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###CLAIM: the call was stopped by the father, who described the prince and princess as trapped within the system of the monarchy. ###DOCS: AdvertisementBritish viewers watching Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey for the first time tonight jokingly urged ITV to bring back Jeremy Kyle to hold a lie detector test for the Sussexes and the Royal Family. ITV's hotly-anticipated broadcast saw people in the UK get their first chance to see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's conversation with Oprah in full, nearly 24 hours after it was first aired in the US on CBS. And some social media users joked that Kyle, who hosted The Jeremy Kyle Show on ITV from 2005 to 2019, should be called in to resolve the disputes between the royals and get them to take one of his famous lie detector tests. One said: 'If this isn't the perfect time for the Jeremy Kyle to stage a comeback then I don't know what is! #TheLieDetectorTestsAreIn.' Another tweeted: 'Hear me out but I think this interview would be a whole lot better with the Jeremy Kyle lie detector test.' A third said: 'Only one person can sort this family out. Bring back Jeremy Kyle for a royal special!' Meanwhile ITV Hub appeared to be wilting under the strain of huge demand as viewers in homes across Britain took to social media to complain that the online service was continuously buffering or not working at all. Commenting on the programme which first aired overnight at 1am UK time on CBS, one viewer said: 'Treacherous! Actually allowing a woman to appear on primetime TV just to slag off the Royal Family!' Another added: 'So Meghan is expecting the world to believe that she didn't look into Harry's life at all? She knew nothing of the royal family? What an actress she is! She's fooling no one in this little innocent victim act entering into a world she hadn't a clue about.' But a third tweeted: 'Wasn't going to watch, but I am, it's very American, very Oprah, obviously, and I really like Meghan already to be honest.' A family gather around the TV in Liverpool to watch Prince Harry and his wife Meghan's explosive interview on ITV tonightA family gather around the television in Liverpool to watch Prince Harry and his wife Meghan's interview on ITV tonightFollowing the interview being shown in the US, the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, both bore grim expressions as they were seen driving through London this afternoon. The pair have been caught up in the wave of claims aired by the Sussexes, with Meghan earlier this month blaming them for leaking stories about her to the press while she was a senior royal. Meghan has also accused Kate of making her 'cry' during a row over bridesmaids dresses. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have made no formal response to the interview, instead the only two posts on their official Instagram page today have recognised International Women's Day, and Commonwealth Day. Prince Harry today claimed racism drove him and Meghan out of Britain and the Queen was too busy to meet him as he piled on new insults to his family in a series of unseen clips from his bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview. The Duke of Sussex accused the Queen of snubbing him after she was allegedly overruled by royal aides when she tried to invite him and Meghan on a trip to Sandringham after the couple announced they were stepping down. Meanwhile, Prince Philip was cleared of making a racist remark about how 'dark' Archie's skin would be, with Oprah saying Harry had confirmed the comment was not made by the Duke of Edinburgh or the Queen. Asked about the alleged comment at his Covid press conference today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: 'The best thing I can say is that I've always had the highest admiration for the Queen and the unifying role she plays. 'Never underestimate the Queen's ability to disconnect ITV Hub!' Viewers are left frustrated as stream buffers during interview Britons have jokingly accused the Queen of taking down ITV Hub after eager viewers were plagued with technical issues ahead of the UK airing of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview. Some viewers were tonight left frustrated ahead of the broadcast of the explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, which is currently being aired on ITV. And some took to social media to joke that the Queen was behind the technical issues ahead of the airing of the interview - which contains a number of damaging allegations about the Royal Family. One Twitter user joked: 'Never underestimate the Queen's ability to disconnect ITV Hub in times of need.' Another added: 'The Queen just disconnected ITV hub by the looks of it.' Other Britons also complained about technical issues ahead of the UK airing of the interview, which was broadcast on America's CBS on Sunday night. One Twitter user said: 'When will ITV Hub sort this out on the Chromecast??? Another said: 'Anyone else's STV Player and ITV Hub not working?' 'Oh my god ITV Hub is already crashing,' one Twitter user said. Another added: 'I'm having to watch the interview on my phone because my stupid ITV on my Xbox won't let me play live things.' Advertisement'And as for all other matters to do with the royal family I've spent a long time now not commenting on royal family matters and I don't intend to today.' Harry refused to reveal the person's identity on Sunday night as did Meghan and claimed they wanted to protect whoever it was - leaving the rest of the family open to suspicion. In one of the previously unseen clips released today, Harry said the Queen told him she wanted to see him and Meghan in Sandringham 'the moment' they returned from a trip to Canada in January 2020, but he then received a message from a royal aide saying the trip was off. Harry claimed he then rang the Queen from Frogmore Cottage and she said: 'Yes, there's something in my diary that I didn't know that I had.' The prince said the exchange showed that even the Queen could be overruled by aides, who he accused of giving her 'very bad' advice. Meanwhile, the prince reignited his war with the press, claiming that racism 'was a large part' of his and Meghan's decision to leave Britain. He said he was told by an unidentified person at a charity event: 'You need to understand that the UK is very bigoted,' to which he replied: 'The UK is not bigoted, the UK press is bigoted, specifically the tabloids.' He added: 'But unfortunately if the source of info is inherently corrupt or racist or biased then that filters out to the rest of society.' Meghan also discussed her own family with Oprah for the first time, claiming that she 'didn't have a relationship' with her sister, Samantha, and that she only changed her surname back to Markle when she started dating Harry. She said she 'found it hard to reconcile' with her father, Thomas Markle, who will be appearing on Good Morning Britain tomorrow morning, Piers Morgan announced earlier today. It came as Tory MPs today led the backlash against Prince Harry and Meghan's 'appalling' accusations of racism against the Royal Family as they accused the couple of 'detonating a nuclear weapon' with the allegations. Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton bore a grim expression as she was seen driving herself through London this afternoonCamilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, also looked disheartened in London today. She and the Duchess of Cambridge have been caught up in the wave of claims aired by the Sussexes, with Meghan earlier this month blaming them for leaking stories about her to the press while she was a senior royalThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex have insisted their interview with Oprah Winfrey would be the 'last word' on them quitting as senior royalsUS breakfast show CBS This Morning aired unseen footage from Oprah Winfrey's bombshell interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex this morning. Among the claims aired in the new clips -'It was a large part of it': Harry claims he and Meghan left Britain 'because of racism'Asked by Oprah if the couple left the UK because of racism, Harry replied: 'It was a large part of it.' Recalling a conversation he had at a Sentebale fundraiser, he said he was urged by someone who is 'friends with a lot of the editors': 'Please don't do this with the media, they will destroy your life.' However, he did not identify who the person was. Harry said: 'One of the people at that dinner said to me, ''please don't please don't do this with the media, they will destroy your life''. This person is friends with a lot of the editors. I said, so I just elaborate, what do you mean? 'He said ''you need to understand that the UK is very bigoted. I stopped and said, ''the UK is not bigoted, the press is bigoted, the tabloids. Is that what you mean?'' Harry claimed the person replied, 'No, the UK is bigoted'. He continued: 'I said I disagree. If the source of information is corrupt or racist or biased, then that filters out to the rest of society.' Reacting to the claims, the Society of Editors said it is 'not acceptable' for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to claim sections of the UK press is bigoted. More than 17million Americans tune into soap opera More than 17 million Americans watched Oprah Winfrey's television bombshell interview with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, according to preliminary data cited by Variety and the Hollywood Reporter on Monday. The numbers are expected to rise when broadcaster CBS releases final official data later on Monday. Sunday's two-hour interview was the first given by the couple since they stepped back from the British royal family a year ago. Meghan spoke of feeling suicidal, and accused the royal family of racism, while Harry said his father, Prince Charles, had let him down. While a ratings success for CBS, the preliminary 17.1 million audience was well below that of last year's Oscars telecast at 23.6 million - one of the biggest celebrity events on U.S. television. Meghan and Harry's tell-all interview with Winfrey dominated the conversation on social media, morning television shows and newspaper front pages on Monday in Britain and abroad. AdvertisementThe charity said: 'The UK media is not bigoted and will not be swayed from its vital role holding the rich and powerful to account following the attack on the press by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Executive director Ian Murray added: 'It is not acceptable for the Duke and Duchess to make such claims without providing any supporting evidence. 'If it is simply the case the Sussexes feel that the press by questioning their actions and commenting on their roles when working as royals funded by the taxpayer were being racist then they are mistaken. 'In the case of Meghan Markle and her engagement and marriage to Prince Harry there was universal supporting coverage in the UK media which reflected the warmth shown to the couple by the British people. 'But that warmth could not and should not mean the press should be expected to refuse to report, investigate and comment on the couple's lifestyle and actions. ;Harry says the Queen snubbed him by uninviting him to a trip to Sandringham after being overruled by an aideIn another exclusive clip, Harry said he had been suddenly told he was no longer invited to spend time with the Queen at Sandringham in January 2020. Harry claimed the conversation with the Queen happened after he and Meghan announced on January 8 that they were going to step down as senior royals. He said: 'My grandmother had said 'the moment you land, come up to Sandringham, we'd love to have a chat, come for tea, why don't you stay for dinner because it's going to be a long drive and you're going to be exhausted?'' 'Then the moment we landed in the UK, I got a message from my private secretary at the time.' Explaining the terminology, Meghan said: 'A private secretary is sort of like a CEO role in the institution.' Harry continued: 'The private secretary had cut and pasted a message from the queen's secretary saying, ''please passes on to the duke and duchess of Sussex that he cannot come to Norfolk. The queen is busy, she's busy all week''.' Oprah asked: 'After she just invited you?' Harry continued: 'Yeah... so I rang her, and that night I said I was thinking about coming, but I hear you're busy. She said, ''Yes, there's something in my diary that I didn't know I had''. 'I said, ''Well, what about the rest of the week?' She says, 'That's busy now, as well'. Okay. I didn't want to push because I knew what was going on.' Oprah asked: 'Doesn't the Queen get to do what the queen wants to do?' The prince replied: 'No, when you're head of the firm, there is people around you that give you advice. 'And what has made me sad is some of that advice has been really bad.' Oprah concluded: 'That was tough. It's the type of thing when someone says, I'm busy, I'm busy all week, that's a big sign. 'When it's your mother, your grandmother. That's tough.' 'I have tried to help them see': Harry says Prince Charles has made peace with being 'trapped' as part of the royal family and says 'My brother can't leave the system but I have'Oprah asked if anyone in the family had said they were sorry the couple felt they had to make the move out of royal life because they felt unsupported. Harry said: 'No. Sadly not. The feeling is that this was our decision, therefore the consequences are on us. And despite three years of asking for help and seeing or visualising how this might end, it was, I don't know... it's been really hard because I'm trying, I am part of the system with them. I always have been. 'I'm very aware that my brother can't leave that system, but I have.' Oprah asked: 'Does your brother want to leave the system?' Harry said: 'I don't know. I can't speak for him. But with that relationship and that control and the fear by the UK tabloids, it's a really toxic environment. But I will always be there for him. I will always be there for my family. And as I said, I've tried to help them to see what has happened.' Oprah asked: 'Do they think it's a toxic environment or do you all think it's a toxic environment because you're out of it?' Harry said: 'I think he's had to make peace with it.' Oprah said: 'Why couldn't you make peace with it? I'll ask that of both of you?' 'Because that is different. You know,' said Meghan. 'Different because of the race?' said Oprah. 'And social media,' said Meghan. 'And social media. Oh, yes, different time. Different time,' said Oprah. 'That didn't exist,' Meghan said. 'And so it was like the wild, wild west. It was spread like wildfire. Plus, my being American, it translate in a different way across the pond. So you had a noise level that was very different, but if they can't see that it's different.' 'You felt bullied on an international level,' Oprah said. Meghan said: 'Look, I think the volume of what was coming in and the interest was greater because of social media, because of the fact that I was not just British.' Dignified Kate Middleton, 39, carried on with royal duties in the fall-out from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey as she marked International Women's Day'Rude and racist are not the same': Meghan claims abuse of her was worse than Kate because of the colour of her skinMeghan Markle claimed she experienced more negativity towards her than the Duchess of Cambridge because of the colour of her skin. The Duchess of Sussex told the chat show queen she believed she had been singled out because she was 'not just British'. Meghan said she thought social media had amplified the interest in her but said Royals had shrugged it off, claiming they said 'This is what's happened to all of us'. And she went on to say the Duchess of Cambridge's cruel one-time nickname of Kate Middleton - Waity Katie - was not the same as racism she said she experienced. Meghan went on to say a Royal Family member had said they had all had to deal with rudeness, but the American said she did not think it was the same as racist abuse. She said: 'I think the volume of what was coming in and the interest was greater because of social media, because of the fact that I was not just British. 'That unfortunately if members of his family say, well, this is what's happened to all of us. 'If they can compare what the experience that I went through was similar to what has been shared with us, Kate was called Waity Katie, waiting to marry William. 'While I imagine that was hard, and I do, I can't picture what that felt like, this is not the same. 'And if a member of this family will comfortably say we've all had to deal with things that are rude, rude and racist are not the same. And equally, you've also had a press team that goes on the record to defend you, especially when they know something's not true. And that didn't happen for us.' The new comments were revealed in a clip released to CBS This Morning at lunchtime. They came after the Oprah Winfrey interview earlier today saw Meghan say Kate had made her cry before she married Prince Harry. But the Duchess of Sussex also insisted that she has now forgiven her and said she bought her flowers to apologise about the incident. The Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex in the Royal Box on Centre Court at Wimbledon in July 2019The infamous row with Prince William's wife made headlines around the world after a supposed falling out over dresses for the flower girls. Reports of the clash between the duchesses first emerged in November 2018, when sources claimed Meghan had been left displeased with the 'stressful' fitting. Accounts differ as to whether the cause of the row was a disagreement on whether the bridesmaids should wear tights - Meghan reportedly believed they should not - or whether it stemmed from Princess Charlotte's dress not fitting. A source said at the time: 'Kate had only just given birth to her third child, Prince Louis, and was feeling quite emotional.' Meghan was also asked about a memorable joint-outing to Wimbledon in July 2019, where the pair put on a united front and were pictured laughing together. During the interview she appeared to cast doubt on the authenticity of that seemingly affable appearance, saying: 'Nothing is what it looks like'. Oprah asked Meghan: 'Was there a situation where she (Kate) might have cried? Or she could have cried?' But the Duchess of Sussex replied: 'No, no. The reverse happened. 'And I don't say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding. 'And she was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologised. 'And she brought me flowers and a note, apologising. And she did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it.' Meghan added that it was 'shocking' that the 'reverse of that would be out in the world'. She continued: 'A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something pertaining - yes, the issue was correct - about flower girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings. 