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Two brothers have been arrested for allegedly killing an 85-year-old woman by setting her house on fire in northeast Delhi’s Bhajanpura area during last month’s riots, police said on Thursday.
The two accused, Arun, 26, and Varun, 22, who lived in the victim’s neighbourhood in Gamri village, were arrested by the Crime Branch of the Delhi police on March 11. They were identified on the basis of video clippings as well as with the help of locals and eyewitnesses, officials said.
The woman, Akbari, was trapped inside her home when a mob set it ablaze on February 25. Her body was retrieved around 10 hours later when the fire brigade managed to bring the blaze under control, police said.
Also read: Delhi violence | Amit Shah lauds police for controlling riots
Akbari died of suffocation. While her family members managed to reach the top floor of the house in time, she was not able to do so, they said.
According to the woman’s son, the complainant, he had gone to get milk from a nearby shop around 11 a.m. on February 25, when he received a call from his son Asif informing him that a huge crowd had assembled near his house.
The complainant ran a garment workshop on the ground and the first floor of the four-storey building, while his family lived on the other floors.
The crowd barged into the house and set it on fire. The complainant’s family members and 10 other employees rushed to the top floor of the house, but his 85-year-old mother, who was on the second floor could not, a senior police official said.
Also read | Snuffed out by hatred: Here are 21 of the lives lost in the Delhi riots
He said the other family members and workers of the complainant were rescued from the roof following a rescue operation by the police with the help of locals.
Around ₹8 lakh in cash, a box of gold and silver ornaments and other valuable articles were also looted by the mob, the police official said.
During the investigation, two mobile phones, including one of complainant, were seized as technical evidence. The accused were produced before the court, which sent them to police remand for two days, police said. They were being interrogated in order to nab the other accused, they added.
The violence in northeast Delhi last month claimed 53 lives and left over 200 injured. | Q. At present, super top-up policies are available with ₹20 lakh as the highest cover. Is it permitted for an individual to take two separate policies with two different service providers and submit claims on both, should medical expenses exceed ₹20 lakh?
N. KRISHNAMOORTHY
A. A super top-up policy comes into play once the sum insured (SI) under your basic policy for an entire policy year is exhausted. To begin with, you would have structured your super top-up policy threshold limit to match the SI under your basic policy.
You are exploring a need for a higher coverage than both these put together. If you take two super top-up policies from two different insurers, you may be able to claim under both the policies, but payment will be received only proportionately from each policy depending on the threshold and the SI of each. The limiting factor is that this is an indemnity policy and you can only make claims against bills.
An alternative could be the following, and this is hypothetical. In addition to looking at the maximum SI under your second super top-up policy, try for a threshold limit matching the combined SIs of your basic policy and the first super top-up policy. Then you can claim in sequence with higher coverage.
By the way, many companies offer higher SIs than what you mention on super top-ups and you should be able to shop around successfully.
Q. I have taken a term insurance policy. I am not into technical things about choosing term insurance. It is being initiated by an agent. Please advise whether I should continue with it or switch to any other option. Now, I am in the free-look period when I can return the policy. I am in a state of confusion; please help me.
PABITRA P. K.
A. Please talk to your agent and get them to explain the pros and cons of a term insurance policy which is pure insurance without any investment return or survival/ maturity benefit. Because of the same reason, it is the most cost-effective life insurance.
If these benefits are not what you need, you can make use of your free-look period (usually 15 days) and terminate the policy, getting a pre-decided part of your premium refunded.
After that process, please talk further to your agent and explore which other policy suits you best before making a final decision. This is a long-term investment and something that affects your financial planning for life, so it is worth investing in making a well-informed decision that you are confident about and can live with.
(The writer is a business journalist specialising in insurance & corporate history) | 1 |
(MENAFN - Bangladesh Monitor) Dhaka: Guo Ping, Rotating Chairman, Huawei called for international collaboration on industry standards and appealed to governments across the world to listen to cyber security experts in his keynote speech at Mobile World Congress 2019.
Guo mentioned how Huawei developed the most integrated 5G networks in the world, and argued that such innovation is nothing without security. He urged the industry and governments to work together and adopt unified cyber security standards.
The past few months have been a challenge for Huawei due to security issues. But Huawei has already claimed that it has not and will never plant backdoors disallowing anyone else to do so in their equipment. On the 2018 EU R & D Investment Scoreboard, Huawei ranks number 5 globally. Last year, it invested more than 15 billion US dollars for security.
Guo said, 'The more we invest in engineering science, the more value we can create. At Huawei, we can bring powerful, simple, and intelligent 5G networks to carriers anywhere in the world, faster than anyone else. Huawei is the global leader in 5G. But we understand innovation is nothing without security.'
He added, 'Huawei is the first company that can deploy 5G networks at scale. More importantly, we can deliver the simplest possible sites with better performance. Anyone can rely on Huawei for best technology and greater security.'
Giving high importance on security, Guo Ping highlighted the role of governments and mobile operators to work together to agree upon Europe's assurance testing and certification regime. He identified responsibilities of technology providers, carriers and the industry.
MENAFN0201202001630000ID1099500079 | ANYONE who shops online regularly will know the feeling of trying something on for the first time and realising it looks nothing like it did on the model.
But leading online fashion retailer ASOS is taking steps to remedy this problem by showing clothes on a range of models of varying heights, sizes and body shape.
Using Augmented Reality software, ASOS will show customers clothes on a range of 16 models, ranging from size 4 to size 18.
The new See My Fit button is available on the desktop and mobile sites, and currently the trial involves 800 different dresses.
When a customer selects a model, See My Fit digitally maps the product onto that model in a realistic way, taking account of the size, cut and fit of each individual garment. The resulting images appear similar to real photographs.
ASOS is the first retailer in Europe to trial the technology, and said See My Fit aims to 'help customers make more informed purchasing choices, by better showing how products look on models that more closely reflect individual customers'.
The tool was developed in partnership with Israeli AR company Zeekit that offers customers a simulated view of a product in different sizes and on different body types.
See My Fit follows a small earlier test by ASOS using Zeekit’s technology in 2018, which automatically displayed products on up to four different models. | 1 |
The Grand Princess cruise ship carrying passengers who have tested positive for coronavirus passes the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, March 9, 2020.
Kate Munsch/Reuters
The coronavirus-stricken Grand Princess cruise ship docked in Oakland on Monday so passengers could leave the ship for quarantines on land.
But 19 crew members who tested positive for the coronavirus were kept onboard because they were "asymptomatic," according to Princess Cruises.
The ship is expected to leave the San Francisco Bay with more than 1,000 crew members still onboard.
The quarantine of the Diamond Princess, a ship from the same cruise line, left crew members in close quarters and vulnerable to the coronavirus' spread.
For the latest case totals, death tolls, and travel information, see Business Insider's live coronavirus updates here.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
The Grand Princess cruise ship is unloading all of its passengers in Oakland, California after a string of coronavirus cases brought the ship into port.
But 19 crew members who tested positive for the virus will remain on the ship with more than 1,000 other staff, Princess Cruises said in an email update on Tuesday.
The cruise line said that those 19 staff were "asymptomatic."
But some limited research has suggested that infected people who don't have symptoms can pass the coronavirus to others. In one case, a woman in Wuhan, China, passed the virus to five family members without ever getting sick herself.
The Grand Princess arrived in Oakland on Monday after sitting off the coast of the San Francisco Bay Area for four days while officials planned what to do with its passengers. As of Monday night, 407 passengers had left the ship and begun traveling to US military bases for quarantine. Non-US citizens were put onto charter flights.
Two passengers who tested positive for the new coronavirus were transferred to local hospitals.
It's expected to take a few more days to unload the rest of the passengers. Once they have all left the ship, the Grand Princess plans to leave the San Francisco Bay with its entire crew onboard. It is unclear where the ship will go after that.
"Plans for a crew quarantine are still being determined," Princess Cruises said in the email.
An on-ship quarantine in Japan failed, especially for crew members
Crew members aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama port, February 24, 2020. More
Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty
The Grand Princess cruise ship is from the same line as the Diamond Princess, which hosted one of the largest outbreaks of the new coronavirus outside of China.
The ship sat in the port of Yokohama, Japan, for about three weeks in February as the local government placed everyone on board under quarantine. In the end, more than 700 people who were on the Diamond Princess tested positive for the new coronavirus.
Experts have criticized the Japanese government's decision to keep passengers and crew on the Diamond Princess, and some have said the quarantine procedures may have even helped the virus spread.
"I'd like to sugarcoat it and try to be diplomatic about it, but it failed," Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told USA Today. "People were getting infected on that ship. Something went awry."
Crew members were especially at risk, since they still had to share cabins, bring food to passengers, and eat together in a mess hall.
A crew member moves about the passageways of the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess on February 9, 2020, in Yokohama, Japan. More
AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko
"We all are really scared and tense," Sonali Thakkar, a worker on the Diamond Princess, told CNN during the quarantine.
"There are many places where we all are together, not separated from each other," she added. "Especially when we sit in the same mess hall and eat together, the place where it can spread very fast."
As the case count on the ship rose, some Indian crew members begged their government to rescue them, sharing a series of videos on Facebook. One of them, Binay Kumar Sarkar, told Business Insider that the situation on the ship was "out of control." | Passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship got their first piece of bad news on February 4: 10 people on board had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
It was the beginning of a nearly month-long ordeal of quarantine orders and disease response that has been widely criticized as a failure. As of Friday, Japan's Ministry of Health reported that 705 people from the ship had contracted the virus, as well as one quarantine officer who worked on the ship. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Friday that 44 passengers flown back to the US had tested positive.
Six people who were on the ship have died.
"The quarantine was not justified, and violated the individual rights of the passengers while allowing the virus to literally pick them off one-by-one," Dr. Amesh Adalja, who works at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Business Insider in an email.
Adalja and other experts have criticized the decision to keep passengers and crew on the ship and said poor hygiene practices helped spread the virus.
"I'd like to sugarcoat it and try to be diplomatic about it, but it failed," Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told USA Today. "People were getting infected on that ship. Something went awry."
Here's how it got so bad. | 4 |
CES 2020 has seen the debut of many new and innovative gadgets that break traditional boundaries: from Alienware’s introduction of a handheld PC gaming device to Razer’s first-ever gaming desktop, brands have definitely strived to think outside of the box. Now, Panasonic has followed suit with its groundbreaking re-imagination of how users can interact with virtual reality.
Doing away with the cumbersome headset designs of Oculus and Vive, the Japanese electronics company has crafted a sleek, lightweight and more streamlined pair of VR glasses partly reminiscent of steampunk eyewear. Offering more than just a more comfortable and fashionable design, however, Panasonic says that its VR glasses are the first in the world to have full HDR capabilities, greatly enhancing image quality in terms of color reproduction and contrasts for a truly immersive experience. The device also utilizes a newly-developed OLED display jointly built by Panasonic and Kopin which practically eliminates the “screen-door effect” found on other conventional VR headsets, allowing for an incredibly HD experience. Completing the glasses are two earbuds equipped with Panasonic’s very own Technics drivers, providing high quality audio to the wearer.
There’s currently no release date or pricing information on the new VR glasses from the Japanese company, but some reports suggest that they’ll mainly be made for commercial use instead of being for the consumer market. However, those interested should definitely stay tuned as more updates are due to roll in.
Elsewhere in the tech world, Uber is now letting passengers in California pick their favorite drivers. | The problem with VR headsets is that they still all look like VR headsets — glorified ski goggles that shut you off from the world. I’m not going to say Panasonic has solved the matter altogether with its own VR glasses at CES this year, but the project does represent something of an improvement. Basically, they’re regular-ish glasses with a dash of steampunk aviator style.
The glasses — and they are glasses, rather than a headset — also offer technical improvements over other solutions in the market. The micro OLED panels, co-developed by Panasonic and Kopin, are extremely high resolution with almost no hint of the “screen-door effect” that plagues most VR hardware. They’re also the first VR glasses to support HDR, which was particularly impressive during a CG demo of the interior of a Japanese temple, with light realistically bouncing off golden decorations.
Panasonic has made use of its own audio technology in the headset, with Technics drivers in the earbuds providing rich, dynamic sound. The company says it also used optical designs from the Lumix camera division and similar signal processing technologies as found in its TVs and Blu-ray players.
The prototype unit I tried had some clear limitations. The micro OLED panels were smaller than they could have been, resulting in a squarer image with a lower viewing angle than traditional VR headsets. The glasses were also a little front-heavy and slid down my nose whenever I tilted forward; this wasn’t helped by the cables running directly out of the eyepieces to a gaming PC. A non-functioning mockup of the envisaged final product, which I also got to wear, solved these problems by being significantly lighter and running a single USB-C cable through the end of one of the glasses’ arms.
Panasonic is unlikely to ever sell these glasses as a consumer product. Instead, it’s pointing to commercial applications that are likely to spring up alongside the rollout of 5G networks, such as virtual travel and VR sports. Japanese companies are talking about this sort of thing a lot this year, given the Olympic Games in Tokyo and the fact that 5G services are yet to launch in the country.
But my main takeaway from the demo was that hey, turns out it’s possible to make VR glasses that are both better quality and with a better form factor. It might not make for a practical consumer product just yet, but it’s an intriguing look at a step that could make VR technology more appealing to a mainstream audience. | 4 |
Acquisition includes a potentially transformative immuno-oncology diagnostic test for the selection of therapy for cancer patients
Data presented at SITC 2019 demonstrated performance surpassing current predictive companion diagnostic tests
Includes a pharma trial lab compliant with 21 C.F.R. Parts 820 and 11
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoCyte Corporation (NYSE American: OCX), a molecular diagnostics company with a mission to provide actionable answers at critical decision points across the lung cancer care continuum, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire, through a subsidiary, all of the outstanding capital stock of privately-held Insight Genetics, Inc. (IG), which has a history of impactful discoveries in the areas of lung and breast cancer.
OncoCyte entered into the agreement to access IG’s technology and pharma service offerings. IG has a rich menu of relevant targeted therapeutic panels including two emerging therapeutic targets, RET and NTRK. IG’s lead test is the “Immune Modulation” (IM Score), a gene expression test that measures the state of the immune system in biopsies from cancer patients to identify patients more likely to respond to PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapies. Data presented at the 2019 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting showed a strong association of the IM score with response to PD-1/PD-L1 targeted immunotherapy in lung cancer. Importantly, the IM Score test was superior to two currently marketed predictive companion diagnostic tests for immunotherapy selection, PD-1/PD-L1 IHC staining and tumor mutational burden (TMB). IG’s lab has capacity to support clinical trials or assay design across a cadre of currently available commercial platforms to develop companion diagnostics and has successfully completed audits by major pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies. IG has performed assay development and clinical testing for leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
IG has achieved ISO 9001 certification, and it has a CLIA certified and College of American Pathology accredited lab that performs and develops proprietary cancer tests. IG’s initial work identified and patented an ALK PCR translocation assay licensed by Qiagen. Its second initiative focused on Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), where IG developed a unique classifier that identifies six subtypes of TNBC, many of which have been demonstrated to have potential companion diagnostic applications to help women manage this deadly form of cancer.
“The addition of the Insight Genetics IM Score Test expands the decision points that OncoCyte’s proprietary portfolio of tests addresses along the lung cancer continuum of care. To our knowledge this test is uniquely differentiated in that it characterizes immune response in cancer tissue in the context of characteristics of surrounding tissue. Combined with DetermaRx™ (previously the Razor treatment stratification test), we now have proprietary tests that help manage key decision points in both early and more advanced lung cancer, ” said Dr. Doug Ross, Consulting Chief Medical Officer of OncoCyte.
The principal investigator of IG’s study, Dr. Gregory Vidal M.D, Ph.D., Lead of the Breast Cancer Research program at the West Cancer Center and Research Institute and Assistant Professor of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center added, “Identifying which patients will benefit most from immunotherapy remains an outstanding question for oncologists. The data presented by the Insight Genetics team at SITC is incredibly promising, and the oncology community is looking forward to seeing the impact the IM score test can have on a broader patient population. I believe it has the potential to improve patient outcomes and streamline the development of new therapies.”
Padma Sundar, SVP Marketing and Market Access added, “According to a recent JAMA publication, close to 750,000 patients are eligible for immunotherapy treatment, representing a $2.2 billion total addressable market. The eligible patient population is anticipated to increase as immunotherapies are approved for the early stage adjuvant setting. In addition, there are close to 3,000 PD-1/PD-L1 ongoing clinical trials that are expected to recruit over 500,000 patients representing a large pharma services opportunity.”
Al Parker, Chief Operating Officer of OncoCyte further commented, ”We believe the combination of assets contemplated in this transaction will create enhanced value for our stakeholders and shareholders and advances our mission to provide actionable answers at critical and underserved decision points in lung cancer.”
About the Proposed Merger and Principal Transaction Terms
Upon closing, OncoCyte will deliver closing consideration of approximately $12 million, consisting of $7 million in cash and $5 million of OncoCyte common shares, less deductions for transaction expenses and other liabilities.
The merger agreement provides for OncoCyte to pay a 10-year revenue share of not more than 10% of net collected revenues for current IG pharma service offerings and a tiered revenue share percentage of net collected revenues through the end of the lifecycle if certain new cancer tests are developed using IG technology. OncoCyte may pay contingent consideration of up to $6 million, in any combination of cash or OncoCyte common shares if certain milestones are achieved.
The closing of the merger with IG is subject to a number of conditions, including approval of the merger by IG’s stockholders. OncoCyte will issue the shares in a private placement and has agreed to register the shares for resale. Additional information regarding the terms of the transaction will be provided in OncoCyte’s Current Report on Form 8-K expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 10, 2020.
Conference Call Information:
OncoCyte management will host a conference call and webcast today, January 10, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. ET. To access the call and webcast, please use the information below:
Dial in (US): 877-407-9716
Dial-in (International): 201-493-6779
Webcast: http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=137640
About Insight Genetics
Insight Genetics is dedicated to improving the lives of cancer patients through advanced molecular diagnostics that enable precision cancer care. The company specializes in the discovery, development and commercialization of molecular diagnostics that detect specific cancer biomarkers in triple negative breast cancer and lung cancer to assist in guiding the effective diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of cancer. Insight Genetics partners with leading academic researchers, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, clinical reference laboratories, and IVD kit manufacturers to create new standards of care for cancer patients worldwide.
About OncoCyte Corporation
OncoCyte is a molecular diagnostics company whose mission is to provide actionable answers at critical decision points across the lung cancer care continuum, with the goal of improving patient outcomes by accelerating and optimizing diagnosis and treatment. The company is currently preparing to launch a treatment stratification test that enables the identification of early-stage lung cancer patients at high risk for recurrence, allowing them to be treated when their cancer may be more responsive to adjuvant chemotherapy. DetermaDx, the company’s liquid biopsy test in development, utilizes a proprietary immune system interrogation approach to clarify if a patients’ lung nodules are benign, which may enable them to avoid potentially risky invasive diagnostic procedures.
OncoCyte Forward Looking Statements
OncoCyte cautions you that this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning, but not limited to, the acquisition of IG and the effects of the merger. The proposed merger described in this press release has not yet closed. All statements that are not historical facts (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as “will,” “likely,” “may,” “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,” “intends,” “seeks,” “designs,” “develops,” “would,” “future,” “can,” “could,” “project,” “potential,” and similar expressions) are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to changes in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to (i) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition, (ii) unexpected expenditures or assumed liabilities that may be incurred as a result of the acquisition, (iii) unanticipated difficulties in conforming business practices, including accounting policies, procedures, internal controls, and financial records of IG with OncoCyte, (iv) inability to accurately forecast the performance of IG resulting in unforeseen adverse effects on OncoCyte’s operating results, (v) failure to satisfy the conditions to the completion of the acquisition on the anticipated schedule, or at all, (vi) synergies between IG and OncoCyte being estimates which may be materially different from actual results, (vii) failure to retain or integrate IG personnel, (viii) greater than estimated allocations of company resources to develop and commercialize IG technologies, or (ix) failure to maintain any laboratory accreditation or certification. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential diagnostic tests or products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials, changes to regulatory requirements, the need and ability to obtain future capital, protection of trade secrets and maintenance of other intellectual property rights, and the need to obtain third party reimbursement for patients’ use of any diagnostic tests we commercialize. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and accordingly such statements should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of OncoCyte, particularly those mentioned in the “Risk Factors” and other cautionary statements found in OncoCyte’s Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, which are available on the SEC’s website. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they were made. OncoCyte undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except as required by law.
Investor Contacts
Bob Yedid
LifeSci Advisors, LLC
646-597-6989
bob@lifesciadvisors.com
Media Contact
Cait Williamson, Ph.D.
LifeSci Public Relations, LLC
646-751-4366
cait@lifescicomms.com | GARDEN CITY, N.Y., and REHOVOT, Israel, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beyond Air, Inc. (NASDAQ: XAIR), a clinical-stage medical device and biopharmaceutical company focused on developing inhaled Nitric Oxide (NO) for the treatment of patients with respiratory conditions, serious lung infections , including those suffering from COVID-19, and pulmonary hypertension, as well as gaseous NO for the treatment of solid tumors, today announced that the Company has drawn $5 million from its previously announced $25 million line of credit to provide the resources to more rapidly move the LungFit™ BRO COVID-19 program forward.
“While we await feedback from BARDA (a division of HHS) and other US and international agencies, this money allows us to accelerate the anticipated COVID-19 clinical study start,” said Steve Lisi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Air. “While we anticipate receiving grants on an emergency basis, we have decided that there is an urgent need to commence the study as soon as possible pending IDE approval from FDA.”
About Beyond Air, Inc.
Beyond Air, Inc. is a clinical-stage medical device and biopharmaceutical company developing a revolutionary NO Generator and Delivery System, LungFit™, that uses NO generated from ambient air to deliver precise amounts of NO to the lungs for the potential treatment of a variety of pulmonary diseases. The LungFit™ can generate up to 400 ppm of NO for delivery either continuously or for a fixed amount of time and has the ability to either titrate dose on demand or maintain a constant dose. The Company is currently applying its therapeutic expertise to develop treatments for pulmonary hypertension in various settings, in addition to treatments for lower respiratory tract infections that are not effectively addressed with current standards of care. Beyond Air is currently advancing its revolutionary LungFit™ in clinical trials for the treatment of bronchiolitis and severe lung infections such as nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), as well as for the potential treatment of COVID-19 patients. Additionally, Beyond Air is using ultra-high concentrations of NO with a proprietary delivery system to target certain solid tumors in the pre-clinical setting. For more information, visit www.beyondair.net .
About Nitric Oxide (NO)
Nitric Oxide (NO) is a powerful molecule proven to play a critical role in a broad array of biological functions. In the airways, NO targets the vascular smooth muscle cells that surround the small resistance arteries in the lungs and is used in adult respiratory distress syndrome and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. Additionally, NO is believed to play a key role in the innate immune system and in vitro studies suggest that NO possesses anti-microbial activity not only against common bacteria, including both gram-positive and gram-negative, but also against other diverse organisms, including mycobacteria, viruses, fungi, yeast and parasites, and has the potential to eliminate multi-drug resistant strains.
About the LungFit™ NO Generator and Delivery System*
Beyond Air’s NO Generator and Delivery System is a cylinder-free, phasic flow Nitric Oxide delivery system and has been designated as a medical device by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The ventilator compatible version of the device can generate NO from ambient air on demand for delivery to the lungs at concentrations ranging from 1 part per million (ppm) to 80 ppm. The LungFit™ could potentially replace large, high-pressure NO cylinders providing significant advantages in the hospital setting, including greatly reducing inventory and storage requirements, improving overall safety with the elimination of NO 2 purging steps, and other benefits. The LungFit™ can also deliver NO at concentrations above 80 ppm for which intended treatments are: bronchiolitis in the hospital setting, and chronic, refractory lung infections in the home setting. For the first time, Beyond Air intends to offer NO treatment in the home setting with the elimination of cylinders.
* Beyond Air’s LungFit™ is not approved for commercial use and Beyond Air is not suggesting use over 80 ppm or use at home. Beyond Air’s LungFit™ is for investigational purposes only.
About COVID-19
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 first emerged in Wuhan, China in December of 2019. Those affected develop fever, cough, shortness of breath and/or difficulty breathing. While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some can progress to pneumonia and multi-organ failure. The fatality rate is currently estimated at between 1% and 3%. Older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions are at an increased risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19. There is no specific treatment approved for COVID-19 and patients are managed with supportive care. NO may prove to be a treatment as the impact on the lung should result in bronchodilation, reduction in inflammation and inhibition of the viral replication process. As of March 17, 2020, more than 190,000 cases of COVID-19 and more than 7,500 deaths have been reported in more than 160 countries.
About Bronchiolitis
The majority of hospital admissions of infants with bronchiolitis are caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is a common and highly transmissible virus that infects the respiratory tract of most children before their second birthday. While most infants with RSV present with minor respiratory symptoms, a small percentage develop serious lower airway infections, termed bronchiolitis, which can become life-threatening. The absence of treatment options for bronchiolitis limits the care of these sick infants to largely supportive measures. Beyond Air’s system is designed to effectively deliver over 80 ppm NO, for which preliminary studies indicate may eliminate bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes from the lungs.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” concerning inhaled nitric-oxide and the Company’s LungFit™ product, including statements with regard to potential regulatory developments, the potential impact on patients and anticipated benefits associated with its use. Forward-looking statements include statements about our expectations, beliefs, or intentions regarding our product offerings, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects. You can identify such forward-looking statements by the words “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “impacts,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “likely,” “goal,” “assumes,” “targets” and similar expressions and/or the use of future tense or conditional constructions (such as “will,” “may,” “could,” “should” and the like) and by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. Rather, forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and reflect our views as of the date they are made with respect to future events and financial performance. Many factors could cause our actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in forward-looking statements, including risks related to: our approach to discover and develop novel drugs, which is unproven and may never lead to efficacious or marketable products; our ability to fund and the results of further pre-clinical and clinical trials; obtaining, maintaining and protecting intellectual property utilized by our products; our ability to enforce our patents against infringers and to defend our patent portfolio against challenges from third parties; our ability to obtain additional funding to support our business activities; our dependence on third parties for development, manufacture, marketing, sales, and distribution of products; the successful development of our product candidates, all of which are in early stages of development; obtaining regulatory approval for products; competition from others using technology similar to ours and others developing products for similar uses; our dependence on collaborators; our short operating history and other risks identified and described in more detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC, all of which are available on our website. We undertake no obligation to update, and we do not have a policy of updating or revising, these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.
CONTACT
Steven Lisi, Chief Executive Officer
Beyond Air, Inc.
slisi@beyondair.net | 2 |
(New York) - The Chinese government's heightened repression faced unprecedented resistance from Hong Kong people and growing criticisms from concerned governments, as the Chinese Communist Party marked the 70th anniversary of its rule, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2020.
This backlash was evident in months of demonstrations opposing Beijing's encroachment on Hong Kong's freedoms and public statements by countries critical of the oppression of Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang.
In the 652-page World Report 2020, its 30th edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in nearly 100 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director Kenneth Roth says that the Chinese government, which depends on repression to stay in power, is carrying out the most intense attack on the global human rights system in decades. He finds that Beijing's actions both encourage and gain support from autocratic populists around the globe, while Chinese authorities use their economic clout to deter criticism from other governments. It is urgent to resist this assault, which threatens decades of progress on human rights and our future.
The Chinese government continued to subject Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the northwestern Xinjiang region to severe repression. An estimated one million Muslims are being indefinitely held in "political education" camps, where they are forced to disavow their identity and swear loyalty to the Communist Party. Authorities also forcibly separated some of the children whose parents are detained or in exile from their families, and are holding them in state-run "child welfare" institutions and boarding schools. They are also imposing mass surveillance systems - equipped with latest technologies - on the region's residents, scrutinizing them and restricting their movement.
In Hong Kong in April, a court sentenced Benny Tai and Chan Kin-man, scholars who led the 2014 pro-democracy "Umbrella Movement," to 16-month prison terms on public nuisance charges. In June, anger over proposed revisions to laws that would allow extradition of criminal suspects to mainland China prompted a million people to protest. The Hong Kong government's initial refusal to withdraw the bill and the police's excessive use of force led to escalating protests. Hong Kong authorities repeatedly rejected calls for an independent investigation of allegations of police abuse. Since June, authorities have arrested nearly 7,000 people and denied at least 17 applications for protests.
In Tibet, authorities continue to severely restrict freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion. From May to July 2019, thousands of monks and nuns were reportedly expelled from a monastery in Sichuan and their dwellings demolished. In November, Yonten, a former Buddhist monk, became the 156th Tibetan to die of self-immolation since March 2009.
In 2019, authorities continued to crack down on human rights activists, journalists, and lawyers. In July, two months after being released from prison, activist Ji Sizun died from unidentified illnesses, continuing a pattern in recent years in which prominent human rights defenders died in custody or soon after release. Courts in Hubei and Sichuan sentenced activists Liu Feiyue and Huang Qi to 5 and 12 years in prison respectively. Authorities across the country also detained activists and netizens for supporting the Hong Kong protests, including journalist Huang Xueqin.
Authorities deepened their assault on freedom of expression. Police nationwide detained or summoned hundreds of Twitter users, forcing them to delete tweets criticizing the government or to close their accounts. The government launched a disinformation campaign that framed Hong Kong's protesters as violent and extreme, prompting Twitter and Facebook to suspend hundreds of accounts originating in China suspected of being part of the campaign.
Beijing continued to muzzle criticism abroad by monitoring Chinese students on university campuses, harassing critics' family members based in China, censoring Chinese social media platforms which are popular among the diaspora, and leveraging China's economic clout. In October, after a National Basketball Association (NBA) team manager tweeted his support for the Hong Kong protests, Chinese authorities canceled the broadcasts of NBA games in China and demanded the manager's firing. The NBA did not fire him.
A number of governments increasingly called out China's repression, particularly through interventions regarding Xinjiang at the United Nations. In response, China organized a coalition of notorious rights-violating states to rebut the allegations. The United States government sanctioned 28 Chinese entities over Xinjiang abuses. Few other governments moved beyond rhetorical condemnations of Beijing's egregious human rights violations to take concrete actions.
"President Xi Jinping's policies have been challenged by massive protests in Hong Kong and joint statements at the United Nations," said Richardson. "Governments and international institutions should stand with those defending human rights in China and push back against Beijing's repressive policies."
Source: Human Rights Watch | (New York) - The Chinese government is carrying out an intense attack on the global system for defending human rights, Kenneth Roth, executive director at Human Rights Watch, said today in releasing Human Rights Watch's World Report 2020. Decades of progress that have allowed people around the world to speak freely, live without fear of arbitrary imprisonment and torture, and enjoy other human rights are at risk, Roth said.
At home, the Chinese government has created a vast surveillance state in its efforts to achieve total social control. It is now increasingly using its economic and diplomatic clout to fend off global efforts abroad to hold it to account for its repression. To preserve the international human rights system as a meaningful check on repression, governments should band together to counter Beijing's attacks.
"Beijing has long suppressed domestic critics," Roth said. "Now the Chinese government is trying to extend that censorship to the rest of the world. To protect everyone's future, governments need to act together to resist Beijing's assault on the international human rights system." January 14, 2020 Video Chinese Government Poses Global Threat to Human Rights
Governments Should Unite Against Its Assault on Rights Bodies
In the 652-page World Report 2020, its 30th edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in nearly 100 countries. Roth noted many other threats to human rights around the world, including in Syria and Yemen, where government forces from Syria, Russia, and the Saudi-led coalition blatantly disregard the international rules designed to spare civilians, including the prohibitions against attacking civilians and bombing hospitals.
An inhospitable terrain for human rights is aiding the Chinese government's attack. A growing number of governments that previously could be relied on at least some of the time to promote human rights in their foreign policy now have leaders, such as United States President Donald Trump, who are unwilling to do so. And the autocratic populists who gain office by demonizing minorities and keep power by eliminating independent journalists, judges, and activists bridle at the same body of international human rights law that the Chinese government undermines.
Many people across China, like everywhere else, want the right to live freely and with dignity, Roth said. But President Xi Jinping's government is overseeing the most brutal and pervasive oppression that China has seen for decades.
Authorities have shut down civic groups, silenced independent journalism, and severely curtailed online conversation. They are seriously encroaching on Hong Kong's limited freedoms under "one country, two systems." And in Xinjiang, authorities have built a nightmarish surveillance system to control millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, arbitrarily detaining 1 million people for forced political indoctrination.
Beijing has made technology central to its repression, Roth said, using mass intrusions on people's privacy through such tools as forced collection of DNA samples, and then deploying big data analysis and artificial intelligence to refine its means of control. The goal is to engineer a society that is free of dissent.
To avoid global backlash for its crushing repression at home, the Chinese government has significantly increased efforts to undermine the international institutions designed to protect human rights. China intimidates other governments - for example, repeatedly threatening other member states at the United Nations to protect its image and deflect discussion of its abuses.
The Chinese government is courting and is itself courted by governments, companies, and even academic institutions that ostensibly support human rights but prioritize access to China's wealth. They know that publicly opposing Beijing's repression puts at stake a chance at the Chinese market - 16 percent of the world's economy - as the US National Basketball Association quickly discovered following a tweet by one team's general manager.
Chinese authorities have faced few consequences from countries that purport to defend human rights. The European Union, diverted by Brexit, obstructed by nationalist member states, and divided over migration, has found it difficult to adopt a strong common voice on human rights in China, although individual European governments have at times been outspoken. Trump has embraced Xi, although the US government has imposed sanctions for human rights violations on the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau and eight Chinese technology companies.
Rising to the challenge of defending the world from Beijing's frontal attack calls for an unprecedented response from those who recognize that people and their human rights matter. By acting together, governments could shatter Beijing's divide-and-conquer strategy, Roth said.
For example, if the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) spoke out against the repression of Muslims in Xinjiang, as it did for Rohingya Muslims persecuted in Myanmar, Beijing would face pressure that matters to it.
Governments and international financial institutions should offer compelling, rights-respecting alternatives to China's "no strings" loans and development aid. Companies and universities should draft and promote codes of conduct for dealing with China - strong common standards would make it more difficult for Beijing to retaliate against those who stand up for basic rights and freedoms. Leaders committed to human rights should force a discussion of Xinjiang at the UN Security Council so Chinese officials understand that they will not gain the respectability they crave while they persecute people.
"Unless we want to return to an era in which people are pawns to be manipulated or discarded according to the whims of their overlords, we must resist Beijing's assault on our rights," Roth said. "Decades of progress on rights, and our future, are at stake."
Source: Human Rights Watch | 2 |
New Delhi [India] Feb 26 (ANI/NewsVoir): Coding Blocks announced the Income Sharing model program "Career Bootcamp" through its flagship center in Pitampura, New Delhi today.
With Career Bootcamp, Coding Blocks joins the league of Programming Training Centers offering the new ISA model in which students can study without paying any upfront fee, get trained and placed and pay the fee through their monthly salaries.
Career Bootcamp is a six months long program which trains students extensively in data structures, algorithms, advanced programming concepts, and web development to get placed. This is a placement guarantee program, so if the student does not get placed, they won't have to pay any fee.
"We train students across India through classroom, online and live class programs but there is a huge proportion of the community who want to be independent and manage their fee for this additional training on their own", said Sankalp Sunder, CEO Coding Blocks.
Coding Blocks has some of the best coders who have worked with global giants like Facebook, Sony, Barclays, American Express and many more in the country.
They mentor students and help them ace programming. More than 25000 students have been trained by Coding Blocks to date and more than 5000 placed in MNCs like Google, Zomato, Flipkart, etc.
"This course allows us to learn without having any upfront burden of fees on parents. Guaranteed placements which come with the program assures us that even though we might not be from very good colleges but if we are talented and work hard, we will get good placements in great companies", said Rishabh Rawat, a fourth-year student of NIEC college in Delhi and a participant of Career Bootcamp program.
Career Bootcamp will run using the live class technology. This will allow students from across the country to join the program and learn closely with the mentors. Facilitated with two-way interactive communication, Career Bootcamp classes will not only let mentors and students interact but will also help in solving doubts immediately.
"We received over 11,000 applications for the program, out of which we have selected only 50 for our first batch. We will start running more batches to accommodate the candidates and help them realize their dreams", said Manmohan Gupta, Principal mentor and Founder of Coding Blocks.
This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) | New Delhi [India], Jan 24 (ANI/NewsVoir): India Accelerator, a seed-stage accelerator program today announced it has commenced Winter Cohort in association with Startup Buddy, which is a one-stop shop offering end-to-end solutions of financial and startup advisory services.
In its continued effort to strengthen the collaboration between start-ups and corporates, IA has selected some buddying start-ups, which will be part of such an exercise for the first time.
The selected start-ups in the cohort are - AS-Technolution, GoTo, Hypermine, Ingenium, Kachcha Chittha, Lionise, MSF, MGM, Tubbr, TrialRoom, Ubiqc, Wardrobe, and Wardo.
"It feels a great pleasure and honour to provide an additional welcoming platform to the start-ups. This exclusive program will help IA's Startups to move beyond the startup phase by equipping them with the knowledge, tools, and connections needed for their next stage of growth," said Mona Singh, Co-founder and Partner, India Accelerator.
"We in association with Startup Buddy aim to provide start-ups with the opportunity to excel to no bounds. With our reach spanning all over the nation, India Accelerator's ecosystem provides entrepreneurs and organizations with the prospect to hone their skills," added Singh.
"I am excited with Partnership of Startup Buddy with India Accelerator for Winter Cohort. Joint efforts by two established organisations in the field will give more power to the Program," said Amit Singal, CEO, Startup Buddy.
This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) | 2 |
A Corbin man is facing multiple charges, including DUI, after leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit through southern Laurel County early Sunday morning that ended when he ran over a set of spike strips.
Matthew Bryce Kolvek, 33, was arrested in connection with the pursuit that began at approximately 2:15 a.m. when Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Joey Robinson attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Ford Fusion that he observed weaving on the roadway it traveled south on U.S. 25 in Lily.
“The vehicle then passed a car on double yellow no passing zone lines,” said Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, the department’s public affairs officer.
When Robinson activated his blue lights to initiated the traffic stop, Acciardo said, the driver, later identified as Kolvek, turned off the car’s headlights and continued south, turning onto American Greeting Card Road
Laurel County Constable David Griffith, who was traveling north on American Greeting Card Road, was nearly struck head on as the Fusion continued to flee.
“The vehicle traveled onto West Cumberland Gap Pkwy., running red lights and driving in the opposing land of traffic nearly hitting other vehicles,” Acciardo stated.
The chase passed under Interstate 75 before turning onto Adams Road where Kolvek turned around in a field and traveled south back toward Ky. 770.
“Sheriff’s deputies had radioed ahead requesting Corbin City Police to deploy spike strips where Adams Road met Ky. 770,” Acciardo stated, noting the Fusion hit the strips, ending the chase.
Deputies along with Corbin Police and Constable Griffith attempted to secure Kolvak in handcuffs, and were successful after a brief struggle.
“The arrested individual (Kolvek) was determined to be under the influence and had numerous outstanding warrants,” Acciardo stated, noting the warrants are for unpaid child support.
Kolvek was charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police – motor vehicle, reckless driving, second-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, failure to signal, operating a motor vehicle under the influence, failure to wear seat belts, speeding more than 20 mph over the limit, operating on a suspended or revoked operator’s license, resisting arrest and tampering with physical evidence.
Acciardo noted that Kolvek allegedly threw drugs out the window during the pursuit.
Deputies served Kolvek with an outstanding warrant out of Whitley County charging him with contempt of court on the child support matter.
A second warrant out of Clay County charged Kolvek with failure to appear in district court on charges of first-degree fleeing or evading police – motor vehicle, second-degree fleeing or evading police – on foot, giving officer false identifying information, and identity theft.
Kolvek was lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center where he is being held on a $5,000 cash bond. | Two men were arrested Friday night following a high-speed vehicle pursuit and foot chase in north Corbin.
Laurel County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Michael Browning, 44, of Lily, and William Jones, 19, of Corbin.
Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, the department’s public affairs officer, stated the incident began at approximately 7:25 p.m. on American Greeting Card Road when Deputy Joey Robinson clocked a white Chevrolet Equinox SUV traveling 25 mph over the speed limit.
“When Deputy Robinson activated his emergency equipment the vehicle sped up and attempted to flee pulling into an apartment complex there where children were playing in the parking lot,” Acciardo stated, adding that the vehicle came to a stop and the two men, later identified as Browning and Jones, fled the scene on foot.
Robinson, along with Sergeant Greg Poynter, K-9 Deputy Gary Mehler, and Deputies Allen Turner, Hunter Disney and Travis Napier, chased down the duo and took them into custody following a brief struggle.
Browning was charged with first-degree fleeing or evading police – motor vehicle, second-degree fleeing or evading police – on foot, speeding – 25 mph over the limit, reckless driving, and resisting arrest.
Jones was charged with second-degree fleeing or evading police – on foot, menacing and resisting arrest.
Browning and Jones were both lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center. | 3 |
RUSH EXCERPT:
WELKER: “It’s moving so quickly, Chuck. This is undoubtedly, I think, his greatest leadership test to date. And you sort of saw that dichotomy on display yesterday. He was in the briefing room. Then you had the President Trump who went to CPAC and you saw his natural instincts step in a little bit more. He stepped away from the language that it’s a hoax, but the other piece of this, chuck, is the economy. Of course the health crisis comes first. But there’s also this issue about the economy. People watched what happened to the stock market this week. That’s his signature argument for re-election. So behind the scenes, he’s quite concerned by this. You saw it play out a little bit by Twitter, but his officials are trying to tamp down his concern. They’re saying wait until summer, it’s going to rebound. Question mark about that. | Posted By TheNewsCommenter: From Rt.com: “CNN journo praises Trump’s coronavirus response, immediately clarifies on Twitter before she loses lib credibility”. Below is an excerpt from the article.
“He is being the kind of leader that people need, at least in tone, today and yesterday, in tone that people need, and want, and yearn for in times of crisis and uncertainty,” Bash, CNN’s chief political correspondent, said on-air Tuesday in response to Trump’s coronavirus press conference.
She also called Trump “remarkable,” an adjective you don’t typically hear used on CNN to describe the president.
Dana Bash just called Trump's tone "remarkable" and the kind of leadership we need during a crisis and said his recent pivot was "pretty incredible." pic.twitter.com/kXx2Uv0L4m
Bash’s willingness to go against the grain earned her praise from conservatives such as actor and Fox News contributor Dean Cain, something no doubt new to the CNN journalist.
After getting roasted by Trump critics, however, Bash quickly took to Twitter to downplay her praise and remind everyone of her history of bashing the president.
Read more... | 3 |
The Single Best Strategy To Use For backsplash ideas for white kitchen cabinets
The Single Best Strategy To Use For backsplash ideas for white kitchen cabinets
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Travertine may possibly sound like a cloth that you'd probably use as part of your kitchen, basement or entrance porch, but travertine tiles can be quite a good modern day look with your bathroom.
On Decoist we feature a variety of ideas to make your bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens or offices glance prettier. We convey you household furniture and lighting ideas, houses All people would desire of and luxurious Qualities that defy the earth crisis.
A gray subway tiled kitchen backsplash tile appears to be like good with white kitchens in addition, specially when teamed with equally hued appliances.
You may mix and match shades For those who have a straightforward kitchen (an all-white one particular for example) of you may Opt for only one coloration when you need to introduce texture.
Lots of application advancement is finished overseas lately, but the need for high-degree Laptop gurus capable of tie systems together is still potent.
I'm installing 3/4 inch tile being a backsplash behind my assortment. My stove sits almost flush to the wall and if I had been to set up the backsplash behind the stove it would make the variety adhere out with the cabinets.
Shiny black tiles seem terrific with contrasting white grout to really make them pop. They go properly with gray kitchen cabinetry as well as with white kitchen units alike.
With the countless variety of decorative choices obtainable, determining which look is great for your Room is often rather too much to handle. Start off your get it done on your own collection approach by searching our on-line Picture galleries and showrooms stuffed with the best 2018 kitchen designs featuring wonderful backsplashes for inspiration of how to include this investigate your very own Area.
Time and energy to get creative! You don’t have to spend hrs or times setting up a fresh backsplash from scratch. Whether or not you’re restricted by time and tight spending budget or else you’re hunting for a Inventive solution, look into the backsplash ideas that adhere to.
The appearance might be cleaned with a moist cloth, but never rub with all sorts of abrasives which can injury the can. Tin is gentle, really should be viewed as when managing to avoid sagging on the tiles.
The two most significant points to take into account when setting up this straightforward get it done your self job, are the way to seamlessly combine the design into your present layout and décor scheme in addition to what supplies will reach that glance.
The era of massive details is simply getting going, with quite a few corporations wanting to tap extensive new databases to collect a lot more information on their clients, their competitors, more info and even them selves.
This light coloured stone mosaic kitchen backsplash has simply enough hints of brown to complement the dark brown cabinets. The dark wood cabinets element silver handles which match into the colour plan nicely. Determine what’s trending in house décor now.
The long, reduced dimensions of 2x10 white glass rectangles — and the fact that they run only partway up the wall — lend additional horizontal focus to the kitchen's modern, small profile design. | How painting cabinet veneer can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.
How painting cabinet veneer can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.
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Also, bear in mind that goof off also can make a PAINT STRIPPER which is not similar to the oopsie remover–the paint stripper is amazingly caustic and burns similar to a Reside coal if it will get on your skin, and will not immediately prevent burning even when h2o is applied to your skin!!!
LED lighting has experienced a very fantastic operate as homeowners adjust above from traditional incandescent bulbs. It provides good lighting for actions, comes in a variety of colors plus the bulbs past for a really long time. This has made it a favorite selection for beneath-cabinet lighting. Less than cabinet LED lights appear in various varieties including pucks, strips, and bars. When mounted beneath the wall cabinetry, they help include mild for the Operating place along with Enhance the General ambiance.
In its place, paint the hook 1st, then proceed to the rest of the door. Then go back to the hook region, and operate the artist brush in excess of the pooled paint. Use that paint to go more than the hook once again.
You mean, you happen to be acquiring stains get into the finish on the paint instead of come off? I’ve by no means had a difficulty with that utilizing latex or sealing chalk paint with the polycrylic. I do think The real key is acquiring sufficient paint on plus a tough paint which often can withstand scrubbing.
Paint the cabinet bins, drawers and doors with the oil-primarily based primer utilizing a nylon/polyester brush. I love to do the backs with the doors and drawers initially. Enable them dry, then convert them more than and prime the fronts. Make sure to paint during the direction in the grain of the wood.
Centered on performance, currently’s kitchens are increasingly being made with big single bowl sinks or with various sinks. Considering the fact that handwashing dishes isn’t a regular event in homes nowadays, the necessity for a double bowl sink is less important. In part, the farmhouse style has grown to be extremely well-known. Farmhouse sinks are well-liked mostly for their significant deep sizes, that enables For additional comfy use, and magnificence. If your apron entrance sink doesn’t in shape into your design, then opt for only one bowl undermount sink in the exact same width to be a double bowl.
Open shelves seem attractive inside the Journals, but not essentially a “have to-have” for many homeowners. Lets encounter it, You will need to have a matching set of dinnerware or specialty items you need on display. But with good Corporation and the appropriate type of shelves, you can produce a definitely browse this site unique cutting edge model for your kitchen. Open kitchen shelves as an alternative to wall cabinetry has started to become a fair hotter development for 2018. Whilst you could obtain it challenging to go without your beloved shut door wall cabinetry, open shelving has loads of Gains.
