastern-European member states led by Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki blamed high electricity prices on the bloc's carbon Emissions Trading System (ETS). Morawiecki denounced it as a "European energy tax." He was supported by outgoing Czech energy minister Karel Havlicek who also wants the EU to suspend ETS, but they were not backed by most member states.

With allowances soaring to over 90, France, Hungary, and Latvia demanded Brussels strengthen its supervision of the carbon markets.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) found no proof of illegal market speculation in the EU's carbon trading market, but French president Emmanuel Macron and Bulgarian president Rumen Radev criticised the report, asking the commission to continue its analysis. ESMA last month dismissed concerns over abuse in emissions trading, saying economic and political factors drove the surge in prices. But on Wednesday, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research proposed new tools to detect speculation and urged the EU to look into using them. Spain also voiced concerns about high prices but found the questioning of the ETS system unacceptable and instead proposed Europe should "revise the price-setting structure inside the European energy market."

But a group of member states led by Germany again rejected calls for market reforms. "The internal energy market serves its purpose, but must be more resilient," Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas tweeted. "[There is a] lack of interconnections, a lack of resilience and security of supply mechanisms. Solution: increase renewable energy capacity and decrease dependence from fossil fuel."

The question of whether nuclear should be included in the bloc's taxonomy for green investments also proved insurmountable. France and a host of other countries have been pushing the European Commission and other member states to label the energy source as green. Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is set to decide on the issue before the end of the year.

But countries led by Germany and Austria have opposed this. New German chancellor Olaf Sholz and Macron held a joint press conference to soft-pedal the dispute. "We have discussed this in the last days, and we will continue in the next days, to find a good Franco-German compromise, but which is not the condition for what remains a delegated act taken by the commission," Macron said.

Scholz meanwhile admitted Germany will probably not be able to stop the French push for nuclear. "France is taking a different path [than Germany]. Other countries do as well," he said. "That is why it's important that you can follow your paths and at the same time stay together across Europe," he added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara is ready to cooperate with the African continent based on the principles of mutual respect and benefit.

According to the Turkish leader, Africa is one of the main directions of Ankara's foreign policy.

"Our country has never turned away from Africa and African peoples," Anadolu Agency quotes Erdogan as saying.

The head of state once again called for the inclusion of African countries in the number of the UN Security Council permanent members.
Baku is ready, if necessary, to increase gas exports to Europe, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview published on Saturday in the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore.

"There is a possibility of increasing production and exports, but everything will depend on the demand of European consumers," the head of state added.

Ilham Aliyev recalled that this year Azerbaijan exported more than 7 bcm of gas to Europe. It is planned to supply 9 bcm in 2022, and 11 bcm - in 2023.
In Dagestan, a 27-year-old resident of Buinaksk was convicted for cutting the brake hose of his friend's car to initiate a car accident, the press service of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the region.

On May 9, in the village of Gunib, a man quarreled with his 34-year-old acquaintance and cut the brake hose and anti-lock braking system sensor wire of her car to provoke accident. However, the woman realized that the car was damaged before the kick-starting.
Irakli Garibashvili shared the results of his first year as the head of the Georgian government. In his speech, he pointed out the growth of pensions, economic development, social and other projects.

The prime minister addressed the audience at the Biltmore Hotel. Ministers, the public figures and the members of the ruling Georgian Dream party came to listen to the prime minister's speech.

Garibashvili focused on solving two main problems of Georgia - poverty and unemployment.

"Poverty and unemployment remain the main challenges for us," Sputnik Georgia quotes him as saying.

The head of government noted the efforts of the cabinet of ministers and doctors in the fight against coronavirus, and also expressed dissatisfaction with the low rates of vaccination.

"To date, more than 2 m vaccinations were administered and more than a million people were vaccinated, but this is not enough. Therefore, I want to urge the population for vaccination, he said.

He also mentioned a new government initiative on the employment of socially unprotected people developed in the framework of the elimination of unemployment and poverty.

"One of the main problems today is social policy, which encourages unemployment and inaction of nearly 300,000 citizens who have the status of socially unprotected," Garibashvili said.

According to the head of government, the employment of citizens will reduce the number of people living on allowances and will make it possible to reduce unemployment rates.

In conclusion, the prime minister informed about new projects that will be implemented in Georgia next year: expansion of the road construction, new programs for villages and entrepreneurs and development of scientific direction.
Rumours about the possible imminent resignation of Irakli Garibashvili from the post of head of the Georgian government were denied by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Talks about the prime minister's resignation emerged after the head of the Georgian Ministry of Health, Yekaterina Tikaradze, announced her resignation.

"This is a lie, I can say it directly. It serves only one purpose - to somehow close off real conflicts within the opposition," Sputnik Georgia quotes the chairman of the party, Irakli Kobakhidze as saying.

The information about resignation was also denied by the Minister of Regional Development, Irakli Karseladze.
According to the press service of the President of Kyrgyzstan, the Turkish-made Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles went into service of the Border Service of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan.

Today, the head of state, Sadyr Japarov, examined the Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles. The servicemen showed him control system and demonstrated their work."
About one third of the residents of Dagestan over 60 years old were vaccinated against coronavirus, the head of the press service of the Ministry of Health of the region, Zarina Agmadova, informed.

According to her, to date, over 116,000 residents of the republic over the age of 60 were vaccinated against COVID-19.

It is about of 33% of Dagestan elderly residents who might be vaccinated, TASS quotes Agmadova as saying.
The railway to the border with Armenia should be completed by the end of 2023, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said.

Further, answering the questions of the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, he noted that stable cooperation with Azerbaijan is beneficial for Armenia. In this regard, the head of state expressed hope that relations with the Armenian side would normalize.
On Saturday, supporters of ex-President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili held a protest outside the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Sputnik Georgia reports.

It is clarified that one of the demands was the resignation of the head of the department.

One of the protesters was detained by law enforcement officers for petty hooliganism.

Saakashvili is currently undergoing treatment at the Gori military hospital.
One of the instigators of the Karabakh conflict, ex-president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, was re-elected as the chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, head of the counting commission of the RPA Georgy Gabrielyan informed.

According to him, most of the delegates voted for Sargsyan. "523 delegates voted for the re-election of Serzh Sargsyan as chairman of the Republican Party, 2 voted against him, he said.
The US newspaper Breitbarts columnists denounced Volodymyr Zelenskiy for his request for more aid to Ukraine due to an alleged growing threat from Russia.

The readers of the publication actively discussed the topics of Donbas and Crimea.

According to the user Hybird, the reunification of Crimea with Russia in 2014 cannot be called "colonization". Mostly ethnic Russians lived there. As in eastern Ukraine, by the way, he wrote.

Reader Joe Batters recalled that the residents of Crimea "voted in a referendum for reunification with Russia."

"Donbass is more Russian than Ukrainian. People want independence from Ukraine or a union with Russia. If the latter wants to accept these republics, no one will stop it," FamousJamous wrote.
Ankara's position on the issue of normalizing relations with Yerevan, as well as peace and stability in the South Caucasus is extremely sincere, Vice President of Turkey Fuat Oktay said.

He noted that Turkey will advance the dialogue with Armenia carefully and in coordination with Azerbaijan.

Oktay stressed that Bakus actions during the Patriotic War of Azerbaijan were based on the internationally recognized right to self-defence.

"We actively supported Azerbaijan in its just struggle. The issue of the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands is no longer relevant. New realities formed a fertile ground for long-term peace and stability in the region," Anadolu Agency quotes the politician as saying.
Retired American generals Paul D. Eaton, Antonio M. Taguba and Steven M. Anderson said the situation in the United States could escalate and a civil may start following the 2024 presidential elections.

"One of the strengths of our army is the diversity of personnel. It is a collection of individuals with different beliefs and backgrounds. However, without constant maintenance of order, a riot within the military, reflecting discord in society, is quite real," the military wrote in The Washington Post.
It has been more than a week since the congestion of trucks carrying agricultural products to China at the Vietnam-China border gates in Quang Ninh Province began.

At present, thousands of trucks are waiting for customs clearance.

According to the Mong Cai Customs Office, more than 1,000 container trucks are now jammed at the provinces border gates because of China's strict policy on Covid-19 control. There are more than 300 container trucks of Vietnamese fruits, about 100 containers of Thai fruits and over 700 containers of frozen seafood.

At the same time, trucks from the southern provinces and neighboring localities such as Bac Giang, Lang Son and Lao Cai are still flocking to the border city of Mong Cai, making the congestion even more serious. At Bac Luan 2 border gate, container trucks lining up for customs clearance are more than 3km long.

The reason for the phenomenon is that the Chinese customs force on epidemic prevention is unable to meet the requirements of goods circulation.

"Currently, the parking lots in Mong Cai City are full. There are only 50 trucks passing customs clearance per day," a representative of Mong Cai Customs Office said.

According to this official, many container trucks moved to Lang Son, but congestion in Lang Son was worse so they returned to Mong Cai.

Driver Hoang Sy Tien, 37, from the southern province of Tien Giang, told VietNamNet that he has been waiting here for more than a week. He was tired and homesick.

The situation is more difficult for drivers of trucks carrying seafood and Thai drivers transporting Thai fruits to China via Vietnam.

At border gates in Lang Son province, more than 4,000 container trucks carrying agricultural products are stuck.

Photos taken by VietNamNet at a border gate in Mong Cai City, Quang Ninh Province on December 16:

At Bac Luan Border Gate 2, container trucks lined up for more than 3km long.

Only more than 50 container trucks are cleared every day.

Before making customs clearance, drivers must be tested for covid and wear protective gear.

Drivers waited for their turn.

The cabin is drivers' temporary home.

Every day, goods owners have to spend over VND1 million for living expenses for each driver and preserving goods.

Drivers are tested for covid at Hoang Tien Company.

Pham Cong
Research results on innovative equipment systems for production of silage as animal feed by five Hanoi students has been included in the Vietnam Yellow Book of Innovation 2021.

The five students received first prize in the 16th National Youth and Children's Innovation Contest 2020.

The team of five students from Hanoi includes Le Thi Thanh Huyen, Nguyen Quynh Huong Ly (Cau Giay High School); Le Minh Hieu (Pascal Secondary School); Trinh Ha Phuong (Van Dien Secondary School) and Nguyen Huong Minh Trang (Giang Vo Secondary School).

In an interview with VietNamNet, Nguyen Quynh Huong Ly, a member of the group, explained that the group has been researching domestic and foreign documents, collecting and consulting experts to implement the project, which is called Systematic model equipment for cutting/chopping, drying grass/maize, using solar energy and bagging silage for animal feed. This stems from the actual demand for silage for livestock and development of mulato grass fields in Binh Thuan, Ha Nam, Ba Vi (Hanoi) and Moc Chau (Son La).

A visual working model was created describing the operation of a closed equipment system, and the processing of cattle silage, including cutting - mincing (3-6 mm), drying grass/corn using solar energy (reaching 65-70 percent moisture content), spraying probiotics, and bagging silage.

Nguyen Quynh Huong Ly, a team member.

To help the growth of Vietnam's livestock industry, our hope is to put it into action, Huong Ly said.

Because her grandparents lived in Thanh Hoa and had a farm and animals, Huong Ly was exposed to the realities of rural life when she visited her hometown. The team consists of five students from four separate school, but they all have the same goal in mind.

As a first step in this project, three components must be assembled securely: hash cutters, a drying house powered by solar energy, and a bagging machine.

The electrical wires of the control cabinet are connected to the fan motor, the chopper, the conveyor motor, and the heat-adding fan motor; and the press cylinder is connected to a hydraulic/pneumatic source (the conveyor and the presser cylinder work in unison to a programmed rhythm when the material is full).

If the moisture content of the material is more than 70%, the operator uses a fan, seals the door securely, and conducts the drying process to the appropriate humidity.

To begin the next phase, the drying house door is opened, the conveyor is turned on, and the probiotic nozzle is inserted into the press chamber. The conveyor will stop, and the presser of the moving cylinder compresses the material tightly into the PP/PE bag, which is then blown out through the holes in the press up. A rubber band is needed to secure the mouth of the presser as it rises after a hard press. Using the next set of bags, the identical procedure will be followed. In around 21 days, the silage product may be fed to animals without any further processing.

New endeavor

This research by the group of young students is described in the Vietnam Yellow Book of Innovation 2021 as an entirely new topic. Drying raw materials for silage in a glass cage instead of outside is convenient, clean, and saves surface space while also saving energy by utilizing solar radiation and the glass cage effect. Silage-making machines that use air or hydraulic cylinders and pressers to compress grass and corn into silage bags are new and transportable.

Moreover, cutting, mincing, drying and spraying probiotics on the same machine provides a closed manufacturing process toward industrial production, which is a major innovation in this field of research. The drying house powered by solar energy may also receive raw materials of grass and maize that have been gathered and cut by specialized machinery in the field. The chopper isn't required to function at that point, illustrating the system's mobility.

The Vietnam Yellow Book of Innovation 2021 features research of the group of students.

Ventilation doors can be opened at the bottom edge of the mesh floor so that the natural drying process can be carried out and the product is not harmed by being stacked up when there is no sunlight (at night, or during rain or power outages). There is a wide range of materials readily accessible on the domestic market, and the process of creating it is straightforward.

Closed, dust-free setting of this research conducted by the group also helps minimize environmental impact. Combining radiation and the glass cage effect for drying, lowering the moisture content of raw materials for silage, without exposure to the sun, is simple, clean and saves time and space. Organic, clean, and quality-controlled livestock products are the future of agricultural sphere.

It is also possible to decrease heavy labor by shifting livestock production towards industrial production, maximizing productivity, cutting costs, and using livestock machinery to guarantee adequate feed for cattle.

Vietnamese agriculture, according to Huong Ly, is a matter of concern today. Preservation of animal feed is required to both improve quality and provide assistance for farmers.

Huong Ly is now a student at Hanoi Law University as a freshman. The remaining four members, Le Thi Thanh Huyen, Le Minh Hieu, Trinh Ha Phuong, and Nguyen Huong Minh Trang, are still in middle and high school.

After winning the top place in the 16th National Youth and Children's Innovation Contest conducted by the Union of Science and Technology Associations and Vietnam Engineering in 2020, the research of the group of Hanoi students' was featured in the Vietnam Yellow Book of Innovation 2021.

Minh Anh

VN girl's bumpy road to the world's leading research institute As a student who once failed entrance exams to universities, Doan Thi Hai Duong has just won a scholarship with a monthly stipend of 2.800 in a doctoral program at Max Planck for Plant Breeding Institute  Germany.
Four out of the 14 nominated individuals and organizations receiving the highest numbers of votes were honored by VietNamNet at a ceremony broadcast live at 10am on December 20, 2021.

The four inspiring characters 2021 honored by VietNamNet on December 20.

The 14 nominees are individuals and collectives that have appeared on VietNamNet. They have made positive contributions to the community thanks to their enthusiasm, talent and kindness, spreading good values in society.

2021 has been a year full of upheaval, damage and pain due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the Inspiring Characters Award this year has not forgotten to mention the examples of dedication and sacrifice in pandemic prevention and control.

Their acts have been like "little fires" spreading enthusiasm and kindness throughout the community.

The four individuals and collectives include Dang Thi Kim Oanh, the businesswoman who imported Covid-19 drugs to distribute to patients for free; Major Nguyen Trung Kien, who sponsored three children who were orphaned by Covid-19; Cho Ray Hospital, which plays a key role in treating severe Covid-19 patients; and Vu Quoc Cuong (who died of Covid-19), who volunteered to help the poor, street people and quarantined patients.

Mr. Pham Anh Tuan - Editor-in-Chief of VietNamNet newspaper - speaks at the ceremony.

Dang Thi Kim Oanh, born in 1970, CEO of Kim Oanh Real Estate JSC, received 42,332 votes, the highest number.

Oanh and the charity fund named after her ran the program Tiep noi nhip tho (Continuing Breathing), donating ventilators and thousands of medical equipment worth more than VND20 billion to hospitals in HCM City, Dong Nai and Binh Duong.

Oanh also initiated the program "Knock out Covid", under which within just 10 days she imported millions of doses of Covid-19 drug (remdesivir), the most difficult-to-access drug in the world at that time. The Covid treatment drug was considered as precious as gold.

Ms. Dang Thi Kim Oanh.

Thanks to the drugs provided by Oanh and her charity fund, hospitals saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients in 10 cities and provinces from the central region towards the south.

Her charity fund also donated 11,000 welfare bags of rice, dried foodstuff, canned food, eggs and spices to workers and freelancers in Binh Duong, Dong Nai and HCM City.

In late September, Oanh and volunteers prepared 1,000-1,800 meals a day for doctors, nurses, and medical staff at field hospitals and Covid-19 treatment hospitals in Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and HCM City.

Major Nguyen Trung Kien from Thu Duc City Command under HCM City High Command got 40,977 votes.

When performing his duty of handing over the ashes of those who died of Covid-19 to their relatives, Kien was touched by the conditions of three orphaned brothers, living with their poor grandmother who is 87 years old. The compassion of the father with two children prompted him to sponsor the three children.

Kien has had about 20 professional initiatives since 2016, winning high prizes at competitions organized by the city and military region. He has received over 20 certificates of merit for his excellent achievements in emulation movements.

Major Nguyen Trung Kien.

Most recently, Kien received a certificate of merit from the HCM City High Command and Military Zone 7 High Command for excellent achievements in Covid-19 prevention and control, and a certificate of merit for excellent achievements in the movement Toi yeu To Quoc toi (I love my fatherland) from the Central Committee of Vietnam Youth Union.

The medical staff of Cho Ray Hospital in HCM City got the third highest number of votes, 40,106.

Cho Ray is a Ministry of Health (MOH) special-class hospital located in HCM City in charge of treating the most severe Covid-19 cases in the southern region over the last two years.

Doctor Pham Minh Huy - representative of Cho Ray Hospital.

In August 2021, Cho Ray was assigned professional responsibility for the Covid-19 Resuscitation Hospital with 1,000 beds. This was the first and biggest intensive care and resuscitation hospital in HCM City and the southern region using the resources of many hospitals, especially Cho Ray.

During peak days, the hospital received more than 1,700 patients. Many severely ill patients were saved.

Cho Ray introduced ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) equipment, the most advanced technique to save critically ill Covid-19 patients, to Vietnam.

During the fourth pandemic wave, Cho Ray sent many groups of medical workers to epicenters to fight the pandemic. With the assistance, treatment improved and the mortality rate fell.

Mr. Vu Quoc Cuong's wife Nguyen Thi Tuyet Lan - (Mr. Cuong passed away due to Covid-19).

Vu Quoc Cuong, born in 1975, got 39,995 votes. He was the founder of Cuong Beo vegetarian food shop. During the tough days of the fourth wave, Cuong organized many charitable activities, including giving food to the poor, street people and people in quarantine zones.

Cuong contracted Covid-19 and passed away. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc has signed a decision on posthumously conferring a certificate of merit for Cuongs contributions to society.

2021 is the second consecutive year that VietNamNet has organized the Inspiring Characters Award, which honors individuals and organizations for their acts that spread good values throughout the community.

VietNamNet

Taking part in charity work means that you have to ignore others judgmental attitudes The President of Kim Oanh Charity Foundation said that when entrepreneurs donate to the poor, they should not worry too much about other peoples negative opinions.

Inspring Characters 2021: Hero who rescued a falling toddler 'awakens' community compassion Nguyen Ngoc Manh, a truck driver, became known throughout the country after he saved a little girl who fell from a Hanoi apartment complex in February.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has asked grassroots healthcare units to care for Covid patients at home. One medical worker will be in charge of 30-50 patients or more.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long

MOH assigns one medical worker to 30-50 Covid patients at home

The Ministry of Health has asked grassroots healthcare units to care for Covid patients at home. One medical worker will be in charge of 30-50 patients or more.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on December 16 spoke at an online meeting with all 63 cities/provinces about the increase in number of community transmitted cases.

He asked participants at the meeting to focus on solutions to speed up vaccinations.

Our target is completing vaccinations for people aged 18 and over by December 15. But today is December 16 and the plan has not been fulfilled, he said.

Chinh also asked to speed up vaccinations of children aged 12-18 to pave the way for them to return to school.

Local authorities need to estimate expenditures on pandemic prevention and control so calculate resources needed in 2022.

Chinh stressed the need to reopen the economy and safely adapt to the new conditions. Cities and provinces need to assess the situation, report their difficulties and make clear proposals. Expanding vaccination coverage is a must. Most of the severe cases are unvaccinated or the patients with underlying health conditions.

The ministry explained that Delta is a contagious variant, which led to an increase in the number of infections, severe cases and deaths. This caused overloading at healthcare systems in some localities. In addition, there is now a shortage of medical workers. Many workers have resigned because of the pressure.

A local newspaper reported that nearly 1,000 medical workers quit in January-October.

The nutrition regime for severe cases has a budget of only VND80,000/head/day, not enough for intravenous feeding for critically ill patients.

Drugs for treatment

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said Vietnam has enough drugs for treatment, including 46 drugs prescribed. As for antiviral drugs, MOH has mobilized all resources to provide enough drugs for treatment.

MOH has allocated 514,000 vials of Remdesivir to localities and there are 1.1 million vials in stock. As for Favipiravir, the ministry has allocated 1,750 tablets and has 250,000 tablets in stock. Vietnam expects another 1 million tablets in 2021.

As for Molnupiravir, MOH said it is still under trial stage in Vietnam and other countries in the world. The ministry has allocated 6.5 million tablets under the framework of the pilot program and it has 4.5 million in stock.

The grassroots health system plays a major role as a first-line defence against Covid-19 and it needs to be strengthened in response to the pandemic. One medical worker will be in charge of 30-50 patients or more.

Thu Hang

Fully-vaccinated F1 individuals allowed to self-isolate at home In a document sent to the Peoples Committees of cities and provinces, the ministry asked F1 cases to self-isolate at home within seven days and self-monitor their health for the next seven days.
According to the survey entitled "Independent life in old age", 85% of Vietnamese people want to have an independent life when they get old.

Illustrative image

Physical health is their top concern (59%) when they get old, followed by mental health (30%) and financial health (11%).

The survey reveals a large gap between Vietnamese people's expectations and levels of preparation for this period.

Only 4 out of 10 Vietnamese people have a plan for their old age. For those who do not have a plan for their life after retirement, family responsibilities (51%) and financial instability (44%) are the main reasons.

Indian corporation donates 200,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses for Vietnamese children

The Bharat Biotech Group (India) donated 200,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to Vietnamese children on the occasion of the official visit to India by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.

During his visit to India, Mr. Hue met with Ms. Suchitra Ella, Executive Director of Bharat Biotech Group, a biotechnology company specializing in the development, production and distribution of vaccines and biological therapies globally with more than 50 patents.

The company has provided more than 4 billion doses of vaccines to more than 125 countries and is currently developing two vaccines against Covid-19: Covishield and Covaxin. In Vietnam, it has successfully commercialized rabies vaccines, participated in a number of national bids and was granted an Emergency Use License for Covaxin.

8 Covid cases detected at HCM City schools four days after school reopens

Pham Duc Hai, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City anti-epidemic steering committee, told the media that by December 16, six students and two teachers tested positive for Covid-19.

Hai said the cases were handled according to the procedures regulated by the Health Ministry. "Parents can rest assured that the safety of their children at school is still guaranteed," said Hai.

School attendance was over 90% for grade 9 and more than 93% for grade 12, said an official from the HCM City Department of Education and Training.

Ho Chi Minh City Mayor gets new post

The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City has issued a Decision on the staff of the municipal Steering Committee for housing policy and the real estate market. Accordingly, Chairman of the HCM City People's Committee Phan Van Mai is appointed the head of the steering committee, and Vice Chairman Le Hoa Binh as the deputy head. The steering committee has 17 members who are officials of the city's departments and agencies.

Director of CDC Hai Duong suspended from office for investigation

Pham Manh Cuong, Director of Hai Duong Provincial Department of Health, said that Pham Duy Tuyen, Director of the Hai Duong Provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC), has been suspended from work to serve the polices investigation. According to VietNamNet's source, the Police Department for Investigation of Corruption, Economic and Smuggling Crimes (C03) of the Ministry of Public Security summoned Tuyen for investigation.

Trial of 23 suspects related to death of 39 Vietnamese in the UK

The trial is expected to last for two days, and will focus on the truck that left the western suburbs of Brussels (Belgium) on October 22, 2019 to the UK. This is believed to be the place where the human trafficking ring set up two houses to group migrants before departure. In January this year, a British court convicted seven people in connection with the case, some of whom were found guilty of manslaughter, with sentences ranging from three to 27 years in prison.

PV
That initial interest, however, tapered off as spring wound down. By late spring, the pace of new cases in the county was the slowest it had been in a year.

Alvey said she was not surprised there was hesitancy with the vaccines but noticed this hesitancy seemed to come with an extra degree of politicization.

Then the delta variant hit, leading to a local surge in cases that started in July and peaked in September at a pace in the neighborhood of 50% more cases per day than had been seen over the winter.

Rosario said she and her colleagues could feel the difference with the delta surge.

This one was more devastating in the amount of people we saw, and much younger patients, Rosario said.

The local number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths all hit their grimmest levels during the delta surge, but compared to previous surges, infections grew significantly more than hospitalizations and deaths. Local health experts have attributed the difference to the protection vaccines provide against severe disease and death, even if the degree of protection from delta infection is not as high as the degree of protection from infection caused by previous variants.
Tisby to speak in Waco

Historian and racial justice advocate the Rev. Jemar Tisby, author of How To Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice and The Color of Compromise, will speak Saturday and Sunday in Waco.

He will speak and sign copies of his books at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Fabled Bookshop & Cafe, 215 S. Fourth St. Baylor University assistant director of community relations Cuevas Peacock will moderate the discussion. Admission is free, but seating is limited.

Tisby will also preach at 10 a.m. Sunday at Mosaic Waco church, 1226 Washington Ave. Attendees are asked to wear masks.

Holiday open house

Local women are invited to a holiday open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Waco Federated Womens Club clubhouse, 2900 Bosque Blvd. The event will include music and refreshments along with a tour of the clubhouse.

Tickets are $5, with proceeds supporting the womens club.

Food basket giveaway
Black voters, in South Carolina and other states, were a crucial part of the coalition that helped Biden win election as president.

He also touched on the infrastructure bill he recently signed into law, including the promise of thousands of new jobs, but avoided discussing his centerpiece social welfare and environmental bill. That measure remains bottled up in the Senate, largely due to opposition from a fellow Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and facing an uncertain fate next year, when Democrats need accomplishments to show as they campaign for reelection in the November.

Biden also pledged to help stamp out hate and racism, referenced the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, carried out in hopes of subverting his election, and talked about his appreciation for historically Black colleges and universities. He noted that key members of his team had graduated from historically Black schools, including Vice President Kamala Harris, a Howard University alum.

You can defeat hate, but you cant eliminate it," Biden said. It just slides back under a rock and, when given oxygen by political leaders, it comes out ugly and mean as it was before. We cant give it any oxygen. We have to step on it.
Perhaps the most telling sign is that even Trump himself doesnt think its a foregone conclusion he could secure the nomination. Hes reportedly livid with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for not publicly declaring he wont run for president if Trump does. Part of that is Trumps ego-driven desire to demonstrate his dominance, but its also a sign that he feels the need to clear the field rather than compete in it. He could certainly be goaded into running again, just as he was in 2016. But the more likely scenario is that Trump will continue to keep everyone guessing until the last minute to maximize attention and profit. The best way to ensure he doesnt run again is for Republicans like DeSantis to signal hell have to work for it and thus risk looking like a loser  twice.
During our recent article illustrating the first post-restoration flight for Supermarine Seafire F.Mk.XVII SX336, we hinted that this vintage maritime fighter aircraft would soon be in the news again  and that time has just arrived. The Navy Wings Heritage Flying Collection, successor to the Royal Navy Historic Flight, has purchased the Seafire following the charitys reception of a sizable financial donation dedicated towards the aircrafts acquisition. This is a major show of confidence in the newly-formed organization as Seafires  of any marque  are extremely rare; SX336 is one of just four Seafires presently capable of flight anywhere in the world! As such, SX336 has a unique opportunity to help pass on the story of British naval aviation to younger generations  a story so often overshadowed by the Royal Air Force in the minds of the public at large.

Commenting on this remarkable development, Navy Wings CEO, Jock Alexander OBE, noted in his press release:We are very excited to welcome Seafire SX336 into the Navy Wings Collection. SX336 is a magnificent example of the naval story of the Spitfire. Few people know that the Spitfire went to sea, and we couldnt have wished for a more iconic and evocative British fighter to add to the collection.
WATERLOO  A man who was found living in Waterloo after being deported for a 2010 bank robbery has been sentenced to prison for returning to the United States.

Gabriel Marceleno-Lopez, 29, was sentenced to a year in prison on a charge of illegal re-entry during a Friday hearing in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.

Court records show Marceleno-Lopez, a citizen of Mexico, was first removed from the United States in April 2012 following a conviction in a 2010 bank robbery in Dodge City, Kansas. He was 17 years old at the time of the robbery, and his accomplice was shot and injured by police.

In 2014, he was found back in Kansas. He was charged with illegal re-entry and removed in 2017.

Then in May 15, Waterloo police found Marceleno-Lopez while investigating an assault call. He allegedly gave officers a fake name and then tried to run away. Officers captured him and identified him by his tattoos, according to court records.

State interference charges are still pending in connection with the May incident.

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WATERLOO  A Waterloo woman has been sentenced to probation in connection with a straw-man gun purchase that ended with a preschooler shooting themself.

The child suffered serious injuries but survived.

On Friday, Jamie Marie Graham, 23, of Waterloo, was sentenced to five years of federal probation on a charge of making a false statement for a firearm purchase in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Iowa.

Straw purchases of firearms oftentimes place guns in the hands of people whom the law has deemed too irresponsible or dangerous to possess them, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Chatham wrote in a sentencing memo in the case. While the outcome of defendants straw purchases  the accidental discharge of a firearm by a child causing grievous harm to the child  may not be a typical dangerous outcome of a straw purchase, it was the outcome just the same.

Authorities allege Graham had met Dmontrey Leafo Rayshawn Redmond, 24, of Cedar Rapids, in November 2020. Redmond, who is prohibited from possessing guns because of felony convictions, convinced Graham to purchase firearms for him.

Graham allegedly bought two .40-caliber Glock pistols at a Waterloo gun store Dec. 4, 2020, signing paperwork stating the guns were going to be for her. Redmond provided a cash card for the transaction and went along to pick out the weapons and the ammunition.

After the purchase, Graham gave Redmond the handguns, according to court records, and one of the guns later ended up in the Cedar Rapids home of a friend of Redmonds.

On Dec. 23, 2020, a 4-year-old child found the gun in the Cedar Rapids home and accidentally fired it. The bullet struck the child in the chin and head, according to court records.

A few weeks after the accident, the childs mother, who Graham had never met, contacted her and asked to provide a bill of sale that made it look like Graham sold the gun to the mother or the mothers boyfriend, according to court records.

Police contacted Graham in February about the gun purchases, and she allegedly told officers that pistols had been stolen from her vehicle a month earlier, court records state.

The other firearm Graham purchased has not been recovered.

Redmond was arrested on state charges for allegedly shooting at a group of teens in a Cedar Rapids alley in November 2020. He was later indicted with Graham in connection with the Dec. 4, 2020, gun purchase, and he is awaiting sentencing.

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CEDAR FALLS  The City Council will consider three options Monday for a new ward and voting precinct maps based on the 2020 census results.

The council will hold a public hearing at its regular meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. in City Hall. It could vote on one of the ordinances authorizing the redistricting, or suggest changes be made to one of the maps.

To meet a Jan. 3 state deadline for the new boundaries, councilors may waive a requirement the ordinance receive three readings and instead vote on final adoption Monday.

At the Dec. 6 meeting, City Administrator Ron Gaines noted if more time is needed to consider the maps, a special meeting could be scheduled. Mayor Rob Green suggested possible days could be Wednesday or Thursday, the two days before Christmas Eve.

In a letter to city officials from Cory Hines, a GIS analyst who created the drafts, he said the boundaries must be modified to obtain a more balanced representation within each ward based on the updated population numbers.

The 2020 census found Cedar Falls grew by 3.7%, increasing from 39,260 to 40,713 people.

This increase resulted in unbalanced population in each ward ranging from a high of 10,084 to a low of 6,942, Hines said. This range far exceeds the allowable maximum variation of 10% between any two wards based on the ideal size of 8,144 people. In addition, the increase resulted in multiple precincts exceeding the limit of 3,500 people.

Option A has the most balanced representation at 6.9% difference, Hines said. The alternative versions, Options B and C, have 9% and 9.4% differences, respectively.

On Dec. 6, Councilor Daryl Kruse said it would be ideal to have three options, similar to Iowa City, instead of just the one draft that was available that evening when councilors were voting on setting the hearing date for Monday.

Were deciding the voting wards for the next 10 years, and its important to do whatever we can to get a just and balanced precinct and ward map, Kruse said.

His referral was approved by a voice vote, with at least one councilor opposing it. Councilors Dave Sires and Susan deBuhr voted against setting the hearing date for Monday.

DeBuhr contended it was premature to schedule it because councilors did not have any data related to the proposed redistricting map from staff.

Last month, Gov. Kim Reynolds approved the redistricting of the state legislative districts, allowing municipalities to begin the process of updating their own boundaries.

People may recall that there was a delay from the state, and thats how we got to this point, said Jennifer Rodenbeck, city director of finance and business operations. Obviously, the first (delay) was driven by the census data, which as everybody knows, was delayed from the normal time that we (typically) get census data. Then it went through the state, and we were waiting for them, so unfortunately theyve kind of put us in a time crunch, and youll see many other cities talking about the same thing.

In fact, we asked, just like other cities, can we get an extension from the secretary of state? And we were denied that extension, she added.

DeBuhr asked if there was a fine for missing the deadline, and Rodenbeck said the city asked a similar question.

There is actually is no fine to file it late, Rodenbeck said, but missing the deadline becomes a problem if Secretary of State Paul Pate identifies any issues with the map submitted by the city.

Prior to the regular council meeting, a committee of the whole meeting had been scheduled for 6:20 p.m. to learn about the capital improvement plan.

According to Clerk Jacque Danielsen, it has been postponed to Jan. 3 because Green felt it was a topic the two newly elected councilors should hear once sworn into office.

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KINGSLAND, Ga. (AP)  A federal agency expects to announce its decision Monday on whether to allow a launchpad that would send commercial rockets into space from coastal Georgia.

However, the Federal Aviation Administration is emphasizing that a license authorizing Camden County to operate a spaceport would not yet permit the launch of any rockets.

In a letter released Friday by the FAA, the agency said a more comprehensive review would be needed before any rockets can be launched from Georgia.

Even if the license for Spaceport Camden is approved, it would not authorize a single launch, an FAA executive wrote to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Simply put: to obtain a Vehicle Operator License, many more reviews remain, and no outcome is guaranteed, the letter stated.

Any company seeking to launch from the site would need to obtain a Vehicle Operator License and undergo a separate environmental and safety evaluation, according to the FAA.

Camden County, in the southeastern corner of the state, has spent nearly 10 years and $10 million pursuing the goal of having what would be the nation's newest commercial spaceport.

Supporters say it would give the county a huge economic boost and allow Georgia to join the commercial space race thats sent increasing numbers of civilians and celebrities into space in recent months.

Critics contend the proposed site would endanger residents of Little Cumberland Island, which has about 40 homes, though few people live there year round, and visitors to federally protected Cumberland Island, which lie in the planned flight path for rockets.

We have collaborated with the FAA, providing critical input aimed at protecting the visitors, staff and nationally significant resources entrusted to our care," Gary Ingram, superintendent of Cumberland Island National Seashore, said in a statement Friday. We remain committed to working with the FAA to adequately address remaining concerns about adverse impacts to the park.

Opponents have gone to court to try to block the county from purchasing land where the spaceport would be built. About 3,800 people have signed a petition calling for a referendum that would let voters decide whether the county can buy the property.

The National Park Service and its parent agency, the U.S. Department of the Interior, also have expressed concerns.

In a July 22 letter to the FAA, the Interior Department said a chance of rockets exploding  with fiery debris raining down on wilderness land on Cumberland Island  creates an unacceptable risk. Cumberland Island, with its wild horses and nesting sea turtles, is a popular tourist area off the Georgia coast.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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If youre scheduled for knee replacement surgery, your surgeon has probably already told you that your recovery will take a while. In fact, it may be 12 weeks or more before you get fully back to your regular everyday activities. For an easier recovery, experts recommend taking the following steps to prepare your home before surgery.



1. Create a first-floor sleeping space

Navigating stairs is tough immediately after knee surgery, says Geoffrey Westrich, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and a professor at Weill Cornell Medicine at Cornell University.

If you normally sleep upstairs in a multistory home, consider converting a space downstairs into a bedroom for a few weeks. Set up a temporary bed, or sleep on a couch or recliner. Ideally, you need to be able to access your bed, a bathroom and the kitchen all on same level, Westrich says.

2. Prepare a recovery area

Initially, your go-to chair should be a sturdy, stable one with arms to help you stand up or a recliner so you can elevate your leg, Westrich says. Placing a firm cushion on the seat of the chair can also help when you stand up. If you dont have a recliner, you can use a footstool to elevate your leg.

Place items you might need  tissues, glasses, TV remote control, reading materials, wastebasket, laptop  within easy reach.

Westrich also recommends strategically placing chairs in other rooms in case you need a sitting break.

3. Preorder medical equipment

Talk to your surgeons office about the type of durable medical equipment needed to make your home comfortable during recovery. Surgeons offices often have someone who can work with the hospital to order the necessary items and have them delivered to your home, says Morey Menacker, D.O., a geriatrician and regional medical director of the Orlando, Florida, market for CenterWell, a subsidiary of Humana.

Depending on where youre having the procedure done, you may have to order your own walker, cane or crutches. You will also need to rent or buy a shower chair or bench to sit on while you bathe, Menacker says. If your toilet seat is low, a toilet seat extender and a toilet seat frame make it easier to get on and off. You can rent a bedside commode if you dont have a bathroom on your first floor.

Medicare and other types of medical insurance typically cover the cost of renting durable medical equipment, but its a good idea to confirm that first.

4. Prepare your bathroom

Install a handheld adjustable showerhead attachment for easier bathing, and mount grab bars in the bathtub or shower area and next to the toilet for support, Menacker advises. Grab bars will continue to pay dividends long after you recover from your knee surgery, helping to prevent falls for years to come.

A shower sponge with a long handle can help you wash hard-to-reach areas without bending over, and a nonskid bathmat will keep the floor dry and help prevent slipping.

5. Stock up on ice packs

Icing your knee following surgery is critical and has been shown to reduce swelling, pain and inflammation to allow for a greater range of motion. You can use regular ice in a ziplock bag, bags of frozen vegetables or get special ice packs that wrap around your knee.

If its possible, Westrich recommends renting an ice therapy machine that applies cold therapy along with compression. A lot of my patients who did one knee years ago and another knee more recently have said emphatically that having an ice machine, they noticed a huge difference in their recovery, he says.

Most patients rent the machine for two weeks following surgery, he says.
There is so much said these days about the need to reform our justice system. But where does that start, and what exactly do the changes look like?

Should prosecutors be allowed to buck the law and decide not to prosecute certain offenses? Should the system of cash bail be scrapped as poor defendants cannot afford it? If so, how do we guarantee the accused shows up at trial? In the drive to depopulate prisons, is public safety in jeopardy? What are the most successful diversion programs for first-time offenders?

Maybe most importantly, who should answer these questions?

During the Senates 1987 Iran-Contra hearings, Col. Oliver Norths attorney objected to a hypothetical question his client was asked. Sen. Daniel Inouye reminded the lawyer, the legendary litigator Brendan Sullivan, that the rules of the courtroom did not apply to congressional hearings.

Let the witness object if he wishes to, Inouye said. Sullivans tart response has been memorized by countless attorneys.

Well, sir, I am not a potted plant. Im here as the lawyer. Thats MY job.

Now, the chief justice of Michigan, Judge Bridget Mary McCormack, has reprised that quote in an essay about getting judges involved in changing our current system.

In the dynamics of reforming and improving the justice system, she wrote in the Yale Law Journal, a judge should not be a potted plant.

Whats that? Traditionally, jurists have kept a low profile, believing it unethical to advocate for or against any particular position. Many judges see their job as simply applying the laws that were duly passed by state or federal legislators.

But McCormack wrote, Judges are uniquely valuable contributors to reform efforts precisely because they are exposed to the day-to-day workings of the justice system and the flaws within it.

McCormack spent two years as co-chair of a Michigan state task force studying how to reduce county jail populations. She proudly says the state legislature agreed with many of her committees recommendations for how to decriminalize low-level offenses and divert some defendants to outside programs rather than prison.

There is no formal ethical obstacle to judges working toward the improvement of the law and the justice system, McCormack wrote. And she made it a point to say she knows of lots of judges in other states who are also contributing to the reform movement.

Im wondering what readers think about this idea.

It is true, judges have a front-row seat to the real-world effect the system has on citizens, and are in a position to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the court system. But, historically, the judge is there to stoically consider the fine points of law and issue a contemplative ruling  period. If judges become deeply involved in changes to the very system that guides them, what happens to their impartiality  or is impartiality a nostalgic relic of the past?

It is no use to have a public servant act like a potted plant and simply go along to get along as they discharge their duty. I long for the days when a judge put the publics safety first, would buck a bad law and lock up an obvious career criminal instead of automatically releasing the defendant, as so many jurists do today. The action may ultimately have been overturned  but in the meantime the streets were safer.

A judges knowledge of courtroom procedures can be invaluable, but that doesnt necessarily translate into expertise on how to run a prison, what the long-term consequences of doing away with cash bail will be, or the finer points of dealing with crime victims.

Many of the reforms being floated today have merit. Helping young people stay out of the system is one. Sentencing reform is another. But some of todays proposals are borne of the progressive defund the police movement. Even judges can be tempted to jump on a popular bandwagon while eyeing reelection.

Judges should have a voice in change, but lawmakers might be best served if they give more weight to reform suggestions from civilian experts who have studied all aspects of the justice system.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

New Mexico officials on Friday reported 1,180 new COVID-19 cases and 28 additional deaths, with both numbers down slightly from the previous day.

The state Department of Health reported that 617 people were hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19, down from 661 on Thursday.

The additional deaths bring New Mexicos death toll to 5,577.

Of deaths reported Friday, 27 were recent deaths. One Catron County man died more than 30 days ago.

Of recent deaths, residents of Bernalillo County and San Juan County each accounted for seven, and Dona Ana County residents for three.

Bernalillo County reported the most new cases with 331. Other counties with the highest reported number of new cases include: Dona Ana, 140; Santa Fe, 101; Chaves, 65; Sandoval, 59; and San Juan, 57.

U.S. officials intensified calls Friday for unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated as the new omicron variant contributed to a record number of infections in New York.

As of Friday, 75.3% of New Mexicans 18 and older had completed the recommended series of COVID-19 vaccines, and 30.6% had received a booster shot.

Nearly 70,000 vaccine doses were administered in the previous seven days in the state, health officials reported Friday.
FARMINGTON  Time is of the essence for the Salvation Army in New Mexico now that the Grinch has thrown a wrench into the groups holiday toy program.

A van loaded with $6,000 worth of toys set to be passed out to hundreds of children was stolen this week from a store parking lot in Farmington.

It is a pretty Grinch-like thing to do, Farmington police spokesperson Nicole Brown told the Farmington Daily Times.

Brown said a detective conducted interviews following Tuesdays theft and the investigation is ongoing.

Farmington police reached out via Facebook for the publics help in finding the white minivan.

Shock, disbelief, just how somebody could do that  especially in a marked vehicle, taking gifts for children, Lt. Christopher Rockwell with the Salvation Army Farmington Corps told KOB-TV.

Meant for more than 350 kids, the toys were set to be distributed on Dec. 20. Now, the hope is to replace the stolen toys before Monday. Rockwell said the community has already responded in a big way by donating more toys and money.

The response of the community and what theyre doing is absolutely heartwarming because this area is just so generous and giving here in Farmington and the Four Corners area, he said.

The Salvation Army operates out of 25 centers around New Mexico and provides church service, food for the hungry and shelter and clothes for the homeless, among other services.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

The federal government this week extended financial compensation to dairy farmers affected by a group of chemicals known as PFAS.

The U.S. Department of Agricultures new rule could help New Mexico producers like Art Schaap, whose dairy lies just southeast of Cannon Air Force Base.

Thousands of Schaaps cows were contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, after drinking groundwater that migrated from the base.

Finalizing this rule is a huge step in trying to get my life back to normal, Schaap said.

USDA pays producers like Schaap who have had to remove milk from the market because of chemical contamination.

The agency said it will extend monthly payments past the original 18-month limit because of evolving science on PFAS.

Affected cows may be determined likely to be not marketable for a lengthy duration, the new rule reads.

Farmers may also receive money to dispose of the contaminated animals.

PFAS toxins are linked to cancers and birth defects.

Cannon  like many military sites  used the chemicals in firefighting foam for training exercises.

PFAS in water at Schaaps Highland Dairy tested at levels more than 200 times the Environmental Protection Agencys lifetime health advisory.

Beverly Idsinga, executive director of the Dairy Producers of New Mexico, said extended payments are one step to mitigate the tragic harm of PFAS chemicals. But she said more needs to be done to protect other producers.

While the impact on dairy farms has been limited in its scope, the emotional and financial damage to (Highland Dairy) is substantial, Idsinga said.

Meanwhile, Air Force officials and federal scientists are studying how best to remove the chemicals from water and soil.

Key to that effort is finding out how PFAS moves through groundwater, said Stuart Norton, a U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist.

The USGS team recently surveyed nearly 20 wells on the base. A lab is analyzing the results.

Our objective is to map the groundwater surface, and evaluate water level change over time, Norton said.

A $16.6 million pilot project of wells and a PFAS filtration system at the bases southeast corner could be operational in April 2023.

For farmers like Schaap, the federal rule change is a welcome compensation for lost income. But the long-term cleanup still looms.

I look forward to putting this unfortunate chapter behind me and my family, he said.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.
A fire damaged one of the barns at Los Luceros Historic Site in Alcalde on Friday night.

According to the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, the cause of the fire is under investigation.

No one was harmed and the sites beloved Churro sheep and goats were saved.

Los Luceros Historic Site will maintain its regular operations with the affected section of the site cordoned off to the public, Cultural Affairs said in news release.

Los Luceros is a 148-acre ranch in Alcalde, just north of Espanola.

The centerpiece of the ranch is the 5,700 square-foot, 18th century Territorial-style adobe home which was renovated by the Cabot Foundation in 2004 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The property also includes a visitor center, directors residence and a small gallery. In addition to the hacienda and the visitor center complex, the property contains three residences, an 18th century chapel, the original village jail, numerous farm buildings, apple orchards, irrigated pasture and bosque along the Rio Grande.

The state Department of Cultural Affairs purchased the Los Luceros property from the family of Frank and Ann Cabot in 2008. Los Luceros is used as a cultural destination with interpretative exhibits and public access; as a retreat center for workshops and seminars related to New Mexicos film industry; crop-growing and environmental studies programs.

More information will be shared with the media when available.
FARMINGTON, N.M.  Farmington-area residents of northern New Mexico donated gifts and money after somebody stole a Salvation Army van loaded with $6,000 worth of toys for children, according authorities.

The Grinch will not have this victory, Salvation Army Lt. Christopher Rockwell told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Business leaders and others began making donations after the marked van with gifts intended for more than 350 children was stolen Tuesday from outside a store, Rockwell said.

The donations included lots of toys, lots of clothing as well as hygiene items and cash, certainly adding up to more than enough to replace the stolen items intended for children who are signed up for a distribution event Monday, Rockwell said. We have like a waiting list  so we could see what we have left over.

The generosity showed the compassion and the hearts that people have for each other here, Rockwell said. Its a massive blessing beyond comprehension.

Farmington police said Saturday that an arrest warrant has been issued for a 37-year-old man who is considered a suspect in the theft.

The van and toys have not been recovered yet and no arrest had been made or a possible motive determined, according to police.

Rockwell said he suspected a pickpocket stole the vans keys from a Salvation Army worker who was in the store.

I think it was just some evil, unscrupulous person who just saw an opportunity, Rockwell said. Desperate, I understand that, but to do this is just beyond imagination.

The Salvation Army is a Christian organization founded in 1865 in London. It is active in more than 100 countries and is best known for its charity shops, homeless shelters and disaster relief.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Leading California cannabis companies are warning Gov. Gavin Newsom that the states legal marijuana industry is on the verge of collapse.

A letter signed by more than two dozen executives, industry officials and advocates follows years of complaints about heavy taxes and regulation that they say make it impossible for legal companies to compete with the illegal market.

They told Newsom our industry is collapsing. Newsom spokeswoman Erin Mellon said in a statement that the governor supports cannabis tax reform and recognizes the system needs change.

The industry leaders asked for tax cuts and more retail shops. California kicked off broad legal sales in 2018.
CHICO, Calif. - A sequel for a Chico man who had one of Netflix's most-watched movies last year.

Shaun Piccininos first Christmas movie "A California Christmas" was so successful, he made a sequel called "A California Christmas City Lights" that quickly climbed its way to the second most-watched in the country on Netflix.

"Everybody is just so grateful that the audience has found it and the response has been so overwhelmingly positive," said Piccinino.

Piccinino hit it big time last year with his first Christmas movie called A California Christmas.

It is a story about a wealthy realtor from San Francisco hoping to buy a woman's ranch in Petaluma. Instead, he ended up stealing her heart.

"He's the fish out of water in the first movie," Piccinino said. "So she's the fish out of water this time. She's just a small-town gal, small-town a ranch her whole life and now she's being thrust onto rooftop parties at the Fairmount hotel."

The movie just came out Thursday on Netflix.

"Im just in shock, I mean [making second on Netlix] in itself is unbelievable," Piccinino said.

Piccinino has come a long way since starting in Chico. He hopes the movie tugs the heartstrings of the people who watch it.

Hopefully we can bring a smile to somebody's face over the holiday season, give them a little bit of an escape for an hour and a half," Piccinino said.

Piccinino went to Pleasant Valley High School, Butte College then CSU, San Marcos in San Diego before finding his footing in Los Angeles, where he currently lives.
CHICO, Calif. - An all-clear was given in the local area after a nationwide TikTok challenge calling for gun violence at school campuses.

There may be consequences for threats like this which include criminal consequences. This type of situation can also cause emotional damage to students, parents, and staff at schools.

"Many students would like to look at this as a joke. It is no joking manner," Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said.

Ramsey discussed the seriousness of social media school threats, like the recent one on TikTok.

"The crime is what is known as the strike crime. That could send someone to state prison if they are an adult, and if they are under 18 they can be sent to juvenile hall," Ramsey said.

"It is really scary," concerned mother Stacy Defreites said.

As a mother, Defreites says how common school threats have gotten worries her.

"It's crazy how much it has changed," Defreites said.

Social media wasn't a thing when she was growing up. Now, she finds herself forced to have conversations with her children about the dangers.

"I try to live with it. you can't stop living kind of a thing. I just pray and hope that they are safe there and I generally feel like they are," Defreites said.

"Schools should be a safe place both physically and emotionally for the student," Ramsey said.

Kids can pick up their phones and be connected instantly but it's not just songs and dancing that they are posting, and what they say is out there forever.

"There are ways that law enforcement agents can track you down," Ramsey said.

"I'm worried that something could happen and I am not there to run and save him," the mother of an eighth-grader Jennifer Partridge said.

Partridge says social media is to blame.

While the local area did not have any credible threats, schools did have extra law enforcement patrols.

Ramsey added that it could also be a pricey crime. The court can order restitution for all of the expense that has been done to either harden the school site or have extra police on campus.
Sahiti Group a leading real estate player based out of Andhra Pradesh onboards Urban Living to handle their branding, project expansions, and customer retention activities.

Sahiti Group is a leading real estate developer in Hyderabad founded by Dr. Boodati Lakshmi Narayana in 2010. Since its inception, Sahiti Group has delivered 20 plus impeccable realty spaces in residential and commercial segments with about 15 projects underway. The appointment of Urban Living is to the effect of streamlining customer queries, helping Sahiti with informed project expansion, fundraising as well as creating a framework for end-users to communicate well with the real estate player.

Urban Living, founded by Mr. Naveen Mypala is a real estate development management and design servicing company. It offers comprehensive services and consultations that span the wholesome development process- from auditing properties and devising development strategies to the delivery and sale/lease of a completed project.

Moreover, Urban Living uses cutting-edge decision-making CRM and sales tools to enhance efficiency for the developer and improve the journey for the customer. They also help their clients in the process of fundraising and revenue management focusing on their customer demand and pricing of the products leading to maximizing revenue growth.

Dr. BL Narayana, Founder of Sahiti Group said, We strive to deliver a flawless journey for all of our clients. Our partnership with Urban Living is an endeavor to provide ease of access to our internal team and our homeowners. We want to be better prepared for our future projects and the kind of communication we create with our existing and new customers

The construction and real estate sector employs almost 51 million people and contributes nearly 9% to India's GDP. The Indian construction industry has been severely damaged by the recent lockdown and various limitations imposed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Despite the fact, some analysts and research firms forecast sustained growth in the construction business in India through 2021 and beyond, yet multiple challenges are hovering in the construction sector in India.

Construction companies face several issues, including rising material and labor costs, workforce shortages, greater competition, and declining profit margins. During the recession, the construction industry lost nearly 2 million jobs, and it has been difficult to get employment back to pre-recession levels. Only 19,038 units were sold in India's major residential marketplaces during April-June 2020. During the three months when incidences of viral infection in India surged rapidly, just 12,564 new units were deployed on the supply side. Not only this, but home buyers also faced difficulties such as virtual site visits during pandemic, tedious paperwork, delayed projects, issues with home loan EMI moratorium, etc.

Mr. Naveen Mypala, founder of Urban Living added, We are excited to be a part of Sahiti Groups journey and look forward to providing more meaningful experiences to its end-users. Real estate gurus are now employing artificial intelligence and digital services to keep their customers informed about everything to deliver satisfactory answers/experiences to their clients. In light of the challenges faced by the builder and its end customer, Sahiti Group made a strategic decision to onboard us.
Rice University sociology lecturer Craig Considine holds some views that are probably not too justified under Christian doctrine, but I have never been too concerned about that, he stated on December 9. This self-described practicing Roman Catholic displayed more of his incessant fantasy Islam at a presentation of his new book, People of the Book: Prophet Muhammads Encounter with Christians, at Washington, D.C.s fashionably left-wing Busboys and Poets restaurant on K Street.

Considine, who calls himself a social media influencer, arrived with books to autograph and sell, but only about six people showed up in the almost-empty event room. Most appeared to be from his host, the Rumi Forum, part of Fethullah Gulens cultic Hizmet movement, which organized several other events for his local book tour. Considine has also previously published with the Gulenist Blue Dome Press.

For general audiences, Considines departures from Catholic orthodoxy matter, because he often claims to ground his always-rosy views on Islam in Church teaching and history. This appeal to religious authority, coupled with his academic credentials and post at an elite university, lends them a veneer of legitimacy. On this, as on other occasions, he failed to prove his case.

He struck his usual monotone of interfaith multiculturalism, particularly among Christians and Muslims, as he stated that he had dedicated the book to Pope Francis, whose spirit [and] essence it reflects. Francis advocates a culture of encounter, a push beyond mere tolerance in order to genuinely know others, Considine said, which has allowed me to think about my faith outside of the pure angles of theology.

The company the woke Considine keeps is unsurprising, as he listed a whos who of Western Islam apologists as personal influences, including University of Chicago emeritus professor Fred M. Donner, who supposedly showed that Islam was not purely for Muslims. The scholarship is coming from all different angles, Considine stated while citing the varied faith backgrounds of the Muslim journalist Mustafa Akyol, the Bahai and University of Michigan Middle East studies professor Juan Cole, and the Catholic author Gary Wills. The self-professed freelance monotheist Karen Armstrong is another great biographer of Prophet Muhammad, Considine cooed of his fellow fantasist.

Prophet Muhammad, as Considine always reverently addressed Islams founder, was allegedly a bridgebuilder and knowledge seeker, not a subjugator of non-Muslim dhimmis. He asserted that Muhammads followers in seventh-century Arabia always engaged in defensive battles, a claim refuted by the historical record. Using the Charter of Medina, which was in fact a primitive tribal alliance, Muhammad also built a civic nation with rights like freedom of speech, Considine claimed, notwithstanding Islamic accounts of Muhammad ordering assassinations of critics.

Islams followers historically have ravaged Christendom, but Considine declared that in Muhammads vision Christians are part of the ummah, or Islamic community. Celebrating diversity was, he gushed, Islams leitmotiv, for Islam being a divine religion is able to make sense, incorporate all of this religious difference into a whole that works. As usual, he cited his fellow Israel-basher, John Andrew Morrow, who has promoted fraudulent documents as protective covenants between Muhammad and various Christian communities. These historic forgeries burst the stereotypes of Islamic intolerance, Considine stated.

Considine also tried to make nice towards Jews on Islams behalf, even though they have suffered under Islamic anti-Semitism since Muhammad. He acknowledged numerous Quranic verses deprecatory towards Jews but, blaming the victim, pleaded a historical context, as these passages involved Jews who became enemies of the state, traitors in Muhammads Medina community. Yet these seventh-century conflicts reflect that Jews past and present do not recognize Islams prophetic claims, which under sharia law makes these rejecters into objects of wrath.

Doctrinal laxity undermined Considines claims of theological authority, as he downplayed Islams denial of Christs divinity, proclaimed in the 325 AD Council of Nicaea and its namesake Nicene Creed. Islam is not anti-Christian, its just anti-Nicene, he paraphrased Akyol, even though Islam denies other orthodox Christian tenets concerning Jesus, such as his crucifixion. I dont think you have to be a trinitarian, I dont think you have to be an adherent to the Council of Nicaea rulings to be a Christian. I think thats ridiculous, Considine proclaimed with an unintentionally comical air of magisterial might.

Throughout Considine never indicated the least doubt about Muhammads miraculous claims. He treated as fact that Muhammad was struck by this otherworldly entity during claimed revelatory encounters with the Angel Gabriel, who became best buds with Muhammad. No skepticism marked Considines discussion of Muhammads nocturnal miraculous journey from Arabia to Jerusalem to heaven, where Jesus called Muhammad a brother from another mother.

Considines intellectual and cultural naivete did not end there. The call in 2000 for a dialogue of civilizations by the theocrat Mohammad Khatami, president of the brutal Islamic Republic of Iran, inspired Considine. Looking to the future, Considine speculated about a sci-fi novel view of the apocalypse, where, along with Muhammad, Jesus is part of a team of historic figures that will have a say in this final scenario.

Sci-fi fantasy might well best describe Considines writings on Islam. No facts or logic can unsettle the love he has for the comic book, saccharine Muhammad he has concocted among his interfaith action heroes. Students of Islamic history, including those at his own Rice University, should look elsewhere for evidence-based scholarship.

Andrew E. Harrod, a Campus Watch Fellow, freelance researcher, and writer, is a fellow with the Lawfare Project. Follow him on Twitter at: @AEHarrod.

Image: Hurst Publishing

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Physicians who still practice medicine cannot afford to write or say the following for fear of being canceled. As a retired physician, I cannot be coerced to keep silent with threats to my medical license or hospital privileges.

COVID-19 is probably the greatest and most successful swindle in history. By comparison, Carlo Ponzi and Bernie Madoff were pikers. The COVID scam has affected most of earths 7.8 billion inhabitants, consumed trillions of dollars, and achieved a level of government control unprecedented in modern democracies.

The COVID pandemic of fear is a con, perpetrated by those in power to extend and expand their power. Their scheme is simple. Take a new flu-like respiratory virus created in China, COVID-19; tout it as a threat to all human life; suspend (temporarily, of course!) personal liberty and freedom; then justify their tyranny by asserting a need to protect all Americans from death by virus. When the threat recedes, redefine the terms, demand vaccine passports, and booster shots to maintain public fear. As new viral variants evolve such as Delta or Omicron, resume draconian measures including masks and lockdowns, more boosters, and loss of employment if unvaccinated.

Make sure any evidence exposing the scam is labeled misinformation. Censor any reports that call into question the accuracy of official narratives. Punish those who question the government or refuse the mandates.

Is COVID a scam, or is it a real danger? Are masks safe? What are the effects of Washingtons anti-COVID policies: medical, political, financial, and social? Does natural immunity protect us? Do medications work? What does the data show us?

Medical risk. Based on CDC data, the risk of death for children is less than 0.1 percent and for healthy adults less than 0.17 percent. COVID is dangerous only to a small segment of the population: the elderly, diabetics, and the infirm with serious pre-existing medical conditions such as immunocompromise, chronic lung disease, kidney or heart failure, often several of these illnesses in a single patient.

Since the true health risk could never justify the imposition of pseudo-martial law and taking away constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, Washington said COVID was an existential threat to all, like bubonic plague or Ebola.

To provoke public panic, Washington reported COVID deaths on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis, claiming a total COVID death toll of more than 790,000. This mortality data is distorted. Only 12 to 23 percent of the deaths were actually due to the virus, based on autopsy data and medical demographics respectively. The majority died primarily because of their pre-existing conditions. Anyone who died with a positive COVID test was classified by the CDC as a COVID death regardless of the real reason they died, viz., a fatal motorcycle crash.

Mask mandates. The Washington swamp mandated lockdowns, social distancing, and wearing face masks, as a demonstration of their power.

It may seem reasonable that masks are protective, but medical data from Sweden, Israel, and U.S. schools suggest otherwise. They dont protect. Worse, masks may actually be dangerous. A group of concerned Florida parents performed a study, which revealed that kids face masks contained dangerous pathogens that can cause pneumonia, Lyme disease, tuberculosis, and meningitis, among others. Mask efficacy and safety research was not done by Washington as it would have revealed their scam.

Effects of Washington policies. The touted benefit of Washingtons COVID mandates is saving lives. The cost of their mandates  lockdowns, PPE, social distancing, and coerced injections  is both staggering and ignored by the feds. Deaths due to social isolation are up, in the elderly as well as teenage suicides. So too are both crime and drug usage. Mental health has declined as have opportunities to learn for school-age children. Economic losses, particularly in small businesses, are massive.

Would Americans have accepted such self-destruction if Washington had been truthful about COVID being merely a new flu, dangerous only to a small fraction of the population?

Immune protection. In those with intact immune systems, viral infection first induces protective antibodies and later T-cells and B-cells. Antibodies gradually fade months after the infection, but the T- and B- killer cells retain the memory of the viral signature and provide long-term protection. This is called natural immunity. When enough people have acquired such post-infection (natural) protection, herd immunity stops viral spread.

A natural immune response occurs when the killer cells memory sees any one of the numerous viral protein spikes. Vaccination with mRNA gene therapy teaches the immune system to identify and respond to only one protein spike. Natural immunity is stronger and more protective than mRNA injection, even with boosters.

The precise number of Americans with natural immunity is grossly underestimated because the true number of COVID infections is not known. For the first year of COVID, only symptomatic patients were tested. How many asymptomatic COVID cases were never identified? Almost certainly, tens of millions,

The federal government minimizes the number of asymptomatic COVID infections because of natural immunity. Washington even denies natural immunitys protective nature. Admitting this would reduce the fear factor.

Treatment. To maintain the COVID scam, Washington has to ignore, disparage, and even suppress information about treatments for COVID such as Hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin, and monoclonal antibodies. Otherwise, there is no justification for imposing mandates.

Call to Action

Americans have a bone-deep commitment to individual liberty and freedom. This is apparent from the grassroots activities pushing back against recent authoritarian over-reach, from parents suing school boards over CRT and vaccine mandates for kids to sinking poll numbers for the Biden administration.

With the COVID scam exposed, the following is our call to action.

Recognize what is happening and why. Washington has created a false threat from COVID. The scam is designed to circumvent the Constitution and restore tyranny, this time by the professional political class rather than an aristocracy.

Resist Washingtons power-grab. Wear a face mask or dont: you choose. Spend your money at businesses that reject Washington mandates. Use the courts to push back against federal overreach and illegal orders.

Reject self-styled medical authorities with megalomaniacal statements like I represent science, as though other physicians studies or experience arent real science. When bureaucrat-MDs like Anthony Fauci tell Americans what reports and data they cannot see, reject such censorship. When President Biden orders you to inject yourself with experimental gene therapy (mRNA), reject his instructions. Decide for yourself.

Also reject news outlets and social media that support Washingtons scam, viz., New York Times, Washington Post, CNN; and YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.

Republish studies labeled misinformation, denigrated, downplayed, or outright censored. A Google search for the Great Barrington Declaration produced: This site cant be reached.

Replace government officials who support and encourage the federal scam. Use the ballot box at all levels, from president, congress, governors, and state representatives to your local school board and city council.

Progressive Democrats, temporarily in control of both Congress and the White House, are engaged in realpolitik, German for practical politics. Realpolitik is a system of decision-making focused solely on increasing ones power with no regard for ethics, morality, or effect on others. The COVID scam may be their greatest ploy as they move forward on their Path to Power and the resumption of tyranny.

Deane Waldman, M.D., MBA is Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Decision Science; former director of the Center for Healthcare Policy at Texas Public Policy Foundation; former Director, New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange; and author of the multi-award-winning book Curing the Cancer in U.S. Healthcare: StatesCare and Market-Based Medicine.

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I had serious reservations about the Steven Spielberg version of the film classic West Side Story. Rumors of wokeness haunted the new movie from the first casting call through to its dismal opening weekend. I expected to wince throughout, but Spielberg did something brave and unexpected. He gave the Jets a rationale for their existence and their resistance.

The 1961 original did not. As a 14-year-old living in a "transitional" neighborhood very much like the one the Jets and Sharks inhabited and not far away, I fully identified with the white gang, the Jets. My friends, even my black friends, did as well. Despite our affection for our homies, we had a grudging respect for the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks. Their guys were arguably cooler, their girls hotter.

Missed by liberal observers, then and now, is that vestigial urban whites saw Puerto Ricans, not as another "race," but as another ethnic group, no more alien than Italians were to Irish or Irish were to Germans in generations past. Like Tony, we would definitely date their girls if they'd have us. The absurd racial delineation for "Hispanics" would come later.

As much as I liked the original movie, however, it struck me even then as a confection. The Jets were too soft, feckless, even, especially Tony, their legendary leader. They seemed ungrounded, their defiance more cinematic than real. Spielberg's critical revision was to root the new version in the real world of New York's West Side circa the late 1950s. Much has been said about the "texture" he gave to the Puerto Rican characters, but he gave equal texture to the Jets. That is what surprised me. It would have been so easy in today's environment to portray them as Archie Bunkers in training, Proud Boy wannabes, but he chose not to.

As the film makes clear from the opening scenes, redevelopers were leveling whole West Side neighborhoods to make way for the Lincoln Center complex. In fact, the producers of the original film used the vacated but as yet un-demolished buildings as a backdrop for the street scenes. In this version, a wrecking ball seems to hover over every shot. The Jets and Sharks are contesting for limited space in a shrinking universe.

In the Spielberg version, the Sharks have the sociological edge. Despite the playfully ironic Sondheim lyrics  "Life is all right in America, If you're all-white in America"  the Puerto Ricans are the ones aspiring upward. They are the ones dreaming of starting businesses and going to night school. The Jets, as Lieutenant Schrank (Corey Stoll) bluntly reminds them, are the white mongrels left behind largely due to parental pathologies. In any case, Schrank reminds both groups that they will all be squeezed out by gentrification. Those who know the West Side know this to be true.

The movie, in fact, reinforced the theme of an embryonic book I have been noodling with, working title: Displaced: The Great, Unsung, Ethnic Diaspora. In the proposal I note, "To this day, no one of note has written about the collapse of America's decaying cities from the perspective of the working-class ethnics who endured it. Nor has been there been any serious account of the sad, unwelcome diaspora that followed." Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner help fill that void. The result is a much grittier, tougher, fairer picture than the original.

One of Spielberg's smartest moves was to toughen up the "Tony" character. Unlike predecessor Richard Beymer, the Tony in the new version, Ansel Elgort, looks as though he could actually win a fight. Spielberg gives Tony a reason not to engage  he just spent a year in prison for nearly killing a guy in a street brawl. He fears his own rage as well as a return to prison.

Tall and smooth, Tony woos the enchanting Maria, Rachel Zegler, with conviction. One can debate which movie handles the musical numbers more capably, but the romance works better in the Spielberg version in no small part because both actors sing their own songs. Then, too, the bright-eyed Zegler was an unknown Hispanic 18-year-old when the movie was shot, not an established "gringa" movie star like Natalie Wood.

Spielberg's Riff, Mike Faist, is a revelation. He seems edgy and self-destructive enough to have been an original Westie, the psychopathic Irish gang that was soon to terrorize the West Side. Riff, the audience learns, has emotional problems grounded in a brutal upbringing. He has no future. Unlike the original's Russ Tamblyn, there is nothing cute about him. Faist can also sing.

David Alvarez, who plays Bernardo, is no more Puerto Rican than the original's George Chakiris. He is Cuban. Zegler, for that matter, is half-Colombian and halfsundry white American. I found weepy op-eds online from Puerto Rican girls despondent that none of their compatriots got the "Maria" role. For all the talk of ethnic authenticity, of the three major Hispanic players, only Anita, Ariana DuBose, has any connection to Puerto Rico, and that through her absentee Puerto Rican father. DuBose was raised by her white mother in North Carolina.

Alvarez lacks Chakiris's flash and style, but he credibly plays a boxer in the film and looks as though he could handle himself. He is more a xenophobe than Tony or Riff, and the reason why is simple. He fights for the one thing that has moved men to war since the beginning of time: women. Given his motivation, he brings as much brutal energy to the climactic fight scene as Riff.

You know how the rumble turns out. In the Spielberg version, you believe that it could actually have turned out that way.

To learn more about Jack Cashill's most recent books, please see www.cashill.com.

Image: 20th Century Studios via YouTube.

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In 1621, the city of Chocim in today's western Ukraine witnessed a mighty battle between the Polish-Lithuanian Empire and an invading Ottoman army. Chocim is rightly remembered by Poland as a victory, although the conflict ended in a political draw. But this stalemate was fought by only about 50,000 men against three times as many Turks and Mongols. After the death of the Polish commander-in-chief, Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, it was Stanisaw Lubomirski (15831649), not yet forty years old, who turned the tide in favor of Warsaw.

Chocim was not the first battle in this war against Muslim aggression. Already in 1619, Poland's King Sigismund III Wasa (1566/15871632) had saved the ruler Ferdinand II (1578/16191637) by defeating Hungarian vassals of the sultan, saving Vienna and Germany's imperial crown.

Chocim prevented a further expansion of the caliphate, but much of Hungary remained Turkish, and the sultans were only waiting for a new opportunity to push westward. In 1672, with 80,000 men, Muslim forces were able to reconquer Chocim and entire Polish provinces. Against Hetman Jan Sobieski (1629/16741696), however, the Ottomans suffered a second defeat at Chocim in 1673.

The significance of these Polish accomplishments did not go unnoticed in the free Republic of the Netherlands. Dutch artist Romeyn de Hooghe (16451708)  forefather of all bloggers with his engraved texts critical of the times  sensed the deeper meaning of Poland's victories at Chocim. For the first time, the Occident was now able to defend itself. That is why de Hooghe immortalized Sobieski in 1674, showing him as a Hercules and savior of Europe.

The Dutch intellectual was not mistaken. In 1683, Sobieski, king of Poland since 1674, risked everything in a do-or-die battle against the Turkish army besieging Vienna, whose emperor, Leopold I (1640/16581705), had already run away. This valiant defense of western Europe was the result of Sobieski's grasp of the continent's strategic situation. Despite the entreaties of his revered French wife, he had refused an alliance with Louis XIV (1638/1643-1715), who was an ally of the caliphate. Violent encounters with the sultans and their mega-armies, which Poland had experienced in horrific ways, forbade any such favor for the "Sun King" of France.

Sobieski knew well that whoever controlled the Austrian capital would attack Poland again. Therefore, his own protection and the salvation of Europe coincided in the stirring charge of the Polish hussars downhill to the gates of Vienna. All by itself, the name of this Polish king terrified Muslim warriors, who fled the field of battle. As in 1621, a Lubomirski, Prince Hieronim Augustyn (16741706), stood out militarily and was the first to reach the walls of the nearly razed imperial city.

The Polish victories over the Ottoman invaders ended some four centuries of the continent living in fear of the banners of Allah. The Muslim chain of triumphs began in 1291, when the last Crusader state, Acre, was defeated, and reached its first climax with the Ottoman slaughter of the Greeks of Constantinople in 1453. Muslim domination ended in 1699 with the Peace of Karlowitz between the Ottomans on the one side and Poland, Venice, the Vatican, Russia, and the Habsburgs on the other.

From 1700 on, the then125 million Europeans had only their continental equals to fear. The ever more innovative technologies emerging from Europe's property economy, along with a merciless suppression of birth control that caused a population boom, became the pillars for the Occident's conquest of the Earth. In 1914, there were 500 million Europeans, four times as many as in 1700. But population pressures cause conflict. In the three decades up to 1945, around 70 million people were murdered outright, annihilated by famines and bombs, or killed on battlefields. As Europeans by the millions became cannon fodder, birth rates dropped by at least 40 percent around 1915, heralding a long unnoticed decline.

In 1919, Poland, now re-established as an independent nation, was immediately attacked by Bolshevik troops. In 1920, the Bolsheviks were defeated before the gates of Warsaw. Germany and the West remained safe from a communist onslaught for the time being. But the peace with the Soviets of 1921 proved to be as meaningless as the agreement with the Turks in 1621. The next attack came in September 1939, after Hitler's Germany had begun its genocides by exterminating the Polish intelligentsia.

After 1970, Europe's falling birth rates  first noticed in West Germany  dropped below the self-preservation level of 2.1 children per woman's life. At the same time, all wars to defend Europe's colonies, where birth rates were three to four times higher, were lost.

In 1914, Europe had about 330 of every 1,000 military-age men (1529) worldwide, and, in addition, could employ the most lethal weapons. In 2021, however, the future of the European Union depends on about 33 children of every 1,000 of the same age (014 years) born worldwide. In Africa and the Arab world alone, there are 315 such children. Of the E.U.'s global share of 34 children, six live in Germany and three in Poland. Even together, they could make little difference against the enormous numbers on the opposite coast. After all, Europeans have to compete with East Asia's model students (150 of 1,000 children globally) at the same time. (For percentages of children, see here.)

In 2015, Berlin announced that Europe's borders cannot be defended against their illegal breaching by the youth of Africa and the Islamic world. In November of that year, the author was shocked by one of his students at the NATO Defense College in Rome. The Royal Air Force colonel loudly wanted to know why Germany was once again plunging the continent into ruin. The officer had just learned in the author's lecture that Muslims had increased their population twelvefold since 1900, from 150 million to 1.8 billion, and had reached Europe's 1914 world share in young men of military age. In 2015, some 800 million people in economically hopeless territories were already planning to emigrate to Europe and North America. The fear of Islam, overcome in 1700, was back with a vengeance.

Understandable is the hope of young Muslims to escape their domestic bloodshed by moving to Europe. It was Europe in 1945 that invented the right of asylum. Now, in 2021, the great power Russia, via its satellite Belarus, is pressing young Muslims through the borders installations of Poland and Lithuania into the E.U., in order to further increase the burdens of western Europe.

Unlike the Germans of 2015, the Poles of 2021 immediately fortified their borders. No one had to prompt them. They followed the lessons of their history. Many  even from within their own ranks  slandered the often battered country for its courageous resolve. But the unflagging operations of the Polish forces also inspire hope in countries such as Spain and Greece on Europe's southern frontiers. By standing strong along their own borders, the Poles are refuting claims that the continent was defenseless. Even from the German capital are now heard timid comments on the cluelessness and irresponsibility of the Merkel years.

For the violent border-breachers, there is Warsaw's willingness to refrain from the use of lethal weapons until further notice. This may not be much, but compared to the alternative, or even to the many battles since 1621, it is not a little thing, either. Nevertheless, there is a lot to gain from practicing the effective closing of a border. The Polish example has become a valuable lesson for the entire continent. As in centuries past, what is difficult but unavoidable for Poland is proving to be crucially important for the future of Germany and the rest of the European Union.

Gunnar Heinsohn (b. 1943) introduced the subject of war demography at the NATO Defense College (NDC/Rome) in 2011 and taught it until 2020.

Image via Pixabay.

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The very idea of America is losing luster. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (and rising) believe that their country is headed in the wrong direction. For decades, it was assumed that America is the place to be an entrepreneur. The U.S. economy was synonymous with the American Dream. No longer: Upward mobility may be more alive in Canada than in America.

Indeed, upward mobility has been disincentivized, while the climbers are punished for daring to succeed. Government benefits are plentiful, while "taxing the rich" is the easiest refrain in politics. Under President Biden's "Build Back Better" plan, the average top tax rate on personal income would reach 57.4 percent in the United States  the highest rate in the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). All 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., would impose top tax rates on personal income exceeding 50 percent.

Today's experiment in Big Government won't end well for the United States. But it will make entrepreneurs, investors, and other wealthy Americans reconsider their place in the world and reevaluate their options  and that's a good thing. Countries should compete for residents. If people aren't treated well in one country, why shouldn't they go where they're treated better?

People with means ultimately go where they're treated best, and Americans are reaping the benefits of globalization more than ever before. From Croatia to the Caribbean, digital nomads across the socioeconomic spectrum are leaving one lifestyle for a better one.

As an offshore consultant who guides clients to where they're treated best, I regularly advise high-net-worth individuals on second citizenship and residences. In recent months, I have seen a 300-percent increase in wealthy Americans seeking better tax climates and brighter futures. They have had enough of 50-percent tax rates.

While tax policy is a top complaint, there are other gripes. One is "woke" culture, which tightens the parameters of free speech and forces people into submission through political correctness. In a world of seemingly endless cancelations and contrived apologies, the First Amendment is under attack from all sides, while its public defenders are fewer and farther between.

Put it all together, and the result is a less appealing America to those with options. Other than patriotism and personal allegiance, why should a New York entrepreneur remain in a city with rising crime and legal drug injection sites? Why put up with constantly changing COVID-19 policies in Washington, D.C., when foreign governments may be more transparent? Why stick with 50-percent tax rates when tax climates are better in dozens of Asian, European, and South American countries?

I have lived in dozens of countries around the world, and it's reassuring to escape the radical left's grasp abroad. In some Eastern European countries, "wokeism" doesn't even exist. Politics isn't a fact of everyday life. People treat each other like human beings, not Twitter bots. In many Latin American countries, you can live more affordably and retain your individualism  free from government overreach. The same goes for certain Asian countries that continue to value entrepreneurship and upward mobility  with no disincentives, no punishments.

This is not to be alarmist for alarmism's sake. But Americans need to ask themselves, and they are: am I treated well here? Can I live better elsewhere?

With each passing day, more and more Americans are rethinking the meaning of "home." The ongoing exodus to Florida is a perfect example. If people can move from New York to the Sunshine State for a better tax climate and brighter future, why can't they move abroad, too?

They can, and they are. The American exodus is here to stay and growing by the day.

Andrew Henderson is the founder of Nomad Capitalist, an international offshore consulting firm.

Image: Jimmy Emerson.

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The disrespect for our children among this country's "intellectual class" is a manifestation of the disrespect they have for the rest of us and their deep desire to marginalize and ultimately destroy people guilty of "wrongthink" (as they define it). What leftists don't realize is that, by lumping all children together and using them as pawns to achieve their ultimate goals, they are destroying themselves, too.

One of the most obvious things leftists have done is to destroy the school systems' ability to teach anything meaningful, replacing real knowledge with "correct think" drivel that denies everything from history to mathematics to science in favor of inclusion, diversity, LGBT "training," and such. Leftists believe that if this continues, they'll have a malleable and manageable bunch of kids who grow up to become shills for their point of view.

What leftists miss is that we have a goodly number of intelligent children  the rebels, questioners, and readers  willing to go beyond the leftist soft porn now replacing reality in the school library and ferret out truth for themselves. Many kids in this group have parents still awake enough not to be woke, who are willing to go to the mat to preserve our republic, and willing and able to counteract what their kids are force-fed with lessons in reality. Many have become homeschoolers to avoid kowtowing to the system.

True, tech censorship quashes news of this intellectual counterrevolution, but those who are willing to fight are getting around the censors  joining Substack, and other intellectually free forums, and funneling their energy into real efforts to counteract the evil around them. Who knows? Perhaps Trump's upcoming media empire will be the final nail in the censorship coffin.

Another weapon in the war against children is isolation and masking. That's failing, though, as more people notice it does nothing, with places like Florida as proof. The word is finally getting out that our children, starved for contact and context for so long, have had an astonishing diminution in I.Q. Studies showing a 22-point drop in babies born into the pandemic atmosphere are a klaxon warning that masking and isolation must end. Some comparison must be made, and broadcast publicly, between states still repressing and masking children and states where that has been curtailed. Only by sharing the results loudly in public will the message resonate.



Image: Children being children. Piqsels.

Along with this, we must include the shocking statistics on drugging our children. Researching this, I found that six million of our children are on psych drugs  that's one in twelve  and often, in my opinion (and I am not an expert), the drugs are used to force inquisitive and lively children into conformity with the herd, into manageability. Note, if you look at the link, how early drugs are started  an astounding number of children are force-fed them early, before their first birthdays.

Instead of prescribing more of these drugs, we need to develop an ethic where the adults in the room take the time and make the effort to help less tractable and manageable kids find their path in life. The effort needed to do so is profound, but the rewards will be, too. We need our quirky thinkers, our single-minded inventors, our daredevils, and we need to let them know they are valued.

Finally, and most significantly, we have the push to vaccinate our children. Study after study shows the danger of this, including reproductive harm that will no doubt affect their future ability to bear children. There are now credible stories of healthy youthful athletes dropping on the field, suffering from heart problems.

There are also alarming reports of children's DNA being "reprogrammed" by the vaccine. We have no idea of the long-term repercussions, but I'm betting they're not going to be good. The only thing stopping this news from reaching a broader audience is the repressive censorship of tech and most "news" outlets. They are not thinking of our children. They are thinking only of power and their bottom line.

Put simply, we have become a society bent on destroying ourselves from the ground up. As the adults in the room, we who see this must put an end to it. Where some of the news has been exposed (often to quickly be taken down and quashed), it's being examined. The best thing about Zoom school, for some parents, was the ability to monitor what their kids were being taught. It was a wake-up call for many!

Childhood should be a time of growth, exploration, interaction with others. Putting a mask on a child, coercing his parents into giving a vaccine that is unnecessary, and instilling fear of living out loud in our children does us all a profound disservice. We need to focus on this. It's too important to ignore.

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For there to be slavery in any colony, laws had to be written making the practice legal. Prior to the slave laws, indentured servants were given the same contracts regardless of where they were from. Once the contracts were fulfilled, servants were free regardless of where they came from.

There is a stubborn myth in American history that claims that Virginia was the first colony to legalize slavery. If not Virginia, then some other southern colony. It was as if the northern colonies were completely untouched by the horrors of owning a person.

The first colony to legalize slavery was not Virginia or some other southern colony, but Massachusetts in 1641. Virginia would not legalize slavery for just over two decades after Massachusetts.

Until 1641, no colony turned state had legalized slavery. It first happened under Governor John Winthrop, who was the first governor of Massachusetts and re-elected twelve consecutive times from 1631 to 1648 through more than questionable means.

During his reign, he was a bit of a control freak who took it personally that people were fleeing Massachusetts for Connecticut. Anyone who left that he did not personally want to see removed from his colony was seen as a traitor.

Roger Williams was one of those Winthrop wanted gone. He was one of the founders of Rhode Island and a serious threat to Winthrop. He openly called for toleration of religious beliefs and was embraced by enough Massachusetts colonists to be seen as a threat to Winthrop's power.

From MassMoments, "Roger Williams Banished":

Once in Massachusetts, he began preaching religious tolerance. The colony's leaders agreed with the English authorities that this was nothing less than "Satan's Policy." They denounced his views and forced him out of the colony. He took refuge with the Narragansett Indians, whose chiefs sold land to him and his followers. They established a new settlement and named it Providence, in thanksgiving to God.

Winthrop dragged his feet when it came to granting representative government and the liberties expected of any colonist. Colonists viewed themselves as an extension of England and had rights granted under English Common Law.

After there was enough pressure to force him to grant liberties, he allowed them to be written and even wrote some himself, which included the language that allowed for slavery to exist in Massachusetts. It was a clear violation of English Common Law that was ignored by the colonists and London.

From Britannica, John Winthrop, "American Colonial Governor":

In 1641 Winthrop helped write the Massachusetts Body of Liberties, the first legal sanctioning of slavery in North America.

Ninety-eight laws were written, which did include numerous liberties for the people under his rule. Hanover College is one of several sources that include the laws. Number ninety-one is the law that legalized slavery, the first in the colonies to do so.

91. There shall never be any bond slaverie, villinage or Captivitie amongst us unles it be lawfull Captives taken in just warres, and such strangers as willingly selle themselves or are sold to us. And these shall have all the liberties and Christian usages which the law of god established in Israell concerning such persons doeth morally require. This exempts none from servitude who shall be Judged thereto by Authoritie.

Including any law legalizing slavery should have been stopped by the people of Massachusetts or by London. Nothing in English Common Law, as was later found in the Somerset Case of 1772, allowed for slavery to exist. It was a clear violation of rights under Common Law that was ignored by far too many who could have stopped slavery before it spread to other colonies.

From History on the Net, "The Case of Somerset v Stewart":

In his ruling, Chief Justice Lord Mansfield declared that slavery was an institution so "odious" and so contrary to natural law that it could exist only by statute. Unless a law established the slave relation, slavery had to be assumed not to exist. In the absence of such a statute in England, the slave relation had to be considered of no effect in that country, and therefore Sommersett should be released.

Mansfield ruled from the highest Common Law court in England. He made it clear there was nothing within English Common Law that allowed slavery to exist in England or anywhere else where people were under British rule.

Every English colony was required to have a representative government and laws in line with English Common Law. Slavery should have never been allowed to be legalized in any colony since they could not pass a slave law without violating English Common Law.

For almost a full decade following Massachusetts's legalization of slavery, they remained the only colony to do so. There was no eagerness to follow their lead in any other colony. The delay showed that people throughout the colonies were expecting London to act against Massachusetts.

Considering the 1619 Project, there should have been a rush by Virginia and other southern colonies to legalize slavery following Massachusetts. If the white people of their day were just waiting for an opportunity to legalize slavery, then why did they hesitate in every other colony?

Thoughtco's "Enslavement Timeline 1619 to 1696" provides a timeline of the American colonies with regard to slavery being legalized. It shows that Connecticut was the second colony to legalize slavery, but not until 1650. Virginia did not pass a slave law until 1662, over twenty years after Massachusetts legalized slavery.

Slavery was and remains a horrific institution that should be taught as part of what happened in colonial and early American history. It should be based on what happened, not some bastardization of events.

It should be noted, whenever colonial slavery is taught, that it violated English Common Law when colonies legalized slavery. Regardless of the inaction from London and the colonists themselves, equality under the law matters. When the law is ignored, bad things follow.

Bob Ryan is a writer who has an MBA and is a science fiction writer and mostly historical blogger. He has been a weekly blogger at the Times of Israel since 2019. He is an American Christian Zionist who staunchly supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.

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Every totalitarian regime has foul prisons in which they confine people who dared to oppose the regime. Sadly, in the Age of Biden, it turns out that America is not at all different. George Parry has written about the conditions at the D.C. jail in which those arrested for the January 6 riots are confined, and what he writes should horrify every person who believes in the Constitution and Due Process of Law.

To fully appreciate what's happening in D.C., here's a quick reminder about the rights Americans have before, during, and after being arrested:

Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Amendment V No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Amendment VI In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. [snip] Amendment VIII Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Many of the January 6 defendants were arrested after dawn raids on their homes, with the FBI stripping them bare (both homes and people). They've been held for eleven months in appalling conditions (more on that in a moment), without bail and without trial. Because they are in D.C., when they are finally brought before a judge after months in Gulag-like conditions, they have the choice of either a biased judge or a biased jury. Because most are poor, they seldom have competent counsel and, I have read, often have court-appointed attorneys who despise them.



Image: Prison bars. Piqsel.

Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Louis Gohmert managed to force their way into the D.C. jail in which the January 6 detainees are being held, and they produced a hair-raising document entitled "Unusually Cruel  An Eyewitness Report From Inside the DC Jail." But there's more going on than just terrible conditions (bad as they are).

As George Parry spells out in detail, the woman in charge of the jail, Kathleen Landerkin, is a fanatic who hates Trump and Whites. Going back years, her tweets drip with bile for the people who would dare support Trump, while repeating the party line about 2020's "peaceful" riots:

"Replying to @realDonaldTrump Give it a f------ break. White men are more dangerous than immigrants." [snip] "Replying to @realDonald Trump You'll be in jail soon." [snip] In regard to the jailed January 6 Capitol Hill protesters, she approvingly retweeted, "Every prison needs a MAGA wing." And, in response to the tweet "DC Jail is run by DC Govt agency. Id bet good money no fox news is being shown," she tweeted "Nope. No Fox News."

Not long after that last tweet, Landerkin had placed in her care scores of January 6 detainees.

On November 4, Greene and Gohmert, along with their staff, were finally able to bully their way into the jail. What they discovered would have made Stalin proud: Critical Race Theory being taught to Black prisoners in clean rooms, while the January 6 detainees are in cells that have walls dotted with feces, blood, and dirt; filthy showers; no access to their families and attorneys; no access to razors as punishment for being unvaccinated; outdoor time only twice a week; inedible food; no religious services; no medical care; and more.

Our Republican politicians have been shamefully, disgustingly, embarrassingly quiet about this. They are cowards and quislings. They like cute tweets and poll-tested statements for Fox News but will do nothing for these men. Indeed, Sen. McConnell just threw his weight behind the January 6 committee's Soviet-style show trial. If we have the political class we deserve, America is a dead country walking.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
A few days back, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers should not be prevented from trading stocks.

"We are a free market economy. They should be able to participate in that," Pelosi said.

Her remarks are probably owing to the fact that Pelosi's husband holds stocks and options worth tens of millions of dollars.

This includes stocks in big tech firms such as Amazon and Apple that are each worth between $5 million and $25 million. In Comcast, Pelosi's husband holds stock worth between $1 million and $5 million and in Visa, worth between $5 million and $25 million. He also holds stock options in Google's parent company, worth between $1 million and $5 million.

Pelosi insisted that she had no involvement in or prior knowledge of her husband's stock investments. She also stated that she has no stock in her name.

However, the fact that Pelosi's husband made millions from various Big Tech firms that she is supposed to regulate, at the very least, is a huge conflict of interest.

Pelosi is not the only one.

Back in April, a study by the Campaign Legal Center discovered that both Republican and Democratic lawmakers bought and sold stocks hundreds of times throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Many lawmakers had invested in industries whose importance and relevance were elevated owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also sold their stocks from the hospitality industry, restaurants, and other sectors that were adversely affected by the pandemic.

Another investigation in September revealed that "49 members of Congress and 182 senior congressional staffers have violated laws aimed at preventing insider trading."

They obviously had prior information about the pandemic-related restrictions, which enabled them to reap an instant profit.

Back in 2012, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, also known as the STOCK Act, was passed, which bars lawmakers from using inside information to make investment decisions and requires that all stock trades be reported to Congress within 45 days.

To date, no one in Washington has been charged in connection with stock trading investigations undertaken by the Justice Department and the Securities Exchange Commission.

A law that is not enforced can almost be regarded as nonexistent.

What about people beyond Washington?

A former Netflix engineer and his "co-conspirator" were sentenced to 14 months in prison and $10,000 in fines for insider trading.

A former McKinsey & Co. partner recently pleaded guilty to using inside information to profit on the acquisition of a fintech company by client Goldman Sachs Group. The one count of securities fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

There are myriad cases of citizens being deservedly punished for insider trading.

Nancy Pelosi's statements place her at odds with her fellow Democrats such as Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, AKA AOC.

AOC had tweeted, "It is absolutely ludicrous that members of Congress can hold and trade individual stock while in office. The access and influence we have should be exercised for the public interest, not our profit. It shouldn't be legal for us to trade individual stock with the info we have."

Senator Warren said, "We need both tougher laws and enforcement of those laws. The American people should never have to guess whether or not an elected official is advancing an issue or voting on a bill based on what's good for the country or what's good for their own personal financial interests."

Perhaps in the same way broken clocks are correct twice a day, both Warren and AOC are absolutely right in this particular instance.

If AOC and Warren continue to maintain this position and act on their words, they will probably discover a sharp decline in their re-election funds, or perhaps a primary challenger from their party, or perhaps a few media hit jobs may come their way.

Back in September, Nancy Pelosi said the following during her trip to the U.K.:

In America, capitalism is our system, it is our economic system, but it has not served our economy as well as it should. You cannot have a system where the success of some springs from the exploitation of the workers and springs from the exploitation of the environment and the rest, and we have to correct that.

Free-market principles should allow any individual, including lawmakers, to invest where they desire. But a primary qualifier for a free market is a relative amount of fairness.

A regular investor simply doesn't have the level of access to insider information that lawmakers have. This means that only a few in Washington can profit from inside information.

This is the exploitation of the system that Pelosi was talking about when she offered her critique of capitalism.

The function of a public servant is obviously to serve the citizen. With this responsibility come certain sacrifices. The first among these sacrifices is not to use their office for profit.

But these fundamental principles no longer apply to the Democrat Washington Establishment, of which Pelosi is a prominent leader.

The members of this establishment may say the right thing to appear noble and virtuous. But when you scrutinize their actions, it is clear that their claims are hollow.

There are quick to act against the likes of President Trump, who challenges their monopoly. They impeached him twice without reason. They conducted baseless and partisan investigations into the Russia collusion hoax and January 6 "insurrection."

But no laws apply to the member of the club.

They claim to want to resolve income inequality but have no problem trading in stock based on information available only to them.

The fact that these acts have gone unpunished proves that they co-opted various agencies and the news media, who are ideally supposed to function as watchdogs.

To be fair, they should be allowed to invest wherever they please, but there has to be a strict regulatory mechanism to avoid conflict of interest.

Is there a way to bring down this self-serving cabal?

Firstly, the citizen must actively participate and vote in brave, honest, and fearless individuals who will not be tempted by various inducements.

Secondly, all elected officials must have term limits, perhaps not more than two terms.

Thirdly, for various administrative services and agencies, there must be mandatory transfers after a fixed period of time.

Fourthly, stronger laws must be passed that prevent abuse of power and profiting by virtue of office, and these laws must be enforced.

The question remains: will the self-serving, self-promoting, and self-sustaining Democrat Washington Establishment permit changes that will harm them?

Of course not!

The change has to begin at the grassroots, with the citizen being engaged in the political process and voting for the right candidate after carefully scrutinizing all the candidates' records.

Having honest and upright elected officials for a few decades may bring about the first step in the journey of change.

We live in hope for a better tomorrow.

Image: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Unbeknownst to many Gmail users, Googles email service actually comes packed with the ability to show read receipts. Namely, an indicator showing whether or not the recipient of an email has seen and read it. But, as well see in a moment, that actually isnt turned on by default. And some users cant turn it on at all.

So this guide will walk through the process for not just enabling read receipts for those who do have access. But also some third-party solutions for adding the functionality to your Gmail.

The easiest, most reliable way to enable these is still with a subscription

Now, the primary method for enabling read receipts in Gmail involves a GoogleWorkspace subscription. And, in fact, thats the only method to attain it officially. Moreover, users who receive emails from you will need to accept sending read receipts. They wont show up if your recipients choose not to. So theres still no guarantee theyll work for every email.

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With that said, the subscription in question is also primarily intended for enterprise users. So, while steps for getting this enabled, if you do have a Google Workspace subscription are fairly straightforward, this option isnt available to everybody.

Youll need to start by signing into the Google Workspace Admin Console  or by asking an IT Admin to complete these steps From there, youll need to navigate to the Apps in the left-hand sidebar Under the Google Workspace segment of Apps in the left-hand sidebar, select Gmail In the right-hand pane, look for the User settings and select it In the Email read receipts section of User settings, youll have several options. First, you can choose to restrict read receipts to email addresses on your domain. That will whitelist external addresses. Conversely, you can also enable read receipts for any email address. After choosing, be sure to click or tap the Save button It can take up to 24 hours before the feature is fully enabled. But, once enabled, create a new email and select the three-dot icon in the top right-hand corner of the Compose UI. Select Request read receipt from the resulting list. After sending the email, the recipient will be able to choose whether to send back read receipts. If they do accept sending read receipts, youll see a new message at the bottom of sent emails indicating that its been read, if its been read

Enable read receipts in Gmail with third-party extensions

Now, there are a number of ways to add read receipts in Gmail with third-party extensions, for those who dont want to pay for a full Google Workspace subscription. At any rate, those subscriptions are intended for enterprise-level purposes, as noted earlier. So they arent really for everybody.

And, of course, there are risks involved. Google has had some serious extensions breaches in the past. And despite its best efforts, those are still possible. As often as not, those involve legitimate extensions. So, prior to using these methods to gain read receipts in Gmail, its always a good idea to double-check that there havent been any recent breaches of them. Of equal importance, not every extension that ultimately has issues is for Chrome or Chrome exclusive.

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Setting that aside, in terms of what is available, there are plenty of options out there for adding this feature. For example, some top solutions include MailTag, Free Email Tracker, BananaTag, and Gmelius. Our guide will cover two of the most popular third-party solutions.

Read receipts with Boomerang

Boomerang is one of the free  with paid features  options thats incredibly popular for this particular task.

Open your favorite browser and, in the URL address bar  or Omnibox, for Chrome users  navigate to https://www.boomeranggmail.com Near the top of the page, locate the Add this to your Gmail button and select the button Youll be redirected to the appropriate web extensions storefront, based on your browser choice. Our sample images show the Chrome Web Store because were using Google Chrome Select the button or UI to install or add the extension to your browser. Follow the installation UI Now, navigate to Gmail and click or tap to select the Compose button Boomerang adds a lot of features to your email, which you can explore in your own time. Including features such as scheduling, snoozing, meeting setups, and more. What were looking for, specifically, though is read receipts. To request a read receipt, which works similarly to the official Workspace, as discussed in the steps above, locate the blue-colored Track button near the bottom of your email. Select the button and send your email as usual

or with Mailtrack

Another option is Mailtrack. And, like Boomerang, its easy enough to get started with, albeit, only with Google Chrome.

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A top civil servant once described as deputy God has been tasked with rooting out the truth over endemic parties across Whitehall during coronavirus restrictions.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case quit his role leading the inquiry into a number of alleged gatherings on Friday, after it emerged a quiz was held in his own department that he was aware of and spoke at.

Whitehall heavy hitter Sue Gray has been installed in his place to carry out inquiries into three alleged gatherings at Downing Street and the Department for Education in November and December last year, when indoor mixing was banned.

The terms of what was then Mr Cases investigation said it could be widened to include any relevant allegations.

And Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner said Ms Gray now has the task of restoring public trust.

She said: At the moment, people are saying which department didnt have a party?

She added: Its incredibly disappointing because we all know what was happening when these parties were going on, people couldnt see their loved ones who were dying, and were making incredible sacrifices.

So I do think that the investigation has to get to the bottom, but I think that the evidence already is showing that Boris Johnson has set a tone for this government and has allowed this to happen under his watch.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has recused himself from leading an investigation into lockdown-breaking parties across Whitehall (Aaron Chown/PA)

She said Ms Gray should hand over any evidence of law-breaking which she uncovers to the police.

Ms Gray, who is second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, was previously director-general of propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office from 2012 to 2018, and is seen as a figure who would not pull any punches in an inquiry.

She oversaw the Plebgate inquiry in 2012 after former chief whip Andrew Mitchell was accused of calling a policeman a pleb at the Downing Street gates, and was once described as deputy God by then Labour MP Paul Flynn in a meeting of Parliaments Public Administration Committee the same year.

Former Tory MP and Cabinet office minister Oliver Letwin is reported to have said of Ms Gray: It took me precisely two years before I realised who it is that runs Britain. Our great United Kingdom is actually entirely run by a lady called Sue Gray, the head of ethics or something in the Cabinet Office. Unless she agrees, things just dont happen.

She is also part of the panel deciding on who will be next chair of the media regulator Ofcom.

Ms Gray was once described by BBC Newsnights then policy editor as the most powerful person youve never heard of.

Speaking to that same programme on Friday, Tory MP Richard Holden described her as formidable and said she was not a pushover.

Ian Blackford has called for a judge-led inquiry (Isabel Infantes/PA)

However, the Scottish National Partys Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, said having somebody else from the Civil Service marking their own isnt good enough.

Mr Blackford told the BBCs Newsnight programme that it needs to be someone from authority from outwith Government, from outwith the Civil Service. I would suggest that the best way to do that would be by having a judge-led inquiry.

Ms Gray was brought in after the Guido Fawkes website reported on Friday that two Christmas parties were held in Mr Cases department, the Cabinet Office, in December 2020, when restrictions were in place.

The Times reported that one of the parties was held on December 17, the day before the alleged Christmas party at Downing Street at the centre of the saga.

The newspaper reported that the event was listed in digital calendars as Christmas party! and was organised by a private secretary in Mr Cases team.

On Friday evening, a Cabinet Office spokesperson said: Staff in the Cabinet Secretarys private office took part in a virtual quiz on December 17 2020.

A quiz was held by staff in the Cabinet Office (Lauren Hurley/PA)

A small number of them, who had been working in the office throughout the pandemic and on duty that day, took part from their desks, while the rest of the team were virtual.

The Cabinet Secretary played no part in the event, but walked through the teams office on the way to his own office.

No outside guests or other staff were invited or present.

This lasted for an hour and drinks and snacks were bought by those attending.

He also spoke briefly to staff in the office before leaving.

After Mr Case was tasked with the investigation earlier this month, the Prime Ministers press secretary insisted that due diligence has been followed when asked if the Cabinet Secretary had attended the Downing Street party at the centre of the saga.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street (Stefan Rosseau/PA)

Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis told the Commons that Mr Case was not at any relevant gathering.

It comes after a string of claims about parties and gatherings held across Whitehall while London was under restrictions limiting people from meeting indoors, which Ms Rayner dubbed endemic.
As Strictly Come Dancings Rose Ayling-Ellis stands a chance of being crowned the shows first deaf winner on Saturday, the deaf community is celebrating her for smashing stereotypes, breaking barriers and inspiring those with disabilities.

The actress, 27, is due to take to the dancefloor in the grand finale of the BBC One show with her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice.

Ayling-Ellis, Strictlys first deaf contestant, won over viewers with an emotional contemporary routine featuring 10 seconds of silence in tribute to the deaf community, which she will be performing again in the final.

Her success on the show has been credited with inspiring young deaf people and breaking down the stereotype that they cannot dance.

Jasper Williams, a profoundly deaf dancer living in Newcastle, said a victory for Ayling-Ellis would show society that deaf people of any age and ability have the potential to do anything that they want to.

The 27-year-old told the PA news agency: I really wish I had a Rose growing up telling me I could dance.

Since week one Rose has been breaking down the stereotypes and barriers regarding societys attitude to understand that deaf dancers do exist and can experience music.

Dance is not just an audio experience  its visual, emotional, lyrical and motion. There are many forms, from ballet to hip-hop, so the way in which you dance isnt as important  I can dance as a deaf wheelchair user, even if thats different to some of the mainstream dancing techniques.

Deaf dancer Jasper Williams says Rose Ayling-Ellis has shown society that deaf people can thrive in the right dancing environment with appropriate access in place (Jasper Williams/PA)

Mr Williams said her victory would prove that with the right partnership, such as Rose and Gio, deaf and hearing people can work together.

Not in spite of being deaf, because deaf is a positive thing, but that their deafness will actually help them, to think in creative ways and work around society obstacles, he added.

The show has boosted the publics interest in learning British Sign Language (BSL), and Mr Williams said many of his friends have recently signed up for a course too.

Paige Parsons, 29, from Redcar and Cleveland in North Yorkshire, was born profoundly deaf and has been taking part in dance classes from a young age.

She said it has been difficult in the past to explain to hearing people that she used vibrations to listen and later became able to hear music and lyrics through years of practice.

Now whenever people do ask, I direct them to the videos of Rose and Gio dancing and just say exactly like that, she said.

Ms Parsons said she had a soft spot for Ayling-Ellis because weve come from the same place, weve gone through pretty much the same kind of struggles, likely heard the same kind of ableism or hate thrown at us just for being deaf.

Her victory would prove to the haters that theyre wrong  deaf people can hear music and goddamn, we can dance too, she added.

"In this dance we have a very special moment, and I'm doing it for the deaf community."  So much power in the silence of Rose and Giovanni's routine. #Strictly @RoseAylingEllis @pernicegiovann1 pic.twitter.com/kW8OTggI5X  BBC Strictly  (@bbcstrictly) November 13, 2021

Charlotte Joyce, 35, an administration officer at a further education college from Watford in Hertfordshire, said Ayling-Ellis has inspired millions of people to consider how to adapt communication through BSL at an important time.

She said: Deaf people have really struggled in everyday life with communicating due to masks being worn and being unable to lipread or see facial expressions, which are so important to facilitate communication.

Seeing Rose and Giovanni incorporate BSL into their dance routine as part of the storyline felt euphoric because that has never happened before and millions of deaf people were able to understand the context without any words being spoken at all.

The silent moment was such an incredibly beautiful and poignant moment, because my family and friends turned to me and said I didnt know what you go through with your hearing loss and now I understand.

As a deaf girl who loves music, and who uses speech just as much as other mechanisms of communication (my own SL is known well by those who have the honour of knowing me IRL) I have seen myself reflected in @RoseAylingEllis on #Strictly Its not my programme, but vote for Rose. https://t.co/VJQZ0voLFc  Michaela Hollywood (@KylaHollywood) December 18, 2021

Paula Garfield, the founder of Deafinitely Theatre  the UKs first deaf-led theatre company that runs the youth theatre Ayling-Ellis trained at, said her achievement will open doors to many more young deaf people.

She said: My hope is that this will also inspire parents of deaf children to learn sign language to communicate directly with their children. Deaf children and young adults encounter so many barriers everyday, and this must change.

Sam Caiels, deaf studies coordinator at Hamilton Lodge  a school for deaf children in Brighton, said: The Deaf Community has always valued BSL but now more and more people are realising this too. Hopefully the new interest in learning BSL will grow and grow.

She said Ayling-Ellis has given deaf people the confidence to believe in ourselves.

Ms Caiels added that it was such a proud moment to see a video message from pupils and staff at Hamilton Lodge broadcast on Strictly.

Liam ODell, 24, a deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire, told PA: Throughout this series, Rose has completely smashed stereotypes around deafness and delivered stunning dances in the process.

As well as casually illustrating what life is like as a deaf person  a joy, to use her words  shes shown that with the right support, deaf people can achieve anything.

If Rose wins tonight, it wont be because of her deafness, it will be because of the incredible teamwork between her and Giovanni, to take down any barriers and challenges which came their way during the competition.

Disabled rights campaigner Michaela Hollywood says she sees herself reflected in Strictlys first deaf contestant (Michaela Hollywood/PA)

That sentiment was echoed by disabled rights campaigner Michaela Hollywood, 31, from Crossgar, who has the congenital muscle wasting condition spinal muscular atrophy and was born with no inner or outer ears.

She said: What Ive loved most is the fact it hasnt been what we call inspiration porn and making Rose inspiring because shes deaf. But inspiring through dance which is something very big.

Ms Hollywood added that seeing Ayling-Ellis use sign language and talking had spoken to her as someone with an unusual identity within the community.

This is the first time in my 31 years Ive seen someone remotely like me on Strictly and we need more of it in the diversity revolution.

Danielle Hudson

Danielle Hudson, a phlebotomist from Great Yarmouth, said: Ive been partially deaf since I was five, Im now 40  I wear hearing aids and have had surgery.

Its been amazing watching rose she is inspirational for those with disabilities proving that you can do or be anything and it doesnt hold you back.

I work in the NHS as a phlebotomist and Ive proved that it doesnt hold you back.
Tougher pandemic measures could be brought in to stem the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, reports have suggested, as ministers debate how to tackle the rising number of infections.

The Financial Times reported that Boris Johnson was presented with a number of options on Friday under a so-called Plan C, ranging from mild guidance to nudge people, right through to lockdown.

The newspaper quoted allies of the Prime Minister who claimed Mr Johnson still wanted to go down the guidance route, but that he also had to be realistic about the threat of Omicron.

And leaked minutes from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), seen by the BBC, said scientists had told ministers that tougher measures need to be brought in very soon.

The BBC reported the advisers had recommended moving to restrictions seen in step one and two of the easing of lockdown restrictions in the spring. This included a ban on indoor mixing and indoor hospitality.

And they reportedly warned against delaying further interventions until 2022.

The Times reported that draft regulations were being prepared which could ban meeting others indoors except for work purposes, and that pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only, for two weeks after Christmas.

Lord Victor Adebowale, chairman of the NHS Confederation, voiced support for a circuit-breaker, warning that a cautionary approach should be taken.

He told Times Radio: I would support the circuit-breaker. My members would support the circuit-breaker.

Weve been calling for Plan B for some time now and were glad that it was voted through. I think the Government has to be prepared to recall Parliament if further interventions are needed.

Hospitality has been one of the sectors hit hardest by restrictions throughout the pandemic (Owen Humphreys/PA)

He added: The fact of the matter is we should be taking the precautionary principle. We should be protecting our NHS and our public services. We have no economy without health.

The UK reported more than 90,000 new Covid cases in another record daily total on Friday.

A Government spokesperson said: The Government will continue to look closely at all the emerging data and well keep our measures under review as we learn more about this variant.

It comes after Rishi Sunak flew back from a work trip to California early for crisis talks with business leaders concerned about the impact of measures, especially on the hospitality sector.

The Chancellor met virtually with the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, and the British Chambers of Commerce on Friday afternoon.

The groups raised concerns about the impact of cancellations across hospitality in the run-up to Christmas, and the importance of clear messaging from the Government.

Meanwhile, the UKs devolved administrations have ramped up their demands for more financial support as Omicron cases continue to fuel infection rates.

A Cobra meeting is set to be held over the weekend with the leaders of the devolved nations.

Mr Johnson has warned Omicron is a very serious threat to us now.

On a visit to a vaccination centre in Hillingdon, west London, on Friday, he said: We are seeing a considerable wave coming through and people have got to be prepared and they have got to understand what it entails.

Asked about conflicting messages from the Government and its advisers on socialising over the Christmas break, Mr Johnson said: What both Chris Whitty and I are saying is that there is a big wave of Omicron coming through.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson receiving his booster jab (Paul Edwards/PA)

People need to be prudent. You need to think about your budget of risk.

According to the Governments latest figures, a further 93,045 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases were recorded in the UK as of 9am on Friday, the highest daily total recorded since the pandemic began and a rise of 4,669 on the previous record set on Thursday.

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 in London, which has seen some of the biggest rises in cases in the last seven days, has climbed to 1,534, up 28.6% on last week.

The Governments dashboard showed that 341 more people with Covid were in hospital in the capital on December 17, rising from 1,193 on December 10.

Across the UK, 7,611 people are in hospital with the virus, a rise of 163 patients (2%) on the previous week.
What its really like! While faithful Selling Sunset fans only see a portion of the Oppenheim Group agents career and personal lives on the Netflix series, Jason Oppenheim is opening up about some behind-the-scenes set secrets  including whether or not they are actually all in the office together.

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Every single person [in the office] is not often, usually its just subsets of people, the Oppenheim Group cofounder, 44, exclusively told Us Weekly in November. [Because], you know, chances of every single woman not doing a showing or listing or an open house or working from home or something like that is  out of, like, 15 people  is pretty unlikely, but sometimes. Im probably in the office the most, and then its just, you know, Mary [Fitzgerald] and Chrishell [Stause], Emma [Hernan] and Nicole [Young], whos not on the show, but theyre in here a lot, and then it totally varies. My brothers [Brett Oppenheim] in.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

The University of California, Berkeley alum also noted that, despite being surrounded by strong women on the Netflix series, he works with several other male agents, too. (One of whom, Peter Cornell, made headlines earlier this month after Us revealed he had dated both Christine Quinn and the Emma Leigh & Co founder, 30.)

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There are more female agents in the office than male agents, but there are male agents, Jason explained to Us. And then in the Orange County office, its probably, like, 50/50. So, I think youll see more of a gender mix in Orange County.

Not only does the California-based real estate agency feature a diverse range of employees, but the former attorney couldnt but gush over everyones work ethic.

I mean, Mary works really hard, sometimes, like, too hard on small deals, Jason revealed. Im like, Take it easy. Chrishell works really hard. Yeah, Id say Mary, Chrishell and Emma. But I mean, I cant rank the full [team].  Im not surprised how well [Emma] did [as a show newcomer], but Im very happy with how she did on camera [and] off camera. I mean, shes a very impressive woman.

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The fourth season of the reality series  which premiered on the streaming platform in November  introduced the Oppenheim associates to two new hires: Hernan and Vanessa Villela. While most of the OG stars were quick to embrace the newbies, the Massachusetts native soon found herself embroiled in a feud with the How to Be a Boss Bitch author, 33, after the realization that the pair both romanced the same man.

It did come to my attention to some degree, Jason previously admitted to Us that he was aware of the drama between the women before taping season 4. It was not a complete surprise to me, each [womans] respective opinions and stories on all that whole situation. It was not a complete surprise to me, but definitely, I learned some things watching the show actually.

To find out more cast secrets, including who Jason would trust as a broker on his behalf and if any parts of the show are scripted, watch the video above!
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks with the Los Angeles Times on Friday in Washington. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Vice President Kamala Harris said Friday that the administration failed to anticipate the variants that have prolonged and worsened the COVID-19 pandemic and that she underestimated the role misinformation would play in prolonging the disease that has killed 800,000 Americans.

We didnt see Delta coming. I think most scientists did not  upon whose advice and direction we have relied  didnt see Delta coming, she said. We didnt see Omicron coming. And thats the nature of what this, this awful virus has been, which as it turns out, has mutations and variants.

Harris made the comments during a wide-ranging interview with The Times in her ceremonial office, touching on immigration, womens health, the criticism she has received for her management style and her role as a history-making leader. But the vice president returned repeatedly to the chief challenge of the Biden administration: battling a pandemic that  thanks to a new fast-spreading variant, Omicron  has led many Americans to put travel plans on hold, cancel holiday parties and stock up again on masks.

I get it. I get it. I totally get it, she said. I mean, you know, one of the concerns that I have is the undiagnosed and untreated trauma at various degrees that everyone has experienced.

President Biden celebrated independence from the virus in an upbeat July 4 speech, saying, While the virus hasnt been vanquished, we know this: It no longer controls our lives. It no longer paralyzes our nation. And its within our power to make sure it never does again.

At the time, some public health experts warned that his optimism was premature, given that the Delta variant was already a significant threat.

Harris denied that the administration declared victory prematurely, or ever.

We have not been victorious over it, she said. I dont think that in any regard anyone can claim victory when, you know, there are 800,000 people who are dead because of this virus.

Many Americans, particularly conservatives, resisted Bidens call to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a measure public health officials say is critical to avoid hospitalization and death from the disease. Harris cited as a singular regret her failure to appreciate the power of misinformation in dissuading people to trust the vaccine.

I would take that more seriously, she said of the misinformation. The biggest threat still to the American people is the threat to the unvaccinated. And most people who believe in the efficacy of the vaccine and the seriousness of the virus have been vaccinated. That troubles me deeply.

But it could hardly have been a surprise to Harris. She spent much of her time in the administrations early months trying to overcome hesitancy among some Black people, who have endured a history of mistreatment by the medical community. Former President Trump repeatedly promoted misinformation while in office, especially as the pandemic raged. He remains active in promoting the false claim that the election was stolen, a conspiracy theory shared by many of those who refuse to get vaccinated.

More than 70% of Americans have received at least one vaccine shot. But polling and state-level data suggest that Democrats are far more likely to have done so than Republicans. An investigation by NPR found that the higher a countys vote total for Trump, the lower its COVID-19 vaccination rate.

Some conservatives have accused Harris of contributing to the politicization of the pandemic response, something she denied in the interview.

Vice President Kamala Harris tours a Chicago COVID-19 vaccination site in April. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)

Harris hedged when asked in September 2020 whether she would take a vaccine if it was approved before the election, saying it would be an issue for all of us because I would not trust Donald Trump. She added, however, that she would trust a credible source of information that talks about the efficacy and the reliability.

He wants us to inject bleach, she added, referring to Trumps widely mocked suggestion in April 2020 that injecting people with disinfectant might kill the virus.

Harris cited the pandemic in response to questions about her role in the administration and the challenges it faces. Some Americans and political experts expected Harris to have an unusual level of clout and visibility. Biden, 79, is not only the oldest president in history but has served as vice president and has spoken of the roles importance.

While Harris has received some high-profile assignments, including overseeing the administrations efforts to tackle the root causes of migration from Central America, she has not had the influence of some of her predecessors. As vice president, Biden was a principal deal-maker with Congress, led negotiations on a new government in Iraq and oversaw the Obama administrations 2009 stimulus spending plan.

Harris said it was not a fair comparison because of what the Biden administration has faced in seeking to curb the all-consuming pandemic.

Harris would not say whether she thought her race and gender had contributed to the criticism she has faced as vice president.

Ill leave that to other people to evaluate, she said.

The issue is complicated for Harris. She said she believes her representation as a Black woman has mattered on many issues the White House has tackled but was reluctant to single out some, like maternal health and reducing mothers mortality rates during childbirth, for fear of labeling them as special-interest causes.

It should not have to be a priority based on race or gender when Black women are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth, native women are twice as likely to die in childbirth, rural women are 60% more likely to die in childbirth, she said. All of society is harmed in that way. And so Im reluctant to attribute it to my race or gender, lest anyone decide that if you are not this race or gender, it should not be a priority.

Harris highest-profile assignments involve pushing back against Republican efforts at the state level to limit voting rights and trying to reduce migration by addressing poverty, corruption and crime in immigrants home countries.

Neither has been easy. Two bills on voting rights lack the votes in the Senate to overcome a Republican filibuster. The number of migrants stopped near the border reached record levels this year.

Harris would not directly answer whether she should take responsibility for the record migration numbers or commit to a timeline for reducing them. Instead, she pointed to her work to draw more private investment to Central America, which this week reached $1.2 billion in commitments from dozens of private companies.

The immigration assignment has made Harris a magnet for criticism. The right has tried to saddle her with problems at the border. The left, meanwhile, was irate when she went to Guatemala over the summer and told migrants, Do not come.

The administration suffered a blow in its efforts to tackle immigration challenges on Thursday, when the Senate parliamentarian ruled that a series of law changes  including new work visas for some immigrants here illegally  could not be included in the administrations sweeping environmental and social services bill. Biden and Harris have been crisscrossing the country seeking to sell the proposal, which is being pushed by Democrats in a way that does not require them to overcome a filibuster.

Harris expressed frustration at the ruling but did not offer an alternative plan.

We have to keep appealing to the American people that they should expect Congress and their elected representatives to act on the issue, she said in the 20-minute interview. We cant give up on it, thats for sure.

It is clear that some of the excitement Harris supporters felt with her election has given way to exasperation as she continues to face low approval and sustained criticism from Republicans and some Democrats. A recent wave of stories focused on high-level staff departures and her history of staff turnover that dates to her time as Californias attorney general.

Harris said she is toughest on herself, and many staffers and former employees would talk about how theyve been mentored and nurtured and supported by her.

When asked to recall moments when she was struck by the history she was making, Harris said it happens all the time, particularly when she is at an event and parents show her photos of their children watching her being sworn in as vice president.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Tom Hals and Mike Scarcella

(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday reinstated a nationwide vaccine-or-testing COVID-19 mandate for large businesses, a federal government rule that covers 80 million American workers.

The ruling by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati lifted a November injunction that had blocked the rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which applies to businesses with at least 100 workers.

"It is difficult to imagine what more OSHA could do or rely on to justify its finding that workers face a grave danger in the workplace," said the opinion. "It is not appropriate to second-guess that agency determination considering the substantial evidence, including many peer-reviewed scientific studies, on which it relied."

President Joe Biden unveiled in September regulations to increase the adult vaccination rate as a way of fighting the pandemic, which has killed more than 750,000 Americans and weighed on the economy.

The ruling coincides with public health officials bracing for a "tidal wave" of coronavirus infections in the United States as the more transmissible Omicron variant spreads rapidly worldwide.

"While we are disappointed in the Courts decision, we will continue to fight the illegal mandate in the Supreme Court," South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said on Twitter. "We are confident the mandate can be stopped."

Companies such as United Airlines have used mandates to increase the number of vaccinated employees, often with only a small number of workers refusing the shots.

But others such as Boeing Co have suspended their plans, in part because of court rulings putting government mandates on hold.

Courts have blocked Biden's vaccine requirement for healthcare workers in half the states and a vaccine mandate for federal contractors has been blocked nationwide.

Friday's ruling was 2-1 with Judges Jane Stranch, appointed by President Barack Obama, and Julia Gibbons, appointed by President George W. Bush, in the majority. Judge Joan Larsen, appointed by President Donald Trump, dissented.

Republicans, conservative groups and trade organizations sued over the OSHA rule, arguing the agency overstepped its authority.

The rule set a Jan. 4 deadline for compliance, although it was unclear if that will be enforced because the rule was blocked for weeks.

(Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; editing by Diane Craft and Grant McCool)
The logo for Procter & Gamble Co. is displayed on a screen on the floor of the NYSE in New York

(Reuters) - Procter & Gamble Co said on Friday it was voluntarily recalling some dry conditioner and shampoo sprays sold in the United States and Canada from its Pantene and Herbal Essences brands due to the presence of a cancer-causing chemical.

The recall also includes products from its Aussie and Waterless brands made in the United States and some discontinued items from its Old Spice and Hair Food brands, in which P&G said it detected "unexpected levels" of benzene, a human carcinogen.

Shares in the packaged goods maker, which have risen 15% this year, were down 1.1% at $159.36 in afternoon trading.

P&G did not disclose the number of recalled products, which were distributed through retail and online outlets, but said they represented less than 1% of its overall hair care product portfolio.

The company said it had not received any reports of adverse events related to the recall, but added that daily exposure to the level of benzene detected in the products would not be expected to cause negative health consequences.

Benzene is classified as a substance that can potentially cause cancer depending on the level and extent of exposure.

Earlier this year, U.S. pharmacy chains pulled Johnson & Johnson's sunscreen products off their shelves after J&J said it had detected benzene in some samples.

(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam and Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel and Ramakrishnan M.)
Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 54F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 48F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
According to information released on December 17, 2021, Estonia recently acquired the PROTECTOR RS4 Remote Weapon Station (RSW) variant from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG), as part of their CV90 upgrade program, and is with that the 28th nation to join the PROTECTOR RWS user community.

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Estonian army CV90 tracked armored IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle. (Picture source Estonia MoD)

The Estonian CV90 Infantry Fighting Vehicles were acquired from the Netherlands back in 2016 to broaden the capabilities of the Estonian Armed Forces. Earlier this year, Go Craft and Scania Estonia were awarded the contract for a modernization and upgrade program that will run over the next two years. To meet future roles, the refurbished CV90 vehicles will be equipped with the PROTECTOR RS4 from KONGSBERG.

The PROTECTOR RS4 Remote Weapon Station (RWS) is a highly flexible system designed for small and medium caliber weapons including mounting of coaxial weapons and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles. An advanced and modular sensor suite enables unique and tailorable situational awareness. The fully stabilized 2 + 2 Axis system enables the gunner to keep his sights on target, independent of ballistic solution for the weapon and ammunition in use.

The PROTECTOR RS4 RWS is a mature and proven product based on millions of hours of operational experience in combat zones and close cooperation with Defence Forces worldwide.

The PROTECTOR RS4 RWS variant that Estonia has acquired includes the capability to fire the #Raytheon #Lockheed Martin Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile. The Javelin is developed in a Joint Venture between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin and is the worlds premier one-person-portable anti-armor missile. Javelin is a highly capable fire-and-forget missile defending against emerging near-equal threats. Integrated with the PROTECTOR RS4, the Javelin is extended to a remote-fired platform-based capability.

The combined KONGSBERG PROTECTOR RWS-Javelin system has already demonstrated itself as an accurate and reliable solution. Several successful live-fire demonstrations in Europe and USA have proven great capability on a wide range of platforms, ranging from smaller robotic vehicles to armored 8x8 platforms.

The PROTECTOR family of Remote Weapon Systems is suitable for any mission - on land or at sea, on mobile or static platforms. They can integrate effectors for remote operation of payloads ranging from small caliber weapons to medium caliber automatic cannons. The PROTECTOR RWSs are continuously evolving to defeat future threats and meet the customers operational requirements.

PROTECTOR RWSs have an unprecedented Operational Readiness Rate of 99% and low life cycle costs. More than 20,000 PROTECTOR Remote Weapon Systems have been produced to date and by adding Estonia to the list, the total number of 28 nations have acquired systems from the PROTECTOR RWS family.



Kongsberg PROTECTOR RS4 Remote Weapon Station. (Picture source Kongsberg)

Defense News December 2021
The private jets will provide air strips in exotic locations that are usually not covered by regular airlines

Kolkata: A Kolkata-based young luxury consultant and an aviation veteran have ventured into what they claim to be eastern Indias first private jet club, Yaqoot Air Charter, to tap the market of ultra-wealthy air travel business. They are Sabeer Ahluwalia and Neil Shaw.

Mr Ahluwalia, a luxury consultant and a start-up accelerator, was into the corporate sales and marketing of top global automobile brands like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Ducati and Audi earlier. Mr Shaw is a former director of RPSG Aviation company for almost a decade. He was responsible for chartering private jets and also acquisition of corporate jet aircraft.

According to them, their private jet club with modern facilities offers a range of private aircrafts best suited for various requirements including jet, turbo props, helicopters and also air ambulance for critical services.

The private jets will provide air strips in exotic locations that are usually not covered by regular airlines. A real value for time, the luxurious aircrafts allow customers to plan their trips as per flexibility, in addition to giving the benefits of privacy and accommodation to unwind or hold an important meeting. Also, it allows one to carry furry friends by following certain guidelines.

Mr Ahluwalia said, Eastern India is still a virgin territory when it comes to private jet charter. Considering the market demand and immense growth potential of the sector, Yaqoot Air Charter is aimed to set new directions in the private jet industry. While most private charter companies work on an adhoc basis, our model works on an exclusive air club membership. We have strategic location advantages, and an increasing number of ultra high-net-worth individuals shall bolster this segment of aviation.

Mr Shaw said, Given the post pandemic scenario, people with remunerative income are preferring to fly on private jets as its the most safest, convenient and secure way to fly as only you and your associates are on board  avoiding large crowds, long delays and queues at commercial flights. We are glad to associate with Mr. Ahluwalia for this new venture where we will provide the next level of luxury and convenience to plan ones air trips.

Luxury travel of private jet planes has surpassed pre-COVID levels according to the latest market scenario. While leisure travel is essentially the driver for the increase in private jets, rise in corporate, personal urgency or election-related flying are playing significant roles to boost the sector. Sales of luxury goods are soaring in the eastern part of the country and a booming luxury appetite is evident in states of Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Patna along with some cities of North-East.
Shekhawat said the details of seat-sharing will be announced at an ;appropriate time'

New Delhi: The BJP on Friday formally announced that it will contest the Punjab Assembly polls with Amarinder Singhs Punjab Lok Congress, and the alliance is likely to be joined by other parties such as the SAD (Democratic) led by former union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.

Singh on Friday called on the BJPs Punjab in-charge and Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat at his residence here. This was the second meeting between the two leaders after they met in Chandigarh earlier this month.

After the Friday meeting, they officially announced the alliance between their parties.

Today, I want to make it clear that the BJP and Amarinder Singh will contest Assembly elections in Punjab together and we are working together, Shekhawat told the media, with Singh by his side.

Shekhawat said the details of seat-sharing will be announced at an appropriate time. Singh said, The alliance will definitely, 101 per cent, win the elections. And winnability will be the main criterion in finalising seats.

Soon after Singh left Shekhawats residence, former union minister and SAD (Democratic) president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa came to meet the BJPs Punjab in-charge.

Sources said Dhindsas SAD (Democratic) will also be part of the alliance. Some other smaller parties are also likely to join in, they said.

The BJP, which had been contesting only 23 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly player as a junior partner of the SAD, will this time likely to contest more than half of the seats and will anchor the alliance as a senior partner, they said.

Sources in the BJP said they see the elections in Punjab becoming a five-cornered fight as various farmer outfits may enter the fray, besides the already-present Congress, SAD and AAP.

Singh formed his own party Punjab Lok Congress days after he resigned as the chief minister and quit the Congress.

Earlier, one of the BJPs oldest allies SAD, a party based on principles Sikhism, moved out of the ruling NDA alliance over the issue of farm sector laws. The alliance with Amarinder Singh would give the BJP a prominent Sikh face in the Sikh-majority state.
Maharashtra has so far reported the highest number of cases at 40, followed by Delhi with 22 cases

Faced with the threat of a third wave of infections, the Centre has underlined the need to follow Covid appropriate behaviour. (Representational image: PTI)

NEW DELHI: Omicron cases rose to 113 in 11 states across India on Friday after recording the highest single-day rise of 26 fresh cases of the new variant. The Centre urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, mass gatherings and observe Christmas and the New Year in a low-profile manner.

Maharashtra has so far reported the highest number of cases at 40, followed by Delhi with 22 cases, Rajasthan with 17, eight each in Telangana and Karnataka, seven in Gujarat and five in Kerala.

Faced with the threat of a third wave of infections, the Centre has underlined the need to follow Covid appropriate behaviour, including the use of face masks and maintaining social distance. It has warned that 19 districts were already at high risk of a surge in Covid-19 cases. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director general Balram Bhargava said districts with over five per cent test positivity rate should impose restrictive measures until the weekly positive rate falls below 5 per cent for at least two weeks.
He has not been heard from since 10 December, World Human Rights Day. He was due to attend an event at the EU embassy. He has long been persecuted by the regime, which prevents him from reaching his sick daughter in Japan. Human rights lawyer Guo Feixiong is in a similar situation.

Beijing (AsiaNews) - A well-known Chinese human rights lawyer has been missing for days. Radio Free Asia reports the authorities arrested Tang Jitian on 10th December, when he was due to attend a meeting for World Human Rights Day organised by the European Union representation in the Chinese capital.

Teng Biao, a Chinese academic repatriated to the US, said that communication with Tang broke down two hours before the start of the event, when he sent messages to friends explaining that it was not safe to attend.

According to Rfa sources, Tang was in a precarious physical and mental state before his disappearance. He was suffering because the authorities prevented him from joining his 24-year-old daughter in Japan, who is in a coma due to complications from tuberculosis.

The activist has long been persecuted by the Chinese regime, which took away his licence to practice law in 2010. He is guilty of defending the followers of China's banned Falun Gong spiritual movement and has been tortured for his humanitarian work. Tang is now sick with leukaemia, has no job or home and cannot leave China.

His situation is similar to that of another activist, Guo Feixiong, who disappeared on 28 January, shortly after Shanghai airport security prevented him from boarding a plane to the USA. He wanted to join his wife, who was suffering from cancer. In protest against the travel ban, he went on hunger strike.

Guo is accused of endangering national security; he has been fighting for human rights in China since the Tiananmen protests in 1989, when the regime massacred thousands of students demanding freedom and democracy.
Today's headlines: A record low turnout expected in tomorrow's Hong Kong legislative elections. China's energy sector to reach peak emissions in 2025. New alert in Indoensia for Semeru volcano. Israeli settlers raid a Palestinian village. Armenia and Azerbaijan agree on a joint railway. Navy diserter flees Russia. India tests new nuclear missile.

MYANMAR

Deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in court yesterday wearing a prison uniform. A military coup-controlled court recently sentenced her to four years in prison - later reduced to two. The location of her detention remains unknown.

HONG KONG

According to the latest polls, only 24% of those eligible to vote took part in tomorrow's disputed parliamentary elections, the lowest turnout in 30 years. The authorities arrested those promoting a boycott of the vote, in which only "patriotic" candidates loyal to the Chinese Communist Party took part.

CHINA

Beijing's energy sector will reach peak pollutant emissions in 2025, five years earlier than the government forecast at the recent Cop26 climate change summit. According to a group of Chinese researchers, the national authorities will have to move up the timetable for the ecological transition.

INDONESIA

The Indonesian government raises the alert level for the Semeru volcano on the island of Java. A fortnight ago, 48 people died from the effects of its strong eruption.

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

Israeli settlers raided a Palestinian village in the West Bank yesterday, destroying homes and vehicles. Two local residents were injured after being beaten. The attackers carried out the raid after a group of armed Palestinians killed an Israeli citizen in the occupied territories on 16 Decembe

ARMENIA-AZERBAIGIAN

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pasinyan confirmed the construction of a railway through the 'Zangezur corridor', under agreements reached in Brussels with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev. The accord signed with the mediation of the EU and represents a sign of improved relations between Yerevan and Baku after last year's conflict.

RUSSIA

One of the leaders of the opposition movement founded by Aleksej Naval'nyj, 33-year-old Aleksandr Cernikov, who led the Kaliningrad section is seeking political assylum in the USA. He fled before a rally in support of the imprisoned leader to escape political persecution. He said he was "not ready to end up in a camp".

INDIA

Delhi today successfully tested a new generation of nuclear missile. The upgraded version of the Agni has a range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometres. The launch took place off the coast of Orissa in the Bay of Bengal.
by Steve Suwannarat

Local elections today in the northern Borneo state, which has been part of the Malaysian federation since 1962 and where only 25% of the population is Muslim. The economy weighs heavily with the local GDP lagging and poverty climbing among the most disadvantaged sectors of the population.

Kuching (AsiaNews) - The people of Sarawak, the Malaysian state that together with Sabah occupies the northern part of the island of Borneo, go to the polls to elect their representatives in the local parliament of Kuching. This is the twelfth election since the territory joined the Malaysian federation in 1963.

Restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic add to the usual difficulties for many people registered to vote, especially in harder to reach areas. Constitutional rights, autonomy and equal development in the context of the country remain pressing issues in this veritable kaleidoscope of ethnicities and faiths.

Only 25% of Sarawak's population are ethnic Malays and Muslims, another 25% are of Chinese origin; the rest are Indians and a mosaic of indigenous ethnic groups known collectively as Dayak, the best known of which is the Iban. Sarawak is also the most Christianised state in Malaysia, with over 42% of the population baptised, compared to a national average of less than 1%. The 218,000 Catholics are divided between the archdiocese of Kuching and the dioceses of Miri and Sibu.

Socio-economic proposals will mainly guide voters' choices in today's vote. For example, the outgoing coalition government, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, has declared its willingness to support a minimum income of US$ 354 a month, promising accelerated development by 2030.

While in mainland Malaysia, politics is mainly about attacking the Barisan Nasional coalition, which has ruled since independence and which the opposition accuses of illiberal attitudes, corruption and favouritism towards the Malay-Muslim majority, in Sarawak the confrontation is above all between different personalities and development proposals.

The growth of the local gross domestic product has averaged 0.9% over the last five years, compared to 2.7% for the country as a whole. All this while there has been a growth in poverty among the 40% of the population living in the most disadvantaged conditions. The official unemployment rate rose from 3.1% in 2019 to 4.3% last year, while the pandemic also contributed to a 7.1% drop in GDP in 2020. In essence, in casting their votes for the 349 candidates vying for the 82 assembly seats, voters (1.25 million out of nearly 3 million inhabitants) expect to make up for lost wealth and time.
A sheriffs deputy monitors morning student drop-off on the Aspen School District campus Friday. The Pitkin County Sheriffs Office shared the photo to its Facebook page with the message, Youll see an increased presence of your local law-enforcement today around the school campus in response to the non-specific threat from TikTok yesterday.
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As some of you might already know, the Parker Solar Probe launched in August 2018 with the stated goal of approaching the Sun like no other human-made machine ever did, in the hopes we Earthlings will get a better understanding of the star that makes life here possible, but that also threatens us with the space weather events it is responsible for.The machine, sturdily-made to survive the incredible heat emanating from the star, will eventually get within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million km) from the Sun, reaching speeds of 430,000 miles per hour (692,000 kph), and earning it the title of fastest spacecraft ever made on Earth.Back in November, Parker was moving at 364,660 miles per hour (586,864 kph), while it was at a distance of 5.3 million miles (8.5 million km) from its target. As it moved closer since then, it prompted NASA into proclaiming it finally touched the Sun But what does that mean? Like probably all stars out there, the Sun has no solid surface one can land on, assuming one could survive that. Instead, the flaming ball of gases is comprised of seven layers.Deep down we have the core, the hottest, densest, and most hellish place in the solar system. Then come the radiative and convection zones at 86,000 miles (138,000 km) from the core, then the photosphere (which is considered the solar surface), the chromosphere, and the transition region.Last, but not least, comes the corona, the outermost layer of the Sun which starts at about 1,300 miles (2,100 km) above the photosphere. Temperatures there are of at least 900,000 degrees Fahrenheit (500,000 degrees Celsius), the place is invisible with the naked eye and, most importantly, it does not have an upper limit.And it is this very hard-to-define region that the Parker Solar Probe actually traveled through, at a distance of great many miles from the so-called surface, the photosphere, so those arguing it didn't actually touch the Sun do have a point. For comparison, its like a spacecraft passing through the tail of a comet and saying it reached it, or skimming through the upper atmosphere of a planet and claiming the same.So, in a sense, the Parker Solar Probe did not touch the Sun, it only grazed its fancy clothing.But, in another sense, it did touch it. You see, the corona has something called the Alfven critical surface. It is the place that marks the end of the solar atmosphere and beginning of the solar wind, and even if it is as elusive as everything else about the Sun, it is generally agreed it comes at anywhere between 4.3 and 8.6 million miles (6.9 to 13.8 million km) from the star.That, by all accounts, presently puts the Parker past the Alfven, and right into the Suns atmosphere, something that was never done before. And NASA even has proof of that, in the form of the detected magnetic and particle conditions specific to the corona past that point.Controversy aside, the fact this probe is where it is, and in working order, should benefit us all greatly. Already the machine sampled particles and magnetic fields there, and that should help scientists uncover critical information about our closest star and its influence on the solar system.It also proved the Alfven critical surface isnt a smooth ball, but an area with spikes and valleys that may influence solar wind and how it eventually impacts us. And, the cherry on the cake, it even moved through something called a pseudostreamer, a loop-like structure we can see from Earth during solar eclipses.More flybys in this region of space are planned for the future (the next one in January 2022), and they should unlock even more mysteries for us to dissect and marvel at. Untll that time, the first video below shows a stunning recording of the probes journey through the corona, as seen from on board Parker.The second video explains all of the above in easy-to-understand images.
About half an hours drive from the provincial capital of Alicante, youll arrive in Elche, the city that Tamarit Motorcycles aftermarket connoisseurs call home. Only six years have passed since the Spanish enterprise opened its doors for the first time, though the sheer length of their portfolio might have you believe that theyve been around for at least twice as long.It all started when a leather expert named Quique had been tasked with upholstering a one-off saddle, which proved to be a lot more intriguing than fabricating footwear. Slowly but surely, his focus began shifting toward motorcycle customization, and he was soon joined by Matias  a skillful craftsman who shared the same interest in two-wheeled artwork.In 2015, they joined forces to pursue their common ambition, thus establishing what would later become one of Europes most prominent workshops. As time went by, the Tamarit crew has been involved in a myriad of Triumph -oriented projects, the 100th of which is currently in the making.Oh, and dont you even get me started on their enormous catalog of bolt-on hardware. The vast majority of components used on Tamarits builds can be purchased from the companys official website, so thats the first place you ought to be heading when your stock Triumph is in need of some custom flair.The bike were about to examine  dubbed Gullwing X  draws inspiration from the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Between 1954 and 1957, a mere 1,400 coupe variants of this beloved Merc have been assembled in Stuttgart, and we dare say that its the sexiest car produced on German soil during the fifties!Nowadays, its not uncommon to see a tidy 300 SL changing hands for over $1 million at auction, but there are plenty of collectors who would throw even more cash at this glamorous icon. Tamarits two-wheeled tribute aims to encapsulate the Super Leicht spirit in a series of nine homogeneous builds, three of which have already been sold for 39,900 ($44,920) a pop.This articles photo gallery showcases the very first Gullwing X bred on TMs Elche-based premises, whose story begins with a carbureted variant of the Thruxton 900 family. Spains go-to Triumph gurus kicked things off by installing a premium selection of powertrain goodies, such as higher-spec camshafts, new valves, and dual FCR 39 flat-slide carburetors from Keihin.The inhalers are mated to fresh velocity stacks, but these can be swapped with a pair of K&N air filters, depending on each customers preference. By rounding things out with a free-flowing exhaust, the moto doctors were able to unlock as much as 98 hp at the crank, which is a significant jump from the standard Thruxton s 69 ponies.As far as the bodywork goes, you will find a seamless monocoque structure that merges the fuel tank and tail into a single unit. When necessary, this module can be lifted via hydraulic mechanisms to reveal the electrical componentry stored underneath. At the front end, the Gullwing X comes equipped with a minute fender, as well as a handsome fairing that nods to the SLs classy contours.Moving on to the cockpit, were greeted by clip-on handlebars, aftermarket levers, and a shiny triple clamp with built-in Motogadget instrumentation. The donors original forks were refurbished from head to toe, while the rear shock absorbers have been deleted to make way for high-grade Hagon alternatives.Tamarits experts are perfectly aware that a project of this magnitude demands some gorgeous footgear, so theyve topped it all off with Kineo hoops, Galfer brake rotors, and top-shelf Beringer calipers. Finally, the Gullwing X rides on a set of Victory Classic T/T tires that look as if they prioritize form over function, but well refrain from commenting on the crews choice of rubber.
Online shopping is an amazing invention, and it helps you get everything you want from all over the globe, without having to go get it. You spend less time in queues, there are more options to see in less time, and they're all just one click away.But there are some downsides to it  impulse buying, and delivery. But I think no one regrets shipping fees more than this millionaire called David Hamilton, who paid $37,000 (28,000) for a fighter jet on impulse, and ended up paying twice as much for delivery  an astonishing sum of almost $80,000 (60,000).Hamilton purchased a Blackburn Buccaneer jet , that had sat on a garage forecourt for 25 years. The price was alright, and you know what happens when you want something. Hamilton and his business partner Gavin Findlay purchased the fighter jet for their wildlife park The Scottish Deer Centre in Cupar, Fife in a move to keep it in Scotland.But he never expected the bill to add up to almost $80,000 to get it shifted just 140 miles (225 km) from Elgin, Moray to Cupar, Fife, in a lorry.The shipping fee also included cop escorts and had to pay up Transport Scotland to move some road signs and traffic lights to make room for it.Hamilton shared to The Sun : I jump into these things with two feet. I liked the look of the jet but didnt give a moments thought to how I was going to get it moved. He added: I definitely didnt think it would cost me the same amount of money again. But I dont regret it at all. It will be worth it in the long run.Thats what we all say after an impulse purchase, thats for sure.
On June 7th, NASAs Juno spacecraft got a close-up view of the largest moon in our solar system. It flew within 645 miles (1,038 km) of Ganymedes surface, hitting a velocity of 41,600 mph (67,000 kph). Juno didnt miss the chance to thoroughly document its encounter, taking notes on the satellites ice shell, ionosphere, and magnetosphere.The spacecraft also listened to the satellites sounds as it sailed by it. With help from its Waves instrument, which studies radio and plasma waves emissions, Juno was able to gather data on Ganymedes emissions (which range from 10 to 50 kHz). Scientists shifted their frequency into the lower audio range to make an eerily audio track. NASA released a 50-second clip that offers both an auditory and a visual glimpse at what the Waves instrument captured as Juno flew past the icy moon. Around the middle of the recording, theres a sudden change in frequencies. Scientists say that this represents the spacecrafts movement, signaling that it was traveling from one region of the satellites magnetosphere to another.This soundtrack is just wild enough to make you feel as if you were riding along as Juno sails past Ganymede for the first time in more than two decades, said Juno Principal Investigator Scott Bolton. If you listen closely, you can hear the abrupt change to higher frequencies around the midpoint of the recording, which represents entry into a different region in Ganymedes magnetosphere.Researchers are still analyzing the Waves data to see what mysteries Ganymede holds. However, hearing what a moon located at 390 million miles (628 million km) away sounds like is an incredible experience. Pair that with the sounds captured by NASAs Perseverance rover on Mars, and you dont have to go too far to feel like youre venturing beyond our skies.
EV

Both Waze and Google Maps help drivers find faster routes to their destinations, though on the other hand, they are based on different concepts that sometimes make quite a big difference.Waze, for instance, uses a crowdsourcing-based engine to alert drivers of things like speed traps, potholes, roadkill, traffic jams, and other road hazards that could slow them down. And thanks to this feature, Waze is often preferred over Google Maps, especially in crowded regions like urban areas.On the other hand, Google sometimes improves these apps by copying each others features.And this time, its Wazes turn to get a new capability from Google Maps. Waze has announced support forcharging stations in the United States, and thanks to a partnership with Volkswagen, its also bringing a new car icon in the app.Users can therefore choose to drive with a Volkswagen ID.4 when navigating with Waze, though this update is mostly available only for a limited time.As for the EV charging stations, they are available exclusively in the United States and add to the gas stations that have already been displayed for drivers in the country.Google Maps, however, provides more advanced capabilities on this front, as it can also display the availability in real-time, therefore making it easier for drivers to figure out where they can recharge the battery of their car. This feature first debuted in Google Maps more than two years ago.Waze hasnt said anything about a possible expansion of this new feature, so if you were hoping to get EV charging station support in Europe, nobody knows exactly when if and if this is supposed to happen. Most likely, Waze does want to bring this new feature to everybody out there, though it could take a while until the charging stations across the world make their way to Waze.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Ted Cruz (R) cut a deal overnight to hold a vote on Nord Stream 2 sanctions next month in exchange for the Texas senator lifting his hold on more than three dozen of President Biden's ambassador picks.

Why it matters: Biden has fallen far behind his predecessors in the rate at which his ambassadorial and other high-level State Department picks have been confirmed, leaving gaping holes in critical foreign-policy and national-security roles.

Cruz lifted 32 of his holds in exchange for a vote before Jan. 14.

Catch up quick: Biden in May waived sanctions on the operator of Nord Stream 2 as a gesture of goodwill toward long-time U.S. ally Germany, which pledged to act if Russia used energy as a "weapon" to achieve its political goals.

But a growing bipartisan chorus of lawmakers on the hill have aggressively pushed for the U.S. to reimpose sanctions as Russia threatens Ukraine.

Driving the news: The Senate early Saturday confirmed 41 of President Biden's ambassadorial picks, breaking a logjam that critics have said posed a national security risk.

Cruz and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) have slowed down the process by repeatedly objecting to the Senate moving forward via unanimous consent.

Details: The Senate early Saturday morning voted 48-21 to confirm Rahm Emanuel, the former lawmaker and chief of staff in the Obama White House, as the next U.S. ambassador to Japan.

Eight Republicans crossed the aisle to back Emanuel, who was also mayor of Chicago, while three Democrats  Massachusetts Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley  voted against his confirmation.

The other ambassadors confirmed include former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell to represent the U.S. in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and Mark Gitenstein, a former U.S. ambassador to Romania, to be the chief U.S. envoy to the European Union.

Julissa Reynoso Pantaleon, the former U.S. ambassador to Uruguay under President Obama, was confirmed to represent the U.S. in Spain. Sen. Marco Rubio had placed a hold on the nominee, who has been serving as first lady Jill Biden's chief of staff, due to concerns over her approach to Cuba.

Denise Campbell Bauer, former ambassador to Belgium and executive director of Women for Biden, will become the chief envoy to France and Monaco. Meanwhile, Massachusetts state Rep. Claire Cronin, a Biden fundraiser, will become ambassador to Ireland.

Nominees were also confirmed to represent the United States in Argentina, Poland, Sweden, Somalia, Vietnam and elsewhere.
Florida election officials hunt for snowbirds, others who voted twice in 2020 election: We are not playing around
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter.
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.
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Eve Babitz, whose books including Eves Hollywood memorably chronicled the Los Angeles music and cultural scenes in the 1960s and 1970s, died Friday.

Her biographer Lili Anolik confirmed her death to the Associated Press.

Babitz saw a renewed appreciation for her work as a younger generation of writers discovered her fresh and frank voice. Her other books included Slow Days, Fast Company, Sex and Rage, Two By Two, L.A. Woman and Black Swans.

Babitz attended Hollywood High and at 20 years old, posed nude for the famous image of herself playing chess with Marcel Duchamp. Later in the 1960s she designed album covers for Atlantic Records artists including Linda Ronstadt, Buffalo Springfield and The Byrds, notably a collage design for 1967s Buffalo Springfield Again.

Dating celebrities including famously, Jim Morrison, as well as Harrison Ford, Steve Martin, Glenn Frey and Stephen Stills, she circulated on the Hollywood scene with the likes of Jack Nicholson, Joan Didion, Dennis Hopper and Andy Warhol, turning those associations into a mix of memoir and fiction that vividly captured everywhere from the Sunset Strip scene to the parties of Venice Beach and a trip to Dodger Stadium.

A unparalleled cultural connector, she introduced Frank Zappa to Salvador Dali, convinced Martin to wear a white suit and tried to talk Morrison out of naming his band The Doors. She wrote to Catch 22 author Joseph Heller saying, I am a stacked eighteen-year-old blonde on Sunset Boulevard. I am also a writer.

That literary effort didnt pan out, but later in her twenties, Didion recommended her to Rolling Stone magazine, and she went on to write for Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Esquire.

Though her writing revolved most frequently around her own experiences, it also showed a deep love for Los Angeles. Culturally, L.A. has always been a humid jungle alive with seething L.A. projects that I guess people from other places cant see. It takes a certain kind of innocence to like L.A., anyway. It requires a certain plain happiness inside to be happy in L.A., to choose it and be happy here, she wrote in the essay Daughters of the Wasteland.

Babitz suffered extensive injuries in a 1997 fire when she dropped a cigar on her skirt while driving, and was rarely seen after. But Anolik tracked her down for an influential 2014 article All About Eve  And Then Some that became full-length biography Hollywoods Eve.

The article led to her books being re-issued and events such as a New York panel called The Eve Effect with Zosia Mamet and Jia Tolentino.

A series at Hulu based on her memoirs was in development with Amy Pascal, Liz Tigelaar and Elizabeth Cantillon in 2017.

She is survived by a sister, Mirandi.

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Courtesy of Ben Kvanli

There's no greater feeling than reuniting with your missing pet. Former San Marcos Mayor Daniel Guerrero was a "blubbering mess" when he learned his 25-pound South American tortoise was found on December 3, more than month after he went missing.

Diego was on the lose for 38 days after the reptile wandered out of his backyard, according to Guerrero's Instagram. Guerrero believed a passing motorist picked him up.
Phoenix (AP)  Pregnant with her second child, Clarissa Collins was at her methadone clinic when a woman walked in with a box of doughnuts and a baby doll.

The woman, Tara Sundem, was partway through a five-year effort to open Hushabye Nursery and launch a novel family-focused program that would treat substance-exposed infants and offer care and support to their caregivers.

Hushabye Nursery recently celebrated one year in its current care facility in Phoenix and Collins now works there as a peer support specialist, helping others in recovery, the Arizona Capitol Times reported.

The center houses a 12-room inpatient nursery for infants suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome  newborns experiencing withdrawal from opioids they were exposed to in the womb, such as heroin and prescription painkillers.

But on that day in 2019, Collins begrudgingly attended Sundems support group for pregnant women with opioid use disorder. By the second group meeting, she decided to come back every week.

I looked forward to it. I wanted to see the other girls; I wanted to hear their stories. I wanted to meet the baby, Collins said. And we became this little family. We became very close friends.

As the opioid epidemic worsens nationwide, neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) cases are increasing, too. Nationally, the number of babies born with the condition increased 82% from 2010 to 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The national trend in NAS cases holds true in Arizona and has worsened since the Covid pandemic began. Arizonas NAS rate in 2020 was 9.1 per 1,000 newborn hospitalizations, up from 5.67 per 1,000 in 2015, according to Arizona Department of Health Services vital statistics reports. In 2010, that figure was 2.65 per 1,000.

Some of the increase can be attributed to better reporting and other factors, not the opioid epidemic itself, said Sara Rumann, with the departments Bureau of Womens and Childrens Health.

But we can say overall the general trend is that it has increased over the last 10 years, Rumann said.

Symptoms of NAS can include a high-pitched cry, vomiting, diarrhea, trembling, seizures, stiff limbs and trouble sleeping, eating and breathing, according to the department. The babies experience a withdrawal syndrome, not an addiction.

Collins had her first daughter in 2012, but started using heroin shortly thereafter. The Arizona Department of Child Safety got involved, and Collins ended up relinquishing her parental rights. Her daughter now lives with family in Louisiana.

I had gotten strung out right after she was born; I had no history of addiction prior, Collins said. But one thing led to another, and a lot of it was I was desperate for my friends. I was 17. I had just had a baby. I wanted my friends back, so I did whatever they were doing.

This time would be different.

Sobriety was part of that, and so was the Hushabye Opioid Pregnancy Preparation and Empowerment (HOPPE) program. Collins still has her green HOPPE binder, which she calls the bible, that helped her prepare for her babys arrival, gather information for the DCS investigation and document her classes.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) uses medications like methadone or buprenorphine in combination with counseling and therapy to treat opioid-use disorder. Hushabye staff recognize MAT as the gold standard of care, Sundem said. Its recommended for pregnant women with opioid-use disorder because its often unsafe for women to completely stop taking opioids while pregnant. The change can trigger a miscarriage, preterm labor or fetal distress.

But because the medications used are opioids, Department of Child Safety is still contacted because the baby is still substance exposed.

Whether it be prescribed or unprescribed, thats for DCS to figure out, but it has to be reported to the state, Collins said.

The increase in NAS cases is something Sundem, a neonatal nurse practitioner, saw firsthand. She has spent most of her nearly 30-year nursing career in neonatal intensive care units. About eight years ago, she said, something changed.

We just started seeing this surge of babies coming in and withdrawing, Sundem said. When we started seeing that influx, I was like, What do we do?

About six years ago, Kelly Woody, who co-founded Hushabye with Sundem, had the answer. The fellow neonatal nurse practitioner had watched a segment on the Today show about Lilys Place, a first-of-its-kind Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome center in West Virginia.

Woody told Sundem, This is what were going to do.

Im a believer, and I prayed on it and prayed on it and prayed on it, and went, OK, I guess Im supposed to do this, Sundem said.

They spent the next five years developing their care model and trying to find funding.

I begged, I borrowed, I asked favors, Sundem said.

Hushabyes current facility opened in November 2020. Hushabye is licensed with the state health department and is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International.

The nurserys approach is family-centric, with programs for women prenatal and postpartum.

Postpartum care for mothers is important because the relapse rate in the first six months is high  nearly 80%. Alicia Allen, an associate professor at the University of Arizonas Department of Family and Community Medicine, studies substance use in women. She said while postpartum is an especially vulnerable time, its also a good time for health care professionals to interact with people who are struggling with substance use.

During pregnancy, theres a lot more motivation, theres a lot more support and theres a lot more access to health care, so thats a perfect place to start, Allen said.

With in-patient infants, Hushabye uses the Eat, Sleep, Console method, a newer approach to treating NAS that prioritizes the comfort of the baby and non-pharmacologic treatments, shifting away from scheduled postnatal opioid treatment to as needed dosing. Parents stay with their babies during their time at the nursery.

Our patient in-patient is that baby, but that babys therapy is their family, Sundem said.

The Eat, Sleep, Console approach is effective. Babies withdrawing at Hushabye stay an average of about 6 to 7 days. The national average stay for a baby with NAS in a neonatal intensive care unit was 11 days in 2018.

Banner University Medical Center Tucson was the first Arizona hospital to learn about Eat, Sleep, Console, a model that got its start at Yale University through the research of pediatrician Dr. Matthew Grossman.

What weve been doing for the last 40 years is not working, and everybodys cranky. Not only the babies  the families are cranky; the nurses are cranky, Lisa Grisham, director of Banners Family Centered NAS Care Program, said. When you look back, we thought we were doing the best we could. And now we realize theres a better way to do it.

In addition to Hushabye, nine hospitals in Arizona use Eat, Sleep, Console for at least some of their NAS patients, depending on the individual situation.

At Hushabye, there are 12 private rooms where babies can withdraw in a dark environment and their families can stay 24/7. Usually, there are five or six babies at any one time, though Sundem said there was recently a span of three weeks where they were at capacity.

We encourage (caregivers) to stay, even if theyre struggling. As long as thats safe and theyre not dangerous, we want them to stay, she said. What they are doing for their baby just by being present in the room  theyre helping with the wiring of the brain, something that you and I cant do.

When a family comes to Hushabye, Sundem said staff meet them where theyre at  and connect them to resources for food, transportation and housing if needed. She said she thinks families stay in part because the staff are trauma-informed. They know that many people have experienced trauma, that trauma affects health and behavior and that it should be factored into how people are treated to avoid retraumatizing them.

If parents are able, staff help teach them how to care for their baby. With all families, Sundem said staff try to help them avoid shame or guilt by understanding that they have opioid use disorder, a medical condition, not some sort of moral failing.

Many of the parents, Sundem said, started taking an opioid after it was prescribed to them following something like an accident or a C-section and then developed a dependence. Three out of four women who use heroin were initially prescribed opiates.

When you talk to families, it is to function  its not to get high, Sundem said. They literally say that theyre dope sick, that they use to get well.

In an effort to reduce stigma against pregnant women with opioid-use disorder, the health department launched its campaign Hope Heals earlier this year, following a recommendation in the states Opioid Action Plan 2.0. Rumann worked on the campaign, as did Jacqueline Kurth, the office chief for injury and violence prevention in the departments Bureau of Chronic Disease and Health Promotion.

Theres a lot of stigma that is a barrier for people seeking help for mental health disorders and for substance use disorders, in particular for pregnant and parenting women, Kurth said.

On the outpatient side, Hushabye has a licensed marriage and family therapist and two case managers. One case manager focuses specifically on helping families navigate interactions with the Arizona Department of Child Safety. Sometimes, Sundem said, families are so stressed that they dont really hear what DCS is saying they need to do.

Sometimes its because theyre not healthy, but sometimes its just because its so stressful, Sundem said. And sometimes, they speak a completely different language.

That was Collins experience after the birth of her first child.

I had no clue what the hell I was doing back then, she said. I went through DCS; I went to court; I did all of that. I tried going to treatment, but I had no clue what I was doing. I was physically present, but I had no clue what was going on.

Collins and the other peer support person have both been through the Hushabye program. Collins daughter recently turned 2. The other peer supports baby will be 1 in February.

The facility has two nurses on duty around-the-clock, even if theres only one baby, to be able to resuscitate if needed. While not a hospital, Hushabye provides the care a baby with NAS needs. If something goes wrong, Banner  University Medical Center Phoenix, Valleywise Health Medical Center and Phoenix Childrens Hospital are all a 5- to 7-minute drive from the nursery.

Out of the more than 180 babies treated at Hushabye, only three have been sent back to the hospital for additional treatment, Sundem said.

For Collins, working as peer support for others in recovery has helped her, too. She still attends groups and lives with her daughter and her fiance, who is also in recovery. She knows what the women at Hushabye are experiencing because shes been through it.

Its healing to me, she said. Because its like Im almost able to close a chapter in my past knowing that, OK, I got somebody somewhere farther than I could go.
Residents in Surigao city, Philippines, clean up debris in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Rai (Odette), Dec. 18, 2021.

Philippine rescuers reached more isolated areas ravaged by Typhoon Rai as the number of confirmed deaths rose to 31 as of Saturday evening  a total officials expect to increase.

The storm called Odette locally is the 15th so far this year and dumped heavy rain over large areas around the eastern seaboard of Mindanao in the southern portion of the country. It sliced through the Philippines, reaching super typhoon status by Thursday as it whipped up strong winds and brought heavy rains.

About half of the 31 confirmed deaths were in the central province of Cebu where houses were submerged almost totally by floodwaters, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

We expect these figures will change as more reports come in, said Mark Timbal, council spokesman.

Also of concern is the tear-dropped shaped surfing destination of Siargao island, a favorite destination for foreign and local tourists northeast of Mindanao, where the typhoon made landfall Thursday. The Philippine Coast Guard arrived at the island which had no electricity or telecommunications on Saturday.

There were no immediate reports of any casualties from Siargao, but social media sites have been filled with reports from families in Manila and elsewhere looking for loved ones who were reported to be vacationing on the island.

Odette was so strong. Everything was destroyed, said Ernesto Matugas, mayor of Surigao city in Surigao del Norte province, which has jurisdiction over the island.

Worshipers attend a dawn mass at a church in Surigao city, Surigao del Norte province, Dec. 18, 2021. [AFP]

Richard Gordon, a senator who serves as the Philippine Red Cross chairman, said teams on the ground were providing immediate assistance.

We are sending tower lights and pay loader trucks through our humanitarian caravan now in Surigao del Norte and Bohol island, Gordon said.

In addition, the Eastern Mindanao Command said it deployed four Blackhawk helicopters along with navy boats to deliver relief goods and transport stranded residents to safer areas.

The situation calls for a whole-of-nation approach in order to help our fellow Filipinos who are fighting for their survival during this calamitous event, regional commander Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol told reporters.

I saw firsthand the extent of the damage brought by the typhoon especially in Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte and the people who are residing there really need our help through provision of relief goods and other forms of assistance, Almerol said.

330,000 evacuated

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said more than 330,000 people have been evacuated and were staying in nearly 700 evacuation centers.

The onslaught of a typhoon cut essential lifelines, leaving 63 cities and municipalities without electricity, affecting 73 seaports and canceling over 160 domestic and international flights, the U.N. agency said.

Filipinos charge their mobile devices at a mall in Cebu city where much of the region remains without electricity because of Typhoon Rai, Dec. 18, 2021. [AP]

Environmental group Greenpeace, which reached Surigao city on Saturday, said the city bore the brunt of the storm and called for a national climate emergency.

These typhoons will get worse, more unpredictable and destructive should (our institutions) remain merely reactionary to these climate crises, Greenpeace executive director Yeb Sano said in a statement.

The Philippines sits on a typhoon belt and is hit by up to 20 tropical storms a year, some of them devastating.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Mostly cloudy with snow showers during the morning. High 33F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with late-night snow showers. Low 24F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. Snowfall around one inch.
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Snow this morning will yield to a mostly cloudy sky this afternoon. High 34F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 100%..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers developing after midnight. Low 24F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. Snowfall around one inch.
Cops and Courts Reporter

Amanda Burke is Cops and Courts Reporter for The Berkshire Eagle. An Ithaca, New York native, she previously worked at The Herald News of Fall River and the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise.
coronavirus

44 percent of all 5- to 11-year-olds are vaccinated in Berkshire County; depending on where you live that number could be lower
Afghan evacuees, shown at the Fort McCoy military base in Wisconsin, have lived on U.S. military bases after being flown out of Afghanistan in August. Berkshire County will become home to 31 Afghan evacuees by the end of January, according to a resettlement agency leading the Western Massachusetts effort.
Scott Stafford can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com or 413-281-4622.

Scott Stafford can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com or 413-281-4622.
President Joe Biden finishes speaking Dec. 3 at the White House in Washington. Is it a good idea for Joe Biden to run for re-election in 2024? And, if he runs again and wins, would it be good for the United States to have a president who is 86  the age Biden would be at the end of a second term? asks Bret Stephens, a New York Times opinion columnist.
James Brooke, of Lenox, has traveled to about 100 countries reporting for The New York Times, Bloomberg and Voice of America.
'Enhanced her leadership ability'

The pandemic opened Askews eyes to local health care issues. She served as a COVID-19 contact tracing supervisor and co-authored a manuscript with Dr. Lauren Maziarz about the undergraduate students experience during the pandemic that is slated for publication in the College Student Journal.

As a contact tracing supervisor, I had to adapt quickly to a brand-new role where I was tasked with providing guidance to the employees I supervised and my community with CDC (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations, she said. This was a unique experience because each week required adjusting to new circumstances as the level of COVID-19 cases continued to change.

This role enhanced my leadership ability by requiring time management and organization to make sure the contact tracers felt supported in their role to ensure our work could positively impact the BGSU community. It was also valuable for me to connect with my supervisors and coworkers to see how, even in unfamiliar times, a positive difference can be made by having a shared goal, as we were in the fight against COVID-19.

I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Maziarz on research that examined the impact of COVID-19 on relationships and social interactions of college students as it related to sexual behavior. This was an engaging experience for me to see research come to fruition and know that I played a part in a study that will help in understanding the risks of COVID-19 from a different perspective.

Askew said BGSU surpassed all of her expectations.

I am grateful for all the opportunities to grow and learn through education inside and outside of the classroom, she said. I'm also blessed to have had the support of my family and network who provided guidance along the way. This has been an exciting journey, and I am looking forward to navigating the health care field, where I'll embrace the change to continue the growth.

Motivated to serve the community

She said BGSU helped narrow down her career interests.

Many of the courses I took exposed me to areas of health care that I was unfamiliar with beforehand, said Askew, who is from Canton, Michigan, and attended Washtenaw International High School in Ypsilanti. Most of the faculty who I have had the opportunity to engage with have had extensive backgrounds in the health care field and further education. This provided me a network of people to learn and receive advice from who directed my next steps.

Askew said she appreciated how so many faculty members were generous with their time and guidance.

I would like to thank Dr. Mary-Jon Ludy, who has helped me tremendously in my final capstone research project and recommended me to receive this recognition, she said. I would also like to thank Dr. Maziarz, who I worked under as a graduate research assistant where I had the opportunity to help with many projects and contribute to research that will be moving forward with publication. Lastly, I want to mention Dr. Amanda Cook, who taught one of my favorite courses, health economics, in such a passionate and engaging format. I always enjoyed attending office hours not only to receive feedback on assignments, but to learn more about her own educational experiences and connect through discussing current topics in the health care field.

The College of Health and Human Services is very proud of Tiffany Askews engagement as she pursued our MHSA degree, said Dr. Jim Ciesla, dean of HHS. Given the depth of her commitment to health equity while here at BGSU we think she will have a big impact in this important area as her career unfolds.

Her MHSA degree already is paying dividends as she has attained the enrichment specialist position through the American Hospital Association (AHA) Institute for Diversity and Health Equity. Askew will assist the physician relations and post-acute care teams in population health programming and their electronic health records database.

I was drawn to this position because the pandemic has highlighted the health inequities that have contributed to a disproportionate impact on various communities in the fight against the virus, she said. Through my studies and work experiences, Ive come to learn that these health inequities were occurring long before the pandemic began. I am vehemently motivated to be in a position that can serve the community and bridge the gaps in resources to provide support in promoting healthy living.

Her work with AHA will conclude in the spring, when she will prepare to move to the Pacific Northwest in the summer to begin working as an administrative fellow with PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Washington. PeaceHealth is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Alaska, Oregon and Washington.

This role will allow Askew to receive guidance from senior leadership and work on innovative health care projects within the entire continuum of health care, including hospital operations, in-patient and ambulatory services, health care literacy and delivery, continuous improvement, patient safety, information technology, regulatory compliance, physician partnership and strategic planning.

It was imperative to me to secure an Administrative Fellowship because the health care field offers a multitude of opportunities and paths to take, so I wanted to take the time to learn about all the possibilities before committing to one area, she said.
The Bible records a plethora of inconceivable, but true, accounts. And the story of a talking donkey is in good companyalong with a burning bush (Exodus 3:2) or gentle breeze (1 Kings 19:12)as proof of the miraculous mouthpieces God can choose. In the story of Balaam, we find a man who professed obedience to the Lord, but grappled with a greedy heart. Lets unpack the Bible story of Balaam and see what we can learn.

Who Was Balaam in the Bible?

The Bible tells us that Balaam was the son of Beor (Numbers 22:5), living in Pethor near the Euphrates River. Balaam was highly regarded by the Moabites and Midianites as a soothsayer (Joshua 13:22) and prophet (Numbers 24:2-9) who could bless or curse with his words. His brother, Bela, was a king of Edom.

Although Balaam lived among idolaters, he professed great knowledge of God. So, when the Israelites encroached on the plains of Moab, the king of the Moabites, Balak, summoned Balaam. He feared the Israelites would attack, and he wanted Balaam to put a curse on them.

Balaam is known as a powerful diviner, so Balak asks him:

A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed(Numbers 22:5-6).

Where Does Balaam Appear in the Bible?

You can read the portion of Balaams story that involves his donkey, in context, in Numbers 22. The saga, and Balaams ultimate demise, is recorded in the chapters that follow. But here in Numbers 22:12-20 we read that God tells Balaam not to put a curse on the Israelites because they are blessed.

Because of this, Balaam tells Balaks officials that the Lord will not allow him to go with them. So Balak sweetens the offer, tempting Balaam with, Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, because I will reward you handsomely and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse on these people for me (Numbers 22:16-17).

Then Balaam, in what I believe is the revealing moment, goes back to God. He sees Balaams heart. Its possible that God knew Balaam wanted the prize money more than God.

But God allows him to go, giving Balaam a second chance, but warning him to do only what I tell you (Numbers 2:20).

What Did Balaam Do?

Balaam rode his donkey along with the Moabites to go curse the Israelites. We dont know why God was angry when he went (Number 20:22) but we can imagine God knows Balaams ways. To end Balaams willfulness, God sends an angel to block the path. But Balaam, intent on his assignment, doesnt notice the angel. But the donkey does. Three times.

The first time, it causes the donkey to swerve away. And in an unsettling reveal of Balaams true nature, Balaam beats the frightened donkey back onto the path. The second time, the angel stands in a narrow path with walls on both sides. Again...Balaam exacts his frustration by beating the poor donkey. Finally, on the third account, the angel stands where there is no room to turn, either to the right or the left (Numbers 20:26).

The donkey is so frightened, it lays down, with Balaam still riding him. And how does Balaam behave? You guessed it. He beats the terrified animal who is already as low as he can get.

At this point, Scripture tells us the Lord opened the donkeys mouth, and the donkey asks What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times? Outraged Balaam cries, You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand I would kill you right now (Numbers 20:29).

Its a display of pride and wickedness that twists your stomach. The donkey reasons, asking Balaam Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?

Then God opens Balaams eyes, and he sees the angel in the road, sword drawn. Only now does Balaam fall on his face in reverence.

The angel admonishes Balaam, asking why he beat his donkey heartlessly instead of realizing that his path was reckless. Now Balaam, a man who claims such devotion to God he can speak his very words, admits that he has sinned. He responds with I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back (Numbers 20:34).

Balaam does go back and stands by his conviction that he can only do what the Lord tells him to. And as it turns out in the ensuing chapters, the Lord will not allow Balaam to curse the Israelites.

In the eventual battle between Israel and the Midianites Balaam is killed while fighting on the side of Balak (Numbers 31:8).

Did Balaam's Donkey Really Talk?

The word of God is true, and the account of Balaam and the Moabites is historical record. Obviously we werent there to witness, but we know from Scripture that God can use anything he wants, to speak to us.

In this account, the voice of God comes through a donkey to convict Balaam of how his desire for prize money was blinding him, and separating him from the work God had called him toward.

Just as we believe the angel spoke to Mary about her immaculate conception, because Jesus was real in the flesh and rose from the dead, we can believe that Balaams donkey actually spoke.





Photo credit: Unsplash/Tim Mossholder

3 Lessons from Balaam's Story

1. God sees your heart, so heed his call.

This wayward bent of Balaams heart that continued in wickedness, is a telling tale of the inability to hide our hearts from God. Even in the New Testament, we still see the true character of Balaam recalled:

They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkeyan animal without speechwho spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophets madness (2 Peter 2:15-1).

What we learn is to lean into Psalm 139s example. Be in the healthy habit of asking God to search our hearts, see if there are any offensive ways, and lead us in the way everlasting.

2. Enticing others to sin will be the death of something.

Causing others to sin can sever relationships, especially with God. Its true that Jesus gives us a way to repent and reconcile, but at the end of the story in Revelation, its clear what matters dearly to God about Balaams ongoing choices, even beyond his painful encounter with his donkey.

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality (Rev. 2:14).

And ultimately, when the Midianites and the Israelites went to battle, Balaam was slain while fighting on Balaks side (Numbers 31:8).

3. God is in charge.

Lets look at what is declared in Deuteronomy, after God holds his blessing on the Israelites firm...despite the desires of Balak and Balaam.

No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation. For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you. However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you (Deuteronomy 23:3-5).

God is love. And that love is fierce, almighty, all-knowing, and all good. Where he calls you, he will guide.

More like the gentle donkey, and less like Balaam, lets seek Gods voice and follow it. When others tempt you to curse or harm others, even if great reward is offered, consider the reward you already have in Jesus. Run your thoughts through his teachings, and make your choices based on the voice that is trustworthy.

Further Reading

Who Were Balaam and His Talking Donkey in the Bible?

Photo credit: Getty Images Plus/Diy13
John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

And it shall be said in that day

When the feast will be made for all the Lord's people; when the veil and covering shall be removed; when death will be swallowed up in victory; when all tears shall be wiped away from the saints; when their rebuke shall be taken away from them; all which will be at the glorious appearing of Christ. Lo, this [is] our God;

and not the idols of the Gentiles, or the works of their hands; but Christ, who is God over all, blessed for ever; Immanuel, God with us: the phrase is expressive of his true and proper deity, of faith of interest in him, and of the joy of it: we have waited for him, and he will save us:

as the Old Testament saints waited for his first coming, and for his salvation, believing that he would be the author of it: so New Testament saints are waiting for his second coming; and to them that look for him, and expect his glorious appearing, who have their loins girt, and their lights burning, and wait for their Lord's coming, will he appear a second time without sin unto salvation; to put them into the possession of salvation he has obtained for them, for which they are heirs, and is nearer than when they believed: this [is] the Lord, we have waited for him;

looking, longing, and hasting to the day of his coming; this they will say, when they shall see him coming in the clouds of heaven; whither the living saints being changed, will be caught up to meet him, and upon meeting him shall thus greet him, and one another: we will be glad, and rejoice in his salvation;

so suitable to them, so full, complete, and perfect, and so much for the glory of God; which was wrought out by him before, and now possessed by them; and is what is called the "joy" of their "Lord", they now "enter" into, ( Matthew 25:21 ) .
LANSING  People without a roof over their heads get more than a warm place to sleep at many Michigan shelters.

They can also find a path to physical and mental health and permanent housing.

A lot of people when they think of homeless shelters, they think of mission style homeless shelters, where theres a bunch of cots and a gym and hurry up and grab a bed, said Sarah Paspal-Jasinski, the development director for the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County.

Thats not the case with her group, which serves nearly 1,200 adults a year and provides transitional services.

What we found is that with the amount of time that individuals have spent homeless, it would be foolish to just immediately put someone into shelter without addressing their other underlying needs, Paspal-Jasinski said.

Homeless people may suffer from unmanaged chronic medical issues, substance abuse and addiction, and mental health disorders, according to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

Other groups, like Our Brothers Keeper in Big Rapids, once prioritized housing.

We gave them shelter and food, met their basic needs and got them into housing, said Nicole Alexander, the executive director.

This Housing First model prioritizes housing before offering support such as connections to social services and health care providers, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

But in the past two years, Our Brothers Keeper changed its approach.

We had to change what we were doing here to best serve everybody that comes through these doors, Alexander said. With the lack of affordable housing, and the length of stay that people are going to be staying with us due to that lack of housing, were kind of taking both approaches.

It now helps people fill out housing applications, connects them to the Department of Health and Human Services and helps them get bus passes, housing vouchers and social security and identification cards.

It even checks in on former guests who have moved out.

I just had a gentleman who left shelter three weeks ago ask for our budget paperwork because now hes worried about keeping his housing, Alexander said.

The Washtenaw County Shelter Association also values longer-term support. People can drop in for meals and visit with friends they made while in the shelter.

Everybody leaves with at least one friend and/or advocate than they had before they came in, Paspal-Jenkins said. Its kind of like a safety net.

Such a net is crucial for people who have nothing left to lose, said Rachael Neal, the development director for the Holland Rescue Mission.

Theyve burned all their bridges, and coming to Holland Rescue Mission is really their last resort, she said.

Her group annually helps more than 1,200 people  men, women and families  with emergency needs and longer-term transitional housing in a 200-bed facility in Holland.

We believe that most of the time homelessness is not a root issue, but a symptom of a deeper issue thats been going on in someones life for a long time, Neal said.

The mission addresses those root causes by ministering to the mind, body and soul of an individual, and so helping them to get physically healthy, spiritually healthy and mentally healthy, Neal said.

Many shelter officials say they seek similar permanent solutions.

Its all about teaching them how to be mature about being in their own house, how to budget their money, how to handle their job experience, said Gerald Piro, the executive director of Covenant House in Grand Rapids and Detroit, which serves young adults from 18 to 24 years of age.

Its not always going to be happy every day, but they need to be able to take the difficulties with the successes.

Covenant House has an onsite school in their Detroit location, volunteer social workers, COVID-19 vaccination clinics and programs that address mental health and addiction.

Piro said its approach can turn the tide for youth living in abandoned houses or under aqueducts and highway overpasses.

The message from the Covenant House, he said, is, Now that youre here, were looking forward to what youre going to do. How can you turn your life around?
COVAXIN has received EUL in Vietnam

The Republic of Vietnam will receive 2,00,000 doses of Bharat Biotech COVAXIN. Suchitra Ella, Joint MD, Bharat Biotech revealed this at a function hosted by Vuong Dinh Hue, President of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the presence of distinguished dignitaries in New Delhi.



The donation represents a gesture of goodwill to provide access to Bharat Biotech WHO approved, indigenously developed COVAXIN to fight the COVID-19 Pandemic across borders. COVAXIN has received EUL in Vietnam.



Bharat Biotech was invited by the Embassy of Vietnam for a one-on-one meeting with the President of the National Assembly, to discuss avenues of cooperation, supplies, and technology transfer possibilities.



Bharat Biotech has completed Phase-2 and Phase-3 trials of COVAXIN for children in the age group two to 18 years. The data has been submitted to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the final approval is awaited. On approval, children will also have access to COVAXIN.



In Vietnam, Bharat Biotech has been working with Duc Minh Medical JSC, towards the commercialisation of INDIRAB (Inactivated Rabies Vaccine). Duc Minh is Bharat Biotech's local partner in Vietnam.



Bharat Biotech has also supplied INDIRAB to the Republic Nation supporting their national rabies vaccine requirement.
After three years of negotiations with the Coalition of African Animal Welfare Organisation (Caawo), the Spur Corporation has committed to using only cage-free hens eggs in its restaurants by the year 2025.

Spur Corporation is one of the largest restaurant companies in South Africa, owning chains including Spur, Hussar Grill, RocoMamas, Panarottis and John Dory's.This is a great victory for laying hens in South Africa, says Caawo programme director Mandla Gqamlana.Caawo and our partners coordinated talks with Spur to voice our concerns about hen welfare and to ask for better welfare management for the chickens that supply the Spur Group with eggs. Thanks to this landmark agreement, the Spur Corporation will now spare millions of chickens the horror of being confined, unable to spread their wings and express normal behaviour.Caawo aims to improve the lives of animals and humans by engaging and collaborating on issues of animal and human welfare with a network of communities, groups, corporations, government and other stakeholders. The organisation advocates and lobbies for better laws relating to animals, and works to keep national animal welfare legislation updated.It is not always easy to enact significant change, but we believe it is important that companies act when it is the ethical and right thing to do. The Spur Corporations commitment to using only cage-free eggs by 2025 must be commended. It is a significant step towards improving the lives of millions of hens, says Gqamlana.Encouraging their farmers to farm in a manner that is good for their animals and farm workers, ultimately benefits their customers with a healthier product. This agreement demonstrates the Spurs commitment to the health, care and welfare of animals raised for food. We hope that other corporates will follow suit by taking a responsible approach to the sourcing of their eggs.Caawo will continue its effort in engaging with different stakeholders, including the government, South African Poultry Association, retailers, farmers and other stakeholders to highlight the plight of chickens and call for better welfare management to be put in place by 2025, Gqamlana says.
At least one case of the COVID-19 variant omicron has been confirmed at a school in Brandon, according to a notice issued by the Brandon School Division to parents, guardians and students late Friday afternoon.

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At least one case of the COVID-19 variant omicron has been confirmed at a school in Brandon, according to a notice issued by the Brandon School Division to parents, guardians and students late Friday afternoon.

The letter, signed by BSD Supt. Mathew Gustafson, did not name the school.

"I felt compelled to share this information given the conversations in our province and in Canada regarding the level of risk for this variant," Gustafson wrote. "I felt that families and staff should be aware that the Omicron variant is present in our region.

"The purpose of the awareness is not to create panic but to provide information for families to make decisions and to reinforce the importance of our continued diligence in maintaining the protective measures."

Additionally, Manitoba is increasing its rapid test kit supply to provide free, voluntary rapid antigen tests for students in kindergarten to Grade 6. Distribution will begin with First Nations communities and expand to other school divisions as supply is received.

Brandon School Division is not aware of when it will receive a shipment, but its not expected until the new year, the letter said. However, the division will send a survey to parents which will allow families to opt out of receiving a test kit.

The school division has seen an increase in COVID-19 exposures in its schools over the last two weeks, the letter said. There have been 26 exposures among school-aged children and staff in BSD between Dec. 2-17. During that same time period, there were 135 cases among school-aged children and staff in Brandon and 306 in the Prairie Mountain Health region. Between Dec. 1-14, there were 465 cases among school-aged children and staff province-wide.

The school division will continue to monitor for cases over the holiday break.

"If there is a COVID exposure in the last week of school, we are committed to ensuring that families and staff continue to receive the notifications in the same timely manner. To accomplish this, school administrators and Divisional administration are making themselves available during the holidays," the letter stated.

BSD encourages families to remain alert to potential infections within their households.

"Our best protective measures continue to be self-monitoring for symptoms, staying home when sick, consistent mask use, hand hygiene, physical distancing, and vaccinations. In addition, our schools will continue to monitor our ventilation systems and employ the cohort system to limit contacts if there is a COVID exposure in a school."

 The Brandon Sun
KEESEEKOOWENIN  Celebrating the holiday season while honouring Every Child Matters, representatives from the Southern Chiefs Organization joined Orange Santa in visiting Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation Friday.

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CHELSEA KEMP/THE BRANDON SUN Orange Santa visits Keeseekoowenin Elementary School Friday.

KEESEEKOOWENIN  Celebrating the holiday season while honouring Every Child Matters, representatives from the Southern Chiefs Organization joined Orange Santa in visiting Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation Friday.

The trip to Keeseekoowenin Elementary School is one of 12 planned community visits during the Orange Santa campaign, said Coty Zachariah, a policy analyst with the Southern Chiefs Organization (SCO).

"Im just very happy that we get to end whats been a long and emotional year for First Nations people on a bit of a positive note," Zachariah said.

The Orange Santa campaign was launched in 2021 to help celebrate the holidays while spreading awareness for Every Child Matters. Festivities kicked off Dec. 8. First Nations communities receiving visits from Santa include Birdtail Sioux, Ebb and Flow, Roseau River, Poplar River, Bloodvein, Dakota Plains, Keseekoowenin, Skownan, Sagkeeng and Lake Manitoba.

"Grand Chief [Jerry] Daniels has a vision of an Orange Santa going out to kids on the reserve and bringing out gifts. I think that has something to do with everything thats been going on this year; it started with the 215 [unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School], and Orange Shirt Day finally getting national recognition," he said, referring to the newly established National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.

"We just thought its time to put our spin on Christmas and try and bring gifts out to people who are under-serviced."

Zachariah said the hope is the presents will help brighten the 99 nursery to Grade 9 students who attend Keeseekoowenin Elementary.

Zachariah has participated in a majority of the present deliveries across southern Manitoba.

"It brings you back when you see the kids just really excited to see Santa."

When the students ask why Santa is not in his traditional red garb, it serves as an opportunity to talk to youth about the importance of Every Child Matters and the colour orange.

"To be honest, a lot of the kids already know. When he goes up and says does anybody know why Im wearing orange? Some of them will say because of truth and reconciliation and Every Child Matters," Zachariah said.

These topics are essential subjects to tackle because up until 2021, the history of Indigenous people in Canada, especially in regard to residential schools, was not often spoken about.

"Were happy to see now kids are getting a chance to talk about that. They know about some of the atrocities at residential schools and theyve seen the resilience of their people," Zachariah said.

The SCO team visited many former residential school sites across Canada, including Kamloops, in 2021. Zachariah said one could feel the lingering trauma of the events that unfolded.

The Orange Santa campaign is an opportunity to honour what they experienced during these visits while finding a way to spread positivity in communities.

"Its just amazing, and it just warms your heart to see these kids are learning in healthy and safe environments now and are aware of what happened to their ancestors and family members.

"When you think of what happened to our families, many of us, weve lost people in our family. To now get to talk to kids and bring some joy, its kind of a full-circle moment for us."

Keeseekoowenin Elementary School students were excited during the lead-up to the visit from Orange Santa, said principal Audrey Blackbird. She appreciated how SCO was able to tie in a way to honour Every Child Matters while celebrating the holidays.

"The teachers have been explaining and the [students] have been answering when they ask why they think [Santa is] orange. Its for residential school survivors and also the ones that were lost," Blackbird said. "For us, its something thats being recognized now, and were making sure that its not forgotten."

Blackbird said students were especially looking forward to the special event because there have been limited opportunities to come together as a community during the pandemic.

"Theyve been staying at home and its been tough on them.

"Having this is something for them to remember and think about  we cant forget about them."

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have proven to be formidable in Keeseekoowenin. There have been a few times when the elementary school has been forced to move to online learning due to cases of the virus being detected in the community.

The school year started off with blended learning in September and moved to fully in-person learning on Oct. 12. School staff have been diligently working to ensure health measures are in place to protect the students. This has included access to personal protective equipment, heavy sanitization and cohorts for the duration of the school year.

"Being back in school, I think, theyre happy to be back and are trying to get it as normal as possible. Its [tough] too, because of all the planning ... and changes with the COVID," Blackbird said. "You would just start going and then all of a sudden something changes and were back to a lot of planning."

In a typical year, the school hosts a Christmas concert for the Keeseekoowenin community, but it has been unable to host an event for the community since 2019 due to the global health crisis.

Blackbird said staff have done what they can to provide normalcy for students  this has included engaging in land-based learning and keeping classrooms to cohorts only.

"We still want to provide them with normalcy. Last year we gave gift cards and Christmas candies and were doing the same thing this year. The only thing is they dont have their Christmas concert," Blackbird said. "Having the Orange Santa and the elves, it will be something for the kids to remember."

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
OTTAWA - Inmates' access to sterile needles in Canadian federal prisons continues to be severely limited, potentially exposing them to blood-borne infections including HIV and hepatitis C.

The interior of a cell is seen during a media tour of renovations at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Halifax on Tuesday, May 15, 2018. Inmates access to sterile needles in Canadian federal prisons continues to be significantly limited due to the way the program was implemented, according to a report on the programs performance. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

OTTAWA - Inmates' access to sterile needles in Canadian federal prisons continues to be severely limited, potentially exposing them to blood-borne infections including HIV and hepatitis C.

A report commissioned by Correctional Service Canada and produced in October 2020 found flaws in the federal prison service's needle exchange program.

The report, obtained through an access-to-information request by the HIV Legal Network, said it was concerning that most institutions with the program had no active participants.

Canada's correctional investigator, Dr. Ivan Zinger, said the program's requirement that participants undergo a risk assessment, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, have contributed to very low participation rates.

The problem we have now is that there's only so few participants. That suggests to me that there's probably still a lot of dirty needles out there, and people making bad choices because they are not convinced that the program as implemented by the service is the correct one for them," Zinger said.

The correctional service announced the program in 2018 and it was put in place in nine federal prisons. The harm-reduction strategy reduces the sharing of non-sterile needles among inmates, which can reduce transmission of blood-borne diseases.

In May 2020, the service paused the process for new implementation of the program, which required extensive consultation and face-to-face meetings, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zinger said when he recently looked at the program, only four prisons continued to operate it, with a total of 42 participants.

Ginette Clarke, director general of health policy and programs at Correctional Service Canada, said the program is available at all nine sites and they continue to receive requests to participate in the program "on an ongoing basis."

Sandra Ka Hon Chu, executive director of the HIV Legal Network, said shes concerned about low participation in the program because rates of HIV and hepatitis C are very high in the federal prison system, and injection drug use is one way that people get infected.

"This is not good for prison health or public health or people's health. We want people to participate and have access to this health service just like they do in the community," said Ka Hon Chu.

Zinger noted that prisons that have put in place the program have seen a considerable reduction in the spread of communicable diseases.

The report, led by University of Ottawa professor Dr. Lynne Leonard, said low uptake needs to be investigated in order to identify barriers that might prevent participation.

The report showed that three of the nine participating prisons have not received one expression of interest in the program.

A lack of discretion or anonymity for participants was a barrier to program uptake, the report said.

In some prisons, certain aspects of the program have the effect of identifying an inmate as a participant to guards, wardens, and inmates.

The process for exchanging used needles for new sterile needles in some cases opened an inmate to risk of disclosing their participation in the program to guards.

Some participants reported that when they had to present their equipment on request, they had to do so in a loud and vocal way.

Inmates in the program reported being subject to negative and stigmatizing remarks from correctional staff, according to a memo retrieved through an access-to-information request by the HIV Legal Network.

Zinger said the security-focused aspects of the program reflect the fact that the commissioner had to respond to concerns of correctional officers and unions.

This approach is contrasted against one driven purely by health-care, "which is what other jurisdictions have done and has certainly played a role in preventing higher participation," Zinger said.

While Clarke did not directly answer a question about the tension between the security and health aspects of the program, she said CSC will continue to ensure its services align with community standards and that it provides the "best and most effective services that we can."

She said CSC is reviewing Leonard's report and recommendations. The service has already begun implementing some of the recommendations, including updating health promotion materials, it added in a followup email.

Jeff Wilkins, president of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, said security measures need to be in place for the program out of a concern that the needles could be used as weapons.

"The needle is in the inmate's cell. They could use that potentially to inflict harm and assault staff members, they could use it to assault other inmates," said Wilkins.

The program report found there is insufficient evidence to show that needle stick injuries have increased in prisons where the program is in place.

When needles are given to inmates to keep in their cells without being counselled or monitored by health-care professionals, "it's on the backs of correctional officers or security officers to run that program, essentially," Wilkins said.

Ka Hon Chu said she agrees the program should squarely be a health-focused one and that correctional officers should not be running it.

She pointed to models elsewhere in the world where correctional officers don't run the program, such as Moldova's peer program, where fellow inmates are trained on harm reduction and distribution of supplies to those who want access.

The model adopted by Correctional Service Canada is unique and "problematic" for that reason, said Ka Hon Chu.

Correctional Service Canada plans to continue to run the programs at the existing institutions, and "when the time is appropriate, taking into consideration COVID-19" to consider implementing the program across all federal prisons, said Clarke.

A major concern for Zinger is that barriers to accessing the program mean people are going to continue to use drugs unsafely.

"Then we'll see incidents of overdose and perhaps even deaths as opposed to trying to manage a problem that is clearly happening. That will continue to happen.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 18, 2021.



This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Coastal estuaries provide unique ecosystems where birds and marine creatures thrive, and provide a haven for holidaymakers who fish or swim. Now a new monitoring system will let people to know if they can dive in, too.

The annual reporting system ranks the ecological health of 164 coastal estuaries across the state from A to E based on a range of factors, including algae abundance and water clarity. The information will be used to monitor ongoing waterway health and responses to pressures and management interventions.

Quality water time: Terry and daughter Ivy, 3, at Clontarf Baths. Credit:Brook Mitchell

The information will complement the governments Beachwatch program which monitors the 133 coastal and harbour beaches around Sydney and predicts which are safe to swim in and which to avoid.

For example, Middle Harbour Creek received a B rating, while individual locations received more specific marks.
Demand for rapid antigen testing kits in the week before Christmas is outpacing supply in some locations, with shelves at Woolworths, Priceline and pharmacies left empty.

The self-test kits have become the must-have item as people prepare to entertain over the festive period. Priceline at Ashfield, Canterbury and St Ives said they had sold out as had Woolworths in Canterbury.

Jacinta McDonald of McDonalds Pharmacy in St Ives says demand for rapid antigen tests is outstripping supply. Credit:Tim Barlass

At McDonalds Pharmacy in St Ives, owner Jacinta McDonald said she sold 600 Australian-made InnoScreen tests in one day and had immediately ordered another 900.

They are flying off shelves like hand sanitiser and toilet paper did last year, she said. People who have got people coming for Christmas and New Year are putting them in the cupboard and asking people to test prior to coming to their house for events, so that they can keep everyone safe.
Long-serving Nationals MP Melinda Pavey has been dumped as a NSW minister ahead of a widely tipped reshuffle this weekend by Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Mrs Pavey has been the member for Oxley since 2015 and was appointed NSW Minister for Water, Property and Housing in the second Berejiklian ministry in 2019. She was the longest-serving National Party MP in Australia.

Upper House MP Don Harwin  Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts  and Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock also resigned from cabinet on Saturday and said they were not seeking a role in the new ministry.

The long-anticipated reshuffle will see a handful of ministers dumped from the frontbench in coming days, with Mr Perrottet expected to bring in fresh faces before NSW voters go the polls in 2023.

Mrs Pavey received a call from Deputy Premier and Nationals leader Paul Toole on Saturday afternoon to advise she would not be in the new cabinet.
I had that bit of adventurism in me and I got in trouble early on, he said. While still at school, he was jailed for a botched ATM heist. After leaving prison aged 20, he started working for construction identities George Alex and Joe Antoun in 2012. Antoun, whom Sultani viewed as a mentor, was a notorious standover man who was murdered in 2013. In 2012, Sultani signed a union deal on behalf of Mr Alex with the CFMEUs Victorian branch in an agreement arranged by Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto. At the time, Sultani was seen as Mr Alexs gofer and was paid to be listed on business records as a director of Mr Alexs construction and labour hire companies. Sultani told the psychologist he saw a lot of extortion and intimidation in that environment.

In one year three of Georges business partners got killed ... so I ended up joining a gang so that people could have your back ... I felt I needed to be part of something, he said. Sultani joined the Rebels bikie gang in about 2012 and would become leader of the Burwood chapter. There his reputation grew, and by 2016 he and his squad had broken away from the Rebels and would be known variously as the Afghanis, Abs boys and Murder Crew 13. Abuzar Sultani, bottom left, Siar Munshizada and Mirwais Danishyar were captured together on CCTV on the night Pasquale Barbaro was murdered. Credit: He had spurned getting involved in commercial enterprises through the Rebels, viewing the bikie model as a Ponzi scheme where people were always seeking a free lunch. For me it was different ... I like to work and I like to earn, he said.

He said he needed a group of boys around him as protection because of the constant threat of violence and death. This contributed to me being desensitised to carrying it out, he said. Gun violence was normal, he said, and using weapons was necessary to survive. Despite his life in the underworld, Sultani says he has never drunk alcohol, consumed illicit drugs, gambled or had any tattoos. His two siblings are law-abiding professionals. He pleaded guilty to the three murders in 2019. The motives varied and were in some cases unclear. Killed in March 2016 in Kingswood, the first victim was Davey, a member of the Penrith chapter of the Rebels. There had been tensions between Sultanis crew and the Penrith Rebels and Sultani had spoken of a bad pseudo deal involving Davey. Justice Fagan ultimately found there may have been a commercial motive in the killing and a personal conflict had not been demonstrated in court.

The second victim was Yilmaz, an associate of the Comanchero bikie gang, gunned down at St Marys in September 2016 in front of his partner. He had been in a dispute with a Lone Wolf bikie, an associate of Sultani, over a $20,000 drug debt. The final victim was big-noting Mafia identity Pasquale Barbaro in November 2016. Barbaro had been implicated in the murder of Antoun, Sultanis mentor, and the court found Sultani was motivated by revenge. Days after the murder of Barbaro, Sultani left flowers at Antouns grave. Sultanis right-hand man, Siar Munshizada, told an associate the murder was personal. Police diagram of Pasquale Barbaros bullet wounds. The Italian organised crime figure was gunned down in 2016 by Abuzar Sultanis crew. Credit: Sultani had been deeply grateful to Antoun, saying he had helped him when he was depressed and took an interest in him. He said he was empty inside after Antoun was murdered. Sultani has also claimed that Barbaro was threatening to kill me and chop my head off and drop it off at my parents house.

I waited for the opportunity to get him before he got me, Sultani told the psychologist. The argument of anticipatory self-defence was dismissed by Justice Fagan. Following the murders, Sultani and his crew boasted and laughed about their actions. In a message to underling Joshua Baines sent the week after they killed Barbaro, Sultani said: Hahahahah wooshk got him few in back of head ... It was the best my brother. Loading Now, he claims he feels ashamed about his history of violence and lawlessness. He wants to keep studying in prison to keep himself occupied and see a light at the end of the tunnel. While his victims were involved in the criminal underworld, police said the men and their families deserved sympathy.

William Davey, whose son was an enforcer with the Penrith Rebels, had a damning message for Sultani and Munshizada in a victim impact statement tendered in court. He said the murder had taken away a father, son, partner, brother, friend and cousin Loading Your cowardly, aggressive, sickening and violent actions on the 30th of March 2016 has changed the matrix of my family forever, Mr Davey wrote. I take comfort in knowing that these people can never do to another family what they have done to my family and the Barbaro and the Yilmaz family. And that is break them apart and destroy them, the father said outside court on Friday. We understand they are grieving still, NSW Police Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty, homicide squad commander, said on Friday, heralding the Supreme Court result as justice for the families.
The company says the hill is unstable because previous miners dug too close. But the claim masks its intentions, already promoted to investors, to get at the rich body of zinc and lead below.

Today, under New Century Resources (NCR)  the mines owner since 2017  both cave and hill are tagged for destruction.

The famous Century mine, one of the first negotiated agreements after the 1992 High Court Mabo native title decision, yielded its first 10,000-tonne shipment of zinc concentrate for then-owner Pasminco in late 1999.

That mission in 2002 was important, for the hill, rising 30 metres from north-west Queenslands Gulf Country, sat at the edge of one of the worlds greatest deposits of zinc.

Back then he was one of 17 Waanyi men who accompanied archaeologists investigating what the early Europeans, for reasons lost to history, named Magazine Hill.

Until the emergency gathering of senior men last week, it had been almost two decades since Glen Willetts came to this place  the cave on the sacred hill  where generations of newly initiated men had sought shelter and secrets.

Most significantly, it turned up a rounded stone bearing swirling patterns with deliberate flaking, the kind of object typical of rituals and ceremony.

The archaeological excavations of 2002 retrieved scores of Aboriginal stone artefacts and charcoal from 1700-year-old fireplaces, without even reaching the bottom of the sediment.

Another complicating matter: Magazine Hill, on Waanyi country, is culturally significant to some non-Waanyi groups, particularly the Alyawarre of the Northern Territory, leading to uncomfortable accusations about a tribe trying to speak for anothers country.

On the other, advocates say opening Magazine Hill to the bulldozers is the majority decision of a poverty-stricken people wishing for one last chance at the elusive promise of Century mine jobs, money and futures.

On one side, defenders of the sacred mens site make comparisons to Rio Tintos egregious blasting of ancient Aboriginal caves in Western Australias Juukan Gorge in May 2020. They say most Waanyi want Magazine Hill protected and any discussion to the contrary is contrived.

The ongoing fight for Magazine Hill simmers under a complex matrix of culture, power, Aboriginal disadvantage, native title and cash.

It wasnt the place to argue and fight, he said. Everybody walked away with it all in their heads, why it was so important.

Such were the sensitivities last Saturday when Mr Willetts and about 40 senior men of Waanyi, Garawa, Alyawarre ancestry gathered on Magazine Hill to talk.

It would be culturally inappropriate for Mr Willetts to elaborate on the stories for public consumption. But they were of the Dreamtime, he said, with songlines reaching 1000 kilometres to the Alyawarre people of the Sandover Desert.

It is therefore recommended that the major portion of the hill and the shelter remain undisturbed.

The stories and legends told on such occasions [at the cave after initiations] would be reinforced by display of the stone object containing  symbolic depictions of the journeys made by the relevant ancestral heroes, the report concluded.

The consultants, at first sceptical about what could be retrieved from the cave, had uncovered a precious trove that confirmed what the Waanyi men on site already knew: Magazine Hill [is] a place with ceremonial and ritualistic significance.

Mr Doomadgee partly explained the situation in July at the Juukan Gorge Senate Inquiry, which took an interest in the Queensland dispute as a case study in sacred-site protection.

As the native title holder for the country surrounding Magazine Hill, it is his organisation, representing the interests of the Waanyi people, that is negotiating with NCR.

His role in the unfolding drama of Magazine Hill is as chairman of the prescribed body corporate, the Waanyi Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (Waanyi PBC).

Beyond the Gulf Country, Mr Doomadgee may be best known for directing and producing the acclaimed Zachs Ceremony , a documentary filmed over 10 years about his sons initiation into tribal lore.

Among them, listening quietly to the stories, was actor, filmmaker and businessman Alec Doomadgee, the man more integral to the mines expansion than anyone this side of NCRs Collins Street office.

Likewise, if requested to do so by the miner, Mr Doomadgee must speak in favour of the decision made at the community meeting.

In any case, a clause in the Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) that he signed with NCR stipulates he must not object to, make any adverse public comment or undertake any protest action in relation to the sacred sites destruction.

Mr Doomadgee would not answer specific questions from this masthead, citing the matters cultural sensitivities.

Community approvals to destroy Magazine Hill were given under great sadness, he said, but to the letter of the law.

We want to look at a way of not getting a handout  we want a hand up. We want to become businesspeople.

We decided, under great duress, that the best way forward for Waanyi people [was] to go for a contract, so we dont have some big company ... coming in and taking away financial benefits that could go back to Waanyi people to help our people out of abject poverty, out of suicide rates, incarceration rates, health problems.

Under no fault of our own, were stuck in a situation where a sacred site on our country is about to fall into a pit due to 20 years of mining where we didnt have the veto to stop it, Mr Doomadgee told the senators.

The meeting in question was on May 17, 2018, in the small tourist park of Adels Grove. The most significant item on the agenda for the near-100 Waanyi people present was to vote on the fate of Magazine Hill.

Waanyi elders claimed to the same Senate inquiry that the gathering, by the edge of the Boodjamulla National Park, was so tense, it was shut down before any show of hands.

Mr Doomadgee denied anything underhanded.

The firm taking the minutes of the meeting, Chalk & Behrendt, did not respond to requests to set the record straight.

Operations at the Century mine, 250 kilometres north-west of Mount Isa. Credit:New Century Resources

Whatever the truth of the Adels Grove meeting, the newly signed CHMP recorded a 57-6 majority to blast Magazine Hill in exchange for $2 million to Mr Doomadgees organisation, and a joint venture with Downer EDI to mine the zinc closest to the sacred site.

Mr Doomadgee is also the joint ventures executive director.

Speaking in May at the Juukan inquirys Mount Isa sitting, about 250 kilometres south of Century, Waanyi elder Clarence Walden said the communities thought NCR was going to rehabilitate the old pits, not dig.

Theyre the biggest thorn in our side at the moment, the mining companies that want to desecrate Aboriginal heritage, he said.

Thats our life; if you take that, you are taking us all ... and the mining company will not stop. They play the divide-and-conquer game and are making it look bad, that were the problem  black fellas fighting over the bone all the time.

But were in the back seat, theyre driving the car.

At risk of damage

The sacred site is not labelled on the aerial photos sent to business reporters and NCR investors, but its the solitary patch of darkened and untouched earth surrounded by the churned landscape of 16 years of mining from 1999.

To its north, the main pit  350 metres deep and about 1.5 kilometres wide  is one of Australias biggest holes.

Nestled in between Magazine Hill and the original pit is South Block, the orebody at the centre of the sacred-site dispute.

Elsewhere in the Century lease are deposits known as Silver King and East Fault Block. NCR is also scouring valuable leftovers from the tailings dam to the south of the original pit.

Unlike South Block, there were no announcements of joint ventures with Aboriginal organisations to reap the profits of these less controversial resources.

Thats how smart these guys are, Mr Willetts said. Theyre not going to go and do it [bulldoze Magazine Hill]. Theyll get Indigenous people to do their dirty work for them and offer them a lot of money.

While not publicised, a spokesman for NCR said the Waanyi PBC-Downer joint venture would, in fact, participate in Centurys other resources.

He also said NCR was giving the Waanyi-Downer joint venture $2 million a year to provide education, training and sustainable development throughout the Gulf of Carpentaria.

One example: a childrens bus service and teaching support for the remote Bidunggu community, more than 100 kilometres from the nearest school in Burketown.

As for South Block, the official NCR line holds that it is not presently part of the life-of-mine plan. But this is semantics.

NCR managing director Patrick Walta told an online investor forum in September, naturally, we see South Block ... in years to come being part of it, possibly from 2027.

Magazine Hill defenders (left to right) Barry Dick, Len Cubby, Gordon Douglas, Perry Bell and Kevin Cairns.

Confusingly, he also said NCR was not contemplating the removal of the hill in any way, shape or form.

If not, why would the company pay $2 million and seek Waanyi approval for its destruction, the elders ask.

Even NCRs submission to the Juukan inquiry said the hill  which sits at a fault line  should be removed, framing it as a matter of safety rather than mining.

Fresh geotechnical investigations, it wrote to the senators, determined that the rock mass of Magazine Hill was at risk of damage from historical mining activities, and the best way to address the instability was to excavate and remove the hill and buttress the pit wall.

Neither Mr Doomadgee nor NCR would release the geotechnical report.

Talking in riddles

New Century Resources Juukan submission gives passing mention to the precious orebody below and next to Magazine Hill. The investor material screams it from the headlines.

South Block Resource Provides Significant Potential for Century Mine Life Extension & Production Increase, it declared in a 39-page announcement to the ASX in January 2018, four months before the Adels Grove community vote.

A video published in March that year illustrated in 3D how the miner could expand South Block by sinking the north edge of Magazine Hill. It also claimed the orebody was only partially mined by previous owners because of low zinc prices.

In fact, zinc prices increased after resources company MMG acquired Century in mid-2009.

Mr Willetts, who called for Mr Walta to sit down with the Waanyi men on Waanyi country, said the real reason mining did not go further at South Block years ago was to ensure no damage to Magazine Hill.

They stood by their words those guys [previous mine owners], and you can see it in the design of the pit, he said.

South Block is the pillar of zinc thats holding Magazine Hill up. Its as simple as that.

Responding to questions from this masthead, NCR said the video was a very early concept and did not reflect the companys current intention.

NCR is investigating whether the South Block resource could be mined in future without impacting on Magazine Hill, it said, confirming its longer-term ambitions.

This could include approaches to mining only part of the known orebody.

NCR acquired the Century mine in 2017 after it was mothballed by resources company MMG. Credit:Tony Walters

Referring to Magazine Hills fault-line instability  the publicly stated reason for why it was to be removed  a spokesman also said: [NCR] must ensure there is long-term structural stability of all land forms in the post-mining environment.

The contradictory and seemingly chicken-or-egg logic does not wash with hill defenders.

Theyre talking in riddles, Mr Willetts said.

I explained to one of the blokes [on the Magazine Hill visit] that this is what theyre going on about, that its in danger of falling in, and everybody looked at it and sort of thought, theres no way in the world that was going to fall in  not by accident, not by nothing.

Unless they start drilling and blasting around there.

For its part, the miner said it was unrealistic to get unanimous agreement in a community of about 2000 people, but that the process was conducted in full compliance with the rules set out in the Gulf Communities Agreement.

It also suggested other matters, including corporate jealousy from rival Waanyi Aboriginal organisations left out of the spoils, fuelled the outrage.

NCR does not doubt that the people who now object to the outcome reached are motivated by distress at the prospect of the loss of the Magazine Hill site, it said.

However, there are also a range of intra-community divisions within the Waanyi Native Title Group that play out across a range of less culturally significant arenas.

It is NCRs observation that these are also relevant to the opposition to the Magazine Hill site process.

Piece of history

The Century mine has been a conflicting source of trouble and benefits for Aboriginal communities in the Gulf Country for almost 25 years.

As Australias first mining-related agreement struck under the framework of the Native Title Acts right to negotiate provisions, it was also a piece of history.

The Gulf Communities Agreement (GCA), signed in May 1997 between Century Zinc Limited and the Waanyi, Mingginda, Gkuthaarn and Kukatj people, allowed for the blasting of the Century mine, as well as a 300-kilometre slurry pipe to the port at Karumba.

Mr Willetts mother was one of the last GCA signatories following years of bitter community fighting, along with threats from the Queensland government to compulsorily acquire the land needed for the mines operations.

The offer by late 1994 was the equivalent of $60 million  including pastoral leases  over 20 years.

Many in the gulf saw the deal as an opportunity for jobs, careers and economic development. Others called it exploitation.

By 2015, when MMG ceased its operations, more than 900 Aboriginal people of the lower gulf had worked at Century over the previous 16 years. For a third of them, it was their first mainstream employment.

But the jobs were mostly entry level, with limited prospect of career progression, and more jobs were going to people living outside the lower gulf region, the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining found, among a raft of GCA shortcomings.

Mr Willetts said a drive through the remote community of Doomadgee, about 120 kilometres north of Century, told the story of the historic Gulf Communities Agreement.

Its worse than what it was 25 years ago, he said. Indigenous people are still living in squalor.

You would not believe that mine has produced so much money.
The Greens biggest-ever donor is increasingly frustrated the partys support has stalled and is considering throwing his support behind climate independents at the next election.

Businessman Graeme Wood made political history by donating $1.68 million to the Greens in 2010, and over the decade gave the partys state and national branches a total of $2.49 million.

Businessman and philanthropist Graeme Wood, the Greens biggest donor, at Rushcutters Bay in Sydney. Credit:Louise Kennerley

In an interview with The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age, Mr Wood said the Greens needed a shot in the arm because its support had not increased since 2010. The partys vote is still hovering just above 10 per cent and Mr Wood said that could be doubled with the right leader and strategy.

They just dont seem to be cutting through enough, Mr Wood said. They could double their vote if they had somebody out front really telling the world what they do. Someone like Sarah Hanson-Young is clever, young, and female with opinions  she should be handed the megaphone a bit more often.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Buried in a recent article in Quadrant magazine is a revealing insight into the mindset of those who want to retain laws that allow religious schools to expel  or refuse to enrol  LGBTQI students. Im uncomfortable about discrimination against straight gay students, if you understand my meaning, wrote Peter Smith, a regular contributor. In my view a students sexual orientation should not, per se, be a factor in gaining entry to a religious school. On the other hand, a religious school should not have to put up with gay students flaunting their sexuality or with cross-dressing students. This comment cuts to the heart of a question that can sometimes be difficult to answer: what is it, exactly, that some religious groups want when they demand schools retain the right to turn away LGBTQI students? It has been three years since both sides of politics more or less agreed that religious schools should lose this power. Despite this bipartisan agreement, nothing has changed. Instead, reform has been the victim of political trickery and obfuscation. There was an aborted attempt to legislate; then it was palmed off to the Australian Law Reform Commission for a review (which still hasnt started). Attorney-General Michaelia Cash and Prime Minister Scott Morrison in April this year. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Now the issue is suddenly back on the table courtesy of a number of federal Liberal MPs who want immediate action, not another inquiry down the track. They want the relevant section 38(3) of the Sex Discrimination Act removed in exchange for their support for a Religious Discrimination Act (another long-standing promise of the Morrison government) that would give stronger legal protection to ordinary people expressing faith-based views. Yet a handful of small but vocal religious lobby groups are determined to stymie any reduction to the powers enjoyed by religious schools, even if it means scuttling a bill they otherwise support. Christian Schools Australia and the Australian Christian Lobby are among the groups now saying that if the price of the bill is the end of schools power to discriminate, they dont want any of it.

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Theyre effectively choosing the sword over the shield, says Liam Elphick, a discrimination law expert at Monash University. Theyd rather be able to discriminate against LGBTQI students and teachers than have protection from religious discrimination. CSA and the ACL, and several other interest groups, will give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into the proposed Religious Discrimination Bill on Tuesday. Ahead of this, The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age sought to better understand what powers these groups want schools to retain. The common refrain is that while schools dont want to expel or refuse LGBTQI students purely based on their sexuality, they want the power to implement rules that mean certain activities or behaviours would be unacceptable. Essentially: we will tolerate LGBTQI students, but not overt displays of their sexuality or gender diversity  a bit like the adage of dont ask, dont tell. A protest on Oxford St against discrimination against LGBTQI including changes to the religious freedom discrimination bill in 2020. Credit:Rhett Wyman Nobodys trying to expel them, said ACL deputy director Dan Flynn on a recent episode of the Christian podcast 20Twenty. There is no Christian school [and] there is no peak body of Christian schools saying we would expel a same-sex attracted child. But what they are saying is they want to run the school in accordance with their ethos and the expectations of the parents. A Christian school confronted with a request from a gay student saying I want a gay club, I want some visiting speakers in, I want half the noticeboard  things that would change the environment of a Christian school  if [section] 38(3) was gone, a Christian school couldnt say no. Flynn said the school issue was a dealbreaker on its support for the Religious Discrimination Bill. It is a reality that if ... part of the package was that, simultaneously, very important protections for Christian schools were being stripped away, then we would walk away from it.

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The ACL has a subsidiary organisation called the Human Rights Law Alliance, providing legal advocacy and advice to people who are under attack for living out their faith and convictions in public. In a webinar this month with another conservative Christian lobby group, FamilyVoice Australia, the HRLAs principal lawyer John Steenhof gave greater insight into why these groups want to retain these powers. When you get rid of those protections  it gets rid of not only the ability to control your own enrolment, it also gets rid of your ability to run your school in accordance with your religious convictions, he said. Schools will be completely at risk to activist opposition and activist litigation. Steenhof was concerned religious schools would not be able to limit the expression of a students same-sex attraction or gender confusion. He worried they could be forced to allow children to engage in LGBT activism and allow hostile LGBT advocates to run the wellbeing program. Later, Steenhof asserted: The reason why people who are same-sex attracted flock to Christian schools is because they are places where standards are upheld, bullying isnt allowed. They dont allow you to get involved in this rampant individualism and preoccupation with hedonism and sex thats encouraged at other schools and is portrayed as a virtue. Nothing short of a comprehensive protection from discrimination for LGBTQI students and teachers in religious schools will be sufficient to protect our communities. Anna Brown, chief executive of LGBTQI lobby group Equality Australia Mark Spencer, director of public policy at Christian Schools Australia, says it wasnt as simple as stripping schools of the power to expel LGBTQI students, because the term discrimination was defined very broadly. Removing the section could limit a schools ability to teach a biblical perspective on sexuality or impose certain behavioural standards that might reinforce those teachings, Spencer says.

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If there was a heterosexual young person within a school that was promoting a promiscuous lifestyle, that would be problematic in our context, he told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age. Its not related to sexual orientation per se, its related to their behaviour, their conduct. Asked if there might be a way to change the law so that LGBTQI students could not be expelled or turned away, but could still be subject to behavioural rules, Spencer says it was too difficult as the law tends to be a blunt instrument. Religious schools need the power to deal with these issues carefully, sensitively and without the shadow of the law all over them, he says. It was way back on December 13, 2018, that Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a Religious Discrimination Bill, alongside the decision for the Australian Law Reform Commission to examine the question of LGBTQI students and teachers at religious schools. (At the same press conference, Morrison announced a Commonwealth Integrity Commission, which also has not materialised.) A protest on Sydneys Oxford St against changes to the religious freedom discrimination bill in 2020. Credit:Rhett Wyman The ALRC review never got off the ground, with the commission and the government agreeing to wait until the RDB became law first. Then COVID-19 hit and the RDB was put on the backburner. Hence, what seemed like a relatively simple and widely supported proposal  that schools lose the power to turn away LGBTQI students  has stalled for three years and counting. Of course, as Flynn, Steenhof and Spencer reveal, its not necessarily that simple. The widespread removal of schools power to discriminate against LGBTQI students in any way, shape or form  not just when it comes to expulsion or enrolment  isnt necessarily supported by as many politicians. Morrison appears to choose his words carefully on the topic. Gay students should not be expelled from religious schools, and nor should gay teachers, who have been employed at those schools, be dismissed if they are gay, he said on November 25. But the ALRC was looking at it, he reiterated.

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The following week, reports emerged of the aforementioned deal between the government and some of its MPs who wanted the issue addressed sooner rather than later. Attorney-General Michaelia Cash appeared to water down that idea this week, telling another FamilyVoice webinar it was best left for the ALRC review, not attached to the Religious Discrimination Bill. She said they were two very separate issues, and they should not be confused, and hopefully not deliberately confused. Multiple lobby groups are now pushing the government to kybosh any deal and insist that any changes to the Sex Discrimination Act remain a matter for the ALRC review (after the election). In a submission to the parliamentary inquiry published Friday, the Christian legal think tank Freedom for Faith warned of possible ramifications of any hasty amendments to the SDA. In its submission, also published Friday, the ACL confirmed it would not support a package of laws that included last-minute changes to the SDA which have not been subject to proper review and consideration. It also claimed such changes would have the effect of dangerously curtailing the rights of all Australians. For its part, Labor says these issues should be examined as part of the parliamentary inquiry. It agrees with the Prime Minister that gay teachers should not be fired and gay students should not be expelled. Anna Brown says some religious groups true motivation is to licence bigotry and harm against young people. Credit:Eddie Jim Anna Brown, chief executive of LGBTQI lobby group Equality Australia, says the fierce resistance of some religious groups to removing schools power to discriminate against students betrays what their priorities were all along.

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group firm Realty and Infrastructure Ltd on Saturday announced an investment of Rs 5,000 crore to develop a premium IT park project in Navi Mumbai as it expects demand for office and data centre spaces to rise in coming years.

In an interview with PTI, Realty and Infrastructure Ltd Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sanjay Dutt said the company will develop 7 million square feet of area in this 'Grade-A' IT park project 'Intellion Park' in a phased manner over the next eight years.

He said the company will develop this project in partnership with UK-based investment firm Actis.

"We have 47.1 acre of land located in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai. On this land parcel, we are doing 7 million square feet of development, predominantly IT space and data centres with some complementary retail and non-IT office space," Dutt told PTI.

"The total investment on this project is Rs 5,000 crore. This is Tata Realty's largest single investment in office real estate," he highlighted.

Once completed, Dutt said more than 70,000 people will work in this IT campus.

Actis has been roped in as investment partner in this project. This is the third such partnership with Actis.

"Tata Realty is a majority shareholder in this IT park project," Dutt said, but did not disclose the amount invested by the Actis group.

The total investment will be funded through equity and debt. The construction work has started in the IT park project.

Maharashtra Industries Minister Subhash Desai laid the foundation of the project on Saturday.

In the first phase, Dutt said the company is developing 5 lakh square feet (0.5 million square feet) building. The company has already started pre-leasing process of this 5 lakh square feet area.

The Navi Mumbai area commands a monthly rental of Rs 60-70 per square feet. Around 2-3 million square feet office space gets leased in this area.

"We are already in the market to pre-lease 5 lakh square feet or even more. We can built to suit for corporates. We are in discussion for development of data centres," he said.

Tata Realty has involved reputed architects and consultants to design this IT park project, Dutt said.

Asked about its existing portfolio, he said Tata Realty currently has a rent-yielding commercial assets of 7 million square feet and almost all of these are office assets.

He highlighted that the company focuses a lot on sustainability, environment and well being of employees.

"We build for people and not for tenant. So we focus on air quality, sports, recreational activities and healthy food in our campuses," Dutt said.

Tata Realty, he said, gives a lot of emphasis on asset management to make office space efficient as well as cost effective. "Our buildings are intelligent, collaborative and dynamic. We keep modernising."



Dutt said the occupancy in its total portfolio currently stands at around 95 per cent.

Commenting on the partnership, Ashish Singh, Partner, Actis India, said: Actis is proud to be associated with this state-of-the-art project, which will not only provide an office destination of choice for tech to thrive in, but also be a buzzing social place for their talent, strengthening these companies' ability to attract and retain top quality talent, an increasingly important competitive advantage.

Tata Realty and Infrastructure Ltd, which is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Tata Sons, has an extensive portfolio of over 50 projects across 15 cities.

Tata Realty has developed over 15 million square feet of commercial projects and has around 12 million square feet of projects under development & planning.

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As many as four accidents of Mi-17V5 helicopters of IAF have taken place in the last 5 years, Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence Ajay Bhatt said on Friday.

In a written reply to a Lok Sabha query today, Bhatt said, "Four accidents of Mi-17V5 helicopters of Indian Air Force (IAF) have taken place in the last five years including the one which took place on December 8, in which all 14 people along with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat lost their lives. In these four accidents, a total of 21 people lost their lives."

The tri-services inquiry set up by the Defence Ministry to probe the reasons behind the chopper crash wherein Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and 13 others were killed is expected to complete its proceedings within the next two weeks.

Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other military officials were travelling in the Mi-17V5 helicopter which crashed minutes before landing at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington killing all passengers and crew on board on December 8.

The previous three accidents took place November 2021, April 3, 2018, and October 2017 in which seven persons were killed, the defence ministry informed Lok Sabha.

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The (BSF) has shot down a drone along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, the force said on Saturday.

The Chinese-made drone was "detected and downed" on Friday around 11:10 PM near the Wan border post in the Ferozepur sector, it said in a statement.

The black colour flying object was shot at a distance of about 300 metres from the international border and 150 metres from the border fence, the said.

It said the drone, a hexa-copter with four power batteries, weighed around 23 kgs and could carry a payload of around 10 kgs.

It was, however, not carrying any payload like drugs, arms or ammunition.

The said that a search operation is being carried out in the incident area



The border guarding force, in the past, has shot down two such drones that originated in Pakistan and were carrying arms and ammunition.

Both the incidents took place in the Punjab frontier area.

Director General (DG) Pankaj Kumar Singh had told reporters on November 30 that there have been a total of 67 drone sightings along the border in Punjab and Jammu areas this year.

"Right now, the frequency of drones that are coming to our country are fairly small and these are by-and-large Chinese-made drones...they are very good...and carrying small payloads and in 95 per cent cases they are carrying drugs," the DG had said on the eve of the 57th Raising Day of the force.

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A chilly wind howled through the Bumla pass, the snow-bound border between India and China, one of the few recognised frontiers between the two gigantic Asian neighbours.

Situated at a height of 15,200 feet above sea level, the pass sits on the top of a craggily formed Himalayan range that separates the Tibetan plateau from the Indian sub-continent.

The huts which mark India's border post are but a few minutes walk to Chinese positions manned by People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers in snow fatigues.

A handful of visitors, including this correspondent, are allowed to walk up to the barrier which marks the border crossing. However, none are allowed to cross from either side, nor are goods allowed to be traded, even though trade between the two nations is expected to touch $100 billion in the current fiscal.

Tall peaks overlook the high pass as does an observation post built by the Chinese, which the Indian Army believes doubles up as a listening station.

Just 43 km away to the north of the Bumla pass is Tsona Dzong, in Tibet Autonomous Region's Shannan prefecture. The Chinese have built a high-quality motorable road S202 from Shannan right up to Bumla.

Lieutenant General Utpal Bhattacharyya (Retd.), former director general of engineers and an expert on the India- border, told PTI, "The Chinese have been trying a game of salami-slicing with us -- incursions in Ladakh, fortified villages near the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh, and new roads right up to the border."



No villages have yet been built on the LAC in the Tawang sector, though there are reports of some having been built elsewhere on the border in Arunachal Pradesh.

However, two heavily fortified PLA camps are situated near Bumla with advanced landing grounds, and one of those is, what Indian defence experts believe, a missile site.

A western spur of the S202 leads to Namka Chu, where one of the first battles in the 1962 border war between the two nations took place. This area has two more major PLA camps overlooking Indian positions on the Thagla ridge, where there were recent incursions by Chinese troops.

Earlier this year, the Chinese completed another major road through the Tsangpo river valley connecting Nyingchi city with Medog, the shortest route to the Arunachal Pradesh border to the east of Bumla. A second railway route after the one which links Lhasa with proper is expected to link Nyingchi with Sichuan soon.

"However, despite all these infrastructure projects, the PLA's engagement with us will remain a logistical challenge as they will still have to move men, material and food stocks from outside Tibet, as the barren plateau there cannot supply or support large armies," Lt. Gen. Bhattacharyya said.

Most defence analysts believe that though the situation on the border may appear tense, it is not necessarily a threatening one.

Major General Alok Deb (Retd.), former deputy director general of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, told PTI, "With ongoing talks and attempts to disengage, there is no casus belli (cause for war) as of yet, but we have red lines which if crossed, will invite retaliation. It is logical to presume the same for the Chinese."



However, two years back, incursions in Ladakh had ended in an ugly clash where soldiers did lose lives, a fact which forced policy discourse in New Delhi to place as the pre-eminent security threat ahead of Pakistan.

The road to Bumla passing through Tawang is a bumpy, back-breaking drive through snow and mud with mountains, aflame with rhododendron flowers, dropping down onto pristine lake shores.

The road uphill is dotted with army camps made of corrugated steel sheets and wood, ammunition dumps, artillery parks, stone bunkers and memorials to soldiers who fell in the India-China border war of 1962.

There are no villages on this drive as the air here is too thin even for local Monpa tribals. Nobody except soldiers, road maintenance personnel of the Border Roads Organisation and a few nomadic herders camp this high.

Reasons Lt. Gen. Bhattacharyya, "Chinese infrastructure is better than ours because Tibet is a plateau and the gradient is more conducive to construction there. Here, we have precipitous mountains plunging downstream."



The last time a flashpoint occurred on this border was in 1986 when the Chinese entered the high valley of Sumdorong Chu, to the west of Bumla, near Bhutan. This valley, where Indian troops used to camp in summer, was frequented only by yak herders. In winter it usually laid under deep snow and no one bothered to cross its virgin snows.

A company of PLA occupied Wangdung, a pasture to the south of Sumdrong Chu, which the Chinese claimed to be Sangduoluo He, and to the north of their version of the border.

While India accepts a borderline called the McMahon line agreed upon by the British and Tibet's then government in 1914 to be the border, China disputes it, especially in Arunachal Pradesh, most of which it terms as 'South Tibet'. The disagreement makes the border between the two neighbours the longest disputed border in the world.

India sent an infantry battalion and an artillery detachment up in reaction to the incursion in 1986 and a face-off ensued.

Colonel Pradeep Saxena (Retd.), who was with the 244 Medium Artillery Regiment deployed eye-ball to eye-ball against Chinese positions then, said, "The first Bofors 155 mm field howitzers that landed in our country were sent up there in January 1987, which I oversaw. Had the Chinese tried to move towards Tawang, they would have suffered such heavy casualties that it would have been a political embarrassment for them."



The stand-off slowly cooled down with both sides standing down. When the late Rajiv Gandhi visited China in 1988, Deng Xiaoping, China's paramount leader shook the Indian prime minister's hand for three minutes, far longer than usual, and spoke of "forgetting the past", signs that China wanted an out from the conflict, which ultimately came about later.

Whether India and China will disengage in an equally matured manner across the Himalayas in today's context is, however, debatable.

Analysts point out that China has pulled ahead of India economically and in terms of diplomatic clout and the policy adopted by it is similar to its belligerent and provocative stand in the South China seas and the straits of Taiwan.

According to World Bank statistics, while China had a GDP of $14.722 trillion in 2020, India had a GDP of $2.622 trillion.

In terms of defence spending, China was again a colossus, spending $244.9 billion compared to India's $73 billion, as per SIPRI Military Expenditure Database 2020.

On the other hand, India has improved its military position, and domestic opinion may preclude any border adjustments.

Maj. Gen. Deb said, "In the larger context, the strategic contestation between India and China appears set to increase, with its fallout on all aspects of bilateral relations including the border issue."



At the same time, not just the soldiers who stand guard, satellites of all leading powers will continue to keep watch over the pass. A mobile application HamGPS - showed that at least a dozen satellites were hovering over Bumla which include not just Indian and Chinese but also Russian and American.

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said on Friday that it has registered one more case against 25 persons in connection with the post-poll violence in

A official said that the agency lodged the case following an order issued by the Calcutta High Court.

The accused persons, who were reportedly carrying deadly weapons, had attacked the house of a man in Jatra village in Birbhum district. They had reportedly vandalised the place and brutally thrashed the head of the house, and even attempted to sexually assault his wife. The woman had set herself on fire in order to save her honour. The local Police reportedly didn't even lodge a case.

The victim along with his family reportedly left the area and took shelter at his relative's place.

The has so far registered 49 cases in connection with post-poll violence in

--IANS

atk/arm

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Delhi government is ready to tackle the Omicron variant of COVID, Chief Minister said on Saturday.

He advised people not to panic saying even though the variant was said to spread faster than the previous ones, its symptoms were mild.

He said Delhi was unlikely to face another wave of infections, since according to the sero survey conducted by the Delhi government, 96 per cent of the state population was found to have antibodies and a majority of them were vaccinated.

"I have been holding meetings these last few days and I want to assure people that our government is ready to tackle Omicron," Kejriwal said at a Christmas and New Year event hosted by the Delhi Assembly Speaker here in the assembly premises.

The CM said the government learnt lessons during the April wave and has worked on its shortcomings.

"In April this year, the fourth wave of COVID in Delhi claimed many lives. We took help from everyone and together we brought it under control. We pray to god there is no next wave but if it comes we will bring it under control as we did during the last wave of infection in April," he said.

Kejriwal greeted Delhiites and people of the country with a message of peace, brotherhood and wellbeing of all.

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At a time of global uncertainty and post-Covid economic recovery, the India- partnership will be a significant stabilising factor in the Indo-Pacific, External Affairs Minister said on Friday.

Addressing an event to mark the fifth anniversary of the India- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Jaishankar said India's Act East Policy has been the guiding principle of our engagements with ASEAN partners, and is no exception.

"The success of this policy has led us to adopt a larger approach that captures India's growing strategic interests more effectively. From the Indian perspective, Vietnam is a key partner both in the ASEAN and the context," he said.

"We already have a substantial agenda underway whether it is in commerce, connectivity or culture. Our political and defence cooperation has also been steadily growing. These can be further buttressed by interaction between the ASEAN Outlook on and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative that has been proposed by India," the minister said.

Jaishankar said the last five years of the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and Vietnam have been very productive.

"The next decade must be even more so. At a time of global uncertainty and post-Covid economic recovery, the India-Vietnam partnership will be a significant stabilising factor in the Indo-Pacific. Keeping our ambitions and global responsibilities in mind, we must forge ahead," he said.

Jaishankar said the mutual trust and sincere bonds of friendship that have developed over this half-century have matured into a partnership.

"And it is truly a wide ranging one that encompasses political engagement, trade and investment ties, energy cooperation, development partnership, defence and security cooperation, and people-to-people relations," he said.

"What has been heartening to note is that neither side has ever stopped working to take ties to a higher level. On the contrary, this is a relationship that is continually a work in progress," Jaishankar added.

On the economic front, he said bilateral trade has been robust even in the midst of global uncertainties.

"It crossed the USD 10 billion mark in 2020, and is likely to exceed USD 12 billion this year. To realise its full potential, however, we should work towards promoting reliable, efficient and resilient supply chain systems and fashion a complementarity between India's vision of self-reliance and Vietnam's growing economic vitality. We hope that the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement that is under review will help expand our trade targets," he added.

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External Affairs Minister (EAM) on Saturday welcomed foreign minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, who is on a three-day visit to India to attend 3rd meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue.

"Glad to welcome FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin of in India. Look forward to our talks," Jaishankar tweeted.

foreign minister and Jaishankar will discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Sirojiddin Muhriddin is on an official visit to India from December 18-20 and will attend the 3rd meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue.

On Sunday, Jaishankar will be hosting the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue in New Delhi. Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will participate in the meeting.

As part of the third meeting of the India-Central Asia Dialogue, the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries are expected to pay a joint courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier, the second meeting was organised by India in October 2020 in digital video conference format.

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In the famed bylanes of Old Delhi's Jama Masjid, where the aroma of slow cooked nihari and spit roasted tandoori chicken blend into culinary harmony, it's time to smell the coffee freshly ground of course and also straight-from-the-oven garlic bread and pizza.

The streets around the 17th century have long been a visitor magnet for domestic and foreign tourists as well as Delhiiites looking to bite into history. Now, adding to the many kebab houses and roadside eateries that serve the best of Mughlai are a bunch of cafes started by young entrepreneurs and budding chefs hoping to add a more worldly flavour to the well loved streets.

The search for the contemporary caf with a personal touch in the heart of old Delhi ends with the Ebony Caf, just a few steps from Jama Masjid's Gate no 3.

With cappuccinos, Americanos, lattes and Neapolitan pizzas on the menu, Ebony Caf's Saddam Khan is just one of those taking the road less trodden in the sheermal-kebab-nihari-korma area known the world over.

Khan, who returned from England in 2011 after completing his education, said he felt the need for a hangout place. Youth in the area would go to Delhi University's North Campus or Kamala Nagar a few kilometres away to just chill over a cup of coffee.

Not anymore.

There was no such place here so we wanted to do something different. I wanted to give the people of this area something so they wouldn't have to go so far, Khan told PTI.

Incongruous maybe in the bustle of the bazaar, Ebony Caf, which opened in February this year, also serves the very English fish and chips and is indeed reminiscent of a caf far away from with its brick walls and wooden tables.

The cafe can seat about 15 people inside in a warm and cozy environment and has tables and chairs outside too for those who want to enjoy a view of the grand old mosque's magnificent dome and minarets and soak up the Delhi winter sun.

Apart from adding something new to the local palate, Khan also wanted to bring in foreign tourists. That plan is on hold with limited numbers of foreigners coming to India due to the pandemic.

For now, he said he finds encouragement in visitors who say it doesn't look like it's in Old Delhi.

People are complimenting us. When I was in England I was influenced by the small coffee shops there, compared to the kind of cafes we have here. I wanted to give that feel here, the 32-year-old restaurateur said.

Ritesh Singh, a foodie and frequent visitor to the area, was pleasantly surprised to find the cafe a few months back and has returned a couple of times since then.

Whenever I am on my walks to I try to find something that I haven't tried. This cafe was one such new place I tried, and even though I am not entirely in favour of the western feel, I can understand the sentiment behind it. And there can never be enough eateries in the world, he said.

Khan's English cafe has on its menu veg and non-veg items ranging from fish filet to chicken n chips and a wide variety of pizzas. The price ranges from Rs 540 for an extra large 'Peri Peri Time' chicken pizza to Rs 70 for a veg burger.

A walk around the periphery of the mosque takes you to the busy Motor Market, an unlikely place to find a quiet little cafe amid the din and bustle of motor mechanics selling their wares.

Mohammad Danish opened The Delhites Cafe with his elder brother right in the middle of the Motor Market, a year after their father passed away due to COVID-19.

A student of home science and hotel management in Class 12, the 17-year-old is full of confidence, undeterred that his little eatery is right next door to the famed lane - Bazar Matia Mahal.

You don't find such food in this area. And people want variety, they usually go to Connaught Place to have garlic bread, burgers, pizzas and shakes, Danish said.

Even though the original thought behind the cafe was to attract tourists, the young businessman is keeping his hopes high as the response has been good so far and his customers are lapping up the offerings of shakes, smoothies, sandwiches and the like.

The menu is light on the pocket with chicken peri peri the most expensive dish at Rs 200.

Visitors can be caught off guard in the whirlwind of aroma, taste and the forever-marching crowd in Bazar Matia Mahal, the desi food destination of the Jama Masjid area that is home to to famous places such as Karim's and Al Jawahar.

Dotted with eateries selling kebabs, nihari, tandoori chicken and an array of desserts including the hot and sweet shahi tukda, the narrow road starts from Jama Masjid and meets the Gali Choodiwalan at the other end.

A small yet distinct little shop sits not so quietly at the other end. KGF, or King of Good Food, is another such eatery that is standing its ground with an almost continuous stream of customers in one of the most famous food streets in Delhi. On the menu are burgers,pizzas and hot wings.

Saqeena (name changed on request), with two toddlers and some relatives tagging along, said it is refreshing to have something other than tandoori chicken or biryani.

It is definitely a relief as we have to work less at home, she said.

The small eatery has a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options on the menu that are sumptuous yet economical. While a large KGF non veg special can cost Rs 390, a KGF veg special will leave one with a full tummy and only Rs 320 less in his pocket.

The shop that opened two years ago, before the pandemic started, has been attracting locals since the reopening of the markets.

The owner, Mohammad Nadeem Ahmad, said that being different from others in the area has been their USP.

At times even those who come to have Mughlai food come across our shop and want to try the food. Locals find it as a change in their taste, as we are offering something they have to order from Dominos or Pizza Hut, he said.

Ahmad wants to turn KGF into a chain in the future. But for now it is but another small yet pleasant change in the bustling lanes around Jama Masjid. PTI MAH



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A couple and their 13-year-old daughter have tested positive for the Omicron variant of after returning to Satara in western from Uganda, officials said on Saturday.

Their other daughter, who is five years old, tested positive for COVID-19 but not for the variant.

All four returned to Phaltan in Satara district from the African country on December 9, state health department officials said.

Owing to the Omicron scare, district officials traced them and asked them to undergo RT-PCR tests.

The husband (35), wife (33) and their elder daughter (13) tested positive for COVID-19 while the report of the younger child was inconclusive, so the samples of all four were sent to the National Institute of Virology for genome sequencing, said Civil Surgeon Dr Subhash Chavan.

"We received the genome sequencing reports today. The couple and the elder daughter have been diagnosed with the Omicron variant, while the younger daughter has tested positive for COVID-19," a statement from the Satara district administration said.

All four have been kept in isolation at a sub- district level hospital and their health is fine, the statement added.

had reported 40 Omicron cases as of Friday evening.

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A recent study shows that masks provide a supplementary layer of protection that could prevent unnecessary COVID-19 deaths.

The study appeared in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

A study of the impact of national face mask laws on COVID-19 mortality in 44 countries with a combined population of nearly one billion people found that, over time, the increase in COVID-19 related deaths was significantly slower in countries that imposed mask laws compared to countries that did not.

"While several studies before this have looked at the impact of masks on COVID-19 cases, fewer studies were focused on whether mask-wearing may reduce COVID-19 deaths, and no study had looked at the data across multiple countries," said lead investigator Sahar Motallebi, MD, MPH, from Malmo, Sweden. "The large sample of culturally diverse countries in this retrospective study covers a large population, giving us more evidence towards the life-saving potential of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic."

The top 50 countries according to the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, education, and standard of living, were targeted because of comparability and reduced chance of selection bias.

Four countries in the Southern Hemisphere (New Zealand, Australia, Chile, and Argentina) were excluded to avoid potential seasonality characteristics. The United States and Canada were excluded because public health policies are made at the state/province level and a unified national policy does not exist. Data from the remaining 44 countries were used to model COVID-19 mortality.

Twenty-seven countries with face mask policies and 17 countries without face mask policies, covering a combined population of nearly one billion people, were included in the study.

Investigators looked at COVID-19 deaths between February 15, 2020, the date of the first confirmed death in the targeted countries, to May 31, 2020, when many countries began to lift gathering and movement restrictions. Ten relevant demographic, social, clinical and time-dependent factors were examined. Potential confounders between face mask policy and mortality reduction, such as non-pharmaceutical interventions, were identified.

The 44 countries studied reported 2,167,664 confirmed deaths, 1,253,757 in countries without face mask mandates and 913,907 in countries with face mask mandates. The average COVID-19 mortality per million population was 48.40 in countries with face mask policies and 288.54 in countries without face mask policies, and this was significantly greater compared to countries with mask mandates.

Face mask countries had a significantly lower average daily increase in deaths compared to no face mask countries.Surprisingly, the countries with no mask mandate started with a lower COVID-19 daily mortality. However, the death rate accelerated so fast in those countries that they not only caught up with the death rate in mask law countries but significantly surpassed them over time.

"To reach its full potential of saving lives, public health research should be practical and pragmatic," Dr Motallebi stressed. "Our primary objective was to assess lessons learned from the pandemic in order to better prepare for future potential epidemics of airborne diseases before pharmaceutical interventions are available."

As delays in vaccination continue to challenge health systems across the globe, the study adds to evidence that before, and even after, full vaccination of the population, face masks continue to be a preventive measure against COVID-19.

"Across variants, vaccines may reduce mortality but not necessarily morbidity, and face masks continue to protect against both. So, we don't have to choose between these two good policies of vaccination and face masks or substitute one for the other when we can and must do both in parallel," Dr Motallebi concluded.

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The proposed anti-conversion bill, which the government in intends to introduce in the ongoing Legislature session here, has a provision for imprisonment of those who indulge in mass conversion from three to 10 years and a fine of Rs one lakh.

The draft also says that the 'religious converter' shall give one month's prior notice in 'form-II of such conversion' to the district magistrate or any other officer not below the rank of additional district magistrate. Also, the marriages done for the sole purpose of unlawful conversion or vice-versa twill be declared void, as per the draft copy of 'The Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill-2021'.

The law once it comes into effect will encompass those who "misrepresent, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage, or abet or conspire such conversion."



However, this Act will not attract the penal provisions of the act for reconverting to his immediate previous religion. "Provided that if any person reconverts to his immediate previous religion, the same shall not be deemed to a conversion under this Act," section-3 of the act read.

Under the proposed law, "any aggrieved person, his parents, brother, sister, or any other person, who is related to him by blood, marriage or adoption may lodge a First Information Report of such conversion, which contravenes the provisions of section-3."



According to the draft regulation, whoever contravenes the provisions of section-3 should, without prejudice to any civil liability, be punished with imprisonment for a term, which should not be less than three years but which may extend to five years and should also be liable to fine, which should not be less than Rs 25,000.

The consequences will be stern in case SC/ST and minors are converted.

"Whoever contravenes the provision of section 3 in respect of a minor, a woman or a person belonging to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to 10 years and shall be liable to fine, which shall be not less than Rs 50,000," the draft read.

Further, whoever indulges in mass conversion shall be punished with imprisonment from three to 10 years and will be liable for Rs one lakh fine.

The proposed law says that the victim may get a compensation up to Rs five lakh in addition to the fine.

In case of marriage done for the sole purpose of unlawful conversion, the marriage will be declared void by the family court. In case there are no family courts, then the court having jurisdiction to try such cases can also declare such marriages void.

The offences attracting the provisions of the proposed Act will be non-bailable and cognisable.

Further, whoever desires to convert his religion should give a declaration in 'Form-I' "at least 60 days in advance" to the district magistrate or the additional district magistrate who should be specially authorised by the district magistrate "in this regard that he wishes to convert his religion on his free consent and without any force, coercion, undue influence or allurement".

After receiving the information, the district magistrate should conduct an enquiry through police "with regard to real intention, purpose and cause of the proposed religious conversion"



The proposed law further says that any institution or organisation which violates the provisions of the proposed Act shall be subject to punishment and their registration will be cancelled by the competent authority upon reference made by the district magistrate.

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The Omicron variant has now been identified in 89 countries and is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant in places where community transmission is high, with a doubling time between 1.53 days, the has said.

In its 'Enhancing Readiness for Omicron (B.1.1.529): Technical Brief and Priority Actions for Member States' report on Friday, the World Health Organisation said that given the current available data, it is likely that Omicron will outpace Delta where community transmission occurs.

"Omicron is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity and it remains uncertain to what extent the observed rapid growth rate can be attributed to immune evasion, intrinsic increased transmissibility or a combination of both," it said.

"As of 16 December 2021, the Omicron variant has been identified in 89 countries across all six regions. Current understanding of the Omicron variant will continue to evolve as more data becomes available," it said.

There is consistent evidence that Omicron has a substantial growth advantage over Delta. It is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant in countries with documented community transmission, with a doubling time between 1.53 days, the global health body said.

The designated Omicron, or B.1.1.529 variant, as a variant of concern (VOC) on November 26 after it was first detected in South Africa.

There is still limited data on the clinical severity of Omicron. More data are needed to understand the severity profile and how severity is impacted by vaccination and pre-existing immunity, the WHO said.

The overall threat posed by Omicron largely depends on how transmissible the variant is; how well vaccines and prior infection protect against infection, transmission, clinical disease and death; how virulent the variant is compared to other variants; and how populations understand these dynamics, perceive risk and follow control measures, including public health and social measures, it said.

There is still limited available data, and no peer-reviewed evidence, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness to date for Omicron, the WHO added.

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Amid various studies claiming that Omicron causes only mild disease, a new study shows that there is "no evidence" that Omicron is less severe than the variant of (Covid-19).

The new study led by the UK's Imperial College London showed that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron variant is 5.4 times greater than that of the variant.

"This implies that the protection against reinfection by Omicron afforded by past infection may be as low as 19 per cent," said the researchers.

In the yet-to-be peer-reviewed study, researchers estimated the growth and immune escape of the Omicron variant in England by using data from all PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in England between November 29 and December 11.

Overall, 196,463 people without S gene target failure (likely to be infected with another variant) and 11,329 cases with it (likely to be infected with Omicron) were included in the SGTF analysis, as well as 122,063 and 1,846 Omicron cases in the genotype analysis.

The report looked at factors associated with testing positive for Omicron compared to non-Omicron (mostly Delta) cases.

The results suggest that the proportion of Omicron among all Covid cases was doubling every two days up to December 11, estimated from both S-gene Target Failure and genotype data.

Based on these results the researchers estimated that the reproduction number (R) of Omicron was above 3 over the period studied.

Further, in the pre-Omicron era, the UK study of Covid infection in healthcare workers estimated that prior infection afforded 85 per cent protection against a second Covid infection over six months.

The reinfection risk estimated in the current study suggests this protection hasA fallen to 19 per cent against an Omicron infection.

"The study finds no evidence of Omicron having lower severity than Delta, judged by either the proportion of people testing positive who report symptoms, or by the proportion of cases seeking hospital care after infection," the researchers said, adding however, hospitalisation data remains very limited at this time.

The latest modelling also pointed out that the Omicron variant largely evades immunity from past infection or two vaccine doses.

"This study provides further evidence of the very substantial extent to which Omicron can evade prior immunity given by both infection or vaccination. This level of immune evasion means that Omicron poses a major, imminent threat to public health," said Prof Neil Ferguson from Imperial College London.

The team found a significantly increased risk of developing a symptomatic Omicron case compared to Delta for those who were two or more weeks past their second vaccine dose, and two or more weeks past their booster dose (for AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines).

However, the vaccine effectiveness estimates against symptomatic Omicron infection after booster dose was between 55 per cent and 80 per cent, the researchers said.

--IANS

rvt/ksk/

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The Delhi Police has arrested a 47-year-old scientist in connection with the low-intensity explosion inside the Rohini district court here earlier this month, officials said on Saturday.

The explosion that took place inside the courtroom no. 102 on December 9 injured one person.

The accused has been identified as Bharat Bhushan Kataria, a senior scientist with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), according to sources.

Delhi Police has registered a case under Section 307 436 IPC, Section 3 Explosives Act in connection with the low-intensity blast that took place at Rohini Court Complex on December 9. Special Cell was handed over the investigation: Rakesh Asthana, CP, Delhi Police pic.twitter.com/e9bOW0uTOo  ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2021

He was arrested on Friday.

Kataria had planted the explosive in a tiffin box inside the courtroom as he wanted to kill his neighbour, who is an advocate, police said.

According to Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, the accused entered the court at 9.33 am on the day of the incident with two bags, one of which he left behind inside the courtroom. He exited the court premises at 10.35 am.

Both the parties had lodged several cases against each other. They are neighbours and live in the same building. Prima facie, it seems Kataria had a grudge against the lawyer," said a senior police officer.

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Sixteen students of a school at Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai have tested positive for and admitted to a local COVID Care Centre, a civic official said on Saturday.

They are students of Classes 8 to 11, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) official said.

"The father of one of the students had returned from Qatar on December 9. The man, who resides with his family at Gothivali in Ghansoli, had tested negative for the COVID-19 infection. However, when his family members were tested, his son, a Class 11 student of the school, was found infected," he said.

After this, the process to test all the students in the school - Shetkari Shikshan Sanstha - began, and so far, 16 were found positive, he added.

"Till now, 811 students in the school have been tested over the last three days and this exercise will be carried out on 600 others on Saturday," the official said.

The infected students are undergoing treatment at the facility in Vashi, he said.

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Budget 2022-23: No major surprise expected in income-tax slabs

The upcoming Union Budget 2022 is unlikely to bring any tweaks in the existing income tax rates. The thinking in the government and among Budget makers is that, given the continued uncertainty around Covid-19 and its impact on household income and savings, any change in tax rates could be counter-productive. Read more



red-flags risks in board meet

The (RBI) on Friday apprised the board members about its reservations around private cryptocurrencies while updating the progress on its yet-to-be launched Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). The RBI officials, according to a source, apprised the board member about the macroeconomic instability such cryptocurrencies could cause. Read more

Net direct tax collection jumps 60.8% to Rs 9.5 trillion in FY22 so far

Net direct tax collection in FY22 as of December 16 rose 60.8 per cent to Rs 9.5 trillion, signalling that the government may end up this fiscal year with a comfortable revenue position.

The government earlier this month sought approval from Parliament for a net additional spending of Rs 3 trillion in FY22. Read more



CCI suspends Amazon deal with Future, fines US giant Rs 200 crore

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Friday suspended the US retail giant Amazons 2019 deal with Future Retail (FRL) for its deliberate design to suppress information about the scope and purpose of the deal. The antitrust regulator has imposed a penalty of Rs 200 crore on Amazon to be paid within 60 days of receipt of order. Read more

Omicron: Europe-like surge may mean 1.4 mn cases a day, says V K Paul

As the Omicron tally of India crossed 100 on Friday, the health ministry struck a note of caution saying its a phase of worry for the country. India could see 1.3 to 1.4 million daily cases if the case progression is the same as what is being witnessed in some of the European countries such as the UK or France, V K Paul, member-health, Niti Aayog, said. Read more
With the gradual spread of Omicron variant of in the national capital, the impact of dwindling number of shoppers is not lost on traders as they get ready to face an impending third wave of the pandemic.

Twelve more people tested positive for the Omicron variant in on Friday, taking their number to 22, and officials said most of them are "fully vaccinated" and "asymptomatic".

Sanjay Bhargava, president, Chandni Chowk Vyapar Mandal said they are "waiting and watching" for now, even as they have requested authorities to increase the police presence in the area.

"We have verbally requested the authorities to increase the number of police personnel in the area who can enforce the Covid protocol among those taking it casually. Mostly hawkers and beggars do not follow any such norms," he told PTI.

While observing a "visible decrease in footfall", he said the market association will soon be sending circulars to shopkeepers in the area to enforce Covid protocols.

"We will soon be asking all our traders to enforce Covid protocols in their shops. In the last 10 days, there has been visible decrease in footfalls in the market. The business is slowing down due to the increasing cases of Omicron in the city," Bhargava added.

Atul Bhargava, president, National Traders Association said even though the risk of a crowded and congested area is small in Connaught Place (CP), they have already sent out circulars to all traders.

"We have asked them to strictly adhere to Covid protocols in the shops like sanitising, insisting on wearing masks and taking temperature of people coming in. Since CP is a large and open area, it is not much of a problem. And with police presence, people usually follow Covid protocols," he said.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain had on Thursday said many international travellers were turning out Covid positive upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here.

On Tuesday, he had said that the Omicron variant of the had not spread in the community so far and the situation was under control.

In view of the threat posed by the Omicron variant, the Delhi health department Friday evening issued an order directing hospitals to augment human resource, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitation and security staff, on contract or through existing outsourcing agencies against the vacant posts and extra 25 per cent of the sanctioned strength till March 31.

Traders in Sarojini Nagar, another bustling market area of south Delhi, have been asked to paste social distancing circles outside and follow all Covid protocols inside their shops.

Ashok Randhawa, president, Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Traders Association, said they have sent out a circular asking shop helpers to get their second doses as soon as possible.

"Almost all our traders are fully vaccinated, those who are not have been asked to do it as soon as possible. We have told everyone to follow Covid norms inside the shops," Randhawa told PTI.

Even though the crowds have gone down 20-25 per cent in the area, he added that people were rushing to do their shopping now for the next wedding season in case another lockdown is announced.

"Most of the buyers are those who want to finish their shopping now. We too our apprehensive about another lockdown since we have just started picking up business," he said.

The official added that the association has also requested the authorities to increase the number of civil defence volunteers and police personnel in the area.

"Shopkeepers can only manage people inside the shops, there are barely any policemen in the market. If people see police, they put on their masks. The authorities need to ensure that proper norms are followed," he added.

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Vice-President M on Saturday emphasised the need to use responsibly so that the faith or sentiments of others are not hurt.

Addressing the 33rd Moortidevi award ceremony organised by Bhartiya Jnanpith here, he called for observing decency in public utterances and said that writers and thinkers are expected to create intellectual discourse in society, not trigger controversies.

Eminent Hindi author Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari was presented this year's Moortidevi awards for his outstanding work 'Asti Aur Bhavati'.

According to an official statement from the Vice President Secretariat, Naidu characterised the writers and thinkers as the intellectual capital of the nation who enrich it with their creative ideas and literature.

Describing 'word' and 'language' as the most important inventions of human history, he said literature is the living carrier of the thought-tradition of a society.

"The more cultured a society, the more refined would be its language. The more awakened the society, the more extensive its literature would be," he observed.

Praising the country's rich linguistic diversity, the vice president termed it India's strength which has forged cultural unity.

He wanted an increased dialogue between Indian languages and suggested that everyone must learn some words, idioms and greetings in other Indian languages. It is an important exercise for the linguistic and emotional unity of the country, Naidu said.

Stressing that every Indian language is a ' language', the vice president urged the media to give adequate space to all Indian languages and their literature.

Appreciating the efforts of institutions like Sahitya Akademi for translating and promoting literature in Indian languages, Naidu said more efforts are needed in this direction and the latest technologies should be fully leveraged for this.

He also said that literary works translated from other Indian languages should be included in university curriculum.

Justice Vijender Jain, the President of Bharatiya Jnanpith, Sahu Akhilesh Jain, the Managing Trustee of Bharatiya Jnanpith and others were present at the event.

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Congress general secretary Vadra here on Saturday urged people to oust the BJP from power as she alleged that under its rule, only PM Narendra Modi's industrialist friends have progressed while they suffered.

She also slammed the government over the coronavirus management, saying people were left stranded across the country and her party was not allowed to bring life-saving oxygen from Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh.

The Congress leader alleged that many public sector firms set by Congress governments in the past are being "sold" to PM Modi's big friends.

"During the BJP government, only prime minister's industrialist friends have progressed. It is only they who are flourishing and you are suffering. So, I am requesting you to change this government," she said addressing a public meeting during her party's six-km-long "BJP Bhagao, Mahangai Hatao" padyatra from Jagdishpur to Harimau here.

The Congress leader alleged that in the past over seven-year rule of the BJP-led government at the Centre, only lies were told.

On the coronavirus pandemic, she said, "A sudden lockdown was imposed and the people of Amethi were left stranded across the country. At that time we remained connected, day and night, with the people of Amethi and Rae Bareli through phone. Everyone was crying to go home."



Targeting Union minister and Amethi Lok Sabha MP Smriti Irani, the Congress general secretary asked, "Where was the BJP then, where was the MP?"



"During the second wave, we were sending oxygen trucks from Chhattisgarh but these were not allowed to come. Then we said the Congress will not take credit, will not even put up banners. It was with great difficulty that cylinders reached Rae Bareli," she said.

She added that her party's proposal of ferrying stranded people was was also turned down.

She also attacked the government over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, which had left eight people, including four farmers, dead.

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Thousands of Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to protest against a court decision that mandates that 25% of all school subjects be taught in Spanish, reducing the still predominant use of the local language in classrooms.

Demonstrators say this would threaten their cherished educational system, which has helped bring back to common use after it had been suppressed during the 20th-century dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco.

It is not proper of a democracy that a court invalidates an educational system that is supported by society and its parliament, said scar Escuder, president of Platform for the Language, a grassroots group that promotes the use of who joined the march.

According to our polls, 82% of Catalans support the current system.

The renewed defense of the Catalan language also promises to galvanise the region's separatist movement that has been struggling to maintain its unity.

Several marchers carried pro-independence flags, and the movement's leaders were in attendance.

But families who want their children to receive more learning in Spanish say the current system is violating their rights to study in the nation's common tongue.

The march comes less than a month since Spain's Supreme Court upheld the 2020 decision by a lower court in Catalonia that ruled in favour on a suit brought by the Spain's previous conservative government against Catalonia's Department of Education.

The Supreme Court tossed out an appeal by the Catalan government against the previous ruling that the region's schools must guarantee at least 25% of academic subjects be taught in Spanish.

That would translate into roughly doubling the hours Catalan student are taught in Spanish from one subject to two.

Currently, most schools only use Spanish in Spanish language class, leaving everything else to be taught in Catalan.

The increase may seem slight, but for many Catalans it is sacrilege.

Now another institutional showdown looms between central authorities and the Catalan regional government, which is run by secessionists who are vowing not to abide by the requirement to increase Spanish in schools.

The Assembly for a Bilingual School in Catalonia, a grassroots group representing Catalans who want more Spanish in classrooms, says that while around 100 families have taken their demand for more Spanish to the courts, there are many more who support them.

The use of languages in Catalonia's schools has become a heated national debate after a family denounced that they had been insulted and felt threatened following their request for their child's public school in Canet de Mar just north of Barcelona to increase the hours of Spanish as mandated by the courts.

We aren't against Catalan. We love Catalan, and we appreciate the richness it gives us all as individuals and as a society," the family said in an open letter, written in Spanish and Catalan.

"But we are bilingual, and we also love Spanish. Our goal is nothing more than for Spanish to form a part of our child's education in a normal way just as it does in Catalan society.

Catalan is a Romance language similar to Spanish. It is spoken in the Catalonia region of northeast Spain, in the tiny nation of Andorra and to a reduced extent in neighbouring Spanish regions and in southern France.

The vast majority of Catalonia's 7.7 million residents speak both Catalan and Spanish fluently.

Conversations can easily flow from one language to the next, especially since the language have many words that are very similar.

The use of Catalan in schools was official prohibited during Franco's rule from the end of the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War until his death in 1975.

Since then, the promotion of the language has been a prized achievement of Catalonia, which enjoys a wide degree of self-rule since Spain's return to democracy.

The Catalan education system is widely supported, even by many of the roughly 50% of citizens who are against the independence push. For many who came from other parts of in large numbers last century, it meant their children could easily integrate.

In 2019, Spain's Constitutional Court ruled against another suit brought by Spain's conservative Popular Party and said that Catalonia's system of linguistic immersion in Catalan was constitutional.

The Spanish Constitution states that Spanish is the language of the nation and should be learned and spoken by everyone.

It also states that Catalan and other minority languages like Basque are co-official languages and part of Spain's cultural patrimony that should be subject to special respect and protection.

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strongly deplored new US sanctions barring exports for eight tech companies, saying such measures undermine economic and trade between the two countries.

China's Ministry of Commerce's spokesperson said on Friday: "It's not the first time the US government has interfered with the Chinese economy under the false pretexts of national security and violation of human rights, placing an embargo on Xinjiang's goods, thus trying to control our export and investments."

"Such measures seriously hit Chinese companies, and undermine the economy and trade between the two countries. strongly deplores such measures," Sputnik quoted the spokesperson as saying.

Last Thursday, the US government imposed a new package of sanctions on due to allegedly forced labour and sterilization of Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic minority of the country's west, reportedly kept in large detention camps and factories.

The US Treasury blacklisted DJI, the world's largest drone manufacturer, and seven other Chinese companies. Americans will not be able to buy or sell the companies' publicly traded securities.

is a resource-rich mining region, important to both agricultural production and manufacturing. China vowed countermeasures in kind to protect national sovereignty as well as the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

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which is already suffering from a poor image in corporate ethics, has hit another blow as Chinese have violated the laws of the land in causing loss to the exchequer.

authorities have found that a Chinese company Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC), a subsidiary of Communications Construction Company (CCCC) engaged in the construction of road and bridges in is involved in tax evasion while importing construction material for government projects, according to Bangladesh Live News.

Further, though China is a major fund provider to the South Asian countries such as Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for infrastructure development, the business practices of its involved in implementing these projects have been put to scrutiny of late.

Meanwhile, It is not the first time that Chinese have violated the laws of the land in Bangladesh causing loss to the exchequer.

Earlier in December 2020, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) launched an investigation into ZTE Bangladesh, a subsidiary of the Chinese ZTE Corporation with many business operations in different sectors of the country, on the suspicion of tax evasion, according to Bangladesh Live News.

Further, as part of the investigation, Bangladesh's revenue board has already sent separate letters to different entities with whom it has its business deals.

Meanwhile, according to an estimate by Tax Justice Network (TJN), the tax abuse by multinational corporations (MNCs) and private individuals in Bangladesh is equivalent to at least three-fifths of the country's health budget or 14 percent of its annual education budget.

Further, China had to withdraw from three infrastructure projects in Bangladesh after allegations of embezzlement of funds in increasing project costs.

Also, the way Chinese companies do their business has come under suspicion in other parts of the world as well as multilateral financial institutions, especially the World Bank, which blacklisted some of the Chinese companies for non-compliance of integrity compliance program and Procurement Guidelines consistent with the principles set out in the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines, according Bangladesh Live News.

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has downgraded Sri Lanka's sovereign rating to 'CC' from 'CCC', saying there is an increased probability of a default in coming months in light of the country's worsening external liquidity position underscored by a drop in foreign-exchange reserves.

The New-York based rating agency said it will be difficult for the government to meet its external debt obligations in 2022 and 2023 in the absence of new external financing sources.

"Obligations include two sovereign bonds of USD 500 million due in January 2022 and USD 1 billion due in July 2022, it said.

"The downgrade reflects our view of an increased probability of a default event in coming months in light of Sri Lanka's worsening external liquidity position, underscored by a drop in foreign-exchange reserves set against high external debt payments and limited financing inflows. The severity of financial stress is illustrated by elevated government-bond yields and downward pressure on the currency," it said in a statement on Friday.

said Sri Lanka's foreign-exchange reserves have declined much faster than it expected, owing to a combination of a higher import bill and foreign-currency intervention by the Central Bank of

Foreign exchange reserves have declined by about USD 2 billion since August, falling to USD1.6 billion at end-November, equivalent to less than one month of current external payments (CXP). This represents a drop in foreign-currency reserves of about USD 4 billion since end-2020, it said.

"The government also faces foreign-currency debt service payments, including principal and interest, of USD6.9 billion in 2022, equivalent to nearly 430 per cent of official gross reserves as of November 2021. Cumulative foreign-currency debt service, including interest and principal, amounts to about USD26 billion from 2022 through to 2026," it said.

The latest statement came after Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa assured parliament last week that the government was confident of meeting external debt payments when they fall due.

Fitch says a currency swap facility with the People's Bank of China (PBOC) could boost reserves by up to CNY 10 billion (USD 1.5 billion equivalent).

Even with that and sources of financing likely coming from an economic support package from India, which contains a swap facility under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation currency framework of USD 400 million, a swap facility with the Qatar Central Bank, remittances securitisation and a revolving credit facility with the Bank of China Limited, foreign exchange reserves are likely to remain under pressure.

The Sri Lankan rupee/US dollar spot exchange rate depreciated by 7-8 per cent since end-2020, but due to central bank intervention to support the currency, had caused a decline in reserves, it said.

In order to tackle the reserves crisis, the island nation has curtailed imports leading to shortages of essentials.

The island's only refinery was ordered to be shut mid-November due to shortage of foreign currency to import crude oil.

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Tareek-e-Insaf (PTI) government's key coalition partner MQM- is maintaining cordial ties with Muslim League (PMLN), the arch-rival of Prime Minister and discussing national issues openly, according to News International.

There is speculation that MQM-Pakistan and may forge alliance ahead of the scheduled Local Body Elections next year.

In a surprising political development in the country, it was found the PTI government's key coalition partner MQM-Pakistan was also maintaining cordial ties with the Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN), the arch-rival of PTI. The two sides are discussing national issues openly

Also, (P) happens to be a key ally in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's government.

Further, the Pakistan's stalwarts are in regular contact with Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, who is also a close aide to PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Earlier, Federal Minister from MQM-P Syed Amin Ul Haque had been taking favourable position in the parliament for the PMLN whenever any issue cropped up in the house with regard to its leadership, including the occasion when the matter of granting permission to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for leaving abroad for treatment was discussed, according to News International.

In the meanwhile, sources pointed out that the Pakistan wouldn't enter into an election alliance with the PTI in general elections.

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Prime Minister suffered a major blow in his premiership when his ruling Conservative Party lost a "safe" seat in a by-election.

The minority Liberal Democrats won the North Shropshire parliamentary seat with a margin of 5,925 votes, overturning a 23,000 majority the Conservatives gained in the 2019 general election, reports Xinhua news agency.

Liberal Democrats candidate Helen Morgan won 17,957 votes, almost half of the total cast. Conservative Neil Shastri-Hurst, a barrister from Birmingham, came second with 12,032 votes, and Ben Wood from the main opposition Labor Party came third with 3,686 votes.

The Conservative Party held the seat for nearly 200 years.

The by-election was called after the resignation of Owen Paterson who had been MP for 24 years.

He quit Westminster after being found guilty of lobbying by contacting government ministers on behalf of companies paying him 112,000 pounds ($150,000).

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey attributed the result to what he called Johnson's "failure to provide leadership throughout the pandemic".

Other politicians rallied behind Johnson, with senior backbench MP Charles Walker, commenting: "I don't think we can read too much into this. Of course it's disappointing for the Conservative party, of course we would like to have won. But it doesn't mean the end, and it doesn't mean leadership challenges."

Scandals and criticism of Johnson's handling of Covid-19 have sent the Conservatives' approval ratings to their lowest level since Johnson became Prime Minister.

Latest polls have put the main opposition Labour Party ahead of the Conservatives.

--IANS

ksk/

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on Saturday made two weeks quarantine mandatory for travelers arriving from 67 different countries, mainly from European and African countries, in wake of the rising Omicron variant of

"Passengers, traveling from the countries mentioned, are requested to stay in Hotel Quarantine for 7 days at their own expense. After staying seven days in Hotel Quarantine, in case of a negative test of Covid-19 by RT-PCR method, it is requested to stay in the home quarantine for additional 7 days and send the person with a positive result to the designated isolation center or hospital,"Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

"Considering the upsurging spread of the new variant of COVID-19 (Omicron) initially found in African countries and gradually spreading in European and Asian countries, (Council of Ministers) has decided on 29 November 2021 to arrange provision the travelers traveling to and from Nepal," read the statement.

The statement said that the following arrangements have been made for the arrival of passengers from 67 countries in

The European and Asian countries are mainly included in the list of countries, including Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, United States.

"The entry/exit management of other travelers except mentioned above will be regulated as per the prior notice of the Department of Immigration dated 24 September 2021 and 2 December 2021 published as per the Management Order for the Travelers Arriving and Deporting from Nepal 2021," the statement added.

A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year.

On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as 'Omicron'. The WHO has classified Omicron as a 'variant of concern'.

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Pakistan Prime Minister has hit out at his political rivals from the powerful Bhutto and Sharif families, blaming them for promoting corruption and destroying the country.

In an interview to Al Jazeera news channel that was aired by Pakistan Television (PTV) on Saturday, Khan said Pakistan was rich in resources but the Bhutto and Sharif families used them unfairly.

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The Russian Foreign Ministry has said that seven British citizens have been barred from entering Russia in tit-for-tat retaliation regarding critic

"Under far-fetched and absurd pretexts," the British government in August 2021 announced restrictions against seven Russian nationals due to their alleged "direct responsibility for the poisoning of Navalny," the ministry said in a statement.

In response to the unfriendly actions of London and on the basis of the principle of reciprocity, Russia has decided to impose sanctions on seven Britons who are closely involved in anti-Russian activities, Xinhua news agency quoted the ministry as saying.

"We once again call on the British leadership to abandon the confrontational policy towards our country. Any unfriendly step will be met with an adequate proportionate response," the statement read.

--IANS

int/shs

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has published a draft agreement it has proposed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on measures to ensure the of both sides.

and shall not strengthen their individually, including in the framework of organisations, military alliances or coalitions at the expense of the of others, read the document published by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Xinhua news agency reported.

They should settle disputes via peaceful means and refrain from the use or threat of force, and exercise restraint in military planning and conducting drills to avoid dangerous situations, it said.

Moscow suggested that and reaffirm that they do not consider each other as adversaries.

Russia and the member states as of May 27, 1997 would be banned from deploying military forces and weaponry on the territory of any of the other countries in Europe in addition to the forces stationed on that territory as of May 27, 1997.

Both sides would be prohibited from deploying land-based intermediate- and short-range missiles in areas allowing them to reach the territory of each other.

Russia asked NATO to stop further enlargement, including the accession of Ukraine, and to cease any military activity in Ukraine and other countries in the Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and the Central Asia.

The 9-article draft agreement has been sent to NATO for consideration.

--IANS

int/shs

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and have resumed military cooperation following a long hiatus.

In October 2019, and signed the "National Defense Exchange and Security Cooperation Agreement."

However, as the pandemic raged on, and began engaging in exchanges with China's People's Liberation Army, suspended military cooperation with the city-state, Taiwan News reported.

Singaporean army troops were stationed in barracks at a Taiwan Army base in Kaohsiung's Fengshan District earlier this week. They carried out parachute training on Monday at the Chaochou landing field in Pingtung County, per UDN.

Singapore Army troops have conducted airborne training in Pingtung in the past.

Taiwan-Singapore military cooperation first began in 1975, when Premier Chiang Ching-kuo and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew signed an agreement to launch "Project Starlight.

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The 15-member Council directed the monitoring team to gather information on instances of non-compliance with the measures imposed in Resolution 2255. | (Shutterstock)

The has decided to extend for 12 months the mandate of the team monitoring sanctions against individuals and entities associated with the Taliban, as well as other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with the in constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan.

Unanimously adopting Resolution 2611, the 15-member council directed the monitoring team to gather information on instances of non-compliance with the measures imposed in Resolution 2255, and to facilitate, upon request by member states, capacity-building assistance, Xinhua news agency reported.

It further directed the monitoring team to provide recommendations to the committee on actions taken to respond to non-compliance.

The council highlighted the importance of ensuring that the monitoring team receives the necessary support to effectively, safely and in a timely manner fulfil its mandate.

The council also decided to actively review the implementation of the measures outlined in this resolution and to consider adjustments, as necessary, to support peace and stability in Afghanistan.

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Rahul will be visiting Amethi after almost two and a half years.

leader will be on a day-long visit to Amethi in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

As per the party, the leader will participate in "BJP Bhagao, Mehangai Hatao" 'padyatra' in Amethi tomorrow as a part of the party's ongoing nationwide campaign 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan'.

The Congress party had launched a countrywide agitation program, 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' on November 14 to expose the mismanagement of the economy by the Centre.

The Wayanad MP is scheduled to participate in the 'padyatra' from Jagdishpur to Harimau with local Congress leaders in Amethi tomorrow.

will also hold 'chaupals' in rural areas.

According to party sources, Rahul will be visiting Amethi after almost two and a half years.

Rahul had represented Amethi, a bastion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, for 15 years in Lok Sabha. He fought from two constituencies in 2019 and was defeated in Amethi but won from Wayanad in Kerala.

Following Rahul Gandhi's visit, party national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be in Amethi on Sunday.

The visit of the Congress leaders comes ahead of the Assembly polls slated to be held early next year.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.

(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 issue is priced at Rs 80 per share.

Aurum PropTech has approved raising up to Rs 343.56 crore through a rights issue. The company will issue 3 equity shares for every 2 shares held by the eligible shareholders as on the record date to be announced later.

The rights issue will be priced at Rs 80 per share, the company said in a regulatory filing. The rights issue price is at 45% discount to the stock's closing price of Rs 145.35 on Friday.

The promoter and promoter group of the company have confirmed they will subscribe to the full extent of their aggregate rights entitlement. In addition, they will also subscribe to all the unsubscribed shares in the issue.

In a separate announcement, Aurum PropTech said that its board has approved the acquisition to effectively hold 51% of the share capital of Singapore-based Monk Tech Labs ('TheHouseMonk') for an aggregate cash consideration of $2 million.

TheHouseMonk is a B2B SaaS company focussed on rental management in real estate. It helps property managers and landlords monetize, maintain and manage their rental portfolio. The company achieves this by bringing owners, managers and tenants of rental properties onto the same technology platform and allows them to collaborate for all use cases. Its turnover as on 30 September 2021 stood at $1,02,448.58.

Aurum PropTech said the investment is in line with its strategy to create an integrated digital and technology ecosystem focused on complete value chain of real estate.

Aurum's board has approved a mix of debt and equity infusion of $5 million in TheHouseMonk.

TheHouseMonk plans to deploy these funds to fuel its expansion into Europe and US, as well as consolidate its position in Asia, which serves as its core market today. It also plans to hire aggressively into its tech team to build advanced AI/ML (artificial intelligence/machine learning) capabilities, and to strengthen its overall product portfolio.

On a consolidated basis, Aurum Proptech reported net loss of Rs 1.36 crore in Q2 September 2021 as against net profit of Rs 2341.99 crore in Q2 September 2020. Net sales declined 96.23% to Rs 0.08 crore in Q2 September 2021 over Q2 September 2020.

Aurum PropTech aims to bring transparency, trust and digital transformation in real estate sector by creating an integrated proptech ecosystem covering customer digital journey, property and asset management, development, investment and financing of assets.

Shares of Aurum PropTech hit a lower circuit limit of 5% to settle at Rs 145.35 on the BSE.

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The issue received bids for over 5.29 crore shares as against 25.28 lakh shares on offer.

The initial public offer (IPO) of HP Adhesives received bids for 5,29,89,650 shares as against 25,28,500 shares on offer. The issue was subscribed 20.96 times.

The retail investors category was subscribed 81.24 times. The non institutional investors category was subscribed 19.04 times. The qualified institutional buyers category was subscribed 1.82 times.

The issue opened for bidding on 15 December 2021 and it closed on 17 December 2021. The price band of the IPO was fixed at Rs 262-274.

The offer comprised fresh issue of 41,40,000 equity shares and an offer for sale by selling shareholders of up to 4,57,200 equity shares.

Ahead of the IPO, HP Adhesives on 9 December 2021, finalized allocation of 20,68,700 equity shares to anchor investors at Rs 274 each, aggregating to Rs 56.68 crore.

The company proposes to utilize the net proceeds from the fresh issue towards funding capital expenditure for expansion of production capacity at the existing manufacturing facility at Raigad, Maharashtra and at the additional unit having a proposed construction area admeasuring about 4,532.57 square metres (built-up) area on the adjacent plot amounting Rs 25.51 crore and funding the working capital requirements of the company amounting Rs 54 crore and balance towards general corporate purposes.

HP Adhesives is a fast-growing multi-product, multi-category consumer adhesives and sealants company. The company manufactures a wide range of consumer adhesives and sealants such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride), cPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) and uPVC (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride) solvent cement, synthetic rubber adhesive, PVA (polyvinyl acetate) adhesives, silicone sealant, acrylic sealant, gasket shellac, other sealants and PVC pipe lubricant which are sold across India, through an extensive distribution network of distributors, and exported also to several countries, through network of distributors and direct customers.

The company also manufactures these products for select large PVC pipe manufacturing companies under co-branding or private label on order basis. It also sell ancillary products like ball valves, thread seal and other tapes and FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) products for drainage and architectural solutions that are distributed along with its products to the end customers through distribution network.

The company reported a net profit of Rs 3.10 crore and total income of Rs 70.52 crore in the six months ended on 30 September 2021.

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The company's board has approved the QIP issue price at Rs 740 per equity share.

The company said that its QIP committee on Friday (17 December 2021) has approved the closure of qualified institutions placement (QIP) issue. The company had previously announced opening of the issue of Tuesday (14 December 2021).

The company's QIP committee has determined and approved the issue price of Rs 740 per share for the equity shares to be allotted pursuant to the issue. The issue price is at a 2.44% premium to the floor price of Rs 722.40 per share.

The company's board has approved allocation of 14 lakh equity shares to the eligible qualified institutional buyers.

Allottees who have been allotted more than 5% of the total equity shares offered in the QIP are Goldman Sachs Funds - Goldman Sachs India Equity Portfolio (27.61%), Ashoka India Equity Investment Trust PLC (21.24%), Aditya Birla Sun Life Trustee Private Limited A/C (19.30%), ICICI Prudential SmallCap Fund (14.48%) and White Oak India Equity Fund IV (10.62%).

Mold-Tek Packaging said that it intends to utilize the net proceeds from the QIP issue for ongoing and future capital expenditure requirements of the company, working capital requirements, debt repayment and general corporate purposes.

Mold-Tek Packaging is a packaging company, which is involved in the manufacturing of plastic packaging containers. The company manufactures rigid plastic packaging containers through injection molding technology for paints, lubes, oils, food, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and other sectors.

The company's consolidated net profit rose 30.68% to Rs 17.59 crore on a 33.99% increase in net sales to Rs 159.53 crore in Q2 FY22 over Q2 FY21.

The scrip rose 0.85% to end at Rs 725.90 on the BSE on Friday.

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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday termed Chief Minister useless or "unupyogi", citing incidents of crimes against Dalits and women under his rule.

He made the remark in a tweet, punning on the Hindi word Up-Yogi (useful) as Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him earlier in the day.

In a public address in Shahjahanpur, Modi coined a new slogan "UP plus Yogi bahut hai upyogi" to praise Adityanath for eliminating mafias" and undertaking developmental work in the state.

In his tweet Akhilesh said, "The daughter of Hathras, the farmers of Lakhimpur, the trader of Gorakhpur, women who are feeling insecure, unemployed youths, the Dalits, and the backward class (people) are saying for UP, the current government is not useful, it is useless".

"UP is today saying that it does not want the BJP," he added.

Akhilesh headed Samajwadi Party government in the state from 2012-17 and was succeeded by

The war of words between BJP and SP continued ahead of crucial assembly elections scheduled early next year in the state.

Modi was addressing a rally after laying the foundation stone of 594-km-long Ganga Expressway in UP's Shahjahanpur district.

The BJP has already declared Adityanath to be its face in the upcoming polls.

(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.)
Taking a veiled dig at Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Union Home and Cooperation Minister on Saturday raised questions over the alleged scams involving crores of money in of Maharashtra.

Shah today attended Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil Literary Award distribution programme and Cooperation Council Conference in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister said, "I have not come to make political remarks here. Just want to tell workers of the Cooperative movement that the Centre is with them. But simultaneously, we need to increase efficiency, bring in professional students and give them command."

"We need to free the cooperative movement of shortcomings. There was a time when district of Maharashtra were looked up to, but today there are only three left. How did scams involving crores of money happen? Did RBI do it? No RBI didn't do it," he added.

Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Maharashtra starting today, will attend various public events in Pune on December 19.

(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.)
Macron is widely expected to seek a second term in the presidential election scheduled for April, but hasn't officially revealed his intentions. | Photo: Reuters

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire says President Emmanuel Macron's potential reelection next year is very important to further boost growth in a clear endorsement of a candidacy that's not yet been formally announced.

Macron is widely expected to seek a second term in the presidential election scheduled for April, but hasn't officially revealed his intentions.

In an interview with the Associated Press Friday during a two-day visit to the United States, Le Maire said: I think it's very important that is reelected. I think our country needs consistency and stability."



Polls for months have shown Macron, a pro-business centrist, to be the front-runner in next year's presidential election, where he's set to face major contenders from the right and the far-right.

We must have a democratic, serene debate with (far-right candidate) Eric Zemmour, with other far-right leaders, to say: 'Your vision of is not my vision of France,' Le Maire said, noting that boosting growth is one response to the concerns expressed by the French.

Since Macron's election in May 2017, we had some successes, we also had some failures, Le Maire said. We failed to implement the pension reform. That's a regret because it was needed. We were not able to do it. We'll do it in the next term.

Protracted, intense street protests and the (COVID-19) pandemic led Macron to delay the difficult overhauling of France's pension system, which had been a key campaign promise.

When you look at (Macron's) five-year term ... is in the right direction, it is on the path to success, Le Maire added, noting that the French government passed measures to make the labor market more flexible, and cut taxes on businesses.

This is a key point I want to tell all investors: has become the most attractive country in Europe, he insisted.

France has scheduled to further cut its corporate tax from over 33% five years ago to 25% next year, he said. So I'm telling all American entrepreneurs: come to France, this is the place to be.

In a long interview broadcast on national television on Wednesday, Macron said France has a much stronger economy despite going through the COVID-19 crisis. France's unemployment rate is at 8.1%, down from about 10% when he was elected, according to national statistics agency INSEE.

INSEE estimated the French economy would grow 6.7% this year, the highest rate since 1969.

Asked about French views about how to face global competition from China, Le Maire said we are all aware that the rise of China is a major concern ... Then you have to define your strategy. Either to confront China this is the American choice or to engage with China. This is the French, and, I would say, the European choice.

For the biggest challenges of the 21st century you need China," he said, also citing a new global taxation system, global agreement on reduction of debt for poor countries, and US-China agreement on fighting climate change.

Macron last week said he does not support a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, in contrast with the U.S., Canada and U.K. which made the decision to protest human rights abuses in China.

There are important problems related to human rights in China, Le Maire acknowledged. Our strategy is to divide the problems and to talk to China in a very frank manner.

We are talking to China on human rights, we are talking on trade, we are talking about intellectual property, about access to markets about technological issues," he listed. I think a step by step approach ... is the best one to get some very concrete results.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In his second visit to Amethi after the 2019 defeat, Congress leader on Saturday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his 'Hindu versus Hindutvawadi' salvo.

"On one side is Hindu. On the other is Hindutvawadi. On one side is truth, love and non-violence and on the other is falsehood, hatred and violence," he said.

"Hindutvawadi bathes alone in Ganga, but a Hindu will bathe with crores of others," Gandhi said at a public gathering, taking a swipe at the prime minister who recently inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi after taking a holy dip.

"For the first time, we saw a man standing alone in the Ganges taking a bath. Hindus bathe with lakhs of people, but these Hindutvawadis were standing alone in the Ganges. Even Rajnath Singh and Yogi Adityanath did not find a place," said.

"Narendra Modi Ji says that he is a Hindu, but when did he protect the truth.... (Is he) Hindu or Hindutvawadi?" Gandhi said at a public gathering, raising the issue of jobs, China's incursions and farm laws.

Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu as he fought against injustice while a Hindutvawadi is like Nathu Ram Godse who used to lie, spread violence and had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress leader said.

"A Hindu never weeps but Hindutvawadis cry. When Nathuram Godse was hanged, he cried bitterly," he said.

The former Congress president and his sister and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took out a padyatra (foot march) from Jagdishpur to village Harimau where addressed a public meeting.

"There is a lot of talk about religion in the country, about Hindu religion. The fight in India today is between Hindu and Hindutvawadi. On one side are the Hindus who tread the path of truth, and on the other side are Hindutvawadis, who spread hatred and can do anything for snatching power," Rahul Gandhi said.

Speaking about his association with Amethi, Rahul said "A few days ago Priyanka came to me and she told me that I have to go to Lucknow to hold a meeting. I told my sister that before going to Lucknow, I want to talk to my family first, so I am here today.

"In 2004, I came into and fought the first election here and you taught me a lot. I learned to work from you and in a way you showed me the way."



Talking about the prevailing conditions in the country, he said, "There are two big questions before the country today- unemployment and inflation - but neither the chief minister nor the prime minister answers questions about them."



"Modi ji will sometimes take a bath in the Ganges, sometimes go to Kedarnath. Today in Ladakh, the Chinese army is sitting inside India and has snatched land from India and made it its own, but the prime minister neither said nor did anything about it," he said.

The Congress leader again accused Modi of working for the capitalists and alleged that demonetisation, GST and the three agriculture laws were all brought for their benefit.

"Modi brought three black agricultural laws and first said that they were in the interest of farmers and after one year when the farmers of India stood up and agitated, the prime minister said that 'I apologise, I have made a mistake''," Rahul Gandhi said.

"I asked a question in Parliament that seven hundred farmers were martyred did you give them compensation, I got the answer that not a single farmer was martyred, " he said.

Rahul Gandhi said they have family ties with Amethi and "this relationship will never break".

"A Hindu spends his entire life finding, understanding and fighting for truth. Hindu faces his fears and never lets them turn into hatred, anger or violence, but Hindutvawadi only indulges in of lies and has nothing to do with the truth. He only uses lies to snatch power," Rahul Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi was a Member of Parliament from here for 15 years. He is visiting Amethi for the second time after losing the seat, which had been a pocket borough of the Nehru-Gandhi family, by 55,120 votes to BJP's Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

There are five assembly seats in Amethi parliamentary constituency. Out of these, Amethi, Jagdishpur, Salon, Tiloi are held by the BJP. The Gauriganj seat is with the Samajwadi Party. The Congress is trying to regain its turf in Amethi and Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming assembly polls.

The leaders were taking part in the 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan-Bhajapa bhagao, mehengai hatao pratigya padyatra' organised against the policies of the Modi government.

Congress workers accorded a warm reception to their leaders. Cutouts and reception gates were set up at various points to welcome them.

#WATCH | A 'Hindutvavadi' bathes alone in Ganga, while a Hindu bathes with crores of people...Narendra Modi says he is a Hindu, but when did he protect truth?...He asked people to bang thalis to get rid of COVID...Hindu or Hindutvadi?: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Amethi pic.twitter.com/S51O22YxF9  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 18, 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.)
Prime Minister on Saturday used a new coinage UPYOGI or 'UP plus Yogi bahut hai upyogi' to praise Chief Minister for "eliminating" mafias and undertaking a lot of developmental work in the state.

Modi said poor law and order triggered exodus of people from earlier, but during the past four and half years bulldozers have razed unauthorised properties of mafias, causing pain to those patronising them.

"UP plus Yogi bahut hai upyogi" ( plus Yogi have great utility), he said, expanding U.P.Y.O.G.I.

The prime minister was addressing a rally after laying the foundation stone of 594-km-long Ganga Expressway in this Uttar Pradesh district.

The BJP has already declared that Adityanath will be its face in the upcoming polls in the political heartland of the country.

"You are well versed with the situation here and the law-and-order situation in western Uttar Pradesh before the government came. In the earlier days, as the sun set, people flashing 'katta' (country-made pistols) used to come on the streets to make the lives of people hell," Modi said, adding the "culture of katta" has ended now under the Adityanath government.

Hailing the state government's action against mafias, he said "Aaj jab mafia par bulldozer chalta hai...bulldozer to gair kanooni imaraat par chalta hai...par dard usko 'palne-posne' wale ko hota hai" (today when bulldozers raze unauthorised properties of mafias, the pain is felt by those patronising them).

Intensifying his attack on the opposition ahead of the crucial assembly elections, the prime minister said, "There are some political parties, which have problems with the country's heritage and development. They have problems with the heritage, as they are more bothered about their vote bank. They have problems with development, as the dependence of the poor and common man on them is reducing day by day."

"These people have problems with cleaning of river Ganga. These are the people who raise questions on the action of the Army on terrorists. These are the people who bring the made-in-India coronavirus vaccine under the scanner. They have a problem with the grand dhaam of Baba Vishvanath in Kashi, and these people have a problem with the grand temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya," Modi said, hitting out at his rivals.

Emphasising on the benefits of a double engine government, he said, "If you remember the condition of the state five years ago, barring a few areas of the state, electricity could not be found in other cities and villages. The double engine government not only gave 80 lakh free power connections, but every district is getting more electricity than before."

He said more than 30 lakh poor people got pucca houses in Uttar Pradesh and this campaign will continue to cover all the remaining entitled beneficiaries.

Built at a cost of Rs 36,230 crore, the six-lane Ganga Expressway will give a fillip to multiple sectors including industrial development, trade, agriculture, tourism etc. It will provide a big boost to the socio-economic development of the region.

The prime minister also said that the priority of the government is to strengthen those who are lagging behind in the society or are backward, and make the benefits of development reach them.

"This feeling is also visible in our agriculture policy and the policy related to the farmers," he said.

Modi said that in terms of giving MSP (laabhkaari mulya) of sugarcane, Uttar Pradesh is one of the leading ('agrani') states, and it is also ahead when it comes to making payments (to the farmers).

"Today, when all of Uttar Pradesh moves ahead together, the country also moves ahead. Hence, the focus of the double engine government is on the development of UP.

"With the mantra of 'sabka saath', 'sabka vikaas', 'sabka vishvaas' and 'sabka prayaas', we are making honest efforts for development," he said.

He also invoked freedom fighters Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq-ullah-Khan and Thakur Roshan Singh, hailing from Shahjahanpur, during his speech.

(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 UK government is reportedly drawing up plans for a short two-week circuit breaker lockdown later this month, after Christmas, to try and keep pace with the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, media reports said on Saturday.

According to The Times, draft regulations are being prepared, which would ban different households meeting indoors except for work purposes and pubs and restaurants being limited to outdoor service only.

The Financial Times reported that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been presented with a number of options under a so-called Plan C, ranging from "mild guidance to nudge people, right through to lockdown".

Leaked minutes from the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, accessed by the BBC, reveal scientists warning ministers that tougher measures need to be brought in "very soon" to try and keep hospitalisations within manageable levels for the National Health Service.

The reports of further lockdown restrictions come as the UK recorded another highest daily total of 93,045 COVID-19 infections on Friday, up 4,669 cases from the previous record of 88,376 set on Thursday.

While the Delta variant remains dominant in most parts of the country, Omicron has taken over in London and Scotland amid a massive surge.

The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in London has climbed to 1,534, up 28.6 per cent compared to last week.

Meanwhile, half the adults in the UK have now had a COVID-19 booster dose after the programme was accelerated this week in the face of the Omicron variant, first detected in South Africa in November.

This week, online bookings have opened to all adults alongside walk-in sites across the country.

(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 global population grew by almost two billion people during the last 20 yearsnearly 30 percent. Such growth is not evenly distributed over time or across space: the extremes include Qatar growing by 400 percent and Lithuania losing 25 percent. And even within countries, the rate of growth varies. To support the need for up-to-date population data that reflects these shifts, WorldPop and Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, have partnered to include WorldPop's 1-km annual gridded demographic datasets in ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World. The data covers 241 countries, territories, and dependencies for the 20002020 period.

"These datasets are critical for measuring and monitoring the accompanying sociodemographic changes over time and properly informing and supporting environmental, health, and development applications at local, subnational, national, and regional levels," said Professor Andrew Tatem, Director of WorldPop at the University of Southampton. "In this context, comparable, multitemporal, and spatially explicit detailed population distribution datasets are a fundamental prerequisite for communicating the impacts of population growth."

ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World is Esri's evolving collection of ready-to-use and up-to-date authoritative content in the form of maps, apps, and data layersall accessible via a web browser and most Esri products.

"Having the WorldPop 1-km gridded demographic datasets available as imagery layers in ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World provides unprecedented convenience to query and analyze population anywhere on Earth," said Charlie Frye, Esri chief cartographer. "That these datasets no longer need to be downloaded or preassembled prior to use will result in substantial time and cost savings for any organization needing to understand recent population changes."

Queries can include the entire 21-year history of population changes for any group, including births and five-year age cohorts. The results of these queries can be spatiotemporally analyzed using Esri's ArcGIS software to find patterns.Multitemporal datasets depict grid cell level spatial distribution of total population, age, and sex cohorts and population density.

"The age and sex gridded datasets provide invaluable information about the spatial and temporal distribution of specific demographic groups, such as children, seniors, and women of childbearing age, which are well-known to be more vulnerable than others, and thus should be explicitly considered in decision- and policy-making processes," said Dr. Alessandro Sorichetta, Associate Professor in Applied Geospatial Research at WorldPop.

The 1-km raster layers, curated by the WorldPop Spatial Data Infrastructure Team led by Dr Maksym Bondarenko, are available in ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World for population per grid cell, population density per grid cell, and population by age and sex per grid cell.

To learn more about ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World and other Esri population data layers, please visit go.esri.com/livingatlas.

About WorldPop

WorldPop, initiated in October 2013 at the University of Southampton, develops methods and applications to produce open and high-resolution geospatial datasets on population distribution, demographics, and dynamics, with a focus mainly on low- and middle-income countries, to support development, disaster-response, and health applications. WorldPop research activities are designed with full open access and operational application in mind, using transparent, fully documented and peer-reviewed methods, to produce easily updatable outputs with accompanying metadata and, where possible, measures of uncertainty. WorldPop's work contributes to and benefits from direct engagement with multiple national statistical offices, national and international agencies, universities, research centers, and large international humanitarian donors, producing rapid and strong impacts from its research. WorldPop's population datasets and analyses inform several regional and global flagship reports and are the default geospatial demographic datasets used by many governments, international organizations, UN agencies, and private companies around the World. To learn more, visit our website and/or follow us on Twitter.

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations globally and in over 200,000 institutions in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.

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Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of once-daily oral TEPMETKO (tepotinib) as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring alterations leading to mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor gene exon 14 (METex14) skipping, who require systemic therapy following prior treatment with immunotherapy and/or platinum-based chemotherapy. The CHMP positive opinion will now be reviewed by the European Commission (EC), with a decision expected in the first quarter of 2022.

TEPMETKO has demonstrated important clinical benefits and a manageable safety profile in the treatment of this aggressive form of lung cancer, and has the potential to advance the treatment of this type of tumor, said Danny Bar-Zohar, M.D., Global Head of Development for the Healthcare business sector of Merck. We look forward to the European Commission decision, and bringing the first oral MET inhibitor in NSCLC to patients in Europe.

The positive opinion is based on results from the pivotal Phase II VISION study evaluating TEPMETKO as a once-daily oral monotherapy treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC with METex14 skipping alterations. Data from the primary analysis of the VISION study were previously published in The New England Journal of Medicine, and showed TEPMETKO demonstrated consistent and durable responses in both treatment naive and previously treated adult patients with advanced NSCLC harboring alterations leading to METex14 skipping. Additional data from the VISION study presented at IASLC 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer include results for 123 patients from Cohort C with follow-up of at least 3 months from the start of treatment and provide additional evidence supporting the clinically meaningful responses demonstrated in the primary analysis.1

In Europe, lung cancer is estimated to be the second most common cancer, and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, responsible for 388,000 deaths in 2018.2 Alterations of the MET signaling pathway, including METex14 skipping alterations, are found in 3% to 4% of NSCLC cases, and are associated with having advanced disease and poor prognosis.1,3-6

TEPMETKO was the first oral MET inhibitor to receive a regulatory approval anywhere in the world for the treatment of advanced NSCLC harboring MET gene alterations, with its approval in Japan in March 2020. In February 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to TEPMETKO, making it the first and only once-daily oral MET inhibitor approved for patients in the U.S. with metastatic NSCLC with METex14 skipping alterations. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. Tepotinib is available in a number of countries, and under review by various other regulatory authorities globally. To meet an urgent clinical need, tepotinib is also available in a pilot zone of China in line with the government policy to drive early access for innovative medicines approved outside of China.

About VISION Study

VISION (NCT02864992) is an ongoing pivotal Phase II, multicenter, multi-cohort, single-arm, non-randomized, open-label study investigating tepotinib as monotherapy in 275 patients with a median age of 72.6 years with advanced or metastatic NSCLC with METex14 skipping alterations.

About TEPMETKO (tepotinib)

TEPMETKO is an oral MET inhibitor that inhibits the oncogenic MET receptor signaling caused by MET (gene) alterations. Discovered and developed in-house at Merck, TEPMETKO has a highly selective mechanism of action, with the potential to improve outcomes in aggressive tumors that have a poor prognosis and harbor these specific alterations.

Merck is also investigating the potential role of tepotinib in treating patients with NSCLC and acquired resistance due to MET amplification in the Phase II INSIGHT 2 study of tepotinib in combination with osimertinib in MET amplified, advanced or metastatic NSCLC harboring activating EGFR mutations that has progressed following first-line treatment with osimertinib.

Commitment to Cancer

Merck is a science-led organization dedicated to delivering transformative medicines with the goal of making a meaningful difference in the lives of people affected by cancer. Our oncology research efforts aim to leverage our synergistic portfolio in oncogenic pathways, immuno-oncology, and DNA Damage Response (DDR) to tackle challenging tumor types in gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and thoracic cancers. Our curiosity drives our pursuit of treatments for even the most complex cancers, as we work to illuminate a path to scientific breakthroughs that transform patient outcomes. Learn more at www.merckgrouponcology.com.

References

1. Felip E, et al. WCLC 2021. Poster 170.

2. Ferlay J, et al. Eur J Cancer. 2018;103:356387.

3. Reungwetwattana T, et al. Lung Cancer 2017;103:27-37.

4. Wolf J, et al. EORTC/NCI/AACR 2018. Poster 403.

5. Schrock AB, et al. J Thorac Oncol. 2016;11:14931502.

6. Tong JH, et al. Clin Cancer Res. 2016;22:30483056.8.

All Merck Press Releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of peoples lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices  the company is everywhere. In 2020, Merck generated sales of  17.5 billion in 66 countries.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Mercks technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211216005685/en/
Cruise ship operator Royal Caribbean has offered a 25% refund to about 2,500 passengers after they were made to wait for almost a day to get a Covid-19 test Wednesday in Hong Kong. The ship, which set sail on Sunday, was ordered to cut its journey short and return to dock at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, after local health authorities found that the passengers included nine close contacts of Covid cases. All nine tested negative

Jan 06, 2022 05:04 PM
The unusual part of this story is that Wong is an architect. He nearly missed the job calling, as the email contacting him for the position went straight into his junk folder  but once hed read it, he jumped at the chance to design something architectural but beyond the limits of architecture. We discuss the references and tools he brought to conceiving the modular realm of U, the directions Hosoda gave him, and the reason a giant whale floats through the virtual world.

Elsewhere in the podcast, we take a look at the growing trend of big U.S. companies aligning with anime studios to bring shows to their platforms. As the global market for anime booms, the likes of Netflix, Disney+, Warner Bros. Animation, and Cartoon Network Studios are partnering with Japanese studios to produce animation. (See below for links to the articles referenced in the podcast.)

But Hollywood isnt alone in having its eye on the industry: Chinese companies have invested heavily in Japanese animation companies. Streaming service Bilibili is one of the companies branding home-produced animation as anime, a term we at Cartoon Brew reserve for Japanese productions. Meanwhile, the discussion around low wages and punishing deadlines at Japanese studios keeps growing. Its a very interesting time.
Completing Banjo the Woodpile Cat was the first task for the fledgling Don Bluth Productions. Pacheco worked on the film and subsequent Bluth projects, supervising the clean-up department on features The Secret of NIMH (1982), An American Tail (1986), and The Land Before Time (1988). Her then-husband, effects animator Dorse Lanpher, recalled that she sometimes helped him with the effects. She also worked with Bluth on the video game Dragons Lair (1983), doing clean-up and providing the voice of Daphne.

By the end of her time with Bluth, the studio was known as Sullivan/Bluth and based in Dublin, Ireland. From there, Pacheco and Lanpher hopped over to London for a stint on Richard Williams Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), before returning to California  and to Disney.

Pacheco worked on most of the key works of the Disney Renaissance, including The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and The Lion King (1994). She eventually made it to clean-up supervisor on movies like The Emperors New Groove (2000), The Princess and the Frog (2009), and Winnie the Pooh (2011). While at the studio, she married Jim Pacheco, who worked at Disney Imagineering, in 2003.

Veras seniority at Disney speaks of her talent, which might have been more widely recognized were clean-up work  the refining of rough animation drawings  more generally seen as the highly artistic endeavor it is. Among her colleagues at least, Pachecho was highly respected.

Bluth is among the artists who have paid tribute to her, writing on Facebook:

I am saddened by the news of my friend Veras passing. She was a spark that lit up a room. I cherish the all the time we worked together and she will surely be missed. Not only for her artistic talents but for her wonderful personality that she gave to all who knew her. Well miss you Vera. Rest in peace.

John Pomeroy, another artist who left Disney with Bluth, wrote on Instagram:

I was looking forward to seeing her at a virtual An American Tail reunion, when I heard of her illness. She was a kind, sweet person and tremendous talent.

Correction: Pachecos maiden name was misstated. She was born Vera Frances Macaluso, not Vera Law.
Re: Why no rapid tests in B.C.? (Castanet, Dec. 15)

In the continuing fight against COVID-19 and its variants, experts say rapid tests can help minimize health risks for gatherings.



Albertans will soon be able to pick up free rapid tests. Pharmacies will be giving out a rapid test kit that includes five single-use rapid tests. One kit will be available per person, every two weeks, with tests to be used every 72 hours. To receive the kit, a person has to be asymptomatic and have a valid Alberta health care card.



Quebec will start handing out rapid tests on Dec. 20. Ontario is making up to 2 million rapid tests available in places such as transit hubs, shopping malls and liquor stores. Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have handed out rapid tests for several weeks.



And in B.C.? The government will not begin distributing rapid tests (with the short nasal swab) until January.



Although B.C. received 3.2 million rapid tests in November 2020 and has distributed 1.17 million of them, the government will not provide any rapid tests to the general public, despite having about two million in storage. Keep in mind that even though 1.17 million were "distributed," it doesn't mean all of them were used. To date, how many rapid tests have actually been used in the province since November 2020?



As I said in my Oct. 7 letter, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry debuted the phrase "Be kind, be calm and be safe" in March 2020. Since then, Henry has used the phrase dozens of times in her press briefings. Perhaps its time for her to add: "be last".

B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie and B.C. Care Providers Association president Terry Lake have called for rapid testing of staff and visitors to long-term care homes since November 2020. Why didn't Henry and B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix require care home nurses and other staff to give ongoing rapid tests to all residents and workers from the get-go?

Although Dec. 14 marked the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccines administered in Canada, they weren't delivered to all B.C. long-term care homes until the end of January 2021. The NIA Long Term Care COVID-19 Tracker currently lists 840 B.C. care home resident deaths due to COVID-19.

Also, why weren't rapid tests sent to all schools, starting in November 2020? Students and staff could have been tested by a staff member trained to administer a rapid test, just as every school is required to have staff members with first aid and CPR training.

When Henry was asked at her Dec. 14 press briefing about the lack of rapid test availability, the reasons she gave were: supply chain issues, poor packaging, many tests require a health professional to administer a long NP swab and a machine is required to show the test result.

If anyone goes to the Public Health Agency of Canada website they will see the types of rapid tests the federal government provided to B.C. Out of just over 3.2 million tests: Abbott Panbio (2,180,850), Abbott ID Now (626,976), BD Veritor (389,880), and Lucira (2,600).

"All of these rapid tests have limitations.... There's examples from around the world. There's examples from here where people have done rapid testing and gone to large group gatherings indoors, where there's been a lot of transmission, despite everybody testing negative, so we can't rely on them for that sort of single use  'I'll just test myself and I'm fine. said Henry.

It appears she is engaging in fallacious arguments to defend her decision not to distribute these rapid tests to the general public but rapid tests were never designed to be a single use test.

Henry said about 700,000 of the rapid tests could be taken home, but are presently in larger packs of 25 or 35 that cant easily be broken down, and come with a single bottle of testing solution. That begs the questionWhy weren't people hired or tasked as soon as the rapid tests arrived, to begin separating the test kits into smaller units of five?

Dr. Victor Leung, an infectious diseases physician, medical microbiologist and clinical associate professor in UBC's Faculty of Medicine told the media he felt the response from the provincial government and the public health teams with respect to rapid antigen tests does not make a lot of sense, adding "it also seems that the answers shift in terms of why we're not using them. It is not very consistent."

He said only one of the four tests (Abbott ID Now) actually requires a machine to show the results and the Abbott Panbio kits that contain the long NP swab can simply be replaced with nasal swab tests.

Its replaceable, the manufacturer allows for that, Leung said. "So, its not something thats not doable."

So, with Roberta Flack's 1973 hit single "Killing Me Softly with His Song" serving as inspiration, what follows is my song rewrite:

Telling Us Softly with Her Calm

Chorus:

Scrummin' our brains as she lingers

Stringin' our time with her words

Telling us softly with her calm

Telling us softly with her calm

Takin' her whole time with her words

Telling us softly with her calm

We heard she had a good calm

We heard she had a style

And so we came to see her

To listen for a while

And there she was this expert

A doctor to advise

Scrummin' our brains as she lingers...



I felt all flushed with fever

Needed to leave the crowd

I could not find my questions

To read each one out loud

I prayed that she would finish

But she just kept right on

Scrummin' our brains as she lingers...



She talked as if she knew us

Like the voice at Carousel

No rapid tests for the public

The millions kept on shelves

And she just kept on talkin'

Talkin' 'bout Omicron



Scrummin' our brains as she lingers...



She was scrummin' our brains

Yeah, she was stringin' our time

Readin' the data with her calm

Telling us softly with her calm

Takin' her whole time with her words

Telling us softly to be strong

David Buckna, Kelowna
Photo: Google Maps

An innkeeper who pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting human smuggling on the B.C.-Washington State border won't spend any more time in jail.

Robert Boule, 72, was given 30 months probation after admitting to helping Syrian and Afghani foreign nationals enter Canada from the United States through Smugglers Inn, located on Canada View Drive in Blaine.

The inn abuts Surreys 0 Avenue with marked rocks spanning the inns backyard indicating the border.

Boule, an American citizen, was charged and later arrested in 2018 for nine violations of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act related to helping foreign nations illegally enter Canada in April 2016 and September 2017.

Boule was put on bail but later breached those conditions when he was caught once again assisting people to cross the border, something the judge considered the more serious offence.

This suggests he had no regard for Canadian law at all, said B.C. Supreme Court Justice Nitya Iyer.

She sentenced Boule to 30 days in jail and 30 months probation for the breach. As he had already been jailed for 22 days before trial, he will spend no more time behind bars. For the smuggling, Boule was sentenced to a 15-month suspended sentence and 15 months probation.

Boule was contrite in addressing the court prior to sentencing.

"I should have not helped anyone cross into Canada," he said. "I made a bad mistake. That's why I'm pleading guilty. I'm truly sorry for my actions."

The judge found his apology sincere.

The court heard that Boule charged $200-$700 for his services, which included telling people how to make asylum claims, the best times to cross and how to get to a Surrey gas station to call a taxi.

Iyer said all those who crossed made refugee claims and cannot be prosecuted for entering Canada with Boules assistance.

In seeking 12-15 months in prison, the Crown noted that smuggling of people into Canada poses both border security and national safety risks, as well as the costs borne by taxpayers in dealing with that issue. Despite that, Crown lawyer Molly Green also noted the judge needed to take Boule's health into consideration. Among other conditions, he is dealing with challenges from dementia, diabetes, heart issues and depression.

The court heard Boules doctor has said it is unlikely he will live to 75.

Earlier ruling

Earlier in the case, Iyer declared part of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act invalid on a challenge from Boule. The section of the act entitled Human Smuggling and Trafficking.

Boule, an American citizen, claimed the law violates Charter of Rights and Freedoms section 7, which says, Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.

Iyer agreed with Boule, saying the section of the act relating to three categories of conduct  humanitarian aid to undocumented entrants, mutual aid amongst asylum-seekers and assistance to family  was overly broad.
Photo: The Canadian Press An undated handout evidence image shows tape, which prosecutors said was wrapped around a seven-year-old murder victim, leading to her death.

A Superior Court judge has sentenced a Granby, Que., woman convicted of murdering her seven-year-old stepdaughter to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years.

During her trial, the stepmother admitted to having wrapped the girl in multiple layers of adhesive tape on April 29, 2019, which prosecutors argued caused the girl's death. The case shocked the province and led to an inquiry into the failings of Quebec's child welfare services.

Quebec prosecutors argued at a sentencing hearing on Friday in Trois-Rivieres, Que., that the woman should spend between 15 and 18 years in prison before she is eligible to apply for parole.

The 38-year-old woman, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her other children, was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder on Dec. 9. The conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison, but parole eligibility can be set anywhere between 10 and 25 years by the judge.

Defence lawyer Alexandre Biron asked the judge to let his client apply for parole after ten years in prison, arguing that she presented no risk of reoffending, felt remorse and took responsibility for her actions.

On Monday, the girl's father pleaded guilty to a charge of forcible confinement for his role in her death.
Photo: The Canadian Press Elizabeth Holmes walks into federal court in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021. The lawyers for the opposing sides in the trial of former Theranos CEO are expected to wrap up their closing arguments Friday, paving the way for a jury to begin their deliberations over criminal charges accusing her of turning her blood-testing startup into a massive scam.

The jury that will decide whether former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes turned her blood-testing startup into a massive scam finally got the case late Friday after a three-month-long trial that captivated Silicon Valley.

The hand-off came after lawyers for the opposing sides wrapped up a second day of painstaking presentations summing up their respective interpretations of on the evidence submitted to the jury through the testimony of 32 witnesses  including Holmes herself  and more than 900 exhibits.

The eight men and four women on the jury began their deliberations late Friday, and will take the weekend off before resuming Monday morning. They will weigh 11 felony counts of fraud and conspiracy facing Holmes. If convicted, Holmes, 37, faces up to 20 years in prison.
Important Notice Please note, the January 2022 State Board of Education meeting will be held as a teleconference; Room 1101 (board room) will be closed to the public. Please see SBE Meeting Logistics section below for options to view and participate in the meeting.

State Board Members

Linda Darling-Hammond, President

Ilene W. Straus, Vice President

Sue Burr

Francisco Escobedo

Cynthia Glover-Woods

Jim McQuillen

Kim Pattillo Brownson

Haydee Rodriguez

Patricia A. Rucker

Ting L. Sun

Rana Banankhah, Student Member

Secretary & Executive Officer

Hon. Tony Thurmond

Executive Director

Brooks Allen

Schedule of Meeting Wednesday, January 12, 2022

8:30 a.m. Pacific Time  STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

The Closed Session will take place at approximately 8:30 a.m. (The Public may not attend.) Location California Department of Education

1430 N Street, Room 1101

Sacramento, California 95814

916-319-0827

Please see the detailed agenda for more information about the items to be considered and acted upon. The public is welcome to participate.

CLOSED SESSION

The Closed Session may commence as necessary.

Californians for Equal Rights Foundation et al. v. State of California, State Board of Education, State Department of Education, Tony Thurmond, Linda Darling-Hammond et al., San Diego County Superior Court, Case No. 37-2021-00037896-CU-CR-CTL

Cayla K et al. v. State of California, State Board of Education, State Department of Education, Tony Thurmond et al., Alameda County Superior Court, Case No. RG20084386

E.E. et al., Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund v. State of California, State Board of Education, State Department of Education et al., United States District Court (No.Dist.CA), Case No. 4:21-cv-7585 and related U.S. Department of Justice complaint and Office of Administrative Hearings complaints

Ella T et al. v. State of California, State Board of Education, State Department of Education, Tom Torlakson et al., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BC685730

Emma C., et al. v. Delaine Eastin, et al., United States District Court (No.Dist.CA), Case No. C-96-4179

I.L. v. Oakland Unified School District, State of California, State Board of Education, State Department of Education, Tony Thurmond, United States District Court (No. Dist. CA), Case No.20-CV-2349-JST

Kerri K. et al. v. State of California, State Board of Education, State Department of Education, Tony Thurmond, Contra Costa County Office of Education, the Floyd I. Marchus School et al., Contra Costa County Superior Court, Case No. MSC19-00972

Mark S., et al. v. State of California, Tony Thurmond, State Department of Education, State Board of Education, Pittsburg Unified School District, Contra Costa Superior Court, Case No. MSN21-1755

Martinez v. Newsom, State of California, Tony Thurmond, State Department of Education, State Board of Education, et al., United State District Court (Central District CA), Case No. 5:20-cv-01796

Options for Youth, Burbank, Inc., San Gabriel, Inc. Upland, Inc. and Victor Valley, Notice of Appeal before the Education Audit Appeals Panel, EAAP Case Nos. 06-18, 06-19- 07-07, 07-08 OAH Nos. L2006100966, L2006110025, L20070706022, L2007060728, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. BC 347454

Patel v. Santa Clara Unified School District, California Department of Education, Tony Thurmond, State Board of Education, Santa Clara County Superior Court, Case No, 20CV365010

Todays Fresh Start Charter School v. Inglewood Unified School District, Los Angeles County Office of Education, California Department of Education, California State Board of Education, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 20STCP02646

Conference with Legal Counsel  Anticipated Litigation: Under Government Code sections 11126(e), the State Board of Education hereby provides public notice that it may meet in Closed Session to decide whether there is a significant exposure to litigation, and to consider and act in connection with matters for which there is a significant exposure to litigation. Under Government Code sections 11126(e)(1) and (e)(2), the State Board of Education hereby provides public notice that it may meet in Closed Session to decide to initiate litigation and to consider and act in connection with litigation it has decided to initiate.

ALL TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE PROVIDED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY

ALL ITEMS MAY BE HEARD IN A DIFFERENT ORDER THAN HOW THEY ARE LISTED ON THE AGENDA ON ANY DAY OF THE NOTICED MEETING

THE ORDER OF BUSINESS MAY BE CHANGED WITHOUT NOTICE

Time is set aside for individuals desiring to speak on any topic not otherwise on the agenda. Please see the detailed agenda for the Public Session. In all cases, the presiding officer reserves the right to impose time limits on presentations as may be necessary to ensure that the agenda is completed.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY

Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability or any other individual who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the California State Board of Education (SBE), may request assistance by contacting the SBE office at 1430 N Street, Room 5111, Sacramento, CA 95814; by telephone at 916-319-0827; by facsimile at 916-319-0175; or by email at sbe@cde.ca.gov.

SBE MEETING LOGISTICS

Assembly Bill 361 (Chapter 165, Statutes of 2021) related to the COVID-19 pandemic allows state bodies covered by the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Act) to hold public meetings covered by the Act via web and/or audio teleconferencing. As such, the January 2022 SBE meeting will be held as an audio/video teleconference and will have a live webcast, which will subsequently be archived on the SBE website. The SBE Board Room 1101 in the California Department of Education will be closed to the public. Please see the Public Comment Guidelines section below for options to view and participate during the meeting.

Public comment may be provided via email or phone, as specified below.

Email

The public is highly encouraged to submit written comment to the SBE members in advance for their prior consideration. In order to help ensure that board members have sufficient time to review all comments, please submit comments by noon on Friday, January 7, 2022. Comments should be submitted to the SBE mailbox at sbe@cde.ca.gov.

The following information should be included in the body of the email:

Commenters first and last name

Organization affiliation, if applicable

Agenda item number or general public comment

Phone

Public comment may also be provided during the meeting by dialing the phone number and participant access code listed below. The operator will notify callers when it is their turn to provide public comment. Public comment will be limited to one minute for each agenda item. Members of the public wishing to dial in for public comment should view the live-stream of the meeting so they know when the item that they wish to provide comment has been opened. The number is provided below and will also be announced at the start of public comment for each item.

Prior to making public comment, speakers who are watching the meeting via live webcast should make sure the volume on their computer is muted to avoid an echoing or feedback sounds during the call.

Each speaker will be allotted one minute of public comment for each agenda item.

Please use the phone number provided below: Phone number: 667-770-1381 , Participant Access Code: 4337117



CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

FULL BOARD AGENDA

Public Session

Wednesday, January 12, 2022  8:30 a.m. Pacific Time 

California Department of Education

1430 N Street, Room 1101

Sacramento, California 95814

Call to Order

Salute to the Flag

Communications

Announcements

Special Presentations

Public notice is hereby given that special presentations for informational purposes may take place during this session.

Public notice is hereby given that special presentations for informational purposes may take place during this session. Agenda Items

Adjournment

AGENDA ITEMS

PLEASE NOTE: Individual speakers will be limited to one minute each for public comment for each agenda item, and should follow instructions provided above to do so remotely.

Item 01 (DOCX)

Subject: STATE BOARD PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES.

Including, but not limited to, future meeting plans; agenda items; and officer nominations and/or elections; State Board appointments and direction to staff; declaratory and commendatory resolutions; Bylaw review and revision; Board policy; approval of minutes; Board liaison reports; training of Board members; and other matters of interest.

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 02 (DOCX)

Subject: Approval of The Proposed California Community Schools Partnership Program Framework; Approval of the Amendment to the Administrative Plan; and an Update of the California Community Schools Partnership Program Activities.

Type of Action: Action, Information

To meet all 508 requirements for web posting, Attachment 2 was split into three attachments: 2, 2a, and 2b. The item was edited to reflect the new attachment numbering scheme. In addition, the contract number for Attachment 2 was added. The edit to Attachment 4 was to fix a typographical error.

Revised Item 03 (DOCX; Posted 5-Jan-2022)

Item 03 (DOCX)

Subject: The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California: Approval of the Proposed Contract Amendment Extension with the University of California, Santa Cruz for the California Educator Reporting System; Approval of Revisions to the Student Score Reports for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress and the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California; and an Update on Program Activities.

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 04 (DOCX)

Subject: State Annual Performance Report for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 covering program year 202021.

Type of Action: Action, Information

WAIVERS / ACTION AND CONSENT ITEMS

The following agenda items include waivers that are proposed for consent and those waivers scheduled for separate action because CDE staff may have recommended denial or determined that they may present new or unusual issues. Waivers proposed for consent are so indicated on each waivers agenda item; however, any board member may remove a waiver from proposed consent and the item may be heard individually. Action different from that recommended by CDE staff may be taken.

FEDERAL PROGRAM WAIVER (Carl D. Perkins Voc and Tech Ed Act)

Item W-01 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by two school districts for a waiver of Section 131(c)(1) of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Public Law 115-224).

Waiver Numbers:

Cloverdale Unified School District Fed-7-2021

Templeton Unified School District Fed-8-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL)

PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM (Block Schedules)

Item W-02 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by Washington Unified School District to waive portions of California Education Code Section 51222(a), related to the statutory minimum requirement of 400 minutes of physical education each 10 school days for students in grades nine through twelve in order to implement a block schedule at River City High School.

Waiver Number: 2-9-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS)

INSTRUCTIONAL TIME REQUIREMENT AUDIT PENALTY (Below 1982-83 Base Minimum Minutes)

Item W-03 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by National Elementary School District (NESD), a district under the authority of the California Education Code Section 46206(a), to waive Education Code Section 46201(a), the audit penalty for offering insufficient instructional minutes during the 201920 school year.

Waiver Number: 1-8-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS)

SALE OR LEASE OF SURPLUS PROPERTY (Sale or Lease of Surplus Property)

Item W-04 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by three local educational agencies to waive California Education Code sections specific to statutory provisions for the sale or lease of surplus property.

Waiver Numbers:

Beverly Hills Unified School District 1-10-2021

Beverly Hills Unified School District 8-9-2021

North Monterey County Unified School District 5-9-2021

Oceanside Unified School District 9-9-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS)

SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BONDS (Bond Indebtedness Limit - Non-Unified after 2000)

Item W-05 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by three local educational agencies to waive California Education Code sections 15102, 15268, 15106, and 15270(a) to allow the districts to exceed their bonded indebtedness limits. Total bonded indebtedness may not exceed 1.25 percent of the taxable assessed valuation of property for elementary or high school districts and 2.50 percent of the taxable assessed valuation of property for unified school districts. Depending on the type of bond, a tax rate levy limit of $30 per $100,000 of assessed value for elementary or high school districts and $60 per $100,000 of assessed value for unified school districts may also apply.

Waiver Numbers:

Calexico Unified School District 5-10-2021

El Monte City School District 1-11-2021

Rio Elementary School District 7-10-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS)

SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION (60 day Requirement to Fill Board Vacancy)

Item W-06 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by Vallecitos Elementary School District to waive portions of California Education Code Section 5091, which will allow the board of trustees to make a provisional appointment to a vacant board position past the 60-day statutory deadline.

Waiver Number: 7-9-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL)

SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION (Elimination of Election Requirement)

Item W-07 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by Jurupa Unified School District to waive California Education Code Section 5020, and portions of sections 5019, 5021, and 5030, that require a districtwide election to establish a by-trustee-area method of election.

Waiver Number: 4-9-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL)

SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION (Size of Governing Board)

Item W-08 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by San Juan Unified School District to waive California Education Code sections 5020 and 5022, and portions of sections 5018 and 5019, which will allow the district governing board to increase the number of board members from five to seven and fill the two additional board seats through an election.

Waiver Number: 3-10-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS)

SCHOOL DISTRICT REORGANIZATION (Lapsation of a Small District)

Item W-09 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by Big Sur Unified School District to waive portions of California Education Code Section 35780, which require lapsation of a district with an average daily attendance of less than 11 in ninth through twelfth grades.

Waiver Number: 3-9-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS)

SCHOOLSITE COUNCIL STATUTE (Number and Composition of Members)

Item W-10 (DOCX)

Subject: Request by Hilmar Unified School District under the authority of California Education Code (EC) Section 65001(e) for waivers of EC Sections 65000 and 65001, relating to Schoolsite Councils regarding changes in shared, composition, or shared and composition members.

Waiver Number: 2-10-2021

(Recommended for APPROVAL WITH CONDITIONS)

END OF WAIVERS

Item 05 (DOCX)

Subject: State Educational Agency Approval of the 202122 Local Educational Agency Comprehensive Support and Improvement Plans Authorized Under the Every Student Succeeds Act Section 1111(d).

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 06 (DOCX)

Subject: California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California RegulationsApprove Commencement of a 45-Day Public Comment Period for Proposed Amendments to California Code of Regulations, Title 5 (5 CCR), sections 850, 851.5, 853, 854.5, 854.9, 855, 857, 859, and 863 and the Proposed Deletions of sections 854.1, 854.2, 854.3 and 854.4 to implement Education Code Section 60640 and for Proposed Amendments 5 CCR sections 11518, 11518.5, 11518.15, 11518.20, 11518.25, 11518.35, 11518.37, 11518.40, 11518.50, and 11518.65 and the addition of Section 11518.16 to implement Education Code sections 313 and 60810.

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 07 (DOCX)

Subject: Physical Fitness Test  Approve the Finding of Emergency and Proposed Emergency Regulations for Amendments to the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 1040.

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 08 (DOCX)

Subject: Approval of 202122 Consolidated Applications.

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 09 (DOCX)

Subject: Approval of a Charter School Number Assigned to a Newly Established Charter School.

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 10 (DOCX)

Subject: Consideration of Requests for Determination of Funding as Required for Nonclassroom-based Charter Schools Pursuant to California Education Code sections 47612.5 and 47634.2, and Associated California Code of Regulations, Title 5.

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 11 (DOCX)

Subject: 2022 United States Senate Youth Program: Recognition of Californias Selected Student Delegates and Alternates.

Type of Action: Information

Pursuant to EC 47607(g), Item 12 is no longer a public hearing as of December 29, 2021

Item 12 and Item 12 Attachment 1 were revised on December 31, 2021 because the October attendance for ECA is 14 students not 15 students.

Revised Item 12 (DOCX; Posted 31-Dec-2021)

Item 12 (DOCX)

Subject: Eagle Collegiate Academy: Consider Issuing a Notice of Violation Pursuant to California Education Code Section 47607(g).

Type of Action: Action, Information

Item 13 (DOCX)

Subject: GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

Public Comment is invited on any matter not included on the printed agenda. Depending on the number of individuals wishing to address the State Board, the presiding officer may establish specific time limits on presentations.

Type of Action: Information

ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING

This agenda is posted on the State Board of Educations Web site [https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/ag/]. For more information concerning this agenda, please contact the State Board of Education at 1430 N Street, Room 5111, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone 916-319-0827; and facsimile 916-319-0175. Members of the public wishing to send written comments about an agenda item to the board are encouraged to send an electronic copy to SBE@cde.ca.gov, with the item number clearly marked in the subject line no later than 12 Noon on Friday, January 7, 2022. Additional opportunities to provide public comment during the meeting are detailed under SBE Meeting Logistics.

Questions: State Board of Education | sbe@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0827

Last Reviewed: Wednesday, January 5, 2022
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Friday released its plan to administer its portion of the federal American Rescue Plan in Tennessee, outlining the departments approach for improved water infrastructure in communities across the state.

Tennessee receives $3.725 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, designed to help Americans recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Bill Lee invited state agencies and stakeholders to submit proposals for consideration in the comprehensive Tennessee Resiliency Plan, developed in response to the ARP. The states Financial Stimulus Accountability Group, established by the governor, has dedicated $1.35 billion of the states total to water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure projects. TDEC is charged with administering the program and has issued its Water Infrastructure Investment Plan to outline the process.

These funds will help us address critical needs in water infrastructure in communities throughout our state, Governor Lee said. We are engaging leaders from counties across Tennessee and want to apply these funds with the most efficient and helpful process as possible.

We are eager to provide Tennesseans with quality water service wherever it is needed, TDEC Commissioner David Salyers said. While this initiative wont cover all of our needs in this area, it will be a major step forward, and we look forward to the upgrades this program will bring.

The plan can be found at this link.

TDEC will host a virtual town hall on the plan Monday, where Tennesseans may learn about the process, accessible at this link. Webinars on the plan will be held on Jan. 18, 2022 from noon-1 p.m., on Jan. 19 from 3-4 p.m., and Jan. 20 from 9-10 a.m. In-person grant workshops will be offered across the state in February and March 2022. Funds from the ARP must be obligated by Dec. 31, 2024 and expended by Dec. 31, 2026.

TDEC officials emphasized that the funding is a limited, one-time event and does not meet the total need for water infrastructure improvements in the state. Reports from the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the TN H2O plan led by TDEC say the necessary investment in Tennessee water infrastructure ranges from $5 billion to $15 billion between now and 2040.

Of the $1.35 billion from the ARP, approximately $1 billion will be offered in the form of non-competitive grants to communities for eligible infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, $269 million of the total will go to state-initiated projects, and the remaining funds will go toward competitive grants.

The Water Infrastructure Investment Plan was developed by TDEC based on input provided by leaders and experts from agencies internal and external to state government. A variety of stakeholders have a vested interest in ensuring strategic use of the funds. The department sought public comment for its draft plan and received approximately 300 comments from approximately 180 individuals or entities. Those comments were seriously considered in development of the plan.

Several entities within state government currently have responsibilities in statute and rule relating to water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure, including but not limited to TDEC, the Tennessee Department of Economic Development and the Comptroller of the Treasury.

Given the volume of ARP funding, TDEC has formed an advisory group, the Water Infrastructure Advisory Committee, which will identify priorities and projects suited for the funds; promote responsible administration of the funding; and track the progress associated with the projects and activities involved. The WIAC is chaired by TDEC and reports to the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group.

TDEC has posted a page for the WIAC online and will publish relevant materials there.
The Collegedale Police Departments Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Program Manager Kat Volzer donated bicycles of all sizes this morning to The Forgotten Child Fund Toy Drive, happening today, and to the City of Collegedales efforts to help the tornado victims in Mayfield, Ky.



Ms. Volzer was hired as the citys Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety manager in 2018, a position that has been funded by a grant through the Tennessee Highway Safety Office. Kat The Bike Lady, as shes known throughout the area, covers not only the City of Collegedale, but also the

Mid-Cumberland region of the state as part of her responsibilities through the state grant.



The Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety program was created by the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration and adopted by THSO to promote safe pedestrian and bicycle practices in Tennessee. The program is also designed to educate drivers to share the road safely with other road users.



We are glad to have Kat on our Collegedale team said Chief Jack Sapp. Her commitment to

bike and pedestrian safety has been a very positive addition to the services our agency provides.



The Collegedale Police Department encourages everyone to remember todays Forgotten Child

Fund Toy Drive. Toy drop-off locations are at the Collegedale Walmart as well as several other

area Walmart stores.



The City of Collegedale and the Collegedale Tomorrow Foundation, Inc. are also collecting

donations at City Hall for the tornado victims in Mayfield, Kentucky until Wednesday,

Dec. 22.
A woman told police she pulled into the Smiles Fuels at 7900 Shallowford Road, parked her car in front of the gas pumps and left her vehicle running. She walked into the store to grab some smokes and as she was checking out she looked outside and saw a bald white male was getting into her vehicle. She ran outside and the car pulled out of the parking lot, traveling south on Jenkins Road. She said that her keys were in the car, but she does have another set. She said that her cell phone was in the car and she attempted to track the phone but after using the find my iPhone app it took it back to her home address. Police drove back to the gas station to review the video footage and found that there was a bald white male who approached the store on foot from Shallowford Road. He walked into the store and used the restroom. He then walked outside and the woman pulled up. He walked over to her car, got in the unlocked vehicle and left the parking lot. The officer was able to capture a still photo of the man and it was sent out to CPD Sworn and the video will be forwarded to Auto Crimes. The car was placed in NCIC. The only thing that made the vehicle stick out was some paint transfer on the front bumper and a slight dent on the trunk.

* * *

An officer responded to a residence on Taylor Street on a report of an open door. Police were told they believed no one lived at the house anymore and that the back door was open. Upon arrival police found the front door to be locked and the back door was open. Police saw lights on and possible music coming from inside. The officer announced, Chattanooga Police Department but did not make contact with anyone in the residence. Police then cleared the residence and found no indication of forced entry. The house was secured.

* * *

Police received a call from an employee at YMCA at 301 West 6th St. about a found credit card. Upon arrival police spoke with the employee at the front desk who said they were going to hold the credit card for a few days in case someone calls in about it.

* * *

Police were called to 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd. where they were told by employees a man was sitting on a nearby staircase and may be armed. Police identified the man who said he was picking up his relative from Dave and Busters. The man allowed police to disarm him of a Taurus revolver and run the weapon for a stolen status. The mans relative arrived while police still had possession of the gun. The weapon returned as not being stolen. The firearm was returned to the man and he promptly left the area with his relative.

* * *



The owner of Fabric Care Laundry at 5310 Brained Road told police a homeless, black male was loitering at the laundromat and refused to leave. When the officer arrived and spoke with the owner, he said the man had walked outside, started yelling at him, and then walked to a business next door. The officer spoke with the man and identified him. He was instructed to not return to the property and that he would be subject to arrest for criminal trespassing if he did. The man had no warrants and was released.

* * *

Police responded to a kitchen window alarm on Sylvan Avenue. The officer found a small front window was broken but there were no obvious signs of entry. Using the alarm company, the officer tried to get in contact with the home owner but was unsuccessful.

* * *

A woman told police she had lost her wallet at Cracker Barrel at 50 Birmingham Hwy. the previous evening. She said she later realized about an hour after she left that she had left it on a table there. She went back around 10 p.m. but the staff couldnt find it anywhere, so she's not sure what happened to it.

* * *

A man on Ridge Top Drive told police he lost his wallet between 1 and 3 p.m. the day before. He's not sure exactly where he last had it and so he's not sure what happened to it but he believes he may have dropped it in the yard.

* * *

A woman at American Wings at 4011 Brainerd Road told police she left her cell phone on the counter. When she returned, the phone was gone. Security footage showed a heavy set, black female taking the phone and leaving in a mid 2000's Chevy Yukon. Shortly after, an unknown white male turned the phone in to the Police Service Center. No other information was available for the female suspect. The phone was returned to the original owner.

* * *

A woman told police she parked her RV at USA Storage at 6115 Mountain View Road about six weeks ago and it was fine. She started it yesterday and it was extremely loud. She took it to a repair shop and was told that the catalytic converter had been cut off. She said she does not have a statement as yet for the repair.

* * *

An 18-wheeler drove into someones yard on North Concord Road. Police said as they drove through the yard, the 18-wheeler damaged a stop sign at the intersection. Public Works was notified of the incident and that the stop sign was damaged.

* * *

Police were called to Colonial Shores Drive for an alarm. They found the back door unsecured. The homeowner was notified via phone and police cleared the residence. Nothing was located and nothing looked out of place. The owner arrived on scene and secured the door. The residence was placed on the watch list for two weeks.

* * *

Police were asked to check on a residence on Jacq Court. The officer never got a response at any doors or windows. The officer could only see inside through one window but could not see anyone inside. Police spoke to a neighbor who said she hasn't seen the woman in almost a month and she normally tells people when she is leaving. She also said she did not cancel her paper subscription so the neighbor has collected 26 of her papers so they would not pile up in the driveway. The neighbor said she thinks she has a house somewhere in Florida but isn't sure. The officer tried calling the womans cell phone but did not get an answer - same with the home phone. The officer left a message on her cellphone.

* * *

A man at the Red Roof Inn at 7014 Shallowford Road was highly agitated that he was overcharged. He said he had two pending charges on his account from the motel when he only purchased one night. An employee at Red Roof Inn gave a printed receipt that showed there was only one charge. It was explained to the man that since the reservation was made through booking.com he would have to follow up with them for any wrong or inaccurate charges.

* * *

Police were called to an apartment on Whirlaway Drive. They spoke with a white male standing in front of his apartment door. He was intoxicated, was unsteady while standing, and admitted to consuming alcohol. He identified himself and said he wanted to wait outside the apartment building until he was able to calm down. The officer spoke with his wife who said her husband had arrived home from work and started drinking. He was frustrated about a leaking dishwasher which triggered an argument between them. She was fine with her husband being in the apartment but wanted him to calm down first. The man wanted to take a brief walk in order to calm down before returning home.

* * *

While patrolling on Wilson Street an officer saw a silver Acura displaying a Tennessee tag. The officer found the tag to be registered to a different vehicle and noticed the car to match the description of a stolen vehicle out of East Ridge with unknown tag and VIN. After speaking with the East Ridge Police Department it was determined that the vehicle was stolen but later recovered by the owner, who failed to report the recovery.

* * *

An officer responded to an open door on Dorris Street. On arrival, police met with a woman who said the back door was left open. Police searched the residence and found no evidence of someone entering the home. Police secured the door and left.

* * *

A woman on East 25th Street Court told police that a man she had attempted to help previously had returned to her home and had been banging on the door. The woman said the man was not wanted at her residence any further. Police checked the area for the man but were unable to find him. The woman was told to call police back should he return and cause a further disorder.

* * *

Police were called to check on an abandoned car in the roadway at 4800 North Terrace. The officer found a 2019 silver Mitsubishi Outlander with an America's Car-Mart registration displayed. From the car's location in the roadway, it appeared that it had run out of fuel and the occupants left the area. By doing a little investigative work, the officer found the car was still listed on America's Car-Mart website. The auto dealership is at 5701 Ringgold Road. The officer tried to speak with someone at the auto dealership but was unable to. The officer also contacted the East Ridge Police Department about the vehicle and informed them that it was possibly stolen off the car lot. The car was towed from North Terrace by Monteagle Towing and towed to 5808 Conner Lane.

* * *

A man at Songbirds at 61 East Main St. said he was outside of the music hall when he noticed a man and woman arguing inside a silver sedan, possibly a Malibu or Impala. The woman was screaming, Let me out, and when she attempted to open the door, the man floored it and took off with her southbound on Market Street. The man said the male was black but he could not tell the race of the female or any other descriptors. Officers checked the area for the vehicle but were unable to locate anything.
Friends, family and Georgia Northwestern Technical College faculty and staff gathered beside the greenhouses at the Floyd County Campus in Rome on Friday to pay tribute to David Warren, former director of the Horticulture program at GNTC.Mr. Warren passed away unexpectedly in June.The ceremony memorialized Mr. Warren in two of the most appropriate ways for a horticulturist and educator to be celebrated, by dedicating a tree in his memory and presenting the first David Warren Scholarship to a Horticulture student.David Warren was an exceptional teacher and head of GNTCs Horticulture program.We are so grateful to the Warren family and other donors who have made the David Warren Memorial Scholarship possible, Dr. Heidi Popham, president of GNTC, said. The scholarship is a fitting tribute to David.The David Warren Memorial Scholarship was established to support outstanding Horticulture students and to honor the memory of a lifelong educator.Mr. Warren was so dedicated to his students and program, Dr. Elizabeth Anderson, vice president of Academic Affairs, said. He always had a smile on his face and was so pleasant to be around. Mr. Warren is greatly missed.In attendance at the ceremony were several members of Mr. Warrens family, including his grandchildren, who affectionately called him "Buddy."David and Diane Warren were married for over 40 years. The couple have three children, two daughters, Mary McNeeley, of Cartersville and Anna Woods, of Rome, and a son, Dr. Thomas Warren, of Albertville, Al.., and five grandchildren, Mollie Mae Warren, William Foster Liam McNeeley, Tyson David Warren, Cameron Ishmael Woods and Macklin Warren Woods.Dianne presented the first David Warren Memorial Scholarship to recipient Ben Niles.Mr. Niles is a GNTC horticulture student from Resaca.After the scholarship and tree dedication, friends and family gathered around a Japanese maple which Mr. Warren had planted.The Warren family lifted the drape off of the tree plaque that reads, David Warren, an incredible and multi-talented teacher who inspired generations of Horticulture students and growers alike. His positive influence lives on in all of us.Dr. Thomas Warren thanked Dr. Popham, faculty and staff and the GNTC Foundation. You will never know what this school meant to my father or what GNTC means to our family, thank you, he said.The David Warren Memorial Tree is located beside the greenhouses on GNTCs Floyd County Campus.Prior to being the director of the Horticulture program at GNTC, Mr. Warren was an instructor at the Floyd County College and Career Academy for nearly 30 years and served as the Future Farmers of America advisor for many years.The Foundation at GNTC has established the David Warren Memorial Horticulture Scholarship Fund in his honor. There are two ways to contribute to the to the David Warren Scholarship fund. For online giving options, visit www.gntc.edu and click on donate in the upper-right corner. Write Warren in the notes section. For mail options, make check payable to GNTC Foundation and send to: GNTC Foundation, One Maurice Culberson Dr., Rome, Ga. 30161. Write Warren in the memo line.
Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, commented after the Senate voted to confirm Rahm Emanuel to succeed him as the next U.S. Ambassador to Japan:

Congratulations to my successor and our next U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel. Given the significant challenges in the Indo-Pacific and the need for the United States to demonstrate strength in the region.

"I believe strongly that this position has remained vacant for far too long, which is why it was a priority for me to help confirm a nominee.

Though our political backgrounds couldnt be more different, Ambassador Emanuel shares my unwavering conviction that the U.S.-Japan relationship is the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in one of the most strategically important regions of the world.

"Through our lengthy conversations, he demonstrated his understanding of the challenges as well as the expectations, including his commitment to me to secure the timely release of Tennessean Greg Kelly from Japans inhumane and so-called hostage justice system. I know firsthand that our new Ambassadors days will not be easy, but that he - along with his family - are up to the task and will be warmly welcomed by the people of Japan.

"As the former Ambassador and member of the Senate, I will always be available to support our nations diplomatic presence in this critical region. I wish Ambassador Emanuel all the best as he begins his new and highly strategic role representing the United States of America.
Jimmy Ray McKinney, 81, passed away peacefully at home on December 16, 2021.

Born and raised in Birchwood, Tn., Jimmy was the youngest of nine children. He graduated from the University of Chattanooga, eventually earning a Master of Education degree in 1969. He retired in 2000, after nearly 40 years of teaching in the Hamilton County Public School System. Another important part of his life began when he joined the Harrison Ruritan Club in 1968. After years of hard work and dedication, in 2005, Jimmy was elected as the National Ruritan Office President. Other honors include the Chamber of Commerce Teacher of the Year Award, Honorary Life Member PTA (reaching the highest level in the Tennessee Career Ladder Program), and President of the Hamilton County Education Association.

Jimmy was preceded in death by his mother, Willie Samples McKinney, and father, James Ernest McKinney.

He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Judy; children, Teresa, Kathy, Angela (Jon Oliver) and Ray; grandchildren, Melissa, Paisley (Marvin Crockett), Diego and Jared; great-grandchildren, Savannah and Damien, and great-great-grandchild, Perseus.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, Dec. 21, from 48 p.m. at Turner Funeral Home, Highway 58 Chapel.

Visitation will also be held on Wednesday, Dec. 22, from 11 a.m.1 p.m. A funeral service will follow in the chapel at 1 p.m. with Pastor Glen Jones officiating.

Jimmy will be laid to rest in McInturff Cemetery in Birchwood.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to help cover medical and funeral expenses. Donations can be dropped off or mailed to the family: 9131 North Hickory Valley Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37416.

Share your memories and express your condolences at www.turnerfamilyfuneralhome. com

Arrangements are by Turner Funeral Home, Highway 58 Chapel, 423 622-3171.
Its been 19 years since the unexpected death of TLC member, Lisa Left Eye Lopes. The rapper died in a car crash in Honduras in 2002. Left Eye is credited with the artistic vision and creativity of the group. Her passing left a void in the group, who were in the middle of finishing an album and prepping a tour, as well as the music industry.

TLC pose for a studio portrait in 1999 | Ron Davis/Getty Images

Within months, the remaining TLC members, Chilli and T-Boz, were forced to promote their music. Chilli says going full speed into promotion didnt allow her and T-Boz to have a real grieving process.

Chilli says the label pushed for the group to promote their album amid Left Eyes death

Immediately after Left Eyes death, Chilli and T-Boz were in a whirlwind of interviews and media to discuss the tragedy, as well as Left Eyes impact. On top of that, Chilli recently told the Detroit Metro Times that their record label wanted to capitalize off of Left Eyes death with music.

We did not get the chance to grieve properly, she said The label wanted to put out a greatest hits and we were like, Our sister just passed away. It really was tough.

Chilli recalls having to perform their songs on stage as Left Eyes parts rang out in the background. At times, there was also a video marquee of Left Eye so that audiences felt she was part of the performance.

Source: YouTube

RELATED: Inside The Love Triangle Between Lisa Left Eye Lopes, Andre Rison, and Tupac Shakur

Her parts would come, and the screens would come up, we could never look at the screens, she remembers. I remember we performed, I believe at the American Music AwardsI remember I saw the screens and I had to hurry and get off the stage because I broke down. Its one of those things that time helps, but you would have those moments where it just hits you and it hits you very hard.

She also admits there were days she and T-Boz didnt get along, but they refused to split up and vowed to honor the legacy. We were family and we always stuck together, she added. Despite Left Eyes death, they released their fourth album, 3D, six months after Lopes passed. There were rumors that the label wanted a replacement, but Chilli and T-Boz refused.

RELATED: TLCs T-Bozs Ex-Husband, Rapper Mack 10, Says Abuse Allegations Were Created By Her Lawyers

We can never replace her, Chilli declared. All we can do is carry on her legacy. I still love her and I miss her with all of my heart. Tionne is my sister. Lisa is my sister, thats our bond and it can not be broken.

TLC to tour in celebration of the anniversary of their sophomore album CrazySexyCool

2019 marked the 25th anniversary of CrazySexyCool. The album featured hit singles like Creep and Waterfalls. They planned to embark on a national tour, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, plans were stalled. Now, the tour is resuming and starting in the UK. The tour is set to go through 2022.

Source: YouTube

RELATED: 25 Years After TLCs Hit Single Creep: Fun Facts About The Famous Song

T-Boz told The New York Post that they continue to feel the essence of Lefy Eye all of these years later and perform in her honor.

Its something you never get over, but you learn how to live and move forward with the situation, she said. You have to find your new normal. But when we perform, we always keep her energy alive. Its about a celebration of life now  what we accomplished together, what we built together, the body of work  and we feel her presence.
We dont know when and if well ever see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle join the royal family again for the annual walk to church service on Christmas morning at Sandringham. The Duchess of Sussex spent the first two years she and Harry were together at the estate in Norfolk but in 2019, the couple celebrated in Canada before moving to California in 2020.

The royals exchange presents on Christmas Eve, attend mass on Christmas Day, and enjoy a festive lunch and dinner feast together. But how do Meghan and Harry celebrate Christmas on the other side of the pond?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arriving to the Christmas Day morning church service in Sandringham, Norfolk | Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images

How Prince Harry and Meghan are reportedly spending Christmas this year

While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not publicly confirm their Christmas plans yet this year, no one expected them to travel to England given the tensions with some royals following their interview with Oprah Winfrey.

A royal aide told Page Six that the Sussexes were invited to the Sandringham House but the queen would have been notified well in advance if they were going to attend. So as of now, it doesnt appear that everyone is ready to sit down and have dinner together. Theres a lot that goes into the logistics and the planning of the family Christmas, so of course, staff knows that Harry and Meghan are not coming. If they were, they would have communicated it to their family by now, a member of the royal household said.

Harry has only been back to England twice since moving to the U.S., while Meghan has not been back at all.

The couple welcomed a daughter, Lilibet Diana, earlier this year which makes it their first Christmas as a family of four. They are expected to celebrate the holiday at their Montecito home with Meghans mother, Doria Ragland. The duchess loves to cook and a number of media outlets have reported that she and Harry could entertain some Hollywood pals as well including Katharine McPhee and David Foster.

Meghan Markle, Doria Ragland, and Prince Harry at a cookbook launch event | Ben Stansall  WPA Pool/Getty Images

Prince Harry was mistaken for a tree salesman when the couple picked out their tree

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated their first Christmas in 2020 at their Montecito home as well. We know that they went Christmas tree shopping in Santa Barbara and thats when Harry was mistaken for tree salesman.

According to Express, the pair visited a store just a few miles from their house called Big Wave Daves Christmas Trees & Pumpkin Patch. The couple reportedly thought they had the all-clear that the store was empty so they could go in and shop. However, there was still one family inside and thats when someone mistook Harry for a tree salesman.

James Almaguer, who is a sales associate at the shop and was there the day Harry and Meghan were, relayed the story and said that a child still inside the store walked up to Harry and asked him if he was a worker.

Prince Harry smiling while visiting the Danish Veteran Centre in Copenhagen | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Megan and Prince Harry came into my work today and we sold them their Christmas tree, he announced on social media at the time. It was anticlimactic, but a very, very interesting experience. There was one family in there and their stoked little son ran through trees up to Harry and asked if he worked here not knowing who that is.

Almaguer added: They seemed like very nice people, honestly. Meghan sounds very kind and Harry sounded and acted like a chill lad honestly. Im really glad they liked our trees. We got the best we could get. Very appreciative.

RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Chose to Quit the Royal Family After Queen Elizabeth Snubbed Them, Author Claims
The Parton family is a large one. Dolly Parton is the fourth of 12 children who lived in the familys two-room Tennessee home. With so many young children to raise, Partons mother, Avie Lee Owens, had to get creative with ways to keep them in line. One of these was slightly surprising: she felt she had to keep the kids sad enough to be good. Heres how she did this.

Dolly Parton | Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

Dolly Parton grew up in a large family

Growing up, Parton and her siblings had to rely on one another. Their father, Lee Parton, was busy working the land, and their mother felt exhausted and focused on the youngest child. This meant that the older siblings had to care for the younger ones.

Merry Christmas, everybody! May you be merry and bright, and enjoy time with friends and family today.  pic.twitter.com/1Oka8XLcDz  Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) December 25, 2018

There were so many of us that we, each older one, had to take care of the others, Parton said on Hallmark Home & Family. Mom was just having one baby. There was only 18 months to two years difference in our ages. So as the kids started multiplying, mom would say, Well, this ones going to be your baby.

Tragically, the child who Parton was going to help raise died. She said that the loss crushed both her and her mother.

Her mother worked to keep the kids sad enough

As raising 12 children put a lot of work on Owens plate, she tried different tactics to keep them on their best behavior.

Mother controlled us with religion, fear, and love, Partons sister Willadeene said, per the book Smart Blonde: Dolly Parton by Stephen Miller. When none of these worked, she told papa on us.

Lee Parton disciplined his children with whippings. Though Parton said he sometimes hit them a bit too hard, she joked that she probably should have been whipped more often. Because telling Lee Parton about any misbehavior was the final step, Owens first tried different methods to keep the children in line. One of these included singing to them, not to lull them but to make them upset.

When youve got 12 kids youve got to do something to keep them out of meanness, Owens explained. Id sing till theyd cry. If I kept them sad enough, theyd quit fighting.

Dolly Parton said her mother was one of her first musical influences

Though some of the songs made her cry, Parton said that her mother was one of her earliest musical influences.

I grew up in a very musical family, especially on my mothers side, Parton wrote in her book Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. So it was just natural for my mom to always be singing. My mother had that old-timey voice, and she used to sing all these songs that were brought over from the Old World. They were English, Irish, Welsh, folk songs where people tell stories.

Happy Mother's Day! Be sure to show your love to all the mamas today! pic.twitter.com/LN3oD8wgS3  Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) May 13, 2018

When Parton sings, she wants listeners to feel Owens influence.

I want you to feel it when Im telling you the story, she said. Mama singing all those old-timey mountain songs was just embedded in my soul, in my psyche. I call it my Smoky Mountain DNA.

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Its time to go back to Brookfield. When Hope Calls Season 2 premieres Dec. 18 with a special, two-part Christmas episode on GAC Family. The return of the When Calls the Heart spinoff  which premiered in 2019 on Hallmark Movies Now  will surely have some fans wondering where the show is filmed and if Brookfield is a real place

When Hope Calls is set in a fictional town

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When Hope Calls is set in Canada in the early 20th century. The shows action takes place in a fictional town called Brookfield. It was founded as a mining town, but eventually, the gold dried up. The current residents have worked to keep their community alive and make sure it doesnt turn into a ghost town.

Brookfield is home to an orphanage run by sisters Lillian (Morgan Kohan) and Grace (Jocelyn Hudon). In the Christmas special, Brookfield is in the running for the title of No. 1 Country Christmas Town, awarded by Harpers Bazaar.

When Hope Calls Season 2 was filmed in Canada

When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas | GAC Family

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On TV, the town of Brookfield isnt that far from Hope Valley, where When Calls the Heart takes place. But the two shows are actually filmed in two very different parts of Canada.

Production on When Calls the Heart happens at the Jamestown Movie Set in Langley, British Columbia, about an hour south of Vancouver. When Hope Calls is filmed in Powassan, Ont., about 3 hours north of Toronto.

We are sitting out in a beautiful field in North Bay, [Ont.], but they created the whole town, constructed it in I believe it was 11 weeks, Kohan explained in a behind-the-scenes video for Hallmark ahead of the shows season 1 premiere in 2019 (via YouTube).

These sets have been created for our show, Hudon said.

For season 1, there were three main sets: the orphanage, the town of Brookfield, and the Stewart ranch.

When Hope Calls star RJ Hatanaka said the set helped build the universe of the show

RJ Hatanaka, who will return as Mountie Gabriel Winslow in When Hope Calls Season 2, said that the set helped him get into the zone as an actor.

It was unbelievable, he said. Youre immediately transported into this early 1900s town [with] functional stores you can go in and just take a walk around. So it really just helps as an actor to build the universe for yourself.

The themes of town and community will run through the upcoming season of When Hope Calls, Kohan said in a preview special that aired on GAC Family on Dec. 11.

One of the themes that plays throughout all of the episodes that weve done previously, and these, is the sense of community, she said. And how important it is for a person and a town to thrive.

When Hope Calls Season 2 premieres Saturday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on GAC Family.

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There has been no change in leadership for the Cheshire Board of Education, after members nominated current Chair and Vice Chair Tony Perugini and Adam Grippo, respectively, to continue in those positions for the coming term.

Both nominations were approved unanimously by the Board on Thursday, Dec. 9, during a business meeting, with Perugini and Grippo thanking their colleagues for the continued support.

I am thankful to the citizens of Cheshire for once again giving me their trust for another four-year term, Grippo added. I pledge to continue the work that weve been doing the last four years, and I hope that we represent the wishes of (the public) going forward.

I want to thank my fellow Board members, Perugini continued. This really does mean a lot to me, so I am thankful for your continued support over the years.  We had a great deal of outstanding candidates (this election cycle) and it was nice to see so many folks stepping up, as these are not easy roles to have. 

Perugini, who is beginning his 12th year on the Board, was also recently appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Association for Boards of Education (CABE), allowing him to represent Cheshire at a higher level.

In addition to Chair and Vice Chair, the Board also unanimously approved the appointment of BOE member Anne Harrigan to the position of secretary. Previously, Kathryn Hallen, who chose not to seek re-election in 2021, had served in that role

After the appointments, Perugini took the time to welcome the newest BOE member, Samantha Rosenberg, who will be serving her first term on the Board.

Id like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the citizens of our somewhat tiny but mighty town, Rosenberg said. Im very excited and grateful to serve our community as a member of the Cheshire Board of Education.  As you all know, I am an educator by profession and I strongly believe that being an educator is an honor and a privilege in and of itself.

Teaching is about offering hope and empowering new generations to enact change for the betterment of humanity, she continued, and, as an educator, I feel most obliged to serve as the messenger of that calling.  I look forward to using my years of experience as a parent, a passionate educator, and drawing from my various community involvement to my work here on the Board. 

Before moving on to other business, Superintendent of Schools Jeff Solan asked that the Board observe a moment of silence to recognize former Highland School teacher Patty Ianniello, who recently passed away, and then read an excerpt from her obituary.

 She was a teacher at Highland Elementary School for 34 years and she committed a lot of her life to the kids in our community and to her fellow teachers , he read. Patty was kind, and constantly demonstrated a love of life for children. She was a pleasure to be around. Her loss is deeply felt in our teaching and broader community.

Our condolences lie with Mrs. Ianniello and her family, added Perugini.

Concerning committee assignments for the Board, they are as follows: Board member Faith Ham will chair the Curriculum Committee once again; Grippo will chair the Finance and Policy Committees; Tim White will chair the Legislative, Transportation, and Personnel Committees; Harrigan will chair the Liaison and the School Modernization Committees; and Andrew Martelli will chair the Planning and Public Information Committees.
Update (Dec. 20): The missionary hostages made a daring escape overnight, instead of being released after a paid ransom, according to new details from Christian Aid Ministries.

All the former hostages from a US-based missionary group kidnapped in Haiti have been flown out of the country after a two-month ordeal, the leader of their Ohio-based missions organization said Friday, as he also extended an offer of forgiveness to their captors.

David Troyer, general director of Christian Aid Ministries, said in a video statement that a US-flagged plane left the Caribbean nation Thursday afternoon carrying the last 12 kidnapped missionaries, hours after they were freed earlier in the day.

Everyone including the 10-month-old baby, the 3-year-old boy, and the 6-year-old boy seem to be doing reasonably well, Troyer said.

The last releases came two months to the day after the group of 16 Americans and one Canadianincluding five childrenwere kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang, which initially demanded millions of dollars in ransom. The other five had been freed earlier.

Troyer did not comment on the circumstances of the release, such as whether ransom was paid or a rescue effort was involved, but expressed thanks to the US government and all others who assisted in the safe return of our hostages.

Thank you for understanding our desire to pursue nonviolent approaches," he added, without elaboration.

Based in Berlin, Ohio, Christian Aid Ministries, or CAM, is supported and staffed by conservative Anabaptists, a range of Mennonite, Amish, and related groups whose hallmarks include nonresistance to evil, plain dress, and separation from mainstream society.

In keeping with Anabaptist teaching, which puts a premium on forgiveness, Troyer offered conciliatory words to the captors.

A word to the kidnappers: We do not know all of the challenges you face. We do believe that violence and oppression of others can never be justified. You caused our hostages and their families a lot of suffering, he said.

However, Jesus taught us by word and by his own example that the power of forgiving love is stronger than the hate of violent force, he said. Therefore, we extend forgiveness to you.

Troyer said the hostages had prayed for their captors and told them about Gods love and their need to repent.

Image: Screenshot - Christian Aid Ministries

The missionaries were abducted October 16 shortly after visiting an orphanage in Ganthier, in the Croix-des-Bouquets area, where they verified it had received aid from CAM and played with the children, Troyer said.

As they became aware of what was happening at the time of capture, the group began singing the chorus, The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them, Troyer said, quoting from Psalm 34. This song became a favorite of theirs, and they sang it many times throughout their days of captivity.

The hostages remained together as a group throughout, he said, in prayer, in song, and encouraging each other. Unfortunately, they did not have a Bible, but they recited Bible verses by memory among themselves, he said.

Troyer said CAM workers were aware of dangers in Haiti, where gang activity and kidnappings have been on the rise.

But the organization often works in such perilous places precisely because that is usually where the biggest needs are, he added.

CAM hopes to continue working in Haiti, Troyer said, while acknowledging that it will need to bolster security protocols and better instruct our people about the dangers involved.

Authorities have said 400 Mawozo was demanding $1 million per person in ransom, although it wasnt clear if that included the children. The gangs leader had threatened to kill the hostages unless his demands were met.

Also Friday, a meeting including representatives of 14 countries, various international organizations, and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry produced broad commitments to address security and the political and economic situation in the impoverished Caribbean nation, according to a top US diplomat.

Brian A. Nichols, assistant secretary at the State Departments Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, said on a conference call that the US government plans to send experts to train the Haitian National Police SWAT team.

In another pledge, Japan promised $3 million in aid including for the construction of police housing and facilities.

Nichols said there was discussion of some nations potentially deploying police to Haiti for activities such as training or mentoring local officers, though that would require more discussion first. He said there was broad agreement that the security situation in the country is a policing challenge, not a military one.

Nichols did not provide details on how the hostages were freed, citing respect for their privacy. Asked about rumors that a ransom was paid, he declined to comment other than to say the United States government does not pay ransom for hostages.

Troyer said CAM thanks the news media for being courteous, patient, and understanding  during this ordeal. You spread the news of this difficult situation far and wide, which in turn resulted in untold numbers of prayers to our great God by His people all over the world, he said.

Troyer also directed a message to the Haitian people:

We say thank you to the many people of Haiti who have expressed their regret for this incident and offered their prayers and words of encouragement to us. While this time has been very difficult for all involved, Christian Aid Ministries desires to continue to walk with you in the future as best we can. You have resiliently responded to crisis after crisis, and our sincere hope is that your country will flourish both economically and spiritually.

It is important for Christians to continue to pray and support the former hostages as they have been traumatized and need healing, Edner Jeanty, executive director of the Barnabas Christian Leadership Center in Port-au-Prince, told CT. It is also important to remember that Haitian brothers and sisters are being kidnapped routinely. Help us pray for the peace of the country because our welfare depends on its peace (Jer. 27:4).

Christians in Haiti, both Haitian church leaders and other American missionaries, recently explained their concerns to CT about how the CAM workers could be released in ways that would embolden the gangs that have brought life in Haiti to a standstill.

Meanwhile, the consistently loving prayers of CAM supporters for the kidnappers themselves reveal three Anabaptist distinctives that other Christians should find both familiar and thought provoking, according to experts at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies.

CTs Quick to Listen podcast recently explored how Haitian Christians persevere through crises and whether God really wants missionaries to risk their lives.

Additional reporting by CT.
17 Missionaries leave Haiti after kidnapping, everyone doing reasonably well CAM reveals

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The 17 missionaries who were kidnapped in Haiti are now all doing reasonably well and have left the troubled Caribbean nation where they spent each day of their captivity praying, singing and calling on their kidnappers to repent, said David Troyer, general director of the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, on Friday.

A U.S.-flagged plane left Haiti with the remaining freed hostages yesterday afternoon.

Everyone, including the 10-month-old baby, the 3-year-old and the 6-year-old boys, seem to be doing reasonably well, Troyer revealed in a statement formally confirming the release of all the missionaries who were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang on Oct. 16.

The international charity first announced the release of the final 12 missionaries 11 days after the release of three others on Dec. 5. Some two weeks prior to that, the gang released two missionaries described as sick adults.

Troyer, who took the opportunity to thank a long list of supporters during the two monthslong hostage crisis, did not say whether a ransom of $1 million for each missionary was paid to the gang for their release, but he said the group forgives them.

We do not know all of the challenges you face. We do believe that violence and oppression of others can never be justified. You caused our hostages and their families a lot of suffering. However, Jesus taught us by word and by His own example that the power of forgiving love is stronger than the hate of violent force. Therefore, we extend forgiveness to you. The hostages told you plainly how you can also be forgiven by God, if you repent, Troyer said, choking up. Our desire is that you and all who hear or read this statement may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Savior, the Son of God, and the Prince of Peace. Jesus died for all so that all can be saved.

He further explained that on Oct. 16, when the missionaries realized that they were being kidnapped after leaving an orphanage where they had gone to verify aid was received from the charity, the group began singing the chorus, The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them, based on Psalm 34:7 and it became one of their favorite anthems during their captivity.

Troyer said the missionaries also spent much of their time together during their captivity and prayed for the gang, among other things.

The hostages were able to spend their captivity together as a group. They spent many hours of each day praying, singing and encouraging each other. Unfortunately, they did not have a Bible, but they recited Bible verses by memory among themselves. They prayed for their captors and told them about Gods love and their need to repent, he said, asking for continued prayers for the missionaries as they return to normal life.

In discussing best practices learned from the kidnapping of the missionaries, which included 16 Americans and one Canadian, Troyer acknowledged that while all the missionaries were aware of the dangers of working in Haiti before, and tried to take proper security precautions, they intend to improve their security protocols.

We appreciate the desire of our staff to minister, even in dangerous places. However, this event has given us a heightened awareness of the need to strengthen our safety protocols and better instruct our people about the dangers involved, Troyer explained.

He asked the media to give the missionaries privacy as they return to normal life and noted that a press conference will be held at the headquarters of Christian Aid Ministries in Berlin, Ohio, at 10 a.m. on Dec. 20, where more information will be provided.
Texas begins building its own border wall to curb surge in illegal immigration

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the state has begun construction on a border wall, which it's working to build to counter what it views as the Biden administrations lackluster enforcement of U.S. immigration laws.

Texas has officially started building its own border wall, Abbott announced in a tweet Friday. [President Joe] Biden allows open border policies and refuses to enforce laws passed by Congress to secure the border and enforce immigration laws. Texas is stepping up to do the federal governments job.

Texas has officially started building its own border wall.



Biden allows open border policies and refuses to enforce laws passed by Congress to secure the border and enforce immigration laws.



Texas is stepping up to do the federal governments job. https://t.co/K7CbIPs75p  Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) December 17, 2021

Abbott also shared a series of photos originally posted by Fox News reporter Bill Melugin showing the construction. Texas has officially started building its own border wall, he said. The first wall panels have gone up in Starr County in the [Rio Grande Valley].

Melugin noted that while the construction is occurring on state land with state money, the contractor building the wall was building the wall spearheaded by the Trump administration until Biden stopped construction of the wall when he took office. The Fox News reporter included a picture of the first panels in what will be a 1.7 mile stretch designed to help fill gaps where there is no federal wall.

These are the first panels in what will be a 1.7 mile stretch designed to help fill gaps where there is no federal wall. More projects planned.

Governor Abbott will be at the construction site tomorrow to hold 12pm ET announcement/details. @FoxNews will air it live. pic.twitter.com/gG5yggbDcp  Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) December 17, 2021

Shortly before former President Donald Trump left office, then-Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf announced the completion of the 450th mile of new border wall system built under this administration. In a statement, Abbotts office elaborated on the states effort to pick up where the Trump administration left off by restarting the wall's construction.

Open-border policies have led to a humanitarian crisis at our southern border as record levels of illegal immigrants, drugs and contraband pour into Texas. The state of Texas is working collaboratively with communities impacted by the border crisis to arrest and detain individuals coming into Texas illegally. Our efforts will only be effective if we work together to secure the border, make criminal arrests, protect landowners, rid our communities of dangerous drugs, and provide Texans with the opportunity and support they deserve.

Texas first announced plans to construct a border wall at a press conference in June, with Abbott authorizing a $250 million down payment. The governor described the construction of a wall as necessary because of concern that the problems people are continuing to suffer on the border are just continuing to get worse.

At the time, the most recent statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Protection showed that more than 170,000 migrants illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in April. The crossings continued to increase throughout the summer, reaching a record high of 213,593 in July.

While the number of encounters between illegal migrants and law enforcement officials had dropped to 173,620 in November, the most recent month with statistics available, the number of border crossings remains significantly higher than the 101,099 recorded in February 2021, Bidens first full month in office.

Critics of the Biden administration have attributed the border surge to the Biden administrations reversal of two of the Trump administrations immigration policies, in addition to the halting of wall construction. The Migrant Protection Protocols required migrants seeking asylum to wait in Mexico while their asylum cases were adjudicated, while Title 42, implemented during the coronavirus pandemic, allowed border officials to turn away illegal immigrants due to a concern about public health.

A federal court ruling forced the Biden administration to restart the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy, earlier this month. The Department of Homeland Security has vowed to vigorously contest the ruling and criticized the Migrant Protection Protocols for its endemic flaws, imposed unjustifiable human costs and failure to address the root causes of irregular migration.

Public opinion polling suggests that Abbott is not the only one dissatisfied with Bidens immigration policies. The RealClearPolitics average of polls taken over the past month-and-a-half reveal that the presidents approval rating on the issue of immigration is deeply underwater, with 34.7% of Americans approving of his immigration policy and 60.6% expressing disapproval.

The net disapproval rating of 26% on the issue of immigration is far higher than his overall disapproval rating, as well as his disapproval ratings on the economy, foreign policy and the coronavirus pandemic.

Abbott is scheduled to appear at the construction site Saturday to offer more details on the project. He has previously described the states border wall construction project as the most robust and comprehensive border plan the nation has ever seen.
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A professor once asked his philosophy class, Which do you think is a bigger problem in America right now: ignorance or apathy? A student replied, I don't know, and I dont care.

While that is a humorous anecdote, it sums up what is going on in our nation and world today. As Albert Einstein said, The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on evil and do nothing.

If you read through the Old and New Testaments, youll see that apathy among God's people was often a problem, as it is for many of us. We need, on a daily basis, to deal with our tendency toward apathy.

But how do we do that? Lets look at the life of Nehemiah and learn the five steps we should take to overcome apathy.

Gather the facts

Nehemiah, a Jew, was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia, which is modern-day Iran. A cupbearer to a Persian king was the most trusted official in the kingdom. Nehemiah had to be conversant in political matters and affairs of state. He was the one who tasted the wine and then gave it to the king to make sure it wasnt poisoned  which meant his life was on the line every day.

Nehemiah was in Persia because the Babylonian Empire took over Jerusalem and held the Jews captive for 70 years. After the fall of the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire assumed control over everything and everyone  including the Jewish people. Nehemiah had never been to his ancestral homeland, but he knew that Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians in B.C. 586 and that 50,000 Jews had returned to rebuild the city.

One day, he heard reports about what was going on in his homeland. And what he heard was not good.

As Nehemiah recounted:

Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the 20th year, as I was in Susa the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire (Nehemiah 1:1-3[MB1] ).

The first step to overcome apathy is to find out the facts. Some people wont ask questions because they dont want to know the answer; if they get the questions they have answered, then they might feel a sense of obligation.

Although Nehemiah didnt grow up in Jerusalem, he was grieved when he heard about its ruinous state. And he decided to do something about the situation, even though he was over a thousand miles away.

We must gather the facts and then seek Gods wisdom as to how to respond  which is what Nehemiah did next.

Let the facts stir you

When Nehemiah reflected on the destruction of his homeland, he wept. He wrote, As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of Heaven (Nehemiah 1:4).

It wouldve been easy for Nehemiah to hear about a city he had never visited and say, Oh, well, thats sad and go on with his life. But he allowed the tragedy of the situation to break his heart.

Nehemiah heard of the problem and wanted something done about it because Jerusalem wasnt just any city. It was Gods city, the covenant city. And he knew that a city with broken down walls and burned gates is vulnerable.

Our nation and our world are full of needs, and our reactions to those needs tell us a lot about who we are. Unless we see the problem and are affected by the problem, were not going to fix the problem. We should weep for the brokenness around us and in our own hearts.

What makes you cry? What injustice causes you to feel strong emotion? I am convinced that God wants to break our hearts with the things that break His. We need to let the facts stir us.

And then, like Nehemiah, we need to let that information be our motivation.

Turn your passion into prayer

Nehemiah turned his passion for Jerusalem and his people into prayer. In Nehemiah 1:5-10, he prayed:

O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my fathers house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.

Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of Heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there. They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand (Nehemiah 1:5-10).

Nehemiah began this prayer by recognizing who God is. He then confessed his own sin and the sin of his people. He saw himself as part of the problem so that he might become part of the solution. He reminded God of the covenant he had made with Israel and concluded with a request for success and mercy.

When we pray with perspective, reminding God of his promises and confessing our sin, we receive clarity, giving God space to work in our hearts, minds and souls.

Of course, God has the right to answer prayer any way he wants. But as Nehemiahs prayer demonstrates, God is attentive to prayer. And in the end, Nehemiahs prayer gave him clarity.

Once you know something and then you feel something, then you need to talk to somebody about that something  God, first. Thats what Nehemiah did.

And after praying, it was time to act.

Do something

Nehemiah told King Artaxerxes what was troubling him and asked for leave to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city. When the king granted his request, Nehemiah, emboldened, asked for official papers and supplies for the task, which the king also granted (see Nehemiah 2:1-8).

Do you notice the flow so far in the story? First, Nehemiah sat down and wept. Then, he knelt down and prayed. Now, he stands up to work. Hes making himself available to fix the problem.

Through his action, Nehemiah was transformed from cupbearer to contractor. This meant leaving his secure position in the Persian Empire.

Nehemiah made himself available to meet the needs before him, and so should we.

God is always looking for willing volunteers. The Bible says, For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him (2 Chronicles 16:9a).

So many Christians live their whole lives without ever saying, God, what do you want me to do? I assure you, the most fulfilling life you can ever live is to go on an adventure with God, where you look around at the needs, youre moved by what you see, you pray about what you see and then you take a step with God.

But we cant do this alone, as Nehemiah showed us.

Enlist the help of others

Nehemiah received funding from the government, supplies, documentation and military support. And when he arrived in Jerusalem, he asked his fellow Jews to help him. By the time we get to chapter 3 of Nehemiah, we see 38 individuals named as Nehemiahs helpers. Over 40 different groups with different occupations got together and rebuilt the city in cooperation with one another.

Collaboration is the final step in overcoming apathy.

This is why Christian fellowship is so important. Isolation fuels apathy. We need collaboration with others, the help of others, because when were alone, were alone with our thoughts. Our thoughts, which arent always wholesome, healthy and biblical, need to be counteracted with truth, not just from a pulpit or from a computer screen, but from Christian brothers and sisters. We need encouragement. We need each other.

So today, lets renew our commitment to overcoming apathy. Lets repent of allowing life to get the better of us, causing us to slip and slide away from that position of abiding in Christ. Lets pray that God will show us what steps to take as we learn about needs around us.

And then lets be engaged in and for his kingdom, so that our work upon this earth might be for his glory.
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These days, you would be hard-pressed to find a topic that all Americans across the political spectrum would have the same view. But there is one that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike can view the same way: Armenia.

Earlier this year, President Biden referred to the massacre of nearly 1.5 million Armenian Christians by the Ottoman Empire as genocide, becoming the first President of the United States to meaningfully do so. This is no coincidence: In 2019, overwhelming majority in both houses of Congress passed resolutions in the same spirit, showing Armenians that the American people stood in solidarity in affirming history.

Which begs the question: Why? Why would a country roughly the size of Maine, halfway across the world, command such attention? With so many corners of the world crying out, why focus on Armenia?

Cynics might argue the Armenian genocide controversy gets attention because it draws comparisons to the Holocaust while invoking it as an example of the world not caring about all heinous crimes equally. Or because it was perpetrated in effect by Turkey, a country whose threats are the reason most presidents have held back on using the term.

But I think there is something deeper at play, something instructive. Something that offers Americans, otherwise mired in bitter political infighting, a vision of a brighter future.

First, many Americans care about Armenia  and perhaps more of them should  because Americans of Armenian descent remain such an astoundingly dedicated and vocal diaspora, and one that contributes substantially to Americans everyday lives. From the arts and medicine to bio-tech and culture, Armenians have contributed magnificently. They represent the very idea of diaspora, with an intensity not often seen.

America may be a nation of immigrants, but most of them, a generation or two after settling in, are happy enough to relegate their heritage to a secondary role. Armenian-Americans, on the other hand, have a markedly different pattern of behavior. Rather than pursuing total assimilation, many believe that the two parts of their hyphenated identity strengthen each other and that having a deep passion for Armenia, makes one more, not less, likely to show an equally deep commitment to America. American Jews, of course, experience a similar dynamic. That is perhaps why they, like Armenians, contributed so much to American life and culture despite their small numbers.

Armenians are also bound by religion. The worlds first Christian nation, Armenia remains strongly tethered to its faith. And while we remain committed to religious freedom, a core tenet of any liberal democracy, we continue to worship with fierce devotion. When the Pew Research Center surveyed citizens of all of Europes nations in 2018 about their faith, Armenia came second in devoutness, with 79 percent of respondents saying they believed in God with absolute certainty and 53 percent saying religion was very important in their lives.

Finally, theres Armenias commitment to freedom. Under repeated attacks by one dictatorship, Azerbaijan, which is backed by another, Turkey, and the ISIS mercenaries it brought in, Armenia continues to stand for the Wests commitment to liberty. We dont only speak of these values in the abstract; we pay for them in blood. We are fighting against the same forces that elsewhere target American and European soldiers and civilians, and foment violence and new genocide.

If the last two decades have taught us anything, its that any American attempt to remain cloistered and removed from the rest of the world is doomed to fail; whether we like it or not, ours is an interconnected reality, and evil unchecked in one corner of the world will soon spread to all others.

Seen in this light, then, its no wonder that Americans are united in their support for Armenia. A deep commitment to tradition, a strong passion for religion, and an unwavering dedication to liberty are all profoundly American values. Looking at Armenia, Americans see a story they find exhilaratingly familiar with their own origins: That of a young nation, fueled by faith and freedom, proud of its own sensibilities and refusing to be swallowed up by imperial forces that would subjugate it.

Let us hope, then, that recent statements from Washington arent the last of their kinds. Theres much about Armenia for Americans, especially Americans of faith, to discover. As so many Americans grapple with questions of identity, trying to figure out how to make sense of the many complicated parts of themselves, Armenians offer a lesson in how resilience can result from staying rooted in both tradition and modernity, in equal measure and at the same time.

In having one foot in the past, and the other in the future.
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In the classic sitcom from the 1960s, Get Smart, the bad guys were from an organization called Chaos. The good guys, led by Maxwell Smart, were called Control.

Today, chaos is often prevailing over control. Only this isnt a comedy, and the results are tragic.

We are experiencing a crime wave seldom seen in previous times in America.

Murders are up. ABC News notes: At least 12 major U.S. cities have broken annual homicide records in 2021  and there's still three weeks to go in the year. One police captain said its worse than a war zone around here lately.

But homicide isnt the only crime that is way up. On Black Friday, when stores are supposed to have such strong sales because of Christmas (putting them in the black), many businesses were instead hit with a rash of smash-and-grab robberies across the country. Home Depots, Nordstroms, Best Buys, Foot Lockers and others have been hit in places like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Nbcchicago.com reports, Police are alerting businesses in Chicago to recent thefts of purses at retail shops ... The thieves flee in vehicles, most of which were reported stolen.

Fox32 of Chicago reports on a robbery over this past weekend, in which luxury jewelry items were stolen. Yet Mayor Lori Lightfoot apparently blames the companies hit. She recently said, I'm disappointed that they are not doing more to take safety and make it a priority.

In early December, thousands of dollars worth of toys and other goods for Christmas were gathered by a non-profit in Chicago to help the underprivileged  and were stolen under cover of night.

When California Governor Gavin Newsom was on The View, Joy Behar, no friend of conservatives, told him, Critics in law enforcement blame this on your lax bail and theft policies emboldening criminals.

Newsom responded that the crimes like this are just as bad in Texas as they are in California, only Fox News wont show that. The claim is misleading at best.

Whats going on? An incessant call for defunding the police is taking its toll. Meanwhile, we have crime with no punishment. Leftist prosecutors, district attorneys, and judges are letting many criminals go with a slap on the wrist, if that. Recently a career criminal who tried to run over his wife with a car in Wisconsin was released on a mere $1,000 bail  only to purposely drive into a Christmas parade two days later killing six and injuring 62.

Some of those magistrates (including the prosecutor who let the parade killer out) have been elected with money pouring in from George Soros, an atheist who wants to see America (his adopted country) brought down several pegs.

I interviewed Rabbi Daniel Lapin, founder of the American Alliance of Jews and Christians, for our D. James Kennedy Ministries television special on Soros.

The rabbi told our viewers, Theres no question that Soros money and Soros-inspired money is flowing into the crowds busy smashing plate glass windows in the cities of Denver, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, and in cities everywhere else around the country.

As Tucker Carlson of Fox News has pointed out, as quoted in Newsweek: "[Soros] latest area of focus is criminal justice. From Texas to Philadelphia [and] the state of Virginia, Soros has reportedly spent millions of dollars backing candidates for District Attorney, for prosecutor. Once elected, these candidates  have ended cash bail, treated felonies like misdemeanors, and sometimes ignored some crimes entirely."

Rabbi Lapin adds, Does he want chaos in the streets? Absolutely, that has always been the dream of the revolutionaries. Its always been the fervent desire of those who understand that in order to rebuild society, you first of all have to destroy what is.

The founders of America were very concerned about order in society.

Whats happening in America today with our crime wave is bad anthropology run amok. Biblical anthropology asserts that man is sinful and crimes need to be punished. Bad anthropology, like that espoused by Marxists, asserts that man is basically good  but that its society or structures that are bad and need to be torn down. Instead, the theory goes, we will rebuild these structures to be more just, affirming the goodness of man. We see the results now being carried out by coddled criminals on the streets.

What horrors Marxism has unleashed on planet earth. Yet it continues to exert its demonic influence. These magistrates, many funded by George Soros, are among the latest examples.

And we all suffer  especially the poorest among us  who lack stronger security measures.

The founders of America showed a better way to live in a controlled society, with liberty under the rule of law. How much better that is than the chaos that so many leftist elitists try to unleash on the rest of us.
Mike Stone withdraws defamation lawsuit against Russell Moore, cites 'better path' for family, church

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Prominent Southern Baptist Pastor Mike Stone has withdrawn a defamation lawsuit against former SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore, stating he believes it's time to "leave the matter in the hands of our Lord."

Stone, a member of the SBCs Executive Committee who serves as pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Georgia, had his lawyers withdraw the lawsuit last week.

In a public statement that was sent to The Christian Post on Tuesday morning, Stone explained that the withdraw of the lawsuit was "at my request."

I have entrusted Christ with my soul, my life, my ministry and my family. I can and do trust Him to guide me in this present matter, said Stone.

While I continue to desire the revelation of truth that such proceedings would bring to bear against these accusations, I believe that based on current circumstances the better path for my family, my church, and our convention at this time is to leave the matter in the hands of our Lord."

In October, Stone sued Moore in the U.S. District Court for Middle Tennessee, with the issue centering on letters that Moore leaked to the press after leaving the ERLC in May.

The letters alleged that SBC leaders mishandled a crisis of sexual abuse and that Moore and his family had endured unfair treatment at the hands of denominational leaders.

Stone had previously overseen a task force that was commissioned to study how the Moore-led ERLC might be impacting contributions to the SBCs Cooperative Program giving.

This was in response to Moore having had a history of garnering headlines for openly criticizing the public policy views and overall behavior of former President Donald Trump.

The commission released a report in February concluding that the current perception of the leadership and direction of the ERLC by many Southern Baptists is a substantial impediment to the growth of the Cooperative Program.

Moores letters were made public ahead of the SBC's Annual Meeting in June, with Stone claiming that they contributed to his failure to win the election for convention president.

Stone asserted that Moore began a malicious, intentional, and egregious campaign to harm him by defaming him with the text of two letters strategically concealed from general distribution within the ERLC and the SBC.

Plaintiffs business operations have already been negatively impacted by Defendants untruthful statements due to a decreased trust and confidence in Plaintiff in the religious community, his complaint alleged.

Plaintiffs pastoral efforts will undoubtedly suffer decreased church attendance and a reduction in donations and honorariums because of Defendants statements which are untruthful and have cast Plaintiff in a false light.

Stone's decision to withdraw the lawsuit elicited a slew of reactions on Twitter.

"I commend Mike Stone for this action and pray that there can be reconciliation between these brothers. Praying for both," tweeted James Merritt, former SBC president and pastor of Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Georgia.

Christian author Matt Crawford wrote, "I dont know the reason for which @PastorMikeStone withdrew his lawsuit against Dr. Moore, since no explanation has been given. But Im thankful that he has done so."
Denzel Washington says God's mission for him is combatting 'spiritual warfare,' shares view of Heaven

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Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington has opened up about the spiritual aspect of his Christian faith and highlighted the importance of having an "anchor" in an ever-changing culture.

Washington is gearing up for the release of his new film Macbeth," and in an in-depth interview with TheNew York Times, the actor and his co-stars talked about his Christian faith.

The famous actor, who described himself as a God-fearing man," talked about God, the Bible and Heaven in the interview. He also revealed that he made a promise to his late mother to honor her and God.

What I do, what I make, what I made  all of that  is that going to help me on the last day of my life? Its about, Who have you lifted up? Who have we made better? he told the NYT.

This is spiritual warfare. So, Im not looking at it from an earthly perspective. If you dont have a spiritual anchor youll be easily blown by the wind and youll be led to depression, he added.

The Oscar-winning actor then lamented what he said is a self-obsessed society.

The enemy is the inner me, he continued. The Bible says in the last days  I dont know if its the last days, its not my place to know  but it says well be lovers of ourselves. The number one photograph today is a selfie, Oh, me at the protest. Me with the fire. Follow me. Listen to me.

Were living in a time where people are willing to do anything to get followed. What is the long or short-term effect of too much information? Its going fast and it can be manipulated obviously in a myriad of ways. And people are led like sheep to slaughter, Washington said.

The entertainer then shared his view of Heaven, explaining that there are going to be two lines, the long line and the short line, and Im interested in being in the short line.

The New York native encouraged the interviewee, The Times' columnist Maureen Dowd, to read the Bible. He suggested that she start with the New Testament, because the Old Testament is harder."

"You get caught up in the 'who-begot-who-begot-who thing,'" he said.

Washington later revealed how he fills up spiritually every morning before starting his day.

You have to fill up that bucket every morning, he said. Its rough out there. You leave the house in the morning. Here they come, chipping away. By the end of the day, youve got to refill that bucket. We know right from wrong.

While at "The Better Man Event" hosted by First Baptist Orlando in Florida in September, Washington revealed what the Lord has been telling him to do when he prays in this season.

At 66, getting ready to be 67, having just buried my mother, I made a promise to her and to God, not just to do good the right way, but to honor my mother and my father by the way I live my life, the rest of my days on this Earth. I'm here to serve, to help, to provide, Washington said at the Christian mens conference.

During the nearly 30-minute sit-down discussion, Washington shared what he hears from God with his spiritual mentor, Pastor A.R. Bernard, the senior pastor of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, New York.

"In every prayer, all I hear is: 'Feed my sheep.' That's what God wants me to do, the Fences actor shared.
Texas AG investigating push to prescribe experimental puberty blockers not approved by FDA for kids

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The Texas Attorney Generals office is investigating two pharmaceutical companies for their promotion of well-established drugs as puberty blockers despite the fact that they have not received approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

The Office of Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday that it was investigating Endo Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie Inc. under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

These pharmaceutical companies allegedly advertised and promoted hormone (puberty) blockers for unapproved uses without disclosing the potential risks associated with these drugs to children and their parents, Paxton said in a statement.

Medications Supprelin LA and Lupron Depot are approved to treat children with Central Precocious Property (CPP), when the puberty process begins prematurely. And Vantas, along with other forms of Lupron, has been prescribed for palliative treatment of prostate cancer. These drugs are now being used to treat gender dysphoria even though they are not approved for such use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Attorney Generals Office cites the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act as the source of Paxtons authority to investigate the pharmaceutical companies, explaining that the law gives the attorney general the power to investigate false, misleading, and deceptive conduct by businesses in Texas. In addition to sending out a tweet declaring that I will not allow pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of #Texas children, Paxton detailed some of the concerns pertaining to the experimental use of puberty blockers for children and teenagers.

I will not allow pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of #Texas children. I have officially opened an investigation. https://t.co/WCS5A0qiR5  Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) December 14, 2021

The manufacture, sale, prescription, and use of puberty blockers on young teens and minors is dangerous and reckless, Paxton said. These drugs were approved for very different purposes and can have detrimental and even irreversible side effects.

Earlier this year, the Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden elaborated on some of the detrimental and even irreversible side effects of puberty blockers when announcing that it would no longer prescribe the drugs for experimental use on children younger than 16 who are struggling with gender dysphoria. In a statement, the hospital warned that these treatments are potentially fraught with extensive and irreversible adverse consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, increased cancer risk, and thrombosis.

The American College of Pediatricians lists additional side effects of puberty blockers, which include mood disorders, seizures, [and] cognitive impairment.

In response to concerns about the side effects of puberty blockers, Arkansas became the first U.S. state to ban doctors from prescribing experimental puberty blockers, hormonal drugs and performing gender reassignment surgeries on children and teenagers with gender dysphoria by passing the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act.

President Joe Biden's Department of Justice condemned the SAFE Act, filing a statement in an ACLU lawsuit against the Arkansas law declaring that federal law bars the state of Arkansas from singling out [trans-identified] minors for specifically and discriminatorily denying their access to medically necessary care based solely on their sex assigned at birth. The Biden administration contended that the law violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

A federal judge ultimately agreed with the Biden administration, striking down the SAFE Act shortly before it was set to take effect.

Shortly thereafter, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott asked the states Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate whether prescribing puberty blockers to children with gender dysphoria or subjecting them to other experimental procedures constituted child abuse. The agency found that performing such procedures and prescribing such drugs to minors did constitute child abuse.

In a previous interview with The Christian Post, Dr. Paul Hruz of Washington University of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, expressed concern that using Lupron as a puberty blocker could affect childrens bone density. A study published earlier this year reached a similar conclusion, indicating that puberty blockers led to reduced growth in both height and bone strength among minors who took them.

Additionally, informed consent documents that a hospital in California asked children seeking to take puberty blockers and their parents state that If your child starts puberty blockers in the earliest stages of puberty, and then goes on to gender-affirming hormones, they will not develop sperm or eggs. This means that they will not have biological children.

A trans-identified doctor has also raised questions about the consequences of puberty blockers. Dr. Marci Bowers, who performed elective cosmetic surgeries on prominent trans-identified reality star Jazz Jennings, told Wall Street Journal contributor Abigail Shrier in an exclusive interview that if youve never had an orgasm pre-surgery and then your pubertys blocked, its very difficult to achieve that afterwards.

I worry about their reproductive rights later. I worry about their sexual health later and their ability to find intimacy, Bowers added.
Psychiatrist says transgender medicalization is a folly that will collapse like eugenics movement

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A renowned psychiatrist who was instrumental in shutting down the sex change clinic at Johns Hopkins University in 1979 argues that the contemporary folly of transgender medicalization will soon collapse similar to how the eugenics movement crumbled.

In a recent interview that covered many areas of psychiatric medicine with Public Discourse, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Distinguished Service Professor Dr. Paul McHugh explained that the bodily process of puberty is one of the most mysterious stages of human development.

Gender dysphoric youth who are given drugs in pediatric gender clinics across the country to suppress their normal puberty are incapable of consenting to such interventions, as are their parents, he said.

Unlike other animals, [w]ith human beings, some of the most interesting individuating characteristics of themselves occur only after puberty, probably with a combination of the intellectual powers and the energy that sexual development brings, McHugh recounted.

I dont think any child  and any parent, for that matter  can make an informed consent to permit the blocking of puberty and the transmission of another sex. Thats the first thing: you dont have an idea what youre doing. So how can you have an informed consent about it? Because nobody knows.

McHugh co-authored a controversial 2017 report arguing that the treatment of gender-confused children with puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones has not been adequately researched by the science and medical communities. He and his colleagues argued that treating kids with puberty blockers should be seen as "radical" and "experimental." The report received much opposition from the LGBT community. Other doctors and researchers have argued that the report misrepresents the state of scientific research.

McHugh has maintained that although he is not against transgender people, he believes that they should receive psychiatric help rather than hormone therapy and reassignment surgeries.

He explained in the interview that almost all children, 85% to 95%, who believe they are the opposite sex will grow out of it if allowed to go through the normal puberty process.

Yet, if a hormone blocker is introduced at age 9 or 10, only 5% to 10% of such children will refuse to go further down a medicalized pathway that may entail cross-sex hormones or body-altering surgery. He said the reason for this dramatic difference in percentages is because the pubertal processes shape the brain, and the normal signaling does not occur if thwarted by a blocker.

Transgender advocates frequently assert that puberty blockers are completely reversible, an idea McHugh says is still very debatable.

Moreover, he continued, puberty is an incredibly complex process that is being reduced by some to appear as though it is simple.

The vulnerability of scientists is that they can be dealing with the most complex issue and try to oversimplify it and make it seem like a simple issue" despite complex brain issues, hormones and neuroendocrine relationships, he said.

The psychiatrist added that he is amazed at how much money, medical institutions and political machinery the transgender movement has amassed to support its goals. But, he believes it will not succeed in the end.

Im absolutely convinced that this is folly and its going to collapse, just as the eugenics folly collapsed, he asserted.

McHugh was the director of the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department at Johns Hopkins University and was the psychiatrist-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1975 to 2001.

His comments come amid greater scrutiny of specific practices now occurring in some European nations.

Late last year, the High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom ruled in a judicial review brought in part by a young woman named Keira Bell that children under the age of 16 are unlikely to be mature enough to consent to chemical puberty blockade given the significant risks and repercussions to their health.



Bell, now 24, underwent the experimental practice as a teenager at the London-based Tavistock gender clinic. She went on to take cross-sex hormones and have her breasts surgically removed. Bell argued that she was not capable of understanding the consequences of what she was doing as a troubled youth battling depression and other social struggles.



A subsequent court ruling held that parents could give consent for their under-16 children for the hormone blockers.



Earlier this year in Sweden, the prominent Karolinska University Hospital said that as of April 1, puberty blockers would no longer be given to youth younger than 16 and reference the Bell ruling in the U.K.

These treatments are potentially fraught with extensive and irreversible adverse consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, increased cancer risk, and thrombosis," the statement read. "This makes it challenging to assess the risk/benefit for the individual patient, and even more challenging for the minors and their guardians to be in a position of an informed stance regarding these treatments."



In June of last year, health authorities in neighboring Finland revised their professional guidelines by prioritizing psychological help and support over experimental medicine, especially for young people whose gender dysphoria came about after puberty, which is at present the most common form of gender confusion.

Although McHugh helped shut down the sex change clinic at Hopkins in 1979, the influential medical school relaunched the clinic in 2017.

Last month, an episode of "60 Minutes" aired the concerns of detransitioners, those who once identified as transgender but now regret their decisions to transition. They testified about how they felt rushed into a decision to undergo medicalized gender transition procedures.
'Trans Mission' docu exposes 'unconscionable' rush to transition gender dysphoric kids

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A few years ago, filmmaker and former pediatric nurse Jennifer Lahl noticed a disturbing uptick in the push to allow children to medically and surgically transition.

I was always very interested in medicine and the care and treatment of children, Lahl, who also serves as the founder and president of The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network, told The Christian Post.

I thought, we really need to make a film focused on whether we should allow children to do this very experimental treatment that has significant short and long term consequences to their heath.

Lahls new documentary, Trans Mission: Whats the Rush To Reassign Gender? examines the motives behind the push to transition children through life-altering medical and surgical procedures, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and elective cosmetic surgeries, such as double mastectomies and the removal of testicles.

The documentary features interviews with parents, medical professionals and activists concerned by what they believe is the exploitation of children, teens and young adults  many of them special needs, struggling with gender dysphoria or dealing with family trauma.

Contrary to the ideas presented by proponents of gender identity affirmation on children, Lahl stressed that gender dysphoria  which she defined as the state of confusion where, I dont feel comfortable in my body, I dont like whats happening to my body and the change as I enter puberty'"  is not a new phenomenon, nor does mean a child is born in the wrong body.

We need to provide children that are experiencing gender dysphoria with a whole host of therapies to try to get an understanding of, what's going on in the home, what's going on in the community and what's going on at school? Is this a child being bullied? Is this child on the spectrum?" she said.

"To offer medical and surgical transition is not appropriate therapy for these kinds of feelings," Lahl stressed.

The transitioning of children is an issue that crosses political lines, with even members of the LGBT community speaking out against the phenomenon. But those who publicly disagree with the push to affirm gender identity in children are often silenced by the mainstream media or banned from social platforms.

The kids that are struggling with gender dysphoria are not Christian or secular or Republican or liberal. This is affecting children from all kinds of families in the United States and certainly around the world as well, Lahl said.

A recent study from the United Kingdom found a 5,000% increase among teenage girls going to gender clinics seeking help with the incongruence they experience between their internal sense of self and their biological sex.

While many factors are contributing to this surge, one clear reason behind it, Lahl said, is social contagion fueled by celebrities and social media. This idea is corroborated by a 2019 study from Brown University that found parents of children experiencing gender dysphoria saw their children experience pressure to fit in with their friend group.

Kids are spending a lot of time on the internet or on Tik Tok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube  you just have to follow the hashtag transition' or 'transgender' and its everywhere. Its being popularized by celebrities who come out as nonbinary, gender fluid, whatever, Lahl explained.

It seems to be more and more young girls that are hopping on this new fad. They think, This will solve boys whistling at me if I don't look like a girl and I don't look pretty or have a nice shape, she added.

Trans Mission also exposes the fear-mongering tactics used by some doctors: One mother shares how a medical professional scared her into thinking her teenage daughter would die by suicide unless she let them put her child on puberty blockers.

As Dr. Andre Van Mol, one of the physicians who scrutinizes transgender medical practices in the film, explains, it is often manipulatively posed to parents of trans-identifying children: Would you rather have a live son or a dead daughter?" It is said in such bracing terms because if they do not allow their children to undergo the experimental practices they will likely die by suicide, despite no evidence for such a claim.

Parents opposed to their childrens desire to transition are also unable to rely on schools for support. One mother shared how, unbeknownst to her, her childs teachers and school counselor socially transitioned her child by using her daughter's preferred pronouns.

Lahl called such methods unconscionable and manipulative, adding: I have incredible sympathy for these parents because they feel like no one's in their corner. They feel like doctors are against them. The schools are against them and saying, You should allow your child to change their pronouns.

In one particularly disturbing testimony, a de-transitioner recounts how a money-hungry doctor pushed him to undergo an unwanted gender-affirming surgery.

These de-transitioners believed that fully medically and surgically transitioning to the opposite sex would fix their problems, when in fact they're left with bodies that have been mutilated and they have to live with these consequences forever, Lahl said. Theyre left with realizing that it didn't fix anything.

Through the documentary, Lahl says she hopes to provide parents with the tools necessary to combat the rush to transition children through life-altering experimental drugs and surgeries that remove their breasts and mutilate their genitals.

When a doctor is rushing you to put your child on a path to medically and surgically transition or block puberty, parents need to be courageous and say, No. We're not going to do that. Let's look at what other things we can do to help our child. We're going to find some other way to help our son or daughter. We're going to look at a really good assessment of what's going on in the family, how much time is spent on the internet, what's going on in school, what's going on in the community, what's going on with church or whatever it is.'

By raising awareness about the push to transition children through experimental medical procedures, Lahl said she believes its possible to end what she believes is little more than the exploitation of young people struggling with gender dysphoria.

There's a lot of really vulnerable people out there that don't even know that this is happening to children or they dont know the level and frequency at which its happening, she said. But I believe this battle is totally winnable because most people are incredibly reasonable. When they watch this film and hear these stories, they will hopefully say, This is not good, this is not proper, and were not going to do this.

Trans Mission is now available on Vimeo or YouTube.
Circuit court rejects church's lawsuit against Virginia COVID-19 worship restrictions

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A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a church's lawsuit against Virginias 2020 COVID-19 lockdown rules that restricted in-person worship, labeling the matter moot since the restrictions were lifted.

In a unanimous decision released Tuesday, the panel concluded that since the specific lockdown orders in question put in place by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam were ended in June 2020 and the state of emergency for Virginia ended in July, the lawsuit filed by Lighthouse Fellowship Church in Chincoteague is moot.

Lighthouse Fellowship Church and Pastor Kevin Wilson sued Northam over the legality of executive orders that restricted in-person worship during the pandemic lockdowns.

Judge Robert King, the author of the panel opinion, wrote that he believed no live controversy exists despite the claims of the church that the restrictions could always return.

[I]t is entirely speculative to assert that Governor Northam will declare a new state of emergency in Virginia and reinstate restrictions on religious exercise that have not been in place for more than a year, wrote King.

Lighthouses contention implies that, absent a change in Virginia law that would limit the Governors emergency powers, this controversy remains live. We decline to rule that such a change in Virginia law is necessary to moot this dispute.

A specific issue in the case is an April 5, 2020 worship service attended by 16 people, which went against the state order limiting in-person religious gatherings to no more than 10 people.

Following the service, Wilson was cited by authorities and faced the possibility of a fine or even jail. The state's prosecution of the worship service drew condemnation from then-Vice President Mike Pence. The charges against Wilson were dropped in July 2020.

Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel, a conservative Christian legal nonprofit representing Lighthouse Church, released a statement at the time denouncing the gathering restriction as a clear example of discrimination.

Governor Ralph Northam has clearly discriminated against Lighthouse Fellowship Church which provides essential physical, emotional and spiritual services to the community, stated Staver.

We must balance the First Amendment with protecting the health and welfare of people but picking an arbitrary number of 10 people for every church is not the answer.

U.S. District Court Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen, an Obama appointee, ruled against Lighthouse in late January, concluding that the lawsuit is moot and that the governor was immune from prosecution.

There is no ongoing violation of federal law in this case. The Orders on which Plaintiff bases its Complaint are no longer in effect, wrote Allen. The Court finds that Governor Northam is immune under the Eleventh Amendment to Plaintiffs state statutory and state constitutional claims. Plaintiffs remaining claims are dismissed.

Liberty Counsel argued that Northam should not be immune in this case.

Governor Ralph Northam is not immune as the defendant in this lawsuit regarding his unconstitutional COVID executive orders," Staver said in October. "The governor issued and enforced his illegal orders and cannot now escape responsibility.
Guatemala's president declares his country will become Latin America's pro-life capital

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The President of Guatemala has declared that his country will officially become the pro-life capital of Latin America early next year.

Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei announced his intention to make Guatemala Latin Americas pro-life capital during a speech at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., last week. Giammattei delivered remarks at an event hosted by the Institute for Womens Health, a pro-life organization founded by former Trump administration Department of Health and Human Services official Valerie Huber, and the International Human Rights Group.

As noted in a statement from the Institute for Womens Health, Giammattei was not invited to President Joe Bidens Democracy Summit, where leaders from the worlds democracies gathered: Guatemala was not invited to take part in the Summit, despite being a democratic nation. Alfonso Aguilar, president of the International Human Rights Group, suggested that ideological differences were likely a significant reason for the countrys omission, since Guatemala is unapologetically pro-life.

***PRESS RELEASE*** Guatemalan President not invited to Biden Democracy Summit, instead offers pro-life keynote at Institute for Womens Health, International Human Rights Group gathering pic.twitter.com/srpgn66jFC  The Institute for Women's Health (@IWH4women) December 9, 2021

In his speech at the Institute for Womens Health event, Giammattei elaborated on his passion for the pro-life movement and announced that Guatemala would be declared the pro-life capital of Ibero-America on Mar. 9, 2022: Every individual deserves to have their lives protected, from conception to natural death.  It is totally false that abortion is a human right. Any effort to try to impose abortion in a country is undue interference in international affairs.

We seek to protect life and to prevent interference, he added. We do not approve of abortion because of my faith but also my profession as a medical doctor. Life should be protected from conception.

Speaking to Evangelico Digital, Aaron Lara, president of the Ibero-American Congress for Life and Family that pushed for Guatemala to become the pro-life capital of Latin America, reported that President Alejandro Giammattei has made public the date of the declaration of Guatemala as the Pro-Life Capital of Ibero-America that the Ibero-American Congress will do, together with the unveiling of a monument which will mark this fact in history.

Guatemalas impending recognition as the pro-life capital of Latin America comes as the nation has made multiple moves to support the pro-life movement. Last year, Guatemala bowed out of an agreement that allowed Planned Parenthood to operate in the country after Giammattei expressed concerns about the organizations stance on abortion.

Upon reversing the agreement made by Guatemalas interior minister at the time, Giammattei declared that I will not endorse in my administration the creation, registration or start-up of any organization that goes against life. Earlier this year, Guatemala joined the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Womens Health and Strengthening the Family, a document signed by nearly three dozen countries worldwide declaring that there is no international right to abortion.

The adherence of Guatemala today to the Geneva Consensus is a clear message to the international community that there are many countries that recognize that there is a fundamental right, a human right, to life that must be guaranteed and defended and that any claim that there is already an international consensus in favor of abortion, as some sadly allege, it is totally false, Giammattei proclaimed at the ceremony where he signed the Geneva Consensus.

Pres. @DrGiammattei: "Any effort to try to impose abortion on a country is undue interference in its internal affairs... We will collaborate at the international level so that the sovereignty of our countries... [is] respected." #GenevaConsensusDeclarationhttps://t.co/0HIJ3tcyUl  The Institute for Women's Health (@IWH4women) December 7, 2021

Additionally, Giammattei slammed the fact that efforts to promote abortion are often made in the name of defending human rights, which he characterized as absurd.

He added, Without a legal, anthropological or scientific basis, some currents of thought make supposed rights, which are nothing other than the denial of the true inherent rights of the person.

While the United States originally signed on to the Declaration when it was first introduced during the latter part of the Trump administration, President Joe Biden told United Nations ambassadors that the U.S. hereby discontinues our participation in the Geneva Consensus Declaration shortly after taking office.

During the summer, Giammattei spearheaded the Public Policy for the Protection of Life and the Institutionality of the Family 2021-2032. The initiative seeks to advance policies designed to attend to the immediate needs of protection of life from its conception, early childhood, childhood, adolescence, youth, adulthood and older adulthood to protect the family as the basic unit of society.
The European Union will let the year go by without agreeing on a clear and coordinated response to the rise in energy prices, which in recent months have reached historic levels mainly due to the skyrocketing gas prices.

Q3 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more

Soaring Energy Prices

As reported by the Financial Times, the profound discrepancies between the 27 members have meant that the meetings at leader and minister levels that have taken place since the beginning of autumn promoted in part by Spain as one of the most affected countries have not resulted in a common position of the block.

The last chapter was the summit on Thursday, from which the EU heads of state and government left without any conclusions after a passionate debate, according to community sources.

The block is divided. Some countries conceive the crisis as a temporary phenomenon such as Germany and the Netherlands and others like Spain or France which call for a thorough review of the system and propose the promotion of joint gas purchases and strengthen the strategic reserves.

The complexity of the has revealed different interests, causing some delegations to agree in some aspects and confronting in others.

At Loggerheads

Faced with soaring energy prices, Spain has found its main ally in France when criticizing the pricing system in the electricity market. However, both countries disagree on another controversial point during the talks: the future classification that the EU will give to nuclear energy.

French President Emmanuel Macron recently renewed his country's commitment to this technology, but the Spanish government believes that nuclear power cannot be considered when the European Commission makes a decision before the end of the year.

Germany maintains the same position as Spain on this point but is pushing for gas to benefit from the so-called "taxonomy," something that the Spanish authorities do not favor.

"We have different models of electricity production and that these years have continued to differ, it is normal that we do not follow the same objectives," justified Macron in an appearance after the summit accompanied by his German counterpart, Olaf Scholz.

These countries which have long blocked the EU commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 focus their criticism on the emissions trading system (ETS) in which the price of CO2 has doubled since January of 2021 to recently exceed 80 euros per ton.

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Reps. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) all interacted with Ali Alexander, the founder of the pro-Trump Stop the Steal movement, in the lead up to Jan. 6, Alexanders attorney said in a suit filed late Friday.

Alexander shared this information with the House select committee investigating Jan. 6, his attorney wrote in the filing, which was reported by Politico. According to the suit, Alexander told the committee he participated in a few phone conversations with Gosar and spoke with Biggs in person and never by phone, to the best of his recollection. Alexander additionally said he texted with Brooks. Alexanders attorney said in the filing that the text has been turned over to the committee. Alexander also spoke on the phone to Brooks staff about a Dear Colleague letter and how his activists could be helpful in objecting to the election certification.

Alexander has previously bragged about his interactions with Brooks, Gosar, and Biggs. I was the person who came up with the Jan. 6 idea with Congressman Gosar, Congressman Mo Brooks, and Congressman Andy Biggs, Alexander said in a since-deleted video. We four schemed up putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting, so that [representatives] who we couldnt lobby, we could change the hearts and minds of Republicans who were in that body hearing our loud war from outside.

On Jan. 6, the suit says, Alexander spoke with Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News anchor and current girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr. who has bragged about raising money for the Stop the Steal rally that morphed into the Capitol attack. The suit described the exchange as a short and pleasant call during which Guilfoyle thanked Alexander for being a leader on voting rights and creating the Stop the Steal movement. They additionally discussed the ongoing Georgia election and the GOP primaries that would take place in 2022, per the suit. Alexander has shared details from the call with the committee, according to the suit.

Alexander filed the suit in order to stop the House Jan. 6 committee from obtaining his phone records from Verizon. Contained in those records, the suit contended, are Alexanders interactions with people who would be protected by privilege.

The Select Committees Subpoena will yield data that will be used to populate a massive database of the personal friends and political associates of not just Plaintiffs, but everyone who has had any connection with the belief in election integrity, government skepticism, other political associations or vendors who worked with Plaintiff, the suit alleges. By analyzing data patterns in phone numbers, call session times, text messages, and geolocation data, investigators can build a permanent nationwide model of intimate political associations and networks within the conservative movement.

None of the lawmakers named by Alexander have been called to testify before the committee. Responding to a Rolling Stone report that protest organizers said Republican lawmakers and White House staff participated in dozens of planning meetings for the event, Brooks denied his involvement but said that hed be proud if he staff had helped. Brooks also spoke at the Stop the Steal rally. Clad in body armor, he encouraged the crowd to start taking down names and kicking ass. Gosars chief of staff told The New York Times earlier this month that Alexander was a solid organizer but denied helping plan the rally, telling the paper Gosars office only promoted the Jan. 6 rally but did not help plan it. Biggs has also denied that he helped organize the rally.
The Houston police officer who hit and killed a man walking to his barber Dec. 4 sped onto the sidewalk to avoid crashing into another car, according to details in a crash report.

Michael Wayne Jackson, a 62-year-old laborer who lived with his brother in Sunnyside, was pronounced dead on scene. The report identified the driving officer as Orlando Hernandez, a 25-year-old beat cop with fewer than two years on the force. Ofc. Anthony Aranda, 25, was in the cruiser's passenger seat. The two were automatically placed on three days' administrative duty but have since been listed as active duty, Houston Police Department spokesperson Jodi Silva said Wednesday. Silva declined to answer if either officer was back behind the wheel of a patrol car or was assigned to a desk.

Investigators determined that Hernandez was "traveling at an unsafe speed" westbound along the 4100 block of Reed Road that Saturday evening. With lights and sirens activated, the pair was rushing to help fellow officers detain five individuals who fled from their car on foot after a short pursuit. As Hernandez approached the intersection of Scott Street, he encountered stopped traffic, according to the report.

Investigators said Hernandez "performed a faulty evasive action" by driving onto the sidewalk to avoid colliding with a car. He hit Jackson from behind, throwing the 6-foot, 195-pound man nearly 60 feet. The cruiser continued into an adjacent parking lot and stopped after crashing into a Dumpster. It is not noted whether Hernandez had control of the cruiser by the time it hit the bin.

"I need HFD here," Hernandez told dispatchers at 5:41 p.m., according to archived police radio traffic. "I just got wrecked out, uh, Scott and Reed. One male patient is going to be knocked unconscious, not breathing, uh, bleeding from the head."

Paramedics with the Houston Fire Department rushed to the scene and pronounced Jackson dead. An autopsy from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences determined Jackson died from "multiple blunt force injuries." His manner of death was determined to be an accident.

Hernandez and Aranda declined to give statements to investigators for the crash report, which was filed by an officer in HPD's vehicular crimes division. Hernandez was not tested for alcohol or drugs, it was noted in the report.

"It looks like to me, maybe the guys couldn't drive that well," Jackson's adult brother Timothy Jackson said in the days following the collision. "They just weren't ready. Their skill level in pursuits maybe wasn't that good, because they came out of the street onto the sidewalk. They put anybody that's on the sidewalk in danger."

At a press briefing on the night of the collision, HPD Executive Asst. Chief Larry Satterwhite and prosecutor Sean Teare each maintained that the officers were en route to a "volatile" call.

"The officers were responding to a violent felony," Teare said. "That's something we're going to take into account. We're looking at all of this. This is not a normal crash. A normal crash in situations like this would probably constitute different charges than we're even going to think about in this case."

A grand jury will decide if the officers are charged. That process could take weeks, Teare said. He did not explain on potential charges.

The late Jackson's car broke down a few months ago, forcing him to walk nearly everywhere, take the bus, or catch occasional rides to work from his brother.

"He was always making jokes," Timothy said of his brother. "He was real sociable like that. He liked to try to sing a little bit. He was proud of a lot of people he's met, musicians and so forth. He knew B.B. King. That's who he was. He was a happy person."

HPD has not yet returned a request made Wednesday for department data that shows how many officers have been involved in collisions that left someone dead or seriously injured. In 2019, another HPD officer crashed into a pedestrian during a pursuit. The victim in that case was hospitalized.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  A Beverly Hills man arrested in connection with the drug overdose deaths of two unconscious women who were dumped at hospitals was charged Friday with sex assaults on four other women.

David Pearce is accused of two counts of forcible rape and one count each of rape of an unconscious or asleep person and sexual penetration by a foreign object, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said.

Pearce allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in 2010, raped another woman in 2019 and raped two more women last year, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors didn't immediately provide other details.

Pearce remained jailed on $1 million bail Friday and it wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Pearce was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the deaths last month of model Christy Giles, 24, and her friend, architect Hilda Marcela Cabrales-Arzola, 26.

Two other men were held on suspicion of being accessories to manslaughter but both have been released from jail. It also wasn't immediately clear whether they had attorneys.

No criminal charges have been filed against the three men in connection with the womens deaths.

This case is evolving and we continue to work with law enforcement in developing evidence of other possible crimes, District Attorney George Gascon said in a news release.

Giles and Cabrales-Arzola were reportedly last seen attending an East Los Angeles warehouse party. Authorities believe they then went to Pearces townhouse. Detectives said they believe both women were given drugs and overdosed.

Giles was found dead outside Southern California Hospital in Culver City after masked men in a car with no license plates dropped her there on Nov. 13, police said.

Cabrales-Arzola was left at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Hospital, where she was removed from life support and died on Nov. 24.
Houston officials said the city supports the proposed expansion of the McCarty Road Landfill, 5757 Oates Road.

"It's to the economic advantage of the city of Houston to utilize a landfill that is close in versus a landfill that will be placed God knows where," said Buck Buchanan, director of the city's solid waste management department.

"The position we took was strictly based on our need for a landfill where we can drive our garbage trucks to."

Buchanan formally announced the city's support last year at a public meeting to TCEQ officials.

There had been some confusion on the issue.

A letter sent to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in March from the city attorney's office said the city wished to join residents in northeast Houston in their request for a contested case hearing against the expansion.

City Attorney Arturo Michel said the letter was sent by mistake, saying officials have since asked the TCEQ to rescind the correspondence.

This confusion began earlier this year when the Northeast Environmental Justice Association requested in writing that Mayor Bill White reconsider the city stance on the landfill, saying it has caused respiratory illnesses and deaths to nearby residents.

White forwarded the letter to Michel, who in turn asked Senior Assistant Attorney Iona Givens to address the matter.

Givens interpreted Michel's instructions as a request to send a letter of opposition, he said.

The confusion has ruffled the feathers of community leaders, who insist the city should shut down the Browning-Ferris Industries landfill, which has operated in the area for approximately 30 years.

"We are holding the city accountable to the residents. These residents have already given their lives, some of them, and quality of life for 30 years, and enough is enough," said Jackie Mayhorn, president of the East Little York-Homestead Super Neighborhood Council.

"There is a need, but not in this community."

"I think there is political pressure placed on the mayor and on City Council to support BFI. That's the only thing we can imagine."

Robin German-Curtis, chairwoman of Northeast Beyond 2000, a community planning initiative, agreed, saying there were sick people in the area.

"Why else would you support something like that?" said German-Curtis.

Aware of the allegations against the landfill, Brian Franco, district manager for BFI, which was purchased by Allied Waste Industries several years ago, said the landfill poses no harm to the community.

"BFI has many systems in place to protect both the community and our employees.

"We have implemented extensive controls including gas collection limiting the size of the working face and routine placement of cover soil to insure that the landfill does not cause harm to the surrounding area," Franco said.

"BFI remains committed to operating the landfill to insure that there is no health risk to the community."

Kathy Barton, chief of public affairs for the city's Health and Human Services Department, said the Bureau of Air Quality has not received complaints about the landfill for several years.

Aware members of the community complain of foul odors, she said that location often receives winds from the Ship Channel, which is concentrated in refineries.

"That's somewhat of an odiferous side of town," Barton said. She also said methane gas, a product of landfills that is captured by a gas recovery system, in its natural form is odorless.

"They are smelling some other constituent of decomposition," Barton said.

"I have not seen any data that would support an increase in morbidity or mortality near that landfill."

The mayor's office did not return calls on whether an investigation would be launched into the matter.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  He had been sober for years, a beacon in the recovery community who inspired dozens of people to get clean.

When the pandemic hit, the Narcotics Anonymous meetings that served as a sanctuary for him and so many others were shut down or went virtual.

Then, as those in recovery sometimes do, he faltered and started using again.

The man had told colleagues in the harm reduction community he was going to straighten up and wanted to get back to work.

But the 44-year-old never got the chance. He was found in a West Side parking lot in August, dead from an unintentional overdose after someone sold him a bag of heroin laced with fentanyl.

It was another notch in a disturbing trend.

Last year, the New Mexico Department of Health recorded 304 fentanyl overdose deaths between January and November, a 135% increase over 2019. From 2018 to 2019 officials had tallied a 93% jump, from 67 to 129, in fentanyl overdose deaths as 74% of overdose deaths in the state involved opioids.

The steep rise saw fentanyl-related overdose deaths catch up to meth overdoses, the largest contributor, for the first time. Full 2020 and 2021 data is not yet available.

But Dr. Robert Kelly, substance abuse epidemiology section manager at the state Health Department, told the Albuquerque Journal that fentanyl overdoses have continued that pace into the summer of 2021.

Were seeing deaths in people because they dont know theres fentanyl in there, he said.

Oftentimes, other drugs are found alongside fentanyl in overdose patients, mostly cocaine and benzodiazepines like Xanax.

As fentanyl overdose deaths spiked there was a slight drop of 2% in those involving heroin. Kelly said some people turn to fentanyl because it does the same thing as heroin but more and faster. Others dont know what theyre getting.

There are two groups of folks. And some of the folks who know how to use fentanyl, they go out and thats their drug of choice.  Its the folks who dont know that theyre getting fentanyl thats the problem, Kelly said.

In 2019, New Mexico had the 12th highest drug overdose death rate in the nation, with unintentional overdoses accounting for 85% of deaths.

Between 2015 and 2019, Bernalillo County had the highest number of unintentional drug overdose deaths and opioid-related overdose emergency room visits in the state. Rio Arriba County had by far the highest rate of overdose deaths, nearly double that of second place San Miguel County.

In that time, use of the overdose reversal drug Narcan went up more than 1,000% in the state  from 8,158 to 94,743 doses. Its recorded success, however, rose only 432%  from 779 to 4,144.. Those who hand out Narcan to opioid users and often revive people themselves say the reversal drug doesnt work as well, and sometimes not at all, for a fentanyl overdose.

___

Here to stay

Dr. Brandon Warrick, an associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of New Mexico Hospital, put it bluntly: Fentanyl is here, and fentanyl is here to stay.

He said overdoses from the drug come into UNMH on a daily basis and they have seen the numbers ramping up very fast since 2019.

I have never seen such a rapid increase or shift in an illicit drug source  or come anywhere near what were seeing with fentanyl, said Warrick, whose work has centered around drug abuse for more than a decade.

He said a recent troubling trend at UNMH is fentanyl overdoses in children.

In the past year and a half, the hospital has treated 10 children for fentanyl overdoses. Before 2020, the hospital had treated only two children.

None of the children died, but one child suffered significant brain damage from the drug. Warrick said the children, some as young as 1 and 2 years old, often take pills that were left sitting out.

In other cases, kids have become hooked.

In Carlsbad, such an incident led to charges against a mother and a grandmother.

Alexis Murray and Kelli Smith, 35 and 55, were charged with child abuse in the Sept. 28 death of Murrays son, 12-year-old Brent Sullivan.

Police found the boy unconscious from a fentanyl overdose in his grandmothers backyard. Smith told officers she tried to give Narcan to Brent but it didnt work.

Murray told police she and Smith dealt fentanyl regularly and Brent had been stealing the pills from her for months. Murray said her son had overdosed three times prior and each time they had used Narcan to revive him.

The last time proved fatal.

Warrick said he has seen a noticeable decrease in those using heroin, with fentanyl essentially replacing that.

He said those who survive an overdose are not as receptive to treatment or rehab as those who develop complications, like an infection or disease, from their drug use.

The last thing that the person remembers is they were in their sweet spot, they were feeling good, Warrick said. The whole period of them being unconscious  near death  is experienced by everybody but the person who overdosed.

In an effort to encourage recovery, he said they often turn the lights up bright and announce welcome back from the dead when they revive someone from an overdose.

When you get bright lights and a whole bunch of strangers saying, welcome back from the dead, I mean, thats just like a scary experience, Warrick said.

Despite that, many fentanyl users are resistant to change. He said more so than the patients, the families hurt the most.

Whats more difficult than seeing somebody overdose is seeing  how their continued use really affects their personal lives  how much their children and families just suffer, Warrick said.

___

A dime a dozen

Before his death from an overdose at 18, Jennifer Burkes son used to tell her that heroin would call to him. Like a sirens song.

I think fentanyl is like that, times 10. It draws them back in. Its so potent and once it grabs ahold of these kids, its so hard for them to get back on their feet, she said.

Burke, who runs the rehab center Serenity Mesa in Albuquerque, said in the past year fentanyl has turned everything upside down. Clients, ranging from 14 to 21 years old, went from an even split of heroin and meth to 80% fentanyl users.

When fentanyl hit the market here in New Mexico, it took over really quickly, and I think people that had an addiction to opiates, that became their drug of choice, she said.

Burke said the influx was so great they have had a waitlist, often up to 20 people, stretching back a year. The facility has had more referrals in the past 18 months than it has ever had since it opened in 2015.

We havent been able to keep up, Burke said. Its hard because I dont want to turn anybody away, especially somebody whos young, whos struggling.

She said the whole point of their program is to catch them when theyre young before they end up in prison or worse. Burke said its much easier to help a young person turn their life around than a 40-year-old whos been using for decades.

Because of the drugs prevalence and profits, Burke believes the only solution is prevention.

Theres too many drug dealers out there making tons and tons of money, she said.  If nobodys going to buy the product, then theyre not going to make any money and theres no product to sell  we have to get people to stop using.

She said fentanyl users who are able to get into the 14-bed facility have a much harder time than those hooked on meth or heroin. The withdrawals are much more painful and they often see psychosis and mental health issues with the drug.

Burke said they sometimes take clients back two or three times after a relapse as the cravings and triggers can last for months. And the users are getting younger and younger.

I mean, 14- and 15-year-olds being addicted to fentanyl is not uncommon, Burke said.  Its really sad because its altering their brain.

For those who are still out there, Burke said its a game of Russian roulette.

These are drugs being made by people that really dont care if you live or die, they could care less, youre a dime a dozen to them, she said.  You dont know what youre getting when you buy  the next dose that you get could be fatal and thats what scares me the most.

___

Hooked as a teen

They were all baby-blue and stamped the same, but Hezekiah Beltran began to notice that each pill was different.

Not every pill had the same amount of whatever inside of it, he said.

One day, a day like any other, he said he smoked a fentanyl pill and suddenly got dizzy. The last thing he thought is he was overdosing.

Beltran said he woke up after the people around him, strangers who became friends over a shared vice, revived him with Narcan.

It was just another day for the 17-year-old.

I never thought that I would be anything more than a drug addict  thats what I felt my life was going to be, he said.

Beltran, who has been recovering from a yearslong fentanyl addiction at Serenity Mesa, said his foray into the world of drug use came early.