'And I thought, in the context of everything else that was going on in those days leading to the wedding, that it didn't make sense to not be just doing whatever everyone else was doing, which was trying to be supportive, knowing what was going on with my dad and whatnot.' Meghan also said: 'It wasn't a confrontation, and I actually think it's... I don't think it's fair to her to get into the details of that, because she apologised. 'What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn't do but that happened to me. 'And the people who were part of our wedding were going to our comms team and saying: 'I know this didn't happen. I don't have to tell them what actually happened'.' Meghan also said reports she had reduced the Duchess of Cambridge to tears were a 'turning point. The Duchess said 'everyone in the institution knew that wasn't true' and she hoped Kate 'would have wanted that to be corrected', adding 'she is a good person'. Meghan was also asked whether a trip to watch tennis at Wimbledon with the Duchess of Cambridge was 'what it looked like ... helping you adjust'. But the Duchess replied: 'My understanding of the past four years is it's nothing like what it looks like.' Oprah then attempted to further probe into their relationship. Referring to a day the pair spent together at Wimbledon at 2019, she asked: 'Did you feel welcomed by everyone? It seemed like you and Kate at the Wimbledon game where you were going to watch a friend play tennis?' 'Was it what it looked like? You are two sisters-in-law out there in the world, getting to know each other. Was she helping you, embracing you into the family, helping you?' However Meghan appeared to dodge the question, saying: 'My understanding and my experience of the past four years is it's nothing like what it looks like. 'It's nothing like what it looks like. And I remember so often people within the firm would say, 'Well, you can't do this because it'll look like that. You can't' so, even, 'Can I go and have lunch with my friends?'. No, no, no. You're oversaturated. You're everywhere. It would be best for you to not go out to lunch with your friends.' 'I can't imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child': Meghan hits out at father and claims her sister only changed adopted Markle surname when she started dating HarryThe Duchess of Sussex has said she cannot fathom hurting Archie the way her own father 'betrayed' her before the royal wedding. In newly released footage from the Oprah interview, Meghan said she has 'found it hard to reconcile' with Thomas Markle for insisting he had not been speaking to the media. The main bombshells from the Oprah interview - Harry and Meghan 'left UK because of racism' Asked by Winfrey if the couple left the UK because of racism, Harry replied: 'It was a large part of it.' Recalling a conversation at a Sentebale fundraiser, he said he was urged by someone who is 'friends with a lot of the editors': 'Please don't do this with the media, they will destroy your life.' He said he was told: 'You need to understand that the UK is very bigoted,' to which he replied: 'The UK is not bigoted, the UK press is bigoted, specifically the tabloids.' He added: 'But unfortunately if the source of info is inherently corrupt or racist or biased then that filters out to the rest of society.' Harry did not identify the person who allegedly made the comments. - 'Uninvited' to Sandringham trip In another exclusive clip, Harry said he had been suddenly told he was no longer invited to spend time with the Queen at Sandringham in January 2020. Harry said the Queen had told him to come and see her there after he and Meghan arrived back in the UK from Canada. He said: 'My grandmother had said 'the moment you land, come up to Sandringham, we'd love to have a chat, come for tea, why don't you stay for dinner because it's going to be a long drive and you're going to be exhausted?'' He said 'the moment we landed in the UK' he got a message from his private secretary at the time, passing on a message from the Queen's private secretary. He said it was 'basically saying 'please pass on to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that he cannot come to Norfolk. The Queen is busy, she's busy all week'.' Oprah said: 'After she'd just invited to you?' Harry replied: 'She'd just invited me. 'The Queen is busy, she's busy all week, do not come up here'.' - Press 'rude not racist' to Kate Meghan said she and Kate's experiences dealing with the press were different, saying 'rude and racist are not the same'. She said: 'Kate was called 'Waity Katie' waiting to marry William. While I imagine that was really hard - and I do, I can't picture what that felt like - this is not the same. 'And if a member of his family would comfortably say 'we've all had to deal with things that are rude', rude and racist are not the same. 'And equally you've also had a press team that goes on the record to defend you, especially when they know something's not true, and that didn't happen for us.' - Sister 'changed surname to Markle' after Meghan started dating Harry In one of the new clips, Meghan spoke about her family for the first time, claiming that she 'didn't have a relationship' with her sister, Samantha, and that she only changed her surname to Markle after she married Harry. - Meghan 'couldn't imagine hurting Archie' like her father hurt her Meghan said there was an 'obsession' with anything in her world including tracking down her parents. Asked if it felt like 'betrayal' when she found out her father Thomas Markle was 'working with the tabloids', Meghan said: 'I'm just trying to decide if I'm comfortable even talking about that.' She later added: 'I look at Archie, I think about this child, and I genuinely can't imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child. I can't imagine it, so it's hard for me to reconcile that.' - Meghan's mental health The Duchess of Sussex revealed she had suicidal thoughts and said: 'I just didn't want to be alive any more.' She said she begged for help, and asked to go somewhere to get help, and approached one of the most senior people in the institution, but was told it would not look good. The duchess said: 'I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that I've never felt this way before and I need to go somewhere. And I was told that I couldn't, that it wouldn't be good for the institution.' - Baby Sussex is a girl Harry and Meghan revealed they are expecting a baby girl. The duke joined his wife in the second half of the interview, and told the chat show host: 'It's a girl.' He said his first thought was 'amazing' when he discovered they were having a girl, adding: 'Just grateful. To have any child, any one or any two, would have been amazing. 'But to have a boy and then a girl, I mean what more can you ask for? Now we've got our family, we got the four of us and our two dogs.' Asked if they were 'done' with two children, Harry said 'done' and Meghan said: 'Two is it.' She also confirmed the baby is due in the 'summertime'. - Royal family accused of racism Meghan said, when she was pregnant with Archie, an unnamed member of the royal family raised 'concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born'. Asked whether there were concerns that her child would be 'too brown' and that would be a problem, Meghan said: 'If that is the assumption you are making, that is a pretty safe one.' Pushed by Winfrey on who had those conversations, Meghan refused to say, adding: 'I think that would be very damaging to them.' She added: 'That was relayed to me from Harry, those were conversations the family had with him, and I think it was really hard to be able to see those as compartmentalised conversations.' Today, Prince Philip was cleared of making a remark about how 'dark' Archie's skin would be, with Oprah saying Harry had confirmed the comment was not made by the Duke of Edinburgh or the Queen. - Archie's title Meghan suggested she and Harry wanted Archie to be a prince so he would have security and be protected. The duchess expressed her shock at 'the idea of our son not being safe', and the idea of the first member of colour in this family, not being titled in the same way as other grandchildren. Archie, who is seventh in line to the throne, is not entitled to be an HRH or a prince due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by King George V. He will be entitled to be an HRH or a prince when the Prince of Wales accedes to the throne. As the first born son of a duke, Archie could have become Earl of Dumbarton - one of Harry's subsidiary titles - or have been Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, instead at the time of his birth, a royal source said Harry and Meghan had decided he should a regular Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. - The Prince of Wales The Duke of Sussex said his father the Prince of Wales stopped taking his calls while Harry and Meghan were in Canada 'because I took matters into my own hands. I needed to do this for my family'. He said Charles wanted him to put his plans in writing. - The Queen Harry denied that he had 'blindsided' his grandmother Queen with the bombshell statement about stepping down as senior royal. The duke said he believed the report probably could have come from 'within the institution'. - The Duchess of Cambridge Meghan said Kate made her cry ahead of her wedding. Reports circulated ahead of the Sussexes' nuptials that Meghan left Kate in tears at Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress fitting. But Meghan told Winfrey the 'reverse happened'. Meghan said she was not sharing the information to be 'disparaging', but added it was 'really important for people to understand the truth'. 'She's a good person,' the duchess added AdvertisementShe said: 'I look at Archie, I think about this child, and I genuinely can't imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child.' Meghan drew a contrast with her mother Doria Ragland, who she praised for remaining 'in silent dignity for four years'. The clip also saw Meghan distance herself from her half-sister Samantha, who has released a 'tell-all' book about their relationship. The Duchess retorted: 'I think it would be very hard to tell all when you don't know me.' She said she grew up 'an only child' and even claimed Samantha only changed her surname back to Markle after Meghan struck up a romance with Harry. The tension between the Markles was addressed in unaired sections of the Sussexes CBS sit-down with Oprah, who probed about her relationship with Thomas. Thomas was supposed to walk Meghan down the aisle in May 2018 but pulled out of the ceremony following health problems. The two were also engaged in a row about him speaking to the press. Oprah asked: 'Did it feel like betrayal when you found that your father was working with the tabloids?' After weighing up if she was 'comfortable' delving into the issue, Meghan said her father had assured he had 'absolutely not' spoken to the press. She said: 'If we're going to use the word betrayal it's because when I asked him, when we were told by the comms team this was a story that was going to be coming out which, by the way, the tabloids had apparently known for a month or so and decided to hold until the Sunday before our wedding because they wanted to create drama, which is also a key point in all this, they don't report the news, they create the news. 'We called my dad, and I asked him, and he said no, absolutely not. I said, you know, the institution has never intervened for anything for us, but they can try to go in and kill this story. But if they do this once, we're not going to be able to use that same leverage to protect our kids one day. She added: 'I said we won't be able to protect our own kids one day, and I said, I just need you to tell me. If you tell me the truth, we can'And he wasn't able to do that. And that for me has really resonated, especially now as a mother.' Meghan went on: 'And also me saying just full stop, if we use this to protect you, we won't be able to protect our own children one day, I'm talking about your grandchildren. 'I look at Archie, I think about this child, and I go I genuinely can't imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child. I can't imagine it. So it's hard for me to reconcile that.' Meghan also said that despite her sister Samantha releasing a book about her, she 'doesn't know her' and they've never been close. Samantha's autobiography, titled 'The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister: A Memoir, Part One, goes into detail about their childhood. But the duchess said: 'I don't feel comfortable talking about people that I really don't know. But I grew up as an only child, which everybody who grew up around me knows.' She added she wished she had had siblings and was pleased Archie was going to have a younger sister. Meghan said she last saw Samantha almost 20 years ago and added: 'She changed her last name back to Markle... only when I started dating Harry. So I think that says enough.' Prince Philip was not the royal who allegedly concerns over Archie's 'dark' skin toneOprah revealed this morning that behind the scenes, Prince Harry told her it was neither The Queen nor Prince Philip who had concerns over Archie's skin colour before he was born, but he would not reveal the identity of who it did. Harry and Meghan revealed on Sunday night in their bombshell interview with Oprah that there was a 'conversation', before Archie's birth, about his skin and how 'dark' it would be. It was a stunning claim that prompted Oprah and the 17million Americans watching to ask who it was who had said it. Harry refused to reveal that person's identity on Sunday night as did Meghan. They said they wanted to protect whoever it was. On Monday morning, Oprah said on CBS This Morning that when the cameras were down, Harry made it clear to her it was neither of 'his grandparents.' 'He did not share the identity with me but he wanted to make sure that I knew and if I had an opportunity to share it, that it was not his grandmother nor his grandfather that were a part of those conversations. 'Neither his grandmother nor grandfather were a part of those conversations. 'He did not tell me who were a part of those conversations, as you can see I tried to get that answer. On camera and off. ' Speaking later today, Oprah said she was 'surprised' the Sussexes revealed details of an alleged conversation with a member of the royal family who expressed 'concern' before he was born about how dark their son Archie's skin tone might be. The talk show host also said she was taken aback by Meghan's disclosures about her mental health, and about Harry's revelation at feeling 'trapped', during their explosive interview. Asked if she was surprised that the conversation about skin tone happened or that they were revealing it, Oprah replied: 'I was surprised they were telling me about it. 'Even on the tape you can hear me go 'Whoa, I cannot believe you are saying this right now'.' Asked how the couple is feeling today, Winfrey said: 'I haven't really spoken to them since the interview because we are in different time zones. Oprah reveals Meghan told her in 2018 that she was 'advised' to be 'half herself' after joining the Royal FamilyOprah Winfrey today revealed that in 2018 Meghan was 'advised' to be 'half herself' shortly after she joined the Royal Family - as the talk show host admitted to being 'surprised' by the couple's racism claims during their CBS interview. Oprah said Meghan approached her and confided that she had been told to be '50% less' - in an apparent reference to the need for the duchess to adopt a lower profile to fit into the royal pecking order. The talk show host said she was left 'disheartened' by the exchange, although she did not reveal who gave Meghan the advice or its precise meaning. Today, Oprah gave her reaction to the bombshell interview, including the claim that a royal had raised concerns that Archie could be 'too brown'. Oprah replied: 'I was surprised they were telling me about it. Even on the tape you can hear me go ''Whoa, I cannot believe you are saying this right now''.' Oprah appeared on US breakfast show CBS This Morning to discuss her bombshell interview with Meghan and the Duke of Sussex and recalled a conversation she had with Meghan. She told the programme: 'She had just joined the royal family and she shared a conversation with me then that made me feel somewhat disheartened. 'She said she had been told, been given advice, that it would be best if she could be 50% less than she was. That was the quote, if she could be 50% less. 'I remember hearing that in 2018 and I said to her, 'I don't know how you're going to survive, being half of yourself'.' Meghan has previously complained about feeling constrained by royal protocol and having to run comments by palace officials before speaking in public. Winfrey was a guest at the couple's 2018 wedding and given a prime seat at the ceremony. She had reportedly been courting Meghan for an interview for a number of years before the couple stepped back from royal life. She has also been photographed with Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland. The couple's home in California is close to Winfrey's in the affluent neighbourhood of Montecito and Winfrey's best friend Gayle King, an anchor on CBS This Morning, was a guest at Meghan's baby shower. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared candid footage of Archie playing on a beach during their bombshell interview with Oprah WinfreyToday, Tory MPs led the backlash against Prince Harry and Meghan's 'appalling' accusations of racism against the Royal Family as they accused the couple of 'detonating a nuclear weapon' with the allegations. The Duchess of Sussex said 'concerns' were raised about 'how dark' Archie's skin would be before he was born because she is mixed-race and Harry is white, but refused to say who made the alleged comments. How Meghan and Harry's royal racism claims differed: Meghan said 'concerns over how dark baby's skin might be' were raised while she was pregnant but Harry said comments were before their marriage Meghan Markle and Prince Harry gave differing accounts of when a mystery member of the Royal Family raised concerns about how dark their baby's son skin might be. The Duchess of Sussex said 'concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born' happened 'in those months when [I] was pregnant' with Archie. But later when Prince Harry was asked about the exchange he appeared to suggest he heard the alleged slur from a royal figure earlier, before he and Meghan got married. He said: 'That was right at the beginning, when she wasn't going to get security, when members of my family were suggesting that she carries on acting, because there was not enough money to pay for her, and all this sort of stuff. 