Wonderful enable complete data below. Could you make use of your process of refinishing home furnishings and use the Benjamin Moore Advance paint for your kitchen cabinets as well? thanks!
That is so helpful and also the timing is ideal—I’ve been pondering more and more about painting our oak cabinets white. My one dilemma is: for those who ended up to get it done again (heaven forbid!), which process would you utilize?
Seems wonderful! My daughter is going to be painting her cabinets shortly, I'll make sure to share your submit with her. Thank you!
So it was out the window with The 1st step, and on to step two: deglossing. I just applied some rubber gloves as well as a rag to use the deglosser after which let all the things dry just a little so it wasn’t soaking moist right before shifting onto action a few: implementing 1 thin coat of spray primer.
Hold the doors and drawers flat and amount until They may be dry into the touch. Then hold them to dry wholly.
Thanks for this type of very well considered out and handy put up! I’m so impressed by how detail-oriented and thorough you are.
I’ll should explore that! I realize it would need to generally be greatly thinned down, but Possibly I’d use less of it in that situation. | 4 |
MIAMI — John Harbaugh beat the 49ers in their last Super Bowl, and he is one of only three coaches who beat them this season. How would he play it if his Baltimore Ravens and not the Kansas City Chiefs advanced to Sunday’s Super Bowl LIV?
Let him count the ways, as the NFL’s AP Coach of the Year explained on the NFL Honors show’s red carpet Saturday:
1. “You have to play a perfect football game.”
2. “You can’t turn the ball over.”
3. “You’ve got to keep them bottled up in their end.”
4. “You’ve got to stop the run.”
5. “You’ve got to keep your eyes on the luggage. In other words, you’ve got to keep your eyes on your guys, because they’re going to be running across the field with a great deal of speed and Jimmy (Garoppolo) can hit them. They’re a tough team to defend.”
Harbaugh’s Ravens beat the 49ers 20-17 on Dec. 1, and he beat the 49ers seven years ago in the Super Bowl when they were coached by his brother Jim.
“I wish it would have been us winning one year and him winning the next year,” John Harbaugh said. “As great as it felt for us and our team, I felt bad for him and his family. You want to see him do well.
“Jim’s an amazing coach. He did an amazing job. He really put the 49ers back on the map and helped them build that stadium.”
Jim Harbaugh nearly did lead the 49ers back to the Super Bowl only to lose in the 2013 season’s NFC Championship Game, his penultimate season before leaving to coach at his alma mater, Michigan.
“He’s done a great job everywhere he’s been. That (Har-Bowl) is a great memory. It’ll never happen again, I think. Maybe it will. It’s still special.”
MARIUCCI MARVELS AT OFFENSE
Steve Mariucci, the 49ers’ coach from 1997-2002, said the score could dictate what plan of attack the 49ers deploy.
“Jimmy G’s going to have to throw it more than eight times,” Mariucci said referring to Garoppolo’s 6-of-8 passing stats in the NFC Championship win. “But they run the ball so darn well.”
Mariucci took the 49ers to the playoffs in 4 of 6 seasons, and he admires how well Shanahan has converted the franchise back into a contender.
Former #49ers coach @SteveMariucci is pulling for Lynch and BY. Funny how that works out with Lynch as his Bucs ended Mooch’s tenure in 2002 playoffs with 31-6 loss pic.twitter.com/ftiEmkB3Yf — Cam Inman (@CamInman) February 1, 2020
“I love the fact they came from 4-12 last year,” Mariucci said. “Now, your quarterback gets hurt (as Garoppolo did in 2018 Week 3). We’ve all seen that before: I remember when Steve Young got hurt. It’s hard to lose not only your quarterback but your mojo.
“I try to look at the bright side of things. Had Jimmy G not gotten hurt, they don’t get to draft Bosa and they’re drafting later and I don’t know who they draft.” Related Articles Close calls don’t go 49ers way in Super Bowl LIV loss to Kansas City
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COWHER SEES DIFFERENCES
Recently elected Hall of Fame coach Bill Cowher gushed over what a great matchup this is.
“It’s a contrast of offenses. You have the (49ers’) running game against the (Chiefs’) passing game,” Cowher said. “These are the two best teams in the league.
“I love the fact there’s so many different ways of doing it and you’re seeing it in their journeys to this game. It’s going to be a back and forth game.”
Cowher wouldn’t reveal his pick.
“San Francisco can play a shootout. They showed it against New Orleans (a 48-46 win Dec. 8). If you don’t stop the run, they won’t quit running. I love their style.
“But I like Andy (Reid). He’s going to want to throw it around. It’s going to be a fast field and a great matchup.” | Opinion: Balance is why the San Francisco 49ers will win Super Bowl LIV
Show Caption Hide Caption Exclusive: Jerry Rice, Steve Young remember their dominant Super Bowl performance SportsPulse: In an exclusive one-on-one with USA TODAY, 49ers legends Jerry Rice and Steve Young recall their record setting Super Bowl performance 25 years ago. USA TODAY
MIAMI — Maybe this is the time that Patrick Mahomes takes his much-anticipated seat on the NFL throne.
Maybe the long-awaited hour is near for Andy Reid to finally raise the Lombardi Trophy.
Or maybe not.
The San Francisco 49ers will win Super Bowl LIV because they are the most complete team in football.
Besides, how many times have we seen this type of classic matchup with a high-powered offense facing a ferocious defense? Yes, defense typically wins the championship.
No, the 49ers defense, powered by the NFL’s best D-line and bolstered on the back end by savvy cornerback Richard Sherman, won’t totally extinguish a Kansas City Chiefs offense triggered by one of the game’s most electric players. Somehow, they must counter the notion that speed kills. The need for heat on Mahomes is obvious. But even with that, the magic of KC’s QB is always an X-factor.
In other words, it won’t be pretty or textbook-preserved. Yet when it’s over, the 49ers could be the Super Bowl champions – like Philly, in LII -- who allow more than 30 points and still wins. As long as that defense can make a stop when it needs it the most.
The 49ers will win because they, too, are capable of lighting up the scoreboard.
THE OTHER SIDE: One big reason why the Chiefs will be the champs
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Balance is the ticket for Kyle Shanahan’s team. The 49ers defense is complemented by a sophisticated offense that can control the tempo with a potent, zone-blocking running game – yet is also versatile enough to morph into a unit that can roll with Jimmy Garoppolo’s arm.
Let’s not forget that the same 49ers who ran all over the Packers in the NFC title game (285 yards on 42 rushes) also won a shootout at New Orleans in December when Garoppolo threw for 349 yards and 4 TDs. It’s on tape. They can do it.
It might take the best game of Garoppolo’s life – I’m talking no-mistake efficient, not necessarily record-breaking yardage – to out-point Mahomes. But it’s a team game. Shanahan would be perfectly fine if they can somehow repeat the type of punishing rushing game the 49ers demonstrated in the two NFC playoff victories with 471 yards on 89 runs in the two games. Although Kansas City’s defense has improved as the season has progressed, and held NFL rushing king Derrick Henry to 69 yards in the AFC title game, the challenge will be greater at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday because it is on the wrong side of the strength vs. weakness variable. Regardless, the 49ers can strike in more ways than one.
IS THAT GRONK?: No, but this 49ers star could easily take over Super Bowl
MORE SUPER BOWL: Everything you need for the big game
Presumably, Shanahan learned something about situational play-calling during his Super Bowl appearance with the Falcons in LI, when New England’s ability to come back from a 28-3 deficit was enabled by risking play-calling that backfired, among other reasons. This time, he should know when common-sense play-calling will work, even if it’s not sexy.
No team in the NFL this season that went through a gauntlet as difficult as the 49ers faced. That’s a factor, too. They are battle tested.
Here’s to thinking the 49ers will pass the final exam to claim the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl crown. And the wait for Mahomes and Reid to bring Kansas City its first NFL championship in more than 50 years will carry over to next season. Maybe the Chiefs are next year’s champs.
If you love talking football, we have the perfect spot for you. Join our Facebook Group, The Ruling Off the Field, to engage in friendly debate and conversation with fellow football fans and our NFL insiders. | 4 |
MONTRAL -- Across Quebec, 3D printing companies are active and working to fight the coronavirus.
They make prototypes of masks and visors; valves; devices for opening doors without using one's hands; and other medical equipment to supply hospitals that fear shortages.
Since Sunday, dozens of Panthera Dental employees in Quebec have been hard at work manufacturing various prototypes of equipment designed to protect caregivers.
“We understand the importance of the thing, something big is happening and we can help,” said Béatrice Robichaud, co-founder of the company specializing in the manufacture of dental medicine products.
Panthera Dental has around twenty 3D printers and as it is well known in the medical community, the company has received many requests related to the pandemic.
“The federal government, the provincial government, hospitals in Quebec, and even hospitals in the United States called us to find out what we could do,” said Robichaud. “What sets us apart from other companies is that we already print medical equipment, so we can create sterilized and reusable products.”
She said she has presented various prototype equipment to medical authorities, and that her company continues to research while waiting to see what type of equipment the authorities will need.
“There is a global shortage of certain medical devices and each country is trying to produce for itself, so we cannot count on the others, we must be able to produce between our walls,” she added.
Public health authorities have also contacted the 3D printing company Fablab to put its printers to work and help doctors.
“We are part of an unofficial group, there is a network that has been formed with doctors and people from public health and we are discussing what is possible to manufacture,” said Fablab production manager Vincent Charlebois.
Voxel Factory, which is located in Montreal, sells professional 3D printers designed for businesses. Sales director Francois Lahey is also in contact with various hospitals.
“There are currently discussions to know what the needs will be. It is important to wait for the authorities to tell us what they want, to properly meet the requirements of the medical staff,” he said, adding that his company is one of the largest suppliers of 3D printers in Canada.
Small businesses that do 3D printing are also in demand. The Eric Paré Photo Studio, which has a single 3D printer, was contacted by a doctor, who wanted to have a visor made to protect herself from the risks of contamination.
“It's a doctor I know, so we printed a prototype and this doctor will present it to the medical staff where she works,” said Christian Dion, an employee at the studio.
The improvised manufacturing of medical equipment involves health risks, but in France and in Italy, companies initiatives which mobilized to 3D print the material had great success. Some of these initiatives play an essential role in the fight against the coronavirus.
The Italian Minister for Technological Innovation Paola Pisano has also congratulated and publicly thanked entrepreneurs who have succeeded in creating respiratory valves thanks to 3D printing.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Mar. 24, 2020. | A sign notifying customers of a closed terrace is shown at food court in Montreal, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, as COVID-19 cases rise in Canada and around the world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
OTTAWA - While Canada's response to the COVID-19 outbreak has taken off drastically in the last week, some have found it lopsided across the country.
In Ontario and Alberta, dine-in restaurants and bars are closed by provincial decree, while Quebec has shut down bars but ordered restaurants to limit the number of customers.
Other provinces have made no such order.
Even in a single city like Ottawa, there's variation between which businesses have stayed open and which have shuttered to the public.
Businesses need more federal direction to avoid confusion, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday.
"One of the things businesses are looking for is more coherence," said Perrin Beatty, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Right now in Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and federal health minister provide advice to the provinces, but each province and territory is ultimately responsible for making its own decisions.
Beatty said the situation can be particularly vexing for companies that operate across jurisdictions.
"As rate of infection is growing, the same rules increasingly should apply across the board," he said.
For some, without specific advice from the federal government, it can be a difficult financial proposition to voluntarily shut their doors, he said.
Federal authorities say that have been co-ordinating with provincial counterparts, but that local context is important.
"We very much recognize ... that there are specific conditions in specific cities, specific provinces," said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.
"That's why we have public health officers also at the provincial and the city level."
The provinces' decisions about whether to close non-essential businesses comes down to the reality on the ground, including the number of cases of COVID-19 in the region and whether the area is seeing community transmission.
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said it may also come down to a particular health system's ability to deal with an outbreak. A weaker health system may take a more cautious approach, for example, she said.
Beatty suggested a national message might still be more helpful, even if it leaves room for exceptions. At least then the information would be coming from one source, he explained.
He did complement the federal government though on its open lines of communication with the business community.
And to some extent, he said it will be up to businesses to do the right thing for their customers and employees.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2020. | 2 |
The European Commission has finally launched its updated EU industrial strategy, after long-standing requests by industry groups and political leaders calling for a stronger single market.
Tuesday's (10 March) proposals followed commission's new approach for the digital and green transition, as well as "the need for more inclusive working methods," said the commissioner for the digital portfolio, Margrethe Vestager.
Student or retired? Then this plan is for you.
But the proposals failed to soften competition rules to boost so-called national "champions" - a key demand from Germany and France.
The commission plans to update how EU antitrust regulators assess industries in 2021 following an ongoing evaluation in a separate initiative.
But there was no mention on Tuesday of the 'national champions' idea, which covers cross-border mergers between national firms.
The commission, instead, wants to ensure an "equal level playing field" in the single market and address lack of reciprocity from abroad - pushing for European companies to gain access to public procurement in third countries, such as China.
The commission will also promised a white paper by mid-2020 and a new law in 2021 to address the effects caused by foreign subsidies in the single market and to tackle foreign access to EU public procurement and EU funding.
From sectors to ecosystem approach
While the single market is considered one of the biggest achievements of the European project, around 70 percent of businesses now thought that it was poorly integrated, said Vestager.
The commission estimated that removing barriers could bring in up to €713bn by the end of the decade.
These barriers included restrictive and complex national laws, excessive administrative procedures, and inadequate enforcement of EU rules.
The new industrial strategy also spoke of an "industrial ecosystem" approach that aimed to fully address the complex interrelationship between small and big companies, Vestager said.
Each of the "industrial ecosystems" will have access to digital platforms and a dedicated toolbox, as they will face different opportunities and challenges in the environmental and digital transformation areas - although a detailed plan will not be public until September.
However, according to Vestager, "one of the benefits that all ecosystems will share is fair competition - based on the EU's values".
Green Deal failure?
Meanwhile, emissions from heavy industry have not declined since 2012, making this sector a large contributor to climate change.
Industry accounts for about one-fifth of EU emissions, with the majority coming from the steel, cement, and plastics factories.
However, it takes up to 25 years to transform an industrial sector and all the related value chains and to be ready by 2050, "decisions and actions need to be taken in the next five years," the commission's Green Deal previously said.
"An industrial strategy that is fully aligned with the EU Green Deal needs to have industrial decarbonisation at its core," said the policy officer at NGO Carbon Market Watch, Agnese Ruggiero, who believes that Tuesday's proposal "failed" one of the first tests.
The new strategy also failed to set decarbonisation and technology deployment targets that could bring investment to industry.
Projects such as the EU Emissions Trading System can also be barriers to real industrial decarbonisation, Ruggiero addeed, urging the commission to swiftly put forward concrete measures "to clean up Europe's largest polluters".
The commission's proposal did mention support for cleaner technologies that can help to reach the 2050 climate-neutrality target.
But according to Johanna Lehne, policy advisor to NGO E3G, the lack of targets is "a significant gap" in the strategy as targets provided clarity on the pace and direction of travel.
"The commission is sending the right signals on the urgency to transform the industry, but it is delaying taking a stance on the most controversial elements of its industrial policy," she said.
"Without a landing zone, the strategy will feel incomplete," Lehne added.
The commission also proposed further legislation on innovation, investment, and skills.
A clean hydrogen alliance to accelerate the decarbonisation of industry will be launched in the summer, followed by alliances on low-carbon industries, and on industrial clouds. | The National Reference Center for respiratory viruses analyzes the tests for respiratory viruses, like the coronavirus, in Paris | Thomas Samson/AFP via Getty Images France granted EU funds for coronavirus repatriation The first aircraft should take off Wednesday morning.
The EU will help pay for two planes to bring home around 350 Europeans from parts of China affected by the deadly coronavirus, following a request for assistance from Paris.
Under the French-led operation, the first aircraft should take off Wednesday morning carrying an expected 250 French passengers, with the second — carrying people from other EU countries — expected to depart later in the week, the European Commission announced Tuesday.
“At this stage, only healthy or asymptomatic citizens will be authorised to travel,” the statement read, adding that the EU Emergency Response Centre was in touch with governments to “coordinate the arrivals and subsequent possible quarantine periods.”
The move follows the Commission’s disclosure earlier Tuesday that countries could request money from the so-called EU civil protection mechanism to part-fund their efforts to respond to the outbreak.
“The EU does not forget its citizens in need, wherever they are in the world,” said Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič.
Lenarčič said further action would be taken if needed and that the Commission’s emergency response team was in “constant contact” with the Chinese embassy in Brussels.
The virus first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has killed 106 people so far. The first case in Europe was discovered in France last week. Germany is also reportedly planning to send a military plane to repatriate some 90 people.
The Commission said Tuesday that the EU could also help to “provide logistical support to transport vaccines and medical equipment between member states,” or to transport specialized equipment for screening of the virus such as thermal imaging cameras.
The College of Commissioners will discuss the issue on Wednesday. “The Commission is working at all levels to monitor the situation regarding the spread of the coronavirus,” a Commission spokeswoman said.
This story has been updated. | 2 |
The family of a pensioner who died during a burglary in her home spoke today of the dread she must have felt as a fresh police appeal was issued.
Maureen Whale, 77, collapsed struggling to breathe as she dialled 999 on December 4, 2018 in Barnet.
In the call, Mrs Whale said: “I’ve just been burgled. Yes, two young men just went into the house and walked off with my handbag. I’m shaking, I’m sorry.”
Asked her name, she gasps: “Maureen, I can’t talk, I’m sorry.”
There is silence as the operator pleads: “Hang on in there, please.”
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of Mrs Whale’s death as coronary heart disease and identified that her death had been brought on by stress.
In a statement today, a relative said: “I dread to think what went through her mind. We will always have the terrible thoughts of Aunt Maureen’s last call to the police — it is heartbreaking.”
Detectives are treating Mrs Whale’s death as manslaughter.
A £20,000 reward is on offer for information leading to the burglars’ prosecution.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 020 8785 8099 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. | Sign up to FREE email alerts from GrimsbyLive - Daily Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email
A man was held at gunpoint when robbers raided his home and stole items last night.
There was a large police presence including armed response teams in the Hainton Avenue area of Grimsby around 7.30pm.
One man has been arrested and an imitation firearm recovered by police.
Police checked vehicles in the Nuns Corner area and on the Nunsthorpe and Bradley estates for several hours after the armed robbery.
(Image: GNP)
Humberside Police are continuing their investigations today.
A police spokeswoman said: "A man has been arrested following reports of an armed robbery at an address on Hainton Avenue in Grimsby last night.
"It was reported that two men entered an address, shortly after 5pm, and allegedly threatened a man inside with a weapon before assaulting him, leaving him with what are thought to be minor injuries. The men reportedly stole items from the address before leaving."
Detective Inspector Phil Booker of Humberside Police said: “Whilst this is a very serious report, I would like to offer my reassurance that we believe it to be an isolated incident.
(Image: GNP)
“Armed officers were quickly deployed to the scene and as part of our investigations what is thought to be an imitation firearm has been recovered and a man has been arrested, he remains in our custody whilst enquiries continue.
“We do have officers in the area today, both to carry out investigations and to offer reassurance to the community.
“Investigations are continuing and I ask anyone with information to please get in touch. You can do so by calling out non-emergency 101 line quoting crime reference 16/39713/20 or, if you’d prefer not to give you name, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency always dial 999.” | 2 |
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If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 319-334-2557 or email legals@bulletinjournal.com. | Prevailing Over Trust Issues In Your Relationship
It tends to be testing defeating trust issues in a relationship. The two parties included the need to invest in a lot of effort. For the situation that the trust in your relationship is being analyzed, it isn’t past time to patch the conditions. Go through this article to gain more. Your accomplice most likely has affections for you. This is the ideal opportunity to consider your more joyful past, open your heart, and give your accomplice put a smidgen of trust. The mystery in any case, is in letting them understand the amount you have changed.
Here are 5 hints in this article for conquering trust issues in your relationship after examples of unfaithfulness or when getting the pieces after a detachment. Realize the grieving process. At the point when you have been sold out, you experience the five phases of anguish. Denial, outrage, dealing, depression and lastly, acknowledgment. This is a bit of your excursion for overcoming trust issues. Try not to attempt to surge or battle any of these stages and don’t let any of them devour you. Acknowledging that each phase will happen will prevent you from performing something that you may regret later. You need to seek expert help if you feel that you are not prepared to deal with any of these grief stages.
Be willing to duty. Before you start to remake trust in a relationship, the two gatherings must focus on changing and vanquishing trusty issues first. Trust is a two way thing and you are either both in or not. Re-building trust is not a straightforward endeavor. It needs authentic effort from the two gatherings and may be successful in the occasion that you are both completely willing to making it work. Another hint discussed in this article is, try not to hide anything from your partner. You should open up to your associate if you require to revamp trust in the wake of losing it. Try not to give your accessory any motivation to address you. You will barely conquer trust issues in case you disregard to explain what you were doing, where you are going or who you are with. Most importantly, prepare to have the same from your partner. Explain yourself in detail and always be responsible for everything you do or say. Thus you and your accomplice won’t have any motivation to question one another.
The last indication in this article, take the time and exertion. On the instance that you have betrayed your partner, you ought to give them the space to alleviate their emotions. You may confront put-down or inactive forceful activity. You are required to acknowledge these because you are more likely than not merit it. You should be consistently prepared to reply, comfort and console your accomplice. The hints covered in this article will help. | 1 |
At least 32 people were killed on Wednesday when suspected nomadic Misseriya herders from Sudan attacked a village in the disputed oil-rich region of Abyei along the border of South Sudan, a local official said.
Abyei has been contested since South Sudan gained independence in 2011, while there have long been tensions between the South Sudanese Ngok Dinka community and the Misseriya herders who traverse the area looking for grazing.
Kuol Alor Kuol, the chief administrator of the Abyei area, told AFP that heavily armed Misseriya and allied militia attacked the village of Kolom early on Wednesday.
"Thirty-two people were killed among them children and women, and secondly about 24 people are wounded ... and about 15 people including children were abducted and 20 houses burned," Kuol said.
He said the wounded had been evacuated to a hospital in the town of Agok which is run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
In 2011, the UN Security Council deployed a peacekeeping force to the area after deadly clashes displaced some 100 000 people.
The United Nations Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA) is made up entirely of Ethiopian troops, with some 4 500 soldiers on the ground.
UNISFA could not be immediately reached for comment on the attack.
The UN Security Council in 2018 warned that the situation in Abyei and along the Sudan-South Sudan border "continues to constitute a serious threat to international peace," and called on the two countries to show concrete progress on border demarcation and monitoring. | 32 dead after tribal clashes on South Sudan border
A man waves a South Sudan flag in the town of Abyei. File picture: Goran Tomasevic/Reuters Johannesburg – At least 32 people have been killed, 15 abducted and dozens wounded after several attacks on a village in Kolom in the disputed town of Abyei in the South Sudan border area, the UN peacekeeping mission UNISFA said on Friday. “Our mission in Abyei has increased protection of civilian efforts after attacks that killed at least 32 people. The mission apprehended five armed group members and stepped up patrols and engagement at community levels,” UNISFA said in a post on Twitter. Local elders confirmed the deaths after armed nomadic herders from the Misseriya tribe carried out the attack on the rural Dinka Ngok village, burning down 19 houses during the violence. UNISFA spokesman Daniel Adekera told the Sudan Tribune that Thursday’s violence followed clashes between the two sides on Monday and Wednesday, which had already claimed 22 lives. The cause of the violence is unknown but conflict in the area has revolved around cattle rustling with the absence of police and administrative structures in Abyei exacerbating the situation.
The Dinka Ngok tribe has long called for a referendum to be held on the future of the area, which is currently part of Sudan, so that it can join South Sudan.
South Sudan ceded from Sudan in 2011 and this has been a cause of friction between the two countries due to the political and security vacuum in the 10,500 km area border area despite it previously being seen as a model of coexistence.
Due to the ongoing friction UNISFA deployed troops to the area to contain the situation and prevent any escalation as armed men from both sides converged on Kolom.
"UNISFA would like to reiterate that any presence of armed groups within the Abyei box other than its own troops is viewed by the mission as a violation of its mandate and will not hesitate to place responsibility on those engaged in such violations," Adekera said.
African News Agency (ANA) | 4 |
Pass these questions around and take turns reading them aloud:
1. Drink if you’ve posted a picture with me on social media within the last month.
2. Drink if you have my number saved under a nickname instead of my real name.
3. Drink if you’ve seen me naked.
4. Drink if you’ve acted as my wingman before.
5. Drink if you have my phone number memorized.
6. Drink if you’ve held back my hair while I’ve thrown up before.
7. Drink if you’ve watched my Instagram story today.
8. Drink if you’re wearing the same color outfit as me.
9. Drink if you know both my parents’ names.
10. Drink if you know my middle name.
11. Drink if you went to elementary school with me.
12. Drink if you’ve ever had a crush on someone I’ve dated.
13. Drink if you’ve ever been to a concert with me.
14. Drink if you’ve ever been on a road trip with me.
15. Drink if you’ve ever gotten high with me.
16. Drink if you’ve ever danced with me.
17. Drink if you’ve ever sang karaoke with me.
18. Drink if you’ve been drunk in an Uber with me.
19. Drink if I’ve ever made you laugh until your stomach hurt.
20. Drink if you’ve heard me having sex through the walls before.
21. Drink if you’ve been to the beach with me.
22. Drink if we’ve ever bingewatched a show together (or at the same time).
23. Drink if you’ve ever been to the gym with me.
24. Drink if we’ve ever worn matching bracelets or shirts.
25. Drink if you went to college with me.
26. Drink if you’ve ever called me in the middle of the night asking for advice.
27. Drink if we’ve ever gotten manicures together.
28. Drink if you’ve ever beat me at a video game.
29. Drink if you’ve seen me cry.
30. Drink if you’ve sent me a text today.
31. Drink if you’ve ever sent me a physical letter in the mail.
32. Drink if you’ve ever been my designated driver.
33. Drink if you can’t pull up a picture of me on your phone right now.
34. Drink if you’re in a group chat with me on Facebook.
35. Drink if you’ve ever seen me in my underwear.
36. Drink if you went to high school with me.
37. Drink if you’ve ever borrowed clothing of mine.
38. Drink if you’ve seen a movie with me within the last month.
39. Drink if you’ve slept over my house before.
40. Drink if you’re wearing the same color lipstick as me.
41. Drink if you live less than twenty minutes away from me.
42. Drink if you grew up in the same town as me.
43. Drink if we have a song that represents our friendship.
44. Drink if you’ve already taken a selfie with me today.
45. Drink if you’ve known me for more than five years.
46. Drink if you have the same color eyes as me.
47. Drink if you have the same color hair as me.
48. Drink if you have more piercings than me.
49. Drink if you have more tattoos than me.
50. Drink if your cup is more full than mine.
51. Drink if you’ve complimented me today.
52. Drink if you’ve hugged me today.
53. Drink if you’ve liked one of my photos this week.
54. Drink if you have my birthday memorized.
55. Drink if you follow me on Twitter.
56. Drink if you follow me on Instagram.
57. Drink if you actually know my email address.
58. Drink if you have an embarrassing picture of me on your phone.
59. Drink if you’ve ever celebrated the holidays with me.
60. Drink if you consider me one of your best friends. | 1 | |
UPDATE (8 p.m) - The McLean County Board, meeting in special session Wednesday evening, agreed to move two polling places in Normal, also for fear of spreading the coronavirus.
MCLEAN COUNTY (WEEK) -- Due to concerns over COVID-19, the Bloomington Election Commission has moved Precincts 21 and 48 for the March 17 primary election.
The precincts, according to the Commission's website, are being moved from the Westminster Village to the Double Tree Hotel at 10 Brickyard Drive, Bloomington, Conference Room No. 2.
Polling hours will be 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 17.
In the commission's announcement, the polling location will return to the Westminster Village location.
Outside of Bloomington, the McLean County Board must approve polling place changes. Wednesday evening, the board meeting in special session agreed to move Normal Precinct #10 from the Evergreen Place assisted living center to Cardinal Court Apartments, which is owned by Illinois State University.
The board also approved relocating Normal Precinct #21 from the McLean County Nursing home to the nearby Fairview Park Pool. | The protection of staff and respondents who participate in our research is of highest priority for J-PAL. As of March 17, J-PAL has therefore suspended all research activities that contribute to in-person interactions in order to limit COVID-19 spread. Many other research organizations have done so or will do so soon. In order to disseminate expertise quickly and build on our combined networks, we are crowd-sourcing best practices on switching from in-person to surveying online or via phone.
This is a living document that aggregates crowd-sourced tips and factors to consider when conducting remote surveys (in particular phone surveys) while practicing social distancing. We will be updating this page regularly. Many thanks to those who have contributed to this collection thus far.
Do you have experience conducting surveys online or via phone? You can contribute via this form.
Last updated: April 7, 2020 | 1 |
Bernie Sanders lost all three of the primary contests on Tuesday to former Vice President Joe Biden, leading some people to believe he would be hanging up his bid.
He’s not… at least yet.
CNN’s Manu Raju reports Sanders responded angrily when asked at the Capitol whether or not he would be ending his campaign.
“Sen. Bernie Sanders grew angry when asked about his campaign plans. During a gaggle with reporters in the Capitol, I asked Sanders about his timeframe for making a decision, and he lashed out: ‘I’m dealing with a f*****g global crisis. You know, we’re dealing with,'” the CNN congressional correspondent said in a tweet.
Raju pressed further but Sanders said he was more focused on the coronavirus and its impact on the country than campaigning.
“I noted he’s running for president, and he said: ‘Well right now, right now I’m trying to do my best to make sure that we don’t have an economic meltdown and that people don’t die. Is that enough for you to keep me busy for today?'”
As BizPac Review reports, Axios initially reported that Sanders was dropping out of the presidential primary before correcting their report to say he was reassessing his approach. the publication subsequently released an apology.
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From BizPac Review:
CNN’s Manu Raju said when another reporter asked Sanders what he’s saying to his supporters, “he sidestepped the question, noting he sent out a statement. Then, I asked about his time frame [for suspending his campaign] — and he was furious.” — Advertisement —
And: | As Bernie Sanders continues to hear the cat calls from liberal media hacks like CNN Manu Raju, Sanders finally lost it and had a meltdown when asked about his campaign today on the hill. CNN and Manu Raju are basically cheerleading for pedophile Joe Biden at this point and Raju asked Comrade Bernie was asked about how campaign plans. Sanders cussed out Raju and replied:
Meltdown! Bernie Sanders cusses out CNN hack Manu Raju
“I’m dealing with a fucking global crisis. You know, we’re dealing with.”
Again, it’s hard to take sides here. CNN is the fake news kings and Bernie Sanders is a Democrat communist, but isn’t in the closet like the rest of the party. CNN getting owned though is awesome.
Sen. Bernie Sanders grew angry when asked about his campaign plans. During a gaggle with reporters in the Capitol, I asked Sanders about his timeframe for making a decision, and he lashed out: "I'm dealing with a fucking global crisis. You know, we're dealing with." — Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 18, 2020
that’s not all:
I noted he's running for president, and he said: “Well right now, right now I'm trying to do my best to make sure that we don't have an economic meltdown and that people don't die. Is that enough for you to keep me busy for today?" — Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 18, 2020 | 4 |
The Oyo State police command has opined that Alhaji Fatai Yusuf popularly known as Oko Oloyun was possibly killed because of a fraud he detected in his Lagos office.
This was made known to newsmen on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi.
Also Read: Oko Oloyun, Popular Trado-Medical Expert, Shot Dead
The police spokesman stated that the detection of fraud by the trado-medical expert was possibly responsible for the fire incident in the office during which some account records were destroyed.
Going further, the police spokesman revealed that some of his staff and two police escorts are being questioned by a team of detectives from the homicide section of State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, with a view of finding and apprehending the fleeing suspects, who committed the heinous act. | The Oyo State Police Command on Friday vowed to fish out the killers of a trado-medical practitioner, Alhaji Fatai Yusuf, popularly known as Oko Oloyun.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the convoy of the deceased was attacked on Thursday on the Igbo-Ora-Eruwa Road by gunmen who shot at them from a thick forest, with a bullet fatally injuring him.
He was said to have later died from the injuries caused by the bullet.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, hinted at a nexus between a fire incident in his Lagos office, ostensibly to cover up suspected fraud, and the attack.
Fadeyi said: “The report of Yusuf’s death was received by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Igbo-ora that the two-car convoy of the deceased was allegedly ambushed shortly after passing through five different police stop and search teams along Igbo-Ora road by yet to be identified assailants who fired at the moving vehicles on the road from the thick forest.
“The two-man armed escorts of policemen protecting the deceased engaged the assailants, but they managed to escape back into the forest after a single shot had hit the deceased who died later of his bullet injuries.
“An interesting twist to the story was that the deceased had earlier detected an alleged book keeping records fraud in his Lagos office which subsequently allegedly led to the burning of some financial/book keeping records.
“Some of his staff and two police escorts are being questioned by a team of crack detectives from the homicide section of State Criminal Investigation Department( SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, with a view of finding and apprehending the fleeing suspects who committed the heinous act.”
Fadeyi said the police in the state were working with other police formations and units to ensure that the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, to unravel the killers was complied with.
The spokesman also said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Shina Olukolu, had promised to bring the culprits to justice within the shortest possible time.
Fadeyi said Olukolu, however, appealed to members of the public with credible information not to hesitate in passing it to the police to assist it in the apprehension of the assailants. | 4 |
HANOI: Vietnam has so far this year culled tens of thousands of birds to contain an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N6 bird flu detected at several farms in its northern provinces, an agriculture ministry official and state media said on Monday.
The authorities have culled the birds, mostly chicken and ducks, at farms in Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Quang Ninh provinces, said the official, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
Thanh Hoa province, 170km south of Hanoi, has culled 23,000 birds at 10 household farms after they tested positive to the virus, Thanh Hoa newspaper reported on Monday.
“We are concerned that the virus may spread further, and are trying our best to stop the outbreak,” the official said.
Apart from culling the birds, the authorities have also disinfected the farms and put a ban on poultry transport from the infected zones, the official said.
H5N6 virus has also been detected in poultry at a farm outside Hanoi, prompting the culling of more than 2,300 birds there, Kinh Te Do Thi newspaper reported.
Vietnam has a poultry herd of 460 million, and small-sized bird flu outbreaks have not been uncommon in the country during the past five years, the official said. | Poultry prices sharply drop
Poultry prices have sharply decreased after the Tet holiday, which has been mainly affected by the coronavirus outbreak and the avian flu A/H5N6.
Nguyen Thi Tuyet, a food trader at Dong Xa Market in Hanoi, said that broiler chicken prices have fallen to just VND55,000-80,000 (USD2.60-USD3.47) per kilo, down VND10,000-15,000 against 2-3 months ago.
Chicken prices have sharply dropped | 3 |
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Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. | We're in the home stretch with just $9,925 left to raise from KCPW listeners to support operations into this New Year! Click here to help us power local public radio! | 2 |
Two weeks ago, on my travel blog , I explained why fear of coronavirus led to me cancelling a trip to France this summer. France doesn't have a coronavirus problem but I have a feeling it will-- we all will-- by summer. As you can see above, South Korea didn't have problem last week; but they sure do now-- a big surge in identified infections and a death of a man who has been hospitalized for more than 20 year. (In other words, medical professionals are failing to contain this in their own facilities.
This is the updated advice we'd pass along to Bernie's campaign:
Health Risk
• This contagion runs far ahead of visible symptoms
• It also hits older people much harder than younger people
Health Precautions
• Immediately reroute Bernie’s schedule away from rope lines and other hands, hugs and crowding
• Quickly refocus national surrogates’ on-site activities away from locations with highest numbers of travellers from Asia, such as Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego, in favor of campaigning in South Carolina and Super Tuesday states’ rural areas, where the virus is unlikely to spread as quickly.
Political Risk
• Much worse than suspension of March 3 elections would be appearance that: (a) Berners had alleged political motives for suspensions, (b) which are later perceived to have been justified by public health precautions
Rhetorical Contingencies
Contagious new and stealthy viruses remind us that:
• "Each one of us is easily infected by anybody in our community who faces financial barriers to getting check-ups and treatment, so Medicare For All is a necessary protection for all of us"
• "Each country’s safety now depends on maintaining communication and cooperation with other countries, while minimizing disruption from mutual suspicion and hostility"
• "We remember when news of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite suddenly changed our national culture and catalyzed our development of new technologies and industries. In response to today’s sudden viral pandemic threat, and to the slower but surer threat of climate collapse, we need another change of culture, to resist these threats against all of our people, and all peoples." | According to a report from Politico, the White House has become gravely concerned that the so-far bumbling response to the coronavirus could have a long term effect on Donald Trump’s drive to remain in the White House beyond 2020.
The report notes that “The Trump administration is bracing for a possible coronavirus outbreak in the United States that could sicken thousands — straining the government’s public health response and threatening an economic slowdown in the heat of President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.”
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With two officials stating they believe that the “coronavirus is already spreading undetected” in the U.S., Politico also notes that the preside mt is attempting to downplay the threat in public at the same time that he is voicing major concern about how it might affect his political future.
According to the report, Trump has been rebuking “public health leaders over last week’s decision to fly home 14 Americans who tested positive for the virus while aboard a cruise ship off Japan,” and worries that more carriers may come into the country.
In an interview, Chris Meekins, a former Trump administration HHS emergency-preparedness official stated, “The biggest current threat to the president’s reelection is this thing getting out of control and creating a health and economic impact.”
Politico goes on to report that despite assurances from HHS, the Trump White House is very concerned about how the department is responding.
“But there has been tension within the Trump administration over the response so far. Four officials acknowledged that the process has hit bumps, with high-pressure debates over resources and planning occasionally reopening fault lines between the White House and HHS that first emerged over Trump’s broader health agenda,” the report notes. “Meanwhile, the White House remains worried about growing economic risks, with Chinese production plunging in recent weeks and U.S. companies like Apple and Walmart with significant investments in the country reporting they’re taking financial hits. Senior officials fear that a sustained outbreak could slow global markets and upend a strong U.S. economy that has been central to Trump’s political pitch.”
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“The administration’s fumbled evacuation of about 400 Americans from the marooned cruise ship brought into focus multiple gaps in preparedness, said four individuals with knowledge of the episode,” Politico added.
You can read more here. | 1 |
Waiver allows all Pa. schools to provide free meals to children during coronavirus crisis
Show Caption Hide Caption VIDEO: Coronavirus: 6 tips for staying healthy VIDEO: Coronavirus: 6 tips for staying healthy York Dispatch
The Pennsylvania Department of Education said it has received waiver approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow schools to provide free meals to all children during the coronavirus crisis.
At least one district in York County, Dover Area, has been approved for the waiver, and Northeastern plans to apply.
This was more of a formality for Dover, as the district began feeding all students early on after “seeing a need in the district that went beyond the confines of eligibility requirements,” said district spokesman Brad Perkins.
In that district, 45% of students are economically disadvantaged, and in Northeastern, that number is 36.6%, according to the state's Future Ready Index.
Previously, schools that did not meet area-based free or reduced-price meal eligibility requirements were unable to offer free meals communitywide.
At least 50% of children had to qualify for free and reduced-price lunch, based on school enrollment or U.S. Census data, in locations serving free meals.
Enrollment for free and reduced-price lunch was under 40% for most York County districts in 2017, the last year of data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, except for York City, which has had 100% enrollment since 2015, and Hanover Public, which was at 60.4% in 2017.
Both Northeastern and Dover were between 30% and 40% in 2017.
The new USDA waiver eases those requirements and helps ensure all children have access to food.
More: York County hospitals preparing for potential staff shortage
More: Wolf: Schools shuttered 'indefinitely'
South Western also did not meet previous eligibility requirements, but officials had decided to provide free meals anyway and seek reimbursement later, said Assistant Superintendent Daniel Hartman.
"We didn’t want the red tape to hold us back from providing lunches," he said.
Hartman was unsure if the district had applied for the new waiver.
“Schools and community organizations can now use recent and local economic data, including unemployment claims and business closures, to request approval from PDE to qualify as an open meal site,” Vonda Ramp, the Education Department's state director for child nutrition programs, said in a news release Monday.
“Once approved, they can provide meals to all children in their community, age 18 and under, for free.”
There are already approximately 1,600 food distribution sites across the state, which is expected to increase because of the waiver.
Other districts such as West York Area, Central and West Shore already had summer meal programs that allowed them to serve meals communitywide regardless of economic status, so they have continued to do so.
Now, thanks to new legislation that does not require children to be in the car to receive lunches, parents and guardians can come pick up their meals, West Shore spokeswoman Rhonda Fourhman said in an email.
Students now are busy during the day doing schoolwork, as online learning for most began Monday.
Gov. Tom Wolf has closed all schools "indefinitely" to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
— Ron Musselman can be reached at rmusselman@yorkdispatch.com or via Twitter at @ronmusselman8 | York County philanthropic groups develop COVID-19 response fund
Show Caption Hide Caption VIDEO: Food bank opens drive-thru for virus safety The York County Food Bank modified its distribution program to include a drive-thru to minimize human contact during the Coronavirus pandemic. Bill Kalina, 717-505-5449/@BillKalina
Several York County philanthropic groups have developed a COVID-19 response fund to support the nonprofit organizations working to assist the community during this time of pandemic.
The $100,000 endowment was provided by the York County Community Foundation, which partnered with United Way of York County and other philanthropic groups to set up the response fund.
Jane Conover, president and CEO of YCCF, said that by collaborating with several organizations, they are able to "strategically and rapidly" deploy collective resources to meet the immediate demands for basics such as food and housing.
"As community needs evolve over the next months, we will adapt the grant-making focus as well,” Conover said in a news release. “The Community Foundation knows that in times of need, York Countians step up to support each other."
More: York County up to 43 cases of COVID-19, Pa. has almost 3,400 with 38 deaths
More: York County under stay-at-home order, state overflow facilities get ready
More: Trump signs $2.2T stimulus after swift congressional votes
More: Information on coronavirus and COVID-19 from the CDC
While no grant applications are being accepted, recipients are being identified by surveying and engaging with nonprofit and government agencies that have responded to the effects of coronavirus.
A community advisory committee will be formed to provide input on the priority needs and will include representatives from local agencies, health and human service sector experts and representatives from the community, according to the news release.
"The York County COVID-19 Response Fund will initially focus on supporting nonprofit agencies with the greatest capacity to provide food and shelter to the most vulnerable residents," the release reads.
Additional donations for the response fund are from the W. Dale Brougher Foundation, the Arthur J. & Lee R. Glatfelter Foundation, the Kinsley Foundation, the Powder Mill Foundation and the J. William Warehime Foundation.
— Reach Tina Locurto at tlocurto@yorkdispatch.com or on Twitter at @tina_locurto. | 3 |
Success Nwogu, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct fresh elections in those constituencies in Imo State where PDP state lawmakers defected to the All Possible Congress.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, during a media briefing in Abuja, also said the defected lawmakers had lost their seats according to Nigeria's constitution.
He said, "It is settled under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), that a legislator who decamps from a party upon which he was elected a member of a legislative house automatically loses his or her membership of that house as the seat belongs to the political party upon which platform the election was won and not the individual.
"The vacation of the seat, as a direct consequence of decamping to another political party other than the party upon which one was elected to occupy a seat in the legislature, is clear and unambiguous under section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
READ ALSO: Coronavirus: FG shuts down Chinese supermarket in Abuja
"For the avoidance of doubt, section 109 (1)(g) provides that “a member of the House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if …(g) being a person whose election to the House of Assembly by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected:
"The Constitution went further to state “provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.”
"Consequent upon the above constitutional provisions, these defectors have vacated their seats, they no longer have a place in the state assembly, as there is no division or merger of any kind in the PDP at any level whatsoever.
"The PDP is therefore left with no other option than to request the INEC to immediately commence the processes for the conduct of fresh elections into the respective state constituencies where the legislators have vacated their seats, in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution." | The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday declared that its members in the Imo House of Assembly who recently announced their defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC) have lost their seats.
Addressing a press conference at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, its national spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said their defection to the ruling party does not satisfy the provisions of the constitution.
While noting that there was no division in the PDP or a merger with another political group, he said their exit from the party has created vacancies in their constituencies.
The main opposition party, therefore, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to begin a process of conducting a fresh election to elect new representatives for the constituencies.
He said where the electoral body fails to do the needful, the party would challenge the action in court.
Details later. | 4 |
“Unfortunately, that better sense is not encouraging because we’re seeing community spread,” he said.
“I think we’re getting a better sense (of the scope of the outbreak) as the days go by,” Anthony Fauci, the head of the infectious diseases unit at the National Institutes of Health, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
WASHINGTON — A top U.S. public health official said on Sunday signs of coronavirus spreading through communities were “not encouraging” and warned that Americans may need to think carefully about attending large gatherings if it continues.
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He encouraged those most at risk from coronavirus to limit travel.
“If you’re a person with an underlying condition and you are particularly an elderly person with an underlying condition you need to think twice about getting on a plane, on a long trip, and not only think twice, just don’t get on a cruise ship,” Fauci said on “Meet the Press.”
Fauci said that in addition to efforts to try to contain the spread of the virus, it was important to start thinking about how to mitigate the impact as more and more Americans fall ill.
“They call it ‘social distancing,’ but it’s common sense stuff,” he said. “You don’t want to go to a massive gathering, particularly if you are a vulnerable individual.” (Reporting by Tim Ahmann; Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) | Fauci: Coronavirus Spread In America ‘Not Encouraging’; Says Americans Should Avoid Large Gatherings, Especially If Vulnerable
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, recommended on Sunday that elderly and vulnerable Americans avoid travel and large crowds as coronavirus gains a foothold in the United States.
In an interview with NBC‘s “Meet the Press,” Fauci emphasized that the elderly and people with “underlying conditions” are “overwhelmingly” more likely to be hit worse by coronavirus, according to NBC News.
“If you are an elderly person with an underlying condition, if you get infected, the risk of getting into trouble is considerable. So it’s our responsibility to protect the vulnerable,” he said, adding “When I say protect, I mean right now. Not wait until things get worse. Say no large crowds, no long trips. And above all, don’t get on a cruise ship.“ | 4 |
15-Jan-2020 Intellasia | KoreaTimes | 6:02 AM
South Korean leader hints at seeking exemption from US sanctions
President Moon Jae-in said during a New Year press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday, that he remains positive about the US-North Korea denuclearisation talks as the leaders of the two countries are still open for dialogue.
The South Korean leader also cited the need to apply for a partial exemption to UN sanctions for more engagement with North Korea and to move the US-North Korea negotiations forward.
Despite the deadlock between Pyongyang and Washington, Moon stressed a positive outlook, defying the mounting concerns that the past two years of talks between the two foes in the Korean War will ultimately fail to end North Korea’s nuclear programmes.
“Regarding the South-North or North Korea-US talks, it is neither time to be optimistic or pessimistic,” Moons said.
He acknowledged the controversy regarding US President Donald Trump’s birthday message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. “When my national security adviser Chung Eui-yong visited the US for a Korea-US-Japan security meeting, President Trump called in Chung unannounced and asked him to deliver the birthday wishes. President Trump must have thought that this was not enough, so he also sent a letter to Kim,” Moon said.
“I think this is a very positive development. It was a very good idea to stress the resolution for dialogue by sending the congratulatory message. Upon receiving the letter, North Korea also reiterated the close relationship between the two leaders and made it clear that it had not closed the door completely on dialogue, although it did attach a precondition that its demands must be met.”