Being brought up in the lifestyle  crime, violence and stuff like that  I feel like I always knew too much at a young age, he said.

Beltran, of Raton, started smoking marijuana at 9 and by 15 had graduated to meth, using with the same people who once did drugs with his older relatives. After getting arrested for meth distribution and firearm possession, the teen skipped town.

He said he landed in a neighborhood in Rio Rancho where everyone was hooked on fentanyl. The next door neighbor sold it, $10 a pill before noon, $20 after midnight.

I just cut everybody off and at that point, it was a whole new group of people that I associated myself with. They were all fentanyl addicts, Beltran said.

It wasnt long before he was smoking five or six pills a day. He said the drug made heroin look like aspirin, it was that much stronger. And the sickness that came after was hell to pay: He couldnt move, was in pain all over and couldnt stop throwing up.

Those he hung around with were in the same boat, good people who just got caught up in the life. They ranged from their teens and up, committing petty crimes to support their habit.

Overdoses were common. One man bragged about having survived 27 of them.

Im very grateful that I got out of that mess. I could have easily died with all the things I was doing, he said. I feel lucky  because a lot of people dont get out.

Beltran thought back to a woman, in her 20s, who had stayed with him. He said they smoked fentanyl together and she overdosed. The Narcan, at least two doses, didnt work.

She didnt come back  they just kept on trying and trying, he said.  There was no color in her eyes. You know how my eyes are brown? There was nothing there. Ill never forget that look in her eyes.

___

There is hope

Beltran said a police call to the house he was living at in April saved his life.

He said he spent a month and a half withdrawing in quarantine at the Metropolitan Detention Center. From there, he went to a treatment center in Santa Teresa before landing at Serenity Mesa.

Maybe getting help is the only way to get through, but there is hope. There is a better future, he said.

Eight months later, Beltran said he has started feeling again. Happiness, sadness, worry, hope. At first, sobriety was scary and overwhelming. There are still triggers  a certain smell, crumpled tin foil  but he moves past them. Ever forward.

Beltran, set to be released soon, said he plans to move to Tennessee to live with family, get his GED and pick up a trade. For the first time in a long time, he is hopeful.

People are scared to get off of dope or get off fentanyl because theyre scared of the sickness, because theyve been minimizing feelings  for so long, Beltran said. It is hard, but I would like other people to know that it doesnt last forever, the sickness doesnt last forever, and there is hope.
DULUTH, Minn. (AP)  On Nov. 25, Debbie Center got a note from a friend who lives on the lake adjacent to hers, on the Crow Wing Chain of Lakes, near Park Rapids.

She said, Did you know that there is still a loon here? recalled Center. I said, You gotta be kidding me, because I hadnt seen one for a couple weeks before the lakes froze.

The 11 lakes in the chain are connected by the Crow Wing River, so they often have little pockets of open water throughout the winter. Center says adult loons began their long migration weeks ago and that young loons, born early in the summer, always wait until just before the lake freezes, Minnesota Public Radio News reported.

We get nervous every darn year. And then they get out of there like theyre supposed to. Well, this one didnt. Hes a juvenile and he was still over on this lake, she said.

Loons are heavy. Unlike most birds, they have solid bones. That allows them to dive as deep as 250 feet to fish.

But it also means they need a long runway of open water  100 to 600 feet long, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources  to get airborne. The one that is now stuck is in a pool of open water just 25 feet across, surrounded by ice.

Center, an artist and a musician from Colorado who started living in Nevis in 2014, started taking photos and videos of the loon, nicknamed Gilligan by the resident who first spotted it. She began posting regular updates on a Facebook group she created a few years ago called Loony for Loons.

She says shes heard from people around the world who are rooting for Gilligan, from Australia and New Zealand to the United Kingdom and Barbados. And as the loons social media fame grew, so too did calls to rescue it.

It got to the point where average citizens were starting to threaten to go out there and do the job themselves. And of course, thats super dangerous, said Center, because the ice is so precarious around the open water.

Thats when Lori Naumann, non-game wildlife program information officer for the Minnesota DNR, decided to get involved.

I did comment on Facebook and told people that it is never worth a human life. Ever, she said.

But Naumann knows it can be really hard for humans to see wildlife struggle.

Its heartbreaking and heart-wrenching and when its getting so much attention on social media, it increases the social pressure to go out and do something about it.

Which is why the Nevis Fire Department intervened. This week, three firefighters took huge fishing nets onto the ice to try to capture Gilligan. Center recorded a video as she and some neighbors watched.

Oh, so close! they whispered on the video, as the firefighters swung their nets down, narrowly missing the loon as it splashed to the surface.

Every time the loon came up for a gulp of air, it disappeared again, before the would-be rescuers could capture it.

After about a half-hour, they retreated. They didnt want to stress the loon any more. As they walked away toward shore, Gilligan, seemingly in defiance, issued the loons telltale call.

Oh geez, I didnt think I was going to hear that sound again until April! exclaimed Center.

It turns out its really hard to capture a loon, even one surrounded by ice. Linda and Kevin Grenzer know that better than anyone.

The couple run an operation called Loon Rescue from their home in northern Wisconsin. What started as a retirement hobby has grown into a year-long passion.

Grenzer says they rescue loons in all seasons, including in the winter, when she estimates they typically rescue two or three loons from iced-in lakes every year.

To do that, she says, theyve found the pool of open water needs to be 10 feet across or less. Otherwise, the loon has too much room to surface and dive again.

By the time theyre up in the water and you got that net swinging down at them, theyre already diving deep down and youre not going to capture them, she said.

Grenzer said many of the loons they rescue suffered lead poisoning, from eating fish that had swallowed lead sinkers used by anglers. Some are injured. Some get tangled in fishing line.

Judging from the videos shes seen of Gilligan, Naumann does not think the loon has lead poisoning. She suspects it was born later than other loons this season, and simply needed more time to grow stronger.

This loon is pretty vibrant still, and it appears as if its been eating just fine. And it dove when the rescuers tried to get out there and net it. So that tells me that its healthy and it probably just was a late hatch.

Grenzer knows some of the loons they rescue wont survive. But sometimes they do, she says, and that makes it worthwhile to her.

She remembers a loon she plucked from the water that had a big muskie lure stuck to its wing. That loon returned to the lake the next winter.

She also believes its still worth capturing loons in case they have lead poisoning. Because even if they dont survive, she figures she may have saved the life of an eagle that could have preyed upon that poisoned bird.

If you do not go after a loon that has lead poisoning, what happens is they do die and an eagle will most likely predate on them. (Then) they will get lead poisoning and they will die.

The Grenzers have invested over $20,000 in equipment, including a hovercraft, another boat with a special motor that allows them to go into shallow areas, and high-powered spotlights for night rescues.

Linda Grenzer said its too far a drive for them to come help the loon in Nevis, but said theyve given advice to firefighters.

And Grenzer says since Gilligans story went viral, people in Minnesota have contacted them about setting up a similar operation.

Debbie Center said the fire crew told her theyd try again when the hole in the ice gets smaller. But she says four bald eagles have been watching Gilligans story unfold just as intently as she has.

Its not all cute little baby chicks on the backs of parents, you know. All these animals have to get their food somehow. And theres a very delicate balance in nature, and how much do you interfere?

Even if he is captured, Naumann says the loon faces an uncertain future. A wildlife rehabber would need to transport him to the Gulf of Mexico, a long journey that would put even more stress on a young bird.

Its pretty rare for it actually to be successful. But it has been.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  An Oklahoma County grand jury indicted a top Republican House leader on multiple felony counts, alleging he misused his power to change state law so his wife could become a tag agent.

House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O'Donnell, the second-highest ranking member in the House, was charged in the indictment on Friday with five felonies and three misdemeanors, The Oklahoman reported.

He denies any wrongdoing, his attorney, Mack Martin, told the newspaper.

His wife, Teresa ODonnell, who was also indicted, faces three felonies and one misdemeanor. Court records don't indicate the name of her attorney.

The most severe offense against the couple is conspiracy against the state, which has a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

The Catoosa Republican introduced a bill in 2019 that allowed spouses of legislators to serve as tag agents. The Oklahoma Tax Commission appointed his wife to take over the Catoosa Tag Agency on Aug. 1, 2019, three months after Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the bill into law.

Terry O'Donnell told The Oklahoman last year his wife had no intention of becoming a tag agent when he sponsored the bill. He said she sought the appointment after her mother died unexpectedly from pancreatic cancer.

Her mother, Georgia McAfee, had been in charge of the Catoosa Tag Agency for more than 40 years. Teresa ODonnell had worked there for more than four years before her appointment.

Grand jurors alleged the two submitted a fraudulent application to the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

Commissioners were told she managed the daily operation of the office and supervised four clerks when she actually was only a part-time worker with no supervisory authority, grand jurors alleged.

Commissioners also were told they could check with her present supervisor about her job experience. At the time, McAfee was in hospice care, semi-conscious only from time to time and unable to answer any questions, according to the indictment.

In a statement Friday night, the legislator said political operatives in Oklahoma City are using this to discredit our familys character and destroy our reputation as a personal vendetta against me.

We will vigorously defend our integrity, he said.
VINELAND, N.J. (AP)  State authorities are investigating an early morning police shooting that left a man dead at a New Jersey mobile home park over the weekend.

The New Jersey attorney general's office said the shooting occurred at about 5:30 a.m. Saturday at the Penn Lincoln Mobile Home Park in Vineland.
ISLAMABAD (AP)  Pakistan is rallying Muslim countries to help Afghanistan stave off an economic and humanitarian disaster while also cajoling the neighboring country's new Taliban rulers to soften their image abroad.

Several foreign ministers from the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation are meeting in Islamabad on Sunday to explore ways to aid Afghanistan while navigating the difficult political realities of its Taliban-run government, Pakistan's top diplomat said Friday.

The new Taliban administration in Kabul has been sanctioned by the international community, reeling from the collapse of the Afghan military and the Western-backed government in the face of the insurgents' takeover in mid-August.

The OIC meeting is an engagement that does not constitute an official recognition of the Taliban regime, said Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He said the message to the gathering on Sunday is: Please do not abandon Afghanistan. Please engage. We are speaking for the people of Afghanistan. Were not speaking of a particular group. We are talking about the people of Afghanistan.

Qureshi said major powers  including the United States, Russia, China and the European Union  will send their special representatives on Afghanistan to the one-day summit. Afghanistan's Taliban-appointed Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will also attend the conference.

Afghanistan is facing a looming economic meltdown and humanitarian catastrophe in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover. Billions of dollars worth of the country's assets abroad, mostly in the U.S., have been frozen and international funding to the country has ceased.

The world is also waiting before extending any formal recognition to the new rulers in Kabul, wary the Taliban could impose a similarly harsh regime as when they were in power 20 years ago  despite their assurances to the contrary.

In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Muttaqi said that Afghanistan's new rulers were committed to the education of girls and women in the workforce.

Yet four months into Taliban rule, girls are not allowed to attend high school in most provinces and though women have returned to their jobs in much of the health care sector, many female civil servants have been barred from coming to work.

However, security has improved under the Taliban, with aid organizations able to travel to most parts of Afghanistan, including areas that for years were off-limits during the war, said a senior humanitarian official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The World Health Organization and U.N. agencies have warned of the humanitarian crisis facing Afghanistan and its 38 million people. Hospitals are desperately short of medicines, up to 95% of all households face food shortages, the poverty level is soaring toward 90% and the afghani, the national currency, is in free fall.

Pakistan has been at the forefront in pressing for world engagement in Afghanistan. Qureshi said Friday he has warned in talks with many foreign ministers  including with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington  that a total collapse in Afghanistan will hurt efforts to fight terrorism and trigger a massive exodus from the country.

Refugees will become economic migrants, he added, meaning they would not want to stay in neighboring countries of Pakistan and Iran, but will try to reach Europe and North America.

Qureshi also warned that if Afghans are left without help, militant groups such as al-Qaida and the regional Islamic State affiliate will regroup and flourish amid the chaos.

The OIC has leverage because of its nature as an Islamic organization and Qureshi expressed hope the summit will also be an opportunity for the world's Muslim nations to press upon the Taliban the imperative of allowing girls to attend school at all levels and for women to return to their jobs in full.

Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based Wilson center, said OIC nations could do more, suggesting they work through their religious scholars and have them interact directly with the Taliban.

For now, it would be difficult for the West to engage with the Taliban, Kugelman said, adding that such an interaction would be tantamount to admitting defeat in the 20-year war.

For the Taliban, it would be the final satisfaction of being able to engage ... from the standpoint of victor, he said.

The Taliban defeated the West ... their powerful militaries and caused them to suffer through a chaotic and humiliating final withdrawal," he said. For the West to turn around and bury the hatchet with the Taliban, this would amount to a legitimization of its defeat."
ROME (AP)  Pope Francis doubled down Saturday on his efforts to quash the old Latin Mass, forbidding the celebration of some sacraments according to the ancient rite in his latest salvo against conservatives and traditionalists.

The Vaticans liturgy office issued a document that clarified some questions that arose after Francis in July reimposed restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass that Pope Benedict XVI had relaxed in 2007.

Francis said then that he was reversing his predecessor because Benedicts reform had become a source of division in the church and been exploited by Catholics opposed to the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernized the church and its liturgy.

The Vatican repeated that rationale on Saturday, saying the clarifications and new restrictions were necessary to preserve the unity of the church and its sacraments.

As pastors we must not lend ourselves to sterile polemics, capable only of creating division, in which the ritual itself is often exploited by ideological viewpoints, said the prefect of the Vatican's liturgy office, Archbishop Arthur Roche, in an introductory note to the world's bishops.

Francis crackdown on the old Mass has outraged his conservative critics, many of whom have gone so far to accuse him of heresy and watering down Catholic doctrine with his focus on the environment, social justice and migrants. Francis says he preaches the Gospel and what Jesus taught, and has defended the restrictions by saying they actually reflect Benedict's original goal while curbing the way his 2007 concession had been exploited for ideological ends.

His July law required individual bishops to approve celebrations of the old Mass, also called the Tridentine Mass, and required newly ordained priests to receive explicit permission to celebrate it from their bishops, in consultation with the Vatican. Saturday's decree makes clear the Vatican must explicitly authorize new priests to celebrate the rite.

In addition, the new document Saturday imposes restrictions targeting the sacramental life of the church.

It forbids using the ancient ritual for the sacraments of Confirmation and ordaining new priests, and will make it exceedingly difficult for traditionalists to access the sacraments of Baptism, Marriage and Anointing of the Sick according to the old rite.

This de facto prohibition arises because these sacraments can only be celebrated in so-called personal parishes that were already in existence and dedicated to traditionalist communities. There are exceedingly few of these parishes around the world, and Francis barred the creation of new ones.

Roche Christmas Massacre, tweeted Rorate Caeli, a traditionalist blog that has been critical of Francis and his crackdown on the Tridentine rite.

Benedict XVI had brought peace to the church. An end to the liturgical wars," the group said in a follow-up message to The Associated Press. "The current pope has chosen to reignite them. There is no logical reason for that. Just an underlying desire for division and violence.

Francis agreed to the publication of the document, which was signed by Roche, who is prefect of the Vaticans liturgy office.

It was written in the form of questions and answers, including some that get into minute details that make clear the Vatican's effort to minimize the spread of the old Mass: Parishes may not, for example, publicize the celebration of the old liturgy in parish bulletins or allow them to be celebrated at the same time as the so-called New Order Mass.

In a clear bid to dissuade seminarians from even learning the old rite, the new instruction urges seminary teachers to lead their charges to an understanding and experience of the richness of the liturgical reform called for by the Second Vatican Council.

If a priest who is authorized to celebrate the old rite gets sick at the last minute, he can't be substituted with one who doesn't have prior approval. In addition, priests may not celebrate an old rite Mass and the New Order one on the same day.

Joseph Shaw, head of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, said the restrictions mean celebration of the old Latin Mass will become extremely difficult" and the sacraments even more so.

This would drastically reduce the number of celebrations, and cause great pastoral harm," he said in an email.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia sent a pair of nuclear-capable long-range bombers to patrol the skies over Belarus on Saturday, a mission intended to underline close defense ties between the two allies amid tensions with the West.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the two Tu-22M3 strategic strike bombers practiced performing joint tasks with the Belarusian air force and air defense. Su-30 fighter jets that Russia has supplied to Belarus escorted the bombers.

Saturdays four-hour patrol marked Russia's third such mission in Belarus since last month and took place amid Western concerns over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine's border.

Moscow has denied harboring plans to invade Ukraine and pressed the United States for security guarantees that would exclude NATO expanding into Ukraine or deploying weapons there. The U.S. and its allies are almost certain to reject Moscow's demands.

Some Ukrainian officials have voiced concern that Russia may use Belarus as a base for attacking their country from the north. Amid his own tensions with the European Union, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said last month that his country would be ready to host Russian nuclear weapons.

The European Union has accused the authoritarian Lukashenko of encouraging migrants and refugees to use his country as a backdoor to illegally enter neighboring EU member nations Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. The EU imposed sanctions on Lukashenko's government for its crackdown on internal dissent after Lukashenkos disputed 2020 reelection.

The Belarusian leader wouldnt elaborate on what kind of Russian weapons Belarus would be willing to accommodate, but noted that the ex-Soviet nation has carefully preserved the necessary military infrastructure dating back to the time of the USSR.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described Lukashenkos offer as a serious warning prompted by reckless Western policy.

Belarus' top diplomat, Vladimir Makei, seconded Lukashenko's statement in an interview released Saturday. He said Belarus could agree to host nuclear weapons as part of its response to possible NATO activities in Poland.

Echoing Russian concerns about growing ties between Ukraine and NATO, Makei said the Western military alliance was Ukraine into a bridgehead against Russia.

___

Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine contributed.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Senate confirmed more than 30 ambassadors and other Biden administration nominees early Saturday after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed to schedule a vote on sanctions on the company behind the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany.

With many senators anxious to go home for the holidays, Schumer, D-N.Y., threatened to keep the Senate in for as long as it took to break a logjam on a broad array of diplomatic and national security nominees.

Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago, was confirmed to serve as ambassador to Japan by a vote of 48-21. Nominees to be ambassadors to Spain, Vietnam and Somalia were among those confirmed by voice vote soon afterward. The votes came after an agreement was reached to hold a vote concerning Nord Stream 2 sanctions before Jan. 14.

The confirmation process has proved to be frustrating for new presidential administrations regardless of party. While gridlock isnt new, the struggle to staff administrations is getting worse.

Democrats have increasingly voiced concerns about holds that a few GOP senators placed on nominees to raise objections about foreign policy matters that had little to do with the nominee. The holds don't block a nominee from being confirmed, but they do require the Senate to undertake hours of debate that could be used on other priorities. As a result, positions requiring Senate confirmation can go unfilled for several months even when the nominations are approved in committee with the support of senators from both parties.

Biden administration officials acknowledge the president will end his year with significantly more ambassadorial vacancies than recent predecessors and that the slowdown of ambassadorial and other national security picks has already had an impact on U.S. relations overseas.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, held up dozens of nominees at the departments of State and Treasury over objections to the administration's waiving of sanctions targeting the Nord Stream AG firm overseeing the pipeline project. The administration said at the time that it opposed the project but viewed it is a fait accompli. It also said trying to stop it would harm relations with Germany.

Critics on the both sides of the aisle have raised concerns that the pipeline will threaten European energy security by increasing the continents reliance on Russian gas and allowing Russia to exert political pressure on vulnerable Eastern and Central European nations, particularly Ukraine.

Earlier in the week, Schumer demanded that Cruz lift all of his holds on nominees at the two Cabinet departments as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development as part of any possible agreement on a Nord Stream 2 sanctions. Cruz said he was willing to lift holds on 16 nominees. The two sides were trading offers throughout the day Friday.

I think there ought to be a reasonable middle ground solution," Cruz said.

While Democrats were intent on making progress on Biden's nominees, they also viewed it as too little and too late.

Lets face it. There is little to celebrate when it comes to nominations in the Senate," said Sen. Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Menendez, D-N.J., blamed some Republicans for straining the system to the breaking point" and depriving Biden of a full team of national security positions, leaving our nation weakened."

Somethings going to happen in one of these places and we will not be there to ultimately have someone to promote our interests and to protect ourselves," he said.

But Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said that some of the gridlock on nominations stems back to four years ago when Democrats, under Schumer's leadership, tried to prevent many of President Donald Trump's nominees from being confirmed in a timely manner.

Sen. Schumer doesn't have anything close to clean hands here," Blunt said.

Eight Republicans ended up voting with a majority of Democrats to confirm Emanuel. Three Democrats voted against his confirmation: Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
SEATTLE (AP)  Voters in Seattle have retained socialist Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant, the controversial lawmaker and long-time foe of hometown tech giant Amazon.

Sawant had faced a recall effort. King County Elections on Friday officially certified the Dec. 7 recall election, showing Sawant narrowly prevailing with 50.4% voting no on the recall question and 49.6% people casting yes ballots.

Sawant, a 48-year-old economics professor, is the longest-tenured council member in Seattle.

By surviving the recall she gave a boost to the beleaguered left wing in liberal Seattle, which was bruised in last months general election when business-friendly candidates won the mayors office and a council seat.

Sawant has had an outsized influence on the tone and direction of Seattle politics since she launched her political career under the banner of the Socialist Alternative party in 2012, when she ran unsuccessfully for state representative.

Sawant was elected to the City Council the following year, and her threat to run a voter initiative drive for an immediate $15 minimum wage has been credited with pressuring business leaders and then-Mayor Ed Murray to reach a deal raising the wage to $15 over a few years. Seattle was the first major city in the U.S. to adopt such a measure.

But critics have said she offers more rhetoric than substance and that her brash antics are incompatible with good governance.

Sawant has been pushing for rent control, cutting police funding and expanding taxes on high earners such as Amazon to pay for affordable housing, schools and community services.

The recall question on the ballot had cited a minor campaign finance violation that Sawant acknowledged and for which she paid a fine and her alleged leadership of a protest march to the home of Mayor Jenny Durkan, even though Durkans address was protected by a state confidentiality law due to her prior work as a federal prosecutor. The recall question also cites her decision to let a crowd of protesters into City Hall while it was closed due to the pandemic.

Sawant denied having led the march to Durkans house, though she did participate in it.

And she has defended her decision to let Black Lives Matter demonstrators inside City Hall following George Floyds murder by Minneapolis police.
DENVER (AP)  The 110-year prison sentence meted out Dec. 13 to the truck driver who killed four people when he lost his brakes on Interstate 70 put a renewed spotlight on Colorados mandatory-minimum sentencing laws and on district attorneys ability to use such laws to ensure convictions lead to prison time.

Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, 26, was sentenced to a prison term twice as long as some Colorado murderers after his convictions triggered provisions in state law that forced District Court Judge Bruce Jones to lay down a minimum 110-year sentence.

The judge said during the sentencing hearing that he had no discretion to set a lesser prison term, though he would have liked to. One family member of a man who died in the fiery 28-car pileup in Lakewood said he did not want a life sentence for the truck driver.

And the day after the sentencing, First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King  who pursued the convictions that led to the 110-year sentence  said in a statement she would welcome a reconsideration of the prison term.

Aguilera-Mederos sentence stretched to more than a century because under Colorado law, first-degree assault and attempted first-degree assault are so-called crimes of violence in which prison sentences must run consecutively, and not concurrently, when they spring from the same incident.

This is a grossly excessive sentence, said Mark Silverstein, legal director for the ACLU of Colorado. It cries out for the reform of sentencing laws. But I think calls for change also need to be directed at the seldom-criticized but largely unchecked power of prosecutors. They have the power to decide who goes to prison and for how long. Prosecutors decide on the charges to file, and they decide what plea bargains to offer.

King refused to talk to The Denver Post about the case, which was initially charged under her predecessor, Pete Weir, and instead sent statements through a spokesman.

The facts and consequences of Mr. Aguilera-Mederos decisions that day were extraordinary enough to support pursuing first-degree assault charges, she said. Aguilera-Mederos refused to accept any plea offer other than a traffic ticket, King said, and the convictions recognize the harm caused to victims of the crash.

My administration contemplated a significantly different outcome in this case, but Mr. Aguilera-Mederos wasnt interested in pursuing those negotiations, she said.

Aguilera-Mederos attorney, James Colgan, would not discuss what sort of plea bargain was considered, except to say that the discussions were not fruitful.

Silverstein said Kings statement suggests the district attorneys office overcharged the case to try to pressure Aguilera-Mederos into pleading guilty rather than taking the case to trial.

Its out of line for the prosecutor to blame the defendant for exercising his constitutional rights, Silverstein said.

George Brauchler, former district attorney for the 18th Judicial District, disagreed.

I have little sympathy for someone who turns down a reasonable plea bargain offer, and then goes to trial and bemoans the fact that the worst thing that could happen to them happened, he said.

Colorados mandatory minimums largely were established in the 1990s as a tough-on-crime response to rising crime rates and a perception among conservative politicians that the states judges were handing out light sentences, said Stan Garnett, former Boulder County district attorney.

There were concerns that sentences for the same crimes varied dramatically depending on the judge and perhaps on the defendant, Brauchler said.

The laws give tremendous power to district attorneys, Garnett said.

You can, in the way you charge the case, predetermine what the sentence is going to be, and put an extreme amount of pressure on the defendant to plea, he said. It makes it impossible for a judge to fashion a sentence that fits the particular crime and particular defendant.

Brauchler said the laws ensure that perpetrators of violent crime who harm multiple victims are held responsible with prison sentences for each victim, since the terms must run consecutively.

This guy killed four people, Brauchler said. How much time are four lives worth?

He added that people convicted of vehicular homicide in Colorado, which carries a recommended sentence of between two and six years in prison, are eligible to be sentenced to probation instead of prison.

If that was the only charge, vehicular homicide, that guy might have walked out of the courtroom, he said. Theres no outcome, using those weak charges, that comes even close to justice. That cant be justice when you kill four people.

A jury in October found Aguilera-Mederos guilty of four counts of vehicular homicide, six counts of first-degree assault, 10 counts of attempted first-degree assault, four counts of careless driving causing death, two counts of vehicular assault and one count of reckless driving.

The states mandatory-minimum laws have faced criticism in recent years, and some of the states minimums have been reduced or removed.

State Sen. Bob Gardner, a Colorado Springs Republican who sits on the states year-old Sentencing Reform Task Force, said Tuesday that hes looking into Aguilera-Mederos case.

When I saw the story this morning, I thought it was worth making some inquiries of both prosecutors and defense counsel alike as to whether this is an anomaly, whether this is something we ought to deal with and, frankly, to see whether it is something as were doing our sentencing reform that could be addressed, he said.

The task force, formed by Gov. Jared Polis last year to review and suggest changes to the states sentencing laws, began its work with misdemeanor cases and has not yet considered reforms to felony sentencing, said Maureen Cain, a task force member and director of legislative policy and external communications for the Colorado Public Defenders Office. That work should start next year.

Aguilera-Mederos intends to appeal the jurys verdict, Colgan said, and is also considering a variety of challenges to the sentence, though those challenges will have to wait until the appeal process concludes. An online petition calling for Polis to commute Aguilera-Mederos sentence had more than 1 million signatures Wednesday night.

The law is just so frustrating because it ends up in miscarriages of justice like this, Colgan said Tuesday. The law is poorly written.

The states mandatory sentencing law allows for the trial judge to reduce the sentence within 91 days of Aguilera-Mederos commitment to the Department of Corrections, after the department evaluates Aguilera-Mederos and submits a report to the judge. The judge must find unusual and extenuating circumstances to modify the sentence, the law says  a step Jones implied hed be willing to take.

Aguilera-Mederos could also ask the court to reconsider the sentence through other legal avenues, Colgan said.

Colgan expects Augilera-Mederos will not be eligible for parole until he is in his 70s or 80s  state law says he must serve 75% of his sentence (thatd be about 82 years) before he can be paroled.

That percentage often ends up being closer to 50% of the total sentence once the Department of Corrections applies credits for time served, good time and other measures, Brauchler said.

Nobody on planet Earth can tell you how many days this guy will serve before he is parole-eligible, Brauchler said.

Colgan said the states mandatory minimum sentencing laws should be changed to give more discretion to judges.

(If) you dont allow the judge to put some humanity into the law, it becomes a rubber stamp, he said, and everybody gets sucked in.
Charles Sykes/Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Kangol Kid, a member of the legendary hip-hop group UTFO, has died after a battle with colon cancer. He was 55.

The family of Kangol Kid  whose real name is Shaun Shiller Fequiere  said in a statement that he died peacefully around 3 a.m. Saturday at a hospital in Manhasset, New York. He was diagnosed with cancer in February.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  A jury has found the chairman of the Florida Board of Education not guilty of illegally excavating in waters around his former property in the Florida Keys.

The 12-member panel unanimously agreed Thursday in Key West federal court that Tom Grady should be acquitted of misdemeanor obstruction of navigable water.
Texas school districts are facing a wave of book challenges from local lawmakers and parents, all of whom are aiming to keep specific titles about topics they deem inappropriate out of the hands of students.

This process was started by an October letter drafted by Republican state representative Matt Krause to Texas school districts in which he questioned whether a list of 850 books he believed could "make students feel uncomfortable" were stocked in school libraries and classrooms. Most of the books listed in the 16-page spreadsheet deal with race and racism, sex education, and LGBTQ topics.

In November, Gov. Greg Abbott followed with instructions sent to the Texas Education Agency asking them to notify him of any instance of pornography being provided to minors under the age of 18 for prosecution to the fullest extent of the law."

Both messages were sent amid debates throughout Texas and many other states about how subjects such as race and racism should be discussed in schools. On Dec. 2, the Lone Star State also installed a so-called critical race theory law prohibiting teachers from discussing "widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs."

While different titles are being pulled off school bookshelves in response to these demands, some have faced more scrutiny than others. Below are the books that have been most frequently targeted in recent challenges, investigations and subsequent removals throughout Texas schools.

"Out of Darkness" by Ashley Perez

Loosely based on Romeo and Juliet, this 2015 novel uses the 1937 New London School explosion in East Texas  where a natural-gas leak ignited and killed some 295 students and school employees  as a backdrop for an interracial love story between a Black boy and a Mexican American girl.

The novel was temporarily removed from Leander ISD's optional book club curriculum and classroom libraries along with 10 other titles following a year-long review, which deemed the content inappropriate. In Keller ISD, the book is now only available in high school libraries  just not on open shelves with other books  and requires parental consent for students to check out because of its "violence and difficult imagery." The title was also listed in Krause's inquiry.

During a national teach-in for students Wednesday hosted by PEN America, a non-profit that promotes literature and free expression, Perez noted how relevant the themes of her book still are despite the story being set 84 years in the past.

"What I wanted to do in 'Out of Darkness' first of all was to write the kind of historical novel that my former Texas high school students would have finished and I wanted to center the experiences that have been pushed to the margins of conversations of history in our communities," Perez said. "I also wanted 'Out of Darkness' to make connections between the histories of racialized violence and misogyny in our current realities."

Perez continued, saying "Unfortunately what's happening in 2021 is a sweeping effort to silence that conversation, to stop critically engaging with our history. So a book like 'Out of Darkness' which asks folks to sit with the roots of our current racialized violence is under attack for those reasons."

"Lawn Boy" by Jonathan Evison

This semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age novel tells the story of a Mike Munoz, a young adult Mexican-American who has faced hardships since his childhood and is now going through a phase of self-discovery. The book was recently removed from North East ISD in San Antonio for "very descriptive details of sexual encounters," according to the Houston Chronicle. (Chron and the Houston Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another.)

The novel was also one of five titles recently removed from Katy ISD for containing "pervasively vulgar content" and was included in Krause's list. In September, a Leander ISD parent told school board members at a meeting that the book was "full of obscenity and sexual content." The Leander Police Department said in September that it was investigating reports about obscenities in the book.

In September, Evison told the Washington Post his book was meant to explore themes of capitalism, wealth disparity and racial assumptions. He also denied accusations of his work containing pedophilia, addressing concerns some parents had with an adult man in the book recalling a sexual encounter he had with another fourth-grader when he too was in the fourth grade.

He also defended his novel in a Dec. 3 Facebook post saying, "Whether these would-be book banners are willing to admit it, their kids almost certainly have gay friends, impoverished friends, and non-white friends dealing with the same issues my protagonist Mike deals with. This book is modern realism. A large portion of America lives under similar circumstances as Mike, dealing with wealth inequity, racial assumptions, and sexual identification questions."

Evison continued, writing the underlying reason why people want to ban his book is because "they don't want representation for people beyond straight, white, Christians. They don't want to acknowledge wealth inequity, racial assumptions, or non-binary sexual identifications."

"V for Vendetta" by Alan Moore

Perhaps one of the older books that has been targeted, the classic 1982 graphic novel by acclaimed author Alan Moore depicts a dystopian, post-apocalyptic England ruled by a fascist regime and details a growing revolution against it. The books protagonist disguises himself in a mask of Guy Fawkes, a 17th-century English conspirator who has become a symbol of resistance.

The now 40-year-old comic book was adapted into a hit Warner Bros. film by the same name starring Natalie Portman, released in 2005. The novel was recently removed from Leander ISD's classroom libraries and optional book club curriculum. It was also among more than 400 titles pulled from North East ISD for review to "ensure they did not have any obscene or vulgar material in them" and was also listed in Krause's book inquiry.

"The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel" by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault

Originally published in 1985, this dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood is set in a fictional, near-future fertility crisis, where the U.S. government has been overthrown by a totalitarian theocracy. In order to rebuild the population, the new government has reintroduced the biblical practice of forced surrogacy. More ironically, the society began to crumble after the government banned certain books.

The young adult novel, which was adapted into an award-winning Hulu original series in 2017, has been frequently challenged for a variety of reasons, but mostly for its disturbing sex scenes and appearing to be anti-Christian. It made the American Library Association's top ten most challenged books of 2019, as well as the ALA's list of top 100 banned books in the entire decade for both the 1990s and the 2000s.

Recently, the book was listed in Krause's inquiry and was one of 11 titles removed from Leander ISD as well as at North East ISD after being deemed inappropriate for students.

"Flamer" by Mike Curato

Award-winning author and illustrator Mike Curato draws on his own experiences for his 2020 debut graphic novel. The story, set in 1995, follows 14-year-old Aiden Navarro, a Filipino American away at a Boy Scout camp the summer before his first year of high school who is struggling with body issues and coming to terms with his sexuality and identity. The book was recently removed from school library shelves at Keller ISD and North East ISD. It also made Krause's list, which mostly targets books with LGBTQ themes.

Earlier this month, Curato signed a joint statement from the National Coalition Against Censorship along with more than 600 authors, publishers and activist groups calling for an end to political attacks on books in public schools.

"In communities across the country, an organized political attack on books in schools threatens the education of America's children," the statement read. "These ongoing attempts to purge schools of books represent a partisan political battle fought in school board meetings and state legislatures. The undersigned organizations and individuals are deeply concerned about this sudden rise in censorship and its impact on education, the rights of students, and freedom of expression."
The Plainview Fire Department ceremoniously pushed its new fire truck into its station Thursday evening and members of the community showed up to celebrate.

The red 2022 Spartan Metro Star Engine is a quick attack pumper truck with an estimated 3,000 foot of hose and can pump 1,500 gallons of water per minute. It carries 1,000 gallons of water and 20 gallons of firefighting foam.

It also includes three different size ladders, battery-operated rescue tools, seating for four firefighters and a standard emergency light and siren package.

Fire Chief Bobby Gipson, who has been with the department 32 years, said this is the departments first fire truck purchase in at least six years and it replaces an engine the department had for 26 years.

The truck was chosen by a committee of firefighters including Training Captain Kevin Goss, Lt. Seth Stephens, Lt. Joe Marks, Equipment Operator Jordan Prater, Equipment Operator Tommy Marquez, and Equipment Operator Cameron Lunsford.

Its been a big year for the Plainview Fire Department. The team is ending the year with construction of a new station underway, a new (but familiar) fire chief, promotions and new certifications of other veteran firefighters and now a new fire engine.

And on Thursday, the department celebrated by bringing back a decades-old tradition  ceremonially pushing the truck into the station. Gipson, who officially dropped the interim part of his Fire Chief title in September, said its been at least 35 years since the Plainview Fire Department has actually done it so Thursday provided a fun opportunity to revive the tradition.

After it was pushed into the fire station, Gipson made the official radio call to the City of Plainview officially placing the new truck  Engine 2  into service.

Plainview Mayor Charles Starnes said the city budgeted $700,000 for the purchase of this apparatus. The cost came in under $570,000, he noted.

Now city leaders and the FD are working to decide what will happen with the retired truck.

Starnes and Gipson both said its common practice for retired engines to be handed down to more rural departments or to keep them and use them for training purposes, which Gipson added, allows other resources to remain available should emergencies strike mid-training.
Texas last attempt to scour its voting rolls for noncitizens two years ago quickly devolved into a calamity.

The state flagged nearly 100,000 voters for citizenship checks and set them up for possible criminal investigation based on flawed data that didnt account for immigrants who gained citizenship. After it became clear it was jeopardizing legitimate voter registrations, it was pulled into three federal lawsuits challenging its process. Former Secretary of State David Whitley lost his job amid the fallout. And the court battle ultimately forced the state to abandon the effort and rethink its approach to ensure naturalized citizens werent targeted.

This fall, the state began rolling out a new, scaled-down approach. But again, the county officials responsible for carrying it out are encountering what appear to be faults in the system.

Scores of citizens are still being marked for review  and possible removal from the rolls. Registrars in some of the states largest counties have found that a sizable number of voters labeled possible noncitizens actually filled out their voter registration cards at their naturalization ceremonies. In at least a few cases, the state flagged voters who were born in the U.S.

The secretary of states office says it is following the settlement agreement it entered in 2019  an arrangement that limited its screening of voters to those who registered to vote and later indicated to the Texas Department of Public Safety that they are not citizens. Flagged voters can provide documentation of their citizenship in order to keep their registrations, officials have pointed out.

But the issues tied to the new effort are significant enough that theyve renewed worries among the civil rights groups that forced the state to change its practices. They are questioning Texas compliance with the legal settlement that halted the last review. And for some attorneys, the persisting problems underscore their concerns that the state is needlessly putting the registrations of eligible voters at risk.

Were trying to get a grasp of the scale, but obviously theres still a problem, which I think we always said would be the case, said Joaquin Gonzalez, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, which was involved in the 2019 litigation. Its definitely something we were concerned would happen if they tried to restart this process.

The review process tries to identify noncitizens using the Department of Public Safetys massive drivers license and ID database. It takes people who indicated they were not citizens when they obtained their IDs and then matches them to the voting rolls. But civil rights groups have been wary of that strategy because the database can contain inaccuracies and is prone to human error.

It made sense to improve the process [in the settlement], but I think all parties were aware that there were still fundamental problems with the database and how they matched records, Gonzalez said.

Texas voter citizenship review has persisted through the tenure of multiple secretaries of state and has been backed by state Republican leaders who have touted the broader review effort as a way to ensure the integrity of the voter rolls, though there is no evidence that large numbers of noncitizens are registered to vote.

The current iteration was formally initiated in early September before the appointment of the states new secretary of state, John Scott, who helped former President Donald Trump challenge the 2020 presidential election results in Pennsylvania.

Thats when the state sent counties 11,737 records of registered voters who were deemed possible non-U.S. citizens. It was a much smaller list than the one it produced in 2019, when it did not account for people who became naturalized citizens in between renewing drivers licenses or ID cards they initially obtained as noncitizens.

But when Bexar County received its list of 641 flagged voters, county workers quickly determined that 109 of them  17% of the total  had actually registered at naturalization ceremonies. The county is able to track the origin of those applications because of an internal labeling system it made up years ago when staff began attending the ceremonies, said Jacque Callanen, the countys administrator.

Election officials in Travis County said they were similarly able to identify that applications for 60 voters on the countys list of 408 flagged voters  roughly 15% of the total  had been filled out at naturalization ceremonies.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, another group that sued the state in 2019, is still assessing the extent to which the states new attempt to review the rolls may be defective. But those figures alone should give everyone pause, ACLU staff attorney Thomas Buser-Clancy said after The Texas Tribune provided him those tallies.

What we do know is that every time the secretary of state tries to do something like this it fails and that these efforts, which inevitably ensnare eligible voters, should not be happening, Buser-Clancy said.

In an advisory announcing the revised process, the secretary of states office told counties that they should first attempt to investigate a voters eligibility. If they are unable to verify citizenship, the county must then send out notices of examination that start a 30-day clock for the voter to submit proof of citizenship to retain their registration. Voters who dont respond with proof within 30 days are removed from the rolls  though they can be reinstated if they later prove their citizenship, including at a polling place.

Beyond the figures from Bexar and Travis counties, local election officials in other counties, including Cameron and Williamson, confirmed theyve heard back from flagged voters who are naturalized citizens. After mailing 2,796 notices, officials in Harris County said 167 voters had provided them with documentation proving their citizenship. In Fort Bend, officials received proof of citizenship from at least 87 voters on their list of 515 possible noncitizens. Last week, Texas Monthly reported on two cases of citizens in Cameron County who were flagged as possible noncitizens.

This process, agreed upon by all parties and stakeholders, will ensure that only qualified U.S. citizens remain on the voter rolls in Texas 254 counties, said Sam Taylor, the secretary of states spokesperson. We do not want any legitimate, qualified U.S. citizens to be canceled from the voter rolls, and this process protects U.S. citizens right to remain registered and to vote.

In its advisory, the secretary of state suggested voter registrars could attempt to confirm a flagged voters eligibility by consulting with other county governmental entities that may have verified their citizenship or by trying to identify voter registration applications that originated from naturalization ceremonies.

To the extent that counties were able to confirm their citizenship status and they were kept on the rolls  thats exactly how the agreed-upon process is supposed to work, Taylor said of the naturalized citizens identified by officials in Bexar and Travis counties.

However, county officials have previously told the state they often have no way to independently verify someones citizenship status to avoid sending out the 30-day notices. And most counties dont appear to track applications from naturalization ceremonies.

So far, 2,327 voter registrations have been canceled as part of the review  88% of them because the voter did not respond to the notice within 30 days. Just 278 were canceled after voter registrars verified they were not citizens. In some cases, county officials said, this occurs because of clerical errors. Nearly 17 million Texans are registered to vote.

The rest remain pending, largely because the state is now under a federally mandated moratorium on registration cancellations within 90 days of a federal election  in this case, the upcoming March primaries. (Various counties did not send out notices until the last few weeks, meaning any cancellations for failing to respond cannot be carried out until after the primary election.)

Voters flagged through the review process have every opportunity to confirm their U.S. citizenship status and remain on the rolls, including at the polls when they go to vote, Taylor said.

But lawyers involved in the 2019 litigation said the state cannot rely on that as a failsafe if the review process is systematically including eligible voters.

Whatever the flaw is, its systematic with respect to naturalized citizens, said Nina Perales, the vice president of litigation for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which also sued the state in 2019.

In the shadow of the states botched 2019 effort, some county elections officials told the Tribune they approached the renewed effort with hesitation. But unlike two years ago when many of them held off on acting on the states lists, county voter registrars are now under financial threat if they dont cull through them.

The Texas Legislature this year empowered the secretary of states office to withhold funds from them if they fail to timely perform voter roll maintenance duties, including those related to voters flagged as possible noncitizens. Keith Ingram, the director of the offices elections division, reminded locals of this in a Nov. 15 email in which he noted that a number of counties had taken no action on the registrations his office put into question.

Ingrams email appears to have prompted several counties to send out notices of examination, while others are still seeking additional data or information that could allow them to confirm that voters are citizens without sending the notices.

Gretchen Nagy, the director of voter registration in Travis County, sees it as due diligence owed to the voters, recalling the phone conversations she had with anguished naturalized citizens who were caught up in the states 2019 review.

It was really difficult when people on the other end were really upset and emotionally distraught, [asking] Is there something wrong? Did I do something wrong? Nagy said. Were basically trying to think outside the box  any agency, any department that we can reach out to  to see if we can do a confirmation of citizenship before these individuals ever have to hear from us.

Up the road, election officials in Williamson County last week were waiting on guidance from the state in regard to nearly a fifth of the voters on their list of 138 possible noncitizens who appeared to have registered through the Department of Public Safety, which only registers individuals once their citizenship has been verified.

The state erroneously included 25,000 of those types of records in its 2019 review  a mistake it began quietly walking back within days of announcing the review effort.

The secretary of states office confirmed its current review includes a limited number of those matches, though it did not respond to a request for an exact number. Taylor, the spokesperson, said the state determined that some voters who initially registered through DPS were flagged because they marked yes on the citizenship field but later marked no on the same field at a subsequent visit to DPS. Those records could also include voters who were unable to provide citizenship documents to DPS.

As a result, these records were flagged for citizenship review, Taylor said.

The issues with the revised review appear to even be reaching voters who were born in the U.S.

Among them is Ivan Henson, a certified public accountant in Tarrant County, who was puzzled when he found in his mailbox a notice from the county dated Nov. 30 indicating his citizenship was in question. He was born in New Mexico.

There is absolutely no reason I should be on this list, Henson said.

Hensons name appeared alongside more than 600 others on the list of possible noncitizens Tarrant County received from the state. County officials said they reviewed the list to see if they could find any clerical errors but ultimately sent out the notices following the states instructions.

Recalling news coverage of the states voter rolls debacle from two years ago, Henson made copies of his birth certificate and passport and quickly mailed them to the county, but he said he worries others who dont have time to mess with it wont be able to comply as easily.

I am self-employed with my own copier and my own resources and my own time, Henson said. You know who this letter is going to disenfranchise.

Disclosure: Texas Monthly, the Texas secretary of state and the ACLU of Texas have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Forty years ago, my mother and father fled Afghanistan after losing family members and friends during the nine-year war with the Soviet Union. My parents had many reasons to fear for their own safety, and escaped across the border to Iran, where my siblings and I were born. But we were refugees, and we didnt have legal status. That made our lives difficult in many ways. For one thing, I was not able to attend school.

I desperately wanted to learn. One day, my father came home and said there were several children at our mosque in Tehran who wanted to go to school, too. Like me, they could not go because of their status. So instead of attending the school, I taught it. I was 12 years old the day I taught my first class. As a man, my father could not teach a class with both boys and girls. With his guidance, I set up a small classroom for about 10 girls. He and I made a great team, and after a few years, we were helping teach more than 200 students each day.

The education program was still running when I left Iran and found refuge in the United States. I was now married, and my husband and I settled in New Haven, Conn. The Tehran school continued for another year before it was shut down by the government. The students were told they could go to an Iranian school, but the tuition was so high that few could afford it. Devastated by this fate for my friends, I vowed to dedicate my life to making sure that everyone can access an education.

When I first arrived at JFK airport in New York, I knew that I was in my dream country, and would succeed with enough energy, determination and opportunity. I earned my undergraduate degree, then my masters degree in public health. I became a health care coordinator, assisting new refugees in New Haven. I saw, through my own experience and working with clients, the obstacles facing refugees in the U.S., especially women. Language barriers affect their ability to access opportunities, including employment and education. One woman I met had children with disabilities, but she was unable to communicate with her kids teachers and doctors about their education and medical needs.

To help address these obstacles, I founded Elenas Light, a nonprofit based in Connecticut that provides literacy and health classes, cultural exchange, mutual aid, and awareness for refugees. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing my community come together.

When Afghanistan, my familys original home, was taken over by the Taliban earlier this year, the need to support Afghan refugees became even more urgent. Desperate families in danger must be given the opportunity to live in peace in the United States, and we are welcoming tens of thousands of Afghan newcomers to our communities, some of whom will become our students. Too many will have no one to welcome or guide them at all.

Americans have an opportunity to change the lives of refugee families, just as my life changed as a refugee two times over. There are so many ways to help: teaching English through a program like mine, or providing housing, job opportunities, cultural orientation or other forms of support.

I am proud to live in a state and a city that has been so welcoming to refugees and is already taking in newly arrived Afghan families. At the U.S. Conference of Mayors in August, Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin introduced and passed a resolution pledging support for Afghan refugees. In November, Gov. Ned Lamont called on Connecticut landlords to rent apartments to Afghan families. Messages like these from government officials are essential. But there is so much more that our elected leaders can do.

For instance, the governors of New Jersey and Colorado are taking a Whole of State Approach, setting up task forces to make sure resettlement agencies have all the resources they need to help refugee families settle in. These task forces are doing more than just coordinating state services  they are also conducting training for schools to help them prepare for their new Afghan students, working with municipal leaders to provide support.

The federal money for state COVID-19 relief is also creating opportunities. Vermont and Illinois, for example, have used some of this funding to support resettlement services and improve programming for the newly arrived families. Each state can pursue policies so that their schools can better provide for the needs of refugee students.

Together, we have an opportunity to make sure that refugee families like mine are not left to navigate these challenges alone. Every child deserves to feel the way I did when I got off the plane at JFK: ready to start a new life and thrive.

Fereshteh Ganjavi is a former refugee from Afghanistan and the founder of Elenas Light, a nonprofit that serves refugee populations in Connecticut.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday that Texas has officially commenced construction on a partial wall to finish work along the state's southern border with Mexico started by former President Donald Trump's administration. The wall's panels, which went up this week on the edge of Starr County in the Rio Grande Valley, are designed to help fill empty sections remaining along the federal border wall.

Photos shared on Twitter by Fox News reporter Bill Melugin show progress being made on the wall, which Melugin explained uses state land, state money instead of federal funding. Texas is also using the same contractor deployed by Trump before plans to finish the wall were eventually canceled by President Joe Biden, Melugin says.

These are the first panels in what will be a 1.7-mile stretch designed to help fill gaps where there is no federal wall, Melugin tweeted. More projects planned. Abbott quote tweeted Melugin Friday, opining that Biden allows open border policies and refuses to enforce laws passed by Congress to secure the border and enforce immigration laws. Texas is stepping up to do the federal governments job.

The wall project is part of Abbotts Operation Lone Star which launched in March to combat the alleged "smuggling of people and drugs into Texas. The effort has been heavily criticized by immigrant and civil rights organizations, including the ACLU of Texas, Civil Rights Project and Texas Defense Project, which on Wednesday, along with seven other groups, filed a complaint with the Department of Justice over the border arrest programs discriminatory nature.

The true intent of this program is to punish migrants, expand Texas massive correctional system and deter future migration, Liz Castillo, organizer with the Detention Watch Network, told the Houston Chronicle.

In September, Abbott passed a $1.88 billion spending bill for border security funding to supplement another $1.05 billion the state approved in the spring, according to the Texas Tribune. About $750 million of the bill will go toward the construction of a border barrier in addition to $250 million the state approved over the summer as a down payment for the wall. In the meantime, Abbott has used shipping containers, razor wire and, most recently, boats to craft makeshift barriers that deter migrants from entering the state.

In an appearance on Fox Business Network Friday, Abbott said $3 billion of tax payer money has been contributed to border security efforts. He said the wall will cost less than it did for the Trump administration because unlike the Trump administration, were not having to devote money to acquire the landThe state of Texas owns [land] on the border itself," he explained. "Secondly, there are property owners of massive acreage on the border who are fed up with Bidens open border policies, and they are donating their land to Texas for us to be able to use that land for free to build a wall on their property.
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As most CIOs see it, the distributed, hybrid enterprise workforce is here to stay.

With the new Omicron variant extending hybrid or fully remote policies into 2022, most C-suite execs, including CIOs, are recognizing the need to develop longer-term hybrid workplace strategies built around new technologies employees can use to improve collaboration and productivity while balancing work and life circumstances, according to several CIOs interviewed recently.

These strategies, CIOs expect, will lean on a combination of lessons learned throughout the pandemic, as well as policies around remote work that pre-dated COVID-19. But instituting hybrid workplace strategies as more than a stopgap introduces new challenges.

While there is some pre-pandemic experience with hybrid, it is not at the scale we expect it to be post-pandemic. We have to consider the challenges of hybrid meetings where part of the team is on-site and the other part is working remotely, says Amir Arooni, CIO of Discover Financial Services, headquartered in Riverwoods, Ill.

Like most enterprises, Discover is evaluating new technologies to improve collaboration beyond Microsoft Teams and Zoom and is rethinking the core business processes and culture of the modern enterprise, including location strategy, leadership, and collaboration, as well as HR policies.

Evolving hybrid enterprise strategies such as Discovers offer benefits for employers and employees alike, Arooni says, including a more flexible approach to hiring, an enhanced work-life balance, increased productivity, elimination of time lost commuting, and the ability to maintain social distancing while the pandemic continues.

Discover Financial Services Amir Arooni, executive vice president and CIO, Discover Financial Services

But such a big shift in how work gets done does have downsides, Arooni says, noting that a major challenge is assuring inclusion for each employee given the inherent risk of a disconnect between in-office employees and remote workers. There is also an increased risk of burnout for fully remote employees who work longer hours, and of colleagues or management missing the signs of burnout that are less visible when remote, he adds.

Micromanagement is another delicate area, Arooni notes, as some managers who cannot see their teams have not yet mastered outcome measurements.

It will also take intentional effort to build equitable and inclusive cultures that do not favor in-house employees over remote ones; and, where all employees have access to the right tools and technologies to do their jobs. And last, probably there is a need to redesign office space to accommodate both hybrid and in-office workers, he notes.

Getting the right mix

The questions and challenges Discover is addressing are being tackled by most enterprises today. In a recent pre-Omicron interview with CIO.com, Honeywell Chief Technology Officer Sheila Jordan spoke of her companys hybrid workplace policy, which includes three days in the office and two days out of office.

Honeywell Sheila Jordan, chief digital technology officer, Honeywell

Going fully remote is probably good for some small part of the population; working full time in the office is also good for some small part of the population. But people [need] to collaborate at some level and you want to define that amount of time, says Jordan, who sees offices remaining central to the work experience, even if the office becomes the off-site meeting location and the home becomes the daily office. Theres going to be this constant flux and what that looks like.

The 140-year-old Honeywell employs 110,000 in support of 3 million products, including myriad sensors and materials for commercial buildings. As a huge government/aerospace contractor, Honeywell must adhere to higher security requirements that many other commercial enterprises need not consider.

Jordan is convinced that workplace changes brought about by the pandemic offer one big silver lining: Collaboration technologies such as Zoom have served as equalizers, instituting more inclusion and diversity in corporate meetings, she says.

I like how everyones square is the same size. When youre watching 20 or 30 people on the call, you can see whos not participating and whos not engaged, and you can start asking them questions so you can see and really bring in the introverts, she says. Everyones square is the same size, so I hope that if we go back to the office, we dont forget about the people on the call.

At Jaguar Land Rover, hybrid work policies are likely here to stay, but for certain classes of employees  not, for example, the technicians inside the factories assembling the Land and Range Rovers, says Harry Powell, director of data and analytics at JLR.

People like the flexibility it gives and we have the technology to make that happen, says Powell, cautioning that the hybrid enterprise remains an experiment at JLR and more data and metrics must be gathered to optimize productivity and employee satisfaction.

Jaguar Land Rover Harry Powell, director of data and analytics, Jaguar Land Rover

Powell, himself a remote worker, has a hunch there will be some downside to product development in a hybrid enterprise. My suspicion is it will [impact] innovation, says Powell, who, along with JLRs CIO, reports to the CFO. Were not meeting and discussing ideas in the same free-flowing way, right? Hybrid working is transactional  not conversational.

On the upside, the hybrid enterprise gives JLR and many other companies a better card in the war for talent. JLR is headquartered in Whitley, UK.

The impact of flexibility

Naturally, leaderships point of view regarding the hybrid enterprise likely differs by industry. Commercial real estate companies, for instance, may be less inclined to promote a hybrid enterprise that translates into empty downtown parking garages.

Still, for most companies the hybrid workforce model is here to stay, says Accenture CIO Penelope Prett. Companies have realized that with the right resources, employees can be productive no matter where they are based and enabling flexible working options can create a more loyal workforce.

In a prepared statement to CIO.com on this topic, Prett pointed to Accentures own research, which unveiled that 83% of people believe a hybrid working model is optimal. The report, titled The Future of Work: Productive Anywhere, was released in April, surveying more than 9,000 workers across 11 countries.

Its not surprising that different employees want to work in different ways. For certain industries such as healthcare, there will always be a need to go into an office, but many companies are realizing that office space is not always essential, says Prett, who notes that the nature of work itself is changing and training employees on new technologies and processes is far more essential than returning to their physical office.

Accenture Penelope Prett, CIO, Accenture

What this means for companies is that traditional ideas on how to keep employees engaged may no longer hold true, Prett says. One area that should be a priority for a hybrid workforce to raise both engagement and flexibility is learning new skills. To stay competitive and prepare for the future, companies must upskill their tech talent quickly and across the enterprise.

Accenture, for one, has always encouraged remote collaboration and flexible working practices, Prett says. For instance, in any given month, Accentures employees share around 589 million chat messages, 1.2 billion audio minutes, and 141 million of video minutes using Microsoft Teams. She says 85% of employees surveyed say they intend to stay with their companies for a long time.

One analyst, however, reminds CIOs and other C-suite executives that the decisions on hybrid enterprise may be out of their hands.

The pandemic-fueled shift to a decentralized, hybrid working model is here to stay for the long term. And with Omicron and the potential for ongoing COVID-19 variations to emerge, its very likely that well be hybrid not just for not just work but for business events for a long time to come, says Fred McClimans, a tech and equity analyst at Futurum Research.

While many organizations were looking to revert back to the legacy in-office model as soon as possible, he says, the acceleration of digital transformation initiatives and the rapid deployment of collaborative tools have made the remote, work-from-home model much more appealing.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Both chambers of Congress have launched an investigation into the government's questionable purchase of overpriced medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CNN Philippines takes a look at how the findings of state auditors turned into long-running hearings  mixed with a little drama.

The Commission on Audit flagged the Department of Health in August for deficiencies in its management of pandemic funds worth over 67 billion in 2020, noting that these contributed to the challenges faced by the agency in responding to the ongoing health crisis.

This COA finding has triggered an investigation in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability conducted four motu proprio hearings into the allegedly anomalous pandemic supplies procurement of the government, with the last one held on Oct. 4.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, meanwhile, continued its investigations in aid of legislation beginning Aug. 16.

At the center of controversy is the supposed anomalous deal between the government and Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

The state auditors noted that Department of Health transferred 42 billion to the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service to buy face mask, face shield and other personal protective equipment last year.

Meanwhile, then PS-DBM head Christopher Lloyd Lao awarded the 8.6 billion million supply deal to Pharmally in April 2020, which was only six-months old at the time and had a capital of only over 600,000.

However, senators flagged that the face masks sold by the company to PS-DBM cost around 27 apiece, when other suppliers sold the same at only 13.

They also linked former ex-presidential adviser Michael Yang as one of the actors who helped the new pharmaceutical firm bagged a billion worth of deal from the government. In a 2017 video clip presented at the Senate, Yang was seen with President Rodrigo Duterte meeting with Pharmally officials.

Duterte vs. Senate

Amid the controversy, the President decided to speak up and defend Yang from all allegations, saying the Davao-based trader was the person who helped the government close deals.

Moreover, Yang is a businessman who knows how to use his money, and he has contacts with big companies in China that he helped enter the Philippines, Duterte noted.

RELATED: 'Cheap politician': Gordon slams Duterte for defending Yang, Lao in COVID-19 fund controversy

In several briefings, Duterte maintained that no crime was involved in the purchase of COVID-19 supplies, even accusing senators of just wanting exposure in view of the upcoming 2022 elections.

He threatened to find whats wrong with senators involved in the procedures.

Lawmakers maintained they were not affected and continued digging the issue, which faced continued rants from Duterte.

The President's weekly pandemic briefings often highlighted these, like how his Cabinet members had to attend these long Senate hearings, impeding the governments COVID-19 response.

This prompted Duterte to issue a memorandum order directing the executive department to ignore summons of the Blue Ribbon Committee, which has been challenged before the Supreme Court regarding its legality.

Insisting that it is his Cabinet members who are his real concern, the President told senators they can imprison Pharmally executives, especially after it was discovered some of them did not pay taxes.

Duterte also made specific criticisms, especially against the Blue Ribbon Committee chairman, Sen. Richard Gordon.

He claimed that the committee head failed to settle misused public funds when the latter was chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. He threatened to file a case and ordered for the collection of 140 million in government funds from the senator.

In response, Gordon said he is not ashamed of anything and is ready to face authorities regarding the issue.

Asked about this exchange of jabs between the President and the Senate, political analyst Maria Ela Atienza said it shows that the President and the executive branch do not respect the principle of checks and balances and do not wish to make themselves accountable to a body that is supposed to represent the people.

Atienza said she hopes more people can follow the developments in the hearings since this could help them assess the performance of the Duterte administration, especially in terms of COVID-19 pandemic and accountability, as the 2022 elections draw nearer.

For another political expert Michael Yusingco, the chief executives tirades helped in catching the publics eye and gave senators, specifically Gordon, the platform to directly inform Filipinos of their findings.

Overall, the so-called rift helped publicize the issue even more," Yusingco noted, "which may have facilitated even more dramatics during the hearings. It has certainly been an opportunity for some senators to make their case for 2022.

Custody and arrests

In one of the Senate hearings, Pharmally executive Krizle Mago testified that her company changed the expiry dates of the government procured-face shields. But two days later, the Blue Ribbon Committee could no longer reach Mago.

On Oct. 1, Mago was under the protective custody of the House of Representatives. She later on retracted her statement that Pharmally tampered with the expiry dates of face shields before the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability.

The Senate hearings also led to the arrest of some personalities involved in the mess.

Pharmally president Twinkle Dargani and corporate secretary and treasurer Mohit Dargani were cited in contempt for refusal to submit documents subpoenaed by senators. The firms director, Linconn Ong, was also cited due to his evasiveness to answer the Senate panels queries.

Ong was immediately arrested and detained at the Senate. On the other hand, the Dargani siblings went in hiding after they were cited in contempt.

On Nov. 14, the Darganis were scheduled to board a chartered plane to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but were intercepted by the Senate security team at the Davao City International Airport. They were both detained at the Senate.

Mohit and Ong were later transferred to Pasay City Jail, while Twinkle remained at Senate custody due to mental health reasons.

Following the arrest of the Darganis, Mago was released from the lower chambers custody.

On the other hand, Lao was also cited in contempt and ordered arrested by the Senate for snubbing committee hearings. The former DBM official started to miss the hearings after Duterte barred Cabinet officials from attending.

Gordon said Lao is already considered a private citizen and should not be covered by the Presidents memorandum.

The Senate panel rejected Laos motion for reconsideration of his contempt citation and arrest order. Gordon told Lao to submit himself to the Senate security personnel as soon as possible if he wants the panel to act on his motion.

Moreover, the former presidential adviser Yang was also cited in contempt and ordered arrested for failing to show up in the hearings and for avoiding questions of the senators.

The Chinese businessman asked the Supreme Court on Nov. 25 to nullify the arrest orders issued against him as well as the Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order. He also sought the high courts intervention to stop the Senate from compelling him to attend the hearings.

Whats next?

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability has yet to release its report on the hearings it conducted. But committee chair DIWA Party-list Rep. Michael Aglipay earlier said that they will be fair in reporting its findings.

Meanwhile, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee eyed charges against Yang, Lao, and Pharmally officials based on its preliminary findings in October, and investigation of the panel is still ongoing.

I think the Senate is doing everything within its power under the circumstances to conduct a thorough investigation" Yusingco said. "This is understandable given the amount of drama, in relation to the conduct of the hearings.

He emphasized the Senate should leave no stone unturned and that the final report should include recommendations to improve governance.

This is not merely a criminal or prosecutorial investigation but an inquiry in aid of legislation," Yusingco added. "So, at the end of it, the public must see proposals on how to improve government.

For Atienza, the probe has to be finished before next years elections, not to mention other pending hearings that also involve possible corruption.

The upper chamber also still has a lot of digging to do to expose the mastermind and file appropriate charges against all parties responsible for the mess, she also said.

"We are still talking about the involvement of small bureaucrats and business people who can be considered possible fronts of bigger personalities," Ateinza noted.

"This is important because government public funds are involved as well as lives, health and welfare of people are involved, she added.
the associated press file President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan wave to onlookers at the U.S. Capitol as they stand at the podium in Washington following the swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20, 1981.
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A common, growing scam is when a retail employee is tricked into believing a law enforcement officer requires activation of a Visa card, all through a simple phone call. One group of retailers identified 170 successful scam attempts of more than $460,000 in losses. But thats likely only a fraction of total losses.

For companies big and small, phone fraud and scams, including social engineering and robocalls, is a serious global issue. Call spoofing is just one of the latest. These types of scams include spoofing a CEOs phone number and voice to ask for funds to be transferred to a fake subsidiary. In other scams, callers try to extract information by impersonating employees coworkers using a spoofed phone number and employee ID.

Across the U.S., phone scams in recent years have become a major problem as cyberattackers have become better resourced, launching more sophisticated and evolving attacks on companies real-time voice communications networks.

The Bottom-line Impact

Roughly 59.4M of Americans, or roughly 23%, have lost money to phone scams over the past year, according to a new report from Truecaller. Global telecommunications fraud is estimated at $28.3 billion, according to a Fraud Loss Survey from the Communications Fraud Control Association.

The potential impact of these attacks is both serious and wide-reaching. Spoofing attacks increase a companys operational risks, and the fallout from an attack can cost millions of dollars. The Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA) cites estimated losses attributed to IP-PBX hacking at $1.8 billion.

Unfortunately, many companies are not sufficiently protected from these types of attacks. Since spoofing takes on many forms of deception, finding the right solution to block or prevent spoofing may be complicated. Recent research by Metrigy found that only 41% of organizations have a proactive security plan for their communications services and only 35% perform a security assessment of their communications providers.

Many companies are slow to implement caller ID validation, including Know Your Customer (KYC), which is a mandatory process of identifying and verifying the client's identity when opening an account and periodically verifying the identity of the account-holder. KYC requires businesses to make sure that their clients are genuinely who they claim to be. Where companies have been fast to implement KYC, they may overstep and mis-label legitimate calls as a scam or spam, and then block the call, which is not good for business.

Some 83% of call centers, for their part, rely on agents to detect fraud, revealing a weak spot in many enterprises security procedures. Many agents receive little or no training on how to detect these types of threats. But theres a solution.

Oracles Answer to Scammers

The Oracle Communication Security Shield Cloud provides businesses with the highest level of protection against these types of spoofing attacks. Based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, the Oracle Communications Security Shield detects phone fraud and scams earlier to mitigate losses and prevent cascading damages. It even has the capability to detect and prevent Telephony Denial of Service (TDoS), call flooding, and Toll Fraud.

Accessed from the Oracle secure public cloud  the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)  the Oracle Communications Security Shield provides enhanced dashboard insights into phone traffic, fraud and scam attacks. The Oracle Communications Security Shield also improves productivity by reducing repetitive customer verifications, eradicating nuisance and scam calls, and making fraud investigations easier and faster. Companies brand and reputation are better protected, negative press is avoided, and the customer experience is improved.

The dashboard gives companies a modern user interface and visibility into its communications network, while enabling dynamic risk assessment and threat detection of every call. For companies that require a tighter integration to their existing security systems, the Oracle Communications Security Shield offers Secure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) along with enhanced data protection.

The Oracle Communications Security Shield is compliant with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The Oracle Communications Security Shield Cloud utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to build an ideal model of the network so anomalous traffic and threats are readily detected.

As spoofing attacks continue to threaten companies, those with a sound security solution in place to detect and defuse threats will be better positioned to survive and thrive against cyber threats.

View a demo and learn how Oracle can be a trusted partner to help secure and accelerate your real-time communications, visit us here.
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Watching the Predator go up against modern people with modern firearms is all fine and good, but we can do so much more with the character. The Predators hunt humans for sport, and they dont want to make it too easy for themselves, so they more or less try to match their weaponry to their quarries, like how you wouldnt take reconnaissance drones and motion-activated sentry guns for squirrel hunting. This means the Predator would work in any historical setting without the movie ending in five minutes with a mountain of bodies with laser holes in their foreheads.

20th Century Studios

We cant say for sure what will happen in Prey, but we can kinda assume that Naru wont have to worry about being shish-kebab-ed by a massive spike dropped from space by an orbiting hunting satellite or something. The Predator will want to make a sport of the hunt set hundreds of years in the past, and that will not only inject (and spill) a lot of fresh blood into a franchise that has gone a bit stale over the years, it may completely revolutionize how future Predator movies work. Because whats stopping Hollywood from turning Predator into a bunch of standalone films where he hunts down badass warriors from human history? I guess a fear of money and cocaine could do that, but I dont think we have to worry about Hollywood coming down with that affliction.

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Admittedly, this would require the Predator franchise to drop the idea that the aliens first visited Earth in the 18th century, which should be an easy fix. After that, the movies would only be limited by their imagination. Predator vs. a legion of Ancient Roman soldiers, anyone? Hell, base it on the story of the lost Legio IX Hispana, and the script basically writes itself. Why did this real-life Roman legion suddenly disappear from historical records? Because it fought a bloody battle against a terrifying demon from outer space, ultimately taking it down with that famous Roman battlefield discipline but getting wiped out when the Predator rage-quit the hunt and blew them all up.
The states Attorney General is calling on TikTok to address concerns in Connecticut, where officials say a challenge on the social media app spurred a series of school threats and led to the arrest of a 13-year-old boy on Friday.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said TikTok is cooperating with officials and authorities after a challenge on the social media site led to nationwide threats directed at schools on Friday.

Tong said he has urged TikTok to send leaders to Connecticut to hear firsthand from parents, educators and students. He said he expects that conversation to take place early next year.

Weve been in close contact with TikTok  not just over the last 24 hours, but over the last several weeks  about whats been happening on their platform, Tong said in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media on Friday. Were pushing them very hard. Ive met with them in person and on Zoom. Theyre on top of this situation.

He said the threats on social media often start on one site  like TikTok  and then snowball as it spreads throughout other platforms.

It is undeniable that TikTok and other social media platforms have been used to spread dangerous and reckless content encouraging self-harm, vandalism and abuse, Tong said in a statement on Friday. I have spoken to TikTok leaders on multiple occasions about my concerns and while they have assured me that they have robust systems in place to police their content, I have made clear that whatever they have been doing is just not enough.

Some Connecticut schools in Litchfield County and Norwich closed Friday, while Wolcott dismissed early as officials investigated threats.

In Naugatuck, police said Friday they learned of social media posts circulating Thursday night that suggested a possible threat against a school in town.

Police said investigators identified a 13-year-old boy  a student at City Hill School  who was allegedly responsible for sharing a post, suggesting fellow students stay home from school Friday because of what he might do. The teen was charged with breach of peace. Additional officers were stationed at all Naugatuck schools as a precaution Friday.

In a statement released Thursday, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement agencies to investigate the threats.

We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why were working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok, the social media app said.

In Litchfield County, the superintendent overseeing Region 10 schools said threats were discovered late Thursday night in reference to specific schools in the district.

Regional School District 10 Superintendent Howard Thiery said officials received information from state and local police about possible threatening information specific to Region 10 schools, which includes four schools in Burlington and Harwinton: Lewis S. Mills High School, Har-Bur Middle School, Lake Garda School and Harwinton Consolidated School.

Thiery said he decided to close schools on Friday because they discovered the threats so late on Thursday.

The safety of our students and school community is paramount and in order to open schools I must have all the information possible that assures us that our schools and children are safe, Thiery said.

All Norwich Public Schools were also closed Friday, after Superintendent Kristen E. Stringfellow said officials were alerted to a Snapchat post of an alleged threat against Teachers Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School that apparently featured a gun.

Parents from the middle school reached out to the principal Thursday night to report a Snapchat story sent to their children by someone who they believe attends Norwich Public Schools, Stringfellow said.

The social media story allegedly referenced a threat to the school as well of a picture of what appeared to be a handgun, she said.

The principal called the superintendent and the officials contacted police, who launched an investigation. Stringfellow said officers went to the homes of the students who were alleged to be involved.

In Wolcott, Superintendent Tony Gaspar said after unsubstantiated claims about school violence, all public schools dismissed early on Friday.

In response to the rumors of threats spread online this week, a number of municipalities and school officials in Connecticut  including Bethel, Middletown, Norwalk, Stamford, Newtown, Shelton, Danbury, Stratford, Wallingford, Darien, Weston, Westport, Wilton, Windsor Locks and Bridgeport  said they planned to increase police presence at schools on Friday.

There have been multiple incidents statewide over the last several weeks, prompting police investigations, early dismissals and canceled school in some cases, including in Danbury, Hamden, New Haven, Trumbull, Ansonia, Norwalk and Windham.

Staff writer Paul Schott contributed reporting to this story.
Connecticut has reached another grim COVID milestone: More than 9,000 residents have now died with the disease, according to state data released Thursday.

The states COVID-related death toll has reached 9,002 after 56 more Connecticut residents died with the illness in the past week. Earlier this week, the United States surpassed 800,000 COVID deaths, according to data tracked by The New York Times and Johns Hopkins University.

"This milestone is a tragic one for our state and for the thousands of families who have experienced loss during the pandemic," said Max Reiss, Gov. Ned Lamont's chief spokesperson. "It's incumbent upon all of us to urge our friends, families and neighbors to get vaccinated and receive booster shots, as those are the best ways to prevent even more severe illness and death."

About two-thirds of the Connecticut deaths  just under 6,000  were recorded in 2020, well before vaccines were widely available to prevent the worst effects of the illness. Nationwide, however, the COVID death toll in 2021 has surpassed 2020s total.

But many of Connecticuts deaths early on in the pandemic were among residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. In total, about 4,000 residents of Connecticut nursing homes and assisted living facilities died from COVID in 2020. The exact total is unclear due to changes in how the state recorded the data in July 2020.

Excluding those associated with long-term care facilities, around 500 more COVID deaths have been reported in 2021 than in 2020 in Connecticut, the data shows.

The most COVID deaths in 2021 were recorded in January when 1,124 Connecticut residents died with the disease amid the winter surge of infections and before vaccines were widely available.

As of this week, more than 91 percent of those age 5 and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. A little under 78 percent of the eligible population are fully vaccinated. About 32 percent of those who are fully vaccinated have received a booster shot, according to the agencys data.

On average, Connecticut is now recording between five and nine deaths from COVID-19 every day, state data shows, less than a third of the daily deaths on average reported the same time last year. Thats despite daily infections surging higher than they were a year ago. On average, more than 2,500 cases are being reported every day now in Connecticut  higher than when daily infections peaked in the late summer and early fall from the delta variant.

Medically, I think we did amazing, said Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare, reflecting on the year. He pointed to the development of the vaccines as well as monoclonal antibodies and therapeutics used to treat the illness.

But, he said, as a society, we have not done well.

I feel like the large part of the population has given up, he said. The masking is almost non-existent. The people who need primary vaccination are not getting them.

Statewide, Connecticut recorded 2,085 new infections on Thursday, reflecting a 7.14 percent positivity rate out of 29,187 tests. There were six fewer hospitalizations, dropping the statewide total to 710.

The surge in wintertime infections also comes as health officials are monitoring the omicron variant. A few dozen cases of the new variant have been confirmed in Connecticut. Lab studies have shown the strain may be able to evade the protection offered by an initial round of the vaccines, but health experts say booster shots appear to offer protection against it.

Omicron is also believed to be more infectious than the delta strain, which remains dominant in Connecticut and the U.S. As of Thursday, 40 cases have been confirmed in Connecticut through genomic sequencing, though many more are likely present and have gone undetected due to limits in the lab testing.

I wont be surprised at all if in another week, two weeks, its roughly 50 percent of whats circulating and in a month, it could be the predominant strain overall, Commissioner Manish Juthani, of the state Department of Public Health, said Thursday about the omicron variant.

Health officials are now trying to determine how severe of a disease is caused by the variant.

More Information See More Collapse

We dont know the answer to that yet, Juthani said. What I can tell you is that hospitalizations have been rising. Theyve been rising at a rate that is concerning to me. And were watching it very, very closely. Its a moving target thats going to continue to move.

While she said the state is much better off than we were a year ago, she pointed to staffing issues at health care facilities where workers have struggled for two years amid the pandemic, mental health issues and medical and surgical needs that have been put off by people frightened by the virus.

We have a community that is in need of health care and were seeing it at multiple levels, she said.
A Nevada woman was twice hospitalized during a weeklong visit to a former CNN producers Vermont ski home where they trained her adopted 9-year-old daughter to be sexually submissive, according to the mothers arrest warrant.

The 48-year-old woman, whose name Hearst Connecticut Media Group is withholding to protect her daughters identity, has been charged in Nevada with two counts each of sexual assault of a minor under 14 and first-degree child abuse as well as three counts of lewdness with a minor under 14.

The woman was arrested in August 2020, about a month after she and her daughter made a cross-country trip to John Griffins ski home in Ludlow, Vt., arrest warrants stated. The woman, whose attorney could not be reached for comment, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday in Henderson, Nev.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Griffin in New Haven last week on an indictment, charging him with three counts of using a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to entice minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity, the U.S. attorneys office for the district of Vermont said.

The womans eight-page arrest warrant includes text messages describing her visit to Griffins home, references to sexually explicit photos the girl was forced to take of the woman, and interviews with the girl, her biological mother and her grandmother, who was assigned temporary custody of the child.

Griffin, 44, of Stamford, has been accused of trying to lure women and their daughters to his ski home to sexually train the underage girls, according to his indictment.

Griffins attorney, Joseph Martini, said he and his client will not be commenting on the case.

In a statement to Hearst Connecticut Media, CNN said Griffin was fired Monday from the network, where he had worked since 2013, according to his LinkedIn profile. Griffin was once a producer for the Chris Cuomo show and was most recently a producer for CNN senior political analyst John Avlon.

Investigators said Griffin paid more than $3,000 for the Nevada woman to fly with her daughter to Boston, where he picked them up and drove them to his Vermont house in July 2020, the indictment stated.

The investigation into Griffin began in August 2020 after the Nevada woman contacted local police about a custody dispute she was having with her daughters biological mother, according to her arrest warrant obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media.

Police in Henderson, Nev., contacted the girls biological mother, who said she discovered a series of text messages the woman sent from her daughters phone to another man describing their trip to Vermont and how she engaged the child in sexual activity, the warrant stated. The girls biological mother said the woman used the girls phone to send text messages and log onto social media and email.

Trip had some great moments and then me (in) the hospital twice, the woman texted the man, according to the warrant.

The warrant states that its unknown why the woman was hospitalized.

In August 2020, the biological mother contacted Griffin, who said the woman was hospitalized in Boston and denied anything happened with the girl while he was alone with her at his Vermont home, the warrant stated.

However, during the first three nights of the trip, the girl told police she was forced to engage in sexual activity with Griffin and her adoptive mother, the warrant stated.

(The girl) stated that the remaining nights in Vermont, she did not want to participate in what (her adoptive mother) and John were doing, so she stayed in another room while they went to the basement, the warrant stated.

The girl also told police she was forced to watch as her adoptive mother have sex with at least three other men between March 2020 and the trip to Vermont in July of that year, the warrant stated.

In the arrest warrant, Henderson police stated they charged the adoptive mother for the alleged incidents in Vermont because she committed acts in Nevada with the intent, partial execution, and which culminated in the commission of a crime that occurred in the state of Vermont.

Less than two weeks after the woman was charged in August 2020, federal investigators seized Griffins computers and other electronic devices, according to his indictment.

Federal authorities have not responded to questions about why it took more than a year for charges to be filed against Griffin. A spokesperson for the FBI Albany field office declined to comment Friday, citing the ongoing investigation.

Ludlow Police Chief Jeffrey Billings said Griffin is not facing state charges in Vermont and referred questions to federal authorities.

Griffin is also accused of trying to lure two other women and their daughters between April and June 2020 to his Vermont home, which he purchased for $1.8 million in February 2020.

The purchase was made using an LLC that included Griffin and his estranged wife, Allyson Griffin. A personal attorney for Allyson Griffin said the couple has been separated for two years and declined to comment about the charges her estranged husband is facing.

Norwalk property records indicate the couple purchased a $3.6 million home in the Rowayton section of the city in 2017. At the time of his arrest, John Griffin was a Stamford resident, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Its not clear when he moved and his name does not appear on Stamford property records.

According to his indictment, investigators claimed Griffin chatted online with people he believed were the parents of minor children, and tried to persuade them to allow him to train their daughters to be sexually submissive, the indictment stated.

During several chat conversations over Kik and Google Hangouts in 2020, Griffin stated that he believed a woman is a woman regardless of her age, according to the indictment.

During these chat conversations, John Griffin espoused a way of life in which women are sexually subservient and inferior to men, the indictment stated. Using Kik and Google Hangouts, John Griffin sought parents who would allow him to train their minor daughters to be sexually subservient.
BRANFORD  Housing, clothing, educational needs, employment, financial support and health care are all important hurdles for refugees when they arrive in our communities.

Refugee families arrive with nothing, said Laura Noe, Branford-based Helping Families Settle leader and coordinator.

For the last nine months, more than 50 Branford volunteers in 17 committees have been working along with Helping Families Settle to welcome a refugee family to town.

To help with the effort, the Branford Microfund partnered with Helping Families Settle to establish temporary fiduciary support.

Were using our standing as a nonprofit to help them bank their vital donations, as they are in the process of completing their charitable status, said Mina West, president of Branford Microfund.

The nonprofit Branford Microfund, established in 2019, offers qualifying residents who need emergency funds an interest-free loan up to $3,000 with terms up to a 30-month repayment plan.

We are happy to support them to fulfill their mission, West said. We are aware that Helping Families Settle is an important project for Branford. The Branford community have always been very generous with their time and their support in such matters.

As soon as Helping Families Settle has met all its obligations under the rules and regulations of New Havens Integrated Refugee & Immigration Services, and a family is identified, Branford will have new residents.

IRIS is a nonprofit organization that helps refugees and other displaced people establish new lives in Connecticut.

Branfords efforts are an example of IRIS community cosponsorship, according to Sarah Jessup, IRIS community engagement manager.

IRIS provides the scaffolding and guidance, and we in the community manage the details of resettlement, she said. Were not adopting a family, were not going to enable a family. The goal is self-sufficiency.

Were going to teach about our culture, she said. Were going to make it comfortable, teach them how to take the bus, help them get a job. The goal is not to have them dependent on us. The goal is to let them be their own pilot, pilots of their own lives.

The number of refugees in the state has been growing, according to Jessup.

In 2020, IRIS settled 142 refugees, and that number has increased to 439 refugees so far this year, with more expected, she said. We will resettle 400 Afghans in October through January, and then about 300 additional, for a total of 700 for 2022.

Jessup explained that all of the work is done before a family is identified, because IRIS never knows when they will be called upon to help with resettlement.

They get a family sometimes quite suddenly, like they get two days notice, she said. They prepare, but then the last-minute aspects of it is unavoidable, because the families get released from the military bases quite suddenly, Jessup said.

They welcome the family, they meet them at the airport, they find them an apartment, they give the people who are going to work jobs training to find them jobs, she added.

To date, Helping Families Settle has met its financial goal and is seeking other donations, including clothing and home furnishings, Noe said.

This project is an example of the Branford community working together, she added.

The community response to date has been wonderful, and we are close to being ready to receive a family, she said. Working alongside the Microfund is a great example of community collaboration. We are stronger together.

Helping Families Settle, 203-500-9495; noemarketing@yahoo.com.

Integrated Refugee and Immigration Service, 235 Nicoll St. New Haven, 203-562-2095; irisct.org; Facebook IRIS - Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services; Twitter @irisct; Instagram irisct_

Branford Microfund, branfordmicrofund.org; or info@branfordmicrofund.org; Facebook Branford Microfund.

Contact Sarah Page Kyrcz at suzipage1@aol.com
NEW YORK (AP)  After 12 days of testimony over three weeks, jurors heard from the final witnesses Friday in the sex trafficking trial of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who told the judge she wouldn't testify because she was confident prosecutors hadn't proved their case.

Closing arguments are now set for Monday in the trial, in which Maxwell is accused of helping the wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse four teenage girls.

The defense rested its case after a tight two days of presenting witnesses who attested to Maxwell's character or said they hadn't witnessed any wrongdoing.

U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan asked Maxwell, 59, to stand up, and explained she had the right to testify, if she wished.

Your Honor, the government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt so there is no reason for me to testify, Maxwell responded. As she spoke, her lawyer, Bobbi Sternheim, stood at her side, her arm wrapped around her lower back.

Maxwell has been accused by multiple women in civil lawsuits of running a yearslong operation to recruit teenage girls and young women to give sexualized massages to Epstein. One woman has said she was also coerced by the pair into sexual encounters with numerous famous men, including Britain's Prince Andrew.

Prosecutors, though, have kept the case narrowly focused on Maxwell's interactions with four girls from 1994 to 2004. During that span, Maxwell was romantically involved with and then later worked for Epstein.

Maxwells lawyers offered a spirited defense, portraying her as a scapegoat targeted by the government because prosecutors could no longer bring Epstein to justice after he killed himself at a federal lockup in August 2019 while awaiting his own sex trafficking trial.

While she did not testify before the jury, Maxwell seemed active in her defense throughout the past three weeks of the trial, frequently writing notes to her lawyers and hugging them as she entered and left court each day.

On the last day of testimony, her lawyers called one of Epsteins one-time paramours to the stand: a former Miss Sweden, New York City doctor and tabloid fixture who told the jury that she trusted the financier with her young daughters and denied taking part in a group sexual encounter with a key accuser.

Eva Andersson-Dubin, 60, testified that she dated Epstein off and on from 1983 to the early 1990s, before he dated Maxwell.

Epstein and Andersson-Dubin remained friends after breaking up and, in 1994, she married another moneyed financier, Glenn Dubin, with whom she had three children.

One of the key accusers in the Maxwell trial, identified in court only as Jane to protect her identity, testified that a woman named Eva joined a group sexual experience with Epstein.

On Friday, Andersson-Dubin was asked by one of Maxwell's attorneys if she had ever been in a group sexual encounter with Jane.

Absolutely not, she responded.

Asked if she had ever been in a group sexualized massage of Epstein with Jane, she responded: I have not.

The Dubins have denied knowing anything about Epstein's sexual misconduct, but were publicly supportive of Epstein when he initially was prosecuted and convicted of sex crimes in Florida in 2008.

Another Epstein accuser whose allegations are not part of Maxwell's trial, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has said that she was trafficked to Glenn Dubin, among other powerful men, all of whom have denied her accounts.

As the Dubin children  including two daughters  grew up, they sometimes joined their parents on flights with Epstein, Andersson-Dubin said.

She testified that Epstein was fond of her children and the children viewed him like an uncle, sometimes calling him Uncle F, an apparent abbreviation of his name, minus the J.

When Andersson-Dubin was asked by a defense lawyer if she ever witnessed any inappropriate conduct between Epstein and teenage girls, she responded: I did not.

The judge told jurors Friday afternoon to return at 9 a.m. Monday for closing arguments, which are expected to take several hours. Then, shell instruct them on the law and deliberations will begin.
After 39 years in business, Partner's Cafe will say goodbye to the Norwalk community. Located on the corner of First St. and Cove Ave., the Italian restaurant and bar will have its last call on Dec. 22.

"It's bittersweet. I have a rollercoaster of emotions," said Debbie Spinola, owner of Partner's Cafe.

Partners Cafe was opened in 1983 by Tommy Spinola and a family member. In the early 1990s, he assumed sole ownership of the restaurant and his wife Debbie became his new partner. After Tommy lost his battle with cancer in 2013, Debbie and their children took over the management of the restaurant. On the side of the restaurant, passersby have likely noticed a large sign that reads "We love you, Tommy."

Adriana Morga/ Hearst Connecticut Media

"[I saw] many generations come here, which is a beautiful thing... but I'm ready to pass it on to another younger group of people," said Spinola.

However, in order to retire, Spinola said she wanted to make sure that the next restaurant in the location was a family-owned local business. After the closure of Partner's Cafe, the owners of B.J. Ryan's will open a new restaurant which is expected to open sometime in February.

"We're just excited to be able to continue it as a local neighborhood bar as we're very grateful that we got the opportunity," said BJ Lawless, owner of B.J. Ryan's. The name of the restaurant has not been decided yet but is expected to be announced sometime in the new year.

And while saying goodbye to the business has been hard, Spinola said she looks forward to spending more time with her grandchildren and thanks the Norwalk community for the memories.

"I like to tell them the quote 'Don't be sad because it's over, smile because it happened'," said Spinola, referencing the Dr. Seuss quote. With a lifetime of memories, Spinola is hoping to write a book about her experience in the cafe.
NEW YORK (AP)  Ken Kragen, a top entertainment producer, manager and philanthropist who turned to such clients as Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers in helping to organize the 1985 all-star charity single We Are the World, has died. He was 85.

Kragen died Tuesday of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles, according to a statement released by his family.

"Ken worked tirelessly on behalf of the artists he represented, but what I loved most about him, other than the essence of his spirit, was that he had a 360-degree understanding that the combination of art & commerce could be used to make the world a better place," Quincy Jones, who produced We Are the World, tweeted this week.

As one of the original organizing partners on We Are the World, w/o Kens expertise & specific skill set, we may never have made the enormous global impact that we did,'' Jones tweeted.

Kragen was a Harvard Business School graduate whose other credits included producing The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Gambler television movies that starred Rogers. His most famous project began late in 1984 with a phone call from Harry Belafonte, who was anxious to raise money for starving people in Africa, notably in Ethiopia, where a famine had killed millions. The British recording Do They Know It's Christmas?" that featured George Michael, Bono and many others, had been a major success, and Belafonte wanted to organize a U.S. effort.

He first contacted Kragen, whom he didn't even know.

I needed a younger generation of artists, the ones at the top of the charts right now: Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, and Cyndi Lauper. When I looked at the management of most of these artists, I kept seeing the same name: Ken Kragen," Belafonte wrote in his memoir My Song, published in 2011.

Kragen was hesitant at first, Belafonte wrote, but called Richie, who said yes. Rogers said the same, as did Jones and dozens of others, including Jackson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder. We Are the World, co-written by Jackson and Richie, went on to sell tens of millions of copies and win Grammys for record and song of the year. Kragen later received a United Nations Peace Medal.

Kragen also managed Trisha Yearwood, the Bee Gees and Olivia Newton-John among others. His other charitable works included the Hands Across America fundraiser from 1985, when a cross country human chain featured everyone from President Ronald Reagan to Yoko Ono to Robin Williams.

Kragen's survivors include his wife, actor Cathy Worthington; their daughter, cinematographer Emma Kragen; and her husband, director/producer Zach Marion.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP)  Some residents and politicians criticized proposed redistricting maps for Virginia on Friday, telling the state's Supreme Court that many communities would see their voting strength diluted by seemingly arbitrary political boundaries.

Virginias Supreme Court is redrawing the states congressional and legislative maps after a new bipartisan redistricting commission failed to agree on maps earlier this year. The states high court began holding public hearings on the proposed maps on Wednesday.

Many of the speakers at Friday's public hearing, which focused on redrawing legislative and congressional districts, raised concerns about Richmond and its suburbs being carved into three congressional districts.

For example, Amelia County would no longer share a congressional district with Richmond's western suburbs and instead would be grouped in with more rural counties to the south. The county is currently in Virginia's extremely competitive 7th Congressional District.

Im an independent voter living in a deep red county, which at times is a challenge, Amelia County supervisor Roger Scott said. But being part of a swing district, as we have been, has allowed all of Amelia's people to be represented and heard, not only the conservatives.

Scott said that Amelia County is a bedroom community of the Richmond metro area. He said the new congressional district map would squelch the voices of the more moderate and liberal voters of Amelia, most of whom are people of color.

Concerns were also aired about other parts of the state. Maurice Hawkins, a U.S. Air Force veteran who lives in Virginia Beach, criticized plans to excise portions of the city of Norfolk from the 2nd Congressional District.

Norfolk, Hawkins noted, is home to the world's largest Navy base. And he said it has more in common with neighboring Virginia Beach when it comes to concerns about tourism, the environment and flooding wrought by sea-level rise.

Our military personnel may work in Norfolk but live in Virginia Beach and vice versa, Hawkins said. They do business in Virginia Beach and in Norfolk. Their children go to school in Virginia Beach and Norfolk. And its paramount that we maintain congressional representation ... that'll speak to these issues.

The redistricting maps that were proposed under the Supreme Court's purview were released earlier this month. They were prepared by two special masters  one each nominated by Democrats and Republicans  in accordance with an order from the state's highest court.

The draft maps for new congressional districts would provide Democrats a strong chance to win a majority of the states 11 seats. But they also draw Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger out of the 7th Congressional District in the Richmond area.

The proposed redistricting maps also would constitute a significant reduction in the number of majority Black districts in the General Assembly. How to protect minority voting rights has been one of the key points of contention in this redistricting cycle, as well as past ones.
FAIRFIELD  Juvenile justice experts in the state agree that more needs to be done to prevent minors from ending up in the criminal justice system, but largely disagree on what should happen after a minor is caught doing a crime.

It will be challenging, from a policy perspective, to arrest our way out of this problem, Ken Barone, the associate director of the University of Connecticuts Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, said at forum on juvenile crime held in Fairfield Thursday night.

Six panelists involved in the criminal justice system debated their perspectives on juvenile crime and how to address it  with car thefts being a central theme of the discussion. The panel was organized by state Reps. Jennifer Leeper and Cristin McCarthy Vahey, both D-Fairfield.

The police officers in attendance said there have to be consequences for these crimes, while advocates said children need support and punishment cannot always result in a positive change for a child who is in crisis.

Barone said context is important when looking at crime data. He noted there was an uptick in crime in May 2020, as lockdowns due to the pandemic became a widespread policy across the country.

He said there were more auto thefts across the U.S. and Europe, with a 35 percent increase in Connecticut between 2019 and 2020. Notably, he said, 2019 saw the fewest number of auto thefts ever recorded in the state.

The FBI reported 5,452 car thefts in 2019.

Its important to understand that, when looking at auto thefts in 2020 compared to 2019, youre comparing it to the lowest year on record, he said. The highest year on record was 1991, when there was just over 26,000 cars stolen in the state of Connecticut that year.

In 2020, Barone said, there were approximately 8,400 car thefts in the state. He said most of the increase is due to cars being left unlocked and key fobs being left inside the vehicle.

Juvenile involvement

When looking at juveniles, Barone said people under the age of 18 made up only 241, or 36 percent, of the 671 car theft-related arrests last year. That percentage is nearly the same as it was in 2019.

Barone also noted most juvenile justice reforms in Connecticut, such as raising the age of juvenile offenders to 18 and changing how long juveniles could be detained by law enforcement, occurred about a decade ago. He said there is misinformation about the justice system having an inability to lock up high-risk youth.

But two Fairfield police officers offered a different perspective. Detectives Beth Leetch and George Buckmir both said the last couple of years have been some of the most challenging of their 24 years on the force. They said the courts will not take low-level crimes such as shoplifting or possession of alcohol, which they said is emboldening young offenders.

Theres really no teeth, Leetch said, later adding that parents come to her stressed about what their childrens behavior could lead to.

Buckmir, who investigates car thefts in Fairfield, said there had been 101 such thefts in Fairfield in 2021 as of Thursday night. One issue, he said, is the burden of proof is higher than it used to be, and that, along with lax laws, is enabling kids.

In a lot of these cases, I know who the kids are. I know who stole that car. I just cant prove it, he said. When we talk about proof in the juvenile justice system, were not talking about probable cause. Were talking about proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Buckmir said the cars being stolen can end up being used in more serious crimes.

Buckmir said minors arrested on theft charges are often back on the street days later.

The juvenile court system does not give real life consequences, he said. The revolving door doesnt work.

Buckmir said fear of punishment is a great motivator, and called for some form of change, be it through the legislature or judicial system, that creates more stringent consequences.

Addressing root causes

Iliana Pujols, policy director of the The Connecticut Justice Alliance, an organization that works to keep children and youth out of the justice system, said it is rare for people to sit down with young people who have committed crimes to talk about solutions.

I did a lot stuff when I was a teenager, and now that I think of it, a lot of what I did that was bad was because I was going through a lot of stuff, she said.

Pujols said reforms that have happened in Connecticut, including the closure of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, were good things, but need to be followed up with funding for other types of programming.

Programs such as Streetsafe or Our Piece of the Pie, which offer youth with support, do good work but are not funded as much as they should be, Pujols said.

Another important aspect when discussing the juvenile justice system, she said, is noting who is primarily impacted by it.

Were talking about primarily children of color, she said. Its not news to anybody that, unfortunately, these cities such as New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury and Bridgeport, have been primarily underfunded for years.

Pujols said talking to teens, instead of looking to punish, is a good solution. She added that wanting to charge children as adults while also acknowledging that their brains are not fully developed are conflicting ideas.

Brittany LaMarr, a justice adviser with the Connecticut Justice Alliance, said she was arrested several times as a teenager and eventually ended up in the adult system, which left her with consequences that will follow her for the rest of her life. She said she did not change until she was put into programs with intensive case management that addressed her root issues.

I excavated the reasons I interacted with the world the way I that I did, she said. There were reasons why I was going through life unable to think about how my actions were causing harm to somebody else. I was still operating at that lower level of Maslows hierarchy of needs. I didnt have those basic needs met.

Maslows hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology that uses a five-tier model of human needs. Food and clothing make up the bottom, moving up to safety, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization.

LaMarr said incarcerating young people just kicks the can down the road. She said there needs to be an investment into programs that help solve the root issues of crime.

I think its extremely important that we dont just discard young people who are committing offenses as individuals who arent deserving or worthy of a successful future, she said.

John Santa, a Fairfield resident and the vice chairman of the Connecticut Sentencing Commission, said crime issues begin in poverty and ignorance.

When one attendee asked how Fairfield residents could make the justice system better locally, Pujols said it is not something that can be narrowed down to one town.

Thats where we come into a big challenge. Its always my town or your town or this town, or red or blue, she said. The reality is, were talking about kids as a whole. It becomes a challenge when we talk about how to make it better, because the system is not just. Its racially inequitable. Its not created to serve any sort of form of rehabilitation... and the minute you touch base with the adult system it becomes even worse.

joshua.labella@hearstmediact.com
All the former hostages from a U.S.-based missionary group kidnapped in Haiti have been flown out of the country after a two-month ordeal, the leader of their Ohio-based missions organization said Friday, as he also extended an offer of forgiveness to their captors.

David Troyer, general director of Christian Aid Ministries, said in a video statement that a U.S.-flagged plane left the Caribbean nation Thursday afternoon carrying the last 12 kidnapped missionaries, hours after they were freed earlier in the day.

Everyone including the 10-month-old baby, the 3-year-old boy and the 6-year-old boy seem to be doing reasonably well, Troyer said.

The last releases came two months to the day after the group of 16 Americans and one Canadian  including five children  were kidnapped by the 400 Mawozo gang, which initially demanded millions of dollars in ransom. The other five had been freed earlier.

Troyer did not comment on the circumstances of the release, such as whether ransom was paid or a rescue effort was involved, but expressed thanks to the U.S. government and all others who assisted in the safe return of our hostages.

Thank you for understanding our desire to pursue nonviolent approaches," he added, without elaboration.

Based in Berlin, Ohio, Christian Aid Ministries, or CAM, is supported and staffed by conservative Anabaptists, a range of Mennonite, Amish and related groups whose hallmarks include nonresistance to evil, plain dress and separation from mainstream society.

In keeping with Anabaptist teaching, which puts a premium on forgiveness, Troyer offered conciliatory words to the captors.

A word to the kidnappers: We do not know all of the challenges you face. We do believe that violence and oppression of others can never be justified. You caused our hostages and their families a lot of suffering, he said. However, Jesus taught us by word and by his own example that the power of forgiving love is stronger than the hate of violent force. Therefore, we extend forgiveness to you.

Troyer said the hostages had prayed for their captors and told them about Gods love and their need to repent.

The missionaries were abducted Oct. 16 shortly after visiting an orphanage in Ganthier, in the Croix-des-Bouquets area, where they verified it had received aid from CAM and played with the children, Troyer said.

As they became aware of what was happening at the time of capture, the group began singing the chorus, The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them, Troyer said, quoting from the biblical book of Psalms. This song became a favorite of theirs, and they sang it many times throughout their days of captivity.

The hostages remained together as a group throughout, he said, in prayer, in song and encouraging each other.

Troyer said CAM workers were aware of dangers in Haiti, where gang activity and kidnappings have been on the rise.

But the organization often works in such perilous places precisely because that is usually where the biggest needs are, he added.

CAM hopes to continue working in Haiti, Troyer said, while acknowledging that it will need to bolster security protocols and better instruct our people about the dangers involved.

Authorities have said 400 Mawozo was demanding $1 million per person in ransom, although it wasnt clear if that included the children. The gangs leader had threatened to kill the hostages unless his demands were met.

Also Friday, a meeting including representatives of 14 countries, various international organizations and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry produced broad commitments to address security and the political and economic situation in the impoverished Caribbean nation, according to a top U.S. diplomat.

Brian A. Nichols, assistant secretary at the State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, said on a conference call that the U.S. government plans to send experts to train the Haitian National Police SWAT team.

In another pledge, Japan promised $3 million in aid including for the construction of police housing and facilities.

Nichols said there was discussion of some nations potentially deploying police to Haiti for activities such as training or mentoring local officers, though that would require more discussion first. He said there was broad agreement that the security situation in the country is a policing challenge, not a military one.

Nichols did not provide details on how the hostages were freed, citing respect for their privacy. Asked about rumors that a ransom was paid, he declined to comment other than to say the United States government does not pay ransom for hostages.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
NEW YORK (AP)  New York state reported Friday that just over 21,000 people had tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day, the highest single-day total for new cases since testing became widely available.

Just under half of the positive results were in the city, where lines were growing at testing stations, the Rockettes Christmas show was canceled for the season and some Broadway shows nixed performances because of outbreaks among cast members.

One-day snapshots of virus statistics can be an unreliable way to measure trends, but the new record punctuated a steady increase that started in the western part of the state in late October, and has taken off in New York City in the past week as the omicron variant spreads.

This is changing so quickly. The numbers are going up exponentially by day, Gov. Kathy Hochul said during a Friday appearance on CNN.

The steep rise in infections should be of great concern but it was inevitable, given the quick spread of the newest variant, said Dr. Denis Nash, the executive director of the Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health at the City University of New York.

We were already headed for a winter surge with delta, which is a very concerning thing in its own right, Nash said.

But then you layer on top of that the new omicron variant, which is more transmissible from an infection standpoint, he said, noting that current vaccines may be unable to contain the more invasive new variant.

Statewide, New York averaged 13,257 positive tests per day over the seven-day period that ended Thursday. That is up 71% from two weeks ago.

The state's previous one-day high for positive tests came on Jan. 14, 2021, when just under 20,000 people tested positive.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has warned that omicron is in full force," but said the citys hospitals are very strong and stable right now and far better able to handle COVID-19 than when the pandemic began. Treatments have improved, and more than 70% of eligible city residents are fully vaccinated, he noted.
Contributed photo

WILTON  Police are investigating after several pieces of opened mail were found on the side of the road in the northwest area of town Saturday morning.

Wilton police said that shortly after 7:30 a.m. Saturday, pieces of opened mail from multiple residents were found opened on the side of the road in the area of Ridgefield and Deforest roads.
WINDSOR  Despite identifying potential people of interest, the Windsor Police Department could not establish probable cause to arrest a suspect after several nooses were found at an Amazon construction site earlier this year, the police department said Friday.

However, the police department is keeping the case open should any new information come to light that would allow for the prosecution of this case within its statute of limitations, according to Windsor Police Capt. Andrew Power.

The Windsor Police Department, with the help of state police and the FBI conducted numerous interviews with people working to build the Amazon site on Kennedy Road. Investigators also looked at personnel records, camera footage and shift logs, according to Windsor Police Capt. Andrew Power.

After identifying a few people of interest and receiving conflicting information, investigators scheduled polygraph examinations.

These individuals told police they believed they were being targeted on the theory that they hung the noose to get off the job in hopes of getting a prevailing wage, higher paying job at a different site, Power said.

Power added that after these examinations, the people of interest didnt want to cooperate with the investigation anymore.

Investigators also analyzed a phone belonging to a person of interest and found photos of the rafters of the Amazon building that were taken two days before the first noose was found, Power said.

No other relevant information or investigative leads were discovered, Power said. Upon review of all the evidence and statements gathered, investigators were unable establish probable cause to arrest a suspect in this case.

The first noose was found on April 24. A construction company supervisor told police April 27 that a hangmans noose was found hanging from a steel beam on the second floor of the building.

Police were called to the area again on April 29. Police said five additional ropes that could be interpreted as nooses were found on different floors and throughout the facility, according to previous reports.

At the time, Scot X. Esdaile, president of the Connecticut state conference of the NAACP, suggested the nooses were part of a backlash against recent events, including Derek Chauvins conviction in the murder of George Floyd.

Construction at the facility was halted twice as officials found more nooses. In all, eight nooses were discovered at the facility, according to previous reports.

Amazon is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the person responsible for these incidents, which are being investigated as potential hate crimes, previous reports state.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Windsor Police Department at 860-688-5273.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Five Mississippi universities are receiving nearly $10 million from the state to cover tuition for aspiring educators.

The Mississippi Teacher Residency Program is part of an effort to address the state's teacher shortage. There were 3,036 certified teacher vacancies in Mississippi's public schools from Aug. 21 to Oct. 11, 2021, according to a Department of Education survey.
WASHINGTON (AP)  During a private meeting in July, Sen. Joe Manchin and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sat down to negotiate what exactly it would take for Democrats to unlock Manchin's vote to start the process of considering President Joe Bidens massive social and environmental bill.

What emerged was a one-page document, unformatted, where the West Virginia Democrat laid out his views. Both signed it, with reservations.

Nearly five months later, much of what Manchin wanted has been delivered. But fellow Democrats appear nowhere close to gaining the conservative senator's support for their far-reaching domestic package. Having passed the House, the bill is now stalled in the Senate.

Here's a look at what Manchin wanted then and where the legislation stands now.

TOPLINE DOLLARS

Manchin wrote in the document that he wanted a $1. 5 trillion topline  far less than the $3.5 trillion Biden proposed.

Biden halved the amount to $1.75 trillion when it became clear Manchin could accept that. The bill now tallies roughly $2 trillion.

STRATEGIC PAUSE

Manchin wanted to begin debate on the legislation no earlier than Oct. 1.

In a subsequent opinion piece he suggested a strategic pause.

That date has passed.

TAXES

Manchin insisted the corporate tax rate, which Biden proposed raising to 28%, not inch past 25%. In fact, it ended up not being raised at all, thanks to opposition from another hold-out Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

Manchin also proposed a 15% corporate minimum rate, as is now included in the bill.

He wanted any excess revenue to go toward paying down debt, but that idea was never embraced by Democrats.

CLIMATE CHANGE

The coal-state senator insisted on a fuel neutral energy policy  essentially one that does not favor wind, solar and other renewable energy sources over fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas.

Manchin insisted plans for a clean energy standard run through the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which he chairs.

After Manchin objected, the White House scrapped plan s for a nationwide clean energy standard that environmental advocates viewed as the most significant tool for curbing climate change.

The new incentives for renewable energy sources did not come with rollbacks on coal, oil or natural gas.

Just this week, Manchin, as chair of the energy panel, removed a Democratic proposal to permanently ban offshore drilling in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Environmentalists strongly opposed his move, and several Democrats said they would fight to restore the drilling ban, which gained new momentum following a catastrophic oil spill off Californias coast this fall.

Despite criticism by Manchin, Democrats remain on track to impose a fee on excess methane emissions from oil and gas wells.

SOCIAL POLICY

Much of Manchin's public opposition to the size and scope of the package centers on its investment in landmark social programs  child tax credits, a new federal paid family leave program and lower-cost child care.

His reasoning? Well, Manchin has reiterated one phrase over these negotiations: I dont believe that we should turn our society into an entitlement society.

The senator has been adamant about no additional handouts, as he wrote in his memo. He wants many of the social services programs means tested to apply only to those at lower-income thresholds.

As a result, the new paid family and medical leave program that Democrats overwhelmingly want could be gutted completely, dashing their hopes of taking the U.S. off the list of remaining countries without any form of national paid leave.

The most recent debate centers around extending the child tax credit, passed earlier this year as part of pandemic relief legislation. The program, a keystone of Democratic efforts to reduce child poverty, has been sending up to $300 per child directly into the bank accounts of families each month. The expansion, studies say, is expected to cut child poverty by 40%  with 9 of 10 American children benefiting.

Without action by Congress, the program will expire and this months checks will be the last ones.

Manchin now says he wants the child tax credit program extended for the full 10-year budget window, rather than just one year  a nonstarter since the price tag would consume most of Biden's bill, crowding out other key initiatives on health care, child care, education and more.

Were not going to move all of the programs to 10 years. Thats not going to happen, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told The Associated Press on Friday.

Jayapal said Manchin agreed to a framework for the bill in October, which spelled out the plans priorities and costs but didnt limit the duration of any of them. Manchin, she predicted, will hold to his commitment."

___

Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Matthew Daly contributed.
BRIDGEPORT  City officials moved quickly Friday and without any public input to approve the controversial re-naming of Igor Sikorsky Memorial Airport.

In a vote of three to one, members of the city-owned, Stratford-based airports commission re-christened the facility, named since 1972 after the aviation engineer and icon, the Bridgeport Sikorsky Memorial Airport in a marketing maneuver pursued by Mayor Joe Ganims office.

Its going to pass, a disappointed Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick acknowledged during the 10-minute afternoon teleconference.

Hoydick, along with Bridgeport City Council President Aidee Nieves, City Clerk Lydia Martinez and Ganims finance director, Kenneth Flatto, serve on the commission. Hoydick cast the lone no vote.

I just wish as we move forward with this regional airport that is so important to lower Fairfield County in general, we do things in a more collaborative, transparent, open way, Hoydick told her colleagues.

The Bridgeport-dominated commission with no fanfare had approved the name change last week under a vague agenda item  approval of mayors office re branding initiative. But that meeting, at which Hoydick also opposed the move, was not properly noticed under the state Freedom of Information Act, resulting in Fridays do-over.

The resulting publicity sparked a debate about whether Bridgeports move was a minor one or a slap in the face to Igor Sikorskys legacy.

Sikorsky, who died in 1972, was a Russian immigrant who invented the first practical helicopter, constructed seaplanes or flying boats and founded the namesake Stratford-based aircraft manufacturing giant.

Hoydick made her displeasure with the proposal known in her weekly emailed newsletter to constituents, stating that it diminished the honor given to the airports namesake and the importance of this aviation and engineering giant to the history and industry of our region.

Bridgeport, meanwhile, which for years has run Sikorsky Airport at a deficit, is in the process of trying to return the long-defunct regular passenger service there and raise the facilitys profile. It currently caters to business, charter and private flights.

At the same time Ganims administration is also hoping to get out of the airport business and lease or eventually sell the operation to the Connecticut Airport Authority, whose portfolio includes Bradley International in Windsor Locks, plus Danielson, Groton/New London, Hartford/Brainard, Waterbury/Oxford and Windham airports.

Still, Bridgeport City Hall wants to ensure that, even if it no longer owns the airport, it can boast about having one  even if it is located in the town next door. As Martinez argued Friday, it has been the citys responsibility since Bridgeport purchased the airport in 1937.

We have carried a big, big burden with the airport but we never drop it cause we knew we were providing jobs and had hopes (for its success), Martinez said.

And Flatto noted at one time the facility was named after Bridgeport, so adding that designation while keeping Sikorsky seemed reasonable.

Sikorsky Memorial also had other names prior to being taken over by the city. It was originally known as Mollison then Avon Field. The Igor Sikorsky designation has lasted the longest.

In the past Bridgeport has faced some stiff opposition from some in Stratfords Lordship neighborhood over any potential efforts to expand Sikorsky. Still, Hoydicks office last week indicated that overall her town likes being able to claim it has an airport.

Theres really no way you can change the geographic fact its in Stratford, but (renaming Sikorsky) certainly does, Hoydicks chief of staff, Mike Downes, had said. I think theres no way to escape that naming it (after Bridgeport) certainly also diminishes Stratfords role in the airport and its association.

The proposed name change was also opposed by the Friends of Sikorsky group, which represents current users, and by Igor Sikorskys surviving sons, Igor Sikorsky Jr., 92, of Unionville, and Sergei Sikorsky, a retired executive of the aircraft manufacturer,who is 96 and lives in Arizona.

Hoydick lamented during Fridays teleconference that the commission did not allow the public to weigh in. And Friends President David Faile in emails earlier that day had unsuccessfully requested the opportunity to speak.

But according to the state Freedom of Information Commission, while many municipal boards allow public comment, it is not a requirement.

Ultimately much of what happens at Sikorsky has to pass through the Federal Aviation Administration. But that agency said this week that does not include name changes.

However, we must complete some administrative tasks before we officially recognize any name change, the FAA said in a statement. These include processing the change to ensure proper tracking of federal grant-agreement obligations, as well as revising the Airport Master Record and air traffic control maps to reflect the new name.

In an interview ahead of Fridays action by the airport commission, Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, said that agency had not discussed the Sikorsky name change with Bridgeport.

Right now we have no role in the governance of the airport, Dillon said. I view this as a local matter for them to deal with.

Asked about the importance in general of airport designations, Dillon said geography and history are important factors.

Theres a lot that goes into making a determination about a name change and theres a lot of sides to that issue that really have to be looked at, Dillon said.
The Tory grandee spoke candidly, if floridly. Enough. Its time to bring down the curtain. This farce is played out.

A Minister was more earthy. Im sick of the whole thing. I love my job. But this cant go on. Im seriously thinking about jacking it all in.

The Westminster pendulum has swung. A new conventional wisdom is forming: after the largest rebellion of his premiership, and the catastrophic loss in North Shropshire, Boris is finished.

Hell probably be gone by May, one backbencher told me, a little too gleefully.

Wrong. Boris isnt finished. At least, not yet. Two weeks ago, a by-election was held in Old Bexley and Sidcup. In the wake of the Owen Paterson and Peppa Pig farragos, it was widely expected the Tories would take a drubbing. They didnt.

The Westminster pendulum has swung. A new conventional wisdom is forming: after the largest rebellion of his premiership, and the catastrophic loss in North Shropshire, Boris is finished

And talking to people, it was obvious why. Boris has done his best. Hes looked after the country during Covid was the response I heard again and again on the doorsteps.

There used to be a popular political mantra that politicians and their advisers would chant to one other  Its the economy, stupid.

It held that whatever other ephemera was swirling around, the economy was always the defining political issue. Not now. This morning, its Covid, stupid.

Omicron has derailed Boris. The parties when the nation was in lockdown. The lies about the parties. Then the national realisation that the surge of a new variant  and frantic new measures to neutralise its impact  could destroy Christmas for a second year running.

Thats certainly what motivated those Tory MPs who traipsed rebelliously through the lobbies last week. If they think Im voting for further restrictions, theyre mad, one told me. Thats enough. We said wed learn to live with Covid. Well, nows the time.

Its also what motivated a large proportion of mutinous Tory voters in Shropshire. And why victorious Lib-Dem leader Sir Ed Davey ordered his MPs to oppose Covid passports, even though he was isolating with the disease himself.

But if the resurgent virus has thrust Boris into political purgatory, it also provides him with a possible route to redemption. If he opts to take it.

The first thing Boris has to do is demonstrate hes sticking to his guns. Or rather, sticking to his road-map. For all the drama in the Commons last week, the new measures the Government announced were very limited in scope.

Whitty himself warned there are several things we dont know [about Omicron] but all the things we do know are bad. According to reports, in a briefing to Cabinet he warned of the total collapse of NHS services as Omicron runs amok

As one official said: A majority of the rebels were objecting from a position of libertarian principle, rather than reacting to the practical impacts of the new measures.

Covid passports for a limited number of venues or proof of a negative Covid test, and mask-wearing, represented the extent of the restrictions. We are not back in lockdown, or anything that resembles it.

The second thing he needs to do is cut himself loose from the apron strings of his experts. Chris Whitty enjoys a cult-like following among those who advocate a more robust approach to tackling the new strain. And to be fair, he seems to be genuinely motivated by a desire to protect the publics health.

But its no longer possible to ignore the glaring discrepancies in his and his colleagues analysis of the pandemic. Last week, UK Health Security chief Jenny Harries described Omicron as probably the most significant threat we had faced since the start of the pandemic.

Whitty himself warned there are several things we dont know [about Omicron] but all the things we do know are bad. According to reports, in a briefing to Cabinet he warned of the total collapse of NHS services as Omicron runs amok.

Yet, a few hours later, Whitty told the House of Commons Health Select Committee that in the fight against Covid each six months will be better than the last six months I think what will happen is the risks will gradually decrease over time.

How is that compatible with the idea that two years into this crisis we are now facing our greatest moment of danger?

Chris Whitty enjoys a cult-like following among those who advocate a more robust approach to tackling the new strain. And to be fair, he seems to be genuinely motivated by a desire to protect the publics health

Whittys defenders claim he is rightly erring on the side of caution. But the problem is this caution is now starting to resemble the cry of the boy who spotted the marauding wolf.

Its only three months since he was warning Delta, which he chillingly described as a very bad variant, could lead to the triggering of the Governments Plan B. Sage warned Delta could see 7,000 hospitalisations a day by October.

But until the emergency of Omicron, Delta was actually plateauing, and hospitalisations and deaths were falling. Boriss decision to unlock  in the face of much of the expert advice  was vindicated.

But, perhaps most concerning, was Whittys insistence its wrong to accept the body of evidence from South Africa that Omicron is more mild.

The amount of immunity in South Africa for this wave  because of a prior Delta wave and vaccination  is far higher than it was for their last wave. And therefore the fact there is a lower hospitalisation rate is unsurprising, he announced.

Up until now, the claim that exposure to the virus  and a reliance on natural immunity  would protect from hospitalisation has been the preserve of the anti-vaxxers.

Nor does it tally with the argument that rising infection and hospitalisation rates in London are a result of the capitals relatively low rates of vaccination.

The reality is that, at this stage of the pandemic, it is no longer good enough for Boris and his Ministers  or, more pertinently, his most senior health officials  to push for restrictions based on what we dont know.

The health impact of cancelled GP appointments, the dire economic fall-out, the sheer mental health burden of the unending Covid rollercoaster. All require an evidence-based approach, not a better safe than sorry punt.

And there is one final reason why Boris has to stick with the strategy that saw him pledge in March that major Covid restrictions were being eased once and for all. There really is no other option.

We cannot, as a nation, drift into an endless cycle of temporary freedom followed by perennial lockdown. Enough is enough now.

We have done our bit. We have taken our jabs. We have taken our second jabs. According to one Government official I spoke to, by today 50 per cent of us will have had our boosters. And that was the deal Britain struck.

With Boris and his Ministers  and yes  with his experts. We would endure the lockdowns. We would put up with the circuit-breakers. We would all rally round to protect the NHS. Until the vaccine arrived. At which point, the NHS would go back to protecting us.

Well, its here now. And it doesnt represent Plan A, it represents the only plan. If Boris sticks to it, then reports of his political demise will prove to have been premature. If he can show this time next year he really did guide the nation securely through its Covid nightmare, then the events of the past few days will be forgotten.

No one will care about Downing Street Zoom quizzes, or a temporary return to masks in the supermarket.

But if he breaks his pledge and we are plunged into another lockdown, or the NHS collapses despite his booster boosterism, then there will be nowhere to hide.

Because, for Boris, there is not really any Plan B. There is his road-map. Or theres oblivion.
A rare Brexiteer in Whitehall, Lord Frost has made his name fighting Britains battles with Brussels in the face of barefaced threats and hostile rhetoric.

His fearsome reputation at the negotiating table prompted Boris Johnson to declare him the Greatest Frost since the Great Frost of 1709 in his conference speech this year.

The pair have been allies since Mr Johnson was Foreign Secretary. And when he became Prime Minister, Mr Johnson appointed the former career diplomat to take charge of the negotiations where Theresa May and her chief negotiator, Olly Robbins had failed.

Known as Boriss Brexit brain in Downing Street, Lord David Frost, 56, graduated from Oxford with a first-class degree in history and medieval French.

A rare Brexiteer in Whitehall, Lord Frost has made his name fighting Britains battles with Brussels in the face of barefaced threats and hostile rhetoric

He started his career as a diplomat in the Foreign Office, where his roles included being posted to Brussels and serving as ambassador to Denmark.

He left the civil service in 2013 to head the Scotch Whisky Association. At the time he wrote a pamphlet on negotiating with the EU which advised: Make what you want seem normal.

He was brought back into the government fold by Mr Johnson to advise him as Foreign Secretary, who then made him chief Brexit negotiator in 2019.

Mr Johnson subsequently praised his Herculean efforts in securing a deal with the EU.

During his talks with Brussels, Lord Frost drew on tips from a book called The Kremlin School of Negotiation, written by Igor Ryzov, an expert in hardball tactics from the KGB era.

The book, published in the UK in 2019, offers insights into Soviet tradecraft and tips such as putting opponents into a zone of uncertainty where fear is the most powerful weapon. And it describes Andrei Gromyko, the Soviet foreign minister involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis, as a master of the techniques.

He was brought back into the government fold by Mr Johnson to advise him as Foreign Secretary, who then made him chief Brexit negotiator in 2019

Last year Mr Johnson gave Lord Frost joint responsibilities of leading post-Brexit trade negotiations with the EU and acting as National Security Adviser.

The security appointment prompted a tart comment from Mrs May who called him a political appointee with no proven expertise in national security.

However Lord Frost never took up the job full-time and instead retained a focus on negotiations with the EU, as well as taking up a seat in the House of Lords.

His title since March last year has been Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, and he has been a full member of Mr Johnsons Cabinet.

Since Britain left the EU, Lord Frost has been leading the post-Brexit trade negotiations, taking a notably tough line and publicly saying he is not afraid of ripping up the Northern Ireland protocol.

He took to Twitter to attack French rhetoric and threats over fisheries after a French minister said the EU could hit the UKs energy supply.

In a significant speech in Portugal in October, Lord Frost laid down the gauntlet to the EU and said it doesnt always look like the bloc wants the UK to succeed.

He said it will take two to repair the fractious relationship between Britain and Brussels.

But sources said Lord Frost has recently privately bemoaned the lack of movement over the protocol, and has said Mr Johnson is too distracted by other issues.

Privately Lord Frost says Mr Johnson isnt focused on the Northern Ireland talks, but when the PM does concentrate, he provides the political will to get talks over the line

Privately he says Mr Johnson isnt focused on the Northern Ireland talks, but when the PM does concentrate, he provides the political will to get talks over the line.

Last week, critics accused the Government of going soft in its approach to the protocol as it announced negotiations would be rolled into the new year with a new deadline of the end of February.

Married to his second wife Harriet, Lord Frost has two children from his first marriage. He is a keen runner  but sources said he eased back last year when he suffered Covid symptoms.
Gemma Walker spent seven lonely years in the grips of anorexia nervosa and bulimia before she began the 'ugly' but necessary recovery process to survive.

The now 28-year-old from the Gold Coast, Queensland, was just 14 when she was diagnosed with an eating disorder and doctors warned her she would die without treatment at a frail 28kg.

She was admitted to hospital a number of times with three stints in emergency care.

It's a far-cry from the confident Gemma today that eats McDonald's without a care in the world and would choose a quiet walk along the beach over a gym workout.

Gemma Walker has shared her journey through anorexia nervosa and binge eating to a comfortable weight in the hope of inspiring others

The now 28-year-old from the Gold Coast, Queensland, was just 14 when she was diagnosed with an eating disorder and doctors warned her she would die without treatment when she weighed only 28kg

Gemma can pinpoint three key factors that triggered the decline in her mental health: bullying, being a perfectionist at heart and trying to meet unreasonable expectations from her family.

'I was in a more popular group at school but I was picked on. I had friends but was always a target. And as a perfectionist I was good at things but never the best and that bothered me,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'At the time I feel like I was trying to meet my family's expectations and when I started losing weight I felt like I was achieving something... but very quickly I didn't want people to notice. It spiralled.'

Gemma would trick doctors into thinking she was gaining weight during her later teen years by attaching gym weights discreetly to her body (pictured today)

Her father, Steve, said seeing pictures of his daughter at her worst brought back the constant pain and anguish of those dark years.

'They were the hardest and most terrifying years of our lives, checking on her each morning to see if she was still breathing, to see if her weak heart was still beating,' he said.

'Some nights we would just sit on the floor by her bed, just to be with her, there was nothing else we could do.'

She was admitted to hospital three times with one emergency care and two long term psychiatric and re-feeding admissions

It's a far-cry from the confident Gemma today that eats McDonald's and would choose a walk along the beach over the gym

What is anorexia nervosa? * Anorexia nervosa is a psychological illness that has devastating physical consequences. * It is characterised by low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of gaining weight, which manifests itself through depriving the body of food. * It often coincides with increased levels of exercise. * There are two main sub-types of anorexia: Restricting type  this is the most commonly known type of anorexia nervosa, whereby a person severely restricts their food intake. Binge-eating or purging type  less recognised, this type of anorexia nervosa forms when a person restricts their intake as above, but also has regularly engaged in binge-eating or purging behaviour. * Anorexia nervosa can affect the mind and body in a multitude of ways: Brain  preoccupation with food/calories, fear of gaining weight, headaches, fainting, dizziness, mood swings, anxiety, depression. Hair and skin  dry skin, brittle nails, thin hair, bruises easily, yellow complexion, growth of thin white hair all over body (called lanugo), intolerance to cold. Heart and blood  poor circulation, irregular or slow heartbeat, very low blood pressure, cardiac arrest, heart failure, low iron levels (anaemia). Intestines  constipated, diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain. Hormones  irregular or absent periods, loss of libido, infertility. Kidneys  dehydration, kidney failure. Bones and muscles  loss of bone calcium (osteopenia), osteoporosis, muscle loss, weakness, fatigue. Source: Eating Disorders Org Advertisement

Gemma would trick doctors into thinking she was gaining weight by discreetly attaching gym weights to her body.

'It was absolutely insane. My life was a constant lie. All day I was fixated on numbers,' she said.

As a result Gemma missed out on regular teenage experiences, something that she's trying to amend now more than a decade later.

After her 21st birthday Gemma decided she'd had enough, and made her first few tentative steps towards recovery. But she struggled for 18 months with binge eating and suffered from re-feeding syndrome.

Re-feeding syndrome is a dangerous shift in fluids and electrolytes that occurs after a seriously malnourished individual begins to eat more than usual.

'It was absolutely insane. My life was a constant lie. All day I was fixated on numbers,' she said

After her 21st birthday Gemma made her first few tentative steps towards recovery but she struggled for 18 months with binge eating and suffered from re-feeding syndrome

The desperate teen would consume 6,500 calories - the equivalent of about 12 Big Macs - in just 20 minutes during binging sessions which would cause her to pass out and experience hallucinations.

'Recovery isn't pretty. No girl is going to eat a little bit more and gain weight and feel good about themselves right away,' she said.

'My weight gain was very rapid. In less than seven months I put on 40 kilograms, tripling my body weight, however I was at my worst mentally.

'I had no control and I was ashamed by what I looked like. I had my debit card and car key taken off me, just to stop me eating. I thought the need to eat wouldn't stop but it does.'

'Recovery isn't pretty. No girl is going to eat a little bit more and gain weight and feel good about themselves right away,' she said

Her advice is to avoid taking too many photos and attending social events during this period, instead taking the time to get reacquainted with your new and changing body

Her advice for sufferers to avoid taking too many photos and attending social events during this period, instead taking the time to get reacquainted with your new and changing body.

It has been many years since Gemma struggled with her portion sizes or felt the need to restrict.

She will more than happily visit fast food restaurants and get into her favourite bikini without worrying about her size or shape.

'Above anything else eating disorders just rob you of time. That addiction won't serve you, ever,' she said.

'It's important to know you're not alone and you can get out the other side, no matter how hard it is.'

If you need help or support for an eating disorder or body image issue, please call Butterfly's National Helpline on 1800 334 673 or email support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au

To hear more about Gemma and her journey, follow her on Instagram.
Christmas just wouldnt be the same without a spine-tingling ghost story  and who better to tell it than Mr Christmas himself? Simon Callow, one of the nations best-loved actors, is synonymous with Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol, having staged it many times.

Ive been involved with A Christmas Carol for so long and in many different ways, says Simon. Its about ghosts. Dickens loved ghost stories  he wrote them, read them and adored them.

No wonder then that Simon was Mark Gatisss first choice to play the lead in Sky Maxs new Christmas film The Amazing Mr Blunden, a remake of the 1972 film adapted from Antonia Barbers childrens fantasy novel The Ghosts. The adventure starts for teenagers Jamie and Lucy Allen when the mysterious Mr Blunden offers their mother the chance to be the caretaker of a country house thats said to be haunted.

Antonia Barber's children's fantasy novel The Ghosts has been adapted for new Sky Max film The Amazing Mr Blunden starring Simon Callow, 72. Pictured from left: Mr Wickens, Mr Blunden and Mrs Wickens

Within its neglected grounds, Jamie and Lucy meet Sara and Georgie Latimer, a pair of ghostly children who say they are in danger from the murderous Mr and Mrs Wickens in 1821, and that their guardian, a Mr Blunden, is ignoring their fears. So theyve time-travelled 200 years into the future to find help.

The present-day Mr Blunden then implores Jamie and Lucy to help him go back in time to 1821 to change history and save the Latimers from dying in a fire.

This is a story of redemption, like A Christmas Carol, except Blunden initiates it whereas Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghosts who force him to face the facts, explains Simon.

Mr Blunden (pictured) implores Jamie and Lucy to help him go back in time to 1821 to change history and save the Latimers

Blunden knows that what he did all those years ago was disgraceful. But hes an irresistible character. Hes charming, eccentric, vulnerable and consumed by guilt. He wants to turn back the clock.

Its a tale that Mark felt was important to retell to a modern audience. The original Lionel Jeffries film is one of my favourites, he says.

I saw it at school when I was seven in the most perfect circumstances; it was the last Friday before we broke up for Christmas.

It was on our battered old school projector and it was everything I love. It was ghosts, time travel, magic, faintly sinister with brilliant baddies. It had everything.

Mark, 55, grew malicious-looking facial hair to play the half-mad pyromaniac Mr Wickens, who with his wife plans to murder Sara and Georgie for their inheritance. Mrs Wickens, originally played by Diana Dors, is reprised here by Tamsin Greig.

Mr and Mrs Wickens fuel each others villainous characteristics, they egg each other on, says Tamsin, 55.

Mrs Wickens is not a panto villain, shes frightening as she does the most evil thing  she tries to kill the children who are to inherit a fortune so her daughter, Bella, can get it.

'Its a bizarre love. Theres something from her heart motivating her. But I still wanted her to be the kind of villain who makes childrens hearts race.

Jamie and Lucy meet Sara (pictured) and Georgie Latimer, a pair of ghostly children who say they are in danger from the murderous Mr and Mrs Wickens in 1821

Simon, 72, confesses that, unlike Mark, hes not big on ghost stories, even if hes had a supernatural experience. Once I was living and working in Los Angeles in a dismal flat. It wasnt going well and I was feeling down.

Extraordinarily, my maternal grandmother, almost the most important person in my life, sort of materialised in front of me and murmured a few words. It was something banal like, Hello, darling. Lovely to see you and dont work too hard. Then she went.

'I thought, This is absurd. How can she be there? I was very moved. I repeat, I have no superstitions.

'I walk under every ladder, I long to see black cats crossing my path. But, in a difficult situation, I might have wanted to invoke my grandmothers spirit.

Like the 2021 Mr Blunden, she was clearly benevolent. Yes. Blunden reminded me of one of my absolute favourite parts ever, The Reverend Mr Beebe in A Room With A View, who also was benevolent  a lovely thing to be in our malevolent world.

The Amazing Mr Blunden, Christmas Eve, 7pm, Sky Max and NOW.
The Hallmark Channel is synonymous with Christmas movies.

From the last weekend in October until January 1 the popular cable network runs a seasonal block called Countdown To Christmas.

This year, instead of watching a gift-wrapped romance on the small screen, why not create your own rom-com IRL?

From the last weekend in October until January 1 the popular cable network runs a seasonal block called Countdown To Christmas

What better city to explore this time of year than New York? The Big Apple has all the elements for a great love story

Where to stay

What city is more magical this time of year than New York? The Big Apple has all the elements for a great love story.

Like a scene out of "Serendipity," The Benjamin Hotel - a landmark hotel in Midtown East - is offering an exclusive Central Park experience with ice-skating passes for two at the celebrated Wollman Rink and a carriage ride.

Upgrade the Wollman Rink VIP experience and you and your partner can have the entire rink to yourself for 30 minutes after it closes to the public.

Or, opt for the Early Morning Holiday Skate (with only 100 guests) before the rink opens to the public at 10:00am.

Not a skater?

Sit back, relax and enjoy a complementary bottle of champagne on a private 60-minute horse & carriage ride through Central Park, taking in the iconic sights and sounds of the 843-acre gem.

Like a scene out of "Serendipity," The Benjamin Hotel is offering an exclusive Central Park experience with ice-skating passes for two at the celebrated Wollman Rink.

Not a skater? Sit back, relax and enjoy a complementary bottle of champagne on a private 60-minute horse & carriage ride through Central Park, taking in the iconic sights and sounds of the 843-acre gem

The Benjamin Hotel is a landmark luxury hotel located in Manhattan's Midtown East. For reservations on this exclusive package, contact Nicole.George@denihan.com

Where to go

Afraid of real horses? Walk across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge overlooking Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Statue of Liberty, and take a ride on Jane's carousel located in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Built in 1922 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the 48-horse carousel was restored and donated to the park by Jane and David Walentas.

It's housed in a clear glass pavilion, designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Jean Nouvel.

After working up an appetite reliving a scene from the holiday classic "A Christmas Carousel", take a stroll over to Cecconi's Dumbo, a modern-day classic Italian restaurant with waterfront views of the Manhattan Skyline.

Take a ride on Jane's carousel located in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Built in 1922 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the 48-horse antique carousel was restored and donated to the park by Jane and David Walentas

When in Dumbo, check out Cecconi', a modern-day classic Italian restaurant

Dumbo has beautiful waterfront views of the Manhattan Skyline

What to do

Meet your match high in the sky, a la Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's characters in "Sleepless in Seattle" at New York's newest observatory.

The Summit at One Vanderbilt opened in late October and is a staggering 1400 feet high, the second-highest outdoor deck in all of NYC.

There, you will have a jaw-dropping view of the nearby Empire State Building, the East River and even Central Park, at any time of day or night.

One Vanderbilt The Summit is located very close to Bryant Park and Grand Central Station, one of the most beautiful train stations in the world.

The Summit at One Vanderbilt opened in late October and is a staggering 1400 feet high, the second-highest outdoor deck in all of NYC

While exploring New York, visit one of the many holiday markets throughout the city, the most popular being at Columbus Circle (59th Street and CPW), Bryant Bark (42nd St. and 6th Avenue) and Union Square (14th Street and 4th Avenue)

The European-inspired open-air markets are curated by Urbanspace, they feature artisans from around the world selling local crafts, artisan provisions, jewelry, exquisite gifts and delicious foods

Browse the winding aisles of kiosks and buy something for your boo while soaking up the splendor of winter in New York City

When thinking she only had a short time to live, Queen Latifah's character in the Christmas classic "Last Holiday" was determined to live her best life at all costs.

While exploring New York, visit one of the many holiday markets throughout the city, the most popular being at Columbus Circle (59th Street and CPW), Bryant Bark (42nd St. and 6th Avenue) and Union Square (14th Street and 4th Avenue).

The European-inspired open-air markets are curated by Urbanspace, they feature artisans from around the world selling local crafts, artisan provisions, jewelry, exquisite gifts and delicious foods.

Browse the winding aisles of kiosks and buy something real nice for your boo while soaking up the splendor of winter in New York City.
Jenna Bush Hager has opened up about the 'beautiful' letter her grandfather George H.W. Bush wrote after the death of his three-year-old daughter Robin, saying he was 'so looking forward to seeing her again' when he died.

The Today host and her fourth-hour co-star Hoda Kotb were discussing the importance of sharing grief on Thursday after Nick Cannon appeared on the show to speak about the pain of losing his five-month-old Zen from a brain tumor earlier this month.

His strength reminded Jenna, 40, of the letter her grandfather wrote to his mother while grieving his daughter's death. George H.W. and his wife Barbara Bush lost Robin  their second child and eldest daughter  to leukemia in October 1953.

'One of the things my grandfather left us were these letters, and he wrote a letter to his mom right around this time after he lost his three-year-old daughter Robin,' she explained. 'He wrote this beautiful letter. It's like a poem, and he said, "We want a true Christmas angel."'

Jenna Bush Hager opened up on the Today show Thursday about the 'beautiful' letter her grandfather George H.W. Bush wrote after the death of his three-year-old daughter Robin

George H.W. and his wife Barbara Bush lost Robin (front and center), their second child and eldest daughter, to leukemia in October 1953

Jenna believes that openly mourning the loss helped her grandparents and changed their views of death.

'Sharing our grief, whether it comes in a letter to your mother or doing it on television, is so empowering. It helps you heal,' she said.

'And then the other thing is that when he passed away and when my grandmother passed away, he was so looking forward to seeing her again.'

She added: 'Maybe we don't even know why these horrible things happen until later and later. Like that's what he was looking forward to, to hold that little girl again.'

President Bush passed away in November 2018 at age 94, seven months after the death of his beloved wife Barbara.

Jenna said the former president was 'so looking forward to seeing [Robin] again' when he died. Robin is pictured with her older brother, Jenna's father George W. Bush

President Bush (pictured with Jenna in 2014) passed away in November 2018 at age 94, seven months after the death of his beloved wife Barbara

While the country was mourning the loss of the 41st president, Jenna shared her grandfather's views on death in a heartfelt Instagram post.

'I had the opportunity to talk with my grandpa about the afterlife. This is what he said: He answered without any hesitation. "Yes, I think about it. I used to be afraid. I used to be scared of dying. I used to worry about death. But now in some ways I look forward to it,"' she wrote.

'And I started crying. I managed to choke out, "Well, why? What do you look forward to?" And he said, "Well, when I die I'm going to be reunited with these people that I've lost."

'And I asked who he hoped to see,' she recalled. 'He replied, "I hope I see Robin, and I hope I see [Barbara]. I haven't yet figured out if it will be Robin as the three-year-old that she was this kind of chubby, vivacious child or if she'll come as a middle-aged woman, an older woman."

'Sharing our grief, whether it comes in a letter to your mother or doing it on television, is so empowering. It helps you heal,' Jenna said

Earlier in the segment, Jenna's co-host Hoda Kotb reflected on her interview with Nick Cannon, who lost his five-month-old Zen to a brain tumor earlier this month

'And then he said, "I hope she's the three-year-old."'

Hoda was moved by Jenna's story and stopped to tell her how much she means to her, saying: 'By the way, I love you.' Both of their eyes welled up with tears and Hoda promptly handed Jenna a tissue.

Earlier in the segment, Hoda reflected on her interview with Cannon and how his faith is helping him get through this difficult time.

'When they told me about this interview today, it was like the heaviest heart I've felt in so long,' she admitted.

During the interview , Cannon, 41, opened up about how he has relied on his 'faith-based background' to 'pray for miracles' for 'the things that we can find comfort in'

Cannon also said he is 'in awe' of his ex Alyssa Scott, saying she is 'one of the strongest individuals I've known'

'I was thinking, "Oh my gosh, like how do you have a conversation?" But I knew he wanted to speak about it. He wanted to come on and talk about it.'

During the interview, Cannon, 41, opened up about how he has relied on his 'faith-based background' to 'pray for miracles' for 'the things that we can find comfort in.'

Hoda noted 'he got the miracle of strength' to appear on the show and honor his son's memory.

'I just that was so powerful because everybody has their own way of going through things,' she said. '

Sometimes people talk about things. Sometimes people hole up. Sometimes people share. Sometimes people shut the door and double lock it and say, "Don't come in."'
A Sandy Hook shooting survivor broke down in tears as she detailed the lasting toll the traumatic incident has had on her, and said that it 'hasn't gotten any better,' despite everyone telling her it was going to be OK.

Kaliah, now 14, was one of the survivors of the 2012 mass shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary school and tragically took the lives 26 people - including 20 kids between the ages of six and seven.

Kaliah - who was just a kindergartener when it happened - said she has been 'waiting for the day things get better,' but admitted she is still struggling, almost a decade later.

She became emotional as she opened up about it in a recent TikTok video - which gained more than two million views, and was posted just days before the nine-year anniversary of the tragedy.

A Sandy Hook shooting survivor broke down in tears as she detailed the lasting toll the traumatic incident has had on her, and said that it 'hasn't gotten any better' over the years

Kaliah, now 14, was one of the survivors of the 2012 mass shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary school and tragically took the lives 26 people - including 20 children

Kaliah - who was just a kindergartener when it happened - said she has been 'waiting for the day things get better,' but admitted she is still struggling - almost a decade later

In the clip, she lip-synced along to a scene from the show BoJack Horseman between Bojack and the Angel of Death, as she chocked back her sobs.

'Me after going through the Sandy Hook school shooting in kindergarten wondering if everything will be OK again,' she wrote, as BoJack said, 'Is it terrifying?'

'Everyone telling me it'll be OK again, and things will be back to normal in no time,' she continued, while the Angel of Dead responded, 'No. I dont think so. Its the way it is, you know? Everything must come to an end. The drip finally stops.'

'Younger me waiting for the day things get better,' she added, while BoJack said, 'See you on the other side.'

'Me, now a freshman in high school and it still hasn't gotten better,' she concluded, while sobbing and mouthing along to the Angel of Death's response: 'Oh, BoJack, no. This is it.'

'I wish I could say it got better but honestly, it hasnt,' she captioned the emotional post.

She became emotional as she opened up about it in a TikTok video, which was posted just days before the nine-year anniversary of the tragedy. She is pictured as a child

Kaliah revealed that she recently started to see a therapist and has been looking into Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. She is pictured as a child

On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza (pictured) walked into the school, which is located in Newtown, Connecticut, and shot and killed 26 people. He then killed himself

In the comment section, Kaliah explained that she recently started to see a therapist and has been looking into Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.

Prince Harry has previously praised the controversial technique for helping him to process his past, as have other celebrity fans including Mel B, Jameela Jamil, and now Sandra Bullock.

According to EMDRia.org, 'EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain and focuses on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue, allowing the brain to resume its natural healing process.'

She also wanted people to know that she was not sharing her story in an attempt to get attention, but instead, to hopefully raise awareness about gun control.

'For the comments saying I am posting this for attention, I'm not,' she wrote. 'I'm posting this so people can understand why we need a change.'

The incident became the deadliest mass shooting at an elementary school in U.S. history, and the fourth-deadliest mass shooting of all time

A report issued by the Office of the Child Advocate in 2014 revealed that Adam had Asperger syndrome, and suffered from depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder

They wrote that his 'severe and deteriorating internalized mental health problems, combined with an atypical preoccupation with violence' proved to be a recipe for 'mass murder'

On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza walked into the school, which is located in Newtown, Connecticut, and shot and killed 26 people - including 20 children, and six adult staff members. Before police arrived, he shot and killed himself.

The incident became the deadliest mass shooting at an elementary school in U.S. history, and the fourth-deadliest mass shooting of all time.

A report issued by the Office of the Child Advocate in November 2014 revealed that Adam had Asperger syndrome, and suffered from depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, but concluded that they had 'neither caused nor led to his murderous acts.'

They wrote that his 'severe and deteriorating internalized mental health problems, combined with an atypical preoccupation with violence, and access to deadly weapons' proved to be a recipe for 'mass murder.'

Many people flooded the comment section with support for Kaliah, and shared their outrage over the shooting

Many people flooded the comment section with support for Kaliah, and shared their outrage over the shooting.

'I solely believe we need to see more videos of survivors of these school shootings,' one person wrote. 'People need to understand the lasting effects it has on children.'

'Post your truth, no matter what,' another added. 'Gun violence has to end. Our kids shouldn't live in fear or be sacrificed for gun rights. You are strong!'

Someone else said: 'We all failed you. Thank you for reminding us.'

'This. It has been nine years and countless other mass shootings and still nothing,' another message read. 'We are failing our people.'

'I still don't understand how after nearly a decade nothing has changed. I'm so sorry you had to go through that,' a fifth commenter wrote.

'I just want to huge you and hold the child version of you that had to endure something she never should've had to endure,' another TikTok user said.
Sasha Swire caused explosive reactions among David Camerons usually restrained set last year when she released her gloriously indiscreet memoirs, Diary Of An MPs Wife.

In the book, she disclosed the most intimate details of her relationships with friends of her Old Etonian husband, the former minister Sir Hugo Swire.

Now, hostilities have been reignited by the forthcoming wedding of a key member of their set: Lord (Greg) Barker, the ex-energy minister.

Hes due to join the exclusive and bohemian group of men who have been married to members of both sexes. Having divorced his wife, brewery heiress Celeste Harrison, in 2006, Lord Barker, 55, is now engaged to public relations executive George Prassas, 37.

The couple invited Sir Hugo to their wedding  but not his wife Sasha.

Sasha Swire caused explosive reactions among David Camerons usually restrained set last year when she released her gloriously indiscreet memoirs, Diary Of An MPs Wife

David Cameron and his wife Samantha stop for a drink by a beach during their holiday on the Spanish Island of Lanzarote on April 13, 2014

Hugo was furious, a mutual pal tells me. He said to them: Im not going to go without Sasha, but they refused to change their minds. Its caused huge ructions. Some friends are on the side of Greg and George; others think they should forgive Sasha.

Barker is said to have been left deeply shocked by Sashas book and saddened that she wrote about private times they spent together as friends. Not only did she mock the camp and extravagant Barker for his attempts to get in with the huntin, fishin and shootin set, writing that he was swathed in the very latest and finest tweeds for a shoot in Norfolk but was seen waving his gun at everything that moved and firing furiously at the slightest movement, but all to no avail.

Sasha, 58, also skewered him for his close connection to controversial Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. She points out how Barker defended Deripaska from U.S. sanctions after being hired by the Russians firm, EN+, noting: As a British peer, he added respectability to the conglomerate.

The Swires remained tight-lipped when I ask about the snub. Barker refuses to comment on the details of his guest list, but tells me: The wedding has been postponed due to the pandemic.

Perhaps Cameron should give them a ring and tell them all to stop squabbling?

What? TV cook Nigella is losing her appetite?

Nigella Lawson is struggling with what she describes as the hardship of her own shrinking appetite for food

Her dining table has creaked under the weight of one bountiful dish or other on numerous at-home style cooking shows over the years.

Yet, in reality, Nigella Lawson is struggling with what she describes as the hardship of her own shrinking appetite for food.

At the age of 61, Nigella told an audience of fans gathered for her one-woman stage show to promote her new book in Bath that she simply cannot put away half as much as she used to.

When asked by an audience member what her Death Row meal would be, she looked a little crestfallen as she replied: I have to be a bit fanciful or hopeful with this one because I actually cant eat as much at night as I used to. Its a hardship, but there it is.

She further qualified what she clearly felt was a challenging new annoyance, saying: I am going to pretend I could have one meal that is as much as I could eat half a lifetime ago.

Helena can afford to wear a tiara in the tub!

Helena Bonham Carter, who played Princess Margaret in The Crown, has clearly received suitably regal remuneration

Helena Bonham Carter, who played Princess Margaret in The Crown, has clearly received suitably regal remuneration.

I can disclose the wealth of the actress, 55, rocketed by 1million during the pandemic, thanks to a series of investments.

Newly released accounts for the business she uses to channel her income, Orlando Ltd, increased from 9.3million to 10.3m in the 12 months to the end of March.

Bonham Carter, who is going out with art historian Rye Dag Holmboe, is the owner of the business, but her fund manager brother, Edward, is a director.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex donated to the first ever Annual Montecito Holiday Car Parade, which took place in their local California neighbourhood this week.

Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, showed their support for their new hometown as they joined a select few donors in supporting the festive car procession.

The couple, who live in an impressive $14.7 million mansion in the exclusive neighbourhood with Archie, 2, and Lilibet, seven months, got into the Christmas spirit for the parade, which was themed 'holiday magic'.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex donated to the first ever Annual Montecito Holiday Car Parade, which took place in their local California neighbourhood this week. (seen on stage a0t Global Citizen Live: New York on September 25, 2021 in New York City)

According to the Montecito Journal, brightly-lit cars decorated with garlands, tinsel and wreath made their way down the parade route, watched by locals as Santa Claus handed out candy from a truck complete with Christmas star.

The local paper wrote: ' As the merriment still lingers in the air, heres to a new Montecito holiday tradition!

'Thanks to the many parade sponsors including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who were first to donate'.

Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, showed their support for their new hometown as they joined a select few donors in supporting the festive car procession (pictured)

They helped get the locals into the Christmas spirit for the parade, which was themed 'holiday magic'

This week Meghan was seen Christmas shopping in Montecito at some of her favorite stores, including nearby Pierre LaFond & Co and kids' clothing boutique Poppy.

The mother-of-two looked stylish in a Massimo Dutti wool coat, Tamara Mellon boots, Bottega Veneta clutch, LeSpecs Air Heart sunglasses, along with a brown beanie and blue face mask.

Meghan was said to be out for around an hour with her bodyguard, and was seen carrying a few shopping bags before returning home.

An onlooker claimed: 'There was a franticness to her shopping, like she was just itching to get out and be somewhat normal. Even if it was for just an hour.'

The couple live in an impressive $14.7 million mansion in the exclusive neighbourhood with Archie, 2, and Lilibet, seven months (seen)

The sighting comes after Meghan's make-up artist pal Daniel Martin revealed Harry and Meghan are loving family life with Archie and Lilibet.

Speaking in a new interview with People magazine, the Duchess of Sussex's close pal said the couple had 'struck a rhythm as a foursome'.

Daniel, who met up with the pair as they got ready for the gala at the Intrepid Museum in November, described seeing them again as 'so much fun' and admitted it felt 'like the gang was back together'.

Daniel said: 'Harry jokes around a lot, and Meghan is really funny. It was nice to have those belly laughs again!

'They are loving life as a family of four. 'They've struck a rhythm as a foursome.'

Daniel, seen doing Meghan's make-up previously, described their recent reunion in the Big Apple as 'so much fun' and 'like the gang was back together

Speaking about how the pair are juggling family with their projects, he added: 'It's about finding that work-life balance now. They're experiencing it themselves'.

And Daniel revealed that the pair couldn't wait to get 'back home' to the children at home in California during their New York trip, explaining that this was another reason Meghan was lobbying for working mothers to get paid parental leave.

'It's about finding that work-life balance now, which ties into Meghan lobbying for parental paid leave. They're experiencing it themselves. They know it affects everyone in the family', he added.

Meanwhile another source described the pair as 'inseparable'.

Ellen DeGeneres (right) and Meghan Markle during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show at the Warner Bros lot in Burbank. Brave Meghan is speaking out for new mothers to receive paid parental leave in the US

Meanwhile, across the pond the Queen's Sandringham Christmas 'continues to be under review' and senior royals have agreed to cancel their festive plans in the run-up to December 25th to ensure they can be with the monarch for it, sources have claimed.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and wife Sophie have agreed to reduce all but essential contacts ahead of the big day, according to The Mirror.

Their decision comes after the Queen, 95, cancelled her annual Royal Family Christmas lunch next Tuesday 'with regret' as a 'precaution' to try to save her loved ones' festive plans, amid fears over the rapid spread of the Omicron Covid variant.

The Queen's (pictured this week) Sandringham trip 'continues to be under review' and senior royals have agreed to cancel their festive plans in the run-up to December 25th to ensure they can be with the monarch on Christmas Day, sources have claimed

Her Majesty was planning to welcome 50 or so relatives, including Prince Charles and Camilla, to the event at Windsor Castle next week, and the decision to axe the party was made because too many people's Christmas arrangements were at risk if it went ahead.

It is MailOnlines understanding that there are no immediate plans for staff to form a Covid bubble with the Queen as they did last year, because the situation is constantly changing.

However, insiders have suggested that the monarch will continue staying at Windsor over the Christmas period rather than going to Sandringham because she already has a secure set up.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (pictured with Princess Charlotte and Prince George at Sandringham on December 25, 2019), Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and wife Sophie have agreed to reduce all but essential contacts ahead of the big day, according to The Mirror

One day after the festive lunch, the Queen was due to travel by helicopter to Sandringham in Norfolk, where she hopes to spend Christmas day.

However, the Queen 'with regret' cancelled her family lunch as a 'precautionary' measure, feeling that too many people's Christmas arrangements were at risk if it went ahead.

Royal sources said 'there is a belief that it is the right thing to do for all concerned.'

Dickie Arbiter, the Queens former press secretary, told The Sun: The luncheon is very important to the Queen because it is the one time of the year when the whole extended family gets together.

Their decision comes after the Queen (pictured with several senior royals in March 2020), 95, cancelled her annual Royal Family Christmas lunch on Tuesday 'with regret' as a 'precaution' to try to save her loved ones' festive plans, amid fears over the rapid spread of the Omicron Covid variant

Having cancelled this lunch Id be very surprised if she decamped and took her family to Sandringham. Windsor has been a secure bubble since the start of the pandemic.

The Queen leads by example and expects the rest of the family to follow suit. In this very infectious time it is better to be safe than sorry.

It marks the second year the Queen has cancelled the luncheon, usually held at Buckingham Palace. Last year she called off the lunch when tougher restrictions were brought in amid the surge of the Delta Covid strain.
In February, Austria will introduce one of the most extreme Covid-19 measures yet: making vaccinations a legal requirement for everyone over the age of 14.

There are hefty fines of more than 3,000 for those who flout the rules  including a strict lockdown for those insisting on remaining unvaccinated.

And other European countries are following suit. German chancellor Olaf Scholz is said to be seriously considering it, and from next month all Greek citizens over 60 must be double-jabbed.

Mandatory vaccination, we've long been told, would never come into force in the UK  Ministers had declared the very idea to be distinctly unBritish.

Mandatory vaccination, we've long been told, would never come into force in the UK  Ministers had declared the very idea to be distinctly unBritish. Pictured: Protestors march along Park Lane during an Outreach Freedom Rally in London today

Some have argued that the Government has already taken steps in a similar direction with the NHS Covid pass, where proof of vaccination is required to attend nightclubs and big events, leading to demonstrations on Whitehall (pictured)

That was until a fortnight ago, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the nation of the growing threat from the Omicron variant.

He instead called for a 'national conversation' on the issue, adding: 'I don't believe we can keep going indefinitely with non-pharmaceutical interventions just because a substantial proportion of the population still, sadly, has not got vaccinated.'

Some have argued that the Government has already taken steps in a similar direction with the NHS Covid pass, where proof of vaccination is required to attend nightclubs and big events.

Yet, surprisingly, few scientists are in favour: even the most Covid-fearing who have argued for repeated lockdowns, despite just under 20 per cent of Britons having had only one dose of protection  and studies show three jabs are by far the most effective tool we have for controlling the UK's epidemic.

Dr Deepti Gurdasani, an epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London who advocates for 'zero Covid'  a campaign to eliminate the virus globally via strict lifestyle restrictions  says she'd be more supportive of making mask-wearing in all indoor spaces a legal requirement than she is of mandatory vaccination.

'Mandatory vaccines railroad people into having a jab rather than dealing with the real causes of vaccine hesitancy,' she says.

'It marginalises people who already feel forgotten by health authorities, which is why they aren't getting jabbed in the first place. The Government has over-relied on vaccines and vaccine passports, and neglected other measures, which in itself is a massive problem.'

Dr Deepti Gurdasani, an epidemiologist at Queen Mary University of London who advocates for 'zero Covid' says she'd be more supportive of making mask-wearing in all indoor spaces a legal requirement than she is of mandatory vaccination

Dr Simon Williams, a public health lecturer and behavioural scientist at Swansea University, says: 'I am strongly against mandatory jabs. It should be seen as an absolute last resort. There's a risk that such a scheme can cause more harm than good.'

But why? Experts have questioned how necessary mandatory jabs are in the UK. Here, more than 80 per cent of people aged 12 and over have had two jabs and almost 45 per cent have had a booster.

That compares with Austria, where 65 per cent of adults have had both doses, and Greece at 67 per cent.

'We don't have huge numbers of people who are unvaccinated in the UK,' says Dr Williams. 'If our take-up were much lower, it may be justifiable to turn to extreme measures  but not right now.'

But 6.4 million Britons remain totally unprotected and take up at least half of Covid beds in intensive care wards, according to doctors' reports. But would forcing Britons to have the jab make any difference to the UK's epidemic?

The number of confirmed cases of Omicron in England increased by 69 per cent on the previous day's total - up 9,427 to 23,168, figures from the UKHSA showed today

In France, vaccines became compulsory for entry to public venues in July, when vaccine uptake stalled at about 55 per cent.

In the 24 hours after the rule was announced, a million appointments were made on one online booking platform alone. Roughly 70 per cent of adults are now fully jabbed.

But whether vaccine mandates are enough to control an ever-growing tidal wave of infection isn't clear.

In the US, for example, its large and influential anti-vax community is said by scientists to be a reaction to strict vaccine policies that include mandatory flu shots for some employees.

Meanwhile, since September in Wales and Scotland, unvaccinated people have been banned from nightclubs and sporting events, but it has made no difference to jab uptake or transmission levels.

Omicron cases in Scotland are rising so rapidly that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged citizens to limit socialising to three households.

In Germany, which has one of the strictest Covid pass rules in Europe, with unjabbed people banned from restaurants and most public places, cases have risen 14-fold in the past month and health ministers say hospitals are 'dangerously full'.

Experts say the 'unique' nature of British people means that bringing in mandatory jabs is likely to do more harm than good.

'Research shows that British people very much like to be in control of their own health,' says Dr Williams.

'When they feel that right has been taken away from them, they become more resistant to health authorities later down the line.

'People ending up losing trust in all medical experts, which creates wider problems.'

Dr English adds: 'It's got a lot to do with culture and tradition. In countries that have a custom of mandatory vaccinations, they work well.

'In Italy, for instance, where there is a big culture of it, when vaccines have been introduced and they've chosen not to make them mandatory, people think, "Well it can't be that important because they're not forcing us to have it."

'The UK hasn't had mandatory jabs since the 1940s  when they were introduced during a smallpox outbreak, people rioted on the streets. The backlash now would harm us and stop more people getting vaccinated than it would encourage.'

According to recent research from Imperial College London, half of unvaccinated Britons over 40 would be less likely to have a jab if it was a requirement for everyday activities, including going to work.

'Our studies have shown that most of those who don't want the jab are simply delaying it  they aren't anti-vax,' says Dr Williams. 'But if you force them to have it, they say they will double down and refuse entirely.'

Several international reviews of vaccine mandates have found that gentle supportive measures  educational tools and persuasive language  are more effective overall for maintaining high uptake and controlling infection.

A recent report in the scientific journal Nature highlighted that countries with the most consistently high coverage of the MMR jab against measles, mumps and rubella  Portugal and Sweden, at roughly 95 per cent  do not have compulsory vaccine policies.

But in the US, where childhood vaccinations are a requirement for school attendance, its uptake has fallen significantly over the past five years, with increasing numbers of parents applying for medical exemptions.

Coverage for MMR remains under 90 per cent in many states  the level needed to obtain herd immunity.

Perhaps at this current point in the pandemic, focusing on convincing those yet to have a single dose of a Covid vaccine is of little benefit when three doses are needed to protect against Omicron.

'We know that two doses aren't going to offer much protection against this new variant, so some may say it's better to throw all our resources into the booster campaign instead,' says Dr Williams.

He adds: 'It's not about giving up on the unvaccinated, but about focusing on measures that are going to make the maximum impact for protecting against the current wave.'

'And I'm not sure forcing people to have a first dose will do that.'
Last year saw very low levels, meaning fewer in population had built up immunity

Surging Covid-19 cases are a potential disaster facing the NHS this winter, but there's another that health chiefs have been braced for since summer.

Flu, the respiratory virus that in a normal winter hospitalises about 400 Britons a week, was expected to push the NHS to breaking point with Covid still around.

That fear was stoked in July after a report by the Academy of Medical Sciences warned that up to 60,000 people may die from flu this year  up from a usual average of between 10,000 to 25,000 a year, and equal to a third of the UK's total deaths from Covid so far.

Then, in August, Public Health England data showed that having Covid and flu at the same time doubled the risk of death.

One reason for the exceptionally high number of cases predicted was because of the strikingly low levels of recorded flu last year, meaning that fewer in the population had built up immunity.

Flu, the respiratory virus that in a normal winter hospitalises about 400 Britons a week, was expected to push the NHS to breaking point with Covid still around. But as we approach the end of December, that supposedly insurmountable wave of flu is nowhere to be seen (stock photo)

The Mail on Sunday was among the first to highlight the curious case of vanishing flu in October 2020, said to be largely due to the social-distancing aspects of lockdowns.

And so the biggest flu vaccination programme in British history was launched in September this year  the NHS offered the jab to a record-breaking 35 million people in England, including all teenagers and contacts of vulnerable people.

And as we approach the end of December, that supposedly insurmountable wave of flu is nowhere to be seen.

Figures from the UK Health Security Agency (Public Health England's new name) show cases last week were four times lower than the same week in 2019, with just three suspected cases per 100,000 people.

The rate is also half that of the same week in 2018, when it was 7.6 cases per 100,000.

The number of Google searches involving the term 'flu'  known to be an accurate indicator of infection levels in the UK population  are nearly 20 times lower than searches in the winter of 2019.

Experts say that despite the bleak predictions earlier, a flu epidemic this winter in the UK is now 'unlikely'. So where has flu disappeared to? The most logical explanation would be our mammoth flu jab campaign

Top geriatric doctors have told the MoS of seeing 'little sign' of the virus in hospital, with 'only a couple of cases' cropping up.

There are clues from elsewhere in the world that the same thing is happening. Australia and New Zealand, which have their flu season during our summer months, have seen very low numbers.

From the beginning of the year until almost the end of November, Australia recorded just six cases out of more than 90,000 symptomatic people tested, while Japan has recorded just four and China, from more than 500,000 tests, fewer than 14,000 cases.

Australia's Department of Health recorded no flu-related deaths and said flu-like illness was at 'historically low levels'.

And according to the World Health Organisation, the most recent global flu data 'remains well below levels observed in previous seasons'.

Experts say that despite the bleak predictions earlier, a flu epidemic this winter in the UK is now 'unlikely'.

Dr David Strain, senior clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter Medical School and a consultant in medicine for older people, says: 'In the pre-pandemic era, at this time of year we'd have 15 or 16 cases in at any one time. But I'm seeing hardly any. I'm not expecting flu to be much of a problem this year.'

Nationwide polls taken in September found that 89 per cent of Britons said they were still wearing a mask when they left the house most days  down from 98 per cent in May (stock photo)

Influenza is an acute respiratory viral infection that infects the nose and throat, causing a host of unpleasant symptoms including fever, cough, headache, muscle pain and a runny nose.

While for most people flu leads to a few days of feeling rotten, for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people, including the elderly, babies and those with diseases that limit their body's ability to fight infection, it can be lethal.

Recent data shows flu and pneumonia deaths are half what they usually were at this time in a pre-Covid year.

Theories offered last year  that lockdowns meant no one could catch flu but it would emerge in force as soon as we could mix again  can no longer offer the full explanation today.

So where has flu disappeared to?

The most logical explanation would be our mammoth flu jab campaign, with 80 per cent of over-65s taking up the offer of a jab.

But experts say this is only one part of the puzzle.

According to the NHS, the flu jab prevents only about half of cases  and is known to be less effective in older age groups.

What's more, the jab is tweaked every year before the roll-out to make it effective against the specific strains expected to land on British shores. But this year, low levels globally have made pinpointing these strains difficult.

Dr Julian Tang, clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, says: 'The flu vaccine is, compared with other vaccines like Covid-19 jabs, only moderately effective.

FLU FACT The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic was one of the deadliest in history, infecting a third of the worlds population in just two years. Advertisement

'Flu virus often mutates, so the final vaccine may be a poor match to the virus circulating at the time that it is administered. It is better than nothing, especially in the older and more vulnerable populations. But this won't be behind the current relatively low rates.'

One of the most intriguing theories is that Covid-19 infection, or the vaccine that protects against it, may also guard against flu.

The same is thought to work the other way round  having a flu jab also boosts immunity against Covid.

When the body is infected with any virus, or is primed to recognise it by a vaccine, the immune system mounts a response, waking up its defence and fighter cells to guard against infection.

Flu-specific defence cells, or antibodies, which come from either having the infection or a vaccine, are most effective at spotting the flu virus, quickly alerting other cells to an intruder.

But another key line of defence are fighter cells  called T cells  which are released after a jab or infection, and are not as specific in their response.

'Antibodies are like snipers, and can spot a particular illness and keep it out, while T cells are more like machine guns and offer more general protection against viruses,' says Dr Strain.

'If someone has a good T cell response, their chances of infection with something else are a lot lower.'

Striking evidence from the US last year revealed people who had had a flu vaccine were 24 per cent less likely to catch Covid-19. And those who contracted the infection were less likely to need hospitalisation or ventilation.

The scientists, writing in the American Journal Of Infection Control, concluded that this pattern could be due to a strong T cell response following the flu jab.

And it's not just antibodies and T cells: exposure to a virus or its vaccine can also ramp up another type of specialised cell  macrophages, which are particularly effective for fighting respiratory viruses.

'Macrophages destroy bacteria, so clear debris and dead viral cells in the lungs,' explains Professor James Stewart, Chair of Molecular Virology at the University of Liverpool.

'This is helpful with both flu and Covid-19. So exposure to both viruses hypes up the immune system, meaning people will get some protection against both.'

FLU FACT If you catch flu, youre 11 times more likely to die if you are also suffering from cardiovascular disease, says Age UK. Advertisement

Although flu can protect against Covid-19, it is more likely to be happening the other way around. Put simply, Covid is crowding out other viruses.

Both Covid-19 and influenza are spread by droplets that land on people's noses or mouths, or spray when an infected person coughs, sneezes, speaks or breathes. These droplets can also land on surfaces, which people can touch and transfer to their eyes, nose or mouth.

But Covid-19 is much more contagious than flu.

Studies show that Covid-19 is also airborne  meaning it can spread via microscopic particles that linger in the air. Flu can spread this way too, but it is uncommon.

Flu is often nipped in the bud quickly, as it usually causes symptoms that lead to sufferers taking themselves off to bed and away from others. At least a third of Covid-19 cases, as we well know, involve no symptoms.

For the Omicron variant of Covid-19, the R number that indicates the transmissibility of the virus is estimated to be five  meaning that, on average, every person who gets it passes it to five others. For flu, the R number is typically about 1.4.

There are question marks about how long so-called cross-viral protection lasts. The current evidence shows the benefits remain for roughly a month after infection, according to Prof Stewart.

Experts agree that another critical aspect is widespread change in the nation's behaviour over the past two years.

While social-distancing measures have been relaxed, evidence shows Britons are still cautious about social mixing and are adhering to infection-control measures, which also protect against flu.

Nationwide polls taken in September found that 89 per cent of Britons said they were still wearing a mask when they left the house most days  down from 98 per cent in May.

Other surveys taken in the autumn found that half of people polled were working from home at least some of the time, up from about a third, pre-pandemic.

Experts say the travel restrictions  which persisted after 'freedom day' in July  also played a role.

John McCauley, Director of the Worldwide Influenza Centre at the Francis Crick Institute in London, says: 'International travel hasn't resumed to the same level as before the pandemic. This has certainly helped flu stop spreading throughout the world.'

People are flying half as much as they were before March 2020, according to the International Air Transport Association. Experts say this partly explains the astonishingly low rates of flu in Australia, which has had its borders almost completely closed for most of 2021.

COVID Q&A: Why must I have a PCR test, and how safe is it to see my family? Q I have had three positive lateral flow tests  do I really need to do a PCR test? A If you test positive with multiple lateral flow tests, it is almost certain you have Covid, but that does not mean you shouldnt do a PCR test. Lateral flow devices, the rapid at-home kits, are not perfect. A third of people with Covid are thought to receive a false negative from a lateral flow test, which is why the Government recommends doing several each week. But studies carried out by NHS Test and Trace found that fewer than one in every 1,000 lateral flow tests which come back positive for Covid were in fact negative. So the chances of three tests giving false positives are tiny. PCR tests are viewed as the gold standard because they are analysed in laboratories, meaning they are highly unlikely to return a false negative result. Many positive PCR tests are also sequenced, which means that scientists are able to diagnose which Covid variant it is. Q Weve all had our boosters, so is it safe to have my family over for Christmas? A Yes, but it is still important to take precautions. Data published by Pfizer last week shows that three doses of its vaccine are likely to provide just as much protection against the Omicron variant as two doses did against the Delta variant. Experts believe three doses of the others vaccines will have a similarly robust effect, although the final data is yet to arrive. Crucially, scientists point out that even three vaccine doses do not provide total protection against severe illness from Covid. Previous studies found that ten per cent of people who had two doses of the vaccines will still end up in hospital and may even die. The same pattern is to be expected with Omicron. It also takes roughly two weeks following a booster to get the full benefit. So it is recommended that lateral flow tests are taken before social events. Professor Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London, said: I cannot stress enough the importance of lateral flow tests over Christmas. We cant predict who will be vulnerable to the virus, so weve got to take precautions to stop people getting it in the first place. Advertisement

A tragic factor in limiting this year's hospital flu admissions could be that a significant proportion of people most likely to fall severely ill from contracting flu  the elderly and those with other serious health problems  have not survived Covid-19.

Dr Strain believes this is preventing hospitals from seeing a spike in unwell older patients becoming seriously ill with flu.

'Those likely to need hospital care for flu are more likely to be older and vulnerable  and sadly many have not survived the pandemic,' he says.

Despite the picture looking positive about flu, some experts are warning against complacency.

Simon de Lusignan, Professor of Primary Care and Clinical Informatics at the University of Oxford and director of the Royal College of GPs Research and Surveillance Centre, says: 'It is far too early to know what will happen later on this winter. Flu tends to peak between January and March.'

Prof Stewart adds: 'The flu vaccine is the best protection we have, so everyone who is eligible should still make sure they receive it.'

As flu figures among Britons continue to flatline, a version of the same disease, caught by birds, is picking up in record numbers. Last week, local public health officials issued warnings, telling citizens to beware of touching live  or dead  birds.

Levels of avian flu in the UK are the highest on record, according to Professor Ian Brown, Head of Virology at the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Surrey.

'The outbreak is likely to get larger, dependent on the rigour with which keepers of birds apply good measures for prevention,' he says.

So far, half a million birds have been culled.

Avian influenza belongs to the same group of viruses that cause human flu. Although human and avian strains are usually distinctly different, avian flu can infect humans.

'Migratory wild birds may shed the virus from both respiratory secretions and faeces, which can infect soil,' explains Professor Paul Wigley, Professor of Avian Infection and Immunity at the University of Liverpool.

And when humans do get infected, mortality rates are very high, with more than half of those infected dying.

The avian strain circulating is H5N1  which, between 2003 and 2018, led to 454 deaths out of 860 reported cases around the world.

But scientists say that so far it isn't anything to worry about  for humans, at least.

The UK Health Security Agency says avian influenza is primarily a disease of birds with the risk to the public's health very low.

Prof Stewart says: 'While humans can occasionally catch it from birds, it is not transmissible from human to human.

'And over the past few years, it seems to have become less transmissible to people from birds.

'So, apart from those who come into contact with infected birds, the risk to humans is extremely low and we are not too worried.'
Cabaret

Playhouse Theatre Until October 1, 2022 2hrs 45mins

Rating:

Habeas Corpus

Menier Chocolate Factory Until February 26, 2022 2hrs 10mins

Rating:

Eddie Redmayne has been offstage for about a decade. Now hes back in Cabaret. This hot ticket has been praised to the skies.

The Victorian theatre has been reconfigured into the sleazy Kit Kat Club in Berlin, 1929. There are seats behind the stage, tiny tables for the seriously pricey tickets, louche musicians in your face and schnapps on offer as you go in.

But Redmayne  a performer who exudes industrial quantities of niceness  is miscast.

Eddie Redmayne (above)  a performer who exudes industrial quantities of niceness  is miscast in Cabaret

He would have been perfect as Sally Bowless sweet boyfriend. Instead hes appearing as the sinister Emcee, the clubs Master of Ceremonies, a part thats forever in the shadow of Joel Grey from the 1972 film.

Redmayne plays the part in a skirt with a sardonic grin, hunched like a camp Quasimodo, and with a thick German accent. Instead of being ingratiating and then increasingly creepy, he starts creepy and stays there. I got bored of him.

The show belongs more to Jessie Buckley, whose Sally Bowles banishes memories of Liza Minnelli. Shes steeped in gin, mad as a box of frogs, scarily brittle.

Buckleys rendition of the title song is a scorcher. But theres not a lot of chemistry between her and the wannabe writer Clifford (Omari Douglas), whose snog with another chap signals the productions sexually ambiguous, gender-fluid vibe.

The show belongs more to Jessie Buckley (above), whose Sally Bowles banishes memories of Liza Minnelli. Shes steeped in gin, mad as a box of frogs, scarily brittle

Liza Sadovy plays the landlady, Fraulein Schneider, with Elliot Levey as her Jewish suitor, Herr Schultz. Both are wunderbar  with the most credible relationship, sadly doomed under new Nazi laws.

Rebecca Frecknalls production is clever, jarring, and ladles on added ironic hindsight thats already built into Kander and Ebbs 1966 masterpiece.

But while this is fashionably raw and political, it forgets to be what Cabaret also is: a big Broadway musical with glamour and showbiz allure.

Alan Bennetts 1973 sex farce, Habeas Corpus, is a celebration of good old British smut. This simply couldnt be written now. Its lascivious, randy, groping, end-of-the-pier stuff  but with a knowing twist.

It comes with a good cast, with Jasper Britton as the GP who is devoted to extramarital nookie. Caroline Langrishe is an imperious white settler; theres a sex-starved vicar, a nubile blonde and sundry stereotypes.

Catherine Russell, as the doctors wife who has her frontage endlessly manhandled, is a joy.

But somehow the laughs often slip through director Patrick Marbers fingers. What should be an antidote to todays censoriousness seems dated rather than refreshing.
More than 7million older people across Britain are worried about heating their homes this winter, amid soaring energy bill costs.

Nearly half of people aged 60 or over are concerned about the cost of keeping warm, with some having to choose whether to 'eat or heat', according to charity Age UK.

Pensioner Joseph de Cunha, 74, from north Linconshire, told This is Money: 'We wish others could understand our struggle to survive as it should not be like this under the current situation, and people seem more interested in looking after themselves in general, while completely ignoring the poor pensioners of this country.'

One participant in Age UK's 'The Cost of Cold' report, Chris, 75, said: 'Its a simple choice, heat or eat.

'I already confine myself to one room and stay in bed as long as possible. If I cut down any further there wont be any point in living.'

Speaking out: This is Money reader Joseph da Cunha feels pensioners have been forgotten

Another respondent, Geraldine, 77, said: 'I have arthritis which is worse when it is cold.

'I will have to keep my heating low now. Already I wear gloves on my hands and a heat pack inside my leggings to help my back.'

Christopher, who said he was over 75, told Age UK: 'Quite simply we shall have to turn the heat down, and not use it so much.

'We only have it at 16C now for a few hours a day. So jumpers and coats indoors. Spend more time in bed. Dreading the inevitable cold snaps.'

Speaking to This is Money, Peter Kubiak, 73, from Northern Ireland, said: 'I have mobility problems and although my house is insulated I can't afford to have the oil heating on for more than four hours a day, and all it does is take the chill out of the house; it isn't ever truly warm.'

The toll fuel poverty is taking on many vulnerable older people is clear, with living in a cold home having an impact on people's health and mental wellbeing.

Low temperatures can be particularly dangerous for those with respiratory diseases, arthritis, or heart problems.

The cold tends to increase blood pressure across all age groups, but in older people this increase can last for many hours after being in the cold, Age UK said.

Julie Kirkham, 62, from Cumbria, told This is Money: 'I am in full time employment but currently a home lone worker. My utility bills have soared since lockdown in March 2020. As I am divorced and unable to retire until at least 65 - my employer has stated productivity has soared since lockdown, however my home is not heated daily to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act temperature as I cannot afford heating during the day.'

Worried about the cost of heating your home? If you are an older person worried about the cost of heating your home, phone Age UK on its free national advice line at 0800 169 65 65. Age UK will be able to check you are getting all the financial support you are entitled to, including things like Attendance Allowance and pension credits. Energy suppliers have a duty to offer support if people are struggling with bills or debt, so you should also contact your supplier directly to ask about available support including an affordable repayment plan. You can also read a This is Money guide to dealing with soaring energy bills here. If your energy provider has collapsed, find out what to do here.

With around 1.4million older Britons already living in fuel poverty, Age UK is concerned that rising bills will lead to many thousands more suffering over the coming months.

It has said that some of the poorest pensioners will be rationing their heating this winter and thinks the Government needs to step in.

In its report, 32 per cent of older people said they would be forced to reduce their energy usage due to financial constraints.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: 'As temperatures plummet this winter, millions of vulnerable older people are feeling trapped at home, too scared to go out for fear of catching Covid, and too scared to turn the heating on for fear of racking up a bill they cant afford.

'We cannot let a situation continue where people are so worried about rising bills that they either put their health at risk by not keeping their homes warm enough, or feel forced to cut back on meals to make ends meet.

'No one should have to make the impossible choice between eating and putting their heating on.

'If the Government does not provide urgent financial support to change this  at a time when new restrictions encouraging us to stay at home seem a distinct possibility  it could mean a tragedy for many older people. The cost of cold has never been higher.'

With many Britons spending more time at home amid the increase in the Omicron variant of Covid-19, some elderly and disabled people are using even more energy than they normally would at this time of year, further driving up their bills.

Dire situation: One participant in Age UK's 'The Cost of Cold' report, Chris, 75, said, 'Its a simple choice, heat or eat' and that he had confined himself to one room to stay warm

Age UK wants the Government to provide an additional one-off payment of 50 to everyone eligible for the Cold Weather Payment to help with their energy bills and give people the confidence to stay warm without fretting about money.

The charity also thinks existing Cold Weather Payments should also be expedited to ensure that payments in arrears arrive no later than seven working days after a spell of cold weather.

It also wants to see the existing Household Support Fund double to provide 1billion of funding, 'so that fewer vulnerable households are forced to make the difficult choice between heating and eating during the coldest months.'

For longer term protection against soaring energy bills, Age UK wants the Government to ensure the energy price cap is enshrined in law.

It also wants to see the reintroduction of a social tariff into the energy market to offer protection against high energy costs.
KPMG has stopped bidding for government work after it was threatened with a ban following a string of scandals.

The Cabinet Office recently said it would bar the accounting and consultancy giant from new contracts if there was any further misconduct at the group.

KPMG has temporarily stopped bidding for any tenders until the Cabinet Office finishes a review.

Signing off: A series of auditing scandals has shattered KPMG's reputation in recent years

The British-Dutch professional services company was the third-largest winner of public-sector consulting contracts in the most recent financial year.

But a series of auditing scandals has shattered its reputation in recent years.

It was recently fined 13m for its role in the sale of bed maker Silentnight to private equity firm HIG Capital.

It has botched audits at M&C Saatchi and Ted Baker and resigned from its role at Fifa in 2016 after failing to notice bosses had secretly paid themselves 58m.

But the worst blow to its standing came from its audits of failed construction contractor Carillion, one of the UK's biggest infrastructure firms by the time it collapsed under a debt mountain of 7billion in January 2018.

KPMG signed off on its accounts four months before it issued a profit warning  and nine months before it went into liquidation.

KPMG is still being investigated for its audits into Carillion, Rolls-Royce and Conviviality.
A company that helps fund legal cases has sacked its executive vice chairman for gross misconduct.

Litigation Capital Management fired Nick Rowles-Davies yesterday after the 'identification of certain expenses claims' that were made 'in contravention' with its policies.

Rowles-Davies was also removed from the company's board of directors.

Changes: Analysts at house broker Investec said they did not think the sacking will have 'a material impact on the business'

LCM chief financial officer Mary Gangemi said that the fallout would not significantly impact the firm's financial performance.

Analysts at house broker Investec agreed, saying they did not think the sacking will have 'a material impact on the business'.
A loving wife and accomplished professor dying from asbestos-related cancer has pleaded for Australians to 'wake up' to the dangers hidden in the home renovations craze which has taken off during the pandemic.

Gillian North, 61, is in the final days of a harrowing mesothelioma fight and being cared for at home at home at Thirroul south of Sydney by her twin sister Jocelyn and her husband Martin.

They do not expect her to live to see Christmas.

Professor North is pleading with renovators to pay for professionals to remove the deadly building material, which is found in one third of homes across Australia.

'If I can save one life by raising awareness about this deadly material and how easy it is to die from contact with it then all my work is worth it,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'It is completely preventable, if only people knew.'

But she's gone further than warning the public and has used the final months of her life to passionately push for major reforms prevent others suffering the fate she did.

Gillian North, who is dying from asbestos-related cancer has pleaded for Australians to 'wake up' to the dangers of the home renovations craze which has taken off during the pandemic

Dying academic Gillian North (left) with her identical twin sister, Jocelyn, a Kiwi nurse on two of their recent 'bucket-list' outings south of Sydney

Ms North is convinced she developed the fatal disease after being exposed to asbestos while during 'major home renovations' in the United Kingdom 32 years ago and in Australia 25 years ago. Her twin sister Jocelyn, a nurse, is sleeping beside her as she nears the end

A leading academic who had a career in law, accounting and at Deakin University, Ms North has written an incredible 18 research papers about asbestos dangers and reforms.

Ms North is convinced she developed the fatal disease after being exposed to asbestos while during home renovations in the United Kingdom 32 years ago and in Australia 25 years ago.

While working for a Japanese investment bank in the London, she renovated a house at Hampstead in 1990.

After she met her husband Martin in 1995 the couple moved to Sydney, where they bought a renovated a house at Cremorne.

'I knew absolutely nothing... about the dangers of asbestos to health, took no precautions because I didn't know,' she said.

'I didn't use any professional asbestos assessments or professionals.'

Martin recalled: 'She always wanted to do it herself. She wanted the pleasure of doing it herself and seeing it coming together.'

He said watching his wife die is 'the most traumatic experience of my life'.

'I feel completely out of control, I'm watching her being hollowed out from the inside,' he said.

Gillian North and Martin North at her Hampstead, London, home in 1994. It was one of the home renovation projects she fears may have exposed her to asbestos

Gillian and Martin North at home in Thirroul, south of Sydney last year

'She's in more and more pain and more sleepy because of the pain medication. What she wants people to know is this should not happen to anyone.'

While Ms North admits it's not '100 per cent' certain she developed the cancer from home renovations, she said 'nobody can be certain of their exposure'.

The asbestos reforms Gill North wants to see National public health campaigns to warn about the dangers of exposure to 'legacy' asbestos.

Compulsory residential property asbestos assessments prior to sale, renovation, or lease.

Legal requirements for residential property owners to have all asbestos removed by licensed professionals.

The introduction of interest free loans (means tested) for residential property owners to support the removal of asbestos by licensed professionals.

Urgent and firm commitments to eradicate asbestos from public, commercial and residential properties across Australia. Advertisement

'But I know of no other possible cause,' she said.

She was diagnosed by her local GP in 2019, at 58, after developing a nagging cough.

After undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery Ms North got a two-year reprieve until X-rays showed an inoperable tumour against her spine.

She has been steadily deteriorating since mid-2021.

But even as her cancer battle progressed she put all her energy into trying to ensure others do not suffer her slow death.

She and Martin organised a survey of 40,000 Australian households, which found two-thirds of people didn't know how dangerous it was and didn't know what it looks like.

Any exposure to asbestos fibres or dust is widely regarded to be the main cause of mesothelioma, a cancer which attacks tissues around major organs.

The disease is regarded one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with 94 per cent of Australian sufferers dying within five years.

While asbestos was banned in 2003, it remains in place in public buildings, including schools, and houses and unit blocks.

'The problem is certainly not over, far from it,' Ms North said in a video recorded days before she became bedridden. 'In fact the number of people with asbestos related diseases is actually climbing.'

Last year a record 834 people were diagnosed with the disease and 766 people died.

But the actual number of asbestos related deaths each year in Australia is believed to be over 4,000, including lung cancers and asbestosis caused by the material.

Ms North's home at Hampstead, London during the 1990s. She did 'major renovations' there by herself

The exterior of Ms North's home at Hampstead London

Mr North warned the public to find out if their homes have asbestos before they start pulling walls out so they avoid her suffering

Mr North warned the public to find out if their homes have asbestos before they start pulling walls out so they avoid her suffering.

'We want people to wake up to the risks they're facing,' he said.

'This is a long slow, fatal disease. You can breathe in a few fibres once and 30 years later you could die a horrible death.

'This is the biggest potential risk anyone doing DIY renovations faces.'

Although the importation of asbestos has been banned for 20 years, in 2021 foreign asbestos was found in imported building materials, remote control cars, engine gaskets, billiard table irons and Sydney's new ferries.

Gillian North is dying from mesothelioma at home surrounded by her husband and twin sister

Its fire resistant properties meant it is widely used in Chinese building products.

'Instead of assuming there's no asbestos in your home, assume it's there,' he said.

Ms North, who has wrote dozens of research papers in her 20-year academic career, went much further than warning the public.

Since being diagnosed she has written a remarkable 18 papers on asbestos countering myths she says have been supported by the industry.

These covered the industrial and building uses of asbestos, policy and legal responses to it, case studies and dangers, suggested reforms and reviewed previous papers.

'This body of work lays the foundation for transformational change in the way asbestos is thought about spoken about legislated and communicated,' Mr North said.

'They will target policy makers, politicians and helping the public to understand more about the risks. You can't leave it to policy makers and health officials invariably sweep up the problem afterwards.'

Ms North argues the risks posed by asbestos have been minimised by industry and cast as a 'work-related illness'.

'It's a myth that home renovations are not a major cause of mesothelioma. In fact KPMG data suggests home renovations are now the major cause in Australia,' Ms North said.

Ms North wants to see laws changed to force the removal of 'legacy asbestos' still sitting in old buildings - especially public and residential.

She claims it's a myth that asbestos is safe as long as it's not touched.

'It's not a matter of just not touching it because all asbestos ... deteriorates over time. The cement roofing for example, some of it is now 50 years old. Some of the water pipes are very old, so even without disturbance, the fibres from these products can become very dangerous., even without major disturbance.'

CSR and James Hardie were the major manufacturers of asbestos products in Australia and have faced major court cases.

In 2019 South Australian man Matthew Werfel, 42, received $3.1million  the largest amount ever awarded to an Australian asbestos victim  after James Hardie was found to have failed to warn the public about risks posed by their cement products.

He inadvertently sanded asbestos sheets at his home in the mid-2000s.

Ms North called government recommendations in 2012 about asbestos management 'very sensible'.

Its recommendations included local councils administer 'an asbestos content report' done by a 'competent assessor' for all homes built before 1987.

It also recommended asbestos be removed from all government and commercial buildings by 2030.

'However as far as I can see there's been no implementation of any of those key recommendations, which is deeply problematic,' Ms North said.

Now she wants to see compulsory assessment and removal of asbestos from public buildings and houses.

Asbestos campaigners fear a 'third-wave' of asbestos-related deaths - where consumers unknowingly come into contact with the deadly substance - is about to unfold.

The first two waves were people exposed during manufacture of products made with asbestos, then within the construction industry.

'Her dying wish is for people to be aware of risks of this, particularly women doing DIY. She wants to urge people to take sensible precautions and talk to licensed professionals before doing anything,' Mr North said.

'They are still peddling a story it's an old mans disease and that it's not relevant to others. This is just not true.

'It's not an industrial disease any longer.'

'She is a remarkable person... Her legacy can be that people don't have to go through her suffering.'
Pfizer said Friday it's going to test three doses of its COVID vaccine in young children under five years old, after two jabs failed to produce the expected immunity in babies and preschoolers.

Two doses didn't appear strong enough in some of the kids, the company said, saying that a preliminary analysis found 2- to 4-year-olds' immune response wasn't as strong as expected to the lose-dose jabs for younger children.

If three doses proves successful, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said they would apply for emergency authorization sometime in the first half of 2022.

The company already has a 'kid-sized' vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds, which is one-third the dosage given to adults and children 12 and older.

For someone younger than 5, the company has been testing a very small dose: 3 micrograms, or one-tenth the amount an adult receives in their jab.

The news is a setback and comes as COVID cases are spiking in the U.S. and the Omicron variant, first discovered last month in South Africa, is spreading nationwide, with 45 states having detected cases as of midday Saturday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Cases are up 31 percent nationwide over the past two weeks, with 124,413 people testing positive for the virus. Deaths have increased by 28 percent over the past two weeks as well, with 1,288 people dying every day.

A young child at the Stefan Zeromski Hospital in Poland receives the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

The CDC reported that three percent of new cases in the U.S. are of the variant, and the confirmed case total had topped 800 cases of late Friday night.

While not many cases have yet been confirmed, it is speculated that this new variant is responsible for much of the recent increase in cases nationwide.

Highly vaccinated states in the Northeast seem to be struggling the most at the moment, as cold weather, waning immunity and the new variant all contribute to a new case surge.

An eight-year-old child receives a second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Northwest Community Church in Chicago on December 11

Researchers analyzed a subset of youngsters in the study a month after their second dose to see if the tots developed levels of virus-fighting antibodies that were similar to teens and young adults who get the regular shots.

The very low-dose shots appeared to work in youngsters under age 2, who produced similar antibody levels.

But the immune response in 2- to 4-year-olds was lower than the study required, Pfizer vaccine research chief Kathrin Jansen said Friday in a call with investors.

Rather than trying a higher-dose shot for the preschoolers, Pfizer decided to expand the study to evaluate three of the very low-dose shots in all the study participants - from 6 months up to age 5. That third shot will come at least two months after the youngsters' second dose.

No safety concerns have been spotted in the study, the companies said.

Jansen cited other data showing a booster shot for people 16 and older restores strong protection, a jump in immunity that scientists hope also will help fend off the new omicron variant.

The companies also are preparing to test a booster for 5- to 11-year-olds, who are just now getting their two-dose vaccinations. And they are testing different dose options for teen boosters.

Jansen said if the additional pediatric testing is successful, 'we would have a consistent three-dose vaccine approach for all ages.
Boeing suspended its COVID vaccination requirement for U.S.-based employees, the American plane-maker said on Friday, capping weeks of uncertainty as thousands of workers sought exemptions and challenges to a federal mandate that played out in court.

In an internal announcement, Boeing said its decision came after a review of a U.S. District Court ruling earlier this month that halted the enforcement of President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for federal contractors.

Some big health care chains and companies such as General Electric, aircraft manufacturer Spirit AeroSystems and Amtrak have also suspended vaccine mandates for workers.

In recent weeks, the number of Boeing employees seeking a vaccine exemption on religious or medical grounds had reached more than 11,000 - or nearly 9 percent of its U.S. workforce - a level many times higher than executives initially estimated, Reuters first reported.

The fact that the vast majority of applications were on religious grounds thrust one of America's largest employers into the center of a debate about the ethics of probing an employee's religious beliefs.

Boeing said Friday that it was suspending its vaccination mandate for US-based workers

Boeing said its decision came after a review of a US District Court ruling earlier this month that halted the enforcement of President Joe Biden's vaccine requirement for federal contractors

It also left executives searching for a strategy that keeps employees safe, but avoids an exodus of engineering and factory labor.

Boeing's vaccination requirement has resulted in more than 92 percent of US-based workers having registered as being fully vaccinated, or having received a religious or medical accommodation, according to the Friday memo.

'The success of Boeing's vaccination requirement to date positions the company well to comply with the federal executive order should it be reinstated in the future,' it added.

A Boeing spokesperson confirmed the decision, and added that the company was 'committed to maintaining a safe working environment for our employees, and advancing the health and safety of our global workforce.'

Boeing suspended its vaccination requirement in line with the court's decision prohibiting enforcement of the federal contractor executive order and a number of state laws, the spokesperson added.

Last month, the White House pushed back to Jan. 4 its deadline for employees at federal contractors to be vaccinated or be tested regularly if they receive exemptions.

Transportation giant Amtrak also announced that they were suspending the vaccine requirement

General Electric is going to suspend the vaccination requirement for it's own US-based workers

Spirit AeroSystems, which makes several of the parts inside of Boeing's aircrafts, is also suspending the vaccine mandate

Though Boeing had a great deal of success to get a high number of workers vaccinated, there had been protests at the Washington-based airplane manufacturer dating back to October, when Boeing employees were reportedly planning a weekly 'sickout Fridays' protest against a new COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The vaccination requirement sparked outrage from some staffers, with protesters who claimed to work for Boeing seen in front of the manufacturer's factory in Everett, Washington.

There there are now reports of a 'Sickout Fridays' protest by staff.

Journalist Jack Posobiec tweeted pictures of texts and flyers he said he had received from a Boeing employee in Seattle calling for workers to walk out once a week.

'Boeing has acted in bad faith and new [sic] months ago the[y] we're going to mandate us at the end of the year,' the text reads.

'They are now leading the world to believe we have ample time to make a decision by Dec 8th. That's a lie.'

'We are protesting at the union and we are now doing the #Freedomflu.'

It is not clear if any Boeing staff actually called out sick yesterday.

Some Boeing employees appear to be planning a weekly protest against the airline giant's new COVID-19 vaccine mandate

Journalists have posted videos of people picketing in front of Boeing's Washington state factories and now there are reports of a new 'Sickout Fridays' in an attempt to buck the mandate

They're also known as #FreedomFlu Sickouts, as explained by one person who contacted a journalist about the protest

Jon Holden, president of International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 751, in his message to members in the October issue of the union paper, wrote that 'the reality is our members are polarized on this issue.'

The Machinist Union released a statement on Friday, acknowledging that the mandate is a divisive issue for its members, asking employees to choose 'between beliefs or their jobs.' The mandate does not allow for a testing option, unless approved for medical or religious exemption.

'We are not anti-vaccine, but we disagree with a vaccine mandate. We don't believe that is right,' the union wrote in its memo.

The union says it'll begin bargaining the effects of the decision with Boeing beginning on Friday.

Protesters were seen in front of Boeing's Washington state factory

Boeing said on Tuesday it will require its 125,000 US employees to be vaccinated by Dec. 8 under an executive order issued by President Joe Biden for federal contractors

'Compliance with these requirements is a condition of employment,' states a Boeing internal presentation from Tuesday viewed by reporters

NOW: Hundreds of @Boeing workers in Washington state are out protesting the vaccine mandate outside the factory.



They told me they are not complying. pic.twitter.com/YcX6WmLS8s  Katie Daviscourt (@KatieDaviscourt) October 15, 2021

President Joe Biden in September ordered sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans  private-sector employees as well as health care workers and federal contractors  in an all-out effort to curb the surging COVID-19 delta variant.

At the time, Biden sharply criticized the tens of millions of Americans who are not yet vaccinated, despite months of availability and incentives.

'We've been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,' he said, all but biting off his words. The unvaccinated minority 'can cause a lot of damage, and they are.'

Republican leaders  and some union chiefs, too  said Biden was going too far in trying to muscle private companies and workers, a certain sign of legal challenges to come.

Companies applying the mandates to their employees include Amtrak, BlackRock, Cisco, Citigroup, CVS, Deloitte, Delta DoorDash, Equinox, Facebook, Ford, Goldman Sachs, Google, Lyft, McDonald's, MGM, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, NBCUniversal, Netflix, The New York Times, Twitter, Tyson Foods, Uber, United Airlines, Viacom, Walgrenes, the Walt Disney Company, Walmart and the Washington Post.
A wild brawl erupted between cinema-goers at a screening of the new Spider-Man film in Perth.

The violent altercation broke out at a screening of Spider-Man: No Way Home at the HOYTS cinema in Karrinyup Shopping Centre on Thursday evening.

Footage shows four security guards attempt to remove a cinema-goer from his seat shortly before the violence erupted.

The Spider man movie out and kids are already trying to re create the scene? even inside the Karrinyup cinema itself  Posted by WA Incident Alerts on Thursday, December 16, 2021

Four security guards at Hoyts Cinema in Karrinyup Shopping Centre attempted to remove a cinema-goer before a violent brawl erupted on Thursday (pictured)

The brawl - which involved up to ten people - sprawled out into the aisles of the movie theatre with audience members gathering to watch the drama unfold.

A security guard was reportedly injured during the altercation but declined an ambulance.

Karrinyup Shopping Centre management told 7News it has banned everyone who was involved in the brawl from the premises.

The fight involved up to ten people with more audience members gathering to watch the drama unfold (pictured)

WA incident Alerts uploaded vision of the fight to its Facebook page on Friday, with social media users condemning the behaviour of cinema goers

WA incident Alerts uploaded vision of the fight to its Facebook page on Friday, with social media users quick to condemn the violent brawl.

'Was terrible. Spilled out into the outdoor eatery area. Big fight! Was so absolutely disgusting and so scary,' wrote one person.

'Is that for real. How pathetic is that,' commented another.

'Spider-Man would be so disappointed, I'm glad i didn't take my young family to see it that night,' added a third.

No one was arrested and no charges were laid as police continue ongoing inquiries

WA Police allege a group of men were causing a disturbance by yelling profanities and throwing items at other people attending the film screening.

The group resisted being removed from the complex and both security and members of the public were assaulted.

A 20-year-old man was charged endangering the life, health or Safety of a person, disorderly conduct and a breach of Bail Conditions

Two 19-year-old men were also charged with endangering the life, health or Safety of a person, disorderly conduct and assault.

Hoyts condemned the behaviour of cinema-goers in a statement, and confirmed those involved were kicked out of the movie theatre.

'HOYTS condemns any inappropriate behaviour across all cinemas, and we will continue to work with the relevant authorities on the matter,' the cinema said.
Paul Keating has blasted Scott Morrison as a 'pass through' Prime Minister and claimed Australia has 'lost its way' and surrendered its authority to the United States.

On the 30th anniversary of becoming Prime Minister in 1991, the still outspoken 77-year-old said Australia's leaders lacked vision and treated politics as 'a game within a bubble'.

Keating has been a vocal critic of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and he lashed out at Morrison over the 'secret' alliance with the UK and US, which has infuriated China.

Paul Keating (pictured centre) has blasted Scott Morrison as a 'pass through' Prime Minister and claimed Australia has 'lost its way' and surrendered its authority to the United States. Keating also let rip at Bill Shorten (pictured right)

Keating has been a vocal critic of the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and he lashed out at Morrison over the 'secret' alliance with the UK and US, which has infuriated China

Chinese state media warned Australia will become a 'potential target for a nuclear strike' after it acquires nuclear-powered submarines. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is pictured

'Scott Morrison, a pass-through prime minister of no policy account, wilfully and secretly alienated the sovereignty of his own country to that of another state, the US, a country his limited strategic vision cannot see beyond,' Mr Keating told The Australian.

Keating claimed the submarines acquired through the AUKUS deal delivers American control of the Australian navy.

In effect the submarines will effectively be a 'unit of any US naval force', he said.

Paul Keating slammed Scott Morrison as a 'pass through Prime Minister' with poor strategic vision

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating was denied a gala dinner celebration on the 30th anniversary of his rise to the office of Prime Minister

Keating said strengthening our alliance with the US in this way was a mistake because it has shown 'little regard or respect' for Australia's sovereignty.

Australia entered into the surprise regional security pact with the US and the UK in September.

The AUKUS alliance includes building nuclear submarines in partnership with the United States but these will not be ready until the late 2030s.

Until they are ready, Australia is likely to lease nuclear submarines from the US.

Previously, Keating mocked the capability the nuclear subs would provide Australia.

'Eight submarines against China when we get the submarines in 20 years' time, it'll be like throwing a handful of toothpicks at a mountain,' he told the National Press Club in November.

Keating's underlying complaint about the alliance is that he believes the US has the wrong approach in the Pacific, and that 'running to' the US makes Australia 'a frightened country'.

He claimed the US wanted China, which has grown considerably in regional power, to remain a 'strategic client', which he called a 'nonsense' aim.

Instead the US should be a 'conciliating and balancing' player in our region, not a 'framer and guarantor'.

Mr Keating was famous as PM and as treasurer in a double act with Bob Hawke

Chinese state media warned Australia will become a 'potential target for a nuclear strike' after it acquires nuclear-powered submarines.

Keating said Australia has 'lost its way' despite having the advantage of being an island continent.

'We are at odds with our geography. We are the only nation in the world given an island continent and we have had choices about what we do with this great gift.'

The said the Labor party was 'complicit' in the deal with the US.

Keating also took aim at ex-Labor leader Bill Shorten, who lead his former party to two election defeats but appeared to endorse the current ALP leader.

He did not approve of Mr Shorten's approach, of trying to 'redistribute wealth' from richer to poorer people.

Keating believes Anthony Albanese is returning to the policies that made he and Bob Hawke a formidable force - of making Australia aspirational.

It was also revealed the Labor party had decided against marking the 30th anniversary of Keating's rise to the top job - on December 20, 1991 - with a gala dinner.

The party did hold celebratory 30th funcions to honour Bob Hawke and Gough Whitlam.
Tasmania has announced a ban on jumping castles at all state schools following a tragic incident which claimed the lives of five children this week.

The ban will remain in place while an investigation is underway into the tragedy at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport on Thursday.

Five children - Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all aged 12, and their classmate Addison Stewart, 11 - lost their lives when the jumping castle they were on flew ten metres into the air after a gust of wind.

Three more students are fighting for life in hospital and another is now recovering at home.

Tasmania's Education Department confirmed they have 'put a hold on the use of jumping castle-style equipment until the results of the investigation are known'.

The children lost in the tragedy (left to right) were identified on Friday as Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, and Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones

Distraught police officers are seen at the scene where five children lost their lives when a jumping castle flew into the air from a gust of wind

Education minister Sarah Courtney is seen paying her respects at the memorial on Saturday

One man was overcome with emotion while visiting the memorial outside Hillcrest Primary School

Ms Courtney was visibly emotional as she dropped off a bouquet of flowers to the memorial site

'The Department of Education has policies and procedures in place in relation to holding a range of activities on school sites. These policies and procedures are reviewed and updated regularly.'

All state schools were told of the new policy on Friday afternoon with Senior work health and safety adviser Mark Lobban saying it will remain 'until further notice'.

'Following the tragic incident at Hillcrest Primary school yesterday the decision has been made to place a ban on the use of all jumping castles and inflatable amusement equipment on all [Department] sites,' he said.

'This extends to cover all external hirers of [Department] sites.'

Jumping castles that are 'continuously blown' and are three metres high must be registered.

Hundreds have paid their respects to the five children who tragically died

A police officer is seen paying her respects at a memorial set up at Hillcrest Primary School

Residents are seen paying tribute to the victims of the jumping castle tragedy. Three more children are recovering in hospital

The hire company which supplied the jumping castle that was involved in the accident has meanwhile removed its website and social media pages.

Taz-Zorb also supplied zorb balls for the school event.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the company for comment.

Australian Amusement Association spokesperson Damian De Jong told The Examiner the ban would drastically impact 1,000 families who operate inflatable devices.

'I don't think we need more regulation, but we do need more education about what clients can look for to make sure they're getting a good operator,' he said.

'From one incident, this is now going to impact us all. But Just hope there's a balanced debate, not just calls for bans. Our industry has been very safe for a long time.'

Flowers, letters and toys filled the side of the road outside the primary school as locals pay their respects

On Friday large groups of mourners gathered out the front of Hillcrest Primary School's gates to pay tribute to and mourn the tragic death of the five young children

If wind speeds exceed 39.6km/h, jumping castles can not be operated. It's been confirmed the wind during Thursday's accident was not above that limit.

It comes as $1million has been raised for the families of the five victims.

Devonport local Zoe Smith created a GoFundMe page to help support the family and process their grief through the Christmas period.

'All funds will go to the families of the children who were tragically killed and injured too not only support them but provide them with much needed gifts in this time of such sadness,' she wrote.

On Friday large groups of people gathered out the front of Hillcrest Primary School's gates to pay tribute to and mourn the tragic deaths of the five young children.

Mourners of all ages were seen crying and comforting one another as they left stuffed toys, flowers, and handwritten notes for the victims.

Seven zorb balls, which are large and inflatable balls that children stand inside, also took flight during the strong wind gust.

Tasmanian Police Commissioner Darren Hine has remained tight-lipped about the investigation.

He said there were close to 40 Year 5 and 6 students taking part in the end-of-term activities at the time.
The Florida man who sprayed police officers with a fire extinguisher before throwing it at them during the Capitol riot has been given the harshest sentence yet - more than five years - for his actions on January 6.

Robert Palmer, 54, from Largo, Florida, was sentenced on Friday to 63 months in jail for his involvement in the January 6 riot, where he assaulted police officers with a fire extinguisher and hurled wooden boards at them.

The sentencing memo, written by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Juman, detailed how Palmer had pushed himself to the front of the crowd and had thrown wooden boards at police before retreating after being pepper sprayed.

He later returned with a five-foot pole that he hurled at police. He could also be seen in pictures taken during the riot holding a 'Biden is a Pedophile' sign.

He was given almost two years more then the next longest sentence of 41 months, which went to Jacob Chansley, 34, known as 'QAnon Shaman,' who famously wore a horned headdress and went shirtless at the Capitol.

Robert Palmer, 54 (pictured), was sentenced to 63 months on Friday for his involvement in the January 6 riot

Palmer threw wooden boards, a pole and a fire extinguisher at police

Prosecutors said Palmer (circled) pushed him way to the front of the crowd when he attacked police officers

Palmer is the first to be sentenced for the violence cited in the Lower West Terrance tunnel in the Capitol after he pleaded guilty on October 4.

Police were forced to battle rioters for several hours and two Metropolitan police officers were badly injured.

The Justice Department recommended a 63-month sentence, citing that it was a lower sentence for his crimes, because Palmer - who turned himself in - collaborated with law enforcement earlier on, although they still recommended 'significant term of imprisonment.'

'[The] defendants repeated violent assaults on law enforcement for the purpose of overturning a democratic election warrant a significant term of imprisonment,' Juman wrote in the sentencing memo.

'A 63-month sentence reflects the gravity of Palmers conduct, his lack of remorse, and the need to deter Palmer and others from similar conduct in the future, while at the same time recognizing Palmers early decision to plead guilty and avoid the need for a trial.'

The sentencing memo also used quotes from Republican Representative Stephanie Murphy, 43, who was hiding inside the West Terrance tunnel during the attack.

'While you were holding back the mob at the Lower West Terrace entrance, I was holed up with Congresswoman Kathleen Rice in a small office about 40 paces from the tunnel that you all were in,' Murphy said at a July hearing.

Murphy is also on the committee that is looking into the attack.

Earlier this week, Palmer apologized for his actions.

The Department of Justice recommended a 63 month sentence for Palmer (circled), a lesser sentence for his crimes, due to him turning himself in early and cooperating with police

He has been given the longest sentence of all those prosecuted for the riot

Palmer, who claimed he had been shot with rubber bullets 'just for yelling at the [police]' - the DoJ's memo claimed Palmer was trying to make himself look like 'a victim' - has now said he realizes that Trump was lying about the election result and offered his 'most sincere and deepest apologies.'

'Little did I realize that they were the tyrannical ones desperate to hold on to power at any cost,' he wrote in a November 12 letter to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ahead of his sentencing.

'Trump supporters were lied to by those that at the time had great power, meaning the then-sitting president, as well as those acting on his behalf.'

'They kept spitting out the false narrative about a stolen election and how it was 'our duty' to stand up to tyranny,' he added in the letter, which was obtained by Huffpost.

His letter of apology is an about-face from his Facebook posts before and after the riot.

'In the event of a Civil War, I'm not afraid of the 81 Million Biden Voters,' he posted on January 12. 'Half are dead and don't exist!'

He wrote in a letter to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan ahead of his sentencing, writing: ''Little did I realize that they were the tyrannical ones desperate to hold on to power at any cost. Trump supporters were lied to by those that at the time had great power, meaning the then-sitting president, as well as those acting on his behalf'

No police officers were injured by Palmer, but the DOJ wants him locked up for more than five years because his actions were intended to cause 'serious bodily injury.'

Jacob Chansley, 34, has the second-longest sentence with 41 months

Palmer is one of at least 185 people charged with assaulting or impeding police on January 6 as throngs of people stormed the Capitol in a failed bid to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory.

'QAnon Shaman' Jacob Chansley and Scott Fairlamb have so far received the longest prison time - both given 41 months - of the 45 people who have been sentenced.

Chutkan has been known to give out stiffer sentences to rioters than what has been requested by prosecutors.

'There have to be consequences for participating in an attempted violent overthrow of the government beyond sitting at home,' Chutkan said in October.

'The country is watching to see what the consequences are for something that has not ever happened in the history of this country before,' she added.
The mayor of San Francisco declared a state of emergency on Friday in Tenderloin, an effort to bring down overdose deaths and violent crime in one of the city's poorest and most drug-infested neighborhoods.

Mayor London Breed, 47, said at a press conference that the city was in 'crisis' and that the streets were 'nasty' as more crime and drug overdoses littered the streets.

'We are in a crisis and we need to respond accordingly,' she said on Friday. 'Too many people are dying in this city, too many people are sprawled on our streets.'

'We have to meet people where they are.'

Breed said that rapid drug intervention is needed because about two people a day are dying of overdoses, mostly from fentanyl, in the Tenderloin and the city's South of Market neighborhood.

'The work that we have in place after our assessment allow us this ability through this emergency declaration to move quickly, to move fast, to change the conditions - specifically of the Tenderloin community' she said.

'This is necessary in order to see a difference.'

The move came after she on Tuesday performed a dramatic U-turn on the 'defund the police' strategy as she called for 'more aggressive policing' to replace 'bulls**t progressive policies' and said she would ask for more money to be given to the police to stamp out drug dealing, car break-ins and theft.

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Mayor London Breed, 47, declared San Francisco to be in a state of emergency on Friday, citing the city's Tenderloin district as a drug overdose 'crisis'

Tenderloin has long been an epicenter of homelessness and drug use. Breed said: 'Too many people are dying in this city, too many people are sprawled on our streets.' Her new response to the 'crisis' is 'police response' and 'accountability'

The next day, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi slammed the city's brazen criminals saying the 'attitude of lawlessness' was 'absolutely outrageous.'

'And some of it is, again, [targeted] high-level stores as the retailers have told us and some of it is your local Walgreens. But none of it is acceptable. And again, it has to be stopped.'

While Pelosi finally denounced her hometown San Francisco's rampant smash and grab looting as 'absolutely outrageous,' she stopped short of endorsing Breed's plan to increase policing and review zero bail policies.

The Tenderloin has long been an epicenter of homelessness and drug use, but city officials said the problem has worsened as the national opioid crisis escalated over the course of the pandemic.

'This is a public health emergency demanding a crisis level response, with massive urgency, coordination, and determination to confront this epidemic,' Breed said, adding that she hopes the measure will save lives.

The emergency declaration will allow the city to cut through red tape that delays the public response to deteriorating conditions in the Tenderloin and quickly provide shelter, counseling and medical care to people suffering from addiction, Breed and other city officials said.

There will also be more coordinated enforcement of illegal activities, street cleanups and other infrastructure improvements to make the neighborhood safer, they said.

'Everyone in theory can talk about all the policies they want around "no police" and "defund the police," but at the end of the day, if someone beat your kid like that 11-year-old girl, who are you going to call to protect you?' Breed said.

She was referring to a Muslim girl in a hijab who was punched in the head on September 29 by a woman who made racist comments. She was arrested for assault, child endangerment and a hate crime.

Crime has risen significantly in San Francisco this year

Part of Breed's response to the rising crime in the city is to strengthen the police force. On Tuesday, she announced she asked the Board of Supervisors to give the police force more money after cutting $120million in funds last year

Some people are leaving their trunks open to curb break in, so thieves won't break their windows

Expensive stores - such Neiman Marcus (pictured) have been broken into as well

Many people are living on the streets of the Tenderloin

Black Lives Matter protestors demanded cities defund the police last year, Mayor Breed announced San Francisco would be one of the first to do so and sliced $120million from the budgets of its police and sheriff's department.

Breed's announcement came a few days after she pledged to crack down on open drug use, brazen home break-ins and other criminal behavior that she says have made a mockery of the city's famed tolerance and compassion.

In an emergency police intervention on Tuesday, she announced she was asking the city's Board of Supervisors for more money to be given to the police to stamp out drug dealing, car break-ins and theft.

Announcing a crime crackdown, she argued that San Francisco officers should get aggressive and 'less tolerant of all the bulls*** that has destroyed our city', as she went back on her plans to defund the police.

'It's time the reign of criminals who are destroying our city, it is time for it to come to an end,' she said. 'And it comes to an end when we take the steps to be more aggressive with law enforcement, more aggressive with the changes in our policies.'

In Tenderloin alone last month, there were six shootings, 20 drug arrests and 16 assault and batteries, according to a CBS local station.

California has experienced multiple robberies lately as crime continues to rise

Across the entire city last month, there were 3,375 reports of larceny-theft, the majority being car break-ins, with SFPD's Central District seeing the most car smash-and-grabs, recording 876 last month.

Meanwhile, there was a terrifying 15 percent increase in homicide across the city compared to last year, with 53 cases recorded so far this year alone, compared with 46 the year before.

Assault in the city also increased by more than 9 percent from 2,075 last year to 2,2271 cases this year, while overall crimes shot up by 10.2 percent.

Larceny theft also saw a massive 18.3 percent increase from 24,474 to 28,947, according to crime statistics released by the San Francisco Police Department.

But robbery and rape across San Francisco decreased when compared with the year before, with robbery cases falling by 5 percent and rape dropping by more than 13 percent.

Property crimes across the same four cities soared by seven percent between 2020 and 2021, reaching a total of 25,000 in October.

San Francisco is grappling with deep societal pains common to any large US city.

A high percentage of an estimated 8,000 homeless people in San Francisco - many of whom pitch tents in the Tenderloin - are struggling with chronic addiction or severe mental illness, often both. Some people rant in the streets, nude and in need of medical help. Last year, 712 people died of drug overdoses, compared with 257 people who died of COVID-19.

Critics said Breed was backing down on a promise made last year to cut police funding amid a national reckoning of police and systemic racism.

'Folks can say what they want about this going back on your word, this and that, but at the end of the day the people in this community are not safe. And it is not fair and it's not right,' the mayor said.

She said 'there is a number of things' San Francisco will do to reform the Tenderloin.

'A part of that is police response, part of that is accountability, part of that is making sure we are consistent. But the other part of that is being aggressive about getting people into services and support. And not allow what has happened on our streets continue.'

The Mayor went on to say earlier this week that residents should 'feel safe' in the city.

'All of our residents, our workers and everyone who visits our city should feel safe no matter what part of town they are in. I know San Francisco is a compassionate city. We are a city that prides ourselves on second chances and rehabilitation,' the mayor said.

'But we're not a city where anything goes. Our compassion should not be mistaken for weakness or indifference.'

The emergency declaration has to be ratified by the Board of Supervisors. If approved, it can stay in place for up to 90 days, according to The New York Times.
At a popular tourist haunt in Vienna, the handsome Afghan refugee in a blue denim shirt and shorts poses by the side of a bridge overlooking the riverboats on the Danube Canal.

The picture of him looking relaxed and confident was taken last summer, just weeks before he became the prime suspect in a crime that has shocked Austria: the drugging, rape and suffocation of 13-year-old schoolgirl Leonie Walner, whose slim body was found wrapped in a roll of carpet dumped under a tree in central Vienna.

Within hours of the terrible discovery, Rasuili Zubaidullah had run away, dodging Austrian police.

He fled hundreds of miles to Dunkirk in France, evading a pan-European manhunt for him before boarding a trafficker's boat across the Channel to Britain.

Arriving in Dover on the Kent coast, he duped immigration officials by claiming asylum using a false name and was put up by the Government in the Ibis hotel in Whitechapel, East London, which is being used to house migrants.

'Rebel' Leonie Walner, pictured, who was seen on CCTV with a group of refugees. Next week, Zubaidullah, who celebrated his 23rd birthday in October, will face a London extradition hearing when Austria demands his return to Vienna for questioning about what court papers state is Leonie's 'murder' during the early hours of Saturday, June 26, at a refugees' apartment in the city. Her battered corpse was found just 330 yards from the apartment by a passer-by at 6.55am that morning

Acting on a tip-off from Austrian authorities, British police found him hiding in a room at the hotel in late July, little more than a month after Leonie's life had been snuffed out.

Next week, Zubaidullah, who celebrated his 23rd birthday in October, will face a London extradition hearing when Austria demands his return to Vienna for questioning about what court papers state is Leonie's 'murder' during the early hours of Saturday, June 26, at a refugees' apartment in the city.

Her battered corpse was found just 330 yards from the apartment by a passer-by at 6.55am that morning.

The Mail has seen Leonie's official autopsy records, which include DNA samples linking her abused body to Zubaidullah and a group of young male refugees from his country living in Austria, as well as to the apartment and the roll of carpet.

We have tracked his path out of Austria through the city of Innsbruck and across Western Europe by train and bus as he escaped justice with one thing in mind: to reach the UK and evaporate into the overstretched asylum system.

At a popular tourist haunt in Vienna, the handsome Afghan refugee in a blue denim shirt and shorts poses by the side of a bridge overlooking the riverboats on the Danube Canal. The picture of him was taken last summer, just weeks before he became the prime suspect in a crime that has shocked Austria: the drugging, rape and suffocation of 13-year-old schoolgirl Leonie Walner, whose body was found wrapped in a roll of carpet dumped under a tree in central Vienna. Within hours of the discovery, Rasuili Zubaidullah had run away, dodging Austrian police

In northern France this week, Afghans waiting to board boats to Britain remembered Zubaidullah, who walked into a Dunkirk migrant camp on July 8, 12 days after Leonie died.

'I shared a tent with him when he stayed overnight,' said Shinwari Kuchi, 35, a former Afghan soldier. 'He talked about his plan to pay 3,000 to Kurdish traffickers to cross the Channel. He was intent on Britain.

'He had just arrived when I met him in the charity food queue. He had nowhere to sleep, so I said 'come into mine [tent]'. He didn't talk much but when I woke in the morning he had disappeared. I never spotted him again and he didn't say he was on the run.'

Ten days later, on July 18, Zubaidullah managed to enter Britain under false pretences on a trafficker's boat.

He is one of almost 27,000 migrants, the majority of them young men, of various nationalities and with backgrounds that often remain a mystery, who have sailed on rickety crafts from the French coast this year and been given refuge here in hotels, hostels and former Army camps.

Their mass arrival has sparked security worries because of the way in which criminals and those intent on doing us harm can arrive seeking asylum and stay here unnoticed.

Alp Mehmet, the chairman of Migration Watch UK, said this week that the asylum system fails from the moment a boat carrying migrants reaches our shores.

'The Border Force has no way of checking the identity or background of those coming in,' he said. 'The migrants routinely destroy their documents, they give false names, and there are so many young men there is scarcely time to interview them before they are able to enter Britain and be put up in accommodation at the taxpayers' expense.

'If you are a genuine refugee, why would you hide your identity or pretend to be someone you are not when you arrive after a difficult Channel crossing wanting sanctuary?'

But what of Zubaidullah? He has had multiple brushes with the Viennese authorities, who say he was listed for deportation from Austria in October 2017 after arriving two years earlier as a teenager from Afghanistan and providing no adequate reason to have left his native land.

He was one of more than 1.5 million migrants from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia who seized their chance to move to the West after Angela Merkel, then the German Chancellor, threw open her country's doors to Syrians fleeing civil war.

But despite the deportation order on his file, Zubaidullah was never thrown out of Austria.

Only last year, he was convicted and sentenced to nine months in jail there for drug-trafficking. Once again, he was not made to leave when he was released earlier this year.

He continued to live a life of easy pleasures, according to Vienna media reports, and was seen partying in the spring at the cafes and bars lining the Danube canal, and at nearby Prater, an amusement park with a giant Ferris wheel.

The area draws thousands of tourists, is a favourite meeting place for young Viennese, and has a reputation for drug-taking and 'anything goes' behaviour.

It was there, near the canal, that he and three other young Afghan refugees, aged between 16 and 23, met young Leonie in the early hours of that Saturday in June.

Leonie was breaking the rules by being there. Her 40-year-old mother Melanie, a nurse who works night shifts, and her paramedic father Hennes, 39, had set her a curfew. They had told her always to be back by 9.30pm at the family home in Wiener Neustadt, 40 miles from Vienna.

The girl has been described by her distraught parents as a 'free spirit and a rebel'. They say she was kind and loved her pets, but family friends say she was 'gullible and naive', and liked the bright lights and the attention of men.

She often disappeared for days without her parents knowing. She told friends on social media she wanted to 'run away from home', according to the Austrian media. And that fateful June weekend, she had set her heart on a night-time visit to the Danube Canal party zone.

At 11.30 on the Friday night, some hours before she was killed, she was with her 15-year-old best friend in Wiener Neustadt and told her she wasn't going home.

She then wrote a text message to a male acquaintance, a 27-year-old salesman almost twice her age, asking: 'Are you going to Vienna with me?'

He drove her to the capital, where they visited the Danube Canal area. Then he left her there alone in the middle of the night.

Zubaidullah is said to have fled Austria after Leonie's body was found propped up by a tree in central Vienna in June. Leonie's parents are filing an official complaint against Austria because of the authorities' failure to deport refugees who have not won asylum but continue freely to live there

Leonie's fate was sealed. Dark-haired and dressed in checked trousers and a T-shirt under a cream sweater, she was spotted on CCTV cameras meeting the group of Afghan refugees, then walking along a street in Vienna.

One of the group was a 16-year-old who'd entered Austria illegally via Romania in April this year.

He is believed to have been instrumental in persuading Leonie to go to the apartment, which is some three miles from the party zone, at around 2am.

What happened in the next few hours to the lone schoolgirl?

Reports on Leonie's death that were prepared for Vienna's public prosecutor say she was raped multiple times and died 'violently' of drug poisoning and suffocation by pressure on her throat. She was given what is described as a lethal overdose of 11 Ecstasy tablets, and had smoked cannabis joints before suffering 'severe sexual abuse' by several men.

At some point that night, as the drugs took their toll and the violent assaults on her continued, it is thought her heart stopped.

The DNA results allegedly indicate Rasuili Zubaidullah was at the apartment, and that he and the other men sexually assaulted Leonie, leaving her with significant bruising.

The Austrian government has promised to track down those involved in the girl's 'barbaric' death.

After the nationalities of the suspects were revealed, the country's EU minister, Karoline Edtstadler, declared: 'People who seek refuge in Austria but trample on our values and express this in actions have no place here.'

Unlike much of the rest of the European Union and Britain, Austria has said it will continue deporting Afghans who have failed in their asylum requests, putting them on flights back to the capital Kabul, despite the country's takeover by the Taliban.

Meanwhile, Leonie's parents are filing an official complaint against Austria because of the authorities' failure to deport refugees who have not won asylum but continue freely to live there.

In interviews with the Austrian media, her mother, Melanie, has expressed bewilderment and grief over her child's fate: 'My little one trusted a 16-year-old and that was her death sentence.'

She added: 'Why were these people still in the country? Why were they not expelled? Where are the politicians in charge? We want to know that.'

These are difficult questions that are unlikely to concern convicted drug dealer Rasuili Zubaidullah when he appears by video link from a British prison at an interim extradition hearing in London's Westminster Magistrates' Court next Wednesday afternoon.

The final case to decide whether he will be sent back to Vienna is scheduled for January.

The extradition court papers state that Austria, in the meantime, will continue to fight to stop him being freed to walk the streets in their country because he is expected to 'abscond' and could simply disappear.

That may be some comfort, at least, to Leonie's grieving parents and the Austrian government. For the time being, at least.

Additional reporting: JAMES FRANEY
A popular influencer was denied entry to an Australian casino on a big night out because her outfit was deemed 'inappropriate'.

OnlyFans model Mikaela Testa took to TikTok to complain she was stopped by security at the door to a Sydney casino while with friends on Friday.

Ms Testa, 21, was forced to make hasty adjustments to her outfit with a hair tie, apparently hitching it up higher, before being allowed to continue inside.

A popular influencer was denied entry to an Australian casino on a big night out because her outfit was deemed 'inappropriate' by staff

Ms Testa appeared unhappy about being stopped over her 'inappropriate' outfit

'We went to the casino to play some roulette and I got stopped at the entry saying that my outfit's inappropriate so I had to tie my f***ing skirt up with a hair tie,' she said.

'It looked so rat s*** [afterwards] but whatever.'

Ms Testa and her friends flashed fistfuls of hundred dollar notes in the video, apparently from their winnings out, then warned people not to gamble.

'Ended up going all the way down to zero,' Ms Testa said, 'but went back up to $700 but I don't promote gambling, please don't do it, it's bad.'

Ms Testa has previously boasted she makes $162,000 a month.

The video was later removed from TikTok.

Ms Testa and her friends flashed fistfuls of hundred dollar notes in the video, apparently from their winnings out, then warned people not to gamble

Ms Testa's video appeared to be filmed at The Star in Sydney.

The Star responded to questions from Daily Mail Australia by stating 'While the guests attire was discussed with security guards she was permitted entry into the premises.'

It's not the first time Ms Testa has used her platform to complain about being targeted over her clothing.

In August, Ms Testa lashed out at Woolworths shoppers in another video, claiming people were judging her because of her tiny outfit.

'Honestly it makes me feel really enraged and have huge anxiety with going anywhere in public because every time I do I'm constantly stared at and judged by older women,' she said.
Queensland has recorded 24 new Covid-19 cases as face mask mandates are reintroduced.

Residents must wear the extra layer of protection when visiting all retail settings, hospitals, aged care facilities, public transport, rideshare and airports.

'I'm asking Queenslanders once again, it's a small price to pay for your freedoms,' premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Friday.

Queensland has recorded 24 new Covid-19 cases as face mask mandates are reintroduced

'I'm asking Queenslanders once again, it's a small price to pay for your freedoms,' premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Friday

'We're doing this to slow the spread of the virus we know Christmas is the busiest time of the year for people shopping and getting ready.

'We don't want to see a massive escalation [in cases] over Christmas and New Year.'

The 24 new cases announced on Saturday is an uptick from the 20 reported on Friday and 22 announced on Thursday.

The face mask mandate won't apply in venues where a vaccine mandate came into effect from 5am on Friday such as cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, stadiums and theme parks.

Masks will also not be required in outdoor settings or in workplaces, the premier said.

Ms Palaszczuk said the new mandate will likely remain in place until the state reached 90 per cent of the eligible population with two doses of a Covid vaccine.

'We're looking good to reach 90 per cent single dose over Christmas, and double dose some time in January,' she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said 'there won't be any lockdowns over Christmas'.

Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said he didn't think the mask mandate would be 'too onerous' for people.

'Mask wearing is not just about protecting yourself, it is also protect about protecting others,' he said.

'It works both ways, so it is a socially desirable thing to be wearing a mask and I think it's somewhat anti-social to not be wearing a mask in crowded environments.'

Masks are required in retail settings, hospitals, aged care, public transport, rideshare and airports

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said police have already dealt with eight call-outs regarding the vaccine mandate since it came into effect at venues.

She also sounded a warning to venue owners who have spoken of publicly ignoring the mandate.

'It's disappointing that people have done that, but they have given police very good intelligence, so they will definitely be getting a visit,' Ms Carroll said.

The premier said the dramatic escalation in cases in NSW and the fact more than 100,000 border passes to enter Queensland had been received from people in interstate hotspots made the reintroduction of masks necessary.

Visitors from NSW, Victoria and the ACT were welcomed back to Queensland by road and air last Monday, provided they were fully vaccinated, possessed a valid border pass and had proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arriving in Queensland.

Visitors from NSW, Victoria and the ACT were welcomed back to Queensland by road and air last Monday, but the state is on edge about the new Covid cases the travellers will inevitably bring

Queensland Health has added new contact tracing sites to its website.

These include Virgin flight VA511 from Sydney to the Gold Coast on December 15 between 8am-9.40am. All passengers, excluding Rows 28-32, are considered casual contacts and are asked to quarantine and get tested.

Those in rows 28-32 are considered close contacts.

Passengers sitting in rows 23-27 of Qantas flight QF756 from Brisbane to Townsville on Tuesday, December 14 between 3.32pm - 5.19pm are also considered close contacts of a positive case and must quarantine even after receiving a negative PCR test.
From trekking the Inca trail in Peru to running the Great Wall of China, adventure holidays are all the rage.

Adrenaline junkies, however, are going to need seriously deep pockets for the latest extreme getaway  it costs 15.3million.

The other catch is there is only one place available, and whoever gets it will need polar survival training to cope with -34C temperatures.

Organisers of the Arctic trip to the northernmost point on Earth insist it will be worth it as the lucky holidaymaker will earn a place in the history books as the first person to set foot on undiscovered land.

He or she could also become a benefactor of humanity, they say, because of the positive scientific impact the trip will have in understanding climate change, and could even end up the star of a TV documentary as they will be accompanied by a film crew.

In a glossy brochure, Ariodante, an ultra-luxury travel company based in London, have billed it as the adventure of a lifetime.

Stock pic: Northern Greenland

Whoever books the trip  not expected to take place until 2023  will be accompanied by a crew of 22 including scientists, a doctor, a chef who used to work at Claridges in London, and a film crew to immortalise the achievement.

Day one will see the holidaymaker chauffeur-driven to the Natural History Museum in London for a dinner with famous explorers.

They will then fly by private jet to Svalbard, an archipelago between Norway and the North Pole, and then to Greenland, landing at Station Nord, a military and scientific base.

After a night in a specially built ice hotel, there will be a journey of at least seven days  the goal of which is to discover one or several islands north of Greenland.

Along the way, the adventurer is promised a front seat view of the Northern Lights, glaciers and wildlife such as polar bears, puffins, walruses and whales.

They will reach Kaffeklubben which, says the brochure, is currently the northernmost point on land on Earth. And then we will reach an undiscovered land.

The brochure adds: It takes courage (and a form of craziness) to embark on such an extreme but rewarding adventure.

To find out more, visit www.ariodantetravel.com/making-history.
Judge Julia Smith Gibbons wrote the prevailing decision for the court that reinstated the vaccine mandate on Friday

A federal appeals court panel on Friday allowed President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private companies with more than 100 employees to move ahead.

The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reverses a decision by a federal judge in a separate court that had paused the mandate nationwide.

The rule from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was to take effect on January 4.

In a swift response, 27 businesses filed an appeal to the Supreme Court to block the mandate late Friday. They argued the OSHA rule would 'harm' thousands of businesses across industries.

The vaccine requirement would apply to companies with 100 or more employees and would cover about 84 million workers.

Employees who are not fully vaccinated would have to wear masks and be subject to weekly tests. There would be exceptions for those who work outdoors or only at home.

With Friday's ruling, it's not clear when the requirement would be put in place.

Republican-led states joined with conservative groups, business associations and some individual businesses to push back against the requirement as soon as OSHA published the rules in early November.

They argued that OSHA was not authorized to make the emergency rule.

A US appeals court on Friday reinstated President Joe Biden's nationwide vaccine-or-testing Covid-19 mandate for large businesses

A syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic at the Keystone First Wellness Center in Chester, Pennsylvania

Potter Stewart United States Courthouse in Cincinnati is the home of the US 6th Circuit Appeals Court

The case was consolidated before the Cincinnati-based 6th circuit, which is dominated by Republican-appointed judges.

Of the two ruling in favor of the OSHA mandate, one was appointed by Democratic president Barack Obama and the other by a Republican. The dissenting judge was appointed by former President Donald Trump.

'Given OSHA's clear and exercised authority to regulate viruses, OSHA necessarily has the authority to regulate infectious diseases that are not unique to the workplace,' Judge Julia Smith Gibbons wrote in her majority opinion.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said she would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to block the order.

'The Sixth Circuits decision is extremely disappointing for Arkansans because it will force them to get the shot or lose their jobs,' she said.

The United States has reached over 50 million positive tests for the coronavirus dating back to March 2020

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who also is chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, said in a Twitter message Friday that he was confident the mandate could be stopped.

This past week, the US reached a grim milestone of 800,000 people dead

The mandate had been blocked for now in 24 states - 14 involved in a case reviewed by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans and 10 where it was halted by a Nov. 29 ruling by a federal judge in St. Louis.

President Joe Biden unveiled in September regulations to increase the adult vaccination rate as a way of fighting the pandemic, which has killed more than 800,000 Americans and weighed on the economy.

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia was one of two Democratic senators joining with Republican colleagues to attempt to stop his vaccine mandate

Vaccine mandates are deeply controversial in the United States. Supporters say they are a must to put an end to the nearly two-year coronavirus pandemic, while opponents argue they violate the Constitution and curb individual liberty

Which states initially filed lawsuits against the vaccine mandate? Five groups representing 27 states had filed lawsuits attempting to stop President Biden's vaccine mandate. - The Republican attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, alongside the Democratic AG of Iowa filed in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals - Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Utah in the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit, which initially overturned the mandate - Kansas, Kentucky, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia in the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit - Alabama, Florida and Georgia in the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit - Indiana in the Chicago-based 7th Circuit Advertisement

It also comes after the omicron variant continues to rip through the nation, with cases increasing over 30 percent day-by-day.

Companies such as United Airlines have used mandates to increase the number of vaccinated employees, often with only a small number of workers refusing the shots.

However, as recently as Friday, several companies had decided to suspend vaccination requirements - including Boeing, Amtrak, Spirit AeroSystems and General Electric.

Republicans, conservative groups and trade organizations sued over the OSHA rule, arguing the agency overstepped its authority.

The rule set a January 4 deadline for compliance, although it unclear if that will be enforced because the rule was blocked for weeks.

This comes after the Biden administration on Thursday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift rulings by two lower courts that put the president's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers on hold, saying the shots were crucial before an expected winter spike in cases.

The business-backed Job Creators Network, a party to the case, expressed disappointment with the ruling.

'This mandate adds an incredible burden on small business owners who are still suffering negative effects of the pandemic,' the group said in a statement. 'JCN has immediately asked the Supreme Court to save businesses and employees from this government overreach.'

Senator Jon Tester (left), a Democrat, is also joining Republican colleagues in an attempt to stop vaccine-or-test requirements for private companies. Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas attorney general (right), was among the Republicans angry at the 6th Circuit court's decision

Both rulings were issued as part of legal challenges to U.S. President Joe Biden's mandates for healthcare workers treating Medicare and Medicaid patients.

The rule initially required more than 2 million unvaccinated healthcare workers to be vaccinated by Dec. 6.

'The exceptionally urgent need to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure for Medicare and Medicaid patients given the anticipated winter surge in infections tips the equities overwhelmingly in favor of a stay,' Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued in a 40-page motion to the Supreme Court.

The US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans

A three-member panel of the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, which covers Texas, Louisiana and parts of Mississippi, affirmed it's ruling in a new opinion published in November.

That saw it order the US Department of Labor to take no further steps to implement its mandate, whose deadline is January 4.

The Biden administration argued that halting implementation of the vaccine mandate could lead to dozens or even hundreds of deaths.

However, Circuit Court Judge Kurt Engelhardt wrote in the prevailing opinion that the mandate goes too far, and that he has 'grave' concerns about whether the edict is legal or constitutional.

'The mandate is staggeringly overbroad,' the opinion said. 'The mandate is a one-size-fits-all sledgehammer that makes hardly any attempt to account for differences in workplaces (and workers).'

US 5th District Court of Appeals Judges (L-R) Edith Jones, Kurt Engelhardt and Stuart Kyle Duncan upheld their decision to put a hold on President Joe Biden's Covid-19 vaccine mandate for companies with 100 workers or more

Representative Chip Roy of Texas praises the Circuit Court rulings reaffirming the stay on the Biden vaccine mandate

Lawyers for the Justice and Labor departments filed a response Monday in which they said stopping the mandate from taking effect will only prolong the COVID-19 pandemic and would 'cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day.'

In Washington, Senate Republicans pushed through a proposal that aims to repeal the vaccine or testing requirements for private companies, saying the rules are unconstitutional and put jobs at risk.

Two Democrats, Senators Joe Manchin and Jon Tester, joined their Republican colleagues in passing the measure, which is expected to face resistance in the House.

Vaccine mandates are deeply controversial in the United States. Supporters say they are a must to put an end to the nearly two-year coronavirus pandemic, while opponents argue they violate the Constitution and curb individual liberty.

The Fifth Circuit judges appeared to agree with the opponents.

'The public interest is also served by maintaining our constitutional structure and maintaining the liberty of individuals to make intensely personal decisions according to their own convictions - even, or perhaps particularly, when those decisions frustrate government officials,' Engelhardt wrote.
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The UK should go into lockdown before Christmas or it will be 'too late', a Sage adviser has warned as scientists call for a two-week ban on household mixing 'very soon'.

It is hoped a circuit breaker could stop Omicron hospitalisations peaking at 3,000 a day, according to Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews and a member of Sage, who spoke in a personal capacity.

He said it was clear that Plan B measures alone would not be enough to stop the spiralling numbers of cases and that the Government needs to 'act now'. He added: 'Now, you could have it after Christmas, the problem is after Christmas it's probably too late, it's probably by then we will have had a huge surge of infections with all the impact upon society.'

The surging statistics came as Professor Neil Ferguson  whose projections have spooked No10 into lockdowns before  called for curbs to be tightened by New Year on the back of his latest modelling of the mutant strain.

He told BBC 4's Today Programme hospitalisations could be overwhelmed by Christmas as Omicron cases rise in the next week with a 'very large epidemic underway'. He added: 'The level of protection against severe disease is not perfect and the very large case numbers may still translate into very large numbers of hospitalisations.'

During the Sage meeting on Thursday, the experts backed a ban on indoor social contact and hospitality. In what could be a blow to Britons planning New Year parties, they want fresh measures to come in before January 1.

Leaked minutes from Sage, seen by the BBC, said scientists had told ministers that tougher measures need to be brought in 'very soon'.

'The timing of such measures is crucial,' said the minutes. 'Delaying until 2022 would greatly reduce the effectiveness of such interventions and make it less likely that these would prevent considerable pressure on health and care settings.'

An emergency Cobra meeting this weekend will discuss if a joint response to the threat of the Omicron variant is needed across the UK. The meeting will raise fears that more curbs could be imposed before Christmas  despite the opposition of Tory MPs and Downing Street's apparent determination to get through without them.

It comes as the number of confirmed Omicron cases in England reached 23,168, up 9,427 on the previous day's total, figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Saturday showed. Cases in Northern Ireland rose to 827, a rise of 514.

Scotland's cases have reached 792, an increase of 96, and in Wales there are 181, up 22 on the previous day.

It means in total there has been a 67 per cent rise in cases in just 24 hours - as the total figure for the UK reached 24,968, according to the UKHSA.

The number of deaths in England of people with the Omicron variant has risen to seven, the UK Health Security Agency said, from the previous figure of one.

Hospital admissions in England for people with confirmed or suspected Omicron rose to 85, from 65.

The gloomy news of another potential Christmas of chaos came as:

NHS revealed it gave a record 861,306 booster vaccine doses on Thursday as the NHS 'pulls out all the stops' to make it as easy as possible to get a booster jab, said the NHS's medical director Professor Stephen Powis;

Downing Street announced a Cobra meeting to discuss if a joint response to the threat of the Omicron variant is needed across the UK, triggering speculation of more restrictions before Christmas;

The Welsh government announced it would shut nightclubs from December 27 and bring back two-metre social distancing in offices while not ruling out adding more Covid restrictions after Christmas;

Ireland is to impose an 8pm curfew for hospitality venues, cinemas and theatres from Monday to deal with the threat from the Covid-19 variant, as chiefs warn the rules will 'decimate' the industry;

Neil Ferguson, the Imperial College London Covid modelling expert whose projections have previously spooked ministers, claimed up to 5,000 deaths a day could be caused by Omicron this winter;

But the latest official figures showed that there are only 65 patients in hospital with it as coronavirus hospitalisations in Omicron hotspot London have spiked by more than a third in a week;

New figures showed fewer people have died or been hospitalised with Omicron in South Africa despite record cases there due to a younger population and higher rate of immunity;

Chancellor Rishi Sunak was pictured at the airport after flying back from California for emergency talks with hospitality bosses on financial help amid plummeting demand due to the Omicron mutant strain.

Britain's daily Covid cases have rocketed to record levels for the third day in a row with 93,000 people diagnosed in 24 hours

Covid hospital admissions have spiked by more than a third in a week in Britain's Omicron hotspot of London, official data shows

The number of confirmed cases of Omicron in England increased by 69 per cent on the previous day's total - up 9,427 to 23,168, figures from the UKHSA showed today

Huge crowds fill Christmas markets on Parliament Street in York on the final Saturday shopping day before December 25

Thousands of Christmas shoppers swarmed London's West End despite record levels of Covid-19 infections in the UK

People out shopping on Saturday in Canterbury city centre on the last Saturday shopping day before Christmas

Huge crowds pack onto Northumberland Street in Newcastle on the final Saturday shopping day before Christmas

Aston Villa's Premier League clash with Burnley is CALLED OFF as Steven Gerrard's squad is hit by a Covid outbreak Aston Villa's game against Burnley has been postponed after a Covid outbreak in Steven Gerrard's (pictured) squad Aston Villa's game against Burnley has become the sixth Premier League fixture to be postponed due to Covid-19 this weekend after being called off just two hours and twenty minutes before kick-off. The West Midlands side announced on social media that the game had been postponed after the club had recorded more positive Covid-19 test results within the squad overnight The additional positive results received on Saturday morning left Steven Gerrard's squad too depleted for the game to go ahead. Sportsmail understands Aston Villa only contacted the Premier League after 10am this morning to inform the top flight that they could not field a team in the fixture against Burnley at Villa Park.. Appendix 17 of the Premier League handbook states that the game can be postponed if a club cannot field 14 players. Villa insisted that was the case after an outbreak of Covid-19, combined with illness, injuries and availability. It is understood that between 10am and 12pm Premier League officials spoke to the medical team at Villa Park to verify the information submitted. The Premier League board was convened after 12pm and a decision was made prior to the announcement of the postponement around 1pm. Sources close to the Premier League point out that the organisation reacted with speed once the problem emerged, mindful of the inconvenience to supporters, including 2,000 Burnley fans who arrived in Birmingham to find the game was off. Advertisement

Yesterday, Britain recorded its highest number of daily infections since the pandemic began, with a total of 93,045 people testing positive for Covid in the past 24 hours, up 60 per cent in a week.

Industry experts had feared the Government's increasingly alarmist messaging surrounding the Omicron mutant strain was affecting customer confidence over what should be a peak period for pubs, bars and restaurants.

Festive takings are expected to fall by up to 40 per cent in December - crippling venues that survived by a thread during previous lockdowns and expect to receive no financial support this time around.

Prof Reicher, who was speaking to Times Radio in a personal capacity, said the time to act was now to prevent the new variant overwhelming the NHS.

It comes amid reports officials have been drawing up draft plans for a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown after Christmas.

The Financial Times reported that Boris Johnson was presented with a number of options on Friday under a so-called Plan C, ranging from 'mild guidance to nudge people, right through to lockdown'.

The newspaper quoted allies of the Prime Minister who claimed Mr Johnson still wanted to go down the guidance route, but that he also had to be realistic about the threat of Omicron.

The BBC reported the advisers had recommended moving to restrictions seen in step one and two of the easing of lockdown restrictions in the spring. This included a ban on indoor mixing and indoor hospitality.

They reportedly warned against delaying further interventions until 2022.

The Times reported that draft regulations were being prepared which could ban meeting others indoors except for work purposes and that pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only, for two weeks after Christmas.

On Saturday, Prof Reicher told Times Radio that 'all the science suggests that (Plan B is) not going to be enough'.

He said: 'The only way really, or at least the most effective way, we can have an immediate effect is to decrease the number of contacts we have.

'In many ways, the most effective way of diminishing contact is to have a circuit-breaker.

'When people say "look, we don't want to close down", of course, we don't want to close down. But the problem is at the moment, things are closing down anyway, because of the spread of infection.

'So I think we need to act now.'

Lord Victor Adebowale, chairman of the NHS Confederation, voiced support for a circuit-breaker, warning that a cautionary approach should be taken.

He told Times Radio: 'I would support the circuit-breaker. My members would support the circuit-breaker.

'We've been calling for Plan B for some time now and we're glad that it was voted through. I think the Government has to be prepared to recall Parliament if further interventions are needed.'

He added: 'The fact of the matter is we should be taking the precautionary principle. We should be protecting our NHS and our public services. We have no economy without health.'

LEEDS: Shoppers are seen in Leeds city centre on what is normally the busiest day for Christmas shopping

CANTERBURY: Shoppers donned Christmas hats as they headed into Canterbury City Centre for their festive shopping

NEWCASTLE: Crowds pack onto Northumberland Street in Newcastle on the final Saturday shopping day before Christmas

Huge crowds fill The Shambles in York on the final Saturday shopping day before Christmas amid continuing fears about the Omicron coronavirus variant spreading rapidly

Shoppers are seen at The Shames in York on the final Saturday shopping day before Christmas, amid fears over rapidly rising cases of the Omicron variant

Huge crowds fill Northumberland Street in Newcastle on the final Saturday shopping day before Christmas

A Government spokesperson said: 'The Government will continue to look closely at all the emerging data and we'll keep our measures under review as we learn more about this variant.'

Professor Ferguson today told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme Omicron did not yet appear to be more severe than the previous Delta and Alpha variants.

He said: 'The severity aspect is the least well defined because we've observed relatively few hospitalisations. Case numbers are low. We don't see a particularly strong signal of any change in severity compared with Delta.

'That's not to say it's going to look like the Alpha wave we had a year ago because we do expect all those people with immunity and vaccination will have milder disease.

'But intrinsically Omicron doesn't look to be much different to Delta. There is a lot of uncertainty so we'll know a lot more about that in a week's time because numbers of cases and hospitalisations are building quickly.'

Having two vaccinations or Covid previously gives Britons 'very little' protection from the virus - but they will still have 85-90 percent protection from serious illness, he added.

'From a public health perspective it means we expect immunity people have built up over the last 12 months to be better preserved against severe disease than against infection. If you've been infected before or only had two doses of the vaccine you have very little protection against being infected with Omicron.

The Freedom Rally proceeds down Victoria street on Saturday as protesters gathered to hand out leaflets to the general public and demonstrate against vaccine passports and mandatory vaccinations for NHS workers

Police clash with protesters ahead of the march in London to protest against the latest Covid restrictions

'Freedom rally' demonstrators protest against vaccine passports and lockdowns as they march down Regent Street today

The Freedom Rally proceeds down Victoria street in London on December 18 following government Covid 'Plan B' restrictions being introduced across England

A man holds up a sign reading 'no vaccine passports' as protestors march near Victoria Station in London on Saturday

Freedom march protestors against vaccines, vaccine passports and lockdowns march down Regent Street on December 18

Police monitor the protest against vaccine passports, lockdowns and mandatory vaccines for NHS workers today in London

BOOSTERS AT A RACECOURSE Racecourses, Christmas markets and football stadiums will be among almost three thousand sites used as vaccination centres this weekend. The NHS is 'pulling out all the stops' to make it as easy as possible to get a booster jab, said the NHS's medical director Professor Stephen Powis. And GPs and pharmacists will be offered more money to give jabs over the festive period to encourage more to work. The fee will rise from 15 to 20 a dose from December 25 to January 3. But it comes as vaccine shortages forced pharmacies in London to cancel some jab appointments yesterday. Boris Johnson pledged to offer all eligible adults a booster dose before the end of the year. Staff will be vaccinating at 2,900 centres this weekend, including at three football grounds  Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Wembley  and Chelmsford Racecourse. The Department of Health insisted there were 'no supply issues with vaccine doses'. Advertisement

'But the protection against severe disease should hold up well. Perhaps 85-90 percent protection. The challenge we face with a very large epidemic on the way is even that level of protection against severe disease is not perfect and the very large case numbers may still translate into very large numbers of hospitalisations.'

He said the country is currently at risk of overwhelming the NHS. 'With increasing amounts of data coming in. It is a real concern we will be heading into something that has the risk of affecting the behaviour of the health service. People are changing their behaviour and that will have an impact, whether it is enough is hard to say.'

Tory ministers are set for crunch talks this weekend to discuss whether new Covid curbs are needed following dire warnings from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies group's scientists.

This weekend's Cobra meeting, involving ministers from all the devolved administrations, is the second in a matter of days.

Boris Johnson held crisis talks with the leaders of the three devolved administrations, including Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, earlier this week.

During the meeting on Thursday, the experts backed a ban on indoor social contact and hospitality. In what could be a blow to Britons planning New Year parties, they want fresh measures to come in before January 1.

'The timing of such measures is crucial,' said the minutes, seen by the BBC.

'Delaying until 2022 would greatly reduce the effectiveness of such interventions and make it less likely that these would prevent considerable pressure on health and care settings.'

But health experts and business chiefs last night hit back at the plans as they warned the mandatory ten-day self isolation rule was 'lockdown by stealth' - keeping people at home even when their symptoms and infectiousness had eased.

Whitehall officials are preparing draft regulations that would ban meeting others indoors except for work purposes, and pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only, reported The Times.

According to the Sage minutes, the advisers recommended moving back to restrictions set down in Step One and Two of the roadmap out of lockdown in the spring, which involved a ban on indoor social contact and indoor hospitality.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been pictured arriving back in the UK at Heathrow Airport for crunch talks with furious hospitality bosses struggling with plummeting demand due to the Omicron mutant strain

Leaked minutes of a SAGE minutes warned that restrictions will be needed 'very soon' to prevent hospitalisations from soaring to 3,000 a day, as plans for a two-week circuit breaker lockdown with a ban on indoor mixing were said to have been drawn up

Is it REALLY safe to cut the 10-day quarantine? How long are people infectious for? Britain's Covid's self-isolation sentence could be halved to just five days, some academics have argued. Data suggests roughly 98 per cent of virus transmission occurs either before people become ill, or within five days of symptoms starting. Dr Muge Cevik, an infectious disease expert from the University of St Andrews, said earlier this year: 'Given most transmission happens very early on, the isolation period could be much shorter for the cases. 'Viral load peaks pretty quickly, so people are highly infectious within the first few days.' How long can Covid patients test positive for? Lateral flow tests, which offer results in as little as 15 minutes, work best for sniffing out the people who are most infectious. They look for viral proteins called antigens in samples taken from the nose and throat. But the kits are less sensitive than gold-standard PCRs, which sees swabs sent off to laboratories to be analysed for viral genetic material. It means they are less likely to spot someone when they are infected, but also less likely to give a positive result when someone has gone past their peak infectiousness and have a lower viral load. PCRs, on the other hand, are extremely sensitive and can pick up the presence of viral fragments long after the illness has cleared. For this reason, a positive PCR result does not always mean someone is still contagious. Advertisement

They warned that solely sticking to Plan B could lead to 'at least' 3,000 hospital admissions a day in England. Admissions have been between 800 and 900 a day in the past week. Introducing these measures early enough 'could substantially reduce the peak in hospital admission and infections compared with Plan B alone', the minutes said.

Boris Johnson was presented with several options yesterday for a so-called Plan C, ranging from 'mild guidance to nudge people, right through to lockdown', according to the Financial Times.

Any further restrictions would increase the pressure on Rishi Sunak to give more help to the hospitality sector, which has been hit by the warnings over the new strain.

The 'California Chancellor' was pictured arriving back in the UK for crunch talks with furious hospitality bosses struggling with plummeting demand due to the Omicron mutant strain.

Mr Sunak had been in the US on a 'long-planned' Government trip to meet tech bosses but his timing has attracted criticism, with one top British executive telling the FT that he was too busy drinking 'organic kale smoothies'.

The Chancellor met hospitality leaders yesterday via Zoom but had to miss one roundtable event because it clashed with a scheduled call with US healthcare bosses.

Bosses are demanding the Government bring forward fresh financial support after the spread of the variant and the latest Covid advice to be cautious ahead of Christmas prompted a wave of booking cancellations. Industry leaders expect the final total to hit 4billion of lost takings.

But Mr Sunak insisted ministers were already helping, telling the BBC: 'Until spring next year most businesses are only paying a quarter of their business rates bill, they are benefitting from a reduced rate of VAT all the way through to next spring, and thirdly there is about a quarter of a billion pounds of cash sitting with local authorities to support those businesses.'

Mr Sunak and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke held calls yesterday with firms including Prezzo, Black Sheep Brewery, Nando's, Greene King, Whitbread and Adnams.

He insisted ministers were not telling people to cancel their Christmas events, adding: 'The situation is very different to what we've done and encountered before. We're not telling people to cancel things, we're not closing down businesses.'

Many have been left enraged by advice from government scientists to cut down on socialising which has led to a collapse in trade.

NEWCASTLE: A group of girls celebrating their friend's 21st birthday hit the clubs on the final Friday before Christmas

CARDIFF: A young woman watches on as a group of revellers enjoy their chips outside a JD Wetherspoon in Cardiff

Ministers will decide this weekend whether any new Covid restrictions are needed following the latest dire warnings from scientists. An emergency Cobra meeting will discuss if a joint response to the threat of the Omicron variant is needed across the UK. (The PM is pictured in west London on Friday)

A shopping street in Gloucester. Retailers face an uncertain Christmas as people choose to stay at home during the latest wave of Covid 19 infections

There were slightly more shoppers out and about in Manchester on Friday - with many of them wearing face masks

A busy outdoor market in Bristol. Business leaders have warned about the damaging impact of a fall in high street footfall

Officials draw up plans for two-week 'circuit breaker' lockdown - including bans on households mixing Plans for a two-week circuit breaker after Christmas with a ban on indoor mixing are being drawn up, it emerged last night. Leaked minutes of a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warn that restrictions are needed 'very soon' to avoid hospitalisations rising to 3,000 a day. During the meeting on Thursday, the experts backed a ban on indoor social contact and hospitality. In what could be a blow to Britons planning New Year parties, they want fresh measures to come in before January 1. 'The timing of such measures is crucial,' said the minutes, seen by the BBC. 'Delaying until 2022 would greatly reduce the effectiveness of such interventions and make it less likely that these would prevent considerable pressure on health and care settings.' Whitehall officials are preparing draft regulations that would ban meeting others indoors except for work purposes, and pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only, reported The Times. According to the Sage minutes, the advisers recommended moving back to restrictions set down in Step One and Two of the roadmap out of lockdown in the spring, which involved a ban on indoor social contact and indoor hospitality. They warned that solely sticking to Plan B could lead to 'at least' 3,000 hospital admissions a day in England. Admissions have been between 800 and 900 a day in the past week. Introducing these measures early enough 'could substantially reduce the peak in hospital admission and infections compared with Plan B alone', the minutes said. Boris Johnson was presented with several options yesterday for a so-called Plan C, ranging from 'mild guidance to nudge people, right through to lockdown', according to the Financial Times. Ministers will decide this weekend whether any new Covid restrictions are needed following the latest dire warnings from scientists. Advertisement

Irish hospitality chiefs have warned new Covid restrictions will 'decimate' their trade and lead to job losses in Ireland.

The Irish cabinet agreed that hospitality venues, cinemas and theatres should have a closing time of 8pm from Monday to deal with the threat from the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI) said pubs would be forced to close their doors for the duration of the restrictions.

In the UK, the CBI and other groups asked him for emergency grants, 100 per cent business rates relief for retail, and for VAT to be reduced to 5 per cent for hospitality and tourism.

The business groups raised concerns about the impact of cancellations on certain sectors and the importance of clear messaging from the Government.

It came as figures showed that footfall in London's West End on Thursday was 32 per cent down on the same day in 2019, before the pandemic. Numbers were down 7 per cent on a week ago.

Traffic levels at the same period today were 33 per cent in Birmingham, 36 per cent in Manchester, 40 per cent in Liverpool, 34 per cent in Sheffield, 46 per cent in Leeds and 28 per cent in Newcastle.

Pubs and restaurants have now started closing early for Christmas after they were hit by a 'double whammy' of staff absences and plummeting consumer confidence.

Some restaurants said they had 'no option' but to shut because so many of their staff have caught coronavirus and have had to isolate amid fears the problem will worsen as the 'tidal wave' of infections surges across the country.

Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company, said: 'With rising Covid cases dampening consumer confidence and a planned Tube strike looming on Saturday, we're anticipating a muted final weekend of Christmas trading at a time when West End businesses should be enjoying a much-needed boost.

'The Government must act quickly to provide temporary financial support to leisure businesses across the UK, otherwise we run the risk of further viable businesses closing their doors in the coming months.'

The Institute of Directors' chief economist, Kitty Ussher, said: 'It made sense to unwind pandemic-related business support schemes when it looked like business conditions were beginning to return to some semblance of normality.

'However, following the Omicron variant and the subsequent drop in consumer demand in some parts of the economy, this is patently no longer the case. For restaurants, travel companies and venues, this couldn't come at a worse time.

'We are therefore calling on government to stop the unwinding of remaining support schemes, such as the VAT reduction for hospitality and business rates support.'

It comes as Britain could reach up to 460,000 daily Covid cases by Christmas Eve - forcing two million people into isolation - if infections continue to increase as quickly as some scientists expect. Such huge numbers could cause massive disruption to key services from people being off work.

Labour has called on the Government to announce a new support package for the sector but ministers are yet to commit to providing any extra cash.

It is feared that the UK could be recording hundreds of thousands of daily Covid cases by Christmas Eve as Omicron continues to surge.

That could force millions of Brits into isolation, potentially causing huge disruption to the workforce and to key industries.

The hospitality industry has accused Boris Johnson of imposing a 'lockdown by stealth' after Professor Chris Whitty urged people to limit socialising in the coming days.

Mr Johnson denied the claim yesterday, telling reporters: 'We're not saying that we want to cancel stuff, we're not locking stuff down, and the fastest route back to normality is to get boosted.'

Some small pubs and restaurants are deciding it is better to shut than stay open, either because lots of their staff have contracted Covid and are not available, or because nearly all their bookings have been cancelled. However, most venues remain open and very few big chains have shut.

Late on Thursday, the Welsh government said it would close nightclubs from December 27 and impose a two-metre social distancing rule in offices.

Prof Lockdown Neil Ferguson warns of 5,000 Omicron deaths a DAY unless tighter restrictions return 'in a week or two' as London's hospitalisations rise a third in a week, UK daily infections soar 60% to 93,000 and variant becomes dominant strain nationally

By Connor Boyd Deputy Health Editor For Mailonline and Stephen Matthews Health Editor For Mailonline
Oxford University may make 'woke scores' part of the criteria when recruiting academics, it has emerged.

A consultation document from the university's race equality taskforce reportedly states the importance of embedding EDI  equality, diversity and inclusion  into 'all recruitment'.

It recommends that 'good citizenship and/or commitment to EDI work' should be 'essential criteria' for applicants, the Daily Telegraph reported.

But some academics have objected to the idea.

Oxford University may make 'woke scores' part of the criteria when recruiting academics, it has emerged. A consultation document from the university's race equality taskforce reportedly states the importance of embedding EDI  equality, diversity and inclusion  into 'all recruitment'. (File image)

'One of the big issues that may well upset dons is that EDI is meant to be embedded as a criteria when making academic appointments,' a senior don told the newspaper.

'If we are supposed to pay attention to their EDI  their woke score  does this mean it doesn't matter if they are useless at teaching and research?'

Other inclusivity-boosting suggestions include a 'centrally funded pool of trained EDI observers' to support recruitment panels.

An Oxford University spokesman stressed the document was a consultation rather than an agreed strategy.

After reviewing student and staff responses, the taskforce will draw up a university-wide strategy which they hope will be approved by Oxford's governing body by the end of the academic year.
The confession of a man behind one of Britain's biggest mysteries may have finally solved a murder that happened 51 years ago.

Muriel McKay was kidnapped from her Wimbledon home on December 29, 1969 after she was mistaken for Anna Murdoch, the 25-year-old wife of media tycoon Rupert, and later died.

Brothers Nizamodeen and Arthur Hosein were convicted of her murder though police never recovered McKay's body.

But Nizmodeen, 75, has now revealed the site where McKay was buried to a lawyer representing her family putting police under pressure to excavate the site in a bid to find her remains.

He also claimed McKay died from a heart attack while watching a news report of her kidnapping two days after the 40-day ransom ordeal began.

He made the confession after being tracked down in Trinidad by documentary makers covering the story in August this year, despite maintaining his innocence.

Muriel McKay was kidnapped from her Wimbledon home on December 29, 1969 after she was mistaken for Anna Murdoch, the 25-year-old wife of media tycoon Rupert, and later died

Nizamodeen (right) and Arthur Hosein (left) were convicted of her murder though police never recovered McKay's body

Nizmodeen (above), 75, has now revealed the site where McKay was buried to a lawyer representing her family

The pair claimed they were innocent but Arthur's fingerprints were found on the ransom notes and a notebook filled with the same paper that Muriel's letters were written on were discovered at the site.

Nizmodeen told Matthew Gayle, a British barrister in Trinidad hired by the family, that he wanted 'closure' before he died and so would reveal the location of McKay's body.

He said: 'At the farmhouse there's a wooden gate, there's a few wooden gates, it has barn beside, barn beside, and ten foot forward, ten foot this side [left], the body's somewhere around there.

'Next to the barbed wire fence, about three foot [from the fence].'

Muriel was kidnapped after the brothers tailed a chauffeured Rolls Royce belonging to Murdoch that was on loan to her husband Alick McKay.

She was abducted in the brothers' Volvo and taken to Rooks Farm, where they lived with Arthur's wife and children, who were on holiday at the time.

Newspaper executive McKay returned home to find the telephone ripped off the wall, the contents of his wife's handbag strewn over the hall.

Nizmodeen said: 'At the farmhouse there's a wooden gate, there's a few wooden gates, it has barn beside, barn beside, and ten foot forward, ten foot this side [left], the body's somewhere around there'

Muriel McKay's family (pictured in January 1970) are pressuring the police to excavate the farmhouse where she is thought to been buried in a bid to find her remains

He later received a call from a man demanding 1 million  equivalent to 20 million today  if Muriel was to be returned alive, sparking the UK's first high-profile, kidnap-for-ransom case.

Over the 40-day ordeal the brothers, who claimed to be a mafia group called M3, sent three letters and made 18 further calls demanding the money.

They also sent McKay's husband five letters allegedly written by Muriel, including one in which she said she was cold and blindfolded, as proof of life.

Two attempts by police to deliver fake notes to the kidnappers failed but the second try led officers to Rook's Farm, where Muriel was taken by the brothers.

Nizmodeen told the lawyer he was the only person who buried McKay, refusing to implicate his brother Arthur who was also convicted for her murder.

He also protested he had not killed McKay, maintaining instead that she had collapsed and later died from a heart attack while sitting downstairs in the farmhouse.

'This will forever haunt me for the rest of my days,' Nizmodeen said, adding he had fed 'fried rice' to McKay after kidnapping her. His brother Arthur died in prison in 2009.

Nizmodeen Hosein protested he had not killed McKay, maintaining instead that she had collapsed and later died from a heart attack while sitting downstairs in the farmhouse (pictured)

Nizmodeen also agreed to talk to Muriel's sister Dianne, 81, in a video call.

She said: 'I was dreading speaking with him. At first I wrote him a letter and I couldn't do it, I felt physically ill. Since then I've got more into it and eventually I was able to front him up on a Zoom call.

'He told me he wanted closure before he met his maker. I felt utter relief when he said she's buried at the farm.

'I've just thought about it so much over the years. For years I had terrible dreams of them throwing my mother in the sea.

'We haven't had a good Christmas since it happened. To me it's a horrible time, it's the anniversary of it happening and New Year I find particularly upsetting. We always went abroad at Christmas so we could avoid the issue.

Dianne added: 'It's always there in the back of your mind somewhere. It makes you more anxious  I lock the doors and moved abroad to somewhere in the middle of nowhere, I retreated to a very isolated place.

'You didn't know whether to cry, or to accept, it was a very confusing emotion. You cannot grieve, you cannot accept, because there was no body...

'When he told us those details, he said where it was, how to get there, how many steps, it was quite a lot of detail and I thought, "My God, he's telling the truth, he can't be making this up".'

Dianne said the revelation gave her 'a sense of comfort, just to think she was buried somewhere' especially as 'there was so much horrible speculation about being fed to pigs.'

She said she was 'desperately keen to find [Muriel's] body' and that if remains were found she and her siblings would have to decide what to do with them.
Heartbroken mourners have gathered to grieve the death of five children who were tragically killed in a freak jumping castle accident in Tasmania this week.

Dozens of residents from all ages have dropped off flowers, toys and messages of support outside the Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport after Thursday's tragedy.

Five children - Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, all aged 12, and their classmate Addison Stewart, 11 - lost their lives when the jumping castle they were on flew ten metres into the air after a gust of wind.

Three more students are fighting for life in hospital and another is now recovering at home.

Photos have showed the shattered faces of family members, classmates and fellow community members unable to fathom how such a tragedy could have occurred.

The state's education minister Sarah Courtney was visibly emotional as she delivered a bouquet of flowers to the memorial on Saturday.

Mourners have paid their respects outside Hillcrest Primary School this weekend after five children were killed in a freak jumping castle accident. Education Minister Sarah Courtney is seen at the memorial

Education Minister Sarah Courtney delivered a bouquet of flowers at the site on Saturday

The minister was visibly emotional as she paid her respects to the five students lost

One man was overcome with emotion as he visited the memorial site

The man took a moment to himself as he leant against a pole outside the school on Saturday

Families, classmates and Devonport locals have been left shattered by the tragedy

The children lost in the tragedy (left to right) were identified on Friday as Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, and Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones

Another man was overcome with emotion and rested his head on his arm as he leaned against a pole.

Others leant to each other for comfort and cried into the arms of loved ones.

The accident has rocked the tight-knit community of Devonport, as well as the entire country.

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein, Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Devonport Mayor Annette Rockliff have each dropped off flowers, while children have written heartfelt messages in crayon on the sidewalk.

The entire side of the footpath is now a shrine dedicated to remembering the students who were lost.

One father brought his young daughter to the memorial on Saturday as hundreds pay their respects

A stream of flowers line the footpath after hundreds of mourners turned out to pay their respects

Ms Courtney looks on at the endless flowers and toys laid out for the five children

Locals have comforted each other in the wake of the accident

One woman is seen leaving a bag at the memorial outside the primary school

Another Devonport local is seen carrying stuffed toys to leave at the memorial site

The community has banded together to support the families of the victims

One woman is seen comforting a loved one outside the school gates

It comes after it was revealed the state's education department has banned all state schools from using jumping castles while the investigation into the accident is ongoing.

Tasmania's Education Department confirmed they have 'put a hold on the use of jumping castle-style equipment until the results of the investigation are known'.

Meanwhile from the incredible efforts of one Devonport local, more than $1million has been raised for the families of the victims.

Zoe Smith created a GoFundMe page to help support the family and process their grief through the Christmas period.

Earlier the step-mum of one of the victims Zane Mellor told Daily Mail Australia, the family was lost without him.

More mourners are seen arriving at the memorial site on Saturday

The state's education department earlier revealed they had banned the use of jumping castles at all state schools while the investigation is underway

Loved ones held each other tight as they left flowers and toys at the memorial

One little boy is seen visiting the school memorial with his parents

The Devonport community has been rocked by the tragedy, along with Australians around the country

'We are going to miss him so much, his cheeky smile, a smile so big his eyes would light up,' Denitta Ryder said.

'To Zane's dad Tim, his children are his whole world and he is completely lost without him.'

Ms Ryder also said her step-son was a smart boy who loved going on adventures with his family.

'He was so gentle with his younger siblings, they all absolutely adored him and he adored them,' she shared.

Hundreds of bouquets of flowers have lined the streets outside the Hillcrest Primary School

Many residents broke down while visiting the memorial after the unthinkable accident on Thursday

A woman gazes out at the balloons left along the school fence, all with hand written notes on them
A diver who suffered from decompression sickness is lucky to be alive after quick-thinking police resuscitated him.

Mitchell Goodwin, 36, was diving with mates when disaster struck 15 nautical miles off the coast of Mandurah, Western Australia, on November 15.

Goodwin began to suffer from decompression sickness, which is caused when a diver ascends to the surface of the water too quickly.

Symptoms include dizziness, loss of consciousness and uncontrollable shaking, which can lead to paralysis or death.

Mitchell Goodwin, 36, was diving when disaster struck 15 nautical miles off the coast of Mandurah, Western Australia, on November 15

Goodwin revealed that he felt perfectly fine after resurfacing from his first dive and only began to feel unwell ten minutes later during his second dive

Divers may not begin to display symptoms straight away and only show signs of decompression sickness minutes later.

Goodwin revealed that he felt perfectly fine after resurfacing from his first dive and only began to feel unwell ten minutes later during his second dive.

'I started to head back in for my second dive,' he said. 'Ten minutes of driving my own vessel, I felt nauseas, felt something coming on.

'I couldn't stand up myself. I lost my hearing, I lost my sight. Then blanked out.'

Mr Goodwin was onboard with a couple of other divers who tried to phone authorities for help.

The boat was so far offshore that there was poor mobile reception and the divers only managed to contact authorities for a brief few seconds.

Senior constable Ian Pembridge was on duty at the time saying that authorities only knew the boat was 15 nautical miles off the coast.

'We didn't know what we were going into. We realised Mitchell was already unconscious and appeared to be deteriorating rapidly.'

Authorities released footage of the dramatic moment the boat was located and when the medical team swooped in to save Mr Goodwin.

He is seen in the video lying flat on his back with an oxygen mask wrapped around his face.

'I was concerned that he was going critical,' senior constable Ian Pembridge said. 'He appeared to stop breathing a couple of times.'

The rescuers managed to get Mr Goodwin back to shore before he was rushed to Fiona Stanley Hospital.

Authorities released footage of the dramatic moment the boat was located and when the medical team swooped in to save Mr Goodwin

It was the closest hospital that had a hyperbaric chamber which is used to pump oxygen back into patients who are suffering from conditions such as decompression syndrome.

Mr Goodwin revealed the long road to recovery with doctors believing that he would be left paralysed for life.

'I was told after the fourth day they didn't think I would walk again,' Mr Goodwin said.

'The hospital said if it wasn't for the officers, I could've been either not here, or not able to walk.'
Thousands of sun worshippers ignored rising Covid case numbers to hit the surf, sand and beachside cafes, as temperatures soared.

With the mercury hitting 29C at the coast Sydney on Saturday and 37C at Penrith it finally started to feel like summer in Australia's biggest city.

Sydneysiders took the chance to peel off the layers and flock to eastern and northern beaches.

But the instinct of fun-starved Sydneysiders to hit the beach was causing fears of major traffic congestion in some locations.

Thousands of sun worshippers ignored rising Covid case numbers to hit the sand and beachside cafes as temperatures soared into the 30s

With the mercury pushing up towards 40 degrees for western Sydney and 34 on the coast tomorrow, the sunny and still conditions meant it finally started to feel like summer in Australia's biggest city

On Saturday Sydneysiders were in no mood for yet another reason to stay home, packing beaches from Manly to Bondi and Coogee.

Sydneysiders took the chance to peel off the layers and flock to the beaches and surf-side eateries everywhere on Saturday, including Bondi, Bronte, Coogee and Manly

Randwick Council had traffic control marshals on duty until 5pm on Friday and were preparing to close roads into Little Bay and La Perouse to non-locals over the weekend, fearing 1km-plus queues to reach the beaches.

That could mean 'only local residents, emergency and council vehicles, buses, ride share and delivery drivers and people with confirmed restaurant bookings will be permitted entry,' the council said in a statement.

'So are local residents say from Matraville/ Maroubra allowed through?' asked Rulzie on Facebook. 'Hi, no they won't be,' was Randwick Council's reply.

With the mercury hitting 29C at the coast Sydney on Saturday and 37C at Penrith it finally started to feel like summer in Australia's biggest city

Sydneysiders were in no mood to find another reason to stay home and hit beaches in their hundreds and thousands on Saturday

At Clovelly beachgoers (pictured) made the most of the warm 22 degree ocean temperatures leaping into the ocean

Sunbakers enjoy warm conditions at Clovelly at coastal temperatures hit 31 on Saturday

Saturday's weather gave the city the first real taste of holiday vibes of late, especially with so many people dispirited by renewed Covid concerns

But on Saturday Sydneysiders were in no mood for yet another reason to stay home, packing beaches from Manly to Bondi and Coogee.

Devoted sunbakers hit the sand at Bronte, Bondi and Coogee, while they leapt off the rocks and into the warm ocean at Clovelly.

Sydney's sea temperature was a warm 22 degrees on Saturday.

It gave the city the first real taste of holiday vibes of late, especially with so many people dispirited by renewed Covid concerns.

NSW suffered its worst day of Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began nearly two years ago, with 2,482 new infections announced on Saturday.

Record case numbers this week and uncertainty over the severity of the Omicron variant put a downer on the city after and mediocre weather lately finally turned.

This week has marked the best spell for months after the hated La Nina weather pattern brought months of stormy weather and cloudy skies.

Beachgoers flocked to the sand and the water from north to the eastern suburbs beaches all day on Saturday

Lifeguards and Coogee get ready for an influx of beachgoers on Saturday morning

A UV alert was issued for until 5pm Saturday, meaning an extreme risk of harm from unprotected Sun exposure.

Sunday is predicted to get even hotter, though a storm could hit in the afternoon.

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting 'fast moving storms' to cool things down across Sydney on Sunday afternoon.

Sydney's hot weekend could be interrupted by storms on Sunday afternoon

'It could possibly get up to 40 within the Sydney basin tomorrow but that's dependent on the thunderstorms coming through,' said forecaster Jackson Browne.

'Those could potentially bring some large hail but it will be a short sharp affair because of how quickly these storms will be moving.'

On Monday Sydney will cool to around 26 degrees.

Elsewhere in New South Wales temperatures are predicted to hit the mid 40s.

By 2pm Saturday Hay, in the NSW Riverina, had hit 43 degrees, while parts of north-western NSW reached 43.5 degrees.

The hot weather in NSW is predicted to continue into next week and possibly up to Christmas day.

Elewhere, severe heatwave conditions brought 'oppressive' conditions to northern parts of Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.

WA's Pilbara region could see temperatures brew close to 50C while Marble Bar is forecast to reach 49C this weekend - making it the hottest December on record.

Severe fire danger warnings have been issued for parts of WA and SA, including the Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island on Friday.

Fire danger warnings are also in place for parts of Victoria and NSW on Saturday, as temperatures are set to soar across major cities Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne.
Hundreds of anti-vaxx protesters have gathered in Melbourne to fight vaccine mandates and the pandemic bill.

Demonstrators gathered at the intersection of Bourke Street and Spring Street at 12pm on Saturday, as the mercury soared to 34C.

Some waved flags while other beat drums as they made their way through the streets.

Hundreds of anti-vaxx protesters have gathered in Melbourne to fight vaccine mandates and the pandemic bill

Demonstrators gathered at the intersection of Bourke Street and Spring Street at 12pm on Saturday, as the mercury soared to 34C

One protester was seen carrying the American confederate flag.

The Australian red ensign flag was also seen which is commonly featured in anti-vaccination protests.

Demonstrators held placards reading 'Sack Dan Andrews' and 'my body my choice' while multiple religious signs were spotted in the crowd.

Some bore images of the cross with slogans including: 'In the name of God, for our and your freedoms' and 'Jesus wins'.

Some waved flags while other beat drums as they made their way through the streets

Victoria Police have reportedly lined the steps of parliament house and controlled traffic as demonstrators spilled onto the road.

Multiple speakers stood before the crowd declaring 'politicians don't own us,' as protesters were heard cheering on.

Velvet Revolution Australia leader Lyn Bennetts addressed the gathering at about 12.40pm.

'We are here today to claim back our establishment, at 1pm we will wander up to the High Court and at 2pm we are going to the Governor's House,' she said.

'They are our establishments.'

Multiple speakers addressed the crowd during a protest against vaccine mandates in Melbourne's CBD

At 2pm protesters completely surrounded Melbourne West Police Station as one person went inside to 'serve the police some paperwork'.

The paperwork was lodged by a protester known as Nick who claimed 'police  are taking directions from the government which is against the law'.

'I said to them "You guys are independent office holders according to the Victorian Police Act, you're a constable of the law  the Australian legal dictionary says the constable cannot be directed by the government about who they prosecute",' he told The Herald Sun.

Multiple religious signs were spotted in the crowd during anti-vaccination protests in Melbourne's CBD on Saturday

'I said for the past two years you have been prosecuting for the government.'

Unmasked members of the crowd held signs offering 'free hugs' encouraging protesters to hug them during the march.

The crowd marched towards the High Court as protesters chanted 'free Australia' and 'save our nation'.

This comes as Victoria saw another surge in cases with an additional 1,504 Covid-19 infections on Saturday, with seven deaths also reported.

The state's cases have remained steady with 1,510 on Friday and 1,622 on Thursday.

Hospitalisation rates have also remained stable with 384 patients being treated.

The number of patients in ICU has jumped to 86 - up from 84 reported on Friday.

There are also now 19 confirmed Omicron cases
A third woman has accused troubled Sex and the City actor Chris Noth of sexual assault for allegedly groping her at a Manhattan restaurant in 2010 when she was 18.

The unnamed 30-year-old Canadian tech executive claimed Noth, then-55, repeatedly groped her while she was working as a hostess at the Da Marino restaurant in Midtown, the Daily Beast first reported.

She alleges that Noth, now 67, pulled down her tights and touched and clung onto her so strongly that after she managed to push and kick him away, her 'limbs hurt in the morning.'

'It felt as though I was the only person in the universe who could hear me saying no,' she told the outlet.

Noth, pictured with wife Tara Wilson, is accused of sexually assaulting three women, beating and threatening to kill an ex-girlfriend and being sexually inappropriate at an NYC club

The allegation comes as Noth faces accusations of raping and sexually assaulting two women going by the pseudonyms Zoe, 40, and Lily, 30, in 2004 and 2015, respectively.

He was also accused of beating and threatening to kill and disfigure his ex-girlfriend, supermodel Beverly Johnson between 1990 and 1995, according to a resurfaced article that was posted online this week. Actress Zoe Lister-Jones, 39, claimed he was also sexually inappropriate with women at a New York City club in 2005.

The bombshells have caused his agency, A3 Artists Agency, to drop him, and a long-time friend of the actor told The Sun that Noth's wife, Tara Wilson, might not spend Christmas with him.

A woman with the pseudonym Ava, 30, claimed that when she was 18, Noth groped her multiple times inside the Da Marino restaurant in NYC in 2010. She said she tried to push him off, but he continued to touch and kiss her before she managed to get away

Noth and Johnson (seen right in 1993 and left in 1994) dated from 1990 until 1995, however the resurfaced article claims she was left 'frightened' by his behavior at the end of the relationship

In the most recent accusation levied against Noth, the former hostess, who The Daily Beast gave the pseudonym Ava, said she was ecstatic to meet Noth in 2010.

The experience quickly soured for the Sex and the City fan as Noth came in intoxicated, allegedly telling her, 'I love Canadian women,' as he pressed her against 'his erection.'

'I remember how electrifying his hand, the hand I watched hold Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, felt grabbing me,' Ava said.

She claimed Noth then followed her into the back office and began kissing her and pressing her against a desk.

She said the actor also felt her tampon and asked if she was at the end of her period before continuing to grope her.

Despite Ava's protests, Noth allegedly carried on until she told him 'not here,' convincing him that they could carry on somewhere else.

'I haven't been able to shake the memory of how the kitchen staff looked at me as I emerged from the office with Chris Noth,' she said.

Ava told friends and her boss about the incident, but she left the restaurant after her employer told her that Noth 'would never be interested in someone as insignificant' as her.

Noth has denied Ava's claims and all the other accuser's allegations and has insisted that Zoe and Lily were both consensual partners. No criminal charges were ever filed against Noth.

Noth, right, rose to fame playing Detective Mike Logan on Law and Order

He went on to play Mr. Big in Sex and the City, who returned to the limelight in the new sequel series. His return is what prompted his accusers to be vocal once again

The alleged incidents, however, have revealed that Noth had been unfaithful to Wilson, who meet in 2001 and married in 2012. The couple share two children, Orion, 13, and 18-month-old Keats.

'If anything, he is guilty of that,[cheating], A long-time friend of the star told The Sun.

'[Wilson] is in LA and is very upset she's not doing well. They planned to spend Christmas together but that is now unknown.'

The friend added that all of Noth's friends are standing by him and believe the accusations from all four women are false.

'He is a flirt, but not a sleaze. He's no Weinstein,' the friend said.

Noth has two sons with Wilson - Orion (left), 13, who was born in 2008, seven years before the alleged second attack took place, and Keats (right), one, who was born in 2020

In the The Hollywood Reporter story that broke the flood gates, two accusers claims that Noth had sex with them, with the first attack allegedly taking place in 2004, while the second reportedly occurred in 2015, three years after Noth married his wife, Tara Wilson, with whom he has two children.

The two women both also allege that the attacks took place in one of Noth's homes - the first in his Los Angeles apartment and the second in his New York City property - after the actor invited them over.

On Thursday evening, the Los Angeles Police Department said that it is not investigating the claims against Noth made by the woman in LA 'at this point'.

That woman, Zoe, said she visited the actor's home in West Hollywood to return a book that he had lent her, while the second stated that she went back to Noth's apartment in Greenwich Village after a date, when he invited her to sample 'his collection of whiskeys'.

Both women claim that the recent publicity surrounding the Sex and the City reboot - And Just Like That - 'stirred painful memories' of their encounters with Noth, who has featured heavily in the news in the past week as a result of the shock death of his character, Mr Big, in the first episode of the new series.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Noth, who has two sons with Wilson - Keats and Orion - admitted that he had 'consensual encounters' with the two women, both of which reportedly took place while he was in a relationship with his wife, but he strongly denied any accusations that he assaulted them.

Noth's most famous role is as Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) love interest John James 'Mr. Big' Preston on Sex and the City and now its spin-off

'The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false,' the statement reads.

'These stories could've been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago  no always means no  that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual.

'It's difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I don't know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women.'

Zoe says she first met Noth while working 'in an entry-level position at a high-profile firm where Noth and other celebrities regularly had business' in 2004. She claims that the actor - who was then at the height of his Sex and the City fame and, according to Zoe's then-boss was seen as a 'god' by her and colleagues - began flirting with her in the office.

At the time, Noth had been dating his now-wife Wilson for three years; the pair began their relationship in 2001 after first meeting at The Cutting Room, a New York jazz club owned by the actor, where Wilson, who was in her early 20s at the time, worked as a bartender.

However, according to Zoe, the actor began leaving 'flirty' messages on her voicemail - which her boss alerted her to.

Speaking to THR, the boss confirmed that she was aware of the messages, saying that it struck her as strange that the actor would be reaching out to her much younger employee, however she insists she was not in any way concerned by them.

Zoe claims that she was raped by Noth in his West Hollywood apartment when she was just 22 and he was 49 - alleging that the actor invited her and a friend over to the pool at his building. Her unnamed friend confirmed that the two visited the pool and recalled that they sat in the jacuzzi with Noth, who then left a book with Zoe while he went to his apartment to take a call.

She states that Noth then asked her to return the book to his home, telling her that he'd 'love to know what she thought'.

When Zoe went up to his home to give the book back, she says Noth 'kissed her' as soon as she walked through the door, however she says she was not initially concerned by the kiss - and in fact thought it would be a 'funny story' she could tell her friends about.

Noth met Tara Wilson in 2001 and the couple married in 2012, after the alleged assaults

However, she says Noth then pulled her towards him, moved her to his bed and removed her shorts and bikini bottoms, before raping her 'from behind' while they were 'facing a mirror'.

'It was very painful and I yelled out, 'Stop!'' Noth's alleged first victim says actor left her bleeding after attack in his LA home Noth's first accuser - Zoe, now 40 - claims that the actor invited her to his Los Angeles apartment to return a book in 2004, before raping her from behind. She claims that he 'kissed her as she stepped through the door' and that she 'tentatively kissed him back' before trying to leave his home. Zoe alleges that the actor then 'pulled her toward him, moved her toward the bed, pulled off her shorts and bikini bottom, and began to rape her from behind' while they were 'facing a mirror'. 'It was very painful and I yelled out, 'Stop!'' she claims. 'And he didn't. I said, 'Can you at least get a condom?' and he laughed at me.' Following the alleged incident, Zoe says she saw 'blood on her shirt' and returned to a friend's apartment, which was located in the same building as Noth's home, to try and wash it out. It was there that her friends urged her to go to hospital - where she says she had to get stitches. 'I had stitches. Two police officers came. I wouldn't say who it was,' she says, claiming that she feared she would 'not be believed' and could 'be fired' if she publicly accused Noth of rape. Advertisement

She also claimed that the actor did not use protection, that he 'laughed at her' when she asked him to get a condom - and says she was left bleeding after the assault, and had to go to the hospital to get stitches.

'It was very painful and I yelled out, 'Stop!'' she told THR. 'And he didn't. I said, 'Can you at least get a condom?' and he laughed at me.'

After the alleged assault, she says she returned to a friend's apartment, which was located in the same building as Noth's home, and tried to wash the blood out of her shirt, before being urged by her friends to go to Cedars-Sinai, where she told hospital workers that she had been assaulted.

'I had stitches. Two police officers came. I wouldn't say who it was,' she says, claiming that she feared she would 'not be believed' and could 'be fired' if she publicly accused Noth of rape.

When contacted about Zoe's story, Cedars-Sinai told The Hollywood Reporter that it does not have records dating back to the time of the alleged attack.

Although Zoe has not previously accused Noth of assault or rape, she says did speak to several people about the attack - including her boss at the time, who told THR that Zoe phoned her after the alleged rape and told her Noth had attacked her.

Speaking to the outlet, Zoe's now-former boss said that her ex-employee sounded 'upset' and was 'in shock' during the phone call while relaying details of the 'horrible' incident, however she says Zoe insisted that she not tell anyone about it.

'I was 25 at the time. It was a lot. I didn't know what to do,' the unnamed woman said.

Noth's second accuser, Lily, who is now working as a journalist, told a similar story to THR, alleging that the actor raped her in his home in Greenwich Village after they struck up a flirty relationship while she was working as a server at former New York nightclub No.8 in 2015, when she was 25.

At the time, Noth - who was then 60 years old - had been married to his wife for three years and the couple had one child together, Orion, who was born in 2008. They have since had a second son, Keats, born in 2020.

Both women told THR that the recent publicity surrounding the release of the Sex and the City sequel And Just Like That prompted them to come forward with their claims

Noth has featured heavily in the press in the past week after his character, Mr. Big, died of a heart attack in a shocking twist in the first episode of the new reboot

Describing herself as a long-time fan of the actor - whom she knew from his days starring in Law & Order, as well as his role on Sex and the City - Lily says she was 'truly star-struck' when he began 'hitting on her'.

'I was crying as it happened': Actor's alleged second victim claims he raped her in his New York apartment The second accuser - a woman using the pseudonym Lily, now 31 - alleges that Noth assaulted her in his apartment in Greenwich Village in 2015 after he invited her on a date at Italian restaurant Il Cantinori. According to Lily, the kitchen at the restaurant had closed by the time they arrived, so they drank wine together at the bar. She claims that she 'had too much to drink' but was 'nowhere near blacking out' when Noth suggested that they go back to his home to 'sample his collection of whiskeys'. She says they spent time 'listening to music' and discussing his collection of 'books about art and fashion', before he 'tried to make out with her'. Lily says she 'cautiously entertained' him, but that he became more forceful as time went on. 'He kept trying and trying and trying, and I should have said no more firmly and left. And then the next thing I knew, he pulled down his pants and he was standing in front of me,' she says, alleging that he then 'thrust his penis into her mouth'. She claims that Noth - who was married to wife Tara Wilson and had one child with her at the time - told her 'marriage is a sham' and that 'monogamy is not real', before raping her. '[Suddenly] he was having sex with me from the back in a chair,' she said. 'We were in front of a mirror. I was kind of crying as it happened.' After the alleged attack, Lily says she 'went to the bathroom and put on her skirt', adding that she 'felt awful... totally violated'. Advertisement

'He was hitting on me, for sure. I was flattered. I knew he was married, which is shameful of me to admit,' she said.

According to Lily, Noth asked for her number and later asked her out for dinner; they arranged to meet at Italian restaurant Il Cantinori - which featured in an episode of the original Sex and the City series.

However, by the time the pair met at the eatery, the kitchen had closed, so Lily says they 'had wine at the bar' and discussed Noth's lack of interest in appearing in a potential third Sex and the City movie.

Lily admits that she 'had too much to drink' but insists that she was 'nowhere near blacking out' when the actor invited her to his nearby home in Greenwich Village so that they could 'sample his collection of whiskeys' together.

The woman - who describes herself as being 'not super sexually active' at the time - insists that she did not believe he would try and have sex with her, and that she simply though they would 'drink whiskey and talk about his acting career'.

Once inside his 'amazing' home, Lily says the pair listened to music and discussed the actor's collection of art and fashion books, before he began trying to 'make out with her'.

Although she admitted that she 'cautiously entertained' him, she says that she was hesitant because he was 'older and looked older' than her.

However, Lily says he became more forceful as time went on, claiming that he 'kept trying and trying and trying'.

'I should have said no more firmly and left,' she said, claiming that 'the next thing she knew' he had pulled down her pants and 'was standing in front of her', before 'thrusting his penis into her mouth'.

She says that she mentioned the fact that he had a wife and child, only for the actor to tell her that 'marriage is a sham' and 'monogamy is not real'. Lily claims Noth then raped her from behind in a chair in front of a mirror.

'He was having sex with me from the back in a chair. We were in front of a mirror. I was kind of crying as it happened,' she says.

After the alleged assault took place, Lily says she went to the bathroom and put on her skirt, claiming that she 'felt awful' and 'totally violated'.

'All of my dreams with this star I loved for years were gone,' she added.

While in an Uber home, Lily says she spoke to a friend - who was named Alex by THR - on the phone, whom she told that Noth had sex with her 'pretty forcibly'. Despite her friend insisting that Lily should phone the police, she says she refused to.

The second woman - Lily - claims that the alleged attack took place in Noth's Greenwich Village apartment (building pictured) after they met while she was working as a server in a club

Lily says she was working as a server in the VIP section of New York nightclub No. 8 (pictured), which has since closed, when Noth 'hit on her' in 2015

According to Lily, she and Noth went on a date to Italian eatery Il Cantinori - however the kitchen was closed by the time they got there, so she says they drank wine at the bar

The restaurant actually featured in season four of Sex and the City, serving as the location for lead character Carrie Bradshaw's 35th birthday party (pictured)

Speaking to the publication, Lily's friend Alex confirmed her story and claimed that she listened to a voicemail Noth left on Lily's phone after the incident.

According to Alex, Noth said in the message: 'Hey, hope you didn't take anything wrong last night. We had fun. Just want to make sure you didn't take it the wrong way.'

However Lily offered a different recollection of the message, claiming that Noth told her: 'I had a nice time and would really appreciate it if you wouldn't talk to your girlfriends. If we could keep this between you and me, that would be great.'

Lily also handed over text messages sent between herself and Noth in March and April 2015 to The Hollywood Reporter, in which the pair seemingly discussed the incident, with the actor asking whether Lily 'enjoyed their night last week', adding that he 'thought it was a lot of fun' but that he 'wasn't quite sure how she felt'.

According to the outlet, Lily responded that she 'certainly enjoyed [Noth's] company' but that she 'felt slightly used', before suggesting that they continue their conversation on the phone.

Noth went on to propose that the pair meet up for another date, sending her messages suggesting that they 'have a drink' and telling her that it 'didn't have to be at his place although he has the best whiskey'.

In another message seen by THR, Noth reportedly asked Lily: 'Oh mysterious one where did you go.'

Lily says she agreed to see him for dinner on one occasion but ultimately canceled and the two did not meet again.

Neither she nor Zoe have spoken publicly about their accusations until getting in touch with The Hollywood Reporter 'months apart' after being prompted by the frenzy of publicity surrounding the news about the new Sex and the City reboot, which was first announced in January of this year.

Zoe Lister-Jones, left, has claimed that actor Chris Noth was 'sexually inappropriate' to female workers at a club he owned in New York City and once sniffed her neck as she guest starred on an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent in 2005. Noth, right, has vehemently denied the claims of sexual abuse

Lister-Jones, 39, became the first woman to publicly call out Noth for alleged sexually inappropriate behavior in her Instagram story Thursday night.

She wrote that she was inspired to come out with her story after the two women - who used the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 - told The Hollywood Reporter their stories.

The actress known for her work on Life in Pieces began her statement: 'Last week, my friend asked me how I felt about Mr. Big's death on And Just Like That, and I said honestly, I felt relieved,' she wrote, referring to Noth's role on Sex and the City and its spin-off.

'He asked why, and I told him it was because I couldn't separate the actor from the man, and the man is a sexual predator.

'My friend was alarmed at my word choice. And to be honest, so was I.

An old newspaper clipping posted to Instagram on Thursday appeared to show court documents accused Noth of 'battering' model Beverly Johnson back when they were dating

'I hadn't thought of the man in so many years, and yet there was a virility to my language that came from somewhere deep and buried.'

Lister-Jones then explained: 'In my twenties, I worked at a club in New York that Chris Noth owned and on the few occasions, he would show up, he was consistently sexually inappropriate with a fellow female promoter.'

'That same year, I was a guest star on Law and Order, and it was his first episode returning as a detective after 'SATC,''

'He was drunk on set,' she alleged in her statement, noting: 'During my interrogation scene he had a 22 ounce beer under the table that he would drink in between takes.

'In one take, he got close to me, sniffed my neck and whispered, 'You smell good.'

'I didn't say anything. My friend at the club never said anything. It's so rare that we do.

'Part of being a woman in this world is taking a certain amount of pride in knowing how to handle yourself in these situations,' she continued.

'In denying their impact as a means of survival. And burying the feelings that come with the transgressions that we have been taught are simply to be expected.

'My experiences are small in comparison to the accounts of assault that have so bravely been shared today.

'Navigating predation at any level is a burden all woman have to bear. And for the most part there is no accountability and no consequence.

'Chris Noth capitalized on the fantasy that women believe Mr. Big represented,' she alleged, concluding: 'F*** Mr. Big.'

The accusations against Noth come just one week after he hit headlines the world over while reprising his role as Mr. Big in the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That.

She claimed that her experiences were small in comparison to the other allegations against Noth that were reported on Thursday
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Kamala Harris on Friday took a swipe at Joe Biden for declaring 'independence' from Covid on July 4 - and appeared to blame scientists for the administration's failure to be better prepared for Omicron and Delta as the new strains threaten to send the country spiraling back to pandemic shutdowns.

Harris, in an interview with The Los Angeles Times, said: 'We have not been victorious over it.

'I don't think that in any regard anyone can claim victory when, you know, there are 800,000 people who are dead because of this virus.'

Confirmed cases of Omicron reached 830 as of Saturday morning - a 50 percent increase from Friday - and has been detected in nearly every state. Kentucky, Arkansas, Maine, Kansas and Wyoming confirmed new Omicron cases, bringing the total to 45 states.

The vice president insisted that the virologists 'upon whose advice and direction we have relied' were blind to the next wave.

'We didn't see Delta coming,' Harris told the paper.

'I think most scientists did not - upon whose advice and direction we have relied - didn't see Delta coming.'

Kamala Harris is seen on Friday speaking to The Los Angeles Times in her Washington DC office

Also on Friday Harris appeared on Charlamagne Tha God's show on Comedy Central for an interview, which became uncomfortably heated after the radio host asked the vice president: 'So who's the real president of this country? Is it Joe Manchin or Joe Biden?'

Harris, 57, also bridled later Friday when she was questioned on who really held the power in Washington DC during an interview with radio host Charlamagne Tha God after Biden's flagship $1.75 trillion Build Back Better legislation had to be tabled over objections from Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin.

On December 14 Harris listened as Biden spoke at a DNC holiday party (above)

'So who's the real president of this country? Is it Joe Manchin or Joe Biden?' asked Charlamagne, whose real name Lenard Larry McKelvey, during his Comedy Central show.

'Come on, Charlamagne,' Harris said. 'Come on. It's Joe Biden.'

Charlamagne replied: 'I can't tell sometimes.'

Harris, grew visibly angry, wagged her finger at the host and said: 'No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

'It's Joe Biden, and don't start talking like a Republican about asking whether or not he's president. And it's Joe Biden. And I'm vice president and my name is Kamala Harris.'

The heated exchange came after Harris's outgoing aide Symone Sanders tried to cut off the interview.

Sanders, could be heard off-camera on the other end of the remote interview, shouting: 'I'm so sorry Charlamagne, it's Symone, we have to wrap.'

'She can hear me,' Charlamagne chuckled.

Sanders responded: 'Can you hear me now? I'm sorry but we have to wrap. I'm sorry to interrupt.'

'They're acting like they can't hear me, yo,' Charlamagne said, turning to a producer off-camera, implying that Harris's team is faking technical issues.

Harris, looking tense, stared at Charlamagne and replied, 'I can hear you,' allowing the interviewer to finally continue with his question.

Just weeks ago Harris was branded a 'bully' who inflicted constant-soul destroying criticism' on her office staff in a damaging expose by The Washington Post following a mass exodus from her office.

Gin Duran, a Harris aide who quit after working with her for five months, said there's a reason her office is experiencing such a large staff turnover.

'One of the things we've said in our little text groups among each other is what is the common denominator through all this and it's her,' Duran told The Post. 'Who are the next talented people you're going to bring in and burn through and then have (them) pretend they're retiring for positive reasons.'

The beleaguered vice president spoke to the media outlets as the Omicron variant spreads nationwide, with 44 states and Puerto Rico now having detected cases as of Saturday morning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The number of confirmed Omicron cases in the US has nearly doubled in a period of 24 hours, with the variant now confirmed in all but six states.

Omicron was first discovered last month in South Africa but is now taking hold in the US, as well. As of Saturday morning, there were 830 cases of Omicron confirmed by DNA sequencing across the country - a 97 percent increase from Friday morning's tally.

In reality, the true number of Omicron cases is much higher, as only 1 to 2 percent of all cases are sequenced for variant markers.

The CDC estimates that Omicron accounts for at least 13 percent of all new cases in New York, which on Friday recorded its highest single-day tally of new Covid-19 cases ever at 21,027.

The Big Apple has been particularly hard-hit, again, with the number of cases doubling in three days.

Earlier this week, Governor Kathy Hochul reinstated controversial mask mandates for most indoor venues.

The rise in cases in the past three days caused Dr Jay Varma, Mayor Bill de Blasio's top medical advisor, to tweet 'we've never seen this before in New York City.'

Testing has now confirmed the presence of Omicron in every US state except for Oklahoma, Montana, North and South Dakota, Indiana, and Vermont, though the eventual arrival of the highly transmissible variant in every state seems assured.

Highly vaccinated states in the Northeast seem to be struggling the most at the moment as cold weather, waning immunity and the new variant all contribute to a new case surge.

Questions have been asked as to why the US was not swifter to react, when the Omicron variant was noted first in South Africa, and then caused havoc in the UK.

'We didn't see Omicron coming. And that's the nature of what this, this awful virus has been, which as it turns out, has mutations and variants,' Harris told The LA Times.

The mutations and variants have been long known as a feature of coronaviruses.

By the time Harris and Biden took over, in January 2021, the WHO had already identified three 'variants of concern' - Alpha, Beta and Gamma.

Two more - Delta and Omicron - emerged in the Biden-Harris era.

Harris denied that the administration had been complacent about the end of the pandemic

Biden on July 4 celebrated 'independence' from the virus, in a positive speech which some have now said was misguided.

'While the virus hasn't been vanquished, we know this: It no longer controls our lives,' the president said.

'It no longer paralyzes our nation. And it's within our power to make sure it never does again.'

Harris said one of her biggest regrets is that she had not been able to do more to combat myths about the virus and vaccine.

'I would take that more seriously,' she said of the misinformation.

'The biggest threat still to the American people is the threat to the unvaccinated.

'And most people who believe in the efficacy of the vaccine and the seriousness of the virus have been vaccinated. That troubles me deeply.'

Harris told the paper she understood the frustration many felt at still being faced with a surge in Covid, despite there now being a vaccine and booster available.

She said she appreciated that many were angry at having to cancel Christmas plans once again, and was well aware of the toll that uncertainty and anxiety took on mental health.

'I get it. I get it. I totally get it,' she said.

'I mean, you know, one of the concerns that I have is the undiagnosed and untreated trauma at various degrees that everyone has experienced.'

The vice president was highly tipped to be the Democrat nominee in 2024 before she took office, and has failed to impress.

Less than half of Americans approve of the job she is doing.

A new Hill/HarrisX poll released on Tuesday shows 43 percent of registered voters approve of Harris's performance, while 50 per cent say they disapprove.

The same poll taken December 6-7 shows 7 percent of respondents are unsure of their approval of the vice president.

Harris would not say whether she felt that her gender and race were a factor in her low approval ratings.

'I'll leave that to other people to evaluate,' she said.

A new poll released Tuesday shows only 43 per cent of registered voters approve of the job Kamala Harris is doing as vice president

Kamala Harris's gaffes June 8: Asked by NBC's Lester Holt why she hadn't yet, in her role as Biden's border tsar, visited the U.S.-Mexico border, she replied: 'And I haven't been to Europe. And I mean, I don't ... understand the point that you're making. I'm not discounting the importance of the border.' July 10: Harris was asked about proposals to enforce voter ID, and said that she was opposed to it because people outside the cities may not be able to print off copies of their documentation. 'There are a whole lot of people, especially people who live in rural communities, who don't  there's no Kinko's, there's no Office Max near them,' she said, to widespread mockery. September 29: A student attending an event to promote voting said that Israel was conducting an 'ethnic genocide' in Palestine. Harris responded: 'Your voice, your perspective, your experience, your truth cannot be suppressed, and it must be heard.' Her office spent the next day trying to calm furious pro-Israel politicians and diplomats. October 11: Harris was found to have used child actors in the recording of a video promoting space, with children gushing about how much they loved science and technology. November 10: The vice president, on a visit to Paris, was mocked for meeting a group of French scientists working in a lab, and speaking to them with a French accent. Advertisement

And asked about the exodus of her staff, Harris said she would rather 'talk about how they've been mentored and nurtured and supported' by her.

Harris's defensiveness about the administration's response to Covid came as Biden himself warned of a 'winter of severe illness and death' for the unvaccinated.

Unvaccinated people are being hit especially hard by this surge, with official city data showing that 804.46 out of every 100,000 testing positive for the virus during the week that ended on December 5 - nearly doubling from 415.99 cases per 100,000 a week earlier.

In Washington DC, the case rate per 100,000 remains much lower than many other states, at 39, but the figure is rapidly rising.

The city has experienced a 230 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks.

Like New York, it is a densely populated city that also struggled when the virus initially broke out in spring 2020.

Cases have also doubled, and then some, in Hawaii over the past two weeks.

The islands have suffered a 140 percent increase in new cases over the past two weeks.

While cases seem to be rising on the east coast - and Hawaii - the Midwest and the Great Plains states are suffering a wave of deaths.

Michigan leads the nation in deaths at the moment, with 1.16 out of every 100,000 residents dying from Covid every day.

Hospitals in the state are being swarmed by new cases, and officials fear that situation will only get worse.

Indiana is also among the nationwide leaders in Covid deaths, averaging 0.8 deaths per 100,000 residents every day.

Also in the Midwest, Ohio (0.71 deaths per 100,000 each day), Wisconsin (0.69) and Minnesota (0.62) are dealing with recent case surges.

Montana finds itself right behind Michigan in death rate at the moment, and is suffering the most of states in the northwestern plains.

The state is averaging 1.15 deaths per every 100,000 residents every day, and especially worrying total for a place with a small, spread out, population.

Wyoming is dealing with a surge of its own, with 0.74 of every 100,000 residents dying from Covid each day.

In North Dakota, its 0.62, and 0.61 in South Dakota. Colorado is recording 0.69 deaths per every 100,000 residents every day.

Cases are decreasing in these states, though, down 49 percent in Montana, 34 percent in Wyoming, 19 percent in North Dakota and 19 percent in South Dakota as well, signaling they may be past the worst of the recent surge.

Other states like Pennsylvania (0.92 deaths per 100,000 every day), Arizona (0.96), West Virginia (0.84) and Colorado (0.69) are also among the nation's leaders in Covid deaths.

In the south, cases are also rising across many states. Florida is currently posting a 127 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks, though that figure is unreliable as the state does not regularly report cases.

Alabama (70 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks), Georgia (60 percent), Texas (89 percent) and Virginia (62 percent) are all experiencing sharp case increases, leading the region.

Cases are declining for states on the west coast, though, with California posting an 11 percent decrease in cases, Alaska down 35 percent, Washington down four percent and Oregon down three percent.
Police have issued an urgent callout to find a nine-year-old girl who vanished before 7am on Saturday morning.

The unnamed girl disappeared from a home at Workshops Avenue in the Ipswich suburb of Brassall before 7am and has not been seen by family or been in touch since.

Queensland Police issued a call for 'urgent public assistance' to find the missing girl, who could be wearing a grey night gown.

Police have issued an urgent callout to find a nine-year-old girl who vanished before 7am on Saturday morning

The unnamed girl disappeared wearing this night gown from from the Ipswich suburb of Brassall before 7am and has not been seen by family or been in touch since

The clothing item has a print with dogs drawn all over it.

They believe she may have been taken to the Miles area, which is 300km west of Ipswich.

Police issued the car registration they believe the girl may have travelled in: 922AN4.

It belongs to a 2008 grey Ford Mondeo.

Police issued a photo of the grey night gown and of the missing girl who is of European appearance and has long hair, worn in pigtails in the photo.

The girl was last seen at a home on Workshops Avenue in Ipswich on Saturday morning

'Police hold concerns for the girl due to her age,' Queensland police said in a statement.

'Officers are appealing to the girl or anyone who knows her whereabouts to contact police.'
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Vice President Kamala Harris's outgoing aide Symone Sanders on Friday tried to cut off an interview with radio host Charlamagne Tha God in a heated exchange, after he questioned who really held the power in Washington D.C.

In a separate interview on Friday, Harris took a swipe at President Joe Biden for declaring independence from COVID-19 on July 4 - and appeared to blame scientists for the United States' failure to be better prepared for Omicron or Delta.

Appearing on Comedy Central with Charlamagne - real name Lenard Larry McKelvey - Harris was asked why she and Biden were unable to pass their flagship $1.75 trillion Build Back Better legislation.

His question so angered Harris that her aide, Sanders, could be heard off-camera on the other end of the remote interview, shouting: 'I'm so sorry Charlamagne, it's Symone, we have to wrap.'

'She can hear me,' Charlamagne chuckles. Sanders responds: 'Can you hear me now? I'm sorry but we have to wrap. I'm sorry to interrupt.'

'They're acting like they can't hear me, yo,' Charlamagne says, turning to a producer off-camera, implying that Harris' team was faking technical issues.

Harris, looking tense, stared at Charlamagne and replied, 'I can hear you,' allowing the interviewer to finally continue with his question.

Kamala Harris on Friday appeared on Charlamagne Tha God's show on Comedy Central for an interview which became uncomfortably heated

Harris reacted with anger when Charlamagne questioned who the real president was

Symone Sanders (above) could be heard off-camera on the other end of the remote interview, shouting: 'I'm so sorry Charlamagne, it's Symone, we have to wrap'

'So who's the real president of this country? Is it Joe Manchin or Joe Biden?' Charlamagne asks.

'Come on, Charlamagne,' Harris says. 'Come on. It's Joe Biden.'

Charlamagne replies: 'I can't tell sometimes.'

Harris, growing visibly angry, wags her finger at the host and says: 'No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

'It's Joe Biden, and don't start talking like a Republican about asking whether or not he's president. And it's Joe Biden. And I'm vice president and my name is Kamala Harris.'

Sanders, the aide who attempted to cut off the interview, is the vice president's chief spokeswoman, who is one of at least four top aides to announce their departures from Harris' staff in recent weeks.

The 32-year-old Sanders will leave by the end of December, but no announcement has been made on whether she has lined up another job, sparking questions over the circumstances surrounding her departure.

In the interview, Charlamagne then asked why Biden was unable to convince Joe Manchin, the powerful West Virginia senator, to vote for his proposal.

Manchin's stubborn refusal to back the government's plan has put severe obstacles in the passage of Biden's bill.

Joe Manchin, the West Virginia senator and moderate Democrat who has frequently refused to back Biden's policies, was described by Charlamagne as the real president - to the anger of Harris

Sanders is one of several top VP staffers to quit in recent weeks Symone Sanders is seen celebrating her recent birthday after announcing her departure from Harris' office Symone Sanders, Harris' senior advisor and chief spokesperson, made waves earlier this month by revealing her plans to depart the vice president's office. Her resignation follows that of comms director Ashley Etienne weeks earlier, amid rumors that Peter Velz, director of press operations, and Vince Evans, deputy director of the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, are both eyeing an exit. Sanders, 32, will leave by the end of December, but no announcement has been made on whether she has lined up another job, sparking questions over the circumstances surrounding her departure. Harris in recent weeks has battled mounting reports that her office is in disarray, and that her team is frustrated at the White House over being handed 'no-win' tasks that don't suit her skillset. Amid the turbulence, Sanders has been Harris' top bulldog defender, batting back at claims of internal disarray and tension with the West Wing. Sanders told the Washington Post that her departure was not due to unhappiness but that she had 'earned a break.' 'I'm getting married next year. I would like to plan my wedding. You know, I have earned a break. So me deciding that I'm leaving has absolutely nothing to do with my unhappiness. I feel honored every single day to work for the vice president who gave me an opportunity to be her spokesperson at the highest levels.' Advertisement

On Friday, it was becoming apparent that Democrats were unable to pass Biden's $1.75 trillion domestic investment program and major election reforms by a self-imposed Christmas deadline.

Kamala Harris's gaffes June 8: Asked by NBC's Lester Holt why she hadn't yet, in her role as Biden's border tsar, visited the U.S.-Mexico border, she replied: 'And I haven't been to Europe. And I mean, I don't ... understand the point that you're making. I'm not discounting the importance of the border.' July 10: Harris was asked about proposals to enforce voter ID, and said that she was opposed to it because people outside the cities may not be able to print off copies of their documentation. 'There are a whole lot of people, especially people who live in rural communities, who don't  there's no Kinko's, there's no Office Max near them,' she said, to widespread mockery. September 29: A student attending an event to promote voting said that Israel was conducting an 'ethnic genocide' in Palestine. Harris responded: 'Your voice, your perspective, your experience, your truth cannot be suppressed, and it must be heard.' Her office spent the next day trying to calm furious pro-Israel politicians and diplomats. October 11: Harris was found to have used child actors in the recording of a video promoting space, with children gushing about how much they loved science and technology. November 10: The vice president, on a visit to Paris, was mocked for meeting a group of French scientists working in a lab, and speaking to them with a French accent. Advertisement

The deadlock over these two high-profile bills put in jeopardy the continuation of an expanded child tax credit for some 3.6 million poor families, which expires on December 31.

Democrats had hoped to extend for another year this six-month-old pilot program as part of Biden's 'Build Back Better' legislation that would expand an array of social programs and battle climate change.

Manchin has been a key holdout and his support is crucial in a chamber where the Democrats have the slimmest margin of control.

Earlier, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters that recent talks with Manchin were encouraging.

'The president's going to get this done and we're going to get it across the finish line. And yes, it's going to take more time than we anticipated,' she told reporters aboard Air Force One as Biden traveled to South Carolina.

Harris told Charlamagne on Friday that the administration had already made great strides, and listed their policy achievements and plans.

'I hear the frustration. but let's not deny the impact that we've had, and agree also that there is a whole lot more work to be done.

'And it is not easy to do, but we will not give up. And I will not give up,' she concluded.

A conciliatory Charlamagne replied: 'I just want you to know, Madame Vice President, that Kamala Harris, that's the one I like.

'That's the one that was putting the pressure on people in Senate hearings.

'That's the one I'd like to see more often out here in these streets.'

The vice president was highly tipped to be the Democrat nominee in 2024 before she took office, and failed to impress.

Less than half of Americans now approve of the job she is doing.

A new Hill/HarrisX poll released on Tuesday shows 43 per cent of registered voters approve of Harris's performance, while 50 per cent say they disapprove.

The same poll taken December 6-7 shows 7 per cent of respondents are unsure of their approval of the vice president.

Harris, asked on Friday by The Los Angeles Times, would not say whether she felt that her gender and race were a factor in her low approval ratings.

'I'll leave that to other people to evaluate,' she said.

She also dodged questions about her poor handling of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, and her high turnover of staff.

'We have not been victorious over it: Kamala takes a swipe at Joe for declaring independence from COVID on July 4  and blames scientists for failing to see Omicron or Delta coming

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday took a swipe at President Joe Biden for declaring independence from Covid on July 4 - and appeared to blame scientists for the United States' failure to be better prepared to see Omicron or Delta coming.

Harris, in an interview with The Los Angeles Times, said: 'We have not been victorious over it.

'I don't think that in any regard anyone can claim victory when, you know, there are 800,000 people who are dead because of this virus.'

The vice president also insisted that the virologists 'upon whose advice and direction we have relied' were blind to the next wave and was sure to note that the Biden administration 'didn't see' Delta and Omicron coming.

'We didn't see Delta coming,' Harris told the paper.

'I think most scientists did not - upon whose advice and direction we have relied - didn't see Delta coming.'

Kamala Harris is seen on Friday speaking to The Los Angeles Times in her Washington DC office

A new poll released Tuesday shows only 43 per cent of registered voters approve of the job Kamala Harris is doing as vice president

Harris spoke as the Omicron variant has been spreading nationwide, with 39 states now having detected cases as of late Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Cases are up 31 percent nationwide over the past two weeks, with 124,413 people testing positive for the virus. Deaths have increased by 28 percent over the past two weeks as well, with 1,288 people dying every day.

The Omicron variant, which was first discovered last month in South Africa, is taking hold in the U.S., as well. The CDC reported that three percent of new cases in the U.S. are of the variant, and the confirmed case total has reached 421 as of Friday morning - a 31 percent increase from Thursday.

While not many cases have yet been confirmed, it is speculated that this new variant is responsible for much of the recent increase in cases nationwide.

New York City has been particularly hard-hit, again, with the number of cases doubling in three days and with the new strain accounting for around 13 percent of cases in the state. On Friday, New York logged a record 21,027 new cases.

Highly vaccinated states in the Northeast seem to be struggling the most at the moment, as cold weather, waning immunity and the new variant all contribute to a new case surge.

Questions have been asked as to why the U.S. was not swifter to react, when the Omicron variant was noted first in South Africa, and then caused havoc in the U.K.

'We didn't see Omicron coming. And that's the nature of what this, this awful virus has been, which as it turns out, has mutations and variants.'

The mutations and variants have been long known as a feature of coronaviruses.

By the time Harris and Biden took over, in January 2021, the World Health Organization had already identified three 'variants of concern' - Alpha, Beta and Gamma.

Two more - Delta and Omicron - emerged in the Biden-Harris era.

Biden on July 4 celebrated 'independence' from the virus, in a positive speech which some have now said was misguided.

'While the virus hasn't been vanquished, we know this: It no longer controls our lives,' the president said.

'It no longer paralyzes our nation. And it's within our power to make sure it never does again.'

But Harris denied that the administration declared victory prematurely.

Harris denied that the administration had been complacent about the end of the pandemic

Harris said one of her biggest regrets is that she had not been able to do more to combat myths about the virus and vaccine.

'I would take that more seriously,' she said of the misinformation.

'The biggest threat still to the American people is the threat to the unvaccinated.

'And most people who believe in the efficacy of the vaccine and the seriousness of the virus have been vaccinated. That troubles me deeply.'

Harris told the paper she understood the frustration many felt at still being faced with a surge in Covid, despite there now being a vaccine and booster available.

She said she appreciated that many were angry at having to cancel Christmas plans once again, and was well aware of the toll that uncertainty and anxiety took on mental health.

'I get it. I get it. I totally get it,' she said.

'I mean, you know, one of the concerns that I have is the undiagnosed and untreated trauma at various degrees that everyone has experienced.'
Russian forces have been fitting separatist fighters with GPS trackers and sending them to probe Ukrainian positions bore starting shelling when they are killed, it has been claimed.

The news emerged as Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said it was 'highly unlikely' Britain or its allies will send troops to defend Ukraine if Russia invades it.

Russia has stationed about 70,000 troops near the border of Ukraine and has started planning for a possible invasion as soon as early next year, US intelligence claimed.

Mr Wallace and Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Yuriyovych Reznikov issued a joint statement on last month that said they were 'concerned' by Russia's military build-up.

British Army tanks arrived in Sennelager, central Germany for an exercise with its allies as fears grow about a Russian invasion of Ukraine

Troops from the UK had previously been pulled from Germany following the end of the Cold War

As the British Army trains in Germany with its allies, the Kremlin has denied preparing to invade Ukraine and accused Kiev of stoking tensions

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (pictured) said it was 'highly unlikely' Britain would come to Ukraine's rescue if it were invaded as the Eastern European country was not part of Nato

It added: 'The United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine and will continue its long-standing determination to support them.'

A Ukrainian fighter said a precision bombing was carried out on a secret interrogation after pro-Russian troops were seized while armed with AK47s and taken there.

The elite Ukrainian paratrooper said sacrificial pro-Russian troops 'were carrying the tracker devices' and suggested their 'comrades were prepared to sacrifice them' in an interview with the Mirror.

Mr Wallace said because Ukraine is not part of Nato he did not expect anyone to challenge a Russian invasion.

'It is not a member of Nato so it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to send troops into Ukraine to challenge Russia', Mr Wallace told The Spectator.

'We shouldn't kid people we would. The Ukrainians are aware of that,' he added, in comments from The Times ahead of the interview's publication.

Asked if that meant Ukraine was on its own, Mr Wallace said: 'We can all help with capacity building but to some extent Ukraine is not in Nato and that is why we are doing the best diplomatically to say to Putin don't do this.'

A self-propelled howitzer fires during artillery drills held by the 92nd Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at a shooting range in an unknown location in eastern Ukraine

Service members of the 92nd Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces hold artillery drills at a shooting range in an unknown location in eastern Ukraine

A Ukrainian serviceman keeps watch at a position on the frontline with Russia-backed separatists near the village of Pesky on Tuesday

Russia has 50 battalions comprising up to 94,000 troops stationed on the Ukrainian border with another 80,000 - 100,000 sitting in reserve and will be ready to invade within weeks, the US warned in November

Russian snipers and army intelligence officers staged war games in the snow in the latest drills by Vladimir Putin's forces.

The exercises in Russia come amid deep Western concern the Kremlin is preparing for a winter invasion of Ukraine.

Reconnaissance troops were seen in action on snow vehicles rehearsing combat against a simulated enemy in extreme conditions below -10C.

The Arctic training in Murmansk region involved 'destroying' foes with Kalashnikov rifles and Makarov pistols, according to Zvezda TV, which is owned by the Russian defence ministry.

'Particular attention is paid to training military personnel for operations in low temperatures, deep snow cover, strong winds and polar nights,' a defence spokesman said.

Russia's Northern Fleet held infantry drills in Murmansk region in the Arctic in December 2021

Two Russian snipers in white camouflage training during infantry drills. Other exercises included using Kalashnikov rifles and Makarov pistols

A Russian soldier shoots at a target while standing in a trench on a snowy field in the Arctic this month

Russian troops and intelligence forces were taking part in war games held in Murmansk, the Arctic

Troops dressed in white camouflage used a variety of weapons, from handguns to assault rifles

Russian TOS-1 heavy flame thrower system is a 220mm 30-barrel multiple rocket launcher system fires during military drills near Orenburg, Russia on December 16

Russian 152.4 mm self-propelled howitzers designed by the Soviet Union shoot during military drills near Orenburg

Russian BM-21 'Grad' a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launchers shoot during more military drills

Russia said it does not threaten any country and it has a sovereign right to move its troops across its own territory

Marines of the Baltic Fleet forces of the Russian Navy train in the zone of obstacles during military exercises at the Khmelevka firing ground in the Kaliningrad region, Russia, last month

Russia on Friday published draft security demands that Nato deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries.

It also said it wanted Nato to roll back the alliance's military deployments in central and eastern Europe.

The bold ultimatums will almost certainly be rejected by Nato, especially since the West has previously denied Moscow a written guarantee Ukraine won't be offered membership.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday that destabilising action in Ukraine by Moscow would be a 'strategic mistake'

Mr Johnson told Mr Putin there would be 'significant consequences' for Russia if it invades Ukraine

It comes days after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Russian leader Vladimir Putin there will be 'significant consequences' for Russia if it invades Ukraine.

The Prime Minister spoke by telephone to Mr Putin on Monday to reassert the UK's commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity and warn that any destabilising action by Moscow would be a 'strategic mistake'.

The Kremlin has denied preparing an invasion and has accused the government in Kiev of stoking tensions in the region by deploying new weapons.

British troops, tanks and equipment were ordered to Germany last month amid fears of a Russian threat to the Baltic states

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and has supported a separatist rebellion in the country's east. Pictured: British troops train in Germany

More than seven years of fighting in Ukraine has killed over 14,000 people and devastated the country's industrial heartland, the Donbas. Pictured: A British soldier positioned with a gun on a Army vehicle during a training exercise in Germany

Russia published draft security demands on Friday that Nato deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries. Pictured: A British Army armoured car with a fixed gun on top during a training exercise in Germany

The two countries have been at odds since 2014 when Russian forces annexed the Crimean peninsula and backed a separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine.

Last month British troops, tanks and equipment were ordered into Germany as the UK and its Nato allies stepped up their presence in the region amid fears of the Russian threat to the Baltic states.

The equipment, troops and civilian contractors needed to maintain military hardware will return next year to Sennelager, central Germany, an important training area for British soldiers after the Second World War.

Military figures hope the establishment of a Nato Forward Holding Base in Germany will deter the Kremlin from seeking to seize territory.

It will allow for a swifter response to any Russian thrust into Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia by Vladimir Putin's forces.

The Army will shrink to its smallest size in 300 years by 2025 with just 73,000 regular trained soldiers.

However, the Ministry of Defence claimed the Army would be 'fit for the challenges of the future', helped by 'regional hubs' such as the one in Sennelager.
It comes as the Royal Family Christmas lunch was scrapped amid Omicron fears

She has been staying in Windsor after multiple health scares in recent weeks

The monarch, 95, was said to have been seen in London without a walking stick

The Queen reportedly left Windsor for the first time since October last week

The Queen reportedly left Windsor for the first time since October to make a secret trip to London, after it emerged that she may skip her Christmas trip to Sandringham amid Covid fears.

The 95-year-old monarch reportedly returned to London last week in what is thought to be the first time she left Windsor since spending a night in hospital in October.

The Queen was spotted back on her feet in the capital without a walking stick, according to The Sun.

It comes after the Queen 'regretfully' scrapped next week's traditional Royal Family Christmas lunch and could skip her annual trip to Sandringham amid Omicron fears.

The Queen (pictured on October 16) reportedly returned to London last week in what was thought to be the first time she left Windsor since she spent a night in hospital in October

Speaking about the Queen's reported visit to London, an onlooker told The Sun: 'It was great she was out and about and on her feet and looking back to her best.

'Hopefully, being on her feet in London is a sign that we will see her back on engagements soon.'

MailOnline has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.

The Queen has been on light duties and has been resting at Windsor Castle since spending a night in King Edward VII's Hospital, West London, on October 20.

Aides said her stay was for 'preliminary investigations' and insisted that the tests were purely 'precautionary'.

Just hours later, she was forced to cancel a two-day trip to Northern Ireland to mark the 100th anniversary of the partition on doctors' orders.

The Queen is residing in Windsor Castle, where she remains on 'light duties' after multiple health scares (pictured: Queen with Sultan of Oman and his wife at Windsor Castle this week)

It comes after the Queen 'regretfully' scrapped next week's traditional Royal Family Christmas lunch, due to be held at Windsor Castle (pictured), instead of the usual Buckingham Palace

Earlier that month, the Queen had been forced to use a walking stick in public for the first time at Westminster Abbey.

As she recovered, she was also unable to attend the Cop26 climate change summit in Glasgow in person, instead sending a recorded message, while she also missed Remembrance Sunday commemorations due to a back sprain.

Now, it is understood that she could skip her plans to spent the festive season at Sandringham, forcing the Queen to spend Christmas without some of her nearest and dearest.

After her 'regretful' decision to scrap next week's traditional pre-Christmas dinner for up to 50 family members due to soaring Covid cases, sources told the Daily Mail yesterday that 'all plans were under consideration'  including her annual trip to Norfolk.

It means that the 95-year-old  spending her first Yuletide without her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip  could spend a second festive season at Windsor Castle.

But the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children still intend to travel to their Norfolk home for the holidays, and their plans are unlikely to change  meaning the Queen may not be able to join them as planned.

A final decision is expected to be made early next week as royal aides anxiously monitor government advice.

The Queen is still keen to go to her beloved 20,000-acre estate at Sandringham, where she normally stays until early February  particularly as she spent last year at Windsor alone apart from her late husband and a handful of staff, due to lockdown.

But a second royal source said last night they felt her Norfolk sojourn was 'increasingly in the balance' given the fluctuating situation.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hosted a Together At Christmas community carol service at Westminster Abbey last week

The 95-year-old monarch was planning to welcome 50 or so relatives, including Prince Charles and Camilla (pictured in March 2020), to an event at Windsor Castle next week

'Her Majesty always leads by example, regardless of her personal preferences,' they said.

However, as long as the Government does not restrict social mixing, the Queen will not be alone.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall plan to join her on Christmas Eve with the Duke of York, Princess Anne and the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

It comes after the Queen cancelled her annual Royal Family Christmas lunch on Tuesday 'with regret' as a 'precaution' to try to save her loved ones festive plans, amid fears over the Omicron Covid variant.

The monarch was planning to welcome 50 or so relatives, including Prince Charles and Camilla, to an event at Windsor Castle next week.

One day after the festive party, the Queen was due to travel by helicopter to Sandringham in Norfolk, where she is set to spend Christmas itself.

However it has now emerged the Queen 'with regret' has cancelled her family lunch as a 'precautionary' measure, feeling that too many people's Christmas arrangements were at risk if it went ahead.

Royal sources said 'there is a belief that it is the right thing to do for all concerned'.

It marks the second year the Queen has cancelled the event, usually held at Buckingham Palace.

Last year, she called off the lunch when tougher restrictions were brought in amid the surge of the Delta Covid strain.

It comes as millions of Britons axed their festive plans so they can see family on Christmas Day after Boris Johnson and Chris Whitty triggered a 'tsunamis of cancellations' for pubs and restaurants by urging the country only to socialise if necessary - and not in large groups or with strangers.

Ahead of the announcement, royal expert Camilla Tominey appeared on This Morning today, and told viewers the monarch was considering leaving it 'up to guests' over whether they attend.

She said: 'We thought the Queen was going to have a Christmas party for the extended family in Windsor on Tuesday, we think that's still going ahead.

'Then she's going to go to Sandringham for the traditional celebrations in Norfolk.'

'But apparently now they're wavering, like we all are. Maybe it's going to be about the guests and if people don't feel comfortable coming, that makes the decision for you.'

This year's event would have seen the family brought together in the largest reunion since the Duke of Edinburgh's death in April.

While three of her four new grandchildren - August, Lucas and Siena - had been expected to attend the lunch, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and their son Archie and newborn Lilibet, also born this year, will remain in the US.

An ITV film crew recorded the Queen's Christmas Day address several weeks ago.

The Mail reported last week that palace aides were also exploring options for the monarch to appear in public in the run up to December 25 to wish the country a very happy Christmas.

Although photographs and videos have been released by Buckingham Palace of the sovereign undertaking in-person and virtual audiences with foreign ambassadors, dignitaries and the Prime Minister, all meetings have taken place behind palace walls.

The hope is that the Queen will be well enough to take part in a short public engagement in the castle grounds.
The mother of one of the Tasmanian jumping castle victims has told how she only wants her 'baby home' - as his grandfather spoke of his sympathy for the inflatable's operator.

Zane Mellor, 12, was one of five children aged 11 to 12 who lost their lives when a jumping castle was blown 10 metres into the air by a freak wind gust at Hillcrest school in Devonport, northern Tasmania, on Thursday.

Nine children are believed to have fallen to the ground when the jumping castle collided with a tree and deflated. Three are still in intensive care and in a 'bad way'.

Zane's mother Georgina Gardam thanked the support from the Devonport community and Australia as a whole but said 'nothing brings my baby home'.

His grandfather Richard Gardam said he felt for the inflatable's operator.

'I want to tell the fella he went there in good faith - we understand his grief,' he told 7News. 'He must be feeling bad.'

Zane's family spoke of their grief as a nurse that was working in a nearby hospital on the day of the tragedy described the 'phenomenal' efforts staff made to help the injured children.

The family of Tasmanian jumping castle victim Zane Mellor have revealed the depths of their loss and how they are coping with the tragedy

Zane Mellor, 12, was one of five children aged 11-12 who lost their lives in a tragic jumping castle tragedy on Thursday and his mother visited the makeshift memorial at the school where it happened on Saturday

The children lost in the tragedy (left to right) were identified on Friday as Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan, and Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones

Zane's mother and grandfather visited the makeshift memorial at the school on Saturday to show their appreciation as fundraising page for the victims' families reached the $1.2million mark.

'I just needed to see what everyone had done and I appreciate it so much but nothing brings my baby home,' Ms Gardam said through tears.

The broken mother and grandad each brought items that reminded them of Zane to the memorial saying they couldn't part with them yet.

Ms Gardam brought the little boy's school shirt and PlayStation controller while Mr Gardam brought a pillow from Zane's bed.

'I just can't tear myself away from it at the moment,' he said.

Ms Gardam spread her message of grief online and said she was 'broken' after the loss of her beloved son.

The broken mother, Georgie Gardam, brought the little boy's school shirt and Playstation controller to the makeshift memorial site

'I just needed to see what everyone had done and I appreciate it so much but nothing brings my baby home,' Ms Gardam said through tears

Ms Gardam shared her grief online saying she was 'broken' asking 'how do we go on without you?'

Ms Gardam visited the makeshift memorial on Saturday for her son that was lost in a tragic jumping castle accident on Thursday

Ms Gardam was carrying her son's Hillcrest Primary School shirt and Playstation controller

'My world is broken. I am empty.'

'I am coming to hold your hand and kiss your face baby.

'How do we go on without you, we know we gave you the best life.'

The 'broken' mother shared her heartfelt grief over the loss of her son, Zane Mellor, online

Ms Gardam described how she might have 'spoilt him too much' as she shared her grief

Ms Gardam said she was grateful for the support from the community during the difficult time

Mr Gardam also told of his struggles recovering from the great loss.

'He was a fun-loving kid,' he told Nine News.

'I'll miss him terribly.'

The mourning grandfather also shared a thank you for all first responders that attended the horrific scene.

Zane grandafather, Richard Gardam, also shared his grief over the loss of his grandson at the school memorial site

'The police, the ambos, the teachers, everyone that was up here that came to assist, I know it is the toughest day you can ever face,' he said.

'I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your efforts.

'I hope you can somewhere lock this away in the back of your memory.'

A Tasmanian nurse meanwhile wrote that the way staff reacted after the tragedy was 'phenomenal'.

'The dedication, selflessness, professionalism, heart, that every single person who attended the ED today went above and beyond their calling.'

The nurse described how staff off-duty came to help while everyone worked hard to care for one-another as well as the children.

Mr Gardam thanked the emergency workers that responded to the horrific tragedy and said 'I hope you can somewhere lock this away in the back of your memory'

Mr Gardam carried Zane's pillow around the makeshift memorial site and said 'I just can't tear myself away from it at the moment'

Mr Gardam also said he sympathised with the operator of the inflatable. 'I want to tell the fella he went there in good faith - we understand his grief,' he said. Pictured are other mourners at the scene

A nurse working in the hospital the day of the incident has described the 'dedication, selflessness, professionalism, heart' that staff demonstrated

The unidentified Tasmanian nurse thanked the community for the support received online and said every kind message 'really does help'

'We had doctors from other hospitals driving to a weekend away turn around to help. Nurses come in on their day off to lend a hand,' she said.

'Counsellors and admin staff there to do simple things like pass a flush to the nurses, hand out water bottles to people who had been wearing full PPE for hours and hadn't stopped for themselves.'

She then went on to describe the raw emotion of the loss of a child and the relief when another pulled through.

'The tears when told some children hadn't made it. The relief when one was better off than we thought. The comraderie (sic) of all levels.'

The nurse then thanked the community for the support received online and said every kind message 'really does help.'
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The Netherlands is set to announce a new lockdown today with tough anti-Covid measures after the European Commission chief said everyone entering the EU should get PCR tests.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will introduce the measures during a press conference at 7pm alongside health minister Hugo de Jonge and Jaap van Dissel, head of the public health institute RIVM, reported broadcaster NOS.

The country introduced a partial lockdown on November 28, restricting social gatherings to 13 people and imposing a 5pm curfew on bars, restaurants, cinemas and sports venues. Essential shops such as supermarkets must close at 8pm.

Riots broke out in Rotterdam when the restrictions were first announced, with police opening fire on anti-lockdown protests against the restrictions.

Ministers met this morning with regional safety board bosses and are expected to finalise the new plans this afternoon.

Previously, the Dutch Government's Outbreak Management Team advised the complete closure of non-essential stores alongside schools, gyms, cafes, museums and cinemas.

Although Covid cases dropped in the Netherlands after it imposed restrictions last month, only 1.5million people have received a booster jab after it became one of the last countries in Europe to launch its drive.

Meanwhile, in Brussels on Thursday, Ms von der Leyen asked EU leaders to reintroduce tests, both pre-departure and on arrival.

The bloc-wide strategy is an attempt to contain the spread of the new Omicron variant, but at the same time protect intra-EU travel.

There are deep divisions emerging between the member states with Greece, Italy, Portugal and Ireland introducing additional checks on travellers from other EU nations, the Telegraph reported.

It came as Britons desperate to reach mainland Europe queued for miles late into the night in a desperate bid to enter France before the strict midnight ban on all tourists was imposed.

Dramatic photographs showed row upon row of congested traffic attempting to enter the port of Dover last night, waiting right up until the final moment to try and gain passage to France.

The country introduced a partial lockdown on November 28, restricting social gatherings to 13 people and imposing a 5pm curfew on bars, restaurants, cinemas and sports venues. Essential shops such as supermarkets must close at 8pm (pictured: people walk around downtown Rotterdam today)

All lanes of approach towards the port of Dover were packed with vehicles last night as hopeful travellers made last ditch attempts to head to France before the midnight ban on tourists was enforced

Two individuals even got out of their vehicles and leant up against barriers dividing the lanes of traffic as they waited for their turn to try and leave Britain for France before the ban took effect

In a bid to prevent increasing the rate of spread of Covid, the French government sharply restricted travel to and from Britain from midnight, with only those with 'compelling reasons' able to enter

Pictured: A ferry leaving the port of Dover last night as the last few desperate travellers made a final bid to travel into France before the country locked down to tourists at midnight

Row upon row of vehicles could be seen queuing in the dead of night at the port of Dover, desperately trying to secure a place on a ferry destined for France before the country closed itself off from travellers

France's government is desperately trying to avoid a new lockdown or stricter measures that would hurt the economy and cloud President Macron's expected campaign for the April presidential election.

And in a bid to prevent increasing the rate of spread of Covid, the French government sharply restricted travel to and from Britain from midnight, with only those with 'compelling reasons' able to enter.

After the move was announced, flights, trains and ferries to France on Friday sold out within hours as travellers made desperate attempts to get to the country before the new ban came into force.

Eurostar reported seeing a rise in bookings and the aviation analytics company Cirium, said there were 540 flights scheduled between the UK and France before Christmas Day.

Meanwhile Cross-Channel ferry operators said they too had experienced a surge in bookings from travellers.

And earlier yesterday, hopeful passengers packed into Euston Station in a mass exodus as they tried to escape the capital and avoid having to self-isolate over the Christmas period.

It came after French ski resort owners have told how they are facing 'economic disaster' after Emmanuel Macron decided to ban British tourists from entering the country.

It has also caused fury among resort owners, especially on the Alpine slopes of Val d'Isere who say British tourists make up the bulk of their customers and now face a battle for economic survival after their season last year was all-but cancelled.

Christophe Lavaut, director of Val d'Isere, said: 'It's an economic disaster. No business in any sector can make it, losing 42 per cent of its clients in two days.'

Jean-Marc Silva, of the France Montagne association which represents all mountain resorts across the country, said Britons make up the single largest group of foreign visitors during a typical season - the last of which was in 2019.

French ski resort owners reacted with fury after Emmanuel Macron banned British tourists from coming, leaving them facing 'economic disaster' (pictured, Val Thorens in 2019)

Resort owners said they were relying on Britons to make up for lost revenue because they spent more than other visitor, but now face winter without them (pictured, Val Thorens this year)

During the 2018/19 season, 55million people visited France to ski - the highest figure of any country bar Austria - around 9 per cent of whom were British.

And, beyond the sheer number of Brits who visit, Mr Silva said UK customers are particularly cherished by resort owners because they tend to spend more.

'Brits love the mountains and don't really have that many in their country, so they've made the French mountains their own,' Silva said.

'It's not the same clientele as the French,' Silva said. 'The French visitor is here to ski. The British visitor will ski but he will also be the first at the after-ski activities.

'They have this pub culture. They spend more than others. They really make the most of being there.'

The packed scenes came after the RAC predicted 27million journeys will be made on Britain's road over the weekend, making it the busiest festive getaway on UK roads in five roads.

An average of 4.1million such journeys taking place every day next week, reaching a peak of 5.3million on Christmas Eve, research suggests.

Drivers are advised to set off early or postpone their trips until after dark to avoid the worst of the traffic. Meanwhile separate research said December is the second deadliest month for drink-driving.

Passengers packed into Euston Station yesterday in a mass exodus in a bid to escape the capital before Christmas - with RAC warning 27million journeys will be made on Britain's road over the weekend

The RAC predicted there will be an average of 4.1million such journeys taking place every day next week, reaching a peak of 5.3million on Christmas Eve. Pictured: The M25 yesterday

Heavy traffic on the M25 in Dartford, Kent, yesterday going anti clock-wise towards the Dartford Crossing as the Christmas getaway begins

Huge queues piled up on the main road out of London as truckers and drivers headed away from the capital for the Christmas break

People queue in St Pancras train station, in London, on Friday, after the UK recorded its highest number of confirmed new infections since the pandemic began

Passengers queue to board Eurostar trains at St. Pancras International station, London, on Friday, ahead of increased restrictions for travellers to France from Britain

Cars and trucks queued at the entrance of the Eurotunnel, ahead of increased restrictions for travellers to France from Britain in Folkestone

The queues comes as petrol firms are accused of ripping off motorists by cashing in on the great Christmas getaway. For the first time petrol forecourt margins have surged past a record 20p a litre  or 11 on every tank of fuel

Analysis of Government figures by Brake found 6,140 people were killed or injured in collisions involving at least one driver over the alcohol limit on Britain's roads during December between 2012 and 2019.

It comes as petrol firms are accused of ripping off motorists by cashing in on the great Christmas getaway. For the first time petrol forecourt margins have surged past a record 20p a litre  or 11 on every tank of fuel.

And some motorway services are charging 10 over the national average to fill the typical 55-litre tank in a family car.

The RAC figures are based on a survey of 1,400 motorists questioned between December 9 and Tuesday. Many people were unable to spend Christmas with loved ones last year due to pandemic restrictions.

The poll suggested just 10 per cent of drivers do not plan on travelling by car over the festive period this year because of the virus.

But the RAC acknowledged that the spread of the Omicron variant could curtail Christmas celebrations.

Traffic information supplier Inrix warned the worst pre-Christmas traffic jams are likely on the M25 between Gatwick Airport and Junction 16 on Thursday afternoon.

Drivers are also likely to face delays on the clockwise M60 near Manchester, the southbound M40 in Oxfordshire and the northern and western sections of the M25.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: 'Despite the increasing prevalence of the Omicron Covid variant, our research shows that the vast majority of drivers are still determined to do Christmas properly this year  in sharp contrast to 12 months ago.

The RAC figures are based on a survey of 1,400 motorists questioned between December 9 and Tuesday. Many people were unable to spend Christmas with loved ones last year due to pandemic restrictions. Meanwhile, pubs are empty in Newcastle this week (pictured)

Pubs in Soho with few people out enjoying Christmas drinks before any more restrictions are put in place earlier this week

Passengers queued to board Eurostar trains at St Pancras International station in London on Friday, the final day before new restrictions were imposed on travellers to combat the spread of the Omicron variant

Passengers queue in St Pancras International station in London on Friday after the UK recorded its highest daily Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began

People walk through St Pancras train station, in London, on Friday, after the UK recorded its highest number of confirmed new infections since the pandemic began

'We're expecting the biggest Christmas getaway for five years, including a frantic festive Friday on Christmas Eve.

'But with overall traffic volumes in the run-up to the big day set to be down slightly on normal given the current work-from-home guidance, there's reason to hope there won't be too many queues as millions get away to see friends and family.'

The RAC is urging drivers to carry out checks on their tyres, oil, coolant and screenwash before embarking on getaway journeys.

Inrix analyst Bob Pishue said: 'With kids out of school and many Brits taking extended time off for the holidays, drivers can expect moderate delays around the UK, but heavier congestion on motorways in and out of the cities.

'Leaving later in the day is recommended, as roads will begin to clog up during the early afternoon.'

National Highways, which manages England's motorways and major A-roads, said it will remove more than 900 miles of roadworks ahead of the festive getaway.

That will result in nearly 98 per cent of its network being clear of cones from 6am on Tuesday until January 4, the first working day of 2022.

Meanwhile the separate figures from Brake found December was the second worst month for drink driving in Britain. This was behind only August, which had 6,260 casualties over the same timeframe.

A total of 69,000 people were killed or injured in drink-drive crashes across all months in the eight-year period. The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Cars and trucks queued at the entrance of the Eurotunnel, ahead of increased restrictions for travellers to France from Britain in Folkestone

Passengers queue in St Pancras International station in London on Friday after the UK recorded its highest daily Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began

No other part of Europe has a limit above 50mg/100ml. The Scottish Government reduced its limit to that level in 2014.

Brake head of campaigns, Jason Wakeford, said: 'Thousands of people are being needlessly killed and injured at the hands of drink-drivers every month.

'We need to change the culture around drink-driving, starting with more awareness that any amount can be deadly.

'While measures such as effective ongoing police enforcement and public information campaigns, including Think!, are helping to reduce deaths and injuries, Government should follow Scotland's lead and reduce the legal limit.

'Such a move would make it clear to drivers that no amount of alcohol is safe when behind the wheel.'

Research published in the Harm Reduction Journal earlier this month suggested that half of drinkers believe they are safe to drive despite exceeding the legal alcohol limit.

Petrol firms have been accused of ripping off motorists by cashing in on the great Christmas getaway. For the first time petrol forecourt margins have surged past a record 20p a litre  or 11 on every tank of fuel.

A new report said that wholesale fuel prices plummeted by more than 10p a litre two weeks ago as the global price of oil fell.

But far from retailers and suppliers passing this saving on, average petrol pump prices fell just 1.5p a litre. This week average petrol pump prices hit 146.27p a litre, with diesel at 149.56p.

This compares with all-time highs of 147.72p and 151.10p respectively last month. Tory MP Robert Halfon said firms were 'feeding the cost of living crisis'.

But the Petrol Retailers Association, which represents independent forecourts, said profit margins have had to remain higher to re-coup losses made during the pandemic.

Howard Cox, founder of the FairFuelUK campaign group, called for a price cap and watchdog to regulate the industry.

He said: 'Even allowing for market increases in margins and distribution costs, the world's highest taxed drivers are paying up to 10 pence more than is honest.

'Everyone knows this is a perennial problem, except the Treasury. The flood of extra VAT to the Government due to dishonest fuel pricing is in the billions. It's time for an independent regulator to protect drivers.'

Police forces are intensifying enforcement of drink and drug-driving rules in the run-up to Christmas, targeting known hot spots. Some 6,730 motorists were caught in 2020 during the annual festive operation.

Petrol prices are believed to be staying high across the board because supermarkets are not engaging in their traditional price-cutting war.

But motoring groups accused providers of keeping prices artificially high to cash in on the holiday rush  with around nine in ten drivers expected to take to the roads.

An AA report also found prices are being kept artificially high due to less competition between supermarkets.

Traditionally, their forecourts have been the cheapest and a price war usually seen between them at the pumps, designed to draw more shoppers to their stores, has cooled off.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: 'It has become blatantly apparent in the last six weeks that any competition that existed in supermarket fuel retailing has all but disappeared'

It means that, whereas average petrol prices at supermarkets were 6.3p a litre below the UK average in May last year, they are now just 2.2p a litre lower. This dropped to as low as 1.9p last month.

It means the typical saving from filling up with petrol at a supermarket is as much as around three times lower.

The takeover by EG Group, run by the billionaire Issa brothers and a secretive private equity firm, of Asda has been partly blamed for the reduced competition.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: 'It has become blatantly apparent in the last six weeks that any competition that existed in supermarket fuel retailing has all but disappeared.

'Since mid-November when the wholesale price of petrol began to fall, the big four supermarkets, who dominate fuel sales, have upped their margins to 11p a litre from around 4p prior to that.

'We fear that a change of pricing behaviour from Asda is to blame. Previously Asda would always cut its fuel prices when wholesale costs dropped to bring customers to its stores and other retailers would then follow suit. Since its change of ownership however, this hasn't happened.'

The AA's fuel spokesman, Luke Bosdet, added: 'When the supermarkets ceased to compete, their rivals enjoyed an early Christmas.

'There were two clear price-cutters in the spring of 2020, Asda and Morrison, and neither have seized the initiative.'
A dental nurse has lost a sex discrimination case after she refused to have her nails cut - unless it was by a beautician.

Sandra Lougheed was told her long fingernails needed a trim for health reasons.

But the 'very experienced' dental worker said she would only have them cut by a professional.

Her refusal led to a shouting match in the reception at the surgery where she worked and she stormed out, never to return.

Ms Lougheed then sued the practice for sex discrimination and constructive dismissal.

But she lost her case after an employment tribunal ruled she was being asked to cut her nails to protect patients not because she was a woman.

Sandra Lougheed told a hearing in south London that she was discriminated against. A tribunal disagreed and dismissed her claim

The tribunal heard that staff at the dental surgery were banned from wearing jewellery below their elbows and had to keep their nails short and unvarnished

The hearing in south London was told Ms Lougheed began working for Maxident Ltd, a dental practice providing both NHS and private care in Nunhead in April 2005.

The panel heard both male and female staff were banned from wearing jewellery below the elbow and had to keep nails short and unvarnished.

During an infection check in July 2018 an inspector found a 'number of matters of concern' including Ms Lougheed 's fingernails being 'too long for undertaking clinical duties', the tribunal was told.

Staff were then reminded that they had to keep them short by boss Dr Malek Mohsen.

The dental nurse 'promised' she would cut them, a panel heard. But matters 'came to a head' three months later, when they were still too long.

Dr Mohsen told the panel he had said Ms Lougheed needed to cut her nails but she 'refused and said she would only let a beautician cut them'.

After insisting she be given the instruction in writing, Ms Lougheed was handed a letter written by HR but she 'refused to accept' it and walked out, before quitting in December 2018, the tribunal heard.

Ms Lougheed claimed Dr Mohsen told her to go home half way through a shift and as she was ringing her sister for advice, he slammed the door on her back causing her to scream.

She told the tribunal she then called the police after the 'horrific' ordeal which left her in 'tears'.

But the company was never contacted by the police.

And the tribunal backed Dr Mohsen's version of events after concluding her evidence was 'somewhat unreliable'.

Dismissing her claims the panel, headed by employment judge Timothy Smith, 'doubted' Ms Lougheed's claims that she was bullied and harassed by her boss.

The panel concluded: 'The reason she was treated in the manner that she was, that is being told to have a fingernails cut, was not due to her protected characteristic of sex but because of the infection control policy.

'The tribunal...was not persuaded that a male dental nurse in similar circumstances would not have been treated in the same manner.

'It follows therefore that this complaint must be dismissed.'
A senior official dubbed the 'most powerful civil servant you have never heard of' will be taking over the investigation into the alleged Christmas parties held in Number 10 last year.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case quit his role leading the inquiry into a number of alleged gatherings on Friday, after it emerged a quiz was held in his own department that he was aware of and spoke at.

MailOnline understands that one event was held on December 17 last year, with an email sent out to around 15 people in Mr Case's Private Office titled 'Christmas Quiz'.

Whitehall heavy hitter Sue Gray has been installed in his place to carry out inquiries into three alleged gatherings at Downing Street and the Department for Education in November and December last year, when indoor mixing was banned.

The terms of what was then Mr Case's investigation said it could be widened to include any relevant allegations.

Speaking today, ex-No 10 chief of staff Gavin Barwell said he 'can't think from his time in government of a better person to put in charge of this review than Sue Gray.'

Meanwhile, Chris Bryant, chair of the Committee on Standards, said it appeared that no-one knew what was going on in Downing Street.

The Labour MP told BBC Breakfast the situation over the parties in Whitehall was 'farcical' and he said: 'It feels a bit like Downing Street is completely dysfunctional. Nobody seems to know what's going on.'

And Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said Ms Gray now has the task of restoring public trust.

Ms Gray, who is second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, was once described by BBC Newsnight's then policy editor as 'the most powerful person you've never heard of'.

Speaking to that same programme on Friday, Tory MP Richard Holden described her as 'formidable' and said she was 'not a pushover'.

She oversaw the Plebgate inquiry in 2012 after ex-chief whip Andrew Mitchell was accused of calling a policeman a 'pleb' at the Downing Street gates, and was once described as 'deputy God' by then Labour MP Paul Flynn in a meeting the same year.

A Downing Street spokesman said in a statement: 'To ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence the Cabinet Secretary has recused himself for the remainder of the process.

'The work will be concluded by Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

'She will ascertain the facts and present her findings to the Prime Minister.'

Sources admitted that alcohol was consumed at desks with about six people present, and others participating virtually, but there was apparently no catering.

Whitehall heavy hitter Sue Gray (pictured above) has been installed in Simon Case's place to carry out inquiries into three alleged gatherings at Downing Street and the Department for Education in November and December last year, when indoor mixing was banned

The Cabinet Secretary quit his role leading the inquiry into the alleged gatherings on Friday, after it emerged a quiz was held in his own department that he was aware of and spoke at

MailOnline understands that one event was held on December 17 last year, with an email sent out to around 15 people in Mr Case's Private Office titled 'Christmas Quiz' (file photo)

Lord Barwell told BBC Radio 4's Today: 'I can't think from my time in government of a better person to put in charge of this review than Sue Gray.

'She had the role in charge of propriety and ethics in government when I was chief of staff. I saw her handle a number of investigations in a way that was completely independent and her determination always to get to the truth and present the Prime Minister with all the evidence.

'So for those of your listeners who don't know who this person is, let me just give you my testimony that I think she is exactly the right kind of person and we can be confident that we will get the facts.'

Mr Bryant also said he had been impressed by Sue Gray, who was now leading the investigation, when he met her.

He urged her to hand any evidence she found of lawbreaking over to the police.

He added: 'If the rules are broken ... if they were broken in any other line of work, the police would be investigating and I don't know why the police aren't investigating this situation.'

He said: 'In the end, the final analysis has to be done by (a) completely independent person. I think that that should be the police.'

And Ms Rayner said: 'At the moment, people are saying 'which department didn't have a party?''

She added: 'It's incredibly disappointing because we all know what was happening when these parties were going on, people couldn't see their loved ones who were dying, and were making incredible sacrifices.

'So I do think that the investigation has to get to the bottom, but I think that the evidence already is showing that Boris Johnson has set a tone for this government and has allowed this to happen under his watch.'

She said Ms Gray should hand over any evidence of law-breaking which she uncovers to the police.

Ms Gray was previously director-general of propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office from 2012 to 2018, and is seen as a figure who would not pull any punches in an inquiry.

Ms Gray, who is second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, was once described by BBC Newsnight's then policy editor as 'the most powerful person you've never heard of'

Simon Case's replacement? The ethics chief from 'Plebgate' storm Sue Gray has been described as the most powerful civil servant you have never heard of. In her former job as director-general of propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office she had enormous power and long experience in Westminster scandals, and developed a fearsome reputation among ministers and officials. She dealt with complaints against ministers on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary and Prime Minister. Her inquiry into the so-called Plebgate affair led to the resignation of minister Andrew Mitchell. Her investigation into Damian Green led to his forced resignation after she discovered he had lied about pornography found on his Commons computer. From 2018 to 2021 she served as the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Finance at the Northern Ireland Executive. She returned to London to head up work on the Union earlier this year. Advertisement

Former Tory MP and Cabinet office minister Oliver Letwin is reported to have said of Ms Gray: 'It took me precisely two years before I realised who it is that runs Britain. Our great United Kingdom is actually entirely run by a lady called Sue Gray, the head of ethics or something in the Cabinet Office. Unless she agrees, things just don't happen.'

She is also part of the panel deciding on who will be next chair of the media regulator Ofcom.

However, the SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, said 'having somebody else from the Civil Service marking their own isn't good enough'.

Mr Blackford told the BBC's Newsnight programme that 'it needs to be someone from authority from outwith Government, from outwith the Civil Service. I would suggest that the best way to do that would be by having a judge-led inquiry'.

Ms Gray was brought in after the Guido Fawkes website reported on Friday that two Christmas parties were held in Mr Case's department, the Cabinet Office, in December 2020, when restrictions were in place.

Although Mr Case did not take part he was 'aware of what they were doing' just outside his own personal office, and at one point stopped to 'thank them for their hard work' as he moved between meetings.

A second event last December allegedly featured drinks for a group of people in Mr Case's office before attendees continued the party elsewhere. However, the Cabinet Office denies that event took place.

The allegations surfaced as Tory chairman Oliver Dowden insisted that Mr Case's inquiry will 'vindicate' Mr Johnson's position that no rules had been broken.

He has been looking into alleged No10 Christmas party on December 18, as well as leaving dos and a Cabinet Office quiz.

Boris Johnson ordered Mr Case to investigate last week after extraordinary footage emerged of his former press secretary Allegra Stratton and No10 aides giggling about a 'party' that was held in Downing Street last year.

The findings of Mr Case's probe were expected by today, but they have been pushed back.

The damaging scandal has been blamed for the Tories' disastrous loss in the North Shropshire by-election overnight.

Speaking to reporters on a visit in his Uxbridge constituency today, Mr Johnson insisted the public was more interested in other matters such as coronavirus, and suggested the media reporting on lockdown-busting parties had caused the Tories to lose the North Shropshire by-election.

He told broadcasters 'what people have been hearing is just a constant litany of stuff about politics and politicians and stuff that isn't about them'.

Earlier, Scottish National Party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford called for Mr Case to be removed from the investigation and to resign.

By far the most damaging has been reports that a party was held at Downing Street during a 2020 Christmas lockdown when such festivities were banned, with a video emerging this week which showed staff laughing and joking about it.

It prompted the tearful resignation of the PM's former press secretary, Allegra Stratton

How many parties is the Government alleged to have held last year and when did they happen? PARTIES IN DOWNING STREET Dom's Gone bash - November 13: Dominic Cummings alleges that the PM held a gathering at his grace-and-favour flat on November 13 last year, the day the adviser was ousted from Downing Street. Mr Cummings also suggested there had been 'other flat parties'. Leaving do - November 27: The Prime Minister reportedly gave a speech at a packed Number 10 leaving do for a 'senior aide'. Sources claimed that '40 or 50 people' were present. Christmas party - December 18: Staff in Downing Street are believed to have held a Christmas party, with reports that dozens of people attended the event, some wearing festive jumpers and exchanging Secret Santa presents. London had been placed into Tier 3 restrictions on December 16 - the highest level of curbs on freedoms at the time which banned people from different households mixing indoors. Downing Street has said Boris Johnson did not attend the event. Quiz night - December: Sources told the BBC that a separate Christmas quiz event was held for Number 10 staff at some point in December. Everyone was apparently invited to attend and to form teams. One source said some people attended virtually via Zoom but others did attend in person and sat in groups of six. Downing Street has insisted the quiz was 'virtual'. ... AND ELSEWHERE IN WHITEHALL December 10: Then-education secretary Gavin Williamson hosted a Department for Education party for 'up to 24 people' on December 10. The gathering, which included food and drink, took place in the department's canteen. The department has admitted the event happened. December 14: About 25 people gathered in the basement of the Conservative party's Matthew Parker St offices in Westminster. The Times reported last night that advisers at Conservative campaign headquarters held an event with Shaun Bailey, the party's unsuccessful candidate for mayor of London this May. Advertisement

Mr Blackford said: 'The Prime Minister's appointed lead investigator into the Downing Street parties has also been reported to have hosted a party in his office  whilst thousands were forced to spend the Christmas season apart as a result of necessary coronavirus restrictions. He, along with his inquiry report, must go.'

He said it was 'vital there be an inquiry led by an independent arbitrator  someone who owes the UK government nothing', and in a letter to the PM suggested it should be judge-led.

Ms Rayner also said: 'Boris Johnson as Prime Minister has set the tone for the civil service and the rest of government.

'Which each new revelation there is growing evidence of a culture of turning a blind eye to the rules.

'Labour made it clear when the investigation was launched that the person in charge should be uncompromised and able to make a fair and independent judgement. These fresh revelations put that into question.'

Mr Dowden told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I understand and I appreciate that there was a perception, particularly from the media coverage surrounding those alleged events, that we were not abiding by the rules.

'I have to say to you that there is an ongoing inquiry by the Cabinet Secretary and I'm confident that that inquiry will vindicate the Prime Minister's assertion that everything that happened was within the rules.

'But I do appreciate the noise and the sound around that was something that was of concern to voters.'

Mr Johnson was accused of breaking the rules imposed by his own government after it was revealed he acted as an impromptu quiz master in Downing Street amid Tier 2 restrictions last year.

In an image published in the Sunday Mirror, Johnson is seen in front of a laptop in the No. 10 library closely shadowed by two colleagues, one draped in tinsel, the other wearing a Christmas hat.

The quiz is believed to have taken place on December 15 - just three days before the now infamous Downing Street party.

Government sources cited by the Times said the Cabinet Secretary 'would look at credible allegations of other gatherings and you can't really say that a photo of the prime minister is not a credible allegation.'

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi defended the Prime Minister after it emerged Mr Johnson personally hosted a Christmas quiz in Downing Street last year.

Mr Zahawi said Mr Johnson had not broken any coronavirus rules by taking part in the event.

Downing Street has insisted the quiz was 'virtual' but reports claimed many staff were huddled by computers in Number 10 as they conferred on questions and drank alcohol.

At the time of the quiz, London was in Tier 2 which dictated there should be no mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles, and a maximum of six people outside.

The Sunday Mirror reported Mr Johnson surprised staff by turning up on screen as quiz master for one round lasting between 10 and 15 minutes.

A Number 10 spokeswoman said: 'This was a virtual quiz.

'Downing Street staff were often required to be in the office to work on the pandemic response so those who were in the office for work may have attended virtually from their desks.

'The Prime Minister briefly took part virtually in a quiz to thank staff for their hard work throughout the year.'

Staff reportedly held a Christmas bash in Number 10 on December 18, with a leaked video  filmed four days after the alleged gathering  showing senior Downing Street aides joking about a 'fictional' party.

A second reported Downing Street event  an aide's leaving do which is said to have taken place on November 27  was allegedly attended by the Prime Minister, who The Mirror said made a speech.

Mr Case is investigating both alleged events, along with a festive celebration arranged at the Department for Education, which officials have admitted did take place and have expressed regret over.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has since confirmed that staff working for Therese Coffey drank alcohol and ate takeaways 'late into the evening' on a number of occasions while coronavirus restrictions were in place.

It comes after the Sunday Mirror reported that political staff and officials frequently drank after work until the early hours of the morning, and ordered food to the Work and Pension Secretary's office at the department's Whitehall headquarters.

The DWP has confirmed there were times when alcohol was consumed in a work space outside the Cabinet minister's Whitehall office but stressed it took place while work was continuing past normal employment hours.

A source said the desks in the office are socially distanced and there was 'no party atmosphere going on'.
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It was a sorry-looking object when it was unearthed in 2014 from a ploughed field in western Scotland, having been buried for almost a thousand years ago.

Now an extraordinary treasure has emerged - a spectacular Roman rock crystal jar wrapped in the most delicate gold thread by the finest medieval craftsman in the late 8th or early 9th century.

It was part of the Galloway Hoard, the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland, acquired by the National Museums Scotland (NMS) in 2017.

Buried around AD900, it contained around 100 artefacts from the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, Ireland and as far away as Asia.

It was unearthed by Derek McLennan, a retired businessman, who was out with his metal detector on church-owned land in Kirkcudbrightshire, southwestern Scotland.

This Roman rock crystal jar was wrapped in delicate gold thread by some of the finest medieval craftsman in the late 8th or early 9th century

The small jar was found as part of the Galloway Hoard in 2014 and acquired three years later by the National Museums Scotland

The crystal jar's base is decorated with swirling gold ornaments in a lavish display of wealth. The hoard was found by Derek McLennan, a retired businessman, who was out with his metal detector on church-owned land in Kirkcudbrightshire, southwestern Scotland

Experts were initially unaware of the jar's value as it was shrouded in a shrivelled pouch that was masking its true value

Once the cleaning process started it became clear it was far more valuable than originally thought. Pictured:The jar before the final stage of restoration

The protective pouch had become so hardened that the object paled against other treasures that included a gold bird-shaped pin and a silver-gilt vessel.

That the pouch was originally silk-lined leather reflects the significance of its contents.

The jar, which is about 5cm tall, is thought to have contained a perfume or other precious potion that could have anointed kings or been used in religious ceremonies.

Dr Martin Goldberg, the NMS's principal curator of Early Medieval and Viking collections, discovered that it was all the more exceptional because the rock crystal carving was in fact Roman and perhaps 600 years old by the time it was converted into a gold-wrapped jar.

He hopes that its potion can be revealed from trace elements that might have survived. The rock crystal was carved with lobes that resemble foliage. The jar had been drilled through, aligning with a spout at the top.

Dr Leslie Webster, former keeper of Britain, Prehistory and Europe at the British Museum, said: 'Rock crystal is unusual in itself.

'It is one of those materials that was greatly prized in the antique world, for its transparency and translucency, and so it's associated with purity. So it was, I think even in its time, very, very special.

'And you can see from the way that the gold almost enshrines it, it's made into a sort of relic.

'It's a showcasing piece from a very high-status workshop, such as one that you might expect a bishop to have in one of his monasteries. This object is absolutely fascinating.'

Experts were astonished to find a Latin inscription that said 'Bishop Hyguald had me made,' in gold letters on the jar's base.

It was a sign some of the hoard's material may have come from a church in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria, which included Dumfries and Galloway and extended as far north as Edinburgh and as far south as Sheffield.

At the beginning of the 10th century, Alfred the Great was defeating the Danes and laying the foundations of medieval England and Alba, the kingdom that became medieval Scotland.

This was a time when ecclesiastical treasures were being robbed from monasteries and the hoard could have been buried by a Viking or someone fearing a further raid.

Even the silk was then a particularly precious material, imported thousands of miles from Asia.

Church chronicles of the period are incomplete but Dr Goldberg spoke of the excitement at finding a named individual.

He said: 'So much of the past is anonymous, especially when you're looking at very early history.'

Ninety-seven of the hoard's artefacts are included in a touring exhibition, titled Galloway Hoard: Viking-age Treasure.

The exhibition is at Kirkcudbright Galleries until July 10, transferring to Aberdeen Art Gallery from July 30 to October 23.

The jar is still undergoing final work, but, from Monday, December 20, a new film and digital model will be on show.

WHAT IS THE GALLOWAY HOARD? The objects were found inside a pot unearthed in 2014. Uncovered by a amateur metal detectorist, Derek McLennan, in Dumfries and Galloway, the collection contains more than 100 gold, silver and other items from the Viking Age. It was buried at the beginning of the 10th Century, although some pieces date from an earlier period. The bulk of the find is made up of rich Viking Age silver jewellery and ingots. It also contains a range of precious metals and jewelled items including a rare gold ingot, a gold bird-shaped pin and a decorated silver-gilt cup of Continental or Byzantine origin. An enamelled Christian cross was also found as part of the hoard, as well as silk from modern-day Istanbul, silver and crystal. The cross is engraved with decorations that, experts say, are highly unusual and may represent the four Gospels  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. During 2017, National Museums Scotland (NMS) ran a fundraising campaign to acquire the Galloway Hoard. Members, Patrons, supporters and major funders joined together to help raise the 1.98 million required, allowing NMS to start the vital work to conserve the Hoard and 'unlock its secrets for future generations'. In December 2018 the Scottish government announced funding to enable NMS to tour an exhibition of the Galloway Hoard to museums across Scotland. Advertisement

The Galloway Hoard, which was found in 2014, contains arm rings, silver bracelets and brooches, a gold ring, an enamelled Christian cross and a bird-shaped gold pin

A unique gold bird-shaped pin, restored and stunningly presented in an image from National Museums Scotland

Four annular silver ribbon bracelet arm rings from the Viking age Galloway Hoard, which, along with other treasures from the Viking age

A Carolingian vessel was part of the hoard, and some of the buried treasure was found inside the pot. Someone had wrapped the vessel in fabric before burial and the scan suggests that its contents had also been wrapped in organic matter, possibly leather, before being stored inside it

An elongated gold pendant from the Viking age Galloway Hoard, which was found by an amateur metal detectorist, Derek McLennan, in Dumfries and Galloway in 2014

Images revealed the stunning detail of an Anglo-Saxon cross buried for over a thousand years as part of the Galloway Hoard

The silver cross is decorated in Late Anglo-Saxon style using black niello and gold-leaf. In each of the four arms of the cross are the symbols of the four evangelists who wrote the Gospels of the New Testament, Saint Matthew, Mark (Lion), Luke (Cow) and John (Eagle)

Previously encrusted in a millennium's worth of dirt, months of painstaking cleaning and conservation work has revealed an intricately decorated silver cross, allowing scholars to view this detail for the first time before it is put on public display

A disc brooch, restored to its former glory. Only a few years ago, National Museums Scotland had been given six months to raise 2million for the stash or risk losing it to private buyers

Hinged mounts with Anglo-Saxon Trewhiddle-style decoration. Donations from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Scottish government, trusts and the wider public have now helped secure the collection for public viewing

The decorative straps before and after conservation. National Museums Scotland says: 'The Galloway Hoard transports us back to a critical moment in history: the formation of the political entities we now know as Scotland, England and Ireland'

Research into the Galloway Hoard uncovered the name of one of the famous treasures original owners. Examination of Anglo-Saxon runic inscriptions on the Hoards silver arm-rings revealed the name 'Ecgbeorht' or, in its more modern form, Egbert

Gold ingots and artefacts. National Museums Scotland described the hoard as 'unique' in bringing together such a variety of objects in one discovery

These types of armlets are found in Wales, England and Scotland but rarely in Scotland. Scottish Secretary David Mundell previously said: 'The historical and cultural significance of the unique Galloway Hoard is unquestionable. It not only preserves an important archaeological finding but can ensure its enjoyment for future generations'
A 'fit and healthy' mother-of-two has died from Covid-19 after ignoring her best friend's pleas to get vaccinated.

Nuria Daniela Gomes, 38, tested positive on December 2 and passed away just seven days later, leaving her daughters, Erica, 20, and Myra, 17, bereft.

Ms Gomes, originally from Angola, told her friend, Mena Tando, she had Covid on December 3 - but said 'there was no need to worry about it'.

Ms Tando said she tried to persuade Mr Gomes to get vaccinated, but the mother-of-two was 'concerned' about things she had read on social media.

Ms Tando, 37, said: 'I tried to persuade her to get vaccinated, but she was concerned. She had read things on social media about there being possible consequences in a couple of years. I am missing her a lot.'

Ms Tando said she dropped groceries off on Ms Gomes' doorstep in Liverpool and kept in touch for the next few days.

By December 7 Ms Tando was concerned about her friend's persistent cough. Then, she had a missed call at 1am.

Nuria Daniela Gomes (pictured), 38, tested positive on December 2 and passed away just seven days later, leaving her daughters, Erica, 20, and Myra, 17, bereft

When Ms Tando rang back, Myra said her mother had been taken to hospital. By 2am on December 9, Ms Tando was told Ms Gomes had died.

She said: 'It was a big shock for me, I had been speaking to her all week and to get a call to say she had passed away I just could not believe it.

Ms Gomes' daughter Erica recalled the traumatic minutes when her mother's health dramatically worsened.

She said: 'Mum didn't want to sleep alone so we put a mattress in her room. We could hear she was struggling to breathe. I was panicking, but she said she was fine.

'When we switched the light on we saw her hands were purple, her lips were purple and her eyes looked huge. It was really disturbing.'

The two sisters called an ambulance and performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but their mother died before she made it to Whiston Hospital.

Erica said: 'It was all happening so quickly. I still have flashbacks and then I try to quickly forget.'

Myra said she and her sister prayed for their mother as she struggled. 'Ever since we were little my mum has been taking care of us on her own. She is all we had.

'She was so hard-working, caring, lovely, funny, she brought us up with respect and taught us everything we know. We were really close. She always heard us when we wanted to talk.

Erica recalled the traumatic minutes when her mother's health dramatically worsened. Pictured, Ms Gomes

'She taught us to be grateful for everything we had. She always helped everyone she met and was the most genuine soul anyone could ever meet.

'Everything I am is because of her. She impacted my life in a way no one else could.'

Ms Gomes' closest friend, Elizabeth Neto, 35, said they were all 'massively shocked' and left trying to come to terms with what has happened.

Ms Neto, a foster carer and administration officer from Salford, said: 'It's surreal, it's unbelievable, it's a massive shock.'

She remembers Nuria as 'very open, very friendly, always smiling, always in a good mood'.

They had both moved to the UK from Angola, and bonded 17 years ago when a mutual friend introduced them.

When they both became mothers they were always part of each other's milestone celebrations.

Ms Neto said: 'We would be at weddings together, we shared celebrations. I am trying to come to terms with it.'

Nuria's daughters, both students, said they now feel 'completely lost' as they try to cope with their grief without their father who lives thousands of miles away in Angola, central Africa.

Myra said: 'We don't know how we are going to pay for the funeral costs and we are completely lost.'

Ms Neto and Ms Tando have set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for the funeral.

Ms Tando said: 'I have known Nuria for 19 years. We met in a hostel in Liverpool in 2003 and from there we became friends. She was so quiet, a kind and easy going person and was always there whenever you needed her.

'She was always available to help. The friendship grew stronger and stronger.'

To donate to the fundraiser, visit: https://gofund.me/544c759f
Shane Martin, the father of superstar AFL player Dustin, died on Friday at the age of 54 after a tumultuous life that included inspiring his son to become a footy great to becoming a top-ranking member of the Rebels outlaw bikie gang.

Martin spent what proved to be his final few years living in New Zealand after he was deported from Australia in 2016 over his bikie links.

He was forced to build a new life for himself in Auckland while being stranded across the Tasman away from his Richmond Tigers midfielder son.

Ultimately, it was his 14-year ties with the fearsome bikie gang, as well as a criminal record including aggravated assault charges and drug trafficking, that led to his banishment.

Shane Martin with his three sons - Bronson (centre) , Tyson (left) and future AFL superstar Dustin (right)

The Richmond midfielder previously credited his father Shane for shaping the 'man he is today'

In 2017, the then Immigration Minister Peter Dutton revealed he was briefed on Martin's bikie links and the decision to deport him was permanent.

Martin later challenged the decision before Mr Dutton later conceded in Federal Court that he was banished on a legal error.

'I've won my case but I still can't home to Australia to be with my family,' Martin said at the time.

'Based on what the minister has said publicly, I'm still not going to get a fair go.'

Dustin Martin's love for his father was obvious, describing his old man as one of the biggest influences in his life.

'It's been a massive challenge, but it is what it is,' he said after the deportation.

'I love my dad and he's made me the man I am today.'

'Dusty' also said he dreamed of his father one day returning to Australia so he could watch his AFL games in person.

'That's my dream to be able to have the old man up there (in the grandstand) with the rest of my family and watch the Tigers win another flag,' he said.

In his book, A Rebel in Exile, which was published in 2019, Martin revealed how he came to be a member of the Rebels.

'One meeting night, us noms (Rebels gang nominees) were downstairs in the clubhouse stocking the bar and mucking about,' Martin recalled.

'Members don't drink before meetings, so we were mostly just waiting for it to finish. The members came in one by one and filed upstairs for their eight o'clock meeting. A while later, a bark came from upstairs. "Kiwi, come up here!"

'At first I thought they just wanted some beer or something, but it became clear it was more than that.'

Banished to New Zealand in 2016 due to his bikie links, Shane Martin watched his son win all three of his AFL premierships with Richmond across the Tasman (pictured with actress Rachel Griffiths)

Richmond confirmed in a club statement Shane Martin died in New Zealand on Friday aged 54

Martin feared he was out on the outside with the Rebels - only to then be anointed as an official member.

'He (president) came out from behind the table and gave me a big bear hug. One by one all of the other members did the same. I was handed a plastic bag with the four parts of the back patch and the rest of the front in it. I had my colours. I was in.

'I walked back downstairs, and the other noms were all looking at me.

'I hollered at them, "Get me a beer", and they knew what that meant. With a patch I could now call the shots rather than having them called at me.'

Additionally, in his autobiography, Martin recalled his previous involvement in a police raid with what he dubbed 'Australia's finest'.

'Me and a few others were in the back room when we first heard a bit of a commotion,' he wrote.

'These Raptor cops came crashing in like they were busting up a terrorist plot.

'There were loads of them. They were everywhere, all blacked out with helmets and balaclavas, each with riot guns. And they were screaming, "Get on the ground, you dogs! Get down!"

At the time, police demanded the bikies lay on the ground and if anyone moved they were thumped with the butt of a rifle and had their hands zip-tied behind their back.

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted Dustin Martin's regular visits to his father, with the AFL superstar unable to see him for 12 months

There are no suspicious circumstances behind Martin's death, with the exact cause still to be determined.

It comes as Dustin Martin could be forced to skip his father's funeral because of complicated quarantine rules in New Zealand.

Martin hadn't lived in New Zealand for decades but was born in the country and grew up there.

His death has prompted fears that his separated family will not have the chance to say their final goodbyes at his funeral because of the current border closures.

Australia had begun quarantine free travel with New Zealand before it was abruptly paused because of rising Covid-19 cases in NSW and Victoria in July.

Flights are currently still available between the two countries but they come with strict travel and quarantine restrictions.

Travellers must obtain a Managed Isolation Allocation System voucher and remain in week-long isolation in quarantine rooms.

The rooms are currently being managed by the New Zealand government which are taking bookings as they become available.

The country is experiencing high demand with the next round of bookings opening on December 21.

Even then the rooms will not be available until January, February and March.

Exemptions to the isolation rules may be granted under exceptional circumstances.

Managed Isolation and Quarantine says on its website that funerals are not considered a plausible exemption.

'We are unlikely to approve applications to: attend a funeral or tangihanga where there may be multiple people gathered,' the website reads.

'This would create an unacceptable risk of potential COVID-19 transmission.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted New Zealand Immigration for comment.
Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has fired back at a journalist after he called Australians 'bed wetters' for their response to recent Covid case numbers.

Brett Sutton posted a screenshot of an article written by high-profile TV and radio presenter Joe Hildebrand on Saturday that mocked Australia's response to the new Omicron variant.

The opinion piece in news.com.au called Australians a 'bunch of bedwetters' and said it's time we 'found our balls' when responding to Covid.

High-profile journalist Joe Hildebrand called Australians 'bed wetters' for their response to recent Covid case numbers

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton hit back at a journalist after he called Australians 'bed wetters' for their response to recent Covid case numbers

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said Australians have been taking 'simple' actions to protect one another and themselves and highlighted the response was considerate, not 'panicked'

Mr Sutton was quick to shut down the article in a tweet.

'We've all had our bad takes in this pandemic, but this takes the biscuit for me,' he said.

Mr Sutton said Australians have been taking 'simple' actions to protect one another and themselves and highlighted the response was considerate, not 'panicked'.

'There are actions that simply save lives; simple measures that are about protecting ourselves and others. Masks, ventilation, boosters, testing.' he said.

'If we only care about ourselves, these actions are still a great idea.

'They protect us... an Omicron wave is coming and will be very, very challenging.'

Hildebrand wrote that Australians should 'accept that eventually most of us will get Covid' and highlights a quote from Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly that compares Covid to the flu.

Mr Sutton also quickly shut down the article's idea that Covid is 'like the flu' and said 'for the millionth time - COVID is not a little flu"'. Pictured are shoppers in Sydney

'We have to accept we will continue to see cases of Covid-19 in Australia, and that some people with increased vulnerability may suffer significant illness or even death. That happens every year with other infectious diseases like influenza.'

Mr Sutton had a blunt response to the common comparison.

'For the millionth time - COVID is not a "little flu",' he wrote.
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A large group of people opposed to Covid-19 restrictions gathered in Westminster to demonstrate against Boris Johnson's Plan B announcement.

A handful of Met Police officers suffered 'minor injuries' while attempting to escort a police motorcyclist through Parliament Square at around 12.30pm on Saturday.

Video footage of the incident shows antagonistic protesters remonstrating with police.

As well as Plan B, the demonstrators are opposed to the possible introduction of vaccine passports and the future imposition of a more restrictive Plan C.

Later in the afternoon, at around 3pm, another crowd of protestors stopped on Regent Street where they began abusing people inside and hurling eggs at the property, police said.

Officers remain in the area to 'monitor the situation'. No arrests have been made.

Anti-vaccination protestors let off flares as they demonstrate in Whitehall near Downing Street in London on Saturday

Hundreds of maskless demonstrators were armed with signs and placards dissuading others from taking the vaccine

Police watch on as hundreds of anti-vaccine protestors gathered to demonstrate against further curbs on our everyday lives

Anti vaccine protesters congregated in London's Parliament Square, including this man who appears to be wearing a police hat

Demonstrators in Barcelona were pictured holding signs that read: 'Europe do not give up against [sic] tyrany'

Demonstrators, most of whom were not wearing face masks, gathered to object to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions

Police were involved in scuffles as some of the demonstrators tried to push through police lines

Unmasked protestors were heard screaming 'shame on you!' and chanting 'Freedom' as they marched through Parliament Square this afternoon.

Others were pictured gathering in large crowds and armed with placards and signs that read 'No to vaccine passports'.

Police reported minor injuries during scuffles with demonstrators on Saturday - after beer cans, flares and eggs were thrown at officers.

Yesterday, almost 100,000 people were confirmed in a laboratory to have contracted Covid-19. In London, more than 60 per cent of those testing positive were identified as having the Omicron Variant.

The demonstration was organised by the Together Declaration who said: 'We represent more than 200 organisations, business groups, campaigners and professionals who have come together because we are gravely concerned about where the introduction of vaccine passports could lead.

'In the UK, we enjoy many hard-won liberties and rights, all fought for and defended by our ancestors. These rights are not only fundamental to our understanding of democracy, they are rights we believe all humans should have.'

As well as vaccine passports, the group are opposed to digital ID cards.

The group said: 'Being ordered to produce medical certification at pubs, clubs, theatres, on public transport, at schools, universities, or anywhere else, is unwarranted and risks deepening the inequalities already present within our society.'

Saturday's demonstration was organised by the Together Declaration - who claimed to represent more than 200 organisations and businesses

Yesterday, almost 100,000 people were confirmed in a laboratory to have contracted Covid-19. In London, more than 60 per cent of those testing positive were identified as having the Omicron Variant

As well as Plan B, the demonstrators are opposed to the possible introduction of vaccine passports and the future imposition of a more restrictive Plan C

Anti-vaccination protestors climb railings in Whitehall, London as police watch on

While demonstrators gathered around Westminster, Oxford Street was unusually quiet on the last Saturday before Christmas week.

Concerns over the soaring rates of Covid-19 driven by the spread of Omicron variant are keeping many shoppers away from central London on what is usually the busiest weekend of pre-Christmas trading.

While online sales are booming and retail parks that can be reached by car have been busy, city centres have seen a marked drop in footfall, according to trade groups including the British Retail Consortium.

Its chief executive Helen Dickinson said: 'The rise of the Omicron variant, combined with the Government's work-from-home advice, has resulted in fewer people visiting shops and high streets, particularly in large city centres.

'There has already been a gargantuan effort to ensure that essential food and gifts are ready for the festive season, despite ongoing challenges in the supply chain.

'We are confident it can be a great Christmas for consumers, and retailers are pulling out the stops to keep staff and customers as safe as possible during these difficult times.'

Outlets in London's West End are unlikely to see a last-minute spending rush this weekend, according to the New West End Company, which represents retailers, restaurants and businesses in the area.

In Italy, hundreds of protestors attended a 'No Green Pass' rally in Turin (pictured) after The Democratic Party's government introduced compulsory vaccine passes to enter all public and private workplaces

Maskless protestors, both young and old, chanted and waved the national flag in demonstrations against the 'Green Pass' in Turin

A protestor dressed as Santa Claus holds aloft a sign reading: 'We are not lab mice, we are children' outside a protest in Turin, Italy

On Thursday, the most recent data available, customer traffic around Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street dipped by seven percentage points from the previous week, and was 32 percentage points below the same day in 2019.

Scotland Yard told MailOnline: 'Officers are deployed in central London to ensure a planned demonstration takes place safely and with minimal disruption to the general public.

'We are aware of videos shared online showing a minor scuffle in Parliament Square. At around 12:30hrs, protestors attempted to stop a group of officers who were escorting a police motorcyclist through crowds that had occupied a road. Some officers suffered minor injuries but order was quickly restored.

'Shortly before 15:00hrs, having made their way to Regent Street, a group of protestors stopped outside a shop and began directing abuse towards those inside.

'Eggs were thrown at windows but no injuries were reported. Officers quickly intervened and calm was restored without further incident.

'The demonstration has moved on and officers will continue to monitor it closely. At this stage, there have been no arrests.'

It comes as European nations also saw major protests on Saturday, with some opting for a return of draconian restrictions banning indoor mixing setting curfews for some non-essential retailers.

In Italy, hundreds of protestors attended a 'No Green Pass' rally in Turin after The Democratic Party's government introduced compulsory vaccine passes to enter all public and private workplaces.

And Barcelona's famous La Rambla road was filled with demonstrators on Saturday evening who held signs that read: 'Europe do not give up against [sic] tyrany'.

The Netherlands is set to announce a new lockdown today with tough anti-Covid measures after the European Commission chief said everyone entering the EU should get PCR tests.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will introduce the measures during a press conference at 7pm alongside health minister Hugo de Jonge and Jaap van Dissel, head of the public health institute RIVM, reported broadcaster NOS.

The country introduced a partial lockdown on November 28, restricting social gatherings to 13 people and imposing a 5pm curfew on bars, restaurants, cinemas and sports venues. Essential shops such as supermarkets must close at 8pm.

Riots broke out in Rotterdam when the restrictions were first announced, with police opening fire on anti-lockdown protests against the restrictions.

Ministers met this morning with regional safety board bosses and are expected to finalise the new plans this afternoon.

Previously, the Dutch Government's Outbreak Management Team advised the complete closure of non-essential stores alongside schools, gyms, cafes, museums and cinemas.

Although Covid cases dropped in the Netherlands after it imposed restrictions last month, only 1.5million people have received a booster jab after it became one of the last countries in Europe to launch its drive.

Meanwhile, in Brussels on Thursday, Ms von der Leyen asked EU leaders to reintroduce tests, both pre-departure and on arrival.
A failed painter who murdered his mother's new man worth 300million was carrying on his dead father's hate-filled vendetta against the aristocrat.

Thomas Schreiber stabbed Sir Richard Sutton to death with a kitchen knife in a frenzied attack which left the hotelier in a pool of blood.

The 35-year-old also attempted to murder his mother, Anne Schreiber, who he stabbed at least nine times in the neck and back.

The 'Moorhill' estate in the hamlet of Higher Langham near Gillingham, Dorset, was left looking like a 'warzone' following the murderous rampage on April 7 this year.

Schreiber lived with the couple at the mansion rent-free following his mother's divorce from his alcoholic father David, a former public schoolboy and failed art dealer.

But despite this, he resented them for abandoning his father, who died in 2013.

Thomas Schreiber (pictured) stabbed Sir Richard Sutton to death with a kitchen knife in a frenzied attack which left the hotelier in a pool of blood

A family photo of Sir Richard Sutton and and Anne Schreiber is pictured before he was murdered

After his divorce from Anne, David Schreiber sent Thomas hate-filled letters describing his mother as a 'gold digger', the Times reported.

Rose McCarthy, one of Schreibers sisters, said: 'I think when you hear that all the time and you receive those letters, I feel that toxicity was transferred on to my brother.'

By 2002, David Schreiber was unable to find employment due to his drinking and Anne Schreiber was providing for the family.

Following the Schreiber's separation, Sir Richard offered to move the whole family to his estate, but Anne told David he could only join them if he quit alcohol.

McCarthy said: 'Dad could be incredibly cruel. He could be suicidal and had an antique gun and often got it out and discharged it out the window to get a reaction.

'He would write suicidal notes and it happened on a continual basis, you couldnt take him seriously.

'That was what we were living under with an alcoholic . . . it was having an incredibly detrimental impact.'

Yesterday a jury at Winchester Crown Court rejected Schreiber's plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to an 'abnormality of mental function'.

Instead they found him guilty of murdering Sir Richard and attempting to murder his mother.

Years after his father's death, Thomas living with the couple at the sprawling country estate became a 'vicious triangle' as Sir Richard became 'consumed' with trying to get rid of the aspiring painter.

Schreiber lived with the couple at the mansion rent free following his mother's divorce from his alcoholic father David (pictured), a former public schoolboy and failed art dealer

The 'Moorhill' estate in the hamlet of Higher Langham near Gillingham, Dorset, was left looking like a 'warzone' following the murderous rampage on April 7 this year

His daughter Caroline Sutton revealed the hotelier paid Schreiber 100,000 for a house deposit in a desperate attempt to get him to leave his home.

In November 2020, Sir Richard hit Schreiber on the back with a walking stick following a heated family row over the inheritance of a chandelier.

This row isolated Schreiber from his family and was a 'watershed moment' in his relationship with them.

He began obsessively scouring the internet for articles about revenge and became 'consumed with hatred' towards his mother and Sir Richard.

Schreiber told friends he was planning revenge and wanted to 'go out with a bang' just months before the killing.

In March 2021 he wrote to his best friend James Reid: 'Simply put I contemplate murdering them all morning day and night.

'It's not what I want to think about but it's the truth. I want them to suffer.'

He added: 'I think and strategise every single day about how best to murder my mother and co... that's how bad my mind is at.'

He also told his friend Fedor: 'The short story is, my mum is a gold digging f***ing b****, she is a selfish, manipulative, toxic, gold digging b****.

After 'sponging' off Sir Richard Sutton for years, Thomas Schreiber (pictured with his mother) stabbed him to death with a kitchen knife in a frenzied attack which left the hotelier in a pool of blood outside his bedroom door

Schreiber lived with the couple (pictured, Sir Richard) at the mansion rent free following his mother's divorce from his alcoholic father David

'We moved here 17 years ago, this huge house, with her partner... she's only there to cook for him and take his money.

'He's a multi multi-millionaire, he's never had to work a day in his life, he inherited everything, all property, all land basically around the world. He's an absolute c***.

'He's horribly racist, horribly backwards, horribly old-fashioned, horribly English... I don't have a good word to say about him frankly and I can't stand him.'

Sir Richard was listed at number 435 in the Sunday Times Rich List last year with an estimated family fortune of 301 million.

He owned a sprawling property empire and more than 16,000 acres of land, including the five-star Sheraton Grand on London's Park Lane and the Athenaeum hotel in Mayfair.

Sir Richard had two children by his first wife Fiamma, and five grandchildren.

Mrs Schreiber, a Danish-born physiotherapist who has a practice in Milborne Port, Dorset, has three grown-up children including son Thomas.
An Amazon delivery driver was told she would be fired if she did not finish her deliveries during the deadly tornado that hammered Illinois and killed six workers at its distribution center.

The unnamed Amazon delivery driver informed her boss at the dispatch that tornado sirens were sounding in her area and suggested she head back to the base for safety, but the supervisor threatened her with termination, according to the text messages provided to Bloomberg.

About 80 minutes later, a tornado struck one of the company's warehouses on December 10 in Edwardsville - approximately 30 miles from where she was located.

Despite the oncoming tornado and the driver's fear for her safety, the boss warned that if she decided to return without finishing her deliveries 'you not having a job come tomorrow morning.'

'If you decided to come back, that choice is yours. But I can tell you it won't be viewed as for your own safety,' the boss said.

'The safest practice is to stay exactly where you are. If you decide to return with your packages, it will be viewed as you refusing your route, which will ultimately end with you not having a job come tomorrow morning. The sirens are just a warning.'

The dispatcher only realized the danger and relented after the tornado struck the Amazon facility.

An Amazon spokesperson said the boss did not abide by the standard safety protocols and should have never threatened the driver's employment (Pictured: Recovery operations continue after the partial collapse of an Amazon Fulfillment Center in Edwardsville, Illinois)

The Amazon driver informed her boss of the tornado warnings and sirens and expressed her concerns for her safety but was told her return would 'ultimately end with you not having a job come tomorrow morning'

Exchange between Amazon delivery driver and dispatch Driver: Radios been going off. Dispatch: OK. Just keep driving. We cant just call people back for a warning unless Amazon tells us to do so. Driver: Just relaying in case yall didnt hear it over there. Driver: Tornado alarms are going off over here. Dispatch: Just keep delivering for now. We have to wait for word from Amazon. If we need to bring people back, the decision will ultimately be up to them. I will let you know if the situation changes at all. Im talking with them now about it. Driver: How about for my own personal safety, Im going to head back. Having alarms going off next to me and nothing but locked building around me isnt sheltering in place. Thats wanting to turn this van into a casket. Hour left of delivery time. And if you look at the radar, the worst of the storm is going to be right on top of me in 30 minutes. Driver: It was actual sirens. Dispatch: If you decided to come back, that choice is yours. But I can tell you it wont be viewed as for your own safety. The safest practice is to stay exactly where you are. If you decide to return with your packages, it will be viewed as you refusing your route, which will ultimately end with you not having a job come tomorrow morning. The sirens are just a warning. Driver: Im literally stuck in this damn van without a safe place to go with a tornado on the ground. Dispatch: Amazon is saying shelter in place. Dispatch: I will let you know when they say anything else to me. Dispatch: [Driver name] you need to shelter in place. The wind just came through the warehouse and ripped the garage door and broke it so even if you got back here, you cant get in the building. You need to stop and shelter in place. Driver: Okay. Advertisement

The driver first informed her boss of the impending peril at 7:08 pm but was told: 'OK. Just keep driving. We can't just call people back for a warning unless Amazon tells us to do so.'

The stunned driver then told the boss that tornado sirens were going off, but the unidentified dispatcher continued to insist she continue working.

'Just keep delivering for now. We have to wait for word from Amazon. If we need to bring people back, the decision will ultimately be up to them. I will let you know if the situation changes at all. I'm talking with them now about it,' the boss said.

That was when the driver had enough and told her boss she was driving back to the base.

'How about for my own personal safety, I'm going to head back. Having alarms going off next to me and nothing but locked buildings around me isn't sheltering in place. That's wanting to turn this van into a casket,' the driver replied.

Her complaints became more desperate as the deadly storm intensified.

'Hour left of delivery time. And if you look at the radar, the worst of the storm is going to be right on top of me in 30 minutes,' she said.

Soon after, the tornado touched down near a highway, throwing cars in the air, destroying houses and demolishing the Amazon warehouse where the six workers were killed.

'Im literally stuck in this damn van without a safe place to go with a tornado on the ground,' the scared driver said.

Moments later, the boss told her to find cover after being told by his Amazon supervisors that the tornado hit the warehouse.

'You need to shelter in place. The wind just came through the warehouse and ripped the garage door and broke it so even if you got back here, you cant get in the building. You need to stop and shelter in place,' the dispatcher said.

The driver managed to avoid any harm but her dispatcher may soon be out of a job.

After reviewing the text exchange between the driver and the boss, Amazon said it was investigating the situation.

A spokesperson told Bloomberg the boss 'didn't follow the standard safety practice,' and 'should have immediately directed the driver to seek shelter' when they first learned of the oncoming tornado and 'under no circumstance should the dispatcher have threatened the driver's employment.'

Amazon is also being questioned for the lack of safety protocols that led to the death of the six warehouse workers.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the deadly incident after workers have reportedly claimed that their weather safety training is inadequate.

Several employees, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were given minimal or no any information on what to do in case of a tornado and said that workers never physically practice drills.

Amazon has faced accusations from its workers describing unsafe and inhumane work practices for years.

The company said its facility was up to code with designated safe zones but that the six workers who were killed were stuck in the section of the warehouse that was hit the hardest.

The incident involving the driver and the death of the six Amazon workers are under investigation by the company and the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Pictured: Safety personnel and first responders survey a damaged Amazon Distribution Center on December 11, 2021 in Edwardsville, Illinois)

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said building codes may need to be toughened as storms become more frequent and deadly.

Experts have continued to warn that extreme weather will continue to increase and intensify as a result of climate change.

This year America experienced an onslaught of intense droughts, raging wildfires, increased hurricanes, and deadly tornados.

The tornado that touched down in Edwardsville is one of 18 that hit the Midwest on December 10, killing at least 90 people in five states.

The Amazon workers killed include Etheria S. Hebb (top left), Kevin Dickey (top right), Deandre S. Morrow (bottom left) and Larry Virden (bottom middle) and Austin J. McEwan (bottom right)
Omicron cases in the South African ground zero peaked on December 6 , experts believe, but are still rising in the rest of the country.

Three weeks after the start of the wave, cases of the variant reached their highest level in Gauteng according to expert Louis Rossouw, which was first to feel the full force of the variant.

The rapid rise and fall of Omicron cases in Gauteng has mystified experts, and Covid cases in other areas of South Africa are now rising rapidly.

Some experts also point to data from South Africa which shows that far fewer people are hospitalised by Omicron leading to speculation that it could cause milder symptoms.

However pessimistic experts counter that South Africa's high levels of immunity from infection and young population could be responsible for the lower hospitalisation numbers.

A total of 68,181 tests were conducted in the last 24hrs, according to The National Institute For Communicable Diseases Of South Africa (NICD).

It said there were 20,713 new cases, representing a 30.4 per cent positivity rate and an increase of 20% on last week.

Charts tracking the rate of Omicron across South Africa show cases are falling in Gauteng, while rising elsewhere.

After reaching a peak of 10,100 per day on December 7 on a seven-day moving average, cases are now around 8,000 per day, according to Louis Rossouw, who has written a scientific paper on the Omicron variant in the country.

A further 35 Covid-19 related deaths have been reported in South Africa, bringing the total fatalities to 90,297.

Three weeks after the start of the wave, cases of the variant reached their highest level in Gauteng, which was first to feel the full force of the variant. This is according to expert Louis Rossouw, who monitors the data in South Africa

There were 20,713 new Covid cases in South Africa today, an increase of 20% on last week and with a a 30.4 per cent positivity rate

The majority of new cases today are still from Gauteng (28 per cent), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (25 per cent).

Yesterday, the countrys health minister Joe Phaahla revealed 1.7 per cent of Covid cases went on to be hospitalized during the second week of the current wave. For comparison, he said the equivalent figure was 19 per cent in the second week of South Africas Delta crisis.

Higher immunity levels due to vaccination and previous infection now than when Delta took off are thought to be behind the lower hospitalization rate.

But Phaahla suggested Omicron may have evolved to be milder, bolstering claims made by doctors treating patients on the frontline.

Public health official Wassila Jassat, who also attended the conference, said South Africa had fewer patients needing oxygen now than when Delta emerged. She added that patients were hospitalized for a shorter period.

It is the latest glimmer of hope for the US that Omicron may be milder than first feared.

Phaahla did not present an analysis to back up his suggestion that a lower proportion of patients were being hospitalized now than when Delta took off.

But two-thirds more swabs were being carried out every day at this point during the Omicron wave than for Delta which may have skewed the analysis.

Hospitalisations in the country fell 23.4 per cent in a week today after another 374 people were admitted. But this could also be down to the holiday, with fewer people available to process data

Daily Covid cases in South Africa have risen 10 per cent in a week today. But the country is currently enjoying a public holiday, which likely skewed the figures

Data from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases showed that less than two per cent of patients were being hospitalized in the second week of the Omicron wave in South Africa. For comparison, when the Delta wave struck it was 12 per cent

Officials figures show some 54,800 tests were carried out every day in the second week of the current wave, compared to 32,600 in the second week of the Delta wave.

Omicron was first detected in South Africa on November 25, and Delta was first detected on May 8.

Its cases rocketed when Omicron first struck the country, and earlier this week reached a record high of almost 26,000 infections reported in a single day. On Thursday they rose 10 per cent week-on-week after another 24,700 were recorded.

Hospitalizations in the country also dipped on Thursday compared to the same time last week, but they are trending upwards to about 600 admissions a day from less than 100 before Omicron emerged.

But they are still below hospitalizations during the country's second wave, which surged above 700 a day.

Doctors on the frontlines say that fewer patients need to be admitted to ICU or receive oxygen than when Delta took off, suggesting it may be more mild.

Phaahla told the conference: 'We believe that [the reduced severity] might not necessarily just be that Omicron is less virulent.'

He said it also depends 'coverage of vaccination' and 'natural immunity', adding: 'Thats why we are seeing mild illness.'

He also pointed to a slowdown in cases in Gauteng, where the average number of daily infections has dipped from 10,448 at the peak four days ago to 9,235 yesterday.

He said: 'In terms of case numbers and percentage of testing positive, we are seeing a decrease in Gauteng, and early indications suggest that the peak has been reached, but there is rapid increase in the other provinces.'

Professor Whitty has warned against comparisons with South Africa, however, telling a gloomy Downing Street press conference on Wednesday that it was hard to compare the two.

He said: 'I think there has been a certain amount of commentary about the fact that doctors and scientists from South Africa... have indicated that there may be some reduction in the hospitalisation rates they are seeing with Omicron.

'I want to put a really serious caution on this because I think it has been overinterpreted.

'The amount of immunity for this wave because of prior Delta wave and vaccination is far higher than it was for their last wave and, therefore, the fact they have a lower hospitalisation rate this time is unsurprising.

'That doesn't mean there is some degree of milder disease  that is possible  but I think there is a danger that people have overinterpreted this to say this is not a problem and there's nothing to worry about. I want to be clear, I am afraid this is going to be a problem.'
A pregnant Pennsylvania woman gave birth in a Tesla after her husband put the electric car into autopilot and helped her deliver the baby before they reached the hospital.

Keating and Yiran Sherry's newborn girl was nicknamed 'Tesla baby' by the nurses after the couple pulled up with their bundle of joy.

The couple recounted their now-three-month-old daughter Maeve Lily's dramatic birth in the front seat of the Tesla after Yiran began having contractions in the middle of the night on September 9.

Pennsylvania couple Yiran and Keating Sherry recounted their now three month-old daughter Maeve Lily's (pictured) dramatic birth in the front seat of the couple's Tesla

Pennsylvania couple Yiran and Keating Sherry recounted their three month-old daughter Maeve Lily's dramatic birth in the front seat of the couple's Tesla (family pictured in car)

'I knew,' Yiran told the Philadelphia Inquirer. 'I said to Keating, 'Today's the day, but I don't think it's happening anytime soon.''

The couple, who met while teaching at Rainbow Bridge International School in Shanghai, have a three-year-old son named Rafa and said they were more than ready to welcome a second child.

Later that morning at 8:30 am, the parents took it easy. Yiran said she did laundry and got their son ready for preschool.

When Keating put their son in the backseat of their car, he checked on his wife and found that her water had broken and knew it was time to take her to the hospital despite her insistence he take their son to school first.

With their son in the backseat, the parents set out for a 20-minute drive from their home in Wayne to Paoli Hospital, while Yiran was crouched on the floor in front of the passenger seat due to strong contractions.

The couple already have a three-year-old son named Rafa said they were more than ready to welcome a second child

Keating utilized the autopilot feature, still keeping his left hand on the wheel while tending to his wife, whose contractions were now at one minute apart (FILE PHOTO)

Nurses at the hospital gave Maeve the apt nickname 'Tesla baby' and the parents considered giving her the middle name 'Tess' as a nod to her birth place but in the end they went with 'Lily'

To make things more complicated, the avenue leading to the hospital was packed with rush-hour traffic.

Keating utilized the Tesla's autopilot feature, still keeping his left hand lightly on the steering wheel while tending to his wife, whose contractions were now one-minute apart, and checking on his son in the backseat.

'She was squeezing my hand to the point where I thought she was going to shatter it,' Keating told the Inquirer.

'I was saying to Yiran: "OK, focus on your breathing." That was advice to myself, as well. My adrenaline was pumping. I said, "Rafa, everything's fine. Your baby sister is arriving."'

The short trip felt like an eternity and in between contractions Yiran glanced at the GPS to see how much longer they had to go, but their baby had other plans.

When they pulled up to the hospital, Yiran whispered, 'Oh, my God, Keating. She's out.'

Luckily a pediatrician happened to be outside the hospital, who called nurses to rush to the Telsa and cut the baby's umbilical cord over the car's front seat.

'Once the pediatrician said, "She's healthy. Congratulations," that was quite the sigh of relief,' Keating says.

Nurses at the hospital gave Maeve the apt nickname 'Tesla baby' and the parents considered giving her the middle name 'Tess' as a nod to her birth place but in the end they went with Lily as a tribute to Yiran's mother.

The parents did joke that they would pass the car down to their baby girl.

'I wouldn't be too surprised if, in the year 2037, Maeve is getting her permit with that Tesla,' Keating told the Inquirer.
Kentucky high school student Nicholas Sandmann revealed that he reached a settlement with NBC on Friday following the network's coverage of a controversial confrontation he had with a Native American man in 2019.

'At this time I would like to release that NBC and I have reached a settlement. The terms are confidential,' Sandmann tweeted on Friday afternoon after reportedly suing the network for defaming him.

The lawsuit settlement with NBC was Sandmann's third with a major news network since 2019. The teen's legal team also sued The Washington Post for $250 million and CNN for $275 million.

Court records show that The New York Times, CBS, ABC, Rolling Stone and Gannett also had suits filed against them.

The lawsuits stem from the portrayal of the then-16-year-old Sandmann as a racist after the MAGA-hat wearing teen was shown standing face-to-face with a Native American man on January 18, 2019.

Kentucky high school student Nicholas Sandmann said he reached a settlement with NBC on Friday after he claimed in a 2019 lawsuit that their reporting of a controversial conversation involving Sandmann and a Native American man 'created a false narrative by portraying the "confrontation" as a "hate crime" committed by Nicholas'

On January 18, 2019 Covington Catholic High School student Sandmann (left), then 16, attended a March for Life event at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Sandmann, while donning a pro-Trump red Make America Great Again (MAGA) hat, was approached by Nettive Americana elder Nathan Phillips (right) - a counter-protester attending the Indigenous Peoples March

Sandmann announced the news via a tweet on Friday afterrnoon

The Covington Catholic High School student and thousands of other students and pro-life advocates attended a March for Life event at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

It was the 47th edition of the march, which protested the Supreme Court's Roe v Wade ruling in 1973 that legalized abortion across America.

Sandmann, while donning the red pro-Trump hat, was approached by Native American elder Nathan Phillips, a counter-protester attending the Indigenous Peoples March.

The white teen was recorded grinning as Phillips beat a ceremonial drum and chanted his face. The clip immediately skyrocketed to the forefront of media reports, which claimed that the incident was racially charged.

The now-18-year-old has consistently maintained that the confrontation had nothing to do with race and demanded NBCUniversal pay a staggering $275 million.

'NBCUniversal created a false narrative by portraying the "confrontation" as a "hate crime" committed by Nicholas,' the suit read.

It also added that the teen was an 'easy target for NBCUniversal to advance its anti-Trump agenda because he was a 16-year-old white, Catholic student who had attended the Right to Life March that day and was wearing a MAGA cap at the time of the incident which he had purchased earlier in the day as a souvenir.'

The lawsuit claimed NBC 'unleashed its vast corporate wealth, influence, and power against Nicholas to falsely attack him despite the fact that at the time, he was a 16-year-old high school student.'

In a DailyMail.com column last month, Sandmann likened the event and its fallout to that of Kyle Rittenhouse, who was acquitted on all counts after shooting three men - killing two - during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The suit against NBC reportedly sought damages for the 'emotional distress Nicholas and his family suffered' due to the network's reporting.

Last year, Sandmann settled the legal battles with The Post and CNN for undisclosed amounts.

According to Fox, Sandmann's attorney Todd V McMurty that The Associated Press and HBO could face similar legal action.

Twelve other Covington Catholic students filed defamation and harassment lawsuits against some of the same major news outlets but a federal judge dismissed them, citing different levels of exposure in the media.
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Hauliers have been forced to queue for hours on the M20 after passengers have been heading to Dover to try and beat France's new ban on UK tourists.

Freight lorries were stuck in lengthy tailbacks on the M20 motorway in Kent heading towards Dover and at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel on Saturday, photographs showed.

It followed queues at the Port of Dover a day earlier after many people brought their Christmas travel plans forward to avoid new restrictions imposed by France, which came into force at 11pm on Friday due to the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

Yesterday's rush in travel as people desperately tried to beat President Macron's ban has led to a build-up of freight lorries trying to head through the Channel Tunnel on Saturday.

Under the new restrictions, UK citizens need a 'compelling reason' to enter France, with trips for tourism or business banned.

Hauliers, transport workers and French nationals are exempt from the new rules, but freight lorries were still affected by the enormous queues of traffic heading towards Dover on Saturday, following Friday's last-minute rush.

Hauliers have been forced to queue for hours on the M20 (pictured) as passengers travelling to France try to beat the country's new ban on UK tourists

There were length tailbacks on the M20 motorway in Kent heading towards Dover and at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel on Saturday, photographs showed

It comes as passengers are desperately trying to beat President Macron's ban on UK tourists entering France, which has come into force due to the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant. Pictured: Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent

UK citizens now need a 'compelling reason' to enter France, with trips for tourism or business banned. Pictured: Freight lorries queuing on the M20 motorway in Kent heading to Dover (left) and at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel (right)

It was hoped freight traffic queues would clear by Saturday afternoon.

The Dover TAP, a temporary traffic system to prevent a build up in lorry traffic, has also been brought in amid tailbacks on the motorways.

The TAP sees a 40mph speed restriction for all vehicles approaching the port brought in, port-bound lorries are required to queue on the nearside to prevent congestion and traffic lights hold back lorries until there is space at the Port of Dover.

The A20 coast-bound has also been closed for local and tourist traffic between the M20 junction 13 and the A260, KentOnline reported.

A spokeswoman for Eurotunnel said: 'Congestion in Dover overnight and on the A20 into Dover this morning has led to a transfer of freight traffic to Eurotunnel.

'There is currently slow-moving traffic on the approach to J11A (Eurotunnel exit) on M20, but freight is flowing through the tunnel at normal rates and so this will disappear in the coming hours.'

Freight lorries queuing on the M20 motorway in Kent heading to Dover on Saturday, while domestic vehicles drive past them

Passengers waiting for a ferry at the port of Dover in Kent, after France brought in strict rules banning UK tourists amid Omicron fears

Hauliers, transport workers and French nationals are exempt from the new rules, but freight lorries (pictured at the port of Dover) were still stuck in the enormous traffic queues heading towards Dover on Saturday

It was hoped freight traffic queues would clear by Saturday afternoon. Pictured: Freight lorries queuing on the M20 motorway in Kent heading to Dover (centre) and at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel (right)

The Dover TAP, a temporary traffic system to prevent heavy lorry queues, has also been brought in amid tailbacks on the motorways. Pictured: Freight lorries queuing on the M20 in Kent (right) and at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel (left)

A spokeswoman for Eurotunnel said that congestion in Dover has 'led to a transfer of freight traffic to Eurotunnel'. Pictured: Freight lorries queuing on the M20 on Saturday

She said all passengers who wanted to get to France through the Channel Tunnel before the deadline had been able to do so.

The heavy traffic comes after President Emmanuelle Macron introduced new rules in France to sharply restrict travel to and from Britain, with only those with 'compelling reasons' able to enter.

Following the move, flights, trains and ferries to France on Friday sold out within hours as travellers made desperate attempts to get to the country before the new ban came into force at 11pm on Friday.

Eurostar reported a rise in bookings on Friday and the aviation analytics company Cirium, said there were 540 flights scheduled between the UK and France before Christmas Day.

Meanwhile, Cross-Channel ferry operators said they too had experienced a surge in bookings from travellers.

Londoner Derek Lubne, who made it to Paris on Thursday just ahead of the deadline, said: 'It's crazy. (Omicron) is already spreading in France.

'I mean I understand they need to protect the people but it's here. What can you do? And it's gonna hurt people. It hurts people, it hurts tourists, it hurts your local businesses.'

Speaking on the ban French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said on BFM television that tourism and business travel to and from Britain will be strongly curtailed, and all those arriving from Britain will need to have a negative virus test less than 24 hours old.

The Dover TAP sees port-bound lorries are required to queue on the nearside to prevent congestion and traffic lights hold back lorries until there is space at the Port of Dover. Pictured: Freight lorries queuing on the M20 on Saturday

Queues of cars were held up at the port of Dover in Kent on Saturday as there were tailbacks on the M20

The A20 coast-bound has also been closed for local and tourist traffic between the M20 junction 13 and the A260. Pictured: Freight lorries queuing on the M20 motorway in Kent

They will also need to test again upon arrival and isolate 'in a place they choose' for at least 48 hours pending the result.

The new measures will take effect first thing Saturday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said in a statement.

They will apply to vaccinated travellers as well those not vaccinated.

Macron's government singled out the UK for the ban on non-essential travel, claiming it is designed to slow the arrival of the super-mutant Omicron variant.

However the travel industry and experts point out that Omicron is already well established there - and even makes up a higher proportion of French cases according to the latest available data.

Boris Johnson today slammed France for banning British tourists from the country starting on Saturday over fears of the Omicron variant.

France has given boosters to only 16.7 million people and hopes to give a third dose to 20 million by Christmas. That is behind the UK, which has already surpassed 24 million booster jabs.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said the government did not think travel bans were a 'effective or proportionate' response to Omicron.

He said: 'On our part given the given the transmissibility of Omicron and its seeding around the world, we don't think that Red Lists are effective or proportionate at this current time.'

A rush of passengers travelling to France trying to beat the country's ban on UK tourists has led to a knock-on effect on freight traffic, resulting in long queues of lorries

Passengers waiting for a ferry at the port of Dover in Kent, after France's ban on UK tourists came into force on Friday

Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent, as traffic management systems were brought in to ease the build up

The move comes after weeks of political tensions between France and Britain over post-Brexit fishing rights and how to deal with migrants crossing the English Channel.

It also comes as France's government is desperately trying to avoid a new lockdown or stricter measures that would hurt the economy and cloud President Macron's expected campaign for the April presidential election.

France's daily Covid cases are already soaring after the arrival of Omicron and are approaching the same level per million as in the UK.

Omicron is also widespread across many European countries including Denmark, which has not been included in the French travel ban.

Conservative MP for Dover Natalie Elphicke told MailOnline the French action was causing 'unnecessary' misery for travellers.

'We have seen again France acting in a different way to other European countries. That is going to cause unnecessary disruption this Christmas time,' she said.

'We saw France do this last Christmas. It is obviously welcome they seem to be allowing haulage to travel but clearly this is going to be difficult for passengers trying to return to their homes for Christmas or go abroad at this time of year.'

And spokesman for ferry operator Brittany Ferries said: 'These new measures are a hammer blow to our Christmas season.

Freight lorries, heading to Dover, queuing on the M20 motorway in Kent at junction 11A - the Channel Tunnel Terminal

Freight lorries queuing on the M20 motorway in Kent heading to Dover (centre) and at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel (right)

Freight lorries queuing on the M20 motorway in Kent heading to Dover after a rush of passengers travelling to France to beat the country's ban on UK tourists has led to a knock-on effect on freight traffic

Massive queues of freight lorries were seen building up at the port of Dover in Kent on Saturday

A rush of passengers attempting to travel to France to beat the country's ban on UK tourists has led to a knock-on effect on freight traffic, resulting in long queues of lorries (pictured)

'In the context of an Omicron variant that is passing through the French population as it is in the UK, further border controls seem as unnecessary as they are unwelcome.'

The PM's spokesman said the government does not think travel bans are a 'effective or proportionate' response to Omicron.

Asked whether Macron should think again, the spokesman said: 'I think at all stages it's been down to countries to consider what approach is right for them.'

'Certainly on our part given the given the transmissibility of Omicron and its seeding around the world, we don't think that Red Lists are effective or proportionate at this current time.'

A French government spokesman confirmed there will be a 'requirement to have an essential reason to travel to, or come from, the UK, both for the unvaccinated and vaccinated'.

He added: 'People cannot travel for touristic or professional reasons.'

They insisted French citizens and EU nationals could still return to France from the UK.
Uncomfortable private conversations in politics have a way of leaking out into the mainstream in the age of social media and mountains of gossip. One major storyline, acknowledged by all inside DC but only vocalized by a few in media, is whether anyone actually believes that Joe Biden is going to run for president again in 2024.

The question is, if not Joe, who? The White House is now being forced to respond to questions about Biden running for president in 2024 because quite frankly it is hard to fathom anyone at his age of 79 (and if he were to be re-elected he would be 82 years old) being physically and mentally equipped to continue being president.

I know this is an uncomfortable truth to say out loud. But for some reason in the 13 years since my father ran for president, the media has gone from abject hysteria about him running at age 71 to making excuses against 'ageist' attacks on Biden. Back then, the media frenzy reached such a fever pitch that my father released his full medical records from the Mayo clinic for journalists to analyze, right down to the fact that he had a giant mole on his back that even I was unaware of until it was reported in Time magazine.

The question is, if not Joe, who? The White House is now being forced to respond to questions about Joe Biden running for President in 2024 because quite frankly it is hard to fathom anyone at his age of 79 (and if he were to be re-elected he would be 82 years old) being physically and mentally equipped to continue being President

The first Biden year thus far feels like the cheap B-Movie sequel to the Trump years, except with a less eccentric and impulsive director in charge of the movie and less spectacular explosions, writes McCain (pictured with Biden when he appeared on The View in 2017)

We have gone from that to our current media and political elite gaslighting us with the idea that everyone from Joe Biden, age 79, to Nancy Pelosi, age 81, to Senators Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Grassley, both aged 88, are at a perfectly acceptable age to be leading this country, and how dare we expect any of these people to retire.

We currently have the oldest Senate in American history when the current median life expectancy in the United States is 78.

Also, if you doubt their utter hypocrisy, both the New York Times and CNN have given voice to the idea in the past few weeks that former President Donald Trump, 75, is too old to run for the job again.

Biden's age isn't a talking point or right-wing conspiracy being floated from my side. This is the reality we are all living in.

So if age isn't a factor for Joe Biden, what about his historically abysmal approval ratings? Another thing you shouldn't let the media elite convince you of is that anything in this administration is going well.

The first Biden year thus far feels like the cheap B-Movie sequel to the Trump years, except with a less eccentric and impulsive director in charge of the movie and less spectacular explosions.

People in Washington D.C. both in politics and in media are abjectly aware of the reality and just how real of a possibility the return of Trump to The Swamp is becoming.

I believe sadly and wholeheartedly that former President Trump plans on running again, and given the current state of my party that slobbers all over anything MAGA-related, it is unlikely there is anything or anyone that would stop him.

And could you blame the GOP for re-nominating even someone as controversial as our most divisive ex-president, when a new poll shows that 58% of voters don't want Biden to run for re-election in 2024 and only 60% of Democrats want him to run for a second term?

For some reason in the 13 since my father ran for president, the media has gone from abject hysteria about him running at age 71 to making excuses against 'ageist' attacks on Biden. Biden, who would be 82 if he is reelected, is pictured with John McCain in 2017

This is a huge blow to the president and his administration, and shows just how low confidence is in Biden after just one year. It is hard to imagine how much worse it will get in the next three before the end of his term considering the messaging failures from Jen Psaki to Ron Klain and the rest of the White House cast.

The last administration proved Trump doesn't hire the best people. Biden seems dedicated to proving he's even worse.

Biden promised a return to normalcy, to stability and to a thriving America. None of that has happened, and Americans are suffering in this purgatory of a never return to normal. Even CNN and the New York Times have released a proposed list of alternative candidates to Biden.

It comes as a surprise to me, given what a disaster Vice President Kamala Harris has been so far, that even a measly 31% of voters favor her running.

Other options are Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Amy Klobuchar and - my personal favorite - failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

I don't know who CNN is speaking to but this list is a liberal fever dream of insanity. None of these people are capable of beating Trump.

If that is the best they can do, then here is the hard truth; Joe Biden's resurrection as a viable national candidate is the Democrats' only hope of beating the GOP in 2022 and 2024.

That will take a massive turnaround in his political fortunes, and the direction of the country. And its probably already too late.
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A powerful gas explosion in a sewage system in southern Pakistani killed at least 12 people and injured 11 others on Saturday, police and health officials said.

Police spokesman Sohail Jokhio said the blast was caused when something ignited gas that had accumulated in the sewer beneath a local bank building in the Shershah neighborhood of the port city of Karachi.

The powerful blast destroyed an HBL bank building. The entire structure of the Shershah bank branch was damaged and police have not ruled whether it was the work of militants.

The floor was blown out and furniture was mired in sewage from below. The impact of the blast damaged several cars parked nearby and threw debris onto a petrol station on the other side of the building.

A view of the site after a gas explosion near a bank in Karachi, Pakistan today. Police have not ruled whether it was the work of militants

Rescuers hold a motorbike amid the debris of a bank building that collapsed after the gas blast in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan

The blast took place in the Paracha Chowk area of the Shersha, on northern bank of the Lyari River in Karachi

Emergency workers flocked to the site in a bid to rescue survivors of the blast who were trapped in the rubble of the bank

Mr Jokhio said it was not yet clear what ignited the gas but a team of explosives experts had been summoned to investigate.

Passerby Mohammad Sameer said he was in the crowded bank branch moments before the blast but left shortly before the explosion, and then rushed back to the damaged bank to rescue victims.

He said: 'Thank God I left the venue otherwise I would also been among the affected ones.'

Military officials with assault rifles and bullet-proof vests were soon seen at the site of the blast that killed at least 12 people

At least more 11 people were injured by the blast. A faded yellow digger was deployed to clear some of the debris at the scene

Local residents joined with emergency workers in helping remove debris by hand and search for anyone left injured by the explosion

Dr. Sabir Memon at Trauma Center Karachi said 10 people were killed and 13 others were injured, at least three critically. He said several injured were sent to the intensive care unit.

Senior police officer Sarafar Nawaz Shaikh later said two of the injured died at the hospital raising the death toll to 12.

He said investigators were not ruling out the possibility the explosion was the work of militants.

'We will come up with a clear version once the explosives experts complete their job,' he added.

Pakistani security officials and emergency workers inspected the scene of the blast that took place

Emergency workers in masks pass forward stretchers to carry people injured or killed in the blast today

Work to clear the area and search for survivors carried on throughout the afternoon and into the evening in Pakistan

Much of the bottom floor of the building was blown apart, with debris flying across the road and landing in the petrol station opposite

A larger black digger clears rubble after a series of cordons were set up at the scene of the blast

A man eases himself down into a crater in the basement of the bank caused by the blast that took place today

The explosion ripped through the framework of the building, revealing concrete ripped apart and metal poles within its structure

Many sewage channels in the city have been covered, mostly illegally, by constructing concrete structures over them.

Mukhtar Abro, a local administrator, said illegal construction over the sewage area of the explosion was under notice to vacate and the structures were to be demolished.

On Saturday evening another bomb, allegedly planted in a motorcycle parked in a bazar, exploded in the southwestern city of Quetta, killing one passerby and wounding four others.

Senior officer Fida Hussain said two of the wounded were transported to hospital in critical condition. No one claimed responsibility for the blast.
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Violence broke out in Newcastle on Black Eye Friday as two revellers came to blows in the street.

Festive celebrations turned violent on Friday as a fight broke out next to the lively Mushroom Bar in the city centre just after 11pm.