'Like, there was some real obvious signs before we even got married that this was going to be really hard.' Today he doubled down on accusations of racism and said there was a lot of it in the UK in a clip aired on CBS. The couple married on May 19, 2018, while Meghan revealed the news of her first pregnancy on October 15, 2018. Meghan refused to say which royal had the conversation with Harry about Archie's skin colour, claiming it would be 'damaging' to the person in her husband's family who raised it. She told Miss Winfrey that it was 'a pretty safe' assumption to suggest that the royal family member was 'concerned' that Archie being 'too brown' was 'a problem'. When asked if it was 'important' for Meghan that Archie be called a prince, she said she doesn't have any attachment to the 'grandeur' of official titles. But she said it was about 'the idea of our son not being safe, and also the idea of the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be.' Prince Harry - who later joined his wife and Miss Winfrey for the last part of the interview - described the conversation as 'awkward', saying it left him 'shocked'. But he declined to reveal anything more about what was said, saying: 'That conversation I'm never going to share.' AdvertisementOne Tory MP, who did not want to be named, suggested that the couple appeared to be 'telling the Royal Family I've got this nuclear weapon and I'm going to detonate it'. Conservative MP Andrea Jenkins tweeted: 'Today's Commonwealth Day gives us all another reminder of Her Majesty's long life of service and duty, continuing to work for us all despite her husband being in hospital. Britain stands with our Queen.' Meanwhile, Fellow MP Michael Fabricant said: 'Every family is dysfunctional one way or another. The holder of every high position will have personal little secrets they want hidden. We are all human. Only HM Queen seems to float selflessly above it all.' In the first interview last night, The Duchess of Sussex told Oprah she 'couldn't be left alone' and told her husband she 'didn't want to be alive anymore' before claiming the Buckingham Palace HR department ignored her plea for help because she wasn't a 'paid employee'. In the first broadcast, the Duchess of Sussex said 'concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born' happened 'in those months when [I] was pregnant' with Archie. However, when Prince Harry was asked about the exchange later he appeared to suggest he heard the alleged slur from a royal figure earlier, before he and Meghan got married. He said: 'That was right at the beginning, when she wasn't going to get security, when members of my family were suggesting that she carries on acting, because there was not enough money to pay for her, and all this sort of stuff. 'Like, there was some real obvious signs before we even got married that this was going to be really hard.' Meanwhile, Meghan told Oprah she 'couldn't be left alone' and told her husband she 'didn't want to be alive anymore' before claiming the Buckingham Palace HR department ignored her plea for help because she wasn't a 'paid employee'. Describing how she considered ending her life believing it 'was better for everyone', Meghan said: 'I knew that if I didn't say it, that I would do it. I just didn't want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. I remember how he just cradled me. I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that 'I've never felt this way before, and I need to go somewhere'. And I was told that I couldn't, that it wouldn't be good for the institution'. She said that after confiding in her husband, she was forced to go to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event in January 2019, claiming photos from that night 'haunt me'. She told Oprah she later reached out to one of the best friends of Diana, Princess of Wales, because she felt unsupported by the palace. She said: 'When I joined that family, that was the last time I saw my passport, my driving licence, my keys - all of that gets turned over'. Meghan said Harry had 'saved my life' by agreeing to move to Los Angeles. Meghan also sensationally claimed that a relative of Harry asked him 'how dark' their unborn child would be with the Duchess claiming Archie being mixed-race was a 'problem' for the royals after Oprah asked her if they were worried their son would be 'too brown'. The former Suits star said she would not name the person because it would be 'too damaging' for them. But she confirmed that the duke was asked the question 'how dark his skin might be when he's born' 'by family'. She then said Archie may have been denied the title of prince because he is mixed-race, but has never been told. Harry was also asked to identify the culprit but said he didn't feel 'comfortable' discussing it. In the most extraordinary royal interview since Diana spoke to the BBC's Martin Bashir in 1995, Meghan said her sister-in-law Kate made her cry in a row over dresses for the flowergirls, including Princess Charlotte, before her Windsor wedding. She said: 'She (Kate) was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologised. And she brought me flowers'. Harry also laid into his own family, claiming their 'lack of support and understanding', the couple's mental health problems and fears 'history repeating itself' with Meghan like his mother Diana, who died in 1997. Harry also said he felt 'very let down' by his father Prince Charles, accusing him of refusing to take his calls and and then 'cut him off' financially when they emigrated. He said: 'My father and brother. They're both trapped' and added that his mother Diana would be 'angry and sad' that he felt he had to leave the royal family, but 'she saw it coming'. Harry said: 'All she'd ever want for us is to be happy', adding that his wife had 'saved me', declaring: 'I myself was trapped, as well. I didn't see a way out'. The prince said he had to sign multi-million dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify because he was spending his inheritance from Princess Diana and claimed the palace suggested that Meghan should go back into acting to pay the bills. Asked about his relationship with Prince Charles, Harry said they were now speaking again, adding: 'There's a lot to work through there, you know? I feel really let down, because he's been through something similar. He knows what pain feels like, and Archie's his grandson. I will always love him, but there's a lot of hurt that's happened. And I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship'. When asked about if he remains close to William he replied: 'I love William to bits. He's my brother. We've been through hell together. I mean, we have a shared experience. But we're on different paths'. Oprah says Harry told her behind-the-scenes that it was NOT The Queen or Prince Philip who 'banned Archie from being a Prince because of concerns over how DARK he would be' - but would not reveal who DID say it Oprah revealed on Monday morning that behind the scenes, Prince Harry told her it was neither The Queen nor Prince Philip who had concerns over Archie's skin colour before he was born, but he would not reveal the identity of who it did. Harry and Meghan revealed on Sunday night in their bombshell interview with Oprah that there was a 'conversation', before Archie's birth, about his skin and how 'dark' it would be. It was a stunning claim that prompted Oprah and the 17million Americans watching to ask who it was who had said it. Harry refused to reveal that person's identity on Sunday night as did Meghan. They said they wanted to protect whoever it was. On Monday morning, Oprah said on CBS This Morning that when the cameras were down, Harry made it clear to her it was neither of 'his grandparents.' 'He did not share the identity with me but he wanted to make sure that I knew and if I had an opportunity to share it, that it was not his grandmother nor his grandfather that were a part of those conversations. 'Neither his grandmother nor grandfather were a part of those conversations. He did not tell me who were a part of those conversations, as you can see I tried to get that answer. On camera and off. ' AdvertisementMeghan claimed she had been completely 'naive' about what royal life was like, claiming she didn't know about needing to curtsy for the Queen and being taught by Fergie minutes before meeting Her Majesty for the first time in 2017. The Duke and Duchess said they speak to her regularly on Zoom - but hinted at little contact with the other royals. The Sussexes also revealed they were already planning 'Megxit' just six months after they married in May 2018 and Meghan compared life in Kensington Palace to lockdown in the Covid world today because she was 'banned' from going to lunch with friends. But said their new life was a 'happy ending' for after a journey 'greater than any fairytale you've ever read. The Duchess was greeted by Oprah as a friend when the show began and admired her growing baby bump, before the host said that while they knew each other none of the questions had been shared in advance. The Duchess of Sussex sat alone as she claimed she entered the Royal Family 'naively' and didn't do any research about her husband or the institution before entering it. Describing meeting the Queen for the first time at Windsor and that she was shocked when she was told by Harry would need to curtsy to Her Majesty, and was taught by her husband's aunt Fergie. Describing her initial experiences of becoming part of the royal family, Meghan said: 'I will say I went into it naively, because I didn't grow up knowing much about the royal family. 'It wasn't something that was part of conversation at home, it wasn't something that we followed.' Meghan said she did not research Harry or the family beforehand, and had little expectation of what becoming a working royal would involve. She said: 'I didn't fully understand what the job was, what does it mean to be a working royal, what do you do? 'I didn't romanticise any element of it, but I think as Americans especially - what you know about the royals is what you read in fairy tales. 'It's easy to have an image of it that's so far from reality and that's what was really tricky over those past few years, when the perception and reality are different things and you're being judged on the perception but you are living the reality of it, there's a complete misalignment and there's no way to explain that to people.' A tearful duchess also told interviewer Oprah Winfrey that the stress of her role became so bad that she felt suicidal as a result of the pressure she was under. I didn't want to be alive any more -this was a very real and frightening constant thought,' she said. She said she didn't want to tell Harry at first because of the loss he had suffered as a result of his mother's death, but she did and he 'cradled me'. Meghan said she begged a senior member of the royal to assist her get help for mental health issue but she was left to suffer alone. Meghan then denied making Kate cry before her wedding in 2018 and said the opposite had happened. Oprah asked the Duchess: 'Was there a situation where she (Kate) might have cried? Or she could have cried?' But the Duchess of Sussex replied: 'No, no. The reverse happened. And I don't say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding. And she was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologised. 'And she brought me flowers and a note, apologising. And she did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it.' Meghan added that it was 'shocking' that the 'reverse of that would be out in the world'. She continued: 'A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something pertaining - yes, the issue was correct - about flower girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings. 'And I thought, in the context of everything else that was going on in those days leading to the wedding, that it didn't make sense to not be just doing whatever-- what everyone else was doing, which was trying to be supportive, knowing what was going on with my dad and whatnot.' Meghan also said: 'It wasn't a confrontation, and I actually think it's... I don't think it's fair to her to get into the details of that, because she apologised. 'What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn't do but that happened to me. And the people who were part of our wedding were going to our comms team and saying: 'I know this didn't happen. I don't have to tell them what actually happened'.' But the Duchess of Sussex also insisted that she has now forgiven Kate Middleton and said she bought her flowers to apologise about the incident. It then got even more uncomfortable for the royals when Meghan Markle accused the Royal Family of having 'concerns' about 'how dark' Archie's skin would be before he was born because she is mixed-race and Harry is white. Harry said he loved his brother William but they were now on different paths and said their mother would be 'angry and sad' that he felt he had to leave the royal family, but 'saw it coming' herselfThe Duchess of Sussex also described her 'pain' that officials had denied Archie the title of prince and accused Buckingham Palace of failing to protect him by denying him 24/7 security. Meghan refused to say which royal had the conversation with Harry about Archie's skin colour, claiming it would be 'damaging' to the person in her husband's family who raised it. She told Miss Winfrey that it was 'a pretty safe' assumption to suggest that the royal family member was 'concerned' that Archie being 'too brown' was 'a problem'. Harry and Meghan did NOT secretly marry three days before the royal wedding as vicar questions 'if rest of claims are BS' Meghan Markle did not secretly marry Prince Harry three days before their spectacular Windsor wedding, despite claims in their bombshell Oprah interview. It had been said the couple and just the Archbishop of Canterbury had been present in a low-key union before the televised ceremony. But a marriage has to have two witnesses and be solemnised by a member of the clergy in a church or licenced place. It means the pair exchanging vows in a space outside Kensington Palace was not legally binding and they became man and wife in Windsor days later. Doubts had already been expressed over whether such a ceremony would have even been legal with one clergyman insisting the Archbishop of Canterbury who Meghan said had conducted the wedding should explain. A spokesman for the Archbishop today said he would not comment on personal or pastoral matters. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in the States overnight mentioned a secret earlier marriage for the first time. Meghan told Winfrey: 'You know, three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that', before Harry later insisted it had been just them and Justin Welby present. But Reverend David Green, Vicar of St Mary's, West Malling and the Rector of St Michael's, Offham, said it was impossible to have had two weddings, adding: 'I think the Archbishop needs to clarify what did or did not happen three days before.' AdvertisementWhen asked if it was 'important' for Meghan that Archie be called a prince, she said she doesn't have any attachment to the 'grandeur' of official titles. But she said it was about 'the idea of our son not being safe, and also the idea of the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be.' Prince Harry described the conversation as 'awkward', saying it left him 'shocked'. But he declined to reveal anything more about what was said, saying: 'That conversation I'm never going to share.' After Meghan spoke to Oprah alone, she was joined by Harry where they celebrated on screen as they announced to the 17million Americans watching that they were having a baby daughter. Harry then said the couple left because of the media in Britain and because of a 'lack of support and lack of understanding' from his family, and revealed that his father refused to speak to him after they left for Vancouver. And in a sign that his relationship with his brother William is strained, claiming he 'didn't have anyone to turn to' and was 'ashamed' to admit his wife struggling. He said: 'I love William to bits. He's my brother. We've been through hell together. I mean, we have a shared experience. But we're on different paths'. Harry added: 'My family literally cut me off financially. Members of my family were suggesting that she [Meghan] carries on acting, because there was not enough money to pay for her. There was some real obvious signs before we even got married that this was going to be really hard'. He also claimed that he was asked by his father, Prince Charles, to put his request in writing 'before he stopped taking my calls'. Asked by Oprah Winfrey during their televised interview about why they left, Harry blamed a 'lack of support and lack of understanding'. The chat show queen said she wanted 'clarity' and asked Harry: 'Was the move about getting away from the UK press...because the press is, you know, is everywhere, or was the move because you weren't getting enough support from the firm?' He replied: 'It was both.' Winfrey asked 'did you blindside the Queen?' with the announcement they were leaving the family, and Harry replied: 'No, I would never blindside my grandmother, I have too much respect for her.' Asked where that story came from, Harry said: 'I hazard a guess that it probably could have come from within the institution.' As Oprah wrapped up the interview the couple insisted that they had had a 'happy ending' by moving to LA, with Harry saying he had 'no regrets'. But his wife added: 'My regret is believing them [the Royal Family] when they said I'd be protected.' Meghan then called their journey 'greater than any fairytale you've ever read' and said Harry had saved her life. Harry replied: 'Without question, she [Meghan] saved me.' The Duchess of Sussex, who brokered the interview, has already accused 'The Firm' of 'perpetuating falsehoods' about her and Harry and said they refused to be 'silenced' any more. The Sussexes have been branded 'selfish' and 'disrespectful' to go ahead with the shown when Harry's 99-year-old grandfather Prince Philip is in hospital recovering from heart surgery. The interview, expected to be viewed by 17million people in the US and millions more around the globe, is considered the most important piece of royal TV since Harry's mother spoke to the BBC's Martin Bashir in 1995 after she separated from Prince Charles. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have today insisted that their Oprah interview would be the 'last word' on their rift with the Royal Family. The couple, who will have their second child later this year, said they felt they 'needed to have their say' but now want to 'move on'. 'It's a GIRL!' Harry and Meghan reveal sex of their second child as they confirm their family but say 'two is it'Meghan Markle and Prince Harry today revealed their second child is a girl and is due to be born this summer, during their bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who now live in Montecito, California, said they are preparing to welcome a sister for their 22-month-old son Archie later this year. Harry, 36, joined his 39-year-old wife for the second half of the bombshell interview on CBS with Oprah, and excitedly told the chat show host: 'It's a girl.' He said his first thought was 'amazing' when he learned they were having a girl, adding: 'Just grateful. To have any child, any one or any two, would have been amazing. 