“At the time of the letter, the US was facing a lot of complex situations, including the conflict with Iran, and the fact Trump sent Kim a birthday message means that President Trump still regards North Korea as the most important issue on his diplomatic agenda.”
The President repeated his stance on promoting active engagement with North Korea this year, which was contained in his New Year address delivered last week. In this regard, the South Korean leader mentioned the need to ease some of the UN sanctions imposed on the reclusive regime.
“I believe we can make efforts for exceptions from UN sanctions if necessary,” Moon said. “Rather than looking just at US-North Korea talks, we should do as much as we can to expand inter-Korean cooperation. This will also be helpful in promoting US-North Korea dialogue.”
He mentioned sports and tourism exchanges as well as starting cooperation at the inter-Korean border as some of the ways to expand inter-Korean cooperation within the boundaries of the sanctions.
Moon called on the US to consider a different approach from its focus on sanctions. “The US needs to continuously seek new ideas, in close cooperation with South Korea, for a breakthrough in the US-North Korea talks,” the President said.
He showed a negative response to criticism that his recent call for expediting engagement with North Korea was being snubbed by Pyongyang. “In inter-Korean diplomacy, there is much more than what is actually visible.
“Inter-Korean relations are facing difficulties as they coincide with the stalemate in the North-US dialogue, but I am pushing forward with an optimistic view that efforts to work together through dialogue are continuing and can produce good results.”
Korea-US alliance
Concerns have been rising about the health of Korea-US alliance due to complex bilateral issues, such as the defense cost-sharing negotiations and the U.S pressure on Korea to join its naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz. Moon sought to assuage these concerns by underlining that the Korea-US alliance remains “stronger than ever with close communication and cooperation.”
“Close communication and cooperation have led to the improvement of inter-Korean relations and resulted in US-North Korea dialogue,” Moon added. “Looking back at 2017 at the height of the crisis on the Korean Peninsula following Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile tests, I had three summits with President Trump and talked on the phone with him seven times. Through these, we came to a decision to postpone a joint Korea-US military exercise to pave the way for North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games. After this, inter-Korean dialogue began, which led to the talks between North Korea and the US”
Currently, the biggest issue between Korea and the US is the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) negotiations to determine Korea’s share of costs for maintaining US troops here and the possible dispatch of a Korean naval unit to the Strait of Hormuz to joining a US-led mission.
“Regarding the Hormuz question, there are complex factors to be considered. We need to think about our alliance with the US as well as our relations with Iran. We will take all of these into consideration as we look for a realistic solution.”
On the defense costs, Moon stressed the need for an “equitable share.” “This is the only way it will be approved by the people and the National Assembly,” he noted.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2020/01/356_281934.html
Category: Korea | Seoul, Jan 14 (IANS) South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Tuesday that it was premature to be pessimisic about the Korean peace process, pointing out the relatively good personal relationship between the leaders of North Korea and the US.
In his New Year’s press conference at the presidential palace, he said: “I think we are not at the stage for now to be pessimistic about South-North dialogue and North Korea-US dialogue, although it’s not a stage be optimistic,” reports Yonhap News Agency.
He mentioned US President Donald Trump’s birthday greetings to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last week, which were sent in a personal letter, while concerns about Pyongyang’s provocations were running high.
Moon called the letter, through which Trump emphasized his relationship with Kim once again, “very positive” and a “good idea”.
“North Korea accepted it and immediately released a response. It stressed the relationship between the two leaders,” he said.
Even if dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington was not active, Trump and Kim were maintaining mutual trust, with efforts for the resumption of talks under way, Moon said, adding that his government is continuing a push for expanding inter-Korean cooperation with an “optimistic prospect”.
–IANS
ksk/ | 4 |
More than a day after it was reportedly agreed upon, the blockbuster three-team trade between the Red Sox, Dodgers and Twins still hasn’t been finalized. The hold-up apparently has to do with the medical record on right-handed pitcher Brusdar Graterol, who is being dealt to the Red Sox.
The Athletic reported late Wednesday night that the trade — which will send Mookie Betts and David Price to the Dodgers — may be adjusted after further review of Graterol’s medicals. According to the report, the Red Sox view Graterol more as a reliever than a starter, and may ask for an additional player and/or money, either from the Dodgers or Twins to complete the trade.
The 21-year-old Graterol missed more than two months last season due to a right shoulder impingement, but returned to make his big-league debut and he made 10 appearances for the Twins, all in relief. The hard-throwing Graterol has been projected as a top-of-the-rotation starter, but the Twins viewed him as a reliever. According to The Athletic’s report, the Red Sox “evidently agree that he is not suited for a 150- to 170-inning workload, at least not right away.”
The review of medical records is commonly one of the final steps before a trade is made official. The Athletic’s report said the teams involved in this trade remain confident it will be completed.
Alex Verdugo, the Dodgers outfielder who is the other player being dealt to the Red Sox, has been medically cleared, according to The Athletic. Verdugo missed the final two months of last season due to injuries sustained in his back and oblique. | The Minnesota Twins are pulling out of the blockbuster three-team deal that sent Mookie Betts and David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers, per The Star Tribune’s LaVella E. Neal.
The deal, which all three teams agreed to on Tuesday night, fell apart over Boston’s medical concerns regarding Twins pitcher Brusdar Graterol. The 21-year-old hurler would go to the Red Sox, along with Dodgers outfielder Alex Verdugo. In exchange, Minnesota would receive pitcher Kenta Maeda from the Dodgers.
Graterol underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016 and missed significant time in 2019 with a right shoulder impingement. However, Graterol’s agent Scott Boras revealed that multiple orthopedic doctors confirmed there are no long-term issues with his arm.
Boston’s front office started seeking another top-10 prospect from the Twins to complete the deal. While the Twins were comfortable dealing Graterol to land Maeda, the front office ultimately determined adding another prospect was unreasonable and is now pulling out of the deal.
The teams faced pressure from the MLB Players’ Association to find a resolution to the deal after dragging players through days of uncertainty regarding their futures.
Spring training is just days away, which will likely add further pressure to the Dodgers and Red Sox to make the deal work. Whether it’s finding a new third team or making things work themselves, both sides are reportedly trying to find a solution.
For now, however, Betts and Price remain members of the Red Sox. | 4 |
United Way of Greater Stark County has launched a fundraising campaign to assist those who have been harmed financially by the COVID-19 crisis.
Funds donated to the COVID-19 Impact Fund will help hourly, low-wage workers who have lost their jobs or have reduced hours because of the pandemic.
"We know that all of us depend on each other for a healthy community. The same priority guides our concern for those most economically vulnerable in this pandemic," said Maria Heege, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Stark County. "Our community is facing unprecedented times, and many families need your help. United Way has established the COVID-19 Impact Fund, a dedicated resource for working families affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency. We are committed to mobilizing 100% of the collected funds to provide financial assistance to help meet families' basic needs during the COVID-19 crisis. Together, we will weather this storm."
Those who need assistance may be eligible to receive one-time assistance with their rent or mortgage payment. To apply, visit uwstark.org/covid or call 330-491-9960. Support will be given to those meeting the eligibility requirements and until funding is exhausted.
Donations may be made at uwstark.org/covid, or by texting STARK to 50503. Message and data rates might apply. | Two high school friends reconnect after one loses his job and get together to create the best, coolest, most trending new app to help shy people connect. Along the way, they learn a lot about themselves, each other, and life.
Written and directed by Eli Batalion, Appiness is a comedy that is rooted in something a lot of millennials (and others) will connect with, that need to find what it is you really want to do in life while trying to survive and make a living. It’s an apt film for the current state of young adult life, showing that some are forced to go back to their parents and some just don’t know what to do with themselves anymore. Here there are also a lot of other easily identifiable current trends and obvious things in here from the app building to the Ted Talk-like things, the social media, the programmers Olympics to the quirky fashion, the nerdy talk, the introverts being pushed around. It’s a lot of clichés and it does some good with them and goes in some of the obvious directions with others. The stories crams as many bits and pieces of what it’s like to live within a phone and social media obsessed world. It works for most of the film, but the story does feel a bit thin and predictable at times, something that’s too bad considering the feel of the film as a whole works pretty well for it. The moods established are fitting to the different parts of the film, even the in-your-face ones. The film has a story that works overall, but doesn’t feel particularly original.
The cast here is decent in how they each handle their parts, none are grating, but none really come up on top of the pile. It feels a bit middle of the road while being entirely ok. There’s plenty talent here but it all feels like it’s just there, like everyone is playing some kind of hipster as they expect them to be. They all work well together, but it feels like something is missing, with most of them looking like they are doing some version of people, people that don’t feel 100% real. Which is too bad considering they all seem to have talent, it’s just not feeling like it’s all directed in the right way maybe. Or perhaps, it’s the type of characters they had, all feeling like that one co-worker you don’t really like, that college buddy you’re glad is gone, or that barista with the sense of humor that doesn’t quite click. The look of the film works with the story and feel of things, it adds to the quirkiness and the oddity of the story. It kind of works for it and kind of just adds to the things that may work against it for some.
Appiness is a film that will either work or not at all for each viewer with everything feeling a bit extra quirky, a bit extra hipster. The comedy works at times and some of the characters are just a bit less like the others, which helps the film move along. Something about it just didn’t work for this viewer while still not being bored or too annoyed, it was not super engaging or entertaining. | 1 |
For a franchise known for its linebackers and running backs, the Chicago Bears have a rich legacy of kick returners in their 100-year history. From George McAfee to Gale Sayers to Walter Payton to Jerry Azumah to Danieal Manning to Devin Hester, there is no NFL team with a richer history of kick returners.
Cordarrelle Patterson is the latest in a long line of successful kick returners in Chicago. But Patterson doesn’t consider himself up there with two of the greatest returners of all-time: Hester or Sayers.
“It’s a blessing, but I’m just trying to do my job,” Patterson said. “I would never be as great as Devin Hester or Gale Sayers. I just try to do my job each and every day, and it’s just an honor to play on the same field those guys played on.”
Hester and Sayers are two of the best returners in NFL history — and Hester is the greatest ever. But still, Patterson’s career as a kick returner isn’t something to turn your head at.
Patterson, who has earned three Pro Bowl nods, ranks second all-time with a 29.9-yard kickoff return average. He has seven career kick return touchdowns, which is the third most in NFL history, just one behind co-leaders Leon Washington and Josh Cribbs.
Patterson was one of the few bright spots in the Bears’ disappointing 2019 season. In his first year in Chicago, Patterson finished second in the NFL with a 29.5-yard average on 28 kickoff returns, one of which was a 102-yard touchdown against the Saints. He also led the league with 825 kick-return yards. | Bears wide receiver/kick returner/running back/gunner Cordarrelle Patterson was named to the Associated Press All-Pro team as a kick returner — his fifth selection in seven NFL seasons and third first-team honor.
Patterson was second in the NFL in kick returns with a 29.5-yard average. His 102-yard return for a touchdown against the Saints on Oct. 20 was the seventh of his career — the third most in NFL history behind Josh Cribbs and Leon Washington (eight). Patterson’s 29.9-yard career average on kick returns is second on the all-time list behind Bears Hall of Famer Gale Sayers (30.6).
Adding to his impressive 2019 resume, Patterson also was named to the Pro Bowl team as a specialist for his outstanding work as a gunner on coverage teams.
Patterson was the only Bears player to make the All-Pro team. They had five players selected last year when they went 12-4 and won the NFC North. | 2 |
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Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. | PADANG BESAR, March 15 — A total of 16 Myanmar nationals comprising 11 men, four women and a six-year-old girl were detained in two separate locations here yesterday.
General Operations Force North Brigade commander SAC Abdul Ghani Mohamad Ji said the first group of five men, two women and the girl were arrested near the Malaysia-Thailand border at about 3.15pm.
He said the second arrest was made near the railway track on the Malaysia-Thailand border involving six men and two women at 6.30pm.
“The illegal immigrants, aged between six and 45, failed to produce valid travel documents,” he said in a statement here today.
Meanwhile, the GOF also seized 15 sacks of ketum leaves weighing 350 kg worth RM10,500 in a raid on an unnumbered empty house at Kampung Kolam near here on Friday. — Bernama | 1 |
Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) is projecting that its 2019 financials, when completed, will represent the strongest in its history with significant performance attributed to organic and inorganic growth.
So far, JMMB Group earned record profits for the nine-month reporting period ended December 31, 2019, with operating profits of J$5.79 billion, representing a 43 per cent increase over the prior year.
In addition to this performance, the company recorded significant achievements during the third quarter, resulting from the execution of its regionally integrated financial services strategy.
These include the successful execution of the acquisition of 22.5 per cent of Sagicor Financial Company Limited (SFC), the opening of JMMB Express Finance (T&T) Limited, the group's consumer finance business line, fifth location (Tobago), on December 4, 2019.
During that period, JMMB successfully introduced its Visa debit card as well as Visa-enabled ATMs in Jamaica and the migration of clients who held Save Smart accounts at JMMB Investments to JMMB Bank's (Jamaica) EzAccess chequing and savings accounts.
In its just-released unaudited financial results for the nine-month reporting period JMMB pointed out that the SCF acquisition gave the group diversification and the opportunity to participate in the future growth of a market leader in the Caribbean's insurance, pension, and asset management sectors. The acquisition, which cost approximately J$34.4 billion, was not completed at the reporting date with the financial results of SFC as of December 31, 2019, not yet available.
JMMB's share of net assets and share of profits or gains arising on this acquisition will be reflected when the purchase price allocation is finalised, which is expected before March 31, 2020. Another significant milestone during the period under review was JMMB's first additional public share offering, the largest of its kind in Jamaica, which raised J$12.4 billion.
This funding strengthens the group's capital base and will be used to further facilitate the group's expansion and diversification strategy through acquisitions and adding new business lines.
UPCOMING FOURTH QUARTER
The directors report that the upcoming fourth quarter January-March 2020 “will see a sharp focus on embedding our financial partnership model to better serve our clients and reap synergy benefits from operating from a “One Group, One Client, One Experience framework.”
In his report Chief Executive Officer Keith Duncan pointed to another imperative for the fourth quarter, which is completing crucial operational efficiency projects to allow the banking business lines to operate on one core banking system while utilising standardised products, procedures, and policies across the group.
“Deepening our inorganic growth strategy as we explore accretive business development opportunities to grow our return on equity and expand our footprint,” Duncan reported.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Net operating revenue for the period under review totalled J$17.38 billion, which represented a 26% growth or J$3.61 billion when compared to the comparable period last year. This mainly resulted from increases in net gains on securities trading, FX trading gains, fees and previous income and net interest income.
Net gains on securities trading grew by 69% to J$5.64 billion and were partly due to improved appetite for emerging-market assets. Foreign exchange trading gains increased by 19 per cent or J$359.28 million to J$2.26 billion because of increased trading volume and growth in regional markets. Fees and commission income was 32 per cent higher at J$2.43 billion and was due to significant growth in managed funds and collective investment schemes across the group.
Net interest income grew by 5 per cent to J$7.02 billion as there was strong growth in the loan and investment portfolios. | Earnings per share (EPS) grew to 32 fils last year from 18 fils in 2018, according to a bourse statement on Monday.
The growing annual profits are largely attributed to a higher net income from investment by KWD 10.03 million due to the improving national and international equity markets.
Over the fourth quarter (Q4) of last year, the investment firm achieved profits worth KWD 6.76 million, against KWD 1.68 million worth of losses in the same quarter in 2018.
During its recent meeting, the company’s board recommended a cash dividend distribution of KWD 8.21 million or 15 fils per share for 2019, representing 15% of the share’s nominal value.
In the first nine-month period of 2019, the company's net profits retreated to KWD 10.736 million from KWD 11.538 million, with a 6.95% annual drop. | 3 |
The Need for Enhanced Risk-Based Information Security Policies with a Remote Workforce
For some time, government agencies such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have recognized that a “one size fits all approach” is not practical from an information security standpoint. Instead, companies were encouraged to take a risk-based approach and develop information security policies that were aligned within the context of their business operations. As a result, while both an international public company, with a large distributed workforce and offices across the globe, and a smaller company with one or two offices and a limited number of employees, were expected to have adequate information security in place, the determination of what was considered adequate was significantly different because their risk profiles were very different.
However, one of the impacts of COVID-19 is that businesses are now operating with most, if not all, of their staff operating from home. This changes the information security risk profiles for many organizations. As a result, companies of all sizes should review their existing information policies and procedures to verify that they address the additional risks associated with what are essentially numerous satellite offices. In addition, they should continue to keep abreast of cybersecurity developments as there are reports that criminals and nation states are attempting to take advantage of the new entry points into organizations through the distributed workforces.
Here are some measures to consider:
Putting enhanced security features, such as multi-factor identification and encryption, into place;
Updating policies and training associated with personal and sensitive data for remote workers. (In the interim, it might be helpful to send all employees this useful link from NIST.);
Reviewing cybersecurity insurance policies to ensure that coverage applies to remote operations and whether limits are adequate;
Building redundancy into authorizations for money transfers, so as to counter increasingly sophisticated spear phishing efforts targeting finance departments; and
Updating (or developing) the company’s incident response plan in the event of a cyber incident, as in such matters every minute counts, and notification and coordination will get more challenging with a distributed workforce (and advisors).
Another benefit to updating information security policies and procedures is that it may provide additional legal protections in the event of a data breach. For example, a recent Ohio law provides safe harbor from the state’s data breach provisions for companies that have implemented cybersecurity measures that conform with recognized information security frameworks: many of which provide for a risk-based approach.
If you have any questions about this topic, please contact Kevin Pomfret.
Please note: This alert contains general, condensed summaries of actual legal matters, statutes and opinions for information purposes. It is not meant to be and should not be construed as legal advice. Readers with particular needs on specific issues should retain the services of competent counsel.
Please click here for additional legal updates from Williams Mullen regarding COVID-19. | We are still in the early stages of dealing with COVID-19. Yet, it is already clear that this new will have long-lasting effects on the global economy, how we deal with pandemics, and perhaps even the architecture of international aid. This is because the COVID-19 pandemic is putting the spotlight on one of the less-noticed distortions of the international aid system: It does exactly the opposite of what the evidence requires.
To understand why, we need to distinguish between two kinds of aid. Traditional country lending seeks to improve outcomes in individual developing countries, while financing of global public goods (GPGs) aims to improve global welfare. The latter includes the development of technologies to promote agricultural productivity, actions to prevent climate change and mitigate its impact, knowledge creation, information provision, and, of course, preventing and dealing with pandemics.
Donors, therefore, need to decide how to allocate their funds between these two types of aid. Clearly, this decision should be informed by research regarding the relative effectiveness of country lending and financing of GPGs.
The evidence concerning country lending is highly contested, with diehard aid sceptics in the tradition of Lord Peter Bauer, Milton Friedman, Angus Deaton, and Bill Easterly opposed by equally strong advocates such as Jeffrey D Sachs, Bill Gates, and Bono. A fair reading of the evidence would be that even if aid scepticism is overdone, it is hard to find compelling evidence that country lending has substantial long-term benefits. (This is also the conclusion that Raghuram G Rajan and I reached in a series of papers on the impact of aid).
On the other hand, financing GPGs is incontrovertibly beneficial. For example, the activities that led to the Green Revolution — not only the initial discoveries but also their subsequent adaptation by a network of publicly funded agricultural research institutes around the world — yielded substantial global returns. So did the eradication of smallpox. The financing of advance market commitments that guarantee returns for pharmaceutical companies making important medical discoveries — an idea associated with the Nobel laureate economist Michael Kremer — is another example of an invaluable GPG.
But despite the clear balance of evidence, an overwhelming proportion of aid is devoted to country lending, with only a fraction allocated to financing GPGs. Although there are no definitive estimates, Scott Morris at the Center for Global Development says that only 15-25 per cent of the World Bank’s overall lending portfolio is devoted to GPGs. And even on a generous interpretation of what constitutes a GPG, that share would rise to only 35 per cent. Moreover, this proportion is even smaller in the case of the world’s poorest countries: The International Development Association, the World Bank’s concessional-lending arm, directs only 11 per cent of its funding to regional and global public goods.
What about other major donors? We do not know the share of funding that private philanthropies such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which have become important international players, allocate to GPGs. But we do know that the most significant recent entrant to the aid-giving club — China — is devoting almost all its resources under the Belt and Road initiative to financing infrastructure in borrowing countries, and not to GPGs.
It is not difficult to understand why the allocation of international aid is so skewed in favour of country lending. This is a conspiracy in which there are perpetrators but no apparent crime.
For starters, donors love to wield the power that comes with lending directly to developing countries and dictating priorities aligned with their own preferences. And recipient governments are equally complicit; after all, more cheap financing means more spending, which is always helpful to political incumbents.
By contrast, the gains from financing GPGs are nebulous, distant, and not clearly traceable to donor actions. For borrowing governments, too, the choice between cheap cash today and uncertain benefits down the line is a no-brainer.
These distortions have always been a problem. But as the COVID-19 pandemic has made abundantly clear, the need for GPGs is proliferating, and private markets will by definition not finance them. To get a sense of the magnitude of resources required, consider the recent estimate by Princeton University’s Ashoka Mody that Italy will need about $600-800 billion in external assistance to help it respond to its calamity. And this is just the amount needed to combat one global public “bad” at one point in time in one relatively rich country.
In a world of infinite resources and unbridled goodwill and generosity, donors could always ramp up financing of GPGs without reducing country lending. But in the real world, the envelope for giving is shrinking — meaning that distorted allocation incentives will have serious consequences.
The message for the international donor community — not just traditional lenders such as the World Bank, but also emerging actors such as private foundations and China — is clear. The aid architecture needs a radical revamp so that massive amounts of money, possibly hundreds of billions of dollars annually, can be devoted to global public goods. And some of this will have to be financed by reducing existing country lending.
By bringing practice into line with the evidence, the world could start addressing the massive challenges of the future in a serious way. Like today’s COVID-19 pandemic, these challenges will be devastatingly contemptuous of national borders and nativist governments.
©Project Syndicate, 2020 | 1 |
After being sentenced to 40 months in prison, former Trump associate Roger Stone told "Axios on HBO" that his only fear in life is "not being right with God."
"I feel pretty good because I've taken Jesus Christ as my personal savior," Stone said in his first on-camera interview since his sentencing. "And it's given me enormous strength and solace, because he knows what's in my heart."
The seasoned Republican strategist also discussed his view of President Trump's faith. Trump has overwhelming support from evangelical Christians — a key GOP voting block — despite his past personal life.
Stone cited Trump's Supreme Court nominations as an example of where he's "kept faith with those voters."
"Christians believe deeply in redemption," Stone said. "So it's not whether you've sinned. ... It's what's in your heart today — where you stand with God today."
"I think Trump has been forgiven for anything he did wrong. I think we all have. And I think he's a different person. I think he is steadfast in his faith. I don't think he could do this job if he was not."
The big picture: Stone, 67, was indicted as a result of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, and is free during consideration of a motion he filed for a new trial. | Former Trump associate Roger Stone said in an interview with "Axios on HBO" that he is still proud of his efforts to elect President Trump, but stopped short of sharing any regrets on the matter due to a court gag order.
Stone, who wasn't on the Trump's campaign payroll, said in his first on-camera interview since his sentencing last month: "One does not have to be on a campaign staff ... given the modern miracle of social media and the ability to communicate."
The big picture: Stone was sentenced to 40 months in prison in February, after being found guilty of charges resulting from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the 2016 election.
Stone said repeatedly in the interview that Donald Trump is Donald Trump's best strategist.
Stone declined to comment on looming questions surrounding his efforts — including whether Trump will pardon him — due to a gag order preventing him from discussing the case.
"I'm not going to discuss anything that pertains to this case, [or] that could be inferred to pertain to the case," Stone said.
Stone is free during consideration of a motion he has filed for a new trial. | 4 |
by
Senator Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The diagnosis comes as the Senate prepares to move forward on a massive coronavirus stimulus aid package aimed at alleviating the economic impact of the outbreak.
Several Republican lawmakers announced on Sunday they would self-quarantine as a result of Paul’s diagnosis.
Sergio Gor, Paul’s deputy chief of staff, said the senator “decided to get tested after attending an event where two individuals subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, even though he wasn’t aware of any direct contact with either one of them.”
Paul is in a higher risk category after having part of his lung removed last year after it was damaged in a 2017 assault by his neighbor. | Utah Senator Mitt Romney announced on Sunday that he would self-quarantine after fellow Senator Rand Paul announced he had tested positive for COVID-19.
What does President Trump think of that?
“‘Gee, that’s too bad.’”
When asked by a reporter at the White House briefing Sunday if he was being sarcastic, the president denied it. Watch the full exchange and judge for yourself: | 3 |
New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) A video shared by veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher about buying a wig has invited jokes, memes and sarcasm on Twitter.
In the clip, the actor is heard telling the shopkeeper that strong winds blew away his wig and thus he needed a new one.
“Entered a shop, which had hundreds of wigs. Told the salesperson that my wig flew off in the strong winds. I need a new wig. Tried out various wigs. And this is what I finally bought. I have always wanted to do this gag. Just for the fun of it.” #DilToBachchaHaiJi #JaiHo””, Kher wrote.
His tweet went viral as netizens lapped it up. A user of the micro-blogging site tweeted, “Sir u r better off without the wig and best without politics.”
“Love u sir….wig or without wig,” wrote another. A fan gushed, “I love You the way you are. It is difficult to find proper shape of head like you have.”
A Tweeple remarked, “Your expressions recording yourself is priceless! There is that sneaky, kiddish prankster look that even great actors like yourself cannot act it out with that precision! #DilToBachchaHaiJi #PhirBhiDilHaiHindustani.”
–IANS
saurav/adr/pcj | Veteran actor Anupam Kher has recently come up with an alternative to curb the infection of coronavirus. Read on to know what he has to say on the entire matter.
The fear of coronavirus has gripped the entire world including India and the worst part is that it is still on the rise. Moreover, there have been confirmed cases in our country too which has further increased everyone’s worries. In the midst of all this, numerous countries have adopted measures to curb the infections from spreading to more people. Regular checks have been conducted on airports and public gatherings have been banned in many countries as precautionary measures.
Moreover, people have started avoiding kisses and handshakes to avoid infections. In the midst of all this, veteran actor Anupam Kher has come up with an alternative for everyone. In a recent video which he has posted on Twitter, the actor says that Indian people should adopt the age-old practice of greeting each other with a ‘namaste’ which is hygienic, friendly and centers energies too. According to him, this will also avoid any kind of infection. The video has now become viral on social media.
Check out Anupam Kher’s tweet below:
Of late I am being told by lots of people to keep washing hands to prevent any kind of infection. I do that in any case. But also want to suggest the age old Indian way of greeting people called #Namaste. It is hygienic, friendly & centres your energies. Try it. #caronavirus pic.twitter.com/ix7e6S8Abp — Anupam Kher (AnupamPKher) March 3, 2020
Some of the Bollywood celebs are known to be quite vocal when it comes to expressing opinions related to political issues, present scenarios in the country and many other burning topics. Anupam Kher is someone who comes under this category. The actor has previously opined his views on Twitter regarding other matters. Another veteran actor, recently expressed his disappointment on social media when the Delhi High Court stayed the execution of Nirbhaya gang-rape victims.
(ALSO READ: Anupam Kher dedicates an emotional song to all the 'baldies in the world' crooned by him; Watch)
Credits :Twitter
Read More | 1 |
Bollywood’s most celebrated event, the Filmfare Awards, were this year taken to Facebook and Instagram by Facebook and Worldwide Media , India’s leading lifestyle and entertainment content company, making the viewing experience interactive for fans across the globe.For the first time, the awards show was simultaneously telecast on Facebook and television. And there was more: People around the world also got redcarpet highlights, backstage footage and special moments – all exclusively on Facebook and Instagram.Viewers virtually joined the presenters, nominees and the stars for an unforgettable experience on Filmfare’s official page. Things got even more exciting when popular creators like Teen Tigada (Sameeksha , Vishal, Bhavin) and Kritika and Deeksha Khurana (The Khurana Sisters) , set the red carpet on fire with their fun video with Bollywood stars , raking in over 10 million views within the first 24 hours, while fans from everywhere generated more than 240K interactions from across the globe. With 17 million views and still counting for the recently-held awards show, Filmfare fever continues on Facebook and Instagram.“Films are a cultural phenomenon in India and bring us together. No wonder some of the vibrant communities and conversations on Facebook and Instagram are around films! Our partnership with Filmfare is really exciting as it gives us a chance to bring some really fun and exclusive videos and photos for people on our platforms,” said Manish Chopra, director and head of partnerships, Facebook India Speaking about WWM and Facebook’s strategic partnership, Deepak Lamba , CEO, Worldwide Media, said, “While Filmfare Awards has always maintained its market leadership in terms of massive reach via TV, digital and the TOI group’s extensive coverage, this was for the first time that we connected with our audiences in a never-before manner. Facebook aided us in building a large community of Bollywood buffs who would not only engage with the content, but also with each other at a matching interest level.”There’s more to follow in this year. The glitz and glamour, #FilmfareOnFB, will continue to entice movie buffs as they will get to relive iconic Filmfare moments from previous years on the official “All Things Filmfare” group.What’s more, going forward, there will be year-round Filmfare magic with the upcoming editions of Filmfare awards in South, Marathi, Punjabi, East and the Filmfare Glamour & Style Awards. | A liquor store in India is usually off-limits for women. The question 'log kya kahenge' haunts women the moment they even think of stepping into a liquor shop. Of course, the bucketload of judgement and the prying eyes of the shopkeeper himself are added bonuses. *smh*
Liquor stores across the country may have moved from shady corners to upscale malls, but it’s still not the most comfortable space for a woman to browse through aisles looking for that perfect drink. Raised eyebrows are the norm in most liquor stores when it comes to women stepping into them.
Source/TOI
To see a woman asking a bottle of whiskey off the counter is a big shocker for people at the store. But it's 2020 for crying out loud and it's time to make peace with the fact that women also drink!
It seems like the government in Madhya Pradesh is paving the way forward for this progressive outlook. For the first time, the state is set to introduce women-friendly liquor shops in some cities to make women have a comfortable time liquor shopping, reports TOI.
Don't Miss 52.7 K SHARES 18.6 K SHARES 8.1 K SHARES 14.5 K SHARES 6.6 K SHARES
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The report states that two stores dedicated to women will be opened in Bhopal and Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur will have one women-friendly theka each.
Special care will be taken to ensure that these outlets are stocked up with high-end foreign liquor brands that are loved by women. The local brands that are not registered with the state won’t find a place in the store.
“No additional duty would be claimed on these foreign liquor brands as they will be brought after paying the duty from other countries. These shops would open markets for the sale of expensive liquor in the state,” a government official told TOI.
The shops would have foreign liquor brands that were previously never sold in the state. In order to generate revenue, and apart from this, the state will organise wine festivals in cities like Indore, Bhopal and Gwalior. | 1 |
A man protesting over the death of his 16-year-old daughter, who allegedly committed suicide, was purportedly kicked by a policeman after he tried to stop police personnel from taking her body inside the mortuary of a state-run hospital near here, police said on Wednesday.
Earlier, tension prevailed when some students and others forcibly took the teenager's body from the mortuary towards the private institute where she studied to hold a protest after her family members and relatives accused the college management of negligence for her death, sources said.
Police, who managed to stop the group, brought the body that was kept inside a mortuary freezer box back to the hospital, even as a video purportedly showing a policeman kicking the girl's father, who attempted to stop police from shifting the body, has gone viral.
The girl's parents had earlier blamed the college management of negligence leading to her death and had demanded compensation from them, police said.
Following the incident, the Sangareddy district police "attached" the policeman to the headquarters and ordered a departmental inquiry.
According to a senior police official,the girl, an Intermediate first-year student, had committed suicide by hanging herself in the bathroom of the institute's hostel on Tuesday afternoon after bolting the door from inside.
She was taken to a nearby private hospital where she was declared brought dead and later her body was shifted from the private hospital to the state-run hospital at Patancheru for conducting post-mortem, the official said.
Meanwhile, the parents of the girl accused the college management of negligence as according to them their daughter was ill for the past four days.
The parents alleged that they did not inform them about her sickness and she was not given proper treatment by them nor was she sent home as exams were approaching forcing her to resort to the extreme step, the official said.
Based on the complaint, a case under IPC section 304A (causing death by negligence) was registered against the private college management on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, about 10-15 students affiliated to a Left-wing students organisation and others barged into the hospital, police said.
They pushed aside doctors and medical staff and allegedly broke the window panes of the hospital and brought out the freezer box containing the body and proceeded towards the institute but police stopped them.
Police were proceeding to the mortuary when the girl's father fell down before the freezer box to stop the police from shifting the body inside the hospital when this unfortunate incident (of the man getting kicked by the policeman) happened, the official said.
The official further said the police were trying to prevent the agitators from taking the law into their own hands at the mortuary.
After examination of the video, action has been initiated against the "erring" policeman by attaching him to the headquarters, which is being followed up by departmental inquiry, he said.
A case has been registered onchargesof unlawful assembly, obstructing public servant from discharge of his duty and vandalism under relevant IPC sections in connection with shifting of the body besides taking some protesters into preventive custody, the official added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) | A person who arrived here from
Guwahati has tested positive for swine flu, officials said on Wednesday.
The individual arrived at the Imphal airport on Tuesday afternoon and was sent for tests as he showed coronavirus-like symptoms, they said.
After tests, it was found that he has swine flu, officials said, without divulging further details.
The state government has set up six centres at different entry points of Manipur in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) | 1 |
Sizzling up our social media feeds early Wednesday afternoon, the makers of Remo D’Souza-directorial Street Dancer 3D, dropped the new remake song, Lagdi Lahore Di, starring actors Shraddha Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Nora Fatehi. Grooving sensuously to express their crush, Shraddha, Varun and Nora’s energy is exactly the pump we need this mid-week.
Sung by Guru Randhawa and Tulsi Kumar, the song is a remake of the original song, Lahore, which was penned, sung and composed by the Punjabi sensational singer. While the new composition is credited to Sachin-Jigar and Guru Randhawa, the choreography is by Kruti Mahesh and Rahul Shetty (RnP).
The video song opens to Varun fumbling while confessing his crush to Shraddha. Breaking into an effortless dance to better express his feelings, he is joined by Shraddha who, being from the opponent team, is not impressed easily while Nora aids her friend in conveying his romantic emotions. The video ends with Shraddha and Varun kissing.
Watch the full song, Lagdi Lahore Di here:
Giving remakes a high octane twist is what Remo D’Souza’s Street Dancer 3D seems to be all about what with the revamped Muqabla song and then Illegal Weapon 2.0 highlighting lead pair Shraddha Kapoor and Varun Dhawan’s dance face-off.
Hyping fans to “get ready to groove”, the stars had promised to drop the new track on Wednesday. Taking to their respective Instagram handles, Shraddha and Varun had shared the video featuring them in each other’s arms. While Varun declared Shraddha to be resembling a lady from Lahore, she connected him with a guy from Punjab. The movie revolves around a dance battle where Shraddha Kapoor represents the leader of the Pakistani dance team whereas Varun Dhawan is seen representing the Indian team.
Touted to be India’s biggest dance film, the Remo D’Souza-directorial is bankrolled by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Lizelle D’Souza. The actor and dancer Nora Fatehi is also an important part of Street Dancer 3D. Other actors and dancers who are going to be a part of the film are Aparshakti Khurrana, Raghav Juyal, Salman Yusuff Khan, Punit Pathak, and Dharmesh Yelande among others. The film is slated to release on January 24, 2020. | Nora Fatehi, who is busy promoting her upcoming film Street Dancer 3D, took to her Instagram account to share a stunning portrait. In the picture, Nora is wearing an all-black tuxedo pant suit with a bow-tie, designed by Raghavendra Rathore. The actress completed her look with a pair of earrings and black heels.
Since posted, the picture has garnered 4,71,663 likes and several comments. Nora's Street Dancer 3D co-star Varun Dhawan also appreciated her sense of style and wrote, "Innovator".
The makers of the film have also released the latest track Lagdi Lahore Di on Wednesday. Guru Randhawa and Tulsi Kumar have sung the song. The song is a remake of the Punjabi song Lahore, which was also sung by Guru Randhawa.
"'Lahore' has been one of the chartbusters of recent times and the version 'Lagdi Lahore di' from 'Street Dancer 3D' has a new groovy vibe to it, keeping the original essence intact by Sachin-Jigar," Tulsi told IANS.
Jointly produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Lizelle D'souza, the film also stars Shraddha Kapoor and Prabhudheva.
The Remo D'souza directorial highlights India-Pakistan issues through the scope of dance and music and is slated to hit the silver screen on January 24.
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In an effort to promote coastal shipping, the Shipping Ministry has allowed state-owned port trusts to extend by two years an 80 per cent discount in vessel-related charges and cargo-related charges given to roll-on-roll-off (Ro-Ro) ships that ferry cars and trucks along the coast.
The discount scheme, first introduced in September 2016, ended in September 2018, after a two-year run. The extended scheme will now be valid till January 2022.
“The Shipping Ministry has directed the major port trusts to extend the scheme by two years,” a ministry official said. The scheme will take effect 30 days after it is notified by the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP), the rate regulator for state-owned ports.
The discount in vessel-related and cargo-related charges for coastal transportation of vehicles through Ro-Ro ships, Ro-Pax, pure car carrier, pure car and truck carrier and pure truck carrier is in line with the ministry’s thrust to promote coastal shipping.
Vessel-related charges or marine charges include port dues, berth hire and pilotage.
The ministry is seeking to promote movement of cars and automobiles along the coast to tap a fuel efficient, cost-effective and environment-friendly mode of transport compared with road and rail.
As a step in this direction, in September 2015, the government allowed foreign registered Roll-On Roll-Off (RoRo), Hybrid Roll-on Roll-off (Hybrid Ro-Ro), Ro-Ro-cum-Passenger (Ro-Pax), Pure Car Carriers (PCC) and Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC) to operate along the country’s coast by easing a so-called cabotage law, which allowed only Indian registered ships to carry cargo on local routes. The relaxation of the cabotage rule for these categories of ships will run through September 2020.
To make the discount sustainable for shipping service providers, the major port trusts have been asked to carry out intensive marketing for demand generation, he said.
Prior to September 2016, Ro-Ro vessels operating purely on local routes were allowed a discount of 40 per cent over that of the foreign going vessels, according to a government policy for coastal shipping.
With the increase in discount to 80 per cent, it is expected that shipping service providers will be able to attract more automobile cargo through the coastal route and decongest the already congested roads and railways. This will also make Ro-Ro ship service operations more sustainable.
If the Ro-Ro vessels carry other domestic cargo/containers, those will be entitled to a 40 per cent discount only, as per the policy, the official added. | STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – A Graniteville man cut his losses midway through jury selection on Monday and pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a young girl two years ago.
Marco Rodriguez, 43, subjected the victim to sexual contact between May 28 and 30, 2018, an indictment said.
The defendant touched the girl’s private parts, said a criminal complaint.
The girl was under age 13 then.
Rodriguez was arrested about a month later on June 26, 2018, based on an investigation.
She and the defendant knew each other, said police.
Rodriguez was charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of sexual abuse, and misdemeanor counts of forcible touching and child endangerment.
Rodriguez, over prosecutors’ objection, accepted the court’s offer to plead guilty to the top count of first-degree sexual abuse. In exchange, he’ll be sentenced to two years in prison and 10 years’ post-release supervision.
The defendant must register with state authorities as a sexual offender, and a full order of protection will be issued in the victim’s favor.
Prosecutors had originally offered the defendant a two-year sentence to plead guilty to the felony sex-abuse charge but withdrew the offer before the start of jury selection, said a source familiar with the case.
Rodriguez had shown no interest in the offer before Monday with jury selection underway, the source said.
The defendant also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of criminal contempt for violating an order of protection in a separate case in September 2018.
He will be sentenced to one year behind bars to run concurrently to the sex-abuse conviction.
The defendant will be sentenced on March 23 in state Supreme Court, St. George.
Rodriguez, who is not a U.S. citizen, could face deportation after serving his sentence.
Defense lawyer Michael Cirigliano declined comment on the cases.
Assistant District Attorney John Signoriello is prosecuting them. | 1 |
Brian Hoyer is back for Round 3.
According to the Boston Globe’s Jim McBride, the Patriots have reached an agreement with the journeyman quarterback who was released by the Colts last week.
Now 34 years old, Hoyer’s presence ensures Jarrett Stidham will be able to lean on a quarterback well-versed in the Patriots’ offense, and Hoyer could compete for the starting job, too.
Hoyer caught on with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and backed up Tom Brady for three seasons, then started games for the Cardinals, Browns, Texans, Bears and 49ers before returning to New England again.
Hoyer was behind Brady for two more seasons until Stidham beat him out for the backup position last August.
• The Patriots also reached an agreement with linebacker Brandon Copeland on a one-year deal. The 28-year-old spent the last two seasons with the New York Jets.
At 6-foot-3, 263 pounds, Copeland is an outside linebacker who started 10 games in 2018 and set career highs in sacks (five), quarterback hits (13) and tackles for loss (eight). Last season, Copeland was suspended the first four games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He made three starts, and had a career-high 42 tackles and 1½ sacks.
An undrafted free agent out of Penn, he played three seasons with the Lions before joining the Jets.
• Robert Kraft won’t soon forget what Tom Brady did for his franchise.
As such, the Patriots owner took out a full-page ad thanking the quarterback for in Sunday’s Tampa Bay Times. The headline reads “THANK YOU TOM”.
The message said:
For 20 amazing years you gave us everything you had. When you arrived as a sixth-round pick – and the best selection this franchise ever made – no one imagined how much you’d soon mean to an entire region. You now leave New England after two decades of dominance as the GOAT and forever a part of our family.
Your passion for the game, competitiveness and constant pursuit of excellence resulted in an unprecedented six Super Bowl victories, nine conference championships and 17 division titles. You’re now recognized as the greatest of all time for what you’ve accomplished on the field, but you’re an even better person. Thank you, Tom for your countless contributions to the New England Patriots, and we wish you and your beautiful family continued success. There will never be another Tom Brady.”
To the Buccaneers fans and Tampa Bay community – take care of him. You got a great one.
With much love and appreciation,
The Kraft family and the New England Patriots
JETS: Two people with direct knowledge of the contract say cornerback Pierre Desir has agreed to terms on a deal.
The 29-year-old defensive back spent the past three seasons with Indianapolis, where he had 161 tackles, five interceptions, 26 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 37 games, including 29 starts.
The Colts saved nearly $7 million on their salary cap for this season by releasing him on Saturday.
SEAHAWKS: Seattle continue to stockpile offensive linemen in free agency, agreeing to terms with former first-rounder Chance Warmack, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
Warmack has not played since 2018, when he appeared in nine games for Philadelphia. He sat out last season to reportedly get healthy after a series of injuries.
Warmack, 28, joins Seattle’s growing list of offensive linemen either already under contract or acquired during the early days of free agency. The Seahawks now have 14 offensive linemen, including the additions of free agents Warmack, B.J. Finney, Cedric Ogbuehi and Brandon Shell.
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Seahawks add OL Warmack
The Seattle Seahawks continue to stockpile offensive linemen in free agency, agreeing to terms with former first-rounder Chance Warmack on Sunday, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced by the team. Warmack has not played since 2018 when he appeared in nine games for Philadelphia. He sat out last season to reportedly get healthy after a series of injuries. Warmack, 28, was part of the 2013 draft class and was considered the best interior offensive lineman that year coming out of Alabama. He was drafted 10th overall by Tennessee and started 46 of 48 possible games his first three seasons for the Titans. But Warmack suffered a hand injury early in the 2016 season and played in just two games. The Titans opted not to pick up his fifth-year option and Warmack eventually signed with the Eagles, spending two seasons with Philadelphia. Warmack joins Seattle's growing list of offensive linemen either already under contract or acquired during the early days of free agency. The Seahawks have 14 offensive linemen either under contract or having agreed to terms for the upcoming season. That includes the additions of Warmack, B.J. Finney, Cedric Ogbuehi and Brandon Shell this week.
Jets, CB Desir reach deal
Two people with direct knowledge of the contract say the New York Jets and cornerback Pierre Desir have agreed to terms on a deal. One of the people tells The Associated Press the contract for the former Indianapolis Colts standout is for one year. Financial terms weren't immediately available. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Sunday because teams can't announce deals until they are officially signed. Desir was released by Colts on Saturday. The 29-year-old defensive back spent the past three seasons with Indianapolis, where he had 161 total tackles, 5 interceptions, 26 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 37 games, including 29 starts. Desir signed a three-year contract worth $22.5 million -- including $12 million guaranteed -- last March, but the Colts saved nearly $7 million on their salary cap for this season by releasing him.
TE Vannett now a Bronco
A person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press the Denver Broncos have agreed to a two-year free agent deal with former Seattle and Pittsburgh tight end Nick Vannett that's worth $5.7 million. At 6-6 and 261 pounds, Vannett will be Denver's biggest tight end, and while he's primarily built a reputation as a blocker, he did catch 29 passes for Seattle in 2018 and had a combined 17 receptions for the Seahawks and Steelers last season. He'll pair with 2019 first-round pick Noah Fant in the Broncos' two-tight end sets, and his addition could spell trouble for fellow Ohio State alum Jeff Heuerman, who's been plagued by injuries during his five-year career and is due nearly $4 million next season, none of which is guaranteed. Vannett was a third-round pick out of Ohio State by Seattle in 2016. Heuerman was a third-round pick by the Broncos a year earlier. In four seasons, Vannett has 61 catches for 591 yards and four touchdowns. Heuerman, who didn't play as a rookie because of a knee injury, has remarkably similar numbers in his four seasons of action: 63 catches for 678 yards and five touchdowns.
Bears, CB Burns agree to contract
Photo by FR155572 AP
Pierre Desir, right, of the Indianapolis Colts, and guest attend the 9th Annual NFL Honors at the Adrienne Arsht Center on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, in Miami. (Jeff Lewis/AP Images for NFL)
The Chicago Bears and cornerback Artie Burns agreed to a one-year contract, agent Drew Rosenhaus said. Drafted out of Miami by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 25 pick in 2016, Burns played in all 16 games each of his first three years before falling out of the rotation in 2019. He had three interceptions as a rookie, but played in just 10 games last season. The Bears had an opening after waiving cornerback Prince Amukamara last month.
Sports on 03/23/2020 | 3 |
The statement added that there was a " communitarian " bias to the discourses taking place with regard to the state.
Gago's theoretical framework encompasses a broad range of areas: microeconomics, transnational socioeconomic networks, communitarian ethics and surplus value, marginal neighborhoods, and clandestine textile workshops.
On this special occasion, the chief guest formally inaugurated 'The Young Communitarian of Indian Schools (YCIS)'.
THE shadow chancellor, John McDonnell's, communitarian approach to some of the former nationalised industries has much to commend it but, if anything, is too generous to shareholders.
The holiday is based on seven principles as a way to "reaffirm the communitarian vision and values of African culture and to contribute to its restoration among African peoples in the Diaspora, beginning with Africans in America and expanding to include the world African community," the official Kwanzaa website states.
They observe in the prologue the fact that most of the studies so far analyze Jewish life in the institutional framework of communitarian organizations and their political action, setting aside, or even rendering invisible, aspects of social and cultural history.
After this analysis, in the next couple of sections we delve deeper into the liberal and communitarian depictions of the self.