The brawl occurred on the last Friday before the Christmas weekend, dubbed Black Eye Friday or Mad Friday because of the amount of partygoers who head out to pubs and clubs.

Pictures of the scrap appeared to show one man getting kicked in the face by another after falling to the ground with blood pouring from his face.

A fight between two revellers broke out next to the lively Mushroom Bar just after 11pm in the city centre on Friday

The incident (pictured) broke out on the last Friday before the Christmas weekend, dubbed Black Eye Friday because of the amount of people who head out to pubs and clubs

Other photographs showed the man curling up in a ball and holding his head, while the other man stood next to him as passersby looked on

Pictures of the brawl appeared to show one man getting kicked in the face after falling to the ground with blood pouring from his face

Other photographs showed the man curled up in a ball cradling his head, while the other man stood over him as passersby looked on.

The man who fell to the ground, whose jumper became bloodstained amid the brawl, was seen being held up on his feet by a third man as police officers stopped and spoke to the group.

A number of men appeared to get involved in the brawl as they were seen dashing across the road during the fight.

One passerby said: 'You can tell it's Black Eye Friday.'

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: 'Shortly before 11pm on Friday December 17 our officers on patrol were alerted to a disturbance on Grainger Street.

'A 21-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault.' The 21-year-old was later released with no further action.

The lively pre-Christmas night out comes as Downing Street has announced there will be a Cobra meeting to discuss if a joint response to the virus is needed across the UK.

The meeting will raise fears that more curbs could be imposed before Christmas  despite the opposition of Tory MPs and Downing Street's apparent determination to get through without them.

Scientists have call for a two-week ban on household mixing 'very soon' and warned that the UK needs to go into lockdown before Christmas or it will be 'too late'.

One man could be seen falling to the ground amid the fight, while passersby looked on shocked at the scene

Police officers could be seen talking to a number of men, as one of the men, wearing a bloodstained white hooded jumper, remained sitting on the pavement

Other men appeared to get involved in the brawl as a group of men were seen dashing from across the road amid the fight

He was later seen back on his feet as he was held up by another man as police officers stopped and spoke to both men

The man then walked off down the street, being supported by another individual, as two police officers continued to monitor the situation

It is hoped a circuit breaker could stop Omicron hospitalisations peaking at 3,000 a day, according to Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews and a member of Sage, who spoke in a personal capacity.

He said it was clear that Plan B measures alone would not be enough to stop the spiralling numbers of cases and that the Government needs to 'act now'.

He added: 'Now, you could have it after Christmas, the problem is after Christmas it's probably too late, it's probably by then we will have had a huge surge of infections with all the impact upon society.'

The surging statistics came as Professor Neil Ferguson  whose projections have spooked No10 into lockdowns before  called for curbs to be tightened by New Year on the back of his latest modelling of the mutant strain.

He told BBC 4's Today Programme hospitalisations could be overwhelmed by Christmas as Omicron cases rise in the next week with a 'very large epidemic underway'.

He added: 'The level of protection against severe disease is not perfect and the very large case numbers may still translate into very large numbers of hospitalisations.'

During the Sage meeting on Thursday, the experts backed a ban on indoor social contact and hospitality. In what could be a blow to Britons planning New Year parties, they want fresh measures to come in before January 1.

Leaked minutes from Sage, seen by the BBC, said scientists had told ministers that tougher measures need to be brought in 'very soon'.

'The timing of such measures is crucial,' said the minutes. 'Delaying until 2022 would greatly reduce the effectiveness of such interventions and make it less likely that these would prevent considerable pressure on health and care settings.'

It comes as the number of confirmed Omicron cases in England reached 23,168, up 9,427 on the previous day's total, figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Saturday showed. Cases in Northern Ireland rose to 827, a rise of 514.

Covid hospital admissions have spiked by more than a third in a week in Britain's Omicron hotspot of London, official data shows

Scotland's cases have reached 792, an increase of 96, and in Wales there are 181, up 22 on the previous day.

It means in total there has been a 67 per cent rise in cases in just 24 hours - as the total figure for the UK reached 24,968, according to the UKHSA.

The number of deaths in England of people with the Omicron variant has risen to seven, the UK Health Security Agency said, from the previous figure of one.

Hospital admissions in England for people with confirmed or suspected Omicron rose to 85, from 65.

CARDIFF: Punters packed into bars and clubs in the Welsh capital despite a steep rise in Omicron cases last night

LEEDS: A group of young revellers hit the town on Black Eye Friday, one of the busiest nights of the year for pubs, bars and nightclubs

NEWCASTLE: Hundreds of young people hit Newcastle town centre on Black Eyed Friday

BIRMINGHAM: Father Christmas is seen standing in the centre of packed out and mask-less crowds in Birmingham on Black Eyed Friday

NEWCASTLE: Partygoers were in high spirits in Newcastle as night as they headed out in the city centre

NEWCASTLE: Revellers enjoy the Black Eye Friday celebrations in Newcastle on the traditional day where office parties take place across the country on the final Friday before Christmas

LEEDS: Punters queue for the last big Friday night out before December 25 in Leeds

Officials draw up plans for two-week 'circuit breaker' lockdown - including bans on households mixing Plans for a two-week circuit breaker after Christmas with a ban on indoor mixing are being drawn up, it emerged last night. Leaked minutes of a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warn that restrictions are needed 'very soon' to avoid hospitalisations rising to 3,000 a day. During the meeting on Thursday, the experts backed a ban on indoor social contact and hospitality. In what could be a blow to Britons planning New Year parties, they want fresh measures to come in before January 1. 'The timing of such measures is crucial,' said the minutes, seen by the BBC. 'Delaying until 2022 would greatly reduce the effectiveness of such interventions and make it less likely that these would prevent considerable pressure on health and care settings.' Whitehall officials are preparing draft regulations that would ban meeting others indoors except for work purposes, and pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only, reported The Times. According to the Sage minutes, the advisers recommended moving back to restrictions set down in Step One and Two of the roadmap out of lockdown in the spring, which involved a ban on indoor social contact and indoor hospitality. They warned that solely sticking to Plan B could lead to 'at least' 3,000 hospital admissions a day in England. Admissions have been between 800 and 900 a day in the past week. Introducing these measures early enough 'could substantially reduce the peak in hospital admission and infections compared with Plan B alone', the minutes said. Boris Johnson was presented with several options yesterday for a so-called Plan C, ranging from 'mild guidance to nudge people, right through to lockdown', according to the Financial Times. Ministers will decide this weekend whether any new Covid restrictions are needed following the latest dire warnings from scientists. Advertisement

Yesterday, Britain recorded its highest number of daily infections since the pandemic began, with a total of 93,045 people testing positive for Covid in the past 24 hours, up 60 per cent in a week.

Industry experts had feared the Government's increasingly alarmist messaging surrounding the Omicron mutant strain was affecting customer confidence over what should be a peak period for pubs, bars and restaurants.

Festive takings are expected to fall by up to 40 per cent in December - crippling venues that survived by a thread during previous lockdowns and expect to receive no financial support this time around.

Prof Reicher, who was speaking to Times Radio in a personal capacity, said the time to act was now to prevent the new variant overwhelming the NHS.

It comes amid reports officials have been drawing up draft plans for a two-week circuit-breaker lockdown after Christmas.

The Financial Times reported that Boris Johnson was presented with a number of options on Friday under a so-called Plan C, ranging from 'mild guidance to nudge people, right through to lockdown'.

The newspaper quoted allies of the Prime Minister who claimed Mr Johnson still wanted to go down the guidance route, but that he also had to be realistic about the threat of Omicron.

The BBC reported the advisers had recommended moving to restrictions seen in step one and two of the easing of lockdown restrictions in the spring. This included a ban on indoor mixing and indoor hospitality.

They reportedly warned against delaying further interventions until 2022.

The Times reported that draft regulations were being prepared which could ban meeting others indoors except for work purposes and that pubs and restaurants would be limited to outdoor service only, for two weeks after Christmas.

On Saturday, Prof Reicher told Times Radio that 'all the science suggests that (Plan B is) not going to be enough'.

He said: 'The only way really, or at least the most effective way, we can have an immediate effect is to decrease the number of contacts we have.

'In many ways, the most effective way of diminishing contact is to have a circuit-breaker.

'When people say 'look, we don't want to close down', of course, we don't want to close down. But the problem is at the moment, things are closing down anyway, because of the spread of infection.

'So I think we need to act now.'

Lord Victor Adebowale, chairman of the NHS Confederation, voiced support for a circuit-breaker, warning that a cautionary approach should be taken.

He told Times Radio: 'I would support the circuit-breaker. My members would support the circuit-breaker.

'We've been calling for Plan B for some time now and we're glad that it was voted through. I think the Government has to be prepared to recall Parliament if further interventions are needed.'

He added: 'The fact of the matter is we should be taking the precautionary principle. We should be protecting our NHS and our public services. We have no economy without health.'

A Government spokesperson said: 'The Government will continue to look closely at all the emerging data and we'll keep our measures under review as we learn more about this variant.'

Professor Ferguson today told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme Omicron did not yet appear to be more severe than the previous Delta and Alpha variants.

NEWCASTLE: Many were in the Christmas spirit last night, wearing festive jumpers and various costumes in Newcastle

CARDIFF: Late on Thursday, the Welsh government said it would close nightclubs from December 27 and impose a two-metre social distancing rule. Pictured: Punters enjoy the festivities in Cardiff

NEWCASTLE: A group of girls celebrating their friend's 21st birthday hit the clubs on the final Friday before Christmas

CARDIFF: Young people ditch their face coverings as they head out on 'Mad Friday' with new Covid curbs coming into force from next week

Darts-lovers still packed into Alexandra Palace in London for day three of the William Hill World Darts Championship on Friday despite recording a record-breaking number of Covid infections

Hundreds of people wearing fancy dress costumes drank as they enjoyed the sporting spectacle in the capital

He said: 'The severity aspect is the least well defined because we've observed relatively few hospitalisations. Case numbers are low. We don't see a particularly strong signal of any change in severity compared with Delta.

'That's not to say it's going to look like the Alpha wave we had a year ago because we do expect all those people with immunity and vaccination will have milder disease.

'But intrinsically Omicron doesn't look to be much different to Delta. There is a lot of uncertainty so we'll know a lot more about that in a week's time because numbers of cases and hospitalisations are building quickly.'

Having two vaccinations or Covid previously gives Britons 'very little' protection from the virus - but they will still have 85-90 percent protection from serious illness, he added.

'From a public health perspective it means we expect immunity people have built up over the last 12 months to be better preserved against severe disease than against infection.

'If you've been infected before or only had two doses of the vaccine you have very little protection against being infected with Omicron.

'But the protection against severe disease should hold up well. Perhaps 85-90 percent protection. The challenge we face with a very large epidemic on the way is even that level of protection against severe disease is not perfect and the very large case numbers may still translate into very large numbers of hospitalisations.'

Tory ministers are set for crunch talks this weekend to discuss whether new Covid curbs are needed following dire warnings from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies group's scientists.
A Tennessee university music professor hid a cash prize on campus to see if his students fully read the class syllabus - only to find the crisp $50 bill he had placed in a locker still there at the end of the semester.

Kenyon Wilson, the associate head of performing arts at Tennessee at Chattanooga, decided to hide $50 in a random music locker and bury the combination for the locker in the middle of his syllabus.

The hint read: 'Thus (free to the first who claims; locker one hundred forty-seven; combination fifteen, twenty-five, thirty-five), students may be ineligible to make up classes and ...'

He even went so far as to set the combination lock on a certain number to verify if it had been moved.

But at the end of the semester, the $50 bill and the note that went along with it were untouched by Wilson's 70 students.

'Congrats! Please leave your name and date so I know who found it,' the unread note requested.

A professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga hid a $50 cash prize on campus to test if any of his 70 students would read the class syllabus throughly

When Kenyon Wilson, the associate head of performing arts at the college, returned to the locked at the end of the semester the locker and cash prize were untouched

Wilson shared the results of his experiment on Facebook with a picture of the unclaimed prize.

'My semester-long experiment has come to an end. At the start of the term, I placed $50 in one of our lockers and included the locker number & combination in my syllabus for a class with over 70 enrolled. Today I retrieved the unclaimed treasure,' he posted.

'What academic shenanigans should I try next?'

Wilson waited to check the locker until after final exams were finished.

'I had great hopes, and I'd be just as happy having this conversation if one of my students found it on the first week.' Wilson told CNN.

He shared that all his students have been 'good sports' about the prank.

'I know my students read, and I don't expect them to religiously go through word-by-word but if they did, I wanted to reward them.' Wilson said.

Haley Decker was one of the students who failed to claim Wilson's cash prize.

'I honestly thought it was hilarious.' Decker told CNN. 'This class typically is the same format every semester, so students know what to expect and don't take the time to read the syllabus like we should.'

Wilson anticipated that none of his students would read the syllabus word for word but wanted to reward anyone that did

Wilson shared his prank on Facebook where it went viral with fellow teachers sharing similar tricks they've pulled and others sharing suggestions for future semesters

Decker texted her fellow classmates, who she said all appreciated the joke.

'I think this was a really smart experiment for Dr. Wilson to test out,' Decker said. 'It definitely made the music students realize that despite repetitive information you should still read through your syllabus carefully.'

Wilson's post sharing his prank went viral on social media with his original Facebook post amassing 1,800 shares and a tweet of his post gathering over 10,000 likes.

Most of the those who replied were amused by Wilson's prank, with many agreeing that they never read their class syllabus in school. Others encouraged Wilson to repeat his trick.

'Just do this again it's brilliant!' Caroline Yezer commented.

'Add to it each year until someone takes the prize,' Brent Barnett suggested.

'I laughed at this, but it also hurt a little bit,' Craig L. Millard wrote.

'Include on page 3 of the syllabus to email you a picture of a dinosaur to get a free A,' Jason Gonella suggested.

Wilson's music students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga were 'good sports'

Others on social media shared the pranks they've played on their students or have experienced from their professors.

'I tried it once, and like the teacher in the original post, got no response. NOBODY READS THE SYLLABUS!' Valerie J. Andrews said.

'I have a professor friend who puts 'email me a picture of a monkey for extra credit' in her syllabus,' Neal Hunt recalled.

'I have 'draw a picture of a camel on the first quiz' in my syllabus,' Pamela Johnston said.

Wilson is happy with the reaction from his students and online fans.

'Perhaps spring 2022 will be the most well-read syllabi ever' he said.
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President Joe Biden took a break from the White House to visit the Delaware gravesite of his first wife and their baby girl on the anniversary of the tragic 1972 car crash that took their lives.

Biden was pictured with his family, including son Hunter and his one-year-old grandson Beau, on Saturday outside of St. Joseph on the Brandywine in his hometown of Wilmington for the 49th anniversary of the deaths of the president's first wife, Neilia, and daughter Naomi.

Neilia Biden and the couples 13-month old daughter, Naomi, were killed when their car was struck by a tractor-trailer as she took the kids to pick out a Christmas tree.

President Joe Biden watches as his son Hunter Biden follows his one-year-old son Beau Biden as the family leave St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington

President Joe Biden shakes hands with a Monsignor John Hopkins (right)as he leaves St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington on the anniversary of of the deaths of the president's first wife, Neilia, and daughter Naomi

President Biden's somber visit to comes as a new poll shows his approval rating among young voters has hit a low

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wait for family as they walk from St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church, including Biden's son Hunter carrying his young son Beau in his arms

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk side by side in a graveyard just outside of St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church on Saturday on the anniversary of the tragedy haunted him at the start of his Senate career and has been a touchstone of his presidency

Sons Hunter and Beau were seriously injured. They were a year and a day apart in age, at 3 and 4.

The tragedy haunted him at the start of his Senate career and has been a touchstone of his presidency, with Biden recently opening a speech in Minnesota by noting how two of that states former senators helped him cope.

Accompanying Biden to mark the tragic anniversary was his son Hunter who brought along his young son Beau, who was pictured outside the church walking alongside his dad.

Biden's youngest grandchild is named after his deceased son who died of brain cancer in 2015, who along with his mother and sister is buried in the cemetery directly outside the church.

The president and the first lady were seen paying their respects following mass.

Biden and his family have attended he church for years and as president he has made dozens of visits accompanied by his large family.

His somber visit comes as a new poll shows his approval rating among young voters has hit a new low.

This week a Pew Center Research poll found that Biden's approval rating stands at 27 per cent among Americans under 30, which is the lowest level of support among any age group in the survey.

It represents a startling 50-point drop from when the Economist and YouGov surveyed Gen Z and millennial Americans in January.

The numbers are surprising because younger voters have trended heavily Democratic in recent elections, with millennials and Gen Z voters favoring Biden over former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election by 24 points.

On the anniversary of the death of his first wife Neilia and daughter Naomi Biden's death, President Biden walks through the cemetery after visiting St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington

President Joe Biden embraces a family member as he and first lady Jill Biden leave St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church on the anniversary of the deaths of the president's first wife, Neilia, and daughter Naomi

Biden watches from afar while his son Hunter and grandson Beau walk outside St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church in Wilmington on Saturday following mass

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden pay their respects in the cemetery directly outside St. Joseph's church

Joe Biden pictured with his family in 1972 with his son Hunter Biden (far left) first wife Neilia Biden, infant daughter Naomi Biden and son Beau Biden on his lap

Then senator-elect Joseph Biden and wife Nelia are pictured cutting his 30th birthday cake at a party in Wilmington with their two sons Hunter and Beau

It would appear that both 2020 presidential candidates are unpopular, another poll released this week found that a whopping 58 per cent of U.S. voters don't think Joe Biden should run for reelection in 2024, while 56 per cent also say they don't want Donald Trump to run in the next presidential election.

If Biden didn't run, according to a Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris has the plurality of votes to replace him with 31 per cent saying they would want her on the ticket if not Biden in 2024.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is in second place with 11 per cent.

Biden has long said that he will run for reelection after his four years are up, snuffing rumors that he was only running in 2020 to defeat Trump and help usher in a replacement of his choosing.

Trump has also teased a run in 2024  but says he won't announce until after the 2022 midterm elections.

His low poll numbers come as as the Omicron variant threaten to put a damper on American's holiday season.

Americans under 30 gave President Joe Biden a 27 per cent approval rating - with 7 per cent saying they strongly approved and 20 per cent saying they somewhat approved. Meanwhile, seniors both approved and disapproved of Biden the most

The poll shows only 60% of Democratic poll respondents want Biden to run again in 2024

The Omicron COVID-19 variant (purple) now accounts for 3% of U.S. Covid cases, up from less than one percent last week. The Delta variant (orange) is still the nation's dominant strain, accounting for 97% of new cases, per CDC data

Grim new figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have predicted that US COVID-19 deaths will soar by 73 per cent to 15,600 a week by January 8, and that cases will rocket to 1.3 million a week by Christmas Day.

The agency revealed projections on Wednesday afternoon that show America will suffer up to 15,600 new Covid deaths a week as of January 8 - or 2,228 deaths per day - a 58 per cent increase from 8,900 deaths currently being recorded each week, equivalent to 1,285 deaths a day.

Another CDC prediction estimates that between 620,000 and 1.3 million Americans will have been diagnosed with Covid by the week that ends on December 25 - Christmas Day.

That represents a 55 per cent leap on the 840,000 cases that have been recorded over the last week.

Omicron will likely become the dominant Covid strain in the coming weeks, and cause a massive surge of cases shortly after Christmas, one expert has warned, likely fueling the surge the CDC predicts.
A killer who strangled his sister's brother-in-law before dumping his body in an abandoned car has been found guilty of murder.

A PCSO found young dad Najeebullah Nekzad, 19, dead in a grey Fiat Punto on New Hey Road in Scammonden, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, on August 31, 2019.

Gol Zazai, whose sister is married to Mr Nekzad's older brother, Nasrullah Nekzad, has been found guilty of murder after a trial at Leeds Crown Court.

Nasrullah Nekzad was also interviewed in connection with his brother's death but fled to his native Afghanistan, the court heard.

Gol Zazai has been convicted of the murder of Najeebullah Nekzad, pictured, whose body was found in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire on August 31, 2019

Jurors heard a member of the public had spotted the car three days prior to the grim discovery and told West Yorkshire Police.

Nekzad's death was confirmed by medics shortly after the PCSO found his body and detectives launched an investigation.

Nasrullah Nekzad was quizzed by police as a possible suspect but fled to Afghanistan where he remains, prosecutor Alistair MacDonald said.

Zazai, 29, of Albemarle Terrace in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, was also questioned and was eventually charged with the murder almost two years later.

Mr MacDonald said a call was made to police shortly before 9am on August 30.

He told jurors the lay-by was in a 'remote location', adding that it was 'unusual for cars to be left there overnight'.

Mr MacDonald said the Fiat was parked at a 'rather odd angle' with its bonnet facing the moors.

Mr MacDonald said: 'On August 31, a PCSO was dispatched to investigate that vehicle which was a silver Fiat Punto.

The court heard that Mr Nekzad had been strangled and his body left in a Fiat Punto

'She discovered the body of a man in the front passenger seat. The seat had been fully reclined and the back windows were the ones that were darkened.

'The officer was unable to wake the man and it became apparent he was cold to the touch and rigor mortis had set in.

'There was also an injury to the neck of the man in the passenger seat.

'Paramedics were called and after the necessary checks, they confirmed the man was indeed dead.'

The Fiat was found to be registered in the name of Nasrullah Nekzad, who worked with his brother at the Chick Corner takeaway on Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne.

Meanwhile, police continued to investigate Mr Nekzad's death and three ligature marks were found on his neck.

Mr MacDonald told the court there were 'signs of sustained pressure to the neck by means of a ligature'.

Mr MacDonald told jurors: 'In ordinary terms, Najeebullah Nekzad had been strangled.'

He said a ligature that matched the dimensions of the marks on Mr Nekzad's neck was found nearby in a car park on the moors.

Mr MacDonald said: 'It's the prosecution case that there were two men who killed Najeebullah Nekzad.

'The first one was his older brother and the second was this defendant, Gol Zazai. Only one man sits in the dock.

'That is because at an earlier stage of the inquiry and after he had been interviewed Nasrullah Nekzad, the brother of the deceased, left the UK and returned to his native Afghanistan.

'The prosecution say both these men were in this crime together and it matters not that one of the men isn't here to be tried.

'Why does the prosecution say Gol Zazai is guilty of this crime of murder?

'Because through the period leading up to the death of Najeebullah Nekzad, he and the brother of the deceased were with Najeebullah and they were the last people to see him alive and, in the case of Gol Zazai, told lies about when he had last seen him.

'These lies, say the prosecution, have no purpose but to conceal his involvement in the death of Najeebullah Nekzad.'

Jurors were told that Nasrullah Nekzad was married to Mr Zazai's sister.

It was revealed the Nekzad brothers had been working at Chick Corner on August 27 and into the early hours of August 28.

Mr MacDonald said Nasrullah Nekzad was at the family home at around 4.15am but made phone calls to both his younger brother and Zazai.

The prosecution said that Zazai met Nasrullah Nekzad at around 4.30am.

Mr MacDonald said that around an hour later, at 5.34am, a Chevrolet Spark driven by Zazai pulled up at a petrol station on Manchester Road, Huddersfield, and was later joined by the Fiat driven by Mr Nekzad.

The prosecutor added that it is the Crown's case that Nasrullah Nekzad was a front-seat passenger in the Fiat being driven by his younger brother.

Both cars are said to have left the petrol station and travelled in the direction of Manchester and the last sighting of Mr Nekzad alive was at 6.10am.

The two cars passed the former Nont Sarah's pub at 6.26am. Mr MacDonald added that the two cars remained in the vicinity of New Hey Road until 7.17am.

He said it is the Crown's position that in that 51-minute period the two men killed Mr Nekzad.

Jurors were then told the two cars travelled in tandem through nearby areas, including Holmfirth and Glossop, and the final sighting of the two cars driving together was at 9.21am.

The prosecution say it was Nasrullah Nekzad who was driving the Fiat during this period with his brother's lifeless body 'slumped' in the front passenger seat.

The two cars travelled together for a period of three hours before the Chevrolet driven by Zazai was seen on its own for the first time at the Old Post Office at 10.02am.

Mr MacDonald said this gave Nasrullah Nekzad and Zazai a two-minute window to 'dump the body' in the Fiat in the lay-by.

At 10.22am the Chevrolet was traced to an address on Henrietta Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, near both Nasrullah Nekzad and Zazai's home addresses.

Just one minute later, Nasrullah Nekzad was seen to arrive back at his home around the corner.

Mr Nekzad never returned home, Mr MacDonald added.

His body had been partially covered by a black top that had Zazai's DNA on it. Zazai was interviewed by police for the first time on September 13, 2019, and denied having any involvement in Mr Nekzad's death.

He told detectives the last time he had seen him was during prayer at their mosque on August 23.

Zazai was interviewed for a second time on June 29, this year, during which he was shown CCTV footage from the petrol station.

He said he could not remember what happened and that they had driven to the petrol station to get fuel.

He also said Mr Nekzad had been upset about a death in the family and that he had left and 'didn't want to come back'.

Mr MacDonald said these were all lies to cover up his involvement.

Mr MacDonald asked jurors: 'Surely he would want to tell the truth and help the police in any way he could?'

Zazai will be sentenced on March 8.
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New Yorkers are struggling to find COVID-19 tests as the city suffers a record surge of infections driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

After New York broke new daily case records on both Friday and Saturday, each new positive test is kicking off frantic text messages to friends and colleagues warning them to get tested, and the looming Christmas holiday is prompting scores more to seek the tests before they travel.

The surge in demand has stretched the city's testing capacity to the limit, with wait times of more than two hours on Saturday at some city testing centers and pharmacies in Manhattan running out of at-home test kits amid huge demand.

Furious New Yorkers are now questioning why Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration was not prepared for the crisis, nearly a month after Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency over the Omicron threat.

'New York City's test sites don't have enough capacity, staffing or supervision,' tweeted New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay. 'Almost two years in, there is no excuse for making sick New Yorkers - or any sick people, anywhere - wait for hours in cold rain to get tested.'

According to the Walgreens website, no Walgreens or Duane Reade pharmacy locations in Manhattan had home test kits or appointments for PCR or rapid testing available on Saturday afternoon.

'We have recently seen an elevated demand for testing, and our teams are working to ensure our customers are being cared for to support this demand,' a Walgreens spokesman told DailyMail.com in a statement.

City-run Health + Hospitals free testing sites were overwhelmed with demand, with the Fort Hamilton site in Brooklyn reporting a wait time exceeding two hours.

People line up outside the Barclays Center for COVID tests on Saturday. New Yorkers are struggling to find COVID-19 tests as the city suffers a surge of infections driven by the Omicron variant

New York City's outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio remains intent on holding his New Year's Eve celebration at full capacity in Times Square, and vows not to follow Europe in a return to lockdowns

Daily new cases in New York City set a record this week since widespread testing was available

City-run testing sites reported huge wait times Saturday as New Yorkers struggled to find testing

The city is responding to the pressure by opening H+H testing sites seven days a week, opening five new sites, and the city sites are also offering free at-home test kits, according to state Senator Kevin Parker of Brooklyn.

Mayor Bill de Blasio's office and a spokesman for H+H did not immediately respond to inquiries from DailyMail.com on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile disruptions to daily life have been rapid and widespread. In Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood alone, more than a dozen bars and restaurants have had to close temporarily amid a recent surge in infections among their workers and patrons.

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant entered the league's COVID protocol on Saturday, making him the eighth man on the team taken out of action by the virus, even as a huge line formed at a testing station outside the team's Barclays Center arena.

Saturday Night Live was on the verge of cancelling tonight's final episode of the 2021 season after four cast members were struck with the virus and three others refused to come in for fear of the virus, according to the New York Post.

The Rockettes on Friday canceled the remained of their Christmas Spectacular performances and a wave of Broadway productions have gone dark due to breakthrough infections in vaccinated performers.

'It feels very reminiscent of March 2020,' said Spencer Reiter, a 27-year-old Brooklyn resident who works in finance as he waited for a rapid test at a medical van near McCarren Park.

Reiter and his friend Katie Connolly, a student who is also 27, had come to be tested after friends tested positive.

'Seeing these lines... it's kind of back to where we began,' Reiter said. Connolly concurred, saying, 'It's definitely eerie.'

A view of the Manhattan skyline from across the East River on December 14, 2021 as Omicron descends on the city

Kevin Durant (seen Thursday) went on the COVID protocol on Saturday after becoming the eighth Nets player infected

People wait in line to get tested for COVID-19 at a mobile testing site in Times Square on Friday in New York

New York City had been mostly spared the worst of the big surge in COVID-19 cases that has taken place across the northeastern and midwestern U.S. since Thanksgiving, but the situation has been changing rapidly in recent days

The test positivity rate is in each NYC zip code is seen above. The city's positivity rate has risen rapidly in recent weeks

Hospitalizations have been rising in New York City as the Omicron variant spreads rapidly

For many New Yorkers, the rapid return to remote working policies, an onslaught of news about friends and family members testing positive, and grim pronouncements from high officials all feel spookily similar to the pandemic's darkest days.

New York's latest COVID surge comes as the Omicron variant establishes a beachhead in the city, driving cases up just as residents prepare to travel and gather for the Christmas holiday.

The CDC estimates that Omicron accounts for at least 13 percent of all new cases in New York, which on Saturday recorded its highest single-day tally of new COVID-19 cases ever at 21,908, breaking the record of 21,027 set just one day earlier.

'The winter COVID-19 surge is here,' warned New York Governor Kathy Hochul, urging everyone to get vaccinated and boosted.

Though New York's hospitalizations, which tend to lag new cases, remain below their peaks, they have climbed 25 percent in the past two weeks, straining the state's healthcare system.

The spread of the variant, which appears highly transmissible and able to evade immune response from vaccination or prior infection, has already pushed Europe to the brink of new lockdowns.

However in New York, outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio remains intent on holding his New Year's Eve celebration at full capacity in Times Square.

The party will mark the end of his eight-year reign, which expires on January 1.

De Blasio, like Governor Hochul, insisted on Friday that vaccination and precaution is the best way to combat the city's COVID-19 surge.

'No, no, no,' de Blasio told WNYC on Friday when asked about possible shutdowns of public schools and other activities.

'Don't fight yesterday's war,' he added. 'This is not March of 2020. We're one of the most highly vaccinated places in the United States of America.'

'The more we vaccinate, the more we can get through this,' de Blasio said. Another lockdown 'would really destroy, in so many ways, people's livelihoods and it would, I think, after everything people have been through  it would be traumatizing.'

The first wave of the pandemic brought New York to its knees in the spring of 2020.

The megalopolis of 8.5 million people, long known as 'the city that never sleeps,' felt almost deserted for weeks, its empty streets resembling something from a science fiction movie about a post-apocalyptic world.

The only sound heard in Manhattan's broad avenues seemed to be the wail of ambulance sirens, as hospitals operated beyond capacity and morgues were forced to bring in refrigerated trucks to handle the huge influx of COVID victims.

The disease has claimed at least 34,000 lives in New York since spring 2020, and the city -- especially Manhattan -- has never completely regained its legendary glitter and energy of pre-COVID days.

'We are actually in the beginning again, or maybe even worse,' said Jolanta Czerlanis, a 54-year-old Brooklyn resident. She had come for testing after feeling possible COVID symptoms.

'It's very scary,' added Czerlanis, who works in catering. 'We were hoping that it's going to get better.'

The startlingly rapid spread of Covid-19's Omicron variant has raised grave concern across the US.

President Joe Biden on Thursday predicted a 'winter of severe illness and death' for the unvaccinated.

The number of new daily cases nationwide stood at 86,000 on December 1; by December 14, it had soared to 117,000, a 36 percent increase in two weeks.

The US already leads the world in the most grim of statistics. On Tuesday it surpassed 800,000 COVID deaths, according data compiled by Johns Hopkins.

In the US, highly vaccinated states in the northeast seem to be struggling the most at the moment, as cold weather, waning vaccine immunity and the new variant all contribute to a new case surge.

In Connecticut, 74 percent of the population is fully vaccinated, one of the highest rates in America. The state has also seen its COVID situation spiral out of control in recent weeks. New cases are up 162 percent over the past two weeks, with 72 out of every 100,000 residents testing positive for the virus every day.

Rhode Island currently has the highest COVID rate in America, with 99 out of every 100,000 residents testing positive for the virus every day - up 63 percent over the past two weeks. It is also the second most vaccinated state in America with 75 percent residents fully jabbed.

The most vaccinated state in America is Vermont, where 76 percent of residents are fully immunized. The state is experiencing a surge of its own still, though, with 69 out of every 100,000 residents being infected everyday.

To credit the vaccine, though, deaths in all three states have remained low despite recent case surges.

Other nearby states like Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire, all with more than 70 percent of their populations fully vaccinated, are dealing with cases surges as well.

'I think the only thing that it can come down to is behaviors and waning immunity,' Dr Chris Thompson, an infectious disease expert at Loyola University of Maryland, told DailyMail.com about the increasing rate of infections in highly vaccinated states.

'So the boosters will help to overcome the waning immunity and it's up to us to become vigilant about those behaviors of handwashing, masking, social distancing, testing, vaccinations and those sorts of things.

'[There are] also colder temperatures up there, so people are probably gathered together more indoors again, and that gathering can can lead to easier spread, especially with Omicron.'
A pebble-sized piece of fudge was found in the ball gown worn by Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna - the eldest sister of Russia's last tsar - 118 years ago.

The small sweet was found in the gown's sleeve by a restoration expert who then tasted it.

Tsar Nicholas II's sister wore the beige long-sleeved dress to a ball in 1903 to celebrate the Romanov dynasty's 290th anniversary at the Winter Palace in St Petersburg.

The small-sized piece of fudge was found when a restoration worker was examining the gown

Galina Fedorova, the lead restorer at the city's Hermitage Museum, had been restoring the gown for months before she came across the sweet surprise.

She said in an Instagram video posted to the museum's account: 'I lifted up one sleeve, and everything was great.

'I tried the other and it was sewn up.'

Ms Fedorova explained that she initially tried to reach into the sleeve, but her hand was too short.

Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia pictured at a ball in the Winter Palace in February 1903

But the fudge fell into her hand after she tugged at the thread, and put it in her mouth on 'instinct'.

She added: 'For some reason - I think maybe some ancient instinct kicked in - I took it and licked it a little bit.

'And it was sweet.'

The piece of fudge was later analysed in a laboratory, and was found to contain no viruses or mould.

Galina Fedorova, said she was surprised to see the small unknown object fall out of the sleeve, and decided to taste it

The Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna portrayed in 1890. She escaped to Crimea in 1918

Ms Fedorova said it's likely the Grand Duchess snuck away the sweet because she got hungry before dinner, with French cuisine on the menu, was served.

It's thought the royal then tucked it away into her sleeve because there was no other good place to put the remnant of her fudge away.

Fourteen years after the dynasty's 290th anniversary, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne, many dubbing the celebration Europe's 'last great royal ball', according to The Vintage News.

Ms Fedorova (pictured) found fudge in a sleeve of the grand duchess' elaborate dress

Some 400 guests attended the ball, many thought to have been adorned in elaborate 17th-century costumes decorated by furs, gems and jewels.

The elaborate display of royal opulence would be followed by turmoil in the following year, when the Russo-Japanese war began.

The Russian Empire suffered a series of humiliating defeats in the conflict, creating tensions which ultimately led to the Russian Revolution in 1917, archive site History reported.

Xenia Alexandrovna escaped to Crimea in 1918 after Nicholas II and his family were killed, and was eventually evacuated to England.

The duchess lived to be 85-years-old and died in a house on the Hampton Court Palace grounds in 1960.
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Artefacts found in a smuggler's raid in Izmir, Turkey are now being examined by museum experts.

Around 400 finds, including 500-year-old skulls from the South American-origin Jivaro tribe, mummy remains and paintings from the 18th century, were seized across two addresses in the city's Aliaga district.

Now Izmir Archaeological Museum experts are able to examine the relics in their laboratories.

The raid in Izmir, Turkey found some 400 artefacts, which included skulls from the Jivaro tribe, which are about 500 years old. they are now being examined at the Izmir Archaeological Museum

A Jivaro tribe skull being examined at the museum. Museum director Hunkar Keser said: 'We think that they are at least 500 years old, made of real human skulls. These tribes lived before America was discovered'

In the first search of a house carried out this month, Ministry of Commerce Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate teams found Byzantine period coins, four bone hairpins, 19 Ottoman manuscripts and 59 artefacts from other periods, local site Arkeo News reported.

In a second raid, four skulls, three mummies, 27 paintings and 269 other relics were found in a warehouse.

The 337 finds were taken to the Izmir Archeology Museum and the paintings were delivered to the city's Painting, Sculpture Museum and Gallery.

Izmir Archaeological Museum experts examine artefacts in their laboratories. Mr Keser added people then began smuggling the skulls to Europe, but today it is forbidden to move them to another region

Around 400 finds, including 500-year-old skulls (pictured) from the South American-origin Jivaro tribe, mummy remains and paintings from the 18th century, were seized across two addresses in the city's Aliaga district

Museum director Hunkar Keser told Arkeo News that some of the items seized will take a long time to examine as it is thought they can be dated back to the Neolithic period.

He said: 'Our oldest artefacts are flints, arrowheads, which we think belong to the Neolithic period.

'There are also artefacts that we think are from different cultures of the world. There are tiny skulls the size of oranges among them.

A painting being examined by experts at the museum. The 337 finds were taken to the Izmir Archeology Museum and the paintings were delivered to the city's Painting, Sculpture Museum and Gallery

Museum experts carefully examine the paintings found in the raid. It is estimated that they have survived from the 18th century

'We think that they are at least 500 years old, made of real human skulls. These tribes lived before America was discovered.'

Mr Keser added people then began smuggling the skulls to Europe, but today it is forbidden to move them to another region.

The Aliaga Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is continuing investigating the smuggling of artefacts.


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Boris Johnson has been dealt a severe blow following the sensational resignation of Cabinet Minister Lord Frost, which has sparked discussions among Conservative MPs about the Government's direction over Covid, taxes and green policies.

Lord Frost, who negotiated Britain's departure from the EU as Brexit Minister, is understood to have handed his resignation to the Prime Minister a week ago, but was persuaded by Mr Johnson to stay in his post until January.

Following the The Mail on Sunday's exclusive, Lord Frost has brought forward his departure from next month and instead agreed to 'step down with immediate effect', sending a hurried letter of resignation to the Prime Minister outlining his 'concerns about the current direction of travel'.

A senior Government source said Lord Frost's departure had been prompted by the introduction of 'Plan B' Covid measures, including vaccine passports. But that was just the final straw after months of growing discontent over tax rises and the staggering cost of 'net zero' environmental policies.

Conservative MPs are increasingly talking about a challenge to the Prime Minister's leadership within the next six months, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss leading the field of contenders.

Messages from a Whatsapp group of more than 100 Tory MPs titled 'Clean Global Brexit', reveal Andrew Bridgen describing the move as a 'disaster' while Theresa Villiers calls it 'very worrying', Sky News reports.

Culture minister Nadine Dorries described Mr Johnson as a 'hero' and then appears to be removed from the group before Steve Baker writes 'Enough is enough'.

In his letter, released by Downing Street, Lord Frost praised Mr Johnson's work to implement the EU referendum result, but added: 'Brexit is now secure. The challenge for the Government now is to deliver on the opportunities it gives us.

'You know my concerns about the current direction of travel. I hope we will move as fast as possible to where we need to get to: a lightly regulated, low-tax, entrepreneurial economy, at the cutting edge of modern science and economic change.'

Making clear his frustration with Mr Johnson's strategy on the pandemic, he added: 'We also need to learn to live with Covid and I know that is your instinct too. You took a brave decision in July, against considerable opposition, to open up the country again.

'Sadly it did not prove to be irreversible, as I wished, and believe you did too. I hope we can get back on track soon and not be tempted by the kind of coercive measures we have seen elsewhere.'

In his reply, Mr Johnson expressed his sadness at Lord Frost's departure but praised his 'unique contribution towards getting Brexit done'.

Cabinet Minister Lord Frost has dramatically resigned from Boris Johnson's Government, The Mail on Sunday can reveal

Lord Frost's resignation became a controversial move among some Conservative MPs, messages from a WhatsApp group reveal. In a group of more than 100 MPs titled 'Clean Global Brexit', Andrew Bridgen describes the move as a 'disaster' and Theresa Villiers calls it 'very worrying', Sky News reports. Culture minister Nadine Dorries described Mr Johnson as a 'hero' and then appears to be removed from the group before Steve Baker writes 'Enough is enough'

Steve Baker says 'we have troubles enough in our immediate future' following the resignation of Lord Frost

Former Cabinet minister Lord Frost is seen arriving at 10 Downing Street on November 24, 2021

Pictured: Lord Frost's resignation letter to Boris Johnson, telling the Prime Minister 'you know my concerns about the current direction of travel'

Pictured: Boris Johnson's letter to Lord Frost, saying he was 'very sorry to receive' his resignation, 'given everything you have achieved and contributed to this Government'

IN FULL: LORD FROST'S RESIGNATION LETTER Dear Boris, I have led our EU exit process for the two and half years since you became Prime Minister. In those years we have restored the UK's freedom and independence as a country and begun the process of building a new relationship with the EU. That will be a long-term task. That is why we agreed earlier this month that I would move on in January and hand over the baton to others to manage our future relationship with the EU. It is disappointing that this plan has become public this evening and in the circumstances I think it is right for me to write to step down with immediate effect. Brexit is now secure. The challenge for the Government now is to deliver on the opportunities it gives us. You know my concerns about the current direction of travel. I hope we will move as fast as possible to where we need to get to: a lightly regulated, low-tax, entrepreneurial economy, at the cutting edge of modern science and economic change. Three hundred years of history show that countries which take that route grow and prosper, and I am confident we will too. We also need to learn to live with Covid and I know that is your instinct too. You took a brave decision in July, against considerable opposition, to open up the country again. Sadly it did not prove to be irreversible, as I wished, and believe you did too. I hope we can get back on track soon and not be tempted by the kind of coercive measures we have seen elsewhere. Together we have put this country onto a new path. I am confident that under your leadership this newly free Britain can succeed and prosper hugely. I wish you and the Government every success in that. David Advertisement

He added: 'Many said that it would be impossible to secure such a comprehensive agreement ... in such short time, even before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

'It simply would not have been possible without your relentless hard work, resolve and vision. You should be immensely proud of your historic service to this Government and this country.'

His dramatic move  triggered by his growing 'disillusionment' with the direction of Tory policy  has sparked yet another crisis within a beleaguered Downing Street.

The revelation is the latest blow for the embattled Mr Johnson, following a Commons rebellion of 100 Tory MPs over the 'Plan B' measures and the loss of a 23,000 majority in the North Shropshire by-election amid the 'partygate' row over celebrations inside No 10.

Sources said that Lord Frost's bombshell has caused 'panic' inside No 10. The Government source said: 'Lord Frost has been among the strongest advocates inside the Cabinet for keeping the country open and for avoiding further legislative control measures to deal with the pandemic. He believes that vaccine passports are an inappropriate measure on principle.

'The new Covid regulations added to his disillusionment with the policy direction of the Government in recent months, including his opposition to recent tax rises and the net zero prioritisation. He has made clear in recent public speeches that he does not believe a European-style high-tax, high-spend economic model that has been pursued by Downing Street is likely to deliver the benefits of Brexit.'

Lord Frost's stance reflects Mr Sunak's concerns about being strong-armed by No 10 into introducing measures such as the 1.25 percentage point hike in National Insurance to tackle the NHS backlog and reform long-term care, and the 'net zero' plan to decarbonise the economy by 2050, which some estimates have said will cost as much as 1.4 trillion.

The source added that despite the policy differences with No 10, Lord Frost's departure appeared to be on good terms.

Last night, a senior Government insider said that there were lots of factors behind Lord Frost's decision to move on.

But the source said they thought that, in particular, he had 'had enough of his current role which involved endless, exhausting skirmishes with Brussels.'

Lord Frost's resignation will come as a particular blow because he was known within Government as 'Boris's Brexit brain'. He led the UK's negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement during the transition period, and the current disputes over Northern Ireland.

The infamous Northern Ireland Protocol keeps the border with the Republic open but requires checks on goods from Britain, which has led to certain products  such as sausages and oak trees  being blocked from entering the province under EU rules.

His departure also means the loss of one of the most popular Cabinet Ministers. In the most recent survey of Conservative MPs, he recorded a net satisfaction rating of 73.3 per cent, second only to Ms Truss and ahead of Mr Sunak. Lord Frost's resignation comes just as Mr Johnson was plotting a New Year 'relaunch' for the Government, understood to involve a shake-up of his No 10 team, a clear-out of his Whips Office  including Chief Whip Mark Spencer  and a limited ministerial reshuffle.

If Lord Frost decides against staying on until January, the Prime Minister will be forced to bring forward the ministerial changes.

The mass Commons rebellion has exposed fault lines in No 10's relationship with the Parliamentary party, which leaves Mr Johnson exposed to the prospect of a vote of no confidence and, if he loses that, a contest for a new leader. A confidence vote is triggered if 54 Tory MPs send letters to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, calling for one.

Lord Frost has recently been locked in tense rounds of talks with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic as the UK and the EU attempt to close gaps in post-Brexit arrangements

Prime Minster Boris Johnson speaks with members of the Metropolitan Police in their break room, as he makes a constituency visit to Uxbridge police station on December 17, 2021

A senior Government source said Lord Frost's departure had been prompted by the introduction of 'Plan B' Covid measures, including vaccine passports

Rees-Mogg and Tory Chief Whip 'vulnerable' in mini-reshuffle Boris Johnson plans to 'reboot' his embattled Government by sacking his Commons 'enforcer' in an attempt to repair the fractured relations between No 10 and his restless Parliamentary party. Sources said that after last week's revolt by nearly 100 Tories over Covid restrictions, the Prime Minister was planning to 'clear out' the Whips Office, including Chief Whip Mark Spencer, in a small, targeted reshuffle. Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, who with Mr Spencer helped to persuade Mr Johnson to back Owen Paterson in the sleaze row that caused another revolt and led to the loss of North Shropshire in Thursday's by-election, is seen as vulnerable. The hunt is also under way for a potential replacement for Mr Johnson's Chief of Staff Dan Rosenfeld as Mr Johnson heeds calls to make the No 10 operation more muscular and experienced. Although the coming months are expected to still be dominated by Covid and the booster campaign as cases surge, the Prime Minister is hoping to reinject momentum into his domestic agenda by publishing the delayed 'Levelling Up' White Paper. It has been written by the Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and Andy Haldane, the former chief economist at the Bank of England. Their plans  to redistribute resources from the wealthy south to deprived areas  are expected to include the proposal to replace all 24 existing county councils and 181 district councils with elected mayoralties and create American-style governors for rural areas. It has been claimed that Mr Johnson was angered that the plans, which are an effective manifesto for the second part of his Premiership, were too 'blue sky' and lacking in concrete detail. Advertisement

The total is always kept strictly secret by Sir Graham, but the number of MPs threatening to do so has increased sharply since the by-election loss.

Downing Street is also waiting nervously for the results of a Cabinet Office investigation into 'partygate', which has itself been plunged into chaos. Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, who had been chosen to lead the investigation, stepped aside on Friday after it emerged an event was held in his own office in December last year.

A quiz was held for members of Mr Case's private office with invites sent out titled 'Christmas Party!' It took place on December 17, the day before the No 10 'cheese and wine' gathering which forms part of Mr Case's investigation. The probe will now be concluded by senior civil servant Sue Gray

Senior Tory sources say that if the by-election had been held a fortnight ago, before the partygate storm broke, they would have held the seat, which they lost to the Liberal Democrats. They believe Mr Johnson will 'tough out' the rest of the winter  helped by the sense of national emergency created by the surge in Covid cases due to the Omicron variant  but face a serious threat in the spring as a result of May's local elections.

Theresa May increased the party's haul of council seats by 550 the last time they were contested in May 2017, when Jeremy Corbyn was Labour leader. But her feat means Mr Johnson is likely to sustain morale-sapping losses next time around. MPs allied to Ms May are helping to foment opposition to Mr Johnson, out of revenge for the political trouble he caused her over Brexit when she was PM.

If members want to ditch Mr Johnson, they are likely to want to do so well in advance of the next General Election, due by 2024.

Lord Frost has also grown increasingly frustrated by his wrangles with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic in the Brexit negotiations, threatening to suspend the Northern Ireland protocol by triggering Article 16 if agreement cannot be reached.

Writing for The Mail on Sunday last month, Lord Frost referred to the 'intensive and sometimes dramatic argument with the EU' over the protocol and called for 'more ambition and more urgency', saying: 'The core of the problem is that all kinds of goods are not getting to Northern Ireland in the way that they do to the rest of our country, or face extra costs and delays if they do. That's not fair on consumers in Northern Ireland.'

He previously sounded a warning about high-tax, high-spend policies at speeches to the Tory conference and to the Margaret Thatcher conference, run by the Centre For Policy Studies think-tank, last month.

Lord Frost was not available for comment last night.

The former ambassador and whisky buff who went back into Government to work for Boris Lord Frost was made a minister in the Cabinet Office in February this year, having served as Britain's chief Brexit negotiator since July 2019. He led the UK team during trade talks with Brussels which came to a successful conclusion in December last year. With the trade deal now in the books, he had been due to become National Security Adviser in the coming weeks but he will now be sticking with the Brexit brief. Born in Derby, Mr Frost won a scholarship to Nottingham High School before going on to study French and history at St John's College, Oxford. He joined the Foreign Office in 1987, with his first posting taking him to the British High Commission in Cyprus. In 1993 he experienced his first taste of working with the EU when he was posted to Brussels as first secretary for economic and financial affairs. He was then sent to the United Nations. Between 2006 and 2008 he was Britain's ambassador to Denmark before becoming the UK's most senior trade policy official in the business department. He left the diplomatic service in 2013 to head the Scotch Whisky Association  but when Mr Johnson became foreign secretary he returned to government as his special adviser. He also served as a member of the advisory council of Open Europe, a Eurosceptic think-tank. When Mr Johnson became Prime Minister, Mr Frost came back on board and duly negotiated the deal which enabled Britain to leave the EU at the end of January last year before then moving onto to trade discussions with the bloc. Advertisement

ANNA MIKHAILOVA: The Great Frost who learned to negotiate from the Kremlin

A rare Brexiteer in Whitehall, Lord Frost has made his name fighting Britain's battles with Brussels in the face of barefaced threats and hostile rhetoric.

His fearsome reputation at the negotiating table prompted Boris Johnson to declare him the 'Greatest Frost since the Great Frost of 1709' in his conference speech this year.

The pair have been allies since Mr Johnson was Foreign Secretary. And when he became Prime Minister, Mr Johnson appointed the former career diplomat to take charge of the negotiations where Theresa May and her chief negotiator, Olly Robbins had failed.

Known as 'Boris's Brexit brain' in Downing Street, Lord David Frost, 56, graduated from Oxford with a first-class degree in history and medieval French.

A rare Brexiteer in Whitehall, Lord Frost has made his name fighting Britain's battles with Brussels in the face of barefaced threats and hostile rhetoric

He started his career as a diplomat in the Foreign Office, where his roles included being posted to Brussels and serving as ambassador to Denmark.

He left the civil service in 2013 to head the Scotch Whisky Association. At the time he wrote a pamphlet on negotiating with the EU which advised: 'Make what you want seem normal.'

He was brought back into the government fold by Mr Johnson to advise him as Foreign Secretary, who then made him chief Brexit negotiator in 2019.

Mr Johnson subsequently praised his 'Herculean efforts in securing a deal with the EU'.

During his talks with Brussels, Lord Frost drew on tips from a book called The Kremlin School of Negotiation, written by Igor Ryzov, an expert in hardball tactics from the KGB era.

The book, published in the UK in 2019, offers insights into Soviet tradecraft and tips such as putting opponents into a zone of uncertainty where 'fear is the most powerful weapon'. And it describes Andrei Gromyko, the Soviet foreign minister involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis, as a master of the techniques.

He was brought back into the government fold by Mr Johnson to advise him as Foreign Secretary, who then made him chief Brexit negotiator in 2019

Last year Mr Johnson gave Lord Frost joint responsibilities of leading post-Brexit trade negotiations with the EU and acting as National Security Adviser.

The security appointment prompted a tart comment from Mrs May who called him a 'political appointee with no proven expertise in national security.'

However Lord Frost never took up the job full-time and instead retained a focus on negotiations with the EU, as well as taking up a seat in the House of Lords.

His title since March last year has been Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, and he has been a full member of Mr Johnson's Cabinet.

Since Britain left the EU, Lord Frost has been leading the post-Brexit trade negotiations, taking a notably tough line and publicly saying he is not afraid of ripping up the Northern Ireland protocol.

He took to Twitter to attack 'French rhetoric and threats' over fisheries after a French minister said the EU could hit the UK's energy supply.

In a significant speech in Portugal in October, Lord Frost laid down the gauntlet to the EU and said it 'doesn't always look like' the bloc wants the UK to succeed.

He said it will 'take two' to repair the 'fractious' relationship between Britain and Brussels.

But sources said Lord Frost has recently privately bemoaned the lack of movement over the protocol, and has said Mr Johnson is too distracted by other issues.

Privately Lord Frost says Mr Johnson isn't 'focused' on the Northern Ireland talks, but when the PM does concentrate, he provides the political will to get talks over the line

Privately he says Mr Johnson isn't 'focused' on the Northern Ireland talks, but when the PM does concentrate, he provides the political will to get talks over the line.

Last week, critics accused the Government of 'going soft' in its approach to the protocol as it announced negotiations would be rolled into the new year with a new deadline of the end of February.

Married to his second wife Harriet, Lord Frost has two children from his first marriage. He is a keen runner  but sources said he eased back last year when he suffered Covid symptoms.
Three retired US generals warned Friday that America's divided military could fuel a new civil war if there's another coup attempt after the 2024 election because 'more than 1 in 10 of those charged in January 6 attacks had a service record'.

Former Army Major Gen Paul Eaton, former Brigadier Gen Steven Anderson and former Army Major Gen Antonio Taguba made the worrisome claim in a column for The Washington Post.

'As we approach the first anniversary of the deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, we - all of us former senior military officials - are increasingly concerned about the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election and the potential for lethal chaos inside our military, which would put all Americans at severe risk,' the generals penned.

'We are chilled to our bones at the thought of a coup succeeding next time,' they added.

Retired Army Major Gen Paul Eaton was among three former top military brass to warn that the country may be plunged into civil war if there is another coup attempt after 2024 election

Former Army Major Gen Paul Eaton (left), former Brigadier Gen Steven Anderson (center) and former Army Major Gen Antonio Taguba (right) penned a column in The Washington Post Friday warning of another coup attempt after the 2024 election similar to the January 6 Capitol riot that will divide the military and cause a possible civil war

The generals referenced January 6, 2020, when thousands of fiery patriots and Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building, which resulted in the death of five people

In such a polarized political atmosphere, 'with loyalties split,' the generals observed that 'some might follow orders from the rightful commander in chief, while others might follow the Trumpian loser'.

'In this context, with our military hobbled and divided, US security would be crippled. Any one of our enemies could take advantage by launching an all-out assault on our assets or our allies,' the column read.

They emphasized: 'The military and lawmakers have been gifted hindsight to prevent another insurrection from happening in 2024 - but they will succeed only if they take decisive action now'.

Eaton, 71, was in charge of training Iraqi troop during Operation Iraqi Freedom between 2003 and 2004 during. After he retired, Eaton became a vocal critic of former President George W. Bush, who spearheaded the war in Iraq., and is currently a senior adviser to VoteVets.

Taguba, 71, spent 34 years in the military and made headlines for an internal United States Army report on the abuse of detainees held at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq when it was leaked in 2004.

Anderson, 65, had a 31-year career in the armed forces, including 15 months working under General David Petraeus as a in Iraq.

Most recently Robert Palmer (pictured), 54, was sentenced to 63 months for his involvement in the January 6 riot, where he assaulted police officers with a fire extinguisher and hurled wooden boards at them

The three retired generals noted that the events that unfolded on January 6, 2020 - when thousands of fiery patriots and Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building and resulted in the death of five people - showed that 'the signs of potential turmoil in our armed forces are there'.

Since, at least 185 people in attendance have since been charged with assaulting or impeding police in a failed bid to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory.

The three generals were sure to note that 'more than 1 in 10 of those charged in the attacks had a service record'.

Most recently, Robert Palmer, 54, from Largo, Florida, was sentenced to 63 months in jail - the harshest sentence yet - for his involvement in the riot, where he assaulted police officers with a fire extinguisher and hurled wooden boards at them.

The insurrection was a reaction to what ex-President Trump claimed was a fraudulent election, and the former generals seemed angered that the Republican leader has yet to be 'held to account'.

But he's not the only one who maintains that the election was an honest one.

In May a group of 124 retired admirals and generals - the 'Flag Officers 4 America - published an open letter than questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election.

The letter read: 'Without fair and honest elections that accurately reflect the will of the people our Constitutional Republic is lost. Election integrity demands insuring there is one legal vote cast and counted per citizen.

'Legal votes are identified by State Legislatures approved controls using government IDs, verified signatures, etc. Today, many are calling such commonsense controls racist in an attempt to avoid having fair and honest elections. Using racial terms to suppress proof of eligibility is itself a tyrannical intimidation tactic.'

Trump's Defense Secretary Chris Miller later testified that as his boss clung to power in the White House, he was deliberately withholding military protection of the Capitol building before January 6.

'It is evident that the whole of our military was caught off-guard,' Eaton, Anderson and Taguba wrote.

But Miller said five months after the attack that he had three goals during the final days of the Trump administration: Avoiding a major war, avoiding a military coup, and avoiding sending troops to do battle with citizens on American streets.

A report revealed how in the weeks after Trump's election defeat, while he refused to accept the outcome at the polls, he tried to use loyalists to push through a withdrawal troops from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, Germany and Africa.

It was revealed that Trump's plan to withdraw troops completely from Afghanistan before leaving office was opposed by Miller and other senior officials who succeeded in persuading the president to keep to a plan that would decrease the number of troops to 2,500.

It was apparently part of what Miller, a US Army veteran who was only installed after Trump's election defeat, saw as his duty.

Eaton, Anderson and Taguba also mentioned the Oklahoma National Guard's new commander Army Brigadier General Thomas Mancino, who refused to enforce the US defense department's Covid-19 vaccine mandate after a change in commanding officers.

Mancino said that he would listen to the state's governor Republican Kevin Stitt for orders, who he also said is his commander in chief - not President Biden - since the Oklahoma Guard is not federally mobilized.

In the opinion column Eaton, Anderson and Taguba called Mancino's refusal to enforce the vaccine mandate 'worrying'.

They also claimed the decision increases 'the potential for a total breakdown of the chain of command along partisan lines - from the top of the chain to squad level... should another insurrection occur'.

Ray Dalio (pictured), who has a net worth of $20.3 billion, predicted that there is a 30 percent chance of US Civil War in the next decade

Meanwhile billionaire Ray Dalio predicts there is a 30 percent chance of US Civil War in the next ten years because of 'emotional' political polarization,' but said the Constitution will probably save the nation.

Dalio is the founder of the world's largest hedge fund firm, Bridgewater Associates. This year he was ranked as the 88th richest person in the world with a net worth of $20.3 billion.

He made his bold claims in his new book, 'Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail,' which was published on November 30.

Dalio explained that he believes there is a 'dangerously high risk' that the country will have a civil war within in the next ten years and pointed to the rules of governance being 'ignored' and the 'exceptional amount of polarization' currently seen in the country.

'For example, when close elections are adjudicated and the losers respect the decisions, it is clear that the order is respected,' he wrote, seemingly referencing the Capitol riot.

'When power is fought over and grabbed, that clearly signals the significant risk of a revolutionary change with all its attendant disorder.'

He noted that people, including high-ranking officials, have openly doubted the validity of recent elections and expressed their willingness to fight for their beliefs.

Dalio cites several studies as statistical proof of his claims of polarization within the country showing the deep divide specifically between the two political parties.

A 2019 Pew survey found that 55 per cent of Republicans and 47 percent of Democrats viewed the other as more immoral than other Americans, and 61 percent of Republicans and 54 percent of Democrats said that those of the other party don't share their values.

Also, 79 percent of Democrats and 83 percent of Republicans said they had 'cold' or 'very cold' feelings for members of the other party; 57 percent of Democrats and 60 percent of Republicans selected 'very cold'.
For almost 1,000 days, Stanislav Aseyev was held in a secret torture camp in the heart of a bustling European city, listening to the screams of men being electrocuted and women being raped while wondering when his own next beating would come.

Outside, people went about their normal lives, oblivious to the horrors being inflicted on scores of people in a former modern art gallery, converted into a military base and detention centre in the Donetsk Peoples Republic, a pro-Russian enclave in Ukraine.

Perhaps his worst day was when a father was stretched out alongside his son in the torture chamber with electrodes attached to their genitals, then returned to their cell so traumatised that the older man sat bolt-upright on his bed still thinking he was being abused.

He was screaming, Hold on son! Hold on son!  said Aseyev.

We tried to bring him back to reality but for 90 minutes he thought he was still being tortured.

He had so many signs of the torture  burns from electricity and broken ribs  but the psychological breaking of this middle-aged man was the thing that shocked even us after so long inside the centre.

Aseyev, 32, an author and journalist, was captured by goons allied to Russian president Vladimir Putin after writing covert dispatches for more than two years describing Moscows takeover of his home city in the wake of its illegal annexation of Crimea.

They had hunted him for 18 months.

For he was the only professional journalist filing reports from the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, writing about seeing people shot dead on the street and how the eruption of conflict had sparked divisions even in his own family.

Now, he has published two powerful books  a collection of his elegant dispatches and an expose of the secret camp  that offer disturbing insights into the Russian-backed rebels just as Putin defies world opinion by threatening another invasion with troops massing on the border.

The theme of both books is isolation: first from reporting in such secrecy that even his mother had to be told lies about his life, then stuck in the lonely hell of an art gallery called Izolyatsia (Isolation) that was turned into a torture camp in the breakaway republic.

Stanislav Aseyev, 32, an author and journalist, was captured by goons allied to Russian president Vladimir Putin after writing covert dispatches for more than two years describing Moscows takeover of his home city in the wake of its illegal annexation of Crimea

Aseyev's books offer disturbing insights into the Russian-backed rebels just as Putin defies world opinion by threatening another invasion with troops massing on the border

With cruel irony, it was located on Paradise Street (or Bright Way Street in its literal translation from Russian, reflecting the path towards supposed Communist nirvana)  and is the most notorious among at least 160 Russian-backed prisons on Ukrainian terrain, according to officials in Kiev.

Aseyevs important work helps spread the truth about the unhidden face of Russian aggression against Ukraine, said Emine Dzhaparova, their first deputy minister for foreign affairs.

One fellow prisoner had his spleen ruptured and internal organs badly damaged in a beating  yet when other inmates told the drunken camp chief about the severity of his injuries, the response was to claim the victim was faking and beat him harder.

This battered man died after three days of pain and hallucinations, which included disturbing delusions that he was talking to his wife and hugging her.

His cellmates were forced to sign statements saying the fatality was self-inflicted.

I was in Donetsk in August 2014 after the shooting down of a Malaysian airliner and saw the first shots fired there between Russian and Ukrainian forces  including by a sniper aiming at my head as I watched Moscows tanks rumbling along the streets from a block of flats.

Yet like all foreign journalists and most other local reporters, we left after Putins strutting stooges crushed the local forces supporting Ukraine.

Aseyev carried on, however, reporting under a nom-de-plume despite immense personal risks.

It was not scary in the way that you might fear sudden heights or spiders, Aseyev recalled when we met last week in Kiev.

But I had a constant feeling of deep unease because I knew if I was caught, I would be jailed.

He stayed to protect his mother and help care for two elderly grandmothers, too infirm to join the exodus of 1.5 million people who have been displaced in this blighted east European nation over the past seven years.

Many school friends joined the separatist forces  like most recruits, lured by money rather than ideology amid the dearth of jobs  so he was able to gain useful insights.

But in May 2017, he was seized by a patrol as he returned from a reporting trip.

The Izolyatsia (Isolation) modern art gallery was converted into a military base and detention centre in the Donetsk Peoples Republic, a pro-Russian enclave in Ukraine

He believes he was betrayed, although has no idea who might have tipped off his enemies. I must leave that thought alone because the circle of people who knew what I was doing was very small and very close to me, he says.

A nightmare that was to last almost three years began immediately.

He was taken to the rebels security headquarters, where he was beaten, with a hood over his head, then led to another room where he was confronted by three masked men.

They accused him of working for Ukrainian intelligence, then connected his thumbs and earlobes to a field telephone adapted for torture.

I was lucky since I had the light version, not the genitals, he said. Of course I agreed everything they wanted.

Many questions were designed to torment him amid the hail of blows and jolts of electricity: about whether he believed in God, how often he masturbated, and if he had ever made a parachute jump.

His interrogators said they would cut off his nose if he did not stop screaming, then hit it hard with a hatchet.

Bizarrely, his captors forced him to pretend he was still free for a time  to the extent of duping his mother on a telephone call and filing one final report for his newspaper from the solitary cell

They hammered him repeatedly on one spot above a knee with a baton, his flesh bubbling up. They threatened him with execution and rape.

Afterwards, he was dumped in a basement for six weeks, so cold that he warmed his hands clasping the plastic bottle that passed for a toilet.

Bizarrely, his captors forced him to pretend he was still free for a time  to the extent of duping his mother on a telephone call and filing one final report for his newspaper from the solitary cell.

Aseyev writes candidly about becoming suicidal in that dank hellhole, conspiring with a Russian in a neighbouring cell to kill himself with a shard of broken glass. He believes this led to his move  but the next place was even worse.

Officially, Izolyatsia  the torture camp at 3 Paradise Street  does not exist. Yet he was held there for 28 months, along with up to 80 other men and women going through the place at any one time. It is thought to remain in use today.

The punishment centre, branded the Donetsk Dachau by one inmate, is based in a building that was a Soviet-era factory for electrical parts before local artists converted the maze of tunnels, rooms and basements into a space for exhibitions.

The United Nations confirmed earlier this year in a report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that torture and ill-treatment have been carried out systematically at Izolyatsia and other sites  despite denials of its existence.

Aseyev found the physical conditions better than the security HQ. Some cells even had air-conditioning, although their food was minimal and pitiful  including supplies of expired scraps intended for pigs and, on one occasion, meat from stray dogs shot by their guards.

Aseyev found the physical conditions better than the security HQ. Some cells even had air-conditioning, although their food was minimal and pitiful  including supplies of expired scraps intended for pigs and, on one occasion, meat from stray dogs shot by their guards

Two Russian snipers in white camouflage training during infantry drills. Other exercises included using Kalashnikov rifles and Makarov pistols

Yet the mental strain was unyielding, with lights on the whole day, cameras watching all the time, screams from people being subjected to torture, mock executions and routine use of sexual abuse on both male and female detainees.

There were strict rules such as forbidding newcomers to lie on beds during the day and insisting that whenever the door opened, everyone had to stand up, place a bag over their head, put hands behind backs and face the wall.

The door could open 20 or 30 times a day, so you were constantly on edge. If you did not do it in time, you would be beaten and isolated in a solitary cell, said Aseyev.

At night, guards were often drunk and humiliated prisoners  especially Denys Pavlovych Kulykovsky, the feared camp commandant known by his nom-de-guerre of Palych.

Palych would drink in the evening and then come into cells and beat even the women, said the journalist.

Sometimes he would make a prisoner go under their bed and bark like a dog.

Another favourite ploy was to make prisoners in the cells next to torture rooms sing Soviet songs to drown out the screaming  a sound that soon became as chilling as the cries of pain as it echoed around the unit for hours.

A Russian army soldier takes part in drills at the Kadamovskiy firing range in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Friday December 10

The songs were another form of torture: both for the people singing words such as Lets crush the mad oppressors, these slaughterers of men to drown out agonised screams and for those being beaten and electrocuted while hearing them.

The guards also made prisoners stand with their hands holding up the wall for hours on end.

One man had to stay there for three days until he fell down, then he was beaten and ordered to stand up again.

Aseyev suffered terribly at the start.

I was 28 years old but my hands were constantly shaking like an old person, he said.

Yet eventually he became indifferent to the terrible sounds and the suffering in order to survive the trauma.

He believes the guards must have been sadists or psychopaths to behave with such brutality to other humans, then return home to their wives and children. Outside, they had an ordinary life but inside the camp they turned into monsters.

His fellow prisoners were a mixture of Ukrainian activists and bloggers, career criminals, business people who refused to share sufficient profits with the low-lifes running the Donbas region and separatists who fell out with their former colleagues.

One cellmate was a rebel major previously held in a basement in the city of Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine, where he had to listen to his girlfriend screaming in torment before his former colleagues filled his cell with a few inches of water and ran electricity into it.

Russia has 50 battalions comprising up to 94,000 troops stationed on the Ukrainian border with another 80,000 - 100,000 sitting in reserve and will be ready to invade within weeks, the US warned in November

Russia's Northern Fleet held infantry drills in Murmansk region in the Arctic in December 2021

Then he had a sack taped over his head and was kicked for several hours on the drive to Donetsk.

Camp commandant Palych was eventually locked up himself after one of his drunken rampages  starting with beatings and abuse in a cell housing young women  went too far even for his underlings.

He was placed in a basement cell, then later disappeared.

Last month, Palych was arrested in Kiev, where he had been hiding for two years, and now faces war-crime and human-trafficking charges.

This man organised and took direct part in the killings and torture of illegal prisoners of Ukrainian citizens, said a spokesman for the state security service.

As a high-profile political prisoner whose seizure attracted global attention, Aseyev was spared the worst abuse in the camp.

Yet in October 2019, he was sentenced to two terms of 15 years imprisonment on charges of extremism and spying.

His purported offences included putting quotation marks like this around Donetsk Peoples Republic in his reports  deemed worthy of five years in jail  and mentioning that a city-centre hotel had been turned into a military base surrounded by barbed wire.

Two months later, having been moved to a conventional jail, he was released as part of a prisoner exchange with Kiev.

He remains traumatised by his gruesome experiences and has no doubt who deserves the ultimate blame for such atrocities and inhumanity.

Putin is the reason for everything going on in Donetsk, he said. Those people administering Izolyatsia are only there because of Russian support, Russian money, Russian weapons and Russian security services.

Yet as he told me so rightly, on the same day that a Ukrainian minister said her country was ready to defend itself should Moscow launch a new attack, there is something profoundly symbolic about the place that inflicted such a nightmare on him and many others.

It is a surreal illustration of the so-called Russian world that it has turned a centre of art into a camp for torture.
Officials at 10 Downing Street are said to be in a 'state of panic' over further recordings of Boris Johnson's former spokeswoman Allegra Stratton that include her responses to questions about the Prime Minister's personal life.

Ms Stratton's now-infamous mock press conference, filmed in December last year, showed Downing Street staff joking about holding a Christmas party in No 10 which 'was not socially distanced'  after a week of denials that any party had taken place.

It forced Mr Johnson into a humiliating Commons apology, led to Ms Stratton's tearful doorstep resignation and contributed to the loss of the 23,000 Tory majority at Thursday's North Shropshire by-election.

Officials at 10 Downing Street are said to be in a 'state of panic' over further recordings of Boris Johnson's former spokeswoman Allegra Stratton that include her responses to questions about the Prime Minister's personal life. Above, Allegra Stratton in the mock press conference that led to her resignation. The former spokeswoman has 'gone to ground'

Ms Stratton's now-infamous mock press conference forced Mr Johnson into a humiliating Commons apology, led to Ms Stratton's tearful doorstep resignation and contributed to the loss of the 23,000 Tory majority at Thursday's North Shropshire by-election

But former and current No 10 staff fear that further damning tapes, including embarrassing material for the Prime Minister, might also be in circulation.

A source told The Mail on Sunday that the recorded sessions included mock questions aimed at Ms Stratton referring to 'mistresses' and 'love children' of Mr Johnson.

The source said: 'Allegra is of course well aware she was asked more than just the one question we have all seen.

'She is feeling very anxious and has totally gone to ground, she is speaking to hardly anyone.

'She and her former colleagues in Downing Street have convinced themselves they know the source of the leak.

'They believe that a confidentiality agreement has been breached.

'They are living in fear every day that the rest of the questions put to her will come out, because they know they were filmed.

'Any further breach would be in the public interest, so they feel they cannot stop it. They are just waiting like sitting ducks. To say they are on tenterhooks is an understatement.'

Above, Ms Stratton announces her resignation in early December. Former and current No 10 staff fear that further damning tapes, including embarrassing material for the Prime Minister, might also be in circulation. A source told The Mail on Sunday that the recorded sessions included mock questions aimed at Ms Stratton referring to 'mistresses' and 'love children' of Mr Johnson

The source added: 'The worst could be yet to come. Other mock scenarios included fictional questions about the mistresses of Boris and his love children.

'No 10 will need to brace themselves. They are absolutely s******* themselves about what else is around  and Allegra is too.

'She knows what was asked and how she answered.

'That was not a failing on the part of the teams involved in the process  they would not be doing their jobs properly if they hadn't worked out what the most difficult questions were likely to be and prepared for them.

The source added: 'The worst could be yet to come. Other mock scenarios included fictional questions about the mistresses of Boris and his love children. No 10 will need to brace themselves. They are absolutely s******* themselves about what else is around  and Allegra is too'

The Dec 22 rehearsal was circulated to nine people working in Downing St who were tasked to scrutinise Ms Stratton's performance in front of the cameras. The footage was obtained by ITV and aired on ITN news. Mr Johnson said he was 'furious to see that clip' and asked the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case (above) to 'establish all the facts and report back as soon as possible'. Mr Case stepped aside after it emerged an event was held in his own office last December

'But it just goes to show what a ridiculous, self-defeating plan it was from the start.'

At the time of the 2020 video, Ms Stratton was gearing up to become a White House-style spokeswoman to lead daily press briefings on behalf of the Prime Minister.

It was a job she seemed suited for but it never materialised as the television briefings were axed. Ms Stratton became the Government's COP26 spokeswoman instead.

Ms Stratton was filmed joking that she 'went home' when asked by a Downing Street special adviser about the possibility that a Christmas Party had taken place.

The December 22 rehearsal was circulated the next day to nine people working in Downing Street who were tasked to scrutinise Ms Stratton's performance in front of the cameras. The footage was obtained by ITV and aired on ITN news.

Mr Johnson said that he was 'furious to see that clip' and asked the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to 'establish all the facts and report back as soon as possible'.

Mr Case had to step aside after it emerged an event had been held in his own office last December.

Another source added: 'It didn't take the No 10 lot very long to establish one very alarming fact  that there are more tapes just waiting to come out.'
With the jostling to succeed Boris Johnson becoming increasingly unsubtle, Tory MPs are now discussing openly who they would back if a contest was held tomorrow.

While most attention has so far focused on Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, other names are now starting to bubble to the surface  in particular, former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi.

Mr Hunt was Mr Johnson's final opponent in the 2019 Tory leadership contest, promising Mr Johnson the 'fight of his life'  but in the end, Tory members backed the Brexit-supporting Mr Johnson over Remainer Mr Hunt by a margin of 66 per cent to 34 per cent.

With the jostling to succeed Boris Johnson becoming increasingly unsubtle, Tory MPs are now discussing openly who they would back if a contest was held tomorrow. While most attention has so far focused on Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, other names are now starting to bubble to the surface  in particular, former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (above) and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi

Many MPs are also talking up the prospects of Mr Zahawi (above), a popular figure who as Vaccines Minister, before moving to Education, was associated with the huge success of the early jab rollout

But with Brexit no longer dominating the political agenda, if a contest is called in the near future Mr Hunt is likely to be tempted to run on an 'I told you so' ticket, presenting himself as a 'safe pair of hands' in the wake of Mr Johnson's often chaotic administration and highlighting his long stint as a solid Health Secretary.

Rival camps claims that Mr Hunt, now chair of the Health Select Committee, has a leadership team of former advisers already in place, as well as a ready-made Cabinet comprised of former allies of Theresa May  who, as The Mail on Sunday revealed last week, has become the focus of much of the plotting against Mr Johnson.

Mr Hunt's fellow select committee chairs, such as the ambitious Huw Merriman on Transport, Tom Tugendhat on Foreign and Tobias Ellwood on Defence, would be hopeful of advancement under a Hunt leadership.

Pictured, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Chancellor Rishi Sunak - while other MPs tipped to run include Home Secretary Priti Patel, Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Tom Tugendhat, Trade Minister Penny Mourdant and even former Cabinet Minister Matt Hancock

But many MPs are also talking up the prospects of Mr Zahawi, a popular figure who as Vaccines Minister, before moving to Education, was associated with the huge success of the early jab rollout.

The pro-Brexit Mr Zahawi also has an unbeatable 'back story': he fled Saddam Hussein's Iraq with his family in time to start secondary school in the UK but unable to speak a word of English.

He defied the bullies at his London comprehensive to build a successful business career, and likes to say: 'This is the best country in the world.

'I cannot think of another country that would take an immigrant from Baghdad and make him Secretary of State for Education in Her Majesty's Government.'

Mr Hunt was Mr Johnson's final opponent in the 2019 Tory leadership contest, promising Mr Johnson the 'fight of his life'  but in the end, Tory members backed the Brexit-supporting Mr Johnson over Remainer Mr Hunt by a margin of 66 per cent to 34 per cent

One Tory MP said: 'Keep an eye on Nadhim.

'He is very popular, polls well and is untainted by the f*** ups of this Government'.

The contenders are fighting in particular over the 107 new Tory MPs elected in 2019, comprising nearly one third of the Parliamentary party, dominated by the Red Wall MPs in former Northern and Midlands Labour seats.

They played a key role in Tuesday's Commons rebellion against the Prime Minister, a vote which has poisoned the atmosphere among the group.

One 'Waller', who is on the Government 'payroll' as a Parliamentary aide but has privately backed Ms Truss for leader, has been accused by colleagues of acting like a 'budget Boris' by wavering until the last minute between loyalty and rebellion in the vote  and preparing two different public statements to release depending on which way he jumped.

The MP backed Mr Johnson, and almost instantly released a long supportive statement, leading to descriptions of him as a 'crawler' on MPs' WhatsApp groups.

The MP admits to 'doubts' about the vote, but denies preparing two statements.

One Red Wall MP said: 'The letters are definitely going in from the 2019 contingent, but everyone is mainly split at the moment between Rishi, Priti and Liz'.

Other MPs tipped to run include Home Secretary Priti Patel, Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Mr Tugendhat, Trade Minister Penny Mourdant and even former Cabinet Minister Matt Hancock.
Nearly two thirds of voters want a referendum on whether the BBC licence fee should be scrapped, a survey has revealed.

The poll found that 64 per cent support a nationwide vote on the corporation's funding, while only 13 per cent said they would not support the plan.

And if a referendum was held, 62 per cent said they would vote to scrap the licence fee, while just 24 per cent said they would keep it.

The poll, by Savanta ComRes for the Defund The BBC campaign group, comes after The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that Boris Johnson had condemned the corporation as 'shamefully frivolous, vengeful and partisan' over its coverage of the No 10 Partygate row.

Nearly two thirds of voters want a referendum on whether the BBC licence fee should be scrapped, a survey has revealed (pictured, BBC programme Call the Midwife)

The poll found that 64 per cent support a nationwide vote on the BBC's funding, while only 13 per cent said they would not support the plan

The Prime Minister told friends he believed the BBC had neglected its 'primary duty' of publicising the need for booster jabs to combat the new Omicron variant of Covid.

He said the BBC's exhaustive coverage of the party scandal had 'wasted' too much 'public time and attention' when the corporation should have been concentrating on urging the public to get their jabs, because 'Omicron is starting to rip'.

The poll also found that 49 per cent of viewers say the BBC's Christmas Day schedule, with the inevitable screenings of Call The Midwife and Mrs Brown's Boys, is poor value for money, with only 23 per cent saying it offered a good return on the 159 licence fee.

A referendum on the licence fee was backed by 78 per cent of Leave voters and 60 per cent of Remain voters.

In the event of a vote, support for scrapping the fee includes majority support from every party voter base except the Liberal Democrats.

Voters were also asked their views on whether failing to pay the licence fee should be a criminal offence. Just over half of adults (53 per cent) said it shouldn't, with only 38 per cent supporting continued criminalisation.

A referendum on the BBC's licence fee was backed by 78 per cent of Leave voters and 60 per cent of Remain voters (pictured, BBC programme Mrs Brown's Boys)

Rebecca Ryan, campaign director of Defund The BBC, said: 'These results are striking.

'Caught up in its own arrogance, from the Martin Bashir scandal to the disappointing Christmas schedule, the BBC has shown itself to be out of touch time and time again.

'Costing each household 159 a year  on threat of criminal sanction  it's no wonder the British public overwhelmingly feel the time has come to have their say.'

Ms Ryan added: 'We will continue to press the Government for a referendum on whether to keep or scrap the licence fee at the earliest opportunity.'

A BBC Spokesperson said: 'Our own research paints a very different picture from this snap poll, with the Licence Fee the preferred way of funding the BBC, over advertising and subscription.

'We offer great value to every Licence Fee payer and the last 12 months has seen the BBC deliver huge audiences and critical praise for a range of shows and content, including on most of today's front pages.

'We have an exciting Christmas line up with something for everyone.'
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is investigating claims that the US tech giant Microsoft has elbowed British firms out of millions of pounds of NHS contracts by giving remote-meeting software to the Health Service.

Officials in Mr Kwartengs Business Department are looking at claims that what was seen as a generous offer during the pandemic  providing Teams software free to the NHS  has led to a takeover by stealth of its IT systems.

The software package, which is used by up to 1.2 million NHS staff, is estimated by industry sources to have saved the Health Service millions of pounds, but smaller businesses are understood to have told Mr Kwartengs officials that it was an exercise in control by Microsoft to avoid open competition.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is investigating claims that the US tech giant Microsoft has elbowed British firms out of millions of pounds of NHS contracts by giving remote-meeting software to the Health Service

Microsoft is already being investigated by the competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority, over its plan to acquire Nuance, a 12 billion voice recognition platform which is widely used in the NHS.

A source said: This looks like NHSwashing to rival companies  gaining lucrative leverage over health infrastructure under the guise of charity.

The productivity app Slack has filed a formal complaint with the EU Commission, claiming that Microsoft is pushing its Teams software to an uncompetitive degree, squeezing out rivals and monopolising the market.

Mr Kwartengs Business Department are looking at claims that Microsoft's offer during the pandemic  providing Teams software free to the NHS  has led to a takeover by stealth of its IT systems

The source added: Microsoft may have claimed to save the NHS millions of staff hours  but the price will be much higher later on down the line.

Their licence renewals will not only be incredibly expensive. but it will be too late to find a system that is cheaper and frankly better. This NHSwashing is a useful distraction, but the Microsoft anti-trust case is growing.

A Business Department source confirmed Mr Kwarteng was looking at whether Microsofts business practices had raised anti-competition issues.
It is the exclusive London club where Cabinet Ministers and young royals rub shoulders with plutocrats and Hollywood actors  and it is also now Ground Zero for plotters against Boris Johnson.

On one evening last week, Prince William, David Cameron and Nigel Farage were all at 5 Hertford Street, a 2,850-a-year private members' club in Mayfair  in Mr Farage's case, for discussions with 'a prominent Tory donor who has become disenchanted with Boris'.

The club has also been used by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to host 'Fizz with Liz' meetings to schmooze Tory MPs and 'Biz for Liz' events with potential financial backers for a leadership bid.

Exclusive London club 5 Hertford Street (above) is where Cabinet Ministers and young royals rub shoulders with plutocrats and Hollywood actors  and it is also now Ground Zero for plotters against Boris Johnson

The club has also been used by Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (left) to host 'Fizz with Liz' meetings to schmooze Tory MPs and 'Biz for Liz' events with potential financial backers for a leadership bid. Marco Longhi (right), MP for Dudley North, and Gareth Davies, who represents Grantham and Stamford, were among five 'Wallers' that Ms Truss took to dinner at the club on the eve of the Budget presented by leadership rival Rishi Sunak in October

Hailed as London's 'most influential and secretive members' club', it is where Prince Harry and Meghan had their first date, and where Tony Blair enjoyed a drink with Rupert Murdoch's then wife Wendy Deng.

Its basement nightclub, Loulou's, has showcased the dancing styles of George and Amal Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mick Jagger.

Ms Truss, who asks the DJ at Loulou's to play Abba hits, has used it to woo Red Wall MPs who entered the Commons in 2019 under Mr Johnson, but are becoming drawn to her neo-Thatcherite ideology.

On one evening last week, Prince William, David Cameron and Nigel Farage were all at 5 Hertford Street, a 2,850-a-year private members' club in Mayfair  in Mr Farage's case, for discussions with 'a prominent Tory donor who has become disenchanted with Boris'. (Above, Mr Farage at the club on Monday)

Marco Longhi, MP for Dudley North, and Gareth Davies, who represents Grantham and Stamford, were among five 'Wallers' she took to dinner there on the eve of the Budget presented by leadership rival Rishi Sunak in October.

She told them she wanted 'to start standing up for Conservative values and be unashamed to do so'.

'Liz is obviously not so crass as to say 'vote for me if Boris is ousted', says a source. 'The conversation was more along the lines of, 'What do your voters think about the direction of the Government?'.'

Ms Truss, who asks the DJ at Loulou's to play Abba hits, has used it to woo Red Wall MPs who entered the Commons in 2019 under Boris Johnson (pictured on Thursday), but are becoming drawn to her neo-Thatcherite ideology

The ex-International Trade Secretary, also conducts ministerial business there. In June she charged taxpayers 1,308 for dinner with US trade representative Katherine Tai.

Friends of Mr Farage, president of the Reform UK party, claim he is being wooed by Tory donors fed up with the Government's high-tax, pro-green, redistributive policies.

Reform UK leader Richard Tice says it will stand for low tax and regulation at the next election, and is critical of the impact on business of Government Covid measures, as were 99 Tories who rebelled last week over 'Plan B' restrictions.

Mr Farage declined to comment on the donor in question  telling The Mail on Sunday, 'For once I am saying nothing'  but the club's founder, Robin Birley, who donated 20,000 to Mr Johnson in 2019, said in September he would 'definitely not' give the Tories more money.

Mr Birley said: 'I don't see this Government as particularly pro-business. I'm terribly depressed about the situation. We stand alone, with a huge debt, outside the EU.

'But we're not taking the advantages up. I don't see where the deregulation is taking place. You need an entrepreneurial nation, and we're not going in that direction.

'As an ardent Brexiteer and an ardent supporter of Boris, I'm a concerned and very, very disappointed man.' He said Mr Farage's visit was 'nothing to do with me'.
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Actress Zoe Lister-Jones was spotted running to a Pilates class Saturday as she was seen for the first time since leveling accusations that Sex and the City star Chris Noth was a 'sexual predator.'

On Thursday, Lister-Jones, 39, detailed her encounters with the embattled 67-year-old actor in an Instagram post, claiming that he was 'sexually inappropriate' to women who worked at a New York City club he owned, and sniffed her neck while drunk on set of his show Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

The actress was spotted in Beverly Hills, California, coming out of her car as she headed to a Pilates class.

Dressed casually in leggings, a maroon hoodie and a black puffer coat, the actress headed to her workout with a small bag in her hand as she texted on her phone.

Actress Zoe Lister-Jones was seen out for the first time attending a Pilates class after she made accusations against Sex and the City star Chris Noth

The actress was spotted for the first time since making the accusations on Friday coming out of her car as she headed to a Pilates class in Beverly Hills

Dressed casually in leggings, a maroon hoodie and a black puffer coat, the actress headed to her workout with a small bag in her hand as she texted on her phone

Lister-Jones became the first woman to publicly call out Noth for alleged sexually inappropriate behavior hours after The Hollywood Reporter published two other women's claimed he raped and sexually abused them

Lister Jones took to Instagram to write that she was inspired to come out with her story after the two women - who used the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 - told The Hollywood Reporter their stories

Lister-Jones guest starred on Law and Order: Criminal Intent in 2005, the first year Noth returned to the series following the original run of Sex and the City, in an episode entitled Diamond Dogs.

The actress became the first woman to publicly call out Noth for alleged sexually inappropriate behavior hours after The Hollywood Reporter published two other women's claims that he raped and sexually abused them.

She wrote that she was inspired to come out with her story after the two women - who used the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31 - revealed their experiences.

The actress known for her work on Life in Pieces began her statement: 'Last week, my friend asked me how I felt about Mr. Big's death on And Just Like That, and I said honestly, I felt relieved,' she wrote, referring to Noth's role on Sex and the City and its spin-off.

'He asked why, and I told him it was because I couldn't separate the actor from the man, and the man is a sexual predator.

'My friend was alarmed at my word choice. And to be honest, so was I.

'I hadn't thought of the man in so many years, and yet there was a virility to my language that came from somewhere deep and buried.'

Zoe Lister-Jones, left, has claimed that actor Chris Noth was 'sexually inappropriate' to female workers at a club he owned in New York City and once sniffed her neck as she guest starred on an episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent in 2005. Noth, right, has vehemently denied the claims of sexual abuse

Noth returned to his role as Detective Mike Logan following the original run of Sex and the City

Lister-Jones then explained: 'In my twenties, I worked at a club in New York that Chris Noth owned and on the few occasions, he would show up, he was consistently sexually inappropriate with a fellow female promoter.'

'That same year, I was a guest star on Law and Order, and it was his first episode returning as a detective after "SATC,"'

'He was drunk on set,' she alleged in her statement, noting: 'During my interrogation scene he had a 22-ounce beer under the table that he would drink in between takes.

'In one take, he got close to me, sniffed my neck and whispered, "You smell good."

'I didn't say anything. My friend at the club never said anything. It's so rare that we do.'

'Part of being a woman in this world is taking a certain amount of pride in knowing how to handle yourself in these situations,' she continued.

'In denying their impact as a means of survival. And burying the feelings that come with the transgressions that we have been taught are simply to be expected.

'My experiences are small in comparison to the accounts of assault that have so bravely been shared today.

'Navigating predation at any level is a burden all woman have to bear. And for the most part there is no accountability and no consequence.

'Chris Noth capitalized on the fantasy that women believe Mr. Big represented,' she alleged, concluding: 'F*** Mr. Big.'

Lister-Jones' revelations came on the heels of The Hollywood Reporter's troubling accounts against Noth.

Both of the accusers in the report claimed that Noth had sex with them from behind in front of a mirror, with the first attack allegedly taking place in 2004, while the second reportedly occurred in 2015, three years after Noth married his wife, Tara Wilson, with whom he has two children.

The two women both also allege that the attacks took place in one of Noth's homes - the first in his Los Angeles apartment and the second in his New York City property - after the actor invited them over.

Both women claim that the recent publicity surrounding the Sex and the City reboot - And Just Like That - 'stirred painful memories' of their encounters with Noth, who has featured heavily in the news in the past week as a result of the shock death of his character, Mr. Big, in the first episode of the new series.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Noth, who has two sons with Wilson - Keats and Orion - admitted that he had 'consensual encounters' with the two women in the Hollywood Reporter story, both of which reportedly took place while he was in a relationship with his wife, but he strongly denied any accusations that he assaulted them.

'The accusations against me made by individuals I met years, even decades, ago are categorically false,' the statement reads.

'These stories couldve been from 30 years ago or 30 days ago  no always means no  that is a line I did not cross. The encounters were consensual.

'Its difficult not to question the timing of these stories coming out. I dont know for certain why they are surfacing now, but I do know this: I did not assault these women.'

On Friday a third woman came forward and accused Noth of allegedly groping her at a Manhattan restaurant in 2010 when she was 18.

The unnamed 30-year-old Canadian tech executive claimed Noth, then-55, repeatedly groped her while she was working as a hostess at the Da Marino restaurant in Midtown, the Daily Beast first reported.

She alleges that Noth pulled down her tights and touched and clung onto her so strongly that after she managed to push and kick him away, her 'limbs hurt in the morning.'

He was also accused of beating and threatening to kill and disfigure his ex-girlfriend, supermodel Beverly Johnson between 1990 and 1995, according to a resurfaced article that was posted online this week.

The bombshells have caused his agency, A3 Artists Agency, to drop him, and a long-time friend of the actor told The Sun that Noth's wife, Tara Wilson, might not spend Christmas with him.

The alleged incidents, however, have revealed that Noth had been unfaithful to Wilson, who meet in 2001 and married in 2012. The couple share two children, Orion, 13, and 18-month-old Keats.

'If anything, he is guilty of that,[cheating], A long-time friend of the star told The Sun.

'[Wilson] is in LA and is very upset she's not doing well. They planned to spend Christmas together but that is now unknown.'

The friend added that all of Noth's friends are standing by him and believe the accusations from all four women are false.

'He is a flirt, but not a sleaze. He's no Weinstein,' the friend said.
More than a dozen students nationwide have been arrested after making copycat threats attributed to a 'school shooting TikTok challenge' following a deadly school massacre in Michigan last month.

The crackdown comes as the FBI is investigating the vile TikTok challenge that dared students to call in threats after 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley shot and killed four people at his high school in Oxford, Michigan.

In Florida, the Lee County Sheriff's Office arrested three teenagers on Thursday for making bomb threats to schools on social media.

Three of the dozen-plus arrests involved 13-year-old males who shared threats on social media in Naugatuck, Connecticut, Palm Coast, Florida and Frederick, Maryland.

In the city of Miramar, Florida, a 16-year-old male was arrested after being accused of bringing a firearm onto school grounds.

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old was also arrested for making direct threats in Wyoming, according to Fox News.

On Thursday, a juvenile was arrested in Watsonville, California for threats made on Instagram that police believe were related to the TikTok trend, police said.

Pictured: a screenshot taken from the 'school shooting TikTok challenge,' which was led to the arrest of over a dozen students nationwide

Pictured: a tweet from the Frisco Police Department in Texas, where authorities arrested seven middle schoolers for making copycat school shooting threats on social media

In Broward County, Florida, the Sheriff's department there tweeted 'every violent threat is taken seriously,' tweet pictured above

Pictured: Aurora Police Department in Colorado tweeted on Friday about a reported incident at West Aurora High School, which was found to be just a threat and not an active incident

Over a dozen students nationwide have been arrested amidst a 'school shooting TikTok challenge' after copycat threats following a school massacre in Michigan last month

The news of the arrests come less than three weeks after 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley shot four people and injured seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan

A day later, authorities in Frisco, Texas arrested seven middle schoolers, another juvenile in South Carolina, and two students in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, all for making threats on social media, according to local reports.

The disturbing social media challenge lead many schools around the US to cancel classes on Friday, or bring in additional police officers as a precaution.

School officials in states including Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania said Thursday there would be an increased police presence because of the threats, even as police agencies have assured parents and students that they have found scant evidence of any credible threats.

'There is information circulating that today may be a day of attacks on schools. Administration and DC Police are very aware of this and on close watch,' a message sent to parents by a school in Takoma Park in Washington said.

The Pennsbury School District in Pennsylvania told parents that there would be an increased police presence around school buildings even though they 'do not believe the threat to be credible.'

TikTok said it was investigating, even as it appeared to distance itself from the video that appeared on its platform.

In Broward County, Florida, the Sheriff's department there tweeted a video, pictured, showing the dangers of making school shooting threats for students using social media or messaging

A TikTok user by the handle @enigmasoul_ explained that the challenge started as a call for kids to skip school before it turned into something more sinister

'We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we're working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok,' the company said in a statement on Twitter.

'We've exhaustively searched for content that promotes violence at schools today, but have still found nothing. What we find are videos discussing this rumor and warning others to stay safe,' TikTok added.

'Local authorities, the FBI, and DHS have confirmed there's no credible threat, so we're working to remove alarmist warnings that violate our misinformation policy. If we did find promotion of violence on our platform, we'd remove and report it to law enforcement.

'Media reports have been widespread and based on rumors rather than facts, and we are deeply concerned that the proliferation of local media reports on an alleged trend that has not been found on the platform could end up inspiring real world harm.

The FBI confirmed on Friday it was examining the threat.

TikTok said in a statement on Friday that it has found no evidence of the December 17 school shooting challenge on its platform

'The FBI takes all potential threats seriously. We regularly work with our law enforcement partners to determine the credibility of any threats,' it said in a statement.

The social media challenge comes less than three weeks after the fatal school shooting in Michigan, which has led to an uptick in copycat threats.

Prosecutors in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb and Muskegon counties in Michigan have brought charges ranging from threats of terrorism to disturbing the peace against juveniles to make an example out of them and put an end to the wave of copycat threats, reported Detroit Free Press.

'Parents, please talk to your children,' Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy implored during a press conference last week. 'Let them know this is serious. Let them know even if they intend it to be a prank, it isn't a joke.'

Since November 30, when police say 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley opened fire inside Oakland High School, killing four students, Worthy's office has charged 38 people in connection with threats.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in Michigan has charged 38 juveniles in connection with threats against schools

In Macomb County, prosecutors have filed charges against 30 people, and in Oakland County, where the massacre took place, 17 people have been hit with charges, some as young as 11.

In the faraway Muskegon County, 19 students have been charged for allegedly threatening violence against schools.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, whose deputies were the first on the scene at the high school after the fatal shooting spree last month, said that his office has investigated nearly 140 copycat threats over the past two weeks.

'We'd rather check out 1,000 nothings than miss one real deal,' he added.

The origin of the TikTok challenge daring children to call in threats against schools is not clear, though multiple videos on the app reference 'December 17' and school shootings.

'Prepared to hopefully not get shot tomorrow at school,' one TikTok user wrote on their video. 'Basically there was school threats tomorrow, Friday (December 17th) for most schools.'

In a statement Thursday afternoon, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to look into 'warnings about potential violence at schools,' but that it didn't determine the threats to originate or spread on TikTok.

A TikTok trend reportedly urging students to call in shooting threats at their schools on Friday, December 17 has sent some schools scrambling to cancel classes last minute

Gov. Phil Murphy said 'there are no known specific threats against New Jersey schools'

The news comes less than three weeks after 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley fatally shot four people and injured seven others at Oxford High School in Michigan.

Little Falls Community Schools in Minnesota; the Gasconade County in Missouri; Gilroy High School in Gilroy, California; and Kaufman High School in Kaufman, Texas all cited the TikTok 'trend' or 'challenge' when announcing that classes were canceled on Friday, The Verge reports.

At the same time, various school districts have sought to reassure parents that no credible threats exist.

'Based on law enforcement interviews, Little Falls Community Schools was specifically identified in a TikTok post related to this threat,' the district said.

'Therefore, school throughout the district is canceled tomorrow, Friday, December 17.'

In Missouri, the Gasconade County Sheriff's Office cited 'posts circulating on social media sites, such as Tik Tok' before announcing it was closing its schools the next day.

Little Falls Community Schools in Minnesota said it was cancelling classes on Friday after the district was 'specifically identified in a TikTok post related to this threat'

Little Falls Community Schools in Minnesota will be closed due to the threat

Kaufman High School in Kaufman, Texas said it was canceling classes on Friday after it got a threat in line with the TikTok trend

Owensville High School - Gasconade County is another school closing its doors Friday

On Thursday, Gilroy High said it was closing down schools on Friday after 'it was determined that a social media post thought to involve Gilroy High School had actually originated out of Los Angeles.'

The post turned out to refer to a school outside of Los Angeles, with the district adding that it was deemed to not be a credible threat,

Meanwhile, Kaufman High in Texas said it got a threat in line with the December 17 trend.

'The threat did not include a specific time, but was specific to a date: December 17,' the district said in a letter to parents, according to WFAA.

'This falls in line with a national TikTok trend threatening to coordinate violence at schools on December 17, 2021.'

On Thursday, a woman on TikTok by the handle @enigmasoul_ updated her followers on the trend.

'Apparently there's a TikTok challenge going around. It was originally that kids were supposed to skip school tomorrow, December 17,' she said.

'Apparently it turned into - instead of skipping school - you're supposed to call a school to report a bomb threat or a shooting.'

Some school districts investigated and found nothing to be worried about.

'Many of our schools are being inundated with parent calls this morning asking about these latest threats and their validity,' tweeted Floridas Citrus County School District, according to the New York Post. 'As of Thursday morning, we have not received any indication of a credible threat to any of our schools.'

Baltimore County Public Schools warned parents and students about the trend, but later said the TikTok threat 'originated in Arizona and is not credible'

'Law enforcement agencies have investigated this threat and determined that it originated in Arizona and is not credible,' Baltimore County Public Schools tweeted.

'Currently, there have been no threats to any of the schools in Mexico, [Missouri], the Mexico School District said, according to KMIZ.

'There have been no local, credible threats,' Ohios Milford Exempted Village School District told parents.

Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey said on Twitter that 'there are no known specific threats against New Jersey schools.'

In Arizona, the Scottsdale Unified School District said the TikTok threats aren't credible but that schools are taking extra precautionary measures anyway.

'You may notice an increased police presence on and around our campuses today and tomorrow,' the district said, according to WNYW, adding that it 'takes all threats seriously.'

In upstate New York, the superintendents of the Jamesville-DeWitt School District and the Baldwinsville Central School District said they adding extra security or police presence at their schools on Friday, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.

The newspaper says that the TikTok challenge labels Friday as 'National Shoot Up Your School Day' and encourages students to make threats against their schools.
President Biden Announces New Actions to Protect Americans Against the Delta and Omicron Variants as We Battle COVID-19 this Winter

New Actions Aim to Get Americans Boosted for Even Greater Protection Against the Delta and Omicron Variants, Keep Schools and Businesses Open, and Help Quickly Respond to Surges if Needed During the Colder Months

Today, President Biden will announce new actions to combat COVID-19 as the United States heads into the winter months and with the emergence of a new variant, Omicron.

The United States has come far in its fight against the virus and is more prepared than ever to deal with the challenges of COVID-19. We have the public health tools we need to continue to fight this virus without shutting down our schools and businesses. As we head into winter, today, the President will announce actions to provide additional protection to Americans and fight the Omicron and Delta variants, while keeping our economy growing.

This plan includes:

Boosters for All Adults

Vaccinations to Protect Our Kids and Keep Our Schools Open

Expanding Free At-Home Testing for Americans

Stronger Public Health Protocols for Safe International Travel

Protections in Workplaces to Keep Our Economy Open

Rapid Response Teams to Help Battle Rising Cases

Supplying Treatment Pills to Help Prevent Hospitalizations and Death

Continued Commitment to Global Vaccination Efforts

Steps to Ensure We Are Prepared for All Scenarios

Last week, after the World Health Organization (WHO) named the Omicron variant as a Variant of Concern, the President took immediate steps to restrict travel from the most impacted countries in order to give the U.S. time to learn more about the variant and prepare. We have more tools today to fight the Omicron variant than we have had to fight previous variants, including Delta. Nearly 60 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated, booster shots are authorized for all adults, and a vaccine is authorized for kids aged 5 and older. The U.S. is leading the world in vaccinating children, and millions of Americans have already gotten their boosters. And, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing additional antiviral treatments for when people do get sick.

Todays actions will ensure we are using these tools as effectively as possible to protect the American people against this variant and to continue to battle the Delta variant during the winter months when viruses tend to thrive. These actions will help keep our economy growing and keep Americans safe from severe COVID-19.

Today, President Biden will announce the following actions:

1. Boosters for All Adults: President Biden will announce new steps to ensure that the nearly 100 million eligible Americans who have not yet gotten their booster shot, get one as soon as possible. As we face the Omicron variant, boosters are more important than ever. Boosters increase the strength of your antibody response, so when the virus mutates, a booster makes it more likely that your antibodies can protect you against the new variant. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidance recommending that every adult get a booster. All adults who completed a primary vaccination series with an mRNA vaccine at least six months ago and those who received a Johnson & Johnson shot at least two months ago are eligible for a booster. The Biden Administration has made booster shots free and convenient at over 80,000 locations nationwide. To date, over 41 million Americans have already received a booster shot, including half of eligible seniors. The President will announce additional steps to help in this effort.

- Expanding pharmacy availability through December and reaching out to all eligible customers to get their booster: As demand for boosters increases, the largest federal pharmacy partners will be ready to help meet that demand. Pharmacy partners are launching broad-based outreach campaigns to encourage the public to get their boosters, and are sending millions of texts, calls, and emails to eligible customers with information on how to schedule an appointment or walk-in for their booster shot. In addition, pharmacy partners will continue to offer call center services to support members of the public who need assistance, including in multiple languages. The President will also announce that the pharmacy program will continue to take steps to expand availability, so that adults can continue to receive their booster shots at trusted, convenient pharmacies near them. Nationwide, more than two in three COVID-19 vaccinations are already happening at local pharmacies. Federal pharmacy partners will continue to expand access by adding capacity across their network to meet the needs of their local communities. They will also work to ensure equitable access to boosters by offering vaccinations at convenient hours, including evenings and over weekends, so that adults can get boosted at a time that works best for them.

- Launching a new public education campaign to encourage adults to get boosters, with a special focus on seniors: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will launch a new public education campaign to ensure every adult American is getting their booster as soon as they are eligible. This effort will put a special focus on seniors who are the most vulnerable, including seniors from communities of color and seniors from underserved communities. The campaign will feature paid advertising across multiple channels, engagement with community organizations, robust stakeholder outreach, and earned media campaigns.

- Collaborating with AARP on an education campaign focused on getting seniors boosted: AARP has been engaged in a robust education effort around COVID-19 and primary vaccinations throughout the pandemic. As we shift toward getting more seniors boosted, AARP will build on these efforts, and in collaboration with the Administration, will serve seniors through:

- Town Halls: The Administration will participate in AARP-sponsored tele-town halls to reach thousands of seniors over the coming months and educate older Americans about the importance of boosters.

- Rides to Booster Shots: AARP has committed to delivering rides through volunteers and partnerships with other organizations to help seniors get boosted at local pharmacies, clinics, events, churches, or other trusted locations.

- Events and Call Center: AARP and the Administration will participate in local events and media opportunities across the country in the weeks ahead. In addition, the Administration has provided new training to help CDCs National COVID-19 Vaccine Assistance hotline answer AARP members and all seniors questions about boosters or find an appointment at 1-800-232-0233.

- Targeting outreach to Medicare beneficiaries: As part of a comprehensive plan to get older adults the extra protection they need through a booster, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is launching an education and outreach initiative to get Medicare beneficiaries boosted. This will include sending a notice from the CMS Administrator to all Medicare beneficiaries encouraging them to get boosted and providing information about how to easily access a booster shot in their community. Approximately 63 million people are enrolled in Medicare, and this is the first time in more than 4 years that Medicare has sent all Medicare beneficiaries a notice of this kind. CMS will also send emails, add messages to the 1-800-MEDICARE call center and incorporate messaging into advertising campaigns highly targeted to high-risk audiences with lower booster uptake.

- Calling on employers to follow the federal governments lead and provide paid time off to their employees to get boosted: All federal employees currently receive paid time off to get booster shots. The President will call on employers throughout the country to remove a barrier to vaccination access by providing the same paid time off for their employees if they are not doing so already, including paid time off for family members getting their first, second, or booster shots. No one should have to choose between their pay check and getting the additional protection of a booster shot or a child vaccination. Currently, about one-third of workers report not receiving paid time off for vaccinations, and thirty-five percent of parents report being concerned about having to take time off work to get their child vaccinated or care for them if they experience side effects. Over the course of our pandemic response, these concerns have been even more pressing in our underserved communities; earlier this year, 64 percent of unvaccinated Hispanic/Latino adults and 55 percent of unvaccinated Black adults reported concern about missing work to get vaccinated.

2. Vaccinations to Protect Our Kids and Keep Our Schools Open: The President will announce new actions to get more kids ages 5 and older vaccinated and to keep our schools open. When the President came into office, more than half the schools in our country were closed. Today, 99 percent of schools across the country are fully open and in person. The steps the President is announcing today will ensure that remains the case. As we face the Omicron variant, we now have an important new tool: vaccines for kids ages 5-11. The U.S. leads the world in vaccinating children in this age group. To date, we have already vaccinated over 4 million 5- to 11-year-olds and 15 million adolescents. Vaccinating our kids protects them, keeps schools open, and protects everyone around them. The Biden Administration has made it easy for parents to get their kids vaccinated with over 35,000 sites that parents know and trust, including pharmacies, pediatricians offices, childrens hospitals and school-based clinics. The President will announce new actions to get kids vaccinated and ensure that schools stay open.

- Launching hundreds of family vaccination clinics to get the whole family vaccinated or boosted in one trusted and convenient location: The President will announce a new effort to launch hundreds of family vaccination clinics across the country. Together, these clinics will offer vaccinations for the whole family  with first shots for parents, teens, and kids, and boosters for those eligible. This model builds on the Administrations ongoing efforts  in coordination with states, localities, providers and community leaders  to meet people where they are and make vaccinations accessible and convenient in communities across the country. HRSA will launch Family Vaccination Days  with hundreds of community health centers across the country hosting family vaccination clinics throughout December. Over two in three shots at community health centers are administered to people of color. FEMA will launch Family Mobile Vaccination Clinics, deploying sites, staff, and support to states across the country that need help  beginning with its first deployments to Washington and New Mexico. States and localities will pioneer this model nationwide  with full federal funding and support, and receive a new playbook to provide all partners with the information they need to stand up these sites and increase equitable access to vaccination. And, at thousands of pharmacies nationwide, federal pharmacy partners  including CVS and Rite Aid  will make available family-based scheduling over the coming months so that parents have a one-stop-shop to get their family their vaccination appointments all at once.

- Requiring Medicaid to pay health care providers to talk to families about getting their kids vaccinated: Increasing COVID-19 vaccinations and centering equity in COVID-19 vaccinations requires meeting our hardest-hit and highest-risk communities where they are with information from trusted sources. To help parents get their questions answered and make informed decisions about COVID-19 vaccination for their children, all Medicaid programs will pay health care providers to talk to parents about the importance of kids vaccination. Medicaid will cover COVID-19 vaccine counseling visits for most children and youth up to age 21 with 100% federal funding throughout the public health emergency and the following year. Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program provide health insurance coverage to over 40 percent of all children in the United States and are a significant source of coverage for Black and brown children. Todays action will help expand access to individualized medical advice in all of our communities and give families the support they need to engage with trusted community providers.

- Reviewing school COVID-19 prevention policies to avoid closures of entire classrooms or schools when there is a positive case: Thanks to efforts from the Biden Administration, 99 percent of schools are now open for full-time in-person learning  up from 46 percent at the beginning of the Administration. This progress has been crucial to making sure all students can safely be back where they belong  learning alongside their peers  and to help them accelerate through any learning loss they may have experienced in the last year and a half. Schools can stay open safely by implementing layered prevention strategies, and with the tools, guidance, and resources the Administration has provided, schools should not have to close due to COVID-19. To make sure schools can remain safely open:

- CDC will release findings on quarantine and testing policies in schools: Today, close contacts who are not fully vaccinated should be referred for COVID-19 testing and quarantine at home for up to 14 days after exposure. While it is crucial to take proper measures to contain spread of the virus following COVID-19 exposure, this period of quarantine can significantly interrupt students learning, and make it challenging for parents to work. States and districts around the country have been pioneering alternative approaches to quarantine, including test to stay policies  where exposed students remain in school, wear masks, and test repeatedly in the days following exposure to identify and contain infection. CDC has been studying approaches to quarantine and testing, including looking at the science and data of how they may keep school communities safe. CDC will release their findings on these approaches in the coming weeks.

- The Administration will issue a new Safe School Checklist to give schools a clear game plan for how to get as many of their staff and students vaccinated as possible: The best way to avoid outbreaks in schools is to stop transmission before it happens  and the best tool we have to stop transmission and keep schools open is vaccinating everyone who is eligible. Now, all students ages 5 and up are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Today, the Administration will issue a new Safe Schools Checklist to all K-12 schools, detailing a set of actions that every school can take to get their staff and students vaccinated  including hosting school-located vaccination clinics, hosting community-based and family vaccination clinics and events, implementing vaccination requirements for school staff, and getting eligible vaccinated school staff booster shots. The Checklist will also link to resources schools can use to set up these initiatives and talk to families about the importance of vaccination.

- Providing every resource to the FDA to support timely review of applications for vaccines for individuals under the age of 5: The President will announce that, as he did for a vaccine for kids ages 5-11, he supports the independent scientific review of a vaccine for those individuals under the age of 5 and will provide the FDA with any needed resources to do this safely and as quickly as possible once data is submitted to the agency.

3. Expanding Free At-Home Testing for Americans: Today, the President will announce new steps to ensure that Americans has access to free at-home testing. First, the more than 150 million Americans with private insurance  who now are able to get tests covered in physician offices, pharmacies, and clinics with no cost sharing  will also be able to get at-home tests reimbursed by their insurance. Second, for those not covered by private insurance, in addition to more than 20,000 federally-supported free testing sites across the U.S., at-home tests will be distributed through key community sites, such as health centers and rural clinics. The Biden Administration has taken significant steps to increase testing in the country since January. We are on track to quadruple the supply of rapid at-home tests that we had in late-Summer. Todays actions will help Americans access the tests they need to help them stop the spread of COVID-19 to others.

- Providing health plan coverage of no-cost rapid, over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests: To expand access and affordability of at-home COVID-19 tests, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury will issue guidance by January 15th to clarify that individuals who purchase OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests will be able to seek reimbursement from their group health plan or health insurance issuer and have insurance cover the cost during the public health emergency. Workplace screening would remain consistent with current guidance. Todays announcement follows the Presidents September action directing more than $2 billion to accelerate the production of rapid tests and an additional $1 billion investment in procuring at-home tests. Over the same time period, FDA authorized five additional over-the-counter tests. A total of 8 tests are on the market today; no test was on the market when the President took office.

- Expanding community distribution of free at-home tests through neighborhood sites such as health centers and rural clinics: To ensure equitable access to free at-home tests for our uninsured and underserved communities, the President will double the commitment from September to distribute 25 million free tests to community sites to 50 million tests and will add rural clinics to the program. Partnerships with trusted community providers will aid in getting these important testing supplies into the homes of our hardest-hit communities.

4. Stronger Public Health Protocols for Safe International Travel: Last month, the Administration implemented stronger international travel protocols, including requirements for foreign travelers to be fully vaccinated. The very day the WHO identified the new Omicron variant, the Biden Administration took immediate steps to restrict travel from the countries in the region where it was confirmed to be spreading quickly. The President will announce additional steps to strengthen the safety of international travel as we face this new threat  just as we have faced those that have come before it.

- Strengthening global pre-departure testing protocols: Early next week, the United States will tighten pre-departure testing protocols by requiring all inbound international travelers to test within one day of departure globally, regardless of nationality or vaccination status. This tighter testing timeline provides an added degree of public health protection as scientists continue to assess the Omicron variant.

- Extending the requirement to wear a mask on airplanes, rail travel, and public transportation: The Administration will continue to require masking during international or other public travel  as well as in transportation hubs such as airports or indoor bus terminals  through March 18 as we continue to battle COVID-19 this winter. The Transportation Security Administration will extend its implementing orders to maintain these requirements through March 18. Fines will continue to be doubled from their initial levels for noncompliance with the masking requirements  with a minimum fine of $500 and fines of up to $3,000 for repeat offenders.

5. Protecting Workplaces to Keep Businesses Open: Today, the President will announce additional progress were making in protecting workers and keeping our economy growing and businesses open. Since President Biden took office, the economy has added 5.6 million jobs, new unemployment claims have fallen by 70 percent, and applications for new businesses have risen 30 percent above the pre-pandemic average. To protect this progress and to ensure workers stay safe and on the job, we have to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our workplaces and places of businesses. Vaccination requirements do just that. The President is calling on businesses to continue to take steps to ensure workers are protected as we head into the winter.

- Calling on businesses to move forward with vaccination or testing programs: The President will call on businesses to move forward expeditiously with requiring their workers to get vaccinated or tested weekly. This is especially important given the Omicron variant. No business should shut down this winter because of COVID-19. The Department of Labor has provided a clear roadmap to help businesses keep workers safe and their doors open. Already, 60 percent of businesses report they are moving forward with implementing a program to ensure their workers are either vaccinated or tested on a weekly basis, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and more than 100 leading public health experts have encouraged businesses to not delay in implementing these protective measures. The President will urge businesses to take steps now to protect workers, customers, and the economy.

6. Rapid Response Teams to Help Battle Rising Cases: Today, the President will announce new actions to help states battle any potential COVID-19 outbreaks this winter, including of the Omicron variant. As we worked to bring down the Delta surge throughout this summer and fall, we successfully deployed thousands of federal personnel to help 27 states and two territories. These COVID-19 Surge Response Teams mobilized to address critical needs on the ground, including personnel, therapeutics, and technical expertise. To date, we have deployed over 2,000 personnel, including 1,300 clinical providers; surged over 3,200 ventilators, ambulances and other critical supplies; and shipped over 2.3 million courses of lifesaving monoclonal antibody treatments. As we face the potential of a new variant and rising cases during the winter months, today, the President will make clear that federal government will once again be prepared to help.

- Making 60+ Winter COVID emergency response team deployments available to states: To ensure states have the help they need as they battle rising cases, the President will announce new emergency response teams that will be available to help supplement state efforts. These teams include:

- 20+ Department of Defense Medical Response Team deployments to support clinical staffing at strained hospitals.

- 10 National Disaster Medical System team deployments to provide clinical support at strained hospitals.

- 20+ monoclonal antibody strike team deployments to support the administration of these lifesaving treatments.

- 15+ CDC expert deployments to conduct outbreak investigations and provide epidemiological or technical support whenever needed.

- Strengthening our national volunteer emergency medical response corps to support communities in need: To help local municipalities strengthen their health preparedness and response, today the President will announce $20 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan to strengthen the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), a network of medical and public health volunteers organized locally to improve the health of their communities. This funding will provide additional resources needed to support the roughly 300,000 MRC medical and public health professionals who have already volunteered more than 2 million hours toward local COVID-19 response. HHS will also lead a national effort to mobilize volunteers, including retired doctors and nurses, in areas with rising COVID cases.

7. Supplying Treatment Pills to Help Prevent Hospitalizations and Death: As we head into winter, new COVID-19 treatments may be on the horizon that could help prevent hospitalization and death. As these treatments continue to be developed and reviewed, today, the President will announce that we are ensuring that if and when any new COVID-19 treatment pills have been found to meet FDAs scientific standards, they are equitably accessible to all Americans, regardless of their income or their zip code.

- Securing enough supply and ensuring pills are widely available in the hardest-hit, highest-risk communities: The Administration is taking steps to secure 13 million doses of antiviral courses to ensure we have ample supply for Americans who need treatment. That number is six times the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations reported throughout this entire year. As more and more treatments may become available in the coming months, the Administration will ensure our underserved communities, often at highest risk from the virus, will be able to conveniently access these potentially lifesaving treatments.

8. Continued Commitment to Global Vaccination Efforts: Today, the President will reaffirm his commitment to help vaccinate the globe, and call on other countries to do the same to combat this pandemic globally and help prevent the development of new variants.

- Donating 1.2 billion doses to the world: To date, the U.S. has committed to donate 1.2 billion doses to the world. For every one shot the Biden Administration has administered in the U.S., we are donating about three doses to people around the world. The U.S. is also the first country to give up its place in line for vaccines, allowing the African Union to immediately start receiving up to 110 million doses of Moderna at a reduced rate negotiated by the United States. And, we are working with partners to expand supply of critical ancillary needs like syringes.

- Accelerating the delivery of more vaccines to countries in need by pledging to deliver 200 million more doses in the next 100 days. To build on our donations of over 275 million doses that have been shared with 110 countries, including 94 million doses to Africa, we are pledging to deliver 200 million more doses in the next 100 days  accelerating the delivery of vaccines to countries in need. These doses are being delivered for free with no strings attached. The U.S. is also the first country to negotiate a deal with J&J and the COVAX facility to send vaccines directly to humanitarian settings and conflict zones to vaccinate displaced people.

- Taking steps to ramp up manufacturing here and abroad, building out a sustainable supply chain and increasing capacity globally to make vaccines: We are ramping up vaccine manufacturing, building a sustainable supply chain and increasing global capacity to make additional vaccines. We will continue our work to invest in companies that have experience manufacturing mRNA vaccines to help them expand capacity by an additional 1 billion doses per year, with production starting by the second half of 2022.

- Turning vaccines into vaccinations: We are working with country partners to get doses into arms with plans tailored to specific country needs. With lines of effort ranging from communications campaigns to build vaccine confidence, to funding for vaccinators on the front line  the U.S. government is committed to getting people vaccinated around the world.

9. Steps to Ensure We Are Prepared for All Scenarios: Health and medical experts believe that the current vaccines authorized in the U.S. provide at least some protection against the Omicron variant and that boosters strengthen that protection significantly. However, to ensure that we are prepared for all scenarios, the Administration is taking steps now to be able to quickly act if updated vaccinations or boosters are needed to respond to the Omicron variant.

- Accelerating the development and deployment of new vaccines and boosters if needed for the Omicron variant: The President is committed to using every resource and tool available to the U.S. government to ensure that we can quickly get updated vaccines and boosters to the American people in the unlikely event they are needed to battle the Omicron variant. The Administration is working closely with executives at Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson to develop contingency plans for other vaccinations or boosters if needed. The President will also use every resource available to help support the FDA and CDC to quickly review new vaccines, if needed, while ensuring that the rigorous safety review process is upheld. The President is also committed to doing the same for any COVID-19 treatment that may be needed for this variant.
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Brits are rushing to enjoy their final weekend before Christmas despite pleas from scientists to be careful amid a rising wave of Covid.

A major incident has been declared in London amid 'huge concern' at the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant across the capital, but revellers across the country are still heading out with friends to enjoy drinks at pubs and clubs.

Experts have warned that restrictions 'similar in scale to the national lockdown' are needed to keep hospital admissions from coronavirus below previous peaks.

But Brits wearing fancy dress, Christmas jumpers or their usual weekend finery ignored warnings and were pictured enjoying their freedom while they still can.

Amid high numbers of cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) on Saturday revealed the bleak picture painted by advisers throughout December as the threat from the strain rose.

Advice included that indoor mixing is the 'biggest risk factor' for the spread of the variant of coronavirus, and that large gatherings risked creating 'multiple spreading events'.

While the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, Operational sub-group (SPI-M-O), said in documents released on Saturday but dated December 8 that in almost all modelling 'a significant reduction in transmission (similar in scale to the national lockdown implemented in January 2021 and the pingdemic' in July 2021) is required to keep hospitalisations below the height of previous peaks'.

The advice from 10 days ago adds: 'Earlier intervention also reduces the wave of hospitalisations.'

Newcastle: Revellers enjoy a night out on the final Saturday evening before Christmas, with festive jumpers and fancy dress

Leeds: Revellers make the most of the last Saturday night before Christmas amid warnings over a rising wave of Omicron

Birmingham: The last Saturday night out before Christmas amid the continued rise of the Omicron variant

Leeds: Revellers continued to enjoy nights out across the country despite concerns over the omicron wave of Covid

London: The streets of Soho with Londoners on nights out making the most of freedom amid concerns over Covid

Revellers enjoy a night out in Newcastle on the final Saturday evening before Christmas

Manchester: Revellers were seen enjoying themselves despite concerns over the new omicron variant

Leeds: A group of revellers, mostly wearing Christmas jumpers, are pictured enjoying the last weekend before Christmas

Revellers wearing matching gold and black outfits make the most of Saturday night out in Leeds ahead of Christmas

Leeds: Brits wearing fancy dress, Christmas jumpers or their usual weekend finery ignored warnings and were pictured enjoying their freedom while they can

Newcastle: Revellers enjoy a night out on the final Saturday evening before Christmas amid warnings of more restrictions

A major incident has been declared in London amid 'huge concern' at the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant across the capital, but revellers across the country are still heading out with friends to enjoy drinks at pubs and clubs (pictured: Newcastle)

Amid high numbers of cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) on Saturday revealed the bleak picture painted by advisers throughout December as the threat from the strain rose (pictured: Newcastle)

Minutes from a Sage meeting on Thursday said stricter measures could be needed including 'reducing group sizes, increasing physical distancing, reducing duration of contacts and closing high-risk premises'.

The experts warned that even if transmission rates were reduced, hospital admission levels were likely to be between 1,000 and 2,000 per day in England by the end of the year.

And modelling showed that if ministers stuck to the current Plan B measures, there would be a peak of 3,000 per day.

It comes as the number of deaths in England of people with the Omicron variant has risen to seven, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said, from the previous figure of one.

Hospital admissions in England for people with confirmed or suspected Omicron rose to 85, from 65.

The UKHSA said there had been 10,059 additional confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 reported across the UK.

This brings the total confirmed cases of the variant in the UK to 24,968.

The documents said: 'Some scenarios have significantly worse outcomes during the first few months of 2022 but there are many uncertainties.'

And the ramping up of the booster programme would not help, as many of those admissions would be those who are infected now.

They warned that delaying introducing stricter measures until 2022 would 'greatly reduce the effectiveness of such interventions and make it is less likely that these would prevent considerable pressure on health and care settings'.

The number of confirmed cases of Omicron in England increased by 69 per cent on the previous day's total - up 9,427 to 23,168, figures from the UKHSA showed today

Covid hospital admissions have spiked by more than a third in a week in Britain's Omicron hotspot of London, official data shows

It comes after reports that officials had drawn up plans for a two-week circuit breaker lockdown after Christmas.

The Liberal Democrats have called for Parliament to be recalled on Monday to debate the next steps.

Is it REALLY safe to cut the 10-day quarantine? How long are people infectious for? Britain's Covid's self-isolation sentence could be halved to just five days, some academics have argued. Data suggests roughly 98 per cent of virus transmission occurs either before people become ill, or within five days of symptoms starting. Dr Muge Cevik, an infectious disease expert from the University of St Andrews, said earlier this year: 'Given most transmission happens very early on, the isolation period could be much shorter for the cases. 'Viral load peaks pretty quickly, so people are highly infectious within the first few days.' How long can Covid patients test positive for? Lateral flow tests, which offer results in as little as 15 minutes, work best for sniffing out the people who are most infectious. They look for viral proteins called antigens in samples taken from the nose and throat. But the kits are less sensitive than gold-standard PCRs, which sees swabs sent off to laboratories to be analysed for viral genetic material. It means they are less likely to spot someone when they are infected, but also less likely to give a positive result when someone has gone past their peak infectiousness and have a lower viral load. PCRs, on the other hand, are extremely sensitive and can pick up the presence of viral fragments long after the illness has cleared. For this reason, a positive PCR result does not always mean someone is still contagious. Advertisement

Party leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'Throughout the pandemic, Boris Johnson has consistently reacted too late, missed opportunities and refused to act when the scientists told him to.

'That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to recall a virtual Parliament on Monday at this time of national crisis.

'We cannot allow the Prime Minister to sit on his hands while the NHS and businesses are on the brink of collapse.

'Ministers must explain the latest scientific advice to MPs and ensure a proper debate over what future Covid measures, including support to help businesses through this increasingly difficult period.'

Earlier, Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews and member of Sage, said it was clear that Plan B measures alone would not be enough to stop the spiralling numbers of cases.

Professor Reicher, who was speaking to Times Radio in a personal capacity, said the time to act was now.

Prof Reicher said: 'The only way really, or at least the most effective way, we can have an immediate effect is to decrease the number of contacts we have.

'In many ways, the most effective way of diminishing contact is to have a circuit-breaker.

'Now, you could have it after Christmas, the problem is after Christmas it's probably too late, it's probably by then we will have had a huge surge of infections with all the impact upon society.

'When people say 'look, we don't want to close down', of course, we don't want to close down.

'But the problem is at the moment, things are closing down anyway, because of the spread of infection.

'So I think we need to act now.'

A Government spokesperson said: 'The Government will continue to look closely at all the emerging data and we'll keep our measures under review as we learn more about this variant.'

Cabinet ministers received a briefing on Saturday on the latest situation regarding the Omicron variant.

There was no meeting of the Cabinet or further discussion, but ministers were given an update on the data surrounding the variant.

While a Cobra meeting will be held over the weekend with the devolved nations.

A further 90,418 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases have been recorded in the UK as of 9am on Saturday, the Government said.

A further 125 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19.

Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have now been 172,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation said the Omicron variant had been identified in 89 countries as of Thursday and had a doubling time of between 1.5 and three days.

It said data is still limited on the severity of the strain, but added: 'Given rapidly increasing case counts, it is possible that many healthcare systems may become quickly overwhelmed.'
A Women's Rights activist who mysteriously vanished after returning to Qatar from Britain is reportedly being held against her will in a psychiatric hospital.

Noof al-Maadeed, 23, was last heard of on October 13 when she spoke of receiving threats.

Since then fears have grown for her safety, with some reports last week suggesting she had been murdered.

Now a relative has come forward to say that Noof  who sought asylum in Britain after years of domestic abuse  is alive but is being kept heavily sedated and faces 'imminent danger'.

Women's rights activist Noof al-Maadeed (above), who mysteriously vanished after returning to Qatar from Britain, is reportedly being held against her will in a psychiatric hospital. The 23-year-old was last heard of on October 13 when she spoke of receiving threats

'We have been speaking to someone inside the hospital for updates  the situation sounds horrific and we want to have her back safe immediately,' the relative told The Times.

Human rights campaigners are demanding that the Qatari authorities prove she is alive.

In her last social media post before she disappeared, Noof said: 'If you do not see any posts from me in the coming days, that means I have been handed over to my family against my will.'

Earlier, she said three attempts had been made to kill her, adding that the authoritarian state's ruler was the 'only one who can stop the danger to my life'.

Noof fled to the UK in 2019 but returned home in October after the Qatar authorities apparently gave assurances she would be safe.

Her case  which highlights discrimination facing women in the Gulf state  became a cause celebre two years ago when a video documenting her journey to Britain went viral.

It focused attention on Qatar's male guardianship system in which women are dependent on men for permission to marry, travel, pursue higher education and access reproductive healthcare.

Noof fled to the UK in 2019 but returned home in October after the Qatar authorities apparently gave assurances she would be safe. Her case  which highlights discrimination facing women in the Gulf state  became a cause celebre two years ago when a video documenting her journey to Britain went viral. (File image of Qatar's capital Doha)

In March, Noof appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, claiming she suffered constant 'physical and emotional abuse' at the hands of 'some of my family members'. She said her freedom of movement was also restricted.

Her decision to return to Qatar took many by surprise. In a video, she said: 'I had a normal life in the UK, until that day when I felt I did not belong there, and that I wanted to live in my home country, but there were many difficulties, fears and dangers if I wanted to go back to my country.'

She added: 'I'm still the same Noof who ran away defending women's rights.'

Rothna Begum, senior women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, told The Mail on Sunday: 'It has been more than two months since Noof has been heard from.

'We and her friends have not been able to contact her. Denying or preventing someone access to the outside world would amount to incommunicado detention.

'We have requested to hear directly from her regarding her own wishes of what assistance she seeks from the state including for her protection and care.

'Holding anyone against their wishes, irrespective of where, without any legal basis would amount to arbitrary detention.

'We have repeatedly called on the Qatari authorities to ensure Noof al-Maadeed is not in any form of detention; to allow her access to the outside world, including her phone; and to support her decisions to live an independent life.'
The family of tragic toddler Star Hobson have hit out at the prison medics who saved her, arguing she should have been left to die after suffering two separate seizures while behind bars.

Savannah Brockhill, 28 was jailed for life after she was found guilty of murdering the 16-month-old during a campaign of abuse at her West Yorkshire home last June.

Self-proclaimed 'psycho' Brockhill collapsed twice and suffered cardiac arrest at HMP Styal in Cheshire while on remand for the toddler's murder just two days before the trial.

She was revived both times by prison medics, who rushed to her aid and performed lifesaving CPR on her.

Now, little Star's great-grandfather Frank Smith, 68, told the Sun how he wished the medics would have let Brockhill die instead, claiming it was unfair in the wake of the harrowing death of his great-granddaughter.

Self-proclaimed 'psycho' Savannah Brockhill, 28, (pictured above) collapsed twice and suffered cardiac arrest at HMP Styal in Cheshire while on remand for the toddler's murder just two days before the trial

Frankie Smith - Star's mother - was Brockhill's girlfriend and was also jailed over her death

Innocent Star had been tormented and abused by Smith and Brockhill during her short life

Brockhill, a self-proclaimed 'psycho', regularly beat Smith and - when she continued to attract male attention - threatened to 'kneecap' anyone who 'even looked at her'.

The amateur boxer also began physically abusing Star and went on to beat the defenceless toddler to death in one final act of sickening violence.

Outside Bradford Crown Court Hollie Jones, 18, who babysat for Star and made the first of five referrals to social services, said Smiths sentence was a joke.

Frank, 68, was one of five relatives or close family friends who turned whistleblower and raised concerns over the treatment, and bruises that had appeared, on 16-month-old Star.

She was jailed for a minimum of 25 years last week after being given a mandatory life sentence for murdering 16-month-old Star Hobson in a fit of temper.

Brockhill is understood to have discharged herself from hospital against medical advice and returned to the closed category, all female HMP Styal in Cheshire.

Amateur boxer Brockhill began physically abusing Star Hobson (left) and went on to beat the defenceless toddler to death in one final act of sickening violence

Brockhill was twice saved by prison paramedics at HMP Styal in Cheshire (pictured above)

Brockhill (pictured) regularly beat Smith and - when she continued to attract male attention - threatened to 'kneecap' anyone who 'even looked at her', jurors heard

TIMELINE OF STAR HOBSON'S SHORT LIFE Star Hobson was only 16-months-old when she was killed at her home in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Here are some of the key events in her short life: 2019 May 21 - Star Hobson is born November - Savannah Brockhill and Frankie Smith begin a relationship. 2020 January 23 - Smith's friend Holly Jones makes the first contact with social services over concerns about domestic violence and how much time she is left looking after Star. Police and social workers visit Star but no concerns are raised. Early February - Star goes to live with her great-grandparents, David Fawcett and Anita Smith at their home in Baildon, Bradford, after Smith says she has split up with Brockhill. April 26 - Star is removed from Anita Smith's house by her mother and taken to live with Smith and Brockhill. May 4 - Anita Smith contacts social services after she is told about Brockhill 'slam-choking' Star. June - David Fawcett posts a picture of Star with bruises on Facebook alongside a happier shot and with the caption 'From this to this in five weeks, what's going on Frankie?' June 21 - Star's father, Jordan Hobson, contacts social services. Police take Star for a hospital examination. Smith says her daughter had hit her face on a coffee table. June 23 - Another friend of the Smith family contacts social services with concerns. August 14 - David Fawcett and Anita Smith see Frankie and Star for the last time. August 28 - David Fawcett is sent a video of Star with bruises and confronts Brockhill. September 2 - Another of Star's great-grandfathers, Frank Smith, contacts social services after seeing video of bruises on the youngster's face. Social workers make an unannounced visit. September 15 - Social services closes the case after concluding the referral to be 'malicious'. September 22 - Star is seriously injured at the flat in Wesley Place, Keighley, and dies later in hospital. 2021 December 14 - Following a trial at Bradford Crown Court Brockhill is convicted of Star's murder while Smith is convicted of causing or allowing the toddler's death. Advertisement

The defenceless toddler bled to death after being kicked or punched by Brockhill with massive force at home in Keighley, West Yorkshire, in September last year.

Frankie Smith, 20, Star's mother, will be freed in four years after a judge reduced her sentence to account for the 'burden' of knowing she played a significant role in the death of her daughter.

Earlier this week, Star's family slammed the 'lenient' sentences handed out to the pair, as they called on Attorney General to review the case under the unduly lenient sentencing scheme.

And hitting out at medics' decision to revive Star's murderer, Mr Smith explained: 'I wish they had let her die. Stars injuries were so horrific they couldnt revive her. And yet, Brockhill is saved. How unfair is that?'

He had earlier said he hoped Star's killers would 'rot in jail' and asked: 'Is that all Stars life is worth? Frankie will be out in four years - how is that justice?'

And he reserved his harshest judgement yet for Brockhill, telling reporters that the former bouncer ultimately deserved the death penalty

During the trial, jurors heard that Smith's family and friends had growing fears about bruising they saw on the little girl in the months before she died and made a series of complaints to social services.

In each case Brockhill and Smith managed to convince social workers that marks on Star were accidental or that the complaints were made maliciously by people who did not like their relationship.

Prosecutors described how the injuries that caused Star's death involved extensive damage to her abdominal cavity 'caused by a severe and forceful blow or blows, either in the form of punching, stamping or kicking to the abdomen'.

Jurors also heard there were other injuries on her body which meant that 'in the course of her short life, Star had suffered a number of significant injuries at different times'.

On September 2, Frank alerted social services to a video of Star with bruises on her face.

When they visited her, her mother was said to have been in Scotland. The next day they went again unannounced and found her at home with Brockhill.

During an unannounced social worker visit to their Keighley home on September 15 last year Star was so dazed by the abuse she had suffered she walked into a sofa.

She had bruises on her face and shins but the Bradford City Council worker believed Brockhill's explanation she'd fallen down the stairs.

In fact she was being 'choke slammed', swung by her leg and hit in the face by the twisted couple.

They referred to her as a 'brat' and forced her to stand facing the wall for long periods of time during their reign of cruelty.

In total two friends and three relatives - including Star's own father - had reported them to social services but they were still allowed to keep her.

Police released a harrowing picture of one of the bruises on Star's face that sparked calls to social services from family

Tuesday's verdicts fuelled mounting calls for sweeping reform, amid widespread outcry over the case of murdered six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes by his cruel stepmother earlier this month.

It later emerged that the Children's Services boss in charge of Star's care quit his 121,000-a-year post just days before Smith and Brockhill went on trial.

Mark Douglas became Bradford Council's third Director of Children's Services to quit within a turbulent three year period.

The department was rocked by an Ofsted report in 2018 which branded it 'inadequate' and said some children under its care were 'at risk of serious harm.'

Michael Jameson quit as director soon after the report was released and he was succeeded by Gladys Rhodes White, who left less than a year later.

On his arrival in May 2019, Mr Douglas, formerly Director of Children's Social Care at Doncaster Children's Services Trust, vowed to 'develop good and outstanding services for the city and district.'

Jordan Hobson, who is a university student, split with Smith before she started a toxic relationship with Brockhill, a judge heard earlier this week.

Yesterday, the grieving father said: 'The horrific death of my beautiful baby daughter has left me devastated and I will never recover from the callous and cruel way in which Star was taken from me.

'No sentence that a court can impose will ever bring back my precious daughter.

'I would now request privacy so that I can start to grieve and begin to try and pick up the pieces of my life.'
Alice Temperleys glamorous midsummer parties in Somerset were the perfect opportunity for slender A-listers to show off her whimsical boho gowns

She was the Duchess of Cambridges favourite dressmaker and designed the striking gown that led to Kates sister Pippa being dubbed Her Royal Hotness.

Alice Temperleys glamorous midsummer parties in Somerset were the perfect opportunity for slender A-listers to show off her whimsical boho gowns.

But there is no whimsy in an administrators report that reveals her company TL 2021  trading as Temperley London  ran up 31million in unpaid debts before it went into administration this year.

It left a string of creditors  couriers, garment manufacturers, fabric wholesalers and the department store Selfridges.

Many are likely to get nothing, with administrators stating: There will not be sufficient funds available to make a distribution to unsecured creditors.

Yet the Temperley brand remains in business after setting up a new company, selling sequined frocks and velvet suits from its stores in Chelsea and Somerset and on the Temperley London website.

This is perfectly legal, but has left a sour taste for Jay Patel, who runs the courier company ICC Global in Hounslow. He is owed more than 19,000 and is angry that he was asked to work for TL 2021 weeks before it went under. He said: We were chasing them for money. The guy at Temperley kept making promises the payments would be made. The next thing we knew it had gone into administration.

I would have thought they would have had the financial figures and principal shareholders would say, We settle the debts even if we are insolvent.

We never got a penny from them for all the work we did. It is disgraceful.

A new company, TMLL, was set up when Temperleys original firm began insolvency proceedings. TMLL owns the trading name Temperley London. The insolvent firm and the new company which jettisoned its huge debts belong to the same umbrella company, Temperley Holdings.

External auditors warned that the firm was in difficulty. Yet from the outside, its credentials seemed impeccable.

Temperley, 46  described as the English Ralph Lauren  set up her label in 2000 with ex-husband Lars von Bennigsen, with whom she has a 13-year-old son, Fox.

Business boomed and her floaty, lace-strewn creations attracted a celebrity crowd. She made wedding dresses for the model Jodie Kidd, actresses Alice Eve, Milla Jovovich and Emilia Fox and even Ed Milibands wife Justine.

But she was catapulted to fame when the Duchess of Cambridge and her sister Pippa Middleton became fans. Newly engaged Kate wore one of her monochrome chiffon dresses for her first official engagement with Prince William in 2010. Pippa wore an emerald-green silk dress for the evening reception at William and Kates wedding, leading her to be dubbed Her Royal Hotness.

Pippa wore an emerald-green silk dress for the evening reception at William and Kates wedding, leading her to be dubbed Her Royal Hotness

Temperley received an MBE in 2011 and was praised by the fashion bible Vogue when Sarah Jessica Parker wore the designers dresses on Sex And The City.

But her empire has continually run at a loss, relying on the deep pockets of shareholders to keep it afloat.

Insolvency laws have caused controversy. Professor Richard Murphy, of Sheffield University Management School, said: We do not grant limited liability to allow people to run companies that become insolvent at a cost to their creditors and shareholders so that they can start again with complete immunity from liability for the losses incurred.

Temperley chief executive Luca Donnini said: Restructuring had to take place to take into account the financial impact on retail from the previous year. The proceedings enabled the company to retain 70 per cent of the jobs in TL2021 as well as the majority of its suppliers.

Temperley looks forward to a better trading environment in 2022.
Nearly 27,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year, after more than 900 more completed the crossing on Thursday and Friday last week.

The Home Office revealed that Border Force intercepted or rescued 29 boats, carrying 917 people, from the freezing waters.

French authorities also prevented another 560 migrants from making the trip.

Nearly 27,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year, after more than 900 more completed the crossing on Thursday and Friday last week

The Home Office revealed that Border Force intercepted or rescued 29 boats, carrying 917 people, from the freezing waters

The last few days have seen an influx of migrants after bad weather conditions made crossing the treacherous shipping lane nearly impossible for almost two weeks

Smugglers used to avoid the sea route in winter, but the use of larger inflatable dinghies has allowed traffickers to continue sending migrants across the 21-mile stretch.

The pandemic and increased security around freight terminals has forced smugglers away from the land routes.

Around 30 people were pictured walking up the vast shingle beach escorted by police before being taken off to be processed on Friday

The group included two small children - one a toddler where immigration officers were waiting for them

In 2020, the number of migrants arriving by water in small boats from France was 8,420.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has come under fierce criticism for failing to get a grip on the crisis with Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordering a review.

Home Offices Clandestine Channel Threat Commander Dan OMahoney criticised French authorities reluctance to co-operate with Border Force despite the UK handing France 54 million this year to stem the flow of migrants.
Christmas trees reveal much about current trends. Keep an eye out this year and you'll see gorgeous glass ornaments dangling from the branches of festive trees in what likely will be an enduring theme throughout 2022.

Glass blowing's appeal has stood the test of time as each piece is unique with its own special and sometimes delightfully imperfect feel  the opposite of mass-produced tat.

Sir Elton John is one of several celebrities who are fans of U.S. artist Dale Chihuly, aka the Prince of Glass, famous for his exuberantly coloured sculptural creations.

Skilled: Contestant Nao Yamamoto making glass in the traditional way on Netflix's TV series Blown Away

One of his chandeliers, a 27 ft extravaganza, hangs in the Victoria & Albert museum.

But the combination of the pandemic and a popular Netflix series is making many aspire to smaller and much cheaper pieces of this glass.

Glass blowing is made through a process that traces its beginnings back to the first century BC in Syria and Ancient Rome.

In Blown Away, the Canadian Netflix series, ten glass blower artists battle heat and breakages to secure a 45,000 prize.

This competition is to turn sand, lime and soda (the constituents of glass) into winning objects  rather like The Great British Bake Off.

However, it's worth bearing in mind that blowing down a pipe to shape liquid glass, while standing close to a furnace burning at a temperature of 1,000 c, is rather more dangerous than piping icing onto a layer cake.

Sophie Conran's 55.25 set of six gold-plated and patterned baubles is hand-made in Cairo from Borosilicate glass

The pandemic has deepened our appreciation of home and our determination to make it as cheery and comfortable as possible, especially this Christmas.

In lockdown, uniformly neutral interiors, however elegant, could seem chilly. People have tried to bring more colour and individuality into their homes.

Some households have been opting for bolder paints and wallpapers; others have been introducing brighter accessories like patterned rugs or throws.

But amid the growing planet-friendly desire to move away from the throwaway, there has been a surge of interest in crafted items made to last.

Pooky's 111 Lisboa hand-blown glass shade for a pendant light in amber, green, pink and turquoise typifies the 'buy less, buy better' movement and would enliven a grey and beige interior.

Habitat's hand-blown 20 Cielo blue and green vase or Toast's small French-made 15 Amour green vase are the sort of heart-lifting presents that many would like to find under the Christmas tree.

Fine Nordic's 33.99 set of five mix-coloured hand-blown glass tumblers, meanwhile, would add some Scandi to a Christmas table.

Oka points out that no two tumblers from its Pulcinella white hand-decorated and hand-blown 70 set of four is the same, making it 'a unique and interesting addition to a dining table or a home bar'.

The preference for smaller events at home with family and selected friends has made people more willing to splash out on fine glasses and tableware which, with care, can continue to delight for some time.

Christmas decorations come into service just once a year. But there is the same wish to buy less, buy better, with the calculation that if you keep a 50 set of ornaments for a decade, this works out at 5 a year.

Sophie Conran's 55.25 set of six gold-plated and patterned baubles is 'designed to be treasured for a lifetime, and passed down from generation to generation'. The Dawn Gold Leaf bauble, pictured, is hand-made in Cairo from borosilicate glass.

Cox & Cox has a range of hand-blown glass baubles from 7.88 for six, including a delightful 30 set of 12 baubles with a Victorian feel.

Glass of Venice sells pieces created in the Venetian island of Murano where glass was blown in medieval times and continues today.

A Murano star in blue, green or red costs 23.20 and is sure to spark joy. Just make sure you pack away safely all these beauties once the festivities are over, and mark the box 'fragile'.
Robert Lewandowski scored his 69th goal of 2021 on Friday night to equal Cristiano Ronaldo's career-high over a calendar year.

The Portuguese scored 69 goals in 59 games for Real Madrid in 2013, when he won the second of his five Ballon d'Or.

Lewandowski left it late to reach the milestone, scoring a trademark volley with just three minutes left in Bayern Munich's 4-0 mauling of Wolfsburg.

Robert Lewandowski equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's career-best for goals in a calendar year

The goal was the Polish striker's 42rd in the Bundesliga in 2021, one better than the late Gerd Muller's record of 41, which had stood since 1972.

The latter was a particularly prolific year for Muller, who scored 85 goals over 12 months. Forty-one of those goals came in the Bundesliga, the most anyone had managed in a single season until Lewandowski netted 42 times last term.

Muller, who died aged 75 in August, scored 566 goals in 607 appearances in all competitions for Bayern over 15 seasons, while Lewandowski has so far scored 324 goals in 354 games for the Bundesliga giants.

The 33-year-old was the overwhelming favourite to win the Ballon d'Or last year, only for organisers to scrap the award because of the coronavirus pandemic and finished second to Lionel Messi earlier this month.

The Poland international scored Bayern Munich's fourth goal in a 4-0 win over Wolfsburg

The goal was Lewandowski's 69th in this calendar year, a new personal record

The Argentine, who holds the record for most goals in a calendar year with 91 in 2012, won the accolade for a record seventh time and paid tribute to the Poland international.

'Robert, you deserve your Ballon d'Or," Messi said in his acceptance speech.

'Last year, everyone was in agreement to say that you were the big winner of this award.'

Ronaldo scored 69 goals in 59 games for Real Madrid in 2013 and won a second Ballon d'Or

Lewandowski may have missed out on an individual accolade, but could add an eighth consecutive league title to his CV.

With their win against Wolfsburg, Bayern opened up a nine-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who have a game in hand, at the top of the Bundesliga.

Bayern are also heavy favourites to progress past RB Salzburg in the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Manchester United have made sure that at least some good has come out of their postponed Premier League game with Brighton at Old Trafford by donating unused food, flowers and hospitality gifts to charity.

The fixture was the second United game to be called off this week following the postponement of Tuesday's trip to Brentford due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the club.

United have also shut down first-team operations at their Carrington training ground until early next week to try and stem the tide of positive results.

Manchester United's game against Brighton was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak

The club will close their training ground next week as they aim to stop the spread of the virus

Preparations for the Brighton game and a full-house at Old Trafford were well underway when the match was called off on Thursday with United having only seven players available.

But the club were determined not to let everything go to waste and made use of as much as they could to aid charity in the build-up to Christmas.

More than 4,000 items of food including fresh sandwiches, fruit and vegetables, have been donated to local food banks.

Ralf Rangnick's side have donated sandwiches, fruit and vegetables to local food banks

Food from the Manchester United hospitality suites was donated following the postponement

In addition, flowers and gifts from the hospitality suites at Old Trafford have been given to St Ann's Hospice and local charities respectively.

It follows a joint donation of 100,000 by the club and the Manchester United Foundation to food charity FareShare that was announced earlier this week.

Collette Roche, United's chief operating officer, Manchester United, said at the time: 'We are proud of the work Manchester United Foundation does to support our local community and this has never been more important than it is now with so many households facing a tough winter.

'Manchester United is pleased to be making this joint donation with the Foundation to FareShare Greater Manchester and we invite our fans to unite with us behind this crucial cause.'
Leeds were sensationally accused of playing like 'they're in the school playground' after they conceded three first-half goals at Arsenal in their defeat.

Fresh off the back of shipping seven against Manchester City, Marcelo Bielsa's side were condemned to more misery following their woeful, limp display today.

Gabriel Martinelli scored a double for the visitors and Bukayo Saka added a third, sparking the pundits - including Graeme Souness - to take aim at Leeds.

Leeds were accused of playing like 'they're in the school playground' after shipping three goals

Marcelo Bielsa's hapless side found themselves trailing at half-time against an in-form Arsenal

Indeed, it was a savage comment from Souness which summed up the performance from the home team, as he likened them to a hapless bunch of students.

When reviewing one of Martinelli's smart finishes at Elland Road, he said: 'Watch the young boy [Cody] Drameh, he's not sensing any danger.

'I don't want to be cruel to him, but he must look over his shoulder. He has to think danger. Leeds play like they're in the school playground.'

Jermaine Beckford, meanwhile, was similarly critical of the lead-up to the goal.

Graeme Souness slammed the hosts as a 'shambles' and criticised the standard of defending

Buyako Saka's deflected effort hit the back of the net to chalk up Arsenal's third of the first half

'You can see Drameh starts following the ball, Adam Forshaw, that's a bit sloppy,' the former Leeds striker said.

[Mateusz] Klich is the wrong side of [Granit] Xhaka. Martinelli, great finish - right place, right time.'

And the savagery from Souness did not stop there, as he branded Leeds 'an absolute shambles' after watching the third goal back.

He added: 'If you watch Luke Ayling here, why's he going in there?

Leeds conceded seven against Manchester City last time out and are in a woeful run of form

'When you're a defender, you have decisions to make. The danger is Saka, not going into midfield. That's where his concentration should have been.

'Leeds are an absolute shambles. They've got lots of young players, they've got injuries but you can't play like that and win in this league.'

After the break, Raphinha pulled one goal back for Leeds, although Emile Smith Rowe came off the bench and added a fourth to round off the scoreline.

'Arsenal will never have an easier away game this year,' Souness added at full-time. 'That first half they could have scored six or seven goals.

Youngster Cody Drameh was singled out by Souness for failing to track his men at Elland Road

'They took their foot of the accelerator in the second half and won easily.'

Beckford, meanwhile, said: 'It has been disastrous the last couple of weeks. Injuries to key players, pretty much the regular starting eleven.

'It was extremely disappointing from a creativity perspective. Defensively we were all over the place.'

Bielsa was forced to name an injury-hit squad with several key players, including Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford, missing - but Souness believes that is no excuse.

Highlighting the lengthy list of absentees during the break, Beckford said: 'You're missing [Liam] Cooper, [Marcos] Llorente, Phillips, Bamford.

'You're missing key players, players that play a certain way and know exactly how Bielsa wants to play. The style of play isn't going to be as we've come to expect.'

However, Souness then fired back, saying: 'I can't agree with that. If they continue to play like this they're bang in trouble.

'It's your job as a manager to get the best of the group of players you've got. I just understand how you can expect players to play like that.'
France has banned tourists from the UK from entering unless they have a 'compelling reason' to travel.

Here, the Holiday Guru has a French special in which he answers questions about flight connections in French airports, travelling by Eurostar and wrangling refunds for cancelled ski holidays.

Q. We booked a ski holiday in a chalet in Morzine in January. But now that it is impossible for tourists to travel to France, what should I do? Can I get a refund?

Sylvia Simpson, via email.

No go: The French ban on UK visitors is a bitter blow for those whove booked ski trips. Pictured is a skier in Chamonix in the French Alps

A. This depends on whether you booked the chalet and flights at the same time as a package holiday or not.

If you did, you will be due a full refund within 14 days of the holiday being cancelled, as it will be closer to the date of departure  usually about two/three weeks beforehand  if the French travel ban on British visitors, which began on December 17, continues. This refund is the law under the Package Travel Regulations (2018).

However, if you booked the chalet and flights separately, you will have to contact the chalet provider to request a refund or to postpone. Whether this is possible is down to the discretion of the provider; most should be reasonable.

Airlines have different cancellation policies: for example, easyJet allows you to transfer you flight for free to another date, BA offers a voucher.

Q. We were planning to visit my brothers family in Cannes over Christmas. Will this be possible?

Edward Chase, via email.

A. No. The new French rules state that you must have a compelling reason to travel from the UK to France. These include being a French citizen, a student enrolled in France, or a spouse or child of a French citizen  and a negative Covid result taken within 24 hours of travel will be required. Upon arrival, you must self-isolate for 48 hours, after which time a negative PCR or antigen test is required.

Compassionate compelling reasons include the death of a close family member or a terminal prognosis.

The Holiday Guru tells one reader that their trip to Cannes (pictured) isn't likely to go ahead this winter

Q. I have a connection via Paris to Buenos Aires  what happens now? Can I travel?

Jen Ballard, via email.

A. Yes, you may go as long as the connection takes less than 24 hours.

Q. We have a second home in Provence and were planning to drive there next week for Christmas and the New Year  what are the rules? Surely we can go if we own property?

Mr and Mrs Johnston, via email.

A. Sorry, no. As above, you must have a compelling reason and home ownership does not count.

Q. Can I travel by Eurostar to Brussels?

Jan Lewis, via email.

A. Yes. As France is not your final destination and as you will be in transit through it for less than 24 hours, this should be fine. The same is true of services to Amsterdam.

According to the Holiday Guru, UK tourists are permitted to travel via Eurostar (pictured) if France is not their final destination

Q. My partner and I booked flights from Edinburgh to Paris for a weekend away in late January to celebrate an anniversary  should we accept a voucher or postpone now?

Damian Kenworthy, via email.

A. Hold your horses. It is possible that the French ban will be lifted before then. If not, your airline may cancel the flight; BA, easyJet and Ryanair often do in such circumstances.

You would then be entitled to a full refund. If the flight goes ahead, you could still claim a voucher or postpone to a later date.

Q. I am fully vaccinated and have had my booster. Do the new French rules still apply?

Sally Somerville, via email.

A. Yes  your vaccination status makes no difference for travel to France.

Q. We are in France now on holiday. Should we curtail the trip and come home?

Pete Kiddle, via email.

A. There is no need to rush back. Return on the date you previously intended.

WERE HERE TO HELP

If you need advice, the Holiday Guru is here to answer your questions. Email holidayplanner@dailymail.co.uk.
The Block's 2022 homes have officially arrived at the new site in Macedon Ranges Shire in Victoria.

In photos exclusively obtained by Daily Mail Australia, construction equipment can be seen at the site on McGeorge Road, in Gisborne South, after weatherboard homes were carted in via trucks before filming commences in the new year.

These properties will form the foundations of several luxury rural escapes that the new contestants will transform and auction off next season.

It begins! The Block's 2022 homes have officially arrived at the new site in Macedon Ranges Shire in Victoria. They will form the foundations of several luxury rural escapes that the 2022 contestants will transform and auction off next season

A number of vehicles, fencing posts and machinery are also visible, with a sign showing the property is under '24-hour surveillance' to prevent trespassers.

An abundance of tradies can be seen setting everything up, and what appears to be small offices and toilets have been erected ready for cast and crew to use.

One of the homes, which was on the property when Channel Nine purchased the lot, appears to have had extensive work done to it already.

Ready to roll: In photos exclusively obtained by Daily Mail Australia, construction equipment can be seen at the site on McGeorge Road, in Gisborne South, after weatherboard homes were carted in via trucks before filming commences in the new year

Preparation: One of the homes, which was on the property when Channel Nine purchased the lot, appears to have had extensive work done to it already

Changes: The one-storey home - which will likely be renovated by host Scott Cam - appears to have had new windows and doors fitted in recent weeks, with the additions looking much fresher than the walls surrounding them

The one-storey house appears to have had new windows and doors fitted in recent weeks, with the additions looking much fresher than the walls surrounding them.

Rumour has it this home will be renovated by host Scott Cam.

The plot of land in the the Macedon Ranges was recently purchased for about $11million, and the land has been subdivided into seven lots with a creek running through the site.

He's back! Scott Cam (pictured during the 2017 season) will be returning to host the much-loved renovation show in 2022

Impressive: The plot of land in the the Macedon Ranges was purchased for about $11million, and the land has been subdivided into seven lots with a creek running through the site

Getting ready: An abundance of tradies were spotted setting everything up on site

It's a huge change for the franchise, which is usually based in cities rather than a rural landscape.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the final paperwork went through on the sale last month.

Gisborne South is a 40-minute drive from Melbourne and is known for its vineyards, olive groves and alpaca industries, while the property itself boasts incredible views of Mount Macedon.

Set up: Small offices and toilets have been erected ready for the cast and crew to use

Burning up: There was even a small bonfire burning (left), while large pieces of machinery were also present to get the land ready for 2022 (right)

Safety first: Lots of vehicles, fencing posts and machinery are currently on site, with a sign warning the property is under '24-hour surveillance' to prevent trespassers

Sold! According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the final paperwork went through on the sale of the land just last month

The Block host Scott Cam confirmed the show will be heading to the country in October.

'I might get in trouble for saying this but we are going regional. Bit of a tree change which will be something different. I'm really excited about it,' Scott, 58, told Nova's Fitzy & Wippa.

'I can't give you much more information than that but we are definitely getting out of the city next year.'

Construction: While it's still under wraps exactly how the show will work in such a rural area, it appears the teams will have to renovate the dilapidated houses from scratch

Coming soon: The houses were slightly raised off the ground, after being brought in via truck

Stunning: Gisborne South is a 40-minute drive from Melbourne and is known for its vineyards, olive groves and alpaca industries, while the property itself boasts incredible views of Mount Macedon

He added: 'I'm looking forward to doing the walk around for the visits on horseback!'

Over the years, the show has been filmed in locations such as Sydney's Bondi and Manly, as well as Port Melbourne, St Kilda and Brighton.

The most recent season of the renovation show was filmed on a cul-de-sac in the suburb of Hampton in Melbourne.

Gave it away: The Block host Scott Cam confirmed the show will be heading to the country in October

'I might get in trouble for saying this but we are going regional. Bit of a tree change which will be something different. I'm really excited about it,' Scott, 58, told Nova's Fitzy & Wippa

'I can't give you much more information than that but we are definitely getting out of the city next year,' Scott added

Intriguing! Next season will have even more of a twist, a new trailer recently revealed

Something different! In a preview for 2022, the voiceover teased the upcoming series will see Scott renovate his own house on the show - which is believed to be this one (pictured)

Preview: 'We will have it all. Tractors. Excavators. And even these buggy things, you know, this just really feels like a gratuitous plug for next year's show,' the voiceover says

Next season will have even more of a twist, a new trailer recently revealed.

In a preview for 2022, the voiceover teased the upcoming series will see Scott renovate his own house on the show - for the first time in franchise history.

'We will have it all. Tractors. Excavators. And even these buggy things, you know, this just really feels like a gratuitous plug for next year's show,' the voiceover says.

Filming for the new season of The Block is tipped to begin in March.
Like many Sex and the City fans, Jesinta Franklin relates to each of the characters in the hit show.

And on Friday, she revealed which of the fab four - Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbes Charlotte York and Samantha Jones - she identifies with the most.

The 30-year-old posed for a photo at Carrie's iconic West Village stoop in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall to celebrate the release of the new SATC spin-off, And Just Like That.

Babe blue: Jesinta Franklin (right) channelled SATC's Carrie Bradshaw (left) in a figure-hugging blue dress from the show this week

She slipped her sensational figure in a figure-hugging blue dress, similar to the frock worn by Carrie on the show.

At the event, she told The Daily Telegraph: 'I really resonate with all four of the Sex and the City characters.

'If I had to narrow down, I think I am a bit like Carrie and Charlotte, who is loyal and likes to follow the rules,' she said.

'It's so great to see strong empowering women who are successful in their own ways,' she added of the new spin-off.

Empowered women: While she 'resonated' with each of the four main characters on Sex and the City, Jesinta revealed which of the characters she was most like

Just like them: Jesinta said, 'I think I am a bit like Carrie and Charlotte, who is loyal and likes to follow the rules'. Pictured is Cynthia Nixon (Miranda), Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie) and Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis)

The arrival of Carrie's stoop in Sydney comes following the release of the show's new chapter, And Just Like That, on Binge.

And Just Like That follows Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte eleven years after the events of Sex and the City 2.

Fans of the show will be able to get a snap with the iconic piece of pop culture history in Sydney's Pitt Street Mall from Friday 17 December to Sunday 19 December.

Married life: Jesinta's day out comes after she recently admitted that have two children close in age 'tested' their marriage to her husband, AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin, as they've struggled to spend quality time together due to their duties as parents

Children: The couple are doting parents to 21-month-old daughter Tallulah (seen right) and nine-month-old son Rocky (seen left)

Jesinta's day out comes after she admitted have two children close in age 'tested' their marriage to her husband, AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin, as they've struggled to spend quality time together due to their duties as parents.

She told Stellar: 'We really haven't had much time just us two without the kids, but we're a very tight-knit family.'

'It's definitely not perfect, but we try to focus on being a team and facing the challenges together,' she said of herself and Buddy.

The former Miss Universe Australia and her Sydney Swans star beau, who married in 2016, are parents to 21-month-old daughter Tallulah and nine-month-old son Rocky.
She is a globetrotting supermodel extraordinaire.

And Kendall Jenner showed off her fashionista credentials when she stepped out in Beverly Hills the week before Christmas.

The 26-year-old cut a wintry chic figure, wrapping herself in a long black overcoat as she strutted her stuff up a tree-lined street.

Supermodel: Kendall Jenner showed off her fashionista credentials when she stepped out in Beverly Hills the week before Christmas

Kendall teamed a white top with a pair of stylishly flared khaki slaps, warding off the California rays with a pair of sleek shades.

Slinging on a large shoulder bag, she rounded off the ensemble with black leather loafers and refreshed herself with a hot beverage.

Earlier this week she uploaded a sizzling Instagram album plugging FWRD, the fashion site she was named creative director of in September.

Kendall flaunted her endless legs in a pair of shorts and slipped into a clinging top that emphasized her enviably svelte midriff.

On the move: The 26-year-old cut a wintry chic figure, wrapping herself in a long black overcoat as she strutted her stuff up a tree-lined street

Draping herself in what appeared to be the same black overcoat she wore to Beverly Hills on Friday, Kendall posed up a storm in a canyon setting.

She strolled away from her car and let her hair flutter in the breeze in one evocative video that showed her heading toward the camera.

In one of the pictures included in her album she could be spotted affectionately petting her Doberman Pinscher named Pyro.

One of the other snaps showed Kendall's vertiginous pins as she stood with Pyro surveying shelves upon shelves of wine bottles.

Off she goes: Kendall teamed a white top with a pair of stylishly flared khaki slaps, warding off the California rays with a pair of sleek shades

Kendall recently attended a baby shower for her little sister Kylie who is expecting her second baby by rapper Travis Scott.

The intimate event, comprised of family and close pals, was held at Khloe Kardashian's new mansion in Hidden Hills according to TMZ.

Last month Kendall and Kylie were at an Astroworld festival concert held by Travis where a deadly crush of bodies occurred.

The death toll from the tragic incident rose to its current 10 when a nine-year-old boy named Ezra Blount succumbed to his injuries.

Swanking about: Earlier this week she uploaded a sizzling Instagram album plugging FWRD, the fashion site she was named creative director of in September

When you got it: Kendall flaunted her endless legs in a pair of shorts and slipped into a clinging top that emphasized her enviably svelte midriff

Bombshell: Draping herself in what appeared to be the same black overcoat she wore to Beverly Hills on Friday, Kendall posed up a storm in a canyon setting

Footage shows the music briefly stopped as an ambulance tried to get through the crowd - then the music resumed and Travis vowed to make the 'ground shake.'

His performance, which also included a surprise spot by Drake, went on for half an hour after the fire department declared a 'mass casualty event.'

This week the Harris County Institute Of Forensic Sciences released the autopsy results revealing all the victims died of compression asphyxia.

Dozens of lawsuits cumulatively worth billions of dollars are in the works against Travis and the companies behind the concert.

Baby mine: In one of the pictures included in her album she could be spotted affectionately petting her Doberman Pinscher named Pyro
The trailer was released in October, revealing the sizzling chemistry between her character Catwoman and Batman, played by Robert Pattinson.

And on Friday, Zoe Kravitz and Robert's Empire magazine covers were released.

Zoe, 33, wowed in a leather suit while holding a whip in one hand while Robert sported his Batsuit in their mesmerizing covers.

Wow factor: The trailer was released in October, revealing the sizzling chemistry between her character Catwoman and Batman, played by Robert Pattinson. And on Friday, Zoe Kravitz and Robert's Empire magazine covers were released

Zoe gave a sultry stare as she posed for her cover, sporting a long-sleeved one-piece suit, complete with a belt.

The daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet held tight to a whip; she did not wear a mask or disguise.

Meanwhile Robert, 35, donned his Batman suit; it featured a similar mask and armor as previous Batmans with seemingly only minor changes.

He gazed at the camera for his red themed cover image.

Striking: Zoe, 33, wowed in a leather suit while holding a whip in one hand while Robert sported his Batsuit in their mesmerizing covers

Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, is set to be released on March 4, 2022.

A trailer for The Batman was released in mid-October, giving fans their most detailed look to date at the Caped Crusader's relationship with Catwoman.

Matt also shared the never-before-seen image of the actress as the antiheroine to his Twitter account in October as well.

The clip features more dialogue scenes with Robert as Bruce Wayne/Batman than previous clips and gives a hint at the flirtatious interactions between him and Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Zoe).

Coming soon: Fans of the highly anticipated DC Comics film The Batman got their most detailed look to date at the Caped Crusader's relationship with Catwoman in a new trailer released in October at DC Fandome

Grabbing a cup of coffee: Dano is the first figure shown, as he sits hunched over a cup of coffee at a late-night diner. As the camera slowly pushes in toward the diner, a SWAT team creeps up in the pouring rain to arrest him

First look: Zoe was seen in character as Selina Kyle, also known as Catwoman, for the first time in a shot from the upcoming DC Comics-based flick The Batman that was shared to director Matt Reeves' Twitter account in October

Colin Farrell's scarred, gruff update on the Penguin was also featured in a fiery car chase with Batman, while Paul Dano seemed to have fashioned his villain The Riddler after a serial killer in his disturbing scenes.

Dano is the first figure shown, as he sits hunched over a cup of coffee at a late-night diner.

As the camera slowly pushes in toward the diner, a SWAT team creeps up in the pouring rain to arrest him.

Taking his time: His character, named Edward Nashton in this version of the story, raises his hands slowly before the police grab him and take him away

His character, named Edward Nashton in this version of the story, raises his hands slowly before the police grab him and take him away.

The wandering camera continues moving and pans down to the coffee, which has a head of foam and a creamy question mark drawn on top.

Gotham seems to be under attack from a roving gang of men in skull-like corpse paint.

They seen taking over a train car, but then Batman rises up in front of a group of them to do battle.

Robert's voice, less gruff than past Batman actors, is heard on the soundtrack.

Big mistake: Then Batman rises up in front of a group of them to do battle

'Fear is a tool,' he says ominously in voiceover as he begins to fight the gang.

'When that light hits the sky, it's not just a call. It's a warning,' he says of the Bat Signal.

During the brutal fight, one gangster shoots at Batman, and even though the bullet appears to bounce off his suit, it infuriates him and he smashes the man against a pole and begins to electrocute him.

The DC Comics film The Batman is set to hit theaters on March 4, 2022.
Delta Goodrem has lashed out at New South Wales Health after they used her image in a 'disturbing' pro-vaccine ad to promote booster shots.

The songstress was outraged when the official NSW Health Instagram account used her image in a bizarre ad that saw cartoon needles being jabbed into her head.

The 37-year-old reposted the image onto her own account and blasted the government department for sharing it.

Taking a stand: A furious Delta Goodrem has lashed out at New South Wales Health after they used her image in a 'disturbing' pro-vaccine ad to promote booster shots

'I have a HUGE problem with this. New South Wales Health are you serious????????' she wrote.

'Needles pointing at a picture of my head in an attempt to get your point across is disturbing!!!!!'

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, NSW Health apologised for the post and confirmed that they had now removed it.

'NSW Health apologises to Delta Goodrem for a post on social media. NSW Health was attempting to convey an important public health message but recognises that it made an error of judgement and sincerely regrets the offence caused to Delta Goodrem.'

Because she shares the same name as the Delta variant of the coronavirus, the songstress has often found herself associated with the pandemic.

She recently indicated that she was quietly thrilled that the more recent Omicron variant is now the name on everyone's lips.

Jabbed and stabbed: The songstress was outraged when the official NSW Health Instagram account used her image in a bizarre ad that saw cartoon needles being jabbed into her head

Delta said on Sunrise earlier this month that while she's 'not glad' the pandemic is still going on, she's pleased to see fewer negative headlines featuring her name.

'Definitely, let's move on. I don't want to hear about this terrible Delta!' she told hosts David Koch and Natalie Barr.

'Get rid of her, get rid of her,' she added. 'I was here first!'

Natalie observed it 'must've been hard' hearing her name in the news every day when Delta was the most prevalent Covid strain.

'It was definitely confusing to watch you guys in the morning, when Im getting up Id hear "Delta danger" or "Delta out of control" and Id be like, "What? What?"'

The former Neighbours star joked that she'd sometimes react to breaking news bulletins with: 'What did I do? What happened?'
He found himself in hot water after saying he felt 'trapped' in his marriage to Jennifer Garner.

But Ben Affleck looked as if he was trying to move on during a stroll around his neighborhood in Los Angeles on Friday.

The 49-year-old actor and director looked dapper thanks to a gray blazer that he wore with the slim collar casually upturned.

Getting some air: Ben Affleck, 49, looked dapper in a blazer as he was seen strolling around his LA neighborhood on Friday amid criticism over comments he made about his marriage to Jennifer Garner

Ben wore an untucked gray shirt atop a black T-shirt, along with a pair of rugged black jeans.

He also wore some rugged black leather boots and covered up his salt-and-pepper beard with a white respirator mask amid a surge in Covid-19 cases across the US.

The Argo star completed his cool look with a pair of aviator sunglasses.

Earlier on Friday, he made an appearance on Good Morning America to promote his upcoming George Clooneydirected drama The Tender Bar, during which he said his kids were the only critics he cared about.

'The only biography that needs anything is written on the hearts of your kids,' he said Violet, 16, Seraphina, 12, and Samuel, nine. 'I will be long dead and someone will ask my kids what was your dad like and that is when I will know what my life was worth.'

Muted style: He wore a charcoal blazer with an untucked gray shirt, black jeans and black boots, along with a white respirator mask and cool aviator sunglasses

On Wednesday, he was seen arriving for a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live! with his girlfriend Jennifer Lopez as they put on a united front amid criticism of his comments about his marriage.

He set off the controversy during a conversation for The Howard Stern Show on Monday, in which he said he felt 'trapped' in his marriage to Garner, which led him to abuse alcohol.

'I'd probably still be drinking,' he said, musing about what it would be like if the two had stayed married. 'It's part of why I started drinking  because I was trapped.'

He continued: 'I was like "I can't leave 'cause of my kids, but I'm not happy, what do I do?" What I did was drink a bottle of scotch and fall asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution.'

Affleck, who has gone to rehab multiple times over the years for his alcohol addiction, never explicitly pointed the finger at Jennifer  whom he complimented on her parenting  during the conversation with Stern, and he appeared to suggest the two were simply incompatible over the long term.

'I knew she was a good mom. I always hoped that she knew that I was a good dad; I knew I was,' he told Stern. 'I had to get sober, and I knew that too and I acknowledged that.'

Dark times: On Monday, Ben told Howard Stern that he felt 'trapped' in the marriage to Garner and abused alcohol due to those feelings

Disconnect: Ben didn't explicitly blame his ex-wife Jennifer and complimented her parenting, but many fans nonetheless interpreted his statements as blaming her for his drinking; seen in 2013

It was the couple's children  Violet, 12-year-old Seraphina and Samuel  who kept them together as long as they were.

'Ultimately, we tried, we tried, we tried because we had kids, but both of us felt like we didnt want this to be the model that our kids see of marriage,' he said.

Ben and Jen began their relationship in 2004 after previously working together on the films Pearl Harbor (2001) and Daredevil (2003).

The couple married the following year, but split in 2015, just a day after their 10-year anniversary, and they finalized their divorce in 2018.

During Ben's Wednesday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, he brought up the Howard Stern interview and said it 'hurts' to see himself painted as the 'worst, most insensitive, stupid, awful guy.'

Though he said he was 'happy' with the lengthy chat, he said online critics 'had literally taken the conversation that I had had for two hours and made it seem as if I was saying the exact opposite of what I had said.'

Not a happy camper: On Wednesday, a source told Page Six that Affleck's former fiancee and reunited girlfriend Jennifer Lopez was 'pissed' over his comments; seen December 12 in Hollywood

'It said that I had blamed my ex-wife for my alcoholism, that I was trapped in this marriage  just made me out to be the worst, most insensitive, stupid, awful guy,' he continued, adding, 'I dont believe that  its the exact opposite of who I am, what I believe, and I would never want my kids to ever say a bad word about their mom.'

A source close to him later defended him to Page Six, saying his comments were reported out of 'context,' while an industry insider close to the former couple called his comments 'disgusting.'

'Jen has been the only one picking him up time and time again when hes done horrible things  fallen off the wagon or worse,' they said. 'Jen stood by him because she loves him. This is the mother of his children.'

Another source claimed his comments were 'untrue' and described the statements as 'addict behavior.'

On Wednesday, a source told Page Six that Affleck's former fiancee and reunited girlfriend Jennifer Lopez was 'pissed' over his comments.

All smiles: But another source close to her said that characterization of her feelings was 'not true,' and she accompanied Ben to the Jimmy Kimmel taping on Wednesday while smiling and holding hands

'She is getting pulled into this because she is dating him. She doesnt want to be dragged into this,' they claimed.

'She has met Jennifer Garner. She is trying to get to know her and Bens kids,' the source said, adding that it was 'reckless and cavalier' of Ben to speak about his marriage that way.

However, another source said that characterization of Lopez's feeling was 'not true.'

The couple were seen holding hands and smiling as they put on a unified front while walking into the studio for Ben's appearance with Jimmy Kimmel.
Tom Holland sent his girlfriend Zendaya into hysterical laughter over his lack of pop culture knowledge during a sit-down interview with BuzzFeed on Friday.

When asked if he could guess the shared zodiac sign of Pete Davidson and Kris Jenner, the 25-year-old English actor asked: 'Aren't they dating each other?'

Immediately Zendaya and their Spider-Man: No Way Home costar Jacob Batalon began giggling at the flub, before jumping to correct him.

Funny: Tom Holland sent his girlfriend Zendaya into hysterical laughter over his lack of pop culture knowledge during an interview with BuzzFeed

'Thats her mom,' they simultaneously told him as they shook their heads in disbelief, referring to Davidson's girlfriend Kim Kardashian.

Zendaya, who wore a long blue dress, then jokingly called her man 'an idiot' under her breath.

While the pair have kept their have their romance hush-hush, they have been getting more comfortable in the public eye the past few weeks.

Living under a rock? When asked if he could guess the shared zodiac sign of Pete Davidson and Kris Jenner, the 25-year-old English actor asked: 'Aren't they dating each other?'

Hysterical: Immediately Zendaya and their Spider-Man: No Way Home costar Jacob Batalon began giggling at the flub

Oh no: When he realized his mistake, he laughed at himself

While promoting their new Marvel film, they've posed for group shots together, done joint press interviews and gone on a number of back-to-back events in New York City.

During a recent interview with People, Holland said he wanted 'to take a break and focus on starting a family and figuring out what I want to do outside of this world.'

When asked about his reasoning for his decision, the actor noted that he had devoted an extended period of time to acting and wanted to slow down in the future.

'Thats her mom,' they simultaneously told him as they shook their heads in disbelief

Playful: Zendaya, who wore a long blue dress, then jokingly called her man 'an idiot' under her breath

Holland expressed that he had 'spent the last six years being so focused on my career.'

The star then noted that he was looking forward to becoming a father in the future.

The performer expressed: 'I love kids. I can't wait to be a dad  I can wait and I will, but I can't wait!'

Just mistaken: Pete Davidson is actually dating Kris Jenner's daughter Kim Kardashian (From left to right, Pete Davidson, Kim Kardashian, Flavor Flav and Kris Jenner)

His lady love: The actor has been dating his Spider-Man co-star Zendaya for much of the past year; seen on Monday in LA

Holland made a point of saying that he was particularly good with children and spent much time with his younger relatives at social events.

'If I'm at a wedding or a party, I'm always at the kids' table hanging out,' he stated.

The actor went on to express that he inherited many of his personality traits from his father and gave the media outlet a bit of insight into what his life would be like had he not entered acting.

'My dad's been such a great role model for me. I think I've got that from him. So I think I'd be a primary school teacher or something like that,' he said.

Holland also spoke about ending his work in the Spider-Man franchise after appearing in Spider-Man: Far From Home during the sit-down.

Future plans: Holland recently revealed that he is planning on taking a hiatus from acting in order to start a family; seen earlier this month

The performer notably remarked that he was happy to pass on the role of the superhero, who was previously played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, to other performers.

'I don't want to be responsible for holding back the next young person that comes in who deserves it just as much so,' he said.

Holland noted that he was not exactly ready to leave the role, although he was seriously considering departing the franchise.

Hanging up the suit: Holland also spoke about ending his work in the Spider-Man franchise after appearing in Spider-Man: Far From Home during the sit-down

'I don't want to say goodbye to Spider-Man  but I feel like we might be ready to say goodbye to Spider-Man,' he said.

The actor expressed his gratitude for being able to portray the superhero over the past few years, which he viewed as a life-changing experience.

'I've loved every minute of it. I've been so grateful to Marvel and Sony for giving us the opportunity and keeping us on and allowing our characters to progress. It's been amazing,' he said.
Katie Holmes oozed elegance in a stylish tan trench coat while doing some last-minute holiday shopping with her parents at Miu Miu on Thursday.

While enjoying some quality time with her father Martin and mother Kathleen in New York City, the 43-year-old actress rocked a pair of flared jeans.

Inside the store, the mother-of-one could be seen answering a FaceTime call as she clutched her bright red phone, which matched her nail polish.

Having fun: Katie Holmes oozed elegance in a stylish trench coat while doing some last-minute holiday shopping with her parents at on Thursday

Her mother wore a fur-lined plaid coat, zebra purse, grey trousers and light brown loafers.

Meanwhile, her dad sported a green sweater and blue surgical face mask.

Holmes also wore a plaid facial covering to help slow the spread of COVID-19, as the omicron variant spikes in the Big Apple.

Lots of love: While enjoying some quality time with her father Martin and mom Kathleen in New York City, the actress rocked a pair of flared jeans

Katie's 15-year-old daughter Suri did not appear to be present on the outing with her mom and maternal grandparents.

Holmes is back on the market after splitting from Emilio Vitolo after less than a year of dating back in May.

The actress and Vitolo were initially spotted spending time with each other at a bar in Manhattan in September of last year.

Catching up: Inside the store, the mother-of-one could be seen answering a FaceTime call as she clutched her bright red phone, which matched her nail polish

The performer was previously married from 2006 until 2012 to Tom Cruise, with whom she shares Suri.

She was also in an on-again-off-again relationship with Jamie Foxx that lasted for several years.

Holmes and Vitolo were frequently spotted stepping out together in New York City during various PDA-filled dates following their initial sighting.

Staying safe: Holmes also sported a plaid facial covering to help slow the spread of COVID-19 omicron variant spikes in the Big Apple

The two went Instagram official last December, when the chef shared a photo of his then-girlfriend to his account.

The pair's final public outing occurred in March, when they were spotted taking a walk after a shopping trip.

It was eventually revealed that the former couple had split up this past May, although they remained friends following their separation.

Former flame: The actress' outing comes after she ended her relationship with her most recent romantic partner, Emilio Vitolo Jr; they are seen in October of last year

An insider spoke to Us Weekly this past October and revealed that, although the actress had seen a few potential partners since her breakup, love was not her first priority.

'Katie has been going on a few very low-key dates but nothing serious right now,' they said.

The source specifically noted that Holmes was 'not focused on her dating life and not searching for love.'
There's no doubt about it, Married At First Sight star Martha Kalifatidis definitely has a taste for luxury.

And on Saturday, the 31-year-old revealed she and her fiance Michael Brunelli had jetted to New York City in a bid to find the perfect wedding dress.

'We flew here so I could try on wedding dresses,' she wrote on Instagram.

High maintenance much? On Saturday, former Married At First Sight star Martha Kalifatidis evealed she and her fiance Michael Brunelli had jetted to New York City in a bid to find a wedding dress. Both pictured

'Michael is so happy about it,' she joked, alongside a photo of her shirtless beau in their hotel room, with a TV remote in hand.

She also documented their stunning hotel view as well as one of their first meals, which was none other than a New York slice of pizza served with a red wine.

Martha's cheeky posts come after she had to confirm that she isn't pregnant after being quizzed by fans during an Instagram Q&A earlier this week. 'I'm not pregnant,' she wrote flatly.

Blessed: She also documented their stunning hotel view as well as one of their first meals, none other than a New York slice of pizza served with a red wine

'Can't a gal (over 30) just get proposed to and that's it?!?!'

At the time, Martha said she had over 10,000 replies from fans asking about her wedding and her engagement ring.

It comes after a Woman's Day report that the pair have been inundated with offers to do a televised wedding.

Congratulations: Martha and Michael thrilled fans earlier this month when they announced their engagement

'They were hoping to do a wedding special on a free-to-air channel and they've been overwhelmed by all of the interest,' a source told the magazine.

'There's a bidding war going on to televise what they think will be the wedding of the year.'

Martha and Michael thrilled fans earlier this month when they announced their engagement.

'I'm not pregnant!': Earlier this week, Martha confirmed she is not pregnant after being quizzed by fans during an Instagram Q&A

The couple shared a lengthy post thanking fans for their kind words after making their engagement news public.

They shared a photo of themselves kissing while saying how 'grateful' they were for the messages of support.

The reality TV stars also shared an accompanying video which showed a giddy Martha sharing the engagement news with her 625,000 followers for the first time.

'To those of you that have followed and supported us. Thank you so much for all your kind comments and messages! It's going to be impossible for us to get back to everyone, but just know we do appreciate it!' Martha and Michael, 30, gushed.

'It's crazy to think we started our relationship on tv and many of you saw the first time we locked eyes on each other. Fast forward three years and so many people are still following our life journey, something we are truly grateful for.'

The pair went on to say their loyal army of followers had stuck with them through the 'hate, rumours, trolls and good times'.
The Bachelor's Anna Heinrich and Tim Robards have been loved up for eight years.

And while their love story unfolded before the eyes of the country on the Channel 10 dating show, Anna says she doesn't take their life together for granted.

'It kind of makes me a bit teary because its so nice to think that when you do put yourself out of your comfort zone, good things can really happen,' she told Yahoo Lifestyle.

Blessed! On Saturday, The Bachelor's Anna Heinrich said she was 'so blessed' as she reflected on her whirlwind experience on the show with her husband Tim Robards

The lawyer also went on to admit that years after being on the show, she still watches it and feels 'so blessed' when she reflects on the 'incredible' life she built with Tim and their baby daughter Elle, one.

Admittedly, Anna almost didn't make it on the show - and wouldn't have - if it weren't for a friend who nominated her for The Bachelor.

'And if she wasn't there and if she didn't sign me up and do all that, I wouldn't have gone on it and I wouldn't have my little girl today, I wouldn't be happily married, all these things,' she added.

'Its so crazy because if I never went on, I probably still wouldnt have a boyfriend. So Im really happy I did!'

Almost didn't happen! Admittedly, Anna almost didn't make it on the show - and wouldn't have - if it weren't for a friend who nominated her for The Bachelor. Both pictured on The Bachelor

Family: Pictured Anna (left), with husband Tim (right) with their one-year-old daughter Elle

And things are going well for the couple, who recently listed their stunning investment townhouse in Brisbane in order to upsize to a house big enough for their daughter.

Last month, The Daily Telegraph reported the two are looking to move from their Rose Bay apartment to a house to make extra room for their growing family.

The Sydney-based couple's plan on buying a bigger home comes after they listed their Queensland property this week.

More room: In November, Tim and Anna listed their stunning investment townhouse in Brisbane in order to upsize to a house big enough for their daughter Elle. All pictured

The lovebirds have listed the investment in the suburb of Murarrie, with a price guide of $700,000.

The pair originally purchased the townhouse back in 2016 for $630,000, according to realestate.com.au.

Tim and Anna announced Elle's birth on Instagram on November 14 last year.

'Introducing the newest addition to our family, Elle Robards,' Anna wrote, alongside a photo of herself cradling the newborn.

Tim and Anna fell in love on The Bachelor Australia in 2013 and married in a stunning ceremony in Italy in 2018.
Jeff Garlin was joking about how much he 'hated' working on the Goldbergs just days before he left the series.

The 59-year-old actor and comedian mentioned his distaste for the ABC sitcom and admitted he was under investigation by HR, according to Variety on Friday.

The news that he was badmouthing his employers comes just days after reports that he and Sony Pictures Television came to a mutual agreement for him to leave the series.

Not holding back: Jeff Garlin, 59, told jokes about how much he hated working on ABC's The Goldbergs in a comedy show on November 24 at the Hollywood Improv, days before he left the series, Variety reported on Friday; seen November 26 in Burbank

Garlin was performing at the Hollywood Improv on November 24, which appears to be the date that he defended himself against misconduct allegations in a lengthy interview with Vanity Fair.

A reporter for Variety happened to be in the audience and heard the comic say he 'despised' The Goldbergs and didn't want to talk about the show, though he brought it up repeatedly.

He also joked that he was only working on the series for the money, as he found no artistic benefit from it.

When one person in the crowd asked why he kept working on a show that he hated, he reportedly shouted, 'Money!'

Unhappy: Garlin joked that he only did the show for the money and said ABC executives told him he could no longer say 'vagina' at work; seen with Wendi McLendon-Covey and George Segal on The Goldbergs

The Curb Your Enthusiasm star described being in trouble with his network ABC for comments he made on set, including a heavy use of the word 'vagina.'

Garlin joined other comedians in bemoaning the rise of 'cancel culture,' and he seemed to get serious while discussing his worries about censorship of comics.

He described being paranoid that he might say the wrong thing while working, and shared that network executives specifically forbade him from saying 'vagina' on set anymore.

Although he was proud that the series was so popular, he said 'it's not for me,' while comparing it unfavorably to his long-running series Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Confirmed: The actor reportedly admitted to being under investigation by HR and said he preferred working on his HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm with Larry David; still from The Goldbergs

Garlin plays the sidekick to star Larry David as his manager Jeff Greene, and he also executive produces the acclaimed HBO series.

He noted his love for live performance, and shared with the audience that he would be donating all of the evening's proceeds to the Hollywood Improv.

The comedian has been touring on his Use Me tour, in which he puts on charity standup shows to help venues that have been hit hard by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Following news of his departure from The Goldbergs, it was reported that Garlin had been replaced by his regular stand-in to wrap up his character's story.

The body double stood in for Garlin's body, while the 59-year-old comedian's face will later be digitally superimposed, sources told Deadline on Thursday.

Replaced: Garlin was replaced by a body double for his final day filming The Goldbergs, with his face to be superimposed via CGI later, Deadline reported Thursday; seen in 2017 in NYC

The actor was reported Wednesday to have 'immediately' departed the production after coming to a mutual agreement with Sony Picture Television following an HR investigation into claims of inappropriate 'verbal and physical conduct' on set.

Sources previously told the publication that Garlin only had one day left of filming for the ninth season, which began airing episodes in September.

They also claimed that using CGI to replace his face over the stand-in was not a new practice and had been done multiple times in the past. The scenes filmed with the stand-in are set to wrap up Garlin's run on the series.

In his lengthy interview with Vanity Fair, Garlin defended himself following an alleged altercation with two stand-ins, but it's unclear if the person who replaced him in the episode was one of those people.

It hasn't yet been revealed whether The Goldbergs will be renewed for a tenth season, but the series is reportedly getting an extra four-episode order for the ninth season, bringing it to a total of 22 episodes.

The Curb Your Enthusiasm actor reportedly canceled his Covid-19 test on Monday.

Sources on set revealed that executives visited on Wednesday night to 'the elephant in the room' of Garlin's departure, while also congratulation everyone on filming the series' 200th episode.

'It feels a little surreal that he will never be here again but the mood on the set is ecstatic,' said a person who witnessed the visit. 'In fact several people cheered when the execs said that Jeff would not be returning.'

Deadline reported Wednesday night that Garlin was abruptly exiting The Goldbergs following an HR investigation.

So far, representatives for Sony have not commented on Garlin's swift departure.

The standup comedian admitted in a lengthy interview with Vanity Fair earlier this month that he had been investigated multiple times by HR over complaints of inappropriate touching and offensive language, though he claimed at the time that he had not been fired.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a producer on the The Goldbergs informed the cast and crew on set Wednesday that Garlin wouldn't be returning after reaching an agreement with the studio.

Sources claimed that he wasn't expected to stick with the series if it was renewed, and it's currently unclear how the show will address his absence.

He star as the patriarch Murray Christian Goldberg, who is married to Beverly Goldberg, played by Wendi McLendon-Covey. The autobiographical comedy series is inspired by creator Adam F. Goldberg's childhood in the 1980s.

Following Garlin's interview with Vanity Fair, in which he defended himself against complaints from on set, his coworkers spoke with Deadline anonymously.

The described conditions on set as being relatively professional and cordial, though the atmosphere allegedly turned sour when he was on set to film.

He's out: Garlin mutually decided with Sony to leave The Goldbergs immediately following several HR investigations, Deadline reported Wednesday; seen November 26 in Burbank

'He is extremely verbally and emotionally abusive,' one employee claimed.

One source alleged that a camera assistant complained to her department head about Garlin's use on set of the word 'vagina,' which he admitted to using in his interview.

After he learned of the complaint, Garlin reportedly put his hands around the camera assistant's face and repeatedly said the word to her.

He also allegedly made a variety of off-color sex jokes that offended some crew members.

The comedian reportedly had a tendency to refer to some female crew members by nicknames, some of which they found offensive.

Elsewhere in his Vanity Fair interview, Garlin defended himself after he was accused of having a 'physical and verbal' incident with a stand-in.

A person who claimed to have witnessed the incident said that he screamed at a female stand-in, 'Why are you always in my way? Get the f*** out of my way,' as she walked in front of him down a ramp.

Speaking out: Following a defensive interview with Vanity Fair, his coworkers anonymously claimed that he was 'extremely verbally and emotionally abusive' on set; seen on The Goldbergs

Rude behavior: Garlin allegedly told a female stand-in to 'get the f*** out of my way' after filming a scene and repeated the comment to her husband, who is also a stand-in; still from The Goldbergs

He allegedly then told her husband, also a stand-in, to 'tell your wife to get the f*** out of my way.'

Sources described this incident as 'the straw that broke the camels back,' and it allegedly led to new HR complaints.

'Not just would he intimated that woman, he would then turn around and belittle and embarrass her husband,' the eyewitness said. 'This is just the grossest abuse of power.'

Sources contended that during the few times when Garlin was on set after the incident, his offensive behaviors continued and he even mocked the HR investigations.

Jeff Garlin is speaking out and denying claims that he behaved inappropriately on the set of his ABC comedy series The Goldbergs.

The 59-year-old standup comedian, who has been part of the main cast since the series premiered in 2019, claimed that he was still part of the series in a lengthy interview with Vanity Fair published Friday.

The actor also downplayed allegations that he told inappropriate language on set and defended himself as a 'person who hugs' after sources reportedly complained about being touched by him.

Pleading his case: Garlin previously denied claims he had 'engaged in a pattern of verbal and physical conduct on set that made people uncomfortable' in an interview with Vanity Fair; seen in 2018 in Burbank, Calif.

Garlin, who plays the father on the family sitcom, was said to have 'engaged in a pattern of verbal and physical conduct on set that made people uncomfortable' from three people who formerly worked on the show.

One of the sources noted that they weren't personally made uncomfortable by his behavior, though they other people thought it was 'demeaning or unprofessional.'

The insiders claimed that some people on set were made uncomfortable by the actor touching or hugging them, though it's unclear if any of the offended parties told him that they were uncomfortable.

'He got away with it because he would call himself out for it  saying he was a big teddy bear, saying things like, "Oh you know me, just a big bowl of mush, Im a hugger. I just love you,"' one source claimed.

In his interview, Garlin made it clear that he was still working on the series.

'No, I was not fired from The Goldbergs. I have not been fired from The Goldbergs,' he said.

In a statement sent to People, a spokesperson for Sony Pictures Television wrote: 'The well-being of our cast and crew is of utmost importance to us. This is an employment matter and it is being addressed by HR and production.'

Fighting back: Garlin stressed that he hadn't been fired from ABC's The Goldbergs and claimed that one complaint about him from a stand-in was over a joke 'that was completely missed'; still from The Goldbergs

After he was asked about an incident with a stand-in that was described as both 'physical and verbal,' Garlin denied that there was any physical component to the altercation.

'And the verbal part was a joke that was completely missed,' he continued, adding that he personally like the man and his wife, who were unnamed.

'If someone misses a joke, thats unfortunate to me. I dont like it,' he said, though he refused to disclose what the joke was, only calling it 'silly' and saying it was 'misconstrued.'

The comedian, who is currently on a stand-up tour to aid comedy clubs harmed by the coronavirus pandemic, denied that he had ever 'sent a text to a Goldbergs colleague saying that they should go to the next table-read wearing only panties.'

'I didn't write those words. And I'd like to see the text and who I sent it to,' he replied. 'But everything that I write like that is about joking. I am respectful of women and women's bodies. And I don't make jokes about that, because I don't find it funny.'

Garlin claimed there was 'no story' behind the allegations, and suggested it was all a misunderstanding over his attempts to bolster his humor.

'My opinion is, I have my process about how Im funny, in terms of the scene and what I have to do. [Sony] feels that it makes for a quote unsafe workspace,' he said.

'I am always a kind and thoughtful person. I make mistakes, sure. But my comedy is about easing peoples pain,' he continued. 'Why would I ever want to cause pain in anybody for a laugh? Thats bullying. Thats just uncalled for.'

Garlin continued, saying that 'HR has come to me three years in a row for my behavior on set.'

He didn't say what set off the investigations but claimed they were over 'silly' matters.

'If I said something silly and offensive, and Im working at an insurance company, I think its a different situation,' the comic argued.

'If I, as the star of the show, demanded a gun range and on set, and I was firing guns every day and I was a little bit loose  to me, thats an unsafe work atmosphere,' he continued. 'If I threatened people, thats an unsafe work atmosphere.

Touchy feely: Garlin admitted he's a 'person who hugs for sure' after he was confronted with complaints, but said he wished offended people would have told him or a producer before HR; seen in 2019 in NYC with Netflix COO Ted Sarandos

'None of that goes on ever with me. Thats not who I am,' he said, adding that there was 'no big story' unless it was framed around 'political correctness.'

Garlin then denied any kind of physical misconduct and and said that anyone complaining about his verbal conduct on set 'has it out for' him.

As for the question of unwanted hugs, the Curb Your Enthusiasm star said people on set who never want to be hugged by him tell him that.

'I am a person who hugs for sure. And its quick hugs, but I didnt realize that anyone was feeling  so if you want to write that story, thats a true story,' he said. 'It puts the onus on them to say something, and I would gladly respect anyone who said, "Please dont hug me. I dont feel comfortable."'

However, he said that 'HR has never said a word to me about hugs.'

Garlin did agree that hugging that made someone uncomfortable would be 'wrong.'

In response to a question about Garlin allegedly 'saying things on set that make people feel uncomfortable and demeaned,' he claimed it was just his 'silliness on set' and said he thought it was acceptable behavior in the workplace, while again saying he wished the offended parties had told him or one of the producers about their concerns before bringing the matter up with HR.

Although he again reiterated that he had not been fired, he indicated that negotiations were ongoing about his future with the series.

'Were trying to come to a place where we come to an agreement,' he said. 'Either I can behave the way [they want] or not. Well see, but Im not being fired and Ive not been fired.'

He also said he would 'not be doing any of my silly stuff or anything, out of respect,' when he returned to work.

Garlin wound down the interview by claiming he almost hadn't returned for the ninth season because he was 'bored' by filming on it, and he suggested the series might not even be renewed for a tenth season.
Brad Pitt already had a successful year, but sources told People on Friday that he's looking forward to an even better one to come.

The 57-year-old actor will celebrate his birthday on Saturday, December 18, though a source told the publication that he doesn't plan on doing anything too crazy.

'He plans to have a low-key birthday,' they shared. 'Just sort of hanging out.'

Looking forward to the next year: Brad Pitt already had a successful year, but sources told People he's looking forward to an even better one to come despite his bitter custody battle with Angelina Jolie

The source added, 'He's staying low-key in general. That's really the kind of guy he is anyway. [His birthday is] a natural time for reflection for him.'

Such reflection comes at the end of a year in which Pitt saw massive professional triumphs and continuing personal woes.

The Fight Club actor finished filming two movies with Sandra Bullock this year, The Lost City and Bullet Train.

But Pitt has also been involved in a custody battle with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie since 2016 over their children, who are still minors. The former couple share Maddox, 20, Pax, 18, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 13.

A chill birthday: The actor, 57, will celebrate his birthday this Saturday though the source told the publication that he doesn't plan on doing anything too crazy

Professional choices: The Fight Club actor finished filming two movies with Sandra Bullock this year titled The Lost City and Bullet Train

'The situation with the kids is still a difficult situation,' the source continued. 'It sucks. It is what it is. His kids matter the most to him. But there are just processes you have to go through.'

Jolie adopted Maddox in 2002, then Zahara in 2005, a year after she'd met Pitt as the pair filmed Mr. and Mrs. Smith. At the time, he was married to Jennifer Aniston.

Pitt and Jolie then adopted Pax together in 2007, and welcome their biological children Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne afterward. Pitt adopted all of the kids before he and Jolie wed in 2014.

In September, it was revealed that he had requested a review of his child custody case with Jolie, after a court disqualified a private judge who granted him joint custody.

Lawyers for the star filed a petition for review with the California Supreme Court after the disqualification of Judge John Ouderkirk effectively voided the joint custody ruling, according to People.

Still fighting: Despite his much-anticipated professional projects, Pitt will continue fighting personal battles as well including a battle for custody with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie; pictured in 2008

Big family: The two have fought over custody for their six children  Maddox, 20, Pax, 18, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 15, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 13  since 2016; Jolie pictured in 2019 with (LR) Knox, Zahara, Vivienne and Shiloh

A California appeals court disqualified the judge in July, agreeing with Jolie that Ouderkirk did not sufficiently disclose business relationships with Pitt's attorneys.

In Pitt's petition, his lawyers claimed that the elimination of Ouderkirk 'effectively upended the constitutionally authorized temporary judging system in California' and subsequently 'throws open the door to disqualification challenges at any point during a case, even if the party raising the motion has long been on notice about the alleged grounds for disqualification.'

In addition, lawyers for the actor alleged that Jolie was 'made aware of Judge Ouderkirk's significant professional history with Pitt's counsel from the very start,' yet did not seek disqualification until years later.

'After more than four years of contentious litigation, every day of which has harmed the children and their father, an important and considered custody decision will be entirely undone as a result of an administrative error that is wholly unrelated to the merits of the custody dispute itself,' the lawyers wrote.

Found a new judge: Lawyers for the star filed a petition for review with the California Supreme Court after the disqualification of Judge John Ouderkirk effectively voided the joint custody ruling (pictured 2009)

'California law requires that a party seeking disqualification of a judge file a written statement objecting to continued proceedings before the judge 'at the earliest practicable opportunity after discovery of the facts constituting the ground for disqualification,' the petition states. 'Failure to do so constitutes waiver or forfeiture of the party's right to seek disqualification.'

Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., a lawyer for Pitt, said in a statement to DailyMail.com that the actor was requesting a review, as the judge was 'improperly disqualified' following a 'lengthy legal process' which involved numerous witnesses and experts.

'We are seeking review in the California Supreme Court because the temporary judge, who had been appointed and repeatedly renewed by both sides, was improperly disqualified after providing a detailed, fact-based custodial decision, following a lengthy legal process with multiple witnesses and experts,' read the statement.

'The lower court's ruling will reward parties who are losing child custody cases, and condone their gamesmanship, by allowing them to wait and see about the likely direction of the case before seeking the disqualification of the judge.

'Ethical breach': Theodore J. Boutrous Jr., a lawyer for Pitt, said in a statement to DailyMail.com that the actor was requesting a review, as the judge was 'improperly disqualified' (pictured 2006)

'Condoning the use of this type of strategic "lie in wait" disqualification challenge will cause irreparable harm to both the children and families involved in this case, and other families in other cases, by unnecessarily prolonging the resolution of these disputes in an already overburdened court system. Allowing this kind of crafty litigation strategy will deprive parents of irreplaceable time with their children as judges are disqualified for minor reasons in the midst of their cases.

'The lower court's ruling is bad for children and bad for Californias overburdened judicial system.'

The decision to disqualify Ouderkirk came in July, with the court ruling: 'Judge Ouderkirk's ethical breach, considered together with the information disclosed concerning his recent professional relationships with Pitt's counsel, might cause an objective person, aware of all the facts, reasonably to entertain a doubt as to the judge's ability to be impartial,' and therefore, 'Disqualification is required.'
Lori Harvey didn't let the chilly temperatures stop her from enjoying a night out in Beverly Hills on Friday.

The 24-year-old model was captured arriving solo to the celeb-loved restaurant Mastro's Penthouse.

Lori got gussied up for the night in a gorgeous brown leather trench coat and a bright orange Birkin bag.

Game on: Lori Harvey didn't let the chilly temperatures stop her from enjoying a night out in Beverly Hills on Friday

The stepdaughter of Steve Harvey layered her luxe coat over a chic black mockneck top and a pair of skintight leggings.

She completed the fashion-forward look with some knee-high boots with vibrant cerulean heels and color-blocked toes.

Lori's raven hair was slicked back into a sleek bun and she accessorized with a pair of gold hoop earrings.

Missing from the action was Lori's hunky actor boyfriend Michael B. Jordan who recently wrapped the promo circuit for his new film A Journal For Jordan.

Fine dining: The 24-year-old model was captured arriving solo to the celeb-loved restaurant Mastro's Penthouse

Fashionista: Lori got gussied up for the night in a gorgeous brown leather trench coat and a bright orange Birkin bag

The romance film, which hits theater on Christmas Day, follows a deployed sergeant who keeps a journal for his newborn son.

It was directed by Denzel Washington and produced by the 66-year-old actor and Michael.

After several months of dating, Lori confirmed in January that she was romantically involved with the 34-year-old Black Panther star.

In November, the couple celebrated their one year anniversary with a private dinner with a customized menu for the occasion.

Riding solo: Missing from the action was Lori's hunky actor boyfriend Michael B. Jordan who recently wrapped the promo circuit for his new film A Journal For Jordan

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jordan made a rare comment about their flourishing relationship and how their romance has inspired him to showcase his sexy side a bit more in his career.

He explained: 'There are roles that I passed on that I knew I didnt have enough life experience to play. I was like, "What can I pull from?" But I finally found what love was.'

Michael said that he may have not been able to handle the scrutiny of such a public relationship as he told THR: 'When I was younger, I dont know if I could have handled the onslaught of opinions and being picked apart, and also being conscious of what the other persons going to go through.

'It takes a special person to deal with that.'

Big deal: The Denzel Washington-directed romance film, which hits theater on Christmas Day, follows a deployed sergeant who keeps a journal for his newborn son; Michael and Denzel pictured on December 9

Flourishing: In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter , Jordan made a rare comment about their flourishing relationship and how their romance has inspired him to showcase his sexy side a bit more in his career

He went on to say that his relationship with the daughter of television personality Steve Harvey felt 'real enough' to showcase to the world.

The actor said: 'Theres a premeditated planning of staying out of the way [of the public eye] that sometimes kills spontaneity and intimacy. I wanted to take that away and give this the best chance it had, in this weird world that we live in, to be somewhat normal.'

Through it all one thing remains clear; the Creed actor is elated with where he is in his personal life.

Michael said: 'Long story short, I think its just the timing of everything. It was the right time for me. Yeah. I'm happy.'
Nicole Kidman is already receiving rave reviews and praise for her portrayal of iconic Hollywood actress Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos.

But the Australian actress admitted she was reluctant to take on the role until she had some convincing from writer and director Aaron Sorkin.

Sorkin sent an email to Kidman, 54, to convince her to play the I Love Lucy star, reports TV Tonight.

Assured: Nicole Kidman has revealed what Aaron Sorkin said to her in an email to convince her to play Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos. Pictured in the film

'Initially when I said yes to it, I did not realise what I was saying yes to,' Nicole revealed. 'I was saying yes to an Aaron Sorkin script and a great opportunity.'

She then provided on the details of the email she received from the director to settle her qualms.

'He sent an email that was just basically 'You've got this. You're just going to have to take it day by day. I don't want an impersonation, I want you to do the work that you can do, that I know you will do. I want you not to freak out, because I believe you can do it.'

Details: The Australian actress recalled that Sorkin 'sent an email that was just basically, 'You've got this. You're just going to have to take it day by day. I don't want an impersonation, I want you to do the work that you can do, that I know you will do''

'And I would challenge him on that at different points throughout the thing but he would never waver,' she added.

The Moulin Rouge! star recalled how she expressed concerns about her look for the movie from her nose to her chin and jaw, but Sorkin simply told her: 'I don't care'.

Being the Ricardos focuses on Lucille Ball's relationship with Cuban-American actor Desi Arnaz during the shoot for the second season of I Love Lucy.

Co-star: Being the Ricardos will mainly focus on Lucille Ball's relationship with Cuban-American actor Desi Arnaz. Arnaz will be played Javier Bardem (pictured)

Fellow Oscar winner Javier Bardem will play Arnaz.

Other stars appearing in the movie include J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat and Clark Gregg.

Being the Ricardos is written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, who previously helmed Molly's Game and The Trail of the Chicago 7.

Being the Ricardos premieres Tuesday on Amazon
Jack Whitehall, 33, expressed fear that he could be cancelled by Hollywood if some of his past jokes ever came back to haunt him.

Speaking with fellow comedian Jarlath Regan, 41, on the An Irishman Abroad podcast, Jack said: 'I feel like I've definitely said jokes in the past that would be worthy of cancellation'

Jack, who recently starred on Netflix's Jonas Brothers Family Roast, added: 'I guess it's how you weather that storm if it does ever come up.'

'I've definitely said jokes in the past that would be worthy of cancellation': Jack Whitehall, 33, expressed fears of being 'cancelled' by Hollywood if past jokes ever came back to haunt him

He explained that as a comedian, he feels historic jokes are easier to get away with, as opposed to tweets or 'comments in interviews', as the public know that it was a joke.

He explained: 'I've had it, sort of, occur a few times and I think, maybe, people are a little better now.

'We've had a few of these ridiculous cancellations of people because of historic jokes that  especially with a comedian because it was told in jest and the context of it was only ever intended as a joke  that you do tend to get away with it a little bit more.'

Nightmare: Jack, who recently starred on Netflix 's Jonas Brothers Family Roast (pictured), added: 'I guess it's how you weather that storm if it does ever come up'

The actor, who has taken a break from stand-up, starred in the recently released children's film, Clifford the Big Red Dog, based on the children's series of the same name.

The movie will center around a young girl Emily, played by Darby Camp, 14, whose love for her dog makes him grow as to a huge size.

He stars as Casey, the uncle of Emily, who helps her hide Clifford the dog despite his enormous size, from their building's superintendent, who does not allow dogs.

New project: The actor, who has taken a break from stand-up, starred in the recently released children's film, Clifford the Big Red Dog

Lots of love: The movie will center around a young girl, played by Darby Camp, 14, whose love for her dog makes him grow as to a huge size

Jack continued: 'It's important for me to go away and live my life and come back to it when I've got more stuff to talk about'

Jack detailed the importance of stepping away from stand-up to other ventures, in order to refresh his material.

He continued: 'It's important for me to go away and live my life and come back to it when I've got more stuff to talk about.

'I need to try and find something else that's going to be interesting and different and a subject matter I can write something and it will feel funny and fresh.'

The actor who is currently in long-term relationship with model Roxy Horner, 30, said that his relationship might be something that he's interested in talking about on stage.

Watch out! The actor, who is currently in long-term relationship with model Roxy Horner, 30, said that his relationship might be something that he's interested in talking about on stage

As his home life has change he added: 'I've now got a dog and I'm spending more time travelling on my own and that always throws up situations and experiences and people you want to talk about.'

Despite taking a break from stand up, he joined Priyanka Chopra Jonas, 39, and on Netflix's Jonas Brothers Family Roast, last month.

The comedy special sees brothers and bandmates Joe, 32, Kevin, 34, and Nick Jonas, 29, ridiculed by their partners and famous faces.

Funny: Despite taking a break from stand up, he joined Priyanka Chopra Jonas, 39, and Nick Jonas, 29, on Netflix 's Jonas Brothers Family Roast, last month

And Priyanka, was seen giggling when the British comedian called her husband Nick 'The Meghan Markle of pop' for breaking up the 'Sucker' band.

Jack quipped: 'October 30th, 2013...the music industry's 9/11...The day of the break-up of my heart into thousands of tiny pieces.'

Among the names he gave Nick were 'The Brother Breaker' and 'The Meghan Markle of pop', and his other half couldn't help but laugh at the latter.

Family roast: Among the names he gave Nick were 'The Brother Breaker' and 'The Meghan Markle of pop', and his other half couldn't help but laugh at the latter

It was seemingly in reference to the ex 'Suits' actress and her husband Prince Harry stepping down as senior members of the British Royal family.

On top of Clifford the Big Red Dog, The Bad Education actor also appeared in The Jungle Cruise and The KSI Show this year.

He also has a number of projects on the way, including two movies titled Robots and Silent Retreat, that are currently in post-production.

Clifford the Big Red Dog was released in the UK on December 10.
The couple had only just hosted a fancy Christmas bash at their Bellevue Hill mansion with powerbrokers from politics, business, sport and media last Thursday.

But media mogul Lachlan Murdoch, his model wife Sarah and their children have already reportedly jetted out from Sydney to their home in Aspen, Colarado.

The Murdoch family headed on their private jet so they could spend Christmas at their luxe hideaway in Aspen, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

A snowy Christmas over a summer one: Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch have flown out of Sydney to spend Christmas at their Aspen retreat in Colorado. Both pictured

The refurbished 3,491-square-foot retreat features six bedrooms, six full and two half bathrooms, and massive floor-to-ceiling windows.

It also has a 11-foot glass front door, cedar wood ceilings, black marble chimney, huge living room, an ebony stone fireplace, three walls of floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors and a saltwater swimming pool.

The Murdochs are said to be returning to the country before the new school year.

Stunning: The Murdoch family headed on their private jet so they could spend Christmas at their luxe hideaway in Aspen, reports the Sydney Morning Herald

The family - including children Kalan Alexander, 16, Aidan Patrick, 14, and daughter Aerin Elisabeth, 10 - had moved back to Sydney, Australia from Los Angeles in August, with plans to stay Down Under long term.

But the Fox Corporation CEO has occasionally been spotted jetting to the US from Australia, presumably for business matters.

Lachlan was last seen leaving Sydney Airport for New York in September, a month after settling with his family back at their mansion in Bellevue Hill.

Local: Lachlan has been living in Australia with his model wife Sarah since March, with plans to stay Down Under long term

While Lachlan makes the periodic trip to America, it's reported his immediate family plans to reside in Australia 'for years, not months,' according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

The publication also confirmed that the Murdoch kids are enrolled in Sydney schools.

The Murdochs had quietly slipped into Australia from the US on their private jet earlier this year.

While no reason was given for the family's return Down Under, a new report claimed that it was the political climate in the US that helped make the decision for the family to leave LA in favour of their Sydney home.
It was a momentous affair for Rebel Wilson and her lookalike mother Sue Bownds.

The Australian actress celebrated Sue's retirement from her long career in the education sector by gifting her a luxe Tiffany bracelet at a retirement party.

Rebel, 41, posted a series of photos with her mother at the event to her Instagram Stories on Friday.

Celebrating: Rebel Wilson's lookalike mum Sue Bownds was gifted luxe Tiffany bracelet after retiring from a long career in education on Friday. Both pictured

The first picture sees Sue and her daughter together as she holds up a Tiffany bag.

The next image presents a smiling Sue sitting down at the gathering, while the last photo shows her and Rebel observing the gifted Tiffany bracelet.

Rebel and her mother have always enjoyed a very close relationship, with the Pitch Perfect star occasionally posting photos with Sue when she's back home.

Pictures: Rebel, 41, posted a series of photos with her mother at the event to her Instagram

Generous: One photo shows the Pitch Perfect star and her mother observing the gifted Tiffany bracelet

Rebel released her debut children's book in late October to roaring success across Australia.

Earlier this week, the Bridesmaids actress revealed on her Instagram that the book had found its way to a classroom at The School of St Jude in the East African country of Tanzania.

Rebel shared a heartwarming video to Instagram of Bella the Brave being read out by a teacher to the young students in her classroom.

Reach: Rebel recently celebrated her children's book Bella the Brave being read out to school children in a Tanzanian classroom

'BELLA THE BRAVE has made it to @schoolofstjude in Tanzania!' Rebel, 41, captioned the post.

'Thank you to these young gifted scholars and talented teachers for welcoming Bella into your school,' she said.

The clip sees the teacher reading the book out to a classroom full of captivated children.

Rebel has had a long association with St Jude and has been sponsoring students from the school since 2016.

Heartwarming: The Australian actress shared a video to Instagram of Bella the Brave being read out by a teacher to the students in her classroom

In an interview with The Morning Show, Rebel revealed that the inspiration behind Bella the Brave came from her memories growing up in Australia.

'I kind of wanted to use stories from my real life that hopefully inspire and motivate young kids everywhere,' she told Morning Show hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies.

The Isn't It Romantic actress added that the book, which is about 'overcoming shyness,' will be the first instalment in a series.

'It will be a series of books, but this is the first one. They will be about different things,' she confirmed before revealing the next one will be about 'body positivity' and the third one about 'siblings'.
Laura Anderson sent temperatures soaring as she treated her Instagram followers to a very steamy slew of poolside shots on Thursday from her recent trip to Dubai.

The former Love Island contestant, 32, ramped up the heat as she flashed her ample assets in a tiny brown bikini top which she paired up with coordinating bottoms.

Putting her toned waist on display, she flashed her bronzed pins and appeared to be in her element as she beamed from ear-to-ear for the camera.

Hot stuff: Laura Anderson flashed her ample assets in a tiny brown bikini as she treated her Instagram followers to a very steamy slew of poolside shots on Thursday from her recent Dubai getaway

Accessorising her look with an unmissable red Santa hat, she highlighted her natural beauty with a full face of make-up and wore her blonde tresses in glossy waves.

In her caption, the reality star wrote: 'Still obsessing over my @bellamianta tan! Use LAURA35 at checkout for 35% off all full-priced products and Christmas Gift Sets.

'Remember in order to get guaranteed Christmas delivery, cut off date is *Thursday 16th December* Happy Shopping ad.'

It comes after Laura revealed she been trying for a baby with her boyfriend Dane Bowers - but they have hit problems and are seeking medical advice.

Incredible: Putting her toned waist on display, she showcased her bronzed pins and appeared to be in her element as she beamed from ear-to-ear for the camera

Gorgeous: In her caption, the reality star wrote: 'Still obsessing over my @bellamianta tan! Use LAURA35 at checkout for 35% off all full-priced products and Christmas Gift Sets'

She made the revelation to fellow reality star Vicky Pattison, 33, who then said she was now going to look more seriously into freezing her eggs because she'd like a baby in the next two years, but her boyfriend does not yet feel ready for one.

The former air hostess and the Boyz on Block bandmember, 41, began dating in 2018 and moved to Dubai in May this year.

She said: 'We started trying really quickly. I've been on the pill for years - just so long I was on the pill - and I thought, "Do you know what, this probably is not that good for my body." And I was just like, "Should I just come off it and we won't 100% try?"

Open book: It comes after Laura revealed she been trying for a baby with her boyfriend Dane Bowers - but they have hit problems and are seeking medical advice

'But I got the app so I tracked when I'd be ovulating. And he was like, "If you're going to come off the pill, we may as well track it and do it properly."

And I was like, "Alright, ok." He's like, "It will probably take ages."'

But she added on Vicky's podcast, The Secret To...: 'We've got some problems. I don't think it's going to be as easy as...

'I'm always like really positive, and I'm like, "It will be so easy," and he was like no. So he was right. We've just got to go to the doctors and do lots of checks.

'There's loads of different options as well. It's quite common, loads of different things for men - and women. So we'll see what happens.

'Dane's like, "We need to do IVF," and I'm like, "I don't really want to. I just never really thought that this would have to happen to me, or whatever..."

'We're not at that point yet. He still needs to get some checks and stuff like that, but you can't really plan for these things.'
Matthew McConaughey spent a gap year in Australia as a teenager.

And the American actor says that he's keen to return Down Under for work, as soon as he finds the right project.

'I am always looking for what jobs will take me there,' the 52-year-old told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday.

Down Under: Matthew McConaughey (pictured) says that he's keen to return Down Under for work, as soon as he finds the right project. 'I am always looking for what jobs will take me there,' the 52-year-old told The Daily Telegraph on Saturday

The Wolf of Wall Street actor adds that he might even just pop down for a vacation to enjoy Australia's beaches, as his son, Levi, 13, has become a keen surfer.

'My son has just gotten into surfing and can't wait to get over there and has all of these breaks he wants to get to.

'Will it be a vacation? Will it be work? We will see. Maybe it will be a parlay of both,' he added.

Waves: The Wolf of Wall Street actor adds that he might even just pop down for a vacation to enjoy Australia's beaches, as his son, Levi, 13, has become a keen surfer. Pictured with son Levi, 11-year-old daughter Vida, eight-year-old son Livingston and wife Camila Alves

Elsewhere in the interview, the Texan actor revealed that Australians and American s from the south are very alike, both having a 'real no-frills attitude and a great sense of humour.

'Australians love the outdoors, you have to at least respect and understand it if you are going to live over there because everything bites in the sky, the sea or the land,' he joked.

'And you've got a great sense of humour. You love having a good crack at someone else but you love even more having a good crack at yourself at your own expense'.

Memories: Matthew has previously revealed how an exchange trip in rural Australia in his late teens shaped him as a person and led to him winning an Oscar. The Serenity star moved to Warnervale, a small town on the central coast of NSW, in 1988 (pictured)

Matthew has previously revealed how an exchange trip in rural Australia in his late teens shaped him as a person and led to him winning an Oscar.

The Serenity star was stripped of all the 'crutches' he had growing up in Texas after moving to Warnervale, a small town on the central coast of NSW, in 1988.

He explained in his memoir, Greenlights, how he had no friends in Australia and found himself working six jobs.

Likewise: Elsewhere in the interview, the Texan actor revealed that Australians and American s from the south are very alike, both having a 'real no-frills attitude and a great sense of humour

He contrasted his tough experience in Australia with his charmed life back home in Texas, where everything seemed to come so easily to him.

'I begun to realise how valuable and enduring that year in Australia was for me, how I wouldn't be the man I am today, unless I had taken that year,' Matthew wrote.

'How I wouldn't have learnt the lessons if I would've come home early.'
AJ Odudu hugged her mother Florence as she stepped out of the Strictly Come Dancing hotel in London on crutches on Saturday, after confirming she will attend the final to cheer on her pals.

The presenter, 33, was forced to pull out of the competition after injuring her foot just days before the final.



Her injury left unable to stand as she suffered torn ligament damage earlier this week.

Gutted: AJ Odudu, 33, hugged her mother as she stepped out of the Strictly Come Dancing hotel on crutches on Saturday, after confirming she will attend the final to cheer on her pals

Despite the injury, AJ looked in good spirits as she smiled and pulled a peace sign, before heading into a waiting taxi.

She looked chic as she wore a floral bohemian style shirt and black jeans as she wore a foot fracture boot.

AJ then clambered into the taxi with her crutches and a balloon and a bouquet of flowers.

Disappointed: The presenter was forced to pull out of the competition after injuring her foot just days before the final

Oh no: Her injury left unable to stand as she suffered torn ligament damage earlier this week



The outing comes after she spoke to to Claudia Winkleman on BBC Radio 2, saying she was feeling 'a combination of so many emotions.'

She went on: 'Really grateful to be here in one piece having had the best 13 weeks with Kai on the most incredible show but really gutted to leave it in this way.

'We were so excited to perform in the final and so grateful. We had so much up our sleeves.

Keeping positive: She looked chic as she wore a floral bohemian style shirt and black jeans as she wore a foot fracture boot

Chatting: Earlier that day she spoke with Claudia Winkleman on Radio 2

She added through gritted teeth: 'Looking down at a torn ligaments in my right angle, I couldn't be more gutted that it didn't hang on.

'Monday was so exciting. We got into the studio and initially I thought, 'We;ve got the jive and Charlston and saw our beautiful show dance and we went through it and thought, 'It's gonna be amazing.'

'Yeah Claudia I don't know what to say, I'm absolutely devastated and also for the people who supported us, and Kai.

She said on the show: 'It's a combination of so many emotions. Really grateful to be here in one piece having had the best 13 weeks with Kai on the most incredible show but really gutted to leave it in this way.'

Having fun: Despite the injury, AJ looked in good spirits as she smiled and pulled a peace sign on the outing before heading into a waiting taxi

Suffering: Her mother doted on her as she hobbled along the street

'He's got me back up when I got knocked down and gave me a new lease of life. He made me feel very strong going into the final week.

Revealing they had been hopeful to remain in the competition despite the wound, the dancing pro said: 'Yesterday was very difficult.

'The call wasn't made until the morning because we were holding on and thinking we could change the dances to something slower.'

Sad: She went on: 'We were so excited to perform in the final and so grateful. We had so much up our sleeves'

Eeek: She added through gritted teeth: 'Looking down at a torn ligaments in my right angle, I couldn't be more gutted that it didn't hang on'

'People were consoling us cos I was at Elstree [Studios] by myself waiting for her and they played a VT and I was just gone and I never cry.

'We can look back in five or 10 years and think, 'I can't believe we did that. I know her mum is incredibly proud.

AJ added of her beloved Florence, 'My mum all week has been saying, 'I need to come and see you,' but I've been fending her off because it then means it's over.

''The painkillers just need to kick in,' I was saying but it was good to get the cuddles I need from her. She's gonna come to the studio, cheer everyone on and give Kai a big squeeze as well.

Helping hand: Florence carried AJ's green fluffy coat and crutches as she followed her daughter

Leaving: AJ then clambered into the taxi with her crutches and a balloon and a bouquet of flowers

'It's gonna be really odd but also I want everyone to back Rose and John and Johannes and Giovanni.

'It's been such an incredible cast this year. We've been so supportive of each other and I know they didn't want this either.

'I, of course, would love to be on the dancefloor with them tonight but I can't wait to cheer them on with one leg through lots of tears,' she joked.

Defiant: The outing comes after AJ confirmed she will attend the Strictly Come Dancing final after injuring her foot and being forced to pull out of the competition (pictured with Kai Widdrington last Saturday)

Speaking to Claudia moment before, judge Anton Du Beke shared his disappointment at not having the opportunity to watch AJ dance once more.

He said: 'So this year, we're down to two sadly so it's remarkable. It's horrendous, I feel terrible for the show because it would have been the final of all finals.

'Just brilliant and I feel mortified for her because she's been incredible from week one. She did her Jive and I sat there thinking, "Woah, hello, we've got a contender here."'

She then told Claudia: 'He's [Kai] got me back up when I got knocked down and gave me a new lease of life. He made me feel very strong going into the final week'

Upsetting: AJ - who is said to have had treatment on Wednesday - is unable to put any weight on her foot, and was hoping to compete in the final but ultimately made the decision to pull out

'I think I gave her a nine. If you get an injury in week seven you think, "Oh ok," but this is horrendous I feel so terrible for her. I think everyones heartbroken for her.

AJ - who is said to have had treatment on Wednesday - is unable to put any weight on her foot, and was hoping to compete in the final but ultimately made the decision to pull out.

After consulting medical professionals, AJ said in a statement: 'I'm deeply upset that I am unable to perform in the final due to a torn ligament in my right ankle.

Sad news: After consulting medical professionals, AJ previously said in a statement: 'I'm deeply upset that I am unable to perform in the final due to a torn ligament in my right ankle'

'Learning to dance over the last 13 weeks has been an incredible honour and to do it alongside someone as special, patient and devoted as Kai is something I'll treasure forever.

'Thank you to the Strictly family for the experience, the medical team for trying to get me back on my feet and mostly, to everyone at home for watching and supporting. You've made this experience one to remember.

'Strictly Come Dancing has been a lifelong dream and I'm glad it came true. Good luck to my partners in dance, John and Johannes and Rose and Giovanni. I will be cheering you on (on one leg!)'

Oh no! The star was spotted leaving her London hotel later in the day to head to her final rehearsals on crutches, just one day before the Strictly final

Upset: Speaking to Claudia moment before, judge Anton Du Beke shared his disappointment at not having the opportunity to watch AJ dance once more (pictured in October 2021)

Now the live final will see just John Whaite and Johannes Radebe and Rose Ayling Ellis and Giovanni Pernice compete for the Glitterball Trophy.

Dance partner Kai Widdrington said: 'I've been absolutely honoured to get to dance with the incredible AJ Odudu for the last few months.

'Although neither of us wanted our journey to end this way, AJ's health and safety are by far the most important things.

'I want to thank AJ for being the absolute best partner I could ever have asked for in my first year on the show and I will always treasure the memories of dancing in the Strictly ballroom with her.

Tragic: AJ had been hoping to compete alongside her dance partner and rumoured boyfriend Kai Widdrington in Saturday's live final

'I know we will be friends for life and I will be there for her through her recovery in whatever way I can. I want to wish good luck to John and Johannes and Rose and Giovanni for the final.

'And finally the biggest thank you to everyone who voted for us throughout the series, your support has been unforgettable.'

Former Strictly star Adam Peaty also stepped out not too far behind AJ on Saturday.

The Olympic swimmer wore a white blazer and black T-shirt as he exited the Strictly hotel.

On the way: Former Strictly star Adam Peaty also stepped out not too far behind AJ on Saturday

Busy: The Olympic swimmer wore a white blazer and black T-shirt as he exited the Strictly hotel

He held a white garment bag in one hand, while held a black holdall in the other.

A black face mask slipped down his face as he went on his way, while listening to music on Air Pods.

Adam and his dance partner Katya Jones was voted off the competition back in week 7.

A regional war has been ignited for the final on Saturday night with John dancing for the northerners and Rose representing the south.

John, who hails from Chorley in Lancashire, and Rose, who comes from Kent, are dancing in the final after AJ pulled out - making it the first time since 2009 that there have been two dancers in the final.

Stepping out: He held a white garment bag and a black holdall in his hands

Looking good: A black face mask slipped down his face as he went on his way, while listening to music on Air Pods

The southern vote has helped 27-year-old Rose become favourite to win with 1-20 odds, while northerner John, 32, is the 8-1 outsider.

A TV source has told The Sun: 'The regional vote has a massive effect on the success of contestants on TV contests, and never before has there been two people in the final with such a clear geographic divide.

'There's a strong sense that this is a clash of the titans, as both Rose and John are incredible dancers who will now go into the final neck-and-neck with voters.

'AJ's exit was a tragedy for her. But getting the votes she'd have received from northerners is likely to be the last-minute surge John needed to put him in reach of the glitterball.'
He's best known for his role as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter.

And Tom Felton, 34, put in an appearance at Bubble Comic Con pop culture festival as he met with fans of the film series, in Moscow, on Saturday.

The actor starred as the events special guest as he took to the stage for to address the crowd and later sign autographs, at the events first meet and greet.

VIP! Tom Felton, 34, attended Bubble Comic Con pop culture festival as the events first ever meet and greet star in Moscow, on Saturday

Familiar: Tom donned a smart sand colored jacket with beige trousers and a plain black T-shirt, accessorising with a pair of glasses, reminiscent of Draco's rival Harry Potter

Tom donned a smart sand colored jacket with beige trousers and a plain black T-shirt, accessorising with a pair of glasses, reminiscent of Draco's rival Harry Potter.

He took to the stage and fans were keen to contribute to a question and answer session with the actor, as the Harry Potter franchise celebrates 20 years.

Festival organizer, Roman Kotkov, said in a statement: 'Were thrilled to end this pandemic stagnation and enable people to meet their favorite celebrities in total safety. We hope that Bubble Comic Con will unite both great fans of our comics and representatives of the friendly Harry Potter fandom.'

Meet and greet: Festival organizer, Roman Kotkov, said: 'Were thrilled to end this pandemic stagnation and enable people to meet their favorite celebrities in total safety'

Exciting: He took to the stage to host the festival as fans were keen to contribute to a question and answer session with the actor

Upcoming: His appearance comes as the first official poster for the Harry Potter reunion special was released on Friday

His appearance comes as the first official poster for the Harry Potter reunion special was released on Friday.

The poster features Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint front and centre ahead of filming Return to Hogwarts.

Fans of the franchise will no doubt be delighted to see Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley together once again alongside a host of their wizarding friends.

One to watch! His appearance comes as the first official poster for the Harry Potter reunion special was released on Friday

Along with Tom, actors James and Oliver Phelps, who play Fred and George Weasley, can be seen as well as Bonnie Wright as Ginny Weasley and Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom.

Also present was Evanna Lynch who plays Luna Lovegood and Alfred Enoch as Dean Thomas, appear on the photograph, which is set in Hogwarts' Great Hall.

One person not included in the poster, however, was Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has been kept away from the special amid an ongoing transphobia row that has seen her get cancelled.

The first official poster comes after fans were treated to a glimpse at the set up for the special.

Back: The first official poster comes after fans were treated to a glimpse at the set up for the special, seeing the three protagonists sitting in the Gryffindor common room for a catch up

In the shots, the stars of the highly successful fantasy film franchise were seen speaking to each other in a room that had been decorated to resemble the mythical location of Hogwarts.

The forthcoming special was initially announced to have been in the works last month, and it will have its premiere on the HBO Max streaming service in the New Year.

The authors exclusion comes after Rowling was been criticized over the past few years for her views on transgender people.

In the wake of these remarks, Harry Potter actors Rupert, Emma, Daniel and Eddie Redmayne, who stars in her Fantastic Beasts films, criticized the author for her remarks.
Denzel Washington brought back the '80s when he was spotted stepping out in Los Angeles this week.

The 66-year-old movie legend could be spotted modeling a gleaming black blazer and matching trousers for his evening out.

That same night his The Tragedy Of Macbeth co-star Frances McDormand was spotted out in West Hollywood modeling a green trouser suit.

Looking fab: Denzel Washington brought back the '80s when he was spotted stepping out in Los Angeles this week

She clashed the suit fashionably against a glinting black blouse and added a wintry touch by wrapping on a canary yellow scarf.

Denzel was spotted Thursday night wearing a charcoal suit at the premiere of their new film at the Directors Guild Of America theater complex in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile Frances attended the event draped in a long floral overcoat, posing up a storm against her iconic co-star.

The upcoming movie is directed by Frances' husband Joel Coen and is the first film he has made without his brother Ethan having any hand in it.

Legging it: The 66-year-old movie legend could be spotted modeling a gleaming black blazer and matching trousers for his evening out

Off she goes: That same night his The Tragedy Of Macbeth co-star Frances McDormand was spotted out in West Hollywood modeling a green trouser suit

'This is an adaptation of a play thats almost 400 years old. Its stood the test of time,' Joel told the audience at Thursday's premiere according to the Hollywood Reporter.

'Time is in many ways what this movie is about. Time is a seam that runs through the play. Its mentioned in the text over 40 times.'

Joel, whose latest movie comes out Christmas Day, added: 'Its a murder story in which the playwright has woven that obsession into the story.'

Side by side: Denzel was spotted Thursday night wearing a charcoal suit the premiere of their new film at the Directors Guild Of America theater complex in Los Angeles

Meanwhile Denzel, who had never been directed by a Coen brother before this film, gave his view of what sets Joel apart.

'Everyone has different gifts. Ive worked with so many great directors, from Spike [Lee] to Jonathan Demme,' he said graciously.

'Everybodys different, but Joels focus and attention to detail are really incredible,' said Denzel, who won the best actor Oscar for the 2002 film Training Day.
Chris Hemsworth showed off his son's archery skills in a video shared to his Instagram account on Saturday morning.

The 38-year-old actor positioned a water bottle on top of his head while his child, aged seven, shot an arrow and knocked it off, much to his enjoyment.

The Thor star kept it casual in a sleeveless T-shirt and a trucker cap as he spent a bit of quality time with his son.

Special skills: Chris Hemsworth showed off his son's archery skills in a video shared to his Instagram account on Saturday morning

'Don't try this at home. Took 63 shots in the back of the head before nailing it,' he wrote. 'Worth it. This stunt was performed by a couple lunatics with complete disregard for their own safety.'

The Marvel Cinematic Universe mainstay made a point of adding: 'don't worry it was a rubber arrow.'

Hemsworth shares his sons with wife, Elsa Pataky, whom he first met when they were introduced by a mutual friend in 2010.

The performer and his now-wife, 45, embarked on a whirlwind romance and made their red carpet debut that year at an event at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

'Don't try this at home,' he wrote. 'Took 63 shots in the back of the head before nailing it. Worth it. This stunt was performed by a couple lunatics with complete disregard for their own safety'

The pair shocked many when they decided to tie the knot less than a year after they met during a ceremony that was held in the actor's native country of Australia.

They later started a family in 2012 with the birth of their only daughter and eldest child, India Rose.

Hemsworth and Pataky confirmed that they were expecting to expand their family the following year.

The actress went on to give birth to twin boys Tristan and Sasha in 2014.

Happy family: Hemsworth shares his sons with his wife, Elsa Pataky, whom he first met when they were introduced by a mutual friend in the early months of 2010; they are seen in 2019

The actor opened up about his devotion to his family during an interview with GQ Australia and expressed that he had placed more of a focus on them than his work on several occasions.

He stated: 'There's times when I've thought, 'Wow, because having kids is more important to me, some of my roles have suffered.''

Hemsworth added: 'There's definitely a couple of films I could've put way more energy into but I was like, 'No, I'd rather be with my kids.''

Devoted father: The actor opened up about his devotion to his family during an interview with GQ Australia and expressed that he had placed more of a focus on them than his work on several occasions

The actor went on to express that he was happy to be a devoted father despite missing his mark on certain occasions, stating: 'I don't regret that but I'm aware.'

The performer made a point of noting that he was still interested in reaching certain goals in his acting career.

'I often find myself saying, 'It's all for my family,' but in all this I definitely have personal things I need to achieve, too,' he said.
UTFO hip hop artist and break dancer The Kangol Kid has died at the age of just 55 after battling stage four colon cancer.

His friend Van Silk confirmed the news to the outlet HipHopDX, texting them: 'RIP KANGOL KID. He passed at 3:02 a.m.'

Van Silk, who also has colon cancer, added: 'My prayers go out to my brother who fought a battle of colon cancer at Stage 4.'

Dearly departed: UTFO hip hop artist and break dancer The Kangol Kid has died at the age of just 55 after battling stage four colon cancer

He continued: 'Early on, we discussed our fight with this disease because my fight with colon cancer is stage 2.'

Van recalled: 'He told me it had spread in October. I encourage all to get your prostate and colon checked. May my brother Kangol Rest In Heaven.'

His widow Tajiri Swindell wrote on Instagram: 'We have been through so much together more than most would in 100 yearsyou were perfect to me , no matter what you made sure I knew you loved me and I will love you for the rest of my life.'

Kangol, whose real name was Shaun Fequiere, grew up in New York City in a Haitian family and became a star of old school hip hop.

Throwback: His stage name derives from his childhood nickname which he received because of his fondness for Kangol hats

His stage name derives from his childhood nickname which he received because of his fondness for Kangol hats.

Young Shaun realized he had talent when he sang an Andy Gibbs song at his Brooklyn's Catholic school talent show, he told AllHipHop.

He reflected that the talent show experience 'was the start for me. Outside of the house, Catholic school stage, gave me the platform to realize Im okay at this, you know? I dont suck at this thing called performing.'

In 1983 he helped found the hip hop and break dance group UTFO, an acronym that stood for Untouchable Force Organization.

As seen in 1988: In 1983 he helped found the hip hop and break dance group UTFO, an acronym that stood for Untouchable Force Organization

Their biggest hit single was the 1984 number Roxanne, Roxanne about trying to impress a 'stuck up' woman who remained distinctly indifferent.

Roxanne, Roxanne resulted in an unprecedented number of answer records and a beef so intense it became known as the Roxanne Wars.

Through the 1980s and early 1990s the group put out five studio albums but eventually broke up in the latter decade.

'I was always the business dude of the group. I understood promotion. I understood marketing,' Kangol reflected earlier this year.

End of the road: Through the 1980s and early 1990s the group put out five studio albums but eventually broke up in the latter decade

'You know, just keeping the hat on  I understood, you know, becoming a character and doing these things that Ive done. And that wasnt the other members so that always created, you know, a problem.'

He suggested that they write for Full Force but the rest of the group demurred and when Kangol went on to work with Full Force on his own 'rifts' ensued.

At the start of this year he revealed that the surviving members of UTFO were still not close as 'we still see the 20-year-old kidding each other.'

Kangol explained: 'We don't see the adult, the grandfather that we are today and let's address this unlike how we addressed this when we were kids.'

Trailblazer: Paving the way for a legion of hip hop artists to come he became the first in his genre to pursue brand endorsements - specifically with Kangol

Blazing a trail for a legion of hip hop artists to come he became the first in his genre to pursue brand endorsements - specifically with Kangol.

He has confessed that when the brand first reached out to him he was not business-savvy and was just relieved not to be the target of a lawsuit.

Evidently in retrospect he took a dim view of the deal they struck - while discussing his Kangol endorsement as the 'seed planting' for future rappers, he remarked: 'You know, it took for cats like us to get robbed for these cats today to get paid.'

Kangol, who in 2012 became the first rapper honoree of the American Cancer Society, was diagnosed with colon cancer this February and quickly had surgery.

Devastated: His widow Tajiri Swindell wrote on Instagram: 'We have been through so much together more than most would in 100 years'

After the operation he confessed on the local New York station PIX 11 this March that he 'fell out inside' when he first learned of his disease.

However after gathering himself and having his spirits buoyed by his close friends he resolved to 'fight this' as 'one of the things you think of immediately is family.'

Kangol, who had been a cancer awareness advocate for years, noted that 'I have a five-year-old little girl. I have three grown men, you know, boys, but my five-year-old is the one that made me say, you know: "I gotta go take care of this."'

In October he revealed on his Instagram that his illness had taken a turn for the worse requiring him to be hospitalized.

Wow: Kangol, who in 2012 became the first rapper honoree of the American Cancer Society, was diagnosed with colon cancer this February; he is pictured last month with LL Cool J

'Please forgive me for not returning calls and more. Things have become, and are becoming a little more difficult than imagined,' he wrote.

'I've been admitted again for complications related to my condition. Thank you to those who have been instrumental in my latest ordeal.'

He concluded the message: 'Your actions have been well received and greatly appreciated. I am blessed to have you by my side through this. I love you all.'
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The former Afghan governments ambassador to the United Nations has resigned after the countrys current Taliban rulers sought to replace him with their own envoy.

Ghulam Isaczai told the U.N. on Thursday that he stepped down the day before, U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq said.

Afghanistans U.N. Mission tweeted that another diplomat, Naseer Faiq, would lead it as a charge daffaires. The term can denote someone filling in between ambassadors. The mission said it would continue working "to share the concerns and legitimate demands of our fellow citizens at the U.N."

Taliban leaders, however, have been trying to put their own representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, in their countrys seat at the U.N.

Isaczai, a longtime U.N. diplomat, was appointed last June by President Ashraf Ghani, whose government was ousted by the Taliban on Aug. 15 amid a chaotic withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops.

The Taliban challenged Isaczais credentials to remain in his post. The U.N. General Assembly delayed action on the request Dec. 6, so he stayed in the job.

No country has recognized the Taliban, which has come under intense international pressure to broaden its all-male government overwhelmingly drawn from the countrys dominant Pashtun ethnic group, and to ensure womens rights to education, employment and participation in political and social life.

A message seeking comment was sent to Isaczai on Friday.
The ruling by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) could have far-reaching consequences for Amazon's legal battles with now estranged partner Future. (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India's antitrust agency suspended Amazon.com's 2019 deal with Future Group on Friday, potentially denting the U.S. e-commerce giant's attempts to block the sale of Future's retail assets to an Indian market leader.

The regulator ruled that the U.S. company had suppressed information while seeking regulatory approval on an investment into Indian retailer Future Group two years ago.

The ruling by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) could have far-reaching consequences for Amazon's legal battles with now estranged partner Future.

Amazon has for months successfully used the terms of its toehold $200 million investment in Future in 2019 to block the Indian retailer's attempt to sell retail assets to Reliance Industries for $3.4 billion.

The regulator's 57-page order said it considers "it necessary to examine the combination (deal) afresh," adding its approval from 2019 "shall remain in abeyance" until then.

The CCI's order said Amazon had "suppressed the actual scope" of the deal and had made "false and incorrect statements" while seeking approvals.

"The approval is suspended. This is absolutely unprecedented," said Shweta Dubey, a partner at Indian law firm SD Partners, who was formerly a CCI official.

"The order seems to have found new power for CCI to keep the combination approval in abeyance," she added.

With the 2019 Future deal's antitrust approval now suspended, it could dent Amazon's legal position and retail ambitions, while making it easier for Reliance - the country's largest retailer - to acquire number two player Future, people familiar with the dispute said.

The CCI also imposed a penalty of around 2 billion rupees ($27 million) on the U.S. company, adding that Amazon will be given time to submit information again to seek approvals, the CCI added.

Future Group, however, is unlikely to cooperate with Amazon if it tries to reapply for antitrust clearance after the CCI's decision, a source with direct knowledge told Reuters.

The Indian company is also set to take CCI's Friday decision before various legal forums to argue that Amazon has no legal basis to challenge its asset sale, the source added.

Future and Reliance did not respond to a request for comment. Amazon said it is reviewing the order "and will decide on its next steps in due course."

RETAIL BATTLE

The dispute over Future Retail, which has more than 1,500 supermarket and other outlets, is the most hostile flashpoint between Jeff Bezos' Amazon and Reliance, run by India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, as they try to gain the upper hand in winning retail consumers.

Hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, Future last year decided to sell its retail assets to Reliance for $3.4 billion, but Amazon managed to block the sale successfully through legal challenges.

Amazon cited breach of contracts by Future, arguing that terms agreed in 2019 to pay $200 million for a 49% stake in Future's gift voucher unit prevented its parent, Future Group, from selling its Future Retail Ltd business to certain rivals, including Reliance.

The CCI review of the deal started after Future, which denies any wrongdoing, complained, saying that Amazon was making contradictory statements before different legal forums about the intent of the 2019 transaction.

In June, the CCI told Amazon the U.S. firm in 2019 explained its interest in investing in Future's gift voucher unit as one that would address gaps in India's payments industry. But later, the CCI said, Amazon disclosed in other legal forums the foundation of its investment in the Future unit was to obtain special rights over the retail arm, Future Retail.

In the Friday order, CCI said there was "a deliberate design on the part of Amazon to suppress the actual scope and purpose of the" deal.

Ahead of CCI's decision, Amazon denied concealing any information and warned the watchdog that Future's bid to unwind the 2019 deal to allow Reliance to consolidate its position "will further restrict competition in the Indian retail market".
Officials explain the new projects to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy during the inauguration of six new projects of VMRDA in Visakhapatnam on Friday. (Photo by arrangement)

Visakhapatnam: Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated 11 government projects worth Rs. 248 crore during his visit here on Friday. The chief minister also took part in some private programmes of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Vizianagaram DCCB chairman Nekkala Naidu before leaving for Vijayawada on Friday evening.

On the CMs arrival, the YSRC cadre gave a rousing reception to him at the Vizag Airport, from where he directly went to the NAD Junction to inaugurate the flyover built by Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (VMRDA) at a cost of Rs.150 crore.

From there, he went to the VMRDA Park at the beach road to inaugurate six projects including parks erected at a cost of Rs.36.32 crore. He also inaugurated four Smart City projects developed by Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) at a cost of Rs. 61.01 crore.

Jagan attended the wedding reception of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu's granddaughter Niharika and Ravi Teja at the Vizag Convention. The bride and groom were blessed by the CM.

Later, along with the party cadre and cabinet ministers, MPs and MLAs, the CM went to Vizag Convention at Madhurawada to join the wedding reception of Niharika. He offered blessings to Divya Naidu, daughter of Nekkala Naidu at the marriage reception at the AU Convention Centre on the beach road.

Some of the projects inaugurated by the CM included a commercial complex constructed at Pithapuram Colony at a cost of Rs.7.60 crore, a 9-km road from Anandapuram Junction to Boni built at a cost of Rs.7.55 crore, an Rs.11.45 crore multi-level semi-automatic car parking center at Jagadamba, the MVD High School development in Dandu Bazaar and a `4.24 crore Heritage Conservation Hall.

The chief minister inaugurated the old municipal office developed at a cost of Rs.7.16 crore.
Kochi: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed has asserted that state Higher Education Minister R Bindu has no authority to write to him seeking service extension of Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University, Gopinath Raveendran.

Addressing the media at the airport here on Friday night, he reiterated that there was politics involved in the selection of Vice Chancellors in the state universities.

He also affirmed that there was no change in his decision to step down from the post of Chancellor.

"...I am not able to work in this environment where I find too much political interference in the working of the university and the autonomy of the university is being completely eroded. Conflict comes when you assert your authority against some other authority.

I have requested that you bring an ordinance, you become the chancellor, let anybody become the chancellor, but for me it is not possible to see this kind of political interference... I have already said it," Khan said.

Slamming Bindhu over her letter on VC reappointment, he said, "The Minister does not have any authority to write to the Governor. Only the search committee has the authority to select the Vice Chancellor. It's not my job to reply to the minister."

The Governor and the opposition parties including the Congress have been attacking the Left government over Bindhu's alleged intervention in the re-appointment of Raveendran as Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University, saying it was an "infringement" upon the authority of the chancellor.

A copy of the Higher Education Minister's purported letter to the Governor seeking re-appointment of Raveendran for a continuous term from November 24, 2021 also surfaced recently triggering a political row in the state.

Recently, the Kerala High Court had dismissed a plea against the re-appointment of Raveendran for the post of VC.

The court had said that the re-appointment was different from appointment and the procedure adopted for the latter need not be followed when re-appointing someone.

The Congress party has moved the division bench against the single bench order.
HYDERABAD: Omicron confirmed Covid-19 patients pulling the disappearing act for a few hours have had the Telangana health department officials in a tizzy over the past two days, with one such instance each, on both Thursday and Friday.

Also, adding to the worry of potential local transmission of the Omicron variant, was the news that several residents in Panje Shah locality of Pathar Gatti area in the Old City, vacated their homes, locked them up, and left for safer areas following discovery that one of their neighbours, who returned to the city a few days ago, was Omicron positive. The man was shifted from his house to the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences at Gachibowli, where seven other Omicron hit individuals are also receiving treatment.

On Friday, for the second day in a row, the health department lodged a complaint with the Hyderabad city police that a resident of Paramount Hills Colony, a Kenyan who tested positive for Omicron, was missing from his house. The complaint was lodged on Friday morning and the man was traced at a hotel in Jubilee Hills in the evening by the police, who handed him over to the health authorities to be shifted to TIMS hospital.

Banjara Hills inspector of police P Shivachandra said that they received a complaint from State Health Department officials stating that the Kenyan national, who arrived in the city, tested positive for Omicron, and was missing. His mobile phone was switched off. He is a resident of Paramount Colony where most of the Omicron positive cases have been reported from, he said. Police, which formed special teams, traced him based on information gleaned about his location from the last call he made from his phone. No case has been registered in this instance, the police said.

Meanwhile, health department officials have said that tracing some of the Covid-19 positive people was becoming hard, as was the case with tracing the two Omicron positive men who disappeared for a few hours on Thursday and Friday. In several cases, people were providing incorrect phone numbers, or incomplete addresses. Meanwhile, Telangana on Friday reported 181 new Covid cases, and one death from the disease.

The state health department said there were 3,782 active Covid cases in the state on Friday, of whom, 1,196 were receiving treatment in hospitals. Hyderabad city and the GHMC area reported 84 new cases, the highest for the day in the state.
Registration counter for COVID-19 test at Mangaluru International Airport (Photo by arrangement)

Mangaluru: The samples of a passenger from Ghana who tested Covid positive during Rapid RT-PCR at Mangaluru International Airport has been sent to genomic sequencing in Bengaluru.

Ghana is one of the countries in the at risk, list.

The passenger from Ghana was tested positive during the Rapid RT-PCR test at the Mangaluru International Airport on Thursday night.

The asymptomatic passenger has been immediately shifted to the isolation ward at the Government Wenlock Hospital.

On Friday, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Dr. K V Rajendra held an emergency meeting with the Chief Airport Officer, Airport Health Officer (APHO), District Surveillance Officer (DSO), Covid nodal officer, and head of Apollo Lab.

As many as 27 people who travelled with the COVID patient have been considered as the primary contacts and have undergone RT-PCR and randomised tests. They are currently under quarantine.
Belagavi (Karnataka): 27 people had been arrested for attacking the Sangolli Rayanna statue in the Belagavi district of Karnataka, informed the police.

"27 arrested in 3 police station limits in Belagavi for attacking the Sangolli Rayanna statue," said K Tyagarajan, commissioner of police, Belagavi.

Tension erupted in Belagavi after a purported video that showed some people pouring black ink on the face of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Sankey Tank Road in Bengaluru went viral.

Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) followers gathered in Belagavi and protested against the Karnataka government at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Maharaj Chowk.

The miscreants smashed around 26 vehicles of the Karnataka government and police at Belagavi.

The protestors alleged that Kannada goons have defaced a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bangalore.

"The insult on Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bengaluru is an insult to Hindu society as well. Shivaji maharaja has dedicated His life to Hindu samaj. Act of Some miscreants insulting the statue of Shivaji maharaja is highly condemnable," said Abhay Patil, MLA Belagavi constituency.

"I request the chief minister as well as Home Minister to take appropriate action against the culprits behind the incident. The incident is an insult to the nation. I request the Chief Minister and Home Minister to take proper action against the culprits behind it and make sure this kind of incident will not occur again," he added.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Home minister said, "Strict action will be taken against anyone who indulged in such incidents, no one will be spared," said Araga Jnanendra".

"I condemn the incident in which miscreants damaged the statue of Sangolli Rayanna, a legendary hero of the state," he said.

"Sangolli Rayanna and Shivaji Maharaj, they are the pride of all of us. Every citizen is a proud and proud Indian son because of such personality," he stated.

"In their name, some mischief, misconduct, and degrading linguistic and fraternal affiliation is an inexorable offense," he further stated.

"I have received information on this, and have already filed an FIR related to the Bangalore and Belgavi incident and some have been detained. I urge the people of the state to cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony," he said.
TIRUPATI: Panchayatraj minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy has maintained that there were no farmers from Amaravati at Fridays public meeting in Tirupati. It was entirely opposition Telugu Desams show, he stated.

Speaking to media at the Tirupati Airport, Ramachandra Reddy reiterated that YSRC government is committed to formation of the three capitals. He maintained that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is currently focussing on development of three regions of the state. The CM will soon come up with a comprehensive bill in this regard, which will be introduced in the State Legislative Assembly, he said.

The minister refuted TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidus remark that Chief Minister has taken a U-turn on establishment of capital in Amaravati. TDP leaders are frustrated over land rates in Amaravati dropping. Hence, they are making such statements, he said.

Ramachandra Reddy described as unethical Congress, BJP and CPI sharing a common stage with TDP. He said Naidu is making serious efforts to form an alliance with BJP once again. However, YSR Congress will always fight alone. CM Jagan is against forming any unethical political alliances, he said.

The minister continued with his refrain that agitation by farmers of Amaravati is a fake movement, as there are no farmers but only those who have purchased lands there hoping to reap enormous profits.
People generally refrain from fighting in such cases fearing adverse circumstances if there is a backlash. To ensure no harm is done, we do not keep a record of the voters' identity, said Kota Neelima of Hakku Initiative.  PTI file image

Hyderabad: Residents of several localities in Bhoiguda on Friday participated in an informal referendum on the issue of new wine shops in residential areas. The voting, organised by Hakku Initiative with an estimated total vote count of 1,000, received overwhelming response amid a series of protests in recent times, against the opening of a liquor outlet close to Gandhi hospital.

Residents of Jaya Durga and Jaya Lakshmi apartments have been opposing the outlet in their premises for two weeks.

Kota Neelima, who heads Hakku Initiative, said that the primary reason behind conducting the referendum was to allay the threat perception among citizens.

People generally refrain from fighting in such cases fearing adverse circumstances if there is a backlash. To ensure no harm is done, we do not keep a record of the voters identity.

Despite our protests, the liquor shop began its operations, said Shirisha Allaparthi, joint-secretary of the resident welfare association. We have to keep fighting till the issue is resolved, she added. Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said she was astonished with the support received from residents of neighbouring areas. People from Krishna Nagar participated in the voting and assured their support, she explained.
Violators will be penalised with Rs 10,000 for the first offense while a repeat will attract a fine of Rs 25,000. A third time violation will result in sealing the premises and the equipment for seven days.  Representational image/DC

Hyderabad: Flooded with innumerable complaints by locals against noise pollution, the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) on Friday resolved to penalise violations while using loudspeakers, public address systems, and bursting of crackers. The board emphasised on restricting noise levels during private events, religious processions and weddings to within the air quality standards.

Acknowledging that there was a constant flurry of complaints, the board members warned of imposing hefty penalties in case of any violation. Owners of marriage halls or the organisers of processions will be held responsible if the permissible noise levels exceed the stipulated limits, said Brig. Abhijit Chandra, president of the cantonment board.

Violators will be penalised with Rs 10,000 for the first offense while a repeat will attract a fine of Rs 25,000. A third time violation will result in sealing the premises and the equipment for seven days. According to government norms, the decibel levels in residential areas should not exceed 55 during the day and 45 after 10 pm.
Association president Suryadevara Venkata Ramana said officials were granting permission even to those devoid of any parking lots. Loud music was being played till 3 am.  DC file image

HYDERABAD: Complaining against public authorities for allowing commercial activities in residential localities, residents of Jubilee Hills approached the Telangana High Court for a relief.

Strongly objecting to the permission given for setting up bars, pubs, restaurants and coffee shops in the residential areas located in road numbers 36, 41, 44, 45 and 55 of Jubilee Hills, a petition was filed by Jubilee Hills Residents Green and Clean Association.

Association president Suryadevara Venkata Ramana said officials were granting permission even to those devoid of any parking lots. Commercial establishments like 800 Jubilee pub, Farzi cafe, Amnesia Lounge Bar, Hy Life Brewing Company, Daily Dose Bar Hop, Dirty Martini Kitchen and Cocktail Bar, Broadway the Brewery, Makobrew World Coffee and Heart Coffee shop, located in CBI Colony of Road 36 and 45, were named as respondents as they were all violating Noise (Regulation and Control) Act. Loud music was being played till 3 am, he said.

Rajashekar Pisapati, counsel for the association, submitted that authorities were not taking action despite several complaints by the residents of the area. Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy heard the petition and tagged it with similar petitions filed earlier. He adjourned hearing of all such petitions to December 22.
The Chief Minister is addressing public meetings after a gap of over four months with the last one being in Huzurabad on August 16, where, incidentally, he launched the Dalit Bandhu scheme. (DC)

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will address a massive public meeting in Jangaon on Monday soon after launching development programmes in the district.

Ministers Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Satyavathi Rathod, district MLAs, MLCs and other leaders reviewed the arrangements for the meeting in Jangaon on Friday. The leaders are making all efforts to make a success of Rao's meeting by mobilising thousands of people.

Rao will launch district tours from Wanaparthy on Sunday. After launching various development programmes, he will inaugurate new integrated collectorate complexes and TRS offices in all district headquarters.

The Chief Minister is addressing public meetings after a gap of over four months with the last one being in Huzurabad on August 16, where, incidentally, he launched the Dalit Bandhu scheme. However, his proposed public meeting in October in the run-up to Huzurabad by-elections was postponed following Election Commissions decision to cap public gatherings to a maximum of 1,000.

The TRS Vijaya Garjana Sabha slated for November 20 in Warangal district was postponed due to the MLC election code.
The BJP leader said KCR made all these promises before Dubbak, Nagarjuna Sagar, GHMC and Huzurabad elections.  DC file image

HYDERABAD: State BJP vice president NVSS Prabhakar Rao said on Friday that Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao should fulfill the promises he made to the people in the previous elections, before embarking on a tour of the state.

"The unfulfilled promises are growing by the day. The promise of extending Dalit Bandhu to the entire state, another on purchase of paddy from farmers and a third on issue of government notification to fill the many vacant government posts for the unemployed are among these," he said while addressing partymen in Medchal.

The BJP leader said KCR made all these promises before Dubbak, Nagarjuna Sagar, GHMC and Huzurabad elections. The CM conveniently forgot them after the results of the elections were out, he said.

Prabhakar said KCR was now trying to assert his position within the family. There is friction as the power in the state is being shared between the quartet  Rama Rao, Kavita, Harisha Rao and Santosh, he said.

"Every time there is a crisis on the home front, KCR would set out on a tour of the state. At the moment, the CM is faced with an identity crisis, the BJP leader said.
The city police have taken up a case against unknown persons who had allegedly defaced the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji at Bashyam Circle. According to the police, a few unknown persons gathered in front of the statue desecrated Shivaji statue at midnight on Thursday.

A senior officer said that they received information from a few people who claim to have seen a few persons desecrate the statue. "A video was also made, so we are verifying the video and CCTV camera installed in the junction and surrounding areas to get clues on the miscreants. We are making efforts to nab them at the earliest," the officer said.

Also Read | Shivaji statue defacing: Bengaluru police register FIR

Based on the complaint filed by the Karnataka Maratha Welfare Association (KMWA), a case has been registered at the Sadashivanagar Police Station under IPC section 153 A  promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, place, race and language and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, IPC 427  mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees and above and under the Karnataka Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act, said MN Anucheth, deputy commissioner of police (Central).

A senior officer said that there was no permanent damage to the statue. Following the law and order problem in Belagavi, we deployed men near the statue from early hours on Saturday. The officer added that men had also been deployed men near the Shivaji statue on JC Road and other sensitive areas, including where Marathas are staying in large numbers.

As of now we suspect that few people tried to take revenge for burning the Kannada flag in Maharashtra, but we are yet to confirm it, another senior officer said. The top brass also warned that strict action would be taken against people who indulge in acts disturbing peace and causing law and order problems. They also warned people to not post any hate content on social media.

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The case of Bengalurus third Omicron patient who was recently discharged shows people should not be complacent after two mandatory vaccine doses and developing antibodies after a bout of Covid.

Vinod (name changed), 34, contracted Covid in April and was tested positive to the Omicron variant after he returned from South Africa following a two-week stay. Vinod got second jab only in October.

Vinod went to South Africa on November 14. When I was there, the country reported only 600-odd cases, Vinod, discharged from Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, told DH. The South African government declared the Omicron variant on November 26. I was supposed to return on November 27, but my flight got cancelled. On November 29, I took a flight to Qatar via Ethiopia and then to Bengaluru.

Noting that he went to the airport twice, Vinod said people get infected on the flight despite wearing a mask. If someone seated next to you on the flight has the infection, youll invariably get it, he added.

Also Read | WHO issues emergency use listing to Serum Institute's Covovax Covid vaccine

Fatigue, itchy throat

During his second bout with the Omicron variant, Vinod felt slightly more fatigued, besides having itchy throat for four to five days. I was asymptomatic at Bowring and was injected with precautionary antibiotics, he said.

But when he was infected in April, before vaccination was even available for his age group, Vinod had a different experience. He was on home isolation and took Ivermectin, Vitamin C and Zinc, and precautionary antibiotics, all of which were prescribed to him on tele-consultation.

My oxygen saturation dipped a bit and I had frequent coughing fits, he said. This time around, it felt like common cold. I had very mild symptoms.

Home isolation

Although his wife and seven-year-old daughter had contracted Covid in April, Vinod took care to isolate himself this time and saved them from contracting the Omicron variant. Despite testing negative at the airport, I isolated myself when I had itchy throat. So, theres no chance of them getting it, he said.

Also Read | Over 62 lakh Covid vaccine doses went to waste in India, half from 3 states

Four negative results

The BBMP tested Vinods wife and his daughter four times  the day he tested positive, on the seventh day of his infection, and again on days 11 and 14. All those tests turned negative.

Vaccination saved me from getting serious. So, get fully vaccinated, he said. I had Omicron despite two vaccine doses and developing antibodies from my previous infection. If youre traveling from Omicron-infected countries, get yourself isolated at home at least for three to four days even though theres no institutional quarantine.

He cautioned that testing negative at the airport cannot be the reason for complacency. Omicrons symptoms are mild. So, dont neglect even mild common cold symptoms, he added.

Seven-day isolation

Still under seven-day home isolation, Vinod has no office in the city and therefore would not have to worry about meeting colleagues in person.

The BBMP conducted the RT-PCR test twice. I was also tested for inflammatory markers in my blood, apart from getting an x-ray before I got discharged. Despite that, theres a stigma in the gated community I live in. This happened in April as well. If I invite anyone to my house, they wont come for two weeks, he said.

Vinods independent villa was sealed and the seal containing message that it was a containment zone was removed on Thursday as per home quarantine rules.

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The dramatic rise in Electric Vehicles (EV) was bound to trigger a surge in demand for charging stations. The e-vaahana campaign has now given it a big push, with the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) set to install 300 more stations across Bengaluru. Is this a game-changer in e-mobility adoption?

The buzz around EVs is real. Ola Electric, fresh after setting up a massive Futurefactory, kicked off delivery of its Ola S1 scooters on Wednesday. Billed as the worlds largest scooter manufacturing setup, the Futurefactory is proposed to roll out one crore e-scooters every year at full capacity.

Revving up the competition, Bengaluru-based Ather Energy, Hero Electric and other e-mobility players are in hyperboost mode, increasing their production numbers. To expand the charging ecosystem, Ather also offers its propreitory charging connector to other makers. The big objective: To build an interoperable two-wheeler fast charging platform.

Range anxiety

A robust, high-density, well-spread out grid of fast, reliable charging stations has always been critical to address that big concern of EV users: Range anxiety. Well aware of this, the EV makers have indeed set up their own charging grids. But the e-vaahana concept goes beyond.

Representing 1,050 apartment complexes with over 2.5 lakh households, the Bangalore Apartments Federation (BAF) had identified the pain points and challenges months before it launched the e-vaahana campaign in partnership with Bescom and other stakeholders.

Recalls Vishnu Gattupalli, who coordinates the campaign from BAF: It was not just about installing the charging stations. We brought in a knowledge partner, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and empanelled 10 vendors, held sessions with them on the government policies and knowledge perspectives.

Station roll-out

Keen to expand their base, many vendors have offered to set up the stations free of cost. Fifty apartment complexes, with many existing and potential EV owners signed up. Within a month, the chosen vendors will approach these complexes and begin the installation process. We expect at least 30-40 complexes to be equipped with these stations soon, informs Vishnu.

Studies have confirmed that about 70% of the EV charging happens at home, overnight. Acknowledging this, the e-vaahana campaign has proposed to scale up the number of stations based on demand. When these stations come up in big numbers in such close proximity to their homes, more people will find it convenient to switch to EVs.

The adoption is bound to pick up pace since the government has proposed to amend building bye-laws to make EV charging points mandatory in apartment complexes and shopping malls.

OEMs in competition

In competitive mode, most Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) have unveiled plans to spread out and strengthen their existing charging networks. It is learnt that Ola Electric too has plans to extend its hyper chargers to residential complexes.

The first of these hyperchargers, customised for fast-charging, has already been installed at Olas Koramangala complex. On the companys agenda are over a lakh charging points spread across 400 cities nationwide.

In the first year, the plan is to set up more than 5,000 charging points across 100 cities in India. Ola Electric had claimed that its e-scooter can be charged 50% in just 18 minutes for a 75 km range.

Hero Electric, which currently leads in electric two-wheeler sales countrywide, has partnered with EV charging solutions startup, Massive Mobility, to set up 10,000 stations. This network could be accessed by all EVs, pushing for more standardisation between OEMs.

Massive Mobility has a unique model, enabling parking and charging point owners to offer charging services to users. It employs a cloud-based solution to smartly integrate the two.

Shared charging

Back to charging stations in residential complexes. Many wonder how that would make a difference when they can charge their EVs from their individual homes. The WRI knowledge base shows that a shared charging facility makes better sense.

Heres how: Individual owners may route charger connections to their meter, which is a laborious, repetitive process. Compare this with a Residents Welfare Association (RWA) planning for and implementing a shared facility.

Individual apartments typically have a sanctioned load of 5kW or 10kW. For shared connections  societies typically have headroom for shared charging facilities. They can also employ dynamic load management to optimise the available sanctioned load and apply for additional load where required.
The Bengaluru City Police on Saturday registered an FIR against unknown miscreants for defacing the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Bashyam Circle in Sadashivanagar.

Acknowledging the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) MN Anucheth said that special teams have been constituted to nab the culprits.

"There is a Shivaji statue inside the park attached to the Sankey tank. Miscreants have sneaked into the park on Thursday night and smeared the statue with ink. We have registered a case against unknown miscreants and the probe is on," Anucheth explained.

The city police have appealed to the general public to maintain peace and not to heed to any rumours.

"We have deployed additional security personnel around the statue and search is on to nab the miscreants," he pointed.

The Sadashivanagar police have registered cases under IPC section 153-A (promoting disharmony, enmity or hatred between different groups on the grounds of religion, language or race) and section 427 (causing damage to public property).

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Bollywood actor Fatima Sana Shaikh says it is a milestone for her to get the opportunity to work with director Meghna Gulzar on Sam Bahadur.

The biographical drama is based on the life and times of the brave Sam Manekshaw, one of Indias greatest war heroes, who served as the chief of the Indian Army in 1971 when India fought the Bangladesh Liberation War with Pakistan.

In Sam Bahadur, Vicky Kaushal will take on the titular role, while Shaikh will step into the shoes of Indira Gandhi, the countrys first female Prime Minister.

The 29-year-old actor said she is excited to collaborate with Gulzar, best known for critical hits like Raazi, Chhapaak and Talvar.

"She is a maverick director, whose work I have admired and followed for a very long time. I consider working with her a personal milestone. I'm super pumped to start shooting with her and I hope we have a blast on the sets of Sam Bahadur'," Shaikh said in a statement.

Produced by Ronnie Screwvala, Sam Bahadur will also feature Shaikh's Dangal co-star Sanya Malhotra as Manekshaws wife Silloo.
Pfizer Inc on Friday forecast that the Covid-19 pandemic would not be behind us until 2024 and said a lower-dose version of its vaccine for 2- to 4-year-olds generated a weaker immune response than expected, potentially delaying authorization.

Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten said in a presentation to investors that the company expects some regions to continue to see pandemic levels of Covid-19 cases over the next year or two. Other countries will transition to "endemic" with low, manageable caseloads during that same time period.

By 2024, the disease should be endemic around the globe, the company projected.

"When and how exactly this happens will depend on evolution of the disease, how effectively society deploys vaccines and treatments, and equitable distribution to places where vaccination rates are low," Dolsten said. "The emergence of new variants could also impact how the pandemic continues to play out."

Also Read | Dont be complacent after vaccines, antibodies: Omicron survivor

Pfizer developed its Covid-19 vaccine with Germany's BioNTech SE , and currently expects it to generate revenue of $31 billion next year. It plans to make 4 billion shots next year.

The drugmaker also has an experimental antiviral pill called Paxlovid which reduced hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk individuals by nearly 90 per cent in a clinical trial https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/pfizer-says-Covid-19-pill-near-90-effective-final-analysis-2021-12-14. Three analysts estimate sales of $15 billion to $25 billion for it next year, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Pfizer's forecast came after the emergence of the Omicron variant last month, which has more than 50 mutations compared with the original version of the virus. That has reduced the effectiveness of two doses of the vaccine against infection, and spurred fear of rapid spread around the globe.

Prior to the Omicron variant, top US disease doctor Anthony Fauci forecast the pandemic would end in 2022 in the United States.

Paediatric vaccine

The Pfizer vaccine is authorized in the United States for people age 5 and older. But it said on Friday that its study in children between the ages of 2 and 4 who were given two 3-microgram doses of the vaccine found it did not create the same immune response that a larger dose of the vaccine had in older children.

The 3-microgram dose did generate a similar immune response in children aged 6 to 24 months, the company said.

The company said it will now test a three-dose course in both age groups, as well as in older children. It had previously expected data from 2- to 4-year-olds this year, but said it did not expect the delay would meaningfully change plans to file for emergency use authorization in the second quarter of 2022.

Pfizer and BioNTech have also been developing a version of their vaccine tailored to combat the quick-spreading Omicron variant, although they have not decided whether it will be needed. They expect to start a clinical trial for the updated vaccine in January, Pfizer executives said.

Also Read | Over 62 lakh Covid vaccine doses went to waste in India, half from 3 states

Variant-specific shots, if needed, could boost sales in 2022.

The highly-transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in over 77 countries and has spread to about one-third of US states.

The vaccine was around 95 per cent effective in the adult clinical trial, but Pfizer has said that immunity wanes some months after the second dose. Early data suggests that three doses of the shot may be necessary to protect against the Omicron variant.
Britain's top civil servant Simon Case has stepped down from leading an investigation into alleged parties in government offices in breach of Covid-19 lockdowns after an event was held in his own office.

"To ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence the Cabinet Secretary has recused himself for the remainder of the process," a spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office said.

"The work will be concluded by Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

"She will ascertain the facts and present her findings to the Prime Minister."

A video emerged earlier this month showing Johnson's staff laughing and joking about a Downing Street party during a 2020 Christmas lockdown when such festivities were banned, resulting in condemnation from political opponents and the public.

Johnson, who has said he had been assured Covid rules were not broken and that there had been no party, asked Case to investigate.

The Guido Fawkes website, however, said on Friday that two events were held in Case's private office last December. The BBC said invitations were sent out for one of the events titled "Christmas Party!".

A government spokesperson quoted by the BBC said office staff had taken part in a virtual quiz, with a small number joining from their desks.

Case played no part in the event, but had walked through the team's office on the way to his own office, the spokesperson added, according to the BBC.

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Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday said the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan is finally getting global attention and that he was hopeful of reaching a consensus to address the humanitarian crisis in the neighbouring country during the key OIC foreign ministers meeting.

The 17th extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) is scheduled to be held on Sunday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Qureshi, while addressing the media, said that the Afghanistan issue was finally getting global attention due to the looming humanitarian crisis and economic collapse, as repeatedly highlighted by Pakistan.

There seemed to be an evolving realisation about the urgency to tackle the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, he said.

Also read: Afghan crisis, regional connectivity to be focus of India-Central Asia dialogue on Sunday

I am confident that Pakistan, along with foreign ministers of other Muslim countries, will move a step forward in building that consensus, Qureshi said.

He said that around 11 NATO commanders, who had served in Afghanistan had pointed out the crisis in the country, as did the ambassadors, who served in Kabul.

It is their (commander and ambassadors) opinion that the Biden administration should review its policy to protect humanity and millions of Afghans in whom the US and the West have invested so much, for their capacity building, training and to shore up their economy," he said.

Qureshi also showed a copy of a letter by 37 American congressmen to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, saying "it is our responsibility, our moral obligation to avert a humanitarian crisis" in Afghanistan.

"I believe this new thought is the purpose of this extraordinary session of foreign ministers. It was our wish to bring the world's attention to Afghanistan and I can see the progress, he said.

Afghanistan's economy is facing a major crisis after the Taliban seized power in Kabul in mid-August amid a chaotic US and NATO troop withdrawal from the war-torn country.

Following hardline Islamists assuming power in Afghanistan, the international community froze billions of dollars' worth of assets abroad and stopped all funding to the country.

Talking about the meet, Qureshi said that around 437 delegates had registered themselves for the summit.

Urging for immediate steps to avert a crisis situation, he said that Afghanistan could face another crisis, and not just its neighbours but Europe can be affected because of the influx of economic migrants.

Qureshi said that apart from the main meeting, several meetings of the visiting leaders with Prime Minister Imran Khan were also scheduled.

He said a meeting of senior officials was being held today to discuss the agenda and working plan for the Council of Foreign Ministers' meeting.

Afghanistan's Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has arrived in Islamabad to take part in the meeting along with foreign ministers of Bosnia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Kazakhstan.

Special Representative of Germany for Afghanistan Ambassador Jasper Wieck and OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha have also arrived.

The key meeting was proposed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan offered to host it. Apart from the OIC, the UN, international financial institutions and non-OIC members, including P-5 countries, European Union and countries like Japan, and Germany have been invited.

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The situation in Afghanistan and boosting connectivity and development cooperation are set to be key focus areas of the third edition of India's dialogue with five Central Asian countries on Sunday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is hosting the dialogue being attended by his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Foreign Minister of Kyrgyz Republic Ruslan Kazakbaev, his Tajik counterpart Sirojiddin Muhriddin and Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi have already arrived in Delhi.

Muhriddin is visiting India to attend the India-Central Asia Dialogue as well as on a bilateral tour.

Also Read | Taliban seek world's mercy, compassion to help Afghans

In the last few years, India has been focusing on expanding overall cooperation with the energy-rich Central Asian countries, considering them to be part of its extended neighbourhood.

The recent developments in Afghanistan reinforced the importance of the Central Asian countries with three of them  Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan  sharing borders with the war-torn nation.

The national security advisors of all the five Central Asian countries attended an India-hosted regional dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10. It was also participated by NSAs of Russia and Iran.

The focus of the dialogue will be to enhance connectivity and development cooperation as well as the unfolding developments in Afghanistan, officials said.

"The ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries with particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday.

"They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest," he said at a media briefing.

The second meeting of the India-Central Asia dialogue was organised by India in October last year in digital video-conference format.

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A 47-year-old scientist in Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has landed in police net after he orchestrated a low-intensity explosion in a Delhi court to allegedly kill a lawyer who is his neighbour, police said on Saturday.

Bharat Bhushan Kataria, a senior scientist with the DRDO, was arrested on Friday in connection with the blast that took place in Room No 102 in Rohini Court Complex on December 9 that injured one person.



Kataria had allegedly planted the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in a tiffin box inside the courtroom as he wanted to kill his neighbour.

The scientist had entered the court at 9.33 am on December 9 with two bags and he allegedly left behind one of them inside the courtroom. He exited the court premises at 10.35 am.

Both the parties had lodged several cases against each other earlier. They are neighbours and live in the same building. Prima facie, it seems Kataria had a grudge against the lawyer, a senior police official said. Kataria has filed five cases against the lawyer, who in turn filed seven against the scientist.

Police said the lawyer lives on the ground floor while the accused lives on the third floor of the same building.

The arrests came after teams constituted to probe the case checked footage from numerous CCTV cameras inside and outside Rohini Court complex. Following this, a number of suspects were identified and questioned.

Investigators also looked into the background of people who were present inside the court and it was through this they managed to zero in on the scientist.

During the investigation, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana told reporters, police identified the cars that had entered on December 9 inside the court complex.

"Around 100 CCTV cameras were analysed and when suspicious movements were zeroed down. CCTVs of nearby locations were also used to corroborate the suspicious movements," Asthana said.

Details of around 1,000 cars that had entered the court premises were also checked.

Officials said the scientist allegedly used the anti-theft mechanism of two-wheelers to act as a remote for the explosive. The IED was not properly assembled due to which only the detonator exploded, police said.

Teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the National Security Guard (NSG), which had visited the site of the explosion, had discovered that the materials allegedly used by Kataria for making the IED were easily available in the market.

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The KMC poll on Sunday has set the stage for a battle between the ruling TMC, seeking to hold its ground amid rumblings within it over the dropping several sitting councillors and the opposition BJP, for which the challenge is to snatch the second position in the city civic body from the CPI(M)-led Left Front.

BJP also faces the task of keeping its flock together after facing an exodus following the drubbing in the assembly poll. For the saffron party, smarting after the defeat in the assembly election in which it emerged a distant second, the challenge will be to keep aside the internal differences and retain its ground among the urban electorate.

The internal differences within BJP have been out in the open for the past few months.

The civic poll, delayed due to the pandemic, will be an opportunity for the Trinamool Congress to effect a much-needed image makeover after the 2018 panchayat election considering that it is trying to expand nationally. The rural poll that year was marked by widespread violence and the makeover will depend on its ensuring a peaceful KMC election.

The TMC leadership has to this end issued a warning to its candidates against any violence and has threatened to expel those found involved in it or not allowing free and fair polls.

TMC had stormed back to power in West Bengal for the third consecutive term and swept all the 16 assembly segments in the city in the April-May assembly poll.

It has been in power in the city civic body since 2010 and is expected to dominate the KMC election this time too, riding the momentum of its massive victory in the state poll and the recent UNESCO 'Intangible Heritage' tag for Kolkata's Durga Puja.

The election in all the 144 wards of KMC will be held on December 19 and the counting of votes will take place on December 21.

Buoyed by its performance in the assembly election, the party has decided to go for an image makeover and has dropped 39 'non performing' sitting councillors. Some of them are fighting as independents or have become inactive in the poll campaign.

In the assembly poll, BJP's vote share in the KMC area was 29 per cent, while in the state it was 38 per cent. In the previous edition of the KMC poll, which was held in 2015, TMC had won 124 wards, the Left Front 13, BJP five and Congress two.

The ruling party, which has come out with a 10-point vision document for the civic polls, is hopeful of bagging more than 135 seats this time.

"The development that the TMC board (in the civic body) has brought about since 2010 and the state government since 2011 is enough to ensure our victory in the KMC poll. After our success in the assembly poll under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, the party's victory in the KMC polls is a foregone conclusion," former Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim, also a state minister, said.

Unlike in the 2015 KMC poll campaign when TMC had gone to battle projecting the then mayor Sovan Chatterjee as its mayoral candidate, the TMC has not announced the candidate this time. Although Hakim declined to comment on it, party sources said the TMC leadership this time decided against announcing any mayoral candidate as it did not want a "communal campaign to take shape".

"Had we projected Hakim as our candidate, then we would have seen BJP going to town over the Muslim mayor issue. We didn't want that to happen, so we decided not to project anyone," a senior TMC leader said.

Hakim, a trusted aide of party supremo Mamata Banerjee, had taken over as the mayor of Kolkata in December 2018 after Chatterjee resigned from the post and other ministerial positions due to personal reasons.

In the 145-year-old history of Kolkata Municipal Corporation nationalists like Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Bidhan Chandra Roy, also a former chief minister, had graced the mayor's chair in pre-Independent India.

Hakim was the first Muslim mayor of the city post-Independence. The civic body was created during the British era in 1876 by bringing in the Calcutta Municipal Consolidation Act, 1876.

The BJP, whose KMC election campaign lacked vigour, is hopeful that the party will come out with "astounding results" if free and fair election is held.

"We wanted that the KMC poll be held in the presence of central forces. But now as the polls will be held under the state police, we are apprehensive about how elections will be held. If it's free and fair, we are hopeful of coming out with astounding results," BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said.

Incidentally, both TMC and BJP have a common adversary  the independents. The independents are contestants who have been denied tickets by their respective parties and are contesting on their own both in north and south Kolkata.

The Congress and Left Front, which failed to open their account in the state assembly for the first time since Independence and have been pushed to the margins of West Bengal politics, this time decided to contest the polls separately.

Faced with an existential crisis, the CPI(M) has this time fielded young candidates from its Red Volunteers brigade  a group of Left activists in their twenties, who earned accolades for their humanitarian services during the lockdown. The Left Front is pinning its hopes on the young group to recover lost ground among the urban electorate in Sunday's city civic poll.

"The Red Volunteers have wide acceptance among the masses. The vote share that they managed to secure in the last assembly poll was far higher than our average vote share. So this time during the KMC poll it was a conscious decision to field more young candidates," a senior CPI(M) leader said.

He said CPI(M) aims to defeat both TMC and the BJP but at the same time conceded that retaining the number two position in the civic election would be its main challenge.

The Congress on the other hand is hopeful of good results. The BJP, Left Front and the Congress have focussed on alleged illegal constructions in the city, water logging and worsening law and order as the main planks in their manifestos for the KMC election.

The ruling Trinamool Congress on its part have promised to improve facilities, which it asserted were put in place during its tenure in the last two terms.

During her brief poll campaign, Banerjee had stressed on providing "better and corruption free" civic services. The TMC supremo also said that the UNESCO heritage tag for the city's Durga Puja was due to the efforts of the government and will be enough to sweep the polls.

According to political analyst Suman Bhattacharya the challenge before TMC is to ensure violence free elections, whereas for BJP it is a fight to prove its existence in south Bengal. "I will not be surprised if the Left secures a higher vote share or number of seats than the BJP in the KMC election," he said.

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India was not taken seriously when it spoke at international forums till a few years ago, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday.

Addressing an NCC event, he said had the Covid-19 pandemic not struck, India's economy would have grown to $5 trillion by 2024.

Singh, however, stressed that India will probably take a year more to reach the target of a $5 trillion economy.

Also Read | Rajnath Singh holds talks with visiting French Defence Minister Parly

"India's power has increased today. Its international reputation and trustworthiness have increased, whether it is in the IT sector, education sector, trade, defence or economy. India is growing in all of these sectors," Singh said.

"We are moving ahead in economy. India is the third-largest country in terms of purchasing power parity," he said, adding, "We will also achieve a 100 per cent literacy rate in the next few years."

While observing that India "used to import everything, even small arms, from abroad" earlier, the defence minister said the country is among the top 25 defence exporters of the world.

Singh said, "Till just a few years ago, the situation was such that no one used to take India seriously when the country spoke at international forums."

Also Read | Some forces out to spoil India-Nepal ties: Rajnath Singh

India is the only country that has given a message of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', the whole world is one family, he said.

"India's culture is the best. You will say that every country must be saying the same. But I can give you 20-25 examples to prove that India's culture is the best culture," Singh noted.

The minister congratulated the NCC cadets for their lively dance performance during the 'Vijay Shrinkhala' event commemorating the 50th anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war and India's 75th year of Independence.

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India's Omicron Covid count rose to 126 on Saturday after Karnataka and Kerala reported six and four cases respectively, while three more persons in Maharashtra also tested positive for the variant.

According to central and state officials, omicron cases have been detected in 11 states and union territories -- Maharashtra (43), Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17) and Karnataka (14), Telangana (8), Gujarat (7), Kerala (11), Andhra Pradesh (1), Chandigarh (1), Tamil Nadu (1) and West Bengal (1).

Of the six new cases in Karnataka, one is a passenger from the UK, while five others are from Covid -19 clusters in two educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada district, and their travel history or contact with the international travellers are being ascertained, officials said.

Read more: Pfizer vaccine for 2-4 year-olds fails to produce expected immunity

"Two cluster outbreaks of Covid have been reported from two educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada today: Cluster 1: 14 cases (of which 4 are Omicron). Cluster 2: 19 cases (1 is Omicron). A traveller from UK has also tested positive for Omicron," Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said in a tweet.

Two cluster outbreaks of COVID have been reported from two educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada today: Cluster 1: 14 cases (of which 4 are Omicron) Cluster 2: 19 cases (1 is Omicron) A traveller from UK has also tested positive for #Omicron@BSBommai#Omicronindia  Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) December 18, 2021

In Kerala, two cases of the new variant of the coronavirus were detected from Thiruvananthapuram in patients aged 17 and 44. One case was detected in Malappuram in a person aged 37 and another was a 49-year-old patient from Thrissur district. "The 17-year-old patient in Thiruvananthapuram came from the UK while the 44-year-old reached the state from Tunisia in a chartered flight. The patient in Malappuram came from Tanzania while the Thrissur native came from Kenya," Health Minister Veena George said in a release.

A couple and their 13-year-old daughter have tested positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus after returning to Satara in western Maharashtra from Uganda, officials said. Their other daughter, who is five years old, tested positive for Covid-19 but not for the variant. All four returned to Phaltan in Satara district from the African country on December 9, state health department officials said. "The husband (35), wife (33) and their elder daughter (13) tested positive for Covid-19 while the report of the younger child was inconclusive, so the samples of all four were sent to the National Institute of Virology for genome sequencing," said Civil Surgeon Dr Subhash Chavan.

The Centre has warned it is likely that the spread of the new variant will outpace the Delta variant where there is community transmission.

It has advised people to avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings and keep New Year celebrations at low intensity.

While the country's first two cases of the Omicron variant were detected in Karnataka on December 2, this heavily mutated version of the coronavirus was first reported in South Africa on November 24.

The national capital on Saturday recorded 86 fresh Covid-19 cases in a day, the highest in over five months.

On July 8, Delhi had reported 93 coronavirus cases.

Read more: Inside South African virology labs: Hunting for the next Covid-19 variant

The rise in cases is being recorded amid the Omicron scare in Delhi as the total number of patients infected with the latest variant of coronavirus jumped by 12 on Friday to reach 22.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday assured the people that his government is ready to tackle the Omicron variant of Covid and advised people not to panic.

Other states too said they were making preparations to deal with a possible rise in Omicron cases.

Odisha has arranged for an adequate number of hospital beds, medical oxygen and medicines to deal with any emergency, state Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra said. "No one can rule out the possibility of the third wave of Covid-19 with increasing Omicron cases. We are well prepared to tackle the situation," the official said.

Odisha has not recorded any case of the new coronavirus variant so far but neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal reported such infections.

The World Health Organization on Saturday stressed on urgent scale-up of public health and social measures to curtail the further spread of the Omicron variant.

Countries can and must prevent the spread of Omicron with proven health and social measures, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, Poonam Khetrapal Singh said.

"Our focus must continue to be to protect the least protected and those at high risk, she said in a statement.

The overall threat posed by Omicron largely depends on three key questions - its transmissibility; how well the vaccines and prior SARS-CoV-2 infection protect against it, and how virulent the variant is as compared to other variants.

"From what we know so far, Omicron appears to spread faster than the Delta variant which has been attributed to the surge in cases across the world in the last several months," Singh said.

Emerging data from South Africa suggests an increased risk of re-infection with Omicron, she said, adding that there is still limited data on the clinical severity associated with Omicron.

Further information is needed to fully understand the clinical picture of those infected with Omicron, she said.

Health care capacity including ICU beds, oxygen availability, adequate health care staff and surge capacity need to be reviewed and strengthened at all levels, she stressed.

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Explainer | Why was Djokovic not let into Australia?...
Amid a controversy over a government communication reportedly calling the Chief Election Commissioner to a meeting, the law ministry on Saturday said that the letter was meant for a secretary of the poll panel or a representative of the CEC, and the subsequent virtual interaction with the CEC and two ECs was to iron out differences over electoral reforms.

In a statement, the law ministry said that the Prime Minister's Office had written to the cabinet secretary, the law secretary and the legislative secretary for a meeting on November 16 on common electoral rolls.

"It was not addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner. Since the Election Commission of India has the necessary expertise and mandate regarding electoral roll and in the light of the previous letters of the Chief Election Commissioner addressed to the Law Minister, Secretary, Legislative Department thought it appropriate to invite officials of the Election Commission to this meeting," the statement read.

Also Read | Congress slams Modi govt for summoning EC chief to PMO

The letter by the legislative department was addressed to Secretary and the final operative paragraph of the letter also requested the Secretary, the Election Commission of India to attend the meeting, it said.

"After receipt of the letter by the ECI, the Chief Election Commissioner spoke to Secretary, Legislative Department expressing his displeasure over the expression in the middle part of the letter which gave an impression that it was expected of the CEC to attend the meeting. Secretary, Legislative Department clarified that the letter was for Secretary or a representative of the CEC familiar with the subject to attend the meeting," the statement said.

The November 16 meeting was to finalise the cabinet note on some of the reforms and it was held virtually, the ministry said.

Also Read | PMO holds interaction with CEC Sushil Chandra, ECs on electoral reforms; sources say no impropriety

"The subsequent interaction with the Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners was an informal one and meant for ironing out two or three aspects for the final proposal," the statement said.

The opposition has hit out at the government, claiming that by "summoning" CEC to the PMO, the government has undermined the autonomy of the poll panel.

The Congress is likely to move a notice Monday for adjournment of proceedings in Lok Sabha over the issue.
The abandoned Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Keach belies the government's claims of development in Kashmir, particularly in the health sector, post the nullification of Article 370.

It is one of the three large abandoned health facilities in remote areas of Budgam district in central Kashmir. On account of public demand, construction began on PHCs in Keach, Gurwait and Zanigam villages of the Khansahib area in 2006-2007. Crores were spent on these PHCs that aimed at providing health facilities to dozens of villages. On completion of construction, residents were desperately waiting for the inauguration. However, years have passed, and their endless wait continues as the health department has disowned two of three PHCs.

Creation and desertion all in a day's work

The locals are now up in arms against the health department for failing to make the hospitals functional. Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Keach, said that an enormous amount was spent on the structure but without providing any relief to thousands of households. "Keach PHC has over two dozen rooms, including a labour room, operation theatre, and other facilities. However, they have not been utilised to date due to the apathy of the government," he rued. Ahmad said that an ambulance was sanctioned to the PHC but was later taken to the Khansahib sub-district hospital.

During the first and second Covid waves, the villagers faced tremendous distress. "Despite having a spacious building meant for the welfare of locals, we had to visit other areas for treatment," Ahmad told 101Reporters. "Had the PHC been functional, it would have provided relief to people during Covid," he added.

The story of the abandoned Zanigam PHC is similar. Every facility was built at the hospital, but the gates remain closed, said Fayaz Ahmad, a resident of Zanigam, adding that the government had let the PHC deteriorate.

When a PHC was sanctioned to Gurwait nearly 15 years ago, it brought a sense of relief. About 20 km from Budgam district headquarters, this village receives several feet of snowfall every year, bringing life to a virtual halt in winters. The PHC was to provide healthcare at their doorstep. However, like Keach and Zanigam, the Gurwait PHC remains padlocked.

Ghulam Mohammad Najar, a Gurwait resident, said that the locals face immense difficulties accessing healthcare. "During winters, our area receives over 5 feet of snowfall. We have to transport patients on charpais as the road remains blocked. At times, when patients are not taken to the hospital quickly enough, they die," he told 101Reporters.

Elections over healthcare

Surprisingly, the gates of Keach and Gurwait PHCs were never opened for patients but instead made available to paramilitary forces for poll duty. The abandoned hospital structures have only served the purpose of the government during elections in the valley. When polls are near, the troops come and occupy the buildings, allegedly causing damage to the structures.

Locals said that soldiers had damaged geysers, electricity fittings, bulbs and other equipment in the buildings. Earlier in 2019, the landowner of the Gurwait PHC had lodged a complaint against the troops in the local police station for damaging the structure.

Reyaz Ahmad Lone, a local Sarpanch said that the villagers were poor, could not afford personal vehicles, and relied on public transport. "Most people belong to the poorest sections of society in Gurwait, and they cannot even afford the fare to visit other hospitals," he said.

Blaming both the health department and local politicians for the misery of people, Firdous Nabi, a local Congress leader, said, "The former MLAs, MLCs and the health department have neglected the people in remote places." Nabi added that he had raised the issue of the abandoned PHCs with every person concerned from the Block Medical Officer (BMO) to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to the Director of Health Services, Kashmir, and the Lieutenant Governor's administration but all in vain.

Authorised in a vacuum

When contacted, the officials concerned said that two among three non-functional PHCs had no government approval. Arshid Hussain, BMO, Khansahib, said that the Keach and Zanigam hospitals were constructed without any authorisation, and therefore cannot be utilised. Tajamul Hussain Khan, CMO, Budgam, also seconded his subordinate. The officers stated that former Khansahib MLA and minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen had constructed the PHCs without any approval from the health department.

Former MLA Yaseen vehemently denied the health officials' version and said that the money for PHCs came through proper channels. "How is it possible to construct PHCs without approval? If the PHCs were not sanctioned, who released the Rs 6 crores for their construction?" he reasoned. Yaseen also pointed out that the health centres' foundation stone was laid in the presence of concerned officials, including the then Director Health Services, Kashmir, CMO Budgam and BMO Khansahib. The former MLA demanded action against those officials who have put the government assets at risk and consequently increased the suffering of common people.

When confronted with the former MLA's claims, the BMO countered with a non-committal statement, "We do not know where the money for the construction of PHCs came from as it happened a long time back."

About Gurwait PHC, both the officers said that there was a land dispute between the health department and the landowner whose land was acquired to construct the PHC.

The landowner, Mohamad Afzal, said that the health department had promised employment and compensation for providing three kanals of land to the PHC in 2007. "I don't have any land left. I had only three kanals, which were given to the government after the assurance of employment and compensation. The government betrayed me," he declared. Afzal, a father of six, said that his family had been cultivating paddy on the land, but after the PHC's construction and the subsequent abandonment by the government, they have been left empty-handed. Following this, Afzal approached the courts in 2017. Since then, the issue has been sub judice. "It has been over 15 years since my land was taken away after false assurances. The department has made our lives terrible. Why would we give our fertile land to the government without any reason?" he asked.

(The author is a Budgam-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters)

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Income Tax sleuths on Saturday raided the offices and residences of several close aides of Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav in different parts of Uttar Pradesh even as the former CM termed the raids as reflective of BJP's 'fear' of losing the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

Those raided included senior SP leader and party spokesman Rajiv Rai, Akhilesh's personal secretary Jainendra Yadav and another SP leader Manoj Yadav.

According to sources, an I-T team from Varanasi raided the residence of Rai  who runs several educational institutions in Karnataka  at Mau, about 350 kilometres from here, in the early hours. Rai is considered to be close to Akhilesh.

Also Read | Akhilesh compares equates Lakhimpur violence with Jallianwala Bagh, says BJP will be swept away in polls

Raids were also conducted at the residence and offices of Jainendra Yadav and Manoj Yadav in Mainpuri, Agra and Lucknow, sources said. A few other aides of Akhilesh were also raided by the I-T sleuths.

Akhilesh, who was on a visit to Raebareli, said that the raids show that the BJP feared defeat in the Assembly polls.

"It is the Income Tax now... ED and CBI will follow next... why was the raid not conducted earlier?... why so close to the polls.....now the IT department has also taken a plunge into the state assembly elections...BJP will be wiped out in the polls," he told reporters.

"The raids will increase with the increase in BJP's fear of losing the polls.....all the 22 crore residents of UP are against the BJP...will the IT raid all these 22 crore people," he asked.

The SP president said that the BJP government had used the central agencies against its opponents in the recently concluded assembly polls in West Bengal as well, but the BJP had to bite the dust there.

Rajiv Rai also termed the raids as an act of "political vendetta".

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The Gurugram namaz row showed no signs of stopping, with Hindutva and right-wing groups demanding that Muslims offering prayers at a public ground in the Udyog Vihar neighbourhood chant 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' if they want to 'stay in Bharat'.

According to a report by NDTV, videos of the incident said to have taken place earlier this week showed the two groups  the Muslims and members of right-wing groups  shouting at one another.

"We will force you... You will have to say it... you will have to say it... you will have to say it," a man in a maroon shirt screamed. "Why can't you say it... Do you live in Pakistan?" one of the right-wing group's members was quoted as saying.

Also Read | Two Congress MLAs object to Khattar's statement over 'namaz'

One of the Muslim men at the ground pleaded to the protesting individuals to let them pray in peace, but to no avail. Other men who had come to offer namaz, responded with their own chants of "Mahatma Gandhi ki... jai, Mahatma Gandhi ki... jai, Mahatma Gandhi ki... jai."

Members of some Hindu outfits have been gathering at sites where the Muslim community offers 'namaz' in open space and raising "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Jai Shri Ram" slogans.

A row erupted in November when BJP leader Kapil Mishra attended Govardhan puja held at a site in Gurgaon's Sector 12A, where Muslims used to offer 'namaz' every week. The puja was organised by Samyukt Hindu Sangharsh Samiti. Following which, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that he would not tolerate such practices.

Three years ago, the district administration had designated 37 sites in Gurugram city for Muslims to offer Friday namaz after which there were protests by some Hindu groups. A few months ago, one group started protests against the prayers offered in the open after which there have been protests on Fridays for the past several weeks.

(With PTI inputs)

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PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday called on the youth to join the struggle for restoration of their rights "snatched" by the Centre and said non-violence, not "stones or guns", was the way ahead.

The former chief minister also said the BJP-led government had intelligence inputs about the civilian killings by terrorists, but it deliberately refrained from cracking the whip.

You have to understand the situation and become our voiceif you do not show courage today, the coming generations will raise a question as our land, jobs and even minor minerals are going to outsiders. It is imperative for us to stand up and struggle for our rights..., Mehbooba said at the youth convention in the border district of Rajouri.

Insisting on a peaceful struggle for the cause, Mehbooba said, God forbid, I will never ask you to pick up stones or guns. I know they have a bullet ready against those treading this path. You have to raise your voice and join us in a democratic struggle for our snatched rights.

Also Read | BJP cant defend abrogation of Article 370 in Supreme Court, says Omar Abdullah

Referring to the recent killings of civilians, including those belonging to minority communities, in the valley by terrorists, she said the government had prior intelligence inputs about the attacks but did nothing.

Those who were killed were our own people, but 900 Kashmiri youth were arrested. Another 1,000 youth were picked up when the home minister visited Jammu and Kashmir (last month). Our jails are packed and hence, those arrested are now being shifted to the Agra jail, she said.

Mehbooba said the government is coining words such as like white collared militants, OGW (over ground workers) and hybrid militants to justify the arrests and killings.

She asked the youth why the Kashmir issue, with "thousands of sacrifices over 30 years", cannot be resolved peacefully when the farmers peacefully protesting against the three farm laws could convince the government to repeal them.

Also Read | National Conference confirms participation in J&K Delimitation Commission meet

Mehbooba said she had full faith in the words of her father, who was proud over the granting of a separate flag, constitution and land rights by India to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Accusing the BJP of being anti-Muslim, she told the youth, For them, we are the sons of (Mughal emperors) Babur and Aurangzeb, termites and cancer....you have to be our voice as they will continue their attempts to divide people to give legitimacy to its illegitimate decision of August 5, 2019.

Such a decision was the only prerogative of the constituent assembly. Only it could have taken a decision on Article 370. So, the decision taken on August 5, 2019, was illegitimate and unconstitutional, Mehbooba said.

She said the people of Jammu are now realising the fallout of the decision as their land and jobs are going to outsiders, while the land in Kashmir is being provided to make concrete homes to security forces.

Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim majority state, though the people of all faiths lived in complete harmony with each other. They are making attempts to change its demography through the August 5, 2019, decision, Mehbooba said.

The PDF chief said she had not come to seek votes but wanted to caution the people about attempts to divide them on the basis of religion and caste.

They are creating new parties every day to divide the people and want to win the next Assembly elections to validate its wrong decision (abrogation of Article 370) through the assembly, she said.

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The court of justice Gita Gopi disposed of the petition while noting in her order passed on December 6 that petition stands disposed of as withdrawn.

In December 2004, two unidentified gunmen had opened fire at Popular Builders' office in Navrangpura in Ahmedabad. The receptionist, the lone eye witness, filed an FIR with Navrangpura police station, investigation of which was later transferred to the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB). One of the key suspects in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case, Vanzara, was posted with DCB as Deputy Commissioner of Police. Later, the case was transferred to Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), where also Vanzara supervised its investigation after his transfer there.

It was alleged that the firing was executed by Tulsiram Prajapati and Daniel Sylvester Desai, members of Rajasthan-based Sohrabuddin gang, to warn Patels to resolve a "monetary dispute". Later, the police booked Patels for destroying evidence in this case.

After CBI took over Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, the version changed and in 2010, CBI claimed that the firing was orchestrated by accused policemen to book Sheikh in a criminal case in Gujarat to justify encounter and extort money from Patel brothers. All the accused in the firing case became witnesses in the Sohrabuddin encounter case. Patels also conducted a "sting" on several persons including an IPS officer and gave testimonies to CBI alleging that the police officers were trying to extort money.

Over the years, suspects such as Shah, now the union home minister, ex IPS Vanzara, IPS officers Abhay Chudasama, Rajkumar Pandian, Rajasthan cadre IPS officer Dinesh MN, among others, were discharged by the special CBI court in Mumbai while several low rank accused policemen were acquitted. The CBI didn't challenge any of the orders. Appeals against orders of acquittal are pending in Mumbai high court filed by Sohrabuddin's brother Rubabuddin.

Barely a year after registration of FIR with Navrangpura police station, a team of Gujarat policemen killed Sohrabuddin in an encounter alleging that he was member of Lashkar-e-Taiba. A year later, his close aide Prajapati was also killed in the encounter. The whereabouts of Sheikh's wife Kauser Bi has remained a mistry. However, CID (Crime), which investigated the case initially, and CBI claimed that she was allegedly killed and cremated at Illol village in Himatnagar district.

CBI investigation alleged that Sheikh, Kauser and Prajapati had been picked up by accused Gujarat policemen from a passenger bus in Sangli, Maharashtra, while they killed Sheikh and his wife, Prajapati was let go only to be killed a year later.

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The Congress party on Saturday staged a massive protest against the proposed scheme of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for a K-Rail in the capital city.

This came before CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that this was a project in their election manifesto and it will become a reality.

If completed, the flagship railway project will set up a 529.45 km corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod and the distance will be covered within four hours. The estimated cost is in excess of Rs 64,000 crores.

Before protesting against the project in Thiruvananthapuram, State Congress president K. Sudhakaran said this project will not benefit the state and it is only meant for the CPI-M to pocket commission.

Also Read | Kerala parties divided over high-speed rail project

"Another section who will benefit are the family members of the CPI-M leadership. By now itself several posts have been created and the wife of CPI-M Rajya Sabha member John Britas, who is only a very junior staff in Indian Railways is the general manager of K-Rail.

"We don't need to learn the nuances of what's development from Vijayan, who while at the helm of affairs of CPI-M for several years, opposed every developmental infrastructure project like Vizhinjam Port, Kochi Smart City and Airports and every project which are our projects. Can Vijayan name one project which he has started. Vijayan should explain to the people who will benefit from the K-rail project," Sudhakaran said adding that it is strange that while the CPI-M opposes similar projects across India, they are adamant in Kerala to go ahead with it.

Sudhakaran added that he will speak to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor who did not join the party MPs in opposing this project.

Meanwhile, Balakrishnan who is in Delhi to attend the politburo meeting of the CPI-M, said they have already committed to the people in their election manifesto.

"So we are going forward with it and we welcome the decision of Shashi Tharoor as he is speaking the language of the people. There is no difference of opinion in the Left over this proposal, which even CPI secretary Kanam Rajendran has said."

Metroman E. Sreedharan has described this project as one which is ill-conceived, badly planned and poorly handled.

The BJP has also strongly opposed this project.

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Senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam seems to be on a revolt-mode with the veteran openly targeting states Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab, who is a close aide of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Kadam (58) is a veteran leader from Ratnagiri district of the Konkan, the belt which forms the citadel of the saffron party.

Kadam is a four-time MLA and two-term MLC and has been the states Environment Minister and Leader of Opposition.

It is noteworthy to mention here that Parab was among the core team members which played a crucial role in the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.

Because of his fallout with Parab, Kadam was not re-nominated to the Upper House.

Kadam was dropped after his purported audio clips of conversations between him and one of his associates went viral - heard expressing happiness after action was taken by various authorities over the alleged illegal construction on land owned by Parab in Ratnagiri and Mumbai. There were also allegations that he was in touch with BJPs Kirit Somaiya, who was targeting MVA leaders.

Addressing a news conference, Kadam accused Parab of trying to finish off Shiv Sena in the Ratnagiri district. Is Anil Parab bigger than Shiv Sena chief? he asked.

Kadam also expressed unhappiness over Shiv Sena leaders - Industry Minister Subhash Desai and Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Sawant. There are attempts to finish me politically, he said.

Asked whether he would leave Shiv Sena, he said that he was a true Shiv Sainik and would work under the saffron flag. When asked whether it means that he would join BJP, he said: Dont misinterpret me.the bhagwa-jhanda of the Shiv Sena is the true bhagwa-jhanda.

Kadam said that in the last two years he had neither visited Mantralaya, the state secretariat, nor Matoshree, the bungalow of the Thackerays. I met Uddhav ji in the Vidhan Bhavan only once briefly in the last two years, he said.

Kadam has written a detailed letter to Thackeray. If I am called by the Shiv Sena chief, I will explain my position, he said.

If I am expelled, I will decide what to do, he said, however, added that in a months time he would meet the media again.

No comments, says Anil Parab

Parliamentary Affairs and Transport Minister refused to comment on the allegations made by senior Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam. "No comments...I don't want to speak on it," he said. When repeatedly asked, he said: "There is no question of myself speaking. I am a loyal Shiv Sainik...whatever stands had to be taken, it would be by the party."

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Hundreds of women working in a private mobile manufacturing unit near Sriperumbudur sat on a dharna on the busy Chennai-Bengaluru highway for over eight hours demanding to know the health status of their colleagues admitted to a hospital after suspected food poisoning, severely affecting the traffic.

The women blocked the traffic on the highway at midnight on Saturday causing severe inconvenience to those travelling towards Kanchipuram, Vellore, Tirupattur, Hosur, and Bengaluru for hours together. As the protesters showed no signs of relenting, the traffic was diverted via Sunguvarchatiram on Saturday morning after traffic came to a halt on one side of the highway for over six hours.

The blockade was a nightmare for thousands of people who hit the road to go to their native places over the weekend. The Chennai-Bengaluru NH is one of the busiest roads as it connects the capital cities of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The women workers of the mobile manufacturing unit allege that hundreds of them took ill after they consumed food at the hostel facility being provided by the company on Wednesday. Several were admitted to various hospitals in the districts, the women said, and alleged that eight of them did not return.

Demanding the health status of the eight persons and better conditions and food in the hostel, the women workers took to the streets by sitting on a dharna on the highway. The women did not budge from their stand for hours together prompting Kanchipuram district collector Dr M Aarthi to visit the protest site and hold talks with them.

Scotching rumours that two of the workers, who did not return to the hostel, have passed away, the district collector made video calls to them from the protest site and spoke to them in front of their colleagues. The workers complained of the poor quality of food being provided by the hostel management and demanded the district administrations intervention.

After talks with the protesting women, Aarthi told reporters that the administration will conduct an audit to check the living conditions in hostels in the Kanchipuram district.

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Mumbai civic chief IS Chahal on Saturday said ward-level squads will be formed to take action against Covid-19 protocol violators.

Amid the scare from the new Omicron variant of coronavirus and the Christmas-New Year festival season around the corner, he said people in the metropolis must avoid crowding in hotels, restaurants, cinemas, malls and asserted that attendance caps in place for marriages and other functions will have to be adhered to strictly.

While the attendance limit is 50 per cent of capacity for confined/closed spaces, it is 25 per cent of capacity in open places. Any gathering of over 1,000 people will require the prior permission of the Local Disaster Management Authority, the civic chief said.

Also Read | Couple, daughter test Omicron positive in Maharashtra upon return from Uganda

"Use a mask properly, get fully vaccinated. A new variant of the Covid-19 virus called Omicron is spreading rapidly around the world, putting a strain on the health system. Despite repeated appeals by the government and administration to prevent a probable third wave, it has been observed that guidelines are not being followed properly in most places, especially in wedding functions and other ceremonies," Chahal said.

"Those violating Covid-19 rules will be dealt with severely by civic ward level teams as well as the police," the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation chief said, adding that the outbreak situation in the metropolis was under control at present due to the cooperation of citizens as well as the excellent management and speed of the vaccination drive.

The spread of Omicron had once again forced several nations to impose lockdown and other prohibitory measures, and the Union and state governments were continuously asking people to be vigilant to prevent a similar situation in India, he said.

Also Read | Karnataka reports 6 more Omicron cases; 2 new Covid clusters in Dakshina Kannada

In a veiled reference to Bollywood parties amid reports that some actors had contracted the virus, Chahal said celebrities and eminent personalities who have an influence on society, must act accordingly and be aware of issues.

The BMC chief said guidelines issued by the Maharashtra government on November 27 as well as Mumbai police notifications warning of action against violators under the IPC and Epidemic Diseases Act must be followed strictly by people.

"In the near future, the risk of Covid-19 virus spread may increase if ceremonies and functions are held on the occasion of Christmas and New Year. There is a need to curb the growing crowd at weddings and other ceremonies. Moreover, hotels, restaurants and other public establishments have also been found to be flouting Covid-19 norms," he said and asked all stakeholders to adhere to guidelines strictly.

Chahal asked citizens to get both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine as quickly as possible, warning that action will be taken if staff functioning at public places or establishments as well as attendees at events, ceremonies are found to be not fully vaccinated as it is mandatory

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By Sung-Yoon Lee for The Conversation,

By the grim metric of fatalities in the first 10 years of a dictators rule, Kim Jong Un has yet to match the records set by his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, or father, Kim Jong Il  the two tyrants who reigned by terror in North Korea before him.

For now, the number of people Kim Jong Un has personally ordered killed  such as his uncle in 2013 and half-brother in 2017  is likely to number in the hundreds.

But his decade in power, which began after his fathers death on Dec. 17, 2011, has proved a disaster for people living in the communist nation.

The isolationist state has become even more so, as the northern border to China closed during the coronavirus pandemic  cutting off an escape route for those desperate to flee. Meanwhile, food insecurity means that an entire generation of children are undernourished, as the United Nations has reported.

Also Read | Fortress Pyongyang: Kim Jong Un seeks to push back outside influences

Concrete numbers of how many have died from starvation and malnourishment-related conditions such as diarrhoea and pneumonia under Kim are difficult to come by.

But as a scholar of Korean history, I believe the young dictator  who turns 38 next January  has the capacity to surpass even the ghastly death tolls of his two familial predecessors.

Three generations of misery

Kim Jong Uns first decade in power has seen a continuation of the deadly repression and failed policies that have kept North Koreans living in fear and under the threat of starvation for the last 70 years.

The Korean War that the current leaders grandfather started in 1950, just two years after founding North Korea, claimed upwards of 4 million lives  most were North Korean civilians killed by the United Nations coalition that came to defend South Korea.

Once his campaign to take South Korea by force was thwarted by the 1953 armistice, Kim Il Sung turned to purging pro-Soviet and pro-Chinese party officials who had dared to criticize him. The North Korean leader went on a killing spree in which thousands of party officials were killed or expelled from the Workers Party of Korea.

His son, Kim Jong Il, inherited power in July 1994 and oversaw a devastating famine in which upwards of 2 million people starved to death.

Also Read | N Korea after 10 years of Kim Jong Un: Better armed but more isolated than ever

But instead of buying food, Kim Jong Il sought aid, most of which he diverted to North Koreas military. At the height of the famine in 1997, the US State Department estimated North Koreas military budget as $6 billion. During those dark times, Kim spent over a billion dollars a year on his missile programs alone and over $600 million on luxury goods imports.

He also managed to eke out enough money to build an estimated $800 million mausoleum for his dead father  one in which he himself was entombed in December 2011 after succumbing to a suspected heart attack.

Had he spent just $200 million of his wealth each year on grain and distributed it fairly, no one would have died. Instead, as the 2014 U.N. Commission of Inquiry Report on Human Rights in North Korea alleges, Kim Jong Il committed the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation.

The same claim could be made against Kim Jong Un during his decade in power. Faminelike conditions have been observed in the mid-2010s and have resurfaced during the pandemic.

Even before Kim sealed the border with China in January 2020, North Korea recorded food shortages of around 1.36 million metric tons in 2018 and 2019. His solution has been to rely on aid and, in October, telling his people to eat less until 2025.

Meanwhile, during his 10 years in power, Kim has diverted around a quarter of North Koreas GDP toward the military.

And under Kim Jong Un it has only become harder for North Koreans to escape chronic hunger. During the famine in the 1990s, many North Korean people were able to escape to China in search of food, despite attempts by Kim Jong Il to block them.

In the first year of Kim Jong Uns rule, the number of escapees who made their way to South Korea dropped in half from the previous year to approximately 1,500.

And in the past nearly two years of lockdown under Kim, border-crossing has become far more difficult. In 2021, the number is expected to be well below 100.

A deadly legacy

When Kim came to power in December 2011, I predicted his rule would be marked neither by reform nor power-sharing but extreme internal repression and strategic threats against neighbours.

Sadly, these projections have been proved right. The past decade has seen a continuation of the atrocious human rights record of Kims predecessors and a great leap forward on the despotic dynastys missile programmes.

North Korea has fired off over 130 missiles over the last 10 years, punctuated by three intercontinental ballistic missile blasts in 2017. Of the four nuclear tests, the last in 2017, was a thermonuclear bomb.

These lethal weapons are custom made for threatening the US with a nuclear war while Kim dangles the possibility of peace, thus compelling Washington to withdraw US troops and strategic weapons from South Korea  as Kims sister, Kim Yo Jong, called for in August.

Kim Jong Uns apparent goal is to render Washingtons longtime non-nuclear ally, Seoul, vulnerable to his nuclear-armed state bent on completing its supreme national task of completing the great Juche Revolution  the absorption of the south and unifying the Korean peninsula on North Korean terms.

A nuclear war, even if limited, could cause civilian deaths in the millions  a horrendous feat already achieved under the leadership of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

What is different under Kim Jong Un is that he has built the capacity to inflict much more carnage on the outside world, including the US.

(The author is a professor in Korean Studies, Tufts University)

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The initial few minutes inside 356J gives us the vibes of a school excursion. Historian and conservationist P L Udaya Kumar is also thinking of his school days.

In the 80s, I had to travel from Rajajinagar to Pallavi theatre (now demolished) to go to school. It was a short and straight route, yet I had to change two or three buses to reach St Josephs Indian High School. Buses were usually packed, and children were pushed around. We were often on the footboard, praying that we reach school safely, he recollects.

The BMTC bus, on its way to Electronics City from Yelahanka New Town (5th Phase), isnt crowded. Passenger numbers have come down since the pandemic broke out in March 2020.

This used to be a packed route, says conductor Jayaram, as he gives us each a Rs 30 ticket to the last stop. Many patients go to Nimhans and St Johns Hospital. We also had regular commuters going to a garment factory in Electronics City, says the 47-year-old.

The encyclopedic Udaya begins his trivia game right from our boarding point.

About 1,000 years ago, Yelahanka Nadu was an administrative division that belonged to the Vijayanagar Empire. It was the capital, and Bengaluru was just a part of it, he says.

A corporate employee for over three decades, Udaya got involved in a heritage conservation project three years ago. Bengaluru has inscriptions that date back a thousand years. Sadly the stones are disappearing, says Udaya, now working on a project with Mythic Society, which is a 105-year-old building on Nrupathunga Road, and works in the areas of history, archaeology, linguistics, folklore and associated subjected areas in the indic region.

We go past Rail Wheel Factory (formerly known as Wheel and Axle Plant), and Mother Dairy, two of the important landmarks in Yelahanka. Many workers of the plant came on cycles. Milk tankers would go to different areas from Mother Dairy. Earlier, milk was delivered in bottles. Then there were vending machines, and now we get sachets.

We take the flyover and on our left is the Jakkur flying school. Bangalore has a rich flying culture. People with flying licences come here to fly their two-seaters and gliders. Once it was Capt Gopinaths Deccan Aviation hub, he says.

The conversation moves on to architecture and education when we spot the sprawling campus of GKVK, University of Agricultural Sciences, on Bellary Road.

Two varieties of mango  Arka Anmol and Arka Puneeth  are grown on the campus.

In the 70s, when India was out to achieve a green revolution, many agricultural scientists from America came and worked here. To make them feel at home, their living quarters were built in the American style, he says, pointing to the quarters on our left. You get a glimpse of a Californian suburb when you peer out.

As we cross Ballari Road, he talks about Shivaji Military Hotel in Byatarayanapura, not far from the bus stand. It is famous for its biryani and has branches across Bengaluru. Many later eateries are modelled on the 91-year-old restaurant, he says.

We are on the Hebbal flyover, and the traffic is a crawl. You cant miss Hebbal Lake, although the landscape is now dotted with huge buildings. This was just a long highway stretch leading out of Bengaluru and towards Hyderabad before the new airport came up in Devanahalli in 2008.

This lake is at least 1,300 years old. It helped people grow rice and wheat. Not many know that during the year-end, birds from Europe and north Asian regions come to the lake to escape the harsh winter there, Udaya explains.

Among the buildings at the agricultural institute, one houses a store selling bakery items. All the products are made by students doing a bakery course on the campus and there was a popular shop selling their products, he says.

The HeadQuarters Training Command of the Indian Air Force, which you see on your right, was a firing range in pre-World War times. Manoranjan, the cinema hall next to the headquarters, has disappeared. A sign of Covid-19 forcing the extinction of single screens, we understand. It is sad that they brought it down. I have seen the best English movies here in my youth. A ticket was just 25 paise, recalls Udaya.

The bus travels past Palace Grounds, sprawling across 450 acres. Caught in litigation, it remains free of concrete structures, a lung space in the heart of Bengaluru.

The palace is modelled on the Windsor Castle in the UK. The grounds are now used to host weddings and teach horse riding.

The luxury hotel Windsor Manor brings to memory Kamal Haasans cult classic Pushpaka Vimana, the silent film made in 1987. A parable about money, love and life, it was shot inside the hotel, and on the bridge you see from the window.

Sivananda Store is the name of the next bus stop, and it is named after a grocery store and flour mill in Sheshadripuram, a leafy neighbourhood named after Sheshadri Iyer, dewan for the Mysuru maharajas. We then see Freedom Park, a space that once housed Central Jail, shifted to Parappana Agrahara, on Hosur Road, in 2001.

Nrupathunga Road is home to UVCE, Bengalurus first-ever government engineering college, Reserve Bank, Marthas Hospital, and a complex of court halls, has an interesting past. It was called Cenotaph Road, built in remembrance of a British army officer. Sometime in the 70s, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj staged a protest and sought a local name, leading to a change honouring the great Kannada king Pulikeshi II, also known as Nrupathunga, he says.

Daly Memorial Hall, a lecture hall, stands tall. Greats like Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, and C V Raman have given talks at the 105-year-old building, says Udaya.

The bus heads towards Nimhans, built on land donated by the Mysuru king Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar. It was earlier called hucch asspatre (mental hospital) and bus route number 4 used to ply there. Its a great institute for research and treatment. People come from all over India, and even Bangladesh, he says. Till the 60s, areas beyond Nimhans werent considered Bangalore. We came on school excursions to see Bangalore Dairy near here, he recalls.

In the 90s, Madiwala and Koramangala saw a new wave of migration from the north. It has companies like Accenture and Bosch. People tend to forget it also has some hoary temples that date back to the 12th century, he explains.

Electronics City is the final point of the journey. People are now in a rat race and dont care for the city, laments Udaya. Infosys is sandwiched between Togur and Hebbagodi, both of which are human habitations at least 1,100 years old.

Infosys is more famous because it is synonymous with a new idea of Bengaluru. If only the new citizens valued the citys heritage, we wouldnt see waste dumping at the Hebbagodi lake, he says.

People who write about Bengaluru, especially in English, dont understand the spirit of the place because the inscriptions and the historical records are in Kannada, says Udaya.

The journey comes to an end after a little over two hours. The 54 stops have told us how Bengaluru can be historically as proud as any other city in the world.

Who founded Bengaluru?

Bengaluru existed even before Kempegowda, although the founding of the city is often attributed to him.

The Someshwara temple in Madiwala houses a 1,248 CE inscription in which the name Bengaluru is mentioned in Tamil. The first recorded mention of the city is in a 900 CE Kannada inscription at the Begur Panchalingeshwara temple. Begur is 2 km east of Singasandra on Hosur Road. Kempegowda established many petes, which grew exponentially, and he is credited with founding the city, says Udaya.

The first mall?

Forum is said to be the first mall that came up in Bengaluru. Or is it? The Jayanagar Shopping Complex, bigger and better planned than most malls that came up later, was built in 1976. The Hoodi santhe, which has a rich history, is perhaps the oldest big marketplace in Bengaluru, says Udaya.

BL Rice, the bili Kannadiga

Opposite the ITC Windsor Manor is the Rain Tree, a lifestyle boutique. This was where a great British scholar and archaeologist, who documented the history of Karnataka and worked for the Kannada cause, lived.

He documented 8,000 inscriptions in the Mysore region, and was fondly called Bili Kannadiga (white Kannadiga). He spoke Telugu and Tamil as well, says Udaya.

First flyover, traffic signal: A Bengalureans throwback

As we alight from the bus in Electronics City, mountaineer Vasumathi Srinivasan quips, The ride did not feel too long. She was lost in time, thats why.

She was born in 1953 in Shankarapuram and grew up in Basavanagudi, so every turn evoked memories of old Bangalore.

When the first major flyover was built in Bengaluru (in 1999, say experts)  the Mysore Road flyover, my mother, sister and I took an auto to go and see it, Vasumathi, now 68, says.

Similarly, she went to visit the first traffic signal that came up at N R Square in 1963, and the first suspension bridge at K R Puram in 2003, which she had seen in foreign films.

As we cross Koramangala, she recalls it was a suburb with farms before it turned into an IT hub. Neither did old Bangaloreans have friends there nor would autos go there. It was desolate! she says.

Till the late 70s, cycle owners needed a licence  a round, metal token bolted on the handle. I had to once pay a fine because my licence was missing  somebody had stolen it, says Vasumathi.

Nobody wore helmets or took driving classes. Traffic was sparse till the early 90s.

When Vasumathi went to book a Luna (moped) in 1971, the sales manager said he had never booked it in a womans name. She eventually got a loan of Rs 2,500 (the price was Rs 3,500) and paid a monthly EMI of Rs 91.50.

Thanks to her cousin, ex-Captain-turned-aviation entrepreneur G R Gopinath, Vasumathis mother became one of the first few people in Bangalore to sit in a helicopter, which took off from the Jakkur flying school, she shares. During college, Vasumathi got the chance to see the gliders fly and ride in micro-light flights.

Vasumathi recalled taking morning walks on Palace Grounds, her friendship with the maharajas daughter Meenakshi Devi, who she went to Mount Carmel College with, and also getting a ride in the maharajas car.

Retain the citys character

The bus journey was also bittersweet. Vasumathi lamented the loss of the 100-year-old George Oakes Building on Hudson Circle. It was a venue for movie screenings, better known as Badami House.

Vasumathi, however, didnt regret that Bengaluru has changed a great deal. She said, Cities have to grow. They will get crowded. There will be more apartments. We have to accept the change. Its on the civic authorities to provide amenities but also retain the character of the city. They should have built satellite towns outside the old Bangalore.

Corruption has increased now... Drains had stench then and even now, she pointed to her pet peeves.

Longest bus route

In 2005, BMTC launched, it claims, the longest bus route for any city in India, covering 117 km. Starting from Banashankari, Bus No 600 and 601 would connect residential and industrial hubs like BTM Layout, Electronics City, Attibele, Sarjapur, Dommasandra, Varthur, Whitefield, Hoodi, K R Puram, City Railway Station, Kalyan Nagar, Hebbal, Kengeri, and Kathriguppe. It has been discontinued.

Currently, 328HY bus route from Yelahanka to Attibele is the longest. In 93 stops, and 3 hours 15 minutes, it covers 74.8 km.

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Its a mad race out there. About 2.5 lakh websites are created every day, so how can you make yours stand out in the middle of the pandemic when possibly every business has gone digital?

Experts say the trick is to keep it simple, readable, and fast to load. Aesthetics is important but functionality even more.

Anmol Patil, software development engineer at Yellow.ai, says new-gen of business owners are aware of the competition. They are giving more importance to the user experience than to the look and feel and that is the right thing to do, he says.

Take single-page websites, for instance. If users can view all that the company wants them to see right when they open the website, it will stick with them better, says Suraj Puthen Karuthedath, chief executive officer, Hashtag Software Solutions.

You can surely add big and bright images on the website but go slow on the text then. Talking about the importance of balance, Suraj says, Companies like Apple and Microsoft have small text on their website but their pictures and videos are of high-resolution. That invites customers to watch their information rather than read.

But if the visual elements dont load quickly, its trouble. Your website and the graphics need to load as fast as possible to grab the users attention, says Anmol.

More people browse websites on the tiny screen of their phones than on laptops and PCs, so make sure you can deliver on both fronts. Its very important to have mobile-friendly layouts, says Suraj. Building a presence on social media is equally important, feels Santhosh, chief technology officer with Smruthi Technologies Pvt. Ltd. This will help new users discover your business and find your website.

Respond to crisis

Engage with your customers in matters of public interest. Many websites have added a separate box to update people about vaccination details and the availability of Covid test kits and help them (in this time of crisis), Shyam Singh, head of product development designs, WODO Agency, lauds the initiative.

Stay secure

Data theft is on the rise, so beef up the security of your website. The more secure the customers feel, the higher are the chances that they will make a purchase on your website, reasons Anmol.

Most online businesses are now applying for an SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer). Its a security protocol and it creates an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser.

Data theft was not a big concern in 2015 but now everyone is trying to get an SSL certificate before launching their website, Anmol observes.

3 things your website needs

*Mobile-friendly layouts.

*Secure Sockets Layer certificate.

*Updates on the pandemic.

Whats trending

*Multi-coloured thematic designs  mydigitalstrawberry.com, banky.io, drinkcann.com.

*Magazine-view layouts  curry.cafe, streetartnews.net, lemkus.com.

*Typography based design  hugeinc.com, synchronized.studio, chiaraluzzana.com.

*Illustration  wildsouls.gr, biomedit.co, lunchbox.io.
Tension prevailed as two groups of students clashed over a trivial issue at Government First Grade College in Kaup on Friday.

Two groups of students studying in first and final year Bcom clashed. Police intervened and ensured that the clashes did not incite communal tensions. As many as 18 students allegedly involved in the clashes were arrested and later released on bail.

The clash broke out between the two groups of boys studying in different classes after the students had objected to a student from speaking to a girl of a different faith.

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JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday justified his week-long absence from the Assembly session and asked why he should have attended it in the first place.

Why should I have been there? What was the achievement in the first week of the session? The way the session was run for the first five days...were any development issues discussed, Kumaraswamy asked, speaking to reporters.

The former chief minister said that he had intimated Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri of his absence.

Also Read | Karnataka anti-conversion Bill may face JD(S) roadblock

The Belagavi session of the legislature started December 13 and Kumaraswamy was in New Delhi for the launch of a biography of his father, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda. Also, he stayed back in New Delhi for his birthday on December 16.

Kumaraswamy said that he tracked the Assembly proceedings while he was in the national capital. The only thing that came out was the former speaker's (KR Ramesh Kumar) remarks on women. He's a seasoned politician who always speaks as though no one can match him. That itself is a big achievement (of the session), he said.

Also read: Karnataka's proposed anti-conversion bill: What we know so far

If I was in the House, things would have taken a different turn, he said, referring to Kumars controversial remarks and added that the Speakers behaviour was also condemnable.

What was the level of our Parliamentary system and how is it being destroyed by these great leaders in Karnataka? Should I have been there to partake in that, he asked.

The JD(S) leader said that he would attend the session from December 20 onwards.
Hundreds of Popular Front of India (PFI) activists staged a protest SP Chalo at Clock Tower on Friday and condemned police for caning activists outside the Uppinangady police station.

They urged the police to release activists who had been detained illegally in police custody.

They shouted slogans against the police and took out a rally from Hampankatta Circle to Clock Tower.

The police had stepped up security and had barricaded the area near Clock Tower and Hampankatta.

The protesters were stopped at Clock Tower and were prevented from moving towards the police superintendents office.

The activists demanded the suspension of the policemen who allegedly ignited the violence at Uppinangady police station.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar had refused permission for taking out the procession beyond the Clock Tower.

The police did not take any action against those who had given open threats to the deputy commissioner, T D Nagraj alleged.

More than 600 police personnel including 4 KSRP platoons, 5 CAR units, 6 ACPs, 16 inspectors and 32 sub-inspectors were pressed for security duties.

The protest disrupted traffic movement.
How much does it cost to look after a cow? Rs 70 per day, only.

This was Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhans written reply to a question raised in the Assembly.

The government spends Rs 70 a day on cows that are housed in goshalas or cattle sheds across the state, he said. As per NDRF norms, the maintenance cost for each cattle is fixed at Rs 70 per day. Of this, the state government provides 25%, that is Rs 17.50 per cattle. The remaining 75% or Rs 52.50 is borne by the goshala, Chauhan said.

This was Chauhans reply to Indi MLA Yashvanthrayagouda Patil, who also asked specifically if the cost fixed is enough.

Since the maintenance cost for cattle is fixed at Rs 70 per day as per NDRF (national disaster relief fund) norms, this amount will be enough, Chauhan said. However, Chauhan stated that the government is also examining a proposal to hike the per-day cost to Rs 82.50. Farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar laughed when he came to know about the ministers answer. Its bizarre. It costs minimum Rs 150 a day to take care of a cow, he said.

The maintenance cost depends on the type of cow. But, Rs 70 is not at all enough considering fodder, daily washing, medicines and other expenses.

The governments rate does little to assuage the fear caused by the new Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act that came into effect earlier this year. It imposes a blanket ban on the slaughter of cows in the state, forcing farmers to either take care of cows even after they become barren, or simply abandon them.

The only slaughter allowed is of terminally-ill cattle. Also, buffalo above the age of 13 years can be slaughtered with permission. The government has asked farmers to leave the animals at any of the 190 private goshalas.

It has also promised to construct shelters, one each in all the districts, by earmarking Rs 15 crore in the 2021-22 budget. The project is in progress, Chauhan said.

Karnataka has 190 private goshalas that house 32,547 cattle. Of them, 139 goshalas have been granted Rs 2.79 crore till November-end.

No farmer is ready to domesticate male cattle, Belur MLA K S Lingesh said in the House.

I dont have a single goshala in my taluk. There are two private ones in Arsikere. They request us to bring only grass-eating cows, not ones that drink milk, he said, adding that the law was brought without any preparation.

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State Safai Karmachari Commission Chairman M Shivanna stated that the Bommai-led government has decided to conduct the survey of manual scavengers in the state.

Speaking to media persons, in Davangere on Saturday, he said, though manual scavenging had been banned in the state in 2013, it is still present in some parts of the state. As many as 5,080 manual scavengers had been identified in the state and they are being provided with compensation and rehabilitation.

He said as of now, the survey of manual scavengers is in progress in 12 districts across the state and it is yet to be done in 18 districts.

"We have a data of those working in urban local bodies but not of those working in general, private hospitals, shopping malls, factories," he said, promising to hold a meeting with higher officials and take steps to conduct the survey.

National Law School of India had been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the survey on a pilot basis in Mysuru, Ballari districts and the team would submit a report to the government, he explained.

He admitted that there is an issue with following the roster system with regard to appointment of civic workers in urban local bodies and promised to hold a meeting with the chief minister and social welfare minister soon to resolve the issue.

On a manual scavenging case in Ranebennur of Haveri district, he said, the team led by assistant commissioner is probing the case and action would be initiated against those responsible for it. Manual scavenging is not allowed in any part of the state. But some officials had asked a worker to clean the manhole violating the norms.

On houses for civic workers, he said, the work of constructing 380 houses for civic workers in Davangere is on the verge of completion. They would be allotted to them either in January or February.

He said he has also directed the officials concerned to provide employment of drivers to manual scavengers or their dependents if they have valid driving licences so that they can drive vehicles that ferry waste. If not, such people could be given the responsibility of maintaining public toilets.

Deputy Commissioner Mahantesh Bilagi, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Vijay Mahantesh Danammanavar, Superintendent of Police Rishyanth C B, State Safai Karmachari Commission Secretary Rama, City Corporation Commissioner Vishwanath Mudajji and others were present at the press conference.

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A Magherafelt based electronics company has won a prestigious business accolade at a UK wide ceremony held in Wembley Stadium, London.

Marquee Electronics secured the business innovation award at the National SME awards in attendance with over 100 other companies.

Located in Magherafelt, Marquee Electronics is an electronics design and consultancy company providing electronic designs specialising in new product development of consumer devices.

The company provides hardware, software and mechanical solutions to clients across various sectors such as IoT, medical, automotive and industrial. Marquee's client base ranges from start-up companies with a concept idea, right up to large established businesses requiring a redesign of an existing product.

Managing Director of Marquee Electronics, Mark McKee attended the London ceremony to collect the award.

Innovation is core to the service we provide to our clients so to gain an award in the field at a UK level is incredible, he said.

This underlines the hard work that all of the team has put into the company over the past year, and we look forward to delivering our award winning service to our clients in the future.

We work extensively throughout the north and south of Ireland so this achievement could potentially create opportunities within the rest of the UK as we continue to grow, said Mr. McKee.
North West Regional College (NWRC) Tiling Apprentice Morgan Nutt has won a Bronze medal at the UK Skill Build National Finals

The 18-year-old from Claudy was placed third in an extremely close final hosted in the city of Bircham Newton, where he got to show off his flair and skill for Wall and Floor Tiling.

His success means he now stands a chance of being selected for Team UK at the 2024 World Finals, emulating the success of brother Cameron, a former Carpentry student at NWRC, who made it all the way to the World Finals in Abu Dhabi in 2017.

Morgan now joins an impressive list of talented students from NWRC who have achieved incredible success at the Skills Olympics, including Brendan Duddy who won the Gold Medal in Dry Lining at UK Worlds Skills Finals in Birmingham. Brendan will go on to represent the UK at the World Finals in Shanghai in 2022, after they were postponed because of Covid-19.

Morgan said: Im delighted to have achieved a bronze medal at the finals. The competition was a very challenging experience testing not only my practical skills in Wall and Floor Tiling but also in time management. Ive learned a lot from the competition, and Id like to thank all my lecturers at NWRC Greystone for the support theyve given me.

I would love to be selected for the UK squad and make it all the way to the 2024 finals in Lyons just like my brother Cameron did in 2017.

Morgan previously attended Lisneal College before enrolling in Wall and Floor Tiling at NWRC through Training for Success, later progressing to a Level 2 Apprenticeship at NWRC Greystone in Limavady.

David McCay, Lecturer in Wall and Floor Tiling at NWRC Greystone, said Morgans natural ability and work ethic along with the support of his Employer SMC Tiling has been the key to his success.

He added: Morgan has particular skills in this field and shows real consistency through his work, an eye for detail and he has a great ability to keep his eye on the clock, ensuring that he completes each task within the time frame.

Morgan is a grafter. Weve been so impressed with his work at college and through his employment with SMC Tiling.

Leo Murphy, Principal and Chief Executive of NWRC said: We are extremely proud of our three students who competed at the WorldSkills UK Finals, showcasing the incredible skills they have acquired through hard work at college, and supported by their lecturers who are all experts in industry.

Worldskills is a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their talents on a UK-wide platform and we look forward to further success in the future.
The North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Hospital will be shining bright this Christmas in support of local charity Friends of the Cancer Centres Wish Upon a Star appeal.

Staff and patients at the hospital are supporting the annual appeal, in which, for a donation of 10, people can dedicate a star to someone special on the charitys virtual Christmas tree.

Local cancer sufferer, Richie Sheerin, 39, and his family launched the appeal.

The family, including five-year old Aedan, are supporting the appeal after Richie was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer called myeloma in 2018, when he was just 35 years old.

Richie embarked on an intensive treatment programme, receiving great care at the North West Cancer Centre and the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre in Belfast.

Throughout it all, Richie and his family have been supported by Friends of the Cancer Centre, which supports vital projects at both hospitals.

Most importantly, the appeal is an opportunity for families impacted by cancer to share their wishes or messages on the charitys virtual tree.

Explaining why he was supporting the appeal, Richie Sheerin said: When the doctor mentioned the word cancer I didnt feel sad or angry. I felt uncertain and it felt like the lights were turned off.

"Not long after my diagnosis, I embarked on a complex treatment plan, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants and received wonderful care from both the North West Cancer Centre and the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre in Belfast.

The treatment was intense, but after my first stem cell transplant in November 2019 I started to feel a lot better and in January 2020, I had a scan which couldnt detect cancer anywhere.

However, I still needed a second transplant. We tested my four brothers to see if any of them would be a match and, thankfully, my brother, Damian, was and he has been my life-saver.

Everything was ready to go for my second transplant in March 2020 and then Covid-19 happened and it became unsafe. When Covid-19 restrictions eased in August 2020, I got the call from Belfast City Hospital to tell me they had a bed for me and I was admitted for the second transplant.

After a really difficult couple of years, at the end of 2020 doctors confirmed I was in remission. However, things changed again in January 2021 when I got the news that my cancer was back. Since then, I have been receiving chemotherapy treatment and I am feeling positive at the moment.

Since his diagnosis and treatment, Richie has become dedicated to supporting Friends of the Cancer Centre and is now proudly supporting the charitys Wish Upon A Star appeal.

For a donation of 10, people are invited to dedicate a star with a wish, message or name of a loved one, on the charitys virtual Christmas tree at www.friendsofthecancercentre .com. Everyone who dedicates a star online will also be offered their very own star to hang on their tree at home, keeping that special wish or someone close at this time of year.

Richies star is dedicated to all those who supported him and his family.

He added: The care I have received, and continue to receive from the team at Altnagelvin and Belfast is fantastic.

Whilst I am looked after by two hospitals 70 miles apart, the thread that brings them together is Friends of the Cancer Centre.

The charity supports vital work at both hospitals and as a patient, you can see the incredible difference it makes.

I am so proud to support the charitys Wish Upon a Star appeal and I would encourage anyone reading my story to get involved. Not only is it a lovely way to say thank you or remember someone special, every penny raised will go on to help thousands of families right across Northern Ireland. Families like mine.

The team at the North West Cancer Centre are proud to support the appeal, as they know it means a great deal to patients at this time of year.

Lesley Mitchell, interim assistant director, nursing, for cancer and diagnostics, said: We are absolutely delighted to be part of Friends of the Cancer Centres Wish Upon a Star appeal and we are calling on staff and patients to get involved.

It is a wonderful way to say thank you or remember someone special at this time of year. Not only that, but money raised from the appeal will go on to support vital projects in the North West Cancer Centre, including financial grants, which have a direct impact on the patients and families we support every day.

If you would like to Wish Upon A Star, visit www.friendsofthecancer centre.com.
Minister Coveney welcomes end of year update on EU-UK talks and on guarantees on supply of medicines

Press release

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, T.D., and Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, T.D., welcomed the update today by the EU and the UK on the ongoing talks on the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

On talks on the implementation of the Protocol, Minister Coveney said:

I firmly believe the Protocol will work, if we allow it, with flexibility and pragmatism. A positive outcome to the current talks remains our key objective. I welcome the fact that the EU and the UK have agreed on the importance of continuing talks in the New Year. This is the best way to bring about substantive progress and find durable solutions to the practical problems faced by people and business in Northern Ireland.

Brexit has been one of the dominant issues on my agenda this year and I spent a lot of time listening to stakeholders in Northern Ireland in order to understand the genuine challenges they face. Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic has done likewise. Ireland continues to strongly support his solution-driven approach.

"Reaching an agreed approach on the Protocol would be an important factor in allowing us all to turn a page and open up a new chapter of positive forward-looking partnership between the EU and the UK. It would of course strengthen our British-Irish relationship in the years to come.

"I will continue to encourage all parties to prioritise constructive engagement in pursuit of flexible and practical outcomes for people and businesses in Northern Ireland.

Speaking following the announcement today by the European Commission of plans to ensure security of supply of medicines, Minister Coveney said:

Access to medicines has been at the top of my agenda. The plan announced today turns commitment into solutions. By ensuring the continued long-term supply of medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and in addressing other supply issues for Ireland, it provides reassurance to people across the island that they will continue to have access to the medicines they need.

Minister Byrne said:

Given the family, business and cultural links between our two countries, hardly any area of Irish life has been unaffected by the UKs departure from the Union. The transition has been challenging, particularly for Irish businesses who have had to make significant changes to their operations and supply chains. However, in a testing time we have shown ourselves to be remarkably resilient and adaptable.

"Brexit will continue to have an impact on this island and the Government remains committed to supporting businesses and working with all stakeholders as the consequences of the UKs departure continue to be felt.

"The EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement, agreed at the end of last year, provides not just for free trade and continued cooperation in areas such as energy, fisheries and policing, but also contains as yet untapped potential for future cooperation between the EU and the UK. It is my hope that an agreed approach on the Protocol will pave the way for even greater cooperation and partnership between the EU and the UK next year.

"As we continue to manage the out-workings of Brexit, solidarity with Ireland remains a hallmark of the EU approach. I have seen this at first hand in my engagements across Europe. Partnership and solidarity with EU Member States is our greatest strength when dealing with any challenges that we face. The EUs continued support for the island of Ireland through the PEACE PLUS programme and the Brexit Adjustment Reserve are concrete examples of that solidarity in action.

ENDS

Press Office

17 December 2021

 Previous Item |
As a model, entrepreneur, DJ and mum-of-two (with another baby on the way), Vogue Williams is nothing if not busy, and shes regularly seen on the red carpet at glamorous events alongside husband Spencer Matthews.

The Dublin-born beauty, 36  who launched her own tanning brand, Bare by Vogue, in 2019  is also a self-confessed beauty buff and has perfected her party season skincare routine.

Speaking at the Amazon Black Friday Live event, the model mum revealed her five top tips for keeping your complexion looking healthy throughout the festive period

1. Always remove your make-up



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Are you guilty of slumping into bed after a festive shindig with a full face of make-up? No matter how tempting it is to leave it on, just for one night  dont! Williams says. You will always regret not taking your make-up off. And when youre getting made up and going out more often over Christmas, its hard to get flawless make-up if your skin hasnt been looked after.

2. Cleanse, cleanse, and cleanse again

If I go out night after night after night, like we tend to over Christmas, my skin really feels it and can definitely look tired, says Williams. At those times, you cant beat the power of a double cleanse, or even a triple cleanse!

She recommends using a cleansing balm followed by a gel to make sure every scrap of make-up and dirt is removed. And if your complexion is looking as hungover as you feel the next morning, skincare can help: Most people dont realise this, but you should always start those mornings with a proper cleanse again. It makes such a difference to your pores, and ultimately how flawless your skin looks.

3. Switch up your skincare in winter

Do you use the same products year-round and notice your skin gets more dry in the colder months? Just like we get the big coat out over winter, our skincare needs to match the weather too, Williams says. In the cold especially, you have to protect your skin from cold winds and central heating. The best way to do this is layer up using facial oils so you have protection against the elements.

4. Prime for parties

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I never thought a primer could be such a game-changer to my beauty routine, Williams says. I am in LOVE with the Elemis Superfood Glow Priming Moisturiser and will be using it non-stop over the festive season. I use it in three different ways  under my foundation for a gorgeous glow, mixed with my foundation for a dewy finish, or as a highlighter to make my cheekbones pop.

5. Finish with massage

As a final step in her evening skincare routine, Williams says that you cannot underestimate the power of facial massage. I dont mean spend hours, just spend a minute massaging your final product in before bed, working from the inside of your face outwards, she says. Really get stuck in too, use your whole hand and your knuckles too, not just your fingertips. Your hands are the best tools youve got!
The guests have been revealed for tonight's Late Late Show on RTE One.

This Friday night marks the final Late Late Show of 2021 at the end of an extraordinary year which began in January with the live vaccinations of health care workers. Throughout the year The Late Late brought the Irish Diaspora together in a global session on St. Patricks night, gave a much-needed leg-up to Irish business on the Taking Care of Business special, put the children in charge for a record-breaking Toy Show and raised another 6.6 million for childrens charities through the Toy Show Appeal  bringing the total of monies raised for Irish charities on The Late Late Show in 2020/2021 to an incredible 26 million!

And to wrap up 2021, this tonights show will highlight the remarkable work of the St. Vincent de Paul Annual Appeal, as the charity prepares to help thousands of families across Ireland to have a brighter Christmas.

Writer, producer, actor, comedian Brendan OCarroll will be joined on the couch by his wife, business partner and co-star Jenny Gibney to talk to Ryan about their special connection to the St. Vincent de Paul charity and their plans for a proper family Christmas at home in Ireland.

Hollywood actor, proud Dubliner, Colin Farrell will be lending his support to the call for St. Vincent de Paul as will the irrepressible Majella O'Donnell. TikTok sensation magician Joel M, also supporting the SVP, will demonstrate some of the festive magic that has helped him amass almost 2 billion views and 18 million followers across social media. And its a family affair as father Pat Shortt and daughter Faye will be on the show to talk about their plans for Christmas and an update on their comedy duo act.

And in a very special moment for The Late Late Show, The Corrs frontwoman Andrea Corr and The Rolling Stones rock and roll legend Ronnie Wood will perform the Elvis classic Blue Christmas in-studio - their charity single in support of Our Ladys Hospice & Care Services.

The duo will also join Ryan on the couch to chat about their collaboration. Theres more music from the outstanding Irish musical talent, Susan ONeill, with a beautiful performance of Joni Mitchells River'.

Catch The Late Late Show on RTE One, Friday, December 17th at 9:35pm.
HAVING hidden the engagement ring in his shoe during their holidays, Des Cullinane finally found the perfect time and place to pop the question, to Kymberly Ryall.

Des, from Bishopstown, and Kymberly, from Castlemartyr, were engaged in Albefuira, Portugal, in August, 2019, on a family holiday.

I THEE WED: Kymberly Ryall and Des Cullinane who were married in Castlemartyr Resort, in October. Pictures: Laura and Benny Photography

Des had sought permission before the holiday from her dad and her son Karl, aged 16, for Kymberlys hand in marriage.

The couple, who live in Killeagh, first met in The Wilton Bar on April Fools Day, 2017.

They hosted their wedding in Castlemartyr Resort on Friday, October 29, after they postponed their original date back in 2020, due to Covid.

The couple strolling through Castlemartyr Resort. The staff there were fantastic and gave them the most special and memorable day.

They had a relaxed intimate civil ceremony in the hotel with just immediate family.

Kymberlys father and Karl walked her down the aisle.

The ceremony was live-streamed, and celebrated after with 90 close family and friends.

Des spoke dearly of those who are no longer with them during his speech, including Kymberlys grandfather Jim and Dess mother Sandra, who both passed away in the last 12 months. Des wore a bracelet containing his mothers ashes on the day.

HAND IN HAND: The couple were due to get wed in 2020 but had to postpone due to Covid.

The brides dress was from Virginias Bridal in Limerick. Bridal party accessories were from Wedding Belles, Castlemartyr. Hair was styled by Tracy from Fusion hair and make-up was by Ruthanna Crowley.

The brides veil and hairpiece were designed and made by Michelle of Kinn Oir. Her hairpiece represented her grandparents who passed away - including an orchid in remembrance of her grandmother Kathleen, a forget-me-not in remembrance of her grandmother Mary and a sweet pea and two of her grandfathers buttons in remembrance of her grandfather Jim. She also carried a brooch her grandmother gave her for her Junior Cert on her flowers.

BY THEIR SIDE: Stacy Ryall, Kymberlys sister, was the maid of honour and flew in from Vancouver for the wedding, while John ODonovan was the best man.

Suits for the groom and his party were by Simply Suits in Kinsale Road.

Eileen, The Village Florist, did the fresh flowers on the day.

All Talk provided the music, with a seven piece band, a DJ and a saxophone player to finish off the night. Their first dance was to You Are the Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne.

CUTTING THE CAKE: Brian Roche, The Baker Boy, made the three tier cake - it was almost impossible to pick three flavours, as they all tasted so good!

Rob, from Heirloom films, did video and live stream. Laura and Benny were the photographers and were a huge support over the past 18 months, with the constant restriction changes.

Jackie Day was the in house wedding co-ordinator in Castlemartyr and made sure that it was the best day of our lives.
The final countdown to Christmas is well and truly on with Cork traders gearing up for what is typically one of the busiest weekends of the year.

Cork City and Cork County Council have both encouraged the public to support local retailers, hoteliers and restaurants this Christmas who have been repeatedly challenged over the past 20 months.

Delving through the archives to reflect on some Cork Christmas traditions, one article from Christmas week in 1934 particularly captured the sense of anticipation collectively felt by Cork residents just a handful of days before Christmas.

Turkeys on display at the English Market, Grand Parade in December 1964.

"Christmas is now only three days distant and the shopping frenzy is at its height.

"All classes of the community are engaged in the hurried business of purchasing presents whilst housewives are busily engaged in laying in the stores of seasonable fare which produce the well known after Christmas feeling of overeating."

Business was reported to be booming with grocery stores, in particular, experiencing a deluge of people through the doors.

"Strangely big must be appetites at this time of year if one is to believe the evidence of crowded grocery stores and vastly pleased shopkeepers who express entire satisfaction at the volume of trade experienced for the past few days."

Visit of Santa to Blarney Street CBS in 1935.

As is tradition at Christmas, Cork secondary school students have donned the distinctive yellow jackets and are doing their utmost to raise as much money as possible for SHARE.

Students Harness Aid for the Relief of the Elderly (SHARE) have been taking to the streets of Cork since the early 1970s.

What began as a group of students from Presentation Brothers College has now widened to an extensive list of Cork secondary schools participating in the Christmas appeal.

In December 1974, the street collectors managed to raise 7,011 for Cork's senior citizens and combined with money they had raised before December totalled a staggering 14,000.

SHARE Crib, 1987.

In a letter to The Echo, Chairman Niall O'Donovan stated:

"One cannot easily experience the standard of sharing which we witnessed last week and remain unaffected by it.

"In fact, the whole response served as a lesson which we will not easily forget.

"It was for us a humbling experience."

As usual this year, students will collect right up until Christmas Eve, raising much-needed funds for a charity that has looked after the elderly in the region for half a century.

Christmas decorations on Grand Parade, 1930.

Another treasured Cork Christmas tradition is spiced beef - a firm favourite on the festive dinner plates across the county.

As English Market stallholder Tom Durcan of Tom Durcan Meats notes, spiced beef is a Cork tradition that goes back centuries when the merchant ships would cure the meat for longevity.

The curing of beef in salt and spices meant that by keeping the joints in a cool larder room they would be edible for weeks.

The spiced method these days is done purely to enhance flavour, but the tradition has not waned in its popularity over the decades.

Tom Durcan Meats is famous on a global scale with orders from abroad piling in every Christmas for his famous spiced beef and other cuts.

Fr Mathew players in the Christmas pantomime 'Robin Hood' at Father Mathew Hall, 1933.

Other beloved Christmas traditions over the years include a visit to see the crib at the Lough, Glow in Bishop Lucey Park and an outing to the panto - which to the delight of many have returned this Christmas.
Muireann Duffy

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has warned Ireland is going to see a massive rise in infections on account of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Addressing the nation, Mr Martin confirmed the following additional measures:

Restaurants and bars will close at 8pm (does not extend to takeaways and delivery services)

No indoor events after 8pm, including cinemas and theatres

Indoor events before 8pm will be limited to 50 per cent capacity, or 1,000 people (whichever figure is lower)

Hotels will be exempt from the 8pm closure for overnight guests

Outdoor events (including sporting events) will be limited to 50 per cent capacity, or 5,000 people (whichever figure is lower)

Weddings may continue after 8pm, but are limited to 100 guests

Close contacts of confirmed cases will be required to restrict their movements for five days if they have received their booster jab

Close contacts of confirmed cases who have not yet received their booster jab will be required to restrict their movements for 10 days

All international arrivals will continue to be required to supply a negative PCR or antigen test on arrival, in line with their vaccination/recovery status

All international passengers will be advised to take antigen tests for five days after their day of arrival in Ireland

The measures will come into effect on Sunday, December 19th, remaining in place until January 30th. The Irish Times reports the measures will be reviewed on January 11th.

Cabinet met earlier this evening to sign-off on the restrictions which aim to limit socialising and large gatherings over the Christmas period.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) met on Thursday to finalise their advice for Government, making their series of recommendations to curb the spread of the virus.

Among Nphet's advice was a 5pm closing time for the hospitality sector and limits on the number of people permitted at sporting events. However, at a meeting of the Cabinet earlier this evening, ministers rejected the 5pm closing time, instead agreeing on 8pm.

Earlier, many TDs and Senators from the coalition parties spoke out against the 5pm closing time for pubs and restaurants, with Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin calling the recommendation "an insult to our businesses people and workers in hospitality".

The announcement follows the Department of Health's confirmation of 3,628 new cases of the virus on Friday evening. The chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has also confirmed the Omicron variant now accounts for 35 per cent of new cases in the State.
An Amazon dispatcher in Illinois told a driver to continue delivering packages even after tornado sirens warned of incoming danger. Thats according to screenshots shared this week by Bloomberg that document an exchange that reportedly happened last Friday shortly before a tornado hit an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, leading to a structural collapse and six deaths . Just keep driving, the dispatcher said in a message sent at 7:08PM that evening. We cant just call people back for a warning unless Amazon tells us to do so.

After being told to keep delivering a second time about half an hour later, the driver said she wanted to turn back for her safety. If you look at the radar, the worst of the storm is going to be right on top of me in 30 minutes. To this, she was told she would lose her job if she drove back.

If you decide to return with your packages, it will be viewed as you refusing your route, which will ultimately end with you not having a job come tomorrow morning, the dispatcher said. Im literally stuck in this damn van without a safe place to go with a tornado on the ground, the driver messaged back before being told to shelter in place.

In a statement to Bloomberg, Amazon said the dispatcher didnt follow safety guidelines. The company also said its investigating the incident and that the driver is safe. Heres the full text of the statement it shared with the outlet:

This was a developing situation across a broad geographic area, and unfortunately the delivery service partners dispatcher didnt follow the standard safety practice. This dispatcher should have immediately directed the driver to seek shelter when the driver reported hearing tornado sirens. While this text exchange was going on, the local Amazon team was ensuring each delivery service partner had directed their drivers to shelter in place or seek shelter and advised them to stop delivering for the evening. Were glad the driver is safe and were using the learnings from this incident to improve our policies and guidance for delivery service partners and drivers. Under no circumstance should the dispatcher have threatened the drivers employment, and were investigating the full details of this incident and will take any necessary action.

Amazons policies have led to several incidents where workers were expected to clock in even during extreme weather. In September, as tropical depression Ida caused widespread flooding throughout New York City, the retailer kept its warehouses open. In 2017, drivers told Engadgets Bryan Menegus, then writing for Gizmodo , they delivered packages in the immediate aftermath of hurricane Irma. The company is also known for keeping its facilities open even in extreme heat. During the historic heatwave that hit the Pacific Northwest this past summer, employees had to work even as temperatures inside one of the companys facilities neared 90 degrees .
Author: Paul Mark Tag

Publisher: iUniverse

ISBN:978-1-6632-2226-8

The prospect for a Russian President or American President triggering a nuclear strike on the other is slim, provided they are not deranged.

We are aware that both countries maintain their missiles on hair-trigger alert to empower them to launch within minutes of a decision to do so in reply to a warning of an incoming attack. The alarm would be set off from their respective data received from radars and satellites.

What if a devious computer hacker manipulates these warning systems to bring about a misleading visual display of incoming missiles targeted at the USA and Russia? Each country would conclude that they are being invaded by the other? Is there some kind of security valve between the two countries that could block an accidental missile launch by either one? Can the missiles be ordered back or destroyed before they approach land?

This is one of the dreaded themes in Paul Mark Tag's Retribution Times Two, which involves a Russian immigrant to the USA, Kathy Ann Erickson (AKA, Viktoriya Ratimirovna Popova. Erickson undertakes to avenge the murdering of her family in Afghanistan by the Russians.

Erickson gives considerable reflection to creating the perfect storm needed to generate nuclear war that would be inevitable between Russia and the USA.

Her first horrendous plan affects the airspace within the USA that comprises twenty-one centers. All are disabled. These centers ensure a smooth operation for aircraft passing over the continent. Her intent was to make it appear that the Russians were behind the hacking of the system. In fact, in her ingenuity, she makes certain that the hacking would be traced back to a Moscow location near to the foreign intelligence service of the Russian Federation.

To achieve her plan, she signals the Americans will not stand for this conduct by the Russians. They would shut down the comparable Russian air traffic control system. Erickson also sabotages hydroelectric power generation facilities.

And this was not her only villainous plot. How about drawing the two most powerful nations in the world into a nuclear Armageddon? Quite a triumph when you realize that one woman acting alone could precipitate an unpredictable escalation between the two nuclear superpowers.

The story's second nefarious theme involves Raymond Charles Brickman III, a National Satellite Operations Facility employed in Suitland, Maryland. Brickman attempts to coerce the U.S. government into paying Civil War reparations to the South.

He threatens to sabotage U.S. Weather satellites if the U.S. refuses to acquiesce. Brickman is a specialist in meteorological satellites, especially in command and control. To demonstrate he is serious, he hacks into the system, causing the loss of the monitoring capability of NOAA-20, the country's newest polar-orbiting weather satellite. He threatens to immobilize more weather satellites if his requests are not satisfied.

We learn Brickman is a proud Southerner. His great-great-grandfather, Howard Edward Jones, fought under General Lee and died at Gettysburg fighting the Union Army under the command of General Winfield Hancock. Brickman's supervisor is an offspring of Winfield Hancock. Brickman wishes to vindicate the death of his great-great-grandfather, which he feels had been caused by General Hancock. His great-great-grandmother, having lost her spouse, slaves, revenue source, and social status, took her own life. Full of bitterness, this leads Brickman to murder his boss.

Incidentally, each perpetrator is unaware of the other's devious plan.

Thrown into the tale are two protagonists, Dr Victor Mark Silverstein, senior analyst at the Naval Research Laboratory in Monterey, California. He is assisted by Dr Linda Ann Kipling, who works for him at the laboratory. They are also part-time undercover CIA operatives.

Also, part of the team to help ward off a nuclear confrontation are Hector Rodriguez, senior counterintelligence agent for the CIA, and Erickson's uncle, Oleg Vladimirovich Popov, Deputy Director, SVR Directorate X, Science and Technology of the Russian Federation. These characters merge and prove to be genuinely valuable in defusing the calamity that is about to unravel. Yes, Russians and Americans are functioning jointly to save humanity.

You have to agree that the very notion that what transpires in the novel is truly alarming. Could this ever happen?

Lag's novel is filled with vivid details that absolutely reinforce his statement mentioned in his "Author's Note" that his objective is to create an interesting story within realistic scientific, theoretical, temporal, and geographic boundaries.

The story unfolds with a kind of extraordinary realism. Lag's characters are credible, and the events could actually happen. The narrative even prompted me to undertake some exploration and guess what? Wikipedia has revealed several events since 1956 where there has been a close nuclear call involving scary incidents. These could have led to at least one unintended nuclear detonation or explosion. It makes you wonder how safe are we if Tag's novel could come to pass?

Follow Here To Read Norm's Interview With Paul Mark Tag
A Converse woman has been indicted on abandonment charges after allegedly leaving her adopted daughters alone for weeks in a bug- and trash-infested home without running water.

A six-count indictment handed down by a Bexar County grand jury accuses Lorraine Sue Garza, 46, of intentionally abandoning two children younger than 15 without the intent to return and under circumstances that exposed the children to unreasonable risk of harm.

The children were left without adequate care, water, food and shelter, the indictment states.

The childrens plight came to the attention of authorities on June 14. Thats when a neighbor called police to report that three girls ages 11, 13 and 15 had been coming to her house for the past 10 days to eat and bathe because their adopted mother had left them home alone and had not returned, according to an arrest affidavit.

On ExpressNews.com: Area woman charged after adopted children left alone for 11 days in a home with no air conditioner

The girls told police the home had been without running water since May 21.

When police entered the home, they detected a strong odor of spoiled or rotten food or trash, and the air conditioner was broken, creating oppressive conditions on a nearly 100-degree day, the affidavit states.

Officers saw roaches, flies, ants and other insects throughout the home, including in the bedroom where the girls had been sleeping. There were dirty dishes in the kitchen, trash and soiled clothes in several rooms, and the refrigerator and standalone freezer contained rotten food, according to the affidavit.

Garza was arrested July 18. She was released from the Bexar County jail after posting $30,000 bond.

The Texas Department of Family and Adult Protective Services took custody of the children.

Abandoning a child without the intent to return is a third-degree felony. If convicted, Garza faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The indictment charges Garza in connection with the two daughters under age 15. It was unclear whether Garza also would be charged with abandoning the older daughter.

Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox

Also indicted this week was Jonathan Villegas, 22, of San Antonio. He is charged with manslaughter and recklessly causing the death of Luis Castelar in a shooting March 29 in the Oaks of Northgate apartment complex in the 8000 block of Oakdell Way on the Northwest Side.

If convicted of the second-degree felony, Villegas could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Victor Mosmeyer, 59, of Elmendorf, is charged in two separate indictments stemming from the death of 49-year-old Shane Fewell of Canyon Lakes.

Mosmeyer was on his way home from his own birthday party in Stockdale on June 6 when he struck Fewell on Priest Road in Southeast Bexar County, KSAT reported. Fewell had parked by the side of the road and had stepped out of his vehicle to retrieve a gas can from a utility trailer.

Mosmeyer told sheriffs deputies he freaked out after hitting Fewell and fled the scene, KSAT reported.

Mosmeyer is charged with failure to stop and render aid resulting in death and tampering with evidence. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
Emergency medical technician Asante Sebastian Contreras was on the cusp of earning his paramedic badge when a fugitive being chased by San Antonio police drove the wrong way on Interstate 35 on a Sunday night in 2020.

Joseph William Woolard hit Conteras vehicle head-on, instantly killing the 20-year-old from Del Rio, a student at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Contreras was supposed to get that badge the day he was buried, his mother told Woolard on Friday after a judge here sentenced him to 60 years in prison for murder.

On ExpressNews.com: 20-year-old killed after SAPD chase ends in crash

Anja Contreras, who appeared on a court videoconference from Del Rio, said her son felt called to a career in health care, with a lifelong goal of becoming an emergency room doctor. He wanted to save lives, she said.

/Courtesy of the Contreras family

Had he been able to that night, he wouldve dragged himself out of his car to check on you, Contreras told Woolard through sobs as she held a photograph of her son.

Woolard, 37, pleaded guilty to murder Friday before state District Judge Michael Mery. As part of a plea agreement, he also admitted guilt to six other criminal charges against him.

Woolards lengthy criminal record included charges of evading arrest/detention, aggravated assault of a public servant, driving while intoxicated, felon in possession of a weapon, and terroristic threat that date back to 2009, court records indicate.

In 2019, he was wounded in a shootout and chase with Bexar County Sheriffs deputies. Court records indicate he had posted bonds totaling $335,000 related to that arrest.

According to reports, police were attempting to serve a warrant around 9:45 p.m. May 3, 2020, and initiated a traffic stop at Potranco Road and Waterstone Place on the far West Side when Woolard escaped and led authorities on another chase that reached speeds of up to 80 miles per hour.

Police said Woolard entered a ramp going the wrong way on Interstate 35 from Northeast Loop 410 when he crashed into Contreras Ford Mustang. Contreras died at the scene. Woolard suffered critical injuries when his vehicle caught fire. Authorities were able to pull him free, according to reports.

Appearing via Zoom on Friday from the Bexar County jail, Woolard apologized to Contreras mother shortly after Mery sentenced him.

On ExpressNews.com: Man struck multiple times in deputy-involved shooting on Northwest Side

Im very sorry, he told the court. From the bottom of my heart, I wish I could take it back. I truly am sorry.

In a tearful victim impact statement and tribute to her son, Anja Contreras told Woolard he took the light of my life, our beacon, sunshine in person, a man who, as a lifeguard for the city of Del Rio, had once saved a child from drowning.

She said a 78-year-old man had called her to describe how Asante Contreras, as an aspiring paramedic, had cleaned him up after he had soiled himself, then went out of his way to comfort him, treating him with dignity during a horrible situation.

That man called me (after reading of the young EMTs death) and said, Please, dont let it be him, Anja Contreras said through tears.

As part of a plea agreement reached between prosecutor Ryan Wright and defense attorney John Kuntz, six other criminal cases were taken into consideration in which Woolard agreed to take responsibility: driving while intoxicated, two instances of evading arrest, an aggravated assault on a public servant, all from 2019; felon in possession of a firearm and evading arrest, both from 2020. Woolard admitted guilt to all by admitting true to the charges.

Mery also ordered Woolard to pay restitution to the victims family for any medical, psychiatric and funeral expenses incurred, which he said would be sorted out and determined by someone other than this court.

The Bexar County District Attorneys Office said in a statement that because Woolard was charged with murder with a repeat offender enhancement, he faced a minimum of 15 years in prison. With the sentence, he will have to serve at least 30 years before he can be eligible for parole.

Nothing deterred this defendant from violence - not a shootout with law enforcement, not high bonds, not even the risk he posed to innocent people like Asante Contreras, District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales said in a statement.

No amount of prison time will make the Contreras family whole again. This defendant will have decades to think about the life he took and the life he led that put him where he belongs: behind bars.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
Texas highest court for criminal cases this week struck down a law that allows the attorney general to unilaterally prosecute election cases.

The states Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday issued an 8-1 opinion saying a provision of the law violates the separation of powers clause in the Texas Constitution, representing an intrusion by the executive branch into the judicial branch. The attorney general can only get involved in a case when asked to by a district or county attorney, the court said.

Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican who has been aggressive in trying to root out voter fraud, bashed the opinion from the all-GOP court. He said in a tweet that the ruling could be devastating for future elections in Texas.

At stake was a part of the election code that says the attorney general, the states top law enforcement officer, may prosecute a criminal offense prescribed by the election laws of this state.

The provision was thrown into jeopardy by a long-winding case involving Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens. After the county district attorney declined to prosecute Stephens over campaign-finance allegations stemming from the 2016 election, Paxtons office stepped in and obtained an indictment from a grand jury in neighboring Chambers County.

In its opinion, the Court of Criminal Appeals overturned a lower-court ruling that said the election code provision clearly and unambiguously gives the Attorney General power to prosecute criminal laws prescribed by election laws generally whether those laws are inside or outside the Code.

Rather, the Court of Criminal Appeals said, the Attorney General can prosecute with the permission of the local prosecutor but cannot initiate prosecution unilaterally.

In his tweet, Paxton said the ruling means Soros-funded district attorneys will have sole power to decide whether election fraud has occurred in Texas. That is a reference to George Soros, the Democratic megadonor who has become a force in local prosecutor elections.

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee cheered the ruling. Harris County, the largest in Texas, was the epicenter of election-related litigation in the lead-up to the 2020 election in Texas.

This is a big win for local government and Texans who are tired of state officials exaggerating voter fraud claims to undermine elections, Menefee tweeted.

Reacting to the ruling, a Republican state representative, Briscoe Cain, said he would file a bill the next time the Legislature convenes that would let prosecutors in neighboring counties go after election cases.

If the attorney general cant, and a county wont, then prosecutors from an adjacent county should be able to do it, the Deer Park lawmaker tweeted.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
The race to succeed Trish DeBerry apparently wasnt chaotic, confusing or messy enough.

So, on Friday, the Texas Secretary of States office scrambled the script just a bit more.

For those of you whove been preoccupied with Christmas shopping, heres the basic chronology for this wild week in Bexar County Commissioners Court politics:

On Monday afternoon, moments before the filing deadline for the March 2022 primary, Republican County Commissioner Trish DeBerry filed to run for county judge.

DeBerrys move required her to resign her Precinct 3 seat and triggered a 2022 election to fill the post.

On Wednesday morning, Keith Ingram, the director of the Elections Division for the Texas Secretary of States office, informed the Bexar County Elections Department that the Democratic and Republican nominees for Precinct 3 would be elected by voters in the March primary.

Ingram added that prospective candidates had until Monday afternoon to file for the primary.

Friday morning, Ingram reversed his opinion on how the Precinct 3 nominees should be chosen.

I was wrong on the possibility of ambiguity in the Texas Election Code, Ingram said in an email to Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen.

The commissioners court vacancy happened too late to be on the primary ballot. The party executive committees will have to make a nomination later this year.

This makes the race to succeed DeBerry a brand new ballgame.

With only a few days to decide on filing for an expected primary election, several potential candidates  including business executives Grant Moody, Preston Woolfolk and Jeff Webster  were unsure about running and none too thrilled about being rushed into a decision.

Under those circumstances, former Councilman and two-time mayoral candidate Greg Brockhouse already was looking like a solid favorite to take the GOP primary in the reliably Republican Precinct 3 on the North Side.

Now, the party nomination rests in the hands of a few dozen precinct chairs. Who knows how many candidates will seek the nomination? Who knows how the precinct chairs will vote?

On Friday afternoon, Brockhouse seemed to have mixed feelings about the latest determination from the Secretary of States office.

Hopefully, this is the final call, Brockhouse said. I was taking a hard look at it myself, and I think I would have done exceptionally well in a Republican primary.

Ingrams reversal came after county and state Republican Party officials made the case that under the Election Code, the Precinct 3 vacancy had occurred too late to allow for a primary election.

Sect. 202.006 states that a partys county executive committee should select a nominee if the vacancy occurs after the fifth day before the regular deadline to file for the primary election.

John Austin, the chairman of the Bexar County Republican Party, sounded relieved about Ingrams decision to hand the selection process to the party precinct chairs.

Austin said a Precinct 3 primary election would have encountered legal challenges and faced the threat of having its results thrown out in court.

There is some precedent in Bexar County for having precinct chairs pick party nominees for elective office.

In 2010, Larry Click, a retired Bexar County deputy sheriff, won an uncontested Republican primary for the Precinct 4 county commissioner seat. Five months after winning the primary, Click passed away.

GOP precinct chairs selected a retired Air Force major general named Susan Pamerleau to replace Click on the ballot. Although Pamerleau came up short in that Novembers general election, losing to Tommy Adkisson, she parlayed her strong performance into a winning campaign for county sheriff two years later.

Last year, both major parties had to select nominees for the 144th District Court bench, after Judge Ray Olivarris death in January 2020. Democratic precinct chairs picked Michael Mery and Republicans chose Melisa Skinner. Mery won the election.

Those precedents speak to what an unusual situation DeBerry created with her late decision to run for county judge. When local precinct chairs have been called on to appoint nominees for general-election races, it has generally been the result of vacancies created by the death of an office holder or a party nominee.

In this case, however, the vacancy was the product of DeBerrys final-day decision to seek higher office. Election officials dont have a lot of practice dealing with that kind of scenario.

Its an unusual situation, Callanen said. It doesnt come up that often and it probably rarely comes up when its so close to the primary filing deadline.

No ones ever told us that the Election Code is easy to read.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
For many Americans, Afghanistan is as far away in mind as it is on a map.

The phenomenon isnt new. The quiet conflict in the Graveyard of Empires hummed in the background for two decades, only vaulting into the headlines when something especially tragic occurred.

There would be a few days of attention, and then the war would slink away like Taliban fighters vanishing into the Hindu Kush.

Such was the case in August during those chaotic, bloody and heroic final days of Americas Afghanistan odyssey. The wars death garnered more attention than the war itself.

The withdrawal outraged many, and the nation demanded accountability, but with time, Afghanistan faded back into that dusty place more than 8,000 miles away.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: For 13 years, Afghanistan alarms blared

Thankfully, the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act has provisions to keep the lost war in the spotlight. The bipartisan law mandates a Commission on Afghanistan to investigate and articulate lessons from the 20-year conflict that cost taxpayers at least $2.3 trillion.

According to the legislation, the commissions 12-person panel, selected by the House and Senate Armed Service Committees, will have a $5 million budget from the Defense Department for the project.

The commission is separate from the Special Investigator General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, SIGAR, a government watchdog thats produced 680 audits, reports, lessons learned and criminal investigations since 2008.

In October, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform requested SIGAR work with the Defense Department to declassify all classified portions of its quarterly reports. The committee also asked SIGAR to examine the underlying causes of the rapid collapse of Afghan military forces and government.

The good news is that throughout 2022, these two independent groups will delve into the war that confounded generals and politicians and left those deployed wondering about their murky and oft-changing mission.

On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: Public was indifferent to a war made abstract

The Commission on Afghanistan will provide an interim update by March 3 and its final report by Aug. 31. The report will be unclassified, but it can have a classified annex.

Commission members will have much required reading. Beside government resources, the list must also include media reporting and various non-governmental organization reports.

NGO reports should definitely be incorporated because CENTCOM (the U.S. militarys Central Command) and the DOD have left the investigations of civilian casualties claims up largely to groups like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, Brian Castner, a senior crisis adviser for weapons and military operations with Amnesty International, wrote in an e-mail. Along with a few dogged journalists, we are effectively doing their jobs for them.

Civilian harm and human rights violations are one of the commissions focus areas.

Civilian casualties undermined the legitimacy of both the U.S. effort and the former Afghan government.

Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox

According to Castner, an author and former Air Force explosive ordinance disposal officer, the militarys air strike programs need additional congressional oversight and scrutiny to identify systemic failures that continue to cause civilian casualties.

After twenty years of strikes, to have the same so-called mistakes over-and-over again in all these cases is rising to the level of negligence, he wrote. On air strikes especially, the DOD does not have credibility to investigate itself.

The commission will also dig into U.S. training of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

The Afghan National Army and Air Force lost a lot of legitimacy in the eyes of average Afghans because they were so sloppy and reckless in their attacks, they killed civilians constantly, said Castner. These are American-trained forces. What needs to be done different, as a part of global U.S. training efforts, to keep this from happening again?

Its not just a human rights issue - this lack of legitimacy hastened the end of the Kabul regime itself.

On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: Two Afghans, but only one journey to safety

Commission members have a rough road ahead. Theyll need cooperation to sift out the truth.

We can hope the commission gets unfettered and timely access to the intelligence and materials it needs regardless of classification. With luck, witnesses will answer all questions with candor and honesty. Even then, the truth may elude us.

In the meantime, we must pay attention. But will we? Each time the Commission or SIGAR release findings or publish reports, Afghanistan should rise back into the headlines and conversation.

If the Commission succeeds and creates an honest report, the truth will be uncomfortable for us all. Maybe we werent paying enough attention when the outcome couldve changed. Maybe well learn that lesson this time. Maybe.

brandon.lingle@express-news.net
I was 9 when I made my first newspaper.

My friend Brooke and I decided our classroom needed one. We kept it simple, four pages front and back, handwritten and xeroxed. I dont remember if it was well-received, but when I look back, I see it was the start of something meaningful.

In college, I considered majoring in English, but followed my heart, and ended up with a fresh off-the-press journalism degree. People go into journalism for a variety of reasons. I consider it a calling. Ive always wanted to tell the stories of those who are marginalized and sometimes forgotten.

One of the first newspapers where I worked was the Sidney Sun-Telegraph in the tiny town of Sidney, Neb., which is about 10 minutes from the Colorado border. At the Telegraph, I learned more than I ever learned in any college course, reporting two to three stories daily, shooting photographs, copy editing, writing columns and more.

The best part of being a journalist? Connecting with the community  thats where my heart is. In those days, it was often in person. I often got stopped by our readers at the grocery store, local theater, sporting events, coffee shop and library. It was a small community, and I always felt like I was running into a friend. We talked about their story ideas, local politics and our newspaper.

Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson /Staff

Im a native San Antonian, and its always been a dream of mine to work at my hometown newspaper, so I was thrilled when the Express-News took a chance on me, hiring me in 2016 as a news researcher and archivist.

Throughout my five and a half years, I have worked to help reporters, editors and photographers share San Antonios story. I helped to support Express-News journalists as they covered important topics and events by finding phone numbers, data and facts, creating timelines, crunching numbers, pulling court records and digging through archives. This has been extremely rewarding and challenging work.

In October, I accepted a new challenge as I moved into a new job at the Express-News as op-ed and letters editor. Editing op-eds can be equally challenging and rewarding. I seek out community voices and engage with readers, working with writers and non-writers to reflect and create compelling commentary.

This new role gives me the opportunity to do my favorite part of journalism  having meaningful conversations with the community  our readers.

In a brief time, Ive learned a lot about myself, not only as a journalist, but as a person. Ive also gotten to know some of our readers and letter writers. Youve made me think and take a step back, helping to teach me things I didnt know through experiences Ive never had.

You, our readers and letter writers, play a vital role in this paper and in our community. You make us all think beyond our personal perspectives. We dont have to agree on everything, and we shouldnt, but we can listen and learn from one another.

Beyond that, you also care about journalism and help keep our journalists accountable, praising them for their hard work and offering ideas and suggestions.

I am still learning, but this is what I know for sure: You  our readers  genuinely care about our country, community and democracy.

The Express-News letters and op-ed sections will continue to evolve, but it will always be a space for community. I welcome your submissions and look forward to working with many of you to amplify your ideas and perspectives. Think of our letters and op-ed space as a meeting place, like running into a friend at a coffee shop. Together, we can have conversations that drive us toward becoming better citizens and people.

mharris@express-news.net
Lets begin with a stated ideal: Bexar County leaders need to take an all-of-the above approach toward addressing the scourge of domestic violence.

County officials have allocated an additional $6.4 million to address domestic violence since 2019, according to a Dec. 17 Bexar County report. Yet, the violence rooted in our community continues to grow.

As Commissioners Court considers additional funding, including American Rescue Plan Act funds, for domestic violence prosecutions, victim services, violence prevention and addressing root causes, we strongly encourage commissioners to fund the request from Bexar County District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales. We are also intrigued by a funding request from the civil court side, but commissioners and other officials need more time to review it.

Bexar County Commissioners will consider these proposals at a special meeting Tuesday.

On ExpressNews.com: We need to do something  Bexar County DA, county judge move to combat family violence after E-N series

Gonzales proposal calls for more manpower for overburdened prosecutors who handle misdemeanor domestic violence cases. Hes calling for more than $3 million to hire 41 more prosecutors, investigators, advocates and other staff to fortify domestic violence prosecutions and services to victims.

Family violence cases have doubled since 2015 and prosecutors are burdened with unmanageable caseloads  if the request doesnt get funded, it will be impossible for prosecutors to achieve acceptable results, Gonzales wrote in his proposal.

In Tarrant County, which has the lowest dismissal rate in all urban counties, misdemeanor family violence prosecutors have about 300 cases each. In Bexar County, there is an average of 750 cases per prosecutor, according to Gonazles Dec. 1 proposal.

To decrease the backlog of cases, the budget office recommends funding two visiting judges. We support this recommendation.

Mike Lozito, director of the countys Office of Criminal Justice Policy, Planning & Programs, also submitted a $500,000 proposal for new tracking devices that could notify domestic violence victims if their abusers come within a certain distance.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff has expressed support for Gonzales proposal.

But Wolff said he is unsure of a proposal from Bexar County Civil District Court judges, 438th Judicial District Court Judge Rosie Alvarado and 150th Judicial District Court Judge Monique Diaz, who are requesting more than $3 million for a new civil court to make the system more effective in hearing child protection cases that include domestic violence.

Alvarado and Diaz have said the daily presiding court can range from 170 to 270 hearings distributed among 6 to 8 district judges. Their request is $3,063,650 to fully fund a third Childrens Court with a focus on family violence (it was partially funded in September); an associate judge to assist with the presiding docket overflow; district attorneys, deputies and district clerks for those courts, family violence court-appointed services for indigent litigants; and social service contracts.

But a Nov. 2 analysis of the civil district courts proposal by the Bexar County Office of Criminal Justice Policy, Planning & Programming concluded the workload data do not justify additional resources in civil courts. The Dec. 17 county report also noted missing performance measures.

The proposals come a month after the groundbreaking Express-News domestic violence project, Nowhere to Hide, that revealed the depth of how serious our domestic violence problem is.

On ExpressNews.com: Nowhere to hide

In 2016, 27 people in Bexar County were killed in family violence assaults, eight more than the year before. In 2017, the death toll climbed to 35. It hovered around that level for two years before jumping to 43 during the pandemic year of 2020.

For every family violence killing, there are thousands of nonfatal assaults, according to the Express-News project.

Bexar County had the lowest conviction rate for domestic violence assaults and the highest dismissal rate among Texas major urban counties from 2011 to 2020.

Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: No surrender in fight against domestic violence

This underscores the urgency to better fund prosecutors and victims advocates and services.

As for the civil court request, perhaps workload data isnt the right metric. Perhaps a better question is whether the proposal will address root causes of the generational cycle of domestic violence. This question should be the guiding light to any discussion.
Texas is well known for its deep-red policies and conservative leaders, yet the state may send a handful of progressive Democrats to Washington next year.

From Dallas to Austin to the Rio Grande Valley, far-left candidates are popping up in congressional races, including some in reliably blue districts that would likely elect them in November, if they make it past the primaries.

The list features some of the Texas Houses most liberal members, community activists and Greg Casar, the self-avowed Democratic socialist from Austin who pioneered the citys defund the police move last year.

We don't just need progressives coming from each of the coasts, said Casar, also an architect of Austins loosened homeless camping laws that were reinstated by the citys voters earlier this year. I think it's so important for progressives to come from places like Texas that are bearing the brunt of failed Republican leadership in the state.

Political experts say the increase in viable candidates is both a reflection of the increasing polarization across the country and of the popularity of young progressives in Congress, especially U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. If they can win March 1 primary races, progressive candidates are likely to claim at least two  and possibly three or more  Texas seats next year.

IN-DEPTH: With 31 lawmakers moving on, Texas Legislature has room to get redder

There's a real shot, said Jen Clark, a professor of political science at the University of Houston. Its not necessarily just folly, and they're just entering the race just to raise issues. Because those are solid blue districts, they do have a real chance if they reach out to the voters and can make a convincing case.

Texas Republicans say theyre more than ready for that challenge  and it might even make their campaigns easier. Some candidates are salivating at the chance to take on progressives in the general election, said Austin-based GOP strategist Brendan Steinhauser.

They want to brand them as radical leftists out of touch with Texans, especially moderates and swing voters, Steinhauser said. We think that if the Democrats nominate those types of candidates in that B category, we're going to have a lot of success  and there are going to be races on the table that otherwise may not be.

Tom Reel, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Right-wing extremism gives sense of urgency

Casar is running in the 35th Congressional District, which stretches from Austin to San Antonio. It is currently held by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who decided to swap districts after boundary changes made in redistricting. He faces state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez  also a progressive, but not a Democratic socialist  in the primary, along with two other Democrats.

Casar is undoubtedly the farthest-left candidate of the group, but Rodriguezs record is similar: He is ranked among the most liberal members of the state House, where hes served for nearly two decades, and he helped lead the Democrats dramatic walkouts over the summer in an effort to delay the GOPs priority elections bill.

Whoever comes out on top is likely to also win in the November general election, as 72 percent of voters in the district picked Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.

TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday

The progressive momentum this year is, in part, related to a nationwide sense of urgency kindled by right-wing extremism that snowballed during the Trump administration, Rodriguez said. That filters down to Texas, he said, where GOP politicians this year implemented new voting restrictions and approved a near-total abortion ban in a remarkably partisan legislative session.

There are already five members of Texas Democratic congressional delegation in the House Progressive Caucus, and one is retiring next year: U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, who represents the 30th Congressional District in the Dallas area. The incumbent, who is the longest-serving House member in Texas, has already given her endorsement to state Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas  the most liberal member of the Texas House.

Eight other Democrats are also vying for the nomination in the 30th, including at least three who self-identify as progressive: Abel Mulugheta, Arthur Dixon and Jessica Mason.

What progressive means in 2021

All seven candidates who spoke to Hearst Newspapers for this article embrace the term progressive, even if they have different definitions for it  but all of them spoke either of grassroots organization or the idea of putting people first instead of corporations.

On most of their priority lists: Improving access to health care (in many cases, Medicare for all); addressing climate change (in many cases, the Green New Deal); expanding abortion access; increasing voting options; legalizing marijuana; implementing gun control; facilitating a path to citizenship for people living in the country without authorization; promoting social equity and diversity.

But those policy items  a few of which are popular among Texans, according to recent polling  arent always well-received in Texas and elsewhere. The term progressive on its own can evoke images of more extreme, national politicians; and, for that reason, Crockett said she shies away from using it on the campaign trail.

People don't even understand what it is to be progressive, and everybody defines it a little differently, Crockett said. But if there is a narrative that has been put out there  that this is what it is to be progressive, and someone has a negative connotation of it  then it does you a disservice.

Republicans would argue that progressive policies have earned that reputation, especially in Texas. While the GOP-led Legislature passed a slate of conservative legislation this year, local officials in Democrat-controlled cities have been working to undo their policies.

Weve been building the bench at the local level, and now I think its really important for there to be more progressive representation thats willing to stand up against the status quo at the federal level, Casar said.

But even if Texas progressives expand their presence in Congress, they likely wont have a broad impact on policy, said Matt Mackowiak, a GOP strategist and chair of the Travis County Republican Party. He has been a longtime Casar critic, asserting that his camping and police initiatives in Austin have been disastrous.

Hes going to be another Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez squad member focused on extreme policy ideas that are going to have 10 or 15 or 20 votes at most, Mackowiak said.

Progressive battlegrounds in South Texas

In 2020, immigration attorney Jessica Cisneros raised $1 million in her challenge to longtime U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo, one of the Democrats most moderate House members. She lost by less than 4 percentage points.

Tom Reel, Staff / Staff photographer

Now, Cisneros is back for round two.

This time around, we're not starting from scratch, Cisneros said. People know who I am. They know what I stand for. They know the people-centered progressive policies that I'm running on.

National Republicans are targeting Cuellars district in 2022, hoping to flip the seat after making gains in majority-Latino communities in 2020. Former President Donald Trump earned about 46 percent of the vote there in 2020, and President Joe Biden, 53 percent.

Polling shows Democrat policies are not popular in Texas, said Torunn Sinclair, a spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.Theyre not popular in Texas, and theyre not popular across the country. ... No matter who makes it through a Democrat primary, theyre going to have a tough time winning in 2022.

In the neighboring 15th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez of McCallen is stepping aside to run instead in the 34th Congressional District, after redistricting made the 15th redder.

Six Democrats are now vying for the nomination in the 15th Congressional District, where Trump won 51 percent of the vote last year. One of them, 30-year-old Michelle Vallejo, has earned the support of local nonprofits for her progressive platform, and she says her top priority is Medicare for All.

Back in the 34th District, where Biden beat Trump by about 15 percentage points, Gonzalez  one of the more moderate House members  is also facing a progressive challenger in Beatriz Reynoso, an Air Force veteran who is campaigning on raising the minimum wage.

And then there are the districts where Democrats have little to no chance of winning in the general election, but progressive candidates run anyway.

Texas, especially our established Democratic Party, needs to shift the complete focus and invest in these red areas, invest in these unwinnable elections and non-viable candidates, said Claudia Zapata, a community activist running in the 21st Congressional District currently represented by U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin.

The willingness to run even for unlikely offices speaks to the energy of the progressive movement nationwide, experts say  and its a trend likely to grow in Texas as the state increases in population and diversity.

A lot of this really does come from progressives who feel that the Democratic Party  their strategy, whatever it is, it hasnt been working, said Mark Kaswan, a government professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. We've had 25 years of Republican control of the state, so maybe it is time to take a different approach.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
WASHINGTON  Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry allegedly sent a text to former President Donald Trumps chief of staff the day after the 2020 election suggesting that at least three state Legislatures ignore the will of their voters and send their states electors to re-elect Trump, CNN reported Friday.

HEREs an AGRESSIVE (sic) STRATEGY: Why can t (sic) the states of GA NC PENN and other R controlled state houses declare this is BS (where conflicts and election not called that night) and just send their own electors to vote and have it go to the SCOTUS, said the text revealed this week by the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

A $2.2 MILLION HUNT FOR VOTER FRAUD: Paxtons voter fraud unit closed just three cases in 2021

CNN reported that members of the committee believe the former Energy Department secretary sent the text to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, whom the House this week voted to hold in criminal contempt of Congress.

Multiple people who know Perry confirmed the phone number the committee has associated with that text is Perrys number, CNN reported, and that the number appears in databases as registered to a James Richard Perry, the former governors full name, of Texas.

A Perry spokesman said the former governor denies sending the text, according to CNN. Attempts by Hearst Newspapers to reach him were not successful late Friday.

With the revelation of the text, Perry has now been implicated in both scandals that led to Trumps two impeachments.

Perry, who left the Trump administration in 2019, was one of several senior administration officials who Democrats said knew about and approved of Trumps attempt to use the powers of his office to solicit foreign interference on his behalf in the 2020 election when Trump pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to announce investigations into Democrat Joe Biden. Trump was impeached for the call in 2019.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Perrys text is also the latest example of his devotion to Trump, whom the former governor during the 2016 Republican primary labeled a cancer on conservatism that must be clearly diagnosed, excised and discarded.

But by 2019, Perry declared Trump Gods chosen one to lead the nation, comparing the president to several Old Testament kings.

God used imperfect people all through history, he said in an interview with Fox News at the time. King David wasnt perfect, Saul wasnt perfect, Solomon wasnt perfect.

Perry has largely kept quiet since leaving the Energy Department in 2019. This year, he led a nearly hourlong news conference at the Texas Capitol trying to convince state leaders to buy a brand of air filtration products from a company  Houston-based Integrated Viral Protection  that he acknowledged he has a part in.

Perry is now among a handful of Texans who may be targeted by the committee now probing the Capitol riot.

CNN reported in August that the committee requested that telecommunications companies preserve the phone records of a handful of GOP lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Tyler Republican who is retiring from Congress to run for state attorney general.

FLASHBACK: Rick Perry says Trump is Gods chosen one

Gohmert last December sued Vice President Mike Pence to try to force him to take control of the election certification process and keep Trump in office.

He may count elector votes certified by a states executive, or he can prefer a competing slate of duly qualified electors, Gohmert wrote in the lawsuit. That is the power bestowed upon him by the Constitution.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, led a separate failed lawsuit seeking to overturn election results in four battleground states that went for Biden. Paxton also spoke briefly at Trumps rally outside the White House on Jan. 6, just before the riot.

Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, meanwhile, led an effort in the Senate to delay certifying Trumps loss and objected to Arizonas electoral votes less than an hour before demonstrators breached the building. Seventeen of 25 Texas Republicans in the House objected to counting Electoral College votes for Biden later that night.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Nearly three weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott guaranteed the electricity grid would not fail this winter, he held closed-door meetings with energy producers to get further assurances that the state wont have a repeat of the February failures that killed an estimated 200 Texans and left millions in the dark.

We will continue to work collaboratively with energy providers across the state to further improve the dependability of the grid and ensure that Texans do not face power outages like those experienced last winter, Abbott said in a statement released late Thursday after the meetings.

The meetings  which were off-limits to the public and the press  comes as the energy grids failures become a focal point of the 2022 elections from both Abbotts Democratic and Republican rivals.

Democrat Beto ORourke continued to hammer Abbott for his handling of the grid at campaign stops in the past week through the Texas Panhandle and West Texas. In Amarillo on Monday, ORourke decried the incompetence of Abbott for letting the power fail for more than 5 million Texans.

We couldnt keep the heat on in the energy capital of North America, ORourke said.

But it is not just ORourke criticizing Abbott on this front. One of his leading primary opponents, former Florida Congressman Allen West has also faulted Abbott for taking big contributions from the same energy companies that made big profits off of the power outages.

FAILUES OF POWER: Texas politicians knowingly blew 3 chances to fix the failing power grid

Never forget that there was an 11-year-old little boy in Conroe, Texas that his parents tried to put blanket upon blanket upon blanket on him, but he lost his life, West said. That should never happen again.

On Thursday, after Abbotts meetings with the undisclosed list of energy providers, his office said the governor stressed the importance of them being proactive and not reactive to future winter weather and power outages.

That meeting was happening on the same day the states Public Utilities Commission ordered the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the states grid manager, to change how it prices the energy market during power shortages. It is all an attempt to make sure the state avoids a repeat of February when an unusually harsh winter storm brought the Texas power grid to within five minutes of complete collapse, officials acknowledged. Millions of residents were left without power for days in subfreezing temperatures.

Texans shouldnt have to worry about whether they can power their lives or power our economy, PUC Chairman Peter Lake said at the meeting. When they flip the lights on, the lights should come on. And these efforts go a long, long way to ensuring that.

The Texas Legislature made moves since the storm to require power generators, natural gas operators and pipeline companies to better weatherize their systems, as well as revamp ERCOT, and the Public Utility Commission.

But experts say the fundamentals of the market remain the same and the state needs to do more to create backup power generation to deal with the next massive storm.

During his campaign stops, ORourke said the problem is Abbott is too beholden to big donors from the energy sector. Hes repeatedly cited a Texas Tribune story from the summer that showed Abbott collected $4.6 million from the energy industry after the winter storms.

Abbott has spent the last year protecting billions in profits for energy executives as they poured record millions into his campaign, said Nick Rathod, ORourkes campaign manager.

Abbotts spokeswoman brushed off the criticism.

Gov. Abbott represents all Texans, and thats what he takes into account every day as he works on behalf of the Lone Star State, said Renae Eze, Abbotts press secretary.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
STAMFORD  A city bakery known for donating its bread to local charities was robbed on Wednesday night, according to police.

Sgt. Sean Scanlan said a man walked into COBS Bread Bakery, 1057 High Ridge Road, through an open door around 6:15 p.m. and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Fairfield, MT (59436)

Today

Snow will taper off and end during the morning but skies will remain cloudy during the afternoon. High 4F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. Snowfall around one inch..

Tonight

Cloudy skies. Low 2F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.
Charities, NGOs, trade unions and civil organisations have sent a joint letter to the government raising serious concerns over food and animal welfare standards after the UK-Australia trade deal was finalised this week.

The letter warns that the trade agreement will mean beef and lamb imports produced to lower standards will enter the country, and the UK's position as a leader on tackling climate change will be undermined.

The organisations say that Australian food production follows 'much lower' animal welfare standards than in the UK, which means that the deal will make it easier for products which would never meet the UK production standards to be imported and sold.

This will include imported beef from cattle "raised on enormous, bare feed-lots", and lamb from sheep that have been "mulesed without anaesthetic, a mutilation that is banned in the UK".

As the UKs procurement standards allow low welfare imports, these products could even find their way onto the menus of public sector organisations and into the meals of school children and hospital patients, the groups warn.

The RSPCA, which signed the letter, said it had 'serious concerns' over the impact this could have on animal welfare, UK farmers livelihoods and in tackling climate change.

The charity's chief executive, Chris Sherwood, said: "The deal provides a bad precedent for how the UK maintains its high welfare standards as it starts negotiations with other countries.

"Cheap low quality imports could also undercut farmers and, if more trade deals follow suit, devastate the UKs farming industry.

"This is bad for consumers, farm animals and British producers, who rightly abide by the UKs higher standards."

Whilst there are specific animal welfare provisions in the trade agreement, there are no signs that the UK government is willing to safeguard animal welfare standards in other parts of the deal.

It also has no red lines on how to ensure equivalency in animal welfare standards, unlike the New Zealand agreement which was published last month.

The joint letter warns that the agreement 'sets a dangerous precedent' as the UK seeks other deals with countries such as India, Canada and Mexico, all of whom have lower animal standards.

Mr Sherwood claimed there was a 'rush' to agree a trade deal with Australia "without looking at the consequences for UK farm standards or for future agreements with other countries".

"The UK risks having some of the highest standards in the world but no one farming to those standards," he explained.

As our first trade agreement since leaving the EU, it is really vital the government gets it right and ensures our welfare standards are safeguarded or it could give a clear signal to other countries that the UKs trade policy has no red lines.

Because a high bar was not established in the Australia deal, UK trade negotiators hands will be tied when they try to clinch higher welfare deals with other priority countries such as the US, Canada, India and Mexico."

He added: The UK should be proud of its animal welfare standards and strive to maintain and improve them, but theres a danger this has been sold out for the sake of a quick trade deal.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Silver Elephant Mining Corp. ("Silver Elephant", or the "Company") (TSX:ELEF)(OTCQX:SILEF)(Frankfurt:1P2N) is pleased to provide an update on the disinterested shareholder approval requirements for the previously completed equity private placement of its subsidiary Flying Nickel Mining Corp. ("Flying Nickel"), which closed on November 29, 2021 for gross proceeds of $8,600,000 (the "Flying Nickel Offering"). The proceeds of the Flying Nickel Offering are currently held in escrow, pending completion of certain escrow release conditions. The escrow release conditions include approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"), which, as a condition of approval of the Flying Nickel Offering, requires that the Flying Nickel Offering be approved by an ordinary resolution of disinterested shareholders of the Company (the "Flying Nickel Resolution") at the Company's upcoming special meeting of shareholders to be held on December 22, 2021 (the "Meeting"). For the purposes of determining disinterested shareholder approval, those shareholders of the Company that participated in the Flying Nickel Offering (the "Interested Shareholders") will not be permitted to vote on the Flying Nickel Resolution at the Meeting.

The Company wishes to confirm that Interested Shareholders, holding an aggregate of 4,732,800 common shares of the Company, will be excluded from voting on the Flying Nickel Resolution at the Meeting. No directors or officers of the Company or Flying Nickel are amongst the Interested Shareholders. The holdings of the Interested Shareholders represent approximately 2.1% of the outstanding common shares of the Company as of the record date for the Meeting. The Interested Shareholders will be entitled to vote on all other items of business at the Meeting.

For further information regarding the Arrangement and the Meeting, refer to the Company's management information circular which is available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. For further information regarding the Flying Nickel Offering, please refer to the Company's news release dated November 30, 2021.

Additionally, the Company announces the appointment of Flora Lo as the Company's corporate secretary.

About Silver Elephant Mining Corp.

Silver Elephant Mining Corp. is a premier mining and exploration company in silver, nickel, and vanadium.

Further information on Silver Elephant and Flying Nickel can be found at www.silverelef.com and www.flynickel.com.

SILVER ELEPHANT MINING CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"John Lee"

Executive Chairman

For more information about Silver Elephant, please contact Investor Relations:

+1.604.569.3661 ext. 101

ir@silverelef.com

www.silverelef.com

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts, are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements, which reflect management's expectations regarding Silver Elephant's future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Silver Elephant's forward-looking statements. Silver Elephant believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In addition, although Silver Elephant has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Silver Elephant undertakes no obligation to release publicly any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law.

None of the securities to be issued pursuant to the Flying Nickel Offering have been or will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and any securities issuable in the transaction are anticipated to be issued in reliance upon available exemptions from such registration requirements pursuant to Section 3(a)(10) of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

SOURCE: Silver Elephant Mining Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678442/Silver-Elephants-Flying-Nickel-Private-Placement-Vote-to-Exclude-Interested-Shareholders
MONTREAL QC / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Alphinat Inc. (TSXV:NPA) announces a profit of $91,928 for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2021.

During fiscal 2021, Alphinat has concentrated most of its commercial efforts on its partnerships and accelerating sales in the public sector. Furthermore, SmartGuide continues being used by federal government departments & agencies, state / provincial and municipal governments.

Our teams are involved in a variety of strategic projects with very short delivery delays, demonstrating the level of productivity that SmartGuide offers our clients and partners. At Alphinat, we are constantly looking for ways to enhance user experience and interoperability of client IT infrastructures.

SmartGuide allows the IT department to focus on the infrastructure, technical conventions, connections to existing systems and security while business subject matter experts expand on that foundation to convert their knowledge and know-how into citizen-centric online services. SmartGuide has many times demonstrated that it offers our clients and partners the lowest Total Cost of Ownership ("TCO") compared to custom coded solutions.

In order to accelerate future growth, Alphinat has considerably broadens its horizons by now counting four main areas of solution development:

SmartGuide  Portal Edition for Dynamics 365 1 has optimize the way that clients can now create and deploy online services on top of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM solutions. This offering is available in SaaS mode as well as on-premises; SmartGuide  GreenHouse Gas Registry is a green fintech solution allowing governments and industry to work together in reducing the harmful effects of greenhouse gases; SmartGuide  Claims solutions were developed in conjunction with a major IT consulting partner, which aim at offering unparalleled productivity to federal, state and municipal clients for financial claims applications, ajudication and settlements for financial compensation and class action settlements with customizable citizen-facing services and internal applications; SmartGuide  CIVIC Portal for Amanda 2 and SmartGuide  Municipal Cloud are Municipal Cloud and on-premises solutions front ending partner solutions and other digital services for improved user experience for both the client cities and their citizens.

During 2021, our R&D team has continued to improve SmartGuide and SmartGuide derivative products in order to support the growing ambitions of our clients and partners all while supporting our own strategic growth. We added class actions and financial claims automation processing to our repeatable solutions offerings and are marketing these solutions with an IT consulting partner.

The team delivers solutions to various federal, state / provincial agencies and municipalities across North America and Europe. In addition, the company continues to be involved in supporting its partners to ensure the delivery of solutions to government customers.

For the 12-month period ended August 31, 2021, the Company recorded total revenue of $1,558,396 compared to $1,372,185 for the same period in 2020. The net earnings for fiscal 2021 amount to

$91,928 or $0.0015 per common share compared to net earnings of $127,803 or $0.002 per common share in fiscal 2020.

Alphinat's financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the period ending August 31, 2021 can be found on SEDAR, at www.sedar.com.

About Alphinat

At Alphinat, we are driven by the passion to make application development easy for everyone and system interoperability issues a thing of the past. We enable people with the vision of how a finished application should look and behave to be a major part of the development process. After all, what better way to ensure a favorable outcome than to provide those closest to an application's end-users with a vested interest in its success throughout its development?

That's why we bring you new ways to empower the right people at the right time in the application development process. At the same time, we're constantly working to reduce the need to code in order to make application development and maintenance simpler and less error prone.

So, whether you choose to develop your applications with the help of our low-code platform SmartGuide, kickstart your project using one of our pre-built apps or engage us or one of our partners to do the work for you, we're here to help you deploy better applications in record time. Visit us at https://www.alphinat.com for more information. We look forward to hearing from you.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this document, including those which express management's expectations or estimations with regards to the Company's future performance constitute forward-looking statements" as understood by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are, of necessity, based on a certain number of estimates and hypotheses; while management considers these to be accurate at the time they are expressed,they are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and risks on the commercial, economic and competitive levels. We advise readers that these forward- looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other known and unknown factors that may cause the actual results,performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results,performance or achievements expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause significant differences between actual results and those described in forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, the Company's capacity to increase acceptance of its products on the market, and to penetrate new markets; the potential existence of defects or undetected problems in the Company's products; the Company's ability to manage its growth; the Company's ability to compete with others;potential commitments; maintaining the Company's intellectual property rights and defending against litigation putting those rights in question;the Company's reliance on the knowledge of its key personnel; and the Company's access to sufficient capital to finance its future needs. This is a partial and non-exhaustive list of factors that could bear on any of our forward-looking statements. Investors are advised to not rely unduly on the forward-looking statements. This advisory applies to all forward-looking statements, whether expressed orally or in writing, attributed to Alphinat or to any individual expressing them in the name of the Company.The Company is under no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events, or other circumstances. Risks and uncertainties that bear on the Company are described in greater detail in the Company's Annual Report.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information please contact:

Mr. Curtis Page

Chief Executive Officer

Alphinat Inc.

(514) 398-9799 ext 225

1 Dynamics 365 is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation

2 Amanda is a registered trademark of Granicus

SOURCE: Alphinat Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/678450/Alphinat-Announces-a-Profit-of-91928-for-Fiscal-Year-Ended-August-31-2021
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 18, 2021) - Affinity Metals Corp. (TSXV: AFF) (FSE: 34IA) ("the Company") ("Affinity") is pleased to announce results from the Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders ("AGM"), which took place on December 14th, 2021. Shareholders approved all matters of business brought forward.

Results are as follows,

Number of Directors: FOR 99.84 %

Election of Directors:

Robert Edwards:FOR 99.72%

Darren Blaney:FOR 99.72%

Kelvin Burton:FOR 99.75%

Dennis Edwards:FOR 99.75%

Sean Pownall:FOR 99.75

Appointment of Auditors: FOR 99.84 %

Continuation of Stock Option Plan: FOR 98.67 %

Approval of Stock Option Re-Pricing: FOR 99.39 %

Transact any Other Business: FOR 99.72 %

Robert Edwards, Affinity Metals CEO, commented: "We would like to thank our shareholders for the overwhelming and decisive support of all these resolutions. It's been a tough year for exploration companies and to see our shareholders support us through the ups and downs of our business is really encouraging. Our dedicated team is looking forward to a productive year ahead as we advance our portfolio of prospective assets. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best over the holidays and into the New Year."

About Affinity Metals

Affinity Metals is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of strategic metal deposits within North America.

The Company also holds additional mineral properties in both Ontario and Quebec, Canada.

Travis Steinke, Corporate Development Manager, can be contacted at: info@affinity-metals.com

Information relating to the Company is also available at: www.affinity-metals.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Robert Edwards, CEO and Director of Affinity Metals Corp.

The Company can be contacted at: info@affinity-metals.com

Information relating to the Company is available at: www.affinity-metals.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.

This news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the Company's management discussion and analysis filed with applicable Canadian securities regulators, which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107939
On December 16, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The two sides mainly exchanged views on the Iranian nuclear issue.

Abdollahian briefed Wang Yi on the latest progress of the restart of the negotiations on resuming compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna and highly appreciated China's constructive role in advancing the negotiations. Abdollahian said that the Iranian side took part in the negotiations in good faith and has taken a series of positive measures. Iran will continue to participate in the negotiations in a flexible and pragmatic spirit and maintain dialogue and cooperation with each party, but will not accept threats and bullying practice under any circumstances. The Iranian side believes that if the United States and the EU adopt the same positive attitude, the negotiations on resuming compliance with the JCPOA can continue and an agreement will finally be reached. Iran attaches importance to developing relations with China and is ready to make joint efforts with China to promote new progress in bilateral cooperation in all areas.

Abdollahian said, the nuclear submarine cooperation among the United States, the UK and Australia (AUKUS) seriously undermines the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and incites military confrontation. If countries in East Asia and the Middle East follow suit and nuclear proliferation occurs, the AUKUS should be held responsible.

Wang Yi said, the Iranian nuclear situation is at a critical crossroads. The Chinese side welcomes the restart of the negotiations on resuming compliance with the JCPOA in Vienna, and appreciates Iran's assent to moving forward on the basis of previous negotiations. China welcomes the consensus reached between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency on monitoring nuclear facilities, and expects Iran to continue to push forward the negotiations on resuming compliance with the JCPOA in a serious manner. China will unswervingly uphold the political and diplomatic settlement process of the Iranian nuclear issue and push for early results of the negotiations. China supports Iran's legitimate and reasonable proposition and opposes the wrong practice of willfully exerting pressure. China also supports Iran in enhancing mutual understanding and trust with regional countries and safeguarding regional peace and stability. China and Iran are comprehensive strategic partners. No matter how the international and regional situation changes, the Chinese side will firmly develop friendly relations with Iran.

Wang Yi said, the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation seriously impacts the NPT regime and will doubtlessly cause risks of nuclear proliferation, incite arms race and undermine regional peace and stability. China stands ready to work with other countries to oppose double standards on the nuclear issue and jointly uphold the solemnity and authority of the international nuclear non-proliferation system.
The new omicron variant of coronavirus will sweep into Oregon over the next two to four weeks, setting new records for infections and filling hospitals beyond capacity.

"We're in a race against the clock," Gov. Kate Brown said during a Friday afternoon press call.

The sixth wave of new infections comes as Oregon was slowly recovering from the delta surge that began last July and peaked in early September.

A forecast released by the Oregon Health & Science University said the new variant will push out the current dominant delta virus by the last week of December.

Peter Graven, the lead author of the OHSU forecast, said omicron doubles at twice the rate of the current delta variant, doubling the number of infections every two days.

We have about two to three weeks before well see omicron accelerate and become the dominant strain," Graven said. We expect that cases will ramp up quickly.

The OHSU report said early studies in Europe show current vaccines and earlier exposure to the virus are not as effective against omicron as earlier variations of the novel coronavirus.

The Pfizer and Moderna two-shot vaccination loses about 50% of its protective power with omicron. The third booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, now authorized for anyone 16 and older, offered significant additional protection.

The booster is especially needed for those most vulnerable to severe illness, including immunocompromised residents or older adults living in congregant settings.

"I'm calling on 1 million Oregonians to step up and get a booster shot," Brown said at the press conference.

While there is early evidence that omicron causes fewer cases of severe infection, the shear number of additional infections will create so many cases that it will exceed earlier waves of the virus.

Hospitalizations could top 2,000 per day, swamping the state health care system at a time when other states are dealing with the same crisis and will be unable to lend assistance to Oregon.

Graven said the number of infections will be somewhat mitigated by the expectation of lower severity of each case. Hospital stays will be shorter and each case is less likely to require an intensive care unit bed or ventilator.

"The good news is I am not expecting a lot of deaths from this variant," Graven said.

Dr. Renee Edwards, chief medical officer of OHSU, said the ability of omicron to infect vaccinated people means that doctors, nurses and others who care for the sick can get sick themselves, further depleting the ranks of available staff.

"We're only halfway down" the peak of the delta surge that began last summer, she said.

Brown said the state would move to field at least three more major vaccination centers and to rush new anti-viral medicines to hospitals in preparation for the surge. The state is attempting to contract for more out-of-state medical personnel and is working with the Biden administration on federal help.

No additional restrictions or mask mandates are in the mix for now, Brown said, but "all tools are on the table." She said with the availability of vaccines, masks and medicines, the situation this year is different from last year.

Brown said she was taking the step of immediately freezing plans to bring state workers back into offices on Jan. 1.

Coronavirus infections have been on the rise again even before omicron cases were first reported on Monday.

The delta variant has been showing increased presence in Oregon, as well as the rest of the nation, as cold weather keeps people indoors, and larger holiday gatherings have made it easier for the virus to spread.

OHAs weekly report on COVID-19 cases found that unvaccinated people accounted for just under 70% of new infections. Vaccinated people accounted for just over 30%.

The average age of the breakthrough cases during that period was 44.

As of Wednesday, Oregon has reported 49,250 COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough cases, with all 36 counties having reported the infections of vaccinated people.

The biggest difference is in severity of illness. Only 4.4% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have required hospitalization, and 1.3% have died. The average age of vaccinated people who died was 81.
Galloway Hoard yields another exciting discovery, the name of a Bishop Hyguald inscribed on rare rock crystal jar

A rare rock crystal jar found wrapped in textiles as part of the Galloway Hoard has been conserved, revealing a Latin inscription written in gold. The inscription says the jar was made for a bishop named Hyguald.

Most of the Galloway Hoard is currently on display at Kirkcudbright Galleries (until 10 July 2022) in a National Museums Scotland touring exhibition supported by the Scottish Government.

However, some material which was wrapped in extremely fragile, rarely surviving textiles, is undergoing careful conservation and meticulous research behind the scenes as part of a three-year, 1million Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project led by National Museums Scotland in partnership with the University of Glasgow's College of Arts Dr Susanna Harris.

When first removed as a bundle the jar could be only partially glimpsed through its textile wrapping. 3D X-ray imaging produced in partnership with the British Museum allowed the object to be investigated within its wrapping without damaging it. This revealed that the base had an inscription.

The jar, which is around 5cm high and resembles an ornate perfume bottle, is thought to have had an ecclesiastical function. It has now been carefully separated from its wrapping. The Latin inscription on the base, spelled out in gold letters, translates as Bishop Hyguald had me made. It is the clearest evidence that some of the material in the hoard may have come from a church in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria, which included Dumfries and Galloway, and stretched as far north as Edinburgh and as far south as Sheffield.

Dr Martin Goldberg, Principal Curator, Medieval Archaeology & History, National Museums Scotland said: It looks, from the carved surface of the Galloway Hoard rock crystal, that this was once the capital of a Corinthian-style crystal column. This is unique in early medieval Britain but there are parallels within the Roman Empire for objects of this type. The ones that I have seen are in the Vatican collection, where there are different forms of carved crystal columns. And so it was maybe 500 years old by the time it was transformed in the late 8th or early 9th century into a gold-wrapped jar.

The exhibition, Galloway Hoard: Viking-age Treasure runs at Kirkcudbright Galleries until 10 July 2022 and will tour thereafter to Aberdeen Art Gallery (30 July to 23 October 2022). It will be updated as of Monday 20 December with a new film outlining the discovery of the inscription on the rock crystal jar.

The Galloway Hoard

The Galloway Hoard is the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland. It was discovered in 2014 and acquired by National Museums Scotland in 2017 with the support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund and the Scottish Government as well as a major public fundraising campaign. Since then, it has been undergoing extensive conservation and research at the National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh.

The Galloway Hoard will eventually go on long-term display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh with a significant and representative portion of it also displayed long-term at Kirkcudbright Galleries.
Dublin, Dec. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United Kingdom EMR Market - Forecasts from 2021 to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The UK electronic medical record (EMR) market is projected to grow steadily during the forecast period from an initial value of US$852.874 million in 2019.



EMR is essentially used in synchronizing patient's electronically stored data into digital presentation form. These digital presentations can be shared across different health care settings. EMR has not only increased efficiency but has also increased the quality of care. It creates a large pool of patient data and uses this information for creating new treatment or up-gradation in the health care industry.



A major reason for the growth of this market is the rapid digitalization in the health care industry and funding done by the UK government.



The rapid increase in digitalization in the health care industry of UK has significantly contributed to the increase in the EMR market. The digital healthcare service in the country is continuously witnessing an increase in the level of usage by patients as well as doctors.

According to the center for public impact, the residents of the UK are supporting the development of integrated EMR's and considered it important to share data. Also, the major stakeholders in the UK EMR market are the UK government, the NHS, the department of health, and CFH. The government of the UK is constantly promoting the use of EMR's across the nation. In 2021, UK government is all set to invest euro 37 million in data-driven initiatives.



Also, the government has taken up the top-down approach in which a EMR's will be implemented nationwide and euro 12.7 billion are allocated for the same.



The growing demand for an integrated health care system is expected to drive the demand for this market in the forecast period.



The growing need for an integrated healthcare system has been a major key driver in the UK EMR market. The healthcare workers are also trained for adopting the same. The term system is not only error-free but also helps in minimizing unnecessary repetition of procedure and prescription.

The increased integration due to the various modernization plan undertaken is expected to motivate the emr industry in UK. The interests analogous to the use of EMR are projected to drive the growth of the market. UK is projected to be one of the key players in the global market.



The surge of COVID-19 is anticipated to fuel the growth of this market.



The COVID-19 cases have swollen to 46,30,044 cases in UK, from January 2020 to June 2021, according to the WHO. With the rising number of cases, it has become difficult for the healthcare administration to monitor the patients with efficacy, the EMR system is expected to manage the epidemic with greater efficiency and manage this emergency.

Also, with rising health consciousness among the netizens of UK, the EMR system is widely accepted in UK. Due to the surge of coronavirus, the EMR market is expected to flourish.

Company Profiles

GE Healthcare

Siemens Medical Solutions

MAXIMUS

Kainos

Cerner Corporation

Greenway Health

Allscripts Healthcare

Philips-Tasy

Market Segmentation:

By Product

Client-Server based

Web-Based

By End-User

Hospitals

Ambulatory care

Physicians Clinic

Laboratories

Pharmacies

By Services offered

Licensed Software

Technology Resale

Subscriptions

Professional Services

Others

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qzsfbv
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Velocity Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: VLC) (Velocity or the Company) reports that it has filed a revised National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) technical report for the Rozino gold project, located in southeast Bulgaria.



The NI 43-101 technical report is entitled Revised NI 43-101 Technical Report Pre-Feasibility Study for the Rozino Gold Project, Bulgaria (the Technical Report) and is dated December 15, 2021 and dated effective September 28, 2020. The Technical Report was prepared pursuant to NI 43-101 by CSA Global, an international mining consultancy with experience in Bulgaria. The Technical Report is available on the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com and is available on the Companys website at www.velocityminerals.com .

About Velocity Minerals Ltd.

Velocity is an exploration and development company focused on southeastern Bulgaria. Velocitys strategy is to develop a low cost centralized Hub and Spoke operation whereby multiple projects within this emerging district produce concentrates for trucking to a central processing plant for production of dore. Velocity has a 70% interest in the Tintyava property, which includes the Rozino project, a 70% interest in the Momchil property, which includes the Obichnik project, a 70% interest in the Nadezhda property, which includes the Makedontsi project, and a 100% interest in the Iglika property. Velocitys management and board includes mining industry professionals with combined experience spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas as employees of major mining companies as well as founders and senior executives of junior to mid-tier public companies. The team's experience includes all aspects of mineral exploration, resource definition, feasibility, finance, mine construction and mine operation as well as a track record in managing publicly listed companies.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Keith Henderson"

President & CEO

For further information, please contact: Keith Henderson

Phone: +1-604-484-1233

Web: www.velocityminerals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, statements as to the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fund its business activities and plans, delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the TSX Venture Exchange), permits or financing, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims, environmental issues and liabilities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID19, including the impact of COVID19 on the Companys business, financial condition and results of operations, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents, approvals or authorizations, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, and risks related to joint venture operations, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Companys continuous disclosure documents. All of the Companys Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.
Artarmon NSW, Australia, Dec. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lonely Kids Club Australia is marking its tenth anniversary by promoting its line of cool hoodies. Although the company has been around since 2011, hoodies were not part of the original design portfolio. The catalogue initially consisted of various crew neck jumpers with mascot images. When hoodies were added to the mix, the popularity of the fun and quirky designs quickly caught on with customers around the world. The clothing designs are produced and distributed using materials and methods that are environmentally forward-thinking. The designs incorporate many of the Lonely Kids Club mascots.

The newly designed website features user-friendly filters and category tabs. Shoppers can choose from dresses, tops, bottoms, accessories, kids wear, and collections. All clothing is rated as ethical. LKC maintains full transparency over each stage of the manufacturing process to ensure ethical production and fair treatment for everyone involved in producing the clothing items. The company prints on order to be more sustainable. There are environmental impact reduction processes in place to reduce the carbon footprint.

Lonely Kids Club offers the best range of cool hoodies Australia provides. The garments are non-binary and are not gendered. Shipment is available for cool adults throughout the globe. A recent blog post currently lists the favourite hoodie options in the online catalogue. Some favourites include The Froggie Hoodie, The Cooking Is My Passion Hoodie, The Cecil Hoodie, and the Create Your Own Pet Hoodie.

Further details are available at https://lonelykidsclub.com/

The classic pullover hoodie is like a jumper, but with a usable front pocket and an attached hood to provide head covering. Lonely Kids Club hoodies are 80 to 100 percent cotton with a soft lining. Only premium hoods with soft insides are used. The selection of designs has expanded over the years, or a custom design may be provided. The pet hoodie prints a customised photo of a pet so that the owner can stay warm and comfortable during outings with a dog or cat.

About the Company:

Lonely Kids Club was launched in 2012 with a line of tops, hoodies, and more. The garments are ethically produced through every stage of the process. The designs are fun, quirky, and reflect comfort and durability.