'But to have a boy and then a girl, I mean what more can you ask for? Now we've got our family, we got the four of us and our two dogs.' Meghan Markle and Prince Harry revealed their second child is a girl during their interviewAsked if they were 'done' with two children, Harry said 'done' and Meghan said: 'Two is it.' She also confirmed the baby is due in the 'summertime'. 'For me as a black woman, it made me feel sick to my core': Alexandra Burke responds to Meghan Markle's 'heartbreaking' racism claims about the Royal family Alexandra Burke felt 'sick to her core' after hearing Meghan Markle's claims that a member of the Royal family expressed concerns over the colour of son Archie's skin. The X Factor winner, 32, was speaking during an appearance on Monday's Lorraine when talk soon turned to Prince Harry and Meghan's explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, which aired in the US overnight. Alexandra told how as a black woman she felt 'sick' at hearing Meghan's 'heartbreaking' racism claims, stating her shock that 'we're in 2021 and still having these conversations'. Meghan, 39, used her bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview to accuse the Royal Family of having 'concerns' about 'how dark' Archie's skin would be before he was born because she is mixed-race and Harry is white. AdvertisementThe girl will not be entitled, at this stage, to be an HRH nor a princess due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by George V - but this is the same as what would have happened pre-Megxit. The baby is entitled to be a Lady, but Harry and Meghan will again opt to style their second-born a plain Miss, with the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. The couple announced on Valentine's Day last month that they are expecting a second child, saying they were 'overjoyed' at their pregnancy. If born in the US, the baby will be entitled to US citizenship as an automatic right. To celebrate the news last month, the couple released a black and white photograph which showed them beaming with delight. Meghan lay with her head in her husband's lap, her hand resting on her visible baby bump. Barefoot Harry cradled her head in his hand as the couple relaxed together under a tree on a sprawling sunlit lawn. The picture was shot by photographer Misan Harriman, a friend of the duke and duchess. It was believed to have been taken in Montecito, California, where the pair now live after deciding to leave Britain and step down from their roles in the Royal Family. A spokesman for the couple said at the time: 'We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child.' The announcement comes after Meghan, 39, suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage last year. Harry, 36, is expected to return to the UK this summer to see his family for the first time since 'Megxit'. Meghan was already said to be unlikely to join him for 'personal and practical' reasons, according to sources. Mr Harriman said last month that being asked to take the photograph felt especially poignant after the duchess's miscarriage. He said: 'To be asked to help share this absolute joy after such an unimaginable loss and heartache is a marker of true friendship. 'Meg reminded me that had I not introduced her to a mutual friend then she wouldn't have met Harry. I'm grateful for whatever small part I played.' It came almost exactly 37 years after Princess Diana was confirmed to be pregnant with her second child - Prince Harry. Buckingham Palace made that announcement on February 13, 1984. Harry and Meghan chose to put out a statement themselves on Valentine's Day, in keeping with their decision to move away from their traditional roles within the Royal Family. In what appeared to be a hastily prepared response, Buckingham Palace said at the time that Her Majesty, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and 'the entire family' were 'delighted'. Kate made ME cry: Meghan Markle says Duchess of Cambridge made HER cry in bust up over flower girls before she married Prince Harry and later bought her flowers to say sorryMeghan Markle today claimed in her interview with Oprah Winfrey that the Duchess of Cambridge made her cry before she married Prince Harry. But the Duchess of Sussex also insisted that she has now forgiven Kate Middleton and said she bought her flowers to apologise about the incident. Meghan, 39, was asked about a row with Prince William's wife that made headlines around the world after a falling out over dresses for the flowergirls. Meghan then denied making Kate, also 39, cry before her wedding, which took place at Windsor Castle in May 2018, and said the opposite had happened. The Duchess of Cambridge with Princess Charlotte and other bridesmaids arriving at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan in May 2018Oprah asked Meghan: 'Was there a situation where she (Kate) might have cried? Or she could have cried?' But the Duchess of Sussex replied: 'No, no. The reverse happened. And I don't say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding. And she was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologised. 'And she brought me flowers and a note, apologising. And she did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it.' Meghan added that it was 'shocking' that the 'reverse of that would be out in the world'. She continued: 'A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something pertaining - yes, the issue was correct - about flower girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings. 'And I thought, in the context of everything else that was going on in those days leading to the wedding, that it didn't make sense to not be just doing whatever everyone else was doing, which was trying to be supportive, knowing what was going on with my dad and whatnot.' Meghan also said: 'It wasn't a confrontation, and I actually think it's... I don't think it's fair to her to get into the details of that, because she apologised. 'What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn't do but that happened to me. 'And the people who were part of our wedding were going to our comms team and saying: 'I know this didn't happen. I don't have to tell them what actually happened'.' Meghan also said reports she had reduced the Duchess of Cambridge to tears were a 'turning point'. The Duchess said 'everyone in the institution knew that wasn't true' and she hoped Kate 'would have wanted that to be corrected', adding 'she is a good person'. Meghan was also asked whether a trip to watch tennis at Wimbledon with the Duchess of Cambridge was 'what it looked like ... helping you adjust'. But the Duchess replied: 'My understanding of the past four years is it's nothing like what it looks like.' Royal experts blast 'self-indulgent and selfish' Harry and Meghan as they say Queen will be 'absolutely devastated' by their 'astonishing' Oprah interview Royal experts today blasted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as 'self-indulgent and selfish' and said the Queen would be 'absolutely devastated' by their interview. Commentators have been giving their views following the bombshell two-hour chat Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave to Oprah Winfrey, shown on CBS. The interview saw Meghan make of a series of astonishing claims, including that conversations were held about how dark the skin colour of their son might be. The Duchess also confessed she had suicidal thoughts at the height of her crisis in the monarchy and asked the palace to seek professional help for her. During their televised chat, which will also air on ITV tonight, Meghan also claimed that the Duchess of Cambridge made her cry ahead of her wedding. Among those giving their views were Angela Levin, author of Harry: Conversations with the Prince, Robert Jobson, who wrote Diana: Closely Guarded Secret. Russell Myers, Daily Mirror royal editor and a commentator on ITV's Lorraine editor, also gave his views on a Facebook live event hosted by True Royalty TV. This is the verdict of the three royal experts: ROBERT JOBSON This was a performance from beginning to the end. Self-indulgent and selfish. They have disrespected to our country. They have both made some very serious allegations and know they Monarchy can't fight back. The entire interview did not respect the Queen. They have attacking the institution of the monarchy. It is not showbiz. This is a gross insult to the British people. They have thrown a big hand grenade into the Royal Family and the monarchy. They have accused the Royal Family of being racist, but they have not said who. That is cowardice. You cannot make that slur. They are saying the British Press are racist. Where is the evidence? It is just appalling that they have been allowed to say those things without singling out who it was. They should never have raised this. So much of what she said is astonishing and I am not sure I believe it. They have said duty does not mean anything and that they were not able to leave and if they had the option to leave, they would. The Queen has been devoted to service. It is just outrageous. He is saying they are trapped and basically saying Prince Charles does not want to be King. That is just wrong. You cannot say that. They have become slightly deluded. The only winner here is Oprah Winfrey. RUSSELL MYERS That was the most extraordinary piece of television I have ever watched. The number of bombshells were extraordinary. They will come a cropper, but there are elements of what they said that need to be taken seriously. Meghan was a young, vulnerable woman and what she said she went through is distressing and there are questions that need to be answered. On the backdrop of a global pandemic their lack of awareness is breath-taking. They have just bought a 10million home. There is no correlations to their experience of most normal people who were watching. They will be absolutely staggered. When the Queen wakes up reads what has been said she will be absolutely devastated. They have slammed almost every single member of the Royal Family. They have said duty does not mean anything and that they were not able to leave and if they had the option to leave, they would. The Queen has been devoted to service. It is just outrageous. ANGELA LEVIN I was just so absorbed by all the attacks. It was quite astonishing. Meghan made it sound as if she was in prison. That was her narrative. She said there was no one there for her, but Harry was by her side. One of the Queen's most trusted assistants was given to her. It is hard to say there was no one. People care about the Queen and the Royal Family and to her someone come in and smash the lot of them, and they are so forceful in their comments, that it made me feel very easy. She says they were furious about losing their security, but they were out of the country. It is distressing to hear her say she was suicidal and traumatic that she asked for help. Prince Harry sought help after his mother died. I can hardly believe that Harry did not help. That is a catastrophic thing to say. I am sure in a few years' time Harry will very much regret doing this interview. They have no emotional intelligence. The Palace will say the minimum. It is too much to take on. Other commentators gave their views elsewhere. KJ MATTHEWS Entertainment journalist based in Los Angeles, speaking on BBC Breakfast. I'm still processing all that I heard. I expected to hear some revelations, but i never imagined I would hear that many revelations. KJ Matthews I mean there were so many bombshells, I don't know which one to focus on. Surprising, shocking, it really didn't go over well here in terms of the monarchy and the image that we had of them. It really made us look somewhat differently at the monarchy, but when it comes to Prince Harry and Meghan, we feel much more sympathetic to them now. I think we have a better understanding of just why they felt they had to cut ties with the British Royal Family. And I think some people here really feel sorry for her, especially the issue about her feeling suicidal. The fact that she brought up the possibility that they were talking about the skin colour of her unborn son. I think that in a million years we would have never thought she was experiencing that, and so it will be hard, I think, for us to change now from what we've heard and see the monarchy in a positive light. I think that from the moment that she was engaged to Prince Harry, we all thought very flattering things about the British monarchy, we were happy to see her introduced and welcomed into the family. But now with all these allegations and these bombshells, it's just hard to see them in the same way. I do believe their image has been tarnished and from what I'm even seeing on social media, especially here in America, I haven't seen one sympathetic viewpoint siding with the Royal Family. 'I'm hearing now Oprah will appear live on the CBS Morning Show to reveal and show clips of the interview that we have not seen, so there's even more. There could be more bombshells that we see. It's just the gift that keeps on giving, and it's quite shocking. So I will be surprised to see what else she can drop on us.' Chris Ship CHRIS SHIP ITV's royal correspondent spoke on Good Morning Britain about Meghan Markle's claim that someone in the Royal Family had 'concerns' about 'how dark' Archie's skin would be before he was born because she is mixed-race and Harry is white. Mr Ship said: I should be clear here. Now I have been told it is not Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, or the Queen. We are left with two family members. You are left with either his father Prince Charles, or his brother Prince William, or their wives. They have protected the Queen throughout this. They have Zoom calls with the Queen, but equally, they are being very critical of the organisation of which she is the head of. Therefore you ARE criticising the Queen. PENNY JUNOR I do not know why they've done this. This is Harry's family, his flesh and blood, and this seems to have lobbed a hand grenade into the family home. I worry that there will be no coming back from that. It is a very serious attack on an age-old institution that has served this country extremely well for centuries - and why? Why damage it?' I think we have just to wait and see what the ultimate fallout of this interview is. It may that it's today's sensational news but that by next week, next month, it has faded. I think overall the monarchy is strong enough to withstand it. On the Palace's response: I think we have just to wait and see what the ultimate fallout of this interview is. It may that it's today's sensational news but that by next week, next month, it has faded. I think overall the monarchy is strong enough to withstand it. If they say anything my guess is they would express sorrow rather than anger. Traditionally they have kept their mouths closed and kept a dignified silence. I'm sure they are having discussions about how they do respond, but a dignified silence is maybe the best route. INGRID SEWARD It's a real downer on everyone in the royal family apart from the Queen. It's probably the most damning condemnation of the royal family and how they operate that I've ever heard. It struck me that he (Harry) wasn't completely comfortable with what he was saying. I think the monarchy is definitely strong enough to withstand it. They have withstood so many scandals and so many difficulties over the years. This will - I know it doesn't seem like it now - but this will pass over. The majority of British people do not like to see the institution of the monarchy attacked in this way. In a series of astonishing claims, Harry revealed the Prince of Wales cut off contact with him in the wake of his decision to step away from the royal family. He told how, during his time in Canada, his father refused to answer his calls as tensions within the family rose and their relationship soured. In the extraordinary interview watched by tens of millions of people around the world, Harry told Oprah he would always love Charles but said, 'there's a lot of hurt that's happened.' The two-hour interview was the biggest royal tell-all since Harry's mother princess Diana detailed her crumbling marriage to Prince Charles in 1995. Harry, 36, revealed the deep divisions within his family, saying he felt 'really let down' by how his father had handled the situation. But he also said Charles and Harry's older brother William were 'trapped' by the conventions of the monarchy. 'They don't get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that,' he said. Harry also alluded to an alleged rift with his older brother, but signalled his aim to repair their relationship. 'The relationship is space at the moment,' he said, 'and time heals all things, hopefully.' He added: 'I love William to bits, he's my brother, we've been through hell together, we have a shared experience, but we were on different paths.' Prince Harry with his brother Prince William, father Prince Charles and Sir David Attenborough in 2019In 2019, the rift in the royal family was laid bare when Harry said in an ITV documentary that he and William were on 'different paths' and had good and bad days in their relationship. The Duke of Sussex also described himself, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge as being 'trapped' within the system. Harry claimed he was 'trapped' before he met Meghan but, asked if he would have left or ever stepped back were it not for his now-wife, Harry replied, 'No.' In the candid sit-down, Harry added: 'I wouldn't have been able to, because I myself was trapped, as well. I didn't see a way out. You know, I was trapped, but I didn't know I was trapped. 'But the moment that I met meg, and then our worlds sort of collided in the most amazing of ways. [I was] Trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are. 'My father and my brother, they are trapped. They don't get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that.' In the most extraordinary royal interview since his mother spoke to the BBC's Martin Bashir in 1995, Harry also laid into his own family claiming Prince Charles had stopped stopped taking his calls and 'cut him off' financially when they emigrated. The prince said he had to sign multi-million dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify because he was spending his inheritance from Princess Diana and the palace wanted Meghan to go back into acting to pay the bills. Harry added: 'My family literally cut me off financially. 'Members of my family were suggesting that she [Meghan] carries on acting, because there was not enough money to pay for her. There was some real obvious signs before we even got married that this was going to be really hard'. He added that his mother Diana would be 'angry and sad' that he felt he had to leave the royal family, but 'she saw it coming'. Harry said: 'All she'd ever want for us is to be happy', adding that his wife had 'saved me', declaring: 'I myself was trapped, as well. I didn't see a way out'. Asked about his relationship with Prince Charles, Harry said they were now speaking again, adding: 'There's a lot to work through there, you know? 