It is significant for the conclusions reached in this paper that diverse strands in social, political and moral thought, arising from very different locations on the political spectrum--such as Marxism (Ross, 2003) and traditional 'one-nation' conservatism (Scruton, 2001)--can be identified within communitarian thought.
The second, "The Philo-Semitic Reaction," by Segre ("a student of the Talmud who lives in Israel"), is an approximately 180-page piece that critically analyzes select texts from various 21st century intellectuals that have promoted a " communitarian " and "Jewish" perspective in support of the "struggle against anti-Semitism" and the "defense of Zionism." The goal of the analysis is to demonstrate that this ideological movement is not communitarian , but rather that it is a part of a larger reactionary imperialist ideology and that, as such, "it actually involves the betrayal of Jewish particularism."
In contrast, Part IV proposes a communitarian approach to the problems of global ill health. | Dear Editor,
Indians have always determined the outcome of general elections based not always on policies but by the virtue that they have been a majority population in Guyana where voters vote according to race and ethnicity. In the post-independence period, and from 1968 to 1992, Indians voted according to ethnic preference but that voting went to the then PNC through the rigging of elections during the aforesaid period. Indians’ votes inadvertently sustained the PNC in power, clandestinely. From 1992 to 2015, and even though the Indian population decreased due mainly to out-migration, their votes kept the PPP in power, although as a minority government from 2011 to 2015. The PPP became a minority government precisely because of the formation of the AFC in 2003 which gradually from that period began to attract Indian voters from the PPP. The 2015 general elections witnessed a substantial number of Indians, numbers which are difficult to pin down but large enough to allow the AFC now in the coalition with the PNC and other small parties named APNU to unseat the PPP. The middle-class Indians and their entourage helped, and if not single-handedly, provided the votes APNU needed to grab power. March 2, 2020, general election is the campaign for the swing votes, mainly of Indian extraction.
Africans and other ethnic groups including the mixed races also played an important role in determining the outcome of general elections analogous to Indians but somewhat differently. Like Indians, from 1968 to 1992 to 2015, Africans voted according to race and ethnicity, meaning that they also voted for their own kind to lead them. The difference, however, is that there has not been a noticeable crossing over of African voters from the PNC to the PPP and even to the AFC which was once seen as a mini-ethnic coalition but that sentiment eroded substantially. It is challenging to determine how many Africans, whether breaking away from PNC or joining independently, are in the AFC, which invariably is a moot point since that party has become PNC. Likewise, we notice the African leaders in the AFC but most of them are closet PNC supporters. The more the PPP challenged them the more they feel comfortable sitting on the lap of PNC, their prerogative. There is also one indisputable fact that will stay with us for a long time, and that is, do not expect an African to lead the PPP and likewise do not expect an Indian to lead APNU, reinforcing the thought that politics in Guyana is a racially and ethnically entrenched affair. A second layer of leadership has always been used to compensate for this deficiency.
The above dynamics will continue on March 2, 2020, general elections primarily because of the successful passage of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the current caretaker regime. The regime has repeatedly violated this constitutional mandate in accordance with the tenets of democracy, and in so doing, has created more divisions among the two major groups never seen before in Guyana. The campaigning has helped to cement the divisions. What has emerged from the regime’s resistance to NCM is a culture of defiance towards abiding with the basic expectations of fair governance, an experience that should not be overlooked. Expect more of this behaviour should the regime be defeated at the polls. Any change to race and ethnic voting patterns might occur in 2025 because of oil revenues.
Yours faithfully,
Lomarsh Roopnarine | 1 |
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry choosing not to bring baby Archie to the UK for their final royal engagements would be 'spiteful and inconsiderate', a former palace press secretary has claimed.
The Duke of Sussex, 35, is currently in Britain and embarking on his final week of official engagements, and is about to move into a post-royal career similar to that of his mother, the late Princess Diana following her separation from Prince Charles in 1992.
He has been staying at Frogmore Cottage, the couple's home on the Queen's Windsor estate.
Meghan is due to join him for the Endeavour Fund Awards tonight, which recognises wounded, injured or sick military personnel and veterans who have gone on to use sport and adventurous challenges as part of their recovery and rehabilitation.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry choosing not to bring baby Archie (pictured as a family in South Africa last year) to the UK for their final royal engagements would be 'spiteful and inconsiderate', a former palace press secretary has claimed
As yet the duchess is yet to arrive in the UK - and she is expected to be without Archie, who turns one in May.
Dickie Arbiter, a press spokesman for the Queen from 1988 until 2000, said it would be a 'great pity' if the couple didn't bring their son to spend time with his family.
'I'm sorry, there isn't an excuse for not bringing him. After all, he's got to meet his family, his family are not going to get a chance to see him for quite some time, because Harry and Meghan are going to be in Canada or the United States,' he told Nine News Australia.
'There's always the excuse, "Well he's too young to fly"; babies fly all the time, they flew Archie down to Southern Africa in October for that visit, so it wasn't too far to take him there, so I believe that they should bring him.'
Harry, pictured with Archie in Canada over Christmas, has been staying at Frogmore Cottage, the couple's home on the Queen's Windsor estate, while in the UK for his final engagements
Dickie said it would be a 'great pity' if the couple didn't bring Archie to spend time with his family including the Queen and Prince Philip
Asked if it was 'spiteful' not to bring him, Dickie replied: 'Well it is spiteful, it's inconsiderate as well, and the Queen is going to be 94 in April, she's not going to be with us much longer.
'Prince Philip is going to be 99 in June, he's not going to be here much longer. You've got to be practical, he was in hospital at Christmas, he looked pretty frail when he came out, and he's up at Sandringham, nobody's seen him, and he is frail.
'People do get frail at that age and it would be a great pity if Archie wasn't brought over so that his great-grandparents could see him.'
Philip, 98, was last pictured being driven onto the Royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk for a shooting party in January.
Meghan and Harry announced they were stepping down as senior members of the Royal Family in January, and are now planning to split their time between the UK and the US.
Given Meghan and Harry (pictured in January) brought Archie with them to South Africa, Dickie said there is 'no excuse' not to bring him to the UK
Dickie said Prince Philip, pictured leaving the King Edward VII Hospital in London just before Christmas, is 'not going to be here much longer' after he was seen looking 'frail'
Dickie said Meghan is 'certainly taking the lead in everything', while Harry is 'following along'.
The Sussexes will also attend the Mountbatten Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall, which see the Royal Marines showcase their musicianship and pageantry.
The festival takes places over two days - March 6 and March 7 - at the venue in London, with Harry expected to attend the Saturday evening performance.
This event will also be Harry's last engagement as Captain-General of the Royal Marines, before he loses this title as he steps down as a senior royal.
Meghan is expected to undertake an engagement to mark International Women's Day on March 8, although no specifics have yet been revealed.
William and Kate (left) with Harry and Meghan (right) at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2019
Meghan and Harry are set to attend the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey the following day, along with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Queen.
It will be the first time the Queen has seen Meghan since November last year when the couple travelled to Canada during their six week break.
At last year's event, Harry and Meghan were seated beside Prince Andrew, who has since left his royal duties after an interview about his paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein. | Advertisement
The Duke of Sussex waved to well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace this afternoon as he was driven away in a Range Rover following a series of internal meetings as he prepares to step down as a senior royal.
Prince Harry held discussions with his team as he waits for his wife Meghan to arrive in Britain imminently for their final round of engagements before they leave their role at the end of the month.
The Queen was also at the palace today as she carried out one-to-one audiences in her London residence with the Cuban Ambassador and President of Malta, although it is not clear whether the monarch spoke to Harry.
It is not clear whether Harry spoke to the Queen today, three days after they had a 'heart to heart' for four hours in her private apartments at Windsor Castle about his imminent departure from the Royal Family.
Harry is said to have requested the meeting, and the monarch - who last saw her grandson during their showdown at Sandringham in January after Harry broke the news that he and Meghan were quitting - was happy to agree.
The Duke of Sussex waves as he leaves Buckingham Palace this afternoon following internal meetings with his team
Prince Harry is driven away from Buckingham Palace in a Range Rover this afternoon as members of the public watch on
The Queen is believed to have told her grandson that she was keen to keep the door open for him and Meghan to return and stressed that he would be welcomed back from Canada at any time.
A source told the Daily Mail: 'Harry scheduled the meeting, he always tries to pop in and see her for tea when he's at Frogmore and she is at Windsor Castle.'
What are Harry and Meghan's engagements for the rest of March? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the Endeavour Fund Awards in London tomorrow night in one of their final engagements before stepping down as senior royals at the end of the month. Harry and Meghan will celebrate the achievements of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women who have taken part in sporting and adventure challenges over the last year. The following day, Harry will be at the official opening of the Silverstone Experience with motor-racing champion Lewis Hamilton. The couple will also attend the Mountbatten Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall on March 6 before Meghan undertakes an engagement for International Women’s Day on March 8. They will both attend the Commonwealth Service at the Royal Albert Hall the following day, where they will be reunited with Harry's brother Prince William and his wife Kate - who are currently on tour in Ireland. Despite quitting a senior royals, Harry is expected to attend the London Marathon in April in his capacity as patron. The Duke and Duchess will also attend the Invictus Games in Holland in May. Advertisement
Harry, who has always enjoyed a warm relationship with his grandmother, was apparently keen to 'clear the air' before he and Meghan formally step down as working royals on March 31.
He has been staying at Frogmore Cottage, the couple's home on the Queen's Windsor estate, since returning to the UK last week to undertake a handful of final official engagements.
He and Meghan have agreed to pay back £2.4million in taxpayer funds used to rebuild the property in light of their decision to relocate to North America.
It is understood that he and his grandmother shared a light lunch and tea as they discussed his future.
A royal source told The Sun: 'The Queen had a lot to talk to Harry about and this was the ideal time for them to both say their piece.'
The Queen was left deeply upset after Harry and Meghan decided to suddenly announce their plans to step down and move abroad in early January in an apparent effort to bounce the royal family into agreeing to their demands to retain the trappings of royal life, while pursuing independent commercial careers.
And the couple were taken aback when Buckingham Palace made clear its displeasure and insisted that Harry would have to relinquish his HRH title as a non working royal and hand back their official patronages and his military positions, as well as dropping their plans to market themselves as 'Sussex Royal'.
The source said: 'Sunday was the first time the Queen had the chance to talk to Harry on his own and really find out what his plans are. It was a much more relaxed environment and they were both able to speak their mind.'
The Queen meets President of Malta George Vella and his wife Miriam Vella during an audience at Buckingham Palace today
The Queen meets the Ambassador of Cuba Barbara Elena Montalvo Alvarez at an audience at Buckingham Palace today
The Mail has also reported that the Queen is 'very sad' that she sees so little of Harry and Meghan's son Archie, her great-grandson.
Harry and Meghan leave Canada House in London on January 7 - their most recent royal engagement together in Britain
The source added: 'It's fair to say she is very upset about him and Meghan leaving and she would love to see more of Archie, as would Prince Charles and the rest of the family.
'But she accepts at the moment that his mind is made up and he intends to live in North America.'
The meeting at the weekend was said to have been 'productive and positive'. One source said Harry was seen leaving 'deep in thought'.
Meghan is due in London to join Harry tomorrow for one of her last official jobs as a working HRH.
But the couple have decided to leave Archie in Canada, meaning his British family haven't seen him for more than four months.
At Buckingham Palace today, the Queen ditched her gloves as she carried out audiences - but will be following Government advice on washing hands amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The 93-year-old monarch unusually wore large white gloves at a Palace investiture for what was believed to be the first time on Tuesday, as she greeted more than 50 recipients.
But today, for her one-to-one audiences in her London residence, during which she never wears gloves, she was back to being bare-handed.
The Queen, dressed in a vibrant red dress, met President of Malta George Vella in the Palace's 1844 room. She also held an audience with Cuban Ambassador Barbara Montalvo Alvarez.
William and Kate (left) with Harry and Meghan (right) at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2019
The monarch shook hands with her guests, who were also without gloves. A royal source has previously said that Buckingham Palace is following Government advice.
It is therefore likely that the Queen will be helping to stop the spread of any germs by washing her hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, or using hand sanitiser, more often, and regularly throughout the day.
The royal family's social media accounts posted footage of the monarch greeting the Maltese president and his wife, Miriam.
Mr Vella can be heard telling the Queen he had 'always dreamt about' meeting her and 'at last it has happened'. 'Oh, that's very nice, isn't it,' the Queen remarks.
The Queen lived in Malta during the early years of her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh, when Philip was serving in the Navy.
An audience is a brief, one-on-one meeting with the Queen, and they happen regularly throughout her working week.
The majority are for members of the diplomatic community, though the Queen also welcomes political, religious and military leaders, and people who have won prestigious cultural prizes.
Audiences generally last approximately 15 to 20 minutes, and the conversations which take place are entirely private.
The Queen shakes hands with her guests, who are often accompanied by a close family member, usually a spouse.
If they are diplomats, they hand the Queen their credentials - their Letters of Credence or Letters of High Commission.
The Queen turns 94 next month, and the risk of more severe symptoms of the coronavirus is greater for the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions.
England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has said the death rate for people infected with coronavirus is 'significantly ramped up' among those over the age of 80.
William and Kate during a visit to the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research Centre at Grange in County Meath today
World Health Organisation director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has advised anyone over the age of 60 to avoid crowded areas.
Around the world, people are rejecting handshakes and refusing kisses in an attempt to reduce the spread of the disease.
A video widely shared showed people in China tapping their feet against one another - dubbed the 'Wuhan Shake' - as a hands-free greeting.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will continue to shake hands with people despite the outbreak of coronavirus.
PMs usually have an audience with the Queen each Wednesday, where they typically shake the monarch's hand.
The countdown to Megxit: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's last five engagements - including joining the Queen on Commonwealth Day - before their time as working royals ends on March 31
March 5: Endeavour Fund Awards (Harry and Meghan)
Harry and Meghan will tomorrow attend the Endeavour Fund Awards which recognises wounded, injured or sick military personnel and veterans who have gone on to use sport and adventurous challenges as part of their recovery and rehabilitation.
Harry has attended every ceremony since the inaugural one in 2017, which he went to with his brother William. He went to the event in 2018 and 2019 with Meghan.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pose with nominees and guests at the Endeavour Fund Awards at Drapers' Hall in London on February 7, 2019
The Endeavour Fund was led by his and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Royal Foundation which saw them step up the drive to help wounded service personnel.
The Fund has brought about programmes such as Climb2Recovery, led by former Royal Engineer Neil Heritage Team Endeavour Racing, which was started by former Infantryman Stu Croxford and carried on by Royal Engineer veteran Brian Seggie.
Harry speaks to guests at a reception for the Endeavour Fund at St James's Palace in 2015
It has also resulted in an expedition to Oman organised by a veteran Rifleman, Matt Fisher, which saw him and the team spend several days crossing the desert with Fund ambassador Levison Wood.
Harry has said of the Fund: 'I am continually amazed by the tenacity, fortitude and unshakable humour displayed by the men and women who sign up to run races, cross oceans, climb mountains or take on challenges few would even contemplate.'
March 6: Silverstone Experience (Harry)
The following day, Harry will join British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton at the official opening of the Silverstone Experience.
The much-anticipated museum - which the Duke has been backing for years - will tell the story of the past, present and future of British motor racing.
Prince Harry (right) meets racing drivers Jenson Button (left), Lewis Hamilton (second right) and former F1 World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart (second left) at Silverstone in July 2011
Harry official launched the project for the £19.3million visitor attraction in March 2018 and is the patron of the museum in Northamptonshire.
It was built inside a former Wellington bomber hanger located within the grounds of the track and officials hope it more than 500,000 people a year will visit.
Prince Harry, his cousin George McCorquodale and his mother Princess Diana are shown the workings of a Williams F1 car at Silverstone by driver David Coulthard in July 1994
Harry had promised it would be 'an exhilarating attraction, based here at the home of British motorsport and I'm sure it will help to engage children in engineering'.
Harry is a big F1 fan, and congratulated Hamilton on his title win in November 2014 by telling him on the radio: 'Lewis, you're an absolute legend. Well done mate.'
March 7: Mountbatten Music Festival (Harry and Meghan)
The couple will also attend the Mountbatten Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall, which see the Royal Marines showcase their musicianship and pageantry.
The festival takes places over two days - March 6 and March 7 - at the venue in London, with Harry expected to attend the Saturday evening performance.
The Duke of Sussex at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2019
Last year's concert saw the Marine bands performed a range of different songs, including versions of popular hits by Take That and the Greatest Showman.
The 2019 event also marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day. All proceeds from the concert this year will again go to The Royal Marines Charity and CLIC Sargent.
The Massed Bands of the Royal Marines perform at the Mountbatten Festival of Music last year
This event will also be Harry's last engagement as Captain-General of the Royal Marines, before he loses this title as he steps down as a senior royal.
The couple will continue to be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as by the Earl and Countess of Dumbarton and the Baron and Baroness of Kilkeel.
March 8: International Women's Day (Meghan)
Meghan is expected to undertake an engagement to mark International Women's Day on March 8, although no specifics have yet been revealed.
Speaking on a panel to mark International Women's Day last year, she said she would like her first child to be a feminist, regardless of whether they are a girl or a boy.
Meghan speaks at a panel in London in March 2019 with model Adwoa Aboah (left) and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (right) to mark International Women's Day last year
Speaking on a panel to mark International Women's Day, Meghan said she had recently been watching a documentary on feminism.
She told an audience at King's College London last March: 'One of the things they said during pregnancy was 'I feel the embryonic kicking of feminism'.'
In March 2018, Harry and Meghan took part in an International Women's Day event in Birmingham to encourage young women to pursue careers in Stem subjects
Meghan has spoken about how noticed during a school assignment that an advert for a dishwashing detergent suggested women do all the cleaning.
She complained about it in a letter to Proctor and Gamble when she was aged just 11, and the firm responded by changing a line in the advert.
In 2018, Harry and Meghan took part in an International Women's Day event in Birmingham to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects.
March 9: Commonwealth Service (Harry and Meghan)
Harry and Meghan will both attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey the next day with the Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family.
Earlier this month it was revealed that the Queen had requested that Harry and Meghan attend the annual service with the rest of the royals.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (left) with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (right) as they attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on March 11 last year
The event will likely see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reunite with Prince William and Kate, a year after they were pictured smiling together at the 2019 service.
But the Sussexes have severed professional ties with the Cambridges by pulling out of the Kensington Palace household and their joint charitable foundation.
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive for the Commonwealth Day service in London in March 2019
At last year's event, Harry and Meghan were seated beside Prince Andrew, who has left his royal duties after an interview about his paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein.
The 2019 service included performances by the Dhol Foundation drummers, Clean Bandit, William Barton on the didgeridoo, tenor Alfie Boe and the B Positive choir.
Commonwealth Day has been celebrated since 1977 annually on the second Monday in March, celebrating the historic ties Britain has with the 53 other countries. | 3 |
A number of conservative groups are pushing the FCC to free up spectrum in the 6 GHz band, saying it is underutilized and the risks to incumbents overstated.
The commission under FCC chair Ajit Pai has proposed allowing dynamic sharing of the band between incumbents, including licensed broadcast ENG users and utilities, and unlicensed users.
Related: Broadcast, Cable Square Off Over 6 GHz
"By opening the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use, the FCC would enable massive technological innovation by designating a highly underutilized portion of radio spectrum for wider and more efficient use," they wrote Ajit Pai Friday (Feb. 14).
They opened the letter with something of a valentine to the chairman, saying that under his leadership the country could "soon see tremendous technological and economic rewards."
Broadcasters and utility companies have warned about interference to their licensed uses, but the groups say that there are "too many benefits to opening up this valuable spectrum to take these extreme warnings at face value."
Computer companies want the FCC to free up the entire 1200 MHz of 6 GHz spectrum, while broadcasters say the FCC can free up some, but should not let unlicensed users share the ENG band.
The conservative groups are clearly in the former camp. "Although some incumbent users of the 6 GHz spectrum paint a bleak and fearsome picture of sharing this spectrum, technology already successfully in use can enable coexistence in the band." | FCC chair Ajit Pai urged internet providers to lower costs and boost speeds given that the coronavirus is likely to drive more people online to work and study and get healthcare, according to The Wall Street Journal.
That came in conference calls with industry representatives Thursday (March 12).
An FCC spokesperson confirmed the calls--as did a source familiar with them--and said that more details would be coming out Friday.
Pai wants broadband providers to hold off on disconnections, provide billing relief and open up WiFi hot spots for free.
Comcast was getting ahead of the issue Thursday, announcing that it was offering 60 days of free broadband access to low-income homes, providing free equipment, and boosting speeds.
In addition, NCTA-The National Cable & Telecommunications Association, said Thursday its members were exploring ways to expand initiatives and develop new strategies to meet the moment. | 1 |
Amy Klobuchar trails top four candidates with more than half of precincts reporting
Show Caption Hide Caption Iowa caucus delays: Candidates give speeches despite lack of results With no winner declared on the night of the Democratic Iowa caucuses amid delays, the candidates still gave speeches. The Register and USA TODAY, Des Moines Register
After a nearly 24-hour wait for caucus results because of reporting delays within the Iowa Democratic Party, partial results showed U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in fifth place in the race for state delegates, with 62% of precincts reporting by 6 p.m. Tuesday.
"I think I spent the least (money) on TV of all of the top eight candidates in the race, and the fact that we've been consistently in the top five … I think that's a real win for me," Klobuchar told reporters in Johnston before the caucuses began Monday.
Residents of two precincts filed into Johnston Middle School more than an hour before the caucuses started. Volunteers rang a cowbell each time a new Democrat registered to vote, eliciting waves of cheers through the main hallway.
Right at 7 p.m., as caucuses began in two separate gyms, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar arrived and quickly did a live television interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
Her staffers then whisked her into the bigger gym, where a few hundred residents sat in the bleachers.
"What unites us is bigger than what divides us," Klobuchar told the caucusgoers of Johnston's 2nd precinct. "I hope you all know that in this room — that the most important thing is that we win in the general election."
Klobuchar later won that precinct thanks to strong second-choice support.
Since announcing her candidacy in February 2019, the Minnesota senator made more than 30 trips to Iowa and is the only remaining Democratic candidate to have toured each of Iowa’s 99 counties.
She held more Iowa events than anyone who qualified for the CNN/Des Moines Register Democratic Presidential Debate in January.
Hundreds of supporters chanted "Amy! Amy!" as the Minnesota senator appeared at her post-caucus "victory" party at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown.
She first acknowledged delays in reporting from precinct sites — just 33 of 1,765 Iowa precincts had reported results by the time she took the stage at 10:30 p.m.
A spokesperson for the Iowa Democratic Party said Monday night that there were “inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results" that "will simply take time" to validate. The party was using preference cards and photos to do so, a statement said.
"We know there’s delays, but we know one thing — we are punching above our weight," Klobuchar said at the Marriott. "We are going to be here, it looks like, a really long time tonight. But let’s stay in a good spirit!
"Even during the well-earned impeachment trail of Donald Trump, we kept fighting and you kept fighting for me."
When closing arguments kept her in Washington, D.C, for most of Caucus Day, her husband and daughter listened on the radio while delivering glazed donuts to canvassers in Des Moines.
"We started in a blizzard and a lot of people didn't predict I'd finish that speech," she joked Monday night, then said she continued to beat expectations. "In the summer, they kept saying, 'Is she going to make it through the summer?' Then debate, after debate, after debate. All I can say is, we are here and we are strong."
Klobuchar's campaign manager, Justin Buoen, reacted to the partial results early Monday night, calling it a "five-person race."
"Some of Amy's strongest counties haven't been fully reported and the current data doesn't tell the full story," Buoen tweeted. "We're in a virtual tie with (former Vice President Joe Biden) and we look forward to making our case in New Hampshire."
Klobuchar caucus adviser Norm Sterzenbach, the former executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party, shared support for the party volunteers on Tuesday as the country awaited results.
He tweeted that "… despite any issues with the technology, countless volunteers across this state worked incredibly hard to put on the best caucus they could. They performed admirably and deserve our gratitude."
Klobuchar won more endorsements from Iowa lawmakers than the other candidates. Eighteen state senators and representatives backed her campaign, including Rep. Andy McKean of Anamosa — who was the longest-serving Republican in the legislature until he switched parties last year.
Her support grew slightly in the months before the caucuses. In Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Polls in November and early January, 6% of likely Democratic caucusgoers said she was their first choice.
Shelby Fleig covers Des Moines' western suburbs for the Register. Reach her at shelbyfleig@dmreg.com or 515-214-8933.
Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal. | As Iowa caucus unfolds, Amy Klobuchar urges Democrats to remember 'what unites us'
Show Caption Hide Caption Amy Klobuchar tells caucus-goers she wants 'blue wall' around Iowa Amy Klobuchar made an appearance at Johnston's second precinct, at the middle school, to speak on her own behalf. Chad Leistikow, cleistik@dmreg.com
At 7 p.m. as the caucuses began, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar arrived at Johnston Middle School where she did a live television interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow.
Her staffers then whisked her into a large gym, where a couple hundred residents sat in the bleachers, many wearing the colors of their favorite candidates' campaigns.
"What unites us is bigger than what divides us," Klobuchar told the group. "I hope you all know that in this room — that the most important thing is that we win in the general election."
Supporters of several candidates cheered her points on party unity during the three-minute speech.
After speaking to another precinct in a smaller gym, and another live interview with NBC’s Chuck Todd, Klobuchar got back on her green tour bus. Later Monday night, Klobuchar won one of the two Johnston precincts where she spoke, thanks to strong second-choice support.
A couple hundred supporters chanted "Amy! Amy!" as the Minnesota senator took the stage at her post-caucus "victory" party at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown.
She first acknowledged delays in reporting from precinct sites — just 34 of 1,765 Iowa precincts had reported results by the time she took the stage at 10:30 p.m.
A spokesperson for the Iowa Democratic Party said in a statement Monday night that there were “inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results" that "will simply take time" to validate. The party is using preference cards and photos to do so, the statement said.
"We know there’s delays, but we know one thing — we are punching above our weight," Klobuchar said. "We are going to be here, it looks like, a really long time tonight. But let’s stay in a good spirit!"
Since announcing her candidacy in February 2019, the Minnesota senator has made more than 30 trips to Iowa and is the only remaining Democratic candidate to have toured each of Iowa’s 99 counties. She held more Iowa events than anyone who qualified for the CNN/Des Moines Register Democratic Presidential Debate in January.
As soon as President Donald Trump's legal team finished opening arguments in his impeachment trial last week, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar flew to Iowa.
The impromptu appearance — a sign of Klobuchar's all-in-on-Iowa mindset less than a week before the caucuses — brought nearly 200 people to a Council Bluffs bar. She returned to Washington, D.C., the same night.
"We are really focused … on getting everywhere in Iowa and to make the point that you win by meeting people," Klobuchar said at a Forest City house party in November. "You win by meeting each voter one at a time."
A couple dozen people have crowded onto @amyklobuchar’s campaign bus, which is now parked outside the county courthouse in Rockwell City. Her staff is handing out hot cocoa to everyone and they’re all just chatting. pic.twitter.com/APYh4dTpBi — Brianne Pfannenstiel (@brianneDMR) December 23, 2019
She earned 18 endorsements from Iowa lawmakers, including Rep. Andy McKean of Anamosa, who was the longest-serving Republican in the legislature until he switched parties last year.
"Amy has shown over the years that she has strong support not only from Democrats but also strong support from independents and moderate Republicans," McKean said last year. "That's what we need if we're going to be winning in November."
Voter guide: Don’t have a lot of time? Find FAQs on the key issues and where the candidates stand and more to make your vote matter.
Klobuchar grew her support in the Iowa Statehouse after U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris and former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke ended their campaigns.
Iowa Democratic Reps. Chris Hall of Sioux City, who backed O’Rourke; Monica Kurth of Davenport, who backed Booker; and Ross Wilburn of Ames, who supported Harris; all recently endorsed Klobuchar.
Despite the bevy of endorsements, Klobuchar has lagged behind four frontrunners — U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren; former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former Vice President Joe Biden — in the months before the caucuses.
She was in fifth place in a Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll in November and January, with 6% of likely Democratic caucusgoers naming her their first choice in each poll.
Iowa caucus: 10 questions that will be answered on caucus night
She also has struggled to appeal to young Iowans. In the early January Iowa Poll, she gained favorable ratings with older likely Democratic caucusgoers, including 69% of women age 55 and older.
But just 32% of caucusgoers younger than 35 said they view her favorably.
When the impeachment trial kept Klobuchar in Washington, she deployed her husband, John; and daughter Abigail Bessler; Minnesota politicians; and U.S. Olympic gold medal curling coach Phill Drobnick; to Iowa on her behalf.
In the past two weeks, she hosted three tele-town halls that reached more than 35,000 Iowans, her campaign manager, Justin Buoen, said last week at a Bloomberg News reporter roundtable in Des Moines.
As Klobuchar sat in the impeachment trial Monday morning, her husband and daughter listened to the closing arguments on the radio while delivering glazed donuts to canvassers in Des Moines.
"The last push here is to get people out to the caucuses," John Bessler told reporters Monday.
He predicted that "the fact that Amy showed up" in rural counties will make her viable in smaller precincts across the state, which is critical to picking up state delegate equivalents.
"We're putting hangers on doorknobs, we're making phone calls, we're doing all the things you'd expect in the last stage of the campaign here in Iowa," he said. "I'm going to do whatever they ask me to do!"
In a year of campaigning in Iowa, Klobuchar lived out the title of her memoir, "The Senator Next Door." She brought her favorite hotdish across the border, celebrated Thanksgiving in Des Moines, and repeatedly joked that she "can see Iowa from my porch."
Some Iowans she met during marathon bus tours became part of her stump speeches and debate rebuttals.
In October in Crawfordsville, Klobuchar mournfully scanned a rack of navy blue work uniforms at W2 Fuel, a closed biofuels plant, reading aloud the names of the laid-off workers embroidered on the shirts.
She recited them — "Derek, Mark, Salvador" — three months later at the debate in Des Moines while criticizing the Trump administration for granting waivers to large oil companies that exempt them from ethanol mandates.
"I am going to be able to stand across from (Trump) on that debate stage and say to my friends in Iowa, 'The Midwest is not flyover country for me; I live here,'" Klobuchar said in January. "I'm going to be able to look at him and say, ‘You've treated these workers and farmers like poker chips. For me, these are my friends, and these are my neighbors.'"
Candidates on the issues: Find out how the 2020 presidential candidates plan to tackle healthcare, climate change, gun violence and more.
Shelby Fleig covers Des Moines' western suburbs for the Register. Reach her at shelbyfleig@dmreg.com or 515-214-8933.
Your subscription makes work like this possible. Subscribe today at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal. | 3.5 |
A nurse on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis has hit out after an angry driver put a threatening note on her car in a row about parking.
The NHS employee had just finished a gruelling 12-hour shift at Royal Stoke University Hospital when she discovered the bit of paper tucked under her windscreen wiper.
A disgruntled motorist had placed it there last Thursday when the rest of the country was clapping the NHS in a national show of gratitude.
But when the nurse went out to her car work, she saw the note, which read in capital letters: ''How f***ing stupid and dangerouse (sic) parking here do it again you will be sorry!!!!!'
She left a scathing response, saying: 'Whilst most people were out clapping for the NHS, you were writing this.
A NHS nurse from Stoke had just finished a gruelling 12-hour shift at Royal Stoke University Hospital when she discovered this bit of paper tucked under her windscreen wiper
'I am a nurse and working long hours in this very stressful time. Please choose your words wisely.
'Every evening I have arrived home from work this week there has been nowhere for me to park as most people are staying at home.
'This note has been reported and I ask all of my neighbours to please look out for anyone acting suspicious around my car,
'This note is shameful in any circumstance but even more so at a time like this.'
The reply was then finished with #bekind.
Zoe Lynch, who also had a copy of the abusive note put through her letter box, said: 'The sweary and threatening note was stuck on the nurse's car after she had got home and parked after a 12-hour shift.
'When she went to go to work the next morning that was on her windscreen.
'She then went to do another 12-hour shift and wrote up the her reply and put them through the doors of every house on Fenpark Road to let us all know how awful it was and ask if we can keep an eye out for her.
She left a scathing response, saying: 'Whilst most people were out clapping for the NHS, you were writing this.'
'With everything that's going on right now, this is appalling. Parking isn't great on our street but it ever has been.
'To have this put on this wonderful nurse's car when she got home from looking after people just blows my mind.'
One residents said: 'We have lived on Fenpark Road for 30 years and it has become increasingly difficult to park - sometimes we park in a different street.
'However, this is despicable. For someone to put this note on a hard-working member of the NHS who is already under a lot of stress working 10 or more hours a day then coming home and can't even get anywhere near her home.
'Please can people think before they write such threatening notes.'
Another resident added: 'Best of it is, the car itself even has an NHS UHNM (University Hospitals of North Midlands) parking pass in the window.
'I went and checked after I saw the read the letter to acquaint myself with the car.
'It is tonight parked safely and securely. I don't know if she or he will read this or not, but if you do, rest assured that you do have some friends in your neighbours in the street.' | Sign up to FREE email alerts from Daily Record - daily Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email
Kindness often shines through in the face of adversity.
And workers at Perth Agrii wasted little time in deciding to donate 100 respiratory masks to the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.
Depot manager John Kaylor revealed his team was inspired by the ‘Clap for Carers’ tribute last Thursday and wanted to play a part in any way possible.
The tribute witnessed people across Perthshire and beyond join forces at 8pm to applaud the NHS and all those who are dealing with the unprecedented pandemic.
It proved to be an emotional sight and Mr Kaylor was determined to help out. The masks were picked up on Friday and delivered to Perth Royal Infirmary.
“It is not a lot but every little bit helps and hopefully it encourages other companies to donate something,” Mr Kaylor explained to the Perthshire Advertiser.
“We thought about doing this after Thursday night. Everyone was out clapping for the NHS.
“It brought a tear to the eye when doing it and you could hear everybody in the street.
“That gave us inspiration to do something. It got me thinking that we had the masks and that they could be donated to Perth Royal Infirmary.
“If everybody donates something, it all adds up.”
Agrii, a leading provider of agronomy services, technology and strategic advice to farmers across the UK, is playing a pivotal role in the coronavirus cause.
It is continuing to provide farmers with the fertilizer and nutrients required to grow crops, which in turn helps keep supermarkets and shops stocked up.
“We are working on the frontline every day supplying the farmers,” added Mr Kaylor. “We know what it is like for all the people working every day at the moment.
“But this is just our job and we have got to do it. Everybody at work is getting on with it and being as safe as we possibly can.”
The NHS, who are working courageously to deal with the coronavirus crisis, thanked Agrii for donating the masks and highlighted the strong community spirit on show.
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “We would like to thank Agrii Perth for its support. We appreciate the community coming together at this challenging time.” | 2 |
A LARGE crowd attended the Landmark Boyanup store cattle sale last week where more than 1200 cattle were offered.
Signs of condition slipping was evident on some younger animals but this did not deter buyers.
Values were at least equal to last month's fixture, and in some cases dearer.
The clerking sheets were dominated by a few regular buyers, none more so than Landmark Waroona agent Richard Pollock, who put together more than 500 cattle for his clients.
Liveweight Friesian steers topped at $1237 to be equal.
Liveweight beef steers reached $1498 and 344c/kg to see a fair lift for these, while beef heifers were barely equal but saw a high of $1351 paid for a heavy older animal with 278c/kg the top paid.
Appraisal Friesian and beef steers sold to $840 and $910 respectively.
The buyer of the day was Landmark Waroona agent Richard Pollock, (right) catching up with him before the sale were Myles Hewett (left), Coolup and Joe Fiorenza, Hamel.
Just two pens of young first-cross females were penned with both selling at $650.
Mated cows attracted competition to sell up to $1460, while one cow and calf unit went for $800.
The first run of liveweight Friesian steers all sold for more than $1000, with the top of $1237 paid for eight weighing 595kg from PM Liedermoy, Busselton, when one of the many pens bought by Greg Jones, for his many orders.
Mr Jones paid $1190 and $1150 for other lines from this vendor.
Steve Italiano (centre), Brunswick, caught up with Justin (left) and Mark Harris, Dardanup, on the rail.
Seven head weighing 594kg opened the sale with these making 200c/kg and $1188 for AT & MM Logiudice while their next pen went for $1178 and 204c/kg.
The top of 230c/kg went to nine steers averaging 456kg from P Selvj, costing Landmark Brunswick agent Errol Gardiner $1049.
Two pens of seven Montebeliard steers from M Tosano, Mullayup, appealed to John Gallop, buying them for Kookabrook Livestock at $1439 and $1423, both at 268c/kg.
Six Angus cross steers from this draft sold for $1421, also clerked to Kookabrook.
The top price of $1498 for beef steers went to two Murray Grey weighing 555kg from PM Leidermoy when Westcoast Wool & Livestock South West representative Hayden Ballantyne, outlasted the opposition when bidding to 270c/kg, also paying $1371 for three steers from K & M Taylor, Capel.
Rodney Galati started his buying with 10 Angus from K & S Prowse, Harvey, with the 416kg steers costing $1131 at 272c/kg.
Later Mr Galati added seven steers sold account M Tosano for $1350 when the 482kg cattle made 280c/kg.
Gavin Watt, Treeton, was the main lotfeeder active included in purchases were two grey steers from C & R Cherubino for $1108 and 288c/kg, followed by two Limousin cross weighing 442kg sold by EP & DK Gardiner for $1265 and 286c/kg.
As the weights lowered, Mr Pollock started his domination, taking numerous pens to a top of $1113, paid for eight steers weighing 343kg at 324c/kg sold by G Tassos & Co.
The top of 344c/kg went to a pen of 14 black steers trucked to the sale for TV & GP Salmeri, Boddington, with the 264kg steers costing Caris Park Grazing, $910.
The heifers started with a single grey female weighing 545kg making $1351 at 248c/kg when bought for Caris Park Grazing.
Two of the volume buyers had the calculator out at the sale, Gavin Watt (left), Treeton and Landmark Brunswick agent Errol Gardiner.
Landmark Margaret River agent Jock Embry added extra competition on lighter weights, securing several lines for clients, paying up to 258c/kg.
The top of 278c/kg was shared between a pen of seven Murray Grey heifers weighing 375kg from Bondfield Farms that cost GJ & J Watt, $1044.
Mr Galati later also bid to 278c/kg for 12 Limousin cross from EP & DK Gardiner weighing 296kg, returning $823.
Selling nine pens of lightweight Angus heifers, AR & GR Fawcett, received a top of $639, with one of the lighter pens making 262c/kg.
A small number of lines of both beef and Friesian steers selling appraisal saw the beef top at $910, paid by Wayne Hams, Landmark Busselton, for five steers from C & R Cherubino.
The next highest was three steers sold by RJ & BL Mazza that joined those for $800.
A line of 14 Friesian steers sold by M & S Kirkham were bought by Mr Pollock for the top of $840, with another 12 joining them for $650.
Bramley Dairy Trust saw its 10 steers sell for $655, also heading for Waroona when bought by Mr Pollock.
Five bucket-reared Angus cross heifers from GP Papalia made $650 as did two sold by TW Cooper, with both going to Mr Pollock.
Altham Pastoral, Busselton, were after mated cows, taking the top pen of four Murray Grey sold by BE Kurz, Donnybrook, at $1460, then adding another four at $1300 before securing five sold account TR Purnell at $1240.
Just the one cow and calf were sold, making $800 for Perivale Orchard when bought for Phil Scott. | Pearl Lorentzen
Lakeside Leader
‘Thriving in Business’, on February 12, was one of the last in-person events in Slave Lake, for a while. It was the reveal of the Slave Lake Business Survey and an economic development talk, by Ken Coates.
“The information in the survey is based on how the businesses feel the community supports them,” says Josh Friesen, Community Futures Executive-Director. Once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, the survey has information to “pave the way for a new future for the town.”
The pandemic itself is horrible, he adds, but “it gives us opportunities to reflect on better ways to do business.”
Coates spoke about 12 reasons people in rural areas should be more scared, 12 reasons they should be excited, and 12 ways they can compete in the global economy. There’s a global decline in rural areas was one of the negatives. Two of the exciting prospects were the empowerment of Indigenous Canadians and new opportunities for self-sufficiency.
Three suggests for economic development are change the story, suggest practical innovative solutions, and understand what young professionals look for in a community.
The survey and labour solutions event was put on by Community Futures, Slave Lake and District Chamber of Commerce, and the Town of Slave Lake.
There were around 35 people at the event and over 500 people have viewed the video of Coate’s speech online.
It was bad timing, says Kimberley Hughes, Slave Lake and District Chamber of Commerce Executive-Director, but “the right people were there.” She continues, the event sparked some ideas, and the feedback has been positive.
The launch was supposed to be the first event in a series of labour solutions events, but these have been postponed due to COVID-19. Community Futures physical office is closed, but open for business via phone or email.
The Chamber of Commerce is closely monitoring the situation of the trade show and Riverboat Daze, which are in May and July respectively.
Some of the attendees at the Slave Lake labour survey reveal on March 12. This was one of the last in-person events to be held in Slave Lake for the next while. | 1 |
The October 1 deadline for "Real ID" compliant identification at TSA checkpoints is delayed again, President Donald Trump said Monday.
All states but three have updated their ID cards to comply with the 14-year old law.
The new deadline will be October 2021, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday.
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The October 1 deadline for Americans to obtain a "real ID" in order to pass through airport security checkpoints has been delayed yet again, President Donald Trump announced Monday evening.
"At a time when we're asking Americans to maintain social distancing, we do [not] want to require people to go with their local DMV.," he said. "We will be announcing the new deadline very soon. It's going to be announced in a very short moment."
On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security said the new deadline would be October 2021, a year later then previously expected.
"Due to circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the national emergency declaration, the Department of Homeland Security, as directed by President Donald J. Trump, is extending the REAL ID enforcement deadline beyond the current October 1, 2020 deadline," acting secretary Chad Wolf said in a press release.
"I have determined that states require a twelve-month delay and that the new deadline for REAL ID enforcement is October 1, 2021. DHS will publish a notice of the new deadline in the Federal Register in the coming days."
Earlier in March, members of Congress urged the Department of Homeland Security to consider extending the deadline.
"For implementation to go smoothly, DHS would need tens of millions of Americans to get new identifications over the next several months," reps Peter DeFazio and Bennie Thompson said in a statement, per Bloomberg News. "Creating lines at Departments of Motor Vehicles would be foolish during a pandemic."
The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 as a way to establish federal standards for state identification cards. Nearly 15 years later, the complete implementation by the Department of Homeland Security has been pushed back yet again.
By October 1, all travelers were supposed to have compliant identification, either in the form of a state ID or drivers license, or passport, passport card, or military ID. That deadline followed other implementations, like accessing DHS headquarters, federal facilities, and nuclear power plants. The deadline for air travel had already been delayed at least once before, in 2017.
Some states, however, still do not have IDs that comply with the act. Oregon and Oklahoma have been granted extensions, according to DHS, with New Jersey's currently under review.
More than 69,000 Americans had been confirmed to be infected by the coronavirus Thursday, as testing accelerating throughout the country. | President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for residents to obtain a REAL ID. He made the decision in a White House briefing on Monday. The move comes as a direct result of COVID-19 concerns.
The President said: “I’m also announcing that we’re postponing the deadline for compliance with REAL ID requirements. At a time when we’re asking Americans to maintain social distancing, we don’t want to require people to go with their local DMV. We will be announcing the new deadline very soon. It’s going to be announced in a very short moment.”
Last week, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio of Oregon and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi advised against requiring people to wait in a crowded waiting room for hours.
In a joint statement, they said: “For implementation to go smoothly, the Department of Homeland Security would need tens of millions of Americans to get new identifications over the next several months. Creating lines at Departments of Motor Vehicles would be foolish during a pandemic.”
A REAL ID, or REAL ID-compliant identification, will eventually be required to board a domestic flight or enter a federal building in the U.S..
The Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles provides an online guide to know which documents are required to apply for a REAL ID, and they advise that everyone prepare, as the application must be done in-person. | 4 |
Accenture to Acquire Cloud Sherpas, Accelerating Its Cloud First Agenda
Acquisition will significantly expand Accenture’s talent and capabilities in enterprise cloud services
Founded in 2007, Cloud Sherpas has grown from start-up to a global cloud advisory and technology services leader, providing cloud strategy, implementation and integration services to thousands of clients around the globe. Today, Cloud Sherpas is one of the top cloud service providers for Google, Salesforce and ServiceNow. They are a Salesforce Global Strategic Consulting Partner, one of only four ServiceNow Master Partners and a four-time Google for Work Partner of the Year.
Accenture was one of the first global companies to establish a strategic alliance partnership with Salesforce and today has leading capabilities in Salesforce with more than 2,700 unique certified professionals. After combining with Cloud Sherpas, Accenture will add another 500 certified professionals to its team.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Completion of the acquisition is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Goldman Sachs & Co. is acting as financial adviser to Accenture with regard to the transaction.
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 336,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$30.0 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014. Its home page is www.accenture.com Accenture is a leader in helping organizations move to the cloud to take advantage of a new era of service delivery and flexibility, where applications, infrastructure and business processes are brought together and delivered As-a-Service. Accenture’s Cloud First agenda offers comprehensive, industry-focused cloud services including strategy, implementation, migration and managed services, and assets including the Accenture Cloud Platform, that can drive broader transformational programs for clients. Accenture has worked on more than 13,000 cloud computing projects for clients, including three-quarters of the Fortune Global 100, and has more than 17,000 professionals trained in cloud computing.Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “positioned,” “outlook” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These include, without limitation, risks that: the company and Cloud Sherpas will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties’ ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for the company; the company’s results of operations could be adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company’s clients’ businesses and levels of business activity; the company’s business depends on generating and maintaining ongoing, profitable client demand for the company’s services and solutions, and a significant reduction in such demand could materially affect the company’s results of operations; if the company is unable to keep its supply of skills and resources in balance with client demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership skills, the company’s business, the utilization rate of the company’s professionals and the company’s results of operations may be materially adversely affected; the markets in which the company competes are highly competitive, and the company might not be able to compete effectively; the company could have liability or the company’s reputation could be damaged if the company fails to protect client and/or company data or information systems as obligated by law or contract or if the company’s information systems are breached; the company’s results of operations and ability to grow could be materially negatively affected if the company cannot adapt and expand its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings by new entrants; the company’s results of operations could materially suffer if the company is not able to obtain sufficient pricing to enable it to meet its profitability expectations; if the company does not accurately anticipate the cost, risk and complexity of performing its work or if the third parties upon whom it relies do not meet their commitments, then the company’s contracts could have delivery inefficiencies and be less profitable than expected or unprofitable; the company’s results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the company’s profitability could suffer if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful, and the company may not be able to improve its profitability through improvements to cost-management to the degree it has done in the past; the company’s business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; the company’s work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; the company might not be successful at identifying, acquiring or integrating businesses or entering into joint ventures; the company’s Global Delivery Network is increasingly concentrated in India and the Philippines, which may expose it to operational risks; changes in the company’s level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in the company’s treatment as an Irish company, could have a material adverse effect on the company’s results of operations and financial condition; as a result of the company’s geographically diverse operations and its growth strategy to continue geographic expansion, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; adverse changes to the company’s relationships with key alliance partners or in the business of its key alliance partners could adversely affect the company’s results of operations; the company’s services or solutions could infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company might lose its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others; if the company is unable to protect its intellectual property rights from unauthorized use or infringement by third parties, its business could be adversely affected; the company’s ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; many of the company’s contracts include payments that link some of its fees to the attainment of performance or business targets and/or require the company to meet specific service levels, which could increase the variability of the company’s revenues and impact its margins; if the company is unable to collect its receivables or unbilled services, the company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected; if the company is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; the company’s share price and results of operations could fluctuate and be difficult to predict; the company’s results of operations and share price could be adversely affected if it is unable to maintain effective internal controls; any changes to the estimates and assumptions that the company makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; the company may be subject to criticism and negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the “Risk Factors” heading in Accenture plc’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture’s expectations. | If you already subscribe to our print edition, sign up for FREE access to our online edition. Thanks for reading The Henderson News. | 1 |
Gov. Kay Ivey's gambling study group assembles for 1st meeting
If it wasn't clear beforehand, the members of a group formed by Gov. Kay Ivey to study gambling likely understand the thicket of legal and political questions ahead of them after a meeting on Thursday.