Contact Info:

Name: Shoaib

Email: Send Email

Organization: Lonely Kids Club Australia

Address: Unit 4/18-20 Hotham Parade, Artarmon NSW 2064

Phone: 0402 634 874

Website: https://lonelykidsclub.com/

Location:


NEW YORK, USA, Dec. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Its becoming apparent that consumers expect more from their brands these days. They dont just go to Sephora to buy face cream, for example. They are looking for non-toxic ingredients, sustainable packaging, an equal opportunity employer and other causes dear to their heart.

Brands need to represent something more than just a product or service to appeal to todays socially conscious consumer. A study conducted by Edelman in 2018 revealed that almost two-thirds of consumers admitted to making purchases based on beliefs and values. These findings suggest storytelling is more important than ever before.

St. Bonaventures online Master of Arts in Communication program helps students develop the skills to craft compelling brand stories. Students learn to create a truly viable campaign vision, produce high-touch content for their target audience, prepare a data analysis strategy, and measure success. In addition to core courses, they may also select a specialization based on their career aspirations: content marketing, integrated marketing communication, and public relations.

The program aims to prepare students for professional life and better equip those who are already specialists in their respective fields. The curriculum emphasizes integrity and teaches students to connect with diverse audiences while embodying empathy, ethical principles and freedom of expression. Students develop conceptual and strategic thinking and visual and written communication skills throughout the program.

Since 2004, St. Bonaventure University has offered this specialized communication master's degree. This legacy program was among the first of its kind to go online in 2013 and has consistently built upon the core principles of integrated marketing communication. The degree offers both the creative and strategic skillset to ensure that data and creative thought evolve into meaningful brand messages and storytelling that resonates with and engages audiences.

Readers can find out more about St. Bonaventure Universitys Masters In Communication by visiting the official website at https://online.sbu.edu/programs/master/communication

About St. Bonaventure University

St. Bonaventure University is one of the leading universities in New York State that offers an expansive list of online graduate degrees. The Universitys online Masters in Communication is regarded as one of the best in the industry. The Jandoli School of Communication is one of just three schools offering Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) accredited online graduate programs.

Contact Info:

Name: Thomas Missel, Chief Communications Officer

Email: Send Email

Organization: St. Bonaventure University

Address: 3261 West State Road, St. Bonaventure, NY 14778

Phone: -

Website: https://www.sbu.edu/
Countrys Premier Driving Experience to Bring Fast-Paced Fun to 16 Speedways Nationwide

Book Now for the Race Fan on Your Holiday Gift List

CHARLOTTE, NC, Dec. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire  Motorsports leading fan driving experience partners  Driving 101, which operates NASCAR Racing Experience, Richard Petty Driving Experience and Mario Andretti Racing Experience  announced today the schedule of event dates at premier speedways across the country.

Race fans can drive the same tracks as their idols, including Atlanta Motor Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Homestead Miami Speedway, Kansas Motor Speedway, Kentucky Motor Speedway, Homestead Miami Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Michigan International Raceway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway, Richmond Raceway, Talladega Superspeedway and Texas Motor Speedway.

At the NASCAR Racing Experience, you get the unique chance to race the same cars and the same tracks as your motorsports heroes, said Kurt Weinhart, chief revenue officer for Driving 101. We know that people are planning in advance for their vacations and events next year. With the complete 2022 NASCAR Racing Experience calendar in hand, they can secure their seat for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, bucket-list trip or corporate event.

The NASCAR Racing Experience makes the ideal holiday gift for any race fan or thrill seeker. Reservations at the NASCAR Racing Experience are on sale with prices starting at just $249.99 to drive a NASCAR race car and $129.99 for NASCAR Ride Alongs. Advance reservations are encouraged as track times fill up quickly. Reservations can be booked at www.NASCARRacingExperience.com or 704-886-2400.

Driving 101 and its three trusted racing brands now runs at 16 nationwide speedways for NASCAR Racing Experience as well as 14 nationwide speedways for Mario Andretti Racing Experience.

The 2022 season offers the best NASCAR stock car and Indy-style car driving experience choice for customers, race fans, thrill seekers and corporate America. In short, we are the leader in the driving experience industry. Weve enhanced our nationwide locations, strengthened our marketing strategies, and made the racing experience even more authentic, said Weinhardt.

About Driving 101: Driving 101 and its three trusted racing brands now the NASCAR Racing Experience at 16 speedways nationwide as well as running the Mario Andretti Racing Experience at 14 speedways nationwide. Both offer a vast array of corporate outings and motorsports-themed events. NASCAR Racing Experience is the leading experiential racing company in North America, offering the most realistic racing programs available to motorsports fans nationwide. For more information call 704-886-2400 or visit www.NASCARRacingExperience.com.

Contact:

Deborah Robinson

312-505-4336

drobinson@vmg1.com

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Dallas, TX , Dec. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just in time for 2022, KISS PR brand story wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year.

Here is a handy guide that will help you plan for press release distribution in 2022.

As a leading growth marketing company helping small to medium-sized businesses we use online press releases to build brand image and reputation by spotlighting stories that make them unique as part of our growth marketing strategy.

When you publish a press release, your branding should be consistent. What you write in the body should also reflect in your boilerplate. A hasty-made boilerplate that doesnt compel readers to learn more about your brand is a waste of space. A professionally-made one that resonates well with your branding helps you establish a more credible name, shared KISS PR Brand Story Editor Agnes Zang.

Read the full resource here. How to Create a Professional and Compelling Press Release Boilerplate

Put simply the press release needs to cover:

Zang reiterated that the point of publishing press releases is to build brand and reputation. Crafting a professional and compelling boilerplate is crucial as companies need to showcase the most important information about their business to the right audience.

Zang invites companies that need help creating traction and a name for their business to check out KISS PR Brand Story.

Write down what makes their company a leader in their industry.

Describe how the company is different from others and how it benefits customers.

Highlight the most recent milestones and awards.

Keep it super simple. Dont use complex terms.

Keep sentences short between 160-320 characters.

Strategically use SEO keywords, think user first, and not search engines.

Link your website and social media but don't overdo it.

Use Canva for compelling images.

About KISS PR Brand Story

KISS PR Brand Story is Texass leading marketing, storytelling and press release distribution platform that offers SMEs, freelancers, and SEO agencies white label press release services. We focus on helping industry movers and leaders gain more profit by allowing them to sell their PR services using their own branding. With more than 43000 stories published for clients all over the globe, KISS PR Brand Story is currently expanding their operations from Cayman Islands, Dallas, New York City, and more recently in West Palm, Florida.

###

Media Contact

https://kisspr.com

Az@kisspr.com

Follow KISS PR Brand Story Press Release Service Facebook

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SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hagens Berman urges Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW) investors with significant losses to submit your losses now.



Class Period: Aug. 11, 2021  Nov. 14, 2021

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Feb. 15, 2021

Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/RDW

Contact An Attorney Now: RDW@hbsslaw.com

844-916-0895

Redwire Corporation (RDW) Securities Class Action:

The action arises out of Redwires allegedly false and misleading financial statements leading up to its merger with Genesis Park Acquisition Corp. (GPAC) in early Sept. 2021.

Specifically, Defendants misrepresented and failed to disclose: (1) that there were accounting issues at one of Redwires subunits; (2) that, as a result, there were additional material weaknesses in Redwires internal control over financial reporting; and (2) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants positive statements about the Companys business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

The truth began to emerge on Nov. 10, 2021, when the company announced it would not report its Q3 2021 financial results as expected that day. Redwire explained that an employee raised concerns about potential accounting issues with a business unit 5 days before and that its audit committee was investigating the employees claims.

Then, on Nov. 15, 2021, before the market opened, Redwire announced that due to the pending investigation, the Company has not been able to finalize its financial statements [for the period ended Sep. 30, 2021] or its assessment of the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures and any impact on the report.

These disclosures drove the price of Redwire shares sharply lower.

Were focused on investors losses and proving Redwire manipulated its financial results to deceive investors, said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.

If you invested in Redwire and have significant losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firms investigation, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman.

Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Redwire should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email RDW@hbsslaw.com.

About Hagens Berman

Hagens Berman is a national law firm with eight offices in eight cities around the country and over eighty attorneys. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw .
Shenzhen, China, Dec. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global fitness brand Yunmai is celebrating this holiday season with deep discounts on their popular smart scale and massage gun lines. From December 8 through December 31, shoppers will have the chance to get their hands on discounted fitness tech just in time for holiday shopping or to kick-off New Years fitness resolutions.

At Yunmai, our goal is to use the latest technology to help people simplify their workout and meet their fitness and health goals, said Yunmai Founder and CEO Wyatt Wang. Our smart scales and massage guns are among our most popular and were excited to bring these discounts over the holiday season.

Yunmais highly rated smart scales measure 13 body metrics, including: weight, BMI, body fat, skeletal muscle, water, protein, visceral fat, bone mass, BMR, and body age, etc. They sync with Yunmais Bluetooth app for detailed reporting and can track up to 16 users. The discounts are as follows:

Smart Scale X: $29.99 Original$35.99 - $6 off

Smart Scale S$35.99 Original$49.99 - $14 off

Smart Scale PRO$43.99 Original$59.99 - $16 off 

Yunmais line of massage guns work to relieve muscles and provide relaxation and recovery post-workout, or to warm muscles up before a fitness session. Yunmais Global Ambassador for their massage guns is Forward Ansu Fati who plays for Barcelona FC and has been called the new number 10 after taking over Messis iconic number. According to Fati, Yunmais massage guns provide a simple and efficient recovery method.

Each massage gun comes with varying speeds, unique features, and swappable massage heads to provide the level of muscle work you need. The discounts are as follows:

Yunmai Massage Gun SlimElegant$99.99 Original$169.99 - $70 off

Yunmai Massage Gun SlimChic$125.99 Original$179.99 - $50 off 

Yunmai Massage Gun ProBasic$119.99 Original$239.99 - $120 off

These sales will be available at www.yunmaiglobal.com.

Media Contact:

Carlos Xie

hi@iyunmai.com

+86 1800-2275-282
Waukesha, WI (53187)

Today

Overcast. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High around 15F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Bitterly cold. Partly cloudy. Low -3F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Governor Northam Announces CoStar Group to Build Corporate Campus in Richmond, Creating 2,000 New Jobs

Expansion will include software development, research & development capabilities, sales, marketing, and support functions

RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam today announced that CoStar Group, Inc., a leading provider of real estate information, analytics, and online marketplaces, expects to invest more than $460 million to expand in Richmond. CoStar plans to establish a Corporate Campus that will include sales, marketing, software development, customer service and support functions on four acres adjacent to its current facility, which serves as the companys headquarters for research and data analytics.

Virginia successfully competed with other states in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast for the project, which is expected to create 2,000 new jobs.

I am thrilled CoStar is investing yet again in Virginia, said Governor Northam. Their continued success is a direct result of our attractive business climate and dynamic workforce found across the state. CoStar has been a wonderful partner for the Commonwealth and I look forward to seeing what they accomplish next.

The new campus represents approximately 750,000 square feet of new office and retail space and is expected to include a 26-story, LEED-certified office building and a six-story, multipurpose building to be used as a central location for employee amenities. The multipurpose employee facility is expected to include conference facilities, fitness and wellness, auditorium, and mixed-use retail and restaurant spaces. Once completed, CoStar Group will occupy approximately one million square feet of office space in downtown Richmond.

Founded in 1987, CoStar Group conducts expansive, ongoing research to produce and maintain the largest and most comprehensive database of real estate information. The companys online services enable clients to analyze, interpret, and gain insight on commercial property values, market conditions, and current availability. CoStar Groups brands include CoStar, Apartments.com, LoopNet, and Homes.com, and its websites attract hundreds of millions of unique monthly visitors. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., CoStar maintains offices throughout the U.S. and in Europe, Canada, and Asia with a staff of approximately 4,800 worldwide.

Richmond has become a technology hub with a diverse tech workforce, and CoStar Groups continued expansion demonstrates how a regions infrastructure and talent powers the growth and success of businesses, said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. We thank the company for creating 2,000 high-quality jobs and look forward to continuing our long-term partnership with CoStar.

Richmond is a growing community with access to a deep pool of diverse, highly-skilled workers, a vibrant culture of innovation and a wonderful quality of life for our existing and future employees, said Andy Florance, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CoStar Group. The strong partnerships we have established with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the City of Richmond, and institutions of higher education such as VCU, will be critical for our continued growth. Virginia, Richmond, and Costar Group all have bright futures ahead, and we are excited to grow together.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Richmond, the Greater Richmond Partnership, and the General Assemblys Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission to secure the project for Virginia. The project will leverage public infrastructure upgrades around the new campus to be funded by the Commonwealth through an investment approved by the Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission of up to $15 million, subject to approval by the General Assembly. These upgrades will address commuter and pedestrian access, roadway and traffic improvements, safety, and offsite utility extensions around the new campus.

Todays announcement demonstrates CoStar Groups continued confidence in the many advantages that make Virginia the top state for business in the nation, and we thank the company for its major economic impact in the City of Richmond, said Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission Chair Senator Janet Howell. I commend the team that worked to ensure CoStar selected the Commonwealth, and I am proud the MEI Commission could play a role in securing this important project.

We thank CoStar Group for its major investment and creating 2,000 new jobs in the Commonwealth, said Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission Vice Chair Delegate Luke Torian. The companys new world-class Corporate Campus will significantly expand CoStars footprint in the City of Richmond, and I am pleased the MEI Commission could collaborate with our state, regional, and local partners on this tremendous project.

Since arriving in 2016, the CoStar Group and its employees have been priceless additions to our community, said Mayor Levar Stoney. Now, five years later, the companys decision to invest more than $460 million and create 2,000 new jobs in Downtown Richmond along the riverfront speaks not only to past success, but also to its confidence to grow and prosper in our city in the future. Richmonds talent pipeline, business climate, infrastructure improvements, and quality of life make it the perfect home for the global leader of commercial real estate information and analytics. Were excited for CoStar Groups significant expansion, and look forward to continuing our positive and productive partnership.

Since locating its research headquarters in Richmond five years ago, CoStar has found the right type of experienced, diverse IT talent the companies of tomorrow are looking for, said Jennifer Wakefield, President and CEO of the Greater Richmond Partnership. Were thrilled CoStar is continuing to invest in Greater Richmond.

CoStar Group, Inc. has been an impactful source of employment for Virginians, said Congressman Donald McEachin. The announcement that CoStar will continue its operations in Richmond and establish a Corporate Campus is exciting and will help further stimulate our local economy while providing important opportunities to Virginians. The companys decision is also a testament to the Commonwealths strong economic climate and competitive, qualified workforce. I look forward to this expansion as we continue working to strengthen and grow Virginias economy.

This is a significant boost for job creation in downtown Richmond, said Senator Jennifer McClellan. The creation of nearly 2,000 new jobs will help provide economic opportunity for Richmond residents and will support continued growth in the fields of software development and data analytics. Im pleased to see CoStar continue to grow and establish a Corporate Campus here in Richmond.

"CoStar's Center of Excellence is just the latest example of Richmond attracting companies who are at the forefront of innovation, said Delegate Jeff Bourne. CoStar's expansion is a welcome addition, and I look forward to welcoming their new employees to our city."

# # #
Now that the 2021 Formula 1 season is over, it's mostly time to look back at the year with brand new world champion Max Verstappen. We also look at the races where Red Bull Racing lost a lot of points, including the Hungarian Grand Prix.

On a damp Hungaroring, it was Valtteri Bottas who experienced a poor start, which he then tried to make up for by overtaking a few men in the first corner. However, that plan ended in chaos, with the race of Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Lando Norris going down the drain.

"Unbelievable," says the Dutchman, who can't suppress a laugh out of disbelief when he looks back at the footage. "That was of course a dramatic race for us, where we also lost a lot of points after Silverstone."

Verstappen blames Bottas for nothing

Verstappen does not blame Bottas for trying to make up for his poor start, however, and can even understand his attempt. "Valtteri has always been a really good guy. He's not like that, he just made a mistake," the Red Bull driver continued.

"You can try to regain places, but the first corner with intermediates is always difficult. This was a bit too much though," he laughs. Yet Verstappen also remembers moments when something similar happened to him. "It can happen very quickly. I've experienced it a couple of times myself at Spa in the first corner," said the new world champion.
Nikola Corporation delivered the first Nikola Tre battery-electric vehicle (BEV) pilot trucks to Total Transportation Services Inc. (TTSI), one of Southern California's prominent port trucking companies, to expedite zero-emission transportation solutions at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.





As previously announced, TTSIs LOI is for 100 zero-emission trucks beginning with a four-truck pilot of two BEVs and two FCEVs. Based on satisfactory completion of the vehicle trials and subject to TTSI obtaining certain government funding, thirty BEVs are projected to follow later in 2022, and 70 FCEVs are anticipated to start in 2023.

The Nikola Tre BEV is designed for local deliveries up to 350 miles. The Nikola Tre FCEV truck is targeted for distances up to 500 miles and is expected to address the North American regional market, especially when additional hauling capacity or quick fueling are required by fleet operators.

According to TTSI, in any given month 13,000 to 14,000 trucks call at the port of Los Angeles/Long Beach, emitting roughly 2,600 tons per year of smog-causing nitrogen-oxide emissions. This location and transportation use case represent one of the largest opportunities in California to make a significant impact for the transition to sustainable transportation. TTSI has been on the forefront of this transition with early adopter status and will partner with Nikola to transition both BEVs and FCEVs into operation on a trial basis.

European ports are also planning to utilize Nikolas trucks. In September 2021, Nikola and IVECO signed an MoU with the Hamburg Port Authority to deliver up to 25 Nikola Tre BEVs for delivery to that Port throughout 2022.
Two Sweetwater County men face felony-level charges following an alleged armed robbery on Interstate 80 Dec. 7.

Green River resident Jinyi Isaiah Benjamin Martinez, 24, and Rock Springs resident Nicholis Roy Roberson, 24, are being held at the Sweetwater County Detention Center awaiting trial.

Martinez is charged with aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit a felony, kidnapping and theft greater than $1,000, all of which are felony-level charges. Roberson faces charges of aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit a felony and kidnapping.

If convicted of all charges, Martinez faces a maxim...
Castle Rock Ambulance Service and Sweetwater Medics are continuing discussions about consolidating ambulance services and looking into the possibility of Castle Rock eventually taking over service for both Green River and Rock Springs.

The discussions started during last weeks Sweetwater County Commissioners meeting, when the group approved their contract with Sweetwater Medics and approved an additional $235,000, which Sweetwater Medics Director Ron Gatti said was necessary to continue service.

Castle Rock Director Bailie Dockter and CFO Todd Toolson spoke at the meeting, expressing u...
After a life filled with love, kindness and devotion, Kaylou Lightner went to heaven Nov. 5, 2021, after a lengthy illness, surrounded by her loving family. She was 75.

Kaylou was a Rock Springs native, born Aug. 22, 1946 to Louis and Catherine McGarvey Muir.

Kaylou's mother died in November 1953, when Kaylou was just 7 and her younger brother, Louie, was 5. Several years later their father married Isabell Lucas who stepped in and help raise her and her brother.

Kaylou married the love of her life, Don Lightner, on Sept. 2, 1967, and spent the next 54 years in an adventurous and blessed li...
Michael "Mike" D. Magana, 33, left this earth Wednesday, December 8, 2021 to join his higher power in the universe.

He was born on April 18, 1988 in Rock Springs, Wyoming, the son of Roque C. Magana and Carolyn M. Balizan.

Mike graduated from the Green River High School with the class of 2006 and worked as the assistant warehouse manager at Codale Electric Supply.

Mike was a gentle kind soul. He was a loving, caring person who always made it a point to help others, whether it be by words of encouragement or stopping to help a stranger. Mike touched many lives. He was considered family...
Although it was born out of necessity last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the drive-thru live nativity at the First Church of the Nazarene may become a regular Christmas tradition for the community.

People seem to be glad it will be back for a second year, Bonnie Arnold said. I have heard some very positive comments.

The live nativity started last Christmas when the Church of the Nazarene realized they would have to cancel their annual community choir performance of Handels Messiah. The drive-thru event allowed the church and community to celebrate the holiday in...
Melissa Misner and Andy Misner ride out of Green River during the annual Christmas card ride conducted by the Sweetwater Pony Express Riders.

Melissa and Andy Misner swung into their saddles outside the post office Saturday morning. Their horses were loaded with two mochillas and five saddlebags full of Christmas cards. The Misners smiled as they rode down Uinta Drive, escorted by two Green River Police Department vehicles.

After making their way past Interstate 80 and over to the old Lincoln Highway, they made the first handoff, transferring the Christmas cards to Reed Misner and Anne Cheney, who then began the ride through the snow on their stretch of the journey to Rock Springs.

The Sweetwater County chapter of the Pony Expr...
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The former Minnesota police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright alternated between tears, statements of remorse and clipped, matter-of-fact answers as she testified at her trial on manslaughter charges in the death of the Black motorist.

But Kim Potters testimony on Friday was notably scant on a key element of her defense  that she made a mistake when she drew her handgun instead of her Taser and killed Wright during a traffic stop last April in Brooklyn Center.

One legal expert who spoke to The Associated Press said the defense may have been intentionally vague on that point, but others said it appeared to be a missed opportunity for Potter to tell jurors how a mix-up might have occurred and what she was thinking  something jurors were likely waiting to hear.

I didnt think they pulled enough out of Potter because we did not get into her mind, said Marsh Halberg, a Minneapolis defense attorney who is not connected to the case.

Under questioning from her attorney Earl Gray, Potter testified that as officers were struggling with Wright, she saw her supervisor, Sgt. Mychal Johnson, leaning into the car with a look of fear in his face. As she cried on the stand, she went on to say: I remember yelling, Taser, Taser, Taser, and nothing happened, and then he told me I shot him." Body camera video recorded Wright saying, Ah, he shot me" before the car took off.

He got her to admit that she saw fear on Johnsons face, but didnt explore that further, said John Baker, a former defense attorney who is now teaching aspiring police officers at St. Cloud State University. He shouldve gone much further and asked her to testify more on that," Baker said.

He added that Gray didn't have Potter explain the mistake, saying: They didnt even address it.

Mike Brandt, another Minneapolis attorney watching the case, said breaking down the moments surrounding the shooting may have been effective, but the defense made a tactical decision that it wasnt going to be necessary and leave it, perhaps, more vague if you will.

Brandt said the goal of putting Potter, who is white, on the stand was to humanize her for the jury, something he thinks was done successfully. Brandt said Gray did a good job of using Potter's words to paint a picture of a woman who was inspired to become an officer at an early age, who had no complaints against her and who didn't seek to move up the ranks because she liked working on the streets.

While the experts believed Potter's tears were genuine, they had mixed views on how her emotions might have played for the jury.

It was almost gut-wrenching actually to watch, particularly on cross. Her facial expressions looked like she was actively reliving the trauma of the experience, said Rachel Moran, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Moran said its hard not to believe that Potter is horrified and sorry for what she has done. But while some people might empathize with Potter, others might take issue with the fact that she needed comforting after the shooting when the focus should have been on Wright, Moran said.

Moran said the fact that her lawyers didnt get into Potter's mindset was strange, saying she believes one of the first questions that should've been asked was whether Potter meant to shoot Wright.

Experts said Erin Eldridge, the prosecutor who questioned Potter, was generally strong in cross-examination.

Brandt said Potter came across as too defensive and slightly combative when she gave short answers to Eldridge, but he said Eldridge started looking like a bully when Potter began crying. Moran said Eldridge wasn't particularly aggressive, but kept bulldozing through her cross-examination, even as Potter had what Moran called a visible breakdown. She said it's hard to say how that will play with the jury.

Moran also said that Potters immediate reaction to the shooting, which is seen on the police videos, shows she knew she did something horribly wrong and did not intend to use her gun. She said Eldridge was strong in establishing that during her cross-examination.

Notably, Eldridge at one point got Potter to agree that she didnt plan to use deadly force  Potter's attorneys have been arguing that even if this wasn't a mistake, Potter would have been justified in using deadly force because she feared Johnson's life was in danger.

Baker said another highlight was when Eldridge walked Potter through the body camera video and showed Potter what she did.

It was really damning when she got the video of the freeze frame of her with her hand on what appeared to be her weapon as she was still standing by and about to come in, Baker said. I think she did a great job of impeaching her.

Baker said if the jurors had begun deliberating shortly after Potters testimony, her emotional display might have had more of an effect. He said having the weekend between her testimony and closing arguments gives jurors some distance.

Legal experts said Potters testimony wasnt as strong as they expected it to be.

Baker said the defense spent too much time on the justification for the traffic stop, and there wasn't enough focus on the moments when she pulled out her gun instead of her Taser. Baker said Potter didn't provide any explanation of what she did at that moment, something he called problematic for the defense.

Halberg added on Friday: I thought today was going to be the knockout punch. But that was not the case.

___

Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright
GREENWICH  Mary Radcliffe, the legendary former head of the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra, is remembered as someone devoted to music and education in her community after her death at the age of 94.

Radcliffe, a native of Budapest, Hungary, passed away Nov. 17. The GSO announced her death in an email last week. She had been the head of the symphonys board of directors since 1983 and often served as its public face until retiring in June 2020.

She lived a remarkable life with a divine love of music, said former First Selectman Peter Tesei, who succeeded her as chair. Her impact on the Greenwich Symphony will be felt for many years.

Richard Slagle, who serves as the boards vice chair, recalled Radcliffes drive to serve the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra. She always had brochures at the ready, eagerly handing them out to people and telling them about the next concert, Slagle said.

No job was beneath her, he said, from stuffing envelopes to dealing with international soloists.

Her legacy is the music that plays on in the orchestra, said Slagle, who was also Radcliffes attorney. That was always her concern. It was about the musicians and the music they would be playing,

Music had been a part of Mary Radcliffes life since her childhood in Hungary, where she studied piano at a conservatory. Her family was forced to flee in 1944 after the Nazis invasion. When she and her family arrived in the United States in 1946, she continued her music studies.

She earned a degree in piano from Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1949 and a masters degree from the Manhattan School of Music.

She eventually became a piano teacher, leading classes privately in her Greenwich home and also teaching at the Drew School for Girls in Carmel, N.Y.; the Batheson School in Scarsdale, N.Y.; and the National Cathedral School for Girls in Washington, D.C.

Her love of music inspired Radcliffe to seek out the local symphony. She joined the board in 1972 and began her many decades of service as chair in 1983.

The greatest thing my parents ever did for me was get me those piano lessons when I was 5 years old, Radcliffe told Greenwich Time in an interview in 2017.

It was Marys joy and privilege to work with and get to know the GSOs excellent professional musicians and former Music Director and Conductor David Gilbert, according to her obituary.

In 2017, Radcliffe said, Its been a privilege to work with this orchestra.

She and her husband, Richard, moved to Riverside in 1958, where they raised four sons, Michael, Richard, Stephen and Andrew. According to her obituary, Radcliffe is survived by her sons as well as six grandchildren and her goddaughter Angela Chambers, a town resident.

Her eldest son Michael Radcliffe, who lives in Westport, told Greenwich Time on Tuesday that his mother passed away peacefully in her sleep. To the end, she was insistent about the details of her life, even picking out the music for her memorial service.

He recalled the difficulty she had faced raising four sons, who had their own band of guys. Calling his mother a proud, tough woman, Michael Radcliffe spoke about the passion she had for music and for the symphony.

She had such control over her life, especially the symphony, Michael Radcliffe said. She wanted to do everything.  She loved it so much. She was so passionate about it and her house in town. Im really amazed at the outpouring of memories from people in town who love the orchestra and loved her.

Chambers said she remembers discussions with her godmother about the arts; the importance of education, especially when it came to languages; and their shared love of travel. Whenever she traveled, Chambers said Mary Radcliffe wanted to make sure I did more than shop.

She had a wonderful heart, Chambers said. I loved listening to her stories about her love of art and education. She believed there wasnt anything that couldnt be accomplished if you put your heart and passion into it.

Lenore de Csepel serves as secretary on the symphonys board and also was married to Mary Radcliffes late brother. She remembered that Radcliffe and her husband, Richard, loved to sail and were members of the Riverside Yacht Club. De Csepel said Radcliffe was also a great cook, and she made efforts in her later years to connect more to Hungarian culture locally.

But the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra was Radcliffes passion and priority, and de Csepel joked that it now takes nine board members to complete the work that Radcliffe did herself. Even in her later years, Radcliffe put in a full day, five days a week for the GSO, she said.

She dedicated her life to being the mother of four and to the symphony, de Csepel said.

Tesei said Radcliffe was always focused on what mattered most and said she gave him great advice when he took over at the symphonys board.

She told us that we exist as a board to support the musicians. That was her devotion and her lifelong engagement. She loved music. She wanted to support the orchestra and the musicians, Tesei said.

She is going to be sorely missed, he said. And her legacy will certainly carry on for many, many years because she laid a strong foundation for the GSO to continue to provide classical music and education in our community.

A memorial service with a musical tribute will be held Jan. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Milbrook Club . Her family asked for memorial donations to the symphonys endowment fund. Donations can be mailed to the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra, PO Box 35, Greenwich, CT 06836. For more information on the GSO, visit www.greenwichsymphony.org/.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  A school bus driver in suburban Detroit wasn't going to let her kids get late Christmas gifts, even if the district suddenly had switched to remote learning because of a threat over social media.

Dawn Moles said the ornaments she made for West Bloomfield students couldnt wait until in-person classes resume after the holidays and trees were taken down.

Moles got permission to drive her route Friday morning and let kids climb aboard to pick up gifts from their seats.

My youngest, Alice, was so excited, it was like it was the night before Christmas. She was like, 'I cant wait, I cant wait to wake up, I cant go to sleep,'" said Julia Anderson Pulver, whose daughter regularly rides Moles' bus.

Two other bus drivers in the West Bloomfield district delivered gifts to children.

Marlene Dillon, a driver for 17 years, said she wanted kids to get their presents on time; three on her route with December birthdays needed their birthday treat, too.

They are my kids, I drive them every day," Dillon said. Everybody goes to school on Friday because they know theyre going to get a special treat from Ms. Marlene.

West Bloomfield last Monday closed schools and sent students home due to a threat, the latest in a string of threats against Michigan schools since four students were killed at nearby Oxford High School on Nov 30. The threat turned out to be false but officials took no chances.

Moles said driving her route was difficult Monday.

I became so emotional the rest of the route I had to blow my nose into my mask and put another one on the whole route," she said. It was horrifying and it messed me up for days.

Dillon said she urged children after the Oxford shooting to speak up if they feel unsafe.

I dont want them to be on the bus being afraid," Dillon said. We have a happy bus every day.

Anne Albarran said she had so many treats for her young passengers that she didn't want to lug them onto her bus. She drove around in her car with superhero and Minions toothbrush kits, candy and popcorn.

I thought this is going to be the second Christmas that I havent been able to do this because we were shut down last year, Albarran said, referring to COVID-19. Im like, This isnt fair. So I just decided theyre gonna get their their presents on time this year.

___

Anna Liz Nichols is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
They are just three little words, but they have become nearly impossible for many Republicans to say: Joe Biden won."

Eleven months after the Democrats inauguration, Republican lawmakers and candidates across the country are squirming and stumbling rather than acknowledging the fact of Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election. In debates and interviews, they offer circular statements or vague answers when asked whether they believe Biden won.

Yes or no?

In Minnesota this week, five GOP candidates for governor came up with 1,400 other words when asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt for an answer.

On NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, GOP Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas would only concede: Joe Biden was sworn into office.

The hazy statements are one measure of election denialism within the Republican Party. Former President Donald Trump's lies about a stolen election have so taken hold among GOP voters that many of the party's candidates either believe them or fear the political repercussions of refuting Trump. That sets up a surreal dynamic for next year's elections, where the toughest question posed to GOP candidates  particularly in primaries  may be one with a one-word answer that they're reluctant to give.

Biden received more than 81 million votes to Trumps 74 million, according to the tally of the Federal Election Commission. The tightest margin was in Arizona, where Biden won by 10,457 votes. More important, he won 306 votes in the Electoral College, more than the 270 required to become president. Trump got 232.

Even a GOP-led audit of votes in Arizonas largest county came up with a Biden win. Dozens of state and federal courts, as well as the Trump administration's Justice Department, have dismissed claims of widespread voter fraud.

When The Associated Press set out to count every fraud claim in the states disputed by Trump, it found fewer than 475 potential cases  15 hundredths of 1% of Biden's winning margin in those states.

And yet, many Republican candidates may be eying another number: A July Associated Press-NORC Poll found 66% of Republicans said Biden was not legitimately elected president. More than two-thirds of Americans overall said Biden was legitimately elected.

The doubt has been fueled by Trump, who has argued without evidence that the election was rigged" and has urged his supporters to reject the outcome. He's set out to oust fellow Republicans who voted to certify the results.

Kansas' Marshall was among five senators who voted against certifying the electoral votes for Arizona and Pennsylvania in January, the day a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent effort to prevent the final step that sealed Biden's win.

While Marshall hangs his answer on process, other Republicans go further. Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, who was part of a group of GOP congressmen who pushed false claims, recently answered a question from a colleague about who won by saying flatly, "We don't know.

Theres the problem, Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, replied at a hearing of the House Oversight Committee. Donald Trump refused to accept the results, and unfortunately we have one of the worlds great political parties which has followed him off of the ledge of this electoral lunacy, and its dangerous for democracy.

There are some Republicans who clearly, without squirming, acknowledge Bidens win. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is among them, along with Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who was the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee, and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, for instance. Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel uttered the words last month.

Painfully, Joe Biden won the election, and its very painful to watch. Hes the president. We know that, McDaniel told Washington reporters at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor.

But it's clear not all Republicans know. In October, the second-ranking House Republican, Steve Scalise of Louisiana, repeatedly stopped short of disavowing Trumps claims of fraud, asserting without evidence that a number of states didn't follow their election laws.

On Friday, Josh Mandel, a GOP candidate for Senate in Ohio, called for more investigations into the vote in battleground states. I think Trump won, he said in an interview on Hewitt's radio show.

It is an important question and needs to be framed, I think, as I did. I expect it will be often asked and answered (or not) of many candidates in the year ahead, Hewitt tweeted after the Minnesota debate.

The answers demonstrate the pressure for Republican primary candidates to appeal to, or at least not offend, the vocal Trump wing of the party, strategists say.

In todays grim Republican Party, the was-the-election-legit question has become a litmus test for whether you are truly loyal to the Republican Trumpist tribe or not, said Mike Murphy, a veteran Republican strategist and Trump critic.

It took a while  that is, winning the Republican nomination for Virginia governor  for Glenn Youngkin to get there. In May, he said in an interview, I mean, the reality is, and I have said this before, Joe Biden was legitimately elected our president."

But in February, though he stopped short of saying Biden stole" the election, he was equally hesitant to declare Biden had been legitimately elected," according to the nonpartisan political watchdog group Politifact.

Other candidates have moved in the other direction  away from the facts. In Ohio, where Republicans are vying for the nomination for an open Senate seat, candidate Bernie Moreno began airing an ad this week where he is quoted as saying, President Trump says the election was stolen, and hes right.

Yet, just days after the election last year, Moreno urged conservatives on Twitter to accept the results of the 140+ million votes cast, and tweeted a congratulatory note to Biden for a hard fought victory.

On Wednesday, the discomfort for Republicans played out in full view from the debate stage in suburban Minneapolis.

One-by-one, five Minnesota Republicans running for governor talked around Hewitt's question: Did President Biden win a constitutional majority in the Electoral College."

State Sen. Michelle Benson spilled 240 words recruiting Republican poll-watchers and blasting Minnesota's Democratic secretary of state before Hewitt bluntly asked again: Did President Biden win?

Her answer: He was certified by Congress as having won the Electoral College."
Reputable leakster Digital Chat Station recently dropped an interesting bit of info on two upcoming phones - the Realme GT Neo3 and the Xiaomi Redmi K50. Both will, apparently, be using MediaTek's Dimensity 8000 chipset. The Dimensity 8000 is yet to be announced and was recently teased by the company as sort of an affordable step-down from the eagerly-anticipated and already official Dimensity 9000 flagship.

We still don't have all of the details on the Dimensity 8000, but as far as we know, it will be manufactured on TSMC's 5nm process, instead of the 4nm cutting-edge node of the Dimensity 9000, but a step up from the 6nm process on the Dimensity 1000 series of chips. The Dimensity 800 is also expected to skip on the new ARM Cortex-A710 and A510 designs and stick with older ARMv8 ones - four Cortex-A78 (2.75 GHz) and four A55 (2.0 GHz) CPU cores, though coupled with a new Mali-G510 MC6 GPU, said to be twice as fast and 22% more efficient than its predecessor. The Dimensity 8000 is expected to offer FullHD+ at up to 168Hz and QHD+ at 120Hz display support, LPDDR5 memory and UFS 3.1 storage.

It hardly comes as a surprise that the Realme GT Neo3 and the Xiaomi Redmi K50 will be going up against one another with similar specs sheets. At least in some of their variants, that is, since this is currently the case with the vanilla Redmi K40 the Realme GT Neo2, both rocking a Snapdragon 870 chipset, as well as a slew of other very close similarities. The Realme GT Neo2 is still a relatively new device that debuted in China in late September and only made its way to Europe last month, whereas the Redmi K40 has been around for a bit longer, since March and a bit later in Europe as the Xiaomi Poco F3. We can thus expect their successors to also potentially arrive a few months apart.

It is also interesting to note that Xiaomi VP and General Manager of Redmi Lu Weibing already confirmed that the flagship Dimensity 9000 chip will also be coming to the Redmi K50 line as well. That will probably be reserved for the K50 Gaming edition, though. As for Oppo, we expect to see the Dimensity 9000 appear on the vanilla Find X4, with the Find X4 Pro likely rocking Qualcomm's competing Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

Source (in Chinese) | Via 1 | Via 2
MediaTek has been hyping up its latest (or, some might say - first ever) flagship chipset, the Dimensity 9000, recently - benchmarking it against the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, benchmarking it in AI-related tasks, and other such feats.

It definitely looks like a head-on competitor with Qualcomm's latest and greatest, and phone makers have noticed too - so far, Oppo, Redmi, vivo, and Honor all confirmed they're working on handsets incorporating the Dimensity 9000.

And now we can add another name to the list, a rather unsurprising one, to be honest. We mean Realme. The brand used the Dimensity 1200, MediaTek's previous top of the line offering, so it doesn't shock us that it would want a piece of the Dimensity 9000 action as well. It's unclear for now what device Realme plans on launching with the Dimensity 9000, but Realme CMO Xu Qi Chase has apparently confirmed the news on Weibo.

Since Oppo is rumored to have the Find X4 coming with the Dimensity 9000 and the Find X4 Pro featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, dare we suggest that since Realme's GT 2 Pro will have Qualcomm's best, the non-Pro GT 2 might use MediaTek's darling instead? Let's see what happens.

Via (in Chinese)
Three months after the governors order requiring executive branch employees to get vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID-19 testing went into effect, no line agency employees have been disciplined or terminated for non-compliance.

Line departments and agencies will administer the vaccine initiative and will generally communicate with us for inquiries and questions, said Shane Ngata, personnel services administrator for the Department of Administration. We have not had any correspondences with agencies that would confirm employees who fall into the categories at this time.

Under Department of Administration rules, agencies must follow disciplinary procedures, up to and including termination, if employees dont comply, according to Director Edward Birn. Before anyone is terminated, agencies have to go through procedures involving progressive discipline.

The rules state that if employees arent fully vaccinated and dont get tested, they can be placed on annual leave or leave without pay. According to Ngata, leave matters are handled at the agency level with timekeepers or supervisors.

At the Guam Department of Education, three employees  two teachers and a staff member  have been placed on leave for not complying with the mandate. One teacher has resigned, according to Superintendent Jon Fernandez. He said the employees wont be fired.

Nobody is going to be terminated because they ran out of leave, said Birn.

Purpose

Birn stressed the main objective of the mandate, and its enforcement, was to keep the government workforce and the public safe.

Its not a punitive matter. Its not there for no reason. The whole purpose of it is to prevent the spread of the disease throughout the community, throughout the workforce, and by and large, weve done a pretty good job of that, said Birn.

Requests

An option for those who cant comply with the mandate, but want to continue working, is to request a medical or religious exemption with the Department of Public Health and Social Services.

There have been 27 requests for medical exemptions and 36 religious exemptions filed with the Department of Public Health and Social Services, according to agency spokeswoman Janela Carrera. That number includes government and private workers, as well as people seeking exemptions before becoming employed, Carrera said.

Of the 27 requests for medical exemption, 10 were approved, 10 were denied, four were returned and three are under review. Because medical requests contain private health information, Carrera said she cant give details. She said it doesnt mean the employees who were denied will be terminated.

Public Health has received 36 requests for religious exemptions, but paused reviewing them while awaiting clarification from the Office of the Attorney General.

We need clarification whether or not if its within the jurisdiction or the purview of a public health agency to be the one granting religious exemptions, said Carrera.

Exemptions

If employees are exempted, department heads must determine if they can work from home. If they can, department heads must make the necessary arrangements. If they cant do their jobs remotely, department heads must determine if they're qualified to perform other jobs remotely. If they can, employees should be assigned there with the same pay grade.
A first-person perspective of undergoing treatment for substance abuse at The Salvation Army's Lighthouse Recovery Center in Tiyan, Barrigada.
A wreath-laying ceremony to celebrate veterans was held on Guam for the first time Saturday morning.

Elected officials, military personnel and families of veterans buried at Veterans Cemetery in Piti gathered to celebrate National Wreaths Across America Day.

Celebrated at thousands of locations across the United States, Guam coordinated its first ever wreath-laying ceremony to carry out the mission to Remember, Honor and Teach.

The ceremony began hours before, when wreaths were delivered from Yigo to Piti in a motorcade. Then P. Tim Aguon, director of Veterans Affairs, addressed all those in attendance.

These wreaths ... symbolize our honor to those who have served (in) the armed forces of our great nation and to their families who endured the sacrifices every day on hour behalf, Aguon said. And to our children, we want you to understand the freedoms you enjoy today ... have not been for free but they have come at the cost that some day you may have to pay yourself.

Wreaths were then laid upon each veterans final resting place at the cemetery, whether family was present to do it or not.

Gold Star

In addition to the newly declared Dec. 18 celebration, Skinner Plaza saw a ceremony for more wreaths, specifically for veterans from the region not buried in Piti.

Gold Star Families were present and given the opportunity to lay wreaths upon the Purple Heart Memorial as each of the 212 names were read aloud.

Bernie Valencia, Matson vice president and general manager, said the shipping company was asked in the last minute to assist and was glad to do so.

Not everybody is buried at the veterans cemetery and there are a lot of others in the region outside of Guam, so we wanted to make sure we honor those, Valencia said.

Monument

Although the wreaths were laid on the Purple Heart Memorial, Gold Star Family Memorial project coordinator, Tim Ohno said a monument for families of fallen veterans will be built soon.

If youre a Gold Star Family, that means you lost a loved one serving in the military, Ohno said. Theres a lot of monuments out there for the fallen but never the survivors.




Haiti - FLASH : The USA will provide offensive weapons and armored vehicles to Haiti





Friday, December 17, 2021, the high-level virtual meeting convened at the initiative of the United States to address the security, political and economic challenges in Haiti and to offer possibilities of support to the Haitian people, brought together 14 participants (international aid organizations and foreign governments).



Haiti was represented at this meeting by the Haitian Chancellor Jean Victor Geneus and the Ambassador of Haiti in Washington, Edmond Bocchit. Meeting chaired by Brian A. Nichols, Assistant Secretary of State for Americas Affairs.



Chancellor Geneus explained to the participants the requests of the Haitian Government, namely "The training of police officers, the equipment of the PNH in armaments necessary to face the firepower of the gangs and an intelligence service to accompany the dismantling of the gangs."



Brian A. Nichols, explained "We agree that the Haitian National Police need additional support from the international community" stressing that a broad consensus existed that the situation in Haiti was above all "a police challenge and not a military one."



Todd Robinson the Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) has announced that in the first half of 2022, trainers will be in Haiti to support the national police.



"There are promises of assistance in equipment [...] There will be armored vehicles, troop carriers, lethal weapons [deadly offensive weapons] to fight the gangs" confirmed the Haitian Chancellor Genus stressing that the Americans seem to have changed their minds whereas previously they were opposed to providing lethal weapons to Haiti, specifying it is not the Haitian State that will disburse for the purchase of this equipment.



While acknowledging that there was still a lot of work to be done, Nichols said that in addition to the funding and equipment announced by the United States for the Haitian Police whose delivery should be completed by February 2022, commitments have been received from other countries.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Insecurity : An American delegation met the PM shortly before the release of the hostages





Thursday, December 16, 2021 a delegation of American officials led by James Brewster, former United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic left Santo Domingo and went to Port-au-Prince to meet Prime Minister Ariel Henry a little before the release of the 12 American missionaries by the "400 mawozo" gang https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35497-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-released-all-the-american-hostages.html



The meeting was intended to discuss the release of American hostages behind closed doors. It is not yet clear what has been said.



Note that the US Under Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian A. Nichols, asked the same day on the release of the last 12 American hostages kidnapped last October in Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35012-haiti-flash-at-least-fifteen-american-missionaries-kidnapped-in-port-au-prince.html , refused to give details "I cannot comment on a ransom beyond saying, that the United States Government does not pay ransom for hostages."



Recall that the gang "400 mawozo" demanded $1 million in ransom by hostage https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35037-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-demands-one-million-dollars-for-the-release-of-each-american-hostage.html and the release of an important member of the Gang who is currently incarcerated at the National Penitentiary https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35417-haiti-flash-3-new-american-hostages-released.html



Until now, the conditions for the release of the 16 American hostages and the Canadian hostage are still unknown.



Read also about these kidnappings :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35497-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-released-all-the-american-hostages.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35417-haiti-flash-3-new-american-hostages-released.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35299-haiti-flash-2-of-the-17-kidnapped-american-hostages-released.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35204-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35112-icihaiti-insecurity-the-pnh-has-proof-that-the-16-american-hostages-are-alive.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35094-haiti-flash-joe-biden-sends-a-large-number-of-specialists-to-release-the-american-hostages-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35061-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35053-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35037-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-demands-one-million-dollars-for-the-release-of-each-american-hostage.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35028-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35012-haiti-flash-at-least-fifteen-american-missionaries-kidnapped-in-port-au-prince.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





A 60-year-old man rapes a 14-year-old girl

Theodore Paul (60), taking advantage of the parents' absence, raped a 14-year-old schoolgirl in the locality of Palmiste (communal section of La Gonave) who was preparing to go to school. The rapist was arrested.



Fraternal hand of the PM

"We hope that this holiday season will inspire all our compatriots and lead them to seize this fraternal hand that I extend to them. We need unity and serenity to face the collective challenges that lie ahead," Prime Minister a.i, Ariel Henry.



Taiwan together with disadvantaged children

Ambassador Wen-jiann KU of Taiwan (Republic of China) on behalf of the SimplyHelp Foundation, handed over 400 boxes of materials to the Rotary Club of Petion-ville, including clothes, shoes, toys, sanitary kits, in favor of children destitute and the needy population, wishing everyone a Happy New Year.



Condolences from ANADIPP

The Board of Directors of the National Association of Petroleum Product Distributors (ANADIPP) joins all the members of the Association in offering its most sincere condolences to the Capoise families bereaved by the fire of a tanker truck. In addition, let us recall that the National Funeral in memory of the victims will take place on Sunday, December 18, 2021 at 10:00 am at the scene of the tragedy https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35502-haiti-social-tragedy-of-cap-haitien-national-funeral.html



The Bishops of Haiti urges gangs to lay down their weapons

The Episcopal Conference of Haiti (CEH) urges gangs to lay down their arms and those who support them to give up in order to contribute to the reconstruction of a more just, more humane and more fraternal society. "With brothers, we do not dialogue with arms in hand. We look each other in the eye. We forgive ourselves and we move forward," preach the bishops in their traditional Christmas message. The CEH, extremely concerned by the constant deterioration of the situation in the country, demands that truth, order and justice be restored and that the authority of the State be restored.



Switzerland supports the village of Noailles

The Swiss Embassy in Haiti announces a new collaboration with the cultural association Tamise as part of the project "Revitalization of the cultural sector and support for the Village of Noailles". This three-component project pursues the objective of reviving the cultural offer and supporting the cut iron industry through the Village of Noailles. Switzerland remains convinced that culture is not a luxury but can constitute a major asset in the construction of social peace.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , SOHR, two members of Damascus government forces were killed and 3 others were injured, as a result of ISIS's attack, which targeted a military vehicle on the road between the cities of Maskana and Debsai Afnan, southwest of Raqqa.

This comes a day after ISIS attack which targeted sites of Damascus backed - National Defense Force in the Hamra area within the Al-Mayadin desert in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor, which led to injury of 4 members of the National Defense some of them in serious conditions.

ISIS mercenaries also infiltrated a military point belonging to the Russian-backed "Fifth Corps", in the vicinity of the town of Ma'dan Ateeq, east of Raqqa, where ISIS groups managed to capture 3 of the Legion's members.

According to the statistics and documentation of the Syrian Observatory ,the death toll, during the period from March 24, 2019 to the present day, reached 1,610 dead from the Damascus government forces and the militiamen loyal to it of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least 3 Russians, in addition to 158 Of Iran backed groups all of them were killed during attacks of ISIS mercenaries west of the Euphrates, Deir Ezzor desert, Raqqa, Homs, As-Suwayda, Hama and Aleppo.

The Syrian Observatory also documented the killing of 4 civilians working in the gas fields and dozens of shepherds and other civilians, including children and women, in mercenary attacks, while the SOHR also documented the killing of 1,096 ISIS mercenaries, during the same period during.

A.K

ANHA
Registered sex offender arrested on school campus

Henderson County sheriffs deputies arrested a 46-year-old registered sex offender and his school employee wife Thursday after the man was seen on the Flat Rock Middle School campus.

The sheriff's office received a call from Henderson County Public Schools personnel that the staff member at the middle school, Maria Edina Walker, was married to a registered sex offender, Jeffery Lynn Walker, and that he had been seen in a vehicle on the campus. It is illegal for a registered sex offender to be on school property at any time.

Upon receiving this information from the school system the Henderson County Sheriffs Office immediately begin an investigation into this incident. As a result of the investigation both Maria Edina Walker and Jeffery Lynn Walker were arrested.





Jeffery Walker was charged with two counts of felony sex offender unlawfully on premises and jailed on a $50,000 bond. Walker is a registered sex offender in North Carolina because of his conviction on a charge of second-degree sexual assault of a minor in Florida. Maria Edina Walker, 50, was charged with two counts of felony aid and abet sex offender unlawfully on premises and jailed on a $30,000 bond.

After investigating Maria Walker's actions, school administrators sacked her immediately.

"As a result of that investigation, we confirmed that the individual in question, Jeffery Lynn Walker, is a registered sex offender and that at Maria Walkers invitation, he had been on the Flat Rock Middle campus," county schools spokeswoman Molly McGowan Gorsuch said. "It is illegal for a registered sex offender to be on school property at any time, and Ms. Walkers actions were grossly inappropriate and inexcusable. We immediately terminated Maria Walker from employment for her actions, which are a violation of state law and Board policy."
Cypress Christian School closed on a 40-acre property in the Prairieland section of the Bridgeland master-planned community, with the intention of opening a new campus by 2025.

The Howard Hughes Corporation announced the addition of private school Cypress Christian School to Prairieland Village on Dec. 10. The location of Cypress Christian School on Cypress North Houston Road will be moving to this new plot of land.

We met over the course of the last two years and explored opportunities and discussed our visions, Heath Melton, a regional president for The Howard Hughes Corporation, said. Our visions aligned with their desire to continue to grow and serve the greater Cypress area, really coupled with our long-term growth here in Bridgeland. The opportunity presented itself and we were able to bring them into Bridgeland.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Shield Bearers northwest Houston location moving to larger facility next month

The plan for the 40 acres submitted by Cypress Christian School includes a 130,000-square-foot facility for 1,000 students in grades K-12. The campus will help meet the needs of an estimated 65,000 Bridgeland residents in 2025.

Melton said Cypress Christian will be a welcome addition to the Bridgeland community, complimenting the well-known Cy-Fair ISD public schools already in the area including Bridgeland High School, Pope Elementary and Wells Elementary. Cy-Fair ISD also has an unnamed middle and elementary school campus under construction, and Waller ISD is planning for a future elementary school in Prairieland as well.

Cy-Fair school notebook: Cy-Fair ISD swears in new trustees

A number of our families choose to live in Bridgeland because its rapidly growing, we have a lot of opportunities and part of that is our high-quality schools that really help drive that success, he said. We didnt have a private school within our boundaries, so that really aligned with us being able to bring them into the community. They have a really strong reputation in the Cy-Fair community already. We have our residents who want to send their kids to private school.

The school is currently in the design phase with the intention of starting construction in the next two to three years.

Cypress Christian School was established in 1978 and recently named a best 4A school in Texas. The school adopts the One Heart slogan, Christian-based education and fine arts programming.

Thanks to our remarkable and supportive families, we have outgrown our current campus, presenting us with a unique opportunity to build a larger educational facility in Bridgeland that will allow us a greater impact on the lives of our current and future students, Jeffrey Potts, head of Cypress Christian School, said. The availability of space in such an exceptional, award-winning community would allow us to further our mission of academic excellence and biblical values. We firmly believe this decision is the bridge to our future.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
As some families are financially struggling this year, Fort Bend County worked to help make sure area children had Christmas presents.

County leaders and staff, organizations and volunteers contributed to bring Christmas joy and more than 2,700 toys for over 1,300 children at the countys annual holiday toy distribution.

On HoustonChronicle.com: A step toward normal: Lamar CISD revises campus visitors policy

Vehicles wrapped around the parking lot at the Rosenberg Annex on Friday, Dec. 17, for the drive-thru pickup. While the line was long at times, it moved quickly and there were lots of happy faces as gifts were delivered and received.

Cesar Cedillo is the Fort Bend County Social Services military veterans coordinator, but on Friday he was dressed in full Santa garb, even in the unusually warm December weather. He said he didnt mind. Young kiddos who arrived with their parents were excited to see him, and the feeling was mutual.

Its amazing to serve the kids and see their expressions on their faces when they light up when they see Santa. And then theyre given toys, Cedillo said. And its just amazing, the whole program.

Fort Bend County Judge KP George said the event had all been planned in just a month and that he appreciated the work of the Social Services department who largely orchestrated it, as well as the efforts of many in the community to make the holidays brighter for families.

Social Services Division Manager Najat Elsayed said the 2020 event had around 1,000 toys, so it had grown a lot in a years time. She noted the need in the county was visible and called it an honor to be a part of the operation.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Bamore Road expansion opens in Rosenberg

Many of the toys came from Kids & Cops, Inc., a nonprofit formed by deputies from the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office. Others were donated by PetSmart and other parts of the community.

Elsayed and George agreed that some of the children might not receive Christmas gifts at all without the extra help.

It is so meaningful because also (in) Rosenberg, right here, there is a number of people who live here economically disadvantaged, George said. And so, we want to make sure we are serving and we are making them also feel part of this community, part of Fort Bend County. And making sure that they have a good Christmas, a joyous Christmas.

Brazil Bartholomew, 20, volunteered with her sister, Rhyan, 14, and their mom because she wanted to support the community around her. She explained that especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it was good to connect with people.

A lot of families are still being affected by the detriments of COVID, so the opportunity to see them happy and bring joy to both them and their children is great, Bartholomew said.

This holiday season, Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken DeMerchant has participated in a few toy distribution events around the county because he said there is a great need. He said at first, he had trouble parking at the Friday event because there were so many vehicles in line. But seeing a young tot beaming to meet Santa brought him joy and made his day.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Dedication to service in Fort Bend County recognized by DeMerchant Spotlight Awards

So, just that one kid being able to get a picture with Santa today, its just been worth it for me, DeMerchant said.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
HONOLULU (AP)  The number of new COVID-19 cases in Honolulu has surged nearly fivefold in the past two weeks, according to data from the Hawaii state Department of Health.

Oahu recorded a seven-day average of 251 cases on Friday, compared to 53 cases on Dec. 2. Other islands have also experienced more cases but not as many.

We are seeing an alarming increase in the number of cases,  Gov. David Ige said at a news conference.

Dr. Libby Char, the health department's director, said gatherings over Thanksgiving were a factor, as was an increase in holiday travel and people taking their masks off to eat in indoor settings.

The arrival in Hawaii of the omicron variant, which Char said appears to be more transmissible than prior mutations, was another.

As of Dec. 4, 5% of Oahu's cases were of the omicron variety and the department has identified additional suspect cases since. So far omicron cases haven't been detected on other islands but Char said it was inevitable they will be.

Char said omicron was likely to become the dominant variant in Hawaii early next year, based on how the mutation has behaved in the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Both the delta and omicron variants were behind the current growth in cases in the state, she said.

Ige said he would be meeting with the state's mayors to discussion COVID-19 protocols. He said he didn't plan to change the state's Safe Travels program, which requires incoming travelers wanting to avoid 10 days of quarantine to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure for Hawaii.

Char said while omicron appears to be less virulent than other mutations, Hawaii may experience even more hospitalizations than earlier phases of the pandemic because the greater ease of transmissions may lead more people to get sick.

Dont be fooled into thinking that it wont affect our hospitals and our families, she said.

Ige noted hospitalizations tend to rise about 10 days after case numbers. He the state's hospitals have lately had about 30 to 40 COVID patients. That's far below the peak of more than 400 marked during the summer when the delta variant fueled a surge of cases.

Char urged people to get vaccinated. She recommended those who received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than six months ago to get a third shot.

Please go get a booster shot. Dont wait. Go get it now, Char said. She reminded people to wear masks and keep their distance from others. She said gatherings should be small and large groups should meet outdoors and in well-ventilated places.

A posting on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website that was updated on Thursday said the omicron variant will likely spread more easily than the original COVID-19 virus but it's unknown how easily it spreads compared to delta.
FLORENCE, Ky. (AP)  A Kentucky attorney has been sentenced on human trafficking charges after he was implicated in a former judges criminal case.

Robert L. Poole, 53, of Florence, was sentenced Friday to eight years in prison, which was probated for five years with conditions, according to a statement from Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Camerons office. Poole pleaded guilty in October to five counts of promoting human trafficking for commercial sex activity in Kenton County.
OCALA, Fla. (AP)  A federal prison guard in Florida has been sentenced to one year and eight months in prison for participating in a scheme to smuggle drugs into a facility.

Wayne Grant Jr., 28, of Orlando, was sentenced Thursday in Ocala federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in September to receipt of a bribe by a public official.
This years fight for voting rights has ended with a whimper, rather than a bang.

The U.S. Senate recessed Friday for the winter holidays without having passed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act or any other major legislation related to voting rights.

The bill would have, among other things, restored a version of the preclearance protections established by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, under which states with a history of discrimination had to get federal approval before making changes to voting procedures. That section of the act was gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013s Shelby County v. Holder ruling.

The (supposedly hardworking) men and women of the upper chamber also whiffed on the chance to pass the Build Back Better bill, among other things. And, in fairness, theyve had a long year, which began with a deadly insurrection at their workplace Jan. 6.

But according to advocates, the U.S. Capitol insurrection  perpetrated by Americans whipped into a frenzy by defeated President Donald Trump and others peddling the Big Lie that the election was stolen from Trump  is precisely the kind of horror that illustrates the need for federal voting protections. A fair point.

There is a spirit of fair play that Democratic leadership is relying on that our opponents are not, said Lee Merritt, a civil rights attorney who is one of several Democrats vying to challenge embattled Texas Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton, a Republican, next year. I know they take it seriously, I know they believe its urgent, but theyre not willing to do whatever it takes, the way our opponents are.

Its really enraging, and disappointing, and frightening, all at once, James Slattery, a senior staff attorney at the Texas Civil Rights Project, said Friday. Voting rights advocates here in Texas and in other states have been working night and day, literally, and sacrificing so much, to just hold the line  and at the end of this year, Congress cant even manage to pass preclearance or any other federal voting rights legislation?

In Texas, for example, Democratic members of the Legislature broke quorum twice, decamping to Washington, D.C., for over a month in the second case, in a bid to stall passage of a GOP-led election integrity package  and to pressure President Joe Biden and the Democrat-led Congress, to act. The Legislature ultimately passed a package of reforms that targeted innovations such as drive-thru and 24-hour voting, placed limits on early voting hours and enacted new requirements for voting by mail.

Some responsibility for the ensuing disappointment is borne by U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Both are moderate Democrats who support the Senates current 60-vote threshold for most measures and apparently dont see a need to make an exception for voting rights legislation, as some of their colleagues have urged. The Senate is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, with Democrats holding a narrow majority only because of Vice President Kamala Harris tie-breaking vote.

But theres plenty of blame to go around. Biden, for example, declared voting rights a priority while campaigning in 2020; just this week, he called it the single biggest issue facing the country, at least on the domestic policy front. And yet he hasnt thrown the weight of his presidency behind the cause so far.

Blue-state Democrats, with their access to online voter registration, may not fully appreciate whats at stake in states such as Texas, Georgia and Arizona, among others. In October, the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice called 2021 an unprecedented year for voting legislation, noting that 19 states had enacted 33 laws that will make it harder for Americans to vote.

Meanwhile, Republicans in states such as Texas are continuing to press false claims about the 2020 election, which Trump lost badly, as well as hyperbolic claims about voter fraud, which is quite rare.

Between October 2020 and September 2021, my colleague Taylor Goldenstein reports, the election integrity unit of Paxtons office devoted more than 20,000 hours and $2.2 million of taxpayer money to investigating reports of voter fraud. It closed a whopping three cases. Thats three cases, in a state with more than 17 million registered voters.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas AG Paxtons $2.2M voter fraud unit closed three cases in 2021.

Paxton has also thrown the power of his office behind efforts to prosecute Texans such as Crystal Mason, a Black mother and grandmother from Tarrant County who cast a provisional ballot in 2016 without realizing she was ineligible to vote.

Its clear now that in order to provide support for the baseless lie that Trump won the election, Ken Paxton is using the power of his office to target, primarily, Black and brown voters, Merritt said. That is going to have a chilling effect.

With that said, he continued, its worth noting that Paxton has also drawn several Republican primary opponents, including Land Commissioner George P. Bush and longtime Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman. And this week, Paxton was dealt a blow by his fellow conservatives: the all-Republican Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday issued an 8-1 opinion striking down a state law that gives the attorney general the power to unilaterally prosecute voter fraud and other election-related offenses.

Now, thanks to the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals, Soros-funded district attorneys will have sole power to decide whether election fraud has occurred in Texas, Paxton tweeted, somehow managing to blame 91-year-old billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros, a favorite target of conservatives.

Merritt, however, said he was cheered by the news.

I think that is a sign of the times  that even within his own party, this is embarrassing, the Dallas-based Democrat said.

The Texas Civil Rights Projects Slattery, for his part, reckons that this years attacks on voting rights are particularly ominous because they may be intended to lay the groundwork for efforts to undermine, or overthrow, future elections. The entirely unnecessary audits underway in states such as Texas, for example, are nominally focused on the 2020 election but also serve to normalize such audits, in the eyes of the electorate.

The vote suppressors won 2021, Slattery concluded gloomily.

That will make it easier for them to win, fairly or not, in 2022 and beyond.

erica.grieder@chron.com
On Scene TV

A homeowner in the Greater East End fatally shot a man early Saturday who tried to enter his home, police said.

The man was with others and standing outside the fence at the house near Avenue F at 71st Street about 2:20 a.m., police said. The homeowner said they looked suspicious, became concerned and grabbed a weapon, said Lt. Ronald Willkens with the Houston Police Department.
A 12-year veteran of the Houston Police Department was arrested on charges of burglary and assault Friday in Spring, according to a statement released by police officials.

Court documents state Ray Irvin, 41, was arrested by Harris County Precinct 4 constables deputies on charges of burglary with intent to commit assault on a family member and assault of a family member. In the Nov. 21 incident, he allegedly broke the door of his ex-girlfriends Spring residence, punched her and placed his firearm on her head before leaving with their child.
One person is dead after a Hempstead ISD bus carrying special needs students crashed Friday afternoon in Waller County, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The incident happened around 12:10 p.m. at FM 1887 where authorities say a female school bus aide was found dead after a single vehicle crash. KTRK identified the bus aide as 59-year-old Abigail Ragston.
The South Texas College of Law Houston and the NAACPs local branch have signed an agreement pledging to continue fighting for clemency for the 110 Black soldiers convicted in the 1917 Camp Logan mutiny and riots.

Dozens of people marked the initiative during a gathering at the law school. They also called attention to the wartime service of soldiers who subsequently lost their military honors because of a deadly riot that took place after a series of racially charged confrontations with Houston police.

Advocates and attorneys seeking clemency for the soldiers  who were either executed or handed long prison sentences  plan to ask the Secretary of the Army to posthumously grant honorable discharges and urge the Army Board for Correction of Military Records to recommend pardons to President Joe Biden.

We are on a quest to obtain justice for the 24th Infantry Regimentthat organized group of men who died with shameful reputations at the hands of those who had the power of the government, the courts and the power of the media, said Bishop James Dixon, board president of NAACP Houston Branch.

More than a century ago, law enforcement immediately recorded the events as a deadly and premeditated assault by Black Army soldiers on a white population. Historians and advocates now recognize the riot as part of the Third Batallion, 24th Infantry Regiments response to what it believed was a white mob heading for them.

The all-Black regiment  known for its distinguished history of service  had been dispatched to Houston to guard Camp Logan, which was under construction for the training of white soldiers who would be sent to France during World War I. They were sent to a southern city governed by Jim Crow laws over the protestations of civic leaders, knowing a hostile community would await them. The camp is roughly where Memorial Park is now located.

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On Aug. 23, 1917, months of tensions boiled over for the soldiers, according to historians. Police officers arrived at the home of a half-dressed woman, whom they accused of hiding a man wanted for allegedly participating in a dice game. A 24th Infantry soldier arrived to ask if he could get clothes for the woman, but he was pistol-whipped, according to a history compiled by Prairie View A&M University.

A military policeman for the 24th then asked about the soldiers arrest  leading police to beat and shoot him, according to the universitys timeline. He was beaten again and eventually released from custody, but rumors swirled that he was killed. A group of soldiers urged the unit to march on the police station, and others heard of an angry, white mob coming to the camp.

On Aug. 23, 1917, soldiers in the encampment heard gunfire, and more than 150 soldiers marched to the old Black freemen town district, South Texas College of Law Houston professor Geoffrey Corn said. They fired at several houses, apparently in a tactical move to shoot out porch lights, and shot at vehicles that approached. It is still unknown who fired the first shot, but scholars dont believe it was the 24th Infantry, Corn added.

The riot lasted several hours. Nineteen people died, including four Black soldiers and 15 white civilians, according to Prairie View A&M University. Five local police officers died.

What followed was a court-martial that was described as the largest murder trial on record, with 63 defendants. Two more courts-martial came after.

In all, 110 Black soldiers were found guilty. Thirteen soldiers were hanged in San Antonio that December, 63 received life sentences, and six more were executed in 1918. Many of the imprisoned spent the rest of their days trying to regain recognition for their service.

All they ever asked for was a return to honor, Corn said.

Advocates dont play down the Black soldiers conduct, noting that many disobeyed orders and left camp fully armed and looking for retribution. What concerns the relatives of the dead and others is the rushed nature of the first court-martial, not to mention the inability of local civilians who witnessed the killings to identify which soldiers were responsible.

The courts denied due process to the men, who were ultimately convicted, the professor said. The first trial two months after the event involved more than five dozen defendants, all of whom were represented by one Army major, who was not an attorney. The military prosecutor was assisted by the local district attorney. And when 13 non-commissioned officers were sentenced to death in the first trial, the countrys war declaration allowed the commanding general to continue the executions without submitting the record for a legal review.

Angela Holder grew up not knowing that her great-uncle, Cpl. Jesse Ball Moore, was hanged in 1917 after the mutiny. His mother received a box after his death, containing a Bible and a letter in which he stated he was actually at the camp during the riot, she said.

It is an overdue debt which needs to be settled, to clear their names and bring peace to their souls, said Holder, a history professor at Houston Community College.

The law school considers efforts to obtain pardons among its most important initiatives, said Michael F. Barry, the president and dean. Several students are also working in the colleges Actual Innocence Clinic to help investigate the convictions.

For the Camp Logan soldiers who were convicted in the absence of due process, and particularly for those who then were executed as the result of those wrongful convictions, the denial of justice can never fully be undone, Barry said. But we as attorneys, as students of the law, make a commitment to justice. Where the system is broken, we are convicted to amend it.

The renewed push comes six months after Biden marked the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa, Okla., race massacre, which destroyed a thriving Black community a few years after the end of World War I. Biden visited Tulsa and declared that he had come to fill the silence about a dark moment, when as many as 300 Black people were killed by a white mob as the so-called Black Wall Street was burned.

U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, said the truth of the Camp Logan Mutiny was buried with the soldiers. But he recalled the words of poet William Cullen Bryant, who said Truth, crushed to earth, shall rise again.

It shouldnt take 102 years to correct an injustice, Green said. But it also means that we are sending a message, that regardless as to how long it takes, justice will prevail.

samantha.ketterer@chron.com
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Army National Guard Spc. Nick Lillie is home and happy to pick up where he left off with wife Alli and son Beau. Lillie's entire family let out a collective sigh of relief knowing he was home and safe. PreviousNext

Family and Friends Welcome North County Soldier Home

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  After 10 months away, Spc. Nicholas Lillie has returned home after serving his country in the Middle East.

Lillie, a member of the Army National Guard, was welcomed home by friends and family Friday night at the American Legion post home.

"It is a little strange to be back. It is a little weird to jump right back into everything again," he said. "Just seeing the grass and the trees again is strange  the cool crisp air. It is great to be back."

All he has known for the past year is sand, hot air, and blazing sun while stationed in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria.

The Cheshire native said the biggest surprise was seeing his now 15-month-old son, Beau, who was only four months when he left.

"Seeing my son and my wife after so long was just amazing," he said. "He grew up so fast. The last time I saw him he was a little kid."

Lillie was thankful to be able to stay in touch with family and friends via video chat but much preferred seeing everyone in person instead of on a 6-inch phone screen.

"It is awesome to see my friends and family again," he said. "I have tried to stay in touch with everyone, but I didn't have great internet over there."

His wife, Alli, joked that she was very thankful for such technology noting if it were a few decades earlier communication wouldn't be as consistent.

"I am glad we didn't have to rely on letters. Someone isn't great at writing letters," she laughed, looking at her husband.

She said the 10 months strangely went by quickly.

"A sigh of relief. It just feels great, it feels like no time has gone by but at the same time it feels like a lot of time has gone by," Alli Lillie said. "Honestly I did not think it would go by so fast."

She added that father and son have picked up right where they left off, and she was happy everyone was together again.

"I didn't know how it would go, but Beau recognized his voice right away," she said. "Both of them got right back into the swing of things."

Lillie spent the evening shaking hands and welcoming a barrage of hugs. When he had a moment he helped his mom, Jillian Naugle, carry in trays of food to keep the group well fed.

Despite frantically getting the party ready, Naugle said Friday night was one of the first nights she could actually relax.

"I have had chest pains since he left. I feel like a load of bricks has been lifted off of my shoulders," she said. "I hate Christmas, but this is the best Christmas I have ever had in my entire life. I have chills."

Lillie's father, Eric Lillie, felt the same way.

"It is incredible. I finally got a full night's sleep," he said. "We are looking forward to all being together again, and I am so happy that he is back with Beau."

Lillie said he is looking forward over the holidays to picking up where he left off. He was excited for a well-deserved trip to Disney World in the near future.
The wreath-laying was part of the nationwide Wreaths Across American program. Local volunteers have been raising money for the event and coordinating the ceremony for several years. More than 1,400 wreaths were placed at Southview Cemetery. PreviousNext

Graves of North Adams Veterans Adorned With Wreaths



A ceremonial laying of wreaths is held at the Veterans Circle on Saturday to recognize the different armed forces and those killed and missing in action. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Dozens of volunteers on Saturday placed more than 1,000 wreaths on the graves of the city's veterans at Southview Cemetery as a memorial to their sacrifices.

"We are here to celebrate the mission, to remember the fallen, to honor those that have served and their families and teach the next generation the value of freedom," said Amy Christian, part of the local Wreaths Across America group. "Americans live in a society made up of many people from many walks of life. The freedoms we enjoy today have not come without a price. Lying here before us in this cemetery and cemeteries throughout the nation, are men and women who gave up their lives so that we can live in freedom and without fear."

Saturday's distribution of wreaths included the ceremony at the Veterans Circle at Southview, the laying of ceremonial wreaths for each of the armed forces and in honor of those killed and missing in action, a 21-gun salute by Richard A. Ruether Post 152 American Legion of Williamstown, the Pledge of Allegiance lead by local Boy Scouts and the playing of taps by Drury High students.

The Rev. David Anderson of First Baptist Church offered opening and closing prayers.

"This morning, Lord God, our focus is some very special names. Those who you lift up and celebrate as heroes. We thank you for the men and the women of our United States armed forces that we have come to bring honor to today," said Anderson. "We bring honor to them because they lived lives of integrity, courage, and strength. As they have brought honor to us, may we now bring honor to them."

Christian said more than 2,700 ceremonies were being held across the country this year as part of the Wreaths Across America program.

"Today, we are showing a united front of gratitude and respect across the United States of America. As we remember the fallen honor those who have served and their families and teaching the next generation the value of freedom," she said.

Mayor Thomas Bernard said this year's ceremony was sentimental and particularly bittersweet because he and his mother placed the wreath on his father's grave. Thomas G. Bernard, a longtime North Adams schoolteacher and Army veteran, died earlier the year.

"I think what we what we heard was that this is something that continues to grow. It's something that matters and it's meaningful," he said. "You see the the boxes of wreaths and it represents not just the people who are being recognized with a wreath, but the generosity of the community, that people who donate them support this effort. ...

"It's never abstract, but it hits home in a much different way for me this year. I'm unbelievably appreciative to everybody who makes this happen."

Mayor-elect Jennifer Macksey, state Rep. John Barrett III, City Council President Lisa Blackmer and City Councilor Marie T. Harpin also attended the ceremony though none spoke.

"It's really important that we always stop and reflect and remember the veterans," said Macksey. "My dad served in the Korean War. And my cousin Susan [Macksey] is very active in this effort and we are grateful to the volunteers and the community that it builds, and it makes us pause and reflect and be grateful for those who served."

The annual event grew out donations of extra wreaths to Arlington National Cemetery by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Maine that ended up involving other businesses, volunteers and veterans organizations over a decade. An image of the rows of graves adorned with wreaths went viral in 2005, prompting interest in replicating the memorials in local cemeteries.

As each wreath with its red bow was placed, the volunteer was asked to name the veteran and thank them. The one known Jewish veteran in the cemetery was to have a rock with a candle painted on it placed on his headstone, a traditional funerary practice.

"My dad was a vet so I want to respect him and honor him and honor everybody else that's taken care of us," said Bonnie Cunningham of Clarksburg, who was helping place wreaths near the circle. "You actually say their name and thank them and, you know, just show them that you are thankful that they did what they did."

The North Adams chapter has been active for several years, and has gone through some changes in leadership, but continues to work with the city and veterans groups to adorn the more than 3,000 veterans' graves with wreaths that are sponsored by businesses and individuals.

Organizer Diane Simpson said the group was able to raise enough money to place 1,404 wreaths in Southview Cemetery this year. About 400 wreaths dedicated to particular veterans were placed prior to the ceremony and the balance spread out by section.

It's not as many as the early years of the effort that saw more than 3,000 wreaths placed by some 200 volunteers at Southview, Hill Side, Blackinton and St. Joseph's cemeteries. But its a far cry from last year when the pandemic forced the organizers to switch gears. Only about 130 wreaths were ordered for specific sponsors.

"We did rather well considering the economic times that everybody's facing this year and it's been a labor of love," said Simpson. "It's had its challenges. We are hoping next year to get back to doing full coverage of Southview. ...

"We did the best we could with the number of wreaths that we had. And I know there will be people that are disappointed that we couldn't do everybody and to that I say: Help us. Help us by helping us to raise money sponsor wreaths and that way we will ensure that we get full coverage next year."
Your next hire might be a familiar face.

The ranks of boomerang employees--workers who have left a company, only to later come back--are growing, according to data from LinkedIn, The Wall Street Journal reported this week. In 2021, boomerang workers account for 4.5 percent of all new hires on the platform, up from 3.9 percent in 2019. Some of these workers are people who quit during the pandemic and are looking to return to their old jobs, according to recent reporting from Business Insider.

Some leaders may be hesitant to onboard an employee who once abandoned ship, but there are reasons to consider them. According to research by Harvard Business Review, boomerang employees are more predictable than external hires and they have better immediate job performance. Boomerang workers also have lower training costs and they get onboarding quicker, which can make them more attractive to businesses that are looking to meet staffing needs, fast.
Prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC has been imposed in Belagavi police commissionerate area, which comprises Belagavi taluk on Saturday till 6 pm on December 19, following two incidents of vandalisation of freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna's statue and hurling stones at government vehicles.

Earlier on Saturday, Karnataka police had arrested 27 persons in connection with the violence in Belagavi, following flash protests condemning desecration of the statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Bengaluru, Shivajinagar area.

ANI

The protest took place after the video went viral. The protest turned violent as mob indulged in stone pelting and damaged police vehicles. Later, the incident of vandalizing of the statue of the local freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna has come to light complicating things further.

Hundreds gathered at Dharmveer Sambhaji Maharaj circle, #Belagavi to protest the disgrace done to the statue of #ChatrapatiShivajiMaharaj in #Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/xEPzYVX4uo  Ashishkrishna  (@ashishhpendse) December 17, 2021

Tensions on both sides

There are also reports of violence and vandalism on the Maharashtra side, targeting Kannadigas there.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said it is the duty of the government in the neighbouring state to maintain law and order there, after Karnataka registration vehicles were allegedly vandalised.

There were also reports of a Kannada flag being torched in Kolhapur.

"Maintaining law and order in Karnataka is our responsibility and we are taking strong steps to maintain it. Law and order in Maharashtra is the responsibility of the government there. Regarding the recent incident in Maharashtra, our police officials had spoken to their counterparts there," Bommai said.

BCCL

Responding to a question regarding Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's tweet calling for Marathas to unite with a video of alleged desecration of Shivaji Maharaj's statue, claiming that it was from Bengaluru, Bommai said, responsible people should not incite anybody at any given time.

"Shivaji Maharaj, Sangolli Rayanna, Kittur Chennamma are fighters, who fought for the country, in their name, if we start fighting and dividing, it will be a disservice to them. Any responsible person should not incite people to violence and take law and order into their hands," he said.

What is the dispute?

Belagavi which falls in Karnataka and has a sizable Marathi-speaking population has been for a long time a flashpoint between the two states.

belagavi map

In January this year, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had said that his government was committed to incorporating those areas of Karnataka where Marathi-speaking people are in majority.

Belgaum was originally part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, and despite having a majority Marathi-speaking population it was added to Mysore state in 1956 under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956.

Politicians in Maharashtra have long resented the move and have maintained that Belgaum should become a part of the state.

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Omicron largely evades immunity from past coronavirus infection or two vaccine doses, and boosters are key to mitigating the impact of the variant, new research suggests.

The risk of reinfection with Omicron is 5.4 times greater than that of the Delta variant, according to researchers at Imperial College London.

This suggests the protection against reinfection by Omicron from past infection may be as low as 19%.

The study also found no evidence of Omicron having lower severity than Delta, but data on hospital admission was very low at the time of the study.

According to the data, boosters are vital in controlling Omicron, but they may lose some effectiveness over time.

Researchers estimated the proportion of Omicron among all Covid cases between November 29 and December 11 was doubling every two days up to December 11.

Based on this they also estimate the reproduction number (R) of Omicron was above 3, over the period studied.

Professor Neil Ferguson from Imperial College London said: "This study provides further evidence of the very substantial extent to which Omicron can evade prior immunity, given by both infection or vaccination.

"This level of immune evasion means that Omicron poses a major, imminent threat to public health."

There is significantly increased risk of developing a symptomatic Omicron case compared with Delta for those who were two or more weeks past their second vaccine dose, and two or more weeks past their booster dose (for AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines), the report found.

Boosters are key to mitigating the impact of the variant, new research suggests.

Depending on vaccine effectiveness estimates against symptomatic infection from the Delta variant, this translates into vaccine effectiveness estimates against symptomatic Omicron infection of between 0% and 20% after two doses, and between 55% and 80% after a booster dose.

The scientists used data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS for all PCR-confirmed Covid cases in England who had taken a test between November 29 and December 11 this year.

Professor Azra Ghani, from Imperial College London, said: "Given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant to date, it is now highly likely that this will replace the circulating Delta variant globally in the coming weeks.

"Emerging immunogenicity data clearly point to substantial reductions in neutralising antibodies, whilst preliminary vaccine efficacy estimates demonstrate a substantial reduction in protection from mild disease.

"Our estimates suggest that this is likely to translate into small but important reductions in efficacy against severe disease and death.

"One remaining uncertainty is how severe the disease caused by the Omicron variant is compared to disease caused by previous variants.

"Whilst it may take several weeks to fully understand this, governments will need to put in place plans now to mitigate any potential impact.

"Our results demonstrate the importance of delivering booster doses as part of the wider public health response.

"Prioritising these boosters to high-risk populations over primary vaccination in younger age groups should be part of this response in countries where dose supply is limited."

A separate report by Imperial researchers looked at the effectiveness of booster doses against Omicron.

After two initial doses and a booster vaccine with an mRNA vaccine, Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna, neutralising antibodies (which prevent infection) were estimated to increase 1.6-fold compared with levels following dose two of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and 3.3-fold compared with their levels following dose two of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

The research shows Omicron largely evades immunity from past coronavirus infection or two vaccine doses

However, the researchers estimate the levels of antibodies produced against Omicron could be 4.5-fold lower than those produced against the Delta variant.

They also found that this reduction in neutralising antibodies could affect vaccine efficacy against severe disease.

In a worst-case scenario, where the antibody decay rate after a booster dose is the same as that observed after the first two doses, the researchers predict that vaccine efficacy against severe disease may drop from 96.5% against Delta to 80.1% against Omicron, by 60 days after the primary vaccine course followed by a booster of the Pfizer jab.

If the rate of decay is half that rate, the drop is estimated to be from 97.6% against Delta to 85.9% against Omicron.

However, the researchers say that while these numbers are currently associated with a high degree of uncertainty, they indicate that Omicron-variant specific vaccines and/or further boosters are likely to be needed to restore protection.

According to the report, the distribution of Omicron by age, region and ethnicity currently differs from Delta, with 18-29-year-olds, residents in the London region, and those of African ethnicity having significantly higher rates of infection with Omicron relative to Delta.

The modelling made a number of estimates on what infection rates and deaths could look like under various scenarios.

Among them is one scenario which indicates there could be up to 100 daily deaths per million in a nation where the majority of people over 10 were vaccinated, and the majority of over-40s had received boosters.

However, Prof Ghani said: "I think it's an illustration of the need to act, rather than a prediction."

Prof Ferguson said: "We're ahead of the rest of Europe in terms of the Omicron wave.

"I agree that time is of the essence. I think if we're going to make additional decisions, which remains to be seen, they probably will need to be made in the next week or two to have a substantial impact."

Elsewhere, new analysis from the UK Health Security Agency seems to support the research.

It found that around one in 20 Omicron cases identified in England have been linked with a previous Covid infection.

Of 5,153 people identified with an Omicron infection between November 1 and December 11, 305 (5.9%) were connected to a previous confirmed infection and were at least 90 days from previously testing positive.
A Cork doctor has recalled how an unannounced visit from Roy Keane to a paediatrics ward, decades ago, helped a young child recover from a serious illness.

In a video posted to her TikTok and Twitter accounts, Dr Niamh Ni Loinsigh shared a short appreciative story of what she considers "a Christmas miracle" involving the former Ireland international.

"I have debated long and hard about putting this video on this platform, but you know what? People need to hear something nice.

"This is a Roy Keane appreciation post," she said, beginning her story.

Prefacing her video, Dr Ni Lionsigh issued a 'trigger warning' as she would be discussing childhood illness in the video.

She also joked that Roy Keane may himself be something of a trigger for some viewers.

I have debated long and hard about putting this video on this platform, but you know what? People need to hear something nice.



I give you my tale of Roy Keane and the Christmas Miracle.



Roy rules. pic.twitter.com/6xkDzW3ugY  Dr Niamh Ni Loinsigh (@niamh_dr) December 17, 2021

"Most of you know that Roy Keane is a hero in Cork," she said.

"But the closest thing I ever witnessed to a Christmas miracle was facilitated, I think, by Rory Keane."

In the video, Dr Ni Lionsigh went on to explain how, 20 years ago, she and her colleagues were looking after a child patient who was "very, very unwell."

Miracle

"It came to a point where we werent really sure if they were going to make it," she said.

Then, "unannounced, and without any fanfare" Roy Keane paid an informal visit to the childrens ward where the young patient was receiving treatment. After speaking with the child and some other patients, Roy Keane would slip out of the ward as quietly as he had arrived.

Later that month, Dr Ni Lionsigh received a call from a professor of pediatrics on Christmas Eve.

Her colleague was in tears as he began to speak, and so Dr Ni Lionsigh feared the worst.

Amazingly, the professor informed her that the ill child's condition was "completely better" and that he was soon going home.

Dr Ni Lionsigh believes that the visit from the former Manchester United captain gave the child in question "the boost and the energy that they needed to just keep going a little bit more."

"I hope Roy Keane knows the huge impact he has had on so many lives. I'm sure this is just one example," she said.

"So thanks, Roy."
When a dying Cork man who was known as The Horse called his solicitor to his bedside to change his will a week after his wife died, it was the start of a chain of events that ended years later with his daughter stabbing one of his sons to death in the hallway of his cottage home in the city.

Solicitor Kevin Hegarty had been the Jones family solicitor for many years and he responded to the call from William Jones, a hardworking man known as The Horse, to oversee the re-writing of his will. It wasnt the first time that William Jones had re-written his will. He had done so a number of times over the years. But the one he wrote on May 27, 2013, was his final will and he was dead less than two months later.

As Brendan Grehan, defending Helen Jones, remarked in his closing speech at the end of the four-week trial, Many a property dispute dates back to people who are long since in their graves.

Gardai and a forensic team at the house where the body of Paul Jones was discovered on Saturday. September 7, 2018. Photo: Dan Linehan

In the will at the heart of this case, William Jones left his home at 27 Cahergal Avenue, Mayfield, Cork, not to his three adult children but to his two sons, Paul and Liam. There was a provision that Helen could continue to live there.

Indeed, the lawyer for the woman on trial suggested that the will was not all that divisive. After all, Helen Jones could have lived out her life at Cahergal Avenue. Certainly, if she married she would have had to move out. But obviously, the simplest way around that was not to marry.

In any event, there was division and, indeed, a court case was due to be heard in May 2019 between the siblings, with Paul and Liam on one side and Helen on the other. It was not until the day of that civil trial that an agreement was reached in the hallways of the courthouse on Washington St. In effect, it was agreed to sell the house, Helen was to get 50,000 from the sale, and the balance divided equally between the two brothers.

So the house was put on the market in May 2018  four months before Paul Joness murder - at an asking price of 199,000. The top offer was 180,000. Helen was happy with that offer but the auctioneer could only act on the instructions of the person who had employed him for the sale, and that was Liam Jones. And he wasnt happy that it was enough.

He went further and told the auctioneer he was going to take it off the market through that company and get another auctioneer. By now the dispute between Helen and her two brothers was really unravelling.

Nicola Barry, who works at Dunnes Stores on St Patricks St, Cork, met Keith OHara and Helen Jones in the store on August 30, 2019  just days before Paul Jones was killed. Ms Barry said Helen Jones told her what was happening: She was having terrible trouble with her brother and she spent nine grand on solicitors fees. Keith said he was going to pay for not handing over the house. And Helen said the same

She was saying she was entitled to the house  I cant remember what she said, it was all about the house, house, house She said she was going up to her brothers house.

It was suggested by the defence that this reference to her brother could have been about Paul or Liam. The jury in the murder trial at the Central Criminal Court never heard from Liam Jones even though he was listed as a witness in the book of evidence. But Liam Jones did speak in the district court following the killing of his brother, Paul. He came to court as a witness for the State against the application for bail by Helen Jones two years ago.

Liam Jones testified that he was in fear of his sister.

I have cancer and every time she sees me, she calls me cancer balls and says I hope you die roaring. I am afraid a petrol bomb will come through the window," Liam Jones said during his sisters application for bail.

Looking back on that application for bail in October 2019, the argument about the house was still very much to the fore. Helen Jones did something at that court hearing which she chose not to do in the murder trial  she gave evidence.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, cross-examined Liam Jones on that day and suggested he wanted his sister kept in custody so that he could sell the family home. Mr Jones said that was not the reason. He said there was a court agreement that the house would be sold, the proceeds divided between the siblings and that Helen Jones could stay in the house until that happened.

Helen Jones (pictured), sister of murder victim Paul Jones, could have lived out her life at Cahergal Avenue.

In the course of her bail application, Helen Jones said her brothers Liam and Paul bullied her in court: The boys wanted me out on my ear and I said buy me out.

Asked about the allegation that she made insulting comments about him having cancer and threatening him, she said: I am just in shock at that. I never threatened Liam.

Liam might have been the first to say that he was in fear of Helen but he wasnt the last. Her partner at the time of the murder, and for several months beforehand, Keith OHara testified memorably in the murder trial that on the night that Paul Jones was murdered, he (Keith OHara) was in fear of being victim number two. He said that was the only reason he never called an ambulance for Paul Jones as he lay in a pool of blood in the hallway of his home on Bandon Road.

Life of Paul Jones

Lifelong friend of Paul Jones, Martina Jones shed some light on her late friend, describing him as a gentle giant and someone who would gladly do anything for you. The deceased in a murder trial is sometimes called the silent witness speaking from beyond the grave. And in the course of the trial, we also learned something from the last living images of Paul Jones.

He walked to the chemist to collect his bag of prescription tablets  which told of a multitude of serious health problems. And then he arrived in his local off-licence to get alcohol and have a chat with the man behind the counter. The toxicology report in post mortem showed that he had three times the alcohol limit for driving at the time of his death.

And Paul Joness remains spoke too. They spoke of an extremely violent death where his skull was split open through the bone with one forceful blow and he was stabbed in and around the torso 25 times. Seven of those stab wounds were at least 10 centimetres deep.

Various testimonies from different witnesses presented pieces of a jigsaw of the last moments of the life of Paul Jones (pictured) before he was murdered by his sister Helen and her partner Keith O'Hara.

The last moments of his life were also witnessed  mostly by people who observed isolated bits and pieces as they passed his home on the night in question. None of these created a full and total picture of what happened in the minutes around 9.45pm that night. But for the jury they presented pieces of a jigsaw which they had to put together in the course of their deliberations.

One of the key witnesses was Pat Moynihan who literally found himself with a ringside seat to the beginnings of the terrible event.

I parked right outside the house. So I could see Paul (Jones) facing me. He was wearing nothing only his boxer shorts. Keith is in the passenger seat with me. I think Helen is gone into the house.

He said Keith got out of the car later and that he had been paid 20 at the start of the journey to take them from Cahergal Avenue to Bandon Road and back to Cahergal Avenue. Keith OHara would later testify that the trip to Bandon Road was in the nature of a diversion and that it was Helen Jones who told the driver to take them there but that the original purpose of the trip was to go to Noonan Road to buy hash.

Mr Moynihan said: They were yapping, thats all. They were kind of yelling. At the start I thought it was going to be a bit of wrestling.

I thought I would ring Togher garda station. I got no answer. Then I thought it might be a minor thing.

Perhaps the most extraordinarily fortuitous evidence came from a couple who pulled up in a car and then were on the street across the road from 108 Bandon Road before, during and after the incident  simply because they had difficulty with the door lock of the house they were trying to enter.

Student Jack Ivory and his girlfriend Leona Murphy both described what they saw even as they tried not to pay too much attention to what was unfolding across the street.

Jack Ivory said: The woman walked out in front of the car in a dressing gown and bare feet. She looked quite angry, quite sour, at the time There was a man at the door of the house in boxer shorts A man, a bit younger than the woman, got out of the taxi and came up in the direction of the house.

The man in the boxers let out a moan. The younger man made some kind of taunt. He (man in underpants) was flat on his back in the hallway. We could make out from the tops of his legs down. The woman is standing over him, speaking quite aggressively to him still  a foot either side of his body  looking down on him, maybe around his knees or slightly higher than that.

You could hear the man on the ground moaning. It sounded like he was in a bit of pain The prominent voice was the woman at the door. She sounded quite aggressive, quite angry. We could hear the man who was at the door moaning like he was getting a bit of a beating.

Leona Murphy said: I was trying my hardest not to look at them. After a while, I turned and looked. Whatever way I glanced at the house the man standing at the door was on the floor. I could see the souls of his feet. He was on the ground  the woman standing over him.

She was leaning over him roaring in his face. She was roaring rat. There were sentences  I am not sure what the sentences were but I could hear the word rat a few times.

"She was more or less roaring in his face  as close as you could get if you were crouching.

Ivan Keeley was on the way to Lennoxs chipper with his mother and described what he saw at the doorway of the house on Bandon Road.

The man in the doorway, I believe he was holding something in his hand  a shoe or a belt or something. The man in the doorway, I believe he did lunge towards the woman. I am not sure if they started fighting. The man with the woman stepped in to intervene to get in between the man and the woman.

This witnesss mother, Anna Horgan Keeley, said of the woman she saw around the front of the house, The lady said, stop, I am not sure who she said it to or what she was referring to, but that is the only word that sticks in my mind.

Read More Helen Jones and Keith O'Hara get life for murdering Paul Jones

Emily OSullivan, a student, who was walking by, said: All I remember was blood  it was just everywhere. The woman looked very casual, like she was at home after getting out of bed or something. She was mumbling at the man on the ground. I cannot remember exactly what she said but it was to the effect, That is what you get. I think she said something along the lines of, You got off light.

Taxi-driver Daniel Chidi-Ibe picked up Helen Jones and Keith OHara around the corner from 108 Bandon Road a few minutes later.

He described the man as looking very down, like someone who does not have enough energy. To get in the car it took him much longer. I noticed blood on his trousers. I offered to help him. He said, No. I saw fresh blood on his hand.

Long-time friend of Helen Jones, Breda OReilly, said: Helen asked me to ring all the hospitals for her. I said he (Paul Jones) is not in the Mercy, he is not in the Regional (CUH) and hes not in the South Infirmary.

Helen looked at Keith. I dont know which one of them said it but one of them turned around and said, I dont know did we kill him.

After the last pieces of forensic and other evidence closed the prosecution case, the trial erupted into life when Keith OHara got into the witness box to give evidence. He admitted he had lied to gardai in an interview when he told them he and Helen Jones were at home in bed at the relevant time watching the prison drama, Orange Is The New Black.

Now in the witness box, we were hearing for the first time ever one of the accused saying he did strike Paul Jones in the head, but he went further and blamed Helen Jones  the woman to whom he was engaged to be married  for murdering her brother.

Paul Jones was murdered on Wednesday, September 4. His body was discovered on Saturday, September 7. On that same Saturday, Keith OHara was in a tattoo parlour having the name, Helen, tattooed to his neck. As he sat in the dock throughout the murder trial looking straight ahead, Helen Joness seat was three metres away at right angles to OHara, so that he was directly in her line of sight throughout their trial for murder.

Even when the judge and jury left the room each day and the accused consulted briefly with their legal teams, there was no interaction between Helen Jones and Keith OHara. They never spoke to each other in the dock.

On the day Paul Jones's body was found, Keith OHara (pictured) was in a tattoo parlour having the name, Helen, tattooed to his neck.

When OHara left the dock for the witness box, he played down their marriage plans, saying they flirted with the idea of getting engaged, even though he did buy her a ring. If nothing else rang out from his evidence, it was that as far as he was concerned, he did not kill Paul Jones, but that Helen Jones did.

Describing his one-time fiancee, he said: Your client murdered her brother. The dogs and the cat and the rat all know Helen killed her brother.

The jury took the view, despite Helen Joness silence and Keith OHaras colourful efforts to persuade them otherwise, that both of them murdered Paul Jones.

And the two of them are left now, with a lifetime behind bars to think about whether the witness who met them in Dunnes Stores a few days before the murder had the measure of it when she said: It was all about the house, house, house.
Burma Junta Watch: Failed Propaganda, Stolen Words From an Ancient King and More

Coup leader Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing attends the 74th founding anniversary of the Myanmar Air Force and commissioning of airplanes and helicopters in Meiktila on Dec. 15 / Cncds

Failed, clumsy propaganda on silent strike

When Myanmar people took part in a silent strike against the military regime on Dec. 10, the junta apparently took the nationwide silent scream of opposition straight to heart. As the strike grabbed global headlines and was widely reported by international news agencies, the regime rushed to discredit the movement the same day.

Shamelessly, junta-controlled media falsely claimed that people stayed at home because the Peoples Defense Force had threatened them with repercussions if they did not. The state broadcaster tried to cover up the strike by presenting footage of people at markets and on streets in its evening news programs. But no one knows when the footage was taken. And junta-controlled newspapers featured photos from the footage the following day. In their eagerness to smear the strike they appeared to forget that the strike was in effect from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., while some of the photos were obviously taken in the early morning and late evening. A counterstrike was also held in Yangon at around noon that day. Unfortunately, as people were staying at home, their pro-junta rally was barely noticed by anyone, except for some stray dogs, which were visibly annoyed by the noisy mobs disturbing their rare moment of peace and tranquility on the deserted roads of the city.

Stupid is as stupid does!

At a regime cabinet meeting on Dec. 13, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing stressed that detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint are free to meet their lawyers. Presumably, therefore, he assumes the duos lawyers have informed them of the latest political developments in the countryincluding the formation of the National Unity Government (NUG), its legislative body the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), and what the regime brands their terrorist activitiesand that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has given the lawyers her views on them.

Min Aung Hlaings reference to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her lawyers came in the context of his call for his subordinates to step up the arrests of members of the Peoples Defense Force (PDF), which the junta has portrayed as a terrorist group. Observers say Min Aung Hlaings intention is to drive a wedge between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who embraces the principle of nonviolence, and the CRPH, NUG and PDF. Apparently he naively believes that the PDF groups, which rely heavily on public support, will collapse if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi opposes their activities.

Given the unwavering civilian armed resistance against the regime in the country, it is clear that the people are determined to end the military dictatorship by any means. Suffice it to say Min Aung Hlaing is too stupid to understand that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has said the NLD will survive as long as the people do, dares not go against the peoples wishes.

Mass-produced doctors

Myanmar coup leader Min Aung Hlaing is like a child with a Christmas wish list. He wishes to see Myanmar at the top among Southeast Asian nations in the next 10 years. Even as the commercial capital Yangon remains subject to frequent blackouts, he imagines running fleets of electric buses and a subway. Recently, he added his latest item to the list. The victim this time: Myanmars health sector!

At a meeting of his regimes cabinet on Dec. 13, Min Aung Hlaing said students who achieve high scores in English, biology and chemistry on their matriculation examinations will be allowed to sit for the entrance exam to medical universities.

Providing the official reasoning for his plan, he complained that Myanmar is suffering because only some 10,000 out of the approximately 30,000 doctors who graduated from medical universities between 1995 and 2020 have joined the civil service to work in public hospitals. A more pressing reason, however, is obvious: He is engaged in nothing less than a helter-skelter dash to mass-produce doctors to work in the countrys health sector, which has been severely affected by the absence of striking healthcare professionalsincluding physicians, specialists, medical superintendents and nurseswho refuse to work under military rule. In the early days after the coup, the regime tried to fill the vacancies with military medics, but it didnt work.

Admission to a medical university in Myanmar is a very competitive process and demands intensive study and high scores on the matriculation exam, among other things. So, Min Aung Hlaings downgrading of the entrance criteria is nothing less than a nightmare for the Myanmar medical community and the people.

In the footsteps of King Kyansittha? No way!

King Kyansittha, who ruled in the 11th century during the Bagan Dynasty, has gone down as one of the most popular monarchs in Myanmar history for his social, economic and cultural reforms, and is remembered for his benevolence to his subjects. The following lines from a stone inscription at Shwe Zigon pagoda reflect his kindness:

.With my right hand rice, with my left hand ornaments and apparel, I shall give to all my people. Like children resting in their mothers bosom, so shall I keep watch over them and help them.

But the nobility of those words was shattered when the coup leaders deputy, Vice Senior General Soe Win, said they would serve as the initial policy of the National Committee on Social Protection, while addressing a meeting of the newly formed body on Dec. 14. The identity of the speaker matters in this case. Soe Win is the second-most-powerful man in the regime, which has killed more than 1,300 anti-coup protesters over the past 10 months and upended the lives of so many others. In trying to appropriate some of the nobility of the ancient monarch for the regime, the general has only made a mockery of King Kyansitthas words.

Under Kyansitthas reign, Myanmar enjoyed peace and prosperity and the people lived fulfilling lives. In the 10 months since the coup, however, the current regime has given the people not food and clothing, but only bullets and artillery shells, killing thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands before the eyes of the international community. At the same time, its leaders are shameless enough to portray themselves as altruists.

Myanmars notorious Air Force turns 74

The Myanmar Air Force, which has long been infamous for conducting air strikes on ethnic revolutionary armed groups, and more recently for using gunships to attack civilian resistance groups in northwestern Myanmar, turned 74 on Wednesday. At least 15 planes including fighter jets and cargo and training aircraft were deployed at an event to mark the anniversary. As usual, Min Aung Hlaing was front and center, boasting to the attendees that high-cost aircraft have been procured to ensure Myanmars Air Force can keep pace with regional countries.

Commissioning of the new aircraft coincided with the regimes launch of large-scale air strikes against the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army in Shan States Kokang. The junta has also begun conducting aerial attacks and air-dropping soldiers in Sagaing Region, after ambushes using landmines made reinforcing troops by road impossible. No doubt the new aircraft will be used for that purpose. As Min Aung Hlaings intention in procuring the aircraft is nothing less than to kill anti-coup activists from the air, the Myanmar Air Force will indeed be ranked at the top, not only in the region but also in the worldnot in terms of combat capability, but in terms of cruelty.



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Guest Column Assessing the Implications of Blinkens Aborted Visit to Thailand

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gestures during a press conference at the Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia on Dec. 14, 2021. / AFP

Having skipped Thailand due to a COVID-19 case among his travel delegation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens aborted three-country tour of Southeast Asia has hindered the full projection of President Joe Bidens Indo-Pacific geostrategy. Not wrapping up the trip with a visit to Thailand, a mainland Southeast Asia pivot and longstanding US treaty ally, also misses an opportunity to shore up what has been a relative bilateral estrangement. In short, Secretary Blinkens diplomatic foray in Southeast Asia has fallen short for the time being.

Blinkens itinerary aimed at three major Southeast Asian capitals, from Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok, before traveling back to Washington via Hawaii. While major policy announcements appeared on the cards, none really transpired. The highlight in US geostrategic positioning is likely to be Blinkens remarks on the free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) in Jakarta on Tuesday. It covered the gamut of US engagements and objectives in the region, setting the tone for the entire trip. In Kuala Lumpur, where Blinken met Prime Minister Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob and fielded a wide-ranging press conference together with Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, no major policy speech came out of the proceedings.

The Bangkok visit was billed as crucial. Apart from issues related to the Thai-US bilateral alliance, US policies toward post-coup Myanmar and the Mekong region were high on the agenda. But on Wednesday when the secretary of state was about to hop over to Bangkok, a member of the media corps traveling with him came down with the coronavirus, cutting short the trip and leaving many issues hanging. Nevertheless, Blinkens incomplete trip yields a host of implications.

Geostrategic battleground

First, the US takes Southeast Asia and ASEAN seriously and critically as an entrenching battleground in its geostrategic rivalry and competition with China. Blinkens visit was part of a tag team in the US full-court press of geostrategic pushback vis-a-vis Beijing. It complemented at the senior-most policy levels earlier visits by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Vice President Kamala Harris. Both visited Singapore and Vietnam, although Austin also covered the Philippines.

Conspicuously left out were the three countries on Blinkens itinerary. The US has thus been trying to cover its main diplomatic bases in the region. As ASEAN is a motley and increasingly divisive organization of 10 member states, leaving out Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar was excusable for their smaller sizes and problematic regimes, but the other six merited attention at the highest levels. When ASEAN was more united and coherent, engaging ASEAN as a region made more sense, as President Barack Obama did in the early 2010s. But now ASEAN is best engaged more bilaterally as disparate Southeast Asian countries.

Second, the FOIP emphasis maintains continuity with the preceding Donald Trump presidency. Many had thought that Biden would be more like Obama under whom he served as vice president, as much as being antithetical to Trump. This is evidently not the case. There is as much Trump as Obama in Biden when it comes to US foreign policy in Asia and its bipartisan position on China as a rival and adversary.

Blinkens Jakarta speech mentioned that the US and China have a responsibility not to let their competition veer into conflict without a word about cooperation between the two superpowers. The Blinken visit thus had China written all over it, similar to earlier inroads by Austin and Harris.

Increased protectionism

Third, the US much anticipated Indo-Pacific Economic Framework remains inchoate. It does indicate that the US is not about to rejoin the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP-11, from which the Trump administration pulled out in 2017 after the Obama team did so much to propel it to fruition. Getting back into the CPTPP may just be too complicated in view of contentious liberalization issues and increased protectionism in American sentiments.

Instead, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework appears focused on the new battlefront of high-tech competition, as the US wants to focus on supply chain and chip-manufacturing/semiconductor resilience. As technology is becoming the name of the geostrategic game, working with Southeast Asian economies on supply chains of semiconductors may be an effort to keep them away from Chinas further grasp.

Fourth, missing the Bangkok stopover deprived Blinken of the chance to put out major policy statements on Myanmar and the Mekong region. The Thailand leg of the tour was supposed to up the US game in mainland Southeast Asia, apart from Washingtons maritime efforts in the contested South China Sea. It was preceded a week earlier by the symbolic contribution of more than US$773,570 to the Mekong River Commission for capacity support and data sharing in the context of the wider Mekong-US partnership. Supporting the MRC and the Mekong-US framework is an attempt to push back against Chinas upstream dam construction and undue control of Mekong water flows.

Myanmar, which the US officially calls Burma, is another major hotspot. Since the military coup on Feb. 1, Myanmars political environment has spiraled into a full-fledged brutal civil war and humanitarian crisis. ASEANs attempts to mediate through a five-point consensus for the promotion of ceasefire, dialogue, humanitarian assistance and a delegation visit under an envoy has fallen short. As next-door neighbor with the longest shared border and the most at stake, Thailand has not shown leadership to lead Myanmar away from the abyss. Cambodia, as ASEANs new chair, appears lenient and accommodating towards the Myanmar junta, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

A strong US push would make a big difference to increase the costs of ASEANs Myanmar appeasement under Cambodias chairmanship, providing support and encouragement to the war-torn countrys outgunned but defiant and widespread opposition groups. No doubt Washington will continue to support democracy and human rights in Myanmar but reinforcing this message in person would have been crucial.

Finally, the Thai policy elites will likely perceive Blinkens missed visit with a mix of suspicion and concern. Some may view that one COVID-19 case should not have deterred the secretary of state from making his presence felt in Bangkok if he really thought Thailand was important enough. Visiting Bangkok in person would have been a statement for the US democratic values and role in Thailand and the bilateral relationship. Yet others may write it off as the US lack of attention to the Thai-US alliance, relieved not to hear criticisms about the systematic violations and abuses of rights and freedoms in Thailand.

Either way, the Thai-US alliance remains misaligned and out of sync as long as Thailand is unable to get its house in order and away from disguised military-authoritarian rule.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak is a professor and director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn Universitys Faculty of Political Science.

This article first appeared in The Bangkok Post.



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On Friday December 10th the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne named the 2021 Rotarian of the Year.

This honor is selected by previous recipients of the award. Patricia Amat y Leon, 2020 Rotarian of the Year, led the committee in the difficult task of selecting one member among so many hardworking, dedicated, and generous club members.

The Rotary Club of Key Biscayne, despite nearly two years of pandemic, has not stood still in its mission of Service Above Self to the community and humanity at large. Several local and international projects were launched in 2020-21 to address needs ranging from earthquake relief in Haiti to a school for children in Ghana to school supplies in Liberty City.

Patricia Amat y Leon shared that Dr. Clint Bush was selected unanimously due to his quiet and gentle leadership throughout the pandemic, his unwavering dedication to Rotary through his willingness to serve as Assistant District Governor and District 6990 chair of the Paul Harris Society in addition to his duties as a director of the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne Foundation. Past service to our club has been as President, Director and chair of countless committees. His focus on our club and Rotary in general has translated to successful projects throughout the years.

Dr. Clint Bush served as the clubs unofficial medical director by keeping members abreast of the myriad health issues caused by the pandemic. We navigated the crisis safely in great part due to his suggestions. But, his Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons medical degree in no way limited his passions. While serving for 31 years in Gainesville, Florida as an orthopedic surgeon and for the last 9 years in private practice locally, he sang, volunteered at his local church, sailed and generally enjoyed life to the fullest! Clint has two sons, twins, one living in Gainesville and one in South Lake Tahoe.

Clint joined the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne in 2013 sponsored by Reverend Bob Libby. Clint had returned to Key Biscayne after a 7-year 50,000-mile circumnavigation of the globe aboard the sailboat Emmanuel with his late wife, Dr. Adair Alspach Bush.

Wanting to stay on terra firma, he joined St. Christophers-by-the-Sea and quickly rose in that church by singing in the choir and currently serving as Sr. Warden. Reverend Bob Libby and Clint became fast friends.

Reverend Bob saw that Clint was a Rotarian who didnt know he was a Rotarian. He encouraged Clint to try it out, and the rest is history.

Clint has been an exemplary Rotarian said Club President Michael Nearing at the award ceremony on Friday. He shared that Clint is a willing volunteer for various projects and consistently shows balanced leadership in all he does for the club.

While his dedication to Rotary is significant, this busy orthopedic surgeon finds the time to indulge his passion for singing in many ways. He sings in the St. Christophers-by-the-Sea choir, participates with the Master Chorale of South Florida and, is one of the Rotary Three Tenors! He also serves in a leadership position in Cruising Club of America now that he replaced his beloved Emmanuel, destroyed by hurricane Irma, with a 35-year-old 33-foot sloop, Imagine.

Dr. Clints choice of name for both vessel reveals his deep spirituality and his outlook on life. Clint is truly a Renaissance Man for whom life is a continuing and fulfilling adventure.
The American news agency Bloomberg has claimed that Chinese telecommunications vendor Huawei used malicious code to spy on Optus in 2012, a claim that the telco has denied. The story in question is replete with dubious assertions, risible claims and quotes that do not match what the reporters say they do.

The story claims that Australia's ban on Huawei supplying equipment for the NBN was because of this incident, but offers little genuine evidence to bolster that timeline. The NBN ban was put in place in March 2012.

Filed on 17 December, the story is written by Jordan Robertson and Jamie Tarabay, with assistance from Michael Riley and Christopher Cannon. Those who follow such matters will recognise the names of Robertson and Riley as being behind highly dubious stories about infiltration of tech supply chains to a server manufacturer in the US.

In October 2018, Bloomberg claimed that chips implanted in servers made in China for US server manufacturer Supermicro Computer  and which were also supplied to a company named Elemental which Amazon acquired  were used to spy on Apple and Amazon, and also a number of government agencies.

The news agencyin February 2021, but offered no fresh evidence to prove its claims. The company has also, in the past, published claims that the US Government had prior knowledge of the, a serious vulnerability in OpenSSL, before it was announced. Bloomberg did not issue a follow-up after the story was

Bloomberg, which for some reason is deemed a reliable source, has a policy of paying higher annual bonuses to those who write stories that move markets.

An interesting aspect about the 17 December story is that the quotes from named individuals do not offer any specifics to back up the claims. All the specific claims are made by unnamed sources.

If one were to believe what the story claims, then Optus accepted a software update from Huawei directly  without any checks to see what it would do. This update, the story goes, pilfered data and sent it to China, before self-destroying. That sounds like high-level fiction, but is delivered in the guise of a news story.

There have been cases of intelligence agencies slipping in malicious code through equipment, but all those took place before the gear was shipped, not through software updates. The NSA is known to have intercepted Cisco routers and implanted malicious firmware, according to documents made public by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

And then there is the case of global networking products manufacturer Juniper Networks in 2008 incorporating a flawed algorithm from the NSA in its NetScreen devices, even though the company was aware of the flaw that was suspected to provide a backdoor.

But the claim that any company, especially one of Optus' size, would accept an update without first testing it, sits in the same category as Grimms or Andersen's fairy tales. Many sites have run this story without questioning any of its claims, but then media entities are, these days, largely playing the same role as stenographers so one should, perhaps, not be unduly perturbed.

Malcolm Turnbull also figures in the story, with the statement from his memoir that the ban on Huawei was a hedge against a future threat, not the identification of a smoking gun, but a loaded one" cited. This statement is on page 434 of Turnbull's book A Bigger Picture.

However, Turnbull has denied to Bloomberg that this statement could be taken to indicate that there was no untoward action in Australia by Huawei. Strange, but true.

One of the many risible quotes in the story is from Keith Krach, the former under secretary for economic growth, energy and the environment at the US State Department, who says: Huaweis software updates can push whatever code they want into those machines, whenever they want, without anyone knowing.

Huawei's cyber security chief John Suffolk has pushed back at this, saying it is a fantasy  a serious understatement, if ever there was one  and adding: "There is not a general software update mechanism, patches are not pushed at will and Huawei has no control or say when an operator decides to upgrade or patch their network."

As to why an alleged incident that is nine years old has been leaked by intelligence agencies now, one can only speculate. One reason could be that Australian spooks want to shore up the reasons they have advanced for getting government to pass a new law, in November, so that they can meddle in private cyber incidents in the country without any judicial oversight.

Throwing mud at Huawei at this stage does not serve any particular purpose as the US has done plenty of it over the last three or so years. But Washington is in the middle of trying to sell F-35s to the UAE and the latter country has struck a deal with Huawei which is a sticking point. So this story could, perhaps, be used to raise additional suspicion and scupper the deal.

Or perhaps Robertson and Riley wanted a bigger Christmas bonus. That is the most plausible reason. Last time around, Riley was promoted after the Supermicro yarn.

Another strange thing about this story is that it was published on a Friday in the week before Christmas, surely not the best time if one wants to get some traction for a yarn.
Cornell University Economics Professor stated that the promise of decentralized finance (defi) using blockchain technology is real, but Bitcoin may not last that long. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that Bitcoin really triggered a revolution that may ultimately benefit all of us directly or indirectly.

Economics professor doubts the future of Bitcoin and praises Defi

Cornell University Economics Professor Eswar Prasad (Eswar Prasad) talked about Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, decentralized finance (defi) and central bank digital currency in a recent interview with CNBC.

Prasad is the author of the book The Future of Money: How the Digital Revolution Changes Money and Finance, and is Nandlal P. Tolani, Senior Professor of Trade Policy and Professor of Economics at the Charles Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University. Previously, he served as Director of the Financial Research Division of the Research Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Director of the China Division of the International Monetary Fund.

He pointed out that blockchain technology will produce fundamental changes in finance and the way we conduct daily transactions. He believes:

The promise of using blockchain technology to achieve decentralized finance is true, but Bitcoin itself may not last that long.

The economics professor explained: Bitcoin is not very efficient in using blockchain technology. It uses a verification mechanism for environmentally destructive transactions, but it does not scale well.

He asserted that there are new types of cryptocurrencies that use blockchain technology more efficiently than Bitcoin.

For any asset, the question is where the basic value proposition is, he continued, adding:

Given that Bitcoin is not a good medium of exchange, I dont think it will have any basic value except for the belief of investors.

He continued to discuss currency competition and stablecoins. It triggered an interesting element of currency competition. In principle, there are now stablecoins that can create more effective basic trading methods, he described.

The professor added that cryptocurrency ignited a fire under the leadership of the central bank and began to consider issuing a digital version of its own currency.

Professor Prasad explained that the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is good in many ways in terms of providing additional payment options, low-cost payment options that everyone can use, increasing financial inclusion, and possibly improving financial stability. of.

He concluded:

Although you may not like Bitcoin, it does spark a revolution that may ultimately benefit us all directly or indirectly.

Do you agree with Professor Eswar Prasad? Please let us know in the comments section below.

Kevin Helms As a student of Austrian economics, Kevin discovered Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests lie in Bitcoin security, open source systems, network effects, and the intersection of economics and cryptography.











Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons

Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. It is not a direct offer or invitation to buy or sell, nor is it a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service or company. Bitcoin Network Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. The company or the author is not directly or indirectly responsible for any damage or loss caused or claimed to be caused by using or relying on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
The Argentine Fintech Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization whose goal is to lead the digitalization and modernization of the financial services industry. It has issued a series of recommendations for the countrys upcoming virtual asset supervision. The proposed framework requires the government to follow FATF recommendations and requires a clear definition of virtual assets and virtual asset service providers (VASP).

Argentine Fintech Chamber of Commerce attaches great importance to supervision

The Argentine Fintech Chamber of Commerce, a group committed to modernizing the structure of financial service providers, Express your opinion Regarding how the Argentine government should supervise cryptocurrency assets in the future. The proposal takes into account the increase in the use of these assets in the country and identifies a series of key issues. According to the organization, these issues should be followed to better regulate cryptocurrencies.

The first mentioned the need to follow the committees recommendations. Financial Action Task Force (Financial Action Task Force), because Argentina is part of the group, it will monitor the countrys status with respect to these and other recommendations.

The proposal also addresses the need to define the concept of virtual assets and virtual asset service providers (VASP). The document states:

[These definitions] It should be based on a broad enough concept to cover emerging new technologies and related activities and services.

Another suggestion is related to the legality of activities involving virtual assets. According to the text, the law should also clearly define encryption rules, because it will allow parties using these virtual assets to open bank accounts without being isolated from the traditional banking industry.This will help VASP avoid being excluded happened In some countries before.

Argentina still lacks clear crypto regulation

The Argentine Fintech Chamber commented that although the adoption of cryptocurrencies is booming in the country, there is no specific regulation, but it appreciates the regulatory procedures that will be launched at the regional and global levels, which prompted it to make these recommendations.

The theme of cryptocurrency has reached the highest level in the country. In August, the current President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez, statement He is open to the use of cryptocurrency as legal tender in the country. However, he also stated that this subject is unknown to him.At the regional level, some regions have approved some laws that cryptocurrency users must pay tax Because they are considered international currencies, they hold cryptocurrencies.

What do you think of the recommendations of the Argentine Fintech Chamber of Commerce regarding the regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies? Tell us in the comments section below.

Sergio Goshenko Sergio is a cryptocurrency journalist based in Venezuela. He described himself late and entered the crypto space when prices rose in December 2017. With a background in computer engineering, living in Venezuela, and socially affected by the cryptocurrency boom, he offers a different perspective on the success of cryptography and how it can help the unbanked and underserved people.

Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons

Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. It is not a direct offer or invitation to buy or sell, nor is it a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service or company. Bitcoin Network Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. The company or the author is not directly or indirectly responsible for any damage or loss caused or claimed to be caused by using or relying on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
As regulators seek more information about their investments, private equity financing in the healthcare sector has reached a record high, driving growth in many areas of the industry.

The value of annual private equity transactions has almost tripled, from US$41.5 billion in 2010 to US$119.9 billion in 2019. white paper From the University of California, Berkeley and the American Antitrust Institute.Corporate investors-including executives from similar companies Black stone and General catalyst partners Appear in The 100 most influential people in modern healthcare Provided funds for healthcare companies to expand their scale and invest in new technologies, but also contrasted their efforts to maximize profits with the core mission of healthcare.

Private equity transactions in the healthcare sector have exploded, said Richard Scheffler, professor of health economics at the University of California at Berkeley and co-author of the white paper, adding that if investment increases by 30% To 40%, he will not be surprised that 2022 will benefit from the windfall of the stock market. These companies are sitting on capital and have to do something with it. But the nature of these private equity firms creates some ethical dilemmas in terms of providing care.

According to the paper, the main targets of private equity companies have been family health and outpatient care, and the number of related acquisitions has more than doubled from 2016 to 2020. In addition to increasing the practice of doctors, private equity also invests in hospitalization departments, medicines and medical equipment.

According to recent data from Standard & Poors Global, the 25 most active private equity firms currently hold approximately US$510 billion in uninvested cash.

Timothy Epple, managing director of Avalere Health, said: This is more like a question of where private equity firms have not invested in healthcare. They have the funds to create scale in places where there is no scale today, and use it to grow their business and negotiate better. And promote (risk-taking) plans that family operators cannot do.

Broadly speaking, private equity allows funds and investors to directly purchase private companies. General partners usually provide about 2% of the funds capital; the remaining funds are provided by institutional investors and banks.

Standard & Poors head of global corporate ratings, David Kaplan, said: Because private equity usually uses a fairly high level of debt to increase the rate of return on investment, this stability is an attractive feature to reduce risk.

Private equity funds generally have a maturity date of 10 years, and the investment return of a PE company is calculated as a multiple of the earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization.

Competitive goals

The surge in external investment in healthcare has reignited debates about whether competing goalsgenerating short-term investment returns and providing the best carecan coexist. Compared with the supplier sector, conflicts in areas such as digital health or supply chains are less obvious. Consider the recent acquisition of a majority stake in Medline, a medical equipment supplier and distributor based in Northbrook, Illinois, by Blackstone Group, Carlyle, Hellman & Friedman, and GIC for $30 billion.

For example, LifePoint Health is a private equity-backed hospital chain with 87 facilities. The Brentwood, Tennessee-based company aims to acquire Kindred Health, a post-acute and home health service provider purchased by TPG Capital and Wales, Carson, Anderson and Stowe, and insurance company Humana.

Dr. David Blumenthal, President of Commonwealth Fund, said: This is the culmination of the long process of privatization of medicine. The theoretical basis is that medicine, like any other market, should be driven by investors and market opportunities.

Primary care and specialty providers such as orthopedics, dermatology, and ophthalmology are still the main targets of corporate investors. Integrating these markets will allocate the fixed costs of information technology, marketing, legal, and other administrative expenses to UMC. With the aging of the population, these services are in great demand. The expansion of market share and better data analysis give them more ability to negotiate better rates with insurance companies.

Experts say that for the same reason, scattered and less efficient hospital specialties, such as emergency, anesthesiology, and radiology, are also attractive.

When we talked to private equity firms, they were very interested in the culture of the doctors working there. They wanted to ensure consistency, said Rick Kes, a partner and senior healthcare analyst at the accounting firm RSM. When they want to take risk, they will also look at the geographic area of ??growth and the payer mix to some extent. They have easier access to capital and therefore have a higher appetite for risk because it is related to value-based care .

Blumenthal said that private equity should have different goals for for-profit primary care companies and groups of specialist physicians.

He said that PE company believes that primary care doctors can open up a treasure trove of waste in the healthcare system by eliminating unnecessary care and charging more reasonable rates, and compete with a fee-for-service system. Blumenthal said they can stimulate demand in the currently underestimated primary care sector through better compensation models.

He said that the formation of a team of specialist doctors is a way to better control reimbursement services through local market monopoly and higher fees.

This is very different from the basic principles of primary care-to make the system work better, and to spend money to reward those who do better, Blumenthal said. Some PE investments may be positive, and some may exaggerate existing problems in the healthcare sector.

Supervisor in the dark

Regardless of the investment strategy adopted, private equity companies do not need to publicly disclose their financial status, which leaves industry regulators ignorant. This has raised concerns that some private equity companies will lay off employees at the expense of patients health to increase profits.

Research by the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy shows that helicopter ambulance operators owned by private equity take advantage of an inelastic market and charge almost twice that of air ambulance operators that are not privately owned or listed companies .

Regulators also questioned PE-backed companies that provide outpatient services-including companies like this one Team health And Envision, which staff the emergency department and other hospital services, and operates an outpatient surgery center.

University of Southern California health economist Glen Melnick said: When TeamHealth was acquired for $8 billion, I think the only way to invest is whether they can take advantage of the inelastic demand for urgent care. Makes you wonder-are these PE-driven transactions purely to take advantage of market failures in the healthcare system?

ASC Primary Care Physicians Southwest, a subsidiary of TeamHealth, submitted a copy litigation be opposed to Molina Healthcare In 2020, Molina was accused of paying its doctors in Texas for out-of-network care. Industry observers said that this is a common strategy of PE-supported emergency doctor staffing companies-not participating in the insurance company network and resorting to litigation. TeamHealth said in a statement that the jury ordered Molina to pay $17.5 million in punitive damages because of its unfair and deceptive practices.

Melnick said the duopoly of emergency physicians in Texas could kill wages.

Monopoly buyers may push up the price of medical plans, but they cannot pass it on to doctors, he said. Doctors can ask for a raise, but the personnel company has the right to say,If you dont like it, leave and go to Montana. Over time, independent doctors will lose market power.

In the field of hospitals, private equity is mainly aimed at financially stable for-profit institutions with relatively high costs. This is a new learn Published in the discovery of health affairs. Researchers found that among all hospital types, as of 2017, hospitals acquired by private equity accounted for 11% of all patient discharges.

Compared with hospitals without PE investment, hospitals supported by PE investment have higher operating profit margins. Part of the reason is that from 2003 to 2017, the ratio of full-time employees fell by 0.4%, while hospitals without PE investment increased by 5.6% during the same period.

We should be cautious about the whole thing. Will practice cut costs as soon as possible to obtain attractive EBITDA? asked Paul Keckley, industry consultant and executive editor of the Keckley Report. Then you will get some hunger practices that are shortening staff time-operationally, its very difficult.

Attention from Capitol Hill

Private equity investment has attracted the attention of Congress, which has called for greater transparency and regulation. Policymakers requested more information on how private equity nursing home ownership models affect patient outcomes, and pointed to studies linking PEs short-term turnover model to worse outcomes.

Besides there is no regulatory framework, you also dont have a system that can monitor what is happening. The market is leading academia and regulators, Melnick said. There will be this conflict between purely profit-oriented entities and frontline medical services that will increasingly emerge.

Although private equity firms can reduce management costs by simplifying back-office tasks and other strategies, legislators have criticized some of their strategies that may increase costs. For example, leveraged buyouts may make it more expensive for suppliers to repay debts and require the health system to sell hospitals. Some companies sell the real estate of their suppliers and require them to lease it back or force them to purchase goods and services from other businesses owned by the company. Providers may also need to pay management fees to the PE company that owns them.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Committee recommends minimum reporting standards or ownership indicators related to private equity companies health care investments to allow policymakers to compare ownership structures and assess impact.

Experts say that regulators can take the anti-monopoly supervision route, although it is much more difficult to dissolve completed transactions. Or state or federal authorities can try to regulate their activities through price caps or legislation, similar to the no accident law on accidental medical bills.

We just need more transparency. We have paid too much, and we dont know whether it is good or bad for us as consumers, Melnick said.

Experts say that the volatility of the COVID-19 pandemic may prompt some healthcare companies to reach deals earlier. Observers say that the value of private equity and venture capital transactions is expected to rise because more cash is on the sidelines.

Expect more events in 2022, Case said. The only thing that will continue to be a headwind is the labor issue.
SBS TV's forthcoming crime action drama "Through the Darkness" (also known as "Those Who Read Hearts of Evil") released its first video teaser, intensifying the excitement of fans and prospective viewers.

'Through the Darkness' to Depict the Story of South Korea's First Criminal Profiler

Based on the book of the same name, written by South Korea's first criminal profiler Kwon Il Yong, the teaser begins with his direct words, "I remember the feeling that I felt entering a dark room through a door that only I could pass through once."

Set in the late 1990s when there were numerous murder cases, the teaser showcases a woman walking in the rain, following by large and sinister footsteps. A new reporter delivers the case after the sound of a scream is heard.

In the middle of these blurry times, Song Ha Young (Kim Nam Gil) shows up with courage and strength, intimidating criminals before profiling.

His police senior Kook Young Soo (Jin Sun Kyu) asks, "Have you heard of a profiler? They analyze criminal behavior using open mind, intuition, common sense and analytical skills. It's a perfect fit for you, Ha Young."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Through the Darkness' Releases New Enticing Poster Featuring Kim Nam Gil and Jin Sun Kyu

Working as a criminal profiler is a dangerous conversation with serial killers. Kim Nam Gil and Jin Sun Kyu are determined to chase down notorious serial killers and read their hearts through criminal profiling.

At the end of the teaser, the words "Walk into the hearts of evil and witness the birth of the nation's first criminal profiler," describing Song Ha Young, appears on the screen.

Song Ha Young then promises, "This is not the end. I will definitely catch that culprit," hinting at the criminal chase, heightening anticipation.

'Through the Darkness' K-Drama Summary, Release Date and More

SBS TV's forthcoming Friday and Saturday criminal drama "Through the Darkness" follows the story of Song Ha Young (Kim Nam Gil), the first South Korean criminal profiler who looks at the hearts of serial killers.

The crime thriller drama is helmed together by director Park Bo Ram and penned by Seol Yi Na.

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Apart from Kim Nam Gil, Jin Sun Kyu and Kim So Jin, both portraying law enforcers, are also part of the main ensemble.

"Through the Darkness" airs on Friday, January 14, 2022 for the first time at 10:00 p.m. KST on SBS TV. It will also be available on Viu for online streaming.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: Jung Hae In, BLACKPINK Jisoo and 'Snowdrop' Director Jo Hyun Tak List Down 3 Things That Make the Drama Stand Out

What are you most excited to see in the new Kim Nam Gil drama? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Kim Da Mi and Choi Woo Sik's newest romance comedy drama "Our Beloved Summer," which recently premiered, is well-received by the public, generating a lot of buzz not only in South Korea but also in Asia.

Kook Yeon Soo (Kim Da Mi) and Choi Woong (Choi Woo Sik) deliver a pleasant and refreshing performance and stories that hit closer to home. Their love-and-hate relationship which is drawn back and forth between the past and the present engross viewers to anticipate the drama until the end.

In this regard, the production unit of Monday and Tuesday drama "Our Beloved Summer" dished out three sympatethic real-life moments of the drama, which resonate a lot with the viewers.

1. Reminiscing Childish Yet Cute Memories of Love

In the first episodes of "Our Beloved Summer," Kook Yeon Soo's boss Jang Do Yul (Lee Jun Hyuk), who appeared in the restaurant wearing the same clothes as her, shared that he had never experienced wearing a couple shirts.

This brought back some memories for Kook Yeon Soo, who once wore a cute couple tee in an exhilarating amusement park date with her boyfriend at that time, Choi Woong. Although it may seem childish, the two ex-lovers loved doing everything together.

2. The Love and Breakup Dilemma

Since the drama paces back and forth from the past to the present, viewers witnessed how Kook Yeon Soo and Choi Woong became friends from being mortal enemies, until they became high school sweethearts.

However, like most relationships, theirs also failed. The two broke up after five years of being together, and the two of them had very opposite reactions and ways to deal with the breakup.

While Choi Woong suffers from its aftereffects, almost nearing to give up on life, Kook Yeon Soo returns to her original daily life as if nothing happened.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Jung Hae In, BLACKPINK Jisoo and 'Snowdrop' Director Jo Hyun Tak List Down 3 Things That Make the Drama Stand Out

However, in the third episode, Kook Yeon Soo locks herself in the bathroom and cries her heart out. For some viewers who experienced this, the epilogue scene made people weep as they reminisce about their relationships, too.

3. Exes' Reunion Full of Wrath and Regrets

Who would ever want to meet their ex-lover, especially in the moment of weakness? For Kook Yeon Soo and Choi Woong, they didn't have any choice.

The two once again meet after Yeon Soo asks Woong for help for something very important. And in return, Woong asks Yeon Soo to film another documentary with her once more.

However, in episode 4, a memory triggers the two characters' pain receptors when she finds a painting that left traces of ruin with a correction fluid. Like a broken heart, a simple correction fluid or time can never mend it.

Despite their objection, it's crystal clear that Woong and Yeon Soo both still have feelings for each other still but their anger towards each other overpowers their love, making them both bitter about the breakup like what most people are.

Moreover, SBS TV's Monday and Tuesday drama "Our Beloved Summer" episode 5 will air on Monday, December 20 at 10:00 p.m. KST. It can also be found on Netflix.

Which of the three relationship problems hit closer to home for you? Have you ever fallen in love? Share it with us in the comments below!

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KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
WASHINGTON, DC  A number of airports throughout Oregon will receive millions of dollars toward improvements due to the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by Congress, US Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced Friday.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included a $3 billion provision for Airport Infrastructure Grants, which will allocate funding to support airports across the country. Oregon will receive $43 million from those grants, spread to airports big and small throughout the state.

Oregonians flying during the holidays and year-round, along with small businesses statewide counting on reliable air service for their products both know the importance of secure and dependable airports everywhere in Oregon. Wyden said. The bipartisan infrastructure plan Im proud to have supported helps airports large and small in Oregon. And Ill keep battling for Oregon to get our fair share of federal resources for these airports as well as for additional infrastructure needs in our states rural, urban and suburban communities.

While the Portland International Airport will receive a large chunk of that funding, more than $20 million, airports in Southern Oregon are not forgotten. The Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport is set to receive more than $3.75 million, and funding will go to smaller airstrips throughout the region:

$3,759,459 for the Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport

$295,000 for the Grants Pass Airport

$295,000 for the Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport

$159,000 for the Ashland Municipal-Summer Parker Field Airport

$159,000 for the Brookings Airport

$159,000 for the Illinois Valley Airport

$159,000 for the Lake County Airport

$110,000 for the Chiloquin State Airport

$110,000 for the Christmas Valley Airport

$110,000 for the Gold Beach Municipal Airport

Having safe and sustainable airports benefits Oregonians who want to stay connected to out-of-state loved ones, and businesses that rely on the airways to expand economic opportunity, said Merkley. We passed this bipartisan infrastructure plan to address critical infrastructure concerns in the state, and Im pleased this funding will upgrade our regional airport facilities to provide more safer and reliable travel for all Oregonians. I will continue to fight for resources that tackle infrastructure problems at the source, and I look forward to seeing more results as this bipartisan law goes into effect.
MEDFORD, Ore.  The Jackson County District Attorney's office joined local law enforcement on Friday in responding to a nationwide TikTok "challenge" involving threats of violence at schools, pointing out that they have a zero-tolerance policy for school threats.

The DA's office was accompanied in its statement by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and the Medford Police Department.

Even the threat of school violence, with or without credibility or any intention of carrying out violence, can be prosecuted as first-degree disorderly conduct, a class A misdemeanor. Someone commits the crime if they "initiate or circulate a report, knowing it to be false" with the "intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or knowingly creating a risk thereof."

"Threats of school violence are not a joke," the DA's office said. "They are not an appropriate way to vent frustration and anger, nor are they a way to get an extra day off of school. Schools are a place where our children, parents and school staff should have confidence they are safe.

"Social media platforms have become a tool used by youth to spread rumors, threats and 'challenges' to large swaths of the population. This causes fear and alarm to others and creates a large response from law enforcement to ensure safety at the schools."

The DA's office said that threats of school violence will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. Youth who threaten school violence and are arrested for disorderly conduct will be taken to Jackson County's Juvenile Detention Facility, potentially earning up to a year at an Oregon Youth Correctional Facility.

Klamath Falls City Schools, the Ashland School District, and other local officials reported that they were taking the TikTok trend seriously, but had not learned of any specific threats in the area.

Tips regarding any threats or suspicious activity can be reported anonymously to the Safe Oregon tip line. The number is 844-472-3367 and accepts texts or calls.
Susan Bauhart, president of the union representing Kelowna teachers, sent teachers a message saying the union believes they don't have to comply with a directive from the school board to indicate whether they are vaccinated against COVID-19.
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The white coat ceremony marks the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of medical students. An academic ritual steeped in symbolism, the ceremony calls on new medical students to reflect upon and adhere to the values that guide the profession. The honor of graduating medical school returns these soon-to-be-doctors to the ideals of medicine. They must take an oath to avoid harm, build trust, and practice with integrity.

While these commitments bookend the medical education experience, the reality for many medical students is that their respective curricula are primarily focused on imparting scientific knowledge and skills required to succeed in the clinical environment. The values of the medical profession such as ethics, empathy, communication, and professional attitudes are concepts largely conveyed informally outside of medical school syllabi.

As a medical student, I have experienced different delivery methods of the values of the medical profession. We have the occasional seminar-style discussions of ethics, empathy, communication styles, and professionalism. If youve been involved with one of these, you likely are familiar with those students who groan, complaining that this stuff is a waste of our time, or Id rather be doing Anki, as well as those who enjoy the theoretical discussions as a break from the objectivity of scientific knowledge.

But we also experience an informal method of learning about these concepts, or the hidden curriculum. The hidden curriculum is delivered, via educational structures, practices, and [through the] culture of an educational institution. Medical students split their time between two institutions  the university granting their degree and the hospital at which they complete their clinical rotations. Therefore, the hidden curriculum is delivered through the culture at both educational venues.

The negative encounters we witness while on clinical rotations have as much impact as the positive encounters. Ive seen physicians who have handled a challenging patient skillfully, but Ive also seen health care providers make disparaging comments about other health care providers or even a patient. What I take away from witnessing both those encounters is highly dependent on not just my personality, but also how often I am exposed to each. Recently, there have been a lot of conversations about the culture of medicine, but how often do we talk about how the culture of medicine at different institutions influences medical education? Are the values of the medical profession being translated in our clinical learning environments?

A hospitals stated values are a tangible representation of the institutions shared commitments and overall culture. These values can be perceived by students directly or indirectly in the clinical environment. For example, I was directly taught the values of my institution during an orientation that welcomed my class to clinical rotations at the hospital.

Now in my third year of medical school, I have completed 5 of 6 of my core clinical rotations. While Ive noticed how the values of my hospital have translated to my medical education, my classmates and I have not been given the space to formally reflect on how these values have informed our educational experience, whether positively or negatively. Moreover, there is no formal method to evaluate if I am learning the values of the medical profession that I will uphold at my graduation ceremony a year from now.

The field of medical education only recently started to formally incorporate didactic classes on empathy, communication, and professionalism; is it too soon to do away with those classes that students often spend flipping through flashcards? An alternate solution would be to take advantage of the existing hidden curriculum and instead allow students to reflect on how their clinical learning environment has informed their educational experience. This could help medical schools gauge if the values of the medical profession are being translated in practice.

Ultimately, formal evaluation of the hidden curriculum would allow medical students to learn about how they envision their future practice environment and guide students to consider the type of organizational culture they would like to be a part of and contribute to as a new physician.

Priya Arunachalam is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
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Welcome to an expedited episode of The Podcast by KevinMD. Trevor Bedford is a computational biologist and infectious disease scientist, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. He was selected as a recipient of the 2021 MacArthur Fellowship and can be reached on Twitter @trvrb.

Transcript

Kevin Pho, MD: Hi, and welcome to the show where we share the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system, but are rarely heard from. My name is Kevin Pho, founder and editor of KevinMD. Today on the show we have Trevor Bedford, he is a computational biologist and an infectious disease scientist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. Hes the recipient of the 2021 MacArthur Fellowship, otherwise known as the MacArthur Genius Grant. His Twitter feed is a must-follow during the pandemic. I follow it every day and you can find him on Twitter @trvrb. Trevor, welcome to the show.

Trevor Bedford, PhD: Thank you for having me, Kevin. Its great to be here.

Kevin Pho, MD: Let me ask you what is a computational biologist? And can you give an example of that expertise in action during the COVID pandemic?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: So my main focus has been on viral sequence data. So before the pandemic, for flu and Ebola and Zika, and all these things, when someone is infected, you can take a swab and sequence the virus out of that, you get this genome of 10,000 or 30,000 letters, and youre able to learn things about evolution and spread of the virus from that genome sequence. So a lot of the pure scientific output has really been focused on learning about evolution and epidemiology from this the sequence data. We do a bit of sequencing in the lab at the Fred Hutch, but mostly that what we rely on is publicly available sequence data or sequence data from collaborators to work with.

Kevin Pho, MD: We are speaking in the afternoon of Friday, December 17, and when this comes out Omicron going to take hold in the United States. How is the Omicron variant different from the prior variants of COVID?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: So Omicron took me, and I think took basically everyone by complete surprise. So we have kind of this super variance in spring 2021, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, et cetera. Delta ends up being more transmissible than the rest, it out-competes, and three weeks ago, 99% of infections, something like that, throughout the globe were Delta. And now in just a few weeks after that, were going to hit 50% Omicron very rapidly.

It is a very different genome of a virus so the best hypothesis I have that is still weak, but is the hypothesis, is that kind of evolved, incubated within one chronic infection in southern Africa for perhaps a year, over a year, and then accrued a number of these spike mutations that were trying to escape immunity, that wasnt kind of fully able to clear the infection but was enough to kind of push the virus to evolve. So then when it spills out of that chronic infection, you end up with something that is quite transmissible in a large part due to escaping existing immunity because the spike protein has changed enough that existing antibodies from natural infection and from vaccination dont dont work as well against it.

Kevin Pho, MD: You mentioned that Omicron surprised you and other scientists. Why is that?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: I was expecting kind of now that theres so much immunity in the global population, a switch to kind of evolution mostly for antigenic drift, thats more flu-like, where you can have new variants, new strains emerging, that displace existing strains, you can update vaccines, and all of that was completely expected. But I was expecting something much more flu-like in that we have a new strain emerging, and then within that a few mutations, a few mutations, whereas Omicron kind of appears completely out of left field with these 30 mutations in spike protein looking like a flu thats from 2031 in terms of kind of the amount of evolution thats happened there. So its suddenly something hugely different.

Kevin Pho, MD: Well, the fact that its hugely different, how does that impact the trajectory of the pandemic?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: So we know that its spreading incredibly rapidly and basically the number that I focus on here is this Rt number, the number of secondary infections that one infection causes or cases that one case causes. Early on in February 2020, that was with the original Wuhan-like virus that was around three and a half in places like Seattle and Western Europe as it was spreading before mitigation measures really hugely brought that down. The initial Delta wave in April/May was an Rt of about one and a half, and right now for Omicron in places like Seattle and London, its perhaps three or four even, if not even slightly higher.

And so its more kind of faster spread than weve basically seen ever before. We can expect higher caseloads than weve seen throughout the entire pandemic, and so now its basically a question of we know at least due to prior immunity and very potentially due to actual intrinsic severity that the kind of on a per case level outcomes will be much more mild for Omicron than previous waves. And its just kind of how big is that big number of cases and how small is that small fraction of severe outcomes, and kind of multiplying the two together will determine how bad this actually is.

Kevin Pho, MD: So taking a look at how Omicron is spreading overseas in South Africa and Europe, when do you expect Omicron to displace Delta in the United States?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: So in Seattle, were about 50% Omicron as of today. New York, it looks perhaps a bit past that. Other places will take a little while to catch up, but the doubling time is every two or three days so it wont take long. So yeah, give it a week. And displaced now is a word that Im watching carefully in that if we look at South Africa, its hard to tell because Delta was starting from such a low fraction. You can actually still find Delta circulating in South Africa as of the latest genome sequences that are being provided, and so its not clear entirely whether Omicron has just been on top of Delta or has actually displaced Delta.

So itll definitely be that the vast majority of cases being detected in the U.S. and in Europe will be Omicron, but it will be  Im not sure how much of a dent that will actually put into Delta, and I can imagine perhaps in places like London and Europe, where they might do more mitigation, more nonpharmaceutical interventions, that Delta might die. Where in the U.S. where we might have less, we might see less of an impact than Delta, but thats something that Ill be watching carefully.

Kevin Pho, MD: Lets talk about the severity of infections that Omicron creates. So Ive been seeing articles all over the place. So I guess initially in South Africa, some are saying that gives a more mild disease but now Im seeing that other scientists are calling that in question. So what are your thoughts in terms of the severity of disease that Omicron gives?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: Yeah, this is frustratingly unresolved. I mean, and its only  Its been just a few weeks and has spread so rapidly that even if this was normal clinical course of illness, we expect time for kind of the severe outcomes to accumulate. So its making it to be a very, very difficult question. I do think we can say for certain that a large fraction of the Omicron infections are occurring in people with some immunity, either from natural infection or from vaccination. And we know from kind of previously what we were looking at with waning immunity and booster shots and so forth that generally youll have this thing where if immunity is not perfect, has dropped a bit, either through waning or through viral evolution, you might lose protection against infection but you usually will retain protection against severe outcomes.

So I think a large fraction, maybe not all, but a large fraction of the reduction of severity that we have observed is due to these infections being a large fraction in South Africa and now elsewhere in people that have some prior immunity. And so that by itself will reduce, will reduce severity. And so we can have high caseloads in the U.S. and in Europe, and maybe not have as many severe  As a ratio, we wont have as much severe outcomes as say, the Delta wave. I havent been able to determine, and I havent seen any real good evidence on this on whether theres also some intrinsic more mild disease from Omicron. I could well imagine that being the case as well, but again, its like yeah, trying to dial in that exact severity number, which is still hard.

Kevin Pho, MD: So its certainly likely about Omicron will be the predominant strain very shortly. Is it likely that fully vaxxed is going to be defined as three vaccines?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: What do we talk about when we talk about protection? So it looks like two doses and waning since if people got their second dose of Pfizer/Moderna, say back in April, that thered not be a lot of protection against infection from Omicron. Were talking maybe 20%, 30% vaccine effectiveness against a symptomatic illness, whereas the third dose from work by Public Health England puts that at maybe about 70% to symptomatic illness, which is pretty good. So kind of a pretty big difference there. But we should expect that two doses will still provide some decent protection against hospitalization and death. And so perhaps seeing more of a dichotomy between people that got their third dose, not becoming symptomatically infected and people that had two doses more often becoming symptomatically infected.

Kevin Pho, MD: Put the COVID pandemic in historical context. Are there any past pandemics that can contrast with what were currently going through with COVID?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: Ive been thinking about this a lot on this evolutionary front because its definitely my focus, where if you look at say 2009 swine flu, that infected 30% of the world and within the first year of it appearing in 2009, but we didnt see nearly as much evolution. There werent like variants of swine flu in the same way that there are variants of SARS-CoV-2, and if we look at things like Ebola and Zika, yeah, the amount of kind of evolution or impactful evolution thats seen, kind of viruses evolving all the time, sequences changing repeatedly, but of actually new novel variants having an impact, I really cant think of an analogy here. We might have had this in 1918 when we didnt have good sequencing, but of kind of more recent things its been pretty extraordinary seeing this level of evolution.

Kevin Pho, MD: Now with the trajectory of COVID hopefully becoming endemic, when do you think that time will come?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: Were kind of approaching it very rapidly in that Im not going to get these numbers perfect with something like 60% of the U.S. total population having been vaccinated. With something like 35% of the U.S. total population having been infected, we can expect  What is that? If we multiply this out, like 80% of the population have immunity, and at endemic state, Im expecting basically 100% of the population have immunity. So were close to there. Omicron makes me more worried about what endemic state looks like if the virus can kind of  If every year or something like this were to emerge, were going to end up with much  Again, even if we dont have a lot of severe outcomes, youll get large attack rates, large waves, due to evolution of the virus in a fashion that that will be disruptive.

Kevin Pho, MD: And is it likely then were probably going to be needing new Omicron specific or whatever variant specific COVID shots every six or 12 months?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: Even before Omicron, my expectation was that every September there would be a COVID vaccine that people that are interested would take just like flu vaccine because mRNA is a faster platform than the chicken eggs that flu is grown in, you could maybe have that strain selection decision made in something like June, rather than in flu, its made in February. And so because of seasonality and endemicity and immunity, and once things are kind of getting into the regular cycle, Id expect like flu, like other respiratory viruses, a winter COVID season followed by not much circulation in the summer and so you time yearly vaccination to coincide.

I had been expecting that to just be a strain swap the way that we do with influenza, but I think as, yeah, just discussed, I cant imagine that come September well have both Omicron and Delta, the descendants of Omicron and the descendants of Delta co-circulating, and we might want a vaccine that has both valencies in it that should be easily doable with a mRNA vaccine, but its something that wed have to be preparing that regulatory framework for now and getting  Kind of getting work on this to actually have that ready for September.

Kevin Pho, MD: Im a primary care internal medicine physician, and in my exam room, I get a lot of questions about natural immunity. Whats the role of natural immunity in the upcoming Omicron wave?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: So basing most of this on vaccine effectiveness studies alongside virus neutralization assay work where you generally see that that natural infection has a bit more variation to it than vaccination. And some people who have an infection will have higher titers than two doses, many times lower. On average, its slightly lower. But its largely not super different. And so now the real comparison is basically two doses and some COVID and natural infection being pretty equivalent to three doses and kind of really wanting to be probably in that area versus not a lot of protection against symptomatic illness for people whove only been naturally infected or only had two doses.

Kevin Pho, MD: Whats something that keeps you up at night about the COVID pandemic?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: So I think with Omicron, this left-field evolution of something thats so wildly different that if that keeps happening and if its different enough so it doesnt displace Delta. So again, in September 2022, we have both Omicron descendants and Delta descendants circulating, and that happens each year, you could just kind of keep stacking up co-circulating SARS viruses. And they will provide some immunity to severe illness to each other but it would still be something where youd expect much higher burden of disease and much higher circulation levels than in the scenario where theres just kind of one strain thats evolving and replacing another like we have with flu. And that would then be challenging to keep up with in terms of vaccination strategies.

Kevin Pho, MD: And my final question. What are some of your take-home messages that you want to leave with the Kevin MD audience?

Trevor Bedford, PhD: So right now, the best thing that you can do for Omicron is to get the third dose of vaccine. I hugely recommend doing that, and that would  Both to protect from symptomatic illness, but to also protect your neighbors, your community from onward spread. It wont be perfect, but it will be kind of the easiest, best thing to do. I am kind of going back to a bit like behavior in a year ago before I was vaccinated thinking that Im not  I go grocery shopping, I get takeout, I get coffee at coffee shops, but I dont sit in at restaurants. Might have small gatherings with immediate rapid tests alongside, but kind of definitely modulating my behavior a bit to try to make this January wave not quite as bad for the healthcare system, even if my own personal risk having had three doses is quite low.

Kevin Pho, MD: Trevor, thank you so much for joining me and sharing your time and insight.

Trevor Bedford, PhD: Thank you so much, Kevin. Thank you for having me.

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News

State education chair acquitted on federal charge

Grady

Thomas Grady, a Naples-based financial attorney who is involved with a number of state political groups and is the current chair of the Florida Board of Education, was acquitted Thursday by a 12-member jury in federal court in Miami on a charge that stemmed from construction done on a property he owned in Islamorada in 2017.

This prosecution never should have been brought, Gradys lawyers, David Markus and Margot Moss, said in a statement. It was a politically-motivated prosecution as well as a complete waste of judicial resources and taxpayer dollars. We expected more from our government. We are extremely grateful to the jury for doing the right thing.

At the center of the case was an obscure law known as the Rivers and Harbors Act that dates to the 19th century. The Rivers and Harbors Act is one of the oldest federal laws on the environment. The law was passed by Congress in 1899 as a consolidation of a series of earlier environmental laws relating to the nations waterways. It gave the federal government jurisdiction over alteration of those waterways, of which the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is now a part. U.S. Attorneys Office charged Grady in violation of that act in September on the allegation that he had performed work four years ago that affected Sanctuary waters without first seeking permits from the proper governing bodies.

According to court documents, Grady hired contractors in 2017 to add boat access to a property he owned on the Old Highway on Plantation Key at the time. The defense at one point filed a motion to dismiss the case, contending that Grady could only be found liable to aiding and abetting the work and that the Rivers and Harbors Act did not contain a criminalization of aiding and abetting unpermitted work.

Although there is no dispute that the corporate owner of the property had the requisite permits from the village of Islamorada and from the state of Florida, the government contends that it did not have an allegedly required permit from the Army Corps of Engineers, the defense wrote in the motion. Of course, Mr. Grady did not dredge the channel himself, so he can only be liable through an aiding and abetting theory. The problem for the government is that aiding and abetting is not a permissible charge for this offense.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Watts-FitzGerald responded to the motion writing that as far back as 2014, Grady had corresponded with the Army Corps in attempts to obtain permits for certain marine activities within the ambit of the (Rivers and Harbors Act) and continued that direct and personal involvement in an effort to develop and ultimately sell a coastal property in the Florida Keys. He further wrote that through meetings, permit applications and phone and email conversation with the Army Corps, Grady was repeatedly educated and warned against any construction or dredging activities within the relevant navigable waters without first securing an ACOE permit.

The motion was denied by Judge Jose E. Martinez and the trial proceeded, beginning Dec. 13 and lasting four days. Grady faced a maximum one-year prison sentence on the single federal misdemeanor charge. Gradys lawyers said he thought he had permission from the Army Corps.

The jury quickly rejected the charge after Gradys contractor said on cross-examination that both he and Mr. Grady believed in good faith that they had all of the proper permits, the defense firm Markus/Moss said in a statement.

Court documents indicate that the jury had begun deliberations by Wednesday. At one point on Thursday, the foreperson filed a note to the judge asking if they were unable to make a unanimous decision, what would happen next. However, they came to a decision later that day.

Public records from the village of Islamorada show two code violations in January 2017 for working on the property without a permit and then continuing to work through the stop-work order. Grady responded via email to the village saying that he had obtained the proper permits in 2015 and the violations had been issued erroneously. Village officials concluded pursuing further action was not worth the trouble. The property was sold to Richard Gudoian the following year for $4.1 million.

Grady told the Citizen that he purchased the home in 2013 to be a family vacation spot. His daughter and her son moved in shortly before Hurricane Irma in 2017, which caused heavy damage to the property. He said he no longer owns property in the Keys. Grady said that he had gotten over 50 permits for the projects from various bureaucratic bodies.

"I can't find any case where a homeowner in the Keys has been charged in violation of this 120-year-old law," Grady said.

On the subject of the case being politically motivated, Grady said, "I'll let you connect the dots."

He gave a timeline of the property being purchased during the Obama administration and most of the permits being issued when Trump was in office and he was charged once Biden was in office. He said he has a "difference in opinion" with the current president on matters such as "whether kids should be in school" amidst the coronavirus, among other things.

Grady operates the white-collar financial law firm GradyLaw in Naples and was first appointed to the education board by former Gov. Rick Scott. He previously served a single term in the Florida House from 2008 to 2010, representing District 76. He was previously appointed to transition teams for both U.S. Congressman Charlie Crist and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum. He previously served as commissioner of the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and president of the Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

eweld@keysnews.com
A critical flaw in widely used software has cybersecurity experts raising alarms and big companies racing to fix the issue.

The vulnerability, which was reported late last week, is in Java-based software known as "Log4j" that large organizations use to configure their applications -- and it poses potential risks for much of the internet.

Apple's cloud computing service, security firm Cloudflare, and one of the world's most popular video games, Minecraft, are among the many services that run Log4j, according to security researchers.

Jen Easterly, head of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), called it "one of the most serious flaws" seen in her career. In a statement on Saturday, Easterly said "a growing set" of hackers are actively attempting to exploit the vulnerability.

As of Tuesday, more than 100 hacking attempts were occurring per minute, according to data this week from cybersecurity firm Check Point.

"It will take years to address this while attackers will be looking... on a daily basis [to exploit it]," said David Kennedy, CEO of cybersecurity firm TrustedSec. "This is a ticking time bomb for companies."

Here's what you should know:

What is Log4j and why does it matter?

Log4j is one of the most popular logging libraries used online, according to cybersecurity experts. Log4j gives software developers a way to build a record of activity to be used for a variety of purposes, such as troubleshooting, auditing and data tracking. Because it is both open-source and free, the library essentially touches every part of the internet.

"It's ubiquitous. Even if you're a developer who doesn't use Log4j directly, you might still be running the vulnerable code because one of the open source libraries you use depends on Log4j," Chris Eng, chief research officer at cybersecurity firm Veracode, told CNN Business. "This is the nature of software: It's turtles all the way down."

Companies such as Apple, IBM, Oracle, Cisco, Google and Amazon, all run the software. It could present in popular apps and websites, and hundreds of millions of devices around the world that access these services could be exposed to the vulnerability.

Are hackers exploiting it?

Attackers appear to have had more than a week's head start on exploiting the software flaw before it was publicly disclosed, according to cybersecurity firm Cloudflare. Now, with such a high number of hacking attempts happening each day, some worry the worst is to yet come.

"Sophisticated, more senior threat actors will figure out a way to really weaponize the vulnerability to get the biggest gain," Mark Ostrowski, Check Point's head of engineering, said Tuesday.

Late Tuesday, Microsoft said in an update to a blog post that state-backed hackers from China, Iran, North Korea and Turkey have tried to exploit the Log4j flaw.

Why is this security flaw so bad?

Experts are especially concerned about the vulnerability because hackers can gain easy access to a company's computer server, giving them entry into other parts of a network. It's also very hard to find the vulnerability or see if a system has already been compromised, according to Kennedy.

In addition, a second vulnerability in Log4j's system was found late Tuesday. Apache Software Foundation, a nonprofit that developed Log4j and other open source software, has released a security fix for organizations to apply.

How are companies are trying to address the issue?

Last week, Minecraft published a blog post announcing a vulnerability was discovered in a version of its game -- and quickly issued a fix. Other companies have taken similar steps.

IBM, Oracle, AWS and Cloudflare have all issued advisories to customers, with some pushing security updates or outlining their plans for possible patches.

"This is such a severe bug, but it's not like you can hit a button to patch it like a traditional major vulnerability. It's going to require a lot of time and effort," said Kennedy.

For transparency and to help cut down on misinformation, CISA said it would set up a public website with updates on what software products were affected by the vulnerability and how hackers exploited them.

What can you do to protect yourself?

The pressure is largely on companies to act. For now, people should make sure to update devices, software and apps when companies give prompts in the coming days and weeks.

What's next?

The US government has issued a warning to impacted companies to be on high alert over the holidays for ransomware and cyberattacks.

There is concern that an increasing number of malicious actors will make use of the vulnerability in new ways, and while large technology companies may have the security teams in place to deal with these potential threats, many other organizations do not.

"What I'm most concerned about is the school districts, the hospitals, the places where there's a single IT person who does security who doesn't have time or the security budget or tooling," said Katie Nickels, Director of Intelligence at cybersecurity firm Red Canary. "Those are the organizations I'm most worried about -- small organizations with small security budgets."

The-CNN-Wire

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NEWBERG, Ore.  The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit against the Newberg School District and four members of the district's board of directors, challenging the district's recently enacted ban on political signs and displays.

The ACLU and the legal firm Davis Wright Tremaine filed the lawsuit Friday in Yamhill County Circuit Court on behalf of district employee Chelsea Shotts, asking the court to declare that a sign she posted in her classroom window is free expression protected by the Oregon Constitution and to enjoin the district from enforcing the ban.

It's the latest in a series of recent lawsuits stemming directly or indirectly from the controversial policy pursued by the school board's four-member conservative majority. The same four members made headlines last month for abruptly firing former district superintendent Joe Morelock.

The controversies have also sparked recall campaigns against board chair Dave Brown and vice chair Brian Shannon, both of whom will face recall votes next month.

Shotts complaint

The board adopted a policy in August that banned district employees from displaying LGBTQ+ Pride and Black Lives Matter signs, flags and other displays on district campuses.

The decision drew widespread criticism, including a threat from the ACLU to sue. Morelock also told the board on Sept. 1 that he would not uphold the ban because district lawyers had advised him that it was unconstitutional. The board adopted a new policy on Sept 28 that banned all political displays.

The lawsuit centers on a sign that Shotts, who identifies as bisexual and works as an educator at Dundee Elementary School, had posted in her classroom window before the policy was enacted. The sign consisted of the phrase "BE KNOWN" in front of a heart shape and rainbow background.

Dundee resident Michael Gunn emailed school principal Reed Langdon on Sept. 30 and complained about the sign, according to the lawsuit, referring to it as a "gay pride poster" and arguing that it violated the district's policy.

Langdon concluded that the sign did not violate the policy, and Gunn appealed that decision to Morelock, who agreed with Langdon's assessment. Gunn then appealed Morelock's decision to the school board.

The sequence of events documented in the lawsuit matches the sequence outlined in an agenda summary ahead of the board's Nov. 9 meeting, in which the board was scheduled to hold a public hearing to consider whether to overturn Morelock's decision.

The board adopted a policy in August that banned district employees from displaying LGBTQ+ Pride and Black Lives Matter signs, flags and other displays on district campuses.

The decision drew widespread criticism, including a threat from the ACLU to sue. Morelock also told the board on Sept. 1 that he would not uphold the ban because district lawyers had advised him that it was unconstitutional. The board adopted a new policy on Sept 28 that banned all political displays.

The lawsuit centers on a sign that Shotts, who identifies as bisexual and works as an educator at Dundee Elementary School, had posted in her classroom window before the policy was enacted. The sign consisted of the phrase "BE KNOWN" in front of a heart shape and rainbow background.

Dundee resident Michael Gunn emailed school principal Reed Langdon on Sept. 30 and complained about the sign, according to the lawsuit, referring to it as a "gay pride poster" and arguing that it violated the district's policy.

Langdon concluded that the sign did not violate the policy, and Gunn appealed that decision to Morelock, who agreed with Langdon's assessment. Gunn then appealed Morelock's decision to the school board.

The sequence of events documented in the lawsuit matches the sequence outlined in an agenda summary ahead of the board's Nov. 9 meeting, in which the board was scheduled to hold a public hearing to consider whether to overturn Morelock's decision.

Other lawsuits

The ACLU lawsuit is the fourth to be filed in direct or loose connection with the political sign ban policy and the board members who enacted it, and it echoes complaints in a Nov. 3 lawsuit filed by the Newberg Education Association.

That lawsuit, also filed in Yamhill County Circuit Court, named the district and Brown, Shannon, DeHart and Powell as defendants, alleged that the policy violates the 1st and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, and also requested a court order to block the policy.

Two other lawsuits were filed in October:

On Oct. 18, DeHart, Powell, Shannon and Brown jointly filed a lawsuit in Yamhill County Circuit Court against Debbie Tofte, Katherine Barnett, AJ Schwanz and Tamara Brookfield, alleging that the four defendants violated a HB 3047, an "anti-doxxing" law passed by the state legislature earlier this year.

The lawsuit alleged that the defendants violated the law by posting information about the four board members' employers to Facebook as part of a public campaign against them.

On Oct. 21, Yamhill County residents Beth Woolsey, Greg Woolsey, Jeff McNeal, Kathleen McNeal, Meghan Rogers-Czarnecki, Stefan Czarnecki and Elizabeth Gemeroy filed a lawsuit against the Newberg School District and Brown, Shannon, DeHart and Powell, alleging that the four board members violated Oregon public meetings law by meeting privately to discuss plans to retain attorney Tyler Smith as supplemental legal counsel to the board.

The four members officially voted to retain Smith during an Aug. 24 executive session, the lawsuit alleges, a decision which Morelock and the other three board members argued would violate public meetings law.

Smith was present via Zoom at the Nov. 9 board meeting and was stated to have drafted or reviewed a packet of proposed resolutions to fire Morelock, one of which Brown read at the meeting.

The other three board members expressed similar frustration about the hiring process for Smith at the Nov. 9 meeting. Board members Rececca Piros and Ines Pena said they hadn't been given access to communications between Smith and other board members, and board member Brandy Penner stated that Smith was "clearly not a board attorney, this is a personal attorney for four board members," an assertion which Brown and Shannon disputed.
CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Some Corvallis parents are speaking out against the new math standards for middle school students in the Corvallis School District.

According to the district, they began eliminating the separation of math classrooms by ability in the 2013-2014 school year for elementary school students. This summer, the change took effect for sixth and seventh graders.

School board chair Sami Al-AbdRabbuh said the change is personal to him.

"There's some research about it since the '80s," said Al-AbdRabbuh. "It's something that hits really close to home. I was detracked throughout my education."

In a 10-page document from the district to the board, there's an overview and explanation of the reasoning behind this change. It states there is evidence based on data from the 2018 school year of "disproportionate representation of students of color and students navigating poverty in grade-level math tracks." It also states that "students who accelerate in a tracked system have math concept and reasoning gaps," and "less than 40% of students on track to take AP Calculus actually enroll in the course."

District leaders said the primary goal is to foster a love for math among students.

"Our greatest hope is for students to love math, who see themselves as mathematicians, who have positive math identity, who have a deeper understanding of math concepts and are confident in their ability to do math," said assistant superintendent Melissa Harder.

However, parents believe this change won't benefit any student.

"Holding back human potential, capability and creativity of any individual is absurd," said parent Dave Eveland. "I'm not sure how they figure holding back some children will advance others."

Parent Alisha Carlson has two students in the district, one in fifth grade and the other in eighth.

"Our son is in fifth grade and we thought he would be sorted into a math class matching his ability, but he's not," Carlson said. "If you should be challenged at a particular level and you're not given the opportunity to be challenged there, how is that remotely beneficial?"

On the district's website, it states they will measure the success of this new system through various ways, including how students meet grade-level expectations by ninth grade and also diversity in the classrooms. It states "math class rosters at secondary schools would be diverse and not predictable by race or income level."

However, Carlson believes combining classrooms of students with different skill sets in order to raise diversity is discriminatory.

"The argument that they are trying to level the playing field because there are a disproportionate number of children of color, students of color, in these classrooms and that's why we need to not get everyone up to a higher level but rather push everyone down to a lower level, that in it of itself seems like a pretty racist thing to say," Carlson said.

Parent Sea Chu has three students in the district. She said she is concerned accelerated kids will get bored with the current curriculum.

"I'm worried that kids are no longer interested or innovative at whatever level they are at," said Chu. "They won't have that downturn effect where kids can be really advanced and tackle really big problems at a young age."

Chu said she is also concerned for the students learning at a slower pace and what this might mean for their confidence.

"I'm all for diversity when the kids are able to participate," said Chu. "Some kids might think, 'How come all these kids can solve these problems and I can't?' and then they'll question themselves and their self-confidence. I'm worried the kid might think, 'How come they're better than me?'"

Chu also believes without differentiation in math levels, teachers cannot teach students of all different backgrounds effectively.

"I would like to advocate for all the schools to have differentiation in math for serving the needs of the students," Chu said.

However, district leaders believe inclusive math classrooms will benefit all students.

"Every student regardless of where they are will find the opportunity to be challenged," said Al-AbdRabbuh. "I want to encourage parents to stay engaged and continue conversations around talented and gifted students."

Harder also weighed in.

"I understand what they're worried about. But really our first priority is to make sure our students are getting a deep understanding of math concepts and we really believe students can do that in inclusive classrooms," said Harder.

There are also questions about what the change would mean for middle school math teachers and how they can balance a classroom with students of different learning abilities. Harder said they are working hard to mitigate workload by creating opportunities for teachers to have early release and more planning time.

"We are also providing tools for professional development to work in the classroom with students of different skill levels," said Harder.

The district said it is "committed to supporting and engaging each and every student in learning mathematics and increasing their opportunities." It is "shifting away from leveling math classes in grades K-7 because of the irreparable damage tracking in math does to our students."

Beginning in eighth grade, students can take leveled math classes. Additionally, advanced math level classes will not be eliminated from high school.

According to the district's website, in January of next year "a committee of middle school teachers and administrators will meet to discuss sixth grade student progress and how student learning will continue to be monitored through seventh grade." The district said this data will help determine math placement for eighth grade.
LANE COUNTY, Ore. -- Months after a triple fatal crash on Highway 58 in May, a driver is facing several charges, including manslaughter and driving under the influence.

Oregon State Police said James Cam Johnson IV, 31, of Oakridge was arrested on Friday and taken to the Lane County Jail.

The head-on crash happened at about 10:15 a.m. on May 30 near milepost 27 of the highway, eight miles west of Oakridge.

RELATED: 3 PEOPLE KILLED, 2 CRITICALLY INJURED IN THREE-VEHICLE, HEAD-ON COLLISION

Police said Johnson was driving west in a Ford Taurus and was passing in a no passing zone when he collided with a westbound Chrysler Town and Country driven by Michael Cary, 63, of Oakridge, causing Cary to collide with an eastbound Mazda 3.

Three people in the Mazda 3 died of their injuries, including driver Jagadish Chandrasekaren, 31, and passengers Adharsh Murali, 25, and Jignesh Modi, 27. A fourth passenger -- Puneeth Gattikoppula, 24 -- was taken to a hospital by air amublance with serious injuries. All were from Washington.

Johnson faces three counts of second-degree manslaughter, third-degree assault, two counts of fourth-degree assault, second-degree criminal mischief and DUII.

Oakridge Fire & EMS, Dexter Rural Fire District, Pleasant Hill, Eugene-Springfield Fire, Lane County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police, and the Oregon Department of Transportation responded to the scene, officials said.

Cary sought treatment following the crash, and Johnson was transported to a hospital. The road cleared by about 6 p.m. that day.
The Netherlands Prime Minister has announced the country will go into a 'lockdown' over the Christmas period.

The announcement was made on Saturday, December 18 and it is expected to last until January 14.

Schools, universities, and all non-essential stores, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands will be closed.

The aim is to try to stop a surge of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said today.

Prime Minister Rutte made the announcement during a press conference.

He said: "I stand here tonight in a somber mood. To sum it up in one sentence, the Netherlands will go back into lockdown from tomorrow."

Earlier today, Reuters reported that the main shopping street in Leiden, 20 kilometres from the capital The Hague, was 'thronged' with people shopping for last-minute presents.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the Omicron coronavirus variant has been reported in 89 countries and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to three days in areas with community transmission.

It was detected a variant of concern on November 26.

It comes as the Irish government tightened restrictions in Ireland amid growing concern over the spread of the Omicron variant.
US cybersecurity officials issued an "emergency directive" ordering all federal civilian agencies to quickly address a critical software flaw that is impacting big tech firms around the world.
The United States Postal Service announced an agreement with the NAACP on a lawsuit the civil rights organization filed prior to the 2020 election that had challenged USPS delivery delays.
Axel Timmermann, director of the IBS Center for Climate Physics at Pusan National University, gives a lecture on ocean acidification at a hotel in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Embassy of Germany in Korea



By Kwon Mee-yoo



The impact of carbon dioxide on climate change is widely known, but it influence on oceans and marine life as it accumulates in the form of carbonic acid in the ocean is less spoken about.



The German Embassy in Korea offered a lecture at Grand Hyatt Seoul, Wednesday, by Axel Timmermann, a German scientist studying climate change focusing on the ocean, to raise awareness about ocean acidification.



German Ambassador to Korea, Michael Reiffenstuel, opened the event by highlighting the accomplishments of German scientists. Two German scientists won the Nobel Prize this year  Klaus Hasselmann in physics and Benjamin List in chemistry.



"Germany and South Korea are both countries that have committed to rapid and significant reductions in their carbon dioxide emissions. And we hope that with today's event, we can provide further motivation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions," Reiffenstuel said.



"This year's Nobel Prize winner in physics, Professor Klaus Hasselmann, was and is a tireless monitor against climate change. Now in his 90s, he became involved early on with the study of manmade climate change and greenhouse gases.



"He said in a 1983 interview already, in 30 to 100 years, depending on how much fossil fuel we consume, we will be facing quite significant climate change and we should realize that we are entering a situation where there is no turning back and this was in 1988. The award this year is therefore not only an important signal for science, but also an important signal for all."





Axel Timmermann, director of the IBS Center for Climate Physics at Pusan National University, poses ahead of his lecture on ocean acidification at a hotel in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Embassy of Germany in Korea




On Dec. 11, 1969, a North Korean agent hijacked a South Korean airplane and redirected it to North Korea. Of the 50 passengers and crew, 11 were detained in North Korea, including Hwang Won. For the past two decades, his son, Hwang In-cheol, has been campaigning to have his father released from North Korea. He is deputy of the 1969 KAL Abductees' Families Association.  Ed.







By Hwang In-cheol







I cannot express my gratitude enough to Freedom Speakers International, which made the campaign "Bring My Father Home" possible. Without their support, I would probably be standing alone at the back gate of the government complex, calling for the repatriation of my father and making a scene by weeping in distress.







Now I am not alone. We as a team have started to let the international community know about hijacked Korean Air Lines flight YS-11. We have raised our voices to bring my father home. Over the past five years, the United Nations Human Rights Council has learned about the hijacking and requested North Korea to repatriate the abductees in accordance with international principles and order.







It was 52 years ago today. I was two years old then. My father, an MBC producer, went aboard the plane for a business trip. Ten minutes after take-off, the plane was hijacked by a North Korean agent named Cho Chang-hee, above Daegwallyeong, a high-mountain pass in eastern South Korea. Fifty South Koreans, including crew members, were abducted.







As the international community condemned North Korea's hijacking and abduction, the North Korean regime promised to send all the abductees back to South Korea on Feb. 4 1970. But it broke its promise: Only 39 of them were repatriated on Feb. 14.







The 39 passengers witnessed that the 11 others, including my father, remained forcefully detained in North Korea.







The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) immediately requested North Korea to return the 11 South Koreans. But North Korea claimed they were remaining in North Korea of their own free will.,





The ICRC wanted to independently confirm this through third party sources and countries. But North Korea refused to allow this.







The international community continuously protested. In June 1970, the?International Civil Aviation Organization asked North Korea to repatriate the 11 abductees. In September 1970, the U.N. Security Council made the same request. In December 1970, the U.N. General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on the hijacking of aircraft. An international convention on the prevention and suppression of aircraft hijacking was followed. It was all aimed at remembering the 11 abductees.







The fight still isn't over. I invite you to join in helping to end the journey of Korean Air Lines flight?YS-11. I would urge you to ask your family members and friends to sign the online petition "

?"







Thank you very much.



















Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of Freedom Speakers International and co-chair of the Bring My Father Home coalition, edited this text for publication. Ha Du-lyeon translated Hwang's speech from Korean into English.


Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the morning. High 18F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 13F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Lake Geneva Mayor Charlene Klein is seeking another term in office, she has announced, and at this point at least two others are planning to run against her for the top city position.

Klein has announced that she is running for re-election for the spring 2022 election, April 5. She said she has completed and turned in her paperwork to run for re-election.

City Clerk Lana Kropf said Dennis Loeser has submitted paperwork to run for mayor, as well.

He is a 10-year resident of Lake Geneva and is concerned that Lake Genevas growth needs to be controlled, he said. He is retired and has experience in media, advertising and real estate.

In my opinion, there is no long-term planning for growth, Loeser said. I have a strong concern for the next generation and for the future of the lake, which is a treasure.

Loeser said he is concerned how future growth will affect the citys streets, infrastructure and departments. He said when talking to residents their main concern seems to be the citys growth.

Who is going to pay for enlarging the streets? Who is going to pay for more police and fire protection? Who is going to pay for winter maintenance of the streets?, Loeser said. Are our water facilities large enough to handle expansion? Are our sewer facilities large enough to handle expansion?

Loeser said he plans to inform residents of his candidacy through social media and plans to host a community meeting in the future where residents can ask him questions.

Loeser said he has enjoyed living in Lake Geneva during the past 10 years and hopes to have an opportunity to serve as the citys mayor.

I want to get the city in the right direction and doing what people want, Loeser said. My concern is over development and how it is going to affect the lake. Im here for the people, and Im just not saying that.

Former aldermen Todd Krause has also taken out paperwork as a mayoral candid. But he still has to turn in his signatures to the city to get on the ballot.

Krause said, if elected, he would like to help protect the environment of the lake and continue to control the citys finances.

In the years Ive served, I helped to keep the tax rate flat in the city, and people really appreciated that, Krause said. So I would like to help keep Lake Geneva affordable.

Krause was appointed alderman in 2006 by the city council to fill out an existing term. He then was elected to two additional terms. During his time as alderman, Krause served as the city council president and chairperson for the finance, licensing and regulation committee.

Im one of those people that believes in fairness and common sense, Krause said. When I served before, thats what I delivered and I believe people respected that.

Krause started Timeless Flooring in 1995. He also has worked as a band director at Big Foot High School and as an emergency medical technician.

I started that business from scratch with $50 in my pocket, and I built that up to a very reputable flooring company, Krause said. As a kid, I always thought it would be great to have a number of careers and mayor being one of them.

At this point it appears there will be a primary Feb. 15, to determine which two candidates will move on to the spring election to determine who will be Lake Genevas next mayor.

Klein was elected mayor during the spring 2020 election defeating then incumbent Tom Hartz. Klein received about 1,000 votes, while Hartz earned about 983 votes.

The 2020 election was a rematch from the spring 2018 election, in which Hartz defeated Klein to become Lake Genevas new mayor. Hartz received about 832 votes, and Klein received about 619 during the 2018 election.

Klein said she has enjoyed serving as Lake Genevas mayor and hopes to be elected to a second term.

Its quite an honor to be the mayor of Lake Geneva, Klein said. Who would have thought a farm girl from Illinois would be the mayor of any town, much less Lake Geneva.

Klein said she feels some of the things that were accomplished during the past two years includes the completion of the Riviera renovation project, increasing the citys room tax rate from 5% to 8% and increasing rental rates for the Riviera ballroom for non-residents.

The Riviera is up and running. We can get the revenue from that, because thats a very important part of the city, Klein said. Its one of the only sources of revenue we have for the city.

Klein said if re-elected she would like to help preserve the citys remaining green space.

I realize theres a lot of development going on now. About 90% of that was started years ago before I was even mayor, and I wasnt involved that much, Klein said. But I certainly would like to turn our remaining green space into something really special for the city.

Klein said she also would like to work with local legislators to establish a premier resort area tax for the city or for the city to retain a portion of its sales tax.

It would bring us a tremendous amount of revenue, Klein said. Were a tourist-based economy. People come here to shop. All of those tax dollars are getting away from us, and thats just not right.

Klein said the biggest challenge she has had to deal with during her first year as mayor is the coronavirus. She said, because of the virus, she was unable to get out and interact with residents of the community as much as she would have liked.

It was the first year and a half before I could even get out and interact with citizens like I wanted to do the first day after I was elected, Klein said. So in that respect, I feel like Im just getting going.

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Washington [US], December 16 (ANI): According to a new study of genetic and environmental information from the world's largest database of twins, hormone levels in the womb have been potentially linked to the risk of developing migraine in adulthood.

The research has been published in the 'Frontiers in Pain Research Journal'.

Also Read | Shaheen Bhatt Speaks Out on Her Struggle With Depression, Says 'We Have Been Taught to Deal with These Things Silently'.

The research was also the first to show that genetic factors related to migraine risk may be different for men and women. The researchers hope these findings will enable more effective and targeted treatment options for this debilitating disease.

It also found evidence to suggest that different genes influenced migraine risk in men and women.

Also Read | Omicron Infects 70 Times Faster But May Cause Less Severe Disease, Says Study.

"We are the first to show that females with a male co-twin have a higher risk of migraine compared to females with a female co-twin, suggesting that prenatal factors, possibly relating to in utero hormone levels, may contribute to migraine risk," said Morgan Fitzgerald, lead author of the study, from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

"We are also the first to present evidence that genetic factors related to migraine risk may be different between females and males," he added.

Migraine is a severe, debilitating neurological disease that affects more than 12 per cent of the world's population. Females are more likely to suffer from migraine by a factor of nearly seven to one, and it is a leading cause of disability in young women.

"Despite its prevalence, the factors that contribute to migraine are poorly understood," said Dr Matthew Panizzon, the principal investigator of the study, also based at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

"With the data from the Swedish Twin Registry, the largest twin registry in the world, there was a unique opportunity to probe factors contributing to female-male differences in migraine," he added.

The researchers examined data from 51,872 individuals who had participated in prior Swedish Twin Registry studies. They identified those who experienced migraine without aura based on criteria set by the International Headache Society Classification of Headache Disorders.

"Since the data were collected from twins, we were able to use analytic methods that allowed us to test whether migraine risk was driven by different genes in females and males and whether the presence of an opposite-sex twin in utero, which is believed to impact prenatal hormone levels, had an influence," explained Fitzgerald.

"We found that the prenatal environment may contribute to migraine risk and that some of the genetic factors that contribute to migraine risk may be different between females and males," he added.

"The findings of our study are important because the more we understand the factors that contribute to migraine, and especially the differences between males and females, the more opportunity there is to improve clinical care, diagnostic abilities, and therapeutic interventions for both men and women," said Panizzon.

Further questions remained, such as what factors dictated the presence or absence of aura with migraine, and at what age and in what stage of life does migraine began.

"Unfortunately, age at onset was not available in the Swedish Twin Registry data. In fact, most studies do not ask individuals when their migraine attacks first start," explained Fitzgerald.

"In the future, we hope to examine how age at migraine onset coincides with the timing of critical hormonal events like puberty," he concluded. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kokrajhar (Assam) [India], December 18 (ANI): On the completion of one year of Bodoland Territorial Region Council, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday expressed his satisfaction with the developmental works that have been undertaken in the past one year in the region and asserted to take the developmental process further in the future.

Speaking to ANI, Sarma said, "The implementation of the accord has been done along with development in the BTR. I am happy with the way one year has gone but we have to work a lot in the future. I believe that along with the Central government, the state government will take BTR forward."

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi Arrives in Amethi for 2nd Time After 2019 Loss, Says 'This Is My Home'.

"Last one year has been a year with extreme peace and development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream came true. We have to develop the BTR more in the future. We have to make the existing peace into a permanent peace," he said while talking to the reporters.

The Chief Minister said that peace and progress have gained momentum in Bodoland Territorial Region in the past one year.

Also Read | Hyderabad: Two Men Gang-Rape Married Woman by Threatening To Expose Her Extra-Marital Affair, Arrested.

"Peace and progress have gained momentum in Bodoland Territorial Region in the past one year. We are committed to development of the region and fulfil Bodofa Upendranath Brahma and people's dream for overall progress," he tweeted.

On January 27, 2020, Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah presided over the signing of a historic agreement between the Government of India, Government of Assam and Bodo representatives, in New Delhi today, to end the over 50-year old Bodo crisis. Further, a permanent solution had been found out for the problem that has cost the region over 4000 lives, the Ministry of Home Affairs in a release stated.

With this agreement, over 1,500 armed cadres abjured violence and joined the mainstream. A Special Development Package of Rs 1500 crores over three years is being given by the Union Government to undertake specific projects for the development of Bodo areas. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Amethi (UP), Dec 18 (PTI) In his second visit to Amethi after the 2019 defeat, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his 'Hindu versus Hindutvawadi' salvo.

"On one side is Hindu. On the other is Hindutvawadi. On one side is truth, love and non-violence and on the other is falsehood, hatred and violence.

Also Read | Hyderabad: Two Men Gang-Rape Married Woman by Threatening To Expose Her Extra-Marital Affair, Arrested.

"Hindutvawadi bathes alone in Ganga, but a Hindu will bathe with crores of others," Gandhi said at a public gathering, taking a swipe at the prime minister who recently inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi after taking a holy dip.

"Narendra Modi Ji says I am a Hindu, but when did he protect the truth.... (Is he) Hindu or Hindutvawadi," Gandhi said at a public gathering, raising the issue of jobs, China's incursions and farm laws.

Also Read | Omicron Spread: Delhi Govt Designates Four New Private Hospitals for Treatment of New COVID-19 Treatment.

The former Congress president and his sister and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took out a padyatra (foot march) from Jagdishpur to village Harimau where Rahul Gandhi addressed a public meeting.

"There is a lot of talk about religion in the country, about Hindu religion

"The fight in India today is between Hindu and Hindutvawadi. On one side are the Hindus who tread the path of truth, and on the other side are Hindutvawadis, who spread hatred and can do anything for snatching power," Rahul Gandhi said.

He was a Member of Parliament from here for 15 years. He is visiting Amethi for the second time after losing the seat, which had been a pocket borough of the Nehru-Gandhi family, by 55,120 votes to BJP's Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

There are five assembly seats in Amethi parliamentary constituency, out of which Amethi, Jagdishpur, Salon, Tiloi are held by the BJP. The Gauriganj seat is with the Samajwadi Party.

The Congress is trying to regain its turf in Amethi and Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming assembly polls.

Rahul Gandhi said they have family ties with Amethi and "this relationship will never break".

"A Hindu spends his entire life finding, understanding and fighting for truth. Hindu faces his fears and never lets it turn into hatred, anger or violence but Hindutvawadi only indulges in politics of lies and has nothing to do with the truth. He only uses lies to snatch power," Rahul Gandhi said.

Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, he said a Hindu fights against injustice while a Hindutvawadi is like Nathu Ram Godse.

The leaders were taking part in the 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan-Bhajapa bhagao, mahgai hatao pratigya padyatra' organised against the policies of the Modi government.

Congress workers accorded a warm reception to their leaders. Cutouts and reception gates were set up at various points to welcome them.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai, December 18: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday demanded immediate action on part of the Karnataka government in view of the alleged desecration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Bengaluru.

He demanded the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in stopping "Kannada atrocities "and the "pervert mindset". Also Read | Omicron Spread: Delhi Govt Designates Four New Private Hospitals for Treatment of New COVID-19 Treatment.

Stating that Shivaji Maharaj is the "deity" of not only Maharashtra but of the entire country, Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena, said any disrespect and insult to the founder of the Maratha empire will not be tolerated. Also Read | Chinese Drone Along India-Pakistan Border Shot Down by BSF in Punjab's Ferozepur.

A statue of the 17th Century king was allegedly desecrated in the Karnataka capital. Following this incident, a crowd hurled stones at police and government vehicles in Belagavi around midnight, official sources said.

Maharashtra is locked in a bitter border dispute with Karnataka for the inclusion of border areas, including Belagavi, in the western state.

"PM Modi should direct the Karnataka government to take action in the matter. This incident (alleged desecration of the statue) cannot be taken lightly. For several years, Marathi-speaking people in Karnataka are facing atrocities. Now, the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is desecrated," Thackeray said in a statement.

He referred to the speech delivered by PM Modi in Varanasi recently where he had mentioned Chhatrapati Shivaji. "PM Modi had said in Varanasi that whenever India's culture was crushed, warrior kings like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have risen. But just a few days after Modi's remarks, Shivaji Maharaj's statue is attacked in Karnataka which is ruled by BJP. Instead of taking action, the voice of the Marathi people is being suppressed. This is condemnable," the CM said.

Thackeray demanded that the prime minister intervene to stop "Kannada atrocities" on the Marathi people. "It should be kept in mind that hurting the Marathi pride will prove costly. The Centre should give up double standards and take stern steps," he said.

Maharashtra Urban Development Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said the Karnataka government will be responsible for any reaction to the incident wherein ink was thrown at the statue (of Shivaji Maharaj). Shinde is the coordination minister for Marathi-dominated border areas of Karnataka.

"The statement of Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai that the incident was minor was also condemnable," he said in a statement. NCP leader and cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal said BJP had used Shivaji Maharaj only for its election campaign.

"Maharashtra will not tolerate the insult of the warrior king," said Bhujbal, who is also the coordinating minister for the Marathi-dominated border areas in Karnataka.

"The Karnataka government started holding a legislature session in Belgaum to claim its right over the city," he said, adding that "moves" of the Karnataka government against Marathi people will never succeed. "We will win the fight on the streets and in courts (over the inclusion of Marathi-speaking areas in Maharashtra), " he said.

Congress leader and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat and Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, who belongs to NCP, also condemned the incident and said the insult of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will not be tolerated.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chandigarh, December 18: Ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Charuni is likely to launch a new political party in Chandigarh on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to contest Punjab Assembly elections in alliance with former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's party Punjab Lok Congress.

Also Read | Hyderabad Shocker: Man From Odisha Dies After Being Thrashed by Hotel Staff Members.

Union Minister and Punjab BJP in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat confirmed this information on Friday and said to reporters, "After 7 rounds of talks, today I confirm that BJP and Punjab Lok Congress are going to fight the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections together. Topics like seat share will be discussed later."

Punjab Lok Congress leader and former CM Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday met Union minister and Punjab BJP in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at latter's residence in Delhi.

Also Read | Delhi University To Do Away With Cut-Offs As Students To Get Admitted Based On Entrance Exams From Next Year.

Punjab Lok Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh told reporters today, "We are ready and we are going to win this election. The decision on seat sharing will be taken on the seat to seat basis, with winnability being the priority. We are 101 per cent sure of winning this election."

On November 2, former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh resigned from the Congress party and announced a new party Punjab Lok Congress ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

Punjab assembly polls will be held in 2022.

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.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chandigarh, December 18: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday said a drone along the India-Pakistan border has been shot down in Punjab's Ferozepur area. "The Chinese-made drone was detected and downed on Friday around 11.10 p.m. near the Wan border post in the Ferozepur sector," the BSF said in a tweet.

The black colour flying object was shot at a distance of about 300 metres from the international border and 150 metres from the border fence, it said. Police investigations indicate that several Pakistan-based terrorist groups are engaged in smuggling weapons into India. Jammu and Kashmir: Drone Shot Down in Kanachak, Explosive Material Recovered.

BSF's Tweet

The recent recoveries have exposed that these outfits had managed to acquire the capacity to deliver various types of terrorist and communication hardware over drones, said a police official. The state government has expressed concern over the movement of large sized drones from across the Indo-Pak border to the Union Home Ministry.

It was pointed out that acquisition of such capacity and skills by Jihadi and pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits in deployment of drones had serious implications for national security, especially for security of vital installations, security of public meetings and events and highly threatened protectees.

Punjab shares a 553 km barbed-wire fenced international border with Pakistan which is under the vigil of nearly 135 BSF battalions. The drug network also operates along the Afghanistan-Pakistan-India route.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2021 05:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Chandigarh, December 18: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi on Saturday strongly condemned the 'most unfortunate' and 'heinous' act of attempting sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in the sanctum sanctorum of Golden Temple in Amritsar during the 'path' of Sri Rehras Sahib. The Chief Minister directed the police to thoroughly probe the entire matter to zero in at the underlying motive and real conspirators behind the act.

He also called up the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President and assured his government's full support and cooperation to get into the bottom of the matter. A man was allegedly beaten to death after he tried to desecrate the sacred Guru Granth Sahib on Saturday evening. Punjab: Man Beaten to Death After Alleged Sacrilege Attempt at Amritsars Golden Temple.

The youth, reportedly belonging to Uttar Pradesh, entered the restricted area and tried to pick the sword kept in front of the Guru Granth Sahib. He was caught by security persons and was handed over to the SGPC office, where he was beaten to death.

Videos of the incident show the mob trying to break the gate of the SGPG office and raising slogans. Weapons were also visible in the crowd. The police have admitted that the man was thrashed to death by the mob. However, the identity of the man is yet to be ascertained.

Meanwhile, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed "shock and disbelief at the most heinous outrage of attempting to commit sacrilege at our highest and the holiest shrine, Sachkhand Shri Harmandar Sahib".

In a statement issued here, Badal said it is impossible to believe that this could be the act of just one person. The former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab said that there seems to be a conspiracy to inflict wounds on Sikh minds and disturb peace and communal harmony in the state.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2021 11:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The Siem Reap International Airport in #Cambodia has welcomed its first international passenger flight in 20 months, a statement said. pic.twitter.com/iaOD6wctbn IANS Tweets (@ians_india) December 18, 2021

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia is closing the door opened by Pope Francis to letting civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion, saying the faithful in his archdiocese can only do so if they abstain from sex and live as brother and sister.

Archbishop Charles Chaput, who is known for strongly emphasizing strict adherence to Catholic doctrine, issued a new set of pastoral guidelines for clergy and other leaders in the archdiocese that went into effect July 1. The guidelines reflect a stance taken by Pope John Paul II.

Undertaking to live as brother and sister is necessary for the divorced and civilly remarried to receive reconciliation in the Sacrament of Penance, which could then open the way to the Eucharist, the guidelines read.

Church teaching says that unless divorced and remarried Catholics received an annulment  a church decree that their first marriage was invalid  they are committing adultery and cannot receive the sacrament of Communion.

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Chaput says the new instructions stem from Francis sweeping document on family life released in April. That document  called The Joy of Love  opened a door to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics.

Francis didnt create a church-wide admission to Communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, as some progressives had wanted. But in the April document, he suggested that bishops and priests could do so on a case-by-case basis in what could become a significant development in church practice.

The now-sainted John Paul II, in his 1982 document on the family, proposed the brother-sister option for divorced and remarried couples as the only way they could receive Communion.

In Francis revision of that document, which conservatives like Chaput have criticized for sowing confusion, Francis made clear that John Pauls proposal was simply unrealistic and unhealthy for families.

In a footnote to The Joy of Love, Francis wrote that many people, while acknowledging the brother-sister option, point out that if certain expressions of intimacy are lacking, it often happens that faithfulness is endangered and the good of the children suffers.

The Philadelphia guidelines say Catholics in same-sex partnerships, civilly remarried parishioners and unmarried couples living together should not be permitted to serve on parish councils, instruct the faithful, serve as lectors or dispense Communion.

Such irregular relationships offer a serious counter-witness to Catholic belief, which can only produce moral confusion in the community, the guidelines state, acknowledging it is a hard teaching.

The new guidelines also address Catholics who experience same-sex attraction. Chaput says such parishioners can still live out a heterosexual marriage with children, despite that attraction. Others in same-sex relationships should avoid sexual intimacy.

The guidelines, posted on the archdiocese website, urge leaders in the archdiocese to offer compassion, love, guidance and respect to all parishioners.

Bishops wield enormous authority in their dioceses in laying down such guidelines and interpreting church doctrine. Since Francis only offered bishops the option of case-by-case allowances in his April document, Chaput with these guidelines is clearly opting out for the churchs nearly 1.5 million members in the Philadelphia Archdiocese.

After the papal document was released, several U.S. bishops said that, according to their interpretations, Francis statement did not require any change in the practice of barring Communion for Catholics who divorce and remarry without an annulment.

The Rev. Thomas Reese, senior analyst for the National Catholic Reporter, said Wednesday that he thinks Francis is empowering bishops to make their own judgment calls on how church teaching should be applied in their diocese.

Somebody in the diocese next door could release a letter that says something totally different, Reese said.

Robert Bankle, a retired editor of a construction publication who volunteers as a greeter at Philadelphias Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, said Wednesday that he sees the guidelines as a clarification Chaput was obliged to make.

NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >>

If somethings not clear, lets make it clear, even if its unpopular, said the 75-year-old from Bucks County, just outside the city. If you want to be a member of the Catholic Church, these are the guidelines, these are the rules, these are the laws. If people disagree, he said, dont be a Catholic.

Mia Trotz, an 18-year-old college student from Philadelphia who was selling water ice outside the cathedral, said she didnt think the guidelines made sense.

The whole part about being a good Catholic or Christian is helping people or being more accepting of people, but most of the time theyre going against what theyre telling you to do, she said of church leaders.

Im Catholic but I dont agree with everything they do or believe, so its kind of hard to be Catholic sometimes.

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The House select committee leading the Capitol riot probe has issued a subpoena to retired Army colonel Phil Waldron, who served on former President Donald Trump's outside legal team.

Waldron was believed to be the one who created and shared a PowerPoint presentation that detailed possible strategies for overturning the results of the 2020 election, according to an Axios report.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee chair, said in a statement that Waldron was apparently in communications with officials in the Trump administration and Congress talking about his theories in the weeks leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot.

Thompson added that the document Waldron reportedly provided to Trump administration officials and members of Congress is an "alarming blueprint" to overturn the presidential election.

The retired Army colonel is scheduled on January 17 to appear in front of the select committee, which also asks him to hand over related documents by January 10.

Meanwhile, Waldron said he had not yet seen the subpoena and declined to comment on the matter, according to The New York Times report.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Jr. Begged Mark Meadows to Urge His Father to Stop Capitol Riot, Texts Reveal

Waldron and The Capitol Riot

Thompson said that the select committee needs to hear from Waldron about the activities, adding that they are also expecting him to comply with the law and provide records and testimony.

The retired army official reportedly met several times with high-ranking Trump officials in the days between November 3 election and January 6, according to an Independent report.

Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows had turned over a 36-page PowerPoint presentation entitled "Election Fraud, Foreign Interference & Options for 6 JAN" to the select committee before he stopped cooperating with its investigation.

The New York Times reported that Waldron said he had contributed to creating the document and visited the White House multiple times after last year's election.

Waldron also said he had spoken with Meadows around "eight to 10 times."

The retired Army colonel specialized in psychological influence operations and was once deployed to Iraq. He retired from the military in 2016 after 30 years of service. On his LinkedIn page, Waldron described himself as the founder, forklift driver, and floor sweeper at One Shot Distillery and Brewery in Dripping Springs, Texas.

Waldron was reportedly in contact with Trump's personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, in November.

Giuliani later said of Waldron in a deposition he gave in a defamation lawsuit that the ex-military had a great war record.

The Trump lawyer added that he had substantial dealings with Waldron and was very thorough and very experienced in this kind of work.

Waldron had also participated in meetings at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. in early January planning to challenge the election results, according to the select committee.

Waldron was working with a Texas-based company called Allied Security Operation Group in the wake of the election.

Allied Security became involved in writing a report about election results in Michigan, falsely claiming that the voting machines had a 68 percent error rate.

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Says Capitol Riot a 'Violent Attempt' by 'Extremists' and 'Terrorists' to Hold Power at All Costs

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Election Denier Phil Waldron Subpoenaed By January 6th Committee - from MSNBC






School districts in Connecticut and law enforcement agencies are looking at a series of online violent threats made against schools across the country.

Officials believe that it may have originated a new TikTok challenge to get classes canceled on Friday, according to a Hartford Courant report.

Connecticut Intelligence Center noted that none of the threats has been found to be specific or credible against schools within the state.

Meanwhile, officials have been investigating the threats for several days. Several school districts were prompted on Thursday to release statements about the threat and to quell concerns over student safety.

Brian Foley, the assistant commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, said that the trend appeared to start out as an attempt for kids to get out of school, almost as if to create a skip day.

Foley said that the incident then morphed into the fear of threats of school violence.

READ NEXT: Florida Man Says TikTok Saved His Life After Viewers Spotted Cancerous Moles on His Back

New TikTok Challenge

The social media threats had educators on edge as they spread after the deadly school shooting in Michigan, which has been followed by several copycat threats to schools elsewhere, according to an ABC News Go report.

School officials in Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois said on Thursday that there would be an increased police presence due to the threats.

Montana, New York, and Pennsylvania announced the same measure.

The threats include school shootings and bomb threats.

Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois, school administrators emailed parents and said they were writing to inform them and not alarm them of the issue of being made aware of a TikTok trend about "school shooting and bomb threats" for every school in the U.S.

Meanwhile, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to investigate the matter.

They said in a statement that they have not yet found any evidence of such threats originating or spreading through TikTok.

Gilroy High School in northern California was among the school districts that decided to close the school facilities on Friday.

Some of the TikTok challenges that participated in had raised concerns, such as the case in October wherein students were challenged to slap a teacher.

National Education Association called on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok officials to intervene.

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old boy suspected of making a series of threats to commit violence at a Corona middle school was arrested, according to an ABC 7 News report.

Corona police said that the department was alerted at 2 a.m. on Wednesday due to threats at Auburndale Intermediate School.

Police noted that nothing out ordinary happened, but a student reported an additional threat made through social media in the early afternoon.

The threat suggested an act of violence would be perpetrated on Thursday due to the police department being present at the premises.

Cpl. Tobias Kouroubacalis said that the 14-year-old boy was apprehended on grounds of suspicion of making criminal threats.

However, a search of the residence failed to produce weapons.

READ MORE: Disturbing TikTok Challenge 'Slap a Teacher' Prompts Warning From California Teachers Association

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Social media threats prompt extra security at Utah schools - from FOX 13 News Utah






Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei slammed President Joe Biden and his administration last week after he was not invited by the U.S president to attend the long-awaited International Democracy Summit.

"I have heard of a presidential summit happening here, but that's not what I came for," the Guatemalan president said.

Giammattei made his comments during a speech in an event held by the Institute for Women's Health in Washington, D.C., where he reiterated his stand of being against abortion, Life News reported.

In his speech, Giammatei did not specifically mention Joe Biden, but he spoke against the Biden administration, some European countries, and United Nations who put pressure on Latin America to legalize abortion.

READ NEXT: Organizations Call House Panel to Push Through With Bill Enacting Puerto Rico Statehood

According to Giammattei, they should not be demanded to "adapt" ideas that are against their beliefs and ideas.

***PRESS RELEASE*** Guatemalan President not invited to Biden Democracy Summit, instead offers pro-life keynote at Institute for Womens Health, International Human Rights Group gathering pic.twitter.com/srpgn66jFC  The Institute for Women's Health (@IWH4women) December 9, 2021

According to a statement from the Institute for Women's Health that Alfonso Aguilar, the president of the International Human Rights Group that "ideological difference" may be a significant reason why Guatemala was not invited to the International Democratic Summit even though they are a Democratic country.

In his speech, the Guatemalan President also said explained why he is against abortion.

The president pointed out that his faith and him being a medical doctor is not in favor of abortion, contending that "life should be protected from conception."

Alejandro Giammattei to Proclaim Guatemala as Pro-Life Capital of Latin America by 2022

Aside from lashing out at the organizations that pressure Latin America to embrace abortion, GIammaettei also said in his speech that he would proclaim that Guatemala will be the "Pro-Life Capital" of Ibero America by 2022, The Christian Post reported.

Ibero-American Congress for Life and Family president, Aaron Lara, said that they will unveil a monument to mark the historic event in Guatemala.

Giammattei said that Guatemala being the Pro-Life capital of Ibero-America will be announced on March 9, 2022.

The president then retaliated on claims that abortion is a human right, claiming that "any effort to try to impose abortion in a country is undue interference in international affairs."

The move to declare Guatemala the capital of Pro-Life in Latin America came after they joined the historic Geneva consensus with 30 other countries. Geneva Consensus declares that "there is no international right to abortion." The United States also signed the said document under the Trump administration, but Joe Biden removed the U.S. since he took office.

International Democracy Summit

Last week, The International Democracy Summit, where Guatemala was not invited, happened. The said virtual summit included more than 100 countries as its attendees, as the event intended to promote democratic actions and ideals across the globe.

During the summit, President Joe Biden said that the U.S. would provide about $424 million to the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal.

The said program would focus on five programs that focus on supporting free and independent media, advancing technology for democracy, bolstering democratic reformers, fighting corruption, and defending free and fair elections and processes on politics.

Aside from Guatemala, China also did not participate in the summit, as it slammed the Biden administration for inviting Taiwan. Russia also did not attend the said summit.

READ NEXT: Families of Guatemalan Migrants Involved in Deadly Truck Crash in Mexico Demand Answers, Seek Help

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: What is the US trying to achieve with its Summit for Democracy? - From DW News
The CEO and Product Engineer of Tesla, Elon Musk, said that the electric car manufacturing company is planning to invest more than $10 billion in Gigafactory Texas, as well as employing 20,000 workers.

Gigafactory Texas in Austin will be producing the Model Y production any day, with the new factory being critical to Tesla's expansion plans in the United States, according to a Electrek report.

Gigafactory Texas is seen to more than double the output of the company once it is fully ramped up.

Model Y is Tesla's most popular vehicle at the new factory.

The company was spending $1 billion on the project for the creation of the new factory, according to Tesla's recent filings.

Meanwhile, there have been also discussions about the $60 million in incentive that the local government gave Tesla to build the factory in Austin.

Tesla is eyeing to finish the construction of the factory by the end of 2021, according to a CNET report.

However, the construction was estimated to finish right before 2022, making it unclear if any cars will roll down the new line in 2021 at all.

READ NEXT: Tesla, ACC Unveil START Manufacturing Training Facilities

Tesla Manufacturing Cars in Texas

The Travis County Commissioners Court is considering a request from Tesla to change the name of Harold Green Road.

However, the county has not yet made formally made the change. They are not even confirming what the new name might be, according to an Austin American-Statesman report.

The Commissioners Court voted this week to hold a public hearing on December 21 on possibly changing a road's name, as well as to negotiate with Tesla about additional work on another nearby road.

The Texas Department of Transportation has already erected a sign stating that the road is now Tesla Road, while Google Maps has already updated searches for "Harold Green Road" to instead show "Tesla Road."

Brad Wheelis, a TxDOT public information officer, said that the placed sign of the new Tesla Rod was a result of a miscommunication between his agency and Travis County.

Wheelis said that their agency, Travis County, and Tesla have been in constant communication about infrastructure during the construction of the factory off of Harold Green Road.

The public information officer said that the agency will wait for direction from the county regarding the signage and name change.

Tesla currently owns a 2,100-acre property at Texas 130 and Harold Green Road, where it is establishing a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility.

Musk announced at a shareholders meeting in October that the company would be moving its corporate headquarters to Austin.

However, the company has not announced if it plans to build a separate headquarters building at the site.

It has not given any details on how many employees might be coming to Central Texas or how many jobs might be created by the move.

TxDOT also noted that it has plans for traffic improvements in the area such as installing a traffic signal at FM 973, as well as adding turn lanes at FM 973.

READ MORE: Elon Musk Promises Self-Driving Car's System To Be Released in a Month

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: Tesla Gigafactory Texas 12/16/2021 (9:40AM). WAITING FOR MODEL Y - from Brad Sloan






The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday had preferred Pfizer's and Moderna's COVID vaccines over Johnson & Johnson's shot for adults after finding a rare blot condition following vaccination with J&J shots.

All of the patients were hospitalized, with nine of those recorded to have died, according to a CNBC report.

The CDC has confirmed 54 cases of people developing blood clots and showing low blood platelet levels, which is a new condition called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome.

The condition mostly affects younger women, with those cases 36 required treatment in intensive care.

The health agency noted that people who are unwilling or unable to receive Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines will still have access to the J&J vaccine.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said that the CDC's updated recommendation gives the real-time scientific information to the American public.

A committee member, Dr. Pablo Sanchez, said that he really cannot recommend a vaccine that has been associated with a condition that may lead to death, according to an NBC News report.

Sanchez is a pediatrician at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio.

READ NEXT: FDA Cautions Public on Autoimmune Disorder Guillain-Barre Related to Johnson & Johnson

J&J Vaccine Shots

Around 16 million people in the United States have received the J&J vaccine as their primary immunization, compared to 73 million fully vaccinated with Moderna's vaccine, and 114 million of Pfizer-BioNTech shots.

Only 1.6 percent chose J&J when getting their booster shots, according to The New York Times report.

The Food and Drug Administration has released updated guidance on the risks of the blood-clotting disorder linked to the J&J vaccine.

However, FDA reiterated that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed its risks.

The governments of Finland, Denmark, Slovenia had already stopped using it. Several other nations have also ranked it lower for use as compared to Pfizer's and Moderna's shots.

Panel experts noted that the J&J vaccine can still be useful for people who would have allergic reactions to the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

J&J's global therapeutics area head for vaccines, Penny Heaton, defended the company's vaccines.

Heaton noted that the vaccine is saving lives in the United States and on every continent around the globe.

Heaton also cited its efficiency to store and transporting, as well as the vaccine's importance in many low- and middle-income countries.

People who received the J&J shot months ago are not thought to be at risk for the clotting condition as the onset of symptoms usually happened about nine days after vaccination in the diagnosed cases.

TTS case and J&J Vaccine

Seven of the patients who died due to the condition were women and two were men, with a median age of 45.

Those included in the death toll had underlying health conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Obesity was the most common underlying medical condition.

Federal officials briefly postponed the distribution of the vaccines in April due to concerns about the risk of blood clots.

Thirty-six out of 54 J&J recipients diagnosed with the condition were admitted to an intensive care unit, with the longest hospital stay being 132 days.

READ MORE: Moderna Scientists Warn Against New COVID Variants That Could Drive a New Wave of Transmission

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: FDA and CDC updates warning on Johnson & Johnson booster - from Good Morning America






Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022 National Small Business Week (NSBW) Awards by the SBA New York District Office. The NSBW Awards recognize the achievements of SBA-assisted small businesses and the contributions they have made to their communities and our nation's economy.

READ ALSO: Statement by Administrator Guzman on President Biden's U.S. Small Business Administration Appointees

"The SBA New York District is excited to further support our small businesses and entrepreneurs in 2022. We're looking for your nominations for National Small Business Week 2022's National and District Awards, including our Small Businessperson of the Year," said District Director Beth L. Goldberg, who leads the nation's largest SBA district office.

"The past twenty months have been challenging as small businesses across industries adapted and pivoted to meet the demands of COVID across metro New York. That's why we're asking our neighbors to nominate a small business owner who utilized any SBA program, like the Paycheck Protection Program, COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Shuttered Venue Operators Grant or even our traditional funding programs for these honors. Even if you have utilized services provided by resource partners like Small Business Development Centers or SCORE make you eligible to be considered," Goldberg added.

"Self-nominations are also encouraged to help further highlight our vibrant small business community from New York City, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley," she said.

To nominate a small business owner located in the SBA New York District, you must apply securely online via sba.gov/nsbw. Applicants can learn more about nomination guidelines, download the required Background and Nomination Forms and submit them via the proper national or district upload link. For National Small Business Week 2022, no paper or mailed forms will be accepted; all nominations must be made online. SBA New York District Nomination Guidelines are available here.

All nominations must be submitted electronically by 3 p.m. ET on January 11, 2022. The awards will be presented during National Small Business Week in early May 2022. Nominations for the following categories are now being accepted:

District Awards

Small Businessperson of the Year

Minority Small Business Champion or Minority Small Business of the Year

or Veteran Small Business Champion or Veteran Small Business of the Year

Women in Business Champion or Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year

National Awards

Phoenix Awards for Disaster Recovery: Phoenix Award for Small Business Disaster Recovery Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Public Official Phoenix Award for Outstanding Contributions to Disaster Recovery, Volunteer

Federal Procurement Awards: Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Dwight D. Eisenhower Awards for Excellence (for large prime contractors who use small businesses as suppliers and contractors) 8(a) Graduate of the Year

Awards to SBA Resource Partners: Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Excellence and Innovation Center Award Women's Business Center of Excellence Award Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Year

Small Business Investment Company of the Year

The winners of the SBA New York District Office Small Businessperson of the Year award will also be sent to the SBA Atlantic Regional Office for judging; one regional winner for New York State will be named and sent to Washington for consideration as a national awardee. All other awards nominations are sent electronically through the appropriate SBA program office.

If you or your business have won a National Small Business Week Award in the past three (3) years, you are ineligible for the same award until that time period expires.

For more than 50 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has celebrated National Small Business Week (NSBW), which recognizes the critical contributions of America's entrepreneurs and small business owners.

The SBA New York District serves the 14 counties of Metro New York; award nominations may be submitted to the New York District from small business owners in the following counties of service: Bronx, Dutchess, Kings (Brooklyn), Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond (Staten Island), Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

RELATED ARTICLE: SBA Administrator Announces Grantees for Biden-Harris Administration's Community Navigator Pilot Program
"Spider-Man: No Way Home" has already made some cinemas in the United States roar. However, some individuals across other countries are still waiting for the popular Marvel movie's release.

Because of this, they tend to avoid accessing content that has major spoilers. Well, you can't blame them, especially those who want to enjoy the thrill of the new Spidey film.

However, some people seem to overreact when it comes to videos and photos related to "Spider-Man: No Way Home," even though the content is not from the actual film.

Comic Book reported this after noticing that some Twitter users accused The Academy (also known as Oscar) of spoiling the new superhero movie for them. Here are other details.

READ NEXT: John Legend Gets a Tattoo Inspired by His Daughter's Drawing After Wife Chrissy Teigen Called Him Out for Backing Out

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Fans Overreacting?

The Academy's official Twitter account posted footage of the three "Spider-Man" films. Its post was able to generate more than 2,900 likes and 500 retweets.

The attraction with the new Spider-Man figure features a web that visitors must ascend to photograph the elusive superhero for the Daily Bugle.

"Three generations of Peter Parker... our friendly neighborhood Spider-Men," said Oscars via its latest tweet. Of course, many fans shared their excitement in the comment section.

"Andrew Garfield the GOAT. totally loved him and loved him more after no way home!!!!!! I was seeing only his suit the whole movie. My god he's really perfect Peter Parker," added The Academy.

So the spoiler window is officially open?  Santiago Cordero (@SantiCordero) December 17, 2021

But, some fans were disappointed as they believed that the content was a spoiler. One of them asked if the "spoiler window" was officially open.

Another one sarcastically thanked Oscars for posting the clip since he hasn't watched the action movie yet. Although this is the case, you can clearly see that the video contains three clips from the original movies. None of them are from the new film.

If you want to see the actual clip, you can view the tweet below or click this link and see it for yourself.

Three generations of Peter Parker...our friendly neighborhood Spider-Men.  pic.twitter.com/iL3LroMCr3  The Academy (@TheAcademy) December 17, 2021

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Aims Top 7 Domestic Debut

Deadline reported that the "Spider-Man: No Way Home" plans to land the "top 7 domestic debuts of all-time spot."

Aside from this, the movie could also reach more than $200 million in openings earnings, which is quite higher than other MCU films.

There's a high chance that the new superhero movie could reach both of these goals, especially since it already attracted a lot of Marvel fans. If you want to see more details, you can click this link.

READ MORE: Ben Affleck Claims He Felt "Trapped" During His Relationship With Jennifer Garner Leading Him to Alcohol Addiction
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that the state has officially started the construction of its own border wall.

Abbott made the announcement on Friday as he quote-tweeted Fox News reporter Bill Melugin's tweet that said the first wall panels have gone up in Starr County in Rio Grande Valley. Melugin added that the wall is the result of "state land, state money," KVUE reported.

The Lone Star State's governor also said that President Joe Biden allows open border policies and laws while refusing to enforce laws passed by Congress to secure the border. The Republican governor noted that Texas is stepping up to the federal government's job.

In a separate tweet, Melugin noted that the federal government would not sell Texas the steel already bought and paid for former President Donald Trump's wall. The Fox News reporter said the metal continues to sit around and go to waste, The Daily Wire reported.

The Texas Military Department (TMD) and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) held a briefing on Thursday to update the state's residents on Operation Lone Star.

During the briefing, DPS Director Steven McCraw said anyone trying to enter Texas illegally by crossing the fences would be arrested for criminal trespassing.

READ NEXT: U.S. Pres. Joe Biden Returns Land to Texas Family After It Was Seized for Construction of Border Wall

Texas Border Wall

Texas has been using the same contractor used by Donald Trump before Joe Biden scrapped his plans. Texas lawmakers approved the $2 billion program, with Greg Abbott claiming that the high number of migrants crossing the border into the U.S. poses a security threat.

Civil rights groups have criticized the operation, claiming that it is discriminatory and is promoting anti-migrant sentiment, Independent reported.

Laura Pena, legal director of the Racial and Economic Justice Program at the Texas Civil Rights Project, said that kind of rhetoric has "deadly consequences."

Texas lawmakers allotted around $1.1 billion in taxpayer funds to border security over the next two years during the past legislative session, an increase of $200 million over the previous two-year plan.

Abbott said $250 million of that budget would be allocated to starting the wall project, El Paso Times reported. The state has also set up a website for individuals to make donations for the wall's construction.

In September, Abbott signed a $1.8 billion border security bill. Other parts of the budget funding would be used to hire more Texas DPS troopers.

Texas National Guard to be Deployed to the Border

Meanwhile, supporting members of the Texas National Guard will be deployed to the border. The contract for constructing the border wall was awarded to Huitt-Zollar and Michael Baker International Inc., worth up to $11 million.

Huitt-Zollar said it had designed the Border Patrol stations and ports of entry, while Michael Baker International Inc. said it built hundreds of miles of the border wall under Trump.

Wall construction during Trump's presidency mainly focused on federally owned land in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Trump administration has secured around $16.3 billion for border wall construction from the military and U.S. taxpayers.

READ MORE: Illegal Immigrants Broke Inside a Texas Ranch House, Stole Weapons and Food

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Texas Gov. Abbott to Debut Border Wall Construction - From Fox Business






After years of seclusion, Lucia Hiriart, the widow of Chile's dictator president Augusto Pinochet, died at 98 on Thursday in her apartment.

Associated Press reported that Pinochet's widow, Lucia Hiriart, died in her residence located at Santiago's affluent La Dehesa neighborhood. Pinochet's son, Marco Antonio, confirmed her mother's death, saying that Hiriart died surrounded by her close relatives. Her death came six days after her birthday.

It was unclear what caused the death of Pinochet's widow. However, ABC News reported that the wife of the former president of Chile had been admitted several times this year in Chile's military hospital. The outlet further noted that Pinochet's widow was "mainly affected by respiratory problems."

Despite knowing that Hiriart experienced respiratory problems this year, The Guardian pointed out that the health of Pinochet's widow was treated as a "closely guarded secret."

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Crowds Celebrate the Death of Chile Dictator Augusto Pinochet's Widow

Upon learning the death of the widow of Chile's dictator president, crowds gathered to celebrate in Santiago's main plaza, the epicenter of months of protests in the previous year.

Some 200 people gathered in the central square of the said area to celebrate Hiriart's death. Most of the people who gathered in the square were reportedly young people born after democracy was reported in Chile.

The people reportedly waved up flags and improvised posters against the widow of Chile's former president.

Hiriart's death also came three days before the country held its second round of presidential elections. Chilean voters would have to choose between left-wing former student leader Gabriel Boric and far-right politician Jose Antonio Kast.

"Lucia Hiriart dies in impunity despite the deep pain and division she caused our country," Boric said.

Lucia Hiriart: The Wife of Chile's Dictator Augusto Pinochet

Lucia Hiriart is known through Chile for her strong character, as the widow influenced the decisions of her late husband on many occasions, such as who will Augusto Pinochet mount or appoint in the public office.

Because she was born from a wealthy family in the coastal city of Antofagasta, Pinochet's widow is also known for her expensive tastes in clothes and furnishings in her home.

According to reports, some people from Chile saw Hiriart as a philanthropist who dedicated her life to serving the Chileans. Others saw her as a symbol of dictatorship as she never showed or said any words of regret for the bloody legacy of her husband's dictatorship that resulted in at least 3,000 people dead.

In 2005, Pinochet's widow was accused, together with her son Marco Antonio, of complicity in $8.7 million tax fraud. She was also charged with embezzlement of public funds in 2007, along with her five children and 17 other people from the dictator's entourage.

Despite being charged, Chile's courts overturned the prosecutions for Hiriart and her family in both cases. In recent years before her death, Augusto Pinochet's widow was rarely seen in public. In 2015, Lucia Hiriart was seen attending a mass for her late husband, along with her five children.

READ MORE: Remaining 12 American, Canadian Missionaries Released by Haiti Kidnappers

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Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Chile: Death of Pinochet's Widow Brings Joyful Crowds to Santiago Streets for Celebration - From Ruptly
The U.S. State Department has offered $5 million rewards for any information that could help federal agents arrest the four sons of Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

However, Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said U.S. federal agents could not just step on Mexican soil to arrest them, Daily Mail reported.

The State Department offered the $5 million rewards for each of El Chapo's sons, who share control of the Sinaloa Cartel, on Wednesday.

Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, Jesus Alfredo Guzman had reportedly assumed leadership roles in the Sinaloa Cartel with their uncle Aureliano "El Guano" Guzman and co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada after El Chapo was arrested and extradited to the U.S. El Chapo's sons were known as "Los Chapitos."

The U.S. Department of Treasury said Ovidio, Joaquin, and Ivan were identified as leaders of a cartel faction. The three had been previously indicted on federal drug trafficking charges.

El Chapo's Sons Are High-Ranking Members of Sinaloa Cartel

In a press release, the State Department said that "Los Chapitos" are high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel and are each subject to a federal indictment for their involvement in the illegal drug trade, Mexico News Daily reported.

The Treasury Department has sanctioned Ovidio, Ivan, and Jesus. The State Department accused El Guano of international drug trafficking with a $5 million bounty. In September, the State Department has tripled its reward for El Mayo to $15 million.

But despite the reward, Lopez Obrador warned that U.S. federal agents could not simply step on Mexico's soil and arrest El Chapo's son.

In a press conference on Thursday, the president said it is up to the local authorities in Mexico to stop them if the brothers are in the national territory. The Mexican president noted that foreign agencies are not allowed to do any apprehensions.

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'Los Chapitos' in The Drug Trafficking Trade

El Chapo's sons have reportedly been increasingly active in Baja California state in Mexico since the beginning of 2021. They have allegedly caused an upsurge of violence in Mexicali city as their factions fight for control of the easter region of the state.

Los Chapitos have also taken on another criminal group, known as "Los Mayos," that was believed to have also deep ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.

In June, the Los Chapitos group targeted a group of totoaba traffickers that ended with high-caliber machine gunfire reported at the Baja seaside port of San Felipe, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

On Thursday, Lopez Obrador defended his decision to release Ovidio in 2019. The Mexican president said he did not want to lose more lives. Lopez Obrador noted that history would tell if he made the right decision.

The Mexican military had raided Ovidio's home in Culiacan, Mexico, in October 2019, resulting in a violent response instructed by one of his siblings before Lopez Obrador ordered his release.

Daily Mail reported that at least 13 people had been killed at the time in the military-like assault executed by cartel gunmen, who had also kidnapped military men before releasing them.

"That was a very special circumstance. It was an operation that was not executed well, with very few personnel... If we did well or did wrong, history will tell. I was the one who made the decision," Lopez Obrador noted.

The Sinaloa Cartel is one of Mexico's largest and most powerful drug trafficking organizations. The group was founded in the late 1980s and headed by El Chapo.

Under El Chapo's leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel earned its reputation through violence and outfought several rival groups.

El Chapo was sentenced to spend the rest of his days in the ADX Florence "supermax" prison after being sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019.

READ MORE: Clashing Mexican Drug Cartels Leave 2 Police and 7 Others Dead in Mexico

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: El Chapo's Son Captured, Then Released During Shootout in Mexico - From CBS News






Mexican drug cartels have been utilizing social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat to sell huge quantities of fentanyl and fake prescription pills in the U.S., which have been linked to numerous overdose deaths.

In a press conference on Thursday, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) administrator Anne Milgram said that Mexican criminal drug networks are using the perfect drug trafficking tool, the social media applications available on every smartphone.

Milgram noted that Mexican drug cartels use the platforms "to flood" the U.S. with fentanyl," Daily Mail reported. The DEA administrator added that the easiness of using social media and other smartphone apps is driving the country's "unprecedented overdose pandemic."

Mexican Drug Cartels' Social Media Strategy Reaches All Age Groups

According to Milgram, fake prescription pills with dangerous levels of fentanyl are pouring out of production facilities in Mexico run by Mexican drug cartels using chemicals from China. These pills were then smuggled and distributed throughout the U.S.

Milgram noted that the DEA has confiscated more than 15,000 pounds of fentanyl powder this year alone, which is enough to "kill every American."

The DEA administrator noted that the strategy of using social media platforms reaches all age groups, like a curious teen ordering a pill online or an elderly searching online for a painkiller.

Milgram then passed the blame to social media companies, saying they were not doing nearly enough to block the ads for fake pills, NBC News reported.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday that his government would release a report on the fight against synthetic drugs like fentanyl.

The Mexican president also decried a DEA report that he claimed proposes using U.S. assets to apprehend people involved in the illegal drug trade in Mexico.

He said no foreign authority would be allowed to make any arrests in Mexican territory. Lopez Obrador noted that foreign agents had earlier been involved in the country's law enforcement operations, violating Mexican sovereignty.

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Drug Trafficking and Fentanyl Overdoses

Joseph Palamar, an associate professor and drug epidemiologist at New York University Langone Health, said the supply of these fake pills is going up significantly since they are easy to transport and difficult to track.

According to The Wall Street Journal, federal authorities have seized more than 20 million fake pills this year, with a huge majority containing fentanyl.

In the DEA's September 29 to December 14 investigation, over eight million fake pills have been confiscated, and 776 people were arrested. Authorities also seized and 288 weapons.

The DEA noted that 76 cases that were probed were connected to drug smugglers who set up anonymous accounts on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube to sell pills laced with fentanyl. The agency said at least 32 of these cases were tied to Mexican drug cartels.

DEA agents reported 28 cases with drug trafficking activities in Facebook Messenger, 34 via Snapchat, and 14 on Instagram. DEA investigators also registered 10 cases of drug network activities on Facebook and two each on YouTube and TikTok.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control said more than 100,000 drug overdose deaths were reported over the last year. The agencies noted that around 64 percent of the deaths were linked to synthetic opioids, including fentanyl.

READ MORE: Cocaine Found in Christmas Cards Bound for New York at Guyana Post Office

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: United States: Drug Overdose Deaths Crosses 100,000-Mark, 12,000 Pounds of Fentanyl Seized in 2021 - From WION






A new documentary tackling Gabby Petito's relationship with Brian Laundrie and her tragic death is now available to stream at home.

The hour-long documentary "The Murder of Gabby Petito: Truth, Lies and Social Media" debuts on NBC's streaming service Peacock on Friday.

The documentary "sheds new light" on Petito's relationship, disappearance, and death, with exclusive interviews from her parents and step-parents.

In the documentary, the family opens up about Petito and Laundrie's relationship, from the beginning to engagement and her mom's warning.

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Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie Were Friends At First

Gabby Petito's mom Nichole Schmidt and stepdad Jim Schmidt revealed in the documentary that the couple was just friends at first, The Sun reported.

Jim said Petito and Laundrie met in high school in Blue Point, New York, and were in the same group of friends in school.

"[They had] common interests, they liked to do things together, [and] both artistic," Jim noted.

After their first road trip taking "the car to California," Nichole said the two started dating.

"They came back dating. She [Petito] was so happy," Nichole noted.

According to Nichole and Jim, Laundrie often visited their home, and he was a "very polite, very kind" young man. Petito's mom admitted that she did not see red flags or anything in Laundrie that would worry her at all.

Jim said Laundrie was "respectful" and even talked to their younger children and colored with them. When Laundrie's parents moved to Florida in 2020, Nichole said Petito asked Laundrie if she could come along.

"He [Laundrie] was like 'I'm moving to Florida,' she [Petito] was like, 'Can I come with you?'... So she had no problem doing that. She had no fear to move to another state," Nichole noted.

According to a journalist quoted in the documentary, Laundrie's parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, treated Petito "like a daughter."

Gabby Petito's Mom Warned Her About Marrying Brian Laundrie

After 15 months of dating or in July 2020, Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie became engaged. The documentary revealed the warning of Nichole Schmidt to her daughter about marrying her fiance.

Petito's mom said "it was exciting" that Laundrie and her daughter were engaged, but that did not stop her from giving her the warning to make sure it's what she wanted since she was still too young.

"They were engaged, so it was exciting, but I was like 'well just make sure this is... you know you're young, and make sure its what you want," Nichole said.

Nichole noted that she could not directly tell her daughter not to get married "now because I got married very young." On the other hand, Jim was excited about Petito and Laundrie's engagement.

"You know as a dad. You're like, okay. You're happy for her, you know... that she's found who she wanted to be with," Petito's stepfather said.

Petito's dad, Joe Petito, and her stepmom, Tara Petito, refused to speak about the couple's engagement, saying: "We're not going to talk about that."

Petito and Laundrie eventually decided to postpone their wedding.

Gabby Petito's Rare Photos Revealed in the Documentary

Aside from the exclusive interviews of Gabby Petito's family, some rare photos of her were shared in the documentary. These photos prompted the parents of Petito to recall their precious memories with their daughter.

"These [photos] are all I have left now," Joe Petito said as he stared down at the childhood photos of his daughter.

Petito's mom also shared that everyone who met Petito instantly "fell in love with her."

"She [Petito] just had this presence. I don't know what it was. It was just magical," she noted.

Nichole also said that there were so many good memories with her daughter that she will remember. However, the devastated mom noted that the one thing she holds dearly was the hug they had in the driveway before Petito left for the cross-country road trip.

Petito disappeared on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when Petito stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August.

Laundrie was named a person of interest by the North Port police after returning home alone on September 1 or 10 days before Petito was reported missing by her family.

Petito's body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19. A Teton County, Wyoming coroner said she was strangled to death by a "human being," and the manner of death was homicide.

After a month-long manhunt, the North Port police and the FBI agents found Laundrie's remains in a swampy area of Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20.

The partial skeletal remains were confirmed to belong to him after a review of dental records. According to the autopsy report, Laundrie died of a gunshot wound to the head, and the manner of death was suicide.

Brian Laundrie was never charged in connection with Gabby Petito's murder. But an arrest warrant was issued for him for allegedly using Petito's debit card after her death.

READ MORE: Gabby Petito's Dad Joins in Search for Missing Mom of Five Not Seen in Weeks, Tweets Directly at Celebs to Help Out

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Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Who Was Gabby Petito? Her Parents Remember Their Late Daughter - From Peacock
A serial burglar broke into a house two months after his release from prison during the 2020 lockdown.

Lawyers for John Matthews (42) told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that his ambitions to go from prison into residential drug treatment were thwarted by lockdown.

Matthews of Desmond Ave., Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, had served half of a nine year prison term when he was released in July 2020. The second half of the sentence, imposed for 56 burglaries committed in a 16 month period, was suspended on various conditions.

These included that he keep the peace for five years after his release and attend drug treatment.

Yesterday, Friday, December 17 Matthews was back before Judge Pauline Codd, who had sentenced him in 2018, after he was picked up for breaking into a house on the Upper Glenageary rd., south Dublin on September 5, 2020.

Matthews later pleaded guilty to that burglary. His 124 previous convictions include 115 convictions linked to burglaries.

Garda Colm McLoughlin told the court that the homeowners were on holidays at the time and a professional cat minder had called to the house to tend to their cats. She found the back window smashed and jewellery boxes knocked about the rooms.

No jewellery was taken. but some small value cash notes, including a 200,000 Thai baht note, worth about two euros, was missing. These were later found at Matthew's home after he was identified on footage from a doorbell camera at the house.

The court heard that Matthews would knock on the door of houses to see if anybody was home. He would then break into the unoccupied home by smashing in a window or the glass in a door.

Seoirse O Dunlaing BL, defending, told the court that his client's father first involved him in house burglaries when he was only five years old.

Mr O Dunlaing said that when Matthews was released from prison in July 2020 the Coolmine residential drug treatment centre was closed due to Covid lockdown and it proved impossible for him to get into treatment.

Judge Codd said that she accepted that Matthews is not a violent criminal, but said his criminal record is shocking. She said she also accepted his offending is connected to his drug habit, but she said he has to kick it.

She adjourned the case to February 21 next year to allow the defence to clarify if there is a place for Matthews on a drug treatment programme. She said she had already given him every chance and that he is now facing a substantial amount of time in prison.
OFFALY County Council will be sentenced next Tuesday December 21 in relation to breaches of health and safety regulations, which left a man paralysed after a cast iron light column fell on him.

At a circuit court sitting the local authority was charged with five counts of breaches under the health and safety regulations. They pleaded guilty to two counts which were accepted by the prosecution and a nolle prosequi was entered on the remaining three.

At today's Friday December 17, circuit court, a statement from county council worker Colm Scanlon, read by Kevin White BL Prosecuting, said that on January 23, 2019, Mr Scanlon discovered a loose light post in Kilbride Plaza. When he put his hand to the pole it moved. He rang his supervisor Gerry Gannon expressing concern.

Mr Gannon told him to put cones around the pole and a barrier. He told him to ring electrician Rog Larkin. The electrician was not available until Friday January 25, however, on his way home from work that Thursday evening he went to see the pole and he saw that it was unsteady. He removed the fuse and made the cable safe. He formed the opinion that the pole would have to be removed. He disconnected the power source.

On Friday, January 25, a JCB operator from Doolans Plant Hire, who regularly carried out work for the council, was hired to pull the pole from the ground. There were other council employees present on the day.

Michael Hogan was not part of the team involved in the removal of the light column. He and another man had gone to inspect a parking meter in the Texas Car park which was out of order. They then asked Rog Larkin to take a look at it. Afterwards they came back to Kilbride Plaza.

The JCB operator attached a chain to a D-shackle on the digger and the chain was then attached to the pole. He shouted at everyone to move back. Michael Hogan was described as standing two car parking spaces away from the pole which was 4 metres high. However the digger operator had difficulties pulling the pole out of the ground and so the chain was moved lower down on the pole by some of the other workers as they felt there would be less risk of it slipping.

The digger operator once again attempted to pull the pole, however, this time it sprang out of the ground and hit Mr Hogan on the neck and he fell to the ground. An Ambulance was called and while they were waiting the other workers placed bandages around Mr Hogans head under instructions from a paramedic. Mr Hogan was removed to hospital and the court heard that 4 weeks later he recalled waking up in the Mater Hospital.

In her evidence to the court Lillian ONeill, Inspector for the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said when she inspected the site she saw the JCB with 5 chains attached to the bucket and one on the pole. She noted that the base of the pole appeared to be sheared and there were 4 bolts at the base with one looking as if it had previously been sheared. She took a number of pictures at the site. In addition she commissioned structural engineer Michael Slevin.

In his report Mr Slevin described the pole as having a base plate which was bolted to cement. The bolts were not removed before work began. Ms ONeill said if the pole was inspected it would have been evident. She said that typically poles would have a root mounted column which could be pulled up from the ground. However, she said this particular pole should have been supported while the bolts were removed and choke slings placed high up on the light column would typically be used in this instance. She said the methodology was fundamentally flawed and there was no safety system, work plan, or risk assessment in place.

Judge Francis Comerford commented that someone must have known what would happen. However, Ms ONeill said it wasnt thought through and there was no plan. She said no exclusion zone had been set up in the car park which would have ensured no one could enter the area.

She recommended to the council that a safety plan specifically for the removal of poles be adopted. The council accepted the recommendations and all staff have since been informed.

A medical report from Orthopaedic consultant Dorothy Neil read by Mr White stated that Mr Hogan, a 57 year old man, had significant head and neck injuries. He is now paralysed from the chest down. He has very limited ability to move his hands and has a high level of dependency. He had surgery in the spinal unit of the Mater Hospital, he was then transferred back to Tullamore hospital where he remained for two months before being transferred to the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Any further recovery in years to come will be slow and protracted and it is difficult to predict what recovery will be like. He is wheelchair bound but because of weakness in his hands it makes it difficult. He will never return to manual work and while he may be able to do sedentary work, it is unlikely.

An updated medical report from Dr Kearney of Church Avenue, Tullamore, confirmed that Mr Hogan had reduced use of his hands and needs two people to move him in the bed, he also needs two people during the day. He can feed himself and can use the remote control for the television. He also suffers severe spasms in both legs which keep him awake at night. His cognitive functions are normal. But he has bladder and bowel problems.

He has no issues breathing and he remains calm and accepting. Mr Hogan had previous medical problems including a liver transplant and hypertension. He was not in court for the hearing and is currently in Tullamore hospital as he experiences ongoing issues.

His children wrote that they had moved into a new home which had to be adapted to meet Mr Hogans needs. They said his care is complex and he is at a much higher risk of being hospitalised if he gets an infection. His diagnosis is severe but he has adjusted. He suffers from depression but tries to be positive. When he left work that morning little did we know that life would change forever, Mr White read on behalf of the family.

Daily living for the family is quite difficult. Mr Hogan needs two people to get him out of bed, and he needs an electric wheelchair.

The birth of his granddaughter Sofia has brought a lot of joy to his life but he will never be able to hug her. He has also suffered the loss of his hobby, pitch and putt which he had been involved in for 30 year. He travelled all over the country with the club.

He was a very hard working man and he misses the social aspect of his job. He cannot sit for longer than three hours in his wheelchair without experiencing pain.

The family had to move to a new house which was adapted for him. However, they said it doesnt feel like a home as they have three visits from carers every day. He also cannot visit his siblings in Clonaslee. Mr Hogan said he wished people could see what one day in his life was like so they could see what he goes through. His family said he has a great sense of humour and is very kind. He is known as a gentle giant and is the strongest person they know.

David Staunton BL for Offaly County Council said everyone in the council was shocked and had cooperated fully with the investigation. They had also instigated all of the HSA recommendations.

They had made the incorrect assumption that the pole was a rooted column and believed that it would easily be removed.

Mr Staunton said Offaly County Council had an impeccable record regarding health and safety standards. He described it as a small council where everyone knew one another. He said everyone felt remorse from the lowest to the highest. He said a mark of how serious they take the matter was evident in that the Chief Executive Anna Maria Delaney was present in court as was the Director of Services Tom Shanahan and Senior Executive Engineer John Connelly along with the head of finance. He said they wanted to extend their deepest sympathy to the family. He said they were in a position to secure a home for Mr Hogan but knew that his life had been turned upside down and he needed constant care. They have also provided 200,000 to the family.

Mr White said the offence carries a jail sentence of two years or a fine of 3 m.

Responding, Mr Staunton said Offaly County Council has a 1.6m deficit. He said they were at a loss of rates from the closure of Bord na Mona. He said it is not a significant or well funded council. He said there had been a sense of genuine shock and heartfelt concern from Chief Executive Anna Marie Delaney to Mr Hogan and all they can do is make him as comfortable as possible.

Judge Comerford said there had been a terrible breach of health and safety standards and there should have been a prepared plan. He said there appeared to be no thought given to how the pole would come out of the ground.

He said he needed time to reflect on the case which was so serious for Mr Hogan and his family. He adjourned sentencing to Tuesday December 21.
Laois has joined the Irish Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life fundraiser, with Emo Court as the stunning relay venue.

Relay For Life is the biggest cancer fundraising initiative in the world. It sees local communities coming together to celebrate cancer survivors, remember those lost and to fight back against cancer by raising awareness of the services provided by the Irish Cancer Society locally and nationally.

Relay for Life Laois will be hosted in the grounds of Emo Court House from 1pm on Saturday July 2022 to 1pm on Sunday 24.

The event runs for a full 24 hours, to acknowledge that "cancer does not sleep", with candles lighting a run route.

Everyone is welcome to come along and join in for a few minutes, hours or even to stay for the entire 24 hours.

It has been brought to Laois by Caroline O'Sullivan who was involved in the Kildare event for five years before she moved to Portarlington in Laois.

"Throughout the year the committee will be doing fundraisers like table quizes and selling candle bags. Then in July we make a track lined with the bags and stay awake for 24 hours for people to walk it," she explained to the Leinster Express.

"Relay is much more than a 24 hour fundraising event, it is an experience that gives hope and support to all who have been impacted by cancer. It is a celebration of solidarity.

"It will be coming to Laois for the first time in 2022 and we are inviting the people of Laois to get involved by registering a team. Anyone interested can enter teams; raising funds and awareness within their community for those impacted by cancer.

"Even a few hours can make an extraordinary impact on the lives of those impacted by cancer, and once you get involved, youll want to come back year after year. This event happens once a year and we ask for participants to join together for this fun and uplifting fundraiser.

Relay For Life begins with a Survivors Lap, where cancer survivors from the community are invited to take part wearing a purple t-shirt. They are celebrated as the VIPs who provide hope and inspiration to the whole community in the fight against cancer. They also celebrate caregivers, who give time, love, and support to their friends and family, facing cancer.

As darkness falls, the Candle of Hope Ceremony takes place to remember the people affected by cancer. Candle bags line the track, each dedicated to someone lost to cancer or in celebration of a Survivor.

Relay also helps the community fight back against cancer, by supporting people in local communities affected by cancer and by funding research and vital services such as Night Nursing and the Volunteer Driver service.

They fight back also by encouraging the community to make lifestyle choices that will reduce their risk of cancer.

To get involved or to find out more email laoisrelayforlife@gmail.com. You can also contact Caroline OSullivan on 087 4499903 or Alan Smith on 086 1222227 or check out their Facebook page called RelayForLifeLaois



See https://www.cancer.ie/ways-to-help/fundraise/relay-for-life
It's been a year of progress at Portlaoise hospital according to Sean Fleming TD and Minister of State who has praised staff for their response to Covid-19.

The minister at the Department of Finance firstly thanked all staff and for their 'outstanding work' over the past year during the COVID crisis.

"Staff went above and beyond the call of duty in ensuring patients and people who use the hospital were looked after to the highest standard," he said.

The Fianna Fail TD spoke about 2021 as a year of "progress" at the Laois hospital.

"It was good to see plans for the extension to the Portlaoise Paediatric Unit along with the construction of a new Respiratory Assessment Unit progressing well . Planning permission had been submitted to Laois County Council for both projects.

"I also welcomed the appointment of an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) in Cardiology in Portlaoise Hospital to improve patient access and continuity of care for heart failure patients.

"Additional clinical and admin accommodation, AMHU anti-ligature works, provision of nine isolation units and reconfiguration of the maternity ward have also been funded.

"A new family facility centre and viewing room has also been provided for families of loved ones who have sadly passed away.

"All of this is in addition to the ongoing work in the Outpatients Department in the hospital.

"This is an absolute vote of confidence in our hospital in Portlaoise," he said.

The Fianna Fail minister also addressed the as yet to be resolved future of the Emergency Department.

"I want to confirm my ongoing commitment to the 24/7 Accident and Emergency Department in the hospital. The A&E Department is vital for the future development of Portlaoise Hospital and it is a number one priority.

"I have spoken in person with the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly T.D. stressing the importance of the A&E Department in Portlaoise and the futility of progressing the incompetent, outdated and uncosted report on the A&E Department written by a previous HSE manager.

"This report was flawed from day one and made no adequate provision for the tens of thousands of people who rely on the A&E Department in the hospital in Portlaoise. This report should never see the light of day.

"I have highlighted this to the Minister and I look forward to a successful conclusion to my work on behalf of the people of Laois and surrounding areas who rely on full A&E services in Portlaiose," he concluded.
Laois County Councillors do not want to meet officials from the national roads agency via virtual online meeting to highlight work that is needed on national roads in the county.

Instead theyve demanded that officials from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) travel to Laois to hear about and potentially see for themselves the work needed on Laois roads.

Councillors who represent the Portarlington-Graiguecullen Municipal District were told that TII would meet Laois councillors in January to discuss national roads in the county.

Cllr Ben Brennan, Independent, was the first to object to a virtual meeting.

We dont want it online, he said.

Cllr Padraig Fleming, Fianna Fail, agreed. He revealed that up to 25 TII officials were notified of the meeting happening.

I thought it was crazy for so many people to be notified, he said.

He added that a special strange request had been made by TII.

They want us to turn off our cameras unless we are talkingId prefer to see these fellas faces all the time, he said.

Cllr Aisling Moran, Fine Gael, also demanded that the agencys representative come to Laois as it had been sought for a long time.

We asked for a physical meeting for them to come to Laois to listen to us and get into their cars and drive out an look at the roads, he said.

She said TII is moving the goalposts and dates.

We should insist that it is a face to face meeting in the chamber, she said.

She added that 25 people are not needed, just those who are the decision makers in TII.

The issue was raised before the Government announced new restrictions on gatherings.
Commuters are waking Laois families in early morning because they are hitting loose manhole covers, a county councillor has claimed.

Cllr Padraig Fleming, Fianna Fail, raised the issue at the December meeting of the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.

He wants Laois County Council to resolve the issues of the five manholes in Ballylinan village outside / near homes.

When traffic drives over them it is creating a lot of noise at all times of the day and night and is a big disturbance to residents living beside and near them, he said.

He added: Traffic heading to work in Dublin is waking up children in families. It is creating a terrible noise and is very disruptive.

Farhan Nasiem, A/Senior Executive Engineer, in the council Road Design Office replied in writing.

We will investigate this and arrange to rectify this issue with manholes in Ballylinan, he said.

Cllr Fleming hoped it could be resolved by Christmas.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland funding will be needed to fix the problem because the potholes are located on a national road in Laois.
Laois County Council should push ahead with repairs to national roads rather than wait for the goahead to do so from the national roads agency.

Cllr Aisling Moran, Fine Gael, believes the local authority should take the initiative where there is a delayed decision to act at Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

Is there any way the council can do the repairs on roads and invoicing the TII because they are not doing anything, she said.

Philip McVeigh, Senior Executive Engineer, replied in writing at the December meeting of the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.

He acknowledged that if the repairs required were small the council could proceed.

She said she was aware of a home near Ballylinan where water flows into the house off the road. She said work cannot be done because of a hold up at TII.

Mr McVeigh said the issue could be examined.
Due to weather conditions NASA said it will be unable to track Santa in the skies this year, but you will be able to have a sneak peak of Santa in rehearsal in the lead up to the big day.

The sleigh will be visible to the naked eye if you know where to look, according to NASA.

NASA said: It is the third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up".

Adding: "Visible to the naked eye, it looks like a fast-moving plane only much higher and travelling thousands of miles an hour faster!

When you can spot Santas sleigh this Christmas, according to NASA



Sat Dec 18 at 7:32 AM where it will be visible for 5 minutes moving from the South to the South East

Sun Dec 19, 6:45 AM where it will be visible for 3 minutes moving from the South-South East to the East South East

Tue Dec 21, 6:46 AM where it will be visible for 6 minutes moving from the South-South West to the East

Wed Dec 22, 5:59 AM where it will be visible for 5 minutes moving from the South to the East South East

Thu Dec 23, 5:14 AM where it will be visible for 2 minutes moving from the South-South East to the East South East

Thu Dec 23, 6:47 AM where it will be visible for 6 minutes moving from the South West to the East



To help you spot Santas sleigh - you can download the ISS tracking app on the App Store of Google Play Store.

You can also visit NASAs website.
Hospitality chiefs have warned that new Covid restrictions will decimate their trade and lead to job losses in Ireland.

The Irish cabinet has agreed that hospitality venues, cinemas and theatres should have a closing time of 8pm from Monday to deal with the threat from the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the Vinters Federaton of Ireland (VFI) said pubs would be forced to close their doors for the duration of the restrictions.

He added: I guess the government thinks we should feel grateful for the 8pm closing given Nphets demand for a 5pm curfew.

The reality is this decision will decimate the trade that was already on its knees.

Christmas was the one chance we had to recoup some of the losses amassed earlier in the year but were now in a situation where staff will lose their jobs and pubs will shut one week before Christmas as they see little point in opening under these conditions.

While Government may see 8pm as a compromise the reality is that many pubs dont open until 5pm so three hours trading is unworkable for them.

Even for pubs that open earlier the majority of their trade takes place at night time.

He added: Given the relentless public health message over the past number of weeks to avoid socialising the public had already cancelled bookings in record numbers.

There was no need to further restrict trading hours as our customers are safer in regulated pubs that adhere to guidelines instead of house parties and shebeens.

Our members are left wondering what the plan is for hospitality.

These restrictions are meant to be lifted at the end of January but there is literally no guarantee this will happen.





Chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Adrian Cummins said it was a devastating blow to the hospitality industry.

He added: The majority of hospitality businesses rely on income from the Christmas period to see them through the quieter first two months of the year.

The loss of income over Christmas is about more than just the festive season, it is about surviving the winter months.

It is imperative that financial supports are put in place immediately to offset the impact this will have for businesses and their employees and enable them to survive.

As a sector and as a country we need better engagement on what the plan for living with this disease will be going forward.

The current last minute reactionary approach is not working, we stand as always, ready able and willing to engage with Government on a plan for the survival and reopening of hospitality.

The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) said the Government measures were closure in camouflage.

LVA chief executive Donall OKeeffe said, Obviously we are very disappointed about this decision as it clearly amounts to closure in camouflage.

Most of our members will now take the decision to shut their doors as they simply wont be able to afford operating in these conditions.

Many pubs have been expressing the view that they would rather be asked to close than have to accept an arbitrary curfew of 5pm or 8pm.

We also seem to be heading towards ongoing, rolling closures of hospitality for as long as the pandemic persists.

If thats going to be the case then the Government should be upfront and tell it straight to the industry.

If thats not what they want then a plan of practical measures such as ventilation standards that will allow our industry to function while Covid-19 and its many variants are still an active part of our lives has to be developed.

We cant stay closed indefinitely, yet that increasingly seems to be the Governments approach to our sector.

Irish Hotels Federation president Elaina Fitzgerald Kane urged the Government to intervene with immediate additional business and employment support.

She said: This is soul destroying for businesses and for our teams and the many communities across the country that rely so heavily on tourism.

The financial hit to hotels and guesthouses has been truly stark in recent weeks, and todays announcement is another severe blow.

It is doing untold damage to businesses at a time when they are already struggling, with events cancelled and occupancy levels at near all-time lows.
KILMALLOCK Macra is one of the oldest clubs in Ireland, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2019, but in 2018 it nearly folded.

Elaine Houlihan, Macra na Feirme Munster vice-president, said the club was closing its doors due to the lack of interest in the area, but a new committee came on board and made it their mission to turn it into the successful club it once was.

And that mission was more than accomplished at the weekend, as Kilmallock was named the winner of the prestigious Macra Club of the Year title.

Elaine, of Kilmallock Macra, said members gathered in Bulgaden Castles to watch the finals on Saturday evening. They were held online due to Covid restrictions.

Before reaching the final this year club officers had to submit all club books to ensure they were kept up to date. After this stage, club officers had to sit through an interview where judges questioned them in regards to the club and their roles.

After the interviews it was narrowed down to the top 10 clubs in the country and we were delighted to have reached this stage after placing runners-up last year alongside Kenmare Macra.

Before the final a 90 second video had to be put together to showcase our club which wasn't an easy task as there was so much we had done that didn't fit in the video but we managed after a couple of takes! said Elaine.

As they all waited nervously in Bulgaden, Elaine said the sense of joy when the host announced Kilmallock Macra as the overall winner is something we will never forget.

Winning this award has been three years in the making as we never stopped pushing the club to reach this stage. Winning Club of the Year now means we are the top Macra club in Ireland, which is something our members are incredibly proud of and is something we will continue to build on, said Elaine.

Apart from winning the overall competition, Kilmallock Macra also took home the award for the Best Online Event in 2020 from a mental health and wellbeing talk held last January.
THE CAUSE of death of three people whose inquests were heard on the same day was drugs or alcohol, the coroners court has heard.

In the first inquest, a garda gave evidence of being called to a sudden death in a home in 2020. A woman, aged in her 40s, was found lying on a bed with a bottle of vodka.

Pathologist, Dr Teresa Laszlo said a post mortem showed she had a high alcohol level and had liver damage.

Limerick coroner John McNamara told the womans family she would have gone into a coma-like state.

Unfortunately, she died as a result of ethanol toxicity. There was a prolonged period of alcohol use, said Mr McNamara, who recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.

The second inquest was in relation to a man in his 30s. A garda said when he responded to a report of a sudden death in an apartment he saw the deceased on a chair and observed drug paraphernalia and alcohol.

Dr Laszlo said he had heroin, anti-depressants, cocaine and alcohol in his system. The cause of death was respiratory failure due to the combined effects of recreational drugs and alcohol.

Mr McNamara noted that the alcohol level was relatively low but had been combined with other drugs.

The coroner asked if the man had a problem with drugs. A family member said he drank but wasnt a drug user. It was the company he met that day. It was the first night he stayed there, said the family member.

Mr McNamara said when a person is less used to taking them (drugs) they are more susceptible. A verdict of death by misadventure was recorded.

The third inquest concerned a man in his 70s. A garda who attended the scene said a family member said he was drinking for 24 hours. The man was found on a couch.

Dr Laszlo said he had a very high concentration of sedatives as well as lower levels of cocaine and alcohol. The inquest heard that the sedatives (Benzodiazepines) were in a lethal range.

Mr McNamara said the man died from the combination of drugs in his system. A verdict of death by misadventure was recorded.
A LIMERICK woman who died following a multi-vehicle collision on the M7 earlier this month has been laid to rest.

Kathleen Cleary (nee Allis), originally from Doon, died following and incident, on December 6, involving a number of cars and a truck between Nenagh and Birdhill during a heavy hail shower.

There has been much sadness at the tragic news that Kathleen aged in her late 60s / early 70s, lost her life as a result of the collision.

The Allis family is very well known in Doon and East Limerick and has strong political, GAA and coursing ties. Kathleens brother Jim was one of the 1973 winning All-Ireland Limerick team.

Cllr Olivia O'Sullivan's mother and the late Kathleen were first cousins.

Kathleen and her brothers were close growing up to her Allis cousins in Doon, including my mother Kitty. Kathleen used to still visit and call regularly to keep in touch, the last time I met her myself was in Doon.

It has been difficult news to take in since the accident and my thoughts are with Kathleens children Elaine and Tom, grandson Eoghan, her brothers and their families, and all Kathleens extended family and friends dealing with the shock and sadness. May she rest in peace," said Cllr O'Sullivan.

Fellow councillor, Martin Ryan said the Allis family is highly respected in Doon and East Limerick.

That lady, Lord have mercy on her, would have been a staunch Fianna Fail Republican woman. She would have written and published pieces, including on Dan Breen. I would like to express my sympathies to her family following the tragic accident. There is no good time for something tragic like this to happen but this is a very sad time of year for any family for this to happen, said Cllr Ryan.

Fellow Fianna Fail politician, Minister Niall Collins also passed on his sympathies.

On behalf of the local community, Id like to convey our condolences and sympathies to the Allis family on the tragic recent passing of Kathleen. People are both saddened and shocked at the loss of such a lovely person, said Minister Collins.

Kathleen was chair of Comoradh na nOglach, a Tipperary-based non-political, community voluntary organisation dedicated to preserving and honouring the memory of the brave men and women who fought to free our land from 1916 to 1923.

In a tribute on Facebook they wrote: Kathleen's contribution to remembering the men and women who fought for our freedom was enormous. Her gentle manner went hand in hand with a disarming energy and positivity.

She will be sorely missed by the Tipperary History Community and, for those of us who were lucky enough to have been her friend, there will always be the memory of her generous heart and gentle smile. For now our hearts are heavy and our prayers are with her and her family.

Following funeral Mass in SS Josephs & Brigids Church, Bothar na Naomh, Thurles, last Sunday, Kathleen was laid to rest in Doon Cemetery.
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Actor Chris Noth has been dropped as a client by talent agency A3 Artists Agency, a day after sexual assault allegations were leveled at the former Law & Order and Sex and the City star.

Noth had only recently signed with A3 earlier this year. The actor was accused of rape by two women in separate incidents in a report published Thursday by the Hollywood Reporter. Noth has denied the allegations as categorically false and has said the incidents from 2004 and 2015 were consensual.

News of A3 parting ways with Noth was first reported by Deadline. A representative for Noth declined to comment other than to reiterate that the actor stands by his statement and his denial.

In a detailed report by The Hollywood Reporter, Noth is accused of sexual assault by two separate women, who spoke anonymously to the publication in order to protect their privacy. The women, who do not know each other, spoke under the pseudonyms Zoe, now 40, and Lily, now 31. Both women told THR that the renewed attention for Noth with And Just Like That brought up painful memories, prompting them to come forward with their stories. Lily first reached out to THR in August, and Zoe first spoke to the magazine in October, according to THR.

On Friday, the Daily Beast reported that a third woman had come forward to accuse Noth of assault in 2010. The representative for Noth said the details of that report were a complete fabrication and that Chris has no knowledge of who this individual is.

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Hollywoods historic Cinerama Dome theater could finally be getting ready to reopen, as an application notice for a liquor license was posted outside the theater on Thursday.

There are plans to open the theater, potentially in the first half of 2022, a studio executive confirms. The Arclight Hollywood, which included the Cinerama Dome, shuttered at the outset of the pandemic, and never reopened.

In April 2021, Pacific Theatres  which operated 17 theater locations under Pacific and Arclight brands  announced that it would close its doors permanently. That led to a social media campaign to save the Cinerama Dome, which opened in 1963 and has historic landmark status.

Variety later reported that Christopher Forman, the CEO of parent company Decurion Corp., planned to hang on to the Hollywood location and reopen it at some point.

Pacific Theatres filed for bankruptcy in June, and is now in the process of liquidating its assets. The bankruptcy trustee recently got court approval to sell the old Arclight Hollywood liquor license to ATLA Venice LLC for $85,000.

The application for the new liquor license was filed under the name Cinerama Hollywood on behalf of DT Operator, LLC, an entity that is affiliated with Decurion. The license would be transferred from Bibo Group LLC, another Forman family entity that operated a now-defunct cocktail bar on Robertson Boulevard.

Its not clear, however, whether the ArcLight Cinemas would also reopen, or just the Cinerama Dome. When the ArcLight Cinemas and Cinerama Dome closed in March of 2020, it was a major blow to the Los Angeles exhibition scene.

The Hollywood Reporter was the first to report on the reopening after a Twitter user posted the application on Thursday.

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Prepare yourself for a multiverse of Spider-Men with the latest web-slinging entry into the MCU  Spider-Man: No Way Home, now playing in theaters. But if you want to know how to watch the new Spider-Man movie online, and when it will be available to stream on Disney+, read ahead.

Buy: Spider-Man: No Way Home Tickets at Fandango

Spider-Man: No Way Home is the third Spider-Man movie in the latest reboot, and the direct sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019). The film has Tom Holland reprising his role as Peter Parker (a.k.a. Spider-Man), a high school superhero who has to deal with the consequences of the events of Far From Home, after being framed for the murder of Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).

The film also features several cameos and appearances from villains of the previous Spider-Man franchises, including Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin, and Electro. While it would dip into spoiler territory to say anything more, if youre antsy to watch the movie, heres the info on when itll be available to stream and how to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home online for free.

Matt Kennedy/Sony Pictures

When Will Spider-Man: No Way Home Be Released?

Spider-Man: No Way Home hit theaters on December 17, 2021 and like many recent movies, its getting a wide release so you can watch it in-person. Tickets to see the film at your local movie theater are available online here.

Buy: Spider-Man No Way Home Tickets at Fandango

Is Spider-Man No Way Home Available to Watch on Disney+?

Unlike other Marvel films this year that dropped simultaneously on Disney+ and in theaters, Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently only available to watch in theaters. Sony and Disney (who co-own the rights to Spider-Man) havent announced an official release date for Spider-Man: No Way Home online  and it wont be streaming on Disney+ just yet.

Instead, Spider-Man: No Way Home will first be available to stream on Starz, which has the initial pay-per-view rights to Sony movies. Starz has the rights to stream Sony movies for 18 months after the films initial theatrical release, and that includes Spider-Man: No Way Home online.

How to Watch Spider-Man: No Way Home Online

If you want to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home online, the film will be available to stream sometime between December 2021 and July 2023 on Starz.

That seems like a wide date range, but most movies typically have a 90-day theatrical release window, which means the film is first released through movie theaters and then to streaming and Blu-ray/DVD after three months. With the latest Spider-Man being released on December 17, the 90-day window means you could stream Spider-Man: No Way Home online before mid-March.

Of course, many films are foregoing the 90-day theatrical window altogether, so you could be able to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home online sooner than you think. Fans can sign up for Starz in anticipation of the streaming launch, with current Starz pricing at $8.99 per month or $74.99 per year.

The annual subscription is the best deal, saving you around $32 versus going month to month (its also around the same price as a Disney+ subscription). When you get access to Starz, youll be able to stream Spider-Man: No Way Home online free and also get access to watch other titles on the streamer like Power, Ghost, Outlander and more.

Buy: Starz Subscription at $8.99

After 18 months on Starz, the new Spider-Man film is expected to land on Disney+. That means youll be able to stream Spider-Man: No Way Home on Disney+ by July 2023.

Pricing for a Disney+ subscription starts at just $7.99 a month and will include instant access to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home online, as well as all of Disney+ slate of original shows, movies and exclusive offerings.

Buy: Disney+ Subscription at $7.99

Sign up for Disney+ here for $7.99 and log in with your subscription to stream Spider-Man: No Way Home from your phone, laptop, tablet or connected TV.

How to Watch Spider-Man: No Way Home Free Online

If you want to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home online free, Hulu offers a 7-day free trial that gets you access to Hulu and Starz. Get the week-long deal to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home online free on Starz.

You can also sign up for a free 7-day trial to Starz through your Amazon Prime membership. (if you arent a Prime member, get a 30-day free trial here.) Amazon Prime members can test out Starz for a week and use the trial to stream Spider-Man: No Way Home online free.

Buy: Watch Spider-Man: No Way Home Free at Amazon Prime

Spider-Man: No Way Home 2021 Rating, Runtime, Cast, Description

The runtime for Spider-Man: No Way Home is 2 hours and 28 minutes, and the film has a PG-13 rating. Directed by Jon Watts, the film features several returning actors reprising their roles, including Zendayas MJ, Benedict Cumberbatch returns as Doctor Strange, Willem Dafoe returns as the Green Goblin, Alfred Molina reprises his Doctor Octopus character, Jamie Foxx reappears as Electro, Marisa Tomei returns as Aunt May, Jon Favreaus Happy Hogan also makes a return and Jacob Batalon reprises Ned Leeds.

The film follows Hollands Parker grappling with the fallout from Spider-Man: Far From Home, in which his old foe Mysterio revealed his identity as Spider-Man to the entire world. Desperate to stop the new attention, Parker turns to Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and asks him to cook up a spell that will make everyone forget Parkers secret identity.

When the spell goes haywire, it cracks open the multiverse, leading to a deluge of chaos and supervillains, including Willem Dafoes as the Green Goblin, Alfred Molina returning as Doctor Octopus, who both appeared in Sam Raimis mid-2000s Spider-Man films, and Jamie Foxx as Electro from the Amazing Spider-Man film series, and more.

How to Watch the Original Spider-Man Movies Online

If you want to catch up on both the Raimi Spider-Man trilogy and the Andrew Garfield Amazing Spider-Man series (there might be some easter eggs and references to both in No Way Home), heres how to watch the rest of the Spider-Man films online.

The good news is that Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Spider-Man 3 (2007) are all currently available to stream on Peacock. The streaming service starts at just $4.99 a month, and you can binge all three movies in the Tobey Maguire era with unlimited streaming, along with the streamers other series and movies (Peacock Plus is $5.99 a month).

Buy: Peacock Premium at $4.99

Its a little tricker for both the Garfield and MCU era of Spider-Man, since The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) and the Tom Holland films (Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)) are all currently unavailable to stream online.

Another option? One platform you can currently rent for $2.99 or buy for $9.99 these Spider-Man films on is Amazon Prime (most films are even available to stream in 4K HD). Watch the films online, and then catch the latest MCU Spider-Man in theaters to see how this superhero has faired throughout the multiverse.

Buy: Spider-Man Films at $2.99+
VIENNA (AP)  Talks aimed at salvaging Iran's tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers adjourned Friday to allow the Iranian negotiator to return home for consultations after a round marked by tensions over new demands from Tehran.

European diplomats said it was a disappointing pause and that negotiators in Vienna are rapidly reaching the end of the road." However, they did point to some technical progress so far.

A senior U.S. official involved in the talks also expressed frustration. It was better than it might have been, it was worse than it should have been, which leaves us in an uncertain position as to whether we can get to where we need to go in the short time that we have left to get there, the official said, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity.

Participants said they aim to resume quickly, though they haven't yet firmed up a date. China's chief negotiator, Wan Qun, said the talks will resume hopefully before the end of the year. Enrique Mora, the European Union diplomat who chaired the talks, echoed that, saying: I hope it will be during 2021.

The current talks in Vienna among the remaining signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement  known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA  opened on Nov. 29, after more than five months, a gap caused by the arrival of a new hard-line government in Iran. There was also a short break last week as delegations returned home to consult with their governments.

The United States has participated indirectly in the ongoing talks because it withdrew from the accord in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden has signaled that he wants to rejoin the deal.

For the eighth round, we have a lot of work ahead, a very complex task, I have to say, Mora said. Difficult political decisions have to be taken.

The accord was meant to rein in Irans nuclear program in return for loosened economic sanctions. Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China are still part of the agreement.

Negotiators from the three Western European powers said they respect Iranian negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani's decision to return to Tehran though it brings a disappointing pause in negotiations. They said the other participants were ready to continue the talks, and stressed that this negotiation is becoming ever more urgent.

After twice expressing frustration during the recent talks, they said that there has been some technical progress in the last 24 hours, but this only takes us back nearer to where the talks stood in June.

Following the U.S. decision to withdraw from the deal and reimpose sanctions on Iran, Tehran has ramped up its nuclear program again by enriching uranium well beyond the thresholds allowed in the agreement. Iran has also restricted monitors from the U.N. atomic watchdog from accessing its nuclear facilities, raising concerns about what the country is doing out of view.

Diplomats from the three European nations said earlier this week that they were "losing precious time dealing with new Iranian positions inconsistent with the JCPOA or that go beyond it.

Still, there was one sign of progress on a related issue when Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency reached a deal Wednesday to reinstall cameras damaged at an Iranian site that manufactures centrifuge parts, though inspectors remain limited on what footage they can access.

We hope that Iran is in a position to resume the talks quickly, and to engage constructively so that talks can move at a faster pace, the European negotiators said.

Iran's nuclear program is now more advanced than it has ever been, making it critical that Tehran refrain from taking further steps that escalate the situation, they said.

As we have said, there are weeks not months before the JCPOAs core non-proliferation benefits are lost, they added. We are rapidly reaching the end of the road for this negotiation.

Russia's delegate to the talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, said the latest round has set a sound basis for more intensive negotiations.

The negotiators now much better understand each other, Ulyanov wrote on Twitter.

___

Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin and Matthew Lee in Honolulu, Hawaii, contributed to this report.
Courtesy /U.S. Customs and Border Protection

A man claimed he was threatened in Mexico to smuggle more than $1 million in crystal meth into the United States, according to an arrest affidavit.

Luis Francisco Mercado, 46, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with import, attempt to import and conspire to import the meth.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The Minnesota police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright told jurors at her manslaughter trial on Friday that she didnt want to hurt anybody that day, saying during sometimes tearful testimony that she shouted a warning about using her Taser on Wright after she saw fear in a fellow officers face.

Kim Potter, 49, has said she meant to draw her Taser instead of her handgun during the April 11 traffic stop in Brooklyn Center when she killed Wright. She testified that she was sorry it happened" and that she doesnt remember what she said or everything that happened after the shooting, saying much of her memory of those moments is missing.

Potter is charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist who was pulled over for having expired license plate tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Potter, who was training another officer at the time, said she probably wouldn't have pulled Wright's car over if she had been on her own that day because many drivers were late on renewing their tags at that point of the pandemic.

After she and the other two officers at the scene that day decided to arrest Wright on an outstanding warrant for a weapons violation, the encounter just went chaotic," Potter told the jury. Wright pulled away from the officers and got back in his car, police body camera footage of the traffic stop shows.

I remember yelling, Taser, Taser, Taser, and nothing happened, and then he told me I shot him, Potter said through tears. Her body camera video recorded Wright saying, Ah, he shot me an instant after the shooting.

Potters attorneys argued that she made a mistake but also would have been justified in using deadly force if she had meant to because one of the other officers, then-Sgt. Mychal Johnson, was at risk of being dragged by Wrights car.

Johnson testified last week that he was leaning into the car to make sure the gear shifter was in park and to shut off the vehicle, and that he had grabbed Wright's right arm with both hands to try to handcuff him. He said at the time he couldn't see what Potter was doing, but began backing out when he heard Potter shout, Taser!

Composite video appeared to show Johnsons hands still in the car at the time the shot was fired.

Potter said nothing in court about making a mistake, and she seemed to give a chronology of what happened without providing insight into what she was thinking.

During cross-examination, prosecutor Erin Eldridge noted that Potter testified that she decided to draw her Taser after she saw Johnson looked scared. Potter agreed that was her testimony. But Eldridge said Potter told a defense expert that she didn't know why she drew her Taser. Quoting from the expert's report, Eldridge said that Potter said: I dont have an answer, my brain said grab the Taser. Potter told the court she didn't recall saying that.

Eldridge also got Potter to say that she didn't plan to use deadly force.

Eldridge drove hard at Potters training, getting her to agree that her use-of-force training was a key component to being an officer. Potter testified that she was also trained on when to use force and how much to use, and that there was a policy that dictated what officers could or could not do.

Potter testified under questioning by one of her lawyers that she had no training on weapons confusion, saying it was mentioned in training but wasn't something her departments officers were physically trained on. She also said she never used a Taser while on duty during her 26 years on the force, though she had pulled it out a few times to de-escalate situations, and that she never used her gun until the day she shot Wright.

Potter, who was training Officer Anthony Luckey, said Luckey noticed Wrights car in a turn lane with the signal turned on inappropriately, then saw an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror as well as expired tags.

She said Luckey wanted to stop the vehicle, and although she most likely wouldn't have done so if shed been on patrol by herself, it is important for trainees to have many encounters with the public. She said after they found there was a warrant for Wright's arrest, they were required to take him into custody.

She said they also were required to find out who Wrights female passenger was because a woman  a different one, as it turned out  had taken out a restraining order against him.

While defense attorney Earl Gray walked her though what happened, he did not ask her whether she meant to draw her Taser. A prosecution witness testified earlier in the week that she would not have decided to use her Taser if she thought there was a danger it could cause a death or great bodily harm.

Potter, who resigned two days after the shooting, was matter-of-fact and gave brief answers for most of the cross-examination.

Under questioning by her own attorney, Potter said she has been in therapy since the shooting, and that she left Minnesota and is no longer a police officer. She said she quit the police force because there was so much bad things happening. ... I didnt want anything bad to happen to the city.

Wright's death set off angry demonstrations for several days in Brooklyn Center. It happened as another white officer, Derek Chauvin, was standing trial in nearby Minneapolis for the killing of George Floyd.

Before Potter took the stand, a defense witness testified that police officers can mistakenly draw their guns instead of Tasers under high-stress situations because their ingrained training takes over.

Laurence Miller, a psychologist who teaches at Florida Atlantic University, said that the more someone repeats the same act, the less they have to think about it. Miller said that when a person learns a new skill, memory of an old skill might override that, resulting in an action error in which an intended action has an unintended effect.

You intend to do one thing, think youre doing that thing, but do something else and only realize later that the action that you intended was not the one you took, he said.

Some experts are skeptical of the theory. Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina who is not involved in Potter's trial, has said theres no science behind it.

On cross-examination, Eldridge quoted from a 2010 article Miller wrote in which he described how police can avoid what he termed one big mistake. He wrote that many such mistakes are preventable through proper training and practice.

State sentencing guidelines call for just over seven years in prison upon conviction of first-degree manslaughter and four years for second-degree, though prosecutors have said they plan to push for longer sentences.

Both sides will present closing arguments Monday before the case goes to the mostly white jury.

___

Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. Associated Press writers Tammy Webber in Fenton, Michigan, and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis also contributed.

___

Find the APs full coverage of the Daunte Wright case: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright
WASHINGTON (AP)  In the months since President Joe Biden warned Russia's Vladimir Putin that he needed to crack down on ransomware gangs in his country, there hasnt been a massive attack like the one last May that resulted in gasoline shortages. But thats small comfort to Ken Trzaska.

Trzaska is president of Lewis & Clark Community College, a small Illinois school that canceled classes for days after a ransomware attack last month that knocked critical computer systems offline.

That first day, Trzaska said, I think all of us were probably up 20-plus hours, just moving through the process, trying to get our arms around what happened.

Even if the United States isnt currently enduring large-scale, front-page ransomware attacks on par with ones earlier this year that targeted the global meat supply or kept millions of Americans from filling their gas tanks, the problem hasn't disappeared. In fact, the attack on Trzaska's college was part of a barrage of lower-profile episodes that have upended the businesses, governments, schools and hospitals that were hit.

The colleges ordeal reflects the challenges the Biden administration faces in stamping out the threat  and its uneven progress in doing so since ransomware became an urgent national security problem last spring.

U.S. officials have recaptured some ransom payments, cracked down on abuses of cryptocurrency, and made some arrests. Spy agencies have launched attacks against ransomware groups and the U.S. has pushed federal, state and local governments, as well as private industries, to boost protections.

Yet six months after Biden's admonitions to Putin, its hard to tell whether hackers have eased up because of U.S. pressure. Smaller-scale attacks continue, with ransomware criminals continuing to operate from Russia with seeming impunity. Administration officials have given conflicting assessments about whether Russia's behavior has changed since last summer. Further complicating matters, ransomware is no longer at the top of the U.S.-Russia agenda, with Washington focused on dissuading Putin from invading Ukraine.

The White House said in a statement that it was determined to fight all ransomware through its various tools but that the governments response depends on the severity of the attack.

There are some that are law enforcement matters and others that are high impact, disruptive ransomware activity posing a direct national security threat that require other measures, the White House statement said.

Ransomware attacks  in which hackers lock up victims data and demand exorbitant sums to return it  surfaced as a national security emergency for the administration after a May attack on Colonial Pipeline, which supplies nearly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast.

The attack prompted the company to halt operations, causing gas shortages for days, though it resumed service after paying more than $4 million in ransom. Soon after came an attack on meat processor JBS, which paid an $11 million ransom.

Biden met with Putin in June in Geneva, where he suggested critical infrastructure sectors should be off limits for ransomware and said the U.S. should know in six months to a year whether we have a cybersecurity arrangement that begins to bring some order.

He reiterated the message in July, days after a major attack on a software company, Kaseya, that affected hundreds of businesses, and said he expected Russia to take action on cybercriminals when the U.S. provides enough information to do so.

Since then, there have been some notable attacks from groups believed to be based in Russia, including against Sinclair Broadcast Group and the National Rifle Association, but none of the same consequence or impact of those from last spring or summer.

One reason may be increased U.S. government scrutiny, or fear of it.

The Biden administration in September sanctioned a Russia-based virtual currency exchange that officials say helped ransomware gangs launder funds. Last month, the Justice Department unsealed charges against a suspected Ukrainian ransomware operator who was arrested in Poland, and has recovered millions of dollars in ransom payments. Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of U.S. Cyber Command, told The New York Times his agency has begun offensive operations against ransomware groups. The White House says that whole-of-government effort will continue.

I think the ransomware folks, the ones conducting them, are stepping back like, Hey, if we do that, thats going to get the United States government coming after us offensively, Kevin Powers, security strategy adviser for cyber risk firm CyberSaint, said of attacks against critical infrastructure.

U.S. officials, meanwhile, have shared a small number of names of suspected ransomware operators with Russian officials, who have said they have started investigating, according to two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Its unclear what Russia will do with those names, though Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted the countries have been having a useful dialogue and said a working mechanism has been established and is actually functioning.

It's also hard to measure the impact of individual arrests on the overall threat. Even as the suspected ransomware hacker awaits extradition to the U.S. following his arrest in Poland, another who was indicted by federal prosecutors was later reported by a British tabloid to be living comfortably in Russia and driving luxury cars.

Some are skeptical about attributing any drop-off in high-profile attacks to U.S. efforts.

It could have just been a fluke, said Dmitri Alperovitch, former chief technology officer of the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. He said asking Russia to crack down on large-scale attacks wont work because its way too granular of a request to calibrate criminal activity they dont even fully control.

Top American officials have given conflicting answers about ransomware trends since Bidens discussions with Putin. Some FBI and Justice Department officials say theyve seen no change in Russian behavior. National Cyber Director Chris Inglis said there's been a discernible decrease in attacks but that it was too soon to say why.

Its hard to quantify the number of attacks given the lack of baseline information and uneven reporting from victims, though the absence of disruptive incidents is an important marker for a White House trying to focus its attention on the most significant national security risks and catastrophic breaches.

Victims of ransomware attacks in the past few months have included hospitals, small businesses, colleges like Howard University  which briefly took many of its systems offline after discovering a September attack  and Virginia's legislature.

The attack at Lewis & Clark, in Godfrey, Illinois, was discovered two days before Thanksgiving when the school's IT director detected suspicious activity and proactively took systems offline, said Trzaska, the president.

A ransom note from hackers demanded a payment, though Trzaska declined to reveal the sum or identify the culprits. Though many attacks come from hackers in Russia or Eastern Europe, some originate elsewhere.

With vital education systems affected, including email and the school's online learning platform, administrators canceled classes for days after the Thanksgiving break and communicated updates to students via social media and through a public alert system.

The college, which had backups on the majority of its servers, resumed operations this month.

The ordeal was daunting enough to inspire Trzaska and another college president who he says endured a similar experience to plan a cybersecurity panel.

The stock quote from everyone," Trzaska said, is not if it's going to happen but when it's going to happen."

___

Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writer Dasha Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report.
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

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A young man has died following an early morning road accident in county Longford.

Gardai are investigating a fatal single vehicle road traffic collision that occurred at approximately 12:30am this morning at Coolnahinch, Cullyfad Road, Longford.

A passenger of the sole vehicle involved in this collision, a man in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene.

His body has been removed to the mortuary where a post mortem will be conducted at a later date.

Longford judge: Unduly harsh if restaurant owner lost out on citizenship for using false driving licence A Chinese restaurant owner was concerned that a conviction for using a false driving licence could have serious consequences for his hopes of securing Irish citizenship, a recent sitting of Longford District Court heard.

Man arrested in Longford armed garda raid appears at High Court A Longford man in his fifties has appeared before the High Court this afternoon following an armed garda search operation earlier today.

The driver of the vehicle, a man in his 20s, was taken to Mullingar Regional Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The road is currently closed and the services of Forensic Collision Investigators have been requested. Local diversions are in place.

Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. Any road users who were travelling in the area at this time and may have camera footage (including dash-cam) are asked to make this footage available to Gardai.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Longford Garda Station on 043 335 0570, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
An IFA delegation led by President Tim Cullinan met EU Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and the Capital Markets Union Mairead McGuinness in Dublin recently.

Among the issues discussed were CAP Reform, input prices, the Brexit Adjustment Reserve, taxonomy and live exports.

While CAP Reform has more or less concluded at EU level, we stressed to Mairead McGuinness that the Irish Government needs to use the latitude negotiated in the agreement to do more to support productive farmers and the vulnerable sectors.

In addition, Member States should be allowed to use the flexibility available to them, rather than feeling pressurised to implement the targets in the EU Farm to Fork plan, which are not binding.

We also highlighted our concern about escalating input prices on farm margins, and the need for the EU to remove anti-dumping duties that apply on fertiliser coming into the EU, he said.

While the allocation to Ireland under the Brexit Adjustment Reserve is certainly welcome, it's unclear within the terms and conditions how farmers will qualify. Farmers have not felt the full brunt of Brexit so far, but the trade deals the UK are doing and the impact this could have on Irish farmers in the period ahead is concerning, he said.

We emphasised the challenges posed by the removal of UK concessions through 2022, as well as concerns about Irish producers being able to secure seed potatoes from the UK. 

The importance of the classification of agricultural activities under the EUs Taxonomy plan, which Commissioner McGuinness has responsibility for, was also discussed.

Finally, in light of the recent recommendations on live exports by the European Parliament sub-committee on Animal Welfare, we stressed the strategic importance of live exports to Ireland as an island nation.
The High Court has extended an order preserving the anonymity of the man known as YZ convicted over his role in the kidnapping and seriously assault committed on businessman Kevin Lunney.

In a ruling on Friday Mr Justice Charles Meenan agreed to extend the anonymity order until January 18 next.

The order was due to expire earlier this week, but the man's lawyers successfully applied to the Special Criminal Court for an extension for a week to allow them seeking a High Court order allowing him to remain anonymous.

Longford judge: Unduly harsh if restaurant owner lost out on citizenship for using false driving licence A Chinese restaurant owner was concerned that a conviction for using a false driving licence could have serious consequences for his hopes of securing Irish citizenship, a recent sitting of Longford District Court heard.

The High Court's decision means the man cannot be identified by the media when he returns before the Special Criminal Court on Monday when he and two others are due to be sentenced for the crimes they committed against Mr Lunney who is a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH).

The application to extend the order was brought to protect the man's rights to a fair trial.

He has other unrelated criminal matters pending before the Criminal Courts.

He claims that his naming by the media in reports which are likely to receive widespread coverage, could prejudice his rights to a fair trial before a judge and jury, it is claimed.

As a result of his concerns about getting a fair trial the man launched High Court judicial review proceedings against the DPP and the Special Criminal where he seeks orders including a temporary order extending his anonymity.

Michael O'Higgins SC for the man said that it is their case that the man's anonymity should be preserved until a date in mid-January at least, when it should be known when the trials of other pending matters are likely to be heard.

Counsel said that there were concerns that the likely extensive media coverage his client is likely to get if he were to be named on Monday could "influence" members of a jury hearing unrelated and separate allegations against him.

Counsel said that based on decisions made in other cases a fade factor of about six months, between the time of his client is sentenced when he is to go before a judge and jury i the other courts, was required.

The application was opposed by lawyers for the DPP.

Sean Guerin SC for the DPP said that the anonymity order should be lifted.

The order had been granted at a time when the man was facing trial before the Central Criminal Court.

That prosecution was discontinued, counsel said.

However, the man had been tried and convicted before a criminal court and there is a fundament right of the media to publish the names of those convicted of crimes before the courts, bar in limited exceptional circumstances.

Publication counsel added is a "fundamental element of our Constitutional system of justice."

Counsel said rather than seek to extend the order the man's lawyers should make an application to have the other trials heard in October 2022 which would be well beyond the accepted fade factor of six months.

In his decision Mr Justice Meenan accepted that the trial of those convicted of serious criminal offences against Mr Lunney had received widespread media coverage.

He added that it could be anticipated that next Monday's sentencing hearing would also receive widespread coverage in the media.

The judge also accepted that this was not a case where normally reporting restrictions would normally apply.

However, he was prepared to grant the man permission to bring his action and grant a temporary extension on the anonymity order.

The man's lawyers, he said, had made out an arguable case that his rights to a fair trial could be prejudiced if the order was removed.

However, he said that the case law was such that any interference with the accepted right of the public to know and the media to publish the names of those convicted before the courts should be "minimal."

The judge directed that the matter should return before him in mid-January.

The judge said that by then the position regarding when the man's pending trials are likely to be heard will be known.

While it depended on what dates those trials are fixed for, the Judge said that it may well be the case that a further extension of the anonymity order is required.

Following trials before the non-jury Special Criminal Court earlier this year YZ was convicted along with two other men of false imprisonment and intentionally causing harm to Mr Lunney at a yard at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17, 2019.

The trial heard that Mr Lunney, was abducted when driving to his home.

The court heard that Mr Lunney was dragged from his vehicle by two men before YZ approached, held a Stanley knife to Mr Lunney's face and told him to get into the boot of a car.

YZ drove with his two accomplices took Mr Lunney to the remote farmyard where they stripped him to his boxer shorts, doused him in bleach, shattered his shin bone with two blows of a wooden bat, punched and kicked him, sliced his face with a Stanley knife and carved the letters QIH into his chest.

The men told Mr Lunney to resign from his position with QIH and end legal proceedings he was involved with in Belfast and Dublin.

Delivering the SCC's verdict last month, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that YZ was "heavily involved in these crimes before, during and after the commission thereof."

The SCC was satisfied that YZ was the driver of the car used to take Mr Lunney to the yard and that he was "responsible for inflicting most of Mr Lunney's serious injuries."
Hospitality chiefs have warned that new Covid restrictions will decimate their trade and lead to job losses in Ireland.

The Irish cabinet has agreed that hospitality venues, cinemas and theatres should have a closing time of 8pm from Monday to deal with the threat from the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

Padraig Cribben, chief executive of the Vinters Federaton of Ireland (VFI) said pubs would be forced to close their doors for the duration of the restrictions.

'They may as well close us down completely': Longford publicans slam Nphet's 5pm curfew proposals The Government will effectively close down Longford's entire hospitality sector in one fell swoop if it accepts Nphet's "crazy" proposals to introduce a 5pm curfew from Monday.

He added: I guess the government thinks we should feel grateful for the 8pm closing given Nphets demand for a 5pm curfew.

The reality is this decision will decimate the trade that was already on its knees.

Christmas was the one chance we had to recoup some of the losses amassed earlier in the year but were now in a situation where staff will lose their jobs and pubs will shut one week before Christmas as they see little point in opening under these conditions.

While Government may see 8pm as a compromise the reality is that many pubs dont open until 5pm so three hours trading is unworkable for them.

Even for pubs that open earlier the majority of their trade takes place at night time.

He added: Given the relentless public health message over the past number of weeks to avoid socialising the public had already cancelled bookings in record numbers.

There was no need to further restrict trading hours as our customers are safer in regulated pubs that adhere to guidelines instead of house parties and shebeens.

Our members are left wondering what the plan is for hospitality.

These restrictions are meant to be lifted at the end of January but there is literally no guarantee this will happen.





Chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Adrian Cummins said it was a devastating blow to the hospitality industry.

Longford's hospitality industry facing "utter devastation" if closure fears become reality Restaurant bosses have warned of "utter devastation" if the sector is once again forced to close due to a sudden surge in coronavirus cases.

He added: The majority of hospitality businesses rely on income from the Christmas period to see them through the quieter first two months of the year.

The loss of income over Christmas is about more than just the festive season, it is about surviving the winter months.

It is imperative that financial supports are put in place immediately to offset the impact this will have for businesses and their employees and enable them to survive.

As a sector and as a country we need better engagement on what the plan for living with this disease will be going forward.

The current last minute reactionary approach is not working, we stand as always, ready able and willing to engage with Government on a plan for the survival and reopening of hospitality.

The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) said the Government measures were closure in camouflage.

LVA chief executive Donall OKeeffe said, Obviously we are very disappointed about this decision as it clearly amounts to closure in camouflage.

Most of our members will now take the decision to shut their doors as they simply wont be able to afford operating in these conditions.

Many pubs have been expressing the view that they would rather be asked to close than have to accept an arbitrary curfew of 5pm or 8pm.

We also seem to be heading towards ongoing, rolling closures of hospitality for as long as the pandemic persists.

If thats going to be the case then the Government should be upfront and tell it straight to the industry.

If thats not what they want then a plan of practical measures such as ventilation standards that will allow our industry to function while Covid-19 and its many variants are still an active part of our lives has to be developed.

We cant stay closed indefinitely, yet that increasingly seems to be the Governments approach to our sector.

Irish Hotels Federation president Elaina Fitzgerald Kane urged the Government to intervene with immediate additional business and employment support.

She said: This is soul destroying for businesses and for our teams and the many communities across the country that rely so heavily on tourism.

The financial hit to hotels and guesthouses has been truly stark in recent weeks, and todays announcement is another severe blow.

It is doing untold damage to businesses at a time when they are already struggling, with events cancelled and occupancy levels at near all-time lows.
Pembridge Resources PLC - London-based investor in Minto Explorations Ltd - Raises GBP320,000 through a subscription of 6.4 million shares at a price of 5 pence per share, and has raised GBP80,000 through the issue of a convertible loan note to CEO and Chair Gati Al-Jebouri.

Proceeds from the loan note and subscription will go towards bolstering the company's balance sheet until cash inflows start from the Minto mine. In addition, funds will be used to be the Minto mine into operation and identify new projects which the company can invest in.

Looking ahead, company expects to receive CAD4.0 million from Minto during 2022, with the first CAD1.0 million payment expected at or around the end of the first quarter.

"This is an exciting time for Pembridge. Having achieved what we set out to do with our investment in Minto Metals Corp. we are now in a position to consider the future of Pembridge itself. Our single asset portfolio is a very strong basis for growing Pembridge and the time has come to identify and negotiate new investments," Al-Jebouri said.

Current stock price: 5.10 pence

Year-to-date change: down 1.9%

By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
LEI: 213800Q6ZKHAOV48JL75

16 December 2021

DOMINO'S PIZZA GROUP PLC

Resolution with franchisees heralds new era of collaboration and accelerated growth

Domino's Pizza Group plc ("DPG" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has reached resolution (the "Resolution") with its franchisees to unlock the significant latent potential of the Domino's system and accelerate both near-term and long-term growth.

DPG believes the Resolution is a great outcome for all stakeholders: both DPG and franchisees' long-term growth and profitability stand to improve with increased system sales and more new store openings, customers will benefit from further strengthened innovation and service, employees in the system will benefit from further recruitment and a more collaborative and growth-oriented environment, and shareholders will benefit from enhanced value creation.

Despite a long history of strong performance, the Board recognises that in recent years DPG has lagged comparable Domino's businesses around the world. This Resolution unlocks an issue which has held the Company back and means DPG and its franchisees can begin a new era of collaboration in which the system can realise its full potential.

The Resolution was reached between the Domino's Franchisee Association ("DFA") and DPG, and has received overwhelming support with franchisees representing over 99% of UK stores voting in favour of the Resolution.

Following the launch of a new strategy and capital allocation framework in March the Company has made significant strategic progress this year and is building strong momentum. We have made excellent digital progress with our new App, launched our 'Domin-Oh-Hoo-Hoo' integrated media campaign, opened a new supply chain centre, exited international markets, and continued to recruit top talent to the Company. All this has been done in the midst of a challenging operating environment. We are now delighted to finish the year with a great Resolution with our franchisees.

Terms of the Resolution

Under the Resolution, and consistent with our strategic growth plan, DPG will make strategic investments in the system to improve capabilities and drive system sales growth primarily through order count. Specifically, the Company has committed to:

 One-time capital investment of approximately 20m, spread over three years, in digital acceleration, personalisation, ecommerce app development and in-store innovation to enhance the customer experience and drive top-line growth;

 Increased marketing investment to support new national campaigns and promotions;

 An enhanced food rebate mechanism for franchisees to encourage order growth, which is conditional on franchisees meeting new store opening targets and order count thresholds; and

 An improved new store incentive scheme to reward, encourage and accelerate new store openings.

In return for DPG's investments, franchisees have agreed to the following important commitments, which also aim to drive system sales growth through increased order count:

 A commitment to an enhanced schedule of new store openings, equating to at least 45 new stores to be opened per annum over the next three years, significantly ahead of levels achieved in previous years;

 A commitment to participate in new national promotional deals focused on both delivery and collection, in contrast to a lack of national advertising and promotions in recent years;

 An agreement to prioritise, test, and roll-out new technology and product innovation (such as GPS tracking) and to test new store formats, which would bring the DPG system in-line with peer companies; and

 Support for changes by DPG aimed at driving efficiency across the system.

The Resolution will run for an initial period of three years from 3 January 2022.

Financial Guidance

DPG expects results for FY21 to be in line with expectations.

In FY22, DPG expects an acceleration in system sales growth (excluding the benefit of the reduced rate of VAT), largely driven by increased store openings and an acceleration in LFL growth due to the operating and capital investments associated with the Resolution. Despite the investments associated with the Resolution, the Company expects FY22 underlying EBITDA1 and EPS2 to be in line with current market expectations. Furthermore, both DPG and its franchisees are now positioned to drive higher system sales and profitability, through the medium and longer-term.

The Company is also increasing its medium-term expectations and now expects to achieve at least the upper end of the previously announced targets of 1.6bn - 1.9bn of system sales and exceed the medium-term target of 200 new stores. DPG can now drive growth by capitalising on deeper collaboration and significant opportunities such as increasing collection, leveraging national advertising campaigns, increasing menu innovation, reducing delivery times, improving digital innovation, and enhancing its value orientation. The operating environment remains challenging however we have shown throughout the pandemic that the strength of our delivery business, brand and vertically integrated business model can operate successfully and deliver strong results.

DPG's one-time capital expenditure related to the Resolution will equate to approximately 20m over three years, which will result in a temporary increase in depreciation over the next few years, normalising thereafter. In FY22, we anticipate investments in the business to be weighted toward the first half of the year.

DPG has a highly cash generative, asset-light business model which is underpinned by a clear capital allocation framework. Our first priority is to invest in the business to drive long-term organic growth. We will continue to maximise shareholder returns through a sustainable and progressive dividend and distributing an annual allocation of surplus cash through share buybacks. In FY21 we have returned 136m of surplus capital to shareholders via dividends and share buybacks and will update the market with guidance for the FY22 dividend and buyback programme at the full year results in March 2022.

Dominic Paul, Chief Executive Officer, said:

"This is an important moment for Domino's, and I'm delighted we have reached what is truly a great resolution with our franchisees.

"We saw first-hand through the pandemic how, when we work together, we win together. I firmly believe that the resolution we have reached is a good one for franchisees, our people, and our shareholders. It means that our interests are aligned, and we are now in an even stronger position to execute our strategic plan. Our franchisees are truly world-class, and we are looking forward to accelerating our growth together.

"Our business continues to perform strongly, and we are looking to the future with confidence. Combined with our new strategic plan which is focused on accelerating our growth in both delivery and collection, the resolution we are announcing today can unleash the power of the Domino's brand, and enable us to deliver long-term, sustainable growth which will benefit all our stakeholders."

Mark Millar, DFA Chairman, said:

"This framework for growth is the result of many months of discussions, and the DFA and its members are pleased to have reached an agreement that brings Domino's and its franchisees closer together and enables us to focus on a future that delivers growth for all. The DFA represents the overwhelming majority of franchisees and what unites all of us is our belief in, and passion for, the Domino's brand.

"We are excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to working closely with the management team at Domino's to deliver the full potential of the brand."

1. Underlying EBITDA is defined as underlying earnings before tax, interest, depreciation and amortisation

2. Underlying EPS is defined as underlying basic earnings per share

Analyst and Investor call

A call for investors and analysts will be held at 9am (GMT) today. The call can be accessed via the registration link and will also be available on the Results, Reports and Presentations page of our corporate website.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ("MAR") and is disclosed in accordance with DPG's obligations under Article 17 of MAR.

The person responsible for making this notification is Adrian Bushnell, Company Secretary.

For further information, please contact:

Domino's Pizza Group plc:

Will MacLaren, Head of Investor Relations - 07443 192 118

Brunswick:

Tim Danaher, Samantha Chiene - 020 7404 5959

About Domino's Pizza Group

Domino's Pizza Group plc is the UK's leading pizza brand and a major player in the Irish market. We hold the master franchise agreement to own, operate and franchise Domino's stores in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. We also have an associate investment in Germany and Luxembourg.
Kangana Ranaut has been vocal about every issue that arises in Bollywood or otherwise. Whether it is nepotism or a drug probe, she doesnt hold back from not only expressing her views but also dragging the names of her colleagues from the film fraternity.



 Instagram/Kangana Ranaut

While some stayed silent, others hit back on the same medium (social media) and cleared the air. However, some even sued her for false allegations and defamation. Case in point, popular Bollywood lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar.



 Instagram/Shabana Azmi

Akhtar had filed a complaint under various sections of IPC against Ranaut stating that she had linked him in the Sushant Singh Rajputs death case. He also mentioned that she had made defamatory comments against him on national television.



The case is under Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM). However, Kangana has now approached the sessions court to transfer the case claiming that the magistrate is biased and had misused his powers to cause intentional injury to her.

 Instagram/Kangana Ranaut

The plea states, "With a biased mind, the Magistrate was intentionally causing prejudice to Ranaut's rights and liberties, inter alia by threatening to issue an arrest warrant against Ranaut to secure her presence before him for a 'bailable' and 'non-congnizable' offence."



She further adds that the CMM's order is "grossly erroneous as it has failed to consider that the magistrate has exercised his discretion arbitrarily and without the application of a trained judicial mind, which has resulted in the failure of justice."

 Instagram/Kangana Ranaut

And, that the Andheri Magistrate "has intentionally and willfully caused injury to the mind of Ranaut, which further harmed her image and reputation by callously announcing in an open court on two different occasions, namely on July 27, 2021 and September 14, 2021, before the media personnel, that "if the applicant is not present for hearing on the next date, an arrest warrant will be issued against her."



 Instagram/Kangana Ranaut

The court however maintains that she was absent on six hearings and the magistrate RR Khan allowed exemption on two occasions, rejecting Akhtars plea to issue a non-bailable warrant against her for not appearing in the court.



 Instagram/Kangana Ranaut

Kangana made a similar appeal in October which was rejected by in-charge CMM ST Dande stating, "If on the basis of false allegation, the matter is transferred, it will affect the morale of the Presiding Officer.


Neo aka John Wick aka the nicest guy in Hollywood, Matrix lead actor and Hollywood star Keanu Reeves is a legend on his own and a man who needs no introduction.

But if one were to be given to him, I think its safe to say that it would be along the lines of him being the most charming and considerate actor in the industry.

A fact that was recently corroborated by actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas who would be soon seen playing alongside the actor in the upcoming movie - The Matrix Resurrections.

 Twitter

During a Red Table Talk by Jada Pinkett Smith, Keanu Reeves along with actors like Carrie-Anne Moss and Priyanka Chopra were invited to celebrate the 100th episode of RTT.



As half the cast of The Matrix Resurrections got together and gabbed, the topic about just how amazing Keanu is, both as an actor and as a person, came up and obviously people agreed.

While they were on the topic, Jade turned to Keanu and asked him what he felt about the title being given to him by his fans and co-stars. She asked, Keanu, everyone says youre Hollywoods nicest guy, and youre such a giving person. What do you do to give to yourself?

An important question to ask for someone who managed to break the norms of being success and wealth-driven in the industry, as hes always been humble and committed to his craft.

 Twitter

Of course, like any other person who doesnt know what to do when they receive a compliment, Reeves bent over and buried his head in his legs, blushing. And while that went for a while, because how does one even respond to such a question, Keanu eventually managed to give the most wholesome answer to this question.



With a coy smile on his face, Reeves said, Lets go for motorcycle ride, lets read. I love going to the movies. For me, my work is that as well. I often sometimes get asked, You know, youve been at this for a while, and theyre like, Do you still love it? And Im like, Yeah, I love it even more. For me, work is life.

 Twitter

Now, how often do you see a star such as himself be so grounded and appreciate the simpler things in life?



Clearly, Priyanka Chopra wasnt lying when she narrated her tale about Keanu Reeves being a pillar of strength. He truly is the stuff legends are made of.
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).
After a group of disturbing TikTok posts warning of school shootings and bomb threats at every school around the nation on Friday went viral, Michigan schools are taking heightened precautions by increasing police presence with some districts closing down for the day.

The vague, anonymous posts circulating online encouraged students to bring weapons to school on Friday, Dec. 17 to commit acts of violence.

The threat, labeled by TikTok users as "National Shoot Up Your School Day" and "National Blow Up Your School Day," does not name a specific school or district, however, Michigan educators were especially on edge as they faced a deadly school shooting on Nov. 30 at Oxford High School, The Associated Press reports.

While it's unclear where the TikTok school threat emerged, there are now hundreds of other TikTok posts referencing the challenge and warning students to take precautions, people.com reported.

Here's an example of different posts seemingly warning fellow students against attending class on Friday.

Law enforcement and schools have assured parents they're monitoring the situation closely and the threats aren't considered credible.

The Michigan State Police, among law enforcement agencies responding to the posts, said in a statement Thursday it was unaware of any credible threats.

However, in Manistee County, numerous schools, including Manistee Area Public Schools, shut down on Friday in response to the threats.

The Manistee City Police Chief, Joshua Glass, released a statement regarding the area's specific threats.

"On Thursday, December 16th, at approximately 8:42 p.m., the Manistee City Police Department received information of a social media post regarding a possible threat to Manistee Middle/High School," the statement reads. "The post warned students not to attend school on Friday, December 17th, and indicated there was going to be a shooting. The Manistee City Police Department worked closely with MAPS administration, the Manistee County Sheriffs Office, and the Michigan State Police to investigate the origins of this social media post. During that investigation, officers were able to identify and interview the author of the post, who was a juvenile. The Manistee City Police Department will be submitting a report to the Manistee County Prosecutors Office to review for potential criminal charges."

The police department also stressed to think before you post on any social media platform and reminded residents to report threats to OK2say, a student safety program available statewide that allows Michiganders to submit anonymous tips.

As for mid-Michigan, Midland Public Schools have not had any threats occur from the challenge, according to Superintendent Michael Sharrow.

"MPS has several protocols on how we respond to a threat to a school or an individual," Sharrow wrote in an email. "The communication we sent to all parents and our secondary level students after the Oxford tragedy triggered threats throughout our state, addressed the seriousness of threats and the actions MPS would take if a threat to MPS occurred.

"The Tik Tok challenge is another example of a poor decision and use of social media to cause undue stress and harm to schools throughout our nation," he continued.

In a statement on Twitter, TikTok said it was working with law enforcement to investigate, the AP reports.

"We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why were working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok," the statement said.

This is not an isolated issue. The school shooting challenge is only the latest harmful challenge to cause trouble in schools.

In September, the "devious licks" challenge had kids around the U.S. stealing soap dispensers off the walls of school bathrooms and committing other acts of vandalism.

And in October, the "slap your teacher" challenge resulted in some students facing charges.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)  The family of an Oakland man who died after police held him down filed a wrongful death lawsuit Friday, contending officers asphyxiated him during a confrontation that drew protests and comparisons to the death of George Floyd.

The lawsuit cites a report released last week by the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau that said the April 19 death of Mario Gonzalez was a homicide. The report said Gonzalez died from the toxic effects of methamphetamine" but that the physiologic stress" from his struggling and being restrained by police contributed to his death, along with alcoholism and obesity.

Officers had responded to a park to check reports that Gonzalez, 26, was acting strangely and appeared to be breaking security tags off alcohol bottles that he had in two drugstore baskets.

His brother, Jerry Gonzalez, told The Associated Press in April that Gonzalez liked to get away from their neighborhood in east Oakland  where gang shootings, robberies and murders are common  and go to nearby Alameda, a city on an island with beautiful homes, tree-lined streets and many parks.

Gonzalez died after three officers and a civilian parking enforcement employee pinned him face-down on the ground for more than five minutes, according to body camera video released by police that showed one officer with a knee on his back. Gonzalez stopped breathing and later died.

His death came a day before a jury in Minneapolis found former police officer Derrick Chauvin guilty of murder in Floyd's custody death.

In a statement released after the coroners report was issued, Alameda Police Chief Nishant Joshi said the officers involved remain on administrative leave and their peace officer powers have been suspended.

Joshi said he was committed to full transparency and accountability into the tragic death of Mr. Gonzalez.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court on behalf of Gonzalez's 5-year-old son, Mario Jr., and names the city of Alameda, the former interim police chief and the three officers. It alleges wrongful use of deadly force, negligence and civil rights violations.

The suit alleges police improperly escalated the confrontation with Gonzalez, who appeared disoriented and confused but not threatening, ignored signs that he was dying and used improper restraint that asphyxiated him.

Gonzalez squirmed around in a desperate attempt to breathe, but never attacked, threatened, or violently resisted any officer, the suit said.

Mario was a peaceful, calm person, Mario Jr.s mother, Andrea Cortez, said in a statement released by the attorneys who filed the suit.

He adored our son and was a good father," she said, adding officers should have known to use better tactics.

He wasnt hurting anyone, and he was clearly confused," Cortez said. "If they had rolled him on his side when the first officer said to, my sons father might still be here.

The Alameda County district attorneys office, which is investigating Gonzalezs death, didnt immediately return an email seeking comment.

Alison Berry Wilkinson, the attorney for the officers, said that they look forward to the opportunity to prove in federal court that their actions during this encounter were reasonable, necessary, and lawful."

This was an unintended, unexpected and tragic death" and the officers used only trained and accepted law enforcement techniques," she said in an email.

As the coroner noted, the cause of death was drug toxicity, and many of the injuries listed in the complaint were the result of the officers aggressive efforts to save Mr. Gonzalezs life rather than their efforts to handcuff him," Wilkinson said.
HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP)  U.S. Air Force Special Air Mission 50601 departed from Joint Base Andrews on the night of Dec. 9 with an ambitious journey ahead  an eight-day, around-the-world trip with America's top diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

But the diplomatic mission to Britain, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand would soon be upended by the global surge in coronavirus cases. At least three members of the traveling party tested positive for COVID-19 and forced the abrupt cancellation of the last stop and a frantic re-calculation of the remaining itinerary.

The Air Force confirmed on Saturday that at least two members of its crew on the plane had tested positive for COVID. That followed the State Department's announcement that a journalist among the traveling press corps had tested positive, which alarmed the rest of the party and resulted in the trip being cut short.

Two U.S. Air Force aircrew members supporting the Secretary of States international travel tested positive for COVID-19," Ann Stefanek, the chief of media operations for the Air Force, said in a statement. Both aircrew members were fully vaccinated. Neither had come into close contact with the Secretary of State or senior staff.

She said one is asymptomatic, while the other is experiencing mild symptoms and that both are following host nation COVID protocols, which generally mandate a 10-day quarantine.

The first crew member, who was symptomatic, tested positive in Jakarta, after arriving in the Indonesian capital from Liverpool, England, where Blinken participated in a Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting.

It was not immediately clear where the second crew member tested positive, but the journalist tested positive in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, according to the State Department, which has declined to comment on the Air Force cases.

The journalist's diagnosis in Malaysia set off a panic among the traveling party because of quarantine requirements for those testing positive at the next stop in Thailand.

Presented with a series of options to avoid the possibility of others testing positive, especially before the Christmas holiday, Blinken opted to curtail his trip. Instead of spending Wednesday night in Thailand and having meetings there the next day, Blinken made a brief stop at the airport in Bangkok to replace the infected crew members and did not leave his plane.

He then flew to Guam, an American territory in the Pacific, and then to Hawaii before returning to Washington early Friday morning.

The State Department says it has more than fulfilled the Centers for Disease Control guidance for COVID, by requiring every member of the traveling party to take daily COVID tests over the course of the trip and asking all of those on board the plane to take follow-up tests.

The department said Saturday that all official members of the traveling party had tested negative for the virus upon their return to Washington.

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Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report.
Alexis Jennings said she felt she had exhausted all her options when she contacted the government housing office at Camp Pendleton, Calif., to ask about the newly established right to withhold the familys $2,949 monthly rent for an on-base home.

She has been mired in a monthslong disagreement with the private landlord about extensive home repairs caused by a water leak that occurred in June. Because of mold growth in the Jennings home, the family of seven wanted to move elsewhere as repairs were made. They have not been able to reach an agreement on this with Liberty Military Housing, formerly known as Lincoln Military Housing, which manages housing at the base.

Instead, they remain in the home, which does not have a functioning kitchen.

The message I get is, Youre not a priority,  said Jennings, whose husband, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class James Jennings, had a heart transplant a year ago. Were stuck.

A representative for Liberty said in a statement that they follow Defense Department policy when it comes to displacing residents and coordinate with the base housing office.

The right to withhold rent became an option to most residents of military family housing on June 1, including those living at Camp Pendleton. It is one of 18 outlined in the tenant bill of rights, a congressionally mandated list of rights for military families living in on-base housing that is managed through a contract with a private company. The rights were established through the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, with most others made available to families in May 2020.

The ability to withhold rent or place it in a separate account during a dispute is part of a tenants right to a dispute-resolution process. The two rights were delayed more than a year as the Defense Department negotiated with the contracted companies to implement the policy.

However, some military housing advocates have said Jennings isnt alone in the challenges that she faced to use those rights and they would like to see Congress review and revise the process.

The spirit of the tenant bill of rights was enacted to assist military families fighting for adequate housing, but instead created excessive red tape, said Sarah Lynne Kline, co-founder and community outreach director for the nonprofit Armed Forces Housing Advocates. Families seeking dispute resolution are being told they have not met the arbitrary standard that was put in place but never released to the resident.

Earlier this month, Kline said she visited members of Congress to discuss the challenges families have faced.

Not only do some military families face hurdles in applying for the formal process, but once they begin the policies are not being followed properly or commanders are rejecting the findings of investigations that agree with tenants health and safety concerns, said Jean Coffman, who co-founded the Safe Military Housing Initiative, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of families who face housing issues.

What's so critical about this is this is supposed to be the culmination of what the bill of rights was to provide families. They need due process. They did not have it, she said. The fact that this piece is critical to resolution and compensation is absolutely flawed, needs to have more attention paid to it.

As of November, eight military families have been approved for the formal dispute resolution process, with six of them at Marine Corps bases, according to information from the service branches. The Army and Navy each have a case. The service branches did not provide the number of applications denied.

Coffman said she believes the number of approved cases does not represent accurately how many families have tried and failed to access the right. Her organization alone has worked with eight families in the Navy and Marines seeking dispute resolution, including Jennings. Only three of those have made it before a commander to be formally resolved, she said.

In none of those cases was rent withheld, Coffman said. Instead, the military housing office has gone to the company for their opinion.

The [dispute-resolution process] was to have provided our families the means to withhold [rent] and have it placed into an escrow account pending mediation findings, she said. Our families still do not have that right. Families should be able to effectively and immediately demand the withholding of [rent].

Three Marine cases are at Camp Pendleton, where Jennings said she was shuttled between base officials who had no clear answers on how she could initiate her rights as a tenant.

Liberty Military Housing appropriately directed her to the government housing office, which directed her to her husbands chain of command. That became a dead end, she said.

In October, she obtained the online form required to apply for dispute resolution and withhold rent  something shed previously asked about but she said she was told didnt exist.

Even with the form submitted Oct. 18, her case remains open and ongoing, despite the Defense Department policy to decide cases within 30 days, unless there are special circumstances.

We have been paying the full amount of [basic allowance for housing] this entire time, although we havent had a kitchen since June and have multiple other health issues with the home, Jennings said. No one seems to know what to do. The commanding general, who holds decision-making authority on this hasnt made a decision and has requested an extension. This defeats the purpose of a right if someone else has to make a decision about whether or not you can actually exercise it, doesnt it?

Liberty said in a statement that the company is committed to exemplary and quality service.

We know that the dispute-resolution process is an integral part of delivering on our mission and is a benefit exclusively available to those living in [privatized family] housing. We always have and will continue to work with our partners and residents to ensure our service members and their families receive the best possible service, according to the statement.

There are still challenges

Congress began reforming military housing in 2018 after a series of media reports highlighted the sometimes dangerous conditions that families faced in on-base housing. While there have been a number of changes to improve conditions, many families still encounter homes with mold growth, gas leaks and pest infestations. Some families also still report trouble with work-order completion and quality repairs.

Patty Barron, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy, said the release of the bill of rights is one piece of an ongoing effort to improve base family housing.

Im not going to sit here and tell you that everythings working great. I know enough to know that there are challenges still, she said during a Nov. 23 webinar hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army. It's a document that you can take with you and say, It says this right here, and my expectation is that this will be done. And you should be backed up.

Dispute resolution and withholding rent were two of the most sought-after reforms among housing advocates, but the Defense Department hit roadblocks when it came to implementation. The partnership between the military and the private companies is based on existing contracts  many with 50-year terms  so it required the Pentagon to negotiate with the companies to comply voluntarily.

Meanwhile, military families across the country have continued to file lawsuits claiming poor conditions persist and housing companies remain difficult to work with and slow to address maintenance issues. About a dozen suits are ongoing in state and federal courts.

The bill of rights was seen as a way to offer families some form of resolution outside of the courtroom, and a swift path to improved housing.

Patrick Hughes, an attorney and former Air Force prosecutor, said dispute resolution is a step in the right direction.

This internal dispute resolution process provides for those eligible to receive free legal assistance from the legal office on the installation, and essentially creates a similar process that service members would otherwise have to pursue at their own expense through the local courts. And, using this process in lieu of landlord-tenant court also resolves the uncertainty over whether jurisdiction even exists in some state courts because the military housing may sit exclusively on federal land, he said.

But Hughes still has concerns about what the military can actually do should a landlord refuse to comply with the resolution determined by the process.

To get to the formal process, which pulls in an independent investigator, residents must first use an informal process, which varies between the services. The deciding authority for formal dispute resolution also varies.

In the Army, a colonel serving as a bases garrison commander oversees informal resolution. If that fails, the case can move into the formal process in which a three-star general who leads the Armys Installation Management Command decides the case. The Army said the service has had 10 cases resolved informally with garrison commanders.

The Navy, Marine Corps and the Air Force have taken somewhat similar approaches with informal disputes going through a bases housing office before moving into a formal process. The Air Force sends the cases to an installation commander, typically a colonel, and the Navy to one of its regional commanders. That position is typically held by a one- or two-star admiral who oversees anywhere between three to 15 bases.

The Marines also send their formal disputes to a regional commander who is a one-star general.

Coffman said the commands involvement concerns her because the military is technically in a contract with the company providing housing. Therefore, it isnt necessarily a neutral party making final decisions. Its a complete conflict of interest, she said.

Missed deadlines

From there, the formal process is outlined by Defense Department policy and includes a strict timeline for specific events to take place. The housing office must respond to the resident within two business days, inspect the home within seven days and provide the results within the next three days.

While the Army and Navy said they began training personnel on the new processes in the spring and summer, the Marine Corps said it did not offer training to its housing office staff until the first week of November.

Though James Jennings is in the Navy, his family lives on a Marine Corps base and falls under the housing policies of that service. So far, only the first milestone regarding notification has been met in their case, Alexis Jennings said.

She submitted the form for formal dispute resolution Oct. 18 and the housing office promptly confirmed receipt. However, the home inspection occurred Nov. 23.

The entire process is supposed to conclude within 30 days unless good cause exists for the deciding authority to request to double the allotted amount of time, according to the Defense Department policy. Camp Pendleton officials said that was done for this case.

But no one told Jennings, she said.

Its unclear what happens if Jennings case isnt resolved within the 60 days mandated by the Defense Department, which would be Friday. The policy only states the commander cant go beyond the deadline.

Jennings said it is appalling how far the situation has deteriorated. At this point, she just wants to get her family off base, but cant afford the expense of moving on her own.

You're talking about a wounded warrior who had a heart transplant, but you're also talking about five children who are in for the ride, too, she said. I dont feel this process has been effective so far. Im hopeful [Liberty] will eventually come to the table and do the right thing, but only time will tell.
As Conrad Crane got ready for a date one Friday night in 1975 while stationed at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida, he received a call from the commander of his Nike Hercules missile battery. The CO wanted to conduct a surprise inspection of the barracks with drug-sniffing dogs.

Expecting some debauchery three days before payday, Crane, a platoon leader and battery executive officer at the time, unsuccessfully tried to convince the commander to call off the inspection. He refused.

The Air Force drug dogs had so many alerts in the first three rooms that they burned out their olfactory nerves, and the Air Force had to put them down, says Crane, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and chief of historical services and support at the U.S. Army War College.

Because the dogs lost their senses of smell, Crane says the Air Force tried to sue his battery to recover the cost of the dogs. And Crane could do virtually nothing to get rid of his drug-addicted soldiers: Rather than kicking them out, he could only send them to rehab. Like the rest of the country, the military also faced race-relations problems around this time, as well as deep resentment, if not anger, among many enlisted soldiers toward the officer corps, Crane says.

It was just difficult to get rid of the bad applesand there were so many bad apples, Crane says.

The war in Vietnam had just ended. The draft was over. And nobody was signing up to join the militaryeven as the Cold War continued, with its threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. At the same time, military leadership licked its wounds and went back to what it knew: tanks and planes.

As the war in Afghanistan brings an end to the forever wars, experts worry about an experience similar to what the military faced after the Vietnam War: an exodus of exhausted troops, an increase in substance abuse and racism, and leaders who may be so focused on beefing up the defense budget that they dont pay attention to the task of new warfare, even as China threatens Taiwan, Russia threatens Ukraine, and the diminished resources and landscapes caused by climate change send military planners scurrying to keep up.

But Crane and other experts say that, done right, the moment could provide a chance to pauseto think about what those future battles might look like, and to brainstorm how the military could pivot from scandal to spearhead in how it handles racism and sexism, and how it could encourage a new generation to join its ranks.

What Needs to Come Out of This Is a More Honest Discussion

After the Vietnam War, there was a great deal of interest in integrating new weapons, like the Abrams main battle tank, Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and Apache attack helicopter. As the Pentagon focused on how to defeat Soviet tank battalions charging through the Fulda Gap and taking West Germany, leadership worked to train a professional officer corps, as well as to develop the National Training Centers needed to practice land warfare. Lost were the counterinsurgency techniques developed in Vietnam: Small-unit tactics didnt necessarily demand big civilian contracts, and they werent needed during the Cold War and Desert Storm.

But fully five years after the 9/11 attacks and after the United States had already established itself in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon again deemed counterinsurgency methods necessary, and Gen. David Petraeus called in Crane to help write a counterinsurgency manual, beginning with his experiences in Vietnam as well as the militarys then-classified fight in El Salvador.

Our adversaries are constantly watching whats going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, Crane said at the time. Theyre adapting and drawing insights, and theyre going to make us fight this different kind of war. This manual is not a solution for Iraq or Afghanistan, but it will prepare soldiers and Marines for where we are going in the future and the enemies we will face.

But the COIN manual didnt always trickle down to the companyor politicallevel in a meaningful way, and Cranes group essentially had to push troops trained to break things to think about winning hearts and minds. New presidents and new generals brought in more troops, trained local militaries to fend for themselves, and even tried to negotiate with the original enemy, but then they watched in disbelief as ISIS took over hard-won areas of Iraq, and the Taliban took over Afghanistan without even a hint of a fight.

In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, as well as in the first couple of years in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Army learned tactical lessons in counterinsurgency missions, says Gregory A. Daddis, a retired U.S. Army colonel and director of the Center for War and Society at San Diego State University. But American civilian leaders failed to recognize that no matter how many thousands of service members deployed, billions of dollars were invested, or new four-star generals assumed command, they would not accomplish the stated mission: to equip and train Afghan security forces that could independently keep Taliban fighters from taking over the country.

Over the course of the last few decades, weve had this faith that a new approach, a new strategy, a new commander will come in and somehow save the day, Daddis says, adding that this doesnt accord with the historical record.

But this does: Once again, discussions at the Pentagon focus on great power competition, reflecting what former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates coined as next war-itis. The institutional Marine Corps and Army tend to plan for the next war, rather than being introspective about what went right and wrong as conflicts wind down, says Heidi Urben, a retired Army intelligence commander and Chamberlain fellow at Howard University.

Those tendenciesas well as the seemingly eternal push for more defense spendingmay send the United States toward a repeat of Cold War expectations as the Pentagon rolls out the B-21 strategic bomber, Triton unmanned surveillance aircraft, light amphibious warships, and hypersonic missiles.

When theres no existential threat, political leaders must work harder to justify hundreds of billions spent on the defense establishment. Casting China as a pacing threatthe only country that can pose a systemic challenge to the United States in the sense of challenging us, economically, technologically, politically and militarily, as Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III has said.

What needs to come out of moments like this is a more honest discussion about matching political objectives to military capabilities, he says.

What Do You Get Ready for?

Critically thinking through issues of readiness, modernization, and emerging threats will be essential, experts say, as the United States navigates the way forward from Afghanistan.

Today, it seems unlikely the Fulda Gap will provide a battleground. Special Forces will undoubtedly continue to use counterinsurgency methods essentially worldwide. Drones make warfare seem more like a video game to the voting public. And the threat of cyberattacks will mean the treasure portion of blood and treasure could hit on a personal level as every civilian could be at risk. In the background, the threats of old lurk.

While the Pentagons focus remains on modernizing information systems, integrating unmanned vehicles, and demonstrating interoperability with the militaries of allied nations, emerging threats have forced the Pentagon to pivot.

The United States finds itself in an ambiguous dance with China over the island nation of Taiwan. Although there has never been an ironclad security commitment to defend Taiwan if China invades, modern weapons continue to flow into the country. Last year, U.S. Special Forces released a video of Green Berets training alongside Taiwanese commandos.

At least 90,000 Russian troops have staged along the Ukrainian border and stoked unrest against the pro-Western government. The United States has transferred high-end anti-tank missiles and patrol ships to the country, according to Reuters. The California National Guard also has maintained a state partnership program with the Ukrainian military that has shared expertise in border security, emergency response, and civilian-military relations since 1993.

Great power competition isnt the only mission in front of military planners. U.S. forces are still fighting ISIS and al-Qaida in Syria, Iraq, the Horn of Africa, and other areas of conflict.

Before sending U.S. forces into a new war, the U.S government must realize that the United States will have to stay in that country for a long time, Crane says. The most recent successful interventionsWorld War II and the Korean Warstill require an American military presence more than 70 years later.

And he wonders whether it is more important to develop new technology or new ideas about engaging in wars.

What do you get ready for? Crane says. The most likely mission is probably some kind of stability operation, or the most dangerous missionwhich is this full-scale, blown-out war, which requires all kinds of combat stuffand so its a dilemma.

Politically, more spending plays out as more national security, as well as more money for states that house defense manufacturerswhich means theres an eternal cycle of lobbying and campaign contributions and contracts slipped into the annual budget.

And clearly, as weve seen both in the Cold War, and today, there are political rewards for showcasing your commitment to national security, Daddis says. Its much safer politically to focus on the threat of China than it is to focus on the threat of climate change.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan creates a window for the Army and Marine Corps to invest in cyber warfare. The Army tends to favor traditional combat armsinfantry, armor, and artilleryas central to what the service is and how it prioritizes funding and manpower, Urben says. But these forces may not be the linchpin in future conflicts.

While I agree that it is a phenomenal opportunity to invest, Im somewhat pessimistic on anticipating wholesale resource shifts away from, say, Brigade Combat Teams in order to further invest in nontraditional roles that you speak of, like cyber, Urben says.

Its a Family Business

As senior leaders make these decisions, there has been little pressure from voters to change how things are done. This comes in large part because of the military/civilian divide. Less than 10% of the U.S. adult population has served in the military, according to the Pew Research Center, and because so many people are recruited from the same geographical and socioeconomic categories, many Americans dont have family members or neighbors who serve.

My own observation of whats going on [in] the Army is its a family business, Crane says. What youve got is more and more of the soldiers are coming from the same places. Its nowhere near the melting pot it was during the draft.

The nations privileged youth have largely been steered toward attending prestigious universities and pursuing private-sector careers. And many families in this demographic view military service as a risky endeavor better suited for someone else, Crane says.

This means the American public is not at war and doesnt personally bear the consequences of choosing conflict.

President Joe Biden remains among the few political leaders with a child who has served in the military. Having more politicians with the same personal stake in a war could make the country think twice about attacking, Crane says.

But just as with the end of the Vietnam War, scandals and battle fatigue will likely impact military recruitment effortsnot just in numbers, but in quality.

The Army was more than hollow. Parts of it were very rotten, recalled Gen. Montgomery Meigs, former commander of U.S. Army Europe, about the end of the Vietnam War. In 2001, Meigs wrote an article about his leadership experience in the Army War Colleges Parameters.

In 1972, the Army under Chief of Staff Gen. Creighton Abrams sought to rebuild, and the service created an expeditious discharge program that allowed commanders to bypass court-martial. The U.S. Army in Europe ejected 1,300 soldiers in just four months to boot drug addicts, gang members, and other troublemakers, according to The Generals: American Military Command from World War II to Today, by Thomas E. Ricks.

But it wasnt enough. Benefits and pay decreased during the 1970s, and recruiting fell with it, according to the Congressional Research Service. By the end of the decade, both the Army and Navy missed their recruiting goals, and only half of soldiers had graduated from high school. And more than 40% of the new soldiers got booted before their first enlistment endedoften for bad behavior.

The challenge Army leaders had in the late 1970s was rebuilding an army, and it was done in the context of transitioning to a volunteer force, Urben says. That was seismic, and we dont have that same task ahead of us today.

At the time, the military couldnt raise the money it needed to operate its units at full strength, let alone fund modern weapons. Introspection took a backseat to survival. Beyond the defeat, the Defense Department faced major scandals that affected public perception: The My Lai massacre led to cries of baby killers as soldiers returned home. In 1965, Black soldiers made up about 22% of all combat deaths in Vietnam, though they made up only 11% of the force. And while the percentage dropped to about 13% by 1967, it ultimately led Black soldiers to avoid the infantry, as well as to seek a skill that would be marketable in the civilian world. Drugs remained a problem through the 1970s. And while Black and white soldiers served side by side during the war, racism again came to the fore when they returned home.

As the services struggled, officers left for better opportunities or didnt commission in the first place, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Today, scandals have once again roiled the conversation:

The murder of Spc. Vanessa Guillen forced the Army to take a hard look at how it has failed to move the needle on rooting out sexual harassment and sexual assault in the ranks. Earlier this year, service leaders took to social media to convince any opponents that women make the military more lethal and capable.

But women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community look at these types of scandals and wonder if there is a place in the military where they feel like they belong. Service members have been told to find another job if they harbor intolerance, but in some cases, admitted extremists have been allowed to remain in uniform for months.

The Pentagon has said it plans to discharge service members who have declared allegiance to extremist groups.

But women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community look at these types of scandals and wonder if there is a place in the military where they feel like they belong. Service members have been told to find another job if they harbor intolerance, but in some cases, admitted extremists have been allowed to remain in uniform for months.

The Pentagon has said it plans to discharge service members who have declared allegiance to extremist groups.

The idea that the constant churn of deployments back to back is preventing us from really getting quality attention to the systemic challenges within our ranks Urben says. Hopefully that myth steps to the wayside.

Still, that voluntary, professional force may be the militarys saving grace, Daddis says. While many veterans of Afghanistan were upset to see the country fall to the Taliban within weeks of the last American boots leaving, and certainly many see the need for cultural change, they may not be ready to give up a career theyve put ahead of personal safety, family, and comfort.

In fact, in spite of the hit to morale, dont expect an exodus, Daddis says.

I dont necessarily think that you will see a brain drain, if you will, after Afghanistan, he says, because theres still going to be committed professionals in the organization that want to see [it] succeedespecially in the aftermath of what many consider to be a failed effort.
NEW DELHI (AP)  India and France on Friday discussed future collaboration and co-production of defense equipment during a visit by the French defense minister, officials said.

Florence Parly and her Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh expressed their commitment to increase defense cooperation in all domains, Indias Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The statement gave no details, but Parly in an interview with The Times of India newspaper ahead of Friday's talks said she would reiterate Frances commitment to offer the best of its defense technology with a high Make in India component.

Parly also met with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and paid tribute to Indian soldiers at the National War Memorial.

France describes India as its main partner in the Indo-Pacific region shaken by concerns over the growing influence of China. France expressed its resolve to expand strategic cooperation with India after it was angered by being left out of a nuclear submarine deal with Australia, which in September announced a new security alliance with Britain and the United States.

India has bought 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France under a government contract signed in September 2016. India may buy some more Rafale aircraft, apart from medium-range helicopters for its navy and upgraded French Mirage fighter aircraft and submarines, Indian media reports said.

India and France are increasingly engaged in maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, counterterrorism, as well as discussions over climate change, renewable energy and sustainable growth and development, according to Indias External Affairs Ministry.

France has emerged as a major source of foreign direct investment for India with more than 1,000 French companies already active in the country. France is the seventh-largest foreign investor in India with a cumulative FDI stock of $9 billion from April 2000 to December 2020. There are more than 150 Indian companies operating in France.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russian military transport planes on Saturday delivered a shipment of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan and flew back 200 Russians, Afghan students and others, the defense ministry said.

The ministry said that three Il-76 cargo planes will make stopovers in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan before flying to Moscow. It said the planes were carrying citizens of Russia and Kyrgyzstan who wanted to leave Afghanistan, and Afghan students enlisted in Russian universities.

Saturday's mission is the latest in a series of such Russian flights since August. Previous flights have delivered humanitarian cargo and evacuated a total of 770 citizens of Russia and other ex-Soviet nations.

Unlike many other countries, Russia hasnt evacuated its embassy in Kabul and its ambassador has maintained regular contacts with the Taliban since they took over the Afghan capital, Kabul, in August. Russia had worked for years to establish contacts with the Taliban, even though it designated the group a terror organization in 2003 and never took it off the list.

In October, Moscow hosted talks on Afghanistan involving senior representatives of the Taliban and neighboring nations, a round of diplomacy that underlined Moscows clout in Central Asia.
The Rockies have reached agreement on a minor league contract with southpaw Ty Blach, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com (on Twitter). As Harding notes, it marks a homecoming for Blach, a Denver native.

Blach has pitched in parts of four big league seasons, the bulk of which have come with the division-rival Giants. He shouldered a fairly significant workload between 2017-18 in San Francisco, tallying 282 1/3 innings of 4.56 ERA/4.18 FIP ball during that two-year stretch. Thats decent back-of-the-rotation production, as Blach demonstrated solid control and kept the ball on the ground at a strong 49.7% clip.

Even during his best seasons, Blach never missed many bats though. Hes one of the softer throwers around the league, averaging right around 90 MPH with his sinker. Blach only punched out 12.3% of opponents during that stretch (a mark thats around ten points lower than the league average for starters) and the Giants placed him on waivers in July 2019. The Orioles claimed Blach and gave him five starts, but he posted an 11.32 ERA across 20 2/3 innings in Baltimore before being outrighted off their 40-man roster.

Blach remained in the organization as a non-roster player, but he underwent Tommy John Surgery in July 2020. He missed a bit more than a year recovering from that procedure, then spent the last few months of the 2021 season rehabbing in the low minors. Blach elected minor league free agency after not getting another call to the bigs in Baltimore.

The 31-year-old will now join his hometown organization in hopes of getting back to the majors for the first time in three seasons. He can presumably serve as either rotation or long relief depth for Colorado, which is likely to open the year with a starting staff of German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela, Austin Gomber and Peter Lambert after losing Jon Gray in free agency.
Right-hander Tayron Guerrero has signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the NPB, per the team (via Twitter). The terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

The 30-year-old out of Colombia last pitched in the Majors in 2019 with the Marlins. Prior to his run with the Marlins, he had debuted with the Padres, making just one two-inning outing in 2016. Signed as an amateur free agent back in 2009, Guerrero came up in the Padres system before being included in the 2016 deadline deal that brought Carter Capps, Luis Castillo, Jarred Cosart, and Josh Naylor to the Padres from the Marlins for Andrew Cashner, Colin Rea, and Guerrero. It wouldnt be until 2018 that Guerrero would get significant run out of a big league bullpen.

Between 2018 and 2019, Guerrero would make 112 appearances for the Marlins totaling 104 innings. Cumulatively, he put up a 5.80 ERA/5.09 FIP, 22.9 percent strikeout rate, 13.6 percent walk rate, and 44.4 percent groundball rate. After the 2019 season Guerrero was claimed off waivers by the White Sox.

Guerrero spent last season in the White Sox system at Triple-A Charlotte. There, he appeared 18 times with a 6.63 ERA over 19 innings. In the NPB, Guerrero will have the chance to pitch professionally and establish value as a bullpen piece. Once upon a time, he had been a top-30 prospect in the Padres system, but control problems have largely kept him from establishing himself at the sports highest level.
18.12.2021 LISTEN

Award-winning Musician Article Wan has released a new single titled 'Position Yourself'.

The linkup empire boss is known for hit songs like 'That thing, Jollof and Afrobeat, Scare them, Donkomi has released this new single titled 'Position Yourself' to climax the year 2021.

Article Wan has collaborated with many musicians including Stonebwoy, Patapaa, Fameye, Stay Jay, Kumawood actor cum musician Lil win among others.

This comes after he wowed his fans and music fans with the release of Jollof and Afrobeat.

Social media users have welcomed the new single with some saying the new single will be crowned as the song of the year.

He is expected to perform at the 5th edition of the BHIM Concert at the Grand Arena, Accra International Conference Center alongside the most decorated Jamaican Musician Bennie Man.
The Upper East Regional Minister is asking the Navrongo Central Member of Parliament Sampson Tangombu Chiragia to stop blaming his refusal to visit his constituency on the lack of airport in the region.

The MP said he always wanted to visit his constituency every Friday but the unavailability of an Airport in the region is making it impossible.

According to the Navrongo Central Member of Parliament in an exclusive interview with this reporter on the 2022 budget, not even the Upper East airport was captured.

He said the miss out was very unfortunate considering the long hours one has to travel to the region amidst robbery attacks and rampant road crashes.

As for this NPP budget, not even only constituency alone benefitted anything, I will say the whole region was neglected. If you look at the budget, there is nothing there for Upper East Region. We will continue to talk even our airport, is not easy driving from Tamale to Bolga at all.

We are saying that in fact, they should be able to do something in such that, we can also go home every Friday and come back on Monday. We dont mind whichever part of the region they are putting the airport for us, even if they go and put it in Garu, it will still be better than going to Tamale and traveling all the way to Navrongo.

In reaction to the Navrongo MP, the Upper East Regional Minister Stephen Yakubu said, if the MP cannot sacrifice for his people he does not deserve their votes as an MP.

The Regional Minister on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, during a press soiree organized by the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) said Hon. Sampson Tangombu Chiragia is not the first to become an MP in the region.

If an MP is in Accra, saying he wants to come home every weekend to see his constituents but because there is no airport he or she cannot come, I dont think we should even vote for such Member of Parliament. Because such MP should be fighting for me and you to make sure there is an airport here. He should rather come back and sit in the region and those who are will fight for the airport will be allowed to go to parliament, he posited.
The Nkosuohene of Anwomaso in the Ejisu Municipal of Ashanti Region, Nana Kweku Siaw who also doubles as the 2012 National Best Farmer, has said government has failed farmers in the country.

He said the trust and confidence that farmers initially had in the NPP government is lost since farmers were expecting the mistakes the previous government did to be erased by the current administration.

Reacting to the issue of the welfare of farmers in an interview with this reporter, since agriculture has been the backbone of the nation, Nkosuohene emphasized that the NPP government has flatly failed farmers of this country and cannot boast of any credibility regarding the welfare of farmers.

We anticipated that the NPP government would prioritize the welfare of farmers and transform the agricultural sector with good policies per their promises, but they have failed us.

"When you go to the Western North region and other cocoa growing areas, they cannot afford two square meals a day because there is no increment in cocoa price. We are disappointed in this government, he reiterated.

Nana Siaw added that farmers are weeping bitterly because of the bad weather conditions leading to low harvest of cocoa beans this year.

This year for instance, cocoa farmers were eluded with bumper harvest as a result of bad weather conditions coupled with increment in farming inputs.

"For this and among other reasons, farmers are expecting the government to increase the producer price of cocoa a bit, yet this has not been the case."
The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on one of the main rebel leaders in the Central African Republic, vowing to bring accountability in the country's brutal war.

The Treasury Department said it was seizing any US assets and criminalizing transactions with Ali Darassa, leader of the so-called Union for Peace (UPC) rebel group.

The Treasury Department said that UPC militants have killed, tortured, raped and displaced thousands of people since 2014.

"Under Darassa's leadership, the UPC militia has committed brutal atrocities against civilians," said Andrea Gacki, who directs sanctions at the Treasury Department.

The UPC, mostly active in the country's east, left the main alliance of rebels in April and refused to join other groups in a ceasefire declared in October by President Faustin-Archange Touadera.

The government has wrested back control of parts of the country from rebels with support of Rwandan troops and Russia's Wagner paramilitary group.

UN experts have also accused the Wagner Group of widespread atrocities and the United States has previously imposed sanctions on the unit, while recently warning Mali not to accept an offer to hire the Russians.

The United States earlier imposed sanctions as it seeks to hunt down Lord's Resistance Army founder Joseph Kony in connection with abuses around central Africa.
The top UN rights body agreed Friday to send international investigators to conflict-hit Ethiopia amid warnings of looming generalised violence, in a move slammed by Addis Ababa.

Following an emergency meeting, the 47-member UN Human Rights Council narrowly voted in favour of ordering the probe into a wide range of alleged violations by all sides in Ethiopia's 13-month conflict.

Ethiopia had strenuously objected to the special session and the resolution, with Ambassador Zenebe Kebede saying ahead of the vote that the council was "being used as an instrument of political pressure" and had been "hijacked by a neo-colonialist mentality".

The council decision came after the UN and dozens of countries took the floor to voice alarm at alleged atrocities, including mass killings and sexual violence, since the conflict erupted in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region in November 2020.

The conflict has left thousands dead, displaced more than two million people and pushed hundreds of thousands to the brink of famine, according to the UN.

Deputy UN rights chief Nada al-Nashif on Friday expressed concern at growing hate speech and incitement to violence, saying the conflict could "escalate into generalised violence".

This, she said, would have "major implications, not only for millions of people in Ethiopia, but also across the region".

'Alarming scale'

The EU, which had requested Friday's special council session, warned that abuses were being committed "in an alarming scale".

"It is essential that perpetrators are held accountable in an independent, transparent and impartial manner," Lotte Knudsen, the EU ambassador in Geneva, said Friday.

The resolution called for the creation of "an international commission of human rights experts on Ethiopia", made up of three experts with a renewable one-year mandate.

They will be asked, among other things, to investigate alleged violations and "collect and preserve evidence, to identify those responsible, where possible... in support of ongoing and future accountability efforts".

They will build on the work already done by a joint investigation by the UN rights office and Ethiopia's Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the resolution said.

That investigation determined last month that possible war crimes and crimes against humanity had been committed by all sides during the conflict.

Al-Nashif said Friday the rights office had since continued "to receive credible reports of severe human rights violations and abuses by all parties".

She expressed particular concern about surging rights abuses after a nationwide state of emergency was declared on November 2, with mass arrests mainly of ethnic Tigrayans.

"While some of those arrested over the past six weeks have been released, we estimate that between 5,000 and 7,000 remain detained, including nine UN staff members," she said.

Ethiopia has said that it had cooperated with the joint investigation and had launched its own probe.

"We do not see any merit in this politically-motivated... resolution," Kebede said, insisting his country was "firmly committed to peace and human rights".

A number of nations came to Ethiopia's defence, saying that the country was being singled out by the council.

Cameroon's ambassador Salomon Eheth insisted on behalf of African countries that the requested investigation would be "counterproductive and susceptible to exacerbating tensions".

Ethiopia's conflict began when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in November 2020 after accusing the region's dissident ruling party of attacks on federal army camps.

The Nobel Peace laureate declared victory over the TPLF but rebel fighters staged a shock comeback, recapturing most of Tigray and pushing into neighbouring Afar and Amhara.
China says it will roll out 80 major assistance projects to encourage Chinese businesses to invest no less than $10 billion in Africa in the next three years.

The projects are intended to reach $300 billion in total imports from Africa in the next three years, President Jinping Xi announced when he addressed a virtual meeting of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on November, 29.

A statement issued by Mr Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, and shared with the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, on Thursday said China would also provide credit facilities and trade finance for Africa as well as support the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

These concrete measures meet African countries' most pressing development needs, dovetail with China's new development paradigm, and comply with the general trend of international development cooperation, Mr Xi said.

Given the new dynamics in the post-COVID era and global development, it had become a strong consensus between China and Africa to upgrade their cooperation, he emphasised.

It was also essential to open new prospects of China-Africa cooperation, expand trade and investment, share experience on poverty reduction, and strengthen cooperation on digital economy.

We need to advocate green and low-carbon development, actively promote solar, wind and other sources of renewable energy, work for effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and keep strengthening our capacity for sustainable development, President Xi said.

Twenty years since the inception of FOCAC, China's trade and investment in Africa had expanded by 20 times and 100 times, respectively.

From January to October this year, China-Africa trade reached US$207.1 billion, and Chinese direct investments in Africa surpassed US$2.6 billion, up by 37.5 per cent and 10 per cent respectively, year on year.

This has greatly contributed to cushioning the impacts of COVID-19 on the African economy, he said.

China would support Africa to overcome the threats of COVID-19 and advance its socio-economic growth.

The President acknowledged the strong support that African countries and the AU rendered to China at the onset of the pandemic, pledging that the country would support the AU to meet its vaccination targets.

To help the AU achieve its goal of vaccinating 60 per cent of African population by 2022, China would provide another one billion doses of vaccines to Africa, including 600 million doses as donation and 400 million doses to be provided through such means as joint production by Chinese companies and relevant African countries.

President Xi assured that China would do its best to scale up vaccine assistance to Africa and also support waiving the intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines.

It would also expand local production to promote vaccine accessibility and affordability in Africa.

GNA
Criminals have taken advantage of the curfew imposed on Bawku and its environs due to the chieftaincy dispute to engage in their nefarious activities.

Various reports reveal that the thieves have broken into provision stores, mobile phone shops and pharmacies and made away with monies, flat TVs and mobile phones.

Residents who spoke to Modernghana News noted that the looting of shops has heightened the insecurity in the area calling on the police to increase patrols at night to protect lives and properties.

Richard Apiigu, an Airtel Tigo Partner and Viikandi Investment told this reporter that on the 4th of December, 2021 his shop was burgled and items including monies stolen.

According to him, the thieves took away 153 smartphones, 217 feature phones, flat-screen 55inch TV, scratch cards and a cash amount of Ghc5,071.

Another resident, Jamidu Seidu Mohammed also said his pharmacy warehouse which is 25metres away from the main road was broken.

According to him, boxes of drugs were stolen.

Atiraag Seidu Kawawa, another shop owner also said they sleep with one eye open at night due to the reports of rampant shop looting during the curfew hours.

He, however, called on the security within the municipality to increase their patrols at night to safeguard their shops.

Police Response

Police, military and other security agencies will clamp down on criminals who hide behind the curfew imposed in Bawku to break stores and shops.

The Superintendent Simon Peter Akabati, Bawku Municipal Police Commander, said the police have put in place measures in the municipality and its environs to curb the situation.

He noted that checkpoints are dotted on the major roads within the municipality with 24hours patrol.

He, however, said officers from the regional capital Bolgatanga, Zebilla and other Districts were drawn to help calm the situation.

Superintendent Simon Peter Akabati indicated that the police and military are not enough to cover the entire municipal number but intelligence gathering has been heightened to fish out the criminals.

He however calls on shop owners within the town to make their shops are properly locked and secured.

According to him, he was yet to receive complaints from the victim's whose shops have been looted.

The curfew hours have been reviewed from 6:00pm to 6:00am to from 8:00pm to 5:00am.
More than one million COVID-19 vaccines have arrived in Accra from the United Kingdom to be shipped across the country as part of Ghana's December vaccine campaign to ensure 20 million people are vaccinated by the end of the year.

A statement issued by the British High Commission in Accra, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the vaccines arrived safely in Ghana through the UK-Ghana partnership and COVIX.

It said Madam Beth Cadman, the Development Director to the British High Commissioner to Ghana, welcomed the vaccines.

It said standing on the runway at Kotoka International Airport to see the arrival Madam Cadman said: I am immensely proud of this latest arrival of Astra Zeneca vaccines, but we must remember that our work does not end at the airport.

"I am thankful to Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Information, all our partners and teams on the ground who will work tirelessly to make sure these jabs reach those most in need up and down the country

None of us will be safe until everyone is safe - vaccines have protected thousands of lives both here in Ghana and around the world.

"Alongside the vaccines, we must continue to socially distance, wear face-coverings and wash our hands frequently, particularly over the festive period when we will all be spending time with friends and family.

The statement said the UK continues to support Ghana's COVID-19 response: putting UK experts in WHO to work with Ghana's Health Service and the Ministry of health, supporting academia on genome sequencing and Ghana Health Service to expand quality COVID-19 treatment and testing in 40 underserved districts whilst ensuring continuation of essential health services for women and children.

It said the UK was committed to global public health and equal access to vaccines for all. Over the course of the pandemic, the UK has worked hard with partners around the world to lead the public health response.

It noted that this latest donation of vaccines to Ghana comes on top of the UK's 548 million contributions to the global COVAX initiative that, had delivered 250 million doses to 44 low and lower-middle-income countries, including 10.57million delivered to Ghana.

GNA
17.12.2021 LISTEN

We need to reskill and upskill to remain relevant. The skills you already have. You need to re-energize it as part of the reskilling process and upskilling, meaning moving the notch higher into what new things are coming up". These were the opening remarks of the guest speaker Madam Iris Owusu-Manu, HR Business Partner-Technology, Vodafone Ghana at the 2nd INDAC-TED symposium.

The Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana (IIPGH) in partnership with DigiCAP.gh an ICT project being financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development organized its 2nd Industry Academia Tech Dialogue (INDAC-TED) symposium on the topic TECHNOLOGY JOBS, WHAT SKILLS ARE EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR? on Thursday 25th November 2021, at the Auditorium of Accra Technical University (ATU). This quarterly symposium brings together industry players: educators, students, policymakers, regulators, among others for an industry-academia dialogue on ICT development to create job opportunities for the youth.

The DigiCAP project being implemented by AFOS Foundation from Germany targets students and facilitators in public tertiary institutions. It provides capacity building in practice-oriented ICT qualification programs as add-on measures to promote employment for young people after completion of their tertiary education programs. The University of Cape Coast (UCC) is the first beneficiary of this program and Accra Technical University (ATU) is currently in the onboarding process to become the 2nd public university to benefit from this Invest for Employment initiative from the Federal Republic of Germany. To foster stronger collaboration between academia and industry, the digiCAP project designed a quarterly symposium being spearheaded by the Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana, an industry association that brings together players in the ICT Ecosystem.

The symposium which was moderated by Madam Mary Ama Bawa, Broadcast Journalist, ATL FM started with a brief opening remark by Mr. David Gowu, Executive Director of IIPGH. He gave a brief background of the INDAC-TED, then explained that the objective of the symposium is to bring industry and academia together to dialogue and find a common purpose for ICT development in Ghana. The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of ATU Prof. Amevi Acakpovi in his welcome address noted that if one travels these days, one would observe that transformation in the world is numerous and most of these transformations are driven by ICT. He sighted some examples of the importance of ICT in todays world. These days, the mechanic needs some ICT skills to use the diagnostic device and troubleshoot faults in vehicles. Those without these skills are out of job, he added.

Guest Speakers presentation

After the opening address and short statements from partners, it was time to discuss the main topic of the day: TECHNOLOGY JOBS, WHAT SKILLS ARE EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR? As the world of work and technology evolves, roles in technology are also changing, so the key to staying relevant in this digital age is reskilling and upskilling. These remarks set the tone for Madam Iris Owusu-Manus insightful presentation as the guest speaker for the 2nd INDAC-TED symposium. The quarterly symposium is designed where a guest speaker is allocated sufficient time to engage participants both at the venue and online. She mentioned that young people in the university can add any technological skills to their course, which will eventually give them an advantage over others. "You are young, you can learn accounting and still learn to code, you can create things," she emphasized. Iris shared some new roles in the technology field and encouraged the students to embrace new skills required to be prepared for these roles.

Are you Future-Ready?

The guest speaker then posed a question to the participants; after all that you have heard and what is going on, do you think you are future-ready?". She continued and explained that to be future-ready, one needs to be dynamic. Iris added that people must be dynamic; they must constantly reskill and upskill. They must be enthusiastic, motivated, and passionate. Finally, they must be flexible and adaptable so they can fit into roles available in this evolving technological world. The HR-Business partner then provided more insight into 14 skills for the future and encouraged the students to gain at least one skill before completing their university course. After an engaging and exciting presentation session that got the participants itching to ask questions, then came the Questions and Answers (Q&A) session. There were several questions from the audience about internship opportunities in Vodafone and employment vacancies. Subject Matter Experts (SME) from the HR department and technology took turns to answer questions from the participants.

DigiCAP Students Presentations: Data Science & Business Intelligence

After an hour of insightful presentation from the guest speaker and an engaging Q&A session, there was the need to take a break and get some practical feel of these emerging skills. The moderator, therefore, invited the Lead Facilitator of the DigiCAP project, Mr. Wendel Laryea, and his students to present some of the products and applications they have developed. Josephine Annan was the first trainee to present her project work on a Fitness Centre Retail Store. She used Jupiter notebook to analyze the profile of customers that bought their products and produced graphs to visualize her results. The second presentation from Joseph Nartey conducted a study on National Inspectorate Board, a government institution mandated to enforce the quality standards for schools in Ghana. He developed an application that digitized their processes to manage the inspection process and efficient service.

Panel Discussion: "Technology Jobs, What Skills Are Employers Looking For?

To get different perspectives on the topic, four (4) experts sat in as panels for this conversation. To set the ball rolling, one of the panelists from academia Dr. Nana Yaw Asabere, the Director of Research, Innovation, Publication, and Technology Transfer of ATU indicated that for Ghana to make an impact in what is being discussed, industry and academia must work closely together. "Education starts with academia but there must be a closer collaboration between industry and academia to ensure that what is needed by industry is included in the curriculum," he concluded.

Mary Bennett, a global organizational learning and development consultant, and the Managing Partner, Ingenio Capital, revealed that people are taking skills learning into their own hands. She explained that according to a LinkedIn report in October, about 140 million skills have been learned. There is also research that 150 million digital jobs will be created by 2025, but most of the graduates do not even have the soft skills and the hard skills to access those jobs," she noted. Abraham Kuuku Sam, Technical Advisor, FAIR ForwardArtificial Intelligence for All GIZ Program, in his submission was emphatic that the future of jobs will be about three (3) areas. There is enough research to show that the future of work will be about digitalization, automation and artificial intelligence (AI)", he stated. He added that because things are changing fast, students must be taught how to learn, unlearn and relearn. The guest speaker, Iris Owusu-Manu, who joined as the fourth panelist added her voice, encouraging the students to develop the energy, the passion, and the enthusiasm for their career development.

Updates from German Implementation partners: AFOS and SEQUA

Before the guest speakers presentation, representatives from AFOS Foundation and Sequa took turns to make brief statements about their organizations and their connection to the project. Hanna Schlingmann, AFOS Ghana DigiCAP Project Manager, used the opportunity to present a brief background of AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development. The organization was formed in 2003 by the Federation of Catholic entrepreneurs to promote capacity building, empowerment, and economic growth.

In Ghana, the organization is leading the DigiCAP (Digital Capacity) project implementation with other partners, namely: University of Cape Coast (UCC), Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana (IIPGH), and Accra Technical University (ATU). To summarize, there are three (3) highlights from the digiCAP project: we are excited to have Accra Technical University (ATU) as a new partner and we are looking forward to starting qualification programs for lecturers and students. Second, the Students' DigiCAP Junior Consultancy Program, where the first batch of students who completed the DigiCAP program, shall put their skills to work. Third, we are looking forward to our next INDAC-TED which will be combined with a Job Fair in February 2022," she concluded.

Nawal Schmitz, a representative of Sequa from Germany, also mounted the podium to address the participants. She explained Sequa is the implementing organization of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, also referred to as BMZ. Sequa is the program coordinator on behalf of BMZ and provides project management functions of the entire project," Ms. Schmitz explained. She revealed Sequa managed over 1,500 projects in over 100 countries, German government agencies, and European Union (EU).

After an engaging and thought-provoking statement from the experts, it was time to draw the curtains to another successful industry-academia tech dialogue. Mr. Richard Kafui Amanfu delivered the closing remarks to summarize the days dialogue.

He reiterated the commitment of the Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana and its partners to continue this industry engagement with academia. We intend to take this program across the country, and we encourage other stakeholders to come on board, so we make INDAC-TED the voice of the industry and a platform to connect with academia," he concluded. The program ended with an informal networking and interactive session between the speakers and the participants at the venue.

Author: David Gowu  (Executive Director, Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana)

For comments, contact [email protected] or Mobile: +233242773762
A two-year-old boy bawls as his mother gently lays him on scales at a health centre in northwestern Central African Republic, where an unprecedented food crisis looms.

"There's no food at home," says his 22-year-old mother.

"I can tell he's not well because he cries all the time and doesn't play anymore."

Civil war has raged since 2013 in the poverty-wracked nation of almost five million people, displacing hundreds of thousands from their homes and sparking a major humanitarian crisis.

The president declared a unilateral ceasefire in October after gains against the rebels, but with insecurity persisting in the northwest of the country, many still struggle to feed themselves there.

At the health centre in Paoua, a town some 500 kilometres (300 miles) northwest of the capital Bangui, desperate mothers have brought their children to be examined.

Many hope for some pasta sachets provided by the United Nations' food agency, the World Food Programme.

At the health centre in the northwestern town of Paoua, many have brought their children to be examined. By Barbara DEBOUT (AFP)

Among the crowd, a half-starved baby girl cries, but her malnourished mother's breast milk is no longer enough to sate her.

A nurse measures the arm of 12-month-old Severine -- just 1.5 centimetres (0.6 inches) in diameter, and far too little for an infant her age.

Modeste Loyo Motayo, who heads the health centre in the town of 47,000 inhabitants, says hunger is the most common ailment among patients.

"It's linked to poverty and insecurity," he says. "The conflict prevents residents from growing crops and it's difficult to earn an income."

Fruit and vegetables scarce

The food crisis is more acute in the northwest of the Central African Republic, bordering Chad. By Barbara DEBOUT (AFP)

The WFP estimates 42 percent of Centrafricans on average struggle to access enough food on a daily basis, a percentage it predicts will increase next year.

But the food crisis is more acute in the northwest of the country bordering Chad, which is still the scene of regular clashes between rebels and government forces.

In the region of Ouham-Pende around Paoua, 61 percent of people are suffering a serious food crisis, the UN food agency's Mahoua Coulibaly says.

These days, a handful of meagrely stocked stalls make up Paoua's central market. Fruit and vegetables are scarce as insecurity disrupted supplies.

"Everything is becoming more expensive," says Abas Mahamat, a member of Paoua's transport trade union.

"How will the people get by?"

Simplice Massemba now shares a room with seven others, after he was forced to flee his village. By Barbara DEBOUT (AFP)

In December 2020, rebels launched a new offensive against President Faustin-Archange Touadera's regime on the eve of presidential elections.

Touadera won re-election and his army has now reconquered the lost territory -- the United Nations and France say with key support from Russia's Wagner private security group, allegations that Moscow denies.

But just last month, fighting in the country's northwest killed around 30 civilians and two soldiers.

The authorities blamed the violence on the 3R group, which last year controlled two-thirds of the country's territory.

'Just want to go home'

Around 20 internally displaced people share a small saucepan of cassava leaves. By Barbara DEBOUT (AFP)

The embattled rebels have scattered in the bush, pushing many rural inhabitants to seek refuge in Paoua or other towns.

In Paoua's neighbourhood of Bimbi, around 20 internally displaced people share a modest meal -- a small saucepan of cassava leaves.

Simplice Massemba points to the cramped room where he sleeps with seven others after 3R attacked his village.

"They killed residents and took our homes. We fled without taking anything with us," he says.

Like more than a hundred other displaced people in the area, they have found refuge with a host family, but he says there is not enough space to accommodate them all.

"Many have to sleep on mats outdoors," he says.

Uprooted village chief Michel Gotto, 77, says he was in field with his children when the rebels arrived. By Barbara DEBOUT (AFP)

More than 600,000 people have been displaced from their homes by conflict in the Central African Republic, UN humanitarian agency OCHA says.

By Massemba's side, Michel Gotto, a 77-year-old village chief uprooted by a rebel attack, struggles to stay standing.

"I was in the field with my children when the 3R rebels came and tortured us," he says.

"I just want to go back home."
The bodies of the two policemen murdered in Zuarungu in the Bolgatanga East District of the Upper East Region by suspected criminals on Wednesday night have been airlifted to Accra.

The two Constables Emmanuel Akowuah and Adams Suley were shot by some unknown robbers at Zuarungu.

One of them was partially burnt after the robbers shot into the fuel tank of the motorbike he was riding on. The other was shot in the head.

According to the Police Public Relation Officer, they were shot while on their routine motorbike police patrols in the Zuarungu Township on December 15, 2021.

The statement noted that they coincidentally run into the robbery scene where three suspected robbers were seriously robbing a shop.

The Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare supervised a parade in honor of the departed policemen at the Police Public Safety Training School (PPSTS) at Pwalugu on Friday, December 17, 2021, before the bodies were airlifted to Accra.

Ahead of the parade, the bodies of the two victims were conveyed from the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital Morgue to the PPSTS at about 10 am.

After some police rites and a street lining ceremony of Police personnel biding their departed colleagues farewell, the Military helicopter landed at the Training School at about 12:30pm.

After the brief ceremony, the helicopter departed with the bodies to Tamale en route to Accra at about 1:50pm.

The IGP and his entourage also departed to Accra.

While the helicopter carrying the bodies of the two policemen was en route to the Tamale Airport, the personnel who participated in the parade at the PPSTS were debriefed by the Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Dr. Sayibu Pabi Gariba and the Commanding Officer (CO) of the 11 Mechanized Battalion of the Ghana Army, Lt Colonel Mintah Agyemang.

The personnel were urged not to be down-spirited assuring them that the military will collaborate with the police to bring the perpetrators to book.

Conveying a message to the personnel on behalf of the IGP, Dr. Gariba expressed the gratitude of the IGP and the Police Administration to all the personnel of the Ghana Police and Security Agencies that participated in the parade.

He also assured the personnel of the command's unflinching support.

The helicopter later landed at the Airforce base in Accra where Dr. Dampare on behalf of the Ghana Police Service received the bodies together with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Frank Hanson and the Accra Airforce Base Commander, Air Commodore Joshua Mensah Larkai.

Another parade was held in honor of the two deceased policemen at the Airforce base where their colleagues and senior officers bid them farewell.

The bodies were subsequently conveyed for preservation.

The Police Administration thanked the Ghana Armed Forces particularly the Chief of Defense Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Frank Hanson for their collaborative efforts in airlifting the bodies of the police officers.
Gambia's main opposition party, the United Democratic Party (UDP), has filed a petition challenging the outcome of the 4 December presidential election. It had rejected the election results even before the electoral body announced the winner.

Borry S. Touray, the party's legal representative, told reporters that they had petitioned the courts to nullify the results of the election, won by incumbent Adama Barrow.

We have proof that the election was rigged that is why we filed a lawsuit against it," he said. "We have hopes that we will win the case."

The petition was filed quietly with journalists waiting at the courthouse in Banjul for hours for UDP to show up. One of the party members told RFI that the party was trying to avoid drawing a crowd to the court.

I think the executive doesn't want our supporters to come to the court," the UDP member said. "That is why they are keeping information from them, because they know our supporters.

"The minute they know the party is filing a petition they will all rush to Banjul.

History of challenges

The UDP has challenged every election result during Jammeh's regime except in 2016, when the party's former treasurer Adama Barrow defeated Yahya Jammeh.

Some Gambians fear the petition, which alleges corruption and malpractice during the election and registration process, could lead to post-election unrest.

However, civil society organisations, international and local election observers judged the vote to be free and fair.

Read also:
18.12.2021 LISTEN

Justice Clemence Honyenuga has said the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, who is standing trial with businessman Seidu Agongo in the GHS217-million financial loss case, might have been hallucinating in court, thus, his (Dr Opunis) allegations of bias against him in the ongoing trial.

Justice Honyenuga made the comment while ruling on an application filed by Dr Opuni to get the Supreme Court judge, who is sitting as an additional high court judge, to recuse himself on the matter.

Justice Honyenuga said the allegations of bias, prejudice and hostility made against him by Dr Opuni are blatant lies and urged the first accused person to learn to speak the truth, adding: I think that the first accused might have been hallucinating when DW1 (Defence Witness) gave evidence.

He said Dr Opunis claim that I showed open hostilities toward him since he opened his defence was not true.

The case has been adjourned to 10 January 2022.

Before his ruling, Justice Honyenuga indicated in court that the Chief Justice had authorised him to be a judge in his own court by hearing the recusal motion.

Justice Honyenuga read the reply written on behalf of the Chief Justice by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo thus: I have been directed by His Lordship the Chief Justice to inform you that he has carefully studied the contents of your petition and has not found any allegations of likelihood of bias against the trial judge not to be fair in considering his right to determine an objection raised against his presence in the case.

Additionally, His Lordship the Chief Justice has indicated that it would not be in the interest of justice to transfer the motion to another judge to determine whether the judge is fit to sit on the motion.

For the above-mentioned reasons His Lordship the Chief Justice has refused the petition for transfer, the reply to the petition stated.

classfmonline.com
Bags on their backs and guns slung across their chests, soldiers trudge into the forest in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo towards alleged hideouts of the ADF rebel group.

Just instants earlier, rocket launchers fired a salvo in the direction of purported camps of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) near the border with Uganda.

It is the third week of a joint Congolese-Ugandan military operation against the group, who are accused of massacres in eastern DR Congo and bomb blasts in Uganda.

"We will fight to the ultimate sacrifice," one young Congolese soldier tells journalists, on an army-led trip to the frontline in the world-famous Virunga National Park.

Ugandan soldiers have crossed over into the country since late November. By SAbastien KITSA MUSAYI (AFP)

All around him, the forest is a haven for rare species, including elephants, hippopotamuses, lions and okapis.

Mountain gorillas live in the south of the park. But in its north, ADF rebels are believed to be hiding between the trees.

The ADF was historically a Ugandan rebel coalition largely comprised of Muslims opposed to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

But the group established itself in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 1995, later becoming the deadliest of scores of outlawed forces in the troubled region.

Hostages freed

The Virunga National Park is home to elephants, hippopotamuses, lions and okapis -- but also rebels. By SAbastien KITSA MUSAYI (AFP)

At a former base for UN peacekeepers inside the forest, two generals -- one Congolese and the other Ugandan -- have set up their temporary headquarters.

A thermos of warm coffee sits on a camping table, as they discuss their next moves and keep track of Congolese foot soldiers and Ugandan mountain troops marching forward under the green canopy.

It was at this very same base in Semuliki that ADF rebels killed 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers in 2017.

The Congolese and Ugandan armies launched their joint operation with air and artillery strikes on the DRC's North Kivu and Ituri provinces in late November.

Ugandan troops then entered the DRC via the Nobili border crossing, setting up a temporary base a dozen of kilometres away while the road was repaired to allow heavy vehicles through.

Three weeks into the operation, the army has not announced any death casualties.

On December 11, an initial round-up reported just 34 "terrorists" captured, four temporary camps destroyed and "31 Congolese hostages freed".

Earlier this week, the Ugandan army said their artillery and warplanes had targeted "three additional enemy positions".

A DRC commander and an activist in Ituri on Friday said at least eight civilians had been killed in villages there by ADF fighters fleeing the military operations against them.

Antony Mualushayi, DRC army spokesman in North Kivu's Beni territory, said some roads had been fixed and armoured vehicles had rolled in.

"The large-scale operations are going extremely well," he told journalists, urging any civilians in the area "not to panic because of the heavy weapons".

'Impose peace'

Exhausted by years of insecurity and killings, inhabitants have for now welcomed the intervention of Ugandan troops. By SAbastien KITSA MUSAYI (AFP)

On Wednesday, the Congolese coordinator of the operation, Major General Camille Bombele, urged people in the region to "collaborate with the army and the police".

He said DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni had "united forces to impose peace on the region".

Since May, North Kivu and Ituri have been under a "state of siege" to intensify the battle against the rebels, with soldiers replacing civil servants in key positions. But they have not yet managed to quell the insurgency.

Exhausted by years of insecurity and slaughter, inhabitants have for now welcomed the intervention of Ugandan troops.

But they have not forgotten Uganda's role in destabilising their country over the past quarter of a century.

In the late nineties, Uganda sent in troops allegedly to track Ugandan rebels there, including the ADF.

But its soldiers were accused of pillaging resources in gold-rich Ituri and stoking deadly tensions between communities, before turning on DRC government troops and briefly battling Rwandan soldiers too. They only withdrew in 2003.

The DRC's Tshisekedi on Monday pledged to make sure the Ugandan army only remained in the country long enough to fight the ADF.

strs-at/ah/imm
18.12.2021 LISTEN

Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has described the lack of transparency from government on the cost of the Presidents official travels to Europe in September as a grand conspiracy.

Speaking on Eyewitness News after the National Security Minister, Kan Dapaah, said the details of the Presidents travels were classified, Mr. Ablakwa, said this was validation of the concerns raised by critics.

The National Security Minister said the money for presidents travels was drawn from operational costs which were not subject to oversight.

Having been caught out, they are embarrassed and do not want to put out the information, and it is really sad.

This is just an effort to conceal information. It is a grand conspiracy to hide behind national security and not be accountable to the Ghanaian people, Mr. Ablakwa said.

When asked why he was on this crusade, the MP said he was pursuing this for greater accountability and greater transparency and to end the profligacy.

Mr. Ablakwa is already party to a motion demanding a bi-partisan probe into the governments chartering of flights for the President.

The other MPs who are part of the motion are the Builsa North MP, James Agalga; MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyemang Rawlings; Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam MP, Dr Ato Forson and MP for Ablekuma South Constituency, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije.

So far we estimate that not less than GHS 15 million has been spent on these needless rentals when there is a presidential jet in pristine condition which is available.

citinewsroom
The Heroes Park in Kumasi, venue for the 2021 Annual National Delegates' Conference of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is all set to host the biggest political event on the calendar of the ruling party.

The presidential dais, media stand, tents for delegates and invited guests had all been mounted when the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the venue Saturday morning.

Also fixed were public address systems, places of convenience for males and females, as well as hand washing stations to encourage compliance to the COVID-19 safety protocols.

The entire venue had been branded with NPP colours and images of the President, alongside some of the monumental achievements of the Government.

Some members of the Planning Committee and Regional Executives of the party could be seen issuing out instructions in an effort to add finishing touches to the arrangements on the grounds.

In the thick of affairs were Mr Samuel Awuku, the National Organiser, and Mr Henry Nana Boakye (Nana B), the National Youth Organiser, who were busily engaging the youth in the arrangement of chairs and other logistics.

Mr Boakye told the GNA that the venue was set to host delegates from all the 16 regions.

He said adequate provision had been made in terms of security, food, accommodation and adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols.

As a ruling party, we are going to ensure strict compliance to the protocols to reflect the President's commitment to the fight against the disease, he assured.

The NPP, he noted, was a law-abiding party and would not do anything to breach security and the safety protocols during the conference.

Being held from 18-20 December, on the theme: NPP, Our Resolve, Our Determination and Commitment to the Development of Ghana, the conference seeks to take stock of the party's activities over the year.

Some amendments to its constitution are expected to be made as well as a discussion of the way forward towards Election 2024.

GNA
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is scheduled to host its National Delegates Conference in Kumasi from today, Saturday, December 18, 2021, to Monday, December 20, 2021 amidst tight security.

The conference, which is under the theme Our resolve, our determination, and commitment to Ghana's development is expected to gather over 6,000 delegates who will converge on the Heroes Park at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.

Delegates are expected to discuss a number of issues aimed at helping the NPP win the 2024 general elections.

Proposals for a possible amendment to the party's constitution are also expected to be discussed at the conference.

Key among the proposals is to elect a presidential candidate two clear years before a major election.

Currently, the party elects a candidate two years before elections if the party is in opposition and a year when the party is in power.

Party members believe the current arrangement makes it difficult for a new candidate to mend bridges and heal the wounds of other aspirants before the election.

In terms of security, some surveillance cameras have been mounted at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus where some of the delegates are expected to lodge.

Security personnel have also been dispatched to the conference grounds to ensure maximum security of delegates.

High-profile personalities expected to grace the conference include former President John Agyekum Kufuor, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President; Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, National Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay; the General Secretary, Mr John Boadu, members of the National Executive Committee, among others.

Seventeen executives from each constituency will be present at the conference.

Also, ten members of the Regional Council of Elders and patrons, including the regional executive, are expected to participate in the conference.

Delegates are expected to show proof of their Covid-19 vaccination before being allowed entry to the conference grounds.

Per Article 10(2) Sub-section One of the NPP Constitution, there shall be a national annual delegates conference which shall be the supreme governing body of the party.

Per the provisions of the article, the annual delegates conference shall meet once every year to, among others, deliberate and make appropriate resolutions on the National Chairperson's statement, the General Secretary's Report, the National Treasurer's Statement of Accounts, among other provisions.

There will, thus be no elections at the national delegates conference in Kumasi.

The last annual delegates conference was held in Cape Coast in 2020.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah had directed persons aspiring for several leadership positions in the New Patriotic Party to remove their erected billboards within the greater Kumasi area.

The leadership of the party also banned all activities associated with internal party contests, parliamentary and presidential primaries

---citinewsroom
Paris City Hall has cancelled its traditional fireworks display on the Champs-Elysees on 31 December  along with all other festivities along the famous avenue  as Europe battles to stem the spread of the Omnicron coronavirus strain fuelling a resurgence in infections.

"We hope that 2022 will allow us to celebrate joyful moments together, and we also wish you and your loved ones a beautiful holiday season," the mayor's office said.

The move by Paris authorities comes after Prime Minister Jean Castex on Friday asked city mayors around the country to impose restrictions on their end-of-year festivities.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has warned that Omicron could be dominant in Europe by mid-January.

Many countries have decided to reintroduce travel restrictions and other containment measures since it was first detected in South Africa last month.

Curbs

On Friday, Germany designated France and Denmark as high risk zones, and said it would impose quarantine on unvaccinated travellers from its two neighbours, starting from Sunday.

In Ireland, bars and restaurants will have to close from 8pm from Sunday until 30 January, prime minister Micheal Martin announced.

Denmark, which this week had the highest per capita new Covid infection rate, said it would close cinemas, theatres and concert halls and restrict restaurant opening hours.

And Switzerland is also stepping up anti-Covid measures from Monday as the country battles an intense fifth wave of the virus.

Vaccinating kids

A number of countries are opening up their immunisation drives to younger children. In France, jabs will start to be administered from kids aged 5-11 from Wednesday.

In Portugal, where 88.9 percent of the population is vaccinated, more than 60,000 children in that age bracket were set to receive their first jab of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine this weekend.

Nevertheless, the EU health agency ECDC has said measures like mask-wearing, distance working and the prevention of crowds were essential to reduce the burden on healthcare systems in the time available, with vaccines alone taking too long.

The United States was the first large country to take the plunge and has so far vaccinated more than five million children aged 5-11.

(With AFP)
I have noted with alarming shock the incessant propensity at which the Asante overlord, indeed the ceremonial head of Asanteman, formerly the Asante Confederacy or Asante Kingdom, arrogates to himself powers that are neither constitutionally nor traditionally recognised in Ghana or by the Asante tradition and custom.

A few years back, he stated boldly to some Kumawu traditional elders who had determined to challenge his wrongful intimidatory meddling in the Kumawu chieftaincy affairs that no court or judge in Ghana can reverse the decisions he makes. This was captured on camera and has since been published on YouTube under the title, Is any One Man Bigger than Ghana Judicial System?. He made this threat after his cajoling to get them into agreeing with his unconventional attempts to avail himself of some opportunities resulting from the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute to lord himself over Kumawu was rebuffed. He wanted the elders to rescind their decision to pursue a pending lawsuit, the success of which could affect his diabolic interests in Kumawuman.

Not long ago, when he was addressing the audience gathered on the campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to celebrate the 70thanniversary of the establishment of the school, he made a bold, but shamefully erroneous claim that all land in Ashanti belongs solely to him and that any chief occupying any portion of the land does so as a caretaker to the land in his behalf. He made this audacious but deceptive claim to the applause of the gathered audience all of whom were highly educated and or, chiefs.

I quickly published a rebuttal to his false claim with documentary proofs and whether Ghanaians were interested to know the truth or not, I cannot tell. However, I cannot sit back for a ceremonial head of such a vast tribe to continually make false claims to assets and rights which do not belong to him and cannot belong to him until his dying day.

In the publications read on Ghanaweb.com and Modernghana.com, thus, on the Ghana internet news portal, of Friday, 17 December 2021, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is seen kicking against the section of accountability in the new Lands Act. This happened when the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor (Honourable), attended the last general meeting of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs to explain the details of the Lands Act, 2020 (Act 1036) on accountability to them.

Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said, The elders of the various chiefs are the people who can call for accountability and that is when I step in. There is an accountability in the kingdom but not to any individual He continued to say, Not all that is printed here (the Act) is applicable to my jurisdiction. I put chiefs and fetish in charge of the lands in the kingdom. The chiefs are not accountable to any youth

I find Otumfuos assertions completely laughable! It is never true that he has to step in before the elders of the various stools in Ashanti or Asanteman or the Asante Kingdom can hold their chief accountable. Does he know and understand that the Asanteman of today is a loose union of Asante divisional traditional chiefs agreeing to stay together to present themselves as a unified force and that any of them can easily break away at any day any time when they feel obliged to? If it were not so, the chief of Atebubu would not have left Asanteman, removing his division from it.

Asantehene has no right in the nomination, selection and enstoolment of any chief-elect by any of the principal divisions within Asanteman. Again, All land in Ashanti is the property of the stools of the various chiefs.. The chiefs hold them in trust for their subjects. Therefore, they are not caretakers to the portions of Ashanti land they occupy in behalf of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as he asserts and wants some cowards and non-tradition or history-knowledge-deficient Ashantis or Ghanaians to believe.

He does not put any chief or fetish in charge of any of the lands of the major paramountcies in the kingdom contrary to his claim quoted above.

He must understand that Ghana is a republic and that the Constitution or Parliamentary Acts are superior to any sectional traditional laws and regulations. Ghana is neither a total nor a partial monarchy. Even with Ashanti documented traditions and rules, Asantehene does not have any absolute power over any of the divisions unlike how Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is forcefully illegally trying to portray himself and will want Ghanaians to believe.

I have official documents to prove how the claims he has made above are all false. It is just that most Ashantis are cowards or overly subservient or nonchalant to let whatever Otumfuo Osei Tutu II says go.

I will also blame the overly subservience of the current crop of Ghanaian politicians, security personnel and religious leaders that hurry to prostrate to him all of the time. This is why he feels he can make any false statements and claims to get away with them because he has the back of the politicians, the police and the military.

What if every chief in Ghana was to make similar claims as he does, where will Ghana and Ghanaians be? Does he want to take us back into the era of the 14thcenturies where chiefs could banish people, kill people and deprive their subjects of their liberties and properties? If that is his intention, then he must be dreaming!

Rockson Adofo, the proud and fearless son of Kumawu/Asiampa will continually counter any false public claims he makes when he becomes aware of them and provided he has documentary proofs contrary to such claims.

If the government by Act of Parliament or the Constitution wants any individual to hold a chief accountable, so be it!

The chiefs are as corrupt as, if not worse than, the nations current politicians and religious leaders.

For how long does Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II want to take Ghanaians, especially Ashantis, for fools and cowards? Asem sebe

Rockson Adofo

Saturday, 18 December 2021
18.12.2021 LISTEN

The post-Cold War era has formulated an attempt to eradicate dynastic politics in Asia by the Western stakeholders. The fall of socialism boosted the incorporation of the western democratic system by altering and supplanting socialistic, monarchic or autocratic forms of Government around the world. This transition has amalgamated the concept and has filled the void with pseudo-democracy, which manifested the dynastic politics In Asia. In most cases, dynasticism becomes the tool to subdue the dissidents or remain the key to the survival of a leading political party against a split, mass movement, or even the regime itself. It has been seen that dynasties restrict the democratic culture inside the party and the decision-making and even leadership selection become a family affair. But, after the Cold War, the Western Governments launched multidimensional approaches to exterminate dynastic politics to reinstate western democracy.

In India, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, a western educated and confidante of western power, resumed the state power from his colonial master. From the post-independence era, the Nehru- Gandhi dynasty has ruled the country most of the time. Since the 2014 'Lok shaba' election, dynastic politics is appearing increasingly fragile. The rapid rise of third parties like Trinamool Congress or' Aam Admi Party (common men party)' are challenging the traditional two-party system. The present ruling party seems a bit compromising to bring non-dynastic opposition in Indian politics.

Political dynasticism in Pakistan was extensive. Trusted west ally Zulfikar Ali Bhutto started the journey of the Pakistan People's Party and which is now being led by his third generation. The only rival, Nawaz Sharif tried to establish his dynasty in politics. But, both dynasties were rejected and a third party like Tehreek-e- Insaf Party (PTI) was installed in the State power.

In Bangladesh, the two major political parties are dynastic, like other well-known parties in Asia. The ruling party, Bangladesh Awami League, and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are being run one-handedly by Sheikh Hasina (Daughter of party founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) and Begum Khaleda Zia (the widow of party founder Gen. Ziaur Rahman). In 2007, we saw a minus two conspiracy theory by the western power; which albeit failed, but the Western Front is in constant motion to implement course 'B', after the debacle of course 'A'.

In Myanmar, the Aung San dynasty is going to an end. Aung San Suu kyi, daughter of independence hero Aung San, is facing multiple charges under a military-backed Kangaroo court. Former Malaysian Premier Najib Razak, the son of the country's second premier Abdul Razak is currently on trial over the country's largest corruption scandal. In Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, the son-in-law of the former President Suharto was defeated in the polls by Joko Widodo - the first president who does not have any dynastic credentials.

In the Philippines, fourth-generation politician Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino-lll has nose-dived his popularity over repeated scandals. Current President Rodrigo Duterte has emerged from non-dynastic politics in the Philippines. In Thailand, the coup ended the Government of Yingluck Shinawatra who was seen as the puppet of her brother Thaksin Shinawatra in 2014. It has been prominent that the dynastic politics in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan are also on the verge of extinction. The KMT of Chiang kai- Shek and his son Chiang Ching - kuo, Park Chung -hee and his daughter Park Geun- hye and Shinzo Abe the last prominent prime minister hailing from political dynasties have called it time for their political career.

We have more dynastic intrigues in Cambodia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. In Cambodia, dynasties take the helm of two major political parties. One is Hun Sen and his descendant the other one is Sam Rainsy, the son of a leading political figure from the 1950s, Sam Sary - himself the son of another famous politician from the 1940s, Sam Nhean. In Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong the descendant of Lee kwan Yew has been embroiled in a family feud that has spilled over into politics. In Sri Lanka, the Rajapaksa family holds various important posts in state power. In the Middle East, Assad and Harari's dynasties are under tremendous pressure to be ousted by the Western power.

So, the Western democratic leaderships have, of course, changed since the postCold War. The US as a superpower has experienced a rogue regime underrating the democratic values in the hands of Donald Trump which will remain as a nightmare for the world leaders. Then the incumbent President, Mr. Biden, and his allies put all-out efforts to strengthen the democratic values around the world. The West is financing through various channels to educate the voters in Asia as well as to uproot dynasticism. We have experienced the Arab spring backed by the western power. At present, the Biden administration has emphasized on civic skills through transparency, voice, and participation. Dynasty is only considered bad when they ignore mass appeal and are seen to represent only their family, not national interest. Therefore, by all means, Dynasticism in Asia may only endure the Western Manoeuvring in the long run, should it proselytise itself towards the welfare of people at large, rather than concentrating on centralisation of authority within the own cabal.

M A Hossain, a political and defense analyst, writes on diversified topics in Bangladeshi and foreign newspapers. His Twitter handle is:@writemah71
18.12.2021 LISTEN

As Christmas approaches, my thoughts and prayers, are that in 2022, there will be clarity for Africa's agripreneurial wealth-creaters and job-generators, helping rural Africa to thrive despite the negative impacts of global climate change.

In the new new year, one hopes there will finally be clarity for Africa's agripreneurial wealth-creaters, and job-generators, as to whether or not, COP 26 green investment funds, allocated to Africa, will benefit the continent's value-chain smallholder farmer-stakeholders, to enable them prosper in the midst of global warming, and serial-pandemics - or whether it will be business as usual, and such green investment funds will wind up being hovered up, by canny Western financial intermediaries, to benefit themselves and their wealthy rich-nation investors.

One hopes, above all, that well-intentioned wealthy-nation investors, such as the Banque Edmond de Rothschild Group, will make an effort, in 2022, to find creative ways to enable them deal directly with reputable African agrisector social impact enterprises (such as Ghana's B-BOVID), and their dynamic founders, such as the Issa Ouedragos.

Finally, if you celebrate Christmas, dear reader, one wishes you a Merry Christmas. One prays that Providence will bless and guide the leaderships of the world's governments in 2022, so that they finally see the wisdom of collaborating to provide vaccines for all humans in the era of serial-pandemics. May 2022 a relatively better year, than 2021 has been for humankind, thus far. Cool.
Director of the West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Professor Gordon Akanzuwine Awandare has asked persons questioning the science behind covid-19 vaccines to desist from their action.

He believes that this action is deteriorating the vaccine hesitancy situation in the country hence, must stop.

Prof Awandare said on the Key Points on TV3/3FM Saturday, December 18 with host Dzifa Bampoh that credible data across the world show that the vaccines save lives, reduce disease severity, reduce hospitalization and also reduce even the percentage of symptomatic infections and in some cases also reduce deaths.

Let us make the legal case. But to then move ahead and start to question the science around the vaccines and ask questions about whether the vaccines actually works and whether it is even necessary, I think that is very dangerous because. I thought we have moved past this.

All the credible data across the world show that the vaccine saves lives, reduces the disease severity, it reduces hospitalization, it reduces even the percentage of the symptomatic infections and in some cases some of the vaccines actually reduce deaths.

So there is clearly a positive impact from these vaccines. If you are going to make an argument about the legalities of it let's keep it but lest not try to worsen our already bad vaccine hesitancy by raising questions about the vaccines,

Following the mandatory vaccination in Ghana, some persons have questioned the governments decision to force people to accept the vaccine especially when they believe that there was no law backing the governments directive.

For instance, a private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, asked the government to get an Executive Instrument (E.I) to back the decision.

Mr Kpebu expressed shock that the government commenced enforcement of the mandatory vaccination when there was no E. I to support the directive.

I am surprised that government is not putting in place the EI. It doesn't take much to put out such an EI, he said on the Key Points on TV3/3FM Saturday, December 18.

As part of measures to control the spread of the coronavirus in the country, the government through the Ghana Health Service (GHS) introduced a number of measures at the Kotoka International Airport.

Among the measures, Airlines who board passengers without proof of payment for the COVID -19 test and would/ could not pay for the test in Ghana will be fined US$3500 per passenger.

Also, non-Ghanaian passengers may be refused entry and be returned to the point of embarkation at cost to the Airline. Revision-8-KIA-Covid-Guidelines-Dec11-2021 Download

The month of December has been declared by the GHS had as the vaccination month.

Addressing a press conference in Accra on Sunday November 28, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kumah-Aboagye said vaccination was the surest way to deal with the virus.

He further assured that the authorities are going to scale up surveillance measures at the Kotoka International Airport during the Christmas season to ensure that Covid infections do not increase.

He further said that the mistakes that were made in December last year which occasioned the escalation of infections in January this year, will not be repeated.

There is going to be a strict enforcement of the protocols at the KIA. We are going to increase surveillance. We are expecting an increased number of people to arrive in the country.

We are going to ensure that our logistics are prepared, we will continue our surveillance to be able to look at that, we are going to look at isolation centres, he said.

He added Our contact tracing will be strengthened.

We are going to engage with religious organizations to ensure that activities done in Christmas are in accordance with Covid protocols.

Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Anthony Nsia Asare, allayed fears of persons who are worried about the potential reaction from taking the covid vaccine.

He stated that it is normal to experience headaches, body pains and other reactions. These are indications that the vaccine is functioning properly in the body, he said.

If you are vaccinated and you feel slight headache it means the vaccine is working very well, he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, December 4 with Dzifa Bampoh.

Dr Nsia Asare further urged all persons who are yet to receive their vaccines to do so in order to save their lives and the lives of others.

In his view, Ghana cannot afford to go through fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic hence the government, through the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has taken the vaccination exercise a step higher in order to get as many as possible inoculated.

Vaccination centres, he stated, are being created closed to the people in the communities including market areas to make it easier for them to go through the exercise.

We cannot afford a fourth wave, he said, adding that we can all do this together if you are vaccinated, he said.

The GHS) this week issued new guidelines to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana ahead of the Christmas season.

The guidelines include measures to vaccinate as many as possible before Christmas on December 25.

In a press release issued on Thursday December 9, the GHS said All persons, 18 years and above arriving in Ghana will be required to provide evidence of full vaccination for Covid-19 vaccines.

All unvaccinated Ghanaians and residents of Ghana who are currently outside the country and intend to return within 14 days from the midnight of 12 December 2021 are exempted. However, they would be vaccinated on arrival at the airport.

It added, all Ghanaians traveling out of the country are to be fully vaccinated effectively 12th midnight 2021.

---3news.com
The Takoradi Sub-Metro under the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has prosecuted nine persons for various sanitation offences.

They committed the offences in areas such as Takoradi, Cape Coast Road (PTC - PWD Area) within the Central Business District (CBD) and Takoradi Kokompe Area.

They were arrested during a special operation by the Sanitation Taskforce of the Takoradi Sub-Metro between Wednesday, December 8 and Thursday, December 16, 2021.

Nana Asempa Neye, Takoradi Sub-Metro Director, who briefed the Ghana News Agency (GNA) about the operation, said on Wednesday, December 8, three people were arrested of which two were prosecuted and fined GHC1,800.00 each by the Takoradi District Court.

He said one was able to pay the fine while the others could not and had to serve a three months prison sentence.

The third person had an out of court settlement and was given a spot fine of GHC500.00, he added.

He said on the second day of the operations, two other persons were arrested and presented before the Court.

They were fined GHC1,200.00 each.

He said one person paid while the other who could not pay was put in Police custody, awaiting the results of the COVID-19 test before commencing his three months prison sentence.

Nana Neye said two others arrested on December 13 were prosecuted and fined GHS700.00 each.

GNA
The Law Faculty of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, (UPSA) on Saturday, December 18, afternoon canceled a paper in their ongoing end of semester examination due to suspected cases of Covid-19.

Level 400 students of the faculty started their end of semester examinations on Monday, December 13 and were scheduled to write Jurisprudence today Saturday at 2pm.

However, before the commencement of the paper, students had reports from their leaders that some of their colleagues reportedly tested positive for Covid-19.

This raised some level of apprehension among the students who asked their leaders to negotiate with the administration to move the paper online but that agreement was not immediately reached with management of the faculty before 2pm.

At 2pm, the students grudgingly headed for the examination hall but were told to hold on for a more spacious hall to be prepared for them.

While waiting, the officer in-charge of the faculty came to announce that the paper has been cancelled and that further details will be communicated to them.

It is not yet clear how the rest of the three papers are going to be written but it is expected that a communique from the faculty will clarify all that.

---3news.com
Spontaneous applause and cheers greeted Edward Akosah Danso, a graduating medical student of the University of Cape Coast's School of Medical Sciences, as his name was mentioned to receive 15 of the 21 awards up for grasp.

Mr Danso, son of Commissioner of Police (COP) Maame Tiwaa Addo-Dankwah, Director of PIPS of the Ghana Police Service, was the highest awardee at the four sessions of the 54th Congregation, held on Thursday and Friday, which saw more than 7,300 students graduating.

These include the congregation for students of the colleges of Humanities and Legal Studies, Agriculture and Natural Sciences, and Health and Allied Sciences.

He emerged the Best Student in Anatomy, Best Graduating Clinical Student, Best Graduating Student in Psychological Medicine and Mental Health, Overall Best in Surgery, Best Student in Psychiatry, and Best Graduating Male Student.

Mr Danso was also the Best in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Best in Community Medicine, and Best Student in Physiology.

His proud and visibly elated mother gave him a warm embrace as she took series of photographs with him to the admiration of all.

Mr Danso said he was exceedingly grateful to God and his family for the support given him and pledged to go all out to make them proud.

"It is overwhelming and extremely joyous to make my mother and family members proud and also inspire others who may consider me worthy of looking up to, he remarked with smiles.

He advised students to sidestep all activities that would derail their future ambitions and remain focused on their studies and aspirations.

Also at the ceremony, Miss Linda Appiah, who graduated with Bachelor of Commerce in Finance, emerged the Overall Best Graduating Student from the College of Humanities and Legal Studies.

Graduating with a CGPA of 3.908, Miss Appiah swept awards including the Pro-Vice Chancellor's Award for the Best Graduating Bachelor of Commerce Student, the Overall Best Graduating Business Student, as well as the Best Female Graduating Student.

She expressed gratitude to God for the feat and said "I saw this award as an honour bestowed on me as a merit with little effort but much from the grace of God and his favour shown me."

Miss Appiah, also a student politician, shared how she combined the two programmes and emerged the best student overruling the notion that student politicians did not do well academically.

"The first word I will say is focus. The core values I decided to live by as a student was to be determined, ambitious and friendly. I served as a student leader twice and performed my duties as a student," she said.

Miss Asantsewaa Aboagye-McCarthy was the Best Graduating Student in Optometry with a CGPA of 3.971.

She could not hide her joy as she read her valedictory speech, saying: "My joy knows no bounds" and shared her journey with her colleagues, encouraging them to be determined in life.

Miss Aboagye-McCarthy encouraged them to be humble and live morally upright lives as those guided her to attain the enviable feat.

She told the ladies to hold high their integrity as sexual harassment and emotional instability could be threats to their ambitions.

"I encourage all females to hold in high esteem your womanhood and do your best to make the most efficient use of your time and resources. There are very good lecturers in this institution who can help you to make it," she said.

GNA
A renewed vaccine campaign, spearheaded by the Volta Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service and partners, has seen a total of 40,000 doses of vaccines administered between December 1 and 14.

This brought the total number of persons fully vaccinated in the Region to 65,000, representing six per cent out of a targeted 1,055,000.

Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, Deputy Volta Regional Health Director, In Charge of Public Health, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency, said a total of 216,000 persons have at least received the first dose, representing 20 per cent.

He said the Directorate would not relent in its effort to ensure that the targeted number of persons were fully vaccinated to stem the spread of the virus.

Dr Djokoto said the vaccination rate in the Region was not encouraging and that much more needed to be done, especially in education, social mobilisation and improving access to vaccines.

The Deputy Health Director said a concerted effort was required to deal with the pandemic and to stem its spread to safeguard the human resource of the country.

He said the misinformation being peddled by some conspiracy theorists about the vaccine was a major factor, contributing to people being hesitant to take the vaccine in certain segments of society.

This situation, he said, needed a collaborative effort to address and to let people know that the vaccine was safe and efficacious so they would avail themselves to be vaccinated.

Dr Djokoto urged the citizens to continue observing the safety protocols of regular hand washing under running water, social distancing, wearing masks and use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser to curb the spread of the disease.

GNA
Police in the Ashanti Region have picked up one person in connection with the lynching of five persons at Nyinawusu in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality of the Ashanti Region.

The police are also on a manhunt for one other person who is on the run.

According to the police, some residents of Nyinawusu killed the five persons who had been accused of being behind an armed robbery attack in the area a few days ago.

The residents prevented the police, who were around at the Nyinawusu Chiefs palace, from having access to the accused persons as they killed them.

The police say investigations show that all the deceased persons hail from Akorabuokrom near Nyinahin.

Residents of Akorabuokrom attempted to engage in a reprisal on Saturday morning but the intervention of the police and opinion leaders in the area helped restore calm.

DSP Jerry James Amekah has thus called on the residents not to engage in any form of disturbances as they are working to arrest the perpetrators.

---citinewsroom
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Petroleum Commission, Mr Egbert Faibile Jnr. Has called on traditional authorities in the Western Region to help control incursions from some fishermen around Ghana's Oil Rigs and the exclusive zone.

He said, Let just imagine how we get scared when we are around vehicles with an inscription, 'Highly Inflammable' ...we are in a hurry to avoid its closeness to us or even go nearer.

So how come, our fishermen would want to play with their lives and that of the country by going around that huge investment with flammable materials in their boats or canoes."

The CEO said any such unfortunate situation could cost the country billions of dollars, the loss of precious lives and create a national emergency, needing lots of financial resources to repair the damage.

He, therefore, pleaded with the Chiefs to help educate the fishermen to stop the incessant incursions around the rigs offshore Ghana's waters.

Mr Faibile was speaking at the end of year engagement with the Western Regional House of Chiefs to update them on happenings in the oil and gas upstream sector, solicit for good counsel to improve community relationships and the general growth of the oil and gas sector.

"As a Commission, we appreciate the relationship we have built over the years. Being a major stakeholder in the upstream sector, your contributions to our operations have been of immense benefit; an achievement we are always grateful for."

The Petroleum Commission, he noted, understood that the Chiefs and Traditional Rulers were best placed to understand the needs and aspirations of the people, the challenges of the local environment and local economy, including the fisheries sector and the dynamics of the different groups living in the local environment.

Meanwhile, the Joint Petroleum Commission-Western Region House of Chiefs Working Group also meets twice yearly to discuss urgent and recurring social and community-related issues within the Region although the Coronavirus pandemic had halted it over the last two years.

"I encourage the Working Group to remain steadfast with its mission of establishing the linkage between oil and gas and the regional economy, providing alternative livelihood for households who may be affected by the oil and gas sector, among others".

Mr Faibile, therefore, stressed the need for, trust, engagement, participation and accountability to sustain the partnership to yield positive results.

He mentioned some key activities executed by the Commission in 2021 as the Cumulative Impact Co-Management Platform, the accelerated oil and gas capacity project and the incursion sensitization campaign, among others.

The CEO said the Commission, in adopting the recommendations of the Safe Sea Access Framework, agreed with relevant stakeholders to set up the Cumulative Impact Co-Management Platform.

According to him, the main purpose of the Platform was to facilitate a coordinated approach to the effective management of cumulative impacts of offshore oil and gas project development and production operations in the Western Region.

He said the Accelerated Oil and Gas Capacity Building Project (AOGC) was established in November 2017 to enhance the capacity of Ghanaians to enable them to work in the oil and gas sector.

"So far some 150 students have benefited and are presently in residence at the Jubilee Technical Training Centre (JTTC) of the Takoradi Technical University (TTU) and are being trained to acquire vocational, practical and hands-on skills that will position the trainees to take opportunities in the upstream oil and gas industry".

Each of the trainees, he said, would be awarded a City and Guilds International Vocational Qualification (IVQ) Level III Certificate.

Mr Faibile Jnr said the Commission also collaborated with the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) to embark on a community sensitization exercise at selected landing beaches along the four Coastal Regions of Ghana.

The purpose of the exercise, he noted, was to provide fisher-folks with industry updates and education on the Exclusive Zones (EZs) in accordance with the Safe Sea Access Framework (SSAF) to ensure a reduction in incursions into the marked safety zones by fishing activities.

Ms Phoebe Afful, an Officer of the Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the Commission, who updated the House on Exploration and Production Activities, said the country has 14 agreements currently active under 11 companies.

She noted that exploration activities around the Voltaran Basin were also yielding an impressive outlook and prayed that in 2022 more Appraisals would be done, additional Production reserves created and existing companies acquiring more blocks.

Nana Kobena Nketsia V, the Paramount Chief of Essikado, who chaired the meeting appreciated the excellent commitment of the Commission to advancing Ghana's oil and gas upstream sector.

He stressed the need for more indigenous companies to operate in the space while attention was also given to the fisheries sector for mutual growth, trust and peaceful coexistence.

The Paramount Chief later reminded the Commission of some promises to resource the Regional House and urged that it was redeemed on time.

GNA
The Ashaiman District Court has granted bail in the sum of GHC5,000 with two sureties to Christian Annor, charged for stealing a motorbike.

The Royal Motorbike was valued at GHC3,500.00.

According to the facts of the case, Annor, age 17, on November 27, this year, dishonestly appropriated a Royal Motorbike at Adjei Kojo in the Tema West Municipality.

The motorbike was the property of Augustine Hanu, the complainant.

The court, presided over by Mrs Eleanor Kakra Banes Botchway, granted Annor bail after he pleaded not guilty.

The case was deferred to February 2, 2022 for trail.

Chief Inspector Samuel Aperweh prosecuting, said complainant Hanu was a 32-years-old technician, whilst Annor is a labourer. The two are neighbours at Adjei Kojo, near Ashaiman.

On November 26, Mr Hanu parked his Royal Motorbike in his house and retired to bed but in the early hours of November 27, when he woke up, he did not see the motorbike.

Prosecution said on December 12, 2021, at about 1225 hours, the complainant saw the motorbike at a fitting shop close to Adjei Kojo, under bridge market, and confronted the shop owner.

The owner told him that it was Annor who brought it for repairs.

Later Annor arrived at the shop and was identified to the complainant by the shop owner.

The complainant. with his friends, arrested Annor and handed him over to the police at Kanewu.

During interrogation he admitted the offence and mentioned one Kwasi as his accomplice but failed to show police the accomplice's hideout.

Annor was subsequently charged and put before the court. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to apprehend the accomplice.

GNA
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a supplementary charge-sheet against Corporation Bank's former chairman-and-managing director (CMD) Ramnath Pradeep, former chief manager SN Murthy Shankar and former senior manager AP Shiva Kumar in connection with a Rs79 crore fraud case of 2017. The CBI had filed the charge-sheet before the additional chief metropolitan magistrates court at Esplanade Court, Mumbai.

In a statement, CBI says, It was found during further investigation that then CMD, e-Corporation Bank, had allegedly sanctioned working capital limit of about Rs60 crore to the private firm on the pretext of refusal by three of the existing banks of consortium to share the enhanced limits. It was further alleged that the accused did not ensure seeking confirmation from three banks about the reasons for refusal to take their share in enhancement of limits and sanctioned their share without ascertaining the factual position of financial closure and tie-up status. Sanction of said cash credit (CC) limit was in contravention of the lending policy of the bank.

Two of the accused, Shankar and Kumar were said to have appraised the sanction proposal of the company though fully aware that the loan applicant was neither a director nor authorised signatory of that company, CBI says, adding The accused trio were allegedly associated in preparing the memorandums for modifications of the sanction terms for that private company without verifying the full details and disbursed the loan without informing the lead bank of the same.

The CBI had registered a case on 16 June 2017 following a complaint by Corporation Bank against the Mumbai-based Parekh Aluminex Ltd, which is engaged in manufacturing aluminium foil containers, and against its directors and chartered accountant (CA) and others. The company, which took a loan for doing business, allegedly diverted the funds. "They had further allegedly diverted the funds and deployed it in real estate and other non-related business activities by way of loans and advances in different real estate projects. An alleged loss of Rs79.04 crore was caused to Corporation Bank," officials from CBI say.

The investigation agency says, the company directors, CA and others conspired and availed various credit facilities to the tune of Rs60 crore from e-Corporation Bank, which is now merged with the Union Bank of India (UBI).

According to the complaint, officials from the Corporation Bank conspired with the MD of the private company and allowed disbursal of Rs59 crore without confirming the drawing power from Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), the lead bank in the deal, and made no effort to become a member of the consortium to protect the Bank's interest.

The Bank officers repeatedly extended the time limits for the private company to seek a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the lead bank inducting the Corporation Bank into the consortium. Later, the NOC condition was dispensed with.
Lithium batteries help power popular gadgets like smartphones and tablet computers and will increasingly be called upon to power electric vehicles. That will drive up demand for lithium and a number of companies see opportunity in that rising demand.

One such company is Galvanic Energy out of Oklahoma City, which has attracted a number of investors from Midland. In fact, the company recently held a shareholder meeting in the Tall City.

While lithium is associated with renewable energy, Galvanic Chief Executive Officer Brent Wilson pointed out that its use is rooted in the oil and gas industry. Exxon developed lithium rechargeable batteries in the 1970s to help power its offshore operations, he told the Reporter-Telegram. Oil and gas companies had research and development departments that conducted research beyond oil and gas, he added.

Speaking with the Reporter-Telegram by telephone, Wilson said his company is utilizing its oil and gas background in the search for lithium.

My team and I worked for Chesapeake Energy for 12 years and were part of layoffs in 2018, Wilson recounted. Looking to regroup, he observed the rising demand for lithium batteries in iPhones, iPads, laptop computers, power tools and even wind turbines.

I told my team if anything keeps me up at night, its that no one is pursuing this. I felt it was a great opportunity, so I started Galvanic and put the team back together, he said.

Wilson relied on the Midland connections made while he was at Chesapeake to help build Galvanic. First, he presented his idea to close friend Mike Oestmann, president and chief executive officer of Tall City Exploration, who thought he was onto a good idea.

That led to Danny Campbell, co-manager of Henry Resources and his boss, Jim Henry, who had recently purchased a Tesla electric vehicle and loved it.

We pitched the idea for a year seeking investors, said Wilson. He said a number of Midlanders saw the opportunity and liked his out-of-the-box thinking.

The company performed some tests in the Permian Basin, but Wilson said it has the wrong geology to develop lithium. Instead, the company is developing 100,000 acres in the Smackover play in southwestern Arkansas that contains enriched concentrations of lithium dissolved in brine. The Smackover was the worlds largest producing field in the 1910s and 1920s, said Wilson, and when the field dried up, so did the small communities around it. Wilson said he is happy to rejuvenate those communities and bring back industry.

Wilson said the plan is to utilize oil and gas-style methods to mine the lithium, leaving a much smaller footprint than the huge holes associated with such mines. It will also use those impacted by the Smackover shutdown to again utilize their oil and gas skills.

Were trying to give these assets new purpose, he said. When (President) Obama talked about Appalachia needed to end coal mining and invest in renewables, taking those coal miners and training them to service wind turbines, thats not a directly correlative job. In our case were taking oil and gas operators and service companies and doing the same thing, but now also extracting things like lithium. To me its a smarter approach. It doesnt end one thing and start something else; they can coexist.

Not only does Wilson see Galvanics oil and gas-style methods as more environmentally friendly, but having a domestic source of lithium also reduces the environmental impact that comes from transporting the mineral to the US.

With lithium development in our own backyard, it will improve the lithium mining footprint, electric vehicle footprint and protect our water resources, he explained.

China currently controls 80 percent of the lithium market largely through buying the mineral from South America, Australia and even the US, he said.

Lithium batteries, he continued, are "agnostic" as to where their energy comes from, making them great for energy storage. Also, Galvanics methods would reduce the high carbon intensity that comes from the heavy equipment and historic methods of mining lithium.

We know demand for lithium in the US is outstripping supply. Demand is high and we have a lot of prospects, Wilson said. His company is "very high" on exploration and he has a very good technical team that does a lot of modeling and researching everything from well logs to water chemistry to better understand reservoirs.

Weve learned a lot from prospects like the Smackover and I think we can replicate that; demand will require we replicate, he said. We need projects to be properly managed from an environmental perspective rather than lithium coming from foreign entities.
After two decades of researching technology for carbon capture, the University of Texas is taking the next step to commercialize the technology.

The university and Honeywell are collaborating on commercializing the advanced solvent technology to capture carbon dioxide from combustion flue gases from power plants and heavy industrial processes.

The agreement culminates work done over two decades and more than 40 doctorate students, said Gary Rochelle, professor at the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and leader of the Texas Carbon Management Program at UT Austin.

The Odessa native told the Reporter-Telegram the advanced solvent technology is an organic compound that reacts faster than other compounds to CO2 and is stable at higher temperatures, allowing it to run at higher pressures.

Ben Owens, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions, told the Reporter-Telegram his company will be able to scale up and commercialize the technology.

We can leverage the best of the core competencies of both parties, Owens said.

Rochelle said the researchers addressed the hurdle of oxidation of the solvent to ensure it is robust and resistant to oxidation and then lowering the energy requirements of the process.

What were ultimately working on is making sure it does a good job of reducing amine emissions, he said.

Owens said the technology will target intensive emitters like cement, steel or power plants that can use the solvent to capture carbon at a lower cost. The cost to capture per ton of CO2 is important, but customers also demand a high degree of reliability, he said.

For a typical power plant of 685-megawatt capacity, applying advanced solvent carbon-capture technology would capture 3.4 million tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to removing nearly 735,000 cars from the road each year.

Owens added that many of the technologies Honeywell applies were developed at Midlands Ortloff Engineers, which it acquired in 2018.

Rochelle said tax incentives like the 45Q tax credit are necessary to incentivize the technology to capture CO2 and store it or utilize it in other applications, such as enhanced oil recovery. If the legislation pending in Congress raises that credit to $85 per ton is passed, it will make a big difference in advancing projects, he said.

As research like that done at the university seeks to curb emissions and address climate change, Owens stressed that no single technology will solve climate change. He said different technologies must be applied to different industries.

Rochelle said fossil fuels will still be needed to back up renewable energy sources like wind and solar, which arent always available.

The real issue is reliability, he observed.
KITTERY, Maine (AP)  An African refugee collaborated on a children's book that draws from his experience growing up in Maine's largest city.

Terry Farish, of Kittery, wrote the book with OD Bonny, who provided the inspiration for A Feast for Joseph. It tells the story of a young refugee who adapts to a new life in Portland.

Despite finding a better life, Joseph still longs for the family and friends  and food  he left behind at a refugee camp.

He still has good friends there, so hes missing all the people, how they used to cook and the music, and thats what hes homesick for, Farish told WMTW-TV.

In the book, Joseph makes a friend and they cook an African feast that brings together the community.

I think friendship is one of the most important things to come from this book, but personally, for me my favorite is tradition and the food, said Bonny, whose family fled South Sudan. The family ended up at Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Uganda before coming to Maine. Bonny has since moved to Nebraska.

After the two met in 2013, Bonny performed a rap he'd created about a young-adult novel Farish wrote about a Sudanese immigrant who settled in Maine, she told Seacoastonline.com.

The new book is aimed at elementary school-aged children. It was published in September by Toronto-based Groundwood Books.

It was illustrated by Canadian Ken Daley, himself the son of immigrants, who said the story about being homesick and the connection to culture and food resonated with him, as well. My parents emigrated from Dominica to Canada, so yes I drew on my family experience to help illustrate the story, he told The Associated Press.

Maine is the nation's whitest state, but it's home to a growing population of immigrants and refugees from Africa.

There is a population from Somalia that numbers more than 10,000, mostly based in Portland and in Lewiston. There have been significant numbers of immigrants from other African countries as well.
On Dec. 7, Americans collectively and publicly observed the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. For three generations of Judge Leah Robertsons family, the date marked an individual and private remembrance, until they were invited to the USS Oklahoma Re-interment of the Unknowns Ceremony in Hawaii on this 80th anniversary.

Robertson had three great uncles assigned to the Oklahoma in 1941. One, Chief Petty Officer Merlin Woods, was transferred 30 days prior and survived the war. Winfred and Lawrence Woods, however, died aboard the ship, one of the first vessels hit with a total of nine torpedoes.

The judge recounted that Machinist Mate First Class Winfred Woods remains were identified fairly quickly, and his widow oversaw his burial at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (nicknamed the Punchbowl) in Honolulu. Fireman First Class Lawrence Woods was among 394 sailors and marines from the ship who were interred as unknowns in 45 separate graves there.

In 2003, a survivor pressed officials to exhume one of those caskets to test for the remains of a particular service member. Personnel from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) applied forensic analysis and DNA testing. Surviving relatives, including the brothers sister, Ina Bea Jameson (Robertsons paternal grandmother who died in 2009), her father and uncle were contacted by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) laboratories. Her father Lawrence and Uncle Norman provided samples of mitochondrial DNA, and in 2019, skeletal remains of FFC Woods were identified.

Robertson recounted that two Navy officers in dress uniform appeared at her folks door in late 2019 with a thick book detailing the analysis and offering to assist with funeral arrangements. In December of 2020, Lawrence Woods was finally laid to rest in a small cemetery in the Wise County community of Greenwood (near Decatur). A Navy chaplain conducted the service with full military honors, and Robertson's only regret was that her grandmother didnt live to see it and get closure.

Fast forward to last week when the Jameson and Robertson families, including her parents, husband, 11 and 8-year-old children, were invited by the Navy to the ceremony for the final 33 seamen who are still classified as unknowns. (Since 2015, 355 sailors have been individually identified.)

She recalled that Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro was the distinguished speaker at the USS Oklahoma re-interment service, and he took the time to meet her children. She was one of two service members great nieces in attendance along with one survivor of the ship. The ceremony had all of the elements: 21-gun salute, Taps, and bagpipers.

Before they returned home, her family toured the Oklahomas memorial on Ford Island, the well-known USS Arizona and other Pearl Harbor museums during their memory-making pilgrimage.

Robertson, a former Army avionics mechanic, said, It was an honor to be a part of that ceremony on the 80th anniversary. The Navy was very serious about honoring their seamen. Outside of her office in the 385th District Court, the judge has a display which includes the flag and case that her family received when her great uncle was buried last year.
Voices and Votes: Democracy in America: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Jacksonville Area Museum, 301 E. State St. | The Smithsonian Museum on Main Street exhibit runs through Wednesday. For more information, go to jacksonvilleareamuseum.org.

Illinois Freedom Project: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Old School Museum, 110 E. Cherry St., Winchester. | Last day to see this exhibit.

Jacksonville Area Museum Holiday Open House: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Jacksonville Area Museum, 301 E. State St. Free | Visit with Santa, explore the museum and take home snacks. All visitors must wear masks. For more information, visit jacksonvilleareamuseum.org.

Morgan County Audubon Society Young Explorers Club: 11 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Michael Wiant will discuss how archaeologists study artifacts to learn about everyday life. For more information, contact Allen Yow at 217-243-8457.

Brown Bag Lunches: Noon, Congregational Church UCC, 520 W. College Ave. Free | For those who are hungry.

Live Nativity Drive-Through: 5-8 p.m., Gates to Glory Ministries, 490 Thady Road and U.S. 67, Murrayville.

Visit with Santa: 5:30 p.m., Home of Keith and Jennifer McNeece, 636 S. Church St. Free | Come visit Santa and enjoy the Christmas lights display. Santa will have stuffed animals for younger children and everyone gets a candy cane.

Illinois Symphony Orchestra  Holiday Pops in the Heartland: 7:30 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. | For more information, call 217-206-6160 or visit uispac.com.

Sunday

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Jacksonville Area Museum, 301 E. State St. | The Smithsonian Museum on Main Street exhibit runs through Wednesday. For more information, go to jacksonvilleareamuseum.org.

Santa Visit: Noon- 4 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Bring a camera to take pictures with Santa. For more information, call 217-243-5435 or email Courtney Langdon at clangdon@jaxpl.org.

Back in the Saddle: 2 p.m., Ridge View Winery, 529 200 North Ave., Mount Sterling. | Live music.

"Summer  The Donna Summer Musical": 7 p.m., UIS Performing Arts Center, 1 University Plaza, Springfield. Tickets $24-$89. | For tickets or more information, call 217-206-6160 or visit uispac.com.

Monday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Mindful Movement Class with Jeannie: 6:30 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. Free | Learn the basics with Jeannie Hemphill. Mask required. For more information, call 217-243-5435.

Breastfeeding 101: 7 p.m., Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, 1600 W. Walnut St. | A certified lactation counselor shares information. To register, call 217-479-5800.

Tuesday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic: 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Auburn United Methodist Church, 14100 Illinois 4, Auburn. | Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson first and second doses, and boosters offered. Walk-ins welcome or register online at auburnil-umc.org.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Jacksonville Promise Night at Leo's Pizza: 2-10 p.m., Leo's Pizza, 230 S. Main St. | Every third Tuesday of the month, mention the Jacksonville Promise scholarship program and Leo's will donate 15% of your total bill to the program. Call 217-243-3413.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Wednesday

Walking for Wellness: 7 a.m.-1 p.m., Jacksonville High School Bowl, 215 S. Church St. Free | Indoor walking program open each day Jacksonville schools are in session.

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Jacksonville Area Museum, 301 E. State St. | Last day to see this exhibit. For more information, go to jacksonvilleareamuseum.org.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Commodity Food Distribution: 1:15 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free | For income-eligible residents of Morgan County. Bring proof of residence and a box for food.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Thursday

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.

Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445.

Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need.

Friday

Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents.

Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door.
President Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl called to order the Dec. 10 meeting of the Jacksonville Rotary Club at noon at Hamiltons.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The group sang America. Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl gave the Reflection.

Volunteers were thanked, including Alberta Robinson, Karen Walker, Steve Holt and Jan Ryan, greeters and 50-50; Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl, Reflection; note taker Anne Jackson; Craig Albers, sergeant-at-arms; Todd The Magnificent Evans, Recognitions and Rotations; tech guru Dan Lepper; song leader Nancy Thorsen; and April Clarke, food delivery.

Announcements:

 The Polio Plus Jars are on the tables!

 A Christmas social will be at 5 p.m. Dec. 10 at the home of Steve and Susan Hardin.

 Volunteers are being sought to ring Bells for The Salvation Army. Contact April Clarke.

 Volunteers are being sought for the Adopt a Family program. Contact Joe Kauffmann.

 Volunteers who want to help with Wreaths Across America should contact Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl or new member Sarah Shellhammer.

Breanna Van Matre and Maddie Revers were guests of Nancy Thorsen and both plan to join. Robert Suefert accompanied his wife, Diane. Sarah Shellhammer was a guest of Cathy Jo Littleton Wahl.

Upcoming events:

Dec. 10: Christmas Social at the Hardins

Dec.11: Ring Bells for The Salvation Army

Dec. 18: Wreaths Across America at 10 a.m. at Williamson Funeral Home

Dec. 21: Valentines Committee via Zoom at 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 24: There will be no noon meeting.

Sarah Shellhammer was installed as the newest member of Jacksonville Rotary Club. Welcome, Sarah!

Todd Evans led Recognitions and Rotations.

Brian Gillespie gave the program on Prairieland United Ways efforts for the year. It was an interesting presentation and many Rotarians are involved in this great cause.

Guest Maddie Revers drew unsuccessfully for the 50-50 drawing.

The Four-Way Test was recited and the meeting was adjourned at 1 p.m.

 Submitted by Anne Jackson





Jacksonville Area Genealogical and Historical Society

President Elizabeth Hardy called the Dec. 8 board meeting of Jacksonville Area Genealogical and Historical Society to order at 1 p.m. All board members were present.

Secretary Anne Jackson distributed the minutes from the October board meeting and they were unanimously approved as written.

Treasurer Wanda Dame is working with the lawyer to finalize the 501(c)(3) papers and clear up the procedure for the yearly mandated updates. She also apprised the group of the groups current financial status and the report was unanimously approved as written.

Several current projects are under way. A scanner has been purchased and members are preparing to begin updating our current paper library. We are anxiously awaiting broadband installation. The group is working on developing its volunteer base. Those interested are encouraged to contact the society by calling 217-245-9623, emailing the society at info@jaghsil.com or stopping by the society office at 416 S. Main St. between 1 and 3 p.m. weekdays.

We are collecting dues for 2022. They are $25 annually. A website is being developed.

Officers for the 2022 year were installed, including President: Chris Marshall, Vice President, Elizabeth Hardy, Secretary Anne Jackson, Treasurer Wanda Dame and at-large board members Dan Currier, Jane Hadden and Ruth Linear.

The society has a new email address  info@jaghsil.com.

The societys office hours are from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The group thanked Elizabeth Hardy for her hard work as president over these many years. She received a round of applause, lots of pats on the back, and a token of our esteem from those in attendance.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:10 p.m.

 Submitted by Anne Jackson

***



Jacksonville Amvets Ladies Auxiliary Post 100

Jacksonville Amvets Ladies Auxiliary Post 100 recently met and made Christmas donations to several organizations, including Wreaths for Vets, Wounded Warriors, The Salvation Army and Shop with a Cop.

Merry Christmas!

 Submitted by Kathy Price, secretary





Jacksonville Area Genealogical and Historical Society

Jacksonville Area Genealogical and Historical Society has been updating its computer process.

The new officers will take on their duties after being installed during the Dec. 8 board meeting.

A Winchester member came into town to switch the mailing on his newsletter to email.

Information requested on Grierson, Epler, Layton and others has been sent out.

Publications have been received from the St. Louis society and the Greene, Cass and Schuyler counties groups. The Quincy society also sent one that was colorful and had several events mentioned.

The society has purchased a scanner and is adapting to using it.

The board was expected to decide at its Dec. 8 meeting if there would be any changes to the meeting schedule for 2022. Therese Schroeder asked to be off the board but said she will remain a society member.

There was an unusual inquiry about a ghost in Jacksonville.

Therese Schroeder will be thanked for her time spent on the board.

Recent new society members include Mike Baise of Indiana and Jennifer Liklani of Woodson.

Mary Dray was elected to the board.

Those paying dues included Belotte, Heaton, Ivemeyer, Lahey, Lonergan, Eric Key, Sucia and Spriger.

Readers can get information about subscribing to various publications and read the Bloomington, St. Louis, DAR and state genealogy magazine during the library's open hours. Other data available are city directories, family histories, local history, Portugues, Black history, marriages and obituaries that have been saved.

The society is working on planning an open house, which will be announced.




Although some groups have resumed meetings, others schedules may have changed because of pandemic restrictions. It is recommended you contact the group in advance to verify details. Any changes in meeting schedules can be emailed to JJCsocial@myjournalcourier.com.



ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

217-370-4002

Jacksonville locations:

 First Baptist Church, 1701 Mound Ave. Wheelchair-accessible.

 Club HOW, 638 S. Church St.

Monday

 Closed discussion, 7:30 a.m. at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Bowen Group.

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW.

Tuesday

 Open discussion, noon at Club HOW.

 Womens open meeting, 5:30 p.m., First Christian Churchs Fireside Room.

 VIRGINIA: Closed discussion, 7 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Main and Washington streets.

 ROODHOUSE: Closed discussion, 12-step/12 traditions, 8 p.m. at Grace Center, 114 W. Palm St.

Wednesday

 Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW.

Thursday

 Closed discussion, 7:30 a.m. at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW.

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Newcomers Group.

Friday

 Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. TGIF Group.

 Closed discussion, 5:15 p.m., Big Book Study at Club HOW.

 VIRGINIA: Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 401 E. Broadway Ave.

Saturday

 Open speaker, 8 p.m. at Club HOW.

 Open meeting, noon at Club HOW.

Sunday

 Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. 12 & 12 Group.

 Closed discussion, 10 a.m. at Club HOW. (Second Sunday is open)

 SPRINGFIELD: AA for Women, 10 a.m. at Discovery Club, 313 W. Cook St.



AL-ANON

Meetings are nonsmoking and open to anyone. The only requirement is that there be a problem of alcohol with a loved one or friend. 217-248-6434.

Wednesday

 Al-Anon, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, 331 E. State St. (use Morgan Street entrance).



NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

All meetings are nonsmoking. Not affiliated with any religious organization.

Jacksonville locations:

 First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. (enter through far southeast door). 217-883-1975.

 Lutheran Church for the Deaf, 104 Finley St. (enter through back door). 217-883-1975.

Wednesday

 Open discussion group, 8 p.m. at Lutheran Church for the Deaf.

Friday

 Open discussion group, 7:30 p.m. at First Christian Church.



OTHER MEETINGS

Monday

 Addicts Victorious, 7-8 p.m. at Faith Tabernacle, 571 Sandusky St. Use side entrance to church hall.

 PITTSFIELD: Addicts Victorious, 7-8 p.m. in the basement of Subway in Pittsfield. 1-800-323-1388.



Tuesday

 American Legion Post 279, first Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m. at 903 W. Superior Ave.



Wednesday

 Breastfeeding support group, 6 p.m., Passavant Area Hospital, Meeting Room 2.

 ROODHOUSE: Women with Hearts of Love (WWHOL), 6-7 p.m. at House of Restoration, 208 W. Franklin St. 217-602-1670.



Thursday

 Jacksonville Area Chess Club, 6-9 p.m. at Jacksonville Public Library. 217-370-0882.

 Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, noon at Hamiltons.

 WHITE HALL: Addicts Victorious, teens 5:30-6:30 p.m.; adults 7-8 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of New Life Church, 626 Curtis St.

 Cancer support group, 6-7:30 p.m., Winchester United Methodist Church. 217-742-3610.



Friday

 Jacksonville Rotary Club, noon at Hamiltons.

 PITTSFIELD: Addicts Victorious, 6 p.m. at Assembly of God, 575 Piper St. 800-323-1388.



Saturday

 Jacksonville Amateur Radio Societys Net, 9 p.m. Transmitted on K9JX repeater. K9JX.com.
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP)  A powerful gas explosion in a sewage system in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, killed at least 12 people and injured 11 others Saturday, police and a health official said.

Police spokesman Sohail Jokhio said the blast was apparently caused when something ignited gas that had accumulated in the sewer beneath a local bank building in the Shershah neighborhood of the port city.

The powerful blast destroyed the HBL bank building. Video footage aired by local television stations showed the entire structure of the Shershah branch was damaged. The floor was blown out and furniture was mired in sewage from below. The impact of the blast damaged several cars parked nearby and threw debris onto a gas station on the other side of the building.

Jokhio said it was not yet clear what ignited the gas but a team of explosives experts had been summoned to investigate.

Dr. Sabir Memon at Trauma Center Karachi said 10 people were killed and 13 others were injured, at least three critically. He said several injured were sent to the intensive care unit.

Senior police officer Sarafar Nawaz Shaikh later said two of the injured died at the hospital raising the death toll to 12.

Shaikh said investigators were not ruling out the possibility the explosion was the work of militants. We will come up with a clear version once the explosives experts complete their job, he said.

Witness Mohammad Sameer said he was in the crowded bank branch moments before the blast but left shortly before the explosion. He said he rushed back to the damaged bank to rescue victims. Thank God I left the venue otherwise I would also been among the affected ones, he said.

Many sewage channels in the city have been covered, mostly illegally, by constructing concrete structures over them.

Mukhtar Abro, a local administrator, said illegal construction over the sewage area of the explosion was under notice to vacate and the structures were to be demolished.

In the evening, a bomb apparently planted in a motorcycle parked in a bazar exploded in the southwestern city of Quetta, killing one passerby and wounding four others, police said. Senior officer Fida Hussain said two of the wounded were transported to hospital in critical condition. No one claimed responsibility for the blast.

Also Saturday, the military said they killed three militants during two intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. The statement gave no further details of the two operations.

____

Associated Press reporter Abdul Sattar contributed from Quetta, Pakistan.
CHICAGO (AP)  Illinois' governor signed legislation Friday to repeal a requirement that parents or guardians be notified when a minor is seeking an abortion, calling it an effort to safeguard reproductive rights that are being stripped and threatened elsewhere.

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the measure repeals a 1995 act requiring that a parent or guardian be notified at least 48 hours in advance when a minor 17 or younger seeks an abortion. The earlier law did not require consent, which is required in nearly half the states.

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker called repeal essential, saying the 1995 act punished the most vulnerable pregnant minors  victims of rape and other abuse in unsafe homes. He and Democrats who voted this fall to repeal the notification requirement also referenced efforts to restrict abortion in other states and at the federal level.

With reproductive rights under attack across the nation, Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to health care services, Pritzker said.

A conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court signaled this month that it would uphold a Mississippi ban and may overturn a nationwide right to abortion that has existed under the courts historic 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The court this month also left in place a Texas ban on most abortions.

Illinois Republicans criticized the move by Pritzker and other Democrats as stripping parents of the right to know what's happening in their daughters' lives. GOP Rep. Avery Bourne called it out-of-touch with a majority of Illinois residents and said it puts girls across the Midwest in danger.

"Parents deserve the right to know if their minor child is seeking any major medical procedure, especially one like an abortion where there can be serious short and long term consequences," Bourne said. "Instead, today the Democrat majority has chosen to recklessly push those rights to the wayside.

Supporters of the notification law called it common sense." They noted that under the 1995 act, a minor in a family situation where notifying parents or other relatives would result in harm can go to a judge who then decides whether she is mature and emotionally sound enough to decide for herself.

Democrats who control Illinois government have been focused on strengthening access to abortion and reproductive health care in recent years, an effort that took on new urgency after Republican President Donald Trump took office and began appointing conservative justices and federal judges.

In 2019, Illinois established in state law the right to reproductive health care, including abortion. In July, the state also required birth control be available through a pharmacist, without a doctor's visit.

As Republican-controlled states and courts have restricted access, including in surrounding states, Illinois has seen an increase in the number of people from out-of-state traveling to Illinois for abortions.

Pritzker's office, citing the Illinois Department of Public Health, reported 7,534 nonresidents received abortions in Illinois in 2019, compared with 2,970 in 2014 and 5,528 in 2017.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  Kentucky's death toll from a line of tornadoes that tore through the state has increased to 77, Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday.

The most recent death was recorded in Lyon County, which had not previously reported any casualties.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area both lost population during the pandemic, according to new data released Friday as the nation's most populous state posted just its second year-over-year decline in history.

California estimates its population twice per year. The first report, released in May, estimates the population for the previous calendar year. The second report, released in December, estimates the population for the previous fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Back in May, California reported its first ever annual population decline when the state said it lost 182,083 people in 2020. Friday, the state said it lost 173,000 people between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021.

The latest estimate confirms California's once seemingly boundless population growth has ended. It also shows that, for the first time ever, Los Angeles County and the nine counties surrounding the San Francisco Bay simultaneously lost population in the same year. Together, those two areas account for more than 44% of the state's nearly 40 million residents and have some of the most expensive housing prices in the nation.

Los Angeles county lost 67,500 people to fall just under 10 million residents. The nine Bay Area counties, which have a combined population of about 7.7 million, lost roughly 64,000 people.

California has 10 counties with at least 1 million people, and seven of them lost population. That includes San Diego County, which lost 15,000 people for its first reported annual decline. Counties in the Central Valley that are near the San Francisco Bay reported population increases, including Fresno, Placer, Merced and Tulare.

I don't think this is completely surprising, said Walter Schwarm, California's chief demographer. People are trading a commute for a level of housing that they could not afford or could not even purchase in the Bay Area.

For nearly all its existence California's population growth seemed limitless. It leapfrogged other Western territories when it became a state in 1850, propelled by the discovery of gold in Sierra Nevada foothills that attracted hundreds of thousands of settlers while hastening the decline of native populations.

That kicked off a period of intense growth that lasted more than a century as the state found prosperity in the years after World War II and again following the tech boom in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

But that growth has slowed significantly in recent years until, in the spring of this year, California lost a congressional seat for the first time in its history because it did not grow as quickly as other states in the past decade. The state's congressional delegation now is now at 52 members, still the most in the nation.

State officials blame the decline on a declining birth rate, decreases in international migration and the increased deaths associated with the coronavirus. Schwarm said he expects California to eventually start growing again, perhaps finally surpassing 40 million people by the middle of the decade.

I don't think we're in a period of long decline, he said.

Critics have blamed Californias high cost of living and increasing crime. The median price of a single-family home is nearly $800,000, putting homeownership out of reach for many while also driving up rental prices. A cottage industry has sprung up of helping people leave California for other states.

When you cant afford to live in some semblance of comfort or you cant feel safe, those are huge drivers in quality of life, said state Assemblyman Tom Lackey, a Republican from Palmdale. Theyve become compromised, at least in some degree, because of public policy.

California's government is run by Democrats, and Republicans have routinely pointed to the declining population numbers as proof people are fleeing the state in droves because they are frustrated by the state's policies. But new research from the nonpartisan California Policy Lab at the University of California suggests the problem is fewer people are moving to California from other states instead of leaving it.

The number of people moving to California from other states fell 38% since the start of the pandemic, the California Policy Lab reported this week. The number of people leaving California for other states rose 12% over that same time period, which researchers say is in line with pre-pandemic trends.

Combined, researchers say California's population loss because of domestic migration has more than doubled since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The San Francisco Bay area has been impacted the most by this trend. By the end of September, there were 45% fewer people moving into the Bay Area from other states compared to the beginning of 2020, according to Evan White, executive director of the California Policy Lab's site at the University of California-Berkeley.

The publics attention has been focused on the so-called CalExodus phenomenon, but the reality is that the dramatic drop in CalEntrances since the pandemic began has been a bigger driver of recent population changes in the state, said Natalie Holmes, a research fellow at the California Policy Lab and co-author of its recent report.
The following are being sought on arrest warrants, according to various sheriffs departments. The addresses listed are the last known addresses provided by the warrants and may be outdated.

 John R.J. Covey, 32, of 802 E. 15th St., Beardstown, is being sought on a warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court on charges of driving while license is suspended, reckless driving, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and resisting a peace officer.

He is a white male standing 5 foot 9 and weighing 170 pounds. He has hazel eyes and brown hair.

 Daniel W. Hovendon, 49, of 824 Elk Crest Court, Chatham, is being sought on a warrant accusing him of failing to appear in court on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and operating an unlicensed and uninsured motor vehicle.

He is a white male standing 5 foot 7 and weighing 230 pounds. He has blue eyes and brown hair.

.

Morgan County

Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Abigail N. Smith, 26, of Jacksonville was cited at 3:13 p.m. Friday on a charge of disorderly conduct after being accused of causing a disturbance in the first block of Eleanor Lane.

ACCIDENTS

 Matthew D. Hunnicut, 41, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of failing to yield after the car he was driving and one being driven by Sonya R. Neese, 63, of Versailles collided at 11:44 a.m. Friday in the 400 block of West Walnut Street.

Pike County

Pleasant Hill Police



ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Spencer A. Miller, 22, of Gibson City was arrested Monday on charges of failing to appear at a sentencing in a criminal sexual abuse case and for failing to register as a sex offender. He was being held in Pike County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Compiled by David C.L. Bauer and Darren Iozia
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  A Palestinian woman was detained after she stabbed and lightly wounded a Jewish settler in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, police said, following two days of violence across the territory.

In a statement, the Israeli border police said officers arrested a 65-year-old Palestinian woman after she stabbed and wrestled with the 38-year-old settler in the center of the highly contested city of Hebron. Officers managed to detain the woman without firing rounds and took her away for questioning, police said.

There has been no immediate Palestinian comment on the incident.

The incident took place at a checkpoint near the burial site of religious patriarch Abraham, known to Jews as the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque. Hebron is the West Banks largest city and is a frequent flashpoint between settlers and Palestinians.

The city is home to more than 200,000 Palestinians as well as several hundred ultranationalist and radical Jewish settlers who live in the citys downtown area in heavily fortified enclaves protected by the military.

Saturdays stabbing comes amid a weekend of Israeli-Palestinian violence across the West Bank.

On Thursday evening, Jewish settler Yehuda Dimentman was shot dead by Palestinian gunmen near an abandoned settlement outpost, igniting a string of settler retaliation attacks on Friday that left two Palestinians with moderate injuries.

Thursdays shooting took place near Homesh, a former settlement evacuated as part of Israels withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005. In recent years, settlers have re-established an unauthorized outpost at the site, one of dozens of outposts in the West Bank that are considered illegal but often tolerated by the Israeli government.

Israeli leaders have vowed to find the assailants responsible for the killing and have deployed a large number of troops across the northern West Bank. According to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, Israeli troops have cordoned off roads between the northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Jenin on Saturday morning and are conducting searches in nearby villages.

Past months have seen an increase in stabbing attacks against Israeli citizens. Earlier this month, an ultra-Orthodox Jew was left seriously injured after being stabbed by a Palestinian attacker outside the walls of Jerusalems Old City. The attacker was shot dead by Israeli police. Last week, a 14-year-old Palestinian girl stabbed and lightly wounded a Jewish woman in a tense neighborhood in east Jerusalem.

Settler violence against Palestinians has similarly increased this fall. Last month, Jewish settlers attacked a group of Palestinian farmers with clubs and pepper spray in the farmland surrounding Homesh, injuring four people.

Israel captured east Jerusalem and the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The territories are home to more than 700,000 Jewish settlers, although Palestinians seek both areas as parts of their future independent state. The majority of the international community considers settlements to be illegal and the major obstacle to peace.
What's new at Jacksonville Public Library:

"Damascus Station" by David McCloskey: CIA case officer Sam Joseph aims to recruit Mariam Haddad, an official who works at Damascus Syrian Palace. During a diplomatic party, Sam rescues Mariam, who is part of a Syrian government delegation, from the unwanted attentions of another guest and they agree to meet for a drink the next evening. Mariam becomes a CIA asset; Sam teaches her the tradecraft she needs to operate without detection under the watchful eyes of her palace superiors; and they begin an illicit love affair. Espionage fans will love this book.

Adult Nonfiction

"All of the Marvels" by Douglas Wolk: Journalist Wolk pulls off an extraordinary feat in this tour-de-force, distilling more than 60 years of Marvel Comics stories into a fascinating guide that will resonate with true believers and neophytes alike. The challenge Wolk set for himself is truly daunting: to read the 27,000-plus issues Marvel has produced since 1961, the longest continuous, self-contained work of fiction ever created. His infectious zeal for the Marvel universe shines in his insightful analysis of everything from the genres cultural impact and symbolism  examining, for instance, how the X-Men have served as proxies for those ostracized by society  to the saga of the Black Panthers creation, which spanned years and writers.

DVD

"Son of the South": Based on Bob Zellners autobiography, "The Wrong Side of Murder Creek," this true story set in Montgomery, Alabama, follows a Klansmans grandson as he chooses which side of history to be on during the Civil Rights Movement. Defying his family and white Southern norms, he fought against social injustice, repression and violence to change the world around him.

Young Adult Fiction

"All of Us Villains" by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynne Herman: In the city of Iverneath, a generational tournament to the death determines who controls a secret wellspring of magic, the most powerful resource in the world. However, this years tournament is headed off by the release of an unusual book  a tell-all that exposes the tournament and the competing families secrets and strategies to the world. The seven champions chosen to compete suddenly are thrust into an even bigger spotlight, but they also are newly armed with information to use against each other.

Childrens Picture Book

"What Do You Celebrate?: Holidays and Festivals Around the World" by Whitney Stewart: This book celebrates celebrations, showcasing 14 special occasions from around the world. Kids will travel the world, learning about the German Lantern Festival, the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, Brazilian Carnival, and many more.

Did you know?

Santa Claus is coming to the library! Drop by the library anytime between noon and 4 p.m. Sunday to visit the man himself.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  All of the people reported missing in Kentucky after tornadoes swept through the state last weekend have been accounted for, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday.

Beshear hailed the report by state emergency management officials and said he hoped it meant that no additional people in Kentucky would be found dead from the storm.

How about a piece of good news today?" Beshear said at the beginning of a briefing Saturday on recovery efforts. Right now, missing persons based on this tornado event are at zero.

The Democratic governor said the 78 people killed in what he described as the most destructive tornado event in the state's history was still a huge number of Kentuckians to lose."

We mourn with their families, he said.

There was some confusion over the number of deaths, Beshear said, because his staff believes there have been 78 deaths, though state emergency management officials and the state health department put the current count at 75.

Beshear said officials were working to resolve the discrepancy and added, I hope they are right," referring to health and emergency management officials.

In Tennessee, meanwhile, officials have confirmed that a fifth person in that state died from storms that struck during the same weather system.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says the additional death occurred in Lake County, where two other storm deaths also occurred. The remaining fatalities were in Obion and Shelby counties, the agency said.

At least 92 people have been confirmed dead across multiple states after more than 40 tornadoes pummeled a wide area on Dec. 10 and 11.

In Kentucky, Beshear said help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency had been extended to six additional counties and that relief benefits provided for funeral expenses have been increased to $10,000.

They shouldnt have to have a cheap funeral for their loved one," he said. Thats not right.

Beshear said some homes remain without power or under boil water advisories and that 944 Kentuckians have been given shelter in hotels or state parks. He also said applications were being accepted in 14 Kentucky counties for disaster unemployment assistance for those whose jobs were displaced by the storms.

People in need of other assistance can go to disasterassistance.gov, download the FEMA app or call 1-800-621-3362.
Blowing out 18 candles on your birthday cake is a huge milestone. It happens in an instant. You are an adult. As such, you can vote and get married. You can serve in the military, get a tattoo, go to a casino, donate blood and get called for jury duty. You can even win the lottery (because you are finally old enough to buy a ticket).

Even though you can do all these things (and more) being 18 does not make you a grown-up.

Ive witnessed this firsthand with some of my own kids. They are young adults and independent in so many ways but they are not yet grown-ups because being an adult and being a grownup are two different things. One is immediate and automatic, the other is not.

A grownup has the ability to discern a running toilet from anywhere in the house. This is accompanied by the inability to ignore a running toilet from anywhere in the house  even and especially at 2 a.m.

When you are an adult, you eat when you are hungry, whatever time of the day (or night) that might be  even and especially at 2 a.m. When you are a grownup, you anticipate other peoples hunger more than your own.

When a grownup sees a police car in the rearview mirror he experiences a sense of security. An adult breaks out in a sweat and hopes he wasnt speeding  again.

Adults have been known to lie about their age by increasing it. Grownups have been known to lie about their age by decreasing it.

Adults pay the rent; grownups pay the mortgage. Adults have jobs; grownups have careers. Adults stay up way past midnight; grownups attempt to stay up past midnight when they are waiting for their adults to return home. Adults wake up late on a Saturday morning; its the perfect time to catch up on sleep. Grownups see the weekend as a perfect time to catch up on yard work.

Grownups cut the cheddar on the cutting board. Adults cut the cheese wherever they can. Grownups secure the bread bag with the twist tie after making a sandwich. Adults arent aware there is an actual purpose for a twist tie.

Adults put their dirty dishes in the sink. Grownups rinse their own dishes along with whatever other dishes adults have left in the sink, put them in the dishwasher, run the dishwasher and return two hours later to unload it.

When you are an adult, the best part of the holidays is getting presents. When you are a grown-up, the best part is giving them.

Adults do not consider it out of the ordinary to watch an entire season of The Walking Dead on Netflix in one day. Grownups watch one episode each week. They are aware there is a way to buzz through commercials, but that seems like a lot of work.

Adults run to the grocery store to grab something for dinner  usually from the frozen foods section. Grownups go to the store with a list and spend a considerable amount of time contemplating produce and whether organic really is worth the extra money.

Grownups keep an accurate budget of spending and income. Adults say, Budge-what?

Adulthood is awarded to you on your 18th birthday. Growing up is a process. For some of us, it is a never-ending one. Ive always said, Growing up is realizing there is no such thing.

If this is true, none of us will ever be completely done growing up. I kind of like that thought.
Indonesia raises Semeru volcano alert, fearing new eruption View Photo

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesian authorities raised the alert level for the highest volcano on Java island, saying Mount Semeru could blow up again after a sudden eruption earlier this month left 48 people dead and 36 missing in villages that were buried in layers of mud.

Indonesias geological agency said Saturday it picked up increasing activity that could trigger an avalanche of lava and searing gas, similar to the Dec. 4 eruption, which was preceded by heavy monsoon rains that partially collapsed a lava dome on the 3,676-meter (12,060-foot) mountain.

About 8 million cubic meters (282 million cubic feet) of sand from the volcanos crater clogged the Besuk Kobokan River, which is in the path of the lava flow, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif said.

As a result, if there is another eruption, it would block the flow path and create new lava flows spreading to the surrounding area, Tasrif said, adding that the government had set up a new danger map and urged people to obey it. It raised the alert level to the second-highest.

The head of Indonesias Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center, Andiani, said villagers living on Semerus fertile slopes are advised to stay 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the craters mouth. She also stopped tourism and mining activities along the Besuk Kobokan watershed.

The search and rescue operations ended on Friday with 36 people still unaccounted for. More than 100 people were injured, 22 of them with serious burns. More than 5,200 houses and buildings were damaged, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari.

After visiting the area last week, President Joko Widodo pledged to rebuild infrastructure, including the main bridge connecting the worst-hit town of Lumajang to other cities, and move about 2,970 houses out of the danger zone.

Semeru, also known as Mahameru, has erupted many times in the last 200 years. Still, as on many of the 129 volcanoes monitored in Indonesia, tens of thousands of people live on its fertile slopes. It last erupted in January, with no casualties.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 270 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because it sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped series of fault lines.

By NINIEK KARMINI

Associated Press
Tuolumne County Public Health reports nine new Covid cases since yesterday, eight are unvaccinated. Tuolumne Countys active cases increased by two to 76 including two unvaccinated people who are hospitalized. Todays newly reported cases include three cases age 17 or younger and one case age 60 or older. New Covid cases by gender and age: one girl age 11 or younger, one girl and one boy age 12 to 17, two women and one man age 18 to 29, one man in his 30s, one man in his 40s, and one woman her 60s.

The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County decreased to 15.1 from 16.4 per 100,000 population. Seven individuals were released from isolation, in all 6,214 have been released from isolation. There have been 6,438 community cases and 148 deaths. There were 18 Covid deaths in October, 20 in November and seven this month for a total of 45 Covid deaths since October in Tuolumne.

A total of 59% of the population eligible to get vaccinated has been vaccinated. There have been 1,621 inmate cases, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports no active Covid case at the Sierra Conservation Center. The SCC manages 3,271 inmates including all the southern fire conservation camps.

Calaveras County Public Health reports 15 new Covid cases, active cases increased one to 24 with four hospitalized. The total number of confirmed cases is 4,534. One of the new cases is age 17 or younger and one is age 65 and older, in total 833 under age 17 and 761 over 65 have been identified with Covid. There are 14 more recovered cases for a total of 4,418 cases recovered and 55.07% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated in the county. There have been 92 Covid deaths in Calaveras since the pandemic began. There were 8 Covid deaths in October, 6 in November and 3 this month for a total of 18 Covid deaths since October in Calaveras.

California Public Health is requiring universal masking for all public indoor settings to slow the spread of both Delta, the highly transmissible Omicron variant, and to increase protection for individuals, families, and communities during the holidays. More details are here. Additionally, CDPH updated requirements for attending mega-events, and issued a new travel advisory. Mariposa Public Health shares the CDC added multiple studies to their Science Brief on Community Use of Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 as detailed here.

COVID-19 Testing Public health recommends scheduling an appointment to get tested 5 days after possible exposure and if you are having any symptoms, get tested right away. The LHI testing site at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds will be open next Friday, Dec. 24th from 7 AM to 1 PM and will be closed Saturday, Dec. 25th for the Christmas holiday. Friday, Dec. 31 it will be open from 7 AM to 1 PM and closed Jan. 1st for New Years Day.

Excluding the holidays, the Tuolumne County State testing site is generally open 7 days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Appointments can be scheduled at www.lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123. Testing is also at pharmacies, at Rapid Care and the hospital emergency department if you are experiencing any symptoms, or contact your healthcare provider. The Mariposa LHI/OptumServe testing site is at the YARTS Park and Ride beside Rite Aid and is open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 7:00 am to 12:00 pm, 1:00 to 4:00 pm, and 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

COVID-19 Vaccine appointments and booster vaccine shots are recommended for anyone age 16 and older (Pfizer only for age 16-17) Vaccine appointments for children ages 5 to 11 can be made through myturn.ca.gov, by calling 833-422-4255, or the pediatric vaccine may also be available through local pharmacies more details are here. For ways to manage this fear of needles or a phobia and help others with it, view the CDCs information guide here. Learn more about self-care strategies by visiting namica.org

County/Date

Active

New

Total Deaths Amador 12/17 42 7 3,896 60 Calaveras 12/17 24 15 4,534 92 Mariposa 12/17 18 6 1,671 18 Mono 12/17 41 2 1,758 5 Stanislaus 12/17 1,231 121 83,025 1,459 Tuolumne 12/17 76 9 8,059 148
California governor boosts efforts to combat smash-and-grabs View Photo

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Stung by recent headline-grabbing smash-and-grab robberies, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said he will seek more than $300 million in state funding over three years to boost law enforcement efforts to combat retail theft.

The issue of crime and violence is top of mind all throughout not only the state of California but across the United States, highlighted recently by some high-profile retail theft operations, Newsom said.

He added that these organized retail mobs  (have) a profound impact on our feelings of safety here in this state, this region and as I note, this country.

Newsom proposed giving $255 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies to put more police at stores to deter organized retail crime over the next three years.

An additional $30 million over three years in the proposed budget he sends to lawmakers next month would go to county district attorneys to support prosecutions of retail and auto theft-related crimes.

Another $18 million over three years would go to create a new organized theft special unit under the state attorney general, with investigators and prosecutors dedicated to pursuing organized crime ringleaders.

Retailers in California and in cities elsewhere around the U.S., including Chicago and Minneapolis, have recently been victimized by large-scale thefts when groups of people show up in groups for mass shoplifting events or to enter stores and smash and grab from display cases.

Solo shoplifters and retail thieves have also been a growing problem for California retailers, who have said the criminals face little if any consequences after they are caught.

Earlier this month, Newsom criticized local prosecutors for not doing enough to crack down on the criminals by using existing state laws.

He defended a voter-approved 2014 initiative that reduced certain thefts from felonies to misdemeanors, though prosecutors said it left them without enough legal tools.

Newsom on Friday proposed another $20 million to aid small businesses victimized by smash-and-grab robberies.

He also plans to turn an existing retail theft task force into a permanent smash and grab enforcement unit.

Working under the task force, California Highway Patrol enforcement fleets would coordinate with local law enforcement departments to target organized retail and auto theft in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles and San Diego regions.

Auto thefts had become a particularly perplexing problem in the Bay Area, driving tourists away from some high crime areas.

Newsom said he will also work with state lawmakers to improve highway camera technology to help solve crimes, and correspondingly boost highway patrols based on real-time data.

He emphasized that long-term crime rates in California have come down, but said California and other U.S. states have experienced a recent upswing in organized retail theft and violent crimes, including those involving firearms.

Homicides in California jumped 31% last year, while politically progressive Oakland recently reversed course on police defunding due to a surge in homicides and gun violence. And on Friday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency to confront crime in one of the citys poorest and most drug-infested neighborhoods.

Former governor Jerry Brown, a fellow Democrat who championed easing lengthy criminal punishments, said in a television interview that there needs to be a carrot-and-stick approach that includes some punishment for lower level crimes.

Newsom proposed what he called the largest gun buyback program in America  $25 million for matching grants to local law enforcement agencies to collect guns and increase awareness of gun violence.

He also promised more but unspecified additional funding for Californias Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis.

He reiterated the plan he announced last weekend to allow private citizens to sue those who make, sell or distribute illegal assault weapons and untraceable ghost guns, ghost gun kits or parts. Texas uses a similar method to try to restrict abortions.

If a law (in Texas) is going to be used to put womens lives at risk, we will use that law to protect peoples lives, Newsom said.

Finally, Newsom proposed $20 million to support efforts by the California National Guard to fight the importation of illegal drugs  particularly fentanyl flowing into the state from Mexico  by targeting transnational criminal organizations.

The proposal to combat retail theft was hailed by the leaders of the California Retailers Association and California Chamber of Commerce.

Californians have had enough, said Jennifer Barrera, chamber president and CEO.

Newsom was joined by Alameda County District Attorney Nancy OMalley  who warned that retail thieves are terrorizing our communities  and by Attorney General Rob Bonta, who was appointed by Newsom to the post to fill a vacancy.

Both Newsom and Bonta are Democrats seeking re-election next year and Republicans already are making crime a campaign issue.

Newsom earlier this week pledged that his January budget will propose at least $100 million in local grants to remove garbage and beautify public spaces associated with homelessness, another important campaign theme.

The proposed spending to combat crime and to clean up neighborhoods represent fractions of the states annual operating budget, which this year exceeds $260 billion and is projected to have at least a $31 billion surplus next year.

Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk said Democrats are finally waking up to soft-on-crime policies that he said have turned this once-majestic state into a sanctuary for criminals.

While opponents believe Democrats are vulnerable on the issues, Newsom in September easily prevailed over an effort to recall him in midterm.

Rescue California, one of the groups the promoted the failed recall, on Thursday called on Newsom to call a special legislative session to target smash-and-grab thefts that the group said are plaguing California. Members also urged Newsom to support rescinding the 2014 ballot measure that eased criminal penalties for theft and drug crimes.

By DON THOMPSON

Associated Press
Claudio Navarro never wanted to live far away from his upcoming bakery, Alebrije. After finding a spot in the Government Hill neighborhood this summer, he and his wife Cris Mendez relocated from the Southside to shorten their late-night commute to and from work.

"That was one of my concerns, ironically, the commute," Navarro said. "I didn't want us driving on Saturday nights with people drinking and driving. I was afraid [of] something like that happening."

That fear became reality in the early hours of Sunday morning when a driver rear-ended the couple at a stop sign less than a mile from the shop. A driver in an SUV lost control at around 1:30 a.m. and was pinned inside their vehicle. Emergency crews used the jaws of life to extract them from their vehicle.

More bites on MySA: Familiar faces behind San Antonio's newest hot chicken eatery share opening dates

Though Navarro and Mendez were able to walk away from the accident, the grand opening of Alebrije's brick-and-mortar location has been postponed until after the holidays. Both are currently experiencing back pain, fatigue and the occasional dizzy spell.

The accident happened hours after the couple held a successful soft opening at the bakery located at 1931 N New Braunfels Avenue.

"My wife was checking the curtains and saw a line outside the door," Navarro said. "We ended up selling out in 45 minutes."

Alebrije, named after Mexican mythical creatures, launched just before the start of the pandemic. Their pan-demia boxes, packed with scratch-made desserts, were a hit and served as a springboard for their wholesale business. They briefly opened a Southside location off South Flores before finding their new home in Government Hill.

But San Antonio will have to be without their buttery conchas for the time being.

In tamale news: Delia's no longer accepting pre-orders for San Antonio location

"Its completely physical. Working from home or an office is a different situation, this is like ... going back to work is like going back to the gym after going through this," Navarro said.

They're taking their recovery day-by-day, and the San Antonio food service community has already jumped to their aid. Silvia Alcaraz, co-owner of Dignowity Kolaches, launched a $5,000 gofundme campaign to help them "overcome car accident costs."

"I've been there when accident happens and you can't work and the rent has to get paid," Alcaraz said.

As of this writing, more than $1,400 have been raised.
DENVER (AP)  The U.S. military's new Southern Command Gen. Laura Richardson said Friday she is focused on strengthening military relationships with South American countries despite fraught politics.

Richardson was in Denver to speak at a graduation ceremony at her alma mater, Metropolitan State University, a little more than a month after taking on her role as the highest ranking female in the U.S. Army.

While the politics between the U.S. and South American nations might not be what we would want .... the military relationships are really strong," Richardson said in a media roundtable.

Richardson referenced an example in El Salvador where U.S. political relationships are souring. In November, Jean Manes, the interim charge daffaires in El Salvador announced she was leaving her post and said the government of President Nayib Bukele is showing no interest in improving the bilateral relationship.

Manes departure was preceded by the Bukele government pulling out of an anti-corruption agreement with the Organization of American States and their refusal to extradite members of the MS-13 gang to the U.S. for trial.

Earlier this year, the U.S. government also published lists of allegedly corrupt officials in Central America which included Bukeles Chief of Staff Carolina Recinos.

Meanwhile, Richardson said the U.S.-El Salvador security partnership remains strong, adding that she recently called the Minister of National Defense Rene Francis Merino Monroy to offer condolences for his son who died as a pilot in an aircraft accident. The U.S. also sent a helicopter unit from Honduras to aid with search and rescue, she said.

Richardson noted that 23 countries came to the Southern Commands October change of command ceremony where she was officially given her position as head of the agency.

That was really tremendous to have that many come and represent because they want to partner with us, she said. They want to do the exercises. They want to work with us as much as possible.

Since assuming the position, Richardson traveled to Colombia and Brazil. She recalled her father in her hometown of Northglenn, Colorado, asking how far she was and what time zone she was in.

I wonder how many other people are like my father and don't realize how close things are," she said. Because those are our neighbors,.

As the new agency head, Richardson said she's thinking about how to maintain relationships with nations large and small "so we never leave anybody ... untouched or feeling like we're not partnering with them.

Richardson said the work of Southern Command is increasingly related to humanitarian response due to climate change disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes. They're also dealing with heightened illicit drug trades noting that metric tons of cocaine intercepted by the U.S. more than doubled between 2019 and 2020.

As a woman who broke through numerous glass ceilings in the military, Richardson said she strives to represent her demographic and make them proud and quipped, you can get in there and hook and jab with the rest of them.

___

Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.
AUSTIN, Texas - Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza was at home when he got a call from one of his prosecutors, Dexter Gilford. A grand jury had just indicted two Austin police officers, charging them with aggravated assault in connection with the beating and hospitalization of an unarmed Black man during a drug arrest in 2019.

Garza hadn't even been district attorney for three weeks.

The indictments of Chance Bretches and Gregory Gentry that evening last January came years after the police department had cleared them of wrongdoing. They were still patrolling the streets. Now, felony warrants would be issued for their arrest. Gilford asked Garza: Should he call Austin's chief of police to give him a heads-up?

It was not a trivial decision. Garza needed to work with police to keep the community safe, and a courtesy phone call could help maintain a crucial relationship that was already tense. On the other hand, Garza had promised voters a far more aggressive approach than his predecessor's in holding officers to account.

"Is there any other employer in the county to whom we would give a heads-up call if their employee was indicted?" Garza asked Gilford.

Gilford couldn't think of anyone. Garza made up his mind. There would be no call.

When the indictments became public the next day, the backlash from police was swift. Police Chief Brian Manley said he learned of the charges from social media and defended the officers in a news release, saying that the man resisted their attempts to restrain and arrest him. The Austin police union accused Garza of using officers as pawns in a "delusional game of political chess." Three weeks later, Manley abruptly retired, saying it was time to move on.

Garza had no experience as a prosecutor when he was elected last year in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody and nationwide protests against police. He promised to end the over-prosecution of the poor and people of color.

Since he was sworn in on Jan. 1, his office has obtained indictments of five Austin police officers, two county deputies, an assistant county attorney and a sheriff on charges including tampering with evidence and murder.

His office is also prosecuting three additional officers who were indicted during the prior district attorney's administration. And in many other criminal cases, he has sought sentences that emphasize rehabilitation over punishment.

Those efforts have fueled one of the most heated showdowns playing out nationwide between police and prosecutors who have vowed to overhaul the criminal justice system, from San Francisco to Chicago to Baltimore. Those prosecutors have come under pointed criticism as violent crime has risen nationwide. San Francisco's top prosecutor is facing a recall election after securing indictments of three police officers. In St. Louis, the prosecutor accused the police union in a lawsuit of interfering with her reform efforts.

Garza gave The Washington Post a rare look inside his office during the first year of his administration. He allowed a reporter to attend weekly leadership team meetings and to conduct regular interviews with his top executives, on the condition that the publication of any quotes from those exchanges would be delayed for at least several months. In many instances, The Post agreed not to disclose conversations about topics including office politics and personnel matters. The Post also periodically interviewed Austin police leaders and officers, the local police union president and attorneys for the indicted officers.

None of the officers have gone to trial. One Austin police officer, indicted in early January on a felony charge of misusing official information, declined to comment, his attorneys said. Through their attorneys, the rest have all denied the charges against them.

The tension and distrust between Garza and Austin police has damaged their working relationship, according to interviews and documents. Both offices have feuded over what should happen to people arrested on minor charges and clashed publicly over the handling of two high-profile murder investigations.

Within Garza's office, which includes 100 attorneys, his approach has triggered strife about whether he is going too far, too fast. Nineteen prosecutors have resigned, documents show, in many cases disagreeing openly with the level and pace of change. Garza has fired a handful for alleged misconduct. He said that his office is in the midst of a "significant cultural change" but that other like-minded district attorneys have faced greater turnover.

The police union and some local activists say Garza's agenda jeopardizes the safety of 1 million Austinites, pointing out that the annual homicide count - nearly 90 so far this year - is higher than it has been in decades.

Supporters of Garza note that the increase is homicides is not unique to Austin and say that in the city, an influx of guns and strained community relations with police are to blame. They say that Garza is doing more to hold police accountable and reform the criminal justice system than any other prosecutor in the nation and that the public is behind him, also noting that Austin voters recently rejected a proposal to hire hundreds of additional officers.

One year into his four-year term, Garza said he is not distracted by his critics and is committed to his agenda.

"We know that there is obviously a sizable part of the voting populace that wanted him," said Joseph Parker, a lawyer and pastor at a Black church in East Austin. "Does it really reflect where we are? ... Is Jose Garza an aberration? Or is he in line with the Austin community and the people he's been elected to serve?"

- - -

To some, Garza's election was a vote of no confidence in how his predecessor, Margaret Moore, had dealt with alleged misconduct by police.

When Moore became district attorney in 2017, the public's faith in police was fraying. A police officer who shot a naked and unarmed Black teenager the previous year had not been charged - raising "legitimate questions about whether prosecutors are up to the task of holding law enforcement accountable," the Austin American-Statesman editorialized at the time.

Moore promised to draw a hard line on police misconduct. She created a Civil Rights Unit to investigate such allegations and hired Gilford, a respected local defense attorney and former professor of criminal justice who also has deep ties to Austin's Black community. She also gave Gilford substantial authority to seek indictments of police officers before grand juries.

At the same time, Moore built close relationships with police. She convened monthly meetings over breakfast tacos at the downtown Thistle Cafe with the Austin police chief, the Travis County sheriff and the county attorney, whose office handles misdemeanor prosecutions.

Those ties were crucial during major public safety crises, including bombings in 2018 that killed two people and injured several others. But by the time Moore was up for reelection, there was a perception that she was unwilling to stand up to police.

Although Austin police fatally shot 15 people during Moore's four years in office, she took almost none of the killings to a grand jury. Her office instead published "declination" letters, which offered details of the fatal shootings but disappointed many activists. One case in which she declined to prosecute, the killing of a 20-year-old Latino man who was suffering from a mental health crisis, recently led to a $2.25 million civil settlement. He was holding a BB gun that police said they believed to be a real firearm.

Moore's office did obtain indictments for three Austin police officers - more than her predecessor - for allegedly using excessive force in nonfatal incidents, but she won no convictions. One officer's charge is still pending, and a jury acquitted the other two in a joint trial.

When Garza announced that he would challenge Moore's reelection, no one saw it coming. Both hailed from a long line of Texans and are avid guitar players, but in most other ways are opposites.

Moore, whose father was a prosecutor and then a defense attorney, was elected Travis County district attorney just before turning 70. She had a long history in local Democratic politics, serving as Travis county attorney decades earlier and later as a county commissioner.

The son of a civil rights lawyer, Garza was 39 when he launched his campaign. He was a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and had never been a prosecutor or sought any other public office. He had worked as a public defender on the Texas-Mexico border, and, most recently, he led an advocacy group for migrant construction workers.

Garza, who is Latino and often peppers his speech with wonky and academic terms, described Travis County's criminal justice system as "broken." Moore had acknowledged a need to address racial disparities but was more restrained than Garza.

During a campaign forum in February 2020, Moore, who is White, asked the audience: "Does anybody here think this is a community that ... sticks people in jail because they are brown? Or Black?"

Several people shouted: "Yes!"

The city had recently published a report detailing a growing racial disparity in traffic stops, and local news reports had just revealed allegations that an assistant Austin police chief regularly used racial slurs.

The next month, Garza narrowly defeated Moore in the Democratic primary election, forcing her to a runoff. He'd gained support with his promises to end prosecution of low-level drug crimes, reform the cash bail system and improve treatment of sexual assault victims. But his calls to hold police to account boosted his campaign significantly - especially after Officer Christopher Taylor of the Austin police shot and killed a Latino man named Michael Ramos on April 24, 2020.

The deadly encounter began with a 911 call claiming that Ramos, 42, was holding a gun to a woman's head in a parked car in Southeast Austin. When police arrived, Ramos stepped out of the vehicle with his hands up. After a few minutes, he got back into his car and began to drive. Taylor, who was standing to the side, said he feared Ramos would use the car as a deadly weapon against other officers and fired into it, killing Ramos. Police later said they found no gun in Ramos's car. It was Taylor's second fatal shooting on duty: Nine months earlier, he and fellow Officer Karl Krycia had shot Mauris DeSilva, a Sri Lankan man who was holding a knife while experiencing a mental health crisis.

The fatal shooting of Ramos and the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis a month later ignited in Austin some of the nation's most heated clashes between protesters and police. Over the last two days of May 2020, Austin police seriously injured more than a dozen protesters with "beanbag munitions" promoted as nonlethal force.

A week later, the Statesman revealed a video of sheriff's deputies from neighboring Williamson County repeatedly shocking an unarmed Black man, Javier Ambler, with a Taser as he insisted, "I can't breathe." Ambler, who was 40, died during the encounter. Deputies said that they had tried to pull Ambler's car over but that he fled and eventually crashed. They said he then refused their commands to get on the ground. The incident occurred in Travis County in March 2019, but Moore's office had yet to take any public action.

"In the last four years, not one officer has been charged with a crime for killing a member of our community, and not one officer has been convicted of a crime for any misconduct," Garza told the Statesman in July 2020. He vowed that, unlike Moore, he would present every instance of an officer-involved shooting or other allegations of excessive force to a grand jury to "let the community decide" if there was probable cause for charges.

Moore said that she planned to take the Ramos shooting to a grand jury but had been delayed by the pandemic. "That was not a difficult decision, because he was unarmed," Moore recalled recently.

That July, Garza trounced Moore with 68% of the vote in the runoff election. Critics noted that liberal billionaire George Soros, a well-known supporter of "progressive prosecutor" candidates nationwide, poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into Garza's campaign. Garza downplayed the donation, saying the money came long after his grass-roots effort had attracted tens of thousands of new voters.

For many in law enforcement, Garza's win was an existential threat.

"The public just voted to put in someone to the district attorney's office that ran on prosecuting police and not prosecuting drug crimes, or hardly any other crimes," Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday told the local Fox News affiliate at the time. "They don't want an active police department. ... What I'm telling my guys is, 'Answer your calls and that is it.'" Casaday later reflected in an interview: "Was that the smartest thing to say? Probably not."

A month after the election, officers again felt under attack when the Austin City Council imposed its own take on the "defund the police" movement. The council voted to reallocate more than $100 million from the police department to other public safety programs.

Given the election results and the pandemic, Moore decided to leave the Ramos case to Garza - along with dozens of other pending cases of officer-involved shootings or other allegations of excessive force that her office was still mulling over.

In an interview, she said her administration laid the foundation for Garza's work toward police reform. She noted that despite Garza's criticism of her for not indicting officers, he chose to keep Dexter Gilford as the office's civil rights chief.

"We were unafraid of prosecution of police officers," she said. "But the law of justification is a formidable obstacle."

But Moore said she would have handled the January indictments against Officers Bretches and Gentry differently: She would have called Chief Manley to let him know, "You need to know this because you're gonna be asked about it. ... I know that that's gonna put you in an uncomfortable place."

Manley said later in an interview that he was surprised by the indictments and had been under the impression that the case was not going to be presented to a grand jury. He acknowledged that his departure was "abrupt" but said that after 30 years with the department, he had been thinking for some time of retiring.

"At some point, you leave," he said.

In retrospect, Garza said, a courtesy call would have been a good idea. "Giving them a heads-up is a small, good-faith step I can take."

"You know," he said, "I'm learning."

- - -

By March, trials were still on hold because of the pandemic, but the four lawyers in Garza's Civil Rights Unit were busy preparing dozens of police misconduct cases for grand jury presentation, including cases where protesters had been injured with beanbag munitions, and the fatal shooting of a young Latino man just five days into Garza's term.

On March 10, the unit made a big announcement: The grand jury had charged Officer Christopher Taylor with murder in the Ramos killing. It was the fourth indictment of an Austin police officer that year.

In a statement, Garza called the development "a significant step toward justice for the Ramos family and our community." But Casaday, the police union president, called it "a political promise kept rather than a decision based on sound legal judgment."

Just a month later, Garza's office announced the indictments of four more law enforcement officials in neighboring Williamson County over the death of Ambler, the case that had stalled under Moore.

But all of that was only half the battle for Gilford's unit. The cases could drag on for years. And none had the kind of visual evidence or resources that came into play at the trial of George Floyd's killer. It took that type of evidence and the work of the Minnesota attorney general to convict Derek Chauvin of second-degree unintentional murder.

"I experienced that trial in ways that gave me reason for concern, for pause," Gilford said. "I really did."

Parker, who had supported Moore's campaign, was encouraged by the string of indictments. He had officiated at two funerals for members of his congregation who were killed by Austin police. Many of his congregants felt that every interaction with police was a "life-or-death kind of situation," he said.

Liberal activists also praised Garza for sending more defendants to pretrial diversion programs than ever before and for ensuring that more people were getting out of jail without having to post bond. "I think that he's reflective of what the community would want from a prosecutor," said Sukyi McMahon, senior policy director for the advocacy group Austin Justice Coalition, which was founded in 2012 with a focus on police accountability.

Police, meanwhile, were struggling.

Amid the fallout from the summer 2020 protests, more than 100 officers had left the force of 2,000 within a year, according to the department. The police academy had been shut down for months over concerns from the city council about racially biased training and an overly militarized culture. It would not reopen until later that summer.

Meanwhile, Garza and Travis County Attorney Delia Garza (the two are not related) imposed new scrutiny of arrests.

For decades, police in the county had been able to arrest people, jail them and secure criminal charges and an initial cash bail from judges. A person might remain in jail for days before a prosecutor reviewed the case and decided whether to dismiss the charges.

Under the new process, police still could arrest someone, but prosecutors would review the paperwork before it reached a judge. If they rejected the charges, the person would be freed within hours.

Jose Garza planned to decline most felony drug possession charges if the amount of drugs was less than a gram. He also said prosecutors would decline other charges if police had not provided enough probable cause. Delia Garza's office, meanwhile, began rejecting misdemeanor charges, including criminal trespassing and evading arrest.

"We are wasting potentially millions of dollars processing cases that the district and county attorney's office may not think are appropriate for a variety of reasons," Jose Garza said in an interview. He also said research showed that prosecuting low-level drug crimes does not increase community safety.

But police were frustrated. Amid the explosion of Austin's homeless population, they were constantly getting calls about trespassing and vandalism. Now, many of the people arrested as a result of those calls would be back out on the street the same day.

"Many times, having people in jail, at least for a day or two, can help defuse [an unsafe] situation," Joseph Chacon, who replaced Brian Manley as chief of police in March, said in an interview. Now, in many cases, "we don't have that any longer."

A statewide police union attacked Garza by name.

"Jose Garza has misused his official position of elected office," wrote the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT), an organization of police unions, including the one in Austin. "Taxpayers are unknowingly funding his whimsical journey of reimagining a Texas with criminals roaming the neighborhoods magically rehabilitating themselves and morphing from home invaders, armed robbers, drug offenders, and mass shooters."

In the first five months, Garza's office rejected 82 felony charges, mostly for possession of less than one gram of illegal drugs, records show. In about a fifth of those cases, the arrestee remained in jail because prosecutors accepted a different charge, such as gun possession or burglary.

Prosecutors also rejected other charges including a felony theft charge for a man who allegedly stole less than $3 worth of groceries, and a felony assault charge against a hospital patient accused of pushing a security guard against a wall.

The rejections led to some heated exchanges between police and prosecutors, but inside Garza's office, there was cause for optimism.

On April 19, Garza's executive team gathered for its weekly virtual meeting. Erin Martinson, the sexual assault division chief, told the group about her decision to reject an assault charge for the hospital patient. She said she did not believe there was enough probable cause for a felony.

Martinson said she received angry phone calls from three different people at the police department about the rejection but stood her ground: The case was a misdemeanor, not a felony, she said. Eventually, she said, a patrol sergeant proposed that police call her for guidance on arrests in certain situations.

"We learned so much from each other," Martinson told the team during the meeting. She suggested that prosecutors try to call the police officers involved when they decline charges, a policy the office soon adopted.

The police department also began considering how it could adjust. In mid-April, an assistant chief emailed Garza with a proposal: If officers wanted to arrest someone for a low-level felony drug offense, they would need to have their supervisor's approval and to provide evidence of a public safety threat.

But before that could happen, the relationship with the police grew even more complicated.

On May 23, a Republican state senator tweeted a leaked email written by Garza's chief deputy, Trudy Strassburger. The subject line of the email was, "Looking for civil rights prosecutor."

"Friends, I am reaching out in the hopes that you may be looking to prosecute police officers, or that you know someone who is!" Strassburger's email said.

"We need a heavy hitter who is willing to fight against the status quo."

The email was meant to generate more interest in a job opening for a "team lead" in the Civil Rights Unit. Although hundreds of lawyers had applied to work in Garza's office, few had experience with police misconduct cases.

Police saw the email in a different light.

"They accidentally tipped their hand on another nasty prejudice," said CLEAT executive director Charley Wilkison shortly after the email was made public. The implication was, he said, "we hate policemen and . . . we want someone who specializes in prosecuting them."

Garza later called that an intentional misinterpretation of the email.

"We have a child abuse unit. We have a sexual assault unit. We have a domestic violence unit," he said. A similar email might have said his office is looking for people who prosecute those types of cases, rather than police misconduct, he said.

"I guess what she left off was [officers] 'who break the law'? But you know, I mean, come on," he said. "This office, we're a criminal prosecuting entity. It goes without saying."

CLEAT called for Strassburger's resignation. She received at least 50 hostile online messages, including one that threatened to publish her home address. A thread on the website 4chan described how users believed the police should murder her.

The messages were so concerning that Garza, along with a member of the executive team who is a former Austin police officer, wanted to provide Strassburger a security detail. But she declined. "I'm an easier target because I'm a woman," she said in interview at the time. "Let them call for my resignation."

At the start of Garza's next weekly leadership meeting, he tried to set a lighthearted tone. "Who knew Dexter [Gilford] and his unit were so controversial?" he joked.

But midway through, as the team discussed the new teleworking policy and other matters, Strassburger's face went white.

"I just got a message that they're about to release my address because I'm a 'Nazi cow,'" she said. "They're about to go public on me."

Everyone paused for a few seconds.

Then Strassburger took a breath and moved on. "All right, anyways, disclosure policy."

In interviews with the local media, Garza defended the email as a routine job posting. The threats eventually died down. But the impact was profound.

"I think we all believe in police accountability," said Troy Gay, an assistant police chief in Austin and a 30-year veteran of the department, of Strassburger's email. "It's just, how it's being marketed. And you know, words matter. It sends a very negative message to the men and women that are supposed to be serving this community, that you are advocating and looking for people that are interested in that type of case."

Days after the email was leaked, Martinson, Garza's sexual assault division chief, worried that any work toward mending the relationship between prosecutors and police would be jeopardized. Many lawyers in the office were already uncomfortable with Strassburger, a former criminal justice reform advocate who had never been a prosecutor. Now, some police saw her as an enemy.

"They're always like us versus them," Martinson said at the time. "Then it ramped up because of this email that Trudy sent out."

Martinson didn't know it, but after she rejected the assault charge against the hospital patient six weeks earlier, police had found a way around it. They persuaded a judge to sign a warrant for his arrest - bypassing Garza's office.

"I really did feel like we were collaborating," she later said. "Maybe I was the only one who felt that way. Maybe they were just humoring me. I don't know."

In a statement, Austin police said they had not intended to undercut Martinson.

"It appears that this was a communication breakdown between the APD detective and the assigned Assistant DA on what the next steps were going to be," police said.

- - -

On the morning of June 22, Chacon, Garza, Strassburger and two other members of the district attorney's executive team stood in a conference room in their downtown Austin office building before a group of reporters. They had news to share about a deadly shooting on a recent Saturday night in Austin's famed downtown Sixth Street district.

Around 1:30 a.m. on June 12, a fight broke out between two groups of high school students, some of whom were armed. Shots were fired, killing a 25-year-old tourist from Michigan, shattering a 19-year-old woman's right leg and injuring a dozen other people.

Two teenagers were caught that night on the scene with guns, and a witness claimed that one had fired the fatal shot. Both were in custody. But almost two weeks later, ballistics testing had revealed that the true shooter was still at large, calling into question some of the testimony by the witness, officials told reporters.

Chacon and Garza thanked each other profusely for their offices' hard and collaborative work. But then Garza announced that the two teens would be released and the charges against them dismissed.

A TV reporter asked, incredulous: "Are you letting them walk out today, and go back home? Is that in the best interest of this community?" Another reporter wanted to know whether police had arrested the wrong suspects.

Garza said there was no longer probable cause to keep either teen in jail and that releasing them was "in the best interests of this prosecution, of this investigation." Then Chacon took the lectern.

"These two individuals were involved, okay?" he told reporters. Chacon said there was no evidence the teens had fired their guns that night but added: "This is not people who were innocent bystanders, who were somehow incorrectly identified as being involved."

Reporters pressed him further.

"I think the D.A. has indicated that he is not going to pursue charges at this moment," Chacon answered.

Rather than reassuring the public about progress on the investigation, the district attorney and police chief were publicly arguing about whether there was legal justification to keep two suspects in jail. "The press conference exposed already strained relations between ... two agencies that have historically worked hand in hand on such cases," the Statesman wrote.

"I'll just tell you very honestly, it's tough for me as a person that cares about the safety of this community to see two individuals who did what they did just walk away," Chacon said later in an interview. "I certainly would have, you know, liked for the D.A. to expand a little bit more on his decision to drop the charges."

Garza said he was taken aback by Chacon's reaction. Just minutes before the news conference, he and Chacon had gone over their talking points. Chacon had expressed no concern about releasing the teenagers, he said.

"I think the chief is very defensive about the suggestion that [police] may have done something wrong and feels the need to defend it," Garza said soon afterward. "And the way he defends it is by putting forward his version of facts ... that, you know, may or may not be rooted in the actual evidence."

Months later, one of the teens was arrested for allegedly trying to sell the weapon used in the shooting.

Garza's frustrations were mounting.

That same day, a local TV reporter asked Garza about a business manager who said that he called police after someone threw a rock at his company van. The manager said that when officers arrived, they said they had been instructed to "stand down" and could do nothing because of the new policies that limited prosecution of lower-level crimes.

A similar complaint came from a resident who had called Garza's office about rampant drug use in his neighborhood. The caller said police told him they could do nothing because the offenders would not be prosecuted.

None of those claims were true, Garza said: His office had done nothing to prevent officers from making arrests, and he was not declining to prosecute all lower-level crimes.

"Law enforcement officers misrepresenting the facts is a pretty grave threat to our system of law," he later said in an interview.

The day after the disastrous news conference, Garza, Chacon, the county attorney and the Travis County sheriff tried to smooth things over. In the tradition of their predecessors, they met for breakfast tacos in the cafe of a downtown Austin hotel. Garza's young daughter sat at the table playing games on her tablet.

Garza and the county attorney complained that police were misrepresenting their new policies to the public. Chacon said he couldn't stop officers from expressing their opinions. The group discussed prosecutors' rejection of certain criminal charges and other issues. But they didn't resolve their differences.

"I don't think the meeting was very helpful. I really don't," Chacon said in an interview later. The chief, who grew up in El Paso and decided to become a police officer after getting to know off-duty officers at the bowling alley he managed, said: "I think that our policy views are pretty divergent right now."

It was the group's last taco meeting.

About a month later, Garza wrote a scathing letter about Austin police to the city manager. "Failure to investigate crimes reported by our citizens for perceived political gain is a gross violation of the public trust and makes us less safe," he wrote. No one responded.

Asked about the issue later, Chacon said the department was investigating some instances in which officers told the public that their hands were tied by Garza's new policies. "It's just unacceptable" for officers to speculate about "what we think might be happening" within Garza's office, he said.

To critics, the tensions reflected Garza's lack of experience in public office. Nineteen attorneys had chosen to resign and work elsewhere, including at nearby prosecutors' offices for lower pay. Several even went to work for the Republican Texas attorney general, whose politics couldn't be further from the liberal politics of Travis County. Many complained that Garza and Strassburger - both of whom had never previously been prosecutors - did not respect or understand how prosecution worked.

The internal dissension was greatest among attorneys in the child abuse unit, where eight of the nine lawyers and the division chief had quit.

Allison Tisdale, who resigned in March after four years as a prosecutor working on a wide range of cases, said many of those who left believed in Garza's mission but disagreed with his methods, especially given his lack of experience. "I think it's about the office culture and mentality," Tisdale said. "And when we voice opposition, it's kind of shut down without a lot of collaboration."

Garza noted that Tisdale had worked for him for only three months.

"There certainly are people who have left because this is not a direction they want to go. And I think we expected that," Garza said.

The Civil Rights Unit also had a setback.

In July, Garza dismissed the case against Officer Gregory Gentry, who, along with Officer Chance Bretches, was indicted in January, accused of assault. It was an extraordinary decision just months after the case had created so much ill will when Garza did not notify the chief of the charges before they were publicized.

In a news release, Garza's office said the prosecutor handling the case, whom he did not publicly name, had withheld an expert opinion finding that Gentry's use of force in the arrest was justified. Garza also publicly apologized, saying, "I offer my sincere apologies to Officer Gentry, who undoubtedly suffered as a result of this process."

The criminal case against Bretches was not affected.

Privately, Garza asked for the resignation of the prosecutor who had handled the case, Sandra Ramirez. In a recent interview with The Post, Ramirez said that although she tendered her resignation, she did not agree with Garza's actions.

"I stand by my work in this case," she said, adding that she did present the information to a grand jury. She said she believes Garza dismissed the case in part to smooth over "the acrimonious relationship" between prosecutors and police.

A month later, Garza fired another prosecutor in the unit just weeks after hiring her, and a third resigned. The constant turnover in the unit forced Gilford to keep passing the dozens of police misconduct cases pending in the office from one prosecutor to another, frustrating victims and their attorneys.

- - -

To make matters worse, a longtime homicide detective, David Fugitt, publicly opposed a murder prosecution by Garza's office. Fugitt said the actions of the defendant, a military sergeant who killed an armed protester during the 2020 demonstrations, were justified. In an affidavit, he also accused Garza of engaging in "criminal behavior" by limiting what Fugitt was allowed to testify to before a grand jury that might benefit the defendant.

"This is a dispute about the length of a PowerPoint presentation to the grand jury," Strassburger said. "It is really disappointing that Detective Fugitt took that dispute and inferred bad faith on the part of experienced prosecutors."

Fugitt's accusations, which prosecutors termed "baseless," were dismissed by a judge. But the episode further strained relations between Garza's office and police as the homicide rate climbed.

If the frustrations were getting to Garza personally, he declined to discuss the issue in numerous interviews with The Post over several months. "Nobody gives a f--- about me or how I'm feeling personally," he said once. "The bigger question is, what is it gonna take to get a police department up to the aspirations of the community?"

He said he was trying to develop a better relationship with law enforcement, proposing to meet with each division of the police department and handing out his business card to officers he sees in public.

During an interview in his sparsely decorated office, Garza pointed to a card in a frame on his desk. It was written by his mother, who died of cancer during his campaign for district attorney last year. It says, "I measure my success in life by your accomplishments. By that measure, I'm a very successful woman."

"That note," he said, "is a little bit of a reminder to me what's at stake."

- - -

Since March 2020, the Travis County criminal courthouse - an 11-story building towering over farmhouse-style homes that serve mostly as lawyers' offices - has been largely deserted because of the pandemic. Jury trials have only just resumed, and many pretrial hearings, conducted over Zoom, are live-streamed on YouTube.

But one part of the courthouse that has stayed busy is a small room on the first floor where people surrender for arrest. On the morning of Aug. 21, Casaday, the police union president, got an unexpected phone call asking him to get over there as soon as possible.

He had received word that Officers Christopher Taylor and Karl Krycia had been indicted on charges of murder and deadly conduct in the shooting of Mauris DeSilva in 2019.

DeSilva's death had barely made the news at the time. A neighbor in DeSilva's downtown Austin apartment complex had called police, noting that he appeared to be in crisis and was walking around carrying a knife. Austin police said that when the officers arrived and encountered DeSilva, he advanced toward them with the knife and ignored their commands to drop it. His family disputes the account. He was 46.

For Taylor, it was his second murder indictment.

Taylor and Krycia had returned to active duty weeks after the DeSilva shooting. In April 2020, Taylor fatally shot Michael Ramos, which led to his first indictment.

The officers' indictments over DeSilva's shooting were unexpected: The previous district attorney, Margaret Moore, had decided her office would not present the case to a grand jury. Gilford had explained that decision to DeSilva's family members at the time, telling them that he did not believe jurors would determine the shooting was a crime.

DeSilva's father had been devastated, his attorney recalled. "They gunned down my son like a dog," he'd told Gilford. "And you're not going to do anything about it."

But then Garza was elected, promising to take every case to a grand jury: Twelve residents of Travis County believed there was enough evidence to charge Taylor and Krycia with murder. Gilford had been proved wrong.

While Casaday waited at the courthouse, officials took Taylor's mug shot, fingerprinted him, and he posted bail. Then Casaday and Taylor walked over to the law offices of Taylor's defense attorneys for a news conference.

"Until now, we have refrained from accusing District Attorney Jose Garza of waging a war on police officers," Taylor's attorneys said in a statement. "After today's two new murder indictments, we do not know how else to characterize what he is doing."

Attorneys for Taylor and Krycia said both officers' actions were justified.

In all, eleven current and former officers are awaiting their day in court.

"Take them to trial, and let's just see what the community says," said Parker, the East Austin pastor. "Yes, you will win some. Yes, you will lose some. But we still will find out where the community stands."

- - -

The Washington Post's John D. Harden in Washington contributed to this report.
Stephen M. Cleary

Texas anglers, grab those fishing poles. The City of Corpus Christi is reopening the newly renovated beloved Cole Park Pier and Plaza on Friday, December 17. Officials announced in a news release they are hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony the same day to celebrate the milestone.

Cole Park Pier has been a popular destination for residents and tourists who enjoy fishing, sightseeing, or just want to take in the view. The first Cole Park Pier was built in the 1930s and was destroyed by the 1945 Texas Hurricane. The second pier was constructed in 1971 and was closed in April 2018 due to structural deficiencies caused by Hurricane Harvey, according to the city.
My position with Nashville Post has evolved since 2000 when I began work with the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister pub in 2008 (when I began some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have worked mainly with the Post since late 2011.

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(Natural News) On Wednesday, House Democrats passed an 800-page bill that would mandate insecure voting processes and subject voting tallies to partisan manipulation. Its a slap in the face to the half of Americans, including many Democrats, who believe the 2020 election was riddled with fraud and errors, largely due to the rapid expansion of mail-in balloting and other suspensions of state election laws.

(Article by Joy Pullmann republished from TheFederalist.com)

It is difficult to imagine a legislative proposal more threatening to election integrity and voter confidence, write 20 Republican attorneys general in a Thursday letter about the ridiculously named For The People Act of 2021, or H.R. 1. Democrats have made the bill their top priority this Congress to permanently cement their current unified control of the federal government.

The bill would (among other things) implement nationwide the worst changes in election rules that occurred during the 2020 election; go even further in eroding and eliminating basic security protocols that states have in place; and interfere with the ability of states and their citizens to determine the qualifications and eligibility of voters, ensure the accuracy of voter registration rolls, secure the fairness and integrity of elections, and participate and speak freely in the political process, says a Heritage Foundation analysis.

H.R. 1 broadcasts Democrats goals for unending electoral dominance through openly rigged voting processes. It would engineer an unconstitutional federal takeover of state elections for national office. No surprise, then, that Joe Biden says he will sign this legislation if it reaches his desk.

Here are just some of the unconstitutional, absurd, nakedly partisan, and crime-assisting provisions in this bill that 220 House Democrats voted for and every House Republican voted against.

1. Openly Breaks the Constitution

As the attorneys general note, Under both the Elections Clause of Article I of the Constitution and the Electors Clause of Article II, States have principaland with presidential elections, exclusiveresponsibility to safeguard the manner of holding elections. This bill would instead unconstitutionally give Congress primacy over state elections, in numerous ways.

Yet the Constitution expressly affords the states, not Congress, the power to determine how presidential electors are selected. Mandating mail-in voting, requiring states to accept late ballots, overriding state voter ID laws, and mandating that states conduct redistricting through unelected commissions all violate states constitutional authority in conducting elections.

2. Set Up Star Chambers to Intimidate Judges

The bill would establish a Commission to Protect Democratic Institutions that would have the power to force judges to testify before a panel of unelected federal bureaucrats. According to the bill on page 389, the commission, or any member or subcommittee of the commission, may hold hearings and sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and administer such oaths as the Commission considers advisable.

This commission, the Heritage analysis finds, would be given the authority to compel judges to testify and justify their legal decisions, threatening their independent judgment and subjecting them to political pressure and harassment.

3. Mandate Mail-in Ballots, 10-Day Delay in Results

Rather than reject the 2020 electoral chaos caused by bureaucrats suspending state election laws to further unreliable mail-in voting and suspend legal deadlines for mailed ballots, H.R. 1 would mandate this electoral chaos forever.

The bill mandates universal mail-in balloting and requires states to wait ten days after election day for any outstanding tranches of ballots to be suddenly discovered in Democrat-run strongholds  oops, I mean, allow all ballots to arrive. The Heritage report notes that no-fault absentee ballots are the tool of choice for vote thieves.

Besides a recipe for chaos and partisan election manipulation, this is unconstitutional. The attorneys general note that The exclusivity of state power to define the method of choosing presidential electors means that Congress may not force states to permit presidential voting by mail or curbside voting.

4. Eliminate Voter ID Election Security

Perhaps most egregious is the Acts limitations on voter ID laws, write the attorneys general. Fairly considered, requiring government-issued photo identification at the polls represents nothing more than a best practice for election administration.

After a brief overview of this history of bipartisan support for voter ID laws, the letter continues: Voter ID laws remain popular, with thirty-five states requiring some form of documentary personal identification at the polls. Yet the Act would dismantle meaningful voter ID laws by allowing a statement, as a substitute for prior-issued, document-backed identification, to attest[] to the individuals identity and . . . that the individual is eligible to vote in the election. This does little to ensure that voters are who they say they are. Worse, it vitiates the capacity of voter ID requirements to protect against improper interference with voting rights.

5. Register Millions Of Criminally Present Foreign Citizens to Vote

By forcing states to automatically and duplicatively register all people to vote through government outposts such as motor vehicles, state universities, and welfare agencies, H.R. 1 would register millions of illegal migrants to vote in the United States. According to their own reports on surveys, millions of illegally present foreign citizens vote in the United States, and overwhelmingly for Democrats. Democrats including President Barack Obama have worked to prevent states from enforcing laws against foreign citizens voting in U.S. elections.

This bill would essentially create de facto voting rights for the tens of millions of non-citizens inside the United States. Under this bill, states must automatically register every adult and are legally prohibited from inspecting or checking whether anyone who votes is legally eligible to do so.

The bill also bans courts from enforcing any legal penalties on any foreign citizens who illegally register to vote in the United States (Section 1015). This bills provisions would thus assist anyone inside the United States to vote in its elections, even if they are not citizens and have demonstrated contempt for our nation by breaking our laws to take advantage of our freedoms (for as long as they last).

6. Explode Opportunities for Election Cheating

Adding to the threat of increased voter fraud, the Act would mandate nationwide automatic voter registration and Election Day voter registration, write the attorneys general. Such systems would provide too many opportunities for non-citizens and others ineligible to vote to register and cast fraudulent ballots before officials can take preventive action.

Allowing people to register the same day they vote in 2020 contributed to suspiciously high  near or even above 100 percent  percentages of registered voters reportedly casting ballots in many precincts, often in key locations.

The bill would also Prevent election officials from checking the eligibility and qualifications of voters and removing ineligible voters, notes the Heritage analysis. It would require every ballot to be considered legitimate from the get-go, effectively banning provisional ballots.

Those are currently used, for example, when a voter shows up at the polls and records say he already voted or he is registered using incorrect information such as the wrong address. Under this bill, he could still vote without the error being cleared up, and with a regular, not provisional, ballot.

The bill would also eliminate any requirements that a witness sign an absentee ballot, and send absentee ballots for life to everyone who has ever used one. It would also effectively ban matching signatures on absentee ballots to government records of the voters signature, such as from a drivers license record (Section 307).

Therefore, the bill eliminates almost every safeguard meant to protect against fraud and give voters confidence in election results.

7. Prevent Cleaning Up Voter Rolls

If the bill passes into law, States could not use a combination of voter inactivity and unresponsiveness to maintain voter lists but may instead remove illegitimate voter registrations only where officials obtain some other unspecified objective and reliable evidence that the registrant is ineligible to vote, write the 20 state attorneys general. This attack on reliable methods that states have been using to maintain voters lists without specifying any reasonable permissible alternatives belies any actual interest in preventing voter fraud. The objective, rather, seems to be to prevent meaningful voter list maintenance altogether.

Moreover, the bill threatens anyone, such as a local election official or poll watcher, who might undertake any questioning of any voter or attempts to establish his or her eligibility to vote. Section 1071 says: It shall be unlawful for any person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from aiding another person in registering to vote. The maximum penalty for this would be up to five years in prison.

8. Unleash Mobs on Political Donors

If passed, the bill would require that political speakers and nonprofit organizations publish the identities of their donors. This would create blacklists for leftist activists to target to prevent their political opponents from the opportunity to speak in public, note the attorneys general.

In addition, the bill would require massive compliance costs for candidates, citizens, civic groups, unions, corporations, and nonprofit organizations, says the Heritage Foundation. Many of these provisions violate the First Amendment, protect incumbents, and reduce the accountability of politicians to the public; its onerous disclosure requirements for nonprofit organizations would subject their members and donors to intimidation and harassment.

Even the leftist American Civil Liberties Union expressed concern about these provisions in a letter to top House Democrats. These sections of H.R. 1 could harm political advocacy and expose non-profit donors to harassment and threats of violence should their support for organizations be subject to forced disclosure, the ACLU wrote.

9. Gerrymander Districts to Favor Democrats

The bill would establish a commission of unelected national bureaucrats to decide where the political boundaries for various districts will be, rather than state elected officials.

At least when legislatures draw boundary lines voters may punish egregious behavior at the next election; not so with government-by-commission, which trades accountability for mythical expertise and disinterest, complain the Republican attorneys general about this provision. The republican form of government inherently rejects the idea that elites have some unique capacity to discern and implement the best policies. The American tradition instead embraces political accountability as the best way to advance the public interest. With respect to political redistricting, no ideal, perfectly balanced congressional boundaries exist, so we should let the people decide, through their elected officials, where to place them.

10. Make Vote Hacking Easier

The bills mass forced voter registration of every person with a record in various state databases comprises a recipe for massive voter registration fraud by hackers and cyber criminals, the Heritage analysis finds. Government databases are notorious for breaches of private information by cybercriminals and foreign countries. This would also create numerous duplicate voter registrations that the bill bans state and local officials from cleaning up, potentially assisting individuals in voting multiple times.

11. Let Former Felons Vote Before Theyve Completed Their Sentences

The Heritage analysis says this bill would also Require states to restore the ability of felons to vote the moment they are out of prison regardless of uncompleted parole, probation, or restitution requirements. Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment gives states the constitutional authority to decide when felons who committed crimes against their fellow citizens may vote again. Congress cannot override a constitutional amendment with a statute.

12. Help 16- and 17-Year-Olds Vote Illegally

H.R. 1 would also require states to allow 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds to register; when combined with a ban on voter ID and restrictions on the ability to challenge the eligibility of a voter, this would effectively ensure that underage individuals could vote with impunity, says the Heritage analysis.

In Section 1091, the bill establishes a federal pilot program in public schools to register 12th graders to vote. This is a blatant attempt to push elections Democrat, as polls have shown for decades the younger people are, the more likely they are to vote Democrat.

13. Bans Keeping the Records Necessary for an Election Audit or Recount

In Section 1502, the bill would ban state and local officials from preserving the record of paper ballots that make trustworthy post-election recounts and audits possible. It states: The voting system shall not preserve the voter-verified paper ballots in any manner that makes it possible, at any time after the ballot has been cast, to associate a voter with the record of the voters vote without the voters consent.

14. Mandates Ballot Drop Boxes

In Section 1907, H.R. 1 would mandate that, beginning 45 days before an election, In each county in the State, each State shall provide in-person, secured, and clearly labeled drop boxes at which individuals may, at any time during the period described in subsection (b), drop off voted absentee ballots in an election for Federal office. This allows for the anonymous submission of absentee ballots outside of mail.

It is also a recipe for massive fraud, given that in 2020, when mail-in balloting was massively expanded, more than 26 million ballots were requested and never returned. Since this bill also requires all votes to be presumed valid, anyone could gather up any number of ballots that this law also requires to be mailed to all people listed in every government database, fill them out, and dump them in.

Tens of millions would be available for ventures like these. This bill would also legalize ballot harvesting, or authorizing one individual to collect such ballots and turn them in by the barrel.

Even if not one partisan in the entire United States is unscrupulous enough to take advantage of this big cheating opportunity, the mere existence of this possibility would seriously erode public confidence in elections. That should be reason enough for any honest person to oppose it.

15. Giving U.S. Territories Extra Democrat Seats in Congress and the Electoral College

H.R. 1 would form a commission to consider granting five U.S. territories voting rights, but not statehood. This is an open attempt to rig Congress and the presidency in favor of Democrats.

If these territories are granted House, Senate, and Electoral College seats, they could add as many as 10 senators and 18 new Electoral College votes, all almost assuredly filled with Democrats. Notice that at the current construction of the Senate, when a 60-vote majority is needed to pass most items of importance, this plan would give Democrats that insurmountable 60-vote majority to do whatever they want with no obstacles.

Since these remote islands are all welfare states that have chosen to remain dependent on U.S. taxpayer largess rather than developing self-government, they would be poor partners for the existing states, to say the least. Like usual, Democrats dont even want to challenge them to self-governance. They just want to use them as dependents to expand their political power.

Theres a lot more in this bill, such as that its only limits on voting appear to be regarding absentee ballots for U.S. soldiers. This massive list is not a comprehensive examination.

It should suffice, however, to reveal how insane todays Democrat Party is that every single House Democrat, save one, voted for this bill. This is a voting bill that only totalitarians seeking a uniparty nation could love.

Read more at: TheFederalist.com
(Natural News) Dr. Alan Keyes talked about abortion, slavery and the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with guests Sam Sorbo and Dr. Peter McCullough during the Dec. 13 edition of Lets Talk America with Dr. Alan Keyes on Brighteon.TV.

Were so busy fighting. There are people in this country that are so busy fighting to kill babies in the womb that its gonna be very difficult for our country to survive, if the country itself is intent in killing itself, said Sorbo, a pro-life activist and wife of American actor Kevin Sorbo.

Sorbo and his husband are promoting Leaders for Life, an 80-minute pro-life documentary that puts together the many compelling aspects of abortion in America. The film highlights the modern day pro-life warriors who are on the frontline of the battle to end the daily mass murder of babies. (Related: Pro-abortion feminist ADMITS abortion ends a human life, but says its justifiable.)

Stories change the world. Christ told stories and thats how he changed the world. And He changed it a lot. Thats why my husband and I are involved in storytelling, added Sorbo, an actress, author, home education activist, international model, radio host and film producer.

Keyes said that America since the early 90s has been below replacement level in terms of population because it is in fact not been replacing its population. He added that the American population is now lower than what would be necessary to keep families going.

We talk about the challenge of abortion and the death of the individual child, the pain that spiritually and otherwise inflicted on mothers, but theres a real cost for the country who knows how much of its future we have sacrificed, Keyes said.

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Supreme Court recognizes Mississippi abortion law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1 recognized a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Supreme Courts final ruling will cut off abortion services for millions of women.

A womans right to abortion was passed in 1973, following a Supreme Court ruling in the Roe v. Wade case. The said ruling gave American women an absolute right to an abortion in the first three months of pregnancy with limited rights in the second three months.

Two decades later, the court made another key resolution in the Planned Parenthood v. Casey case where it decided that states could not place an undue burden on women seeking abortions.

In 2018, a state law was approved in Mississippi that made abortions illegal after the first three months of pregnancy  including those committed through rape or incest.

However, it has not been enforced because the Jackson Womens Health Organization, Mississippis lone abortion provider, has challenged the said law.

Slavery, mistreatment of black community

Sorbo also discussed her film titled Systematic Deception, which is about black voices speaking about how the Democrats have mistreated the black community from its inception.

Weve just got a plethora of these voices of people who are fighting to try to wake up the black community that you know, these guys arent your friends, said Sorbo.

Keyes said there are people who are trying anything to overthrow both God and country, especially the way of life which he said is based on the premise of responsible liberty used according to Gods will.

The black community, if you go back to their heritage, was willing to basically risk and give their lives for a true understanding that reflected Gods will against mans stealing and slavery. The first lie they tell is not about black folks. Its about white folks saying that America was founded in slavery, Keyes said.

There was slavery in America. And America was not founded on slavery. A matter of fact, America started with the proclamation of freedom and understanding that makes slavery wrong, makes it a sin and makes it an unrighteous act.

The doctor turned political activist cited that Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father of the U.S. who wrote the Declaration of Independence, raised the standard that condemned slavery and its implications.

Look at whats happening now, in order to get away with killing babies in the room. They raised a standard that denies the humanity of the child in the womb that strips the child in the womb of personhood, said Keyes.

That implies that any human being who gets in the way of more powerful people can be stripped of their humanity. So contrary to the founding spirit, which is to respect the truth even when it hurts your own situation, you aggrandize your own situation even though it leads to the utter disregard of the truth.

Keyes also slammed the way the government handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

Part of the problem were facing right now, I think with the whole crazy backwards way they dealt with the COVID virus, suppressing therapies, trying to act as if vaccines were ready, when they werent really ready, denying adverse effects, denying the truth about what was going on, Keyes said.

Actually, whats going on in all of this suggests that they were so intent on getting us to enslave ourselves to fear so that we would become dependent on what looks like its going to be an endless regime of boosters and vaccines.

COVID-19 more than just an infectious disease

Meanwhile, Dr. Peter McCullough. an academic physician based in Dallas, Texas, said that COVID-19 was far more than just an infectious disease. It was an inflammatory illness, a prothrombotic and blood clotting illness all rolled into one.

McCullough lamented the fact that the federal government and its major health agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) took on larger roles in the pandemic response and began to give orders instead of working for doctors and patients.

I never got calls from the (U.S. COVID) Task Force. I never got calls from NIH, CDC or FDA. And here, America needed a treatment program to basically handle two bad outcomes  hospitalization and death, McCullough said.

And I said, Listen, if this illness is going to sweep through our country, if we can prevent hospitalization and death, we can get through that. Do you know that not a single world leader actually identified that as the objective to stop hospitalization and death? They actually were chasing other objectives. We wanted to reduce spread of disease, they wanted to get to zero cases.

McCullough added that everything done in the pandemic response was actually designed to promote fear, suffering, isolation, hospitalization and death.

Well, the idea of not offering early treatment that this virus takes two weeks to make somebody sick enough to be hospitalized. The fact that the NIH put out guidelines that said, Do not treat the illness, do not touch it until a patient needs hospitalization. And in fact, they dont even treat it, wait until they need oxygen before they get their first milligram of treatment. I think that will go down in history as the most nihilistic approach. McCullough said.

And all it did was generate massive amounts of fear. Our poor seniors, when they got sick, they were at home, in their apartments or in their rooms, they couldnt see their family members, they got progressively more ill, more panic calls. And at the very end, they push the panic button to be hospitalized.

The Dallas-based doctor and author added that fear has been injected into the American population like an injection of psychological venom into society that kicks off a mass psychosis.

Watch the full Dec. 13 episode of Lets Talk America with Dr. Alan Keyes below.



Catch Lets Talk America on Brighteon.TV every weekday from 1- 3 p.m.

Sources:

Brighteon.com

News.Yahoo.com
(Natural News) There are now more Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the U.K. than ever before (78,610 were recorded on December 15). The U.K. is set to break that record in the coming days and weeks as new mutations of coronavirus spike proteins start to take hold of the population, regardless of vaccine status.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is projecting COVID deaths to hit 15,600 per week in the U.S., as experimental vaccines draw the fully-vaccinated into the hospitals for another round of isolation, disease and withheld treatments.

The CDC is blaming this new wave of hospitalization and death on COVID and the unvaccinated. However, the rise in severe disease and hospitalization in the fully vaccinated is so great that the data is no longer clear.

CDC continues to defraud the public with faulty PCR tests and destructive genetic experiments

Throughout the entirety of the COVID-19 scandal, the CDC approved wide-scale distribution of PCR tests with high cycle threshold that cannot differentiate non-infectious viral debris from a real, symptom-specific respiratory illness. Yet for some reason, states are utilizing these PCR tests as the basis for all their data surrounding COVID-19, while using the fraudulent results as a way to deprive people of their civil liberties.

The medical fraud was compounded by the CDCs new PCR testing rule, which is used exclusively for the vaccinated, to limit the number of breakthrough COVID cases and conceal the failures of the vaccines. This deceptive CDC rule instructed laboratories to only report COVID-19 cases in the vaccinated when the amplification cycles are dialed down to 28 and below, almost guaranteeing a negative test result.

Meanwhile, COVID cases could still be fraudulently counted in the unvaccinated using high cycle thresholds over 28, which are almost guaranteed to deliver a false positive. The CDC went even further with their medical malfeasance and allowed hospitals to classify dead vaccinated people as unvaccinated deaths.

The PCR tests, which cannot distinguish different types of coronavirus strains, will continue to be used in a coercive manner to tally up droves of false positives (healthy adults) and various mild respiratory illnesses, lumping the number in with the total case count for COVID-19. The most important statistic to watch for is not the 1.3 million COVID cases that are projected by Christmas Day.

But the real statistic to watch for is the surge in DEATH that continues to take place in fully-vaccinated populations. The CDC predicts a 73 percent surge in death over the Christmas weekend, and it is projected to be a problem witnessed mostly in fully vaccinated communities.

Fully vaccinated Cornell University confirms over 930 new cases

All of the 930 confirmed omicron cases at Cornell University are among people who are fully vaccinated. The whole campus is reportedly 97 percent vaccinated. Even more troubling: some of the people who are testing positive at Cornell University had a booster shot.

The CDC projects that up to 15,600 Americans will die from the new variant during the week that ends on January 8. The CDC predicts 18,400 hospitalizations and 1,228 deaths a day in the first week of January. It is very likely that antibody dependent enhancement is starting to surface in human test subjects  a phenomenon some scientists warned about early on when the vaccines were being rushed into existence.

All upcoming medical problems will be blamed on COVID-19, even as the vaccines fail over and over again

Dr. Gregory Poland from the Mayo Clinic said the United States does not have an adequate genetic sequencing infrastructure to monitor the spread of omicron. We do so little sequencing that we really dont have a good idea of omicron epidemiology at the local level, he said.

He argued that there are 100 cases of omicron for every one that is sequenced. This only means that all upcoming hospitalizations and deaths can simply be recorded as COVID-19, (without any real confirmation). Vaccine injuries and associated diseases will be blamed on COVID-19, when the issues actually stem from vaccine failure and immune depletion, which is being perpetrated by the first two rounds of the mRNA genetic experiment.

Regardless of this reality, Dr. Poland said that two doses of the vaccine is not enough and that people are in for a big surprise this winter. If youre not boosted, youre susceptible to severe and moderate disease, he said.

The CDC reported that only 16.5 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated now. More people are thinking twice before taking another booster. Early data shows that the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine and Pfizer mRNA are not be effective against the mutant strain.

Insanely, government and public health officials are urging more of the same nonsense, pushing dangerous vaccines on the population. If the experiment didnt work the first and second time, go ahead and push it out again and again, threatening peoples livelihoods and freedoms in the process.

Visit Immunization.news for more news related to coronavirus vaccines.

Sources include:

Dailymail.co.uk

NaturalNews.com 1

NaturalNews.com 2

NaturalNews.com 3

NaturalNews.com 4

Bloombergquint.com
(Natural News) Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) patients have the right to refuse treatment with remdesivir, the right to refuse to be put on a ventilator and the right to not get injected with the experimental and deadly COVID-19 vaccine without their express approval.

Physician, chiropractor, author and host of The Dr. Ardis Show on Brighteon.TV Dr. Bryan Ardis spoke with journalist James White of the Montana Gazette Radio to talk about the right of COVID-19 patients to refuse certain treatments.

People just dont understand this. If theyve seen my interviews and theyve seen my engagements, you should know that hospital protocols in America right now are set up to be murdering institutions, said Ardis. If you dont go in with documentation that holds legal recourse against them using those protocols, you are not safe.

Ardis pointed out how important it is to put in writing that COVID-19 patients can refuse to be treated with the toxic drug remdesivir. They can also refuse to be put on a ventilator under any situation or circumstance.

The doctor further warned listeners against signing hospital intake forms without giving them a thorough read or without consulting with their attorney. Some intake forms might have language in there that allows healthcare workers in the hospital to give patients the COVID-19 vaccine without the verbal consent of the patients.

This is why Ardis believes it is very important for people to have the right legal forms with them that they can use to prevent being abused by hospitals.

If there comes a moment where theres an emergency and you feel like you need to go to the hospital, you need to be able to have those forms ready to go with you to protect your life, said Ardis.

COVID-19 patients can insist they be treated with ivermectin

Not only do coronavirus patients in hospitals have the right to refuse certain kind of treatments and medical interventions, but they can also choose what kind of treatments they want. (Related: Anthony Fauci SUPPRESSED effective treatments against COVID-19 to benefit Big Pharma  Brighteon.TV.)

In a recent case, Fauquier Health in Warrenton, Virginia refused to let a COVID-19 patient be treated with ivermectin.

Kathy Davies, a Catholic wife, mother of five and grandmother to 10 kids, had been receiving treatment for COVID-19 at Fauquier Health for several months when the family wanted the hospital to try ivermectin.

Fauquier Health refused to allow this, and Davies family took the hospital to court. The hospital put the family through a series of legal obstacles designed to block the ivermectin from being given to Davies.

But on Monday, Dec. 13, Virginias 20th Judicial Court found Fauquier Health in contempt of court for refusing to comply with previous orders that ruled Davies must be given ivermectin doses as prescribed by the familys doctor.

If the hospital agreed to allow the treatment with ivermectin, all charges brought against it will be dropped. But if the hospital refused to comply, it would be fined $10,000 per day, retroactive from Dec. 9 onwards.

Rather than deal with the fines that come with refusing a court order, Fauquier Health retracted all of its objections and allowed the familys doctor to give Davies ivermectin. She received her first dose of ivermectin on Dec. 13.

Kathys just started on her ivermectin last night, and thats by the power of prayer, said a friend of the family interviewed by Life Site News.

The Davies story offers hope for legal respite for many families who have found themselves in similar situations while trying to battle a medical establishment arguably opposed to any treatment not supported by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] to fight COVID-19, wrote Tim Meads for the Daily Wire.

The victory underscores the value of taking legal action to defend medical freedoms, and may serve as a warning to other hospitals that attempt to deprive patients of their rights, wrote Ashley Sadler for Life Site News.

Fauquier Health responded to the legal order with a statement claiming that its top priority remains to provide safe, high-quality care to the patients we serve, and that its main objection to the ivermectin use is that it was not prescribed by a doctor working in the hospital.

During his interview with the Montana Gazette Radio, Ardis walked White through the proper steps to avail of the legal forms that can force hospitals to not give patients medication and medical interventions that they do not want. This includes refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. Watch the full clip here:

Pandemic.news has the latest information regarding the toxic drug remdesivir and the suppression of effective treatments against COVID-19 like ivermectin.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

LifeSiteNews.com

DailyWire.com
(Natural News) Attorney Aaron Siri published a document he discovered suggesting that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is conspiring with the United States Postal Service (USPS) to block imports of ivermectin being sent to American consumers from overseas.

In a tweet, Siri drew attention to a Notice of FDA Action letter explaining that the USPS is now illegally spying on packages. If found to contain ivermectin, those packages are being detained and later destroyed if the recipient is unable to prove that the shipment is for some other use besides treating the Tony Fauci Virus (Covid-19).

A mail shipment addressed to you from a foreign country is being held by the post office at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the letter reads.

Listed below that sentence is a Summary of Current Status of Individual Lines showing a box of 200 tablets of Iverheal 12 Ivermectin Tablets USP 12mg, which the USPS detained on 11-09-2021.

The shipment may also contain other items not listed above, the letter goes on to read. This notice does not constitute assurance the products involved comply with provisions of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&CA), Public Health Service Act (PHSA), or other related acts, and does not preclude action should the products later be found violative.

The FDA wants people to die without ivermectin

The recipient was then told that an examination of the packages contents led the FDA to determine that the drugs are not in compliance with the requirements of the law.

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Additionally, FDA has determined that each article is valued at $2500 or less, it further explains. Because these drugs are not in compliance with the requirements of the law and are valued at $2500 or less, they are subject to refusal of admission into the United States and are subject to administrative destruction.

According to the FDA, any use of ivermectin in the age of the Fauci Flu represents misbranding and will not be allowed. The only drugs accessible to people now are the vaccines from Operation Warp Speed.

The imported drug does not appear to comply or meet the exemption considerations under the FDA personal importation policy, the letter adds.

The letter does explain that the recipient can challenge the packages interception and attempt to retrieve it by making a case in favor of its proper receipt. If this is not done within a certain period of time, then the FDA and the USPS plan to destroy the ivermectin pills. (RELATED: Ivermectin is a powerful weapon against the Chinese Flu, which is why the FDA does not want you to have it).

While no response is required, if you decide to respond, please submit evidence to overcome the appearance of the violation to my email address (below) and include your name and entry number in the subject heading, the letter goes on to instruct.

Siri pointed out that the FDA could use its resources much more wisely than this and leave people be to use the interventions they wish to stay safe against Fauci Germs. Instead, the FDA appears to want more people to die by restricting access to ivermectin.

The FDA could better use its resources to, I dont know, publicly release the docs submitted by Pfizer to license its mandated liability-free V (vaccine) earlier than 75 years from now! Siri tweeted, intentionally use V to describe the vaccine to avoid being censored on the social media platform.

So they really ARE murdering us, someone responded to Siris tweet.

More related news about the FDA, the USPS and the Fauci Virus can be found at Fascism.news.

Sources for this article include:

Sirillp.com

Twitter.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The Health Ranger Mike Adams has been an advocate of satellite phones (satphones) for a long time now. This means of communication became the topic of the Dec. 14 episode of the Health Ranger Report on Brighteon.TV featuring Chris Hoar.

Adams guest serves as the marketing director of Galileyo.com, an information distribution platform for satphones. The platforms subscribers can receive updates from the Health Ranger, Steve Quayle, Doug Hagmann, Alex Jones and other conservative influencers.

Galileyo is a communications platform that utilizes the satellite phone networks. What weve done is [that] weve created a platform that can deliver messages to your satphone from the influencers that you follow today and the people you trust to get your news from, Hoar explained.

You can stay in touch with your financial life by checking out stock prices, crypto prices and bond prices. We send you weather alerts, news and information from all of your favorite and trusted providers. This is the only way you can get information when you have a blackout or a situation like that.

Adams emphasized the importance of satphones in an emergency situation. Ive given satphones to my family members and my key business people who are located in other countries. Ive actually had satphones shipped to them. This is how Im going to communicate with my own people, my own staff in an emergency as well. [For] all the people who want to receive my alerts, its [going to] be the same alerts for everybody, he said. (Related: Prepper essentials: SHTF emergency communication plans for your family.)

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Hoar told the Brighteon.TV founder: Im sure a lot of your audience is very well-prepared for a disaster, emergency, a breakdown of society or whatever it might be. Communications is a big part of that, and information can be key. Youre in the information business, [and] it can be the difference between life and death. If you have no information, youre really in the dark, and we want to try and help people not be in the dark.

According to Adams, satphones are not limited by location compared to amateur (ham) radio. Terrestrial radio, of course, has a very important role to play  but its limited by geography. If you can bounce messages off satellites, then you can get messages anywhere on the planet.

Satphones play a role in free speech

The Galileyo marketing director also mentioned the potential role of satphones in promoting freedom of speech.

The censorship is going on everywhere, and also on cellphones. Back in December 2018, the Federal Communications Commission changed the definition of what SMS messages are  from communications to information. That allowed the carriers to then start censoring keywords [and] kicking people off with no repercussions whatsoever.

Hagmann himself touched on this censorship within mobile phone networks in a July 2021 post. Surveillance of your private communications has been happening for quite some time. Your text messages, emails [and] Facebook private messages are all being captured by a rogue, globalist surveillance state, he wrote. (Related: All private phone calls, text messages exposed by fatal flaw in global cellular network.)

It is this rogue surveillance state that will decide whether your text messages contain false or misleading information, based on their version of the truth. The globalists will decide whether you can express your opinions to others in a text, email or other private communication  and will take steps to stop you from sending such communications.

Hoar explained Hagmanns point further: What it really comes down to is [that] we pride ourselves on offering anyone of any political leaning a platform where they cannot be de-platformed, wont be taken down [and] wont be edited. If someone on our platform says something that breaks the law, then it does, but its not up to us to decide what that is. Its not up to us to decide what you or anyone else should say. Its up to us to help people access their First Amendment rights.

The Health Ranger said Galileyo plays a critical role in informing the people when SHTF. What the people [in] America and all over the world have learned is that [they] cant trust the media to report the truth. So where do they get an alternative viewpoint of whats going on? [Whats] a far better source for real information about whats happening?

Hoar agreed. What the internet has failed to do is give a platform which offers freedom of speech to anyone [that is] uncensored [and] unedited. The internet is controlled, basically, by five companies  and all of them have their own opinions. If you dont agree with those opinions, good luck. Weve seen YouTube channels shut off [and] people kicked off Twitter all over the world, he said.

Its important to have a way for anyone whos got a voice and a following to be able to keep broadcasting without censorship and without fear of being shut off. The satellite networks are one of the only places [where] that can happen right now.

Watch the full Dec. 14 episode of the Health Ranger Report with Chris Hoar below. Tune in to the Health Ranger Report from Monday to Friday at 3-3:30 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

Preparedness.news has more articles about satphones and staying connected in an emergency.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

HagmannReport.com
(Natural News) The grocery store chain Kroger has announced that it will deny employees certain benefits if they continue to refuse to get the COVID-19 vaccine in an odd move that comes across as being more about control and money than any genuine concerns about safety given the vaccines inability to stop the transmission of the virus.

The nations biggest supermarket operator has not issued an outright mandate for its workers, instead modifying policies to encourage safe behaviors including vaccination. The chain sent out a companywide memo announcing that beginning on January 1, it will take away paid leave for any unvaccinated employees who contract COVID-19. These workers will, however, be allowed to take paid time off that they have already earned.

In addition, it will require salaried nonunion employees who do not get the vaccine and who are enrolled in Krogers health insurance plan to pay a monthly $50 surcharge. Hourly and unionized workers will not have to pay the surcharge. Meanwhile, employees who are fully vaccinated will be eligible to receive paid COVID leave should they contract a breakthrough case. Krogers current benefit, which was put into place before vaccines were widely available, gives any workers who get sick with the virus up to two weeks of paid leave regardless of their vaccination status.

We created and amended several workplace policies at the onset of the pandemic to support our associates during immense uncertainty, a spokeswoman said in a statement. The administration of the vaccine to our associates has been an integral part of our efforts and continues to be a focus.

Kroger employs 465,000 workers in its nearly 2,800 stores throughout the nation. In addition to its Kroger stores, it operates regional supermarket chains across 35 states, including Ralphs, Smiths, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, QFC, Marianos, Fred Meyer, Frys and others.

Although it is not known how many of the chains employees have been vaccinated, some observers have speculated that it is a significant enough portion that Kroger cannot afford to lose them by instituting a strict no jab, no job mandate. Apparently, many Kroger employees do not believe that the $100 payment that the company is offering people to get the jab is worth taking on the vaccines many risks. However, by taking away paid leave for unvaccinated employees who get the virus, they are essentially encouraging workers to come into work while they are infected with COVID-19, which puts customers and other employees at risk whether they are vaccinated or not.

In response to the move, some people have said that they will no longer shop at Kroger or any of its affiliates.

Surcharges for being unvaccinated are becoming more common

Unfortunately, Kroger isnt the only company that has decided to charge its unvaccinated employees a fee for making choices about their bodies that their management disagrees with. In August, Delta Airlines announced that its unvaccinated staff will be charged $200 a month to address the financial risk the decision to not vaccinate is creating for our company. They also stopped extending pay protection to workers without the vaccine who contract the virus. The airline also requires unvaccinated workers to get weekly tests and to wear a mask in indoor company settings.

This month, Nevada became the first state in the nation to charge its state workers who are enrolled in public employee health insurance plans as much as $55 a month starting in July. The state estimates that around 5,000 state workers and 1,250 Nevada System of Higher Education employees are unvaccinated.

Unfortunately, we are probably going to see more and more moves like these as the pandemic continues  the same pandemic that these vaccines were supposed to put an end to. Perhaps if vaccines were developed that did not put peoples health at risk, offered true protection from the worst effects of the virus and actually stopped vaccinated individuals from transmitting it to others, people wouldnt need incentives or threats to roll up their sleeves.

Sources for this article include:

SHTFPlan.com

CNBC.com
(Natural News) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has admitted that the post-vaccine omicron variant of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is most prevalent in highly vaccinated New York and New Jersey.

New York and New Jersey are the seventh- and eighth-most fully vaccinated states in America, respectively. New York has a full vaccination rate of 71 percent, and New Jerseys is 70 percent. More than 10 percent of the population in each state is also partially vaccinated.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Dec. 15, Walensky said that the new post-vaccine variant is spreading quickly through the United States despite it only being present in the country for around two weeks. It now accounts for about three percent of new COVID-19 infections that are being genetically sequenced nationwide and has been detected in at least 36 states, with hotspots including the highly vaccinated New England region.

In some areas of the country, the estimates of omicron are even higher, including in New York and New Jersey, where CDC projects that omicron could represent about 13 percent of all cases, said Walensky during the briefing.

Health experts are further suggesting that the reported case rates are likely underreported due to the easy transmissibility of the post-vaccine variant, especially among fully vaccinated communities.

We expect to see the proportion of omicron cases here in the United States continue to grow in the coming weeks, said Walensky. Early data suggests that omicron is more transmissible than delta, with a doubling time of about two days.

Because of the status of New York and New Jersey as some of the countrys most vaccinated states, the omicron variant will likely keep spreading and overtake the number of COVID-19 cases caused by the delta post-vaccine variant.

Public health officials continue to deny vaccines help omicron spread

The CDC itself has admitted that only 20 percent of omicron cases have been discovered in unvaccinated individuals, with the remaining 80 percent coming from partially or fully vaccinated people. (Related: CDC confirms that most cases of omicron are occurring in the fully vaccinated.)

But instead of urging the countrys unvaccinated population to hold out and refuse the experimental and dangerous vaccine, Walensky urged the population to get vaccinated.

It means that it is vital for everybody to get vaccinated and boosted if they are eligible, she said.

We have the tools to fight this virus, including omicron, claimed White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients during a press briefing. He was talking about the COVID-19 vaccines. Were in a very different, a stronger place than we were a year ago.

Zients added that it is unlikely COVID-19 lockdowns or harsher restrictions will return  but only if people keep getting vaccinated. We know how to keep our kids in school and our businesses open [amid the pandemic], he said.

Even White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci weighed in, stating that omicron has a rather profound ability to evade the supposed protection given by two doses of mRNA vaccines. He encouraged people to get booster vaccine doses to enhance their vaccine-acquired immunity to the tune of a 38-fold increase.

If we didnt have these tools, I would be telling you to be really, really worried, said Fauci. Booster vaccine regimens work against omicron.

Fauci further claimed that getting a third dose has been proven effective at preventing hospitalizations due to the post-vaccine omicron variant.

Listen to this Situation Update episode of the Health Ranger Report, a podcast by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, as he speculates whether the highly infectious post-vaccine strain with milder symptoms could provide the world with natural immunity and make vaccines obsolete.

Learn more about how the post-vaccine omicron variant is spreading rapidly through highly vaccinated communities at Vaccines.news.

Sources include:

NewsWars.com

NYTimes.com

NationalFile.com

Bloomberg.com

TheEpochTimes.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that malathion, the most popular organophosphate insecticide in the U.S., significantly increases the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that at least 37 million (15 percent) of adults in America have chronic kidney disease (CKD). More alarmingly, 90 percent of people with CKD are unaware that they have the condition.

Even if someone has severe kidney disease, only three out of five individuals with the condition know that they are sick.

Chronic kidney disease is linked to severe and fatal complications

Chronic kidney disease, or chronic kidney failure, causes damage to your kidneys and results in loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter extra water and wastes out of the blood to make urine and ensure that your body works properly by balancing the salts and minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium, that circulate in the blood. Additionally, the kidneys produce hormones that help control blood pressure, make red blood cells and promote bone strength.

In time, kidney disease can get worse and cause kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis throughout your whole life or a kidney transplant to maintain your health. If you have CKD, your kidneys are damaged and are unable to filter blood as they should. This damage can cause wastes to build up in the body, leading to health issues like heart disease, high levels of potassium in the blood, pulmonary edema, seizures and irreversible kidney damage.

Unfortunately, the early stages of kidney disease are often symptomless and some cases often go unnoticed until it is too late. More advanced kidney disease may cause symptoms such as chest pain, confusion, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, shortness of breath, urination that becomes less or more frequent and vomiting. CKD can also progress to end-stage kidney failure, which is fatal unless you undergo dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Malathion exposure can increase chronic kidney disease, risk by 25 percent

For the study, researchers looked at the effects of pesticides on kidney health in the U.S. population. They worked with more than 41,000 participants. The researchers also analyzed data from the USA National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Data from animal studies have previously revealed that exposure to malathion increases markers of kidney injury, like levels of serum creatinine and urea. Meanwhile, findings from human studies have linked malathion to kidney damage.

The researchers also wanted to learn more about the growing incidence of unexplained chronic kidney disease in tropical countries. Although conditions like diabetes and hypertension and aging are primary factors for CKD, international researchers have observed the growth of cases of CKD with no known cause, especially among agricultural workers in poorer sections of India and Sri Lanka. They theorized that environmental toxins like pesticides could be involved. The research team then set out to determine the possible effects of pesticides on kidney health in the U.S. (Related: EPA to ban the use of chlorpyrifos pesticide as it poses dangers to children.)

Study results revealed that malathion exposure was linked to a significant 25 percent increase in CKD in the United States. Study co-author Nicholas Osborne, an associate professor at the Queensland University School of Public Health, reported that there was evidence of altered kidney function in individuals people exposed to malathion. Malathion undeniably increases the risk of low kidney function in the general US population, concluded Osborne.

Malathion depletes the bodys glutathione levels

The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized malathion as a probable carcinogen, and data from animal studies has linked the pesticide to birth defects and certain kinds of cancer. Additionally, it could also be an endocrine disruptor.

Experts suggest that malathion and other organophosphate pesticides are harmful because they reduce the metabolism of glutathione, your bodys most important natural antioxidant. This can then cause increased oxidative stress and disease.

Despite being classified as a probable carcinogen, malathion is licensed for agricultural and domestic use on fruits and vegetables. Malathion is also used for mosquito control in recreational areas and as a household pesticide for ant control.

You could also be exposed to malathion if you use products used to treat fleas and ticks on pets and some treatments for head lice.

High exposure to malathion may cause the following short-term effects:

Accelerated heart rate

Blurred vision

Cramps

Diarrhea

Dizziness

Excessive sweating

Headaches

Nausea

Minimize exposure to malathion and other environmental toxins to avoid various side effects

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), small amounts of malathion used for mosquito control probably wont affect humans. However, Osborne warned that chronic exposure to pesticides in very small doses can still cause health problems.

To minimize exposure, remain inside or avoid areas sprayed with malathion for at least 30 minutes after application. Close windows and doors, turn off window air conditioners and close vents during spraying and for at least 10 minutes post-spray.

Dont get into contact with surfaces in recently-sprayed areas. If you are exposed to these surfaces, wash your skin with soap and water. Always rinse homegrown and store-bought fruits and vegetables thoroughly before cooking or eating.

If you have pets, bring their food and water dishes inside. Cover ornamental fishponds if you see any neighbors spraying toxic chemicals.

The best way to reduce exposure to pesticides is to consume organic produce.

You can also boost your kidney health by making the following lifestyle changes:

Exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.

Quitting smoking.

Not eating processed foods full of sodium.

Avoiding nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Managing existing medical conditions that can harm your kidneys.

Watch the video below to know more about the negative side effects of malathion.



Eat organic produce and minimize your exposure to malathion to boost your kidney health. Visit Pesticides.news for more information on malathion and other harmful pesticides.

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

NIDDK.nih.gov

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Albert Bourla, the head of Pfizer, has announced that in order to stay safe against the Fauci Virus, everyone will now need to get a fourth booster shot to go along with the first three.

In a recent interview with CNBC, Bourla claimed that his company is currently carrying out studies on the so-called Omicron (Moronic) variant of the Wuhan Disease.

A third shot, he says, could fight the all-new variant. But just to be sure, he wants everyone to also receive a fourth shot  and maybe even more after that, depending on how the companys stock performs.

When we see real-world data, Bourla stated, we will determine if the omicron is well covered by the third dose and for how long. And the second point, I think we will need a fourth dose.

By March, Bourla claims that Pfizer will have successfully developed a whole new jab specifically targeting the Moronic variant. He also expects many more variants to emerge, probably at regular intervals so that Pfizer can continue to inject people over and over again indefinitely.

Every time a person gets injected with another Pfizer needle, Bourla and his cronies make big bucks. This is clearly why he wants more needles to go into more arms at warp speed.

 some health experts are skeptical of whether the boosters are needed, particularly given that Pfizer is set to make big bucks through selling more doses, reported the Daily Expose.

Despite this, governments around the world, especially the Biden administration, are happy to aid them in their quest to sell more jabs and stick them in as many arms as possible.

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Its all about money and depopulation  NONE of this is about saving lives

Pfizer had earlier announced that the first two injections of its vaccine may not be sufficient to protect against infection with the omicron variant. The World Health Organization (WHO), however, says otherwise.

According to the United Nations public health arm, booster shots are not the solution to the Moronic variant. Instead, the company wants to continue pushing more people to get its initial double-dose regimen, followed by more booster injections later on down the road.

Its unsurprising that many people view Pfizers outcry for additional vaccines due to Omicron as an easy way to make more money, the Daily Expose added.

Many of us anticipated that another booster jab would be pushed on to citizens around the world and that another variant would be used as the reasoning for it.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), meanwhile, fully admits that most new cases of Moronic are occurring in people who received the first two injections. Almost no unvaccinated people are catching it.

Not only that, but most new cases of Moronic are extremely mild with symptoms that are usually no more severe than a few sniffles or a mild cough  in other words, it is just the common cold rebranded.

Despite the fearmongering being churned out surrounding Omicron, this variant appears to be much milder and no one has died from it yet, added the Daily Expose.

Several commenters at the Daily Expose pointed out that Bourla has exposed himself as a corrupt opportunist who is using manufactured fear about some invisible virus to sell more deadly injections and line his pockets with more cash.

A lying spirit in the mouth of a psychopathic demon, one wrote to describe Bourla.

The boosters will definitely be needed sooner than expected due to the dangers ahead. Translation: $$$$$$$$$, wrote another.

More related news about Big Pharmas Fauci Virus injection cash cow can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

DailyExpose.uk

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Dr. Mehmet Oz (of the Dr. Oz show) recently announced his candidacy for the Pennsylvania Senate. In early 2020, Dr. Oz spoke publicly about treating covid patients with hydroxychloroquine and zinc. Today, he is speaking against government mandates that cause unnecessary suffering. In a recent interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News, Oz took a shot at Dr. Anthony Fauci and lambasted the arrogant, close minded people in charge [who] closed our parks, shuttered our schools, shut down our businesses, and took away our freedom.

When we tested positive for the virus, we were also told to wait at home until our lips turned blue and we got sick enough to warrant hospitalization. To be clear, this is not a typical medical protocol, Oz warned. Within two weeks of announcing his candidacy and speaking common truth, Dr. Oz is already facing censorship on his Facebook page and seeing his ads restricted.

Facebook turns into government propaganda arm, forcing subservience to fear doctrine and vaccine mandates

During the covid-19 scandal, Facebook turned into a propaganda arm for the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health and the Democrat Party. As soon as someone stands up to these organizations, they are canceled and censored  their voice restricted across the social media environment. In a blatant violation of the First Amendment, executive government policies are being used like laws to shut down peoples voices across the internet and derail their businesses and their political campaigns.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was recently exposed, having offered to share data with and control messaging for Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal mouthpiece for lock downs and vaccine mandates. Obviously, Zuckerberg and Fauci have worked together to control the narrative on lock downs, treatments, testing, masks, travel restrictions, school mandates, vaccine mandates and natural immunity. This is why Facebook immediately takes down and restricts anyone who speaks up for human rights, body autonomy or a healthy immune system.

Americas Frontline Doctors continue to face extreme censorship after their hopeful speeches went viral in the summer of 2020. These doctors also discussed successful treatment plans, natural immunity and keeping personal freedoms intact, much like Dr. Oz is doing now.

Dr. Oz has the opportunity to stand up against all corrupt federal agencies and the vaccine industry

By blocking cheap, effective treatments from federally-funded hospitals, the NIH, the CDC and the FDA have caused great suffering. A majority of hospitals have relied on remdesivir, ventilators and policies of isolation, all of which cause further health problems (such as kidney failure, cytokine storm, pneumonia and death). The nefarious isolation protocols take away an individuals will to live and deprive them of spiritual comfort and loving energy that can save their life.

Attorneys continue to fight for patients who are trapped inside ICUs, patients who are refusing deadly ventilators and wanting a simple treatment plan that works for their body. These novel, efficacious antiviral and vitamin treatments are often banished, censored and barred from hospital protocol. Anyone who dares talk about viable antiviral treatments and supplements for the immune system is immediately censored. By censoring treatments and natural immunity, the FDA was able to approve emergency use authorization for mRNA vaccines.

By ensuring that treatments do not exist, the FDA was able to find a legal loophole to skip the standard, ten-year scientific process that is required for traditional vaccine safety studies. Fraud and censorship were the only way to push these experiments into existence. While Doctor Oz still defends the mRNA vaccines in his interviews, he will soon have to recognize the failure of this genetic medical experiment, especially in the area of cardiology, where he is supposed to be an expert. These mRNA experiments are causing blood clots, oxygen depletion of red blood cells and inflammation of the heart, leading to seizures and cardiac arrest.

Dr. Oz is in an important position to stand up to Big Pharma like never before. As a Republican candidate and a doctor, Dr. Oz has an opportunity to break from the partys leader, Donald Trump, and promote a healthier vision for the future. Trumps heavy taxpayer investments into Big Pharma and his Warp Speed vaccine arrogance has submitted the Republican Party to a false savior that cannot be questioned. However, in todays war-time politics, it no longer important to worship a vaccine paradigm that continues to fail and continues to be used in tyrannical ways to steal freedoms away in the U.S. and around the world.

Sources include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com

Lifesitenews.com

NaturalNews.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

NaturalNews.com

Journals.Plos.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Chicago, Illinois  St. Lukes Lutheran Church of Logan Square hosted a drag queen prayer hour for children last weekend.

(Article by Cristina Laila republished from TheGatewayPundit.com)

According to the Lutheran churchs Facebook post, Seminarian Aaron Musser preached in drag to children as part of a dress rehearsal for joy.

Also known as grooming.

Today, we consider what it might be like to have a dress rehearsal for the kind of joy awaiting us on the other side of Advent. Its been so hard to know what that joy will be, because its been so long since some of us have been joyful. Its been a difficult and tiring couple of years. the drag queen said.

And I decided instead of telling you, this is how I want you to be joyful, as we prepare for this dress rehearsal, I figured I would instead put on a dress as so many who have inspired me have done. I decided to follow their example, showing that liberation from oppressive laws clears a path for joy.

But allowing yourself to feel joy can be scary. I wasnt sure how the outside world would handle me when they saw me this morning. Joy is difficult to feel, its vulnerable. But isnt it so beautiful?

VIDEO via Woke Preachers YouTube:

Read more at: TheGatewayPundit.com
(Natural News) California parents are speaking out after school teachers brainwashed their 12-year-old child into becoming transgender and allegedly called CPS on them for not referring to their child by certain pronouns.

(Article by Shane Trejo republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com)

The parents, whose child in the Spreckels Union School District, were outraged after teachers groomed children with sexual propaganda in order to induct them into the LGBT movement. This is how pedophilia is becoming mainstream.

A mistake? How many mistakes are we going to take before my child almost lost their life? They didnt tell me that my child was suicidal. You allowed these teachers to open their classrooms teaching predatory information to a young child, the mother said.

You will not quiet me today. I will stand here today along with every other child, she added.

I think education needs to be grounded in truth. We need God back in America. We need God back in schools. I just feel that our kids are impressionable at that age, and we should keep the parents informed. I say resign or repent, the father said.

Their speeches can be seen here:

The school reportedly called the parents in for a meeting where they informed them that their daughter is trans. The teacher then proceeded to call CPS on them when they didnt use the correct name and pronouns. This is the dads speech tonight: pic.twitter.com/17gl3QBRrQ  Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) December 16, 2021

The Epoch Times has obtained recordings of public school teachers cackling about how they use an Equality Club under false pretenses to groom children and induct them into the LGBT lifestyle.

It was horrifying to listen to not just one teacher but really all of the teachers in all of these seminars, excoriating parents, said the source, going by the pseudonym Rebecca Murphy to protect her from retribution.

The overarching theme of the classes that I attended were California teachers instructing other teachers on how to sneak in the LGBTQ+ curriculum in a manner that does not alert parents, Murphy said of the recent California Teachers Association (CTA) seminar she attended and recorded.

Teachers could be heard cackling about how they know what is better for students than their parents. Two 7th-grade teachers led a panel titled, How we run a GSA in Conservative Communities. They openly bragged about grooming children while keeping their parents in the dark.

Because we are not official, we have no club rosters. We keep no records, said the teacher, who is also an LGBTQ club leader. In fact, sometimes we dont really want to keep records because if parents get upset that their kids are coming? Were like, Yeah, I dont know. Maybe they came? You know, we would never want a kid to get in trouble for attending if their parents are upset.

They admitted stalking pre-teen children in order to find vulnerable victims who would be susceptible to their sexual propaganda.

We totally stalked what they were doing on Google, one of the teachers said.

The LGBT agenda is preying upon the souls of the children. If Christians cannot unite and stand up to put down this plague, they deserve to lose their civilization and all the blessings of liberty.

Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com
(Natural News) Nothing about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is based on facts and reason, it turns out. Attorney Thomas Renz said the whole thing is an exercise in fear and manipulation.

At a recent Reawaken America tour event, Renz presented a slideshow explaining how the entire system, including government agencies, the mainstream media and Big Pharma, have been lying to the public to push more tyranny and sell more drugs.

The below clip from Brighteon.com contains a portion of the speech from Renz  be sure to watch:

As an attorney, Renz knows that tackling these crimes against humanity requires a whole lot more than just a single court case.

When you have crimes on such a grand scale that it affects an entire population, you need to start looking at something bigger than a singular court, he stated.

Thats why we need to look at something on an international scale and we need to put a lot of people in jail.

Renz is calling this endeavor Nuremberg 2.0 after the first Nuremberg Trials that occurred after World War II.

This whole thing is a fraud, Renz says about the plandemic. Fear, manipulation, and ultimately fraud and death are driving it. We have to have independent investigations by people with the authority to prosecute criminally.

Omicron is a result of these vaccines: its the vaxx variant

The latest segment of the scamdemic is the so-called omicron, or moronic, variant. Like the previous variant delta, moronic is being used to scare even more people into giving up their rights.

Mother Nature's micronutrient secret: Organic Broccoli Sprout Capsules now available, delivering 280mg of high-density nutrition, including the extraordinary "sulforaphane" and "glucosinolate" nutrients found only in cruciferous healing foods. Every lot laboratory tested. See availability here.

And all of this was mapped out long ago by the likes of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which uses much the same tactics to sell influenza vaccines.

By constantly spreading fear about serious injury or death, the CDC and its partners at Big Pharma and Big Media are able to convince millions to take seasonal injections that provide no benefits  only harm.

That little racket has been going on for decades, and now the system is upping the ante with Tony Fauci Flu shots, which are rapidly becoming just like flu shots with an endless array of booster injections.

The CDC actively colludes with Big Pharma to drive this fear campaign for both flu shots and COVID shots. Renz provided evidence of this in his slideshow depicting the CDCs tactics in the agencys own words. (Related: Americas Frontline Doctors attorney files lawsuit against U.S. government for 45,000 covid vaccine deaths.)

You can switch flu for COVID anytime, Renz said about how the tactics are the same for both flu shots and COVID shots.

The media also plays its part by creating a high level of concern and anxiety about the flu, COVID or whatever the disease of the day might be.

As we now know, everything has become a COVID death. This is how they have been able to spike the numbers and scare millions of people into masking, distancing, vaccinating and now boosting  all without question.

Renz presented other noteworthy information on his website, including:

 Department of Defense (DoD) documents showing that the government tracks vaccination status based on race

 Whistleblower data showing that COVID jabs are far deadlier than the government is admitting

 Figures showing that COVID jab deaths are off the charts

Attorney Thomas Renz is calling for a special independent prosecutor to investigate criminal and civil violations by Dr. Anthony Fauci, FDA, CDC, DHHS, and others like the mainstream media who may be culpable in the marketing & authorization of this deadly injection, the website stated.

For more stories related to the plandemic, visit Corruption.news.

Sources include:

Renz-Law.com

Brighteon.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) A World War II veteran who died from COVID-19 was dissected before a live audience who paid to view the autopsy, angering the deceased mans family who had no idea his body would be desecrated in such a manner.

KING5 in Seattle reports:

The family of David Saunders, 98, learned of the autopsy from a KING 5 investigation that exposed the Oct. 17 cadaver class in Portland, Oregon. A similar event in Seattle was canceled.

Event organizers sold tickets for up to $500 to the public to view in-person the autopsy and dissection of a human body. The event is part of the Oddities and Curiosities Expo, which travels across the country.

It makes me really feel saddened that this gentleman was not given the dignity and the respect that he deserved and what he thought and his family thought that would be happening to his body, Mike Clark, a funeral director in Baton Rouge, La., told the station.

Clark prepared Saunders body before transferring it to a private company that the family of the deceased believed would use it for medical research. But instead, KING5 reported, the body wound up as the main attraction in a Marriott hotel ballroom in Portland as he was dissected before a live audience that paid to observe.

A group of funeral directors notified Clark following the KING5 investigation and report.

I was totally horrified, Clark said. Our whole staff was horrified that this is what had happened to a gentleman that he and his family thought that his body was going for the advancement of medical students.

KING5 adds: Clark said Med Ed Labs, a Las Vegas company that solicits body donations purportedly for medical and science research, never told him or the family that Saunders remains would be used in such a manner. He also said the funeral home has stopped working with Med Ed Labs.

But Jeremy Ciliberto, founder of DeathScience.org and the organizer of the sick event, claimed that the family knew what was going to happen to Saunders body.

I can guarantee that that man knew his body would be used for medical research, Ciliberto told the local outlet.

But a Med Ed Labs administrator, the firm that sold Saunders corpse to Ciliberto, said the DeathScience.org founder was being beyond dishonest in his dealings with the company.

The administrator, Obteen Nassiri, said Ciliberto told him that he would be using Saunders body for a medical class.

KING5 reported previously that another such event, which was scheduled for Halloween day in Seattle, was canceled after word got out about the ghoulish nature of the class.

Unfortunately for Seattle and the north west (sic), team members have decided to cancel the event in your area, Ciliberto told KING5.

We feel that this was not respectful and certainly not ethical, Kimberly DiLeo, the chief medical death investigator for the Multnomah County, Ore., Medical Examiner, told the local outlet, which reported:

Paying customers filed into a lower floor ballroom at the Marriott Downtown Waterfront hotel. On a table in the center of the ballroom, a figure lay draped in a white sheet. The VIP customers, who paid the $500 ticket price, sat in the front row inches from the table.
SAN MATEO, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Dr. Eleanor Karlsson (L) takes blood from a dog to test for heart worm as Kimberly Abalos (R) assists at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA September 14, 2005 in San Mateo, California. The dog is one of about 1,000 expected to be flown to the bay area from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina separated them from their owners. (Photo : Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images)

According to the latest analysis done by experts around the globe, puppies eating contaminated fish are hampering measures to eliminate a deadly parasite illness in today's generation.

The said deadly parasite is caused by guinea worm, wherein the guinea worm illness is often obtained by consuming groundwater contaminated with parasitic disease.

The Guinea Worm Disease

The worms can expand and develop inside the body of its host for about 10 months up to the maximum of 14 months until emerging as a one-meter-long mature worm, generally from either the legs or arms, to discharge its offspring back into the ocean.

In the territory of Mali, Chad, South Sudan, as well as in Ethiopia, the pathogen leads to damage and suffering in several of the world's poorest communities, affecting every struggling individual in citizens residing in the region.

Prevention initiatives done by the authorities and experts have indeed reduced the number of clinical specimens of Guinea worm from countless thousands in the years of 1980s to only 27 in the previous year, 2020.

Guinea worm might be just the viable human illness to be wiped out, following smallpox.

However, even though elimination appeared to be on the horizon, researchers then discovered that the household dogs are also carrying the infection. Which resulted to yet another problem.

According to intelligence gathering, in 2020, 93% of Guinea parasites found globally were in canines in Chad, in central Africa.

The University of Exeter's discovery, released earlier on December 14, 2021 in Current Biology, uncovered a novel genetic sequence of the dogs devouring fish that contain malaria larvae.

This implies that dogs continue to support the parasite's gestation period, and people can still get the sickness.

The research teams spent a year in many of Chad's most under communities somewhere along Chari Body of water. They used investigative elemental composition monitoring of dog whiskers to show canine meals over the course of the first year, after tracking numerous of canines with GPS trackers.

Also read: Small But Terrible: Future Global Threats May Come From Deadly Parasites

3-Foot-Long Worm, Human Parasite

Almost all of the fish consumed by the canines which are generally entrails and perhaps even smaller fish, were dumped by mankind when catching fish in the riverbank and its wetlands.

According to Exeter's Environmental and Sustainable development Department and Professor Robbie McDonald who is also part of the research that was conducted explained to the public that, "Dogs are now the primary hurdle to eliminating this horrible living person illness."

"Our findings indicate that aquaculture, as well as the ease with which dogs may consume fish, are directly attributable to the sustainability of Guinea worm in Chad."

"The task today is to remove this virus not just from humans as well as from creatures."

"This is a glaring indication about where a 'One Health' methodology to trying to integrate human, wildlife, and environmental safety is obligated to completely eliminate these crippling infections in humans."

The Carter Center, created by previous US President Jimmy Carter, financed the effort, and operations in Chad was sponsored by WHO and the Chad Ministry of National Healthcare.

Also read: Camels Disqualified From Animal Beauty Pageant in Saudi For Using Botox
Intense earthquakes are unnerving, frightening, and even deadly. Scientists would need to monitor animals under controlled settings over lengthy periods of time in order to show that odd animal behaviors might forecast earthquakes. Animals might be lifesavers if they could tell us when a quake is likely to happen. But is it possible?

Increased Activity in Farm Animals Before Seismic Activity

There are several anecdotal examples of animals, birds, and insects acting abnormally before earthquakes in the academic literature, according to Scientific American.

As a first step, scientists would need to monitor animals under controlled settings over lengthy periods of time in order to show that odd animal actions might foretell earthquakes.

Seismic occurrences are known to cause strange animal behavior, such as a dog yelping repeatedly or a cow stopping her milking. A connection has been hypothesized by a few researchers.

Recently, scientists from Germany's Max Planck Institute for Animal Behaviour in conjunction with colleagues from other countries claim to have successfully measured an increase in activity in a herd of farm animals before an earthquake.

The scientists claim their results represent an important step forward in the hunt for a conclusive relationship, despite the fact that a clear link has not been established.

Also Read: 5 Fascinating Facts About Earthquake: Can Animals Predict Them?

Research Findings

Instruments that can capture 48 movements per second in either direction were employed by the researchers. Biologgers and GPS sensors were mounted to six cows, five sheep and two dogs on a farm in an earthquake-prone region in northern Italy for four months in 2016 and 2017.

A study of the data included in the article takes into consideration the animals' regular daily routines and interactions.

When they were kept together in a stable, their activity rose dramatically before magnitude 3.8 or bigger earthquakes, but not when they were out in the open.

A convincing indication of anticipatory activity was found by looking at the increased motions in their totality, the researchers suggest.

Wikelski claims that this finding is in line with the notion of collective behavior. Iain Couzin, a colleague at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, has found evidence that animals, birds, insects, and fish communicate knowledge that enhances their survival abilities, such as navigation and avoidance of predators, in a study.

Swarm intelligence may occur inside or across species, Wikelski claims.

For up to 20 hours before an earthquake hits, researchers say farm animals can sense the tremors and react accordingly; this is especially true when they are closer to the source. According to the authors, this supports the idea that animals sense a signal that spreads outward.

Some believe that shifting tectonic plates cause rocks to be squeezed along a fault line in the days leading up to an earthquake.

Animals' Reaction to Novel Sensation

According to a study conducted in 2010, this action causes the rocks to release minerals, which then expel ions into the air. According to a 2013 study, the animals then respond to this novel sensation.

Wendy Bohon, a geologist at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology in Washington, D.C., is skeptical of the air ionization idea. She points out that many geologists have tried and failed to find such a signal of impending earthquakes.

The researcher does acknowledge the "amazing things" Wikelski and his colleagues performed to look into the idea that animals may forecast earthquakes.

Researchers from the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences, a co-author of the 2018 review, expressed gratitude for the study's ability to measure more than one instance of anomalous behavior. However, a researcher claims that the time limit was still insufficient.

Related Article: Can Pets Predict an Incoming Earthquake? Animals' Eerily Amazing Perception May be the Key

For more news, updates about earthquakes and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
"We will brief a number of European countries on the V-22 in February. If international partners orders can be added to the US order as part of Multi Year 3, it could drive the V-22 price down" said John R. Parker, Senior Manager, Tiltrotor Global Sales & Marketing at Boeing. Navy Recognition understands that the idea is that if these European countries can pool their orders with the USMC and US Navy upcoming orders, there is a good chance that the tiltrotor aircraft would become affordable to them.



"In the case of the UK and France, the interest is coming from the Navy" according to Parker. The Royal Navy and Marine Nationale are likely looking for an aircraft to conduct Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) missions. The UK Navy is set to commissions two new aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08) in 2017 and HMS Prince of Wales (R09) in 2020. The French Navy operates one nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, but doesn't have COD aircraft. Back in June 2011 two US Navy C-2A(R) Greyhounds from VRC-40 conducted COD missions for the French aircraft carrier operating in the Mediterranean Sea during the NATO intervention in Libya.



Contacted by Navy Recognition, a public affairs officer from Naval Air Systems Command (managing the V-22 program) said in an email: "There is an upcoming trip to Europe for Government to Government discussions. However, at this point, there are no details which can be released."



As we reported during Sea Air Space 2015 , the US Navy is set to procure 48 Ospreys for Sea Based Logistics (including COD), Personnel recovery (including SAR) and Special warfare (with US Navy Seals) missions. The US Navy is studying options to increase the range of the legacy V-22. The likely solution will be to increase the size of the external sponsons to fit more fuel inside. This would be the only physical difference with legacy V-22. The official Navy designation has yet to be selected.


The objective of the ongoing concept studies is to illustrate the potential for a low risk, affordable adaptation program. Encapsulated launch from a standard torpedo tube based on a JSM baseline configuration utilizing a thrust vector controlled booster are the ground rules for the studies. Babcock is responsible for developing the canister concept. The system will only require minor changes to the JSM airframe; however, all internal components will be kept unchanged. The operational capabilities of NSM-SL will be similar to JSM with stand off ranges well beyond 300 km. Kongsberg is aiming to be ready for the test and integration firings on the Next Generation Norwegian Submarines in 2025.



Kongsberg are considering the market potential for this system to be high, since Sub Harpoon will have to be replaced by many navies in the near future and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) option might not be easily accessible. Kongsberg is naturally looking at Norway as the primary customer, however, numerous other NATO countries and Western allies including Australia, Poland, Singapore and Japan are prospective future opportunities that have new submarine and weapon integration programs.



Today, NSM is in full production, fielded by the Royal Norwegian Navy, the Polish Navy and selected by the Royal Malaysian Navy. Kongsberg is actively pitching the missile to the US Navy with its US partner Raytheon. Kongsberg is also working on a vertical launch variant of the missile as we were the first to report .
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Expired medicines are a common and unpleasant reality of life in todays developed world, and even in many relatively developed parts of low- and middle-income countries. Once a medication has passed its expiry date, it is not expected to be used or sold.

Image Credit: areeya_ann/Shutterstock.com

The reason for this prohibition is the potential loss of efficacy or the change in the chemical composition of the medication, which could pose a threat to health. In some cases, bacteria may grow in the medication.

Weakened antimicrobial products may promote bacterial resistance by treating infections incompletely, allowing resistant organisms to survive and proliferate. This in turn may lead to the spread of more serious infections.

For these reasons, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that expired medicines not be used but discarded instead. However, this is regarded with a quizzical eye by many other experts, for several reasons.

The expiry date is simply the final day on which the manufacturer of the medication guarantees fully its quality and safety. This is determined by testing the stability of various ingredients.

What happens beyond this date? Medicine does not automatically become ineffective once the expiry date is passed. However, the degree of certainty accompanying its chemical composition is reduced. This is the fundamental issue with such drugs  not knowing how the chemical composition has been altered, and hence ignorance of the resulting potential for reduced quality and safety after this date.

The exposure of the drug to light, heat, and mechanical trauma plays a large role in the stability of the drug after the expiry date. The drug thus passes into the realm of the unknown. This area thus requires intensive investigation to avoid unnecessary wastage and maximize the efficiency of drug use.

Extending the shelf life

In fact, the US Army added anywhere between 5-20 years to the period of efficacy to most sampled drugs in its stores, via the Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP), after finding that millions of dollars worth of expired medicines were due to be destroyed.

It examined drugs like tetracycline, finding that two years or more from expiry, there were no signs of toxicity. Other drugs like diclofenac have been alleged to form toxic products on exposure to light, and these need to be verified.

Earlier conclusions that expired medicines can cause kidney damage in humans must be questioned, with the many changes that have occurred in the manufacturing cycle since then.

In another study of drugs at up to 40 years from their expiry date, but still in their original packing and unopened, the researchers established that 90% or more of the original drug activity remained in 12/14 medicines. The fall in efficacy, albeit small, must be taken into account when setting the expiry date, as must the difference between tropical and temperate conditions.

It would be necessary to look at the findings of the US military in their research on drug shelf life in tropical Africa to extrapolate their conclusions to other tropical regions. Differences in manufacturing conditions and batch must also be considered when extending the shelf life, say some scientists.

The World Health Organization (WHO) created lists of medicines classified by their need grade. One such list, of indispensable medications, was supposed to form part of a national survival resource. Specific medications were also placed in a depository for use in emergencies.

Many LMICs suffer from a shortage of pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics. Medical ethics may demand the consideration of whether expired medications should be shipped to such countries to prevent them from being unnecessarily destroyed while supplying a part of the shortage in this setting.

In keeping with this goal, the donation of expired but usable medications to developing countries seems to be a step forward. Unfortunately, the WHO itself recommended in 1999 that expired or unused pharmaceuticals should not be reused.

This ignores the sum of evidence that the expiry date is not actually the date on which the medication loses its efficacy. This points to the need to set up programs that officially extend the shelf life of drugs so that they can be used in developing countries beyond their expiry date. This would enhance healthcare and thus prolong the healthcare and life span of the residents.

However, a comprehensive and detailed assessment of the local factors, including climate, environment, and culture, must be carried out before such an extension can be officially made.

Proper disposal

How should old and expired medicines be cleared out? For one, dumping them down the toilet or into the waste is a potentially dangerous practice that should be stopped, because it contaminates the environment, including water bodies, with hormones and antibiotics, among other powerful drugs, that can cause profound metabolic and physiological changes in living organisms in their habitat.

Secondly, opioids and other dangerous drugs should be safely disposed of to prevent their falling into the wrong hands. Especially troubling is the high number of children who visit the emergency department each year because of unsupervised handling of such drugs, at over 50,000 a year.

Pets can also be severely harmed by expired medicines that have not been properly disposed of. But is just wasting these medicines the answer?

When expired medicines are disposed of by private citizens, the most commonly used route is the garbage can or the toilet, in the absence of clear and well-known instructions from either the healthcare or legal side.

In many developed countries, a variety of drug return and disposal systems are freely available. One such is the drug take-back program (DTP), a local program that establishes itself with official or community help, and provides a safe disposal mechanism for drugs. This has not taken off properly in most countries.

Environmental contamination

Despite this, over three-quarters of participants in one study threw expired drugs into the garbage or toilet, while only one in seven returned them to the pharmacy. Interestingly, about 3% kept using these drugs after their expiry date was over.

When such rubbish is added to the landfill as such, the drugs will inevitably enter surface or ground waters. This has been demonstrated by researchers, such as those who tested the Grinsted landfill in Denmark, finding 13 organic chemicals from pharmaceuticals in groundwater from 23 points at various distances from the site.

Many countries incinerate their waste, but with such organic molecules, the firing requires high oxygen conditions, time, and temperatures to proceed. Conversely, burning at low temperatures may lead to the release of toxic substances. This could include aromatic toxins, heavy metals like selenium, molybdenum, and iron or zinc.

Ideally, the burning of pharmaceutical waste should be precisely controlled, otherwise, the remains from the burning sites still have the tendency to be discharged into the ecosystem where they may cause significant damage.

Conclusion

It is undeniable that failures by the medical world, pharmaceutical companies, and legislators have led to the current lapse in responsible use and disposal of expired drugs. Pharmaceutical firms must think seriously about producing more drugs than are required based on current consumption patterns.

Secondly, developing new tests to evaluate the stability of the drug would help greatly to extend the expiry date where applicable, thus reducing the volume of drugs to be disposed of. Thirdly, all product packages should mention proper disposal instructions to raise the level of community awareness about this risk and its mitigation.

Secondly, DTP programs are required in many countries, and where available, they need to be made more popular and effective. These should be the first choice when it comes to expired medicines. The attention of the public should be attracted to this area by specific days or programs, for instance, enabling many people to learn and practice how to clear out unnecessary and outdated medications.

Federal guidelines in the USA state that in the absence of such guidelines, expired medicines may be disposed of in combination with other organic trash in a sealed container, thrown away with the household waste. Some medications should be disposed of into the toilet or sink because of the potential for consumption by children, pets, or others if ingested by accident after being thrown away in the manner described above.

References:

Alnahas, F. et al. (2021). Expired Medication: Societal, Regulatory and Ethical Aspects of a Wasted Opportunity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph17030787. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7037917/

Kelly, F. et al. (2021). You Dont Throw These Things Out: An Exploration of Medicines Retention and Disposal Practices in Australian Homes. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5753-6. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-018-5753-6

Dont Be Tempted to Use Expired Medicines (2021). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/special-features/dont-be-tempted-use-expired-medicines. Accessed on 16 October 2021.

Ihekwereme, C. P. et al. (2017). Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Expired Anti-Inflammatory Medicines in Tropical Africa using Mice. American Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. https://www.imedpub.com/articles/evaluation-of-the-effectiveness-of-expired-antiinflammatory-medicines-in-tropical-africa-using-mice.php

Further Reading
The government and faith leaders have united in the national effort to get the country boosted in the wake of a surge in Omicron cases.

The drive is being supported by religious leaders, including members of the Prime Minister's Places of Worship Taskforce, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sheikh Nuru Mohammed, and the General Secretary of the Hindu Council.

Faith Minister Kemi Badenoch was today (17 December 2021) meeting with religious leaders to thank them for their work so far and call on their urgent support in increasing booster uptake.

Faith leaders - who are the pillars of many communities across the country - have played a vital role throughout the pandemic, from backing the vaccine drive, to making sure people practice their faith safely, and even adapting places of worship into pop-up soup kitchens and food banks.

As numbers of the new variant continue to rise at an alarming rate, the government today joined forces with faith leaders to help spread the message that booster vaccines are critical in our fight against the virus.

At a summit alongside senior NHS figures, Kemi Badenoch today outlined the government's response to the latest variant and highlighted areas where faith leaders' support will be most welcome.

Vaccines have saved countless lives and continue to be our best way to protect against COVID-19 - and have helped over the last few months to bring communities back together. The UK has one of the highest uptake rates in the world, with more than 85% of adults double jabbed so far, allowing people to come together in places of worship, to practice their faith safely.

However, data shows that people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are currently less likely to take up the vaccine, and we need everyone from every background to do their bit.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:

Faith and local community leaders have played a vital role supporting the COVID-19 vaccine program from the very beginning. Thank you to everyone who is uniting behind this national mission, spreading the word about the life-saving benefits of the vaccines and encouraging people to roll up their sleeves and get boosted now. We're working with the NHS to provide advice and information at every opportunity on how to get a vaccine and the protection it provides. Today's discussion with faith leaders is another opportunity to listen to views from across the country and join forces to get ahead in the race against the Omicron variant. It is never too late to get your vaccine, whether it's your first, second or third. Please come forward and get protected for yourself, your family and your community."

Faith Minister Kemi Badenoch said:

More than 25 million people have already received their booster jab, helping to keep themselves, their friends and family safe this winter but we need everyone from every community to come forward to get ahead of this virus. This is why I have joined up with leaders from across all the major faiths to ask people of every denomination to come forward and support this huge national effort. Vaccines are our best defense against Omicron - I therefore urge faith communities, and everyone, to book yourself in today and join the national fight against this virus."

All eligible adults aged over 18 can get their lifesaving booster jab from a walk-in vaccination center or book online through the National Booking Service following updates to the program this week.

A total of 750 troops have been drafted in to support deployment of booster vaccines across the UK, while tens of thousands of volunteers have stepped up to support the national mission. Extra vaccine centres and pop-up sites have also opened to make it as easy as possible for people to get vaccinated.

Vaccines are the best way to protect people against COVID-19 and data from the UK Health Security Agency shows a booster vaccine tops up protection against symptomatic infection from the Omicron variant to around 70%.

The government is doing everything possible to spread this message, including through regular meetings with local authorities, faith leaders and organizations that represent ethnic minority communities to provide advice and information about COVID-19 vaccines.

Working together with the NHS and UKHSA, the Department of Health and Social Care is providing advice and information at every possible opportunity to support those getting the vaccine and to anyone who might have questions about the vaccination process.

If you have yet to get your first or second dose, it is never too late - vaccines reduce your risk of hospitalization and death.

Whatever your faith or your background, join the national effort and get the protection you need now.
Care providers, residents and staff will all benefit from additional funding to support the social care sector.

A total of 1.4 billion will be made available over three years to help increase the fee rates local authorities pay to care providers.

Further funding of more than 1 billion will be available for local authorities in 2022/23 to fund social care. This will help councils respond effectively to rising demand and cost pressures.

This is on top of the 300 million announced last week for workforce recruitment and retention - taking the total to 462.5 million.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:

It is vital we continue to do all we can to protect social care during the pandemic and it is more important than ever the sector takes advantage of its priority booster status since the emergence of the Omicron variant. At the same time we need to plan for the longer term - and this money and the details confirmed will help do that."

Many local authorities pay care providers less than the cost to deliver the care. This results in higher fees for self-funders and a lack of investment. This needs to be addressed to make social care more accessible and payments fairer - which is one of the pillars the ten year vision for adult social care reform - People at the Heart of Care - is based on.

This 1.4 billion will help local authorities to support a fairer cost of care.

It is part of the 5.4 billion Health and Social Care Levy which will also, through charging reform, protect people from unpredictable care costs and move to a position where people who fund their own care to access the same fee rates for care in care homes that local authorities pay.

The transformed social care charging system, which includes a significant increase in state support, will apply to people in both residential and at-home care and will set daily living costs at a lower rate than originally proposed, helping people save more money. It will mean nobody is forced to sell their home in their lifetime.

Together with the money from the local government finance settlement this will sustain and develop the care sector in communities across England with overall local government core spending power increasing by four per cent.

Minister for Care Gillian Keegan said:

The measures announced in the past six months, and those to come on integration early next year, will mean transformational change for social care. Not only are we tackling the immediate challenges of COVID-19 but the longer term need to reform adult social care. This is the start of the journey but one we will take alongside caregivers, providers, local authorities and those receiving care."

The workforce survey, published today, has also shown what was already known, staff shortages and the pandemic have combined to leave the social care sector struggling in spite of the incredible efforts by staff.

This is why last week it was announced care workers will benefit from a 300 million extension, in addition to the 162.5 million announced in October, to support recruitment and retention. It can be used to pay for bonuses and bring forward planned pay rises for care staff, fund overtime and staff banks increasing workforce numbers up until the end of March. Grant conditions are being published today.

This is on top of the 500 million for workforce training, qualifications and wellbeing announced as part of the levy.

This is all part of the wider plans to improve social care and fulfil the ten year vision set out in the adult social care reform white paper - 'People at the Heart of Care'. Further details on integration will follow early next year.
A grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation of up to 300 million euro now enables the establishment of a major international research center focused on stem cell medicine. The center will be a collaboration between the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Australia, and Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. The partnership between these three world-leading research institutions will pave the way for future stem cell-based treatments.

Stem cell medicine is delivering hope for new treatments across many currently untreatable diseases. Stem cells are found throughout the human body and are critical for a healthy life. Recent scientific advances now allow us to identify, isolate and engineer stem cells to create human tissue models, repair injured tissues and in the future grow new organs. A deep understanding of stem cell biology in organ development, tissue repair and disease mechanisms is essential to harness the therapeutic potential in stem cell medicine.

This is exactly what the new international stem cell research center aims to achieve. The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW, will be established based on a new consortium of three institutions. The founding of the Center is possible through an unprecedented grant of up to 300 million euro from the Novo Nordisk Foundation over a 10-year period.

Professor Melissa Little from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Australia, has been appointed the CEO of the reNEW partnership and will take up the position as Executive Director and Professor of the Center with the governing hub based at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

"I am very excited about the amazing opportunity that reNEW represents," says Professor Little. "Building on the stem cell research excellence that exists within all partner institutions, the Center will reach a critical mass that is required for translating fundamental discoveries into stem cell medicine. The international collaboration that forms the basis for the new Center will provide access to extensive technical and clinical translation expertise across all sites. Across the breadth of stem cell medicine this will lead to new drugs based on human stem cell models, cell and tissue therapies and novel cell and gene therapies."

Stem cell medicine truly promises to be a game changer when it comes to addressing some of the major health challenges facing the world today. With the establishment of this new Center, the aim is not just to further stem cell-based research through international collaborations, but also to strengthen the pathway from scientific discovery to targeted outcome, whether in the form of new medical technology or new forms of treatment for the benefit of patients." Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO, Novo Nordisk Foundation

Vast potential for many diseases

In the reNEW model, it is expected that discoveries go beyond high-quality fundamental stem cell research and create value and patient-centered outcomes. This vision is anchored on 'state of the art' stem cell science, which will feed into three clinically relevant research themes:

The reBUILD theme will focus on the use of stem cells to regenerate or recreate tissue after it has been damaged or destroyed. Programmes include stem cell-based therapies for diseases such as Parkinson's disease, congenital heart disease, diabetes, ulcerative colitis and chronic renal disease, with projects over time moving into pre-clinical and clinical trials.

will focus on the use of stem cells to regenerate or recreate tissue after it has been damaged or destroyed. Programmes include stem cell-based therapies for diseases such as Parkinson's disease, congenital heart disease, diabetes, ulcerative colitis and chronic renal disease, with projects over time moving into pre-clinical and clinical trials. The reSOLVE theme will screen for potential drug candidates using stem cell-based models of human tissue. This will include lab grown models of mini-organs, such as 3D gut organoids to screen for drugs to treat conditions such as chronic ulceration and inherited kidney and heart disease.

will screen for potential drug candidates using stem cell-based models of human tissue. This will include lab grown models of mini-organs, such as 3D gut organoids to screen for drugs to treat conditions such as chronic ulceration and inherited kidney and heart disease. The reWRITE theme will use a combination of gene editing and stem cell technologies to develop new treatment strategies for genetically inherited diseases. These include immune deficiency disorders and progressive congenital muscle disorders.

In order to align the research with community expectations and regulations, the theme PREPARE will study the societal, ethical, regulatory and legal barriers in stem cell medicine, paving the way for the delivery of future treatments.

Scientists at the three institutions will work in collaborative groups across all themes to provide new therapeutic options for patients with incurable diseases. Exchange programmes and joint technology platforms in the reNEW model will fuel these collaborations and also the training of new generations of scientists in translational stem medicine.

Translational focus

With its existing, Novo Nordisk Foundation-funded, stem cell center DanStem, the University of Copenhagen has grown to become a major center for stem cell and developmental biology in Europe. In the new collaboration, reNEW will build on this position and aim to translate scientific discoveries to stem cell-derived medicine.

Prorector for Research at the University of Copenhagen David Dreyer Lassen is looking forward to taking the first steps on a long journey toward better stem cell-based medical interventions.

"I am very pleased that the University of Copenhagen will host the governing hub and be a strong partner in this exciting international consortium, with a strong emphasis on translating excellent basic research into future stem cell-based treatments," says David Dreyer Lassen.

Bringing together research excellence.

In 1968, the first pediatric bone marrow transplant in Europe was performed in Leiden. Ever since, Leiden University Medical Center has been a European leader within medical innovation with an outstanding track-record of cellular therapies to patients.

"I am very excited by the reNew initiative as it creates the critical mass of excellent science, educational underpinning, proven translational potential and cutting edge infrastructure to be transformational in this emerging medical field," says professor Pancras Hogendoorn, dean and member of the executive board of the Leiden University Medical Center.

Murdoch Children's Research Institute is a world-leader in children's health research with a specific strategic initiative within stem cell medicine. To support this, they have state-of-the-art facilities such as a Stem Cell Derivation and Gene Editing Facility as well as a Disease Modelling and Drug Screening Facility with capacity for 3D organoids.

"We are excited to commence the international collaboration that will advance stem cell-derived medicine and ultimately accelerate delivery of effective and targeted treatments for children and adults with incurable disease," says Professor and Institute Director at Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Kathryn North.

The research activities within the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine will begin in the start of January 2022.
The University of Birmingham today announces the launch of five new major studies aimed at improving the prevention, treatment and management of type 1 diabetes  with a particular focus on children and young adults.

The new studies include:

The ELSA Study: Led by Professor Parth Narendran, the ELSA Study (EarLy Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes) will see researchers interviewing families, doctors, nurses and schools, to determine if, and how, the UK should develop a testing and monitoring programme that will identify children at risk of type 1 diabetes. The ELSA Study is being funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and is being carried out in collaboration with Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the Department of Health and Social Care, as well as the Universities of Cardiff, Warwick, Oxford and Imperial College London.

Diabetes and health inequalities: Through 1.9m funding from NIHR, Professor Tim Barrett's team will ask children and young people with diabetes and their families from poorer and/ or ethnic minority backgrounds how language issues, feelings, income, living conditions and food availability affect how they manage diabetes. They will identify new ways to make diabetes management easier and more successful, and will test these systems in trials involving NHS hospitals.

Immunotherapies for diabetes: The greatest barrier to the development of specific immunotherapies for type 1 diabetes is that we currently do not understand the mechanism of how immunotherapies switch off the immune response to our own proteins. A clinical study led by Professor David Wraith, and funded by $735,000 from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, will be carried out in collaboration with Cardiff University. It will test a new peptide developed by the University of Birmingham, work which was also funded by the Helmsley Charitable Trust with a $610,000 grant. The new peptide has the potential to control the T-cell immune response in people who are either at risk of developing type 1 diabetes or are newly diagnosed. In this study, the team will assess the changes in immune cells from the site of injection, the draining lymph nodes and peripheral blood. This will be the first in-depth analysis of the molecular changes responsible for antigen-specific immunotherapy in type 1 diabetes.

Sight loss and diabetes: Two separate projects led by Dr Jose Romero Hombrebueno will explore the function of membrane-bound cell organelles, known as mitochondria, which generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell's biochemical reactions. The researchers will examine the role of mitochondrial function in both the development of multiple health conditions as the consequence of type 1 diabetes, and also the role it plays in developing diabetic retinopathy - an eye condition that can cause sight loss and blindness in people who have diabetes. The latter research is being funded by Diabetes UK, while the former is being funded by the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes.

Exercise and type 1 diabetes: Led by Dr Alex Wadley and funded by the Rosetrees Trust, this research will examine how a home-based exercise programme impacts autoimmunity in patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. The project will evaluate whether exercise slows the progression of type 1 diabetes by altering the number and activity of white blood cells in the circulation that have the potential to attach to, enter and degrade the pancreas. Although evidence supports a role for exercise to promote general health and wellbeing in patients with type 1 diabetes, this project aims to provide novel evidence that exercise can directly slow the progression of the disease upon diagnosis.

Parth Narendran, Professor of Diabetes Medicine at the University of Birmingham's Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, said: "The UK has one of the highest incidences of type 1 diabetes in the developed world, at 25 per 100,000 per year, and type 1 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in children. It occurs when cells that make insulin don't work as they should, and people with the condition have to self-inject insulin for their entire lives. Studies have recently shown that some medicines can safely delay people getting type 1 diabetes. Some countries, such as the US and Australia, already have surveillance systems to identify people at risk of developing type 1 diabetes and to offer them participation in prevention trials and also to reduce their chances of developing type 1 diabetes as an unexpected emergency. The UK does not have such a system in place. Until now, nobody in the UK has explored whether parents and children would welcome such a system, and how it would work. Through ELSA we will potentially be able to change NHS healthcare policy which would result in the early detection and prevention of this condition and its associated long-term complications."

Timothy Barrett, Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Birmingham's Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, said: "Diabetes causes high blood sugar levels, which can lead to eye and kidney damage if the condition is not well managed. We know that better sugar control reduces this risk, however, children with diabetes from poorer and/ or ethnic minority groups, often have worse sugar control, while these complications often develop when they are young adults who are working and starting families. There is little evidence to show any previous interventions have helped in reducing health inequalities for children with diabetes in different groups. We will work with young people, their families, and diabetes clinicians to develop an action plan that families feel comfortable with and that will support them to improve their self-management."

Professor David Wraith, Director of the University of Birmingham's Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, said: "Studies have shown that immunotherapies could play a vital role in treating type 1 diabetes, and it's essential that we can develop new drugs that could specifically target cells that cause the body's immune response to behave the wrong way in a person with type 1 diabetes. Our project will help improve our understanding of how the human body's immune system responds to therapies, which in turn will help the development of new treatments."

Dr Jose Romero Hombrebueno, Hale-Rudd Lecturer in Experimental Ophthalmology at the University of Birmingham's Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, said: "It is estimated that 224 million people will have diabetic retinopathy and 70 million will have sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy by 2040. Nearly 90-95% of patients with type 1 diabetes and 78% with type 2 diabetes are expected to develop minimal retinal damage after having diabetes for more than 15 years. Therefore it's essential that we carry our research that will help advance our knowledge of the underlying causes and potential ways to treat or prevent vision loss in those with diabetes."

Dr Alex Wadley, of the University of Birmingham's School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, said: "It's estimated that around 70% of patients with type 1 diabetes do not meet the current recommended exercise guidelines of 150 minutes per week. We are using a home-based exercise programme, which has proven highly popular and safe for individuals with type 1 diabetes, to evaluate how regular exercise impacts the immune system of newly diagnosed patients. Type 1 diabetes is a disease where the body's own white blood cells attack the pancreas and stop insulin production, resulting in high blood sugar. Regular participation in exercise is key to supporting health and wellbeing in people with type 1 diabetes, but we don't know how exercise directly impacts these white blood cells that do the damage. With limited therapies available for patients currently, we hope that our findings can promote the use of exercise as an important lifestyle choice for patients and impact standard treatment approaches for type 1 diabetes nationally.''
Lockdown affected people's sex lives in a variety of different ways with young people reporting the greatest changes, according to a new study, published today in BMJ Sexually Transmitted Infections.

The study, led by University College London (UCL) and the University of Glasgow in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and NatCen Social Research, is the largest national study of sexual behaviors since the beginning of the pandemic.

The researchers used data from 6,654 people aged between 18 and 59 who took part in a Natsal-COVID web-panel survey, collected between 20 July and 10 August 2020. Participants were asked a series of questions about their sexual behavior (including physical and virtual activities) during the first four months of lockdown.

This study is part of a long-standing collaboration between LSHTM, UCL, University of Glasgow and NatCen Social Research - the Natsal project, one of the largest scientific studies of sexual health and lifestyles in the world. The surveys have been carried out every 10 years since 1990 to reveal the changing sexual attitudes and behavior of the British population.

Professor Cath Mercer, from UCL Institute of Global Health and co-first author of the paper, said: "During the first nationwide lockdown, many people in Britain were unable to have intimate contact with anyone outside their household and we wanted to find out how this affected their sexual behavior.

"What we found was a very varied picture depending on people's circumstances at the start of lockdown: for some people, their sex lives improved, for some it stayed the same, while for many it got worse. Although many adults, especially if they were living with a partner, continued to be sexually active and reported little change, for those who didn't live with someone, Covid-19 restrictions were particularly detrimental."

The pandemic has affected all of us in many different ways - physically, mentally, financially. It is not surprising that sexual behavior changes were experienced unequally across Britain, with younger people and those not cohabiting more likely to perceive negative changes in frequency and satisfaction as a result of COVID-19. This is early research and we don't yet know the long-term effect these changes could have on people - their sexual behaviors, mental health, relationships and more. We hope to further explore the longer-term impacts of the pandemic on sexual behavior through the next Natsal survey, when we will be able to collect nationally representative data on sexual behaviors, health and relationships. This work is important both to understand longer-term consequences of the pandemic on this important aspect of people's lives, but also for health services." Dr Clare Tanton, Assistant Professor at LSHTM

Altogether, 63% of adults reported having physical sex with someone after lockdown started, and of those people, three quarters (76%) said they were in cohabiting relationships. When participants were asked how often they engaged in sexual activities, around half of all participants said there was no change in the number of times they had sex with a partner compared to the three months before lockdown.

However, young people aged 18-24 years were more likely to report a change in their sexual frequency - around 60% reported this - and of these, two-thirds (66%) perceived this to be a decline. A similar pattern for young people was seen in how they perceived changes in their sexual satisfaction.

Soazig Clifton, Academic Director from UCL Institute for Global Health and NatCen Social Research and joint co-first author, said: "Although there were some young people who felt their sex lives had improved, young people were more likely to report having sex less often and being less satisfied with their sex lives than they had been before lockdown started.

"This is likely to be at least, in part, because young people are less likely to be living with partners and were unable to meet sexual partners when restrictions were in place. Time will tell whether these changes in sexual behavior during the first lockdown translate into long-term shifts in behavior, or whether there is a 'rebound' effect with people making up for lost time."

Participants were also asked about whether they engaged in virtual sexual activities during the first lockdown. 53% reported a virtual sexual activity such as sexting or watching pornography compared to 84% who reported some form of physical sexual activity with a partner or by themselves. The proportion of people reporting virtual activities since lockdown was largely driven by watching pornography, reported by 65% of men and 21% of women.

Professor Kirstin Mitchell, from University of Glasgow and joint senior author, said: "Physical touch is a fundamental human need and crucial in developing intimacy. Virtual ways of being sexual can feel less satisfying because they don't allow that. We found the reduction in opportunity to give and receive intimate touch was not experienced equally across the population."

The authors note a key strength of the study was that it was designed to be broadly representative of the British population but say there were some limitations including that it was a web-panel survey and so only included those with internet access. The lack of pre-pandemic baseline data limited the researchers' ability to quantify change and so the data are based on people's ability to remember activities.

They also note the observed shift in some people reporting more engagement in virtual activities has implications for sexual and reproductive health.

Prof Mercer added: "Whilst a lack of physical interaction with a partner may have a detrimental impact on sexual satisfaction and people's well-being, it may also bring public health benefits such as a decline in the transmission of sexually transmitted infections."

The Natsal Resource is supported by Wellcome with contributions from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The UCL Coronavirus Rapid Response Fund and the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit also supported the Natsal Covid-19 survey.
A proof-of-concept trial led by the Universities of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has identified a drug that may benefit some patients hospitalised with COVID-19 pneumonia.

The CATALYST trial tested UK-based bio-pharmaceutical company Izana Bioscience's namilumab (IZN-101) as a potential therapeutic to treat patients who are hospitalised with COVID-19 pneumonia, and receiving 'usual' care, as well as having high levels in their blood of a marker of inflammation known as C reactive protein (CRP). CRP levels rise when there is inflammation in the body, and elevated levels of CRP have been found to be a potential early marker to predict risk for severity of COVID-19.

An antibody already in late-stage trials to treat rheumatoid arthritis, namilumab targets a 'cytokine' which is naturally secreted by immune cells in the body but, in uncontrolled levels, is believed to be a key driver of the excessive and dangerous lung inflammation seen in COVID-19 patients.

The trial, carried out in collaboration with the University of Oxford and funded by the Medical Research Council and carried out between June 2020 and February 2021, involved patients aged over 16 with COVID-19 pneumonia either being treated on a ward or Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at nine NHS hospitals across the UK.

The study, published today (Dec 16th) in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, involved 54 patients receiving 'usual care' (steroids and oxygen or ventilation, depending on the severity of disease) and 57 patients given usual care as well as a single intravenous dose of 150mg of namilumab.

As well as COVID-19 pneumonia, all study participants had CRP levels greater than 40mg/l. The researchers compared the probability of the reduction of levels of CRP in patients. Compared to usual care alone, the researchers found there was a 97% probability of CRP being reduced over time in those given namilumab when compared with usual care alone.

The patients were monitored, and after 28 days the study also showed there were fewer deaths and more discharges from hospital or ICU in those who had been given namilumab compared to those receiving usual care alone.

By day 28, 78% (43) of the patients receiving namilumab were discharged from hospital or ICU, compared to 61% (33) of the patients given usual care. In the namilumab group, 11% (6) were still in hospital by day 28, compared to 20% (11) in the usual care group. Of those in the namilumab group, 11% (6) patients died compared to 19% (10) who died in the usual care group by day 28.

The team calculated the differences between the two cohorts in overall probability of those being discharged from ICU or a ward at 28 days. Of those on a ward, the probability of discharge at day 28 was 64% in the usual care cohort, compared to 77% in the Namilumab cohort. Of those in ICU, probability of discharge at day 28 was 47% in the usual care group, compared to 66% in the Namilumab cohort.

Dr Ben Fisher, co-chief investigator of the CATALYST trial at the University of Birmingham's Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, and Consultant Rheumatologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), said: "Our research has provided important proof-of-concept evidence that namilumab reduces inflammation in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. However, our sample size is too small for a definitive assessment of clinical outcomes and further studies are required for this, as well as to understand better the population that may benefit most. Our results may not generalise to hospitalised patients without evidence of pneumonia or raised CRP or patients not requiring hospitalisation. It is important, therefore, that namilumab is now prioritised for further COVID-19 research in a much larger national Phase III clinical trial."

We are proud to support the CATALYST trial led by the highly experienced team at the University of Birmingham and UHB, Europe's largest integrated critical care centre. "We believe namilumab can play a significant role in dampening the hyper-inflammation seen in patients with severe COVID-19 infection and are committed to working with regulators and partners across the world to ensure this potential therapy can be developed for patients with COVID-19 who urgently need treatments. This is a particularly significant moment for me, supporting the global response to this pandemic through the work of the team at University Hospital Birmingham  the hospital where I trained as a junior doctor before going on to found Izana." Dr Someit Sidhu, Co-Founder, Izana Bioscience

The CATALYST team also tested a second drug called infliximab (CT-P13), currently used as a treatment for inflammatory conditions. They compared the same patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and CRP levels greater than 40mg/l receiving 'usual care', to 35 patients receiving usual care and a single intravenous dose of 5mg/kg of infliximab. However, the study found infliximab was not more effective than usual care, with just a 15% probability of CRP being reduced.

Dr Fisher added: "Our findings relating to infliximab, while disappointing, are also important as we continue to investigate and identify existing and new anti-inflammatory drugs that may play a critical role in targeting and reducing the most serious symptoms of COVID-19."

Designed by the Inflammation  Advanced and Cell Therapy Trials Team (I-ACT) at the University of Birmingham's Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, CATALYST is being run in close partnership with UHB and the Birmingham National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centres (NIHR BRC) and delivered in close collaboration with the NIHR BRCs at Oxford, Imperial College London and University College London.
(Newser)  A German judge has sided with Eric Clapton in a copyright infringement case that started with a CD being listed on eBay for just over $11. Deutsche Welle reports that on Wednesday, a Duesseldorf regional court ruled a 55-year-old widow who'd tried to sell a bootlegged CD of some of the UK rock star's 1980s performanceswhich she said had been purchased by her late husband at a major department store in 1987now owes Clapton far more than what she was asking for the album.

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The woman, whom the Guardian IDs as "Gabriele P.," says she took the listing down after one day, but Clapton apparently got wind of her attempted sale and sent the German court an affidavit noting the recording was against the law, and made without Clapton's OK. When Gabriele was sent a note from Clapton's lawyers, her defiant response was to tell them to stop harassing her, adding, "Feel free to file a lawsuit if you insist on the demands."

That's exactly what happened, and the court issued the injunction as Clapton desired, which the woman appealed. The judge, however, rebuffed her appeal, noting it didn't matter that she didn't know the recording was illegal, as she claimed, or that she hadn't bought the CD herself, per German newspaper Bild. The court has now mandated that the Ratingen woman pay the legal fees for both parties, which amount to $3,800 or so.

And if Gabriele for whatever reason tries to sell the CD again? She'll have to pony up around $280,000 or face six months behind bars. "Germany is a country where sales of bootleg and counterfeit CDs are rife, which damages the industry and customers with poor quality and misleading recordings," Clapton's manager tells the Guardian, adding that the musician has "successfully pursued hundreds of bootleg cases in the German courts." Gabriele P.'s legal team says she plans to appeal to the European Court of Justice, the EU's highest court, per the Washington Post. (Read more Eric Clapton stories.)
(Newser)  Russia on Friday published draft security demands that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliance's military deployments in Central and Eastern Europebold ultimatums that are almost certain to be rejected by the US and its allies. The proposals, submitted to the other nations earlier this week, also call for a ban on sending US and Russian warships and aircraft to areas from where they can strike each other's territory, along with a halt to NATO military drills near Russia, the AP reports. The demand for a written guarantee that Ukraine won't be offered membership already has been rejected by the West, which said Moscow doesn't have a say in NATO's enlargement.

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NATOs secretary-general responded Friday by emphasizing that any security talks with Moscow would need to take into account NATO concerns and involve Ukraine and other partners. The White House similarly said it's discussing the proposals with allies and partners but noted that all countries have the right to determine their future without outside interference. The publication of the demandscontained in a proposed Russia-US security treaty and a security agreement between Moscow and NATOcomes as tensions soar over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has raised fears of an invasion.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russia's relations with the US and NATO have approached a "dangerous point," noting that alliance deployments and drills near Russia have raised "unacceptable" threats to its security. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said any dialogue with Moscow "would also need to address NATO's concerns about Russia's actions." White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that strategic security talks with Moscow go back decades, adding that "there's no reason we can't do that moving forward to reduce instability, but we're going to do that in partnership and coordination with our European allies and partners." (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.)
(Newser)  Kim Potter testified in her own defense on Friday, recounting how a Minnesota traffic stop turned into the shooting death of Daunte Wright. Potter was a police officer for Brooklyn Center, a suburb of Minneapolis, when she and another officer pulled Wright over in April. While being held by officers, Potter told the court, Wright, 20, broke free and got back into his car, NBC reports. "We were trying to keep him from driving away. It just, it just went chaotic," Potter said. Sgt. Mychal Johnson reached into the car and tried to keep Wright from putting the car in gear, she testified.

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"I can see Johnson's hand, and then I can see his face" as he struggled with Wright, Potter said. "He had a look of fear in his face," she added before beginning to cry on the stand, per the Wall Street Journal. Potter shot Wright with her 9mm handgun; her lawyers said she intended to use her stun gun. The former officer is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter. "I remember yelling, 'Taser. Taser. Taser,'" Potter said Friday. "And nothing happened." Johnson then told her she'd shot Wright, she testified. Potter is white; Wright was Black.

Potter's testimony was specific and detailed about why Wright was pulled over, less so about the moments before she shot him, per the Journal. An officer she was training made the decision to stop the car, she said, because it had expired licensed plate tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror. Had she not been with a trainee, Potter said, she probably would not have stopped Wright, because the air freshener was such a minor issue. Also, many car owners during the pandemic shutdown weren't able to renew their license plate tags. Prosecutors, who rested their case Thursday, told the jury it doesn't have to find the killing was intentional to convict Potter. (Read more Kim Potter stories.)
(Newser)  Virginia police say they may have caught a serial killer. Harrisonburg police arrested Anthony Robinson in November and charged him with murder after finding two bodies. On Friday, Fairfax County police said theyd found two more bodies, and called Robinson the shopping cart killer, the AP reports. Police say shopping carts were found near the remains and that they believe Robinson used the carts to take his victims bodies to vacant lots, the Washington Post reports. Finding four bodies in such a short span has left investigators rattled. He didnt suddenly turn into who he is three months ago, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said at a press conference.

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Thinking Robinson found his victims on dating apps, theyre combing through his messages looking for signs of other women he may have killed. The first two victims found turned out to be women police were searching for in two different missing person investigations. Allene Elizabeth Redmon, 54, of Harrisonburg, and Tonita Lorice Smith, 39, of Charlottesville, were found in Harrisburg in November. Cheyenne Brown, 29, had been reported missing recently and police think one of the bodies found in Fairfax County could be her, but have only called Robinson a person of interest in that case so far. They havent identified the other body yet. (Read more serial killer stories.)
(Newser)  Northern New Mexico residents donated gifts and money after somebody stole a Salvation Army van loaded with $6,000 worth of toys for children, a Salvation Army official said Saturday. "The Grinch will not have this victory," Salvation Army Lt. Christopher Rockwell said, the AP reports. Business leaders and others began making donations after the marked van with presents intended for more than 350 children was stolen Tuesday from outside a store, Rockwell said.

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The donations included "lots of toys, lots of clothing" as well as hygiene items and cash, adding up to more than enough to replace the stolen items intended for children who are signed up for a distribution event Monday, Rockwell said. "We have like a waiting list ... so we could see what we have left over." The generosity showed "the compassion and the hearts that people have for each other here," Rockwell said. "It's a massive blessing beyond comprehension."

Farmington police spokesperson Nicole Brown said Saturday that an investigation into the theft continued and that the van and toys hadn't been recovered. No arrests have been made or a motive determined, she said. Rockwell said he suspected a pickpocket stole the van's keys from a Salvation Army worker who was in the store. "I think it was just some evil unscrupulous person who just saw an opportunity," Rockwell said. "Desperate, I understand that, but to do this is just beyond imagination."

(Read more uplifting news stories.)
ConocoPhillips has started drilling on a second North Slope development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The company is the largest oil producer in Alaska.
I heard the Russians are trying to come after my buddy Ruben Gallego, Rep. Don Young tweeted, after a Russian politician threatened to kidnap the Arizona Democrat. Twitter
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

By Pradeep Puravankara

The patriotic current that filled the air has ignited an artistic mind to create an outstanding art piece that would highlight the greatness of His Majesty and the Kingdom as the nation celebrated its 50th National Day in great fervour.

Jeena Niaz, a 48-year-old Indian expatriate, created a picture of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa using 70,000 beads and this rare artwork, which measures six feet in length and five feet in width, is being exhibited at the Mall of Dilmunia at Dilmunia Island in Galali.

The work is an earnest endeavour to show the gratitude of the expatriate community towards His Majesty, who has transformed the Kingdom into a paradise on earth, Jeena told The Daily Tribune.

According to Jeena, 71 hours spanning 12 days were invested into creating the artwork. Original cream, black and white beads were used for the work. Since red beads were not available, spray painting techniques were used to create them.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  Gov. Tom Wolf's administration and a voting-system manufacturer are trying to prevent Republican lawmakers from expanding what they call a forensic investigation of Pennsylvania's 2020 election to a new front: inspecting voting machines.

It is another step driven by former President Donald Trumps baseless claims about election fraud.

Lawyers for Wolf's top election official, Veronica DeGraffenreid, asked a court late Friday afternoon to stop a digital data exchange scheduled for next Wednesday in southern Pennsylvania's sparsely populated Fulton County.

The election equipment used in last year's presidential election in the heavily Republican county has already been decertified by the state after Fulton County let a software company inspect the equipment. The firm  West Chester-based software company Wake TSI  was not federally accredited to inspect voting machines, and it later played a role in Republicans widely discredited partisan "audit" in Arizona.

Allowing a similarly unaccredited and inexperienced contractor hired by Pennsylvania's Senate Republicans to obtain digital data from the equipment will spoil evidence in Fulton County's lawsuit challenging the state's decertification, lawyers for DeGraffenreid wrote in a court filing.

On Dec. 10, the investigating committee chair, Sen. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson, sent a letter requesting the digital data from the election computers and hardware used in the 2020 election by Fulton County.

Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems warned Fulton County that granting the Senate Republicans' contractor access to its equipment to get the digital data violates their contract.

But Dominion  whose voting equipment has been at the center of some of the most feverish conspiracy theories about last year's presidential election  said Fulton County has a backup copy of the data that it could simply provide without granting access to Dominion's equipment.

However, a lawyer representing Fulton County, Tom King, said in an interview Saturday that digital election data is not only what Dush wants.

Rather, Dush wants the Senate Republicans contractor, Envoy Sage, to conduct a forensic investigation to determine if Dominions equipment used there was the same equipment as was certified by the state of Pennsylvania for use in last years election, King said.

I think people simply want to know whether what was used in Fulton County was in fact the equipment that was certified for Dominion to supply in Pennsylvania or whether it wasnt," King said. Whether it was or wasnt is not clear to us at this point.

King said a county commissioner who spoke with Dush told him that the thrust of the inquiry was about the Dominion equipment. Wake TSI's inspection did not cover that, King said.

Voting systems that pass anti-tampering tests are certified by states. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission accredits labs to test voting machines and provides guidance to states on how to maintain a chain of custody over voting systems.

King said granting the request is allowed under the contract and that he views Envoy Sage as highly qualified to do the work. Separately, King also said that the exercise will not affect the court case or the states rights in court.

Court arguments were scheduled for Tuesday.

Trump and his allies have applied ongoing pressure in those battleground states where he lost to Democrat Joe Biden  including in Pennsylvania  for his allies to investigate ballots, voting machines and voter rolls for evidence to support their baseless claims about election fraud.

Dush  who has advocated for overturning Bidens victory over Trump in Pennsylvania  did not say why he is seeking the access, or whether he is seeking similar access in other counties.

He did not return a message about it.

Dush has insisted the undertaking has nothing to do with Trump or trying to overturn last years presidential election, but rather is about fixing problems in the states elections.

In any case, analyzing voting machine data is not specifically outlined in the Senate Republicans' $270,000 contract with Envoy Sage, raising the question of whether Trump-aligned groups are footing part of the bill, as they did in the Arizona undertaking.

Dush has said he wanted to bring the Arizona-style election audit to Pennsylvania.

Unlike in Arizona, a subpoena approved by Dush's Republican-controlled state Senate committee to Pennsylvania election officials stopped short of demanding ballots and voting machines, and other counties have rebuffed less formal requests.

But in Fulton County, Dush has found a willing partner.

There, Trump won more than 85% of last years vote, according to official returns, and registered Republican voters outnumber Democrats by 7 to 2.

In post-election internal emails released through public records requests, Fulton Countys two Republican commissioners expressed solidarity with Republican senators who later sought to block Pennsylvanias electoral votes from being cast for Biden. One wrote, We cant let this election get stolen.

No prosecutor, judge or election board in Pennsylvania has raised a concern about widespread fraud in 2020s election, and courts at all levels have rejected claims about fraud, irregularities and violations.

___

Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/timelywriter.
ALLENTOWN, Pa, (AP)  Instead of waiting and hoping for more parishioners to show up in an era of declining church attendance, an Allentown pastor plans to bring prayer and Bible study to the community  through local tattoo shops.

People arent coming into churches, Rev. Kathryn Dinkelacker-Swan of Emmanuel United Methodist Church said during a recent phone interview. Theres church trauma  people dont feel comfortable with all the churches and the liturgies and prayers.

I feel like church isnt confined in the walls of a building, and I can bring church anywhere, she continued. Gods love is anywhere.

By taking her work directly to residents, she hopes to meet people where they are, reaching those who would likely never set foot in a traditional church  all while getting some tattoos.

Now, the 31-year-old pastor just needs to find a tattoo shop in the city willing to host what she calls a low-key bible study, with parishioners getting tattooed and sharing their faith and experiences with God.

We think that everyone deserves to hear healing and Gods word, and you shouldnt have to step into a church for that, she said, explaining its part of the Fresh Expressions movement in the church, which aims to get leaders into local businesses with their congregants. Its mainly just us going into the communities, really getting to know everything about the community  you cant just plant yourself in a community that you know nothing about that you dont really understand.

Its all about, as a pastor, where our passions are, and how we can reach people in different ways.

Fewer people are going to church than ever before.

Last year, only 47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque, down from 50% in 2018 and 70% in 1999, according to results of a Gallup poll released in March. U.S. church membership was at 73% when the polling company first measured it in 1937 and remained near 70% for the next six decades, before beginning a steady decline around the turn of the 21st century.

The decline in church membership, the organization argues, comes from an increase in residents who express no religious preference alongside population change. As younger people get older, theyre less likely to have the same religious affiliations and fervor of their parents and grandparents.

At the same time, the number of people with tattoos is increasing.

Results of an Ipsos poll published in 2019 showed 30% of Americans have at least one tattoo, an increase from 21% in 2012. Forty percent of those ages 18 to 34 and 36% of those ages 35 to 54 have at least one tattoo, while the same is true for only 16% of those 55-years-old and older.

I feel like you can heal through getting tattoos and sharing our stories, Dinkelacker-Swan said. And as a great conversation starter like, Oh, this tattoo, where did you get it? And you just say, Oh, at church. 

Dinkelacker-Swan, who describes herself as obviously very progressive, started at Emmanuel UM in June 2019, switching careers after spending seven years as a social worker and dropping out of medical school, where she studied to become forensics. Adopted from Romania, she grew up going to a Methodist church, a mainstream Protestant sect.

I think that the church needs to progress, as the time does, she said. And I think that a lot of people are turned off from the church, and I think that we need to be the change.

And Dinkelacker-Swan is very open with her parishioners about her own mental health struggles, which included hospitalizations, suicide attempts and more than two decades of self-harm  she even calls herself the borderline pastor in an attempt to break down stigmas about mental health.

She has more than a dozen tattoos herself, with plans for more, explaining that part of her work is to break down stereotypes casting religious leaders as strictly older, white men.

When I get to come up at the pulpit, and I have tattoos all over my arms and everything, I think that is eye-opening, she said. And honestly, my congregation has learned to love me. They have said that they didnt expect a tattooed female pastor, but the fact that I can show up when they need it  its breaking barriers and showing that we can do stuff and you dont have to be an old white male following by the book that is so outdated.

The goal, she said, is to find a tattoo shop willing to allow a group of parishioners to sit in a lobby or waiting room, talking about God while some get tattoos.

Its not supposed to be full of liturgies and prayers, she said. I think that it would be perfect and ideal if we could find a tattoo place that wed be willing to work with us and really talk about how your faith is and just your life.

Sharing her passion for God and tattoos with the community could help forge new connections with residents, she said, spreading a message of unity and hope.

You dont have to be alone, Dinkelacker-Swan said. So, if I can share my story and give hope, thats all I can do. Thats all I want.

___

Online:

https://bit.ly/33o3arH
As many as 101 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 so far have been detected across 11 States and Union Territories, the government informed on Friday. Addressing a press conference, Joint Secretary of Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal said that 32 cases were reported in Maharashtra, 22 in Delhi, 17 in Rajasthan, 8 each in Karnataka and Telangana, 5 each in Gujarat and Kerala, one each in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal respectively. He said that the Omicron variant has been found in 91 countries in the world.

World Health Organization (WHO) has said that Omicron is spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa where Delta circulation was low. Its likely Omicron will outpace Delta variant where community transmission occurs, WHO added, Agarwal said.

The Health Ministry official further lauded the countrys COVID-19 vaccination drive and said that India is administering COVID-19 vaccine doses at the highest rate in the world and the daily rate of doses administered is 4.8 times the rate of doses administered in the USA and 12.5 times the rate of doses administered in the UK. He also informed that Kerala contributes 40.31 per cent to the total number of active cases in the country.

New daily cases were recorded below 10,000 for the past 20 days. The case positivity for the last one week was 0.65 per cent. Currently, Kerala contributes 40.31 per cent to the total number of active cases in the country, Agarwal added. A new variant of COVID-19 was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from South Africa on November 25. As per the WHO, the first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on November 9 this year. On November 26, the WHO named the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1.529, which has been detected in South Africa, as Omicron. The WHO has classified Omicron as a variant of concern.
The Ambassador attended the Nallur Kadaswamy temple wearing a white dhoti called Vetti but no shirt or footwear with it ,as is customary in Jaffna Tamil.

The Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, paid a high-profile visit to the Tamil-majority Northern Province on December 15 and 16 , demonstrating Chinas renewed interest in the region. The Ambassador attended the Nallur Kadaswamy temple wearing a white dhoti called Vetti but no shirt or footwear with it ,as is customary in Jaffna Tamil. The temple administration and Brahmin priest also greeted him in the customary Tamil Hindu manner.

According to the Chinese embassy on social media, Zhenhong visited the temple while respecting religious and cultural traditions. He also contributed to the temple by giving books to the Jaffna Public Library and also met Meeting with Northern Province Governor Jeevan Thiagaraja to examine methods to improve mutual collaboration and raise the income of the Tamil community. Moreover, the Fishermen in Jaffna and Mannar received fishing equipment and face masks from Chinese authorities.

Given the countrys geographical proximity to India and cultural and linguistic connections with Tamil Nadu, some perceive the visit as a clear threat to Indias claims in Northern Sri Lanka. While China has invested substantially in big projects in Sinhala-speaking South Sri Lanka, it has avoided the Tamil majority Northern Province and the ethnically mixed Eastern Province, owing to Indias sensitivities and the Sri Lankan governments lack of enthusiasm. India regards Sri Lankas north and, to a lesser extent, the Trincomalee area in the east as its strategic backyard.

The Chinese are keen to establish their diplomatic right to travel wherever in Sri Lanka and seek development projects. Except when India expressly objects, the Sri Lankan government is typically attentive to this request. India recently stopped an ADB-approved project by a Chinese company to develop a hybrid power plant in three islands off the coast of Jaffna, not far from the Indian coastline. India addressed the issue of security and allegedly offered a US$ 12 million grant to complete the project. The Chinese enterprise was swiftly turned away by Colombo, but the project was not yet handed over to India.

Meanwhile, the Northern Tamils were particularly hesitant to use Sinopharm anti-COVID vaccinations because they doubted their efficiency. In the first phase of the immunisation campaign, half of the populace did not show up, claiming that they would rather wait for vaccinations from India and the United States.
SPARTA, Wis. (AP)  The iconic melodies of The Nutcracker sounded through an unusual venue: a U.S. military base hosting Afghan refugees.

The Madison Ballet presented four performances of the holiday classic last weekend at Fort McCoy before a crowd of enthralled Afghans at a warehouse on base, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

The refugees have been staying at the military installation in Sparta since their country fell to the Taliban following a withdrawal of the U.S. military after 20 years in the country. The base once housed 13,000 refugees, but that number has fallen to around 7,000 as Afghans have been resettled across the U.S., said Eva Rupp, a deputy federal coordinator with the Department of Homeland Security.

The performance on Friday had all the trappings of any other, with refugees presenting their tickets at the door, applauding the top moments and recording much of it on their cellphones.

Jonathan Solari, CEO of the Madison Ballet, said the excitement was palpable in the warehouse on the base that hosted the performance.

Im overwhelmed, my heart is full, Solari said. I cannot articulate how much joy it brought me to see them overjoyed.

There were kids who had their chins on the side of the stage just in awe of our dancers, he said.

Solaris mission to bring The Nutcracker to Fort McCoy started after reading about the thousands of refugees at the base, half of whom are children. He and his spouse had previously worked with refugees in Greece in 2015 and 2016 in the early years of Europes refugee crisis.

What was best for the kids was a craft, a distraction, something to do, Solari recalled.

After messaging a friend last month who worked with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Maryland, Solari was put in touch with officials at the lead agencies overseeing the resettlement of the Afghan refugees.

This might be a way to be able to show people that we care about them and that theyre welcome here, he said. We can give a little piece of ourselves and our culture and we can, in turn, learn a great deal about them.

Mozhgan Karimi, a 30-year-old Afghan woman who attended Fridays performance, said she was not expecting the high-caliber performance brought by The Nutcracker cast.

It was amazing, and I had a very good experience seeing that, Karimi said through a translator.

Holiday cheer aside, Karimis experience as a refugee has not been easy.

She came to the United State alone, the rest of her family still in Afghanistan. During the chaotic evacuation at the Kabul airport, her cellphone was broken and she still does not have one, putting her out of touch with loved ones for months.

Though thousands of Afghans have been resettled, Karimi does not know when she will leave Fort McCoy. Once resettled, she wants to continue her career as a makeup artist.

Sometimes Im thinking about it, I wish I never came, Karimi said through a translator.

The afternoons performance had close-to-the-heart importance for Lela Zasari, a 12-year-old who danced with the ballet. Her father came to the U.S. from Afghanistan in the 1980s, and Zasari called the performance very inspirational.

I feel very privileged to get to perform in front of the Afghans, she said. Im just grateful that they liked it. Its almost like Im telling them not to give up on their dreams.
DERBY  Ansonia and Derby share a lot in common. But what the two small Naugatuck Valley cities dont seem to share is a unified vision for the future of their school districts.

The two communities are currently exploring the feasibility of combining their two school districts. But officials from both cities say the possibility of a merger is becoming more remote just two months before the Temporary Regional School Study Committees February, 2022 deadline to come up with a proposal.

The regionalization study was first funded in 2018 by the state legislature.

I think there are pathways that make it feasible, its just going to take compromise from both sides. And we havent gotten to that point where it seems like thats going to occur, said Joseph Jaumann, an Ansonia alderman and the committee co-chair.

At its December 16 meeting, Derbys Board of Education discussed a regionalization framework proposed by Ansonias committee representatives that would merge the Ansonia and Derby school districts. Board Chair Jim Gildea criticized the proposal, which he and other board members said gives Ansonia lopsided control over decision-making and could potentially close Irving Elementary School.

Gildea said the board would vote in accordance with the wishes of city residents, and Derby residents have spoken their minds he said.

If you look on social media, and if you look at some of the tweets out there, I think that is certainly the overwhelming consensus, that the merger is of no benefit to the City of Derby, Gildea said.

Under the Ansonia proposal, Irving Elementary School would be closed, and the combined district would operate one high school, one middle school and three elementary schools. Ten members would make up a governing board  five from Ansonia and five from Derby. But the board members votes would be weighted by student population. Since Ansonia has more students than Derby, that would mean Ansonias representatives would have more of a say in school decisions.

Tara Hyder, a former Derby school board member, said any proposal would be detrimental to Derbys ability to weigh in on decision making.

We would have a lesser percentage of kids in a regionalized high school. We would have a lesser voice, no matter what the model, whether we have five members, or if its six and four members, or seven and three members, she said. Either way, we would have a lesser vote.

Ansonia and Derbys school districts have examined a potential merger since 2018, when the state legislature voted to approve funding to look into a regionalization study for the two cities. Both cities are considered economically distressed by the state Department of Economic and Community Development, which ranked Ansonia third and Derby sixth on its 2021 Distressed Municipalities List.

The committee has had disagreements in the past over the makeup of a unified school board, and share of votes. Gildea said the committee still hasnt agreed on the composition of a merged board.

Jaumann said the Ansonia proposal was in response to the Derby contingent saying there didnt appear to be room for compromise on that issue. The two sides had also disagreed on the number of elementary schools the merged district would include.

Closing Irving Elementary School, Jaumann said, made sense from a financial standpoint.

Its not specifically picking on Irving, its just that it happens to be one of the older schools, he said.

The three-elementary school model that made the most sense included a renovated Bradley School in Derby and the newer buildings at Ansonias Mead and Prendergast schools. The three schools would be able to accommodate the student population, according to an independent contractor that the committee had consulted, Jaumann said.

That proposal did not go over well in Derby. At the December 16 meeting Candace Lebel, who teaches at Irving, pleaded for the Derby committee members to vote against the plan, which she called heart-wrenching.

Jaumann said weighting the merged boards votes by student population was a matter of democratic principles, and mandated by the U.S. Constitution.

Derby members would have outsized power if decisions were split equally, he said. Plus, the allocation of votes isnt Ansonias call, he said.

Ansonia is not saying that. The law says that, he said. The law says its one person, one vote. Thats what the statute says. And thats what the Constitution says.

Despite Derbys opposition to Ansonias proposal, representatives from the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments said the two cities still have time to come up with a solution. Gildea stopped short of saying Ansonias proposal was dead, but said the five members of the Derby delegation would act in the best interests of Derby.

I would certainly hope that the five members who represent Derby will act with the best interest of the City of Derby in their mind and ensure that Derby is protected, he said.

The regionalization study committee will next meet on Dec. 28 at 7:30 p.m over Zoom.
MILFORD  A 20-year-old man behind bars since last June on charges he drove drunk and killed a West Haven man has been sentenced to serve 54 months in prison after taking a plea deal in the case.

Manuel Martinez, also of West Haven, had faced between three and five years after pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle and failure to insure a motor vehicle prior to his sentencing before Judge Peter Brown Dec. 10.

At the time of his arrest, police said Martinez was already being sought for skipping court on other motor vehicle violations.

Martinez killed 52-year-old Nicolas Diaz, a father of three, in the Feb. 21, 2020, crash.

Police said officers, arriving at the scene of the crash at the intersection of Main Street and Second Avenue in West Haven, found two vehicles, a Ford Explorer and a Hyundai sedan, in the front yard of a home on Main Street.

Diaz, the driver of the Hyundai, was pronounced dead at Yale New-Haven Hospital from multiple injuries, according to an autopsy.

The crash occurred a half-mile from his home.

Police said Martinez admitted to officers at the scene that he had previously been celebrating his birthday at a friends home where he said he consumed six to eight beers. He related that he believed he had a green light when he entered the intersection but was so drunk, he could be mistaken, police said.

Police said Martinez was later found to have a blood-alcohol level of 0.22, more than twice the legal limit.

The judge handed down an eight-year prison sentence to be suspended after Martinez serves 54 months, followed by five years of probation, according to court records.

A native of Guatemala, Martinez may be deported upon the completion of his prison sentence. Federal authorities have placed an immigration hold on Martinez, according to Assistant States Attorney Alanna Paul, who prosecuted the case.

A call to Martinezs lawyer was not returned Friday.

Diaz, who worked as a printer in Hamden, was a funny, compassionate man, according to his obituary.

He never hesitated to lend a helping hand, whether it was a neighbor or a good friend. He was always doing something good for someone, the obituary said.

It was a heart-breaking case all around, Paul said.
Elder statesman and leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has insisted that South-East must produce the next presid...

Elder statesman and leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has insisted that South-East must produce the next president of Nigeria.

He said this when a presidential aspirant, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, visited him on Friday.

Clark encouraged Anyim to work hard with other leaders across the country to build consensus for equity and unity in Nigeria, according to a statement after the visitation.

Chief Clark reaffirmed his passionate belief that the presidency of Nigeria in 2023 must go to the Southern part of Nigeria and indeed to South-East zone.

I encourage you and others to continue the task of persuading and reassuring other Nigerians to share that vision, Clark added.

Anyim told the elder statesman and First Republic Minister of Information that he is running for the Presidency of Nigeria because he understands the challenges facing Nigeria and has what it takes to fix them.

The former Senate President who is contesting for the Presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party took the opportunity to consult with Clark on the state of the nation and his plan for the future.

I thank God that Chief Edwin Clark will soon be 90 years old and yet he is blessed with phenomenal memory, lucid and curious mind, a benevolent heart, and boundless goodwill for all men. I thank God for your health and will forever cherish your counsel.

I will dedicate myself with full enthusiasm and conviction to advance the vision of equity in Nigeria, the unity of our nation, the peace and prosperity of all citizens, he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking help to defeat terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria. Speaking at the third edition of Turkey-Afri...

President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking help to defeat terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria.





Speaking at the third edition of Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul on Saturday, Buhari said Boko Haram has been degraded but it is still preying on soft targets.

The president expressed happiness that Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his Turkish counterpart, has given consideration to the issue of terrorism and is still focusing on the development of infrastructure in Africa.

Another area this partnership must focus on is the global challenge of climate change which is impacting us in Nigeria, Turkey, across Africa, and indeed across the world, Buhari said.





It has become a catalyst for conflict through food insecurity, drying up of lakes; loss of livelihood and youth migration, among others.

The trend is the same around the world where communities are overwhelmed by forest fires, rising sea levels, flood, drought and desertification.

I want to seize this opportunity to appeal for support for initiatives such as Africas Great Green Wall on Environment and Land Management, which is designed to fight the effects of climate change and desertification in Africa.

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The initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land in the 11 countries of the Sahel-Sahara strip, capture 250 million tons of carbon and create 10 million green jobs by 2030.

The president said the way Turkey and Africa have handled the COVID-19 pandemic is an example to the world.

The pandemic is a global challenge which calls for global solidarity and solutions and the Africa-Turkey cooperation model has proved to be an example to the world, he said.

Not only has there been mutual support to respond to the pandemic but also mutual support to build resilience and sustainable development in other sectors.

We also commend the African Union for the excellent role it has been playing in coordinating the implementation process of the partnership.

The Nigerian leader said knowledge that will help African countries address challenges should be shared.

In this regard, Nigeria strongly endorses the Summit Declaration as well as the 2022-2026 Joint Action Plan, he said.

We are confident that given the level of openness, trust and commitment manifested in the AfricaTurkey Partnership, this cooperation mechanism will be a game-changer for our countries and set us on the path of sustainable development for our peoples.
President Muhammadu Buhari is set to sign the amended National Health Insurance Scheme (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill into law, according to...





President Muhammadu Buhari is set to sign the amended National Health Insurance Scheme (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill into law, according to the Chairman, the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe.





Oloriegbe said this on Friday in Abuja during the Universal Health Coverage summit adding that the House of Representatives will pass the bill in the coming week.





He said, The president is willing to sign it into law now. The House of Representatives will pass it next week. It will then be transmitted to President Buhari for assent in the next few days. The president is committed to getting the NHIS bill passed.





The senator, who represents Kwara Central Senatorial district, noted that it would be the first time a bill will make health insurance mandatory for all Nigerians, with the hopes of achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria.





Noting that it was the responsibility of all tiers of government to fund the health sector, as stipulated in the National Health Act, Oloriegbe, however, lamented the failure of state and local governments in committing to healthcare.





We have federal, state and local governments. If you look at what is happening now, the sub-national levels are not committing as much as necessary to health and the national health act stated the responsibility of each level of government with the federal government having the responsibility for tertiary care, he noted.
Femi Fani-Kayode, the former aviation minister, has accused Precious Chikwendu, his estranged wife, of inciting the public against him. ...

Femi Fani-Kayode, the former aviation minister, has accused Precious Chikwendu, his estranged wife, of inciting the public against him.

The politicians marriage to Chikwendu failed in 2020 after the latters domestic violence claims and the formers counter-allegations of infidelity.

They have been in a heated tussle for the custody of their four children who have been in Fani-Kayodes care.

In a letter addressed to Abiodun E. Olusanya, counsel to Chikwendu, the ex-minister faulted the decision of the former beauty queen to take to social media on December 16 after his team pledged to look into some of the issues she raised.

The ex-minister, in the letter signed by Adeola Adedipe, his lawyer, said his team had in a letter dated December 14 agreed to examine Chikwendus concerns for possible compromise.

In the said letter, we urged for time, in order to confer with our client on your propositions. Unfortunately, whilst we were still broaching the issues with our client for a possible compromise, on 16 December 2021, Ms Precious Chikwendu (your client) elected to incite the public against chief Femi Fani-Kayode, vide various social media platforms, it read.

She misrepresented in the public domain, that our client had violated the order of the court, without disclosing in good faith, the content of our prompt response to you.

The politician said opting to incite the public against him ahead of his teams planned response smacks of bad faith.

Fani-Kayode also denied Chikwendus claim that he refused her access to their four children, saying she is at liberty to see her children, anytime she so desires.

We reckon with your nobility, and sincerely believe that you could not have authorised your clients decision to frustrate the process of agreement between counsel, as admonished by the court. Your attention is being called to this misleading disposition of your client, because it smacks of bad faith, it read.

Be that as it may, it is imperative to reaffirm for the umpteenth time, that your client is at liberty to see her children, anytime she so desires. This access has always been open to her from the outset, and it so remains, for all intents and purposes.

For the records, our notice of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court is still extant

This being the case, our client is convinced that it is appropriate to appeal the order of court made on 8th December 2021, because ab initio, the court lacks the requisite jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

Accordingly, we have lodged an appeal against the said decision, and have equally filed a motion on notice to stay execution of same.

Kindly reassure your client, of the unhindered access she has to see her children, whenever she so desires. Also, you may also wish to advise her that it is not salutary to incite the public against our client or anyone, vide any social medial platform.

This is because such conducts may attract criminal liabilities, under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015. We believe in the course of justice, and do assure you of our high regards.
A youth-led civic tech group, AdvoKC, has launched a digital platform that would allow citizens to hold elected government officials accou...

A youth-led civic tech group, AdvoKC, has launched a digital platform that would allow citizens to hold elected government officials accountable for their campaign promises after elections.





The digital platform called Promise Meter was developed to address the gap between government officials and the electorate on effective service delivery.





The platform was launched on Saturday after months of beta testing.





In a statement after the launch, the group explained that the Promise Meter would allow people, who voted for a prefered candidate based on their needs, to track campaign pledges.





AdvocKC added that the aim of the organisation was to ensure a successful rate in the fulfilment of campaign promises among political office holders.





The statement read in part, In Nigeria, voters are inspired to work for the candidate or political party whose campaign promises agree with their social, economic, and political needs. But are always disappointed when these promises are not kept.





According to the groups Co-Founder/Research Lead, Habib Sheidu, the digital platform leverages technology through its Data-Driven promise meters to articulate political promises which are made during political campaigns.

He said it uses different ratings such as In the Works, Compromise, Stalled, Promise Kept and Promise Broken, adding that the Promise Meter will show ratings for citizens to make informed decisions during elections.





AdvoKCs Co-Founder/Team Lead, Abiola Durodola, also stated that the model is not only focused on addressing transparency and accountability but also citizens engagement and participation in Nigeria as politicians use promises as a political strategy to garner votes during campaigns.





He added that a core mandate of the group is to address the issue of political elites in Nigeria exploiting poverty and illiteracy to mobilize voters with food items and money without delivering on their promises every election cycle.





Beyond the Promise Meter, the group noted that citizens can also access other features like Submit a Promise, Promise Reminder, Factcheck and Climate AdvoKC.





The statement also added that the group had appointed the Executive Director, ONE Campaign, Serah Makka-Ugbabe, as the Chairman of its Advisory Board.





Other appointees to AdvoKCs Advisory Board are Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist at World Bank, Dayo Ibitoye; the Executive Director, Africa Policy Research Institute, Olumide Abimbola; Executive Director, CTA, Faith Nwadishi, and a doctoral student at London School of Economics, Aliyu Nuhu.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Cloudy with snow. High 29F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 100%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected. Heavier amounts in persistent snowbands..

Tonight

Variably cloudy with snow showers. Low 19F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.
Yes. We need to do more to get this wave under control.

No. The vaccine is here and we're done with mask rules.

I never stopped wearing my mask.

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Former Independent Police Monitor Susan Hutson pulled off the upset of the political season by defeating 17-year incumbent Sheriff Marlin Gusman on Dec. 11. After spending a decade tracking NOPDs compliance with a federal consent decree, Hutson on May 2 will take on the task of overhauling the citys long-troubled jail  itself the subject of a federal consent decree.

Less than 24 hours after her election, Hutson sat down with Gambit editor John Stanton and political editor Clancy DuBos in an exclusive interview.

Gambit: Did you ever see yourself running for office before this year?

Hutson: No, I did not.

Gambit: What made you decide to do it?

Hutson: Just conversations with people I trust in this community, people I have a lot of respect for, and just something I started considering. I started doing some homework on it and speaking to people I trust to see what they thought about me in that position, how did they see me as the sheriff, and got great feedback. It was very gratifying, but that also solidified it for me that, yeah, this is the job I should be doing.

Gambit: You won this election just a day ago, but what are the first things you're going to try to do once you take office?

Hutson: Everything starts with the money. Everything that we need to do costs money. That's been a point of contention between the city and sheriffs in the past. So when I looked at the budget last year and at the budget this year, I still have tons of questions, and I don't think the numbers add up.

For instance, I see a hundred thousand dollars' worth of legal bills. That doesn't seem like enough. As a lawyer, that does not seem like enough for a consent decree. All the lawsuits that are going on  that could be appropriate. I mean, maybe he cut a great deal, but it just doesn't seem like all the numbers are there. So we want a complete audit of all the funding that's available and what are we spending it on. We want to look at invoices, and we want to look at the work that contractors are doing. And we want to fix that bidding process and that contracting process so it's more public, fairer, with everybody having an opportunity to be a part of that. But we start with the numbers. That's very important.

Second is recruiting, recruiting, and recruiting. Weve got to get folks in here. At times there'll be deputies on a pod by themselves with 20 more folks who are in custody for them to take care of. I've heard them tell me things like, I'll be alone on that pod, and I can't get out of it because it's locked, and the person who's watching and controls the doors goes on break. That is simple administration  putting together a roster for the day. Safety is always at the forefront, making sure the deputies are safe, and a lot of that has to do with numbers. Weve got to get more folks here. And we think well get a number of them to come back.

Gambit: You mentioned auditing and trying to figure out ways to fix the contracting. Will bringing in a new approach result in having to also hire up on the administrative side of things?

Hutson: Probably so, but one of the things that I've always believed, in my years as a police monitor, is that we have cops doing things that civilians can do. I want our deputies to be doing deputy work. So, yes, we'll probably lose some of folks who don't want to come back to work, doing deputy work, but we'll probably need to do that because we're going to get them back to doing what deputies are supposed to do. A lot of the administrative stuff is going to be handled by civilians who are professionals at doing that work.

Gambit: You mentioned that you've spoken to a lot of deputies. Do you have a sense of where theyre at in terms of how they view you and your philosophy?

Hutson: I want my team to have all the tools they need to do their job, and I want them to be paid appropriately. I want them to be able to take care of their families so that they can concentrate on doing this job. So, yes, there are going to be some people who leave. Those who were favored in the current administration may not be favored in my administration, which is going to be a fair one. I've already heard so many times about people who've been passed over for promotion or not getting the details that help them feed their family, or the sexual harassment. We talked about that type of behavior that doesn't support deputies in their work.

In fact, yesterday we were getting out in the streets trying to get out every vote we could, and we talked to some deputies who were like, "Yeah, we're down." Especially the AfricanAmerican women saying, "We need something different. We need something fair."

Gambit: Well, is there anything that's going on over there right now that you don't want to change, that maybe you might even end up expanding?

Hutson: No. Right now, no. And I've got to be honest with you: The more the layers are pulled back, the more I see, administratively, things just not working well. So, before you make any changes, you want to come in and look. I remember as a police monitor here, it was at least four months before I made my first recommendation.

I want to find out, in this particular case, how much do they actually know about this consent decree, and how many of them are actually able to perform according to the consent decree standards. So I'm going to look a lot first. The audit  that's really the eyes and ears for me to find out what's going on in there. We're going to look at everything first before we make significant changes.

Gambit: You've got about a fourmonth transition period before taking office in May. How do you think you can best use that time?

Hutson: I already started. We have a list of about 20 functions of the sheriff's office. So we've got a lot to look at, and provided the current sheriff works with us on transition, we want to be able to see what's actually going on in these different sections of the office. This is a very important time for me, just being able to see what's going on in detail. I've heard an earful on the campaign trail, but that's why I've got this list.

But actually being able to see the documentation, the policies and procedures  I haven't seen any policies and procedures online for the sheriff  we need to see what those look like. Do they actually mirror what the consent decree says? We've got a lot of work to do.

Gambit: One of the things you mentioned in the runoff was using sheriff's deputies to help NOPD as supplemental patrols. How do you envision that playing out  and have you gotten any blowback from progressive groups for this idea?

Hutson: I haven't gotten any blowback. I know people ask me questions about that, because our community asked me over and over and over again, Will you help? And I said, "Whatever our community asks for, I'm going to do it if it's within my power to do. But we've got to get the jail straight first." That's what I always said. And then as we heard more and more and more, as people continued to get shot and carjacked, we said, "OK, yeah, we've got to do something better than that. We've got to help the entire system."

So we've got to figure out staffing at the jail, which is a big part of it. Everybody has to be rowing in the same direction on that jail. We have to have bodies in there to keep it safe, and then we can start looking at patrolling as well. Those are both priorities.

Gambit: Do you have a good relationship with Chief of Police Ferguson?

Hutson: I do. I had a very good relationship with him as the police monitor. Of the three chiefs I had worked with, I felt he understood. Of course, they all were wanting to get out of the consent decree, but I think he saw that we could be a partner if they worked with us on it. So, yeah, I had a good relationship with him.

Gambit: Still, it must have been combative at times.

Hutson: I was here 11 years. It's difficult to critique them. It's very hard to be critiqued. And that can cause some hard feelings. But overall they knew that we were there to help them. If there was any gap between the police and the community they serve, we were glad to be between them to try and help fill that gap.

Gambit: Regarding deputies supplementing NOPD  would that be something that they would be required to do, or could they say, "I don't feel comfortable doing this. I signed up to be a deputy who works in the jail. I don't want to be out on the street"?

Hutson: Yeah, initially I believe it would be voluntary, and then, of course, we'll reassess as we go along. We want people who want to do that job first, and there are many of them who do  that I've talked to over these past eight months  who do want to do it. They're very excited. "We want to do some," as they say, "real police work" and stuff like that. I'm like, "OK. It's all real. But we got to take care of this house first, and then we'll take care of the streets."

Gambit: It does seem that people don't really look at the corrections side of this equation as being real police.

Hutson: I think traditional policing and custodial policing don't necessarily have the same goals, although they probably should. We have to create a culture change here about custodial policing, which is that we are here to help people. These are people [in the jail] that are our neighbors. Sometimes family members are in there. These are folks that we want to come out better, that we want to help, and most importantly keep them safe while they're in there.

I want to change the mindset [among sheriffs employees] and get them to buy in. There are a number of ways that you do that. You get them invested in the attaboys and the rewards that go with doing these things, as opposed to  when there's an officerinvolved shooting, and an officer is involved in that  maybe they've killed somebody, maybe they shot somebody, maybe they missed  they get awards. The police departments would give them awards, and sometimes it looked like they were giving them an award for having killed somebody.

So many community members didn't think that was a good thing. We want to give awards for lack of incustody deaths over a certain time period. We want a minimum amount of force being used to get to our objective. We want to make sure that they understand their promotions are tied to that, and we want them to understand the value of that.

I had several conversations with deputies about why people act out in jails, and there's an underlying reason for it. They're not safe, so they're trying to get moved. Maybe they're detoxing and they're trying to get to [University Medical Center] to get real drugs instead of whatever they're getting here in the jail. There could be a number of reasons. We need to get to those underlying reasons and do something about that. That brings that behavior into line with what we're looking for. That's what I want  to get the staff to buy in.

Gambit: One of the things that your predecessors have had a problem with is money, and the tension between the sheriff and the City Council and mayor. What is your relationship with the mayor and the council? Do you think you can look to them for help?

Hutson: There's always been a tension about how much money the sheriff has asked for. Once I got into this race and started looking at the budget, and I saw why there is a tension. If I were on the City Council, I would have a bunch of questions as well.

I went to the [sheriffs] budget hearing this year, and there was some information given out about what were getting for $83 million  something like that. What are we getting for that dollar amount? I didn't feel like there was enough information. So my game plan is to be more detailed about what we're spending money on. And the audit, again, is very key to seeing where we need to be putting our money  and being very transparent about that.

I've said over and over on this campaign trail I do not want to charge people for phone calls, because that helps with behavioral issues, and it helps with the recidivism rate. It's going to cost $2 million for the [new] phone system. We're not going to pay for that on the backs of families. Same for the commissary. If we've got to go to Costco and get a bunch of chips, at cost, we're not going to be having an overpriced commissary. This is what it costs to run a safe and constitutional jail.

That's the way I know to do business, and that's the way I plan to do business. I think that will resonate with them. We've got a new council coming in here, and I hope that does resonate with those who are coming on board.

Gambit: Who on the incoming council would you consider your natural allies?

Hutson: We worked with Helena [Moreno] on the whole alternative responders for mental health, but we never really worked on money issues. When you deal with money, it can be different. I'm not able to identify natural allies about that because we never really dealt with that. But on different issues, Helena's been one who's championed some good work. Jason [Williams] did a really good job when he was there, but he's not there anymore, so we'll see. I like the way Jay [Banks] was fighting Phase III. I think that there will probably be issues that different ones will ally with us on.

Gambit: Whats your relationship with the mayor?

Hutson: She and Jared Brossett [as council members] coauthored the ordinance and bought the pressure to have the inspector general and the police monitor split, so they were a big part of us becoming independent. I'll always have a fondness for her and respect for her, but there haven't been of lot of issues for us to have to deal with since she's been the mayor. She's got her hands full, but I've worked with her Police Department and the Office of Families and Children. They're doing good stuff. We were looking at policing, the Health Department, talking about trying to have alternatives for mental health, her office of violence prevention  just folks that I, as the police monitor, naturally lined up with. I think itll be a good relationship.

Gambit: Another big question is construction of Phase III and the courts order to build it. What steps do you think you can take to get the judge to let you guys change the consent decree?

Hutson: We have to be very efficient with what goes on with deputies. One of the biggest issues with the consent decree and mental health  this need for Phase III  is about those who are in custody getting to therapy, getting to their appointments, which right now is caused by deputies having to walk them to it. They have not had enough bodies to be able to do that. I don't think we need to build a whole building to get that done, especially when we don't have enough people. I don't think that new building is going to fix that. What I want to show the judge is that we can fix that without it. So job number one is recruit, recruit, recruit  get some folks in here.

Number two, we want to see what we can do to bring down the jail size. One of the things we've been able to identify is there are about 300 people who were charged with serious crimes, who if found guilty will be going to the penitentiary. And with Covid, a lot of those trials were stalled or postponed. We want to work with the courts and the DA and the public defenders to get those cases moving again. It's really important that we get those cases moving so that those folks, if they are going to the penitentiary, can go, and bring down the jail population here even further. If we can even get a hundred of those done, that would really help us a lot. I want to work with them, and Im hoping to have a lot of those conversations during transition.

Gambit: Is there a point at which youll figure that we're going to have to move forward with the consent decree language asis?

Hutson: I do not want to expand this jail. I don't intend to acquiesce in it in any way. I intend to fight as much I can. I know I'm an officer of the court, like every other lawyer, so in the long run, if the order is still there, then I'll have to comply with it. But we want to show the court we're going to comply with [other parts of] this consent decree right now. Eight years of dealing with this and still seeing issues such as not searching people appropriately or not having the proper critique of serious incidents go on  those are all things that are right in my wheelhouse. That's what police departments under consent decrees do. I know that backwards and forwards.

As we show the court that we're complying, and if we can figure out a way to bring down this population and get more deputies in here to escort people to their appointments and get them the mental health care they're supposed to get, I think we've got a really compelling argument for him: "We are complying with almost everything else in your consent decree except this one part that we don't really need."

Gambit: Is there any point at which you say, "OK, we've got to do this, but this is how I would do it?"

Hutson: I think that's where we start having conversations about alternatives. Does Phase III have to look just like this? Can it be something else? Can it be more of a hybridtype building? Mental health care and substance abuse are big issues in our community. Can this be the Orleans Parish treatment facility for addiction and for mental health? Maybe we could use that facility with the city's help. It could be a hybrid or shared space with the city. It could also be diversion centers for those coming into the jail whose main issues are addiction and mental health.

As a police monitor, I saw people who get nervous just being addressed by NOPD, and maybe they get combative or they won't comply with something, and then they end up in jail or theres a use of force when they really weren't committing any crime to begin with. We want to make sure that if those types of things happen, we're getting them diverted to the help that they need as opposed to locking them up in this jail, which is not going to make them better.

Gambit: You are the first Black woman to be elected as a sheriff in Louisiana. Do you feel a burden of history as a result of that?

Hutson: We've been talking about it a lot the last couple of months, so I'm kind of wearing it naturally. This morning we went to churches to say, Thank you, and there were a number of little girls there, and the pastors would say, "This is the first Black woman to be elected." And then I said, "But I won't be the last, right? I'm going to open this door, and then you can be whatever you want to be." That hit home today. And those little girls just smiling  that gets your heart strings. So, yeah, it has definitely set in, the magnitude of it. I want to be always cognizant of that. I opened this door. I don't want to close it behind me. I don't want to do anything to make it more difficult for somebody else to walk through  and I want to keep my promises. That's most important to me.

+4 Clancy DuBos' Da Winnas & Da Loozas of the 2021 elections The 2021 elections brought a watershed moment  and some harsh realities  to New Orleans politics.
When New Orleans officials announced sweeping coronavirus vaccine mandates for kids 5 and up Thursday, they broke ground as one of the first cities and public school systems to do so.

But with an expansive opt-out policy, mixed feelings among parents and COVID cases already rising again, it's not clear whether the move will be enough to temper school outbreaks by the time it comes into force in January.

The new mandate from Orleans Parish School Board requires vaccines for children ages five and up. The city also expanded the existing vaccination requirement (or negative test) to children in that age group to enter some businesses, such as restaurants, indoor gyms, skating rinks, bowling alleys, hotel ballrooms and arcades.

Omicron cases reach 93 in Louisiana, outpace U.S. average, as health officials prepare for more State health officials have identified 48 more cases of the omicron variant in Louisiana, bringing the states total to 93 infections that hav

Parent groups outside of New Orleans have chafed at requirements aimed at preventing the spread of COVID, including mask and vaccine rules. But New Orleans residents have been more open to getting the shot than people in other parts of the state, and some local school administrators said they didn't awake Friday to inboxes full of angry e-mails or calls.

Jamar McKneely, chief executive officer of the Inspire NOLA charter network, said a few parents have opted out so far, but for the most part things have gone smoothly.

The 6,000-student charter network already has about 65% of students vaccinated and 98% of staff. The exemption form will be made available for parents and the system will hold a few vaccination events to help parents schedule the shots in January.

Most of Inspire NOLAs charter schools have vaccine compliance for other childhood immunizations above 90%, according to data from the Louisiana Department of Health.

Its just an educational opportunity for our families, said McKneely. When they understand the data points, theyll be able to accept it as the normal shot.

Still, not everyone feels that way. According to a poll of one thousand parents with children at public, private and homeschools in New Orleans conducted by Tulane Universitys Cowen Institute in October, 48% of parents oppose mandatory vaccinations for students, while 44% are in favor.

Vincent Rossmeier, policy director at the Cowen Institute, said some parents will need to balance their hesitancy of the vaccines with an overwhelming desire to have kids in school in person.

Its an open-ended question of how this plays out, said Rossmeier. One of the biggest findings from our poll is that parents want their kids in school. If you want that to happen, the safest way to do that is to have kids vaccinated.

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While about 80% of adults in New Orleans are fully vaccinated, only 32.5% of kids ages 5 to 17 have received both shots.

Michael Walker, a 44-year-old parent of three children in the age group that will soon fall under the mandate, said his children get their other required immunizations. But he is not ready to vaccinate them against COVID-19 and would prefer to have more data over a longer period of time.

We should have mandates, 100%, for certain vaccines, said Walker, an engineer whose children attend Lusher Charter School. Im not against mandates for schoolchildren, because I want my children protected. What I am against is mandates when the science isnt settled yet.

Pediatricians and infectious disease experts say the evidence is clear, however. A gold standard randomized clinical trial in children has proven the vaccines safety, said Dr. Mark Kline, an infectious disease expert and physician in chief of Childrens Hospital New Orleans.

Too many parents incorrectly believe that their children are not at risk for this virus, said Kline.

+2 Louisiana health experts warn of coming COVID surge, say now is time to prepare for omicron A year after Louisiana began rolling out coronavirus vaccines in what many hoped would bring an end to the pandemic, the omicron variant has s

While the risk of death from COVID-19 is low for children  and even lower in healthy children  Kline points out that nearly 1,000 children have died of COVID-19, with many thousands more suffering complications from multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a condition that can emerge several weeks after COVID infection. Others struggle with long COVID.

Its fine to do those calculations in your head, said Kline. But the risk of death is 100 percent if it happens to be your child who dies. You can play the odds, but there are going to be winners and losers when we do that. What were all trying to do  pediatricians, pediatric infectious disease specialists  were trying to save as many lives as we can.

And as the holidays and Mardi Gras approach, the policies are aimed at limiting the infection of as many children as possible.

Cases in Louisiana reached 3,416 on Friday, according to an update from the Louisiana Department of Health, an increase of 67% from the week prior and 80% from one month ago.

A rise in cases is likely fueled by increasing numbers of the omicron variant. The Louisiana Department of Health identified 31 more cases of omicron on Friday, for a total of 124 cases since Dec. 3. The majority of those cases  94  are in the New Orleans area.

We feel very confident in saying that omicron is now circulating throughout our state, and that the proportion of cases attributable to omicron is likely to increase dramatically over the next few weeks, said Theresa Sokol, state epidemiologist, in a statement.
After he crashed his pickup truck in the French Quarter and New Orleans police stopped him on suspicion of drunk driving late Thursday, a senior official in Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration demanded that the cops call NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson and warned, Youre going to regret doing this, investigators allege.

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Peter Bowen, who oversees short-term rental regulation, also allegedly looked through his glove compartment for a badge and told officers that they wouldnt be able to get him to comply with their orders because he could bench-press more than 400 pounds, according to an NOPD report that The Times-Picayune obtained late Friday.

Cantrell has suspended Bowen, 33, without pay pending an investigation into his conduct. Officers booked him into the Orleans Parish jail on counts of driving while intoxicated, criminal property damage, driving without insurance and other traffic offenses.

In their report, police describe encountering Bowen after he allegedly crashed his Ford F-150 into two parked cars and poles supporting balconies on two homes and one business at the corner of Dumaine and Chartres streets about 11:05 p.m.

Officers spotted Bowen asleep in the drivers seat with his pickups engine running, police wrote in the report. A sergeant woke Bowen, who slurred, had the smell of alcohol on his breath, and was unable to stand on his own, police alleged.

Bowen at one point allegedly dug through his glove box and  when the sergeant asked what he was doing  said, Looking for my badge.

Officers said they then took Bowen to the NOPDs DWI testing facility on Tchoupitoulas Street, where he allegedly lay on the ground and yelled, Call Shaun Ferguson. Officers eventually got Bowen to his feet while police read him his rights, the report added.

Bowen allegedly declined to undergo either a field sobriety test or what is commonly known as a Breathalyzer test, instead repeating to officers, Call Shaun Ferguson.

At one point he allegedly threatened retribution.

Youre going to regret doing this. Youre going to be suspended for a year, Bowen said, according to the documents.

While allegedly ignoring orders to sit down in a chair, Bowen said he could bench-press 405 pounds, a remark that officers interpreted as a taunt that they would be unable to get him  to comply.

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Bowen repeatedly said he was a deputy CAO at City Hall and warned at least one officer that he would not fare well if he didnt stop what he was doing, police alleged in the report.

Paramedics brought Bowen to University Medical Center after he complained that officers handcuffs had hurt his wrists, officers wrote in their report.

After medical staff evaluated him at the hospital, officers booked Bowen with DWI and four other counts. Police described Bowens level of impairment as extreme.

Bowen allegedly refused to sign the citation that officers gave to him, which ordered him to appear at New Orleans Traffic Court on March 17.

City spokesperson Beau Tidwell said in a prepared statement Friday morning that Cantrell expected Bowen to be held accountable for his alleged actions.

"The mayor's office is aware of the incident, which is under active and ongoing investigation by the NOPD. Mayor Cantrell expects full accountability in this matter," Tidwell said.

Attempts to reach Bowen were unsuccessful.

Bowen is the second member of Cantrell's senior staff to be arrested on allegations of driving while intoxicated this year and the third-high profile DWI arrest across city government.

Police arrested Collin Arnold, the city's emergency preparedness director, in January after they allegedly found him asleep in his city-owned vehicle after crashing into a parked car. He returned to his job after a 60-day unpaid suspension. Arnold has pleaded not guilty.

District D City Council member Jared Brossett was arrested on suspicion of DWI in October, in the middle of his campaign for an at-large seat on the council. It was Brossett's third arrest for drunk driving. He suspended his campaign and did not appear at council meetings for about a month. He said he needed the time to seek inpatient treatment. The case has been pending.

Bowen oversees short-term rental regulation as head of the Office of Business and External Affairs. He was a controversial hire in July 2020 because he had previously worked as an executive for Sonder Holdings Inc., a major short-term rental operator in the city. A financial disclosure in May showed that he continued to hold stock in the company worth between $50,000 and $99,999.

Bowen has said he is not allowed to dispose of the stock while Sonder is privately held. The company has a tentative merger deal to go public by the end of January. Bowen is not allowed to participate in any Sonder transaction with the city, according to an August opinion of the State Ethics Board, which approved the administration's plan to put a subordinate in charge of its dealings with the company.
Over this past week, 49 more deaths have been attributed to coronavirus in Northwest Indiana, health department data said.

In the midst of a nationwide increase in cases, several national medical associations have called for Americans to get vaccinated and get booster shots during the holiday season.

As the delta variant and new omicron variant contribute to a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the county, we double down on our call for all eligible Americans to get vaccinated and to get their booster shots," said Kelly Jakubek, of the American Medical Association.

The American Hospital Association and American Nurses Association joined in the call to action, spotlighting the impact the pandemic has had on the medical community, those who have suffered severe symptoms and those who have lost loved ones.

"Science has shown that receiving a booster shot decreases your chance of contracting COVID-19, getting severely sick, ending up in the hospital or dying," Jakubek stated. "As families get together for the holidays, now is the time to do your part to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community."
GARY  Three people were arrested late Thursday returning to the scene of a carjacking, police said.

A DoorDash driver told Gary police he was walking out of the Citgo gas station in the 5300 block of West 15th Avenue about 11 p.m. when three males got out of a red SUV and one pointed a gun at his head, Cmdr. Jack Hamady said.

The gunman told the driver, "Give me all your (expletive)," and took a lanyard off his neck along with the keys to his gray 2015 Ford Fusion, police said.

The gunman told the driver to run across the street. As the driver did that, the males took off in his Ford as the red SUV followed.

Police reviewed gas station surveillance video and learned the SUV was a red Acura MDX, Hamady said.

Officers were in the parking lot speaking with the Ford's owner a short time later when they noticed a red Acura MDX drive by and turn south on Burr Street. An officer caught up with the MDX and pulled the driver over.

During the traffic stop, a 17-year-old Hammond boy appeared to be reaching for something under the rear passenger seat, police said.
LAPORTE COUNTY  Two men were arrested after crashing into a downtown LaPorte business during a pursuit, police said. Cocaine and marijuana were found in the vehicle.

At 3:20 p.m. Thursday, Indiana State Trooper Jacob Raupp was in the area of Indiana 2 east of LaPorte when he saw a silver Ford Taurus speeding at 80 mph, said Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield.

Raupp pulled the vehicle over but as he walked toward the Taurus, the driver fled heading west toward LaPorte at high speed.

The vehicle led a chase, but as the driver attempted to turn from Ind. 2 onto Clay Street in downtown LaPorte, he crashed into the corner of a business called Country Caterers, Fifield said.

After crashing, the vehicle was not drivable, and the driver and passenger ran away from the wreck, leading a foot chase.

As the driver ran south on Clay Street, Raupp chased him through the alley to Jackson Street, where the suspect tripped and fell. Raupp then arrested the driver and used his dash cam footage to get a description of the passenger.

The LaPorte Police Department was able to swiftly find the passenger, who was identified as Ricardo Ramirez, 27, of South Bend.
CROWN POINT  Lake County prosecutors dropped charges Thursday against a man charged with attempted murder after a shooting involving a neighbor in 2019 left him wounded and his dog dead.

Guy T. Louise, 60, of unincorporated Crown Point, and the neighbor had been feuding for years before the shooting Nov. 25, 2020, in the 6000 block of West 109th Avenue, according to Lake Criminal Court records.

Louise's attorney Matthew Fech said after Louise was charged in February 2020 that Louise had an entirely different story to tell than what was presented in charging documents and news coverage.

According to court records, the neighbor told police he shot Louise's dog when it charged him, and Louise began shooting at him. The neighbor said he returned fire. Louise suffered a gunshot wound to his face.

Louise was charged with attempted murder, battery by means of a deadly weapon and criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon.

Lake County Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Burke filed a motion to dismiss, which was granted Friday.
"What I'm asking for is still below what the average is in other communities surrounding East Chicago," Medina said.

Gonzalez said she is concerned that a salary increase for the city judge might cause the administration to want to eliminate the city court, such as was done in Hammond.

"That's a big concern for me," Gonzalez said.

Medina said that's a separate matter from the clerk's position, which he said is required by state law.

"There's a lot of responsibilities that come out of the city clerk's office, and they should be compensated," Medina said.

Councilwoman Debra Bolanos, D-At large, said she believes Medina deserves a raise but is considering how the community has suffered from the coronavirus pandemic.

"People have lost their homes" Bolanos said. "Can't pay rent. And I can't see myself agreeing to 75 (thousand). And to me, those are the people that are going to be very affected and very upset about that."

Councilman Dwayne Rancifer Jr., D-At large, said he also believes Medina should receive a raise.
MERRILLVILLE  Rental assistance is being provided to Lake County residents to decrease evictions and prevent homelessness, however the deadline for applications is fast approaching, officials said.

Because limited funding remains, the final day to apply to the Lake County Emergency Rental Assistance program is Dec. 31, according to a news release from Geminus. Renters who were impacted by the pandemic financially can apply for 12 months of financial assistance.

This program helped decrease evictions and prevent homelessness for thousands of tenants who were negatively affected by the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Bill Trowbridge, CEO of Regional Care Group, which is the network administrator for Geminus Corporation. And we are grateful to our partners for helping us provide much needed community assistance and relief.

Lake County township trustees and municipal housing authorities and local nonprofits including Lake Area United Way, Northwest Indiana Community Action, Catholic Charities, Legacy Foundation, The Salvation Army and other community outreach programs culminated to assist with this program.
In the first trial under the tough national security law imposed by China, a Hong Kong court convicted a protester of terrorism and inciting secession on Tuesday, a ruling that sets new limits on dissent and raises the risks of challenging Beijing.

The protester, Tong Ying-kit, was arrested last year on July 1, after he drove his motorcycle around a Hong Kong neighborhood with a protest banner, then collided with police officers who tried to stop him, injuring three.

Under the security law, which went into effect hours before his arrest, Mr. Tong could be sentenced to life in prison. The court will hand down his sentence at a later date, likely within weeks.

The trial was regarded as a test of how the citys traditionally independent courts would enforce the security law while upholding the citys much cherished civil liberties. In convicting Mr. Tong, the court showed the extent to which the new law would criminalize political speech.
The first time I saw the teaser trailer for Disneys Encanto  an animated musical set in Colombia  two feelings flooded me. First came a surge of excitement for what it could be. Then, almost instantly, a shift to the defensive. Theyd better not mess this up, I thought.

After Narcos hit Netflix in August 2015, glossing drug lords, the Medellin cartel and cocaine with a sheen of glamour, couples dressed for Halloween as Pablo Escobar and his wife, Maria Henao. Escobars mug shot and mustache were plastered onto canvas tote bags. Introducing myself as Colombian American became tinged with perceived intrigue  before Narcos, my peers may not have immediately associated Colombia with drug violence. Now, the country was a curiosity.

But Encanto was a chance for a new generation to view Colombia in a fresh light.

In October, I watched an early screening of Encanto for an article I was working on. Not long into the film  as towering wax palm trees filled the screen  my eyes glazed with tears. The filmmakers hadnt messed it up. Directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard, it turns out, had a close relationship with the Colombian filmmakers Juan Rendon and Natalie Osma, with whom they traveled on a research trip to Colombia. A group of Latino Disney Animation employees called Familia shared their experiences and perspectives to help shape the film. Charise Castro Smith, who wrote the screenplay with Bush and is a co-director, is Cuban American.

The movie captivated me, as someone who had grown up with my heritage held an arms length away from me. I knew where my fathers family came from  I had visited Colombia  but I always itched to know more. But what about my dad, who left home behind to build a new one?
Whatever story you have about the high point of your junior high school years, Tim Trombley has a better one. The rocker Alice Cooper once picked him up at his school in a limousine to take him to lunch.

That was one of the perks of having Rosalie Trombley for a mother.

From 1967 into the early 1980s, Ms. Trombley was the music director for CKLW-AM, a radio station based in Windsor, Ontario, with a signal so powerful that it was heard in dozens of states in the U.S., dominating the markets of Detroit and other Midwestern cities in the days before the emergence of FM. A 1971 headline in The Detroit Free Press called her The Most Powerful Lady in Pop Music, because her tastes went a long way toward determining what was played on the station, which in turn went a long way toward determining what was played in the rest of North America.

Sometimes, Mr. Trombley related in a phone interview, his mother would bring demo records home, and he would be allowed to play them. She noticed that he was playing one quite a lot: Mr. Coopers Im Eighteen.

She made it known to the label, to Warner Bros., Tim has been playing this song over and over, Mr. Trombley said, and she slipped it into CKLWs rotation. In late 1970 it became Mr. Coopers breakout hit. And so Mr. Cooper, a Detroit native, took young Tim to lunch one day as a thank-you.
Employers also are allowed to give their workers the option to be tested weekly instead of getting the vaccine, though they are not required to do so unless the worker has an exemption for medical or religious reasons. The rule makes an exception for employees who do not come into close contact with other people at their jobs, such as those who work at home or exclusively outdoors.

The administration estimated that 22 million people would get vaccinated and that 250,000 hospitalizations would be prevented because of the rule, which applies to more than 84 million workers.

Under a 1970 law, OSHA has the authority to pass a so-called emergency temporary standard, imposing new rules for workplace safety, provided it can show that workers are exposed to a grave danger and that the rule is necessary.

The Fifth Circuit panel ruled last month that the agency had exceeded that authority, blocking the government from carrying out the mandate. But the case was then reassigned to the Sixth Circuit, which was randomly chosen to consolidate numerous challenges against the rule that had been filed around the country.

In dissolving the Fifth Circuits block on Friday, the majority of the Sixth Circuit panel said that the agency had sufficiently demonstrated that measures against the coronavirus pandemic meet the standard laid out by Congress in the 1970 law that created the agency.

OSHA has demonstrated the pervasive danger that Covid-19 poses to workers  unvaccinated workers in particular  in their workplaces, Judge Stranch wrote, adding that the possibility of new variants cited by the agency when it issued the rule has borne out with the Omicron variant.

The majority opinion also rejected a constitutional challenge to the rule.

Judge Stranch, an Obama appointee, was joined by Judge Julia Smith Gibbons, who was appointed by President George W. Bush. In a brief concurring opinion, Judge Gibbons signaled that as a matter of judicial restraint the courts should defer to OSHAs expertise.
The chief executive of Southwest Airlines, Gary Kelly, tested positive for the coronavirus after appearing at a Senate hearing with other airline industry officials this week, the company confirmed on Friday.

Mr. Kelly tested negative several times before attending the hearing on Wednesday, but received a positive result after returning home and experiencing mild symptoms. Mr. Kelly, who is 66, is fully vaccinated, has received a booster shot and is resting at home, Southwest said.

Mr. Kelly appeared before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Wednesday to discuss the impact of billions of dollars of federal pandemic aid to the airline industry. He was joined in person by Scott Kirby, the chief executive of United Airlines; Doug Parker, the chief executive of American Airlines; John Laughter, the chief of operations at Delta Air Lines; and Sara Nelson, the head of the Association of Flight Attendants. Each was unmasked for at least part of the hearing. Many senators on the committee also did not wear masks, but they sat further apart from each other.

At one point during the hearing, Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, asked Mr. Kelly if passengers would ever be able to travel on planes without masks.
Weve nearly made it to the end of the year, and heres hoping you will soon be gathered (safely!) with the ones you love, eating something delicious for one of the very many holidays from now to New Years Day. In my book, this week, of all weeks, calls for a little indulgence, a culinary glow  all things creamy, lush, bubbling, tangy and bright.

This is my last newsletter of the year; my wonderful colleagues Krysten Chambrot and Margaux Laskey will write to you instead in the weeks to come. Ill see you in 2022! And Im always here at dearemily@nytimes.com. Write anytime.
The announcement followed canceled performances by a number of Broadway shows and decisions by some New York colleges to cancel some activities or conduct final exams remotely.

In another effort to contain the viruss spread, Ms. Hochul has also said that state officials planned to change the definition of fully vaccinated to include receiving a booster dose.

People who are certainly eligible, we want them to do it, but, in terms of requirement, we just have to make sure that we adapt to that flexibility required, but well get it done, the governor said in an interview on CNN. She noted that people who had recently been vaccinated were not yet eligible to receive booster shots.

In New York City in recent days, case counts have doubled from a week ago.

This big jump, that only happens when something big changes and the only big thing that has changed citywide is Omicron, said Dr. Denis Nash, an epidemiology professor at the CUNY School of Public Health. However, there is little reliable, up-to-date data indicating what percentage of the new cases in the city are being caused by the variant.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has encouraged New Yorkers to get booster shots expeditiously.

People need to get vaccinated right now, get that booster right now, he said on Thursday. If they are not feeling well, get tested right now. Its an urgent situation.

On Thursday, the mayor announced a plan to confront the surge in cases by, among other plans, distributing a million free KN95 masks and 500,000 at-home tests, enforcing mask and vaccine mandates more rigorously and expanding hours and capacity at city-run testing sites.

Many New Yorkers have been rushing lately to get at-home testing kits, with some stores selling out, and the lines of people waiting at some testing sites have wrapped around blocks. The Omicron variant has been tearing across New York, including among vaccinated people.
Follow our live coverage of the Ghislaine Maxwell trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

On Friday afternoon, near the end of the 12th day of Ghislaine Maxwells sex-trafficking trial, the judge overseeing the case had a question for Ms. Maxwell: Did she plan to take the witness stand?

Ms. Maxwell stood next to one of her lawyers, Bobbi C. Sternheim, whose arm was curled around Ms. Maxwells lower back as she spoke.

The government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, Ms. Maxwell said. And so, there is no reason for me to testify.

The jury, which was still out on an extended lunch break, never heard Ms. Maxwells voice.

Soon after, Ms. Maxwells lawyers rested their case, paving the way for closing arguments to begin Monday. With close to a full day of arguments expected and the judge needing to instruct the jurors on the law, it seemed likely that Ms. Maxwells case will be submitted to the jury early on Tuesday.
She found herself at the mercy of contractor estimates, figuring out costs based on what workers would tell her theyd charge. She eventually landed on Ikea cabinets and quartz countertops, keeping the budget under $55,000, including labor and architectural fees.

Ms. Zeilstra said she is happy to share what shes learned and how much shes spent. But so far, only one person has directly asked her about it, and he was a neighbor who flips houses for a living. Im very proud of the kitchen, she said. We worked for it. Its not like we robbed a bank.

Dr. Sherman, chairwoman of the sociology department at the New School for Social Research, argues that these conversations make people uncomfortable because theyre really conversations about income inequality. If you can afford quartzite countertops and custom cabinets at a time when millions of Americans live in poverty, your splurge brings inequity into focus. And if you walk into a friends house and ogle a kitchen that costs more than your annual salary, you may be made acutely aware of a class divide.

Class inequality is hiding in plain sight because we dont talk about it, Dr. Sherman said. Asking a person how much they spent on a renovation is broadly construed as inappropriate, which is fortunate for capitalism because it means that these kinds of inequalities can continue to proliferate.

On the flip side, your answers about how much you spent, or how you came up with the funds, may reveal the limits of your finances, especially if the person asking the questions would easily spend two or three times as much. There is shame associated with having debt, Dr. Sherman said. We live in a society that deeply shames people for being poor.

Our general discomfort with money may explain why we sometimes lie to ourselves, and in some cases even our partners, about it. Lisa Gilmore, an interior designer in St. Petersburg, Fla., had a client who once hid the cost of a dining room chandelier from her husband. To avoid admitting that the handblown glass and brass chandelier cost $15,000, the client asked Ms. Gilmore to bill her $5,000 and she would pay the balance out of a separate, personal account. The chandelier was a nonnegotiable for her and she didnt want to deal with the argument, Ms. Gilmore said. Even with their spouses, they dont want to tell.

Since Ms. Prentice, in West Palm Beach, started working on her house of endless fixes, her perspective about money has changed. Where she once bristled at questions, worried that someone would tell her shed overspent, she now sees opportunity. At this point, its almost comical because so many things have popped up wrong with this house, she said.
A man the authorities are calling the Shopping Cart Killer, whom they suspect in the deaths of at least four people across Virginia, is in custody after video evidence was used to connect him to two bodies found in an open lot, the police announced on Friday.

The man, Anthony Robinson, met victims on online dating sites, took them to motels to kill them and transported their remains in shopping carts to their final resting place, Kevin Davis, the Fairfax County police chief, said at a news conference on Friday. He added that there may be other victims in the area and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as in other states on the East Coast.

Mr. Robinson, 35, has been held at the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Regional Jail in Harrisonburg, Va., on two counts of murder since late last month after video evidence and phone records were used to connect him to two female victims whose remains were found in an open lot in the citys commercial district. The videos show Mr. Robinson dropping off the victims in the lot using shopping carts, Chief Davis said.

The Harrisonburg and Charlottesville Police Departments had been conducting separate missing persons investigations searching for the two women  Allene Elizabeth Redmon, 54, of Harrisonburg and Tonita Lorice Smith, 39, of Charlottesville  when their remains were discovered on Nov. 23, Kelley Warner, the Harrisonburg police chief, said on Friday.
It was the first public account by Ms. Potter of the mistake she said she made on the side of a road that day, which cost Mr. Wright his life and led prosecutors to file two manslaughter charges that could send her to prison for years. And it was another emotionally charged moment in the nations long, anguished history of controversial killings by police officers, particularly of Black men.

Ms. Potter, who resigned two days after the shooting, testified on Friday as the last of 33 witnesses whom jurors have heard from during the trial. The jury will begin to deliberate on Monday after lawyers for each side make closing arguments.

The case is a rare example of a police officer being charged for killing someone while on duty, made even more rare because the prosecution and defense agree that this shooting was an accident. Two-thirds of the roughly 15 police officers who claimed to mistake their guns for their Tasers over the past two decades were never charged.

But the shooting of Mr. Wright, which caused a week of volatile protests, received heightened scrutiny in part because it came during the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer later convicted of murdering George Floyd.

Over eight days of testimony, jurors have watched a series of videos and heard from more than a dozen police officers, as well as a psychologist, Mr. Wrights parents and Ms. Potters friends and colleagues. Many of them differed sharply on whether Ms. Potter had erred in trying to stop Mr. Wright from fleeing after a police officer tried to arrest him on a warrant for missing a court date on a gun charge.
Moderna has backed down in a bitter dispute with the government over who deserves credit for a crucial component of its coronavirus shot, in a case that has major implications for the vaccines future distribution and Modernas future profits.

Moderna has decided for now not to take the final step in securing a patent  making the payment that would allow it to be issued  because doing so could interfere with further discussions aimed at an amicable resolution with the National Institutes of Health, Colleen Hussey, a spokeswoman for Moderna, said on Friday.

She said the company also wanted to avoid any distraction to ongoing collaborations as it races to determine whether it will need to modify its shot or take other steps to fight the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

Moderna, whose vaccine grew out of a four-year partnership with the National Institutes of Health, maintains its position that its scientists alone deserve credit for the genetic sequence at the heart of the vaccine, but acknowledges that N.I.H. feels equally strongly that its scientists should be named as co-inventors, Ms. Hussey said.
The political operative Roger J. Stone Jr., a close ally of former President Donald J. Trump, appeared before the committee for a deposition on Friday. But he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to each of the panels questions because, he said, he feared that Democrats would fabricate perjury charges.

I did my civic duty and I responded as required by law, Mr. Stone said after the deposition. He then criticized the investigation as Witch Hunt 3.0, and accused the government of hiding potentially exculpatory video evidence about the attack on the Capitol.

Mr. Stone has claimed that he was leaving town as rioters stormed the Capitol. I did not march to the Capitol. I was not at the Capitol, he said, adding that he believed the violence was illegal and politically counterproductive.

But Mr. Stone promoted his attendance at the rallies on Jan. 5 and 6, solicited support to pay for security through the website stopthesteal.org and used members of the Oath Keepers militia group as personal security guards while he was in Washington. At least two of those members have been indicted on charges that they were involved in the Capitol attack.

To bolster the publics understanding of the attack, the committee is considering hiring several new staff members to analyze the vast amount of information that Mr. Trumps supporters posted on sites like Twitter, Facebook, Parler and YouTube in the weeks before and after the attack. These digital footprints could help congressional investigators connect players and events, or bring to light details that witnesses might not know or remember.
Theyre a hot item, Mr. Ho said. One guy came in and took all of them.

The difference between the United States and Europe is rooted partly in their differing health care systems, but also stems from a critical decision that the Biden administration made months ago: not to subsidize tests in the same way it subsidizes vaccines. Some Western countries decided early on to shoulder much, if not all, of the testing costs, guaranteeing demand and, some argue, lowering prices through purchasing agreements with major manufacturers.

The Biden White House only recently  in back-to-back announcements in September and October  committed to spending a total of $3 billion to buy tests. More than half has been spent on over-the-counter tests, senior administration officials said.

Its been a dreadful situation from Day 1 of the pandemic, and I would say its still botched, said Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research. We should have an ample supply of rapid tests freely available, as in Britain, Israel and some other countries, he added.

Earlier this month, Mr. Biden announced that at-home tests would be reimbursed by insurers for the 150 million Americans who have private insurance, and that the administration would distribute an additional 25 million tests to community health centers and rural clinics, which tend to treat lower-income patients.

But the announcement drew immediate complaints from public health experts, including Dr. Topol, who objected to requiring that people go through the process of seeking reimbursement. Dr. Topol said the notion that consumers would routinely front such costs in the hope of reimbursement was a nonstarter.

White House officials say they are working to further expand production of at-home tests, which would in turn create market competition and, presumably, drive down the cost. Demand is only expected to grow after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed a new approach on Friday for allowing children exposed to the coronavirus to stay in school, testing at least twice over the course of a week, instead of requiring them to quarantine.

We are continuing to do everything we can to continue to grow that supply, Carole Johnson, the testing coordinator for the White House coronavirus response team, said in an interview Friday.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, few people are being allowed in the courtroom for the trial of Kimberly Potter, the former police officer charged with manslaughter, except for Ms. Potter, the jury, the judge and other court staff, and lawyers for the prosecution and the defense. Three seats each are reserved for relatives of Mr. Wright and Ms. Potter, and two seats are saved for a rotating pool of journalists.

Here are the key people who are part of the trial.

The Prosecution
Two years ago, federal agents arrested Puerto Ricos former education secretary, Julia Keleher, as part of a sprawling corruption investigation whose accusations helped uncork public dissatisfaction with the islands leaders and contributed to the furious ouster of a young and ambitious governor.

The accusations against Ms. Keleher and another top official set off the very first protests in the summer of 2019 against former Gov. Ricardo A. Rossello, prompting him to rush home from a family vacation in France to what would turn out to be his final frenzied weeks in office.

On Friday, a federal judge in Puerto Rico sentenced Ms. Keleher to serve six months in prison and 12 months of house arrest and pay a $21,000 fine. She had pleaded guilty in June to two felony counts involving conspiracies to commit fraud.

Ms. Kelehers sentencing came amid a new spate of corruption arrests  three mayors in three weeks  that has dominated headlines in Puerto Rico. One former mayor, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and receive kickbacks, was accused this month of awarding contracts worth nearly $10 million to an asphalt company that paid him off with cash and luxury wristwatches.
ROME  Pope Francis on Friday welcomed seven new ambassadors to the Holy See, calling again on the international community to intensify its efforts of cooperation so that all people will have ready access to vaccines.

This is not a matter of convenience or courtesy, he added, but of justice as the pandemic continues to cause pain, suffering and loss of life around the world.

Francis has spoken out repeatedly about the importance of vaccination, calling it a lifesaving obligation. In August, he even appeared in a public service ad to emphasize that vaccination was a moral responsibility.

In his Christmas message last year, Francis singled out world leaders and international organizations and called on them to ensure that the neediest had access to the vaccines, which were being introduced at the time.
Two Iranian lawyers and a civil rights activist were among a group organizing a legal challenge to Irans top leader and the government over their disastrous handling of the pandemic.

But before they could even file their complaint, they were seized and incarcerated.

Now known on Iranian social media as the health defenders, their case has attracted widespread attention, even though their trial in Tehran is not open to the public.

We were still discussing the complaint and what to do when 15 intelligence agents from the judiciary violently broke into the office and arrested us, the civil rights activist, Mehdi Mahmoudian, said in a phone interview from Tehrans high-security Evin prison, where he is being held along with his co-defendants, Mostafa Nili and Arash Kaykhosravi, both lawyers.
Richard Rogers, the Pritzker Prize-winning British architect whose inviting, colorful modernism forever altered the cityscapes of Paris and London, died on Saturday at his home in London. He was 88.

His son, Roo Rogers, confirmed the death. No cause was given.

With his striking designs for the tubular Pompidou Center in Paris; the vast Millennium Dome in London, which seemed to hover like an alien spaceship; and the brash Lloyds of London building, with its soaring atrium, Mr. Rogers turned architecture not just inside out but also on its head.

When he was awarded the Pritzker, architectures highest honor, in 2007, the jury cited his unique interpretation of the Modern Movements fascination with the building as machine and said he had revolutionized museums, transforming what had once been elite monuments into popular places of social and cultural exchange, woven into the heart of the city.

He did have his critics, however, particularly early on.

One rainy day in 1977, the Italian-born Mr. Rogers was standing on a street in Paris admiring the soon-to-open Pompidou Center  then a beleaguered, much pilloried, radical-looking structure he had designed with his friend the Italian architect Renzo Piano  when an elegantly dressed woman offered him shelter under her umbrella. She then asked him if he knew who had designed the building. When he announced proudly, Madame, it was me!, he recalled in his 2017 memoir, A Place for All People, she whacked him on the head with the umbrella and marched off.
Dealmakers of the year: Step forward, David Zaslav and Keith Creel. Mr. Zaslav, the chief of Discovery, maneuvered himself to the helm of a blockbuster media deal that combined his firm with AT&Ts larger WarnerMedia unit in a $43 billion deal. Mr. Creel, who leads the railroad operator Canadian Pacific, beat out his former employer, Canadian National, in a long-running bidding war for Kansas City Southern that had more twists and turns than a steep mountain pass. Whats more, his $31 billion winning bid was lower than the rival offer, but won the day when it brought more regulatory certainty.

Dealbreakers of the year: Hello, Lina Khan and Gary Gensler. As part of his push to rein in corporate power, President Bidens picks to run key regulatory agencies  Ms. Khan at the Federal Trade Commission and Mr. Gensler at the Securities and Exchange Commission  rattled boardrooms and trading floors from Wall Street to Silicon Valley. Big Tech firms preemptively petitioned for Ms. Khan to recuse herself from antitrust investigations and Mr. Genslers speeches about tightening rules for crypto, SPACs and other industries made waves.

Deal that captured the 2021 zeitgeist: In the year of the meme stock, Robinhood reigned. The no-fee brokerage firm, whose app was the tool of choice for traders who fueled the frenzy in GameStop, AMC and others, went public in July and briefly became a meme stock itself. It has since given up its early gains, like many other meme stocks.

The deal that never was: The $30 billion acquisition of Willis Towers Watson by Aon was announced with great fanfare  for an insurance deal  in March 2020, and things went slowly downhill from there. The Justice Department sued in June this year to block the deal, and the companies gave up about a month later, rather than fight it in court. It was the Biden administrations first challenge to a potential merger, and its success set the tone for a broader push against corporate consolidation.

Honorable mention: Pinterest investors loved the punchy price that was pitched by PayPal, but the payment firms shareholders werent pleased so it pulled the plug.

Do-over deal: Less than a week after Didis blockbuster initial public offering in New York in June, China cracked down on the Beijing-based company, halting new user sign-ups and ordering it off app stores. Caught in the escalating tension between China and the United States, Didis time in New York didnt last long: Six months after its I.P.O., during which its market value fell by half, Didi announced that it would delist from New York and shift its shares to Hong Kong.

Honorable mention: Two years after a spectacularly failed I.P.O., as the pandemic threatened its core co-working business, WeWork went public in October via a SPAC deal, managing to raise more than $1 billion in the process. Adam Neumann, the companys ousted founder, said there had been multiple lessons and multiple regrets.

Deal of the year, D.C. edition: What started as a $2 trillion proposal that included money for human infrastructure like home health care emerged from the horse-trading process as a narrower $1 trillion package focused on the physical upkeep of roads, bridges, public transit and broadband internet. Still, President Bidens bill, signed into law last month, represented the largest investment in infrastructure in more than a generation  and an increasingly rare example of bipartisan compromise.

Cryptos coming out party: It was a big year for all things crypto, but Coinbase stood out. The cryptocurrency exchanges public listing in April, which saw its value climb to nearly $90 billion on its first day of trading, marked the moment that dealing in digital tokens went mainstream. Well, that and all the crypto firms hiring lobbyists in Washington.

Honorable mentions: The first Bitcoin exchange-traded funds were approved, exposing a wider group of investors to the assets; the artist known as Beeple sold a jpeg for $69 million, helping establish nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, as a cottage industry; and the Staples Center in Los Angeles will soon become the Crypto.com Arena.

Trader of the year: Some investors rely on sophisticated algorithms to tell them when to buy and sell. The richest man in the world just runs a Twitter poll. He asked his millions of followers if he should sell 10 percent of his considerable holdings in Tesla, they said yes, and he obliged. The abrupt sale of more than $10 billion in stock, and counting, made more sense when it became clear that Mr. Musk was already facing a huge tax bill for exercising stock options due to expire. Also, he regularly demonstrated his ability to move the price of Bitcoin with his tweets  and managed to give Dogecoin a shout out on Saturday Night Live.

SPAC innovatation attempt of the year: Bill Ackmans $4 billion special purpose acquisition company is the largest ever raised, and when it identified a deal target this year, it broke more new ground: A complex proposal to buy 10 percent of Universal Music, which unexpectedly spawned a new species of blank-check firm as part of the transaction. Alas, the deal was rebuffed by regulators and the SPAC was hit with a lawsuit. The billionaires hedge fund bought the Universal stake instead, but he pressed ahead with his plan for a new type of vehicle, which he called a SPARC, that he said improves on the traditional SPAC structure. In a SPARC, investors put in no money upfront and sponsors, like Ackman, have no deadline to find a merger partner. Its a blank check for a blank check. (Regulators are wary of that, too.)

Most shocking SPAC deals: Electric vehicle makers have charged into SPAC mergers, but some high-profile companies short-circuited this year: Nikola and Lordstown ousted their chiefs as they struggled to fulfill lofty promises. (Nikolas Trevor Milton was later charged with fraud.) Speaking of lofty promises, a spate of electric flying taxi companies also inked SPAC deals this year, and some found the going as tough as for their ground-based counterparts: Archer Aviation was mired in a legal battle over trade secrets shortly after announcing its merger with a SPAC.
As a designer who specializes in residential structures, Luis Martinez has lived this at home, and has now made it his career. His design business, Studioo15, has surged over the past two years as residents across Los Angeles have used the new state laws to add thousands of backyard units. Yet about half of his clients, he said, are people like his parents who want to have existing units legalized.

Bernardo and Tomasa Martinez, both in their early 60s, immigrated to Los Angeles from Mexico in 1989. Working in the low-wage service sector  she was a waitress; he worked as a laborer loading a truck  they settled in a two-bedroom house in South Los Angeles that had four families and 16 people. Luis Martinez, who crossed the border as a child, was surrounded by love and family, in a house where money was tight and privacy nonexistent.

Eventually the family was able to buy a small three-bedroom in Boyle Heights, on the east side of Los Angeles. It sits on a block of fading homes that have chain link fences in the front and a detached garage out back. To supplement the family income, the Martinezes converted the garage into a rental unit without a permit. Bernardo Martinez and a group of local handymen raised the floor and installed plumbing that fed into the main house, while Luis helped with painting.

Luis remembers that nobody complained, probably because the neighbors were doing the same thing. It was normal, he said, like, I live in the garage and some garages were nicer than others.

Mr. Martinez went to East Los Angeles College after high school, then transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he got an architecture degree in 2005. In the years after graduation, when the Great Recession struck, his father lost his job and, after a spell of unemployment, took a minimum wage job mowing the lawn at a golf course. To help with bills, they rented the garage unit to Bernardo Martinezs brother for $500 a month. With the minimum wage, you cant afford to pay a mortgage and food for everybody, Tomasa Martinez said.

Home Sweet Legal Home

The point of informal housing is that its hard to see  it is built to elude zoning authorities or anyone else who might notice from the street.

Jake Wegmann, a professor of urban planning at the University of Texas at Austin, describes this as horizontal density, by which he means additions that make use of driveways and yard space, instead of going up a second or third floor. Because both the tenants and owners of these units dont want to be discovered, there is essentially no advocacy on behalf of illegal housing dwellers, even though the number of tenants easily goes into the millions nationwide.
Igenomix said in an emailed statement that despite funding the research, the company had not had access to the raw data and was waiting for it to be published in a peer-reviewed journal before commenting on the results.

The company, which was acquired by Vitrolife in July, said that 25 other studies  16 internal and nine independent  supported use of the test. In reality, the existing body of data shows mixed results about the tests effectiveness.

A 2018 independent study of patients with two or fewer previous failed transfers found that the test did not improve pregnancy outcomes, but the study used only a small sample of participants.

One Igenomix study from 2013 found that one in four women with repeated I.V.F. failure had a displaced window of implantation and concluded that those patients could benefit from using the test. A randomized clinical trial sponsored by the company from 2020 used a sample of mostly first-time patients, with some who had experienced up to a few failed attempts. The trial concluded that those who used the test had a significant improvement in live birthrates, but did not differentiate between first-time patients and those with previous failed transfers. Some scientists have also criticized the studys methodology as flawed.

The Igenomix statement said that given the latest Shady Grove study, more research was needed to determine whether the test could be clinically useful in all patients at the first appointment.

Dr. Doyle and her teams findings underscore critics ongoing concerns about the need for greater regulation of the I.V.F. industry. Its both irresponsible and unethical for clinics to sell I.V.F. add-ons that are scientifically unproven, said Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos, a patient advocate and the author of Silent Sorority.

While the test is certified and regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, it is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The E.R.A. is considered a laboratory-developed test, according to Igenomix, a category that can bypass F.D.A. scrutiny. (This same loophole allowed Theranos, the blood testing start-up founded by Elizabeth Holmes, to evade the agencys oversight. Ms. Holmes is on trial for fraud charges.)
This has been a turbulent Advent season at our Catholic parish. My family and I attend a church in New Haven, Conn., St. Marys, that was in the care of the Dominican friars for 135 years. But now no longer, because the Archdiocese of Hartford decided that its plans to consolidate New Havens parishes  a slew of lovely, fading churches in no-longer-very-Catholic neighborhoods  required using St. Marys and its attached residence as a hub for the archdioceses priests, which in turn required moving the Dominicans somewhere else.

The order, for whom our church has been a home for generations, preferred not to be shunted elsewhere. So after a negotiation carried on in a very Catholic style  meaning that the laypeople of the parish were barely informed it was going on  we received the announcement from on high that our priests would simply be departing.

It was a pretty brutal experience, but our church, I hope, will survive the trauma and thrive under its new pastors. For the archdiocese, though, the outcome seems like folly. The painful consolidation of parishes reflects, among other things, increasing shortages of priests. But the Dominican Order in the Eastern United States is flourishing, with many priests and vocations. So if, as seems likely, most of the Dominicans depart Connecticut entirely, for the sake of taking over one particularly lovely and well-situated church the archdiocese will have cost itself exactly the thing it needs most  ministers of the sacraments and preachers of the gospel.

This personal experience has tended to confirm my general sense that the leaders of my faith have  how to put this charitably  no clear idea what theyre doing. They are in a difficult position, managing decline and transformation, but even judged by that gentle standard, they are failing.
To arrest Jimmy Lai and close down the popular Hong Kong tabloid he founded, Apple Daily, China used a catchall clause in its draconian national security law banning collusion with external forces. On Monday, Mr. Lai and seven other pro-democracy activists were sentenced to prison on another charge  gathering last year to commemorate the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.

In mainland China, journalists face an array of bizarre charges such as picking quarrels and provoking trouble, which is what the journalist Zhang Zhan was accused of doing when she criticized Chinas response to Covid-19. In Turkey, insulting the president is a crime; in Russia, a favorite weapon against journalists and media outlets is to label them foreign agents.

Condemning the persecution of journalists is not about protecting a profession or an industry. For its reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists identifies journalists as people who cover the news or comment on public affairs in any media, including print, photographs, radio, television and online. That, with the internet and social media, covers a vast array of people who are basically exercising their fundamental right to speak out against the excesses of those in power  or anything else on their mind.

That tension is also a prerequisite for keeping tabs on those in power, as Americas founders understood. The press was far more partisan, less restrained and more often unscrupulous back when James Madison argued for what became the First Amendment. Yet he declared, and the legislators agreed, that the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.

When China imprisons Ms. Zhang, who is currently on a hunger strike, or Belarus kidnaps Mr. Protasevich, whose parents say was coerced into confessing that he tried to topple Mr. Lukashenko, or any other journalist is thrown in jail for not kowtowing to the powers that be, that bulwark is being brutally and deliberately violated. That this is happening in record numbers should sound loud alarms the world over.

For Americans, there has been an increasing infringement on press freedom in recent decades that once seemed anathema to the countrys ideals. Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama each waged their battles with the press. President Donald Trump went much further, calling some news outlets the enemy of the people. President Bidens administration has shown courage on certain fronts, such as standing down on efforts by federal prosecutors under Mr. Trump to secretly obtain phone and email records of journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists report, however, coincided with the ruling of a British court that Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, can be extradited to the United States to face charges under the Espionage Act.

It is most unfortunate that the U.S. government has chosen to continue to use a law as potent as the Espionage Act to pursue Mr. Assange. There is a debate about whether Mr. Assange is a journalist, but equating the publication of classified materials received from government sources with espionage strikes at the very foundations of a free press and should be rejected by Mr. Biden.
The signs and messages are everywhere: Cast a vote for Hong Kong and yourself. Candidates faces cover the pavement and walls from the city center to stalls in the wet markets on its outskirts. Government-sponsored billboards calling to improve electoral system, ensure patriots administering Hong Kong abound.

Hong Kong and Chinese government officials have for weeks been urging the public to vote in this weekends legislative election. But this is not a typical free and fair election: Its a selection process, thanks to an electoral overhaul with no meaningful participation from the opposition (not least because many are in jail).

The Chinese government wants this election to appear to be successful, as Beijing needs the facade of Hong Kong becoming more democratic. If the citizens of Hong Kong skip the vote, it would undermine the elections legitimacy.

I know firsthand what a meaningful and contested campaign looks like. When I ran in the 2016 legislative elections and won, the atmosphere was electric. Candidates teams occupied street corners, and citizens debated their favorites on social media. The whole city was mobilized; citizens could feel the weight of their vote.
When I was a freshman in college, I got pregnant. Unfortunately, this was in 1966, long before abortion was legal anywhere. I was trying to get an illegal abortion (I never wanted children), but when my widowed mother found out, she sent me to a home for unwed mothers in Texas (we lived in California). To avoid the shame she hid my pregnancy from all our friends and family.

After I gave birth, she toyed with the idea of adopting the baby herself (it didnt occur to her how shed explain that), until I told her she would have to choose me or the baby. She chose me, but when I came home, she withdrew my support for college and kicked me out of the house to support myself.

So, Justice Barrett, safe haven laws arent the solution. An unwanted pregnancy can destroy a future, a marriage or even a life.

Karen Kempler

San Francisco

To the Editor:

As an adoptive parent, I didnt like the title of Elizabeths Spierss essay, I Was Adopted. I Know the Trauma It Can Inflict, and I didnt want to read it, but Im glad I did. I find myself in agreement.

We are fortunate to know our sons birth parents. While they were sure that placing their child for adoption was the right thing to do, it was incredibly hard for them. We went to the hospital for the placement ceremony two days after he was born. We stood there  the birth parents and my husband and I  and choked out a few words while the baby cried in a bassinet. Then we picked up the baby and took him away, and they went home without him.

Even as my heart filled with love for this new child, it was breaking for the pain and loss I saw on the birth parents faces. Justice Amy Coney Barrett acts as if its no big deal to put your baby up for adoption. Being pregnant when you dont want to be is a horrible quandary. Whatever path you choose, it is traumatic.

Ann Whitfield Powers

Portland, Ore.

To the Editor:

The birth mothers of all three of our now adult children have tearfully told me that they hope their child doesnt hate them for placing them for adoption. They are racked with guilt and have been for decades. Our children have wondered over the years why they were placed for adoption, but not their older or younger siblings.
If you managed to stay up late, you probably already knew: The very first moments of 2021 arrived with weird vibes. New Yorks traditional New Years Eve celebration was uncharacteristically muted. No sloppy kissing crowds jammed into Times Square, no messy bar crawls through the streets.

As the year ticked on, we had no boners  and we had no bones: Noodle the pug, a dog in a perpetual state of melting, showed up on TikTok skillfully illustrating the limp limbs of limbo. Given a chance to get out of bed, Noodle would often crumple with ennui. So did many of us.

Signs of disruption turned up from the start. The U.S. Capitol was attacked by rioters on Jan. 6, including a shirtless man wearing a horned helmet, people waving Confederate flags, someone in a sweatshirt with the words Camp Auschwitz on it and others wielding red-and-white flags representing the Republic of Georgia.

Just two days later, as the country caught a breath, an angsty song about a drivers license became the anthem we didnt know we needed. On Jan. 20, Twitter and Instagram were saturated with memes of Senator Bernie Sanders in a folding chair with his arms and legs crossed, hand-knit mittens on display. Waiting patiently for it all to end.
In the years since American boots on the ground gave way to a war of airstrikes in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, the U.S. military has made a central promise: that precision bombs and drones would kill enemies while minimizing the risks to civilians.

Recent investigations by The New York Times have undercut that promise. In September, The Times reported that a drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, which American officials said had destroyed a vehicle laden with bombs, had instead killed 10 members of a family. Last month, The Times reported that dozens of civilians had been killed in a 2019 bombing in Syria that the military had hidden from public view.

Now, a Times investigation has found that these were not outliers, but rather the regular casualties of a transformed way of war gone wrong.

Drawing on more than 1,300 documents from a hidden Pentagon archive, the investigation reveals that, since 2014, the American air war has been plagued by deeply flawed intelligence, rushed and imprecise targeting and the deaths of thousands of civilians, many of them children.
We wanted to find out more about the vaccine, and let it be tested more stringently, instead of it being on an emergency use authorization, he added. We wanted to wait until the F.D.A. fully approves it before we said, OK, now our daughter can be vaccinated.

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the Pfizer vaccine for use in children between the ages of 5 and 15, and it is fully approved for people 16 and older.

The Los Angeles school district said the mandate has already had a positive effect, even without enforcement. Megan K. Reilly, the interim superintendent, said in a statement last week that 87 percent of students between the ages of 12 and 18 had complied with the mandate. (Some of those may have been exempted rather than vaccinated, and some families whose children are vaccinated had not been counted because they had yet to upload proof of vaccination.)

This is a major milestone, Ms. Reilly said, and theres still more time to get vaccinated!

Dr. Shafir agreed that the compliance rate was impressive and said it was important to note that the decision to delay was made for logistical and infrastructural reasons. It is not being made for public health reasons, she said. Nothing has changed about the vaccine or about the need for the vaccine.

What did change is that officials realized that the students who remained unvaccinated  amounting to about 30,000  threatened to overwhelm the districts resources.

This summer, California lawmakers promoted independent study programs as an option for children who did not want to return to class during the pandemic. In Los Angeles, that led to a surge of interest in City of Angels, a program that had long offered independent learning plans, typically to accommodate students with odd schedules because of, say, health issues or acting jobs.
The rapid speed of confirmations this year came despite an evenly divided Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as a tiebreaker. But like Mr. Bidens legislative agenda, his judicial agenda is also facing challenges of its own.

Democrats have overwhelmingly racked up judicial victories in states represented by two Democratic senators. They are facing stronger headwinds in states represented by at least one Republican senator. Tennessee Republicans have already raised objections to Mr. Bidens pick for an influential appeals court there, the administrations first judicial nominee from a state represented by two Republican senators.

Beyond Republican-led efforts to slow-walk such nominees, Mr. Biden is also facing limited appellate vacancies from Republican appointees  which means he has little room to reshape the ideological balance of the courts. Of the appellate nominees Mr. Biden has named, only three of 10 would replace Republican appointees.

At the moment, the vacancies Mr. Biden is facing in the appeals courts are those created by Democratic appointees, said Russell Wheeler, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies the federal courts. So far, the percentage of Republican appointees on the court of appeals is almost unchanged from when Biden took office, he said.

The greatest threat the administrations effort may face, however, is the risk of losing control of the Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. Mr. Wheeler noted that Mr. Trump had nominated 54 circuit court judges over four years with a Republican-controlled Senate.

If Biden loses the Senate, its not going to be talking about How many appointees, Mr. Wheeler said. Its going to be talking about whether theres going to be any at all.

In total, Mr. Biden has sent 71 judicial nominees to the Senate for consideration.

The Senate also early Saturday confirmed on a voice vote 41 ambassadors, including Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago, as U.S. ambassador to Japan. That vote came about as part of a deal with Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, who had blocked the nominees in his push for a vote on sanctions over a Russian-backed gas pipeline. After Mr. Cruz finally won a promise for a vote on the sanctions, Mr. Schumer was able to push the nominees through.
A self-imposed Christmas deadline to pass a $2 trillion social safety net and climate change bill through the Senate came and went, with one senator in particular, Mr. Manchin, looking increasingly intransigent.

Other promises to overhaul the nations crippled immigration laws, force the conversion of electric utilities to renewable energy, strengthen gun safety laws and reform policing rules appear dead.

Even raising the borrowing limit to make sure the federal government did not default on debt incurred under both Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden could only be accomplished by the most convoluted of legislative machinations.

Welcome to the United States Senate. Ive been here for 25 years and Ive seen the decline of this institution to the point where we no longer function as we once did, said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat. He added, Until we change the rules of the Senate and get serious about legislating on behalf of the American people, were going to continue to suffer this frustration.

Lawmakers from both parties blamed their opponents for the malaise hanging over the Capitol. Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, said any number of issues might have been resolved  as the infrastructure issue was  if Democrats had simply approached open-minded Republicans to find solutions.

He pointed to an income security plan he rolled out in February that could have been the basis for negotiations as the Democrats struggled to extend their $300 child credit beyond 2021. No one even broached the subject with him, he said.

Liberal lawmakers bristled at the accusation, given the Republican Partys refusal to recognize the grave threat to democracy that Mr. Trump represents through his lies about a stolen election and the manipulations of the party ahead of the next elections. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, said her party had openly begged Republicans to join us in crafting a voting rights bill that we could all support, and they have consistently refused.
Republicans, who have vastly more control over redistricting nationally than Democrats do, defend their maps as legal and fair, giving a range of reasons.

Kirk Smith, the Republican chairman of Lee Countys board of commissioners, said that to say only a person of a certain racial or ethnic group can represent only a person of the same racial or ethnic group has all the trappings of ethnocentric racism.

In North Carolina and elsewhere, Republicans say that their new maps are race-blind, meaning officials used no racial data in designing the maps and therefore could not have drawn racially discriminatory districts because they had no idea where communities of color were.

During the 2011 redistricting process, legislators considered race when drawing districts, Ralph Hise, a Republican state senator in North Carolina, said in a statement. Through a spokesperson, he declined to answer specific questions, citing pending litigation.

His statement continued: We were then sued for considering race and ordered to draw new districts. So during this process, legislators did not use any racial data when drawing districts, and were now being sued for not considering race.

In other states, mapmakers have declined to add new districts with majorities of people of color even though the populations of minority residents have boomed. In Texas, where the population has increased by four million since the 2010 redistricting cycle, people of color account for more than 95 percent of the growth, but the State Legislature drew two new congressional seats with majority-white populations.

And in states like Alabama and South Carolina, Republican map drawers are continuing a decades-long tradition of packing nearly all of the Black voting-age population into a single congressional district, despite arguments from voters to create two separate districts. In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, said on Thursday that the Republican-controlled State Legislature should draw a second majority-Black House district.
Shirley Zussman, a sex therapist who was inspired by William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson, the researchers who demystified the mechanics of sex, and who continued seeing patients until she was 105, died on Dec. 4 at her home in Manhattan. She was 107.

Her son, Marc Zussman, confirmed the death.

In 1966, Dr. Zussman, a psychiatric social worker and psychotherapist, and her husband, Leon Zussman, a gynecologist and obstetrician, were invited to a lecture given by two sex researchers who were virtually unknown at the time: Dr. Masters, a gynecologist, and Ms. Johnson, a college dropout who had studied psychology.

At their St. Louis clinic, the couple (Dr. Masters was married to someone else at the time) had begun helping people improve their sex lives, using what they had learned in nearly a decade of clinical research studying the ways that men and women had sex and what gave them pleasure. Their book Human Sexual Response, which popularized the treatment of sexual dysfunction and helped liberate its sufferers from the analysts couch, had just been published and was not yet the runaway best seller it would become. But the lecture they delivered, as Dr. Zussman told Time magazine in 2014, the year of her centennial, resonated with her and her husband.

Dr. Masters and Ms. Johnsons research found that women could be multi-orgasmic, but not always or often  or, in some cases, ever  through penetration. The two were pro-masturbation and taught about it. It was a fraught cultural moment, as the buttoned-up 1950s gave way to what Dr. Zussman called the frantic hookups of the 1960s, and each period had in its own way been a recipe for performance anxiety and distress.
HONG KONG  The students sat quietly as soldiers goose-stepped into the Hong Kong high schools auditorium, hoisting a Chinese flag. The M.C.s spoke in Mandarin, the language of mainland China, rather than Cantonese, the citys predominant language. Then Carrie Lam, Hong Kongs chief executive, took the podium, to extol the importance of patriotism in the citys youth.

It was Mrs. Lams fourth visit to a school in recent weeks  a striking count for a leader who for two years had barely set foot on a campus. When anti-government protests engulfed the city in 2019, young people were among the most devoted participants, with high schoolers boycotting classes and forming human chains.

But now, as the scene this month at the school, Pui Kiu, made clear, things had changed: The pro-China side  and by extension, Mrs. Lam  was back in charge. While a Hong Kong cliche long held that the chief executive serves two masters, Beijing and the Hong Kong people, the 2019 protests and the ensuing crisis crystallized that only one really mattered.

With that clarity, Mrs. Lam, 64, lately seems to be a woman reinvigorated, nothing like the leader who, at the height of the protests, disappeared from view for days on end.
The beauty of the landscape is part of what has been drawing thousands of newcomers to the Atlantic provinces in recent months, many seeking rural idylls. Sometimes theyve been inspired by Schitts Creek, the Emmy Award-winning Canadian series in which a formerly rich family finds a sense of purpose in a small, rural town they happen to own.

To try and understand the demographic shift, I headed to Bonavista, a quiet fishing village about three and a half hours from St. Johns. The town is famously featured in the Canadian version of the song This Land is Your Land. It owes its name to Giovanni Caboto, a freelance Venetian explorer who reportedly exclaimed, O buon vista (Oh, happy sight!) when he spotted the town in 1497.

In Bonavista, I met Barbara Houston, an artist born in Saskatchewan who had moved there from Vancouver, drawn by the painterly landscape, sense of community and the low cost of living. A successful former architect turned artist whose work has included sculptures of sheep made from kelp, she is building a sleek geometric home studio overlooking the sea for about 325,000 Canadian dollars. Such an affordable space wouldve be unimaginable in Vancouver, she said.

I wanted to pursue my dream of being an artist, she told me. Here, everyone knows your name, she said, adding that the open skies reminded her of growing up in Saskatchewan.

The arrival of dozens of come from awayers like Ms. Houston is helping to revitalize Bonavistas economy after years of brain drain that followed the collapse of Newfoundlands cod stocks. But there are also tensions, mainly over exploding housing prices. Ms. Houston also told me she was taken aback after a Pentecostal preacher at a church near her studio gave a fire and brimstone speech, blasted on outdoor speakers, condemning abortion and same-sex marriage.

Crystal Fudge, a Bonavista economic official who owns a local kombucha business, told me that Bonavista felt like a dying town when she was growing up. These days, however, newcomers from Saskatchewan, Toronto and the United States drop by to buy her ginger kombucha. Her neighbors include an apothecary selling iceberg-infused soap mousse that reminded me of the shop owned by David Rose, the pansexual character played by Dan Levy on Schitts Creek.
PARIS  As president, the candidate said, she would eradicate zones of non-France, or neighborhoods with high crime, where the little old lady is told to stay home because there is a drug deal underway outside her apartment.

She would send in the army to help in the Republican reconquest of these areas where, she promised, offenders would be punished more severely under the law.

We have to eradicate them, she said during a prime-time debate, referring to the areas, and thats what I would do as president of the republic.

It was not Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, who was speaking, but Valerie Pecresse, the center-right candidate in Aprils presidential election.
Its really important that Londoners understand how serious things are, Mr. Khan said in a video posted by The Telegraph. The best thing Londoners can do is get both vaccines and the booster. They provide extra layers of protection.

The really bad news, he added, was that the vast, vast majority of those hospitalized are unvaccinated.

British health officials warned this week that the Omicron variant was doubling at a rate of less than every two days in parts of the country. While the effect on hospitalizations and mortality rates remained unclear, the National Health Service was likely to face a deluge of patients because of the explosive growth in cases, Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, said this week.

It is moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace, he said.

Countries around Europe are clamping down to push back against the spread of the Omicron variant. The Netherlands announced a full lockdown, Denmark closed theaters and concert halls, and Ireland instituted an 8 p.m. curfew for pubs.

In Britain, the surge of the virus has put intense pressure on political officials. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been under fire in recent weeks after reports that his staff held holiday gatherings at Downing Street last year at a time when the government was instructing people not to meet with friends and family.
BAGHDAD  Protesters in Baghdad hold a sit-in demanding that U.S. troops leave Iraq. Counterterrorism troops patrol streets. A federal court ponders whether to certify results of parliamentary elections two months ago.

But at the Baghdad International Fair grounds, almost no one cares about all that.

Inside is the Baghdad International Book Fair. Its not even the bigger book fair of the same name that the Iraqi government has sponsored for decades. But its a book fair nonetheless.

There, patrons savor the chance to browse aisles of paperbacks and hardcovers stacked on tables in pavilions from different countries. To pose for selfies in front of the fake volumes glued together and arranged to spell the word book. To revel in what to many Iraqis is the true, enduring character of Baghdad, far removed from political turmoil and security concerns.

There is a big gap between the people in the street and the political elite, said Maysoon al-Demluji, a former deputy minister of culture who was visiting the fair. People in the street are not that interested in what happens in politics.
TEL AVIV  With diplomatic efforts to curb Irans nuclear program teetering, Israels defense minister has ordered his forces to prepare a military option, warning the world that Israel would take matters into its own hands if a new nuclear agreement did not sufficiently constrain Iran.

But several current and former senior Israeli military officials and experts say that Israel lacks the ability to pull off an assault that could destroy, or even significantly delay, Irans nuclear program, at least not anytime soon. One current high-ranking security official said it would take at least two years to prepare an attack that could cause significant damage to Irans nuclear project.

A smaller-scale strike, damaging parts of the program without ending it entirely, would be feasible sooner, experts and officials say. But a wider effort to destroy the dozens of nuclear sites in distant parts of Iran  the kind of attack Israeli officials have threatened  would be beyond the current resources of the Israeli armed forces.

Its very difficult  I would say even impossible  to launch a campaign that would take care of all these sites, said Relik Shafir, a retired Israeli Air Force general who was a pilot in a 1981 strike on an Iraqi nuclear facility.
Early decision acceptance notices have just gone out from many highly rejective  they prefer selective  colleges, which means a lot of families are now trying to figure out how theyre going to make it work financially.

Heres a news flash: These supposedly binding offers do not, in fact, oblige you to attend. If you cant afford to go at the price that the college has asked you to pay, you can back out.

This seems to bear more than a little repeating, because people in positions of authority dont always know the facts. And even the folks who should know best can sow confusion about what are highly emotional, six-figure decisions that families must make.

Who gets it wrong? Im glad you asked.

This week, I happened upon a since-deleted blog post by an associate director of admissions at New York University. The post, which had an October 2021 date next to it on the schools admissions office website, purported to correct early decision myths  and included a lot of bogus info.
If the infected person is a child, call your pediatrician. You also need to call your childs school, as well as anyone theyve had close contact with at play dates, parties or other activities.

What treatment options do I have?

Monitor your symptoms. You can use a pulse oximeter to keep track of your blood oxygen levels. Most healthy people will get an oxygen reading around 95 to 99 percent. You should seek medical advice if the reading drops quickly or the level dips to 93 percent or lower. The devices can be less accurate for people with darker skin, so pay attention to the trend. If your reading drops by four points, its worth checking in with a doctor. You should also see a doctor if you take a turn for the worse, have trouble breathing or have any symptom that causes you concern. You can learn more in our story, Why Days 5 to 10 Are So Important When You Have Coronavirus.

Ask your doctor if you are eligible for monoclonal antibodies, a treatment that can help your body fight Covid-19 and lower your risk for severe illness, particularly for people in a high-risk group. For monoclonal antibody therapy to be most effective, it needs to be given soon after diagnosis, even if youre not feeling bad yet. If you dont have a regular doctor, you can also contact the infectious disease clinic at your hospital and ask about the treatment, said Dr. Celine Gounder, an epidemiologist at N.Y.U. medical school.

Only one monoclonal antibody treatment, sotrovimab made by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology, has performed well against Omicron in laboratory experiments. Although the supply of sotrovimab is very limited, the Biden administration is in talks with GlaxoSmithKline about securing more doses to be delivered by early next year.

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized two different oral treatments for people who are vulnerable to becoming severely ill because they are older or have medical conditions such as obesity or diabetes. Paxlovid, developed by Pfizer, is authorized for high-risk patients age 12 and older, and is meant to be taken as 30 pills over five days. Another pill treatment from Merck, known as molnupiravir, has been authorized for people 18 and older, and is meant to be taken as 40 pills over five days.

When can I stop isolating?

To calculate your five-day isolation period, count your first day of symptoms as Day 0. If you never had symptoms but have a confirmed positive test, count Day 0 as the day you tested.

You can leave isolation after five days if you dont have a fever and any symptoms you had are getting better. If your symptoms persist or get worse, if you are immunocompromised or are severely ill with Covid, consult with your health care provider about when to leave isolation, which may last between 10 and 20 days.
THE CIVILIAN CASUALTY FILES Hidden Pentagon Records Reveal Patterns of Failure in Deadly Airstrikes BY AZMAT KHAN

The promise was a war waged by all-seeing drones and precision bombs. The documents show flawed intelligence, faulty targeting, years of civilian deaths  and scant accountability.

This is the first part of a series. Part 2 examines the air wars human toll.

Shortly before 3 a.m. on July 19, 2016, American Special Operations forces bombed what they believed were three ISIS staging areas on the outskirts of Tokhar, a riverside hamlet in northern Syria. They reported 85 fighters killed. In fact, they hit houses far from the front line, where farmers, their families and other local people sought nighttime sanctuary from bombing and gunfire. More than 120 villagers were killed.

In early 2017 in Iraq, an American war plane struck a dark-colored vehicle, believed to be a car bomb, stopped at an intersection in the Wadi Hajar neighborhood of West Mosul. Actually, the car had been bearing not a bomb but a man named Majid Mahmoud Ahmed, his wife and their two children, who were fleeing the fighting nearby. They and three other civilians were killed.

Listen to This Article Audio recording by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android

In November 2015, after observing a man dragging an unknown heavy object into an ISIS defensive fighting position, American forces struck a building in Ramadi, Iraq. A military review found that the object was actually a person of small stature  a child  who died in the strike.

None of these deadly failures resulted in a finding of wrongdoing.

These cases are drawn from a hidden Pentagon archive of the American air war in the Middle East since 2014.

The trove of documents  the militarys own confidential assessments of more than 1,300 reports of civilian casualties, obtained by The New York Times  lays bare how the air war has been marked by deeply flawed intelligence, rushed and often imprecise targeting, and the deaths of thousands of civilians, many of them children, a sharp contrast to the American governments image of war waged by all-seeing drones and precision bombs.

The documents show, too, that despite the Pentagons highly codified system for examining civilian casualties, pledges of transparency and accountability have given way to opacity and impunity. In only a handful of cases were the assessments made public. Not a single record provided includes a finding of wrongdoing or disciplinary action. Fewer than a dozen condolence payments were made, even though many survivors were left with disabilities requiring expensive medical care. Documented efforts to identify root causes or lessons learned are rare.

The air campaign represents a fundamental transformation of warfare that took shape in the final years of the Obama administration, amid the deepening unpopularity of the forever wars that had claimed more than 6,000 American service members. The United States traded many of its boots on the ground for an arsenal of aircraft directed by controllers sitting at computers, often thousands of miles away. President Barack Obama called it the most precise air campaign in history.

This was the promise: Americas extraordinary technology would allow the military to kill the right people while taking the greatest possible care not to harm the wrong ones.

The ISIS caliphate ultimately crumbled under the weight of American bombing. For years, American air power was crucial to the beleaguered Afghan governments survival. And as U.S. combat deaths dwindled, the faraway wars, and their civilian tolls, receded from most Americans sights and minds.

On occasion, stunning revelations have pierced the silence. A Times investigation found that a Kabul drone strike in August, which American officials said had destroyed a vehicle laden with bombs, had instead killed 10 members of one Afghan family. The Times recently reported that dozens of civilians had been killed in a 2019 bombing in Syria that the military had hidden from public view. That strike was ordered by a top-secret strike cell called Talon Anvil that, according to people who worked with it, frequently sidestepped procedures meant to protect civilians. Talon Anvil executed a significant portion of the air war against ISIS in Syria.

The Pentagon regularly publishes bare-bones summaries of civilian casualty incidents, and it recently ordered a new, high-level investigation of the 2019 Syria airstrike. But in the rare cases where failings are publicly acknowledged, they tend to be characterized as unfortunate, unavoidable and uncommon.

In response to questions from The Times, Capt. Bill Urban, the spokesman for the U.S. Central Command, said that even with the best technology in the world, mistakes do happen, whether based on incomplete information or misinterpretation of the information available. And we try to learn from those mistakes. He added: We work diligently to avoid such harm. We investigate each credible instance. And we regret each loss of innocent life.

He described minimizing the risk of harm to civilians as a strategic necessity as well as a legal and moral imperative, driven by the way these casualties are used to feed the ideological hatred espoused by our enemies in the post 9/11 conflicts and supercharge the recruiting of the next generation of violent extremists.

Yet what the hidden documents show is that civilians have become the regular collateral casualties of a way of war gone badly wrong.

To understand how this happened, The Times did what military officials admit they have not done: analyzed the casualty assessments in aggregate to discern patterns of failed intelligence, decision-making and execution. It also visited more than 100 casualty sites and interviewed scores of surviving residents and current and former American officials. In the coming days, the second part of this series will trace those journeys through the war zones of Iraq and Syria.

Taken together, the reporting offers the most sweeping, and also the most granular, portrait of how the air war was prosecuted and investigated  and of its civilian toll.

There is no way to determine that full toll, but one thing is certain: It is far higher than the Pentagon has acknowledged. According to the militarys count, 1,417 civilians have died in airstrikes in the campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria; since 2018 in Afghanistan, U.S. air operations have killed at least 188 civilians. But The Timess analysis of the documents found that many allegations of civilian casualties had been summarily discounted, with scant evaluation. And the on-the-ground reporting  involving a sampling of cases dismissed, cases deemed credible and, in Afghanistan, cases not included in the trove of Pentagon documents  found hundreds of deaths uncounted.

The war of precision did not promise that civilians would not die. But before a strike is approved, the military must undertake elaborate protocols to estimate and avoid civilian harm; any expected civilian casualties must be proportional to the military advantage gained. And Americas precision bombs are indeed precise: They hit their targets with near-unerring accuracy.

The documents, along with The Timess ground reporting, illustrate the many, often disastrous ways the militarys predictions of the peril to civilians turn out to be wrong. Their lessons rarely learned, these breakdowns of intelligence and surveillance occur again and again.

Repeatedly the documents point to the psychological phenomenon of confirmation bias  the tendency to search for and interpret information in a way that confirms a pre-existing belief. People streaming toward a fresh bombing site were assumed to be ISIS fighters, not civilian rescuers.

Men on motorcycles moving in formation, displaying the signature of an imminent attack, were just men on motorcycles.

Often, the danger to civilians is lost in the cultural gulf separating American soldiers and the local populace. No civilian presence was detected when, in fact, families were sleeping through the days of the Ramadan fast, sheltering inside against the midsummer swelter or gathering in a single house for protection when the fighting intensified.

In many cases, civilians were visible in surveillance footage, but their presence was either not observed by analysts or was not noted in the communications before a strike. In chat logs accompanying some assessments, soldiers can sound as if they are playing video games, in one case expressing glee over getting to fire in an area ostensibly poppin with ISIS fighters  without spotting the children in their midst.

The military spokesman, Captain Urban, pointed out that, In many combat situations, where targeteers face credible threat streams and do not have the luxury of time, the fog of war can lead to decisions that tragically result in civilian harm.

Indeed, the Pentagon records detail how in Mosul in 2016, three civilians were killed when a bomb aimed at one car instead struck three  in part because the military official approving the strike had decided to save more-precise weapons for other, imminent strikes. Yet The Timess analysis of the documents and ground reporting showed that civilians were frequently killed in airstrikes planned well in advance.

Military officials often speak of their over the horizon long-range surveillance capabilities. But the documents repeatedly identify deficiencies in the quality and quantity of the video footage guiding intelligence.

Sometimes, only seconds worth of footage was taken before a strike, hardly enough to assess civilians presence. Often video shot from the air does not show people inside buildings, people under foliage, people under the aluminum or tarpaulin covers known as quamaria that shield cars and market stalls from the sun.

In more than half of the cases deemed credible by the military, one or two civilians were killed entering the target area after a weapon was fired. Officials often describe these as awful but inescapable accidents. But while many might have been averted through additional precautions  widening the surveillance cameras field of view or deploying additional drones  the phenomenon continued unabated, amid the intense pace of battle and a shortage of surveillance aircraft.

Hassan Aleiwi Muhammad Sultan, now 16 and in a wheelchair, was hit by an April 29, 2016, strike in East Mosul, Iraq, aimed at an ISIS recruiter. Ivor Prickett for The New York Times

And sometimes, for reasons redacted in the documents, the weapons simply miss. In April 2016 the military reported that it had killed a notorious Australian ISIS recruiter, Neil Prakash, in a strike on a house in East Mosul. Months later, very much alive, he was arrested crossing from Syria into Turkey. Four civilians died in the strike, according to the Pentagon.

Yet despite this unrelenting toll, the militarys system for examining civilian casualties rarely functions as a tool to teach or assess blame.

Not only do the records contain no findings of wrongdoing or disciplinary action, but in only one instance is there a possible violation of the rules of engagement. That stemmed from a breach in the procedure for identifying a target. Full investigations were recommended in fewer than 12 percent of the credible cases.

In many cases, the command that approved a strike was responsible for examining it, too. And those examinations were often based on incorrect or incomplete evidence. Military officials interviewed survivors or witnesses in only two cases. Civilian-casualty reports were regularly dismissed because video showed no bodies in the rubble, yet the footage was often too brief to make a true determination.

In his response to The Times, Captain Urban said, An honest mistake, on a strike taken with the best available information and in keeping with mission requirements that results in civilian casualties, is not, in and of itself, a cause for disciplinary actions as set forth in the law of armed conflict.

American officials had an opportunity to mine the documents for root causes and patterns of error in 2018, when the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the National Defense University undertook a study of civilian deaths. But one of the researchers who sought to analyze the documents in aggregate told The Times that almost all of his findings had been cut from the report. Another high-level study of the air campaign has never been made public.

In the end, what emerges from the more than 5,400 pages of records is an institutional acceptance of an inevitable collateral toll. In the logic of the military, a strike, however deadly to civilians, is acceptable as long as it has been properly decided and approved  the proportionality of military gain to civilian danger weighed  in accordance with the chain of command.

Lawrence Lewis, the former Pentagon and State Department adviser whose analysis for the 2018 study was quashed, said in an interview that the militarys technological prowess, and the highly bureaucratized system for assessing how it is employed, may actually serve an unspoken purpose: to create greater legal and moral space for greater risk.

Now we can take strikes in city streets, because we have Hellfire missiles, and we have fancy things with blades, he said. We develop all these capabilities, but we dont use them to buy down risk for civilians. We just use them so we can make attacks that maybe we couldnt do before.

The Promise of Precision

The new way of war came to fruition in the wake of the 2009 surge of American troops into Afghanistan, which brought some stability but never turned the war around.

By the end of 2014, with NATOs mission also ending, President Obama declared Americas ground war essentially done. Henceforth, the United States would primarily provide air support and advice for Afghan forces battling the Taliban.

At roughly the same time, as Islamic State fighters swept through Mosul and massacred thousands of Yazidi Kurds at Mount Sinjar, Mr. Obama authorized a campaign of airstrikes against ISIS targets and in support of allied forces in Iraq and Syria.

The weaponry was hardly untested. This high-tech arsenal, increasingly sophisticated, had been critical to success in the 1991 Persian Gulf war, in NATOs 1999 campaign in the Balkans, and more recently in Yemen and Somalia. By the time of the wars in the Middle East, the MQ-9 Reaper drone, outfitted with laser-guided Hellfire missiles, had become the surveillance and attack vehicle of choice.

At an ever-quickening pace over the next five years, and as the administration of Mr. Obama gave way to that of Donald J. Trump, American forces would execute more than 50,000 airstrikes in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, in accordance with a rigorous approval process that prized being discriminate, proportional and in compliance with the law of armed conflict. Not only would this be the most precise air campaign ever; it would be the most transparent.

The only official accounting of that promise is the hidden Pentagon documents.

They were obtained through Freedom of Information requests beginning in March 2017 and lawsuits filed against the Defense Department and U.S. Central Command. To date, The Times has received 1,311 out of at least 2,866 reports  known as credibility assessments  examining airstrikes in Iraq and Syria between September 2014 and January 2018. Requests for records from Afghanistan are the subject of a new lawsuit.

Each report is the fruit of a review process that begins when a potential civilian-casualty incident is identified by the military or, more frequently, alleged by an outside source  a nongovernmental organization, a news outlet or social media.

Assessment experts classify allegations into two categories. A case is credible if it is deemed more likely than not that the airstrike caused civilian casualties. In the reports examined by The Times, 216 cases were deemed credible. Noncredible cases fail to meet that standard  often because there is no record of a strike at the place and time in question, or because the available evidence is considered insufficiently specific or simply weak.

Until now, fewer than 20 of these assessments dating to late 2014 have been made public.

To assess the militarys assessments, between late 2016 and this past June, The Times visited the sites of 60 incidents deemed credible in Iraq and Syria, as well as three dozen others deemed noncredible or not yet assessed. (It also visited dozens of strike sites in Afghanistan.) In 35 credible cases, it was possible to locate the precise impact area and find survivors and witnesses on the ground. Then the reporting included touring wreckage; collecting photo and video evidence; and verifying casualties through death certificates, government IDs and hospital records.

Frequently the reporting closely matched basic information from the documents. But the detailed accounts that ultimately emerged from the rubbled ground were often in stark contrast to what had been assessed from the air.

Play Time?

this area is poppin

It was Jan. 13, 2017, and the battle for East Mosul would soon reach the neighborhood of al-Faisaliya. Iraqi forces were 120 meters away; farther back, an American ground team was helping coordinate air support.

In Erbil and in Doha, Qatar, a ground controller and aircrew members typed out messages, helping fulfill the array of combat directives and rules of the strike process:

adm in kp 9 has his rifle leaning against wall

An adult male leaned against a rooftop wall, his rifle beside him, then was seen firing south before two men joined him.

play time?

The ground controller asked how much longer the crew had in the target area. The response was redacted.

A man was seen running into a building, then out.

bldg slant redacted

The slant  the number of men, women and children observed  was typed into the chat. (Four men, one woman and three children in a building would be bldg slant 4/1/3.) This slant is redacted.

The coordinates were entered for what was now assessed as a building used by ISIS.

cleared hot

Clearance to attack was granted, and the weapon  the exact kind is redacted  fired.

splash

Five seconds to impact.

Two squirters  people fleeing a bomb site  were observed: one running from the building, the other heading back inside. The drone followed the men, firing on one but overshooting. It fired again, then turned to four others.

The action continued  a series of attacks on men darting through the area, until the drone returned to the building and struck again.

bldg was completely dropped

Toward the end, men were observed getting into a van.

looks like children as well

JAN. 13, 2017  MOSUL, IRAQ Messages between the ground controller and aircrew as they targeted a building assessed as harboring ISIS fighters. Inside were three families. Eight civilians were killed. READ REPORT | SEE ALL DOCUMENTS

The war against ISIS heralded the dawn of strike cells  remote operations centers from which most airstrikes were directed and controlled. These war rooms synergized the myriad players  pilots, sensor operators, intelligence experts, ground forces, weaponeering specialists, civilian-casualty-mitigation analysts, lawyers, even weather officers. Strike cells boasted at times that, with their video feeds and surveillance aircraft, they could understand what was happening on the battlefield as well as if they were there themselves.

As the war intensified and ground commanders won greater authority to call in strikes, the cells expanded, with a small number of Americans embedded with allies on the battlefield. The cells were seen as so successful that they made their way to Afghanistan, too. And as the Trump administration sought to pressure the Taliban into a deal, decision-making authority for airstrikes was often pushed further down the chain of command.

The cells conducted dynamic strikes  identified and executed within minutes or hours in the flow of war, accounting for an overwhelming majority of the air campaign. Deliberate strikes, which were preplanned  extensively vetted, often filmed over weeks or months and analyzed by several working groups  decreased over time.

In both scenarios, the targeting process essentially boiled down to two questions: Could the presumed enemy target be positively identified? And would any harm to civilians be proportional, in line with the law of armed conflict  or would it exceed the expected military advantage gained?

For positive identification, the officer designated with strike approval needed reasonable certainty that the target performed a function for the adversary. That could be relatively straightforward, as when the target was a fighter firing directly on friendly forces. But a more ambiguous target, like a suspected ISIS headquarters, might require further surveillance.

To determine proportionality, analysts evaluated whether the target was used exclusively by the enemy or might also be used by civilians, then assessed civilians pattern of life. Ultimately, they would calculate how many civilians were likely to be killed or wounded.

For deliberate strikes, this generally entailed an exhaustive collateral damage estimate, a computer calculation of the expected civilian casualty count, based on a mix of factors: the pattern of life, the population density, the specific weapon being used, the kind of structure being targeted  a concrete building, an aluminum shed, a mud hut. The officer approving the strike would weigh that estimate with other factors, such as the potential for secondary blasts from explosive materials nearby.

For dynamic strikes, the process could be vastly compressed. Especially if there was a threat to friendly forces or some other urgency, strike cells were more likely to rely on an impromptu assessment of a video feed.

Either way, based on that calculation, the military was required to take feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm. The greater the likelihood of someone being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the more precautions taken  say, by deploying more-precise weaponry to limit the blast radius or by attacking when the fewest civilians were predicted to be present.

The military does not provide a precise definition of what is proportional. Essentially, the expected civilian toll was proportional if the officer making that determination reasonably believed it to be so, and if it did not exceed a noncombatant cutoff value. Otherwise, officials say, the target would be discarded.

The final official step was a legal review. But efforts to protect civilians could continue until moments before a weapon was fired. From the cockpit, pilots could select how a weapon detonated  upon impact or with a delayed fuse. Or they could call an abort, if, for example, a civilian was spotted walking into the target area.

Under the right circumstances, this process could result in a strike so precise that it would destroy the section of a house filled with enemy fighters and leave the rest of the building intact.

Children playing where the school sheltering Qusay Saads family stood before Jan. 13, 2017, when a strike hit it. Ali Al-Baroodi for The New York Times

As Iraqi forces approached Qusay Saads home in East Mosul, ISIS forced his family to move to an area still under its control. They found refuge in his brothers abandoned house in al-Faisaliya.

Through a night of gunfire and explosions, Mr. Saad and his wife, Zuhour, comforted their three children and prayed that Iraqi forces would reach them. Then ISIS ordered them to move again, into an abandoned school next door with two other families. That was the building observed in the chat on Jan. 13, 2017.

The first airstrike hit as the Saad family sat down to breakfast. Mr. Saad recalls concrete blocks pressing down on his head, and his wife screaming. A man from one of the other families lifted away the blocks, and he quickly wrested his 14-month-old daughter, Aisha, from the rubble and handed her to his wife.

The second strike came just as he turned to free his 7-year-old son, Muhammad.

The strike was unbelievable, he said. An entire three-story house was just crushed.

Three members of another family escaped. Mr. Saad could not find his wife, their 4-year-old son, Abdulrahman, or Aisha. But Muhammad was alive, his thigh split open. Bleeding from the head, Mr. Saad picked up the boy and fled.

It would be two months before he could recover the bodies. The Iraqi government offered no help. So the family paid to excavate the site. Mr. Saad watched as his wife and two youngest children were lifted out. Aishas head was missing, but her little body was in her mothers arms.

Mr. Saads son Abdulrahman was killed, along with his wife and young daughter. Azmat Khan

They were buried not far from their home, which Mr. Saad has kept as it was when they all lived there. Sometimes, his brother said, he spends whole nights at the graveyard.

Last month, The Times told him of the findings of the militarys assessment. It offers this account:

The target was a building assessed as harboring four ISIS fighters. A review of the imagery revealed that after the first strike, which because of a weapon malfunction only partly collapsed the building, four adults and four children could be seen moving in its center. The building was hit again and fully collapsed. Later, three people emerged. The strike team did not report any civilians in the vicinity, and because of the drones angle, a view of the eight people in the building after the first strike was obscured.

The allegation was deemed credible, with eight civilians killed, but no further investigation was ordered. Eight enemies were also killed, the document said.

JAN. 13, 2017  MOSUL, IRAQ The redacted FMV clearly shows eight unarmed individuals some of whom are assessed to be children moving in the rubble after the first munition detonated on the target building. READ FULL REPORT

When told of the Armys findings, Mr. Saad could not understand how a military with such a wealth of information could have failed to see them  or how the pursuit of fighters he never saw could justify leveling a building full of families. If the Americans would show him the video, he said, he would show them Mosul.

They have to come here and see with their own eyes, he said, adding, What happened wasnt liberation. It was the destruction of humanity.

How Deadly Failures Happen

Last May, the Pentagons inspector general completed a classified report evaluating the policies for ensuring that only valid military targets are struck, and that damage to property and loss of civilian life is mitigated to the maximum extent possible.

A redacted version, echoing similar studies by other agencies in recent years, declares the targeting process to be sound.

The Pentagons own assessments tell a far richer story.

The documents often do not articulate precise causes, and in many cases, several factors coalesced into a deadly failure. But The Timess analysis of the 216 cases deemed credible, together with its reporting on the ground, reveals several distinct patterns of failure.

Misidentifying Civilians

Positive identification of the enemy is one of the pillars of the targeting process, yet ordinary citizens were routinely mistaken for combatants.

In a dissenting footnote to the 2018 Joint Chiefs study, Mr. Lewis and a colleague cited research showing that misidentification was one of the two leading causes of civilian casualties in American military operations. With few troops on the ground, they wrote, it is reasonable to expect a systematic undercounting of misidentifications in U.S. military reports.

Indeed, according to the Pentagon records, misidentification was involved in only 4 percent of cases. At the casualty sites visited by The Times, misidentification was a major factor in 17 percent of incidents, but accounted for nearly a third of civilian deaths and injuries.

At times, the error involved quicksilver intelligence of an imminent threat. In The Timess ground sample, though, misidentification occurred just as frequently in strikes planned far in advance  as in a January 2017 strike on an ISIS foreign fighter headquarters in East Mosul that killed 16 people in what turned out to be three civilian homes. Three ISIS buildings down the street were untouched.

Yet in case after case, the misidentification appears to be less a matter of confusion than of confirmation bias.

That was what happened on Nov. 20, 2016, after a Special Operations task force received a report of an ISIS explosives factory in a Syrian village north of Raqqa. In a walled compound, operators spotted white bags, assessed to be ammonium nitrate. Two trucks with a dozen men departed, stopped at various ISIS checkpoints, drove to a building associated with previous ISIS activity, then returned to the compound. The first strike targeted one truck, which caused secondary explosions. On the evidence of those blasts and the white bags, operators received approval to strike three buildings. After impact, two squirters fled the westernmost building. That building and another were struck again.

The findings of the militarys review, begun after online reports that a strike in the same area had killed nine civilians and injured more than a dozen, contradicted nearly all of the original intelligence.

NOV. 20, 2016  RAQQA, SYRIA A military review showed that a target believed to be an ISIS explosives factory was actually a cotton gin. Nine civilians were killed. Further investigation was not recommended. READ REPORT | SEE ALL DOCUMENTS

Examining scans of the compound, analysts detected no ammonium nitrate. The presumed secondary explosions were actually reflections from a nearby building, and one of the squirters was a child. Finally, a six-month time lapse of imagery showed that the compound was more likely a cotton gin than a factory for explosives. Two civilians were killed, the report said. (The task force continued to call the gin a legitimate target, citing a news report that ISIS controlled three-quarters of Syrias cotton production.)

Several months later, in Iraq, American forces received intelligence about a suspected car bomb  a dark-colored, heavily armored vehicle moving through the Wadi Hajar neighborhood of West Mosul.

Scanning a surveillance feed, an air-support coordinator quickly homed in on a possible match: a green vehicle whose windows appeared to be covered over. He did not see any signs of reinforced armor, but positively identified both the green car and a closely trailing white vehicle as car bombs.

Both vehicles traveled away from the front line and stopped at an intersection where several people were gathered on a covered section of sidewalk. The driver of the first car got out and joined the group. The target authority approved the strike.

The targeted vehicle sustained a direct hit, according to the military assessment. The group on the sidewalk sustained weapons effects.

But the review of the footage found no evidence that the vehicle was a car bomb. There was no telltale secondary explosion. Nor was the car heavily armored. And though the people on the sidewalk were visible in the footage, they were never mentioned in the pre-strike chat.

FEB. 25, 2017  MOSUL, IRAQ Based on a review of all available information, the CIVCAS allegation is credible. Full motion video (FMV) shows that five individuals near the target vehicle were killed or injured by the strike, and there is no information to indicate that those individuals had been or could be positively identified as combatants . READ FULL REPORT

The full picture, which the targeting team involved in the strike failed to see, emerged when The Times visited Wadi Hajar earlier this year.

Ordered by ISIS to leave the neighborhood, Majid Mahmoud Ahmed, his wife and two children had piled into their blue  not green  Opel Astra station wagon. Following close behind in a white car were his brother, Firas, and his family. At an intersection where other fleeing residents had gathered, Mr. Ahmed spotted his friend Muhammad Jamaal Muhammad waving and got out to say hello. As another neighbor approached, the airstrike hit.

Abdul Hakeem Abdullah Hamash Al Aqidi, a bystander, lost an eye and had a plate implanted in his left leg. Azmat Khan

I remember there was a big explosion, and I fainted, recalled Abdul Hakeem Abdullah Hamash Al Aqidi, an elderly man who had been standing by his door at the intersection. He lost an eye and had to have a plate implanted in his injured left leg. His sons left leg had to be amputated.

In all, seven local people  including the four members of the Ahmed family  were killed. Mr. Mohamed, who had waved to Mr. Ahmed, cannot banish from his mind the image of his friends wife, Hiba Bashir, burned into the seat, still holding her infant son in her lap.

The military spokesman, Captain Urban, acknowledged that confirmation bias is a real concern, citing the Kabul airstrike in August that killed the 10 members of a family. There is more work to do on this, he said.

Failing to Detect Civilians

If the military often mistook civilians for enemy fighters, frequently it simply failed to see or understand that they were there. That was a factor in a fifth of the cases in the Pentagon documents, and a slightly smaller fraction of the casualties. However, it accounted for 37 percent of credible cases, and nearly three-fourths of the total civilian deaths and injuries at the sites visited by The Times.

Captain Urban said the targeting process had been vastly complicated by enemies who plan, resource and base themselves in and among local populace.

They do not present themselves in large formations, he added, do not fight coalition forces with conventional tactics, and use geography and terrain in ways not conducive in every way to easy targeting solutions. Moreover, they often and deliberately use civilians as human shields, and they do not subscribe to anything remotely like the law of armed conflict to which we subscribe.

Even so, the documents show that frequently, instead of extended surveillance, analysts relied on brief collateral scans  as little as 11 seconds long  in determining that civilians were not in the area. The footage was often limited by shortages of surveillance drones, particularly during the battles to retake Mosul and Raqqa.

In a number of cases, targets that had been placed on no-strike lists because attacking them would violate laws of war  a school, a bakery, a civilian hospital  were removed after the military mistakenly judged that they were now used exclusively by the enemy.

In Mosul in February 2017, a hospital was taken off the list after the military concluded that civilians had left the area, and that the building was being used only as an ISIS headquarters and propaganda center. The week before the strike, according to the report, analysts had examined still images of children interacting with the hospital but had determined that striking at night would alleviate collateral concerns. Four civilians were killed and six injured.

For the militarys analysts, studying the pattern of life is a crucial step in predicting collateral damage. But to examine the documents and interview local people is to understand how often unseen civilians might have been seen, or their presence at least suspected, had the military had a more intimate knowledge of the war-torn fabric of everyday life.

In some documents, as evidence of no civilian presence, military officials state that people would leave their homes at the sound of approaching aircraft. The reality is starkly different: Neighbors would huddle together, seeking communal sanctuary in a house or group of houses, invisible to surveillance drones.

Many of the deadliest airstrikes happened this way. Among them was the strike at the Syrian hamlet of Tokhar.

In July 2016, a Special Operations task force identified a large group of ISIS fighters two kilometers from where U.S.-backed forces were fighting ISIS. They observed the fighters traveling in pickups known as bongo trucks to three staging areas where no civilians were present. The fighters, they concluded, were assembling for a counterattack. Shortly before 3 a.m., they bombed the three staging sites and five vehicles, confident of killing 85 ISIS fighters.

July 19, 2016  TOKHAR, SYRIA A military investigation concluded that as many as 24 civilians were intermixed with the combatants reported killed at three ISIS staging areas. The Times found that the targets were houses, and that more than 120 civilians were killed. READ REPORT | SEE ALL DOCUMENTS

Almost immediately, reports of a vast civilian death toll surfaced online. The task force conducted a full investigation and determined that between seven and 24 civilians intermixed with the fighters might have been killed.

The Times visited Tokhar in December 2018. Surviving villagers gave this account:

That night, as they had every night for a month, some 200 villagers had trekked to the outer edge of the hamlet and taken shelter in four homes at the farthest remove from the quickening battle.

There was no evidence, they said, that ISIS had been near any of the four houses. In fact, residents said drones had been flying overhead for weeks, giving them solace that coalition forces knew they were there.

Saif Saleh, who was 8 when the strike hit Tokhar and his arm was trapped under debris, had to have costly medical treatment  and still needs more. Azmat Khan

The Times documented the names of civilians killed in each of the four houses, corroborating details with open-source information, local journalists and others on the ground, and determined that more than 120 people died. There were few young men left to pull bodies from the rubble. It took nearly two weeks, and still some were never found. If the full death toll were acknowledged, Tokhar would be the largest civilian casualty incident the United States has admitted to in the air war against ISIS.

Saif Saleh, 8 years old at the time, awoke that early morning to the collapsing walls, his arm trapped under debris. His parents used up every favor to collect $6,000 for surgery to graft skin from his leg.

Asked what he would like to tell the American military, Saifs father said, We want to say that you should be sure the area is empty or that there are no civilians before you bomb.

The military investigation found that there was no evidence of negligence or wrongdoing; that the policies, procedures and practices were sufficient for continued operations; and that no further action was necessary. No condolence payments were authorized.

Overlooking Flawed Intelligence

Often, civilians were killed in strikes executed in the face of incomplete, outdated or ambiguous intelligence. Several such factors came together in a strike that killed at least 10 civilians in Tabqa, Syria, in March 2017.

As American-backed forces prepared to recapture the city, west of Raqqa, military officials approved strikes on a group of ISIS targets: two headquarters, a police station and a weapons factory. Each strike went as planned, according to initial assessments. Then came reports of civilian casualties.

The military review found that the intelligence for both headquarters was based on single reports from months before. (The targets had been identified earlier, but for strategic advantage, commanders had decided to wait until Syrian Democratic Forces were pushing into Tabqa.) The intelligence package on the first building warned that there was insufficient evidence to corroborate the judgment, relied on to remove the building from a restricted-targeting list, that it was used solely by ISIS; the report said simply that an ISIS emir had frequented the site.

Similarly, the review found that the intelligence did not support the view that the second headquarters was used exclusively by ISIS. Whats more, even though both headquarters were in densely populated areas with residential structures nearby, there was insufficient footage to assess the presence of civilians  one minute of video of the first target and less than two of the second.

The review also raised serious questions about the quality of intelligence for the two other targets.

Flawed Video

Sometimes, the problem was less the quantity of video than the quality

Analysts at the militarys Combined Air Operations Center in Qatar saw this clearly when they reviewed 17 minutes of grainy footage that preceded a Nov. 13, 2015, strike on an ISIS defensive fighting position in Ramadi. Using the centers 62-inch high-definition TV, they concluded that what had been identified as an unknown heavy object being dragged into a building was actually a person of small stature, consistent with how a child would appear standing next to an adult.

Often the overhead surveillance camera missed people simply sitting or standing under something, doing the most quotidian things.

June 15, 2016: An ISIS fighter on a motorcycle turned onto a secondary road near Mosul University. It was Ramadan; the shops and stalls were teeming with people. Among the five civilians also killed and four wounded in the strike:

Abdul Wahab Adnan Qassim, killed by shrapnel, had been standing in the tree-filled courtyard of his house.

Abdul Wahab Adnan Qassims ID. He was 34. Azmat Khan

Zanoun Ezzedine Mahmoud, killed by the blast, had been standing at a fruit stand covered by a blue tarp blocking the sun. The stands owner, Ilyas Ali Abd Ali, lost his right leg.

Ilyas Ali Abd Ali, the fruit stand owner. He is also now deaf in one ear. Azmat Khan

A father and daughter, killed by glass and shrapnel, had been sitting in a car nearby.

Nashwan Abdul Majeed Abdul Hakeem Al Radwani, killed by shrapnel, had been standing under the awning of the popular Hammurabi Ice Cream Shop.

Walking Into Danger

More than half of the cases the military deemed credible involved someone entering the target frame in the moments between a weapons firing and impact, as in a March 2017 strike in Mosul when shrapnel killed a man pushing a cart down a road near an ISIS mortar tube.

These deaths, which account for 10 percent of acknowledged civilian casualties, are often framed as unavoidable accidents. In the Mosul strike that killed the man with the cart, operators had already twice aborted weapons releases because civilians had entered the frame  demonstrating concerted efforts to avert danger. Yet the systematic nature of the problem suggests the military could be doing more.

Indeed, the review of a February 2017 strike on a high value individual at a funeral in Mosul that injured two civilians includes some recommendations. While noting that the civilians presence could not be predicted to reasonable certainty, it adds that an additional surveillance aircraft could have provided a more encompassing view. (Because of the targets importance, two aircraft were used to zoom in, rather than out, on the wider scene.) Yet again surveillance drones were in short supply.

Secondary Explosions

In the late spring of 2015, as ISIS continued to prove resilient in carrying out attacks and retaining territory, American targeteers and weapons specialists prepared a nighttime airstrike on a car-bomb factory in the industrial district of Hawija, north of Baghdad. Occupied apartment houses ringed the area. But the nearest collateral concern was assessed to be a shed.

Not long before, dozens of displaced families, unable to afford rent, had also begun squatting in the abandoned houses scattered through the industrial zone. Among them were Khadijah Yaseen and her family, who had fled the fighting in their hometown, Yathrib.

The night of June 2 was particularly hot, so the family slept outside. They woke to screaming and the sound of the jets.

There was fire everywhere, Ms. Yaseen recalled when The Times met her at a displaced persons camp in October 2016. Most of those killed were from squatter families like hers. You couldnt count them. There were so many people that died.

As many as 70, a military investigation found. Ms. Yaseen lost three grandchildren: 13-year-old Muhammad, 12-year-old Ahmed and a 3-year-old girl, Zahra.

June 2, 2015  HAWIJA, IRAQ Plans for a coalition airstrike on an ISIS car-bomb factory failed to account for the potential for secondary explosions. As many as 70 people were killed, the military investigation found. READ REPORT | SEE ALL DOCUMENTS

Hawija is among the deadliest examples of the failure to predict the collateral consequences of striking weapons caches or other targets with the potential for secondary explosions. Such explosions often reached far beyond the expected blast radius; they accounted for nearly a third of all civilian casualties acknowledged by the military and half of all civilian deaths and injuries at the sites visited by The Times.

Although the American military planned the Hawija strike, the bombs were dropped by the air force of the Netherlands. There, the case became a cause celebre after it emerged that the defense minister had worked to suppress the findings of the military investigation.

In the report of the investigation, targeteers and weapons experts describe the ultimately disastrous calculations taken to win approval for the strike. They worked and reworked the target, carefully calculating what kinds of munitions to use until their model concluded  despite the fact that they would be striking a car-bomb factory with apartment buildings nearby  that there would be no civilian deaths. (The Dutch military would only carry out strikes with an expected civilian-casualty rate of zero.)

The document describes a secondary explosion that produced a visible shock wave extending more than 750 feet from the target.

That is massive, to be able to see a shock wave like that on a video, said a former high-level official involved in the air campaign against ISIS, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. The only comparable explosion hed seen, he said, was the 2020 blast that devastated the port of Beirut.

Remnants of an ISIS car-bomb factory in Hawija, Iraq, where a nighttime strike on June 2, 2015, set off a secondary blast. Azmat Khan

Among the sites visited by The Times, at least half of the strikes with secondary explosions involved targets  like a power station or a factory for improvised explosive devices  that the military could have predicted would produce such blasts.

However, at other times it was unaware of both a weapons cache and a civilian presence. That was the case in the largest civilian casualty incident the military has admitted in the war, the March 17, 2017, airstrike on two ISIS snipers in the Mosul al-Jadida neighborhood that killed at least 103 civilians.

Failures of Accountability

On Jan. 6, 2017, Rafi Al Iraqi woke to the sound of a bomb close by. Another hit next door. Moments later, his own house was struck. He could hear his oldest son, Hamoody, screaming in the wreckage. I just gave him to some people to take him to the hospital, Mr. Al Iraqi recalled. Then I went back in to find my other children.

The ruins of Rafi Al Iraqis house in Mosul. Airstrikes on his neighborhood on Jan. 6, 2017, killed 16 civilians. Ivor Prickett for The New York Times

What happened next was captured on video taken by ISIS media agency, which often visited blast sites for propaganda.

Rescuers emerged holding limp bodies. Mr. Al Iraqis daughter, Nour, was alive. I took her with my own hands to the hospital, he recalled this past June, in his most recent interview with The Times. But by then, she had died. A nearby house for ISIS fighters was untouched.

Soon, via the ISIS video and news reports, word spread online that three families had been targeted in the Zerai neighborhood near Mosuls Grand Mosque. In all, 16 civilians were killed, including three of Mr. Al Iraqis children and his mother-in-law. Hamoodys leg was lacerated.

The military began a civilian-casualty assessment, which found that there had been a single strike in Zerai that day  on a house assessed to be used exclusively as an ISIS foreign fighter headquarters and artillery staging location. The strike had been preplanned, with no expected civilian casualties.

Jan. 6, 2017  MOSUL, IRAQ The military deemed this case noncredible, finding that the target was an ISIS site and that no civilians had been harmed. But interviews with survivors, as well as video footage and photos, showed that 16 civilians were killed. READ REPORT | SEE ALL DOCUMENTS

The post-strike footage showed no civilians killed or injured. The post-strike chat did not indicate the presence of civilians, though it did mention a wounded man  judged to be an ISIS fighter  being helped from the ruins.

The footage was 1 minute and 22 seconds long. The allegation was deemed noncredible. Officially, 16 people had not died that day in Zerai. (The Pentagon finally acknowledged the casualties in September 2020, after years of follow-up by The Times.)

JAN. 6, 2017  MOSUL, IRAQ Pre-strike assessment of the target concluded that there were no civilians in the target facility, and there is no evidence on the face of the strike indicating that civilians were killed or injured as a consequence of the strike . READ FULL REPORT

Except for the rare instances of revelation and subsequent outcry, the Pentagons brief published reports on the minority of cases it finds credible are the only public acknowledgment of the air wars civilian toll.

The Timess reporting in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan points to the broader truth.

In addition to the finding that many allegations of civilian casualties were erroneously dismissed, The Times discovered that even when civilian deaths were acknowledged, they were often significantly undercounted.

Roughly 37 percent of the allegations deemed credible stemmed from prior ground investigations by journalists or nongovernmental organizations; in those cases, the acknowledged death tolls roughly tracked outside reporting. But in the other cases, The Timess own reporting found that the civilian toll was nearly double that acknowledged by the military. (That did not include ISIS fighters wives and children, whose information was difficult to verify.)

The documents identify children killed or injured in 27 percent of cases; in The Timess ground reporting it was 62 percent. In 40 percent of the sites visited, survivors had been left with significant disabilities, which were not tracked by the military.

Beyond the casualty count, the structure and execution of the assessments do not encourage the regular examination of immediate lessons or deeper trends.

The records obtained by The Times, some significantly redacted, range from short first-impression reports to more formal credibility assessments. The reports generally contain a narrative drawn from the strikes target package  including intelligence about the target, the civilian-casualty estimate, actions to mitigate civilian harm, video footage and chat logs tracking each step of the process.

Not only was there no record of disciplinary action, or full investigations in roughly 9 of every 10 cases, but only a quarter included any further review, recommendations or lessons learned. Even the architecture of the forms makes it difficult to analyze causes in aggregate; they do not have specific boxes for specific factors involved in a fatal error. There are a few places to record proximate causes or lessons learned, but those fields are mostly empty or redacted. Records are often incomplete, missing attachments or were only partially entered into shared databases.

In many cases, the unit that executed a strike also ended up investigating it; their assessments often included minimal information. For example, a Special Operations units rationale for rejecting allegations that a December 2016 airstrike near Raqqa had killed as many as nine civilians consisted of a single paragraph stating that it had reviewed its strikes in the area and found no evidence of possible civilian casualties. There was no further information or detail from the footage.

The Times found that such omissions, as well as redactions and missing documents, were often associated with Talon Anvil, the Special Operations unit that carried out the recently revealed airstrike that killed dozens of civilians in Syria in 2019.

The Video Evidence

Of the 1,311 assessments from the Pentagon, in only one did investigators visit the site of a strike. In only two did they interview witnesses or survivors.

Captain Urban, the military spokesman, said that in hostile territory, investigators might be unable to visit a blast site and interview personnel on the ground.

Instead, often the resounding piece of evidence studied was video recorded in the wake of a strike. Yet just as poor or insufficient footage frequently contributed to deadly targeting failures, so did it hamstring efforts to examine them.

Often, the footage was only seconds or minutes long, in many cases too brief to see rescuers carrying survivors from a collapsed building. (Frequently, rescuers would wait before approaching a bombed area, for fear of being misidentified and provoking a second strike, known in the military as a double tap.) Often, images were obscured by the smoke of the blast.

In an interview  speaking anonymously because of a nondisclosure agreement  an analyst who captures strike imagery said superior officers would often tell the cameras to look somewhere else because they knew if theyd just hit a bad target.

And at times, there was simply no footage for review, which became the basis for rejecting the allegation. That was often because of equipment error, because no aircraft had observed or recorded the strike, or because the unit could not or would not find the footage or had not preserved it as required.

In a number of cases, compelling allegations were dismissed because the claims details did not precisely match the imagery.

For example, when Airwars  the leading source of civilian casualty allegations referred to the military  reported that a strike in East Mosul in April 2015 had killed dozens of civilian rescuers, the allegation was rejected because of discrepancies in eyewitness accounts. Despite accurately testifying that three bombs had struck an electric substation, a witness said the third had come a quarter-hour after the second and had not exploded; the document described that as inconsistent with the militarys imagery and strike report. (The allegation was later deemed credible after The Times visited the site and told the military that at least 18 civilians had been killed and more than a dozen wounded.)

Even when allegations were deemed credible, the military often undercounted the toll because victims, unseen by the overhead camera before the strike, remained invisible in the aftermath. Case in point: the 2016 Ramadan bombing near Mosul University that killed five civilians and wounded four. The military reported injuries to two civilians who had been in the pre-strike footage.

Cases Closed

When the military receives an allegation of civilian casualties, it runs through a checklist to determine whether the case merits further inquiry. Most never reach the point of video review. About a quarter of the noncredible cases were summarily closed because they lacked sufficient information or detail, such as a specific location or 48-hour time frame. But more than half were rejected, in some cases erroneously, because the military could find no record of corroborating strikes in the geographic area identified in the allegation  or because there were too many potential matches, and too little detailed information.

That information would be found in official logs maintained by different strike authorities. But The Times found numerous instances in which the logs were incomplete or inaccurate: Often, records show, the coalition knew its logs were flawed.

Frequently, cases were closed because the military said it lacked the information to pinpoint the neighborhood in question. Sometimes that conclusion was rooted in misunderstandings of local custom and culture.

In January 2017, citing insufficient information, an officer quickly closed a case based on social media reports that civilians had been killed in a strike on a funeral in the al Shifaa neighborhood of West Mosul. Fruitlessly, the officer had searched logs for potentially corroborating strikes in the cemetery closest to that neighborhood.

However, as reflected in a graphic video accompanying the initial reports, the strike had not taken place at a cemetery: A thumbnail depicted the entrance to a house. In fact, Muslim funerals are rarely held at cemeteries. Whats more, Muslims bury the dead quickly, and it had been four days since this man, Col. Aziz Ahmed Aziz Sanjari, had died.

The colonels death had brought many members of the Sanjari familys tribe to their home to mourn. It was a sunny afternoon, so more than a dozen people sat outside. They could hear a drone humming above, but were unworried. It was a common occurrence. A few minutes later, the bomb hit. Eleven people were killed, The Times found.

Sometimes Bad Things Happen

Captain Urban acknowledged that, In some cases our assessment of the numbers of civilian casualties does not always match that of outside groups, and we acknowledge that those numbers may change over time as well.

We do the best we can, given the circumstances, to understand fully the effects of our operations and the harm done to innocent life. That we sometimes do not always arrive at the same conclusion of outside groups does not diminish the sincerity with which we strive to get it right.

Several Pentagon studies, rendered in military bureaucratese, have observed some of the failures of accountability. The April 2018 Joint Chiefs of Staff examination of civilian deaths from airstrikes in the Middle East and Africa found that feedback to subordinate commands on the cause and/or lessons learned from a civilian casualty incident is inconsistent. The recent Pentagon Inspector General report spoke of omissions.

Yet for the most part, these reports do not speak to questions of how airstrikes repeatedly go wrong.

Mr. Lewis, the co-author whose efforts to analyze the assessments in aggregate were excised from the Joint Chiefs study, said the report instead relied primarily on interviews with assessment officers. They were able to detect certain patterns  especially casualties from secondary explosions and from people entering the target frame after a weapons firing  but few of the systematic reasons behind the bulk of civilian deaths.

The Times asked him why the military would develop such intricate procedures to prevent civilian casualties, and then assess them, but not prioritize documenting or studying causes and lessons learned. Not only does the system provide legitimacy for the militarys actions, he said; it also allows the United States to boast of a process that is a global model of accountability.

The former high-level American official in the campaign against ISIS said the procedures served an additional purpose  to provide a psychological veneer for the people involved: We did the process. We did what we needed to do. Sometimes bad things happen.

He said that after returning from his post, anguished by what he had seen, he had started therapy. He pointed to Raqqa, rendered a necropolis by American-led airstrikes, and compared it to the ruins of Aleppo, which was bombed by the Russians without the American militarys sophisticated considerations of proportionality  the collateral damage estimates, no-strike lists or rules of engagement.

Eventually I stopped saying that this was the most precise bombing campaign in the history of warfare, he said. So what? It doesnt matter that this was the most precise bombing campaign and the city looks like this.

In Afghanistan

All the boys and men of Band-e-Timor knew that when the Toyota Hiluxes came, you should run for your life.

People called them wegos. At the wheel were Afghan paramilitary forces who usually set out on full-moon nights at the fork in the road before Lashkar Gah, charging through the village of Barang straddling the Kandahar-Helmand border and into other parts of Band-e-Timor, capturing everyone: old men, young men, everyone, said a resident named Matiullah.

U.S. officials said an Aug. 29 drone strike in Kabul destroyed a vehicle carrying bombs. The Times found that it had killed 10 members of one family. Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times

It did not matter if you were not Taliban, people said. If you were male, the Afghan forces would arrest you, simply to collect a bounty for your release. If you were old or feeble, the price was just over $500; a man in his prime would fetch twice that. You would have to sell your cow or your land to get your relatives released, said Rahmatullah, a village resident. Often, it was the poorest who would run.

On the night of Jan. 31, 2018, the moon was especially bright. The wegos, as usual, came accompanied by what villagers said were American aircraft. Hidayatullah, a driver by profession, three days from marrying, knew he could not afford the bounty and the wedding, so he drove out into the desert. Then an airstrike found him, said Matiullah, who is his cousin. Dozens of other civilians, mistaken for Taliban as they fled on foot and motorbike across Band-e-Timor, died in the raid as well.

The August drone strike in Kabul that killed an Afghan aid worker and nine of his relatives grabbed the worlds attention. But most American airstrikes in Afghanistan took place far from the cities, in remote areas where cameras were not filming, mobile lines were often cut and the internet was nonexistent.

Americas longest war was, in many ways, its least transparent. For years, these rural battlefields were largely off-limits to American reporters. But after the Taliban returned to power in August, Afghanistans hinterlands opened up.

The Times arrived in Barang a little over a month later, visiting 15 households in this hamlet of mud homes and farmland, and also interviewing tribal elders and others across Band-e-Timor. Most said they had never spoken to a journalist before. The accounts they gave  consistently and reliably, in hourslong interviews  help explain how America lost the country, how its war of airstrikes and support of corrupt security forces paved the way for the Talibans return.

On average, each household lost five civilian family members. An overwhelming majority of these deaths were caused by airstrikes, most during wego raids. Many people admitted they had relatives who were Taliban fighters, but civilians accounted for most of those lost:

A father killed in an airstrike while running for the forest. A nephew killed as he slept with his flock of sheep. An uncle shot by American soldiers as he went to the bazaar to buy okra for dinner.

At the sound of helicopters, Hajji Muhammad Ismail Aghas sons had bounded for the desert. The foreign helicopters fired on them. One son, Nour Muhammad, was killed; the other, Hajji Muhammad, survived. How could the planes tell the difference between a civilian and a Taliban? the father asked. He was killed just a little far from here. I watched it happen.

None of these incidents were mentioned in Pentagon press releases. Few were tallied in United Nations counts. So isolated from the Afghan government were residents that when asked for their loved ones death certificates, they asked where they might obtain them. Instead, to verify deaths, The Times visited tombstones, in graveyards littered across the desert.
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See Where 12 Million U.S. Employees Are Affected by Government Vaccine Mandates
SEGRETIREL TOUSA, TVEY REQUEST #95 OF DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE - OPERATION INHERENT RESOLVE CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT APO AE 09306 STATUS OLAVIRILA IRCS 25 MAY 2017 MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD SUBJECT: CIVCAS Allegation Closure Report, Allegation No. 395 1. (U/FOVE) BLUF. Based on the below findings, this allegation is CREDIBLE. That is more likely than not, two civilians were injured as a result of the assessed strike. CJTF-OIR CIVCAS Cell shall close this allegation and make available for immediate public release. 2. (U) Background. I considered the following information in making my findings ma a. (SIREL USA, FVEYA On 21 March 2017, CENTCOM notified CJTF of possible CIVCAS event reported by (b)(1)1.4a. (b)(OLIVO Tabqah, Syria, (b)(1)1.4a, (b)(6) conducted a strike in support of Op (b)(1)1.4adelivering (b)(1)1.4a on a Target building with a suspected HVI inside atb)(1)1.4a 21 MAR IVO Tabqah, SY / (b (11.4a TEA was T6 (1)1.4an adjacent building was damaged in the strike. (b)(1)1.4a observed the strike and during the post-strike observation, 2x children were observed being carried from the damaged building adjacent to the target building, CAOC will gather relevant information (FMV, WSV, mIRC, MISREP, etc.) and will assist credibility inquiry if and when assigned by CJTF. b. (U) On 15 April 2017, CJFT-OIR CIVCAS Cell requested TF94-7 to conduct a CIVCAS Credibility Assessment Report (CCAR). C. (SHREL TO USA, FVEY) On 12 Mayb2@174a, (b)(3) 10 USC apprbyen the assessment, finding the allegation to be CREDIBLE. TF94-7 recommends no further action be taken. 3. (U) Credibility Assessment a. (SHREL USA, FVEY) An adjacent building was damaged in the strike. During the post-strike review(b)(1)1.4a, (b)(6)]observed 2 x children being carried from the damaged building which was adjacent to the target building. 761) Bssesses the alleged CIVCAS relating to the K/S conducted 21 (b)(1)1.4 MAR 2017 IVO Tabaqah Dam, Syria as credible. 4. (U) Action (U) I direct closure of this CIVCAS incident and that CJTF-OIR PAO publish the result of this CIVCAS assessment in a press release as soon as practicable. 5. (U) Point of contact isb)(3) 10 USC 130b; (b) JTF-OIR CIVCAS Cell Olc, at (BX3y 10 USC 1305; (b)(6) estorana 2 Encis 1. CCAR 2. FIR J. SCOTT O'MEARA BGen, USMC Chief of Staff SECRETIREL TOUSA, FVEY USCENTCOM FOIA 18-0242L 1006 - 11/14/2018
Jim Dowling

Jim Dowling, the former CEO of Burson-Marsteller who played a key role in handling Johnson & Johnsons Tylenol crisis, died Dec. 15. He was 90.

The University of Missouri School of Journalism graduate and Marine Corps veteran joined B-M in 1964.

He began his career at Newsweek in 1958, took a reporter post at United Press International in 1959 and shifted to the Associated Press 1960.

Dowling entered the PR arena at Mobil Oil before joining B-M.He worked as general manager in both New York and Chicago before rising to the executive VP post in 1974.

He became president in 1976, global COO in 1983, CEO in 1988, chairman in 1992 and chairman emeritus in 1994. Dowling retired in 1998.

The Public Relations Society of America awarded Dowling and B-M its Silver Anvil in 1984 for out-of-the-ordinary crisis management for its work for Tylenol.

A private family service for Dowling is slated for Feb. 5 in Metairie, LA.

The family welcomes gifts to Missouris J-School to honor Dowling. Checks go to: Missouri School of Journalism, 103 Neff Hall, Columbia MO 65211.
MORE than 1 million has been allocated by the Government for the development on Greenways along the Grand Canal in Offaly.

A total of 753,000 has been earmarked for the Leabeg to Boora stretch and a further 250,000 for the Kilbeggan link.

On Friday, the Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan confirmed that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has issued the Greenways and national road funding allocations totalling 676 million to local authorities for 2022.

TII is responsible for securing the provision of a safe and efficient road network and provides annual funding allocations to local authorities for this purpose. TII has also recently been assigned responsibility for Greenways.

Funding of circa 60 million has been allocated to around 40 Greenway projects across the country in 2022, in nearly every single county.

Significant Greenway investment is being directed at the border counties; Donegal is progressing a number of Greenways and Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim and Louth are also receiving investment that will see an expansion of cross-border Greenways. Many local authorities are now working together to progress projects in their region. Cork and Waterford are developing a Mallow to Dungarvan route, and Sligo, Cavan and Leitrim are working with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to develop the Collooney to Enniskillen route.

Minister Ryan said: This funding will also support extensions of the Grand Canal Greenway in Offaly, Kildare and South Dublin, link the North Kerry Greenway to the Limerick Greenway, and join the Waterford to New Ross Greenway with the Waterford Greenway. We are moving into a new and exciting phase when more and more Greenways are being connected, with TII also developing a National Cycle Network.

Minister Ryan continued: Im particularly happy that agreement has been reached on a Code of Best Practice for National and Regional Greenways. This Code has been agreed with the farming representative bodies and other stakeholders and provides us with an approved way to achieve voluntary land sales for Greenways where needed. Community buy-in is central to the future of our Greenways, which are one of the big success stories of rural Ireland. Greenways are a wonderful amenity for leisure and tourism, and they are also important for everyday journeys to school, work or the shops

Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton T.D. said The Galway to Dublin Greenway, a 330km car-free corridor between Galway and Dublin, linking the Atlantic coast to the East coast, has a particularly exciting focus in the funding being announced today. Counties including Meath, Kildare, Westmeath, Offaly will benefit from investment towards this project. Once complete, the Dublin-Galway project will provide both a local and national amenity for communities and visitors to enjoy while also supporting local business such as cafes, shops, B&Bs, camping sites and hotels.
The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore is continuing to experience a very busy period with a significantly increased number of people requiring admission to the hospital.

The HSE says the hospital is again reminding members of the public to consider their care options before presenting to the Emergency Department (ED).

It states: "We advise that the public only attend our emergency services if absolutely essential. If you are unwell, please go to your GP or pharmacy in the first instance. Importantly, please do not delay in seeking medical attention if you suspect you are having a heart attack or stroke. Our ED Services are available to you, please dial 999 or 112 in an emergency. For routine matters please contact your GP or out of hours by phone.

"If you have to attend the ED in emergency situation please ensure you wear a mask, practice social distancing and ensure you tell the triage personnel if you have any signs/symptoms of Covid-19."

Latest Covid-19 figures show that the hospital had eight available general beds and two ICU beds.
Patrick Murphy created the Herbal Study Academy to empower energy, wellbeing, and confidence, physically and mentally by imparting knowledge of healing, nourishing, and cleansing the body using natural, organic, earth-sourced sustainable herbs and supplements that focus on treating the root causes of ailments rather than just the symptoms.

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Tiverton Mid Devon Gazette 06 Jan 2022

Students are struggling to understand why they have been able to take exams online during the pandemic until now
The UK governments second Christmas party scandal emerged as Ministers said Boris Johnson was on his last chance.
Last year, Racicot said he planned to vote for President Biden in the 2020 election because of personal differences with former President Trump.
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With the omicron coronavirus variant spreading fast, German lawmakers have said they did not want to risk increasing the burden on overwhelmed hospitals with injuries caused by fireworks.
Australia and Britain signed a free trade agreement on Friday that will eliminate almost all taxes on exports between the countries. The FTA was signed at a virtual ceremony by Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan in Adelaide and Britain's Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan in London.
Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck said Germany could halt the controversial pipeline if Russia invades Ukraine. He also called the project a "geopolitical mistake."
Germany's state health ministers are demanding stricter rules for entry into the country to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Netherlands, meanwhile, has said a lockdown is "unavoidable." Follow DW for the latest.
Boris Johnson has been told to scrap an investigation into alleged Christmas parties in Number 10 following claims that the man leading the probe also attended events himself last year.
The former Minnesota police officer testified at her manslaughter trial on Friday, saying she had never fired her Taser or gun before she fatally shot Mr. Wright during a traffic stop.
Rock superstar Rod Stewart and his son have pleaded guilty to battery in an assault case stemming from an altercation with a..

Belfast Telegraph 17 Dec 2021
Both the patients infected with Omicron returned to Ghaziabad from Maharashtra on November 29. They are asymptomatic and kept under home isolation.
British tourists have been banned from France amid concern over the "extremely rapid" rise in Omicron COVID cases in the UK.
With the holiday season in mind and the threat omicron variant, politicians are debating whether it is worth creating a vaccine registry.
Newsy 15 Dec 2021

Watch VideoPresident Joe Biden on Wednesday pledged to do whatever it takes, as long as it takes to help Kentucky and other..
Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets every Saturday in Vienna in past weeks, to protest against Covid-19 measures including a planned vaccine mandate.
While he admits the public's willingness to follow public health measures may be waning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is asking Canadians to stay focused on preventing the Omicron variant from ruining the coming winter and spring.
The hospital wishes to offer its most sincere condolences to the childs parents and family, Sainte-Justine Hospital says in a Friday news release.
President Kovind is in Bangladesh on his maiden state visit at the invitation of his counterpart M Abdul Hamid to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in the 1971 Liberation War.
President Joe Biden admits that the Build Back Better plan and domestic policy bill is unlikely to pass this year as the proposals look to be in serious jeopardy in the Senate.
A top civil servant once described as deputy God has been tasked with rooting out the truth over endemic parties across Whitehall during coronavirus restrictions.
Students arrive for in-person classes outside Public School 188 in New York, in September 2020



One principal said hundreds of students were in quarantine and dozens of teachers were absent. [ more  ]
The suburban Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Black motorist Daunte Wright said she's sorry it happened. Kim Potter was the last witness Friday before the defense rested in her trial. (Dec. 17)


An Indian student's family calls for his release after he was arrested for celebrating Pakistan's victory.
Indonesian authorities raised the alert level for the highest volcano on Java island, saying Mount Semeru could blow up again after a sudden eruption earlier this month. The head of Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center said villagers living on Semeru's fertile slopes are advised to stay 13 kilometers from the crater's mouth.
Canada will be lifting of a ban on foreign travelers from South Africa and other African countries, while reimposing testing requirements.
The possible suspect is believed to be among the three people who survived the fire and were in severe condition, police said.
OSAKA, Japan  Japanese police on Saturday searched the house of one of the patients at a mental clinic where a fire gutted an entire floor in an eight-story building, killing 24 people trapped...



#osaka
A powerful gas explosion in a sewage system in a southern Pakistani city killed at least 12 people and injured 11 others Saturday, police and a health official said.
Global Certified Watchdog eCOGRA Acquired by Private Investor Group Hanover

Published December 17, 2021 by Lee R

Hanover's acquisition of global regulation adaptation agency eCOGRA looks set to streamline iGaming.

A group of private investors has purchased renowned global iGaming certification agency eCOGRA to add private interests to global watchdog funding.

The Investor Group

Hanover Investors is the group acquiring the leading independent and internationally approved testing and certification agency.

Forging a Reputation

Through the eGAP set of standardized industry practices, eCOGRA has leveraged unique in-house player protection certification methodologies and expertise to adapt regulated markets, developing approved Independent Testing Laboratories to ensure uniform compliance across a diverse range of local jurisdiction regulations.

Range of Services

The comprehensive services eCOGRA offers include testing and inspection services; cybersecurity assessment; product certification and accredited ISO/IEC 27001 information security management certification.

Current Reach of eCOGRA

To date, eCOGRA has been approved and is used as a testing agency and certification body for over 30 jurisdictions across Europe, North and South America, and Asia.

Additional Role

The body has also on multiple occasions provided alternative dispute resolution to gambling operators licensed by Great Britain Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority.

Hanover Leader Speaks

Of the private investor group's new acquisition strategy, Hanover Investors Chairman Matthew Peacock said:

We believe the market and competitive dynamics that have supported eCOGRAs growth and margin profile will continue, with further upside from expansion into markets around the world.

Emerging Opportunity Stateside

Peacock identified the US as the key opportunity for further eCOGRA expansion after the national repeal of RAWA in 2018 opened the door for states to begin legislating and offering licensed online gaming.

Hanover's Strategy

As an organization, Hanover looks forward to investing in and enhancing its commercial capabilities including through mergers and acquisitions.

CEO of eCOGRA Speaks

Shaun McCallaghan, eCOGRA CEO, expressed organizational delight to be coming into the Hanover Investors fold, lauding Hanover's recognized track record of unlocking value and catalyzing the

growth of other companies in its portfolio.

Spurring Expansion

McCallaghan looked forward to benefiting from the operational expertise that it will provide to our business as eCOGRA continues to expand globally.

Terms

Investec Growth & Leveraged Finance provided debt financing to support the transaction for an undisclosed sum via Hanover Active Equity Fund II, which elevates Mr. Peacock to the chair of eCOGRAs board.

Outlook

How this deal plays out will provide unseen insights into how private investment can drive more equitable industry practices.
Through all the cases the Midland County Prosecutors Office handles, there is a furry friend there to help uplift survivors and office staff.

Being a chocolate lab, Joey may not seem like a needed part of a courtroom, but Midland Prosecuting Attorney J. Dee Brooks insist he is a vital component of the prosecutors office. For survivors of child abuse, Joey and the Canine Advocacy Program will end up as a memorable and comforting part of the legal process.

I would determine them (as) absolutely essential, Brooks said. We could do our business, but we could not do it as well, and most importantly, we could not make it as comfortable and with the least amount of stress on the children.

The prosecutors office joined the Michigan Canine Advocacy Program with Joey back in 2015, but Midland is far from the first in Michigan to do so. Brooks said the state program was developed in 2009 and witnessed its effectiveness firsthand when a dog was brought in during his time as assistant Bay County prosecutor. One of his first priorities when becoming Midland County prosecuting attorney was to bring in a certified dog.

Joeys role in the legal process and courtroom is simple, but critical: comfort survivors through traumatic times. He is primarily there to help children who were subjected to domestic and sexual abuse or witnessed a crime as well. He can help adults who have gone through similar cases, but cannot be with adults in court by law, said Amanda Hausmann, Victims Rights Coordinator for the Midland County Prosecutor's Office.

He does this by comforting them throughout the legal process. Whether this is by cuddling during meetings with prosecutors, or laying at their feet while testifying in court, Brooks said. Sometimes Joey can get too comfortable in court, with Hausmann having to put her feet underneath him and wiggle her toes prevent him from starting snore in the middle of a trial.

(Joey) gives them something to actually look forward to, Brooks said.

On average, Joey is used three to five times a week for either court appearances or legal meetings, Brooks said.

Brooks said that anything that helps someone relax and tell the truth is a benefit to the legal process. He can also help children open up about their experiences, despite the traumatic nature of them, Hausmann said. This can be done by giving a child something to do with their hands by petting Joey and giving them something to distract themselves even if they do not realize it.

I have had cases where the child does not want to open up and talk because they have already told so many different people, (such) as law enforcement or the child advocacy center, Hausmann said. They come to us last, and they are tired of talking. We will actually get down on the floor with the kid and with Joey, and the kid will tell Joey their story, because they do not want to talk to adults anymore.

Many people want to stop by to see Joey after the case just to say hi after being a part of the program. Brooks said he is the most popular member of the prosecutors office on Facebook, and appears at several public events.

But Joey has a life away from the courtroom, with his caretaker being Midland Assistant Prosecutor Atea Duso. She said she has to care for him while not undoing his training, such as keeping him calm on walks and keeping him consistent with his needs for his job.

Luckily, Joey is not too rambunctious, since he loves to cuddle and be around people, making him perfect for the job. Duso also gets to take her dog to work everyday, which she sees as a big perk.

Much of the program is funded through the Midland County Youth Action Council, when they donated a $10,000 grant. This pays for his food, grooming and medical needs, along with Joey-themed flyers, stickers, cars and plushes for the program.

Joey is a benefit to the prosecutors office, not just for the survivors, but for the staff to cope as well.

It is so great to have him for the children and the adults, but at the end of the day, we deal with and see horrific stuff on a daily basis, Hausmann said. We need (an) outlet, and Joey is our outlet for all of us in the office.
Monday's Midland City Council meeting will be centered around first responders.

City council will meet in a regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20, at Midland City Hall. Residents can either tune in either in-person or over live stream through the citys website or its government channel, MGTV-188.

A public hearing will be held at the meeting to discuss a proposed budget change and purchase for the Midland Police Department. The Midland Area Community Foundation is offering a $65,146 grant for the Midland Police Department to purchase a 3D Scanner, along with necessary accessories.

This scanner will be used for crash and crime scene investigations and for pre-event planning. According to the meeting agenda, the department uses an outdated measurement system and software to document scenes that is time intensive and a significant draw on manpower. This also requires outsourcing labor to convert the data into a simple drawing with little detail, resulting in more time and funds used.

Council will vote on two resolutions. The first resolution is to accept the grant from the Midland Area Community Foundation and amend the 2021-2022 Police Department budget to recognize the increased revenue and expenses. The second will waive the requirement for sealed proposals and authorize a purchase order of the scanner equipment.

Another police related matter that will be discussed are wages for police officers. An agreement was reached between the city, the Midland Municipal Employees Association (MMEA), the Police Officers Association of Michigan-Midland, and the Midland Police Command Group earlier this year to give officers a 2% wage increase effective January 2022.

However, according to the meeting agenda, economic conditions have increased the cost-of-living from 2% to 6.2%. This led to a change to a higher wage settlement with the Midland Firefighters in November 2021, increasing their pay by 2.5% effective July 1, 2022, and 3% effective July 1, 2023.

To keep wages fair between city employees and to keep wages competitive with other industries, a resolution will be presented to council to apply the fire fighter wage increase to city police as well.

The Midland Fire Department will also get some attention, with a proclamation to be read in honor of Midland Fire Chief Chris Coughlin. With Coughlin retiring Dec. 31, it was announced Thursday that Joshua Mosher will step into the role as fire chief in January 2022.

Before the meeting, council will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. in Conference Room B at City Hall to discuss the recreation fee philosophy with the Parks and Recreation Department.
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesian authorities raised the alert level for the highest volcano on Java island, saying Mount Semeru could blow up again after a sudden eruption earlier this month left 48 people dead and 36 missing in villages that were buried in layers of mud.

Indonesias geological agency said Saturday it picked up increasing activity that could trigger an avalanche of lava and searing gas, similar to the Dec. 4 eruption, which was preceded by heavy monsoon rains that partially collapsed a lava dome on the 3,676-meter (12,060-foot) mountain.

About 8 million cubic meters (282 million cubic feet) of sand from the volcanos crater clogged the Besuk Kobokan River, which is in the path of the lava flow, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif said.

As a result, if there is another eruption, it would block the flow path and create new lava flows spreading to the surrounding area, Tasrif said, adding that the government had set up a new danger map and urged people to obey it. It raised the alert level to the second-highest.

The head of Indonesias Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center, Andiani, said villagers living on Semerus fertile slopes are advised to stay 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the craters mouth. She also stopped tourism and mining activities along the Besuk Kobokan watershed.

The search and rescue operations ended on Friday with 36 people still unaccounted for. More than 100 people were injured, 22 of them with serious burns. More than 5,200 houses and buildings were damaged, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari.

After visiting the area last week, President Joko Widodo pledged to rebuild infrastructure, including the main bridge connecting the worst-hit town of Lumajang to other cities, and move about 2,970 houses out of the danger zone.

Semeru, also known as Mahameru, has erupted many times in the last 200 years. Still, as on many of the 129 volcanoes monitored in Indonesia, tens of thousands of people live on its fertile slopes. It last erupted in January, with no casualties.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 270 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because it sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped series of fault lines.
Due to technical difficulties, the state's COVID-19 was unable to update county COVID numbers by press time on Friday. The numbers from Thursday and Friday will be included in the Daily News' COVID report that will be published online Monday and in Tuesday's print edition.

The state added 12,649 cases and 254 deaths from Dec. 16-17. Overall, Michigan is at 1,420,838 cases and 25,824 deaths.

Recovered

According to the Midland County Health Department website, which was updated Dec. 13, 10,300 Midland County individuals have recovered from COVID. The state reported that as of Dec. 10, a total of 1,146,495 persons statewide have recovered.

Testing

Midland Countys seven-day rolling positivity rate between Dec. 9-15 was listed at 15.1% and Gladwin Countys was listed at 16.5%. Our 12-county region was listed at 19% and Michigan was at 16.4%.

MyMichigan Health statistics

As of Dec. 13, MyMichigan Medical Center in Midland was listed as having an 85% bed occupancy, with 63 COVID patients and 12 in the ICU. MyMichigan Medical Center in Gladwin was listed as having a 32% bed occupancy with three COVID patients and none in the ICU.

Both medical centers reported having at least 15-30 days worth of personal protection equipment (N95, surgical masks, gowns, gloves and eye protection) on hand.

As of Dec. 13, MyMichigan Heath reported a total of 112 patients hospitalized due to COVID, 28 of which were vaccinated, 122 unvaccinated. There are also 27 patients across the system in the ICU, two of whom are vaccinated, 25 are unvaccinated. Of the 13 patients on ventilators, two are vaccinated and 11 are unvaccinated.

Schools

As of Dec. 17, Midland Public Schools reported 332 staff/students were close contacts to an individual who was confirmed COVID-19 positive, and 58 staff/students tested positive for the virus.

MPS schools with one or more positive cases on Dec. 17 were Dow High (7), Midland High (10), Jefferson Middle (3), Northeast Middle (5), Adams Elementary (3), Central Park Elementary (12), Chestnut Hill Elementary (6), Plymouth Elementary (8), Siebert Elementary (3) and Woodcrest Elementary (1).

Bullock Creek School District reported on Dec. 15 that two staff members and 14 students were current positive cases. There were also 110 students and six staff member in quarantine.

Bullock Creek schools with one or more confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Dec. 15 include Bullock Creek Elementary (2), Floyd Elementary (1) Pine River Elementary (3), Bullock Creek Middle (1) and Bullock Creek High School (8).

Midland County vaccinations

Midland County Health Department is hosting a weekly walk-in COVID vaccination clinic from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday in December. Clinics by appointment will be available 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday on the second floor of the Midland County Services Building, 220 W. Ellsworth St., Midland. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available at the clinics. The health department will vaccinate anyone who needs a first or second dose; those who need their second dose must bring their vaccination card.

Following FDA approval, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is urging all eligible Michiganders to get a Johnson & Johnson, Moderna or Pfizer booster vaccine if they have received their primary COVID-19 vaccines.

Following CDC approval, MDHHS is urging all eligible Michiganders 16 and up to get the Pfizer booster vaccine if they have received their two primary COVID-19 vaccines. Currently, Pfizer is the only authorized vaccine for under age 18.

Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may prefer the vaccine type they originally received and others may prefer to get a different type of booster vaccine. CDCs recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots. Consult your healthcare provider if there is a question which vaccine is appropriate for you.

Michiganders should bring their COVID-19 vaccine card or immunization record with them when getting their booster dose, which is available at any vaccine provider. Downloadable immunization records are accessible free at the Michigan Immunization Portal. To obtain their record, Michiganders must create a MILogin account at Michigan.gov/MiImmsportal and upload a valid government issued photo ID such as a driver's license, state ID or passport. If you do not have records in the portal, contact your healthcare provider or local health department.

Future COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Midland County are listed at www.co.midland.mi.us/HealthDepartment/COVIDVaccineInformation.aspx. Those with questions may call 989-832-6380 or email MCDPH@co.midland.mi.us.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin.

Thursday, Dec. 16

8:52 p.m.  Deputies spoke with a 58-year-old female in Edenville Township, who reported that someone may have been in her attic. Deputies searched the residence and did not observe any indications of anyone in the home.

8:22 p.m.  Deputies spoke with a 21-year-old male in Hope Township regarding a civil dispute over a vehicle and other property. The male said he wanted the incident documented and would be handling the dispute civilly.

6:10 p.m.  Officers responded to a personal protection order violation and an driver operating while intoxicated on East St. Andrews Road.

5:01 p.m.  A 37-year-old Jerome Township man reported his 69-year-old apartment complex neighbor swore at him and was standing near his apartment door. The 69-year-old denied swearing at him and just told the other man to stay away from him. It was requested that the 69-year-old male not say things to the other man and to try and leave him alone.

2:16 p.m.  A Lincoln Township business reported a red full-size Dodge pickup was involved in a drive off of $70 at about 4:10 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 13. The business obtained a partial license plate, and this complaint is under investigation.

1:05 p.m.  A Lincoln Township business reported that a black Nissan Altima sedan was involved in a drive off of $48.85 at about 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 15. The business obtained a partial out of state license plate and this complaint is under investigation.

11:32 a.m.  Officers responded to a personal protection order violation on East St. Andrews Road.

11:02 a.m.  An animal control deputy dispatched to a complaint of horses in the roadway on East Shaffer Road in Hope Township. The horses had escaped their enclosure after the high winds blew a tree down on the fence. The horse owner and a passerby returned the horses to the enclosure and repaired the fence.

10:35 a.m.  A bank card was found at a Greendale Township gas station. The bank was contacted who advised to dispose of the card and they would issue a new one per their policy. The card was shredded.

10:03 a.m.  A deputy was dispatched to a Jerome Township location to intercept a speeding vehicle. The vehicle was located, and a 19-year-old Chesterfield female was issued a speeding citation and a no proof of insurance citation.

9:24 a.m.  Deputy dispatched to a Lee Township residence reference a possible destruction of property incident. An 80-year-old male reported someone caused damage to his lawn. The deputy contacted a 50-year-old male who advised that an employee must have backed a large trailer onto the property when it was dark out and didn't realize it caused damage. The males worked out who would repair the lawn.

9:24 a.m.  Officers responded to a vehicle crash on Dartmouth Drive and Bayliss Street.

7:39 a.m.  A 51-year-old Lee Township male reported a mailbox valued at $200 was damaged by an unknown vehicle in Lee Township.

5:06 a.m.  Deputies were sent to a Warren Township home for a breaking and entering alarm. An unsecured window was found. The deputies checked the interior, and no one was found inside. Nothing appeared to be out of place. Contact with the owner was attempted but contact was not made, and the deputies secured the residence.
Many trees were downed around Colorado on Wednesday as a severe windstorm ripped through the state for several hours. This image was captured in Colorado Springs, though many other cities and towns sustained heavy damages. La Junta was the town that was hit with the fastest gusts, clocked at 107 miles per hour. Image Credit: Chancey Bush, The Gazette.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stressed the need for the current executive authority in Libya to stay in office until presidential and parliamentary elections ae held, in according with a constitutional rule accepted by all Libyans
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This past week was an interesting one in terms of new products and concepts coming to light. To begin with, we learned that Google is ramping up their AR Glasses project by hiring a key industry leader to create a new AR operating system. One of China's leading smartphone players introduced a highly praised foldable smartphone that sells at the same price as an iPhone 13 Pro Max. New Samsung patents this week pointed to a new hybrid scrollable- foldable smartphone concept along with smartglasses and other wearables that will include a bio-sensors. Even Dell introduced a few new concepts this week covering a twist on webcams and a PC concept that those who support the Right to Repair movement may be very interested in.

On Smartglasses: Google

This week smartglasses was a topic of interest from Apple's competitors. It was reported by 9to5Google that Google, after dropping "Google Glass," was now gearing up to return to this market space.

Patently Apple covered two of Google's patents on smartglasses in 2020 and 2021. Below are patent figures from their 2021 filing. We also reported on Alphabet/Google acquiring a smartglasses company in Canada back in 2020 called "North." So we were able to see some of the new groundwork Google was laying for their return to this market that they pioneered.

9to5Google reported on Mark Lucovsky having rejoined Google with his official title being "Senior Director of Engineering, Operating Systems, AR @ Google. Lucovsky was previously employed by Facebook's Oculus VR as General Manager, Operating Systems. He had been at Google as an Engineering Director between 2004  2009 and spent 16 years at Microsoft as a "Distinguished Engineer."

(Click on image to Enlarge)

There are several open positions for Augmented Reality OS, with one job listing explicitly stating the goal:

"Our team is building the software components that control and manage the hardware on our Augmented Reality (AR) products. These are the software components that run on the AR devices and are the closest to the hardware. As Google adds products to the AR portfolio, the OS Foundations team is the very first software team to work with new hardware."

On Smartglasses+: Samsung

This week the U.S. Patent Office published a patent application from Samsung titled "Wearable Device and Method of Measuring Bio-Signal." Samsung is working on Earbuds, smart rings and smartglasses that could measure bio-signals. The bio-information may include one or more from among a blood pressure, a vascular age, an arterial stiffness, an aortic pressure waveform, a vascular compliance, a stress index, and a fatigue level.

In Samsung's patent FIG. 5D below, the sensor #120 may be disposed on an outer surface of the spectacle temples (#52) so that the sensor may measure a bio-signal from a finger when the glasses are worn, and the external light collector (#110) may be disposed next to the sensor. As illustrated in FIG. 5A, when a user touches the sensor with a finger while wearing the glasses, the sensor may measure a bio-signal from the finger. The sensor and the external light collector may be disposed on either or both spectacle temples.

For more details, review Samsung's patent application 20210386298 here.

On Smartphone Form Factors

Oppo: This week there was a lot of buzz about one of China's smartphone leaders Oppo introducing a foldable smartphone called the "Oppo Find N" that could easily challenge Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 3. Oppo had been hyping a "Scrollable" form factor called "Oppo X" last year that was to launch in Q4 2021. Instead, Oppo released a foldable smartphone that is being applauded by many reviewers including Marques Brownlee and Lew Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy as presented below. In the closed position, it's like an older one-handed iPhone which many will find appealing.

The price is 7,699 yuan (about US$1,200) for a model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. 8,999 yuan (about $1,400) gets you a 12GB/512GB model. For the sake of comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro Max starts at 8,999 yuan in China, so it's competitively prices for the premium smartphone space.

Rumor of a foldable iPhone have been around for awhile with release dates ranging from 2022 to 2024. Patently Apple's display archive presents many Apple patents for future foldable devices. Some of the most recent could be viewed here: 01, 02, 03, 04 and 05.

Samsung: This week a couple of future smartphone form factor patents were published for Samsung in the U.S. and in Europe. The first set of patent figures cover their U.S. patent application 20210391410 titled "Flexible Display Device having reduced Strain during Bending or Rolling." Samsung's patent FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the "rolling" mechanism within a smartphone frame that will allow the display to extend to the right side and provide users with the ability to view content in a wider format such as movies and YouTube videos.

Samsung's second patent application that was published this week in Europe under number WO2021251775 is titled "Electronic Device Capable of Folding and Sliding Operations." The patent figures presented below illustrate how a future smartphone may not only have the display slide out from the side of a smartphone but also fold or bend and capable of being held at angle. This way a user could place the smartphone on a table and tilt the display to watch content from TV to movies and YouTube content.

While the patent is published in Korean, the source Patentscope does provide a translation feature for many languages to assist you.

New Dell Hardware Concepts

This week Dell presented some new concepts that they're working on. The first is a new kind of webcam that could sit at the top of a desktop display but could also uniquely be moved to eye level or anywhere else on the display directly via a magnetics system. Read the Ars Technica report for more details.

On a grander scale, Dell introduced "Concept Luna: A vision for Sustainable PC Design" as presented in their video below. A proof-of-concept developed in collaboration with Intel, Concept Luna explores revolutionary design ideas to make components immediately accessible, replaceable and reusablereducing resource use and keeping even more circular materials in the economy. It was created to test what could be possible, not to be manufactured and sold. But if all the design ideas in Concept Luna were realized, we could expect to see an estimated 50% reduction in overall product carbon footprint.

Google tried a similar concept with Project Ara that was aimed at modular smartphones. It was never able to get off the ground, even though their engineers keep on patenting the concept. Whether either project will ever successfully make it to market is unknown at this time, but they're both kind of "Right to Repair" device concepts that could tap into a large global market someday. You could read more about Concept Luna from Dell and Intel here.
Telecommunications companies MTN and AirtelTigo, who both offer mobile money services, have agreed to reduce their person-to-person mobile money transfer charges by up to 25%.



The objective, according to the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GTC), is to reduce the overall impact of governments proposed Electronic Transactions Tax, commonly called E-Levy, on consumers should it come into force.



Vodafone, the other telecommunications operator offering mobile money services, currently has no charges.



Government has proposed 1.75% tax on all mobile money transfers exceeding GH100 per day, however, it has met with fierce criticism and in some cases, outright rejection and is currently in parliament straightening the path to implementation.



A statement issued by the Telecoms Chamber Friday evening (December 17, 2021) said together with the mobile money operators - Airtel Mobile Commerce Ltd (AirtelTigo Money), Mobile Money Limited (MTN MoMo), Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited (Vodafone Cash), have followed keenly the national discussions on the e-levy policy.



We have also engaged with various stakeholders on the issue. We have had extensive deliberation with government on the need to lessen the impact on our consumers. We acknowledge the need to expand the tax base. However, to reduce the overall impact of the new levy on consumers, MTN and AirtelTigo have agreed to downward revision of their P2P (person to person transfer) fees by up to 25% depending on respective operator. Vodafone currently has no charges.



Each operator would notify their customers of the applicable revised rate when the e-levy bill is passed into law. Our customer service centers would be ready to provide customers assistance during the implementation of the e-levy.



We pledge our continued support to our customers and would continue to deliver innovative products and service that would ensure the convenience of the digital financial platforms and support the national digital transformation effort, the statement assured.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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The dean of students for the Ghana Institute of Journalism, Mrs Rhodalene Amartey has been named the dean of the year by the National Students Awards Ghana 2021.



The award is in recognition of the selfless leadership exhibited by GIJs dean during the short term of her assumption of office as the Dean of the school.



The National Students Awards, in recognition of the hard work of the dean during the volatile and shaky moments of the school, especially in the political crisis at the students front, said the award is in appreciation of the leadership exhibited by Mrs Amartey in restoring democracy , trust and peace into students affairs.



Now more than ever, students have renewed their trust in the leadership of the dean, describing Mrs Amartey as a mother for all. Students who spoke after the awards said, if for nothing at all, they trust that they have a dean that will listen to them and advice them. We have a dean that we can walk up to and trust that she will pay attention to us and listen, some students said.



It would be recalled that between early 2020 and 2021, students of GIJ had encountered some serious challenges in terms of leadership due to the coronavirus crisis. Although many processes were established to restore democracy and calm before the new dean was appointed, much of what is now seen in terms of student organization and leadership is credited to Mrs Rhodalene. While many other schools such as the University of Ghana continue to discuss a way forward in terms of their student leadership and politics, GIJ has moved far ahead, with constitutional leadership in full force, a feat being emulated by other universities in similar situations.



Mrs Rhodalene Amartey was nominated along with some other Deans of other universities who were equally championing various revolutions and restructures in their various schools. But this year, students have selected the Dean of GIJ as the Dean of the year among all others.



In addition to being the dean, Mrs Rhodalene Amartey is also a lecturer and Counsellor, and many students have praised her for her outstanding personality, humility and an astute academic.



The National Students Awards, is an annual celebration of the excellent work Students, Associations, Corporate Institutions and individuals across the country have done.



It is organized by The Network of Scholars in Africa (NSA)  Ghana, a body incorporate, registered on 30th January, 2015 with the Registrar Generals Department of Ghana under the Companies Act 1963 (ACT 179).

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Deputy Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has announced that the Government of Ghana would as part of efforts to promote STEM education, enroll the 35 AIMS Girls in Mathematical Sciences Program (GMSP) beneficiaries onto scholarships to enable them to pursue their tertiary education. He announced this at the closing ceremony of the GMSP organized by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Ghana.



The event which took place on 19th November 2021 at AIMS Ghana Campus at East Legon Hills saw all 35 girls from 29 senior high schools across the country receive certificates of participation.



Launched in November 2020 by AIMS Ghana as part of the implementation of the UNESCO Category II Agreement with the Government of Ghana, the GMSP is an exciting and challenging 9-month program created for bright, curious, and creative female high school students to unlock their potential in the mathematical sciences. The goal of the program is to mentor beneficiaries to pursue STEM careers at the highest level in research, training, and industry. The program is also designed to create a special class of students who will lead cutting-edge research and innovation in the next few years.



Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Education, Hon. Rev. John Ntim Fordjour. expressed excitement and enthusiasm at how zealous the girls had been to complete the 9-month course in combination with their mainstream academics, describing the GMSP as a game-changing initiative. He explained that UNESCO had projected that in the next 30 years, there is going to be a massive expansion in access to education; more people will receive education than has ever been recorded in the history of mankind, but the Education Commission also argues that, while

there may be many people receiving education, if nothing changes by the year 2030, 825 million young people will reach adulthood without the skills, necessary to thrive in todays changing world.



Hon. Ntim Fordjour advised the 35 girls to look into the top 10 emerging jobs and declining jobs according to the World Economic Forum, to realize how important it is to build strong foundations in the Mathematical Sciences. He further stated that countries that had seen the best forms of development were those which had prioritized STEM and especially the Mathematical Sciences to provide solutions to their problems.



He further noted that, having allowed the program to go through them, he was certain that in the near future, the girls will be the women at the helm of creativity and innovative transformations that need to be seen in Ghana, on the African continent, and across the globe at large. Coming this far, I am very confident that you will be changing the narrative and challenging the status quo. You will be an inspiration to many young girls and boys in our society and I look forward to the success stories that will come out of this program, he said.



Dr. Prince Koree Osei, Centre President, AIMS Ghana, in his congratulatory message to the girls

in their STEM journey, reiterated that the girls were selected for their brilliance and excellence within their various senior high schools and different courses including Visual Arts, Business, General Arts and General Science. With the exposure, AIMS has given them, they should be stimulated and supercharged to bring closer the aspirations of AIMS by becoming the next generation of Africas Einsteins, he indicated.



Through the entire program, the girls were taken through online Masterclass sessions with top researchers/scientists who discussed cutting edge research in diverse fields. Residential sessions involved mini-courses such as Quantum Space-Time, Climate Change Science, Biostatistics, Stochastics as well as Quantum Information and Mathematical Problem Solving. Other activities included industrial visits to Ghana Tech Lab, and Ghana Atomic Energy Commissions (GAEC), fireside chats, universities/scholarships talk sessions with both Ghanaian and Foreign Universities among others. Each girl was also assigned a female mentor to help groom and guide them in making their career choices. These were all geared towards laying a foundation for a career in STEM.



Ms. Adelaide Asante, COO, AIMS Ghana, thanked the Government for funding the program. She commended the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), and the National Commission for UNESCO, for supporting the implementation of the GMSP and other programs at AIMS Ghana. She also thanked the 29 headteachers and focal persons from the high schools of the girls as well as their parents and guardians for the tremendous support during the period.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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AsaaseGPS Limited, a wholly-owned Ghanaian software development company and a subsidiary of Afrifanom Group, has signed a partnership agreement with the Maseru Municipal Council and Future Systems Ltd to provide the capital of Lesotho with a new and effective digital addressing system.



In attendance at the signing ceremony includes Her Worship the Mayor of Maseru Municipal Council- Cllr. Nthabeleng Ntsasa, Minister of Communications, Science & Technology- Hon. Ts'oinyana S. Rapapa, Minister of Education and Training- Mrs. Mamookho Phiri, Nana Osei Afrifa -Chairman of Afrifanom Group, Dr Elvis Baidoo  MD, AsaaseGPS and Representatives of Future Systems among other dignitaries.



Speaking at the signing on ceremony, Minister of Communication, Science and Technology, Hon. Ts'oinyana S. Rapapa highlighted the governments main goal to seta solid foundation to formalize the countrys economy starting with a proper and effective addressing system in the Maseru Municipality and gradually spreading it to other parts of the country.

He further stated that the major economic benefits for a country with a proper and effective addressing system are enormous to its people and serve as a catalyst in growing the private sector and formalizes the economy.



Commenting on the agreement, Chairman of Afrifanom Group, Nana Osei Afrifa noted that, We are excited to have this strategic partnership with the City Council acting on behalf of the people of Maseru. We have developed an addressing system that creates a compelling and sustainable value for the provision of accurate data to improve service delivery and assist in formulating appropriate policies which will create opportunities and accelerate growth for the city of Maseru and Lesotho as a whole.

He continued, We believe that while we stay focused on our core business, leveraging on the strength of Maseru City Council and Future Systems Ltd, we would ensure scalability and integration of add-on services and compatibility with postcodes within the Maseru district and eventually help accelerate the economic development of Lesotho.



Speaking at the ceremony, Her Worship the Mayor of Maseru Municipal Council, Cllr. Nthabeleng Ntsasaobserved that the partnership provides many opportunities to unlock the enormous potential of the City of Maseru citing that this would improve property ownership data and bring efficiency to service delivery in the city.



She noted that This partnership demonstrates the commitment of the Maseru Municipality towards digitalization. We have taken a cue from the gains that Ghana has made in the past few years after launching its national digital addressing system. We are excited about this new addressing system because its a game-changer for our business landscape which will lead to a formalised economy.



Managing Director of AsaaseGPS Dr. Elvis Baidoo, on his part, remarked, AsaaseGPS continues to identify innovative approaches to partnerships that enable it to stay at the forefront of consumer trends in the software and IT industry. For many years, we have developed solutions that best add value by enhancing business delivery and cutting-edge technology initiatives to our partners and customers.



AsaaseGPS is the worlds first official digital addressing system for countries. It is a location-based system that provides the most effective means of addressing every location and place in the world.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The EUTM CAR mission is a European operational training mission for the Central African Armed Forces (FACA). Its main mission is to support the Central African government in rebuilding its army, which has suffered from a long period of political instability, characterized by the fragility of the security situation.



The European Union Training Mission in the CAR was launched on July 16, 2016, at the request of the Central African government for an initial period of two years. On July 30, 2020, the Council of the European Union renewed the mandate of EUTM-RCA until September 19, 2022.



Nevertheless, in November 2021, the Council of the EU decides to temporarily suspend the activities of the EUTM mission in the Central African Republic. This decision is quite understandable since the failure of the European Union mission in CAR is obvious. The EUTM said they were unable to prepare a fully independent combat-ready force that would face the challenges of the current security situation because they did not have enough time.



In fact, the training of the EU mission consists of garrison troops, which will probably be of use to the country in a quieter time, but now there is a real threat in the form of militants and this issue needs to be resolved immediately.



Several members of the EU Parliament, specializing in military analysis noted that the EU Training Mission in the Central African Republic is not very helpful in stabilizing the current situation. Former Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga said the reality is that the training strategy used by the European Union in the Central African Republic, is neither adequate nor sufficient, as it does not attack the real security problems of the country, and is content to train soldiers in basic techniques and strategies, not adapted to the reality of their country.



Indeed, the EUTM in CAR needs a strategic overhaul because its training methods are no longer tailored to local security situations. They use a one size fits all approach and do not take into account either the territorial characteristics of the country or cultural.



Central African Armed Forces (FACA) soldiers are taught to stand ground. This is the main problem of the law effectiveness of EUTM training, because the situation is much more complicated. The armed groups attack civilians, leaving their positions as the national army approaches. The rebels use internationally discouraged methods of warfare, such as sheltering civilians and using minors as soldiers.



During ongoing counter-armed group operations, the training provided by Russian instructors has proven to be more relevant and effective for the situation in the CAR. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute "Numerous testimonies collected on the spot show that the training provided by the Russians is better perceived than the training of the EUTM CAR, in particular, because they provide the equipment, go into the field with the Central African troops and also provide food, what Europeans don't do".

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo has expressed his regrets that he did not have the opportunity to extend his gratitude to his friend and compatriot, President Jerry John Rawlings, before he passed away in November last year.



President Gbagbo who called on former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and the family last Friday, said he looked forward to saying thank you to President Rawlings so much so that news of his loss came as a real shock to him.



President Rawlings was the strongest amongst us his compatriots so it was difficult to believe he had passed. He was very authentic and real, Mr. Gbagbo said.



The former Ivorian leader said he was very much aware of the significant support President Rawlings gave him and how he spoke passionately about the error of his incarceration while others conveniently kept quiet.



President Gbagbo returned to Cote dIvoire in June this year after being incarcerated for ten years by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He was acquitted in 2019 and the court upheld the acquittal earlier this year.



He said soon after his return he yearned for an opportunity to come and commiserate with the Rawlings family and was finally relieved that he had fulfilled that mission.



WREATH-LAYING



President Gbagbo also visited the tomb of President Rawlings on Saturday with members of his delegation. He was welcomed again by Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and the family and laid a wreath in honour of his colleague, President Rawlings.



Receiving the former Ivorian President on Friday, Nana Konadu said she was extremely happy to see Mr. Gbagbo. She added that she was waiting for a time when Africans can say enough is enough with Europeans deciding how we should manage our countries. She recalled how President Rawlings did not hesitate to bring up the subject of how shabbily President Gbagbo had been treated.



Each time President Rawlings met a delegation he will talk about you (President Gbagbo) so that the media will carry it; that what is being done to President Gbagbo is unfair, unacceptable and how Africans cannot do the same to any European Head of State, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings recalled.



The former First Lady thanked President Gbagbo and his colleagues for fighting for his liberties and was happy he looked well after all the pain he had been through. She was hopeful that the former President will continue to impart his ideas and ideals to his people to encourage national development.



Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, said her father, President Rawlings, took the matter of President Gbagbo personally and lamented bitterly about how he had been treated. She said President Rawlings felt the failure of ECOWAS to impartially intervene in the matter was the ultimate betrayal by the regional body.



Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings said her father often mentioned the poor treatment of President Gbagbo in family discussions and reiterated such concerns when he held official meetings with both local and international delegations.



PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIRLEAF



Former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf also called on Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and her family on Thursday to commiserate with the family.



President Johnson Sirleaf was in Accra to participate in the second Kofi Annan Peace and Security forum organized by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC).



The former Liberian leader who has a long-standing relationship with Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, said after the sad loss of President Rawlings last year, she decided to do a follow up to check on the family after her condolence visit last December. She was delighted to see Mrs. Rawlings and the rest of the family doing well.



The meeting also discussed political developments on the continent.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The bodies of the two policemen killed in Zuarungu in the Upper East Region by suspected armed robbers on Wednesday night have been airlifted to Accra.



Constables Emmanuel Akowuah and Adams Suley were shot by some unknown robbers at Zuarungu.



They were shot while they were on their routine motorbike police patrols in the Zuarungu township on December 15, 2021 when they run into the three suspected robbers who were robbing a shop owner at gunpoint.



One of them was partially burnt after the robbers shot into the fuel tank of the motorbike he was riding on.



Parade



The Inspector-General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare supervised a parade in honour of the departed policemen at the Police Public Safety Training School (PPSTS) at Pwalugu on Friday, December 17, 2021 before the bodies were airlifted to Accra.



The parade was in line with police tradition.



Ahead of the parade, the bodies of the two victims were conveyed from the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital Morgue to the PPSTS at about 10 am.



After some police rites and a street lining ceremony of Police personnel biding their departed colleagues farewell, the Military helicopter landed at the Training School at about 12:30 pm.



After the brief ceremony, the helicopter departed with the bodies to Tamale en route to Accra at about 1:50 pm.



The IGP and his entourage also departed to Accra.



While the helicopter carrying the bodies of the two policemen was en route to the Tamale Airport, the personnel who participated in the parade at the PPSTS were debriefed by the Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Dr. Sayibu Pabi Gariba and the Commanding Officer (CO) of the 11 Mechanised Battalion of the Ghana Army, Lt Colonel Mintah Agyemang.



The personnel were urged not to be down-spirited and that the military will collaborate with the police to bring the perpetrators to book.



Conveying a message to the personnel on behalf of the IGP, Dr Gariba expressed the gratitude of the IGP and the Police Administration to all the personnel of the Ghana Police and Security Agencies that participated in the parade.



He also assured the personnel of the command's unflinching support for them.



Airforce based



The helicopter later landed at the Airforce base in Accra where Dr Dampare on behalf of the Ghana Police Service received the bodies together with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Frank Hanson and the Accra Airforce Base Commander, Air Commodore Joshua Mensah Larkai.



Another parade was held in honour of the two deceased policemen at the Airforce base where their colleagues and senior officers bid them farewell.



The bodies were subsequently conveyed for preservation.



The Police Administration thanked the Ghana Armed Forces particularly the Chief of Defense Staff, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Frank Hanson for their collaborative efforts in airlifting the bodies of the police officers.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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Words cannot vividly express the excitement that characterized the fifth installment of Diamond Kids annual food festival program. With all facts checked, the program outdid its objective and indeed exposed to the public, pupils creative skills in cooking and food garnishing.



Officially dubbed Dakids Food Festival and with support from Phytoscience Crystal Cell Ghana Limited, the program had pupils prepare variety of dishes within a stipulated duration and these pupils, even from Kindergarten, finely executed their part to the amazement of parents, invited guests and onlookers.



In attendance were Dr. Borris Yelson of Chrisand Care Consult who together with other health professionals gave free health screening to attendants; Mr. Dzidula and Mr. Wonder Satsi all of Phytoscience Crystal Cell Ghana, Private Auditor Madam Sabrina Lane from Blue Skies Product Ghana Limited and Mrs. Elizabeth Afriyie from the Ghana Education Service.



In his address on the need for inclusive education at the basic level, the Headteacher of Diamond Kids, Mr. Obed Mante Asare stressed the need for the government and the Ghana Education Service to include the study of sign language into Ghanas educational policies.



He also encouraged parents and other basic educational institutions to inculcate love for Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) into pupils in basic schools.



He encouraged parents to give children access to diverse forms of languages for brain development.



He also encouraged doctors and nurses to partake in sign language lessons in order to help smoothen consultations with deaf patients in various hospitals across the country but this, he thought, wouldnt see a high level participation and effectiveness without governments enforcement of compulsory education to all health professionals in Ghana.

Diamond Kids School Complex is an inclusive school situated in Nsawam - Oparekrom. It prides itself as a leading force in the provision of quality education with special focus on the hearing impaired or deaf at the basic level of education.



One of its kind in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri municipality, the school creates access to quality education and accommodates pupils from different backgrounds and nature.



It is currently the only school in the municipality with a special skill in meeting the educational needs of the hearing impaired pupils in the society and also in teaching sign language, French and Spanish language as well as vocational skill development.



Diamond Kids is one of the few schools in Ghana recommended by Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for deaf education at the basic level.

Source: Edmund A.Sakyi









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KGL Foundation Supports GA East Municipal Hospital

As part of its commitment to impacting and improving the healthcare system in the country, the KGL Foundation has lent its support to the Ga East Municipal Hospital in raising public awareness on the existence and operations of the Ga East Municipal Hospital in Kwabenya.



In a speech read on behalf of the CEO by the director of the Foundation, Mr. Henry Yentumi, he pointed out that one of the main pillars the Foundation seeks to make an impact is in prime healthcare and as such improvement can be seen in the strides being taken to see to this end.



He hailed the municipal hospital in their proactiveness in sensitizing the public through all media platforms on the hospitals availability and services rendered.



The lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic have not only made this grand hospital a safer place but, by sharing our experience, communities around are now more enlightened and better able to tackle or and manage similar outbreaks. That notwithstanding, it is evident the hospital offers top notch medical services and I will entreat all in the community and its environs to make use of facilities offered, he said.



He further entreated all seeking medical attention to patronize the facility to ease the pressure on other health posts in the country.



The event was marked by a health walk, aerobics, blood donation and various games activities.



The Ga East Municipal Hospital was commissioned in the year 2019 by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana as a Municipal Hospital. It is situated in Ga East Municipality and occupies a unique status within the framework of Health Care Delivery in the country as the first National COVID-19 Treatment Centre in 2020. The hospital serves the population of Kwabenya, Taifa, Ashongman, Abokobi, Dome and its surrounding environs. It is the only government Health Institution overseeing the work of both Private and Quasi government Hospitals in the Ga East Municipality. It has a 100 bed complement, and provides both primary care and specialized services.



About the KGL Foundation. The KGL Foundation is a corporate social responsibility initiative set up on behalf of the KGL Group. The Foundation focuses on youth empowerment, arts & culture and health & sports. Their approach is to collaborate, innovate and empower all local grassroots organizers working in these areas, ensuring they have the resources to improve and safeguard their own societies.

Source: Peacefmonline









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Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc (FB.O) is calling out half a dozen private surveillance companies for hacking or other abuses, accusing them in a report published Thursday of collectively targeting about 50,000 people across its platforms.



The company's fight with the spy firms comes amid a wider move by American tech companies, U.S. lawmakers and President Joe Biden's administrationagainst purveyors of digital espionage services, notably the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, which was blacklisted earlier this month following weeks of revelations about how its technology was being deployed against civil society.



Meta is already suing NSO in a U.S. court. Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy, told Reuters that Thursday's crackdown was meant to signal that "the surveillance-for-hire industry is much broader than one company."



Meta's report said it was suspending roughly 1,500, mostly fake accounts run by seven organizations across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta said the entities targeted people in more than 100 countries.



Meta did not provide a detailed explanation of how it identified the surveillance firms, but it operates some of the world's biggest social and communications networks and regularly touts its ability to find and remove malicious actors from its platforms.



Among them is Israel's Black Cube, which became notorious for deploying its spies on behalf of Hollywood rapist Harvey Weinstein. Meta said the intelligence firm was deploying phantom personas to chat its targets up online and gather their emails, "likely for later phishing attacks."



In a statement, Black Cube said it "does not undertake any phishing or hacking" and said the firm routinely ensured "all our agents' activities are fully compliant with local laws."



Others called out by Meta include BellTroX, an Indian cyber mercenary firm exposed by Reuters and the internet watchdog Citizen Lab last year, an Israeli company called Bluehawk CI, and a European firm named Cytrox - all of whom Meta accused of hacking.



Cognyte (CGNT.O), which was spun off from security giant Verint Systems Inc (VRNT.O) in February, and Israeli firms Cobwebs Technologies were accused not of hacking but of using fake profiles to trick people into revealing private data.



Cognyte, Verint and Bluehawk did not immediately return messages seeking comment.



A Facebook logo is displayed on a smartphone in this illustration taken January 6, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

In an email, Cobwebs spokesperson Meital Levi Tal said the company drew on open sources and that its products "are not intrusive by any means." Messages left with Ivo Malinovski  who until recently identified himself as Cytrox's chief executive on LinkedIn  received no immediate response. BellTroX founder Sumit Gupta has not returned Reuters reporters' messages since his firm was exposed last year. He had previously denied wrongdoing.



Gleicher refused to identify any of the targets by name but Citizen Lab, in a report published at the same time as Meta's, said that one of Cytrox's victims was Egyptian opposition figure Ayman Nour.



Nour blamed the Egyptian government for the spying, telling Reuters in an interview from Istanbul that he had long suspected he was under surveillance by officials there.



"For the first time I have evidence," he said.



Egyptian authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



Gleicher said other targets of the spy firms included celebrities, politicians, journalists, lawyers, executives and regular citizens. Friends and family of the targets were also swept up in the espionage campaigns, he said.



Meta cybersecurity official David Agranovich said he hoped Thursday's announcement would "kickstart the disruption of the surveillance-for-hire market." There were some signs that other social media firms were taking similar action, with Twitter announcing the removal of 300 accounts a few hours after Meta's announcement.



Whether the takedowns deal the companies involved more than a temporary setback remains to be seen. Two of the companies, Black Cube and BellTroX, have bounced back after being embroiled in previous spy scandals.



Gleicher said that targets of the spy firms would receive automated warnings, but he said Facebook would stop short of identifying the specific firms involved or their clients. That's despite the fact that Facebook said it had identified several customers of Cobwebs, Cognyte, Cytrox, and Black Cube - the latter of which includes law firms.



Marta Pardavi, one of several Hungarian human rights defenders who say they were targeted by Black Cube in 2017 and 2018, said she was gratified by the news of Facebook's report but wanted more information.



"They name law firms," she said. "But law firms have clients. Who are the clients for these law firms?"











Source: REUTERS









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Former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo has expressed regret that he did not have the opportunity to extend his gratitude to former President Jerry John Rawlings, before he passed away in November last year.

President Gbagbo who called on Ghana's former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and her family last Friday, said the news of President Rawlings passing came as a real shock to him because they were close friends.President Rawlings was the strongest amongst us his compatriots, so it was difficult to believe he had passed. He was very authentic and real, Mr. Gbagbo said.

The former Ivorian leader said he was very much aware of the significant support President Rawlings gave him and how he spoke passionately about the error of his incarceration while others conveniently kept quiet.



Read Full Story .... graphic.com.gh >>> :

















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North Koreans have been banned from showing any sign of happiness for 11 days in order to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-il.



The restrictions include an explicit ban on laughter and alcohol during the 11-day period of mourning. On the exact anniversary of Kim Jong-ils death, December 17, North Koreans will even be banned from going grocery shopping.



During the mourning period, we must not drink alcohol, laugh or engage in leisure activities, a North Korean from the northeastern border city of Sinuiju told Radio Free Asia (RFA).



Even if your family member dies during the mourning period, you are not allowed to cry out loud and the body must be taken out after it's over. People cannot even celebrate their own birthdays if they fall within the mourning period.



Kim Jong-il, who ruled the kingdom from 1994 until his death from a heart attack in 2011 at the age of 69, was the father of the current Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un.



Read Full Story .... telegraph.co.uk >>> :

















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The contents to the insides of homes that were flooded are pictured on the street in downtown Princeton, B.C., Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. Princeton, like many parts of the province, was hit with heavy floods and mudslides over the past couple of weeks causing major devastation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Foreign Trained Physiotherapists wanting to work

in the Australia

To work as a physiotherapist in Australia, you need to apply for and be registered with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia. You may also need to apply for a visa issued by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection (Australian Immigration Department). These two application processes are entirely separate and success in one does not automatically guarantee success in the other. Most overseas qualified physiotherapists need to have their qualifications assessed by the Australian Physiotherapy Council to meet one of the eligibility requirements for General Registration. There are two assessment pathways for the purpose of General Registration available to overseas qualified physiotherapists:

The Standard Assessment Pathway comprising of an Eligibility Assessment, a Written Assessment, and a Clinical Assessment.

The Equivalence of Qualification Pathway is an accelerated assessment process which measures evidence of overseas training courses and qualifications against the requirements for accreditation of Australian physiotherapy programs.

If an overseas qualified physiotherapist is not an Australian permanent resident or citizen, an appropriate Australian visa needs to be obtained for working in the country. Some visas require an assessment of skills and qualifications for migration purposes and the Council conducts Assessments for Skilled Migration for physiotherapists. To find out which assessment is suitable for you, click here. As of 4 February 2015, a new process applies for checking criminal history outside of Australia. This new approach requires certain applicants and registered practitioners to apply for an international criminal history check from an approved supplier. For more information, please refer to the international criminal history page on the AHPRA website.

New Zealand Registered Physiotherapists wanting to work in Australia
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The South Carolina governors recent recommendation to spend the entirety of the states plutonium settlement in Aiken, Barnwell and Allendale counties will be a difficult sell in the General Assembly, where lawmakers have their own interests and influence, Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey said this week.

I think most of the money from that settlement ought to stay locally, because the local area incurred the damage that spurred the settlement, Massey, an Edgefield Republican, told the Aiken Standard on Wednesday. But Im not sure that its going to be politically feasible to limit all the money to just three counties.

Masseys comments reflect the many competing interests across the state as well as the need for consensus  votes. An up-for-grabs $525 million is rare, and, as Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto put it in September, any time you talk about money, everybody thinks they have a good project, right?

Gov. Henry McMasters spending blueprint, shared last week, allots $317.5 million to Aiken County. Nearby Barnwell County would get $121 million, and Allendale County would get $13 million. The remainder of the plutonium purse would be held in reserves, to be applied to future requests in the Savannah River Site cradle.

But lawmakers, like Massey and Hutto, will have the final say.

A lot of the stuff in there we like, said state Rep. Bill Hixon, a North Augusta Republican. But remember, all the money thats spent in the state starts in the House.

Hixon was particularly disappointed Edgefield County, part of his district, was not allotted any money in the governors plan. A law enforcement center there will cost millions, and plutonium settlement money could defray  if not cover  the cost, Hixon suggested.

Its a very good starting point, Hixon said of the Republican governors list, but I dont want my little county of Edgefield left out.

The feeling is not exclusive to Hixon. State Rep. Bill Taylor, an Aiken Republican, on Thursday predicted the real battle for those dollars is yet to come. In the General Assembly, he said, legislators from other parts of the state will want a portion of the funds to be directed elsewhere. They must be educated on the impact of SRS in our area. (Massey, Hixon and Taylor are members of the Aiken County Legislative Delegation.)

State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, another Orangeburg Democrat, in August warned Aiken County would not be the sole beneficiary of the plutonium settlement money. Just because a portion of the Savannah River Site is in the county, Cobb-Hunter said at the time, does not mean yall are getting all the money.

The ventures McMaster wants funded in Aiken County, specifically, run the gamut: from Aikens Project Pascalis to the Savannah River National Laboratory, from cybersecurity facilities in North Augusta to basic infrastructure, like Whiskey Road congestion relief and water and sewer networks.

While there are so many worthy needs and desires for these special funds, Taylor said, spending on items that directly impact jobs, education and infrastructure supports a meaningful and lasting legacy.

Several officials in Aiken County have applauded McMasters proposition, describing the money and the plan as a game changer. Aiken Mayor Rick Osbon last week said the suggestions show the governors appreciation for the Savannah River Site and the sacrifices made by workers dating back decades.

The governor listened to community leaders as to what would have the largest economic impact, and he demonstrated that with the comprehensive list he is recommending to our legislators, Osbon said.

Aiken County Public School District Superintendent King Laurence on Wednesday said he was pleased with the governors recommendations, citing a $30 million earmark for a new career center on the Aiken Technical College campus.

In talking to his office, Laurence said, it was very clear that the governor liked our idea.

Laurence was one of many leaders the governors office touched base with before the blueprint was finalized and transmitted to the state House and Senate. The list, itself, is the product of listening sessions, smaller meetings and other feedback.

In preparation for issuing these recommendations, public meetings were held with stakeholders from the CSRA to receive input, information, and proposals for how these funds should be invested, McMaster wrote in a Dec. 9 letter. This collaborative effort produced a thorough and complete review of the needs within the surrounding communities and will help maintain the publics confidence in the appropriation decisions made by the General Assembly.

Massey has previously predicted the Legislature will handle the appropriations in the new year. For Hixon, the sooner the better.

I hate that we waited so long to start divvying it up, he said, because weve had it for awhile.
South Carolina's employment situation improved for the 11th consecutive month in November as more workers returned, edging the state's unemployment rate lower.

The jobless figure fell to 3.7 percent from 3.9 percent in October, according to a new report from the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.

The figure for last month was below the national average of 4.2 percent.

Monthly data, adjusted for seasonal factors, showed that 4,330 formerly unemployed residents returned to work during the month.

The estimated number of employed South Carolina residents is 2.3 million, or 100,032 more than in November 2020. An estimated 89,473 remain unemployed, down about 4,900 from October and a sizable improvement of 41,882 from a year earlier.

Hit hard by the pandemic, South Carolina's leisure and hospitality industry was a bright spot in November. The sector was the top gainer last month, adding 2,500 jobs, or 12,100 more than last November.

"These were sorely needed, and that industry continues to recruit and hire," said Dan Ellzey, executive director of the state's employment agency.

"While this is encouraging, this industry and many others are welcoming the workforce," he said.

There are still more than 100,000 available jobs posted in the SC Works Online Services database, Ellzey said.

The trade, transportation and utilities sector added 1,500 jobs in October but lost 1,000 workers last month.

The state's trucking and warehousing industries have recovered after struggling ahead of the holidays in a strong economy where demand for imported consumer goods is high.

"There was a really strong increase on the warehousing side," said Laura Ullrich, a Charlotte-based economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Va. She said a lot of companies are changing their inventory plans after COVID, "especially companies that rely on deliveries from overseas."

The latest data suggests that the decline in the category resulted from non-seasonally adjusted retail trade that didn't grow as much as it usually does, Ullrich said.

"In 2019, from October to November, 6,400 jobs were added in retail. This year, there were under 3,000," she said.

Education and health services added a modest 200 jobs in November.

Job seekers should consider positions in healthcare, an industry that "offers a variety of jobs, training opportunities, career choices, benefits and good pay," Ellzey said.

The month's worst-performing sector was manufacturing, which lost 2,000 jobs.

Overall, employers added 4,600 jobs last month across all categories, excluding farms, well below the 6,700 gain in October.

Ullrich said she has doubts about the November employment figures, adding last month's national job gains of 210,000 were well below the 1 million economists projected because we are in "abnormal times."

"I don't think seasonal adjustments are working as they are supposed to," Ullrich said.

The economist expects upward revisions in national and state data.
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The Mayfield Consumer Products manufacturing plant was the third-largest employer in Graves County, Ky., some 700 miles away from its Lowcountry-based owner.

During the holidays, when demand for the companys scented candles and home fragrance products were at its highest, as many as 200 employees would work overtime, churning out candles to fill seasonal orders that lined the shelves of major retailers around the United States.

On the night of Dec. 10, about 110 employees were inside the Mayfield plant when a monster tornado ripped through the small, rural town of about 10,000 in Kentucky's southwest corner.

Eight of those workers perished in the storm, and now questions about worker safety are being asked of the plants owner, Daniel Island resident Troy Propes.

Survivors of the tornado filed a lawsuit on Dec. 16 claiming the company exhibited "flagrant indifference" by refusing to let the workers go home before the storm hit.

The lawsuit, filed in Kentucky state court, seeks unspecified actual and punitive financial damages from Mayfield Consumer Products  a family-owned business that had its roots in a Charleston-based candlemaker called MVP Group International, named for founder Mary V. Propes. In 2018, the Propes family divested its interests in MVP Group, but held on to the Mayfield factory, with Troy Propes as its CEO.

The lawsuit alleges factory executives knew of the potential for bad weather and had up to 3 hours before the tornado hit to let employees leave and take safety precautions.

One employee told The Associated Press that a supervisor threatened her with written disciplinary action if she went home early because storms were approaching.

The complaint was filed less than a week after the killer storm destroyed lives and property from Arkansas to Illinois, carving a more than 200-mile path through Kentucky alone.

A spokesman for the company did not immediately return calls and emails for comment on the lawsuit.

In a written statement, Propes said he was devastated by the deaths at the companys plant.

Were heartbroken about this, and our immediate efforts are to assist those affected by this terrible disaster, he said. Our company is family-owned and our employees, some who have worked with us for many years, are cherished.

Propes has pledged to give each employee $1,000 and he has started a fund to help support tornado victims. He also plans to rebuild the factory.

We are providing additional support to our employees and our community, Propes said in the statement. We are committed to rebuilding in Mayfield and are proud of how were all uniting to come back stronger than ever. We are confident that over the long term we will bring back 100 percent of our jobs.

Mary Propes, 69, founded MVP Group International in the 1990s and the company had operations in several states as well as in China and India. MVP Group's headquarters, along with the Propes family, moved to Daniel Island in 2000.

The family has its hands in other business ventures as well. Troy Propes is CEO of Ralston Creek Capital, which provides financing for scan-based trading  a process where suppliers maintain ownership of inventory within retailers' stores until the items are scanned at the point of sale. And Lee Propes is listed as owner of MVP Granite Countertops, a Daniel Island business that specializes in the fabrication and installation of stone countertops and other products.

But candlemaking has been the family's top pursuit. In 2018, the Mayfield plant announced an $8.3 million expansion to keep up with the demand from national candle and fragrance brands that contract with the company for their products. State officials approved the expansion for $1 million worth of tax breaks, calling the project a "game changer" for Graves County residents.

Safety issues have been a concern at the Bluegrass State plant for years.

In 2019, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration found 12 violations, seven of them labeled as serious, carrying a total of $16,350 in fines. A settlement agreement reached this summer reduced the fines to $9,810. OSHA has opened another investigation related to the company's actions the night of the tornado. Mayfield said it will cooperate with safety agency's investigation and will also conduct its own investigation.

Finding workers for the Kentucky plant had been a challenge. The factory was hiring the week the tornado hit, advertising 10-hour and 12-hour shifts that started at $8 an hour  just 75 cents above minimum wage. The afternoon shift began at 5 p.m. where mandatory overtime will be required frequently, either by extending your shift or working on Friday, the company told potential job applicants.

Earlier this year, the labor shortage had become so bad, the plant hired inmates from the Graves County jail as part of an inmate-to-business work program. Seven inmates were working inside the plant when the tornado hit  all of them survived.

Several employees have told media outlets that factory supervisors threatened them with discipline or firing if they left the plant the night the storm hit.

I feel like we should have never been there," Kyanna Parsons-Perez told The Washington Post. "They should have canceled it  them candles are not that damn important. Look what it cost them."

Factory worker John Lawson told the WXIX television station that employees "kept getting warnings on our phones about tornadoes."

"No one wanted to stay, everyone kept saying they wanted to go home, but they wouldn't let us," Lawson said.

A company spokesman denied the allegations.

Its absolutely untrue, spokesman Bob Ferguson told NBC News. Weve had a policy in place since COVID began. Employees can leave any time they want to leave, and they can come back the next day.

In the wake of the destruction, there's been a mix of anger toward the plant's leadership as well as worry about the economic lives of Graves County's working-class residents. The plant was seen as a "sure bet place to work," according to a report by The New York Times, and offered the area's growing immigrant community a meager but steady income.

''I thanked God for the opportunity,'' Flor Almazan, a Guatemalan immigrant who made $7.50 an hour to put wicks in jars of wax, told the newspaper. Almazan was buried for hours under factory rubble after the tornado hit before being rescued.

Propes said his factory supervisors were aware of bad weather on the night the tornado hit, but they did all they could to keep the employees safe.

As we're all taught, even as children, the first thing you do is don't go get in your car" during a tornado, Propes told Upstate attorney and former South Carolina Congressman Trey Gowdy on his Fox News television show.

"The management team that was at the factory that night, I praise them for doing an excellent job or I believe more lives would have been lost," Propes told Gowdy. "This is a manufacturing facility. You would have thought this would have been one of the more safest places to be but, yet, the storm proved differently."
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. High 61F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 38F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph.
A longtime attorney has been arrested on charges he stole money entrusted to him by a client of his Charleston law firm.

John K. Blincow Jr., 62, was arrested Dec. 17 on one count of felony breach of trust with fraudulent intent.

A woman told Charleston police in October she had retained Blincow to represent her in a federal civil lawsuit, according to an incident report.

The woman said she wrote Blincow a $50,000 check as a retainer for his services. He was to draw from that for work he completed. She wrote a second check for $25,000, which he was supposed to use to pay for expert testimony in the case, the report states.

The case was dismissed and the woman requested the balance of her money back, but Blincow failed to provide it.

"After several attempts to get her money back, (the woman) recorded a phone call with Mr. Blincow where he admitted to using the funds she provided for personal use," according to the report.

Blincow represented the woman in a personal injury lawsuit originally filed in the 9th Judicial Circuit's common pleas court in March. The lawsuit was moved to federal court, but dismissed in June for lack of jurisdiction, according to court records.

Police called Blincow the morning of Dec. 17, said spokeswoman Sgt. Elisabeth Wolfsen. The lawyer voluntarily met with officers for an interview at the police department, after which he was arrested and taken to the county jail, she said.

Blincow is scheduled to appear at a bond hearing at 2 p.m. Dec. 18.

Blincow has successfully litigated dozens of cases in Charleston County, defending a range of health care professionals as well as large companies including Dollar General and Food Lion.

He specializes in medical malpractice, product liability, construction defect and personal injury, according to his profile on his firm's website.

Blincow had at least 16 civil litigation cases pending in Charleston County Circuit Court as of Dec. 15, many of which had to do with medical malpractice.

He is considered to be a regular member of the South Carolina Bar in good standing, according to his Bar profile.

Blincow has been licensed to practice law in South Carolina since 1984 after graduating that same year from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

He was selected to Super Lawyers in 2008, 2014 through 2020 and 2022. The peer designation is awarded only to a select number of accomplished attorneys in each state, according to its website.

He began his career prosecuting criminal cases with the 5th Circuit Solicitors Office in Columbia. In 1989, he entered private practice, working for firms in Charleston.

He started his own firm, Blincow Griffin, in 2015 with fellow attorney John Griffin. The business is at 126 Meeting St. in Charleston.

The pair has over 60 years of experience promoting and protecting their clients interests, according to the firms website.

Law is a sacred trust we earn, the website states.

The law firm could not immediately be reached for comment on Dec. 17.
A potential $13 million land sale between the Charleston School of Law and a hotel developer wanting to buy its property is being illegally held up by the city, a new lawsuit claims.

The Charleston School of Law filed a breach of contract lawsuit on Dec. 17 against the city of Charleston.

When Charleston sold land to the for-profit Charleston School of Law 16 years ago  at a discount  the plan at the time was for a school to be built there, not to flip the property to a hotel developer for a huge profit, city officials contend.

We wanted to keep the law school on the peninsula, Councilman Robert Mitchell said on Dec. 17. They didnt abide by the contract we had.

Mitchell, who has served on council throughout the dispute, said he awaits more guidance from the city's legal department but still maintains his original concerns about the property.

Taking time to evaluate its options, City Council has delayed approving the $12,850,000 sale between the school and developers of the nine-story hotel planned on the property at Meeting and Woolfe streets.

Law school officials said there is no reason to continue the delay and that the sale should be allowed to go through.

"The city agreed to this transaction years ago. Its failure to complete its portion of the deal is a textbook case of breach of contract," said J. Edward Bell III, president of Charleston School of Law in a news release.

The citys original 2005 agreement said Charleston would get the property back if the school didnt use the site for law school purposes and the permanent development or construction to facilitate such usage within six years.

When that didn't happen, the deal was later extended another six years. When that time expired in 2017, the law school claimed the deal didnt actually require it to build a school there.

Thats when the city struck a deal to allow the property to be sold, with the school getting 75 percent of the profit, according to the news release.

The 2017 deal stated the city would get 25 percent of the money  minus the $875,000 the college paid for the land and some smaller deductions.

But now, with a sale pending, City Council has balked at dropping the reverter clause from the deed  a step thats apparently needed to close the sale.

We are confident that an objective and honest review of the facts and law will result in a finding that the Law School has upheld its end of the bargain struck years ago and that the City has not, Bell said in the news release.

Instead of approving CSOLs request, council members have been discussing the deal in closed-door executive sessions since early 2021, The Post and Courier reported earlier.

The Dec. 17 lawsuit is a result of the city's refusal to remove the clause, John Strubel, Charleston School of Law director of marketing and communication wrote in an email.

City attorney Julia Copeland said the city would not comment on pending litigation "except to say that we intend to defend this matter vigorously."

Bell said the sale would be a benefit to the city as it is facing decreased revenue in its budget due to the coronavirus pandemic. The city faces a $3.9 million deficit leading into the 2022 fiscal year.

"The city will gain millions to cover its budget shortfall this coming year which will assist in funding affordable housing," he said in the news release. "Residents will benefit from the development of Meeting Street, jobs and tax revenues will be added."

Bell added the plan will assist in the school's efforts to convert itself from a for-profit entity to a nonprofit one.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison rallied party leaders in Charleston on Dec. 17, encouraging them America's future is at stake in 2022.

"We have to win in 2022 and not just to say Democrats won in 2022; we have to win to save democracy," Harrison said during a meeting of the Association of State Democratic Committees and the DNC's Executive Committee.

The group arrived in Charleston on Dec. 16 for a three-day conference at the Charleston Marriott Hotel to rally leaders, discuss strategy and organize their future meetings.

It marked the first large-scale assembly of top Democratic officials since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 50 people were in attendance in-person on Dec. 17, but some leaders and supporters also watched the conference online.

Harrison, a South Carolina native, made brief comments on the second day of the conference, taking aim at Republicans in his opening speech and highlighted Jan. 6 as a turning point for the nation.

He added that Democrats were the only party still fighting to save the country in the aftermath of the violence in Washington, D.C.

"To see that happen on January 6, I thought that Democrats and Republicans would stand up and say enough is not enough," Harrison said. " But fast-forward to today, the Democratic Party is still fighting to save America."

Harrison's appearance in Charleston was the same day that President Joe Biden spoke 80 miles away at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg where the commander-in-chief delivered the winter commencement address.

Harrison, who served as the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party from 2013 to 2017, said he was glad to have national party leaders in his home state.

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"Being back in my state party family always feels like a homecoming because, in essence, it is," Harrison told the crowd. "And I'm especially thrilled to have you all in South Carolina, my home state."

Trav Robertson, the chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, in brief remarks praised Harrison and said the party "appreciates the work you've done."

Democrats had a lot to celebrate in 2020 with Biden's election and the party's control of the Senate and House of Representatives.

But Republicans are celebrating recent wins in the Virginia governor's race this last month as well as in South Carolina with the Columbia mayor's race and the Georgetown City Council offices being swept by the GOP.

Ken Martin, president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, told the crowd in Charleston now is time for the party to advertise and, ultimately, act on their 2020 victories so they can win again in 2022.

"The time for hand-wringing is over," Martin said. "Our party has unified control of Congress and the White House for the first time in well over a decade ... now, we are able to use that power to deliver transformational change for the American people."

SC GOP Chairman Drew McKissick told The Post and Courier in a statement that he believes Harrison's messaging will fall flat in South Carolina and beyond in 2022.

South Carolina is always a great place for conferences, meetings, and weekend trips," McKissick said. "But our voters have proven that the Palmetto State is not a place for Democrat success at the ballot box  no matter how much money they spend."

Harrison's comments on unity in the party come amid reports of infighting within the DNC ranks. He was not available for questions at the event in Charleston, but addressed some of the strife during his brief speech.

"I want you to know that from this moment forward, Democrats are not in disarray," Harrison said. "As Beyonce said, we give in formation."
I keep vowing not to write any more about covid. As far as I am concerned, it is over. Done. Finished. Boring. All I care about is that I never again have to wear a mask. The omicron variant is a kind of reductio: covid is now, essentially, the common cold, which like covid is a group of coronaviruses.

But covid-related absurdities from our government keep drawing me back. Like these two stories, which appeared nearly side by side in yesterdays New York Post. First we have Joe Biden warning against the omicron apocalypse:

President Biden sounded like hed been watching Game of Thrones as he warned Thursday that the unvaccinated will soon overwhelm US hospitals and vaccine refusers will experience a winter of severe illness and death. Its here now and its spreading and its going to increase, Biden said of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 at the White House, seated near his chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci. For [the] unvaccinated, we are looking at a winter of severe illness and death  the unvaccinated, for themselves, their families and the hospitals they will soon overwhelm, Biden said.

So, per Biden: Omicron is awful and you must be vaccinated. Actually, though, omicron is not very threatening. In fact, it is not clear that anyone in the world has died as a direct result of omicron, as opposed to dying from something else while coincidentally sneezing.

Meanwhile, the Post also reports this:

A new study out of Columbia University says the Omicron variant is markedly resistant to vaccines and boosters might not do much to help, spelling bad news for the country as Omicron spreads and COVID-19 cases rise nationally.

***

The scientists express concern in the study published Wednesday that the variants extensive mutations can greatly compromise the vaccine, even neutralizing it.

***

The results are in line with emerging clinical data on the Omicron variant demonstrating higher rates of reinfection and vaccine breakthroughs, the authors said. One study recently showed Omicron is roughly 70 times more transmissible than Delta, but less severe.

As I have said many times before, I think it is a good idea for most middle-aged and elderly people to be vaccinated, as I have been. The Trump-inspired Operation Warp Speed vaccines have done a lot of good. But they are basically a stopgap measure, and the coronavirus has pretty rapidly mutated around them.

Joe Bidens assertion that the unvaccinatedare looking at a winter of severe illness and death is ridiculous, both because the vaccines are mostly ineffective against omicron, and because omicron causes very little severe illness and death. Joe Biden is simply spreading misinformation. That said, it is entertaining to witness his over-the-top commitment to the Trump vaccines.

I would like to say that this is my last word on the coronavirus, but I dont suppose it will be.
I wrote here about participating in the David Horowitz Freedom Centers Restoration Weekend last month. I was on a panel on the media with The Hills Joe Concha, moderated by Daniel Greenfield. I thought our readers might be interested in my comments, so I typed up the notes for my talk in narrative form. Here they are:

The issue of media bias has evolved considerably over the last 20 years, and I have had a front row seat. I think a simple way to see how much the landscape has changed is to compare two well-known incidents.

We started the web site Power Line in 2002, and media bias was a major focus of our writing. In those days, reporters for news outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post were pretty freely available, and we had many email exchanges with them, which sometimes resulted in corrections to news storiesusually sub silentio, but still. Reporters in those days wanted to be seen as objective and fair, even though they often fell short of that ideal.

In 2004, in an episode that became known as Rathergate, 60 Minutes tried to help swing the presidential election to John Kerry by publishing fake documents intended to put President Bushs service in the Texas Air National Guard, back in the early 1970s, in a bad light. The fraud unraveled quickly as we at Power Line and others on the internet showed that the documents were clumsy fakes that were full of substantive errors.

In less than 24 hours after the internet critique of the 60 Minutes story began, CBS News announced that it would conduct an investigation into what had happened. And it did. CBS News hired a former Attorney General of the U.S. to lead the investigation, and the report that he and others authored, the Thornburgh Report, was a devastating account of the dishonesty at CBS. Dan Rather was already gone by the time the report came out, and thereafter CBS fired Mary Mapes, the producer of the 60 Minutes segment, and several other employees.

The key point is that back in 2004, CBS News was seriously embarrassed that it had produced a false news report. It really did want, at least, to be seen as a fair and unbiased news source. And when the fraud was exposed, it took decisive action against the employees who had perpetrated it.

But over the next decade, that changed. Major news organizations have gone from being biased against conservatives to engaging in open warfare against conservatives. In 2016, Dean Baquet, Executive Editor of the New York Times, publicly stated that the Times approach to covering the news had changed when it came to Donald Trump. No more neutrality, no more objectivity, the Times would openly attack Trump not just in its editorials, but in its news stories.

Shortly after Baquet made that announcement, the Russia collusion story hit the news, and it continued to dominate the news for the next two or three years.

We know now that the so-called Steele dossier was a complete fraud, paid for by the Hillary Clinton campaign. And who promoted that fraud? It wasnt fringe news sources on the Left, it was, more than anyone else, the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN and MSNBC. I would submit that the collusion hoax never had any plausibility, let alone any proof, and the journalists who promoted it knew that in all likelihood they were reporting lies. But they didnt care. Their mission was to help Hillary Clinton win the election, and failing that, to hamstring the incoming Trump administration. They succeeded in that last goal to a remarkable degree.

The Russia collusion story has long been known to be a hoax. Bob Mueller and his team of partisan zealots couldnt find a shred of evidence to support it, and the investigations of Devin Nunes and John Durham have shed plenty of light on how the fraud was perpetrated.

But here is the point: has any liberal news organization launched an internal investigation, as in the Rathergate case, to determine how they could have been so wrong? No. Have any reporters or editors been fired? No. Have any Pulitzer prizes been returned? No.

As best I can tell, liberal reporters and editors are not in the least embarrassed that the story they promoted so heavily turned out to be a clumsy fraud perpetrated by the Democratic Party. I think they are proud of what they did. Their mission was to bring down Donald Trump, and the Russia collusion hoax played a major role in what eventually was a successful effort.

So I think those two stories illustrate how we have gone from liberal media bias in the early years of the 21st century to the open warfare on conservatism that we see today.

The only other thing I would add is that the dominant social media platforms now play an important role in amplifying the left-wing propaganda that is produced by the Washington Post, the NY Times, and so on. The social media giants view these left-wing outlets as mainstream media sources and feature them prominently on, for example, Facebook and Apple News, and no news story from those outlets is ever banned on Twitter. So social media companies perpetuate the outdated idea that liberal media are merely biased, not overtly partisan.

Basically, complaining about media bias today is like being a soldier in an ancient army, seeing a phalanx of enemy soldiers lined up across a field, preparing to advance, and saying Those guys are biased against us! We left what to do about this state of affairs for the question and answer session.
The Washington Post reports that Donald Trump is unhappy hes not getting enough credit for Glenn Youngkins victory in Virginia. Keeping in mind that Trump also wants credit for preventing the destruction of Israel, the Posts report is, for my money, the least surprising news of the week.

Youngkin won his race because he brilliantly executed a two-step. When he sought the nomination, he embraced Trump. In the general election, he avoided such an embrace. Had he not distanced himself from Trump, Youngkin would have lost the race because Trump is widely disliked in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., an area that was crucial to the governor-elects victory.

If Trump deserves any credit for Youngkins victory, its because he didnt attack the GOP candidate for distancing himself. But thats a bit like crediting a pyromaniac for not burning down your house.

Moreover, while Trump didnt burn down Youngkins house, he played with matches in its vicinity. At one point, for example, he warned:

The only guys that win are the guys that embrace the MAGA movement. When they try to go down a railroad track. . .Oh yeah, love Trump. Okay lets go, next subject, when they do that  they never win. They have to embrace it.

Yet Youngkin won because he went down precisely that track.

Jeff Roe is a political consultant who helped Youngkin navigate the track. He hopes to parlay that success into opportunities to help GOP candidates running in the midterms next year.

It was to that end, I believe, that Roe met with Trump recently at Mar-a-Lago. The purpose, surely, was to smooth over Trumps hurt feelings and ensure, to the degree possible, that certain of Roes prospective candidates can execute the Youngkin two-step without having Trump set fire to their houses.

This was an important mission, but not an enviable one.

Did Roe succeed? The Post pieced together the following tidbits from sources having (or claiming to have) familiarity with the meeting:

During his meeting with Trump, Roe asked the former president to endorse some of his other clients, according to two Trump advisers who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation. During the meeting, Trump phoned David Perdue to suggest he hire Roe for his Georgia gubernatorial campaign, the advisers said. Perdue, who is challenging Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in the Republican primary with Trumps support, did not agree to do so on the spot, the advisers said. Roe also critiqued some of the presidents current advisers, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting, and said he wanted to return and see Trump soon. . . . Trump told Roe that he would like to see his supporters publicly given more credit for the victory, two people familiar with the meeting said.

This doesnt sound like mission accomplished to me. Indeed, two sources said to be familiar with Trumps thinking told the Post that Trump remains skeptical of Roe.

I believe them. Its not at all clear whats required to mollify Donald Trump when he believes he hasnt received enough credit and/or that he was snubbed. But it takes more than a meeting.

Clearly, Trump doesnt want to see any 2022 candidates trying Youngkins two-step. Convincing Roe that he wont tolerate this might well have been Trumps mission at the meeting.
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis has released a report claiming that the Trump administration engaged in deliberate efforts to undermine the U.S. response to the pandemic for political purposes. Unfortunately, the subcommittees report itself appears to be motivated by political purposes.

First, lets consider the source. The subcommittee is chaired by James Clyburn, one of Joe Bidens closest political allies. In fact, Clyburn probably had more to do with Bidens ascension to the presidency than anyone in America, Biden included. It was Clyburns support of Clueless Joe in the South Carolina primary that took the Biden campaign off of life support and propelled it to victory. (I look forward to a House report from a GOP majority scrutinizing Bidens ineffective response to the pandemic.)

The odious Maxine Waters is also on the subcommittee. So is Jamie Raskin, the ultra-leftist who, Im sad to say, represents the district in which I live.

What about the substance of the report? Much of it is based on a few positions Trump took that were contrary to the advice of public health officials and other experts. The disagreements pertained, for example, to reliance on herd immunity and the authorization of certain covid treatments like hydroxychloroquine and convalescent plasma.

I dont think the Trump administration ever adopted a herd immunity strategy for combatting the Wuhan coronavirus. As I read the report, it objects mostly to him hosting a meeting with people who favored the strategy. The horror!

In any case, one cannot infer a deliberate effort to undermine the response to the pandemic from disagreements about various methods to combat it. This is true even if Trump at times took positions that differed from those of public health officials and certain experts.

Generally speaking, Trump followed the recommendations of these folks. When he didnt, he followed the advice of other medical professionals such as Dr. Scott Atlas. Trump might (or might not) have been wrong to do so, but thats very different from deliberately trying to undermine the pandemic response.

Experts on both sides of the various disputes were wrong about certain matters. This isnt surprising. The Wuhan virus was novel. No one really knew how to curb it. Everyone was shooting in the dark.

The advice Trump got from all quarters generally wasnt based on relevant data, of which, for many months, there was very little. It was based on past practices of questionable relevance, guesswork, and prejudices.

The House subcommittee report also relies on the views of Deborah Birx, a disgruntled former adviser to Trump. Birx didnt cover herself in glory with her advice. If anything, she was more fallible than most on issues relating to the pandemic.

Only rank partisans like Clyburn, Waters, and Raskin could conclude from the evidence they present in the report that Trump deliberately undermined the pandemic response for political purposes. Indeed, this conclusion is implausible on its face.

Trump understood that a pandemic would undermine his reelection prospects. He also understood that there is no way to cover up a pandemic. People either end up hospitalized and/or dead from the virus or they dont.

Accordingly, its difficult to believe Trump would deliberately undermine the pandemic response, and the partisan document produced by Clyburn and company fails to show that he did.
Did Project Veritas use its possession of the diary of Ashley Biden as leverage with which to extort President Biden? The fifth New York Times story on Project Veritas and the Ashley Biden diary includes this passage under a suggestive heading:

Using the Diary as Leverage Less than a month before Election Day, in an Oct. 12, 2020, email that Project Veritas included in a court filing, [PV founder] Mr. [James] OKeefe told his team that he had made the decision not to publish a story about the diary, adding: We have no doubt the document is real but that reactions to its publication would be characterized as a cheap shot. But Project Veritas was still trying to use the diary as leverage. On Oct. 16, 2020, Project Veritas wrote to Mr. Biden and his campaign that it had obtained a diary Ms. Biden had abandoned and wanted to question Mr. Biden on camera about its contents that referred specifically to him. Should we not hear from you by Tuesday, October 20, 2020, we will have no choice but to act unilaterally and reserve the right to disclose that you refused our offer to provide answers to the questions raised by your daughter, Project Veritas chief legal officer, Jered T. Ede, wrote. In response, Ms. Bidens lawyers accused Project Veritas of threatening them as part of extortionate effort to secure an interview with Mr. Biden in the campaigns closing days.

In an email he sent out to PV subscribers yesterday, OKeefe quoted the message sent by Times reporter Michael Schmidt requesting comment on his story: Were doing a story about Ashley Bidens diary and the ongoing federal investigation. Here are some specific questions we have for Project Veritas. If you want to comment or answer any of these questions wed appreciate responses by the end of the day.

OKeefe responds to the Times story and its coverage on left-wing cable in the video below. He doesnt seem too choked up by the criminal implications that pervade the Times story.
The Washington Post is looking for someone to investigate and report on those alien beings, conservatives:

The Washington Post is looking for an enterprising reporter to cover the political right in the United States. This reporter will be expected to break news and produce distinctive stories that explore the forces and personalities driving the Republican Party at every level of government and culture. This includes writing with clarity about the pro-Trump movement and its supporters

One gets the feeling that the Post wants to keep its Trump hysteria going.

as well as the broader constellation of elected officials, activists, donors and media figures who embrace and echo its brand of politics.

But wait! We started out talking about the political right and the Republican Party, but now the focus is on the pro-Trump movement and its supporters and others who embrace and echo its brand of politics. So in the Posts view, is that all there is to the right? Or to the Republican Party? Or is that just where the Post wants to focus its coverage, to feed its readers prejudices?

The ideal candidate is someone with a track record of producing revelatory stories.

Ill bet it is! The Post is looking for revelations that will help to discredit the right.

This reporter will play a leading role in our coverage of the 2022 and 2024 elections, collaborating with colleagues across the Politics team as well as visual journalism teams such as Graphics, Photo and Video. This reporter will be expected to travel frequently and often on short notice.

Because you never know when or where an insurrection might break out.

We are still waiting for the Post to hire someone who will write revelatory stories about the Democratic Party and the left. Via InstaPundit.
Remi Babalola, who in April was appointed chairman of FBN Holdings Plc by the Central Bank of Nigeria, following the abrupt exit of his predecessor Oba Otudeko, has given up the top board role at the financial services group, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Although no official announcement has yet been made, including from the Nigerian Exchange Limited, sources informed about the case told PREMIUM TIMES.



The exit of Mr Babalola, who was Nigerias Minister of State for Finance once upon a time, is coming at a time a new biggest shareholder has just emerged at the holdco in the person of billionaire mogul Femi Otedola.

Mr Otedola said he has no interest in any board position in both the group and its subsidiaries but it is probable that he will be appointing someone onto the holdcos board.

Mr Babalola was formerly an executive director of FBN Holdings commercial banking arm FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, with his broad experience spanning consulting, auditing, training and banking.

His career began at the consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers before he moved to American holding company Arthur Andersen and then Zenith Bank, variously serving as chief strategist, financial controller and general manager at the lender.

An agricultural economics graduate from University of Ibadan, he is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, and the Institute of Directors of Nigeria.
History was made on Friday night when Shatu Garko became the first-ever hijab-wearing model to win the Miss Nigeria pageant.

Ms Garko, who hails from Kano State, was also the youngest contestant this year.

The 18-year-old horse rider beat 18 other contestants to emerge as the 44th Miss Nigeria.

The event was held on Friday night at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Miss Nigeria 2021 represented the North-west zone at the competition.

Nicole Ikot was the first runner-up, while Kasarachi Okoro emerged as the second runner-up at the contest.

The outgoing queen, Etsanyi Tukura, who hailed from Taraba State, handed her successor the crown at the colourful ceremony

Rewards

The new queen Nigeria won N10m, a 1-year residency at a luxury apartment, a brand new car, and other mouth-watering brand ambassadorship opportunities.

According to the organisers, the pageant showcases the positive attributes of Nigerian women every year.

This years edition is the 44th.

Thousands of applications (were)received. The number was pruned down to the top 37 and an additional 3 wildcard semi-finalists.

The general public then got a chance to contribute to the process of choosing the 21 finalists who made it into the Miss Nigeria Bootcamp, which has now been further cut down to the top 18 finalists who will be going into the finale, said Chioma Nwigwe, Manager of the Miss Nigeria organisation

During her speech, the new queen said she is passionate about proving that religion and culture are not barriers to following ones dreams and achieving whatever a person sets out to achieve.

She also promised to uphold the ideals of the Miss Nigeria pageant.

Ms Garko also recently celebrated becoming the first hijab model to land a modelling job in Nigeria.

Process

The organisers of Miss Nigeria had unveiled the 18 finalists to battle for the crown in the grand finale on December 7 at the KIA Showroom, Victoria Island.

But the eviction process began with over 1,000 ladies and was reduced to 120, who were later invited for a physical audition in Lagos then reduced to 37, including three wild cards. Contestants were further cut down to 21 and later down to 18.

Speaking at the event, the founder of Folio Media Group, Fidelis Anosike, the organiser of Miss Nigeria 2021, said the vision was to create national empowerment and a role model that would serve as an inspiration for the girl child.

Miss Nigerias Creative Director, former Miss Nigeria (2013), Ezinne Akudo, also revealed that this years selection was quite demanding, due to the sheer volume of entries.
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Editor-in-Chief/Chief Operating Officer of Premium Times Nigeria, Musikilu Mojeed, who has emerged the President of the Nigeria chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI).

President Buhari also felicitated with the General Manager, Business and Strategy of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust, Ahmed I. Shekarau, who was elected Secretary of IPI Nigeria.

Premium Times reported how Mr Mojeed emerged as the President of the prominent body of journalists and media professionals.

A statement issued on Friday by the body, noted that Mr Mojeed emerged as president unopposed during a session of the General Assembly of the Institute, which was held physically and virtually in Abuja on Thursday.

Buhari elated

The President saluted the diligence and brilliance of both journalists, who he said have distinguished themselves in their chosen career with many recognitions and awards, urging them to bring their versatile experience in the media to reflect on the Institute.

The President also felicitated with the IPI on its successful General Assembly, saluting the outgoing leadership for providing sound management for the institute.

President Buhari looks forward to working with the new executive to advance the interests of the nation, which are not at variance with the IPI in the promotion of journalism, social justice and human rights, a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, on Saturday said.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) raised payment vouchers totaling N138.5 million that were not supported with relevant documents in violation of extant rules, an audit report has shown.

Details of the payments and other infractions are contained in the annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF) for 2019.

The FIRS is among the many Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government indicted and queried by the Auditor-General for incessant violation of extant rules, some of which include non-retirement of personal advances within a financial year and grant of cash advances above the approved limit and payments without vouchers.

The Auditor-General, in the report, said these financial offences could translate to loss of government funds and/or diversion of public funds.

Commenting on the irregularity, the report noted that paragraph 603 of the Financial Regulation states that All vouchers shall contain full particulars of each service, such as dates, numbers, quantities, distances, and rates, so as to enable them to be checked without reference to any documents and will invariably be supported by relevant documents such as Local Purchase Orders, Invoice, Special Letters of Authority, Time Sheets, etc.

The payments were raised without receipts, originating memos, Store Receipt Vouchers (SRV), invoices, and other relevant documents.

The audit report thereafter directed the Executive Chairman of the FIRS to furnish the relevant supportive documents such as receipts, originating memos, Store Receipt Vouchers (SRV), invoices, etc. to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly and apply sanctions relating to gross misconducts in paragraph 3129 of the Financial Regulations.

Similarly, the audit report said contract for the provision of marketing communication services was awarded to a contractor at the sum of N75,000,000 for a one year period between August 2016 and July, 2017. It noted, however, that the part payment of N42,640,993 was made to the contractor without statutory tax deductions and the amount of N4,264,099 was statutory taxes not deducted from the contractors payment.

Commenting on the infraction, the auditor general directed the FIRS to furnish evidence of the statutory tax deductions and remittance of 4,264,099 to the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly and apply sanctions relating to failure to collect and account for government revenue in paragraph 3112 of the Financial Regulation.

In the same vein, the audit observed that the FIRS made payments of Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) to staff amounting to 21,300,000 without proper narrations of purpose to justify that the payments were made in public interest. The anomalies could be attributed to weaknesses in the internal control system at the FIRS, the audit claimed, adding that it may lead to fraud and loss of public funds.

The audit also observed from the review of fourteen payment vouchers that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) made provisions for meals and refreshments during official meetings in excess of the approved limits for various meetings amounting to N40,234,099 contrary to the provisions of the Extant Circular. It called on the FIRS to provide reasons for the non compliance with the provisions of the Extant Circular to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly, and, otherwise, apply sanctions relating to gross misconduct in paragraph 3129 of the Financial Regulations.

In similar circumstances, the audit observed from the review of seven payment vouchers that the FIRS made payments on behalf of staff to their respective professional bodies annual subscriptions, fees and other related charges which are linked to the career progression of the individual officers to professional bodies amounting to N26,268,640.

The report noted that Establishment Circular from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation rd (OHCSF) with reference No. HCSF/PSO/784/III/2 of 23 January, 2009 states that attendance of courses leading to professional qualifications shall be at the expenses of the officers themselves. As a matter of emphasis MDAs shall no longer pay for course fees and allowances for officers attending training programmes arranged or sanctioned by their respective professional bodies.

Like in other infractions, the audit report said that auditors received no response from the FIRS on the infractions raised.