'I feel really let down, because he's been through something similar. 'He knows what pain feels like, and Archie's his grandson. I will always love him, but there's a lot of hurt that's happened. 'And I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship'. In the most extraordinary royal interview since his mother spoke to the BBC's Martin Bashir in 1995, Harry also laid into his own family claiming Prince Charles had stopped stopped taking his calls and 'cut him off' financially when they emigrated. Pictured, the family in 2019Asked by Winfrey why they stepped back from the royal family to forge their own family life, Harry blamed a 'lack of support and lack of understanding'. Winfrey asked 'did you blindside the Queen?' with the announcement they were leaving the family. Harry replied: 'No, I would never blindside my grandmother, I have too much respect for her.' Asked where that story came from, Harry said he could 'hazard a guess' that it may have come 'from within the institution'. Harry said while in Canada he had 'three conversations with my grandmother and two conversations with my father, before he stopped taking my calls'. He also revealed Charles had asked for him to put his plan 'in writing'. Harry said he had to act for the wellbeing of himself, Meghan and Archie, adding: 'He asked me to put it in writing, and I put all the specifics in there, even the fact that we were planning on putting the announcement out on the 7th of January.' Oprah asked: 'So, you just said that your dad stopped taking your calls. Why did he stop taking your calls?' Harry replied: 'Because... by that point, I took matters into my own hands. It was like, I need to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody. 'It's really sad that it's gotten to this point, but I've got to do something for my own mental health, my wife's, and for Archie's, as well, because I could see where this was headed.' He added: 'I feel really let down because he's been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like, (and) Archie's his grandson. 'But at the same time - I will always love him - but there's a lot of hurt that's happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship. 'But they only know what they know, or what they're told.' 'I was trapped until I met Meg': Harry says he was desperate to quit royal life before Megxit and he has 'compassion' for Charles and William who CANNOT escape, but reveals his father stopped taking his calls during MegxitThe Duke of Sussex has described himself, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge as being 'trapped' within the system of the monarchy. In his bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry sensationally revealed his family 'literally cut me off financially' and said he was only able to step away from royal life thanks to money left to him by his late mother Princess Diana. He claimed he was 'trapped' before he met Meghan as he revealed his father Charles 'stopped taking my calls' during the build-up to the announcement that he and Meghan were leaving the royal family. Asked if he would have left or ever stepped back were it not for Meghan, Harry replied, 'No.' In the candid sit-down, Harry added: 'I wouldn't have been able to, because I myself was trapped, as well. I didn't see a way out. You know, I was trapped, but I didn't know I was trapped. 'But the moment that I met meg, and then our worlds sort of collided in the most amazing of ways. [I was] Trapped within the system, like the rest of my family are. 'My father and my brother, they are trapped. They don't get to leave. And I have huge compassion for that.' Discussing his fractured relationship with Prince Charles, Harry also revealed he and his father Charles were not on speaking terms after his father stopped taking his calls. He added: 'There's a lot to work through there. I feel really let down.' Discussing his fractured relationship with Prince Charles, Harry said his father stopped taking his calls, adding, 'There's a lot to work through there. I feel really let down.' Asked by Winfrey why they stepped back from the royal family to forge their own family life, Harry blamed a 'lack of support and lack of understanding'. Winfrey asked 'did you blindside the Queen?' with the announcement they were leaving the family. Harry replied: 'No, I would never blindside my grandmother, I have too much respect for her.' Asked where that story came from, Harry said he could 'hazard a guess' that it may have come 'from within the institution'. Harry said while in Canada he had 'three conversations with my grandmother and two conversations with my father, before he stopped taking my calls'. He also revealed Charles had asked for him to put his plan 'in writing'. Harry said he had to act for the wellbeing of himself, Meghan and Archie, adding: 'He asked me to put it in writing, and I put all the specifics in there, even the fact that we were planning on putting the announcement out on the 7th of January.' Oprah asked: 'So, you just said that your dad stopped taking your calls. Why did he stop taking your calls?' Harry replied: 'Because... by that point, I took matters into my own hands. It was like, I need to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody. 'It's really sad that it's gotten to this point, but I've got to do something for my own mental health, my wife's, and for Archie's, as well, because I could see where this was headed.' He added: 'I feel really let down because he's been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like, (and) Archie's his grandson. 'But at the same time - I will always love him - but there's a lot of hurt that's happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship. 'But they only know what they know, or what they're told.' Meghan Markle reveals FERGIE taught her how to curtsy before she met the Queen and claims she was so naive she never even Googled HarryMeghan Markle had no idea she had to curtsy to the Queen and was taught by Sarah Ferguson outside Royal Lodge moments before meeting Her Majesty for the first time. Fergie - as Meghan referred to the Duchess of York - is renowned for her trademark deep curtsies to Her Majesty (pictured with Princess Beatrice at Ascot)The Duchess claimed she 'never looked up her husband online' when they first started dating and knew little about the British Royal Family growing up. She told how she first met Prince Harry's grandmother in a very informal manner at Royal Lodge, the Yorks' home in Windsor, but was stunned when her husband revealed during the car journey there that she was expected to curtsy. Meghan said that was the moment 'the penny dropped' that her perception about the Firm was 'very different' to the reality, and she had to learn how to perform the royal custom 'very quickly'. 'Right in front of the house we practised and ran in. Fergie ran out and said, 'Do you know how to curtsy?' she recalled. 'Apparently I did a very deep curtsy, I don't remember it, and then we sat there and we chatted. I grew up in LA, I see celebrities all the time. it's not the same. This is a completely different ball game.' She added: 'Thank God I didn't know about the family, thank god I didn't research, I would have been so in my head about it.' Fergie - as Meghan referred to the Duchess of York - is renowned for her trademark deep curtsies to Her Majesty. Meghan makes sensational claim that Royals banned Archie from being a Prince because of concerns over how 'DARK' he would be and told her he would get no police protection but Harry refuses to reveal who made racist remarkMeghan Markle accused the Royal Family of having 'concerns' about 'how dark' Archie's skin would be before he was born because she is mixed-race and Harry is white. The Duchess also described her 'pain' that officials had denied him the title of prince and accused Buckingham Palace of failing to protect their son Archie by denying him 24/7 security. Meghan Markle today used her bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview to accuse the Royal Family of having 'concerns' about 'how dark' Archie's skin would be before he was born because she is mixed-race and Harry is white. Pictured: Archie with his parents in South Africa in 2019Meghan refused to say which royal had the conversation with Harry about Archie's skin colour, claiming it would be 'damaging' to the person in her husband's family who raised it. She said it was 'a pretty safe' assumption to suggest that the royal family member was 'concerned' that Archie being 'too brown' was 'a problem'. When Oprah asked if she was denied the title because of he is mixed-race, Oprah asked if the palace had concerns Archie would be 'too brown', Meghan said: 'In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, we have in tandem, the conversation of 'He won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title,' and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born'. Oprah then interrupted and said: 'Hold on. Hold up. Stop right now. There's a conversation... about how dark your baby is going to be?' Meghan replied: 'Potentially, and what that would mean or look like'. 'And you're not going to tell me who had the conversation? ', Oprah asked. Meghan replied: 'I think that would be very damaging to them. That was relayed to me from Harry. Those were conversations that family had with him'. Oprah asked if ? Are you saying that? Meghan replied: 'I wasn't able to follow up with why, but if that's the assumption you're making, I think that feels like a pretty safe one, which was really hard to understand, right?' Harry and Meghan claim they secretly got married three days BEFORE their royal wedding - exchanging vows in a private backyard ceremony with Archbishop of Canterbury and NO guests (but was it just their rehearsal?) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle claimed they were secretly married three days before they tied the knot in front of the world. In their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday night, Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, revealed they held a private 'union' in their backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury and no other guests. Meghan said 'no one knew' about the secret ceremony, in which the pair shared personal vows for 'just the two of us'. The couple say the private union took place three days before their much publicized royal wedding on May 19, which Meghan described as a 'spectacle for the world'. However rules on Church of England weddings are strict. They require at least two witnesses. And, according to the church's own rulebook, the public must have 'unrestricted access' to the building during any marriage ceremony to allow for 'valid objections against the marriage'. It is not clear if the Archbishop of Canterbury - the head of the Church of England - can override the rules. Speaking about the secret union, Meghan said: 'You know, three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that.' Secret: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have revealed that they were married in secret three days before their royal wedding on May 19, 2018Could Harry and Meghan have wed in private? Here's what the rules say: Though the act of marriage is a moment of love and devotion, there are still ground rules within Church of England weddings that must be followed. In an official rule book for clergymen, it states that it is their responsibility to ensure that the legal requirements of marriages are solemnized in accordance with the rites and ceremonies of the church. There are bans on marrying anyone under 16, as well as in cases of polygamy and close family relations. But Church of England marriages also require at least two witnesses. The public must also have unrestricted access to the building during any marriage ceremony to allow for valid objections against the marriage. There are other particular rules, such as a permanent type of black ink should be used when registering marriages, preparing quarterly certified copies and issuing certificates. It is not clear if the Archbishop of Canterbury, who Meghan and Harry said had privately wed the pair, has the power to override the rules. AdvertisementMeghan went on to reveal that she and Harry phoned the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby - who performed the ceremony at their official wedding - and asked him to marry them in private days before the event that was watched by millions around the world. 'We called the Archbishop and we just said, 'Look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world but we want our union between us,' she said. The couple revealed that they exchanged personal vows during their private backyard ceremony, which they now have framed in the bedroom of their $14.5million Montecito mansion. 'So, like, the vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury,' she continued. Harry then jokingly interjected by singing: 'Just the three of us, just the three of us.' The couple had no guests or spectators at their private wedding - and it is unclear whether anyone in the royal family knew that the secret ceremony had taken place. At the time, Harry and Meghan were living in a private home in the grounds of Kensington Palace, Nottingham Cottage, which is where they got engaged. Speaking about the royal wedding, Meghan said that she felt as though the star-studded event - which was attended by dozens of high-profile figures, including Oprah, 67, herself - 'wasn't our day'. However, the Duchess insisted that she was not particularly nervous before the big event, revealing that she slept through the night before her wedding day, and then marked the occasion by listening to Chapel of Love by The Dixie Cups before heading to St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. During the wedding, the couple exchanged traditional vows, which were viewed by millions of people around the world - as well as 600 guests, including several of Meghan's former Suits co-stars, and celebrities like James Corden and George and Amal Clooney. Asking about the wedding, Oprah said: 'I remember sitting in the chapel, thanks for inviting me by the way. I recall this sense of magic I'd never experienced anything like it. It seemed like you were floating down the aisle.' Meghan responded: 'I thought about this a lot because it was like having an out of body experience I was very present for. 'And that's the only way I can describe it because the night before I slept through the night entirely, which in and of itself is a bit of a miracle. 'And then I woke up and started listening to that song Going To The Chapel, and just tried to make it fun and light and remind ourselves that this was our day - but I think we were both really aware, even in advance, that this wasn't our day. 'This was the day that was planned for the world'. 'Back to basics' at their $14.5million mansion: Harry and Meghan show Archie enjoying the beach and reveal his Chick Inn hens they rescued from a factory farm as Meghan says they want to 'live authentically'Meghan Markle and Prince Harry gushed about their new life in Los Angeles as they shared candid footage of son Archie playing on a beach and showed off the hens they rescued from a factory farm during their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Meghan told the talk show host how their move to California was 'greater than any fairytale you've ever read' after she was left feeling suicidal while living as senior Royals in the UK. The couple's son, who turns two in May, made a cameo appearance at the end of the tell-all interview as they told the chat show host he loves the LA lifestyle and is always 'chatting', with his latest words being 'hydrate' and 'drive safe'. Meghan claimed she and Harry want to 'live authentically' and get back 'down to basics' as they offered a rare glimpse into life in their $14.5 million mansion by showing Oprah around Archie's chicken coop. This came as the couple, who announced they are expecting a girl in the summer, accused the Royal Family of raising 'concerns' about 'how dark' Archie's skin would be before he was born and said the boy was denied 24/7 security and the title of being a prince by Buckingham Palace. The couple showed off the hens they rescued from a factory farm as the duchess said the couple want to 'live authentically' and get back 'down to basics' at their $14.5 million mansionIn the artful black and white footage, Archie is seen running along the beach in the direction of the camera followed closely behind by his mom. The little boy then runs beneath the legs of his dad who is filming the cute encounter. Meghan revealed their son has already developed an impressive vocabulary and is 'on a roll' learning new words, with his latest penchant being to tell people to 'drive safe' when they leave home and to stay hydrated. 'In the past couple weeks, it has been 'Hydrate', which is just hysterical,' she said. Harry added that his son tells everyone to 'drive safe' whenever they leave the house, to which Meghan proudly added: 'Drive safe. He's not even two yet!' Harry described the last year as 'crazy' as he spoke of his favorite times being able to spend time with his son and go on bike rides with him - something he said he was 'never able to do' when he was young. 'This year has been crazy for everybody, but to have outdoor space where I can go for walks with Archie, and we can go for walks as a family and with the dogs, and we can go on hikes,' he said. 'We'll go down to the beach, which is so close - all of these things are just - I guess, the highlight for me is sticking him on the back of the bicycle in his little baby seat and take him on these bike rides, which is something I was never able to do when I was young. 'I can see him on the back, and he's got his arms out. And he's like 'whoo,' chatting, chatting, chatting, going, 'palm tree, house,' and all this sort of stuff.' Meghan and Harry also took the talk show host around the grounds of their lavish home in Montecito and introduced her to their rescued birds which live in Archie's chicken coop. A plaque on the side of the hut reads 'Archie's Chick In. Established 2021'. In the footage, the trio are uncharacteristically dressed down with Harry sport a pair of wellies and jeans and t-shirt as he fed one of the rescue birds. Meanwhile, Oprah and Meghan, who were both dressed casually in jeans, appeared to be deep in conversation. A plaque on the side of the hut reads 'Archie's Chick In. Established 2021'Viewers reacted on social media to the moment with some saying they were 'obsessed' with the revelation. 'I LOVE the fact that Meghan and Harry's chicken hut is called 'Archie's Chick Inn',' one person tweeted. 'Obsessed with the fact that Meghan and Harry own chickens that they rescued from a factory,' added another. One person shared a picture of SpongeBob SquarePants smiling with the comment: 'Meghan and Harry's chickens have a tiny picnic table in their coop!' Others cited Harry's absence from the interview so far - but for his outing to the chicken coop. 'So far, all Harry's done in this interview is feed a chicken,' they tweeted. 'I love that Oprah and Meghan are having this deep discussion in Meghan's chicken coop and Harry is in the background clucking like a chicken. I love them,' added another. Later in the show, the three are seen again standing in the coop as Meghan likens herself to the Disney character The Little Mermaid. 'I was sitting in Nottingham cottage and The Little Mermaid came on,' Meghan said. 'And who as an adult really watches The Little Mermaid but it came on and I was like, 'Well I'm here all the time I might as well watch this.' 'And I went, 'Oh my God she falls in love with the prince and because of that she loses her voice.' 'The footage of the chicken coop and family time on the beach came as Meghan told Oprah the couple are embracing a more 'authentic' life since they quit the Royal Family as senior working Royals last year. 'I think just being able to live authentically [has been the most important thing],' she said Meghan. 'This kind of stuff is so basic, but it's really fulfilling and about getting back to basics.' This 'back to basics' lifestyle comes after they