The Governor's Study Group on Gambling Policy assembled for its first gathering to sign ethics pledges and hear a lengthy presentation from the governor's office about current gambling law in the state.
The group is, in Ivey's words, charged with gathering the "facts" about gambling in Alabama — what's here; what's in other states, and the pluses and minuses of bringing what's there here.
"The question is, what revenues have these states seen?" said Erica McKay, deputy general counsel for the governor's office. "And what benefits and costs have these states seen?"
The panel includes former U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin and former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jim Main. Former Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange, who is chairing the group, said he believed the groups purpose was to look beyond the current laws to assess the potential impact of expanded gambling.
"It’s not so much worrying about what the law says today as what we think is the best benefit for the state of Alabama," he said.
Alabama's constitution bans most forms of gambling in the absence of local amendments authorizing it, and the state is one of a handful that does not have a lottery. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, a federally-recognized tribe operating under federal law, runs casinos in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka that offer electronic bingo. Dog tracks such as VictoryLand in Macon County and GreeneTrack in Greene County also offer electronic bingo, though the Alabama Supreme Court has read the local amendments very narrowly and put their legal status in jeopardy.
Attempts to establish a lottery and resolve the status of gambling at the dog tracks have into mutual antagonism between the Poarch Band and the dog tracks over the proper approaches. Legislators representing areas with dog tracks — often large employers in those communities — have conditioned their support for a lottery on settling the status of the dog tracks.
Most of the meeting was devoted to a presentation from Will Parker, general counsel for Gov. Ivey, outlining the laws on gambling in the state and existing gambling. Parker pointed to Section 65 of the 1901 Alabama Constitution, which bans lotteries and gift enterprises. Parker said "lottery" had a larger legal definition than the one we think of.
"When we use the word lottery colloquially, we think of a certain kind of game, going to a gas station in Georgia and buying a ticket ... that term is much broader," he said. "It’s been read as a very broad prohibition against gambling in our state."
Republican members of the House and Senate said prior to the session they wanted to tackle all aspects of gambling. House Ways and Means General Fund chair Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, says he plans to file a constitutional amendment that would authorize a state lottery, with money going to pre-kindergarten programs and financial aid for college.
In her first major break with the legislature since becoming governor, Ivey announced the formation of her gambling study group in February's State of the State address, saying she needed "facts" and a clear understanding of the status of gambling before moving forward. Legislative leaders have signaled they may move ahead with a lottery — the governor has no role in passage of a constitutional amendment — but negotiation of a gambling compact with the Poarch Band, a prerequisite to the the tribe offering slot machines and traditional table games, would be in Ivey's hands.
More: Gov. Kay Ivey: No tribal compact before she gets 'facts' on gambling
Ivey signaled last month she would not pursue a compact before the group's final report, expected before the end of the year.
Members of the committee signed ethics pledges saying they had no intent to profit from their service and knew of no conflicts of interest. The members of the group are not being compensated.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brian Lyman at 334-240-0185 or blyman@gannett.com. | Gov. Kay Ivey: No tribal compact before she gets 'facts' on gambling
Gov. Kay Ivey said Wednesday she would not consider any gaming compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians before a group brings her “the facts” on the potential impact of gambling in Alabama.
In an interview with reporters on Wednesday morning, Ivey said she was reluctant to join efforts in the Alabama Legislature to come up with a settlement of lottery and gambling issues before getting a sense of the financial return such a settlement might bring.
“Anytime I ask people how much money the lottery would bring in, they say ‘I think about …,’” the governor said. “We’ve got to have the facts to make a decision.”
But the sponsor of a lottery bill in the House said he still planned to pursue the measure in the current session, saying the November presidential election was the best possible chance to pass it.
"I'm going to give it a couple of weeks before I introduce it," said House Ways and Means General Fund chair Steve Clouse, R-Ozark. "But I'm still going to introduce it. Hopefully next week at this time we'll sit and talk."
Ivey also defended her plan to contract with private companies to build and lease three new men’s prisons. The governor said the “executive branch” had to take the lead after the Legislature failed to pass bond issues for new prisons in 2016 and 2017. She blamed those failures on legislators’ concerns about the local impact of closing prisons.
“The Legislature took two sessions to deal with floating a bond issue for prisons,” she said. “Both times it failed. You can’t blame legislators because they don’t want to lose utility payments that’s in their district because of the prison.”
During the interview, Ivey also repeated calls in her State of the State for voters to approve a constitutional amendment that would replace the current elected State Board of Education with one appointed by the governor, which she argues could lead to better outcomes. The governor also appeared to defer to the Legislature on any policy changes to address overcrowding in the state’s prisons, which has led to her prison construction plan.
Democratic and Republican legislators before the session appeared interested in pursuing a state lottery and possibly a settlement of issues between the Poarch Band, who operate casinos in Atmore, Montgomery, and Wetumpka, and dog tracks like VictoryLand in Macon County and GreeneTrack in Greene County.
Clouse's lottery proposal would split funds between the state’s pre-kindergarten program and a fund to help pay college tuition.
Clouse estimates the lottery would bring in $167 million — roughly 2% of the state’s $7.1 billion budget. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians has also suggested a grand gambling plan could bring upwards of $1 billion into the state.
Ivey on Tuesday announced the formation of a working group, which she said would aim to get hard numbers on the impact of gambling. She said Wednesday has not met with the Poarch Band about a compact and said she spoke with Clouse yesterday about her proposed working group.
“I said ‘Steve, I’m not asking you to withdraw your bill. I’m telling you what I’m going to do, and I invite you to consider what I’m going to do, and maybe join me,’” Ivey said. “'If it turns out like you think it will, it will be a stronger case for you.'”
Clouse confirmed the conversation but said he thought the lottery proposal had been gone over.
"I don't see where there's any reason to put the lottery in the study," he said. "There's 45 other states that have studied it."
The governor said she expected a report by the end of the year. “But if they get through sooner, that’ll be fine too,” she said.
Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said Tuesday he wanted to a see a report within the next six months. Clouse said he wanted to get his measure on the ballot this year.
"The November election when we're voting for resident is the highest turnout," Clouse said. "I think that's where it ought to be."
More: Ivey calls for prison overhaul, cools gambling talk in State of State
Ivey does not have a constitutional role in a lottery amendment, which would go straight to the voters if approved by the Alabama Legislature. But she would be responsible for negotiating a compact with the Poarch Band.
Asked if she was skeptical about the benefits of gambling, Ivey said “Philosophically, there is a principle in public policy that says never fund an essential service of government with an unsteady source of funding.”
“I think that’s a fair statement,” she said.
The proposed prison construction would erect three new men’s facilities, holding upwards of 4,000 inmates. Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn has pushed for new facilities for years, arguing that most current prisons are beyond their useful life and unable to provide the programming needed to combat recidivism. But legislators in the past have balked at the price tag and the potential cost.
Ivey said Wednesday she would let the Legislature decide any sentencing reform proposals but said construction would come from her office.
“As far as building the buildings, there’s not a role for them,” she said. “If we’re going to build and lease and payback, what role do they have? We’re doing this through the executive branch working with the Legislature. We’ve got a multifaceted problem that requires a multifaceted solution.”
Proposals for construction are due on April 30. Candidates to build the prisons could be selected later this summer.
Ivey also urged a vote to approve Amendment 1 on March 3. The Alabama Republican Party opposes the measure, and experts aren’t sure that it would lead to better outcomes. But Ivey said maintaining “the same structure” of education would not do anything to raise Alabama’s test scores.
“I’d invite anybody who’s concerned about the challenge of education in the future in the state to be for something very positive to improve education,” she said.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brian Lyman at 334-240-0185 or blyman@gannett.com. | 3 |
Tan Tock Seng Hospital Staff Across All Departments Are Working Tirelessly Amidst Coronavirus Outbreak
The 2003 SARS outbreak had shown Singaporeans just how admirable our healthcare staff are in times of crisis.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), which houses the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), then stood under the spotlight.
Now back under scrutiny, the hospital management decided to give people a peep into what goes on inside.
Photos of TTSH staff across all departments working hard amidst the novel coronavirus outbreak garnered thousands of shares overnight on Saturday (8 Feb).
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Here’s a look at our everyday heroes at work.
Nurses keeping themselves healthy while caring for others
While doctors deserve praise for helping to heal patients, a lot of what they do wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of countless nurses who scurry around to ensure everything is in order.
TTSH emphasised this through photos of nurses going about their duties, like this nurse gearing up and putting on a surgical mask.
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Since the risk of infection is more imminent for them, they also need to wear protective goggles for extra caution.
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Having all that gear on and running around the hospital to attend to patients’ needs can be very exhausting, as proved by this nurse gulping down water.
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And then it’s back to more rounds in and out of hospital wards, a physical labour not many of us would consider when thinking about healthcare workers’ plights.
Employees from other departments also hard at work
Of course, the hospital doesn’t run on the medical staff alone. Hundreds of workers from other departments also keep TTSH in operation, putting their own health at risk too.
People doing the laundry for example, have to clean all the patients’ linen and ensure everything is spotless for the next person who checks in.
Source
Pharmacists have to distribute the correct medication according to patients’ needs, and their attention to detail is particularly crucial to ensure no mistakes.
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Service staff the first faces you see at Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Before you even enter the premises to witness all the above, service staff like this security officer will greet you.
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Staff at the information counter help visitors navigate their way around. Imagine the sheer number of people they have to interact with on a regular basis, yet they continue to do so wholeheartedly.
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Let’s salute our healthcare heroes
All hospital staff, regardless of what they do, deserve our appreciation for their unwavering dedication to their work.
They come to the hospital every day despite risking their own health, to help so many others in need.
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They work tirelessly for hours on end with little rest in a job that requires a lot of physical and mental tenacity, despite occasionally receiving undue criticism from people.
Let’s thank our healthcare workers for their efforts, because we wouldn’t be able to manage a crisis without them. They truly are our heroes.
Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook. | Making it the first homegrown aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier deck, a prototype of the naval Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘trapped’ on the Indian Navy’s sole aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya on Saturday, 11 January out in the Arabian Sea.
Hailed as a major milestone, the Indian Navy has declared: | 1 |
A child, wearing a protective face mask, following an outbreak of coronavirus, gets her temperature checked in... Read More
NEW DELHI: Japan has issued a demarche to India asking it to review its decision to cancel all e-visas to Japanese nationals. Apparently upset that it has been clubbed with countries like Iran, Italy and South Korea, Japan has conveyed to India that a blanket ban on visas is going to hurt economic engagement with India including work on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train which has a 2023 deadline.Japan, in fact, has also asked India to at least not block visas for Japanese engineers and other workers directly involved in bullet train work. ToI has learnt that Japanese authorities are trying to approach both health minister Harsh Vardhan and foreign minister S Jaishankar to emphasise before them the need to take an "objective" view of the situation.India has cancelled all e-visas for nationals of Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran as it works to prevent the spread of coronavirus Japan though has told Indian authorities that while South Korea had 5328 cases of infection, Italy 2502 and Iran 2336, Japan only was dealing with 284 such cases as of March 4, 2020, as per WHO. Japan also last week helped India evacuate 119 Indian nationals who were on board the Covid-19 infected Diamond Princess cruise ship.Indian government sources said they were working to address concerns raised by Japan. "Their people are worried that if they step out of the country, they won't be allowed to return. But as we have said, they can still apply for visas with the Indian mission," said a source.There are more than 1400 Japanese companies active in India. Japan also wants India to consider the cases involving family members of Japanese workers as they are are unable to visit Japan for the fear of not being able to return to India.While India has said that Japanese nationals can still seek visa from the embassy in Tokyo, it seems easier said than done. "There's effectively a ban on all visas as the visa officials are reluctant to issue any visa keeping in mind the coronavirus scare," said a source who didn't want to be quoted.The visas ban has come as a surprise to Japanese authorities as India otherwise looks at Japan as perhaps the most important partner for its economic transformation. As the MEA says, Japanese ODA supports India’s efforts for accelerated economic development particularly in priority areas like power, transportation, environmental projects and projects related to basic human needs.Apart from the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail , Japan is also helping India build the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor with twelve industrial townships and the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC). They are all seen by the Indian government as landmark projects which can transform India in the next 10 years. | After Japan's strong demarche, India has assured Japan that the visa restrictions won't come in the way of essential travels including business-related visits. Japan also, according to sources, has expressed confidence that India will be able to manage the situation, keeping in mind the strong economic ties and the large presence of Japanese professionals working on projects in India.The Indian embassy in Tokyo , and also the consulate in Osaka , has assured locals that they will continue to facilitate essential visits including those for business and employment through a ``revised visa process’’ made available on its website. In a tweet, the Indian embassy requested understanding of visa seekers, keeping in mind the Covid-19 situation.There are as many as 1441 Japanese countries currently doing business in India. Japan is also India’s most important development partner which continues to contribute enormously to socio-economic development in India.The Indian side too is aware that visa restrictions imposed on Japanese individuals can delay work even on flagship projects like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train which is currently hard-pressed to meet its 2023 deadline.Japan though has been upset that it was clubbed with countries like South Korea, Iran and Italy by India in cancelling e-visas for people from infected countries. Japan has reported over 1150 cases of Covid-19 but almost 700 of these are from the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Yokohama. The number of locally infected cases is around 450 only while in Iran, Italy and South Korea it runs into thousands.According to MEA, Japan has been extending bilateral loan and grant assistance to India since 1958 and is the largest bilateral donor for India. Japanese ODA supports India’s efforts for accelerated economic development particularly in priority areas like power, transportation, environmental projects and projects related to basic human needs. Japan’s ODA Commitment in 2018-19 was at an all-time high of JPY 522.405 billion. | 3 |
Things to Do: Take in Unity Concert, Kristin Chenoweth, bagpipes and Children's Day
SUNDAY
Music for the Maid of Orleans at Unity Concert
Tallahassee Community Chorus presents its annual Unity Concert at 4 p.m. Sunday in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. Unity 15: Voice of Light will celebrate the power of female heroism with a performance of Richard Einhorn's powerful oratorio “Voices of Light” alongside a screening of Carl Dreyer’s 1928 silent film masterpiece “The Passion of Joan of Arc.” The Florida State University Women’s Glee ensemble will join the chorus for this performance. Note: Some scenes in the film may not be suitable for younger viewers. Tickets range from $6 to $22, and attendees are also asked to bring a donation of nonperishable foods, paper supplies, craft supplies or office supplies to benefit The Oasis Center for Women & Girls and Refuge House. Visit www.tcchorus.org or call 850-597-0603.
TUESDAY
Music: Kristin Chenoweth goes for 'Elegance'
Opening Nights presents Emmy and Tony award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth performing songs from her album “The Art of Elegance,” a collection of American Songbook classics, Broadway and well-known standards, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. Chenoweth is a classically trained coloratura soprano who originated the role of Glinda the Good Witch in the Broadway blockbuster “Wicked,” for which she was nominated for a Tony Award (she won a Tony for her role in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”). She’s also familiar to TV viewers as Olive Snook in the series “Pushing Daisies (for which she won an Emmy), as media consultant Annabelle Schott in “The West Wing” and for repeat appearances on “Glee.” Tickets are $80 and $65. Visit https://openingnights.fsu.edu/events/kristin-chenoweth/.
THURSDAY
Music: Bagpipe delights
If you were fortunate enough to catch the Silk Road Ensemble’s Opening Nights performance featuring Yo-Yo Ma and a host of international musical maestros in 2017, you will recognize Cristina Pato. She and her gaita — a Galician bagpipe — helped weave the cross-cultural spell that captivated the audience in Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. Pato returns with her quartet for an Opening Nights performance at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Opperman Music Hall. The wide-ranging program will fuse the influences of Latin music, jazz, pop, traditional and contemporary music. Tickets are $45.
Saturday
Museum: Children's Day Celebration
The Museum of Florida History, 500 S. Bronough St., is hosting its 37th Annual Children’s Day Celebration: History on the Horizon event from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. The Museum hosts a fun filled day for families and children of all ages with free performances, exhibitors, games, and its newest temporary exhibit, Florida Inspired. Enjoy live performances by the Tallahassee Ballet, Capital City Music Therapy, Young Actors Theater, and others. BJ’s Party House returns this year with face painting and balloon art. Dozens of exhibitors offering hands-on learning and free activities will be set up throughout the Museum and R. A. Gray Building. Free parking is available in the garage next to the Museum. Face painting and balloon art tickets can be purchased on site. Proceeds support educational programs at the Museum of Florida History. All other activities are free. Follow the Museum’s social media pages and website or call 850-245-6400 for more information.
Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat. | Naples man killed in motorcycle crash near Arcadia
A Naples man was killed driving his motorcycle near Arcadia on Saturday, Florida Highway Patrol reports.
At 5:18 p.m., Daniel Krall, 73, crashed into a ditch after failing to make a left turn on NW Lily Avenue, south of NW Bethel Farms Road, the report states.
The motorcycle flipped after the collision.
Krall was not wearing a helmet, the report states.
More: Naples firefighter responds to crash, finds vehicle stolen from her driveway in December | 1 |
Richard Froese
South Peace News
Times for slower speed limits in school zones could be extended daylong across the High Prairie School Division.
At its regular meeting Dec. 18, the HPSD board of trustees supported a request from the High Prairie and Area Traffic Safety Coalition, says an HPSD news release dated Jan. 3.
The coalition requested the division support in its endeavour to change the current school zones times in Slave Lake, High Prairie, and Big Lakes County from its current format to a full-day format of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Motorists must not drive more than 30 km/hr when school zones are in effect.
School zones are currently in effect during school days from 8-9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3 – 4:30 p.m. Falher is 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Board hears of success from Success
Trustees learned about progress of Indigenous Success coaches and the Success lead.
They described how their team is supporting the development of Indigenous content in the classroom, the divisional professional development learning series and how Indigenous Success coaches are working in the classroom with students and teaching staff.
Success coaches also work on cultural arts and Cree literacy, growth of the HPSD land-based learning program, Youth Council for Reconciliation and community collaborations.
Trips receive board’s blessing
The board gave final approval to a divisional trip to the Soaring Indigenous Youth Empowerment Gathering set for March 5-6 in Ottawa.
Students in schools across the division will be eligible.
The trip is being co-ordinated by the division’s Success lead.
A field trip to Greece for Kinuso School was given final approval.
The trip, open to students from Grades 9-12, is set for March 19-28, part of spring break, March 21-27. | Richard Froese
South Peace News
Priorities have been set by the High Prairie School Division board of trustees in its updated three-year education plan.
At its regular meeting Dec. 18, the board adopted the priorities and three-year plan, says a news release dated Jan. 3.
“We continue to use school and community planning sessions, survey data, and interviews with students, staff, parents, and community members to give us some excellent perspectives on what we are doing well and where we can improve,” says Joyce Dvornek, who chairs the board.
“Data is then incorporated into targeted strategies to facilitate student success and subsequently improve their achievement results.”
Initiatives stem from priorities identified by the board at its strategic planning.
Priorities for 2019-20 focus on quality learning, teaching and relationships.
HPSD will ensure learning success for every student. Staff will grow and strive for a culture of excellence to ensure teaching and leadership success. Quality relationships with parents, local communities, including Indigenous, municipalities, and government ministries will ensure success and supports are in place for every student.
Among the priorities for the new three school years ending in 2022 are as follows: | 2.5 |
Indian Software-as-a-Service companies are speeding up forays into non-mainstay regions such as Japan and Latin America, as selling business software in advanced economies other than North America becomes increasingly important in taking the battle to market leaders such as Salesforce and Microsoft North America, which includes Canada, remains the key target market for most companies, but clients have emerged in Singapore, Indonesia and Japan, as well as some countries in Latin America and Africa. The global SaaS business, dominated by the North American market, is slated to grow at a 16% clip to $116 billion this year, according to market research firm Gartner . Indian firms are aiming to diversify focus on the Rest-of-the-World markets. The market expansion coincides with a push towards a platform play – creating a common design and engineering base from which products can be developed to meet a quicker time-tomarket paradigm.At the Sridhar Vembu-led Zoho, organising user events is one way to test new markets. Raju Vegesna, chief evangelist at Zoho, said the company will enter the Brazilian market this year and will expand its team in Colombia, besides bolstering its presence in Chile.In 2019, it had a hectic pace of market evaluation with 33 user conferences across 25 countries.It is also close to hiring its first set of employees in South Africa.Zoho entered The Netherlands, Singapore, Dubai, Mexico and Australia last year.The broad strokes of Zoho’s expansion model, according to Vegesna, were a predictive play on the next wave of growth.“If you overlap the GDP growth in a country with the median age, an interesting trend/theme will be noticeable: whenever the median age of a country is between 25 and 40, GDP of that country accelerates, sometimes exponentially. Part of it can be attributed to the acceleration of business formation, and job creation as a result. As the market expands and business formation accelerates, software and other vendors enter those regions...,” he said.Chennai-incubated Freshworks entered Japan last year by tying up with regional player OrangeOne Corporation It seeks to replicate the re-seller model during other possible market entries, too.“We had setup a robust partner network before we entered the region in March last year with a regional hub in Singapore,” Freshworks’ regional spokesperson told, adding it would continue to invest in the ASEAN region.The Mathrubootham-founded Freshworks, headquartered in San Mateo, California, is reportedly in a growth push before going public in the United States. SaaS firms, which sell a gamut of products aiding customer relationship management to workflow automation, have also discovered the potential in ‘platformising’ technology, not dissimilar to the way a basic automotive design is parlayed into different car variants. | (MENAFN- IMARC Group) According to the latest report by IMARC Group, titled 'Digital Pathology Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025,' the global digital pathology market size reached US$ 520.6 Million in 2019. Digital pathology refers to the technique of analyzing high-resolution, digitally scanned histology images generated from a digitized glass slide. The specialized equipment was first used to capture images from a microscope onto photographic plates. In recent years, digital pathology has rapidly gained momentum as this technology helps in reducing laboratory expenses, improving operational efficiency, enhancing productivity, and improving treatment decisions and patient care.
Request Free Sample Report: https://www.imarcgroup.com/digital-pathology-market/requestsample
Global Digital Pathology Market Trends:
Digital pathology allows improved analysis, offers live zoom and multiple angle views, provides a dashboard view of data and annotations, and reduces errors by eliminating breakage and minimizing risk and misidentification. Apart from this, it is increasingly used by top clinical research organizations (CROs) and large biopharmaceutical manufacturers to streamline drug development processes in discovery, pre-clinical and clinical trials. This, along with the advancements in technology and software applications, such as the whole slide imaging technique, and LIS/LIMS interfacing, and high-speed networking, has fully integrated digital pathology into pathology workflows. Moreover, many leading companies are entering into a partnership to gain more profits. For instance, Huron Digital Pathology has collaborated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) on artificial intelligence-based image search. This helps in presenting a pathologist-centric approach to image retrieval at pathology informatics. Looking forward, the market value is projected to reach US$ 984.4 Million by 2025, registering a CAGR of 11.2 % during 2020-2025.
Market Breakup by Type:
•Human Pathology
•Veterinary Pathology
Market Breakup by Product:
•Scanners
•Software
•Storage Systems
•Communication Systems
Market Breakup by Application:
•Training and Education
•Consulting Services
•Intraoperative Consultation
•Routine Diagnostic Consultation Services
•Others
Market Breakup by End-User:
•Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies
•Hospitals and Reference Laboratories
•Academic & Research Institutes
Market Summary:
Region-wise, the market has been segmented into North America (the United States and Canada) Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia and others), Europe (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Italy, Russia and others), Middle East and Africa (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and others ), and Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Peru and others). The competitive landscape of the market has been examined, with some of the key players being:
•3DHISTECH Ltd.
•Apollo Enterprise Imaging Corp
•Corista LLC
•Hamamatsu Photonics
•K. K.
•Huron Digital Pathology
•Indica Labs
•Koninklijke Philips N.V.
•Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH
•Objective Pathology Services
•Ventana Medical Systems
•Visiopharm A/S
•XIFIN
Ask Analyst and Download Full Report with TOC & List of Figure: https://www.imarcgroup.com/digital-pathology-market
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IMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.
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MENAFN1703202000709559ID1099866092 | 1 |
The fascination many young people have with socialism represents an understandable misunderstanding of injustice and its remedies. How can we stem the tide of socialism’s popularity with young people?
Not that long ago, young people cheered this era’s greatest champion of liberty, Dr. Ron Paul, and his ideas of no income tax and an end to foreign wars. Thousands of young people on college campuses found liberty, not collectivism, exhilarating, and they shouted “End the Fed.” But this political season, the complete socialization of medical care, “Medicare for All,” is perhaps the most effective tool used by demagogues to lure the support of the young. Is it possible to draw young people away from these chilling ideas, and lead them to embrace liberty?
Rather than speculate about why so many of today’s youth are enamored with collectivist ideology, why not inoculate them with a dose of freedom?
Socialist booth at Art Walk in downtown Tulsa.
One sure way to end the love affair so many young people have with socialism would be to stop making them pay for it; why not let them opt out of Medicare (and Social Security for that matter)? Paychecks would swell, and what politician would dare to advocate for reinstating these taxes? It is no wonder so many of today’s youth are confused when so many of their elders are supporters of “Medicare for Some,” but opponents of “Medicare for All.” After all, if a little socialism is a good thing, why not a full dose?
The most predictable objection to this plan should be: “But what if young people don’t save voluntarily for their old age and future medical requirements?” The most frequent objection, however, goes something like this: “How will that revenue be replaced?” This, of course, is an admission that current “contributions” to Medicare (and Social Security) by workers are consumed by current beneficiaries, the very definition of a Ponzi scheme. The forced contributions of those beneficiaries were spent the instant they were taken. There is no “lock box,” and no pension plan owned by individual “beneficiaries.”
Recognizing the fraud of Bernie Madoff saved countless individuals from his thievery. No such option or courtesy is currently presented to us by Uncle Sam.
“How will that revenue be replaced” is a consistent theme that permeates the state, as I’ve been told this same question is commonplace among district attorneys facing the relaxation of marijuana laws and penalties. Selfless “angels” with state power are as fictional as the “not for profit” status of hospitals in the U.S., after all.
It would be cruel, of course, to suddenly end or hamstring a government program upon which millions of individuals are hopelessly dependent. How to fund an opt out/phase out has been addressed in the past with recommendations, for instance, that the federal government sell the lakefront property over which it has control, the proceeds funding annuities to sustain for life those who depend on these federal entitlements. If Uncle Sam can’t stomach selling assets, perhaps the D.C. machine could consider the unthinkable and spend less, say on foreign aid or war.
I rarely find someone, regardless of age, who would not gladly forgo any future benefit from Medicare or Social Security, and just write off their past “contributions” (tax payments) in return for freedom from paycheck-destroying future “contributions.” It is not uncommon, after all, for the Medicare and Social Security paycheck deduction to exceed all other paycheck deductions combined, particularly when the undisclosed employer “contribution” (which is the employee’s earnings, after all) has been considered.
All Millennial-bashers who want to stop the surge of young people’s fascination with socialism should consider promoting an opt out of these programs for people of all ages, so they can see the effect a lack of socialism has on their take-home pay. Medicare for All will then be the last thing any beneficiaries of such an opt out will tolerate, much less want.
The least we can do is extend at least a portion of the tax-exempt status many giant U.S. hospitals enjoy to today’s and tomorrow’s young, about whom we claim to care so much, whose ideas will shape the future.
Dr. G. Keith Smith
About the author: Dr. G. Keith Smith is a board certified anesthesiologist in private practice since 1990. In 1997, he co-founded The Surgery Center of Oklahoma, an outpatient surgery center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, owned by over 90 of the top physicians and surgeons in central Oklahoma. Dr. Smith serves as the medical director, CEO and managing partner while maintaining an active anesthesia practice.
In 2009, Dr. Smith launched a website displaying all-inclusive pricing for various surgical procedures, a move that has gained him and the facility, national and even international attention. Many Canadians and uninsured Americans have been treated at his facility, taking advantage of the low and transparent pricing available. His most recent effort is the launch of the Free Market Medical Association which provides a platform where those seeking to obtain high quality and affordable health care can find free market-minded providers, both physicians and facilities.
Operation of this free market medical practice, the standard for all who have embraced this practice approach, has gained the endorsement of policymakers and legislators nationally. More and more self-funded insurance plans are taking advantage of Dr. Smith’s pricing model resulting in significant savings to their employee health plans. His hope is for as many facilities as possible to adopt a transparent pricing model, a move he believes will lower costs and improve quality of care for all.
He has made appearances on the John Stossel Show, CNBC, Huffington Post, The O’Reilly Factor, Capital Account, The Ron Paul Channel, NBC Nightly News and has been featured by Reason Magazine’s TV division. The New York Times, Time Magazine, ABC news, Forbes and many others have written articles featuring Dr. Smith’s revolutionary approach to the pricing of health care and uncompromising free market principles. | As a pediatrician, I see every day how my patients and their families are failed by our current healthcare system. What I need my fellow Americans to understand is this: when my patients struggle, it’s not because they’re unfortunate. It’s because the system is unjust.
I’ve cared for diabetic teenagers who’ve rationed insulin and test strips because their family doesn’t have enough money to buy prescriptions, supplies, and groceries. I’ve cared for college students who are dropping out of school because their family needs someone to care for a grandparent, and the costs of long-term care and college tuition are just too much to bear. I’ve cared for mothers and newborns who lost their insurance coverage simply because they moved across state lines to be closer to family.
Sometimes grandparents bring my patients to clinic, and I see how they tape up their eyeglasses because Medicare does not cover vision and they can’t afford new frames until the next Social Security check comes in. Many of my patients with complex pre-existing conditions, and supposedly “good” insurance from their parents’ employment, face ridiculous obstacle courses from insurance companies just to get basic care like imaging or consultations with therapists.
There’s a big difference between what’s unfortunate and what’s unjust, especially in health care. It’s terribly unfortunate to be diagnosed with cancer. It is unjust that getting diagnosed with cancer often means losing your job because you’re too sick to work, and losing the health insurance that came with that job. Insurance you paid into with every paycheck and that was supposed to be there for you if the worst happened.
"Thousands of doctors like me strongly support Medicare for All. We are joining millions of people who understand the difference between what’s unfortunate and what’s unjust."
It’s unfortunate to be diagnosed with diabetes as a teenager. It’s unjust that many diabetic patients ration insulin while Big Pharma corporations make exorbitant profits off a drug that’s almost a hundred years old. It’s terribly unfortunate to develop Alzheimer’s or multiple sclerosis. It’s unjust that insurance companies bill families thousands and thousands of dollars a month for the most basic long-term care, all while the workers providing that care are paid poverty wages.
Right now, our unjust health care system helps you only after it deems you worthy or deserving of medical services. People’s eligibility for Medicaid or for assistance with purchasing private insurance largely depends on what state they live in and how much they earn. State governments often make enrollment difficult in order to deter people from enrolling in coverage. One mistake on a form or a misunderstood deadline can cause patients to lose coverage. The financial hurdles of premiums, deductibles, and co-pays are unjust obstacles for millions of us.
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These hurdles are not labyrinths of misfortune. They are injustices, particularly cumbersome for low-income families and people of color who unsurprisingly make up 59 percent of the uninsured.
We don’t have to live like this.
Thousands of doctors like me strongly support Medicare for All. We are joining millions of people who understand the difference between what’s unfortunate and what’s unjust. Right now, patients who survive cancer are often left struggling with financial ruin. Diabetics are torn between paying for insulin or their rent. Medicare for All ends those injustices by significantly reducing the prices of drugs like chemotherapy and insulin. Medicare for All provides patients with reliable, comprehensive coverage regardless of their employment status.
"There's a big difference between what’s unfortunate and what's unjust, especially in health care."
Continuous, reliable coverage is particularly important for people of color, who are becoming the majority of the U.S. population and bear undue burdens of illness and disparities. The Medicare for All legislation in Congress will address inequities in health care, including by stabilizing funding for all hospitals and clinics.
Medicare for All will cover vision care, so that the grandparents in my clinic can get new glasses. Medicare for All will be portable, so families can move from state to state or job to job without having to worry about insurance coverage. Medicare for All will cover long-term services and supports, so seniors and people with disabilities can live with dignity at home and in their communities.
But to build Medicare for All it’s going to take all of us. Together, we can fight Big Pharma, the insurance industry, and all their lobbyists. Together, we will create a Medicare for All system that will deliver real health justice for every person in America, no matter what you earn, where you live, or what you look like. | 2 |
A woman who lost her husband to her own mother has said she will never fully forgive her for taking him away and then having his child.
Lauren Wall, who's now 34, and from Twickenham, south-west London married airport worker Paul White when she was just 19.
Her mum Julie, who is now 53, paid for a £15,000 wedding and grateful Lauren took her along on her two-week honeymoon to Devon.
Eight weeks later, husband Paul moved out and nine months later, her mother Julie gave birth to his child announcing they were together.
Lauren said: 'Paul always got on really well with mum. I never thought it strange though, as she was his mum-in-law and he was just being friendly.
Lauren Wall, from Twickenham, south-west London, who's now 34 got married to husband Paul when she was just 19. Just weeks later her husband moved out and was soon with Lauren's mum, Julie
'They'd laugh a lot together. I didn't think to be worried at all. Who would?
'I couldn't wait to settle in to marriage but the ink was barely dry on our certificate when Paul changed.
Lauren added her new husband became protective of his phone. Four weeks later Lauren's sister was using her mum's phone and found what Lauren claims were texts between Julie and Paul.
Her mother denied there was anything going on saying, 'You're crazy.'
'When I confronted Paul he went white as a sheet – and refused to let me see his phone,' Lauren said.
Only days later, Paul removed his wedding ring and walked out on Lauren and their seven-month-old daughter.
When she heard he had moved in with her mum she said she couldn't believe the two people she loved and trusted more than anything in the world would treat her in such a way.
In July 2005 nine months after Paul had walked out, Lauren's mum, Julie, gave birth to his baby. Five years on from his marriage to Lauren, Paul married Julie (the couple are pictured here in 2019 in Kuala Lumpur)
'It was sick. It's one of the worst things a mum can do to a daughter.
Paul may have been a gutless groom but she's my mum. She's meant to love and protect me above all others.'
Lauren, a business development manager met Paul when he was 18: 'I met him at a local pub – I fancied him straight away.
'He asked for my number and the next day he texted asking to go on a date to the cinema. We started going out straight after that.'
She quickly found herself pregnant and their daughter was born in March 2004, the pair marrying shortly afterwards.
'Five months later we were getting married in a beautiful church ceremony with friends and family. Mum looked on proudly as we exchanged vows.
'He told me that he wanted to be with me for ever.'
Lauren recalled how after Paul walked out she heard rumours he was living with her mother and she saw Julie walking down the street, apparently pregnant.
Julie, 53, (pictured) said: 'We are married. We didn't have an affair. We are married and that's it.' Paul, now 35, declined to comment
Lauren said: 'When I saw her in the street and noticed she had a bump, my mind raced. She clutched her stomach and told me, 'It's a cyst'. I felt so sick, I went home and destroyed all the photos of our wedding.'
She also set about getting a divorce. In July 2005 nine months after Paul had walked out, Lauren's mum, Julie, gave birth to his baby.
'She tried to claim the father was another boyfriend but I knew the truth. Paul and mum officially announced themselves as a couple that summer and my world crumbled.'
Five years on from his marriage to Lauren, Paul married Julie.
Lauren even ended up going along to her mum's wedding for the sake of her daughter.
'She rang me up and invited me. It was awkward. I got married on the 14th August 2004, they married on the 15th August 2009.
'It was almost too much to bear but I did it for my daughter.
'I went to watch Mum marry the same man I'd wed five years earlier.
Lauren said her mother has tried to build bridges but she sees her infrequently.
'She initiated it. I dropped my brother off at her house and she got in my car, started crying and just said, 'I'm sorry'.
'I told her, 'Get out of my car'. She wrote me a letter a couple of weeks later apologising.
'And that was the start of us mending our relationship.'
Lauren has recently found a new partner (couple pictured together) and is now happily pregnant with her fourth child but says what happened will give her 'trust issues' for the rest of her life
That was in 2006 and the pair still fall out.
'I still bring it up and make a comment and she doesn't like it.
'Just because we spoke after doesn't mean I'm over it. Paul never said sorry or tried to apologise to me.
I speak to him as he's married to my mum. I've asked him before to explain to our daughter and he just says it's forgotten about now.'
Her mother, who works in child services remains married to her former son-in-law.
Lauren has recently found a new partner and is now happily pregnant with her fourth child but says what happened will give her 'trust issues' for the rest of her life.
'Time is a great healer, and mum and I have tried to have a normal relationship. But we will never be as close as we were – and I'll never fully trust her again.'
Julie, 53, said: 'We are married. We didn't have an affair. We are married and that's it.'
Paul, now 35, declined to comment. | A British lady who lost her husband to her own mother who then had a child for him has said she will never forgive her.
The heartbroken lady identified as Lauren Wall, 34, from Twickenham, south-west London reportedly married the man when she was only 19.
While they were preparing for their wedding at that time, Lauren’s mother reportedly paid £15,000 to support her dream wedding, and also joined the couple on vacation.
According to Lauren, her mother and her now ex-husband got along so much that she couldn’t suspect that they were having an affair. But her biggest shock came, when Paul decided to move out and nine months later, her mother Julie gave birth to his child announcing they were together.
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Speaking in an interview with Daily Mail, Lauren said: ‘Paul always got on really well with mum. I never thought it strange though, as she was his mum-in-law and he was just being friendly. They’d laugh a lot together. I didn’t think to be worried at all. Who would?’ I couldn’t wait to settle into marriage but the ink was barely dry on our certificate when Paul changed.’
Lauren also disclosed how his sister saw text messages between her mom and her estranged husband. When Lauren confronted her mother, she denied there was anything going on saying, ‘You’re crazy.’
As things got out of hand between the pair, Paul stopped wearing his wedding ring and walked out on Lauren and their seven-month-old daughter.
Sharing her first reaction when she heard that her man had moved in with her mum, said: ‘It was sick. It’s one of the worst things a mum can do to a daughter.’ | 4 |
No reality in PTI-PML-Q rift: Firdous
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) was an ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) both at the Centre and in Punjab, and the opposition’s dreams of a rift between the two parties would not become a reality.
Addressing a press conference flanked by Board of Investment (BoI) Chairman Zubair Gilani here, she said the PML-Q leadership knew that those who had ruined the national economy and gone abroad leaving their voters in problems, had no support of the people.
She said Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari himself was a puppet whose strings were being pulled by the corrupt leadership. Bilawal blamed the Federal government for the inefficiency of Sindh government irrespective the fact that the PPP did not resolve the people’s problems in the province despite ruling it for the last 11 years, she added.
To a question about alleged dual nationality of Federal Minister Faisal Vawda, she said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) did not give verdicts on the wishes of people. If someone had proofs against Vawda, he should knock the doors of ECP and if proven guilty, the government would stand by the law and not by its legislator.
To another question, she said flour was available in Punjab but a section of the media was projecting only one-sided news. Stern action was being taken against the hoarders and anybody involved in the crime would not be spared. The prices of both flour and sugar would come down in next few days as the government has taken steps in that regard, she added.
The SAPM said the unanimous approval of the names of Chief Election Commissioner and ECP members manifested that the Parliament was playing its due role as a true democratic institution. Both the government and the opposition showed responsibility and with consultation named the new CEC in the larger national interest. | A parliamentary committee met on Friday to decide on a person to become the new chief election commissioner but could not make a final decision. Another meeting has been called on Monday.
The Islamabad High Court has given Parliament four extensions to decide who will become the CEC and to also appoint two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Government and opposition members sat together on Friday but could not reach a final decision. This was the committee’s 11th meeting on the matter.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Swati said the new chief election commissioner’s name is in a sealed envelope that will be opened at 4pm on Monday during the next meeting. If there is no consensus on the name, then another meeting will be called on Tuesday to discuss the next step.
Senator Mushahidullah of the PML-N said he is hopeful that they will reach a final decision on Monday.
The names of Sikandar Sultan Raja for chief election commissioner, Nisar Durrani for the ECP member from Sindh and Shah Muhammad Jatoi for Balochistan were put forward. | 2 |
Over the weekend, Californians flocked to the beach as a reprieve from quarantine cabin fever. The large crowds came despite Governor Gavin Newsom’s order to stay at home in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
And now, state officials are cracking down at popular beaches. On Monday evening, Governor Newsom ordered closures of many state park beaches and parking lots – primarily in San Diego County and Central California – in an effort to discourage large congregations of beachgoers. Additionally, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has shut down city beaches and Point Reyes in Marin County has closed until at least April 7th. As for Orange County, the situation is varied; Laguna Beach, Seal Beach, and Huntington Beach (starting Wednesday, March 25th) have closed beach parking lots and in some cases beach access.
“Before we wanted people to have the opportunity of walking on the beach while maintaining social distancing. It looks like people are not able to do that so we will be issuing an amendment to our public order that if jurisdictions are not able to enforce social gathering, we will close beaches. And that amendment to our health order will be issued later today [Monday],” said San Diego County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten.
As of now, it’s unclear if the directive prohibits surfing at effected beaches. For instance, surfers were still in the lineup at Malibu (watch the live cam here) on Tuesday morning, and that’s one of the beaches on the list.
Similar beach closures have been issued on the East Coast and in the Caribbean, as we reported last week, with the strictest restrictions in Puerto Rico. In another post from last week, we expounded on the dangers of surfing during the coronavirus pandemic (TL;DR: it’s still unclear if the virus can spread in saltwater, and official guidelines are to keep as much distance from other people as possible…even in the water). And surfers in various parts of Europe are being fined for going in the water.
We’ll continue to update this story as more develops.
Here’s the list of state beaches with closed parking lots:
San Mateo County:
Año Nuevo SP
Bean Hollow SB
Cowell Ranch
Gray Whale Cove SB
Half Moon Bay SB
Montara SB
Pescadero SB
Pigeon Point Light Station SHP
Pomponio SB
San Gregorio SB
Marin County:
Tomales Bay SP
Point Reyes
Sonoma County:
Sonoma Coast SP (and associated sub-units)
Sonoma State SHP
Santa Cruz County
Manresa SB
Natural Bridges SB
New Brighton SB
Seacliff SB
Monterey County
Andrew Molera SP
Carmel River SB
Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP
Monterey SB
Point Lobos SNR
Ventura County
Mandalay SB
Point Mugu SP
San Buenaventura SB
Santa Barbara County
Carpinteria SB
El Capitan SB
Gaviota SP
Refugio SB
San Luis Obispo County
Cayucos SB
Morro Strand SB
Pismo SB
Los Angeles County:
Leo Carrillo State Park (SP)
Malibu Creek SP
Malibu Lagoon State Beach (SB)
Point Dume SB
Point Mugu SP
RH Meyer SB
Topanga SP
Will Rogers State Historic Park (SHP)
Orange County:
Bolsa Chica SB
Crystal Cove SP
Doheny SB
Huntington SB
San Clemente SB
San Diego County:
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Carlsbad SB
South Carlsbad SB
San Onofre SB | 3 | |
Illinois has been preparing a series of laws to collect more funds in 2020 which begins with the NCAA Tournament and all major sporting events.
The Governor is pleased that Illinois sportsbooks will open for business by March Madness, generating revenue to rebuild universities, hospitals and other facilities across the state.” — Jordan Abudayehh, Illinois governor JB Pritzker’s press secretary
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES, March 9, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The long wait for the college basketball tournament is finally over in Illinois. The state has been preparing a series of laws to collect more funds in 2020 which begins with the NCAA Tournament and all major sporting events.
The NCAA Tournament is most commonly referred to as “March Madness,” and it has become one of the most popular sporting events in the United States.
Illinois governor JB Pritzker’s press secretary, Jordan Abudayehh, recently released a statement that things are on track to launch sports betting this month. The official statement read, “The Governor is pleased that Illinois sportsbooks will open for business by March Madness, generating revenue to rebuild universities, hospitals and other facilities across the state.”
There has been speculation that sports betting would be launched at some point this spring, but this statement sets a pretty firm timeline for sports bettors in Illinois.
State lawmakers in Illinois passed a huge gaming expansion bill in June 2019, with the support of Governor Pritzker, but things have progressed at a very slow rate since that time.
It took Illinois another few months to come up with a set list of rules and regulations that would govern the gaming industry, and even more time to complete the application and licensure process.
Illinois has currently issued three temporary gaming operating permits to a trio of casinos in the state. Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, and Argosy Casino in Alton will be the first three casinos allowed to take sports betting on March Madness games.
Rivers Casino in Des Plaines has already adjusted its operating hours, and it has employees in place to start taking bets as soon as it is given the green light.
Anyone wishing to place some money on sports in Illinois will have to travel to one of these three locations to sign up for an account. After that time, customers can use the mobile apps that are offered by the casinos.
Illinois lawmakers have imposed an 18-month waiting period for outside companies to apply for an operational license in the state.
Rivers Casino in Des Plaines is now open 24 hours a day, and it has made several other upgrades to its establishment in preparation. The BetRivers Sports Bar opened up in December, and it will become the headquarters for sports enthusiasts at the site.
The Illinois Gaming Board is the group that is operating the sportsbook industry, and it is currently meeting with all three casinos to discuss final details.
Even though there is still no official date set for launch, it is expected some time before March 15. The first NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games tip off on March 17, and the tournament will run through the first weekend in April. | Kelowna City Council endorsed budget carryover requests on Monday.
They include $126-million in operating and capital carryover expenditures, which will be used for a number of projects due to be completed over the next two years.
“As these projects were previously approved by Council, they do not add to the taxation demand for 2020,” said Melanie Antunes, Acting Financial Planning Manager.
“The majority, 56%, will be funded through the City’s general fund sources and the remaining 44% come from self-funding sources such as the water utility, wastewater and the Airport funds.”
Carryovers for 2020 include:
The process to secure and outfit an RCMP Mobile Command Centre to enhance tactical support, search operations, communication needs and community outreach.
Several items relating to the SEKID (South East Kelowna Irrigation District) integration project, supporting a resilient and high-quality water supply across the City Water Utility.
Continuing to support our Healthy Housing Strategy through additional affordable housing land acquisition
This is the second of three stages in the City’s annual budget process.
The first was the provisional budget in December, followed by the carryovers this month and the final budget being presented on April 27.
The final taxation demand increase will come in April, but Council approved a provisional taxation increase of 4.15% in December. | 1 |
East Mill Flow-Round Pond Trail, part of the Hammond Pond Wild Forest, extends 5.2 miles between Round Pond Trailhead and East Mill Flow Trailhead in the Sharp Bridge Campground.