The auditor general requested the FIRS to provide reasons for the non compliance to the provisions of the Extant Circular to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly, recover the sum of N26,268,640 by forwarding evidence of recovery to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly; and apply sanctions relating to gross misconduct in paragraph 3129 of the Financial Regulations.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2019 failed to account for extra-budgetary contractual liability totaling over N48 billion, according to the latest government audit report.

The failure, according to the report, was attributed to weakness in the internal control system of the ministry, which allowed misappropriation of public funds and difficulty in funding the budget. The report said the outstanding incurred by the ministry was because they did not take necessary actions to pay eligible contractors.

Auditors relied on Paragraph 2906 (ii) of the Financial Regulations (FR) that stipulates all procurement plans must be supported by prior budgetary appropriation as proof of availability of funds. In other words, payments that are not provided for in the annual estimates shall not be accepted.

Also, the report highlights that Paragraph 417 of the FR states that Expenditure shall strictly be classified in accordance with the Estimates, and votes must be applied only to the purpose for which the money is provided. Expenditure incorrectly charged to a vote shall be disallowed.

The report produced by the auditor-general of the federation also said the ministry used over N7 billion released for the 2019 first quarter capital project to pay for its traditional capital project of the previous year (2018).

The 2018 Capital Project appropriation of the Ministry was duly funded and released in the year, and there were no acceptable justifications for utilising 2019 first quarter capital release to pay for 2018 projects, the report said.

In a letter dated November 3, 2020, the agric ministrys management said the action was regretted and that the matter was under investigation by relevant anti-graft agencies.

Despite President Muhammadu Buharis repeated promise to revive the countrys agric sector, the sector has remained underfunded, yet funds allocated to the ministry are often mismanaged and sometimes diverted.

Due to inefficiencies of the agric ministry, Mr Buhari in September sacked the then Minister of Agriculture, Sabo Nanono.

Nigerias civil aviation agency failed to remit 2.98 billion

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also failed to remit almost N3 billion naira to the federal government purse in 2018, violating the countrys rules on transfers of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by Ministries, Department and Agencies, the audit report said.

The government requires all federal agencies to limit their utilisation of internally generated revenue to not more than 75 per cent of the gross revenue while the balance of not less than 25 per cent should be remitted to the government purse.

According to the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the authors of the report, the NCAA generated a total of N18.34 billion as IGR in 2018.Instead of remitting 25 per cent (N4.58 billion) of that amount to the government treasury, it remitted N1.60 billion, resulting in under-remittance of N2.99 billion.

The 2019 report, released recently as the latest by the auditor generals office, said the anomalies in the remittance could be attributed to weaknesses in the internal control system at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

It said the risk associated with such an act by the aviation agency is: Loss of government revenue, and difficulty in funding budget.

In its response to the auditors findings, the NCAA said it was only required to remit 80 per cent of its operating surplus.

The actual liability due for 2018 would be determined upon the conclusion of the 2018 external audit of the financial statements of the Authority, the NCAA said.

Key recommendations

Aghughu Adolphus, Nigerias auditor general, said in the report that the NCAA should provide reasons why 25 per cent of IGR was not remitted to the treasury as required by extant regulations.

Remit the sum of 2,984,887,250.00 (Two billion, nine hundred and eighty four million, eight hundred and eighty seven thousand, two hundred and fifty naira), being the under remittance of 25% of IGR for 2018 to the Treasury, and forward evidence of remittance to the Public Accounts Committees of the National Assembly,  he said.

Otherwise, Mr Adolphus said: apply sanctions relating to failure to collect and account for Government Revenue specified in paragraph 3112 of the Financial Regulations.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has given its assent to the appointment of Ahmad Abdullahi to chair the directors board of financial services group FBN Holdings Plc after receiving the resignation notice of Remi Babalola, who gave up the post on Friday.

Mr Babalola left the institution in view of the contest by some significant shareholders for control of First Bank Holding Plc, said Osita Nwanisobi, the regulators spokesperson, in a statement.

Until last February the director and head of CBNs Banking Supervision unit, Mr Abdullahi has varied experience in bank crisis resolution, financial regulation as well as academia aside from being an economist.

Mr Abdullahi coordinated retail banking services at three of the apex banks branches after he joined the CBN as a manager, becoming director of Other Financial Institutions Supervision department in 2014.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and was previously an academic at Usman Dan Fodiyo University, Sokoto.

Currently, Mr Abdullahi is a board member of Asset Management Company of Nigeria, Africa Finance Corporation, FMDQ Group, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation and African Finance Corporation.

Mr Nwanisobi stated that CBNs regulatory interventions at FirstBank particularly are generating positive change particularly in areas like corporate governance, openness and building stakeholders confidence.
Remi Babalola, former chairman of FBN Holdings Plc appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria following the abrupt exit of his predecessor, Oba Otudeko, resigned his position due to the rot, stench and corruption in the system, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

Mr Babalola gave up the top board role at the financial service group on Friday.

Although no official announcement has yet been made, including from the Nigerian Exchange Limited, inside sources informed about the issue confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES earlier on Friday.

The exit of Mr Babalola, a former Nigerian Minister of State for Finance, is coming at a time billionaire mogul Femi Otedola emerged as the new biggest shareholder at the holdco.

On Saturday, documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES from top sources at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that the former minister claimed that he resigned amid frustrating attempts to reinstate confidence in the brand and improve corporate governance within the system.

In a letter announcing his resignation, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the former chairman expressed frustration about the system and lamented his futile efforts to ensure transparency in the holdcos operations.

I accepted the appointment as a non-executive director and chairman of the board of FBN Holdings PLC on April 30th 2021 as a national call to service, an opportunity to deploy my endowments to illuminate humanity, wrote Mr Babalola.

Since then, it has been a slug of herd work, sacrifices and battles.

Despite the challenges, Mr Babalola explained that the board was able to push through within the last few months to effect major changes in corporate governance overhaul. He noted that the board reinstated confidence in the brand, stalled value erosion, transferred registrars for transparency, introduced openness and due processes in all transactions, unveiled significant investors, and pushed for improved performance.

However, with the rot, stench and corruption in the system, it has been well-nigh impossible for me to break; and upon deep reflection and partial to my personal values, I write to formally resign my appointment as a non-executive director and chairman of the board of directors of FBN Holidays PLC, effective immediately, he wrote.

This should allow ample time for the institutions shareholders to plan a smooth transaction through the next Annual General Meeting.

Boardroom tussle, poor performances

In the last few weeks, major shareholders of the holdco have been slugging it out in battle for influence and power within the company.

Billionaire magnate and chair of Geregu Power Plc Femi Otedola and his closest rival Tunde Hassan-Odukale, have been locked in an ownership tussle since the news of Mr Otedolas share acquisition broke in October.

Shortly after Mr Odetolas move was announced, Mr Hassan-Odukale claimed 5.36 per cent shareholding in the holdco in what he called cumulative equity stake drawn from a combination of his direct, indirect and related party shareholding in the group.

Days after, the board of FBN Holdings issued a letter seen by PREMIUM TIMES to the Corporate Affairs Commission, notifying Mr Hassan-Odukales 5.36 per cent cumulative stake and other related details. The controversial aspect of his declaration, particularly his claim to 1.05 per cent stake held by Leadway Pensure PFA, a company owned by Mr Hassan-Odukale, attracted disapproval from the NGX and the National Pension Commission.

Last week, Mr Otedola acquired a further interest in FBN Holdings Plc, the parent company of First Bank. The purchase was expected to formally consolidate his position as the single biggest shareholder of FBN Holdings, placing him well ahead of his rival.

ALSO READ: Remi Babalola resigns from FBN Holdings as chairman

Amid the ownership tussle, First Bank Nigeria (FBN) Holdings reported low turnover in the three months period of third quarter 2021, with gross earnings and profit declining by 4.96 percent and 40.1 percent respectively.

In the period between July to September 2021, the company generated N427.03 billion, 4.96 percent below the N449.33 billion the lender reported for Q3 2020.

In the interim report filed at the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX), profit before tax failed to surpass the N63.31 billion recorded during the corresponding period last year, as it stood at N52.93 billion.

Surprising Resignation

Meanwhile, details of a separate letter obtained from insiders at the CBN showed that the apex bank has invited Mr Babalola to a meeting of the Committee of Governors of the Bank.

The meeting, scheduled to further discuss the development surrounding Mr Babalolas exit from First Bank, will be held on Monday at the CBN office in Lagos, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

In the letter, the CBN eulogised the former chairman for his modest efforts in repositioning the bank yet described Mr Babalolas resignation as a surprise.

However, your resignation came as a surprise, given its suddenness, without any prior engagement with the Bank and your allegation of wrongdoing within the bank which you claimed stalled your efforts to deliver on the mandate following your appointment by the Bank, the CBN said in the letter, signed by Haruna Mustafa, Director of Banking Supervision.

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The CBN takes issues of governance infractions and breaches very seriously and hereby invites you to a meeting with the Committee of Governors of the Bank to further discuss this development.

Efforts made by PREMIUM TIMES to speak with Mr Babalola on Saturday failed as his known telephone number was unreachable. Text messages sent to his telephone lines were also not responded to as of press time.

A CBN spokesperson did not return calls Saturday afternoon.
The Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) into the cause and volume of spill from the leak at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29 suffered a setback following the exclusion of the Bayelsa Technical Committee set up by Governor Douye Diri.

JIV is a statutory probe that follows every leak incident by regulators, operators, state Ministry of Environment and host communities aimed at uncovering the cause of the spill and volume of leak.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the JIV to the well leak, which polluted the Santa Barbra River and Nembe creeks from November 5 to December 8 was marred by absence of Bayelsa Ministry of Environment and the State Committee.

Officials of Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production, operators of the OML 29 had opposed the inclusion of the media in the investigation as the Bayelsa Technical Committee insisted that inclusion of the press was to ensure transparency.

The divergent views expressed by the two parties led to a boycott by the representatives of Bayelsa Ministry of Environment and Bayelsa Government Technical Committee on the November 5, incident.

Officials of Aiteo, who declined to disclose their identities whilst the disagreements lasted, argued that the JIV was constituted of representatives of oil firm, regulators, state Ministry of Environment and impacted communities.

They maintained that they were not opposed to the participation of the state Technical Committee but the inclusion of media was not allowed in the statue books that listed the statutory participants in a JIV.

The 11 member Bayelsa Technical Committee inaugurated by Mr Diri on December 15 comprised five representatives five members.

They are Solomon Ebobra, former Dean of Law in Niger Delta University (NDU) and current Director of the Centre for Niger Delta Studies in NDU, and Woyengikuro Agadah, former Bayelsa Director of Environmental Assessment.

Others are Tobin Igiri, an Earth Scientist, Enai Reuben, the Head of Petroleum and Pollution Department in the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, and Iniruo Wills, a former of Environment in Bayelsa.

Reacting to the development Kemasuode Wodu, the Legal Team Lead of the State described the exclusion of the press as unacceptable as the Bayelsa government urged the committee to ensure transparency.

The Bayelsa government team on the JIV was barred by Aiteo and armed security deployed to the oilfields, so when they insisted that we drop our press crew, we became apprehensive of their motives and even our safety.

So we are not aware if they went ahead or not but we were emphatic that the state government wants investigations to be conducted in a very transparent manners, Mr Wodu said.

Mathew Ndianabasi, spokesman of Aiteo was not reachable for comments while the Joint Military Task Force in Niger Delta referred enquiries to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja. (NAN)
A businessman, Sylvanus Ahamonu, on Friday narrated before an Ikeja Special Offences Court, how he was allegedly kidnapped, tortured and made to pay $420,000 ransom by alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans) and his gang members.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ahamonu, gave evidence online via the Zoom App, as the third prosecution witness in the trial of Evans and a dismissed member of the Nigeria Army, Victor Aduba.

When the witness was asked to identify Evans, who was standing in the dock alongside Aduba, he said, I know him, that is Evans.

He, however, was unable to identify Mr Aduba.

Ordeal

Led in evidence by Lagos State counsel, Yusuf Sule, Mr Ahamonu said his ordeal began in the evening of June 23, 2014, while he was returning to his residence from work, in his car.

He said his driver was waylaid by two or three men in police and military uniforms, who claimed to be men of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force.

Evans came into my car brandishing an AK-47 rifle. He was wearing a three-quarter Jean trousers.

I saw his face, he cannot deny it. The men in army and police uniforms were beating me. They said I was wanted by SARS.

Their bus was parked closeby and they took me into the bus, put me on the floor and covered my head. They placed their feet on my head throughout the trip.

After about two or three hours, they transferred me to a Sienna car and took me to a building where they handcuffed my hands and legs and began interrogating me about my personal life and business, he testified.

The witness said that three weeks into his alleged captivity, his abductors contacted his wife and asked her to pay $2 million ransom or he would be murdered.

He said his spouse, in order to meet up with the demands, sold their property and contacted family, friends and well wishers, after which she was able to raise $200,000.

The money was given to them, and they said it was not complete, they said she must provide the complete money or they would kill me.

She additionally sold some things in the village, and gave him another $200,000, and he said the money was not complete yet.

My wife raised another $20,000, to give him. We gave them a total of $420,000, Mr Ahamonu said.

He told the court that Evans also threatened to kill his immediate elder brother, Dominic, who dropped off the first tranche of $200,000, because he reported the abduction to the police.

The businessman alleged that Evans also kidnapped his relative, Onyebuchi, who paid the final tranche of $20,000 ransom.

He said he was later released alongside Onyebuchi.

He said that his path and Evanss crossed again after he (Evans) was captured and held in police custody.

The police announced that anyone who had been kidnapped by Evans before should come to identify him.

When I saw him, he started begging for forgiveness, he told everyone the amount of money he received from me, and how he treated me.

My hands and feet were handcuffed for two months and I was blindfolded for that period. I nearly died.

Evans told my wife to take me to a hospital, and that if I should die, he would kill her. I had to be flown abroad for treatment, Mr Ahamonu said.

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While being cross-examined by Evanss counsel, Victor Opara (SAN), Mr Ahamonu said he never met Evans prior to his alleged ordeal.

He said when he was accosted by the gang and told that he was wanted by SARS/authorities, he initially did not panic because he was a law-abiding citizen.

On raising of the funds for the ransom, he said that he had a very large family as well as a lot of friends who were anxious for his wellbeing.

He told court that the family members and friends helped to raise the money.

While being cross-examined by counsel to Aduba, Emmanuel Ochai, Mr Ahamonu said that the abduction occured on Kara Road, off Osolo Way, Ajao Estate, Lagos.

NAN reports that Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until February 4, 2022, for the continuation of trial.

(NAN)
The Police in Jigawa have arrested a 22-year-old suspected drug dealer in the Ringim Local Government Area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Lawan Shiisu, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Dutse on Saturday.

Mr Shiisu said the suspect, a resident of Ringim town, was arrested on December 16 when the police raided a black spot in the area.

He explained that the suspect was arrested in possession of 91 tablets of Exol drugs, nine cards of Diazepam tablet, eight wraps of dried leaf suspected to be Indian hemp and three sticks of cigarette.

The PPRO added that the suspect has been charged to court.

According to him, 11 other suspects were arrested when the police raided criminals hideouts and black spots in Maigatari and Kiywa LGAs, between December 10 and 12.

Mr Shiisu said during the raids, dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, empty sachets of Diazepam tablet, rubber solution, popularly known as sholisho, petrol and other substances were recovered.

He added that the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.

(NAN)
Precious Chikwendu, estranged wife of former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has accused him of disobeying an order of court granting her access to their four children.

But Mr Fani-Kayodes lawyer denied the allegation in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.

Ms Chikwendu and Mr Fani-Kayode have been locked in a legal battle over the custody of their four sons since they split last year.

A Customary Court at Kubwa in Abuja, had on December 8, ordered Mr Fani-Kayode to allow Ms Chikwendu access to their four sons at a neutral ground during the Christmas and New Year periods.

Both parties through there counsels are to agree on a date, time and place where petitioner can see her children, spend time with them and thereafter be returned to the respondent.

This order subsist pending the determination of the suit, A. M. Alkali, Chairman of the three-member panel of the Customary Court had ruled.

On the strength of the order, Ms Chikwendus lawyer, Emeka Uchegbulam, wrote a letter to Mr Fani-Kayode through his lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, detailing the venue, dates and time of visitations to the children.

In the letter titled, Request for Access to the Petitioners Four Male Children, Ms Chikwendu chose the Central Park in Abuja to meet with the children on Saturday, December 18, 2021, from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m.

Other days scheduled for the visitation are Saturday, January 1, 2022, New Years Day at same venue and time.

We suggest that the petitioner (Ms Chikwendu) be allowed access to her children on Saturday, 25th day of December, 2021; Christmas Day as an alternative to the 1st day of January date, and Saturday, 9th January, 2022 same venue and time.

Their Honours at the hearing of both counsels in open court ordered that the petitioner be granted access to her children during the festive period and that counsel should agree on the days, times and where the children would be brought for the petitioner to spend time with her children.

Sequel to the said order, we have discussed with the petitioner, though she would have loved to see her children every day, but in fairness we hereby request the children be made available on the following three days, location and time, the letter read.

It further explained that the choice of the Central Park as venue for the visitations was borne out of Ms Chikwendus alleged traumatic experiences at Mr Fani-Kayodes residence, where the four children currently reside.

Children not found at meeting venue, contempt proceedings will commence

At the time our correspondent visited the Central Park at 10.a.m. on Saturday, Ms Chikwendu and her lawyer, Emeka Uchegbulam, were seen waiting for the arrival of the children.

Mr Uchegbulam said the development was likely attributable to the reply letter by Mr Fani-Kayodes lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, indicating that the former minister had filed an appeal with an application for a stay of execution of the order at the Customary Court of Appeal.

A mere filing of an appeal does not constitute a stay of execution of a court order.

We are going to start contempt proceedings against Mr Fani-Kayode, Mr Uchegbulam threatened.

The lawyer noted that he was at the park to observe his clients meeting with her children, after over a year since she was barred from seeing them by Mr Fani-Kayode.

Fani-Kayodes lawyer speaks

The ex-ministers lawyer, Mr Adedipe, denied the allegation that his client flouted the courts order.

The court does not have jurisdiction to issue the order. It has been her claim from the outset that they were never married and that our client never paid her bride price. But the customary court is not for boyfriend and girlfriend. So, the court does not have the jurisdiction to issue the order. We have filed an appeal against the order and we have filed for an order for stay of execution of the order, Mr Adedipe said.

Asked if the appeal and application for stay of execution automatically operates as if the order for stay has been granted, the lawyer said, We have a pending objection against the jurisdiction of the court which they have yet to respond to. The order was issued without jurisdiction, and we cant be said to be flouting an order that was issued without jurisdiction. We have appealed against it and applied for a stay of its execution.

As a matter of fact, we have always maintained that she has access to her children anytime she wants to see them at our clients home, he added.

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Appeal

In his notice of appeal dated December 17, 2021, Mr Fani-Kayode said the Customary Court erred in law when it denied him a right to fair hearing and thereby acted without jurisdiction.

The customary court erred in law and thereby occasioned a miscarriage of justice, when it proceeded to make orders with far-reaching implications, despite the fact that it lacks jurisdiction.

The apllication filed by Mr Fani-Kayodes lawyer along with the notice of appeal seeks, An order of injunction to restrain the petitioner or her agents from executing, implementing or taking any benefit from the decision and orders made by this court on December 8, 2021, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal lodged by the applicant (Mr Fani-Kayode), to the Customary Court of Appeal.

Background

Ms Chikwendu has levelled series of allegations against Mr Fani-Kayode in series of filings in the suit which she had instituted to obtain an order to compel her ex-husband to yield custody of their children to her.

Her lawyers alleged in one of her filings at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, that Mr Fani-Kayode beat her up on several occasions even while she was pregnant.

In an aspect of a case that was pending at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, she accused Mr Fani-Kayode of lacking the capacity to look after the children, and expressed worries that the former minister was entrusting the boys in the care of nannies and his girlfriends.

Mr Fani-Kayode has denied his ex-wifes allegations.

As of the time of filing this report, Mr Fani-Kayode had yet to present the children for a meeting with their mother as ordered by the court.
The Canadian government has said it will, on December 18, lift the travel ban on 10 African countries including Nigeria.

Other countries include South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Malawi and Egypt.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced the ban would be lifted effective December 18 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

While we recognize the controversial nature of such a prohibition, we believe it was a necessary measure to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada, Mr Duclos said at a news conference in Ottawa.

Given the current situation, this measure has served its purpose and is no longer needed.

Canada is also reimposing its requirement for Canadians taking short trips abroad to get a COVID-19 test before returning to Canada.

Mr. Duclos said the pre-entry testing requirement will take effect on December 21 and travellers must take the test in a country other than Canada.

Canada late November restricted travels from Nigeria and the nine other countries over the spread of the recently discovered Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The prosecution in the trial of suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (popularly known as Evans) Friday announced it had closed its case after presenting four witnesses.

The fourth prosecution witness, Chimebere Ahamonu, a businesswoman, had narrated to an Ikeja Special Offences Court how she raised a ransom of $420,000 for the freedom of her husband.

Mrs Ahamonus spouse, Sylvanus Ahamonu, was allegedly kidnapped by Evans and his gang on June 23, 2014, on Kara Road, off Osolo Way, Ajao Estate, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that she gave her testimony online via the Zoom App on Friday during the continuation of the trial of Evans and a dismissed member of the Nigeria Army, Victor Aduba.

The witness said that she had spoken to her husband in the morning of the day of the abduction, but did not sense anything amiss until evening when he was not answering his phone.

Then, I was not living in Lagos, I was in Onitsha. I started calling everyone we knew that I did not hear from him.

A week later a man called my line with a hidden number that my husband was kidnapped.

Another week later the same man called me and demanded $2 million for his release. I shouted because I have never seen that kind of money before.

I started calling family and well wishers for help, she said.

Mrs Ahamonu said another week later, the same man called her demanding for the ransom and she told him that she could only raise N5 million.

He said that I was not serious and that if I do not come up with the $2 million, I am not ready to see my husband alive. He said even if it is $100,000 I should bring it, she said.

The businesswoman said that she sold properties, sought donations from family and friends and managed to raise $200,000 which she sent to Lagos to her brother-in-law, Dominic to deliver the ransom.

She said that she received a phone call a week later demanding for more money and warning her never to send Dominic to deliver any ransom because he had reported them to the police.

Mrs Ahamonu said that fearing for the safety of her spouse, she raised another tranche of $200,000 and came to Lagos to deliver the ransom herself alongside a relation who escorted to the drop-off site.

After dropping the $200,000, he called me again to demand for some more money.

I told him I have no more money that people were even calling me a scam because of the way I was appealing for funds.

I managed to raise $20,000 and it was after then that my husband was released.

He instructed that my husband must be taken immediately to hospital so that he would not die, she said.

While being cross-examined by Evans counsel, Victor Opara (SAN), Mrs Ahamonu narrated the circumstances surrounding the delivery of the second tranche of $200,000 ransom.

She said she was unfamiliar with Lagos and had to be accompanied by a relation named Onyebuchi to drop off the ransom under the cover of darkness.

I was communicating with the person on the phone throughout the process. I recognised the voice. It was the same voice that had been calling me, she said.

Following her evidence, the prosecutor announced that the state will be closing its case against Evans and Mr Aduba.

NAN reports that the two defendants are facing a four-count charge of kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

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Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until February 4, 2022, for the defence to open its case. (NAN)
A female police officer in Delta State, Nigerias South-south, has accused some Nigerian soldiers of torturing her 24-year-old son to death.

According to a report by the Punch newspaper, the officer, Mercy Ehima, an assistant superintendent of police, said her son, Christian Ehima, jumped off a vehicle that was driven by suspected kidnappers, ran into the bush, and later came out to seek help from soldiers at a military checkpoint in Benin, Edo State, but was assaulted by the soldiers.

She said the son later died in the hospital of internal injuries after narrating what happened to him.

The incident occurred on December 10.

He told me he never knew he boarded a kidnappers vehicle. He said they were close to the railway checkpoint where the soldiers were when the driver of the vehicle reversed.

My son said he jumped down from the vehicle in the process and ran into the bush. He said he sent me a text message in the bush but it didnt come. He said as he was proceeding in the bush, he saw a big snake and jumped out of the bush. He said he ran to the army checkpoint, which was about four poles away. He said he thought the soldiers would come to his aid but as he was about to narrate his ordeal to them, they kicked him and he fell on the ground and they started to hit him, Mrs Ehima, 53, said.

Mrs Ehima said when she first got in contact with the soldiers on phone, before she went over to take her son to the hospital, they (the soldiers) told her that her son dragged their guns with them.

At that point, I begged them even though I knew that my son couldnt do that. I begged them not to kill my son and not to do him any harm and they said okay, because I said I am a police officer, they wont shoot him again as they planned to shoot him before.

I begged them and they told me to start coming.

Armys reaction

The Nigerian Army has, however, denied torturing Mr Ehima to death.

The army, through a statement by its spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, on Saturday in Abuja, gave its own account of the incident.

It said Mr Ehima had wandered into the checkpoint without his clothes on and was halted by soldiers on duty.

He was interrogated but could not say anything meaningful on where he was coming from or heading. His behaviour was rather weird and indicative of one who was obviously under some sort of influence.

The Guard Commander, who observed his abnormal behavior, immediately requested for his phone in an effort to contact any of his relations, friends or associates. Shortly afterwards, a call came through to his phone and the caller identified herself as his mother. The soldier invited her to pick up her son, who was still very agitated and unstable.

Subsequently, the woman arrived (at) the scene and identified herself as his mother and a police officer. She was briefed about her sons observed abnormal behaviour.

In her conversation with the soldiers, she attributed her sons weird behaviour to (the) influence of alcohol. The soldiers, however, maintained that whatever was responsible for Christians behaviour at that time, was way beyond alcoholism.

On sighting his mother his behavior aggravated. Thereafter, some passerby were mobilized to help her take him to the hospital, the army said in its statement.

The army said it has audio and video evidence of what happened.
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit to provide concrete support to help defeat terrorism and insurgency in Africa.

Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement said the Nigerian leader made the call at the third edition of the Summit held in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday.

According to the president, the Boko Haram terrorist group, though fragmented by internal strife and degraded by Nigerias defense forces, is still active and preying on soft targets.

He expressed delight that the Summit convened by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has given due consideration to the issue of terrorism, while also focusing on development and infrastructure in Africa.

Another area this partnership must focus on is the global challenge of climate change which is impacting us in Nigeria, Turkey, across Africa, and indeed across the world.

It has become a catalyst for conflict through food insecurity, drying up of lakes; loss of livelihood and youth migration, among others.

The trend is the same around the world where communities are overwhelmed by forest fires, rising sea levels, flood, drought and desertification.

I want to seize this opportunity to appeal for support for initiatives such as Africas Great Green Wall on Environment and Land Management, which is designed to fight the effects of climate change and desertification in Africa.

The initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land in the 11 countries of the Sahel-Sahara strip, capture 250 million tons of carbon and, create 10 million green jobs by 2030, he said.

COVID-19

On the global coronavirus pandemic, Mr Buhari urged nations to follow the example of Africa-Turkey cooperation, which emphasises solidarity and support in tackling the challenge.

The pandemic is a global challenge which calls for global solidarity and solutions and the Africa-Turkey cooperation model has proved to be an example to the world.

Not only has there been mutual support to respond to the pandemic but also mutual support to build resilience and sustainable development in other sectors.

We also commend the African Union for the excellent role it has been playing in coordinating the implementation process of the Partnership, he said.

Mr Buhari noted that in view of the increasingly unpredictable nature of contemporary global challenges facing mankind, world leaders must continue to put the wellbeing of humanity at the centre of the agenda for the common good and prosperity of all.

We must therefore promote science, technology and innovation and share knowledge from research and development to better equip us to address present and future challenges in a more equitable and sustainable manner.

In this regard, Nigeria strongly endorses the Summit Declaration as well as the 2022-2026 Joint Action Plan, he said.

While reaffirming that international trade is an engine for development and sustained economic growth, as well as the global eradication of poverty, the Nigerian leader welcomed the significant increase in trade figures between Africa and Turkey.

He urged the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCTA) to assist in further increasing the level of Africa-Turkey trade, leading to a win-win for all countries.

Mr Buhari, who applauded Mr Erdogan for initiating the Turkey-Africa Partnership since 2008, said: We are confident that given the level of openness, trust and commitment manifested in the AfricaTurkey Partnership, this cooperation mechanism will be a game-changer for our countries and set us on the path of sustainable development for our peoples.

(NAN)
The participation of women in politics ought not to attract any debate, if not for the noticed tendency towards reverse discrimination. All the same, the growth of the army of women in politics is a necessary development. We should do all things possible to ensure that this is not hindered in any way. It is about time women in Nigeria step out to be counted, more so at this juncture when the nations ship is sliding towards a precarious but avoidable precipice.

Ordinarily, if one were to go by the maxim that we are all political animals, then the issue of women in politics would require no discussion. More so, since women are also inherently political. However, political participation requires more than a proclamation of interest. Hence, the role of women in Nigeria will continue to attract exciting contemplation and scholarship.

Effective participation in politics entails seeking political office through the mandate of an electorate. It extends to assuming partnership with the political parties in vogue. The aspiration to the leadership of the people is of a representative status. However, Nigerian politics is characterised by so much drama that makes its terrain rather muddy and its voltage highly volatile. Our political institution breeds violence, thuggery, electoral heist/rigging, acrimony, blackmail, and outright disregard for decency, which is supposed to be a sine qua non in leadership.

Political participation also entails involvement in the less glamorous aspect, which is strategic thinking. Although political strategists constitute the backbone of many political parties, they are scarcely visible to the general public. The involvement of women as strategists is one of the many ways they can influence politics and, more specifically, policymaking. We do know that many policies in our clime are so anti-women, and that their involvement as strategists may in no time help in reversing this ugly trend. It can also align them with women in other climes who have become accustomed to strategic participation in politics.

While it is agreed that there is no permanent friendship in politics, as much as in diplomacy, except permanent interest, glaringly there exists permanent hatred in Nigerian politics. A cursory observer of Nigerian politics, without even being a student of political history, knows quite well that the totality of our personalities is dragged into politics, for better, and particularly for worse.

today the situation is changing. Many of our women are becoming highly educated and achieving more remarkable successes on their own. The new development should become the stabilising pad to assert themselves in the main political arena, beyond tokens handed down to women leaders through time. As such, we need women of goodwill to step up into the ring and rescue our sinking ship as a nation.

Against the backdrop of the customary and even religious restriction of the participation of women in Nigerian politics, the probable prospects and the need to engage with the problems to be encountered become highly critical. Yet, given the current visibility of women in the decision-making levels of corporate organisations, which were once the exclusive preserve of men, women in politics should brace to shatter the ubiquitous glass ceiling that has constrained them.

Some women, albeit very few, have participated actively in matters affecting the populace from the pre-colonial times. They have fought oppression, the perceived or actual injustices that made incursions into what the people hold dear to their hearts. The Aba women, in 1929, were a focal point in this regard. They protested against what they perceived as the unfair imposition of taxation on women. Of course, we cannot forget the roles of Madam Funmilayo Ransome Kuti, the firebrand nonconformist, who remained a thorn in the flesh of authorities, and then military juntas. There and then, there have been some sporadic emergence of women in leadership. Nevertheless, today the situation is changing. Many of our women are becoming highly educated and achieving more remarkable successes on their own. The new development should become the stabilising pad to assert themselves in the main political arena, beyond tokens handed down to women leaders through time. As such, we need women of goodwill to step up into the ring and rescue our sinking ship as a nation.

Heartwarmingly, many of them are coming up to offer themselves for services, as more women are invading the slippery terrain of politics, almost daily.

However, as much as this idea is a welcome development, there is the fact that in some instances undue emphasis is given to gender difference as the main reason for some womens entry into politics. Women persuaded by this point of view seem to be saying that they are going in essentially to fight discrimination against women and their oppression by men. Hence the stage is beginning to look like some extension of the womens liberation movement, and not a coordinated effort towards improved governance. This could portend great danger to democracy, if the only focus is to replace discrimination with reverse discrimination.

As many women step up to be counted, there is no doubt that they would still need the support of the menfolk. Therefore, it would be counterproductive if combative feminism holds sway in the political arena. It is on good record that many men today align with fairness-minded feminism. Such men can be counted as partners in progress with women of goodwill to dismantle the dysfunction in our political sphere.

If the phenomenon is left unchecked, we will be experiencing a disturbing form of political vendetta in this country, and our search for a stable democracy would continue to be a mirage. I sincerely believe that women should go into politics, if only they strongly believe in their capabilities for leadership. They should come out flaunting their strong points and credentials, other than merely emphasising their gender difference as the primary criterion for involvement in politics. The essence of women in politics should be to display better alternatives to the unproductive male domination of the public sphere, and not to just seek the vendetta of putting men in their place, no matter how attractive this could be.

As many women step up to be counted, there is no doubt that they would still need the support of the menfolk. Therefore, it would be counterproductive if combative feminism holds sway in the political arena. It is on good record that many men today align with fairness-minded feminism. Such men can be counted as partners in progress with women of goodwill to dismantle the dysfunction in our political sphere.

While there have been reported cases of women who made it to the top only to become heady, very bossy, and unnecessarily intoxicated by the power of their offices, it would not be fair to place all women in this category. Also, inasmuch as we are still awed by the sheer scale of alleged looting attributed to the likes of the former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Allision Madueke, revealing that women could be as problematic in public office as the men, such should equally not be a yardstick for all womenfolk. More terrible men exist, and yet we have not precluded men from politics. As much as Nigerian politics does not need any dictator, we should be careful not to silence our women on the basis of unfair stereotyping.

The participation of women in politics ought not to attract any debate, if not for the noticed tendency towards reverse discrimination. All the same, the growth of the army of women in politics is a necessary development. We should do all things possible to ensure that this is not hindered in any way. It is about time women in Nigeria step out to be counted, more so at this juncture when the nations ship is sliding towards a precarious but avoidable precipice.

Bolutife Oluwadele, a chartered accountant and a public policy and administration scholar, writes from Canada. He is the author of Thoughts of A Village Boy and can be reached through: bolutife.oluwadele@gmail.com
The conversation between the two erudite professors, Professor Attahiru Jega and Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, was dominated by an evaluation of the Nigerian situation and how it has continued to be a source of worry to the people within the country and those in the diaspora. Indisputably, a level of emotional torture is experienced by anyone who believes that Nigeria should have gotten to or attained a level of greatness

Undeniably, the expectations of Nigeria as a new country in 1960 were high, even among the European imperialists who plotted its strategic downfall, which plummeted the economic blueprint on which it was meant to embark on a journey of revitalisation. In 1960, it was not hard to sight the prospect of a country that, despite all contradictions, invested in human capital development to ensure that its people take on the baton of good governance to a height where nearly all other countries on the continent would have derived their encouragement, drive, and motivation to see a common direction for the journey toward true and absolute freedom. Countries that had bubbling intellectuals and ideological strongholds were very concerned about redefining their political future, rescuing it from the claws of the consuming ambitions of the supremacists, and redirecting it to the desired point where it would maximise all the potentials with which it was naturally endowed. To achieve this, people endured a series of outrageous experiences, ranging from being battered by the European establishment to being mesmerised by their antics of political brigandage. Therefore, it was understandable that the hope placed in the country was high, and sixty years of existence has shown the countrys tragic situation resulting from various experiences of internal contradictions.

Professor Jibrin Ibrahim is not a scholar whose intention is hard to spot. His intellectual disposition does not allow for such romanticism, especially when the public interest is at stake. He asked, mildly and straightforwardly, what dampened or deepened Nigerias woes to the extent that the goals and objectives collectively dreamed about in the 1960s became orphans with the dim possibility of success in the nearest future. This question had a deeper meaning than just interrogating the interviewee about the times and timelines when the collective aspirations of the country began to suffer untold consequences. Instead, it was an attempt to reflect on why the elites, especially the political elites, gave in to their provincial intentions, allowing the pressure to distract them from planting the countrys feet into a solid foundation where the future generations would have been able to continue in the manner that developed countries in the world today experience. This was necessary because it is considered that without understanding the fundamental challenges or knowing the foundation of problems, no amount of ideological baptism in socialism or people-oriented values will make a country pursue any development, no matter how small.

Professor Jega truly understood the import of the question, and from his immediate evaluation of the situation, the first thing that occurred to him was the mismanagement of opportunities. It is generally believed that no matter how impoverished a country is on the human capital index or in terms of its resources capacity, there is always an opportunity to rise if there is a true desire for transformation. In many cases, this transformation would begin with an investment in human resources because the first place where victory is usually promised to a people is in their mind, and when that mind is poor and deficient, it is almost impossible for them to actualise the collective aspirations, even if it is just to breathe. This means that a country devoid of intellectual content or the human resources that come from it, would lag behind others who invest in refining their crude human potentials. The divestment of Nigerian politicians in human resources makes them mismanage available opportunities, because they think of their provincial ambitions when the national dream should have been the only thing on their minds. However, the mistake of opportunity mismanagement was an inherited one. The colonial imperialists operated on the philosophy of divide-and-conquer to establish themselves fully in the country. Instead of deconstructing this dysfunctional system, the inheritors of the political system embraced it. Where they should have invested in the collective development of the country, their ethnocentric suspicions swerved them away.

Surprisingly, the mismanagement of diversity would not be the only elephantiac impediment that distracted the political merchants from their nationalist focus and installed mercantile socioeconomic and socio-political visions in them, which served their parochial ambitions. Assuredly, a level of practical happiness seized the political system of the country when the men in uniform took power, and because they came with the intention to instantiate changes, they were seen as vanguards who would redirect the country on the appropriate trajectory of progress through a transparent process. However, nothing of significant importance happened as they continued in that trend. Therefore, it would go to the level of thinking that the countrys problem was congenital, if not genetic, as the very improvements that all well-meaning Nigerians dreamed of were unceremoniously dashed again, despite the reintroduction of democracy in 1999 in the Fourth Republic. The ones in the toga of fairness, whose political philosophy is naturally expected to be built on the foundation of people-oriented ideas, inherited the dogma, and their intellectual poverty was further revealed for the world to see.

Between the early inheritors of independence from the British government to their military representatives who took power from them by force and the ones that ascended the political power through elections, starting from 1999, it is difficult to identify which one is more ethnocentric. The problem appears to be generational. Perhaps because of this wanton concentration on ethnic competition at every opportunity to serve in government, the space for nursing or incubating ideas in the heads of the average Nigerian leaders is occupied by a different thing, its devaluation to the country notwithstanding. And since ideas are the conceptual instruments of invigorating institutions and instigating every form of change that is seen in any civilisation, their absence would inevitably result in a period of political interregnum, not necessarily in the sense that representatives in various positions of power would be absent, but in the sense that they would be there and yet would have no measurable importance or impact.

As Professor Jega implied, this is Nigerias situation. The absence of intellectual virility, combined with a hallucinating sense of ethnic affiliation or commitment that rid leaders or any other individual of having the capacity to attend to issues of national concerns. The survival of conflicts, accumulation of violence, perpetual overstretching of institutions, increased productions of unemployable people, the astronomic explosion of inter-political greed, among others, are surviving evidence that Nigerias political system is not going anywhere. While these factors constitute a problem, they are a product of intellectual emptiness that has infiltrated the political fabric. Now the problem is multifaceted. Individuals who see opportunities to join politics in Nigeria either want to continue the trend or keep the system stagnant, thereby making progress difficult.

While we would later address the culture of primitive accumulation of material possessions that result in broad corruption in the Nigerian socio-cultural trajectory, Professor Ibrahim seemed to have a more pressing issue that we must attend to. He raised the question of ideological suicide, or maybe evasion, which has permeated the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari and that Nigerians are currently expressing.

Attahiru Jega is rather a positive vibe in himself. He has graduated from being a member of the public who rants about his existential challenges or whines about them from the beginning to the end of the day. Rather, as he identifies challenges, you can be sure that he already has a potential solution that, if tried, would yield desirable results. He noted that all said problems are devastating when considered intimately but that reforming institutions is one of the ways to relieve the people of the pains they have created. However, he highlighted that the idea of reforming institutions is a great one if the individuals who would head these institutions are mentally refined. No matter how beautifully reformed an institution is, when it is headed by individuals whose moral outlook is internally rotten, the results of such a setting would eventually be poisonous to its growth. Therefore, what is required to achieve this is the development of what the professor called elite consensus. If considered very carefully, having a common vision for the country, especially among the intellectual and political elite, will naturally push them to design an effective framework for building a formidable political culture that would be the envy of the world.

While we would later address the culture of primitive accumulation of material possessions that result in broad corruption in the Nigerian socio-cultural trajectory, Professor Ibrahim seemed to have a more pressing issue that we must attend to. He raised the question of ideological suicide, or maybe evasion, which has permeated the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari and that Nigerians are currently expressing. From the earlier arguments raised by the guest, Professor Jega, he asserted that the emergence of the military personnel in the period gave the masses some hope. They believed the uniformed leaders would come with ideological clarity as vanguard military. Such a dream of self-reliance, which coincidentally was shared by General Muhammadu Buhari in 1984 when he was the countrys military ruler, has departed from him, raising a genuine alert to the public about its implication on the countrys development. Buhari, in 1984, believed in self-reliance, and his ideological framework showed he was not interested in subsuming the countrys political and economic freedom under the perpetual dictations of the West. However, barely 35 years later, the man is going down perhaps as one of the presidents that borrowed the most money, this time from the Chinese government. So, what has happened? The question arises.

Amusingly, the question is not the only thing that arose. A dry sense of humour naturally forces one to smile or laugh hysterically. And the reasons for this are not foreign; they are things on which we can reflect. President Buhari is a septuagenarian, and one would not be mistaken to say that the brighter side of Nigeria, if it comes fast enough, will not enjoy much of his presence. If the good future we all envision and intensely await does not come at the speed we desire, it cannot be contested that he would not be there to suffer any of the consequences of his input. In essence, Nigerians need to be worried, especially because of Buharis ideological suicide from someone who did not believe in borrowing about thirty-five years ago to someone who now seeks financial aid to pay salaries, service debts, and fulfil recurrent expenditure demands, among other things, from China. Ironically, China was not significantly better off than Nigeria in 1960 when the latter gained independence.

As a result, it leaves so much to be reflected on when there is an omen of a bad future, as it appears that the future of the younger generations is being mortgaged by the actions of this man and his administrative crew. Borrowing is not necessarily bad, but it becomes an issue when it reaches the stage when repayment becomes difficult, if not logically impossible. Such reasoning is very difficult to fault, even Professor Jega concedes, not because its undebatable foundation stares at everyone in the face, but because the consequences are already being felt.

The problem is challenging, the future is gloomy, and the situation becomes direr as we continue to underplay how insincerity could become the basis of facilitating a deepening dysfunctional system. According to Professor Jega, while the culture is of borrowing, which has now been entrenched in the political philosophy of President Buharis administration, the fact that it is circumscribed with insincere intentions gives valid reasons for the palpitations of the publics hearts, especially for those of us who can tell the future using current events as an instrument of prediction.

Nigerians are cornered to believe that the habitual borrowing by the current administration is meant for the redemption of the economy, perhaps because of the conversion of the monies into infrastructural projects that would bring economic growth. However, the public is oblivious of the fact that the amount of money spent on these projects are disproportionately inflated. Roads within walkable kilometres are said to be constructed with a huge amount of money more than what is spent to build longer and more durable ones in nearest African countries. When confronted with all these facts and realities, it is logical to conclude that the borrowing in which Nigeria has entangled itself in recent history has no iota of visionary reflection. Borrowing from China will have devastating consequences, especially when there are no rational means of paying back.

both the interviewer and the interviewee agreed that there is a need for the people in the corridor of power to be more open-minded. Nigerians must aggressively pursue the development agenda so that their conditions would not be aggravated by the decisions that they make today due to their selfish ambitions. It is difficult to deny that the country has the potential to become a shining light on the continent

When President Olusegun Obasanjo lobbied in the international community to have Nigerias debts forgiven, he was dealing with multilateral organisations that operated on democratic culture and diplomatic tendencies. However, China does not operate on such a philosophical framework, making it more difficult for Nigeria to escape the commitment their perpetual borrowing has forced them to make. It is not difficult to spot Chinas unforgiving attitude toward its debtors, considering that it has begun to take over the infrastructures in some African countries that were built with its unrepaid monies. So, it is sensible to desist from the culture of borrowing, especially from countries that would not mind dragging the integrity of the borrower country as a result of its leaders blindness. Also, it is forward-looking to consider internal solutions to the myriad of challenges that are facing the said country.

Again, Jega does not identify a problem without having at least a solution in mind. He asserts that the awareness of the potential consequences of borrowing by those who understand international politics and dynamics of power relations should motivate people to mobilise actions by the people. In other words, he believes that people should not fold their arms and stand aloof from governance because the responsibility of administration lies too on the citizens, only that their angle of functioning requires them to continually engage the masses and speak truth to power. People should not withdraw from the countrys political activities, feigning ignorance of what is happening or hiding behind the guise of not being in government.

The consequences of bad leadership, Jega argues, are not partisan, and neither do they respect political boundaries. Everyone would witness the repulsive consequences of irresponsible leadership they have installed, including those who made the political decisions that brought people to this raging condition and those whose silence is an accomplice to their evil perpetrations. To make the country come back to its appropriate position and rejuvenate the spirit of nationalism needed for the crystallisation of collective dreams, we need a radical shift from the mindset that brought us to this condition in the first instance.

The interviewer, Jibrin Ibrahim, is aware that the prospect for the countrys economic redemption does not lie on relying on a single economic source, as Nigeria has done with crude oil since the time it was discovered. Much of our revolutionary transformations would depend on diversification; after all, many countries do not have crude oil, yet they are doing exceptionally well in their own right. In essence, he asked Professor Jega his thoughts about investing in agricultural productions as an alternative source of financial oxygen and which would bring stability to their engagements and all other things. Our guest addressed the question with a good sense of intellectual control. Among other things, he said that there is the need to have a developmental strategy that recognises the rural nature of Nigerian society. This is principally necessary because it needs to generate a large number of economic values. However, this would be preceded by land reform, modernisation of agricultural productions and engagements, and mechanised farming development. All these are important preconditions to be met before the country can be free from its overbearing reliance and compulsive dependence on the mono-economic source, which usually has unwholesome consequences for the country and its citizens.

The conversation between the two erudite professors, Professor Attahiru Jega and Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, was dominated by an evaluation of the Nigerian situation and how it has continued to be a source of worry to the people within the country and those in the diaspora. Indisputably, a level of emotional torture is experienced by anyone who believes that Nigeria should have gotten to or attained a level of greatness that would serve as the benchmark for measuring standard countries, considering the economic and political potentials it has from the beginning of its very identity, after independence. People who understand all these and still realise that there are no prospects of salvation and development would never be condemned when they doubt the countrys future, mainly because they know that it could be generally impossible given current circumstances.

In conclusion, both the interviewer and the interviewee agreed that there is a need for the people in the corridor of power to be more open-minded. Nigerians must aggressively pursue the development agenda so that their conditions would not be aggravated by the decisions that they make today due to their selfish ambitions. It is difficult to deny that the country has the potential to become a shining light on the continent, but this can only happen if there is a clear-cut roadmap that will help the people navigate their way as they move forward. Without this, the dream of becoming the giant of Africa would be a mere fantasy.

Toyin Falola, a professor of History and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, is Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin.

This is the second report on the interview with Professor Attahiru Jega on December 12. The extensive interview, which has received millions of views across different platforms, exposes Nigeria in all of its ugliness, while also offering a path out of the present predicament. This report covers the segment between Jega and Ibrahim. For the transcripts, see: YouTube, Facebook.
As he clocks 50, it will be apposite to compose 50 haiku poems for Mojeed, and if we stretch the imagination towards some punny mischief, the Japanese poems could even serve as what the Yoruba would refer to aserOgun Aiku (antidote for immortality). But in journalism, MM has earned immortality already. So here is wishing him the best of the remaining decades, and, to echo the immortal bard William Shakespeare, with mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.

As the aircraft roared through the runway of the Nnamdi Azikwe airport in Abuja, my mind raced through a melange of issues. The air was foggy, and so were my thoughts. I was about to meet one of the marquee names in contemporary Nigerian journalism. Uncertainty collided with anxiety.

Before then, I had met him without meeting him. I met him on the pages of Dele Olojedes NEXT newspaper, in stories that took the veil off the dark faces of corrupt politicians, in headlines that arrested the attention of cynics, in revelations that haunted those who pilfered our collective patrimony. I met him also on the websites of avant-garde platforms like Sahara Reporters, and on the lips of young journalists who spoke of him in awe. But until that morning, I hadnt met him in the flesh.

As we drove out of the airport, and the car glided through Abujas well paved highways, thoughts about our impending meeting captured my mind. And so his looks, his character, his demeanours  they all occupied my imagination. Was he short and brief, like his sentences? Or was he rather gangly and long, like the length of his pieces? Did he exude an aura of dread, his luminous eyes fear-inducing, like the unifying theme of his many scoops? Uncertainty loomed.

Soon, the car snaked its way into the semi-quiet ambience of Mambolo, and I was ushered into his presence.

And there he was, Musikilu Mojeed, sitting in his office with a benign mien, a smile adorning his face. He spoke softly, as though the words came out in slow motion. But his boyish demeanour came with a bonhomie that would help break down the wall of uncertainty between us. That moment, in the haze of the December harmattan, anxiety gave way to surprise, and, pronto, surprise graduated into camaraderie.

In the pantheon of Nigerian journalism, there are many gods. First were those who wrote their ways into the lore of Nigerias independence: Macaulay, Zik, Okoli, Enahoro etc.

Decades later, a generation rose from the shadows of repression and fought the military head-on, not with guns or daggers or Ogbunigwe, but with rare courage and dare-devil conviction. Enter Dapo Olorunyomi, Babafemi Ojudu, Bayo Onanuga, Owei Lakemfa, Richard Akinnola, Doyin Mahmood, etc.

About a decade before Olorunyomi et al were locked in mortal combat with Abacha and his disciples of death, Dele Giwa, the prose stylist, was letter-bombed into martyrdom in his home in Ikeja.

That Musikilu Mojeed (MM) occupies a special place in the pantheon isnt a matter of debate, having written some of the most consequential pieces of (journalistic) works to ever come out of Nigeria. He has equally trained a generation of journalists nurtured in the tradition of the courageous elevation of truth, defence of freedom, and protection of the weak.

In the wake of Abachas reign of lunacy, some didnt live to tell the story, like Bagauda Kaltho, who mysteriously disappeared into immortality. Some others still nurse the scars till today, like Kunle Ajibade, who was jailed on spurious charges.

Heroes  all of them!

The contemporary scene parades journalists and writers who illuminate our minds, shining the light in a beautiful marriage of delectable prose and sound logic. Enter Abimbola Adunni Adelakun, Simon Kolawole, Reuben Abati, Lasisi Olagunju, Moses Ochonu, Sam Omatseye, Idowu Akinlotan, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, Olakunle Abimbola, Olusegun Adeniyi, Tunde Asaju, Adebayo Williams (Tatalo Alamu), Pius Adesanmi, Farooq Kperogi, e.t.c

That Musikilu Mojeed (MM) occupies a special place in the pantheon isnt a matter of debate, having written some of the most consequential pieces of (journalistic) works to ever come out of Nigeria. He has equally trained a generation of journalists nurtured in the tradition of the courageous elevation of truth, defence of freedom, and protection of the weak.

Heroes are not shaped in the same battles, or so argues Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. As it is in literature, so it has been for me in journalism. And so Mojeed stands tall among those who showed the lights, but he isnt alone.

Bayo Alimi lit the fire of my love for arts and literary criticism back in Igando High School on the cusp of the millenium, while Yinka Agoro and Rotimi Bolarinwa provided insights into newspapering in the belly of hills in Eruwa. Hajia S.S. AbdulBaqi, Dr Lambe Mustapha, and Professors Lukman Azeez and Mahfouz Adedimeji influenced my interest in the written word at the University of Ilorin. But if the iconic Alhaji Liad Tella told me how far I could travel on the wings of sentences, it was in Mojeeds hand the idea blossomed. So among those who shaped my journalism journey, MM stands out in terms of impact and influence.

Outside of the classroom, he was the most consequential of teachers who believed in my gift as writer and columnist, leading me through dark alleys, amidst thunderstorms and lightning. He gave me, first, the most important of platforms to soar.

I remember now how we met on Mark Zuckerbergs game-changer of a tech invention. I had written a few lines (I called them doggerels!), and posted them on the platform. He was impressed, and then he reached out to me. You write beautifully, he quipped, or some words to that effect. I replied to his messages and the story changed from there: two strangers became mentor and mentee.

Beyond issues of editorial concerns, and rather unknown to many, MM has an incredible sense of humour. Beneath the cold, impassive face of an editor dissecting far-reaching issues of illicit finance is a mouth replete with humorous lines.

Since then we have traveled to places and had encounters with people, experienced turbulent periods of feuds and enjoyed moments of festivities, rejoiced over shared victories and condoled with grieving colleagues, interviewed society bigwigs and had chats with the hoi polloi, argued over bowls of Amala in Agidingbi and walked past bouquets of flowers in Lekki.

He isnt without his flaws, like all humans, yet Mojeeds most fascinating quality as a model journalist isnt his famed prowess in generating story ideas. Its not even his rare facility for brewing juicy tales out of the most banal of documents. Its definitely not his wide network of contacts. To my mind, MMs most enduring trait is the special interest he develops in young people.

Like Peter Ustinov, the British actor who found immortality in children, MM has shown that the surest path to immortality is in breeding the next generation of journalists.

Through him, I met not a few colleagues who would become friends and family. From Uncle Dapsy, I learnt how to breathe life into dead, wooden sentences, and from Idris Akinbajo, how to turn in copies and beat deadlines with the speed of light. From Ololade Bamidele, I learnt the discipline of editing, and from Ini Ekott, the beauty of frugality in word usage. Ben Ezeamalu showed the way in the effortless transformation of phrases into pure magic, and Nicholas Ibekwe exemplifies the nobility of courage in the face of threats. From the trio of Bisi Abidoye, Bassey Udo and Festus Owete, I saw how the weight of experience could ease deadline tension, and Joshua Olufemi provided insights into how to make sense of esoteric data. That morning in the thick of the harmattan haze of December 2016, Oti and Fred Adetiba welcomed me into PT with a sort of hospitality that fascinates till today. From Mallam Abdulaziz, Alhaji Sani Tukur, Samuel Ogundipe, Damola Owoseye, Richard, Oyewobi, Ebuka, Kemi Busari, Abdulkareem, Adedigba Azeezat, QueenEsther, Ayodeji Adegboyega, Hassan, Seyi Bangudu, Kabir Yusuf, Mojeed Alabi, Eludini, Jayne, Jide Alaka, Dayo Williams, and the entire PT team, I have learnt the beauty of teamwork and human relations.

Beyond issues of editorial concerns, and rather unknown to many, MM has an incredible sense of humour. Beneath the cold, impassive face of an editor dissecting far-reaching issues of illicit finance is a mouth replete with humorous lines.

There is the popular joke of an anecdote that satirises the folly of the Nigerian public servant. Even when he writes an ordinary leave letter, hed still hide it from the public, Mojeed once said, deadpan, his words depicting how the Nigerian abhors the simplest of issues around transparency and openness.

I also remember that afternoon in ex-President Olusegun Obasanjos rustic hometown, Ibogun-Olaogun. We were there together for an interview. But just before we brought out our tapes, a folksy OBJ swaggered to rhythmic beats of Bata from local raconteurs. MM walked gently beside him, and they exchanged some inaudible words. To my mind, it was as though he challenged OBJ to wriggle his waist in deference to the dance de jour, Zanku. Like a battle-ready general, OBJ leapt forward to display some funny moves. And so in Ibogun-Olaogun, the rhetoric collided with the gymnastic in awkward symphony. Humour met humour.

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As he clocks 50, it will be apposite to compose 50 haiku poems for Mojeed, and if we stretch the imagination towards some punny mischief, the Japanese poems could even serve as what the Yoruba would refer to aserOgun Aiku (antidote for immortality). But in journalism, MM has earned immortality already. So here is wishing him the best of the remaining decades, and, to echo the immortal bard William Shakespeare, with mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.

Adios Arc

He moved away from the aisle gently, his voice calm and courteous. Oh, sorry, he quipped. He stood ahead of me, and I had requested to move through the aisle on my way to the podium. It was December 2018, and we were at the NECA House as recipients of the Wole Soyinka Awards. He, for his exemplary role in public service; and I, for my reportorial efforts.

That was my first encounter with Mr Waziri Adio. The second encounter was via text messages. He had just left his position at Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), and I needed to speak with the new head. He was busy, but he managed to send a message when I called. Please send a text, he wrote. I explained my mission and, pronto he sent me the new heads telephone number.

On both occasions, its doubtful if Mr Adio knew me from anywhere. But he was just being the man I had heard about  courteous and kind.

Last week in Abuja, he launched his book, The Arc of the Possible, published by TheCable Books. I havent read it but was quite impressed by the reviews. As an energy reporter, I could testify to some of the claims, particularly the incredible works he did with NEITIs annual reports.

Dr Okey Ikechukwu argued in his review that the book should be made a compulsory read in leadership schools. I cant agree more. Congratulations!

Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde.
A High Court in Abuja, on Friday, reaffirmed the sack of the executive of a faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kano State loyal to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

The court dismissed a motion by the faction challenging its earlier judgement and fined it N1 million for filing what the court called a frivolous and time-wasting motion.

The court, presided by Hamza Muazu, affirmed the earlier judgement it delivered on November 30.

Fridays judgement was delivered after the Ganduje faction filed a motion asking the court to stay proceeding and set aside its decision which nullified Abdullahi Abbas-led executives.

However the court ruled that the faction loyal to Ibrahim Shekarau, the senator representing Kano Central, had conducted ward and local government congresses in the state.

The court further held that the local government congress conducted by the Shekarau faction remained valid and that it had the authority to elect the state executives.

Two factions of the party in the state had conducted parallel congresses on October 18 but the party headquarters endorsed the one conducted by the loyalists of Mr Ganduje.

READ ALSO:

The Shekarau faction had elected Haruna Danzago as chairman while Mr Gandujes camp elected Abdullahi Abbas.

Mr Shekarau is the leader of the group called G7.

Members of the group include Barau Jibrin, who is the senator for Kano North, and four members of the House of Representatives from the state, namely Nasiru Abdua, Tijjani Jobe, Shaaban Sharada and Haruna Dederi.
Grenada is a key member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

"It is truly an honor to serve as the WTO ambassador for Grenada," said Justin Sun. "I look forward to the opportunity to represent Grenada and work with WTO leadership to reinvigorate global trade in various ways, particularly the development of a robust digital economy internationally."

With the appointment of H.E. Sun as Grenada's Ambassador to the WTO, the Government of Grenada expects H.E. Sun to use his contacts to promote trade, investment and development opportunities for the country. To mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic, H.E. Sun is expected to promote Grenada as a viable economic destination by introducing advanced tools and methods. And these changes could improve the marketing and promotion of this Caribbean country in the near future. Likewise, H.E. Sun is expected to support the development of human resources, infrastructure and information and communication technology for Grenada's government. He is also expected to conduct himself in a manner that promotes Grenada's image at all times.

Media Contact

Name: Jessica ZHANG

E-mail: [email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1712515/JUSTIN.jpg

SOURCE TRON
NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond Protocol , the distributed ledger technology platform, is proud to announce the listing of its native token on MEXC Global, a cryptocurrency exchange with over 6 million users in over 70 countries.

"We are thrilled to offer investors and traders exposure to Beyond Protocol through our friends at MEXC," says Beyond Protocol CEO Jonathan Manzi. "Beyond Protocol benefits from MEXC's reputation, popularity, and use by retail investors and blockchain and financial professionals, particularly in Asia's markets."

Named 'Best Crypto Exchange in Asia' at the Crypto Expo Dubai held in October, MEXC will allow retail investors around the world to invest in Beyond Protocol's governance token, which will trade on the exchange under the ticker $BEYONDPROTOCOL. The listing on MEXC follows several other listings for Beyond Protocol's token in recent months across both centralized and decentralized exchanges, including BitMart, Digifinex, and Uniswap.

"Our listing on MEXC highlights our expansion this year into an internationally-known blockchain company specializing in IoT with strategic footprints in select markets," adds Jonathan. "We're happy a new demographic of investors currently on MEXC's platform will get to learn about Beyond Protocol and invest in our vision for a more interconnected future."

The $BEYONDPROTOCOL token on MEXC, which trades on Digifinex and Bitmart under the ticker $BP, functions within the protocol as a means to compensate validating nodes and incentivize continued investment in the network; these nodes form the backbone of Beyond Protocol and make the service "probabilistically impossible to hack." $BEYONDPROTOCOL can be used for value transfer among devices, and for peer-to-peer transactions both on and off-chain.

About Beyond Protocol:

Beyond Protocol is a distributed ledger technology project that offers a secure and probabilistically unhackable solution to inter-device/Internet of Things (IoT) communication. With one line of code, Beyond Protocol's platform enables secure message brokering between devices through the utilization of blockchain technology and unique hardware signatures, and equips devices with a cryptocurrency-based payment gateway for automated, behind-the-scenes transactions. Beyond Protocol seeks to build real, practical solutions for device security and payments within an economy of machines.

For additional information, please contact Arif Sunmonu at [email protected].

SOURCE Beyond Protocol
BOGOTA, Colombia, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL;NYSE: EC), informs that the Sustainable Development Corporation of the Macarena Special Management Area CORMACARENA, through Resolution No. PS-GJ.1.2.6.21.2094 of 2021, imposed a fine of twenty monthly minimum wages to the Company due to the contamination of Cano Cacayal, caused by the discharge of wastewater from Station I of Campo Castilla. In the opinion of the authority, the discharge parameters allowed by environmental regulations might have been breached.

Although the sanction is a final decision within the administrative sanctioning process, it was issued outside the term that CORMACARENA had to exercise its sanctioning faculty, therefore Ecopetrol, although respects and accepts CORMACARENA's decisions and reiterates its commitment to comply with current legal environmental regulations, will file legal actions within the corresponding legal opportunity.

Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated energy companies in the American continent, with more than 17,000 employees. In Colombia, it is responsible for more than 60% of the hydrocarbon production of most transportation, logistics, and hydrocarbon refining systems, and it holds leading positions in the petrochemicals and gas distribution segments. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, the company participates in energy transmission, the management of real-time systems (XM), and the Barranquilla - Cartagena coastal highway concession. At the international level, Ecopetrol has a stake in strategic basins in the American continent, with Drilling and Exploration operations in the United States (Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil, and Mexico, and, through ISA and its subsidiaries, Ecopetrol holds leading positions in the power transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, road concessions in Chile, and the telecommunications sector. This press release contains business prospect statements, operating and financial result estimates, and statements related to Ecopetrol's growth prospects. These are all projections and, as such, they are based solely on the expectations of the managers regarding the future of the company and their continued access to capital to finance the company's business plan. The realization of said estimates in the future depends on the behavior of market conditions, regulations, competition, the performance of the Colombian economy and the industry, among other factors, and are consequently subject to change without prior notice.

This release contains statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of the Company's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund the Company's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration, and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, the Company's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

For more information, please contact:

Head of Capital Markets

Tatiana Uribe Benninghoff

Email: [email protected]

Media Relations (Colombia)

Mauricio Tellez

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A.
TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ashtrom Group LTD. ("Ashtrom") (TASE: ASHG), one of Israel's leading construction and property companies, and Kenlov Renewable Energy ("Kenlov"), an international originator, investor and Independent Power Producer ("IPP") announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire four solar projects in the US with planned capacity of ~1.1 GWdc from the Texas-based developer OnPeak Power ("OnPeak"), and an exclusive development services agreement to target an additional development pipeline of utility-scale projects across the US.

Three of the first acquired projects with planned capacity of c. 900 MWdc are located in Texas (TX) while the fourth project is located in Idaho (ID). The projects are at various development phases, with the first project planned to reach FNTP late next year.

The acquisition marks the commencement of a newly formed joint venture company, KARE LLC, between Ashtrom through its wholly-owned subsidiary Ashtrom Renewable Energy, and Kenlov Renewable Energy to develop, finance, construct and own utility scale projects in the US, and the start of a long-term development relationship with OnPeak.

"The acquisition of the first projects in the US and the development framework partnership with Kenlov and OnPeak mark our first entry for Ashtrom Group to the renewable energy market in the US", said Rami Nussbaum, Ashtrom Group Chairman. "We believe that the US renewable energy sector will continue to grow in the coming years and we will target further investments and large-scale development partnerships in the US and other countries in the near future. The vast experience of Ashtrom Group in development, financing, and construction of large-scale infrastructure projects will help to build a strong and sizeable energy arm within our group".

Kenlov's CEO Olivier Konig said "we're very pleased to have brought together our partners Ashtrom Group, one of the leading companies in Israel, and OnPeak Power an experienced and entrepreneurial developer. Kenlov is a fast-growing company, always on the lookout for opportunities and talent. We believe in creating value with our partners and we're looking forward to many successes with Ashtrom and OnPeak over the coming years. The US is accelerating its energy transition through the bipartisan infrastructure package and state-level renewable energy targets, it's an exciting time and we're now very much part of it."

"We are excited to partner with Kenlov and Ashtrom to develop renewable power throughout the US", said Ian Davis, co-founder of OnPeak Power. "We believe this partnership creates a powerful strategic opportunity to combine our unique strengths to grow the renewable energy sector. OnPeak looks forward to expanding its platform through this relationship and working together to lead the energy transition in the US."

Morgan Lewis served as legal counsel to Ashtrom Renewable Energy and Kenlov. Green Giraffe served as financial advisor and Holland & Knight served as legal counsel to OnPeak.

About Ashtrom

Ashtrom Group is one of the leading construction and real estate companies in Israel, traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and listed on the TA 35 index. The group operates in a number of sectors, including construction and infrastructure; Concessions, including participation in large-scale PPP projects and national tenders; Industries, including production, importing, marketing and sale of raw materials for the construction industry; International construction and infrastructure, activity carried out by Ashtrom International, which includes construction and infrastructure projects overseas; Residential development in Israel, through its subsidiary Ashdar; Real estate investment and development, through the subsidiary Ashtrom Properties; and Renewable Energy including development and investment in large-scale renewable energy projects in the US, Europe and Israel. The chairman of Ashtrom Group is Mr. Rami Nussbaum. The CEO of the company is Mr. Gil Gueron. Ashtrom Renewable Energy is managed by Yitsik Marmelshtein.

About Kenlov Renewable Energy

Kenlov Renewable Energy is an Independent Power Producer (IPP) focused on mature technologies such as onshore wind, solar and storage projects, in Europe and the US. Kenlov Renewable Energy is the partner of choice for developing early-stage renewable energy projects, creating better outcomes for developers and investors.

About OnPeak Power

OnPeak Power, LLC (OnPeak) is an industry leading privately held renewable energy company based in Austin, Texas. OnPeak specializes in renewable energy project development and asset optimization. OnPeak is a full cycle development company performing site identification, origination and development through construction and into operations. OnPeak has developed a 255MW project currently in operation and is actively developing early to mid-stage solar projects for the North American Market.

Contact:

Yitsik Marmelshtein, CEO, Ashtrom Renewable Energy

[email protected]

+972-3-6231447

Olivier Konig, CEO, Kenlov Renewable Energy

[email protected]

+972-3-7527080

Ian Davis, VP Finance, OnPeak

[email protected]

+1-512-568-3228

SOURCE Ashtrom Group LTD.
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Indigo Ag, a company leveraging nature and technology to unlock economic and environmental progress in agriculture, today debuted a continuing education series designed to increase access to high-quality information and accelerate adoption of carbon farming practices. The comprehensive online learning experience, Carbon College, is the latest step in the company's commitment to leverage science and its digital technology platform to equip the ag industry with the resources needed to enable farmers' success on every step of the carbon farming journey.

Approved by the American Society of Agronomy, the Carbon College curriculum leverages Indigo's insights as the leader in the ag-carbon market to help farmers and agronomists gain the orientation, practical skills, and industry-recognized credentials needed to make the most informed carbon farming decisions.

"Agricultural carbon markets are growing quickly, but it can be intimidating to know where to start with an integrated program, much less a new practice," said John Frederick, Global Head of Carbon Commercial Operations at Indigo Ag. "By providing independent and trustworthy guidance, we hope to take the confusion out of this process, reduce the barrier to entry for carbon farming, and support the development of the market toward long term success, which we define as maximized profitability outcomes for farmers."

Carbon College features self-paced 'bundles'  practical deep dives comprised of short educational videos and comprehension tests  that together cover the essentials of carbon farming. The first of these course bundles ("Learn the Landscape") is available publicly today to help inform 2022 planning decisions. It includes:

"What is Carbon Farming?" which features insights from farmers' carbon farming experiences, from what first got them interested in practices that generate carbon credits and build soil health to the long-term benefits of these farming methods,

"Carbon Markets & Ag," which outlines key terms and foundational components of carbon credits, carbon markets, and how both work in agriculture, and

"Carbon Farming & Profitability," which dives into measuring farm success beyond yield, including the impact of carbon farming practices on profitability.

Agronomists who complete the inaugural bundle can earn one free Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) continuing education credit (CEU) toward their credential requirements. Additional bundles, which will be released in the following weeks, will offer the opportunity to earn further CCA CEUs with courses focused on specific practice implementation guidance, strategies for identifying and measuring progress toward success, and what to expect from participating in a carbon farming program. Indigo certifies the agronomists who successfully complete the full Carbon College curriculum with a Carbon Farming Principles certification.

"As we're getting into carbon farming, there are lots of questions. Indigo has been essential among our pool of resources to help inform what decision to take at what time, and what the impacts of that will be in terms of the soil organic carbon we can sequester," said Will Drucker, a rye and soy grower based in Northwest Illinois. "We're always looking for informed sources to help us on our journey of systematically building soil health and Indigo has been very helpful, pointing us in the right direction of doing exactly that."

Carbon College is the latest of Indigo's efforts to help lead the development of the ag carbon market to maximize long term success for farmers. The company's Carbon by Indigo program is the only program working to generate high-quality, registry issued agricultural carbon credits at scale. Central to its approach is an emphasis on meeting the needs of farmers through industry partnerships, scientific investment, and enabling informed decision-making through learning resources, agronomic tools, and community-building efforts.

In support of this farmer-first approach, Indigo also today confirmed a reprisal of Carbon Farming Connection following the success of the inaugural event this past June. The virtual event, which brought together farmers with private industry and scientific experts with a goal of supporting the development of a robust global market for agricultural carbon credits, will again convene stakeholders across the ag carbon ecosystem on Thursday, January 13, 2022, to discuss the growing demand and value of agricultural carbon credits.

The January event, which returns with an expanded focus on the science, technology, and policy forces shaping ag carbon markets, will highlight the first farmers to generate payments for their carbon farming efforts at scale, spotlight ag industry collaborators like Corteva and GROWMARK, feature carbon credit buyers and more. Confirmed guests include notable return marquee speaker Paul Hawken, business strategist and author, as well as special guest, Chip Flory, Farm Journal economist and host of AgriTalk.

More information about Carbon Farming Connection can be found here, alongside recorded soil health and profitability strategy webinars geared to those considering the near and long-term benefits of enrolling in a carbon program.

To get started with Carbon College, click here.

ABOUT INDIGO AG

Indigo Ag improves farmer profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health with nature-based and digital technologies. The company's core offerings  Biologicals, Market+, and Carbon  integrate across the supply chain to optimize how the world's most impactful crops are produced, sourced, and distributed. Founded in 2014 with a mission of harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet, today the company's technology connects stakeholders across the agricultural ecosystem to unlock sustainability and profitability benefits for all. Indigo Ag is headquartered in Boston, MA, with additional offices in Memphis, TN; Research Triangle Park, NC; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Basel, Switzerland.

Disclaimer: To receive Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Continuing Education Units (CEUs), CCAs must earn a passing grade on the comprehension quiz following a course bundle. CCAs are responsible for self-reporting the corresponding CEUs in their CCA account by using the QR codes provided after the quiz is passed.

SOURCE Indigo Ag
GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador, Dec. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric Tokenized Vehicles, a sustainable blockchain-based entity, has announced the most-anticipated news that the launch of their native token, ETV, will go live for the public shortly. The specialty of the private sale of the ETV tokens is that the platform bestows access not only to their internal team but also to the general audience who has a great passion for safeguarding the environment. Being the first sale of the platform, ETV tokens will be available at the lowest possible price as the cost/ETV will be increased in the subsequent rounds.



Electric Tokenized Vehicle operates with the objective of reducing the carbon dioxide emissions created by automobiles used in the transport industry. It proposes electric vehicles as a phenomenal alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles and wishes to create a revolution in the transport sector and parcel services with the implementation of cutting-edge technology, blockchain.



ETV, the indigenous token of the platform, has smart contracts on BEP-20 standard (Binance Smart Chain) and Cardano blockchain network. These ETV tokens power all the transport-associated services, which generates good income for the holders (owners of e-vehicles). As a matter of the first phase, the platform focuses on electric motorcycles, and soon other electric vehicles such as cars, cargos, and buses will be included. Additionally, the platform will launch Staking functionality (Proof of Stake) in which the participants can stake their ETV tokens to gain interest over 20% APY.



The platform has also announced some exclusive privileges for the investors participating in the private sale of ETV tokens. It includes,



Big Bonanza - A fabulous bonus of an extra 25% in the purchase of ETV tokens.



Thrilling Trips - Free trips to Galapagos Island and Guayaquil, Ecuador, in the year 2022.



Alluring Airdrop - Investors gain access to the exciting airdrops.



To be precise, the higher the circulation of the ETV tokens in the market, the higher will be the coverage of electric vehicles in the cities. The higher the electric vehicles in the city, the lesser will be the CO2 emissions, and the greener will be the planet.
At Arlington National Cemetery specifically, the Wreaths Across America program saw 66 tractor trailers deliver over 250,000 veterans' wreaths that were placed by nearly 38,000 volunteers. This was the 30 th year that veterans' wreaths have been placed there, a tradition started by Maine wreathmaker Morrill Worcester as a gift of thanks. Morrill once again made the trek to Arlington this year to place wreaths as he has each December since 1992. "When I brought down those 5,000 wreaths that first year, I just thought it was a way for me to say thank you, for what we have in this Country," said Worcester, Founder of Wreaths Across America. "I could have never imagined it would strike a chord like it has and make such an impact. Me and my family continued to be humbled by the support this program receives across the country."

Wreaths Across America would like to thank the communities, dedicated volunteers, generous sponsors, essential truck drivers, local officials, and our friends in the media for coming together in unity and support for those who have protected our freedom. Each person has played an important a part in the mission to Remember the fallen, Honor those that serve and their families, and Teach the next generation the value of freedom.

Each live, balsam veteran's wreath was a gift of respect and appreciation, sponsored by an individual or organization and placed on a headstone by volunteers as a small gesture of gratitude for the freedoms Americans enjoy. For centuries, fresh evergreens have been used as a symbol of honor and have served as a living tribute renewed annually. Wreaths Across America believes the tradition represents a living memorial that honors veterans, active-duty military, and their families. When each wreath is placed the servicemember's name is said out loud, ensuring their memory lives on.

For more information, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Next year's National Wreaths Across America Day will be held on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022.

About Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization's mission  Remember, Honor, Teach  is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans' cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

For more information or to sponsor a wreath please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org .

Press contacts:

SOURCE Wreaths Across America

Related Links

http://www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org


Test to Stay, created locally by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and operated by the University of Illinois System's SHIELD Illinois, allows unvaccinated individuals who were exposed to COVID-19 while at school and masked to remain in school and participate in school-related activities as long as they don't have symptoms, wear a mask and undergo testing on days 1, 3, 5 and 7 after exposure.

Test to Stay, operated in Illinois by SHIELD Illinois, ends quarantine mandates for those exposed to COVID-19 at school.

"I am extremely proud of the collaboration with IDPH on the Test to Stay protocol, which allows thousands of students and staff to safely remain in schools," University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen said. "SHIELD Illinois continues to work on the cutting edge of innovation, protecting teachers, students and their families. Now Test to Stay is providing a new way to keep students in school and improve educational access and performance."

IDPH and SHIELD Illinois joined forces to help schools implement Test to Stay. The SHIELD Illinois saliva-based PCR test developed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) detects SARS-CoV-2 and its variants in symptomatic, pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, with results in less than 24 hours. More than 100 school districts across the state are implementing Test to Stay using SHIELD Illinois to test once a week and rapid antigen testing.

SHIELD Illinois reduces schools' administrative burden by handling sample collection and transportation, or paying schools $8 per test if they collect and transport samples themselves. In addition, SHIELD Illinois provides infrastructure for the Test to Stay program through physician's orders, CLIA certifications and waivers, and automated data entry. With a scan of a barcode, results are sent directly to health departments.

On August 9, 2021, IDPH offered Test to Stay as an option that schools could implement in consultation with their local health departments to prevent student quarantines and losses of in-person learning. The Lake County Health Department (LCHD) permitted K-12 schools to implement Test to Stay that month.

The CDC sent a team to Illinois and worked with state and local health officials to look at the implementation of Test to Stay, conduct surveillance for cases, assess secondary transmission of the virus among schools participating in Test to Stay, compare those secondary transmission data among schools implementing different quarantine strategies, and analyze COVID-19 school data from districts across the state.

During the study period of Aug. 9-Oct. 29, 90 schools using Test to Stay reported 258 cases of COVID-19. Among the 1,035 students and staff enrolled in Test to Stay, secondary cases resulted only 1.5% of the time. Assuming eight missed school days for every 10-day quarantine, 8,152 in-person learning days were saved among close contacts.

The study indicated that implementation of Test to Stay with other prevention strategies did not lead to further spread within the K-12 school setting and allowed students to remain in school.

###

CONTACT:

[email protected]

SOURCE SHIELD Illinois

Related Links

http://shieldillinois.com/


NEW YORK and TORONTO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. ("iAnthus" or the "Company") (CSE: IAN, OTCPK: ITHUF), which owns, operates and partners with regulated cannabis operations across the United States, provides an update with respect to the Company's Annual General Meeting. As disclosed in the Company's news release dated November 4, 2021, The BC Registrar of Companies (the "BC Registrar") granted a further extension extending the deadline to hold the Company's Annual General Meeting for the year 2020 (the "2020 AGM") from October 31, 2021 to December 31, 2021. On November 19, 2021, the BC Registrar declined to grant any further extension for the Company to hold the 2020 AGM, citing its policy of allowing maximum extensions of 12 months.

Today, iAnthus filed a Notice of Appeal in the Supreme Court of British Columbia appealing the BC Registrar's decision further to section 406 of the British Columbia Business Corporations Act, SBC 2002, c 57 (the "Appeal"). iAnthus asks the court for an extension to hold the 2020 AGM to June 30, 2022 as, among other things, the Company's previously announced recapitalization transaction has not yet closed. No hearing date for the Appeal has yet been scheduled yet.

About iAnthus

iAnthus owns and operates licensed cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.iAnthus.com.

COVID-19 Risk Factor

The Company may be impacted by business interruptions resulting from pandemics and public health emergencies, including those related to COVID-19. An outbreak of infectious disease, a pandemic, or a similar public health threat, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19, or a fear of any of the foregoing could adversely impact the Company by causing operating, manufacturing, supply chain, and project development delays and disruptions, labor shortages, travel, and shipping disruption and shutdowns (including as a result of government regulation and prevention measures). It is unknown whether and how the Company may be affected if such a pandemic persists for an extended period of time, including as a result of the waiver of regulatory requirements or the implementation of emergency regulations to which the Company is subject. Although the Company has been deemed essential and/or has been permitted to continue operating its facilities in the states in which it cultivates, processes, manufactures, and sells cannabis during the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no assurance that the Company's operations will continue to be deemed essential and/or will continue to be permitted to operate. The Company may incur expenses or delays relating to such events outside of its control, which could have a material adverse impact on its business, operating results, financial condition, and the trading price of the Company's common shares.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of management, are not guarantees of performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in Company's reports that it files from time to time with the SEC and the Canadian securities regulators, which you should review including, but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. When used in this news release, words such as "will," could," plan," estimate," expect," intend," may," potential," believe, "should" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Company's financial performance, business development and results of operations and the timing and outcome of the closing of the Recapitalization Transaction.

These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events, and the Company cannot assure you that the events or circumstances discussed or reflected in these statements will be achieved or will occur. If such forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. You should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by the Company or any other person that it will achieve its objectives and plans in any specified timeframe, or at all. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange or The Securities Exchange Commission have reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

SOURCE iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.ianthus.com/


WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the 5th Circuit's stay of the Biden Administration's employer vaccine mandate, and the Job Creators Network's President and CEO Alfredo Ortiz put out the following statement:

"The Job Creators Network is disappointed the 6th Circuit has decided to side with the Biden Administration's illegal employer vaccine mandateon a Friday night, no less. This mandate adds an incredible burden on small business owners who are still suffering negative effects of the pandemic. This mandate will make it even harder for small business owners to find and keep employees. The 6th Circuit irresponsibly upheld an illegal rule and expects employers to somehow comply with a complicated regulation in a period of two weeks, including the holidays. JCN has immediately asked the Supreme Court to save businesses and employees from this government overreach."

SOURCE Job Creators Network
SINGAPORE, Dec. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PT. Teknologi Cakra Internasional has taken its commitment to authentic data to the next level with its launch of the new platform InterconnectDATA. This is yet another fascinating addition to the big data space that will enable many people to access timely insights. Teknologi Cakra Internasional has carefully studied the big data space and concluded that the future lies in insights. That is why they created InterconnectDATA, a platform that enables global businesses and professionals to find the necessary information to aid their decisions in business.



With this picture in mind, InterconnectDATA is stepping up as a business information platform in Asia that helps industry professionals streamline their business offerings. The business information platform has since its launch become a go-to for authentic data.



Its core values guide Teknologi Cakra Internasional in delivering excellent service to its clients. From innovation, agility, loyalty, and even collaboration, Teknologi Cakra Internasional explains, "We question conventional wisdom and challenge the status quo. If there is a better way, we'll find it. We're excited by ingenuity and thrilled to try something new. We are also fast and flexible, dynamic and adaptive, in delivering pragmatic and value-based solutions to succeed in our business."



To realize the vision for InterconnectDATA, Maya Miranda Ambarsari, a president commissioner, Andreas Reza, the commissioner, and Rany Fardiany, the Chief Executive Officer, worked tirelessly to launch this authentic data platform. They explain, "It started with a big question. How to find authentic data and information platforms to make the best decisions. With the answers to these questions presenting limitless opportunities, InterconnectDATA was born."



Forming strong partnerships in the industry has helped propel InterconnectDATA and their parent company Teknologi Cakra Internasional to the forefront. They have managed to partner with S&P Global, Statista, and the IDX Indonesia stock exchange. "We work with partners around the world from individual Employers and regional startups to multinational enterprises In the public and private sectors, government, and communities."



This has enabled platforms like InterconnectDATA to provide smart ways for industry professionals to gather insights around funding, acquisitions, events, and news in their industry or area of interest. With Teknologi Cakra Internasional handling the Information Technology side of things, InterconnectDATA is fully immersed in becoming a big data analytic platform that will change data consumption in the world. The platform's growing popularity is a testament to the need for comprehensive data on private and public markets for various professionals. "When curiosity meets innovation, the world around us moves forward," states CEO Fardiany.



Photos:

https://www.prlog.org/12898140



Press release distributed by PRLog

SOURCE Teknologi Cakra Internasional
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will provide coverage of prelaunch, launch, and postlaunch activities for the James Webb Space Telescope, the world's largest and most powerful space science telescope.

Webb is targeted to launch at 7:20 a.m. EST Friday, Dec. 24, on an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on the northeastern coast of South America.

Live launch coverage in English will begin at 6 a.m. on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's website . The public can also watch live on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Twitch, and Daily Motion. NASA also will offer a launch broadcast in Spanish beginning at 6:30 a.m. on the agency's website and Spanish-language social media accounts. NASA will hold a prelaunch media briefing at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 21, and a postlaunch news conference approximately 30 minutes after the live launch broadcast ends on Friday, Dec. 24.

The Webb mission, an international partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency, will explore every phase of cosmic history  from within the solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe, and everything in between. Webb will reveal new and unexpected discoveries and help humanity understand the origins of the universe and our place in it.

Full mission coverage is as follows. All times are Eastern, and information is subject to change.

NASA Press Briefings

At 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21, NASA will hold a virtual prelaunch media briefing with the following participants:

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy

Thomas Zurbuchen , associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington

, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Greg Robinson , Webb program director, NASA Headquarters

, Webb program director, NASA Headquarters Beatriz Romero , Webb project director for launch services, Arianespace in Paris

On Friday, Dec. 24, approximately 30 minutes after Webb's launch broadcast ends, a joint news conference will take place in Kourou.

Both briefings will stream on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's website .

To participate by telephone, media must RSVP no later than two hours before the start of each briefing to Laura Betz at: [email protected]. Media and members of the public may also ask questions on social media using #UnfoldtheUniverse.

NASA's media accreditation policy for virtual and onsite activities is available online.



NASA TV Launch Coverage in English

NASA TV live coverage will begin at 6 a.m. Friday, Dec. 24. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

On launch day, a "clean feed" of the launch without commentary will be available by satellite feed. The uplink will begin at 7 a.m. and continue for an hour after launch. The clean feed will also be available on the Washington AVOC.

Launch coverage audio will be available via this satellite feed as well, with audio channels for English-, French-, and Spanish-language launch commentary, as well as "mission audio" without commentary.

Please contact [email protected] to receive the satellite coordinates.

NASA Launch Coverage in English

Launch day coverage will be available on the agency's website. Coverage will include livestreaming and blog updates. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. Follow coverage online at:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb

NASA Launch Coverage in Spanish: Desplegando el Universo



Hosted by Begona Vila, Webb instrument systems engineer, NASA's broadcast of the launch in Spanish will include interviews with Hispanic members of the mission and live commentary from Kourou by Vila and ESA engineer Julio Monreal.

The show, which will begin at 6:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 24, will be available on NASA en espanol's YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook accounts, as well as on NASA's website.

Media and educational institutions interested in sharing the stream of the show can contact Maria Jose Vinas at: [email protected].

The agency has also released the first episode of NASA's Curious Universe podcast in Spanish. The episode, "Desplegando el universo con el telescopio espacial James Webb," is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and SoundCloud.



Media Interview Requests

Members of the media seeking interviews about Webb's launch should fill out NASA's request form.



Public Participation

Members of the public can register to attend launch virtually. NASA's virtual guest program for the mission includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following a successful launch.

Virtual NASA Social

As NASA prepares for Webb to #UnfoldTheUniverse, the agency invites the public to join the James Webb Space Telescope social event on Facebook. Participants will be joined by NASA, ESA, the Canadian Space Agency, and the Space Telescope Science Institute. Stay up to date on the latest mission activities, interact with Webb experts in real-time, and watch the live launch broadcast with an interactive chat.



Watch and Engage on Social Media

Stay connected with the mission and let people know you are following the launch on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram with #UnfoldTheUniverse. Follow and tag these accounts:

For more information about the Webb mission, visit:

https://nasa.gov/webb

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


SAN MATEO, Calif., Dec. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- San Mateo County Event Center is pleased to announce the achievement of five different awards from the International Association of Fairs & Expositions (IAFE). Most importantly, San Mateo County Event Center won the Best of Show: Hall of Honor Communications Awards for the highest overall score by any state and county fair.

"The Hall of Honor Communications contest recognizes the top fairs in our industry exceeding in promotional and advertising efforts. Categories range from radio commercials to newspaper and everything in between. Submissions were judged based on originality, creativity, consistency and overall achievement," said Brittney Harper, Member Services Coordinator for IAFE.

"This is such a thrill for us," said Dana Stoehr, CEO of the Event Center. "Many of the awards centered on our focus around fighting COVID. We had events to get Vaccinated at the fair and this clearly impressed the judges." The San Mateo County Event Center & Fair is one of 77 fairgrounds in California, but the only one to be part of the Office of Emergency Services." The Event Center administered over 250,000 COVID tests and over 100,000 vaccinations over the preceding 12 months, much of which happened at the fair this past year.

The five ribbons won by San Mateo are as follows:

Best of Show Award  The fair scoring the highest total in three separate categories. This recipient will receive a special award at the Annual IAFE Convention.

1st Place: Hall of Honor Communications Awards / Souvenirs and Commemorative Items for "SMCF Masks."

1st Place: Hall of Honor Communications Awards / Out-of-the-Box Marketing/Promotion for "Get Vaccinated at the Fair."

2nd Place: Hall of Honor Communications Awards for "Social Media"

2nd Place: Agricultural Awards / Agricultural exhibitor events, awards, participation incentives or retention programs for "Livestock Corner Section in Fair Newsletter and on Social Media"

"The San Mateo County Event Center and County Fair are there for our residents in both times of celebration and times of crisis," said Stoehr. "Our awards centered around finding a way to celebrate in a time of crisis, by helping our residents come to the fair and leave vaccinated and with a free N95 mask!" The San Mateo fairgrounds are the only fairgrounds in the state which are part of the Office of Emergency Services but also receive no TOT hotel tax funding, making the achievement even more impressive.

ABOUT THE SAN MATEO COUNTY EVENTS CENTER: For the past year, the San Mateo County Events Center has been unable to host most events, but instead played a vital role in protecting our health care workers and most vulnerable populations by serving as a COVID-19 testing site, operations hub and supply center, 250-bed temporary overflow hospital, and vaccine distribution center for the San Francisco Bay Area. To date, the Event Center has administered 250,000 COVID-19 tests and vaccinated more than 90,000 individuals. Visit our website at https://www.smchealth.org/covidvaccine to stay up to date regarding our most up to date COVID-19 Vaccine information.

ABOUT IAFE The International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE), based in Springfield, Mo., is a voluntary, nonprofit corporation, serving state, provincial, regional, and county agricultural fairs, shows, exhibitions, and expositions. Its associate members include state and provincial associations of fairs, nonagricultural expositions and festivals, associations, corporations, and individuals engaged in providing products and services to its members, all of whom are interested in the improvement of fairs, shows, expositions, and allied fields.

SOURCE San Mateo County Fair
The family-friendly DIY Cookie Ornaments kits allow users of all skill levels to create their own cookie ornaments in two simple steps: painting pre-decorated Christmas cookies with edible paints, and then using gold ribbon to transform their cookies into ornaments.

They are the latest creation from DecoCookies, North America's premier hand-decorated cookies company, which combined its widely popular Paint Your Own Cookies with the classic Christmas traditions of cookie decorating and homemade ornaments.

"Making cherished memories with loved ones means so much during the holidays," said DecoCookies founder Chef Eliana Campos Berry, who grew the company out of her home kitchen. "We want to give families a reason to enjoy their time together and be reminded of it over the whole season. DIY Cookie Ornaments are a natural way to achieve this."

Already the kits are proving to be a hit this year. Within a month of their soft launch at the DecoCookies Amazon Store and select Costco Wholesale stores, the kits have sold out.

"It's truly inspiring," said Eliana. "Whenever families see the cookie ornaments they made on the Christmas tree, they'll be reminded of the joy they created together this season."

Learn more at www.decocookies.com .

About DecoCookies

DecoCookies grew from the home of self-taught chef and artist Eliana Campos Berry into the largest decorated cookie company in North America, hand-crafting over 70,000 cookies daily through a remarkable baking process that integrates home traditions with cutting-edge technology, creativity, and innovation. DecoCookies has innovated an expansive array of collections and new cookie products like Paint Your Own Cookies and DIY Cookie Ornaments, Mug Hugger cookies, Clean Label cookies, and Chocolate cookies. DecoCookies always bakes with the highest quality ingredients, and never with artificial flavors, artificial fillers, or nut allergens.

SOURCE DecoCookies
Vienna, Dec 18 : The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has showcased new surveillance cameras to be placed at the Karaj nuclear facility, a centrifuge component manufacturing workshop in north-central part of Iran, in Vienna, Austria.

At a press conference, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the cameras, to be installed, are commercially available, and that they can not "be tampered with" or "be violated by anybody", as they will be "under seals" and that any opening of the cameras would be registered.

Cameras at the nuclear facility were damaged as a consequence of an act of sabotage in June, Xinhua news agency reported.

While expressing concerns about the knowledge gap during the absence of cameras on site, Grossi said reinstalling the cameras is an important step.

"To mitigate that concern, the first thing is to put the cameras back, that's what we are going to do," he stressed.

Meanwhile, he said that the IAEA would have its "own assessments" by experts who have good knowledge of the equipment and the processes.

"For that (knowledge gap), we have ways to reconcile the facts on the ground with what the Iranians would be telling us," explained Grossi, adding that despite the difficulties, the agency has many methodologies to help put puzzles together.

The IAEA said that it will soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran's Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement signed by Grossi and the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami on Wednesday .

According to an IAEA press release, the cameras, to be installed in the coming days, will replace those that were removed from the Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing workshop earlier this year.

The agency and Iran will also "continue to work on remaining outstanding safeguards issues with the aim of resolving them," it added.

The agreement with Iran is an important development for the IAEA's verification and monitoring activities in the country, Grossi said. "It will enable us to resume necessary continuity of knowledge at this facility." To this end, Iran and the agency will exchange information and assessments, including through meetings of experts.

On December 19, the agency will make available a sample camera and related technical information to Iran for analysis by its relevant security and judiciary officials in the presence of the IAEA inspectors.
Paris, Dec 18 : French Prime Minister Jean Castex has announced a series of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 during holiday seasons, and called on French citizens to respect preventive measures during celebrations.

Facing the fifth wave of the pandemic that "continues to affect strongly France with more than 50,000 cases per day," Castex announced that, effective from January 3, 2022, the booster dose can be received in four months, instead of the current five months, after the second dose, Xinhua news agency reported.

"A draft bill will be submitted at the beginning of January to transform the health pass into a vaccination pass," he announced, stressing that "only vaccination will be valid in this pass." According to him, the non-vaccinated will have to get vaccinated as the only valid document presented will be proof of vaccination and not a negative PCR test.

The prime minister also said the authorities will "tighten controls and penalties for false passes." With holidays approaching, Castex requested French citizens not to go to overcrowded areas.

Hospitals are going to be overcrowded and French citizens must take into consideration the measures to limit the infections before and during the celebrations of Christmas and New Year, he warned.

France reported on Friday 58,128 new cases of Covid-19.
Brussels, Dec 18 : The European Commission put forward proposals to ensure timely supply of medicines to Northern Ireland (NI) from the rest of the United Kingdom (UK), announced officials.

"The Commission is today proposing a bespoke arrangement for the supply of medicines to Northern Ireland. It means that everyone in Northern Ireland will have access to the same medicines at the same time as elsewhere in the UK, while ensuring that the integrity of the EU Single Market is protected," said Maros Sefcovic, Vice-president of the European Commission and co-chair of the EU-UK Joint Committee and Partnership Council.

Not only generic medicines, such as paracetamol, but also life-saving medicines such as cancer treatment, are included, Xinhua news agency quoted Sefcovic as saying at a press conference.

In line with the proposals, if a new medicine has been authorised in the UK, but not yet in the EU, it will be temporarily supplied to patients in Northern Ireland pending authorisation in the EU, European Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides told the same press conference.

Those temporary authorizations should be time-limited and end as soon as the Commission has granted the authorisation to market the medicine, she added.

The European Commission's proposals still need to be sent to the European Parliament and the Council for examination and endorsement.

The UK's departure from the EU, also called Brexit, led to a complicated situation on the Island of Ireland. To avoid a hard border on the island, the UK's Northern Ireland was integrated into the EU Single Market, under the Protocol of Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Goods leaving Great Britain to enter Northern Ireland, including medicine, are subjected to the EU Single Market's custom duties and inspections, creating delays and effectively cutting out supplies in Northern Ireland.
United Nations, Dec 18 : The UN Security Council has decided to extend for 12 months the mandate of the team monitoring sanctions against individuals and entities associated with the Taliban, as well as other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with the Taliban in constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan.

Unanimously adopting Resolution 2611, the 15-member council directed the monitoring team to gather information on instances of non-compliance with the measures imposed in Resolution 2255, and to facilitate, upon request by member states, capacity-building assistance, Xinhua news agency reported.

It further directed the monitoring team to provide recommendations to the committee on actions taken to respond to non-compliance.

The council highlighted the importance of ensuring that the monitoring team receives the necessary support to effectively, safely and in a timely manner fulfil its mandate.

The council also decided to actively review the implementation of the measures outlined in this resolution and to consider adjustments, as necessary, to support peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Belagavi, Dec 18 : Tension prevailed in Karnataka's border town of Belagavi after a protest condemning the desecration of a Shivaji statue turned violent, with demonstrators resorting to stone pelting at police personnel.

As many as 20 vehicles, including police jeeps, were damaged in the incident on Friday night, triggering the police to resort to lathi charge against the violent mob.

Security has been beefed up across the city to prevent any untoward incident.

During midnight, the protesters staged a flash protest at the Sambhaji Circle as a video of the desecrated Shivaji statue in the Bengaluru's communally sensitive Shivajinagar localitywent viral on social media earlier on Friday.

The protesters demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits and also urged to perform 'Ksheerabhisheka' (a ritual of pouring milk as a mark of respect) to the desecrated statue.

When the police were trying to broker peace with the agitators, the mob resorted to violence and started pelting stones and also tried to torch a police vehicle.

The police then resorted to lathi charge to disperse the violent mob. As many 400 police personnel have been deputed across the city.

The winter session of the Karnataka State Assembly is being held at the bordering town after two years in the Suvarna Soudha and entire government machinery has been shifted from Bengaluru to Belagavi.

Karnataka police are suspecting the role of Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi (MES) party leaders to create disturbance during the time ongoing session in Belagavi. MES has made a futile attempt to organise 'Mahamelav', parallel to the Assembly session and one of its top leaders was blackened by Kannada activists.

The police have arrested the activists.

Following the incident, the Kannada flag was burnt by Shiv Sena activists in Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

The Karnataka Assembly has passed a censure motion condemning burning of the Kannada flag and sent it to Maharashtra government and the Centre seeking action against the perpetrators.
Geneva, Dec 18 : Closing of schools across the world should be the last resort in the fight against the fast-spreading Omicron Covid-19 variant, outgoing Unicef Executive Director Henrietta Fore said.

"Nationwide school closures should be avoided whenever possible," Xinhua news agency quoted Fore as saying in a statement on Friday.

"When Covid-19 community transmission increases and stringent public health measures become a necessity, schools must be the last places to close and the first to re-open.

"Another wave of widespread school closures would be disastrous for children... The evidence is clear: Prolonged, nationwide school closures; limited resources for students, teachers and parents; and lack of access to remote learning have wiped out decades of progress in education and rendered childhood unrecognizable," the Unicef head added.

She said that beyond lost learning, children also lost school safety, daily in-person interactions with friends, access to healthcare and often their only nutritious meal of the day, adding that this generation of schoolchildren could collectively lose $17 trillion in potential lifetime earnings.

"We know that mitigation measures in schools are effective," she said.

"We must use this knowledge to do everything we can to keep schools open. We must also increase investments in digital connectivity to make sure that no child is left behind." Fore, who will be relieved of the post as Unicef chief, said that next year could not be another year of disrupted learning.

"It needs to be the year that education, and the best interests of children, take precedence." Fore announced in July her intention to resign as Unicef Executive Director because of family health issues.

Catherine Russell, a senior White House official, has been appointed to succeed Fore by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Fore said she would remain in her post until a successor could take over.

Russell said she would start as Executive Director early next year.
Vienna, Dec 18 : Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister and top negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani announced that the ongoing talks on the 2015 nuclear deal will continue after a few days' break.

On Friday, Bagheri Kani expressed satisfaction with the talks, saying on Twitter that "we have made good progress this week ... and we will convene a (JCPOA) Joint Commission (meeting) today and will continue talks after a break of a few days", reports Xinhua news agency Iran and the remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) resumed talks in Vienna on November 29 after nearly a six-month pause.

The talks are aimed at the removal of US sanctions against Iran and the restoration of the deal that faced risks of collapse after the former Donald Trump administration withdrew from the pact in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.

Tehran had retaliated by gradually stopping implementing elements of the deal since May 2019.
Chennai, Dec 18 : A 44-year-old man was arrested in Coimbatore for killing a Class 10 student after sexually assaulting and dumping her body near a wasteyard.

The accused, Muthukumar, is a construction worker and was known to the 14-year-old victim's family.

The girl's mother lodged a complaint with the East Ramanathapuram all-women police station on December 13, stating that her daughter was missing since December 11.

The woman, who is separated from her husband for the past eight years, was living with her mother and two daughters aged 17 and 14.

The woman in her complaint said that after she, her mother and her elder daughter went to work, her younger daughter was alone at home and when she returned home by 4 p.m., the girl was missing and her cellphone was switched off.

When the police launched an investigation on Thursday, they found the decomposed body of the girl with her hands and feet tied and a rope around her neck.

The investigation revealed that, Muthukumar, who had borrowed 2.5 sovereigns of gold from the teen's mother, had reportedly called the girl to his house under the pretext of returning the gold.

He then sexually assaulted her and killed her.

Ramanathapuram all-women police, in a statement, said that Muthukumar later entered the girl's house, stole 1.75 sovereigns of gold and decamped with it.

According to the Deputy Commission of Police, E.S. Uma, he confessed the crime and said that he had broke into the house and stole 1.75 sovereigns of gold to convince the mother that the victim took the gold and eloped with someone.

Muthukumar was produced before the Judicial magistrate court and remanded to custody.
Berlin, Dec 18 : Germany's Minister of Finance Christian Lindner defended a supplementary budget of 60 billion euros ($67 billion) for climate protection and digitization.

"By no means it is a matter of funding general projects," Lindner said, stressing that the money would only be used to cushion damage resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The fund's resources are used in a targeted manner, for transformative investments," Xinhua news agency quoted Lindner as saying in the Bundestag debate on the supplementary budget, which was approved by the new Olaf Scholz government on Monday.

Opposition parties accused the government of violating the country's constitution by approving the reallocation of unused funds that were originally earmarked for fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Due to the pandemic, Germany's so-called debt brake, which stipulates that federal and state budgets must generally be balanced without revenues from borrowing, was temporarily suspended but is to apply again from 2023.

Lindner confirmed the government's plans to resume compliance with the debt brake, pointing out that many investments had been put on hold because of the pandemic.

"We must not lose time in the transformation process," he added, "not only people need a booster, but also the economic development."
Jakarta, Dec 18 : Indonesian authorities have placed Mt. Semeru under level three alert status, the second highest, as it has shown heightening volcanic activities and spewed thick hot clouds and lava in the past 24 hours.

The head of the Geological Agency at the country's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Eko Budi Lelono, said that Mt. Semeru actively spewed hot clouds and its lava flow was still unstable, reports Xinhua news agency.

The volcano could strike at least up to the radius of 2 kilometres from its crater.

Another explosion is highly possible due to the high intensity of rainfall around the volcano, which might cause an increase in lava flow, Lelono said in a written statement.

The higher alert status of Mt. Semeru started on Thursday evening, hours after the volcano erupted again after December 4 and spewed hot clouds several times.

Located in Lumajang district, East Java province, Mt. Semeru had a massive eruption on December 4.

Till now, 48 people have been confirmed dead in the eruption, according to data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

The BNPB has confirmed that search and rescue activities for victims are being on hold over the safety of rescuers and volunteers.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has lashed out at the Bhuttos and the Sharifs, blaming them for destroying the country and having a hand in the problems the nation is facing today, Geo News reported.

In an interview to Al Jazeera, Khan said Pakistan was rich in resources but the Bhutto and Sharif families used them unfairly.

He said his government wanted Pakistan to become a prosperous country and was fighting against the two super-rich families.

The Prime Minister further alleged that the two families were working to set up their dynasties in Pakistan and were responsible for the present mess the country is in, the report said.

"Corruption is something which destroys a country. The poor countries are poor not because they lack resources but because their leadership is corrupt," he told Al Jazeera.

"I will myself conduct transparent investigations against ministers If corruption allegations are levelled against them," he said, adding that the government sprung into action after a sugar inquiry report exposed the mafia.

Expressing concern on the Afghan crisis, the Prime Minister said they are facing extreme hunger and the US should support them, the report said.

"I didn't understand what objectives the US wanted to achieve in Afghanistan. They occupied the country for 20 years in the name of so-called war (against terror)."
Chennai, Dec 18 : Hundreds of workers of Foxconn Technology India Pvt Ltd staged a protest on a highway demanding to know the status of colleagues who were affected by food poisoning earlier this week.

About 14,000 men and women are employed in the Foxconn Technology unit that makes electronic components, iPhones for Apple and others.

Many of the women workers are staying in the nearby dormitories.

According to the workers, Wednesday several women workers were affected due to food poisoning after having lunch at one of the dormitories on Wednesday.

The affected workers were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment and some were admitted.

According to the workers, the management did not give any proper answer when queried about the health condition of their colleagues who were admitted to the hospital.

On Friday night, the women workers squatted on the highway disrupting the traffic.

The protest continued on Saturday morning as well and government officials are talking with the protesters.
New Delhi, Dec 18: The third meeting of the two-day India-Central Asia Dialogue between the foreign ministers of India and Central Asian countries-- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan-- will take off on in New Delhi today. It is noteworthy that the five Central Asian foreign ministers are travelling to New Delhi at the invitation of Dr S Jaishankar, their Indian counterpart notwithstanding the uncertainty that has gripped the whole world on account of Omicron, the new variant of the coronavirus.

This shows the high importance that these countries accord to their relations with India. The fact that the visit of the five Central Asian foreign ministers is taking place on the heels of the visit by the National Security Advisers/Secretaries, National Security Councils of these countries to Delhi for the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue demonstrates the vitality of the India-Central Asia partnership.

It is notable that India's ties with Central Asia have taken a decisive upward swing since the assumption of office by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. He became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit all the five Central Asian States in July, 2015, a little more than a year after assuming office of the head of government of India. Prior to his visit, the region had witnessed only four Prime Ministerial visits from India over the previous 20 years! For India, Central Asia is a part of its extended neighbourhood with which India has enjoyed historical, cultural and civilizational ties spanning several millennia. India's outreach to Central Asia is significant because the region is vital to India's security, to meet its growing energy needs including through supply of uranium, as an expanding market for trade and investment, for cooperation in culture, defence, tourism and people- to- people links.

The first India-Central Asia Dialogue was held in the historical city and cultural capital of Uzbekistan, Samarkand in January, 2019. This was designed to bring dynamism and energy to the relationship which had languished for much of the period after these countries became independent in 1991. It is commendable that notwithstanding the havoc wreaked by the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the second Dialogue in the series took place in October, 2020 through the virtual conference format. It is laudable that the third in the series of Dialogues is being held this year and has not been allowed to drift into the next year. The first in-person meet after more than two years will provide a valuable opportunity to the foreign ministers to take stock of progress in the decisions taken during the last two meetings and identify new areas of cooperation.

PM Narendra Modi and Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon During the Second Dialogue, India had offered a "USD 1 billion Line of Credit for priority developmental projects in fields such as connectivity, energy, IT, healthcare, education, agriculture etc." All these are niche areas in which India has proven expertise and capabilities. Central Asian countries "welcomed India's offer to provide grant assistance for implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) for furthering socio-economic development in the countries of the region." In the first Dialogue in 2019, India had referred to the useful role played by development cooperation in strengthening our ties with other countries. India "offered to extend this partnership to Central Asia as well, where we can bring our countries closer by taking up concrete projects, inter alia, under our Lines of Credit and Buyers' Credit, and by sharing our expertise." Trade, investment, connectivity and development cooperation are likely to be the most important themes of deliberation among the ministers in the third Dialogue.

The only difference between the format of the third Dialogue with the first two, in addition to being the first to be held in India, is that there will be no representative from Afghanistan in this meeting. The then Afghan foreign minister had participated in discussions in the first two Dialogues in Samarkand (2019) and in the virtual format (2020). This is in keeping with India's decision last month to not invite any representative from Afghanistan for the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue as we have not recognized the Taliban caretaker administration.

The last few months have witnessed a profound transformation in the regional security architecture. The Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15 but even after four months, no country in the region or outside has accorded diplomatic recognition to this dispensation. However, several countries, including from Central Asia, are carrying on economic and official engagements with the Taliban caretaker administration. Barring Tajikistan, all the Central Asian states are maintaining their embassies in Kabul and also conducting commercial cooperation with the Taliban set-up. The foreign ministers can be expected to identify steps that the Taliban would need to take before it could formally engage with the international community.

These could include putting in place an inclusive government, ensuring that rights of minorities, women, children and girls are safeguarded, not allowing the territory to be used for terrorist operations, stopping the export of drugs, human trafficking etc. The ministers could also affirm their commitment to provide humanitarian food relief and essential medical supplies for the people of Afghanistan and call upon the neighbours to provide free, unhindered and unimpeded access to such supplies.

The biggest obstacle in deepening partnership between India and Central Asia is the absence of common contiguous borders. With Pakistan refusing to provide access to Afghanistan and Central Asia through its territory, India has sought to overcome this impediment by developing connectivity through the Chabahar port in Iran as well as the International North-South Transport Corridor to Central Asia and Russia. India's accession to the Ashgabat Agreement in 2018 further reinforces this endeavour.

As evidence of expanding cooperation, a contingent of Kazakh soldiers has been deployed under command of an Indian army battalion in Lebanon in UN peace-keeping operations. India has helped to train Kazakh soldiers to equip them for common operational responsibilities.

To attract investments, an Uzbek-Indian Free Pharmaceutical Zone is being developed in Uzbekistan. Apart from providing infrastructure facilities like roads, electricity and water, tax incentives will be offered to the Indian companies.

Negotiations are progressing between India and Kazakhstan to develop a space satellite for Kazakhstan. Space is a major sector of collaboration between India and Central Asia, particularly with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Immense possibilities exist to deepen cooperation between India and Central Asia in trade and investment, defence and security, energy, Information and Communications Technology, pharmaceuticals, capacity building, agriculture, innovation, education, culture, tourism, space, mining, joint ventures, people to people connect among others. Private business ties ups, small and medium enterprises and start-ups will need to actively discharge their responsibilities.

India has huge goodwill in this region. It does not suffer on account of any historical baggage. It is rewarding to witness that the Indian government is being pro-active in reaching out to the leadership and people of Central Asia and engaging in programmes and activities to realize the full potential of bilateral and regional partnership. The India-Central Asia Dialogue is an excellent platform to achieve this objective.

(Amb. Ashok Sajjanhar, is a former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, Sweden and Latvia.) (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Chennai, Dec 18 : The district collector of Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu on Saturday ordered the demolition of 100 school buildings in the district as they did not adhere to safety standards.

The school education department had sent a communique to the district authorities on the poor conditions of 259 school buildings in the district and higher officials have selected 100 out of them. The 100 selected by higher officials are ordered to be demolished by the district collector.

An official with the higher education department who does not wish to be named told IANS, "We had submitted a list of 259 schools but the district authorities ordered for the demolition of 100 school buildings and the rest have to be repaired." The district collector has already passed on the orders to the Public Works Department (PWD) and the District Rural Development Authority (DRDA) for the demolition of the school buildings.

The official also informed that almost all the school buildings that are to be demolished are not in use and classes are being taken at other buildings either on rent or on a makeshift basis till the new buildings are constructed.

It may be noted that a school wall collapsed on Friday at Tirunelveli leading to the death of three students, while three others were grievously injured. The building was in Tirunelveli town and near the Municipal corporation building.
Film: '420 IPC' (Streaming on ZEE5); Duration: 99 minutes Director: Manish Gupta

Cast: Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Gul Panag, Rohan Vinod Mehra, Arif Zakaria

IANS Rating: ***For the uninitiated, IPC 420 literally means Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with offences relating to cheating and dishonesty.

Director Manish Gupta's, '420 IPC', is an intriguing, unglamourous, slow-burner dealing with the white-collar, economic crime of cheating.

Set in Mumbai, 2015, the narrative unravels the story of Bansi Keswani (Vinay Pathak) a Chartered Accountant by profession who has influential clients. While his clients are well-to-do, Mr Keswani on his personal turf is drowned in debts. When his client, the Deputy Director of MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) is arrested by CBI in a Rs 1,200 crore scam, Keswani is interrogated, and his house raided. After a thorough investigation, Keswani is cleared of any wrongdoings.

But immediately after this, builder Neeraj Sinha, another client of Keswani, accuses him of stealing and forging 3 blank cheques of Rs 50 lakh each. This time Keswani is arrested and put into judicial custody, and his life is turned upside down.

Being low on funds, he appoints Birbal Choudhary (Rohan Vinod Mehra) a bright but inexperienced lawyer to fight his case. How Birbal gathers evidence to combat the public prosecutor Savak Jamshedji (Ranvir Shorey) to prove Keswani's innocence against theft, forgery, and attempted bank fraud forms the crux of this story.

Mounted as a genuine, working-class film, Manish Gupta's script and screenplay is more than serviceable, no doubt. It has all the elements of investigation, courtroom drama, and legal jargon. It makes you curious about what will happen next but lacks plot twists, tension, and excitement, despite a twisting story of secrets and influence.

Vinay Pathak sleepwalks through his character as the staid, poker-faced Keswani. So does Gul Panag, who plays his wife Pooja.

Ranvir Shorey makes an effort to be different, and he largely succeeds in portraying Savak Jamshedji with elan.

Rohan Vinod Mehra is bright, charming, and sincere as Birbal. He has a decent screen presence, but since the character has no must of histrionics to display, he fails to make an impact.

The film boasts fine production qualities, and overall, it will appeal to those keen on legal tangles.
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 18 : President Ram Nath Kovind will begin his four-day Kerala visit on December 21 during which will attend several programmes, sources said here on Saturday.

He will reach Kannur on December 21 from where he will proceed to the Central University at Kasargode and reach Kochi the same day.

The following day, the President will participate in an event at the Cochin Naval base and return to the state capital the next day, the sources said.

On 23rd morning, he will address a public meeting in connection with the inauguration of the P.N.Panikkar Foundation and leave for Delhi the next day.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : A delegation of 87 Indian Hindu pilgrims has arrived in Pakistan to participate in the religious rites at the historic Katas Raj Temple near Chakwal on Sunday, The Express Tribune reported.

Syed Faraz Abbas, Deputy Secretary of the Evacuee Waqf Property Board, welcomed the Hindu yatris upon their arrival at the Wagah border crossing in Lahore on Friday.

The temple is considered to be the oldest and holiest place of the Hindu religion in Pakistan.

There is also a sacred pond which the Hindus associate with Lord Shiva.

Members of Hindu community of Pakistan will also visit the temple on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, Abbas said that all the arrangements, including security, accommodation and transport of the yatrees had been finalised.

He added that relevant officials of the Evacuee Waqf Property Board would also accompany the Indian pilgrims, the report said.

The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued visas to 112 Indian Hindu pilgrims from December 17 to 23.

The pilgrims would return via Wagah border on December 23.
Mumbai, Dec 18 : Concerns over the new Omicron Covid-19 variant, as well as continued foreign fund outflows will keep Indian rupee subdued during the upcoming week, experts have opined.

Besides, high YoY trade deficit along with new US tapering measures will hamper any appreciation move.

However, the downside will be capped by lower oil prices along with probable RBI interventions.

"On the positive side, falling crude oil prices around $73 per barrel levels and accommodative monetory policy should provide some respite," said Sajal Gupta, Head, Forex and Rates at Edelweiss Securities.

"Historically, some intervention shall be looked upon for any trend reversal in rupee." The RBI is known to enter the markets via intermediaries to either sell or buy US dollars to keep the rupee in a stable orbit.

"We expect the pair to trade between 75.50 to 76.50 next week with a lower bias for the pair." Last week, the rupee closed at 76.09 to a USD weakening significantly on a weekly basis.

The Indian rupee has stabilised in the last two sesions this week after hitting lowest level of 20 months.

"Rupee lost ground against dollar precipitiusly in early part of the week amid risk averse sentiments, policy divergence, foreign fund outflows and higher trade deficit numbers. The RBI's policy divergence with Fed weighed on local currency along with higher imports," said Devarsh Vakil, Deputy Head of Retail Research, HDFC Securities.

"Trading volumes are set to decline as forex markets head into the Christmas break. Spot USDINR expected to consolidate between 76.50 to 75.70 before heading higher towards 77." So far, the foreign institutions have sold over $4 billion worth of equities in this qurter.

Gaurang Somaiya, Forex & Bullion Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services, said: "Next week, on the domestic front no major economic data are expected to be released but FIIs who have been on the sell side if take a pause on the selling could restrict sharp depreciation of the rupee.

"From the US, except core PCE index no other data is expected to release but now that the Federal Reserve has started to increase its bond tapering program market participants could continue to be positive on the greenback. We expect the USDINR (Spot) to quote in the range of 75.70 and 76.50." (Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in)
Washington, Dec 18 : Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines, has tested positive for Covid-19, two days after he attended a hearing in the US Senate along with some other American airline chiefs and lawmakers, the Dallas-headquartered company headquartered company announced.

"Although testing negative multiple times prior to the Senate Commerce Committee Hearing, Gary tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home, experiencing mild symptoms, and taking a PCR test," a Southwest spokeswoman said in a statement.

"Gary is doing well and currently resting at home... Gary's symptoms continue to be mild, and each day he is moving closer to a full recovery." Kelly has been fully vaccinated and received a booster earlier this year, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as further saying.

Kelly, along with the CEOs of United Airlines and American Airlines, Delta Air Lines' chief of operations, and the president of the country's largest flight attendant union, testified in person for more than three hours at the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday, according to a CNBC report, noting that many of the attendees including Kelly didn't wear masks.

During the hearing, Kelly touted the effectiveness of on-board air filtration and circulation systems and said: "I think the case is very strong that masks don't add much if anything in the air cabin environment." American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said he concurred with Kelly's response at the hearing, but the company on Thursday issued a statement saying he meant to concur with "comments made by other witnesses about the high quality of aircraft cabin air, and did not intend to cast doubt on the necessity of face masks on planes".

Earlier this month, the administration of President Joe Biden extended the federal mandate on masks on airplanes and other transit modes through March 18.
Mumbai, Dec 18 : In a sharp attack, the Shiv Sena on Saturday pointedly asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "scared or ashamed" of uttering the late PM Indira Gandhi's name during the recent 50 years celebrations of the liberation of Bangladesh.

The Sena also took note that President R. N. Kovind visited Dhaka for the victory celebrations but did not even mention the name of Bangladesh's creator, Indira Gandhi there.

"By ignoring Indira in such a manner you can write neither the history of India nor the world. But who will explain this to such narrow-minded rulers of our country. Its an insult to woman-power," the Sena asked in a stinging edit in the party newspapers, 'Saamana' and 'Dopahar Ka Saamana'.

The Sena said its 50 years since the Bangladesh War of 1971 was won by India, and the sacrifices of our brave soldiers was remembered, but Modi "did not show the courtesy" of even making a mention of Indira Gandhi on December 16.

"If Indira Gandhi had not shown guts, Pakistan would never have been taught a lesson of a lifetime. She divided Pakistan into two pieces and effectively avenged the Partition of India in 1947," the edit said.

Even the then leader of Jan Sangh, and later the PM Atal Behari Vajpayee hailed Indira Gandhi as a 'Durga' and the entire world saluted the bravery of Hindustan.

"After Bangladesh, she emerged as a powerful world leader, with a clear warning that if you look at India with crooked eyes, we shall break you into pieces. When she achieved the feat, the current ruler in New Delhi may have been kids in bed," the Sena said lavishing praises on Indira Gandhi's prowess.

Taking another swipe at Modi, the Sena said a ruler can build temples or buildings and clean up a river, "but cannot dismember Pakistan to create a Bangladesh" which only Indira Gandhi had the courage to do.

"Instead of indulging in 'surgical strikes', Indira Gandhi ordered a direct attack by the Indian Army to teach Pakistan a lesson. Even the Indian Airforce and Indian Navy were used, Karachi Port was destroyed," the Sena added.

Finally 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered before India on December 16, 1971, and it was only Indira Gandhi who was the 'power' behind that victory, and nobody could ever attempt a pathetic defeat of Pakistan since then, hence forgetting her is akin to ignoring Mother India.

On the other hand, the Kargil War (1999) took place on Indian soil and to drive out the Pakistani infiltrators, 1,500 of our soldiers were sacrificed in their motherland, "yet we celebrate it as 'Vijay Divasa'," the Sena pointed out.

"Today, the Chinese Army has entered Ladakh and we are unable to push them back, while in 1971, the entire world was stunned by the valour displayed by a Hindu woman who made even the US retreat when it came to help Pakistan." "The 1971 War bestowed the 'real identity of India' to the world. It was pettiness on the part of the current leaders not to acknowledge the courage of Indira Gandhi. You may have ideological differences with the Congress, but showing hatred towards leaders who built the country is not the sign of a 'true Hindustani'," the Sena said.

"The edits showed how the BJP sought votes in elections by beating the drums of surgical strike, but now China has entered, Nepal, Afghanistan are also our adversaries and the country is surrounded by guns on all four borders.

At such a time, it's the memory of Indira Gandhi's historic victory in the 1971 Bangladesh War that will always serve to inspire," the Sena said.
Sydney, Dec 18 : The Australian states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, the two major entry ports of the country, will further ease quarantine rules for international travellers despite a surge in new Covid-19 cases.

From December 21, fully vaccinated international travellers and flight crew arriving in Sydney and Melbourne will no longer need a 72-hour quarantine, reports Xinhua news agency.

Instead, they will be required to get a PCR test within 24 hours after arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result, according to an announcement from the two states.

They also need to present a negative pre-departure test within three days of boarding their flight.

All international travellers arriving from overseas into the two states aged 18 and over who are not fully vaccinated must still go directly into 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said on Saturday that the the announcement simplifies the process and makes sure Australia's two biggest cities have a consistent approach.

"This decision has been made with safety remaining the top priority, which is why all arrivals must return a negative PCR test before they can exit isolation and have an additional test following that," he said.

At the same time, NSW, the most populous state, is experiencing a continued sharp increase in Covid-19 cases.

On Saturday, NSW recorded 2,482 new cases and one death out of 137,149 tests, another record-high daily increase since the pandemic outbreak early last year.

A total of 206 people are in hospital and 26 in the ICU.

Victoria recorded 1,504 cases and seven deaths, while total of 384 people are in hospital and 84 in the ICU.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chikkamagaluru : , Dec 18 (IANS) BJP National General Secretary C.T. Ravi on Saturday said that the incident of Belagavi violence and desecration of statues of national heroes are handiworks of miscreants who want to foment trouble between Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Speaking to reporters on Belagavi development at his home town, Ravi further said, it is a conspiracy to create unrest between Kannadigas and Marathas.

"Kannada flag was burnt in Kolhapur. Which party is ruling in Maharashtra? Here in Karnataka, Shivaji statue has been desecrated, it looks like a well executed conspiracy," he said.

"Few are trying to harm our national interests. Lakhs of Marathas are living in Karnataka and the same number of Kannadigas are in Maharashtra. People should not give in to these conspiracies," he appealed.

Prohibitory orders have been clamped in Belagavi following flash protest by huge mob turning violent on Friday midnight. The mob was protesting against desecration of Shivaji statue in Bengaluru. Later, the incident of vandalization of local freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna also took place in Belagavi, creating further tension in the city.

As many as 27 miscreants have been arrested and Belagavi police have booked cases against 100 others.
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 18 : The Congress party on Saturday staged a massive protest against the proposed scheme of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for a K-Rail in the capital city.

This came before CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that this was a project in their election manifesto and it will become a reality.

If completed, the flagship railway project will set up a 529.45 km corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod and the distance will be covered within four hours. The estimated cost is in excess of Rs 64,000 crores.

Before protesting against the project in Thiruvananthapuram, State Congress president K. Sudhakaran said this project will not benefit the state and it is only meant for the CPI-M to pocket commission.

"Another section who will benefit are the family members of the CPI-M leadership. By now itself several posts have been created and the wife of CPI-M Rajya Sabha member John Britas, who is only a very junior staff in Indian Railways is the general manager of K-Rail.

"We don't need to learn the nuances of what's development from Vijayan, who while at the helm of affairs of CPI-M for several years, opposed every developmental infrastructure project like Vizhinjam Port, Kochi Smart City and Airports and every project which are our projects. Can Vijayan name one project which he has started. Vijayan should explain to the people who will benefit from the K-rail project," Sudhakaran said adding that it is strange that while the CPI-M opposes similar projects across India, they are adamant in Kerala to go ahead with it.

Sudhakaran added that he will speak to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor who did not join the party MPs in opposing this project.

Meanwhile, Balakrishnan who is in Delhi to attend the politburo meeting of the CPI-M, said they have already committed to the people in their election manifesto.

"So we are going forward with it and we welcome the decision of Shashi Tharoor as he is speaking the language of the people. There is no difference of opinion in the Left over this proposal, which even CPI secretary Kanam Rajendran has said." Metroman E. Sreedharan has described this project as one which is ill-conceived, badly planned and poorly handled.

The BJP has also strongly opposed this project.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : Mohammad Zahir Aghbar, Kabul's Ambassador to Tajikistan, allegedly withdrew an amount $786,000 from the bank in the Central Asian nation in collusion with Amrullah Saleh, the former First Vice President of Afghanistan.

Nearly $786,000 had been dispatched mistakenly to Afghanistan's Embassy in Tajikistan, according to officials, while some sources claim the amount was intentionally sent and withdrawn from the embassy account, Pajhwok News reported.

An employee of the Afghanistan embassy in Dushanbe, who recently left his job and did not want to be named, said the amount was transferred lately during previous government for coming three years salaries, expenses, health insurance and other requirement, the report said.

He claimed: "It was not transferred mistakenly, it was intentionally transferred and people like Amrullah Saleh, finance officials of finance ministry and foreign ministry were involved." Some sources claimed the amount was dispatched to meet the expenses of embassy and withdrawn by the envoy from the account in collaboration with Saleh, the report said.

Zahir Aghbar said: "The Taliban regime and the Taliban letter are not official for us, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Acting President have been active. The Afghan Embassy in Tajikistan has been acting in all cases under the direction of the Foreign Ministry and the Acting President, and is accountable to them in all cases." A letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) written to the Afghan embassy in Dushanbe on November 22 said: "The Ministry of Finance transferred an additional $785,628 mistakenly in salaries this year." The MoFA found this after assessing salary and other privileges of foreign diplomats this years", the report said.

The embassy had been asked to return the amount to Da Afghanistan Bank since it was transferred mistakenly.

Afghan Finance Ministry spokesperson Ahmad Wali Haqmal acknowledged that few days before the fall of previous regime nearly $786,000 had been transferred to Dushanbe mistakenly.

He said in the past similar mistake had happened and the money was either returned or compensated for the future expanses and issuance of salaries.

He added the amount sent to the embassy will be dealt with accordingly, the report said.

Ahmad WaliHaqmal, a spokesman for Ministry of Finance, said: "This government's money, transferred from official address, today or tomorrow, our embassy will be reopened, so Aghbar should then pay the money wherever he is." (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
Srinagar, Dec 18 : The national investigation agency (NIA) on Saturday summoned a middle rung Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader for questioning in connection with a case.

Sources said Bilal Ahmad, Vice President, district development council Ganderbal, has been summoned to New Delhi on December 23 at NIA office where he will be questioned.

Same sources said the PDP leader is being questioned in connection with a case being probed by the agency.
Chandigarh, Dec 18 : The Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday said a drone along the India-Pakistan border has been shot down in Punjab's Ferozepur area.

"The Chinese-made drone was detected and downed on Friday around 11.10 p.m. near the Wan border post in the Ferozepur sector," the BSF said in a tweet.

The black colour flying object was shot at a distance of about 300 metres from the international border and 150 metres from the border fence, it said.

Police investigations indicate that several Pakistan-based terrorist groups are engaged in smuggling weapons into India.

The recent recoveries have exposed that these outfits had managed to acquire the capacity to deliver various types of terrorist and communication hardware over drones, said a police official.

The state government has expressed concern over the movement of large sized drones from across the Indo-Pak border to the Union Home Ministry.

It was pointed out that acquisition of such capacity and skills by Jihadi and pro-Khalistani terrorist outfits in deployment of drones had serious implications for national security, especially for security of vital installations, security of public meetings and events and highly threatened protectees.

Punjab shares a 553 km barbed-wire fenced international border with Pakistan which is under the vigil of nearly 135 BSF battalions. The drug network also operates along the Afghanistan-Pakistan-India route.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : Iconic Goan musician Remo Fernandes views colonisation as "a totally illegal and criminal act perpetrated exclusively by European countries", and says the upside of the Liberation from Portuguese rule in 1961 "for a musically minded pre-teen was the introduction of English and American music".

"I neither criticised nor approved of colonisation -- I was too young for that -- I just accepted it as something that a child would between birth and the age of eight. Today, I see colonisation as a totally illegal and criminal act then perpetrated exclusively by European countries, with blessings and 'legal' approvals of their monarchies and their churches," Fernandes, whose autobiography 'REMO' (HarperCollins) has just been released, told IANS in an interview.

"Today colonisation isn't accepted at all anymore; but countries like the US 'colonise' others through different means, mainly financial and political, or through brute military power after fake accusations of 'possession of weapons of mass destruction'. The worst of human nature will always want to subjugate and exploit other people, animals and even our planet, by whatever means possible," Fernandes, who currently divides his time between his ancestral home in Siolim (Goa) and Porto (Portugal), added.

He writes in the book that before the Liberation (he was eight then), he was probably not even aware that there was a country called India.

What did it feel like, changing from the Portuguese-influenced Goa to being a part of the Indian Union? Did his parents make any visible adjustments? Were there changes to day-to-day life? "There were no palpable changes in Goa for at least 10 years after the Portuguese left.

"But personally, as a child, I firstly had to learn this strange new language called English. Portuguese is a Latinate language in which you pretty much pronounce what you write, and write what you pronounce; so it was difficult getting used to useless silent letters like 'gh' in words such as light, fight, tight. And this is just one casual example.

"And if we found English tough, Hindi was alien -- starting with the alphabets, which were like beautiful graceful designs, but difficult to decipher. Later, I realised that Hindi was even more efficient than Portuguese when it came to writing what one pronounced and vice-versa. In fact, the most efficient I've yet come across," Fernandes explained.

He also had to get used to the tastes of Indian chocolate after the Swiss ones he was used to; to Indian butter after the Danish Blue Peter.

"Indian Amul still didn't exist then. Now, while in Europe, I yearn for the taste of good old Amul," he said.

"The upside of the Liberation by India, for a musically minded pre-teen like me, was the introduction of English and American music. Goan, Portuguese and Latin music was beautiful, but rock 'n' roll had an excitement of its own. The first rock song I heard, 'Rock Around the Clock' by Bill Haley and the Comets, is an all-time favourite which I shall always cherish. Eventually, we even learnt how to appreciate some songs from Hindi films and, by the time I was in college, I learnt to appreciate and respect Indian classical music," Fernandes elaborated.

To what extent has Goan culture influenced his music? Has it impacted the way in which he's written his autobiography? "The place you're born and grow up in always influences you in every way -- in thought and in action, and even in your subconscious. Goa is my home, and the Goa of the '50s, '60s and '70s is the breast I have suckled on. But as the Mahatma wisely advised, I've always tried to keep my home's windows wide open to the breezes from other places, people and cultures.

"And, if we don't we keep our minds and hearts dead and shut, we always tend to grow into an amalgamation of every place we have visited, every person we have met, every book we have read, every song we have heard. Even the ones we reject help in our formation, as they provide a reason for that rejection," Fernandes said.

What are some of the most vivid memories he has from his childhood in Goa? "Cleanliness in the cities. Unspoilt, lush green nature in the villages. Virginal never-ending beaches with no one but fishermen hauling in their catch of the day, and Goans out on a stroll at the end of a hot summer's day. Honesty. Warmth. Courtesy. Absence of robbery and crime. Discipline in driving, in observing queues, and in every sphere of life. And love -- for each other, and for our beautiful land. Of course there was always petty personal politics, or else Goans wouldn't have been Goans," he mused.

Dividing his time between Goa and Portugal, he continues to write songs about Goa, and has extensively written about it in the book. How would he sum up Goa? "Now I don't live in Goa exclusively; I divide my time between Porto and Goa. In a way you can say I enjoy 'the best of both worlds'.

"I remember returning from my very first trip to Europe, which lasted from 1977 to 1979, when I hitchhiked around eight countries in Europe and North Africa during the summers. When I returned, I was on a quest to really discover my Goa; I bought a yellow scooter, and a map which I used mainly to avoid all the roads shown on it -- I hit the interior mud tracks.

"Goa was still untouched then, and my drives took me to unexpected friendly villages, lakes and beaches of which only the locals seemed to know the names. I spent the nights in a chapel or temple verandas, and often woke up with a bunch of excited village kids surrounding and eyeing me with curiosity, and I knew just how Gulliver must have felt," Fernandes said with a smile.

"Today I feel sad to see Goa's nature and the Goan people's warmth and honesty corroded and destroyed due to various factors. I do wish our leaders had fought for and obtained Special Status for this rare jewel in India's crown when they easily could have. Each and every one of them promised it when election time came around. Special Status would have made the exploitation and sale of Goa impossible, and perhaps no one wanted to stop that," he lamented.

Elaborating on this, he said Porto reminded him of the old Goa.

"Yes, it certainly does. While the rest of India was colonised by the British for about 150 years, Goa was Portuguese for 451 years. That's a lot of generations. So the Portuguese influence here was much stronger and deeper in all spheres, be it architecture, language, cuisine, dress, thought or music. Therefore, Porto, in fact all of Portugal, reminds of the Goa I grew up in, in some way or the other," Fernandes said.

What is it like living in his ancestral house? "It is like literally living in your ancestors' lap. And my home recording studio, where I have created most of my songs, is in my grandmother's old bedroom. She was the quintessential grandmother from fairy tales. She had white/silver hair tied in a bun, wore clean starched dresses and Chinese slippers in the house, and always smelled of lavender flowers as she sat me on her lap and told me my favourite story for the thousandth time. I loved her - and she loved me. She always called me her 'morgado', or the favourite one. I love to think I have her blessings every time I enter her room," Fernandes concluded.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)
Chennai, Dec 18 : Actress-politician Khushbu Sundar has welcomed the Union Cabinet's decision to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21.

On Sunday, the actress took to social media to register her thoughts on the issue.

She said, "As a mother, I welcome the decision of the government of India for the legal marriageable age of a girl as 21 not 18. A woman needs to be mentally strong, physically ready, financially independent and understand the responsibility of a wife and a mother before taking the plunge. (sic)" The actress also responded strongly to a Twitter user who, while disagreeing with the government's move, also termed her as "elite".

Responding to the tweet that was addressed to her, Khushbu said, "Seriously? Wealth for generations? My wealth is from my hard work. My father left me homeless and hungry at a very young age. Would appreciate if people like you do not get your daughters/sisters married off at a young age because you should you might."
Belagavi, : Dec 18 (IANS) Security of Kannadigas settled in Maharashtra is the government's responsibility, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Saturday.

Speaking to media persons about incidents of vandalism that rocked Belagavi on Friday night, he said: "Maintaining law and order in Karnataka is our responsibility. Similarly, It is the responsibility of the Maharashtra government to maintain law and order there." Referring to incidents of stone pelting on buses and private vehicles and other acts of vandalism, he said: "Our Director General of Police will speak to his counterpart in Maharashtra about security of Kannadigas there and attack on buses and private vehicles from Karnataka." "Our Home Minister will take up the issue with his Maharashtra counterpart. Then, if necessary, I will speak to the Maharashtra Chief Minister," he said.

Replying to a question about Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut giving a call for Marathas to unite, Bommai said: "Responsible people should never incite any one under any circumstances. Chatrapati Shivaji, Sangolli Rayanna and Kitturu Rani Chennamma fought against the British for freedom. They fought to unite the country. We will be doing a disservice to them if we fight to divide the society. Nobody should incite the people to take law into their own hands."
Chandigarh, Dec 18 : Taking the lead, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni on Saturday floated his political outfit and announced to contest the forthcoming Assembly polls in Punjab.

Chaduni, a member of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, told the media here that the Sanyukt Sangharsh Party would try to contest the polls on all 117 seats.

Saying that the aim of the party is to bring "good people" on the front, Chaduni, who is the Bharatiya Kisan Union chief in Haryana, said the party would be secular and work for the welfare of all sections of society.

But he categorically denied himself contesting the poll.
Jaipur, Dec 18 : A Jaipur-based designer couple, known for their passion to experiment, has come up with a design that pays ode to architecture by embedding it in modern print.

The designer-architect couple from the Pink City, Ayush and Geetanjali Kasliwal, who won the UN Seal of Excellence thrice, has unveiled 'Naksha', a clothing line expressing the new face of modern block printing as an interpretation of architecture on wearables.

Naksha refers to a plan that entails the story of Indo-Persian architecture. The collection revisits the ancient concept of journey towards paradise. Elevated from 'Hasht-Bihisht' (The Floor Plan), the eight Paradise plans are transformed into a modern print, alive with striking colours and intricate patterns, hand-blocked in ancient techniques, said designer Ayush Kasliwal.

"I felt the need for a well-designed, affordable, new face of modern block print range, connecting to Indian culture and providing means of livelihood to the artisans," Ayush said.

His wife, Geetanjali, added: "In today's fast-fashion world, to have timeless, crafted, meaningful garments that can be worn in different ways, is a must for a design-conscious generation." "The Naksha range is an ode to architecture," she said, adding, "The range defines architecture influencing fashion to express the unconventional in you. With Naksha, you can add a piece of paradise to your home." The designer-architect couple has been inspired by Indo-Persian architecture. Beautifully hand-blocked by local craftsmen of Jaipur, this range is restoration of ancient crafts, said Geetanjali.

Practicing traditional techniques of block printing, this range brings a contemporary outlook to the conceptual and ethical range, which continues to script the tale of handcrafted fashion legacy that has been making a mark across the globe since years, she added.
Mumbai, Dec 18 : 'Bigg Boss 15' host Salman Khan will be seen taking class of Rakhi Sawant's husband Ritesh and Abhijit Bichukale for their behaviour inside the house.

During the 'Weekend Ka Vaar' episode, Salman will question Ritesh about his indifferent attitude towards Rakhi. He says: "What is the use of your education if you don't know how to talk to your wife?" Rakhi tells Salman that she does not go against him as she does not want to lose him. Salman strictly warns him to not treat Rakhi in this way anytime inside or outside the house.

Salman is also not happy with Abhijit and the way he asked for a kiss from Devoleena. He says: "You cannot show disrespect towards women." Furthermore, Sunny Leone, Kanika Kapoor and Remo D'Souza will be seen as special guests on the show.

'Bigg Boss 15' airs on Colors.

Latest updates on Bigg Boss Season 15
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 18 : The open auction Mahindra Group gifted brand new SUV limited edition of its latest variant of Thar - a 4 wheel drive as a gift to the famed Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple at Thrissur in Kerala ended in a deadlock on Saturday.

The temple switched to a 'soft pedalling mode' after the auction was completed as the winner threatened to take legal action if he does not get the vehicle.

The brand new red colour Thar was handed over to the management of the temple last month. Even as initially, K.V. Mohandas, Chairman of the Guruvayoor Devaswom Board said they might use the vehicle for their needs, it was later decided to put it up for auction.

Saturday was the date fixed for the auction and the base price was fixed at Rs 1.5 million. At the time of the auction, there was only one bidder and it was Amal Mohammed Ali whose agent Subhash Panicker had come for the auction.

And since there was no one else and the base price announced, Panicker increased the bid price and won the bid.

Amal, a businessman in Bahrain, wanted to gift this 'God's vehicle' to his son who turned 21 and the agent had come willing to bid a maximum of Rs 21 lakh.

Later, a confusion arose and Mohandas said he will have to inform this to the temple board and it would be done next week.

This irked Panicker and said this was not fair as the bid was completed and the vehicle should be handed over to him.

"If they backtrack on this, we will take legal steps against this action by the temple board," said Panicker.
Itanagar, Dec 18 : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday said that taking politics very seriously in every sphere of life hampers the developmental process and appealed to people to indulge in politics once only in five years.

The Chief Minister said that every five years people have the chance to elect whomsoever they want, therefore there is no point playing politics all through the five years. "I have seen that people, especially of the Abotani belt, take politics very seriously and view life and development only from a political angle, which hampers development," Khandu observed while inaugurating the Tribal Cultural Centre at Mwya village in Lower Subansiri district.

He said: "If people want they will bring back my government based on our performance but if they don't want us they will elect someone else. So why keep politics on our mind all the time and instead concentrate on the development of the state?" Khandu stressed that politics should be based on performance and not on money culture. Expressing belief that the cultural centre would pave way for preservation of the indigenous identity of the people of the area, Khandu reiterated that preservation of cultural identity of the indigenous tribes of the state is of utmost importance.

He said most of the developed countries of the world were inhabited by indigenous communities at the beginning, which disappeared over the years owing to rapid globalisation. "Unless we practice and pass on our heritage to our next generation, our indigenous identities too would wane away slowly," he observed.

Khandu advocated that no matter which religious faith they believe in, indigenous people of the state should preserve their cultural identity passed down by their ancestors.

Indigenous languages should be widely spoken and indigenous festivals should be celebrated with the same traditional fervour, he added.

He informed that taking cognizance of the threat to indigenous communities across the world, he conceptualised the Department of Indigenous Affairs in 2017 so that the government could support preservation of cultural identities of the 26 major tribes and more than 100 sub-tribes of the state.

Arunachal Pradesh is a unique state in terms of indigenous practices as ours is a 100 per cent tribal state, the Chief Minister said. He called for 'brainstorming' at community levels on why people are moving away from their indigenous faiths but without putting the blame on anyone.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : At least 12 people were killed and just as many injured on Saturday when a powerful explosion tore through the premises of a private bank in Karachi, the Express Tribune reported.

The building, located near Paracha Chowk, was built on a nullah and has a fuel station adjacent to it.

Following the explosion, the bank premises collapsed and most of the casualties are reportedly customers and staff present inside the bank, the report said.

The cause of the explosion is being investigated and officials say they cannot confirm yet whether it was a gas pipeline or a build-up of methane that took place inside the nullah which led to the explosion.

"We have no idea whether it was a gas blast. Our first priority is the rescue operation and then we can determine the cause of the explosion," said DIG East Sharjeel Kharal.

"It might be a sewer gas blast as the bank was constructed on a nullah. It is too early to say whether it was a gas line or a sewer explosion. We are investigating," said the local deputy commissioner.

The explosion was heard for miles and shattered windows of nearby buildings and also damaged vehicles parked in its proximity.
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 : The Odisha government has proposed to include entrepreneurship in school curriculum. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said this while inaugurating O-hub, a flagship initiative of the government to support startup formation and subsequent scale-up, here on Saturday.

The State has proposed in the new draft startup policy 2021 to reach out to the young minds in school by adding entrepreneurship as a part of the school curriculum, he said.

The Chief Minister said that startup movement in Odisha is growing every day and Startup Odisha has been a catalyst to this movement, driving them by energy, enterprise & innovation. He further said that the narrative of Odisha is changing & progressing towards a new world of ideas, innovations & a budding entrepreneurial community.

O-hub, the state supported incubation hub, is located in the Special Economic Zone, Patia Bhubaneswar & offers 1,50,000 square feet area with state-of-the art facility, plug-n-play infrastructure to support startup activities within the state. This initiative would provide a platform for innovators and entrepreneurs to develop products or services, establish formal businesses and interact with stakeholders of the ecosystem.

Inaugurating this world class incubation centre, Patnaik said that O-Hub will be the first point to identify the best in the industry for co-creation & development of business with their new ideas and it will be a conglomerate for business houses & innovation. He said that now the innovators, mentors, corporate partners, ecosystem enablers & facilitators -- all of them will work under one roof.

Startups being the agents of economic freedom, ideas and innovation, the CM added that O-hub will facilitate 200 startups every year in diverse sectors like healthcare, renewable energy, ICT, artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality/virtual reality, internet of things, handlooms and handicrafts, agri-tech and many more.

Expressing happiness over creation of more than 1200 startups so far under Odisha Startup Policy 2016 that have generated 10,000 employments in the state, Patnaik expressed confidence that the state will achieve the goal of 5,000 startups by 2025.

O-hub will be a propellant to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship by providing end-to-end assistance to a startup during their journey, he added.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : Pakistans unsuccessful efforts to convince the Americans for a phone call from US President Joe Biden have humiliated the country at the international level, Friday Times reported.

After Biden was sworn-in in January this year, no contact was established between him and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, as is the diplomatic tradition.

Pakistani officials made attempts at the diplomatic level to establish this contact, but the efforts remained futile. The US reportedly was conveyed the message that Imran Khan was ready to initiate the phone call, but American officials still remained unmoved, the report said.

The Pakistan government and its establishments were told by the country's Foreign Office that Pakistan was in touch with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman, intelligence authorities and other US officials, which meant Biden's reluctance to call Imran Khan did not make much of a difference.

The Foreign Office was of the opinion that the matter of phone call should be dropped, but this view was not taken into consideration and Pakistan's efforts to establish contact between Biden and Imran Khan continued, the report said.

Sources at the Pakistan Foreign Office said that the last attempt it made to get Biden to talk to Imran Khan was in March this year. All efforts thereafter made in this regard were the establishment's initiative, the report said.

Last week, a four-member delegation of the US Congress had met Imran Khan. The Pakistan Foreign Office had strongly advised the Prime Minister not to mention the phone call issue during the meeting.

However, sources said that efforts towards securing a phone call from the US President continue despite the Foreign Office's position against it, the report said.
Mumbai, Dec 18 : A mega 'Common Facility Centre' (CFC) for gems and jewellery will come up at SEEPZ special economic zone in Mumbai with an investment of Rs 70 crore.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal laid the foundation stone for a CFC at the Santacruz Electronic Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ) Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Mumbai.

"The Mega CFC is a dream project worth Rs 70 crore and would be an epicentre of skill training and an important business facilitation centre situated in the heart of the country's significant manufacturing centre for gems and jewellery," said Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

"It will be one of two such facilities (the other being at Surat) which will provide cutting-edge technology for manufacturing and other allied processes of the gem and jewellery sector." Besides, the Centre will provide skilling and training support to build a competent workforce.

The Indian gems and jewellery industry has the largest skilled workforce of 4.5 million as on date.

The Minister expressed hope that the work of revamping SEEPZ would lead to a gradual reconstruction of entire SEEPZ in next 3 to 5 years.

According to the statement, the mega CFC, will provide common manufacturing processes and related services to jewellery units.

"This will not only help reduce the cost of production in a big way but also lead to the transfer of know-how amongst these units, thereby providing a competitive advantage to them." "The new facility will also provide access to a common pool of high-end capital-intensive state-of-art machines. It can provide a wide spectrum of ancillary services such as CAD CAM, electroplating, fire assaying, manufacturing and 3D metal printing, along with providing consultancy, R&D and training."
Panaji, Dec 18 : Goa BJP's Ports Minister Michael Lobo on Saturday alleged corruption in the restoration and the handing over of a historic fort to a private agency, a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the coastal state on Sunday.

Lobo said while he welcomes Modi to Goa, he said that corruption was involved in the fort project, which is scheduled to be inaugurated at the hands of the Prime Minister on December 19, the 60th anniversary of the state's Liberation from Portuguese rule.

"This has historic importance. This history and monument should not be given in anybody's hands. The keys to the fort should not be given in someone else's custody. I have said I am not a party to this decision in the cabinet. The CM agreed that this fort will not be outsourced and given in somebody else's hands," Lobo told reporters, a day ahead of Modi's visit.

The Aguada fort was originally built in the 17th century by the Portuguese colonists, to serve as a coastal sentinel to guard against the roving Dutch and Maratha navies and as a water-refilling station for passing ships, before it was subsequently put to use as a high security prison by the colonial administration.

After the liberation of Goa, the facility also served as a central jail, until a more modern prison facility was built at Colvale village in North Goa. Part of the prison complex was leased out to a five star hotel group decades ago.

The government has now resolved to hand-over the renovated fort to a private agency for maintenance to run its business operation.

According to a government statement, the re-development of Aguada Fort Jail Museum as a Heritage Tourism destination has been carried out under the Central government's Swadesh Darshan Scheme at a cost of over Rs 28 crore.

A museum inside the fort precincts will highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by the prominent freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Goa and will be befitting tribute to them, the statement also said.

"I am charging that there is corruption involved. I am charging. This is my official statement. They want to give it away for Rs 1.20 crore a year. The entry charges will be taken by Drishti and they will give the government Rs 1.20 crore. By maintaining the fort, the government can earn the same money in a month. I can show the calculation," Lobo claims.
Chennai, Dec 18 : Actor Nivin Pauly's eagerly awaited Malayalam film 'Thuramukham' is all set to release on January 20, the actor announced on Saturday.

Taking to Twitter, Nivin Pauly said, "People's voice cannot be silenced! The rebellion is set to begin. 'Thuramukham', releasing on January 20, 2022 in theatres near you." The story of the film, directed by Rajeev Ravi, has been written by Gopan Chidambaram. The film is produced by Sukumar Thekkepat.

The film, which is about the Chappa system that was in practice in the 1940s and 1950s at the Kochi harbour, was originally scheduled to hit screens in May this year. However, the pandemic caused the film's release to be postponed to December.

The team, which chose to postpone the film again, has fixed January 20 for its release.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : Chinese novelist Fang Fang, who recorded the daily lives of local residents during the lockdown in Wuhan, has been removed from the latest members' list for the 10th National Congress of the Chinese Writers Association (CWA).

After the outbreak of Covid-19 in Wuhan in 2019, which led to the lockdown of the city, Fang started to write what is now known as the 'Wuhan Diary' from January to March 2020, describing what she saw and heard during the lockdown and her personal reflections.

According Chinese mouthpiece Global Times, the writing was based on "rumours and innuendo".

Former vice head of CWA, Zhang Kangkang, who once supported Fang, also disappeared from the list. A new leadership was elected at the meeting of CWA on Thursday. Fang and Zhang were on the list for the 9th National Congress of the CWA in the 2018 version, Global Times reported.

On the Tuesday opening of the 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the 10th National Congress of the CWA, President Xi Jinping said that writers and artists should not become slaves of the market.

Fang attracted public resentment in China after announcing that her 'biased' 60-episode diary will be published overseas, which is regarded as 'handing a sword' to Western anti-China forces just for her own fame, Global Times reported.

Zhang, who served as a member of the 10th to 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, had publicly defended Fang several times.

Many Chinese netizens said Zhang is "even a worse traitor than Fang", as she once surprisingly showed off her "superiority" as the vice-chairman of the CWA, saying that "the crowd is always the dumbest".

Some Chinese analysts said that writers like Fang and Zhang, who call themselves critics, also need to tolerate being questioned and criticised by others, the report said.

A recent damning 82-page document that demonstrates the acceleration of China's violations against its own international commitments to freedom of opinion and expression. The report, by Reporters Without Borders, reveals the unprecedented campaign of repression led by the Chinese regime in recent years against journalism and the right to information worldwide.

Covid-19 as an excuse for increased repression has been used by China. At least ten journalists and online commentators were arrested in 2020 for the simple act of informing the public about the Covid-19 crisis in Wuhan. To this date, two of them, Zhang Zhan and Fang Bin, are still detained.

The UN Human Rights Commission said that it is very concerned about the rapidly deteriorating health of Zhang Zhan, whose life is reported to be at serious risk from a hunger strike she is currently conducting in protest against her conviction in December 2020 for documenting the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic in Wuhan.
Hyderabad, Dec 18 : India's first International Arbitration and Mediation Centre (IAMC) was jointly inaugurated by Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana, and Telangana Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, here on Saturday.

The IAMC has come up with 25,000 sq ft temporary accommodation at VK Towers in Gachibowli, an information technology hub.

The state government has announced that land for a permanent building will be allotted at Puppalaguda in Hyderabad.

Life trustee of the centre, Justice R.V. Raveendran, Supreme Court judges L. Nageswara Rao, Hima Kohli and judges from the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh high courts attended the event.

Those who empanel the centre include internationally acclaimed arbitrators and mediators from countries such as Singapore and the UK.

The Telangana Chief Minister thanked the CJI for choosing Hyderabad to set up the prestigious facility.

Speaking on the occasion, Justice Ramana said he is confident that this centre will lead the way for arbitration and mediation in the country and will become the premier centre not only in India, but across Asia and the world.

He also said that the Centre becoming a reality is nothing short of a miracle.

"I have not witnessed any such project concluding in such a short span of time," the CJI said, recalling that he had broached this subject with the Chief Minister on June 12 during his first visit to Hyderabad.

He pointed out that the trust deed was signed on August 20 and the MoU between the government and the trust was signed on October 27.

Ramana said that he is all for ADR (Alternate Dispute Resolution) as such methods are beneficial to the parties to a dispute due to various reasons such as low cost, speed, more control over timelines and process, autonomy of parties, more comfortable environment and non-adversarial nature.

"These are some reasons why I suggest that people explore ADR options such as arbitration and mediation first, and approach courts only as a last resort," he said.

"The setting up of IAMC at Hyderabad is an important step towards enhancing the ADR landscape of the country. While arbitration centres have already been set up in India, most prominently in Delhi and Mumbai, domestic and international parties still appear to prefer to go to foreign countries for dispute resolution," Ramana said, as he exuded confidence that this trend will change with IAMC at Hyderabad.

"Domestic and international parties will increasingly come to this centre, which has world class facilities. Its location in Hyderabad will also be an attraction," he said.

Calling Hyderabad one of the best cities in the country, the CJI noted that it is a growing hub of commerce and is one of the top destinations for business in India.

"I am feeling proud that I could contribute something, which would enhance the glory of this city," he added.

He also urged the legal fraternity to turn the centre into a most sought after destination for resolution of all types of disputes, including family as well as commercial disputes.

The CJI termed the creation of the centre as a tribute to former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, who saw ADR as the way forward.

He also quoted from Narasimha Rao's speech at the inauguration of ICADR in New Delhi 26 years ago.
Shillong, Dec 18 : Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Saturday criticised the Congress' decision to support the National People's Party (NPP) which leads the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, and urged the Congress MLAs and leaders in the state to join the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

"It is a reflection of the fact that the Congress in the state of Meghalaya is in a complete disarray. They are victims full of confusion. That is the reason why I have said that instead of remaining in the Congress, if they have the resolve to serve the people and the state, it is time for them to join the Trinamool Congress," Sangma told the media.

More than three weeks after Mukul Sangma along with 11 Congress MLAs joined TMC, the Congress has announced its support towards the NPP.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with two MLAs and several other local parties are the partners of the MDA government headed by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, who is also the president of the National People's Party (NPP), the dominant party of the MDA government.

Congress leader Ampareen Lyngdoh said they have decided to support the government on the aspect of governance in the greater interest of the people of Meghalaya.

"The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has decided to focus on all the important agenda together with the government in the interest of the people," CLP leader Lyngdoh told the media. She said that they have communicated their decision to the Chief Minister on Friday.

After the 12 Congress MLAs led by Mukul Sangma joined the TMC on November 24, the party's strength reduced to five in the 60 member assembly.

Before November 24, the Congress's main rival in the state was the NPP and with the TMC's entry into the northeastern state forced the Congress to come closer to the NPP for its survival.

Mukul Sangma said: "Today, if you go by the declaration of Congress Legislature Party, associating them with NPP and BJP led MDA government or in other words, Congress has decided to be part of the government where NPP and BJP is actively associated. It is a complete betrayal. It is in contrast to what the Indian National Congress have always stood for. It is the reflection of their desperation to remain in power." The Congress turned TMC leader said that some of them (Congress MLAs) have attempted to be a part of the government after the election results were announced in March, 2018.

"I think it is their desperation which has led them to this. Twelve of us merged with the AITC in November. In these few days, they have not been in a position to reaffirm their commitment to the people in sync with what was promised in 2018," Sangma said.

Assembly elections in Meghalaya are due in February-March 2023.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : At least one person was killed and 10 others were injured at a blast in Quetta's Kandhari Bazar on Saturday, the Dawn reported.

Civil Hospital Quetta spokesperson Wasim Baig confirmed the death of one person and said 10 others were brought to the hospital in injured condition.

According to the Counter Terrorism Department spokesperson, the blast was caused by an explosive material fitted on a motorcycle.

He said many vehicles had been damaged in the blast, the report said.

The spokesperson added that security forces had cordoned off the area where the blast had occurred and were collecting evidence from the site.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo expressed grief over the loss of life in the incident and issued directives for the provision of best possible medical treatment to the injured.

In a statement, he stressed the need for improving security measures in the city and assured that all required steps would be taken for the protection of people's lives and properties.
New Delhi, Dec 18: In a curious case, the Taliban has apparently wrongly transferred about $ 800,000 to the Afghan Embassy in Dushanbe in Tajikistan. After realising the error , the Taliban Finance Minister wants the money to be returned. The Afghan Ambassador Mohammad Zahir Aghbar, who was appointed by the deposed Ashraf Ghani government has refused to do so. Aghbar told the Tajik Avesta news agency that the money was sanctioned by the previous government for the future expenses and issuance of salaries of the staff.

"The Afghan Ministry of Finance was supposed to transfer this amount to the account of the Afghan Embassy in Tajikistan, but in August the situation in Afghanistan changed dramatically, the Taliban came to power, and Ghani fled the country," Aghbar told the agency. He said the money has been spent as per the needs of the embassy.

"We cannot return this money to the Taliban because the Taliban is not recognised not only by us, but the whole world," he said.

Dushanbe has become the sanctuary of several luminaries of the Ghani government including former vice president of Amrullah Saleh . Saleh has joined Ahmad Massoud , who leads the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front.

Aghbar, like many other Afghan envoys, has refused to pledge allegiance to the Taliban government. In September, the group of anti-Taliban Afghan envoys and political leaders had announced Afghanistan's government- in- exile headed by the former Vice-President Amrullah Saleh.

"After the escape of Ashraf Ghani and his rupture with Afghan politics, his first vice-president (Amrullah Saleh) will be leading the country," said the statement released by the Afghan embassy in Switzerland.

Afghanistan has more than 50 embassies and consulates and since the Taliban's capture of the power, they have not received any funding from the Taliban government. The Taliban control the Foreign ministry and have appointed a minister, but the move lacks legitimacy as no country in the world has recognised their government. As a result, all Afghan missions are in financial doldrums.

While some Afghan diplomats are operating on their own, offering consular services for their people living abroad, there are few who have asked for asylum from their host countries. It is therefore not surprising that the Afghan Embassy in Tajikistan is refusing to return the money that was mistakenly transferred to its account.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Budgam, Dec 18 : : The abandoned Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Keach belies the government's claims of development in Kashmir, particularly in the health sector, post the nullification of Article 370.

It is one of the three large abandoned health facilities in remote areas of Budgam district in central Kashmir. On account of public demand, construction began on PHCs in Keach, Gurwait and Zanigam villages of the Khansahib area in 2006-2007. Crores were spent on these PHCs that aimed at providing health facilities to dozens of villages. On completion of construction, residents were desperately waiting for the inauguration. However, years have passed, and their endless wait continues as the health department has disowned two of three PHCs.

Creation and desertion - all in a day's work The locals are now up in arms against the health department for failing to make the hospitals functional. Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Keach, said that an enormous amount was spent on the structure but without providing any relief to thousands of households. "Keach PHC has over two dozen rooms, including a labour room, operation theatre, and other facilities. However, they have not been utilised to date due to the apathy of the government," he rued. Ahmad said that an ambulance was sanctioned to the PHC but was later taken to the Khansahib sub-district hospital.

During the first and second Covid waves, the villagers faced tremendous distress. "Despite having a spacious building meant for the welfare of locals, we had to visit other areas for treatment," Ahmad told 101Reporters. "Had the PHC been functional, it would have provided relief to people during Covid," he added.

The story of the abandoned Zanigam PHC is similar. Every facility was built at the hospital, but the gates remain closed, said Fayaz Ahmad, a resident of Zanigam, adding that the government had let the PHC deteriorate.

When a PHC was sanctioned to Gurwait nearly 15 years ago, it brought a sense of relief. About 20 km from Budgam district headquarters, this village receives several feet of snowfall every year, bringing life to a virtual halt in winters. The PHC was to provide healthcare at their doorstep. However, like Keach and Zanigam, the Gurwait PHC remains padlocked.

Ghulam Mohammad Najar, a Gurwait resident, said that the locals face immense difficulties accessing healthcare. "During winters, our area receives over 5 feet of snowfall. We have to transport patients on charpais as the road remains blocked. At times, when patients are not taken to the hospital quickly enough, they die," he told 101Reporters.

Elections over healthcare Surprisingly, the gates of Keach and Gurwait PHCs were never opened for patients but instead made available to paramilitary forces for poll duty. The abandoned hospital structures have only served the purpose of the government during elections in the valley. When polls are near, the troops come and occupy the buildings, allegedly causing damage to the structures.

Locals said that soldiers had damaged geysers, electricity fittings, bulbs and other equipment in the buildings. Earlier in 2019, the landowner of the Gurwait PHC had lodged a complaint against the troops in the local police station for damaging the structure.

Reyaz Ahmad Lone, a local Sarpanch said that the villagers were poor, could not afford personal vehicles, and relied on public transport. "Most people belong to the poorest sections of society in Gurwait, and they cannot even afford the fare to visit other hospitals," he said.

Blaming both the health department and local politicians for the misery of people, Firdous Nabi, a local Congress leader, said, "The former MLAs, MLCs and the health department have neglected the people in remote places." Nabi added that he had raised the issue of the abandoned PHCs with every person concerned - from the Block Medical Officer (BMO) to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to the Director of Health Services, Kashmir, and the Lieutenant Governor's administration - but all in vain.

Authorised in a vacuum When contacted, the officials concerned said that two among three non-functional PHCs had no government approval. Arshid Hussain, BMO, Khansahib, said that the Keach and Zanigam hospitals were constructed without any authorisation, and therefore cannot be utilised. Tajamul Hussain Khan, CMO, Budgam, also seconded his subordinate. The officers stated that former Khansahib MLA and minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen had constructed the PHCs without any approval from the health department.

Former MLA Yaseen vehemently denied the health officials' version and said that the money for PHCs came through proper channels. "How is it possible to construct PHCs without approval? If the PHCs were not sanctioned, who released the Rs 6 crores for their construction?" he reasoned. Yaseen also pointed out that the health centres' foundation stone was laid in the presence of concerned officials, including the then Director Health Services, Kashmir, CMO Budgam and BMO Khansahib. The former MLA demanded action against those officials who have put the government assets at risk and consequently increased the suffering of common people.

When confronted with the former MLA's claims, the BMO countered with a non-committal statement, "We do not know where the money for the construction of PHCs came from as it happened a long time back." About Gurwait PHC, both the officers said that there was a land dispute between the health department and the landowner whose land was acquired to construct the PHC.

The landowner, Mohamad Afzal, said that the health department had promised employment and compensation for providing three kanals of land to the PHC in 2007. "I don't have any land left. I had only three kanals, which were given to the government after the assurance of employment and compensation. The government betrayed me," he declared. Afzal, a father of six, said that his family had been cultivating paddy on the land, but after the PHC's construction and the subsequent abandonment by the government, they have been left empty-handed. Following this, Afzal approached the courts in 2017. Since then, the issue has been sub judice. "It has been over 15 years since my land was taken away after false assurances. The department has made our lives terrible. Why would we give our fertile land to the government without any reason?" he asked.

(The author is a Budgam-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters)
New Delhi, Dec 18 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to former Northern Army Commander Leutenant General (Retd) D.S. Hooda, and assured that the request of his ailing sister for a new breast cancer drug will be considered.

Lt Gen Hooda had sought the PM's intervention in granting approval for a drug that can save the live of his 68-year-old sister, Sushma Hooda, and several others who are suffering from a special kind of cancer.

Hooda in a tweet had tagged the Prime Minister's Office and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to seek government intervention to approve a drug that can give patients suffering from triple-negative metastatic breast cancer a chance of life.

"I start this tweet by admitting that I have a personal interest. My sister Sushma Hooda is a cancer patient of several years with dwindling hope. Keeping sentiments aside, approval of the new drug may give a fighting chance of survival to many like her," said the former Indian Army officer in his tweet.

Sushma Hooda is the wife of a former Indian Army officer and is suffering from triple-negative metastatic breast cancer, which has very limited treatment options in India.

She is currently getting the treatment at the Army Hospital in Delhi.

She wrote to the Prime Minister, "There is hope for us now as the USFDA has tested and approved as first-line treatment a new drug called Sacituzumab Govitecanor (Trodelvy) in April 2021. Also, the European Medicine Agency has approved it for medical use in November 2021." Appreciating the Prime Minister's gesture, Lt Gen Hooda tweeted, "Received a call from the Prime Minister's Office and spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who expressed concern over the case. Truly humbled and honoured on receiving his call and his words that the case would be looked into. Proud to be an Indian and even prouder of the PM's personal intervention. Jai Hind."
Chandigarh, Dec 18 : A man was allegedly beaten to death on Saturday evening after he tried to desecrate the sacred Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The youth, reportedly belonging to Uttar Pradesh, entered the restricted area and tried to pick the sword kept in front of the Guru Granth Sahib.

He was caught by security persons and was handed over to the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) office, where he was beaten to death.

Videos of the incident show the mob trying to break the gate of the SGPG office and raising slogans. Weapons were also visible in the crowd.

The police have admitted that the man was thrashed to death by the mob. However, the identity of the man is yet to be ascertained.

"The man, about 20 to 25 years of age, jumped the fence. The people inside held him and escorted him out to the corridor where there was a violent altercation leading to his death," Parminder Singh Bhandal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, told the media.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : On December 18, 1961, a platoon of the Indian Navy hoisted the Tricolour in the island of Anjadip off Canacona for the first time in the history of the last colonial outpost in the country. That was the beginning of the end of 451 years of Portuguese rule over Goa, Daman and Diu.

Officially, India intervened militarily in Goa on December 11, 1961, after it had become evident that the economic blockade that had been in force against the colony since 1955 had not worked, and the Portuguese administration was getting increasingly repressive.

The spark, though, was provided in November 1961, when the Portuguese contingent based at Anjadip island, off the coast of Canacona, fired at the Indian merchant ship Sabarmati in a display of its maritime supremacy in the region.

Subsequently, the Portuguese garrisons resorted to indiscriminate firing on Indian fishing boats off Karwar (in present-day Karnataka) and South Goa. As a result, two Indian naval ships -- Rajput and Kirpan -- were deployed on patrol to escort merchant shipping traffic and ensure safety of the fisherfolk.

On December 1, 1961, Operation Chutney, the precursor to Operation Vijay, was initiated by the Naval Headquarters to capture Anjadip. Indian Navy ships Betwa and Beas were deployed on linear patrol off Goa, and the Mysore and Trishul prepared to carry out an amphibious landing operation with a platoon of 75 sailors. They were led by Lieutenant Arun Auditto and Senior Commissioned Gunner N. Kelman.

The platoon embarked on INS Trishul on Dec 18, 1961, setting the operation underway. According to the plan, the platoon was to land in two waves on a beach that was 3km south of the main Portuguese garrison. Just before the first wave left INS Trishul, a large white flag of surrender was hoisted by the Portuguese on the island's northern edge.

The first wave landed uneventfully on the beach as planned. Deeming the swaying of the white flag as a sign of surrender, the second group approached the island directly and were greeted by Portuguese machine gunfire, which riddled the Indian naval boats with bullet holes. One sailor died instantaneously and many were injured grievously.

This led to a full-fledged gun and grenade battle between the Indian and Portuguese soldiers for control over Anjadip. The first group under Lieutenant Arun Auditto proceeded as planned to capture the garrison on the northern ridge overlooking the town. INS Trishul opened fire on the north-western ridge.

The ferocity of the fire with which the Indian naval ship responded forced the well-entrenched enemy garrison to surrender. The INS Trishul was then joined by the INS Mysore. Jointly, they directed their fire power on the northern part of the island from the south-east (Mysore) and south-west (Trishul). The Portuguese were outmatched and they surrendered.

The Indian Tricolour was hoisted on Anjadip at 2:25 p.m. on December 18, 1961. Seven sailors made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation; two officers and 17 sailors were wounded.

Lt. Auditto, the leader of the first assault team. was decorated with the Navy Medal (Gallantry). Senior Commissioned Gunner Neol Kelman, in spite of being hit by a bullet through his thighs, made light of his wounds and continued to assist in the operations till the Tricolour was hoisted. He was awarded the Kirti Chakra.

Even as the battle at Anjadip was in progress, the Indian Army and Air Force began closing in on Goa. Offensive action started with four IAF Canberra bombers strafing the Dabolim airfield on December 18.

The Army made a three-pronged advance into Goa -- from the north (Karwar), south (Sawantwadi) and south-west (Belgaum). The seaward approach was controlled by the Indian Navy frigates Betwa, Beas and Cauvery. These ships patrolled entrances to the ports of Marmagao and Panjim.

The high point of Operation Vijay was 13-minutes gun duel between the Portuguese man of war, Afonso de Albuquerque, and the Betwa, Beas and Cauvery. On being ordered by the Naval Headquarters to capture the Portuguese warship, INS Betwa signalled its intentions to INS Beas and INS Cauvery.

Albuquerque was sighted, encircled and directed to surrender in three minutes. As Albuquerque was non-compliant and tried to take cover behind a merchant vessel, Betwa and Cauvery started firing. After an intense gun battle, Albuquerque hoisted a white flag, turned towards the harbour and beached on the Dona Paula jetty. Thus ended the first gun battle.

At Diu, Operation Vijay was planned as an army operation with INS Delhi being tasked to provide 'distant support' to the Indian Army units. INS Delhi patrolled the seas off Diu, maintaining a distance of 10 miles from the coast.

At 4:30 a.m. on Dec 18, the first contact with the enemy force was established. INS Delhi's radar picked up two echoes on its scope, both of which were closing in at high speed and were, at the outset, believed to be torpedoes. Then it turned out that they were two Portuguese patrol boats.

The boats were asked to surrender after the firing of tracers, but they took a U-turn and tried to escape towards the harbour at full speed. Immediately, the guns of INS Delhi were ablaze with gunfire and one of the Portuguese patrol boats was sunk.

With the first light of the day on December 18, contrary to available intelligence, army units came under intense gunfire from a well-entrenched enemy. The land battle continued with INS Delhi being tasked to provide gunfire support with its 6-inch guns and open a seaward combat front.

INS Delhi's guns delivered concentrated salvos on the Portuguese garrison at the Old Fort. The very first salvo hit the target and destroyed the lighthouse citadel. The next 15 minutes saw 11 broadsides with a relentless volley of 66 6-inch high-explosive shells bombarding the citadel and the airfield in succession till a white flag was hoisted by the Portuguese.

As the army units were expected to take time to reach the Old Fort area, a landing party from INS Delhi was dispatched and the Tricolour hoisted in the Old Fort.

Operation Vijay ended in less than 40 hours, with the last Portuguese Governor-General, Antonio Vassalo e Silva, signing the Instrument of Surrender at 8:30 p.m. on December 19. The Indian armed forces, acting in unison, rightfully restored Goa to motherland India.
New Delhi, Dec 18 : Industry body PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) on Saturday emphasised on the need for the Centre's continuous handholding of the economy to mitigate the uncertainty caused by the looming impact of new Covid variant Omicron.

"Although the resilience of Indian economy is very strong and we expect a double digit GDP growth in 2021-22 on the back of effective policy measures undertaken by the government, we still have to mitigate the uncertainty caused by the looming impact of Omicron," PHDCCI said in a statement.

Out of the nine lead economic and business indicators of QET (Quick Economic Trends), tracked PHDCCI, six have shown uptick for November 2021, as compared with seven out of 10 indicators showing the uptrend in October 2021.

"Unemployment, exchange rate, manufacturing PMI, GST collections, exports and E-way Bill registered a positive growth in November 2021. Exports registered a positive growth of 27 per cent in November 2021, increasing from $23.6 billion in November 2020 to $30 billion last month," the industry body said.

Besides, GST collections registered a y-o-y growth of 25 per cent from Rs 104,963 crore in November 2020 to Rs 131,526 crore in November 2021.

"E-way Bills have shown y-o-y growth 5.9 per cent in November 2021, increasing from 57.7 million in November 2020 to 61.1 million in November 2021," it said.

As per the statement, unemployment declined sequentially by 9.7 per cent in November 2021, from 7.8 per cent in October 2021 to 7 per cent last month.

"Exchange rate appreciated by 0.6 per cent from average of Rs 74.9 per US dollar in October 2021 to Rs 74.45 per US dollar in November 2021. The sequential growth of manufacturing PMI increased by 3 per cent in November 2021, from 55.9 points in October 2021 to 57.6 points last month," it said.

However, forex reserves registered the decline of (-)1 per cent, decreasing from $642 billion in October 2021 to $638 billion in November 2021.

Similarly, the S&P BSE Sensex (monthly average) declined by (-)2 per cent in November 2021 from 60,422 in October 2021 to 59,416 last month.

"Passenger vehicle sales registered decline of (-)19 per cent in November 2021 from 2,64,898 units in November 2020 to 2,15,626 last month," the statement said.

According to Pradeep Multani, President, PHDCCI, supply side issues such as high input prices, shortage of raw materials, among others, are impacting the production possibilities and reducing the price cost margins of the producers.

"At this juncture, there is a need to address the high commodity prices and shortages of raw material to support the consumption and private investments in the country," the statement said.
New Delhi, Dec 19 : Delhi Police has arrested a senior scientist, working at the Defence Research Development Organisation(DRDO) for carrying out a blast at Rohini Court in the national capital, affirming there was no 'terror plot' linked to the incident, an official said on Saturday.

Terming the act as a murder bid, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, in a media briefing, said that the scientist namely Bharat Bhushan Kataria, a resident of Ashok Vihar, Delhi was arrested and during interrogation, he admitted before the police that he planted the improvised explosive device (IED) to eliminate a lawyer.

Bharat Bhushan planted the IED at a place where the lawyer was likely to sit, as he was "highly frustrated due to the protracted legal battles which were causing problems in his career as well as prolonged mental harassment and monetary loss to him and his family".

Incriminating material and the attire of an advocate, used in the incident, have been recovered from the residence of the accused, Asthana said.

On December 9, a low-intensity blast ripped off inside courtroom number 102 of Rohini court complex at around 10.30 a.m. injuring one person present within the blast radius.

This was second such incident at Rohini court complex in the past three months.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, the case was handed over to the anti-terror unit of Delhi Police.

Preliminary findings of NSG and FSL indicated the use of easily available materials to fabricate IED. Components of the IED were identified from debris and 'exhaustive' efforts were made to track the source of all such components.

Police began its probe by verifying the CCTV footage of the court complex.

"The special cell had to analyse over 100 CCTV cameras that were installed in and around the court premises. They also examined over 1000 cars that had entered the court in the past few days before the blast," the senior official said.

Voluminous telephonic data relevant to crime was analysed. Based on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts, several persons present in the court complex were identified and verified.

During the investigation, the name of one Bharat Bhushan Kataria, resident of Ashok Vihar came up as a person of interest. His case was listed for hearing on the day of the blast. His opposite party, Advocate Amit Vashistha was seated in the row next to which the IED exploded. Advocate Amit Vashistha also witnessed Bharat Bhushan being present in court just before the blast.

During CCTV analysis, Bharat Bhushan Kataria was found entering the court on the day of the incident at 09:33 a.m. He was dressed in a black coat and trousers to appear like an advocate. He was carrying a bag in his hand and a laptop bag on his back.

He was seen entering and leaving through multiple gates, trying to weave an evasive pattern. He was seen entering the court from gate no. 7 and concealing the bags at a location inside the court premises and leaving from same gate. He then entered via gate no. 8 and retrieved the two bags he had concealed. He was seen in various cameras inside the main court building. He finally left in a hurry at 10:35 a.m. from gate no. 8 with a laptop bag on his back, while the second bag was not with him.

A search of his house has revealed several incriminating pieces of evidence.

Several file covers, identical to those which were present in the bag which was used in the blast, similar screws that were used as shrapnel in IED and remnants of the black adhesive tape used in fabricating the IED have been recovered from his house.

Attire used by the accused to enter the court complex (Black Coat and trousers) has also been recovered from his house. Some incriminating documents and other electronic devices including laptops and mobile phones have also been seized for further investigation.

From the investigation conducted so far, it has emerged that Bharat Bhushan and Advocate Amit Vashistha were living in the same building till about 3 years ago. They have a long-standing dispute of over 10 years and have filed over a dozen civil and criminal cases against each other.

One such case against Bharat Bhushan was listed on 09.12.2021 in Court No. 102 of the Rohini Court. Bharat Bhushan reached the Rohini Court,and went inside the courtroom no. 102 at about 10:15 a.m. and searched for advocate Amit Vashistha. He noticed the advocate is sitting on a chair in the back row. He placed the bag containing the IED behind the lawyer and triggered the IED from a safe distance with the remote.

At 10:35 a.m., he walked out from the court complex from Ring Roadside and went back home in his Ertiga car.

Linking small clues to bigger evidence, the police finally reached the conclusion and arrested the senior scientist in Delhi on Friday.

"The probe is still going on but after preliminary investigation, we can confirm that there was no terror angle to this crime," the official said.

The Rohini Court has been in limelight for the past two months after two back-to-back attacks that have raised several questions on the security arrangements at the court premises.

Even local courts have several times come down heavily on the security scenario at the Court.

Earlier on September 24, in an incident that seemed ripped from a Bollywood potboiler, top Delhi gangster Jitender Singh Mann, alias Gogi, was shot dead in Rohini Court by two assailants dressed in lawyers' garb.
"In a time where students and prospective students are eager to make up for lost time, being able to show all that a university has to offer is more important than ever." - Jenny Matz, Director of Content Marketing and Brand Execution for UNC Charlotte

After a year of virtual schooling muddying the brand waters for many universities, UNC Charlotte returned for the Fall 2021 semester with a new story to tell. Launched with the help of creative advertising and marketing agency Fuseideas, the Fearlessly Shaping Whats Next campaign positions UNC Charlotte, its students, alumni, faculty and staff as essential cornerstones of Charlotte  a vibrant, ascending and inclusive city filled with opportunity.

Debuting to the public in a roll-out throughout September 2022, the Fearlessly Shaping Whats Next campaign creatively weaves the unified message that the UNC Charlotte community is an inspiring and supportive one made up of individuals driven to shape the future for themselves and the world. Through the bold, dynamic and captivating visuals of video, print, digital and social media storytelling of the Fearlessly Shaping Whats Next campaign, Fuseideas and UNC Charlotte deliver an enlivening message that the university and burgeoning city around it are places where individuals can do more than make connections  they make a difference.

"In a time where students and prospective students are eager to make up for lost time, being able to show all that a university has to offer is more important than ever. Any university can show its school spirit and long-term prestige to attract new students. But only UNC Charlotte can say its profile reflects that of one of the country's fastest-growing cities -- where its students and faculty are meeting workforce demands for advanced technology and applied research to solve business and societal needs," says Jenny Matz, Director of Content Marketing and Brand Execution for UNC Charlotte.

The launch of the Fearlessly Shaping Whats Next campaign is the latest effort by UNC Charlotte to stand proudly behind a unified brand that unifies the university and city, and springboards momentum from the launch of an alumni-designed, uniformly used new university logo. The work is one of many successes Fuseideas has delivered in the higher education sector. With over 7,000 colleges and universities in the United States, we often see the messaging around higher education become repetitive, making it hard to distinguish one institution from another, says Justin Vogt, Vice President, Group Account Director for Fuseideas. Were honored to have worked with UNC Charlotte to authentically communicate its mission and vision for the future of the university, its students, and the city.

The Fearlessly Shaping Whats Next campaign debuted internally at UNC Charlotte through a number of experiential on-campus activations that immersed students, faculty and staff in the richness of the campaign and generated excitement for the future. The full campaign is currently in market publicly across all channels.

To learn more about the Fearlessly Shaping Whats Next campaign by UNC Charlotte and Fuseideas, visit http://www.fuseideas.com.

About Fuseideas

Fuseideas is a full-service marketing agency with a relentless drive to help our clients achieve business goals while simultaneously building their brands. We help companies make an impact at every stage of the customer funnel by offering a full spectrum of marketing services including, but not limited to: brand strategy, creative, digital and technology, experiential, integrated media, performance analytics, social and content, and sponsorships. We've helped a broad range of clients achieve Success and Glory, including a specialty in five key verticals: higher education, travel and tourism, energy, health and wellness, and government regulated agencies.

About UNC Charlotte

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is North Carolinas urban research university and is the third largest institution in the UNC System, with more than 30,000 students enrolled in fall 2021. Our large university with a small college feel, outstanding academics and access to deep community connections in the 15th largest city in the U.S. are just a few reasons why students choose UNC Charlotte as their home. Through dynamic programs and hands-on research, we bring together students and faculty in purpose-driven learning that leads to action and transformation. UNC Charlotte is the place for students who want to make a meaningful difference in their life, their community and within society.
Ken Rosenfeld is a 2021 Lawyer of Distinction Its an honor to receive membership to Lawyers of Distinction, said Rosenfeld, who earlier this year was named to the 2021 list of Super Lawyers in California. At The Rosenfeld Law Firm we always aim for excellence, so being recognized in this way is really thrilling.

The Rosenfeld Law Firm announces that California criminal defense attorney Ken Rosenfeld has been named a member of the 2021 Lawyers of Distinction for criminal defense law. The recognition follows a review and vetting process that evaluates professional acumen, experience, reputation, and disciplinary history to identify and acknowledge lawyers who demonstrate excellence in the practice of law.

Candidacy for Lawyers of Distinction begins with nomination by a fellow attorney or by the Lawyers of Distinction Selection Committee. Once a lawyer enters the candidate pool, Lawyers of Distinction then utilizes provisional patent #62/743,254 to select professionals based upon verifiable objective criteria such as:



Case Results

Honors and Awards

Verdicts and Settlements

Special Certifications

Pro Bono and Community Service

Educational Background

Google and AVVO Reviews

Legal Experience

Professional Activities

Lectures, Writings, and Publications

The platform generates a numerical score of 1 to 5 for each of the above factors. Once a final score is generated, a background check and ethics review covering the ten years prior to nomination is performed before membership is confirmed.

Having been Selected as a 2021 Lawyer of Distinction, Rosenfeld has been recognized by the organization for his distinctive performance in criminal defense law. As a California criminal defense attorney he has defended over 150 California criminal defense cases ranging from first-degree murder to driving under the influence (DUI defense); Rosenfeld also specializes in defending sex offenses. He has made both regional and national appearances in media as a criminal law commentator and assists law students preparing for the bar examination by sharing his knowledge of constitutional law. A graduate of American University, Rosenfeld is licensed to practice law in the State of California and is admitted to the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Northern Districts of California. As an appeals lawyer he has been admitted to practice in the California Courts of Appeals, the California Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

Its an honor to receive membership to Lawyers of Distinction, said Rosenfeld, who earlier this year was named to the 2021 list of Super Lawyers in California. At The Rosenfeld Law Firm we always aim for excellence, so being recognized in this way is really thrilling.

On November 14, 2021, the full list of the 2021 Lawyers of Distinction Power Lawyers was featured in the Sunday Edition of the New York Times.

About The Rosenfeld Law Firm

With offices in Sacramento and San Jose, The Rosenfeld Law Firm provides aggressive defense of a wide range of high-profile criminal defense cases. California criminal defense attorney Ken Rosenfeld defends such cases as first-degree murder and sex offense cases, and also provides DUI defense. In addition to mental health criminal defense, The Rosenfeld Law Firm also practices federal criminal defense and juvenile defense, as well as appellate law and prison law. As a skilled criminal law commentator, Rosenfeld makes regular appearances on KTXL TV and FOX40's Ask An Attorney. Rosenfeld was named 2020 Litigator of the Year by the American Institute of Trial Lawyers. For more information, please contact Ken Rosenfeld directly at (916) 447-2070, or visit http://www.therosenfeldlawfirm.com.

Press release writing by WebSiteText and Proofreading Services by The Proofreaders.
Mediaplanet today announces the launch of the print and digital campaign entitled Transplants & Donation. This campaign discusses transplant and donation trends, the challenges faced along the transplant journey, innovations in transplant medicine, and more. It also features multiple patient stories that bring to life the lifesaving miracle that transplants offer, and the true heroes that donors are.

2020 marked the 10th consecutive record-breaking year for organ donation from deceased donors and the eighth in a row for deceased donor transplants, and we are on track to make even more history at the close of 2021, says UNOS CEO Brian Shepard in the campaigns introductory article. Additionally, the national waitlist for all organs is at its lowest volume since 2009. We can thank dedicated transplant teams, hospitals, medical professionals on the ground, advocates, patients, donors and their families adapting quickly, being flexible, and working collaboratively to save lives, even during the worst pandemic in living memory. While these trends are positive, patients across the nation are counting on us to do even better, Shepard says.

Actress and producer Katherine Heigl lends her voice to the campaign, contributing an interview about why organ donation is important to her. She shares that 35 years ago her brother was in a serious car accident, leading to a severe brain injury but sparing his body from the neck down. After his death, Heigl and her family decided to fulfill his wishes to be an organ donor, giving five people a second chance at life. Through this difficult and tragic experience, our whole family learned that as human beings, we need to have as much compassion for others as we have for ourselves, shares Heigl.

The print component of Transplants & Donation is distributed within todays edition of USA TODAY in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Carolinas, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Nashville, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and surrounding areas with a circulation of approximately 150,000 copies and an estimated readership of 450,000. The digital component is distributed nationally, through a vast social media strategy, and across a network of top news sites and partner outlets. To explore the digital version of the campaign, visit: https://www.futureofpersonalhealth.com/campaign/transplants/.

This campaign was made possible with the support of the United Network of Organ Sharing, Katherine Heigl, the National Kidney Foundation, the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations, the American Association of Kidney Patients, the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation, The National Foundation for Transplants, Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center, Penn State Health, Atrium Health, Arkansas Childrens, Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital, and Talaris Therapeutics.

About Mediaplanet

Mediaplanet specializes in the creation of content marketing campaigns covering a variety of industries. We tell meaningful stories that educate our audience and position our clients as solution providers. Our unique ability to pair the right leaders with the right readers, through the right platforms, has made Mediaplanet a global content marketing powerhouse. Our award-winning stories have won the hearts of countless readers while serving as a valuable platform for brands and their missions. Just call us storytellers with a purpose. Please visit http://www.mediaplanet.com for more on who we are and what we do.

Press Contact:

Shannon Ruggiero

646-755-7962

Shannon.ruggiero@mediaplanet.com


City of Incurable Women (Bellevue, Feb.) imagines the inner lives of the young female hysterics who were confined at the Salpetriere hospital in Paris in the late 19th century.

Your dedication reads: For my fellow incurables. What was the genesis of your interest in the patients of the neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot?

I have had a long-standing interest in the history of psychiatry, and I kind of went down the rabbit hole and never came out. I had a peripheral character in The Man Who Walked Away whom I imagined to be Augustine, and I collaborated with the photographer Laura Larson, who took me to the Countway Library of Medicine in Boston to see the famous photographs of Charcots female patients in various poses of hysteria. To touch these glass plates is to touch light from the 19th century. What was it to be alive for these women? I made a conscious choice to narrate the book in the first, second, and third person. I wanted to be in conversation with these historical figures who may not have had much of a voice.

Did any of Charcots hysterics really need treatment, and if so, for what?

Psychiatry is not a hard science, it is a social science. The philosopher/historian Ian Hacking writes about transient mental illnesses, that diagnoses arise out of politics, out of culture, whatever is pathological in the moment. The pain is always there. There were different stages to hysteria that could be performed and photographed, a structure into which pain could be poured and expressed. Diagnosis is reductive.

It doesnt tell us who a person is.

Yes, and I am interested in undoing the knots. Whats underneath all this is the endless complexity and mystery of what it is to be human. Thats where my imagination comes in.

Charcot was a complicated figure. He conducted abusive experiments on his female patients, he was Sigmund Freuds teacher, and he was also responsible for transforming the Salpetriere from a place in which women were kept in chains to a modern institution. What struck you the most about him?

When Charcot resurrected hysteria as a diagnosis, he bought into the pathology that there was something wrong with womens bodies. For me, whats interesting is that within these horrible confines, sometimes these young women, whod lost their parents or been sexually abused in work situations, were able to find freedom, moments of privacy, which is a form of freedom. And levity, as when [the character] Augustine tells Charcot to get rid of that snake in your pants.
In Things Are Never So Bad That They Cant Get Worse (St. Martins, Mar.), journalist Neuman examines the factors behind Venezuelas economic collapse and documents the suffering of ordinary Venezuelans.

What does the average American get wrong about Venezuela?

That Venezuelas a socialist countrysocialism in Venezuela is just branding. Its a way to pose as some kind of leftist movement. Venezuelas a highly consumerist culture. The government always had a really strong role in the economy because of the oil industry, which it controls. Venezuela, under presidents Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro, is a populist country, both politically and economically.

Are there connections between whats happening in Venezuela and Trumpism in the U.S.?

I think that Venezuela is a kind of a cautionary tale for the U.S. Chavez didnt invent populism, and he didnt invent a lot of the things that he did. But he showed that they still worked after a long period of time when they werent in vogue. This phenomenon of demagogic leaders using the institutions of democracy to come to power, and then undermining those institutionsChavez was the first among this new crop, before [Hungarys] Orban, [Turkeys] Erdogan, or Putin. In the U.S., we see very similar things. Populism is this idea that the leader has this personal charismatic connection with the people, but the people are only part of the people. And deep, deep divisions come out of that. They were very destructive in Venezuela, and are destructive in our country right now.

What, if anything, can the Biden administration do to help with the economy in Venezuela, where many still have limited access to basics, such as food, water, shelter, and electricity?

Trump didnt have a Venezuela foreign policy, he had a Florida electoral strategy that involved Venezuela. The Biden folks are in the same position, because what theyre deeply concerned about is how badly the Democrats got beat in Florida in 2020, and the midterms, and the next presidential election. Venezuela has become a code word in Florida electoral politics. In 2020, the Republicans rallied the troops with campaigns saying that Biden was a socialist, Biden was going to turn the U.S. into Venezuela. My reporting tells me that the Biden administration basically has no interest, really, in changing Venezuelan policy in any substantial way. Because anything they do that could be interpreted as some sort of concession to Maduro, such as lifting sanctions or even talking about dialogue, can be seen as soft. And theyre very cautious about that. So, I dont see much potential for movement.
"I just bought a house in North Carolina and I have absolutely no furniture, Janet Evanovich says via Zoom. Its a total disaster. Im not equipped for video. The author is in her bedroom, surrounded by boxes, at a makeshift writing desk, her fluffy white dog at her feet.

She moved from Florida to Chapel Hill to be closer to her daughter, Alex, and her grandson; she also has a condo in Hawaii, where her son, Peter, and his children live. At this point I just follow my grandkids around the country, she says. But I like change. Its good.

Evanovich, 78, has been making moves lately. She signed a four-book deal, said to be for eight figures, with Atria in 2020, and in March 2022 shes releasing The Recovery Agent, the first book in a new series. It centers on Gabriela Rose, a treasure hunter for hireand a descendant of the pirate Blackbeardwhose sexy ex-husband routinely complicates her life. I probably enjoyed writing this one more than any other, Evanovich says of the book, which finds Gabriela traversing jungles in Peru and Costa Rica. Shes my Indiana Jones.

Evanovichs books have sold more than 90 million copies, according to Atria, and have been translated into 40 languages. Shes written romance novels and adventure and mystery series, including the Fox and OHare and the Lizzy and Diesel books, and the wildly popular Stephanie Plum series (28 installments and counting), about a New Jersey bounty hunter with a tangled love lifeand a weakness for junk food (just like Evanovich).

Unlike Plum, who hangs out in New Jersey and keeps her gun in a cookie jar, Rose is a globe-trotting fashionista who expertly handles weapons. The women are opposites, but they both have charm in spades. Evanovich says she was filled with angst when she wrote the first Plum novel because she wasnt sure it would be successful. The Recovery Agent was different: I didnt give a crap if anybody was going to like it! she says. I wrote it for myself and my fans.

A native of New Jersey, Evanovich grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and was a dreamer who never quite fit in. I was weird, she recalls. Id run around pretending to be a reindeer and dig holes in peoples lawns with my hooves. Or Id walk down the street singing opera. I was a baton twirler in high school, but I couldnt throw and the baton broke my nose. I spent a lot of time sitting in trees, watching people. My internal life didnt match the life around me.

The author got her professional start in the 1980s in romance, but writing long sex scenes wasnt my thing, she says. At 51, she published One for the Money, the first Plum novel. She and her husband were cash-strapped, living in Virginia with their kids.

Evanovich recalls living in a little house whose previous owner was a sex worker. When we cleaned out the yard, we found slingback shoes and condoms. The windows had bullet holes. Then Evanovich got the call that the movie rights for One for the Money had sold for $1 million. The shingles from my roof were scattered across my lawn because we couldnt afford a new roof, and theres this guy on the phone telling me Im a millionaire.

When she started making big money, Evanovich and her husband traded roles. He became the house husband and I became the wage earner, she says. These days, both he and the kids help run Evanovich Inc., and theyre the first to read Evanovichs books and give feedback. Id be nothing without my family. When I was a struggling writer, nobody said go get a job. Theyve always been supportive.

Author, screenwriter, and producer Lee Goldberg has cowritten five Fox and OHare novels with Evanovich. Janet is one of a small group of writers who is beloved in every language and culture around the world, he says. Working with her was like taking a graduate course in writing bestsellers. The books Ive written since then have been the most critically and commercially successful of my career. I learned from Janet that less is more. Dont try to impress with your brilliant prose. Tell the story as economically as possible.

Janet is a matriarch whos built an empire, says her agent Celeste Fine, a principal at Park & Fine. Its hard to give people what they want year after year, and also give them something new. Thats stamina.

A self-described workaholic, Evanovich writes every day. I have no life, she declares. I have one hobby. When I get tense, I knit. But I dont make anything. I have a 27-foot scarf that I keep adding yarn to. Junk food helps, too: Give me a bag of chips and Im brilliant.

Evanovichs drive is matched only by her youthful outlook. I have a total disconnect with my age. I think you can be whatever age you want. Ive been lucky. Im healthy, I dont take pills. I had a face lift at 60, and its still holding up pretty good.

Plum has been in her 30s since the 1990s, and thats how Evanovich intends to keep her. My characters dont age. I dont either.

Evanovich describes herself as a happy writer and says she wants people to close my books smiling. She adds, The thing that made me a success in the beginning still makes me a success. Readers know Im not going to kill cats or dogs, and things are going to end well. My characters arent politically correct or woke. It always helps to have a man kill a spider for you. By the same token, its perfectly okay for a woman to rescue a man.

Janet doesnt have to work anymore, but she cant not do it, says Libby McGuire, publisher of Atria. Shes a born storyteller. You know when you sit down with one of her books that youre going to laugh. People need that.

Shes funny and has a great time writing, and that comes out, adds editor Peter Borland. Shes a pro, but not high maintenance like some authors can be. Ive noticed with Janet, it always comes back to what her readers want.

Evanovich is excited for the future. She has a new house and a new series, and, now, a goal: I really want a television show, she says. I see my books like movies when I write them, and the fact that I havent had a show and only one movie is a killer.

She then offers some advice: If its important to you, dont give up. When I started in publishing, I kept sending out query letters and getting rejected. I once got a rejection written on a bar napkin. You cant let that matter. The nos dont make any difference. Just keep going for that one yes. Thats what counts.

Elaine Szewczyks writing has appeared in McSweeneys and other publications. Shes the author of the novel Im with Stupid.
This months thematic roundup of BookLife titles focuses on art, photography, and stories of kindness and goodwill.

Art & Photography

The American Weekly Covers of Edmund Dulac

Albert Seligman

ASIN B09GVVPRV7

About the book: This is a collection of 106 watercolors painted by the English illustrator Edmund Dulac. Dulac is famous as a Golden Age illustrator working in London from 1900 to 1920. This book highlights Dulac's skills, showing each cover to be a small masterpiece.

Author statement: "The American Weekly Sunday supplement reached over 50 million readers and was carried in 20 newspapers during the mid-20th century. However, very few copies of the magazine remain, and those are in poor condition. I was fortunate to find an intact collection and have it carefully photographed to finally bring these beautiful watercolors back to life."

Anthropocene: Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation

Sudeep Sen

ISBN 978-1-913738-38-9

About the book: This unique book focuses on the urgent topics of climate change and pandemicsand the possibility of consolationthrough creative prose, poetry, and photographs. Private feelings of grief and ideas of isolation are woven together with larger global issues and consequent geopolitical and geological catastrophes.

Author statement: It all started with a news clip I stumbled upon almost 15 years ago, in which the president of the Pacific Island of Kiribati expressed his concern about his people becoming climate refugees due to rising sea levels. Since then, it has been a gradual evolution of ideas and rhythm, images and phrases, and the recent pandemic accelerated my literary and artistic response to the climate conflicts.

The Art of Symeon Shimin

Tonia Shimin

ISBN 978-0-9990342-2-4

About the book: The Art of Symeon Shimin presents a striking collection of the fine art of this exceptional Russian-born Jewish artist. Curated by the artists daughter, it is the first collection and overview of Shimins work and life, and it contains an autobiography by the artist, essays by noted arts journalists Josef Woodard and Charles Donelan, and over 100 plates and archival photographs.

Author statement: The dream of making this book began shortly after my fathers death, when I came upon a treasure trove of transparencies of his fine art paintings. While his work in the field of Hollywood posters and childrens books was known, his fine art was less so. Thus began the journey of creating, for the first time, a record of and tribute to the work of my father. I remember the many times I walked down the streets of New York with him, holding his hand as a child, and later as an adult, hearing the burning words, I must get back to painting. I did not know then the gift he was leaving us and am thrilled to now share this work with the world.

Making a Scene

Steve Ward and Charley Elbow

ASIN B08HW34RP8

About the book: Making a Scene is a book of black-and-white photos, taken by Ward in the southeast of England, accompanied by Elbows poetry. Each poem is a story and directly related to its photo, either one inspired by the other.

Author statement: The book came about directly because of lockdown. I took up photography again after a long break and when walking round the forest within a mile of my home. When a local poet, Charley Elbow, saw a few of my photos, they were motivated to write something to go with them. Collaborating with a poet has led me to take sideways looks at things that I had already seen and maybe even already photographed.

Goodwill Stories for Children

Cole and the Giant Gingerbread House

Riya Aarini

ASIN B097CHQ5C3

About the book: Cole and Claudia are hungry and homeless on Christmas Eve. Coles act of kindness toward another hungry child draws attention from Santa, who gives the children a very special gingerbread house.

Author statement: I wrote this holiday picture book with the intent to inspire gratitude in the fortunate and hope in those who deserve better.

Doggy Claus/Perro Noel

Derek Taylor Kent

ISBN 978-0-9995554-3-9

About the book: Doggy Claus/Perro Noel is a bilingual holiday tale in English and Spanish about a puppy named Jingle who grows up in a pet shelter. When Santa sees Jingle trying to cheer up the rest of the dogs on Christmas, he decides to adopt Jingle and bring him to the North Pole. Jingle is so happy to have found a home, but when he discovers that Santa only brings presents to boys and girls and not dogs on Christmas, Jingle absconds with Santas sleigh in hopes of bringing a present to every dog, only to end up discovering that theres something that dogs want on Christmas even more than presents.

Author statement: After finding great success with my first bilingual dog book, El Perro con Sombrero, I wanted to write another bilingual book with similar themes of pet adoption, kindness, and generosity. Since I was born on Christmas Day, I sometimes felt kind of lonely on Christmas when all my friends had other plans and were spending time with their families. When I adopted my best buddy Zander, Christmas became a lot more fun, and I also started thinking about what Christmas would be like at an animal shelter when all the workers went home. All of this led to the foundation of Doggy Claus/Perro Noel, which has garnered rave reviews and been one of our bestselling titles during the holiday season.

Gobbledy

Lis Anna-Langston

ISBN 978-1-68463-067-7

About the book: The Wonder Years meets A Christmas Story meets E.T. in this magical novel. Yet beneath the magic and fun there is an undercurrent of sorrow and loss, for this will be the first Kissmas without Dexter and D-mans beloved mother. How these charactersand their furry little alien sidekicknavigate this strange and complicated time in their lives will inspire readers. Readers of all ages will love the adventures that await inside these pages.

Author statement: The first time I saw the Grand Canyon was at 3 a.m., under the light of a full moon. The streets were clear, but snow covered the ground. Enormous elk stood under the moonlight. Coyotes roamed wide-open spaces. The world was aglow and alive in that strange canyon. Cold and clear and perfect. I drove to a hotel and prayed they had a vacancy. I wrote down the beginning of a novel, shaped by my winter in the desert. A story inspired by moons of Jupiter, life in other star systems, strange findings in the forest. This story combines some of my favorite things: holidays, ketchup, and aliens. Join me in grabbing a telescope and hitting the trail for a new holiday adventure.

The Journey to Max: An Adoption Story

Christopher Garcia-Halenar and Alejandro Garcia-Halenar

ISBN 978-1-73260-442-1

About the book: In this picture book, Xander and his two dads embark on a coast-to-coast search in an effort to complete their family. After one disappointment too many, the three are prepared to give up until an unexpected phone call reignites their hope. Max, Xander, and their dads grow together as a family with links to extended families both by birth and by choice. What makes this story unique among childrens adoption books is the hope, kindness, and inclusion of Maxs birth mother.

Author statement: The Journey to Max was written with two very specific intentions. First, for our son, Max, so that he always has a visual history of his incredibly beautiful story, and second, to provide hope for families and birth mothers who have considered or are considering adoption.

Musical Memories

Linda A. Gerdner, illus. by Maureen Taylor Gearino

ISBN 978-0-9986864-1-7

About the book: Alzheimers disease sometimes makes Grandma forgetful, anxious, and agitated, but Gabrielle soon discovers that through music, she and Grandma can share memories and make new ones.

Author statement: I pioneered the development of individualized music for persons with dementia, such as Alzheimers disease. I began this work in the early 1990s and have won national and international awards for my contributions. Musical Memories incorporates basic principles of this protocol to empower Gabrielle in maintaining a relationship with her grandmother.

A Penny in My Pocket

C.M. Harris

ISBN 978-1-73553-726-9

About the book: A trip to the grocery store teaches little Stevie not only that we do not always get to buy everything we want, but also that money can be used in many ways, even to help others! When Stevie sees someone in need, what will he choose to do? A Penny in My Pocket is a beautifully illustrated childrens concept book discussing the difference between needing and wanting something.

Author statement: I am a tenacious author who writes stories about friendship and kindness while depicting diverse characters and also representing disability inclusivity. I wanted to write a story about a child who has more than what he needs and helps an adult who does not have very much at all. Its the perfect read just in time for the holiday season, as some children may not receive everything they are hoping for but can learn that we can be grateful for what we already have.

Stories of Goodwill for Adults

The Gift Counselor

Sheila M. Cronin

ISBN 978-0-9960460-0-8

About the book: A sudden job loss at the start of the Christmas season jangles Jonquils spirits. But after she takes a seasonal job, new opportunities and new love follow. The Gift Counselor combines holiday cheer, romance, and family drama.

Author statement: One Christmas season while in a department store, I witnessed a salesclerk talking to an agitated young man at the perfume counter. He stated he needed a gift to fix a problem with his girl. Theyd had a misunderstanding and he wanted to patch things up. The clerk didnt hesitate. She told him to forget about perfume and go straight to the jewelry department. There he could buy something so beautiful, it would make her cry, and then she would be his girl again. Patently relieved, the man set off immediately as instructed and I realized I had just been given a Christmas story. By the time I got home that day, I knew the story was about the clerk, not the shopper.

Grace in Mombasa

T.N. Traynor

ASIN B07KT8S4N7

About the book: Grace grows up in England a strong Christian, but during WWII she loses everyone she cares about and ends up losing her faith. After the war, she sees an ad in the paper for a job in Kenya. She applies, and before she knows it she is on her way to a whole new life. In Mombasa she sees firsthand the dire conditions of the local hospital, where people only go to die. She begins to pour all her energy into caring for the patients.

Author statement: This story was inspired by a woman I met in Kenya, Moira Smith. Because she never left the hospital, they eventually gave her a job and a room to sleep in. Her life was so inspiring, and I hope my book captures that. Although, I left Kenya a long time ago, I was never able to forget about Moira and all that she did. To continue Moiras good works, 50% of all royalties made from sales of this book goes to Barnabas Outreach Mombasa.

Jack Frost

Rebecca F. Kenney

ASIN B09K1TYLX4

About the book: Emery is the cinematographer for an Antarctic expedition filming Adelie penguins. When shes separated from her team during a blizzard, Jack Frost saves her life. And then he follows her home. As a climate activist, Emery is all about saving the planet, and she doesnt have time for stalker ice gods. But as she gets to know Jack and the work he does to keep the world safe, she begins to realize that he could be the answer to everything she has wantednot only for Earth, but for herself.

Author statement: Ive always loved the legend of Jack Frost. I also enjoyed the depiction of the character in the Rise of the Guardians movie and I wanted to write a tasteful, romantic version for adults!
Even before submitting it for publication, YA author Natasha Bowen knew that Skin of the Sea (Random House), her West African take on The Little Mermaid, which landed on the New York Times bestseller list in its first week, was a story she needed to tell. I think you know when youve got the idea for you, Bowen says, noting that she knows shes found the one when I go to bed thinking of it and I wake up thinking of it.

Born in Cambridge, England, and of Nigerian and Welsh descent, Bowen developed a love of stories at an early age. First and foremost, she recalls, the thing that motivated me was being a reader. Due to dyslexia, Bowens mother grew up without the comfort of books, but she ensured that Bowen, who was also diagnosed with dyslexia, was surrounded by them. Bowen says of her mother reading aloud, I can remember being around four and her skipping over some of the words, so I learned to sound them out. Quickly, I was reading to her, instead of her reading to me.

Bowen grew up on a council estate (i.e., public housing) with little money and scant exposure to literary characters who looked like her. When I was a teenager in the early 1990s, there werent really many young adult books, she saysaside from ubiquitous series like Nancy Drew and Sweet Valley High. So I skipped from childrens books to Stephen King.

Once a voracious story writer, young Bowen found her passion guttered in school, because she wasnt able to see representation of other Black and Black-mixed people in the stories she was assigned to read. I think you need to see yourself in at least a few stories, she explains.

One British Caribbean writer reawakened Bowens excitement for relatable storytelling when she was in her late teens. His names Courttia Newland, Bowen says, and it was his book The Scholar. The cover featured a Black boy in front of a council estate, reminiscent of where Bowen was raised. I think this was the first time I saw a book and thought, I could see myself in this; I could see my friends. That spurred me on.

Skin of the Sea was the culmination of a 20-year search for a story that inspired her. I was writing on and off since university, trying different things, starting things and not finishing, Bowen recalls. Its that persistence that comes if you love it. If you love it, you dont ever really stop.

Bowen fit in writing Skin of the Sea during lunch breaks and teacher assemblies, while teaching full-time in East London and juggling care of her three children. Her students were enthusiastic supporters of her writing endeavors.

After participating in the Twitter-based pitch event #PitMad, Bowen struck gold at #DVPit, a similar event centering

marginalized writers, garnering interest from multiple agents. Bowen ultimately signed with Jodi Reamer at Writers House. We just really clicked, Bowen says.

Her debut work sold first in the U.S., and then in the U.K., both to Penguin Random House imprints. Im grinning all the time, Bowen says, because none of it ever feels real.

Bowen says she is elated by the reader reception to her book, noting, Thereve been people who are so excited to read the book because they feel seen. As when she was young, there remains a relative paucity of Black characters and cultures represented in fantasyspecifically mermaids and West African culture, as featured in Bowens book.

Bowen had specific intentions in setting her debut in West Africa at the dawn of the Atlantic slave trade. When you learn or hear about Africa, and I think this is intentional, its like its history only starts with slavery, Bowen says. Theres never anything about how it was before. Bowen spent a month immersed in Africas oft-untold mathematical and technological achievements. When the Portuguese rocked up in West Africa, having used North African strategies to improve their ships, they were amazed to see street lamps. Bowen noted how that aspect of history is almost never presented, and is one which she wanted to showcase.

This story was burning inside me and I had to write it, Bowen says. Everything else that came with it was a bonus.

She hopes to expand the world shes built within Skin of the Sea through companion works, including a sequel due out next year. Then, given the opportunity, Bowen says, Id love to put together a collection of stories about the myths surrounding mermaids from around the world. Shed also like to try her hand at a realistic contemporary YA novel, inspired by her own teenagers.

Bowen hopes her debut will encourage readers to learn more history. I want to say that Africas history and brilliance is there, and I want to say that Black people can be magical and fantastical creatures, as well as anything else.
Debut author Winsome Binghamwhose picture book Soul Food Sunday (Abrams), illustrated by C.G. Esperanza, was selected as one of the New York Times best childrens books of 2021has faced a difficult journey, transitioning from teacher and soldier to disabled Army veteran and then author. However, certain things remain constant: her love for children, for stories, and for soul food.

We can thank the Virginia Department of Education, Bingham says, for her decision to become a writer. Previously a teacher in Hampton City schools, she was tasked with creating stories to accompany alternative assessments for her special education students. I started by writing stories for my kids to teach them skills and strategies, and then they started telling me to put them in them. Her stories were a hit.

Raised by her great-grandmother on the tiny island of Jamaica before coming to the U.S., Binghams first exposure to what she calls real books was in her great-grandmothers room. My great-granny was a reader, Bingham says, and so my aunts and my grandmother who lived in America and England would send her boxes of Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and Bobbsey Twins.

I would sneak them out and read them.

After suffering a traumatic brain injury during military service, Bingham says, she became interested in writing again. One of the goals for me was to get back to what I enjoy doing. Bowling was one passion, and writing was the other. I just started writing stories, and all my stories centered around kids, I guess, because I love kids.

Binghams therapist at the Department of Veterans Affairs is a strong proponent of reading books as a tool for recoveryspecifically picture books, considering Binghams injury. As I was reading them, the format was sticking in my brain, she says. I liked them because they were quick reads, but they were fun.

When her therapist pushed her to work on overcoming trauma and fear, she shared Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee. I loved it, loved it, loved it, Bingham says. The illustrations were full of people of color and people of all body types queuing up for the eponymous attraction.

A chance Twitter communication with Frazee kindled a friendship between the two. I was shocked she responded to me out of a million people, Bingham recalls. When Bingham wrote a picture book featuring a grief support group in the wake of the Parkland shooting in Florida, Frazee asked to read itand promptly forwarded the manuscript to her agent. Her agent said, If you ever write a middle grade novel, since you have a middle grade voice, let me be the first to read it. But because Ive always used picture books, even when I taught high school, I knew picture books werent only for lower grades.

In 2018, with Frazees encouragement, Bingham attended the SCBWI conference in New York City, where she was invited to submit to an editor. It was because of Frazee I was at that SCBWI conference, and because of her I got up one morning, had an idea, and it took me 20 minutes to write a manuscript.

Frazee was impatient for a response while Bingham was more relaxed. The editor called just as Bingham was walking into a therapy session, and said she wanted to buy her book. I was screaming so loud the therapist rushed into the room, Bingham says.

That book, Life Is Beautiful, did not, however, become Binghams debut, despite selling first and landing her an agentHannah Mann at Writers House. Rather, Bingham recalls, Soul Food came about because I went to Highlights and an editor fell in love with it. Soul Food Sunday was purchased by editor Emma Ledbetter at Abrams in a two-book deal.

Based on Binghams own foundational cooking memories, Soul Food Sunday tells the story of an eclectic Black family gathering where a grandmother teaches her young grandson how to prepare the meal. A passionate cook, Bingham places special importance on the role of food in bringing people together. Were so different, she says, but we all have this connection of cooking together, talking trash, and eating. Even though the food in this book, the mac and cheese, the collard greens, may be specific to our culture, every culture has food that feeds their soul as well.

Bingham is effusive in her praise for Soul Food Sunday illustrator C.G. Esperanza, who was Ledbetters only choice for this project. Look at what he captured, Bingham says, the slice of life, of beauty.

Among Binghams upcoming projects are The Walk, a picture book about voting as a community act; Listen, Mama, a picture book about a girl whose mother has PTSD, billed by Bingham as a memoir in picture book format; and an early chapter book series titled Fort Goode, which describes the experience of living on military bases as a kid.

Though she deeply admires established authors like Sharon G. Flake, Jason Reynolds, and Jacqueline Woodson, the writers Bingham finds most inspiring havent been published yet. Im in the position to see the slew of new creatives coming through the ranks, she says. Publishing is getting ready to be turned upside down.
It was a brisk and sunny Saturday in November, roughly a year from when Leigh Altshuler first opened the doors of her shop, Sweet Pickle Books, the newest (and only) used book and jarred pickle store on New York Citys Lower East Side. The party started at 11 a.m., and after five hours the anniversary celebration was still going strong. The block was buzzing, a crowded vintage clothing pop-up was doing its thing outside the store, and new merchandisedesigned by Altshulers boyfriend, a graphic designer, who was tending the donation-based bardecked the walls.

So far, weve gone through two bottles of whiskey and I dont know how many beers, Altshuler said. Weve done a lot of picklebacks. Pickle jars weve gone through? Were definitely pushing five or six right now.

Altshuler is one of a number of booksellers to open up shop during the pandemic, though her store, to put it mildly, is unique. Housed in a long, narrow Orchard Street storefront crammed with used books and prominently displaying a large shelf filled with jarred pickles made from Altshulers own recipes, the shop intentionally evokes a Lower East Side now gone, where once, she said, more than 80 picklers used to ply their trade, supplying an entire metropoliss delis and restaurants with their wares.

I thought that the pickles would be a gimmick, Altshuler said. I started with 360 jars of pickles, and I made them myself. Now, the farm in Texas that I get the produce from makes them for me, and Ive gone through more than 1,000 or 1,500 in the first year. People buy pickles all the time. I have customers who have never even bought a book.

But books, not pickles, are Altshulers true passion. A veteran of the Strand Book Stores marketing department, where she wore more than a few hats (One time, when my boss walked in, I was sitting modeling a pair of socks while emailing, and someone on my team was taking a picture of my feet for the website, she recalled), she had changed jobs just before the pandemic, to do marketing for the McKittrick Hotel and its site-specific theater production, Sleep No More. She was there for four months before all McKittrick employees lost their jobs. So Altshuler, who had just moved into a tiny apartment on the LES from Greenpoint, did the one thing she could think of to do now that she had all the time in the world: read.

After a few months filled with reading and a lot of mulling her options, Altshuler decided to open her own bookstoreused, because, as she put it, I really felt that used books are so much of what makes New York really special. The books have their own stories. And with other used booksellers (which were not considered essential businesses at the time) closed during lockdown, there were lots of books available for those willing to brave the waves of Covid and go out looking.

I drove around in my car and I picked up books from people, Altshuler said. Salvation Army wasnt taking anything, Housing Works wasnt taking anything, but I was. So at a time when everybody was staying in their house not doing anything, I was going into strangers homes, and having these intimate moments with them, because books are so personal. I was packing up peoples bookshelves and they were telling me about, like, when they got to New York. This one woman had lived here for 58 years, on Park Avenue in a beautiful apartment, and she was getting ready to move with her dog to a one-bedroom in San Diego on the beach. All of these people I met made me feel like I couldnt be in more of the right place at the right time.

That didnt mean there werent challenges. It was hard work, Altshuler said. Books are heavy. Walk-ups suck. My car is only so big, and parking tickets suck. New York makes it really hard to do this kind of work. I didnt know that. But I still knew it would be worth it. I built out the store from September to November, in six weeks, every day just moving boxes, shelving, pricing all the books, getting liability insurancefiguring out how to do everything. I did this all with my savings. When I finally told my parents, they were like, What are you thinking? Do you always just have to be the craziest person? And I was like, Yeah! 

Still, the effort paid off. The business has been successful, and Altshuler even hired a few part-time employees over the course of the year. Now, shes preparing to do more to serve the neighborhood, and I dont think selling books and pickles is the only way that Sweet Pickle can do that. For her, that means stocking zines produced in the LES, hosting pop-ups, and generally helping others on the LES figure out how to do the thing they want to do, just like she did.

It feels really weird to see somebody carrying my tote bag on the street, or wearing a Sweet Pickle hat, she said. And it feels weird to ship things to Finland or Mexicoreally to ship things in general, because Im like, How do you even know what this is? But it feels really great. All of the people that Ive metcustomers, the other business owners in the neighborhood, other bookstore peoplehave been really wonderful. Its been really hard, for sure. I did a lot of manual labor. But its been really wonderful. At first, I was like, oh, I wish I did this sooner. But I also dont, because it was the perfect time to do it.
When: Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 6:30 PM -

Where: 11 rue Galilee - 75116 Paris or Online,

Book now

Queen Mary University of Londons Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS) and the Sorbonne Law School request the pleasure of your company to celebrate the Sorbonne - Queen Mary Double LLM and inaugural "Jeantet student achievement prizes" at our January 2022 Opening Lecture on: M&A and the Regulation of Foreign Direct Investment in 2022.

The EUs foreign direct investment (FDI) screening legislation has been in force for just over a year now and national governments in a number of countries in the EU and elsewhere have been adopting measures to introduce and extend FDI screening regimes. Our panel, comprised of practising lawyers, members of the faculties of law at Queen Mary and the Sorbonne and a representative of the Office for the Control of Foreign Investments in France, will discuss the latest developments in this area and their impact on the execution of M&A transactions.

About the Speakers:

Professor Farhad Ameli is Sorbonne Law Schools Vice-Dean. He teaches as a full-time Professor in the fields of International Trade Law, International contracts, International Labour Law and Arbitration. He is also an International Trade Law and French Business Law specialist attorney with substantial in-house legal experience. High premium on providing preemptive legal support in French or English. Focus on Arbitration, Litigation, enforcement Law, contract drafting, international Labour Law.

Jennifer El-Baz, Deputy to the Head of Office for Foreign Investments in France, Direction Generale du Tresor (the French Treasury).

Professor Ioannis Kokkoris holds a Chair in Competition Law and Economics at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, UK. Professor Kokkoris is an expert on competition law and economics. His main research interests span all areas of competition law and policy including comparative competition law/economics and policy focusing on EU, US, BRICS and ASEAN. He is also focusing on issues of national security concerns and FDI in US, UK and EU. Professor Kokkoris has formerly served at the UK Competition and Markets Authority, DG Competition, European Commission and US Federal Trade Commission and has more than 100 publications.

Ingrid Rogers is a senior associate in the Competition Department of the law firm Travers Smith. She advises on multi-jurisdictional merger control matters, behavioural competition law matters, and competition follow-on damages litigation. Ingrid has experience across a variety of industry sectors including life sciences, energy and infrastructure, retail and consumer goods, insurance and reinsurance, technology, and maritime shipping.

Prior to joining Travers Smith, Ingrid was a legal advisor to the UK Competition & Markets Authority.

Stephen Walters is a member of the Paris Bar and a solicitor in English law. For over twenty years he has advised clients in France and internationally on public and private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity transactions and other complex strategic transactions. His practice also includes advising on corporate governance issues and institutional investors in connection with their investments in private equity funds.

He advises clients in a wide range of sectors, with particular experience in the life sciences, technology, energy and financial services sectors.

Note: Access to Jeantet's premises for the purposes of attendance at this event will be subject to the legal restrictions and procedures then applicable in the context of the control of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the firm's policies in this regard. All attendees will be required to present a valid COVID 19 vaccination pass on arrival.

Note 2: because of the sanitary checks please note that registrations will be from 18h for an 18h30 start.
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 12/18/2021



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Snow this morning will give way to partly cloudy conditions this afternoon. High 31F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow developing after midnight. Low 22F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%. Snowfall around one inch.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  On billboards throughout northern Nevada, Republican gubernatorial candidate Joey Gilbert can be seen with clenched fists and a promise: Joey Gilbert Law, Fighting for Nevada.

Now, Gilbert is fighting efforts to reprimand him by the State Bar of Nevada. Gilbert has yet to be disciplined, but a screening panel that reviewed his work sent him a draft letter of reprimand in August alleging he harmed a client and violated the bars rules of professional conduct.

Your misconduct actually injured your client, albeit not substantially because he had no formal deadline for filing the petition. Your misconduct actually injured the integrity of the profession as well, Richard Williamson, the chair of a disciplinary panel convened by the bar, wrote in the Aug. 27 letter to Gilbert.

Gilbert is an attorney and former professional boxer who in the last year has become one of Nevada's most prominent voices calling into question the 2020 election result and decrying coronavirus vaccines. He was present in Washington, D.C., during the Jan. 6 insurrection but has said he did not enter the Capitol. Gilbert is running in a crowded primary field of Republicans hoping to unseat Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022.

The letter obtained by The Associated Press was confirmed as authentic by the State Bar of Nevada.

The Nevada Bar appoints three-member panels to evaluate grievances lodged by clients claiming harm against its attorneys. After deliberation, panels can impose sanctions, reprimand an attorney or dismiss the allegations. If the panel chooses sanctions or a reprimand, it must provide the attorney an opportunity to review the allegations and file an objection within 14 days.

Gilbert filed a motion to dismiss the letter, which the disciplinary panel denied on Dec. 1, according to filings provided by his attorney, Dominic Gentile.

Gentile said Gilbert denied all the allegations in the letter and planned to continue to fight the bar over its process and conclusions. He said the draft letter was not a public record and the State Bar should not have commented on it at this stage.

There is no final determination as to the validity of any grievance against Mr. Gilbert. A lawyer is entitled to a live hearing at which witnesses must be called to testify and be subject to cross-examination, he said.

Bar counsel Daniel Hooge said the letter was unofficial and Gilbert would not be formally disciplined until the panel holds another hearing.

While the Supreme Court of Nevada retains ultimate authority to regulate the legal profession, the Office of the Bar Counsel serves as the Courts arm to investigate and prosecute claims that a lawyer has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct. Our primary goal is to protect the public, Hooge said.

The panel's consideration comes as Gilbert campaigns throughout Nevada ahead of the Republican gubernatorial primary next June and files headline-grabbing lawsuits challenging vaccine and mask mandates.

To voters, Gilbert cites his legal work as evidence that he's the best choice to be Nevada's next governor and committed to fighting for the state.

In stump speeches he's made across the state and shared on his Facebook page, he says the legal work he's done throughout the pandemic prove his willingness to be in the trenches, fighting, referencing cases such as Calvary Chapel Lone Mountain's ongoing challenges to Nevada's coronavirus-related capacity cap on religious gatherings.

Gilbert is part of the legal team representing that church in Las Vegas, which along with another in rural Nevada, won an appeal challenging a statewide capacity cap on religious gatherings. The 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals ruled in favor of the church after the governor had rolled back the restrictions in question.

The State Bar letter claims Gilbert's firm allowed employees who weren't licensed attorneys to handle a case without supervision  a violation of professional standards and bar requirements. It alleges that a law student, who was supposed to be under Gilberts supervision per bar rules, falsely implied to a client that a petition had been filed in court when it had not.

Though Gilbert's client had paid a $3,500 retainer four months prior, the firm later dropped him as a client and returned the deposit. The draft letter also reprimands Gilbert for violating a diligence rule by not promptly alerting the client that he did not want to represent him.

Gentile said Gilbert denied the allegations.

After speaking to employees mentioned in the letter, Gentile said he believes the disciplinary panel hadn't sufficiently investigated the incident. He said he was confident the reprimand would be dismissed.

"What Joey Gilbert is doing here is he's standing up for his integrity," Gentile said.

The State Bar of Nevada said it has about 9,000 active members and prosecutes roughly 200 to 300 grievances annually. In 2021, it issued 24 reprimands, nine stayed suspensions and 15 actual suspensions. One attorney was disbarred.

___

Associated Press writer Scott Sonner contributed reporting from Reno. Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
GUILFORD  Local firefighters rescued a person who was found unresponsive while crews were doing dive training at the Westbrook YMCA this week, fire officials said.

Firefighters with the departments Dive Rescue Team have quarterly requirements to train in open water environments to remain on the team.
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  A Connecticut appeals court ruled Friday that a local historical society cannot try to impose its conservation rules on a congregational church that dates back to 1700 and is located on the celebrated Lebanon Town Green.

The ruling by the state Appellate Court is the latest chapter in years-long legal proceedings over who owns the mile-long green and how to shield it from development that would harm its historic character.

As a result of those proceedings, the Lebanon Historical Society has conservation authority over 95% of the green, meaning any construction and property improvements must adhere to its building rules and restrictions. But the First Congregational Church of Lebanon is on the 5% of the green the society does not control.

In a lawsuit filed in 2019, the historical society is seeking authority to regulate the remaining 5%, saying it needs to be protected like the rest of the green. The church argued that just because the society controls adjacent property doesn't mean it has legal standing to try to impose that authority on the property where the church buildings stand.

Three judges on the Appellate Court on Friday upheld a lower court ruling in favor of the church. They said the case has implications for property owners statewide.

To hold otherwise would allow the holder of a conservation and preservation restriction on one property to interfere with a neighbors use of its property because the holder of the restriction finds the neighbors use in some way offensive, Judge William Bright Jr. wrote in the ruling. There is simply no support in our statutes or common law for such a proposition.

The historical society intends to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court, said Leslie King, one of its lawyers.

The Lebanon Historical Society has long worked to protect and preserve the rich history of the town of Lebanon and its remarkable town green, King said in a statement. It will continue to pursue all legal options to ensure that the entirety of the green, which has for centuries been a unified whole, is protected for public use in perpetuity.

The state attorney general's office, which is a party in the lawsuit and supported the historical society's position, said in a statement that it was reviewing the ruling and considering how to respond.

The pastor of the church, the Rev. Dr. Will Sencabaugh, declined to comment. Mary Mintel Miller, the church's attorney, said a ruling against the church would have been bad for all landowners in Connecticut.

It would become a problem not just for this one piece of land in Lebanon, but for towns all over the state if suddenly neighbors can just be unhappy with the way a neighbor is using their property and say, Well, I own the next door property so I should be able to bring ... action."

The church, in another court case, is seeking ownership of the 2-acre parcel and has agreed to some restrictions requested by the town.

In 2019, a generations-old question of who actually owns the green was resolved after two years of negotiations and court hearings, giving most of the ownership to the town  excluding the church parcel  and conservation authority over 95% of the green to the historical society.

Beforehand, the green was determined to actually belong to the heirs and assigns of 51 original proprietors  the 17th and early 18th-century investors in the property. The town's historian estimated there could be about 10,000 descendants of the original landowners and most of them would have to sign off on any changes to the usage of the land.

Town officials, in a court case seeking to declare the town the owner of properties on the green, put a notice in local newspapers seeking those heirs and assigns, but none came forward.

The green has remained little changed over the past few centuries. It's lined with several historic buildings, now tourist attractions, including the homes of Revolutionary War-era Gov. Jonathan Trumbull and William Williams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, as well as Connecticuts Revolutionary War office, which was visited by George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette and heroes of the American revolution.

___

This story originally published Dec. 17, 2021, was corrected Dec. 20, 2021, to correct the position of a lawyer for the church. The attorney, Mary Mintel Miller, said a ruling against the church in the dispute would have been bad for all Connecticut landowners, not that a ruling in favor of the church would have been bad for landowners.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexico's Democratic governor signed legislation Friday to redraw the state's three congressional districts and divide a conservative stronghold into multiple districts over the objections of Republicans.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a former three-term congresswoman, on Friday said the new congressional map establishes a reasonable baseline for competitive federal elections, in which no one party or candidate may claim any undue advantage.

Republicans disagree, calling it a power grab by Democrats who have long dominated state politics.

These maps are far from fair representation, and they are a disservice to constituents, said Steve Pearce, chair of the Republican Party of New Mexico. The real losers are the rural voices of New Mexico, conservative Democrats, Republicans and independents. Democrats have deliberately carved up and extended areas in order to have an advantage. 

Consultants to the Legislature say the new congressional map gives Democrats an advantage in all three districts to varying degrees, based on past voting behavior.

Republicans need a net gain of five seats in 2022 to take control of the U.S. House and effectively freeze President Joe Bidens agenda on everything from climate change to the economy.

Democrat-backed redistricting plans for the House and Senate also were on their way to the governors office Friday after a final House vote. Both plans embrace recommendations from Native American communities for shoring up Indigenous voting blocs in New Mexico's northwest corner.

Under the new congressional map, the traditionally conservative-leaning 2nd District would incorporate heavily Hispanic neighborhoods of Albuquerque and cede portions of an oil producing region in southeastern New Mexico. GOP U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, won the district in 2020 by ousting a one-term Democrat.

The changes also hold political implications for first-term Democratic U.S. Reps. Melanie Stansbury of Albuquerque and Teresa Leger Fernandez of Santa Fe.

Republicans have warned that the congressional map is aimed at imposing political representation that is hostile to a thriving oil and natural gas industry in the southeast.

State Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth said the districts each bring together urban and rural residents.

The new congressional map creates districts where we have to work together  rural and urban, north and south, and Democrats, Republicans and independents. That is a good thing, Wirth said in a statement.

Republicans unsuccessfully fought provisions of the state Senate redistricting bill that would pit two incumbent Hispanic Republican senators against each other in the same district for the next election cycle.

Republican House minority whip Rod Montoya of Farmington said the Senate map placed Democratic and Native American priorities over the interests of other communities, including politically conservative Latinos.

"I think if you are a New Mexico Hispanic with certain priorities, you have a target on your back," said Montoya, a Latino legislator whose wife and children are Native Americans of Navajo descent.

Democratic State Rep. Anthony Allison, a member of the Navajo Nation from Fruitland, on Friday commended colleagues for adopting detailed Native American recommendations.

He said the painstaking, eight-month process of consultation among Indigenous communities on redistricting priorities was like assembling a well-balanced ball of yarn.

What I have witnessed ... is a resilience of people who have been here since time immemorial, Allison said.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., honored the life of former commissioner of aging and member of the state legislature Edith Prague on the Senate floor Friday afternoon.

Prague died Thursday at the age of 96. Originally from Columbia, Prague was a Democrat who served in the state House from 1982 to 1990. In 1991, then-Gov. Lowell Weicker appointed Prague to serve as the commissioner of the Department of Aging. She was fired in 1992 after refusing the governors order to cut the agencys budget, according to the Associated Press.

She was then elected to the state Senate from 1995 until 2012.

Murphy told national lawmakers Friday that Prague retired as the oldest member of the state Senate at age 86.

Then, at the age of 87, Prague was again tapped to serve as the aging commissioner. She retired in 2014 due to health reasons, the Associated Press reported.

She was a friend of mine and a mentor, said Murphy, who served in the Connecticut Senate with Prague. She modeled a form of public service for me that I will be eternally grateful for. There was no one in Connecticut public life as persistent, as dogged, as forceful as Edith Prague.

She woke up every day thinking about the plight of workers, the poor, and the elderly, Murphy said.

Murphy spoke for almost five minutes, detailing how she was a tireless worker and a fighter for workplace safety laws, raising minimum wage and elderly nutrition laws.

When she believed that a cause was just, nothing could stop her. She was relentless, he said, adding that her bills were usually ahead of their time.

And she did all of this with her trademark wide-grin smile, her big laugh.

Murphy said that Prague was a pain, but everybody loved her because though she worked on issues with such gravity and seriousness and controversy, she brought such transparent outward joy to her work.

She knew she was a pain, and she chuckled when people tried to push her aside because she just knew she would outlast them, Murphy added.

Edith was one of a kind and the impact she left on people who knew her, like me, and the people who never met her, like those she fought for, is indelible, Murphy concluded.

Watch his full speech here:
In February, Lori Dingwell of Waterbury tested positive for COVID-19. She says she has yet to recover fully. The 53-year-old has seen her primary care physician, a neurologist, ophthalmologist, retinal specialist, infectious disease expert and rheumatologist.

After a host of scans, blood tests and an abnormal spinal tap, Dingwell  a member of the COVID long-hauler support group Survivor Corps  said physicians had no answers to help explain her malady. Adding to her woes, she racked up nearly $10,000 in medical debt. I have it down to maybe $7,700, but it could go up, said Dingwell, a former counselor at a mental health organization in Southington.

Now, Dingwell said shes paying out-of-pocket for her mental health care, as well as a large share of her medical treatment since leaving her job a year ago. All of this despite having health insurance. I have insurance off the exchange. They dropped the premium down to like $15 a month, she said. Ive been paying for bloodwork out of my pocket. Ive been paying out-of-pocket for any tests needed.

A JAMA study, Medical Debt in the U.S., 2009 to 2020, published in July by researchers at Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, and the National Bureau of Economic Research, found that states, including Connecticut, that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act in 2014 experienced a 34 percent decline in new medical debt, compared with a 10 percent decline in states that did not expand the program over the same period.

Yet, even with expanded Medicaid coverage, patients like Dingwell fall through the gaps. I dont qualify for Medicaid, but Im low income, she said. My husband is disabled, and we are probably $250 more than the income threshold for eligibility.

Connecticut Health-I-Team analyzed county share of medical debt in Connecticut from the latest 2021 Urban Institute database. Litchfield County had the highest share of residents with medical debt at 14 percent, followed by Hartford and Windham counties at 13 percent.

A Dec. 8 search of medical bills Connecticut on the fundraising website GoFundMe generated more than 200 fundraisers. Among them, $24,782 was raised for pancreatic cancer treatment for a patient at Hartford Hospital, $15,035 for a patient with neuroblastoma at the Masonic Healthcare Center in Wallingford, and $9,700 raised for a 9-year-old who was treated at Connecticut Childrens Medical Center for a tumor. In addition to cancer treatment, people raised funds for reasons ranging from help with medical bills after a road accident to purchasing a therapy robot for a child.

Connecticut ranks among the highest in the country for per capita spending on healthcare: $9,859 in 2014 (the latest year available), compared with $8,045 nationally in 2014, data from Kaiser Family Foundation show. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the per capita national health expenditure surged to $11,172 in 2018, a staggeringly high cost for individuals with inadequate insurance.

In an effort to ease the burden, the state in July of this year began paying premiums and all cost-sharing that were not paid for caregiver adults of children on HUSKY A, up to 175 percent federal poverty level (FPL). This group is not covered by Medicaid and are enrolled in the silver plan via Access Health CT. On July 1, 2022, the state will begin paying all remaining premiums and cost-sharing, after federal assistance, for all adults under 175 percent FPL, including dental and non-emergency medical transportation.

Nonprofits are stepping in as well.

RIP Medical Debt, a New York-based nonprofit that acquires and retires medical debt for individuals, is in negotiations with at least one health system with hospitals located in Connecticut, and unfortunately cant name names right now, said Keith Hearle, interim director of debt operation, RIP.

The nonprofit now buys medical debt directly from health systems, a new model compared to debt collectors purchase of medical debt.

In 2020, donors in Connecticut  the Southern New England Conference United Church of Christ and an anonymous source  provided $2 million to support RIPs medical debt abolishment program in Hartford, New Haven and Windham counties, among others.

Companies in the private sector are also launching initiatives to disrupt the model of healthcare delivery.

Canton-based consortium Goodroot Inc. claims to have accrued $800 million in health care cost savings since 2015 for employers, groups and individuals. Each of our affiliate companies addresses a specific problem or inefficiency in healthcare, said Michael Waterbury, CEO of Goodroot. Since medical debt stems from soaring healthcare costs, all of our initiatives are working to prevent medical debt by lowering costs in the first place.

For example, member company RemedyOne leverages rebate programs to help lower pharmacy costs for employees and employers.

Goodroot also supports nonprofits that directly offer medical debt relief, such as working with a medical debt organization to negotiate new agreements with hospitals to prevent overdue payments from going to collections. In 2022, we will be launching a Goodroot affiliate that remediates medical debt, Waterbury said.

Connecticut passed a law this year that goes into effect in October of 2022 that eliminates a loophole health care organizations have used to avoid limits on billing and collections. And, medical facilities have been required to disclose facility fees.

This, combined with the ban on surprise billing and the price transparency rule at the federal level, represent major strides toward eliminating medical debt, but many causes of medical debt remain unchecked, Waterbury said.

For instance, providers are still under no obligation to estimate or predict the cost of care.

And, strangely, the price for some medications and procedures that is billed to people without insurance is sometimes lower than the out-of-pocket cost to someone with insurance, Waterbury said. Currently, there is no way to know if a procedure you are having done would cost less if you do not run it through your insurance.

For Lori Dingwell, her financial and medical difficulties continue. A specialist advised her to get a second spinal tap as a follow-up to the abnormal results on the first one. The insurance is not going to cover that, Dingwell said.

For now, she has a payment plan with her doctors. My neurologist tried to get me to pay them $150 a month, she said. They said, Whoa, youre paying $50 now, and your bill is increasing. And I said I cannot.

When a specialist referred Dingwell to a COVID clinic, the first thing the staff on the phone informed her was that her insurer would not cover the majority of her treatment.

They told me that I will be responsible for my bills, Dingwell said. At that point, I just gave up.

Ishan Rangarajan, an economics student at Princeton University, contributed to this story.

This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team ( c-hit.org ), a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting.
The situation in Afghanistan and boosting connectivity and development cooperation are set to be key focus areas of the third edition of India's dialogue with five Central Asian countries on Sunday.

A day ahead of the dialogue, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hosted a dinner for the visiting foreign ministers. A cultural show was also organised in their honour.

"Hosted the Central Asian Foreign Ministers to a welcome dinner before our Dialogue tomorrow. The cultural show was just one more reminder of our closeness," Jaishankar tweeted.

The dialogue is being attended by foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

In the last few years, India has been focusing on expanding overall cooperation with the energy-rich Central Asian countries, considering them to be part of its extended neighbourhood.

The upswing in India's engagement with the region followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's whirlwind tour of the five countries in July 2015 that resulted in the expansion of two-way ties in a range of areas.

The recent developments in Afghanistan reinforced the importance of the Central Asian countries with three of them -- Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan -- sharing borders with the war-torn nation.

The national security advisors of all the five Central Asian countries attended an India-hosted regional dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10. It was also participated by NSAs of Russia and Iran.

The focus of the dialogue will be to enhance connectivity and development cooperation as well as the unfolding developments in Afghanistan, officials said.

"The ministers are expected to discuss further strengthening of relations between India and Central Asian countries with particular focus on trade, connectivity and development cooperation," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday.

"They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest," he said at a media briefing.

The second meeting of the India-Central Asia dialogue was organised by India in October last year in digital video-conference format.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held wide-ranging talks with his Tajik counterpart Sirojiddin Muhriddin, covering bilateral ties in areas of energy, connectivity and trade, besides deliberating on the situation in Afghanistan.

Jaishankar described the talks as "productive" and said views were exchanged on expanding bilateral cooperation in several areas.

In his opening remarks, the external affairs minister talked about common concerns over developments in Afghanistan and said India was looking forward to easier travel with Tajikistan through recognition of vaccine certificates.

Muhriddin arrived here on Friday on a four-day bilateral visit as well as to attend the India-Central Asia Dialogue.

"Our support for each other during Covid, I think was very good. We were happy to provide 'Made in India' vaccines and certainly now we look forward to easier travel between India and Tajikistan through recognition of our vaccine certificates," he said.

"We've also, of course as neighbours of Afghanistan, we have been very concerned at the developments there. And the participation of the Secretary of your Security Council in the Regional Security Dialogue, which we hosted in November, is something which is deeply appreciated," Jaishankar said.

He also expressed New Delhi's appreciation for Tajikistan's support in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Kabul. Tajikistan had provided transit facilities to Indian flights that were part of the evacuation mission.

"I would also like to publicly thank you for the tremendous support that you gave us during the evacuation of Indians from Afghanistan in August and September, both Indians as well as some members of the Afghan minority community," he said.

The external affairs minister also thanked Muhriddin for his country's decision to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, an India-backed initiative.

"Productive discussions with my friend, Tajik FM Sirojiddin Muhriddin. Exchanged views on expanding our bilateral cooperation in energy, connectivity, trade, security and capacity building. Valued his insights on regional developments," Jaishankar tweeted later.

The Tajik foreign ministry said the two sides discussed the security situation in the region besides exchanging views on strengthening ties in areas of trade, investment, energy, culture and education.

"The foreign ministers discussed the issues of development of bilateral relations and stressed the need to implement the agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries on strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation," it said.

It further said the two sides discussed other issues related to the deepening of bilateral relations in the framework of international and regional organizations, as well as the security situation in the region.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
New Delhi/Mumbai, Dec 18 (PTI) India's Omicron COVID count rose to 126 on Saturday after Karnataka and Kerala reported six and four cases respectively, while three more persons in Maharashtra also tested positive for the variant.

According to central and state officials, omicron cases have been detected in 11 states and union territories -- Maharashtra (43), Delhi (22), Rajasthan (17) and Karnataka (14), Telangana (8), Gujarat (7), Kerala (11), Andhra Pradesh (1), Chandigarh (1), Tamil Nadu (1) and West Bengal (1).

Of the six new cases in Karnataka, one is a passenger from the UK, while five others are from COVID-19 clusters in two educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada district, and their travel history or contact with the international travellers are being ascertained, officials said.

"Two cluster outbreaks of COVID have been reported from two educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada today: Cluster 1: 14 cases (of which 4 are Omicron). Cluster 2: 19 cases (1 is Omicron). A traveller from UK has also tested positive for Omicron," Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said in a tweet.

In Kerala, two cases of the new variant of the coronavirus were detected from Thiruvananthapuram in patients aged 17 and 44. One case was detected in Malappuram in a person aged 37 and another was a 49-year-old patient from Thrissur district.

"The 17-year-old patient in Thiruvananthapuram came from the UK while the 44-year-old reached the state from Tunisia in a chartered flight. The patient in Malappuram came from Tanzania while the Thrissur native came from Kenya," Health Minister Veena George said in a release.

A couple and their 13-year-old daughter have tested positive for the Omicron variant of coronavirus after returning to Satara in western Maharashtra from Uganda, officials said.

Their other daughter, who is five years old, tested positive for COVID-19 but not for the variant.

All four returned to Phaltan in Satara district from the African country on December 9, state health department officials said.

"The husband (35), wife (33) and their elder daughter (13) tested positive for COVID-19 while the report of the younger child was inconclusive, so the samples of all four were sent to the National Institute of Virology for genome sequencing," said Civil Surgeon Dr Subhash Chavan.

The Centre has warned it is likely that the spread of the new variant will outpace the Delta variant where there is community transmission.

It has advised people to avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings and keep New Year celebrations at low intensity.

While the country's first two cases of the Omicron variant were detected in Karnataka on December 2, this heavily mutated version of the coronavirus was first reported in South Africa on November 24.

The national capital on Saturday recorded 86 fresh COVID-19 cases in a day, the highest in over five months.

On July 8, Delhi had reported 93 coronavirus cases.

The rise in cases is being recorded amid the Omicron scare in Delhi as the total number of patients infected with the latest variant of coronavirus jumped by 12 on Friday to reach 22.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday assured the people that his government is ready to tackle the Omicron variant of COVID and advised people not to panic.

Other states too said they were making preparations to deal with a possible rise in Omicron cases.

Odisha has arranged for an adequate number of hospital beds, medical oxygen and medicines to deal with any emergency, state Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra said. "No one can rule out the possibility of the third wave of COVID-19 with increasing Omicron cases. We are well prepared to tackle the situation," the official said.

Odisha has not recorded any case of the new coronavirus variant so far but neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal reported such infections.

The World Health Organization on Saturday stressed on urgent scale-up of public health and social measures to curtail the further spread of the Omicron variant.

Countries can and must prevent the spread of Omicron with proven health and social measures, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, Poonam Khetrapal Singh said.

"Our focus must continue to be to protect the least protected and those at high risk, she said in a statement.

The overall threat posed by Omicron largely depends on three key questions - its transmissibility; how well the vaccines and prior SARS-CoV-2 infection protect against it, and how virulent the variant is as compared to other variants.

"From what we know so far, Omicron appears to spread faster than the Delta variant which has been attributed to the surge in cases across the world in the last several months," Singh said.

Emerging data from South Africa suggests an increased risk of re-infection with Omicron, she said, adding that there is still limited data on the clinical severity associated with Omicron.

Further information is needed to fully understand the clinical picture of those infected with Omicron, she said.

Health care capacity including ICU beds, oxygen availability, adequate health care staff and surge capacity need to be reviewed and strengthened at all levels, she stressed. PTI KSU AAM RRT RSK VIT PLB RT RT

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New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) A leading French defence major is set to produce an engine for a military platform in India as part of a joint venture with an Indian company under the strategic partnership model, a move aimed at further ramping up defence cooperation between the two countries.

In an address at an industry chamber on Saturday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh referred to the move that was agreed to in his wide-ranging talks with his French counterpart, Florence Parly.

Though the defence minister did not specify about the engine and its use, people familiar with the development said the project will be focussed on the requirement for military helicopters that India plans to roll out in the next few years.

Singh held talks with Parly on Friday with a focus on further boosting co-development and co-production of various platforms.

"It was a matter of manufacturing of an engine. I am happy to say that the French government has agreed that a major French company will come to India and produce the engine here under the strategic partnership with an Indian company," he said, referring to his talks with Parly.

The defence minister made the remarks to emphasise that India has clearly been sending out a message to the United States, Russia, France and many of its partner countries that military platforms and equipment required by the Indian armed forces will have to be manufactured in India.

The people cited above said India and France have been in talks for the engine project.

In 2017, India unveiled the ambitious strategic partnership (SP) model to facilitate joint ventures between select private Indian firms and foreign defence majors to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in the country.

The model aims to create a vibrant defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country through joint ventures between Indian corporates and global defence majors.

India has already spent Rs 2,035 crore for the development of a fighter jet engine to power indigenously-built aircraft. However, the Kaveri engine project is yet to be completed.

The engine project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 1989 and was primarily rolled out for India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme.

After the talks between Singh and Parly, the defence ministry said they discussed defence industrial cooperation with a focus on future collaborations and co-production of equipment.

"The ministers acknowledged their convergences on a number of strategic and defence issues. They expressed commitment to work together to enhance cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral forums," it said in a statement. PTI MPB RC

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Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday attacked Pakistan and stated that If India wanted, it could have occupied Pakistan's land in 1971. However, he reminded that India is a country that never attacks first or has occupied even one inch of any other country.

"Without naming Pakistan, Rajnath Singh said, "India is such a country in the world that has never attacked any country nor occupied one inch of the land of any country. If we wanted, we could have occupied their land in the 1971 war. I won't take the name of that country," he said

On December 16, India celebrated 50 years of its win against Pakistan and the liberation of Bangladesh. Sparked by the initiation of the Pakistani military's Operation Searchlight against the people of East Pakistan on March 25, 1971, the Indo-Pak war resulted in the Liberation of East Pakistan (Bangladesh). India won the war in just 13 days on December 16, 1971, with 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war, when West Pakistan's armed forces in Bangladesh surrendered.

The Defence Minister made this statement during his address at the annual convention of the FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry).

US, Russia, others conveyed that equipment for Indian forces to be produced domestically: Defence Min

During his address at FICCI annual convention, Rajnath Singh said that India has sent a clear message to the United States, France, Russia and many of its partner nations that military platforms and equipment needed by the Indian forces have to be manufactured in the country.

Referring to regional geopolitical developments, the union defence minister asserted that God has given India some neighbours who don't feel good seeing outgrowth and the one that was born out of the partition (Pakistan) is becoming weak worrying about developments in India.

"We have told every friendly country that we want to produce the military platforms, weapons and ammunition in India itself keeping in mind the security of the country. We have conveyed this message to the US, Russia, France and others as well and we do not hesitate to communicate this message," he said.

Citing an example, Rajnath Singh, after his talks with French Defence Minister Florence Parly, said that a major French firm has agreed to produce "an engine" in India by joining hands with an Indian firm under the strategic partnership model.
Rajnath Singh hits out at Pakistan over 1971 war; asserts India never initiates attack

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday attacked Pakistan and stated that If India wanted, it could have occupied Pakistan's land in 1971. However, he reminded that India is a country that never attacks first or has occupied even one inch of any other country.

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ED detects Rs 500 crore laundered by China-backed fintech apps; NBFC firm's CEO held

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday unearthed a massive money laundering racket to the tune of Rs 500 crore involving Indian Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), fintech firms, and Chinese investors.

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Alleged sacrilege attempt at Golden Temple thwarted; Police confirm suspect killed

An alleged sacrilege attempt was made at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Saturday, confirmed the police. The suspect, as per the police, crossed the barrier, barging into the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine in an alleged attempt to desecrate Guru Granth Sahib. The suspect has been killed, the police informed.

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Republic confronts Rahul Gandhi & Priyanka Vadra over inaction against Ramesh Kumar

With the chorus demanding action against Congress MLA Ramesh Kumar growing by the day, Republic TV on Saturday confronted Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra over the Karnataka leader's 'enjoy rape' remark. The two leaders, who were confronted shortly after they addressed a rally in Amethi, avoided Republic TV's questions and refrained from commenting on the outrageous statement.

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Karnataka Women Commission chief calls Ramesh Kumar's 'enjoy rape' remark 'unfortunate'

Karnataka State Commission for Women Chairperson Pramila Naidu on Saturday said that comments of former Karnataka Assembly speaker and senior Congress leader KR Ramesh Kumar are unfortunate. Speaking to Republic Media Network, Naidu said, "He is a senior politician. What he said is unfortunate for us."

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Owaisi takes on Centre over proposal to raise legal marriage age; 'Why is PM so afraid?'

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday slammed the PM Narendra Modi-led BJP government over the proposal to raise the legal age of marriage. Speaking to Republic Media Network, the Hyderabad MP said that if the law allows women to vote at 18 years, then why not marry.

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Akhilesh Yadav retorts to PM Modi's 'Upyogi' remark, calls UP CM 'Unupyogi Bisht'

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav wielded a fresh attack on the Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath while campaigning for the upcoming state assembly elections on Saturday. In response to PM Modis praise for UP CM Yogi Adityanath, calling him Upyogi, the Samajwadi Party President said that he is Unupyogi.

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Sidhu calls Kejriwal 'political tourist' in Punjab; claims he 'bowed down to drug mafia'

A war of words erupted between Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and PPCC Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on social media after the former raised the issue of the sand mafia in Punjab. On Saturday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked Congress over the alleged illegal sand mining in CM Charanjit Singh Channi's constituency saying that Rs 20,000 crore would be released if the mafia is tackled.

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Rahul Gandhi continues with his attack on Hindutva; politicises PM Modi's Ganga dip again

Addressing a rally in Amethi, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday stoked a fresh controversy by adding to his 'Hindus vs Hindutvavadis' comparison once again. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dip in the holy Ganga, Rahul Gandhi remarked that while a 'Hindu' bathes with crores of people in Ganga, a 'Hindutvavadi' bathes alone.

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Sameer Wankhede's sister Yasmeen files criminal defamation suit against Nawab Malik

Another criminal defamation suit has been filed against Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik by a family member of NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede. In the fresh lawsuit, Sameer's sister, Yasmeen Wankhede, has accused Malik of making "false, defamatory and baseless" allegations against her family as a "counterblast for the arrest of his son-in-law" in a drug bust case.

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Image: Republic World
Another criminal defamation suit has been filed against Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik by a family member of NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede. In the fresh lawsuit, Sameer's sister, Yasmeen Wankhede, has accused Malik of making "false, defamatory and baseless" allegations against her family as a "counterblast for the arrest of his son-in-law" in a drug bust case.

"The said attempt was made with a malafide intention to pressurise the family, particularly Yasmeen's brother Sameer Wankhede to succumb to the high-handed political tactics. However, the said attempts made by the Accused to pressurise the Complainant's brother have failed miserably," the suit before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Mumbai's Andheri read.

Yasmeen accuses Malik of calling her 'lady don', posting fabricated chats with 'peddler'

Yasmeen, in her suit, has cited tweets wherein the Maharashtra minister reportedly made various defamatory and scandalous unfounded allegations against her family.

Talking about one such tweet, in which Malik had shared her image with Fletcher Patel with the caption - "Fletcher Patel seen in this picture with someone who he calls as 'my lady don'. Who is this 'lady don?" - Yasmeen said that Malik in the said tweet and various other tweets, had referred to her as 'lady don'.

Additionally, in her lawsuit, Yasmeen accused Malik of posting fabricated tweets about her. She was referring to a tweet uploaded by Nawab Malik wherein he embedded screenshots of her chats with a drug peddler, which Yasmeen said was fabricated.

'Ughai ka Dhanda in the Maldives': Malik captioned post with Yasmeen's picture

Sameer Wankhede's sister, Yasmeen, also talked about a tweet in which her pictures has been shared with the caption - "Ughai ka Dhanda in the Maldives" - in her lawsuit. As per the NCB officer's sister, the Maharashtra minister has clearly insinuated that during her visit to the Maldives, Yasmeen had indulged in extortion. Additionally, Yasmeen cited an interview in which Malik has claimed that she was somehow engaged in some business in Bollywood.

Notably, since the Mumbai cruise drug bust case in October 2021, Nawab Malik has launched several attacks against Sameer Wankhede and his family members, including his father Dnyandev Wankhede, his sister Yasmeen Wankhed and his wife Kranti Redkar.
Taking a dig at both Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Congress unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, ex-CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday, raised the recent drone spotting in the state. He advised the CM tpo 'stop doing Bhangra' and make his Home minister come out of denial. Attacking Sidhu, he suggested that he (Sidhu) should tell his elder brother Imran Khan to stop trying to disturb our border state of Punjab. Singh has warned Congress chief Sonia Gandhi against making Sidhu as CM, terming him an 'unstable man' and pro-Pakistan, endangering security issues in Punjab's borders.

Capt attacks Sidhu & Channi

Instead of doing Bhangra all day CM Punjab should advice his home minister to get active and come out of denial mode. Also tell your party president (if he listens to you) to ask his elder brother Imran Khan to stop trying to disturb our border state of Punjab! https://t.co/oLBNydBPH2  Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) December 18, 2021

Earlier in day, the Border Security Force (BSF) shot down a drone in the Ferozpur sector of Indo-Pakistan international border in Punjab. The drone - a recce hexacopter- was spotted hovering over the area covered in thick fog possibly surveying the area. BSF is still carrying searches along the international border as similar drones were found to be dropping drugs and weapons into the region. Punjab govt has opposed Centre's move increasing BSF's jurisdiction, moving the Supreme Court.

Capt allies with BJP

On Friday, the ex-CM announced his alliance with BJP after a meeting with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. "The decision on seat-sharing will be taken on a seat-to-seat basis, with winnability being the priority," Captain Amarinder Singh said, adding that they were ready for the elections and were '101% sure' of winning it. Punjab will go to polls in February 2022.

Formally resigning from Congress on November 2, Singh wrote a scathing 7-page letter to party president Sonia Gandhi explaining the rationale behind his decision. Recalling his political journey, he asserted that the Congress government fulfilled 92% of the 2017 election manifesto promises during his tenure as the CM. He also took umbrage at the "midnight conspiracy" carried out by Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra whereby a Congress Legislative Party meeting was called without keeping him in the loop. On this occasion, he also announced that his new party will be called 'Punjab Lok Congress'.

Navjot Singh Sidhu and his supporters rebelled against then-CM Capt Amarinder Singh moving the High Command claiming the party's 18-point agenda was not being fulfilled. After many rounds of talks, Congress High Command picked Sidhu as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief, inspite of the CM's vehement opposition. Later, blindsided by the CLP meeting called without his knowledge, 79-year-old Capt Amarinder Singh tendered his resignation from the Punjab CM post and later quit Congress. He was replaced by 58-year-old Dalit leader and Sidhu aide Charanjit Singh Channi.
Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday attacked ex-Congress President Rahul Gandhi for refusing to wear Rudraksha (prayer beads). Speaking to Republic Media Network, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said that Wayanad MP does not understand what is Rudraksha and Tulsi mala.

"When Rahul wants a vote, he says he is Hindu but when someone gives him Rudraksha he rejects it... He thinks himself as a king, without doing anything and he knows nothing," the Union Minister said.

Acharya Tushar Bhosale of the BJP's Adhyatmik Aghadi (spiritual front) said that Rahul Gandhi has proved that blood running in his veins is not of India but Italy. "Rahul Gandhi with Italian DNA rejected wearing holy Rudraksha. If someone had brought him a skull cap, he would have definitely worn it," he said.

Slamming Congress leader, BJP IT chief Amit Malviya tweeted, "First a 1971 war veteran is pushed around in Rahul Gandhis presence then he refuses to accept a rudraksha offered by one of the attendees. He is the same man who hops temples just before elections, claims to be a janeudhari Hindu and of late pontificates on Hinduism. #Uttarakhand."

First a 1971 war veteran is pushed around in Rahul Gandhis presence then he refuses to accept a rudraksh offered by one of the attendees. He is the same man who hops temples just before elections, claims to be a janeudhari Hindu and of late pontificates on Hinduism.#Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/qxETt4EIG8  Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 17, 2021

All these reactions are in response to a viral video in which Rahul Gandhi refuses to wear Rudraksha. The clip was from Congress' election campaign in Uttarakhand's capital Dehradun on Vijay Diwas (December 16).

Congress defends ex-party chief in Rudraksha row

Satpal Brahmachari, the Congress leader who offered rudraksha to Rahul Gandhi said that the ex-party chief had asked to respect the soldiers and not him on that day. "It is not that he refused to wear Rudraksha. He is a great leader, I respect him. Rahul Gandhi had said that respect the soldiers, not me. I have come to honour the soldiers who defeated Pakistan in 1971 in 13 days. Respect the soldiers, not me," Brahmachari said.

There are some people who are upset after he refused to wear. BJP is raising this issue for their own interest," he added.

(Image: Twitter@AmityMalviya/ANI)
The year 2021 hit the space industry hard. Just like other sectors, space researchers scrambled to launch their much-vaunted missions. While a few launches got rescheduled, most of them were operationalized. From Jeff Bezos maiden trip to outer space to Chinas very own space station, here are space programs that took off this year.

A trio of Martian missions, February

In February, three missions- all aiming for the red planet were launched. On February 9, United Arab Emirates Hope orbiter reached successfully orbit around Mars. Meanwhile, NASAs Perseverance touched down inside the Red Planet's Jezero Crater on February 18. In the same month, Chinas Tianwen-1 also landed on the red planet.

James Webb Space Telescope, October

After facing delays of months, the mission involved the James Webb space telescopes (JWST) will be launched in scheduled to launch on December 24, 2021, at 7:20 Eastern Standard Time. NASA has said the extraterritorial telescope will emphasize doing state-of-the-art infrared observations from the earths orbit. "The James Webb Space Telescopes revolutionary technology will study every phase of cosmic historyfrom within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. Webbs infrared telescope will explore a wide range of science questions to help us understand the origins of the universe and our place in it," the space agency said.

Just in from the Webb launch site: The team has fixed the connection issue and @NASAWebb is in the midst of its final scheduled aliveness test before launch. Well provide an additional update on the status of encapsulation and the launch date tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/ehFVzfeeCI  Thomas Zurbuchen (@Dr_ThomasZ) December 16, 2021

Chinese Space Station

In May 2021, China launched Tianhe, the first of the orbiting space station's three modules, and the country aims to finish building the station by the end of 2022. The next launch of the Tiangong program is a modular orbital space station about one-fifth the size of the ISS. Once completed, the space station will consist of a 20-ton core module, two smaller research modules, and a cargo transport craft. It is expected to support three astronauts for long-term habitation.

Parker Solar Probe, December

NASA's spacecraft Parker Solar Probe touched the Sun flying past its outer atmosphere and entering the 'Corona', the Sun's upper atmosphere on December 15. The American space agency stated that the spacecraft has sampled particles and magnetic fields in Corona which is 'one giant leap for solar science'.

Blue Origins big year

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos blasted off to the edge of space on July 20, along with three other members of the all-civilian crew on Blue Origin vessel. The sub-orbital trip was made possible by the New Shepard launch vehicle. In October, the company created headlines by launching famed actor William Shatner along with Glen de Vries, Dr Chris Boshuizen, and Audrey Powers on a short trip beyond Earth.

The view from #NewShepard at apogee is something our #NS19 astronauts will never forget. Todays flight featured a full capsule of six astronauts, each with their own window seat. pic.twitter.com/MOUT4YgnLC  Blue Origin (@blueorigin) December 11, 2021

(Image: NASA)
Cyprus on Saturday toughened COVID-19 screening for all travellers from the UK over age 12, including requiring them to quarantine until results are in from a lab test performed at the airport.

Cyprus' Health Ministry cited Britain's drastic increase in omicron variant cases as the reason for the stepped-up measures, which apply to travellers whether or not they've been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19.

Under the new rules, arriving passengers who test positive at Cyprus' airport must remain in isolation until Health Ministry officials contact them with further instructions.

At the airport, passengers also will receive five rapid test kits that they must use during their stays on the Mediterranean island if their PCR tests are negative.

In case of a positive self-test, they are required to contact a doctor in Cyprus and to undergo another PCR test.

Cyprus has a sizeable British expatriate community, and typically more than half of all tourists arriving to the east Mediterranean island nation are from the UK.

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At least 16 people were killed and 15 others injured in Pakistan's financial capital of Karachi on Saturday when a powerful blast, apparently triggered by a gas explosion in a covered sewage drain, ripped through the building of a private bank situated on it, police said.

Most of the casualties are reportedly customers and staff present inside the HBL bank which was built on top of a covered sewage drain in Karachi's Shershah area and collapsed following the explosion, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.

Sindh Home Department Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervaiz confirmed that 16 people died in the explosion, while 15 others were injured, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The dead also included father of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's member Alamgir Khan.

SHO Zafar Ali Shah said the explosion took place in a drain located underneath a private bank, which had been served a notice to vacate the premises so the drain could be cleaned up.

Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab said that an investigation was under way to ascertain the cause of the blast.

An initial report of the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) said that the explosion was caused by a build-up of gas in the sewerage line.

A senior official was quoted in the report as saying that that counter-terrorism officials were also probing the explosion.

A police spokesperson clarified that there was no lead suggesting that the blast might be linked to terrorism, Geo TV reported.

Meanwhile, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), said that there was "no SSGC gas pipeline" in the area, the report said.

Negating the BDS' report, the SSGC said, "It is important to note that neither were flames visible nor was there smell of natural gas in the area - which is a clear indication that the blast is not linked to any of SSGC's pipelines." Police said that the bank building was built on a narrow watercourse having sewerage and gas lines, making it difficult to ascertain whether the explosion was due to accumulation of gas in the sewerage line or something happened with the gas pipeline or explosive material was placed there.

"We have no idea whether it was a gas blast. Our first priority is the rescue operation and then we can determine the cause of the explosion," said Sharjeel Kharal, Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) for the South region.

Footage of the blast showed a damaged building and debris on the ground along with damaged vehicles as rescue workers were trying to retrieve the injured.

According to a report in Geo TV, eyewitnesses claim that there are many people who are buried underneath the debris of the building.

Excavators have been called to the site to remove the debris and rescue any persons trapped there.

A bomb disposal unit (BDU) has also arrived at the location which has been cordoned off, the Geo TV report said.

According to the eyewitnesses account, being a Saturday, there were only nine employees of the RBL bank reporting for duty.

Another eyewitness said that he saw a few people fall into the watercourse, underneath the building, when the blast took place.

The Geo TV report said that a second blast took place during the rescue and search operation when a few electric wires, which were being taken down, collided with the gas line but no loss of life was reported.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident.

The explosion occurred a day before Pakistan was hosting the 17th extraordinary meeting of the OIC foreign minister in Islamabad to tackle the situation in Afghanistan.

Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani said that according to the details he had received so far, the bank's building was constructed and given on rent by the SITE Association of Industry.

"I am unable to understand that how can an institution construct a building on a nullah (drain) and rent it out," the minister said.

The minister said principally, the construction of any structure on a drain was not legal, the Dawn reported.

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Pakistan is trying to turn the international spotlight on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Mutaqqi, ahead of the OIC Foreign Ministers Conference on Sunday.

Muttaqi arrived in Islamabad on Saturday to attend the 17th extraordinary session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperations (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers to discuss the prevailing situation in Afghanistan.

Pakistan had been continuously drawing the international communitys attention towards economic challenges inside Afghanistan and urging for immediate provision of humanitarian assistance, a statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office said.

During the meeting with Muttaqi, Qureshi also highlighted Pakistans contribution towards a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, particularly in the provision of humanitarian assistance, the Foreign Office statement said.

In turn, Muttaqi thanked Qureshi for supporting Afghanistan and for convening the OIC meet, which will see the representation of around 437 delegates.

Muttaqi also discussed the current economic situation with German Special Representative for Afghanistan Jasper Wieck.

Afghanistan's economy is facing a major crisis after the Taliban seized power in Kabul in mid-August amid a chaotic US and NATO troop withdrawal from the war-torn country.

Following hardline Islamists assuming power in Afghanistan, the international community froze billions of dollars' worth of assets abroad and stopped all funding to the country.

Qureshi, meanwhile, also met Foreign Minister of Bosnia & Herzegovina Dr. Bisera Turkovic on the sidelines and exchanged views on issues of regional importance, including the situation in Afghanistan.

The minister also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and Malaysia Saifuddin Abdullah.

Separately, the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi also met Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi and exchanged views on bilateral and regional issues, including the urgency for channelising humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

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As many as three Russian military aircraft delivered 36 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Kabul, according to a statement from the Russian ministry's press service on Saturday. The official statement informed, "Upon an order of Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergey Shoigu to organise a cargo haul (to Afghanistan), three planes of the Russian military and transport aviation were dispatched and they took off as soon as possible from the Chkalovsk airfield," Russian state-owned TASS reported.

The flights that were organised on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, carrying humanitarian aid, landed at the Kabul airport to evacuate more than 300 Russians from Afghanistan.

The Kremlin is also planning to send nearly 900 Afghan nationals studying at Russian universities back to their homelands, the Russian Ambassador to Kabul, Dmitry Zhirnov, said on Thursday. This is the fourth evacuation group organised by Russian authorities, and the aircraft is to fly Russian and Kyrgyz citizens to Moscow.

It is worth mentioning here that since the Taliban took control of Kabul, Russia has evacuated 770 Russian, Belarusian, Kyrgyz, Armenian, Ukrainian, and Afghan nationals from the country and sent more than 70 tonnes of humanitarian cargo, including food and medication, said the defence ministry.

Situation in Afghanistan

The US administration led by then-President Donald Trump signed an agreement with the Taliban in Qatar's capital of Doha on 29 February 2020. According to the deal, the US and coalition members decided to withdraw their military forces from Afghanistan by the end of August 2021. As part of the agreement, the Taliban promised that they would not use Afghan land to carry out any terror activities posing any kind of threat to the US or its allies.

Ever since the US military left Kabul, the Taliban has taken control of the country, and on September 7, the hardline Islamist group announced a new government consisting of only the members of the Taliban. Since the formation of the new regime, the Taliban has been seeking to gain support from international communities and to build a good relationship with the US. A war-ravaged Afghanistan is currently facing a massive financial crisis and countries like Russia, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, and India are sending humanitarian assistance.

(Image: AP)
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed full support for the citizens of Lebanon in a video message ahead of his visit to the Middle Eastern country. Guterres will be travelling to the Middle Eastern country to discuss how best the UN can help the country overcome its ongoing crisis and promote peace, justice and human rights.

Lebanon has been reeling under a severe economic and political crisis that was compounded by a massive blast in the country's capital, Beirut, last year. The explosion that was caused by a large amount of ammonium stored at the Beirut port had killed over 200 people, rendered hundreds of thousands homeless, and caused damages worth over $15 billion.

Ahead of his visit, Guterres stated, I am coming to Lebanon with one simple message: the United Nations stands with the people of Lebanon.

Next week I will be traveling to Lebanon with one simple message: the @UN stands with you.



I look forward to engaging with people from all backgrounds & communities to discuss how we can best help to overcome the crisis and promote peace, justice & human rights. pic.twitter.com/Plkr4CmG3J  Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) December 17, 2021

The UN Secretary-General, who is expected to reach Lebanon on Sunday afternoon and stay until Wednesday, highlighted the fact that long-term solutions can only be found within Lebanon.

It is essential for leaders to put the people first, and implement the reforms needed to set Lebanon back on track, including efforts to promote accountability and transparency, and root out corruption, the UN chief said.

Children threatened by violence in Lebanon

As per a new assessment released on Friday by UNICEF, nearly one million children in Lebanon are at risk of violence as the crisis worsens. As families struggle to cope, one in every two children is in a significant danger to physical, psychological, or sexual assault, the report stated. The number of child abuse cases and exploitation addressed by UNICEF as well as partners increased by 44% from 3,913 in October 2020 to 5,621 a year later.

According to a poll by UNICEF partner groups, documented incidences of child labour increased by over half, or 53%, and the problem is now the group's top protection priority. Children as young as six years old are already working on fields, on the sidewalks, and selling illegal gasoline, UNICEF revealed, placing them in danger of catastrophic burns or death.

In addition to this, teenage girls in Lebanon are in danger of being married off, with one out of every five Syrian females aged 15 to 19 married. In the previous three years, the percentage of women and girls getting help for gender-based violence has climbed dramatically: from 21% in 2018 to 26% in 2019 and 35% in 2020.

In Lebanon, the UN is working to safeguard children from violence, exploitation, and trafficking by decreasing poverty, boosting access to social assistance, education, and healthcare, and collaborating with authorities to enhance protective services. During his Lebanon trip, Guterres will meet several officials and groups to explore how effectively the UN can help the nation in overcoming the crisis and promoting peace, security, justice, prosperity, as well as human rights.

(Image: AP/Shutterstock)
A recent report suggests that Chinese espionage operations in the United States are at an all-time high, with the country recently extraditing a high-ranking Chinese spy from Europe in November. Yanjun Xu, Deputy Director of China's Ministry of State Security (MSS), was primarily responsible for external intelligence. It is the first time that a high-ranking official has been extradited to the United States for trial, ANI reported citing The HK post. The fact that the FBI opens a new counterintelligence case into China every 12 hours demonstrates how severe Chinese espionage activities in the US is, the report added.

Earlier on November 5, the US Federal Court ruled that Xu is a Chinese citizen and the Deputy Division Director of the Ministry of State Security's Sixth Bureau in Jiangsu Province. "This conviction of a card-carrying intelligence officer for economic espionage underscores that trade secret theft is integral to the PRC government's plans to modernise its industries," Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division stated while announcing the conviction. According to the report, the Yanjun Xu case is groundbreaking because it could lead to more Chinese espionage activity targeting the United States.

According to the US think tank CSIS survey, there have been 160 publicly reported instances of Chinese espionage directed towards the United States since 2000. The survey claimed that the Chinese military or government employees were responsible for 42% of the cases. It was found that 24% of the 160 cases occurred between 2000 and 2009, while 76% of them occurred between 2010 and 2021, The HK Post reported.

US witnessed 1,300% surge in economic espionage investigations in last 5 years: FBI

FBI Director Christopher Wray claimed earlier this year that the US government has seen a 1,300% surge in economic espionage investigations over the last five years. "I don't think there is any country that poses a greater danger to our innovation, economic security, and democratic values than China," Wray was quoted by The HK post as saying. Earlier this month, Microsoft announced that it has thwarted the espionage efforts of a Chinese hacker gang with the seizure of 42 websites that reportedly gathered intelligence from foreign ministries, think tanks, and human rights organisations in 29 countries, including the United States.

(With ANI inputs)

Image: AP/Pixabay
In a shocking incident, a seven-month-old infant in South Korea was accidentally injected with the COVID-19 vaccine instead of a flu shot and suffered no side effects. As per the South Korean news agency, Yonhap, the incident took place in the countrys Seongnam district where the paediatrician accidentally gave the baby an adult dose of Modernas COVID-19 vaccine that was meant for the mother of the child.

Reportedly, the incident took place on September 29 and the baby was treated at a nearby hospital for at least five days but it showed no special signs of side effects, the authorities said. The parents, however, filed a lawsuit against the paediatrician and sought compensation for the wrong injection. It is to note that COVID-19 vaccination for children above the age of five has been approved by a range of countries including the Netherlands, France, Italy, Denmark and others.

What is the COVID-19 vaccination status for children under 5?

While children as young as 5 can now get vaccinated against COVID-19, the timeline for children under the age of five still has a number of stages. On Friday, Pfizer-BioNTech announced data from its ongoing trial of children 2 to 4 indicating that 3-micrograms or one-tenth of the adult dose did not produce the potent immune response in that group after both the doses. The Los Angeles Times report noted that the two-shot regimen also did not produce a comparable response among kids between 6 months and 2 years old, as it did in 16-25-year-olds.

The goal here is to understand the potential of protection of the third dose, Jerica Pitts, a spokeswoman for Pfizer, told the New York Times. We are studying 3 micrograms at this time. Earlier, Pfizer said that it did not plan a test of high doses of children under the age of 5 at present, but said that it will test the trial subjects immune response after administering a third dose. The Los Angeles Times quoted Dr. Leian Chen, the lead physician at UCLA Health Pediatrics in Marina Del Rey as saying, I have some families who will very eagerly ask every visit about when their younger kids might be able to get vaccinated.

(IMAGE: Unsplash/AP)
Singapore, Dec 18 (PTI) An Indian-origin couple was on Friday jailed in Singapore court for repeat offences relating to the hiring of a maid despite being blacklisted by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and obstructing justice, local media reported.

Syed Mohamed Peeran Syed Ameer Hamza, who circumvented the MOM blacklist by using his business associates identity to hire an Indonesian domestic worker, was jailed 36 weeks or about eight months.

The 41-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty midway through a trial to one charge each of obstructing justice and instigating his associate to give false information to secure a work pass.

His spouse Sabah Parveen, a 37-year-old permanent resident from India, was jailed for three days after similarly pleading guilty to obstruction of justice.

The couple's Indonesian maid, Aminah, reported that she was mistreated by the couple.

Another charge of failing to pay all of Aminah's salary was taken into consideration for sentencing, according to a report by TODAY newspaper.

District Judge Jennifer Marie granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for a charge that the couple each faced, failing to ensure Aminah was given adequate rest every day.

This means that they can be prosecuted for these offences in the future, for example, if new evidence emerges.

The couple cried in the dock as their sentences were readout. Sabah began serving her sentence immediately, while Syed will do so on January 7 in order to take care of their two young children and settle some work matters, said the TODAY report.

The court heard that in 2014, Sabah was charged with three counts of voluntarily causing hurt against their domestic worker at the time.

However, the charges were compounded when she paid SGD5,000 in compensation, which included a flight ticket, to the worker then.

In May 2015, Syed learned that he and his household had been placed on a blacklist for hiring foreign domestic workers until June 30, 2019.

He then wrote to MOM in a bid to lift the ban, but this was rejected.

In early 2018, he recruited Aminah. She was in Indonesia at the time.

Then, in July that year, he circumvented the ban by persuading his associate to apply for in-principle approval for Aminah to be employed as a domestic worker in Singapore. This was the first step in the work pass application.

Syed got Suresh Murugaiyan, an Indian origin associate in Singapore, to falsely indicate to MOM to be Aminahs employer.

MOMs Work Pass System automatically approved Sureshs application. If Syed or his household members had used the system, it would have automatically prevented their application from going through, the court heard.

Aminah arrived in Singapore on July 17, 2018, and began working for Syed and Sabah.

Shortly afterwards, Syed convinced Suresh to submit formal work permit declaration forms, which again stated that Suresh was Aminah's employer.

The work permit application was approved on August 14, 2018. In January 2019, the family made preparations to move to Hong Kong. Aminah thought she would be taken there as well, though she did not wish to go.

She relayed her situation to another domestic worker living in the same condominium complex in the Balestier housing estate. The other woman gave her the number for the Centre for Domestic Employees, which then informed MOM.

When the ministry called Aminah and asked her to give her employers information, she said that she was afraid. A MOM investigation officer then referred the case to the police.

On January 24, 2019, police officers visited Syeds home twice in rapid succession. Syed answered the door both times, insisting that he had not employed a domestic worker and that it was just him and his family living there.

Sabah witnessed this and realised her husband could be under investigation.

Syed then asked Aminah to hide in a bathroom, before confronting her and asking why she had called the police and (given them a) big problem. He bought a flight ticket for her to return to Jakarta, Indonesia, that same night using Sabahs credit card.

Aminah was given some time to pack and was paid SGD1,000 of her overdue salary. She had been paid for the first three months of work and not paid for at least two more months.

The couple then asked two neighbours, who did not know what was happening, to help Syed take Aminahs luggage down. He accompanied Aminah to the airport where she left for Jakarta.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Chong Kee En told the court that after some quick investigative work, the police and MOM realised that Suresh was not Aminahs employer.

Syed denied employing or knowing her, refusing to surrender his and spouse passports and saying that he would not leave Singapore.

However, he bought flight tickets soon after his interview with the police, attempting to leave on the same day before being stopped at the airport. Before Syed tried to leave, the police had placed the couple on a stop-list, which alerts the authorities to stop certain individuals from leaving Singapore.

Aminah returned to Singapore in July 2019 and more details came to light then, said DPP Chong.

He sought nine months jail for Syed and a custodial term for Sabah, pointing out that Aminah had worked for the family for six months despite the blacklist being in effect.

Syeds lawyer, Rachel Soh, said in mitigation that he had hired Aminah out of concern for his family. He was working as a consultant in Hong Kong at the time and wanted to support them in his absence, Soh added.

Representing Sabah, lawyer Jeremy Pereira told the court that Sabah did not know what her husband had done until police officers showed up at their door.

This put her in an unenviable situation of having to report him to the police or keep silent. He could also have blamed her for his arrest, Pereira said.

Those convicted of obstruction of justice in Singapore can be jailed for up to seven years or fined, or both. PTI GS AMS AMS

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
International Migrants Day is marked on December 18 every year to draw attention to the gruelling crisis that millions of displaced people face around the world and as a reminder for the protection of their rights. According to the United Nations, more than 281 million people (3.6% of the global population) migrated from their native land in the year 2020 and the figure is expected to grow this year.

Notably, a report by UNHCR revealed that nearly 80 million people, a majority of them under the age of 18 years, have been forced to flee their homes, primarily due to violence.

Int'l Migrants Day: A look at migrant crises around the world

Central Asia: After the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August, hundreds of thousands of Afghans - left behind in evacuation ops - began their journey on foot. Crossing the international border on the west, they entered Iran. Many proceeded towards Turkey, despite the fear of getting prosecuted and returned. Meanwhile, thousands of others began their journey eastwards towards Pakistan. According to the UNHCR, more than 2.8 million Afghan people are expected to seek asylum outside their native land by the end of this year.

Europe: Since the start of the year, Europe has been blanketed in migrant exodus. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants - majorly from the Middle East and Asia - have flocked on the borders of Poland hoping to make their way inwards. Meanwhile, several others have been trying to make their way through Turkey, which at present, hosts the largest number of refugees. The European migrant crisis recently made headlines after 27 people died after their boats capsized whilst crossing the English Channel between the UK and France. Perilous journeys to enter European countries have taken the lives of hundreds in the last few years.

Central America: Thousands of immigrants from Central and South America have been making the journey, through land and water, towards the USA in a bid to escape poverty and crime. Hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants have coalesced on the Texas border cascading a massive immigration crisis. Scores of others have been stuck in Mexican border towns since 2016 when the White House ended a policy that allowed them inside the US on humanitarian grounds.

South-East Asia: The Rohingya community has been described as "one of the world's least wanted minorities" and "some of the world's most persecuted people" in the world. In February 1992, Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release, "In fact, although there are (135) national races living in Myanmar today, the so-called Rohingya people is not one of them. Years later, in 2017, the Burmese military began what United Nations described as a textbook case of ethnic cleansing. As per the UNHCR, over 742,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh from Buddhist majority Myanmar since 25 August 2017.

(Image: AP)


Kim Jong-un was not even 30 when he took control of North Korea following his fathers demise in 2011, but now it has been 10 years of the dictators rule in the worlds most secretive country. Some information about the isolated nation and its people are known, though most are based on estimates from outside agencies. From assassinations to illegal drug laboratories, North Korean defectors have opened up about the hermit kingdom, which shares borders with Russia and China.

North Korea frequently makes headlines across the globe as its government continues to tout its military hardware and make boisterous nuclear threats. The nation has also been linked to several cyber-related incidents, but it has repeatedly denied involvement. Now, the one thing that remains a bit of a mystery is what goes on inside the hermit kingdom. Therefore, here are some of the things we do know about what makes the country tick:

Corruption, population and poverty

North Korea is a confusing mix of communism, dictatorship, tyranny, and monarchy. According to the Corruption index from Transparency Internation, the isolated country is one of the worlds most corrupt nations. North Korea also ranks third for meting out the death penalty, as per Amnesty Internationals death penalty statistics.

Due to a tightly-controlled state media, it is difficult to reveal the concrete numbers of how many people have died from starvation and malnourishment-related conditions such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. However, North Korea scored 25.2 on the 2021 Global Hunger Index, which is a level classed as serious by the International Food Policy Research Institute. According to a report by the United Nations World Food Programme, 10 million people living in North Korea - a country with a total population of 25 million - are malnourished.

Food insecurity means that "an entire generation of children" are undernourished, as the United Nations has reported.

Interestingly, according to The Independent, North Koreans born after the Korean War are about two inches shorter than South Koreans on average. The height difference is attributed to the fact that millions of North Koreans are in need of food, and one-third of children are chronically malnourished. Now, experts believe that under Kim Jong-un, the country may surpass even the ghastly death tolls of his two familial predecessors.

Military strength, nuclear capability and capital punishment

As mentioned above, North Korea ranks third for meting out the death penalty. For now, the number of people Kim Jong-un has personally ordered to be killed - such as his uncle in 2013 and a half brother in 2017 - is likely to number in hundreds. In 2011, a former North Korean official revealed that when Kim Jong-un ascended to the political throne, he decided to purge those perceived as a threat. During that time, there had long been suggestions that Kims uncle Jang Song-thaek was the de-facto leader of North Korea, as Kim Jong-il's health faded. However, in 2013, the North Korean media announced that Jang has been executed.

North Korea has been an unsafe shelter for its citizens because of the violation of civil rights and brutal federal rule. Sanctions have already been imposed by many countries over reports that thousands of people in the isolated nation have been imprisoned and sent to labour camps because they dissent with the government. The 25 million people of North Korea are tightly controlled, so most have little or no idea of world events, or how their country is thought of by the outside world.

Coming to North Koreas military strength, according to the IISS Military Balance, the country has nearly two million people on active duty, plus around 200,000 active paramilitary personnel and a further 600,000-700,000 reservists. Even though North Korea is one of the poorest countries in the world, a major chunk of its resources are used to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

In recent years, under Kim Jong-un, the nation has also stepped up arms testing and now possess threats in the shape of thermonuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles that can strike most of the mainland United States. Kim has shown little sign that he will ease off the development of the countrys military prowess, however, his future plans for the North still remains unknown. It is to mention that between 2016 and 2018, North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests and 30 short and long missile launches along with an intercontinental missile launch.

North Koreas bizarre rules

North Korea is a totalitarian regime that follows different rules from the rest of the world. The nation keeps a lot of secrets and has many unusual laws. For example, listening to foreign music or watching films in a foreign language are considered criminal activities. Back in 2015, Kim issued a decree to scrap all cassette tapes and CDs that had state-banned songs in order to contain dissent.

Falling asleep in a meeting while Kim speaks could fetch capital punishment. Anything that disrespects the family of Kim Jong-un, the North Korean government or the politicians is considered an act of blasphemy and may be met with severe punishment. But unlike the rest of the world, consuming marijuana is accepted and trade and consumption of the drug attract no punishment as per law. North Koreans are not allowed to travel abroad without permission. The Internet can only be accessed through their intranet, which is called "Kwangmyong" or Bright, launched in 2000.

Freedom of religion is a myth in North Korea. The country reportedly cuts power every night due to the energy crisis in the country. It spends 20% of its GDP on the military even when the population is desperate for food. Military service is compulsory for men and women. Alcohol, dancing and smiling on the 8th of June - North Korean President Kim Il-sung death anniversary - are not allowed. North Korean laws say jeans are a symbol of capitalism - the ultimate evil on Earth and therefore must be banned.

Image: AP
Amid the ongoing violence in Myanmar, over 2,500 Burmese had crossed into Thailand from the war-torn nation in the last two days in order to escape the rising conflict between the Myanmar army and insurgents, quoting Thai media, Sputnik reported. According to a Thai Public Broadcasting Service report, Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj, the head of the Thai province of Tak, which borders the conflict-torn Karen state revealed that there are hundreds of children among the Burmese refugees. He further noted that officials in Thailand are attempting to offer food and shelter to everyone.

Furthermore, approximately 700 Myanmar refugees entered Mae Sot, a district in Tak province, on Thursday, joined by hundreds more on Friday morning, according to officials. According to comments released on Friday by the Tak Province Border Center, several persons escaped the conflict by swimming across the shallow Moei River to the opposite side of the border, Radio Free Asia reported.

Humanitarian crisis in Myanmar

After soldiers raided the province, skirmishes occurred among ethnic minority rebels from the Karen National Union and forces committed to Myanmar's military government, which has been in control since a February 1 coup. It is worth noting that the pro-democracy People's Defense Force (PDF) militias and fighters of the Karen National Liberation Army, the military branch of the Karen National Union (KNU) political organisation, are among the anti-junta combatants.

Multiple allegations of human rights violation, communities being torched, involving protected sites like places of religious worship and residential buildings, have been received by the United Nations Human Rights Office in recent weeks. Recently on December 7, the Myanmar junta has been accused of killing 13 people from a village in Done Taw, 11 of whom were found burnt to death.

After the military government ruthlessly crushed pro-democracy rallies, armed PDF volunteers carried out hundreds of bombings and assassinations against military officials. Massive protests occurred across Myanmar when the Junta took control of the Nation and declared a year-long national emergency following the general elections. Since then, the military has carried out a merciless repression campaign, killing nearly 1,303 demonstrators and arresting over 10,600 more.

(Image: ANI/ AP)
Russian military transport planes on Saturday delivered a shipment of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan and flew back 200 Russians, Afghan students and others, according to the country's defense ministry.

The ministry said that three Il-76 cargo planes will make stopovers in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan before flying to Moscow.

It said the planes were carrying citizens of Russia and Kyrgyzstan who wanted to leave Afghanistan, and Afghan students enlisted in Russian universities.

Saturday's mission is the latest in a series of such Russian flights since August. Previous flights have delivered humanitarian cargo and evacuated a total of 770 citizens of Russia and other ex-Soviet nations.

Unlike many other countries, Russia hasn't evacuated its embassy in Kabul and its ambassador has maintained regular contacts with the Taliban since they took over the Afghan capital, Kabul, in August.

Russia had worked for years to establish contacts with the Taliban, even though it designated the group a terror organization in 2003 and never took it off the list.

In October, Moscow hosted talks on Afghanistan involving senior representatives of the Taliban and neighboring nations, a round of diplomacy that underlined Moscow's clout in Central Asia.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Taiwan, on Friday, resumed military drills with Singapore in a show of power as the Chinese threat to its sovereignty escalates. Both the southeastern states signed the National Defense Exchange and Security Cooperation Agreement in 2019 to enable joint military exercises and training. However, Singapore soon commenced exchanges with the Chinese military prompting Taipei to suspend its drills.

However, recent reports by United Daily News revealed that Singaporean troops were stationed in Taiwans Kaohsiung Fengshan army base. It further said that both sides also conducted parachute training at the Chaochou landing field in Pingtung County. It is imperative to note that Singapore and Taiwan commenced their military cooperation back in 1975 and since then have conducted several joint drills including parachute training exercises.

The Chinese claim

China claims sovereign rights over the Pacific Island located roughly 100 miles from its coast and has been using carrots and sticks to make its democratically elected government surrender. Speaking at the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on 1 July, President Xi Jinping vowed for complete reunification of the motherland, fuelling fears of a possible annexation of the pacific island by Beijing.

Taipei, on the other hand, has reiterated that it was an independent entity. Earlier this year, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen said, "Taiwan will not act rashly but there should be absolutely no illusion that Taiwanese people will bow to pressure." She added that the country would continue to bolster our national defence and demonstrate our determination to defend ourselves in order to ensure that nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us. Lambasting Beijing, she further added, This is because the path that China has laid out offers neither a free and democratic way of life for Taiwan, nor sovereignty for our 23 million people. The US, meanwhile, has reacted to Beijing's pressure campaign with testy words and hardline policies - prompting its ally Japan, which has key trade relationships with both world powers, to eye the situation with caution.

(With inputs from agencies)

(File Image:mindefsg/Twitter )
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reopened its embassy in Afghanistans capital Kabul after months of closure due to the political turmoil and the Talibans siege of the central Asian country,

However, the UAE, on its official Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation website, warned its citizens to not travel to Kabul owing to the security issue. The UAE embassy in Kabul warns its country citizens of postponing their trips to Afghanistan due to security situation, the embassy wrote.

Meanwhile, reports of the reopening of the UAE diplomat mission in Afghanistan was also confirmed by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who tweeted:

The United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in the capital Kabul with its flag hoisted. A positive step towards more positive steps. We, UAE and Afghanistan already have good relations, which need to be strengthened.

Meanwhile, this week, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment sent humanitarian aid for Afghans in four planes loaded with 60 tonnes of food aid to provide for the basic needs of the people suffering in the war-ravaged territory.

Dubai Rulers Advisor for Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Establishment, Ibrahim Bumalha, stated that sending planes with humanitarian aid to Afghanistan is part of the directives of UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and is a part of the ongoing coordination between the establishment and Dubais aviation sector. Furthermore, he said that the planes transported 60 tonnes of basic food supplies, noting the Afghan people are suffering from food scarcity, according to a press document by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Several Afghan officials expressed their appreciation to the UAE for its humanitarian efforts and aid to the Afghan people, Ibrahim Bumalha said.

The UAE has launched humanitarian and charity projects in Afghanistan, including the construction of a village for disabled people with 200 houses, four mosques, two schools, a shopping centre, a clinic and a professional training centre. Additionally, it is constructing Zayed Orphanage in Kandahar, approved as a secondary school that runs seven classes, organises carpentry workshops for orphans, and comprises a housing for students, facilities and a mosque. UAE aid has also helped build several artesian wells in the area.
The United Arab Emirates suspension of the $23 billion deal to purchase 50 F-35 jets from the United States demonstrates Washingtons allies' depleting trust and reliance on US military might, according to the global analysts. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had insisted that the United States was prepared to sell F-35 fighter jets and the arms package to the UAE, fulfilling the deal negotiated by the former president Donald Trump before the federation threatened to scrap it.

The arms deal between Washington and the UAE was brokered after the former Trump administration signed the historic Abraham Accords and normalised ties between several Arab nations and Israel.

It is being speculated that the UAEs decision was fuelled by the insecurity at large for the US regional partners and allies against using technologies that can be targeted by Chinese espionage. Just last month, a Chinese national and Deputy Division Director of the Sixth Bureau of the Jiangsu Province [Ministry of State Security] was convicted by the United States federal jury for conspiring to and attempting to commit economic espionage and theft of trade secrets.

The first ever legally convicted Chinese intelligence officer, Yanjun Xu, who was guilty on all counts used various aliases dating back to 2013 to steal the trade secrets of the leading US aviation companies. Xu targeted the aviation firms recognised as global leaders in the field of aviation to spy the secrets back to China. He allegedly stole information related to GE Aviations proprietary composite aircraft engine fan, an FBI investigation found.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks to reporters at Israel's Nevatim air base Monday, with an Israeli F-35 fighter jet in the background. Credit: AP Photo/Robert Burns

UAE was inclined to buy 'quite a few' American stealth jets

The US-UAE arms deal, which was hugely disputed and marred with controversies whilst in the making, was labelled as rushed through and dangerous by the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who had met with the Trump administration officials to hear about a proposed sale. Hard to overstate the danger of rushing this though, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy had tweeted at the time.

But the UAE remained inclined towards acquiring the advanced American F-35 warplanes despite the indirectly made objections by the then Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Emiratis had expressed interest in buying quite a few of the stealth fighter jets, Trump had told a White House briefing. It is the greatest fighter jet in the world, as you know, by stealth, totally stealth, Trump had touted US weaponry and equipment, adding that the UAE has the money and they would like to order quite a few F-35s.

At the time, the three US senators  Murphy Murphy and Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Robert Menendez, along with Republican Rand Paul had also attempted to block the deal by using legislative instrument four joint resolutions. Congress is once again stepping in to serve as a check to avoid putting profit over US national security and that of our allies, and to hopefully prevent a new arms race in the Middle East, Menendez had said in a statement. But the UAE stood firm in its resolve of purchasing the F-35 fighter aircrafts from the then Trump administration that agreed the kingdom could use the weapons indiscriminately.

From left to right: Ex-PM Netanyahu, Ex-US President Donald Trump, Ex-Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan are seen on the Blue Room Balcony after signing the Abraham Accords. Credit: AP

The UAE now threatened to derail the crucial $23 billion arms contract that would help the federation acquire stealth American-made F-35 aircraft from Lockheed Martin Corp, Reaper drones, and other advanced munitions, citing that the security requirements were too onerous. The think tanks, however, believe that it is perhaps the waning military credibility of the United States that may be provoking the UAE to step away. The UAE foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comments.

Emirati Embassy in Washington confirmed that it would suspend discussions" with the US via meetings at the Pentagon this week. The US remains the UAE's preferred provider for advanced defense requirements and discussions for the F-35 may be re-opened in the future, the embassy said in a statement.

US President Joe Biden (left) and then-Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken. Credit: AP

Former UK Ambassador to Syria Peter Ford, however, thinks that UAE may have exited the deal due to the objectionable clauses such as disabling any capacity of the aircraft that may harm Israel. "The Emiratis, rich but not stupid, have used this misstep as a pretext to halt the deal," Ford told Russias state-affiliated press Sputnik. He then added, "The withdrawal has forced all the Gulf states into the realisation that making their security wholly dependent on the US is unwise, and that some degree of detente with Iran is a better way of guaranteeing their security than becoming more and more beholden to the US.
Negotiations on the 2015 Nuclear Deal were adjourned on Friday with US officials saying that Irans expectations werent realistic but moderate progress was made nonetheless. The talks to salvage the deal commenced earlier this month with both Tehran and Washington demanding full compliance from the other side. Regardless the Biden administration has asserted that if talks failed, then it was fully prepared to use alternative methods to prevent the Islamic Republic from gaining nuclear weapons.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action(JCPOA), signed between Iran and other major world powers, including the United States, France, Britain, China, Russia, and Germany (P5+1), saw Washington lifting economic sanctions against Tehran and in return, the Islamic Republic agreed to bring down its uranium enrichment programme. However, in 2018, then US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the pact. Since then, there have been seven rounds of talks to salvage the pact. The latest deliberation, conducted in Vienna saw the US participate from a distance.

Meanwhile, a senior American official said that an agreement to install a security camera at a key Iranian nuclear facility was reached. In addendum, agreement on the text of the whole deal was also reached, according to a report by Sputnik. It is imperative to note that the security camera at the Karaj Nuclear facility was sabotaged earlier this year, allegedly by Israeli Security Agency Mossad. Israel has repeatedly urged the West to not fall into Irans nuclear blackmail.

As talks halted, a European official said that it was a disappointing pause and that negotiators in Vienna are rapidly reaching the end of the road. European Union diplomat Enrique Mora, who chaired the talks express hope that it would resume before the year ends.I hope it will be during 2021, he told reporters. No date for the eighth round has been announced as yet.

What does west expect from JCPOA?

According to a statement by EU, "JCPOA will ensure that Irans nuclear programme will be exclusively peaceful, and mark a fundamental shift in their approach to this issue. They anticipate that the full implementation of this JCPOA will positively contribute to regional and international peace and security. Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons".

(Image: AP)
Indiana Govorner Mitch Daniels answers question during a news conference after being named as the next president of Purdue University by the school's trustees in West Lafayette, Indiana, June 21, 2012.

A U.S. university president who is a former governor of Indiana has condemned Chinese nationalist students in his state who harassed a Chinese pro-democracy graduate student for openly praising Tiananmen Square protesters.

Mitch Daniels, president of Purdue University, a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, sent an email to members of the campus community on Wednesday, saying that the treatment of the student, Kong Zhihao  whom Daniels did not name in the message  was unacceptable and unwelcome.

The incident stems from a November report by the U.S. media organization ProPublica about how the Chinese government is threatening Chinese students at American universities who openly criticize Beijing, and harassing their families back home.

Kong posted an open letter on a dissident website in May 2020, praising the bravery of students killed during the Tiananmen Square massacre in June 1989, and his intent to participate in a 31st anniversary online commemoration of the event, organized by rights groups, ProPublica reported.

Afterwards, Kong was followed by Chinese students on campus who accused him of being a CIA spy and threatened to report him to the Chinese Embassy in Washington and to Chinese national security personnel. State agents also told Kongs parents to tell their son to cease his actions.

In response, Kong decided not to give a speech at the commemoration event because of concern for the safety of his family.

Daniels said in the email that it is regrettable that the university was not aware of the incident when it had and only had learned about it through news reports. He then warned that if the identity of the students who threatened Kong could be confirmed, they would face appropriate disciplinary action.

Likewise, students who exercised freedom of speech and belief but directed them against other students or reported to a foreign entity would be subject to severe sanctions, said Daniels, a Republican who served as governor of Indiana from 2005 to 2013.

Additionally, he said students who try to deprive others of their rights or collude with foreign governments to suppress the rights of others, should receive their education elsewhere.

When contacted by RFA about the email, Kong texted that President Daniels courage to safeguard freedom of speech is admirable.
But analysts say that any change in policy by the bloc will require agreement by all member states.

Updated at 12:15 pm EST on 2021-12-22

Myanmars junta is confident that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will repair its relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), but analysts say the strongman is wrong to think that he can change the blocs stance against the military regime.

Speaking to RFAs Myanmar Service, junta spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said a planned visit by Hun Sen, who will assume the rotating role of ASEAN chair next month, would set right the alliances approach to Myanmars political situation, which was thrown into disorder when the military seized power in a Feb. 1 coup.

Hun Sen intends to travel to Naypyidaw on Jan. 7, accompanied by his newly appointed ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar, Prak Sokhonn, who is also Cambodias deputy prime minister and deputy foreign minister.

Cambodia and Myanmar are close countries due to our cultures and historical backgrounds and, as such, when they visit us on ASEAN business, Cambodia will be able to make a correct stand, Zaw Min Tun said. And for Myanmar, I hope a fair deal will come out.

In the weeks and months since the coup, security personnel have committed human rights abuses including arbitrary arrests, rapes and killings. Nearly 8,100 civilians have been arrested and 1,346 killed by junta authorities since February, according to the AAPP, mostly during non-violent protests of the coup.

Junta leader Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing initially signaled to ASEAN  of which Myanmar is one of ten member states  that he would end the violence in his country and allow the bloc to send an envoy to monitor the situation following a meeting in April. However, after months of failing to implement any steps to do so, relations between the two sides have spiraled downwards, with ASEAN choosing not to invite junta delegations to several high-profile meetings, including its annual summit.

ASEANs outgoing special envoy to Myanmar, Brunei Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, attempted to travel to the country in October but was refused permission by the junta to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi and other prisoners.

Unity with member states

Burmese political analyst Than Soe Naing told RFA that ASEANs most powerful members will not accept any change in the blocs stance toward Myanmar, even if Hun Sen plans to treat the junta with kid gloves.

Hun Sen can try as much as he wants to bring [Min Aung Hlaing] back into the ASEAN fold, but most of the ASEAN member states, especially Malaysia and Indonesia, will not agree, he said.

I think those two countries will continue to stand firm. And I think ASEAN will continue to adhere to the resolutions set out at the previous meeting.

Earlier this month, Than Soe Naing said that Hun Sens planned visit to Myanmar would be an attempt to give the junta a seat on the international stage but suggested that it would lead to little recognition amid its continued violent repression of protesters.

ASEAN expert Moe Thuzar told RFA that the blocs Myanmar policy will not change unless the agreement reached at the summit in April is implemented.

To change this position, ASEAN would have to carry out a lot of discussion and consultation, she said. Many of the leading ASEAN member countries know this. For those countries, they cannot easily switch to a new position until they see a new development from the junta in accordance with the  recommendations already agreed upon.

Moe Thuzar called it imperative that the ASEAN chair only act on Myanmar after negotiating with other member countries.

Adhering to policy

Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the Thayninga Institute of Strategic Studies, a group of former military officers from Myanmar, told RFA that there was no reason why Myanmar should be excluded from ASEAN if the junta adheres to the April agreement.

He suggested that the U.S. is attempting to split ASEAN unity in a bid to counter China for control of the Indo-Pacific region.

The extent to which U.S. external pressure goes, especially at a time when the U.S. secretary of state is making several trips to meet with ASEAN, will be a major factor in Cambodias bid to reseat Myanmar at the ASEAN summit, he said.

There will be an impact. But if the ASEAN Charter is to be followed, theres no reason why Myanmar should not be able to attend those meetings.

Bo Hla Tint, the ASEAN ambassador to Myanmars shadow National Unity Government, said the bloc should continue to adhere to the consensus policy and find a solution without compromising for the military regime.

The words and actions of a rotating chairman contrast with the current ASEAN stance and the  recommendations members had agreed upon, he said.

For ASEAN to have a realistic stance and be a meaningful organization that the entire region can rely on, the chairman or member nations or the whole group must steadfastly work in line with its principles to find a solution. We cannot agree with Mr. Hun Sen compromising with the military leader to find a solution. We totally oppose this path.

Brunei, the current ASEAN chair, will end its term on Dec. 31 and hand the rotating leadership role to Cambodia on Jan. 1, 2022. Hun Sen has vowed to do his best for Myanmar when he assumes the chairmanship.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Myanmar prison guards man the gates as people wait for detainees to be released from Insein Prison in Yangon, Oct. 19, 2021, after authorities let out thousands of people jailed for protesting against a February coup that ousted the civilian government.

Authorities at Yangons Insein Prison have refused to allow medical treatment to nearly 90 detainees who were brutally beaten a week ago during a nationwide Silent Strike protest against Myanmar's military junta rule, the detainees relatives and lawyers said Friday.

Dozens of political prisoners showed their solidarity with nationwide demonstrations by staying in their cells after morning roll call and singing the protest song Our Pledge in Blood in unison.

Authorities at the infamous Yangon detention facility attacked the prisoners for joining the Silent Strike, which was held on Human Rights Day on Dec. 10. The strike left many cities and towns empty as citizens stayed home in protest of the military regime and its brutal crackdown following its Feb. 1 coup.

At Insein, prison authorities threw strike organizers into solitary confinement and shackled their legs, sources close to the prisoners told RFA in an earlier report.

Some of the prisoners were critically wounded but were denied medical care, while some female prisoners were subjected to sexual harassment, sources said.

A pro-democracy student leader who had joined the prison strike suffered critical head and back injuries that were left untreated. He was instead placed in solitary confinement as punishment for participating, his family said.

Sitt Naing, vice chairman of the Yangon University of Education Students Union, who was involved in the Silent Strike in Insein Prison, is in critical condition, a relative said.

As family members, we are worried about his life, said the woman, who declined to give her name out of fear of retribution. It is because he is not even allowed to apply medicine to the wounds, let alone receive medical treatment.

We believe that his life is still in danger, she added. He urgently needs medical treatment.

Wai Yan Phyo Moe, vice chairman of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions, and Lay Pyay Soe Moe, spokesman for student rights for the Yangon University Students Union, were also severely beaten during the crackdown, family members said. They are reportedly being held in solitary confinement with their legs in shackles.

Mya Moe, mother of Lay Pyay Soe Moe, told RFA that prison staff denied her son medical help.

On the day of the trial, the lawyers brought some ointment for his wounds but were not allowed to apply them, she said. He was rudely told to put his shirt back on and to stop the nonsense. Thats how the prison staff talked to him.

RFA could not reach Insein Prison officials or Myanmars Ministry of Justice. Ministries have not responded to media requests for comment since the coup, and only junta spokesmen can issue statements.

A spokesman for the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (AAPP), a nonprofit human rights organization based in Mae Sot, Thailand, said refusing medical treatment to wounded detainees was a grave violation of human rights by prison authorities and that those responsible should be held accountable.

The spokesman asked not to be identified for safety reasons.

A lawyer representing some of the prisoners said the victims asked the court for their injuries to be recorded, but the court refused.

We saw some clients at trial who had been beaten, he said. When they were brought in, the lawyers showed the injuries they had sustained and requested that the court put them on record, but some courts rejected the requests.

Junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun in an earlier report denied that there had been any protests inside Insein Prison.

Following the Silent Strike, prison authorities enacted stricter measures for detainees, transferring some to cells with criminals and other forms of repression that violated human rights, said Tun Kyi, a member of the Former Political Prisoners Society.

A prison is one of the worst and most serious mechanisms for violating human rights, and its where human dignity can be taken away, he said.

Before being taken out of Insein Prison for court hearings, authorities instructed female prisoners to take off their sarongs so they could feel and search their genitals, he said.

It was OK for inmates to send letters to their families in the past, and families could also send in letters, but now they have banned all these exchanges, he said.

News of the prisoner maltreatment has been leaked from the inside by detainees clandestinely passing small notes to family members and their lawyers during their trials.

When prisoners are taken to court for hearings, authorities constantly monitor their conversations with their attorneys and have threatened the lawyers not to leak information to the media, attorneys and family members of those imprisoned said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which used to make humanitarian visits to prisons until March 2020, is still waiting for permission to resume its prison activities.

On Friday, the AAPP reported that junta forces have killed 1,346 people and arrested 11,023 others since the Feb. 1 coup.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
But deeply worrying convictions lead to no significant policy changes toward Southeast Asian country.

Do Nam Trung and Pham Doan Trang are shown left to right at top, and Nguyen Thi Tam and Trinh Ba Phuong are shown left to right at bottom.

Western nations this week condemned Vietnams jailing of four dissidents, including land-rights activists and an award-winning journalist, calling their sentences an attempt to stifle free expression in the Southeast Asian country.

Journalist Pham Doan Trang, writer Do Nam Trung, and rights activists Trinh Ba Phuong and Nguyen Thi Tam were all convicted in consecutive trials this week and given prison terms ranging from six to 10 years for speaking out against official corruption or calling for democracy and better governance in the one-party communist state.

Pham Doan Trang, now jailed for nine years, had written books and posted articles on social media criticizing government policies in Vietnam.

She had also won multiple foreign awards for her writing, including in 2017 from the Czech organization People in Need and the 2019 Press Freedom Award from Paris-based Reporters Without Borders.

Writing in separate statements, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the U.K., the EU and the United States all slammed Trangs conviction, with British parliamentarian and Minister for Asia Amanda Milling calling Trangs jailing deeply worrying.

Imprisoning journalists for peacefully expressing their views sends the wrong message to those supporting the development of Vietnam and its people, Milling said in a statement released by the U.K. Embassy in Hanoi.

But none of the countries announced new policies in response to the convictions beyond their public scolding.

Nguyen Tien Trung  a rights activist based in Vietnams Ho Chi Minh City  told RFA that the Vietnamese government is confident that as democratic countries now need Vietnam to be a counterweight to China, human rights can become a less prioritized issue.

They handed down severe sentences to let people know they should not expect or rely on international intervention over human rights, he said.

Milling noted that the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had found Trungs detention to be arbitrary and in contravention of Viet Nams international human rights commitments and obligations. Trang had also been denied access to her family while in custody and had seen her lawyer only once before her trial, Milling said.

On Friday, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade expressed its disappointment at Trangs sentencing on its Twitter account, calling her an internationally recognized Vietnamese journalist and author.

As a close friend and strategic partner, Australia will continue to encourage Vietnam to uphold its human rights commitments, Australia said, while the New Zealand Embassy in Hanoi in a Facebook post on Friday voiced its concern over the sentences handed to Pham Doan Trang, Trinh Ba Phuong, Nguyen Thi Tam, and Do Nam Trung.

Journalists and human rights defenders must be able to express their views without fear of harassment and reprisal. We encourage Viet Nam to uphold the rights of all citizens as guaranteed by the Constitution and through its international commitments, New Zealand said.

Arrest, harassment, reprisal

The Canadian Embassy in Hanoi on Tuesday meanwhile pointed to what it called the ongoing efforts by Vietnamese authorities to curtail media freedom, an essential element of the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

We also urge the Vietnamese authorities to allow journalists to practice their profession without fear of arrest, harassment or reprisal, and to end extensive censorship and control over the media and wider freedom of expression.

The United States on Tuesday and European Union on Thursday also condemned the conviction and sentencing of Pham Doan Trang, with the U.S. State Department calling on Vietnam to immediately release the jailed journalist, who has been recognized internationally for her work to advance human rights and good governance in Vietnam.

Trang in her work as a writer had done nothing more than peacefully express her opinions, the State Department said.

We also urge the government to ensures its laws and actions are consistent with the human rights provisions of Vietnams Constitution and Vietnams international obligations and commitments.

The EU also called for Trangs release, noting that the three other jailed activists had been sentenced on similar grounds.

The European Union is strongly committed to the protection of human rights defenders in Vietnam and across the world, the EU said. The European Union calls on the Vietnamese authorities to release all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained and to guarantee the right to a fair trial for all individuals, the EU said.

Separately, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in a statement Friday said the jailing of the four activists appear to be part of a campaign to silence and intimidate those who raise their voices in defence of human rights.

All the cases follow similar worrying patterns that raise serious issues concerning the presumption of innocence, the legality of their detention, and the fairness of their trial.

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Anna Vu. Written in English by Richard Finney.
TBILISI -- An independent group of doctors has examined jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and determined that his health has been seriously compromised as a result of "torture" and mistreatment he had allegedly experienced since his arrest in early October.

The doctors reported on December 18 that Saakashvili, 53, had developed several neurological conditions "as a result of torture, ill-treatment, inadequate medical care, and a prolonged hunger strike."

One member of the group, psychiatrist Mariam Jishkariani, told the AFP news agency that the health problems were the result of "Saakashvili's psychological torture in prison, which could lead to his incapacitation if he is not given proper medical care."

She added that he had been wrongly given unspecified "antipsychotic drugs," which amounted to "pharmacological torture."

The examination by a group of seven physicians was organized by the nongovernmental Empathy Center.

Saakashvili himself has said he was subjected to death threats, sleep deprivation, and physical abuse while in custody.

Last week, the Georgian State Inspectorate announced it had opened an investigation into Saakashvili's allegations.

The NGO Amnesty International has said Saakashvilis treatment was "not just selective justice, but apparent political revenge," while the U.S. State Department has called on the Georgian government to "treat Saakashvili fairly and with dignity."

Saakashvili served as Georgia's president from 2004 to 2013. He was arrested shortly after returning to Georgia from self-imposed exile in Ukraine.

He conducted a 50-day hunger strike to protest his convictions on charges of abuse of office, which he says were politically motivated.

His arrest, coming amid a political crisis stemming from disputed parliamentary elections in 2020, spurred the largest anti-government protests in Georgia in a decade.

With reporting by AFP
The government of Moldova has criticized Russia's ambassador for attending the inauguration ceremony of the de facto president of the breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniester.

"The so-called presidential election in the Transdniester region is illegitimate and runs counter to the constitutional foundations of Moldova," the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry said in a December 18 statement.

"The participation of the head of Russia's diplomatic mission in these activities is regarded by the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry as an unfriendly action," the statement added.

Russian Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov attended the December 17 swearing-in ceremony of Vadim Krasnoselsky as the de facto head of the unrecognized region. Krasnoselsky was proclaimed the winner of the unauthorized election held on December 12.

Earlier, the chairman of Moldova's presidential pardons commission, Ion Guzun, wrote on Facebook that Vasnetsov should be declared persona non grata for attending the ceremony.

Transdniester gained de facto independence following a brief war in 1992. Russia maintains a military presence in the region despite the Moldovan government's repeated calls for Russian troops to be replaced by international peacekeepers.
Russia has sent two nuclear-capable strategic bombers to patrol the western borders of ally Belarus, the authorities in Minsk say, amid heightened tensions across Eastern Europe.

The two Tu-22M3 bombers were accompanied by Su-30SM fighter jets from both the Russian and Belarusian air forces.

It was the third such mission in the area in the last month.

Tensions between Russia and the West have been heightened by a buildup of Russian troops in the region near the country's border with Ukraine.

At the same time, Belarus's relations with the European Union are strained over a migrant crisis along its western border that the EU says was instigated intentionally by Minsk.

Officials in Kyiv have expressed fears that Moscow could use Belarusian territory to support an attack on Ukraine.

The United States and NATO have warned of "massive consequences" if Russia attacks Ukraine.

However, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told the Spectator magazine on December 18 that it was "highly unlikely" NATO members would send troops to defend Ukraine from a Russian attack.

"It is not a member of NATO, so it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to send troops to Ukraine to challenge Russia," Wallace said. "We shouldn't kid people we would. The Ukrainians are aware of that."

Wallace added that Britain would continue helping Ukraine build up its own defense capabilities and again warned Moscow of "severe economic sanctions" -- including Russia's possible exclusion from the SWIFT international payments network -- if it attacked Ukraine.

Meanwhile, German Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck said in an interview published on December 18 that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to deliver Russian natural gas to Germany could face "severe consequences" in the event of a Russian attack on Ukraine.

He added that "nothing can be excluded" if "there is a new violation of the territorial integrity" of Ukraine.

Habeck also said that "from the geopolitical point of view, the pipeline was a mistake."

Moscow and Kyiv have been at odds since 2014, when Russia seized the Ukrainian region of Crimea and began providing military, political, and economic support to separatist formations in parts of eastern Ukraine.

Moscow denies direct involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, despite compelling evidence to the contrary.

Western analysts say Russia currently has about 100,000 troops positioned near its border with Ukraine.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Russia has officially completed its obligations under the 2002 Open Skies Treaty and finalized its withdrawal from the agreement.

Moscow gave treaty signatories six months' notice of its intention to withdraw on June 18, following the withdrawal of the United States in November 2020.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump accused Russia of "flagrantly violating" the agreement.

Specifically, Washington said Russia had imposed flight restrictions over the Kaliningrad region, the area near its border with Georgia, and the North Caucasus region of Chechnya.

The treaty allows signatories to conduct unarmed surveillance flights over the territory of other participants as a means of boosting mutual confidence and preventing misunderstandings. Thirty-three countries remain part of the agreement.
Many of the F0 investors are now seriously considering withdrawing capital from the stock market, after receiving consistent battering on the floor.

Scare among F0 investors

According to data received from the Securities Depository Centers, the number of new accounts opened in November were 221,314, an increase of 70% compared to October. This is a new record for the number of new accounts opened in a month on the stock market. In this, most are newly opened accounts of domestic individual investors totalling 220,602 accounts. The number of new accounts opened in November by domestic institutional investors were 215, and foreign individual investors also increased sharply by 473 accounts. Since the beginning of the year until now, the cumulative number of new accounts opened on the stock market are 1.3 million. This brings the total number of current accounts of investors on the stock market at around four million accounts.

Although the number of new accounts continue to increase, the cash flow has suddenly dropped sharply in the last few trading sessions of the week. For example, the liquidity of HoSE decreased to just over 700 million securities units, equivalent to around VND 20,000 bn, from more than 1 billion securities units transferred per session, worth more than VND 30,000 bn. Market liquidity dropped not only in the red sessions, but also appeared in gaining sessions.

Looking at the declining liquidity, it is easy to see that capital flow from large institutions and foreign investors did not have much fluctuation. Cash flow was withdrawn from individual investors, which was the driving force to push the VN Index to correct the 1,500-point mark in November. During the plunge, individual investors sold very strongly. At the trading session on 6 December, organizations, proprietary traders, and foreign investors, net bought VND 272 bn, VND 197 bn, and VND 303 bn, respectively. On the other hand, individual investors net sold VND 772 bn.

It can be seen that panic selling of individual investors in the trading sessions of the VN Index dropped sharply, showing their apprehension instead of excitement that was palpable in previous months. The sell-off in the sessions of stocks fell to the floor causing investors to suffer heavy losses, while the beneficiaries were still organizations and foreign investors, as after the drop, VN-Index rebound strongly in the following sessions.

F0 Investors face losses

For many investors, selling and cutting losses in the trading sessions of the market with sharp decline is also a success. In fact, there are many retail investors who are holding shares of companies at high prices, but even if they want to cut losses, it is still not enough, such as in the case of the Sao Thai Duong Investment Joint Stock Company (SJF), IDI Multinational Development, I.D.I International Development & Investment Corporation (IDI), Thanh Nam Group Joint Stock Company (TNI), or Simco Song Da Joint Stock Company (SDA). On the stock exchanges, investors accidentally grab stocks that are always in a state of volatility.

After six consecutive sessions of hitting the floor from VND 24,100 per share to VND 15,700 per share, SJF leaders had to reassure investors. According to Mr. Nguyen Tri Thien, Chairman of the Board of Directors, SJF did not have any negative events affecting the stock price. The reason why stocks fluctuate strongly may be the cash flow of both investment and speculation that anticipated the news that SJF may become a supplier of bamboo container flooring for Hoa Phat Group JSC (HPG). However, the first sample product of SJF did not meet the standards due to the use of block pressing technology. Therefore, SJF has invested in a new raw material machine to make composite samples. The second sample of SJF has been sent to HPG for testing and the results are expected in mid-December.

The positive information from the top management of the business still could not relieve the selling pressure of SJF in the market. In the following sessions, investors holding stocks of SJF stepped on each other to sell. By the trading session on 9 December, this stock continued to plunge to just VND 12,700 per share. At this price, shareholders who bought at the peak price of more than VND 24,000 per share in the trading session on 26 November had to bear a loss of nearly 50%.

F0 euphoria dying out

If Mr. Thien's statement is actually honest, it is likely that SJF is being undervalued and he himself recognizes this phenomenon. In fact, only speculative cash flow is capable of pushing SJF up nearly ten times compared to the beginning of the year, even though CP is under warning due to loss of business. On the CK forum, many believe that there is a driver behind the rally of the group of 4 codes, namely, SJF, IDI, TNI and SDA.

Saigon Investment did a research and found that the people who set up closed groups on Zalo or Facebook to key the stock codes for F0 investors were inexperienced. In order to create trust among F0 investors, these people collect a monthly fee with the commitment that shares purchased by investors will increase over time. However, when the goal is reached to push the price up to sell and take profit, these people delete the group and investors are left in the lurch, as in the case of the stocks mentioned above.

Not only do the stocks become speculative, but many F0s are also wrong when buying into basic stocks such as banks and steel as recommended by securities companies. Many F0 become bitter after the loss and borrow more money to deal with additional losses. However, many other F0 who stumble after loss of investment due to speculation, have moved on to take courses on securities, learn more about markets, or have chosen the safer option to retire.

Kim Giang


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(Photo : Alex Wong/Getty Images) The James Webb Space Telescope is designed to be a large space-based observatory optimized for infrared wavelengths, will be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Baltimore-based Space Telescope Science Institute is the center for NASA's once-in-a-generation James Webb Space Telescope, a replacement for its Hubble.

As specified in a report from The Baltimore Sun, it is capable of examining more thoroughly by looking deeper into space, and thus, further back in time.

The said news site also stated that roughly 30 minutes following the lunch of NASA's revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope into the cosmos in late December, Baltimore scientists will take over permanently if everything goes as planned.

From a mission operations center adjacent to Wyman Pak on Johns Hopkins University's Homewood campus, they will carefully guide the spacecraft to a point about one million miles from Earth, attune its instruments and have its 18 hexagonal mirrors aligned, which must all work in harmony to capture the so-called "heretofore unseen."

ALSO READ: Will NASA Hubble Space Telescope Finally Wake Up After Space Agency Renews Its $215-Million Working Contract?

James Webb Space Telescope

The Webb telescope will look back more than 13 billion years at distant stars and galaxies, some of the first to form following the Big Bang.

Webb, described as a powerful infrared telescope, will be able to see a lot of things that Hubble, which is seeing mainly visible and ultraviolet light, simply cannot.

The Hubble successor will see through clouds of dust predecessor could not penetrate. It can also see celestial objects that cannot be reached by Hubble.

According to the institute's deputy director, Nancy Levenson, the Space Telescope Science Institute is experienced in this arena.

The Space Telescope Science Institute

After the launch of Hubble in 1990, officials there handled its science operations, while the Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA, monitored the craft. However, this time, the institute is doing both.

Levenson said, many people "do not know about Space Telescope Science Institute." She added that many were not aware of Hubb's role, which the institute has been doing for decades already. And so, she continued, they want to bring everybody along on this exciting journey.

Over the years, the more than $9 billion projects for the telescope, named after one of the early leaders of NASA, have made headlines for postponement after postponement.

Essentially, assembly of the telescope was completed by 2016, almost three decades after this institute of Baltimore hosted a Next Generation Space Telescope Workshop, the virtual birthplace of Webb.

However, when the scientists tested the observatory, problems started to arise. Such issues included tears found in the paper-thin sun shield, poorly installed nuts, leaks in the thruster valves, and bolts that were falling from the assembly.

What the Webb Space Telescope Should Show Us

The Webb Space Telescope offers more information about numerous additional galaxies this old and even older, which will help scientists understand how galaxies were first formed and changed into familiar shapes and structures presently seen, NPR reported.

According to astronomer Garth Illingworth from the University of California, Santa Cruz, there really is a need for much better samples. He added, there is a need to step back in time "to see how the galaxies are growing.

The James Webb Space Telescope features a technology that let it see back to 100 million to 200 million years following the Big Bang, the period, associate professor at the Cosmic Dawn Center of the Niels Bohr Institute and the University of Copenhagen, Charlotte Mason said, "When we think the very first galaxies formed."

Explanation about the James Webb Space Telescope is shown on Perception's YouTube video below:

RELATED ARTICLE: James Webb Space Telescope To Launch With The Largest Telescopic Mirrors Made Of Beryllium

Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.
Most days, Total Infusion, an Oakland clinic that administers monoclonal antibody treatment to patients with COVID-19, is quiet  too quiet, says the centers director of infusion therapy, Kee Conti.

Our chairs are empty, Conti said. My refrigerator is full of therapeutics, and there are patients that need them and just arent getting the message.

In November, Total Infusion gave monoclonal antibodies to fewer than 100 people  even though it has the capacity, staff and supply to double that. Meanwhile, more and more people across the Bay Area and state are testing positive for COVID in what looks to be a lead-up to a winter surge and are likely candidates for the treatment.

The problem, Conti said, is that not enough people know the treatment exists or how to access it. Public health officials and clinic directors such as Conti are trying desperately to get the word out so more doctors know to refer their patients to get the treatment, and more patients seek it on their own. Time is of the essence, because the drug must be taken within 10 days of when symptoms first begin, and the earlier, the better.

Don Feria/Special to The Chronicle

While public health leaders have been aggressively messaging people that they should get vaccinated, the communication has been less clear when it comes to therapeutics, some clinic leaders said. Some people may be skeptical of monoclonals because they associate the drug with former President Donald Trump, who got the treatment in late 2020, because of his history of promoting unproven COVID treatments such as hydroxychloroquine. A general lack of awareness of the treatment and when it should be sought has been a problem, said Dr. Kathleen Clanon, medical director for Alameda County Health Care Services Agency.

We still have, as of today, more capacity than we have customers, she said. Thats in spite of the fact that we know every day more people are being diagnosed with COVID.

Some people may think that if they dont have severe symptoms, it seems like overkill to seek IV therapy, Clanon said. But it can make a big difference, especially for elderly or immunocompromised people or others at particular risk, if taken early enough. Clanon herself got the treatment in August after she had a breakthrough infection.

There are three monoclonal antibody treatments available in the United States, produced by drugmakers Regeneron, Eli Lilly and Vir Biotechnology (a San Francisco company) with GlaxoSmithKline. They are given intravenously and take two to three hours to administer from start to finish, including the one-hour observation period afterward to ensure the patient doesnt have an allergic reaction. They are the only treatments in the U.S. for people with mild to moderate COVID symptoms and are meant to keep symptoms from worsening. Clinical trials show they reduce hospitalization and death by 70%, and doctors who regularly treat patients with the drugs say patients report high recovery rates.

Don Feria/Special to The Chronicle

The infusion gives the patient lab-made antibodies that mimic those the body would make on its own after infection or vaccination. The antibodies bind to the virus spike protein and prevent the virus from infecting human cells.

There are some limitations to who is eligible. But leaders at infusion clinics say those rules are broad enough now that many people qualify, as long as they have tested positive for COVID, are at least 12 years old or weigh at least 88 pounds, and take the drug within 10 days of the onset of COVID symptoms. Technically, people have to have at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk of progressing to severe disease, but there are so many conditions covered under the Food and Drug Administrations authorization that its pretty much anyone, Conti said: ages 65 years or older, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, pregnancy, chronic lung disease, a body mass index of at least 25, an autoimmune disease, and many other conditions qualify as high risk. It doesnt matter if one has been vaccinated or not, though being unvaccinated brings much higher risk of severe disease.

An apparent lack of awareness and hesitancy about the treatment are leading some providers to turn down doses, California health officials said.

Don Feria/Special to The Chronicle

We dont know if theres enough awareness out there, state epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan said during a recent COVID briefing with the California Medical Association. Weve had some places turning away product. ... We need to make sure we have enough sites and acceptance, awareness from providers, acceptance from patients. Thats what we really want to hit home with the monoclonals.

The federal government allocates doses to states, which then allocate them to local health departments. The California Department of Public Health did not say which providers had turned treatment away, directing the question to local health departments.

To get people more aware of the treatment, Alameda County health officials are putting up posters and handing out flyers at COVID testing sites directing people to information about monoclonals. The county has set up a phone number and website where residents can find out more, including links to self-refer themselves for treatment.

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UCSFs respiratory screening clinic has been reaching out to public health departments  some as far away as the Central Valley  to let them know UCSF can treat their patients if they cant find a site closer to home, said Dr. Paul Nadler, director of the clinic, which administers the treatment to about 20 COVID patients a week.

The federal government has made the cost of the drug free for all patients. But there is also a service or administration fee associated with the treatment that federal regulators have set at roughly $300 to $600, depending on the region. People on public health insurance plans should have this fee paid for, but people on private insurance plans may have to pay some out-of-pocket costs if they have a high deductible.

The omicron variant, which makes up a small but fast-growing proportion of cases in the U.S., appears to render some of the treatments less effective. Regeneron, which makes the most widely used monoclonal drug in the U.S., said last week its product has diminished potency versus omicron but that its developing a next generation version that works against omicron. Early lab studies out of Germany indicate Eli Lillys product may also be less effective against omicron. Vir and GSK said their product remains effective against omicron.

Don Feria/Special to The Chronicle

The emergence of the variant is not changing infusion clinics day-to-day operations, though they may soon need to know which variant of the virus it is before proceeding with treatment, as Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF, noted on Twitter. Delta still represents the vast majority of cases, and all three drugs work well against it. But Stanford University is requesting doses of sotrovimab, the product made by Vir and GSK, from the state as part of its preemptive planning for omicron, said Dr. Upinder Singh, who oversees Stanfords monoclonal antibody outpatient clinic. The center has already seen a roughly 30% to 40% increase in patients seeking monoclonal antibody treatment since Thanksgiving  a rise that coincides with an increase in new cases over the same period in Santa Clara County.

You have to plan ahead and be ready to pivot if needed, Singh said.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho
The family of Mario Gonzalez, a man who died after he was pinned to the ground by Alameda police in April, has filed a federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit against the officers involved in his death, as well as the then-interim police chief and the city of Alameda.

The suit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that Gonzalez, 26, was illegally arrested  a violation of his personal rights  and that Officers Eric McKinley, James Fisher and Cameron Leahy used excessive and unnecessary force and tactics during the arrest, resulting in Gonzalezs death. Randy Fenn, the interim Alameda police chief at the time, was also named as a defendant.

Mario was a peaceful, calm person, Andrea Cortez, the mother of Gonzalezs son Mario, 5, and one of the plaintiffs in the suit and one of the plaintiffs in the suit, said in a statement. He adored our son and was a good father. The police should have known to use better tactics with Mario.

Gonzalez was arrested on the morning of April 19 after police received two calls about a man talking to himself outside the front gate of a house on the corner of Oak and Powell streets. Officer McKinley spoke to Gonzalez for nine minutes and then arrested him with help from Fisher, Leahy and a civilian parking employee. The officers restrained Gonzalez for about five minutes, putting some of their weight on his back as he lay on the ground, until he went limp and officers began CPR. Gonzalez was pronounced dead at Alameda Hospital about 45 minutes later, according to the coroner investigators report.

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Gonzalezs 5-year-old son, Mario, comes one week after the Alameda County coroner released Gonzalezs autopsy report. Chief Forensic Pathologist Vivian Snyder described Gonzalezs death as a homicide but listed the toxic effects of methamphetamine as the cause of death and added stress from the arrest, alcoholism and morbid obesity as significant contributing factors.

While Gonzalez did have methamphetamine in his system, attorneys for Gonzalezs young son said the amount found in his blood was relatively low and within the range considered by the federal government to be a normal recreational level.

Additionally, the suit says Gonzalez remained calm during the arrest and did not do anything that could have been perceived as a threat to the arresting officers. The officers also did not have any reason to believe that Gonzalez had been involved in any crimes, the suit states.

Meth didnt kill Mario, the officers did, Julia Sherwin, an attorney for the Gonzalez family, said in a statement Friday. We call on District Attorney Nancy OMalley to bring criminal charges for this homicide. In the meantime, little Mario will hold the officers who killed his Papi accountable in federal court, and we will fight for reforms so no other family will suffer from such a senseless and completely preventable death in the future.

Fenn and the city of Alameda are accused in the suit of failing to adequately train, supervise and discipline the officers involved. McKinley, Fisher, Leahy and the civilian parking employee are on administrative leave.

Alameda police referred The Chronicle to Alameda Public Information Officer Sarah Henry in response to a request for comment. Henry referred inquiries to the citys legal team, which could not immediately be reached.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The suit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as orders for the city to implement and enforce trainings and policies on use of force and proper arrest tactics.

A GoFundMe was started Thursday to help Cortez pay for child care and her sons education.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Rachel Swan contributed to this report.

Andy Picon is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com Twitter: @andpicon
San Francisco looks its best in the holiday season, especially just after dark when the lights come on. Its as luminous as an ornament on a Christmas tree. The city is best seen from a distance. Up close, its a different story.

But this story requires only a modest voyage from San Francisco to landings around the bay. With a little planning you can make a round trip in a single evening from the Ferry Building to Oakland, Alameda, Sausalito, Larkspur or Vallejo, leaving at dusk when the light starts to fade and returning after dark. Every San Franciscan needs a reminder of why we live here. Try this one and see.

I try to make the trip at least once in December mostly because of the holiday lights. When I was a small boy and thought the city at night was full of magnificence, I relished a night ferry ride. If I close my eyes, I can see it again the way I saw San Francisco from the forward deck of an ferryboat years ago: the city rising on its hills, the lights in the windows of the downtown office buildings, and two big red neon signs. One said WELLMAN COFFEE, in capital letters; the other advertised Sherwin-Williams paint, with an outline of the world covered over and over by neon paint.

Ill bet you a cup of Wellman coffee that the world isnt like that anymore. And it isnt. But the sense of that city seen from the bay is still there, like an illusion.

Port cities look best from the water: think of New York City from the Staten Island Ferry, or Hong Kong from the Star Ferry. Or San Francisco from the bay.

There was a break in the rain the other afternoon, just in time for the 4:05 p.m. Golden Gate Ferry boat to Sausalito. Ferry service was cut back in the worst of the virus lockdown as more and more commuters decided to work from home. Back in the good old days  two years ago  the lines of customers waiting to catch ferry boats stretched around the Ferry Building. Not anymore. Though Golden Gate Transit added a new schedule with more service to Sausalito on Dec. 13, the word hadnt gotten out yet and the 4:05 boat was nearly empty.

The boat was the motor vessel Sonoma, and we backed out of the dock on time and turned north. There was less than an hour left in the day. Some remaining rain clouds caught the light.

The shadows get long on a December afternoon, and the winter solstice is nearly upon us. The low angle of the sun gives a special quality to the light. The changing light at San Francisco is none of your East Coast light, none of your pearly light of Paris, poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti wrote. The light of San Francisco is a sea light, an island light. 

The ride takes only 30 minutes, plenty of time to look out toward the Golden Gate, to stare at the grim onetime prison island of Alcatraz, and to watch the hills above Sausalito get a bit closer. Just past Alcatraz, the wind and the swell from the ocean makes the ferry take a small roll, rocking and pitching just a bit, a reminder that we are sailing on an arm of the sea.

Before the pandemic, the Sausalito ferries had a small bar, where the regular commuters would gather on the ride home. It was like a little floating club, complete with stories about commute and office adventures, music theyd heard about on the Oakland boats, deckhands who knew everybodys name, the perils of seagull poop, even talk about floating romances with happy endings, like ferry tales.

But the bar and snack service has been suspended, waiting for a better day. Its a loss.

We landed on Sausalito right on time. The commuters heading home got off and we took on a load of new passengers, including a dozen or so who had ridden bicycles across the Golden Gate Bridge and were riding the ferry back to San Francisco.

A different crowd. Not commuters who see each other most every day, but tourists, out to see the sights. They were lucky that day. The city put on a show.

By now the sun had set, but it was still light enough to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge with clouds behind it. Anna Capille and Jo Ann Garbutt, both British Airways flight attendants in town for an overnight layover, had taken the ferry just to ride and take pictures. They had been all over the world. They said the early evening ferry ride was something they especially liked to do on their trips to the West Coast. Its wonderful, Capille said.

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It was dark as we sailed toward the city. The red light was turned on atop the Transamerica Pyramid, and a white light on the highest point of Angel Island. These are holiday lights. Once a year.

After about 20 minutes, the San Francisco skyline began to dominate the horizon.

Ferlinghetti spent much of his long life in San Francisco. Hed heard a lot about the city; he thought it would be a good place for poets, took the train headed west. He saw his new city for the first time from the deck of an Oakland ferryboat on a winter morning in 1950. And San Francisco looked like some Mediterranean port  a small white city with mostly white buildings  a little like Tunis seen from seaward. I thought perhaps it was Atlantis, risen from the sea, he wrote.

But as the ferryboat Sonoma turned toward San Francisco the other evening, it looked like Manhattan.

The Embarcadero Center towers were outlined with 17,000 lights, the thousand-foot-high Salesforce Tower glittered, the boxy glass high-rises that mark the skyline were lit in their holiday best. The lights strung on the cables of the Bay Bridge moved, like the strings of a harp. The venerable Ferry Building was lit in the red and green colors of Christmas. The lights of the city were reflected on the dark waters of the bay.

The small white Mediterranean city that Ferlinghetti remembered is gone, like the ghost of Christmas past. But sometimes, when the holiday lights come on, the city we have now is impressive, especially at a distance aboard a ferry on a wintry night.

Carl Noltes column runs on Sundays. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com
Regarding All the outrage over a S.F. restaurant not serving armed police officers is absurd (SFChronicle.com, Dec. 7): Soleil Ho draws an analogy to a toxic waste handler bringing a barrel of waste to a restaurant. This is not a reasonable analogy; the waste handler does not require the waste to be with him to be ready to do his job on a moments notice.

The abundance of firearms in our country is regrettable but is a fact. Suggesting that this country has not had a serious discussion about gun control or gun control is patently false; the outcome has simply not been what many of us would like.

While unarmed police can work in the United Kingdom, here the proliferation of weapons mandates that police be armed.

It is also a fact that when in uniform, police are required to be ready to respond immediately, even if it interrupts their lunch.

The statement that the restaurant would welcome officers when they are off duty and out of uniform is disingenuous. Are they not allowed to eat while on duty?

Marc Gautreau, San Francisco

Put kids first at schools

Regarding Audit S.F. school leaders (Letters, Dec. 15): Thank you Bonnie Lindauer for shining a light on a problem not unique to the San Francisco Unified School District. Granted, that district may be the worst-case scenario, but the top-heavy administrative model she describes can be found in other districts as well. Teachers, parents and even students scratch their heads when asked, What does this district-level administrator actually do on any given day?

The answer tends to be, create issues that justify the job title. It is sad to see decaying classrooms, outdated equipment, lack of on-the-ground staff and other cuts, whilst district offices continue to create new titles, add more high-paid staff and dish out dollars to a raft of third-party providers that help promote the agenda du jour.

Meanwhile, students and teachers are slowly drained of the resources needed to succeed.

San Francisco Unified is the canary in the coal mine, so let us hope it rights the ship lest other districts follow them to the bottom.

Mark Allendorf, San Mateo

Dont believe RFK Jr.

Regarding RFK Jr. is not spouting conspiracy theories (Letters, Dec. 13): Really? Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been an active anti-vaccine voice for years. His own family has repeatedly condemned him for this.

Sirhan Sirhan was standing close to Sen. Robert F. Kennedy with a gun that he fired at him. Sirhan may at this point be perfectly harmless and reformed, and maybe Kennedy Jr.s conspiracy theory that Sirhan did not kill the senator has some merit. If so, maybe Sirhan should be released, but at this point Kennedy Jr. has very little credibility.

Joseph Johnson, San Francisco

Too many are in need

Regarding Homeless in Oakland after fleeing to safety (Front Page, Dec. 14): There are thousands of similar stories about people risking everything to come to America hoping for food, housing, education and more, and we have thousands of our citizens in the same predicament, many of whom receive no assistance.

As a retired teacher, I saw it every day. Individual stories like this Haitian family are always sad and desperate, yet there is a never-ending supply of these stories with no solution, just sadness.

Dennis Price, Pine Grove, Amador County

California did right

Regarding Have strict mandates really paid off in state? (Front Page, Dec. 16): Perhaps residents of Texas and Florida take pride in their defense of perceived rights and freedoms supposedly threatened by public health mandates. However, I think we in California should be proud that we did all we could to protect ourselves and each other in the face of a global health crisis. I certainly am.
Pressured by an overdose crisis, a struggling downtown and hostile national headlines, Mayor London Breed started making aggressive moves this month. She filled Union Square with police, promised to open a supervised drug-use site and announced a crackdown on both street-level dealers and open-air drug users in the Tenderloin, measures she accelerated Friday by declaring a local state of emergency.

But the reaction to the mayors calls to get tougher in the core of San Francisco  in her words, to be less tolerant of all the bulls that has destroyed our city  showed the rugged terrain she is trying to navigate as the city fiercely debates how to approach homelessness, drug addiction and brazen theft.

Some residents, merchants and cops cheered Breed. Meanwhile, some progressive leaders  who favor the drug-use site but not the police crackdown announced Tuesday  said the citys conservative critics had succeeded in whipping up fear and wrongly blaming police reform for lawlessness in the Tenderloin.

For the moderate Breed, this is not new territory, but its increasingly fraught  leading a city that is both an experiment in reform and a target of Fox News. Whether she can pull off what she and other mayors have promised to do before and make the Tenderloin safer isnt clear. By announcing decisive action, Breed has to deliver or could face a backlash.

Frankly, the stakes are pretty high, said Corey Cook, a professor of politics at St. Marys College in Moraga. He noted that if Breed manages to tamp down crime and drug use in the Tenderloin, people will credit her with strong leadership and see validation of a strategy that combines officers with a more robust social safety net.

If the effort stumbles, It will be read as the failure of a progressive city to govern itself, Cook said.

More than ever, the mayor has to be mindful of protecting economic engines like business conferences and tourism, while being attentive to her progressive critics, among them Public Defender Mano Raju, who were quick to attack her Tenderloin plan as regressive and harmful. Several critics pointed out that the city lacks enough treatment beds for those who want help with addiction.

While San Francisco has traditionally elected moderate mayors, progressives enjoy a majority on the Board of Supervisors, and Breeds handpicked choice for district attorney was defeated two years ago by the reformer Chesa Boudin  though he is now fighting a recall attempt.

Breed has said the city will continue to offer drug treatment and supportive housing and develop alternatives to having police officers respond to mental health crises. But she insisted San Francisco will not allow people to use or sell drugs on the streets.

Were going to enforce every single law at our disposal to get (drug users) either into treatment, or sadly, the alternative is jail, the mayor said in Boeddeker Park, where Tenderloin residents and community leaders gathered Wednesday night for a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. And thats just what it is.

The mayors public safety blitz over the past week was meant in part to deter retail theft in shopping meccas such as Union Square before Christmas, while legislation she co-introduced at the Board of Supervisors seeks to make it more difficult to resell stolen goods on the streets.

Those moves came on top of Breed ordering the heavy police presence near shops hit by thieves and making several downtown parking garages free through the end of the year. Breed, who was lauded for her handling of the pandemic, must now repair the economic damage even amid the spread of the omicron variant, and her bid to deal with the Tenderloin is intertwined with her push to bring shoppers and office workers back.

Her public safety plan also seeks to change a 2-year-old city law limiting police access to surveillance footage during live events, such as the Union Square mass retail thefts, a move that was quickly criticized by civil rights and privacy advocates and progressive Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who sponsored the law.

Breed has also asserted herself in the controversy surrounding the citys progressive school board, three members of which also face a recall bid amid severe budget woes. Earlier in the week, she introduced a charter amendment to rein in board members power, chiding them for focusing on the wrong issues at the expense of the big picture. If as many as three trustees are recalled, Breed will get to appoint their replacements.

Political consultant David Ho, who supported Breeds first run for mayor and is working to defeat the recall of Boudin, said he wasnt surprised by her recent moves. He characterized the mayors governing style as pragmatic, while others observed how deeply she engages with the day-to-day operations of the city.

Ho pointed to Breeds approach to the pandemic, embracing early lockdowns and strict mask orders. And he cited the proposal by Breed and Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton to divert $120 million in funds from law enforcement, investing it in services to help the citys Black community after George Floyds murder underscored disparities caused by decades of racism and institutional failures.

Now, Breed is taking a hard line at a moment of intense local and national focus on property crime in San Francisco and despair over an agonizing spike in fatal overdoses. The Tenderloin, the epicenter of those deaths, has long been contested ground in a larger debate over public safety.

Rising pressure from residents in recent weeks preceded the mayors announcement. Residents packed a community meeting, rallied at City Hall and hand-delivered a letter signed by more than 400 residents that pleaded for safety. But they also expressed frustration that the mayor had let the situation deteriorate.

Shes reacting as any big- city mayor would to a crisis, Ho said.

Yet the pivot presents a major challenge for Breed, Cook said, in that she has to show her philosophy is consistent  that this isnt a repudiation of last years emphasis on alternatives to policing.

Other mayors have begun similar efforts as crime and quality-of-life issues become top priorities for their constituents, a trend that advocates for police reform see as an alarming backlash to the post-George Floyd racial reckoning. In Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf successfully pushed to hire 60 more police officers and, last week, asked Gov. Gavin Newsom for more help from the California Highway Patrol. In New York City, Mayor-elect Eric Adams has put policing at the top of his agenda.

Ho observed that if Breed is successful in the Tenderloin, it could become a marquee accomplishment in her re-election campaign.

Among Tenderloin residents and organizers, Breeds plan has drawn full-throated support from some but wariness from others.

We want a safe neighborhood, just like they have in Nob Hill, just like they have in the Marina. We want to walk around with strollers and our dogs and not worry about getting shot, Rene Colorado, executive director of the Tenderloin Merchant and Property Owners Association, said on Willow Street, where he lives. Thats all that matters, that the residents in the Tenderloin support her. The rest is just noise.

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.

Colorado, who immigrated from Mexico and was undocumented until he was 15, was briefly homeless in San Francisco and spent nearly a year in South Dakota in jail for possession of marijuana. He criticized people who were not Tenderloin residents or people of color dictating what the neighborhood needs, saying it was unfair to attack the mayors plan when many residents had asked for more police.

Im very proud of the mayor because it takes real courage to announce what she did and how she did it, he said. ... Its a huge political risk, but I think she looked at those families in the meeting and it really hit her hard.

David Elliott Lewis, a Tenderloin resident for 15 years, has seen police enforcement blitzes under previous mayors fail to make the Tenderloin safer. He said Breed had true empathy and was going out on a limb here. I think proposing a bold solution  it does take some courage.

Still, Lewis pointed out that the city lacks adequate addiction treatment facilities and a supervised drug-use site. He said that thinking we can just use the police to arrest our way out of this problem is mistaken and worries that people will be arrested before the new social services are up and running. He said housing, instead, was pivotal in solving the problem of open-air drug use.

Aref Elgaali, an immigrant from Sudan who owns Z Zoul Cafe on Eddy Street, wants to see more police tackling drug dealing, but not busting users. Still, he said people breaking laws shouldnt have the right to make others miserable because they want to use drugs.

While Elgaali wanted Breed to incorporate more community input into her public safety plan, he said she was doing more than previous mayors to help what he called the worst place in the city.

He said if shes successful in turning around the Tenderloin, that will be a win-win for her. She will win the Tenderloin votes and the Tenderloin people will win (because) their voices are being heard.

The mayors plans, though, have raised concerns that she has been swayed by the politics of fear  particularly with her Tenderloin crackdown. Police Commissioner John Hamasaki, a criminal defense attorney, said that while he agrees with Breed that conditions in the Tenderloin are unacceptable, he fears she is setting the expectation that police will clear the streets of undesirables.

When you have a surge of officers into an area where the main problems are people in crisis  I am worried about people making mistakes, overreacting, and that can end up in uses of force. It can end up in unlawful detentions and arrests.

Breed acknowledged the risks of her public safety plan when she spoke to reporters at Boeddeker Park. She said she hopes to avoid one of the pitfalls of neighborhood police surges  that officers may just displace people who need help to another block, without solving the underlying issues of addiction, homelessness and poverty.

Walking out of the park Wednesday night, Breed was unable to hide a flash of annoyance when a reporter asked about people with addiction being criminalized.

Im not worried about it, she said. Im more worried about what the people in the Tenderloin have been experiencing.

Rachel Swan and Mallory Moench are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com, mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan, @mallorymoench
Tens of millions of workers across the U.S. are in limbo as federal courts have issued different rulings related to President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccine mandates for larger private companies, certain health care workers and federal government contractors.

A federal appeals court panel has allowed a vaccine requirement for employers with 100 or more workers, although Republican attorneys general, business associations and conservative groups have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. A vaccine mandate for companies that have contracts with the federal government is on hold nationwide, while a separate mandate for health care employees who work for providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding has been blocked in half the states.

The courts are responding to lawsuits brought by Republican-led states, conservative groups and some businesses. They argue in part that the vaccine requirements infringe on states rights to regulate public health matters. Numerous legal challenges are pending, some involving groups of states and others filed by states acting alone.

Separate Biden administration vaccine mandates for federal government employees and the military remain in effect, as do mask requirements for airline passengers and people using public transportation.

The legal cases concern whether the federal government can force employers to require vaccinations. Courts have generally been accepting of requirements that businesses and universities have put in place on their own  as well as those imposed by state and local governments.

More than four-fifths of adults nationwide already have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. But Biden contends his various workforce vaccine mandates are an important step to drive up vaccination rates and contain the virus outbreak, which has killed more than 800,000 people in the U.S.

Opponents have taken a three-tiered approach to challenging the requirements. In lawsuits, they contend the vaccine mandates were imposed without proper public comment, were not authorized by Congress and infringe on states' rights to regulate public health matters.

The reasoning across the cases is basically the same, which is that these statutes dont give the president or the agency in question the authority to issue the mandates," said Gregory Magarian, a constitutional law professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

The Biden administration contends its rule-making authority is firm and supersedes any state policies prohibiting vaccine requirements. Recent experience shows that such mandates generally prompt people to get vaccinated: By the time a Biden requirement for federal workers to be vaccinated took effect in late November, 92% had received at least their first dose of the shot.

Following is a rundown of some of Biden's most sweeping vaccine requirements and the status of the legal fights over them.

LARGE BUSINESS MANDATE

What it would do: Under a rule published by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Nov. 5, businesses with 100 or more workers are to require employees to be vaccinated. If they are not, they would need to be tested weekly and wear masks while working, with exceptions for those who work alone or mostly outdoors. The rule was to go into effect Jan. 4. The requirement would affect businesses with a cumulative 84 million employees, and OSHA projected it could save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.

Whos challenging it: The requirement is being challenged by 27 Republican-led state governments, some conservative and business groups, and some individual businesses. The states mostly filed lawsuits in groups, though Indiana challenged it alone. Their arguments include that its the job of states, not the federal government, to deal with public health measures. The Biden administration maintains that the measure is legal. Some labor unions also contested the rule, though not for the same reasons as the Republicans and business group. They say it doesn't go far enough to protect workers.

Where it stands: The OSHA rule is allowed to take effect, at least for now. On Dec. 17, a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the mandate, reversing a decision by a panel of judges in the New Orleans-based 5th circuit. The legal challenges originally were filed in various U.S. appeals courts. The cases subsequently were consolidated into the Cincinnati-based 6th circuit, which was selected at random.

Whats next: Republican attorneys general, business associations and several conservative groups immediately appealed the 6th circuit ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the meantime, OSHA announced that it would not issue citations before Jan. 10 for its vaccination mandate or before Feb. 9 for its testing requirement to give employers time to adjust.

HEALTH WORKER MANDATE

What it would do: Under a rule published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid on Nov. 5, a wide range of health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding were to require workers to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Dec. 6 and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. The rule would affect more than 17 million workers in about 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers.

Who's challenging it: The rule was challenged in four separate lawsuits filed by Republican-led states, mostly in groups. Florida and Texas mounted their own challenges. The states argued that there were no grounds for an emergency rule, that CMS had no clear legal authority to issue the mandate and that the rule infringes on states' responsibilities.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold nationally, but a ruling Dec. 15 gives it the possibility of moving ahead in about half the states. A Missouri-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Nov. 29 barring its enforcement in 10 states that had originally sued. The next day, a Louisiana-based federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement in the rest of the states. But on Dec. 15, that was narrowed to the 14 suing in that court. And on Dec. 15, a federal judge in Texas granted an injunction that applies only to that state. After the decisions, there is a possibility the mandate could be enforced in 25 states where no injunction is in place. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid have not said whether they will pursue that path.

What's next: The court rulings are being appealed by the Biden administration. On Dec. 16 the administration asked the Supreme Court to block the lower court orders that are keeping the mandate from going into effect in about half of the states. The case filed in Missouri is being considered by the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The case filed in Louisiana, which was brought by a coalition of 14 states, is being considered by the 5th Circuit. So far, there's been no move to consolidate the challenges in a single court.

FEDERAL CONTRACTOR MANDATE

What would it do: Under an executive order issued by Biden on Sept. 9, contractors and subcontractors for the federal government are required to comply with workplace safety guidelines developed by a federal task force. That task force subsequently issued guidelines requiring that new, renewed or extended contracts include a clause requiring employees to be fully vaccinated Jan. 18. That meant those receiving a two-dose vaccine must get their second shot by Jan. 4. There are limited exceptions for medical or religions reasons. The requirements could apply to millions of employees.

Who's challenging it: The guidelines have been challenged through more than a dozen lawsuits, including seven brought by Republican-led states or coalitions of states. The arguments are similar to those against other vaccine mandates, asserting the Biden administration exceeded the procurement rule-making powers granted by Congress, infringed on states' responsibilities and didn't properly gather public comment.

Where it stands: The rule is on hold. A federal judge in Georgia issued a ruling Dec. 7 prohibiting enforcement of the requirement for contractors nationally. The ruling came a week after a judge in Kentucky barred enforcement of the requirement in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.

What's next: Legal challenges pending in several other states could lead to additional rulings on requests for injunctions. The Kentucky or Georgia rulings also could be appealed.

A quick consolidation of the federal contractor lawsuits appears unlikely.
Lets get this clear from the jump: There appear to be no credible threats of a nationwide, TikTok-inspired challenge of mass violence, especially in the Bay Area. Investigations from at least three separate school districts in the Bay Area, according to letters sent to parents and obtained by SFGATE, have found that there are no credible threats to any students in the Bay Area. (The San Francisco Unified School District, one of these districts, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE.)

And yet, here we are. Legions of teens are skipping class, parents are concerned about taking their children to school, schools across the country have shuttered and Im writing this dispatch to explain how the life cycle of a media panic lives and dies to hopefully assuage any concerns that parents and students (rightfully) have.

If, say, this challenge did circulate on TikTok, it likely came out of a kid (or a cruel, malevolent grown-up) pulling a prank  for example, posting a stupid message about a threat, then promptly deleting it. Even TikTok has not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading on the platform, according to a message shared on Twitter.

Instead, what likely happened after seeing speculation online is a news outlet grabbed this story, with the concerns over devious licks in its rearview. The concern spread with every news outlet in the nation polling its local schools about the murmurs of school violence roiling on the cryptic platform that Gen Z predominates, seemingly without double-checking the platform itself to see if there are any instances of this. (It seems as if more journalists need to have a TikTok account, at least to do the bare minimum of checking the authenticity of the video.)

A letter shared to parents from one San Francisco high school is perhaps the defining message as to why these anxieties are so pervasive.

When informally polling our students, most were not even aware that the challenge existed, the letter said.

It seems as if even students, the same ones who apparently spotted the first inklings of school violence on their social media platform of choice, only heard about this so-called challenge because of parents and administrators, who likely first heard about this not on TikTok but on the breathless, anxiety-inducing coverage that theyve seen circulating on news sites and non-TikTok social media platforms.

For what its worth, every TikTok Ive seen in the past 24 hours about this challenge is not of people sharing and circulating credible threats but of students sharing their plans to skip school, people posting screenshots of local news stories and their anxieties over living in a country where school violence is a norm.

Now, this is not to criticize parents, teachers or school administrators, let alone students, who have lived with the specter of gun violence for the past three decades with seemingly little done to curtail these tragedies. More than anything, its the job of the news media  myself included  to be responsible with this influence, and not write about TikTok trends as innocuous as a dance craze or something as unnerving as this without having any substantive evidence to back it up.

There is, after all, the phenomenon of contagion when these tragedies take place. TikTok itself even commented that the blitz of local media attention on this could end up inspiring real world harm, the platform told CNN.

But the tricky thing about this viral challenge, true or not, is that the anxieties that it brought up are real.

Do you remember when, every year in the 2000s, like clockwork, a story would come out of some concerned police department freaked out about how marijuana and switchblades were embedded into kids candy? Or, back in the 1980s, when the Satanic Panic happened and every station ran a fire-red broadcast on it?

They turned out to be mostly false, except for a few stray incidents in which someone did sneak in a few sharp objects inside individually wrapped pieces of candy, usually as a prank. But these were inherently absurd claims, and were pretty much met with the same level of scrutiny from the public as the current TikTok paranoia.

The same feedback loop  a rumor from an impenetrable source, news media glomming onto this phenomenon, people freaking out, the rumored event not happening  will likely happen here. The challenge will largely turn out to be debunked, if not totally invalidated.

But the fact of the matter is that the stakes are higher here, which makes the lack of journalistic fact-checking all the more irresponsible. The key difference between police reports of weed candy and school shootings is that the latter has happened with a bleak regularity; school is back to normal in every sense of the phrase. A viral challenge threatening violence feels credible, not because of a TikTok rumor, but because this just happens in schools without any rhyme or reason.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, the number of incidents of gunfire on school grounds was higher in 2021  despite the prevalence of hybrid and off-campus learning  than it was in 2019. (In 2020, most schools pivoted to remote learning, meaning a reduction in these incidents.) At least 32 people were killed; 94 others were injured. This anxiety makes sense, even if the origins of it have been debunked.

If you search for school threat trend on TikTok, youll find the aforementioned posts of students sharing empty classrooms and angry messages. But scroll just a bit further, and youll find a video from a week ago from a person showing students leaving campus after an actual shooting threat their school got.

All this is to say: You probably have nothing to be worried about on Friday. But given how scary and confusing this all is, it's perfectly OK to keep your child at home for the day.
A controversial plan to drop nearly 3,000 pounds of poison on San Francisco's Farallon Islands has been approved.

The federal government plan to rid the wildlife refuge of tens of thousands of invasive mice, which has been debated for months, was approved in a 5-3 vote by the California Coastal Commission on Thursday.

The rodenticide will be dropped from helicopters onto the islands 27 miles west of San Francisco.

The idea of dropping poison on one of the most precious and highly protected habitats in America was not welcomed by all.

The commissions approval was granted despite opposition expressed at the hearing by one of the world's most distinguished conservationists, Dr. Jane Goodall, who said the airdrop of a "super-toxic rat poison" will "inflict pain and suffering on a great many sentient animals."

Richard Charter, with the coastal coordination program of the Ocean Foundation, said in an email to SFGATE, For the California Coastal Commission, whose members are sworn to supposedly protect the California coast, to irrationally approve a proposal by the Biden Administration to spread a deadly multi-species ecosystem poison amidst our National Marine Sanctuary in Nancy Pelosis congressional district is beyond ironic, its totally incomprehensible.

Nonetheless, a majority were convinced after hours of testimony and debate that it's the only solution to the "plague" of rodents that were first introduced by sailors over a century ago.

The rocky outcrop of sea stacks and islands west of the Golden Gate is home to 300,000 breeding seabirds, as well as five species of seals and sea lions. That unique biodiversity, however, also includes more than 1,000 mice per acre, a population that has exploded in recent years. Ecologists argue that the mice pose a threat to endemic species, including salamanders, many species of bird and the Farallon cave cricket, a unique insect only found on the islands.

[Mice are] just covering the ground, Pete Warzybok, Farallon Islands program leader for Point Blue Conservation Science research institute told the Marin Independent Journal in April. During this time period, the island is riddled with mouse burrows. There are times when you walk outside and you actually see the ground undulating as the mice are running about below the surface. Quite frankly, its a horrifying sight. Its like something right out of a horror movie.

The commission included several conditions as part of the new approval, including requiring the federal government to provide final plans for the project to commission staff for review.

The agency plans on dropping the poisoned bait in the winter months when bird numbers are lowest.
Editor's note: This story originally ran in 2019, but has been updated with more recent census data.

Crystal balls are more often cloudy than clear.

For example, in 1950, artist-sculptor Alexander Weygers foresaw a 21st-century San Francisco with no traffic congestion because nearly everyone in the future has their own flying saucer.

We're still waiting to ride in George Jetson's anti-gravity car.

But a June 9, 1981, New York Times article about San Francisco's changing demographics was surprisingly prescient.

The story, "Changing San Francisco is Foreseen as a Haven for the Wealthy and Childless," quoted Dr. Kenneth T. Rosen of UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business as saying the following:

"Ten years from now, unless we adopt some sort of policy to insure income integration, we will crowd out all the middle-income people. I think San Francisco is going to become a very rich living area, a lot of single and retired people who have money, executives who work down in the financial district. It's going to be very difficult for a nonwealthy person to live here."

Rosen, who made headlines in recent years over his opposition to the pro-rent control Proposition 10, may not have hit the mark within his 10-year window, but time has borne out his vision. Even in 1981, the housing market in San Francisco was considered outrageous. The median price was $129,000.

"This city dwarfs anything I've ever seen in terms of housing prices," William Witte, then deputy director for housing in the city's Office of Community Development, told the Times.

Oh, if only we could go back in time to buy a house for $129,000.

Here are some predictions that demographers, real estate experts and others made in the article.

San Francisco would become a city where only the elite could afford to live.

TRUE: Not only has it occurred, but income inequality continues to worsen. In the San Francisco metro area, the average income of the top 1 percent of households in California  $3.6 million  was 44 times the average income of the bottom 99 percent ($81,094), according to the state Budget and Policy Center. That was by far the worst ratio in the state. You can read more about state income equality in this brief from the Budget and Policy Center.

Soaring housing costs would prompt a mass exodus of the middle class.

TRUE: In 1990, San Francisco 60 percent of San Francisco residents lived in middle-class neighborhoods. By 2010, that figure was 41 percent. According to the 2020 census, the median household income in San Francisco is now $112,449. That dwarfs the $65,712 national average.

The city would become childless.

MOSTLY TRUE: Today San Francisco has the lowest percentage of children of any of the largest 100 cities in America, according to census data.

The trend in decreasing household sizes in San Francisco  from 2.7 persons per household to 2.1, according to 1980 census figures  would continue.

FALSE: Household sizes stabilized at 2.36 persons per household in the city (2015-19 U.S. Census figures)  perhaps because many young adults can afford to live only in multiple-roommate houses and apartments.

(Hat tip to Reddit user mrmagcore, who dug up the link to the 1981 Times article.)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)  A man has been sentenced to back-to-back life prison terms for fatally stabbing a Missouri Air National Guard member during a road rage confrontation in suburban Kansas City.

Nicholas Webb, 61, of Pleasant Hill, was sentenced Friday for the death of Cody Harter, 23, of St. Joseph. A jury convicted Webb of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in August.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP)  Three University of Alabama law school students are using this holiday season as a reason to share information about a gift they gave that had life-saving implications for their recipients.

Angelica Mamani, Katrina Smith and Ryne Smith recently donated kidneys to people they had previously never met.

Ive always felt that if I have an opportunity to do something for someone else, and I can, then I should, Mamani said during a Dec. 9 news conference at UAs School of Law.

All three students decided separately to become organ donors and discovered the UAB Kidney Centers non-directed donor program to help them fulfill their plans. According to the kidney center, more than 2,200 Alabamians are in need of a kidney transplant.

Mamani, 32 was in her first year of law school at UA when she began considering organ donation. She previously registered as a Be the Match bone marrow donor, but never had the opportunity to donate. She then became interested in kidney donation and began the candidacy process at UAB Kidney Center. The process requires a rigorous series of medical testing and screening.

In January 2020, Mamani received a call to begin the donation process. She was approved in the summer of 2020 and matched with her recipient, Lakiesha Stubbs of Birmingham. On Aug. 6, 2020, Mamani donated her left kidney to Stubbs and they met for the first time after surgery.

Though the recovery process was far from easy, according to Mamani, the now third-year law student said she would redo the donation process in a heartbeat.

It is possibly the most profound experience of your life, Mamani said. Even without getting to know my recipient beforehand, it has made me a better person in so many ways. Its opened up opportunities for growth and positive impact in the world.

Katrina Smith, 25 and Ryne Smith, 30 began considering kidney donation during the same summer that Mamani donated her kidney. The Smiths, who met while in school, were inspired by an audiobook, Against Empathy by Paul Bloom, which discusses effective altruism. The book aims to identify the most effective ways to improve the world.

Katrina Smith and Ryne Smith, both third-year law students, began researching their options and discovered the UAB Kidney Center. Similar to Mamani, the pair had to undergo a series of tests and screenings before being approved for the kidney donation.

In May 2021, the Smiths went into surgery one day apart from each other.

For privacy reasons, the entire process is anonymous until after the surgery. But in the end, all three UA law students met their kidney recipients.

Ryne Smith donated his left kidney to Sarita Whitney, who had been waiting on for a transplant since January.

Ryne Smith said he decided to go through with the donation after learning more about how many people need kidneys and realizing that he could potentially save a life.

Based on the amount of effort that I would have to go through in order to change that persons life, Ive considered it a no-brainer. I made that decision right then and there that if, if I was able to do that I would, Ryne Smith said.

Katrina Smith donated her right kidney to Kim Gilmore. The two often stay in touch and tell their experiences on Facebook.

I think that Im most proud to be the kind of person who would see that I can give up two weeks of my life to extend someone elses life 10 to 27 years. Thats the kind of person I wanted to be ever since I was little, Katrina Smith said.

All three students are expected to graduate in May 2022 from UAs School of Law and are now preparing for finals.

There are several ways to become an organ donor, including joining a states organ donor list or registering when obtaining a drivers license. For more information about organ donation, got the federal organ donation website at www.organdonor.gov/sign-up.
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP)  A federal lawsuit filed Friday by civil rights lawyers claims officers at a Delaware prison beat two inmates without justification.

Attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware represent the lawsuit's plaintiffs, William Bill Davis and Isaac Montague, who were pretrial detainees at Sussex Correctional Institution. Both men claim officers beat them and deployed pepper spray into their nose and mouth as they were held down.

The Delaware News Journal reports that officials from the Delaware Department of Correction declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The Georgetown prison facility has a total capacity of roughly 1,100 beds, according to its website.

Susan Burke, the ACLU chapters legal director, described conditions at the prison as deplorable.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP)  Thousands of Catalans took to the streets of Barcelona on Saturday to protest against a court decision that mandates that 25% of all school subjects be taught in Spanish, reducing the still predominant use of the local Catalan language in classrooms.

Demonstrators say this would threaten their cherished educational system, which has helped bring Catalan back to common use after it had been suppressed during the 20th-century dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco.

It is not proper of a democracy that a court invalidates an educational system that is supported by society and its parliament, said Oscar Escuder, president of Platform for the Language, a grassroots group that promotes the use of Catalan who joined the march. According to our polls, 82% of Catalans support the current system.

The renewed defense of the Catalan language also promises to galvanize the region's separatist movement that has been struggling to maintain its unity. Several marchers carried pro-independence flags, and the movement's leaders were in attendance.

But families who want their children to receive more learning in Spanish say the current system is violating their rights to study in the nations common tongue.

The march comes less than a month since Spains Supreme Court upheld the 2020 decision by a lower court in Catalonia that ruled in favor on a suit brought by the Spains previous conservative government against Catalonias Department of Education.

The Supreme Court tossed out an appeal by the Catalan government against the previous ruling that the region's schools must guarantee at least 25% of academic subjects be taught in Spanish. That would translate into roughly doubling the hours Catalan student are taught in Spanish from one subject to two. Currently, most schools only use Spanish in Spanish language class, leaving everything else to be taught in Catalan.

The increase may seem slight, but for many Catalans it is sacrilege.

I am here to defend the educational system in which I was schooled and my children were schooled, said Monica Munoz, a 47-year-old translator and mother of three.

(The court mandate) is the death of our language. Our language is the foundation of our society, and it has been shown that the educational system works  Spanish is not in danger.

Now another institutional showdown looms between central authorities and the Catalan regional government, which is run by secessionists who are vowing not to abide by the requirement to increase Spanish in schools.

The Assembly for a Bilingual School in Catalonia, a grassroots group representing Catalans who want more Spanish in classrooms, says that while around 100 families have taken their demand for more Spanish to the courts, there are many more who support them.

The use of languages in Catalonias schools has become a heated national debate after a family denounced that they had been insulted and felt threatened following their request for their childs public school in Canet de Mar just north of Barcelona to increase the hours of Spanish as mandated by the courts.

We arent against Catalan. We love Catalan, and we appreciate the richness it gives us all as individuals and as a society," the family said in an open letter, written in Spanish and Catalan. "But we are bilingual, and we also love Spanish. Our goal is nothing more than for Spanish to form a part of our childs education in a normal way just as it does in Catalan society.

Catalan is a Romance language similar to Spanish. It is spoken in the Catalonia region of northeast Spain, in the tiny nation of Andorra and to a reduced extent in neighboring Spanish regions and in southern France.

The vast majority of Catalonias 7.7 million residents speak both Catalan and Spanish fluently. Conversations can easily flow from one language to the next, especially since the language have many words that are very similar.

The use of Catalan in schools was official prohibited during Francos rule from the end of the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War until his death in 1975. Since then, the promotion of the language has been a prized achievement of Catalonia, which enjoys a wide degree of self-rule since Spains return to democracy.

The Catalan education system is widely supported, even by many of the roughly 50% of citizens who are against the independence push. For many who came from other parts of Spain in large numbers last century, it meant their children could easily integrate.

In 2019, Spains Constitutional Court ruled against another suit brought by Spains conservative Popular Party and said that Catalonias system of linguistic immersion in Catalan was constitutional.

The Spanish Constitution states that Spanish is the language of the nation and should be learned and spoken by everyone. It also states that Catalan and other minority languages like Basque are co-official languages and part of Spains cultural patrimony that should be subject to special respect and protection.

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Hernan Munoz contributed to this report.
Petros Karadjias/AP

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP)  Cyprus on Saturday toughened COVID-19 screening for all travelers from the U.K. over age 12, including requiring them to quarantine until results are in from a lab test performed at the airport.

Cyprus Health Ministry cited Britain's drastic increase in omicron variant cases as the reason for the stepped-up measures, which apply to travelers whether or not theyve been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19.
CAIRO (AP)  Egyptian health authorities said they have identified the countrys first cases of the highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Three people were found to have the variant among 26 travelers who tested positive for coronavirus at Cairo International Airport, the Health Ministry said in a statement late Friday. It didn't say where the three came from.
The CEO of a major airline suggested during a congressional hearing this week that face masks provide little value on planes  a claim that was quickly amplified online.

Citing high-quality filtration systems aboard planes, Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly stated that masks dont add much, if anything, in the air cabin environment.

But experts strongly disagree. Here are the facts.

CLAIM: Mask-wearing on planes is unnecessary because advanced air filtration systems sufficiently reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

THE FACTS: While its true that the common air filtration and distribution systems used in modern aircraft are highly effective at reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission among passengers, masks add another layer of protection for air travelers, experts told The Associated Press.

Kellys comments came during a Wednesday hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. After returning home from the hearing, Kelly tested positive for COVID-19, a Southwest spokesperson confirmed to the AP on Friday.

Kelly made his comment about masks in response to a question from Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican representing Mississippi, who asked Kelly and another airline CEO if they thought air travel without masks could ever resume.

Kelly said that 99.97% of airborne pathogens are captured by high efficiency particulate air filters, or HEPA filters, on airplanes, before suggesting that masks are unnecessary during air travel.

Yeah, I think the case is very strong that masks dont add much, if anything, in the air cabin environment, Kelly said. Its very safe, and very high quality compared to any other indoor setting.

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker appeared to agree, saying, I concur, the aircraft is the safest place you can be. He noted that all of his companys aircraft have the same HEPA filters.

The comments were quickly picked up by news outlets and blogs, and spread on social media.

The CEOs of Southwest and American Airlines both said today in Senate testimony that masks on planes serve no purpose, said one tweet shared more than 3,500 times.

Both CEOs clarified their comments to say they support the current federal policy requiring masks on flights. On Friday, after returning home from the hearing, Kelly tested positive for COVID-19, Southwest spokesperson confirmed to the AP.

Southwest Airlines provided the AP with a message that Kelly sent to employees in which the CEO apologized for any confusion stemming from the hearing, saying Southwest continued to support the current federal mask mandate at airports and on airplanes.

Kelly said the airline adopted a mask requirement aboard its flights in May 2020, before the federal government required it, and that employees and customers have felt it has been an important layer of protection, and I certainly agree with that. He said the airline would continue to rely on the advice of our medical experts regarding the necessity of masks.

Parker later said on social media he agreed with my fellow CEOs that being onboard a plane is proven to be a safe and healthy indoor environment. But he said that his statement at the hearing was unclear and that he supported the federal mask mandate Full stop.

While HEPA filtration systems are highly effective at reducing the transmission of viruses, they do not completely eliminate risk aboard flights, according to Linsey Marr, an aerosol scientist at Virginia Tech.

The issue is that they only work on the air as it passes through the filter, she said in an email. If you are sitting near someone who is releasing lots of viruses into the air, you could end up inhaling them before they have had a chance to pass through the filtration system.

Marr said it takes a few minutes for air to completely pass through the filtration system. She said requiring everyone to wear a mask reduces the amount of virus an infected individual can release into the air, and helps reduce the amount of virus someone wearing a mask might breathe in.

Leonard J. Marcus, director of the Aviation Public Health Initiative at Harvard University, agreed.

Yes, the ventilation system on airplanes are incredible. Theyre comparable with what you might find in an operating room, he said. But it is the multiple layers, its not one thing alone.

Marcus said that masks are particularly important when people are boarding and exiting airplanes or moving around the aircraft cabin. Rising COVID-19 cases and the threat posed by the omicron variant also make mask-wearing on planes essential, he said.

People are moving about, people are turning to speak to someone, people are sometimes lifting up their mask to drink, said Marcus, whose initiative published a report in October that supported a layered approach to lowering risk. If everyone is wearing the mask, theres going to be much less transmission of the disease.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO, a union representing some 50,000 flight attendants, has also called masks a key component of safety on flights, noting that not all planes have HEPA filtration systems.

___

Kelety reported from Phoenix; Fichera from Philadelphia.

___

This is part of APs effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Learn more about fact-checking at AP.
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (AP)  A fire ripped through a distribution center in North Carolina for the QVC home-shopping television network early Saturday, causing extensive damage to the facility, officials said.

More than 300 employees were working at the facility near Rocky Mount when the fire was reported shortly after 2 a.m., The News & Observer reported. No injuries were immediately reported.

QVC representatives reported that all employees safely evacuated the warehouse and were accounted for except for one who hadn't contacted family yet, according to Edgecombe County Manager Eric Evans. Earlier Saturday, Evans had said all of the center's employees appeared to be accounted for.

QVC said in a subsequent statement that it was working with local authorities to confirm the safety of all employees and contractors at the site. It said it had close to 2,000 team members" working at the complex, spread over three shifts.

Evans said a main section of the 1.2 million-square-foot (365,000-square-meter) facility appears to be destroyed. Crews from nearly 45 fire departments were still fighting the blaze more than 12 hours after it began.

They're working very hard to try to protect the remainder of that building, Evans said. Significant loss, but we're very hopeful that it's not a total loss and that they'll be able to rebuild here.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to Evans.

QVC tweeted a statement about the fire on Saturday, saying, We are currently focused on our team. As we work to understand the full impact of this incident, including any impact to shipping and delivery, well share further details."

QVC. Inc. is based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qurate Retail Inc.

The Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce posted a Facebook message that said up to 2,500 families would be affected by the fire.
NORTH HAVEN, Maine (AP)  A series of grants to support theater organizations will help grow performance arts in rural parts of the state.

The Maine Community Foundation said it has awarded $93,000 to 30 groups around the state. One of the grants will go to Waterman's Community Center to help with an anniversary production of Islands, a musical portrayal of North Haven.
HONG KONG (AP)  Elections for Hong Kongs Legislative Council on Sunday mark the culmination of Beijings campaign to rein in the body that had once kept it from imposing its unrestrained will over the semi-autonomous territory.

Since the city was handed over from British to Chinese rule in 1997, with a promise by Beijing to keep Western-style freedoms for 50 years, demands for expanded democracy inspired protest movements in 2014 and 2019. But they were largely ignored and subsequently crushed by security forces.

Here's a look at the events that resulted in the dramatic changes to Hong Kong's electoral system:

THE 2014 UMBRELLA MOVEMENT''

Also known as Occupy Central" for the business district where pro-democracy protesters gathered, the movement got its name from the umbrellas activists used to shield themselves from police pepper spray. Nearly 1,000 people were arrested in what marked the citys most tumultuous period since China took control of the territory. A government proposal would have allowed the citys 5 million eligible voters to vote for the citys leader for the first time. But the package was rejected by pro-democracy lawmakers and activists because the power to select up to three candidates would remain in the hands of a 1,200-member group of tycoons and other elites viewed as sympathetic to the mainland Chinese government.

2019 EXTRADITION LAW PROTESTS

The government then withdrew the proposal and current Chief Executive Carrie Lam was selected by an electoral committee. In February 2019, the government introduced an extradition bill it said would plug holes in the territory's regulations on handing over criminal suspects to jurisdictions where they were wanted, including mainland China. Opponents said that put citizens at risk of being extradited on political charges to the mainland, where legal rights are considerably weaker and where they could face torture and abuse. After street marches and limited clashes between protesters and police, Lam announced she was suspending the bill on June 15, although it was not formally withdrawn until October.

GROWING PROTESTS, VIOLENT CLASHES

The movement snowballed into four demands, including an investigation into police tactics and the release of arrested demonstrators. Some also called for Lam to resign and said they want true universal suffrage. All demands were ignored. On July 1, the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover, hardcore demonstrators stormed the legislature. Hundreds of young protesters broke windows, defaced official symbols and spray painted slogans. The council was not in session and officers retreated further inside the building.

THE CRACKDOWN

As the year wore on, increasingly violent clashes erupted nightly, culminating in November in a lengthy dramatic showdown at Hong Kong Polytechnic University where students had stockpiled homemade incendiaries. Police stormed the campus, arresting more than 1,000 mostly students, and cutting off support for large protest action. Police also arrested senior opposition figures, while the pro-democracy camp won big in elections for district councilors. The movement held a symbolic primary to choose candidates for legislative elections due in September 2020 amid calls to paralyze all parliamentary activities to force concessions. Lam decided to postpone the elections, citing COVID-19 infections.

NATIONAL SECURITY LAW

Chinese officials declared conditions in Hong Kong are no longer conducive for the passage of national security legislation, and the ceremonial national parliament in Beijing will act on it instead. The National People's Congress on June 30, 2020, passed the National Security Law targeting secessionist, subversive and terrorist activities, as well as collusion with foreign forces, with penalties of up to life imprisonment. Scuffles break out in the Hong Kong legislature, where four lawmakers were disqualified under the provisions of the new law and 15 others resigned in solidarity. Six other lawmakers were expelled earlier after altering their oaths of office.

ELECTORAL CHANGES

The Chinese parliament on March 11, 2021, passes a resolution to alter Hong Kongs election law that many saw as effectively ending the one country, two systems framework under which Hong Kong was to retain its separate legal, political and financial institutions for 50 years. By a vote of 2,895-0, with one abstention, the assembly voted to give a pro-Beijing committee power to appoint more of Hong Kongs lawmakers, reducing the proportion of those directly elected, and ensure that only those truly loyal to Beijing are allowed to run for office. The move expanded the size of the chamber from 70 to 90 seats, with members of the Election Committee, a strongly pro-Beijing body responsible for electing the chief executive, making up 40 of those. Another 30 seats are elected by business groupings known as functional constituencies." The number of directly elected representatives was reduced from 35 to 20. Five seats elected from among district councilors were abolished altogether.

ONLY PATRIOTS CAN RUN FOR OFFICE

Candidate vetting rules included in the changes ensure that anyone even suspected of being less than overwhelming loyal to Beijing will be weeded out. Hong Kong is moving toward the authoritarian Communist Party strictures in place in mainland China. The U.K. and U.S. have condemned the electoral changes while Beijing and its supporters call them mere refinements to improve efficiency. In a Dec. 7 interview with Communist Party newspaper Global Times, Lam said the elections would be more representative with more balanced participation." She said the goal is to elect those who are patriotic to govern the city.
PITTSBURGH (AP)  State environmental regulators have spent years ringing alarms about the scourge of abandoned oil and gas wells littering Pennsylvanias landscape. The biggest hurdle has been getting funding to find and plug them before they fall into unmanageable decay.

With the new federal infrastructure law, Pennsylvania will have more money for well plugging than the state has ever seen. The next challenge is sorting out how to spend it.

The state Department of Environmental Protection estimates that Pennsylvania could be eligible for as much as $395 million for finding and plugging abandoned wells over the next decade  or 10 times as much money as the state has spent on orphan-well plugging over the past 30 years.

That much money could pay to seal off as many as 16,000 open, ownerless wells that pose environmental and public safety risks, according to the agencys projections.

The operating budget for DEPs plugging program has never exceeded $3.5 million in a year. In the peak year of this funding surge, its annual plugging budget could reach almost $80 million.

Kurt Klapkowski, a bureau director in DEPs oil and gas office, called it once-in-a-lifetime type funding.

Ive probably had five or six moments in my career where I really felt like I made a huge difference, and Ive been doing this since 1994, he told the states oil and gas technical advisory board in September. I feel like this will definitely be another one of those situations where we leave Pennsylvania better than we found it.

But scaling up a plugging program that has languished for lack of funds will bring fresh complications  from administering a vastly larger initiative to finding workers ready for the jobs.

A new era, with money

The law contains several types of grants that will be administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior and dispersed to states. The clock is already ticking on some of them.

Pennsylvania is expected to receive $25 million in an initial grant that requires states to apply for the money within the next six months and spend it within a year of getting the funds.

Remember, we spent $40 million over 30 years. Were talking about $25 million in 365 days, said Seth Pelepko, environmental program manager at the oil and gas bureau, during a presentation earlier this month for Washington & Jefferson College.

DEP has been readying for months for the initial funding round. Inspectors have been in the field verifying the location and conditions of about 500 orphan wells that the agency can group into contracts and quickly put out for bid. It has digitized historical records to make everything that is known about the old wells accessible to inspectors in an app. It has published guidelines for navigating the state contracting process for companies that have never plugged wells for the government before.

The next stage of funding will be much larger  and trickier to manage.

Formula grants  which are based on a states inventory of orphan wells and its recent oil and gas job losses  are expected to bring about $300 million to Pennsylvania. There is no immediate deadline to begin drawing on that pot of money, so regulators will have time to design strategies for how best to use it.

But once they receive the money, they have to spend it within five years.

There are also other types of grants  worth up to $70 million combined  if Pennsylvania dedicates more state money to plugging and takes steps to strengthen its rules to prevent more wells from being abandoned.

At its peak, DEP could be running more than 300 multi-well plugging contracts in a year, according to the agencys projections. Between 2018 and 2020, the department had the funds to execute just nine contracts total.

Its something to be positive about, absolutely, Mr. Pelepko said. Its something to be excited about. But it is something to really focus on  how we can do everything possible to prepare for a smooth transition into this era of greater funding. Were really in uncharted waters.

One way the agency is preparing is by querying contractors about their capacity to plug wells under government contracts, which can be cumbersome.

Through Nov. 10, the agency had received responses from almost 80 companies, and all of them said they were interested in plugging wells in Pennsylvania, Mr. Pelepko said.

About half of the companies that responded had plugged wells under a state-issued contract in the past. Two-thirds said they anticipate hiring additional staff if they are awarded contracts.

The art of well plugging is hard to master

Plugging contractors with a long history in the state are well aware of how difficult it will be to turn a flood of money into thousands of cemented holes in the earth.

I think its going to be a real challenge for the states to put together a program that spends the money wisely but still gets it spent, said Steve Plants, president of Bradford-based Plants and Goodwin Inc., a well service and plugging firm that has been operating for half a century.

Ive always said I think people handle adversity better than they handle prosperity.

Mr. Plants has been getting a lot of calls lately, he said, from people who know nothing about plugging wells but who want to figure out how they can get attached to our wagon.

Recently he talked to a financial firm that wants to procure carbon credits for its clients through plugging orphan wells that leak methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

The influx of federal money will be competing for scarce plugging resources.

A certain portion of Plants and Goodwins work, for example, is plugging orphaned or abandoned wells through contracts with state environmental agencies.

But another portion is the often more lucrative and stable work of plugging older shale gas wells  those that were drilled in the beginning of the shale rush or those that have run into problems with leaks or been stranded by a lack of pipelines.

The same kinds of environmental concerns over leaking methane that animated the federal legislation are also causing major oil and gas firms, under pressure to show greenhouse gas reductions, to accelerate their plugging programs.

Theres going to be a real shortage of contractors, a lack of equipment, a lack of people, and certainly a lack of skill, Mr. Plants said.

Well plugging, although its not sexy, its an art, he said. There are a lot of things you can do (wrong) that doubles and triples the cost of a project.

Jason Nicholas, a managing member of Ohio-based Nicks Well Plugging, said the labor shortage has been severe over the past year.

Theyre gonna have a lot of money they cant get rid of, predicted Mr. Nicholas, who started the company with his father just over a decade ago.

Nicks Well Plugging has one crew of half a dozen workers. The company would like to add more, but we cant even get anybody in the door.

Mr. Nicholas assumes the deterrent is the nature of the work itself: Its dirty, cold, and a lot of people dont like to do that.

Theres no formal training program for plugging professionals, Mr. Plants said, and training newbies is expensive and time consuming. They require constant supervision, and it could take months to determine if the worker is suited for the job or wants to stay in it.

Of Plants and Goodwins 55 employees, about 10 now live in other states like Texas, Oklahoma and Michigan. The company flies them in for jobs, pays for their lodging and gives them a per diem, then flies them home.

Its expensive and certainly nothing that I would have envisioned in prior years, Mr. Plants said, or without the prodding of his son, whose idea it was to recruit experienced professionals across the country.

Many holes to find

Regulators say they know they will need an array of strategies for using the windfall.

They are hoping the $4.7 billion in new plugging funding nationally might entice large oil and gas firms to take on plugging projects that were too paltry to be worth their effort before, while also enticing small conventional oil and gas companies to pivot their focus to plugging.

With over a century and a half of drilling history, Pennsylvania has an estimated 200,000 more wells to locate, assess and research beyond the 8,900 that have been verified and put on the official list of abandoned and orphan wells.

Not all of the federal money has to be spent on cleaning out old wells and cementing them shut. It also can be used to find and characterize abandoned wells and remediate contamination they have caused.

The discussion at DEPs oil and gas advisory board in September touched on ways to empower municipalities or nonprofits to locate abandoned wells, and whether some of the funds could be used for methane mitigation systems in neighborhoods that were built over buried old oil and gas wells that are unlikely ever to be uncovered and plugged.

Mr. Klapkowski said the law gives state oil and gas programs a lot of flexibility to tackle the abandoned oil and gas problems they face.

The message were getting is this is money that is really intended to get this work done, he said.

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Online:

https://bit.ly/3yq1auy
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP)  Nurses at St. Vincent Hospital have reached a tentative agreement to end one of the longest nurse strikes in state history.

The deal between the Massachusetts Nurses Associates and Tenet Healthcare, the Dallas-based company that owns the Worcester hospital, was announced late Friday. Union members will vote on the proposal at a later date.
RICHMOND Va. (AP)  Millions of leafy green plants now growing in a greenhouse in Goochland County have their roots in an idea that was planted almost five years ago.

The co-founders of Greenswell Growers, which is producing edible greens at a large indoor farm facility in the West Creek office park in Goochland, initially came together out of a desire to provide more fresh, nutritious produce for food-insecure people in the Richmond area.

The founders of Greenswell are Charles Chuck Metzgar, a former managing director for the human resources consulting firm Mercer; Doug Pick, the president and CEO of Feed More, the hunger relief agency that operates Virginias largest food bank; and John May, a retired technology industry professional and president and CEO of the Center for Innovation and Development in Kilmarnock.

The very simple, 40,000-foot story, is that Doug Pick needed more produce at Feed More, said Metzgar, a longtime friend of Picks who wanted to help Feed More obtain those resources.

We were going to go to farmers in the state of Virginia  field growers  to find the product, Metzgar said. We looked for almost a years period of time.

However, they were unable to find enough produce to supply Feed Mores needs.

The reason was that todays farmers dont do enough produce in the state of Virginia other than in small quantities for farmers markets or a mom-and-pop grocery store here and there, Metzgar said. The key issue is there isnt enough labor. Nobody wants to go and put their hands in the dirt.

We looked at each other and said, What do we do now? Metzgar said, Then we saw a couple of hydroponic facilities and the lightbulbs went on.

May, a retiree whose career included starting a telecommunications infrastructure company in Northern Virginia, came on board with Greenswell Growers after hearing Metzgar make a presentation in the Northern Neck about hydroponic farming.

Im really the geek of the outfit, May said.

I thought it made a whole lot of sense, May said of the hydroponic farming idea. I looked at the numbers, and put together a financial model, and got some investments.

After pulling together a small group of investors, Greenswell Growers recently opened a $17 million indoor farming operation that not only will supply local food banks, but is also pursuing a budding business model of supplying grocery stores with fresh greens.

The company has not announced yet where its greens will be sold, but Metzgar said it is in discussions with six grocery chains. He declined to say which chains, but said the retailers are names people would recognize.

The founders of Greenswell Growers do not foresee their company competing with Virginia farmers. Instead, they want to supply an alternative source of green produce versus the large-scale, outdoor farming operations found in California and Arizona that produce more than 90% of the leafy greens that consumers buy in the United States.

May calls that model scary, especially now that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed how fragile supply chains can be.

Our food is coming from thousands of miles away, he said. If the supply chain breaks down at any point, then we are in trouble. For me, this is a risk thing.

One of the companys goals is to extend the shelf life of the leafy greens it sells. By reducing shipping time and by using specially sealed packaging, we can extend the shelf life to 18 days from the current shelf life of around seven days for produce shipped long distances, Metzgar said.



The greenhouse currently has 1.5 acres of growing space, with plans to eventually triple that size. The operation is highly automated to save energy and time.

The greenhouse is off Hockett Road, not far from the Capital One Financial Inc. campus and CarMax Inc.s corporate offices in the West Creek office park.

Seeds are planted in growing trays using an automated planting line and then are moved into the greenhouse in long rows. They sprout and grow over a 21-day growing period while slowly moving through the greenhouse and receiving natural or indoor light and precisely controlled amounts of water, much of which is rainwater collected at the site.

We actually create the weather in the building, other than mother nature with the natural sunlight that comes into the room, Metzgar said. That is why the industry is called controlled environmental agriculture. We can be a predictable supplier to retailers. They can tell us what they want, and we can seed it and then harvest it on the exact day they want it.

To help set up the greenhouse operation and train its 12 employees on how to operate it, Greenswell Growers partnered with CropKing, a Lodi, Ohio-based company founded in 1982 to manufacture and distribute commercial hydroponic growing systems, supplies and equipment. The company now services nearly 700 commercial hydroponic growing operations in the United States.

Greenswell also brought on board Carl Gupton, who serves as president of the company and has a background in management for packaging companies such as Commonwealth Packaging Corp., 3C Packaging and Pohlig Packaging.

I have done a lot of food packaging, Gupton said. I could see the stress that my food processing customers were under, getting raw materials. COVID has exacerbated the whole thing.

At Greenswell, we can offer retailers predictable supply right now, Gupton said. I can tell you 21 days out what our expected yield is going to be.



Greenswells goal is to provide fresh produce that uses water more efficiently and that can get a higher yield per acre of space when compared to conventional farming operations.

The current Greenswell operation can produce about 500,000 pounds of greens a year, compared with about 22,000 per acre for a conventional growing operation.

That is the capacity that this place has because of its automation, Metzgar said. And we dont have any deer or raccoons that will eat the crops.

The company has started by growing three kinds of leafy green products that would typically be used in salads or other dishes  a green leaf; a green and red leaf blend; and a green kale and dark leaf product.

We are doing that on purpose, because it makes it much more simple for everybody, Metzgar said. We did a tremendous amount of research with consumers to see what they care about. What they care about is the quality of the plant.

We can tell a consumer or retailer down to the day when we harvest that product, he said.



Even with its large per acre production volume, Greenswell still will only supply a small fraction of the volume of leafy green that consumers buy in Virginia.

The building will produce maybe 1% of what is eaten in the state of Virginia, Metzgar said. Two more expansions will produce maybe 2% or 3% of what is eaten in the state of Virginia.

Robb Hinton, a farmer in Northumberland County who serves on the Greenswell Growers board of directors, doesnt foresee the hydroponic farming system replacing conventional agriculture, but he does see it as a piece of the puzzle for the future of agriculture.

Every farmer dreams of perfection, said Hinton, who raises corn, soybeans, wheat and barley on a 1,400-acre farm. This system has the ability to achieve perfection in producing really healthy, high-quality food.

Being in an outside environment is tough, he said. You can get a really wonderful crop right up to the finish line and then lose it in a heartbeat.

About 5% of the greens grown by Greenswell will go to Feed More for its food banks, which serve up to 20,000 meals a week. Pick said Feed More will use the fresh greens in its kitchens as well as to supply its clients with fresh greens they can take home.

That makes a big difference for health and nutrition, Pick said.
ST. LOUIS (AP)  Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is banking on Republican voters forgiving his past indiscretions when they choose a U.S. Senate nominee next August. Many in the GOP establishment are hoping they don't forget.

Greitens resigned as governor in 2018 amid an investigation of an extramarital affair with his St. Louis hairdresser allegedly involving bondage and blackmail and leading to criminal and legislative investigations. The allegation of a photo taken without the woman's consent for the purposes of blackmail led to a felony criminal charge, which was eventually dropped.

Now, he is among the frontrunners in a crowded field of Republican Senate candidates that includes U.S. House members Vicky Hartzler and Billy Long, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and the St. Louis lawyer who made headlines by pointing a gun at racial injustice protesters outside his home, Mark McCloskey.

Some Republican leaders worry that Greitens could win the GOP nomination but lose in the general election, ceding a crucial Senate seat in what should be a safely red state. Among them is Hartzler, citing one major demographic in particular.

Theres hardly any women in the state who will vote for him," she said in a phone interview.

John Hancock, a longtime Missouri Republican strategist, agreed.

Certainly suburban women would be a concern, but I think the problems extend far beyond that, said Hancock, whose firm has done research for Hartzlers campaign.

It wouldnt be the first time Missouri women played a pivotal role in deciding a Senate race. In 2012, Democrat Claire McCaskill carried women voters by 22 percentage points in easily defeating the late Republican Todd Akin. The lopsided election followed a TV interview in which Akin, a staunch abortion opponent, said pregnancy in cases of legitimate rape was uncommon because womens bodies were able to prevent it.

Senate Republican leadership concurs that a Greitens primary victory would hand the seat to Democrats. But so far theyve taken a hands-off approach, convinced Greitens campaign will implode as he struggles to raise money and continues to be dogged by the scandal, according to two Republican strategists working on Senate races, who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. That could change if Greitens candidacy gains steam, the strategists said.

On Thursday, Sen. Rick Scott, who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told guest host Kurt Schlicter on Hugh Hewitt's radio show that there are real concerns that Greitens could lose to a Democrat, though he said he was confident Republican primary voters would choose someone else.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said at a Thursday news conference that he hasnt made a decision yet about whether to get involved in any primaries because primary season is still in its infancy. But he said that may change if Republicans were on the verge of nominating somebody who is unelectable.

Federal campaign finance filings show Greitens had about $200,000 in his campaign account at the end of September, but was also about $143,000 in debt. Separately, two pro-Greitens super PACs have emerged, which are financed by two Republican megadonors.

Missouri First Action, which has yet to disclose fundraising numbers, announced earlier this month that Home Depot CEO Bernie Marcus donated $1 million. A separate pro-Greitens super PAC called Team PAC said it has raised $2.5 million from Dick Uihlein, a billionaire shipping supply magnate.

So far, no other donors to those groups have emerged.

Republican voters in Missouri have shown a willingness to forgive  former President Donald Trump carried the state by 19 percentage points in 2016 despite being caught on video making lewd remarks about women and bragging about infidelity. He carried Missouri by 15 percentage points in 2020.

All of the Missouri GOP Senate candidates are courting Trump's endorsement. Greitens has the backing of several Trump insiders, including Michael Flynn and Rudy Giuliani. He appears regularly on Steve Bannons podcast. Kimberly Guilfoyle, a Trump campaign adviser and the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., is the national chairwoman of Greitens campaign, and Trumps pollster, Tony Fabrizio, is working for Greitens.

Hewitt, while interviewing Trump earlier this month, implored him not to endorse Greitens.

That's a nightmare, Mr. President, Hewitt said. We'll lose that seat."

Well, that's an interesting opinion, that's true. Hes right now leading by quite a bit," Trump said, apparently referencing early polling showing Greitens at or near the top among GOP contenders.

Hartzler, acknowledging Greitens is an early frontrunner, is taking direct aim at his character.

I follow the rules, Hartzler said in her first TV ad, which launched in October. I stay out of trouble. And when I need to see a hairdresser, I make an appointment.

For now, Greitens' other opponents are mostly ignoring his past. Long called it old news.

Thats been out there, Long told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "Everybodys run that thing through the mill. Ill let other people talk about those issues. I want to talk about issues that matter to taxpayers and voters.

Greitens frequently appears on conservative TV networks, radio and podcasts but has largely avoided Missouri media and made few public appearances.

Greitens' campaign declined interview requests and didn't respond directly to emailed questions. But the campaign manager, Dylan Johnson, provided a statement on Saturday.

Governor Greitens is the only America First candidate in this race who will fight for the people of Missouri, just like he has done as a Navy SEAL and as governor," Johnson said. "The political establishment and RINOs are frightened of losing their power to someone who would be a champion for the people.

Greitens, a charismatic former Navy SEAL officer and Rhodes scholar, was widely seen as a rising star in GOP politics after being elected governor in 2016. Then, in January 2018, news broke of an extramarital affair that occurred in 2015, before he was elected.

The woman said Greitens invited her to his home, where he blindfolded her, bound her and removed her clothes. He then allegedly took a photo.

Dont even mention my name to anybody at all, because if you do, Im going to take these pictures, and Im going to put them everywhere I can," she quoted Greitens as saying.

She said the encounter left her crying, but admitted to a relationship that went on for several more months.

It was the alleged photo that resulted in a criminal charge of invasion of privacy. Greitens accused St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, a Democrat, of a political vendetta.

In short order, a Missouri House committee began investigating and found the woman's allegations credible, and Greitens faced a second felony charge in St. Louis, accused of providing his political fundraiser with the donor list of his veterans charity. Greitens had denied any criminal wrongdoing.

The blackmail charge was dropped in May 2018, three days into jury selection, when a judge ruled that Gardner would have to provide a statement under oath about her investigation at the request of Greitens attorneys, who had repeatedly criticized her handling of the case.

The judge appointed Kansas City prosecutor Jean Peters Baker to review the case. A week after Greitens resigned in June 2018, Baker announced that she believed the woman's claim that Greitens took an unauthorized and compromising photo but that there wasnt enough evidence to merit a criminal charge.

The fundraising charge was dropped when Greitens resigned. Greitens and his wife, Sheena, divorced last year.

The former FBI agent Gardner hired to investigate Greitens in the invasion of privacy case, William Tisaby, was indicted in 2019 on six counts of perjury and one count of evidence tampering. The indictment accuses him of lying during a deposition in preparation for Greitens trial and concealing notes taken during an interview with the former governors accuser. His trial is scheduled for March.

Meanwhile, Missouris chief disciplinary counsel has accused Gardner of concealing evidence that might have helped Greitens case. She faces a disciplinary hearing in February. Gardner has denied any wrongdoing.

Greitens' political rebirth was seemingly fueled in February, when the Missouri Ethics Commission ruled on a campaign ethics investigation. The commission found probable cause that Greitens campaign broke the law by not reporting that it cooperated with a PAC in 2016, and required payment of a $38,000 fine. But it also found no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Eric Greitens, individually.

Greitens said the ruling fully exonerated him.

___

AP Congressional Reporter Brian Slodysko contributed to this report.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP)  A shortage of truck drivers, which began years before the COVID-19 pandemic worsened it and revealed supply chain gaps around the world, is driving starting wages into the six-figures and prompting renewed talk of allowing younger drivers to cross state lines behind the wheels of heavy trucks.

The chief operating officer of CRST, a national trucking company based in Cedar Rapids, said he could find local market jobs for 1,000 more drivers if were able to hire that many.

Theres just that much demand out there, COO Michael Gannon told the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

The American Trucking Association estimates theres an overall need to fill about 80,000 trucking jobs to meet the countrys demand. A study done by the association reports that the need could double by 2028, leading to 160,000 jobs to fill.

Gannon said CRST, which he has been with for 38 years, has over 6,000 drivers spread out across multiple divisions around the nation with some driving interstate, but most traveling out and back less than 200 miles a day.

He said the biggest industry change in the last few years has been getting drivers more time at home, instead of having them on jobs requiring them to be gone for days or even weeks at a time.

Getting drivers home daily or weekly, depending on the job, has been the goal, he said. We are doing our best to work toward that because that is the lifestyle drivers want, so its about getting more accelerated there.

Gannon said getting drivers home more often and raising pay rates are attempts to draw new people into the industry. Though the driver shortage predates the pandemic, the past year and a half period has been the most challenging he has faced in his career, Gannon said.

The crush of supply chain issues has finally put a push on the industry to raise rates and weve seen a huge increase in driver compensation in the past year, the biggest Ive ever seen by far, Gannon said. But the challenge is there is a fight among all carriers for a shrinking pool of drivers. The silver lining however, is drivers are now getting paid what they deserve.

Trucking companies across the country and in Iowa  including CRST, Heartland Express, Ruan, TMC and others  have boosted driver pay since the pandemic to stay competitive.

Truck drivers around the nation are seeing pay increases in the tens of thousands, and students are being offered six-figure salaries as soon as they finish training programs.

Kevonte Brown finished the truck driving training program last month at Kirkwood Community College. The 22-year-old living in Iowa City works for Carew Trucking and Landscaping in North Liberty.

Brown, originally from Chicago, moved to Iowa when he started high school but then moved to the warmer Atlanta due to having sickle-cell anemia, which makes colder temperatures hard on his body. He said he moved back to Iowa recently just to get his commercial drivers license from Kirkwood.

I was looking at trucking schools down South, but that wouldve come out of my own pocket. So I thought, why not come here and get my education for free? Brown asked. One of my friends opened my eyes to the gap-tuition program through Kirkwood and Iowa Workforce.

Under the program, partial or full tuition is provided for qualifying students pursuing certificates at the states community colleges for in-demand careers. Besides helping with trucking and transportation certificates, the program considers applications for other career training including health care, manufacturing, construction and information technology.

Brown said every job he had looked at in the industry after finishing the program paid well.

I had a company offer me six figures to come drive trucks with them, he said. I didnt accept it right now because Im trying to get back to living in warm weather, so I didnt want to join them and then leave.

Brown said that no matter where he ends up living, he is confident he will be able to find a high-paying job.

I really did have companies calling me left and right like bill collectors, he said. They like that Im young. They really want the new generation to come and take over. Anywhere I move in the U.S. or the world, I know I will never have to worry about a job.

Brown is the target demographic for many trucking companies in Iowa and around the country, as many truck drivers are getting to the age of retirement. The average age of a driver in Iowa is 58, according to the Iowa Motor Truck Association.

But Gannon said its harder to recruit 21-year-olds, which is the age you have to be to drive across state lines. Currently, there is a nationwide push among trucking organizations to have a federal law allowing 18-year-olds to drive heavy trucks across borders.

Many in the industry, including Gannon, say they would like to pursue individuals graduating high school. By the time many turn 21, they already are in other jobs or finishing college, thus clogging a potential pipeline of a new generation of drivers.

Our owner, John Smith, has been pushing for 18-year-olds in the industry for 20 years, Gannon said. I think were finally there. If an 18-year-old can go to war, why cant they drive a truck? If an 18-year-old went through Kirkwood or our program, theres no doubt in my mind they would be a safe truck driver.

Kirkwoods program, for which Brown returned to Iowa, is a four-week program that has been around for almost 40 years. Students in it receive over 200 hours of classroom instruction and a minimum of 60 hours behind the wheel.

It was great and they actually cared, Brown said. They dont leave people behind and they make sure every person is up to speed with the class.

But like the truck driver shortage, Kirkwood has been dealing with its own instructor shortage since the pandemic began.

Amy Lasack, executive director of continuing education and training services at Kirkwood, said each class had the capacity to have 12 students at once. But around the time the pandemic began, each class was limited to six students.

It started right before COVID hit, Lasack said. Were hoping we can capitalize on truck driver retirements and they can come work as a part-time instructor.

The classes also are opportunities for trucking companies to recruit. Lasack said in any given month, a dozen or more companies will come in to speak to students.

Its pretty informal, but they talk about what the industry is like and they talk about recruiting, Lasack said. Employers are there at some point almost every day.

Lasack said she thinks if regulations change regarding the age required to drive heavy trucks across state lines, that could help with the recruitment.

For students just graduating high school, the career isnt an option for them, she said. A lot of companies find that silly: You can drive from Cedar Rapids to Sioux City, but not Cedar Rapids to Moline under the current law.
ANKENY, Iowa (AP)  An Iowa-based convenience store chain has completed the purchase of 40 stores from Knoxville, Tennessee-based Pilot Corporation.

Caseys General Stores, Inc. announced in a news release that it had closed the sale as part of a three-year strategic plan to add 345 new stores nationwide.

The company describes itself as the third-largest convenience store retailer in the United States, with more than 2,400 stores nationwide.

Caseys says the purchase will expand its footprint in Tennessee and Kentucky.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported that the Haslam family, which owns a controlling share of Pilot, intends to get out of the convenience store business, while still maintaining some travel centers.

Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffetts company, in 2017 announced plans to initially buy 38.6% of Pilot, a share that in 2023 will increase to 80%. The Haslams will maintain a 20% share in 2023 and plan to stay involved in the company.

The Pilot convenience stores were owned and operated independently from Pilots travel center and energy businesses and were not included in the Berkshire Hathaway transaction, a news release says.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP)  A 4-year-old boy was shot and killed during an apparent drive-by shooting in an east Lubbock neighborhood, police said Saturday.

Police said in a statement officers responded to a report of shots fired Friday night and learned 4-year-old Cornelius Carrington had been shot. The boy had already been taken by a private vehicle to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP)  A man already in prison has been charged with killing a northern Illinois woman and her three children in 2016, authorities said Friday.

Eric Jackson, 38, has been charged with murder in the deaths of Keandra Austin and her three children, ages 9, 6 and 6 months, Winnebago County States Attorney J. Hanley and Rockford City Police Chief Carla Redd announced.
BALTIMORE (AP)  A Maryland man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for engaging in a scheme in which he and others opened bank accounts using stolen identifications, then quickly withdrew money obtained through stolen or altered checks, federal prosecutors said.

Erwin Boateng, 32, of Glen Burnie, was sentenced on Friday to 42 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Erek Barrons office said in a news release. U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett also ordered Boateng to forfeit nearly $25,000.
BOSTON (AP)  A mask mandate for Catholic churches in the Boston-area is taking effect this weekend as Christmas approaches.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston said masks will be required for all holiday Masses and other church services, including weddings and funerals. The mandate takes effect Saturday and expires on Jan. 17.
BOSTON (AP)  A Massachusetts state lawmakers has been confirmed as the countrys next ambassador to Ireland.

Democratic state Rep. Claire Cronin, of Easton, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate late Friday as the chamber voted on a number of President Joe Bidens appointment for ambassadors, judges, and other key federal roles.
MILWAUKEE (AP)  Milwaukee County court officials have reported that an error led to them failing to record audio of a bail hearing for a man before he allegedly drove his vehicle through a Christmas parade, killing six people.

Court officials said they only discovered that audio of the hearing was missing after reporters requested a copy of it, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Court Administrator Holly Szablewski explained that a digital audio-visual system used to stream court proceedings during the pandemic was not properly integrated with an old audio system. Audio of the court's proceedings was not recorded for four days due to the error.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  A book written by an associate history professor at Mississippi College has won an award from the Mississippi Historical Society.

Christian Pinnens Complexion of Empire in Natchez, Race and Slavery in the Mississippi Borderlands was named the best Mississippi history book in 2021.
Muhammad Mubarak Bala was held incommunicado in police custody for so long  eight months  that his wife was sure he was dead.

I couldnt eat. I couldnt sleep. The emotional torture was too much for me, Amina Ahmed told The Associated Press from her home in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.

More than a year passed before Bala, an ex-Muslim and president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, would be charged. Bala is an outspoken atheist in a deeply religious country. His alleged crime: Posting blasphemous statements online.

Balas lengthy detention and its traumatic effect on his young family illustrate the risks of being openly faithless in African countries where religious belief pervades social life and challenging such norms is taboo.

It is generally accepted that to be African is to be religious, said David Ngong, a Cameroon-born professor of religion who researches African theology and culture at Stillman College in Alabama. It requires a lot of courage to opt out.

Atheists are among a growing global group who have no religious affiliation. Also known as nones, they include agnostics and those who don't profess any religion. By 2050, the Pew Research Center estimates, there could be 1.3 billion nones worldwide  about the size of the global Roman Catholic population today.

According to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, 25 African nations  nearly half the continent's sovereign states  have statutes outlawing blasphemy, or offensive behavior against a deity or idea considered sacred.

Punishment can be severe. In Mauritania, for example, Muslims convicted of ridiculing or insulting God face a mandatory death sentence and those renouncing Islam have a three-day window to repent or face capital punishment.

The stiffest penalty in Nigeria's secular courts is a two-year prison sentence; in the country's Islamic courts, active in the majority Muslim north, it is death. Shariah law doesn't apply to non-Muslims without their consent.

Bala grew up Muslim but came out as an atheist in 2014. His family soon checked him into a psychiatric hospital, according to James Ibor, his attorney. Reemerging into public life, he became president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria two years ago and championed the nonreligious on social media.

Prosecutors in the northern state of Kano cited posts on Balas popular Facebook account as evidence for charging him in June 2021 in secular court. He faces 10 charges, including alleged insults to Prophet Muhammad and insulting the religion of Islam, its followers in Kano State, calculated to cause a breach of public peace, according to court documents provided to AP by Balas legal team.

Muslims are about to start fasting to the God that refused to eradicate their poverty despite the fact that they prayed 17 times every day, reads one of the posts cited in the complaint. "How I wish Allah exist (sic).

Denied access to health care and kept in solitary confinement, Bala has been forced to worship the Islamic way, according to Ibor, and faces a possible sentence of two years. Prosecutors allege Bala confessed to the charges while in custody; Ibor said Bala had no attorney present at the time.

Mubarak has been honest with his statements," Ibor said. "We dont consider Mubaraks posts as inflammatory, as offensive or illegal.

Kano's attorney general, Musa Lawan, told the AP his agency couldnt be blamed for Bala's lengthy detention because it didn't take over prosecution of his case until a year after his arrest.

Nigeria's patchwork criminal justice and legal systems are notorious for lengthy pre-conviction detentions. Only 28% of prison inmates have been tried and convicted of a crime, according to the Nigerian Correctional Service.

Bala has already spent almost two-years in pre-trial detention - the maximum secular court sentence for blasphemy charges. Still, Lawan told the AP, we will look for maximum sentence."

The faithless often keep a low profile even in African countries where laws against blasphemy and renouncing religion are not on the books or are rarely enforced, such as Malawi in southeast Africa.

Most of them, they hold their views in hiding simply because they are afraid of social consequences such as losing jobs or financial support from their parents, said Wonderful Mkhutche, president of the support group Humanists Malawi.

A former church deacon, Mkhutche began to question his Christian faith while pursuing a theology and religious studies degree. He continued to attend worship services for two years to keep up appearances, but stopped in 2013.

Earlier this year he self-published a book on humanism and politics in Malawi, arguing for the abandonment of government-sanctioned religious acts such as national prayers for good rains to help farmers. While his book attracted media attention, he said he is now forced to distribute it himself because many stores won't stock it.

Leo Igwe, who founded the Humanist Association of Nigeria and researches religion at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, agreed that nones pretending to be believers is common.

Life is miserable, Igwe said. They have to live always looking over their shoulders, and they are forced to live in a very dishonest way.

To counter the social isolation, Africa's nones have begun connecting on social media and building support communities, with active online humanist groups in Ghana, Liberia, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia, among others.

In Nairobi, a 21-year-old ex-Muslim woman found the Atheists in Kenya Society on Twitter. The government suspended the group's legal registration in 2016, saying its activities generated great public concern which is prejudicial and incompatible with the peace, stability and good order of the republic. A judge reversed the suspension in 2018.

The woman, who spoke on condition she not be named due to fears she could be targeted for harassment, said the group, which meets online and in-person, provides her with a safe space to speak and feel less lonely.

But she remains closeted, fearful of violence from her conservative Kenyan-Somali family, trapped in what she called a double life where she maintains a semblance of adherence to the faith at home while removing her hijab when she goes to school.

If I pray, I am faking it, the woman said.

In Nigeria, where Bala remains behind bars, there was widespread condemnation last year led by UNICEF and the head of the Auschwitz museum, after an Islamic court sentenced a 13-year-old boy to 10 years in prison for disparaging language on Allah." The sentence was eventually overturned by the secular court.

After 600 days in detention, Ahmed hopes her husband of two years can come home soon, but thinks Nigeria could be a dangerous place to build their lives. She worries about the emotional effect on their son, who was born six weeks before Balas arrest.

He has a lovely son that barely knows him, she said during a recent visit to Bala's prison. My neighbors are home, they are with their husbands and their children. I feel like, Why is mine not like them?

___

AP journalist Chinedu Asadu in Lagos, Nigeria, contributed to this report.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Military officials in Oregon say a sonic boom that caused widespread concern on the Oregon coast that an earthquake had happened was caused by an aircraft that inadvertently went supersonic.

The 142nd Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard on Wednesday said the sonic boom on Tuesday was caused by aircraft.
ST. LOUIS (AP)  A 9-year-old boy has been shot in the back in north St. Louis, authorities say.

Police say a 20-year-old shot into a home, striking the boy, on Friday night after an argument with his girlfriend. The man fled, and the boy was rushed to a hospital. Police did not have an update on his condition Saturday morning but said his vitals were stable.
Organized retail crime is haunting the nation this holiday season.

Captured on smartphones and closed-circuit cameras, thefts involving groups of people smashing windows or individuals wheeling loaded shopping carts past security guards and out the door have been looping on social media and TV news, raising the specter that crime rings reselling boosted merchandise present a major threat to retailers.

With industry groups sounding the alarm, politicians have declared the issue a priority. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would increase the budget of the California Highway Patrol next year to beef up its Organized Retail Theft task force. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta met with retailers, online marketplace companies and law enforcement Tuesday to develop strategies to fight organized retail crime. Police and prosecutors say criminal justice reforms need to be rolled back to deter smash-and-grabs.

Although some retail and law enforcement lobbyists cite eye-popping figures, there is reason to doubt the problem is anywhere near as large or widespread as they say. The best estimates available put losses at around 7 cents per $100 of sales on average.

It's easy to get attention for sensational claims, however, particularly when they come from official sources. Rachel Michelin, president of the California Retailers Assn., told the San Jose Mercury News that in San Francisco and Oakland alone, businesses lose $3.6 billion to organized retail crime each year.

That would mean retail gangs steal nearly 25% of total sales in San Francisco and Oakland combined, which amounted to around $15.5 billion in 2019, according to the state agency that tracks sales tax.

Can that be right? In a word: no.

The country's largest retail industry group, the National Retail Federation, estimated in its latest report that losses from organized retail theft average $700,000 per $1 billion in sales  or 0.07% of total sales  an amount roughly 330 times lower than the CRA's estimate.

Asked how the organization arrived at that figure, a CRA staffer said that "there's no way of knowing exactly" how much organized retail crime affects the bottom line of businesses. The staffer said the estimate was based on a back-of-the-napkin calculation: If organized retail thieves steal $70 billion annually, and California accounts for 10% of the U.S., California's losses add up to $7 billion, meaning the Bay Area "is likely in the billions itself."

Leaving aside some of those assumptions, how did they come up with that $70-billion number? The staffer pointed to a report from the Retail Industry Leaders Assn. published this year. But that report didn't find that organized retail thieves stole $68.9 billion per year at all  it estimated that all retail crime combined, including employee theft, regular shoplifting and fraud, added up to that number.

An industry advocate made a similar error in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in early November. At a hearing on regulating online marketplaces, Ben Dugan, president of the National Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail, or CLEAR, and director of organized retail crime response at CVS Health, told the committee that "CLEAR estimates that organized retail crime accounts for $45 billion in annual losses for retailers."

When asked where that number came from, Rich Rossman, vice president of CLEAR and sergeant with the Broward County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office, said that it was pulled from the National Retail Federation's report. But the NRF puts all losses to theft and fraud from all sources at around $45 billion, not losses to organized retail crime.

The $25-billion discrepancy between the figures touted by the two industry groups suggests the difficulty of quantifying any problem in an industry as splintered as retail. When it comes to organized retail crime specifically, the best estimates appear much smaller.

With the 55 member companies that responded to its latest annual survey representing about 25% of all U.S. retail sales, the National Retail Federation has the clearest window into broader trends, said Mark Mathews, who leads the NRF's research team.

Its latest report found that total "shrink"  the industry term for all inventory losses from theft and fraud, internal and external, as well as paperwork errors  grew from 1.4% to 1.6% of sales on average from 2015 to 2020. The estimated portion of those losses coming from organized retail crime grew from 0.045% to 0.07% in the same timeframe.

With $3.1 trillion in bricks-and-mortar retail sales in 2020, that puts estimates for total shrink at $49.6 billion and losses to organized retail crime at $2.1 billion nationwide.

Although the NRF publishes its organized retail crime estimates each year, the group stopped publishing a detailed breakdown of the sources of shrink in 2019. But in 2018 its survey found that 35.7% of shrink came from shoplifting or organized retail crime, and 33.2% came from employee theft. Both percentages had declined since 2015, and a different sort of risk  paperwork error  hit 18.8% of total shrink in 2018.

Mathews said some categories of retailers face higher rates of organized retail theft, with those that sell easily portable and salable goods at higher risk. In his Senate testimony, Dugan reported that CVS Health loses more than $200 million a year to organized retail crime, or 0.21% of its $91 billion in 2020 retail revenue, a rate three times higher than the national average.

The Retail Industry Leaders Assn. released its own report, which put that nearly $70-billion price tag on total retail crime, in late November as part of its campaign with a spin-off group, the Buy Safe America Coalition, to lobby for a federal bill that would make it more difficult for people to anonymously sell goods on internet marketplaces. The current version of that bill, the INFORM Consumers Act, would require online marketplaces such as EBay, Etsy and Amazon to verify the identity of sellers who make hundreds of sales or bring in more than $20,000 a year with their accounts. A group that includes Etsy and EBay, along with other online marketplaces, has endorsed the law, but the National Retail Federation, which counts Amazon among its members, has refrained from weighing in.

Mathews at the NRF found fault with the methodology behind RILA's report, which was based on data from five retail companies and written by John Dunham & Associates, a consulting firm that produces reports for corporations and industry groups (and whose founder was an in-house economist at Philip Morris in the 1990s). "I wouldn't feel comfortable in putting out data with that few respondents, frankly," Mathews said.

Jason Brewer, head of communications and marketing at RILA, said that he could not provide more details on the data in the group's study because members had submitted it confidentially, and he could not say what percentage of total sales they represent. But he did defend its significance, saying that the respondents "represent a cross section of retail, which included grocery, home improvement, pharmacy, general merchandise and clothing," and that "based on the conversations we've had with asset protection professionals, these numbers are probably conservative."

Even if the dueling retail associations can't agree on their numbers, they agree on the principle that organized retail crime is better dealt with away from stores and at the level of the fences  the people reselling the stolen goods. RILA hopes to regulate the companies facilitating the sales with its proposed legislation. NRF is advocating for more law enforcement coordination with retailers to find and prosecute resellers.

Broader crime statistics paint a picture of a decreasing problem, not one on the rise. National crime statistics from the FBI show shoplifting decreasing steadily every year from 2015 through 2020, the most recent data available. Larceny  the taking of property without using force or breaking in  declined 16% between 2010 and 2019, then dipped even lower in 2020, the data indicate.

At a local level, more up-to-date statistics sharpen the image of a waning problem. Property crime in Los Angeles is up 2.6% from last year, according to LAPD numbers published Nov. 27, but down 6.6% from 2019. The category that includes shoplifting  "personal/other theft" per LAPD  is down 32% from 2019. A San Francisco Chronicle analysis of that city's shoplifting crime data showed that the number of monthly reports had changed little in the last three years, though it also raised some major questions about the accuracy of shoplifting reporting to law enforcement. Smash-and-grab thefts are classified differently because they involve violence, trespassing and high-value hauls, and suspects have been charged with robbery, burglary or grand theft after recent incidents in L.A. and San Francisco.

One thing that has gone up is the visibility of open theft from stores. Ubiquitous security cameras and smartphones mean that few crimes go unrecorded, and videos of people loading up bags and carts with products and walking out the door make for viral content.

The ease of committing a crime like that is, in some part, traceable to decisions made by the retailers themselves, according to industry analysts.

Tony Sheppard, an executive at Canadian loss prevention software company ThinkLP, received his first exposure to the issue as a store detective at a Montgomery Ward store in the Boston area in the 1990s. "The first shoplifter I ever went to detain was a booster stealing a whole rack of coats," Sheppard said. At the time, he carried handcuffs and detained the suspected thief himself. "Nowadays, unfortunately, because of safety concerns and liability issues, a lot of companies are very hands-off."

Lawsuits from people injured by security guards in the process of apprehending shoplifters  in some cases, even from the alleged shoplifters themselves  have made aggressive in-store policing a losing proposition, Sheppard said.

In one recent case, a West Virginia woman won nearly $17 million in damages from Walmart after she was injured when a man being pursued for shoplifting stumbled into her, on the basis that Walmart escalated the situation. "Most companies realized from a financial standpoint it's just not worth it. A couple big lawsuits take away anything you gain by making all those apprehensions," he said.

Sometimes hiring staff to stop shoplifters in the first place doesn't make financial sense, security consultant Chris McGoey said. "To hire and train a loss prevention department, especially a competent one, costs money," McGoey said. Some retailers have found that the cost of the merchandise recovered by security staff was lower than the cost of employing them. "It's almost cheaper to do nothing and just take the loss" on that basis, McGoey said, "but then you pile liability on top, it's a no-brainer."

The spectacular nature of the recent smash-and-grab robberies might change that calculus for retailers, McGoey said, and lead to beefed-up security staffing and putting more products behind lock and key. But he doubts it.