###CLAIM: how do you find new employees, new names, better vendors, through your network cutting the red tape to help? ###DOCS: Clare Moore is the Head of Franchising at Tide Cleaners. gettyAs somebody who spends her days working with entrepreneurs looking for their next venture, Im often asked if I have advice for aspiring female business owners. Well, as a matter of fact, I do. Granted, a lot of my advice is probably not all that gender-specific. However, if youre a woman who is looking to start a business, I have some tips. Find a mentor. I cant tell you how important it is no matter what stage of life youre in, experienced or just starting out to find a mentor. We can all use mentors. In college, its probably going to be a professor. At your first job, hopefully, youll be matched with a mentor, or youll at least have some veteran co-workers who can serve as a sounding board for your ideas. But even when were older, as we climb the corporate ladder, were constantly trying to experience new things and we can all use some guidance. So, yes, everybody can benefit from a mentor even the mentors themselves, who often learn a lot from their mentees. When we want to accomplish something and dont have the skills for it, we dont agonize over hiring a plumber or a handyman or an accountant. Well, you should take that same logic when considering a mentor. Of course, the wonderful thing is that most mentoring is done for free. If youve never started a business or dont know much about the business world, why shouldnt you have a professional offering insight and advice? Some of the mentoring programs worth checking out include Woman to Woman Mentoring, Womens Mentoring Network and Pass the Torch for Women. Score is also a well-known mentoring organization, which likely has a chapter near you offering free business mentorship. Hire a business coach. I wont spend much time discussing this. If youre an aspiring female business owner, you may not have the money to hire a coach, and honestly, you can get so much good (and free) advice and counsel from a mentor. But a talented and skilled life or business coach often can really help point you in the direction you want to go. If youre a well-paid professional who is looking for that second or third act, a business coach might be a good idea. Life coaches tend to charge between $75 and $200 an hour, business coaches may charge $175 to $250 an hour and executive business coaches can run around $400 an hour. Prioritize networking. Yes, you may be sensing a theme. To get where you want to go, it helps to have a network of people to connect with. Networking can make starting a business and running it so much easier. If you have people to bounce ideas off of (along with your mentor and possibly business coach), youre probably going to make more informed decisions. Through your network, you might find new employees, names of people who can help you cut through red tape or better vendors. It depends where you network, of course, but some good places to try to make new friends in business include your local chamber of commerce and local business organizations, like the Rotary Club or Lions Clubs International. Search for women-specific grants and loans. If you need a business loan, its smart to start with your bank or credit union. If you run into roadblocks, there are often grants or loans that you can tap into that are designed for female business owners. Id suggest starting with the Small Business Administrations Office of Womens Business Ownership. There are programs, coordinated through the SBAs district offices, that can help women entrepreneurs get access to credit and capital as well as business training and counseling. Keep in mind that mentors can also often direct you to programs that offer grants and loans for female business owners. Listen to your gut not the naysayers. Were lucky to be living in the time we are. As tough as it is to be a female entrepreneur in a male-dominated workforce, its a lot easier than it was for our mothers and grandmothers. Still, there are going to be people (even those who are well-meaning) who are going to ask you if youre sure you want to start a business. Theyre going to talk about how hard it is, they may mention the high failure rate or make other suggestions for what you might want to do with your life. And Im guessing most of those people arent going to be business owners themselves. They dont believe they can do it, and so theyre likely transferring onto you their doubts about themselves. Obviously, starting a business is challenging, and its risky. But if you know you can do it, then listen to yourself. Finding mentors, networking and searching for the right team to work with are all very important, and I dont recommend trying to start a business without having people you trust and respect there to advise you. But in the beginning and end, like so many things, your success all depends on you. Follow your dreams! Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify? Ali Brown, founder of The Trust Lesley BohmNo one can be a success without getting help along the way. A well-connected network will help you get there faster. Ali Brown built a coaching and consulting business under her name ranked in the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing companies. As an EY Entrepreneurial Winning Woman, she benefited from the program, which provides ambitious women entrepreneurs with the advice, resources, and access they need to unlock their full potential. Brown's original missionhelping women scale their businessesremains the same, but she's added a new tool to her toolboxpeer advisory groups. It's called The Trust. It's the group's power, the advisors, and Brown that's helping high-growth, high-revenue women entrepreneurs grow their businesses bigger and faster. "According to the 2019 American Express State of Women-Owned Business,* the two fastest-growing segments of women-owned businesses were those under $25,000 and over $1 million," Brown noticed. Many events cater to women at the early stages, but few for established, multi-million dollar businesses. The momentum at the high-end of the spectrum is where Brown decided to focus. Brown's been privy to and has benefited from some exclusive circles of the most successful women entrepreneurs. She noticed that their conversations have been changing. No longer do they want to fit into the way men do business. They want to do business in a way that is a reflection of who they are. "There's not just a gap in revenue between women- and men-owned businesses, but their networks," said Brown. "Once you hit seven figures, you need to be part of a different circle. The challenges you face are different. For the most part, the networks that serve these million-dollar-plus businesses are male-dominated." "Originally, women had to fit into the men's model of doing things," said Brown. Now, women want to do things their way. "They are not interested in building a business at the sacrifice of everything else in their life." They want growth for their business while staying involved with their families. Women-owned businesses are more likely to be mission-driven. Their "why" or purpose acts as their North Star, lighting the path to success. It helps their business be more resilient during turbulent times. Her coaching clients were asking Brown, "where should I go to network?" Even after her recommendations, they would inevitably come back and tell Brown to put together a group because she attracted a different breed of women entrepreneurs. "I'm about to turn 50," she said. "What could I create that will be around long after I'm gone?" she wondered. Brown still works privately with clients. The Trust is a different format. It's not coaching or training. It's about the power of networks to provide answers to questions and connections to resources. Casting a wide networking net is the most significant source of new ideas, information, and opportunities. Being part of the Winning Women program was transformational for Brown. She was surrounded by women who were as ambitious as she was. The women in her cohort shared and bonded. The women that came before her and after her became a resource to each other. To this day, Brown relies on this network. It wasn't just the relationships with peers that benefited her. It was advisors who suggested to her to think outside the box. One advisor challenged her to think about buying companies and licensing her technology. Brown is no stranger to pivoting to match not just her vision but how she would implement it based on changing market conditions and her personal needs. She pioneered the coaching of women entrepreneurs. Over time the space became very crowded. She also had twins and didn't want to do as much traveling as she had been doing. Changing the company's business model, she moved away from events and large group coaching to working one-on-one with clients. "They have ongoing access to me, or we work together for a single day," she said. She also launched Glambition Radio with Ali Brown, featuring prominent female founders and leaders. Women in The Trust expressed to Brown how tired they were of being the only women in the room. They wanted high-level discussions in which they felt comfortable asking questions. They also wanted to discuss unique challenges: being the breadwinner in their families, having their husbands work for them, and managing child- and elder-careespecially during the pandemic. Since starting The Trust in 2020, Brown has been excited by the advisory function members play for each other. At a recent Zoom meeting, one member mentioned that she wanted to start investing in real estate. Another member offered a suggestion about how to do it. If the expertise isn't in the room, referrals to resources are made. The Trust is new and a work in progress. Brown is using her listening skills to shape how it will evolve. "I'm good at listening," she emphasized. "I'm good at sensing things that are unsaid. I get to the real issues leaving space for magic to happen." The format right now is monthly Zoom meetings, with guest advisors every quarter, and a private app that the women use to keep in touch. The app has been a great tool to stay in touch in between meetings. In addition, two retreats are held each year. At retreats, a successful entrepreneur, such as Kara Goldinfounder and CEO at Hint, who is also EY Winning Womanaddresses the group. How will you expand your network?

###CLAIM: funding for it comes from the federal government, about three quarters of which amounts to about 16 billion dollars in 2019. ###DOCS: At least 60 people within Joe Biden's White House have ties to a liberal Washington DC think tank which does not disclose its funding, according to reports - leading to questions about the power of progressive 'dark money'. The Center for American Progress was founded in 2003 by John Podesta, Bill Clinton's chief of staff and a counselor to Barack Obama. It is one of a number of lobbying groups and policy organizations which do not disclose how they are funded, leading to concern about who is behind their significant power and influence. Some of the best-known 'dark money' groups are the NRA, Planned Parenthood, the NAACP, the Heritage Foundation and the American Bankers' Association. Biden's chief of staff, Ronald Klain, was on the board of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the advocacy arm of the Center for American Progress, from 2011-13. Ron Klain, one of Biden's closest allies and now chief of staff, was on the board of a think tankBiden, seen Thursday in Louisiana, has hired many people with connections to CAPKlain was Biden's chief of staff when he was vice president, and before then served as Vice President Al Gore's chief of staff. Of the 60 CAP alumni known to be serving in or nominated by the Biden administration, 21 of them were affiliated with the think tank until this year, an analysis by Insider showed last month. They include Denis McDonough, head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, who was Obama's chief of staff, and became a senior fellow at CAP. Carmel Martin, deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council for economic mobility, and Kelly Magsamen, chief of staff to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, also worked for the group. Biden and Klain have worked together for years; Klain worked for Vice President Al GoreHillary Clinton is seen with John Podesta, her campaign chair and CAP founder, in July 2016Center for American Progress and other 'dark money' groups The CAP was founded in 2003 by Podesta Both Republicans and Democrats accuse each other of profiting from 'dark money' - making their opponents seem shadowy and untrustworthy. 'Dark money' literally means money which is not declared. According to Open Secrets, which attempts to shed light on it, the term 'refers to political spending meant to influence the decision of a voter, where the donor is not disclosed and the source of the money is unknown.' Dark money only came into existence in 2010, with the Citizens United ruling, which effectively ended the rules by which all political donations had to be registered. Since then an estimated $1 billion has been spent by dark money groups mainly on television and online ads and mailers. Some of the best-known dark money groups are the NRA, Planned Parenthood, the NAACP, the Heritage Foundation and the American Bankers' Association. Washington's leading liberal think tank, the Center for American Progress, was founded in 2003 by John Podesta, Bill Clinton's chief of staff and a counselor to Barack Obama. CAP has had outsize influence on Democratic policies for years. The group had close ties with the Barack Obama administration, helping with both policies and personnel, according to media reports. A 2005 proposal from CAP foreshadowed Obama's Affordable Care Act. Planned Parenthood is a healthcare non-profit-making group that was founded in 1942 and traces its beginnings to the birth control movement and the opening of the first birth control clinic in 1916 in Brooklyn, New York. The group is now the largest single provider of abortion in the US. In 2019, Planned Parenthood pulled out of the federal family planning program rather than abide by a Trump administration rule prohibiting clinics from referring women for abortions. That was despite about a third of its funding - amounting to about $16.2 million in 2019 - coming form the federal govermne. NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was established in 1909 in response to violence against black people in America. Today, it is the largest civil rights organization in the country with more than 2 million activists. Media Matters for America was founded by conservative-turned-liberal activist David Brock in 2004. It describes its role as 'monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media'. Both the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund are environmental advocacy groups. AdvertisementThe executive vice president for policy at CAP, Mara Rudman, said the number of associates and friends of the group in the White House was a cause for celebration for them. 'It's a win-win for us,' she told Insider. 'It's no surprise to many of us that we have a lot of talented people that we feel very fortunate to draw in and would expect or hope that the skills and abilities of those people are embraced by a progressive administration.' Another 'dark money' group with influence in the Biden White House is Media Matters for America, a left-wing media watchdog. Jennifer Granholm, the Energy Secretary, served as a senior adviser to the group from January 2017 until November 2020, receiving monthly retainer payments from the group totaling over $200,000, according to her financial disclosure report analyzed by Fox News. And two more organizations, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund, are also benefitting from their senior figures entering the White House. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Michael Regan served as associate vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund. Biden climate advisor Gina McCarthy, who led the EPA under the Obama administration, was president and chief executive officer of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Denis McDonough, currently Veterans Affairs Secretary, was a senior fellow at CAPBiden climate advisor Gina McCarthy, who led the EPA under the Obama administration, was president and chief executive officer of the Natural Resources Defense CouncilCritics point to the power of Arabella Advisors, a D.C.-based consulting firm, which manages the four 'dark money funds' that have poured billions into left-wing groups. CAP Action Fund has received $1.4 million from Arabella Advisors, Fox reported. Media Matters has been given nearly $1 million, and the Environmental Defense Fund and its advocacy arm have taken in $3 million from funds in Arabella's network. 'From his White House climate czar to his chief of staff, White House Counsel's office and even his own press secretary, Joe Biden has filled top positions in his administration with people who worked for groups that are part of the massive Arabella Advisors liberal dark money network; they have more influence over judicial nominations, extreme environmental policy and other issues than anyone else,' said Caitlin Sutherland, president of Americans for Public Trust. The issue of 'dark money' is a feature of American political life, and something which Biden has vowed to combat. Michael Regan, head of the EPA, previously worked at the Environmental Defense FundDuring the election, Christian right groups, many with close links to the Trump administration, spent at least $280 million. Their money was spent on campaigns against the rights of women and LGBTQ people across five continents, openDemocracy found. Politico reported that last month Trump's supporters hosted a meeting to strategize how to make better use of 'dark money' to further their own campaigns.