West of Round Pond, the trail is known as the East Mill Flow Trail, and south of Round Pond the trail is known as the Round Pond Trail. The trail undulates gently over most of the distance, descending 295 feet in a 0.6-mile section before the last flat 0.6 mile along Schroon Brook to the campground. Measuring from the Round Pond Trailhead, the trail passes Trout Pond at 0.5-mile, Round Pond at 1.5 miles, and crosses East Mill Brook at 2.8 miles. This picturesque trail provides skiers and snowshoers a chance for solitude on a lesser traveled path.
Trailhead parking:
East Mill Flow Trailhead is located in the Sharp Bridge Campground off US Route 9 and is plowed for winter use.
Round Pond Trailhead Parking Area is located along Ensign Pond Road (County Route 4) off US Route 9. This parking area is also plowed for winter use. (44.0239°N, 73.6234°W)
Featured Spots are recommended by DEC.
Map East Mill FLow-Round Pond Trail courtesy Adirondack Atlas. | Harvest data suggests a decline in fisher populations in certain wildlife management units within the Adirondack Park.
To get a better idea of what could be driving these apparent declines, DEC initiated a study on fisher demographic rates in 2019.
DEC biologists hope to get an idea of reproductive rates and survival of fisher in the central Adirondacks and compare them to demographic rates from the more robust population in the Tug Hill area. DEC wildlife biologists have captured over 30 fisher this winter, including seven females that have been outfitted with GPS collars.
Blood tests done by Cornell University suggest that several of these females are pregnant. In the spring, DEC biologists will attempt to successfully track these females to dens. By monitoring these dens using game cameras, DEC can get a better idea of the number of kits each female has and monitor their survival and movements throughout the year. | 1 |
Last week Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced schools will close for all children except those of key workers. Schools will still need to look after the children of key workers, such as NHS staff, supermarket workers and police officers, as well as vulnerable children, but every other child must now be homeschooled.
The Prime Minister also announced exams will not take place as usual in May and June.
Asked about the duration of school closures, Mr Johnson said he wants to keep it to an "absolute minimum".
It is still unclear when schools will be reopened due to ongoing measures to minimise the impact of COVID-19. | The video will start in 8 Cancel
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The Body Coach Joe Wicks has announced he will be holding live daily PE lessons for kids to help keep children fit and healthy while they are not at school during the coronavirus pandemic.
Joe made his "exciting announcement" earlier today and said that with all schools now closed after today he was going to become the "nation's PE teacher".
The 30 minute workout sessions are aimed at "little kids right up to secondary school".
(Image: Getty Images)
Joe vowed he would get children "moving, feeling energised, positive, optimistic."
Announcing the workouts which will start on Monday at 9am and will be held ever weekday, Joe said: "I'm going to do a live workout called 'PE With Joe' on my YouTube channel The Body CoachTV.
"It's a workout designed specifically for kids because when the school are closed there is no PE. Don't worry, I've got you. I'm going to take this over.
"I'm going to get your kids moving, feeling energised, positive, optimistic.
"So tune in Monday morning at 9am and every day.
"It's a 30 minute session for little kids right up to secondary school. Get involved, have fun.
"We're going to be doing loads of basic exercise.
"You don't need a lot of room. I'm going to take care of it. This is happening. I am going to be the nation's PE teacher." | 3 |
The CDC told USA TODAY Tuesday that it "does not have guidance scheduled to come out on this topic" but that the current guidelines dictate individuals should wear face masks when they're sick or caring for someone who is sick with COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been consistent with guidelines regarding masks amid national efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. But questions have emerged as to whether those guidelines about to change.
A CDC official who spoke to the Washington Post under the condition of anonymity confirmed to the paper that the agency is discussing potential changes to mask recommendations.
The current guidelines state that surgical masks and N95 respirators are not needed outside of healthcare settings, and there will be no change of that as hospitals and healthcare centers are quickly running out of personal protective equipment (PPE).
However, the Post reported that the new guidelines may recommend the public wear a “do-it-yourself cloth covering.”
The CDC told USA TODAY Tuesday that it "does not have guidance scheduled to come out on this topic" but that the current guidelines dictate individuals should wear face masks when they're sick or caring for someone who is sick with COVID-19.
The CDC also recommends that healthcare providers to use "homemade masks" as a last resort to care for COVID-19 patients in the event that N95 respirators or surgical masks are not available.
"However, cautions should be exercised when considering this option," the CDC warns on its website.
Dr. Frank Esper, pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital, said that it's totally possible for the CDC to change their mask guidelines in the future as new information develops and healthcare providers run out of PPE.
However, he doesn't think that they would recommend the general public to wear masks at all times, especially homemade masks.
"If you have no masks available, wearing something like a cloth mask may be of benefit, but you can’t guarantee that you would be as safe as you would as a standardized mask," he said. "Those things have to be tested, quality controlled."
Esper also said the "extra protection" may be moot if people aren't consistently changing out their masks or laundering them after every interaction. Another concern is that individuals may be given a false sense of security by masks and more lax about social distancing measures and good hygiene.
"Masks by themselves are not the one simple answer to this problem. This is going to be a multi pronged approach to eventually slow this pandemic," he said.
The World Health Organization recommends wearing a mask only when sick or when taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19.
“There is no specific evidence to suggest that the wearing of masks by the mass population has any particular benefit,” Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, told reporters in a news conference Monday.
“In fact, there’s some evidence to suggest the opposite in the misuse of wearing a mask properly or fitting it properly or taking it off and all the other risks that are otherwise associated with that.”
However, Austrian officials announced Monday that shoppers will be required to wear basic face masks in supermarkets, according to Reuters and the South China Morning Post. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said these masks will be provided at the front before entering supermarkets.
The WHO said they weren’t “specifically aware of that measure in Austria.”
Esper doesn't rule out other future strategies as the pandemic develops. This could include recommendations that target specific cities or professions.
"We’re in a crisis that generates innovation and there are a lot of innovative ideas right now as we try to work through this infection," he said.
Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.
All coronavirus coverage is being provided free to our readers. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing. Help keep local businesses afloat at supportlocal.usatoday.com. | As the biggest hospital system in Arizona rations masks for doctors and nurses, its executives are now telling staff that they can instead wear "social comfort masks" so that they "feel comfortable as they care for their patients."
Banner Health "does not endorse" those masks as preventing the transmission of diseases like COVID-19, Dr. Marjorie Bessel, the company's chief clinical officer, told staff Monday morning in an email, which was obtained by Phoenix New Times.
The term "social comfort mask" is a new one. Doctors and nurses don't know it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has nothing on the term.
CDC
Banner has explicitly told staff that they cannot wear medical face masks and N95 respirators except under highly limited circumstances, as New Times previously reported.
Now, the nonprofit hospital system's suggestion that front-line staff can begin "social comfort masking" that provides little-to-no protection during an unprecedented global pandemic comes as other hospitals elsewhere in the country implement requirements like "universal masking."
UMass Memorial Health Care, for example, told staff that starting Tuesday morning, they had to wear hospital-supplied face masks whenever they entered a facility. UMass Memorial Health Care has 13,000 employees across its hospitals in Massachusetts, where more than 1,100 people have tested positive for the virus and nine people have died.
"Never heard this term ever," said a doctor who works at Banner of the phrase "social comfort mask." The doctor, speaking to New Times on condition of anonymity, called Bessel's email "highly insensitive" and suggested that "Banner thinks staff is expendable."
As of Tuesday, 326 people in Arizona have tested positive for the new coronavirus, but the true number is likely far higher, as testing remains limited and difficult to obtain. Five people have died from the virus in Arizona.
Banner's definition of "social comfort mask" is that it must be self-supplied, cannot be a mask provided by Banner Health, and must look "substantially different" from the masks that Banner provides. It can be home-sewn, but scarves and bandannas don't count, according to Bessel's email.
Nurses and doctors are still required to follow Banner's protocol for wearing personal protective equipment, which lays out specific circumstances when they can wear masks and other PPE, as Bessel reminded them in her email.
"Social comfort masks may not be worn in isolation or procedure rooms; in those rooms Banner approved PPE will be provided and must always be used," she wrote.
This is what a "social comfort mask" can look like at Banner Hospital. Banner Health
Shortages of personal protective equipment are a national phenomenon. A month ago, the CDC warned that demand for N95 respirators and face masks was up tenfold and that gaps in supply "may be anticipated to continue for the next 3-4 months."
In an acknowledgement of these shortfalls, the CDC's website has a page euphemistically titled "Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of PPE," which lays out mask usage guidelines that escalate in stringency in accordance with shortage severity.
There's "conventional capacity," which is when there are no shortages, then "contingency," and then "crisis," the most extreme.
Banner's mask restrictions appear to align with "crisis" mode.
When shortages of masks have reached crisis capacity, the CDC says, "Cancel all elective and non-urgent procedures and appointments for which a facemask is typically used by [a health care provider]."
"Use facemasks beyond the manufacturer-designated shelf life," "implement limited re-use of facemasks," and "prioritize facemasks for selected activities," it adds.
Those "selected" activities include "prolonged face-to-face or close contacted" with a potentially infectious patient, and "performing aerosol generating procedures."
When no face masks are available, the CDC, health care providers "might use" homemade masks like a bandanna or a scarf, but those are not considered personal protective equipment, "since their capability to protect ... is unknown."
"We don’t have an endless supply of nurses. You gotta take care of the ones you have.” - Banner nurse Facebook
Twitter
As of last week, Banner's internal directives to its health care workers told them to disinfect and reuse certain equipment, including masks and goggles. Those workers are also barred from wearing personal protective equipment in hallways, as New Times reported last week.
The directives also said N95 masks, which fit snugly over a person's nose and mouth, should be worn only in airborne isolation rooms or when doing certain procedures on people confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19.
The hospital's restrictions on masks has left health care workers fearful.
“My coworkers are scared," said one nurse at a Banner hospital, who also spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution from administrators. "Nobody can really say anything. A lot of them are like, 'I have to work; I have to have this job.'"
"I know there’s a PPE shortage," added the nurse, who said she has underlying health conditions but was explicitly told by superiors that she could not wear a mask, even her own.
But, she said, "we don’t have an endless supply of nurses. You gotta take care of the ones you have.”
In her email Monday, Bessel told staff that Banner does have enough personal protective equipment, even as she indicated that it was trying to limit usage.
The hospital was working "to ensure the adequate use and conservation of Banner provided PPE so we can take care of our patients, and one another, for the long term," she wrote. "We are offering social comfort masking because we recognize it will allow some team members to feel more comfortable in the workplace."
In her email, Bessel promised that "the health, safety and well-being of our team members is of paramount importance during the COVID-19 pandemic" and that "we will continue to do our part to ensure you feel protected and valued."
A spokesperson for Banner did not respond to a voicemail, email, or text message from New Times seeking comment for this story. | 2 |
Mohanlal, the complete actor is all set to release his ambitious project Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, very soon. Recently, the senior actor opened up about the comparisons between Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham and Baahubali, the Prabhas starring Telugu blockbuster. Mohanlal suggested that the Priyadarshan directorial cannot be compared with the SS Rajamouli directorial.
According to the complete actor, Baahubali is an out-and-out fantasy film that reminds us of the old Amar Chitra Kadha comics. When it comes to the SS Rajamouli directorial, the makers had the creative liberty to showcase anything they think fits the bill due to its fantasy element. It was clearly a great advantage.
Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, on the other hand, is an epic historic film that is based on the life of the historical character Kunjali Marakkar IV. The creative liberty has been very limited with the project, as it is based on a true story. But still, the historical drama can be called a complete Priyadarshan film.
As reported earlier, Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham which was slated to hit the theatres on March 26, 2020, has been postponed due to the coronavirus scare. According to lead actor Mohanlal, the team is yet to finalise the new release date of the project. However, the makers are planning to have a special screening of the Priyadarshan directorial on March 19, Thursday, for the officers of the Indian Navy.
The official trailer of Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, which was released on March 6, Friday, has totally won the hearts of netizens. The trailer, which was simultaneously released in five languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, has already crossed 10 Million views (including the views from all versions).
The extraordinary trailer of the Mohanlal starrer suggests that something very special is in store for the Malayalam cinema audiences. Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, which might hit the theatres in April 2020, is expected to break all the pre-existing collection records of the Malayalam cinema. | Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham, the upcoming Mohanlal starring historical drama is unarguably one of the most anticipated upcoming films of the Malayalam film industry in 2020. The Priyadarshan directorial is all set to have a grand release on March 26, Thursday. Recently, the makers revealed the release date of Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham official trailer.
The trailer release date was revealed through the official social media pages of lead actor Mohanlal, director Priyadarshan, and the rest of the team members recently. Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham official trailer will be jointly released by Mohanlal and Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar through their respective social media pages on March 6, 2020, at 5 PM.
According to the sources close to the project, the official trailer of Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham will provide a glimpse of the main star cast of the movie unlike the first teaser, which was solely based on Mohanlal's character Kunjali Marakkar IV. The Malayalam cinema audiences are now eagerly waiting for the trailer of the Mohanlal-Priyadarshan movie.
As per the latest updates, the audio rights of Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham has been sold for the highest price received by a Malayalam film to date. A popular music company in the Malayalam film industry has bagged the audio rights of the historical drama for a record price. Reportedly, the makers are planning to release the soundtrack of the Mohanlal starrer very soon, in a grand launch event.
Mohanlal is appearing as the titular character Kunjali Marakkar IV aka Mohammed, the naval chieftain of Samoothiri kingdom in the historical drama which is jointly scripted by Priyadarshan and Ani Sasi. Pranav Mohanlal, the son of Mohanlal will appear as the young Kunjali Marakkar in the magnum opus.
Tirru, the senior cinematographer is the director of photography of Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham. Sabu Cyril, the National Award-winning art director has handled the production design. Renowned stunt director Peter Hein has designed the action sequences for the Mohanlal-Priyadarshan project. | 1 |
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) - The Chiefs are Super Bowl Champions, and it's time to celebrate with a party - possibly one at the home of Paul Rudd's mom.
"I'm freaking out. I guess we really got to plan a big 'ole kegger, don't we," Rudd told WDAF during the Chiefs postgame celebration.
It all began in 2015 when Rudd jokingly threw out an invite when the Royals advanced to the World Series. He did the same two weeks ago when the Chiefs won the AFC to advance to the Super Bowl.
"Kegger at mom's," Rudd said Sunday after the Chiefs big win. "Somebody better let my mom know." | KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Boulevard Brewing Company tweeted Monday that they’re brewing up something extra special to celebrate the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win.
“We’ve already gotten a lot of questions, so to answer those and preemptively answer any others: YES, a beer to celebrate the big win is on the way!” the tweet said.
While the brewing company did not release a lot of details, they did say it will be worth the wait.
In 2014, the local brewery released the limited edition Crown Town Ale after the Royals advanced to the World Series. They released it again in 2015 after the Royals won the World Series.
We've already gotten a lot of questions, so to answer those and preemptively answer any others: YES, a beer to celebrate the big win is on the way! Stay tuned for more, it will definitely be worth the wait… — Boulevard Brewing Co. (@Boulevard_Beer) February 3, 2020 | 3 |
Twenty years ago, President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and PLO leader Yasser Arafat met at Camp David where Barak offered almost all of what Arafat asked for in exchange for making peace with the Jewish state. Arafat rejected the offer.
The reason was and remains that the Palestinian leadership doesn’t want to make peace with Israel. Their goal is to eliminate it.
Now comes President Trump with his own peace plan, offering statehood, prosperity and peace to the Palestinians. Has anything changed in the last 20 years, indeed, since 1948 when the Arabs rejected the idea of a Jewish state and launched the first of numerous wars, spawning terrorist attacks?
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas rejected the Trump plan before it was announced, calling the president a “dog” and another name not fit to print.
The flaw in the Trump plan is that it is designed, like all the others, by people whose thinking is radically different from Arab and Muslim leaders.
Let’s start with the Palestinian Charter, which says in Article Nine: “Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine and is therefore a strategy and not a tactic. The Palestinian Arab people affirms its absolute resolution and abiding determination to pursue the armed struggle and to march forward towards the armed popular revolution, to liberate its homeland and restore its right to a natural life, and to exercise its right of self-determination and national sovereignty.”
One of the requirements in the Trump peace proposal is for the Palestinians to reject violence, including violence by Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Neither terrorist organization has accepted Israel’s right to exist and is unlikely to do so now.
The president spoke of the importance of peace for the younger generation. But young people are being educated like those who have gone before. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based nonprofit think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs, a 2017 study by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (in Jerusalem) found that “Palestinian children are being taught to glorify and value terrorism and violence” and that “The new Palestinian curriculum, which includes new textbooks for grades 1-4, is significantly more radical than previous curricula. To an even greater extent than the 2014-15 textbooks, the curriculum teaches students to be martyrs, demonizes and denies the existence of Israel and focuses on a “return” to an exclusively Palestinian homeland.”
There are plenty of good intentions in the Trump proposal, including a promise of prosperity and jobs for the Palestinian people. They could have had both long ago. Jobs and prosperity, however, do not supersede what many of them believe to be orders from Allah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival, Benny Gantz, have signed off on the plan, probably for political reasons with another election coming soon. They can’t possibly believe the Palestinian leadership will agree to the proposal.
Peace is not, or should not be, a goal. Peace is a byproduct of victory in war, or a decision by one’s enemies to change the way they believe and act. That Palestinian leaders will change their beliefs and desire to eliminate Israel is as likely as Democrats changing their minds about Trump’s presidency.
One wishes it were not so, but history — even recent history — proves otherwise.
Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. | Photo Credit: Flash90
{Originally posted to the JNS website}
As far as Americans who despise President Donald Trump go, as well as for many Jews and Israelis who feel the same way about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the ceremony unveiling a new U.S. peace plan for the Middle East was a sham.
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With the Palestinians refusing to even talk to the administration—let alone negotiate with Israel about implementing the plan’s terms—chances of the “deal of the century” solving the conflict remain exactly zero. Trump’s opponents see his determination to recognize Israeli sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, as well as the green light his plan gives to annexation of West Bank settlements, as an outrage. And they dismiss his offer of statehood to the Palestinians—provided that they recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish state and cease support for terrorism—as meaningless.
In essence, all those denouncing Trump’s terms are advising the Palestinians to stick to their refusal to talk until a new American president takes office.
Whatever you think about Trump, it is the worst possible advice anyone could give to the Palestinians.
Unfortunately, this is exactly what many Democrats are doing. The same is true of allegedly “pro-peace” Jewish groups like J Street. Rather than encouraging the Palestinians to start negotiating, the “experts” about the Mideast are applauding their decision to reject Trump’s proposal out of hand. Sadly, they are once again serving as enablers for a Palestinian Arab leadership that has, over the course of the last century, failed their people miserably as they pursued a futile war against Zionism.
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas stopped talking to the Americans after Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017 and then continued to ignore them as the peace plan was drafted. He refused an invitation to the White House and even a phone call from the president, whom he denounced as a “dog” and a “son of a dog.” But the key to understanding his stance was his statement that if he were to negotiate on these terms, he would be seen as “a traitor” to the Palestinian people.
The political culture that produced Abbas is one in which any recognition of Israel’s legitimacy is not merely a form of treason, but a complete betrayal of Palestinian identity. That’s why Abbas was meeting with representatives of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, rather than with Trump and Netanyahu at the White House.
Abbas may think that it’s outrageous that he’s being asked to accept less than what George W. Bush and Ehud Olmert offered him in 2008, or what Bill Clinton and Ehud Barak offered his predecessor Yasser Arafat in 2000 and 2001. But what Trump’s critics forget is that both Abbas and Arafat rejected those offers of Palestinian statehood in almost all of the West Bank, Gaza and a share of Jerusalem. Independence wasn’t enough for the Palestinians then. And it’s not enough now—and not because the amount of territory they’re being offered is slightly less than what was on the table previously. Abbas is saying “no” to Trump for the same reason that the Palestinians have been saying “no” to every compromise that has been mooted to solve the conflict since the 1930s. No Palestinian leader has the courage to make peace with Israel, no matter where its borders are drawn, because they remain locked into a war that they have already lost.
Palestinians are right to say that Trump is asking them to surrender. But what they must surrender is their dreams of eliminating Israel. The problem with the plans put forward by Trump’s predecessors was not that they weren’t generous enough to the Palestinians, but that they refused, as Trump has done, to force them to realize that time wasn’t on their side.
Israel tried in the 1993 Oslo Accords to trade “land for peace,” but got terror instead. The same was true of Ariel Sharon’s withdrawal of every Israeli soldier, settler and settlement from Gaza in August of 2005. The overwhelming majority of Israelis have learned from these failures, and that is why even the Blue and White Party that leads the opposition to Netanyahu largely agrees with him about the need to hold onto security control of the West Bank and to annex portions of it since there is no Palestinian peace partner in sight.
Had the Palestinians accepted Clinton and Barak’s offer of peace in 2000, many of the settlements that Trump is allowing Israel to annex would no longer exist. But after two decades of violence and rejectionism, it isn’t reasonable to expect Israelis to risk their national security and defense in the same manner they might have done in the past. No American president can make Israel give the Palestinians what they want because their goal isn’t a demilitarized state that will live in peace alongside a Jewish state, coupled with the Gaza Strip no longer ruled by Hamas terrorists. The fact that Abbas even cited J Street as a group opposing Trump’s plan after he met with terrorists illustrates how utterly counterproductive that group’s efforts are to the cause of peace.
With much of the Arab world no longer interested in backing their endless war against Israel, the Palestinians need to understand that Trump’s team of former real estate executives turned diplomats is right to think of them as equivalent to a property that is rapidly depreciating in value.
What Trump is offering the Palestinians is the best chance they’re going to get to achieve a measure of independence, and eventually even prosperity. Anyone who advises them differently—whether out of disdain for Trump, or because they are fixated on forcing Israel to retreat to the 1967 lines and evicting hundreds of thousands of Israelis from their homes—is merely encouraging them to make the same mistake Palestinians have made every other time they had a chance to end the conflict and move on with their lives. All J Street and the Democrats are giving them is the permission to go on dooming their people to fight an endless war they’ve already lost. | 4 |
Eau Claire (WQOW) - WQOW News 18 is partnering with Volume One to unveil the winners of the annual "Best of the Chippewa Valley."
As part of that, we want to send you and a friend to 'The Best Night' where Volume One will celebrate the organizations that topped the list of Best Of in the Chippewa Valley.
These tickets are VIP which means you get into the event an hour early and get free drinks and appetizers during that hour! The prize is valued at $130! Read the official rules here. | Eau Claire (WQOW) - Many residents spent their Leap Day afternoon supporting local businesses at the Brewing Projekt.
From jewelry to food to home decor, visitors were able to see all sorts of homemade goods at the brewery's "Leap Year Vendor Market."
Taproom and events manager Taylor Pieper said all 18 vendors were from the Chippewa Valley.
Event organizers said the market not only brings in business to the Brewing Projekt, but helps give a boost to the local talent as well.
"We like to open our doors to the community to local artists and vendors so they can come in and show off their stuff," Pieper said. "It helps us as well. Obviously people are coming in, seeing our new taproom. It's a mutually beneficial event to have. We love having everybody in here."
Saturday's market was free to enter and open for all ages. If you missed out, Pieper said the Brewing Projekt plans to host more vendor markets in the spring and summer. | 3 |
In response to Gov. Steve Sisolak’s mandate regarding COVID-19, Lyon County offices will be closed to the public beginning Wednesday, March 25, according to a news release.
Service will continue through telephone, fax and email, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Building and site improvement inspections will continue, but all inspection requests have to be either called-in or e-mailed to the appropriate department, the release said. There is no longer walk-in service for any Lyon County department until this pandemic has passed.
Law enforcement services such as fingerprinting, office reports, etc. will be completed by contacting your local sheriff’s substation or the main office and scheduling an appointment for services.
Marriage licenses, business licenses and recording documents will be completed by calling the appropriate office and making an appointment to have services completed.
To contact specific departments and offices, use lyon-county.org and click on the directory for phone number and email information.
If you have business with the courts contact them to determine access:
Third Judicial District Court, (775) 463-6571
Dayton Justice Court, (775) 246-6233
Fernley Justice Court, (775) 575-3355
Walker River Justice Court, (775) 463-6639 | Send this page to someone via email
The Assiniboine Park Zoo is bringing the zoo to you during the COVID-19 outbreak.
While the zoo has closed to the public to help stem the spread of novel coronavirus, staff have gone online to help Winnipeggers keep in touch with some of their favourite zoo creatures.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1 p.m. zookeepers will go live on the zoo’s Facebook page to present a different animal to Winnipeggers.
“We’ll be getting up close, introducing you to an animal here at the zoo, and teaching you about animal enrichment, veterinary care, adaptations, and more,” reads a statement on the zoo’s website.
Zookeepers will also answer questions during the livestreams.
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The idea, dubbed Creature Feature, kicked off Monday with a look at the zoo’s meerkats.
To see a full lineup of which animals are lined up for a livestream, check out the zoo’s website. | 1 |
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Ayanna Pressley announced in a new video that she has gone bald due to alopecia.
The freshman Massachusetts Democrat was known for her long hair twists. Her hair styles had become an inspiration to young supporters.
In the video on the African American-focused website The Root, Pressley publicly revealed her bald head for the first time.
Pressley said she felt compelled to go public to free herself of the shame of her condition and provide true transparency to all the people empowered by her hair style.
Pressley said she first noticed her hair falling out back in the fall. | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Marianne Williamson announced she’s ending her Democratic presidential bid a week after laying off nearly her entire campaign staff.
The best-selling author and self-help adviser struggled to break through the crowded Democratic field despite drawing some online support and viral attention after the first two debates.
But she didn’t qualify for the debate stage past last summer and languished in support.
Williamson told supporters in a Friday statement that she didn’t want to impede the chances of another progressive Democrat from winning the upcoming primaries.
She built her campaign around themes of love and what she called “big truth” and asked supporters to join what she called an “evolution” not a revolution.
Williamson had made slavery reparations, child welfare and a “department of peace” her chief platform items.
Williamson ended her statement by assuring supporters “love will prevail.” | 2 |
Good news for travellers who think economy airline seats are small enough to make you feel like cattle: now you can opt for a capsule hotel in the sky instead.
Air New Zealand says it is going ahead with a test program to install at least six bunk beds in economy class.
The airline calls it Economy Skynest and says it plans to launch the service on its direct flight between New York City and New Zealand's largest city, Auckland — a long-haul flight with a 17 hour and 40 minute scheduled flying time that will begin operating in October 2020.
"A clear pain point for economy travellers on long-haul flights is the inability to stretch out," said Mike Tod, the airline's chief marketing officer, in a news release.
The airline hasn't decided on the exact location of the pods in the plane or how many pods each plane will have, but they will be in economy class.
Included features
The beds will be stacked three high and are about 200 centimetres (six feet five inches) long and at least 58 centimetres (just under two feet) wide.
A pillow, blanket, sheets and earplugs will be provided, and the pods will be equipped with privacy curtains and "lighting designed for sleep," the release said.
"We are exploring other features such as separate reading light, personal device USB outlet and ventilation outlet."
The airline has yet to reveal pricing, but it did say the feature will be offered to economy class travellers.
"We have yet to determine the costs and are still assessing the commercial proposition and viability of this product," spokesperson Anna Cross told CBC News when asked about pricing plans. But she did say anyone booking the pod would also need to have purchased a standard seat before having the option of moving between the two.
"The concept is designed as a pod you go to during the flight," she said. "You will still have your economy seat separately for the other portion of the flight."
Expanding service
Some airlines already offer sleeping pods to their first- and business-class passengers, but the move from Air New Zealand builds on the airline's attempt to bring stripped-down versions of such perks to its economy-class customers.
In 2018, the airline marketed something it called Economy Skycouch to customers — essentially, a way to turn a row of three seats into one unit someone could lie down across.
Watch the video below to see how it works.
"We expect other airlines will want to explore licensing the Economy Skynest from us just as they have with the Economy Skycouch," Goodman said. | Career Corner: Panel Interview Fears
By Angela Copeland
Have you ever had a panel interview? It’s one of those job interviews where you show up and instead of one person interviewing you, three do. Or, if you’re really lucky, five or six will. I’m not talking about a situation where you have one interview after another. I’m talking about a single interview where you’re facing off with multiple people at a time around a single table.
If you interview people, you should know that panel interviews are scary for the candidate. I’ve seen these at all levels, from right out of college to senior executives. Very rarely are people comfortable with this kind of interview format. If your goal is to be welcoming, avoid this interview setup if you can. Or, provide as much information to the candidate ahead of time so they can prepare.
If you’re the candidate, you should know that the company doesn’t intend to scare you. They have probably scheduled you for a panel interview because it takes less time. They can interview you all at once. Also, a panel interview is not a place where you’ll find yourself attacked by the panelists.
In your mind, you may picture an adversarial meeting at work. It’s you versus a team of people when something goes wrong. But, that should not be the case in a panel interview. You don’t yet work at the company and should be welcoming and kind.
In a panel interview, it’s very likely that each person will have one or two predetermined questions they will ask you. And, it’s also possible that not everyone in the room is excited to be there. They may also be nervous. Or, they may be doing the hiring manager a favor by participating in the panel.
Before you have a panel interview, ask the human resources recruiter for an agenda of the people you’ll be talking to. Use that agenda to research each person, so you’ll be prepared in advance. During the interview, stay calm and be friendly. Treat each person equally and with respect. Be sure to shake the hand of everyone you meet.
Afterward, send each person a thank you email. Don’t send one mass email. Send a separate email for each individual person. If you can, customize each email to reflect something that aligns to the person’s background or something they honed in on during your interview. But, keep it positive. Don’t use the emails to apologize. Thank the person for their time and keep going. If you’re feeling especially interested in a role, take the time to also send a hand written thank you note to every person. If you do this, you’ll very likely be the only candidate who did – and it will make you stand out in a good way.
Remember: every interview is practice for the next one. And, you don’t have to answer every question perfectly to get a job offer.
Angela Copeland, a career expert and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com. | 1 |
The city of Lincoln tried to stock up on personal protection equipment last week, issuing a series of emergency bid requests seeking supplies to keep its employees safe.
Like nearly 400 gallons of hand sanitizer in various quantities, including 1,000 12-ounce containers and a 55-gallon barrel. And 42,000 respirator masks. More than 40,000 disposable exam gloves, and 6,000 isolation gowns.
But it might have to take what it can get, when it can get it.
A single supplier responded to the bid for N95 respirator masks, offering to sell pallets — or 3,840 masks — for $1,171. But it can’t guarantee delivery, said Bob Walla, the city’s purchasing agent.
And the same Illinois company was the one only to bite on the hand sanitizer bid, with a quote for more than $46,000. The city accepted the offer — and the mayor signed an executive order Tuesday — but the sanitizer won’t come anytime soon. | Places at Fife’s emergency childcare centres are being made available to more families this week.
Last week the provision was open only to children of key workers in categories one and two.
However, the children’s activity centres will now take in children of category three key workers.
More than 400 youngsters are already registered for the 29 activity centres set up around Fife to help key workers during the coronavirus crisis.
There was confusion among parents in Fife and Tayside over who was eligible to use the hubs being set up by local authorities.
However, Carrie Lindsay, executive director of education and children’s services in Fife Council, offered clarity on the kingdom’s offering.
She said: “We opened our centres on Tuesday [last week], initially to the children of the most critical category one workers.
“On Thursday that was opened up to some workers from category two and [this week] we will start to take children of category three workers.
“We took this phased approach to make sure we had space for the most vital workers’ children.
“Once they were all registered, we reviewed our numbers to see how much space we had for category two workers’ children. We are now in a position to open up to category three workers’ children.” | 2 |
Your digital subscription allows you to view any content, comment on any issue and submit your own news to our newsroom. | Two new cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in San Joaquin County, bringing the total to three cases in the county, public health officials said Thursday.In response, San Joaquin County Public Health Services declared a public health emergency “in order to assist in leveraging additional resources and funding to ensure an appropriate response to the COVID-19 outbreak.”“The proclamation should not be considered a reason for heightened concern; it is intended to help facilitate additional resources to address the increasing demands of containing the virus,” health officials said in a statement.County officials will now be shifting to community mitigation measures as a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This means officials will move away from “individually focused, labor-intensive ‘contact-tracing’ and quarantine, to minimizing the impact of COVID-19 in the greater community."“These actions are important steps to freeing up public health resources to protect the most vulnerable populations, and allow our health care system to prepare for taking care of severely ill patients,” health officials said.
Two new cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in San Joaquin County, bringing the total to three cases in the county, public health officials said Thursday.
In response, San Joaquin County Public Health Services declared a public health emergency “in order to assist in leveraging additional resources and funding to ensure an appropriate response to the COVID-19 outbreak.”
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“The proclamation should not be considered a reason for heightened concern; it is intended to help facilitate additional resources to address the increasing demands of containing the virus,” health officials said in a statement.
County officials will now be shifting to community mitigation measures as a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This means officials will move away from “individually focused, labor-intensive ‘contact-tracing’ and quarantine, to minimizing the impact of COVID-19 in the greater community."
“These actions are important steps to freeing up public health resources to protect the most vulnerable populations, and allow our health care system to prepare for taking care of severely ill patients,” health officials said. | 4 |
After a 1-3 showing in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge that caused them to plummet out of the top 25, the North Carolina softball team rebounded on Tuesday afternoon with a 7-0 victory over North Carolina Central.
What happened?
The Tar Heels seemed to be recovering from a long weekend of competitive action when the game started slow and was knotted at zero for the first two innings. The Eagles managed to keep the Tar Heels at bay until the bottom of the third inning, when head coach Donna Papa’s team was finally able to sneak runners on base.
First-year outfielder Bri Stubbs completed a surprise bunt, helping her get all the way to second base and drive in the game’s first run after N.C. Central threw an errant ball over first base.
Once the Tar Heels developed an appetite for scoring, the inning went south for the Eagles. A passed ball brought Stubbs in for the second score of the game, only to be one-upped by junior Zoë Goodman, who powered a two-run home run that to center field to cap off an explosive four-run inning for UNC. | The lead disappeared when Fairfield notched another run to tie the game in the top of the third and scored twice in the top of the fourth to go up 4-2. From there, the deficit ballooned to six as Fairfield scored four runs on five hits and a North Carolina error in the top of the fifth to make it 8-2.
In the top of the seventh, Fairfield scored another three for a hefty 11-2 lead, which was the eventual final.
In the finale on Sunday, North Carolina scored three in the top of the third inning against UNCG thanks to a two-run homer from senior Campbell Hutcherson and a solo home run from sophomore Lexi Godwin.
UNCG scored a run in the bottom of the fourth and added three more — on three straight solo homers — in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. Hutcherson responded with a double to send in another two runs to retake a one-run lead.
In the bottom of the sixth with a 2-2 count, though, UNCG hit a grand slam to shift momentum and take a three-run lead. North Carolina couldn’t respond in the top of the seventh inning and fell in heartbreaking fashion, 8-5.
Who stood out?
George pitched an impressive game one and kept the Tar Heels in it, while Godwin had a 2-3 day at the plate despite the loss.
Sophomore Abby Settlemyre went 3-4 with a double and two runs scored in the finale against UNCG, while Hutcherson went 2-4 with four RBIs.
When was it decided?
The first game against Purdue was tied at zero until the bottom of the sixth when Purdue finally broke through. North Carolina batted in the top of the seventh but was unable to tie the game up and suffered a 1-0 loss.
Against Fairfield, at the top of the fourth inning North Carolina was only down 4-2. But the fifth inning proved disastrous for UNC as Fairfield scored four runs and pushed their lead to 8-2, and another three in the top of the seventh to make it 11-2.
Why does it matter?
Head coach Donna J. Papa said her team wasn't consistent in some respects, but believes it made strides toward getting better. She felt the team had a chance to come away with a perfect 3-0 weekend.
“Very disappointing, because we went into that tournament knowing the competition — definitely I felt like we would come out of there 3-0, and we came out 0-3,” Papa said. "That’s just not something I’m used to and our program is used to, and we have to get better.”
When do they play next?
UNC hosts Elon on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
@A_ReynoldsDTH
@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com | 3 |
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.
Smartphone shipments saw their biggest ever drop in February as the novel coronavirus ravaged China, one of the world's largest markets and a vital manufacturing hub.
Worldwide, phone shipments fell 38% to 61.8 million units in February 2020, from 99.2 million units in the same month last year, according to Strategy Analytics. The firm attributed the "huge" drop to a collapse in demand in Asia.
"February 2020 saw the biggest fall ever in the history of the worldwide smartphone market," Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston said. "Supply and demand of smartphones plunged in China, slumped across Asia and slowed in the rest of the world. It is a period the smartphone industry will want to forget."
Now playing: Watch this: 3 new Apple products and more on the way
The news follows warnings by companies like Apple that they likely won't meet their expected sales targets because of the coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Apple in February cited two reasons for its update: The coronavirus was hurting both demand from Chinese customers and production capabilities inside the country. China is one of the world's biggest markets and the primary location where devices like the iPhone are assembled. Because factories are coming online later, there'll be iPhone shortages around the globe, Apple has said.
The coronavirus is changing the way we live and forcing people across the globe to stay at home and isolate themselves from others. The pandemic has caused schools to close, while other closures have swept across the US, from Broadway theaters to NBA venues. Starting Tuesday, the San Francisco Bay Area was put on lockdown, with citizens ordered to stay at home except for essential outings. It followed places like France and Spain in limiting the movement of the public, and the rest of California joined the lockdown on Thursday. The state of New York followed suit Friday.
A slow recovery?
Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf told CNBC on Thursday that phone purchases in China have returned to normal as the country recovers from the coronavirus outbreak. Qualcomm is the world's biggest handset maker, supplying wireless chips to Apple, Samsung and most of the other major phone vendors in the world.
"if you're just looking at activations of cellphones in China ... at the end of January, you saw a big dip," Mollenkopf said. But purchases in that country have recovered in March. "It's really turned back to the same level you had a year ago," he said. "It clearly was a very difficult time in February, but it's good to see that returning."
He added that Qualcomm's customers -- the companies designing phones -- have seen their supply chains return to about 70% to 80% capacity.
Still, Strategy Analytics analyst Yiwen Wu on Friday warned that global smartphone shipments will remain weak throughout this month.
"The coronavirus scare has spread to Europe, North America and elsewhere, and hundreds of millions of affluent consumers are in lockdown, unable or unwilling to shop for new devices," Wu said. "The smartphone industry will have to work harder than ever to lift sales in the coming weeks, such as online flash sales or generous discounts on bundling with hot products like smartwatches."
Apple, for its part, has reopened its stores in China but has closed all its retail locations outside the Asian country, indefinitely. It also has limited online iPhone purchases as COVID-19 constrains its supply chain. Consumers can buy only two iPhones or iPads per person. The last time Apple imposed such limits was 2007, when the original iPhone came out.
Apple this week introduced two new products, a new iPad with a keyboard case that has a trackpad, as well as an updated MacBook Air. | February was set to be a big month for the phone industry, with its major annual Mobile World Congress showcase, where many new phones are unveiled for the first time. | 4 |
A longtime reader who was a senior official government in a previous Democratic administration sent me this:
I’m sorry if this question strikes people as impolite. A 78-year old man who had a heart attack less than five months ago and refuses to release his complete medical records is the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination. If Bernie Sanders is nominated and elected president, what are the odds he can complete a full term? The answer is about 50-50.
A team of nine cardiologists recently published a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association that can help answer that question.Their study tracked the expected mortality and life expectancy of people who survive a first heart attack (myocardial infarction) at ages 65 and older. The scientists’ data are comprehensive, covering what happened to 22,295 heart attack patients admitted to U.S. hospitals from October 2004 to December 2006.
Their analysis provides two ways to estimate a person’s expected mortality and life-expectancy based on age and cardiac history. Both methods produced nearly identical results. The likelihood that a person of Senator Sanders’ age and heart history will die within one year – that takes us through September 2020 – is 25 percent. Further, the median period of survival for those patients is about five years, so the likelihood that someone of Senator Sanders’ age and heart history will survive through the next presidential term is about 50-50.
This is far from typical. According to the CDC, the odds that a 78-year old American will die within one year are just over 4 percent, and the odds over five years are less than 23 percent. Moreover, 45 people have served as President of the United States, and four of them died in office from natural causes. The historical likelihood that a president will die in office for medical reasons, therefore, is less than 9 percent.
The analysis of Senator Sanders’ prospects could be more precise than 50-50, if we knew a common indicator of his current cardiac status, called the “the left ventricular ejection fraction.” This measures the blood volume a person’s heart pushes out with each heartbeat. According to an interview by NBC News with the president of the American College of Cardiology, Dr. Richard Kovacs, the results are closely associated with a patient’s expected mortality rate. By this measure, the normal blood volume level is 60 percent. At 40 to 50 percent, the functioning of the heart’s left ventricle is said to be mildly impaired; at 30 percent to 40 percent, moderately impaired; and at 30 percent or less, severely impaired.
It is certainly reasonable that voters know those results for a 78-year old potential nominee with a heart condition. Thus far, Senator Sanders has refused. If he persists and is nominated, voters will have to consider very carefully his choice for vice president, since the odds that a vice president would succeed a President Sanders for medical reasons during his first term will jump from an average 9 percent to 50 percent. | Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders put forth a far-reaching plan Tuesday night that calls for at least $2 trillion in emergency funding—including for free healthcare and direct cash payments of $2,000 per month to every American—as a way to “mobilize on a scale not seen since the New Deal and World War II to prevent deaths, job losses, and economic ruin” caused by the deadly and growing threat of the coronavirus outbreak now sweeping the United States and much of the world.
“We must guarantee that everyone who needs care can get it for free, ensure that all workers continue to receive paychecks so they can make ends meet, and stop giant corporations and Wall Street from profiting off the outbreak.”
—Sen. Bernie Sanders
“In terms of potential deaths and the impact on our economy, the crisis we face from coronavirus is on the scale of a major war, and we must act accordingly,” Sanders said in Tuesday night address. “We must begin thinking on a scale comparable to the threat, and make sure that we are protecting working people, low-income people, and the most vulnerable communities, not just giant corporations and Wall Street.”
The new plan—which Sanders set out in a live-streamed address just before polls closed in the primary voting states of Illinois, Florida, and Arizona—gives new policy details to his repeated call that the response to the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, be adequately robust and specifically targeted to help those who need it most and done in a way that centers both the short-term and long-term health of the nation’s people and its economy.
While former Vice President Joe Biden was declared the winner in each of Tuesday’s primary contests—adding to his already substantial delegate lead—the release of the new plan by Sanders made it clear that the Vermont senator still believes he has a role to play and a vision to share with the nation even as his prospects for winning the Democratic nomination continue to diminish.
“In this moment of crisis, it is imperative that we stand together,” Sanders said. Referencing people in the U.S. already out of work, those sick or fearful that they or someone they love could become sick, and everyone worried about their ability to get tested or treatment if they need—Sanders emphasized how it is now essential that the needs of working people and the most vulnerable in society are put before corporate interests or those seeking to profit in the midst of the society-wide shock.
The plan would guarantee that all healthcare needs related to the coronavirus would be free and available to all, including testing, any treatments, and ultimately—when available—the vaccine. The plan also calls for a dramatic investment in the public health system—including an urgent overhaul in terms of testing for the virus—and increased preparedness and support for frontline medical workers, hospitals, clinics, and community health centers. It would also mobilize the National Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and military resources to build healthcare capacity nationwide.
On the economic front, Sanders’ plan would issue direct cash payments, in the form of $2,000 check to every American each month for the duration of the crisis. The plan would also establish what the Sanders campaign calls the “Emergency Economic Crisis Finance Agency,” which would be charged with handling the financial downturn unleashed by what is now a global pandemic. | 1 |
Help to retain apprentices, $6.7 billion in tax-free money for small business and an expansion of the instant asset write-off will be offered under a Morrison government plan to boost the economy.
As well, media reports suggest pensioners and welfare recipients will get cash payments of around $500.
Treasury expects the coronavirus will detract 0.5 percentage points from Australia's growth figures in the March quarter.
Economists say whether Australia avoids recession will be determined by the length of time coronavirus continues to disrupt the nation.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is determined to keep economic growth in positive territory.
"Our targeted stimulus package will focus on keeping Australians in jobs and keeping businesses in business so we can bounce back strongly," Mr Morrison said.
Under the plan to be unveiled on Thursday, the government will offer up to $7000 each quarter for each apprentice in wage assistance to small businesses to retain existing apprentices and trainees.
As well, small businesses will be able to re-employ apprentices and trainees who lose positions because of any coronavirus downturn.
The wage subsidy is worth about $1.3 billion.
Businesses with turnover under $50 million will have access to a tax-free payment of up to $25,000 to help boost cash flow.
Eligible businesses that withhold tax to the ATO on their employees' salary and wages will receive a payment equal to 50 per cent of the amount withheld, up to a maximum payment of $25,000.
Businesses that pay salary and wages will receive a minimum $2000, even those not required to withhold tax.
It's estimated the measure will cost $6.7 billion over four years, benefiting almost 700,000 businesses and 7.8 million workers.
The government will also spend $700 million over four years to expand the instant asset write-off.
The threshold will be raised from $30,000 to $150,000 and expand access to businesses from an annual turnover from up to $50 million to $500 million.
It's expected to drive interest in the purchases of cars, utes and trucks, harvesters and tradies' equipment.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the government could only roll out the package because the budget and economy was at a position of strength.
"The government has worked hard over the last six and a half years to return the budget to balance so we have the flexibility to respond to the serious economic challenges posed by the coronavirus," he said.
"In our response, we have been very careful not to repeat the mistakes of previous stimulus programs and not undermine the structural integrity of the budget."
Meanwhile, Mr Morrison has urged big business to support workers during the coronavirus crisis or risk brand damage.
"I'd be encouraging employers to take a flexible and forward-leaning approach in supporting their employees during this process," he told reporters in Canberra.
Mr Frydenberg met with bank CEOs on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the virus on the economy.
"Australia's banking system is strong and well capitalised to support households and businesses during this challenging time," he said.
Banks will offer a range of assistance, from waiving fees and charges to interest-free periods, debt consolidation and a deferral of scheduled loan repayments.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said Labor would support any necessary funding for the virus response.
"The cost of inaction will be far greater than the cost of action," he said.
Mr Albanese said workforce issues would have to be solved, particularly for health sector staff.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions has demanded the government legislate two weeks of paid leave for all workers to deal with the virus. | The attorney-general Christian Porter has suggested the higher rate of hourly pay casual workers receive mean many will have “already made provisions” if forced to take two-weeks unpaid leave because of the coronavirus crisis, and the government will not “jump to a solution in anticipation of a problem”.
As the government struggles to answer what solutions it is putting in place for Australia’s 3.3 million unsecured workforce, who do not receive sick leave entitlements, Porter told the ABC he did not expect it to be a universal problem.
“Many people would have already made provisions for that because of course the purpose of casual employment is that you’re paid extra in-lieu of the types of entitlements,” he said.
“If it is the case that large numbers of people in particular industry sectors by virtue of the casual nature of their employment are having these types of problems and that is something we’re aware could happen, that is something that can be responded to, likely through the welfare system, but there might be other options.
“We’re not going to jump to a solution in anticipation of a problem that is broad before that problem has arisen or we reasonably know that it will arise.”
Morrison warns coronavirus hit could be worse than GFC amid recession predictions Read more
Earlier, Labor had warned the Morrison government not to drag its feet on help for casual workers in the midst of a looming coronavirus employment crisis, after a roundtable discussion on the issue led to no concrete solutions for vulnerable employees.