"Modern merchandising is about getting your merchandise up in front. You want it highly visible," McGoey said. "We've gone through cycles where you put high-theft items in locked cases, but that's anti-merchandising, that's anti-retail management. The merchants hate it."

For small businesses that lack the record profit margins of national chains, hiring additional staff to deter theft or putting items behind plexiglass may not be options, and a theft that involves a smashed window, even if covered by insurance, can impose a heavy toll in lost time and sales.

On the other hand, stolen merchandise can sometimes be recovered. The CHP reported that it contributed to recovering $20 million in merchandise stolen by organized theft rings in 2020. If the national average of 0.07% losses holds for California  Mathews at the NRF said the group could not break out data by state  that's more than 10% of losses to organized retail theft in the state, well above the national recovery rate for stolen items (excluding cars), which hovers below 4%, according to the FBI.
School systems nationwide rely on high-level expertise from the U.S. Secret Service and others as they work to stay vigilant for signs of potential student violence, training staff, surveilling social media and urging others to tip them off.

When it comes to how to respond to a possible threat, however, its the local educators who make the call.

In the Nov. 30 shooting at an Oxford Township, Michigan high school, authorities say the 15-year-old student charged with killing four peers was allowed to remain in school despite troubling behavior including a drawing of a handgun and a person with bullet wounds. The school's handling of the student before the shooting is among the topics under investigation.

Security experts and school administrators say there is detailed guidance to help schools recognize concerning behavior and when to intervene. But exactly how to respond, including whether to remove students from school property or involve law enforcement, is for school officials to decide in each individual case.

Educators routinely assess how to deal with behavior that can range from mentions of weapons in social media post to students joking about bomb threats, all while weighing safety concerns against a student's right to an education.

There is no such thing as the perfect school safety and crisis response protocol, said Stephen Brock, a lead author on the subjects for the National Association of School Psychologists' curriculum.

Widely accepted best practices for threat assessment have been adapted from Secret Service guidance developed in the years since the 1999 Columbine school massacre. The agencys National Threat Assessment Center recommends multi-disciplinary teams of school administrators, security and mental health professionals be established to assess whether a student would be helped by counseling, should be reported to police, sent back to class or something in between.

To set blanket policy  for example, always sending students home for certain acts  would be to go backward to an era of zero-tolerance policies, when everyone was punished but few students got help, said Lina Alathari, chief of the Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center.

You have to rely on your assessment to guide your response, which is why this multidisciplinary approach is so important. You want the mental health perspective, but you also want the (student resource officer) perspective because they will bring that operational, investigative mindset to ask the questions, whether something is an imminent risk or not, she said.

Michael Lubelfeld, superintendent of North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park, Illinois, described an all hands on deck approach whether a report comes in about a scuffle between students or a serious threat.

He recalled a scenario in one of the districts middle schools last year, in which a child was overheard indicating he wanted to do a violent act. It was close to the end of the day, with little time to investigate. So he summoned police, who arrived in force.

It was unsubstantiated but we didnt have time to really do a thoughtful investigation, Lubelfeld said, so we basically called in the cavalry and then informed the community why we did it.

I would rather overreact, he said, and I can take the criticism for that.

The Michigan attack came only hours after the defendant, Ethan Crumbley, returned to class after the school summoned him and his parents to discuss worrying behavior, including the drawing with the gun and the words: The thoughts wont stop. Help me. Ethan told a counselor it was part of a video game he was designing.

After the shooting, authorities learned his father had bought the gun his son used four days before. A prosecutor, in taking the unusual step of charging the parents with involuntary manslaughter, said James and Jennifer Crumbley knew their son had access to the gun but didn't ask him about it after being shown the drawing, and resisted taking him home from school after the meeting. They have pleaded not guilty.

There are legal considerations for schools, especially if a students behavior is not found to pose an imminent risk, said Melissa Reeves, a psychologist and co-author of the NASPs curriculum.

If parents dont agree with the school and the situation doesnt seem to merit intervention from a social services agency, our hands our tied because we are legally obligated to educate, she said. We cant deny access to education.

Districts have faced lawsuits from parents claiming schools have overreacted and unfairly punished students for harmless remarks or actions or underreacted to tragic consequences.

Youre damned if you do, youre damned if you dont, said Dan Domenech, executive director of the AASA, a national superintendents group. In this third school year disrupted by the pandemic, he said, students are acting out more than ever, further straining the people tasked with figuring out if a student is just blowing off steam or about to erupt.

Meriden, Connecticut Superintendent Mark Benigni said the district has gotten pushback for searching students' bags, sending them home or involving police.

The last thing I want to do is keep a kid out of school, I know they can't learn when they're not here, he said. But at the end of the day, my obligation is to make sure I'm creating a safe environment, and I'm not going to apologize when I need to suspend a student.

Near the start of the school year in September, an emailed threat from a high school student circulated among students at Fleming County Schools in Kentucky. The student was expelled after a review by the districts threat assessment team. Superintendent Brian Creasman said the student did not have access to weapons, but the team determined the student needed some kind of help.

Were going to take as long as we need to make sure were not putting that student who may have issues back into a classroom who could hurt him or herself or hurt others, Creasman said.

Its not necessarily about punishing the kid for communicating the threat, he said. We want to help the kid address what is going on.
BOSTON (AP)  Massachusetts is doubling its commitment to offshore wind energy.

Gov. Charlie Baker's administration said Friday that it has agreed to purchase an additional 1,600 megawatts as part of its third round of bidding for offshore wind power. That brings the total to be procured by the state from wind energy to 3,200 megawatts, or enough to power 1.6 million homes, the administration said.

Massachusetts has been a national leader in the offshore wind industry and todays announcement is another major milestone," Baker said in a statement Friday.

The governor's office said it will buy 1,200 megawatts of power from Vineyard Wind and the 400 megawatts from Mayflower Wind. Both offshore wind developer developers already have state contracts to provide wind energy to the state.

Vineyard Wind recently broke ground on the nation's first utility-scale offshore wind farm.

The company's 800-megawatt project calls for more than 60 turbines about 15 miles south of Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket. It's expected to be operational by the end of 2023.

Mayflower Wind has roughly 800-megawatt project that it hopes to complete by 2025.

The company said in a statement that its additional, 400-megawatt plan comes with commitments to spend more than $40 million on economic development efforts along the state's South Coast.

Massachusetts is also authorized to seek bids for another 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind power in climate change legislation Baker signed in March. That would bring the states offshore wind power commitment to 5,600 megawatts.
FOLSOM, Pa. (AP)  Authorities are seeking a suspect in the shooting death of a smoke shop employee gunned down in the Philadelphia-area business.

The Ridley Township police department on Friday posted a photo of a man they allege entered the Empire Smoke Shop and Phones store in Crum Lynne and shot and killed the store employee" before fleeing.
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP)  When Greater Johnstown Elementary School teacher Stacy Ford receives her class roster before the beginning of the year, she expects that at least a handful of the 20 or so students listed will not show up  and more will be gone by the end of classes.

Bracing for that reality is part of her preparation for any new term and has been for some time. The second-grade educator has taught at the district for more than two decades.

That constant turnover creates havoc for everyone involved, Ford said.

Sometimes they leave and you dont even know theyre leaving, she added. Theyre just gone.

Ford is a 1990 graduate of Greater Johnstown High School who became a teacher because she enjoys helping children learn and wanted to make her community a better place. Thats why she set her sights on her alma mater after college.

That was always my goal, Ford said, to get back into teaching there.

When Ford joined the staff, she said, there wasnt much of a transient population, and when she was a student, she graduated with nearly the same cohort of students shed met when she started kindergarten.

Thats not the case anymore.

Within the past three years, Greater Johnstown School District has seen 2,181 students enroll and 854 leave. The district has a total annual enrollment of roughly 3,000 students.

Nearly 400 new arrivals were from the Philadelphia School District  but dozens of others came from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Virginia and several other states, as well as almost 50 different Pennsylvania learning agencies. Additionally, the majority of the new learners had never attended school at Greater Johnstown, and those who left moved to other Pennsylvania institutions.

Its crazy how many kids enter the school and then leave, Ford said.

Its hard with the little kids

Michael Silk, a reading and science educator at the middle school, has seen the same trend in his building. Hes been teaching in the district for 29 years and, early on, didnt see many learners transferring in and out.

Recently, though, turnover has become the norm.

In the last 10 years it has flip-flopped, Silk said. Youre constantly dealing with a transient population.

As for why theres such a level of transiency at Greater Johnstown, Ford said shes had parents tell her that if they receive public housing and live in Johnstown for a year, then theyll be moved up on the waiting list elsewhere in the state, such as in Philadelphia.

Silk said he has heard, like many in this area, that there are advertisements for housing in Johnstown placed in other cities. Area housing entities told The Tribune-Democrat that that is not happening.

The fluid nature of the classrooms throughout the district can be stressful for students and teachers alike.

Its hard with the little kids, Ford said. They build a family because theyre together for hours and hours.

For her, the strain of losing students is just as bad. Not only does she think of her students as her kids each year, but also she dedicates a lot of time to their education.

Its emotionally stressful as a teacher to put so much effort into students and then lose them, Ford said. You spend a lot of time working hard to make kids better learners and emotionally sound.

Organized chaos

She gave the estimate of losing three or four students each year. Thats in addition to the roughly five who dont show up for class  with others shifted into those spots.

Ford said that, if the same applies to the about 60 or more classrooms in the building, that means 180 students transfer out each year.

Silk experiences a similar rate of uncertainty at the middle school. He finds teaching in that environment emotionally draining and expects to lose four or five students each year.

Youre always trying to operate in the best phase of organized chaos, Silk said.

He added that he tries to get to know the students quickly and build respect quickly.

You try to give them fist bumps and pats on the back and just make them know, when they come in, theyre valued, Silk said.

As an additional way to connect with the students, he has pocket charts on the students desks they can use to quietly let him know what kind of day theyre having.

Each time the learners step into his class, they can reset the chart  green is good, yellow is neutral, and red means theyre having a rough time. If a childs indicator is in that last slot, Silk said he might go easier on them if they have an outburst in class or pull them aside and suggest they go talk to someone, such as the guidance counselor.

You wonder where they went

Sometimes the teachers at Greater Johnstown find out just 24 hours in advance that a child is leaving.

We hear from a student, I think were moving this weekend, and we never hear from them again, Ford said. That happens at least once per year, she said.

When Silk finds out a student is leaving, he said he jokingly tells those hes built a good relationship with that they arent allowed to go. Thats his way of coping with the situation, although he added that the last thing he wants to do is hold a child back.

Just because a learner has left doesnt mean she or he is forgotten.

You think about them when theyre gone, Ford said. You wonder where they went  how theyre doing. Are they getting the same quality of education?

Students occasionally leave and return to Greater Johns-town during the same school year. Emotionally, its a relief to see the child come back, Ford said, but often she finds theyre not any further along educationally as when they left, which leads to some frustration.

The teacher said its hard to improve the schools when the teachers dont work with the students continuously.

Silks strategy is to welcome them back into the class and try not to make much of a deal about the transition  in order to avoid further affecting a students education.

I dont know that we can do anything as teachers, Ford said, except to accept the students as they come into our rooms and help them as much as we can.

___

Online:

https://bit.ly/3yAX7fb
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP)  A 19-year-old has been charged with fatally shooting his 15-year-old friend with a pink gun while playing with it at an Independence home, according to court records.

Elijah Soliz was charged Friday with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 11 shooting. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

A police detective wrote in the probable cause statement that Soliz described the shooting as accidental. He told an officer at the scene that he was just holding the gun and it went off. During a later interview, he said he dropped it and that it went off when he caught it. He also admitted to smoking marijuana, the probable cause statement said.

Several days later, the mother of a witness reached out to police. The witness said that someone else racked the slide of the pistol, putting a round in the chamber, before handing it to Soliz, the probable cause statement said.

The witness said Soliz had the pistol pointed at the victims head for 30 to 45 seconds before it slipped and fired. The witness said he wasn't sure if Soliz knew that there was a bullet in the chamber and that he didn't believe the shooting was intentional.

The 15-year-old was struck in the head and was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Kuna, Idaho (AP)  Idaho lawmakers are looking at a $400 million tax relief package for the upcoming legislative session that includes a $200 million income tax cut, a top Republican House member said.

House Assistant Majority Leader Jason Monks said Friday the income tax cut involves lowering the top income tax bracket from 6.5% to 6%.

Monks spoke at a legislative district town hall meeting in Kuna with several other lawmakers.

Monks said Republican Gov. Brad Little is behind the income tax cut plan, as is the House Revenue and Taxation Committee chairman.

They're greasing the skids pretty good on this, Monks said.

He said the other $200 million would come from a one-time tax relief package.

Republican lawmakers last year passed nearly $400 million in tax relief that Democrats said mainly benefitted the wealthy.

Idaho's budget surplus is estimated at $1.6 billion, much of that attributed to the $5 billion the federal government has sent to Idaho in coronavirus relief money.

The Legislature is scheduled to meet in Boise on Jan. 10, and lawmakers will look at setting state agency budgets.

Republican Gov. Brad Little earlier this month hinted at possible tax cuts stemming from the projected surplus.
HENLOPEN, Del. (AP)  Two Cape Henlopen High School seniors are sticking their necks out for turtles  and already making strides in conservation and research.

Nineteen-year-old Wyatt Keils and 18-year-old Jack Thompsons singular focus at such a young age has helped them make significant connections in the testudine world, before even getting to college.

Theyve met with famous turtle experts, helped move important turtle artifacts and shared information with countless other turtle enthusiasts through online networking, mainly through their popular Instagram accounts (@wyatts_wildlife_photography and @jack_reptile_naturalist_302) and Facebook groups and chats.

Were talking to all manner of people, from people with real credentials to people that just like turtles. Itll take you pretty far, Thompson said.

Keils and Thompsons contacts garnered them an invite to Florida to help pack up the collection of their idol, world-renowned zoologist and turtle expert Peter Pritchard, who died last year.

Hes essentially the Jane Goodall of turtles, Thompson said.

He and Keil traveled to Pritchards Chelonian Research Institute in Oviedo, Florida, in December 2020 to assist in preparing his 14,000-specimen turtle and tortoise collection, the worlds third-largest, for a move to the Turtle Conservancy in California.

Pritchards wife gifted Keil with two of her late husbands ties.

Herping

Herping is a verbalization of the word herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians, and is what herpetology enthusiasts call it when they go out looking for turtles, snakes and frogs.

One of Keils and Thompsons favorite herping spots is Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach, where theyve observed some of the same turtles for over a decade.

The two young men took an epic herping trip down the East Coast this summer, meeting with online friends along the way in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

One of those friends was Parker Gibbons, whom they stayed with in South Carolina. That led to them meeting another of their idols: Parkers grandfather, herpetologist and author Whit Gibbons.

Both Keil and Thompson also spend time in the summers volunteering to collect data for diamondback terrapin studies here in Delaware. Thompson has volunteered with the Santa Fe River Turtle Project in northern Florida, snorkeling the river and catching and releasing turtles for data collection.

Learning to conserve

Keil credits a nature camp he attended growing up, at Pickering Creek Audubon Center in Easton, Maryland, with sowing the seeds of his zoological and conservation interests.

I kind of came out of the womb with that interest, Thompson said. I cant remember a time that it wasnt kind of a driving force in my life.

Both hope to attend college in the south and pursue careers in conservation.

Without the conservation and preservation of keystone species like turtles, the world just wouldnt be able to function, Keil said.

At the end of the day, we benefit from a healthy ecosystem and these animals are critical to it, Thompson added.

According to the Turtle Conservancy, turtles and tortoises are among the most threatened animals worldwide.

More than half of their species are in danger of extinction due to habitat loss and degradation, unsustainable consumption and the illegal international pet trade.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  A powerful typhoon left at least 19 people dead, knocked down power and communications in entire provinces and wrought widespread destruction mostly in the central Philippines, officials said Saturday. A governor said her island has been leveled to the ground."

Typhoon Rai blew away Friday night into the South China Sea after rampaging through southern and central island provinces, where more than 300,000 people in its path were evacuated to safety in advance in a pre-emptive move officials say may have saved a lot of lives.

At its strongest, Rai packed sustained winds of 195 kilometers (121 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 270 kph (168 mph), one of the most powerful in recent years to hit the disaster-prone Southeast Asian archipelago, which lies between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. The typhoon slammed into the countrys southeastern coast Thursday but the extent of casualties and destruction remained unclear two days after with entire provinces still without power and cellphone connection.

The national police reported at least 19 dead but did not provide other details. The governments main disaster-response agency reported a lower death toll of 12, mostly villagers hit by falling trees, because it said it had to carefully validate each death.

Officials on Dinagat Islands, one of the first provinces to be lashed by the typhoons ferocious winds, remained cut off Saturday due to downed power and communication lines. But its governor, Arlene Bag-ao, managed to post a statement on the provinces website to say that the island of about 180,000 has been leveled to the ground. She pleaded for food, water, temporary shelters, fuel, hygiene kits and medical supplies. She said only a few casualties have been reported in the capital so far because other towns remain isolated.

We may have survived, but we cannot do the same in the coming days because of our limited capacities as an island province, Bag-ao said, adding some of Dinagats hospitals could not open due to damage. Most of our commercial and cargo vessels ... are now unsuitable for sea voyages, effectively cutting us off from the rest of the country.

Vice Gov. Nilo Demerey managed to reach a nearby province and told DZMM radio network that at least six residents died and that almost 95% of houses in Dinagat have no roof, and even emergency shelters were destroyed.

Were currently doing repairs because even our evacuation centers were destroyed. There are no shelters, the churches, gymnasium, schools, public markets and even the capitol were all shattered, Demerey said.

Pictures posted on Dinagats website show low-slung houses with roofs either blown off or damaged and surrounded by tin roof sheets and debris. The nearby island of Siargao, known as the surfing capital of the Philippines, also was pummeled by the typhoon.

In central Bohol province, which was directly hit by the typhoon, the coast guard said its personnel on board rubber boats rescued residents who were trapped on roofs and trees, as waters rose rapidly. It released footage showing coast guard staff helping people from the roof of a house nearly engulfed by brownish floodwater to a rubber boat. They also help a villager climb down from a tree above the floodwater while another man, also wearing an orange life vest, waits for his turn.

With government contingency funds used for the coronavirus pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would look for money to help the provinces. He planned to visit the devastated region this weekend.

About 20 storms and typhoons batter the Philippines each year. The archipelago is located in the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire region, making it one of the worlds most disaster-prone countries.
LONDON (AP)  A senior member of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Cabinet resigned Saturday night, adding to a sense of disarray within a government that has faced rebellion from his own lawmakers and voters this week.

Brexit Minister David Frost said in a letter to Johnson that he was stepping down immediately after a newspaper reported that he had planned to leave the post next month.

Frost said the process of leaving the EU would be a long-term job. That is why we agreed earlier this month that I would move on in January and hand over the baton to others to manage our future relationship with the EU,'' he said in his resignation letter.

However, the Mail on Sunday said earlier that he resigned because of growing disillusionment with Johnsons policies. The newspaper said Frosts decision was triggered by last weeks introduction of new pandemic restrictions, including a requirement that people show proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test to enter nightclubs and other crowded venues.

And in his resignation letter, Frost said the UK needed to learn to live with Covid. ... You took a brave decision in July, against considerable opposition, to open up the country again. Sadly it did not prove to be irreversible, as I wished, and believe you did too. I hope we can get back on track soon and not be tempted by the kind of coercive measures we have seen elsewhere.

The news follows a stunning defeat for Johnsons Conservative Party in a by-election Thursday in North Shropshire, a long-time party stronghold. Earlier this week, 99 Conservative lawmakers voted against so-called vaccine passports in the House of Commons, the biggest rebellion in Johnsons 2 1/2 years as prime minister.

Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the opposition Labour Party, said Johnson isnt up to the job as the omicron variant drives a spike in coronavirus infections.

A government in total chaos right when the country faces an uncertain few weeks Rayner tweeted. We deserve better than this buffoonery.

Even some of Johnsons own party members piled on.

The prime minister is running out of time and out of friends to deliver on the promises and discipline of a true Conservative government, tweeted Conservative lawmaker Andrew Bridgen. Lord Frost has made it clear, 100 Conservative lawmakers have made it clear, but most importantly, so did the people of North Shropshire.

Frost led talks with the European Union as Johnsons government sought to re-negotiate terms of Britains withdrawal from the bloc.

His resignation comes after the UK recently softened its stance in the talks with the EU over post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland. The change of tone from Britain came as a surprise to many because it seemed at odds with the hardline position of the Brexit minister, who was nicknamed Frosty the No Man.

Johnson's government is also under fire over reports that officials held Christmas parties last year when pandemic rules barred such gatherings.

Adding to his problems with the so-called partygate scandal, Johnson's choice to investigate the claims had to step aside after he also was tied to such parties.

Simon Case, the head of the civil service, stepped aside from from the investigation after the Guido Fawkes website reported Friday that his department held two parties in December 2020.

The scandal erupted when a video surfaced showing a mock news conference at which some of Johnsons staff appeared to make light of a party that violated the pandemic rules. Until that time, the prime minister had steadfastly denied government officials had broken any lockdown rules.

The Times of London newspaper reported Saturday that one of the events held by Cases department, the Cabinet Office, was listed in digital calendars as Christmas party! and was organized by a member of Cases team.

The Cabinet Office said Friday that the event was a virtual quiz in which a small number of people who had been working together in the same office took part from their desks.

The Cabinet Secretary played no part in the event but walked through the teams office on the way to his own office, the office said in a statement. No outside guests or other staff were invited or present. This lasted for an hour and drinks and snacks were bought by those attending. He also spoke briefly to staff in the office before leaving.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  A Virginia man pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiring to make false statements in connection with 45 firearms transactions, federal prosecutors said.

From June 2019 through June 2020, Kevin Staton Jr., 23, of Chesapeake, engaged in the business of buying and selling firearms without a license, according to court documents.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  West Virginias biggest commercial airport says it is receiving $2.1 million in the first year of funding from President Joe Bidens infrastructure law.

Yeager Airport officials say this is the law's first round of five years of funding that can be invested in runways, taxiways, safety and sustainability, terminals, airport transit and roads.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  The Wichita police chief who was one of the first law enforcement officials to call the death of George Floyd a murder and received praise for his handling of Black Lives Matter protests has announced that he is leaving the department.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Gordon Ramsay announced Friday morning that he plans to resign from his position on March 1. He said his diversification of the police department is one of his proudest accomplishments.

Ramsay said he wanted to spend more time with family and is weighing a run for St. Louis County Sheriff in Duluth, where he was the police chief before getting hired in Wichita.

That is an exciting prospect for me and that is something that I am considering, he said. I have a passion for policing and community. Those two things energize me and I love it, but I need a little break.

Ramsay was named chief of the Wichita Police Department in 2016 as community activists demanded more transparency and accountability for police.

Ramsay, who is white, handled Black Lives Matter protests by organizing a picnic where he fielded questions for nearly an hour. Videos of police officers dancing with people at the cookout went viral.

His deputy chiefs include a Black woman and a Hispanic man. There are more minorities and women in the department now than ever, he said.

The face of the department has been forever changed, he said. Im really proud of that.

In 2020, Ramsay again made waves amid unrest. He was one of the first police officials to call the death of George Floyd in Minnesota that year a murder. Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was later convicted of murder in Floyd's death and sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison.

But some of his initiatives have been criticized for not going far enough. He initiated a Citizens Review Board in the aftermath of the killing of Andrew Finch, an unarmed man shot to death on his porch by a Wichita police officer in a swatting incident in December 2017.

The review board has limited access to information provided by the department and is only allowed to review cases that are not tied up in litigation. Four years after the Finch shooting, the review board has not been allowed to review the incident.

City Manager Robert Layton, who hired Ramsay in 2016, said he had made a significant contribution to the community" and that he expects a replacement to be named in 2022.
BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP)  A woman convicted of sabotaging railroad tracks near the U.S.-Canada border in Washington state just before a train carrying crude oil was due to pass through has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.

Ellen Brennan Reiche, 28, of Bellingham was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle for committing an act of violence against a railroad carrier. In addition to prison time, she must also complete 100 hours of community service while on federal supervision.

She was convicted in September for placing a device that interferes with train signals on the tracks apparently as part of a campaign to protest construction of a pipeline across British Columbia. Her co-defendant, Samantha Brooks, 24, pleaded guilty in July to a terrorist attack and violence against Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway as part of a plea agreement.

The duo was spotted on video surveillance on BNSF tracks near Bellingham late on Nov. 28, 2020. When Whatcom County sheriffs deputies detained them, Reiche was carrying a paper bag with wire, a drill and magnetic adhesive inside.

Deputies found a shunt buried nearby under rocks on the tracks. Shunts are comprised of wire that is stretched between the rails and frequently fastened with magnets, disrupting the systems that indicate a train is on the tracks.

It was one of dozens of shunts placed on the tracks last year, apparently to slow the delivery of oil and supplies in protest of a natural gas pipeline through Indigenous land in British Columbia. The FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force worked with BNSF police to investigate the placement of 41 shunts on the BNSF tracks since 2020.

On Oct. 11, 2020, multiple shunts were placed in three locations in Whatcom and Skagit counties. They triggered an automatic braking system on a train that was transporting hazardous material, causing part of the train to decouple from the engine  risking a derailment of tanker cars of flammable gas in a residential area, prosecutors said.

On Dec. 22, 2020, a train carrying Bakken crude oil to the Phillips 66 refinery at Cherry Point did derail, with five tanks catching fire, north of Bellingham. No injuries were reported, but the fire sent a large plume of black smoke into the sky and 120 people were evacuated. No cause has been publicly identified.

"Placing a shunt on active railroad tracks puts lives in danger  to drivers preparing to cross the tracks who may not get any warning lights of an approaching train, and to the homeowners in the area who could be endangered by a train derailment, U.S. Attorney Nick Brown said in a statement Friday. In this case ... the device was discovered and removed before it could cause a tragedy.
ABINGDON, Va. (AP)  A Virginia woman who pleaded guilty to plotting to defraud the government out of more than $1.5 million in pandemic-related unemployment benefits has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution, federal prosecutors said.

Farren Gaddis Ricketts, 31, of Jonesville, and her co-conspirators devised a scheme to collect personal identification information and then submit unemployment claims to the Virginia Employment Commission website for individuals who were ineligible to receive pandemic unemployment benefits, including inmates in state prisons, according to a news release from the U.S. Justice Department.
JACKSON, Wyo. (AP)  Residents south of Jackson, Wyoming, are sounding the alarm over the possibility that dozens of high-end commercial campsites, roads and related infrastructure could be carved into the lower flanks of Munger Mountain.

A Wyoming-owned 640-acre section of land that raises money for the states school trust account, and which is exempted from local zoning regulations, could host the development. At the direction of state lawmakers seeking to wring more money out of state lands in exorbitantly priced Jackson Hole, the Office of State Lands and Investments has identified the site as a potential money-maker and plans to issue an open-ended request for proposals, according to Jason Crowder, the offices deputy director.

That would give the Board of Land Commissioners the ability to accept or reject any proposal, Crowder told the Jackson Hole News&Guide.

That board, which has the final say, consists of five state officials: Gov. Mark Gordon, Secretary of State Ed Buchanan, Auditor Kristi Racines, Treasurer Curt Meier and State Superintendent Jillian Balow. It remains to be seen which types of formal propositions the board will consider.

Although a request for proposals was once expected out by September, Crowder is now assigning no timeframe for its release.

But a luxury glamour camping (glamping) company, Under Canvas, has already expressed an interest in building another of its safari-inspired glamping compounds on the Munger parcel. Back in fall 2020 the Bozeman, Montana-based business submitted a glossy proposal that called for erecting upwards of 90 seasonal tents on 30 to 40 acres of the Munger Mountain parcel. It proposed entering into a 25-year lease. That pitch was preliminary and preceded the upcoming request for proposals. Still, the concept is being met with firm resistance.

This parcel is extraordinary, Wilson attorney Mark Sullivan told the News&Guide. Theres great recreational opportunities there, and we certainly want to see it preserved. We support and understand the states need to generate revenue from these parcels, and were trying to meet that need. Were trying to be competitive with Under Canvas and whomever else comes along.

A loose-knit coalition of neighbors Sullivan helped convene, the Friends of Munger Mountain, have espoused the idea of submitting a competing conservation lease proposal to the state lands office when the time comes. That concept, novel within Wyoming, is being pursued by the Jackson Hole Land Trust, which in turn approached Teton County commissioners and asked for their support. Meeting Monday, commissioners agreed to work with the trust in pursuit of the idea.

Its a great opportunity for us to provide funds for schoolchildren and to avoid some negative impacts from a significant development in the wrong place, Commissioner Luther Propst told his fellow elected officials.

Under Canvas declined an interview for this story. A public relations firm that represents the Bozeman business, J/PR, emailed the News&Guide a short statement.

The state has not released an RFP for the state land parcel referenced, J/PR Vice President Chelsey Lutz Kirby wrote in an email. Under Canvas has not submitted a proposal.

But Fall Creek Road and Red Top Meadows residents are still taking the prospect of a new luxury tent compound on their neighborhood mountain as a very real possibility. Sullivan was told that Under Canvas has hired two Cheyenne lobbyists, a Jackson Hole land-use attorney and a former Teton County planner.

The fact that they have Chris Hawks and Susan Johnson on board tells me that theyre very serious and we have to take them very seriously, Sullivan said, referring to the attorney and planner. So, we plan to compete with them.

Ahead of the states formal solicitation, its not clear what a conservation lease proposal would look like. Friends of Munger Mountain is trying to raise every penny we can, Sullivan said, to fund such an offer.

Paying the state a fee to keep the land open temporarily would be a departure from the Jackson Hole Land Trusts go-to mechanism: conservation easements, which typically preserve open spaces in perpetuity. The first and only school trust parcel protected by such an easement is a 20-acre chunk adjacent to the southern boundary of Grand Teton National Park and bisected by a braid of the Snake River.

Obviously, wed prefer permanent protection, Land Trust President Max Ludington told the News&Guide. But the state right now has expressed that theyre not willing to consider that.

But he added: The state has said many times that theyre looking for ways to consider conservation-based leases. So were trying to work with them.

Another state entity, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, has shared its own worries about the prospect of developing the Munger parcel, along with others the state has been eyeing.

This parcel provides crucial winter habitat for both elk and moose and is adjacent to an elk calving area, Game and Fish Habitat Protection Supervisor Amanda Losch wrote to Crowder last year. Commercial development that is incompatible with existing uses may negatively impact wildlife and wildlife-oriented recreation within this parcel.

As is, the Munger Mountain parcel returns small annual fees to the school trust. About $1,900 a year is generated, the bulk of which comes from a grazing lease.

An Office of State Lands study completed in fall 2020 described the Under Canvas proposal as feasible.

Under Canvass proposal will allow the state to retain control of their land by increasing the lease income and allowing a low impact and sustainable development that will encourage and promote best land management, wildlife habitat practices, and the opportunity to maintain other leases in place on the subject land, a project summary stated.

This past summer Crowder and state office colleagues visited the Munger parcel as part of a tour of state lands in Teton County. They hiked around the square-mile chunk, concluding that the topography, in areas, was friendly for development, Crowder said.

But he also said that the glamping proposal is not running on any kind of inside track to win a lease agreement through his office.

I havent been in contact with this group, Crowder said. I know about them, and thats it. I dont know what their purpose is. They havent really approached us to look for anything.

While theres no timeline for releasing a request for proposals for the Munger parcel, the state is actively soliciting commercial development proposals for another section of school trust land in Jackson Hole. That state-owned parcel, just south of Teton Village, has been broken into nine individual tracts that can be bid on, ranging from 0.91 acres to 5.73 acres. The request for proposals went out Tuesday, with pitches due Feb. 1.
By Kristen Hwang and Ana B. Ibarra

CalMatters

A patient sample that wasn't processed for more than 30 days. A test used without proper validation of its accuracy. Patient results changed without notification. Safety and disinfection procedures called into question.

These are just a few of the myriad problems at the Valencia Branch Laboratory, a public-private COVID-19 testing lab operated by PerkinElmer that the California Department of Public Health hired in a no-bid, $1.7 billion annual contract.

An inspection report released last month by the health department outlines major problems dating back further than a year ago, raising new questions about how the state is spending taxpayer dollars to combat the pandemic. The report shows the lab has routinely underperformed, failing to meet the contract's goals for turnaround times and numbers of processed tests. But the state auto-renewed the year-long contract at the end of October.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials say the laboratory has been crucial to expanding the state's testing capacity for schools and underserved communities.

But California's two largest school districts -- Los Angeles Unified and San Diego Unified -- aren't relying on the lab because it was unavailable when they needed it.

A CalMatters analysis shows each test at the PerkinElmer Valencia lab costs the state more than three times the amount the Los Angeles Unified pays a Bay Area startup, SummerBio.

Already, the state has paid more than twice as much to PerkinElmer for 5.5 million tests as LA Unified's total projected $350 million cost for the entire school year. The school year is less than half complete, but LA Unified already has administered 7.4 million COVID tests while never using the state's PerkinElmer lab.

In the 10 months following its October 2020 opening, the lab processed between 1 and 8 percent of all COVID-19 tests administered in California each week, according to available data archived by CalMatters. During the first week of December, the lab processed roughly 8.5 percent of California's tests, according to the most recently available data.

PerkinElmer, a global testing diagnostic company, did not respond to a request for comment about the cost of the testing and the reported problems at the lab.

State health department officials, in an unsigned statement in response to questions, said the PerkinElmer contract was renewed because of the potential for a winter surge and continued need for testing.

But the health department's report, which was released eight months after officials indicated it would be completed, revealed that inspectors from the state's Laboratory Field Services threatened sanctions for major deficiencies just 10 days before the contract was renewed.

The state public health department "probably should have canceled (the contract) because honestly, there's other vendors out there. They're doing it for a lot less money more efficiently," Republican Senate minority leader Scott Wilk, who represents the area surrounding Valencia, told CalMatters.

Wilk has been the most outspoken critic of the contract, repeatedly calling on the Newsom administration and the health department to halt the auto-renewal. Wilk said his office is working on a proposal to reform the no-bid contracting powers that the Legislature granted Newsom at the beginning of the pandemic.

"I think there have been abuses there," Wilk said.

Public health experts and advocates say despite the lab's troubles, it provides critical testing for smaller school districts, rural counties and underserved communities. Roughly 62 percent of tests processed at the lab are from communities of color, with about a third from the state's most disadvantaged neighborhoods, based on the California Healthy Place Index.

In Madera County, for instance, the lab allowed the county and its partners to ramp up testing in a speedier time frame.

"Valencia has been a net positive for Madera County. Residents would have been at a significant disadvantage without the combination of the Valencia lab and state contracts like the one with OptumServe," said Sara Bosse, Madera County's public health director.

Could the state have gotten a better deal?

The state currently pays PerkinElmer $37.78 per test, according to a Department of Finance analysis, and charges schools $21 and community organizations $55 per test.

That compares to $12 per test that LA Unified pays SummerBio.

When the state contract was announced, it was hailed by local governments and health organizations as a cost-savings measure. But as whistleblower reports about lab failings emerged and vendors with more competitive pricing came online, many questioned why the state didn't try to renegotiate a better price, which is allowed under the contract.

Compared to SummerBio's pricing for LA Unified, the state could have paid approximately $4.6 million less for testing during the first week of December, the most recent week the lab's testing numbers are available. (CalMatters calculated that amount by multiplying the number of tests conducted by the state by the rate charged by PerkinElmer versus the rate SummerBio charges LA Unified)

LA Unified tests a dizzying half a million students and employees weekly and has been held up by proponents of testing and critics of the state government as a model for COVID-19 surveillance.

Former Superintendent Austin Beutner, who spearheaded the search for a cost-effective COVID-19 testing company at the time, said the district knew early on routine testing would be critical to bringing students back to school.

"We said it's got to be accurate, quick, high volume, and then the fourth piece was the price," Beutner said. "In most cases, we were looking at north of 100 bucks. You do the math -- 100 times half a million each week. That's a lot of money."

According to district documents, 22 companies were evaluated through an expedited bidding process and SummerBio offered the lowest price by far, between $38 and $166 less than other diagnostics companies, including major players like Curative and Fulgent.

The state has paid PerkinElmer about $740 million for testing in the past year. Most of the cost is recouped through federal funds and health insurance payments, according to the state health department. In contrast, LA Unified is projected to spend $350 million for the entire school year, and tests far more people per week than the Valencia lab. The district will also recoup the costs through federal school reopening grants and federal emergency funds.

"Cost comparisons from laboratory to laboratory are difficult because a laboratory's testing arrangements vary due to differences in the scope of their contracts and the set-up of each laboratory," health officials said in an emailed statement.

The health department did not answer questions about whether other vendors were considered or whether the department has tried to negotiate a lower rate with PerkinElmer.

SummerBio representatives declined to comment about the Valencia lab but said the company has been in contact with state officials.

Beutner said he notified the governor's office about LA Unified's plans as a courtesy, months before the PerkinElmer contract was announced. As the largest district in the state -- and second largest in the nation -- LA Unified's contracts are often piggybacked by other districts and government organizations.

"The simplest way to put it is, they (state health officials) weren't particularly responsive or interested," Beutner said.

By the time the state laboratory opened in October 2020, LA Unified was well on its way to developing its own internal testing infrastructure. And the state test -- which was $55 for schools at the time -- was still far more expensive.

Too little, too late or a lifeline for schools?

Like LA Unified, San Diego Unified School District began developing its testing plans well before the state's PerkinElmer lab was a resource. The district tests around 25,000 students per week, which is approximately a quarter of its student population.

"Just speaking from our experience, our district, we have always had to move quickly and establish our strategies because, you know, waiting for the state would just have taken too long," board president Richard Barrera said.

San Diego Unified conducts a limited amount of pooled testing through the state lab at no cost, but the bulk of its testing is done through a private vendor.

The district initially contracted with UC San Diego to offer tests to students and staff at around $40 per test before moving to another vendor, which charges about $60 per test, when the university could no longer handle its testing needs. At the time, there was little guidance from the state for school testing, which caused headaches for school administrators.

The state was charging schools $55, which made the district's contract with UC San Diego cheaper. Now, although the school district is paying a private vendor much more than the state's reduced price of $21, Barrera said it's too late for the district to switch. The district has already built up capacity through a private vendor and established procedures for getting parental consent, notifying them of test results, training staff and contact tracing.

"The last thing we would want to do now that we're finally able to scale with private vendors would be to then move away and do something with the state and then have the state's program end," he said. "Then we're back to ramping up from scratch."

State officials say the laboratory is needed to reach communities with few resources. Barrera said for smaller districts, the state support is likely crucial to keeping kids in classrooms.

Most school testing has been funded by the state through federal grants.

Long Beach Unified has been using the state's PerkinElmer Valencia lab. But after January, Long Beach administrators say the district will be responsible for paying for testing. At the peak of its efforts, which averaged between 6,000 to 12,000 tests per day, Long Beach officials said other vendors couldn't handle the volume, although there were some early issues concerning slow results from the state. At the now-reduced cost of $21 for school districts, Long Beach officials said the state laboratory is one of the cheaper testing options.

South of Modesto, in Ceres Unified School District, administrators say they have worked closely with the state's Valencia lab for molecular PCR testing. Several months ago they had issues with false positives from the laboratory.

"We were informed by the lab that a few tests were positive, but when they retested with another organization they were negative," said Edith Narayan, the district's coordinator of student services. There have been no recent issues.

Officials in San Juan Unified School District, northeast of Sacramento, said supply chain shortages played a part in their decision to use the state testing program, which seemed like the most reliable "comprehensive, accessible and affordable" option. They have had one instance of delayed test processing and are generally satisfied with the program.

State health department officials said in their statement that control of the supply chain was one of the reasons PerkinElmer was awarded the contract. "There are very few companies that control the entirety of the supply chain meaning that they not only build their own laboratory machines, they also produce all the necessary reagents and testing kits...PerkinElmer was uniquely able to address this particular testing constraint," they said.

Like smaller school districts, some rural counties have relied heavily on the PerkinElmer lab. In Tulare County, at least 23 public testing locations -- both community sites and schools -- send COVID testing samples to the state lab. In addition, local pharmacies and clinics contract with the state on their own, according to Tulare County Public Health.

In the past two decades, 11 public health labs have closed, leaving the state with the same number of laboratory resources that it had in 1950 despite having more than three times the population.

"They need to keep funding (the Valencia lab)," said Kat DeBurgh, executive director of the Health Officers Association of California. The issues that came with opening a laboratory in a hurry were avoidable if local public health infrastructure had been funded adequately to begin with, she said.

"I hope after the pandemic our state lawmakers and the people in charge of the budget recognize that we can't be in this state where we spend a lot of money on immediate solutions that are necessary and then let the infrastructure dwindle until the next emergency," DeBurgh said.

Lab didn't live up to promised capacity

When the lab opened in October 2020, it was built with the promise to process 150,000 tests per day, doubling the state's capacity at a time when local public health departments, commercial labs, and health systems were straining to keep up. However, commercial labs and health systems have simultaneously ramped up capacity and have accounted for the bulk of testing throughout California.

The lab processes a daily average of 40,000 tests, according to state health officials.

But the PerkinElmer Valencia lab has routinely processed far fewer results than its commercial counterparts, at times less than 4 percent of the state's total tests during the summer of 2021, according to available data archived by CalMatters.

The state Testing Taskforce posts the number of tests processed online weekly but deletes the previous week's records, so CalMatters used a web scraper to compile historical data between August 2020 and December 2021, after a public records request to the health department yielded minimal documents.

Demand for testing dropped statewide during the summer, so the lab processed on average 75,000 samples and as few as 28,000 samples per week -- a small fraction of the daily capacity of 150,000 tests promised by the Newsom administration.

In their anonymous statement, health department officials said the lab has the capacity but has never been asked to ramp up to the maximum. However, in mid-September, the lab had to send overflow samples to another lab even though it hadn't reached the contract's 150,000 capacity, according to the health department.

It wasn't until schools opened in August that the lab began processing more than 10 percent of the state's tests. In contrast, commercial labs have accounted for 60 to 70 percent of all tests, while medical centers account for roughly 20 percent.

At times, SummerBio alone has processed a greater proportion of tests than all public health labs combined, reaching nearly 20 percent mid-September.

At the state's PerkinElmer lab, aside from capacity concerns, the state's report from April highlighted four instances between Nov. 14 and Dec. 1 of last year where groups of test results were "corrected" or "amended," but there was no evidence that patients were promptly notified, meaning they may have inaccurately thought they tested positive or negative. Inspectors also reported that when the lab lost tests, instead of reporting them as lost, it labeled the samples "unsatisfactory."

State health officials said the problems found in the inspection reports have since been resolved.

DeBurgh, the director of the Health Officers Association, said the state has a responsibility to ensure testing is available to everyone regardless of cost or insurance status. Because commercial labs won't be around forever, the state needs the Valencia lab for long-term public health beyond the pandemic, she said. "Right now, it's profitable to give COVID-19 tests. That's not going to be true forever. And yet we are still going to need the tests," she said.

Elaine Howle, who is stepping down this month after leading the state Auditor's Office for 21 years, said in a November CalMatters interview that auto-renewal of contracts like the PerkinElmer one "may be something that's particularly concerning, particularly if, as you say, there were some reporting requirements and those weren't met." Her office has reviewed use of federal money but has not reviewed no-bid contracts.

"I'm aware that there are no-bid contracts out there," she said. "I wasn't aware of a contract that size that auto-renewed."

Sacramento-based public contract lawyer Jennifer Dauer said it's not uncommon for government's competitive bidding requirements to be suspended or auto-renewal of contracts to occur during emergencies like the pandemic or wildfires.

She said there tends to be little oversight once a contract is signed, particularly during states of emergency. The courts tend to side with public entities, leaving the public to serve as the watchdog.

"There is extreme deference to what public entities who are dealing with emergencies do in their contracting," said Dauer, who has worked with companies pursuing local, state and federal contracts. "The traffic cop is the public, and it's an uphill battle."

Wilk said as the pandemic evolved, and once issues at the laboratory became apparent, the state should have, at minimum, renegotiated the contract rather than renew it on the same terms.

"Renegotiate and get a better deal for the taxpayers," he said.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  Louisiana's top school board has rejected a $120,000 no-bid contract pushed by state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley that helped spark a legislative auditor's investigation and drew complaints it was mishandled.

The Advocate reports that the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education refused to approve that contract and two others, with four members supporting approval and five members opposed.

The agreement, entered into by the education department in September, has been financing the review of academic improvement plans by about 190 public school districts and schools in the wake of classroom problems triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Those reviews could be halted indefinitely even though state officials hoped to have them finished and posted for the public by the end of the month. Also, the state has already paid $60,000 of the amount due and the other $60,000 is due shortly.

The $120,000 contract didnt require a public bid process, according to the education department, because it fell under emergency contracting rules issued by Gov. John Bel Edwards because of the pandemic.

The issue has sparked controversy for weeks because board President Sandy Holloway said she was caught off guard by the emergency agreement and should have had a chance to review it before it was finalized.

After learning about the contract, Holloway and the full board asked Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack to investigate emergency contracts issued by the state Department of Education. That probe by the auditor is expected to last at least until January, according to the newspaper.

Board member Jim Garvey, from Metairie, said he did not think it was a good idea for the board to approve the contracts in dispute in the middle of the investigation by the legislative auditor. But Ronnie Morris, a board member from Baton Rouge, said it made no sense to delay action on the agreements because it could impact needed services for students.

Beyond the lack of notification to the board president, the contract also is controversial because it went to a newly formed company, Invicta Consulting LLC. The firm's CEO is Sharmayne Rutledge, a former top official of the East Baton Rouge Parish School District.

Rutledge was formerly supervised by Quentina Timoll, chief of staff for the education department who was heavily involved in the contract process, according to The Advocate. Timoll defended Rutledges hiring, saying she's well-suited for the job of reviewing school turnaround plans because of her 17 years as an educator.

We have been faithful stewards of public funds, Timoll said. She added that the contract followed standard operating procedure.

But Shan Davis, executive director of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, said she determined the board had approved up to 40 emergency contracts that should have first been reviewed by board president Holloway.

Department officials replied that before Brumley became superintendent, contracts were handled in a similar fashion, without controversy.

Other agreements rejected by the board were a $2.8 million amendment to an existing accounting firm contract that involved working with non-public schools grappling with the pandemic's academic impact and a $68,500 agreement with a consulting firm to help review Louisianas accountability system.
Even though 2024 is still years away and President Joe Biden has said he plans to run for re-election at age 81, national publications and pundits have spent gobs of time discussing a hypothetical 2024 Democratic presidential primary.

Polls suggest that Vice President Kamala Harris would be the front-runner in such a primary, though her team reportedly expects a challenge from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, among others.

The already painfully premature discourse took a turn this week when some prominent pundits began floating a new name: California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

"I do think people portraying the 2024 Dem nomination as a Harris/Buttigieg fight are underestimating Gavin Newsom's chances," tweeted Fox News digital editor Jason Hasson.

FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver quote-tweeted Hasson's original tweet and wrote, "I think folks are underestimating the chance that if Biden doesn't run, Democrats will be panicked after what will probably be a bad 2022 and looking for a 'fresh face'/outsider."

Hasson and Silver can't be blamed for believing that Newsom is positioning to run for president sometime in the near future given his recent public posturing in national politics. In the past week alone, he called for gun control legislation that mimics the enforcement scheme of the highly controversial Texas law restricting abortions, and has taken shots at other Republican-led states.

This writer finds it difficult to see how Newsom  who opines on national politics frequently, called in national names such as Biden, Harris and Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to help him in the 2021 recall election and has close ties to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  will be perceived as a "'fresh face'/outsider" if that's what Democratic primary voters desire in 2024.

What this writer does not find difficult to see is Newsom running against Harris if he detects a sufficient level of blood in the water and sees an opening. Some have speculated that Newsom would not challenge Harris as a courtesy, but their relationship is reportedly not that chummy.

After Newsom's recall election, the Los Angeles Times reported that Newsom and Harris' relationship can best be described as one "of friendship, rivalry, envy and mutual aid." Citing sources close to both, the Times reported that when Harris' 2020 presidential campaign fizzled out and later, when Newsom looked to be in imminent danger from the recall, "privately, each didnt mind watching the other squirm just a bit."

Best friends would be unlikely to challenge one another in a primary. Frenemies, however? Especially when one faces one unflattering leak after the next and has a sagging public approval rating while the other once had the stones to challenge Jerry Brown himself in a 2010 gubernatorial primary?

All of the speculation is mooted if Biden runs, or if Harris appears to be the prohibitive early front-runner in polls, which would likely deter many prospective challengers beyond Newsom. Another poll from this week shows that she comfortably leads the pack.

But in the event Biden does not run and Harris loses her grip? Never underestimate the ambitions of one Gavin Newsom.
With 100 glittering chandeliers, a dine-in movie theater, and a ballroom, this completely custom 22,743-square-foot mansion in Franklin, TN, is the most expensive home on the market in Tennessee. The estate in the Nashville suburbs is available for $16.5 million.

Set on a 4.4-acre lot, it's in a community where the smallest lot is 3.5 acres, according to the listing agent, Bill E. Henson, Jr. of SilverPointe Properties. That means that none of the residents in this exclusive enclave are too close to one another.

This particular home is in an incredible neighborhood. There are only 23 homes, and there are celebrities who live in the neighborhood, says Henson, adding, Williamson County is the seventh-wealthiest county in America."

The property has been owned by a couple who purchased the lot for $30,000 back in 2004. After the acreage was purchased, it took them a decade to build, and design, the six-bedroom, 13-bathroom home.

The owners' first attempt to sell the property was in 2018, for $17.9 million, before it was taken off the market altogether in 2020. Now that it's at a slightly lower price point, perhaps an offer will be forthcoming.

Many materials used in the mansion's construction were importedincluding, for example, three oversized, wrought-iron front doorsand the design was so detailed, a team of contractors from Atlanta was brought in.

Grand flourishes in the home include 30-foot ceilings, three bars, nine fireplaces, three kitchens (outfitted with Sub-Zero and Viking appliances), a pool, a wine cellar, and dual, hand-crafted iron staircases. Up to 1,400 bottles of wine can be stored in the spacious cellar.

An owner interested in hosting charity galas can make use of the ballroom, which comes complete with a stage for performances.

You could have 200 people dancing in there, says Henson.

Exterior of mansion in Franklin, TN Realtor.com

Foyer staircase Realtor.com

Foyer entry Realtor.com

Fireplace Realtor.com

Living room Realtor.com

Dining room Realtor.com

Kitchen Realtor.com

One of the bathrooms Realtor.com

Office Realtor.com

Ballroom Realtor.com

Theater Realtor.com

Wine cellar Realtor.com

Pool Realtor.com

Another high-end design detail are the domed ceilings.

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Watch: California's Priciest Property Is Incredibly Perched Above the Pacific Ocean

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The mansion is also equipped with smart features including a security system, and integrated technology that controls the lighting and Wi-Fi. A dozen HVAC units are used to heat and cool the massive home.

Parking for six cars is split among three attached garages, one of which has an unfinished 2,000-square-foot upper floor that could be turned into a gym or recording studio.

Franklin, a town of 78,000 18 miles south of Nashville, is a haven for celebrity musicians and CEOs of large corporations. Low property taxes and the proximity to Music City are part of the appeal. This property is close to downtown Franklins shops and restaurants, and the airport is a half-hour drive away.

You can be at the beach within six hours and the mountains are close, too, says Henson. Theres a lot going on in Middle Tennessee. Several companies (are) relocating here. You also have the music sceneand its not just country music.

A horse lover may be enticed to gallop in for a look, as the neighborhood offers riding trails, and some properties have horse stalls.

Whether or not the next buyers are equestrians, they might include an entrepreneur, probably a CEO of a major corporation, or an entertainer, or an athlete, the agent predicts.

You dont have that many people looking for homes in this price range, he says, but the norm is changing.

The post Massive $16.5M Mansion Near Nashville Is Tennessee's Most Expensive Home appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
As the holiday week approaches, San Francisco International Airport warns parking spaces will be hard to find; AAA expects a 200% increase in holiday air travelers vs. last year; Spirit Airlines plans to introduce a new nonstop to the East Coast from Oakland; Bay Area route news from United, Southwest and Alaska; Delta drops some small-town routes; Aer Lingus returns to SFO but British Airways delays its return to San Jose; BA and Finnair plan new West Coast routes next summer; United will fly nine trans-Atlantic routes from SFO in 2022; a lack of new wide-bodies forces American to cut long-haul service next year, but it adds a Mideast route; United adds a trans-Pacific code-share partner and JetBlues code goes onto Ireland flights; some Delta fliers will no longer earn SkyMiles credits; Uniteds mobile app update adds a new benefit for middle-seat customers; TSA bemoans a surge in guns confiscated from carry-on bags; United will try out a new lounge concept at Denver International and Delta opens another Sky Club at Detroit; Portland opens a new concourse; and Las Vegas McCarran International Airport gets a new name.

The next big wave of holiday air travel begins next week, and San Francisco International Airport is warning that parking space will be tight. Although passenger traffic is currently at about 60-65% of pre-pandemic levels, parking demand is already at pre-pandemic, the airport said this week. SFO expects all parking garages to be at or near capacity by Friday, December 17 and through the holiday period. It advises travelers to book and pay for a space in advance, using the airports online reservations system, because using this system would allow customers to know if parking is unavailable prior to arriving at the airport. As an alternative, SFO urges passengers to take public transit or shared rides to the airport.

AAA said it expects to see 6.4 million holiday travelers take to the air this season (i.e., between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2)  almost triple the number from last year, and just 12.6% shy of 2019s numbers. United Airlines is projecting it will carry more daily passengers than it did over Thanksgiving this year  an average of 420,000 a day from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3 compared with 400,000 a day during last months holiday period. United expects this years Christmas-New Years passenger volume to be 87% of 2019 levels. And Delta projects its passenger numbers from Dec. 17 to Jan. 3 will hit 7.8 million, more than twice last years 3.6 million and the most since 2019s 9.3 million.

East Bay residents will get a new option for travel to the East Coast next spring when Spirit Airlines plans to start flying between Oakland International and Philadelphia, a route that currently has no nonstop service. According to airport officials, the OAK-PHL market typically attracts about 700 travelers a day. Spirit will launch the route on May 18 as its 11th nonstop destination from Oakland, using an Airbus A320neo with eight front cabin seats and 174 in the main cabin. The Oakland route is one of several destinations Spirit plans to add from Philadelphia between February and May, including New Orleans; Nashville; Houston Bush Intercontinental; Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and Montego Bay, Jamaica. Spirit also announced it will add Memphis to its network next spring, launching service to Las Vegas and Orlando in April and to Los Angeles International in June.

Oakland International

In other Bay Area route news, United Airlines plans a June 3 start for daily 737-800 flights from San Francisco International to Anchorage, Alaska; the airlines summer 2022 schedule also includes Alaska service to Anchorage from Newark and Houston Bush Intercontinental and to Fairbanks from Chicago OHare. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines just-released summer schedule will bring back flights from San Jose to Nashville four days a week beginning April 25, as well as Los Angeles-San Antonio service starting on the same date. Earlier this month, Southwest resumed Cuba flights between Tampa and Havana, and it plans to revive Fort Lauderdale-Havana service on Feb. 17. Alaska Airlines this week introduced seasonal winter service on several leisure routes from San Francisco International, including Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the Mexican destinations of Loreto, Cancun, Mazatlan, and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo.

Small U.S. cities continue to lose airline service as carriers re-evaluate their route networks during the COVID-19 recovery. In the latest example, Delta is pulling out of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Lincoln, Nebraska, effective Jan. 9; the former city is served from Salt Lake City and the latter from Minneapolis-St. Paul. Delta will also not return to Cody, Wyoming, where its flights from Salt Lake City have been suspended since October of this year. And Delta is canceling its routes from Detroit to La Crosse, Wisconsin; Minneapolis-St. Paul to Great Falls, Montana; and MSP to Marquette County, Michigan.

In international route news, Aer Lingus last week resumed service between San Francisco International and Dublin, a route that had been suspended since March 2020. The Irish carrier is operating four flights a week, with a couple of extra departures just before Christmas and New Years. San Jose-area fliers wont be able to fly nonstop to London this spring as previously planned. March 27 was the date British Airways had set to resume its long-suspended SJC-Heathrow flights, but now the airline has pushed back that relaunch until June 14. But BA and its Oneworld alliance partners  which now include Alaska Airlines  are expanding their West Coast presence this summer to take advantage of that mutual passenger feed. British Airways intends to add Portland to its network map on June 3 with five weekly nonstops to London (a route that was originally planned to start in June 2020), and Oneworld member Finnair announced it will begin nonstop service from Helsinki to Alaskas Seattle hub on June 1 with three flights a week. Finnair also connects to Alaskas network at Los Angeles with service to Helsinki and Stockholm, and BAs London service links up with Alaska at San Francisco, LAX, San Diego and Seattle.

According to a new schedule analysis by Simpleflying.com, San Francisco International will rank in fourth place among Uniteds hubs for the number of nonstop trans-Atlantic routes the carrier will operate in summer of 2022. That includes three flights a day from SFO to London Heathrow, along with daily nonstops to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris, Tel Aviv and Zurich. Newark Liberty International remains Uniteds No. 1 trans-Atlantic gateway for next summer, with nonstop service to 35 destinations (including Israel and India), while Washington Dulles is in second place with summer service to 20 trans-Atlantic cities (including destinations in Africa and the Middle East), and Chicago OHare comes in third, with 14 trans-Atlantic destinations.

Boarding1Now/Getty Images

International airline schedules have been upset by changing COVID entry restrictions, localized outbreaks in various countries and shifting consumer demand as a result. But American Airlines international schedules have encountered another problem. Continued delivery delays of Boeing 787 aircraft have provided unique challenges in planning international flying months in advance, American said last week in announcing cutbacks to some global routes for its summer schedule.

The carrier plans to eliminate four long-haul routes that were expected to operate in the peak summer season, including Dallas/Fort Worth-Hong Kong, DFW-Beijing, Seattle-Bangalore and SEA-Shanghai. The latter two routes were to be part of its growing partnership with Alaska Airlines. In addition, American said it will suspend DFW-Shanghai during March and resume it in April with just two flights a week. Los Angeles-Sydney will be reduced to three flights a week starting in April. To Europe, AA is taking summer service from Philadelphia to Edinburgh, Scotland, and Shannon, Ireland, off the books, and will not resume seasonal service to Prague or Dubrovnik, the airline said. Miami-Paris will also be eliminated next summer, and DFW-Paris will be cut from two daily flights to one. To South America, the airline will trim its schedules from daily service to three flights a week for both DFW-Buenos Aires and DFW-Santiago.

But on the plus side, American said it will introduce a new route from New York JFK to Doha, Qatar, as part of its Oneworld code-sharing partnership with Qatar Airways, starting June 4, with onward connecting service from Doha to points in Africa, the Middle East and beyond via Qatar Airways. The carrier said it will also shift its widebody fleet from Caribbean and Latin American routes this winter to European destinations in the summer, including Barcelona, Lisbon and Venice. This spring, American will resume service from Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT), to Rome (FCO) and start up seasonal services to both FCO and Athens, Greece (ATH), earlier than in previous years, the company said. AA will offer multiple daily departures in the summer to London Heathrow from JFK, DFW, Philadelphia and Chicago OHare, as well as LHR service from Boston, Charlotte, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, Raleigh-Durham and Seattle.

Theres international code-sharing news this week from United and JetBlue. United announced it will introduce a new code-sharing partnership with Virgin Australia in early 2022, subject to government approvals. The Australian carrier, which formerly had a similar agreement with Delta, pulled out of its long-haul international routes  including to the U.S.  last year, and subsequently went through a financial reorganization and new ownership. It now flies mainly Australian domestic routes and some short-haul international services. United currently flies to Sydney from San Francisco and Los Angeles and said it plans to resume other Australian routes later in 2022. On the East Coast, JetBlue has expanded its code-share partnership with Aer Lingus, which was previously limited to putting the Irish carriers code on JetBlue domestic flights. Now JetBlues code is going onto four Aer Lingus trans-Atlantic routes: New York JFK to Dublin and Shannon, and Boston to Dublin and Shannon. That will permit single-ticket connections with one-stop check-ins.

Delta has some bad news for customers who like to travel on Basic Economy fares, the lowest ticket prices available. Tickets purchased after Dec. 9 for travel Jan. 1 or later will no longer qualify to earn miles in the airlines SkyMiles loyalty program, nor will they count toward SkyMiles Medallion (i.e., elite) status levels. The airline said customers who redeem miles for a Basic Economy ticket departing after Jan. 1 can now cancel their ticket and receive a portion of their miles back, following a cancellation charge that is deducted from their ticket value.

United Airlines issued an update to its mobile app last week  version 4.1.36  and it includes a new feature for customers who cant stand being squeezed in a middle seat. The system will keep track of seat assignments, and if an aisle or window seat opens up on a flight where they had all been taken, the app will push a message to those with middle seat assignments letting them know that they suddenly have a better option if they choose to use it. The only drawback is that the same message goes out at the same time to all middle seat passengers on that flight, so the competition to be the first to respond could be fierce.

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

An upsurge in improper traveler behavior this year isnt limited to the more than 5,300 incidents of unruly passengers reported by the Federal Aviation Administration. Carrying firearms into an airliners passenger cabin has been prohibited for many years now, but some individuals just keep doing it anyway. The Transportation Security Administration said last week that its officers at airport security checkpoints have stopped more than 5,700 guns from being carried onto planes this year  the highest number in 20 years. Over 85% of firearms are loaded, TSA said. In some cases, local law enforcement confiscates firearms at checkpoints and arrests those in possession of a firearm at a TSA checkpoint. TSA fines passengers caught with firearms at checkpoints up to $13,910 and suspends their TSA PreCheck membership benefits. If you absolutely must take your gun on your flight, it has to be packed in your checked luggage, not your carry-on bag, and it must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container. You also have to declare it at check-in.

In airport lounge news, United said it will introduce a new United Club concept at Denver International, and Delta has opened a fifth Sky Club at its Detroit Metro hub. Uniteds third Club at DEN will be a mini-version; its being built on the B Concourse between Gates B61-B63 and should open early in 2022. At just 1,500 square feet, it will have limited seating and a service counter. According to ThePointsGuy.com, The lounges focus will be on grab-and-go food and beverages, as opposed to the traditional clubs which offer a variety of seating, a bar, a buffet and meeting spaces. Deltas new SkyClub at Detroit, which opened last week, is a 4,600-square-foot facility near Gate A43. It seats 100 and will serve up complimentary beverages as well as upgraded options like premium wines, spirits, beer and signature cocktails, Delta said.

Alaska Airlines

In Oregon, Portland Internationals former Concourse A has been rebuilt and just reopened as Concourse B, providing 10 passenger gates for Alaska Airlines (mostly for regional flights operated by Horizon Air). The new gates include four with jet bridges and six with ground-loading facilities. The modernistic concourse has floor to ceiling windows with airfield views, along with plants and wood paneling and plenty of newly commissioned public artwork. It contains 500 seats for passengers and is equipped with more than 300 plugs for charging mobile devices.

Las Vegas got a new airport this week. Actually, its the same physical airport but its no longer called Las Vegas McCarran. Its now Harry Reid International Airport, named after Nevadas longest-serving U.S. senator, a Democrat who was in that office for 30 years and served as Senate majority leader from 2007 to 2015. The airports former namesake, Democratic Sen. Patrick McCarran, was in office from 1933 to 1954. As the Associated Press observed, local officials decided to rename the airport not only to honor Reid, but also because McCarran had an image problem. In recent months, critics have brought up his reported history of perpetuating racism, xenophobia and antisemitism, the news service noted.
Ten of the new cases were reported among passengers who returned from other than 'at risk' countries, while two travellers from 'at risk' nations also tested positive for the new variant of Covid-19.

Hyderabad, Dec 18 (IANS) In a big jump in Omicron cases, Telangana on Saturday reported 12 new infections, taking the state's tally to 20, a top health official said.

According to the director of public health, G. Srinivasa Rao, out of the 12 Omicron positive cases reported on Saturday, nine are of foreign origin and three are of Indian origin. Six of them had come from Kenya, two each from Somalia and the UAE, and one each from Ghana and Tanzania.

The total number of cases among fliers from other than 'at risk' countries rose to 17. However, the health department officials have put this number at 16 as a seven-year-old boy, who had tested positive, had left for Kolkata after arrival at Hyderabad Airport.

Till Friday, three Kenyans and one Sudanese were among those who had tested positive for Omicron. It was on December 15 that Telangana reported its first Omicron case.

Majority of the cases were detected among passengers from other than 'at risk' counties. Health authorities at Hyderabad Airport are conducting RT-PCR tests on 2 per cent of the passengers coming from other than 'at risk' countries.

As per the Centre's guidelines, they are being allowed to go home even if they test Covid positive. However, their samples are being sent for genome sequencing. If they test Omicron positive, the authorities are tracing them on the basis of the address provided by them on arrival at the airport.

A total of 7,206 passengers arrived at Hyderabad Airport from 10 'at risk' countries since December 1. Of them, 25 were found Covid positive and their samples were sent for genome sequencing. Four of these 25 have tested positive for Omicron.

--IANS

ms/arm
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Its been a dog of a year for Charlie Aitken who is looking after the family labrador while ex Ellie and kids escape public interest in wake of marital split. Credit:Chloe Paul

In Sydneys social scene, fairytale endings may not always happen  but gossip is guaranteed. After several weeks the spectacular extra-marital affair between Charlie Aitken and Hollie Nasser continues to set tongues wagging in the eastern suburbs.

Until last month Aitken, 48, was in business with Chris CJ Nasser, the wife of his new lover Hollie, who also happened to be the best friend of his wife Ellie.

Amid the controversy, Ellie vowed to step away from public view  and Emerald City is told the glamorous mother-of-two has done just that by opting for a white Christmas and New Years in the United States.

Sources close to Aitken said she quietly flew out of Sydney on Wednesday and is currently holed up in Aspen, Colorado. She and her children will spend the next month skiing in a bid to shield them from the public eye back home.
As we drag our sorry selves towards election 2022, its worth asking the question: is there really much difference between Zoe Daniel and Craig Kelly?

Yes, yes, one is a polished former ABC foreign correspondent standing as part of the wealthy independent Voices movement in Melbournes smart Bayside suburbs, agitating for action on climate change and government integrity, while the other is a rambunctious rebel redneck Liberal MP who has thrown in his lot with billionaire Clive Palmers United Australia Party which wants to Make Australia Great by stamping out mandatory vaccinations and vaccine passports.

Independent candidate Zoe Daniel, a former ABC reporter, has launched her campaign for the seat of Goldstein. Credit:Simon Schluter

Cheese and chalk, you might say. But in one way, same-same but different. Both are very different manifestations of exactly the same thing  voters anti-government impulses. They are coming at the Coalition from different angles hoping to grab your protest vote.

The Voices, with their profound dissatisfaction with government go-slow on climate change, treatment of women, integrity and the vaccine stroll out, could even adopt the slogan: Drain The Swamp. Its worked before.
This is our home because you have freedom to choose your own religion, and the government cares about you and protects you, Hassanzadeh says. But unfortunately after nine years we still have the same visa status, we are standing on air, there is nothing clear for us. Sometimes we feel we are not welcome here. We try hard to contribute to the life of Australia, we pay tax, this is where our kids grow up, but at the end we dont have the rights of Australians. When my son, who was born here, is old enough to go to university, we cant afford the price of an education. Kaveh Hassanzadeh with his wife Hoda Ameri and their sons Ario, Arta and Adrin. Kaveh and Hoda arrived as boat people in 2012 from Iran, were granted refugee status and became ministers after studying at Melbournes Ridley College. Credit:Wayne Taylor Nevertheless, they are profoundly grateful. Most Australian people are always supportive, welcoming, they help us to settle in and encourage us, and we are really thankful to God for them. We experienced corrupt government and bad policies back in Iran, so we are really grateful to this government. But it is not good for Australia to keep more than 30,000 of us in this situation because we have talent and skills, and our kids also, and we can contribute to this country. But the Christmas story means they never lose hope, Hassanzadeh says. Thats a big comfort for us every weekend in our church. Sometimes we say to people, God knows what we experience. Jesus Christ was a refugee, and we are in the same boat with him somehow. He understands our pain, he understands our journey, and he comforts us in that way.

For Melbourne University professor of psychiatry Louise Newman, the no room at the inn story remains important because it highlights the complex processes that go on about who gets in and who doesnt, who are the worthy and who gets to make decisions about them. There are obvious parallels between asylum seekers and, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, who gets vaccines and who doesnt. Such questions are evident in the lack of humanity, the appalling lack of capacity to think about Africa and other developing countries, despite the fact that it puts us all in peril with the increasing rates of variants, Newman says. The thing that gets thrown away is the idea of collective and moral responsibilities to protect the powerless and weak, and if people cant think of that at Christmas, then I think we have lost our path, and its very troubling. Loading A consultant psychiatrist at the Albert Road Clinic, Newman says the pandemic has clearly caused an existential crisis that affects everyone. She was horrified at the instant lockdown of Melbournes housing commission towers, filled with refugees and people without English, and the different treatment of migrant-filled suburbs in south-western Sydney.

Its really highlighted pre-existing fractures in society, as opposed to making new ones, but there are serious issues about who makes those decisions about the worthiness or unworthiness of minority groups, and how we treat them. The virus doesnt know racial or religious difference, its not particularly interested, but we are and thats how we are making decisions, it seems. Newman says the inn has to be defined as the world, and understood as a metaphor about social policies and practices that protect the vulnerable, so that we acknowledge our moral and ethical responsibility as a human collective. The lockdown of public housing towers in North Melbourne in July 2020 was a striking example of inequity. Credit:Penny Stephens Ethicist Gordon Preece, chairman of Melbournes Anglican Social Responsibilities Committee, contrasts Australias response with that of Germany, which took in a million Middle Eastern refugees in 2015. Despite teething problems, this revitalised underpopulated and dying parts of the nation, he says. It was a great example of Christian charity and hospitality, providing room at the inn. Preece says Australia has abandoned its position as a global citizen, which eventually leads to turning on your own. And thats what happened. He cites the federal governments refusal to let citizens return for months at a time, even threatening to jail those who tried.

If you adopt that attitude it doesnt just stop at the borders. Its infected the whole attitude of the states in Australia. Theres been an obsessiveness and lack of compassion in so many cases, operating out of fear. I think [Prime Minister Scott] Morrison is very isolationist, and it ends up infecting the nations soul. The Christmas story provides a different model of fundamental relationship, he says. It is the idea of God coming in and making his home even in the most inhospitable places, wrapping his arms around the least, the last and the lost of us. Melbourne philosopher Christopher Cordner says the humble circumstances of Jesus birth are deeply revealing of Gods character. Its not a matter of glory from above descending in worldly pomp. God is the poor and despised and the meek as much as those who are being helped under that description. God taking that form is something of the nature of the divine spirit, not just those the divine spirit is responding to. Cordner, a former head of the Melbourne University philosophy department and an agnostic, says the Christmas narrative strips away all worldly pretensions: Of course its about our relations and obligations to others but only against the background of this utterly unique conception in Christianity of divinity and godhead. Christianity is the only one of the great religions that has this utterly paradoxical and philosophically unintelligible concept of incarnation at its centre.

It breaks down every barrier of difference between people, and thats what is embedded in being the Christ child who is born in a manger, he suggests. Aristotles lip would have curled in disdain at the idea that these people should be responded to like that. He would have thought it sentimental rubbish. In contrast, French philosopher Simone Weil remarked that if someone in a position of power can respond without the slightest trace of condescension, thats a miracle more remarkable than walking on water. Dr Natasha Moore, a senior fellow with the Centre for Public Christianity, believes the incarnation turned power relations upside-down. She says theologian John Swinton, who spent a lot of time with the disabled and people with dementia, worked out that what seem to be the margins of society are really the centre. If you consider that Jesus occupies those spaces, they are no longer the margins  they are where its all happening, where God is, where truth is, where goodness and justice lie. Central American children wait for shelter outside the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City earlier this month. Credit:Getty Images Jesus finds rejection from his birth onward, according to the biblical narrative, she says. The Christmas story is partly about seeking space in our lives; are we going to let in the sacred, are we going to let in God? COVID has helped show us that our lives are not necessarily filled with the things we want. Some of us would like to organise them differently, to make space for things that really matter  the important rather than just the urgent.
Thousands of Sydneysiders flocked to the beach on Saturday as temperatures rose above 31 degrees, delivering a welcome break from weeks of heavy rain caused by La Nina.

Despite a late night storm, the hot weather is set to return on Sunday with the city expected to reach up to 36 degrees with a high chance of rain towards the afternoon and into the early evening.

Sydneysiders did not let a record high number of coronavirus cases stop them from enjoying the warm weather on Saturday. Credit:Brook Mitchell

Temperatures on Saturday remained high well into the night  at 11.30pm it was 26.5 degrees in the CBD just before the storm rolled in, but it didnt drop below 21 as about three millimetres of rain fell in the city.

The fast-moving storm brought more rain to the western suburbs, with Bankstown getting 9.4 millimetres and Penrith over 12.
A 14-year-old boy has died after falling into Chipping Norton Lake in Sydneys south-west on Saturday afternoon.

Police attended the scene after the boy reportedly slipped into the lake at around 3pm and failed to resurface.

A boy has died after falling into the lake at Chipping Norton. Credit:Nine

His body was retrieved from the water at around 4.45pm following an extensive search by marine area command and police divers. Emergency services were unable to revive him.

Police established a crime scene and will conduct inquiries into the circumstances of his death.
Queenslands Chief Health Officer is urging everyone in the state to assume COVID-19 is around them at all times, as Queensland holds its nerve in the face of rapidly rising case numbers.

A total of 31 new cases were recorded on Saturday  a relatively large jump on Fridays figures of 20 new cases.

Queenslands CHO says people should assume COVID-19 is everywhere as they go about their day-to-day activities. Credit:Tony Moore

Saturdays total included 12 confirmed Omicron cases dotted across the state, with CHO John Gerrard admitting the variant was poised to become the dominant strain in Queensland.

Dr Gerrard said the rise in cases and the spread of Omicron were all things health authorities had planned for, and that Queenslanders should be planning for them as well.
On a bend of the Yarra River, more than an hours drive from Melbourne and far from the polarised world of social media, pandemic politics and policy schisms, sits a group comprising what must be one of Australias most unusual religious communes.

The rollcall of residents sounds like the beginning of an old joke: a Catholic priest and classical tantra meditation expert, a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Muslim and a Yogi (walk into a bar). They spend every night debating the meaning of life and some have been doing so for seven years.

Their ashram, near Warburton, 90 minutes east of Melbourne, was set up by Father John Dupuche as a multi-faith community of debate, humour and celebration of difference.

Catholic priest John Dupuche (in white) is a tantra meditation expert who started a multifaith ashram in Warburton. Among the visitors and residents are Cullan Joyce, Maree Santamaria, Sandy Kouroupidis and Andy Torpor. Credit:Jason South

Father John, who has a PhD in Sanskrit, lives with five others who have studied and practised Catholic, Greek and Russian Orthodox traditions, Tibetan and Theravadan Buddhism, Classical Yoga and Vipassana, Western Philosophy, Kashmir Shaivism, and Sunni Islam.
And a frenzied stabbing at Barkly Square shopping centre prompted Woolworths to temporarily pull knives and scissors from its shelves, with a man now in custody facing attempted murder charges. Then, on Monday, a Supreme Court judge jailed killer Lindim Aliti for six and a half years for fatally stabbing Thomas Tran in the heart during a brawl at Oakleigh in June last year. During his sentencing, the court heard after the attack Aliti told a friend saying: thats one down now ... confirmation. The number of knife-related incidents - injuries, homicides and weapon seizures - are at record levels, according to law enforcement and medical authorities. In 2020, 366 people were hospitalised following knife attacks, up 25 cent on the previous year alone, according to the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit. Almost 3000 people have been hospitalised since 2010.

Nearly one-third of injuries in 2020 were inflicted by perpetrators unknown to the victim, including nearly 50 incidents of gang attacks. Victorias coroner also reports 29 people were killed using knives and pointed weapons last year. Recent figures from the Crime Statistics Agency also paint a compelling picture about the number of people found carrying knives. It shows that of the almost 16,000 weapons offences issued in the past financial year, more than 60 per cent involved prohibited and controlled weapons such as knives and illegal, edged weapons.

Loading Assault charges involving weapons rose 5.8 per cent. And the number of people charged for possessing a prohibited weapon - which includes flick knives and swords - rose 4.5 per cent in the year to July 2021. On the streets, youth worker Joe*, whose name has been changed to protect the identity of the children he works with, said following the easing of lengthy lockdown restrictions, tension and animosity that had been brewing for the past 18 months was ready to blow. The youth worker said while some young people were carrying weapons - from kitchen knives to machetes - for reputation and status, most were now casually carrying them out of fear of being chased or attacked during an outing to a local park, restaurant or on the way home from school.

He believes the rise is partly due to a generation of young people who dont know how to fight with their hands, instead reaching for a knife as a first option. Crime scene officers and detectives on scene following stabbing on Jacka Boulevard in St Kilda. Credit:Erin Pearson We need to get proactive in addressing this issue, not reactive, and spread the message to parents and communities. We dont want to see press conferences where its too late and theyre looking for offenders; Ive already been to six funerals this year, Joe said. Our intel is telling us were in a very dangerous position. The youth worker said the ease of access to knives was particularly challenging, with young people telling him and his colleagues that they were taking knives from the family kitchen, local supermarket or ordering them online to be shipped straight to their homes.

This includes large machetes. They then come to your front door all wrapped up and all you need is a credit card, Joe said. Were talking about some of the states most at-risk young people. Police seize knives after a 46-year-old was fatally stabbed on King Street. Credit:Nine News On the ground, a Victorian police officer, who asked not to be named for fear of losing his job for speaking out, said frontline members were experiencing the bloody rise first-hand. The officer said they alone wouldve attended 50 stabbings already this year, with kitchen knives the weapon of choice.

Loading They now fear whats next. Were just waiting for the moment that they go to the next realm, to gun crime. Thats really the next step. Were just lucky here guns are a lot more difficult to get a hold of than in the US, the officer said. These gang members, theyre all carrying knives. Victoria Police have attributed much of the most recent rise in weapon seizures to a spike in interactions with the public during roadside intercepts and checkpoints during lockdown.
Health experts are demanding Premier Dominic Perrottet reverse course and reintroduce mandatory mask-wearing for indoor environments as the Omicron variant continues to surge across the state, just days after a major unwinding of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have also learnt several members of Mr Perrottets current cabinet  who spoke on condition of anonymity  support reinstating compulsory masks and QR code check-ins to slow the spread of the virus.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant wears a mask at the press conference where the states mask mandate was dropped. Credit:Janie Barrett

However, in an indication of the divide within the government and wider society, other state MPs argued people were fed up with restrictions and wanted to stick to the reopening plan.

Reversing those decisions could prove politically difficult for Mr Perrottet, who on Saturday accepted the resignations of two of his ministers ahead of a reshuffle on Sunday expected to promote younger MPs.
Just before Sydneys trophy home market calls it quits for 2021 comes talk from Elizabeth Bay of a $21 million sale of a non-waterfront apartment owned by Rosanna Hindmarsh, wife of Canberras construction industry boss John Hindmarsh.

The three-bedroom penthouse sits atop the luxury One Onslow Avenue development, one of the premier residential projects completed by John Hindmarshs eponymous national construction giant a decade ago.

The penthouse of Elizabeth Bays landmark One Onslow Avenue building has sold for about $21 million.

A slew of well-heeled apartment dwellers have been lured to buy into the landmark block of nine, including Joanna McNiven, widow of businessman John McNiven, for $9.7 million in 2011, and Aussie John Symond, whos accumulated three apartments over the years.

Symond currently owns just one apartment after he offloaded two of them in 2018, including the sub-penthouse for $7.25 million to Sino Gold founder Nick Curtis and his wife Angela.
Singapore: From outside the two shipping containers he has converted into a beach house east of Dili, Jose Ramos-Horta has for years watched whales swim close to the shore.

I often sit there and we see them passing in big groups, the former East Timor president and Nobel Peace laureate told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

The waters north of south-east Asias newest country have long been known as a sanctuary for marine life, boasting some of the richest underwater biodiversity in the world.

Now, a new spotting program has not only emphasised that standing but revealed unprecedented numbers of pygmy blue whales migrating through the Wetar and Ombai Straits en route to feeding grounds in the ocean around southern Australia.
Stockholm: There are many obscure Christmas traditions celebrated around the world, but the annual rituals of the Swedish town of Gavle are truly bizarre.

Every year since 1966, officials have erected a giant goat statue in the town square, 12.8 metres high and made of highly flammable wood and straw.

And every year, somebody conspires to destroy it. Most years, they succeed.

The Gavle goat when first safely erected in the town square. Credit:Daniel Bernstal/Visit Gavle

In the small hours of Friday December 17, the giant goat was set ablaze for the first time in five years, reviving the long-running tradition of locals illegally attempting to torch it and authorities scrambling to stop them.
PHILIPSBURG:--- During the recently held InterExpo in the Netherlands, Constitutional Law Professor Mr. Gerard Hoogers was asked about the decolonization status of the former Netherland Antilles to which he insinuated that our decolonization process remains unclear. When it comes to decolonization resolutions, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) uses a very unambiguous code of standard uniform practice to denote whether a territory is decolonized or not. The aforementioned stand uniform practice employed by UNGA includes stating that a full measure of self-governance and a right of self-determination has been attained, as well as, stating that Chapter XI of the UN Charter no longer applies. Due to the fact that UNGA refused to place their standard uniform practice within our resolution, 945X, it simply means that we are not decolonized.

While we agree with Prof. Hoogers that our decolonization history is a complicated subject, his reasoning for said complications is ultimately flawed. Firstly, he stated that due to the unique arrangement and complexity of the Kingdom Charter, UNGA was only able to agree to excuse the Dutch State from reporting to the UN (i.e. Article 73 e of the UN Charter). Prof. Hoogers fails to mention that Articles 73 a -d still remain in force due to the India Amendment attached to our resolution 945X.

In closing, we would implore Prof. Hoogers to familiarize himself with the India and Uruguay Amendments that are attached to our resolution 945X. Secondly, we would also implore him to do a comparative analysis of the decolonization resolutions of Puerto Rico, Greenland, Alaska, and Hawaii so that he can view the standard uniform practices employed by UNGA. If UNGA does not state that the former Netherlands Antilles has attained a full measure of self-governance, a right to self-determination and that Chapter XI of the UN Charter no longer applies, it simply means that, according to the UN standard uniform practice, the former Netherlands Antilles are not decolonized. The UN is never ambiguous when it relates to declaring the decolonization of a territory.

Pro Soualiga Foundation
PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maarten requests postponement of the Kingdom Council of Ministers (RMR) decision that was scheduled to be taken today, to approve the deviation for the budgetary norms of article 15 of the Rijkswet Financieel Toezicht (Rft). The Netherlands made the granting of the deviation conditional on St. Maartens political approval of the Note of Amendment to the Consensus Kingdom Law COHO, in an effort to force consensus. Additionally, the State Secretary included excerpts of the said amendment as decision points for the RMR, thereby circumventing the Parliaments of the Kingdom from debating this aspect of the law. Furthermore, decision points were included which would give the government of the Netherlands carte blanche to impose further unrelated conditions for future liquidity support. It is clear that undue political pressure is being placed on the smaller countries and as such, St. Maarten could not agree with the conditions put forth.

Note should be taken that St. Maarten, according to the Committee for Financial Supervision (Cft), was not in need of liquidity support for the first quarter of 2022. The Cft had also advised positively on the necessary deviation of article 15 (Rft) which allows for a deficit budget.

St. Maarten requested for article 25 (Rft) to be applied, allowing the country in times of a disaster the right to deviate from Article 15 (Rft) which establishes the budgetary norms. This legally empowers St. Maarten to enact the law for an approved deficit budget. This proposal before the Kingdom Council of Ministers, if approved, would have hampered the government to be able to execute St. Maartens 2022 budget currently being debated in Parliament. This demonstrates the continued unconstitutional handling of St. Maarten within the Kingdom by State Secretary Knops, on the eve of the long-awaited new government being sworn in.

The inclusion of excerpts from the Note of Amendment to the decision points (which does not yet have political agreement to go to the Parliaments) is a blatant disregard for the legal trajectory of the Consensus Law and Amendments. In this way, the State Secretary is seeking to circumvent the approval of the Parliaments to increase the authorities of the Cft. Such an action would bind the governments whether or not the consensus laws are approved.

Lastly, the broadly formulated conditions for future liquidity are too open-ended, and would allow the Government of the Netherlands carte blanche to attach any new conditions to all future agreements. These would have very far-reaching consequences for the government of St. Maarten.

As three countries, we collectively decided not to approve or handle this agenda point and have asked for a postponement to afford the three countries the opportunity to have the necessary political discussions in preparation for the next Kingdom Council Meeting scheduled for January 21, 2022.

The Government of Sint Maarten has continued to work diligently on the Country Package measures and are successfully achieving our agreed upon goals. This information has been confirmed by the Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) and in the Implementation Reports (uitvoeringsrapportages). We have also been committed to dialogue and participated in all discussions on the Consensus COHO law and the Note of Amendment on a technical level.

The current trend of the Government of the Netherlands to attach more and more conditions, which are almost impossible to accept, clearly demonstrates an attempt to double down and exert undue pressure on their weaker partners. The Kingdom Council of State has strongly advised against such actions in their advice to the Kingdom Council of Ministers. It is therefore disconcerting to read the threats in the press statement by the State Secretary that the liquidity support loans would become due in April 2022, if St. Maarten does not agree to their demands.

Nonetheless, St. Maarten remains positive and open to dialogue and fair negotiations. We look forward to the opportunity to sit with colleagues in the Kingdom to remove the conditions attached to the legal obligation to approve the deviation as well as other unethical conditions that have been attached to these decisions. We continue to work towards the achievement of true resilience for our countries. St. Maarten remains committed to working towards the trajectory of the consensus kingdom law in mutual collaboration whereby parties are not unduly pressured to carry out actions which could potentially hurt the people of St. Maarten. We look forward to handling this amended agenda point in the next Kingdom Council of Ministers," stated Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.
The Fermi Paradox seeks to answer the question of where the aliens are.

Given that our solar system is quite young compared to the rest of the universe  roughly 4.5 billion years old, compared to 13.8 billion  and that interstellar travel might be fairly easy to achieve given enough time, Earth should have been visited by aliens already, the idea goes.

The paradox takes its name from Nobel Prize-winning physicist Enrico Fermi, who supposedly made the above points during a casual lunchtime conversation in 1950. And the implications have had astrobiologists and other scientists scratching their heads in the decades since.

Related: The search for alien life (reference)

"Fermi grasped that any civilization with a modest amount of rocket technology and an immodest amount of imperial incentive could rapidly colonize the entire galaxy," representatives of the Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in Mountain View, California, wrote in a Fermi Paradox explainer. "Within a few tens of millions of years, every star system could be brought under the wing of empire. Tens of millions of years may sound like a long project, but in fact its quite short compared to the age of the galaxy, which is roughly a thousand times more."

Fermi died in 1954, so exploration and explication of the idea fell to other people, such as Michael Hart, who wrote an article titled "An explanation for the absence of extraterrestrials on Earth" in the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) Quarterly Journal in 1975. (Some say this is the first such paper to explore the Fermi Paradox, although this claim is a bit hard to prove.)

"We observe that no intelligent beings from outer space are now present on Earth," Hart wrote in the paper's abstract. "It is suggested that this fact can best be explained by the hypothesis that there are no other advanced civilizations in our galaxy."

He noted, however, that more research in biochemistry, planetary formation and atmospheres was needed to better narrow down the answer.

Hart argued that intelligent aliens could already have visited Earth at some point in our planet's history, unless they started their journey less than two million years ago. He thought the apparent lack of such visits is most likely due to the lack of intelligent aliens. But he outlined four other potential explanations as well:

Aliens never came here because of a physical difficulty "that makes space travel infeasible," which could be related to astronomy, biology or engineering.

Aliens simply chose never to visit us.

Advanced civilizations beyond Earth arose too recently for aliens to reach us.

Aliens have visited Earth in the past, but we have not observed them.

Frank Tipler, a professor of physics at Tulane University, followed up on Hart's argument in 1980 with a paper titled "Extraterrestrial intelligent beings do not exist," also published in the RAS Quarterly Journal. The bulk of his paper dealt with how to get resources for interstellar travel, which he suggested could be achieved by having some kind of self-replicating artificial intelligence move from star system to star system, creating copies of itself as it traveled.

Since evidence of such advanced machinery has never been found on Earth, Tipler argued that we are likely the only intelligence out there. He also wrote in the 1980 paper that those who believe in extraterrestrial intelligence are similar to UFO (unidentified flying object) enthusiasts, because both camps believe "we are going to be saved from ourselves by some miraculous interstellar intervention."

Today, the topic of extraterrestrial intelligence is a popular one, with multiple papers appearing every year from different research groups. And the idea that advanced civilizations may exist beyond Earth has been buoyed by the ongoing exoplanet revolution.

Plentiful planets

The universe is incredibly vast and old. Data gathered by a variety of telescopes show that the observable universe is about 92 billion light-years wide (and growing faster and faster all the while). And separate measurements indicate it is about 13.82 billion years old.

So alien civilizations have had plenty of time to arise and spread  but they also likely must cross a vast cosmic gulf to get to us.

When Fermi made his famous remark, the only planets scientists knew about were in our own solar system. But in 1992, astronomers spotted worlds circling a superdense stellar corpse known as a pulsar. And a few years later, the first exoplanet around a sunlike star was confirmed.

There are now more than 4,500 confirmed exoplanets, with more being found every year. The sheer number of alien worlds suggests that life may be plentiful throughout the cosmos.

Over time, with more advanced telescopes, scientists will be able to probe the chemical compositions of some nearby exoplanets' atmospheres. "Nearby" is a relative term, however; the closest known exoplanet, Proxima b, lies about 4.2 light-years away, which is roughly 25 trillion miles (40 trillion kilometers).

The eventual goal is to understand how often rocky planets form in the "habitable zone" of their parent stars, which is traditionally defined as the range of orbital distances in which water can exist on a world's surface. Habitability isn't just about water, however. Other factors must be considered as well, such as the host star's activity and the planet's atmospheric composition. (And there are other reasons why the habitable zone, as traditionally defined, is increasingly viewed as overly simplistic. For example, icy moons in our own solar system, such as Jupiter's Europa and Saturn's Enceladus, lie far beyond the habitable zone and may still harbor life in their subsurface seas.)

Such caveats notwithstanding, there does seem to be plenty of habitable real estate out there. For example, a November 2013 study using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope suggested that one in five sunlike stars has a roughly Earth-size planet orbiting in the habitable zone. A few months later, Kepler scientists released a "planet bonanza" of 715 newly discovered worlds. Many of these planets were confirmed using a new technique called "verification by multiplicity," which works partly on the logic of probability. (Objects seen to cross a star's face or tug at it gravitationally are more likely to be planets rather than companion stars, because a companion star at close proximity would likely destabilize the entire system over time.)

An artist's illustration of NASA's Kepler space telescope hunting for exoplanets. (Image credit: NASA)

Sunlike stars are the minority population in our galaxy, however; about three-quarters of Milky Way stars are small, dim burners known as red dwarfs. Astronomers have found multiple rocky worlds circling in the habitable zone of red dwarfs  Proxima b, for example, and three planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system, which lies about 39 light-years from Earth and harbors seven rocky worlds in total. But it's unclear how habitable such planets really are, because red dwarfs are incredibly volatile, especially in their youth. Stellar eruptions may therefore quickly blast away the nascent atmospheres of young "habitable zone" red dwarf planets, making it extremely difficult for life to get a foothold there. More study is required to better understand these stars and the ability of life to persist around them, scientists say.

Researchers are getting more tools with which to do such work. For example, NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) launched successfully in April 2018 and soon picked up the baton from Kepler, which was retired late that same year. The agency's highly-anticipated, $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch in December 2021, will hunt for potential biosignature gases in the air of nearby exoplanets, among many other tasks. The European Space Agency's PLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) mission is expected to launch in 2026. Three huge ground-based observatories powerful enough to sniff exoplanet air  the Extremely Large Telescope, the Giant Magellan Telescope and the Thirty-Meter Telescope  are scheduled to come online later this decade as well. And one highly ambitious project, known as Breakthrough Starshot, aims to study Proxima b and other nearby worlds up close with swarms of tiny, laser-sailing nanoprobes. If technology development goes well, the first such interstellar robotic craft could launch around 2050.

Such missions and instruments will help scientists flesh out their understanding of astrobiology, which remains relatively primitive. For instance, we don't even know if there are life-hosting worlds in our own backyard. Studies here on Earth have shown that microbes can survive in extreme environments, suggesting that microbial life may well exist on Mars, Europa, Enceladus and/or the giant Saturn satellite Titan. But we haven't explored any of those worlds nearly well enough to know for sure.

The Fermi Paradox is thinking much bigger than microbes, however. To solve it, we need to know not only how commonly life evolves on alien planets, but also how often it gains the ability, and the desire, to communicate with other intelligent lifeforms or go sailing among the stars.

Related: 13 ways to hunt intelligent aliens

The number of intelligent, detectable alien civilizations is estimated by the Drake Equation. In the words of the SETI Institute, the equation  written as "N = R*  fp  ne  fl  fi  fc  L"  has the following variables:

"N: The number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

R*: The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life (number per year).

fp: The fraction of those stars with planetary systems.

ne: The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life.

fl: The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears.

fi: The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.

fc: The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that produces detectable signs of their existence.

L: The average length of time such civilizations produce such signs (years)."

None of these values are known with any certainty right now, which makes predictions difficult. So the Fermi Paradox is fertile ground for speculation, and scientists and laypeople have advanced literally hundreds of possible explanations over the years.

What could the answer be?

These ideas run a very wide gamut.

For example, in 2015, scientists analyzing data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Kepler space telescope concluded that Earth was likely an early bloomer, relatively speaking. Just 8% of all the potentially habitable worlds that will ever exist in the universe were around when Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago, the researchers determined. So that's one possible explanation to the paradox: The aliens will come, but not for a while yet.

Or perhaps life is too fragile to survive for long. A 2016 study suggested that the early part of a rocky planet's history can be very conducive to life, which may commonly emerge starting just 500 million years or so after the planet cools down and liquid water becomes available. The history of our own Earth would seem to bolster that conclusion; there's (disputed) evidence that life had emerged here by about 4.1 billion years ago , and it was definitely established by 3.8 billion years ago. But those good times may not last long, thanks to a runaway greenhouse effect (as occurred on Venus long ago) or other climatic shifts.

"Between the early heat pulses, freezing, volatile content variation and runaway positive feedbacks, maintaining life on an initially wet rocky planet in the habitable zone may be like trying to ride a wild bull. Most life falls off," researchers Aditya Chopra and Charley Lineweaver wrote in the study, which was published in the journal Astrobiology. "Life may be rare in the universe, not because it is difficult to get started, but because habitable environments are difficult to maintain during the first billion years."

Or maybe the bottleneck comes much later. A number of thinkers have suggested that civilizations may tend to extinguish themselves soon after becoming technologically competent. Again, Earth provides some support for this hypothesis: Humanity came alarmingly close to nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, and we may be in the process of destroying ourselves, and much of the other life on the planet, right now via anthropogenic climate change.

There are many other factors to consider as well. For example, planetary scientist Alan Stern, the leader of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, recently posited that the most common life-hosting environments in the Milky Way galaxy may be buried oceans, such as the seas of Enceladus and Europa. Organisms that evolve in such locales seem unlikely to develop spacecraft; indeed, many of them may not even know there are other worlds out there to explore.

Alien psychology could be playing a role as well. Maybe there are lots of advanced alien civilizations out there, for example, but most of them have no desire to communicate with us or visit Earth. Perhaps Earth and its inhabitants just aren't interesting enough for them to trifle with  and won't be until humanity demonstrates enough intelligence and merit to be welcomed into the "galactic club."

Or maybe most intelligent aliens tend to keep quiet as a general rule, concerned that making contact with their cosmic neighbors could bring on their own enslavement or annihilation. A number of researchers, including the late Stephen Hawking, have invoked such possibilities in arguing that humanity shouldn't actively advertise its presence.

Then there are the logistical difficulties of finding intelligent aliens. The universe is enormous and incredibly old. Humanity has been around for just 200,000 years, and we've been listening for possible radio signals from E.T. just since 1960. So the odds that we overlap in time and space with a detectable alien civilization don't seem great.

There probably is no single solution to the Fermi Paradox, most researchers say. A combination of factors  including, perhaps, some of the ones discussed above  are likely responsible for the "great silence" that currently confronts us. And the nature of those factors may start coming into clearer focus relatively soon.

For example, say scientists find evidence of past or present microbial life on Mars, Europa or another body in our own solar system, and that those organisms represent a "second genesis"  something totally different than life on Earth. Such a discovery would strongly suggest that it's not hard for life to get going throughout the cosmos, allowing researchers to cross one possible Fermi Paradox explanation off the lengthy list.

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To date, astronomers have discovered nearly 5,000 exoplanets, or planets beyond our solar system. But many people still have a soft spot for one particular planet, Earth.

That might be biased, but still: Given what scientists have learned about exoplanets so far, a combination of several different factors seems to make Earth unique, no many how many worlds humans dream of visiting.

"You hear all the time how Earth-like Mars is, but if you were taken to Mars you wouldn't feel happy there at all," Don Brownlee, an astronomer at the University of Washington, told Space.com in 2008. "It's not Earth-like."

Related: These 10 super extreme exoplanets are out of this world

Size and location

First off, Earth has established itself in a particularly comfortable neighborhood.

Although our sun experiences an 11-year activity cycle, the star isn't too disruptive to Earth even at its peak activity. That's a marked contrast to, for example, red dwarfs, small stars known for sizeable outbursts of radiation.

Earth is a cozy distance from the sun as well, orbiting at an average of 92,955,807 miles (149,597,870 kilometers) away. The pairing of planet and star also allows Earth to retain liquid water on its surface.

A diagram of Earth's orbit around the sun. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

"A planet much farther in would receive too much energy from the sun, and a planet too far out would quickly freeze," Diana Valencia, a planetary scientist now at the University of Toronto Scarborough in Canada, told Space.com in 2008. In addition, Earth's size lets it hold onto our precious atmosphere.

Friendly neighbors

Earth is also shaped by its partnership with the moon, which is relatively large compared to Earth.

Earth's moon stabilizes our planet's rotation, preventing drastic movements of the poles that would cause massive changes in climate. The moon also shapes conditions on the surface by creating the ocean's tides.

Jupiter is also a key player, despite its vast distance from Earth. Because of its huge mass, Jupiter acts as a sort of celestial vacuum cleaning up the debris that clutters the solar system  rocks as small as cars and as huge as moons that would dramatically change Earth's surface if they impacted.

(The Mars-size object that scientists believe collided with the early Earth to form our planet and the moon would have snuck past Jupiter, of course.)

A watery world

The planet's vast oceans are a key trait that make Earth unique. (Image credit: NOAA/Historic NWS Collection)

Perhaps the most strikingly unique feature of Earth is its vast oceans, which cover 70% of the planet's surface. Earth is the only world in our solar system with liquid water at its surface today.

Scientists believe that Mars and Venus may have long ago had oceans, but these are long gone. And while scientists have found signs of water ice on worlds from Mercury to large asteroids to Saturn's strange moon Titan, they have so far struggled to find its liquid form.

Plate tectonics

Intriguingly, water is tied to another unique feature of Earth, its system of plate tectonics, the slip-sliding movements of Earth's crust that are thought to have shaped the planet's towering mountain ranges and plummeting ocean depths.

Many scientists have argued water enables plate tectonics to happen. "Water is what lubricates plate tectonics, which is what leads to the extreme difference between continents and seafloors, the large amount of earthquakes and volcanoes, fresh mountain-building," Mike Brown, a planetary scientist at Caltech, told Space.com in 2008.

Meanwhile, plate tectonics keep the planet's temperature regulated, remaining in temperature ranges at which liquid water can endure.

Habitability and beauty

An image of Earth captured during Apollo 11, the mission that saw humans land on the moon for the first time. (Image credit: NASA/JSC)

From the liquid oceans to the steady spin, all these features combine to make Earth unique in one particularly important way: Earth is the only world known to host living beings. Examining how that life is possible isn't just glorying in our luck to share the planet with everything from amoebas to elephants and from oaks to zebrafish.

Scientists also believe that understanding what's unique about Earth is crucial for understanding what other planets might be like. After all, even with all the spacecraft humans have sent out to explore our neighboring worlds, Earth remains the only one with which we have first-hand knowledge.

That Earth hosts intelligent life  and life capable of studying the galaxy around us  makes it doubly unique. Gregory Laughlin, an astrophysicist and planet hunter now at Yale University, told Space.com in 2008 that he believes these achievements too should be credited to our planet.

"During the last half century, the planet Earth has fashioned together tiny pieces of the metal in its crust, and has flung these delicately constructed objects to all of the other planets in the solar system," Laughlin said. "From our anthropocentric viewpoint, we naturally separate ourselves from the planet that we live on, but if one adopts the point of view of an external observer, it is the 'planet' (taken as a whole) that has done these remarkable things."

Different worlds

Artist's depictions of some of the exoplanets discovered by NASA's Kepler mission. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

So far, we haven't seen any planet outside the solar system that looks quite like Earth. Scientists have discovered nearly 5,000 exoplanets to date, and while they can know only very limited information about each of these worlds, nothing matches Earth's unique set of characteristics.

Instead, scientists have discovered a treasure trove of planets each unique in their own way: hot gas giants zipping around their stars in just hours, planets where one side is eternally hot enough to vaporize iron, planets with no star at all.

As our technology improves, many planet hunters hope to find Earth's twin. The search has led scientists to debate whether Earth is really as unique as we think it is. Many scientists believe that Earth's most celebrated trait, life, may well exist on some of those countless other planets out there, if only astronomers can develop the tools to see it.

"Certainly there will be other planets that support life," he said. "I think life is actually quite common. I think we're going to find there are literally billions of them in the galaxy."

Additional resources
Editors note: This is part of a collaboration between Stamford Public Schools and The Stamford Advocate to promote work by students and give the public an inside look to the public schools.

STAMFORD  This year, the Academy of Information Technology & Engineering welcomed five new teachers to the school.

Alessandra Armetta and Alexander Re work in the science department, Eszter Weisz works in the mathematics department, and George Schott and Jeanine Gonzalez work in the special education department. Coming from different backgrounds, each teacher brings a unique set of experiences to the staff.

Armetta, who was raised in Hartford County, said she found her passion for chemistry while studying at Iona College in New Rochelle. She became a researcher in the colleges lab and got to spend time researching abroad in Japan. She received her masters degree in chemistry and certification for education in the field of chemistry from the University of Connecticut.

While this is her first year teaching as a high school teacher, she taught last year in East Haddam.

Armetta said she came to Stamford because of the praises that she heard from her research adviser.

I came to AITE because it is a school of choice, most students want to be here and want to learn, said Armetta. I could not have dreamed of working at a better school than AITE and I am so excited to be teaching here.

Armetta said the schools atmosphere and size has made it an ideal place to work.

I like small schools because students get the attention they deserve in the classroom, Armetta said. The teacher knows each student, what they need extra help with, how they accept help, and where they can help others.

Weisz started teaching after graduating college in Hungary and has taught math fore more than two decades.

I think its human nature to enjoy things that were good at. I have always been good at math, and I always think that Im more a teacher than a math person, Weisz said.

Weisz came to the United States on an international teaching program, since the state of New York had a shortage of teachers. She spent about 13 years teaching in New York City before moving to Stamford.

She said chose to move to a Stamford school because she always wanted to move away from the city, and her children were already attending schools in Stamford. While teaching Algebra 1 at AITE this year, she is also teaching part time at Bard College in New York.

Re, who teaches biology, was raised in New Jersey.

He said he was influenced by his high school teachers to love science, especially biology. Additionally, he said he was saddened when he found that his classmates disliked science.

I wanted everyone to have the same experience that I did, I wanted people to love science as much as I do, said Re, who has taught biology, environmental sciences and physical sciences.

He graduated from Elon University in North Carolina, spent a year teaching at a high school in North Carolina and then a year at Fusion Academy in New Jersey, a one-on-one teaching program where students have individualized classes.

Re said he came to Stamford to be close with his family during the pandemic.

Schott has been teaching as a paraprofessional for over 17 years. Hes been a substitute in the Stamford Public School District for about a decade, working at K.T. Murphy Elementary School. He also helped out with Westhill High Schools literacy club.

Schott, who worked for years at Legg Mason, an investment management company, said wanted to pursue a second career in teaching in the field of special education, as there is a current shortage of special education teachers.

Gonzalez is from the Chicago suburbs. She graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with a minor in mild disabilities, and she received a masters degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix. She has taught for over 20 years at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

She said her mother is her biggest inspiration for becoming a teacher.

My mother was a teacher for over 30 years, Gonzalez said. She was the most significant influence in choosing my career. While completing my courses at Purdue, we had to complete many hours of field experience in different classrooms. When I was placed in a special education setting, I knew it was where I wanted to be.

Before coming to AITE, Gonzalez taught in Georgia, Indiana, and New York. She said she applied to AITE after a friend recommended it to her.

(My friend) said that the staff here is very hardworking and supportive of the students. I did some research and was impressed with what I was learning about the programs here, Gonzalez said.

Sylwia Lipinski is a junior at Stamfords Academy of Information Technology & Engineering.
STAMFORD  In less than two weeks, the average number of daily COVID-19 cases reported in Stamford has nearly doubled, according to data released Thursday by the state Department of Public Health.

From Dec. 6 through Dec. 17, the number of new infections on the 14-day average of cases skyrocketed from 17 to 33 new cases per 100,000 residents, marking a 94 percent change in just 11 days.

Despite earlier jumps in the local COVID-19 caseload  including the one caused by the delta variant in August and September  Stamford hasnt recorded cases this high since the spring. State data show that the two-week average of cases per 100,000 residents was last over 33 on April 22 as Connecticut finally began to emerge from the spike in cases that began the previous fall.

As cases continue to rise in Stamford and throughout the state, Mayor Caroline Simmons doubled down on her previous advice to city residents and urged them to stay vigilant going into the heart of the holiday season.

As we head into the final two weeks of the year and the Christmas holiday weekend, I strongly encourage all Stamford residents to do their part to protect themselves and their loved ones from the virus  this includes practicing proper hygiene, wearing your mask indoors and socially distancing, she told The Stamford Advocate in a statement.

We know that these measures help reduce the rate of infection, and with the rise in cases we have to do what we can to mitigate the spread of the virus.

Simmons also emphasized the need for vaccines and booster shots among city residents, especially as cases continue to rise.

Though nearly every town in Connecticut is seeing high levels of transmission among residents, the severity fluctuates wildly from town to town.

While all of Stamfords neighbors have at least 15 or more new daily cases per 100,000 residents, previous data from the state Department of Public Health show that, as of Dec. 11, Greenwich is reporting 22.6, New Caanan is reporting 32.1 and Darien 35.2.

Further north, Norwalk, Fairfield and Bridgeport have case averages higher than 40 per 100,000 residents.

That same data show Stamford on the lower end of that spectrum. The dashboard, last updated Thursday, shows the city with 23.5 new cases per 100,000 residents on a 14-day average, but even that figure comes with a caveat. Numbers from the states COVID-19 dashboard lag behind other numbers released by the state DPH.

But the more recent numbers show the problem getting worse.

Between Dec. 11, the last day on the dashboard, and Dec. 17, the 14-day average shot up 40 percent. On top of that, the seven-day average of new cases is even steeper, coming in at 40 cases per 100,000 residents.

Yet the number of new cases currently documented still pales in comparison to those reported this time last year, before vaccines became widely available to the public.

On Dec. 17, 2020, cases in Connecticut were peaking, and the city reported 87.6 new cases per 100,000 people on a two-week average that very day.

Editors note: This story has been updated to correct COVID numbers.

veronica.delvalle

@hearstmediact.com
A former Connecticut doctor was arrested Thursday in connection with the 2019 fatal shooting of a truck driver in Vermont, police said.

Jozsef Piri, 49, who recently has been living in Naples, Fla., was arrested Thursday in Florida by the Collier County Sheriffs Department on a second-degree murder charge, Vermont State Police said. Piris arraignment in Vermont is pending his extradition from Florida.

Police said officers responding to a call for a welfare check found a delivery truck for Katsiroubas Produce parked on the side of Route 103 around 6 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2019 in Rockingham, Vt.

The driver, 44-year-old Roberto Fonseca-Rivera, of Boston, was found dead in the drivers seat, according to the arrest affidavit.

Ted Katsiroubas, CEO of Katsiroubas Produce, described Fonseca-Rivera as a good man just doing his job when he fell victim to a horrific killing.

We are gratified that Vermont state police stayed on this difficult investigation, he said. We hope that justice may be done for Roberto and that it may bring his family some peace.

Fonseca-Riveras autopsy revealed he had been shot in the head and neck, the affidavit stated. Police said they determined he was killed around 1 p.m. the day he was found.

At the time of the incident, Piri was driving back to his Connecticut home in West Simsbury from his property in Londonderry, Vt.

Vermont State Police said they determined through security camera footage in the area, GPS data and other evidence that Piris Toyota Tundra pickup was driving in front of Fonseca-Rivera just before the shooting occurred, the affidavit stated.

Piri told investigators he did not have firearms in his truck, but investigators later found his truck contained a magnetic holster, the affidavit stated.

Police said Piris pickup was equipped with a rear window that a driver can lower while the vehicle is in motion, the affidavit said. Police said evidence also showed the bullet came from outside the cab of the (produce) truck, and it was fired from in front of the truck, the affidavit stated.

This is consistent with it being fired from another vehicle in front of the Katsiroubas truck, the affidavit stated.

According to the affidavit, Fonseca-Rivera was on the phone with a friend right before the shooting. The friend told police Fonseca-Rivera said a truck in front of him kept speeding up and slowing down, the affidavit stated.

The friend told Fonseca-Rivera to honk at the pickup and then he heard what appeared to be a deep inhale and then did not hear anything further from Foncesa-Rivera, the affidavit stated.

The friend said he heard a loud noise like the phone hit the floor and did not hear back from Foncesa-Rivera, the affidavit stated. The man said he tried to call Foncesa-Rivera, but could not reach him and assumed he lost service, the affidavit stated.

When he later realized Foncesa-Rivera did not return home, he contacted the produce company and police were notified.

Vermont State Police said Piri and Fonseca-Rivera did not know each other. Police did not indicate a motive for the shooting, but explained how Piri was frustrated when he left his Vermont home because of expensive repairs that were needed for his well water system and that he was in a rush to get to Connecticut because he had tickets for an event at Foxwoods that night, according to the affidavit.

Police described Piri as an above average firearm enthusiast who had a number of guns and a target range at his Vermont home, the affidavit stated.

Police said a search of the home revealed one of the weapons  a Walther PPS 9mm handgun  was missing the barrel and slide, which are needed to conduct forensic ballistic comparisons, the affidavit stated.

A Vermont medical examiner had determined Fonseca-Rivera was killed with a 9mm bullet, the affidavit stated.

Investigators also noted that Piris internet search pattern on his phone changed after the shooting, the affidavit stated.

In the hours after the shooting and even before police discovered Fonseca-Riveras body, Piris search history contained inquiries for news in the Rockingham area, the affidavit stated. He also attempted to clear his search history and location data in the immediate aftermath of the homicide, the affidavit stated.

Piri also stopped at a car wash on Route 103 around the time of the shooting, the affidavit stated. Piri told detectives he and his wife had timed the route from the homicide scene to the car wash, the affidavit stated. Detectives thought this was suspicious since Piri did not disclose how he knew exactly where the scene was, the affidavit stated.

State records show Piri is licensed as a physician/surgeon in Connecticut, and a licensed medical doctor in Florida.

Hartford HealthCare said Piri has not been affiliated with the health network since March. In his arrest affidavit, police said Piri moved to Florida that month.

Piri trained as a resident at the University of Connecticut from 2003 to 2006. Following his training, he was a primary care physician at UConn Health until 2014, according to school officials.

At the time of the incident in 2019, Piri had a concealed weapons permit in Connecticut and had one weapon registered in the state to him, an AR-15 style rifle, according to the affidavit.

liz.hardaway@hearst.com
NEW HAVEN  Several New Haven-area school districts reported higher-than-average student absences and increased police presence Friday as they confronted a nationwide flux in social media posts referencing possible threats against schools.

State police have said they are monitoring rumors of school violence circulating on the app TikTok. The posts may have related to a TikTok challenge to skip school Friday, said the agency, which indicated Thursday it had not identified any specific or credible threats to Connecticut schools.

But later that day, a separate threat sent Guilford into a panic.

There was a screenshot of a threatening statement that has been distributed in communities all over the country that may have GHSes, said Superintendent of Schools Paul Freeman. It began circulating ... around student and parent groups here in Guilford, and it absolutely escalated the anxiety level.

The Guilford Police Department determined that it didnt appear to be credibly related to Guilford schools, Freeman said, adding that the threat appears to have circulated in states including California and Utah. They quickly identified that it was the same thing that was being shared all over the country.

The district nevertheless opted to increase police presence, especially around arrival time, according to Freeman, who said there were officers stationed at every school Friday morning.

We wanted people to see and know that there was a presence there, he said.

But to the superintendents disappointment, high school attendance levels were lower than 50 percent, he said.

Im really disappointed, and Im angry that students didnt feel that they could comfortably and confidently come to school today, Freeman said.

The challenges of the last couple years have worn (students) down, he said, citing the pandemic, lack of social interaction and real occurrences of school violence in the news.

And then for stuff like this to happen  its not funny ... This TikTok challenge is not entertaining, and its not funny, Freeman said. It is frustrating, and it is bad for our kids.

In recent weeks, separate threats against schools in Hamden, New Haven and North Haven prompted lockdowns, early dismissals and closures.

While no recent threats specifically targeted North Haven Public Schools  the towns only scare affected a magnet school  the district faced a spike in student absences Friday, Superintendent of Schools Patrick Stirk said via email.

He believes the absences were related to the current climate, he said.

As concerns about the TikTok rumors rose, North Haven joined other districts in ramping up police presence on campus.

NHPS (North Haven Public Schools) increased police presence at arrival and dismissal, Stirk wrote. All schools have a dedicated School Resource Officer and there were additional NHPD officers on each schools campus throughout the day.

West Haven also has escaped specific threats but decided to increase security in response to the TikTok trend, according to Superintendent of Schools Neil Cavallaro.

The district worked very closely with the West Haven Police Department to put precautions in place. There was added police presence at all of the schools, he said in an email Friday.

Though West Haven saw a slightly higher than average number of students out Friday, Cavallaro said, he expressed uncertainty about whether social media rumors of threats caused the increased absences.

Still, the current climate affects education, he said.

When we have to spend time addressing these issues, it takes away from teaching and learning, he said While we understand it is important to reassure the entire community that the schools are safe and spend time especially with younger children explaining these issues, were not teaching them to read, write, and solve math problems.

Justin Harmon, director of marketing and communications with the New Haven school district, did not immediately have attendance data available.

As of Friday, the district had not received any credible threats of violence to city public schools, he said via email.

We are continuing to be vigilant to any threats that get reported to us, sharing them with New Haven police and apprising parents, Harmon wrote.

Reporter Ben Lambert contributed to this story. meghan.friedmann@

hearstmediact.com
@ Didier Marti/Getty Images

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  A judge on Friday declined to halt a policy at the Washington Legislature requiring state representatives to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to be on the House floor.

Last month, half a dozen Republican House members and some state residents sued Democratic legislative leaders and House Chief Clerk Bernard Dean, the top nonpartisan administrator in that chamber.
Buying natural soap from Organachs in Westport, a necklace from Wave on Elm in New Canaan and a jacket from Indigo Jane Boutique in Newtown used to mean a lot of driving or several online transactions.

But a couple is looking to change that with the launch of fairfieldcountyshops.com, a new website that serves as an online marketplace for shops throughout Fairfield County. Through the website, items from all of these local stores can be put in one online basket and paid for in a single transaction, much like national online sites, such as Amazon.

We wanted to create an experience that was just as simple and just as easy, but people could find the high-end products in their own community, said co-founder Greg Gatto, a Ridgefield resident and a senior at Yale University.

He said this approach will encourage people to shop local. He said research shows that often times people were opting for the large online sites out of convenience and the amount of product choice.

He and partner Olivia Ghee, a Fairfield resident and a recent Fordham Univeristy grad, said theyre reaching out to a wide collection of shops to also give their customers that product selection.

They said the ultimate goal of the site will be for people to start their shopping experience, including online, locally.

Gatto said they got the idea in September because his mother was saying she felt guilty buying from sites like Amazon when she wanted to support local businesses. He said they decided to look at why it was so much easier to shop on these sites and set out to create a similar model for only local items, officially launching just after Thanksgiving.

The site is sorted by category or shop and includes gift giving guides.

Right now, theyre focusing on clothing, accessories and home goods, they said, but there is potential to expand.

So far, 27 stores from Westport, New Canaan, Greenwich, Wilton, Darien, Newtown, Fairfield and Ridgefield have signed on with more businesses in talks to join after the holiday rush dies down a bit, they said.

The store can decide how much of their merchandise they want to sell online through Fairfield County Shops, though Ghee said most have selected to have their entire online inventory available.

The website is also connected to the stores sites so new products are added in both places when theyre posted online.

Its always live and up to date, Gatto said.

The stores continue to send out the purchases like they would through their own sites. Theres also an in-store pickup option.

Theres no fee for the business to join. Instead Fairfield County Stores gets 5 percent of the sale.

We want it to be a no-risk opportunity for them to join, he said.

The site focuses on Fairfield County shops because they said those boutiques are an important part of the countys character and one of the things that makes it unique.

Were both from Fairfield County, Gatto said. We wanted to support where were from and support the community.

Ghee said she grew up visiting shops in Fairfield, something she still loves doing, and began wondering about those similar experiences in other towns. She hopes this website will introduce people to other great, local spots and said one of the most common comments to their Facebook posts about their participating businesses is that people had no idea it was just 15 minutes from their houses.

There are so many awesome shops in Fairfield County but there wasnt really a way to know about it unless they lived in town or heard about it from a friend, Gatto said.

The couple began looking for potential businesses through local chambers of commerce, searching blogs and reaching out on Facebook.

Weve done a lot of pounding the pavement and hit the towns, Gatto said, adding this has let them find some cool gems that are off the beaten path a bit and not downtown.

Ghee said going in person has been key in helping businesses understand the concept and sign on.

Its a lot about getting in front of the right people, she said.

Customers and potential businesses can find out more on the website, Instagram and Facebook, all under the name Fairfield County Shops.
CULPEPER, Va. (AP)  A man accused of shooting at sheriff's deputies and other cars during a chase in Virginia died after his vehicle crashed into an embankment, police said.

Jeremy Yates, 21, of Culpeper, died at the scene of Friday night's crash on a road in Rappahannock County near the Culpeper County line, according to a Virginia State Police news release.
VIENNA (AP)  The omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in 89 countries, and COVID-19 cases involving the variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community transmission and not just infections acquired abroad, the World Health Organization said Saturday.

Omicron's substantial growth advantage over the delta variant means it is likely to soon overtake delta as the dominant form of the virus in countries where the new variant is spreading locally, the U.N. health agency said.
"Therefore, any data demonstrating that minimizing opioids after cardiac surgery is encouraging," he added.

Given the level of post-operative pain often encountered by recovering patients, "the fact that almost 30% of patients did not need prescription opioids after discharge is striking," Huang said. He stressed that the average bypass or valve repair patient spends at least a week in the hospital after their surgery, and many may, in fact, receive an opioid during that time.

So, "there is still a role for opioid pain care in the immediate post-operative period  especially after cardiac surgery," Huang believes.

But the new study suggests that longer-term use of opioids after hospital discharge isn't always necessary, and "many patients do not need prescription opioids for as long as we originally thought," he said.

Dr. Thomas MacGillivray, of Houston Methodist in Texas, was not directly involved in the study but was familiar with the findings. Speaking in the journal news release, he said, "For decades, surgeons have unwittingly but substantially contributed to the opioid epidemic."
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  Nearly two dozen organizations have sent a letter asking the U.S. House Financial Services Committee to investigate Alabama's plan to use $400 million in coronavirus pandemic relief funds to build two super-size prisons.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, The Sentencing Project and others signed on to a letter arguing that prison construction is an improper use of COVID-19 relief dollars from the American Rescue Plan. It asks Chairwoman Rep. Maxine Waters to hold hearings on the matter.

Directing COVID relief funds to a massive prison construction plan that long predates the pandemic is an absurd and inappropriate use of (American Rescue Plan) funds, the organizations wrote.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed legislation in October to tap $400 million of the state's money from the federal plan to help build two super-size prisons. The Republican governor at the time called the construction plan a major step forward for the prison system, which faces various federal court orders and a lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Ige said he would be meeting with the state's mayors to discussion COVID-19 protocols. He said he didn't plan to change the state's Safe Travels program, which requires incoming travelers wanting to avoid 10 days of quarantine to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure for Hawaii.

Char said while omicron appears to be less virulent than other mutations, Hawaii may experience even more hospitalizations than earlier phases of the pandemic because the greater ease of transmissions may lead more people to get sick.

Dont be fooled into thinking that it wont affect our hospitals and our families, she said.

Ige noted hospitalizations tend to rise about 10 days after case numbers. He the state's hospitals have lately had about 30 to 40 COVID patients. That's far below the peak of more than 400 marked during the summer when the delta variant fueled a surge of cases.

Char urged people to get vaccinated. She recommended those who received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine more than six months ago to get a third shot.
FRIDAY, Dec. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Mask mandates work, according to a large international study that linked the laws with a reduction in COVID-19 deaths.

The study included 44 countries with a combined population of nearly 1 billion. Over time, researchers found, the increase in COVID-related deaths was significantly slower in countries with mask laws than in countries without them.

"While several studies before this have looked at the impact of masks on COVID-19 cases, fewer studies were focused on whether mask wearing may reduce COVID-19 deaths, and no study had looked at the data across multiple countries," said lead investigator Dr. Sahar Motallebi of the Department of Social Medicine and Global Health at Lund University in Malmo, Sweden.

"The large sample of culturally diverse countries in this retrospective study covers a large population, giving us more evidence towards the lifesaving potential of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic," she said.
California has 10 counties with at least 1 million people, and seven of them lost population. That includes San Diego County, which lost 15,000 people for its first reported annual decline. Counties in the Central Valley that are near the San Francisco Bay reported population increases, including Fresno, Placer, Merced and Tulare.

I don't think this is completely surprising, said Walter Schwarm, California's chief demographer. People are trading a commute for a level of housing that they could not afford or could not even purchase in the Bay Area.

For nearly all its existence California's population growth seemed limitless. It leapfrogged other Western territories when it became a state in 1850, propelled by the discovery of gold in Sierra Nevada foothills that attracted hundreds of thousands of settlers while hastening the decline of native populations.

That kicked off a period of intense growth that lasted more than a century as the state found prosperity in the years after World War II and again following the tech boom in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Referring to a 2016 turning point that threatened to ruin Theranos, Downey asked the jury: Did she leave? No she stayed. Why? Because she believed in this technology."

As he did Thursday, Downey again depicted Holmes as a well-meaning entrepreneur who never stopped trying to perfect Theranos blood-testing technology and use it to improve health care.

She believed she was building a technology that would change the world," Downey proclaimed Friday.

Federal prosecutor John Bostic offered a rebuttal, arguing that Holmes made her attempts to salvage Theranos under intense scrutiny that gave her few other options. He cited evidence to argue that she consistently sought to deceive people whenever she thought she could get away with her alleged ruse.

At so many forks in the road, she chose the wrong path," Bostic said.

Bostic's rebuttal echoed many of the themes touched upon in Thursday's arguments, when fellow prosecutor Jeffrey Schenk cast Holmes as a charlatan who brazenly lied to become rich and famous. Those purported goals were achieved in 2014 when Holmes became a media sensation with an estimated fortune of $4.5 billion based on her 50% stake in Theranos.
EDWARDSVILLE  Sorrow over the deaths of six workers last week in a tornado at an Amazon warehouse gave way Friday night to frustration and calls to probe whether the e-commerce giant shirked its duty to protect them.

About 30 people gathered in the evening for a candlelight vigil at the site of the Amazon warehouse on the outskirts of Edwardsville that was hit about 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 by a powerful tornado, partially collapsing the site and killing six workers.

Speakers that included U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., Illinois state Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Cahokia, and area social justice advocates criticized Amazon as valuing profits over people. They called for a thorough examination of the circumstances in the building as dire tornado warnings were issued the night of the storm.

The vigil was the second event held one week to the day of the tragedy; a brief, somber memorial was held Friday morning at Edwardsvilles public safety building. That event featured the towns mayor, Art Risavy; state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville; first responders and others offering prayers and condolences to those affected by the tornadoes.
The family has come under scrutiny for withdrawing $10 billion from Purdue between 2008 and 2017.

The Sacklers have said almost half the money went to paying taxes, but opponents of the plan allege the withdrawals strengthened the familys hand in bankruptcy negotiations and gave them leverage to demand legal immunity.

Purdue has been estimated to be worth around $2 billion without the Sackler contribution, making their participation critical.

Those involved in the case doubt a new deal could be agreed before the appeals court weighs in, a process that could take up to 18 months given the importance of the issue of so-called nondebtor releases in corporate bankruptcy cases.

Ryan Hampton, who served through most of the bankruptcy as the co-chair of the unsecured creditors committee, a key player in the deal negotiations, said there were talks earlier this year on a plan that excluded a Sackler contribution.

It was almost dead on arrival, he said. It will very hard to negotiate something before the 2nd Circuit decides because Ive seen it live and in-person trying to negotiate a deal without a Sackler contribution, he said.
Case 97: Ms. T, 64, has worked since she was a teenager but now finds she often must stay home. She has struggled with hypertension all her life and recently endured a bout of COVID pneumonia that left her on oxygen. An outpatient surgery landed her in intensive care for four months. Through all this, she feels blessed in many ways, but her struggle to work leaves her stressed. Any help would be welcome.

Case profiles by Amy Verkamp, Beth OMalley and Marcia L. Koenig of the Post-Dispatch.

Case 94: Of all the struggles shes faced in her 39 years, Ms. T never expected to have to battle relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. But after several falls, she has been diagnosed with the progressive disease. She has begun treatment and applied for disability, but her part-time paycheck only stretches so far. Even that is becoming difficult as she battles new physical limitations and fatigue. She has two teenage sons who depend on her. Help with the electric bill, plus gift cards for clothes, food and gasoline would be appreciated.
University Health's campuses in Kansas City, Missouri and Lee's Summit, Missouri, have 62 COVID-19 patients who are filling up nearly 20% of the hospitals beds. That is double the number of patients the hospital had a week ago and six times higher than a month ago, said Dr. Mark Steele, executive chief clinical officer.

The percentage is even higher at Olathe Health in Kansas, where 41 COVID-19 patients are filling up 27% of its beds, said Dr. Elizabeth Long, the hospital's chief medical officer.

We are struggling to with our staff. They are tired, they are overworked and we continue to ask them to do more and more with these volumes. And so we are anticipating issues with our travelers," she said, noting that their contracts are expiring. So the next few weeks are going to be critical as far as the ability to take care of patients.

Dr. Kim Megow, chief medical officer for HCA Midwest Health, said staffing is worse than it was a year ago.

Every hour, we are constantly monitoring how many nurses we need, how many can we get. When can they get here? How long can they stay? What do we need to pay them?
In 2019, students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, launched a campaign that could only happen in America. Or at least, would only be necessary in America. It encouraged fellow students to affix a sticker to their drivers licenses that read: In the event that I die from gun violence please publicize the photo of my death. #MyLastShot.

The young campaign organizers bemoaned a world where post-shooting photos are mothers hugging their daughters, and police tape, instead of imagery that actually showed the public, in explicit detail, the real-world effect of gun violence.

They wrote that in order to find a solution, we have to see the problem. Even if its hard to face.

Its a shocking idea, but after the latest, numbing school mass shooting on Nov. 30 in Michigan, maybe the time has come to show the bodies.

As painful as that would be to both the survivors and the viewers, it could awaken Americans to what were doing, to real human beings, with this countrys willful misinterpretation of the Second Amendment.
The Sacklers donated billions of dollars to fund major arts facilities and wings of museums around the country, as if to whitewash their culpability. On Dec. 9, New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that the Sackler name would be removed from seven exhibition spaces.

A federal bankruptcy judge in September reluctantly signed off on the deal that granted the Sacklers protection. The Sacklers agreed to dissolve Purdue Pharma and pay out $4.5 billion to states that had filed claims. But the family had already moved an estimated $10 billion to offshore accounts in the years before the settlement, putting the money out of reach.

Even at the time of the bankruptcy settlement, the judge who approved the deal expressed extreme discomfort with the arrangement, saying, This is a bitter result. B-I-T-T-E-R.

In striking down the agreement, McMahon echoed concerns raised by this newspaper and others that the federal bankruptcy system was never designed to assign liability protections to people who werent directly tied to a bankruptcy claim, arent financially bankrupt and, in fact, are filthy rich.

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson perhaps said it best: There cannot be two forms of justice  one for ordinary Americans and a different one for billionaires. He acknowledged that some potentially rough and litigious days are ahead, but the need to hold the Sackler family accountable remains paramount. Im prepared to take this fight all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, to ensure true accountability for the Sackler family.
In 2020 a naval shipyard in Taiwan quietly began construction of a submarine, something Taiwan was not supposed to be capable of. This got foreign journalists wondering what was going on. Questions were asked and the response was either no comment or statements professing no knowledge of such a project. Investigations continued until Reuters, a Britain-based international news organization, began investigating rumors that British companies were assisting Taiwan in secretly designing and building its own submarines. Reuters is one of the three largest worldwide news collection organizations with over 3,000 reporters and photographers in over 200 locations worldwide. With these global resources Reuters was able to compile and recently publish details of how Taiwan had, in the last seven years, managed to quietly enlist the help from seven foreign countries, including Britain and the United States, to quietly recruit foreign submarine design and construction experts. This enabled Taiwan to design their own diesel-electric submarine and quietly obtain the components, including major systems, from foreign suppliers. The secrecy was critical because since the 1980s China has threatened economic retaliation against any foreign country that supplied Taiwan with new subs or the components and expertise to build their own.

In 2001 the United States proposed building diesel-electric subs for Taiwan but discovered that it would take years to assemble a team of American specialists to revive a capability the United States had abandoned in the 1960s as it switched to an all-nuclear submarine force. The Americans tried to persuade allies, who did build and export diesel-electric subs to do the job, but was told that the threat of Chinese economic sanctions was too great a threat to local economies to risk it.

Taiwan sought other, less public ways to get this done. China did not see this as a real threat because they knew from their own experience that obtaining and using the knowledge was difficult and took time. Some Taiwanese politicians quietly pursued the idea. One of these politicians, Tsai Ing-Wen, was a professor of law and active in government affairs, especially trade issues. She became leader of a major party in 2000, was the first woman elected president of Taiwan in 2016 and was reelected in 2020. Tsai came up with the idea of using stealth and good relations with many industrialized nations to organize what she publicly announced as the IDS (Indigenous Defense Submarine) program. A year before Tsai was elected president she spoke with Taiwanese submarine and naval experts about the possibility of Taiwan designing and building its own submarines. This is where the stealth submarine construction effort began. Tsai was elected in part because she had long urged that Taiwan upgrade its military and she pushed through several such projects once she was president. She was also on good terms with many foreign leaders and this enabled her to quietly obtain cooperation from foreign leaders for her submarine project. By 2016 most Western nations, including local economic superpowers like Japan and South Korea, were more open in their defiance of Chinese economic threats and efforts to absorb foreign territory. This enabled Taiwan to assemble a team of foreign submarine experts to work with Taiwanese warship designers to come up with a detailed design for a Taiwanese sub. Taiwan then broke down the list of components needed so that many could be obtained without raising suspicions from China. Some major components were obtained from the United States, ostensibly for modernizing the two relatively modern diesel electric subs Taiwan had. China protested but the U.S. was largely immune to Chinese threats of economic or diplomatic retaliation. When news of Taiwan beginning construction of a diesel electric submarine in 2020 got out, China dismissed it as propaganda because they knew nothing of the detailed preparations Taiwan had undertaken and saw the Taiwanese president as a troublesome woman in over her head. When the Reuters story appeared, the Chinese were surprised and could only repeat past threats of retaliation. These threats were either ignored or criticized by the potential victims.

At that point China realized that they had missed many public developments that were real and not propaganda. A decade ago Taiwan already had a good idea of what was needed. A 2011 search effort did compile a lot of useful information on costs and the more reliable (resistant to Chinese threats) suppliers. It turned out that a lot of American manufacturers could produce components for diesel-electric subs even though most of their regular work is for nuclear boats. But aside from the nuclear propulsion, a sub is a sub and the Americans were willing to supply Taiwan with components. The only problem with the Americans was there being a government there that was willing to resist Chinese pressure to ignore submarine related orders from Taiwan. Since a new American government agreed to allow the export of sub components to Taiwan a growing number of modern shipbuilders quietly indicated that they were willing to participate, but discreetly so as not to bring down the wrath of the Chinese. That wrath had lost a lot of its intimidation effect in the last decade as several industrialized nations were hit with Chinese trade sanctions and survived. As more of those futile Chinese trade sanction efforts occurred, potential victims had a more realistic idea of what these threats involved and each use by China convinced more nations in general that China was a threat to everyone who exported to or imported from China.

Alternative solutions were also investigated. Publicly, Taiwan said it wanted the subs for anti-submarine work. But it's been pointed out that there are cheaper and more effective anti-sub capabilities available via helicopters, aircraft, and UAVs. What was left unsaid was that the subs could also be used to shut down China's ports, crippling their economy and causing lots of domestic political problems for China's leaders. It's also possible to shut the ports without subs using air- dropped naval mines or just threatening to attack any merchant ship entering Chinese waters. But nothing does this sort of thing as effectively as a submarine, especially a very quiet diesel-electric sub.

From the beginning, Taiwan wanted eight new diesel-electric boats, preferably with AIP (air independent propulsion). This would drive the price up to nearly a billion dollars a boat. It turns out that the Taiwanese Indigenous Defense Submarine program will cost about $16 billion, including the high development costs requiring quietly recruiting foreign experts and paying them well as they moved to Taiwan to help with the submarine design. Building the subs in Taiwan also makes it easier to receive help from other nations threatened by Chinese naval power. Japan and South Korea built world-class subs but declined to help because they would be hardest hit by Chinese sanctions and had already suffered several such attacks by China. Western nations had local suppliers willing to provide Taiwan with components and technical assistance once their own government let it be known that this was permitted if it was done quietly. The United States played a key role in persuading other Western nations to quietly help and this became easier once it became apparent that Taiwan could get away with building the subs locally.

While European firms still won't sell Taiwan submarines, they were less reluctant to quietly sell components, tech advice and training. The IDS effort still had to deal with possible resistance from the Taiwan legislature. Tsai took care of that by regularly secretly briefing a small group of parliament members on the progress of the IDS. This included models of the most recent design and cost estimates. This kept parliament from becoming an obstacle to IDS. In 2018 it was revealed that the IDS plan would have the new subs entering service in the late 2020s, which was possible if Taiwan kept moving forward. The reality was that the IDS effort was much more advanced and construction of the first sub began in 2020, with launch in 2023 and entry into service by 2024. Until the Reuters story this was all happening, and generating hardly any press activity. Mustnt disturb the dragon (China) unless it becomes unavoidable.

China currently has 58 subs, six of them nuclear powered, Taiwan has four submarines. Two are World War II era American Guppy-class diesel-electric subs that entered service months before that war ended in August 1945. These two boats are used only for training and are increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain. Despite that, the crews and trainees work hard to keep these museum pieces looking good and still operational. Recently Taiwan announced a $19 million effort to refurbish one of these World War II era subs so that it will remain in service until 2026. Since this sub entered service in mid-1945 as the USS Cutlass and in 1973 was given to Taiwan where it has served as the Hai Shih it will, with the latest refurb, become the submarine with the longest active career; 81 years if it lasts until 2026. One reason these relics were kept operational was to train the crews for the IDS subs. So now the oldest subs still in service are more useful than ever.

In 2018 Taiwan revealed that the U.S. had approved export licenses for major submarine systems. This includes CMS (combat management system), sonar systems, periscope systems and other offensive and defensive weapons systems. In mid-2017 the United States approved the export of 46 Mk 48 wire-guided torpedoes. These are the same ones used by all American subs. At the same time, it was announced that a Dutch firm had agreed to assist in the upgrade of the two Dutch built submarines Taiwan received in the late 1980s. It is believed that these two boats were to receive the new American CMS and perhaps some of the other U.S. made systems Taiwan was able to purchase from the Americans. Such systems were also used for the IDS boats.

At the time only a few people outside Taiwan knew that these admitted purchases were not about upgrading old subs but building new ones in Taiwan as part of Taiwans IDS (Indigenous Defense Submarine) program. This effort to build eight diesel-electric submarines locally meant they would have to use the only shipyard in Taiwan that could do it. Even so that yard had to first gain access to and begin receiving and stockpiling all the components needed. Shipyard workers had to be quietly trained and acquire new construction skills needed to build subs and install a lot of components that surface ships do not use. That happened while few people in Taiwan or elsewhere knew what was really going on in the shipyard. Taiwan is normally secretive about all local defense construction projects, including new warship construction. So, the special training for building subs went unnoticed.

Meanwhile, there was a personnel problem; plummeting morale among the 200 sailors who operate the four subs Taiwan already has. Years of delays in obtaining new subs, and dim prospects of ever getting them, discouraged qualified young sailors from volunteering for the submarine service and many old hands were retiring as soon as they are eligible. As news spreads of the IDS boats being a reality, it will be easier to retain experienced submarine sailors and make it easier to find capable sailors to train for submarine duty for the expanded, by eight IDS boats, submarine force.

China is, as expected, determined to punish those seven nations that defined the Chinese prohibitions on arming Taiwan, especially with locally built submarines. The Taiwan IDS sub is embarrassing in other ways because Chinese diesel-electric subs are copies, often improved ones, of the Russian Kilo-class. The IDS is an original design that copies no one existing sub that Taiwan already has or sought to import. The Chinese had warned the Dutch not to assist Taiwan in using the two 1970s era Dutch subs Taiwan received in the late 1980s as a model for a new sub. Taiwan respected the Dutch situation and borrowed nothing, except Taiwanese sailors who gained their submarine handling skills on the Dutch boats. They assured the seven nations that quietly helped Taiwan design the IDS that Taiwan would understand if some of those seven nations succumbed to Chinese threats and economic pressure. For that reason, the IDS identified multiple sources for most experts and components so that it would be more difficult for China to shut down production of the IDS boats. Taiwan admits it recruited engineers and retired submariners from the U.S., Britain, Australia, South Korea, India, Spain, and Canada but did not identify which of these countries, or any others, supplied components. America and Britain were the largest suppliers of components, especially major systems. The smaller nations that contributed tech see this undertaking as an effort to curb Chinese threats of economic retaliation as a political tool. All these nations have been on the receiving end of this bullying and have already been pushing back. The IDS is seen as another victory over China and the Chinese wont admit that. This means the Chinese will not give this defeat a lot of publicity and will instead concentrate on h0w they will deal with this obstacle to conquering Taiwan.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / December 17, 2021 / Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Investment Company Limited (TSX:FAP) (the "Company"), a closed-end investment company trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX"), announces today that it has completed its re-domiciliation from Cook Islands to Singapore. The Company will begin operating under its new name abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund VCC effective immediately. The new name reflects the global rebranding of the Company's manager under the abdrn brand and the Company's re-domiciliation to Singapore as a variable capital company ("VCC"). Henny Muliany and Hugh Young, have joined the Board of Directors (the "Board") of the Company as Singapore resident, qualified representatives of the Company's investment manager, abrdn Asia Limited. The Company will begin trading on the TSX under its new name at the open of trading on December 17, 2021.

Shareholders holding physical share certificates will receive a letter of transmittal to exchange their share certificate(s) for direct registration advice(s) ("DRS Advices"). Under the direct registration system, or DRS, shares will be registered in a shareholder's name and held electronically in the Company's records maintained by its transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada. DRS may also streamline participation in an annual redemption. Existing DRS holders will be mailed a new DRS Statement reflecting the Company's new name and ISIN/CUSIP number.

As announced by the Company in August, an annual redemption feature has been included in the Company's new variable capital company constitution. The first annual redemption may be exercised by shareholders starting in February 2022, if the volume weighted average trading price of the ordinary shares of the Company ("Shares") on the Toronto Stock Exchange during the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021 (the "Trading Discount Determination Date") represents a discount greater than 12% of the average daily net asset value per Share during such period. Up to 10% of the aggregate issued and outstanding Shares of the Company may be surrendered for redemption on March 31, 2022 (the "Redemption Date"), being the last business day of March.

A shareholder whose Shares are redeemed on the Redemption Date shall be entitled to receive a cash redemption price per Share equal to the average net asset value per Share calculated on the Redemption Date less any expenses and charges incurred by the Company in order to fund such redemption payment (the "Redemption Proceeds"). The "average net asset value per Share" will be calculated by taking the arithmetic average of the net asset values per Share calculated on the three trading days immediately preceding the Redemption Date. Additional information with respect to the first annual redemption will be provided to shareholders in late January or early February.

Important Information

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investment returns and principal will fluctuate and shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than the original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. NAV returned data includes investment management fees, custodial charges, bank loan expenses and administrative fees (such as Director and legal fees) and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions. The Company is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of principal. Total return based on net asset value reflects changes in the Company's net asset value during each period. Total return based on market price reflects changes in market value.

Aberdeen Standard Investments ("ASI") is the registered marketing name in Canada for the following entities, which now operate around the world under the abrdn brand: Aberdeen Standard Investments (Canada) Limited, Aberdeen Standard Investments Luxembourg, abrdn Private Equity (Europe) Limited, abrdn Capital Partners LLP, abrdn Investment Management Limited, Aberdeen Standard Alternative Funds Limited, and Aberdeen Capital Management LLC. Aberdeen Standard Investments (Canada) Limited, is registered as a Portfolio Manager and Exempt Market Dealer in all provinces and territories of Canada as well as an Investment Fund Manager in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Company's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the company's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Company will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Information in this news release that is not current or historical factual information may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws. Implicit in this information, particularly in respect of future financial performance and condition of the Company, are factors and assumptions which, although considered reasonable by the Company, Aberdeen Standard Investments (Canada) Limited, Aberdeen Standard Investments , and/or abrdn Asia Limited, as applicable, at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. Shareholders are cautioned that actual results are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the completion of the proposed Re-domiciliation and the anticipated benefits of the Re-domiciliation, general economic and market factors, including credit, currency, political and interest-rate risks and could differ materially from what is currently expected. The Company has no specific intention of updating any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact Investor.Relations@abrdn.com

https://www.abrdn.com/en-ca/canadaclosedend

For More Information Contact:

Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc.

Investor Relations

1-800-992-6341

Investor.Relations@abrdn.com

SOURCE: Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Investment Company Limited

View source version on accesswire.com:
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 16, 2021) - Dragonfly Capital Corp. (TSXV: DRC.H) ("Dragonfly" or the "Company") is pleased to announce having entered into a binding letter of intent dated December , 2021 (the "LOI") with Black Swan Graphene Inc. ("Black Swan"), a private Ontario company, pursuant to which Dragonfly and Black Swan (each, a "Party" and together, the "Parties") have agreed to complete a business combination (the "Transaction") whereby Dragonfly will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Black Swan (collectively, the "Black Swan Shares"). The precise terms of the Transaction, including the structure of the Transaction, will be incorporated into a definitive transaction agreement (the "Definitive Agreement") to be negotiated between the Company and Black Swan. In connection with the Transaction, Black Swan intends to complete a concurrent equity financing with minimum gross proceeds of $5,000,000 (the "Concurrent Financing").

The Transaction is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") and is intended to constitute the Company's Qualifying Transaction (as defined in TSXV Policy 2.4 - Capital Pool Companies). It is expected that the business of the Company following the closing of the Transaction (then referred to as the "Resulting Issuer") will be the business of Black Swan and the Resulting Issuer will be listed on the TSXV as a Tier 2 Industrial issuer under the name "Black Swan Graphene Inc." or such other name as mutually agreed to by the Parties.

Black Swan Graphene Inc.

Black Swan is a private graphene processing technology (the "Graphene Technology") company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Black Swan recently purchased strategic assets related to the patented Graphene Technology from Thomas Swan & Co. Limited ("Thomas Swan"), a leading United Kingdom based specialty chemical company founded in 1926 exporting today to over 80 countries.

Since 2012, Thomas Swan has been developing a graphene processing technology, which has now been upscaled three times, from lab-scale, through pilot-scale to commercial-scale. The process allows for the production of high-performance graphene at a cost sufficiently low to engender rapid commercial penetration in industrial applications requiring large volumes of graphene and, in turn, requiring large volumes of graphite. The graphene resulting from the Graphene Technology has reached significant commercial achievements, having undergone thorough customer testing and qualification processes by globally recognized companies in different manufacturing sectors and electronics, notably for mobile handsets, and is expected to be widely used in "off-the-shelf" products in a near future.

In addition to the assets related to the Graphene Technology and associated know-how acquired by Black Swan Graphene, Thomas Swan contributes its exclusive production and commercialization expertise and provides access to subject matter expertise, such as access to personnel and technical support, and deliverables from its operation in Northern England. Black Swan Graphene aims to establish a large-scale commercial production facility in Qubec, Canada, in order to leverage the province's competitive and green hydroelectricity, as well as the proximity of the planned production sites of Mason Graphite Inc. (TSXV: LLG) ("Mason Graphite"). These factors are key and will accelerate the production and commercialization of the graphene developed by Thomas Swan by integrating the supply chain and lowering production costs.

Graphene was first isolated in 2004 in Manchester, United Kingdom, leading to the award of the Nobel Prize in Physics to the two physicists behind the achievement. Similar to the emergence of carbon-fiber technologies of the 1990's, the ability to produce large quantities of graphene at low cost is critical to large scale commercialization. Graphene can notably be used to strengthen polymers with obvious applications in the lightweighting of the transportation industry. The polymer additive market is approximately USD$46 billion annually.[1] Graphene also renders plastics recyclable and is expected to play a significant role in the global effort from governments worldwide to ban single-use plastics. Graphene is also a replacement of carbon black, which has an annual market of more than USD$17 billion.[2] Moreover, graphene is expected to support a breakthrough in Li-ion battery technology as it allows for a meaningful increase in the silicon content of the battery anode, hence improving battery performance.

Furthermore, graphene can be used in concrete, resulting in a stronger, significantly less permeable, and longer-lasting concrete able to achieve equivalent strength while using less volume of materials. As concrete is responsible for approximately 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the reduction of concrete usage is paramount in the fight against climate change. Recently, graphene resulting from the patented process owned by Black Swan, and produced by Thomas Swan & Co., was recently used in the concrete mix poured during the construction of a large (CA$30.5M) residential development in Salisbury, 150 km west of London, England. Please see more information and related video in the press release issued by Mason Graphite on September 14, 2021.

The principal shareholders of Black Swan (together, the "Principal Shareholders") are Mason Graphite, a Canadian company located in Laval, Quebec whose shares are publicly listed for trading on the TSXV under the symbol "LLG") , Thomas Swan, an English company located in Consett, England, and Mr. Fahad Al-Tamimi, Chairman and second largest shareholder of Mason Graphite.

A summary of Black Swan's financial information will be included in a subsequent press release once such financial information has been obtained by the Company. It is anticipated that Black Swan will provide audited financial statements in due course. For more information, please see Mason Graphite's news releases dated July 26, September 2, September 15, September 20, and October 7, 2021 available on SEDAR.

Summary of the Transaction

The LOI sets out the general terms of the Transaction as currently contemplated by the Parties. The precise terms and conditions of the Transaction will be contained in the Definitive Agreement to be negotiated and entered into by the Parties. The Parties have agreed to negotiate in good faith to reach the Definitive Agreement on or before January 31, 2022, which, in turn, will memorialize the expected closing date of the Transaction (the "Closing Date").

The Transaction will take the form of a share exchange whereby all of the outstanding Black Swan Shares will be exchanged for such number of common shares in the capital of the Company, at a deemed price of $0.15 per common share, as is equal to the number of Black Swan Shares issued and outstanding on the Closing Date (collectively, the "Consideration Shares"). Following the Closing, Black Swan will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and the business of the Company will be that of Black Swan. The Transaction will be completed pursuant to, and in strict accordance with, corporate law requirements and available exemptions under applicable securities legislation. The Consideration Shares will be subject to applicable resale restrictions, if any.

The completion of the Transaction is subject to the satisfaction of various conditions as are standard for a transaction of this nature, including but not limited to: (i) the Company having had the reasonable opportunity to perform searches and other due diligence, and being satisfied with the results of such due diligence; (ii) receipt of all requisite consents, waivers and approvals for the Transaction, including the approval of the NEX Board of the TSXV, if applicable; (iii) the absence of any material adverse change in the business, affairs or operations of Black Swan; (iv) completion of the Concurrent Financing; and (v) Black Swan having received the requisite approvals from its shareholders for the Transaction, if applicable.

Assuming the completion of the Transaction, the minimum subscription of the Concurrent Financing, and that no convertible securities of Dragonfly are exercised, a minimum of 261,310,293 common shares of the Resulting Issuer (each, a "Resulting Issuer Share") are expected to be issued and outstanding on the Closing Date of which approximately 6.79% Resulting Issuer Shares will be held by the current shareholders of the Company, approximately 80.45% will be held by the shareholders of Black Swan, and 12.76% will be held by the subscribers under the Concurrent Financing (see more below).

The Transaction is an arm's length transaction and therefore will not require shareholder approval under Policy 2.4.

Concurrent Financing

In connection with the Transaction, it is anticipated that the Company will complete the Concurrent Financing to raise minimum gross proceeds of $5,000,000 by the issuance of common shares (each, a "Share") in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.15 per Share. There may be cash commissions and/or broker warrants paid and/or issued to eligible finders in relation to the Concurrent Financing.

Directors, Officers and Insiders of the Resulting Issuer

Following the Closing, it is expected that the following individuals will be appointed as management of the Resulting Issuer:

Simon Marcotte, Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Marcotte is a chartered financial analyst ("CFA") with over 20 years of experience with a focus on commodities, including more than 10 years in executive positions for junior mining companies. Mr. Marcotte co-founded Mason Graphite in 2012 and held the position of vice-president of corporate development until February 2018. Under his leadership, Mason Graphite was awarded the TSXV's recognition as top 10 performing stock in 2013, the best 50 OTCQX in 2016 and 2017, and was nominated for best investors relations in both 2016 and 2017. At the end of 2017, Mason Graphite reached a peak market capitalization of $365 million, with approximately 35 institutional shareholders, uncommon for a junior mining company. Prior to 2012, Mr. Marcotte joined Verena Minerals Corp. in 2010, which was then renamed Belo Sun Mining Corp., as vice-president corporate development, working alongside the president and chief executive officer on all decision-making processes and helped develop and implement the company's turnaround strategy. Mr. Marcotte has also been involved with several other mining companies, either as an officer or a director, including with Alderon Iron Ore Corp. between 2010 and 2013. Prior to his corporate involvement, Mr. Marcotte was working in senior positions in capital markets with CIBC World Markets, from 1998 to 2006, and with Sprott Securities Inc. and Cormark Securities Inc., from 2006 to 2010, where he also was a member of the board of directors. Mr. Marcotte currently acts as an independent consultant and is actively involved in merchant banking activities in the junior mining industry. Mr. Marcotte is currently a director of Freeman Gold Corp., which is advancing the Lemhi gold project in Idaho, United States, and CEO of Royal Fox Gold Inc., which is advancing the Philibert Gold Project near Chibougamau, Quebec. Mr. Marcotte is a CFA Chartholder and is a graduate from the University of Sherbrooke.

Greg Duras, Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Duras is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience in the resource sector in corporate development, financial management and cost control positions. Mr. Duras has held the position of Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") at several publicly traded companies, including Savary Gold Corp, Nordic Gold Corp., Avion Gold Corp., and Red Pine Exploration. Mr. Duras is currently the CFO of Nobel Resources Corp. He is a Certified General Accountant and a Certified Professional Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Administration from Lakehead University.

Board of Directors

In connection with the Transaction, it is expected that the directors of the Company will resign and be replaced by six (6) nominees to be determined by Black Swan, which are expected to be Mr. Simon Marcotte, CEO, as well as Messrs.:

Harry Swan, Chairman of the Board

Mr. Swan is the CEO of Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd. and represents the fourth generation of the Swan family to lead the company. Mr. Swan joined Thomas Swan in 2002 in order to launch a new Carbon Nanomaterials business. He took over as Managing Director in 2006 and became CEO in 2018. In addition to his responsibilities at Thomas Swan, he is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Society of Chemical Industry, a Council Member of the Chemical Industries Association, and a founding member of the UK Chemistry Council. He also chairs the Advisory Board of the Centre for Education Collaboration at York University.

Michael Edwards

Mr. Edwards has more than 30 years of manufacturing and business experience. He is currently Business Director, Advanced Materials for Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd. He has a BSc(hons) in Electronics (Wales University) and an MBA. Previous experience includes microprocessor and computer systems design at Ferranti, 15 years as General Manager of Toshiba Electronics Europe in Dusseldorf where he introduced flash memory into Europe and presided over Toshiba's dominant DRAM position as Windows was launched into the PC market. Subsequently worked in a number of start-up companies mainly in global sales, marketing and business development roles, including 3 years as Global Commercial Director at Oxford Advanced Surfaces. His most recent position was global sales and marketing director at Cambridge Nanotherm, responsible for taking advanced materials to global LED market.

David Deak

Dr. David Deak is President of Marbex LLC, running a portfolio of projects at the interface between mining, energy, and technology domains - with a special focus on lithium and related battery materials. Dr. Deak has built his career advancing initiatives in lithium mining, renewable energy, energy storage, and electric vehicles. He was recently the Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice-President of Lithium Americas Corp., where he spearheaded technical, project, and marketing developments of two major lithium assets, in Nevada and Argentina. Before Lithium Americas, Dr. Deak led special supply chain projects and battery engineering programs for Gigafactory 1 at Tesla Inc. Prior to working in the electric vehicles business, he managed product and process development programs for Ambri Inc., a Bill Gates-backed energy-storage start-up spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Deak has also acted as a consultant for multinational engineering conglomerates, start-ups, government entities and institutional investors, involving projects from technology scouting to materials supply chain analysis. His professional career started in the Chief Technology Officer's office at Siemens Wind Power in Denmark, where he focused on supplier technology development and component warranty cases. Dr. Deak holds a D.Phil. in Materials Science from Oxford University and a B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto.

Roy McDowall

Mr. McDowall, a Director of Mason Graphite Inc., is a capital markets professional with over 25 years of experience with Canadian-based boutique and bank owned investment firms, and most recently served as Managing Director, Head of Equity Sales for Macquarie Capital Markets Canada. He also held similar positions with Credit Suisse Securities (Canada) Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., and National Bank Financial Inc. Mr. McDowall is currently a Senior Officer of Turquoise Hill Resources Inc., a Montreal-based mining company of approximately $2 billion of market capitalization listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") and the New York Stock Exchange. The company is focused on operating and further developing, in the South Gobi region of Mongolia, the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine, which is jointly owned with the Government of Mongolia and expected to be the world's fourth largest copper producer by 2025. Over his career, Mr. McDowall has played an instrumental role in over 500 financings for companies globally with a focus on the mining industry, leveraging self-established relationships with Canadian and international institutional investors. He has also founded several successful start-ups in the education sector and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Simon Fraser University in British Columbia.

Peter Damouni, Executive Director

Mr. Peter Damouni is currently an Executive Director of Mason Graphite Inc. and has over 18 years of experience in investment banking and capital markets, with expertise in mining and oil and gas. Throughout his career, Mr. Damouni has worked on and led equity and debt financings valued over $5 billion. He has comprehensive experience in equity financing, restructuring, corporate valuations and advisory assignments. Mr. Damouni is a graduate of McGill University. He is a Canadian and British citizen, residing in the United Kingdom. Mr. Damouni is a director of a number of companies listed on the TSX and the TSXV.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship of a Qualifying Transaction of a Capital Pool Company is required by the TSXV unless an exemption from the sponsorship requirement is available. The Company intends to apply for a waiver from the sponsorship requirements. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain such a waiver.

Finder's Fee

In connection with the Transaction, the Parties agree that finder's fees may be paid concurrently with the Closing to eligible finders who are not Related Parties to either Black Swan or Dragonfly, as defined by the policies of the TSXV, up to the maximum amount permitted by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSXV, as applicable.

About Dragonfly Capital Corp.

Dragonfly Capital Corp. is a Capital Pool Company as defined by the policies of the TSXV. The Company's principal business activity is to identify and evaluate opportunities for acquisition of assets or business. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

About Black Swan Graphene Inc.

Black Swan Graphene Inc. is a Canadian private company focusing on the large-scale production and commercialization of patented high-performance and low-cost graphene products aimed at several industrial sectors, including concrete, polymers, Li-ion batteries, and others, which are expected to require large volumes of graphene and, in turn, require large volumes of graphite. Black Swan aims to leverage the low cost and green hydroelectricity of the province of Quebec as well as the proximity of the eventual production sites of Mason Graphite in order to establish a fully integrated supply chain, reduce overall costs, and accelerate the deployment of graphene usage.

Additional Information

A comprehensive press release with further particulars relating to the Transaction, including further particulars of the Resulting Issuer and the Concurrent Financing, will follow in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. In addition, a summary of Black Swan' financial information will be included in a subsequent press release.

All information contained in this press release with respect to the Company and Black Swan was supplied, for inclusion herein, by the respective Parties and each Party and its directors and officers have relied on the other Party for any information concerning the other Party.

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSXV Requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the 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.

Contact Information

For more information please contact:

Dragonfly Capital Corp.

Eric Boehnke

Director

(604) 307-4274

Black Swan Graphene Inc.

Simon Marcotte

Chief Executive Officer & Director

smarcotte@blackswangraphene.com; (647) 801-7273

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding the Company's completion of the Transaction and related transactions. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, including but not limited to, statements regarding Black Swan's Graphene Technology and any perceived benefits therefrom, the Company completing the Transaction, the Company entering into the Definitive Agreement, the completion of the Concurrent Financing, the proposed officers and directors of the Resulting Issuer, and the conditions to be satisfied for completion of the Transaction. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements, including risks related to factors beyond the control of the Company. The risks include the following: that any perceived benefits from the Black Swan's Graphene Technology may not come to fruition; that the Parties may not enter into the Definitive Agreement; the requisite corporate approvals of the directors and shareholders of the Parties may not be obtained; the TSXV may not approve the Transaction; and other risks that are customary to transactions of this nature. The novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, also poses new risks that are currently indescribable and immeasurable. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

[1]https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/06/30/2255328/0/en/The-plastic-additives-market-size-is-estimated-to-be-USD-45-6-billion-in-2021-and-is-projected-to-reach-USD-59-9-billion-by-2026-at-a-CAGR-of-5-6-between-2021-and-2026.html.

[2]https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/carbon-black-market.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107807
NEW YORK and TORONTO, Dec. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. ("iAnthus" or the "Company") (CSE: IAN, OTCPK: ITHUF), which owns, operates and partners with regulated cannabis operations across the United States, provides an update with respect to the Company's Annual General Meeting. As disclosed in the Company's news release dated November 4, 2021, The BC Registrar of Companies (the "BC Registrar") granted a further extension extending the deadline to hold the Company's Annual General Meeting for the year 2020 (the "2020 AGM") from October 31, 2021 to December 31, 2021. On November 19, 2021, the BC Registrar declined to grant any further extension for the Company to hold the 2020 AGM, citing its policy of allowing maximum extensions of 12 months.

Today, iAnthus filed a Notice of Appeal in the Supreme Court of British Columbia appealing the BC Registrar's decision further to section 406 of the British Columbia Business Corporations Act, SBC 2002, c 57 (the "Appeal"). iAnthus asks the court for an extension to hold the 2020 AGM to June 30, 2022 as, among other things, the Company's previously announced recapitalization transaction has not yet closed. No hearing date for the Appeal has yet been scheduled yet.

About iAnthus

iAnthus owns and operates licensed cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.iAnthus.com.

COVID-19 Risk Factor

The Company may be impacted by business interruptions resulting from pandemics and public health emergencies, including those related to COVID-19. An outbreak of infectious disease, a pandemic, or a similar public health threat, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19, or a fear of any of the foregoing could adversely impact the Company by causing operating, manufacturing, supply chain, and project development delays and disruptions, labor shortages, travel, and shipping disruption and shutdowns (including as a result of government regulation and prevention measures). It is unknown whether and how the Company may be affected if such a pandemic persists for an extended period of time, including as a result of the waiver of regulatory requirements or the implementation of emergency regulations to which the Company is subject. Although the Company has been deemed essential and/or has been permitted to continue operating its facilities in the states in which it cultivates, processes, manufactures, and sells cannabis during the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no assurance that the Company's operations will continue to be deemed essential and/or will continue to be permitted to operate. The Company may incur expenses or delays relating to such events outside of its control, which could have a material adverse impact on its business, operating results, financial condition, and the trading price of the Company's common shares.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of management, are not guarantees of performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in Company's reports that it files from time to time with the SEC and the Canadian securities regulators, which you should review including, but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. When used in this news release, words such as "will," could," plan," estimate," expect," intend," may," potential," believe, "should" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Company's financial performance, business development and results of operations and the timing and outcome of the closing of the Recapitalization Transaction.

These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events, and the Company cannot assure you that the events or circumstances discussed or reflected in these statements will be achieved or will occur. If such forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. You should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by the Company or any other person that it will achieve its objectives and plans in any specified timeframe, or at all. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange or The Securities Exchange Commission have reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ianthus-provides-update-on-annual-general-meeting-301447737.html

SOURCE iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Since November postal workers have been scouring thousands of letters to Santa pouring in, looking for ones from children in need. When they find letters that ask for basic necessities like a warm coat, a new blanket or shoes, postal elves upload them to USPSoperationSanta.com, and anyone may go on the site, adopt a letter, and send their gifts directly to the child or family hoping for a brighter Christmas.

Some people feel alone and sad over the holidays, and find comfort and inspiration volunteering for Be An Elf.

Of course the Elves at the Post Office always put the letters right back in the mail to the jolly man in red at the North Pole, so Santa will deliver his gifts, too.

BeAnElf.org offers an excellent guide to the program for new volunteers. The group also adopts letters and uses tax-deductible donations to send gifts. Thanks to a major grant from Google, Be An Elf has recruited thousands of volunteers over the years for the USPS program.

USPSoperationSanta.com will remain open for letter adoption for only four more days. It closes December 22 at 11:59 pm. Those who adopt letters have until January 14th to mail their gifts.

At the USPS site, volunteers may choose to adopt a child's letter or adopt a whole family. Often parents whose children are too little to write list their kids' names, ages, and clothing sizes, and describe their struggles with employment and why they need help with Christmas this year.

Some people feel alone and sad over Christmas, and find comfort and inspiration volunteering for this program. They catch the true spirit of the holidays, knowing they will put smiles on kids' faces on Christmas. To learn more, visit BeAnElf.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/only-4-days-to-left-to-adopt-a-needy-family-for-christmas-at-uspsoperationsantacom-301447774.html

SOURCE BE AN ELF
Seaman Apprentice Ryan Sawyer Mays, left, and Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher (Left: Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Right: Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images/TNS)

SAN DIEGO (Tribune News Service)  Three years after former Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher first sat in a San Diego military courtroom to begin his fight against a possible life sentence, another sailor found himself inside the same courthouse and the same courtroom last week.

Seaman Apprentice Ryan Sawyer Mays  who, at 19, also strove to become a SEAL but gave up after less than a week of training  faces charges that could put him away for life if convicted. And, similar to the Gallagher case, the Navy is counting largely on witness testimony to make its case against Mays  at least as can be told from whats been made public at this early stage.

Mays is charged with the willful hazarding of a vessel and aggravated arson in the 2020 fire on the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard. The ship burned for four days and was so thoroughly damaged the Navy opted to sell it for scrap rather than repair it.

Mays denies starting the fire.

Prosecutors allege Mays was seen going into the ships lower vehicle storage area, where investigators say the fire began on July 12, 2020, just minutes before sailors first saw smoke that morning. They say he then escaped through a small hatch leading to a conflagration station and up a narrow ladder to a passageway two decks above the lower v.

Mays three-day Article 32 hearing featured testimony from witnesses and investigators, including a fire investigator from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who said all accidental causes of the fire were eliminated, leaving only arson. In the military system, prosecutors must only prove they have probable cause to prosecute Mays during the Article 32. The hearing officer will next issue a recommendation as to whether Mays will face court-martial.

Don King, a San Diego-based military attorney and recently retired Navy judge, said that is likely.

They hardly need any proof (to make) a probable-cause determination, King said. I think this case is for sure going to trial but its certainly not a slam-dunk based on what was heard at the Article 32.

At court-martial, however, the government will still need to prove Mays guilt beyond a reasonable doubt  something Kind said is very much in the air given the evidence thats so far been made public.

I dont think its a very strong case at all, King said. Eyewitness testimony can be effectively countered by cross-examination, which could potentially raise reasonable doubt.

The Navys prosecution against Gallagher blew up spectacularly as prosecutors stepped on one rake after another and appeared unprepared for the legal maneuvering and courtroom theatrics of Gallaghers savvy, high-powered defense lawyers.

When the lead prosecutor was caught trying to track defense attorney emails in what a judge ruled was an illegal violation of Gallaghers rights, he was fired from the prosecution team. Another Navy lawyer was added and had just days to prepare for the most closely-watched military trial in recent memory.

Gallaghers defense team, led by Tim Parlatore and one of then-President Donald Trumps lawyers, Marc Mukasey, took turns attacking the Navys eyewitnesses to Gallaghers alleged war crimes, which included killing a wounded teenage ISIS combatant in Mosul, Iraq.

Famously, the Navys key witness changed his story on the witness stand and claimed that he, not Gallagher, killed the ISIS prisoner. Navy prosecutors were left scrambling and never recovered momentum in the trial.

To King, the appointment of Navy Capt. Jay Jones as supervising prosecutor suggests the Navy is taking a different approach to its prosecution of Mays.

Jay is probably the best prosecutor in the Navy, King, who was a staff judge advocate in San Diego during the Gallagher trial, said in an interview. We probably would have had a different result (in that case) if we had someone like him. They brought the best prosecutors because they dont want to make the same mistakes they made in Gallagher.

King, who is now in private practice, has no connection to the Bonhomme Richard case, but said he does know the Navys prosecutors as well as Mays civilian defense attorney, Gary Barthel.

Cmdr. Rich Federico, who is lead prosecutor in the case, is a Navy Reservist and federal public defender. King said Federico might be the next-best Navy prosecutor after Jones.

Mays defense is led by Gary Barthel, whom King described as an experienced military lawyer who will be crucial in ensuring Mays has a strong defense.

King cautioned against reading too much into the evidence presented at the Article 32, saying that prosecutors might only present just enough evidence to establish probable cause.

The prosecution doesnt want to tip their hand at the type of evidence they might have at trial, King said.

2021 The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Visit sandiegouniontribune.com .
Buy Photo Ben Castellana, a coordinator with the Environmental Protection Agency, and Kathleen Ho, deputy director of the Hawaii Health Department, sign a joint plan at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Dec. 17, 2021, that details how the Navys water distribution system will be purged of petroleum contamination. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii  The Navy was to begin flushing its petroleum-contaminated water system on Oahu as early as Sunday under a joint plan agreed to Friday by state and federal agencies.

Under the plans timeline, the first of roughly two dozen military housing communities affected by the contamination could have clean water by the first week of January.

Collaborating on plans like this ensures that federal, state and county partners have a framework to conduct flushing activities in a safe and effective manner, Kathleen Ho, deputy director of the Hawaii Health Department, said after a brief signing ceremony for the plan Friday at U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters.

The other signatories were with the Environmental Protection Agency, Army Garrison Hawaii and Navy Region Hawaii.

The plan was not publicly available as of Friday afternoon.

The Navy is grappling with petroleum contamination of its water distribution system for military housing communities on and near the joint base. The Army administrates several of the contaminated communities.

About 3,000 residents have temporarily moved to hotels in the wake of the contamination, which the Navy traced to a Nov. 20 jet fuel spill on part of its Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility.

The plan was developed by a team of doctors, engineers and scientists, with input from state and federal regulatory agencies, Rear Adm. Blake Converse, deputy commander of Pacific Fleet, told reporters at the signing.

We're going to flush the system, Converse said. We're going to flush each of the individual lines going to the homes, and we're going to flush each of the homes to restore clean water. And we're going to test the system at several steps along the way to the appropriate standards.

The plans timeline projects clean water could be restored for the first affected community within 17 days, said Converse, who did not disclose the order in which communities will be flushed.

The tens of millions of gallons of tainted water in the distribution system will be processed through massive carbon filtering systems the Navy is having flown in from the mainland.

The first two shipments of components was expected to arrive Friday on an Air Force C-5 Galaxy, Converse said.

We're going to start the first set of flushes perhaps as soon as Sunday, Converse said. And so from 17 days after that, that community could have restored safe drinking water.

Decisions about which communities will be flushed first are based on the technical design of the distribution system, Converse said.

If a neighborhood is what I call upstream or on the pumping side of another neighborhood, we would want to flush that first and then flush down to the last neighborhood or community on that, he said. We also looked at the number of filtration units we have on island at the time we start to determine which neighborhoods can we physically do.

Tainted water now sitting within households  typically 80 to 120 gallons in pipes and water heaters  will be flushed into the regular sewer system, where contaminants are already routinely process-filtered, Converse said.

Wyatt Olson
Supporters of Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen display a campaign flag during a campaign rally in Taipei on Jan. 10, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Taiwanese voters aligned with the position of President Tsai Ing-wen's government on four issues in a weekend referendum, a win for the leader ahead of elections next year.

More than 50% voters said "no" to reimposing a ban on imports of pork containing trace amounts of ractopamine, a feed additive used by many U.S. producers.

A "yes" result would have presented Tsai with the dilemma of conforming to the people's will and potentially upset Taiwan's most important political and military backer, or keep the doors open to U.S. pork and risk a domestic political backlash less than a year before key regional elections. Maintaining Washington's support is particularly important as Beijing ramps up a pressure campaign on the democratically ruled island that the Communist Party considers a breakaway territory despite never having ruled it.

For decades, the U.S. had been pushing Taipei to open its market to pork containing ractopamine, saying Taiwan's ban was the biggest impediment to a bilateral free trade agreement. In an effort to nudge the U.S. toward starting formal trade talks, Tsai overturned the ban last year, triggering fierce debate in Taiwan about concerns the drug can harm people who consume meat raised with it.

The Tsai administration had urged the public to reject a new ban, saying the move is in Taiwan's best interests as it would boost U.S. trade relations.

"Taiwan's people hope to walk out to the world and actively participate in international society," Tsai said in a briefing after most votes were counted Saturday evening.

The result is beneficial for Taiwan's pledge to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP, and elevate bilateral trades with the U.S., according to John Deng, a minister without portfolio. He spoke at a separate briefing on Saturday.

Voters also said Taiwan shouldn't activate the Lungmen Nuclear Plant that was almost completed but then mothballed in 2014 due to rising anti-nuclear sentiment in the wake of the Fukushima disaster three years earlier. They also voted "no" to whether the state-controlled energy company CPC Corp should move a planned $2 billion liquefied natural gas import terminal from its proposed location beside a 7,000-year-old algal reef on Taiwan's northern coast.

Environmental activists have criticized the damage the project will cause the reef and its nearby ecosystem but the government said increasing LNG imports is crucial to reducing the economy's reliance on coal while phasing out nuclear energy.

The fourth issue on the ballot was whether referendums should be held in conjunction with national elections if a proposal was accepted by the Central Election Commission less than six months ahead of a poll.

About 8 million people participated in Saturday's referendum, less than half of the 19.8 million citizens who were eligible to vote. In order for a question to be approved, at least 4.95 million people must vote in favor, with more people choosing yes than no. All four issues did not reach the minimum votes for the initiatives to pass.

___

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Haulage trucks wait at toll gates to enter the channel tunnel, operated by Getlink, in Calais, France, on Dec. 31, 2020. (Cyril Marcilhacy/Bloomberg)

Just as firms wrestle with a global supply chain crisis and fresh pandemic restrictions, companies in the U.K. and European Union face another looming headache: More post-Brexit red tape.

From Jan. 1, companies importing goods into Britain from the EU will be required to make full customs declarations. Food products will also have be pre-registered on an IT system, an extra bureaucratic burden which threatens to further worsen U.K.-EU trade flows already depressed by post-Brexit processes.

"It's going to catch a lot of people out," said Tom Maddison, director of operations at Buckle Shipping, a Felixstowe-based freight forwarder which shuttles goods between Britain and the EU. "It's quite worrying that supposedly big companies have still got no idea really what's going on."

The hit to trade could be significant. Since signing the post-Brexit trade agreement with the EU last year, Britain has taken a light-touch approach to its border with the bloc, delaying checks to give companies more time to adjust to additional trade barriers caused by Brexit.

But the EU imposed full customs controls on goods moving into the bloc at the start of this year. That helped to send total U.K.-EU goods trade down 15% this year from its 2019 level, compared with a 7% decline in non-EU trade. In October, U.K. trade in goods was 12.6 billion pounds ($16.7 billion) less than it would have been had Britain stayed in the EU, according to research by the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank.

One worry about the looming change is the impact on Britain's food supply, given about 30% of all food consumed in the U.K. is imported from the EU. From Jan 1., for example, to enter the busy port of Calais in France, hauliers carrying food will need a special number that references a declaration made on another IT system, known as IPAFFS.

Many lorries could arrive at Calais without having made the correct declaration and could be refused entry at the port, said Shane Brennan, chief executive of the Cold Chain Federation, which represents businesses which move chilled and frozen food.

"I'm worried," Brennan said. He noted that firms aren't stockpiling like they did before previous Brexit deadlines, which leaves them more exposed to any potential disruption. "The level of awareness of what is required out there is still quite low."

Trade in food was one of the worst-hit areas of post-Brexit commerce in 2021, with U.K. food exports to the EU down 20% in the first half due to extra paperwork and physical border inspections on the EU side, according to the Food and Drink Federation, a lobby group.

Britain won't introduce the full panoply of customs controls on food, including physical checks and the requirement for goods to enter through specific border control posts, until July 2022.

While firms have so far been able to defer filing customs declarations on imports from the EU, that will change in January: they will be required to file a full declaration at the point of entry.

There is a strong sense in the haulage industry that many companies have been taking advantage of the deferral option and not filing declarations at all, said Steve Cock, director of customs consultancy at The Customs House, a Kent-based customs broker.

HMRC, the U.K.'s tax authority, has recently been writing to importers to remind them of their obligations to file declarations, a sign that the government is toughening its stance on the issue. Having a broker fill out a customs declaration typically costs about 50 pounds per shipment -- making customs brokerage one of the boom industries of Brexit.

Another threat to business readiness for the Jan. 1 changes is apathy: Many firms don't believe that the extra processes will actually come into force given that the British government has repeatedly pushed back Brexit deadlines in the past, said Anna Jerzewska, founder of Trade & Borders, a customs consultancy.

Given the lack of readiness, "there will definitely be some importers that will be turned away," Jerzewska said. "I don't think we'll see complete chaos -- but there will be some disruptions."
A video screen grab shows El Shafee Elsheikh speaking to The Washington Post from Syria in a 2019 interview. (The Washington Post)

WASHINGTON - A British former member of the Islamic State has sought to minimize his role in the captivity of journalists and aid workers, several of whom were killed. But in 2018, court records show he told Department of Defense investigators he was intimately involved in ransom negotiations and privy to details of some hostages' deaths.

El Shafee Elsheikh, who is facing a January trial in Alexandria, Va., federal court, is accused of being part of a notorious quartet of ISIS hostage-takers, known as "The Beatles" because of their British accents.

The man who beheaded some of those hostages in horrific propaganda videos, Mohammed Emwazi, died in a drone strike in 2015. Conspirator Alexanda Kotey has pleaded guilty in Alexandria federal court. A third is imprisoned in Turkey. Elsheikh's trial will be the first and possibly last time much of the evidence against the group is aired in public.

He is accused of kidnapping and conspiring to murder American journalists and aid workers James Foley, Peter Kassig, Kayla Mueller and Steven Sotloff. The three men were killed in 2014 and their bodies used in propaganda videos by a masked Emwazi, who became known as "Jihadi John." Mueller died in captivity under unclear circumstances in 2015.

Kotey and Elsheikh were captured by the Kurdish-led Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) in early 2018. Over the next two years, they both gave numerous interviews to media outlets in which Elsheikh acknowledged guarding hostages who were later killed and getting information from them for ransom negotiations.

In his court case, Elsheikh argued that all the admissions he made in those interviews are false, forced out of him by his captors through torture. On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge T.S. Ellis III rejected Elsheikh's request to bar prosecutors from using his statements to journalists against him at trial.

As prosecutors in recent weeks worked to rebut his claims of torture, they revealed that Elsheikh was more forthcoming with U.S. military intelligence than he was in subsequent media appearances. In the process, the government released some details of those Defense Department interviews, which cannot be used at trial and remain partially classified.

According to the documents presented by prosecutors, Elsheikh was interviewed by a Department of Defense team not long after his capture. He told the intelligence interviewers he personally contacted the Norwegian and Japanese consulates to negotiate ransoms for hostages taken from those countries. Emwazi, who spoke in the most infamous ISIS videos, was concerned that his voice was becoming too recognizable and that if he made the calls he would be tracked, Elsheikh told the interviewers. The two Japanese hostages were later beheaded by Emwazi on camera; a photo depicting the body of the Norwegian hostage appeared in an ISIS magazine.

According to the court record, Elsheikh also told the Department of Defense that Emwazi had told him he had buried Foley, an American journalist, near Raqqa, Syria, where the militants engaged in target practice. U.S. investigators searched that area shortly after the interview and failed to find Foley's body.

Elsheikh told the interviewers Emwazi had burned the body of another American journalist, Steven Sotloff, because the ground was too hard for a burial and he was afraid of spending too long outside, according to the court record.

Elsheikh also spoke in detail about the death of British aid worker David Haines, an FBI agent testified in court during a November hearing.

British freelance filmmaker Sean Langan testified that when he interviewed Elsheikh and Kotey in Kurdish custody, he tried unsuccessfully to learn more about the deaths of Foley, Haines and other hostages. He "failed," he said, in part because he got in an emotional argument with Kotey and the SDF barred him from speaking to them again.

Foley was a friend, he explained: "It was too close to home."

Only a brief portion of Langan's interview with Elsheikh has been released; prosecutors plan to use more of it at trial.

Court documents show Kotey told U.S. investigators he was beaten in Kurdish custody. In private recorded conversations after their transfer to U.S. military custody in Iraq, both he and Elsheikh described abuse. But in the same recordings, according to the court record, Kotey told Elsheikh he preferred the SDF prison because they had more space, social contact and recreation. "I would swap places with one of them any day," Kotey said. "Same here," Elsheikh replied.

Three officials in the SDF came to Alexandria court in person to rebut Elsheikh's claims of torture, the first time anyone from the U.S.-allied Kurdish fighting force has appeared in an American court.

The testimony offered a rare, if limited, perspective on the detention centers where thousands of former Islamic State supporters are held.

International human rights monitors have reported overcrowding, and shortages of food, water and medicine at Kurdish-run prisons and camps. The SDF officials, who testified anonymously through interpreters, acknowledged that they were using dilapidated schools as prisons and that influxes of ISIS prisoners strained their resources.

"Our own families and our own communities lack electricity," the man in charge of coordinating with international allies testified. "We are a war zone ... the general population, we're not able to access medications."

But the SDF leaders denied hurting Elsheikh in any way.

"We're not angels; I'm not saying we're perfect," said the head of one prison where Elsheikh was housed. But, he added, "the purpose of our work is to get important information that we can use on the battlefield, and to use force or pressure will not give you the results that you need."

Moreover, he added, the SDF didn't have the capacity to translate English-language media interviews into Arabic or Kurdish and so had no stake in what detainees told Western reporters.

"We have no idea what's going on" in the media interviews, he said.

Defense attorney Nina Ginsberg suggested that he might be reluctant to acknowledge abuse because he could lose his job.

"My job?" he asked incredulously. "My job is all hardship."

Ginsberg later argued the testimony was "ludicrous," with SDF officials making the prisons sound like "not a bad place to go and spend a week" when U.S. observers described people sleeping on top of each others and bug infestations.

Ellis agreed in court that the SDF officials had reason to understate problems in their prisons, but he said that didn't "come close" to showing Elsheikh was forced into confessions.

Prosecutors said Elsheikh made no complaint to the Red Cross of abuse during his detention; he was given a medical examination when taken into U.S. custody that showed only a "prostration mark" from praying.

"There were no signs of abuse or mistreatment whatsoever," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh said in court. "The victims in this case, those are the individuals that were tortured, that were beaten, that were given threats."
Buy Photo Staff evacuate the U.S. Embassy in Kabul shortly after midnight on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

U.S. airstrikes against the Taliban surged in August, rising to levels not seen in nearly a year as part of the final, failed attempt to prevent the Afghan armys collapse as militants rapidly took over the country, according to data disclosed Friday.

The burst of attacks came as Taliban fighters encircled numerous provincial capitals and ultimately seized control of Kabul, Afghanistans capital, on Aug. 15. About 153 U.S. bombs or missiles were dropped by U.S. war planes and drones that month, up from 18 in July, the data showed.

Until Friday, the U.S. Air Force had not released such a report for nearly two years.

The data does not include strikes launched by the Afghan air force, which routinely carried out bombing until disbanding along with the central government. Nonetheless, the numbers offer a fresh look at how the American military scrambled in the waning days of its longest war, as the situation on the ground grew increasingly desperate for U.S.-trained Afghan forces being overpowered by the Talibans assault.

For many years, the U.S. Air Force released air power summaries monthly in a demonstration of transparency to American taxpayers, congressional oversight committees and U.S. allies. But publication was suspended after the Trump administration signed a deal with the Taliban in February 2020 that promised to withdraw U.S. troops by this year in exchange for a handful of concessions, including that militants stop attacking U.S. troops. U.S. forces remaining in Afghanistan would retain the ability to defend themselves, U.S. officials said, but they continued to carry out limited airstrikes in support of their Afghan allies.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Friday before the reports distribution that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin directed that the data again be released in an effort to improve transparency. The withheld monthly reports date back to February 2020, he said.

Kirby said there have been no U.S. military airstrikes in Afghanistan since the withdrawal was completed Aug. 30. The Pentagon will continue to provide air power summaries, he said, with publication by Air Forces Central Command, which oversees operations in the region.

The airstrikes occurred as hundreds of civilians were killed per month in 2021, mostly in roadside bomb explosions or fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban, according to U.N. mission reports. The U.S. military did kill some civilians, however, including in an Aug. 28 strike in Kabul in which commanders thought they were striking an Islamic State bomber but killed an aid worker and nine other civilians.

At the height of its air campaign against the Taliban, the U.S. military conducted thousands of strikes annually, reaching a high of 7,423 in 2019, as commanders attempted to force the Taliban to negotiate an end to the war.

The bombing campaign remained busy early in 2020, with 415 weapons dropped in January and 360 in February of last year. But it plummeted after the withdrawal deal was signed, with 116 weapons dropped in March, 27 in April, 15 in May and 18 that June, the newly released data show.

The numbers climbed again from there, as the Taliban mostly held true to not attacking U.S. troops but waged a bloody campaign against Afghan police and soldiers. The U.S. military dropped 246 weapons in October 2020, and then more than 100 per month for the first third of 2021, the reports show. The numbers tailed off again beginning in May, before the last spike as the Taliban asserted control of the country.
Police exchange fire with armed men next to the Petionville police station in Port-au-Prince on July 8, 2021. (Valerie Baeriswyl/AFP via Getty Images/TNS) (VALERIE BAERISWYL)

WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service)  The Biden administration is asking France and Canada to help lead an international effort to shore up security in Haiti, after a series of crises this year crippled the Caribbean nation and sent shock waves through the region.

Conversations began in the fall on an allied plan to bolster Haitian law enforcement, which has been plagued by corruption and increasingly outmatched by drug-fueled gangs operating throughout the country. A virtual meeting held by the State Department and attended by French and Canadian diplomats Friday included a discussion of the plan.

A number of the countries that participated in the discussions this morning had previously contributed to an international police support for Haiti through the United Nations, or through the (Organization of American States). They expressed their shared willingness to explore greater police deployment in Haiti whether that was through mentoring, through training or through foreign police units, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols, who chaired the virtual meeting with 14 international aid organizations and foreign governments, told journalists afterward.

The structure of how that would happen, the coordination pieces is something that we all agreed, we needed to explore further, Nichols said.

Acknowledging the effort still requires more work, Nichols said in addition to funding and equipment the United States has announced for the Haiti National Police, commitments were received from other countries that had not previously provided police funding. Japan, for example, said it would give $3 million to build housing and other facilities for police.

The reality is whatever investments we provide for the Haitian national police need to be accompanied by gains in governance, transparency and anti-corruption efforts, he said.

Vice President Kamala Harris raised the prospect of an international coalition to support Haiti in her meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris last month, as well as her recent conversations with Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau of Canada and Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom, a White House official said.

French officials familiar with the matter say that security was a focus in Harris conversation with Macron on Haiti, which was raised at the end of their meeting. The U.S. proposal on supporting Haitian law enforcement is still being reviewed by the French.

While details of the U.S. plan are sparse, multiple sources told the Miami Herald and the McClatchy Washington Bureau that it would rely heavily on help from its partners and involve security training.

Following a recent visit to Port-au-Prince, Todd Robinson, assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that they were looking at training a new SWAT team within the Haitian police to tackle the gang crisis.

Haitis police force remains weak despite receiving $300 million in U.S. spending over the past decade, in addition to assistance from Canada and the United Nations.

The Haiti National Police has struggled to contain gang violence, which has fueled a kidnapping surge and a monthslong blockade of the countrys fuel ports, eroding confidence in Washington that the security force can prevent the string of crises from continuing.

The ongoing investigation into the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, now in the hands of an investigative Haitian judge, has yet to result in formal charges or identify a motive, despite the detention of more than 40 suspects.

Nichols said the United States recently increased its support to the Haitian national police by $15 million, including $12 million to strengthen its capacity to respond to violent gangs and efforts by communities to resist them. It also plans to increase advisers to the agency, training in anti-gang tactics and finance upgrades to its SWAT facility.

During the Moise administration we saw a lot of the previous investments in policing were left without proper maintenance or support. Morale within the Haitian national police declined. Funding from the Haitian government for things like salaries really did not arrive for the police. So it was a significant degradation in their capability, Nichols said. In recent years, they had been quite capable, prior to that.

Those years involved the 2004-06 transition period that began after then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced into exile amid a bloody coup. Gangs controlled only a small portion of the capital and the police force that the U.S. had rebuilt after his first return from exile in 1991 had been decimated by drug-trafficking cops. Following Aristides departure, U.S. and French troops were deployed to Haiti, later followed by a U.N. peacekeeping mission.

The U.S. security proposal comes at a delicate time for the Biden administration. The White House has already been facing criticism for its treatment of a surge of Haitian migrants that arrived at the U.S. southern border in September and its extension of the Remain in Mexico policy  an immigration policy first devised by President Donald Trumps administration and criticized by progressives  to Haitian migrants.

The administration has also come under heavy criticism from members of Congress and Haitian civil society, on the one hand, for having a heavy hand in Haiti, and on the other for its refusal to support an initiative by Haitian civil society groups to begin a two-year transition that would include new faces taking charge of the country.

Others have called out the administration for not supporting the use of special forces to train the current Haitian police, or a return of U.N. peacekeepers, whose withdrawal from Haiti after 15 years was heavily supported by the United States, France and the United Kingdom at the U.N. Security Council.

When it comes to the Haitian National Police, were not going to lead with the military, but rather use our civilian tools to support them, whether its in providing assets, equipment and even training, a senior Biden administration official told reporters in October.

We think that particularly given some of the debates that are taking place in this country about the militarization of the role of the police and the standards of the police in terms of treatment, standards of the use of force, we believe its better for us to provide that sort of training from a civilian perspective that reflect the lessons that were learning in the United States, the official added.

The State Department said it was hosting the meeting Friday of international partners to ask for commitments to prevent further deterioration in Haiti as its security crisis deepens.

In addition to security, the issue of the ongoing impasse between Haitis main two political actors, the government of interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry and those supporting the civil society initiative, was also discussed.

Partners agreed, Nichols said, that political dialogue must continue among all sectors of Haitian society to build consensus on a political accord.

When Haitians reach a consensus agreement, the international community stands ready to support Haitis path back to restoring its democratic institutions, including hold an election when conditions permit, he said. In the past, the international community has frankly, grown frustrated too quickly, when Haitians havent been able to agree. And we just said, Well, if you cant come together in our time frame, then were just going to impose an outside solution. Were not going to do that. We are focused on supporting Haitians to come together around a way forward.

After the assassination of Moise in July, Haiti asked the United States and United Nations for military assistance. The request for troops followed a similar request by Moise to the United Nations months before his murder.

Neither was willing to send troops, and Frances foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, also expressed skepticism. But Le Drian did suggest that France would be prepared to provide police, if needed, under the authority of the United Nations.

A dispatch of police officers should be seen as part of a strengthening in the United Nations presence, which is currently insufficient, to be able to ensure the electoral process, France 24 quoted Le Drian as saying outside a U.N. meeting on Libya and the protection of humanitarian workers.

France and the United States sent military troops to Haiti in 2004 after then-President Aristide was forced into exile. A U.N. peacekeeping mission followed, and in October 2017, U.N. military blue helmets were replaced by a police mission. The United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti was in place from 2017 until 2019, and has since been replaced by a small political mission, which was invited to Fridays meeting.

Any new U.N. mission would have to be approved by the U.N. Security Council, which would require the Biden administration to go head to head with China for approval. China has been a critical voice about past U.N. interventions in Haiti and recently sought to shut down the current operation.

Nichols, when asked about the possible deployment of U.S. military forces or pushing the U.N. Security Council for another peacekeeping mission, noted that on the call were France, the United Kingdom, Mexico and Brazil, which have current or future influence on the Security Council.

I think theres broad agreement that the security situation in Haiti is a policing challenge. Its not a military challenge, Nichols said. Figuring out what the right array of support for that policing requirement in Haiti is something that we discussed in the meeting, and we decided that we need to go back and think about that more.



2021 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The back of a small, bronze-colored identification disk belonging to Samuel M. Weigel, a private with Company G of the 138th Pennsylvania Infantry. According to regimental history, Weigel was severely wounded during the Battle of Monocacy but survived. (National Park Service)

Private Samuel M. Weigel had already seen extensive combat by the time his veteran Union regiment reached the battlefield near Marylands Monocacy River in July 1864.

Twenty-seven of his comrades in the 138th Pennsylvania Infantry had been killed at the Battle of the Wilderness near Fredericksburg, Va., that May, including five from his outfit, Company G.

Seven more from the regiment had been killed at the Battle of Cold Harbor outside Richmond in June.

He had no doubt seen the fate of friends who had fallen, with nothing to identify their bodies for return to their families. So on July 9, when he was seriously wounded at the Battle of Monocacy, near Frederick, Md., he was probably wearing a metal disk bearing his name, regiment and hometown.

This week, the National Park Service announced that the Monocacy National Battlefield Foundation has donated what appears to be the identification disk Weigel was probably wearing that day.

It is amazing that after 157 years, this ID disk is returning to the battlefield, Andrew Banasik, superintendent of Monocacy National Battlefield, said in a statement. This small piece of metal is a tangible reminder of the price paid by so many to save Washington.

About 1,200 Union soldiers were killed or wounded in the battle.

Civil War ID badges that survive are rare, the Park Service said. There were no government-issued military dog tags during the war. And soldiers were terrified that if they were killed, in the chaos of battle their bodies would never be identified.

So a soldier might write his name on a piece of paper and pin it to his uniform before going into combat. He might stencil his name on his clothing. Or he might buy his own ID badge.

Jana Friesen McCabe, chief of resource education and visitor services at the battlefield, said Weigels disk was obtained for $1,700 from a reputable artifacts dealer on eBay, and the battlefield received it in October.

It is probably made of a copper alloy and was premade with one side blank, where the soldiers details could be stamped. That side bears Weigels name, regiment, company and hometown, Bendersville, Pa.

The other side has a shield with a stars-and-stripes design, and the phrase, Against Rebellion 1861.

They were mass-manufactured in 1861, McCabe said. The 1861 isnt a reflection of when he purchased it. Its more the start of the war and the production of those disks.

Weigels might have been purchased from one of the traveling vendors, or sutlers, who followed the armies. The vendor may have etched it for him, she said.

The battlefield has another ID badge that bears the name and details of another soldier from Company G - Sgt. Nicholas G. Wilson, who was also wounded in the battle. His badge is made of silver and in the shape of a shield.

The 138th Pennsylvania had been rushed about 300 miles in 36 hours by boat and train from outside Petersburg, Va., to the Monocacy battlefield to face a large Confederate force that was suddenly bearing down on Washington.

The regiment was part of a scratch Union detachment that was thrown together along the river to halt or slow the rebels, who were only about 40 miles from the capital.

The Northern soldiers were outnumbered more than 2-to-1 and were forced to retreat. But they slowed the Confederate onslaught and foiled the capture of Washington.

What these men did was really incredible, McCabe said. They were so badly outmanned and outgunned, and they chose to fight anyway a battle that they knew they couldnt win. ... They saved Washington, D.C.

The price was the hasty abandonment of the field, our dead, and many of the wounded, a history of the regiment states. Five men were killed. Weigel and 32 others were wounded, and 21 men were captured.

Weigel, who was 24 at the time, survived being wounded, and the war, and he died in 1922 at age 82, according to the Park Service.

His disk has been added to the battlefields museum collection but is not yet on display.

Weigel was mustered out of service on June 30, 1865, almost three months after the war ended.

After the war he married Martha Ann Harmon and had four children, two boys, two girls, and later six grandchildren, McCabe said in an email.

His 1922 death certificate lists him as a widower and a retired carpenter.

In 1908, the state of Pennsylvania dedicated a 35-foot-high granite monument on the battlefield to the 138th Pennsylvania and two other regiments that fought there.

An inscription reads: In commemoration of the bravery, sacrifices, and patriotism of the . . . regiments that fought on this battlefield July 9, 1864.

Two hundred aging veterans attended the event and many were photographed at the monument.

Weigel, then 69, probably lived nearby in southern Pennsylvania and could have been among them, McCabe said.
San Francisco mayor London Breed speaks during an event in 2020. Breed on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, declared a state of emergency regarding overdoses in the city to cut through the bureaucracy and barriers that get in the way of decisive action, she said. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Faced with rising overdoses driven by the opioid epidemic, San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency in the citys Tenderloin neighborhood Friday.

The declaration is part of the mayors Tenderloin Emergency Intervention Plan and will allow the city to waive certain laws and remove bureaucratic barriers in order to increase the resources available to quickly address the crisis, her office said.

The overdose problem has worsened, particularly over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the recent rapidly deteriorating conditions in the Tenderloin caused by the opioid crisis put the lives of San Franciscans in serious risk, the announcement said.

If approved in the next seven days by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the state of emergency will allow the city to speed up implementation of emergency programs such as waiving contract procurement rules and zoning and planning codes in order to quickly open a site where people with substance abuse issues can get treatment and get off the street, the mayors office said.

Were really happy to finally see the mayor address what has been escalating in the neighborhood for months, said Elise Gorberg, a spokesperson for the nonprofit Tenderloin Community Benefit District. Politics aside, Tenderloin residents have been living in unacceptable conditions for far too long  these are business owners, immigrants, families with children  and the city owes it to these people to take action.

Gorberg said the neighborhood needs more than one-off responses to incidents and that a coordinated, comprehensive approach is necessary to address the violence and drug abuse.

Residents deserve a neighborhood where they feel safe walking to work or to schools and playgrounds, without the threat of gun violence or the need to step into the street to avoid drug activity, she said.

The mayors announcement is a step in the right direction, Gorberg said.

In addition to the Tenderloin, the declaration area also includes a portion of the citys SoMa neighborhood, according to the announcement. If ratified, it will be in place for no more than 90 days.

The situation in the Tenderloin is an emergency and it calls for an emergency response, Breed said. We showed during COVID that when were able to use an emergency declaration to cut through the bureaucracy and barriers that get in the way of decisive action, we can get things done and make real, tangible progress.

More than two people per day are dying of drug overdoses, said Supervisor Matt Haney. The overdoses are concentrated in the Tenderloin and SoMa, and most of them involve fentanyl.

The supervisor called the situation a public health emergency and said addressing it demands a crisis-level response, with massive urgency, coordination and determination.

___

2021 Los Angeles Times.

Visit at latimes.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A video screen grab shows Florida police deputies Connor Scott Curry, left, and Trevor Dawson Pike. The two off-duty officers were arrested after getting in a brawl with three sailors in Key West, Fl., early Saturday morning. (Local10.com)

(Tribune News Service)  A Navy sailor was airlifted from Key West to a Miami hospital early Saturday morning after police said he was part of a fight on Duval Street between two off-duty sheriffs deputies and two other sailors.

Monroe deputies Trevor Dawson Pike, 25, and Connor Scott Curry, 23, were arrested along with sailors Angel Low, 26, and Jose Bejar Jr., 22.

The four were jailed at the detention center on Stock Island.

A third sailor, James Black, 27, wasnt booked but instead airlifted to Kendall Regional Medical Center after suffering a brain bleed and loss of consciousness, police said. Blacks condition wasnt immediately available Saturday morning.

Pike told police Bejar was across the street from him when the two started exchanging words. The fight followed.

Sheriffs Office spokesman Adam Linhardt said he had no information on what the argument was about.

At about 1:45 a.m., Key West police were in the 600 block of Duval making an arrest when they heard male voices challenging one another to a fight.

Outside the Walgreens at 527 Duval St., several men were grabbing at, striking and pulling at one another, a Key West police officer wrote in the arrest report.

This event happened very fast and escalated as I began walking towards the disturbance, the officer wrote.

Passersby stopped to watch the fight taking place on Key Wests most famous street.

The deputies and sailors all face misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct.

Pike was also charged with a felony count of battery for allegedly punching Black in the face.

Police said that after the punch Curry pushed Black to the ground. Black hit his head on the sidewalk and began to lose consciousness. It appeared that blood was also coming from the back of James head onto the sidewalk, police reported.

A loud thump could be heard from Blacks fall to the sidewalk.

Bejars blood dripped onto Blacks face as he held him on the sidewalk, police said.

All of the men had alcohol on their breath and had slurred speech and watery or bloodshot eyes, police reported.

Police said at first it looked like Pike, one of the deputies, was defending himself after being ganged up on.

But footage from one officers body-worn camera showed that Pike struck James on my approach, stepped back only briefly, then struck with malice instead of separating and allowing officers on scene to take control of the conflict, according to the report.

Pike and Bejar each had a cut on his face while Low had no injuries and later said he was trying to separate the men during the fight.

Curry and Pike will be on unpaid leave pending the criminal investigation and also an internal affairs investigation, Linhardt said.

The three sailors are with a squadron visiting the Naval Air Station Key Wes t, he said. Both Low and Bejars arrest listings on the sheriffs website say they are military in Virginia Beach.

They were sailors attached to a squadron here for training, said NAS spokeswoman Trice Denny, when contacted Saturday about the incident. Theyre from Oceana, Virginia.

I am saddened by this incident and it will be fully investigated, Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement. Nonetheless, whenever something significant happens involving the sheriffs office, good or bad, I want you to hear it from me first.

All four jailed were released later Saturday morning. Pike posted a $55,000 bond while the others were released without having to post bond. It was unclear Saturday morning whether any of them had attorneys.

2021 Miami Herald.

Visit miamiherald.com .
Gov. Greg Abbott holds a security briefing in Austin, Texas, in July 2021. Abbott on Saturday, Dec. 18, announced that a state-funded wall was being built along the border with Mexico. (Austin American-Statesman/TNS)

AUSTIN, Texas (Tribune News Service)  Construction crews have begun work on a border wall funded by the state of Texas and private donations, Gov. Greg Abbott said Saturday.

Speaking in front of a segment of the wall in Rio Grande City, Abbott said the barrier is being built using the same materials used by former President Donald Trump, who oversaw construction of 17 miles of barriers in Texas during his time in office.

"Texas is taking what truly is unprecedented action by any state ever, for a state to build a wall on our border to secure and safeguard the sovereignty of the United States, as well as our own state," Abbott said, flanked by Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Military Department.

Border security has been a top priority for Abbott this year as he prepares to seek a third term next year. He has dedicated significant state resources toward the border, arguing that the Biden administration has failed to act to stem the influx of migrants there.

"This unprecedented action is needed for one single reason," Abbott said. "That's because the Biden administration has failed to do its job as required by the Constitution, as required by laws passed by Congress to enforce the immigration laws of the United States of America."

In May, Abbott issued a disaster declaration and announced that he planned to construct a barrier using a combination of state dollars and private donations. He said the barrier would be constructed on land volunteered by private property owners. The first segment is being built on land managed by the General Land Office.

Trump, who championed construction of a barrier along the Southwest border, built 453 miles of primary and secondary walls, but work was halted after Biden took office.

Abbott on Saturday said the state-backed wall under construction now is "a replication of the border wall that President Trump put up," using the same design concept and materials, which include thick steel posts. The Texas Facilities Commission is overseeing five contractors selected to design and build the barrier, including one that worked on Trump's wall.

Earlier this year, state lawmakers allocated roughly $1 billion to construct the wall  in addition to $2 billion for other border security initiatives, including deploying additional law enforcement personnel to the border and increasing prosecutions of migrants arrested for misdemeanor offenses.

Some House Democrats bristled at the price tag during debate over the spending proposal in August and asked pointed questions about how disbursement by Abbott's office would be monitored.

Democrat Beto O'Rourke, who is running for governor, called Saturday's event a "photo-op."

"Border communities are tired of Greg Abbott hosting photo-ops instead of fixing the real challenges facing our border communities today, like the Abbott Tax border families will pay on their utility bills because he has failed to fix the grid," O'Rourke said in a statement.

The governor also has been collecting private donations for the border wall effort and said Saturday that he had raised $54 million. A Texas Tribune investigation found that 98% of those donations came from one out-of-state billionaire: Timothy Mellon, who gave $53.1 million in stock to the state in August.

Abbott declined to say Saturday how much the entire project ultimately would cost, citing variables such as different terrain along the border or waterways that construction crews will have to navigate.

"We're going to spend as much as it takes to build as much wall as we possibly can," he said.



2021 Gannett Co., Inc.

Visit at statesman.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Iwi response is featured in the latest of five 'teaser' videos that form part of a community crowdfunding campaign to help raise funds to complete a documentary on the Rena disaster.

With only one week to go to meet the target of $25,000, local filmmakers are asking the Bay of Plenty community to get behind a crowdfunding campaign on Boosted to help make the film.

So far 58 donors on the Boosted campaign have together raised $7190 or 28 per cent of the funds required. The Boosted crowdfundraising platform requires that if the target isn't reached by the time the campaign ends, which is in six days time, all of the donations are returned by Boosted to the original donors.

Boosted, which is a similar crowdfunding platform to Givealittle, is run by the Arts Foundation, a charitable trust dedicated to the development and promotion of the arts including film. Donations are tax deductible, and the site allows for large match funders as well as donations from individuals. Match funders are able to match dollar for dollar up until their stated limit, and receive promotion as being supporters.

Both Holland Beckett Law and Bay Conservation have so far come on board the project as match funders.

Titled The Rena, the reef, the residents the approximately 90 minute documentary will be capturing the memories and thoughts of some of the more than 8000 volunteers, local government, businesses, wildlife conservation groups and iwi.

Already, during the first few weeks of the campaign four other two-minute teasers have been released to help with promotion of the crowd fundraiser, focusing on the wreck, the community response, the Government response and the wildlife response. These can be viewed here:

https://vimeo.com/647104263 - The Wreck

https://vimeo.com/648848142 - The Government Response

https://vimeo.com/652266707 - The Community Response

https://vimeo.com/654418200 - 'The Wildlife Response'

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," says producer Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Executive producers and Sun Media directors Claire and Brian Rogers have joined forces with Rosalie and Anton Steel 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.

It was a reasonably calm day and we got there pretty quick, says Brian. The scene that unfolded when we arrived was indescribable, and we could tell straight away that this was going to be a major environmental problem.

In the days and weeks that followed, Brian and his news team covered everything, from containers and oil coming ashore, to the clean-ups and community response.

The Rena. Photo: SunLive.

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.

Anton Steel has worked as a producer, director and assistant director on more than 30 large scale drama projects.

It has given me the invaluable opportunity to study the craft of directing from people like Taika Waititi, Garth Davis, Andrew Adamson, and Oscar nominee Morten Tylden, says Anton. My debut feature film as writer/director was The Z-Nail Gang, which was released nationwide in cinemas in New Zealand and has an IMDB rating of 7.8.

Z-Nail Gang, made with 400 Te Puke volunteers won them the Supreme Winner at the 2014 Trustpower Western Bay of Plenty Community Awards with then Western Bay mayor Ross Paterson saying that it perfected the art of rallying a community to get in behind a project that everyone felt a sense of ownership in.

Anton has been working as the CEO of the Film Bay of Plenty regional film office for the last five years. He has more recently directed the pilot of Chloe and the   written by screenwriter Alyssa Stringfellow. The pilot, which is based in Mount Maunganui was selected for NZWebfest and is in the finalist selection of the US-based Catalyst Story Institute Storieroad International program.

Anton has also directed the showreel for Film Bay of Plenty which was released in November 2021.

The release of penguins at Mount Maunganui, following being rescued from the oil. Photo: Ass.Prof. Kerri Morgan.

Rosalie has worked as a journalist at Sun Media for the last five years writing community stories for The Weekend Sun and SunLive, as well as being involved with supporting the growth of Film Bay of Plenty. Prior to that she worked across the BOP and Lakes DHB regions developing a database of health and social services, and helped coordinate the volunteer Rise Up Tauranga community response in 2011 with Cantabrians relocating to the Bay of Plenty following the February 2011 earthquake. The local community response was acknowledged with a Trustpower Community Award in 2011.

Wed like the community to have an opportunity to again be involved in a project that is about them, says Rosalie. Everyone who comes on board to help us make this documentary can have their name in the film credits.

Rosalie Liddle Crawford updating campaign funders on Friday. Photo: Supplied.

To complete the film, a crowdfunding campaign on Boosted.org.nz has been running over the past five weeks with one week to go to try and reach the $25,000 target.

Funds are needed to cover further interview and b-roll footage shoots and the costs of editing.

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.

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
There are now a total of eight cases with the Omicron variant isolating in MIQ facilities, and none have been in the community.

The Ministry of Healthy is reporting 39 new community cases of Covid-19. There are 49 people in hospital and five in ICU.

More than 21,000 vaccines were administered on Friday.

Bay of Plenty

There are 11 new cases being reported in the Bay of Plenty today. Of those eight are in Tauranga and three are in the Western Bay of Plenty. Following initial investigations, the Western Bay of Plenty cases and three of the Tauranga cases appear to be linked to existing cases. Interviews with the remaining cases to determine any possible connections are ongoing.

Three cases are in Tauranga Hospital.

The Bay of Plenty DHB is reporting 93 per cent of eligible people have been administered their first vaccine dose and 87 per cent have received their second dose.

Lakes

There are two news cases being reported in the Lakes region today, both are in Rotorua. Both have potential links to existing cases.

The Lakes DHB is reporting 91 per cent of eligible people have been administered their first vaccine dose and 85 per cent have received their second dose.

Omicron

Whole genome sequencing has now detected a further four cases of Omicron in recent international arrivals. There are now a total of eight cases with the Omicron variant isolating in MIQ facilities, none have been in the community.

Whole genome sequencing for two other passengers on the international flight with New Zealands first Omicron case has confirmed they have the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

"Two additional cases we are announcing today arrived on separate flights from Singapore," says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

One case travelled on a flight from Singapore to Auckland on December 13 and the second case was on a flight from Singapore to Christchurch on December 15.

Of the eight Omicron cases, two are in a bubble but the other six cases are unrelated to each other suggesting no cross-contamination or cross-infection either in-flight or within MIQ facilities.

"We are carrying out whole genome sequencing on all new border cases of COVID-19 to rapidly identify any new cases of the Omicron variant."

As a precautionary interim measure, all passengers on flights with Omicron cases are required to complete all ten days at a managed isolation facility  rather than spending the last three days of their isolation period in self-isolation.

"Our health and MIQ teams around the country have been planning for Omicron cases at the border and will continue to manage all arrivals cautiously,' says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

"We are well placed to manage Omicron cases with isolation and testing requirements for all new arrivals, robust infection and prevention control and PPE measures at airports and MIQ facilities, and frequent surveillance testing of staff who have any contact with recent international returnees."

Please note todays figures do not cover a full 24 hour period due to the change in reporting times to a midnight-to-midnight cycle from 9am-to-9am.

COVID-19 vaccine update

Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,961,764 first doses (94%); 3,791,509 second doses (90%); 24,355 third primary doses; 205,979 booster doses

Vaccines administered yesterday: 2,039 first doses; 7,600 second doses; 832 third primary doses and 11,024 booster doses.

Maori (percentage of eligible people): 495,279 first doses (87%); 440,400 second doses (77%)

Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 267,999 first doses (93%); 251,330 second doses (88%)

Vaccination rates by DHB with active cases (percentage of eligible people)

Northland DHB: First doses (88%); second doses (82%)

Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)

Waikato DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89%)

Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (87%)

Lakes DHB: First doses (91%); second doses (85%)

Taranaki DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (87%)

Hawkes Bay DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (88%)

Nelson-Marlborough DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (89%)

Canterbury DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (94%)

Hospitalisations

Cases in hospital: 49; North Shore: 8; Auckland: 24; Middlemore: 12; Waikato: 2; Tauranga: 3

Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (24 cases / 59%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (6 cases / 15%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (9 cases/ 22%); unknown (2 cases / 5%)

Average age of current hospitalisations: 53

Cases in ICU or HDU: 5 (1 in North Shore; 2 in Auckland; 2 in Middlemore)

Cases

Seven day rolling average of community cases: 76

Number of new community cases: 39

Number of new cases identified at the border: 10

Location of new community cases: Auckland (25), Bay of Plenty (11), Lakes (2), Taranaki (1).

Number of community cases (total): 10,168 (in current community outbreak)

Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 7,509

Number of active cases (total): 1,993 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classed as recovered)

Confirmed cases (total): 12,996

Contacts

Number of active contacts being managed (total): 6,645

Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 83%

Percentage who have returned at least one result: 76%

Tests

Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 19,902

Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 23,324

Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 8,743

Wastewater

No unexpected detections to report

NZ COVID Tracer

Poster scans in 24 hours to midday yesterday: 3,519,836

Manual diary entries in 24 hours to midday: 44,081

My Vaccine Pass

My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,368,166

My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 32,526

New cases identified at the border

Arrival date From Via Positive test day/reason Managed isolation/quarantine location 10 December United Kingdom United Arab Emirates Day 5 routine test Christchurch 16 December United Kingdom United Arab Emirates Day 0 routine test Auckland 15 December United Kingdom United Arab Emirates Day 1 routine Auckland 15 December United Kingdom United Arab Emirates Day 1 routine Auckland 12 December Fiji Direct Day 3 routine Auckland 15 December Kenya United Arab Emirates Day 1 routine Auckland 13 December United Kingdom United Arab Emirates Day 3 routine Auckland 15 December United Kingdom United Arab Emirates Day 1 routine Auckland 7 December Philippines Singapore Day 10 routine Self Isolation 15 December Kenya United Arab Emirates Day 1 routine Auckland

Todays cases

Today, we are reporting new community cases in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Lakes and Taranaki.

Please note todays figures do not cover a full 24 hour period due to the change in reporting times to a midnight-to-midnight cycle from 9am-to-9am.

Regional updates

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms  no matter how mild  to get tested, even if youre vaccinated. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Auckland

Today, there are 25 new cases being reported in Auckland.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 2,042 people to isolate at home, including 555 cases.

Taranaki

There is one new case being reported in Taranaki today. They are linked to the Eltham cluster.

Testing is available today and tomorrow at:

Taranaki Base Hospital testing centre, 9am  3pm

Hawera Hospital testing centre, 10am  2pm

Media releases over the Christmas break

Over the Christmas break there will be regular COVID-19 updates published and tweeted each day apart from:
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Roughly 200 homes in Taos County still without power two days after severe windstorm
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Geta BHPian

Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Chennai Posts: 138 Thanked: 1,096 Times

Re: Kia Carens midsize MPV unveiled Quote: Geta Originally Posted by



Carens actually manages to look good. They seem to have taken the outer design "inspiration" entirely from BMW X3, just advanced the A pillars by a few inches to increase the cabin length to accommodate the third row. Neat job, I would say!



So the Korean sisters seem to have fixed their design targets: Hyundai will make the outer body getting "inspired" by Audi design language and Kia will make the outer body getting "inspired" from the BMW design language, and everything inside the cars will be shared stuff, including engine, gearboxes, batteries, HU, etc. Ethics apart, not a bad business strategy, I would say. This MPV is designed to look like a SUV from ground up. It has an SUV like stance, proportions, (relatively) high seating, a raised bonnet and looks neat from all angles. BRV was an ugly contraption, which was a poor attempt in converting a cheap, contraption of an MPV named Mobilio, into an 'SUV' by adding plastic claddings.Carens actually manages to look good. They seem to have taken the outer design "inspiration" entirely from BMW X3, just advanced the A pillars by a few inches to increase the cabin length to accommodate the third row. Neat job, I would say!So the Korean sisters seem to have fixed their design targets: Hyundai will make the outer body getting "inspired" by Audi design language and Kia will make the outer body getting "inspired" from the BMW design language, and everything inside the cars will be shared stuff, including engine, gearboxes, batteries, HU, etc. Ethics apart, not a bad business strategy, I would say.



Kia has deliberately left out the 'tiger nose' grill this time as the tiger nose on Carens will be a dead giveaway of its design inspirations and might have ended up receiving a legal notice from BMW!



@Mods: kindly merge this with my previous post. Thanks. Not to forget the trapezoidal Hyundai grill with horizontal slats is inspired from the Audi grill and the 'tiger nose" grill of Kia is nothing but a BMW 'kidney' grill connected by a bridge.Kia has deliberately left out the 'tiger nose' grill this time as the tiger nose on Carens will be a dead giveaway of its design inspirations and might have ended up receiving a legal notice from BMW!@Mods: kindly merge this with my previous post. Thanks. Attached Thumbnails















Last edited by Geta : 17th December 2021 at 10:34 .
sidindica Senior - BHPian

Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 4,862 Thanked: 7,245 Times

Fiat Palio S10-A pictorial guide with the extras kit cum tribute Fiat Palio S10



The S10 is long gone (been 17 years since it was last sold) and is now a faded memory in thr forgotten pieces of history books. Way back in the heudays, many ownership threads existed but none had the actual facts and figures of what and how it came from factory.



I had created a Palio thread some decades back but its now time to take everyone back again in time, this time with actual pics and facts.



Enjoy the chronological treat.



Unveiling at auto expo 2002, the single promo car.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl8j8doc0L8



Highlights of this ONE off promo car. Had ABS

Driver Airbag

5 spoke alloys

used by different media publications for reviews

100 16V logo above Sachin's Signature









A couple of more pics of the promo car at the auto expo. Pic 1 from Autocar India and Pic 2 from Overdrive article.

This is NOT the serial number 10 car owned by his family at one point of time.

The production car was launched in March 2002 at ex showroom price of Rs. 5,67,000, Delhi equating to Rs. 6,18,000 on road. production run of 500 units was planned

sachin Tendulkar got keys to serial number 10 car out of assembly line

Below are the pics from launch. The car in the pics is Serial number 10. Courtesy gettyimages.















This car had 7 spoke wheels, ABS and driver Airbag. Changed many owners in its due course of time and the car currently resides in Goa.



Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKP91Cd0-z0



Production: 499 cars were made, and compared to the promo car, following things were changed:

Different Alloy wheels

No ABS

No Airbag

Groove on fender to accomodate the "100 16V" logo below the signature.

The brochure, below (I have this with me even today)























Added/different features compared to GTX:



The car carried a 68k premium over the GTX and 17k premium over the GTX SP. Extras offered were as listed below: Canary yellow colour, only colour and exclusive

Sachin Signature motif sticker on right side of bonnet

LH and RH Flared fender with contoured wheel arch

Sachin Signature motif sticker on LH and RH fender

LH and RH extended side skirt made of fibre pasted on the running board (not drilled and installed like stone guard of GTX)

S10 embedded Gel sticker on LH and RH quarter panel

"100 16v" logos painted red embedded on groove on both fenders

Extended rear spoiler covering the whole rear glass pasted on the rear glass

Inside had gel sill plates with S10 logo with golden borders only on front doors

Radio with S10 printed cassette flap with silver outer panel cover (Nippon NA005)

Tweeters on both sides (imported from Brazil)

Front door speaker was 6.5" flat cone (imported from Brazil)

Rear speakers were Kenwood KFC 1358S with blue cone colour, 5.25".

Front left door inner panel and tailgate bottom inner portion had a aluminum serial number plaque, each.

Front seat backs had S10 embroidered logos.

Mechanically, gear 3 and 4 were short ratio for improved mid range.

End can was a bit raspier and had extended tip protuding out.

Headers were painted red.

The Kit:

In addition to the car, it had a bonus kit, see below:













A specially autographed cricket bat by Sachin, with "Fiat" logo packed in a yellow bag, packed in its own cardboard box.





Brass made keychain, with a bat and S10 logo.









Certificate of ownership, came in black cardboard box.













Autobiography book, penned by his brother Ajit Tendulkar, came in a wooden box.



Pics shared by Mr. Mike Rowland, owner of a S10 from Hyderabad. Its a first owner car still with him from 2002-present.





Yellow Umbrella, optional accessory not part of the car, which he got at the time of purchase.



Pics of the production S10:































This is a pristine, original paint S10 discovered in NCR about 2 months ago by my friend.















interior, original of my friend's S10 now sold in Mumbai long back. The S10 is long gone (been 17 years since it was last sold) and is now a faded memory in thr forgotten pieces of history books. Way back in the heudays, many ownership threads existed but none had the actual facts and figures of what and how it came from factory.I had created a Palio thread some decades back but its now time to take everyone back again in time, this time with actual pics and facts.Enjoy the chronological treat.Unveiling at auto expo 2002, the single promo car.Highlights of this ONE off promo car.A couple of more pics of the promo car at the auto expo.The production car was launched in March 2002 at ex showroom price of Rs. 5,67,000, Delhi equating to Rs. 6,18,000 on road.Below are the pics from launch. The car in the pics is Serial number 10. Courtesy gettyimages.This car had 7 spoke wheels, ABS and driver Airbag. Changed many owners in its due course of time and the car currently resides in Goa.Here it is:The brochure, below (I have this with me even today)The car carried a 68k premium over the GTX and 17k premium over the GTX SP. Extras offered were as listed below:In addition to the car, it had a bonus kit, see below:A specially autographed cricket bat by Sachin, with "Fiat" logo packed in a yellow bag, packed in its own cardboard box.Brass made keychain, with a bat and S10 logo.Certificate of ownership, came in black cardboard box.Autobiography book, penned by his brother Ajit Tendulkar, came in a wooden box.Pics shared by Mr. Mike Rowland, owner of a S10 from Hyderabad. Its a first owner car still with him from 2002-present.Yellow Umbrella, optional accessory not part of the car, which he got at the time of purchase.This is a pristine, original paint S10 discovered in NCR about 2 months ago by my friend.interior, original of my friend's S10 now sold in Mumbai long back. Last edited by sidindica : 16th December 2021 at 16:15 .
TL;DR: Intel recently shared a presentation with its employees saying that its increasing its compensation budget by over $2 billion. The new budget has added $1 billion of wages and $1.4 billion worth of stock compensation. Most of it will go to current employees, but some will be used to attract new hires.

Intel said in a statement that pay restructuring was "designed to enable Intel to win the fierce battle for talent in todays competitive market," according to The Oregonian, which saw the presentation. It will "reignite" their culture and "drive" the companys business strategy.

In Oregon, which houses some of Intels largest manufacturing facilities, the company pays about $4.6 billion annually to its 21,000 local employees. Globally, it has around 110,000 employees.

The new budget has added $1 billion of wages and $1.4 billion worth of stock compensation. Shared evenly it would come out to about $20,000 per employee.

It will, however, be directed disproportionately to employees with specialized knowledge and to high performers. Intel might be worried about its competitors poaching talent, which is something Intel is itself infamous for.

According to various company-review sites, historically Intel has had a habit of underpaying its technicians. Intels meager annual raise features prominently in negative reviews of the company. The atmosphere on Intels manufacturing line is also said to be tense; lately, in particular. To that end, Intel wants to relieve some of that tension with more paid time off and mental health support services.

Intel needs to make itself more appealing if it wants to attract enough workers to staff its many planned expansions, which include a $3 billion addition to its Oregon campus, a $7 billion fab in Malaysia, their third Irish fab, and a planned fab in Germany.
Huawei has been involved in several accusations in the past including its participation in Chinese espionage. Now, the Us officials made their move to warn the tech giant of the potential surveillance efforts of the phone maker.

Huawei's Surveillance Activities

The decade-long breach linked to Huawei has been on the long list of the US government when it comes to a security threat. Recently, Bloomberg spotted that there was already evidence that would put an end to this case.

Back in 2012, Australian officials told the US authorities that they have noticed a sign of potential invasion in their telecommunications systems. It all started with malicious code that was seen on Huawei's software update.

During that time, the national security officials have arranged several appointments about this secret Australian telecom hack. According to the agencies, Huawei has been the key tool by the Chinese spies to carry out their confidential activities.

The officials said that despite the "legitimate" look of the update, the malicious code acts like a digital wiretap which is used to record all of the communications going on an Australian telecom site.

Related Article: Huawei Faces Lawsuit After Allegedly Spying on Pakistan Citizens from Stolen Tech

The tricky part of this situation is the self-destruction ability of the code. After some days, it will reportedly remove itself from the system.

The intelligence agencies in Australia have assumed that China's spy groups have been infiltrating the systems despite the intervention of Huawei technicians. Regarding this position, six US officials confirmed that this attack is comparable to what happened in 2020.

Outside technological industries, Chinese spies are also notorious for invading the health sector. Tech Times wrote last year that there are two of them who were caught stealing US COVID-19 data.

Deleted Huawei Website Hints on Spy Presence

In another report from The Washington Post, a 100-page Powerpoint presentation could connect the dots to the ongoing Huawei surveillance tactic. The documents revealed that a Huawei website regarding security invasion can be explained in different ways.

Upon translating some Chinese-written slides to English, The Post discovered that a specific technology could help the authorities investigate the voice recordings. Most likely, this contains recorded "voiceprints" which could be used to determine those people involved in socio-political tensions.

Engadget included in its report that the other slide tackles the prison surveillance system which is currently rolling out in detention centers in the Xinjiang region, Shanxi province, and Inner Mongolia.

It goes to show that besides these discoveries, Huawei's surveillance technologies are also linked to the controversial facial recognition program. The authorities believed that it could be used to catch criminal suspects.

When The Post asked the smartphone maker regarding this matter, the representative denied Huawei's involvement in this fiasco. Instead, the person said that the firm said that its cloud platform always complies with the industry standard.

In 2020, Tech Times reported that the Huawei boss has warned the authorities about the "global shockwaves" that could happen after the arrest of his daughter. In the same year,

Read Also: China-Linked Espionage Group 'GrayFly' Has Connection to Sidewalk Malware, According to Cybsersecurity Researchers



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Written by Joseph Henry

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Meta's acquisition of the VR fitness app Supernatural is now the target of a new antitrust probe by the FTC.

The Verge reports that the probe is due to regulators wanting to look deeper into the company's sudden interest in buying up VR startups recently. It used to be that their only interest was to just acquire social media startups, which is a bit more related to their main business.

To date, the social media giant has acquired five VR startups before Supernatural VR fitness. Among the more high-profile purchases was that of Beat Games, the studio behind the massively popular virtual reality title "Beat Saber."

Meta (then known as Facebook) acquired the studio for an undisclosed amount, according to Variety. However, the deal (alongside four others before Supernatural) was allegedly not scrutinized due to the prices being too small.

The Supernatural VR fitness purchase, on the other hand, cost over $400 million, which is likely the reason why it's now being targeted by the FTC.

In a report by Reuters, the acquisition is allegedly Meta's way of "slowing down its competition" in an apparent preparatory move for the Metaverse. This makes a bit of sense, considering that the company has been investing in related technologies recently.

Among these technologies is a so-called "haptic glove" that will let users "feel" objects in cyberspace as they would in real life. Combine this haptic glove technology with virtual reality-say, in a fitness application-and it could be easy to see why the FTC is wary about the purchase.

The probe is also billed as part of current FTC Chairperson Lina Khan's attempt to ensure that Big Tech will not "illegally shut out" upcoming competitors in other platforms.

As of this writing, neither Meta or the FTC has issued official comments on the issue.

Read also: Facebook's Parent, Meta, Bans "Cyber-mercenaries" Spying on its Users

Meta And Antitrust Probes: A Long-Standing Battle

Considering that Meta is one of the world's largest tech conglomerates, battles against antitrust regulators are not exactly news to them.

A lot of people might recall how the company formerly known as Facebook managed to snap up almost every other potential competitor. There's Instagram (bought for $1 billion), WhatsApp (bought for a whopping $21.8 billion), and Oculus VR (acquired for $2 billion).

With all these acquisitions, lawmakers are expressing concern that Big Tech is allegedly abusing their "monopoly power." As such, they introduced plans to implement the Antitrust Law late last year, which aims to stem the growing power of tech giants including Meta, Apple, Google, and Amazon.

Mark Zuckerberg's empire, however, seems to have shifted from its usual strategy. With their constant push towards the metaverse, acquiring VR startups seems to be the most sensible move.

What's Next?

For now, it remains unclear whether the antitrust probe will actually yield something incriminating. But until then, the newfound push for the metaverse will involve more virtual reality startup acquisitions in the near future.

Related: Matrix's NEO Keanu Reeves Asks for a Metaverse Not 'Invented by Facebook'

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Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Facebook users have been spied on by some surveillance-for-hire companies. Meta confirmed that 50,000 consumers were affected by the malicious activity.

Also Read: Facebook's Parent, Meta, Bans "Cyber-mercenaries" Spying on its Users

The giant social media company explained the seriousness of the so-called surveillance-for-hire industry. In Meta's new blog post, the tech firm stated that these spy companies are collecting intelligence from users across the globe.

The collected details would then be manipulated so that they could gather more sensitive information from their victims. They could even use the stolen data to compromise the accounts and the devices of Facebook users.

"These companies are part of a sprawling industry that provides intrusive software tools and surveillance services indiscriminately to any customer," explained Meta via its official security report.

50,000 Facebook Users Spied On!

According to CNBC's latest report, Meta already banned the companies involved in spying activities. These include Cognyte, Black Cube, Blue Hawk CI, BellTroX, Cytrox, Cobwebs Technologies, as well as an unnamed Chinese firm.

Related Article: Meta Is Once Again Targeted By Antitrust Regulators Over Supernatural VR Purchase

Mark Zuckerberg's firm also explained that these seven surveillance-for-hire agencies carried out a combination of exploitation, engagement, and surveillance.

The tech CEO added that the 1,500 accounts linked to these companies were also removed from the giant social media platform. If you want to know more details, you can visit this link.

Enhancing Your Facebook Account's Privacy

Right now, Facebook's platform is still not completely secured. Because of its flaws, some hackers and other cybercriminals can breach its systems and attack many consumers.

On the other hand, the social media giant's tracking activities also pose security issues.

Because of this, it is important to know how you can further enhance your account's privacy.

If you want to keep your FB account more private, you can rely on these tips:

Consider making your friend list private.

Review your privacy settings regularly before posting sensitive content.

Always take advantage of your privacy settings and tools.

In other news, Meta's Ray-Ban Stories glasses could soon allow consumers to send and receive messages. On the other hand, Meta Executive says users allow fake news to spread on the platform.

For more news updates about Facebook and other giant social media platforms, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Theo Wargo/Getty Images for TIME)) NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 13: Elon Musk attends TIME Person of the Year on December 13, 2021 in New York City.

Elon Musk is going against the Massachusetts Senator, Elizabeth Warren, as the politician spreads Anti-Musk information via a sponsored Facebook Post. The statement against the CEO is about his taxes which he allegedly does not pay correctly, to which Musk declines and calls it a "messed up lie" to confuse the American people.

Elon Musk vs. Senator Elizabeth Warren: Facebook Post Ads that Spread Anti-Musk Info

A Twitter user and online journalist posted a screenshot regarding a post made by Senator Elizabeth Warren on Facebook, which spreads Anti-Musk information that talks about his dues as a taxpaying billionaire.

Here, the post talks about how Musk is a freeloader off the working class in the country. It also provides information about the $200 billion revenue that the CEO made during this pandemic.

The Facebook post is also a sponsored ad that would help spread the information to massive audiences.

Sen. Warren insists on a "wealth tax" to correctly bill these "freeloader" billionaires, asking $10 to chip in and help pass the Democrat law.

Read Also: Elon Musk: Tesla Gigafactory Texas Expansion Worth Over $10B | Thousands of Jobs Coming

Does Elon Musk Not Pay the Correct Taxes?

This is such a deeply messed up lie to the American people. She is the one freeloading off taxpayers, while Im paying the largest amount of tax of any individual in history.



Is @SenWarren really someone we want as a US senator?  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2021



The post made by Sen. Warren caught the attention of Elon Musk online, to which the CEO responded and shared his sentiments against the Senator. Here, Musk said that the information is a "messed up lie" to the American people, throwing the blame against the Senator for being the freeloader off the public.

Musk also questions her capabilities to be a person in power and have a seat in the Senate.

Elon Musk and His Run-ins with Politicians

Earlier this week, the Tech CEO responded to insinuations against his person as the Massachusetts senator shared her sentiments against Musk via the online platform of Twitter. Here, the CEO defended his honor from the statement of Senator Warren regarding him allegedly being a freeloader of the country by not paying the correct taxes and evading the law.

The 2021 TIME Person of the Year title holder had run-ins with several politicians in his career, which has made him a massive name in taxes and billionaires. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vancouver has initially gone against him regarding his taxes, to which the CEO rebutted by saying that he does his taxes correctly and pays his dues.

The top billionaire status of Elon Musk made him a notorious name for allegedly not paying the proper taxes he owes but consistently affirms that he already pays the most significant due compared to other billionaires. Senator Warren's post aims to spread information regarding her opinion of Elon Musk, contributing to shaping up the public belief against him.

Related Article: Did Elon Musk Answer the Climate Crisis with Tesla Clean Energy? Senator Bernie Sanders Asks

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Image processing: Kevin M. Gill CC BY) This JunoCam image shows two of Jupiter's large rotating storms, captured on Junos 38th perijove pass, on Nov. 29, 2021.



NASA's Juno spacecraft captures an audio recording of Ganymede, and the space agency shared it for the rest of the world to know. The clip captures what sounds Ganymede makes on its everyday rotations around the Sun, serving as the natural satellite to the enormous gas planet of the Solar System. It shows a remarkable comparison of the Earth and Jupiter.

NASA Juno Spacecraft captures Ganymede Sound; what is it?

NASA's Juno Spacecraft captured the sound of Ganymede that focuses on its flyby mission, bringing knowledge to the largest moon of Jupiter and the Solar System. The audio track was taken from the recent flyby mission of NASA Juno in Jupiter's vicinity, creating a sound astounding to the researchers of the planet and its team.

The sound made by Ganymede is not something that humans would understand if listening to plainly, but scientists gathered a lot of information that says a lot about the moon and the planet of Jupiter. Other data include Jupiter's close flyby missions that say a lot about the planet and the moon, describing its magnetic fields.

Read Also: NASA Perseverance Rover Discovers Mars' Organic Chemicals Essential for Life! But, Still Needs Observation

NASA: Jupiter and Earth's Oceans, Atmospheres Have Similarities

According to NASA, Jupiter and Earth's oceans and atmospheres have similarities to each other, as discovered by the Juno spacecraft in its flyby missions. The different relationships of the planets in the Solar System bring a lot of information to its origins, especially as it is still a piece of debated information regarding the start of this universe.

NASA's Discoveries in its Past Missions

NASA made great discoveries this year and on its past missions. It helped bring more knowledge to the great beyond and contribute to more information that people can use to further their learnings on space. This year, one massive milestone for NASA was with the Parker spacecraft, which made history for being the first to touch the Sun's surface.

The space agency also provides tools to help discover new space objects, including floating asteroids near the planet, with NASA's "Eyes on Asteroid" tool. The Hubble space telescope also contributed by finding a new galaxy that adds to the many discoveries for deep space and extraterrestrial information.

Ganymede is a massive player in the space industry today. It remains the largest moon in the Solar System, having a significant relationship with Jupiter as its many moons. NASA's Juno remains the top spacecraft to probe and investigate Jupiter, bringing complete information to humans regarding the giant planet in this system.

Related Article: NASA's Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Reaches New Milestone-30 Minutes Afloat on Red Planet



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(Photo : GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images)

The airplane carrying US Vice President Mike Pence arrives at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 27, 2020. - Pence and US President Donald travelled to Florida to see the historic first manned launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft, the first to launch from Cape Canaveral since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011.

(Photo : NASA Official Webpage) (Photo : Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) A participant sits with a laptop computer as he attends the annual Chaos Communication Congress of the Chaos Computer Club at the Berlin Congress Center on December 28, 2010 in Berlin, Germany. The Chaos Computer Club is Europe's biggest network of computer hackers and its annual congress draws up to 3,000 participants.

NASA has confirmed that despite the global problems concerning the Log4j vulnerability, the Mars Ingenuity helicopter is safe from hackers millions of miles away.

The agency had to make this statement after rumors surfaced that Ingenuity could carry the now infamous Log4j exploit, which NASA denies having ever used on the helicopter in the first place. According to Gizmodo, Apache (the makers of Log4j) allegedly tweeted earlier in the year that the Martian chopper is using their tool.

This claim, however, was eventually refuted when Apache themselves made the correction. As per an article on Futurism, they say they were "misinformed" about the facts.

Rumors that the Ingenuity helicopter was using Log4j apparently surfaced during its 17th flight, which proved to both be problematic and successful.

While the chopper did stay aloft in the paper-thin Martian atmosphere for over 30 minutes (a new record for the spacecraft), it also "temporarily disappeared" from the agency's monitors due to an apparent network issue.

According to an official NASA press release, Ingenuity experienced an unexpected data cut-off during flight as it slowly finished up its mission. Then when rumors that the chopper was using Log4j surfaced, some people were worried that hackers on Earth might have already taken control.

The agency was quick to quell these rumors, saying that they "take cybersecurity very seriously." They didn't share how seriously they actually take the new cyber threat, but did state that their refusal to discuss specifics is part of NASA's steps to ensure they are safe from said threat-or any others.

Log4j has been hogging the headlines recently, shortly after its first discovery in "Minecraft" servers. Various security agencies have revealed that over 840,000 attacks have occurred within three days of the vulnerability's discovery.

Read Also: Log4j Security Patch Meant to Fix it Also Carries a Critical Vulnerability

What In The World Is Log4j?

For the uninitiated, the world is in the throes of a new pandemic-a digital one, perpetrated by hackers using an exploit in a program called Log4j. Experts say it is bad enough to impact all of the internet for years to come, and there are several reasons why.

In an article by CNN, the Department of Homeland Security considers the exploit as one of the most serious flaws they've ever seen. Jen Easterly, who serves as the head of the department's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), also says that a "growing set" of cybercriminals is actively exploiting the vulnerability at this moment.

A massive number of services and internet infrastructure are at the mercy of the exploit, including Apple's cloud computing service and "Minecraft" servers. The problem is allegedly also bad enough that it could take months-or even years-to fully solve, according to cybersecurity experts.

NASA's Ingenuity Chopper Is A-Ok

As of this writing, Ingenuity seems to be perfectly fine. Recently, the chopper just completed its 18th flight on the Red Planet. According to Space.com, it just added 124 seconds to its overall flight time on the planet, while also covering 754 feet of ground during its latest flight.

Related Article: China to Create Mars Helicopter Like NASA's Ingenuity; First Crewed Mission Set in 2033

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(Photo : Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels) (Photo : Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Barbara Dale, a school nurse, prepares an immunization needle for a child August 8, 2007 in Hialeah, Florida. The free immunization is part of the Miami-Dade County Health Department's program to help children heading back to school.

The COVID-19 Vaccines available to the public now are at least eighty percent (80%) effective to protect against the Omicron variant, now known to the public as the notorious new strain of the virus. Experts are speculating whether the booster shots would help protect against the Omicron, especially now that it is available to the public directly.

COVID-19 Vaccines Effectivity Rate on the Omicron Variant

The Imperial College of London shared a study of the COVID-19 vaccine boosters and their protection against the COVID-19 Omicron Variant, known to plague the world. The study entitled "Report 48 - The value of vaccine booster doses to mitigate the global impact of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant" helps give researchers knowledge regarding the booster's contribution.

COVID-19 vaccines are initially known to have less effective in protecting against the variant, and it is now a must to get the booster shot, provided that these are compatible ones. Nevertheless, various companies are developing a booster for their brand, bringing better protection to the Omicron, known to claim lives once infected.

Read Also: COVID-19 Mask Glows When Exposed to Extracted Antibodies From Ostrich Eggs: Cost-Efficient Viral Test?

Boosters to Help Against the Omicron Variant?

According to the BBC, the study looked into the severe cases of the Omicron variant and its possible effects on a person who develops it. People susceptible to viruses and have weakened immune systems (immunocompromised people) should look into the booster vaccine.

It is best to consult a physician to avoid any repercussions.

COVID-19 and its Protection

COVID-19 has protection from its vaccine, and different pharmaceutical companies joined into the many developments of the shots to immunize people against the virus. Other types of the vaccine include now a needle-free shot that people would take, and its makers regard it as something that brings much protection against the virus.

The Omicron variant is a notorious strain of COVID now, but there are still worse versions of the vaccine that is known to evade PCR tests despite its thorough process. Nevertheless, efforts against the coronavirus are still ongoing, as the world's health organizations and experts work together and aim to stem the virus, once and for all.

Vaccines are essential, and there is no point in denying that. It is a need for the public to have immunity against the virus and protect against its many destructive capabilities that may ultimately lead to the loss of life. The shots now may not be as effective as previous variants, but it still brings the necessary protection to prevent death as known now.

Related Article: CDC's First Batch of COVID-19 Tests are Flawed? Internal Investigation Reveals Possible Contamination

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Thad Roberts via Twitter)

Moonrock thief is a thing now and this term is used to describe a person that has stolen precious artifacts from NASA that are known to be priceless as the last mission to the moon happened decades ago.

Thad Roberts is the famous moon rock thief notoriously known to the public, and his story includes his dream of coming to space but never actually achieving it.

Thad Roberts, the Moon Rock Thief

Thad Roberts is a promising young man back in 2002 before he went to jail for a crime of passion and love. Specifically, he committed an offense out of love and desire to become an astronaut, reports CBS News.

In 2001, Roberts was accepted as an intern in NASA's Co-op program during his junior year at the University of Utah. The junior student is a remarkable and theoretical physicist who had his whole life ahead of him.

However, his obsession with becoming an astronaut took over him and his participation in the program in NASA led to his downfall. Roberts hatched a plan involving a vault filled with Moon rocks. Roberts had an accomplice, a fellow intern in NASA named Tiffany Fowler, who helped him break into the quarters of Everett Gibson, a NASA scientist.

Read Also: NASA Is Collaborating With National Geographic To Document The Artemis Mission

Yes, Stealing NASA Artifacts is a Crime

The now TEDxBoulder speaker initially stole 101 grams of space rocks, including samples from all the Apollo missions, as well as a Martian meteorite, among other artifacts. Roberts and Fowler planned to sell the rocks for money and they even came in contact with a Belgian mineral collector named Axel Emmerman.

However, it was a trap for both Roberts and Fowler, especially as Emmerman contacted the FBI beforehand.

On July 20, 2002, Roberts and Fowler faced the feds instead of Emmerman, leading to their arrest.

Roberts said that this crime is because of his deep love and interest in becoming an astronaut and being able to go to the lunar surface, which he never attained.

NASA's Focus on the Moon: Artemis

NASA is known to focus itself on going back to the moon, but this time, the goals is for a woman to step foot in the natural satellite known to man. The Artemis Moon Mission is an upcoming event where NASA will pool up its resources to make sure that humans can return to the moon and bring the first woman to its surface.

Previous missions from 1969 to 1972 only involved men.

NASA is already looking into the designs of a lunar terrain vehicle (LTV), a device that would bring astronauts to different parts of the moon with ease and assistance.

The Artemis and Apollo are two massive names in the space industry, primarily as NASA focused its efforts and resources there. Thad Roberts' story maybe a sob one, especially as it ended up into something that turned his dream into a different experience.

However, it may be bittersweet for the thief as he got a chance to have a first-hand experience of touching a piece of his aspirations.

Related Article: NASA Looks to Spend $93 BILLION on the Artemis Mission Through 2025

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 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Only a week left for Christmas, and it seems like Santa is nowhere to be found. However, the good news is that the Santa sled EV is purchasable on Alibaba for $1,300, and yes, it works!

Santa Sled EV Costs $1,300 on Alibaba

The electric sleigh comes with a seat good enough for a couple to roam around town with its festive rotomoulded reindeer Rudolph. Despite quite the skepticism regarding the sleigh according to the story by Engadget, a video released proved otherwise.

The publication noted that one sign that the sleigh could be fake was how the gas pedal looked. With that, a video uploaded by the vendor shows a fully working Santa sled EV that runs on ice!

Santa Sled EV Inclusions

The batteries are reportedly stored in a "warm box," and as for the reindeer, the fur is said to be imported from South Korea. Aside from the sled, there are also options for wheels when the sled is traveling on land.

The EV Santa sled comes with an LED headlight and an electric motor. To add to the Christmas spirit, there are also choices for different music options with buttons pressing forward and back.

Product Description Alibaba

As for the product description on Alibaba, the product originates from Shanghai, China, and is made of project plastic or HDPE. To add, should you choose to purchase the Santa sleigh EV, the package comes with an exported wooden case.

According to the description, this weird sled can be used for "snow and ice sports," but as per the video, the sled can still be a bit questionable when it comes to functioning in the snow itself. Also, the sled comes with one wheel at its back and two wheels on the front.

Buying in Bulk from Alibaba

As seen in the pictures, it seems like Rudolph the reindeer isn't the only animal available on the sled. Both a horse and polar bear are included in the available options, with the seat coming in multiple color choices.

Alibaba is a place where buyers come to purchase products and resellers as well. With that, the online shopping platform usually comes with quantity and customization choices for resellers that order in bulk and sell under their own brand.

Read Also: Waze's EV Charging Station Map Rolls Out-Here's What to Expect

How to Save on Alibaba

As for customization, the product description page shows that a minimum of five orders will allow the buyer to customize their logos, packaging, and graphic customization. To add, the sellers behind the Santa sled EV also sell other products both in quantity and individually.

However, the way Alibaba works is that the larger the quantity a buyer orders, the cheaper the product becomes. The lesser the quantity, however, the more expensive the product becomes. The discounts are given to those purchasing in bulk as opposed to purchasing individually.

Related Article: Elon Musk: Tesla Gigafactory Texas Expansion Worth Over $10B | 20K Jobs Coming

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Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A private insurer has agreed to take on roughly 30,000 policies from two homeowners insurance carriers taken over by the Louisiana Department of Insurance in November after going belly-up in Hurricane Ida's aftermath.

The agreement spares most customers who received coverage with the two insolvent carriers  Access Home Insurance Co. and State National Fire Insurance Co.  from having to search for a new carrier.

The name of the new insurer won't be disclosed until the 19th Judicial District Court approves the transaction, according to a Wednesday press release from the department.

The assumption of the policies is great news, Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon wrote in a prepared statement. Most policyholders will not need to worry about finding new coverage. Their policies will automatically transfer to the new insurer on the same rates and terms as Access Home and State National Fire offered.

Louisiana's top insurance regulator seeks court-ordered take-over of failing insurers after Ida losses Two regional insurance companies are facing insolvency due to Hurricane Ida losses, prompting Louisianas insurance commissioner to seek a gov

Seven insurers expressed interest in taking on the orphan policies, and three submitted formal bids to the receiver, in what the press release described as "a sign of resiliency in the Louisiana insurance market."

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Beginning on Dec. 1, as policies come up for renewal each month, they will be re-written using the new insurer's rates and policy forms. Customers who had been with the two insolvent carriers for more than three years will retain their protection under Louisiana's unique three-year consumer protection statute.

The new insurer will have the option not to renew policyholders who had been with the two carriers for less than three years in keeping with the limits of Louisianas three-year law. Those customers may need to find new coverage.

The Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association is responsible for claims from Hurricane Ida and any other events prior to Dec. 1. The new company will cover any insurance claims made on or after Dec. 1.

Any Access Home or State National Fire customer with questions about an insurance claim with a date of loss before Dec. 1 should contact LIGA at 225-277-7151 or go to https://www.laiga.org/. LIGA can pay claims of up to $500,000 per policyholder.

+6 Louisianans face endless insurance adjusters in Ida's aftermath: 'I feel like I have PTSD' Peggy Honore paid her insurance premiums on-time, every month for more than a decade, but in the months after Hurricane Ida tore the roof off 
Baton Rouge's jail population has reached its lowest point this decade as officials across the local criminal justice system work to minimize the impacts of the spreading coronavirus.

Jails and prisons  where close quarters and unsanitary conditions are often unavoidable  could become breeding grounds for COVID-19. Prisoner rights advocates have been calling on criminal justice leaders to reduce the number of people incarcerated since the virus first surfaced in the United States.

Baton Rouge officials are doing just that, as illustrated by jail records showing the inmate count is the lowest it's been in at least the past decade.

Local law enforcement agencies are making fewer arrests, focusing on serious and violent charges. Prosecutors and public defenders are working with judges to release some inmates who can't afford bond  efforts that resulted in more than 100 people being released last week alone.

East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said recently that it's "just a matter of time" before coronavirus ends up inside the parish jail, which typically operates at or near its capacity of about 1,600 inmates. But the inmate population had fallen to 1,256 as of Friday, according to data from the sheriff's office. That's down from 2,256 in March 2013, a 44 percent drop.

The sheriff's office provided numbers showing the jail count on March 20 each year for the past decade. It hovered above 2,000 from 2013 through 2016 and has been slowly falling since then, in part because of other unrelated efforts to focus limited law enforcement resources on violent crimes and move all defendants through the system more efficiently.

The numbers do not include defendants who have been convicted and sentenced, or state Department of Corrections inmates being housed there. The data don't allow a comprehensive analysis of the inmate population but do provide a useful snapshot and illustrates the significant impacts of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, which has prompted criminal justice leaders across the nation to rethink some standard practices that determine who's locked up and for what reasons.

+4 East Baton Rouge Sheriff: It's only a matter of time before coronavirus arrives in jail East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said Tuesday it's likely just a matter of time before the novel coronavirus arrives in the paris

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Gautreaux announced last week that local law enforcement agencies would stop booking people for all misdemeanor crimes except those considered violent, involving domestic abuse or drunk driving. Since his announcement, jail booking records reveal a striking drop in arrests across the parish, which in recent days have been mostly limited to serious crimes of violence such as murder and domestic abuse.

Meanwhile the parish district attorney and public defender are meeting each morning to discuss which defendants can be released pretrial and how to resolve certain cases as quickly as possible.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III said the meetings are a direct effort to reduce the jail population without jeopardizing public safety. He said that's a "balancing act" that poses difficult questions for the courts, where proceedings have been largely halted during the coronavirus pandemic.

"In this public health crisis  where all the experts and officials have called for social distancing and warned against close contact  what do you do with people whose cases are on hold but who nonetheless are left in jail?" he said. "We recognized early in this emergency that the answers would only come from collaboration among all of the criminal justice stakeholders."

Advocates argue the current trends are long overdue, that the ongoing pandemic has highlighted both flaws and solutions within the American criminal justice system  and especially in Louisiana, which keeps more people locked up per capita than anywhere else in the world.

"We've seen what can be accomplished when all the players across the criminal justice system work together  it's more efficient, more humane and less expensive," said Lacie Dauzat, an East Baton Rouge public defender who focuses on pretrial release. "That new level of communication and coordination is one positive amongst the chaos of this pandemic."

Visits suspended at Louisiana prisons as advocates warn of coronavirus spreading behind bars Close quarters, preexisting health conditions and limited access to soap and hand sanitizer make Louisiana's prisons and jails potential breed

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that inmate population numbers provided by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office do not include defendants who have been convicted and sentenced, or state Department of Corrections inmates being housed in the parish jail.
After about a third of East Baton Rouge Parish public defenders quit during a leadership change this summer, the office has replaced many of them, the new leader says  but few of the new hires have trial experience, even as the parish faces an unprecedented murder rate.

Lisa Parker, East Baton Rouge's chief public defender, took over this July. Her predecessor, Mike Mitchell, headed the office for 27 years before departing to work for the Louisiana Public Defender Board.

One in three attorneys in the office quit between July and November, further burdening a team already struggling with caseloads well above the national average.

A third of Baton Rouge public defenders have quit since July; some fear office is overwhelmed Since July, about a third of the attorneys in the East Baton Rouge Office of the Public Defender have quit, documents show, leaving some conce

In comments made to the Louisiana Public Defender Board Optimal Funding Group on Friday afternoon, Parker said she has filled those vacant positions. But she said the new hires lack courtroom experience.

"Right now the staff is very  I don't want to say new  but I'll say inexperienced," she said. "I would say I have eight attorneys in the office that have trial experience, and that would include myself."

Parker and her chief of trials are working to train the new recruits "to be prepared to handle the caseloads that we have," she added. And as the parish murder rate skyrockets, more cases that require seasoned attorneys will be assigned to the office.

The parish has recorded 143 homicides with two weeks still left in 2021, according to records maintained by The Advocate. That number dwarfs the previous record high of 114 in 2020.

The newspaper tracks intentional and unjustified killings per FBI crime reporting rules, crimes that police classify under the legal definitions of murder and manslaughter. The data is preliminary and could change if some cases are later ruled accidental or justified and vice versa.

State Public Defender Remy Voisin Starns praised Parker before she spoke, saying that "she has taken on a tremendous burden, a tremendous challenge" in overseeing the office.

"Ive seen the efforts shes put forward in the 19th," he said. "Were still getting our feet under us about what were doing over there, but I think shes doing a very good job."

Meet East Baton Rouge's first new chief public defender in 27 years: Here are her priorities East Baton Rouge has a new chief public defender for the first time in almost three decades, bringing new leadership to an office that serves 

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Bob Noel, director of training for the LPDB, pointed out in the meeting that East Baton Rouge leads the state in the number of cases where defendants face a possible life without parole sentence, with 154 cases open "as we speak today."

Parker said there is a "more experienced attorney" assigned to these cases who is not in court daily.

In addition to the overwhelming number of serious felonies and new staff to work those cases, Parker said the office is also struggling with retention, like many across the state.

Other jurisdictions are smaller, she said, and require attorneys to be in court only a handful of days a month "and make more money than what they're making in a district where they're required to be in court every day."

"They'll take the opportunity to drive across the Atchafalaya," she said.

Convincing attorneys to stay will become more difficult in January, when the judges in the 19th Judicial District Court will start doing call-out on Saturday. That means attorneys will be required in court six days a week.

"We're trying to figure out exactly how we're going to staff Saturdays now with the short staff that we have," Parker said.

Most of these problems can be attributed to a lack of reliable funding for public defense across the state, Parker argued. Others at the meeting expressed similar concerns, pushing for legislators to develop a dedicated revenue stream rather than relying on the unstable intake of fines and fees.

Traffic tickets and fines fund Louisiana's courts. Lawmakers want taxpayers to pay instead. A task force searching for ways to fund courts with tax money instead of fines and fees wants to draft some hard recommendations by the end of

In East Baton Rouge Parish, the mayor's office has offered to fund part of the local public defender's office out of the city's budget in recent years  money not available in other jurisdictions. Parker said she is grateful, and that it helps.

But amid a lingering pandemic that previously shut down courthouses for weeks, and following Hurricane Ida's recent onslaught, she added that the office could use more.
Louisiana's top court says it is troubled that Baton Rouge attorney Chris Alexander has been suspended on an interim basis for nearly two years, and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel has yet to file formal charges against him.

Alexander recently asked the state Supreme Court to dissolve the interim suspension that he consented to, but the high court denied his request.

+2 Attorney for alleged Baton Rouge serial killer Kenneth Gleason suspended by state high court The attorney for alleged Baton Rouge serial killer Kenneth Gleason has been suspended from practicing law by the state Supreme Court, putting 

Instead, the justices told the ODC  an arm of the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board  to pick up its feet and file formal charges so that a hearing committee can consider the merits of the case.

"It is troubling that approximately 22 months have passed and ODC has yet to file formal charges against respondent. This is particularly notable given that respondent self-reported the alleged violations and agreed that interim suspension was warranted shortly after the alleged violations," the Supreme Court wrote Nov. 23.

The high court said the efficient administration of the lawyer disciplinary system "requires timely adjudication of the merits -- especially where there is an order of interim suspension."

"Nevertheless, in view of the seriousness of the allegations, interim suspension should not at this time be dissolved, provided the ODC proceeds to file the formal charges and set the case for merits determination before a Hearing Committee," the court stated; the "at this time" was in boldface.

Alexander declined comment Thursday on the advice of his attorney.

He was arrested in Livingston Parish in December 2019 and accused of fraudulently filing court documents to get a client out of jail. He was booked on counts of forgery and injuring public records.

+2 Baton Rouge attorney Chris Alexander booked in Livingston Parish to face fraud charges Baton Rouge attorney Chris Alexander surrendered to Livingston Parish authorities Friday, acknowledging in an interview that he fraudulently f

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Scott Perrilloux, the district attorney for Livingston, St. Helena and Tangipahoa parishes, said Wednesday that Alexander successfully completed a pretrial diversion program and the criminal charges have been dismissed.

"He's done with that over here," Perrilloux said.

The Supreme Court suspended Alexander from practicing law on an interim basis in January 2020 "pending further orders of this court." The request for interim suspension came from Alexander and the ODC.

Alexander has said he was overzealous and exercised bad judgment in an effort to help out a client and the clients family.

"It doesn't excuse anything, and I'm accepting full responsibility, but my actions were sincere, he said previously. This is humbling."

Prosecutors have said Alexander filed a document in November 2019 that bore client James Henley's signature  but Henley was in custody in Caddo Parish on a fourth-offense DWI charge. Henley hadnt been released on bond because he had an outstanding Livingston Parish warrant for failing to appear in court on a previous, third-offense DWI offense in May 2019.

In order to get Henley out of jail, Alexander sent a document to Caddo Parish authorities saying Henley's Livingston warrant had been recalled by a judge, leading them to release Henley on bond, prosecutors said. But a judge had not seen or approved the file, Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office records show.

Alexander previously said Henley's family told him Henley's mother was very ill and could possibly die, so he filed the documents. Alexander said he didnt fraudulently sign any documents himself but said he facilitated the act.

Livingston sheriffs documents say Alexander went to the judges' chambers and the District Attorney's Office in the Livingston Courthouse on Nov. 5, 2019, trying to get the warrant for Henley recalled. Alexander was told Henley would need to be with him to sign the recall document himself, especially because the charge is a felony.

Alexander had an acquaintance pretend to be Henley to sign the document, which he then sent to Caddo authorities to get the real Henley out on bond, the documents state.
East Baton Rouge has a new chief public defender for the first time in almost three decades, bringing new leadership to an office that serves one of the largest judicial districts in the state.

Lisa M. Parker was appointed by the Louisiana Public Defender Board in a 6-3 vote last month. Michael Mitchell, who served in the lead position for 27 years, stepped down earlier this year to join the board as a trial-level compliance officer.

Parker graduated from Southern University Law Center in 2006 and worked as the supervising attorney of the St. John the Baptist Public Defender's Office for six years before her promotion to deputy district defender in December, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Remy Starns elected as new state public defender following predecessor's abrupt exit As public defenders statewide grapple with fluctuating budgets, overwhelming caseloads and pending litigation, the Louisiana State Public Defe

Parker wants to work with her counterparts across the state to convince the state legislature to create a more reliable funding source.

Public defenders largely rely on court-generated fines and fees, such as conviction costs and traffic ticket payments, to pay for their work. Parker and other public defenders say revenue is inconsistent, often putting their offices in budget crunches.

They say that problem was particularly obvious when the COVID pandemic closed courts.

We have to get the legislators to understand that the way they currently have the public defense system set up for our major funding is not reliable," she said. "And all of the different districts, each public defender is dealing with their own budget crisis."

Parker hopes to bring the office to the community by encouraging people to take an active role in their civic duty and to understand the processes that make up the criminal justice system  particularly in schools.

I think the problem with the entire criminal justice system is we look more toward incarcerating instead of correcting," Parker said in a recent community forum. "If we looked more toward mental health, job training, more collaboration and activities for youth, then we would have less incarceration.

Parker said she has wanted to pursue a career in criminal defense since law school. She was unsure when the district defender of St. John the Baptist was planning to retire, so when she saw the opening in East Baton Rouge for the chief defender job, she decided to apply.

Her experience spans more than two decades and covers a variety of positions in the criminal justice system. Prior to law school, she was an adult probation and parole officer for eight years. After she graduated, she spent time as a law clerk for an Orleans Parish judge.

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She then worked with the Orleans Public Defenders Office for several years before she was recruited by the district attorneys office, soon returning to public defense in the considerably smaller St. John the Baptist Parish.

Ive seen the system from every direction, she said.

+2 Future of public defense threatened with fiscal collapse as coronavirus closes courts across state The Louisiana Public Defender Board has long claimed their offices are dangerously underfunded, but now the financial blow dealt by the corona

Mitchell, who spent a total of 36 years at the East Baton Rouge Public Defender's Office, said in an interview with The Advocate that his successor should take her time and develop her own style of management.

"Work with all of the stakeholders in the justice system, as well as realize that she has inherited a good staff, a good team, get to know them and let them work with her," he said. "I am available to assist in any way that she needs."

I'm going to try and do the best job that I can to represent the people. And I just want them to know that I'm going to be there," Parker said. "I need to be the voice in the courtroom for those that don't have a voice of their own."

District defenders are appointed by the state public defender board after a local committee selects qualified candidates to be interviewed by the State Public Defender. The State Public Defender, Remy Voisin Starns, spoke to the applicants before the board reviewed them in a closed-door executive session via Zoom call.

Lindsay Blouin, deputy district defender for East Baton Rouge Parish, was also nominated, but was rejected by a 4-5 vote. A public tally was not taken for the two other candidates, Stephen Sterling and Margaret Lagattuta, also public defenders in EBR.

Because the discussion happened behind closed doors, it's not clear who supported whom or why. After Parker received the majority, board member Donald North, a law professor at Southern University, shouted, "Yes!" and began clapping. He was gently chided by a fellow board member, and no further comments were made about the candidates.

Flozell Daniels Jr., the juvenile justice advocate on the board, moved to consider Blouin for the position and voted in her favor. But he also voted for Parker when she was considered in the next motion.

I've spoken with a handful of folks who feel like [Lisa Parker] is highly ethical, very capable, has the capacity to grow into that larger office and has the right philosophy on vigorous public defense, he said, adding that he still considers Blouin one of the top public defenders in the state.
After decades working inside the local criminal justice system, East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III points to several significant recent trends: more cases involving guns, more domestic violence arrests and technological improvements that have increased the volume of evidence, including cell phone data, bodycam videos and DNA.

Partly in response to those trends, Moore has arranged for an outside consulting agency to evaluate the existing structure of his office, focusing on staffing levels and workloads across the agency, and recommend potential changes.

"How can we better handle gun and domestic violence cases since they have just risen to the top so much lately," he said.

+2 Baton Rouge mechanic killed at home in daylight as homicide rate soars: 'It's just a mess' A longtime Baton Rouge car mechanic  a fixture in the Brookstown area often spotted peering beneath the hoods of various vehicles parked outs

Moore was elected last year to his third six-year term. He anticipates the study will be completed next summer.

The current structure includes four prosecutors assigned to each of eight criminal court sections in the 19th Judicial District, as well as one who specializes in sex crimes, another specializing in domestic violence, five in juvenile court and a chief of litigation.

Moore said that structure essentially requires each assistant district attorney to become a "jack of all trades." He said potential changes could include enlarging the specialized divisions and adding a gun crimes unit as the Baton Rouge murder rate soars.

So far this year, the parish has recorded at least 143 murders  well above the record-breaking 2020 total with two weeks still left in 2021, according to records maintained by The Advocate. Within that total, the vast majority involve guns and more than 20% are considered domestic or intimate partner violence.

It's not just homicides; East Baton Rouge prosecutors handle about 3,000 cases involving dating violence or domestic violence each year, Moore said, also about 20% of their total annual caseload. He said those numbers have increased in recent years.

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Before the pandemic arrived and during its early months, officials across the local criminal justice system focused on reducing the Baton Rouge jail population to minimize the spread of COVID. Prosecutors, for their part, implemented a faster arraignment process, shortening the time people were spending behind bars waiting for formal criminal charges to be filed. That means fewer defendants wasting weeks or months languishing in jail on relatively minor arrest counts that never result in actual charges.

+2 Baton Rouge jail population hits 10-year low amid efforts to combat coronavirus spread Baton Rouge's jail population has reached its lowest point this decade as officials across the local criminal justice system work to minimize 

With a historically low jail population, Moore said, he wanted to focus next on improving efficiency within his office. So he commissioned the study, which is being conducted by the Prosecutors' Center for Excellence, a New York-based consulting firm.

"The study will be a holistic review that will analyze data, records and policies, conduct interviews and perform observations," the contract states. Once all that is completed, the consultants will give the office a written report with recommendations.

The project is similar to an efficiency study of the Baton Rouge Police Department conducted in 2019, which has resulted in some organization changes within the agency that leaders say streamlined operations and better used technology.

The total number of arrests in East Baton Rouge has decreased significantly over the past several years, resulting in fewer cases being referred to prosecutors: from about 16,000 in 2016 to 11,500 in 2020, according to data from prosecutors. While the pandemic likely contributed to the decrease last year, Moore said the trend is noticeable.

However, the cases his office does receive are in some ways more complicated and time-consuming than ever before.

"If you talk to some of our prosecutors now, the complexity of our cases these days, the amount of litigation involved  we have better defense attorneys, technology has evolved, jurors are demanding more evidence," said Jermaine Guillory, chief executive officer under Moore. Those are all positive developments because casefiles are getting more thorough, he said, but that also means more work for prosecutors.
A seemingly routine update of Louisiana's social studies standards has been delayed for two months amid criticism from former House Education Committee Chairman Ray Garofalo and others that the proposed benchmarks would paint an overly negative picture of America on race and other issues.

The delay follows a sometimes boisterous, five-hour Saturday hearing last month that included charges the standards would advance a bleak view of the nation's past.

"There is no reason to make students feel guilty," Garofalo said. "That is exactly what we are hearing today."

"We should teach the good things about this country," he added amid heavy applause.

Others said the proposed standards would inject critical race theory  the view that racism played a role in the nation's history that in some cases continues today  into public school classrooms.

"People are going to say this is critical race and you will have to deal with it," said Steven Wilson, one of the more two dozen citizens and officials who testified.

The comments surfaced during a June 26 hearing by a 27-member steering committee that is overseeing the update of social studies standards.

Critics did not cite specific passages in the proposed revisions.

Work groups for elementary, middle and high school students are going through multiple drafts of the revisions, which means proposals are constantly changing.

The committee will make recommendations to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which has the final say on the standards.

Officials said the recommendation will also be posted online to get more public feedback before any final action.

State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said, because of the heavy feedback sparked by the review, he is pushing back the next hearing from July 31 to Sept. 25.

"It is sensitive," Brumley said. "This is politically combustible."

+6 House Education Chairman Ray Garofalo formally removed, ending months-long dispute The chairman of the House Education Committee was formally removed from his post Wednesday night, ending a monthlong controversy ignited by a 

Rep. Kathy Edmonston, R-Gonzales, a former BESE member who has concerns about the revisions, said the issue reminds her of the years-long controversy in Louisiana and elsewhere over Common Core  the push to add rigor to reading, writing and math in public schools.

Louisiana's public school course standards are supposed to be updated every seven years.

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The benchmarks for social studies were scheduled to be revised by 2017. Brumley said the current process began in December, and well before critical race theory became a hot topic.

Advocates contend the nation's racial history has been underplayed in textbooks, and that students deserve a hard look at racial sins that continue today.

The centrality of racism and a commitment to social justice are among the key tenets of critical race theory, according to Tina M. Harris, professor of the Endowed Chair of Race, Media and Cultural Studies Program at LSU. Harris said the studies are not meant to make people feel guilty, and she said she has been surprised by the pushback the theory is getting.

House backs bill to mandate teaching Holocaust, World War II throughout high school Grappling with a volatile topic, the Louisiana House on Monday night approved a bill that would require high school students to get instructio

Critics says critical race theory unfairly brands White students as part of an oppressive majority and Black students as victims of that oppression.

"I don't believe critical race theory should be taught in K-12 education," Brumley said. "We have to teach the truth about our history, but we also live in the greatest country on the planet."

"This is America. And we should teach kids that if you respect your elders, if you work hard you can make your way in the world," he said.

Rep. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, who has encouraged GOP activists to get involved on the issue, was at last month's hearing and said citizens are taking notice. "There is a groundswell of people that say we don't want those children to get this victim mentality," Hodges said.

Carol Rooney, who described herself as a mother, grandmother and taxpayer, told the steering committee she has problems with its work.

"I am here to object to any form of critical race theory in Louisiana elementary and secondary schools," Rooney said. "The goal of critical race theory is to create divisions based purely upon school color."

Mandatory kindergarten measure clears final hurdle After off and on efforts for years, the Louisiana Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would make kindergarten mandatory.

Rep. Chuck Owen, R-Rosepine, told the group that children should be taught about slavery but also that the United States "corrected great wrongs.'

"We have made many mistakes in this country, but we tried to fix them," Owen said. "We are a moral country."

Garofalo became embroiled in controversy after he offered a bill that he said would prevent college professors from teaching "divisive concepts," including the view that Louisiana and the United States have historically been racist. He said classrooms should be free to discuss controversial topics, including "the good, the bad, the ugly" of slavery.

Garofalo quickly corrected himself that there was any "good" in slavery but was later removed as chairman of the House Education Committee because of the fallout. He told the steering committee last month he had been "vilified" on social media over the episode.

Woody Jenkins, a member of the steering committee, said he is bothered that schools could use an "inquiry based approach" to teaching social studies.

"You have to give kids a fundamental basis to understand some facts and then they have enough information to ask questions," Jenkins said.
The controversy sparked by former House Education Committee Chairman Ray Garofalo keeps bubbling around the Legislature.

House Democrats said Wednesday they have likely derailed a bid by temporary House Education Committee Chairman Mark Wright, R-Covington, to launch an interim study of critical race theory, which was one of the issues that led to Garofalo's demotion.

Democrats took the unusual step of submitting a petition of its members objecting to the study to the House clerk.

"House Democrats deem this resolution to be unnecessary legislation," Rep. Sam Jenkins, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said in a statement.

"We just spent weeks debating this issue and it disturbed the entire legislative process," the Shreveport Democrat said.

"Why would we bring it up again? Louisiana is better when we come together and focus on improving the lives of our people."

Wright could not be reached for comment.

Whether his plan will be debated in the House before adjournment on June 10 is unclear.

The proposal is House Study Request No. 3.

It asks for the House Education Committee, or a subcommittee of the panel, to do an interim study of critical race theory -- the view that race has played an outsized role in U. S. history -- and its role in Louisiana education.

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Wright's request says "concerns have been raised about the use of critical race theory in elementary and secondary schools and postsecondary education institutions."

It says the study should include testimony from officials of the Louisiana Board of Regents, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state Department of Education.

Louisiana lawmaker drops bid to curb how colleges and schools teach 'divisive topics' The chairman of the House Education Committee shelved his own bill Tuesday that would ban colleges and public schools from teaching "divisive 

Earlier this year Garofalo offered a bill that he said would end the teaching of "divisive concepts" in colleges, including the idea that Louisiana and the United States are inherently racist.

The proposal sparked criticism from the Legislative Black Caucus, Gov. John Bel Edwards and others.

+6 House Education Chairman Ray Garofalo formally removed, ending months-long dispute The chairman of the House Education Committee was formally removed from his post Wednesday night, ending a monthlong controversy ignited by a 

Last week House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, formally removed Garofalo from his chairmanship of the education committee.

Schexnayder said he took the action because of how Garofalo handled the aftermath of the initial controversy.

Garofalo has said his bill raised legitimate concerns and that some college professors are pushing their own political views to students under the guise of instruction.
Most economists support the idea of lowering income taxes, in theory, but concern is rising about the mammoth task of budget repair. Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry says he is still keen to see stage three of the original tax cut plan implemented, but warns of a looming budget reckoning. Former Treasury secretary Ken Henrys 2009 tax review outlined a plan for tax cuts which eerily resembles the Turnbull/Morrison plan now in place. Credit:Louise Kennerley Yes, I support stage three, he tells Nine newspapers. Henrys 2009 tax review outlined a plan for tax cuts which eerily resembles the Turnbull/Morrison plan now in place. The review suggested a flat tax rate of 35 cents could apply to every dollar earnt by Australians between $25,000 and $180,000 of income.

The key points from my perspective are that the proposed cuts improve the structure of the tax schedule and there is a need to continually provide personal income tax cuts in order to address fiscal drag. Fiscal drag, also known as bracket creep, is the tendency of rising incomes to push more people into higher tax brackets. In contrast to the governments plan, however, Henrys review lambasted the use of complicated tax offsets such as the governments new Low and Middle Income Tax Offset (LAMITO). Its hard to find an economist who thinks extending the LAMITO - as Labor is now trying to goad the government into doing - is a good idea. Its not a good way to offer tax relief, says the Grattan Institutes Danielle Wood. Its clunky and doesnt even help with work incentives as its delivered as a lump sum at the end of the year.

Deloitte Access Economic director Chris Richardson says there is a clear case for cutting income taxes overall, but is also increasingly concerned about the mismatch between federal revenues and outlays. He dismisses attacks of unfairness levelled against stage-three cuts. According to Richardsons distributional analysis, the top 1 per cent of taxpayers will continue to tip in about 17 per cent of total income tax revenue and the top 20 per cent about 60 per cent, leaving the distribution of taxes largely unchanged. The problem with the tax cuts has always been that theyre too big  not that theyre unfair, says Richardson. Australia relies much more on personal tax than other developed countries do because we have a high top marginal rate of tax, and because that top rate cuts in at relatively low levels of income. University of NSW economics professor Richard Holden agrees. We rely a lot on personal income taxes as a share of the budget in this country, says Holden, who warns that in a world of increasingly mobile labour, high-income earners become a flight risk to countries with lower tax rates. Furthermore, studies show higher tax rates discourage work. He concludes: I think its very clear from the evidence that you get less labour supply, and that happens to be particularly true for women.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham. This weeks budget update predicts no budget surpluses this decade, while tipping federal debt to reach $1.2 trillion in 2024-25 the same year the governments stage three tax cuts are still scheduled to begin. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Holden notes electioneering over tax cuts could be abolished overnight if income-tax thresholds were simply indexed to rise with wages each year. Failing that, this week brought fresh speculation the government will go to the polls next year with a fresh batch of tax cuts. While supportive in theory, economists say the government must spell out how it intends to fund the business of government. The budget needs to be brought under control, and soon, warns Henry. With spending pressures on the rise, including for aged and disability care, Henry says the governments self-imposed a cap for tax revenues at 23.9 per cent of gross domestic product, may need to be revised.

If spending is not going to be reined in, then we either need the biggest pro-growth economic reform program the developed world has ever seen (Im not exaggerating), including comprehensive tax reform and an overhaul of Commonwealth-State roles and responsibilities, or the cap has to go. It is that simple. Its the Governments choice. Which will they deliver? The aim of the cap is to keep discipline on government spending. But it doesnt appear to be working. This weeks budget update revealed $16 billion in funds socked away for decisions taken but not yet announced. Grattans Wood is similarly worried about the impact of further cuts on the budget bottom line. Additional cuts at this point could only be in response to the political cycle and not the economic one, she says. While tax cuts are often justified on economic grounds that they stimulate the economy, Wood says the case is not compelling. We have an economy rebounding well and unemployment forecast to keep falling. At the same time we have growing government debt and long-term spending pressures coming home to roost on things like aged care, disability care and defence, she says.
RON PINNELL March 20, 1928-October 29, 2021

Actor and community activist Ron Pinnell started life on the rough streets of inner-city Melbourne. He grew to become a respected actor of the stage and small screen and in later life became a noted local heritage advocate in the Richmond community.

Ron was born in Collingwood in March 1928. When he was 14 both his parents were killed in a car accident. His two older brothers, Alf and Bill, were away at the time, serving in World War II, so he moved in with his neighbours, and became a paper boy, selling newspapers on the city streets outside the theatres of Melbourne.

Through a chance meeting in his mid-teens, Ron was introduced to Camp Eureka, a bush camp in Yarra Junction which was run by the Eureka Youth League, the Communist party and the trade unions. In the early 1940s, he got his first chance to tread the boards. He was talent spotted by a lady from the left-wing amateur New Theatre Company. It was here he received his training as an actor in the Stanislavsky method and learnt to project his voice and enunciate correctly.

Consequently, he no longer sounded like a bloke who had grown up on the streets of Collingwood. One of his first shows was Reedy River, which was based on the songs and poems of Henry Lawson. This fostered a lifelong love of bush tunes and the Australian poets of that era.
NSW recorded 2482 COVID-19 cases and one death on Saturday, as dozens of people who attended The Cliff Dive in Darlinghurst last Saturday were forced into isolation.

The bar has been linked to at least 23 confirmed cases, with South East Sydney Local Health District asking anyone who attended the venue from 8.45pm on December 11 to get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

Meanwhile, in Byron Bay dozens of schoolies revellers were told to isolate after an outbreak at a holiday park on the far north coast of NSW.

There were 206 coronavirus patients in NSW hospitals, slightly down from 215 on Friday but up from 192 patients on Thursday and 166 on Wednesday. Of those hospitalised, 26 were in intensive care, a figure which has remained stable (24 patients were in intensive care on Friday). Of those, nine were on ventilators to help them breathe.
Students at two primary schools are in isolation on the eve of Christmas after attending a camp in South Gippsland that has since become Victorias biggest active COVID-19 outbreak.

There are now 47 cases of COVID-19 linked to Camp Rumbug at Foster North, according to the Health Department, with a further 54 connected to children who attended from Brunswick North West Primary School and Armadale Primary School.

Under Victorias isolation rules, people who test positive must isolate for 10 days after their positive result. Household contacts are required to do seven days of quarantine.

Students from two schools that attended a school camp have tested positive just before Christmas. Credit:Jason South

The South Gippsland camp was run by PGL Adventure, which stated in its COVID-19 infection policy that the priority was to isolate anyone who shows symptoms to minimise the spread of infection.
Political naivety is a problem for the novice politician who learns he/she must adhere to the strictures of the party machine, whereas political fortitude is a must for the independent needing grit to remember and stand by the representation of his/her electorate.

Your editorial  Independents must detail policy, skills  (The Sunday Age, 12/12) seems to miss the point that an independent represents the people of an electorate, not a party machine.

As for the skill independents offer, it seems to me that a new modus operandi, where skill as independent lateral thinkers and problem solvers will benefit everybody. Maybe even party machinists will follow suit.

Marguerite Heppell, Hawthorn East

... are just the ticket

Critics of the emergence of a large number of independent candidates for the forthcoming federal election often cite the concern that, if elected, these people would prevent the formation of a working government.

Id like to suggest that a generous representation of independents actually ensures a working government by preventing the kinds of corrupt practices we get when theres no one to balance the wishes of a majority.

In Europe, the prevalence of broad coalitions to form government means that public infrastructure is built where it needs to be (not where its politically convenient), money is allocated appropriately and, ultimately, the country gets what it deserves from its rulers.

Single-party dominance produces the opposite result; just look around at what weve got.

Angus McLeod, Cremorne
Karachi: At least 15 people were killed and 16 others injured in an explosion on Saturday at a bank branch in Karachis industrial area, police said.

A senior police officer said the blast at a branch of Habib Bank Limited, Pakistans largest lender, could have been caused by a gas leak, Sarfaraz Nawaz also told reporters that the building appeared to have been constructed over a sewage drain.

Pakistani security personnel and rescuers inspect the scene of a gas explosion in Karachi. Credit:

Our explosives teams are at work trying to ascertain the nature of the blast, but apparently the structure was constructed on a drain and gas could be a probable cause, he said.

In a statement on Twitter, Habib Bank said our sympathies are with the bereaved families.
Pro-Beijing candidates, including Starry Lee Wai-king, centre, chairperson of pro-Beijing party Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), attend a legislative election campaign event on December 5, 2021. Credit:AP They are all Beijings puppets, said Ted Hui, a former Hong Kong MP who fled to Europe before settling in Australia. Hui has had an arrest warrant issued by Hong Kong police after he called for voters to boycott the poll. He suspects the three polling stations on the border have been set up to manipulate the turnout numbers - a claim rejected by Tsang who said they had been installed in response to a surge in demand from voters on the mainland. The Hong Kong government has been trying to drum up support for democracy by warning that calling for people not to vote could be a breach of national security laws. Security Secretary Chris Tang said this week that casting blank ballots could also put you in breach of Beijings edicts. Coercing people into not voting, or colluding with foreign powers is likely a violation against the national security law. I appeal to people not to engage in illegal activities, we will enforce the law accordingly, he told Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK. Exiled Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui. Credit:

Last week Hong Kongs Trade Office in London told The Sunday Times that it had committed an offence under Hong Kong law for predicting that a low turnout would be an embarrassment for the authorities. It was an offence irrespective of whether the incitement is made in Hong Kong or abroad, the trade office wrote to the editor of the London broadsheet, highlighting the extraterritorial nature of the laws and totally disregarding Britains own protections for freedom of the press. It is totally ridiculous, said a Hong Kong pro-democracy leader who asked only to be referred to as Mr H to protect his safety. There is fear everywhere. In the past, we had freedom of speech, freedom of politics, now we have nothing. Loading Last week dozens of jailed pro-democracy Hong Kong legislators were sent a reminder to vote, along with a list of candidates. Then on Thursday, Hong Kongs symbol was replaced with Chinas national emblem in the legislative council. The 2016 election only had a voter turnout of 60 per cent but pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong believe the figure this year will be lower than 30. Hui said a boycott was the only peaceful way that residents could participate in a democratic process.

People cannot go to the streets anymore. Legal demonstrations are banned. Speaking up in the media is not possible, he said. Thats why it seems that the only way is to protest peacefully, and the only legal means that people can do that is to boycott the vote. International corporations and their staff are once again caught in the middle. The Financial Times reported on Friday that KPMG had offered staff an extra day off if they exercised their privilege to vote in the elections. Others are more wary after years of disruption, crippling COVID-19 travel restrictions, the elimination of press freedom, and creeping new regulations from the mainland that threaten to undermine Hong Kongs status as Asias business hub. Few are willing to speak publicly and critically anymore, even academics based in Hong Kong who once specialised in Hong Kong politics are reluctant to talk on the record. This election is significant for three reasons, said Tai Wei Lim, an associate professor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Xi Jinping leads the pledge of loyalty by Communist Party officials. Credit:AP

The first is that it will be the first election in which they want to show the Hong Kong people and the world that theyre able to hold the election after the implementation of the National Security Law. The second is that they want to show that they are able to hold the election whereby most of the candidates are patriotic candidates. And the third is they want the election to show that they want greater integration and political convergence with the mainland. Lim said for voters who do take part, strict COVID-19 management, public housing and closer economic ties with Chinas Greater Bay Area would be the key policy issues. Hong Kong people, at least from past track records, appear to be very pragmatic people, he said. Theyre hoping that pragmatically speaking that their livelihoods can be improved. For Beijing, the optics will matter more than the outcome. It has spent the past month railing against US democracy as a failure and touting its people-centred, whole-process democracy. Pro-Beijing supporters dressed as pandas at a campaign rally on Thursday December 16. Credit:Getty
Washington DC: The Republican Party has agreed to pay up to $US1.6 million ($2.2 million) in legal bills for former president Donald Trump to help him fight investigations into his business practices in New York, according to Republican National Committee members and others briefed on the decision.

The partys executive committee overwhelmingly approved the payments at a meeting this summer in Nashville, according to four members and others with knowledge of the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private meeting of the executive committee.

That means the partys commitment to pay Trumps personal legal expenses could be more than 10 times higher than previously known.

Donald Trump faces two separate investigations into Trump Incs business dealings. Credit:AP

Last month, the Republican Party said in campaign-finance filings that it had paid Trumps personal attorneys $US121,670 in October. More payments have been made since then. A party official said Thursday that the committee paid $US578,000 in November to lawyers known to be representing both Trump and his businesses.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol hosted the Laramie County Shop with a Cop at the Walmart in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Thanks to generous support from the community, 31 children will have gifts under the tree and food on the table.

Laramie County Sheriffs Department, Cheyenne Police Department, Pine Bluffs Police Department, and Wyoming State Parks assisted with the event.

Each child was provided a $150 gift card for the shopping spree and a food basket provided by Jennie Gordon, First Lady of Wyoming 's Wyoming Hunger Initiative.

Once they were finished shopping, the gifts were wrapped, and a meal was provided for them and the family with help from the First Ladys Hunger Initiative.

This was a very happy time for the kids who were not as fortunate as others.

Also thanks to the volunteers who assisted in wrapping the presents, to Walmart and Blue Ribbon Lawn and Landscape Company for helping make this time of the year memorable for these students.
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Snow showers early will become steadier snow for the afternoon. High 27F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 70%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected. Heavier amounts in persistent snowbands..

Tonight

Snow showers will become more widely scattered overnight. Low around 20F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Police getting ready to kick out protestors from Applebee's restaurant, Queens, New York, on Dec 15, 2021 (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

10 Anti-Vaccine Mandate Protestors, Including Leader, Arrested in NYC Over Two Consecutive Nights

At least 10 people were arrested for sitting in two different restaurants in Queens, New York, without vaccination proof, and refusing to leave.

Police said that they were charged with criminal trespass after refusing several lawful orders.

On Aug. 17, New York City started requiring restaurants, gyms, and many other businesses to check guests and workers for proof of COVID-19 vaccination, as well as photo ID.

Not all NYC restaurants have complied with the mandate, some are against it.

Others dont believe its their job to enforce it, but most bigger brands tend to comply.

Many have had their business severely affected.

On Dec. 14, a group of protestors went to The Cheesecake Factory in Queens, and the manager called the police after they didnt show their vaccine passports.

They refused to leave and argued with the police that the mandates are unconstitutional.

Police ended up arresting six people at the restaurant.

The events that took place at our Queens, NY restaurant on 12/14 were unfortunate, Cheesecake Factory wrote in a statement on Dec. 15. The health and safety of our staff members and guests is our top priority and we are complying with the local ordinance concerning COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

The protestors released a flyer on the internet the next day, Dec. 15, indicating that they would go to The Cheesecake Factory again that night.

The restaurant closed that night, with at least 20 police officers and 5 police vehicles stationed outside of it.

Protestors gather outside Cheesecake Factory, Queens, New York, on Dec. 15, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

The protestors instead went to a Shake Shack right across the street from The Cheesecake Factory.

They were served drinks while police and security only stood by at the counter, and the core group of protesters sat at the tables for a while.

Then they joined a bigger group of about 30 that protested with megaphones at the entry of The Cheesecake factory.

Gubernatorial candidate Derrick Gibson, a Republican and member of The Proud Boys, was there.

This is a mandate, not a law, and they send the whole force out to protect Cheesecake Factory against people that are unvaccinated, they just simply want to eat a meal, thats discrimination, Gibson told The Epoch Times.

Derrick Gibson speaks outside Cheesecake Factory, Queens, New York, on Dec. 15, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

The group then walked around the block and entered an Applebees restaurant inside Queens Center Mall.

The same situation repeated itself: the manager called the police after the protesters didnt show their COVID-19 vaccination proof. About 25 police officers, many with plastic handcuffs, asked them numerous times to leave. The protestors argued with them and then police pushed them out, arresting 4 in the process. One of the arrestees was a leader of the protesters, 30-year-old Josephine Valdez.

Mitchell Bosch was arrested for the second time in two nights. He was also one of the arrestees during the cheesecake sit-in.

Bosch is an army veteran who served in Iraq twice and also in Afghanistan.

Im all for the police. I back the blue, I believe in them. But all the issue is that they ended up telling us that it was criminal trespassing, which is a higher threshold than it is to just simply get charged with trespassing, Bosch told The Epoch Times. The police said either you leave or were going to arrest you, and I decided to take a stand.

He and the other demonstrators plan to keep protesting.

Were going to continue doing asymmetric warfare, non-violence. Were going to continue holding rallies, were going to continue fighting. This is a five- to ten-year war. Theyre trying to bring down the will of the people.

Mitchel Bosch speaks outside Cheesecake Factory, Queens, New York, on Dec. 15, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

Were going to keep doing civil disobedience. Were going to keep going to jail. Were going to keep using the tactics that you use, de Blasio, in regards to bail reform and allowing individuals to get out of there. Yes, Im going to use it to my advantage now, just like BLM uses it for their advantage and ANTIFA uses it to their advantage. Were gonna use it for good, and were gonna make a change here in New York, Bosch said spiritedly.

Benedict Arnold, a Vietnam War veteran, was arrested on Dec. 14, but not during the Applebees sit-in that he also participated in.

We have [been] given desk appearance tickets for criminal trespassing, we were protesting Dr. Andrew Faucis edict and of the CDC and Mayor de Blasios recent commission of all private businesses, enforcing the edict from the city council and City Hall, Arnold said.

They say the government doesnt trust us and they ask us not to trust each other. And this is when push comes to shove. And the campaign kickoff point is right here. Because this is blowback pushback, fight back, and the results you see are everywhere around you. And this is Exhibit A right here, from beginning to end.

Benedict Arnold protests against vaccine mandates outside Cheesecake Factory, Queens, New York, on Dec. 15, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

I should have joined Black Lives Matter, said one of the protestors who was kicked out of Applebees.

The Epoch Times reached out to the mayors office for comment.
An Adidas sign at the entrance to the store in Miami on Aug. 12, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Adidas Launches New Share Buyback

BERLINAdidas plans to buy back up to 4 billion euros ($4.54 billion) of its shares by 2025 and will also return the majority of the cash proceeds from the sale of Reebok, it said on Thursday.

The German sportswear company said it will cancel most of the shares repurchased during the program, which would reduce the number of shares as well as share capital accordingly.

The buyback will start in January 2022 and run until 2025, it said.

The move is part of plans announced by Adidas earlier this year to return up to 9 billion euros to its shareholders in the next five years, through dividend payouts of between 30 percent and 50 percent of net income from continuing operations along with share buybacks.

Over the next couple of years, our business will generate significantly more cash than ever before, Chief Financial Officer Harm Ohlmeyer said in a statement.

The company will also pass on to shareholders the majority of the cash proceeds from the divesture of U.S. subsidiary Reebok, which it expects to be finished in the first quarter of 2022, it said.

In August, Adidas said it was selling Reebok to Authentic Brands Group (ABG) for up to 2.1 billion euros ($2.5 billion) as the company concentrates on its core brand.

($1 = 0.8820 euros)
The FBIs hate crime statistics for 2020 show that Jews are by far the biggest religious group targeted in hate crimes. But how often do you see protests or social media campaigns to condemn it? You dont. Brooke Goldstein, executive director of The Lawfare Project, explains why.

In America Q&A, we ask people across the country why they think there is so little public outcry over antisemitism?

Next, COVID-19 isnt going away, but what about the pandemic of fear and anxiety thats come along with it? How are psychiatrists responding to that crisis? Our guest, psychiatrist Dr. Aruna Tummala, explains what many are doing wrong and what they could be doing right.

Finally, in our second America Q&A, we ask if you think the country is going in the right direction.

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Appeals Court Allows Biden Admins Private Business COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate to Take Effect

A federal appeals court ruled in a split decision on Dec. 17 that the Biden administrations vaccine mandate for private companies with 100 or more employees can take effect.

The 21 decision by a panel of the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dissolves the stay entered by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month on the nationwide mandate.

The rule issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), before it was paused, meant that some 84 million U.S. workers faced a Jan. 4, 2022, deadline vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. That deadline has been extended until Jan. 10, 2022.

To provide employers with sufficient time to come into compliance, OSHA will not issue citations for noncompliance  before January 10 and will not issue citations for noncompliance with the standards testing requirements before February 9, so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the standard, the agency announced on its website on Dec. 18.

The case was brought by multiple businesses, including the American Family Association; multiple individuals; and several states, including Texas, Utah, and Mississippi. Petitioners said the mandate, promulgated as an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) by the Department of Labors OSHA, should be struck down because it exceeds OSHAs authority under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Given OSHAs clear and exercised authority to regulate viruses, OSHA necessarily has the authority to regulate infectious diseases that are not unique to the workplace, Judge Julia Smith Gibbons wrote in her majority opinion (pdf) on Dec. 17.

Indeed, no virusHIV, HBV, COVID-19is unique to the workplace and affects only workers. And courts have upheld OSHAs authority to regulate hazards that co-exist in the workplace and in society but are at heightened risk in the workplace.

Gibbons was nominated to the court by President George W. Bush, a Republican. The other judge who ruled in favor of the OSHA mandate, Jane Branstetter Stranch, was nominated by President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

Last week, the 6th Circuits active judges rejected a move to have the entire panel consider the case, on an 88 vote, The Associated Press reported.

The dissenting judge, Joan Louise Larsen, was appointed by President Donald Trump, a Republican. In her dissenting opinion, she noted that Congress didnt authorize OSHA to create such a rule; furthermore, to work around Congress, the rule did not meet the emergency standard of necessity that the secretary of labor needed to bring it about.

The Secretary has not made the appropriate finding of necessity, she wrote. An emergency standard must be necessary to protect employees from [grave] danger.

The purpose of the mandate is to protect unvaccinated people. The rules premise is that vaccines work. And so, OSHA has explained that the rule is not about protecting the vaccinated; they do not face grave danger from working with those who are not vaccinated.

[A] multitude of petitionersindividuals, businesses, labor unions, and state governmentshave levied serious, and varied, charges against the mandates legality. They say, for example, that the mandate violates the nondelegation doctrine, the Commerce Clause, and substantive due process; some say that it violates their constitutionally protected religious liberties and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. To lift the stay [by the 5th Circuit] entirely, we would have to conclude that not one of these challenges is likely to succeed. A tall task.

Under the rule, employees who arent fully vaccinated would have to wear masks and be tested on a weekly basis for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19. Exceptions would apply to those who work outdoors or from home.

The OSHA rule threatens fines of up to $13,600 per violation; it also threatens an additional $13,600 levy per day that an employer doesnt abate the violation. For a willful or serious violation, OSHA can issue a fine of up to $136,000.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge denounced the ruling. In a statement, she indicated she would move to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to block it.

The Sixth Circuits decision is extremely disappointing for Arkansans because it will force them to get the shot or lose their jobs, she said.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who chairs the Republican Attorneys General Association, expressed disappointment in the decision.

We are confident the mandate can be stopped, he wrote on Twitter. We will go immediately to the Supreme Courtthe highest court in the landto fight this unconstitutional and illegal mandate. The law must be followed and federal abuse of power stopped.

Zachary Stieber and Nick Ciolino contributed to this report.
Emergency services personnel work the scene of a deadly incident involved with a jumping castle at the Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, on Dec. 16, 2021. (Grant Wells/AAP Image via AP)

Australian PM to Visit Devonport After 5 Children Die in Freak Weather Event

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will on Saturday make a private visit to Devonport to pay his respects to the victims of the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy.

We will reach out our arms and throw them around the community of Devonport, and Australia will throw their arms around Tasmania, as they seek to console for what has been an unthinkable time, Morrison told reporters in Hobart ahead of his visit.

The prime minister said Australia was one with the devastated families of the five children killed when a freak gust of wind blew a jumping castle 10 metres (30 feet) into the air during the primary schools end of year celebrations on Thursday.

I want to extend our deepest sympathies to the five families in particular who have lost those precious young ones and we think also of the families of the three who are still in a terribly critical condition, Morrison said.

We think of the entire community that is just heaving with sorrow.

As I said yesterday, there are no words, only prayers, for our fellow Australians in Tasmania, and for the community that will carry this burden. And it will be a heavy burden. It will weigh them down.

More than a million dollars has been raised in the community to support those mourning the tragedy.

Eleven-year-old Addison Stewart, and 12-year-olds Zane Mellor, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, and Peter Dodt lost their lives, while three others remain in critical condition in hospital fighting for their lives.

Morrison said an extra $800,000 will also be made available to fund trauma counselling for both the community and first responders involved in the aftermath.

The money will be paid to Tasmanias Primary Health Network over 18 months and will add to $500,000 the Tasmanian government announced on Friday for counselling.

We know support wont just be needed in the next few weeks, it will be needed for many, many, many months, to try and begin that process of healing, Morrison said.

Grace Johnston is around half-way to raising $100,000 for Zane Mellors mother, Georgie Gardam, who she said wont be able to work making cakes and cupcakes while she grieves her son following the tragedy.

Johnstone described Zane as a beautiful, caring, and gentle soul who kept achieving despite his challenges with autism and ADHD.

Georgie is the most amazing mum, she never gave up and was by his side every step of the way encouraging, loving and fighting for him, Johnston said on the GoFundMe page.

This has shook so many people and the community and we want to do anything to help make things a little easier for her at this hard time.

Dennita Ryder has also raised almost 80 percent of the $25,000 she is attempting to raise on behalf of Zanes father, Tim Mellor.

Tim works hard everyday to support his family and needs some time to grieve with his loved ones, she wrote on the GoFundMe page.

Tamara Scott has set up a fundraising page, which has already exceeded its $2,000 goal, to support her brother after the tragic loss of his boy, Peter Dodt. Scott described her nephew as a young boy who was full of life and adventures.

Meanwhile, Addison Stewarts aunt Meg Aherne said she was trying to help her nieces family pay for a funeral and other bills.

They have another daughter and son to take care of and Im hoping to alleviate some of the stress of bills, she said on her GoFundMe page.

Everyone is devastated, she was always such a sweet kind, old soulWe all love you Paddi Melon.

One of the fundraising pages, posted by Devonport local Zoe Smith, has raised over $1.6 million by Saturday, with the money to go to Hillcrest Primary and its Parents and Friends committee to be distributed to affected families.

Meanwhile authorities continue to examine whether the inflatable castle was properly tethered.

A previous version of this report misspelled Devonport. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
BlackRock Wants Companies to Hire More Diverse Board Members, Strive Toward Net Zero Climate Goal

BlackRock wants more diversity in company executive boards and is pushing portfolio companies to strive toward net-zero climate goals, even as the worlds largest asset manager remains firmly invested in fossil fuels, according to a 2022 policy update released on Dec. 14.

We have engaged companies on board diversity for many years. That engagement informs our voting guidelines for 2022, the statement reads. For example, in the U.S., we believe boards should aspire to 30 percent diversity of membership and encourage companies to have at least two directors on their board who identify as female and at least one who identifies as a member of an underrepresented group.

The New York-based investment company, managing assets all over the world to the tune of $9.46 trillion, has followed the steps of other big-name investors in persuading companies in their portfolios to comply with progressive guidelines on climate change, hiring, and governance.

Earlier this month, Goldman Sachs Asset Management announced that it wants companies in which it has invested to have boards with at least 10 percent female directors and one director from an under-represented group. If companies dont comply, Goldman Sachs will cast proxy votes against those nominated by the board. BlackRock hasnt specified whether it will take similar retaliatory actions.

Specific demographic data upon which investment companies such as BlackRock and Goldman Sachs base their policies is now readily available. This data collection, especially in the United States, is likely to keep on growing, according to a BlackRock spokesperson. Underrepresented people can include people with disabilities, veterans, ethnic or racial minorities, and those who identify as LGBTQ.

The investment companies are citing rising expectations from shareholders, employees, and customers for the change in policies, although a business survey by advisory firm Brunswick Group shows an increasing number of U.S. consumers want executives to stay out of social issues and simply focus on their businesses.

The latest policy update states that BlackRock encourages companies to demonstrate that their plans are resilient under likely decarbonization pathways, and the global aspiration to limit warming to 1.5C [Celsius]. However, Chief Executive Larry Fink told a virtual audience at the MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policys eighth annual conference that he believes that BlackRock must remain invested in coal.

Keep in mind, if a foundation or an insurance company or a pension fund says, Im not going to own any hydrocarbons, well, somebody else is, so youre not changing the world, he said.

According to activist groups Urgewald and Reclaim Finance, BlackRock has invested about $85 billion in coal-related assets. BlackRock operates in 38 countries with more than 16,000 employees. The company has faced criticism for its anti-competitive behavior and its broad investments in China.

Based on 2021 data (pdf) from Spencer Stuart, 47 percent (22 percent in 2020) of new independent directors in S&P 500 companies are black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, or multiracial, compared to 21 percent for existing directors. Forty-three percent of all new directors were women, compared to 47 percent in 2020 and 30 percent existing female directors.
Boeing Suspends COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

Boeing has suspended its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for U.S. employees, becoming the latest company to drop the rule amid pushback from some employees and in response to a court decision blocking federal mandates.

The planemaker said in an Dec. 17 internal memo obtained by media outlets that its decision was spurred in part by a court decision blocking President Joe Bidens vaccine mandate for federal contractors.

This decision comes after a detailed review of a U.S. District Court ruling earlier this month that halts the enforcement of a federal executive order requiring vaccinations for federal contractors, a recent Executive Branch directive not to enforce the order on those contractors, and a number of state laws which limit an employers ability to impose mandatory vaccine requirements, the company said in an emailed statement cited by Defense One.

Boeing added that about 92 percent of its more than 110,000 U.S. employees are fully vaccinated or had received exemptions from the mandate, which was originally imposed in October in response to Bidens executive order that required all employees of federal contractors to get the shot.

The success of Boeings vaccination requirement to date positions the company well to comply with the federal executive order should it be reinstated in the future, Boeing said in the statement, according to Reuters.

Boeing officials didnt respond to a request from The Epoch Times for comment by press time.

The companys initial decision to impose the requirement was met with stiff opposition from some employees, with the Seattle Times reporting on a several-hundred-strong protest in Everett, Washington, in mid-October.

If I want the vaccination, its my choice. It shouldnt have to be forced, one of the protesters, Boeing aircraft structures mechanic Mike Smith, told the Seattle Times in an interview at the time. What the governments doing is making the corporations go out and do their dirty work. Youre mandated to lose your job, and thats not right.

Im out here supporting freedom, Smith said. Its my body, my choice.

A federal court on Dec. 7 halted enforcement of the federal contractor vaccine requirement nationwide, expanding a Nov. 30 ruling that blocked it in just three states. The mandate was to take effect on Jan. 4, 2022.

With the move, Boeing joins a growing list of companies that have opted to rescind their COVID-19 vaccine requirements.

Amtrak last week revoked its vaccine requirement amid concerns about staff shortages and cut service in January. In a memo sent to staff and obtained by The Epoch Times, Amtrak CEO William Flynn said the company would do away with the mandate that would have given employees until Jan. 4 to get fully vaccinated or go on unpaid leave.

Several hospitals and health care systems have also set aside vaccine mandates for employees, citing labor issues sparked by the new requirements.

Floridas AdventHealth announced earlier in December that it was ending its vaccine requirement for some 83,000 workers, also citing court injunctions against federal mandates.

Tenet Healthcare, HCA Healthcare, and Cleveland Clinic also recently announced theyre canceling the mandates, citing labor concerns.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Personnel from the Swedish Coast Guard investigate the damaged ship Scot Carrier in the port of Ystad, Sweden, on Dec. 14, 2021. (Johan Nilsson/TT via AP)

Briton Ordered Held by Sweden Court in Deadly Ship Collision

COPENHAGEN, DENMARKA British national has been ordered to be held in pretrial custody suspected of being drunk on the British freighter that collided with a Danish freighter off southern Sweden earlier this week, leaving one person dead and one missing.

The man was a crew member on the Scot Carrier that collided Monday with Danish-flagged Karin Hoej, causing the latter to capsize. One person was later found dead inside the hull and another is missing. The pre-dawn collision happened in foggy weather.

The Malmo District Court in southern Sweden on Thursday formally arrested the Briton, who wasnt named. He is suspected of aggravated sea drunkenness, aggravated negligence in maritime traffic and causing another persons death. The man in his 30s has acknowledged negligence. But his defense lawyer, Fredrik Kjellin, said his client denies causing another persons death in aggravated circumstances.

Earlier this week, the British shipping company said the Scot Carrier crew was tested for drugs and alcohol after the collision and two crew members exceeded the limit. It wasnt clear whether they were referring to the Briton or other crew members.

A Croatian crew member who is suspected of gross sea drunkenness was briefly detained but was later released Wednesday. He was born in 1965.

Media in Sweden have reported that the Scot Carrier continued its route after the collision and was afterwards ordered back to the scene by Swedish authorities. The capsized vessel was towed closer to land so divers from the Swedish armed forces and the coast guard, among others, could search it.
Cyclists ride by Hoover Tower on the Stanford University campus in Stanford, Calif., on March 12, 2019. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Some California Colleges Mandate Booster Shot

Amid the surging cases of COVID-19, Stanford University and Occidental College will mandate COVID-19 booster shots for all eligible students before they return to campus after the winter break.

Stanford University announced on Dec. 16 that classes in the first two weeks of the winter quarter will be held online and require all eligible students to provide documentation of a booster shot by Jan. 31.

Students can apply for a religious or medical exemption.

According to the university, the new vaccine policy is prompted by the unpredictability of the threat that the Omicron virus variant of COVID-19 poses to the public.

In coming back for the winter quarter, we want to minimize disruptions to students coursework and also provide as much predictability as possible for both students and instructors, a Stanford University statement reads.

Students are required to take a COVID-19 test before traveling back to school. The two weeks of remote instruction will allow students to settle in and give them more time to get their booster shot before returning to campus, according to the statement.

A nurse is handed a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine before administering it to a college student at a mobile vaccination clinic at the California State University Long Beach campus in Calif., on Aug. 11, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

On the same day, Occidental College also updated its vaccination requirement to attend in-person classes, requiring all eligible students, staff, and faculty to get a booster shot by the first day of spring semester.

We understand that sending a message like this just before the College shuts down for winter break is far from ideal, but we must adapt to the circumstances of the pandemic as they develop. We want to give everyone as much advance notice as possible, and encourage all students to get their booster now, before returning to campus, Marty Sharkey and James Uhrich, COVID-19 Operations Group chairs, wrote in a Dec. 16 statement.

Other universities in the nation have already announced similar booster vaccine requirements.

The first university in the nation to implement the booster shots for students, faculty, and staff was Wesleyan University, a private liberal arts school located in Middletown, Connecticut, on Nov. 23.

Other universities that have announced booster vaccine requirements include the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Syracuse University in New York, Indianas University of Notre Dame, Loyola University in Chicago, and Bowdoin College in Maine.
Can Ivermectin Help Prevent COVID-19 Deaths?

When it comes to the treatment of COVID-19, many Western nations have been hobbled by the politicization of medicine. Throughout 2020, media and many public health experts warned against the use of hydroxychloroquine, despite the fact that many practicing doctors were praising its ability to save patients. Many of them were silenced through online censorship. Some even lost their jobs for the sin of publicly sharing their successes with the drug.

Another decades-old antiparasitic drug that offers great hope is ivermectin, but it too is being hushed up by mainstream media. Trial Site News tells the story of a 77-year-old Indian couple, both of whom became ill with COVID-19. One successfully recuperated following treatment with hydroxychloroquine. The other with ivermectin.

While ivermectin certainly appears to be a useful strategy, which is why I am covering it, please understand it is not my primary recommendation. You need vitamin D for a wide variety of functions in your body in addition to optimizing your immune response. Although ivermectin is a relatively safe drug, it is still an unnatural synthetic chemical that can have side effects. Vitamin D is something your body absolutely requires for optimal health, which is why I would encourage you to focus on vitamin D first.

Inexpensive Treatment Responsible for Indias Success?

Getting back to ivermectin, Trial Site News reported that Ten months into its battle with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, India is on track to become an unexpected warrior in the fight against this global pandemic. Although the densely-populated nation has four times the population of the U.S., India has less than half the U.S. COVID deaths.

While India had a daily positive test rate of nearly 100,000 back in September 2020, by the end of December 2020, the infection rate had dropped by 75%. While this rapid decline is by and large being attributed to strict lockdowns, universal mask wearing and extensive contact tracing and testing, the availability and use of effective treatments likely plays a pivotal role.

In late March 2020, India added hydroxychloroquine to its national treatment guidelines, urging the drug be used as early in the disease course as possible. It was not recommended for those hospitalized with severe illness.

Then, in August 2020, Indias largest state, Uttar Pradesh, which has some 230 million residents, added ivermectin to its recommendations and distributed the drug for home care free of charge. The state of Bihar, which has 128 million residents, also started recommending ivermectin, and by the end of 2020, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh had the lowest and second-lowest COVID-19 fatality rates in all of India.

Uttar Pradesh, however, took it a step further than Bihar. They also used ivermectin as a prophylactic, first among health care workers and then among people who had come in contact with a person who tested positive.

This drug makes far more sense in India as the vast majority of the population indeed suffer with parasites as a result of largely contaminated municipal water supplies.

Frontline Doctors Call for Adoption of Ivermectin

In the U.S., the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) is now calling for widespread adoption of ivermectin, both as a prophylactic and for the treatment of all phases of COVID-19.

The data shows the ability of the drug ivermectin to prevent COVID-19, to keep those with early symptoms from progressing to the hyper-inflammatory phase of the disease, and even to help critically ill patients recover. ~ FLCCC Alliance

December 8, 2020, FLCCC president Dr. Pierre Kory, former Chief of the Critical Care Service and Medical Director of the Trauma and Life Support Center at the University of Wisconsin, testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, where he reviewed the evidence supporting the use of the drug. (He resigned from the University of Wisconsin Medical Center shortly after giving this testimony, saying the medical center wanted to restrict his freedom of speech. ) As noted on the FLCCC website:

The data shows the ability of the drug iIvermectin to prevent COVID-19, to keep those with early symptoms from progressing to the hyper-inflammatory phase of the disease, and even to help critically ill patients recover. Dr. Kory testified that ivermectin is effectively a miracle drug against COVID-19 and called upon the governments medical authorities  the NIH, CDC, and FDA  to urgently review the latest data and then issue guidelines for physicians, nurse-practitioners, and physician assistants to prescribe ivermectin for COVID-19.

January 6, 2020, Kory and Dr. Paul Marik, chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia  both are founding members of FLCCC  also presented evidence to the National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel, which is working to update NIH guidance. The NIH panel is expected to update treatment guidelines by early February 2021. According to the FLCCC:

Numerous clinical studies  including peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials  showed large magnitude benefits of ivermectin in prophylaxis, early treatment and also in late-stage disease. Taken together  dozens of clinical trials that have now emerged from around the world are substantial enough to reliably assess clinical efficacy. Data from 18 randomized controlled trials that included over 2,100 patients  demonstrated that ivermectin produces faster viral clearance, faster time to hospital discharge, faster time to clinical recovery, and a 75% reduction in mortality rates.

A one-page summary of the clinical trial evidence for ivermectin can be downloaded from the FLCCC website. A more comprehensive review of trials data has been published in the journal Frontiers of Pharmacology. A listing of all the ivermectin trials done to date, with links to the published studies, can be found on c19Ivermectin.com.

How Ivermectin Protects Against COVID-19

Like hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug with a well-documented safety profile and proven, highly potent, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Its been on the market since 1981 and is on the World Health Organizations list of essential medicines. Its also inexpensive, with a treatment course costing less than $2 in countries such as India and Bangladesh.

While the U.S. FDA has not yet approved ivermectin for prevention of or treatment for SARS-CoV-2, studies have shown ivermectin:

Inhibits replication of many viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal influenza viruses. In COVID-19: Antiparasitic Offers Treatment Hope, I review data showing a single dose of ivermectin killed 99.8% of SARS-CoV-2 in 48 hours

Inhibits inflammation through several pathways

Lowers viral load

Protects against organ damage

Prevents transmission of SARS-CoV-2 when taken before or after exposure; speeds recovery and lowers risk of hospitalization and death in COVID-19 patients

The FLCCC website also has a helpful FAQ section where Kory and Marik answer common questions about the drug and its recommended use. While FLCCC members have been criticized for their insistence that we should not wait for randomized controlled trials before using Ivermectin more widely, the group argues that the drug has a long history of safety and clearly works, so, why wait?

If someone  says they want to do an RCT with placebo, thats problematic for me, Kory told Medpage Today. I could not have a patient admitted to my care and give placebo knowing what I know about ivermectin.

One week after Kory and Marik presented their data, the National Institutes of Health updated their stand on use of the drug with a statement that they would not recommend for or against it. The FLCCC quickly followed up with their own statement:

By no longer recommending against ivermectin use, doctors should feel more open in prescribing ivermectin as another therapeutic option for the treatment of COVID-19. This may clear its path towards FDA emergency use approval.

WHOs Ivermectin Review

While a 75% reduction in mortality is impressive enough (which is the average reduction based on 18 trials according to the FLCCC ), a WHO-sponsored review suggests ivermectin can reduce COVID-19 mortality by as much as 83%. As reported by Swiss Policy Research:

This result is based on in-hospital trials, so it does not yet take into account early ambulatory and prophylactic treatment. The authors of the review intend to include three more trials, due to be published sometime in January, before providing a final conclusion.

In the video above, Dr. Andrew Hill of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool, U.K., who is leading this review, discusses the preliminary findings. At the end, he too describes ivermectin as a potentially transformative treatment against COVID-19.

Ivermectin Best as Prophylaxis

While preliminary evidence seems to suggest ivermectin can be useful at all stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection, its real strength appears to be prophylactic. December 26, 2020, Dhaka Tribune reported the findings of an observational study from Bangladesh, which looked at ivermectin as a pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 among health care workers.

Fifty-eight volunteers took 12 mg of ivermectin once per month for four months. Only four (6.96%) came down with mild COVID-19 symptoms during the May through August 2020 trial period. In comparison, 44 of 60 health care workers (73.3%) who had declined the medication were diagnosed with COVID-19.

Both groups worked with COVID-19 positive patients at the Bangladesh Medical College Hospital. Lead researcher Mohammed Tarek Alam told Dhaka Tribune that ivermectin is apparently very effective as a preventive drug. His team will be seeking permission to conduct a randomized control trial to validate their findings.

Other Effective Treatment Options

Its worth noting that while the FLCCC is encouraging the use of ivermectin as a prophylactic and early at-home treatment, they also have a more comprehensive early treatment protocol available, as well as an in-hospital protocol.

The treatment protocol was initially dubbed MATH+ (an acronym based on the key components of the treatment), but after several tweaks and updates, the prophylaxis and early outpatient treatment protocol is now known as I-MASK+ while the hospital treatment has been renamed I-MATH+, due to the addition of the drug ivermectin.

Vitamin C  which has important antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating effects  is a central component of this treatment. As noted in a recent landmark review on vitamin C for COVID-19, its common for hospitalized patients to have overt vitamin C deficiency. This is particularly true for older patients and those hospitalized for respiratory infections.

The two protocols (I-MASK+ and I-MATH+ ) are available for download on the FLCCC website in multiple languages. The clinical and scientific rationale for the I-MATH+ hospital protocol has also been peer-reviewed and was published in the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine in mid-December 2020.

Nebulized Peroxide

Nebulized peroxide is a home remedy I recommend everyone familiarize themselves with, as in many cases it can improve symptoms in mere hours.

Nebulizing hydrogen peroxide into your sinuses, throat and lungs is a simple, straightforward way to augment your bodys natural expression of hydrogen peroxide to combat infections and can be used both prophylactically after known exposure to COVID-19 and as a treatment for mild, moderate and even severe illness.

Dr. David Brownstein, who has successfully treated over 100 COVID-19 patients with nebulized peroxide, published a case paper about this treatment in the July 2020 issue of Science, Public Health Policy and The Law. He also reviews its benefits in How Nebulized Peroxide Helps Against Respiratory Infections.

Nebulized hydrogen peroxide is extremely safe, and all you need is a desktop nebulizer and food-grade hydrogen peroxide, which youll need to dilute with saline to 0.1% strength. I recommend buying these items beforehand so that you have everything you need and can begin treatment at home at the first signs of a respiratory infection. In the video above, I go over the basics of this treatment.

The nebulizer I use is the Pari Trek S Compressor Aerosol System. The large battery option is unnecessary as you can simply plug in the device to run it when you need it. There are likely other nebulizers you can use instead, as long as it plugs into an electrical outlet and doesnt use batteries, as they are low-powered and ineffective nebulizers that dont work as well.
Chinese independent candidates Tang Jingzhou (L and middle) and Wang Chengkang (R) met with official hindrance in local election, held in November 2021. (Provided to The Epoch Times by the interviewees)

China Independent Candidates: Beijing Lies about Its Whole-Process Peoples Democracy

In recent months, China has prominently portrayed itself as having achieved full-process peoples democracy. However, this rhetoric contradicts the experiences of several independent political candidates in Chinas southwestern Chongqing City this year, they told The Epoch Times.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has always respected and safeguarded human rights, said Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a human rights forum on Dec. 8, one day before the U.S.-held Summit for Democracy. The United States invited Taiwan rather than communist China to attend the event, which analysts say unnerved the Chinese regime.

Chinas ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, said on Twitter on Dec. 4: What China has is whole-process peoples democracy: from the people, to the people, with the people, for the people, parodying former President Abraham Lincolns Gettysburg Address.

The experience of Chongqing resident Tang Jingzhou told a starkly different story of both harassment and indifference surrounding the political process in a Dec. 6 interview with The Epoch Times. She recounted how local authorities had placed a string of obstacles to stop her campaign and eventually left her ineligible to run.

Disqualification

Tang said that interference from local authorities started in mid-November when she was seeking recommendations for her to run as a candidate.

She obtained more than 20 recommendations from her neighborhood in Yuzhong District, Chongqing City, within half an hour, thanks to her solid contribution to the local property owners committee. The minimum requirement for candidacy is 10 recommendations.

They [local authorities] made calls to my referencesmy neighborsand pressed them to withdraw their recommendations, especially those who work in state-run agencies and who they thought would likely be influenced by pressure from their employers, said Tang. Their excuse was I didnt have a good character.

The intervention drew anger from her references, Tang said.

On the evening of Nov. 17, she received a call telling her that she only had eight valid references, thus failing to meet the required minimum.

The official explanation was that some of her supporters had withdrawn their recommendations while others lost their qualifications because their registered households didnt belong to her community.

Thats their strategy to disqualify you as a candidate, Tang told The Epoch Times.

Intimidated on Election Day

After she lost her candidacy, Tang went to vote at a polling station on Dec. 3, the election day. There, she asked staff how to vote.

The staff were horrified, Tang remembered. They helplessly looked at each other, not answering me, as if they had met a strong enemy.

Tang then asked whether they needed to check her identity. Again, she was not answered. At last, one person said there was no need for that because they knew her personally.

Tang signed her name on the voters list and questioned the legitimacy of the election process.

How were those formal candidates determined? Have they met voters or received any questioning? They should have been discussed in voters groups.

Her questions were soon noticed by several police officers, who came over and surrounded her, accusing her of disrupting the election. She had to leave the polling station after she marked an X beside the names of all four officially determined candidates and then wrote her own name on the form.

She said she didnt know any of the candidates; nor was she sure whether they lived in her community.

Tang complained she could get little assistance from the governmental agencies when she needed help. She had to depend on herself to solve all the problems she encountered.

Moreover, she noted that, compared to eye-catching banners and slogans for other official propaganda, there was hardly any promotion of the election except for one public notice, which impressed her most. The authorities seemed to try their best to downplay the event in public as if to avoid attention, Tang added.

In the city of Chongqing, Tangs three fellow independent candidates also encountered resistance.

Han Liang, who is also in Yuzhong District, was blocked from leaving home by local authorities while he was seeking references for support in late November.

Xiao Zhen from the Liangjiang New Area district was dismissed for his failure to pass a political assessment.

In November, there was only one independent candidate Wang Chengkang from Danba District, struggling to move forward on her campaign trail.

Wherever we went, there were invariably security cameras, Wang told The Epoch Times on Dec. 6. As long as I said something online, someone would promptly reach out to me for a talk.'

Xiong Bin contributed to this report.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that New York is one of two states with the highest spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, the other being New Jersey, in New York City, on Dec. 15, 2021. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

Claim Alleging Injury or Death From a COVID-19 Countermeasure to Be Compensated

More than 4,000 other claims await decision by the U.S. government compensation program

For the first time amid the pandemic, the U.S. government compensation program will pay out one of the 4,751 claims alleging injuries or death arising from the administration of a covered countermeasure used to diagnose, treat, or prevent COVID-19.

Countermeasures may include emergency authorized or federally approved vaccines, drugs, and medical devices that the Food and Drug Administration allows for use during a public health emergency.

One COVID-19 claim has been determined eligible for compensation and is pending a review of eligible expenses, the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) reported.

No additional information on the eligible claim was available. However, David Bowman, Public Affairs Specialist at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) told The Epoch Times via email that the CICP was working to process claims as expeditiously as possible.

The compensation program is run by the HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Established in 2010 through the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act of 2005, the CICP not only provides benefits to people whove suffered serious injuries or death as a result of being given a countermeasure, but it also protects individuals and companies involved in producing or administering the countermeasures from lawsuits, unless it can be shown that there was willful misconduct.

Under the CICP, people may be compensated for medical expenses not fully reimbursed or paid by insurance or government programs like Medicaid, lost wages from not being able to work for more than five days, and a death benefit for someone who has died.

The CICP, historically, has a low rate of compensating claims and some vaccine lawyers are not optimistic that many of the COVID-19 claims will be approved for payment.

A total of 5,242 claims have been filed with the CICP from 2010 to Nov. 1, 2021, of which 4,751 claims are related to injuries or death from COVID-19 countermeasures, specifically 2,297 claims are for COVID-19 vaccines and 2,454 for other countermeasures.

To be considered for benefits, people must file a claim within one year of the date they received a countermeasure, or their claim will be rejected.

But in the event that the CICP develops a COVID-19 Countermeasures Injury Table and the HHS Secretary publishes it on the Federal Register, people have one year from the effective date of the injury table to file a claim even though their previous claim was denied.

When a countermeasure injury table is developed or amended, requesters who previously could not establish a Table injury have one year from the effective date of the Table or amendment to file a request for benefits, even if a previous request was denied, Bowman said. The extended filing deadline only applies if the Table amendment enables a requester who could not establish a Table injury before the amendment to establish such an injury.

The CICP has yet to develop such an injury table, citing insufficient data to establish an injury or death was a direct result of a given countermeasure.

Bowman said an injury table for COVID-19 countermeasures will be developed when there is sufficient data to meet the compelling, reliable, valid, medical and scientific evidence, standard indicating that the covered countermeasure directly causes a particular injury.

Pending establishment of COVID-19 Countermeasures Injury Table, claims may be filed as non-Table injuries and eligibility for compensation will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Program, he added.

The Countermeasures Injury Table

A screenshot of the smallpox countermeasures injury table. (federalregister.gov/screenshot via The Epoch Times)

A countermeasures injury table lists the countermeasures covered, the particular injuries caused by the administration of that countermeasure, and the occurrence of the injury within a specific time period.

If an individual filing a claim can show that their injury is listed on the table and was sustained within the relevant time interval (and meets any other requirements set forth in the table), CICP will presume the injury was a direct result of the covered countermeasure, according to a report (pdf) by the Congressional Research Service.

Without an injury table, the burden of proof falls on the person filing the claim to show that a certain countermeasure caused an injury or death, as temporal association between administration or use of the covered countermeasure and onset of the injury (i.e., the injury occurs a certain time after the administration or use) is not sufficient, by itself, to prove that an injury is the direct result of a covered countermeasure.

John Howie, a trial lawyer focused on vaccine and personal injury, told The Epoch Times in an earlier interview that the compensation program is only a feel good program.

I call it a feel good program. We like to say we have it because it makes people feel better. But when you dig into it, it is a joke, Howie said.

There is no transparency like a true judicial process. There is no provision for attorneys fees, thus making it difficult for any injured individual to even retain a lawyer. Any appeals are handled by [three] people hand-selected by HHS to review the claim.

Since its establishment, the CICP has only compensated 29 claims alleging injury from the H1N1 or the smallpox vaccine, paying out a total of over $6 million.

Japans Compensation Program and No Vaccine Mandate

A Tokyo fire brigade staff member (R) administers a dose of the COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine at Aoyama University in Tokyo on Aug. 2, 2021. (Stanislav Kogiku/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

While only one COVID-19 countermeasures claim is pending to be compensated in the United States, Japan has already paid out 29 of its 41 claims of injury from a COVID-19 vaccine in August 2021, according to a Japanese newspaper The Mainichi.

Japan has a no-fault compensation program, which is called the health damage relief system, that provides benefits to people whose health was injured from receiving a vaccine endorsed by the government, as part of the Immunization Act.

All three COVID-19 vaccinesPfizer, Takeda/Moderna, and AstraZenecaadministered in Japan are covered in the compensation program.

The Japanese government has decided to not mandate the vaccines and reminded businesses and people to not force anyone in your workplace or those around you to be vaccinated, and do not discriminate against those who have not been vaccinated. A web link to a human rights consultation was also provided on the Health Ministry, Labor and Wellbeing COVID-19 vaccine webpage.

The government has instead taken a different approach from other countries: recommending its citizens to get vaccinated only after they have received all of the information on the risks and benefits of the vaccine.

Vaccination will be given only with the consent of the person to be vaccinated after the information [has been] provided, the Japanese Health Ministry, Labor, and Wellbeing wrote.

Please get vaccinated of your own decision, understanding both the effectiveness in preventing infectious diseases and the risk of side effects. No vaccination will be given without consent.

Although Japan was slow in rolling out its vaccination program, it has surpassed the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel in the number of people who are fully vaccinated or received two vaccine doses, with 77.9 percent of its population fully vaccinated as of Dec. 15, compared to the 68.7 percent in the United Kingdom, 62.5 percent in Israel, and 60.7 percent in the United States.
Cruz Calls United Airlines Handling of Vaccine Mandate Deeply Disturbing

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) grilled the boss of United Airlines about his decision to enforce COVID-19 vaccine mandates on all United employees during a meeting of the United States Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Dec. 15.

Cruz praised two Texas-based carriers, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, calling them exemplary over vaccine mandates and not terminating employees who refused to get shots.

The senator then turned his attention towards Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines.

Uniteds behavior on this issue, I have to say, has been deeply disturbing, Cruz said to Kirby. Your competitors have said they will stand with their employees, United has not made that same commitment.

We allocated over $54 billion to keep the American aviation industry strong and healthy, the senator said.

I spoke with each of you in great length about maintaining our pilots and flight attendants was critically important.

Fast-forward to where we are today and we find ourselves in a different circumstance and the behavior of airlines has not been uniform.

The committee heard from airline executives in a full hearing concerning oversight of the U.S. airline industry.

It was in response to disruptions in the industry caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, the virus that causes COVID-19.

To make sure airlines remained viable, Congress signed into law the Payroll Support Program (PSP) on March 27, 2020.

It provided assistance to consumers and businesses, including aid to air carriers and eligible contractors.

The Senate committee examined the impact of the program on commercial airlines and their workforces, as well as the effect of airline performance as it related to American consumers.

Executives from four major airlines, United, Delta, Southwest, and American, were present.

When asked by Sen. Cruz how many pilots had been terminated for failure to comply with Uniteds vaccine mandate, Kirby said about 200 employees did not comply with Uniteds mandate and were fired out of its 67,000 employees.

Kirby added approximately six pilots were fired and 80 were on unpaid leave out of about 13,000.

However, Cruz begged to differ.

Well, I will tell you, I spoke this morning to the Airline Employees for Health Freedom that said they had over 2,000 United employees who had been placed on unpaid leave because they sought exemptions from the vaccine mandates. That included 331 pilots.

Kirby went on to defend Uniteds vaccine mandate.

We believe this saves lives, Kirby told the committee. I think thats my No. 1 obligation  safety, particularly running an airline.

Cruz said during the hearing that he had been inundated with United employees complaining to him about the companys callous disregard for the rights of the pilots.

The senator referenced a video that he saw of Kirby on Instagram that he described as very disturbing.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby speaks during a press conference in Washington on Sept. 22, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Oct. 14, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images)

United CEO Scott Kirby told his employees that very few people who requested a religious exemption to their vaccine mandate would be granted one, said his employees would be putting their job on the line, and said employees should be very careful about that, Cruz said.

Adrianna Uballe, a 10-year United flight attendant told Cruz via letter that she had been terminated by the airline for not getting the vaccine in time.

That letter was later introduced into evidence by Cruz and accepted by the committee chair Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

Uballe told The Epoch Times that she experienced complications from the vaccine and had to be hospitalized.

At first I was standing firm in not getting the vaccine, she said of her experience. This vaccine was forced on us, I wanted to stay true to myself because of my religion, but I was backed into a corner.

The single mother of a 6-year-old son, said she began to panic because she didnt want to lose her job, but wanted to adhere to her convictions, she continued.

Uballe said she went to her union representative for help.

I was told by my union representative, that a religious exemption was no longer accepted and prepare to be terminated if I didnt get the vaccine, she said.

She told me to think about my son, my benefits, then I broke down making a choice.

Uballe said her union person told her, Go do it right now, the J&J only, Ill call the dogs off your back.

At that moment, Uballe said she lost all respect for United Airlines, her union, and even herself for caving into the demands of her employer.

After getting the shot that was recommended to her, Uballe began to have a severe reaction to the vaccine and was hospitalized.

She said her union representative told her she would keep her job.

During a video conference with a human resources worker, Uballe said he asked why she did not get the vaccine in a timely manner.

After explaining she had been denied an exemption and that her union representative had talked her into getting the vaccine, she was then presented with an eight-page document that Uballe described as a covenant not to sue.

I was told the document was time sensitive and that I needed to sign in now, she said. I wanted to read it and understand what I was signing.

After failing to sign the document, Uballe said she arrived home to find a termination letter hung on her gate in a clear plastic garbage bag.

I felt like garbage after I read it, she said. I have been a very good employee. I was done so wrong.

The Epoch Times reached out to United Airlines and union representatives who did not return telephone calls by press time.
Defence Secretary Warns UK Unlikely to Send Troops If Russia Invades Ukraine

It is highly unlikely Britain or its allies will send troops to defend Ukraine if it is invaded by neighbouring Russia, the UKs Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said.

U.S. intelligence claims Russia has stationed about 70,000 troops near the border of Ukraine and has begun planning for a possible invasion as soon as early next year.

Wallace and Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Yuriyovych Reznikov issued a joint statement on Nov. 16 which said they were concerned by Russias military build-up.

The United Kingdom stands shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine and will continue its long-standing determination to support them, the statement added.

But in an interview with The Spectator, Wallace said Ukraine is not a member of Nato so it is highly unlikely that anyone is going to send troops into Ukraine to challenge Russia.

We shouldnt kid people we would. The Ukrainians are aware of that, he added, in comments carried by The Times ahead of the interviews publication.

Asked if that meant Ukraine was on its own, Wallace said: We can all help with capacity building but to some extent Ukraine is not in Nato and that is why we are doing the best diplomatically to say to Putin dont do this.

It comes days after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Russian leader Vladimir Putin there will be significant consequences for Russia if it invades Ukraine.

The prime minister spoke by telephone to Putin on Monday to reassert the UKs commitment to Ukraines territorial integrity and warn that any destabilising action by Moscow would be a strategic mistake.

The Kremlin has denied preparing an invasion and has accused the government in Kiev of stoking tensions in the region by deploying new weapons.

The two countries have been at odds since 2014 when Russian forces annexed the Crimean peninsula and backed a separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine.
A Deutche Post and DHL sign stands in front of the Bonn Post Tower, the headquarters of German postal and logistics group Deutsche Post DHL in Bonn, Germany, on March 11, 2015. (Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters)

DHL Orders 100 Self-Driving US Trucks From TuSimple and Navistar

AUSTIN, TexasDHL Supply Chain has placed a U.S. order for 100 trucks equipped with TuSimples self-driving technology and manufactured by Navistar to further expand its understanding of driverless trucks in its supply chain.

DHL, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post AG, in a statement said that while the partnership was currently in its infant stages, it looked forward to deploying TuSimples driverless technology across multiple regions outside the United States in the future.

The logistics provider, which also has partnerships with other self-driving companies, began working on a pilot program with California-based TuSimple earlier this month to transport daily hauls between Dallas and San Antonio, Texas.

Those hauls are currently operated by TuSimple-owned trucks retrofitted with the companys self-driving technology. The new trucks, expected to be delivered to DHL between 2024 and 2025, will be owned by the logistics company and equipped with autonomous technology from the start.

TuSimple will then provide its self-driving services to DHL on a subscription basis as part of the companys long-term business plan, TuSimple Chief Executive Cheng Lu said in an interview.

Retrofitting a truck is simple not scalable, Lu said.

TuSimple last year partnered with Illinois-based Navistar to co-develop self-driving trucks targeted for 2024 production. Navistar took a minority stake in TuSimple.

For DHL, autonomous truck deployment is currently limited and a spokesman said the company was vendor-agnostic, allowing it to partner with the optimal suppliers and technologies in different regions.

DHL in October submitted a reservation for 100 trucks with TuSimple competitor Embark Trucks Inc., and said it will submit further reservations with a yet unnamed third autonomous trucking provider.

The DHL order brings TuSimples total truck reservations to nearly 6,900. The company already has a partnership with UPS and said it aims to remove safety drivers from its trucks on an 80-mile test route between Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, in the coming months.

By Tina Bellon
The seal of the United States Department of Justice on the building exterior of the United States Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, N.Y., on Aug. 17, 2020. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

DOJ Cracks Down on Fraudulent Addiction Treatment Facilities in Orange County

SANTA ANA, Calif.Ten substance abuse facility owners and patient recruiters in Orange County were criminally charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Dec. 16, for kickback schemes involving exploiting addiction patients seeking help.

For 10 months, The Sober Homes Initiative in Southern California, an anti-fraud initiative led by the DOJs Health Care Fraud Unit and the U.S. Attorneys Office, targeted addiction treatment facilities in Orange County.

The investigations led to 10 suspects with criminal charges; four were taken into custody, including three from the county.

Driven by greed, dishonest operators of substance abuse treatment centers have invaded Southern California, U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said in a statement.

The corrupt individuals, Wilkison said, targeted vulnerable addicts with generous health insurance benefits and took advantage of the nations opioid crisis by fueling what he referred to as a patient-selling network.

Depending on the patients type of insurance, the defendants allegedly paid the recruiters with recurring monthly payments for each patient referred to their addiction treatment facilities, recovery homes, or laboratories.

Receiving kickbacks for patient referrals endangers lives and has no place in our health care system, California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said in the statement.

Nick Roshdieh, 51, of Aliso Viejo, and Vincent Bindi, 66, of Laguna Niguel, who owned Crest Recovery LLC, doing business as Truvida Recovery, were both arrested on charges in an indictment for allegedly paying and receiving kickbacks for referrals to sober living homes, according to a statement by the department.

Roshdieh and Bindi both face up to 65 years in prison.

Donald Vawter, 30, of Rancho Santa Margarita, an employee of Truvida, and Michael Hislop, 56, of Boston, Massachusetts, a patient recruiter, were also arrested and charged with conspiring to pay and receive kickbacks for referrals to a substance abuse treatment facility.

Vawter and Hislop both face up to 35 years in prison.

Casey Mahoney, 45, of Los Angeles, and Joseph Parkinson, 32, formerly of Costa Mesa, were indicted in a multimillion-dollar addiction treatment kickback scheme last October.

In addition to paying and receiving kickbacks for patient referrals, the department charged Mahoney with money laundering for fraudulently transferring kickback funds to a patient brokers mother.

Mahoney faces up to 35 years of prison.

Parkinson, a patient recruiter, was charged with currency structuringmaking one or more money transactions for the purpose of evading reporting requirementspossession with intent of fentanyl distribution, and paying and receiving kickbacks for referrals to sober living homes.

Parkinson faces up to 165 years in prison.

Fraudulent kickbacks in the substance abuse treatment field create perverse incentives for patient recruiters that oftentimes leave addicts in a toxic cycle of drug use and treatment, said Kristi K. Johnson, the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office, in the statement.

The FBI is committed to fighting fraud in the healthcare system so that those struggling with addiction can find legitimate care and encourages patients and employees to report kickback schemes.

Below are other allegations resulting from the investigation.

Darius Moore, 28, formerly of Santa Ana, pleaded guilty last December for conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks for referrals to sober living homes.

Moore, who received approximately $488,500 in kickbacks in exchange for his referrals, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, 2022, where he will face up to 15 years in prison.

Adrian Gonzalez, 37, of Laguna Hills, who controlled Stone Ridge Recovery Inc. and Landmark Recovery LLC, pleaded guilty last August for paying at least $1 million in kickbacks to patient recruiters.

Gonzales will serve up to 10 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 28, 2022.

Dorian Ballough, 30, formerly of Costa Mesa, pleaded guilty last month to one count of conspiracy for paying and receiving kickbacks for referrals.

Ballough, who acted as a patient recruiter for multiple addiction treatment facilities in the county and paid at least $1.8 million in kickbacks in exchange for patient referrals, faces up to 15 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 8, 2022.

Kyle Reed, 29, formerly of Huntington Beach, pleaded guilty last month to one count of conspiracy for paying and receiving kickbacks for referrals to sober living homes.

Reed, a patient recruiter for multiple treatment facilities in the county, paid at least $604,474 in exchange for patient referrals.

He faces up to 15 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6, 2022.

The Department of Justice declined a request for further comment.
Efforts to Stop Bidens Vaccine Mandate for Private Businesses Reach US Supreme Court

3 companies and 1 red-state attorney general are asking the highest U.S. court to stay Biden's sweeping mandate

Three companies and Missouris attorney general are asking the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to stay the Biden administrations vaccine mandate for private businesses with 100 or more employees.

The three companiesPhillips Manufacturing & Tower Company, Sixarp, and Oberg Industriesfiled an emergency application (pdf) for an injunction on Dec. 17, saying that the Biden administration is pursuing unlimited federal executive power in the vaccine mandate for private businesses.

There is no dispute among the parties about the common desire to end the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic, the application reads. The arguments advanced by the Executive Branch admit to no cognizable limits on federal executive power.

Frustrated with a minority of Americans medical choices, the Executive Branch has attempted to control and surveil the vaccination schedules of enormous swaths of the countrys population.

The three companies, which all have more than 100 employees, would have to implement the vaccine mandate if its not stopped by the courts. The mandate will also jeopardize the companies already struggling recruitment efforts, the three applicants stated in the application.

Eric Schmitt, attorney general of Missouri, also asked SCOTUS to stay the Biden administrations sweeping vaccine mandate.

This was always destined to go to the nations highest court and Ill continue to fight back against this breathtaking overreach, he wrote in a Twitter post.

Representatives for SCOTUS, the Biden administration, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) didnt respond to requests for comment by press time.

This is the latest effort by some companies and Republican-run states to stop President Joe Bidens vaccine mandate for private companies after the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed it to take effect late on Dec. 17.

A child receives the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination at the Fairfax County Government Center in Annandale, Va., on Nov. 4, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The vaccine requirements for private businesses issued by OSHA meant that roughly 84 million U.S. workers faced a Jan. 4 deadline to get vaccinated before it was paused.

Under the rule, employees who arent fully vaccinated would have to wear masks and be tested on a weekly basis for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the disease COVID-19. Exceptions would apply to those who work outdoors or work from home.

The OSHA rule threatens fines of up to $13,600 per violation. It also threatens to fine an additional $13,600 per day that an employer doesnt abate the violation. For a willful or serious violation, OSHA can issue a fine of up to $136,000.

After the ruling by the 6th Circuit Court, OSHA set Jan. 10 as the deadline for companies with 100 or more employees to comply with the rule.

OSHA said in a statement on Dec. 18 that it wouldnt be issuing citations to businesses for noncompliance with any requirements of the Biden administrations COVID-19 vaccine-or-test mandate for private companies employing 100 or more people until Jan. 10. It also wont issue any citations for noncompliance with the mandates testing requirements until Feb. 9.

Mimi Nguyen Ly and Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
Growing List of Federal Court Suits Challenges Jan. 6 Select Committee

A subpoena issued by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol seeking private cellphone information from Verizon isnt valid for at least five reasons, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this week in federal court by a noted constitutional law professor.

The suit, filed on Dec. 14 by professor John Eastman in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asks that the select committees subpoena to Verizon for his phone records, text messages, contact lists, etc. for the period of November 1, 2020 to January 31, 2021, be declared invalid.

Eastmans action is one of several recently filed in federal court that could result in a court ruling that forces Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders to either reorganize and relaunch the select committee or shut it down completely.

Eastman claimed the subpoena to Verizon is invalid for the following reasons:

First, public statements by J6 Committee members make clear that the Committee is attempting to exercise a law enforcement function, rather than genuine legislative activity. The United States Congress has no power to issue subpoenas for law enforcement purposes.

Second, the subpoena was issued in violation of House Rules and the J6 Committees own authorizing resolution.  The Committees lack of validly appointed minority members or a validly appointed ranking minority member makes such compliance impossible. A subpoena issued in violation of applicable House Rules is invalid.

Third, the subpoena violates the Fourth Amendment. Dr. Eastman has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the private cellphone information which the Committee now seeks to access without a search warrant.

Fourth, the subpoena violates the First Amendment. The subpoena seeks detailed information on Dr. Eastmans protected First Amendment activity. Allowing a highly partisan congressional committee to invade the First Amendment activity of a political opponent would have a chilling effect on free speech.

Finally, the subpoena infringes attorney client privilege. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Eastman is engaged in the practice of law representing clients. The subpoena makes no provision for protecting attorney client privileged information.

Eastman, who describes himself in the suit as a political conservative who supported former President Donald Trump, which puts him at odds with the Committees highly partisan membership, is a former dean of the Chapman University Law School and professor of constitutional law, legal history, and property.

Separately, the select committee said it also subpoenaed Eastman for deposition because he appeared to have been instrumental in advising President Trump that Vice President [Mike] Pence could determine which electors were recognized on January 6, a view that many of those who attacked the Capitol also shared.

Also filing suit earlier this week against the select committee were four political consultants who helped stage the peaceful Jan. 6 White House rally in support of Trump, which preceded the breach of the Capitol later that day.

The four include Justin Caporale, described as the Project Manager, Tim Unes, the founder of Event Strategies, Megan Powers, listed as Operations Manager, and Maggie Mulvaney, the VIP Lead for the rally.

In their suit, the four contend that theyre private citizens who were not involved in any federal government activities or programs. They have only one apparent connection to the matter Congress claims to be investigating: They served as vendors to help staff a peaceful, lawful, orderly, and patriotic assembly to promote First Amendment-protected speech.

Despite this, the Plaintiffs voluntarily sat for lengthy interviews and gave thousands of documents to Congressional investigators. The Plaintiffs answered every single question about what happened at the event, who spoke, who the Plaintiffs spoke with, and when. If Congress wanted to know anything more about the Plaintiffs brief involvement with the events it is allegedly investigating, it needed only have asked, the suit states.

Instead, Congress rewarded Plaintiffs for their cooperation by pivoting to Defendant Verizon Wireless, their telecommunications carrier, to indiscriminately demand detailed information about their accounts, contacts, personal and political associates, and physical locations. The Subpoenas covered a three-month period that greatly exceeds the 10-day window of time about which Congress questioned the Plaintiffs.

Like Eastman, the four ask the court to issue a judgment that the subpoena to Verizon is invalid because it was not issued by a validly constituted committee; is not pertinent to the matter Congress is purporting to investigate; does not pursue a legislative purpose; violates the Plaintiffs First and Fourth Amendment rights; and violates the Stored Communications Act, 18 U.S.C. Section 2701, et seq.

The arguments cited in the suits filed by the four rally organizers and the constitutional law professor mirror those presented to the same federal court in a Dec. 8 filing by former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who is also a former member of the House of Representatives, which cited him for contempt on Dec. 14.

In addition to claiming that subpoenas issued by the select committee are invalid, all of the suits argue that the panel itself is invalid because it fails to operate in accordance with H.R. 503, which created it.

The suits further argue that the select committee is failing to fulfill a valid legislative purpose consistent with the constitutional authorities of Congress.

Meadows frames the argument in this manner: Congress has no freestanding power to issue subpoenas. Instead, its investigative powers are ancillary to its legislative authority. Trump v. Mazars USA, LLP, 140 S. Ct. 2019, 2031 (2020).

Because of this tie between the investigative and legislative powers, Congress may only issue subpoenas that serve a valid legislative purpose. Law enforcement and the punishment of perceived legal wrongs are not valid legislative purposes. To the extent Congress seeks to utilize subpoenas to investigate and punish perceived criminal wrongdoing, it unconstitutionally intrudes on the prerogatives of the Executive Branch.

The Select Committee has failed to identify any legislative purpose served by the Meadows Subpoena. It has not considered any draft legislation, nor has it provided any explanation for why its requests to Mr. Meadows would further any valid legislative end.

The Select Committees authorizing resolution also fails to identify its legislative purpose. It is vague to the point of meaninglessness, authorizing the Select Committee to investigate the facts, circumstances, and causes relating to the domestic terrorist attack on the Capitol, including facts and circumstances relating to  entities of the public and private sector as determined relevant by the Select Committee for such investigation.
Huntington Beach to Potentially Hire Outside Counsel in Illegal Maneuver: City Attorney

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.The Huntington Beach City Council will consider hiring an outside legal firm on Dec. 21 following disagreements with the citys elected attorney, who says the move is illegal.

City Attorney Michael Gates said that according to the citys charter, which is essentially its constitution, its illegal for the council to hire outside legal help without the elected city attorneys direct authorization.

Its a blatant violation of the city charter, and it really is an affront to the way our government is set up, Gates told The Epoch Times. The people in the cityby adopting the charter and ratifying it lots of times over the yearshave said, We want to pick the lawyer for the city and thereby deprive city council from choosing its own lawyer.

The motionbrought forward by Mayor Barbara Delgleize, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Posey, and Councilman Dan Kalmickclaimed there have been multiple circumstances over the years where the council was uncomfortable with the quality and accuracy of the legal advice provided by the City Attorney.

Delgleize, Posey, and Kalmick were not immediately available for comment.

The motion cites disagreements over a legal dispute with affordable housing developer Kennedy Commission, where the city is appealing a ruling to pay $3.5 million in attorneys fees.

In a Dec. 16 open letter to the council, Gates shot back.

We have prevailed in every single legal battle in the five-year long Kennedy Commission v. City of Huntington Beach caseand the only reason there is an attorneys fees award looming is because the court erroneously awarded fees to a party in the lawsuit who did not prevail, Gates wrote. That is why we are appealing that fees awardyou know this. All of Judge Sterns decisions have been overturned in this caseyou know this tooyet you use his words against me?

Gates said its preposterous that the council has alleged concerns about his efforts to protect the city legally, citing his win rate on cases and saving taxpayers over $150 million.

Under my leadership, we have ushered in an era of an exceedingly high quality of legal representation for the City, which includes overwhelming success in defending our police officers in lawsuits, achieving an over 90% win rate on cases, winning improbable lawsuits and trials, providing high quality legal advice, dramatically increasing levels of professionalism among our attorneys, increasing our hard and efficient work ethic, increasing responsiveness, and so much more, he wrote.

According to the citys charter, the city attorney had the power to represent and appear for the City in any or all actions or proceedings in which the City is concerned and prepare any and all proposed ordinances and City Council resolutions and amendments thereto and perform such legal functions and duties incident to the execution of the foregoing powers as may be necessary and provide advice related to compliance with the City Charter to all elected and appointed officials of the City.

The motion cites a charter section stating the councils ability to employ attorneys to take charge of or may contract for any prosecution, litigation, or other legal matter of business, though Gates said this is taken entirely out of context.

That is basically a recognition of their fiscal ability, meaning they control the purse. Yes, they can hire. They could double the size of my staff, for instance.  Its more of a fiscal or budgetary recognition than it is them having their own ability to simply go out and choose for their own dealing, he said.

Of all the people in this debate, meaning me and the city council members who are advocating for seeking alternative legal counsel, Im the only one whos qualified to offer a professional legal opinion, Gates said. So while they talk about the law and what they can and cannot do under the law, they dont know.  None of them are lawyers, none of them have state bar licenses, they are literally political figures who are trying to make interpretations of law that are self-serving.
Emergency workers search through what is left of the Mayfield Consumer Producers candle factory, in Mayfield, Ky., on Dec. 11, 2021. (John Amis/AFP via Getty Images)

Tornado Aftermath: Man Recalls Helping Rescue 13 People From Candle Factory Wreckage

Brad Copeland was among the first on the scene of the collapsed Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory building last week to help rescue those buried in the rubble following Kentuckys catastrophic tornadoes.

Copeland crawled over beams and fallen metal-studded walls for several hours to help pull people out.

From about 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 to 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 11, he used electric saws and grinders he borrowed from a neighboring business to cut through walls and beams that had fallen on people working inside the building that night.

Copeland, a U.S. Army veteran with emergency medical services training, told The Epoch Times he was at home watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas with his children when he received a phone call from his pastor, Steven Boykin at His House Ministries church in Mayfield.

Boykin also serves as the chaplain at Mayfield Consumer Products. When he called Copeland, he told him that he needed someone who knew what they were doing in the rescue efforts.

Mayfield, Ky. resident Brad Copeland (L) with his pastor, Steve Boykin (R) of His House Ministries, preparing to distribute generators to the Mayfield Community on Dec. 16. (Brad Copeland)

Copeland and Boykin arrived at the scene of the collapsed Mayfield Consumer Products warehouse-style building in less than an hour after the tornadoes hit, Copeland said. Because of all the debris in the area, he said they had to park about eight-tenths of a mile down the street from where they had to go. They were among a group of fewer than 10 people helping inside the building early on.

It took us a little while to get to the candle factory, said Copeland, who works as an electrician at nearby Vanderbilt Chemicals. There was so much debris in the street. There was a tractor dealership next to the candle factory. I just thought about the amazing force the tornado must have been. There was a large combine that had been thrown upside down. Those things are huge and weigh a few tons, he said.

It was like a war zone, Copeland, who has served in Afghanistan in 2005 and 2006, said. It was nothing like I had ever seen, at least state-side, he added. It was like someone had stood on one end of the candle factory and pushed it over, causing it to fall over like dominoes.

When Copeland got inside the building, he heard a man crying out for help.

He said, I need help, and theres a law enforcement officer next to me, Copeland said. I saw Officer Daniels feet right away. He was unresponsive. I performed CPR on him for about 10 minutes. He may have already passed from his injuries before we got to him, he said.

People were all over screaming for help, Copeland added. At first, we couldnt find them. It was tough. We then formed an assembly line and started moving from one person to the next to help pull them out from under debris, Copeland said.

After we pulled walls and beams off people, they couldnt walk at first, he said. By the end of the night, there were about 30 to 40 people helping with the rescue efforts.

This combination of satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies shows Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory and nearby buildings, after a tornado caused heavy damage in the area of Mayfield, Ky., on Jan. 28, 2017, top, and below on Dec. 11, 2021, (Satellite image 2021 Maxar Technologies via AP)

Officer Robert Daniels

Graves County Jail Deputy and Corrections Officer Robert Daniels was among the eight people who were killed inside Mayfield Consumer Products after he succumbed to his injuries, Graves County Jail Lt. Joseph Siedel told The Epoch Times.

Daniels, a member of Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police Mayfield-Graves County Lodge 21, was among three people killed, including two women, that Copeland helped pull from the rubble of the candle factory in addition to the 13 survivors he helped rescue.

Daniels, who was 47, and the father of four daughters, three sons, and seven grandchildren, had been on the job of overseeing an inmate work release program at the candle factory for less than a week when he was suffocated after a metal-studded wall and beam fell on top of him, Siedel said.

He was supervising seven inmates the night of his death at about 10:30 p.m., and none of the inmates were injured, Siedel said.

Daniels had tried to call for help a few times, but the crushing weight on top of him made him weaker as it increasingly restricted his breathing, according to those who were trapped around him, Siedel said.

He was just a great guy, and a friend, Siedel said. He was Christian-hearted, and a man of integrity.

Robert Daniels was among the eight people killed inside the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory when it was hit by tornadoes on Dec. 10, 2021. Daniels, a father of four daughters and seven grandchildren, was 47. (Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 21)

Siedel said Copeland needed to be recognized for his life-saving efforts.

As far as were concerned, Brad Copeland is a hero, Siedel said. We are happy to know that he got there as quick as he did and started helping people right away. Knowing that Robert didnt suffer long before he was helped, is a comfort.

In what Siedel said will be a small ceremony, the Graves County Jail Deputies plan to honor Copeland sometime next week.

I dont think I did anything anyone else wouldnt have done, Copeland told The Epoch Times on Dec. 16 minutes before he was to help distribute generators with his fellow churchgoers. If this will help honor Officer Daniels memory, Im glad. Thats what I would want to do.

As of Friday, 92 people have been confirmed dead from the tornadoes that hit multiple states, including 76 in Kentucky.
Patient care is being affected as hospitals are forced to improvise due to supply back orders. (Studio Romantic/Shutterstock)

Its Time to Ask Santa for Crutches and Catheters

Supply chain difficulties are leaving hospitals short of essential supplies

Americas hospitals, strained by nearly two years of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, are now scrounging for basic medical supplies.

In another consequence of the global supply chain crisis, hospitals managing holiday COVID surges and all their other patients are running short of many necessities of care: crutches, syringes, needles, tubing, gloves, catheters, drapes for surgery, suction canisters for medical waste, and even urine cups.

After the difficulties that health care workers faced in securing personal protective equipment in 2020, supply chain managers and other experts say shortages and delays of other common supplies escalated this year.

President Joe Bidens promises to speed supplies into the country have repeatedly focused on ensuring that holiday gifts fill U.S. store shelves. Only Santa Claus can make sure they arrive on time, Biden said in a Dec. 1 speech about his administrations efforts. Medical supplies received a passing reference.

In the meantime, clinicians describe making do, which sometimes requires piecing together whats needed with odds and ends. And while they play MacGyver, their attention can be diverted from patient care.

In late November, executives at CentraCare in Minnesota said a lack of the urine collection kits the health system uses forced them to secure four alternatives and even order individual parts to make their own. Some of the cups cant be transported through normal hospital tube systems, so workers must walk samples to the lab instead of tending to patients.

Dr. George Morris, CentraCares physician incident commander for COVID response, worries about higher risk of harm for patients. Now our supply shortage is actually affecting our ability to do the care.

When you throw in all these variationsfour different types of collection kits, an infinite number of different types of crutchestheres always that little slight chance of error, Morris said. And thats unfortunate, but thats the reality.

We just cant get enough volume, said Kelsey Ochsner, CentraCares manager of procurement. Federal emergency medical teams were dispatched to Minnesota in late November to help hospitalsincluding CentraCares St. Cloud Hospital, the systems largestmanage a spike in COVID-19 infections.

The scarcity of supplies is driven by raw material shortages, port backlogs, shipping delays, and a dearth of truck drivers for transporting goods. Another factor making things worse for hospitals in general: staff shortages.

If you dont have health care workers, you cant do the work, said Debbie White, a registered nurse and president of Health Professionals and Allied Employees, a union in New Jersey. Whatever supplies you have are kind of a moot point if you cant even take care of your patients.

A global aluminum shortage has left hospitals short on crutches, so clinicians have organized donation drives for gently used items. Imagine trying to get around after hip surgery or after breaking your leg without the aid of these devices, read one recent call for walkers, canes, and crutches from Utah hospitals, including Intermountain Healthcare and University of Utah Health.

The campaign, called Lean on Utah, collected items on three Saturdays this fall, bringing in 963 sets of crutches, 652 walkers, 333 canes, and 153 nonmotorized wheelchairs.

Gordon Slade, Intermountains senior director of supply chain logistics, said lead times are so long that the health system has paid for expedited shipping, pushing costs ever higher.

In some cases, youre paying more for freight than the product, he said.

Microchip and metals shortages have slowed the production of wheelchairs and other medical equipment. Also scarce are resin and silicone, used for canisters, catheters, and the kits used to insert them in patients.

Anything plastic-wise has been a little bit slowed down, said Mark Welch, senior vice president of supply chain for North Carolina-based Novant Health. Among the items delayed are catheters, syringes, gauze, and medical tape. As of early December, about 6.5 percent of items in Novant Healths inventory were delayed, compared with 1 percent or less during normal operations.

The hospital has urged clinicians to conserve supplies such as tape and gauze. Were asking them to really think before you use, Welch said. If you happen to just grab extra things to take to the room because you think you might use it, a lot of times it gets wasted.

This degree of disruption for this period of time is unusual, said Melanie Fisher, a senior vice president for Beaumont Health, which operates hospitals in Michigan.

To have 100 backorders a day is much different than traditionally having 25, she said. And to have back orders with either no substitutes available or having to make the kits ourselves when were already short-staffedthese are the complexities of what were working through now.

Still, this is very different from the shortages we saw last year related to PPE, said Tinglong Dai, a professor of operations management and business analytics at Johns Hopkins University. With those, Dai said, the danger was grave: People were actually infected, in certain cases actually died.

Hospital executives were split on whether actions taken by the Biden administrationforcing major ports to operate round-the-clock, lowering container fees, and allowing truck drivers to work longer hourswere improving the situations in their facilities. Some, like Welch of Novant Health, havent seen meaningful differences. Still, Fisher of Beaumont Health said, its hard to imagine what would have happened without them.

Hospital workers hope for some improvement after the holiday season. Industry reports, however, are predicting another 18 to 24 months of supply chain challenges, said Alyssa Kangas, CentraCares senior director of contracting and procurement.

Many hospitals contract with group-purchasing organizations to secure discounts from vendors. Managers said the contracts have offered protection against price gouging. But with the supply logjam, they might have to go off-contract to lock down goodsand risk escalating prices.

At that point, were kind of at the mercy of the market, said Slade of Intermountain Healthcare, adding that hes concerned about price gouging when contracts come up for renewal. Oxygen tanks, he said, cost 600 percent more than they did a year ago. I do see an avalanche of price increases in the future.

Rachana Pradhan is a Kaiser Health News correspondent who reports on a broad array of national health policy decisions and their effect on everyday Americans. KHN is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.
A display for facial recognition and artificial intelligence is seen on monitors at Huawei's Bantian campus on April 26, 2019 in Shenzhen, China. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Man Bypasses Facial Recognition on Sleeping Ex-girlfriends Phone by Lifting Her Eyelids, Steals Money

A Chinese man used his ex-girlfriends phone while she was asleep and bypassed facial recognition by lifting up her eyelids, successfully stealing money from her Alipay account.

The identity theft case has stunned Chinese people and topped search charts of Weibo, Chinas Twitter, on Dec. 12 with 490 million views.

The Paper on Dec. 12 quoted Nanning Evening Journal, a local official media in Guangxi Province, which reported that a 28-year-old man surnamed Huang, a native of the provinces Hepu county, was in gambling debt. On Dec. 26 last year, Huang called his ex-girlfriend surnamed Dong on the pretext of paying back the money he owed her.

When Huang arrived at Dongs home in the afternoon, he found Dong ill. Huang immediately took the initiative to be attentive to Dongs needs, cooking for her and helping with her medicine. After Dong was sound asleep, Huang used Dongs fingerprints to unlock her Huawei phone. He then lifted her upper eyelids for facial recognition to gain access to her Alipay app, an online payment app developed by Alibaba Group.

Huang processed several transactions from Dongs Alipay and bank card, totaling $154,000 yuan ($24,000), and then left. With the stolen money, Huang paid off his gambling debts and continued gambling with the remaining money, according to the verdict of a court in Nanning city.

Upon waking up, Dong reported the theft to the local police. In April, Huang was caught. The court recently sentenced Huang to three years and six months in prison and fined him 20,000 yuan ($3,140).

The identity theft case raises questions on the facial recognition technology of Chinese domestic smartphones.

Earlier this year, the research team of RealAI, an industry-academia-research technology enterprise under the Institute of Artificial Intelligence of Tsinghua University in Beijing, did a facial recognition test. They selected 20 smartphones, 19 of which were made in China; and from the top 5 domestic cell phone brands, 1 of which is the iPhone 11. Then, they printed out photos of volunteers eyes and pasted them on glasses. Within 15 minutes, all 19 Chinese phones were successfully unlocked, only the iPhone did not work.

The research team said that the ease of unlocking was actually only the first step, they found through testing that many applications on the phone can pass through authentication by countering a sample attack. They were even able to impersonate owners to open a bank account online.

Zhang Xudong, senior product manager of RealAI, said in a Jan. 14, 2020, report of Science and Technology Daily, an official newspaper of Chinas Ministry of Science and Technology, that the research is aimed at the technical vulnerability of the AI recognition algorithm, which generates noise to counter the sample attack and induces errors in the recognition system.

The early-stage AI technology generates videos in which the characters often do not blink their eyes  But with the continuous evolution of deep forgery technology, these identification methods are no longer effective. Zhang said.

Abuse of the immature AI technology will result in personal information being easily manipulated, bringing about privacy leaks and identity crises, and also giving rise to new types of black businesses that are more secretive and difficult to detect, such as pornography and financial fraud, Zhang added.

State-owned Xinhua media reported on April 7 that facial recognition has become over-solicited biometric information for many apps and applets. Some small commercial companies even offer to sell facial data for as little as 0.5 yuan.

China is the largest consumer of facial recognition devices and is expected to account for 44.59 percent of the global share in 2023, reported Verdict, a UK-based technology business media.

Huawei phones have been banned from carrying critical software and licenses from Google since a U.S. export restriction announced by the Commerce Department on Aug. 17, 2020. Thirty-eight Huawei subsidiaries around the world are on the entity list of U.S. export restrictions to prevent Huawei from obtaining U.S. technology and related products.

In 2020, Former President Donald Trump said Huawei is able to spy on us through telecommunication systems that use their equipment, calling Huawei Spy-wei.
Modernas COVID-19 Vaccine 4 Times More Likely to Cause Heart Inflammation Than Pfizers: Study

But absolute number of heart inflammation cases was low, authors said

Modernas COVID-19 vaccine is up to four times more likely to cause heart inflammationmyocarditis or myopericarditisthan Pfizer-BioNTechs COVID-19 vaccine, a study published Dec. 16 in the British Medical Journal suggests.

Vaccination with [Modernas vaccine] was associated with a significantly increased risk of myocarditis or myopericarditis in the Danish population, and the rate was threefold to fourfold higher with the Moderna vaccine compared to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, authors said in the study, which spanned almost 85 percent of Danes, or 4.9 million people aged 12 and older.

The increased risk of myocarditis or myopericarditis with the Moderna vaccine was primarily driven by an increased risk among individuals aged 1239 years, the researchers from Denmarks Statens Serum Institute said.

The population-based cohort study also corroborated previous studies and reports such as those from Israel and the United States that say theres an increased risk of myocarditis or myopericarditis with taking the mRNA-based Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

Absolute Number of Cases Low, Most Were Mild

Authors of the study wrote that the absolute rate of myocarditis or myopericarditis in the mRNA-based vaccines was low, even in younger age groups.

The benefits of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination should be taken into account when interpreting these findings, they said. Larger multinational studies are needed to further investigate the risks of myocarditis or myopericarditis after vaccination within smaller subgroups.

In the study, researchers analyzed nationwide registers in Denmark that show the countrys population data on vaccination, hospital admissions, and results of laboratory assays of blood samples.

Within 28 days of vaccination, they found an absolute rate of myocarditis or myopericarditis for the Pfizer vaccine at 1.4 per 100,000 people (or about 1 case per 71,400), and for the Moderna vaccine at 4.2 per 100,000 people (or about 1 case per 23,800), according to the study results.

Most of the cases were predominantly mild, the authors wrote.

They noted that Pfizers vaccine was only associated with a significantly increased risk among women, which contrasts with the results of studies from Israel and the United States. The discrepancy could be explained by the average age of the vaccinated population, the time span between the first and second shot, or because fewer Danes had tested positive for COVID-19, they said.

The authors also noted that the Pfizer vaccine was found to be significantly associated with myocarditis or myopericarditis event when using a narrowed 14-day time window.

In a statement, study author Anders Hviid said the findings of the study do not generally overshadow the many benefits that come with being vaccinated.

One must keep in mind that the alternative of getting an infection with COVID-19 probably also involves a risk of inflammation in the heart muscle, he wrote.

The researchers said they found both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines were associated with about a 50 percent reduced risk of cardiac arrest or death compared with unvaccinated people.

The observational study cant establish any causal relationships, and there may be some sources of bias, such as increased public awareness of potential side effects of the mRNA-based vaccines, that may have affected the results, the authors said.

In the United States, vaccine manufacturers are immune from liability for any adverse reactions unless theres willful misconduct involved.

Health care providers who administer COVID-19 vaccines are required by law to report any serious adverse effects or vaccination administration errors to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Reuters contributed to this report.
June 24, 2016 | R | 2h 19m

The year is 1863. Former blacksmith Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) steadies an ex-slaves head against a mangrove tree in a Mississippi swamp and starts slamming the steel bolt on the medieval, 4-pronged punishment collar the runaway slave had been forced to wear.

Mahershala Ali (L) and Matthew McConaughey star in Free State of Jones. (Murray Close/STX Productions, LLC)

That particular sound of freedom carries a long distance in a Southern swamp, and immediatelyexplosivelya hunting party with dogs in full-cry is on the warpath to suppress it. Knight, making a run for it, gets run down by a German shepherd and viciously lacerated.

Christopher Berry (L) and Matthew McConaughey star in Free State of Jones. (Murray Close/STX Productions, LLC)

After his bite wounds are healing later, the group of swamp-dwelling ex-slaves Knight has befriended chuckle: Guess dem dogs likes the taste o you, much as dey likes the taste of us.

Civil War

Matthew McConaughey stars in Free State of Jones. (STX Productions, LLC)

Knight, a battlefield nurse, deserts the Confederate Army after his nephew dies in his arms. Hes had it; he hauls the boy home on horseback to his grief-stricken mother.

Hes watched the Confederate Army ransack Southern farmers crops and livestock to feed troops, and force those farmers fearful 5-year-olds to fire flintlocks.

Hes watched wealthy slave-owners and their sons sidestep the draft. They had cotton to pick. Or rather, they had slaves to pick cotton. Hed watched starvation rule the dayfor the poor. Hed watched his fair share of the 600,000 deaths in the American Civil War.

Matthew McConaughey stars in Free State of Jones (STX Productions, LLC)

Uprising

Thus the stage is set for Free State of Jones, a cinematic re-enactment of an obfuscated historical fact about an insurrection in Mississippi by a swamp-squatting commune of poor whites, their pistol-wielding wives, and escaped slaves, who utilized guerrilla warfare (much like the Seminole Indians in their Floridian swamp strongholds), and were led by above-mentioned fed-up farmer and proto-socialistNewt Knight.

The film covers 14 years, during which Knight swells his swamp army with both blacks and whites. Needless to say, during a time of virulent racism, this arrangement doesnt sit well with many of the whites therein, but Knight declares them equals. In his mind, the war is split only by a richpoor divide. We aint got no country. So well be our own country.

Matthew McConaughey stars in Free State of Jones (STX Productions, LLC)

Two Stories

Knight had become involved with a former house slave (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), during the swamp years. His story, from war nurse to insurrection leader, is paralleled by vignettes from the narrative of his great grandson, Davis Knight (Brian Lee Franklin). In 1948, Daviss black ancestry comes to light, and he was convicted of miscegenation on Dec. 17 of that year.

Hes one-eighth African-American. It only took one drop of black blood for Jim Crow law to apply. However, what wasnt immediately clear was whether he was the descendant of Newts white wife (Keri Russell) or of Newts black mistress. Son of son of son of Knight was supposed to do five years in prison, but didnt, because the state couldnt prove beyond reasonable doubt, the state of his blood.

Mahershala Ali (L) and Matthew McConaughey star in Free State of Jones (Murray Close/STX Productions, LLC)

What You Get

Since 12 Years A Slave raised the quality bar on the telling of American antebellum slave stories, the wealth of heretofore hidden and obscure narratives is starting to come to light. However, like 12 Years, these stories are best served when not directed by Americans. The subject matter still apparently carries too much shame in America and Hollywood for such a story to not end up being told from a white, savior perspective, that inevitably serves up large portions of proselytizing. That being said, Free State is definitely well intended.

Like 12 Years, its got unflinching brutality, that, in the hands of a lesser director, could easily have become slave-brutality porn. And while its definitely over-long, extending beyond the end of the Civil War, through Reconstruction, the racial terrorism of the Ku Klux Klan, and Jim Crow laws, one is left with the impression that director Gary Ross did his darnedest to do right by the material. Matthew McConaughey carries the whole movie on his back, powerfully.

Was Knight Right?

As Knight points out, while hes definitely anti-war and an avowed abolitionistits the class struggle of it all that really stuck in his craw.

Matthew McConaughey (L) and Christopher Berry star in Free State of Jones (Murray Close/STX Productions, LLC)

The Declaration of Independence claims all men are created equal, but the capitalist U.S. government ultimately came down hard on Knights notions of economic equality.

Nevertheless, his ideas were a sign of the timesthe Paris Commune uprising was happening around the same time; Knight was basically, unbeknownst to himself, a socialist. Hed have had a rude awakening, could he have witnessed the bloody deeds eventually done in the name of Karl Marx.

Newt Knight (Matthew McConaughey) leads a swamp uprising in Free State of Jones (Murray Close/STX Productions, LLC)

The latter portions of Free State of Jones hint at harrowing future cinematic tellings of gothic racial terrorism and the long, dark reign of the Ku Klux Klan. We realize how much we cherish the ideas of equality and freedom. Its difficult to argue with some of Knights maxims, especially, Every man is a man, and, You cannot own a child of God. Free State of Jones is basically an American swampland Braveheart. Fighting for freedom is always a noble cause.

Free State of Jones

Director: Gary Ross

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Keri Russell, Mahershala Ali, Jacob Lofland, Sean Bridgers

Running Time: 2 hours, 19 minutes

MPAA Rating: R

Release Date: June 24, 2016

Rated 3.5 stars out of 5
Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, speaks at the ConnectED conference at the White House on Nov. 19, 2014. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

New LAUSD Superintendents Policy History on COVID-19, School Choice

LOS ANGELESAlberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Miami-Dade School District and the next superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), has a record of pushing for positive educational outcomes, expanding learning options, and supporting COVID-19 mask and vaccination requirements in schools in Miami.

Carvalho became one of the nations most sought-after education leaders during his 13 years as superintendent of Miami-Dade, the nations fourth-largest school district.

He is credited with improving academic performance in the district by providing stable leadership and creating programs that offer parents more schooling choices.

In 2018, he agreed to be chancellor of New York Citys school district, the largest in the nation; however, Carvalho announced on live television the next day that he decided to stay in Miami until his term ended in 2020.

Now hes contracted with LAUSD to begin March 1, 2022, with a salary of $440,000 per year during his four-year term$90,000 more than his predecessor.

Carrying high expectations from the new school district hes going to serve, Carvalho said extensive community outreach is necessary once he arrives in Los Angeles before he can determine his first steps as superintendent.

Do not expect me to  take actions without that firsthand experience. So yes, I will go armed with my philosophy, with my skill set, but being fully cognizant of the fact that I dont know what I dont know, he said during a Dec. 9 press conference.

Students walk to their classrooms at a public middle school in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

School Choice

Carvalho enters the scene during a rocky time for the LAUSD.

Facing the dilemma of either losing 34,000 unvaccinated students or overloading the remote learning program due to the districts COVID-19 vaccine mandate for in-person learning, the LAUSD Board of Education voted this week to delay the deadline for full vaccination from Jan. 10 to fall 2022.

In September, data released by the LAUSD showed that 27,000 fewer students were enrolled in the district than the previous year.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times also reported that the districts remote learning program, City of Angels, is struggling with staff shortages.

In addition, 16 percent of students in the online learning program have disabilities, some of whom already have difficulties gaining access to the resources they need, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Therefore, the program would likely be overwhelmed by additional enrollment from unvaccinated students joining all at once.

Currently, the LAUSD offers an online learning program, several school programs for at-risk students, a program for pregnant minors, a program for dropouts, a program for students with disabilities, and a continuation school.

Carvalho also said during the press conference that he was deeply concerned about LAUSDs enrollment decline and pledged to remedy it by improving the quality of learning so that its education is not comparable to anything else [students] would get anywhere else.

During his time in Miami, Carvalho expanded school choice to include private-public school partnerships, career academies, specialized cross-district magnet schoolsspecialized public programs that focus on special areas of interests or skills, designed to attract students from across a districtand non-magnetized special programs that prioritize students within the district.

I think we ought to create pathways where every single student is entitled with the opportunity and the skill set and the equitable access to educational programs that will lead to college, while simultaneously providing opportunities for students who may not want to go to college and may want to enter the workforce after some degree of technical training, he said on Dec. 14.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (L) and Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho visit a classroom during a trip to the Kenwood K8 Center on Aug. 24, 2018, in Miami, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

COVID-19 Mask and Vaccine Mandates

During the pandemic, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a ban on mask mandates for schools.

Masks remained optional at Miami-Dade schools for much of the pandemic; however, Carvalho defied DeSantis ban in August 2021 when he issued a mask mandate for the Miami-Dade school district.

My mind is pretty made up on the way to move forward. And that is in full agreement with the recommendations of this task force, Carvalho said Aug. 17.

He said he came to his conclusion based on reports by medical experts, despite criticism from parents who said children had a statistically low probability of developing a serious or fatal case of COVID-19.

In November, Carvalho dropped the mask mandate for students, citing a dropping rate of new COVID-19 cases.

The Miami-Dade school district doesnt currently have a student vaccine mandate, though vaccination is encouraged. As for the districts public school employees, a one-time stipend of $250 will be granted to each person who can provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.

Carvalho also said he supports the LAUSDs COVID-19 safety measure decisions, including delaying the deadline for students to be vaccinated.

I think that is the right recommendation, Carvalho said. That opens the door of opportunity for an expanded timeline.
A 13-year-old child receives a COVID-19 vaccination dose at a clinic in New Orleans, La., on Aug. 12, 2021. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

New Orleans Mandates COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Aged 5 and Up for Indoor Settings

They can also have a negative COVID-19 test

The New Orleans government announced it will expand its mandate for a COVID-19 vaccine, or negative test, to include children aged 5 and older for indoor settings.

Other cities that will have COVID-19 vaccine mandates enacted for public indoor settings for those aged 5 and over include Philadelphia and New York City.

New Orleans decision comes as its public school system is also introducing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for students aged 5 and up, making it the first such requirement of its kind in the United States, reported Nola.com.

We will require proof of vaccination or a negative test at bars and restaurants and other locations for everyone ages 5 and over. Children ages 5 to 11 will be required to show proof of at least one vaccine dose, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said at a press conference.

That mandate will start on Jan. 3.

The requirement will expand to two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, by Feb. 1, which is four weeks before Mardi Gras begins on March 1. A negative test will also still suffice.

The school COVID-19 mandates will also be in effect Feb. 1.

Earlier this week, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said the states health department will add the COVID-19 vaccine to Louisianas list of required immunizations for students.

All of Louisianas current opt-out provisions for parents will remain in place, meaning no child is forced to get a vaccine if their parents object in writing, according to a press release from his office.

Previously, New Orleans vaccine mandate applied to those aged 12 and up. Only the Los Angeles United School District has imposed a similar school mandate for children aged 12 and older, and offers the COVID-19 vaccine to the 5 to 11 age group. The school district delayed its December COVID-19 vaccine mandate deadline for children aged 12 and up until the fall of 2022 after some 28,000 students remain unvaccinated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously approved Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 on Nov. 2.

Louisiana has 56.5 percent of its population having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 49 percent fully vaccinated, as of Dec. 14.
Firefighters rally against vaccine mandates outside Mayor Bill de Blasio's residence in Manhattan, New York, on Oct. 28, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

NY Supreme Court Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order for NYPD Detective Facing Vaccine Mandate

A Supreme Court of the State of New York judge issued a temporary restraining order on Tuesday, pausing the vaccine mandate for the plaintiff, NYPD Detective Anthony Marciano, and all other individuals similarly situated.

The mandate was imposed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Oct. 20, replacing what was originally a requirement to get the vaccine or be tested weekly for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus that causes COVID-19.

The document states that de Blasio, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Dave Chokshi, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, New York Citys Board of Health, and the city of New York are restrained from enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city workers and certain city contractors.

The plaintiffs attorney, Patricia Finn, represents health care workers, students subject to mask mandates, the NYPD, and others.

Were very happy and the judge made the right decision and were looking forward to more favorable rulings, Finn told The Epoch Times.

Its a huge win, she responded when asked if she believed it was a particularly significant win.

The next legal step will be a preliminary injunction hearing, and its not currently clear if others will be affected by the ruling and what actions the city will take.

Before the hearing on Tuesday, the mayors office disputed that the mandate had been blocked.

This is NOT TRUE, The mayors press secretary, Danielle Filson, wrote on Twitter on Dec 7. The mandate has not been blocked. The Judge has not come to a decision, and wont until the argument date.

The citys Law Department said in a statement after the hearing: Unlike every other court that has considered the question, a single judge appears to have issued a TRO prohibiting the City from putting a single police officer who refuses to be vaccinated on leave without pay, Bloomberg reported.

Under the mandate, NYPD officers and other municipal workers who failed to get their first COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 29 have been on unpaid leave since Nov. 1.

Anti-vaccine mandate march in Manhattan, New York, on Nov. 21, 2021. (Enrico Trigoso/The Epoch Times)

The Epoch Times reached out to de Blasios office and the NYPD for comment.

Isabel van Brugen contributed to this report.
Undated colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell (blue) heavily infected with CCP virusalso known as SARS-CoV-2particles (red), isolated from a patient sample at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Md., on Oct. 31, 2020. (NIAID)

Omicron Infections Doubling in 1.5 to 3 Days in Regions With Community Spread: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday that regions with community spread of Omicron were seeing cases doubling at a rate of once every 1.5 to 3 days, a higher pace than previous variants.

In a technical brief issued on Dec. 17, the health agency said that Omicron has been detected in 89 countries so far, with consistent evidence that it has a substantial growth advantage over the Delta variant and warning that the rapid spread of the new mutation threatens to overwhelm many healthcare systems quickly.

Omicron has as many as 32 mutations in its spike protein, some of which the WHO described as concerning as they may be able to evade human immune response, potentially making it more transmissible.

It is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant in countries with documented community transmission, with a doubling time between 1.53 days, the WHO said, adding that it remains uncertain to what extent the observed rapid growth rate can be attributed to immune evasion, intrinsic increased transmissibility or a combination of both.

While some preliminary indications suggest Omicron may be less virulent, and so less dangerous, the WHO said there is still limited data on its severity.

A lot of the initial reports are that people with Omicron tend to have milder disease but it doesnt mean that its not dangerous, it doesnt mean that its quote unquote only mild,' Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist and COVID-19 Technical Lead at the WHO, said on Dec. 16.

With increased transmissibility, youre going to have more cases, she continued. More cases mean more hospitalizations. More hospitalizations will mean more deaths.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2.

Health experts in South Africa, where the variant was first discovered, have said Omicron was not driving up hospitalizations or fatalities in the country to a significant degree.

According to scientific studies, this virus is spreading quicker than in previous waves, but the rates of hospitalizations and deaths remain relatively low, South Africas Ministry of Health said in a news release Thursday.

But a new study by Imperial College in London found no evidence of Omicron causing less severe disease than Delta, though it noted that hospitalization data remains very limited at this time.

The study also found that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron variant is over five times higher than with Delta, which implies that the protection against Omicron afforded by prior infection could be as low as 19 percent.

Omicron is expected to become the most dominant strain in the United States within a few weeks, according to White House COVID-19 adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci, who warned that hospitals risk becoming overwhelmed.
Burma villagers rest in an evacuation area after fleeing to Thailand following clashes between Burma troops and an ethnic Karen rebel group, in Mae Tao, Tak Province, northern Thailand, on Dec. 17, 2021.(Chiraunth Rungjamratratsami/AP Photo)

Over 2,500 Burmese Flee to Thailand Amid Fight Between Rebels, Junta Forces

More than 2,500 Burmese were forced to flee and seek shelter in Thailands Tak Province amid the recent armed conflicts between a rebel Karen ethnic group, the Karen National Union (KNU), and the military regime in Burma.

About 2,503 refugees from Burma, 545 of whom are children, are being sheltered in Mae Sot, a district in Tak Province, according to Somchai Kitcharoenrungroj, deputy governor of western Tak Province.

The military regime ousted a civilian government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in a February coup, sparking protests and clashes between the army and ethnic minority insurgents, such as the KNU, in border areas of Burma, also known as Myanmar.

On Dec. 15, clashes erupted between the KNU and the military regime in Lay Kay Kaw town, in which the junta had allegedly fired artillery shells at civilian residences. That followed the reported arrest of more than 30 people in a junta raid in Karen States Myawaddy a day earlier, The Irrawaddy reported. The fighting lasted for more than an hour, causing hundreds of villagers to flee to the north of the city, according to state media.

Tak provincial authorities said there was a clash between the army and the KNU on Dec. 16 about 500 meters (about 0.3 miles) from the Thai border, which led to an artillery shell landing on the Thai side of the border.

A Thai diplomat said the artillery firing had prompted the Thai military to fire two smoke bullets into Burma as a warning shot to the military regime to stop shelling into Thailands territory, according to Nikkei Asia.

On Dec. 10, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a statement that Gen. Min Aung Hlaings forces had repeatedly failed to respect their obligations under international law as more than 1,300 people have been killed, and 10,600 detained in Burma since the military seized power in February.

In recent weeks, we have received multiple reports of villages being burned, including protected structures such as places of religious worship, and residential buildings, OHCHR stated, calling for a unified and resolute international response to restore the countrys democracy.

It also cited a recent military attack in Kyimyindaing Township, Yangon, on Dec. 5, in which the security forces rammed a vehicle into unarmed protesters and fired live ammunition at them.

These attacks are heinous, completely unacceptable, and disregard common values of humanity. They are also far from isolated, OHCHR said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
In this frame grab from video provided by the Russian Defence Ministry Press Service, Russian long range bomber Tu-22M3 flies during a strike above an undisclosed location in Syria on Aug. 14, 2015. (Russian Defence Ministry press service photo via AP)

Russia Deploys 2 Strategic Bombers to Patrol Over Belarus

Russia on Saturday dispatched a pair of nuclear-capable bombers over Belarusian airspace in a patrol mission that lasted four hours, showcasing close defense ties between the two allied nations.

Two Tu-22MZ long-range bombers of the Aerospace Forces completed a patrol mission in the Belarusian air space, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, Russian state-owned news agency TASS reported.

The long-range aircraft in the course of their flight practiced joint tasks with the air force and air defense force of the Belarusian armed forces, it added.

Also part of the patrols were Su-30 fighter jets flown by both Russian and Belarusian forces. In September, Moscow based a number of the Russian-made two-seated super-maneuverable twin-engine aircraft in Belarusian territory. The plane can fly up to 3.5 hours without refueling.

Tu-22M3 bombers are capable of carrying nuclear missiles, including hypersonic ones designed to evade sophisticated Western air defenses. The pair of strategic bombers were escorted by the Su-30 jets.

It is not the first time Moscow sent bombers to patrol over Belarus. The patrol on Dec. 18 marked a third such mission since last month.

In mid-November, Russia flew a pair of Tu-22M3 aircraft as the European Union considered sanctions to punish Minsk for what it called an artificially created crisis in relation to illegal immigration. The Kremlin said at the time that deploying the two aircraft was not connected with the border crisis and was to help test Belaruss joint air defense system.

A long-range Tu-22M3 bomber of the Russian Aerospace Forces takes off to patrol in the airspace of Belarus, from an airfield in Russia on Nov. 10, 2021. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Saturdays patrol flight comes amid Western concerns over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that raised fears of an invasion. Moscow has denied Western allegations but urged them to provide security guarantees that would exclude NATOs expansion to Ukraine and the deployment of the alliances weapons there.

Some Ukrainian officials have previously voiced concern that Russia may use the territory of its ally Belarus for attacking Ukraine.

Moscow has strongly supported Belarus amid a tense standoff last month when thousands of illegal immigrants and refugees, most of them from the Middle East, gathered on the Belarusian side of the border with Poland in the hope of crossing into Western Europe.

The European Union has accused authoritarian Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of encouraging illegal border crossings as a hybrid attack to retaliate against EU sanctions on his government for its crackdown on internal dissent after Lukashenkos disputed 2020 reelection.

Tensions at the Belarusian border have continued to escalate and have been simmering for months. In Poland, authorities have already deployed more than 15,000 soldiers at the border.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
Rahm Emanuel, former mayor of Chicago, speaks during the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, in Washington, on Dec. 10, 2019. (Al Drago/Reuters)

Senate Confirms Ex-Mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel as US Ambassador to Japan

The Senate confirmed former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel as U.S. ambassador to Japan in a middle-of-the night vote early Saturday that saw eight Republicans backing his nomination and three Democrats voting against.

Emanuel, who also served as White House chief of staff for then-President Barack Obama, was confirmed after Senators voted 4821 with Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore) opposing his nomination.

Supporters of his candidacy backed Emanuel for the Tokyo post because of his long record in public service at a time when Washington is looking to Asian allies like Japan to help check Chinas regional ambitions.

Japan Times reported that Emanuels nomination is expected to be met with strong approval by Japanese officials, citing the former Chicago mayors close relationship with President Joe Biden as potentially providing a direct line to the White House.

Among the Republicans who voted to confirm Emanuel was former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), who took to Twitter to express his support.

Congratulations to my successor and our next U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Hagerty said in a statement, adding that significant challenges in the Indo-Pacific and the need for the United States to demonstrate strength in the region made filling the post, which had been vacant for over two years, a priority.

Though our political backgrounds couldnt be more different, Ambassador Emanuel shares my unwavering conviction that the U.S.-Japan relationship is the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in one of the most strategically important regions in the world, Hagerty added.

Several progressive Democrats opposed Emanuel for any role in the administration, in part over the 2014 shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke while Emanuel was mayor.

Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) said in a Nov. 5 tweet that Emanuel should never again serve in public office after he covered up the polices murder of Laquan McDonald, posting the message days after Sen. Merkley, one of the Senators who ended up voting no on Saturday, posted that he could not in good conscience support his nomination.

Emanuels handling of the case while serving as Chicagos mayor was criticized, especially because a video showing the shooting was not released for over a year.

Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and jailed for nearly seven years and four Chicago police officers were fired over McDonalds death.

At his confirmation hearing in October, Emanuel said he often thought about McDonalds death and that, as mayor, he was responsible and accountable.

Besides Emanuels confirmation, the Senate advanced dozens of other Biden administration nominees, including envoys to Ireland, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Graduate student Kendahl Ott (left) and research technician Abigail Jackson (right) feed nurse sharks pieces of squid in the research lab of Aaron LeBeau, associate professor of pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Dec. 15, 2021. (Bryce Richter/UW-Madison)

Shark Proteins Show Promise Against Coronavirus, Research Shows

Antibody-like proteins developed from the immune systems of nurse sharks can prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 from infecting human cells, a University of Wisconsin researcher reports.

The new research, reported in the journal Nature Communications, could eventually yield therapies that are effective against mutating viruses like the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. The proteins are also effective against viruses that have yet to infect humans, including those that circulate in bats.

The small antibody-like proteins, called Variable New Antigen Receptors (VNARs), were able to neutralize WIV1-CoV, a bat coronavirus that is capable of infecting human cells.

The big issue is there are a number of coronaviruses that are poised for emergence in humans, said Aaron LeBeau, associate professor of pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who helped lead the study. What were doing is preparing an arsenal of shark VNAR therapeutics that could be used down the road for future SARS outbreaks. Its a kind of insurance against the future.

Nurse sharks are bottom-dwelling fish that prefer shallow, warm waters. They are slow swimmers with a reputation for being docile. They reach full size up to 10 feet long. Their mouths have rows of small sharp teeth for crushing shelled prey.

Nurse sharks in the lab of Aaron LeBeau, associate professor of pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Dec. 15, 2021. (Bryce Richter/UW-Madison)

LeBeaus lab at UW-Madison collaborated on the research with the University of Minnesota and the biomedical firm Elasmogen in Scotland. Researchers isolated the anti-COVID agents from Elasmogens library containing billions of VNARs. The shark VNARs are one-tenth the size of human antibodies and can bind to infectious proteins in unique ways, making them more effective at halting infections.

These small antibody-like proteins can get into nooks and crannies that human antibodies cannot access, LeBeau said in a statement released by the university. They can form very unique geometries. This allows them to recognize structures in proteins that our human antibodies cannot.

One of the shark VNARs attached strongly to the SARS-CoV-2 viral spike protein, near where the virus binds to human cellsand appeared to block the attachment process. The groove on the spike protein is similar to those found on other coronaviruses, allowing the VNARs to neutralize the MERS virus, a cousin of SARS viruses.

Graduate student Joseph Gallant feeds nurse sharks pieces of squid in the lab of Aaron LeBeau, associate professor of pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Dec. 15, 2021. (Bryce Richter/UW-Madison)

Another VNAR appears to lock the spike protein in an inactive form. The binding site on this VNAR is altered on some variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, likely decreasing its potency, LeBeau said.

Eventual therapeutics could include a cocktail of multiple shark VNARs to maximize their effectiveness against diverse and mutating viruses, the university said. This class of drugs would be less expensive and easier to manufacture than human antibodies.
Members of the Spanish Civil Guard during the raid to arrest internationally wanted drug trafficker Fikri Amellah and 16 people from his network in Barcelona, Spain, on Dec. 17, 2021. (Guardia Civil-Ministerio del Interior/Handout via Reuters)

Spanish Police Seize Luxury Cars and Jewels as Arrest Drug Suspect

MADRIDSpanish police said on Friday they had arrested an internationally wanted drug trafficker suspected of using the proceeds from importing tonnes of hashish and cocaine to splash out on luxury cars, yachts and high-end watches.

After a two-year investigation, Moroccan national Fikri Amellah was arrested in a dawn raid on his Barcelona apartment on Tuesday in a joint operation with French and Belgian police, the Guardia Civil police force said.

Guardia Civil footage showed heavily armed officers breaking down doors in Barcelona and searching a luxury riverside apartment alleged to be connected to the network.

Amellah is accused of running one of the largest wholesale hashish operations in Spain and was beginning to muscle in on the more lucrative cocaine trade, the force said, adding that he was suspected of importing 4.3 tonnes of hashish, and 1.8 tonnes of cocaine this year.

Although he lived in a modest apartment in Barcelonas Poble Sec neighborhood, police seized around 1 million euros ($1.13 million) in cash, 3 million euros ($3.38 million) of jewelry and 10 luxury cars.

Money seized during the raid to arrest internationally wanted drug trafficker Fikri Amellah and 16 people from his network in Barcelona, Spain, on Dec. 17, 2021. (Guardia Civil-Ministerio del Interior/Handout via Reuters)

One of the limited edition watches was valued at up to 800,000 euros ($902,144).

Police also found two notebooks containing details of various seaborne trafficking operations as well as encrypted communications devices and satellite phones.

Another 16 people from the network were detained in Barcelona, Galicia and Andalusia. All but three were been remanded in custody.
After storms unleashed a cluster of tornadoes that swept across western Kentucky late Friday, Dec. 10, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake, Mayfield, a town of around 10,000, was one of the worst hit areas.

But while the unimaginable damage has left many parts of the town unrecognizable, the community is still coming together.

Local residentsand even some from out of townare providing much needed nourishment to those impacted by the disaster.

With his smoker hitched to his truck, Tennessean Jimmy Finch made the hour-and-45-minute drive from Clarksville to offer relief the best way he knows how.

He has been grilling up hot dogs, chicken, and burgers for hundreds of residents in their hour of need.

I just came down here trying to feed the people, Finch told local WLWT. Everybodys talking about theyre sending up prayers and, you know, their well wishes and everything. You know, folks cant eat no prayer. You gotta put something in their stomach, give them something to hold on to.

His much-needed meals are offered for free, though donations will go toward purchasing more food to keep the effort going.

Meanwhile, Mayfield native Rhonda Moss-Leavell, whose family owns a local food truck, partnered up with Finch to provide help amidst the disaster. She said it was remarkable how her food truck somehow had been spared by the storm.

Everything around them got hit, but the food truck is still standing, Moss-Leavell told the news outlet. God had a purpose for this food truck. And were using it as you see today.

Owner of the food truck Anthony LaMar Mors-El offered hope on social media by posting the relief effort on Facebook, captioning:

Today we were able to feed hundreds of people!! We will be serving breakfast in the morning. Thankful to all the people thats helping out. We have free food and drinks for anyone thats hungry. Come see us tomorrow Upper Level Food Truck and Treats.

Facing a long road of cleanup ahead, the scene is surreal and hard for Moss-Leavell to process.

They said life was going to change. And they didnt lie, she told the station. All I could feel was my family. All I could think, I cant help them. I couldnt help them. All I could do was pray.

Fortunately, those family members made it out safe and on Sunday were giving back by helping clean up and providing free meals on a cold December day.

Kentucky governor Andy Beshear said that 70 people could have died from the tornadoes in the state alone, and called the disaster one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history.

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
In a still from video, thousands protest against virus measures in Paris, France, on Dec. 18, 2021. (AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Thousands Protest in Paris Against Virus Measures

Thousands marched in the streets of Paris and other cities throughout France on Saturday to protest against new government restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The demonstration saw a higher-than-usual number of participants on this first school holiday weekend with many chanting against the vaccine pass that the government was planning.

Prime Minister Jean Castex said Friday that, with the Omicron variant spreading like lightning, the government proposed requiring proof of vaccination for those entering restaurants, cafes, and other public establishments.

Under the bill to be put forward in January, one would be required to show proof of vaccination, not just a negative COVID-19 test.

The measure is pending approval by Parliament.

French Health Minister Olivier Veran announced that the government would start giving the vaccine to children in the 5 to 11 age group beginning Wednesday.

Veran also said that health care workers and firemen would have to get a third dose by Jan. 30.

Previously, while vaccination has been mandatory since Sept. 15 for health care workers and firemen, there was no set deadline for getting the third vaccination.

Nearly 3,000 people are in intensive care with COVID-19 in Francestill with only a minority suffering from the new variant.
UK Partygate Investigation Lead Steps Back After Being Accused of Partying

The Cabinet Secretary appointed to investigate alleged parties in Downing Street and the Department for Education during lockdown last year has recused himself after he was accused of hosting a Christmas party at around the same time.

Simon Case quit his role leading the inquiry on Friday after it emerged a quiz was held in his own department that he was aware of and spoke at to ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence.

Second Permanent Secretary to Cabinet Office Sue Gray has replaced Case to lead the inquiry, Downing Street said.

To ensure the ongoing investigation retains public confidence the Cabinet Secretary has recused himself for the remainder of the process, a Downing Street spokesman said in a statement.

The work will be concluded by Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, he said.

She will ascertain the facts and present her findings to the Prime Minister.

Undated file photo of Sue Gray, second permanent secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities. (Gov.uk/PA)

Cases credibility to lead the inquiry was questioned after the Guido Fawkes website reported on Friday that two Christmas parties were held in Cases department, the Cabinet Office, in December 2020, when restrictions were in place.

The website said one event last December saw staff drinking in Cases office before departing for drinks elsewhere, and another event, in which Case wasnt actively participating, but allegedly stuck his head into the room to call staff out to talk, took place on Dec. 17, one day before the alleged party in Downing Street.

The Times reported that the Dec. 17 event was listed in digital calendars as Christmas party! and was organised by a private secretary in Cases team.

Cabinet Office on Friday evening said the alleged party was a virtual quiz.

Staff in the Cabinet Secretarys private office took part in a virtual quiz on Dec. 17, 2020, a spokesperson said.

A small number of them, who had been working in the office throughout the pandemic and on duty that day, took part from their desks, while the rest of the team were virtual.

The spokesperson said the event in the office lasted for an hour, with drinks and snacks bought by those attending, and Case had played no part in the event, but walked through the teams office on the way to his own office.

No outside guests or other staff were invited or present, the spokesperson said, adding Case also spoke briefly to staff in the office before leaving.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said that public trust has taken a very big dent and its up to Gray to restore that.

This is now a question of whether or not this government can act in a way that restores public trust, and I think thats took [sic] a very big dent, we saw that with the by-election results, Rayner told broadcasters, referring to the by-election in North Shropshire on Thursday, when the Conservative Party lost the seat it held for almost 200 years.

And I do think now that [Prime Minister] Boris Johnson has completely undermined his position, Rayner added.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street, London, on Dec. 15, 2021. (Stefan Rosseau/PA)

Johnson has suffered a month of negative press since the Tory government was accused of corruption and wallowing in sleaze after it attempted unsuccessfully to save then-MP Owen Paterson by trying to revise the disciplinary procedures for MPs.

More lurid headlines followed soon afterward, with Johnson facing an investigation over alleged partying in Downing Street during the lockdown and struggling to fend off allegations of lying about how the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat was funded.

The prime ministers authority was further dented on Tuesday when 96 Conservative MPsalmost one-thirddefied his leadership to vote against the introduction of mandatory COVID health passes for entry to large venuesthe biggest rebellion since he entered Number 10.

After the North Shropshire, Johnson said the result was very disappointing and he takes personal responsibility for the loss.

Alexander Zhang and PA contributed to this report.
Members of the public travel in their cars as they arrive at a drive-in CCP virus testing centre in London on Dec. 18, 2021. (Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)

UKs Omicron-Related Deaths Rise to 7 as London Mayor Declares Major Incident

Six more people have died in England with the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus on Friday, according to the UKs Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

It comes as London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a major incident on Saturday, saying the surge of Omicron cases in the capital was hugely concerning.

In UKHSAs Omicron daily review paper (pdf) published on Saturday, the agency said 10,059 more confirmed Omicron cases were reported by 6 p.m. on Friday across the UK, bringing the total to 24,968.

An additional 76,705 cases were reported as S-gene target failure (SGTF) cases, meaning they are suspected Omicron cases but were not confirmed.

England has 23,168 confirmed Omicron cases, almost 93 percent of the total UK number.

There have been 85 Omicron-related hospitalisations, UKHSA said, adding the number includes both confirmed Omicron cases and SGTF cases.

Seven Omicron-related death have been reported in England, six more from the previous day. But the document didnt specify if the deaths were all confirmed cases or they included SGTF cases.

No details on the hospitalisations and deaths have been published, including vaccination status, underlying health conditions, and age. UKHSA told The Epoch Times additional information will be published in future technical briefings.

No Omicron hospitalisations or deaths were reported in other UK nations.

No other countries have officially reported confirmed Omicron deaths so far, but a statement from South Africas Ministry of Health on Thursday suggested there had been Omicron deaths in the country, but the number was relatively low.

According to scientific studies, this virus is spreading quicker than in previous waves, but the rates of hospitalisations and deaths remain relatively low, the statement reads.

According to official data, there are 7,611 people in hospital with the CCP virus in the UK on Dec. 16, and the latest seven-day average of CCP virus-related deaths was 112.4.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid previously told Parliament that around 80 percent of patients in hospitals with the CCP virus were hospitalised because of the virus, with the other 20 percent hospitalised for other reasons.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier wrote on Twitter that an emergency response meeting with representatives from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will take place over the weekend.

In London, the mayor has declared a major incident on Saturday, saying the surge of Omicron cases was  hugely concerning.

The surge in cases of the Omicron variant across our capital is hugely concerning, so we are once again declaring a major incident because of the threat of COVID-19 to our city, Khan said.

The Omicron variant has quickly become dominant, with cases increasing rapidly and the number of patients in our hospitals with Covid-19 on the rise again, he said.

We are already feeling the impact across the capital and while we are still learning about this variant, its right that Londons key agencies work closely together to minimise the impact on our city, including helping to protect the vital vaccination programme.
A 2006 file image of a Vietnamese policeman standing watch outside the Phuoc Co jail on the outskirts of the southern coastal town of Vung Tau. (Hoang Dinh Nam/AFP via Getty Images)

UN Urges Vietnam to Stop Violating Fundamental Freedoms and Release Jailed Activists

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has prompted Vietnam authorities to stop violating fundamental freedoms and called for the immediate release of four rights and land activists who were jailed for spreading anti-state propaganda.

Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR spokeswoman, said Vietnamese authorities have jailed four prominent human rights defendersTrinh Ba Phuong, Nguyen Thi Tam, Do Nam Trung, and Pham Doan Trangin the span of three days this week.

We are deeply troubled by the harsh sentencing of human rights and land rights defenders convicted of spreading anti-state propaganda in Vietnam, Shamdasani said at a press briefing in Geneva on Friday.

On Tuesday, a Hanoi court sentenced prominent dissident journalist Pham Doan Trang to nine years in prison over her conviction of conducting propaganda against the state.

The same court sentenced activists Trinh Ba Phuong to 10 years in jail and five years of house arrest, and Nguyen Thi Tam to six years in jail and three years of house arrest for the same offense.

The fourth activist, Do Nam Trung, who was known for his involvement in anti-China protests and criticism of government corruption, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the same offense on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese journalist Le Hong Trung was detained for the same charges since March without access to a lawyer and his family. Trung, who had announced his intention to run for political office as an independent, is set to face trial on Dec. 31.

We urge the authorities in Vietnam to immediately release all these individuals as well as the many others arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression, Shamdasani said.

The criminal code under which these charges were brought is overly broad and inconsistent with international human rights norms, she added, calling for the Vietnamese government to repeal all legal provisions that violate fundamental freedoms.

All the cases follow similar worrying patterns that raise serious issues concerning the presumption of innocence, the legality of their detention, and the fairness of their trial, Shamdasani noted.

There is prolonged incommunicado pre-trial detention, prosecution under the vaguely worded offense of spreading anti-state propaganda, denial of access to legal counsel and closed trials that do not respect international fair trial standards.

The European Union (EU) has also called for the release of all human rights defenders in Vietnam and urged the authorities to allow them to have a fair trial.

The numerous arbitrary arrests of peaceful protesters and journalists are a direct contradiction to international human rights law, EU said in a statement on Thursday, pledging to work with the authorities to improve the countrys human rights situation.
This photo taken on Jan. 4, 2021 shows Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers assembling during military training at Pamir Mountains in Kashgar, northwestern China's Xinjiang region. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

US Cannot Be Certain of Military Victory Against China: Report

The United States cannot be assured of victory in the event of war with China, according to a new report by an influential U.S. congressional advisory body.

The analysis by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) comes amid rising concerns that the United States could be drawn into a war over the future of the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Chinas communist regime considers to be a breakaway region.

The report was delivered just two days after the first virtual summit between President Joe Biden and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping, which failed to deliver any concrete breakthroughs on a range of tensions between the two countries.

Just as General Secretary Xi and other Chinese leaders cannot be certain the PLA [Peoples Liberation Army] would prevail in a war, leaders in the United States and Taiwan cannot be sure their militaries would deter or defeat the PLA, the report said.

The bipartisan report found that, for the first time, the Chinese military was prepared to successfully carry out an invasion of Taiwan regardless of the intervention of the United States. It also found that efforts to modernize Chinas military and expand its nuclear capabilities had increased the risk of such a war.

PLA Modernizing to Annex Taiwan

The Chinese are at or near an initial invasion capability, said commissioner and former Senator Jim Talent during a Nov. 17 launch event for the report. Which means the ability to conduct a land invasion of Taiwan, even assuming American intervention, albeit at very high risk.

That conclusion is in line with other analyses, such as a recent report published by Taiwans Ministry of National Defense, which said that the PLA could effectively blockade the islands ports and airports, stymieing American and allied efforts to assist the island in wartime.

Likewise, the USCC report is not the first time that the feasibility of American victory in a war with China has been called into question.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) said in October that the United States would probably lose a war with China if such a conflict were to happen before the construction of new naval vessels slated for the 2030s.

Those comments in turn reflected findings from results of a wargame that suggested the United States would struggle to meaningfully respond to limited military action by the PLA in the Indo-Pacific. It also underscored a growing concern in the defense and security sectors with apparent U.S. military decline in the face of unprecedented PLA expansion.

Republicans introduced legislation in early November that would send billions of dollars to Taiwan every year to increase its asymmetrical military capabilities, but the likelihood that the small island could sustain a defense against a PLA invasion, much less repel it, is slim.

The report also found that the PLAs modernization efforts, including rapid expansions of its amphibious assault and nuclear capabilities, placed the continued deterrence of conflict in the Taiwan Strait in a place of dangerous uncertainty.

Improvements in Chinas military capabilities have fundamentally transformed the strategic environment and weakened the military dimension of cross-strait deterrence, the report said.

Chinas increasingly coercive approach to Taiwan puts almost daily pressure on the cross-Strait status quo and increases the potential for a military crisis.

The report noted that Chinas defense industry could surge construction of additional naval fleets. Further, it said that the PLAs modernization was designed with the explicit goal of developing the capability to forcibly annex Taiwan.

The report found that, in addition to achieving initial capability for a successful invasion of Taiwan, the Chinese regime was also growing increasingly likely to pull of such move. There was a risk, it warned, that a failure by U.S. leadership to demonstrate adequate resolve could encourage just such an action.

A deterrence failure is most likely to occur if Chinese leaders believe the United States is not militarily capable of or politically willing to intervene, or if they interpret ambiguities in U.S. policy to mean that opportunistic Chinese aggression against Taiwan will not provoke a decisive U.S. response.

Regimes Nuclear Arsenal Growing and Improving

The risk of a CCP-driven conflict is not limited to Taiwan, however. The report also detailed and reflected the difficulties associated with confronting a global China with increased nuclear capabilities.

Experts have warned that the CCP is in a sprint to nuclear superiority, and a Pentagon report released in October found that Chinas military would likely have 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030. Likewise, Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said that the CCP was uninterested in nuclear non-proliferation.

The USCC report confirms those views and builds upon them.

Chinas nuclear buildup puts it on a path to become a qualitative nuclear peer of the United States in around a decade, with a similarly diversified, precise, and survivable force, the report said.

The report stated that the CCP is moving beyond its former policy of minimum deterrence, seeking greater nuclear capabilities and capacity than are needed to dissuade enemies from a war. Moreover, the regime would not engage meaningfully in arms control agreements, viewing them as a trap designed to prevent China from achieving global dominance.

The report also noted that the regime was developing new hypersonic abilities but, likely due to time constraints on publication, did not analyze the regimes recent test of a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon, which one U.S. diplomat said the United States did not know how to defend against.

Risk of Nuclear War at New High

The report found that the risk of nuclear conflict was increasing, and that the development of capabilities such as the hypersonic test, as well as the regimes military and diplomatic posture suggests it could also be intended to support a new strategy of limited nuclear first use.

Such a strategy would enable Chinese leaders to leverage their nuclear forces to accomplish Chinese political objectives beyond survival, such as coercing another state or deterring U.S. intervention in a war over Taiwan, the report said.

Recent remarks about the hypersonic weapons test by Gen. John Hyten, the outgoing vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed the findings of the report regarding nuclear first use.

They look like a first-use weapon, Hyten said during an interview with CBS. Thats what those weapons look like to me.

Additionally, the USCC believed that the buildup and modernization could increase the potential for conventional warfare throughout southeast Asia, as the regimes new nuclear weapons could be used to shield it from intervention from larger nations.

There is a concern that Chinas buildup is intended, and we dont know this, but it may be intended to make the region safe for conventional warfare or coercion on the part of China, said Commissioner Alex Wong during the launch event.

Chinas growing nuclear arsenal could embolden it to pursue coercion or conventional aggression against U.S. allies and partners if Chinese leaders believe their nuclear arsenal will deter the United States from intervening on these countries behalf, the report said.

Another problem compounding the risk of nuclear catastrophe was the CCPs adoption of so-called launch-on-warning protocols, in which several nuclear warheads are prepared in advance to be launched in response to a warning that the nation is under nuclear attack.

As the name implies, launch-on-warning systems fire a retaliatory nuclear strike upon simply a warning of a nuclear strike, rather than waiting for confirmation of a nuclear detonation.

The CCPs lack of transparency about its launch-on-warning systems or engagement in arms control talks meant that the Commission could not be sure if the Chinese regime had the appropriate technologies and protocols to prevent an accidental nuclear launch.

Its unclear whether China has the right protocols and command and control to prevent miscalculation, or an inadvertent launch, or a launch thats not warranted from a perceived threat from the United States or other nuclear powers, Wong said.

In all, the Commission recommended that the United States increase investments in developing a comprehensive diplomatic strategy, organize more nonproliferation agreements, and modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal, in order to avoid a war the nation may not be able to win.

The risks of a nuclear exchange between China and the United States are higher today than in the past, the report said.

If Chinese leaders have already changed their strategy without declaring they have done so, they could be much more likely to intentionally threaten or use nuclear weapons to achieve their regional objectives, such as deterring or degrading intervening U.S. forces in a conventional war over Taiwan they fear they could lose.
U.S. lawmakers are asking NBC to do its part when broadcasting the Beijing Olympics and avoid spreading Chinese propaganda. The station has also been urged to include the communist regimes human rights abuses.

The president of Purdue University is asking those who suppress freedom on campus to continue their education elsewhere after a student was allegedly harassed by Chinese students after he spoke out about Chinese politics.

Chinese authorities revoke a famous human rights lawyers license. He has a history of representing cases that have touched Beijings nerves.

The United States is slapping sanctions on more than 40 Chinese companies. Among them is the worlds largest drone maker and supplier to several law enforcement agencies.

Taiwan is holding its fourth-ever referendum. But as citizens prepare to visit the polls, a report suggests Beijing may be getting its hands dirty.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter.
The logo of Youtube is displayed by a tablet and a smartphone during Toulouse shows, on Oct. 5, 2021. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)

YouTube TV Cuts Fees After Losing ESPN, Other Disney-Owned Channels In Failed Negotiations

Googles YouTube TV has lost over a dozen Disney-owned channels, including ABC and ESPN after the two companies failed to strike a deal in last-minute contract renewal negotiations.

The two companies said in separate statements Friday that the negotiations fell through and the Disney-owned channels would be dropped from the YouTube TV streaming service starting Dec. 18.

YouTube said in a blog post that it had held good faith negotiations with Disney for months but that, unfortunately, despite our best efforts, weve been unable to reach an equitable agreement before our existing one expired, and that Disneys channels are no longer available on the Google-owned platform.

Subscribers to YouTube TV will see their monthly fee drop by $15 to $49.99 while the Disney-owned content remains off the platform as a consequence of the failed negotiations.

We know this is frustrating news for our customers, and not what we wanted. We will continue conversations with Disney to advocate on your behalf in hopes of restoring their content on YouTube TV, the company said.

If Disney offers us equitable terms, well renew our agreement with them, YouTube TV added.

Disney said in a statement to Variety that YouTube negotiators declined to reach a fair deal with us based on market terms and conditions.

We stand ready to reach an equitable agreement with Google as quickly as possible in order to minimize the inconvenience to YouTube TV viewers by restoring our networks. We hope Google will join us in that effort, Disney told the outlet.

The two firms warned subscribers earlier in the week of a possible breakdown in negotiations over extending a contract for YouTube to carry Disneys channels, which besides ESPN and ABCs stations include National Geographic channels, Freeform, and the FX networks.

Disagreement between the two companies centered on money, with YouTube TV claiming Disney said it should receive higher compensation for the Google-owned platform to carry its channels.

Our ask to Disney, as with all our partners, is to treat YouTube TV like any other TV providerby offering us the same rates that services of a similar size pay, across Disneys channels for as long as we carry them, YouTube TV said.

The spat with Disney is the latest carriage deal confrontation involving YouTube TV. Earlier in the fall, it had a similar dispute with Comcast Corporations NBCUniversal, and last week it settled simmering differences with Roku that saw YouTube TV removed from the Roku platform.
MOSCOW (AP)  Russia on Friday published draft security demands that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliance's military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe  bold ultimatums that are almost certain to be rejected by the U.S. and its allies.

The proposals, which were submitted to the U.S. and its allies earlier this week, also call for a ban on sending U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas from where they can strike each others territory, along with a halt to NATO military drills near Russia.

The demand for a written guarantee that Ukraine won't be offered membership already has been rejected by the West, which said Moscow doesn't have a say in NATO's enlargement.

NATOs secretary-general emphasized Friday that any security talks with Moscow would need to take into account NATO concerns and involve Ukraine and other partners. The White House similarly said its discussing the proposals with U.S. allies and partners, but noted that all countries have the right to determine their future without outside interference.

The publication of the demands  contained in a proposed Russia-U.S. security treaty and a security agreement between Moscow and NATO  comes amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine that has raised fears of an invasion. Moscow has denied it has plans to attack its neighbor but wants legal guarantees precluding NATO expansion and deploying weapons there.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Russias relations with the U.S. and NATO have approached a dangerous point, noting that alliance deployments and drills near Russia have raised unacceptable threats to its security.

Moscow wants the U.S. to start talks immediately on the proposals in Geneva, he told reporters.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had received the Russian documents, and noted that any dialogue with Moscow would also need to address NATOs concerns about Russias actions, be based on core principles and documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATOs European partners, such as Ukraine.

He added that the 30 NATO countries have made clear that should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence building measures.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the administration is ready to discuss Moscows concerns about NATO in talks with Russian officials, but emphasized that Washington is committed to the principle of nothing about you without you in shaping policy that impacts European allies.

Were approaching the broader question of diplomacy with Russia from the point of view that ... meaningful progress at the negotiating table, of course, will have to take place in a context of de-escalation rather than escalation, Sullivan said at the event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. He added that its very difficult to see agreements getting consummated if were continuing to see an escalatory cycle.

While U.S. intelligence has determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made plans for a potential further invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Sullivan said the U.S. still does not know whether he has decided to move forward.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted that strategic security talks with Moscow go back decades, saying that theres no reason we cant do that moving forward to reduce instability, but were going to do that in partnership and coordination with our European allies and partners.

We will not compromise the key principles on which European security is built, including that all countries have the right to decide their own future and foreign policy free from the outside interference," Psaki said.

Moscows draft also calls for efforts to reduce the risk of incidents involving Russia and NATO warships and aircraft, primarily in the Baltic and the Black seas, increase the transparency of military drills and other confidence-building measures.

A senior U.S. official said some of the Russian proposals are part of an arms control agenda between Moscow and Washington, while some other issues, such as transparency and deconfliction, concern all 57 members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including Ukraine and Georgia.

The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to talk about the proposals, said the U.S. is looking at how to engage every country whose interests are affected in prospective talks on European security issues and will respond to Moscow sometime next week with concrete proposals after consulting with the allies.

President Vladimir Putin raised the demand for security guarantees in last weeks video call with U.S. President Joe Biden. During the conversation, Biden voiced concern about a buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine and warned him that Russia would face severe consequences if Moscow attacked its neighbor.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and shortly after cast its support behind a separatist rebellion in the country's east. More than seven years of fighting has killed over 14,000 people and devastated Ukraines industrial heartland, known as the Donbas.

The Russian demands would oblige Washington and its allies to pledge to halt NATO's eastward expansion to include other ex-Soviet republics and rescind a 2008 promise of membership to Ukraine and Georgia. The alliance already has firmly rejected that demand from Moscow.

Moscow's documents also would preclude the U.S. and other NATO allies from conducting any military activities in Ukraine, other countries of Eastern Europe and ex-Soviet republics in the Caucasus and in Central Asia.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry commented on Moscows proposals by emphasizing that its up to the alliance and Ukraine to discuss NATO membership prospects and its military cooperation with other countries.

The Russian aggression and the current Russian escalation along the Ukrainian border and on the occupied territories is now the main problem for the Euro-Atlantic security, said its spokesman Oleg Nikolenko.

The Russian proposal also ups the ante by putting a new demand to roll back NATO military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe, stating that the parties agree not to send any troops to areas where they hadn't been present in 1997  before NATO's eastward expansion started  except for exceptional situations of mutual consent.

Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999, followed in 2004 by Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the former Soviet republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In the following years, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia also became members, bringing NATO membership to 30 nations.

The draft proposals contain a ban on the deployment of U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas where they can strike targets on the territory of the other party.

Moscow has long complained about patrol flights by U.S. strategic bombers near Russia's borders and the deployment of U.S. and NATO warships to the Black Sea, describing them as destabilizing and provocative.

Russia's draft envisages a pledge not to station intermediate-range missiles in areas where they can strike the other partys territory, a clause that follows the U.S. and Russian withdrawal from a Cold War-era pact banning such weapons.

The Russian draft also calls for a ban on the deployment of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons on the territory of other countries  a repeat of Moscow's longtime push for the U.S. to withdraw its nuclear weapons from Europe.

Dmitri Trenin, the director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, noted that the publication of the Russian demands signals that the Kremlin considers their acceptance by the West unlikely.

This logically means that Russia will have to assure its security single-handedly" using military-technical means, he said on Twitter.

___

Cook reported from Brussels. Darlene Superville, Ellen Knickmeyer and Aamer Madhani in Washington and Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed.
COLLINSVILLE  The Illinois Commerce Commission this week voted 4-1 to approve a $57.6 million "formula" rate hike that will take effect Jan. 1.

The adjustment will add an estimated $2.50 per month to the delivery portion of residential customer bills, according to Ameren.

In a released statement, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said Ameren customers "deserve a break," while applauding the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act approved in Illinois this year.

"It gives state regulators more authority, provides for greater transparency, allows for broader public participation, and places a greater emphasis on customer priorities like affordability, reliability and sustainability," said CUB Executive Director David Kolata. "We will be working with all stakeholders to maximize the potential consumer benefits CEJA was meant to deliver."

Ameren officials noted the ICC had a "rigorous" eight-month review of Ameren Illinois' actual costs in 2020, investments in grid modernization in 2021 and planned improvements in 2022 before Monday's vote. Consumer groups and third-party stakeholders, including CUB and the Illinois Attorney General's Office, were participants in the review process, the company noted.

The ICC order represents only the second increase in six years, Ameren said, adding its electric rates are 23% lower than the national average and that customers pay less for energy service than they did five years ago.

"Under performance-based ratemaking, Ameren Illinois has built a smart and resilient electric infrastructure that has driven improvements in affordability, reliability, and sustainability," said Richard J. Mark, Chairman and President, Ameren Illinois. "As the electric grid evolves and more renewable energy sources come on-line, Ameren Illinois needs to continue making strategic investments to ensure that our core energy delivery system can meet the energy needs of our customers."
The Canadian government announced Friday the lifting of a ban on foreign travelers from 10 African countries, while reimposing testing and warning that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 risks quickly overwhelming hospitals.

The travel restriction on flights from South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi and Egypt will end at 11:59 pm on Saturday (0459 GMT Sunday), Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told a news conference.

The restriction had been announced last month to slow the arrival of Omicron in Canada and buy us some time, he said. But with Omicron now spreading within Canada it is no longer needed.

Pre-arrival negative PCR tests for all travelers would also be reinstated as of December 21, Duclos said, while repeating a government warning earlier this week that now is not the time to travel.

Officials said laboratory tests have confirmed as of Friday nearly 350 cases of the Omicron variant across Canada.

The total average daily Covid case count, meanwhile, has jumped by 45 percent in the past week to about 5,000.

It is expected the sheer number of (Omicron) cases could inundate the health system in a very short period of time, said Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam.
Its ok to compare Besigye/FDC with Bobi/ NUP, but the wrinkle here is that its like comparing apples and oranges. Besigye is a whole, Bobi is broken  he has created a colossal mess in opposition politics that will take years to clean up.

First, Besigye first stood for elections in 2001 at the time nobody, even in NRM, could dare stand against Museveni. Actually, if any popular musician at that time had tried to stand against Museveni, I believe most Ugandans would have laughed at him or her. But Besigye dared, ended up in exile in south Africa for 4 years, attempts were made on his life even while in exile, but he dared again to come back to Uganda to context in 2006.

As expected, he was arrested after a few days in the country. Andrew Mwenda is on record saying that Besigyes arrest then was supposed to end into his assassination, but he survived due to a few sympathetic friends inside the army and intelligence organs. He only campaigned for three weeks in 2006 but he allegedly won the election, according to Gen. Sejusa(now Tinyefunza).

As a very young lad, 2006 was my first time to intently follow an election, and it was a year of so much pain in my life at a personal level. On polling day, my eyes were glued on a computer screen throughout the night monitoring the results coming on both Simba Fm and Daily Monitor websites, and everything pointed towards a Besigye win. Then, suddenly, both sites were offline, and I was gutted. I later came to learn that an order from above had stopped them from relaying results.

Then that very night, Chelsea was playing Barcelona in the Champions league, and guess what? It also ended in tears. I remember a Chelsea player, Del Horno, getting a red card after a corner, but Chelsea kept pushing. The referee, like Ugandas Electoral Commission, seemingly rigged it for Barcelona as he added more unnecessary minutes that led to a Messi goal pushing Barcelona through.

Even up to that point, Besigye and others in FDC still believed in elections, and thought they would give it another try in 2011. Trust me, FDC and its friends put every resource in the book into that election. FDC nominated 288 candidates for MP. But like they say, if you dont have a plan, your rival has a plan, and it will manifest itself into your defeat. Besigye got only 26% while Museveni got 68%, and nobody could understand how he could have got that without figures being shaken up.

The head of the EU monitors, Edward Scicluna, said, We have found the power of incumbency was exercised to such an extent as to compromise severely the level playing field between the competing candidates and political parties,. But all that didnt help or save the day. General Museveni matched on and is still matching on. The worst part is, none of that was Besigyes fault.

2016 was another similar story as the above, but all in all, Besigye won the election, again according to Gen. Sejusa, but winning didnt help him become president, or change anything. And thats when Besigye swore never to involve himself in Musevenis fraudulent elections. The population had been charged up towards the same belief of no - more  elections, though elections help to build momentum towards plan B and C.

Its like Museveni knew how determined Besigye was with threat not to participate in elections again. Guess what? He directly or indirectly created a decoy in the names of Bobi Wine. There was a string of By-elections between 2017 and 2018, and all Museveni needed to do was to help one group win against the other. NRM needed to lose most of them for the plan to work, and it worked.

Bang, everyone was singing, Bobi Wine, Bobi Wine. They even later named him Principal (whatever that means). Museveni had got his 2021-21 candidate and, therefore, he didn't need Besigye anymore. And whatever Besigye was planning, his cord connecting him to the public had been cut off. So, Besigyes plans were for Besigye alone without too much public support. Bobi, in the meantime, made the public believe in the elections again. Bobis political fights ultimately became a ruse to entrap innocent people yes, many have been killed. Bobis plan had something in it to annoy almost every party leader.

Somethings need time to marinate before they can be grilled. Besigye had stood all those times to grill Uganda into knowing that elections cannot remove Museveni from power. Bobis supporters, on the other hand, thought opposition politics was more about passing batons. So, what happened in Kayunga a few days ago, is something to be celebrated, in the context of going back to the original ideas and plans. My worry is that Museveni will likely let the opposition win a few byelections again, to make them believe in elections again. He always sneaks up on you like a tiny Ninja when it comes to political moves.
British Airways suspends UK flights to Bangkok until Oct 2022

BANGKOK: It has been confirmed that British Airways has suspended all direct flights from the UK to Bangkok until October 2022.

transporttourismCoronavirusCOVID-19

By The Phuket News

Saturday 18 December 2021, 02:34PM

Photo: AFP

The decision came after a sharp decline in the demand for travel during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Rumours had been circulating on various online forums for the past week and it was officially confirmed by the airline yesterday (Dec 17).