###CLAIM: fans branded them unrecognisable watched hunter, james, crossley, jet, diane, youdale, kim, betts, cobra, michael and willson join susanna, reid and shephard for a reunion chat. helen and o'reilly ###DOCS: AdvertisementFollowing the scandal surrounding ex-Gladiators star Shadow this week, former host of the show Ulrika Jonsson has reflected on her time working with the stars of the 90s Saturday night favourite. Writing in The Sun, Ulrika - who fronted the series from 19922000 - has told of her time working with Shadow. 'Yesterdays mugshot of our biggest and most frightening Gladiator, Shadow, looking hollow-cheeked and well beyond his 59 years, on a charge of a drug-fuelled blackmailing plot, is a stark reminder that the show had its fair share of scandals,' she writes. The show saw a group of athletic men and women take on members of the public in a series of challenges, with Ulrika, now 53, hosting the ITV series alongside footballer John Fashanu, and later rugby pro Jeremy Guscott. 'I had never encountered body-builders and this was a unique glimpse into their world,' Ulrika goes on. 'Eye-popping muscles like that come with an extraordinary vanity. The vast majority of them were so focused on themselves and their amazing bodies that their egos easily outsized anything an average person could imagine.' The show was mired with scandal during its eight years on the air. Shocking: This astonishing mugshot [L] of Shadow from ITV's Gladiator series with hollow cheeks and dead eyes has been issued by police after he admitted taking part in a drug-fuelled blackmail plot. He is pictured, R, on the show in the early 1990sHonest: Writing in The Sun , Ulrika - who fronted the series from 19922000 - has told of the scandals backstage at the show. She is pictured with Shadow and co-star Michael AherneOn the more frivolous side, there was bed-hopping and arrogance, while more serious was the drug-use and boozing, with incidents of domestic abuse, perverting the course of justice and even involvement in a murder plot going on behind closed doors. 'That first year in the Hyatt Regency hotel, which we more or less took over, there was a lot of bed-hopping, as there would be with a bunch of young, virile men and women with insane bodies,' Ulrika writes. 'Apparently, there were quite a few multiples of people enjoying a bit of rough and tumble under the covers, while I was up in my room writing the script and furiously trying to learn my lines.' Ulrika enjoyed her own dalliance with Hunter [real name James Crossley], in a much publicised affair. 'The scandals were never far away,' Ulrika goes on. 'A couple of years into filming, there were rumours of steroid use and, by the mid-90s, the shows producers started testing the cast. I was clear every time, for the record.' Scandals: On the more frivolous side, there was bed-hopping and arrogance, while more serious was the drug-use and boozing, with incidents of domestic abuse, perverting the course of justice and even involvement in a murder plot going on behind closed doorsPucker up! Wolf is seen with Ulrika in the early days of the showMichael Willson - known as Cobra - admitted he 'drank a lot during Gladiators', often 'downing a bottle of red' before going on the air. Sandy Young - known as Phoenix - was sentenced to 150 hours of community service in 1996 for attacking her ex-husband due to a custody disagreement over their son. Gladiators: A Nineties television mainstay Gladiators, which was presented by Ulrika Jonsson, John Fashanu and later Jeremy Guscott, first hit screens on 10 October 1992, with the series comprising of contestants fighting against a Gladiator. Aiming for as many points as they could, the contestant with the highest number of points got a headstart in The Eliminator assault course with every point being worth a second. The winner of The Eliminator would then complete in the next round. Originally ending in 2000, Gladiators was later revived by Sky1 and aired in 2008 for a year, before being cancelled in May 2009. AdvertisementThe police released Shadow's mugshot this week, showing him with hollow cheeks and dead eyes after he admitted taking part in a drug-fuelled blackmail plot. Jefferson King had demanded 1,000 last year from a mother for the safe return of her son who was allegedly being held hostage by a gang. The former bodybuilder, who is barely recognisable from his 1990s heyday after years of drug abuse, is currently in custody awaiting sentencing at the conclusion of a trial of other alleged blackmailers. King, who was born in London to Jamaica parents, moved to New York aged 14, where he joined the school American football team before becoming an addict during the 1970s crack boom. But he got clean and moved back to England, where he met his wife and fathered two children before being recruited as a Gladiator for the original 1992 series hosted by Ulrika Jonsson. In 1995 King was caught snorting cocaine, then axed from the ITV show after testing positive for steroids. He later turned to heroin and crack cocaine, lost his home and family and served a succession of prison sentences. In 2009 he went into rehab and stayed clean, revealing in 2011 that he had beaten his addiction and worked at a rehab clinic to help people suffering from drug problems. However, by last year he was back on illegal drugs - and last March King was charged with heroin possession. A week later, just days before lockdown, a court heard how he was involved in a blackmail plot after a day of smoking drugs 'degenerated rapidly', according to The Sun. Prosecutors told jurors at Isleworth Crown Court how victim Aaron Ali was held for a 'significant' period of time at a flat in Acton, West London. Mr Ali, 40, was allegedly gagged with a tissue placed in his mouth to muffle the screams and punched and kicked. Affair: Ulrika enjoyed her own dalliance with Hunter [real name James Crossley], in a much publicised affairStar of the 1990s: Former bodybuilder King was recruited as a Gladiator for the original 1992 seriesHis mother Nosheen Zarait and his brother Tariq Ali were contacted and told to pay 1,000 for his safe return, prosecutors claim. He was held from 2pm until his release at 8.30pm, it was alleged. Prosecutor Keith Hadrill told the court that King, of Acton, and another man, Simon Batson, 38, had both admitted two charges of blackmail. Batson's girlfriend Donna Harman, 42, Otis Noel, 45, along with Michael Tyson, 55, and wife Shila, 55, all deny charges including false imprisonment, blackmail and aiding and abetting false imprisonment. Their trial continues. Last October, shamed former Gladiator Mike Ahearne hit the headlines as a court heard that he was caught by police with shopping bags full of steroids and CS spray canisters. The 59-year-old was a huge TV star as Warrior in the hit Saturday night show but fell from grace after he was jailed over a police corruption plot involving drug baron Curtis Warren and a detective chief inspector. Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard police raided the former bodybuilder's home in leafy Rose Mount, Oxton, Wirral on January 23, 2018. Scandal: Last October, shamed former Gladiator Mike Ahearne hit the headlines as a court heard that he was caught by police with shopping bags full of steroids and CS spray canistersThey retrieved a large stash of various anabolic steroids, contained in a plastic Tesco shopping bag, another carrier bag and two boxes. Ahearne was arrested on suspicion of possessing the Class C drugs with intent to supply, but no charges were brought over the haul. But he was charged over the CS spray and admitted three counts of possessing a weapon 'designed or adapted for the discharge of a noxious liquid'. He was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, at Liverpool Crown Court in October 2018 for these offences. Drama: Ahearne was arrested on suspicion of possessing the Class C drugs with intent to supply, but no charges were brought over the haulMerseyside Police applied to the magistrates' court for the steroids to be destroyed, under the The Police Property Act 1897. Ahearne wasn't required to attend the hearing, having previously indicated that he did not wish for the property to be returned. District Judge Jim Clark made an order for the steroids to be destroyed. Ahearne, who played rugby union for England at youth level and represented Great Britain at Mr Universe, was a household name in the prime of his career. Standing at 6ft 4in, the ex-doorman was one of the best known faces in Gladiators, as the programme attracted viewing figures as high as 14m at its peak. Fall from grace: Ahearne, who played rugby union for England at youth level and represented Great Britain at Mr Universe, was a household name in the prime of his careerBut after seven years earning up to 100,000-a-year, his world of celebrity and luxury came crashing down, when he was linked to a corruption scandal. He was arrested on the afternoon of Thursday, March 13, 1997 and accused of involvement in a plot to foil the prosecution of Philip Glennon Jnr. Glennon Jnr had been accused of firing a handgun at a bouncer and then a police officer outside a Liverpool nightclub in 1996 and was charged with attempted murder. Glennon Jnr is the brother-in-law of Liverpool drugs baron Curtis Warren, who tried to foil the investigation by paying corrupt officer Detective Chief Inspector Elmore 'Elly' Davies 10,000, to pass on details of what the police knew about the incident, when a doorman was also shot. Ahearne had passed money from Warren to his friend Davies - then head of Merseyside's drugs squad - for information about the case. Heyday: Standing at 6ft 4in, the ex-doorman was one of the best known faces in Gladiators, as the programme attracted viewing figures as high as 14m at its peakFollowing a trial at Nottingham Crown Court in 1998, at which Ahearne decided not to give evidence, the TV star was convicted of an act with tendency to pervert the course of justice and jailed for 15 months. Davies, also from Oxton, was jailed for five years, while a third man was jailed for three years. Glennon Jnr was previously jailed for six years for attempted murder. The trial heard Mr Ahearne had been an avid charity supporter, with the Variety Club of Great Britain's regional chairman issuing a statement in which he said: 'If every celebrity in the country could do half as much as Mike for the children we would be a stronger organisation.' Mr Ahearne was released from prison after just six months, having impressed bosses at Wealstun jail in West Yorkshire. He returned to his home in Wirral, where he was the subject of an electronic tag. Past: He was previously arrested in 1997 and accused of involvement in a plot to foil the prosecution of Philip Glennon JnrLeft to right: Wolf (Michael Van Wijk), Shadow (Jefferson King), host Ulrika Jonsson, Saracen (Mike Lewis), and Cobra (Michael; Wilson) for Season 3 of Gladiators, 1994Blast from the past! As athletes from ITV show Gladiators congregated for a Good Morning Britain appearance in 2019, fans were left in shock at how different they lookedIn 2019, athletes from Gladiators congregated for a Good Morning Britain appearance, leaving fans in shock at how different they looked. Branding them 'unrecognisable', fans watched as Hunter [James Crossley], Panther [Helen O'Reilly], Jet [Diane Youdale], Lightning [Kim Betts] and Cobra [Michael Willson] joined Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard for a reunion chat. Cobra even turned up in a Lycra tank top, while the other stars went for more demure looks. Fans on Twitter revelled in the reunion, with one posting: 'Great to see the #gladiators back on TV... They've all aged a bit except Lightning, she looks the same and is still a stunner!' Another remarked: 'Cobras face has completely changed everyone else still looks [good] though!' Another penned, 'Whos the one on the end hes about 80?' of Cobra, who sported his branded vest. Reunion: Branding them 'unrecognisable', fans watched as Hunter [James Crossley], Panther [Helen O'Reilly]. Jet [Diane Youdale], Lightning [Kim Betts] and Cobra [Michael Willson] joined Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard for a reunion chat in 2019Others left the judgement at the door and simply relished having the stars back on their screens. 'Not sure why Gladiators was on #GMB but that has made my day. Best tv show of the 90s!' 'Some of the #Gladiators just been on #GMB - I forgot how much I loved the theme tune and that show. Nineties telly at its best,' another posted. All dressed up: Showbiz reporter Richard Arnold dressed up as Gladiator referee John AndersonIn-vesting in the show: Cobra got his Lycra out of mothballs for the occasionMaking her entrance: Jet led the stars as they recreated the legendary Gladiators entrance sequence'Gladiators are on #gmb and the women (Jet, Lightning and Panther) are still all amazing!! Plus Hunter and Cobra are still massive!! (cobra put your nipple away mate)' another penned. Discussing the show they were asked about a reboot. 'There is a demand for it. But I am 58, I don't know if I am a bit past it,' Panther said, before pointing at Cobra and remarking: 'He's got a walking stick and two new hips.' Asked about whether they still go by their Gladiator alter-egos, Hunter explained: 'A lot of male Gladiators were called Mike. So if you said "Mike", everybody turned around. Lightning added: 'Even when I message them its like: "Hey Jet, Cobra, Hunter..." I never call them their own name.'

###CLAIM: the soldiers interrogated the prisoners by voice in the room. ###DOCS: Lady Gaga dominated the MTV Video Music Awards show on Sunday, with a series of visually arresting outfits, masked performances and four wins, including artist of the year. Gaga, who went into the show sharing a leading nine nominations with Ariana Grande, stormed the ceremony with multiple costume changes ranging from an exotic bird to a bright green ball gown - all accompanied by exaggerated custom-made face masks and muzzles. Canadian artist The Weeknd won the top prize, taking video of the year for "Blinding Lights." He also took the award for best R&B video for the same song. The VMAs marked the first major U.S. awards show to take place during the coronavirus pandemic. It was filmed without a live audience and with most of the performances recorded in advance because of health guidelines. Host Keke Palmer opened the ceremony by dedicating it to "Black Panther" actor Chadwick Boseman, who died on Friday at the age of 43. Keke Palmer performs during the 2020 MTV VMAs on Sunday. VIACOM / ReutersIn the fan-voted show, Gaga and Grande also won two awards for their collaboration "Rain On Me," while Gaga was given a new lifetime achievement trophy, called the Tricon Award. "This has not been an easy year for a lot of people," Gaga said. "Stay safe, speak your minds, and I might sound like a broken record but wear a mask." America's national reckoning over systemic racism was also on the minds of performers and presenters after months of street protests over the deaths of Black people at the hands of police. "It's our time to be the change we want to see," said Palmer. "We need to come together, and music has that power." The Weeknd opened the show with a performance on a 1,000-feet-high deck overlooking Manhattan, but said he was not in the mood for partying. "It's really hard for me to celebrate right now and enjoy this moment, so I'm just going to say justice for Jacob Blake and justice for Breonna Taylor," he said, referring to the recent police shootings of Blake and Taylor. The VMAs also recognized essential workers at the frontlines of the outbreak, and handed out trophies to Grande, Justin Bieber and Latin American boy band CNCO for music recorded during coronavirus lockdowns. K-Pop sensation BTS made their debut performance at the VMAs, singing their new single "Dynamite," and the seven-member boy band won all four of the awards they were nominated for - best group, pop group, K-pop artist and choreography. Dua Lipa couldn't be in Los Angeles for the 2020 American Music Awards, but she certainly made waves from across the Atlantic. The British star was in London during the big event but made sure to be photographed walking her own personal red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall. Dua, 25, dazzled in a starfish embellished mini dress from Versace and platform heels. Dua Lipa stunned on the 2020 AMAs red carpet on Sunday night. She was photographed in London while the ceremony took place in Los AngelesStyled by Lorenzo Posocco, the playful look was paired with chunky gold jewelry and a matching barrette. The skimpy frock featured jewel-encrusted shells around the bust and a pink frilly trim on the hem. The English songstress won the award for Favorite Pop/Rock song for her track Don't Start Now and made her acceptance speech from London via remote link. After her win, Dua went on to perform her hit Levitating in a skimpy blue mini dress. The actual ceremony took place at the Microsoft Theater in LA with Taraji P. Henson hosting and plenty of performances throughout the night. Fun look: Dua, 25, dazzled in a starfish embellished mini dress from Versace and platform heelsLondon girl: Styled by Lorenzo Posocco, the playful look was paired with chunky gold jewelry and a matching barretteDespite rising COVID-19 numbers rising across the country, there was a limited audience in attendance at the event as organizers for the award show took several precautions to make it as safe an event as possible. A Dick Clark Productions spokesperson told Rolling Stone on Saturday: 'We have rigorous Covid-19 safety guidelines and protocols in place approved by the unions and with guidance from L.A. County Department of Public Health that are beyond what is required.' Anyone who is entering the venue was tested in advanced and will continue to be tested throughout the production until wrap. Winner: The English songstress won the award for Favorite Pop/Rock song for her track Don't Start Now and made her acceptance speech from London via remote linkFacial coverings were also required for anyone not on stage inside of the venue with the one exception being background dancers who will also be required to wear masks. The production spokesperson told the music publication: 'Everyone inside our footprint, with the exception of artists on stage who are singing or speaking, will be wearing facial coverings and maintain social distancing at all times. 'When artists are not on stage singing, presenting, or accepting an award, they will be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Additionally, we disinfect our set every evening and in between performances during pre-production, rehearsals and in the live show.' Out of this world: After her win, Dua went on to perform her hit Levitating in a skimpy blue mini dressBeauty: The singer looked camera ready in a glittery frock and matching boots

###CLAIM: a lower limb patient was treated for minor injuries and transported to an area hospital by ground ambulance, fire fighters on the scene said. ###DOCS: A California skydiver was left hanging 30 feet above the ground when his parachute got tangled in live power lines Tuesday. The unidentified parachuter was stuck for about an hour in the wires in Lake Elsinore in the southern part of the state, KTLA reported. It wasnt clear whether the man came from a nearby skydiving center, the TV station reported. Social media photos showed the man suspended in the air with a yellow chute open, as power crews and emergency workers worked below to free him. CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department tweeted that the man was brought down using a bucket lift. The patient was evaluated by firefighters on scene and transported to an area hospital by ground ambulance with minor injuries to their lower extremities, the group tweeted. Electric company Southern California Edison removed the parachute from the lines. Video of the rescue showed the man limping from his injuries once back down on the ground.