Tony Burke and Linda Burney said Australia’s casual and contract workforce could not afford to wait to learn whether or not they would be paid sick leave in the event they were forced to self-isolate for two weeks.
“If casuals aren’t given that reassurance sooner rather than later we run the risk people will turn up to work when they’re sick because they simply cannot afford to stay home and lose their pay,” the Labor MPs said.
“This isn’t just about supporting Australia’s often vulnerable or insecure casual workers – it’s about containing the spread of this virus.”
The government is yet to say whether or not it will support workers without sick leave entitlements as part of its coronavirus stimulus package.
Porter, who led a roundtable discussion with unions and employer and business groups on Tuesday, said the challenges faced by casual workers would be “one of the many things that need to be considered” by the government, but gave no answers on how it would do that.
“I think we’re preferring to see this problem as about how we make sure that businesses keep employing people and provide the goods and services that we rely on during challenging times,” he said afterwards.
“Of course there’s a sectorial component to that with different parts of the workforce being affected differently. We listened very carefully to what the unions have had to say, obviously, but they certainly weren’t the only voice in the room.”
The head of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sally McManus, said the government needed to prioritise supporting casual workers who would be forced to take unpaid time off work to ensure the coronavirus was “contained and controlled”.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest ACTU secretary Sally McManus listens as industrial relations minister Christian Porter speaks during the coronavirus roundtable. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
“We do have to think about small businesses, because they’re also going to struggle if there’s a further downturn and so, for that reason, that’s why the government needs to play a role in supporting those workers and those contractors, small businesses in order to make sure people can look after themselves and keep healthy but also so the economy can keep operating,” she said.
“In terms of big business, we heard some encouraging signs today from big business representatives there, where they were saying that they’re ready to support their workforce and we’re ready to work with them to make sure that that happens as well.”
Labor has previously called for Newstart-like payments to be made available to any workers without sick pay who find themselves forced to self-isolate for two weeks.
The Australian Council of Social Service said it would welcome any form of assistance for vulnerable workers, including one-off stimulus payments, but called for the unemployment payment to be raised as a permanent measure.
Speaking to the Australian Financial Review business summit in Sydney on Tuesday, Scott Morrison said businesses, unions and even state governments needed to play their own role in steering Australia’s economy through the pandemic.
Australian government stimulus package promises financial support 'as fast as possible' Read more
“All of us are in a position today to be able to do what we need to do, over the course of this virus crisis to strengthen and see the Australian economy through,” he said.
“And it requires I think that mindset, if you want to have a bounce back stronger on the other side, then it will require I think using those balance sheets that you’ve built for such a time as this, to ensure that Australia emerges stronger.”
Porter also warned unions against the “temptation” to take industrial action during the pandemic, a prospect which has not been floated, as the government worked to protect supply chains.
“I think this is a very bad time for industrial action. I mean, there will always be a temptation to have industrial action when it has the greatest effect,” he said.
“Industrial action of any type at the moment would have a very, very large and negative effect. The reality is that there are already businesses suffering from disruptions to supply chains – that will mean that it will become harder for them to produce the goods and services that we all rely on every day.” | 3 |
The best way to manage market risks would be to invest your long-term money in equity MFs through SIP.
Equity investments are subject to market risks. Although the impact of market risks gradually diminishes over time, but to minimise the impact, one should make periodic investment instead of lump sum investment. Entering the equity market through this periodic investments in called Systematic Investment Plan – popularly known as SIP.
Moreover, to reduce company-specific risks, instead of investing in one company, you should invest in a number of companies across sectors to diversify your portfolio or investment in an equity mutual fund (MF) scheme, which has ready-made diversified portfolio in place.
So, the best way to manage risk would be to invest your long-term money in equity MFs through SIP.
To know how SIP minimises risks by investing in both high and low markets through rupee-cost averaging and to get answers on many other queries, you may take help of Mr. SIP, a self-learning, non-biased, conversational Voice Bot, launched by Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company (Kotak Mutual Fund).
Aimed to increase awareness about mutual fund investments and mitigate market volatility risks, especially for the millennials, Mr. SIP would constantly upgrade itself based on the queries it receives, which enables the Voice Bot to provide optimal answers to investors.
You may avail Mr. SIP in English language either on kotakmf.com or on Google Assist by saying “Talk to Kotak Mutual Fund” and by saying “Hi” on WhatsApp (9321-88-44-88).
Talking on launch of the Voice Bot, Nilesh Shah, MD & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company said, “Mutual fund industry’s growth is largely driven by SIP investments as more and more investors have realised the benefits of risk mitigation that SIP offers for long term investments. However, there is a large population that is still wary of investing in mutual funds as they don’t have easy access to clear their doubts. Our Mr. SIP does just that – uses cutting-edge technology to answers all investor queries so we can reach Kona Kona of India, as we believe SIP is one of the best ways to safeguard investments from market volatility over a long period of time”. | As a policyholder, know that even a cashless facility can be denied in a network hospital.
Cashless health insurance is one of the main attractions of health insurance policies. Policyholders pay premiums and in case of hospitalization, the insurance company bears the costs up to the limit of the policy’s sum insured amount.
Hence, as part of the contract, the insurer is liable to pay the claim to the hospital on behalf of the insured. However, there can be times where the insurance company does not settle the policyholder’s claim. (Both at network or non-network hospitals).
Cashless Claims: In a cashless claim, the policyholder does not pay the hospital bills in case of hospitalization and the insurer pays for the same. This happens with networking hospitals. The hospitals that offer cashless claims for every hospitalization to the policyholder, enter into an agreement with insurers and are part of the list of network hospitals of that insurance company.
Reimbursement Claims: In case of a reimbursement claim, the policyholder has to pay the hospital bills, which then is reimbursed by the insurer. Those that are not on such a list of the insurance company are called non-network hospitals and claims are processed on a reimbursement basis.
When a cashless claim can be denied:
As a policyholder, know that even a cashless facility can be denied in a network hospital. This can happen if the information sent by the hospital where the policyholder is admitted, is insufficient. It could also happen if the illness is not covered under the policy or if the request for pre-authorization is not sent in time. The hospital needs to give all the details required for the insurer to arrive at a decision, in a cashless situation. When such pieces of information are not given properly, a claim is rejected.
However, even if the cashless facility is denied at one hospital, a policyholder gets the treatment from the hospital by paying out of his/her own pocket and can subsequently, submit the claim for reimbursement, on discharge from the hospital.
This could also work when in case of a medical emergency, a policyholder gets oneself or a family member admitted to a hospital which might not be a network hospital with the insurance policy. In that case, the cashless claim will be denied, but the policyholder can get the expenses reimbursed from the insurer. | 2 |
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Police say a woman in Newfoundland has been arrested for a second time for allegedly refusing to stay inside after arriving from outside the province, contravening public health measures put in place to combat COVID-19.
The 53-year-old was arrested in the Curling area of Corner Brook, N.L., Thursday morning – one day after she was released from custody for contravening special orders under Newfoundland and Labrador’s Public Health Protection and Promotion Act.
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READ MORE: N.L. recalls legislature for ‘urgent’ protections for employees, tenants
She is currently back in custody awaiting a court appearance.
The woman has been charged with failing to abide by the special measures order and two counts of breaching a release order.
Contravening orders under the public health emergency measures could lead to a fine between $500 and $2,500 or a jail sentence of up to six months.
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2:05 Coronavirus outbreak: Nova Scotia says it will get tough on people ignoring social distancing Coronavirus outbreak: Nova Scotia says it will get tough on people ignoring social distancing
Const. James Cadigan with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says only one person has been arrested for offences related to the province’s emergency orders as of Thursday morning.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2020. | ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Police in western Newfoundland say a woman arrested for refusing to stay at home after she returned from a trip outside the province is expected to make a court appearance today. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says the 53-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday in Corner Brook for violating public health emergency orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. Const. James Cadigan says officers responded to complaints alleging the woman was not self-isolating for 14 days, as required under the Public Health Protection and Promotion Act. Cadigan says officers spoke to the woman and arrested her for failing to comply with the law, which could lead to a fine between $500 and $2,500 and a jail sentence of up to six months. The police spokesman confirmed a public reporting system introduced on the weekend has received more than 400 complaints from people reporting suspected contraventions of health directives. Cadigan says police have resolved 27 complaints by contacting the person and educating them about the measures, but in the Corner Brook case the woman was not compliant and was held in a jail cell overnight.“If you’re going to put our community at risk, we will follow up on those measures,” Cadigan said. The woman was to appear in court via video link This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2020. The Canadian Press | 3 |
A woman’s footage of an apparent TV theft in Langford has been shared hundreds of times on social media.
Shannon Burnside shared a post on New Year’s Eve around 4:30 p.m. of a black SUV with a stolen TV hanging out of the back passenger’s side door. A man can be seen running alongside the car and jumping in before the driver speeds off, narrowly missing stopped vehicles.
READ ALSO: Brazen theft caught on tape in Victoria bicycle store
“These guys just stole this TV from Superstore,” Burnside wrote.
West Shore RCMP say they received a report of a stolen TV from the Langford Superstore and the incident remains under investigation. Management at Superstore declined for comment.
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It appears Boxing Week deals weren’t good enough for a pair of alleged thieves in Langford, B.C.
The pair were captured on camera hustling a flat screen television out of the Victoria suburb’s Superstore, and into a waiting SUV — before fleeing in a panic with the door still open and the TV hanging out.
READ MORE: More downtown Vancouver store owners say violent shoplifting is getting worse
Shannon Burnside told Global News the duo actually pushed her out of the way as they scrambled out the store’s “in” door, and partially loaded the television into the vehicle.
She said the SUV then almost drove off without one of the men “who was literally caught with his pants down.”
In the video, one of the alleged thieves can be seen appearing to break his stride to pull his pants up as the SUV jerks to a stop for him to jump in.
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READ MORE: Vancouver police change tone on rise in violent shoplifting incidents
Management at the Superstore declined to comment. Global News has requested comment from the West Shore RCMP.
Burnside said staff at the store thanked her for shooting the video, and wondered where the security guard had been. | 4 |
Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum, photo by Lexie Moreland
On April 2nd, Michael C. Hall’s new band Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum will release their self-titled debut EP. The group, comprised of Hall and his two Broadway co-stars, Peter Yanowitz and Matt Katz-Bohen, previously teased the effort with last month’s “Come Talk To Me”. Today, they’re sharing a new single called “Love American Style” and an accompanying music video.
Though not as upbeat as its disco-like predecessor, “Love American Style” is still outfitted for dance floor shenanigans (while we’re in quarantine, any given living room will do). Here, the song’s groovy bassline thumps consistently as thick synths and shimmering keys gradually enter the mix. The Dexter star’s voice is drenched in otherworldly distortion and blissful reverb, and he ascends to an impressively high-pitched belt during the momentous chorus.
The single’s video is just as alluring, a kaleidoscopic collage of people dancing in slow-motion, gushing waterfalls, and a tantalizing array of chromatic effects. Take it all in below, and be sure to look out for the group’s appearance on This Must Be the Gig next Wednesday, April 1st.
Hall and his bandmates initially announced the formation of Butterfly Museum late last year alongside the release of their first single, “Ketamine”. The three musicians got the idea for the project while working together on the Tony Award-winning Broadway production Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which starred Hall.
While Hall is best known for his lead roles in Dexter and Six Feet Under, his Butterfly Museum bandmates also have noteworthy track records. Yanowitz drummed in The Wallflowers, formed the indie band Morningwood, and has collaborated with the likes of Andrew W.K. and Yoko Ono. For the last decade, Katz-Bohen has toured and recorded with Blondie and has also played keys for Cyndi Lauper. | Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum
Late last year, actor Michael C. Hall announced a new supergroup called Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum. Formed alongside fellow musicians and former Broadway co-stars Peter Yanowitz (The Wallflowers) and Matt Katz-Bohen (Blondie), the trio previously shared its debut single with the slow burning “Ketamine”. Now, the band is back with a second offering.
Titled “Come and Talk to Me”, it’s a much more upbeat and colorful listen. Hall’s falsetto leads the way on the dance track, riding high above disco-style synths provided by his bandmates. “Come and talk to me, my lover,” the Dexter and Six Feet Under star lures in almost loop-like repetition. Hear it for yourself below.
These two singles will appear on Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum’s debut EP, reportedly out in April. Outside of music, Hall recently had a role in the Amazon political drama The Report starring Adam Driver and Annette Bening. Additionally, Hall, who previously starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and David Bowie’s Lazarus musical, appeared in a 2019 Broadway production actually called Skittles Commercial.
In a new interview with Billboard, Hall said that his past Broadway projects helped lead to the formation of the new band,
“Well, Hedwig was the first chance I had to front a band, albeit dressed in full drag and platform heels… and it gave me a good taste of what that feels like. But, I was playing a character and singing someone else’s songs with a bunch of musicians who were playing someone else’s songs, whereas in this case, it really belongs to all of us and emerges from us, so it’s a very different thing. But yeah, I think Hedwig was maybe what led me on the road to feeling what it was like to front a band, which led me to, in a way, doing the David Bowie musical, Lazarus. In hindsight, all roads seem like they were leading to this.” | 2 |
A CRAFT shop in Caversham held a fundraising day for a boy battling cancer for the third time.
Artisans Handmade UK in Church Street raised £250 by selling cakes donated by residents, supporters and its sellers.
There was also a tombola and raffle with prizes including chocolates, mugs, toiletries and wine as well as a “guess the name of the bear” competition. The event was in aid of 12-year-old Charlie Ilsley, of Buckingham Drive, Emmer Green, who has been undergoing treatment on and off since he was first diagnosed in 2015 and was given the all-clear twice only for the disease to return in November.
Charlie visited the shop with his mother Toni and the fundraising was continuing this week.
The pop-up shop, which opened in September, was launched by Kellie Henderson and Elisa Lionetti with the aim of providing the community with a wide range of unique, handcrafted products made by local people.
Mrs Henderson thanked everyone who attended on Saturday.
She said: “We have raised money for different charities and I wanted to do something more local.
“I’ve got 12-year-old twins so I wanted to do anything I could to help. It was lovely having Charlie here — it really made a difference. For 50p cakes, I think the amount we raised was a great achievement. It would have been a lot better had the weather not been so bad.”
Mrs Ilsley said: “It was really nice of Kellie to do this. My neighbour Janice Judd made quiches and scones and I went to Waitrose and bought a chocolate cake and a Victoria sponge and when I got there there were loads already.” | TREATMENT for a boy battling cancer for a third time is “going to plan”, says his mother.
Charlie Ilsley, 12, of Buckingham Drive, Emmer Green, returned home from Cologne on Monday after a second round of dendritic immunotherapy. The procedure should programme his body to identify and fight the cancer cells. He then had another round of chemotherapy on Tuesday.
Charlie’s mother Toni said: “I spoke to the German doctor who thought treatment was going to plan as Charlie’s tumour markers in his blood are coming down.”
She said that between treatments, her son enjoying going to see the new Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker.
Charlie has been fighting cancer since 2015 and has twice been given the all-clear following treatment only for the disease to return in November. | 1 |
*Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs debuted his salt-and-pepper beard in a video urging fans to support healthcare officials who are tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
The 50-year-old music mogul surprised fans with his new look, and many hit the comment section of the post to gush about his grey hair, Hollywood Life reports.
Speaking in a video that he posted to Instagram on Sunday, Diddy called for people to “get involved” in the battle against the deadly COVID-19.
Ironically, he then fired shots at “men with grey” controlling people’s destiny. Check out his IG post below.
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In the clip, Diddy notes the impact that the coronavirus is having around the world, and how the public needs to “wake up and know what we’re into and try to figure out how to f-cking save each other. F-ck the politics and the bureaucracy.. old hair, white men with grey hair, f-cking controlling our destiny? …they don’t have power. We have the power. The power of unity cannot be broken.”
He added, “We can’t just sit back and leave our healthcare workers abandoned and unprotected,” he captioned the video.
“Over the next few days, I’ll be locked in and focused on finding ways to directly support our healthcare workers, but I don’t have all the answers. If you want to help or have any great ideas, please reach out to me now! God bless us all. #teamlove.”
Combs also slammed President Donald Trump over his administration’s handling of the coronavirus. “We also can’t expect someone that [doesn’t] give a f-ck about us to save us… It’s not Trump’s fault. He doesn’t give a f-ck about us,” he said.
Hear Diddy tell it via the clip above. | It looks like Deyjah Harris is finally telling her side of things after her father T.I. made some interesting comments about her virginity last year.
Last November, the “Live Your Life” rapper admitted to going to his 18-year-old daughter’s gynecologist’s appointments with her to confirm that her hymen was still “intact” to ensure she was a virgin.
Deyjah Harris and T.I. @princess_of_da_south and @troubleman/Instagram
“So we’ll go and sit down and the doctor will come and talk and the doctor’s maintaining a high level of professionalism,” T.I. told the “Ladies Like Us” podcast hosts. “He’s like, ‘You know sir, I have to, in order to share information’… I’m like, ‘Deyjah they want you to sign this so we can share information. Is there anything you wouldn’t want me to know? Oh, ok. See doc, no problem.’”
After receiving major backlash from social media users, the rapper eventually apologized for his comments. Deyjah, on the other hand, remained mute until now.
On the new season of “T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle,” the teenager finally broke her silence about her father’s remarks and how it impacted her. She said in the new trailer, “After all of this, it’s changed, honestly.” Her stepmother and T.I.’s wife, Tiny Harris, said that her husband “has a way of taking things a little too far.” Another scene showed T.I. saying that nobody can tell him how to “raise” his children.
The father of six later apologized to his daughter for his comments on Jada Pinkett Smith‘s “Red Table Talk.”
“She did have a problem with me talking about it and I understand that and I am incredibly apologetic to her for that,” he said on the Facebook series.
Despite T.I. apologizing to his daughter, fans are looking forward to hearing Deyjah’s side of things.
(L to R): Messiah Harris, Domani Harris, T.I. and Tiny Harris, Zonnique Pullins, Deyjah Harris; (front row): King Harris, Heiress Harris, Major Harris (Photo by @majorgirl/Instagram)
“Poor Deyjah, Tip so incredibly narcissistic it’s disgusting. I’m waiting to see what she says. We finally get to her side of the truth 🗣”
“Only story I wanna hear is Deyjah’s … Your story always the same TI 😭 “
“Idc hes sick to me. It’s cool if you don’t want her having sex young but at some point you have to realise you’re just shaming her. and it’s probably damaging their relationship, cos if anything ever happens to her he’s gonna be the last person she tells”
“Oop mama tip wasn’t with it 😩 no one is telling him how to parent they just saying don’t tell your kids business to the world 🙄”
“This is going to drag out forever I feel bad for his daughter bc that was really unnecessary. I wanna hear what she gone say”
“Friends and Family Hustle” airs on VH1 on Monday, April 13 at 9 p.m. ET. | 1 |
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Beauty entrepreneur Steve Mormoris has plans to revolutionize and revitalize the fragrance industry. By launching Scent Beauty — a subsidiary of his main company, EDGE Beauty — Mormoris aims to partner with brands, charities, celebrities, and influencers to create unique scents that each serve as an emblem of the person who made it, and the political stance it embodies.
On the heels of releasing a scent with legendary singer Cher, Mormoris sat down with Business Insider to discuss how he plans to shake up the fragrance world.
"I was at Coty for 15 years."
[It was] an amazing company that was a game changer in terms of growing its leadership in fragrance, in cosmetics, and in skincare. And I think part of the magic ingredient of their growth had to do with constant innovation in product, breaking boundaries in terms of distribution models.
"[But] I had a yearning and a need to create my own company."
[My business] is really based on a whole new paradigm: that people have moved more to direct-to-consumer marketing; that millennials and generation Z are consuming beauty products in a very different way, through storytelling and through digital marketing. People are embracing the idea of scent very differently.
Steve Mormoris standing next to actress Halle Berry in 2011. At the time, Mormoris was the SVP of Global Marketing at Coty. Dimitrios Kambouris / Staff / Getty Images
"I saw the whole rise of artists, brands, and of social media."
The fact that very small companies came out of nowhere, entering the social media world and creating a retail platform to sell products — a light bulb went off in my head, and I said, 'Oh, this would be a great forum to create very interesting brands in fragrance where we are simply partnering with new brands.'
"We don't have a strategy specifically focused on big names."
As a company, we're going to pride ourselves in creating what I call "craft fragrances" or "unique fragrances" that are highly curated. So the idea isn't to be big, but it's to be meaningful ... We're also launching an interesting concept called "Scent Lounge" where we are looking at micro-influencers from all over the world, who show the diversity of the world — whether they're from India or Africa or Japan or the United States. And they're of all sexualities and ethnicities.
Scent Beauty
You can make an argument that macro-influencers have become highly sought after revenue models for many companies. So, in this context, I'd say one of the beauties of micro-influencers is that when, if they decide they want to create a fragrance with us, we know that they are completely passionate about doing this — not just to make money, but to actually reach their fan base. And very often you'll see that micro-influencers have a much higher degree of engagement and following than a macro-influencer does.
"All companies and all brands strive for this concept of authenticity."
The difference is today, people find authenticity in a messaging that tends to be relational rather than transactional. So very often consumers like a brand that admits they make mistakes, that asks them to participate in the creation of the brand, or is involved in the charity giving or making the planet better ... I think authenticity has reached a new level of texture, really because consumers have mobile phones in which they're just able to interact with brands, but on a more frequent basis than 30 years ago where you would only interact with the brand when you saw [it on] the television.
"Fragrance has an emotional benefit."
It has mood altering benefits and self enhancement benefits. In the history of mankind, people had fragrances to make them feel good about themselves, to feel sexual, to feel productive, to feel individual.
"The word "scent" has a much larger aperture and meaning to people across the world."
We felt strongly [that] we should not repeat the word "fragrance" because it does restrict you into a world where people are using a product primarily for sex, and seduction, and social status. We saw that all the generations that are now wearing fragrance were actually wearing it as scent. That means that they could use a roller ball, essential oils that they carry in their pocket. They could be wearing a wax fragrance and they could be buying scented drawer paper. They could be spraying a fragrance in their hair. Even in categories like dry shampoo and hand washes, we see a lot of beautiful scent experiences.
"We'll be launching a line of fragrances with Sam Edelman, an iconic shoe designer from New York."
[He's] one of many to come in the fashion segment. We have really reinvented the celebrity category with this concept of what we call "Icon Series," where we have different artists who express themselves in an olfactory way. We've started with Cher, the musical artist. We're also launching a fragrance for Renee Fleming, Andre Leon Talley.
Cher Eau de Couture created by legendary singer, Cher. Scent Beauty
"We've decided to give a percentage of our profits to charity."
One of the charities we've partnered with is called Ditch the Label, which is an anti-bullying charity; another is called the Forgotten Harvest, which [gives] excess surplus food [to] the homeless. And another one called Project Aware, which is a program trying to clean the oceans of plastics.
"When we create fragrance, we're not looking to please everyone."
We're really looking at creating fragrances that are polarizing in the best sense of the word — where we create very signature fragrances for some brands that [are] so good, people [can] associate [the scent] with that brand, and either people will love [the scent] or not like [it].
"As a culturally curious person, I'm always on the lookout for new, interesting brands, people, trends."
One of the goals is to become the leading innovator of scent to the world, and offering that through a multitude of curated, unique brands that are culturally relevant ... I also think that one of my personal goals is [to make sure] that we've made a difference, and [that] we've made a difference [specifically] to the consumer. | KFC rolled out its controversial Chicken & Donuts on Thursday.
BI senior correspondent Hayley Peterson tried the new menu during its test run in September, and a team of Business Insider reporters tried it on Thursday.
Tasters agreed that although the chicken-and-doughnuts combo tasted like sweet, artery-clogging death, it was also the most delicious new item that KFC has come out with in a long time.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
KFC is rolling out its controversial Chicken & Donuts menu nationwide.
The new menu features pairings of glazed doughnuts and the chain's classic fried chicken. One of the new menu items is a fried-chicken-and-doughnut sandwich. Customers can also order a basket of fried chicken on the bone or chicken tenders with one or two doughnuts or add a doughnut to any meal for $1.
BI senior correspondent Hayley Peterson tried the new menu at a KFC restaurant in a Chester, Virginia location, in September during the test run, and on Thursday, KFC brought Business Insider's New York office a sample case of the new menu items.
Here's what we thought: | 1 |
By EUobserver
A member of Russia's ruling party has proposed amending the constitution in a way that would reset president Vladimir Putin's term count back to zero, the Guardian writes. Currently, Putin is required by the constitution to step down in 2024 when his second sequential presidential term ends. If the amendment is approved Putin could thus be able to remain president of Russia until 2036. | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday opened the door to constitutional changes that would allow him to remain in power until 2036, but said he favored term limits once the country became politically "mature". | 3.5 |
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – On Thursday, Governor Tate Reeves announced his request for disaster assistance for Mississippi citizens impacted by the Pearl River flooding and severe weather in February 2020.
Reeves is requesting Federal Declaration for Public Assistance to help recover from the flooding and storms.
“Mississippians are strong and resilient, but the historic flooding and severe weather we experienced is more than anyone should have to recover from alone. When disaster strikes and a fellow Mississippian is in need, we lend a helping hand. I want to thank all the hardworking men and women who helped complete these damage assessments to ensure every community hit can receive the necessary assistance to recover,” said Reeves.
According to a media release from his office, joint public assistance damage assessments were conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance personnel, along with local governments.
Assessments began on March 9, 2020, in the following counties: Attala, Carroll, Claiborne, Clay, Copiah, Grenada, Hinds, Holmes, Leflore, Warren, and Yazoo. After the completion of all damage assessments, it was determined that each of those eleven counties met the threshold to receive assistance.
Issaquena and Sharkey Counties were also included in the joint damage assessments, but due to ongoing flooding, the damage could not be assessed. The damage in these areas will be assessed at a later date.
Reeves also stated he also requesting disaster assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for Central Mississippi communities affected by the Pearl River flooding on February 10-14, 2020.
He sent a letter to SBA Director Kem Fleming asking that low-interest loans be made available to aid small businesses and property owners in Hinds and Madison Counties damaged by the historic flooding. | JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Governor Tate Reeves announced disaster assistance for Mississippi businesses and residents affected by the Pearl River flooding on February 10-14, 2020.
He sent a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) requesting a Federal Declaration for Public Assistance to make loans available to those impacted. The declaration covers Hinds and Madison counties, as well as the following adjacent counties: Attala, Claiborne, Copiah, Holmes, Leake, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Warren, and Yazoo. Residents and businesses in those counties can apply for low-interest disaster loans from SBA.
“The historic flooding we experienced in February was more than anyone anticipated—and more than anyone should have to recover from alone. The people and businesses in the path of the Pearl River are still recovering from the recent devastation and deserve a helping hand. Working with the U.S. Small Business Administration, I am committed to helping Mississippi businesses and communities get back on their feet and thrive,” said Governor Tate Reeves.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at Disasterloan.sba.gov. Anyone applying through the website can also receive one-on-one assistance by calling the SBA helpdesk and speaking with a customer service representative.
Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. | 4 |
Weekdays at 11:30 a.m. EST, Newsfeed Now will be streaming the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak utilizing our newsrooms across the country. If you miss the live report, you’ll be able to see a replay minutes after the stream ends.
(KARK/NEXSTAR) – The United States now leads the world in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases.
A nurse is dead. A paramedic is in critical condition. Coronavirus is taking a toll on New York City — and the men and women on the front lines of the fight. https://t.co/HQQsGEKORv — The Associated Press (@AP) March 27, 2020
According to a running count by Johns Hopkins University, the number of people infected in the U.S. topped 82,000 on Thursday. That’s just ahead of the 81,000 cases in China and 80,000 in Italy.
Italy has the most confirmed deaths of any country with more than 8,000. More than 1,000 people have died in the U.S.
Other stories in today’s show:
STIMULUS DEAL: The US House is taking up the historic $2 trillion coronavirus aid package. While there are some disagreements, both parties see the need to pass the bill as urgent. Washington reporter Jessi Turnure joins the conversation.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, left, accompanied by White House Legislative Affairs Director Eric Ueland and acting White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, walks to the offices of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
For the full story: CLICK HERE.
A WIFE’S LOSS: The wife of a Johnson County man who lost his battle with COVID-19 is speaking out. She wants people to know about who her husband was beyond the disease. WDAF’s Sherae Honeycutt reports.
For the full story: CLICK HERE.
HOUSECALL: Ring doorbell video captured a man dressed in a doctor’s coat on the doorsteps of a home in Alabama Wednesday afternoon. Turns out, he’s a real doctor who’s making house calls to several of his patients if they can’t leave home during the coronavirus pandemic. WKRG’s Blake Brown reports.
For the full story: CLICK HERE.
ACTS OF KINDNESS: WGNO Reporter Kenny Lopez is collecting acts of kindness to share some good in these stressful times.
For the full story: CLICK HERE.
Weekdays at 11:30 a.m. EST, Newsfeed Now will be streaming the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak utilizing our newsrooms across the country. If you miss the live report, you’ll be able to see a replay minutes after the stream ends. | Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | 1 |
Joe Biden leads the Democratic primary field in Pennsylvania with 22 percent, according to a new poll, but that is down from 30 percent in October.
Former Vice President Joe Biden remains the front-runner in Pennsylvania among Democrats, according to a new poll, while just 41 percent of registered voters said President Donald Trump deserves re-election.
In the latest Franklin and Marshall College poll released Thursday, Biden was supported by 22 percent of Democrats, but that was down from the school’s October poll.
Biden was followed by Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders at 15 percent, Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 14 percent and billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg with 7 percent.
The remaining Democratic primary candidates had 6 percent or less support in the poll.
F&M College’s October poll had Biden with 30 percent, leading Warren, who had 18 percent, and Sanders at 12 percent. Bloomberg had not yet entered the race when that poll was taken.
When asked who their second choice for president would be, 26 percent of Democrats said Warren, followed by Sanders and Biden tied at 18 percent each, and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg with 11 percent.
A statement from F&M College pollsters said the contest between Biden, Warren and Sanders "is driven by ideology" with 72 percent of Sanders voters and 73 percent of Warren supporters identifying themselves as liberal, compared to just 40 percent of Biden supporters.
Pennsylvania’s primary is on April 28.
Twenty percent of Democrats said healthcare is their top issue in picking a candidate and 42 percent said honesty is the quality they want most in one.
Trump’s numbers remain worrisome for Republicans, but while only 41 percent said he deserves re-election that is up from October when 37 percent said he did. Fifty-seven percent said it is time for a change in the White House, compared to 59 percent in October.
Asked to rate Trump’s job performance, 21 percent rated it as excellent, 17 percent as good, 12 percent as fair and 49 percent as poor.
Of the respondents supporting Trump, 83 percent said they would vote for him no matter who ran against him, while 87 percent of people opposing him said they would vote against him regardless of which Democrat challenges him.
Trump and the top three Democratic candidates are all underwater when it comes to their favorable/unfavorable ratings. F&M College found that Trump was at 41 percent/55 percent, Biden was at 43 percent/47 percent, Sanders was at 39 percent/54 percent and Warren was at 37 percent/46 percent.
Regionally, 51 percent of respondents from southwestern Pennsylvania said Trump should not be voted out while 33 percent said it is time for a change.
Among the Democratic candidates, 22 percent of southwestern Pennsylvania voters chose "other" and 31 percent said they had no preferred candidate, while 15 percent picked Sanders, 14 percent went with Biden and Bloomberg, and Warren received no votes.
Natural gas fracking has become an issue in the race with several Democratic candidates promising to ban the controversial extraction practice. Fifty-five percent of southwestern Pennsylvania respondents oppose a fracking ban and 28 percent support one.
Philadelphia (67 percent) and Allegheny County (61 percent) had the strongest support for a fracking ban while southwestern and central Pennsylvania (47 percent) had the strongest opposition to a ban.
Overall, state voters support fracking 48 percent to 44 percent.
The F&M College poll surveyed 628 registered voters between Jan. 20 and 26. The margin of error is plus or minus 6.2 percentage points for the poll and plus or minus 9 percentage points for questions to 292 registered Democrats. | Nearly two-thirds of registered voters in Pennsylvania say they are highly interested in the 2020 elections — nearly as many as during the lead up to the 2018 mid-terms, according to a new poll.
Of those, 41 percent believe President Donald Trump has done a good enough job to deserve re-election, while 57 percent say it’s time for a change.
Those are among the findings of a new poll from Franklin & Marshall College. The poll of 628 registered voters included 292 Democrats, 251 Republicans and 85 independents. It was conducted Jan. 21-26 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 6.2 percentage points.
The poll found that 38 percent believe Trump is doing a good or excellent job — slightly higher than in October.
Meanwhile, the preferred presidential candidate among Democrats in Pennsylvania has grown murkier since October. Former Vice President Joe Biden continues to lead, favored by 22 percent of Democrats; but he had been favored by 30 percent of Democrats in the last F&M poll in October.
Biden is followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, favored by 15 percent (up from 12 percent in October), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, favored by 14 percent (down from 18 percent in October).
That cluster is followed by former mayors Mike Bloomberg, favored by 7 percent, and Pete Buttigieg, favored by 6 percent.
Regarding Trump’s favorability rating, the poll authors note it’s similar to that of former President Barack Obama at the same point in his successful re-election campaign.
As usual, Trump is far more popular among Republicans, with 77 percent having a positive view of his performance, as opposed to 31 percent of independents and eight percent of Democrats.
Overall, 57 percent of those surveyed said it’s time for a different president and, of those, 87 percent said they will vote against Trump no matter what.
Regarding overall enthusiasm, people who consider themselves liberals show the most, with 78 percent saying they are highly interested. That compares to 68 percent of conservatives and 61 percent of moderates.
Some of the poll participants agreed to be interviewed by the news media.
Brian Taylor, a Philadelphia-area Democrat, says he plans to vote for Sanders because of “his authenticity, his accountability and his consistency.”
“He is also trying to take down money in politics, which is one of the biggest threats to our democracy in the modern age,” said Taylor, 29, who works for a non-profit counseling people living with HIV.
He disagrees with those who argue only a moderate Democrat can defeat Trump. Rather, Sanders champions policies that benefit working people, which will win over people from both major parties and independents, according to Taylor.
Andrew Maietta, an Allegheny County Democrat, says he leans toward Biden, adding “I’m not crazy” about the policies of Sanders and Warren.
“I’m not in favor of the free college and I think they are a little too far to the left,” says Maietta, a retired professor of filmmaking.
He says he’s also considering Sen. Amy Klobuchar, for reasons including his view her policies are “more centered,” and she doesn’t generate the level of disdain he believes many Republicans feel toward Democrats such as Biden or Hillary Clinton.
Rick Hall of McKean County is a registered Democrat who says he doesn’t always vote as a Democrat and is “underwhelmed” by the Democratic field. He further says “I do not like Trump” and Trump’s handling of foreign policy “scares the crap out of me.”
Still, he says “unless the Democrats come up with something else, I’ll have to vote for him.”
Moreover, Hall, who is 68 and retired after spending most of his career in the steel industry, believes Trump “has done a good job” on domestic issues including the economy.
Scott Mcgowan, a Libertarian, says “Trump shoots his mouth off and creates problems.” However, while stressing the election is still nearly a year away, he says, “If it was today it would be Trump” getting his vote.
Some other poll findings:
Just over half of the voters surveyed believe Pennsylvania is “headed in the right direction,” with 33 percent saying they are “better off” financially than a year ago, and a strong majority saying they expect to be the same or better off financially in a year.
On the other hand, only 38 percent believe the United States is headed in the right direction.
Forty-eight percent of voters support natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania, with 44 percent opposing it. However, 49 percent believe the environmental risks outweigh the economic benefits.
Forty-eight percent favor a ban on natural gas fracking, while 39 percent oppose a ban.
More from PennLive:
Listen to the latest episode of PennLive’s political podcast, Battleground Pa., on your favorite app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts. Battleground Pa. examines the changing political climate across the state leading up to the 2020 election. | 4 |
SYDNEY - A memorial to commemorate the first anniversary of the deadly mosque attacks in New Zealand has been canceled because of fears over the new coronavirus.
Fifty-one people died when a gunman attacked two mosques in Christchurch a year ago. The shootings in one of New Zealand’s biggest cities were broadcast live on Facebook.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said her country of 4.5 million had "fundamentally changed" since the atrocity. New gun laws restrict the number of high-powered weapons like those used in the attacks. The alleged shooter is expected to go on trial in June.
The government in Wellington has also announced tough quarantine measures to try to stop the spread of the disease.
Ardern said that starting midnight Sunday, almost everyone entering New Zealand must self-isolate to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
"We must go hard and we must go early," Ardern said. We must do everything we can to protect the health of New Zealanders. That is exactly why to tackle this global pandemic, cabinet made far-reaching and unprecedented decisions today, because these are unprecedented circumstances.”
Arrivals into New Zealand from the Pacific Islands will be exempt.
The government has said the quarantine measures are the strictest in the world and would be reviewed in 16 days. Ardern also said that no cruise liners would be allowed to dock in her country until June 30.
The group representing the cruise industry, the Cruise Association, has insisted the ban on passenger ships is draconian, and goes too far.
Essential air and ship deliveries will continue as normal, but the economic impact of the restrictions on New Zealand is expected to be severe. Details of a government stimulus package are expected early next week. | WELLINGTON — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced on Saturday that all travelers will have to self-isolate on their arrival to New Zealand, apart from those coming from the Pacific Islands.
She said the measures — in effect as of midnight Sunday — include New Zealanders.
She said her country had been relatively unscathed by coronavirus so far, with six confirmed cases and no fatalities, but the evidence showed the numbers would inevitably rise in the face of a global pandemic.
"But the scale of how many cases we get and how fast we get them is something we should do as much as we can to slow," she said at Saturday’s news briefing.
"We must go hard and we must go early."
Ardern said the new restrictions would be reviewed by the authorities in 16 days.
The prime minister also said that no cruise liners would be allowed to dock in New Zealand's ports until June 30.
Meanwhile, New Zealanders have been advised to avoid all non-essential travel overseas.
"There's no doubt this will have a significant impact on New Zealand's economy but our priority is to ensure we reduce the impacts of COVID-19 as much as we can," Ardern said.
Ardern said essential air and ship deliveries would continue as normal.
She said the restrictions were "about people, not products", stressing that there was no need for New Zealanders to "take a run on their supermarket".
"If you don't need to travel overseas, then don't. Enjoy your own backyard for a time. Stop handshakes, hugs and hongi (a traditional Maori greeting in which people press their noses together).
"We are a tough, resilient people. We have been here before," the PM added.
New Zealand has already canceled several major events, including a memorial planned Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings in which 51 people died.
Ardern said more general restrictions on public gatherings would be imposed but details had not yet been finalized. — Agencies | 2 |
The City of Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department will hold its second annual Job Fair on Sunday, March 8, 2-5 p.m. at the John T. O’Connor Center, 611 Winona Street.
In the coming months, Parks and Recreation will hire more than 100 people for a variety of part-time and seasonal positions, including lifeguards, summer camp staff, athletic field maintenance staff, umpires and referees, cashiers, and additional positions. The City Parks and Recreation Department manages four pools and 13 recreation/community centers and operates numerous sports leagues and recreational activities.
Job fair attendees will be able to interview on site. Application forms are available at KnoxvilleTN.gov/recreation.
Applicants for aquatics positions must be at least 15 years old. Applicants for summer camp staff must be at least 16. Applicants for all additional positions must be at least 18.
“Many summer jobs with Parks and Rec are ideal for young people to get training and job experience that they can build upon,” says Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Aaron Browning.
Knoxville Parks and Recreation Department values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization. The Parks and Recreation Department encourages candidates with knowledge, ability and experience working with a broad range of individuals and diverse communities.
Anyone needing a disability accommodation to attend should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Stephanie Cook, at scook@knoxvilletn.gov or 865-215-2034. For an English interpreter, contact Title VI Coordinator Tatia M. Harris at 865-215-2831.
For more information, call Parks and Recreation at 865-215-4311. | Valentine's Day might be for lovers, but Galentine's Day is for the girls. The second most important holiday tradition brought into our lives by Parks and Recreation (behind Treat Yo Self Day, of course) is upon us once again!
Yes, today is February 13, the same day Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) chose to gather all her gal pals for a breakfast filled with frittatas, mimosas, stories and, of course, some very thoughtful gift bags she made for each of them.
Galentine's Day gave Leslie Knope a much-needed opportunity reconnect with her favorite women in the world -- and make some new friends, too! -- and it was "only the best day of the year" every single time. What makes the day even more special is that Amy Poehler and several other ladies of Parks and Rec still celebrate the annual occasion together in real life because sometimes we can have nice things.
To enjoy the occasion with your own special somebodies, we pulled together some Leslie-inspired gift ideas that'll help you host your own Galentine's Day celebration. So, click through the gallery below for some key ideas, big and small!
(Disclosure: Links to retailers may earn money to support our work.)
PHOTOS: Galentine's Day Gift Ideas Inspired by Leslie Knope | 1 |
A police force has defended using a drone camera to shame people into not driving into a national park during the lockdown, while another force said it was introducing roadblocks to stop drivers heading to tourist hotspots.
A new law came into effect on Thursday allowing police to use force to make people return home.
Derbyshire police tweeted drone footage taken near Curbar Edge, in the Peak District, and said they had checked the numberplates of vehicles in the car park and found that some cars were registered to addresses in Sheffield, a 30-minute drive away.
Police said members of the public should not be driving anywhere to walk their dogs or exercise. However, the Guardian checked with the Cabinet Office, which is overseeing restrictions on movement, and a spokeswoman confirmed that the guidelines did not prohibit driving somewhere for exercise or dog walking.
Derbyshire police tweeted: “Despite posts yesterday highlighting issues of people still visiting the #PeakDistrict despite government guidance, the message is still not getting through. @DerPolDroneUnit have been out at beauty spots across the county, and this footage was captured at #CurbarEdge last night.”
It added: “Some number plates were coming back to keepers in #Sheffield, so we know that people are travelling to visit these areas. Daily exercise should be taken locally to your home. Under government guidance all travel is limited to essential travel only. Travelling to remote areas of the #PeakDistrict for your exercise is not essential travel. PLEASE, #StayHomeSaveLives.”
Quick guide UK lockdown: what are the coronavirus restrictions? Show Hide What do the restrictions involve? People in the UK will only be allowed to leave their home for the following purposes: Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible
One form of exercise a day – for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household
Any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
Travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home Police will have the powers to enforce the rules, including through fines and dispersing gatherings. To ensure compliance with the instruction to stay at home, the government will: Close all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores and other premises including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship
Stop all gatherings of more than two people in public – excluding people you live with
Stop all social events, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals Parks will remain open for exercise, but gatherings will be dispersed.
A spokesman for Derbyshire police insisted there was nothing sinister about the drone deployment. “It’s not Big Brother. It’s just to illustrate the fact that people are going out and making these journeys against the government’s rules. The rules are clear that people should avoid all non-essential travel and exercise and walk their dogs near their homes. If they drive into the Peaks and have a collision or breakdown or go for a walk and fall over, we’re the ones who will be called, or mountain rescue,” he said.
The drone operator was not hidden, he added. “The pilot was standing next to a liveried police vehicle close to the car park while people were coming in and out.”
Civil liberties groups criticised the sweeping powers given to police on Thursday, including the power to force people to go home, as “authoritarian” and “chilling”. Police vowed to use them if they had to do so.
Play Video 4:04 Coronavirus lockdown in the UK: the dos and don'ts – video explainer
Fines will start at £30, offenders can also be arrested, and police say they will try to persuade people to obey a lockdown that few expect will end in three weeks time.
Clare Collier, the advocacy director at Liberty, said: “We’re extremely concerned by the extent of these coercive powers. This is a pandemic and so it should be treated as a public health issue. Instead the government is treating it as a criminal justice issue, putting resources into detaining and criminalising.
“What’s concerning is what this heavy-handed approach will do to the public’s relationship with the police in the long-term. And while some people will feel reassured by a firmer police response to the pandemic, others will feel fear, especially groups who are already over-policed.”
Play Video 3:09 Squats, drones and angry mayors: policing coronavirus lockdowns around the world – video report
Silkie Carlo, the director of Big Brother Watch, said: “These are chilling powers that create a serious risk of arbitrary policing. Authorities are right to take robust measures to protect public health, but in truth the only way we can control the spread is through well-informed community cooperation, not just criminalisation. Basic safeguards are missing from these extraordinary powers and I’m afraid more draconian powers still are to come from the Coronavirus Act.”
Martin Hewitt, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, who was involved in negotiations with the government about the powers, said: “I am confident the overwhelming majority of people already understand the gravity of the situation we face. There will be a small number who do not and we will engage with them, explain to them and encourage them to go home. If they refuse to do the right thing, we are fully prepared to use these new powers.”
Under measures announced on Monday by Boris Johnson, members of the public are allowed out of their homes for one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk or cycle, alone or with members of their household.
The government guidance does not specify how long this exercise can last or how far a distance it can cover. It does not specifically ban driving somewhere to walk a pet or exercise, but makes clear that all non-essential travel should be avoided.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Police move on a group of three people from Cardiff Castle on 26 March. Photograph: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
In North Yorkshire, police said they would set up checkpoints to determine if drivers’ journeys were essential. The move was being introduced to ensure motorists are complying with government restrictions, North Yorkshire police said.
“Officers will be stopping vehicles and asking motorists where they are going, why they are going there, and reminding them of the message to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives,” the force said in a statement. The checkpoints will be unannounced and could be anywhere across the county.
The assistant chief constable Mike Walker said: “The new and significant restrictions … spell out very clearly what each and every one of us must do to save lives. The message is clear and the warning stark: stay at home, save lives.
“These are the lives of the people we know and love. Our partners, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, grandparents. You may never be in such a position again where your simple actions will lead directly to saving lives.”
Police in west and mid-Wales have begun stopping drivers to check that their journeys are essential, and are also patrolling public spaces and tourist hotspots.
Andy Williams, a Dyfed-Powys roads policing inspector, said: “More people on the roads means a greater likelihood of vehicles breaking down or being involved in an accident, which puts extra strain on the emergency services. These extra interactions also increase the chances of the virus spreading and putting more people’s lives in danger.”
On Wednesday North Wales police sent a family of five home after they were caught travelling from Merseyside to Llanfairfechan for a day at the seaside. In a Facebook post, the force’s Conwy coastal unit said: “Officers are out patrolling and it is pleasing to see that most people are sticking to the government advice.” | The video will start in 8 Cancel
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Police are pulling over drivers and threatening fines of up to £960 as Britain's new coronavirus lockdown laws take effect.
Officers in Cornwall have warned they will stop motorists suspected of heading to the beach and search their boots.
In Derbyshire, police shared drone footage of dog walkers in the Peak District, shaming them for conducting non-essential travel.
Civil liberties groups have reportedly slammed the police for 'Orwellian' behaviour, describing the drone recording in Derbyshire as 'over-the-top policing'.
Officers were handed the right to enforce the Health Protection Regulations yesterday afternoon.
Have you been affected by the coronavirus outbreak? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk
(Image: Handout)
They are now able to fine anyone outside their home without good reason, with penalties starting at £60 but rising to a maximum of £960 for repeat offenders.
The authorities can arrest anyone who refuse to comply.
Anyone who does not pay the penalty, which can be reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days, will be dragged before the courts, which have the power to issue an unlimited fine.
Derbyshire Police shamed walkers in the Peak District on Twitter yesterday.
A video uploaded by the force showed a car park filled with vehicles near the beauty spot of Curbar Edge.