We apologise to customers whose travel plans are disrupted, commented a spokseperson for the airline.

Where a customers flight is cancelled, we always contact them to offer options including a full refund. Customers who are unable to travel, or choose not to, can also continue to change their flights or request a voucher for future use as part of our Book with Confidence policy, which has been available since the beginning of the pandemic.

The airline had announced earlier this month that over 2,000 scheduled flights were being dropped. This included domestic UK flights in addition to short haul and long haul travel.

Passengers immediately affected by any cancellations were advised to consult the BA website or customer service channels for the status of their bookings.

One initial alternative for passengers booked to travel to Bangkok was the offer of flights to Doha with Qatar Airlines and to then take a connecting flight onto the Thai capital.

Any passengers scheduled to travel prior to Aug 31, 2022 were informed they can apply for a voucher which will be valid until Sept 30, 2023.
COP 26 debrief clarifies new climate goals

BANGKOK: Thailand is now making preparations on raising its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 40%, instead of 20-25%, by 2065. The revision to the countrys medium-term emissions reduction target comes in response to pledges made at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) and the realisation that global temperatures are trending toward a 2.3 degrees Celsius increase.

environmentpollution

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Saturday 18 December 2021, 09:25AM

Photo: NNT

The COP26 Debrief: World Future and Thai Future event was held in Bangkok yesterday (16 Dec) in order for relevant parties to distill the outcomes of COP26 and project their operations toward the same direction.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Warawut Silpa-archa said at the event that numerous countries have concertedly declared their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets this year in order to propel the world toward the goal of carbon neutrality. The nations are also setting their sights on reaching net-zero emission of greenhouse gases after 2050, in keeping with the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) announced as part of the Paris Agreement. The minister explained that NDCs are aimed at enabling countries to achieve a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and removal, and ultimately maintaining the average global temperature rise to between 1.5-2 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial level.

According to Mr Warawut, Thailand is currently implementing climate actions in accordance with its Paris Agreement NDCs, which means emissions need to be cut by 20-25% by 2030 or within 9 years. For the medium term, or from 2050 to 2065, the reduction goal is being raised to 40% and this will necessitate a readjustment of energy usage plans in Thailand by the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives as well as other agencies. Mr. Warawut said the global temperature rise is now predicted to reach 2.3 degrees Celsius.

The environment minister explained that for the long term, Thailand will act in keeping with declarations made by the prime minister at the COP26 summit. The country will work to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2065. Thailand will be one of three ASEAN countries to undertake a study of GHG emissions by various sectors and use the findings to establish compile a database that can be drawn on when the country establishes its next set of NDCs.
Southern Pines, NC (28387)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High 58F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 31F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the morning. Morning high of 1C with temps falling to near 25. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low -9C. Winds light and variable.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
ORESTE P. DARCONTE is a former publisher of The Sun Chronicle. Reach him at opd999@gmail.com .
GODFREY (AP)  In the months since President Joe Biden warned Russia's Vladimir Putin that he needed to crack down on ransomware gangs in his country, there hasn't been a massive attack like the one last May that resulted in gasoline shortages. But that's small comfort to Ken Trzaska.

Trzaska is president of Lewis & Clark Community College, a small Illinois school that canceled classes for days after a ransomware attack last month that knocked critical computer systems offline.

"That first day," Trzaska said, "I think all of us were probably up 20-plus hours, just moving through the process, trying to get our arms around what happened."

Even if the United States isn't currently enduring large-scale, front-page ransomware attacks on par with ones earlier this year that targeted the global meat supply or kept millions of Americans from filling their gas tanks, the problem hasn't disappeared. In fact, the attack on Trzaska's college was part of a barrage of lower-profile episodes that have upended the businesses, governments, schools and hospitals that were hit.

The college's ordeal reflects the challenges the Biden administration faces in stamping out the threat  and its uneven progress in doing so since ransomware became an urgent national security problem last spring.

U.S. officials have recaptured some ransom payments, cracked down on abuses of cryptocurrency, and made some arrests. Spy agencies have launched attacks against ransomware groups and the U.S. has pushed federal, state and local governments, as well as private industries, to boost protections.

Yet six months after Biden's admonitions to Putin, it's hard to tell whether hackers have eased up because of U.S. pressure. Smaller-scale attacks continue, with ransomware criminals continuing to operate from Russia with seeming impunity. Administration officials have given conflicting assessments about whether Russia's behavior has changed since last summer. Further complicating matters, ransomware is no longer at the top of the U.S.-Russia agenda, with Washington focused on dissuading Putin from invading Ukraine.

The White House said it was determined to "fight all ransomware" through its various tools but that the government's response depends on the severity of the attack.

"There are some that are law enforcement matters and others that are high impact, disruptive ransomware activity posing a direct national security threat that require other measures," the White House statement said.

Ransomware attacks  in which hackers lock up victims' data and demand exorbitant sums to return it  surfaced as a national security emergency for the administration after a May attack on Colonial Pipeline, which supplies nearly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast. The attack prompted the company to halt operations, causing gas shortages for days, though it resumed service after paying more than $4 million in ransom. Soon after came an attack on meat processor JBS, which paid an $11 million ransom.

Biden met with Putin in June in Geneva, where he suggested critical infrastructure sectors should be "off limits" for ransomware and said the U.S. should know in six months to a year "whether we have a cybersecurity arrangement that begins to bring some order." He reiterated the message in July, days after a major attack on a software company, Kaseya, that affected hundreds of businesses, and said he expected Russia to take action on cybercriminals when the U.S. provides enough information to do so.

Since then, there have been some notable attacks from groups believed to be based in Russia, but none of the same consequence or impact of those from last spring or summer. One reason may be increased U.S. government scrutiny, or fear of it.

"I think the ransomware folks, the ones conducting them, are stepping back like, 'Hey, if we do that, that's going to get the United States government coming after us offensively,'" Kevin Powers, security strategy adviser for cyber risk firm CyberSaint, said of attacks against critical infrastructure.

Some are skeptical about attributing any drop-off in high-profile attacks to U.S. efforts.

Top American officials have given conflicting answers about ransomware trends since Biden's discussions with Putin. Some FBI and Justice Department officials say they've seen no change in Russian behavior. National Cyber Director Chris Inglis said there's been a discernible decrease in attacks but that it was too soon to say why.

It's hard to quantify the number of attacks given the lack of baseline information and uneven reporting from victims, though the absence of disruptive incidents is an important marker for a White House trying to focus its attention on the most significant national security risks and catastrophic breaches.

Victims of ransomware attacks in the past few months have included hospitals, small businesses, colleges like Howard University  which briefly took many of its systems offline after discovering a September attack  and Virginia's legislature.

The attack at Lewis & Clark, in Godfrey, was discovered two days before Thanksgiving when the school's IT director detected suspicious activity and proactively took systems offline, said Trzaska, the president. A ransom note from hackers demanded a payment, though Trzaska declined to reveal the sum or identify the culprits. Though many attacks come from hackers in Russia or Eastern Europe, some originate elsewhere.

With vital education systems affected, including email and the school's online learning platform, administrators canceled classes for days after the Thanksgiving break and communicated updates to students via social media and through a public alert system.

The college, which had backups on the majority of its servers, resumed operations this month.

The ordeal was daunting enough to inspire Trzaska and another college president who he says endured a similar experience to plan a cybersecurity panel.

"The stock quote from everyone," Trzaska said, "is not if it's going to happen but when it's going to happen."
SPRINGFIELD  High state income, property and sales taxes put the Land of Lincoln dead last in a tax-friendliness ranking for middle-class Americans, coming in behind states like New York and New Jersey.

The ranking comes from Kiplinger, a business forecasting and personal-finance publisher, which calculated Illinois average combined state and local sales tax rate to be 8.83%. Illinois has a 4.95% flat state income tax rate and a 6.25% state sales tax with another 4.75% in local taxes added in some areas.

Venture capital expert, lawyer and economic commentator Mark Glennon, founder and executive editor of the Wirepoints market research organization, said Illinois position at the bottom comes as no surprise.

Weve been consistently ranked at or near the bottom for a long time; the primary culprit is property taxes in Illinois and those hit the middle class very hard, he said.

Illinois high tax rates are a result of politicians mishandling money, according to Glennon.

Its ultimately a spending problem, he said.

Unlike other states, Illinois hasnt used recent federal windfalls wisely to bridge gaps like the gaping hole in its unemployment trust fund, which Glennon said policymakers ignored.

Illinois has just announced new program after new program, he said. As soon as that federal spigot shuts closed  and it will  Illinois is going to be back in the same suit that it was.

One large area that could save Illinoisans money if reformed is the rules that municipal governments have to follow for negotiating labor contracts, according to Glennon.

We have particularly onerous rules that essentially force everything into collective bargaining and arbitration if theres any difficulty, and the outcome of that is consistently that the municipalities lose and organized labor wins, he said.

Pointing to IRS migration data, Glennon said the effect of the Prairie States exorbitant tax rates is people of all income groups are leaving Illinois for greener pastures, with states like Florida, Texas and Tennessee reaping the benefits.

Middle-class people are obviously tending to pick places with better job prospects and lower taxes, he said.

And he said there is no end in sight for this problem.

Theres no prospect of a solution in sight because the politicians are not even working on any solution, he said.
Scranton, PA (18503)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 33F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.
Renewable energy giant Octopus, which is racing to overtake British Gas owner Centrica as Britains biggest energy supplier, has inked a landmark deal in India.

Octopus Energy, led by CEO Greg Jackson, has signed an agreement with Indian infrastructure giant Sterlite Power, enabling Octopus to supply green energy to millions of Indian households.

Octopus will supply green energy to millions of Indian households

The plans are the first UK-India energy alliance since the two countries signed an agreement to cut carbon emissions at the climate summit last month.

Octopus and Sterlite also plan to build new renewable energy and storage in India, which is the worlds third-largest carbon-emitting country.

Jackson said: Through this partnership we will be able to offer greener, cheaper options to consumers in both the UK and India, and help India with its goals for decarbonisation.

Octopus Energy, which was founded in 2016, is worth 3.8billion, versus Centricas 3.9billion market value.
Entrepreneurs know that every opportunity is valuable to learn something that inspires them to grow and take their business to the next level.

Netflix is the world's largest streaming platform and this year offers a series of documentaries and original shows that are indispensable for businessmen and women who want to do things differently.

This is a selection that you can start watching this weekend or when you have 45 free minutes.

1. Dirty Money (2018)

What it's about: There are six one-hour episodes that tell the story of a famous corporate fraud and the investigation that took place around the case. Among the topics that you will see in the series are the polluting emissions scandal of Volkswagen vehicles, the money laundering by HSBC for the Sinaloa cartel and Donald Trump.

Alex Gibney, the creator of the Netflix original documentary, was one of the victims of the Volkswagen fraud. The series features seasoned directors such as Brian McGinn, Jesse Moss, and Fisher Stevens.

Why you should see it: The fraud cases portrayed in the series are reflected with journalistic investigations and testimonies instead of by actors, which gives it greater veracity. It is ideal to inspire you to have (and force) good practices in your company.

2. The True Cost (2015)

What it's about: This 2015 film directed by Andrew Morgan looks at the fast fashion industry and how it is built by workers in developing countries, as well as its side effects such as pesticide pollution of rivers. The documentary studies media consumerism and the state of the industry in 13 countries.

Why you should see it: This is a stark analysis that premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and is based on events such as the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh that killed thousands of workers. An interesting study of an industry that is in constant transformation.

3. The toys that made us (2017)

What it's about: This two-season series tells how today's most iconic toys in pop culture hit the market and what their real impact was on consumers young and old. Each hour-long episode tells the story of the entrepreneurs who created such legendary brands as LEGO, Transformers, Hello Kitty, and Star Wars.

Why you should watch it: Each episode tells the story of an entrepreneur or a team of them who managed to shake up their industries and whose inventions became part of the home of millions of children. The third season will premiere in 2019.

4. Abstract: The Art of Design (2017)

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

What it's about: This Netflix original documentary series created by Scott Dadich highlights prominent illustrators, designers, architects, civil engineers, and interior designers from around the world.

Why you should watch it: Each episode will inspire you to work on your brand with the likes of illustrator Christoph Niemann, Nike brand shoe designer Tinker Hatfield or photographer Platon. Ideal for getting your ideas circulated.

5. To order with Marie Kondo! (2019)

What it's about: Marie Kondo is an expert recognized around the world for her method of ordering things and avoiding the accumulation of objects and the clutter that they bring. His method called "Konmari" is based on keeping only the things that inspire joy and joy.

Why you should watch it: This 8-episode, 45-minute series will make you want to stop and clean your home, desk, and office to feel real joy in the things around you. A basic documentary to apply both at home and in your business.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Gourmet chef and culinary journalist Stephen Henderson has flown to Paris to review Michelin-starred bistros, then hit a posh fashion show in India featuring thousands of flowers, fire-eaters and acrobats in gold body paint.

But Mondays, he and his husband love to be in the Salvation Armys Hudson soup kitchen whipping up a 100 delicious, nutritious meals from donated foods. Henderson has created foolproof cheap-yet-gourmet recipes that can easily be expanded for dozens of diners. When he globetrots, he visits soup kitchens from downtown Austin and L.A., to Israel and Iran. He volunteers to cook whether its on a rickety stove or a fire pit in impoverished rural Uzbekistan where he roasted a lamb for hungry farmers.

He coined the term gastrophilanthropy to describe his combo of foodie passion and volunteerism. He put his fascinating adventures into a book, now released in paperback, called The 24 Hour Soup Kitchen.

All proceeds from book sales go to New York food banks. And yes, it contains recipes.

Henderson volunteered at the Hudson Salvation Army kitchen over a year ago. He said that some gay friends asked him if the Salvation Army was homophobic. (Years ago, the Salvation Army renounced homophobic views expressed in an interview by one of its leaders overseas. It now makes an effort to recruit and hire LGBTQ staff.)

I was welcomed with open arms, with love, respect, said Henderson, whose photo graces the Salvation Army website. And when I bring my gay friends, theyre welcomed, too. The experience has been better than good. Its been great.

Hudson Salvation Army director Darcy Connor says she and the clients adore Henderson.

"He's kind and generous and so talented," she exclaimed, insisting that Henderson's wit and attitude make even chores like dish washing fun. "He's made us famous in Hudson. We get volunteers who have heard how fun and creative he is. And he brings his wonderful friends who volunteer, too."

Henderson believes that gourmet cooking is a set of skills more than an inborn talent like singing or dancing. He offers himself as proof. He grew up poor, the son of a Levittown pastor whose low salary was supplemented by a tradition called pounding.

The congregation donated pounds of rice, flour, oats, butter and produce, stacking them in pyramids and towers on tables festooned with construction paper decorations. His mom was busy with duties as a pastors wife so she didnt have a lot of time for the kitchen. But Henderson was fascinated by how flavors clash and complement. He didnt believe a strict budget condemned a family to lousy food.

He learned how rich flavors and sophisticated textures could be coaxed out of cheap, humble staples. His hero is chef Alexis Soyer, a Victorian-era bon vivant who created elegant meals at Londons Reform Club, a haven for wealthy progressive Whig and Radical politicians. Soyer was in demand at elite parties as a guest due to his charm, singing voice, storytelling talent - as well as his culinary genius.

Soyer is also known as the father of soup kitchens after traveling to Ireland during the potato famine to feed hundreds.

Soyer's and Henderson's budget recipes are completely different than those created by American experts during the Great Depression. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt constantly urged the new Bureau of Home Economics to discover dishes that could feed huge families and soup kitchens for pennies. The recipes were dutifully printed in newspapers and broadcast on radio.

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The bizarre results included Onions Stuffed with Peanut Butter, maybe the most infamous dish Roosevelt promoted.

Food historians Jane Ziegelman and Andrew Coe detail in A Square Meal - A Culinary History how Eleanor served her husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the awful dishes including her recipe for noodles boiled into mush then mixed with mashed carrots. A 1933 Mulligan Stew recipe suggests using whatever grass or weeds grew nearby to thicken broth - then add Bull Durham tobacco for flavoring. FDRs palate was as refined as his blue blood but he felt the meals helped him empathize with Americans.

"A Square Meal" summarizes the recipes as the dreariest food in Washington, also some of the most dismally prepared.



The pandemic is not a Depression. But Henderson and Connor say their lunch crowds are bigger than last year. And low income neighborhoods are often food deserts where affordable fresh produce and nutrition dense foods can be scarce.

Connor said, We mostly get clients who are working poor. They often work more than one job but don't make enough to cover food and bills.

There have been days when a surprise surge in diners has left Henderson with more people to feed than food.

Its never been like a Chopped TV contest where I have only ginger, rutabagas and charcoal to use, he said cheerfully. I can always scramble eggs.

He visits the Salvation Army Sundays to check the fridge and pantry. He often donates supplemental ingredients. And Henderson promises for volunteers whose families can't eat what they cook, he'll find useful tasks they can do to give clients a gourmet experience.




Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

GALWAY  A 20-year-old Sacandaga Road resident is accused of being in the Galway Central school at about 3:40 a.m. Friday by a staff member, Saratoga County sheriffs deputies said.

The man was identified and located later at his home. Deputies said he is accused of unlawfully entering the building by forcing a door open with the intent to commit a theft. He was arraigned and released.
The delta and omicron variants of the coronavirus are trying to spoil the holiday spirit, but there still are ways to enjoy the festivities.

The explosive spread of the omicron variant is causing many to wonder if they should cancel their holiday plans. The omicron mutation is expected to overtake the delta variant in the United States within weeks.

Health experts know that people need to spend time together, so they are offering advice. Above all, getting vaccinated remains the best defense and getting a booster shot further increases protection.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, skipped gathering for the holidays last year with his three adult daughters. But this year, Fauci, his wife and his daughters are all vaccinated with boosters, and they plan to spend the holidays together, even seeing a few friends who also are vaccinated and boosted.

We can feel safe, Fauci said this week on NBC's Nightly News. Nothing is 100% risk-free.

A look at strategies to enjoy the holidays as safely as possible.

IS IT SAFE TO ATTEND A HOLIDAY PARTY?

It depends. Large parties aren't as safe as small ones. Indoor parties aren't as safe as outdoor gatherings.

At a large, indoor party, one person without a mask can result in many people infected, said Dr. Celine Gounder of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Some of these are turning into superspreader events," Gounder said.

Even if everyone is vaccinated and boosted, breakthrough infections can happen, including with omicron, which has shown the ability to sidestep the protection of vaccination in lab tests.

And don't count on symptoms to tell you who's carrying the virus, said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer in Seattle and King County.

Half or more of infections are spread from people before they have symptoms, so symptom screening remains important, but doesnt identify everyone who can spread COVID-19, Duchin said.

Masks, opening windows, running an air purifier with a HEPA filter are strategies recommended by health experts for gatherings during the holidays.

WHAT ABOUT HOME TEST KITS?

Home test kits can add a layer of safety by providing on-the-spot results. The tests are not as accurate as the PCR tests done in hospitals and at testing sites. But they have the advantage of giving results within minutes instead of days.

In some places, testing demand is high, rapid tests are hard to find and waits at testing centers are long.

If you're searching for a home test kit, check online and at drugstores. A box with two tests typically costs about $25. If you have health insurance, save your receipt. You may be able to get reimbursed for the cost next year, although it's unclear whether new rules about that will be retroactive.

Residents of some parts of the U.S. can receive free home test kits through a public health effort called Say Yes! COVID Test.

It's been a phenomenal program, said Matt Schanz, administrator of the Northeast Tri County Health District in northeastern Washington state, where households can get up to eight tests delivered.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Were social people. We want to gather together and have joyous times during the holiday, Schanz said.

Some health experts are recommending testing twice: Take a test three days before and on the day of a holiday gathering.

So if you're gathering Christmas Eve, test a few days before and on Christmas Eve as well, said Dr. Kiran Joshi, senior medical officer at the Cook County Department of Public Health in Illinois.

WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL?

Check the rules of your destination country if you're planning to travel abroad. Nations are adding new rules in response to omicron.

People traveling by air should be extra careful about wearing masks in crowded airports, Fauci said.

Wear your mask all the time, Fauci told a Wall Street Journal podcast. It will be required to wear a mask when youre on the plane, but dont get careless in the airport with all the crowds that are in the airport and take your mask off.

IS THERE ANY GOOD NEWS?

Kids often catch viruses at school and theres some evidence with flu that school breaks can slow the spread. So it might be lucky that omicron is emerging during the holidays, said virus expert Elodie Ghedin of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Going into the holidays where kids are staying home from school is actually a good thing, Ghedin said. If this had occurred in the fall, it probably would have been worse with transmission. Thats the one silver lining going into the holidays.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
SKIP DICKSTEIN

ALBANY - Mary DeTurris Poust, who has handled communications for the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese for the last six years, will step down effective Jan. 28, according to the diocese.

I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve the Diocese of Albany for close to seven years, and Im proud of all we accomplished with the help of a great communications team," DeTurris Poust said in a statement Friday. "Now it is time for me to return to what has always been the heart of my ministry and professional life: writing, retreat work, and public speaking.
This time it's another kind of "viral" threat keeping kids out of school.

Spooked by a nationwide school shooting meme that has circulated on TikTok and other social media platforms, parents across the region opted to keep their children home on Friday.

Hundreds were absent from Mohonasen Central School district Friday, with each building down between 130 and 170 students, after a series of online threats named the district directly, according to Superintendent Shannon Shine.

"This is having a very significant impact on our student attendance," Shine said.

It's not the first time the Schenectady County district has been targeted. Similar false reports forecasting a school shooter situation at Mohonasen circulated in October, according to Shine.

"In one instance the social media posts about Mohonasen even named a current student," Shine wrote in a letter to parents. "We have been working closely with the Rotterdam Police Department through our School Resource Officer. ... In the case of the specific student, the Rotterdam Police followed up thoroughly, out of an abundance of caution."

Averill Park was the first local school district to close its doors, saying in a statement posted on the district's website that the decision to close Friday was prompted by a specific threat.

"Late Thursday night, the Averill Park Central School District received a threat directed toward the district from an unknown person or persons," officials in the Rensselaer County school district wrote. "We wish to stress that it is, at present, an unsubstantiated threat. Out of an abundance of caution, the district will be closed tomorrow ... for all students in grades K-12."

Also Friday morning, officials in the Galway Central School District canceled class after a janitor interrupted a burglary at the school cafeteria though there is no indication it's connected to the TikTok situation.

Classrooms in Albany also saw "sparse attendance" Friday, educators and parents said. Some students who did come to school asked their parents to pick them up midday, one middle school teacher said.

According to the Albany district, 25 percent of students were absent.

"These viral online phenomena are both a safety concern and an impediment to student learning," spokesman Ron Lesko said. "We take all direct and indirect threats to our school community seriously. This requires staff resources and time devoted to investigation and any additional security measures that may be required on our own or in partnership with local law enforcement agencies."

While officials understand why parents and guardians may not be comfortable sending their children to school when incidents like these occur, it "interrupts students continuity of instruction, which is critical now more than ever as school districts continue to build back from the learning loss that we all have experienced  and continue to experience  during the pandemic," Lesko said.

North and South Colonie schools had police officers stationed outside entrances on Friday, but a significant portion of students were still absent.

New York State School Board Association counsel Jay Worona said false alarms like these are not unlike the barrage of fake bomb calls schools grappled with in the 1980s and 1990s.

"In the past, when kids were engaged in this behavior, parents would be understandably annoyed, but they wouldn't think there would be a great statistical correlation to threats and things actually happening," Worona said. "I think we live in a very different world where people take threats very, very serious, because it's not a sky is falling thing. We are seeing children literally die in other parts of the country and we don't want it to happen to us."

The viral online posts in some cases target "every school in the US. even elementary," but in other examples name particular schools.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

For days, local school districts and police departments have watched as the latest TikTok threat circulated. Earlier this fall, the social media site was used to inspire students to act violently or vandalize school property and then post videos of their actions.

This week, schools around the country have confronted non-specific threats of gun violence, leaving educators in the position of having to react to something when there is no way to know if there is a serious threat of violence.

The origin of these posts is unknown, however, this appears to be the latest entry in a troubling trend of 'challenges' that have been discussed extensively on TikTok, wrote Bethlehem Central School District Superintendent Jody Monroe in a letter addressed to the district community.

Bethlehem Police Chief Gina Cocchiara in a letter of her own to the community notes that though the threats dont specifically target the district, school and municipal officials will be working closely to ensure the safety of the school community.

Similar notices about the potential threats popping up on TikTok were sent out to families in the Schodack and Saratoga Springs school districts.

We have had recent conversations with county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as the Saratoga Springs City School District, on the current posts, states a letter from Assistant Saratoga Springs Police Chief Bob Jillson. These conversations on school safety do not just take place when such a post gains attention, but is an ongoing dialogue.

Schodack Central School District Superintendent Jason Chevrier said while the threat is not localized and (is) unsubstantiated, he still urged parents to remind their youngsters about the importance of letting an adult know if they spot any troubling behaviors among their friends and classmates, know of any potential threats to the school community, or see or hear anything that doesnt seem right.

In Bethlehem, Monroe says maintaining safe schools is everybodys business.

If your child uses social media platforms like TikTok, please remind them of the importance of speaking up if they see anything online that could be a safety concern at their school, she writes. While we know this social media activity is out there, we also know that our students value their BC school community and can be counted on to do the right thing every day.
NISKAYUNA  Incoming Town Board member Jason Moskowitz, who will be the lone Republican on the newly elected governing body, isnt all that worried about partisan politics getting in the way of town business.

Moskowitz, the top vote-getter on Election Day among Town Board candidates, said Friday that he's buoyed by several conversations he's had with his soon-to-be colleagues, including Supervisor-elect Jaime Puccioni.

The two of them, along with Jessica Brennan, a political newcomer, and incumbent John Della Ratta will be taking the oath of office privately before their terms officially begin Jan. 1. Brennan prevailed in a special election to finish out Rosemarie Perez Jaquith's unexpired term.

A public ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 11 for the election winners. Bill McPartlon is also on the Town Board.

It seems like everybody is willing to put politics aside and just work together as a team, said Moskowitz, a full-time emergency dispatcher and the son of retired Niskayuna Police Chief Lewis Moskowitz.

Puccioni, a Democrat, will succeed Yasmine Syed, who called it quits after two terms as supervisor overseeing Niskayuna's day-to-day affairs.

Puccioni did not return calls over the past few weeks to her cell and work phone for comment about plans for her administration.

She has, however already met with all the department heads and elected officials, including the town justices, Syed said.

My main purpose in ensuring she (Puccioni) has a smooth transition is that her success is ultimately going to be passed onto the residents, and so my primary goal is first to make sure that the residents are taken care of, and my secondary goal is to make sure that Jaime is well-equipped to a be able to take the reins on January 1 and be successful in her position as supervisor, Syed added.

She said Puccioni, a University at Albany associate professor, wanted to know more about "the specific role of a town supervisor.

For towns, the town supervisor is the CEO, the COO, and the CFO, however with none of the autonomy of a true CEO, Syed explained. Everything is by vote of the Town Board, but shes still responsible for the day-to-day operations of the town, shes going to be the public-facing individual, spokesperson 

Syed said she also offered Puccioni an up-to-date checklist of what things she needs to have an awareness of for when her tenure begins..

Puccioni will be able to appoint a confidential secretary, deputy supervisor, bookkeeper and town historian, all of whom serve at the pleasure of the supervisor.

Puccioni, 44, has previously said she plans to be a full-time supervisor.

Moskowitz said one of his top priorities will be to take a closer look at the town budget to find out exactly where money is going and where its being spent.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

He also mentioned staffing levels at Town Hall, speeding and traffic concerns, and working to improve the police department as high on his list.

As for Syed, she is moving to the Syracuse area to be with her husband, who is in the military.

Born and raised in Niskayuna, Syed, a two-term GOP supervisor, said Friday she is especially proud of her mentorship program geared toward exposing girls of color to the workings of municipal government and hasn't ruled out running for elected office again in the future.

"Those have been some of my proudest moments to really represent the Southeast Asian community because a lot of the times, they don't have elected officials to look to, and they don't necessarily think they can run for public office or that they should be in public office, and they absolutely should be," said Syed. "Public service is always going to be a passion of mine, and if and when that opportunity presents itself ... I'm ready and willing to serve my community again."

.
The deportation officer knocked on my cell door at 2:30 a.m., handing me two plastic bags: One for your personal property, put the state property in the other. I did not ask nor did he tell me, but I knew that on the morning of June 17, I was being secretly deported to Panama  a country I left as a teenager.

I had already spent 17 years in prison for a crime I committed when I was 19 years old , a burglary I was coerced into by my abuser, and in the course of which a person died. During those years, I waited to reunite with my children  one who was a baby when I was locked up, the other who I gave birth to in jail. Despite our painfully long separation, we built a wonderful relationship based on love, trust and honesty.

When I learned I qualified for resentencing under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act as a criminalized survivor of domestic violence, I let my children know immediately. They were ecstatic, and we set about making plans for once their mommy was finally home.

On April 23, with the support of the New York County District Attorney  who recognized that my participation in the crime was the result of substantial psychological trauma  I was resentenced and ordered released. Both the DA and judge expressed hope for my future with my family. But despite a judges order granting my freedom, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision facilitated my deportation: Prison officials at Taconic Correctional Facility held me for two weeks, told U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement my release date, and coordinated my transfer to ICE custody.

Leaving Taconic on May 4 after serving 17 years was bittersweet. ICE shackled my wrists and ankles, and transferred me to Rensselaer County Jail. During my 43 days in ICE custody, organizers with Survived & Punished NY called ICE officials and drafted petitions, and attorneys filed more than 500 pages of evidence to support my release. ICE didnt care about what our community wanted, or about my life or my family.

On the day I was deported, I couldnt speak to my attorneys. I used my one phone call to let my mom know I was at Atlanta International Airport getting put on a flight to Panama. I was scared, nervous and incredibly confused. I was being forcibly sent to a place I no longer knew, where I had almost no support. I had no clothes, ID, or even the means to leave the airport. I was dropped off, told good luck, and forgotten. I still feel that Im in a state of shock.

Ive made poor choices, done horrible things and hurt people. For every mistake Ive made, Im truly sorry. Without making excuses or justifying my actions, Im attempting to give you a glimpse into my life as a survivor and mother. Ive been in Panama since June. Its indescribably hard to reinvent my life, to adjust and even to feel free because I am still in bondage  away from my children and loved ones, alone and afraid. And to make matters worse, my absence continues to hurt the two people whose unconditional love carried me throughout the years.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

Even though its too late to stop my incarceration and deportation by ICE, I know New York may pass laws to stop enabling deportations by shutting down ICE jails in the state and ending the practice of transferring people to ICE. My attorneys told me state Sen. Julia Salazar has heard about my story and has two bills that would have prevented my familys separation.

Upon hearing my story, Salazar affirmed that my experience is the everyday reality for many undocumented New Yorkers who find themselves trapped in our criminal legal system. Salazar said her two bills would help ensure other people dont have to endure what I went through. Both the Dignity Not Detention Act and New York for All would have helped Assia by ensuring that New Yorks local law enforcement and correctional facilities stop collaborating with ICE. Passing both of these bills would mean that others would not have to endure the inhumane experience that Assia and her family did, said Salazar, who represents New Yorks 18th state Senate District.

I am thankful to Senator Salazar and other advocates for hearing and uplifting my story. It is imperative that the Legislature pass both bills so others dont have to undergo similar traumatic experiences.
There it was again, hiding in plain sight in the avalanche of material  transcripts, video, texts, emails and more  released a few days after Thanksgiving by the office of state Attorney General Letitia James.

"Everyone sort of jokes that the governor's office is like 'Hotel California.' You never really leave," said Dani Lever, a former top communications aide for soon-to-be-former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as she was questioned by investigators hired by James' office to look into the sexual misconduct claims against him.

"Meaning what? I'm not familiar with the analogy," responded the attorney, who I have to assume is more of a Cheap Trick fan.

I was half-hoping that the transcript would show Lever singing a few bars as a prompt ("'On a dark desert highway'? No? ' ... They just can't kill the beast'?") and maybe humming the famous guitar-duel finale, but no.

"When you leave the office, you're still like in the family," Lever explained. "You are still in the governor's, you know, family, basically, of people."

Looking too hard at this combo of "California" and "family" in the context of a small group of people who bring about their own destruction in service to one man's overweening ego and appetites is probably best avoided ... so let's stick to The Eagles.

During the almost-decade I covered Cuomo, I heard the "Hotel California" analogy quite a bit, and would think of it whenever I would see Rich Bamberger rushing around the bowels of the Empire State Plaza in early January, helping prep Cuomo's State of the State address years after he had gone off the public payroll as a communications aide to the governor  similar to the post Lever would rise to in more recent years. The key line in this context was "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave," indicative of how the administration would tap the talents of ex-employees even after they had gone off to other jobs, often at places with extensive business before the state of New York.

The comparison was meant to be darkly humorous, because as any FM radio fan knows the Hotel California described in the song is probably hell, or at least purgatory  a place where idealistic dreams go to rot. Its basically a song about the dark underbelly of the American dream," vocalist and drummer Don Henley told "60 Minutes" in 2002.

So not exactly a healthful and supportive work environment.

The Hotel Andrew Cuomo has proven to be a very bad place to have stayed, and a worse place to have returned in the 12-month period that began a year ago last week, when former aide Lindsey Boylan tapped out her first Tweet alleging that the governor had sexually harassed her. Lever, who had left the administration four months earlier for a top media post with Facebook  like The Eagles a California-based enterprise  was called back into service to assist in the leaking of parts of Boylan's state personnel file, which had been hidden away in the personal archives of former Cuomo counsel Alphonso David.

David, who had left the administration in 2019 to lead the Human Rights Campaign, was canned by its board a month after the release of the attorney general's August report on Cuomo's alleged sexual misconduct. By that point, Bamberger and former Cuomo aide Josh Vlasto had stepped down from their posts as managing directors at Kivvit, the public relations firm, as a result of their work planning Cuomos defense. Attorney Roberta Kaplan was bounced from the top job at the anti-harassment organization Time's Up! for taking part in the same effort.

The post-Thanksgiving dump from James' office included material that prompted the career downfalls of CNN's Chris Cuomo and SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras  although there's no evidence Malatras played a role in the ex-governor's defense in the eight months that preceded his August resignation.

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The degree to which these people, who had ostensibly escaped the administration's gravitational pull, were willing to immolate themselves to serve Andrew Cuomo remains stunning  a case study for academics who make their careers in management theory or maybe abnormal psychology. It's a story that says ugly things about supposedly smart people.

Lever remains on the job at Facebook, an operation that has had its own troubles this year with pesky women revealing damaging information. The career ramifications are still unknown for Lis Smith, the Democratic political strategist whose transcript makes for some of the liveliest reading, primarily for the way in which her texts and other communications reveal her escalating sense that she's become trapped in a nightmare of someone else's making. ("We are all just prisoners here/Of our own device," as the song goes.)

"This is hell," Smith texted to Lever on March 6, as the list of women making claims against the governor grew larger.

"Beyond," Lever responded.

Lever couldn't remember the context of that terse exchange, though she recalled it took place while they were on a call with longtime Cuomo loyalist Linda Lacewell, known as the former governor's "Minister of Defense."

Having been on a few contentious calls with Lacewell myself years ago, I could almost sympathize with them.

Almost.
Military officials in Oregon say a sonic boom that caused widespread concern on the Oregon coast that an earthquake had happened was caused by an aircraft that inadvertently went supersonic.
San Franciscos former public works director has agreed to plead guilty to accepting bribes and kickbacks to settle a federal corruption case that has ensnared several City Hall officials and insiders
The plauge numbers don't look good for this cowtown and what's worse is taht the local discourse is even more divided as pleas for greater vaccinations and public health precautions are confronted with widespread culture war political push back.



Here's an apt summary of the sitch so far and a highlight we thought was important . . .



Chief medical officers said the vast majority of the patients in local hospitals have not gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.



At a briefing for reporters and the public, they urged people to roll up their sleeves for a shot that shields themselves and their loved ones.



For the past couple of weeks, all 100% (of people) in ICU, all 100% on ventilators have been unvaccinated people, Raghu Adiga, chief medical officer at Liberty Hospital in Missouri, said of the situation at his facility. We just want people to help us take better care of them.



The delta variant continues to fuel most cases locally, but omicron has joined the mix in Kansas and Missouri. Doctors fear the swift surge of hospitalizations in recent weeks could set the stage for numbers in January and February that will surpass last winters crisis.



White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci says vaccines and booster shots protect most people against landing in the hospital with the omicron variant.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Kansas City hospitals are full again, omicron has arrived and doctors are begging for your help Doctors across Kansas City, Lawrence and Topeka banded together Friday to offer a sobering public message: They've seen COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations double, triple and continue to get worse in a matter of weeks. Some hospitals are once again postponing non-emergency, non-coronavirus care to free up beds and health care workers for the region's second dramatic surge in hospitalizations since the delta variant arrived last summer.

'We are in trouble': KC area chief medical officers sound the alarm on rising COVID numbers KANSAS CITY METRO (KCTV) -- Nine chief medical officers from hospitals around the Kansas City metro area joined the University of Kansas Health System coronavirus briefing Friday morning to sound the alarm not just on rising COVID-19 case numbers, but rising hospitalizations.

'This is a tornado warning to our community,' Dr. Steven Stites warns of rising COVID-19 cases KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City-area medical chiefs are sounding the alarm as COVID-19 cases rise in the metro. The University of Kansas Health System hosted the Kansas City area top medical officers during their Morning Medical Call on Friday.

Kansas's second case of Omicron variant found in Douglas Co. LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - A second case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been found in Kansas, this time in Douglas County. Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health says it was notified on Friday, Dec. 17, of its first confirmed case of the Omicron variant by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Missouri identifies Omicron variant in wastewater samples - Newstalk KZRG JEFFERSON CITY, MO - The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) continues to partner with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the University of Missouri - Columbia, wastewater operators, and others to monitor COVID-19 trends by testing wastewater in communities throughout the state.

Kansas City, Kansas, ends its mask mandate early despite growing COVID-19 cases Despite pleas from public health experts, elected officials in Kansas City, Kansas, decided Thursday night to end the city's mask mandate early. It's the latest municipality in the metropolitan area to repeal the requirement that people wear masks in indoor public places.

Missouri treasurer cracks down on schools with mask mandates COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Missouri's treasurer no longer will help schools refinance bond debt unless superintendents promise not to enforce face mask requirements and other COVID-19 safety measures issued by local officials. Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick this month began requiring school districts trying to refinance bond debt to certify that they'll obey Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt's warning against coronavirus mandates, Missourinet first reported.

Family advocates for more resources after father dies of COVID-19 complications More than 62,000 Americans are currently hospitalized, with over 15,000 in the ICU, as the country battles another surge of COVID-19 cases. Some hospitals are being pushed to their limits with the number of beds and resources to help.Sister station WBAL spoke with the family of Tim Wickstrom, a Maryland man who was battling COVID-19 at Johns Hopkins since September.On Tuesday, his family said he died of COVID-19 complications.

Federal appeals court allows Biden vaccine mandate for large companies to resume A federal appeals court Friday reinstated the Biden administration's vaccine mandate for large companies, dissolving a stay by a separate court that had suspended the mandate. The decision is the latest event in a continuing battle that will likely be decided by the Supreme Court.

Developing . . .
Tonight all of Kansas City witnesses a civic milestone.



The Kansas City LGBT Commish is marking their one year anniversary and their commitment toward a more inclusive and equitable local discourse.



Jackson County 1st District candidate and activist Justice Horn noted the occasion just moments ago:



Even better than social media love, we're likely to see more news coverage tonight . . .



For those who don't know about the group . . . Here's a glimpse at the rising stars:



A quick glimpse at their mission statement by way of 12th & Oak:

"This Commission is the first of its kind in the state of Missouri and will further empower the LGBTQ+ community with a focused seat at the table in local government. Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas will appoint seven members who specialize in policies such as housing, public safety, health care and education, as well as six members from each district to provide a geographically diverse voice for the LGBTQ+ community in legislative actions from City Hall."



Accordingly, the tribute by way of the Kansas City skyline holiday decoration is a big deal and, as we've noted previously, their growing influence reveals that this group is, in fact, part of the mainstream discourse and represents the NEXTGEN of local leadership.

Developing . . .


There's an uptick in local thefts but our local media is struggling to name the organized crime spree activity.

Turns out local journalists can't use the term "looting" because it's racist.



I like the new moniker because "grab & run" kinda sounds like ruthless organized thieves are just ordering pizza. It's playful and doesn't suggest the downfall of Western Civilization whatsoever.

Here's a peek at the trend . . .



In the Kansas City metro, thieves dont always smash glass to steal instead groups of people work together to grab-and-run.



They may just storm a store. Grab what they can grab and leave, Detective Overland Park Police Department Byron Pierce said. Others may go in a little bit more organized. We call it distraction theft.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
Today's life lesson offers a sign of the times, a hint at worsening college enrollment and unintended consequences of the current cultural shift.

Moreover, we notice that quite a few young people are suddenly struck with the realization that most many people can make a living without a college degree that was never going to help them jump to the ranks of the upper-middle-class anyhoo.

And a strong sense of self-determination will be important to a generation of people blogging or attempting to influence (lulz) from their mom's basement in the not so distant future.



Anyhoo, here's the good news regarding more meaningless numbers and why KU is dropping the ACT:



This was driven by the pandemic, but I think people were figuring out quickly that these tests were creating barriers, KU Chancellor Douglas Girod told Regents.



KU was the only remaining Regents university that did not allow admission without a standardized test.

Also, I'm pretty sure standardized testing is racist . . . Don't argue too hard about that point of fact given that so many white, middle-class suburbanite scholars are habitually outscored by their counterparts from the Far East . . . Just a bit past Independence, MO.

But I digress . . .



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
Our stupid question earns serious answers from local health pros looking to save lives during the holiday season OR at least prevent the worsening spread of the pandemic.

Tragic fact check . . .

COVID IS REAL AND IT'S STILL KILLING PEOPLE!!!

1200 Americans are still dying every day from COVID and there is no doubt we'll see 1 millions American dead sometime early next year.

PREZ BIDEN'S STRATEGY FAILED TO STOP THE PLAGUE AND WE SEEM TO BE RIGHT BACK AT SQUARE ONE WHEREIN ONLY PREZ TRUMP'S 'WARP SPEED' VAXX PUSH HAS SHOWN ANY PROGRESS!!!

Prez Biden's leadership during the pandemic is now coming into question. Like it or not, most of the vaxx progress came under the Trump administration.



SORRY IF ALL OF THIS CONTRADICTS YOUR DUMB POLITICS!!!



On the bright side, most of us agree that the pandemic has been horribly politicized and then go on to blame our political opponents for murder.



A glimpse at the sitch right now . . .

Danger is real. Its present and its at our doorstep. This is a warning to all of you  we are in trouble, Dr. Steven Stites with the University of Kansas Health System said.



Health officials are calling the current state of the pandemic a death march of the unvaccinated. Hospitals are seeing their inpatient numbers rise in record speed due to people gathering indoors with colder weather and masks coming off. In most area hospitals, 80 to 90 percent of inpatients with COVID-19 are unvaccinated.



One in 400 people in Kansas died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Doctors also warned reinfections will happen with the spread of the Omicron variant in the near future.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

Chief Medical Officers of Kansas City-area hospitals warn of rising COVID-19 cases ahead of holidays Chief Medical Officers from the Kansas City Metropolitan area made a joint plea to the public Friday morning. Hospitals are seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases and with the emergence of the Omicron variant, healthcare officials said they are worried what this will mean for the month of January.

With recent spike, Kansas City health officials say Christmas gatherings won't help KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Health officials report COVID-19 case numbers, including those involving the omicron variant, are moving in the wrong directions again. The Unified Government of Wyandotte County voted 6-4 on Thursday to end the county's public indoor mask mandate. The public health order ended weeks before its intended expiration date of January 6.

Concerns raised about availability, effectiveness of monoclonal antibody therapies KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -- Doctors across the metro are sounding the alarm about growing COVID hospitalizations once again straining their ability to care for patients. The University of Kansas Health System hosted a teleconference Friday with physicians and administrators at nine area hospital systems to sound the alarm.

Rockettes cancel 'Christmas Spectacular' due to COVID-19 The iconic Rockettes dance company has announced that the coronavirus has forced them to cancel the remainder of their shows this year. "We regret that we are unable to continue the Christmas Spectacular this season due to increasing challenges from the pandemic," the group said in a statement Friday.

Nice nibbles and virtual squabbles: how to Covid-proof your Christmas So here we are again. Out are the plans to dust off your dancing shoes at the Christmas party, and in is the stockpiling of toilet rolls and boxes of chocolates for the long nights ahead.

Netherlands set to announce 'strict' Christmas lockdown - media THE HAGUE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The Dutch government is expected to announce on Saturday a "strict" Christmas lockdown that would see everything but essential stores close amid fears over the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Dutch media reported.

Surging COVID-19 Cases Bring a 2020 Feel to the End of 2021 U.S. officials intensified calls for unvaccinated Americans to get inoculated in the face of the new omicron variant that contributed to a record number of infections in New York and threatened to wipe out a second holiday season in Europe.

Developing . . .
And there is news of another collaboration...this time the Air Guard working with the Prison
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic course remains unchanged and sees a window of opportunity at the next NATO summit in Madrid.

He said this at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels on Thursday, December 16, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Our Euro-Atlantic course remains unchanged, and support [for this course] in Ukrainian society is growing," Zelensky said.

He thanked Stoltenberg "for a clear signal" that the issue of membership in the Alliance is a matter of relations between Ukraine and NATO countries. He expressed hope that NATO nations would continue to pursue these positions "without succumbing to any threats and any red lines that are being drawn by other parties."

"In 1997, at the Madrid Summit, Ukraine and NATO member states signed the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership. This document recorded a high level of partnership between us and a high level of cooperation. Next year marks 25 years since the document was signed, and the NATO summit is taking place in Madrid again. I see here not only symbolism but also a window of opportunity," Zelensky said.

Zelensky is on a working visit to Brussels on December 15-16. On Wednesday, he took part in the sixth summit of the Eastern Partnership.

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At a meeting with the G7 and the EU ambassadors, President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked for support and assistance provided to Ukraine.

As the press service of the Head of State informs, the foreign policy results of the outgoing year were summed up and the tasks for the future were outlined during the conversation with the heads of foreign diplomatic missions on December 17.

"We have launched the Crimea Platform. We held the impactful Ukraine-EU summit. Ukraine will continue to develop relations with the EU and NATO, fill cooperation with key partners with new, concrete projects and meanings. We will strengthen defense capabilities, we will introduce changes in our country, modernize the economy," Zelenskyy said.

The Head of State also told the meeting participants about important steps towards transformations in Ukraine, in particular, about the course of reforms.

"We have unlocked judicial reform. We have launched the most important process of de-oligarchization," the President said.

The meeting participants paid special attention to the discussion of the security situation on the borders of Ukraine and the process of peaceful settlement in Donbas.

Zelensky noted the importance of stepping up the work of all negotiation formats to de-escalate the situation.

The President of Ukraine thanked international partners for their support and assistance provided.

"For me personally, it is important to see that international support for Ukraine is growing from year to year. This, I believe, is a common key result of our work. We feel that the democratic world understands better the role of Ukraine in the region, above all, for the sake of European security. I appreciate the personal efforts of each of you. I hope that we will be able to achieve even better results next year," he said.

The Head of State invited the leaders of G7 and EU member states to visit Ukraine.

"I look forward to seeing all the leaders of your countries in Ukraine next year," Zelensky said.

Photo credit: Presidents press service

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North Atlantic Council, the principal political decision-making body within NATO, calls on Russia to immediately de-escalate and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities.

We are gravely concerned by the substantial, unprovoked, and unjustified Russian military build-up on the borders of Ukraine in recent months, and reject the false Russian claims of Ukrainian and NATO provocations. We call on Russia to immediately de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels, and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities, reads the statement released on NATO website.

NATOs political body underscored that it seriously assesses the implications for Alliance security of the current situation.

We will always respond in a determined way to any deterioration of our security environment, including through strengthening our collective defence posture as necessary, the Council states.

It is emphasized that NATO will take all necessary measures to ensure the security and defence of all NATO Allies. Any further aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and would carry a high price, reads the statement.

North Atlantic Council reiterate its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, and called on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine in accordance with its international obligations and commitments. The Council supports the right of all countries to decide their own future and foreign policy free from outside interference. NATOs relationship with Ukraine is a matter only for Ukraine and the 30 NATO Allies. We firmly reject any attempts to divide Allied security, the statement says.

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna welcomed the statement by the North Atlantic Council.

"The Council's statement is another clear signal to Russia that Ukraine is an important part of the security of the entire Euro-Atlantic region. NATO is ready to take the necessary decisions to counter the Kremlin's military adventures," the Government portal quotes Stefanishyna as saying.

The official stressed that the proactive response of the international community to the next escalation is key to preventing further Russian aggression.

"We also welcome the unequivocal message that Ukraine's future membership in NATO will be determined exclusively by 30 NATO Allies and Ukraine. This is exactly what the President of Ukraine and the NATO Secretary General discussed this week in Brussels," the Deputy Prime Minister commented.

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The United States is constantly following Ukraine's defense needs, and such assistance is constantly coming to Ukraine.

"At the moment, we continue to provide defense assistance to Ukraine. Just last week, another package of aid arrived," U.S. President's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

According to him, the supply channel works constantly.

"We are constantly assessing the additional needs that exist in Ukraine, collecting potential aid packages, and actively considering them," U.S. President's National Security Adviser noted.

The final decision on further steps in this area will be made by the President, Sullivan said. To date, the assistance is coming constantly, he added.

As reported, the U.S. draft budget for 2022 envisages a total of $756 million in assistance to Ukraine, including $ 400 million to strengthen its security.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson discussed energy security issues and coordinated steps to de-escalate the situation around Ukraine.

I had a good talk with Boris Johnson. Energy security issues were discussed. We coordinated next steps to de-escalate the situation around Ukraine and peaceful settlement in Donbas. I appreciate the firm and unwavering United Kingdoms support for sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, Zelensky posted on Twitter.

According to the Presidents Office, Zelensky briefed Johnson on the security situation around Ukraine and recent initiatives of Kyiv regarding peaceful settlement, in particular within the Trilateral Contact Group.

"We appreciate the leadership of the United Kingdom, in particular as part of its G7 presidency, in the formation of a single coordinated response of Western partners to the actions of Russia," the President said.

The two leaders discussed energy security. They expressed a common position on the inadmissibility of using the Nord Stream 2 project as a weapon.

When discussing Ukraine's cooperation with NATO, Zelensky and Johnson stated a common approach that no third country can block Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration.

The leaders praised the bilateral cooperation on the development of Ukraine's defense capabilities and the strengthening of the Ukrainian fleet.

The parties also noted a significant increase in bilateral trade since the entry into force of the Political, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, as well as prospects for major infrastructure projects.

Zelensky and Johnson exchanged views on further steps and political dialogue at the highest level. The President renewed his invitation to Johnson to visit Ukraine next year.

As reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed bilateral cooperation with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson in a number of areas at a meeting in New York on September 23.

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The U.S. Department of State says that talks on the situation around Ukraine held during the meetings of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried during her visits to Ukraine, Russia and Brussels were "productive".

Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Dr. Karen Donfried returns today from her trip to Kyiv, Moscow, and Brussels. This trip was productive, Jalina Porter, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State, said at a briefing on Friday.

As noted, Donfrieds European tour was an important opportunity to reaffirm U.S. commitments to Ukraine, encourage Russia to de-escalate and pursue the diplomatic path, and to closely coordinate with NATO Allies and EU partners.

While in Kyiv, Assistant Secretary Donfried met with the Head of Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and Deputy Head of Delegation for Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group Andriy Kostin. Dr. Donfried reaffirmed the United States support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, and she also reconfirmed President Bidens commitment to the principle of no decisions or discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine, Porter said.

In Russia, Donfried met with Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration Dmitry Kozak and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov. During these meetings, the U.S. Assistant Secretary expressed strong concern regarding Russias military buildup, reinforced commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, and also emphasized that any further Russian aggression against Ukraine would result in severe consequences. Finally, Donfried met with U.S. NATO Allies and EU partners in Brussels. She provided a readout of her meetings in Kyiv and Moscow, consulted with them on next steps, and also reaffirmed U.S. commitment to close coordination with the European countries on this issue.

As reported, Donfried's visits to Ukraine, Russia, and her meetings in Brussels were only part of Washington's broad diplomatic efforts on the Russian-Ukrainian issue. At the same time, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan held talks with Russia, Ukraine and the Bucharest Nine. In addition, the White House and the Department of State consistently made statements in support of Ukraine.

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Ukraine has reported the first known case of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

"At night, the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) was identified by whole-genome sequencing at the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health Ukraine.

An infected person returned from the United Arab Emirates after having contact with COVID-19 patients. The patient continues to be treated," Minister of Health Viktor Liashko posted on Facebook.

According to the minister, an epidemiological investigation into this case and additional examination of contact persons are underway.

Liashko urged to get COVID-19 vaccination and to avoid, if possible, traveling abroad to regions where Omicron variant is circulating.

According to the Imperial College London study, a booster shot of COVID-19 could provide from 80% to 85.9% protection against severe illness from Omicron and 97% protection against severe illness from Delta.

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MISSOULA  University of Montana degree candidates will gather at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, in the Adams Center for UMs Fall Commencement Ceremony. The University expects 250 students to receive their diplomas.

Maria Mangold, UM registrar, said the fall Commencement Ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate UM graduates persisting through the pandemic and onto lives of impact.

Our summer and fall 2021-degree candidates have navigated through tremendous ambiguities and hurdles, which prepares them to weather future storms, Mangold said. Were thrilled to recognize their accomplishments and welcome them to the alumni family.

UM alumna and the first woman from Montana to rise to the rank of a brigadier general, Colleen McGuire, will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. McGuire also will deliver the ceremonys commencement address.

The ceremony will be livestreamed and can be viewed at https://bit.ly/UMFallGradLive21.

Tickets or RVSPs are not required for guests. Masks are required for attendees as the event is an academic event. UM will monitor COVID-19 protocols. Accommodations for guests can be made by calling Brandon Kress at 406-243-5357, and accommodations for students will be assisted by UMs Office for Disability Equity. Email graduation@umontana.edu with questions.

###

Contact: Maria Mangold, UM registrar, 406-243-2412, maria.mangold@mso.umt.edu; Sarah Corbin, graduation coordinator, 406-243-2939, sarah.corbin@umontana.edu.
5th WWU Brazilian Alumni Meeting

 brazil centre

Since 2016, the Brazil Centre has maintained a local alumni group, which currently has more than 200 members. The purpose of this network is to maintain close contact with Brazilian former students and researchers who were at some point in their academic or scientific career at WWU. To maintain proximity and encourage engagement, the Brazil Centre organizes an annual meeting of Brazilian alumni. On December 10th, for the second year in a row, the meeting was held virtually, which once again allowed the participation of alumni from different parts of Brazil.

With a program that was both informative and interactive, the meeting had speakers whose presence demonstrates the relevance of the connection of the university to their alumni: the German ambassador in Brasilia, Mr. Heiko Thoms, delivered welcome words, highlighting the importance of dialogue with the event's participants and that the alumni make a fundamental contribution to the Brazilian-German scientific cooperation. The Dean of Internationalization and Transfer at WWU, Prof. Dr. Michael Quante, also attended the event with a conference on the role of universities in knowledge transfer and sustainability, which are priority themes on the WWU agenda.

Participants were also updated on the activities of the alumni group and the Brazil Centre, as well as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on international cooperation with Brazil. Representatives of the German funding agencies DAAD, DFG and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation also presented their fellowship programs and funding lines available to those who want to reconnect with Munster. Furthermore, the program included an informative lecture on the Brazil-Germany Network for the Internationalization of Higher Education (Rebralint), whose performance has generated impulses to improve academic cooperation with Germany. During the event, participants had the opportunity to interact with each other and with the speakers, which generated very fruitful exchanges, even with the limitation of virtual interaction.

 brazil centre

Although the geographic profile was varied, most participants at the event pointed out that they currently work as a university professor and that their stay in Munster had been during their doctorate, either full-time or sandwich-stay, and almost half of them were two or more times in Munster. These responses corroborate the importance of maintaining alumni networks to deepen contacts. Faculty members who maintain an open channel with Munster often end up facilitating the mobility of their undergrad and graduate students, ensuring the sustainability of contacts initiated long ago. All of this is demonstrated in the continuous growth of the WWU alumni network in Brazil, which makes up one of the important pillars of the university's academic and scientific cooperation.
The chilly December air wasnt going to keep the latest class of soon-to-be Maverick alumni away from celebrating their accomplishments at Baxter Arena.



More than 700 students entered with their caps and gowns, decorated with messages of hope, joy, and celebration, as well as honor cords, stoles, and other accessories.



The time had finally arrived: UNO Commencement



Years - and some cases decades - in the making, these soon-to-be Maverick alumni got ready for their big day getting high-fives from Durango, learning more about the UNO Alumni Association, and taking selfies with classmates while, from above, their friends and family wave, clap, and cheer for the Maverick Class of 2021.



Awaiting each of this year's graduates, just feet away, awash in Maverick crimson and black, is the stage they'd be walking across - no longer a dream, but a reality.



What makes each Maverick graduating class so special are their stories.



Students who are completing their third UNO degree, those who are the first in their family to earn one, families earning degrees together, and those who overcame tremendous hardship to persevere and earn their degree.



These are the stories of or UNO Class of 2021. These are the stories of Mavericks.



A Letter to My Freshman Self

Each of our members of the Class of 2021 is a true Maverick in their own way. From the metro area to locations around the world, from certificate programs to terminal degrees, or from first-generation to multi-generation, our students carved their own path to reach their educational goals. Yet, they all have one thing in common: they are all Mavericks, and once a Maverick, always a Maverick.

Hear from our December 2021 Commencement Student Marshals as they read letters written to their younger selves about what graduation means to them:



All in the Family

Two Mavericks who walked across the stage at the December 2021 Commencement ceremonies from the College of Arts and Sciences were a mother and daughter who, through COVID, found that they were both close to the finish line.

After starting her college career in Florida and dealing with illness, Caitlyn Jensen decided to come back to Omaha to get healthy and finish her degrees closer to home.

Meanwhile, her mother, Terry, faced life and employment changes due to the pandemic. These circumstances led her to investigate how she could finish the degree she began working toward back in the 80s.

We chatted and we discovered that I had enough credits to finish in three semesters, and it turned out thats how much time she had left, Terry said.

With a goal set to graduate together, they were no longer just family but also classmates. Both students in the Department of English, Caitlyn and Terry had classes together, worked on projects together, and held each other accountable.

Caitlyn believes her mothers impact on her college education stretches back to before they were classmates. For Terry, communication, writing, and telling stories has always appealed to her. Like mother, like daughter, Caitlyn followed suit and added English to a second major in political science she planned to earn and help prepare her for a future in law school.

Caitlyn said the experience let her see her mom from a new perspective.

Im used to seeing her as my mom, not as a fellow student talking about assignments.

Caitlyn and Terry both walked across the stage to claim their degrees  a moment they said may not have been possible without additional family support. Terrys husband, Caitlyns dad, supported them both in their studies particularly through late nights, household upkeep, and study break dinners.

Terry recognized how much work it must have taken to support them both on top of his full-time job.

Its one thing supporting your child through college, its another supporting your spouse and your child at the same time!"

Better Late Than Never



For Ellen Sexton, one of UNOs recent masters graduates, December 2021 marked the culmination of a decades-long journey fraught with pain, loss, courage, and, ultimately, triumph.



When this now two-time UNO graduate first arrived on campus in 1978, she had already had a difficult life by anyones definition.



Leaving home at 15, dropping out of school, and then getting pregnant at a young age, a focus on education as a pathway to a better life was something she held on to.



After passing the GED she enrolled at UNO with the help of student loans but It wasnt long after she started that life threw the first obstacle in her path towards her goal.



I had a stroke and so I was paralyzed and blind and so I had to drop out of school, Sexton says. Everything went into default.



After she recovered, she tried again to pursue a degree, despite the uphill battle she now faced.



I tried to get back into school but I had a really difficult time because I was in default, but [UNO] helped me get out of default and I came back



Then came another, more devastating, event.



"I was only back a semester when my youngest daughter got killed, Sexton says. When she got killed, I gave up on life. I was already in poverty and still had another young daughter and was a single mother and so I just wandered through life.



For three decades, Sexton struggled to survive, and several times ended up in prison. It is this experience that provided her a new purpose in life: get an education to help those, like her, whose path was shaped by forces out of their control and help them regain that control.



When I was getting in trouble, when you would come out of incarceration, you couldnt get a job because you were a felon and it was almost impossible to get any job that could sustain you on a living wage, Sexton says. I wanted to make something positive out of my negatives.



Flash forward to 2011 and Sexton was not only able to re-enroll in UNO, now for a third time, but actually complete her degree in criminal justice. It was here that her mentor, Bill Wakefield, a professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice who she had taken classes from back in 1978, pushed her to continue on and earn a graduate degree.



Then came another life-altering setback.



Right as Sexton was at the end of her degree program, she formed blood clots in her chest and required significant medical treatment.



They said I wouldnt make it through the night, Sexton says. However, here I am today!



Now, six years after needing to leave her masters program, and more than four decades after first stepping onto the UNO campus, Sexton has earned her masters degree. Now, at the age of 64, she has a new future ahead of her - something she credits to UNO and the faculty who never gave up on her.



She hopes to start a business expanding on her work with at-risk youth and their families, not only rebuilding the close-knit support provided by neighborhoods, but making access to food, education, employment, and other basic needs available to anyone and everyone  regardless of their history, their living situation, or their background.



It means a lot to me for them to see  don't quit. No matter how old you are. Dont quit. Keep pushing until you get to where you want to be in life.

The First of Many

Ahmad Almaghrebi arrived from Syria in 2017, and his path has taken him toward making an impact on the states electrical grid as electric vehicles become more commonplace.

In the midst of his research into the charging behaviors of electric vehicle users, he realized he needed to understand things from another perspective. I already understood the engineering aspect, but I had to learn some data science to apply it to my research, which just means I wanted to learn more, Almaghrebi said.

He became one of the first students in UNOs interdisciplinary graduate data science program. Launched in 2019, the program brings together the fields of business, information technology, mathematics, and other fields at UNO in addition to international university partners and local businesses.

A two-time recipient of Graduate Research and Creative Activity grants, which provide funds to support faculty-mentored graduate research and creative activity, Almaghrebi was able to continue his research while studying.

Almaghrebi walked across the stage on Friday as the first recipient of UNOs Master of Science in Data Science.

I am particularly proud to be the first graduate Data Science program alumnus from UNO, he said. I feel extremely privileged to have learned from many experts in this field and cant wait to put this knowledge into practice. It was a well-rounded experience that has tremendous impacts on my knowledge improvement and personal growth.

Almaghrebis academic journey does not end here. In addition to his continuing research, he expects to earn his Ph.D. in architectural engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December 2022.

Social media helps us all stay connected and our graduates, their families, and the wider Maverick family were able to share the big day across our @unomaha channels using the hashtag #UNOmahaGrad.
(@FahadShabbir)

Sydney, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Dec, 2021 ) :A memorial to victims of a bouncy castle tragedy that killed five children in Australia continued to grow Saturday, as an outpouring of support drove donations over a million Dollars.

Three 12-year-old boys and two girls, aged 11 and 12, were killed when the large inflatable castle lifted off the ground on Thursday in Devonport, northern Tasmania, police said.

Three more children were in critical condition in hospital in the state capital Hobart, and one was recovering at home.

On Saturday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited the growing memorial of soft toys, flowers and emotional messages laid outside the school.

An online fundraiser -- initially aiming to raise Aus$1,000 ($712) for the victims' families -- climbed to over Aus$1.1 million on Saturday morning.

"It's just beyond anything we could have thought possible," Zoe Smith, who organised the fundraiser, told media in Devonport.

"I think it just proves how shaken up everyone is and how tight-knit of a community we are." Morrison also announced the government would fund support to the families, first responders and community affected by the tragedy.

"We grieve with them, and we mourn with them, and we want to do everything we possibly can to help them through this terrible, terrible, unthinkable and imaginable tragedy," he told reporters in Hobart.

Earlier, authorities said the children were thrown from a height of about 10 metres (33 feet), citing initial witness reports.

Police said the probe into the incident is expected to take "quite some time" and would need to interview people at the outdoor party, which some 40 Primary school children attended.
(@FahadShabbir)

Special Representative of Germany for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP) Jasper Wieck called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and appreciated Pakistan's role in Afghan situation, special efforts for border management, and role in regional stability

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Dec, 2021 ) :Special Representative of Germany for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP) Jasper Wieck called on General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and appreciated Pakistan's role in Afghan situation, special efforts for border management, and role in regional stability.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security, current situation in Afghanistan and collaboration or partnership in humanitarian measures were discussed, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) media release.

Speaking on the occasion, the COAS said that Pakistan valued Germany's role in global and regional affairs and looked forward to enhance its bilateral relationship.

The Army Chief said that the world could ill afford to have an unstable Afghanistan, prone to economic collapse. He stressed upon the need for global convergence and sincere efforts to avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe.

He underscored the importance of peace and reconciliation initiatives in Afghanistan.

The visiting dignitary pledged to play his part for further improvement in diplomatic cooperation with Pakistan at all levels.
Pakistan Navy Ship TUGHRIL visited Colombo, Sri Lanka as part of goodwill and flag showing mission

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Dec, 2021 ) :Pakistan Navy Ship TUGHRIL visited Colombo, Sri Lanka as part of goodwill and flag showing mission.

Upon arrival, Pakistan Navy Ship was received by Defence Attach of Pakistan at Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan Naval Officials, said a Pakistan Navy news release here received.

During the port visit, Commanding Officer of PNS TUGHRIL Captain Shahid Ahmed called on Western Naval Area Commander of Sri Lankan Navy.

During the interactions, matters of mutual interests were discussed and enhancement of bilateral ties in all spheres was re-affirmed.

The Commanding Officer conveyed good wishes of Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi for the people of Sri Lanka in general and the Sri Lankan Navy in particular.

Upon completion of port visit, PNS TUGHRIL conducted bilateral Exercise Lion Star with Sri Lankan Navy Ship to enhance interoperability in maritime domain.

Visit of PNS TUGHRIL to Sri Lanka provided an opportunity for both countries to further enhance the existing close diplomatic ties and cordial relations.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has urged its member and non-member states to mobilize the necessary financial resources in order to organize and implement an immediate humanitarian assistance plan to support the people of Afghanistan

Islamabad (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th December, 2021) The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has urged its member and non-member states to mobilize the necessary financial resources in order to organize and implement an immediate humanitarian assistance plan to support the people of Afghanistan.

In a statement to the opening session of the senior official meeting preparatory to the OIC extraordinary meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, held on 18 December 2021 in Islamabad, the Assistant Secretary General of Humanitarian Affairs, Amb. Tarig Ali Bakhit Salah stressed that after decades of war, suffering and insecurity, the people of Afghanistan need relief and peace.

It is crucial for the international community to take swift action to ensure that the people of Afghanistan have unimpeded access to life-saving assistance, and that humanitarian support is scaled up, said Amb.

Tarig.

The OIC humanitarian Office in Kabul will assume its responsibility in coordination with the various international agencies in delivering the required assistance to the millions of people in need, he added.

Amb. Tarig expressed his confidence that the OIC fraternity, the United Nations, regional partners as well as key stakeholders would take all necessary steps to bring sustainable solutions to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Afghanistan in which millions of lives are at stake.

He extended his sincere gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the Chair of the Islamic Summit for taking the important initiative calling for an extraordinary session of the Council of Foreign Ministers.

At the same time, he expressed his deep appreciation to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for its generosity in hosting the Conference.
The fourth report from the Catholic Church to the National Office for Child Safety outlines initiatives across dozens of Catholic entities as they continue to strengthen their efforts to keep all people safe in Church settings.

By Lisa Zengarini

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) and Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) on Thursday published their Annual Progress Report on initiatives implemented at national and local level to fight abuse in the Church . The report has been issued yearly since 2018 on recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. It summarizes reports provided by more than 50 Catholic entities across the country to give an account to the Australian government of the progress made in the field of child protection.

Acknowledgment of past failures

In the preface, Bishops' Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane and CRA president Br Peter Carroll FMS acknowledge the shameful past that reveals we let down too many children and many thousands were abused in our settings.



The Catholic Church in Australia takes full responsibility for the harm caused by the tragic history of child sexual abuse by clergy, religious and lay Church workers, they write. The failings of Church personnel who offended grievously and the failings of Church leaders who responded wrongly  or not at all  have harmed victims, survivors, their families and their supporters, and have led to a life of pain and suffering for so many. These same failings have hurt the community of the Church and disillusioned many in society, they add, acknowledging with gratitude all who have come forward and disclosed or reported the abuse they have suffered.

Child safety central to Church mission

On behalf of all bishops and religious in Australia, Archbishop Coleridge and Br Peter therefore reiterate the Churchs pledge to strengthen its commitment to children by placing their safety front and centre of its mission and to building a better future for victims and survivors.

Indeed, they say, the mission of the Church can only be carried out if we show, in concrete ways, that we have evolved, that we are deeply sorry for the abuse that has occurred and that we want to bring some healing, where that is possible.

Innovative responses

The 49-page annual Report aims to showcase tangible examples of policies, procedures and practices making the Church in Australia more accountable and transparent in its ongoing response to the scourge of abuse.

Archbishop Coleridge and Br Peter say the report shows there is growing consistency in the way Church entities are responding to child safety and, increasingly, the safety of adults at risk.

But it also highlights some innovative responses, including the establishment of new structures like Australian Catholic Safeguarding Limited (ACSL) - a new national agency which replaced the Catholic Professional Standards Limited (CPSL) in December 2020 to improve child protection - collaboration across organisations and the publication of books and resources.
Saint Joseph Hospital is a Catholic non-profit facility in Beirut that the economic crisis has brought to the verge of collapse. Since its establishment over sixty years ago it has been taking care of the most abandoned people, but is now at risk of closure for lack of secure funding.

Vatican News

Situated in the heights of Beirut, from where the port wreckage can be seen, Saint Joseph Hospital accommodates 800 patients suffering from various mental illnesses. All of them need specific and permanent assistance. The hospital is a large compound with several buildings and employs over 300 people, including doctors, nurses and administrative staff.

The facility was founded in 1952 by Blessed Father Jacques Haddad, a Lebanese Capuchin priest who died in 1954 and was beatified in Beirut on June 22, 2008. Its establishment was linked to a project Father Haddad had launched in the aftermath of World War I to care for the many disabled and mentally ill people, often children, abandoned by their families. The Lebanese Capuchin founded the Hospital of the Cross and, in 1930, the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross of Lebanon.

Following the footsteps of their founder the Franciscan nuns now manage 25 medical, social or educational centres throughout Lebanon. Saint Joseph Hospital is one of them. From its outset, the institution has dedicated itself to supporting the most disadvantaged.

Sr Jeanette, Director of Saint Joseph Hospital in Beirut

Appeal for international help

In mid-November, the 65 nuns, including the hospital's director, Sister Jeanette, received a visit from a delegation of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). Along with other organizations, ACN supports and funds projects that allow the facility to continue caring for its patients. The economic crisis has put a strain on the establishment, which currently lives on its reserves and, without international solidarity, would only survive a few months.

The hospital is in desperate need for money to pay its staff, feed its patients, buy expensive drugs, the prices of which has more than tripled due to the devaluation of the Lebanese Pound. In addition, with electricity running only one hour a day, the hospital runs generators at full speed which require fifteen tonnes of fuel each week, with one ton costing over 700 US Dollars.

Following the Coronavirus outbreak the hospital has been forced to reduce its capacity from 1,000 to 800 beds.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the State contributed with subsidies amounting to $ 2 per patient, that is a total of $ 2,000 per month. Although the sum was minimal and insufficient, it represented a regular income. However, since Summer 2020 the hospital has not received any public funds at all. In this context, the only solution for the Congregation is to appeal for international funding without which the Saint Joseph Hospeital would be forced to close. This would be catastrophic for its patients.

Nurses working in Saint Joseph Hospital in Beirut

Abandoned and without a family

When we met her in Beirut, Sister Jeanette explained that if the hospital were to close, most of the patients would end up in the streets. Many no longer have families, she said. Even worse, many families abandon their children in the hospital leaving false names, addresses and phone numbers. Unfortunately, the nun said, this often happens in the most serious cases.

However, she assured that, should funding not arrive and the establishment be forced to close, she would do her best to make sure are not abandoned to their plight.

The nursing staff, who, like the overwhelming majority of Lebanese, have not been spared by the crisis, obviously want to continue their work. Nurses are often the patients' only contact with the outside world. Foutine, a young woman nurse, highlights the suffering of many patients in the hospital. She said she considers her job a "calling" , and she refuses the idea that the facility might close for lack of funds.

Neither Foutine, nor her colleagues, many of whom are surrogate families for these children, can imagine having to abandon them for a second time.
The people of China have 5,000 years of uninterrupted history, the longest recorded history in the world. Cang Jie () who invented Chinese characters, was the historian for the Yellow Emperor () who was honored as the first ancestor of humanity. Since the beginning of civilization, Chinese people have had an inextricable relationship with history.

The Chinese have devout respect for history, from the first comprehensive biographical history Shi Ji () or the Records of the Grand Historian to the 24 official histories of successive dynasties, the Chinese have accurately documented pivotal events, profound wisdom, and reflections on history. History has served as an important vehicle for the continuation of Chinese civilization.

The Records of the Grand Historian spans 3,000 years, from the age of the legendary Yellow Emperor to the reign of Emperor Wu of Han in the authors own time, dwarfing Herodotus The Histories, which chronicles only 50 years of Western history, although Herodotus is considered the father of history in the West.

In ancient China, there were full-time historians recording history as it happened. According to The Book of Han (), The left historian records the words and the right historian records the events. In other words, ancient emperors had no privacy as their words and actions would be recorded by his left and right historians at all times.

The presence of such people who documented the emperors every word and action was a form of invisible supervision that would exert a lot of pressure on the emperors. They felt constrained, not only by their contemporaries, but also future generations, to act and speak in a strictly honorable manner.

On top of that, there was a rule: the emperor was not permitted to read what the historians recorded. Most emperors complied with this rule, but there were a few exceptions.

The Zizhi Tongjian was originally intended to be a history textbook for the emperor. (Image: Wikimedia Commons Public domain)

According to the Zizhi Tongjian () or Comprehensive Mirror to Aid in Government compiled by Sima Guang of the Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, broke this rule. He ascended to the throne after killing his elder and younger brothers. Obviously, he wanted to see how it was recorded in history.

At that time, the historian responsible for the records was Chu Suiliang (). Emperor Taizong asked him for the records, and he replied, I have never heard of an emperor requesting to see the historical records. On this ground, he refused the emperor.

Emperor Taizong asked him, Do you have to make a note of all the things I do?

Chu Suiliang replied, It is my responsibility.

Another official next to him added, The emperors faults are like solar and lunar eclipses that people can see clearly. Even if the historian doesnt record it, the people of the world will still remember it.

However, Emperor Taizong didnt give up his wish to see what was recorded about him. When Fang Xuanling became the historian, he asked for the historical records again. Fang Xuanling refused at first but later agreed.

After reading the records of the Xuanwumen Incident, in which he killed his two brothers, the Emperor asked the historians to take out the extra words and record the incident straight. He did not ask to have the record deleted though.

About 200 years later, his descendant, Emperor Wenzong of Tang, also wanted to read the record about himself. Naturally, the historians in charge again refused.

The Emperor asked, Some emperors have read it before so why dont you show it to me now?

The historian replied: It was a breach of duty on the part of the previous historians. If the emperor himself was free to look at the records, historians would be evasive in keeping records. How could future generations trust such records? Emperor Wenzong of Tang had to leave it at that.

These two incidents were recorded in the Zizhi Tongjian originally intended as a history textbook for the emperor. The title of Zizhi Tongjian means in view of past events, to give information on the way of governance. That is, to draw on the history for the present social governance or to learn from history.

During the Yuanyou period of Song Dynasty Emperor Zhezong (r. 10861094), a historian called Lu Tao () was in charge of recording the emperors daily words and deeds.

Once, a minister approached the emperor and asked him to dismiss the present company, including the historian, as though he wished to have a private talk with the emperor.

Lu Tao promptly spoke up, Its already inappropriate to ask the emperor to dismiss other people. How can you ask the historian to leave as well? If a minister wants to keep his discussion with the emperor secret from the historian, its clear that the content isnt open and honest.

The History of the Song recorded that Emperor Zhezong later issued an edict stipulating that historians must be present for future deliberations, which suggested that only people with guilty consciences and schemes in mind would be worried about what the historians were recording. If one is upright and has the world at heart, there is no need to worry about the historians pen.

China owes its carefully-maintained and meticulously detailed historical records concerning every aspect of society to their ancient system of devoted historians. It is through history that the 5,000-year old Chinese civilization was preserved and passed on.
The Canadian Province of New Brunswick has walked back a public health mandate that gave grocery stores the green light to deny service to the unvaccinated after a non-profit constitutional law organization threatened legal action on the basis of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

On Dec. 3, the Government of New Brunswick unveiled its Winter Action Plan (WAP) in response to a small rise in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. While the WAP did not expressly grant grocery stores the right to check vaccine passports at the door, it instead gave owners of businesses not explicitly required to require health status paperwork, such as essential businesses and regular retail outlets, a choice between reducing capacity and enforcing social distancing or scanning vaccine status QR codes to continue to operate as normal.

While the option was extended to regular retail stores and shopping centers, no provision was included forbidding grocery stores as an essential service from falling under the ruleset.

On Dec. 7, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), a Calgary-based constitutional law non-profit watchdog, wrote to New Brunswicks Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Hugh Flemming, expressing concerns that the Provinces order was in contradiction of both international human rights laws and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

BREAKING NEWS: NB Government and farmers market back down on mandating vaccines for grocery shoppinghttps://t.co/5HUhJgs3YI  Justice Centre (@JCCFCanada) December 18, 2021

The JCCF cited the Ministers exact health order, which was worded as follows:

In all public indoor spaces where proof of vaccination is not mandatory, whether mandated by law or by the owner of occupier of the property, occupiers and managers are required to take every reasonable step to require physical distancing of two meters or more between patrons who do not reside together For greater certainty: the owners and occupiers of premises in which proof of vaccination is not required by law are free to choose between making proof of vaccination a requirement of entry to their premises and making distancing mandatory in their premises. [Emphasis added]

The Centre noted that growing and significant concern about the text had begun brewing both domestically and internationally as it necessarily includes grocery stores as a premise at which the Government is inviting the option of proof of vaccination.

The letter also noted that the governments WAP website inconspicuously excludes this possibility which is contained in the Order itself.

It goes without saying that access to food for all Canadians including citizens of New Brunswick is an essential service which should not be denied or invited to be denied to anyone, especially by Government. The impugned paragraph of the Order invites and elicits the private sector to discriminate against New Brunswick citizens in relation to an essential service, as defined by the Government of Canada, said the JCCF.

The Justice Centre was resolute in its opinion that the edict contradicted the Charter Rights of citizens, and demanded a retraction.

By Dec. 8, True North News (TNC) had already criticized provincial and federal politicians for remaining silent on the issue, True North reached out to Conservative leader Erin OTooles office, the Prime Ministers office, the office of the Premier in New Brunswick and the Peoples Alliance of New Brunswick caucus. None offered comments by deadline. Conservative New Brunswick Senator Rose-May Poirier also failed to respond.

TNC added that it had spoke twice with Conservative New Brunswick MP John Williamsons assistants but received no comment after being told Mr. Williamson would review the requests, and that the outlet also spoke with the media coordinator for the Peoples Alliance of New Brunswick but heard nothing from MLAs Kris Austin and Michelle Conroy.

According to the JCCF, Williamson, joined by MPs Rob Moore and Richard Bragdon, finally released statements condemning the move, but not until Dec. 14.

On Dec. 11, the governments de facto no jab, no food mandate manifested in society when the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market (FBFM), which is owned by the Province and leased to the City of Fredericton, enacted vaccine passport requirements in accordance with the WAP.

The move was quickly challenged by the JCCF with a formal demand letter penned Dec. 15. In a press release for the occasion, Justice Centre lawyer Andre Memauri stated, Our position remains the same in relation to any government denying or inviting private businesses to deny Canadians who have not taken the Covid vaccine to an essential service such as the purchase of food. Any such act is an unconscionable violation of the Charter and has no scientific or legal justification.

Memuri further called grocery business vaccine passport mandates a reprehensible and unlawful act of cruelty and discrimination.

Public backlash against the edicts appear to have borne fruit when on Dec. 17, the Province revised its public health order, adding verbiage that stated, The option of requiring proof of vaccination instead of requiring distancing is not available at locations in which groceries are retailed.

A press release by the Province announcing the change claimed, The original intention was to give stores a choice, and that those choosing the proof-of-vaccination option would offer delivery or curbside pickup; it was never the intention for anyone to believe they could not access groceries.

The same day, the FBFM also announced on Twitter it would no longer be requiring attendees to show their papers at the door.

The Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market will not be requiring proof of vaccination at the door this coming weekend, however two-metre distancing will be in effect. Masks will also be required. pic.twitter.com/GUARSmTMvo  Fredericton Farmers Market (@FredFarmMarket) December 17, 2021

In a Dec. 17 statement on their victory, the JCCF praised the Province for having corrected their vaccination policies, but noted, However, there is work to be done as the revised New Brunswick Order still infringes the Charter as it relates to faith-based venues, by requiring anyone that attends religious services to be fully vaccinated with the new Covid shots for certain events.

The Justice Centre noted that had the Province not walked back its edict, These warning letters were the first step in what would have proceeded to legal action
The U.S.-Taliban peace deal, signed in February 2020, paved the way for the fall of Afghanistan into the Talibans hands, former Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib told VOA in an exclusive interview.

When asked to explain why his government dissolved in a matter of days in August as Taliban forces swept across the country ahead of the U.S. withdrawal, Mohib blamed the three-year-long direct negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban.

The talks, said the former Afghan official, absolutely sent a signal that the Taliban were returning.

Mohib, who served as Afghanistans national security adviser from August 2018 to the fall of Kabul, said that former President Ashraf Ghani decided to flee the country after his government lost control over its security forces.

It was the moment that the president left as his life was in danger, he told VOA.

He said his government had "reliable" intelligence that the Taliban planned to come and hang the president, adding that similar intelligence was shared by the U.S. and some other open sources.

The U.S. State Department declined to respond to Mohibs claims, saying officials do not comment on intelligence matters. However, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken described his conversations with Ghani in an interview with CBS News in October. Blinken said that the day before Ghani fled the country, he assured Blinken that he would stay and he was ready to fight to the death.

Explaining Kabuls fall

The U.S. and Taliban signed the peace agreement on February 28, 2020, which outlined a phased withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in exchange for Taliban concessions to enter political talks with the Afghan government and to deny outside terrorist groups the use of Afghan territory.

For months, Afghan and U.S. leaders spoke about preparations for the final American withdrawal, which President Joe Biden later pushed back to August. At the time, U.S. intelligence and Afghan officials believed it would take at least several months after American troops left for Taliban fighters to threaten the capital. They hoped a negotiated power-sharing agreement could take shape in the meantime.

Instead, the Taliban arrived in the capital on August 15, days before the completion of the American withdrawal. Ghani and Mohib had already fled the country with a few other officials as the Afghan government collapsed.

In an exclusive interview with VOA Urdu, Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, blamed Ghanis departure for the fall of Kabul.

Certainly, there was a chance" to reach a power-sharing plan, Khalilzad told VOA.

The Taliban agreed, he said, to negotiate with an Afghan government delegation to form an inclusive government. But the same day that this agreement was announced, without many of his inner circle knowing, he [Ghani] departed Afghanistan for Uzbekistan and then U.A.E.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who met Ghani a day before the fall of Kabul, also said that the then-president agreed to send a delegation to reach an agreement for peaceful transition of power.

Karzai said that when Ghani left the country, he "invited" the Taliban to come to Kabul to protect the city.

'No guarantees'

Mohib, however, maintained that there were no guarantees that the Taliban would accept a negotiated outcome.

Even the day that the Taliban entered Kabul, it was not clear whether the Taliban would sit down for negotiations with the government negotiation team, said the former Afghan national security adviser.

He added that Abdullah Abdullah, the then-chairperson of the High Council for National Reconciliation, who returned from Doha after negotiating with the Taliban, said that the Taliban do not believe in peace.

Mohib said that he talked to Khalil Haqqani, the current Taliban acting minister of refugees and repatriations, who called for "surrender."

[He said] first surrender and then we will negotiate, said Mohib.

Mohib added that his government wanted to avoid fighting in Kabul that would destroy the city and kill hundreds of thousands of people.

In a statement after fleeing Kabul, Ghani said that leaving Kabul was the most difficult decision of my life, but I believed it was the only way to keep the guns silent and save Kabul and her 6 million citizens.

Mona Shah and Cindy Saine contributed to this report.
Muslims in Cameroon have marked the Eid al-Adha, Festival of the Sacrifice, by praying for an end to the country's separatist conflict, which has killed more than 3,000 people since 2017. Muslim leaders also called on Cameroons vaccine skeptics to be inoculated against COVID-19, which has infected more than 80,000 people and killed at least 1,300.

Muslim cleric Bouba Goi Goi officiating Eid al-Adha prayers at the Islamic Complex in Cameroons capital Yaounde, said in his sermon that all Muslims should live lives of complete submission to God to enjoy eternal life, both physical on earth and spiritual in heaven with Allah.

Souley Mane is spokesman of Cameroons National Moon Crescent Commission that is responsible for announcing the day of Muslim feasts.

He said Bouba asked Cameroonians of all religious denominations to educate civilians on the need for stability in the central African state.

It is an opportunity for every Muslim to have a spiritual project to pray for peace, security, unity, health and living together in our country. A good Muslim should be an ambassador of his religion, somebody who tries to work harder for his family, for his community and for his country, he said.

Mane said that the 1,500 people at the prayer complex include Christians.

The Council of Imams and Muslim Dignitaries of Cameroon organized the prayer for peace.

The councils coordinator, Moussa Oumarou, said Muslims who are separatist fighters should drop their weapons and encourage their peers of other religions to stop fighting.

Cameroon estimates that there are at least 2,000 separatist fighters in its English-speaking western regions. The government said the number of fighters who are Muslims is unknown since the rebels hide as civilians.

Souleyman Mefire Ngoucheme is imam of the Nkoazoa Mosque located 10 kilometers west of Yaounde. He said besides promoting peace, Muslim cleric in Cameroon also cautioned faithful on the dangers of COVID-19.

He said he is asking all Muslims in Cameroon to respect COVID-19 barrier measures like regular washing of hands with soap and water, putting on face masks in public and keeping a physical distance of at least a meter from other people. Ngoucheme said Muslims should not hesitate to take COVID-19 vaccine because the jab can save their lives and help to stop the coronavirus spread that has killed so many people.

Cameroon said fewer than 150,000 people have been vaccinated since April, when the government received 700,000 doses to inoculate civilians against COVID-19.

Last year during Eid al-Adha, Cameroon restricted prayers and festivities that brought together more than 10 people. Thousands of Muslims in the capital Yaounde defied the restrictions, ordered as part of measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. This year, many came with face masks but did not respect the at least one meter distance from each person as instructed by the government.
Separatists fighting to create an English-speaking state in western Cameroon have described as grossly one-sided a rights group report says that separatists attack schools, train children as fighters and have deprived at least 700,000 children from having education since 2017. Human Rights Watch also says government troops organized abusive counter insurgencies that affected education. Thousands of children who have fled the English-speaking regions relocated.

Twenty-one-year-old Kingsley Wirba warms up the engine of his motorcycle taxi as he gets ready to work in Cameroons capital, Yaounde. Wirba says his hope of having education was shattered when separatists called Amba fighters torched his school in Kumbo, an English-speaking northwestern town in 2017.

"Some of these Amba fighters will come and attack the school, threaten our teachers, beat you up," said Wirba. "One day like that we went to school, the fighters came, attacked one part of the school and had it burned down. There was no way for us to continue school there. I did not leave alone. Hundreds of students left. Even the teachers ran away."

Wirba said his father was killed in 2017 during a gun battle between separatists and government troops in Kumbo. He said he drives a motorcycle taxi each day to be able to take care of himself and his younger sister in Yaounde.

Eighteen-year-old Stella Monyuy says she also escaped from Kumbo in 2017. Monyuy says her parents decided to send her to Yaounde to get an education after she was abducted along with 200 other school children in Kumbo.

"The Amba boys came in and ordered all of us to follow them. We trekked around 13 kilometers in the bush. We had no water to drink, nothing to ea," said Monyuy. "Our parents contributed money and we were released, but we were really tortured in the bush."

In the report Human Rights Watch says attacks on education have become a hallmark of the crisis in Cameroon's Anglophone regions.

The report says separatist groups have killed, beaten, abducted and terrorized hundreds of students and teachers in the Anglophone regions. HRW says separatists attack and torch school buildings, use schools as their bases and camps to store weapons and munitions and to torture and hold people hostage.

The right groups central Africa researcher, Ilaria Allegrozzi, quotes the UN as saying that 700,000 Cameroonian children have been deprived of education since 2017. She spoke to VOA via a messaging app.

"Separatist groups are robbing an entire generation of children of their fundamental right to education," said Allegrozzi. "Attacks on education have also led to forced displacements of teachers and students and also to early pregnancies after children drop out, and [to] child labor."

But separatists have described the report as grossly exaggerated. Capo Daniel, deputy defense chief of the separatist group Ambazonia Defense Council says the military also carries out attacks on education.

"The report of the Human Rights Watch is completely one-sided. It fails to mention specific incidents where the Cameroon military has attacked schools within our territory," said Daniel. "There are the incidents in CPC Bali where the Cameroon government troops rounded up the entire school and made children lie in mud. There are many instances where Cameroon government troops have burned down schools including the partial burning of Sacred Heart College,"

However, the Human Rights Watch report says that government troops have often been brutal in responding to the threats posed by separatist groups. It says the Cameroon military carries out abusive counterinsurgency operations leading to the killing of civilians and the burning and destruction of property.

Allegrozzi says both separatist fighters and government troops should stop attacking schools, which she says are supposed to be safe havens in times of violence.

Cameroons military has denied that its troops attack schools and kill civilians.

Various separatist groups in Cameroon have always blamed each other and the military for attacking schools.

Human Rights Watch calls on the government of Cameroon to address the current climate of impunity and ensure that those responsible for attacks on education are held accountable.
The Dutch government is holding an emergency meeting Saturday with health advisers about the fast-spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus before an expected announcement of more lockdown measures to stem its spread.

The government proposed new measures Friday to curb the alarming spread of the new variant, as other European countries are moving to reimpose restrictions to contain the variants spread.

The health experts have recommended the government order a "strict" lockdown, according to Dutch media reports, just days after a partial lockdown closing non-essential businesses was extended through January 14. Primary schools also were closed early for the winter holidays because of high infection rates among children.

The new variant has fueled infections in Britain close to the peak levels of early 2021, while other European countries and the United States are also experiencing surges.

Scientists are warning the British government needs to go further to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed amid the surge. The warning comes after the government previously reimposed an indoor mask requirement and ordered people to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative coronavirus test when entering night clubs or large venues.

Britain's Health Security Agency said Friday that 65 patients were hospitalized in England with omicron.

In France, the government said it would start inoculating children between ages 5 and 11 beginning Wednesday. As he declared Friday the Omicron variant was spreading like lightning, Prime Minister Jean Castex proposed requiring proof of vaccination for those entering public establishments.

The measure, which requires parliamentary approval, has triggered plans for protests Saturday in Paris, where the New Year's Eve fireworks display has been canceled.

Anti-lockdown protests also are planned for Saturday in Turin, Italy.

Egypt has detected its first three cases of the new variant, according to the countrys health ministry. The ministry said Friday the three infected people were among 26 travelers who tested positive for coronavirus at Cairo International Airport.

The ministry did not say where the three came from, but the Masrawy news outlet reported they were among travelers from South Africa, which announced the discovery of the variant on November 25.

In China, Beijing will maintain its relatively strict containment measures, while the rest of the country will remain flexible. There is no one-fit-for-all policy for local governments, a Chinese government said Saturday at a news conference.

China has identified two cases of the omicron variant and has mostly contained the spread of COVID-19 since it was first discovered in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

A recent study has found the risk of reinfection with omicron is more than five times higher compared to the delta variant, and it has shown no sign of causing milder ill effects.

"We find no evidence of omicron having different severity from delta," said the study by Imperial College London. The study noted, however, that data on hospitalizations is still limited.

The study, conducted in England between November 29 and December 11, was based on 333,000 cases of infections involving different variants of the coronavirus.

More than 5.3 million people have died of COVID-19 globally since the coronavirus emerged two years ago, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.

Administering vaccines

The center reported more than 8.6 billion doses of vaccines had been administered worldwide as of mid-day Saturday, a massive logistical campaign complicated by omicrons surge.

Several countries are racing to accelerate vaccination campaigns as mounting evidence supports the need for booster doses to combat the omicron variant.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that his country would send 15 million doses of vaccines to Africa, where infections are surging and vaccination rates are low. Erdogan made the announcement at a summit of African heads in Istanbul.

It is disgraceful for humanity that only 6% of Africas population has been vaccinated, Erdogan said.

A vaccine developed in India, Covovax, was granted emergency approval Friday by the World Health Organization. WHO vaccines chief Mariangela Simao said the approval aims to increase access particularly to lower-income countries.

In Europe, European Union governments agreed to order more than 180 million doses of a BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine adapted for omicron, the head of the European Commission said Friday.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday the government plans to accelerate booster shots to around 31 million vulnerable people. He also said he spoke Friday with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla about oral treatments.

South Africa, which first identified the omicron variant, said Friday it would donate about 2 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine to other African countries next year via a medical supplies platform established by the African Union.

Some information in this report came from Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press and Reuters.
Police in Spain, France and Belgium have broken up a drug trafficking ring believed to be smuggling tons of cocaine and hashish by speedboat from Morocco to Europe, the European Union crime agency said Friday.

Spanish police arrested 17 people, including 11 Spaniards and six Moroccans, earlier in the week, Europol said in a statement. The alleged ringleader, a Moroccan suspected of being a major importer of drugs into Europe, was among those arrested.

Spain's Guardia Civil said the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was also involved in the police operation.

The gang members are also accused of laundering their proceeds from drug sales. Police believe they used cash-intensive businesses, including two Barcelona restaurants, and bought property to conceal illicit income.

Authorities seized assets worth more than 6 million euros ($6.8 million), including real estate, cash and luxury goods.

Police suspect the trafficking ring was behind thwarted operations this year to smuggle 4.3 metric tons of hashish and 1.3 metric tons of cocaine into southern Spain.
Russia should not expect the United States and its allies to go along with its recent demand for an expansive set of "security guarantees," including a ban on the further expansion of NATO and a cessation of all military activity by the alliance in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, experts and U.S. officials said Friday.

The United States and its NATO allies, however, signaled that they might be willing to enter talks with Russia, especially if the Kremlin agrees to draw down troop levels along its border with Ukraine that have raised concerns about a possible invasion.

The U.S. and NATO were reacting to a pair of draft treaties that the Russian Foreign Ministry presented to them earlier this week and then released publicly on Friday. The drafts, which were prepared without consulting the U.S. and NATO, would commit the alliance to not deploy additional troops to countries that did not already have NATO forces present in 1997.

That would include Eastern European alliance members such as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Baltic states and several other former Soviet republics.

The proposed treaty would also commit both sides to limits on short- and intermediate-range missile deployments and on large-scale military exercises near the Russian border.

Few concessions from Russia

U.S. and NATO officials noted that the drafts contain no major concessions from Russia on alliance concerns, such as troop levels near Ukraine and other aggressive actions by the Kremlin.

"We are clear that any dialogue with Russia would have to proceed on the basis of reciprocity, address NATO's concerns about Russia's actions, be based on the core principles and foundational documents of European security, and take place in consultation with NATO's European Partners," NATO said in a statement. "Should Russia take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence-building measures."

In a background press briefing Friday, a State Department official used similar language to indicate that the U.S. was willing to talk to Russia but added that the Biden administration would not negotiate with Russia over security in Europe without its European partners present.

US response pending

The Biden administration is preparing a response to Russia's demands that it intends to deliver next week, U.S. officials said.

"Russia has now put on the table its concerns with American and NATO activities," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in remarks delivered Friday at an event sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations.

"We're going to put on the table our concern with Russian activities that we believe harm our interests and values," Sullivan said. "That's the basis of reciprocity, upon which you would pursue any kind of dialogue. We can make progress in some areas, and in other areas, we're just going to have to disagree."

Experts concerned

The unconventional nature of Russia's gambit left some experts worried about what the Kremlin expected to achieve by it. Russian officials presented the draft treaties to the United States and NATO on Wednesday and then suddenly made the documents public on Friday, before the supposed counterparties to the agreements had enough time to respond.

"Doing this within two days of presenting the first draft to American diplomats is really unheard of," Andrew Lohsen, a fellow in the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told VOA. "The speed at which they're moving to publicly release these documents suggests that they understand that these negotiations are not going to proceed very far."

Jeffrey Edmonds, a senior analyst at the security think tank CNA, told VOA that Russia could be setting up the negotiations for failure to create a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.

"For a country that is well-versed in negotiations and treaties  the notion of sending us a draft treaty is somewhat absurd, and I'm sure the Russians understand that," he said.

"Then what's the point?" Edmonds said. "The point is that it lays a very thin veneer of legitimacy over the very high probability that they're going to go into Ukraine in the next couple of months."

'This is what Russia cares about most'

Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow and director of foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution, cautioned against the assumption that the demands Russia put forward in the two draft treaties are either a maximalist bargaining position meant to be bargained down or a proposal designed to fail.

"I think they are the actual, sincere Russian desires," he told VOA. "I don't think that they're a ruse. This is what Russia cares about most: having NATO in its backyard."

O'Hanlon, who has argued that it would be a mistake for NATO to allow more former Soviet states into the alliance, said he believes it makes sense for NATO to engage with Russia.

However, he said, it should do so with its eyes open. "It's always possible that if we said yes to all of this, that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin would have his appetite whetted for even more concessions."
Ghislaine Maxwell's defense rested its case Friday after two days of presenting evidence on the British socialite's behalf. Not among that evidence: testimony from the longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate herself.

About a half-hour after Maxwell told the court Friday she would not testify in her own defense because "the government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt," attorney Bobbi Sternheim rested.

U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan had asked the 59-year-old British socialite to stand in court Friday afternoon, explaining that Maxwell had the right to either testify in her own defense or decline to.

"Your Honor, the government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, so there is no reason for me to testify," Maxwell responded, appearing defiant.

Defense strategy

Maxwell's lawyers offered a spirited defense, portraying her as a scapegoat targeted by the government because prosecutors could no longer bring Epstein to justice after he killed himself at a federal lockup in August 2019 while awaiting his own sex trafficking trial.

Maxwell pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges stemming from her interactions with four teenage girls from 1994 to 2004. During that span, Maxwell was romantically involved with and then later worked for Epstein.

While she did not testify before the jury, Maxwell seemed active in her defense throughout the past three weeks of the trial, frequently writing notes to her lawyers and hugging them upon entering and leaving each day. As Maxwell declared her intention not to testify, attorney Sternheim's arm was wrapped around her lower back.

Her defense called another of Jeffrey Epstein's one-time paramours to the stand earlier Friday: a former Miss Sweden, New York City doctor and tabloid fixture who told the jury that she trusted the financier with her young daughters and denied taking part in a group sexual encounter with a key accuser.

Epstein's ex-girlfriend testifies

Eva Andersson-Dubin, 60, testified that she dated Epstein "off and on" from 1983 to the early 1990s, before he dated Maxwell.

Epstein and Andersson-Dubin remained friends after breaking up, and in 1994, she married another moneyed financier, Glenn Dubin, with whom she had three children.

One of the key accusers in the Maxwell trial, identified in court only as "Jane" to protect her identity, testified that a woman named "Eva" joined a group sexual experience with Epstein.

On Friday, Andersson-Dubin was asked by one of Maxwell's attorneys if she had ever been in a group sexual encounter with Jane.

"Absolutely not," she responded.

Asked if she had ever been in a group sexualized massage of Epstein with Jane, she responded: "I have not."

Later, Andersson-Dubin acknowledged having issues with her memory upon cross-examination.

"It's very hard for me to remember anything far back," Andersson-Dubin said. "My family notices it, I notice it. It's been an issue."

Family befriended Epstein

The Dubins have denied knowing anything about Epstein's sexual misconduct but were publicly supportive of Epstein when he initially was prosecuted and convicted of sex crimes in Florida in 2008. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, another Epstein accuser whose allegations are not part of Maxwell's trial, has said that she was trafficked to Glenn Dubin, among other powerful men, all of whom have denied her accounts.

As the Dubin children  including two daughters  grew up, they sometimes joined their parents on flights with Epstein, Andersson-Dubin said.

She testified that Epstein was fond of her children and the children viewed him like an uncle, sometimes calling him "Uncle F," an apparent abbreviation of his name, minus the "J."

When Andersson-Dubin was asked by a defense lawyer if she ever witnessed any inappropriate conduct between Epstein and teenage girls, she responded, "I did not."

Nathan told jurors Friday afternoon to return at 9 a.m. Monday, rather than 9:30 a.m., and to arrange to be in court as late as 6 p.m. She said the parties will deliver their closing arguments, then she'll instruct them on the law and deliberations will begin.

Nathan reemphasized that jurors should not communicate with each other, or anyone else, about the case, or consume any information about the case from any means. In an apparent nod to the coronavirus rampant in New York City, she also told them to be "cautious out there."
A new cycle of intercommunal clashes over scarce resources in Cameroon have killed and injured scores of people and sent at least 100,000 fleeing from their homes.

Just last week, the U.N. refugee agency reported intercommunal clashes that erupted December 5 in Cameroons Far North region had prompted 30,000 refugees to flee across the border into Chad in search of safety.



UNHCR spokesman, Matthew Saltmarsh, says that number has nearly tripled over the past two weeks. He says fighting between herders, fishermen and farmers over dwindling land and water resources has driven an estimated 85,000 people into neighboring Chad, while some 15,000 Cameroonians are displaced inside their country.

"Casualties from the fighting have also risen to 44 people killed and 111 people injured," said Saltmarsh. "The vast majority of new arrivals into Chad are children, and 98 percent of the adults are women.

This compares to a casualty toll of 22 dead and 30 wounded during the last cycle of Inter-communal violence.



Fighting among the pastoral, farming and fisher communities has worsened because of the climate crisis. Growing desertification over the last few decades has resulted in limited access to water and land for grazing and farming. Competition for these diminishing resources has led to more frequent and more brutal clashes.



Saltmarsh says victims of these altercations are in dire need of life-saving assistance. He says the UNHCR is rapidly scaling up its operations to help affected people in Cameroon and new refugees in Chad.

"Refugees are in dire need of shelter, blankets, mats and hygiene kits. Some are being generously hosted by local communities, but most are still sleeping out in the open or under trees," said Saltmarsh. "Many of the displaced report difficulties finding safe water and have no access to latrines; concerning hygiene issues are on the rise.

Saltmarsh says money to finance this expensive operation is in low supply. He notes just over half of the $240 million needed to support humanitarian operations in Cameroon and Chad has been received.
A video chat between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week consolidates efforts by the two Eurasian powers to face down their mutual rival the United States in 2022, analysts say.

Putin and Xi spoke Wednesday afternoon, Chinas official Xinhua News Agency reported, marking the 37th time leaders of the two countries have connected since 2013. They pledged more cooperation on safeguarding joint interests, the news agency said, and specifically covered trade, a joint pandemic response and energy cooperation.

I think this is, quite clearly, they are trying to show they are united on a common issue, and that is the U.S, Collin Koh, a maritime security research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, told VOA.

U.S. officials and other Western leaders have spoken out against the buildup of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border and condemned what they consider Chinese military threats against Taiwan. Washington was a Cold War foe of both sides. The U.S. armed forces are todays strongest, followed by Russia and China.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the issue of the buildup of Russian forces on Ukraines border when he visited the UK, December 10-12, for a G-7 Foreign and Development Ministers Meeting. G-7 ministers said they were united in our condemnation of Russias military build-up and aggressive rhetoric towards Ukraine, the U.S. Department of State reported on its website.

Putin and Xi likely briefed each other Wednesday on their respective conversations with U.S. President Joe Biden, Koh said. U.S. behavior, he said, gives the duo stronger strategic convergences. Xi and Biden met virtually in November, followed by a Biden-Putin encounter last week.

We have an openly hostile relationship with the United States, said Vassily Kashin, senior fellow at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, referring to the government in Moscow.

Each side is interested in weakening the U.S. global leadership, and that is the most important common interest, he told VOA.

After the summit, Putins presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that both from our side and from the Chinese side, a negative assessment was expressed about the creation of new alliances such as the Indo-Pacific Quad and the American-Anglo-Australian union AUKUS, Russias state media Sputik News reported.

The Quad refers to dialogue involving Australia, India, Japan and the United States. AUKUS is a 3-month-old agreement that will let the United States and the UK help develop Australias military technology.

Discussion on Wednesday touched as well on what Xinhua calls democracy, a possible reference to the U.S.-led, 110-country Summit for Democracy that excluded China and Russia. In November, both countries ambassadors to Washington protested the summit as creating divisions in the world.

Evolution of post-Cold War alliance

School of Business head at Melbourne Institute of Technology, Stuart Orr, told VOA that Sino-Russian relations faded in the 1960s when the two Communist parties split over ideology, and border conflicts followed. The two are taking different courses now, with China more expansionist.

Adding a sore spot, Orr said, Russian contractors still help Southeast Asian countries drill in the South China Sea, a waterway that Beijing calls its own.

But China and Russia markedly strengthened political and military relations this year and the two leaders plan to meet in February in Beijing at the Winter Olympics, Xinhua reported.

The border neighbors held a series of military exercises. In October, for example, they carried out naval drills. Russia and China also issued a joint diplomatic statement in the form of an op-ed in November critical of Bidens Democracy Summit.

China and Russia also began operating a space weather center this month in Beijing and Moscow. In June, they agreed to extend their 20-year-old Treaty of Good Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation by respecting each others interests and sovereignty.

On the economic front, manufacturing-intensive China is likely to buy Russian oil, Orr said. Russia was the worlds fourth-largest oil-exporting region last year with proven reserves of 107.8 billion barrels.

He said the pair intends to share resources, with any energy deal a relief for Chinas power shortages, reported in October.

I think you probably see a bit of economic underpinning, Orr said. It makes a lot of sense for Russia to try to connect their economic prosperity to China and to Chinas growth because theyll become the largest economy. So, if Russia is connecting their economy to them, then that will lift Russias economy along with it.

But ultimately the aim is political, he said. From Russias perspective, this is something they like to encourage so they can show the two form a united command-economy front, Orr said.
Mali's foreign affairs ministry said that Chad planned to deploy 1,000 additional soldiers to Mali to reinforce its troops battling insurgents there, as France scales back its military presence in Africa's Sahel Region.



Chadian soldiers make up nearly 1,400 of the United Nations' 13,000-troop peacekeeping force in north and central Mali, where an Islamist insurgency has flourished despite a nine-year effort by international armies to contain it.



The upcoming deployment will reinforce those and other Chadian troops as former colonial ruler France scales back its 5,000-strong regional counterterrorism mission known as Barkhane, Mali's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement late Friday.



"The deployment is part of a bilateral framework at the request of the government of Chad for reinforcing its contingent in Northern Mali following the reconfiguration of the Barkhane force," the ministry said in a statement.



President Emmanuel Macron on Friday canceled a December 20-21 trip to Mali to visit French troops amid concerns over the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant.



Chad government spokesperson Azem Bermendoa told Reuters Saturday that additional troops would soon be sent to Mali, but he declined to specify the size of the contingent or a deployment timeline.



"After the withdrawal of French troops, we found it urgent to strengthen the operational and tactical capacity of our contingent while waiting for the Malian army and the (U.N.) Blue Helmets to reorganize their deployments," Bermendoa said.



Chad deployed some 1,000 soldiers to the tri-border region of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali in February to reinforce national armies after France first publicly mulled reducing its regional presence.



France plans to withdraw nearly half of its contingent by 2023, moving more assets to Niger, and encouraging other European special forces to work alongside local armies.
Mexico will impose visa requirements on Venezuelan visitors, the Interior Ministry said Friday, as the country attempts to stem a steep rise in the number of people from the South American nation trying to enter the United States illegally.

The ministry said in a document published online that it had detected a "substantial increase" in Venezuelans entering Mexico to reach a third country, as well giving false declarations on their motives for arrival.

Venezuelans, many of whom have been departing their homeland due to sustained economic turmoil, do not currently need a visa to enter Mexico as tourists.

Reuters last month reported that Mexico was considering steps to impose tougher entry requirements on Venezuelans, partly in response to requests from the United States, which is dealing with record numbers of migrants at its southern border.

"The growing trend in the migratory flow of (Venezuelan) nationals ... in irregular transit to a third country stands out, marking an increase of more than 1,000% compared to the same period in the previous five years," the ministry said.

The ultimate destination of the overwhelming majority of migrants passing through Mexico is the United States.

The U.S. government has urged Mexico to help it reduce the flow of illegal immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border, which has created a major challenge for President Joe Biden.

The visa requirement on Venezuelans follows a similar move by Mexico on Brazilian nationals.

In September, Mexico suspended visa exemptions for Ecuadorians for six months following a jump in that country's nationals heading to the U.S. border.

The ministry said the visa requirement would take effect 15 days after the notification was published in the government's official gazette, a step which is still pending.
Conservationists are suing three federal agencies over the adequacy of an environmental review the government has said satisfies requirements to resume killing coyotes, mountain lions and other wildlife in federally protected wilderness areas in Nevada.

The move comes five years after the U.S. Agriculture Department's Wildlife Services settled a similar lawsuit by suspending the operations intended to protect livestock from predators.

WildEarth Guardians long has battled Wildlife Services over the predator management program that Congress approved in 1931 and costs U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars annually.

It allows USDA to "eradicate, suppress or bring under control" a whole host of native species, including mountain lions, bears, wolves, coyotes and bobcats, "for the benefit of agribusiness."

The New Mexico-based environmental group and the Idaho-based Western Watersheds Project filed the lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court in Reno. It accuses the agency of failing to fully disclose or adequately analyze the impacts of its plan to expand use of aerial gunning from small planes and helicopters, poisoning and trapping of the animals on Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands in Nevada.

The conservationists say the agency routinely ignores the science about the efficacy of what they call a "large-scale slaughter" program, killing 1.3 million native species across the U.S. annually  the vast majority of those, coyotes.

"While society has evolved to understand the importance of native species as a key part of ecosystems and the need for coexistence of wildlife, Wildlife Services continues to rely on antiquated practices in the name of `managing' conflicts with wildlife," said Lindsay Larris, wildlife program director at WildEarth Guardians.

After WildEarth Guardians sued over the program in 2012, Wildlife Services agreed in 2016 to cease predator control activities in wilderness areas and wilderness study areas in Nevada with few exceptions for public health or safety. The settlement dictated the operations  which typically stem from ranchers' requests for action  couldn't resume until the agency fully complied with federal law.

One of the updates in the agency's July 2020 assessment is the conclusion that imperiled sage grouse would benefit from killing of predators that feed on chicks, including coyotes and ravens.

The lawsuit says that's an illegal use of the Animal Damage Control Act, which only allows the agency to do what's necessary to control "injurious animal species."

The assessment "fails to establish that ravens and coyotes are depressing or otherwise injuring populations of sage grouse," according to the lawsuit that also names the bureau and the Forest Service as defendants.

The three agencies are violating the National Environmental Policy Act and the Wilderness Act by sanctioning an impermissible "commercial enterprise" within designated wilderness areas without demonstrating lethal predator controls are necessary for a valid "wilderness purpose" or preventing serious losses of domestic livestock, the lawsuit said.

Bureau spokesman Chris Rose said in an email to The Associated Press that the agency had no comment. Neither Wildlife Services nor the Forest Service immediately responded to requests for comment.

The lawsuit says Wildlife Services doesn't review circumstances surrounding ranchers' requests to determine whether lethal means are "necessary to prevent serious domestic livestock" nor to ensure "only the minimum amount of control necessary to solve the problem will be used."

Under the new plan, Wildlife Services "must simply provide email notification to the bureau before and after conducting (such management in) bureau-managed wildernesses and wilderness study areas," the lawsuit said.

Alternatives the agency doesn't consider include temporarily curtailing livestock grazing activities in areas where the bureau has determined conflicts between livestock and wildlife often recur at the same time of year when newly born lambs and calves graze on U.S. times and native carnivores are rearing their offspring, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit says the government also fails to adequately evaluate local impacts of predator management across nearly 9,700 square miles (25,000 square kilometers) of wilderness and wilderness study areas in Nevada. The environmental assessment said there's an "extremely high likelihood (95 to 100%)" that lethal control of wildlife will be conducted in eight wilderness areas and five study areas in Nevada over the next 10 years.

Most of the coyote killings are concentrated in only four of Nevada's 17 counties. But the government's assessment evaluates the impacts at a statewide scale across 109,826 square miles (284,448 square kilometers) "thus diluting the degree of localized effects to native ecosystems," the lawsuit said.

Between 2015-20, nearly 15,000 coyotes were killed on Bureau of Land Management lands alone in Nevada  about three-fourths in White Pine, Eureka, Elko and Humboldt counties.
Representatives from the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United States, Russia, China and the European Union are meeting Sunday in Pakistan to discuss ways to help Afghanistan avert a looming humanitarian catastrophe.

Pakistani officials said participants at the day-long meeting are expected to explore avenues for containing and reversing the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and a potential economic collapse.

The OIC-convened huddle will be the biggest international gathering on Afghanistan since the Taliban retook power from the Western-backed government in mid-August on the heels of a U.S.-led foreign troop exit from the country after 20 years. International donor institutions and the United Nations will also be in attendance.



The Taliban governments acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who arrived Saturday, is expected to brief participants on difficulties facing his country.

Our expectation is the conference will come up with a mechanism to coordinate humanitarian and economic assistance for Afghanistan, Muttaqi told reporters in the Pakistani capital. We also hope that it will also help in the revival of [the global communitys] normal relations with Afghanistan.



Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the OIC meeting does not constitute an official recognition of the Taliban government but warned that abandoning Afghanistan would be a historic mistake because it would aggravate the humanitarian crisis and trigger a fresh exodus of refugees.

We are not speaking of a particular group. We are talking about the people of Afghanistan. Please act and act now, Qureshi said on the eve of the summit.

U.S. Special Representative Thomas West, who arrived in Islamabad Saturday, described the event as a timely and important initiative.

Sanctions, poverty, frozen assets

The August 15 Taliban takeover of the country has blocked its access to some $9.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets, largely held in the U.S. Federal Reserve. It has triggered international financial sanctions on the new rulers of the war-ravaged country and halted non-humanitarian assistance to a traditionally foreign aid-dependent economy.

The freezing of assets and abrupt suspension of aid have exacerbated economic upheavals in Afghanistan where the United Nations says 22.8 million people are experiencing acute food shortages stemming from years of war, a severe drought and high levels of poverty.

The sanctions and the lack of official diplomatic recognition of the Taliban government in Kabul have disrupted the banking system, undermining delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid to Afghans.

The U.S. and other countries have cited concerns about terrorism and waning human rights, especially those of women, for refusing to directly engage with the Taliban. Those concerns stem in large part from the previous Taliban regime from 1996 to 2001, when girls were prevented from receiving an education, and women from leaving home unless accompanied by a close male relative.

While we continue clear-eyed diplomacy with the Talibanon human rights, terrorism, and educational access, among many other issuesthe Afghan people will remain at the center of our considerations, Ambassador West wrote in a subsequent tweet Saturday.



Taliban leaders repeatedly have promised their new administration will not bring back the harsh policies of their previous rule. But most Afghan girls across the country are still not allowed to return to school and most female government employees have been barred from resuming their professional duties.

The Islamist group insists its new regime is fully representative and would give women their due rights in line with Islamic laws or Sharia. Yet four months into the Taliban government, not a single woman has been included in the Cabinet.

Muttaqi insisted Saturday that diplomatic recognition was a legitimate right of his government. He went on to claim the end of the Afghan war has improved security, and that conflict-related casualties also have dropped to zero across the country since the Taliban regained power.

International aid organizations have acknowledged that working conditions and security for their operations significantly improved under Taliban rule as compared to when war was being waged across the nation.

Qureshi said Sundays conference will be a good opportunity for the world to share their concerns with the Taliban and for the Islamic countries to convey to them that Islam allows girls to attend schools, and for women to play a role in the governance and fully participate in the public life.

The Pakistani minister cautioned, however, against pressuring the Taliban, saying such a policy in the past had failed to produce the desired results.

We have to be realistic about the options that we have. Let us nudge them through persuasion, through incentives to move in the right direction, said Qureshi.
Pakistan is rallying Muslim countries to help Afghanistan stave off an economic and humanitarian disaster while also cajoling the neighboring countrys new Taliban rulers to soften their image abroad.

Several foreign ministers from the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation are meeting in Islamabad on Sunday to explore ways to aid Afghanistan while navigating the difficult political realities of its Taliban-run government, Pakistans top diplomat said Friday.

The new Taliban administration in Kabul has been sanctioned by the international community, reeling from the collapse of the Afghan military and the Western-backed government in the face of the insurgents takeover in mid-August.

The OIC meeting is an engagement that does not constitute an official recognition of the Taliban regime, said Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He said the message to the gathering on Sunday is: Please do not abandon Afghanistan. Please engage. We are speaking for the people of Afghanistan. Were not speaking of a particular group. We are talking about the people of Afghanistan.

Qureshi said major powers  including the United States, Russia, China and the European Union  will send their special representatives on Afghanistan to the one-day summit. Afghanistans Taliban-appointed Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi will also attend the conference.

Afghanistan is facing a looming economic meltdown and humanitarian catastrophe in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover. Billions of dollars worth of the countrys assets abroad, mostly in the U.S., have been frozen and international funding to the country has ceased.

The world is also waiting before extending any formal recognition to the new rulers in Kabul, wary the Taliban could impose a similarly harsh regime as when they were in power 20 years ago  despite their assurances to the contrary.

In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Muttaqi said that Afghanistans new rulers were committed to the education of girls and women in the workforce.

Yet four months into Taliban rule, girls are not allowed to attend high school in most provinces and though women have returned to their jobs in much of the health care sector, many female civil servants have been barred from coming to work.

However, security has improved under the Taliban, with aid organizations able to travel to most parts of Afghanistan, including areas that for years were off-limits during the war, said a senior humanitarian official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The World Health Organization and U.N. agencies have warned of the humanitarian crisis facing Afghanistan and its 38 million people. Hospitals are desperately short of medicines, up to 95% of all households face food shortages, the poverty level is soaring toward 90% and the afghani, the national currency, is in free fall.

Pakistan has been at the forefront in pressing for world engagement in Afghanistan. Qureshi said Friday he has warned in talks with many foreign ministers  including with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington  that a total collapse in Afghanistan will hurt efforts to fight terrorism and trigger a massive exodus from the country.

Refugees will become economic migrants, he added, meaning they would not want to stay in neighboring countries of Pakistan and Iran, but will try to reach Europe and North America.

Qureshi also warned that if Afghans are left without help, militant groups such as al-Qaida and the regional Islamic State affiliate will regroup and flourish amid the chaos.

The OIC has leverage because of its nature as an Islamic organization and Qureshi expressed hope the summit will also be an opportunity for the worlds Muslim nations to press upon the Taliban the imperative of allowing girls to attend school at all levels and for women to return to their jobs in full.

Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based Wilson center, said OIC nations could do more, suggesting they work through their religious scholars and have them interact directly with the Taliban.

For now, it would be difficult for the West to engage with the Taliban, Kugelman said, adding that such an interaction would be tantamount to admitting defeat in the 20-year war.

For the Taliban, it would be the final satisfaction of being able to engage ... from the standpoint of victor, he said.

The Taliban defeated the West ... their powerful militaries and caused them to suffer through a chaotic and humiliating final withdrawal, he said. For the West to turn around and bury the hatchet with the Taliban, this would amount to a legitimization of its defeat.
A Palestinian woman on Saturday stabbed an Israeli settler near a disputed holy site in Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank, wounding him slightly, a border guard spokesperson said.

The attack took place near a flashpoint site known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarch and to Muslims as the Ibrahimi mosque, a place revered by both faiths.

Israeli border guards said they had arrested the attacker, a 65-year-old Palestinian woman from a nearby village, the statement added.

The wounded man was a 38-year-old resident of the nearby settlement of Kiryat Arba.

Israel seized the West Bank in the Six-Day War of 1967. Since then, nearly 700,000 Jewish Israelis have moved into West Bank and east Jerusalem settlements that much of the international community regard as illegal.

Hebron, the largest city in the West Bank with some 200,000 Palestinian residents, also has some 1,000 Jewish settlers living there under heavy protection from the Israeli army.

The attack comes as Israeli security forces continue a manhunt for the assailants behind a deadly shooting on Thursday near the northern West Bank wildcat settlement outpost of Homesh.

Israel's army said Palestinian attackers opened fire on a car, killing 25-year-old Jewish religious student and settler Yehuda Dimentman.

No one has claimed responsibility for that attack, but multiple Palestinian organizations praised the shooting.

It is the latest violence over the past month, which has seen Palestinian attacks on Israelis and the killing of Palestinians by Israeli troops during clashes.

On Friday, United Nations Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland said he was "alarmed by the escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, including east Jerusalem, which is claiming the lives of Israelis and Palestinians".
Marking International Migrants Day, the United Nations reports hostility and xenophobia are growing against migrants. It warns the stigmatization and marginalization of migrants amid a raging pandemic is putting many lives at risk.

U.N. agencies report one seventh of the global population, or one billion people, are on the move. This number includes a record 281 million international migrants, and 84 million people forcibly displaced by conflict, violence, and climate change.

Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, Antonio Vitorino, says many migrants embark on dangerous, life-threatening journeys in search of better economic opportunities, others are forced from their homes because of natural and man-made disasters.

He says many of these vulnerable people fall into the hands of unscrupulous people smugglers operating along migration routes worldwide. He says COVID-19 has worsened the difficulties migrants encounter.

"Beyond the images of closed borders, separated families and economic instability, the now two-year-old global pandemic has spawned a new wave of anti-migrant sentiment and the increasing instrumentalization of migrants as tools in state policy. Both are unacceptable, Vitorino said.

Instead of being a liability, he underlines the invaluable contributions migrants make across the world. He says migrant workersnurses, health care workers--have kept millions of people safe from COVID. He says migrant remittances have provided a lifeline for families made destitute by the pandemic.

"The positive social and economic impact in the countries where they reside, and the 540 billion US dollars remitted last year to communities in lower and middle-income countries are measures of the industry, entrepreneurship and community from which we all benefit, Vitorino said.

And, yet he notes too many governments continue to exclude migrants from their pandemic social and economic recovery plans because of their legal status.

U.N. and international organizations are appealing to governments to grant migrants access to lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines. To do otherwise, they say would pose a threat to the health of all people.
Deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko said Saturday that security proposals Russia has presented to the United States are an attempt to turn a potential military scenario into a political process.



Russia, which has built up troops near the border with Ukraine, said Friday it wanted a legally binding guarantee that NATO would give up any military activity in eastern Europe and Ukraine.



Grushko was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying Moscow was ready for talks "to turn a military or a military-technical scenario of confrontation into a political process which will really strengthen military security."
The U.S. says its indirect talks with Iran on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal made modest progress in the latest round that ended Friday, but it also says much work remains to be done to prevent what is left of the agreement between Tehran and world powers from quickly falling apart.

In a phone briefing with reporters, a senior State Department official cited two examples of modest progress at the talks in Vienna involving the U.S., Iran and five world powers acting as mediators between the two sides.

The first was Irans Wednesday agreement to let the International Atomic Energy Agency reinstall cameras that allow U.N. inspectors to observe an Iranian nuclear facility manufacturing advanced centrifuges in the city of Karaj. Those cameras were damaged in June in what Iran called an act of sabotage by its regional rival Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

The second example cited by the U.S. official is a common U.S. and Iranian understanding of a text that will serve as a basis for negotiations on what parts of Irans nuclear program may be curbed in return for a lifting of U.S. sanctions against Tehran.

But the U.S. official cautioned against enthusiasm over the text.

What we have is an agenda of issues to be examined, not a set of solutions to be accepted. There still is a lot of work to do, the official said.

The U.S. official also said Irans recent advances in its nuclear program that the West fears could be weaponized make it more urgent for Tehran to return to the curbs on that program previously agreed to under the 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

We made some progress, but ... at a pace that will not be sufficient to get to where we need to go before Iran's nuclear advances render the JCPOA a corpse that cannot be revived, the official said.

Iran, which says its nuclear activities are peaceful, has been exceeding the curbs on its nuclear activities since 2019 in retaliation for the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA a year earlier.

Then-U.S. President Donald Trump quit the JCPOA and unilaterally toughened sanctions on Iran, saying it was a better way to pressure Tehran into stopping malign behavior. Trumps successor, President Joe Biden, has said a U.S. return to the JCPOA is the better course to prevent Iran from weaponizing its nuclear program, provided that Tehran also returns to honoring the deal.

Earlier Friday, Ali Bagheri Kani, Irans chief nuclear negotiator and deputy foreign minister, tweeted that good progress had been made in Vienna in Iran's seventh round of indirect talks with the U.S., following six previous rounds held from April to June.

Bagheri Kani added that Iran will continue talks after a break of a few days. There was no word from any of the parties at the talks as to exactly when the talks would resume.

Iran has said its priority in Vienna is securing the lifting of all U.S. sanctions, which have weakened an economy also plagued by government corruption and mismanagement. Tehran has declined to state publicly which nuclear activities it might curb in return.

Washington has said any sanctions relief for Iran should be limited to nuclear-related sanctions that were lifted under the 2015 deal and reinstated later by Trump, rather than sanctions imposed by Trump and Biden in response to Irans missile development, arming of regional proxies and poor human rights record.

Before departing Vienna, Bagheri Kani told Iranian state news agency IRNA that Iran had persuaded the three European mediators involved in the talks, U.S. allies Britain, France and Germany, to accept Irans position as a basis for serious and effective negotiations.

But the senior State Department official, responding to a question from a VOA Persian reporter in Vienna, said the U.S. does not believe Irans position is entirely consistent with the JCPOA.

It's hard to even define sometimes what their proposal is, but they certainly have taken positions ... that are either beyond or inconsistent with the JCPOA. It is a common view of all of the members of the P5+1 that the only ideas that should be entertained are those that are consistent with the deal that was negotiated in 2015 and 2016.

The P5+1 refers to the U.S. and the four other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council  Britain, France, China and Russia  plus Germany.

The U.S. official expressed hope that Iran would agree to an eighth round of Vienna talks soon.

Iran analyst Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies told VOA that Tehran has grown more confident in its negotiating position in tandem with the United States' withholding of punitive action against escalating Iranian nuclear activity.

As Iran explores its escalation options, it is pivotal Washington signals that its patience is not endless, Taleblu said. Washington should also beware of overvaluing any prospective Iranian concession that does not alter the direction of Irans nuclear program but rather is designed to stave off pressure.

Guita Aryan contributed to this report from Vienna.
outh Africa's health minister said on Friday (December 17) that the government believed that vaccines and high levels of prior COVID-19 infection were helping to keep disease milder in a wave driven by the Omicron variant.

There have been early anecdotal accounts suggesting that Omicron is causing less severe illness than previous variants in South Africa but scientists say it is too early to draw firm conclusions.

The country reported a record number of daily infections earlier this week.

"We believe that it might not necessarily just be that Omicron is less virulent, but vaccination and natural immunity of people who have already had contact with the virus is also adding to the protection," Health Minister Joe Phaahla told a news conference. "That's why we are seeing mild illness."

South Africa has given 44% of its adult population at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, more than many African countries but well short of the government's year-end target. But among the over-50s vaccination coverage levels are over 60%.

Addressing the same news conference, Michelle Groome from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said there had been an uptick in COVID-19 hospital admissions and deaths.

"Starting to see a slight increase in deaths nationally, but once again this level is very much lower even than the baseline period we were seeing between the second and third waves," said Groome, who heads the NICD's division of public health, surveillance and response.

Phaahla added that in the coming week the health department would report back to the National Coronavirus Command Council on whether COVID-19 restrictions should be adjusted.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, is making good progress with his recovery from COVID-19 while continuing to receive treatment for mild symptoms, the presidency said on Friday.

Ramaphosa was given Johnson & Johnson's one-dose vaccine in February.

(Production: Shafiek Tassiem, Chiara Rodriquez)
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Deadwood The Trial of Jack McCall Season 1 Episode 5 Editors Rating 5 stars * * * * *  Previous Next  Photo: HBO

Welcome to 12 Days of Deadwood, in which Matt Zoller Seitz, author of the upcoming A Lie Agreed Upon: The Deadwood Chronicles, revisits the first season of the landmark HBO drama one episode at a time. Up today: The Trial of Jack McCall, written by John Belluso and directed by Ed Bianchi, which originally aired on April 18, 2004.

If the death of Wild Bill Hickok was the camps first spasm of communal feeling, however horrific, the aftermath disperses that emotion and pulls the audience away from community and toward self-interest.

There is no resolution at the end, just a feeling of loss (Bill and Brom) and missed opportunity (for a more official version of Deadwoods slapped-together society). Theres hope for the future in the form of the Reverend Smiths sermon, his last lucid act before collapsing from seizure in the plague tent, and Seths decision to chase Jack, seemingly the culmination of the Reverends constantly quoting Scripture at him and other characters asking him to take on responsibilities he didnt ask for. From befriending Bill to signing as Almas proxy, Seth accepts any assignment hes given. The camps creeping case of law and order seems to be settling around him.

But as Seths murderous temper affirms, theres a difference between justice and law, peace and order. The episode ends with the letter of justice being satisfied, but we also understand the corrupt ideals that led to the verdict; and while the camp (arguably) finds order merely by expelling Jack McCall, Seths bereft eyes and rage eruptions and Janes inconsolable sobs tell us that theres no real peace.

The trial and the legalities surrounding it highlight that Deadwood is part satire and part farce, on top of all the other things it is. The goings-on at the Gem are a sick joke on American jurisprudence, which has become more entrenched and powerful in the centuries since but no less ridiculous. A.W. Merrick, supervising jury and court-officer selection, has to warn applicants not to attempt to bribe him. The murder victim is laid out in public so that people can pay their respects; Seth fumes about it, but Nuttall (whose saloon was the murder site, and who paid for the coffin and the tent) says he had originally put the corpse around the corner, discreetly out of sight, but was compelled to move it to satisfy public demand. Als acerbic play-by-play is heard by all (Well be here til fuckin Christmas) but no one worries that it might influence the court or the jurors. The jury includes the same fellow who, two days prior, had drunkenly told Bill he hoped hed get gut-shot and die slow in the camp. The jurors retire to the whores rooms for deliberations; one is subsequently advised mid-coitus to hurry up and nut so that the court can reconvene.

Beaten and incarcerated, McCall is more vile than ever. He drives Seth (who shouldnt be visiting him in Chinatown in the first place, given his friendship with the deceased and his own track record as a killer) into a murderous rage with homophobic taunts, then happily accepts his lawyers suggestion that he invent a nonexistent brother slain by Bill in Abilene, Kansas, the better to present Bills death as a deferred act of revenge (a tactic used in the real-life case, leading to McCalls initial acquittal before a second trial found him guilty).

Its a shitshow, but to Deadwoods credit, one thats always accurately presented as a white mans shitshow. Women are allowed no voice in the proceedings, and it never occurs to men coded as the good ones (such as Sol Star and A.W. Merrick) to inquire on their behalf. Deadwoods Chinatown is used to display Bills body and hold his killer, but there are no Asian faces in the courtroom, as lawyers, jurors, or spectators. The most cutting line in the whole thing is a throwaway by Sol after the funeral for Bill: Seth snarls, Can you believe they let the son of a bitch go? and his partner says, Yes, I can  the proper response of a Jew born in Austria.

Als refusenik behavior oddly mirrors Seths, though of course hes more verbose in expressing his psychic entanglements. Al keeps saying he only wants to protect his investments, but theres more going on than profiteering. Remember the image, described by Al as he dressed Sunday-proper to visit the Bella Union, of him and Dan clearing trees before most white men knew where Deadwood was? (One of the shows many timeline tinkerings: Season one is set in 1876, but the Gem didnt open until a year later.) Despite framing his actions in terms of criminal cunning, Al has a visionary streak. Much of his behavior in this hour is that of a bad man unconsciously suppressing decent or at least constructive tendencies. He gives (self-interested) gifts to the camp with one hand and takes them away with the other. He rants to Cy Tolliver about how trying Jack McCall will bring federal scrutiny that might lead to the government revoking existing gold and property claims (since Deadwood is, after all, an illegal settlement, founded on Lakota land) and then concludes, But if were gonna have the fucking thing, we might as well have it in my joint, huh?

Later, Al sabotages the verdict by reminding the trial judge, Magistrate Claggett (Marshall Bell), of the camps fragility, ensuring his deliberation instructions to the jury and their subsequent verdict of innocent. Then Al flips again and orders Jack to get out of town before somebody (possibly Al) goes the vigilante route. (This is Als mirror-world version of Seth killing a prisoner to prevent a mob from doing it.)

An exchange between Al and Cy is presented as a cynical joke between rival gangster pimps, but it comes close to summing up the episodes dual consciousness: Sometimes I wish we could just hit em over the head, rob em, and throw their bodies in the creek. But that would be wrong.

As Cy accumulates screen time on Deadwood, he increasingly seems like the worst-case-scenario version of Al: a much colder and crueler sort, uninterested in even pretending to be decent. It mirrors Jacks release as a symptom of the camps rejection of collective responsibility to affirm constructive and merciful values through actions. No sooner has Cy welcomed his old friend Andy Cramed into town than he orders an underling to strap his plague-riddled body to a sled and dump him in the woods, where hes found by Jane  sort of a shadow-Seth, likewise accepting the dirty jobs nobody else will do and executing them brilliantly. She keeps trying to evade civic responsibility (and deny the inner strength that prompts others to assign her onerous tasks), but that responsibility always crosses her path anyway (literally, in Andys case) in a different guise. Jane took care of Sofia and then fled grief-stricken into the hills after Bills murder, but when she randomly stumbles upon Andy, delirious and endlessly repeating, I apologize (for what? everything?), she stops to take care of him, and of course shes superb at it. Janes unexplained absence from Sofias life is what leads Al to assign Trixie to fill in for her. He wants a spy in Almas camp, and wants Trixie to swap heroin in for the laudanum shes just stopped using in hopes of degrading Almas judgment, but wouldnt you know it: Trixies as good a caretaker to Sofia as Jane was.

A sisterhood of trauma takes shape. Jane, Trixie, Alma, and Sofia have all endured subjugation and violence. The way they glide into, out of, and through each others orbits aligns them with the invisible energy field that brought Sofia into camp to begin with. Al acting the part of a homicidal demon tying up loose ends by killing the last living member of the Spearfish Road trio sets the stage for the sisterhood of Jane-Trixie-Alma-Sofia. Al couldve just demanded that Dan go back to Docs place and kill the girl, but he didnt. Maybe it wasnt just a practical choice on Als part, made after weighing other options. Maybe Al didnt make Dan finish the job because  well, that would be wrong.

Though Docs gender prevents official membership in the sisterhood of caretakers, his name should be mentioned here as well. Although he failed Alma yesterday by refusing to call a murder a murder, he comes roaring back to full-throated righteousness in this episode, threatening to expose Cy if he fails to procure a vaccine to treat what Doc knows to be a plague outbreak.

Floating above the scene in spirit is the Reverend, who is losing his mind (though from the plague or something else, we dont yet know). His last lucid act of this hour is to deliver the sermon at Wild Bills grave site, quoting Corinthians 12:12. Its achingly sincere, and of course Seth feels singled out by it, because the Reverend is still after him, still treating him as a special project. Seth mocks the sermon, asking Sol, What part of my part is your part? But thats a real question, perhaps the most important of all.

And by mounting up to chase after Jack, Seth answers it. The final montage is a light-magic mirror of the tragic-operatic ending of Here Was a Man  Jane sings How Firm a Foundation a cappella, the soundtrack picks it up, and the instrumental version plays beneath images of Trixie giving Alma the home remedy provided by Doc (in lieu of narcotics), then sitting on the floor and playing with Sofia. Cut to Seth accepting the bag packed by Sol (his platonic workplace wife) and heading out into the wilderness.
Deadwood Plague Season 1 Episode 6 Editors Rating 5 stars * * * * *  Previous Next  Photo: HBO

Welcome to 12 Days of Deadwood, in which Matt Zoller Seitz, author of the upcoming A Lie Agreed Upon: The Deadwood Chronicles, revisits the first season of the landmark HBO drama one episode at a time. Up today: Plague, written by Malcolm MacRury and directed by Davis Guggenheim, which originally aired on April 25, 2004.

Early in the bluntly titled Plague, A.W. Merrick asks Doc Cochran, whos passing through the Gem, if he wants a libation, adding, I wonder if he thought I said Live patient?

That malaprop-driven joke sums up a brutal and exhausting hour: Live patients (and dead bodies) keep getting in the way of libations. A plague is upon the camp. Cy Tolliver tries to deny it, but the truth is as plain as smallpox scars. Al called Doc to the Gem to see after a client who was unable to perform due to lung trouble and back pain. (Al paid the attendant worker a dollar to wait.)

Already a rare spiritually focused American TV series, Deadwood doubles down by setting much of the inaugural seasons action against a biblically inflected plague that torments the just and unjust alike. Al name-checks Sodom and Gomorrah and says he was raised to call this type of event plague from the get-go, though he has agreed to the Docs request to keep that in reserve in case our luck holds and the rats descend on us too. The body politic is infected and inflamed. The illness must be treated, managed, and passed through the system.

Had metafictional commentary been called for, someone wouldve noted the timing. In Here Was a Man, the plague starts visibly infecting people on the same day bad mojo rises around Wild Bill. The montage of grief and outrage that follows Bills murder includes a shot of Andy Cramed, Cys soon-to-be-abandoned friend, shivering in a bed at the Bella Union. The plague spreads further in the next episode, The Trial of Jack McCall, which sees multiple new infections, Andy getting dumped, the boy who never sampled Nebraska pussy dying short of heaven, and the Reverend seizing on the Gem floor after a meeting called to plan a civic response to the outbreak.

Used to have a fuckin brother given to that, Al says, after the Reverends seizure passes and the dagger sheath is taken from his teeth, incidentally explaining why he knows what to do. Wed make pennies off it when itd come over him in the street. Als citation of his (historically nonexistent) brother has a metaphoric resonance. For the camp to survive, all must act as their brothers keeper.

As was the case in The Trial of Jack McCall, there sometimes seem to be two Als in Deadwood. One is obsessed with wresting a supposedly played-out but actually rich find from a forcibly dope-addled widow whose husband he had killed and whose adopted daughter nearly suffered the same fate. Al is smart to doubt Trixies commitment to getting the widow hooked on dope in lieu of laudanum. Trixie is in cahoots with the widow, helping her dry out. This passes, she tells Alma, perhaps alluding to personal experience. Trixie advises Alma to playact highness to flummox E.B. You can do it, Alma, Trixie says. Look at all the practice youve had. Alma succeeds beyond Trixies imaginings, rising up in bed all damp and breathy during E.B.s supposed laundry visit and sending him scurrying from the room. The dope has made the widow randy, he tells Al, buying her some time at least.

The other Al, the impulsively constructive one, again volunteers his joint for a milestone in the camps development. He keeps the meeting on point and even commands Johnny to procure fruit for the occasion. The latter is, judging from Johnnys bewilderment, a request Al has never made before. Saloons deal in fermented sugar, not fresh off the vine. Deadwood doesnt offer the latter, but the consumption of canned peaches and pears seems another bellwether of incipient civilization. Its easy for 21st-century tenderfoots to forget that in 1875, canned fruit was a technological wonder, their equivalent of boxed soup or microwavable rice packs. And feeding people has a different energy than supplying them with alcohol and dope. The latter entices people to stay up all night and part with their money. Food makes them more inclined to work through the day, complete the task at hand, and think about the future.

Al gets all of this even if he never thinks of himself as getting it. Of Deadwoods two saloon big shots, Cys the one who publicly playacts the role of civic leader, and at the end of the day, Al cites his Chinamans Alley real estate as proof that Cys got brass fucking balls and a long-term vision for the future. But its really Al who fits that profile, because his vision encompasses the welfare of others. That he officially considers the welfare of others mainly in relation to himself and his ledgers bottom line, and redefines kind acts (like keeping the palsied and disabled Jewel on staff) in terms of self-interest, doesnt mitigate against the idea that Als as constructive as he is malevolent. Cy chastises young Joey, the Nebraska pussy enthusiast, for showing around a list that included pandemic-management items and sends him straight upstairs to keep him from dampening the mood of drinks and craps players (a group that includes Ellsworth, celebrating his workin fuckin gold claim with Joanie Stubbs); but its Al, standing side by side with Cy, who spots Joey seizing on a mattress and says, Why dont we do something together? Us and several others?

Als the one who pushes the idea that the Deadwood Pioneer should get ahead of the crisis and run a story about proactive pandemic management to get a jump on them fuckin panic-mongers. He proves to be a masterful public-relations man and unofficial editor-publisher to A.W., insisting on rewrites to make the story comprehensible to a community packed with nonreaders and nonthinkers. Free and gratis mean the same thing, after all. Is the idea to inform your reader or make him feel like a fuckin dunce, huh? Al asks Dan, rhetorically as usual.

Cy, in contrast, instigates a cover-up to keep money flowing into his joint and alienates his people. Joanie is already starting to withdraw from her malevolent lover-boss. She initiated a bathtub make-out near the end of the last episode to save herself from having to talk to Cy. A scene in this episode finds Cy warning an obviously depressed Joanie to quit acting sad lest her free ride come to a quick fuckin halt. Eddie Sawyer keeps seeming as if hes about to read Cy the riot act over his pandemic mismanagement only to bite his tongue instead. Still he radiates disdain. Cys face and words confirm hes noticed the card sharps rebuke. Cy does participate in the civic meeting, offers up a plot in the Chinese section for holding triage tents, and thanks Al for not putting the stink on me by telling the other members of the governing body hed been trying to cover up the pandemic mere hours earlier. Its enough to make you wonder if hes coming around to the whole 1 Corinthians 12 thing.

Theres a lot more going on in this episode, but it feels intertwined with the plague story because its about commonality, interdependence, collective responsibility, coincidence/fate, and the notion that two heads are better than one when it comes to solving problems and such.

The episode starts with the most shocking scene of violence since Bills killing, the mano a mano to the death between Seth Bullock and a Lakota brave (Juddson Keith Linn) that feels like it goes on for days. Seth admits he survived the ordeal through sheer luck. He mightve died himself had Charlie Utter, returning home from a parcel pickup, not randomly stumbled upon his knocked-out body. Seth cant hate the man who nearly killed him because, thanks to Charlie, he knows their fight was rooted in cultural misunderstanding  one he posthumously tries to rectify by giving him a proper Lakota burial rather than a Christian one. This is only the sixth episode in the series, but its the fourth one in which Seth becomes a key participant in a memorial service. The Reverends not there to nudge his conscience, but Charlie makes a fine stand-in.

Recalling that Jane happened across Andy in much the same way, you may ask how accidental anything is on Deadwood. Jane seems meant to find and care for Andy, her lack of symptoms indicating immunity to Doc and thus the invitation to work with him in the plague tents. Charlie seems meant to find and minister to Seth and help him give his fallen foe a proper burial. Ned Mason seemed meant to enter Deadwood rather than Cheyenne after fleeing the site of the massacre in exactly the wrong direction. Seth speculates that his happening upon that burial ground and triggering the braves attack interrupted his mission of vengeance and saved Jack McCalls life. Charlie notes that the warriors buddy is headless, which suggests he was once the owner of the noggin now residing in a box in Als saloon, the very place where Al offered $50 per native head in the pilot. If E.B. hadnt been so rattled by Almas pantomime of doped-up lust, he mightve agreed to clean her bedsheets rather than tell Trixie to take them to the Chinaman, an exchange that leads to Trixie chatting with Sol in the thoroughfare and establishing an instant connection. Sofia would still have a family if Al hadnt associated with loose-cannon road agents, and shed be dead by Als hand if Doc hadnt blocked the door of his cabin when Als henchman Dan came calling. Sofia sings a song in English: Row Your Boat. She learned it from Jane and Charlie. Well see each other again down the road, Jane tells Sofia.

This plot thread cannot say to that plot thread, I have no need of thee. All are necessary.
Christmas in Italy is rich in traditions and offers a feast for the senses.

The presepe or Nativity scene plays a central role in Italy over the festive season, with Christmas cribs appearing across the country, and not just in churches.

Italy is after all, the home of the world's first Nativity scene, created in 1223 by St Francis in the hilltown of Greccio, north of Rome.

As might be expected, the Italian capital offers the world's greatest array of cribs, with some of the most unusual varieties on display at the annual 100 Presepi exhibition in St Peter's Square.

Alongside replicas of traditional Neapolitan, Sicilian and Roman mangers, there are modern versions made from wood and terracotta, as well as unconventional materials such as rice, metal or chocolate. There is even one in the driver's cabin of an ATAC electric bus.

Also in St Peter's Square this Christmas is the Vatican's first Nativity Scene from the Americas, with 30 life-sized figurines dressed in Andean costumes.

Vatican Nativity Scene 2021. Photo Il Messaggero.

The Nativity scene - created by artists from the Chopcca Nation of indigenous peoples in Peru's remote Huancavelica region - features alpacas, llamas and a condor.

The figurines are dressed in traditional Chopcca costumes, with Baby Jesus wrapped in a typical Huancavelica blanket tied with a "chumpi" or woven belt.

Reflecting the times we live in, the church of S. Maria in Trastevere has a crib scene featuring masked people with a covid Green Pass, while the oldest sculptural Nativity in Rome, created by Arnaldo di Cambio in 1291, can be viewed inside the Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore.

To see the oldest Nativity scene made from stucco you will have to go to Urbino, in central-east Italy, where the Oratory of St Joseph hosts the 16th-century presepe of Federico Brandani.

Christmas in Cinque Terre, Italy

Moving away from the traditional, Italy's riviera in the northern Liguria region is home to what is hailed as the world's largest Nativity scene.

The Cinque Terre hilltop village of Manarola is illuminated with 17,000 lights featuring around 250 life-sized figures, including shepherds and fishermen.

Sand Nativity scenes at Jesolo, Italy

The seaside resort of Jesolo near Venice in north-east Italy hosts an annual festival with 12 monumental Nativity scenes made entirely from sand, by international sculptors.

Meanwhile the world's largest Christmas tree is lit up each year on the slopes of Monte Ingino, overlooking the mediaeval town of Gubbio in the central Umbria region.

The town illuminates the tree, measuring 750 metres in height, with more than 700 lights.

In recent years the pilgrimage site of Assisi, also in Umbria, illuminates its ancient landmarks with images of Giotto's frescoes.

Christmas in Assisi, Italy

Italy is also known for its magical Christmas markets, the most notable ones being in the north: Trentino, Aosta and Bolzano, as well as the Mercatino di Natale in Milan's central Piazza del Duomo, Arezzo (Tuscany) and Naples, which is also home to the street of artisan crib-makers on Via S. Gregorio Armeno.

Central and southern Italy boasts one of the most evocative traditions, and certainly the loudest: the bagpipe-playing shepherds known as zampognari.

Lastly it wouldn't be Christmas in Italy without tasty festive treats which vary from region to region.

Christmas in Italy - pandoro or panettone (or both)?

Traditionally Italians eat a large seafood dinner on Christmas Eve, or la vigilia di natale, with the nation divided each year over which is the best Italian Christmas cake: pandoro and panettone.

Cover photo: Giant Christmas tree on Monte Ingino, Gubbio
For the past several years I have been putting together a list of that years best nonfiction, with special attention to books that taught me things I didnt know. This has been an exceptional year for serious books; perhaps being locked down is good for creativity. Never have I had such trouble winnowing my list to 15. Nevertheless, here are my picks, all highly recommended, presented in random order  as usual, no tyranny of the alphabet!  and concluding with my choice for best nonfiction book of the year.
The work of the NEA and the need for arts and creativity are more important now than ever. In addition to serving as an economic engine, arts and creativity are core to what it takes to heal our nation, our communities, and ourselves, she said. . . . The NEA plays a crucial role in helping to provide funds and other resources needed for the sector to recover, retool, and reopen. The agency also has the opportunity and responsibility to deepen and expand its already purposeful efforts to reach communities who have been traditionally underserved.
In an informal survey of my colleagues who work in college counseling centers nationwide, other clinicians agreed they had seen an increase in student complaints of depersonalization or derealization. Some had noticed this over the course of the pandemic, not just when most campuses reopened a few months ago. One psychiatrist commented that even pre-pandemic, she encountered these symptoms more frequently among college students than among adults in other settings where she had worked, such as in a clinic for people with chronic mental illness.
Van full of Christmas toys stolen in New Mexico: Time is of the essence for the Salvation Army in New Mexico now that the Grinch has thrown a wrench into the group's holiday toy program. A van loaded with $6,000 worth of toys set to be passed out to hundreds of children was stolen this week from a store parking lot in Farmington. Meant for more than 350 children, the toys were set to be distributed on Dec. 20. Now, the hope is to replace the stolen toys before Monday.

Lt. Christopher Rockwell with the Salvation Army Farmington Corps told KOB-TV that the community has already responded in a big way by donating more toys and money.
She said the reign would come to an end when we take the steps to be more aggressive with law enforcement, more aggressive with the changes in our policies, and less tolerant of all the bulls--- that has destroyed our city.
At least 22 die after drinking bootleg alcohol in Istanbul: At least 22 people died and 16 others were hospitalized in critical condition after consuming bootleg alcohol in Istanbul, said the local governor's office, adding that four people have been arrested over the matter. Eleven of those who died, as well as five of those hospitalized, were foreign nationals, the governor's office said. A total of 46 people had been admitted to the hospital for alcohol poisoning.
After senators cleared Emanuel and the judges, 56 other nominees were confirmed Saturday morning by voice votes. The Senate is not scheduled to be back in full session until Jan. 3, when Democrats are hoping to advance major pieces of unfinished business that have been firmly opposed by Republicans  the sweeping domestic policy bill known as Build Back Better and a pair of voting rights bills.
Huey Larkins, who keeps a torn, 30-year-old photo of himself as a bodybuilder in his glove compartment, maneuvered his car into a parking space. He hoisted his walker out of the trunk and headed for the front doors. He was about to turn 65 and lose a $380 disability check from the company he worked for when he was injured in a car crash. He also collects benefits from Social Security but wanted to know whether they would grow if he filed for retirement. But he does not have a computer, leaving the office as his only option for information. And it was locked.
There is more to learn about what happened as a precursor to the coming elections in 2022 and 2024 and more concerted efforts to disrupt certification. Even McConnell now seems to agree that this investigation is vital. In an interview he gave to Spectrum News, he said: I think the fact-finding is interesting. Were all going to be watching it. It was a horrendous event, and I think what theyre seeking to find out is something the public needs to know.
The Amtrak Crescent train traveling from New Orleans to New York on Tuesday is stopped in Lynchburg, Va. (AP)

A winter storm continued to delay train travel for many passengers along the East Coast on Wednesday.
Given how much work needs to be done, and given that we have not yet achieved clarity on other issues  there is still a lot of work to be done, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the State Department. Time is running out, he said, to avoid the moment when the nuclear agreement they are working to reestablish becomes a corpse that cannot be revived.
AHPRA relies on medical practitioners to practice in scope of practice for which they are adequately trained and experienced. That is fundamental to the way in which the national law has been set up. Its the trust game. We dont operate on restricting peoples scope. We leave that to the individual practitioner along with their credentialing authority, their employer or the practice in which they work et cetera, to make sure that people are practising in the areas where they do have the appropriate expertise, she said. On Monday, the federal and state governments launched a landmark review aimed at overhauling laws into who can call themselves a cosmetic surgeon after a joint investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Four Corners uncovered a litany of disturbing practices at a network of clinics run by celebrity cosmetic surgeon Daniel Lanzer, including allegations of serious hygiene and safety breaches and botched surgeries that left some patients in extreme pain. You wait for the dead person to be presented for consideration after the fact  but there is no field into which a doctor might not stray. Senator Deborah ONeill Two weeks earlier, AHPRA announced a sweeping review of the multibillion-dollar cosmetic surgery industry, acknowledging that a profit-driven culture had led to dangerous practices. But cosmetic surgery is the tip of the iceberg.

Senator Deborah ONeill responded to Dr Tonkins explanation of scope of practice with a chilling observation. Im very concerned that youre telling me that if theres a greedy doctor who finds a business model that is lucrative, the current law and structures of the law in Australia allow them to do that with a high degree of impunity and certainly a lack of supervision unless something goes wrong. Labor Senator Deborah ONeill. Credit:Eamon Gallagher She pointed out the reactionary rather than proactive nature of AHPRA as a regulator of the health system. You wait for the dead person to be presented for consideration after the fact  but there is no field into which a doctor might not stray if they were so inclined. The video, taken just over 12 months ago, was shown to specialist plastic surgeon Mark Ashton, a professor of surgery at the University of Melbourne, who described the dancing surgeons as dangerous and disrespectful. Dr Lanzer, who recently surrendered his registration and will no longer practice medicine in Australia, reprimanded the staff, said the anaesthetist was not his employee, and the video was not posted on social media.

The professional organisation for specialist anaesthetists, the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), slammed the dancing anaesthetist, Dr Terrence Palmer. The president of ANZCA Dr Vanessa Beavis, said ANZCA was dismayed and appalled that any practitioner who is caring for an unconscious patient behaves in the disrespectful and unprofessional manner shown in the recent joint investigation Cosmetic Cowboys by The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and Four Corners. Dr Palmer isnt a member of ANZCA, which is responsible for training, assessing, and setting standards for all specialist anaesthetists and specialist pain medicine physicians wishing to practice in Australia and New Zealand. Recent media reports on the cosmetic surgery industry highlighting the practices of an anaesthetist in a Sydney day surgery hospital are extremely concerning and do not reflect the safe clinical standards practised by the specialist anaesthetists who are fellows of ANZCA (FANZCA), Dr Beavis said in a statement. The Jolene video was recorded at Surry Hills Day Hospital. A search of Google lists Dr Palmer as an anaesthetist on the hospitals website. A search of the AHPRA registration lists his qualifications as a Bachelor of medicine and surgery from the United Kingdom.

Responding to questions, Dr Palmer said he completed higher professional training in anaesthetics from 1982 to 1986 in the UK, but emigrated to Australia without final fellowship. He said he holds a general registration. I have provided non-specialist anaesthetic services in both public and private institutions since 1986, he said. I do not hold myself out as a specialist anaesthetist, nor do I market my services. I am not mentioned in the current Surry Hills Day Hospital website. I was unaware that I was mentioned on an old Surry Hills Day Hospital Website that is at least six years out of date. Dr Palmer was the anaesthetist who administered the general anaesthetic to the 42-year-old woman who was rushed to St Vincents Hospital in November in a critical condition after her partner found her unconscious in a hotel room from significant blood loss hours after tummy tuck and liposuction treatment at Sydneys Surry Hills Day Hospital. Marie in ICU at St Vincents Hospital hours after a cosmetic surgery procedure. There is no suggestion Dr Palmer was responsible for her condition but when asked about the general anaesthetic she said she had no idea there was a distinction between an anaesthetist and a specialist anaesthetist.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size If theres an image that stays in the mind after seeing Tarnanthi at the Art Gallery of South Australia, its a pale, ghostly Wandjina by Angelina Karadada Boona. This mysterious spirit figure, whose origins disappear in the mists of prehistory, has been reinvented as an elusive portrait. Its here and not-quite-here; captured in the act of disappearing or coming into being. I thought of those so-called spirit photos, in which a camera captures a whiff of ectoplasm lurking in the recesses of an old house, but Boonas Wandjinas also serve as a potent symbol of Indigenous culture. From the time of the First Fleet it was believed Aboriginal people would simply disappear, as their primitive lifestyles were subsumed by western civilisation. When communities refused to accept the fate decreed by Social Darwinism, melancholy reflection gave way to active coercion. Along came the missions, the stations, the herding of diverse groups into ad-hoc settlements; and the child removal policies that created the Stolen Generation. Angelina Karadada Boona, Wandjina Emerging II, 2020 Credit: Sarah Duguid Through it all, Indigenous people have proven to be amazingly resilient. They have taken what they needed from the march of progress while sticking resolutely to their age-old beliefs and traditions. For many people in the remote communities, the Wandjinas, the Rainbow Serpent, and other ancestor figures, have the same reality as Jesus does to practising Christians. Some figures, such as the artist, Jarinyaru David Downs, had no difficulty reconciling Christian beliefs with local Creation stories. Gail Mabo, Tagai 2020 Credit:: AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins Like Aboriginal life in general, Aboriginal art has been viewed in elegaic terms. Many believe it will inevitably decline as the elderly artists who have experienced traditional lifestyles, are replaced by a younger generation with less connection to the land. The only problem with this prophecy of doom is that its not coming true. Ever since the Aboriginal art movement was born at Papunya Tula in the early 1970s, each generation has produced a new group of outstanding artists. The new artists have been more innovative, more outward-looking than their predecessors, but no less devoted to country  the bedrock on which all Indigenous culture subsists.

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Karen Mills Untitled: Cycadsong from the series Some day we will walk together [on Country]. Credit:Fiona Morrison Tarnanthi, launched in 2015, has become Australias most important biennial survey of Indigenous art. Along with the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, held every year in Darwin, Tarnanthi is essential viewing for anyone with an interest in the field. Loading Curator Nici Cumpston, who has been involved with Tarnanthi since its inception, has travelled all over Australia to research these exhibitions. Shes visited artists on their home territory, listened to their stories, and tried to stitch together a vivid, composite portrait of the state of the art. In a field in which there is no shortage of extroverts and opportunists, Cumpston is a modest, sympathetic personality who deserves to be better recognised. Tarnanthi curator Nici Cumpston with works by Katjarra Butler. Credit:Saul Steed The strength of Tarnanthi is that it has always been uniquely receptive to the art and artists, not subject to the dictates of fashion or ideology. This year has presented more challenges than usual, as travel restrictions meant that most of the show had to be assembled via remote control. In the past, Tarnanthi has been presented as a festival, with hundreds of people descending on Adelaide from all over the country. This year the activities have been muted, and theres less sheer spectacle than in previous outings. Nevertheless, its an exhibition full of surprises and dazzling variety.

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John Prince Siddon, Mix it all up, 2019, Credit:Saul Steed For those whove never seen his work before, there will be no one more surprising than John Prince Siddon. Looking at his surreal, encyclopaedic paintings that combine traditional motifs, local history, and personal stories with reflections on current affairs, one might think Siddon had studied at the Victorian College of the Arts, perhaps under Gareth Sansom or Jon Cattapan. Instead, he is completely self-taught  a former stockman who lost a leg in an accident, and has subsequently devoted himself to art. Former stockman John Prince Siddon with his work 4 - Bullock skull, Tarnanthi 2021, Art Gallery of South Australia. Credit:Saul Steed Siddon is all over this show. His work is on the cover of the catalogue and has been used to paper the long entrance wall of the downstairs gallery. He paints animals, boat people, fantastic landscapes, even the unmistakable mug of Scott Morrison. The works are eccentric by any standards, let alone those of Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley, where Siddon resides. The title of his largest painting in this show, Mix It All Up (2019) is a good summary of his working methods. Its a veritable orgy of shape-shifting animals, fish, birds and insects. A shark swallowing a man in a canoe is also a shark-shaped pool. A larger pond suggests the map of Australia. A redback spider carries a Union Jack. Theres a joyous feel in this free-flowing invention thats rarely encountered in any form of art. Timo Hogan, Lake Baker, 2021, Credit:Grant Hancock  Timothy Hogan/Spinifex Arts Project, Another impressive feat is an enormous painting by Pitjantjatjara artist, Timo Hogan. Spread across three panels of 2x3 metres each, Lake Baker (2021) is Hogans masterpiece to date: four creamy-white shapes set against a black background, surrounded by a thin row of dots and the long, liquid form of a watersnake that moulds its body to the curve of the lake. Echoes of the American Abstract Expressionists are purely coincidental, but hard to ignore.

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Katjarra Butler, Puyurr, 2018 Credit:Katjarra Butler/Tjarlirli ArtHQ In Katjarra Butlers paintings repetition adds force, until its clear that the 16 panels in this display represent a life story and a cosmology. To the untutored observer, each picture is an abstract configuration of sweeping brushstrokes and loose, circular shapes. To the artist they are schematic landscapes and repositories of memory. The colours and forms are meaningful in a way we only begin to discover when we see a video of Butler talking about the old days, telling stories, such as the one about the day her husband speared a big kangaroo. Theres a palpable sense that were not simply looking at a random design but at a kind of dream diary that holds and reconfigures the past. John McDonald on Katjarra Butlers paintings One cant be expected to guess the details behind this exceptional series, yet theres a palpable sense that were not simply looking at a random design but at a kind of dream diary that holds and reconfigures the past. Kaylene Whiskey, Seven Sistas Sign, 2021, Indulkana, South Australia, water-based enamel paint on SA Tourist Attraction road sign. Credit:Saul Steed There are a lot of things in this show worthy of the closest attention. Kaylene Whiskey has become a crowd pleaser with her folky pictures of superheroines, pop stars and celebrities, but these are appreciated with a glance and smile. I was more taken with a large, collaborative painting made by 12 artists at Tjungu Palya, in which each individual hand is easily discernible, but the final composition knotted as tightly as a woven basket. There are bold, confident canvases by Yaritji Young and Doris Bush Nungarrayi; enigmatic pictures by Karen Mills; a room hung floor to ceiling with works on paper by Tiwi artists; and an irresistible set of painted cars made from old sumps retrieved from wrecks by eight artists of the Minyma Kutjara Arts Project.

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The House Uptown by Melissa Ginsburg (Faber) This beautifully written novel follows teenager Ava, who is sent to live with her eccentric grandmother, Lane, in New Orleans after her mother dies. Lane, an artist, is preoccupied with her work as Ava learns to navigate a strange new life with a little help from Lanes assistant, Oliver.

When Things Are Alive They Hum by Hannah Bent (Ultimo Press) At once uplifting and heartbreaking, this is a story about the special bond between two sisters. Marlowe is finishing her PhD in London when she gets the call to return home to Hong Kong for a family emergency; Harper, who lives with Down syndrome  or Ups as she calls it  has a failing heart.

Magpie by Elizabeth Day (Fourth Estate)

This gripping domestic noir novel tackles the pain and anguish of infertility. Happy couple Marisa and Jake are trying for a baby when they take in a lodger, Kate. Gradually Marisas uneasiness about the situation turns to suspicion and despair as the story unfolds in a series of shocking twists and turns.

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The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller (Viking)

A poignant and evocative novel about a family and their ramshackle holiday home on Cape Cod. Set over 24 hours, Elle Bishop  married to a man she loves, with children she adores  reflects on her life and past summers at the house as she faces a life-changing decision of the heart.

Love & Virtue by Diana Reid (Ultimo Press)

Reid explores themes of power, privilege and consent in her captivating debut novel that follows two students, Michaela and Eve, living on campus at a Sydney university. The two girls initially forge a close friendship, until the truth about a drunken encounter during orientation week is revealed.

Devotion by Hannah Kent (Picador)

Set in the 1830s, this love story follows teenagers Hanne, an outsider in her conservative village, and kindred spirit Thea, as their Lutheran community flees persecution in Europe and sets out on a dangerous journey to resettle in the new colony of South Australia.
ATAGI recognises that the epidemiological situation and evidence regarding boosters is evolving rapidly and will frequently review the timing of booster doses, the statement said. Late on Friday afternoon, the Victorian government released a report in Parliament officially declaring the Victorian outbreak a pandemic under new legislation that means the government can impose fresh public health orders if case numbers continue to soar. The declaration by Premier Daniel Andrews  which applies from December 16  replaces the now-expired state of emergency provisions previously used to justify public health orders such as mask mandates, travel limits, curfews and stay-at-home rules. The report, a legal requirement outlining the governments reasoning for the pandemic declaration, paves the way for further public health orders if they are needed. It makes clear there is still a serious risk to public health arising from COVID-19.

But in an ominous warning, the report suggests vaccines alone will not be sufficient to manage the outbreak. While the considerable protection offered by high vaccination rates amounts to a significant change in the risk profile, the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to leave a significant number of people exposed to risk, the report said. The Premier was satisfied that current vaccination rates alone will not suffice to contain transmission within health system capacity, and available treatments are only partially effective in mitigating serious illness or death. The pandemic declaration follows a promise by Mr Andrews that there will be no more lockdowns after the state reached its vaccination targets.

However, since then, the vaccine evasive and highly contagious Omicron variant has triggered renewed doubts about the ability of the health system to cope, particularly if case numbers continue to rise. There are limited preventative and therapeutic interventions to manage COVID-19 and  other than vaccines  many interventions remain supportive (oxygen, ventilation etc.) rather than curative or preventive, the report said. The available therapeutic interventions of antivirals, steroids and supportive care, have been shown to be only partially effective in reducing mortality and decreasing hospital stays. On Sunday, the federal government announced that waiting times for booster shots would be reduced from six months to five.

It means more than two million more Australians will come eligible for a booster this month, at a time when state vaccine hubs are closing, GPs are scaling back over Christmas and people are gathering more with friends and family. Infectious disease experts have been calling for a further shortening of the waiting time for booster shots to three or four months. Those who are immunocompromised in Australia are able to get their booster dose earlier, as soon as two months after they finish their initial course. The vaccine expert panels decision to keep the booster shots five months after the second vaccine dose was heavily criticised by University of South Australia epidemiologist Adrian Esterman, who said he was worried about the thousands of older Australians who had received an AstraZeneca shot several months ago. While AstraZeneca is thought to provide some level of protection against severe illness and hospitalisation, he said emerging research suggests that it may provide far less protection against transmission of the new variant than mRNA vaccines, including Pfizer.

In some studies, AstraZeneca had been shown not to be able to stimulate an antibody response strong enough to neutralise Omicron and appear to show very little protection against people being infected with new variant, Professor Esterman said. We have all these elderly people who are totally exposed susceptible to Omicron who probably wont be able to get their jabs to January or February, the former adviser to the World Health Organisation said. However, Pharmacy Guild president Trent Twomey said he supported the decision to keep the five-month interval. We need to make sure people are protected now but also into next winter, Mr Twomey said.

Data from the federal health department shows pharmacies administered about 50,300 jabs on Thursday, more than double the roughly 17,800 given at the same time two weeks ago. In the UK, where new cases have soared to almost 80,000 a day, a record for the pandemic, authorities have cut the time between the vaccine and booster to three months. In Denmark, the interval has been reduced to four and half months.

Australian Medical Association national president Omar Khorshid said the booster program would be the most important vaccine rollout in the pandemic so far. He said it was too soon to determine how much protection Australias two dose vaccine program provided against severe disease and hospitalisation with Omicron, but it was widely accepted it did not prevent against transmission. Omicron is emerging as a huge threat, even though we dont yet know its severity, the numbers are really scary, he said. Even with a lower severity than Delta it will still cause significant pressures on hospitals and ICU beds when the cases reach the thousands. He said Victorians should brace for an extremely rapid rise of Omicron cases in the community in the coming weeks. Dr Khorsid said the Victorian government would be unlikely to enforce another lockdown unless hospitals were falling apart a scenario he did not foresee happening if the booster program was rolled out effectively and public health measures, such as mask wearing, remained in place.

Coronavirus admissions to hospitals have been steadily increasing and on Friday rose to 386 admissions, up from 289 two weeks ago. Of the hospitalisations, 86 were in intensive care and 43 of whom were ventilated. Another 36 people also remained in intensive care. On Friday, 1510 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Victoria as clusters at two popular bars in Melbourne swelled to 28 cases, amid growing concerns the outbreak is being driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant. Sixteen positive cases are now connected to The Peel Hotel in Collingwood and a further 12 to Sircuit Bar in Fitzroy. One case has already been confirmed as the highly contagious Omicron variant, while genomic sequencing continues for the remaining 27 cases. Victoria currently has 19 confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, with five of Fridays new cases of the variant found in travellers from NSW, and one in an international arrival. On Friday, a number of testing sites in inner Melbourne were recording wait times of two hours. One of the shortest waits was at the St Albans Victoria University Campus, where in the early afternoon people were in and out in 15 minutes.

Loading In the past week, COVID-19 cases have undergone an unprecedented surge in NSW, where Omicron clusters have been detected, rising more than threefold, from 516 to 2200 daily cases in the space of a week. The Victorian and NSW governments also announced on Friday that both states would scrap their 72-hour isolation requirements for international arrivals next week. From Tuesday, all fully vaccinated international travellers and flight crew arriving in NSW and Victoria will be required to get a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival and isolate until they receive a negative result. Earlier this month, the two states introduced additional restrictions on people arriving from overseas, in light of the new Omicron variant of concern.
Australia confronted a new form of polarisation in 2021 as gender replaced location and identity as the dominant fault line in our politics. The familiar electoral divides that separate the cities and the regions  and younger cosmopolitan Australians from older white Australians  are still there. But they have been scrambled by the debate we had to have this year about sexism and abuse in our most powerful workplace, the Federal Parliament.

A female wave of protest that began in February when former government staffer Brittany Higgins revealed an alleged rape by a colleague on the eve of the 2019 federal election, has gathered a force of its own, shifting from a single issue to an organised political movement. Now high-profile independent women are targeting once-safe government seats on platforms of integrity, and faster action on climate change.

Brittany Higgins speaks at the March 4 Justice protest to rally against ongoing abuse and discrimination of women in Canberra. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

The threshold demand from women for genuine equality at home, in work and in our institutions cuts across generations. It threatens the Coalitions natural advantage among older voters by splitting its base at every kitchen table in the country.

Yet this argument  unimaginable a year ago and which Scott Morrison needlessly turned against himself with his tone-deaf response early on  can run both ways. If women appear to be uniting against Morrison and his male-dominated government, where does the other side of gender gap go in a masculine culture like ours?
Former Liberal staffer Rachelle Miller is threatening to withdraw from the investigation into her relationship with stood-aside cabinet minister Alan Tudge before she even gives evidence, amid concerns over the independent inquiry.

The inquiry is being led by Vivienne Thom, a former Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security. It was ordered by Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier this month after Ms Miller went public with new allegations about the pairs relationship.

Former Liberal staffer Rachelle Miller has threatened to withdraw from the inquiry into her allegations against the former minister. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Ms Miller, the ministers former media adviser, alleged that during their affair Mr Tudge, who was her boss, was emotionally abusive and on one occasion physically abusive while the pair were travelling together for work. Mr Tudge has denied the allegations but stood aside temporarily after Ms Miller went public with these fresh allegations.

A letter sent by Ms Millers lawyer, Peter Gordon, to the Australian Government Solicitors office  and subsequently obtained by The Sunday Age and The Sun-Herald  states Ms Thoms independent inquiry may very unfortunately suffer from a number of the shortcomings of the current complaints process identified by the Foster Review and the Jenkins process.
London: Boris Johnsons attempts to move on from the Tories by-election defeat were undermined when it emerged his most senior official, tasked with investigating Christmas party lockdown breaches, had himself attended a festive gathering.

The UKs top civil servant Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, was appointed 10 days ago to lead the inquiry into the claims about government Christmas parties last year.

But in the last 24 hours, it emerged that he was aware that his own staff held a virtual quiz last December where alcohol and food were served. He also briefly appeared at the event.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case did not stay at his offices trivia night but did walk through it on his way to his private office. Credit:Getty

Last night, Case recused himself and Sue Gray, a senior civil servant who spent several years overseeing propriety and ethics in the government, will now take on the investigation.
New York: Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein who was charged with sex trafficking after the financiers death, has refused take the stand in her own defence.

US District Judge Alison Nathan asked the 59-year-old British socialite to stand in court on Friday afternoon (Saturday AEDT), explaining that Maxwell had the right to either testify in her own defence or to decline.

Your Honour, the government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, so there is no reason for me to testify, Maxwell responded, attitude defiant.

Ghislaine Maxwell, left, refuses to testify at her sex-trafficking trial but has appeared active in her own defence. Credit:AP

After 12 days of testimony over three weeks, jurors have now heard from all the witnesses for the prosecution and the defence.
Today

Sunshine followed by increasing clouds; seasonably chilly.

Tonight

Cloudy with snow at times from late evening on. Snow accumulating 1-3 inches with slightly higher amounts possible south and east.

Tomorrow

Morning snow ends very early, then clouds break for some sunshine; brisk and cold.
Members of Germanys center-right Christian Democratic Union, the party of former Chancellor Angela Merkel, have chosen prominent conservative Friedrich Merz as its new leader. Merz beat two centrist contenders while winning 62.1% support in a ballot of the partys membership. A party congress next month will have to sign off officially on the vote, but that should only be a formality. Merz will replace Armin Laschet, who led the two-party Union bloc to its worst-ever election result in September. It was narrowly beaten by the center-left Social Democrats of new Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The CDU is now Germany's biggest opposition party. Merz said Friday he wants it to be constructive and inclusive.
Russia has published draft security demands that NATO deny membership to Ukraine and other former Soviet countries and roll back the alliances military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. The bold ultimatums are almost certain to be rejected by the U.S. and its allies. The proposals also call for a ban on sending U.S. and Russian warships and aircraft to areas from where they can strike each others territory, along with a halt to NATO military drills near Russia. NATOs secretary-general responded Friday by emphasizing that any security talks with Moscow would need to take into account NATO concerns and involve Ukraine and other partners. The demands come amid soaring tensions over a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine.
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A federal appeals court panel on Friday allowed President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead, reversing a previous decision on a requirement that could affect some 84 million U.S workers.

A syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic at the Keystone First Wellness Center in Chester, Pa., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

A federal appeals court panel on Friday allowed President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead, reversing a previous decision on a requirement that could affect some 84 million U.S workers.

The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati overrules a decision by a federal judge in a separate court that had paused the mandate nationwide.

The mandate from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration was to take effect Jan. 4. With Fridays ruling, its not clear when the requirement might be put in place, but the White House said in a statement that it will protect workers: "Especially as the U.S. faces the highly transmissible Omicron variant, its critical we move forward with vaccination requirements and protections for workers with the urgency needed in this moment.

Republican state attorneys general and conservative groups said they would appeal Fridays decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

FILE - A health worker administers a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination clinic at the Keystone First Wellness Center in Chester, Pa., Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. On Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, a federal appeals court panel allowed President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Twenty-seven Republican-led states joined with conservative groups, business associations and some individual businesses to push back against the requirement as soon as OSHA published the rules in early November. They argued the agency was not authorized to make the emergency rule, in part because the coronavirus is a general health risk and not one faced only by employees at work.

The panel's majority disagreed.

Given OSHAs clear and exercised authority to regulate viruses, OSHA necessarily has the authority to regulate infectious diseases that are not unique to the workplace, Judge Julia Smith Gibbons, who was nominated to the court by former President George W. Bush, a Republican, wrote in her majority opinion.

Vaccination and medical examinations are both tools that OSHA historically employed to contain illness in the workplace, she wrote.

Gibbons noted that the agency's authority extends beyond just regulating hard hats and safety goggles. She said the vaccine requirement is not a novel expansion of OSHAs power; it is an existing application of authority to a novel and dangerous worldwide pandemic.

FILE - One of many anti-vaccine mandate activists holds a sign during a rally outside Phoenix City Council chambers as the city paused implementation of a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the 14,000 city workers, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, in Phoenix. On Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, a federal appeals court panel allowed President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

She was joined in the majority decision by Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch, an appointee of former President Barrack Obama, a Democrat.

The case was consolidated in the 6th circuit, which is dominated by Republican-appointed judges. Earlier this week, the circuit's active judges rejected a move to have the entire panel consider the case, on an 8-8 vote.

The dissent in Friday's ruling came from Judge Joan Larsen, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, who said Congress did not authorize OSHA to make this sort of rule and that it did not qualify as a necessity to use the emergency procedures the agency followed to put it in place.

Larsen also argued that vaccinated workers do not face grave danger from working with those who are not vaccinated.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, a Republican, said she would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to block the order. At least two conservative advocacy groups said they had already appealed to the nation's highest court.

The Sixth Circuits decision is extremely disappointing for Arkansans because it will force them to get the shot or lose their jobs, Rutledge said.

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South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who also is chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, said in a Twitter message Friday that he was confident the mandate could be stopped.

The vaccine requirement would apply to companies with 100 or more employees and would cover about 84 million workers in the U.S. Employees who are not fully vaccinated would have to wear face masks and be subject to weekly COVID-19 tests. There would be exceptions, including for those who work outdoors or only at home.

The administration has estimated that the rule would save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months. On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor, which includes OSHA, said the 6th circuit's ruling will allow the agency to implement common-sense, science-based measures to keep workers safe and healthy during a deadly pandemic.

The vaccine rule for private employers is separate from other vaccine mandates announced by the Biden administration that apply to federal government contractors and workers in health care facilities that receive funding from Medicaid or Medicare. Those rules also are under assault from conservatives and have been paused in at least some parts of the country.

___

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and DeMillo from Little Rock, Arkansas.
Money is always on the move.

Its flow is like blood coursing through the economy.

Of course, it pools with age and for good reason as we need to use it slowly and gradually in retirement.

And those pools of assets have grown to unprecedented value.

Altogether, Canadian households own $14.2 trillion in 2021, up by about 19 per cent from the previous year, Statistics Canada noted this fall. And about 20 per cent of households  about the percentage of greying Canadians  own about two-thirds of that sum.

A not-so-insignificant fraction of that  about $700 billion  is forecast to flow from one generation to the next by 2026, a recent report from J.D. Power reveals.

Undoubtedly, the pandemic has accelerated the generational wealth transfer or, at the very least, COVID-19 has many people thinking about their estates, legacy and, in some cases, pending inheritances.

To that end, another recent study by Investment Planning Counsel found two in three respondents worried about leaving an estate for loved ones. As well, it reveals inheritance issues were the second most in-demand advice people were looking for from financial professionals, only trailing retirement planning.

The survey shows people want more advice on estate planning and the efficient transfer of wealth, says Sam M. Febbraro, executive vice-president at Investment Planning Counsel.

Those things are top of the list, and thats not surprising.

Indeed, many Manitoba residents want their wealth to help not only themselves but their loved ones, as yet another study  this time by Edward Jones  found, revealing eight in 10 consider leaving an inheritance a priority.

Despite good intentions, Brandon financial adviser Dave Wiebe, with Edward Jones, says not everyone is well prepared on this issue largely because they have been mum on their intentions, though that is changing too because of the pandemic.

Talking about money always seemed a little taboo in the past, says Wiebe.

But things have shifted a lot.

He and other financial professionals have long assisted clients not solely with plans to fund retirement. They often help people understand they have more than enough wealth to fund their lives. In turn, they help individuals create estate plans and even sustainable strategies to give to family and charities while alive.

I have clients who want to transfer wealth to their kids, and the big question is Whats the best way to do that? he says.

He often replies with a question of his own: What would you like to see them do with it?

Thats often where bringing adult children into the conversation is beneficial, albeit potentially uncomfortable at first.

The discomfort is understandable given many families dont talk about money, says Dilys DCruz, head of wealth management of Meridian Credit Union, Ontarios largest credit union.

I would say my family fell in the bucket of 40 per cent of Canadians who dont talk about money when growing up, she says, referring to another recent poll, this one by Meridian.

Only recently did she and her brother meet with their aging parents to discuss a will, its contents and other issues like needs and wants for later life-stage care.

There can be a lot of emotion involved in these discussions, she says. But if you dont have them, then what?

For aging parents, theres often a concern wealth could be squandered (for example, spent on fast cars and big boats). Its an ancient worry, encapsulated by old adages like, from shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.

Made popular in the 19th century by Andrew Carnegie, one of Americas original ultra-wealthy individuals, the saying speaks to a real-world problem with intergenerational wealth. That being the first generation creates wealth; the second squanders it, and then the third must create wealth all over again.

Of course, starting discussions early about money is important because there is an opportunity to discuss the idea of wealth stewardship  which can involve simply learning about budgeting and saving  that will serve children well in adulthood,

Its especially beneficial if kids eventually receive a large windfall like an inheritance, says Janine Guenther, president of Dixon Mitchell Investment Counsel in Vancouver. Increasingly clients  often women in their 50s and upward  are dealing with sudden wealth due to the death of a spouse, divorce or inheritance, she adds.

Not all are well prepared because, even among spouses, discussions about money  particularly investments and estate planning  are not all that common.

When youre married, with jobs and kids, the family divides and conquers, so generally what ends up happening is one person oversees the finances and the other manages household operations, she says.

And there is rarely enough time for the two of them to meet together with a financial adviser.

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More broadly talking about money  be it with your partner, young children, adult children or aging parents  is likely to be most beneficial for everyone if it happens sooner than later.

That way, gifts of assets  large or small, while alive or after death  are likely to have more meaning and benefit.

Discussions dont have to be comprehensive or lengthy, but it is important to be open to each others perspectives while being flexible with our own, Wiebe says.

If you stipulate in the will, for example, that you want half the money to go to an annuity so your kids cant spend it all, that is trying to manage things from the grave.

He adds that is generally less than ideal.

Instead, the conversation should be about what they need to make good decisions with wealth to best help them and their own children.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area both lost population during the pandemic, according to new data released Friday as the nation's most populous state posted just its second year-over-year decline in history.

FILE - A cyclist rides with downtown Los Angles in the background on June 16, 2021, in Los Angeles. For the first time, California's major population centers of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area lost population in the same year, according to data released Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area both lost population during the pandemic, according to new data released Friday as the nation's most populous state posted just its second year-over-year decline in history.

California estimates its population twice per year. The first report, released in May, estimates the population for the previous calendar year. The second report, released in December, estimates the population for the previous fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Back in May, California reported its first ever annual population decline when the state said it lost 182,083 people in 2020. Friday, the state said it lost 173,000 people between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021.

The latest estimate confirms California's once seemingly boundless population growth has ended. It also shows that, for the first time ever, Los Angeles County and the nine counties surrounding the San Francisco Bay simultaneously lost population in the same year. Together, those two areas account for more than 44% of the state's nearly 40 million residents and have some of the most expensive housing prices in the nation.

Los Angeles county lost 67,500 people to fall just under 10 million residents. The nine Bay Area counties, which have a combined population of about 7.7 million, lost roughly 64,000 people.

FILE - People line up to board a cable car at the Powell Street turnaround plaza in San Francisco, on Aug. 2, 2021. For the first time, California's major population centers of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area lost population in the same year, according to data released Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Olga Rodriguez, File)

California has 10 counties with at least 1 million people, and seven of them lost population. That includes San Diego County, which lost 15,000 people for its first reported annual decline. Counties in the Central Valley that are near the San Francisco Bay reported population increases, including Fresno, Placer, Merced and Tulare.

I don't think this is completely surprising, said Walter Schwarm, California's chief demographer. People are trading a commute for a level of housing that they could not afford or could not even purchase in the Bay Area.

For nearly all its existence California's population growth seemed limitless. It leapfrogged other Western territories when it became a state in 1850, propelled by the discovery of gold in Sierra Nevada foothills that attracted hundreds of thousands of settlers while hastening the decline of native populations.

That kicked off a period of intense growth that lasted more than a century as the state found prosperity in the years after World War II and again following the tech boom in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

But that growth has slowed significantly in recent years until, in the spring of this year, California lost a congressional seat for the first time in its history because it did not grow as quickly as other states in the past decade. The state's congressional delegation now is now at 52 members, still the most in the nation.

State officials blame the decline on a declining birth rate, decreases in international migration and the increased deaths associated with the coronavirus. Schwarm said he expects California to eventually start growing again, perhaps finally surpassing 40 million people by the middle of the decade.

I don't think we're in a period of long decline, he said.

Critics have blamed Californias high cost of living and increasing crime. The median price of a single-family home is nearly $800,000, putting homeownership out of reach for many while also driving up rental prices. A cottage industry has sprung up of helping people leave California for other states.

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When you cant afford to live in some semblance of comfort or you cant feel safe, those are huge drivers in quality of life, said state Assemblyman Tom Lackey, a Republican from Palmdale. Theyve become compromised, at least in some degree, because of public policy.

California's government is run by Democrats, and Republicans have routinely pointed to the declining population numbers as proof people are fleeing the state in droves because they are frustrated by the state's policies. But new research from the nonpartisan California Policy Lab at the University of California suggests the problem is fewer people are moving to California from other states instead of leaving it.

The number of people moving to California from other states fell 38% since the start of the pandemic, the California Policy Lab reported this week. The number of people leaving California for other states rose 12% over that same time period, which researchers say is in line with pre-pandemic trends.

Combined, researchers say California's population loss because of domestic migration has more than doubled since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The San Francisco Bay area has been impacted the most by this trend. By the end of September, there were 45% fewer people moving into the Bay Area from other states compared to the beginning of 2020, according to Evan White, executive director of the California Policy Lab's site at the University of California-Berkeley.

The publics attention has been focused on the so-called CalExodus phenomenon, but the reality is that the dramatic drop in CalEntrances since the pandemic began has been a bigger driver of recent population changes in the state, said Natalie Holmes, a research fellow at the California Policy Lab and co-author of its recent report.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)  The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote Friday to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo, meaning the coffee retailer, for the first time, will have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store.

Starbucks employees alter a campaign sign during a press conference after their union-election viewing party Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. Starbucks workers at a store in Buffalo, voted to unionize on Thursday, a first for the 50-year-old coffee retailer in the U.S. and the latest sign that the labor movement is stirring after decades of decline. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP)  The National Labor Relations Board confirmed a vote Friday to form a union at a Starbucks store in Buffalo, meaning the coffee retailer, for the first time, will have to bargain with organized labor at a company-owned U.S. store.

We don't want to fight Starbucks  we're asking them to turn over a new leaf, said Jaz Brisack, an organizer at the store, one of three New York Starbucks locations that petitioned the labor board for a union election in October.

Voting wrapped up last week and the board certified the results of the Buffalo employees' 19-8 vote Friday.

Workers United, the union representing the employees, filed formal objections in the other two elections late Thursday, delaying certification. The objections claim Starbucks waged a shock and awe campaign meant to dissuade workers from voting to unionize.

The 50-year-old company has actively fought unionization for decades, saying its more than 8,000 company-owned U.S. stores function best when it works directly with employees.

Workers at a store in the Buffalo suburb of Hamburg voted 12-8 against a union. The outcome of a Cheektowaga store's vote could not be determined because both sides challenged seven separate votes. Union organizers said six of the votes were cast by ineligible employees.

If the outcome of the ballot challenges favors unionization, organizers will drop the objection to the Cheektowaga results, attorney Ian Hayes said.

The objections say Starbucks employees were subjected to a massive campaign of overwhelming psychological force from the moment they publicly expressed the desire to form a union.

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Dozens of managers were sent in to speak against the efforts in individual and group meetings with employees, according to the filings. Workers were told they could lose benefits under a union, and pro-union employees were spied on and saw their schedules changed and hours reduced.

The actions disrupted the laboratory conditions considered necessary for a fair election, the union said.

These claims are grossly inaccurate. We did not and do not engage in intimidation tactics, Starbucks responded in a statement. We are partners and we show up for one another. Thats what we do and what we continue to do.

If the NLRB determines that the claims could be grounds for setting aside an election, it would order a hearing to determine whether a new election should be held.

Workers at all three stores began voting by mail last month on whether they wanted to be represented by Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union.

After the Buffalo vote, Starbucks workers at two locations in Boston petitioned the NLRB for union elections. Three other Buffalo-area stores and a store in Mesa, Arizona, also have filed petitions with the labor board for their own union elections. Those cases are pending.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration said Saturday that it would not issue citations tied to its coronavirus vaccination mandate before Jan. 10, so that companies have time to adjust to and implement the requirements.

FILE - Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines sit ready for use at a Dallas County Health and Human Services drive up vaccine site in Mesquite, Texas, Nov. 30, 2021. While all eyes are on the new and little-understood omicron variant, the delta form of the coronavirus isn't finished wreaking havoc in the U.S. There is much that is unknown about omicron, including whether it is more contagious than previous versions, makes people sicker or more easily thwarts the vaccine or breaks through the immunity that people get from a bout of COVID-19. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration said Saturday that it would not issue citations tied to its coronavirus vaccination mandate before Jan. 10, so that companies have time to adjust to and implement the requirements.

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The federal agency separately said there would be no citations of companies regarding its testing requirements before Feb. 9.

The announcement came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth District in Cincinnati decided on Friday that the mandate for large employers could go forward, reversing a previous court decision made after 27 Republican-led states, conservative groups, business associations and some individual companies challenged the mandate.

OSHA said in a statement that it would not issue citations before the listed dates so long as an employer is exercising reasonable, good faith efforts to come into compliance with the standard.

The mandate was previously slated to take effect Jan. 4.

The Biden administration's vaccine requirement applies to companies with 100 or more employees and covers about 84 million U.S. workers. Employees who are not fully vaccinated have to wear face masks and be subject to weekly COVID-19 tests. There are exceptions, including for those who work outdoors or only at home.

Administration officials estimate that the mandate will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.
The number of endoscopy procedures performed at northern Manitobas largest hospital nearly ground to a halt through the summer due to a lack of staff in the region.

The number of endoscopy procedures performed at northern Manitobas largest hospital nearly ground to a halt through the summer due to a lack of staff in the region.

Wait time statistics compiled by the Northern Regional Health Authority, and obtained by the Manitoba NDP through an access to information request, show endoscopies at Thompson General Hospital dropped by 54 per cent in July and 88 per cent in August, compared to June.

The slowdown can be attributed, in part, to staff taking holidays through the summer, said Craig Hillier, NRHA executive director of clinical services for Thompson and area.

Given the smaller pool of staff in the northern community, the hospital was unable to maintain procedural volumes while cases of COVID-19 remained at relatively low levels through July and August, Hillier said.

According to the wait list document, endoscopy slates were reduced through July and August due to "staffing resources" while procedures in October and November were cancelled due to surgeon availability.

"In a northern remote community like Thompson, you might have a dozen or 15 people that have the training to do that work," Hillier said. "We dont have the ability to reach out and pull in dozens of extra people like they would in a large centre."

According to Hillier, there were 692 people on the wait list for an endoscopy at Thompson General as of Friday, an increase of nearly 60 patients since the end of October.

The procedure is done to diagnose and screen for a number of ailments, including colon cancer.

On average, the hospital is able to do about 40 endoscopies a week and sometimes brings in specialists to double the number of procedures typically completed, Hillier said.

Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinew said the document confirms access to health-care services in the north has worsened over the past two years.

"What really stands out to me is the trend here, over time we see the number growing, and so even as were all becoming more aware of the impacts on peoples lives as they wait for diagnoses, things are moving in the wrong direction," Kinew said.

"Youd think at the two year mark we would have found a way to both muster a response against COVID while at the same time ensuring people can get surgeries and diagnostic procedures done."

To date, the provincial government has not provided a solid estimate on the number of surgeries and diagnostic procedures that have been delayed due to the pandemic.

The total surgical backlog could include between 25,000 and 35,000 patients, according to the provinces recently created surgical and diagnostic recovery task force. It is expected to provide its first report early in 2022, which may include a timeline for clearing the backlog.

Kinew called on the provincial government to bring in the military to help out in intensive-care units as one way to return staff to other parts of the health system.

Doctors Manitoba, which has been tracking the surgical backlog since June, estimates more than 152,000 surgeries and procedures have been delayed due to the pandemic, including 11,000 endoscopies.

President Dr. Kristjan Thompson said he fears more diagnostic and surgical procedures will be cancelled in the coming weeks due to the new, more infectious Omicron variant and a hospital system that is already at the brink.

"We in our health-care system are at capacity," said Thompson. "What were seeing is surgical procedures, diagnostic procedures being postponed or cancelled as a result of nursing and other health-care professionals having to staff our ICUs and our COVID wards."

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Thompson General Hospital has been fortunate, as surgical staff have largely been able to stick to the operating room rather than being seconded for COVID-19 care, Hillier said.

"Theyve worked very hard and weve had some really good partnerships with physicians to keep this work moving," he said.

He acknowledged that the endoscopy wait list in the North is increasing and noted the region is constantly reaching out to partners and physicians from other parts of the province to offer operating-room time.

"OR time is a precious commodity in the province," Hillier said. "If there are people who are looking to come do some work, we certainly invite well-qualified physicians in to do that work."

 With files from Katie May

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
Manitoba is supplying schools in First Nations with more than 100,000 rapid tests so families can monitor elementary students for SARSCoV2 infection in early 2022 before classes resume after the holidays.

Manitoba is supplying schools in First Nations with more than 100,000 rapid tests so families can monitor elementary students for SARSCoV2 infection in early 2022 before classes resume after the holidays.

The province has secured 22,000 new kits, each of which contains five rapid antigen tests, that will be distributed to 63 K-6 schools located both on-reserve and elsewhere in the North, officials announced Friday.

The government indicated it will broaden distribution to public elementary schools across Manitoba if it is able to procure additional kits from the federal government either before or during the upcoming break scheduled for Dec. 22 until Jan. 6.

"We advocate for anything that provides confirmation of keeping our children healthy and safe during this pandemic," said Charles Cochrane, executive director of the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre.

A total of 57 band-operated buildings and six schools run by the Frontier School Division will receive the initial 110,000 COVID-19 tests.

Cochrane said he anticipates there will be challenges with the rollout, including parent reluctance to participate because of how quickly the initiative is unfolding and uncertainty around using tests.

Officials have stated school staff will distribute informational packages that explain how-to properly administer the devices alongside the kits.

During a technical briefing with reporters Friday, government spokespeople said the idea is to give families kits to use in the lead-up to the first day back at school in 2022 to address teacher and parent anxieties about a potential surge in cases.

The use of these tests  which have a sensitivity of around 80 per cent, according to manufacturer BTNX  is not being mandated. There will also be no requirements around reporting results.

Should a family receive a positive result, they are encouraged to seek follow-up PCR testing to confirm the result and follow public health orders.

Children are being targeted because the majority of recent school cases and outbreaks have been among students aged 11 and younger  a cohort that only recently became eligible for COVID-19 vaccines.

A spokesperson said initial supply is being targeted to First Nation schools because the province recognizes Indigenous communities experience a higher rate of vulnerability related to the pandemic.

Manitoba is currently waiting on confirmation of another delivery of 22,000 kits for student use, according to a provincial spokesperson, who noted decisions about where those go will be based on factors such as community vulnerability, vaccine uptake, and ease of delivery.

The province could not provide an estimate Friday for when it may receive more of these five-pack test kits or any other orders.

The province has ordered an additional 250,000 of the above kits from Ottawa, 750,000 of another type of kit, and another 19.8 million rapid tests to be delivered between now and the end of March.

Even if the next shipment arrives in a timely manner, there wont be enough supply to provide as much as half of the population of elementary schoolers with a kit for winter vacation. There are approximately 94,000 students enrolled in those grades in both public and division-administered First Nations schools in Manitoba.

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"It is absolutely imperative that we get these out into the hands of the most vulnerable folks in Manitoba, and that absolutely includes the Indigenous and racialized folks in our province, but announcing it the last few days of school is just unconscionable This is just a complete lack of planning and another Hail Mary pass," said Lauren Hope, a founding member of Safe September MB, a group that advocates for increased public health measures in schools.

Hope said she is frustrated the province has given unvaccinated workers access to free rapid tests for months and other provinces have already figured out how to supply members of the public with free tests.

According to a provincial spokesperson, manufacturers have only recently been packaging rapid tests in small kits that are best suited for distribution to families.

The province had previously been receiving shipments of kits containing 25 to 30 tests each, which the spokesperson said are ideal for businesses, health-care settings and other facilities that require high-volume testing.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
A group of Manitoba doctors is once again warning the public about what an impending spike in Omicron cases would mean for critical care patients, surgical backlogs, and students facing the prospect of further remote learning.

A group of Manitoba doctors is once again warning the public about what an impending spike in Omicron cases would mean for critical care patients, surgical backlogs, and students facing the prospect of further remote learning.

"This is a final appeal to common sense and reason," the group of 10 physicians wrote in a letter to the Free Press just before Manitobas health minister and top doctor announced Friday new public health restrictions aimed at reducing gathering sizes and venue capacity limits.

"We no longer have time to vaccinate our way out of this wave. The only way to mitigate this disaster is to drastically reduce person-to-person contact. This is particularly essential for the unvaccinated, both for their protection and ours, as well as to preserve some semblance of health-care capacity for the rest of us," the doctors wrote.

Critical care physician Dr. Dan Roberts, a spokesperson for the group, said it hoped its message would reach Manitobans who have so far chosen not to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and encourage everyone to keep holiday gatherings to a minimum.

The newly announced restrictions, he predicted, wont be enough to adequately slow transmission of the coronavirus and reduce the burden on the health-care system. He described the new rules as "window dressing" and urged unvaccinated people to stay home.

"What we hope to accomplish is to make people aware of the consequences and that if they can do anything to reduce their own person-to-person interactions over the holidays, particularly if theyre unvaccinated, that might help make a difference. I think its too late to vaccinate our way out of this fourth wave (but) every vaccination helps," Roberts said Friday.

The doctors predict the burden on the health-care system in January will be worse than the same time in 2021. They wrote they dont expect students will be able to return to school in person after the holiday break.

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the same group of doctors has been issuing similar warnings to the public and to provincial leaders, but many have gone unheeded.

They were preempted Friday by the provinces announcement of new limits to reduce household gathering sizes and cut retail and venue capacity by half.

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Two of the doctors who signed the letter said those rules dont go far enough. More could be done to ensure unvaccinated residents stay home, so as to reduce the risk of severe infection and hospitalization, said Roberts and Dr. Eric Jacobsohn, an ICU physician in Winnipeg.

"Manitoba ICUs are overwhelmed as we stand right now, and unvaccinated people are going to get critically ill and are basically going to collapse our health-care system," Jacobsohn said, adding he believes it is "unconscionable" to allow unvaccinated residents to gather because of the health risks.

"I understand the political realities but theres no time for politics now. A tsunami is upon us and the unvaccinated should not be mingling."

If unvaccinated Manitobans choose not to get their shots over the holidays, they should consider the impact of that decision on others who are waiting for backlogged surgeries and medical procedures, Roberts said.

"Youve shifted that risk to other people. Youve contributed nothing to the welfare of others, and you should consider over the Christmas holidays the consequences of your decision."

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA  Erin OToole has told Conservative MPs to stop speaking out publicly against Quebecs Bill 21, and to raise any concerns they have about it at the partys caucus meetings  or not at all.

OTTAWA  Erin OToole has told Conservative MPs to stop speaking out publicly against Quebecs Bill 21, and to raise any concerns they have about it at the partys caucus meetings  or not at all.

The caution from Conservative leader and his closest allies came during a tense caucus meeting this week at which some MPs took OToole to task for refusing to outright condemn the removal of a teacher from a Quebec classroom because she wears a hijab.

But the outrage isnt coming only from those who are angry with OToole for his failure to win this years election, a number of Conservative MPs told the Star.

Even those who support him argued the partys position is offside on two fronts: with the elements of the partys base who cherish the right of religious freedom, and with racialized voters in major cities who have been personally offended or affected by the law.

The Conservatives risk further alienating both groups by continuing to defer to the Quebec governments jurisdiction to pass laws like Bill 21, MPs told the Star.

That was OTooles answer when he was asked what his message was to teacher Fatemeh Anvari, who was told she could no longer teach in a classroom just minutes away from Parliament Hill because she wears a hijab.

OToole said he is personally opposed to the terms of Bill 21, but that this is an issue that is best left for Quebecers to decide.

While the Liberals and New Democrats have previously deferred to Quebecs jurisdiction as well, there was a shift this week in their leaders positions and tone after Anvaris story captured national attention.

I dont think that in a free and democratic society a person should lose their job because of their religion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in the House of Commons, while NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said hed now support federal intervention in the ongoing court challenge of the law in Quebec.

Conservative MPs, sources told the Star, watched this all in dismay.

Were trying to win an argument on a technicality where everyone else is using emotion, said one Conservative MP, who was granted anonymity to discuss confidential caucus proceedings.

Bill 21 forbids those in positions of public authority from wearing religious symbols on the job.

It became law in 2019, but has spurred renewed political debate after Anvari was removed from her classroom job in early December.

Conservative MPs told the Star theyve been raising the problem of the partys position on Bill 21 since last summers election, arguing it cost them votes at the expense of a promised breakthrough in Quebec that never materialized.

Many Quebecers support the law, whose stated aim is to preserve the idea of Quebec as a secular state.

The issue was raised in the partys first post-election caucus meeting and in every meeting since, but nothing has been done, MPs said.

After Anvaris story, and OTooles response, several MPs had enough.

Its time politicians stood up for whats right. Bill 21 has to be opposed. In court, in the House of Commons and in the streets, Kyle Seeback, MP for DufferinCaledon, wrote on Twitter.

But in caucus this week, several MPs told the Star, they were told the only place MPs should be allowed to stand up is in the caucus room.

MPs said they were told true leadership means knowing the right place for political debates, and that it was cowardly to do otherwise.

By airing grievances on social media or to reporters, they were told, all they were doing was sowing division. OToole promised to strike a task force to find a unified way forward.

That same message was delivered to MPs who broke ranks recently over the way the Conservatives helped speed the passage of a bill banning conversion therapy.

OTooles office did not answer a question from the Star on Friday about why MPs are being told they cannot publicly air their views.

One high-profile ally of OTooles didnt seem to get the memo.

Walied Soliman, who ran OTooles leadership campaign and the partys election effort this summer, has been on social media all week backing Brampton Mayor Patrick Browns campaign to raise municipal funds in support of the court challenge.

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My wife, my mother, my sisters in law all wear hijab. Not the states place to ever tell them what or what not to wear, Soliman wrote in one post.

Soliman did not return requests from the Star for an interview.

Conservatives MPs told the Star theyre not letting the issue go, and intend to continue to press OToole to find a way to change the partys position.

We either stand up for this or we stand for nothing, said one MP.

Correction  Dec. 19, 2021: This article was edited to correct that Kyle Seeback is the MP for DufferinCaledon, not Brampton.

Stephanie Levitz is an Ottawa-based reporter covering federal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @StephanieLevitz
VIENNA (AP)  The omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in 89 countries, and COVID-19 cases involving the variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community transmission and not just infections acquired abroad, the World Health Organization said Saturday.

Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Despite rainy weather, Duesseldorf's city centre is well frequented despite the Corona rules for retailers, shortly before Christmas in Duesseldorf, Germany, Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. (Malte Krudewig/dpa via AP)

VIENNA (AP)  The omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in 89 countries, and COVID-19 cases involving the variant are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in places with community transmission and not just infections acquired abroad, the World Health Organization said Saturday.

Omicron's substantial growth advantage over the delta variant means it is likely to soon overtake delta as the dominant form of the virus in countries where the new variant is spreading locally, the U.N. health agency said.

WHO noted that omicron is spreading rapidly even in countries with high vaccination rates or where a significant proportion of the population has recovered from COVID-19.

It remains unclear if the rapid growth of omicron cases is because the variant evades existing immunity, is inherently more transmissible than previous variants, or a combination of both, WHO said.

Other major questions about omicron remain unanswered, including how effective each of the existing COVID-19 vaccines are against it. Conclusive data also does not exist yet on how ill omicron makes COVID-19 patients, the health agency said.

WHO first labeled omicron a variant of concern on Nov. 26.
It was amazing, and I had a very good experience seeing that, Karimi said through a translator.

Holiday cheer aside, Karimis experience as a refugee has not been easy.

She came to the United State alone, the rest of her family still in Afghanistan. During the chaotic evacuation at the Kabul airport, her cellphone was broken and she still does not have one, putting her out of touch with loved ones for months.

Though thousands of Afghans have been resettled, Karimi does not know when she will leave Fort McCoy. Once resettled, she wants to continue her career as a makeup artist.

Sometimes Im thinking about it, I wish I never came, Karimi said through a translator.

The afternoons performance had close-to-the-heart importance for Lela Zasari, a 12-year-old who danced with the ballet. Her father came to the U.S. from Afghanistan in the 1980s, and Zasari called the performance very inspirational.

I feel very privileged to get to perform in front of the Afghans, she said. Im just grateful that they liked it. Its almost like Im telling them not to give up on their dreams.

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They include Canada's invocation of a 1977 treaty with the U.S. involving oil shipments between the two nations and federal pipeline safety regulation, Neff said.

Whitmer and Nessel responded this month by dropping their 2020 lawsuit and refocusing attention on the 2019 case filed in Michigan's Ingham County. It argues that Line 5's presence in the straits violates the public trust and state environmental law.

The judge, James Jamo, has scheduled a status hearing for Jan. 7.

Enbridge said in a statement that the two cases are similar and belong in the same court. The company said federal law allows a lawsuit defendant to move a case from state to federal court within 30 days of receiving solid and unambiguous information that such an action could be taken.

Neff's ruling Nov. 16 provided the solid information relied on here, and the case has now been removed for further proceedings before the federal district court, the company said.

Nessel disputed Enbridge's interpretation of the rules.
Colton Hidde can put his pants on, but he hasnt figured out shirts. When eating, he uses an adaptive high chair. The 9-year-old speaks only a few words, including ish for fish.

A delayed newborn screening test in 2012 left the boy brain-damaged before doctors could diagnose and treat him for argininosuccinic aciduria, or ASA, a rare genetic disorder in which ammonia builds up in the body, according to a lawsuit filed by his parents.

Coltons younger brother, 4-year-old Christian, was also born with ASA but treated right away. He is also developmentally delayed but uses a fork and spoon, unlike Colton, and already speaks many more words.

Theres no way of knowing what Colton would be like if (the newborn screening test) would have been on time, but theres no doubting he wouldnt have been as sick as he was because he would have had normal treatment from the beginning, said his mother, Karen Hidde, of New London.

Hospitals are supposed to collect blood samples from babies 24 hours to 48 hours after birth and send them to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene in Madison within 24 hours after collection, according to the lab. But some samples dont make it to the lab on time, which can prevent early treatment that could save or dramatically improve newborns lives.

Recently weve noticed a trend towards submitters collecting and submitting samples outside of this recommended time window, said an Oct. 15 letter to providers from the lab and the state Department of Health Services. As a reminder, delayed submissions can have negative consequences.

The lab, allowing for some flexibility, reports how many samples are received within three days of collection. In April to June, Mayo Clinic Health System-Northland in Barron, SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac, Ascension Columbia St. Marys Hospital Ozaukee in Mequon, Richland Hospital in Richland Center and Tomah Health sent more than 5% of samples more than three days late, according to the lab. Many other hospitals in the state sent some specimens late.

The Mequon and Richland Center hospitals continued to send more than 5% of samples more than three days late in July to September, when Westfields Hospital in New Richmond joined the list. At Aspirus Medford Hospital, more than 5% of samples were more than three days late the first and third quarters of the year.

The Mequon hospital, part of Ascension Wisconsin, sent 26 samples, or more than 12%, more than three days late during the second and third quarters, the worst level at any hospital in the state this year.

Ascension Wisconsin monitors the monthly reports from the state lab, then reviews with our statewide lab quality team to identify trends and outliers to the established practice, Vanessa Freitag, Ascensions vice president of pharmacy and lab, said in a statement. When necessary, workgroups are developed with practice/nursing leaders to evaluate and resolve any non-conforming events.

The state lab allows for even more flexibility by not counting against hospitals samples delayed for reasons beyond their control, said Dr. Patrice Held, co-director of newborn screening at the lab. Such delays typically involve holdups by the courier used, which for most hospitals is UPS.

When courier and related problems are included, the vast majority of Wisconsin hospitals had some delayed samples in January to September. Ascension Columbia St. Marys Womens Medical Center in Milwaukee topped the list with 119 delayed samples, including 17 the lab considered to be the hospitals fault. Ascension St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton had 110, including 22 that were its fault, and Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital had 88, including nine that were its fault.

In Madison, SSM Health St. Marys Hospital had one delayed sample and UnityPoint Health-Meriter had six, none considered their fault.

The state lab and the Wisconsin Hospital Association started making the data publicly available in 2014 after a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigation, triggered by Colton Hiddes story, uncovered flaws in the nations newborn screening practices. Coltons sample, taken at what is now ThedaCare Medical Center of New London, didnt arrive at the state lab until five days after it was collected, the Journal Sentinel reported. By then, he had already been taken by helicopter to Childrens Wisconsin hospital near Milwaukee, arriving in a coma.

Lawsuit settled

Karen and Michael Hidde in 2018 settled their lawsuit against the New London hospital, which was filed three years earlier. They have a third son, Caleb, 6, who doesnt have ASA.

Colton has a feeding tube, through which he gets medications, but he mostly eats by mouth unless hes ill. He is learning to use a communication device to say his name and some words. He is not expected to become verbal, his mother said.

Colton and Christian have received liver transplants, which helps prevent ammonia buildup but requires them to take anti-rejection drugs that weaken their immune systems.

Karen Hidde said she wishes Coltons screening had been processed more quickly so he could have been treated right away, but she is glad the familys ordeal helped spur public reporting of test transfer times.

Now that they have to post it and let people know, I think it holds hospitals more accountable, she said.
Last year, we were heroes, Keeling said. This year, people dont want to hear us talk about it. ... I dont think people want to be told what to do.

Pushing the limit

On Wednesday morning, when a Wisconsin State Journal reporter and photographer visited the Medford hospital, Keeling joined nine other staff for a task that has become all too familiar: They gathered around the bed of a ventilated COVID-19 patient who had been put on her stomach the night before to help her lungs get more oxygen.

As a respiratory therapist held the breathing tube and a nurse managed the feeding and sedation lines, four others stood on each side of the bed and flipped the large patient on her back. Several hours later, workers would gather to put the patient on her stomach again, a process carried out each day for each patient on a ventilator.

Before September, Medford didnt keep ventilated patients. But as the delta variant surge of COVID-19 made it hard to transfer patients elsewhere, the 25-bed hospital took on a function it wasnt set up to handle.
BARGERSVILLE, Ind. (AP)  Prosecutors filed nine charges Friday against a man whom officers shot in an Indianapolis suburb after he pointed a gun at them when they found him hours after he fled from a traffic stop.

The Johnson County Prosecutors Office charged Efrain Ramirez, 46, of Indianapolis with resisting law enforcement, pointing a firearm and other counts.

Indiana State Police say the man on Dec. 9-10 ran from officers, stopped near a barn and pulled out a gun and pointed it at a state trooper and a Johnson County sheriffs deputy. Officers shot Ramirez and shocked him with a stun gun.

Bargersville police had stopped Ramirez on suspicions that he was driving under the influence on State Road 144. But shortly after officers asked his name, he drove away.

Ramirez is being held in the Johnson County Jail after being released from a hospital.
Weather Alert

...The National Weather Service in Paducah KY has issued a Flood Warning for the following river in Kentucky...Illinois... Ohio River at Paducah affecting McCracken, Livingston, Pope and Massac Counties. .Rainfall last weekend has caused rises in water levels along the Lower Ohio River Basin this week. This will cause minor flooding near Paducah early next week. For the Ohio River...including Paducah, Olmsted Lock and Dam, Cairo...Minor flooding is forecast. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov. && ...FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Ohio River at Paducah. * WHEN...From Monday evening to early Wednesday morning. * IMPACTS...At 39.0 feet, Minor flooding occurs affecting mainly bottomland and surrounding low lying areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 11:00 AM CST Wednesday the stage was 33.6 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage Monday evening to a crest of 39.0 feet Monday evening. It will then fall below flood stage Tuesday evening. - Flood stage is 39.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood &&

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches. Highest amounts are expected across west Kentucky. * WHERE...Portions of southwest Indiana, southeast Missouri, western Kentucky and southern Illinois. * WHEN...From 6 AM to 4 PM CST Thursday. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. &&
Homeowners urged to be vigilant and security conscious after spate of burglaries

North Wales Police are urging all homeowners to be vigilant and security conscious after a spate of residential burglaries in recent weeks.

These incidents have occurred at addresses across several force areas, including North Wales as well as Cheshire and West Mercia.

Primarily the north Wales burglaries have been committed in Flintshire and Wrexham, though similar reports have been recorded across the region.

The criminals involved have targeted the homes of elderly and vulnerable people, often forcing entry before stealing possessions, valuables and cash.

Several arrests have been made within north Wales in relation to these offences.

Concerted policing efforts remain ongoing to identify and arrest those responsible, with vital intelligence and evidence accrued through investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Alun Oldfield has advised residents to remain alert around home security and to check in with elderly or vulnerable relatives and neighbours in the weeks ahead.

He said: Typically, police forces around the country see spikes in the reporting of burglary offences in the weeks and months around the Christmas period.

Certainly, that has been the case in North Wales of late where weve seen homes targeted even when the occupants have been inside the property.

These incidents are not just about the loss of possessions or items of monetary value  theres the emotional impact too.

Burglaries and thefts are highly distressing for victims. Even if nothing has been stolen, the thought of a stranger being inside or around your home can be highly distressing and leave people traumatised.

We know that the people committing these crimes are ruthless. They are preying on the most vulnerable in our communities and we are determined to identify them.

So I would urge everyone to ensure that their homes and vehicles are kept secure and locked up, and that any valuables and car keys are kept out of sight when you are not at home.

If you have CCTV installed at your property, please ensure it is working correctly and recording clear images.

Id also ask everyone who has elderly friends or loved ones to check that their properties are secure too.

Working alongside its partnership agencies, North Wales Police officers have visited the homes of repeat victims of residential burglary and doorstep crime, offering reassurance and household security advice.

A campaign promoting crime prevention at your home will launch shortly across the North Wales Police social media channels.
New campaign asking men to call out abusive and sexist behaviour launches in Wales

A new campaign calling on the public to challenge assumptions about harassment against women  often wrongly seen as harmless  has launched across Wales.

Call out only aims to highlight how down-played actions like I only wolf-whistled at her or I only slapped her bum become much more sinister and the seriousness of the action seen when the word only is removed.

Recent ONS statistics show two in three women aged 16 to 34 years experienced at least one form of harassment in the last year, with 44% having experienced catcalls, whistles, unwanted sexual comments or jokes. 29% felt like they were being followed.

The Welsh Government wants to help raise awareness amongst Wales different communities of the behaviours associated with different types of harassment and how they make the recipient feel.

They are calling on bystanders  particularly men  to call out inappropriate behaviour when and where safe to do so.

This includes empowering men to call out abusive and sexist behaviour among their male friends and colleagues in a safe way  promoting a culture of equality and respect. Ways this can happen include:

Arranging to meet the person involved privately to discuss what was said

Not feeling pressured to laugh along to sexist conversations or banter

Asking questions like what do you mean by that? What makes you think that?

One of the Welsh Governments National Advisers on violence against women, former Chief Prosecutor Nazir Afzal [ pictured above] has spoken about why this new messaging and men taking action is so important. He said: We have spent a lot of time talking about rape and sexual offences and about the 50 shades of violence against women and girls, but it starts often with the most innocuous comments and with the kind of behaviour that perhaps we havent considered as men could be making women less safe.

This campaign that says its not right to say that I only meant this and I only did this. It is absolutely essential for us men to begin to question our behaviour which ultimately makes women feel less safe.

You cannot simply say, Im not sexist myself, or Im not a misogynist myself. You have got to be anti-sexist, youve got to be anti-misogyny because we ultimately create the environment that enables the more serious behaviour to take place. Think about the impact of what you do and stop it.

Earlier this year following a number of horrific instances against women being seen across the UK, Kidwelly RFCs under 15s team wanted to take a proactive approach in preventing violence against women.

The young Carmarthenshire club decided to ask publicly what they could do to positively influence the young men in their area  prompting wide praise across social media.

Team Manager, Julian Lloyd, explained why the boys will also be supporting the Call out only campaign. He said: We want to empower our boys to call out misogyny when they see it, stop it at source, before it escalates. We want to create a squad of young men that are empathetic, strong and resilient  young men that are trusted allies to the women in their lives.

Working with a range of partner organisation to develop the new hard-hitting messaging, the campaign reflects evidence that victims of sexual harassment are disproportionately female and perpetrators disproportionately male.

Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, said: Wales will not be a bystander to sexual harassment, stalking or abuse.

This new campaign is intentionally a very direct and challenging one for the simple reason that all of these behaviours have to be confronted head-on. None of these behaviours are acceptable, none of them are ok. Some will happen in isolation, others can lead to an escalation.

The word only is frequently used to explain away and excuse inappropriate behaviour. The word gets used in conversation by men to justify their actions. It gets used by people to dilute womens genuine fears. Through this campaign we aim to show where this mentality can lead. Thats why we need men to question their own behaviour and, where its safe to do so, each others behaviour too.

The campaign follows a number of commitments set out by the Welsh Government within its Programme for Government and draft Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) National Strategy, which is out for consultation until 1 February 2022.
St Davids Bank Holiday calls knocked back due to fluid border

The UK Government has rejected calls for a St Davids Day Bank Holiday after claiming too many people commute across the Welsh and English border to make the idea feasible.

A North Wales council sent a letter to ministers calling for an end to the embarrassing anomaly of the Scottish and Northern Irish Governments being able to designate their national days while no such powers are currently devolved to Cardiff Bay.

Celebrated on March 1, Dydd Gwyl Dewi is not an official national holiday despite strong historic support in Wales, sparking Cllr Elwyn Edwards motion which garnered unanimous support from Gwynedds councillors.

St Andrews Day has been a public holiday in Scotland since the passing of the St. Andrews Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007, although remaining at the discretion of employers, with St Patricks Day also a designated public holiday on the island of Ireland.

But in a letter Paul Scully MP, the Minster for Small Business, has poured cold water on any additional Bank Holiday for Wales.

Writing in response to Gwynedd Councils request, Mr Scully noted, While we appreciate that the people of Wales want to celebrate their patron saint, more people work across the English/Welsh border than across the English/Scottish border.

This closer degree of integration could cause greater business disruption. If we had separate bank holidays in England and Wales, the impact on both employees and businesses is difficult to predict.

Acknowledging that an extra bank holiday may benefit some communities and sectors, he added that an assessment of the additional day off for the 2012 Diamond Jubilee found that it had cost the economy around 1.2bn.

Noting that the UK Government remains committed to working together with all the devolved administrations to ensure that the UKs institutions are working collectively as one United Kingdom, Mr Scully confirmed that the UK Government had no current plans to change the well-established and accepted arrangements for Bank Holidays in Wales.

But the response has been slammed by a council cabinet member, accusing the UK Government of lacking understanding of devolution and of Wales.

Plaid Cymru councillor Nia Jeffreys, who holds the portfolio for Corporate Support, said, I am very disappointed by this answer and I know people and children across Gwynedd will feel the same.

St Davids day is an important date in our calendar and our hearts in Wales and we should be able to celebrate it as a national holiday.

The response shows a lack of understanding of devolution and of Wales, but sadly this is what we have come to expect from the Boris Johnsons UK Government.

Wales and England currently enjoy eight Bank Holidays compared to nine in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland.

Successive UK Governments have so far failed to grant Wales similar powers to the other Celtic nations, requiring amendments to the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971.

This is despite the then National Assembly voting unanimously in favour of a St Davids Day Bank Holiday in 2000.

In 2014 it was also reported that First Minister Carwyn Jones had written to the Secretary of State for Wales to seek legislative competence to make Wales national day a Bank Holiday, but that move was also rebuffed.

Responding to such points, Mr Scullys reply to Gwynedd Council went on to note, Each devolution settlement has been developed against a backdrop of different histories, economic, social and cultural and legal systems.

Different factors will require separate considerations. What works in one place may not work for another and we should not assume that devolution is the right solution because the matter is devolved elsewhere.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said, We have asked the UK Government time and time again to devolve the powers to designate a St Davids Day Bank Holiday to the Senedd, and its very disappointing that these requests continue to be refused.

An online petition by Elfed Wyn ap Elwyn calling on the UK Government to establish a St Davids Day Bank Holiday has so far gathered over 6,000 signatures, requiring 10,000 to garner an official response or 100,000 to be considered for Parliamentary debate.

It can be found at  https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/599066

By Gareth Williams  Local Democracy Reporter
The World Socialist Web Site has received messages of support from young people in Scotland for Julian Assanges freedom. The WikiLeaks publisher will spend his third Christmas inside Belmarsh maximum security prison in London next week, with the threat of extradition and lifetime incarceration in a US federal prison hanging over his head, deprived of his most fundamental legal and democratic rights.

On December 10, Britains High Court ruled in favour of a US government appeal aimed at securing Assanges extradition. The courts vicious decision confirms that the British state, its government, judiciary, and intelligence agenciesand all of its political partiesare determined to destroy Assange in retribution for WikiLeaks courageous exposure of war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Next Wednesday, the Socialist Equality Party in Australia is hosting an emergency online meeting, British court decision puts Assanges life in danger. Demand his immediate release! The meeting will take place at 7pm AEDT (see here for registration details, including international start times). We urge workers and young people all over the world to help promote the meeting and make plans to attend.

The thoughtful comments published below show the enormous potential to win support among a generation of workers and young people being politicised by momentous world events, including unending wars, staggering social inequality, climate change, the collapse of democracy and a pandemic that has claimed millions of lives.

Jordan

Jordan, 23, a delivery driver from Inverness said, Assange did not sell a product, but brought to light truths with evidence, and they want to lock up the truth and throw the key away in the USA! For years the TV, radio, and written press networks have been in the hands of tycoons who in turn finance their companies and keep journalists mouths sealed with millions of dollars.

That is why there is no longer a place for journalists who are not corrupt, or who are willing to go beyond the script set by their bosses. Manipulative garbage is what exists in all these media today, almost entirely.

Calum, 23, a postal packing worker from Inverness said, The betrayal of Assange years ago by the global press was a sign of things to come. Unfounded accusations and his continual smearing by the press should have shocked more and shown people the bias of capitalist media as anti-journalistic, but the reality of the situation was smothered and confused by the weight of that media.

Now as hes facing American justice, the threat of life imprisonment and the chance of execution or assassination in response to the highest journalistic integrity. It should say something about the death of our democratic ideals and should rally the working class and journalists, anyone with a conscience, in a fight for his freedoma fight that is not only to save a man's life, but to save journalism and is intertwined with the fight for socialism.

Now, more than ever, we cannot watch as remote legal proceedings develop and liberal articles are exchanged. The people need to take to the streets, to their workplaces, to their communities in protest and discussion. This needs to become a real political issue and exposed as the serious political crime it is.

Daniel

Daniel, 23, a sound technician from Inverness said, Assange's extradition is a travesty of justice and morality. The silence of the pseudo-left and the Labour Party is tantamount to complicity. Assange should never have been held without due cause for any length of time, and the duration of the ordeal he has gone through will have undeniably caused severe degradation of his mental and physical health.

The fact that the working class are the only force to bring forward the struggle for truth, justice, and for Assange himself, is evidence that the ruling class care nothing for any of the ideals that give us our humanity, and are a force in undeniable opposition to the proletariat and the common good of all the earth's people.

Andrew

Andrew, 21, a cook in Glasgow said, This vicious entrapment of Julian Assange exemplifies the brutal lengths the ruling classes will go to cover up and disguise their own heinous war crimes. His extradition to the US is being used by the ruling classes to strengthen British-American relations. Giving Assange to the Americans now is quite literally a death sentence. The fact is that we, the working class, are the only class interested in fair justice because we are the class that these hidden crimes, done by the ruling class, affects. We are the people in danger of learning the truth behind the atrocities conducted overseas especially in the Middle East.

JIll

Jill, a social care worker and the mother of a young Socialist Equality Party member from Inverness wrote, Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998 says, everyone has the right to freedom of expression in the UK. I am personally disgusted by the treatment of Julian Assange and that there has been an ongoing criminal investigation and that his kidnap and his murder was actually planned by the US government.

So, a man is going to either 1) Rot in prison or 2) Be kidnapped and murderedfor what? Speaking the truth?

I personally am ashamed to say that until recently I did not know who he was and was only made aware due to the World Socialist Web Site. The working class need to take a stand and can make a difference because this outcome will also make a difference to their own democratic rights.

We need to act now because either way this poor man has a death sentence hanging over him due to his treatment. Todays generation needs to be the ones who say no more! The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. (Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto).

Ari, 23, a final year media student in Glasgow, said the case against Assange means, The presumption of innocence and peoples democratic rights, thats all out the window.

Ari described Assanges achievements as a journalist, highlighting the Collateral Murder video which he watched for the first time when he was a 13-year-old, Its horrific, its a war crime. I was really enraged. Theyre killing those people as if its a video game, theyre so detached from it. That was my first introduction to WikiLeaks.

In 2012 when Assange first went into the embassy, I was 14, so Ive been aware of the case for quite a while. Ari said the sight of Assange being dragged from the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2019 by police was brutal, they made a show of it for the worlds media. Theyre making an example of him. Its been very brutal and drawn out over many years. Its a horrific example to make, and journalism is under a threat because of it.

Ari recently watched a YouTube video called, The CIAs plot to assassinate Julian Assange, showing evidence of CIA and US government plans to kidnap and kill Assange in London during his time inside the Ecuadorian Embassy. At the same time, efforts to smear Assange personally were being intensified, Theyve thrown a lot of bogus accusations against him.

Asked if there was discussion at university about Assange, Ari replied, Because of the rape stuff [bogus allegations against Assange by the Swedish state], amongst the leftist student types hes not very popular. Its definitely bullshit. It was too convenient, far too convenient.

The WSWS told Ari about UN Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzers forensic take-down of the Swedish allegations that Assange and his lawyers had also refuted. In contrast, leading pseudo-left parties in Europe, Australia and the United States eagerly weaponised the CIA-backed rape narrative, using gender politics to incite middle class hysteria against a journalist persecuted for exposing war crimes. Ari agreed, adding, Obviously, they were false allegations and they have been dropped now.

This all happened about five years before the #MeToo era, and it was a prototype for what was to come.

Ari questioned the precedent being established by #MeToo, including its undermining of the presumption of innocence, Wasnt the #MeToo movement another form of essentially throwing away peoples democratic rights, including to a fair trial? Its pretty messed up.

Ari warned that the promotion of gender and race-based politics and its undermining of democratic rights was playing into the hands of the far-right, When the pseudo-left come up with this kind of nonsense, the far-right dismantle it and sometimes they do a good job of dismantling it, and the danger is that it brings young people towards the right. Theyre giving them an ammunition in a way. Ari described the January 6 coup in the United States as a very worrying development.

A recent survey by the Institute of Economic Affairs found nearly 70 percent of young people in Britain want to live in a socialist economic system. It found 73 percent of 1634-year-olds believe a socialist system would boost solidarity, compassion and cooperation among people. Ari said, Ive been speaking to my classmates about this, and its remarkable how much more radical everyones got. People are talking much more about Marxism and socialism compared to when I was 13 or 14. Back then, my friend and I would talk about Karl Marx and socialism, but people didnt really want to talk about it. But now young people are completely interested and that is growing.
The Battle at Lake Changjin is a Chinese film about a major defeat of the United States during the 19501953 Korean War. It premiered at the 11th Beijing International Film Festival on September 21 before being released to wider audiences throughout China on September 30. Since then, it has become the highest-grossing film globally of 2021 as well as the highest-grossing film in China of all time, earning RMB5.757 billion (US$905 million).

The popularity of the film demonstrates a striving among layers of the population for an understanding of the countrys revolutionary past at a time when US imperialism is ramping up threats against China. For many with no knowledge of the Korean War or its causes, Lake Changjin represents an opportunity to delve into this past.

The Battle of Lake Changjin

The reasons why many people have seen the film are far different from why the film was produced. For the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) bureaucracy, the purpose is to promote blind nationalism, with a film that does nothing to explore the conditions in China or internationally at the time that drove hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers to sacrifice themselves in Korea. The viewer is supposed to believe that soldiers served and died for nothing more than love of country.

To understand the limited, one-dimensional character of Lake Changjin, it is necessary to outline the context which is for the most part is completely absent the film. The period immediately after World War II was one of revolutionary upheavals throughout Asia, virtually all of which resulted in disastrous defeats as a result of their Stalinist leadership.

The same could have taken place in China. In China, Stalin, had envisioned the establishment of a buffer state for the Soviet Union that would be acceptable to Washington and sought to subordinate the CCP to the government of Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang (KMT), or Nationalists.

Reflecting the political weakness of the widely hated KMT, Chiang Kai-shek, however, rejected any coalition with the CCP. The corruption and brutality of the KMT dictatorship resulted in a massive revolutionary movement that culminated in the 1949 Chinese Revolution, with the Nationalists retreating to Taiwan under protection of the US Navy.

The Battle of Lake Changjin

The Chinese Revolution, however, took on a deformed character, with Mao and the CCP initially planning for an extended period of the so-called democratic stage of the revolution in alliance with elements of the Chinese bourgeoisie before the socialist stage. In reality, this meant a defense of capitalism and strangling the revolutionary working-class movement.

The US lead-up to and invasion of Korea sharply altered these plans. The military intervention of imperialism was not only directed against Korea, but China as well. In response, the CCP was compelled to carry out sweeping reforms in China, including against private property, in order to meet the demands of Chinas revolutionary masses. Many of the most backward practices in society were eliminated, including attacks on women and children. Illiteracy was largely eliminated. For these reasons, the Chinese working class and farmers continue to view the 1949 Revolution as an enormous advance.

Though the Korean War officially began on June 25, 1950, it had been prepared since the Japanese surrender in 1945. Washington at first demanded a trusteeship for Korea, dividing the peninsula and carried out a reign of terror against striking workers and others opposed to the US occupation. Washington then installed the dictatorial Syngman Rhee as president who continued the wave of right-wing terrorism, ultimately killing hundreds of thousands of people suspected of left- wing tendencies or even simply being related to suspected leftists.

The US intended to wipe out all support for revolution in the South and then use it as a base of operations against the North and then China. When the war began, the North Korean forces had the upper hand against the deeply unpopular Rhee regime, taking nearly all of the peninsula in a matter of weeks, save for the city of Busan, in the southeast.

On September 15, the US military, under the guise of a UN mission, invaded at Incheon, pushed the North Koreans back across the 38th parallel and threatened to invade China on October 7. The US carried out a genocidal war, complete with devastating bombing runs of the peninsula, including dropping 866,914 gallons of napalm between June and October 1950, according to historian Bruce Cumings.

MacArthur had also discussed dropping between 30 and 50 atomic bombsin his wordsstrung across the neck of Manchuria. Washington considered introducing hundreds of thousands of Chinese Nationalist soldiers from Taiwan into Manchuria and in the south around Shanghai.

The Chinese people were mobilized to defend the newly won gains of the Chinese Revolution which were threatened by the military intervention of US imperialism. Chinese troops were sent to Korea in the Peoples Volunteer Army (PVA) not only to prevent the US from reuniting Korea under Rhee, but also from invading Manchuria.

Chinese and US forces clashed at Lake Changjin, also known by its Japanese name, Chosin Reservoir, in a battle that lasted from November 27 to December 13, 1950. The result was a massive blow to US imperialism, preventing it from gaining a larger foothold on the Asian continent. The US military was pushed back to Hungnam, from where it and other UN forces were forced to retreat back across the 38th parallel. It was one of the largest US retreats by sea in history.

The Battle of Lake Changjin

However, in the present conflict between Washington and Beijing, the CCP can make no appeal to this revolutionary sentiment. The CCP today oversees a thoroughly capitalist government and seeks to defend its interests against those of the massive Chinese working class. The bureaucracy has no way forward in its conflict with US imperialism except to prepare for war and is even more terrified of an uprising of the Chinese masses.

This sentiment is what lies at the heart of The Battle at Lake Changjin. It is meant to cut off the population from the revolutionary movements of the past at a time when there is fear over threats of US attacks on China. The CCP hopes to instill nationalism and totally whitewash historical truth.

The film itself is largely unremarkable and drags on for two hours and 48 minutes. Scenes are notable for all the wrong reasons, with the battles accounting for more than a third of the movie. Filmed with heavy use of CGI, it resembles a comic book or video game, is extremely violent, and lacks seriousness.

The movie stars Wu Jing as Wu Qianli, commander of 7th company, and Jackson Yee as Commander Wus younger brother Wanli. It follows Qianli as he returns home to his poor village after fighting in the 1949 Chinese Revolution, only to be forced to return to duty as the Korean War break outs. Wanli decides to join the army to serve under his brother.

There is no attempt at character development. All of the predictable caricatures are present: the wise leader (Qianli), the impetuous youth (Wanli); the grizzled veteran (Lei Suisheng, played by Hu Jun); and the doting father forced to return to war and is of course never without his daughters picture (Mei Sheng, played by Zhu Yawen). The running theme throughout the film is the unthinking and selfless sacrifice of the Chinese soldiers, risking life and limb to defeat an enemy armed with superior weaponry.

There is no denying the heroism displayed by the Chinese soldiers. They were determined to defend the Chinese Revolution and understood a US invasion would bring the return of the hated KMT regime and the oppression of workers and peasants. Within China, the CCP regime itself feared the emergence of a revolutionary opposition and rounded up and imprisoned the Chinese Trotskyists who were its most conscious expression.

The Americans in the film are portrayed as brutish and juvenile, at times cracking racist or derisive comments about the Chinese and Koreans. At one point, the members of the 7th company, freezing and starving, are angered when they overhear an American radio transmission of soldiers talking about wanting to be home for Christmas. While the Chinese troops are fighting for their families and country, the Americans only think of their personal pleasures.

Again, this is a simplistic caricature. Undoubtedly, the anti-communist McCarthyite witch hunt underway in the United States had a significant impact. However, there was far from unanimous support for the Korean Wara fact that is expressed in the opposition of the American Trotskyists of the Socialist Workers Party (SWP).

SWP leader James P. Cannon wrote in an open letter to the US government that the Korean War is part of the mighty uprising of the hundreds of millions of colonial people throughout Asia against western imperialism. This is the real truth, the real issue. The colonial slaves dont want to be slaves any longer.

The films black-and-white, racialist portrayal of the Korean War as the good Chinese against the bad Americans is clearly meant to drive a wedge between Chinese and American workers. In reality, the Chinese working class will find a powerful ally in its American counterparta unity that Beijing fears no less than Washington.

As US imperialism ramps up its war drive against China, the only social force that can halt a catastrophic war between nuclear-armed powers is the international working class. A genuine struggle against US aggression against China, Korea, or anywhere else in the world requires the unification of workers and youth in the fight for an international socialist perspective.

The Battle at Lake Changjin is a poor film underpinned by a diametrically opposed outlook hostile to internationalism and socialism.
Greece announced 130 COVID-19 deaths on December 14the highest death toll recorded in a single day since the beginning of the pandemic. The death toll has been consistently high in recent weeks with over 1,400 deaths recorded since the start of December. November was the deadliest month of the pandemic so far with nearly 200,000 cases and 2,157 deaths.

The toll of the pandemic in Greece this year was underscored in a recent press release by the Greek Statistical Service ELSTAT, which stated that there were 11,185 additional deaths in the first 43 weeks of 2021 compared with the same period in 2020. Compared with the average number of deaths between 2015 and 2020, the death toll in 2021 was 14.27 percent higher.

The 32,327 COVID cases recorded in the last week took overall infections to over 1 million (1,026,902). This is among a population of just 10.3 million.

A woman receives the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination shot inside a van used as a mobile vaccination unit at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece, on December 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

The latest upsurge is part of a wider trend in Europe with infections and deaths rising across the continent as governments reject any public health measures that cut across the profit interests of the financial elite.

Greece has been hit particularly hard by the latest wave of infections and now has one of the highest COVID death rates in Europe. According to figures compiled by Our World in Data, Greeces COVID mortality rate currently stands at 8.98 per million, which is the second highest rate in the eurozone after Slovakia (19.23 per million) and almost double the average death rate across Europe (5.86 per million).

The disproportionate devastation wrought by the virus in Greece is the direct result of the brutal austerity imposed by successive conservative, social-democratic and pseudo-left governments at the behest of the European Union and International Monetary Fund over the previous decade. Total healthcare spending decreased from 9.52 percent of GDP in 2010, when the first austerity package was signed, to 7.72 percent in 2018. According to a 2020 OECD report, Greece had 5.3 intensive care unit (ICU) beds per 100,000 population in 2019 just before the pandemic began, well below the EU average of 12.9 ICU beds per 100,000 population.

Despite claims by the government that ICU beds have been doubled in response to the crisis, the pandemic has brought Greeces public health system to near collapse. The number of people on ventilators throughout December has been around the 700 mark. Figures published by the Ministry of Health on December 12 reported that 104 patients on ventilators were hospitalised outside of ICU due to a lack of beds in intensive care. One 62-year-old COVID patient recently died on a hospital trolley at the Ippokrateion Hospital of Thessaloniki after an eight-hour wait to be admitted into intensive care.

In an interview to medical news website iatronet.gr at the end of last month, ICU doctor Apostolos Tsapas painted a devastating picture of the current situation at the Papageorgiou Hospital in Thessaloniki where he works.

Speaking about patients on ventilators outside his ICU he said, as a rule these people are monitored not by ICU specialists at the Papageorgiou hospital, but by anaesthetists, while in other hospitals I have heard its general practitioners. He added, If required they will ask for our help. And then we split ourselves in two and go and help. On the other hand, if ICU departments are full and woefully understaffed by doctors and nurses this means that we cant practically cover our own patients in ICU let alone those on ventilators outside ICUs. And for seriously ill patients on ventilators there are situations where time is not a luxury. Interventions need to be immediate, within 60 seconds.

As for the governments refusal to address the staffing crisis in ICU departments. he said, It takes two years to specialise in ICU medicine. If incentives had been given from the start [of the pandemic] today we would have nearly fully-fledged ICU doctors and the system would be better staffed. This shows which needs were prioritised. Referring to the 3 billion defence deal that Greece signed with France in September he said, We gave ample money for Rafale [fighter jets] and frigates. But for health we chose not to give anything.

Another ICU doctor, Michalis Rizos, who works at Attikon Hospital in Athens, told online news site tvxs.gr, If a COVID patient with additional problems cant find an ICU bed how is it possible for them to live? This is so-called hospitalisation, which is why I call it mass murder.

During a December 1 debate in parliament Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of the ruling New Democracy sought to downplay the issue of patients being on ventilators outside intensive care, stating, Do we have indications [that patients on ventilators outside intensive care] have a higher mortality than those in ICU? I dont have such an indication, do you? If so bring it to me.

Just such a study was published this week in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health authored by epidemiologist Theodoros Lytras and Sotiris Tsiodras. Tsiodras is the infectious disease specialist in charge of the governments Committee of Public Health Experts (EEDY). Analysing the mortality of patients on ventilators in Greek hospitals between September 2020 and May 2021, the study concluded that the mortality of patients on ventilators outside intensive care was 87 percent higher than those within an ICU.

Regional disparities were also exposed with mortality being significantly higher outside of the Attica prefecture which contains the capital Athens. Mortality was 35 percent higher in Thessaloniki, Greeces second largest city, and 40 percent higher across the rest of Greece. The report also concluded that mortality of ventilated patients increased by 25 percent if there were more than 400 patients hospitalised in ICUs, rising to 57 percent if the number of patients exceeded 800.

In a December 14 tweet, Lytras made clear that the studys findings were made immediately available to the government in May, exposing Mitsotakis claims in parliament as lies. Lytras also tweeted that out of the nearly 4,000 deaths included in the study, around 1,500 of these would not have occurred had they been hospitalised in a health service that was not under pressure (meaning less than 200 patients on ventilators), in hospitals within Attica and within intensive care.

Health Minister Thanos Plevris tried to present the record number of deaths recorded on December 14 as a peak, pointing to the fact that daily cases have been consistently dropping in the past two weeks while claiming, we are vigilant about the new variant Omicron, which has not yet hit us. Just a couple of days later this was belied after the total number of confirmed Omicron cases jumped to 17 on December 16up from five at the beginning of the week, prompting the government to require a negative test from all travellers coming into Greece.

However, with no additional measures to suppress community transmission it is only a matter of time before Omicron spreads further. With hospitalisations at an already high level the impact will be catastrophic.

Speaking to state broadcaster ERT earlier in the week, Yiannis Prassas, a molecular biologist at Toronto University in Canada, predicted that Omicron will hit Greece in about a month and will produce a very grim situation for the National Health Service. He warned, Under the threat of a huge wave of cases with everyone becoming infected at the same time, hospitals will receive unprecedented pressure with no scope for leeway when you have 700 patients on ventilators. Health workers will also become infected, which will result in huge staffing gaps when maximum coverage will be required.
On December 10, the British High Court upheld the appeal of the US government, clearing the way for Julian Assanges extradition to the US. The ruling was a travesty. It confirms that the British state, as part of a decade-long conspiracy involving the Australian, US, UK and Swedish governments, will stop at nothing in the relentless persecution of this courageous journalist who exposed the atrocities of the US and its allies, including during the criminal invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

The ruling means Assanges life hangs in the balance. To discuss how to take forward the fight for his immediate freedom the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in Australia has called an emergency online public meeting this Wednesday, December 22 at 7 p.m. (AEDT).

Workers and students in Australia, where Assange is a citizen, are sending the SEP statements of support for the fight to free the WikiLeaks founder, denouncing the British court ruling. They are joining many voices internationally, revealing the widespread revulsion and anger among ordinary people at Assanges treatment.

We urge all defenders of democratic rights and opponents of imperialist war to participate in the online public meeting on Wednesday evening. Click here to register.

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Margaret Grace speaking at an SEP meeting in Alice Springs, 2019

Margaret Grace, a registered nurse, has been an active campaigner for Assanges freedom since April 2019. She has spoken at a number of SEP public meetings and rallies to defend the WikiLeaks founder. She wrote:

Julian Assange has committed no crime, yet on 10th December in a continued violation of domestic and international law, the UK High Court made the devastating decision to rubberstamp the appeal to extradite him to the United States.

The court ignored Assanges frail and deteriorating physical and mental health, including his recent stroke. He is being placed into the hands of the very people that plotted to kidnap and assassinate him. If anyone was under the illusion that we are living in a democracy, then this belief must be now shattered.

This award-winning journalist and publisher will face charges of espionage. This is the first time a journalist has been charged under the Espionage Act. This is to send a global message to other investigative journalists and any future organisations like WikiLeaks, that truthful journalism is illegal and punishable by a lifetime in prison, under the most inhumane and brutal conditions imaginable. The US and imperialistic governments want to protect their military interests and ensure they can conduct future crimes without exposure.

Julian Assange is an international hero to millions and the most important, influential, and ground-breaking journalist of this century. He displayed immense courage and the highest level of integrity in exposing war crimes that were previously unknown and unreported. He made public the illegal wars of Iraq and Afghanistan, including the murders and torture of innocent adults and children. In turn saving thousands of lives. For that he should be held up as an example of extraordinary journalism.

Instead, for 12 years, he has been the target of a systematic medieval witch-hunt by the ruling elites, conspiring governments and their media mouthpieces. He has been the subject of persecution, character assassination, lies, psychological torture, medical neglect, spied upon whilst with his lawyers by the CIA, illegally removed from a place of asylum, held in solitary confinement, and subject to interminable show trials and hearings where he is prevented from communicating with his lawyers or giving evidence.

As the horrifying reality of Assanges extradition looms there has been an enormous groundswell of public support globally from groups and individuals alike. Calls for Assanges release have deepened across all sections of the working and middle classes, who must now join forces and insist this extradition cannot take place.

The ruling elites are acutely aware of the mobilisation and public support of Assange from the working class, who are outraged by his treatment. This is why a few political members have come forward to offer placating comments, but no action materialises, and the slow murderous silencing of Assange continues.

We must let the ruling class know we will not tolerate this. Assange cannot be handed to his persecutors and assassins for five minutes; let alone 175 years. His life literally hangs on a knifes edge. If he is extradited, it will set a precedent for the oppression of all dissenting voices. He has fought for the truth and now we must fight for him.

We must mobilise, demand all charges are dropped once and for all, and that Assange is given unconditional freedom immediately. His life is in our hands.

Gina, a student from Sydney and an SEP electoral member, wrote: The crimes against Julian Assange by governments worldwide are a warning of the impending treatment to any individual who dares to expose the criminal secrets of governments.

Gina

Julian Assange and WikiLeaks fought to ensure the lies and crimes of the ruling class were brought to light for the working class to see.

Assange now faces life in prison or execution, all while experiencing serious illness. He has spent years on remand without any charges against him while being placed in a maximum-security prison!

Fighting for Assanges freedom means fighting for the objective truth which is something we should all be fighting for.

David, a Queensland educator and SEP electoral member, wrote: I denounce the vicious UK High Court judgment against Julian Assange, whose only crime was to reveal US war crimes and foreign machinations. This judgment opens the way to his death sentence. We must call for massive demonstrations demanding Assanges release. These would show the anger of the working class and the danger it poses to the ruling class if they dont release their victim.

No one should put any faith in Australian politicians of any party, from the deputy prime minister down. They will not do anything more than utter feeble calls for action by the Australian or British governments, calls which they know are useless.
With the rapid spread of the highly-infectious Omicron variant, Australian governments and health authorities are proceeding to scrap all remaining public health measures, in line with the requirements of big business.

Australia-wide, todays total of more than 4,000 new COVID-19 cases is a record high, and the fourth straight day of unprecedented infections. While New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, the two most populous states, account for the vast majority, new infections were reported across the country.

Queue for drive-through COVID-19 testing in Sydneys Eastern Suburbs [Screenshot: ABC News]

Amid this accelerating disaster, both the Labor government in Victoria and the Liberal-National government in NSW went even further in dropping protective measures. From Tuesday, they will do away with the requirement for international travellers to self-isolate for 72 hours upon arrival. Overseas arrivals will only have to isolate until they receive a negative result from a PCR test conducted in Australia.

Even more politically criminal was todays announcement by NSW Health that although most cases in the state are now likely to be Omicron, it will now only undertake genomic sequencing for the Omicron variant in the circumstances where it will make a clinical difference to the care of a patient.

This is a brazen bid to hide the truth from ordinary people and cover up essential public health information. It will also deny the global scientific community access to valuable data about the infectiousness and severity of Omicron.

There are signs of mounting public concern and hostility to the scrapping of even limited mitigation measures. A change.org petition entitled Reinstate QR codes, mandatory masks and capacity limits in NSW has collected more than 11,000 signatures since it was created late Thursday night.

Also indicative of how seriously the public takes the COVID-19 threat is the substantially increased demand for PCR tests. In NSW, 765,000 tests were reported in the past seven days, 43 percent higher than the previous week.

This increase has taken place despite changes to NSW contact tracing rules that mean casual contacts are not required, or even asked, to get tested unless they develop symptoms.

In addition, close contacts have been redefined to focus specifically on people who live with someone who has tested positive for COVID. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has said these changes are designed to make sure we reduce the definition or capture of those people as close contacts.

Together with the abolition of QR-code sign-in requirements at most venues, this is intended to drive down reported case numbers and conceal the true extent of the pandemic.

In NSW, 2,482 new COVID-19 infections were reported today, the highest number recorded in a single day in any state throughout the pandemic. There are now 12,051 active cases in the state, the highest figure since September 24.

Of the cases reported today in NSW, 899more than a thirdwere recorded in the Hunter New England Local Health District, which includes the industrial port city of Newcastle. Almost half the cases confirmed in that region since the beginning of the pandemic were recorded in the past two days alone.

NSW Health urged the local Newcastle community to seriously consider deferring any social events in Newcastle until after Christmas. But this massive surge in cases, in a regional area lacking adequate health resources, has not prompted any reversal of the reopening drive.

Australias Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly ended a press conference yesterday with a clear statement that, when it comes to protecting their health and lives, people are on their own. He said: [P]eople should go about their lives, work through their own plan for living with COVID. Wear a mask if you feel that that makes you feel more safe, particularly indoors.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard claimed on Wednesday that the states hospitals were well-equipped to deal with a surge in infections, which he acknowledged could be as high as 25,000 per day by next month. However, an email sent to senior NSW Health staff and cited in the Sydney Morning Herald said the states health authorities had concerns with increasing levels of transmission in the community and the impact of furloughing staff.

Since Thursday evening, NSW hospitals have been at red alert level, meaning exemptions will be required to visit patients. According to NSW government figures, 459 health workers were in isolation due to COVID-19 exposure on December 13, up from 231 the previous week.

Despite government and media claims that Omicron is milder than the Delta mutation, hospitalisations already are starting to rise. Across NSW, 206 people are hospitalised with COVID-19, up from 150 a week ago. Of these, 26 are in intensive care units (ICU) and 9 require ventilation. Six deaths have been recorded this week.

In Victoria, 1,504 new cases were reported today, up from 778 a month ago. The total of 9,589 in the past seven days is 17 percent higher than the previous week. Infections in that state are still primarily the result of a continuing Delta outbreak, but at least 29 Omicron cases have been confirmed.

Due to the live with the virus drive by the corporate elite and its governments, states that had largely suppressed the virus previously are being increasingly exposed. Since the Queensland Labor government reopened its state borders to domestic travel on Monday, 90 new infections have been recorded, including 12 Omicron cases. In South Australia, 73 new cases were announced today, the states highest toll since the pandemic began.

Vaccinations are proving no protection. Many of the NSW cases are linked to super-spreader events that were only open to patrons who had received two vaccine doses. A vaccine-only strategy cannot possibly eliminate the pandemic. This underscores the criminal nature of the bipartisan reopening drive, based on the lie that fully vaccinated people are safe.

Despite the evident dangers, the five-month wait after their second dose before people are eligible to receive a booster shot has not been reduced. As a result, and with the removal of nearly all other mitigations, millions of people will remain unprotected against Omicron for several months.

Moreover, a new study by the Imperial College in London found no evidence of Omicron having lower severity than Delta, judged by either the proportion of people testing positive who report symptoms, or by the proportion of cases seeking hospital care after infection.

The development of the Omicron variant is a result of the failure of global capitalism to eliminate the pandemic. Instead, herd immunity policies, of the kind now more openly being adopted by the Australian ruling elite, have created the conditions for the evolution of new, more dangerous strains.

This growing catastrophe will last as long as public health measures are determined by the profit demands of big business, that is, until the working class takes matters into its own hands.
The gigantic international scientific effort to understand the multiple aspects of the novel coronavirus, produce unprecedented vaccines in record time and understand the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as educate and warn the public about the dangers it poses, has clashed with the profit interests of the ruling elite in all countries. Consequently, scientists have been a frequent target of violent attacks, often instigated directly by government leaders, for exposing the refusal of the ruling elite to implement a science-based policy against the pandemic.

In early October, the prestigious scientific journal Nature published a report with the results of a survey showing that, out of the 321 scientists who have conducted media interviews and expressed themselves on social media about the pandemic, 15 percent have received death threats. The survey also showed that almost 60 percent of the scientists interviewed have suffered attacks on their credibility and more than 40 percent of them have suffered emotional or psychological stress.

These attacks have been particularly prevalent in countries where a more open policy of herd immunity has been implemented and promoted, as in the case of Brazil, ruled by fascistic President Jair Bolsonaro.

The persecution of Brazilian scientists has been brought to the fore in the months of November and December by a series of resignations and protests at the countrys leading science and education agencies against what the head of the Brazilian Science Academy, Luiz Davidovich, called a political purge akin to those of 20th century authoritarian regimes.

Among those targeted by the government was Marcus Lacerda, who had led a study in early 2020, later used by the US National Institutes of Health, to advise against the use of hydroxychloroquinestill promoted by Bolsonarofor the treatment of COVID-19. Lacerda was stripped of his National Scientific Merit Order medal, prompting 21 scientists selected to receive the honor on November 4 to refuse them.

This week, after the countrys drug agency Anvisa cleared the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children from 5 to 11, Bolsonaro said he would reveal extra-officially the names of those who voted on the decision, for the people to make their judgment on them, that is, for his anti-vaccine far-right base to commit violent acts against them. Anvisa directors, including the Bolsonaro-appointed head, Rear Admiral Antonio Barra Torres, have received a number of death threats in case vaccine was cleared for infants.

Among those suffering the most barbaric persecutions is Lucas Ferrante, a doctoral student who led the main studies on the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of Amazonas. After almost two years of violence and threats, Ferrante is treating a very rare cancer connected to poisoning by heavy metals found in his residences water pipes bearing all the signs of intentional poisoning.

Lucas Ferrante: assaulted and poisoned after warning on second wave in Manaus

INPA researcher Lucas Ferrante (Credit: CNPq)

Ferrante is a researcher at the renowned National Institute for Amazonian Research and has been one of the scientists most attacked since Bolsonaro took office in 2019. That same year, he led a study published in the journal Environmental Conservation denouncing Bolsonaros environmental policies as a threat to the Amazon, its indigenous communities and the global climate. Since Bolsonaro took office, deforestation and wildfires in the Amazon have registered record highs year after year.

In April of last year, amid the health collapse in Manaus, Amazonas during the first wave of the pandemic, Ferrante published a letter in Science warning that Bolsonaros criminal negligence could threaten indigenous and traditional peoples.

The Brazilian Senates Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) into the Bolsonaro governments response to the pandemic found its failure to implement measures to prevent the arrival and spread of the coronavirus in indigenous communities evidence of a crime against humanity.

In August of last year, Ferrante was also the lead author of a letter in Nature Medicine warning of a second wave if schools and non-essential services were not closed in Manaus. This warning was confirmed in January, with tragic consequences for the citys population.

Another study led by Ferrante, published in the Journal of Public Health Policy in August, showed that The emergence of the gamma variant in Manaus [at the end of last year] occurred due to the federal governments strategy of encouraging the contagion of children with the return of in-person classes so that the population would reach herd immunity.

These studies, published in the worlds most prestigious scientific journals, as well as his regular interviews in major dailies in Brazil and around the world, have made Ferrante a constant target of threats and attacks. In an interview with the Intercept in March of this year, Ferrante said he had received three death threats via cell phone, which included charges that that I was interfering in matters of national security.

In November of last year, Ferrante suffered an attack after he requested an Uber and the supposed driver threatened him for his warnings about the second wave in Manaus and assaulted him with a sharp object. According to a report last month by Veja magazine, Ferrante today is treating a very rare thyroid cancer after pieces of a battery were found in the plumbing of his home. The doctors suspect that [the cancer] is related to my exposure to toxic substances, he told Veja.

Pedro Hallal has left Brazil after conducting the largest study on the pandemic in the country

Pedro Hallal during testimony to the PCI (Credit: TV Senado)

Pedro Hallal, epidemiologist and former dean of the Federal University of Pelotas, was another Brazilian scientist attacked by President Bolsonaro, his local political allies and the Brazilian state itself.

In May 2020, he began coordinating the largest epidemiological study on coronavirus in Brazil. Funded by the health ministry, the study would test 33,000 people in 133 cities in all 27 Brazilian states. Early in the fieldwork, several research teams were threatened by local authorities, detained by the police and hundreds of COVID tests were destroyed.

In July of last year, the study was halted by the Health Ministry. Hallal, at the time, said it was a totally political decision. Besides pointing out a six-fold sub-notification of cases in Brazil, the work showed that the risk of infection among indigenous people is five times higher, and among the poor twice, the national average

In March, he was forced by the government to sign a deal committing not to express himself in a manner disrespectful and disdainful to the President in the next two years, in order to stave off legal persecution.

Threats by the far right were intensified after his testimony before the CPI in June, in which Hallal showed the results of a study demonstrating Brazil could have saved 400,000 lives with changes in the policies dictated by the Bolsonaro government. Since then, Hallal has been forced to take a position in the US in order to continue his career.

Marcus Lacerda: needed police escort after exposing hydroxychloroquines ineffectiveness against COVID-19

Marcus Lacerda at an April 2020 press conference warning that hydroxychloroquine should not be used against COVID-19 (Credit: SECOM/AMAZONAS)

Manaus physician Marcus Lacerda, a researcher at FIOCRUZ, the largest epidemiological institute in Brazil, has been working for over 20 years on malaria in the Amazon region, where it is an endemic disease that has hydroxychloroquine as one of its main drugs.

At the beginning of the first wave in Manaus, in April of last year, he and his team of 27 researchers conducted the first randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the use of hydroxychloroquine, as well as the best dosage of the drug, in 81 severe COVID-19 patients, demonstrating its harmful effect. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and became the second most cited paper in the journal in 2020.

After Dr. Didier Raoults fraudulent study, Lacerdas trial was the first to show hydroxychloroquines ineffectiveness. Because of Dr. Raoults study, Trump and Bolsonaro began frantically promoting the drug as part of their campaign to fully reopen the economy.

One of Bolsonaros sons, Eduardo, the Latin American representative of Steve Bannons international organization, The Movement, posted on Twitter the lie that the Lacerda-led study, because it used high dosages of hydroxychloroquine, had killed 11 patients and that those responsible are from PT [Workers Party].

Exposing the international coordination in their slanders, three days before Eduardo Bolsonaros tweet, fascistic American activist Michael Coudrey, from whom Trump re-tweeted a post about Dr. Raoults hydroxychloroquine study, commented on Lacerdas study, saying that the patients who died were used as lab guinea pigs. Viva os conservadores e o presidente Bolsonaro (Long live the conservatives and President Bolsonaro), the post also stated in Portuguese.

After Eduardo Bolsonaros tweet, Lacerda began to receive death threats and needed an armed escort from the Military Police for two weeks. Three prosecutors from the Federal Public Attorneys Office, all of them supporters of Bolsonaro, also initiated an investigation into the researchers actions in the clinical trial.

Bolsonaros post promoting the results of Prevent Seniors alleged clinical trial (Credit: Twitter)

Commenting on his situation, Lacerda said, Since the end of the military dictatorship, no Brazilian scientist has experienced this in Brazil. In its 21 years, the military dictatorship established in 1964 in Brazil and lauded by Bolsonaro arrested, fired, tortured, killed or forced into exile hundreds of scientists.

Prevent Seniors barbaric experiment and the social holocaust in Manaus

While Lacerda and his team of researchers were exposing the ineffectiveness and toxicity of hydroxychloroquine in use against COVID-19, Bolsonaro and his sons were promoting the results of a fraudulent and barbaric clinical trial conducted by the private health care company Prevent Senior, which tried the drug without the consent of the National Research Ethics Commission and hid the deaths of those who were treated without their consent.

The later government crimes in Manaus amplified the barbaric Prevent Senior experiment to the scale of an entire city: the government responded to the death of patients due to lack of oxygen in and outside Manaus hospitals by pushing the city to use the COVID kit that included hydroxychloroquine.

What happened in Manaus is just the most graphic example of what the WSWS has called a social holocaust committed by the worlds ruling elites against millions of human lives. In his complete downplaying of the danger of the coronavirus, his boycott of the most basic mitigation measures, such as mask wearing, and his systematic campaign against the COVID-19 vaccine, Bolsonaro aligns himself with the most barbaric anti-scientific traditions of global capitalism  from eugenics, to Social Darwinism to Nazism.

The attack on scientists is part of a broad campaign by the capitalist ruling classes in every country to make the worlds population learn to live with the coronavirus and its more infectious and vaccine-resistant variants like Omicron.

The same methods used against scientists, including open state repression, will be intensified against the working class as the social and economic crisis of global capitalism intensifies. Workers must not only oppose the witch-hunt against scientists but establish the closest alliance with them to eliminate both the deadly virus globally and what has impeded this necessary response, the capitalist profit system.
A member of the Canadian Armed Forces working at a Quebec nursing home. (Canadian Dept. of Defence)

The explosive growth of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Canada is causing infections in the two most populous provinces, Ontario and Quebec, to skyrocket. While Quebec currently leads the way with new cases more than doubling in the four days from Tuesday to Friday, experts from Ontarios Science Table warned Thursday that the provinces hospitals will face unsustainable demands for care in January if infections continue to rise at their current trajectory.

Quebec announced 3,760 infections over the previous 24 hours Friday, up from 1,747 on Tuesday. This was the highest daily total since the pandemic began. Analysis of positive tests revealed that the Omicron variant made up 20 percent of all infections on Tuesday. Based on the understanding that the highly infectious variant doubles every two to three days, Omicron appears set to dominate new infections in the province by this weekend.

Record high daily infections were also announced in the Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

A similarly disastrous situation is developing in Ontario. Daily infections surpassed the 3,000 mark for the first time since the third wave in the spring, with authorities announcing 3,124 new infections over the preceding 24 hours Friday morning.

The Science Table advised that its dire prediction of overwhelmed hospital wards within a matter of a few weeks, which would result in thousands of preventable deaths, could only be averted if social contacts are reduced by 50 percent. A reliance on booster vaccines alone would not prevent daily infections from rising to an unprecedented 6,000 to 10,000 within the next two weeks, the assessment added.

Yet immediately after presenting this sobering scenario, Science Table co-chair Adalsteinn Brown rejected out of hand any talk of lockdowns or other comprehensive public health measures to avert the impending crisis. I dont think that we need to necessarily stop things full out, he commented. I believe we can do this without closing schools or shutting down businesses that have suffered during previous waves.

This will have been music to the ears of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who is determined to avoid implementing any measure that will restrict the accumulation of profits for the provinces major corporations and super-rich. Underscoring his reckless disregard for the protection of human life, all Ford offered in an appearance Friday was the restriction of certain venues, such as restaurants, bars, gyms and retail stores, to 50 percent capacity. Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced similar measures a day earlier, declaring that bars, restaurants, retail stores and places of worship will only operate at half capacity.

Legault refused to even countenance moving forward the Christmas break by a few days for the provinces schools, despite the fact that almost half of them currently have COVID-19 outbreaks. He announced that the Christmas break for high schools would be extended by a few days until January 10, while elementary school students will be forced to return to their COVID-infested classrooms a week prior. Ford, for his part, has refused thus far to state his governments intentions for schools in the new year.

In the face of the tsunami of infections already under way, governments at the provincial and federal levels have been spending their time relaxing already inadequate public health measures and scrapping pandemic-related support programs. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced this week that effective immediately, unvaccinated people would be allowed to congregate again indoors. Kenney also overturned the restriction on social gatherings to two households. Instead, people from any number of households can gather over the holiday period, so long as the number of adults does not exceed 10. The number of those under the age of 18 allowed to be present is unlimited.

The federal Liberal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau secured the passage of a bill in the House of Commons Thursday to complete the gutting of what little remained of financial support for workers. According to the new measure, a worker is only entitled to the pitiful sum of $300 per week if they are ordered into lockdown by their employer, province or local authority for 14 consecutive daysa virtual impossibility given the ruthless open economy/open schools policy enforced by governments from coast to coast. Even if these conditions are met, the federal cabinet retains the power to determine what constitutes a lockdown. The very same bill extended a generous financial support program to businesses through May 2022. After ensuring this Christmas present for corporate Canada passed parliament, MPs, including from the New Democratic Party (NDP), voted unanimously to begin their six-week Christmas recess a day ahead of schedule.

Trudeau sought to blame the population for his governments inaction in response to Omicron, claiming in an interview with the CBC that widespread pandemic fatigue and people being tired of restrictions were major reasons helping Omicron spread, not the governments repudiation of basic public health measures in the interests of defending corporate profits.

Canadas political elite could hardly make clearer its commitment to a policy of mass infection and death. Dr. Caroline Quach-Thanh, a member of Quebecs immunization committee, asserted last week that if Omicron causes mild infections, maybe what you should do is let people get it and, as long as it doesnt cause hospitalization and death, that boosts the immunity naturally and that will protect the population.

Quach-Thanhs musings about enforcing a murderous herd immunity policy, which has produced over 170,000 deaths in the United Kingdom and millions more worldwide, enjoy widespread support within ruling circles. This fact is underlined by the shambolic character of the federal and provincial governments rollout of booster vaccinations, which are critical to providing a substantial degree of protection against infection and serious illness. As of December 16, just 9.2 percent of Canadas population had received a third dose, compared to almost 40 percent in Britain and around 30 percent in Germany.

The slowing of the vaccination campaign to a snails pace is not the product of a lack of vaccines. On the contrary, a report yesterday noted that the federal government is currently hoarding over 4 million doses. Rather, it is the outcome of the systematic dismantling of the infrastructure needed to distribute and administer the vaccines following the rollout of second doses.

Governments scrapped the infrastructure at the very point where scientific investigation was revealing the urgent necessity of third doses to protect against waning immunity among those with two doses of vaccine. This need has become all the more urgent with the emergence of Omicron. According to the latest scientific data, the protection for someone who is double vaccinated from an Omicron infection is as low as 22 to 33 percent. Six months after their second dose, virtually no protection against Omicron exists. Only with the administration of the third booster dose does infection protection rise to roughly the equivalent of the protection provided by two doses against the original strain of the virus.

In British Columbia, which is governed by the NDP, authorities have gone so far as to close vaccine clinics for up to two weeks for the holidays, leaving people desperately seeking protection from the highly infectious Omicron variant with nowhere to go. According to the CBC, vaccine clinics in Prince George, Prince Rupert and Terrace are closed from December 20 to January 4. Even Vancouver, the provinces largest city, is organizing no vaccine clinics between December 24 and 28. Jean Fares, a 62 year old who received his second dose over six months ago and has been unable to book a third due to the holiday closures, told CBC, Theyre playing with our lives. Im not going out, not seeing anyone. I want my vaccine.

Even the task of getting tested has become a major challenge for thousands of workers across the country. Twitter users have shared videos and pictures of long lines forcing people to wait hours at local test centres. Those seeking rapid tests in Ontario report being directed by the government to stores that have yet to be supplied with stock.

Public anger is mounting over the ruling elites criminal pandemic policy, which has focused on protecting corporate profits at the expense of peoples lives from the outset. Despite a propaganda campaign in the corporate-controlled media incessantly promoting right-wing opposition to even limited mitigation while proclaiming Omicron to be mild and the worst of the pandemic to be over, a poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Global News revealed that 56 percent of respondents, a clear majority, would support a full lockdown to suppress the virus.

This mass popular support for a science-based response to the pandemic must be mobilized in a worker-led struggle for a strategy to eliminate COVID-19. Workers must take up the demands for the immediate closure of schools to in-person learning and all nonessential production with full compensation for workers and a comprehensive public health program of mass testing, isolation of infected people, contact tracing and quarantine, and mass vaccination to bring cases down to zero.
The Committee for Public Education (CFPE) in Australia held a successful online meeting last Saturday, with people participating from across regional and urban Australia, as well as New Zealand, the Philippines and the United States.

The event, titled COVID-19 spreads through Australian schools: Lives before profit! Stop the pandemic! featured reports from Evan Blake,a member of the Socialist Equality Party (US) and a leading writer for the World Socialist Web Site, CFPE national convenor Sue Phillips, and SEP National Committee member Zac Hambides.

Central to the meeting was discussion on the Global Workers Inquest that has been initiated by the World Socialist Web Site.

CFPE member and teacher Patrick OConnor, who chaired the meeting, began by explaining the crucial significance of the Inquest.The emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant was predicted by many epidemiologistsand the World Socialist Web Siteas an inevitable price that would be paid for the failure of the ruling elite of nearly every country in the world to advance policies aimed at the elimination of the virus, he said.

The first report was delivered by Blake who began by reviewing the present state of the pandemic and the spread of the Omicron variant internationally.

In outlining the catastrophe that is taking place in the United States during the latest Delta surge, Blake highlighted the impact on children, noting that schools are the number one source of outbreaks and that more than 100,000 children are being infected every week. The CDC reported that 974 children under 18 years old have died from COVID-19, including an extraordinary 306 children under the age of five.

Blake also pointed to the enormous opposition brewing among students, teachers and parents to keeping schools open while politicians and their backers in the teachers unions double down on their homicidal policies.

Blake concluded his report by calling attention to the Global Workers Inquest into the COVID-19 pandemic, which will expose the ongoing criminal policies that have led to the death of millions of people.

He explained that the inquest will examine every major aspect of the pandemic in each countryincluding the topics of what was known before the pandemic, what was done in the critical first three months, the Wuhan lab conspiracy theory, the impact of COVID-19 on children and the role of school reopenings on viral transmission, the role of the politicians, the unions, and the media.

Blake continued: In developing the Inquest, we seek to educate the working class and politically arm workers with an understanding of what has taken place and why, and who is responsible. This is not a scholastic exercise, but must be intimately connected to the fight for the global elimination and eradication of COVID-19 today, which is the only way to stop new and more dangerous variants from evolving.

Blake answered a series of questions from meeting participants, including on the nature of the Omicron variant, the role of schools in the transmission of the virus, and the impact of Long COVID on children.

Meeting participants then unanimously voted for a resolution endorsing the Global Workers Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic.

It read: This meeting of the CFPE fully endorses the WSWS initiative to hold a Global Workers Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic. We resolve to support this initiative in any way possible and to encourage teachers, parents and students to participate as fully as possible. As governments around the world have all embraced a let it rip approach to the pandemic, we have to use the Inquest as an opportunity to educate the only force capable of undertaking a struggle for an eradication program to the pandemicthe working class.

CFPE convenor Phillips was the next speaker. Reviewing the development of COVID in Australia, Phillips explained: Decisions are being prioritised not on the basis of the health and safety of children, students and working people, but on the demands of the corporate elite for the resumption of full profit-making, especially over the Christmas and holiday season. In fact, far from raising concern about Omicron, government ministers, senior officials and sections of the corporate media have proclaimed their desire for the new variant to spread.

To illustrate the impact of these criminal policies, Phillips outlined the impact in Australia on children, citing data collected independently by the CFPE. Phillips noted that the shocking and unending dangerous spread of the virus in schoolsthe lack of accurate information has been covered over by teacher unions, which have been entirely complicit in this dangerous experimentnot only in this recent opening but from the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Outlining a strategy for elimination of the virus, Phillips noted, The response to the virus must be taken out of the hands of the ruling class. In every workplace and factory, in the US and internationally, rank-and-file committees must be built to enforce the shutdown of unsafe facilities and the closure of schools to in-person learning.

The development of a mass movement against the criminal policies of capitalist governments requires the education of workers and young people on the nature of the pandemic. The Global Workers Inquest will play a major role in providing the social and political impulse for the mobilisation and intervention of the working class in the fight to end the pandemic.

Zac Hambides gave the final report, focussed on the recent one-day strike by teachers in NSW and the opposition that has developed among teachers to the reopening of schools.

Outlining the role of the unions in the reopenings, he said: The NSW Teachers Federation, Australian Education Union, and the Independent Education Union have all collaborated with the government to force teachers back to schools plainly repeating the lie that vaccines and minimal mitigation measures will keep teachers and students safe.

He continued: We insist there is no safe way to operate schools during widespread community transmission of COVID, these must be shut as part of broader measures to eliminate COVID and place workers lives above the profit interests of the billionaires.

The reports were followed by further questions and answers and included a short report by one of the CFPE members responsible for publishing daily data on school closures and school infections. Noting that much of our data comes from concerned parents and teachers who inform us directly, the CFPE member and teacher explained, This work is so important to give a better understanding of the actual impact on schools and to educate the public and particularly parents and educators of that impact.

At the end of the meeting, a resolution was passed in support of English parent and SafeEdForAll member Lisa Diaz.

The resolution read: This meeting of the CFPE declares its full solidarity with Lisa Diaz, who is being persecuted by the UK government and Wigans Labour-run council for her struggle against the mass infection of students with COVID-19. The authorities are threatening to prosecute Lisa with a fine up to 2,500 and the Family court because she refuses to risk the lives of her children by sending them into COVID-infested schools.

Lisas call for a global school strike was supported by educators and workers in Australia and internationally, underscoring that we face the same struggle. We strongly denounce the UK governments stepped-up intimidation of parents who refuse to send their kids into dangerous schools, and pledge to do all in our power to build support for Lisa among educators, parents, and students in Australia.
Note: an earlier version of this article incorrectly said that More Perfect Union was the first to report on the management email. In fact, it was first reported by Michigan Advance on December 17. The article has been edited to make this correction.

A leaked management email has revealed the existence of a conspiracy between the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union and Kelloggs management to force an end to the two-and-a-half-month strike by 1,400 US cereal workers. On Thursday, Kelloggs and the union announced a new tentative agreement which is almost identical to the one which workers rejected two weeks ago, and which allows for the unlimited expansion of the companys use of lower-paid second tier transitional workers. A snap vote has been called for this Sunday.

Leaked Kelloggs management email

The email, first reported by Laina Stebbins of Michigan Advance, was apparently sent to several members of plant management. It declares, In short, overall bucket of money (cost) stays the same. Just shifts money from one bucket to another. It adds with malicious satisfaction, No gain overall for them [Kelloggs workers] with 3 more weeks of strike and no income. No ratification bonus.

We are confident this will pass, the emails add because most of the unions negotiating committee is for this and plans to recommend it. (emphasis added). I know everyone is tired and tense in the plant, please try to focus on what we need to do. Please try to keep negotiations talk to a minimum in the plant around the workers.

The email exposes BCTGM as complicit in managements attempt to break the strike, and that management is relying upon the union to pass a contract which workers already rejected. Moreover, the instructions to fellow managers to keep radio silence around workers on the contract is a clear signal that they are relying principally on the union to browbeat opposition on their own behalf.

Workers should respond by rejecting the entire fraudulent framework of this so-called collective bargaining, which is exposed as, in reality, a union-management conspiracy to break their courageous struggle. The entire bargaining committee should be kicked out, and a new bargaining committee elected consisting of the most trusted rank-and-file workers from the shop floor.

Last week, the World Socialist Web Site warned that the silence from the BCTGM in response to managements threat to fire workers en masse following the last contract vote amounted to tacit consent, and that the union was working with management to overcome workers resistance through a combination of threats and intimidation. This has now been proven beyond a doubt, first by the new tentative agreement itself, and now by the leaked email.

In the days leading up to the election, the BCTGM is engaged in a massive campaign of censorship. Only hours after the TA was announced, it archived several local Facebook groups with thousands of members in order to prevent workers from speaking to each other and building up opposition to the contract. In this, they are taking a page out of the playbook of the United Auto Workers, which used similar methods this fall to force through a re-vote of a contract which workers had also rejected in order to end a month-long strike at John Deere.

Despite these moves, workers remain defiant. Im still a NO vote, said one veteran worker. Kelloggs is getting desperate. The big shots came through Battle Creek this morning. I dont think they liked what they saw. Theyre manipulating stock prices, acting like weve given up. I hope the members are smarter than the leadership on this BS agreement.

This contract would make me lots of money, he added, and get me the four years I need to retire, but I dont care about that right now. Im sick of seeing the young people getting screwed. This is still not good for them. Im voting NO. If it goes down, [Kelloggs] will bring another before this quarterly report comes out.

Another striking Kelloggs worker said, This contract is the same as the last one, just a few words changed around. If we vote it in now, this whole strike will have been for nothing. I hope we vote NO!



The worker denounced the BCTGMs losing strategy. Its like the Detroit Lions. How many years have they played not-to-lose and they end up losing every time. You can only win if you play to win.

Weve seen this type of stuff before, he said. In the 2015 contract, when they started the transitional lower tier, a lot of people were talking about the shady deals that BCTGM had taken.

But in spite of determination of the workers, the strike is in danger as long as conduct is left in the hands of the union bureaucracy. Now more than ever, workers must move to take struggle into their own hands by forming a rank-and-file strike committee to oppose betrayals of union, appeal for broadest possible support and develop a strategy for victory.

Bernie Sanders stumps for the union, promotes America First nationalism at Battle Creek rally

Earlier in the day, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders traveled to Battle Creek, Michigan in an effort to drum up support for the union and divert workers anger. The event, which lasted less than thirty minutes and was largely comprised of the same demagogic phrases which Sanders has employed for years, had an unreal character to it, presenting the BCTGM officialdom as the vanguard of the fight against Kelloggs even as they are deep in a campaign to force through a sellout contract. The very existence of the tentative agreement went almost entirely unmentioned except for a brief reference to it by Local 3G President Trevor Bidelman, who made certain muted criticisms of the deal, suggesting he expects the contract will be voted down.

Sanders attempted to present the central issue of the strike as a disloyal US-based company threatening to ship American jobs to Mexico. At the climax of his speech, he declared,If you love America, you love the workers. And if you love American workers, you dont ship their jobs to desperate people in Mexico and pay them 90 cents an hour.

This reactionary America First nationalism is no different in principle from that of Donald Trump and extreme right. In fact, Breitbart, whose former editor Steve Bannon is a key Trump ally, is attempting to capitalize upon the BCTGM's own anti-Mexican campaign to bolster the credibility of its own fascistic politics.

This anti-Mexican demagogy serves only to isolate the strike from its most powerful reservoir of support, the international working class. For all of his demagogy against the billionaire class, Sanders presentation of disloyal Kelloggs management leaves open the possibility of loyal American exploiters whose interests are united with the workers. Indeed, at the end of his speech, Sanders called on the crowd to appeal to the corporate oligarchy itself to create an economy that works for all of us, and not just the few. This has particularly dangerous implications as US capitalism is preparing for military conflict against nuclear-armed Russia and China in a desperate attempt to maintain its world supremacy.

In fact, America First nationalism has been a longstanding and central element in Sanders politics. In 2015, he denounced open borders as a Koch Brothers proposal which would make everyone in America poorer. When he returned to this theme in 2019, he earned praise from neo-Nazi leader Richard Spencer, who organized the fascist riot in Charlottesville, Virginia. Sanders is not a Nazi, buts his promotion of anti-Mexican nationalism serves only to disarm the working class and lend political legitimacy to the far right.

No matter how it is presented, the promotion of the possibility of the identity of interests between the corporations and the workers, within the framework of the national state, can only serve to bind workers hand and foot to their own native exploiters. This is why, in the midst of a demagogic speech attacking Kelloggs, Sanders also praised the sacrifice made by Kelloggs workers in laboring for weeks at a time without a single day off as having helped save America during the pandemic. This is a lie which has been promoted by the food production industry itself to justify its enforcement of brutal overtime and its refusal to shut down production during the pandemic.

In fact, independent studies have shown that the American food supply was never under any danger even in the early stages of the pandemic. However, by keeping workers on the job as long as possible, Kelloggs and other major food companies have seen their profits soar, even as tens of thousands of food workers have been infected and hundreds have died.

In contrast to the economic nationalism of Sanders, many Kelloggs workers see workers in other countries as their natural allies. As one worker noted, The support we have been receiving from all over the country, all over the worldit is really moving. We are being followed by a lot of people, and I dont know what will happen if we win or if we lose, but it is very powerful to see Palestinian workers in Israel holding up a banner in support of our strike.

Kelloggs workers have enormous support in the US and internationally. But to win their struggle, they must take it out of the hands of the BCTGM and fight to build independent rank-and-file committees that can develop a strategy to win the strike. Their strike is part of a growing rebellion of workers all across the world against pandemic conditions and decades of capitalist exploitation.

Something big has got to happen, the Kelloggs worker concluded. And its coming: a revolution.

Kelloggs workers: contact the WSWS to learn more about forming a rank-and-file strike committee in your area.
Warwick Dove, a member of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) and former Kelloggs worker, has a message for striking Kelloggs workers in the United States on the eve of their vote on another concessions contract this weekend.

For more information on forming a rank-and-file strike committee at Kelloggs, go to wsws.org/workers.
The residents of New York City are now once more in the grip of mass infection from COVID-19, in a situation comparable only to the first wave of the pandemic in the spring of 2020. Yesterday there were 143 new hospitalizations and 4,561 new cases diagnosed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 13 percent of cases have been identified as the highly infectious Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

People wait in line to get tested for COVID-19 at a mobile testing site in Times Square on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

On Friday, statewide, over 21,000 people were confirmed infected with the virus, the highest daily count since the beginning of the pandemic was first detected in the state in March 2020. Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, however, refused to issue any lockdown orders. She tweeted, We cantand we wontgo back to where we were 21 months ago.

The COVID-19 test positivity rate in the city has nearly doubled in ten days from 3.91 percent on December 9 to 7.3 percent on December 12, an unprecedented leap. Weve never seen this before, remarked Dr. Jay Varma, a senior health adviser to the citys Democratic mayor, Bill de Blasio. The data that we monitor so closely is showing an alarming trend, the citys Health Commissioner, Dr. Dave Chokshi, reported in a statement.

On Wednesday, 8,318 people in the city had a positive COVID-19 lab or rapid test, according to New York States Department of Health. This is an increase from 5,084 on Tuesday and 3,124 on Monday.

The record-breaking surge has caught the city authorities and businesses completely unprepared.

Major Broadway shows such as Hamilton, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and Ain't Too Proud all canceled performances, but only after some cast and crew tested positive for COVID-19. A performance of Moulin Rouge! was abruptly canceled on Thursday night as the audience was taking their seats because of a positive test for a cast member.

Many restaurants have temporarily closed and final exams at Columbia University and New York University have moved online, following the example of Cornell earlier this week. The Metropolitan Opera will require a third booster shot from performers, staff and audiences, but only after January 17.

Testing centers have long lines and long waits. According to the online journal, The City, at least 20 of 55 testing sites run by the citys Health + Hospitals were closed after Thanksgiving. Maximum wait time has grown from seven minutes in mid-November to 30 minutes this week with a number of these testing facilities averaging waits of 1.5 hours or more.

The situation is particularly dire for children. Four schools as of Friday have been closed and 859 classrooms are closed, up from 153 last month, over a fourfold increase. Fifty charter school classrooms are closed as well. There are also 2,499 partial classroom quarantines (143 in charter schools) as well as 21 investigations (one in charters). These figures barely reflect the actual gravity of the situation, since the highly inadequate testing regime used by the Department of Education (DOE) to keep schools open catches only about 14 percent of COVID-19 cases in school-aged children.

In fact, according to independent data reported from labs, the number of cases in children 11 17 has doubled from December 12 to December 15 from 502 cases to 1,085 cases. The parents advocacy group, PRESS NYC, has noted that 43 children with COVID-19 diagnoses in the city have been admitted to hospitals this week.

The DOE acted quickly on Thursday night to quash a rumor circulating among educators and parents that the school system would shut down for in-person learningthe only sensible response to the rapid rise in infections among childrenreleasing a memo to principals saying, there is no imminent plan or intent to transition to remote learning system-wide. All temporary classroom and schoolwide closures due to widespread transmission within a school are decided by the Situation Room on a case-by-case basis.

When asked by WNYCs Brian Lehrer if schools would close, Mayor de Blasio responded, No, no, no! and indicated that the city is in a totally different situation than March 2020, given vaccinations. He told Lehrer that shutting down schools and city would be traumatizing.

Michael Mulgrew, the president of the United Federation of Teachers, also ruled out any school closure. In a letter to educators, he called for vaccination and half-hearted measures, such as pressing the DOE to work to increase the opt-in rate for student testing.

The motto of the authorities is: Do nothing until it is too late.

Nevertheless, reports from parents and teachers about the trauma of keeping schools open during a deadly pandemic, which have kept rolling in from Twitter and other social media in the last few days, give a sense of the extent of the rapidity of the spread of the virus in school.

One read, Confirmed cases (including our principal, multiple admin and office staff) and close to 900 students quarantined. There are an additional 7 staff out with symptoms but awaiting test results.

I was a close contact from a COVID positive co-worker, said a teacher. And [I] only know that because they called me. Nothing from test and trace or Principal. This is how to have a major outbreak in schools.

Another teacher: Another covid case in my school. No surprise. But what was surprising was that when the child went to the nurse and had a fever, she sent him back to class to sit with the kids until the parents picked him up. Admin says theres no isolation protocol  do parents know?

Indeed, the DOE is suppressing information on the outbreak to parents, educators and students alike. One Brooklyn educator on Twitter caught the sense of fear that the DOE is instilling in school buildings:

Today, out of 15 rooms I know of 8 classes have disappeared. The rooms are dark, silent and without the buzz of life. Staff once occupying them are all gone without a word. Kids too, home I presume. But idk because nobody will tell us. We just guess thats where they are. Teachers ask admins who is Qtined? BUT admins arent allowed to answer. But we all can guess unofficially who is QUARANTINED b/c there is talk among teachers 

So now panicked parents are calling daily to find out the truth but we cant provide any answers because were not allowed to. So now parents are pulling their kids out of the school building b/c other parents & kids talk to each other & find out the truth.

And yes, we have plenty of vaxd staff getting #Covid_19. Even after 2x booster shots  The fear of the sickness among staff & students hasnt been at this fever pitch since March 2020, when we had staff die  None of us know what next week will bring - who will get sick and disappear without a word. But one things for certain, no matter who gets it next, the mayor will proudly decree that we schools stayed open.

Outrage at the continued opening of schools and nonessential businesses can be found everywhere. One parent tweeted: We need to close schools NOW BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS to prevent mass infection. Its only common sense USE IT! #RESTOREREMOTE.

Workers are also taking their safety into their own hands. On Thursday, as one worker related to the WSWS, several crew members on the set of a TV production studio in the city tested positive for COVID-19 during the day. When these workers were removed from the set, the rest of the crew began asking questions about potential exposure. After a company health and safety manager refused to answer specific questions, one worker asked for a show of hands from all those who felt safe continuing working. No one raised his or her hand.

Management cut scheduled work for the next day in half and pushed back start time. Many workers called for an end of production for the rest of the year instead of going back at all.

As production began on Friday afternoon, some of the crew overheard a producer talking about the unsafe COVID-19 situation in the city, which contradicted earlier management claims about the viability of continuing work in a safe manner.

Workers again raised concerns including, this time, questions about contact tracing and unfulfilled promises of personal protective equipment. When no answers were forthcoming, about 60 workers temporarily walked out and several workers left for the day. Production resumed at a slow rate.

A social crime is unfolding in New York City and around the world as the Omicron variant spreads. The limited mitigation strategy of the Democrats is converging with the herd immunity program of the far right. De Blasio, Hochul and the unions, in line with the vaccine-only policy of the Biden administration, are lining up to ensure that the economy remains open and to protect the profits of the very rich even as infections surge to new heights and hospitals, already stretched to the breaking point, are being totally overwhelmed.

The working class must put forward its own program to eliminate the COVID virus and bring transmission of the disease down to zero. This means that workers must build rank-and-file committees that will enforce temporary lockdowns, demand income for those forced to stay home, implement a mass vaccination program, mass testing and contact tracing and temporary quarantine for infected people. Workers need to unite with the most socially conscious scientists to enact this program and to educate millions in the science of the pandemic.

At the heart of developing such a program and new organizations of struggle is the need to expose the official lies of the Democratic and Republican politicians, the union leaders and the corporate media about the pandemic. This is the purpose of the Global Workers Inquest into the COVID 19 Pandemic, initiated by the World Socialist Web Site. The New York City Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee will be leading a forum on the Inquest on Sunday afternoon. All workers, educators, parents and students are encouraged to attend.
It has been three weeks since the World Health Organization (WHO) named Omicron a variant of concern and warned that the danger is very high. In these three weeks, governments have done nothing, allowing the new variant of COVID-19 to spread uncontrolled throughout the worlds population.

During those vital weeks, Omicron has spread silently, as infected individuals have unknowingly transmitted the extremely infectious virus to those around them. Now these imperceptible movements of the virus are manifesting themselves in unprecedented surges in case ratesthe fastest seen anywhere since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago.

Nurses walk out of Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital to go on strike over safe staffing issues during the coronavirus pandemic, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, in New Rochelle, N.Y. [Credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan]

A preview of what is in store in every country is shown in the United Kingdom. Earlier this week, Omicron became the dominant variant in London. The UK posted a record 93,000 cases Friday, the third consecutive daily increase. Cases have surged to the highest level in the countrys history, with overall COVID-19 cases rising 50 percent in just two days.

Responding to this development, virologist Trevor Bedford warned that the continued spread of Omicron would manifest itself in skyrocketing caseloads.

Bedford warned that the current growth rate corresponds to rates of epidemic doubling of between 2.3 days in the UK and 3.3 days in Germany. He continued, I expect caseloads to climb suddenly and rapidly in a large number of well-connected cities over the next week. This will take many by surprise but was baked in as soon as we knew the rate at which Omicron spread.

The 4 countries with the highest documented Omicron burden [Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom and South Africa] have each exceeded their pandemic record for new cases, and still ascending rapidly, wrote epidemiologist Eric Topol, professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research Institute.

In the United States, test positivity in New York City, a hotbed of the Omicron variant, has doubled in just four days, up from 3.9 percent on December 9 to 7.8 percent on December 12, and the city has posted its highest number of cases ever.

The rapid spread has been coupled with a growing volume of data showing the enormous dangers of the new variant. Contrary to assertions by governments and media outlets that Omicron is a friendly mutant, there is no evidence that the disease is mild.

A preprint study by Imperial College London published Thursday found that Omicron cases are just as likely as Delta to lead to symptomatic infections and hospitalizations, and far more likely to cause reinfections.

The authors wrote, The study finds no evidence of Omicron having lower severity than Delta, judged by either the proportion of people testing positive who report symptoms, or by the proportion of cases seeking hospital care after infection. They added, Omicron was associated with a 5.4-fold higher risk of reinfection compared with Delta.

This outcome was entirely predictable, and it was predicted by the World Socialist Web Site. Responding to the WHOs announcement of a new variant of concern, the WSWS warned two weeks ago, The fact that the Omicron variant is far more infectious than Delta means that, even if it was somewhat less deadlya claim that has no basis in fact yetthe larger number of cases will mean more hospitalizations and, if hospitals get overwhelmed, a massive increase in deaths.

However, governments around the world rejected the warnings of scientists, knowing full well that the failure to act would produce a disaster. Two weeks ago, US President Joe Biden proclaimed that the US government would not implement shutdowns or lockdowns. He vowed to reopen our country ... reopen our businesses and  reopen our schools.

Rather than taking emergency action to stop the new threat, the Biden administration has demanded the opposite: the further removal of restrictions. Yesterday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially adopted the demand of Biden that childrenincluding unvaccinated childrennot quarantine if they are exposed to COVID-19.

The New York Times echoed this homicidal policy, declaring, Covid Isnt Going Anywhere. Its Time We Started Acting Like It. The Times demanded that schools remain open despite the spread of the dangerous new variant and called for children not to be quarantined when exposed.

This policy is all the more criminal given that, according to data from South Africa, the Omicron variant appears to be particularly dangerous for children. As many as five percent of children infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been hospitalized.

Just as the entire media and political establishment conspired in JanuaryMarch 2020 to keep the public from knowing the extent of the danger posed by the first COVID-19 wave, so too, the surge of Omicron has been accompanied by a massive propaganda barrage aimed at downplaying the threat and chloroforming public opinion.

In just two weeks, all of the lies of the government and media have been exposed. Omicron is not mild, and it is not manageable. The irresponsible policies being carried out today will result in a wave of deaths in January and beyond. The vaccine only approach of capitalist governments has, far from bringing about an end to the pandemic, massively undermined the effectiveness of vaccines themselves.

The insanity of this policy is proven in the fact that, even as the Biden administration is doubling down on its commitment to keeping schools and businesses open, restaurants, bars, concert venues and schools are shutting down around the country in response to massive local outbreaks. Rather than being implemented in a coordinated, rational and systematic way, such actions are improvised after the spread of the virus has already reached such a point that it is infecting broad sections of the population.

Urgent action is needed now! An immediate shift in policy is necessary. A Zero COVID policy aimed at the elimination of Sars-CoV-2must be implemented immediately.

This policy is not unrealistic. It has been implemented successfully in China. What is unrealistic, or more precisely, utterly irrational, is the conception that it is possible to live with COVID-19, based on the hope that the virus will soon become manageable and miraculously fade away. The continuation of this irrational policy, which has been dictated by corporate-financial interests, will result in the unnecessary and avoidable loss of millions of lives.

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 the temporary closure of schools and nonessential workplaces with social support for all affected workers, combined with mass testing, contact tracing, the safe isolation of infected patients, the provision of high-quality masks, the rapid vaccination of the world population and other public health measures.

Ending the pandemic is not a purely medical question. The measures necessary to stop the spread of the virus are known and understood. The principal obstacle is the ruling class, whose economic interests are in conflict with science and life.

This is why the fight against the pandemic must be connected to a mass social and political movement in the international working class aimed at a fundamental transformation of the economic structure of society. Workers must build rank-and-file committees at every school and workplace, independent of the corporatist unions that have served as critical instruments in enforcing the homicidal policy of the ruling class.

These committees must organize workers to enforce the shutdown of nonessential production and the closure of schools. The working class must repudiate the principle that has determined government policy throughout the pandemic, that private profit comes before saving lives.

The emergence of the Omicron variant and its rapid spread throughout the world prove the urgency of the Global Workers Inquest into the COVID-19 Pandemic initiated by the World Socialist Web Site. We call on workers and youth to build support for the work of the Inquest, and we appeal to scientists and all those active in the sphere of public health to provide information and professional assistance in advancing its work.
Mining protest in Cuzco (Source: Minem)

Units of the Peruvian National Police (PNP) attacked a group of peasant community members protesting against the MMG Las Bambas mining company early Thursday morning, arresting five and leaving several wounded, Perus Observatory of Mining Conflicts (OCM) reported.

The peasants, from the Pumamarca community in the Cotabambas province of the Peruvian southern-central region of Apurimac, where the mine is located, had occupied what they say was communal land taken from them by the Chinese-owned mining company. They had burned down a security gate leading to the area and defied earlier attempts to disperse them with tear gas.

The MMG mining company claims that the land had been legally purchased from former leaders of the peasant community.

The use of force ordered by the government of Perus purportedly left President Pedro Castillo came on the eve of todays deadline set by MMG for the complete shutdown of its operations at the mine, which is responsible for 2 percent of the worlds copper supply, in response to protracted protests.

The confrontation has brought into stark relief the irresolvable contradiction between Castillos unfulfilled populist promises to govern in the interests of Perus impoverished majority, and his declarations of allegiance to the profit interests of Peruvian and transnational capitalist enterprises, particularly in the countrys key mining sector.

The MMG confrontation is only one of some 199 ongoing protests across the country registered by the government ombudsman Defensoria del Pueblo, which described nearly 65 percent of them as socio-environmental, pitting impoverished communities against extractive industries.

The Las Bambas protest actions have centered on a month-long blockade by peasants from Chumbivilcas province in the region of Cuzco that began on November 20, cutting several points on Perus southern mining corridor used to bring in supplies and workers and ship out copper concentrate bound for the Pacific port of Matarani, and on to China. Protests have continued virtually without interruption since last July, before Castillos inauguration.

The Las Bambas mine

MMGs threatened shutdown is aimed at pressuring the Castillo government into forcing an end to the blockades by declaring a state of emergency and sending in a heavier police as well as military presence to suppress the protests, as previous governments have done, including in 2015, when five peasant community members were shot to death.

The government has predicted that it will reach a negotiated settlement over the weekend. But Perus Prime Minister Mirtha Vasquez, speaking to reporters Wednesday, warned that we cannot sustain this situation for much longer.

The leadership of the Chumbivilcas communities have protested MMGs use of what they insist are communal lands to run a constant stream of heavy trucks on dirt roads through their villages, sending up dust clouds that blight their crops, reducing air quality and increasing noise, while providing no benefits to the regions impoverished inhabitants. They further charge that MMG changed plans submitted by the mines previous owner, the Anglo-Swiss Xstrata mining company, that called for the copper concentrate to be shipped by pipeline to another facility in Cuzco, switching to overland transportation with no new environmental impact assessment.

Protest leaders have demanded that the mining company award the Chumbivilcas communities contracts for trucking, road maintenance and other services, as well as funds for community development. MMG has offered little in the way of compromise in talks organized by the Castillo government, counting on pressure from the mining industry and other big business and financial sectors to bring the government to its side.

Other peasant communities in Apumira closest to the mine have also called upon the government to take action to shut down the protests, claiming that they endangered revenues flowing from the mine. No doubt there is also fear that grants, tax income and contracts for Chumbivilcas communities will cut into their own deals with MMG.

Apurimacs Governor Baltazar Lantaron demanded that the government reassert the principle of the countrys authority, that there cannot be an abuse of protest, while describing the demands made by the Chumbivilcas communities as unviable.

The union representing Las Bambas copper miners has essentially lined up with MMG in demanding an end to the blockades. Erick Ramos Luna, the secretary general of the United Union of MMG Las Bambas Workers, told RPPnews that the protests were placing 9,000 jobs at risk, including those of miners and contractors, and further endangering 75,000 Peruvians whose livelihoods are directly or indirectly dependent upon the mine continuing operations. He insisted that the peasant actions could not be allowed to interfere with the right to work. The union staged a protest this week in Lima demanding that Castillo act.

The heaviest pressure by far, however, has come from Peruvian and foreign capitalist interests, which have all lined up with the Chinese mining company.

Raul Jacob, the president of the National Society of Mining, Petroleum and Energy (SNMPE), denounced the protesters for carrying out violent acts. He warned, We will not allow Peru to become a country in which mining companies are blocked and consider pulling out.

Oscar Carpio, president of Confiep (National Confederation of Private Business Institutions), charged that the protests were hindering the generation of foreign currency for the country, while blaming the Castillo government for appointing officials and advisors who are opposed to the development of the industry.

Even as the controversy over Las Bambas continued to escalate, the Peruvian Congress voted to block a key element of Castillos reformist program, stripping from its proposed fiscal and tax reform legislation the governments right to increase taxes on the mining industry and on Perus wealthiest through changes in capital gains taxes. The measure was passed overwhelmingly, with 98 in favor and 18 against, with one abstention. Castillos own Peru Libre party split its vote down the middle on blocking the tax increases.

Simultaneously, Julio Velarde, the right-wing economist who Castillo kept in place as chairman of the Central Reserve Bank of Peru, signaled that the governments proposal for an increase in the minimum wage should be quashed, claiming that it would benefit only a minority of workers in the formal sector, while placing an undue burden on small business.

Velarde, who was kept at the helm of Peruvian financial policy as a signal of Castillos subservience to capitalist interests, warned after his reappointment that Perus mining protests were affecting the perception of the country in terms of future investments, and that the government had to re-establish order.

Castillo has carried out a continuous turn to the right since his election in an attempt to placate his opponents in the Peruvian ruling class, jettisoning virtually every one of his major cabinet ministers. He survived a December 7 vote in Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings by a comfortable margin of 76 to 46 to reject the resolution.

Nonetheless, Castillos far-right opponents led by Fuerza Popular, the party led by Keiko Fujimori, whom he defeated by a narrow margin to win the presidency, have refused from the beginning to accept the legitimacy of his election. They are continuing attempts to oust Castillo, no matter how much he concedes.

A new avenue in this attempt to overturn the election may have been opened by the Peruvian attorney generals office presenting influence-peddling and conflict-of-interest charges against Castillo in connection with his personal dealings with a businesswoman who secured a government contract for the construction of a bridge over the Huallaga River. While the alleged corruption is penny-ante compared to Keiko Fujimoris own bribe-takingand that of most of Perus living ex-presidentsfrom the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, her party will undoubtedly use it in a renewed bid for a parliamentary coup.

Alongside the right-wing impeachment maneuvers in the Peruvian Congress, fascistic extra-parliamentary groups linked to former members of the armed forces have become increasingly aggressive, denouncing Castillo as a communist and a terrorist and demanding his immediate removal from office.

The recent developments in Peruincluding the Castillo governments failure to respond to the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed more lives per capita in Peru than in any other country on the planethave demonstrated once again that neither the anemic present-day incarnations of bourgeois nationalism nor the bankrupt trade union leaderships and their pseudo-left allies can provide any road forward for the working class and the impoverished rural masses.

Overcoming the oppression and exploitation of transnational capital and its national partners is possible only by means of the politically independent struggle of the working class, leading the oppressed masses behind it on the basis of a socialist and internationalist program. This requires the building of a new revolutionary leadership in the working class, a Peruvian section of the International Committee of the Fourth International.
The US government is maintaining its support for anti-government forces in Solomon Islands, as part of its aggressive drive to counter Chinas growing influence in the South Pacific.

US ambassador to Solomon Islands Erin McKee issued a provocative statement on December 10 insinuating that the government was corrupt and urging people to choose the US over China.

Erin McKee, US State Department [Source: Wikimedia Commons]

I ask you to decide for yourself what type of development and future you want for you and your families, McKee wrote. Do you want aid that benefits one person, one party, and one bank account? Or do you want assistance that empowers entire families, strengthens entire communities, and enriches entire nations? As democratic and independent states, you have a choice of who to partner with. And I believe that the choice is obvious.

The Solomons government has been in Washingtons cross hairs since it announced in late 2019 that it was ending diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognising Beijing as the sole legitimate government of China. This sovereign decision aligned the countrys foreign relations with the vast majority of the worlds nation-states.

In US ruling circles, however, it was regarded as a blow to their drive to isolate and encircle China and bolster Taiwan. Republican Senator Marco Rubio threatened to crash the Solomon Islands economy by imposing sanctions and cutting off access to US and global financial institutions.

The State Department subsequently developed close ties with a provincial premier, Daniel Suidani in Malaita, who opposed the recognition of China on anti-communist and Christian fundamentalist grounds. Suidani was rewarded with $US25 million in so-called aid50 times more than the province receives annually from all other countries put togetherand the promise of additional American capital for infrastructure projects.

The provocative and reckless nature of these US moves cannot be overstated. Suidani is backed by the now proscribed Malaita for Democracy (M4D) outfit, which in September 2020 issued a pogromist threat to Chinese nationals in the province, giving them 24 hours to leave. Suidani and his supporters are separatists, and plan on staging an independence referendum early next year. Their manoeuvres now threaten to reignite the low intensity civil war that wracked the country between 1998 and 2003 as rival militias from Malaita and Guadalcanal fought for dominance.

Suidanis campaign culminated in last months coup attempt. On November 24, around 1,000 of the Malaitan premiers supporters attempted to storm the parliament in the capital Honiara, and take Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare hostage. After riot police beat them back, the mob went on a three-day rampage, looting and burning dozens of buildings, including a police station, high school, and businesses owned by ethnic Chinese residents. Three people were killed in the destruction.

The US ambassadors December 10 statement only included a cursory, pro forma denunciation of the violence. McKee said this was tragic and should not have happened, but immediately added tacit support to the claims of the Solomons opposition that the rioting was not a coup but a peaceful protest that somehow got out of hand. Those who wish to appeal to their government must do so in a peaceful manner, the ambassador stated.

McKees reference to aid that benefits one person, one party, and one bank account was immediately understood in the Solomon Islands as lending support to opposition allegations of Sogavare government corruption.

After the failed coup attempt, the opposition attempted to remove the government through a parliamentary no confidence motion on December 5. When this failed, with only 15 of the 49 parliamentarians voting in favour, opposition leaders accused Sogavare of bribing members of his government with allegedly Chinese-sourced funds distributed via Constituency Development Funds.

While the US embassy has now thrown its weight behind these allegations, several points need to be made. Firstly, if channelling government funds to selected constituencies, known as pork barrelling, is corruption then there is not a single bourgeois government in the world that is not corrupt. Secondly, the Constituency Development Funds were first established by Taiwan and were for decades manipulated to favour Taipeis economic interests, especially in the logging sector. There is not a single faction of the Solomons political establishment, including those now in the opposition, that did not capitalise on these funds when in power.

Inconveniently for the opposition and Ambassador McKee, there is also the fact that Sogavare has previously announced that Constituency Development Funds will be ended in 2022. Washington is in fact entirely uninterested in corruption, whether in Solomon Islands or anywhere else. The issue is nothing but a pretext to advance its anti-China agenda.

McKee emphasised her concern with Beijing after she was nominated in 2019 by the Trump administration to serve as the joint ambassador to Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu.

In her July 2019 statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which confirms ambassadorial appointments, McKee declared the Pacific states were important to US national security and warned that Chinas relationships in the region had deepened dramatically over the past two years. McKee noted that Solomon Islands was then one of just six Pacific states that recognised Taiwan, and added that she would stress the importance of maintaining cross-Strait relations.

Just three months later the Sogavare government switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing, evidently blindsiding Washington.

At her confirmation hearing, McKee was asked two questions, both concerning Chinas presence in the Pacific. Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen asked what would be done to counter China. McKee demurred at this expression, saying she preferred to characterise it as providing alternatives and options, while making clear her determination to increase our presence in the region to offset Beijings influence.

US support for the Solomons opposition remains subject to a blackout in the Australia and western media, with the issue never raised among the numerous articles and reports published in the aftermath of last months violent rioting.

Within the foreign policy establishment, however, there is an ongoing discussion on how US imperialism can best advance its interests. There is frustration that the Australian-led military and police intervention force that was deployed to the country last month appears to be serving to stabilise Sogavares rule. There have been open calls to organise the removal of the democratically elected government.

Australian Federal Police Special Operations members prepare to depart Canberra, Australia, for the Solomon Islands Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021 [Credit: LACW Jacqueline Forrester/Australian Department of Defense via AP]

The Diplomat website, a US-based publication focussing on Asia-Pacific geopolitics, published a lengthy article yesterday titled The Solomon Islands Crisis Shows America Needs a New Pacific Strategy.

The comment was authored by Alexander Gray, the former director for Oceania & Indo-Pacific Security at the White House National Security Council (20182019), and Cleo Paskal, of the right-wing think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies. They stated that the Solomons crisis offers an opportunity for Washington to reimagine the scope of its engagement with the Pacific Islands.

Gray and Paskal explained that in the decades since World War II, Washington had subcontracted US diplomacy and statecraft in the Pacific Islands to Australia and New Zealand. Yet the recent imbroglio in the Solomon Islands is revealing the folly of this approach, they continued. [T]he United States interests in the Pacific are unique to its global role and the increasing centrality of full-spectrum competition with Beijing. Outsourcing the effective representation of American interests on this front line of strategic competition to even its closest friends is fraught with peril.

The authors complained that the Australian-led intervention force was likely to entrench the rule of Sogavare, whose corruption, pro-Beijing policies, and determination to suppress opposition to his switch of recognition from Taipei are directly contrary to US interests. Gray and Paskal concluded by calling on the Biden administration to organise a massive increase in Washingtons military and diplomatic presence in the South Pacific.

The piece will no doubt set off alarm bells in Canberra. Australian imperialism has for decades benefitted from Washingtons support for its predatory operations in the region. The threat of being sidelined in Solomon Islands will likely see the Australian government consider using its military and police assets in the country to help destabilise and remove Sogavares government.
The escalating coronavirus pandemic and threats against Russia were the focus of the EU summit that met on Thursday in Brussels. The two issues are closely linked. The more palpable the criminal recklessness with which the European governments are sabotaging any serious safeguarding of the population from the life-threatening virus, the louder they bang the war drum to deflect social tensions outward.

The assembled leaders agreed that with the Omicron variant, a fifth wave was now developing that would dwarf all the previous ones. In Britain, which is no longer part of the EU, infection rates are doubling every other day. By mid-January, Omicron will also be dominant in the EU, reports the Wiener Standard, citing EU council circles: No one questioned this diagnosis.

Nevertheless, the summit participants did nothing to halt the looming disaster. Even Italys decision to require those entering the country to provide a negative PCR test was met with fierce criticism. This undermined freedom of travel in the Schengen area, the EU Commission complained. Luxembourgs Prime Minister Xavier Bettel also criticized that travel restrictions were not a solution.

The two sides finally agreed on a platonic call for coordinated efforts based on scientific findings. One wanted to proceed in a coordinated and joint manner, both in raising vaccination rates and in procuring medicines, and to push forward with booster vaccines. Above all, it was important to ensure that restrictions did not undermine the functioning of the internal market and did not disproportionately hinder free travel within the EU, the final draft declaration reads.

In other words, despite the threat of an Omicron tsunami, the summit continued the current policy of subordinating the protection of life and health to the profit interests of big business.

Several participants stressed that vaccination was the best weapon against the pandemic anyway. But aside from the fact that vaccination rates vary widely across the EUranging from 80 percent in Portugal to 30 percent in Bulgariaand even a double vaccination provides insufficient protection against Omicron, vaccination alone cannot contain the pandemic. It can only do so in conjunction with lockdowns, contact tracing and other measures, which the summit categorically rejected.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the EU summit in Brussels on Dec. 16 [Credit: Kenzo Tribouillard, Pool Photo via AP]

There was only a brief debate on the pandemic, on Thursday morning. The summit devoted much more time to the conflict with Russia. A meeting of participants with the so-called Eastern Partnership (Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Moldova) and talks between President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had already taken place on Wednesday. On Thursday, the confrontation with Russia was again the main topic of the summit, which lasted into the night.

EU leaders had already threatened Russia with punitive measures in the run-up to the summit. Any further military aggression against Ukraine will entail massive consequences and high costs, Council President Charles Michel wrote in the invitation letter. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen threatened that the EU would take additional, unprecedented measures with serious consequences for Russia in the event of a further escalation of the Ukraine conflict.

Chancellor Scholz said, Any violation of territorial integrity will have a high price. In the final declaration, the leaders warned Russia of the massive consequences and high costs of further military aggression against Ukraine.

The accusation that Russia is planning a military incursion into Ukraine has been made by the governments and media of NATO countries for weeks. It has no factual basis. Nevertheless, it is being spread as aggressively, like the lie about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction that provided the pretext for the Iraq war in 2003. The accusation is based on hard-to-verify US intelligence reports that Russia is massing troops near the eastern Ukrainian border; with talk of 100,000 to 175,000 troops.

Emissaries from the Biden administration have been systematically pushing this line to European allies, as news weekly Der Spiegel reported in its latest issue.

For weeks, the US has been pushing the Europeans behind the scenes to take a tougher line against Moscow, the news magazine writes. In November, Avril Haines, Bidens Director of National Intelligence, had appeared with a phalanx of aides in a bug-proof meeting room in Brussels and showed the NATO ambassadors intelligence pictures of the Russian deployment, without much preamble. The diplomats were said to have been surprised.

Similar briefings had taken place for individual allies in the days that followed. In Germany, as well as the intelligence agencies, the US also briefed the Foreign Ministry in detail, as rarely before. Two weeks later, at the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Riga, Secretary of State Antony Blinken then joined his British counterpart in pressing for tougher sanctions against Russia.

The ministers were surprised by the Americans vehemence, Der Spiegel reports. Many Europeans, meanwhile, are reacting hesitantly. They see no evidence that Russia is really planning an invasion of Ukraine. Which did not stop them from backing the US threats.

Even if the reports of troop deployments were true, they do not indicate Russia intends to invade. The troop movements are taking place on Russian territory, which it has a right to do as a sovereign country.

Moscow has every reason to feel threatened. President Zelensky, who is under domestic political pressure because of the coronavirus pandemic and the desolate economic situation, has been threatening for months to reconquer Crimea by force. In August, he told representatives from 40 countries in Kiev, including then-German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier, that from now on, the countdown to de-occupation of Crimea was underway.

At the time, NATO was conducting its largest ever military manoeuvres in the Black Sea region, involving 32 countriesincluding Ukrainewith 5,000 troops, 32 ships, 40 aircraft, and 18 special forces units. In the course of this and other manoeuvres, there were repeated near-misses with Russian troops.

At the instigation of President George W. Bush, NATO had held out the prospect of Ukraine joining as early as 2008, but did not link it to a specific timetable, at the insistence of Germany and France. After the 2014 coup, which brought a pro-Western regime to power in Kiev with US and German support, Ukraine was then systematically rearmed and integrated ever more closely into NATO.

The US alone has since provided it with more than $2.5 billion in military aid. The US military budget approved Wednesday provides another $300 million for this purpose.

President Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have repeatedly made clear in recent days that Ukraines NATO membership was a red line they could not accept. They are demanding a formal guarantee that NATO and its military infrastructure will not expand further east.

President Biden and other NATO leaders have indignantly rejected this demand, citing Ukraines sovereignty. In fact, such a demand is not outlandish. When the Soviet Union deployed intermediate-range missiles in Cuba in 1962, President John F. Kennedy risked nuclear war to force the Soviet Union to withdraw the missiles, even though Cuba is also a sovereign state.

Accepting Ukraine into NATO would render Russia virtually defenceless militarily. The two states share a 2,300-kilometre border that runs only 500 kilometres from Moscow.

When Moscow gave the green light for the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact in 1990, NATO had pledged not to expand eastward. In the meantime, almost all former Eastern bloc states and the three former Baltic Soviet republics are members of NATO, which is encircling Russia ever more closely militarily. It regularly conducts manoeuvres on the Russian border, along which it flies strategic bombers, and has built up a rapid reaction force that can be deployed to the Russian border at a moments notice.

The Putin regime has no answer to this threat. It vacillates between making threatening military gestures and pandering to one imperialist camp or another, trying to play them off against each other. It is completely incapable of appealing to the international working class, the only social force that can stop the threat of war, because it itself represents the interests of a reactionary capitalist oligarchic caste.
In a newly-aired interview by Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, would-be fascist dictator Donald Trump went on a rant and articulated a series of antisemitic tropes including that Jews control the US Congress and media and have dual loyalty to both Israel and America.

In this Dec. 5, 2020 photo, President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally for Senate Republican candidates in Valdosta, Ga. [Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File]

Several clips of Trumps interview with Ravid were played on Thursday evening for the first time on the Unholy Podcast, a weekly program moderated by Yonit Levi of Channel 12 Israel from Tel Aviv and Jonathan Freedland of the Guardian from London.

The interview was conducted by Ravid in preparation for a book he has written about the Abraham Accords negotiated between the US, Israel and the United Arab Emirates on August 13, 2020, while Trump was the president.

In the first clip, Trump began by attempting to disguise his antisemitism by talking about his fathers very close connection with Jewish people in the New York City real estate market and his many Jewish friends and his great love of Israel.

Trump then went into his rant, Theres people in this country that are Jewish that no longer love Israel. Ill tell you the Evangelical Christians love Israel more than the Jews in this country.

Trump attacked Jews who have not supported him, It used to be that Israel had absolute power over Congress and today I think its the exact opposite, and I think Obama and Biden did that. And yet in the election, they still get a lot of votes from Jewish peoplewhich tells you that the Jewish people, and Ive said this for a long time. The Jewish people in the United States either dont like Israel or dont care about Israel.

The former president and leader of the Republican Party quickly transitioned to the subject of who controls the media, I mean, you look at the New York Times, the New York Times hates Israel, hates them, and theyre Jewish people that run the New York Times, I mean the Sulzberger family.

This is not the first time that Trumps antisemitism has been on display before the world. In the lead up to his campaign for the partys nomination in the 2016 elections, Trump spoke to a group of Jewish Republicans and called them great negotiators and talked about how they wanted to control their own politicians. Trump also said that the Republicans would not support him because he did not want [their] money but that he would be the best thing to ever happen to Israel.

In August 2017, Trump came to the defense of neo-Nazis and white supremacists who rampaged through Charlottesville, Virginia with torches, chanting Jews will not replace us. Speaking to the press following the Unite the Right rally, which resulted in the murder of counter-protester Heather Heyer by one of the fascists, he said that the far-right mob included very fine people.

The repetition of anti-Jewish stereotypes by Trump might be dismissed as the ramblings of an ignoramus if it were not for the fact that he has repeatedlyboth after he was elected as president in 2016 and after he was defeated in 2020advanced himself as a dictator-president by attempting to overthrow the US Constitution and by directly emulating Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

In his August 2020 speech at the conclusion of the Republican National Convention, Trump delivered a fascist speech from the White House lawn, which was characterized by the World Socialist Web Site as a run for Fuhrer, at which he said, This election will decide whether we save the American dream or whether we allow a socialist agenda to demolish our cherished destiny. He declared that Biden is a Trojan horse for socialism and for wild-eyed Marxists like Bernie Sanders.

When Trump returned to the White House on October 5, 2020, after being hospitalized with COVID-19, he clearly modeled Hitlers arrival at the 1934 Nazi Party Congress as depicted in the Nazi film Triumph of the Will.

As more details about the events of January 6 at the US Capitol continue to emerge, it is becoming clearer that on that day, Donald Trump had mobilized a fascistic mob in order to block the congressional certification of Joe Biden as President and thereby remain in office as dictator-president.

As was the case throughout the twentieth century, the use of antisemitism is integral to the development of right-wing violence and fascism which is ultimately aimed at suppressing the struggles of the working class.
Les 17 nouveaux participants viennent du Cameroun, de la Chine, de la Colombie, du Costa Rica, de l'Egypte, de l'Equateur, de l'Inde, du Lesotho, du Nepal, de l'Ouzbekistan, du Pakistan, du Perou, du Rwanda, du Taipei chinois, de la Tanzanie et du Viet Nam. Ils ont ete choisis a l'issue d'un processus de selection rigoureux. Le Programme de chaires de l'OMC (PCO) comprend actuellement 36 universites et est finance par les gouvernements des Pays-Bas et de la France.

Le DGA Zhang a declare: Depuis son entree en fonction, la DG a pleinement adhere au PCO et a apporte son soutien a l'expansion du Programme par le biais d'admissions plus frequentes sur une base reguliere. Les nouveaux venus beneficieront du transfert de savoir-faire des titulaires de chaires plus experimentes, et l'activite ininterrompue du reseau du PCO garantira que la recherche est transmise aux decideurs politiques a un niveau plus frequent, specialise, personnalise et soutenu. La DG et moi-meme continuerons a apporter notre soutien total a tous les titulaires de chaires, au reseau du PCO et au Conseil consultatif universitaire tout au long de cette nouvelle phase du PCO.

Le President du Groupe des PMA, l'Ambassadeur Ahmad Makaila (Tchad), a declare: Le Programme de chaires de l'OMC offre l'opportunite de sensibiliser nos universites, nos instituts universitaires et de recherche, ainsi que nos societes, a la politique commerciale internationale et de creer des passerelles avec les decideurs et les fonctionnaires charges de la formulation et de la mise en uvre de la politique commerciale.

L'Ambassadeur de France, M. Oudot de Dainville, a declare: En soutenant le PCO, nous encourageons l'echange d'arguments eclaires par la rigueur intellectuelle des recherches produites. C'est un tel echange qui peut permettre la convergence vers une conception partagee et un systeme commercial multilateral propice a ce qu'un economiste francais du 19eme siecle, Frederic Bastiat, l'un des pionniers du liberalisme, appelait l'harmonie des interets.

Le President du Comite du commerce et du developpement, l'Ambassadeur Mujtaba Piracha (Pakistan), a declare: Le reseau elargi des nouveaux titulaires de chaires  qui a presque double  constitue une masse critique permettant de creer des synergies et de renforcer la visibilite du reseau au niveau mondial. Il existe un potentiel accru de fertilisation croisee et de partage a partir du vivier plus vaste de competences et de specialisations variees dans des questions et des disciplines distinctes, afin de fournir aux Membres des conseils de haute qualite, fondes sur des donnees probantes, permettant de prendre des decisions strategiques en toute connaissance de cause.

Les membres du Conseil consultatif universitaire du PCO ont souhaite la bienvenue aux nouveaux membres. En outre, plusieurs presidents ont souligne les opportunites uniques offertes par le reseau du PCO. Les nouveaux membres du Programme ont exprime leur satisfaction d'avoir ete selectionnes pour rejoindre le PCO. Ils ont expose leurs projets de collaboration avec l'OMC pour developper leur expertise dans un large eventail de disciplines  notamment le droit, l'economie, la finance, les relations internationales, les sciences politiques et la gestion des affaires  et pour mener a bien des recherches et des projets lies au commerce a l'avenir.

Le Programme de chaires de l'OMC vise a soutenir les activites universitaires liees au commerce menees par les universites et les institutions de recherche des pays en developpement et des pays les moins avances. Quatorze institutions ont ete selectionnees comme chaires de l'OMC pour un mandat de quatre ans en 2009. Sept autres institutions ont ete selectionnees pour la phase 2 du programme en 2014. La phase 3 du programme a debute par un processus de selection en decembre 2020, a l'issue duquel 17 institutions ont ete choisies pour rejoindre le reseau des chaires de l'OMC. Cela diversifie davantage la representation du Programme a travers le monde, le reseau comprenant desormais 36 universites.

Plus de renseignements sur le Programme des chaires de l'OMC: www.wto.org/wcp
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly testifies before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on December 15, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly has tested positive for COVID-19 after he testified Wednesday alongside other airline executives in a U.S. Senate hearing.

Although Kelly, who was fully vaccinated and received a booster, "tested negative multiple times" ahead of the hearing, a Southwest spokesperson tells PEOPLE in a statement, "Kelly tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home, experiencing mild symptoms, and taking a PCR test."

The airline noted that Kelly "is doing well and currently resting at home," adding: "Gary's symptoms continue to be very mild and each day he is moving closer to a full recovery."

RELATED: Florida Man Kicked Off United Airlines Flight For Using Thong As Face Mask Substitute

Kelly did not wear a mask at Wednesday's hearing, during which he questioned the necessity of masks on airplanes. "I think the case is very strong that masks don't add much if anything in the air cabin environment  it's very safe, very high quality compared to any other indoor setting," he said, according to Reuters.

In an email sent to Southwest employees and shared with PEOPLE, Kelly clarified his statement on masks, noting that Southwest and Airlines for America (a lobbying group that represents major North American airlines) "support the current federal mask mandate at airports and on airplanes."

Travelers arrive for flights at Newark Liberty International Airport on November 30, 2021 in Newark, New Jersey.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

"There is no effort underway to change it before it expires. Southwest adopted a mask onboard mandate last year [in May 2020], long before the federal government required it," Kelly added. "The majority of our Employees and Customers have felt it has been an important layer of protection, and I certainly agree with that."

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, Delta chief of operations John Laughter, and Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, all of whom sat in close proximity to Kelly during the hearing, have since tested negative, according to CNBC.

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RELATED VIDEO: Doctor Says Fully Vaccinated People Are Going to Test Positive with Omicron: 'Our New Normal'

Wednesday's Senate hearing lasted for more than three hours, in regards to the $54 billion in federal payroll support airlines took on during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, Tom Holland as Spider-Man, 2021. ph: Matt Kennedy / Sony Pictures Releasing / Marvel Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection





Get ready to swing into the Spider-Verse, because Spider-Man: No Way Home is finally here! Marvel fans suspected for months that Spider-Man: No Way Home would contain connections to the Sony Spider-Man franchises through the multiverse, and when the movie dropped on Dec. 17, they found out they were right. Both Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire suit up as their versions of Peter Parker in the new movie. Plus, villains from Garfield and Maguire's movies like Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Electro (Jamie Foxx), and the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) also had comeback roles in No Way Home.



Throughout Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) struggles against evil outside forces from other universes to save New York City, all while dealing with the angst of being a typical teenager. Unfortunately, to save his universe this time he has to let Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) close the gigantic gaps in the multiverse by casting one final spell making everyone forget who Spider-Man is - including MJ, Ned, and Happy.

But before Peter is entirely alone and invisible to everyone after Strange's spell saves their world, Spiderman: No Way Home makes you laugh, cry, and even cry-laugh until the credits roll. Of course, with every MCU movie comes our beloved end-credits scenes, so let's get those Spidey-senses tingling and recap the midcredits and postcredits scenes that bring to light more storylines and promises for the future of the MCU.

What Happened in Spider-Man: No Way Home's Midcredits Scene?

The midcredits scene features Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his good pal Venom, from Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Eddie and Venom (who's inside his head most of the time - until he feels like coming out to play, that is) are sitting in a dingy Mexican bar somewhere in New York drunk, confused, and rambling to an equally confused and angry bartender after a few too many fruity drinks.

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They've somehow been transported into Peter Parker's universe after Strange's original spell at the beginning of Spider-Man: No Way Home. That spell was supposed to make everyone forget who Spider-Man is, but it got screwed up when Peter kept interrupting Strange's concentration and asking him to alter it mid-incantation. So the spell ends up allowing anyone from infinite universes who knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man to come through the tears in the multiverse like the old Spider-Man movie villains - and Eddie and Venom.

Now, Eddie Brock and Venom don't know what to do with themselves in a world with wild green superheroes who are actually intelligent scientists, like the Hulk, and the threat of giant, purple aliens who like collecting magic gemstones and snapping their fingers to make half of the population disappear, like Thanos.

All of a sudden, in mid-existential crisis, Eddie and Venom are magically transported back to their original universe. (Strange must have performed his final spell at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home off screen.) As the bartender complains about the strange patron who just left without paying his bill, a small, gooey piece of a Venom symbiote crawls along the bar counter. It's an unfortunate reminder that Venom's offspring could now cause trouble in the universe he just left behind, but it also gives fans something to look forward to: the possibility of Venom joining the MCU Spider-Verse for another crossover in the future.

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, from left: Tom Holland as Peter Parker, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, 2021. photo: Matt Kennedy / Sony Pictures Releasing / Marvel Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection





What Happened in Spider-Man: No Way Home's Postcredits Scene?

The scene at the very end of Spider-Man: No Way Home is actually a mini-trailer for the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie coming to theaters in May 2022. It shows us what happens after Strange casts Peter's spell in No Way Home and indicates he has more problems to solve after messing with the multiverse. The flashy, voiceover-filled trailer's most notable scenes tease some recognizable faces.

One scene shows Strange tracking down Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), who has apparently secluded herself from society after her experience in the Disney+ show WandaVision, to ask her what she knows about the multiverse, implying he'll need her help in the upcoming movie. The evil wizard from the original Doctor Strange, Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Strange's love interest, Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams), and the mysterious Strange Supreme - an alternate version of Strange from a universe where he's all-powerful, grief-stricken, and evil - appear as well.

Even though the scene doesn't have much connection to Spider-Man: No Way Home other than the complications plaguing the multiverse, it's still a perfect addition to the movie because it shows fans what Multiverse of Madness has in store: more mind-bending multiverse battles between Strange and his new (and apparently old) foes.
Former President Donald Trump. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Trump released a lie-filled statement about Omar in the wake of Boebert's Islamophobic comments.

"Ilhan Omar should apologize ... for essentially abandoning her former country," he wrote.

Boebert could face censure by the House of Representatives after a phone call with Omar went awry.

Former President Donald Trump released a lie-filled statement on Tuesday demanding that Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota apologize for "abandoning her former country."

"Congresswoman Ilhan Omar should apologize for marrying her brother, committing large-scale immigration and election fraud, wishing death to Israel, and for essentially abandoning her former country, which doesn't even have a government  Exactly what she'd like to see for the United States," Trump said in his statement.

The Minnesota congress member, a Somali American refugee, was born in Somalia in 1982. Omar, along with her father and her siblings, secured asylum in the US in 1995, when she was a child.

In a July 2019 tweet, Trump told Omar and three of her fellow Democratic congresswomen to "go back and fix the broken and crime-infested places from which they came"  even though all four are US citizens and Omar is the only one who was born outside the US.

The unsubstantiated rumors that Omar's ex-husband Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a British national, is her brother and that she married him to help him get a green card circulated around the internet and right-wing blogs for years before the former president brought them up Tuesday.

Omar has called the rumors "absurd and offensive" and released a lengthy statement and timeline of her marriage history in 2016.

Outlets including Minneapolis' Star Tribune and the Washington Examiner have uncovered public records and documents that point to Omar living with her other ex-husband, Ahmed Hirsi, while she was legally married to Elmi. But no evidence, like a birth certificate, has ever surfaced to suggest that Elmi is her brother.

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The theory is also undercut by the fact that all of Omar's siblings received refugee status in the US, and siblings can sponsor one another for residency status and a green card (which negates the need for a fraudulent marriage). Elmi left the US and went back to England just two years after his marriage to Omar.

There is also no record of Omar ever wishing "death to Israel," as Trump claimed in his statement, and there is no evidence of her involvement in any kind of "large-scale" immigration or election fraud.

Trump's statement came amid the fallout from Islamophobic comments GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert recently made about Omar. Boebert called Omar, who is Muslim, part of a "Jihad Squad" and said a Capitol Police officer had "fret all over his face" when he stepped into an elevator with Boebert and Omar.

The Colorado congress member said she told the officer, "Well, she doesn't have a backpack. We should be fine." The comment implied that Omar could be a terrorist.

She told a similar Islamophobic story about Omar at a September event in New York, CNN reported.

Boebert issued a statement on Friday apologizing "to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar."

Omar and Boebert had a tense call on Monday, which prompted Omar to end the conversation and Boebert to say in an Instagram video that she had been hung up on.

In response to Boebert's initial comments, Omar called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to "take appropriate action," adding: "Normalizing this bigotry not only endangers my life but the lives of all Muslims."

Read the original article on Business Insider
This slide from Munson Healthcare illustrates the toll unvaccinated COVID-19 patients are taking on the health care system.

The latest data reported from the Health Department of Northwest Michigan over the course of the past month has revealed the majority of the agency's 2,322 new COVID-19 cases from Nov. 8-Dec. 12 were not vaccinated.

According to the health department's "Case Trend Summary for November 8  December 12" which was compiled into a report to show residents a picture of COVID-19 in the community, of cases with a confirmatory COVID-19 test, 63.7% of cases were not vaccinated or did not meet the criteria of a fully vaccinated individual.

Fully vaccinated individuals meet the following criteria:

Two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or

Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine.

In addition, 68% of hospitalizations were among unvaccinated individuals, while 73.9% of COVID-19 deaths were unvaccinated individuals.

"The number of cases continues to put pressure on health care systems, hospitals, businesses due to worker shortages, and schools and families," the health department said in a press release issued Thursday.

Throughout the state, more than 55% of residents age 5 and older are fully vaccinated (two weeks following a two-dose Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, or one week following a Johnson & Johnson vaccine). As the fully vaccinated population has increased, so have the percentage of breakthrough incidents.

An infographic, which may be viewed at /nwhealth.org/pubs/MDHHS%20Vax.pdf, released from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services illustrates when more people are vaccinated, more cases may still come from the vaccinated population.

Breakthrough cases are formally defined as the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen in a respiratory specimen collected from a person who is more than 14 days after completion all recommended doses of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-authorized COVID-19 vaccine.

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The risk of infection, grave illness and death remains significantly lower among the fully vaccinated, the health department noted.

Additionally, Munson Healthcare officials recently said they are experiencing an unprecedented number of hospitalizations specifically because of COVID-19. Among these COVID-driven hospitalizations, many patients are being elevated to the intensive care unit, where they may require the support of a ventilator to assist with breathing difficulties.

As reflected in current data, the vast majority of patients who've been hospitalized at Munson Healthcare for COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

"Vaccination is still the best tool we have to moderate the impact of this pandemic," said Dr. Josh Meyerson, medical director with the Health Department of Northwest Michigan said. "Vaccines protect us from severe disease. Booster doses have shown to further reduce the risk of disease and reduce infection rates.

Josh Meyerson

"I encourage everyone to get vaccinated, including your booster dose as soon as you are eligible."

In addition to getting vaccinated, Meyerson urged everyone to continue to practice mitigation measures including masking at work and indoor public places. Further, residents should stay home if they have symptoms such as chills, fever, or mild respiratory/flu-like illness, he added.

Vials of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are seen during a vaccination clinic at the Emmet County Fairgrounds on May 6, 2021.

The health department on Thursday also reported a total of 205 new COVID-19 cases from Tuesday, Dec. 14, through Thursday, Dec. 16.

On Tuesday, 74 new cases were reported including nine in Antrim, 25 in Charlevoix, 27 in Emmet and 13 in Otsego, while on Wednesday 76 new cases of the illness were confirmed including 15 in Antrim, 24 in Charlevoix, 22 in Emmet and 15 in Otsego.

Four new COVID-19 associated deaths were also reported, including two in Charlevoix County and one each in Emmet and Otsego counties.

On Thursday, 55 new cases were identified including 13 in Antrim, 12 in Charlevoix, 14 in Emmet and 16 in Otsego, while two new COVID-19 associated deaths were reported including one in Antrim County and one in Otsego County.

Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, there have been a total of 227 COVID-19 associated deaths including 46 in Antrim, 49 in Charlevoix, 57 in Emmet and 75 in Otsego.

For more information, visit www.nwhealth.org.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Health official: 'I encourage everyone to get vaccinated, including your booster'
Photo credit: Getty - Getty Images



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Stanley Tucci has inspired Eva Longoria to eat her way through Mexico.

While fans of the hit docuseries Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy continue to wait for new episodes to air on CNN  which are set for spring 2022  the highly anticipated season 2 premiere has now become a double header. On December 15, news broke that after just one season, Searching for Italy is getting its own spinoff with Eva as the host.

Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico will follow the Desperate Housewives star as she travels throughout Mexico learning the rich backstories behind beloved Mexican dishes and the people who created them. With 32 states and nine regions to explore in the Latin country, there will be a lot to experience. Viewers can expect to see Eva harvest blue agave for tequila as the Aztecs once did and slow [cook] traditional mole sauce in Oaxaca, according to a press release.

Secrets out!! So excited for this to launch next year 

Big thank you to Stanley Tucci for setting the bar  https://t.co/3mVgVFVeeB  Eva Longoria Baston (@EvaLongoria) December 15, 2021

Shortly after Searching for Mexico was officially announced, Eva took to Twitter to celebrate the exciting news. "Secrets out!! So excited for this to launch next year ," she wrote. "Big thank you to Stanley Tucci for setting the bar ."

She shared a similar sentiment in a written statement and opened up about what this opportunity means to her.

Partnering with CNN on a culinary-driven expedition throughout Mexico is a dream come true, Eva said, per the network. I am so proud of my Mexican American roots and cant wait to bring the hidden gems of Mexico to the world through Searching for Mexico. I am a huge fan of Stanleys journey throughout Italy; he set the bar high, and I cant wait for everyone to fall in love with the magic of Mexico.

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Unlike Searching for Italy, which premiered and aired weekly episodes on CNN, Searching for Mexico will be exclusively available to stream on the networks upcoming streaming service CNN+. A press release revealed that CNN+ will debut in the first quarter of 2022 (between January and March) and Searching for Mexico will premiere later in 2022.

Evas passion for Mexico and its culture and cuisine are a natural follow up to Stanleys trip through Italy, said Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content development at CNN Worldwide. We are thrilled she will take her journey on CNN+.

Whats more, Stanley is also coming along for the ride. The Devil Wears Prada star is serving as an executive producer for Searching for Mexico.

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Afghan refugees embrace in a field at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin

When the US pulled its troops from Afghanistan, it triggered a crisis for the hundreds of thousands of Afghan citizens who had helped the American military. Writing for the BBC, journalist Anisa Shahid spoke to some of the refugees who have settled in the US about their incredible journey - and the ones they left behind.

Last August, when simply crossing the gates of Kabul airport was as dangerous as taking a raft across the Mediterranean, about 150,000 Afghans were able to board a plane to the United States.

Some 13,000 of them overcame the odds to settle in a US military base in southern Wisconsin.

Sakineh, who had been a private kindergarten teacher in Kabul's Dughabad district, was one of them.

Speaking through tears, she recalled the day the Taliban arrived in Kabul, when seven or eight people entered the kindergarten where she taught and opened fire, before beating the director with an AK-47. Later, members of the children's families took the terrified children home.

But it was what happened that evening that made Sakineh realise she had to run. Four men who said they were Taliban attacked her house - two of them grabbed her and her husband, while the other two tried to rape her 14-year-old daughter. Her screams and cries alerted her neighbours, who came to their aid and they were saved.

The fear of being attacked and dragged out of her house forced them to flee.

With the help of US forces, they began to make their way to the airport, when a bomb went off near the perimeter. At least 95 people were killed and 150 others wounded in the explosion, including her husband, who lost three toes and later needed a foot amputated.

The scene following an explosion outside Kabul airport

Separated from her husband, Sakineh and her six small children waited in the airport two days before they were able to board a military plane bound for Qatar. But amid the chaos, Sekinah had lost track of her teenage daughter, and had to make the painful choice to journey on without her.

Thankfully, she later found out that her daughter escaped and is now in Texas. She due to join Sekinah in Wisconsin.

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Each of the stories of those at the base was unique. But in all were heard the pain of leaving loved ones behind, and wistful hope for the future of Afghanistan.

Many at the base were former members of the Afghan forces and their families. Had they stayed in Afghanistan, they would have been seen by the Taliban as enemy collaborators, and they feared reprisals.

They were reluctant to talk about their work and leaving Afghanistan. Some said if they had been allowed to fight and attack, the Taliban could never have overthrown the government. They would return and defend Afghanistan, many said. But others were tired of the war and do not want to take up arms again.

The Fort McCoy military base is full of painful stories of asylum seekers. Many have family members captured by the Taliban and some spend day and night in hiding.

Ahmad Shah Aryan, who worked for a private radio station in the north, said the Taliban arrested one of his brothers and said they would not release him until his older brother - who was the commander of the army in Baghlan - surrenders to them.

Mr Arian spoke of the Taliban's atrocities against civilians, including against his niece, who had divorced her husband in a Baghlan court a few years ago. Now, he said the Taliban abducted Nigina's father and brother and have refused to release them until Nigina remarries her ex-husband.

Hawa, 55, had 22 years of experience working in the Ministry of National Security of Afghanistan before she had to flee to a life unknown in the US. Her two daughters were officials in the same department, and her husband and two sons were also officers of the Ministry of National Defence.

Her daughter Sana had been in charge of intelligence for Kabul's education, training and health services before the Taliban came, Hawa said. Her husband, who was a police officer, went to Punjshir from Kabul after the Taliban arrived and joined resistance forces. But when the Taliban captured the provincial capital of Panjshir, no one knew whether he was alive or dead. He has disappeared and now Sana is left alone with her two children and tries to hide.

Afghan refugees have been settled in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, a US army base

Of the five family members, only Hawa, and one of her daughters, Marjan Kahmadir, were able to reach the United States.

When Ms Kahmadir, who was a nurse before joining her mother in the Ministry of National Security, spoke of leaving Afghanistan, it was with wistfulness. "I wanted to be in Afghanistan to serve, and I want to go back one day," she said.

But for others, there is hope of a future here.

Mujibzadeh Talash, a soldier from Nangarhar, escaped with his wife and five children. An Afghanistan, he had only attended secondary school, his wife is illiterate, but his two daughters and two sons attended school in Nangarhar. In the US, he will find work, but his wife and children will study, he said.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ordered John "J.T." Burnette to report to federal prison early next month, ruling against a request by his lawyers to keep him out pending his appeal.

Jurors found Burnette guilty in August on extortion and four other counts for arranging bribes for Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Maddox and later making false statements about it to the FBI. The jury found him not guilty on racketeering and several other counts.

John "J.T." Burnette leaves the U.S. Courthouse after he was sentenced to three years in federal prison for public corruption charges Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021.

Hinkle wrote that Burnette was convicted following a "full and fair" trial."

"The verdict, with both convictions and acquittals, showed the jury's understanding and conscientious application of the requirement for proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Hinkle wrote. "The evidence of guilt on the five counts of conviction was overwhelming."

Earlier story: Prosecutors ask judge to imprison J.T. Burnette pending appeal, call him a 'flight risk'

Hinkle last month sentenced Burnette, a wealthy and one-time politically influential local businessman, to three years in federal prison. He was told then to report by Jan. 9, though Hinkle, in his latest order, extended that to Jan. 23.

Burnette's legal team, including at least three lawyers with powerhouse Washington, D.C., firm Williams & Connolly, argued that he should remain free pending appeal. They asserted that Hinkle made errors involving jury instructions and the testimony of an undercover FBI agent who played a key role in "Operation Capital Currency."

Back story:

Attorney Tim Jansen and J.T. Burnette listen to U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle discuss the sentencing on public corruption on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Burnette was sentenced to 36 months.

The undercover investigation, which began in 2015, led to federal indictments against Maddox and Carter-Smith for taking bribes from city vendors in exchange for official action. Maddox and Carter-Smith pleaded guilty and testified against Burnette during his trial as part of cooperation agreements with the government.

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Burnette's lawyers argued that Hinkle improperly changed a jury instruction involving the definition of bribery, omitting language that the money must be paid to an official for action on a matter that is "specific and focused."

They also asserted he improperly allowed "Mike Sweet," an agent who posed as a medical marijuana and real estate investor, to testify that Burnette made "false exculpatory" statements in recorded conversations to cover his tracks.

But Hinkle wrote that the "false exculpatory" statements were "a trivial drop in an ocean of evidence" and that the defense itself repeatedly used that phrase "to mock Mr. Sweet." He also said Burnette didn't object to the jury instructions during his trial and that his "new-found objections" were "unfounded."

"When an official agrees, in exchange for a payment, to take formal government action  even, for example, to vote in favor of an unidentified project  it is a bribe," Hinkle wrote.

Burnette is expected to serve his sentence at the minimum-security federal prison camp in Montgomery, Alabama, located on the grounds of Maxwell Air Force Base. Maddox is serving a five-year sentence at the federal prison camp in Talladega, Alabama; Carter-Smith is serving two years at the federal prison camp in Marianna.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story included an inaccurate website headline that said Burnette would remain in prison. He is to report to prison by Jan. 23.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Judge denies request to keep J.T. Burnette out of prison pending appeal
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

In 2014, when Russia made a quick lunge for Crimea, Ukraine wasnt prepared.

Ukrainians who had no training were taking up arms, scrambling to beat back Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas soon after. And while the U.S. has provided military assistance to Ukraine in the meantimeand Ukraines military has bulked uplawmakers warn that the Biden administration hasnt done enough to provide the sort of assistance that would be needed to thwart another Russian attack.

Ukraines assistance packages have been hefty, for sure. The U.S. has provided over $2.5 billion in assistance to Ukraine since 2014. The Biden administration itself carved out $60 million worth of assistance earlier this year.

Ukraine: America Dropped the Ball on Russias Invasion Threat

But the situation in Ukraine is not looking good. Russian troops are amassing at the border and threatening invasion. And, by some estimates, they could overtake Ukrainian forces in 30 to 45 minutes, according to Robert Lee, a Russia military analyst and Ph.D. candidate at Kings College London.

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who just visited Ukraine last week to get a lay of the land firsthand, told The Daily Beast Ukraine is vulnerable to takeover.

My readout from the ground is that it is a very serious situation. Russia is very much amassing its forces at the borders in a very offensive [way] with offensive capabilities, Gallego said in an interview. Ukraine itself is bogged down in the eastern front in the Donbas with most of its fighting men there and is vulnerable to invasion.

To make matters worse, Russia is building up troops all along Ukraines border in an attempt to disperse Ukrainian forces and weaken any potential defensive operations, Ukraines defense minister, Oleksi Reznikov, told Politico in a recent interview.

It doesnt mean that we cant help Ukraine become more resistant to that, but we have to move very fast, Gallego said of the matchup. The situation could change, he said, if the White House and Pentagon were to step up their game and help provide lethal aid to Ukraine.

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Biden Tells Putin Where to Shove His Red Lines

That sort of assistance would be needed immediately; Russia is showing signs that its not backing down, Department of Defense Press Secretary John Kirby said in a briefing this week.

The Russian game plan is to try to take this as fast as possible with the least amount of resistance, said Gallego, who was recently threatened by a Russian politician with kidnapping for his comments on Russia in recent days. I think Russia is ready to go into Ukraine either now or at some point in the near future in the next three months.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is adamant that securing millions of dollars worth of military aid to Ukraine would be central to any attempt to properly deter Russia from invading Ukraine.

Bolstering Ukraines military capabilities is our best defense against Russias provocative behavior at the border, Shaheen told The Daily Beast. There is bipartisan consensus in Congress on the need for the U.S. to support our democratic partners and provide the tools necessary to defend themselves from the Kremlins malign and destabilizing behavior.

Just in the last several days Congress greenlighted an increase of aid packages that go to Ukraine annually from $250 million to $300 million in the latest defense authorization bill.

And Gallego told The Daily Beast he has plans to speak with the White House, the National Security Council, and the Pentagon about further assistance to Ukraine that might actually make a difference if Russia were to invade.

We need to create deterrence, Gallego said. The way to do that is by giving more lethal aid, defensive lethal aid, to Ukraine that they dont have right now and to encourage and train their capability to do resistance operations.

1225972137 Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) attends a House Armed Services Committee in July 2020. Greg Nash

Gallegoand a whole host of his colleagues in the House who penned a letter to Biden in recent days on the very subjectwants assistance packages to focus on javelins, stingers, drones, and missiles. Ukraine in particular needs help with its air defenses to better meet the Russian threat, Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) told The Daily Beast.

Although Ukraine has been provided over $3 billion in assistance from the U.S. and extensive training from our European allies, more needs to be done, Portman said, adding that the Biden administration should increase the pace and scope of our security assistance to Ukraine to counter threats from Russia, especially in the areas of lethal assistance that include anti-air and maritime domain weaponry.

A National Security Council spokesperson told The Daily Beast the White House is assessing additional military packages for Ukraine on a continuous basis. In the last two months, the U.S. has delivered Javelin missiles, first aid kits, radios, electronics, medical equipment, engines, and generators, the spokesperson noted.

But in the absence of more help from the Biden administration, Ukrainian people may need to take up arms and fight a partisan war in the coming days, Ukraines Joint Operations Forces commander, General Oleksandr Pavlyuk, told Radio Liberty.

The Biden administration has provided foggy statements about what it will do for Ukraine to prevent a crisis, which is raising hairs in Ukraine.

Team Biden Straining to Avoid Repeat Russia Invasion of Ukraine

There are not sufficient military resources for repelling a full-scale attack by Russia if it begins without the support of Western forces, Brigadier General Kyrylo Budanov, the chief of Ukrainian military intelligence, told The New York Times. They need to decide, either were allies as they declareand in that case allies help one anotheror they need to say that this is not exactly the case.

In recent days President Biden told reporters sending troops to Ukraine was never on the table. Biden went so far as to say that the U.S. would plan to send troops to the so-called Bucharest Nine (B9) countriesthe eastern flank of NATOif Russia were to actually pull the trigger and invade Ukraine. But he wouldnt touch the issue of the United States providing troops earlier.

If Russia invades, we will find it required that well have to send more American and NATO troops into the eastern flank, the B9, all those NATO countries where we have a sacred obligation to defend them against any attack by Russia, the president said.

The B9 countries include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

In the meantime, Ukrainian military advisers are bucking the Biden administrations delays on other assistance, noting they likely wont withstand an initial assault if Russia were to take aim first at ammunition depots and troops in trenches. From Ukraines perspective, the time for military assistance is not after an invasion, but now.

Putin Sucks Up to Biden: Theres a Spark of Hope in His Eyes

If the civilized world wants to avoid catastropheand this will be a catastrophe for everyonewe need military technical support now, not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow, not in a year. Now, Budanov said.

Efforts to deter Russia with economic measureswhich appears to be the primary option Biden dares to propose at this stagedont appear to be making much headway.

Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried bounced between Ukraine and Russia this week to get a better sense of where Putins head is at, and U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken demurred this week when asked on MSNBC if Russia has shown it has been paying any attention whatsoever to U.S. sanctions threats and warnings to back off Ukraine.

Well see in the days and weeks ahead, Blinken said.

Things dont look to be moving in the right direction. Russia shared proposals with Donfried on how they think tensions could be addressed, but its suggestionsincluding that NATO deny Ukraine membershiphave already been rejected by the U.S. and allies.

A senior administration official said in a call with reporters Friday that there are some things in those documents that the Russians know will be unacceptable, and they know that we remain gravely concerned with the large and unprovoked Russian buildup on Ukraines borders.

But the wait-and-see method could spell even more headaches, Gallego said.

Should this actually come to a full war we have to double down, triple down on what weve already given them in terms of javelins and stingers, Gallego said. We also should be ready to able to share as much intelligence as we can in terms of where Russian assets are for Ukraine to defend itself.

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A Florida man was asked to leave a United Airlines flight to Washington, D.C. for wearing thongs instead of a face mask.

The passenger, whose name is Adam Jenne, claimed that he was following the COVID-19 mask mandate as both his nose and mouth were covered. Flight attendants told Jenne he was "not in mask compliance," adding that he would have to leave the airplane.

According to Jenne, he has worn a thong in replacement of a face mask on two dozen flights throughout the pandemic. "I think the best way to illustrate absurdity is with absurdity. Every single flight has been met with different reactions from the flight crew," he said.

Jenne has since been banned from flying on United Airlines for refusing to follow guidelines put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. "I am banned from flying United so, so much for the customer is always right. It is nonsense. It is all nonsense," he said.

Watch the interview below.
Photo credit: David Shepherd/Nissan

Nissan U.K. has modified a 1986 Bluebird (we know it as the Sentra) and made it into an electric car.

The electrifying parts are added from Nissan's Leaf EV.

Fortunately, changes to the exterior were very minor, and the 1980s-vintage graphics remain.

The trend of automakers putting modern electric powertrains into their vintage vehicles continues, this time with Nissan. The Japanese automaker's British arm has performed the swap on a 1986 Bluebird (our Nissan Sentra) to commemorate 35 years of U.K. auto production.



Just as Nissan established a U.S. factory in Smyrna, Tennessee, in the 1980s, the company also set up a U.K. assembly plant at Sunderland, which began churning out Bluebirds in 1986. Today, Sunderland builds the Nissan Leaf, so a Bluebird/Leaf mashup neatly bookends the factory's history.



Photo credit: david shepherd, Nissan

The repowered Bluebird hatchback uses a Leaf motor and 40.0-kWh battery pack, with the cells divided between the cargo area and under the hood. Additional modifications extended to the car's HVAC, brakes, suspension, power steering, and lighting. The charging port is located behind the original fuel-filler flap, and the stock fuel gauge shows the battery's state of charge. The exterior is largely unchanged other than LED taillights, LED backlighting for the Nissan badge, and a set of unmistakably '80s graphics.



Photo credit: david shepherd, Nissan

The Nissan Newbird joins a parade of vintage cars that have been restored and converted to battery propulsion by their makers. They include Hyundai's 1970s Pony and the follow-up '80s Grandeur, the Opel Manta GSe, the Ford F-100 Eluminator pickup, and Chevy's K5 Blazer, the latter two being SEMA builds that showcased an EV crate motor. While Nissan's Newbird EV may not be an original idea, it's fun to see another addition to a neat trend.



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Dec. 18MORGANTOWN  Nothing will be as it seems Saturday for West Virginia.

The Mountaineers' first true road game of the season will technically be on a neutral court, and UAB isn't exactly a built-in scheduled win, either.

WVU (9-1) travels to Birmingham, Ala. to face the Blazers (9-2), but not at Bartow Arena, UAB's on-campus arena.

Instead the game will be played in Legacy Arena, located in downtown Birmingham, although in the NCAA official stats, it will be listed as a road game for WVU.

It is the only game UAB will play at Legacy this season. UAB will play in Morgantown next season.

WVU STATS As to how this game got set up, it boils down to the relationship between WVU coach Bob Huggins and UAB coach Andy Kennedy.

Kennedy is in his second season with the Blazers, but was an assistant at Cincinnati under Huggins, who became the interim coach when Huggins resigned from the school in 2005.

"I have over the years, why did I go to Youngstown to play Jerrod Calhoun ?" Huggins began. "Because he was a very good assistant for me. A.K. was terrific. We played him. We played Frank (Martin). We went to Kansas to play him (at Kansas State). My assistants, if they ask me to play, we'll play."

As for an expected win, the Blazers may have something to say about that, too.

UAB's two losses are by a combined five points against San Francisco (currently undefeated) and on the road at South Carolina.

The Blazers are not offensively challenged, averaging 82.7 points with a roster built heavily on Division I transfers.

Jordan Walker is a 5-foot-11 guard who also played at Seton Hall and Tulane before transferring to UAB. He leads the Blazers in scoring with an average of 16.4 points per game.

Quan Jackson (11.6 ppg) and Michael Ertel (10.0 ppg) also got their college starts elsewhere, while top rebounder Trey Jemison (8.1 rpg) is a 7-footer who transferred from Clemson.

Kennedy has also mixed in K.J. Buffen (Ole Miss), Jamal Johnson (Auburn) and Josh LeBlanc (Georgetown) into his rotation.

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"I've spent a lot of time with Andy and Andy is a great offensive mind and he was a great player, " Huggins said.

UAB is ranked No. 33 in the NCAA NET rankingsWVU is No. 56making this an enticing game that could give the Mountaineers a needed boost with a win.

"We'll probably see every defense invented. He'll try everything, " Huggins said. "He's probably invented some (defenses) in his sleep. It could be anything. He likes changing up. I think he does it because when he was a player he didn't guard at all."

WVU at UAB WHEN: 5 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Ala.

TV: CBS Sports Network (Comcast 288, HD 854 ; DirecTV 221 ; DISH 158)

RADIO: 100.9 JACK-FM WEB: dominionpost.com TWEET @bigjax3211
HOLLAND  Tax incentives were the primary agenda items for the final Holland City Council meeting of the year, as several businesses sought aid for their expansion and building projects in the city.

The parcels included in a new Neighborhood Enterprise Zone established by the city around the former Goog's Pub site. Projects within the zone can apply for special tax incentives.

Council approved the creation of a neighborhood enterprise zone around the former Goog's Pub, 667 Hastings Ave. Wednesday, setting the stage for the developer of a mixed-use building at the Goog's Pub site to request an NEZ tax incentive.

The NEZ was created for and around the mixed-use project at 667 Hastings, but it extends to a total of 14 parcels along Hastings Avenue from Ida Red Parkway to 32nd Street. NEZs require at least 10 parcels.

With the creation of an NEZ, the developer can now request an NEZ tax incentive that would freeze the property's taxable value for eight years. While taxes on the current value would continue to be paid, any new value from the property improvements won't be taxed until the abatement phases out.

The developer will have to return to council to ask for the tax incentive certificate, expected to help lower the cost of the apartments that are being developed in the building so they can be offered to tenants at a lower price point.

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Council has created NEZs in the past to aid the development of Baker Lofts on 24th Street and Scrap Yard Lofts on River Avenue.

Sur-loc Aluminum Edging Corp. asked for a Public Act 198 industrial facilities tax abatement to expand its warehousing capacity at 310 E. 64th St., Holland. The company, founded by Roger Blauwkamp in 1992, makes professional-grade landscape edging products, sold internationally, and professional landscaping tools.

Sur-loc will invest more than $1 million in the 20,000-square-foot expansion, according to city memos about the project. The tax abatement, approved by council Wednesday, gives Sur-loc a 50 percent tax cut for the taxes paid on the additional property value created by the expansion, until the abatement expires in 12 years.

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Council also approved a first-of-its-kind for Holland speculative tax abatement for an industrial building that is being developed at 72 W. 64th St. with space for several tenants.

The speculative tax abatement sets the stage for the industrial tenants who move in to easily apply for P.A. 198 tax abatements to offset initial costs of setting up shop in Holland. Each tenant will have to approach the council for approval.

Three tenants have already expressed interest in the space, including a startup and two other West Michigan businesses, said Greg King, Lakeshore Advantage business solutions manager. Lakeshore Advantage assisted Paul Hoekstra, the developer, and the city of Holland with the abatement process.

"I think you're going to see, if you guys approve it, that we're going to be moving on these very quickly," King said. "I think they're looking to move in springtime."

During public comment, Pastor Willie Watt of Lifeline Ministries approached the city to ask for help finding a city-sanctioned location for 30 small shelters, called Conestoga Huts, he has built with the support of donations and volunteers.

Watt wants to use the huts to house the homeless in a "village"-like setting, inspired by a similar project in Eugene, Oregon.

 Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Enterprise zone created around former Goog's Pub site
PROVIDENCE  In light of the recent threat against Barrington High School, The Providence Journal asked a Rhode Island College professor who has extensive experience in the criminal-justice and mental-health systems to weigh in on how schools can best deal with such challenges.

Frederic G. Reamer  a professor in the graduate program of the School of Social Work at RIC  has served as director of the National Juvenile Justice Assessment Center of the U.S. Department of Justice and on the Rhode Island Parole Board. He has published 24 books and 170 journal articles, book chapters and encyclopedia articles.

Reamer said he could not comment specifically on the Barrington High School case, in which a student threatened to cause harm to the school Dec. 21. The school district is conducting an investigation with help from local, state and national law enforcement agencies.

Frederic Reamer, PhD is a professor in the graduate program of the School of Social Work at Rhode Island College. Reamer says it's very difficult to predict who is likely to engage in violent behavior.

His responses have been edited for brevity.

Why is it so difficult to predict an act of violence?

The reality is that despite overwhelming research, behavioral health professionals and school officials have a very difficult time predicting who is likely to engage in violent behavior.

I have spent much of my career working in prisons. It is extraordinarily difficult to predict with accuracy who is likely to commit an act of violence.

More: Barrington police chief warns high-school parents about 'threat of violence'

More: State and federal agencies help investigate Barrington High School shooting threat

More: Police in RI, across the country step up security in response to social media threats

"There certainly are flags but they do not always correlate with violence. Red flags come in different sizes. As mental health professionals, we have to walk this very fine line between protecting our school communities and also protecting the rights of students."

What should schools do when faced with a threat of violence?

"Number one, there should be staff in the school who are trained to provide comprehensive mental health risk assessments to assess whether there is evidence that a student is at risk to himself or others. If there is evidence, and this is more art than science, that a student poses an imminent, foreseeable and serious threat, then schools should have a crisis intervention team designed to work with the student If they need a referral.

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"Is this a kid who should be sent back to the classroom or kept in the office until crisis intervention services can be activated? In an extreme case, we need to give this student a ride to Bradley Hospital. Were talking about hospitalization.

"The third element is prevention: having a comprehensive plan in place if there is threat, for example, hidden under a desk. There must also be a comprehensive and deliberate effort to educate staff about common warning signs.

"If there is evidence of those signs and symptoms, there should be a protocol that says you must alert the behavioral health expert, the principal and so on. The school should also immediately notify law enforcement. One of the allegations in the Michigan case is that the principal said, No one told me.

What are the warning signs?

The common signs are kids who are isolating, who dont have any friends, who are loners.

Also, look at kids who are being bullied by other kids, who have had a history of behavioral problems in school, kids who have struggled with significant psychiatric symptoms, engaged in self-harm or impulsive behavior. A lot of these kids are already known to the social worker.

"In many of these cases where there is heinous violence, there were red flags.

"But there is also a second category where there isnt a history of red flags. The violence erupted because things spun out of control. It was an isolated, albeit horrific incident.

Is there a clear line when schools should take more aggressive action?

Sometimes there is a bright line. If a student makes an explicit threat to shoot up the school, to me that warrants a very assertive response which typically means removing that child for a period of time.

(In the Barrington case, Supt. Miichael Messore said Thursday that the department hasnt identified the student in question.)

But Reamer also said schools should not treat these students in a punitive manner by suspending them.

We need to hit the pause button. But we need to say to the student, This is not the time for you to go to class. We need to make other arrangements. There needs to be a constructive and very assertive response."

Are schools reluctant to act because of fear of lawsuits?

Understandably, school administrators must react very cautiously. It could be we dont want to mistreat a student or we dont want to assume there is a fire because we see smoke. We dont want to overreact and cause panic among students and parents.

In this day and age, school administrators are also thinking of the risk of lawsuit. Parents might say, Our kid has been accused unfairly."

Reamer said school districts have to weigh the risk of a lawsuit that alleges mistreatment of a child versus failure to intervene to prevent mayhem.

Again, its a case of competing duties versus competing rights.

Linda Borg covers education for The Journal.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RIC professor says identifying credible school threats is no easy task
Dec. 17Winners of the annual Southern Media Showcase competition were announced during a special online presentation earlier this month at Missouri Southern State University.

The annual competition is open to area high school students in categories for publications and audio/video work, with winners receiving medals. In the past, students came to the campus for a day of presentations and awards. The program was revised last year to an online-only competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Southern Media Showcase is sponsored by the communication department at Missouri Southern. Support this year was provided by the Missouri Broadcasters Association, Missouri Press Association, the Missouri Southern State University relations and marketing department and the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

PUBLICATIONS

Column: First place, "What Should I Wear," Chloe Friend, Joplin.

Editorial writing: First place, "Personal Heroes," Jasmine deGroat, Joplin.

Feature photography: First place, "Hear My Love," Betty Sue Wiles, Joplin; second place, "Honorary Team Member," TJ Tracy, Joplin; third place, "Sing It for the Crowd," Hannah Holmes, Joplin.

Feature writing: First place (tie), "Was It All a Dream?", Morgan Cravens, Joplin; first place (tie), "Once the Ink Dries," Logan Fletcher, Joplin; second place (tie), "Think Different," Alex Carson, Joplin; second place (tie), "A Legacy Not Soon Forgotten," Jasmine deGroat, Joplin; third place (tie), "Ghostly Hauntings," TJ Tracy, Joplin; third place (tie), "ACT: Test Preparation Is Key," Wyatt Satterlee, Joplin.

Infographic: First place, "More Than a Flower," Morgan Cravens and Emily Flores, Joplin; second place, "Trail to a Healthy Life," Ben Koelkebeck, Joplin; third place, "College Bound," Jayla Hunter and Paige Krumsick, Joplin.

Story continues

News photography: First place, "Taking School Outside  Ropin' and Draggin'," Alli Hayes, Purdy; second place, "Anticipation for the Win," TJ Tracy, Joplin; third place (tie), "Nixa Spirit," Maleah Bays, Nixa; third place (tie), "American Jeep Life," Libby Roden, Purdy.

News writing: First place, "Nixa Mayor Recall," Brycen Osborne, Nixa; second place (tie), "Afghanistan," Zachary Street, Nixa; second place (tie), "Losing Track of Quarantines," Eli Dean, Nadia May and Jamie Scriven, Nixa; second place (tie), "Injection of Hope," Eli Dean, Nixa.

Page one design: First place, "Fall 2021," Braden Dennis, Nixa; second place, "Fall 2021 Cover," TJ Tracy, Joplin; third place, "Joplin Spyglass Spring Cover," Morgan Cravens, Joplin.

Photoshop battle: First place, "Gary Unchained," Ruby Knight, Purdy; second place, "Minimum Wage Worker," Trent Bass, East Newton; third place, "It Was a Jurassic Joke," Michael Yang, East Newton.

Publication, best overall: First place, "Joplin Spyglass Fall 2021," Lillie Carrier, Brayden Dick, Logan Fletcher, Chloe Friend, Jayla Hunter, Wyatt Satterlee, Elisia Spiering, TJ Tracy and Isa Hererra; second place, "Nixa Wingspan," Madalyn Tuning and Katelynn Gibson; third place (tie), "Joplin Spyglass 2020," Morgan Cravens, Jasmine deGroat, Alexandra Carson, Melanie Cerrato, Logan Fletcher, Emily Flores, Hadyn Howard, Jayla Hunter, Dakayda Jessip, Benjamin Koelkebeck, Megan Meeker, Josiah Stewart, Kollin Parrish, Averi Burks, Isa Hererra and Kailey Hamilton; third place (tie), "Graduation Double Page Spread," Bronaugh.

Sports photography: First place, "I Believe I Can Fly," Sophie Schuller, Joplin; second place, "Eyes on the Prize," Olivia Williams, Joplin; third place, "Tunnel Vision," TJ Tracy, Joplin.

Sports writing: First place, "From MO to Tokyo," Eli Dean, Nixa; second place, "Back to the Mat," Katelynn Gibson, Nixa.

AUDIO/VIDEO

Animation: First place, "Down on the Farm," Avery Crain, Cassville; second place, "Birb Animation," Hector Perez, Carthage; third place, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," Edgar Gomez, Carthage.

Audio PSA: First place, "Social Media Dangers," Levi Richards, Joplin; second place, "Safety on the Roads," Myles Griffith, Joplin; third place (tie), "Suicide," Liv Taylor, Webb City; third place (tie), "Carpooling," Haylee Murray, Webb City.

Comedy: First place, "Dating Advice," Jameson Layne and Chance Bailey, Joplin; second place, "Tik Tok Addiction," Bryce Paoli, Reid Martin and Koby Graham, Nixa; third place, "Movie Theater Romance," Mariah Francisco, Webb City.

Commercial: First place, "Nike," Aliya Atkinson, Webb City; second place, "Revlon," Sydney Lopez, Webb City; third place, "Peloton," Aliya Atkinson, Webb City; honorable mention (tie), "Truman Walking Insurance," Henry Anger and Elijah Smith; honorable mention (tie), "FBLA/DECA Spirit Shop," Tyler Burt, Carthage.

Documentary: First place, "The Importance of Teachers," Paris Moua and Sandy Thao, East Newton; second place, "Australia: A Closer Look," Kyahn Ely, Webb City; third place, "3AM Mocumentary," Caleb Burton, Malik Muhaisen, Edgar Gomez-Gonzalez, Hector Perez, Isaiah Bussey, Perla Valdovinos, Xzandria Avina and Jason Chuta, Carthage.

Drama: First place, "Alone in the Dark," Caleb Cook and Sage Cranford, Webb City; second place, "2020," Mariah Fancisco, Webb City; third place (tie), "Within the Forest," Brandy McClintock, Webb City; third place (tie), "The Meaning of Love," Sydney Lopez, Webb City; third place (tie), "A Hopeless Escape," Gabriel Jacob, Webb City.

Epic movie trailer: First place, "Socky Vs. Eminem," Hector Perez, Kaden Kralicek and Chastin Utter, Carthage.

Five-second video: First place, "5-Second Futball," Hector Perez and Edgar Gomez, Carthage; second place, "Time Warp Boomerang," Alexandra Carson, Joplin; third place, "Man Peel," Sam Winesburg and Drake Miller, Webb City; honorable mention, "Sandwich Time," Matthew Pratt, Joplin.

Music video: First place, "Nemesis," Sydney Lopez, Aili McFall and Elease McFall, Webb City; second place, "A Big House," Caleb Cook, Webb City; third place, "Where'd All the Time Go?", Alexandra Carson, Joplin.

News package: First place, "You Matter," Delanie Goss, Nixa; second place (tie), "Misinformation," Lucas Finger, Nixa; second place (tie), "Ag Day," Natalie Himmelsbach and Gia Jourdan, Joplin; second place (tie), "Food Truck Friday," Kennedy DeRuy, Joplin; third place (tie), "Dover Hill Groundbreaking," Kadin Storm and Landson Johnson, Joplin; third place (tie), "Foreign Exchange at JHS," Gia Jourdan, Joplin; third place (tie), "Tiny House," Jason Chuta, Isaiah Bussey and Sam Carr, Carthage; third place (tie), "Brake With Baker," Hailey Bryant, Carthage.

Podcast: First place, "Valentine's Day Goals," Will Rouhani and Evan Hirsch, Nixa; second place "Titan TV Talk," Kate Zahm, Casey Soper and Jaxson Haraughty, Columbus; third place, "Tuesday Talks," Katelynn Burgess and Avery Westhoven, Webb City.

Video PSA: First place, "Make the Change," Cree Vaden, Webb City; second place (tie), "Carpool," Haylee Murray, Izzy Lopez and Kenna Garza, Webb City; second place (tie), "Milk," Kyahn Ely, Webb City; third place, "Sports Injuries," Kenzie Robbins, Webb City.

Sports package: First place, "A Swimming Star," Haylee Murray, Webb City; second place, "New Joplin Video Board," Kennedy DeRuy, Joplin; third place, "Olympian Come Back Home to Nixa," Elle Justice, Ryne Swanson and Zeltzin Mondragon-Garcia, Nixa.

Sports programming: First place, "Webb City Football Intro '21," Isaac Wade and Kyahn Ely, Webb City; second place, "Webb City Soccer Intro '21," Isaac Wade, Webb City; third place, "Cheer," Karson Greene and Saleen Ortega, Carthage.
Today

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High near 75F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Sunshine and some clouds. High 74F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Im truly sorry for what Ive done. I have no excuse. No reason for what happened, he said. I wish there was something I could to do to take it back.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Stung by recent headline-grabbing smash-and-grab robberies, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday said he will seek more than $300 million in state funding over three years to boost law enforcement efforts to combat retail theft.

The issue of crime and violence is top of mind all throughout not only the state of California but across the United States, highlighted recently by some high-profile retail theft operations, Newsom said.

He added that these organized retail mobs ... (have) a profound impact on our feelings of safety here in this state, this region and as I note, this country.

Newsom proposed giving $255 million in grants to local law enforcement agencies to put more police at stores to deter organized retail crime over the next three years.

An additional $30 million over three years in the proposed budget he sends to lawmakers next month would go to county district attorneys to support prosecutions of retail and auto theft-related crimes.

Another $18 million over three years would go to create a new organized theft special unit under the state attorney general, with investigators and prosecutors dedicated to pursuing organized crime ringleaders.
I will protect my kids, Hill said, an instinct that kicked in in 1883 as Margaret, as it does today. Its just a natural thing that happens. And so dont stand in my way or I will hurt you.

Playing alongside her husband was a little trickier than playing a mom. The couple came up with a plan to not work on their scenes outside of the set, or even talk about it.

After being married for 25 years, both of us felt that would be the most authentic way that we could portray Margaret and James. And we just didnt want either one of us to have a preconceived notion of what they would be. We just wanted it to be real and as authentic as possible, Hill said.

McGraw says he loved the idea that at this point in their lives, the couple had the opportunity to work together in something this epic, this big and this strong.

We were just awe-inspired by it, McGraw said.

The Dutton family journey, which takes them through the Great Plains toward the then-territory of Montana, is part of the western expansion that reflected the nation's belief that it was destined to settle all of North America.
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Ive learned a lot about time management and problem-solving when it comes to getting information out to the community about the toy drive and raffle baskets. Ive learned how to get things done, said Bolton.

Cross County school counselor Aaron Neujahr said, Her planning of the projects includes the same level of detail you'd expect from an adult service leader and her follow-through is incredible.

Her dedication towards serving children comes from an experience Bolton overcame five years ago.

Bolton said, I had a grand mal seizure in the fourth grade, and I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. When I was in the hospital there was this really nice lady who helped me with my diagnosis, and things didnt seem as scary. Now, I want to do that for kids.

Bolton dreams of becoming a child life specialist when she gets older.

Academically, she is at the top of her class. Shes on the honors list and she was recognized in the Big Red Stars program. Boltons favorite subject is Spanish, and she awaits the opportunity to take dual credit classes like psychology and sociology relating to her interests.
YORK  A 48-year-old Lincoln woman was facing four felony charges  one being a Class 1B felony carrying the possibility of 20 years to life in prison  after a very large amount of methamphetamine was found in a vehicle in which she was a passenger.

Marlene Browning has now pleaded guilty to attempt of a Class 1 felony, which is a Class 2 felony; having no drug tax stamp, a Class 4 felony; and possession of money while violating a drug law, a Class 4 felony.

One count of attempt of a Class 4 felony was dismissed.

According to court documents, a deputy with the York County Sheriffs Department was on regular patrol in the middle of the night on Interstate 80, near the York exit. The affidavit says he saw an eastbound pickup with two aftermarket auxiliary LED lights mounted to the front of the truck underneath the headlights and they were not dimmed when approaching other vehicles, including his patrol unit.

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A traffic stop was initiated.

The driver was James McDonald, 31, of Wahoo. McDonald gave consent for a search.
YORK  Gregory Meyers, II, 42, of York, has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of being in violation of the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry Act.

According to court documents, he was found by local law enforcement to be in non-compliance, as a registered sex offender. One of the cases involved him not reporting ownership of a vehicle, as is required.

It is noted in the affidavit filed with the court that he has had multiple prior charges for failing to register required information.

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A review of his criminal history, according to the affidavit, shows a prior conviction for sex offender registry violations in Cuming County in 2002 and in Fillmore County in 2020 (for which he remains on probation).

It is also noted that he is on supervised release status through the federal court system/U.S. probation for activities relating to material constituting or containing child pornography.

According to the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry, Meyers was convicted of sexual assault of a child in Dodge County in 1995 and of possession of child pornography in U.S. Federal Court in 2007.
New Delhi: Afghanistan, connectivity was among the key issues discussed during the meeting between External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Tajikistan's foreign minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin. The Tajik FM is on a bilateral visit to India and on Sunday will participate in the third India-Central Asia foreign minister's dialogue.

During the meeting earlier today between the two sides, EAM Jaishankar in his opening statement thanked Tajik FM for the "tremendous support that you gave us during the evacuation of Indians from Afghanistan in August and September, both Indians as well as some members of the Afghan minority community."

In the aftermath of the Taliban takeover, Tajikistan had provided its air base for Indian Air force planes which were deployed for evacuation. Indian govt operated several special Indian Air Force and Air India flights under the Operation Devi Shakti to evacuate stranded Indian and Afghan nationals from Afghanistan, from 16 to 25 August 2021. It is well known that India operates its first overseas air base in Tajikistan's Ayni.

Signed agreements on diplomatic training and program of cooperation. pic.twitter.com/EnUhRxmzRr  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) December 18, 2021

On Afghanistan, EAM said, "Weve also, of course as neighbours of Afghanistan, we have been very concerned at the developments there. And the participation of the Secretary of your Security Council in the Regional Security Dialogue, which we hosted in November, is something which is deeply appreciated."

During Saturday's meet, the two sides also discussed areas like trade and economic ties, investment, scientific and technical collaboration, cooperation in industry, energy, culture and education spheres. Tajikistan has India's joined Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

The two sides have also signed agreements on diplomatic training and program of cooperation. The program of Cooperation was signed between the two foreign ministries for 2021-2024 period and the Memorandum of Understanding was between the Center for Professional Development and Retraining and Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service of India for diplomatic training.

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New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Saturday (December 18, 2021) successfully tested the new generation nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni P from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the coast of Odisha.

The Ministry of Defence informed that various telemetry, radar, electro-optical stations and down range ships positioned along the eastern coast tracked and monitored the missile trajectory and parameters.

The missile followed text book trajectory meeting all mission objectives with a high level of accuracy.

This is noteworthy that the 'Agni P' is a two-stage canisterised solid-propellant ballistic missile with dual redundant navigation and guidance system.

"This second flight test has proven the reliable performance of all the advanced technologies integrated into the system," the Ministry of Defence said.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO for the successful flight test and expressed his happiness for the excellent performance of the system.

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New Delhi: Amid the clamour to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act growing louder, the National Human Rights Commission chairperson Justice Arun Mishra on Friday (December 17, 2021) said that he can`t say if any human rights violation is taking place because of AFSPA.

While addressing the reporters on the last day of "Open Hearing and Camp Sitting" by NHRC in Guwahati, Justice Mishra said, "We cannot generalize any such issue like this. We can`t say that because of this Act any human rights violation is taking place. If any particular case comes, then we look at that case."

ALSO READ | 'Repeal AFSPA' call grows louder after Nagaland firing, controversial Act explained

"We can`t discuss the constitutionality of any Act here, that is for the Supreme Court to decide. Further, it is for the government to review whether it should be applied and in which district, at what particular time," he added.

No room for fake encounters

The NHRC Chairperson also said that in a civilised society like India, there is no room for fake encounters.

"There is no room for instant justice in this country and law has to take its own course. A person who is guilty has to be tried in court and punished in accordance with the law," he added.

NHRC Chairperson Mr. Justice Arun Mishra & Members Mr. Justice M.M Kumar, Mr. Rajiv Jain, SG, Mr. B. Pradhan, DG, Mr. Santosh Mehra, Registrar, Mr. Surajit Dey, JS, Mr. H.C Chaudhary briefing media persons on the outcome of Open Hearing & Camp Sitting in Guwahati. pic.twitter.com/fhlwYlL6a1  NHRC India (@India_NHRC) December 17, 2021

This is noteworthy that the call to withdraw AFSPA, the law that gives security forces sweeping powers to maintain law and order in a disturbed area, has grown louder after the killing of civilians by the Army in Nagaland on December 4.

The Chief Ministers of Meghalaya and Nagaland have also joined several others in calling for the repeal of AFSPA after 13 civilians were killed by security forces in an apparent case of 'mistaken identity'.

AFSPA allows security forces the power to search, arrest and open fire to maintain public order in four of the country's seven northeastern states.

(With ANI inputs)

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New Delhi: Reacting to income tax raid at the premises of his close aide, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday (December 18) jeeringly said after IT, now Enforcement Directorate officers will also come.

Questioning the timing of the raids which come a few months ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls, Yadav said, "If they had the information earlier, then why the search agency chose this time, two months prior to polls. It shows that the ED and the CBI will also come to the state to fight the polls."

The SP chief further alleged that BJP is following Congress' footsteps with these raids. "Earlier, the Congress also used to intimidate people by misusing central agencies like the I-T, CBI and the ED," Yadav was quoted as saying by IANS.

"The speed of "cycle" (SP`s party symbol) will not slow down due to the BJP misusing the central agencies," the former UP CM said.

He added, "Nobody is safe in this government. How many cases have been filed against Azam Khan? It is not a new way. How many cases were filed against the farmers?"

Earlier today, an income tax raid was conducted at the premises of Akhilesh Yadav's close aide, Jainendra Yadav in Lucknow, sources told ANI. The raids were also conducted at the premises of RCL Group promotor Manoj Yadav in Mainpuri and Samajwadi Party (SP) national secretary and spokesperson Rajiv Rai in Uttar Pradesh's Mau.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming 2022 Goa Assembly elections, Congress and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Saturday (December 18) announced a pre-poll alliance.

Addressing a press conference in Panaji, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Goa, Dinesh Gundu Rao, confirmed the alliance between Congress and the GFP in the coastal state.

"After (GFP chief) Vijai Sardesai met our leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and expressed his support to the Congress saying that he wants to work with us to defeat the communal and corrupt BJP government in Goa and to bring about a change in Goa, we welcomed his move," Rao was quoted as saying by PTI.

Further, he said, Congress and GFP have trust in each other. In politics, there is always a scope for friendship, alliances, and we have mutual trust and confidence in each other," the Congress leader said.

Rao said he is confident the Congress-GFP alliance will oust BJP in the state. "We will be going to the elections together and I expect that this alliance will drive more people towards joining the Congress. I am sure that in this election, the people have decided to reject the BJP as they want a stable government in the state," he added.

The details of seat sharing between the two parties would be announced later, Rao said.

GFP president Vijay Sardesai and MLA Vinod Palyekar, along with independent legislator Prasad Gaonkar, had paid a visit to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at his residence in Delhi on November 30.

GFP was earlier in alliance with the current BJP-led government in Goa, however, withdrew its support in July 2019 after its all three MLAs, including party president Vijai Sardesai, were dropped from the cabinet.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party has been constantly unveiling the true face of the BJP and in that direction AAP Chief Spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj today exposed how BJP is forcing Gau Mata, the most revered of the living beings to eat garbage at dumpsters in Delhi.

He talked about how illegal dairies are functioning in Delhi under the protection of BJP leaders and how one can go anywhere in Delhi, and theyll find cows straying on roads and dumpsters.

AAP Chief Spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj on Friday (December 17) presented dozens of proofs in the form of photos and videos that showed how cruelly the BJP-ruled MCD treats the Gau-Mata. He also presented a video of stray cows eating garbage next to a drain he shot himself and then followed them to an illegal dairy.

Bhardwaj said, Go anywhere in Delhi, youll find cows straying on roads and dumpsters. This is when cows are considered the holiest beings in the Hindu Culture. Theyre referred to as the Gau Mata. The Gau Mata in whom all the devi-devtas reside, in whose horns Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh reside, whose seva holds the power of fulfilling all your wishes," he said.

It is Gau Matas whose milk is held as the most sought after ones own mothers milk. Be it Gomutra or Gobar they both hold very high regard in the Hindu culture. Thanks to BJP-ruled MCDs rotten sense of culture, you can find the sacred Gau Mata feeding on garbage anytime and anywhere in this city.

"If you visit the garbage dumps in any locality in Delhi, you will witness our Gau Mata trying to scour for food through the disposed food in polythenes discarded by Delhi residents. Cows often try to tear the plastic with their hooves, which is usually so tough that they end up swallowing the food with the plastic itself," he added.

"Hence, the polythene chokes their insides, blocks intestines and messes with digestion, making them sick and eventually causing a very painful death. The sole onus of these harrowing deaths that befall our Gau Mata falls on the BJP-led MCD."

He added, "This morning I pondered over calling for photographic proof to share with the public. Our friends in the North, South, and East MCD went around their areas and sent us pictures of cows feeding on garbage at the various dumpsters across the city."

He continued, "On my way to work, I crossed South Extension, where I saw a cow. Then I crossed Defence Colony, where again I saw a cow in front of Kotla and then another outside the JLN Stadium. Now you can imagine why these cows are sitting on roads. Its because these cows feed on plastic and toxic city waste, and if you speak to anyone living in small towns and villages, they will tell you that a cow that feeds on hay and grass has waste which can be utilised because it is not toxic, it is pure."

"But on the other hand, the cows in cities are diseased and their defecation smells extremely bad due to which residents have to force these cows out of their streets after which they end up on roads. They are hence found either feeding themselves at dumpsters, or sitting on roads after having eaten, he said.

He continued, Now the important question that arises is where such a large number of cows have come from in Delhi. Based on MCD rules, no one is allowed to domesticate a cow in Delhi. So where are these stray animals coming from? And their numbers have only increased over the last 3-4 years. They had vanished in the middle, most cows had been sent to Gaushalas. Many of our colleagues and workers donate to these Gaushalas on the outskirts of Delhi for this purpose, to ensure safety and health for these cows. Why is the MCD not looking into the reason behind the sudden increase in the number of these cows who seem to have appeared out of the blue.

Shri Saurabh Bhardwaj further said, People are very distressed. If these cows stop midway, they block roads and obstruct traffic. Often, accidents are also caused. Government hospital data says that around 250 accidents in Delhi every month are taking place due to the cows found on roads. This is clearly because when one is driving fast, a cow will get hassled and head in the wrong direction causing accidents.

While presenting the proofs he said, "It was around 9 o'clock in the morning and I saw that the cows who eat garbage by wandering here and there all day line up in the morning and evening and go somewhere. There, they are milked and then released back to wander across the city. This is an organized gang, there are mafia, who exploit cows. This mafia is running a game over the painful death of cows."

He further said, "In this video, all these cows are going towards the Panchsheel Enclave of GK-1. When I went after them, all the cows passed under a bridge where there is a drain. MCD has been asked many times to clean this drain but MCD does not take any step on this also. After crossing the bridge the cows reach the dairy where they are milked, and then they are left to wander. You yourself can understand how poisonous the milk of cows that eat garbage will be. In this way, this entire Gaushala is being run illegally and their milk is being taken illegally."

He concluded, Our motive behind showing you these proofs is to highlight how these cows have been illegally held by organised syndicates. These cows are being exploited for their milk. The BJP-ruled MCD leaders and employees get paid to protect such syndicates. The BJP is feeding the common man poison in the form of such milk. Imagine the kind of milk you must be drinking if the cows are consuming garbage. We can only imagine the fatalities the cows have to face, how cruelly they die and how their corpses are disposed off.

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New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday (December 17, 2021) in its latest bulletin said that several parts of northwest India, including Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, among others, need to brace for ground frost conditions from Saturday (December 18, 2021).

Impact expected and action suggested due to Cold Wave/Severe Cold Wave conditions over J & K, HP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh during next 4 days; over Gujarat State during next 3 days ; over north Rajasthan next 5 days and over West UP during 19th-21st Dec, said IMD.

Impact expected and action suggested due to Cold Wave/Severe Cold Wave conditions over J & K, HP, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh during next 4 days; over Gujarat State during next 3 days ; over north Rajasthan next 5 days and over West UP during 19th-21st Dec. pic.twitter.com/FL9T4qb62o  India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 17, 2021

The weather department also added that the dense to very dense fog along with cold wave conditions have also been forecast for states and Union territories (UTs) in the northwest part of India.

Impact expected and action suggested due to Dense/Very Dense fog over Punjab during 18th-20th; over Haryana, Chandigarh, during 18th & 19th; over north Rajasthan on 18th and over Assam & Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura during 18th-19th Dec, IMD said in a tweet.

Impact expected and action suggested due to Dense/Very Dense fog over Punjab during 18th-20th; over Haryana, Chandigarh, during 18th & 19th; over north Rajasthan on 18th and over Assam & Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura during 18th-19th Dec. pic.twitter.com/fh9wRHwjTO  India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 17, 2021

The Met department also said that the mercury is likely to drop by a few notches over the next 2-3 days in the national capital. The national capital on Friday recorded a maximum temperature of 20.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal. The weather office also predicted shallow fog in the next few days. The city experienced a cold morning as the minimum temperature settled at 7.7 degrees Celsius.

Read the full forecast here:

- Severe cold wave conditions are very likely over north Rajasthan during the next 3 days and over Punjab and Haryana and Chandigarh on December 19-20, 2021.

- IMD predicted that cold wave conditions are likely to prevail over Jammu, Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh during next 4 days

- Additionally, Gujarat is also likely to witness cold wave conditions during the next 3 days, while west Uttar Pradesh will reel under it on December 19-21.

- The weather department also said that gradual fall in minimum temperatures by 2-3C over most parts of Northwest India and Maharashtra.

- In parts of Central India, a fall in minimum temperatures by 3-5C during the next 4 days is likely.

- On the other hand, in the morning hours, ground frost conditions in isolated pockets very likely over Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh and north Rajasthan during next 3 days.

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Rae Bareli (UP): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday (December 17) sought to equate the Lakhimpur Kheri violence with Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and said the British had fired bullets from the front, while the the BJP ran over a jeep from behind. Yadav, who is in Rae Bareli on a two-day tour as part of the seventh leg of 'Samajwadi Vijay Yatra', claimed that the BJP will be wiped out in the upcoming 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters here, the former chief minister said, "In Uttar Pradesh, the incident of a jeep being run over on farmers took place. If the pages of history are turned back, then one is reminded of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, when the British fired (at people) from the front. But, the BJP ran over the jeep on them from behind. No action has been initiated against accused persons. The Union Minister of State for Home (Ajay Mishra) has not been removed so far. For those who are accused, bulldozers have not been run over their house. This government is working in a discriminatory manner," the SP chief said.

Violence had erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 when farmers were protesting the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to Mishra's native place. Four agitating farmers were run over by a vehicle while four others, including a journalist and two BJP workers, were also killed in the violence that ensued.

Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, has been named as accused. The SP chief also said as the elections approach, the BJP puts up a lens of religion, and sees everything from that perspective. Yadav reiterated that in the BJP regime, people have faced 'dikkat' (problems), 'killat' (shortage) and 'zillat' (humiliation), which they have not faced in any other government. He also said people are feeling insulted today, and the BJP, which is in power, is insulting the people.

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New Delhi: The spread of Omicron variant of COVID-19 across the world is causing worry among health experts. Omicron, which was first reported from South Africa last month, has spread to now at least 77 countries, including the US, UK Israel, Hong Kong and Japan, apart from India.

VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog, at a Health Ministry press briefing on COVID-19, said that Europe is witnessing a new phase of COVID-19 pandemic, with a steep rise in coronavirus cases. "A new phase of the Covid-19 pandemic is being experienced in Europe with a steep rise in cases." Delta and Omicron together are fuelling the spike and this despite the fact that many of these countries are largely vaccinated with both doses, Dr Paul said.

The United Kingdom is especially seeing a massive surge. On Friday (December 17), the British government reported 93,045 new coronavirus cases. This was the third consecutive day when the UK broke its own record in daily tally. So what does this indicate for India? Dr VK Paul had worrying statistics to share. "If we look at the scale of spread in the UK and if there is a similar outbreak in India, then given our population, there will be 14 lakh cases every day."

Watch what he said:

#WATCH | "...If we look at the scale of spread in the UK & if there is a similar outbreak in India, then given our population, there will be 14 lakh cases every day...," Dr. VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog said at a Health Ministry press briefing on #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/EBvZNUuHlD  ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2021

About genome sequencing, Dr Paul said that sequencing of every sample is not possible. "It is a surveillance and pandemic assessment and tracking tool, not a diagnostic tool as of now."

However, according to initial studies, it seems that while Omicron is significantly more infectious than the Delta variant, that led to a havoc in India earlier this year, it is causing less severe symptoms. But experts have also pointed out that it's too early to say something definitive on the matter. The vaccine efficacy against the new variant is also being studied

In a briefing on the present situation of Covid and new variant Omicron in the country, Indian Council of Medical Research Director General Balram Bhargava said that it is very important to have low-intensity festivities and avoid non-essential travel and mass gatherings.

Joint Secretary, Health, Luv Agrawal, said that new Covid cases are being reported below 10,000 for the past 20 days. The case positivity for the last 1 week was 0.65 per cent. Currently, Kerala contributes 40.31 per cent to the total number of active cases in the country, he said.

India is administering Covid-19 vaccine doses at the highest rate in the world and the daily rate of doses administered is 4.8 times the rate of doses administered in the US and 12.5 times the rate of doses administered in the UK, he said.

On new Covid variant, he said that a total of 101 Omicron cases across 11 states have been reported so far.

"There is no evidence to suggest that vaccines are not effective against Omicron variant," he said, adding that it is likely that Omicron will outpace Delta variant where community transmission occurs as per a WHO report.

(With Agency inputs)

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Amritsar: A man hailing from Uttar Pradesh was beaten to death after he allegedly attempted to commit 'sacrilege' inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Saturday evening.

The incident took place when the man jumped golden grills inside the sanctum sanctorum, picked a sword and reached near the place where a Sikh priest was reciting the holy Guru Granth Sahib.

The man was caught by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee task force members.

When he was being taken to the SGPC office, the angry crowd thrashed him badly that later led to his death.

Deputy Commissioner of Police P S Bhandal said the man, hailing from UP, was around 30-year-old and his antecedents were being verified. All CCTV cameras were being checked to know when he entered the Golden Temple and how many people were with him.

After the incident, a large number of Sikh devotees and various Sikh outfits slammed the SGPC for its laxity. A heavy police force has been deployed around the SGPC complex at Teja Singh Samundri Hall in order to maintain law and order.

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The Mumbai Police on Saturday (December 18) raided an illegal Hookah lounge named The Owl and arrested 80 customers, including 27 women.

A case has been registered at the Vaakola police station and further investigation is underway.

Here are videos and images from the scene.
New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday (December 18) said that the Omicron, which had been classified as a variant of concern, is transmitting faster than Delta and has already reached 89 countries.

The current understanding of the Omicron variant will continue to evolve as more data becomes available, said the global health body.

Noting that the variant outranks Delta in transmissibility but is less severe, the WHO clarified that the Omicron should not be dismissed as a mild variant and people must be vigilant. The global body also urged South-East Asian countries to urgently scale-up public health and social measures as well as vaccinations.

"Countries can, and must, prevent the spread of Omicron with the proven health and social measures. Our focus must continue to be to protect the least protected and those at high risk," said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, in a statement.

Meanwhile, India Omicron case count on Saturday (December 18) rose to 140 after the southern state of Telangana reported 12 new infections taking the total cases in the state to 20. That apart, Karnataka and Kerala reported six and four cases respectively, while three more people in Maharashtra tested positive for the new variant.

About Omicron spread in India, a COVID panel dedicated to analyzing the pandemic situation and developing projections said that India will witness Omicron's third wave but it will be milder than the second deadly wave of the coronavirus.

"Third wave is likely to arrive early next year in India. It should be milder than the second wave due to a large-scale immunity present in the country now. There will definitely be a third wave. Right now, we are at around 7,500 cases per day which is sure to go up once Omicron starts displacing Delta as the dominant variant," the panel said.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday (December 18, 2021) at around 1 pm.

According to a release issued by the Prime Minister's Office on December 16, the inspiration behind the expressway is the vision of the Prime Minister to provide fast-paced connectivity across the country.

The release also added that the 594-kilometre long six-lane expressway will be built at a cost of over Rs 36,200 crore and will start near the Bijauli village in Meerut. The expressway will extend till near the Judapur Dandu village in Prayagraj. It will pass through Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Budaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj.

Upon completion of work, it will become the longest expressway of Uttar Pradesh, connecting the western and eastern regions of the state. A 3.5-kilometre long air-strip for assisting emergency take-off and landing of Air Force planes will also be constructed on the expressway in Shahjahanpur. An industrial corridor is also proposed to be built along the expressway.

The expressway will also give a fillip to multiple sectors including industrial development, trade, agriculture, tourism, etc. It will provide a big boost to the socio-economic development of the region.

The Ganga Expressway was approved on November 26, 2020. This expressway will be completed by 2024.

Earlier, on December 13, PM Modi inaugurated phase 1 of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, which has been constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crores, amid chants of 'Har Har Mahadev'. In his inaugural speech, the PM said, Kashi is a symbol of our spiritual soul! It is a symbol of India's antiquity, traditions! India's energy, mobility.

"It is said in our Puranas that as soon as one enters Kashi, one becomes free from all bondage. Blessings of Lord Vishweshwara, supernatural energy that awakens our inner soul as soon as we come here. Right now, along with Baba, I am also coming after seeing the city Kotwal Kalbhairav Ji, bringing his blessings for the countrymen," the prime minister said.

Meanwhile, PM Modi also met several BJP MPs from the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh over breakfast on Friday, with sources saying he discussed various "non-political" issues with them and advised them to engage more with party workers and people beyond politics.

Aside from the 36 MPs, the meeting was also attended by BJP president JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, they said.

However, one noticeable absentee was Kheri MP and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son Ashish is accused in the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Ashish was booked after four farmers and a journalist were mowed down by a speeding SUV while they were returning from a protest against the now-repealed farm laws.

During the meeting at his official residence here, the prime minister mostly discussed "non-political" issues and it was more of an informal meeting over breakfast, the sources said.

The MPs applauded Modi for the Kanshi Vishwanath corridor while specifically mentioning that the prime minister having lunch with the construction workers of the corridor has gone well with masses especially in Uttar Pradesh, they said.

This was a fourth meeting of the prime minister with BJP MPs in different batches during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament. He has so far met MPs from northeastern states, southern states and Madhya Pradesh.

The BJP is fighting elections in Uttar Pradesh in alliance with Nishad Party and Apna Dal (S). Assembly elections in the country's most populous state will be held early next year.

In the 2017 assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had swept the elections and won 312 seats in the 403-seat Uttar Pradesh Assembly. While SP bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 and Congress only managed to win seven seats.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Goa on Sunday (December 19, 2021) to attend Goa Liberation Day celebrations at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Goa`s Taleigao at around 3 pm, informed the Prime Minister`s Office (PMO).

As per the PMO, the Prime Minister will felicitate the freedom fighters and veterans of `Operation Vijay` at the function.

Goa Liberation Day is celebrated on December 19 every year to mark the success of `Operation Vijay` undertaken by the Indian Armed Forces that liberated Goa from Portuguese rule.

Prime Minister will inaugurate multiple development projects including the renovated Fort Aguada Jail Museum, Super Speciality Block at Goa Medical College, New South Goa District Hospital, Aviation Skill Development Center at Mopa Airport and the Gas-insulated Substation at Dabolim-Navelim, Margao.

He will also lay the foundation stone for the India International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust at Goa.

It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to improve medical infrastructure and provide top-class medical facilities across the country. In line with this vision, the Super Speciality Block at Goa Medical College and Hospital has been constructed at a cost of over Rs. 380 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana scheme.

It is the only state-of-the-art super specialty hospital in the entire state of Goa, providing high-end super specialty services. It will provide specialized services like angioplasty, bypass surgery, liver transplant, kidney transplant, dialysis etc. The Super Speciality Block will also house a 1000 LPM PSA plant installed under PM-CARES.

The New South Goa District Hospital, built at a cost of around Rs.220 crores, is equipped with modern medical infrastructure including OPD services in 33 specialities, the latest diagnostic and laboratory facilities and services like Physiotherapy, Audiometry etc. The hospital has 500 oxygenated beds, 5500 litre LMO tank and 2 PSA plants of 600 litres per minute (lpm).

The re-development of Aguada Fort Jail Museum as a Heritage Tourism destination under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, has been done at a cost of over Rs. 28 crore. Before Goa`s liberation, Aguada Fort was used to incarcerate and torture the freedom fighters.

The Museum will highlight the contributions and sacrifices made by the prominent freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of Goa and will be a befitting tribute to them.

The Aviation Skill Development Center at the upcoming Mopa Airport, built at a cost of around Rs. 8.5 crore, is aimed at providing training in 16 different job profiles. The trainees will be able to get job opportunities in the Mopa Airport project as it becomes operational, as well as at other Airports in India and abroad.

Gas Insulated Substation at Davorlim-Navelim, Margao has been constructed at a cost of around Rs.16 crores under the Integrated Power Development Scheme of the Ministry of Power, Government of India. It will provide stable power supply to the villages of Davorlim, Nessai, Navelim, Aquem-Baixo and Telaulim.

The India International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust will be established in line with the focus of the government to transform Goa into a hub of higher and technical education.

Prime Minister will also release a Special Cover and Special Cancellation to mark the commemoration of the Indian Armed Forces freeing Goa from Portuguese rule.

This special episode of history is shown on the special cover, whereas the special cancellation depicts the war memorial at Indian Naval Ship Gomantak, constructed in memory of seven young gallant sailors and other personnel who laid down their lives in "Operation Vijay".

The Prime Minister will also release `My Stamp` depicting the Hutatma Smarak at Patradevi, which salutes the great sacrifices made by the martyrs of the Goa Liberation Movement. A `Meghdoot Post Card` depicting a collage of pictures of different events during the Goa Liberation Struggle will also be presented to the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister will also distribute awards to the best Panchayat/Municipality, Swayampurna Mitras and beneficiaries of Swayampurna Goa Programme.

During his visit, at around 2:15 pm, the Prime Minister will also pay floral tributes at Martyr`s Memorial, Azad Maidan, Panaji. At around 2:30 pm, he will attend the Sail Parade and flypast at Miramar, Panaji.

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Mumbai: In a sharp attack, the Shiv Sena on Saturday pointedly asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "scared or ashamed" of uttering the late PM Indira Gandhi`s name during the recent 50 years celebrations of the liberation of Bangladesh.

The Sena also took note that President R. N. Kovind visited Dhaka for the victory celebrations but did not even mention the name of Bangladesh`s creator, Indira Gandhi there.

"By ignoring Indira in such a manner you can write neither the history of India nor the world. But who will explain this to such narrow-minded rulers of our country? It's an insult to woman-power," the Sena asked in a stinging edit in the party newspapers, `Saamana` and `Dopahar Ka Saamana`.

The Sena said it's 50 years since the Bangladesh War of 1971 was won by India, and the sacrifices of our brave soldiers were remembered, but Modi "did not show the courtesy" of even making a mention of Indira Gandhi on December 16.

"If Indira Gandhi had not shown guts, Pakistan would never have been taught a lesson of a lifetime. She divided Pakistan into two pieces and effectively avenged the Partition of India in 1947," the edit said.

Even the then leader of Jan Sangh, and later the PM Atal Behari Vajpayee hailed Indira Gandhi as a `Durga` and the entire world saluted the bravery of Hindustan.

"After Bangladesh, she emerged as a powerful world leader, with a clear warning that if you look at India with crooked eyes, we shall break you into pieces. When she achieved the feat, the current ruler in New Delhi may have been kids in bed," the Sena said lavishing praises on Indira Gandhi`s prowess.

Taking another swipe at Modi, the Sena said a ruler can build temples or buildings and clean up a river, "but cannot dismember Pakistan to create a Bangladesh" which only Indira Gandhi had the courage to do.

"Instead of indulging in `surgical strikes`, Indira Gandhi ordered a direct attack by the Indian Army to teach Pakistan a lesson. Even the Indian Airforce and Indian Navy were used, Karachi Port was destroyed," the Sena added.

Finally, 90,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered before India on December 16, 1971, and it was only Indira Gandhi who was the `power` behind that victory, and nobody could ever attempt a pathetic defeat of Pakistan since then, hence forgetting her is akin to ignoring Mother India.

On the other hand, the Kargil War (1999) took place on Indian soil and to drive out the Pakistani infiltrators, 1,500 of our soldiers were sacrificed in their motherland, "yet we celebrate it as `Vijay Divasa`," the Sena pointed out.

"Today, the Chinese Army has entered Ladakh and we are unable to push them back, while in 1971, the entire world was stunned by the valour displayed by a Hindu woman who made even the US retreat when it came to helping Pakistan."

"The 1971 War bestowed the `real identity of India` to the world. It was pettiness on the part of the current leaders not to acknowledge the courage of Indira Gandhi. You may have ideological differences with the Congress, but showing hatred towards leaders who built the country is not the sign of a `true Hindustani`," the Sena said.

"The edits showed how the BJP sought votes in elections by beating the drums of surgical strike, but now China has entered, Nepal, Afghanistan are also our adversaries and the country is surrounded by guns on all four borders.

At such a time, it`s the memory of Indira Gandhi`s historic victory in the 1971 Bangladesh War that will always serve to inspire," the Sena said.

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New Delhi: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committer (SGPC), a premier Sikh body, has strongly condemned the printing of cigarette advertisements on Prasad packets at Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

SGPC President Harjinder Singh asked Pakistan to take stern action against those responsible.

This incident has deeply hurt the minds of Sikh pilgrims and Sangat. The President of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and the Government of Pakistan should take stern action against the culprits, said SGPC President Harjinder Singh.

Notably, Pakistan Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has once again come under controversy after devotes objected over distributing Gurdwara Darbar Sahib prasad in the packing having cigarette advertisement.

The outside of the wrapper has the photographs of Gurdwara Janam Asthan and Gurdwara Jyoti Jot Asthan but inside has the photograph of the Gold Street International cigarette brand.

Devotees arriving back to India at Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Punjab after a day-long pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, told Zee Media on Friday that they were shocked and enraged to see the cigarette advertisement inside of the prasad packet.

While admitting that the wrapper of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib prasad packing carried the advertisement of cigarette, Chief Executive Officer of PMU Muhammad Latif told Zee News that these were the packings of 2019 and now the prasad was not being distributed in such packings.

In 2019, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) had begun preparing pinni prasad packets for distribution among pilgrims arriving at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan from India through the Kartarpur corridor.

Earlier, the PMU stirred a controversy after a photoshoot violating Gurudwaras conduct was allowed inside the premises. The model featured in the ad did not cover her head as per Sikh rehat Maryada (Sikh code of religious conduct).

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New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress on Friday (December 17) formally announced that they will contest the 2022 Punjab assembly elections together and that the alliance is likely to be joined by other parties such as the SAD (Democratic) led by former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.

After calling on the BJP's Punjab in-charge and Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat at his residence in Delhi, Amarinder Singh said that the alliance 'will definitely' win the Punjab assembly polls.

"The alliance will definitely, 101 per cent, win the elections. And winnability will be the main criterion in finalising seats," Singh said after his second meeting with Shekhawat.

Met union minister & @BJP4India incharge for Punjab, Shri @gssjodhpur in New Delhi today to chalk out future course of action ahead of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. We have formally announced a seat adjustment with the BJP for the 2022 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. pic.twitter.com/cgqAcpW2MW  Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) December 17, 2021

Singh, notably, had formed his own party Punjab Lok Congress days after he had resigned as the chief minister and quit the Congress.

Shekhawat informed that the details of seat-sharing will be announced at an 'appropriate time'.

                              Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) December 17, 2021

The BJP, which has been contesting only 23 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly player as a junior partner of the SAD, is likely to contest more than half of the seats in the upcoming elections.

The alliance with Amarinder Singh is also expected to give the BJP a prominent Sikh face in the Sikh-majority state.

As per reports, the elections in Punjab may become a five-cornered fight as various farmer outfits may enter the fray, besides the already-present Congress, SAD and AAP.

(With agency inputs)

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SBI Recruitment 2021: Interested in working for the State Bank of India (SBI)? Here's an opportunity for you. The registration process is underway for the recruitment of 1,226 Circle Based Officers (CBO). The notification has been released on SBI's official website for recruitment - https://bank.sbi/careers.

SBI Recruitment 2021: Eligibility Criteria

- Candidates must be graduates in any discipline from a recognized University. Or they must have any equivalent qualification recognised as such by the Central Government.

- A minimum of 2 years experience (Post Essential Academic Qualification Experience) as on December 1, 2021, as an officer in any Scheduled Commercial Bank or any Regional Rural Bank as listed in Second Schedule of Reserve Bank of India.

- The candidates applying for vacancies of a particular State should be proficient (reading, writing and understanding) in the specified opted local language of that State. The test of knowledge of specified opted local language of the applied state will be conducted as a part of the selection process. - Candidates who produce 10th or 12th standard mark sheet/ certificate evidencing having studied the specified opted local language of the applied state as one of the subjects will not be required to undergo the language test.

SBI Recruitment 2021: Age limit

The candidate must not be below 21 years and not above 30 years as on December 1, 2021, i.e. candidates must have been born not later than 01.12.2000 and not earlier than 02.12.1991 (both days inclusive). There are some age relaxations, click here.

SBI Recruitment 2021: Total Number of vacancies

Ahmedabad (Gujrati): 354

Bengaluru (Kannada): 278

Bhopal (Hindi): 214

Chennai (Tamil): 276

Jaipur (Hindi): 104

Basic salary approximately is Rs 36,000 plus one increment for each completed year of service.

Last date: Interested candidates need to apply by December 29, 2021.

SBI Recruitment 2021: Steps to apply

- Candidates can ONLY apply through ONLINE mode as no other mode of application is accepted

- Interested candidates need to register themselves online through Bank's website at https://bank.sbi/careers. Post that, candidates are required to pay the requisite application fee.

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New Delhi: Amid tensions in Karnatakas Belagavi district over vandalisation of freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna's statue, prohibitory order was issued under Sec 144 CRPC in the city on Saturday (December 18)

Police Commissioner Dr K. Thiyagarajan, as per ANI, said, In the wake of protests after the desecration of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj & Sangolli Rayanna statues last night, a prohibitory order has been extended under Sec 144 CRPC from 6 AM on Dec 19 to 6AM on Dec 20 in Belagavi.

Karnataka | In the wake of protests after the desecration of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj & Sangolli Rayanna statues last night, a prohibitory order has been extended under Sec 144 CRPC from 6AM on Dec 19 to 6AM on Dec 20 in Belagavi: Dr K. Thiyagarajan, Police Commissioner https://t.co/pmafAddI5l  ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2021

Belagavi was embroiled in tension after a purported video of some people pouring black ink on the face of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Sankey Tank Road in Bengaluru hit internet. Later on, some miscreants smashed around 26 vehicles of the Karnataka government and police at Belagavi alleging that Kannada goons have defaced a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bangalore on Friday night, ANI reported.

"Few people gathered at Sambhaji Circle last night, demanding strict action on the desecration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Bengaluru, y'day. We assured an investigation but they attacked police officials, vandalized pvt & govt vehicles," ANI quoted Belagavi DCP Vikram Amte as saying.

Amte said later they registered another case when a few miscreants vandalised the Sangolli Rayanna statue on Friday night. The police have arrested 27 people so far in connection with both matters.

Later another case was registered when a few miscreants vandalised the Sangolli Rayanna statue last night. After the investigation, we've arrested a total of 27 people till now from both cases: Belagavi DCP Vikram Amte pic.twitter.com/UDWhlGw5gN  ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2021

The incidents revived memories of the bitter border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra over Belagavi.

On Saturday, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he will not allow anyone to take law in their hands. Bommai said, "Responsible people shouldn`t provoke anybody. Shivaji Maharaj, Sangolli Rayanna and Rani Chennamma united the country. If we start fighting in their name, it will be an injustice to the fight by them."

"The responsible people should not provoke others for violence and take law and order into their hands. As far as Karnataka is concerned, we will not allow anybody to take the law into their hands," he added.

(With ANI, PTI inputs)

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New Delhi: The Indian Idol 12 couple Pawandeep Rajan and Arunita Kanjilal might have always maintained that they are good friends and nothing more, but their fans continue to pair them together. So much so, that a fan-made photoshopped picture of Arudeep (as they are fondly called) is going viral on the internet.

In the edited photo, Pawandeep and Arunita can be seen as a bride and groom, giving major wedding vibes. The viral wedding picture of Arudeep sent netizens into a tizzy. Take a look here:

It was shared by many fan pages on social media.

On the work front, the India Idol 12 winner Pawandeep Rajans romantic song Fursat was finally released on December 16, 2021. The song features Chitra Shukla and has managed to receive a warm reception from fans.

Pawandeep's musical journey began at the young age of 2.5 years old, as that's when he started playing the Tabla at Kumaon Mahotsav in the Champawat district. "I performed there for the time, then I used to play tabla and dholak at Pahadi programs back in my hometown. Then after my 12th class, I took up singing and made a band in Chandigarh. That's the summary of my initial journey. Indian Idol 12 mein maine bahut kuch seekha. Made a huge family and everyone was feeling emotional when the finale came. All those precious moments we spent together, we all were reminiscing," he told Zee News Digital in one of his previous interviews.

In August this year, after winning the show, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced Indian Idol 2021 winner Pawandeep Rajan as the state's Art, Tourism, and Culture brand ambassador.
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet has approved an electoral reform bill that will link a citizen's Aadhaar card to their voter identification cards. The Indian Election Commission proposed that voters be given four opportunities to register each year. Citizens who have reached the age of 18 must register to vote.

For service voters, the election legislation is deemed gender-neutral. Individuals can link their Aadhaar numbers to their voter IDs using the national voter service web, SMS, phone, or by visiting booth level officers in their area.

Link Aadhaar to a voter ID card via the National voter service portal:

Step 1: Visit https://voterportal.eci.gov.in/ .

Step 2: Using your mobile number, email address, and voter id number, log in to the portal and enter your password.

Step 3: After that, enter your state, district, and personal information such as your name, date of birth, and father's name.

Step 4: Now, if the details entered correctly match the government's data base, click the search button, and the details will be presented on the screen.

Step 5: On the left side of the screen, tap the 'Feed Aadhaar No' option.

Step 6: Fill in the name as it appears on the Aadhaar card, Aadhaar number, voter ID number, registered mobile number, and/or registered email address on a pop-up page.

Step 7:After you've filled in all of the information, double-check everything and hit the submit button.

Step 8: Finally, a notice will appear on the screen indicating that the programme has been successfully registered.

Link Aadhaar to a voter ID card via SMS:

Step 1: Open your text message on your phone.

Step 2: Send a text message to 166 or 51969.

Step 3: The SMS format is as follows:

Link Aadhaar to a voter ID card via the phone:

Step 1:To link your Aadhaar with your voter ID, you can also phone the call centre.

Step 2: On weekdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., dial 1950.

Step 3: To link your voter ID card and Aadhaar number, provide both.

Link Aadhaar to a voter ID card by contacting the booth level officers:

Step 1: Share an application with the booth level office closest to you.

Step 2:The booth officer will double-check the information and come to your location for additional verification.

Step 3: It will be recorded once it is completed.

How to check the status of Aadhaar to link with your voter ID:

Step 1: Go to the https://voterportal.eci.gov.in/

Step 2: Fill in the blanks in the 'Seeding Through NVSP Portal' section.

Step 3: A notification is displayed with regards to the request that has been submitted and is currently being processed.

Step 4: Eventually, the official website https://uidai.gov.in/ will be displayed to verify whether your Aadhaar is linked to a voter ID.

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New Delhi: South actress Rashmika Mandanna lovingly called 'National Crush' was heavily trolled by netizens after a clip of her speaking in Hindi at a press event for 'Pushpa' went viral on the internet.

In the video, Rashmika was seen wearing a shimmery green saree and attempted to talk to Hindi. While paparazzi at the event cheered for the young starlet, netizens were not so kind to the actress. Many claimed that Rashmika was trying to be 'over cute' and that she was 'overacting'. Others also questioned why she's called the 'national crush'.

Take a look at the video:

Earlier, the actress was trolled for an underwear ad in which she featured with Vicky Kaushal. Netizens objected to the ad as it showed the actress ogling at Vicky's briefs and they deemed it as inappropriate.

Rashmika Mandanna's film 'Pushpa' released on Friday (December 17). Apart from Rashmika, Pushpa also features Allu Arjun and Fahadh Faasil in lead roles.

On the work front, Rashmika will be soon seen making her Bollywood debut with Mission Majnu opposite Sidharth Malhotra.

The actress will also be seen working with Amitabh Bachchan in Vikas Bahl's film Deadly.
New Delhi: Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc is calling out half a dozen private surveillance companies for hacking or other abuses, accusing them in a report published Thursday of collectively targeting about 50,000 people across its platforms.

The company`s fight with the spy firms comes amid a wider move by American tech companies, U.S. lawmakers and President Joe Biden`s administration against purveyors of digital espionage services, notably the Israeli spyware company NSO Group, which was blacklisted earlier this month following weeks of revelations about how its technology was being deployed against civil society.

Meta is already suing NSO in a U.S. court. Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta`s head of security policy, told Reuters that Thursday`s crackdown was meant to signal that "the surveillance-for-hire industry is much broader than one company."

Meta`s report said it was suspending roughly 1,500, mostly fake accounts run by seven organizations across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta said the entities targeted people in more than 100 countries.

Meta did not provide a detailed explanation of how it identified the surveillance firms, but it operates some of the world`s biggest social and communications networks and regularly touts its ability to find and remove malicious actors from its platforms.

Among them is Israel`s Black Cube, which became notorious for deploying its spies on behalf of Hollywood rapist Harvey Weinstein. Meta said the intelligence firm was deploying phantom personas to chat its targets up online and gather their emails, "likely for later phishing attacks."

In a statement, Black Cube said it "does not undertake any phishing or hacking" and said the firm routinely ensured "all our agents` activities are fully compliant with local laws."

Others called out by Meta include BellTroX, an Indian cyber mercenary firm exposed by Reuters and the internet watchdog Citizen Lab last year, an Israeli company called Bluehawk CI, and a European firm named Cytrox - all of whom Meta accused of hacking.

Cognyte, which was spun off from security giant Verint Systems Inc in February, and Israeli firms Cobwebs Technologies were accused not of hacking but of using fake profiles to trick people into revealing private data.

Cognyte, Verint and Bluehawk did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

In an email, Cobwebs spokesperson Meital Levi Tal said the company drew on open sources and that its products "are not intrusive by any means." Messages left with Ivo Malinovski  who until recently identified himself as Cytrox`s chief executive on LinkedIn  received no immediate response. BellTroX founder Sumit Gupta has not returned Reuters reporters` messages since his firm was exposed last year. He had previously denied wrongdoing.

Gleicher refused to identify any of the targets by name but Citizen Lab, in a report published at the same time as Meta`s, said that one of Cytrox`s victims was Egyptian opposition figure Ayman Nour.

Nour blamed the Egyptian government for the spying, telling Reuters in an interview from Istanbul that he had long suspected he was under surveillance by officials there.

"For the first time I have evidence," he said.

Egyptian authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Gleicher said other targets of the spy firms included celebrities, politicians, journalists, lawyers, executives and regular citizens. Friends and family of the targets were also swept up in the espionage campaigns, he said.

Meta cybersecurity official David Agranovich said he hoped Thursday`s announcement would "kickstart the disruption of the surveillance-for-hire market." There were some signs that other social media firms were taking similar action, with Twitter announcing the removal of 300 accounts a few hours after Meta`s announcement.

Whether the takedowns deal the companies involved more than a temporary setback remains to be seen. Two of the companies, Black Cube and BellTroX, have bounced back after being embroiled in previous spy scandals.

Gleicher said that targets of the spy firms would receive automated warnings, but he said Facebook would stop short of identifying the specific firms involved or their clients. That`s despite the fact that Facebook said it had identified several customers of Cobwebs, Cognyte, Cytrox, and Black Cube - the latter of which includes law firms.

Marta Pardavi, one of several Hungarian human rights defenders who say they were targeted by Black Cube in 2017 and 2018, said she was gratified by the news of Facebook`s report but wanted more information.

"They name law firms," she said. "But law firms have clients. Who are the clients for these law firms?"

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New Delhi: WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging and talking systems, has released a new update for its desktop client via the official beta channel. According to the release notes, the update brings the version number up to 2.2149.1. In a future update, WhatsApp will add the option to choose "My Contacts Except..." for privacy settings. WABetaInfo tweeted about the situation, saying, "What's new in WhatsApp Desktop beta 2.2149.1? In a future update, WhatsApp will add the option to choose "My Contacts Except..." for your privacy settings. More iOS and Android activations are expected at a later date."

"After implementing some new methods to protect user privacy, WhatsApp is now working on the ability to specify "My Contact Except..." for your privacy settings right within WhatsApp Web/Desktop!" according to WABetaInfo. The option "My Contact Except..." will be available for Last Seen, About, and Profile Photo, according to the source. You can specify who can't see your information on WhatsApp when you select "My Contact Except...".

According to WABetaInfo, this feature will most likely be deployed on WhatsApp Web/Desktop once WhatsApp has fully rolled out the same feature on Android beta and iOS beta. Also, even if the feature "My Contacts Except..." is already activated for their WhatsApp account, beta testers cannot see or select "My Contacts Except..." on WhatsApp Web/Desktop.

However, no timetable has been set for when the feature will be available to more iOS and Android users.

Aside from that, WhatsApp is working on building Communities in anticipation of a future release. The new update, which brings the version to 2.22.1.4, will be distributed through the Google Play Beta Program.

WABetaInfo informed its followers on Twitter about the situation. "What's new in WhatsApp beta for Android 2.22.1.4? For a future upgrade, WhatsApp is working on building Communities!, "It sent out a tweet.

Before attaching groups to the Community, it is necessary to give them a name and an optional description, according to the information. Also, no timetable has been set for when the feature will be available to beta testers.

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Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that the decision to ban liquor in the state was taken in April 2016 following demands from women of the state, but now the state police seem to be conducting raids in rooms of newly-wed brides.

On Thursday night, a team of Vaishali police conducted a raid in a house of Seela Devi located in Hathsarganj locality in Hajipur city and ransacked the bedroom of her daughter-in-law, who came in the house just five days ago after the marriage. The police were searching for liquor bottles in her bedroom.

Pooja Kumari, the newly-wedded bride, was in the bedroom when a team of police personnel, which had no women personnel, entered her room and searched everything. "They searched the entire room including the bed, cupboard, suitcases, and drawers. When I asked them about what they are looking for, they rudely asked to stay silent. They informed me that they were searching for a liquor bottle that was kept in the room," Pooja told media persons in Hajipur on Friday afternoon.

Witnessing the embarrassing situation, her mother-in-law fell unconscious."Despite my mother-in-law falling unconscious, the inhumane act of the police personnel continued. They did not stop searching the house," Pooja said.

"After the raid, we are facing an embarrassing situation in the locality. Our family members have no past record of liquor consumption. Still, they (police) conducted a raid without any search warrant," Seela Devi said.

Vaishali SSP Maneesh Kumar refused to comment on the incident. Earlier this month, a team of Bihar Police entered the room of a bride in Patna to search for liquor. On that occasion, the state police faced severe criticism for its action.

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar, addressing a gathering in Madhubani on Friday, reminded people that he had taken a decision on the liquor ban following the demand of women. "You (women) should not forget that the liquor ban was imposed in Bihar on your demand. We appeal to the women to come forward and fight against liquor traders and manufacturers. Women's empowerment is on the rise now. Your strength has increased now," he said, adding, "Whenever you learn about liquor consumption or sale at a particular place, start protesting against them. The state police is with you," he said.

Former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is in the limelight in the last few days over his statements, said that Nitish Kumar should implement the Gujarat model of liquor ban in Bihar. He has already declared that the liquor ban has completely failed in Bihar.

RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav said, "Liquor is available everywhere in the state. The statement of Jitan Ram Manjhi is true. Liquor ban has completely failed in Bihar."


Geneva: Amid the unabated spread of the Omicron cases around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said infection numbers of the new variant are doubling at least every 3 days. The new variant of the coronavirus is spreading faster than the Delta strain in countries with documented community transmission, with the number of cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days, according to the WHO.

As of December 16, the Omicron variant has been identified in 89 countries across all six WHO regions. The current understanding of the Omicron variant will continue to evolve as more data becomes available. In an update on Saturday (December 18), the United Nations` health agency said that there is consistent evidence that Omicron has a substantial growth advantage over Delta.

"It is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant in countries with documented community transmission, with a doubling time between 1.5-3 days. Omicron is spreading rapidly in countries with high levels of population immunity and it remains uncertain to what extent the observed rapid growth rate can be attributed to immune evasion, intrinsic increased transmissibility or a combination of both," WHO said.

However, given the currently available data, it is likely that Omicron will outpace Delta where community transmission occurs.The UN agency added that there are still limited data on the clinical severity of Omicron. More data are needed to understand the severity profile and how severity is impacted by vaccination and pre-existing immunity, it added.

According to WHO, hospitalizations in the UK and South Africa continue to rise and given rapidly increasing case counts, it is possible that many healthcare systems may become quickly overwhelmed. There are still limited available data, and no peer-reviewed evidence, on vaccine efficacy or effectiveness to date for Omicron, the UN agency said.

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