In the clip, a list of activities were deemed 'non-essential', including dog walking in the Peak District, heading to a vista to watch the sun set, stopping for an Instagram photograph and driving to a place for a walk.
Derbyshire Police tweeted: "Despite posts yesterday highlighting issues of people still visiting the #PeakDistrict despite government guidance, the message is still not getting through.
" @DerPolDroneUnit have been out at beauty spots across the county, and this footage was captured at #CurbarEdge last night.
(Image: Plymouth D Section Response/SWNS) (Image: Ben Lack Photography Ltd)
"Whilst the government has advised to take one form of exercise a day, it is not appropriate to be getting in your car and travelling to take this exercise, particularly to a location, such as the Peak District that in normal times can become busy.
"We saw last week where such places in Derbyshire and other parts of the country became dangerously overcrowded, making social distancing extremely hard, and in fact today our officers have had to break up a group having a picnic.
"These are all lovely things to do but not in the middle of a pandemic that is literally costing people their lives.
(Image: Barcroft Media via Getty Images)
"Our actions and the government’s advice are there to keep you and others safe and ensure that our NHS is able to cope in order to save as many lives as possible."
A spokesman for the force told The Guardian the footage was not ' Big Brother ' behaviour.
They said the video showed people were breaking Government rules, adding that they should walk their dogs near their homes.
It comes after police set up road blocks in the streets to enforce social isolation.
On Wednesday a family-of-five from Merseyside who arrived in North Wales for a day out at the seaside were stopped by police and told to return home, The Liverpool Echo reported.
Check points were established in Plymouth, Devon, and in several places across Cornwall.
As of yesterday, a total of 150 vehicles were checked in Penzance, Hayle, and St Ives to find out whether their journeys were essential.
Plymouth D Section Response took to Twitter to share a picture of their roadblock.
They tweeted: "We are continuing our work again this morning with road calming measures and enquiries ref essential travel, consider this now the norm.
"Officers have also deployed to various supermarkets to assist with queuing flows and social distancing." | 4 |
When Canadian wine icon Harry McWatters suddenly passed away last summer, the sense of loss that so many felt went well beyond his personal relationships.
At McWatters’ service in Penticton, many of the 1,500 in attendance wondered who might fill the void in the B.C. wine industry which he helped forge and cultivate for more than 40 years.
The Chefs’ Table Society of B.C. quickly recognized the need to salute McWatters’ legacy.
“Our member chefs serve hundreds of bottles of B.C. wines every day,” said Robert Belcham, president of Chefs’ Table.
“I like to think there’s a little bit of Harry in every one of them. In retrospect, it’s astounding what Harry and his fellow pioneers accomplished in just over three decades — B.C. wines are securely on the global map.”
In honour of McWatters, Chefs’ Table is launching a new scholarship through the Okanagan College Foundation with an initial contribution of $2,000 per annum for a minimum period of five years. Students who are enrolled in a wine or tourism program at Okanagan College and participating in an international education experience will be eligible for the scholarship.
“We’ve donated first, but it’s really a call to action: We invite industry associations, wineries and private individuals to enhance our gift by donating online or contacting the Okanagan College Foundation and pledging their support,” said Belcham.
McWatters is a legend in the world of the British Columbia wine industry. He was perhaps best known as the founder of Sumac Estate Winery and as the director of the British Columbia Wine Institute. McWatters is remembered in the industry as a leader in developing quality standards for wine growing, wine making, and wine marketing.
READ MORE: Prestigious award renamed for late wine industry pioneer Harry McWatters
“Harry’s mentorship is rightly legendary,” said Jonathan Rouse, associate dean of the Okanagan School of Business and director of food, wine and tourism at Okanagan College.
“He always had his eye on emerging talent in the business, and vigorously mentored young people, through his roles as founder of the BC Wine Institute and his many ongoing industry affiliations.”
McWatters taught at the college and was bestowed an honorary doctorate for his vast contributions in the B.C. wine community.
WcWatters’ wife Lisa Lalonde and his family will also be contributing to the scholarship.
“Harry collected experiences. He loved nothing more than planning trips based on where we would dine, what we would drink and who we would visit. We think Harry would love the creative use of these funds, and our family is pleased to add to the initial contribution in the amount of $1,000 per annum,” said Lalonde.
READ MORE: Oliver to be future home of Canada’s first District Wine Village
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
wine | For Immediate Release
March 10, 2020 – Hamilton, ON – Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
Each year, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) sponsors the Focus on Safety Youth Video Contest, inviting youth across Canada to submit an original video that can be used in social media and beyond to illustrate the importance of being safe on the job.
The 2020 Focus on Safety Youth Video Contest offers three ways to win to allow full participation across Canada:
Provincial Contest
Each participating province and territory will hold its own contest, co-sponsored by CCOHS, with specific eligibility criteria, deadlines, and requirements. Links to each of these contests can be found on the CCOHS Young Workers Zone website. The first-place winners of these contests will be entered into the national contest.
Regional Qualifier Contest
This new contest is open to youth ages 13-19 who reside in provinces that are not running youth video contests (a complete listing can be found on the Young Workers Zone website). The winning individual or team will receive $1,000 and the winning video will be entered into the national Focus on Safety Youth Video Contest. Video submissions for this category must be received by 4:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 19, 2020. Full contest details are available on the CCOHS website.
National Contest
The winners of the regional, provincial and territorial contests move onto the national stage. The first-place video at the Canadian finals will win $2,000, second place will receive $1,500, and third place will receive $1,000. Each winning school or institution will also receive a matching prize. Winners of the national contest will be announced during Safety and Health Week in May 2020.
More information about the Focus on Safety Youth Video Contest can be found on the Young Workers Zone website. | 1 |
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CPI General Secretary D Raja. (File Photo) CPI General Secretary D Raja. (File Photo)
CPI general secretary D Raja speaks to Manoj C G on the Delhi government’s decision to sanction Kanhaiya Kumar’s prosecution
Were you surprised by the Arvind Kejriwal government’s decision to give prosecution sanction to Delhi Police in the sedition case against CPI national executive member and former JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar and nine others?
The way Arvind Kejriwal is presenting his politics is surprising. Kejriwal had said in 2016 that these videos are all doctored. Suddenly, how he relied upon the evidence? What is this change of mind and change of politics? More than surprising, it raises questions about Kejriwal. We are confident that Kanhaiya Kumar will come out unscathed as the charges are false and politically motivated. It is unfortunate that the Kejriwal government has succumbed to political pressure and granted permission to prosecute Kanhaiya.
Read | Kanhaiya Kumar calls for speedy trial after Delhi govt’s nod for prosecution
How will this move impact Opposition unity. The AAP, for instance, was a signatory to the letter CPI(M), CPI and some Opposition parties wrote to the President on Friday over the situation in Delhi?
It seems Aam Aadmi Party is not united. That is what I understand. A case has been registered against their own man (councillor Tahir Hussain). I think there are differences in the AAP.
The AAP had maintained silence on the anti-CAA protests during the Assembly election. Now its government has given the go-ahead. How do you see it?
Exactly. It raises several questions. This political eclecticism — on one side Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram and on the other, Inquilab Zindabad — will not survive. Temporarily, Kejriwal may think it gives him advantage but it would not last. The chief minister, as I said, has in the beginning said that there is no case of sedition against Kanhaiya and the videos were doctored. We are yet to ascertain why this sudden change of heart has happened.
The Delhi government’s standing counsel had advised against giving police the go-ahead just seven months ago?
That is what we have come to know. We are seeking that report also. We will release it to the media to prove our claim. Moreover, sedition (Act) is a colonial law. In 2011, when I was in Parliament, I had moved a private member’s Bill, seeking deletion of the sedition law from our statute.
How do you plan to fight the case?
We will fight, legally and politically. We don’t have a problem. Communists cannot be intimidated like this. We fought against the British.
We were the first party to face conspiracy and sedition cases under British rule. Even when my party was founded in 1925… Kanpur conspiracy case was put… many leaders could not reach Kanpur for attending the first Congress… but our party was founded. And our party was at the forefront of the freedom movement. There was the Meerut conspiracy case… the Madurai conspiracy case… the Tirunelveli conspiracy case… Communist party faced many conspiracy and sedition cases during the British rule….we could fight the British raj, now we will fight the BJP raj.
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines
For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App. | Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram (L) and Kanhaiya Kumar. (File) Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram (L) and Kanhaiya Kumar. (File)
Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram Saturday criticised the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government for giving the go-ahead to prosecute former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and nine others in the 2016 JNU sedition case. He said he “strongly disapproved” the decision.
“Delhi government is no less ill-informed than the central government in its understanding of sedition law. I strongly disapprove of the sanction granted to prosecute Mr Kanhaiya Kumar and others for alleged offences under sections 124A and 120B of IPC,” Chidambaram tweeted.
On Friday, seven months after its standing counsel advised against prosecution sanction to Delhi Police in the case, the AAP government gave the nod to Delhi Police to Prosecute Kumar.
Delhi Government is no less ill-informed than the central government in its understanding of sedition law. I strongly disapprove of the sanction granted to prosecute Mr Kanhaiya Kumar and others for alleged offences under sections 124A and 120B of IPC. — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 29, 2020
In its chargesheet, the police has claimed that Kumar led a procession and supported — along with others named as accused — seditious slogans raised on the JNU campus on February 9, 2016 during an event to mark the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Reacting to the move, Kanhaiya Kumar urged government officials and the police to ensure a speedy trial in a fast track court. “There is a need for fast track courts and speedy action in the sedition so that the country can know how the sedition law has been misused in this entire case for political gains and to divert people from their basic issues,” he said in a tweet.
The wait for prosecution sanction had been a constant irritant in the already strained ties between the AAP government in Delhi and the Centre. Police claimed the trial was stalled for want of sanction and several BJP leaders accused AAP of shielding the students by not giving the go-ahead.
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In Michigan, New York, and Ohio, churches are exempt from bans on large gatherings at this time due to the coronavirus. Indiana, Louisiana, and Virginia have decided to extend the ban to churches. This is definitely a state issue: the Trump administration has wisely stayed out of it.
At the state level, this is a difficult issue. Our first impulse is to defend religious liberty, but like any freedom, it is not absolute. For example, in New York, it was reasonably decided, after much discussion, not to exempt religious bodies from mandated vaccinations.
Whenever religious liberty collides with public health, the government is obliged to put the least restrictive measures on religion. If that is done, and the motive is purely to protect the public, then in a crisis situation, temporary bans may be legitimate.
Motive counts. Why? Because we must always consider the source of an objection to religious exemptions. If the source is the medical community, and reasonable temporary restrictions are called for in a crisis situation, that is one thing; if the source is a hostile force, that is another. Unfortunately, there are plenty of examples of the latter.
Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Center for Inquiry have all issued statements against allowing religious exemptions for bans on large gatherings at this time. Their motives are not benign.
For example, FFRF opposes the decision by the West Virginia Governor to designate a "day for prayer" at this time of crisis. Americans United opposes a similar measure in Pennsylvania. The Center for Inquiry, an atheist organization, has not weighed in on this issue, but it is so extreme that it forced its founder, Paul Kurtz, off its board of directors because he was deemed too moderate.
We also have the likes of the religion haters at American Atheists blasting Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for seeking to allow financial assistance to churches so they can meet payroll and rent bills. But why not? If the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is considered worthy of stimulus funds, why should monies be denied churches to pay their bills (the funds are not for proselytizing campaigns)? American Atheists surely had no problem supporting efforts to provide funding to Planned Parenthood.
The best way to proceed with this issue is for religious leaders to work with state officials in coming up with a compromise during these difficult times. What we don’t need is the advice of those who are anything but religion-friendly.
Dr. William Donohue is the president and CEO of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. The publisher of the Catholic League journal, Catalyst, Donohue is a former Bradley Resident Scholar at the Heritage Foundation and served for two decades on the board of directors of the National Association of Scholars. He is the author of eight books, and the winner of several teaching awards and many awards from the Catholic community. Read more of his reports — Click Here Now. | Should abortions be considered elective surgery and therefore not be permitted during the coronavirus pandemic, or are they an essential healthcare issue that should be permitted?
Predictably, in anti-abortion states like Ohio and Texas officials are saying abortions constitute elective surgery and should therefore not be allowed, while in abortion rights states like Massachusetts and Washington, officials are defending them.
This issue has even split those in the medical community working in the same facility.
Nearly 300 doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center recently sent a letter to management asking them to "postpone procedures that can be performed in the future" so that they can accommodate the expected surge in patients due to the coronavirus.
The central issue in this case transcends the usual abortion debate: any elective surgery that is being performed during this crisis uses resources that are needed to help those who are hospitalized with the coronavirus.
Chethan Sathya is a pediatric surgeon and journalist in New York City.
Here is his analysis of what is at stake. "Surgeries are resource-intensive — requiring surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, transport teams, medical beds and equipment such as ventilators. Suspending elective surgeries will free up those doctors, other medical personnel, and rooms and equipment."
Dr. Sathya is also concerned about the effect that doing elective surgeries is bound to have on medical staff. "Because of the number of healthcare workers required to work close to one another for each surgery," he writes, "I have no doubt that continuing to perform non-urgent surgeries would lead to further spread of the virus among healthcare workers."
In other words, those who are pushing for abortions during the coronavirus are endangering the lives of healthcare workers.
But do they care?
Here is how Planned Parenthood has responded. "We're closely monitoring the spread of the new cononavirus, or COVID-19. The health and safety of our patients, staff, and communities is our top priority."
Notice that Planned Parenthood is only interested in its own agenda.
It says not a word about tying up resources needed by those who are truly sick.
By taking away needed personnel, gear, and equipment from servicing those who are infected with the coronavirus, it is jeopardizing the lives of those at risk.
The heart of this dispute rests on the question of whether abortion is elective surgery or not. Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and others in the abortion industry argue that abortion is not elective surgery and must be provided at all times.
But is it?
Take two women, Joy and Jane. Joy has a life-threatening heart problem and is scheduled for surgery. Jane wants an abortion. No one in his right mind would equate the two. If Joy doesn’t get heart surgery, she will probably die. If Jane is denied her abortion, she lives (as does her baby).
It comes down to this: Joy has a need; Jane has a want. No woman wants to have heart surgery — they either need it or they don't.
Conversely, no woman needs an abortion — it is, as they like to say, a matter of choice.
Does that mean that abortion is like any other elective surgery, such as a facelift (rhytidectomy) or a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)?
No. In those cases, only the person's face or tummy is affected. In the case of an abortion, another person is affected. And there is nothing elective about that person's fate.
Dr. William Donohue is the president and CEO of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. The publisher of the Catholic League journal, Catalyst, Donohue is a former Bradley Resident Scholar at the Heritage Foundation and served for two decades on the board of directors of the National Association of Scholars. He is the author of eight books, and the winner of several teaching awards and many awards from the Catholic community. Read more of his reports — Click Here Now. | 1 |
Brain-Cell Helpers Powered by Norepinephrine During Fear-Memory Formation
A sustained state of vigilance will generate a different type of memory than a momentary startle, and these differences are linked to distinct signaling molecules in the brains of mice. Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) have visualized these dynamics in the living mouse brain for the first time, observing fast and slow molecular pathways that support memory function. These processes take place in brain cells called astrocytes, revealing another important way in which these cells help neurons.
Norepinephrine, also called noradrenaline, is a dual hormone and neurotransmitter that prepares the body for action. Previous research has shown that norepinephrine release is important for modifying synapses, the connections between neurons that form and consolidate memories. Astrocytes are the crucial mediators of these changes, and the researchers were interested in observing, in real time, what happens in these cells when mice are learning. Their study was published in Nature Communications on January 24, 2020.
First, the team artificially stimulated brain cells with light, a method called optogenetics, to induce norepinephrine release. They focused on noradrenergic neurons originating in a part of the brain called the locus coeruleus. Norepinephrine release launched two distinct chains of molecular events, the first involving calcium activity and the second cAMP, an important signaling molecule. Calcium levels in astrocytes were quick to become elevated following norepinephrine release, while cAMP levels had a slower but more sustained increase. “We think these fast and slow dynamics are significant because calcium elevation in astrocytes promotes synaptic plasticity, or the ability of cells to form new memory connections, while cAMP elevation mobilizes energy metabolism for memory consolidation,” said Hajime Hirase, senior author and team leader at RIKEN CBS.
To see how these fast and slow molecular responses are triggered naturally, mice were given random air puffs to the face to evoke a brief startle response. In this situation, cAMP levels did not go up at all, while calcium became elevated as previously observed. In a second experiment, mice were given a foot shock coupled with a sound to create a fear memory. When they heard the sound again, the mice would freeze in anticipation of a shock. This time, cAMP levels were noticeably elevated, while calcium levels also rose but quickly tapered off. “When mice are in this sustained state of vigilance, a lot of norepinephrine is released, coupled with gradually building cAMP,” explains first author Yuki Oe, a research scientist in Hirase’s group. “This reflects how the astrocytes support the formation of fear memory.” Neither calcium nor cAMP responses were seen in mice that were given norepinephrine-blocking drugs, indicating that norepinephrine release is indeed the trigger for these changes.
The short-term and long-term consequences of norepinephrine release in the brain thus depend on the situation and behavior. Memory formation, in particular, seems to be supported by increases in cAMP levels, while transient or low vigilance states involve short-term elevated calcium. “One of the effects of cAMP is to break down glycogen for quick energy in a fight-or-flight situation,” comments Hirase. “This boosting of energy metabolism could help consolidate memories over longer time scales, while rapid calcium boosts could lower the threshold for synaptic plasticity.”
Reference: “Distinct temporal integration of noradrenaline signaling by astrocytic second messengers during vigilance” by Yuki Oe, Xiaowen Wang, Tommaso Patriarchi, Ayumu Konno, Katsuya Ozawa, Kazuko Yahagi, Hirokazu Hirai, Lin Tian, Thomas J. McHugh and Hajime Hirase, 24 January 2020, Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14378-x | Getty
In this age of reliance on impersonal devices, such as computers and the like, I submit that it is ever more important to make sure that what personal interaction is left is as effective, fruitful and rewarding as possible. If the number of your human-to-human interactions is to be reduced, then let's make sure you get as much out of each one as you can.
In the business world, with its time pressures, competitions and an ever-changing cast of people with whom you need to interact, human-to-human contacts are indeed precious. Each of our business interactions need to be conducted free of misunderstanding and with as much read of your interlocutor as you can muster.
One of the ways you can accomplish this is by increasing your emotional intelligence, the higher level of which can be called "emotional wisdom." Is there a difference between "emotional intelligence" and "emotional wisdom," you might ask? I believe the difference is a matter of depth. Just as "wisdom" implies intelligence tempered by experience (rare is the individual who is born with it), so it is with "emotional wisdom."
Achieving Emotional Wisdom
Increasing emotional wisdom takes place in two different stages: The first is understanding, and the second is adjusting.
• Understanding in this context means we understand and have integrated the fact that emotional wisdom is based on recognizing each of our emotions. We must not only understand that our emotions exist but also make that fact an integral part of our way of thinking.
• Adjusting means we logically and properly adjust our behavior based on a proper read of our emotions. For example, if we see that a particular approach is not working with a colleague, the emotionally wise person doesn't continue trying the same failed inducements. Instead, they adjust and come up with a different and more effective way of addressing the matter.
The end result of going through these stages and the resulting "emotional wisdom" is, among other things, an improvement in decision-making effectiveness, as well as better human relations in general. The leader possessing emotional wisdom is the leader who not only possesses emotional intelligence but also has the experience, seasoning and ability to reflect. These are the hallmarks of the introspective individual. It is this type of leader who inspires others to follow and produce the best of which they are capable.
However, before attempting to implement these two stages, it would be helpful for you to be aware of the deep internal connection between your brain and your body, which makes it all possible. This means you also need to understand the difference between feelings and emotions.
Feelings Versus Emotions
While the brain, where emotions are produced, is, of course, located inside the skull, the feelings resulting from those emotions have their loci in several places in the body. Communication between the brain and those loci is carried out by the vagus nerve.
It is this connection between the brain (emotions) and the body (feelings) that allows you to feel frustrated, scared, abandoned or loved in different parts of our body, all of which has been confirmed by the National Academy of Sciences. Also, because different emotions have different intensities, the feelings resulting from those emotions also have different intensities. Researchers have developed an atlas of the human body to show where different emotions are felt.
The way it works is that outside stimuli (i.e., something you see, hear, taste, etc.) cause a response in the amygdala, a set of neurons in your brain that helps you process emotions, survival instincts, memories and motivations. The amygdala produces hormones that helps you react to the stimuli appropriately. Although you're usually aware of the stimuli, the remainder of the process is automatic, and you can't control or manage it.
What you can control or manage are the feelings you become aware of after the hormones have done their work. However, in order to effectively deal with these feelings, you must understand and label which feelings you are experiencing and trace them back to their causes. Think of your feelings as symptoms: Like a cold, simply treating the symptoms does nothing for the root cause; you have to treat the source.
Here's How You Do It
First, put a label on the event that you believe caused the emotion. Then, describe how it made you feel. Sometimes, determining the cause won't be this simple, but if you ruminate on it, I have found that you're very likely to identify it. Once you have done so, you can move on to the following steps:
1. Think about whether the emotion you're experiencing is warranted. If you're feeling angry because you were fired, for example, most likely that emotion is fully warranted. On the other hand, if you just heard a rumor about someone you hardly know, you shouldn't be grieving about it.
2. If you determine that the emotion is warranted, then you can move on to the remedial process, which basically means being proactive in addressing the stimuli that caused the emotion. If we continue with our previous example of feeling upset because you were fired, you might choose to improve yourself in the areas that resulted in you losing your job or even seek comfort from a loved one.
But I know this is not always easy to do at first. Even identifying why you feel bad can be challenging. However, if you take your time and process how you're feeling — instead of letting yourself dwell on the initial meaning you gave to the event — you can make the best that can be made out of perhaps a bad situation.
Also, you will be creating a new paradigm by which you can learn from negative emotions and advance to other, more productive and healthy uses for your time and energy. Your leadership skills, interpersonal relations and decision-making abilities will all benefit, thus making you emotionally wiser. | 1 |
AS THE invaders circled a small village, residents who had not been killed in the fighting fled to the nearby church.
With resistance crushed, the landing party blocked the exit and burned the building with the villagers inside.
This was not a Nazi massacre in the Second World War – this was Rottingdean, a tiny parish chewed and spat out in the fierce 14th century fighting of the Hundred Years’ War.
Sussex suffered greatly as five generations of English and French kings traded blows for 116 years in a bitter struggle for each other’s crown.
But the slaughter in Rottingdean was hardly the first instance of foreign invasion in the county, as Duncan Cameron’s book Invasion describes.
Even in 1336, a year before war was declared, English King Edward III had Sussex on lockdown.
Fearing an attack by King Philip VI’s French forces, Edward demanded all landowners stump up men and ships for the cause.
Lookouts were posted across the coast, ready to light beacons as soon as they saw the enemy.
Three years later, the invasion came.
As part of a major French invasion, mercenaries from Monaco landed on the beaches of decaying Hastings.
Led by soldier Carlos Grimaldi, the landing party terrorised the townspeople, hanging those who could not flee.
After looting the town and destroying its three churches, the Monegasque raiders loaded their ships with one last item: the bodies of those they had executed, which they displayed upon return to Calais.
But despite the massacre in Hastings, French forces failed to penetrate English defences elsewhere.
The pre-war lull resumed, but only for a month before the invaders had their sights again set on Sussex.
Nowadays, grassland separates the small rural towns of Rye and Winchelsea.
But in the 14th century both settlements were thriving fishing ports on the now non-existent Rye Bay.
Winchelsea in particular was an up-and-coming town, almost as big as London and laid out very similarly.
The next few decades were not kind to either place.
A French invasion in 1339 damaged the towns, but the soldiers were chased away before they could get to burning.
Eleven years later, the bay was the site of a major naval battle between English and Spanish ships.
As Spain was patrolling the Channel for its French allies, King Edward decided to set up an ambush.
Staying in Winchelsea with his family, he gathered 4,000 knights and waited for the Spaniards to arrive.
He was in good spirits, mind. His historian Jean Froissart said the king was “in a gayer mood than he had ever been seen before”.
When 40 Spanish ships were spotted, Edward took his sons Edward and John on to his ship and set sail.
Surprising his soldiers, he pointed to a Spanish ship and barked: “Steer this ship to that Spanish one. I want to joust with it.”
The Spaniards fired arrows and stones at the English, but Edward’s sailors used their grappling irons to pull in the enemy ships and board them.
The result? Twenty four Spanish boats captured.
But in 1360, Winchelsea’s darkest hour came.
French deputy marshal Jean de Neuville planned a daring raid of the town, massacring its people and taking their barrels of Gascon wine.
Next morning the raiders set fire to the town, putting an end to Winchelsea’s big city hopes.
This put Rye on high alert.
For the next two decades, the taxes were raised to build defences while English sailors stayed in the area – not necessarily a welcome thing for the paranoid townsfolk.
They had reason to be worried. In 1377, French admiral Jean de Vienne set sail for Rye on the advice of his aide Rainier de Grimaldi.
“It is from there that the hardy seamen come who have outraged our coasts on so many occasion,” Grimaldi had said.
“The people of that town do not believe that we could descend on them.”
Two decades had not been enough to prepare for the French invaders who quickly ransacked Rye, even taking the church’s bronze bells.
Word soon reached the influential Hamo of Offynton in Battle, who led his men through the Weald and set up camp in the ruins of Winchelsea.
Fearing a bloody battle, de Vienne first tried to negotiate with Hamo, then attempted to fight his forces.
Both gambles failed, so the French sailed further west.
Swanning past Beachy Head, de Vienne decided to land at Rottingdean and make his way to poorly defended but rich Lewes.
As royal historian Jean Froissart described it: “As they entered Lewes there was a great deal of fighting and many French were wounded by the arrows.
“Finally the French conquered the town and dislodged the English. The whole town of Lewes was ransacked and burnt or destroyed.”
Ovingdean Church, Seaford, and even the tiny parish of Exceat were all burnt to the ground before the French made their merry way home.
Though the destruction the Hundred Years’ War caused to Sussex may not seem obvious today, in many ways it was significant in shaping it. | First are the vowels, which, with one exception, come in pairs:
First are the vowels, which, with one exception, come in pairs:
[ https://www.marathigrammar.com/marathi-alphabets/ Marathi Alphabets] in Marathi Langauge have One Update In. Now Marathi Vowels Is 14 So Now Marathi Barakhadi Called As Marathi Chaudakhadi you can go to this link and see actual change that happens
<a href=" https://www.marathigrammar.com/marathi-alphabets/ ">marathi-alphabets</a> in Marathi Langauge have One Update In. Now Marathi Vowels Is 14 So Now Marathi Barakhadi Called As Marathi Chaudakhadi
Marathi is written in the Devanagari script. It consists of 11 vowels, 40 consonants, and 2 sound modifiers.
The Devanagari syllabary is organised according to the way sounds are produced using the voice box and the mouth.
Vowels
Marathi Alphabets in Marathi Langauge have One Update In. Now Marathi Vowels Is 14 So Now Marathi Barakhadi Called As Marathi Chaudakhadi you can go to this link and see actual change that happens First are the vowels, which, with one exception, come in pairs:
अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ ए ऐ ओ औ अं अ:
Using the International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST), these vowels would be represented thus:
a ā i ī u ū ṛ e ai o au an aha
अ ( a ) is pronounced as a default vowel, similar to a schwa.
( ) is pronounced as a default vowel, similar to a schwa. आ ( ā ) is like the vowel a in father . Note that this must NOT be confused with a similar o-like sound, and can be represented by the sound children, and even adults, make when a GP tells them to say "Aah." In a RP accent, this can also be said like the "ar" in farther .
( ) is like the vowel a in . Note that this must NOT be confused with a similar o-like sound, and can be represented by the sound children, and even adults, make when a GP tells them to say "Aah." In a RP accent, this can also be said like the "ar" in . इ ( i ) is like the vowel in tin .
( ) is like the vowel in . ई ( ī ) is like the vowel in see .
( ) is like the vowel in . ऋ ( rū ) is like the vowel in ruby .
( ) is like the vowel in . उ ( u ) is like the vowel in book .
( ) is like the vowel in . ऊ ( ū ) is like the vowel in tool .
( ) is like the vowel in . ए ( e ) is like the vowel in May except there is no diphthong.
( ) is like the vowel in except there is no diphthong. ऐ ( ai ) is one of the only two diphthong vowels in Marathi, and pronounced differently depending on regional accent. Often it is pronounced like the vowel in buy .
( ) is one of the only two diphthong vowels in Marathi, and pronounced differently depending on regional accent. Often it is pronounced like the vowel in . ओ ( o ) is like the vowel in hole .
( ) is like the vowel in . औ ( au ) is the other diphthong vowel, also with varying pronunciation. It is often pronounced like the vowel in autum .
( ) is the other diphthong vowel, also with varying pronunciation. It is often pronounced like the vowel in . अं ( an ) is like the vowel in uncle .
( ) is like the vowel in . अं: (aha) is like the vowel in no similar use in English.
All vowels in Marathi have two forms: Their standalone form and their mātrā form. The mātrā form modifies consonants. Here are the eleven vowels paired with the syllable क (k):
क का कि की कु कू कृ के कै को कौ ka kā ki kī ku kū kṛ ke kai ko kau
Note that there is no mātrā form for the first vowel, अ --a. This is because all Marathi consonants, unless part of a conjunct (see below), or they appear at the end of a word, automatically contain this vowel. So, the letter क is pronounced ka.
Regular Consonants
There are 25 regular consonants (consonants that stop air from moving out of the mouth) in Marathi, and they are organized into groups (vargas) of five. The vargas are ordered according to where the tongue is in the mouth. Each successive varga refers to a successively forward position of the tongue. The vargas are ordered and named thus (with an example of a corresponding consonant):
Velar (k)
Palatal (j)
Retroflex (English t)
Dental (Spanish t)
Labial (p)
The five consonants in each group are ordered thus:
unaspirated, unvoiced
aspirated, unvoiced
unaspirated, voiced
aspirated, voiced
nasal
The difference between voiced and unvoiced consonants is as simple for an English speaker to understand as understanding the difference between the consonants "k" and "g" or "j" and "ch." However, aspiration is a distinction foreign to most English speakers. To understand the difference, do this simple exercise:
Hold your palm about an inch in front of your mouth. Say the word "pit." Notice that your hand will likely feel a short burst of air coming from your mouth. Now say the word "spit" and notice that there is little or no burst of air. Now attempt to say "pit" again, this time without letting the burst of air happen.
Here are the five vargas of regular consonants, followed by their corresponding IAST characters:
क ख ग घ ङ
च छ ज झ ञ
ट ठ ड ढ ण
त थ द ध न
प फ ब भ म
k kh g gh ṅ
c ch j jh ñ
ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ
t th d dh n
p ph b bh m
Notes:
The nasal consonants in the first two vargas are almost never found written alone; they are usually conjuncted (more on conjuncts later) with another consonant in their corresponding vargas, as the other nasal consonants often are.
The consonants in the first two vargas, as well as the last, are pronounced exactly as they are in English. In other words, a Marathi k sounds like an English "k" (without aspiration).
The consonant written 'c' can be confusing; it is pronounced like the first sound in the word chair but without aspiration. The consonant ch is virtually indistinguishable from c to the untrained English speaker, but is indeed a different letter.
The English consonants "t" and "d" fall somewhere in between the Marathi consonants t and d, and ṭ and ḍ. They are closer to the latter (retroflex), so when Marathi speakers say or speak English words containing t or d, they almost always use the retroflex version. To achieve these sounds, curl the tongue back and touch the tip to the roof of the mouth.
The dental consonants are pronounced exactly like the "t" and "d" in Spanish, with the tongue touching the back of the upper teeth.
Voiced, aspirated consonants (gh, bh, etc.) are by far the hardest sounds for the English speaker to learn how to make; however, with some practice they are not overly difficult.
Semivowels
There are four semivowels in Marathi:
य र ल व
y r l w (v)
y is very similar to its corresponding English sound.
is very similar to its corresponding English sound. r, like most non-English "r" sounds, is flipped, but not rolled.
like most non-English "r" sounds, is flipped, but not rolled. l is the same as the English "l".
is the same as the English "l". w (v) has a somewhat flexible pronunciation, depending on context and regional dialects. Sometimes it is pronounced like the English "w" (as in the word swami), and other times it is closer to the English "v". It is often pronounced somewhere in between the two sounds.
Sibilants
There are three sibilants:
श ष स
ś ṣ s
ś is the same as "sh" in English.
is the same as "sh" in English. ṣ is also similar to "sh" in English, and though it is technically pronounced farther back in the mouth, functionally there is very little or no difference between the two in spoken Marathi.
is also similar to "sh" in English, and though it is technically pronounced farther back in the mouth, functionally there is very little or no difference between the two in spoken Marathi. s is the same as "s" in English.
Fricative
There is one fricative consonant:
ह
h
h is pronounced the same as "h" in English.
Additional Consonants
There are three additional consonants:
ळ क्ष ज्ञ
La kSha dnya
Modified Consonants
Most of the sounds mentioned in this section do not belong to Marathi. This section needs to be revised.
There are many sounds found in Marathi that do not directly correspond to any Devanagari letter:
क़ (q) is pronounced farther back in the throat than क. For example, the Arabic word Qu'ran begins with this letter.
ग़ (ġ) is pronounced in the back of the throat, similar to the French "r."
ख़ ( kh ) is pronounced like "ch" in German words like Bach or Reich.
ज़ (z) is the same as the English "z."
ड़ (ṛ) is difficult to describe, except by example. The Marathi word गाड़ी (gaṛī) sounds very much like "gardee." Notice that the character used to denote this character is the same as denotes ऋ . The only way to tell the difference is context; if ṛ is followed by a consonant, it corresponds to ऋ (example: ऋषि -- ṛṣi or "Rushi"). If it is followed by a vowel or falls at the end of a word, is is most likely ड़ .
ढ़ (ṛh) is the aspirated version of ड़ .
फ़ is the same as the English sound "f."
Sound Modifiers
The anusvara is notated with a small dot above the corresponding letter. In IAST, it is notated ṃ. It can have two different effects:
In mid-word, when it appears before a consonant, it has the same effect as if that consonant's corresponding nasal consonant were placed right before it. For example, if placed before the "k" sound in the English word "buck," it would make the word change to "bunk."
Marathi example:
Placed at the end of a word (after a vowel with no further consonants), it simply nasalizes the vowel, often sounding as if the English "ng" (as in "song") had been placed at the end of the word, though lightly.
Marathi examples:
The ardhacandra (meaning "half moon") is notated with a small crescent (see below). The sound is similar to "ae", as in "cat", "bat", "rat".
The candrabindu (meaning "moon dot") is very similar to the anusvara and is notated with a dot and a small crescent (see below). When placed above a vowel, the vowel becomes nasalized.
Marathi example:
The visarga is notated with what looks like an English colon. It is transliterated with ḥ. It is only found at the end of words, and only found on Sanskrit loan words. It has the effect of adding a h as well as a lighter version of the preceding vowel. For example, नमः is pronounced namaha, with the last a having as little emphasis as possible.
The halant is a small diagonal line which indicates that the default vowel अ -- a is not to be pronounced. It only appears at the end of words. In Marathi, however, this symbol is almost never seen, as, unlike Sanskrit, the default vowel is almost never pronounced on the final consonants of words. Example: नाम् -- nām (name).
Conjuncts
Very often, two or more consonants are combined. If you see conjuncts, they will conjoin two consonants in an obvious manner. The visarga may be used in the middle of a word as a conjunct if an obvious conjunct is not possible.
Reference
Complete List of Standardised Marathi Alphabets | 1 |
On March 11 at 9 p.m., I went for a walk. When I came back an hour later and read an email sent by the University stating that campus would close for the remainder of the Spring semester, I felt as though the trajectory of my college experience had irrevocably and fundamentally changed. As I ran through the gamut of emotions with my peers, I felt anger, grief and a bitter sense of dark humor. But going to bed that night, I realized that where our generation had lost normalcy we had also gained passion. COVID-19 has awoken our generation to the consequences of inaction in the face of global crises and rightly reified the impact of societal upheaval.
Despite the gravity of my and all Emory students’ losses, we should take solace in the fact that this disruption will be temporary. The symptoms caused by COVID-19 are similar to a stronger strain of the flu, this epidemic is not the apocalypse; classes will resume when this passes and life will return to normal. But enveloped in that normalcy will still remain the existential crises we’ve put on hold to fight this pandemic, like climate change, resource shortages, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and mounting international instability.
I am not minimizing the devastation on our lives that COVID-19 has and will cause; in fact, it is this devastation that should serve as a warning to prevent even greater harm as our generations’ crises germinate. The proportional danger of these future catastrophes outweighs the long-term impact of COVID-19, and so it would be a waste of a learning opportunity if the current societal upheaval did not scare us into action to prevent much greater future calamity.
Both those returning to campus next semester and graduating seniors entering the workforce should feel inspired to gather their strength and collectively work with intensity. We face a myriad of immediate crises such as those listed above, as well as larger generational issues, including violence, societal upheaval and environmental collapse. The impact from COVID-19, which is projected to kill almost 3 million, pales in comparison to that which antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as tuberculosis may soon have. Some experts believe these superbugs could kill 300 million people worldwide by 2050, for an average of 10 million a year. While we need to deal with the crises of today before the problems of tomorrow, COVID-19 is only a small taste of the deluge that our generation will face.
It’s easy to pontificate about solutions — so what comes next? We deserve time to mourn; a semester of arrested development is painful and will regress our growth. But we cannot afford to wallow in the pain. These will prove to be the most formative years of our lives, as we’re now building the experience, the knowledge and the work ethic to prepare for the problems we will face. That means we have to take charge of our lives and improve our collective interest. We must vote and become politically involved, challenge ourselves intellectually, and be ready for any threat we may face. These ideas are only platitudes if we treat them as such through inaction and failure to integrate them into in work daily work ethic.
We won’t be able to deal with the future’s global catastrophes if we don’t start by making small, actionable changes today. Before we change society, we need to start with what we can most affect: ourselves. It’s easy to talk about what should be done to prepare for these long-term crises — words are cheap, but actions are not. We have an opportunity to take action. We are in an election year, and class registration is several weeks away, so I challenge you: take the 8 a.m., speak up in class and enroll in a difficult course. Personally, I was going to take 15 credits, but now I’m taking 19. If we do not build long-term personal habits from COVID-19 today — challenging ourselves to discover solutions and grow, set tough but realistic goals, and stare into uncertainty and thrive in it — we will have no one but ourselves to blame when the world’s floodgates open on our heads.
Emory, we deserve a moment of pain. But then let’s put on our boots, saddle up and get to work. The world won’t wait for us.
Sean Anderson (19Ox, 21B) is from Atlanta. | KUALA LIPIS: Two sisters are feared drowned after they were swept away by strong currents while playing in Sungai Jelai at Kampung Tanjung Gahai, near here, today.
Siti Nur Hidayah Mohd Rosli, 19, and Siti Suhaida, 15, were playing with their three other siblings at the river at about 6pm today, when they went missing.
District police chief Superintendent Azli Mohd Noor said villagers alerted the Sungai Koyan police station before a search and rescue (SAR) operation was launched to locate the girls.
He said investigations revealed the two, along with their siblings had gone to the river near the Kampung Tanjung Gahai recreational park.
"They were playing at the shallow section of the river before moving towards the middle. Suddenly, they were swept away by strong currents and disappeared.
"The others immediately alerted some villagers who tried searching for the duo, before informing the police," he said, adding the two victims were from the Gahai Agropolitan Housing project nearby.
Azli said policemen, firemen, Civil Defence Force members along with 20 villagers were involved in the SAR operations.
He said since the area was getting dark, SAR operations was halted at 7pm and would resume tomorrow morning. | 1 |
Entertainment
Batman’s about to get fast and furious.
Matt Reeves, the director of the upcoming film “The Batman,” has shared the first look at the hero’s new wheels.
In the images, released Wednesday, Robert Pattinson can be seen donning his suit while standing alongside a new version of the Batmobile that it is a departure from what we’ve seen in recent films.
This one resembles a classic car, with some features that give it that beloved Batman look.
Is this Batman’s quarter life crisis car? Did he rebuild it with a father-figure uncle? Did he think this one would look better on his Tinder profile? All important and nonsensical questions.
“The Batman” is set for release in 2021. (Warner Bros. Pictures, the studio behind the film, is, like CNN, owned by WarnerMedia.)
Pattinson takes over the role of Batman from Ben Affleck, who first played the masked hero in 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” | "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson is being seen for the first time in costume as the Caped Crusader ahead of the 2021 release of "The Batman." | 3 |
The UK government has reiterated its concern over the potential impact of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said it is continuing to follow the events in India closely. (Representational Image) The UK government has reiterated its concern over the potential impact of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said it is continuing to follow the events in India closely. (Representational Image)
The UK government has reiterated its concern over the potential impact of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said it is continuing to follow the events in India closely.
In response to an urgent question on “Recent Violence in India” tabled by Pakistani-origin Opposition Labour Party MP Khalid Mahmood in the House of Commons on Tuesday, UK’s Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Nigel Adams said the UK engages with India at all levels, including on human rights, and also referred to the country’s “proud history” of inclusive government and religious tolerance.
“The UK government also have concerns about the potential impact of the legislation (CAA),” said Adams, the Minister for Asia who was standing in for UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is on a visit to Turkey.
“It is because of our close relationship with the government of India that we are able to discuss difficult issues with them and make clear our concerns where we have them, including on the rights of minorities. We will continue to follow events closely and to raise our concerns when we have with them,” said the minister.
While Mahmood, who had tabled the urgent question for an FCO statement, described the government response as “facile”, another Pakistani-origin MP Nusrat Ghani called on the government to relay the UK Parliament’s concerns to the Indian authorities.
British Sikh Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi said the violence had brought back “painful personal memories” from the 1984 Sikh riots while he was studying in India and fellow Sikh MP Preet Kaur Gill also referenced 1984 in her intervention.
Other MPs sought to highlight the steps taken by the Indian authorities to restore “peace and tranquillity” in Delhi.
“He will be aware that it is not just Muslims who have been killed; Hindus have also been killed as part of the riots,” said Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman.
Scottish National Party (SNP) MP Alyn Smith sought the UK government’s intervention to share best practice around countering the online disinformation campaign being used in India to “inflame tensions”.
“We are in constant contact on these issues, and we know how important this is to Members of Parliament and their constituents, who may have family in the area,” said Adams, in his response.
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For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App. | Last week, the Turkish president had severely criticised India for the communal clashes in Delhi and even went on to call them “massacres of Muslims”. (REUTERS) Last week, the Turkish president had severely criticised India for the communal clashes in Delhi and even went on to call them “massacres of Muslims”. (REUTERS)
Days after Turkish president criticised Delhi riots, India Thursday hit out at Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying his comments were “factually inaccurate” and driven by “political agenda”. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, while addressing a press conference in the national capital Thursday, said India had made a strong demarche on the matter with the Turkish Ambassador in Delhi on Tuesday.
“We do not expect such irresponsible statements from a Head of State,” Kumar was quoted as saying by PTI.
Last week, the Turkish president had severely criticised India for the communal clashes in Delhi and even went on to call them “massacres of Muslims”.
On being asked UK’s junior foreign minister Nigel Adams’ comment on Delhi violence, Raveesh Kumar said the situation in the capital is fast returning to normal and that law enforcement agencies are doing their best to restore confidence and ensure that law and order is maintained.
“Prime Minister has appealed for peace and brotherhood. Senior officials have visited the place of violence, peace committees have been formed and other steps have been taken in this direction,” he added.
In response to an urgent question on “Recent Violence in India” tabled by Pakistani-origin Opposition Labour Party MP Khalid Mahmood in the House of Commons on Tuesday, UK’s Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Nigel Adams had said, “The UK government also have concerns about the potential impact of the legislation (CAA).”
Earlier today, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei also said that the Indian government should confront extremist Hindus and stop the ‘massacre’ of Muslims.
“The hearts of Muslims all over the world are grieving over the massacre of Muslims in India. The govt of India should confront extremist Hindus & their parties & stop the massacre of Muslims in order to prevent India’s isolation from the world of Islam,” Khamenei tweeted.
Meanwhile, the death toll in communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi last month, which was sparked by protests over the amended Citizenship Act, climbed to 53 on Thursday. So far, GTB hospital has confirmed 44 deaths while three deaths have been confirmed at Lok Nayak hospital and five at RML and one at Jag Pravesh.
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For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App. | 3 |
Two-season limited event series “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” had been set to premiere April 12th on AMC, but we’ve learned this week that the premiere has been delayed.
The new spinoff series, which tells the story of the first generation to come-of-age in the apocalypse, will now be arriving on AMC “later this year.” We have no new date at this time.
According to Deadline, the series “had wrapped filming but was in post-production on the last few episodes, which has been impacted by the COVID-19-related company closures.”
Filming on “The Walking Dead” and “Fear the Walking Dead” is also on hold.
In “World Beyond”…
“Some will become heroes. Some will become villains. In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, good & bad.”
“Two sisters along with two friends leave a place of safety and comfort to brave dangers, known and unknown, living and undead on an important quest. Pursued by those who wish to protect them and those who wish to harm them, a tale of growing up and transformation unfurls across dangerous terrain, challenging everything they know about the world, themselves and each other.” | AMC has postponed the series premiere of The Walking Dead: World Beyond — the second spin-off in the popular zombie apocalypse franchise — due to coronavirus-related production shutdowns. Deadline reports that the series was initially set to premiere on April 12 but will now move to sometime “later this year.”
The article confirms that while World Beyond has finished filming its first season, post-production on the last few episodes has been disrupted by production shutdowns due to the current pandemic.
World Beyond joins several other television shows and films in being halted or delayed over the coronavirus outbreak. Season four of the critically-acclaimed FX series, Fargo, was also slated for an April premiere date but will now be pushed back.
Another factor worth noting in the television network schedule is the lack of new content to air later this year. With so many shows shutting down their production, many networks will face a shortage of programming in the fall. AMC is making a smart business move by withholding World Beyond for later months when they may be short on content.
According to Deadline, AMC and other ad-supported networks will also have to contend with major advertising companies restructuring their content because of unemployment, a plummeting stock market, and cross-cutting measures amid the health crisis. Networks will be more selective in ad spending, preferring to wait until later in the year to delegate rather than using it now.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond is moving its premiere date from Sunday April 12th to later this year. Follow here for more updates. pic.twitter.com/1Ncc4VViUt — TWDWorldBeyond (@TWDWorldBeyond) March 20, 2020
The latest spin-off in The Walking Dead franchise will further “expand the universe.” Instead of focusing on already established characters, it will aim toward a younger demographic by focusing on the “first generation raised in a surviving civilization of the post-apocalyptic world.”
“Two sisters along with two friends leave a place of safety and comfort to brave dangers, known and unknown, living and undead on an important quest,” the article continues.
It stars Nico Tortorella of Younger fame, Aliyah Royale, Hal Cumpston, Alexa Mansour, Nicolas Cantu Annet Mahendru, and Julia Ormond.
Dozens of fans are tweeting about their disappointment over the postponement in the comments section of the above tweet. Several people expressed their dismay at having one less show to watch during the quarantine. Some wondered if this news would mean the planned Rick Grimes films would also wind up delayed.
“Why though? By the looks of it, it seems our quarantine might be extended. What better time for people to watch the new show when we’re all going to be home anyway?” asked one user. | 4 |
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