###CLAIM: the death of the family 's primary earnings forced mohan, taruns ' grandfather, to work extra hours as a daily wage labourer. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareRoshni Chakraborty is a student at Harvard University and a research associate at Aangan Trust, a nonprofit that works on child protection in India. Suparna Gupta is the founder of Aangan, an Ashoka Fellow and a 2013 Edward S. Mason Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School. Sign up for a weekly roundup of thought-provoking ideas and debates ArrowRight In the past two months, 7-year-old Taruns world collapsed around him. He lost both his parents to covid-19 during Indias devastating second wave. With the deaths of the familys primary earners, Taruns grandfather Mohan is forced to work extra hours as a daily-wage construction laborer. Even after working overtime, he earns a mere 40 rupees (or $0.55) per day. The family anxiously worries that food will run out within the week and they are not alone in this predicament. Indias second wave has generated conversation about vaccinations and funeral pyres. Yet the staggering number of children who have lost both parents, and families who have lost their sole earners, also warrants immediate attention. AdvertisementOverworked officials, understandably busy with pandemic management, are not releasing data about at-risk children, nor have they planned a timely response themselves. But local volunteers for the child protection nonprofit we work with, Aangan, tell us of the vast number of children in their neighborhoods who need urgent assistance because they have lost their caregivers. Through informal conversations with locals and neighbors, in just five days, volunteers in four districts identified more than 310 children from marginalized communities whose parents had died or were critically ill. With more than 300,000 registered covid-19 deaths in India, many under the age of 50, thousands of children across the country are expected to be in a similar situation. The loss of a parent is traumatic, with long-lasting impacts. Children who have lost parents are at higher risk of depression and anxiety. Children orphaned by Ebola were also at heightened risk of malnutrition, physical abuse and teenage pregnancies. For some, the process of grieving is cut short because the loss of a parent is also the loss of the only earning family member the experience of 70 percent of the children we identified. Indias poor were already struggling due to the economic slump. We have seen families forced to push their daughters into child marriages. Child labor and trafficking, too, have increased during the pandemic. AdvertisementDeepak from Varanasi, who lost his wife to covid-19, also lost both his jobs as a sari weaver and construction worker because of the lockdown. He hopes to get his 15-year-old daughter, Gayatri a pseudonym, like all the names in this piece, to protect the privacy of those we spoke to married soon, in an effort to secure a better future for her. Mohan, too, might now see little option but to put Tarun to work. In one study of informal workers, 37 percent were unable to afford two meals a day. Many children do not have ration cards, Aadhar cards or other identity documents yet, blocking their ability to seek government assistance. Affected children across India should be given rations without cards and free school-level education until they are 18, as they are entitled according to policy in Delhi. They should not have to choose between investing in their future and surviving the present. Indias National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has emphasized reporting to district officials to prevent the illegal adoption and trafficking of orphaned children. This well-intended directive is unlikely to be effective unless authorities and those working in child protection proactively raise awareness in communities about a system that, for many, may be associated with negative experiences. Marginalized communities, particularly Dalits, have a history of violent interactions with formal institutions such as police, leading to a trust deficit. Seema, a local Aangan volunteer in Patna, says, We dont know who the officials are we have never seen them. What if they take our children away from us at such a difficult time? We cant trust anyone in this system.AdvertisementOften, family and kinship support networks are willing and well-positioned to take care of the child. We have seen uncles, aunts, grandparents, siblings and neighbors step up. Some say they are ready to take care of the children in the long term but require assistance. State services should aim to support these families and networks rather than force upon children the alternative of state-run homes and shelters. Moreover, as far as possible, Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) must ensure that children are not introduced to more instability by separating them from their known family and support networks. Fifteen-year-old Fatima, who lost her single father to covid-19, is now responsible for the care of her sister, who has a mental disability. Fatima says she will have to discontinue her education because she wants to live at home until their elder sister can take over care for both of them. CWCs will need to ensure that children such as Fatima participate in decisions, and that new caregivers can access social protection programs. Officials need to activate local community networks and coordinate efforts in order to protect the childs right to a family. Tarun, Gayatri, Fatima and countless other as-yet-unidentified children have the right to an unabridged childhood. The pandemic has left scars that are difficult to heal, but the message to Indias children should be loud and clear: You will not be left behind. AdvertisementRead more:GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: in 2019, the state adopted an excuse-free vote on mail-in absentee ballots for requests that do not need a reason for the request. ###DOCS: A new report looked at proposed state bills and how they would affect elections. It's been less than three months since the U.S. saw a record-breaking election turnout, and state leaders across the country are introducing legislation that changes how their localities would operate future elections. But one watchdog group is already raising flags over some of these bills, particularly ones in key swing states. The Brennan Center for Justice, a non-partisan, independent organization that analyzes election rules, released a study Tuesday that found 28 states have introduced 106 bills that would restrict voting access by various means, including mandating voter ID and adding more conditions for requesting mail-in ballots. At the same time, 35 states have introduced over 400 bills to expand voter access, including ones that would increase access to mail-in ballots and increase early voting, the report said. By comparison, there were 35 similarly restrictive voting bills in 15 states and 188 similarly expansive voting bills introduced in 28 states in February 2020, according to the study. A woman casts her ballot at Philadelphia City Hall, Oct. 27, 2020, in Philadelphia. Mark Makela/Getty ImagesEliza Sweren-Becker, voting rights and elections counsel for the Brennan Center, told ABC News state legislators are reacting to the overwhelming turnout during last year's election, where over 155 million Americans cast a ballot. Sweren-Becker warned that any of these bills would have a major effect on turnout. "I think the big overall takeaway is: Democracy reform as an issue is not going away just because were not in a presidential year," she said. Here are some of the biggest bills and proposals that have been introduced in statehouses. Restrictive bills and proposalsSwing state Pennsylvania, which has a Republican majority in the state legislature, has 14 election-related bills that the Brennan Center called restrictive, the most of any state so far. President Joe Biden won the state with just 81,660 votes in November, with a large number of votes coming from mail-in ballots, according to election results. The state adopted "no-excuse" absentee ballot voting in 2019, which means people do not need a reason to request an absentee mail-in ballot. However, there are three different proposals announced by leaders in the Pennsylvania state legislature that look to remove that provision, according to the Brennan Center report. Another Pennsylvania bill would allow election offices to reject absentee ballots solely based on mismatched signatures. Sweren-Becker noted that the Pennsylvania state courts ruled last year that absentee ballots couldn't be rejected just on mismatched signatures alone. "It is concerning that elected officials are trying to take away a tool that their voters used, and frankly preferred to use, in voting," she said. Voters enter Southeast Regional Library to cast their ballots, Nov. 3, 2020 in Gilbert, Ariz. Courtney Pedroza/Getty ImagesBills have also been introduced in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Washington, Virginia, Nebraska, Wyoming and Nebraska that would require voter ID at poll sites. Sweren-Becker said such laws have been created because of unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. Voter ID laws have directly resulted in fewer Americans, particularly minorities and low-income citizens who don't have access to driver's licenses or passports, from registering to vote, she said. "People are latching onto the lies of voter fraud, which was disproven time and again in the courts last year," Sweren-Becker said. "Legislators are using that lie to restrict access to the ballot box." The Brennan Center report also highlighted a bill in Arizona that would purge the permanent early voter list if a voter didn't participate in two consecutive election cycles. During last year's election, over 2.4 million Arizona voters voted early, marking a trend across the country that saw a rise in early votes, according to the U.S. Elections Project. Over 101 million Americans voted early in the 2020 election, according to the U.S. Elections Project. Expansive bills and proposalsSweren-Becker also noted that state elected officials, even in states that have previously restricted voter access, are looking at the historic turnout and working on ways to keep civic engagement strong during future election days. The report noted that in Texas, Missouri and Alabama, three states which require voter ID, bills have been introduced that would establish no-excuse mail-in voting. "There are legislators that are picking up on things that their voters have been asking," Sweren-Becker said. Eight states, including New York, Kentucky and New Jersey, have proposed legislation that would allow for localities to set up mail ballot drop boxes, according to the report. Seven states -- Alabama, Connecticut, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and South Carolina -- have bills that would introduce early in-person voting, the Brennan Center said. One major piece of legislation seen across several states affects the disenfranchisement of felons, the Brennan Center report said. Fifteen states, including Texas, Oregon, New York and Mississippi, have introduced policies that would restore voting rights or ease current restrictions for people with past convictions, according to the report. "That follows not only the trend of addressing voting access, but also the inequities of our criminal justice system," Sweren-Becker said. The futureIt's unknown how many of the election-related bills will be passed or if the governors in those states will ultimately sign off on them, Sweren-Becker said. She noted that legislators will have to wrestle with the fact that expanded voter access is popular among a majority of voters on both sides of the aisle. Residents wait in line to cast ballots for the Senate runoff elections at a polling location in Atlanta, Jan. 5, 2021. Aboubacar Kante/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThere will likely be more voting rights bills and proposals on the state level as the year continues, according to Sweren-Becker. Voters, she said, still have some power to influence the future of those proposals. "Voters should reach out to their state elected officials and voice their opinions on voting rights," she said.

###CLAIM: not relaing that women at reagan national airport called s. c. senators lindsey, o. and graham, who voted against the electoral college vote on january 6, "traitors" and "garbage human beings. " ###DOCS: Gift Article ShareThe Capitol Police are asking members of Congress to remain vigilant while traveling as authorities seek to boost protection for lawmakers in an acutely tense political environment. Members and staff should remain vigilant of their surroundings and immediately report anything unusual or suspicious. Blodgett wrote. AdvertisementMore than three weeks after the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol, Blodgetts security advisory makes evident the multiplying safety concerns confronting lawmakers within and outside the Capitol building. Supporters of former president Donald Trump continue to aim vitriol at members of Congress willing to consider sanctioning him for his role in inciting the riot. And Democrats have grown increasingly concerned about the reluctance of some Republican lawmakers to comply with new security screenings outside the House chamber. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) referenced the need to beef up security Thursday during a news conference, while suggesting that even colleagues in the Capitol could be dangerous. The enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about, in addition to what is happening outside, she said. AdvertisementOn Friday Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) said she decided to move her office away from freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a promoter of misinformation with a history of racist and anti-Semitic comments, for my teams safety.Bush claimed on Twitter that Greene, who in the past has implicitly endorsed violence against Democrats, berated her in the hallway and targeted her on social media. Greene, in turn, claimed Bush was the one berating her for not wearing a mask evidence of the open hostility that is building among members. In his email, Blodgett reminded lawmakers that they could be reimbursed for personal security expenses, such as hiring a security detail at town halls or other events, to accompany them on official business or to be stationed at their district offices. The Federal Election Commission also allows them to use campaign contributions to install security systems at home, he said. AdvertisementHe noted that the fencing around the perimeter of the Capitol will remain in place for the time being, as the Capitol Police consider making the barriers permanent a proposal that angered D.C. officials and some lawmakers. A fence didnt fail us on January 6th. Law enforcement leaders did, Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.) said in a statement Thursday night. I believe we can keep Members, press, staff, my constituents, and all those who work here safe without walling off the symbol of our democracy.Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) said Friday that he also thought permanent fencing would be an overreaction, saying it should not be a substitute for the difficult analysis of what went wrong. But Connolly said members need to have serious discussions about how to balance safety concerns in an evolving political climate, including with local law enforcement in their home jurisdictions. AdvertisementHe said Blodgetts security memo saddened him, but I think right now, prudence dictates that all of us be aware of security challenges and threats and take precautionary measures. . . . I dont want to be burdening anybody with fears about my security, but after what happened January 6th, I think its incumbent upon all of us to have those discussions in a way weve never had before.After the breach of the Capitol during which rioters called for the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence and tried to hunt down Pelosi House Democrats were briefed on a range of violent extremist plots targeting them ahead of the inauguration of President Biden. Republicans who did not endorse Trumps false claims of a stolen election, meanwhile, have been subject to threats and heckling from Trumps supporters, notably at airports. AdvertisementDays after the Capitol siege, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) who did not vote to object to electoral college votes on Jan. 6 was called a traitor and garbage human being by a woman at Reagan National Airport. You know it was rigged! she yelled, followed by a group of spectators. Its going to be like this forever, wherever you go for the rest of your life.Something similar happened to Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) as he traveled from Salt Lake City to Washington on Jan. 5. During his flight, a group of Trump supporters chanted Traitor! and called on him to resign because he refused to support Trumps false claims that he won the election. Blodgett on Thursday night said his office and Capitol Police strongly encourage members to develop relationships with their local airport police and with the Transportation Security Administration officials.GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: rights groups, the united nations and the u. s. government have identified it as a problem, often as simply denying kids from helping their families at the weekend or after school. ###DOCS: Child labor in palm oil industry tied to Girl Scout cookiesThey are two young girls from two very different worlds, linked by a global industry that exploits an army of children. Olivia Chaffin, a Girl Scout in rural Tennessee, was a top cookie seller in her troop when she first heard rainforests were being destroyed to make way for ever-expanding palm oil plantations. On one of those plantations a continent away, 10-year-old Ima helped harvest the fruit that makes its way into a dizzying array of products sold by leading Western food and cosmetics brands. Ima is among the estimated tens of thousands of children working alongside their parents in Indonesia and Malaysia, which supply 85% of the worlds most consumed vegetable oil. An Associated Press investigation found most earn little or no pay and are routinely exposed to toxic chemicals and other dangerous conditions. Some never go to school or learn to read and write. Others are smuggled across borders and left vulnerable to trafficking or sexual abuse. Many live in limbo with no citizenship and fear being swept up in police raids and thrown into detention. The AP used U.S. Customs records and the most recently published data from producers, traders and buyers to trace the fruits of their labor from the processing mills where palm kernels were crushed to the supply chains of many popular kids cereals, candies and ice creams sold by Nestle, Unilever, Kelloggs, PepsiCo and many other leading food companies, including Ferrero one of the two makers of Girl Scout cookies. Olivia, who earned a badge for selling more than 600 boxes of cookies, had spotted palm oil as an ingredient on the back of one of her packages but was relieved to see a green tree logo next to the words certified sustainable. She assumed that meant her Thin Mints and Tagalongs werent harming rainforests, orangutans or those harvesting the orange-red palm fruit. But later, the whip-smart 11-year-old saw the word mixed in all caps on the label and turned to the internet, quickly learning that it meant exactly what she feared: Sustainable palm oil had been blended with oil from unsustainable sources. To her, that meant the cookies she was peddling were tainted. Thousands of miles away in Indonesia, Ima led her class in math and dreamed of becoming a doctor. Then one day her father made her quit school because he needed help meeting the high company targets on the palm oil plantation where she was born. Instead of attending fourth grade, she squatted in the unrelenting heat, snatching up the loose kernels littering the ground and knowing if she missed even one, her familys pay would be cut. She sometimes worked 12 hours a day, wearing only flip flops and no gloves, crying when the fruits razor-sharp spikes bloodied her hands or when scorpions stung her fingers. The loads she carried, sometimes so heavy she would lose her footing, went to one of the very mills feeding into the supply chain of Olivias cookies. I am dreaming one day I can go back to school, she told the AP, tears rolling down her cheeks. Child labor has long been a dark stain on the $65 billion global palm oil industry. Though often denied or minimized as kids simply helping their families on weekends or after school, it has been identified as a problem by rights groups, the United Nations and the U.S. government. Scenes of a child gathering palm kernels. With little or no access to daycare, some young children follow their parents to the fields, where they come into contact with fertilizers and some pesticides that are banned in other countries. As they grow older, they push wheelbarrows heaped with fruit two or three times their weight. Some weed and prune the trees barefoot, while teen boys may harvest bunches large enough to crush them, slicing the fruit from lofty branches with sickle blades attached to long poles. In some cases, an entire family may earn less in a day than a $5 box of Girl Scout Do-si-dos. For 100 years, families have been stuck in a cycle of poverty and they know nothing else than work on a palm oil plantation, said Kartika Manurung, who has published reports detailing labor issues on Indonesian plantations. When I ... ask the kids what they want to be when they grow up, some of the girls say, I want to be the wife of a palm oil worker.The APs investigation into child labor is part of a broader in-depth look at the industry that also exposed rape , forced labor, trafficking and slavery. Reporters crisscrossed Malaysia and Indonesia, speaking to more than 130 current and former workers some two dozen of them child laborers at nearly 25 companies. Their locations are not being disclosed and only partial names or nicknames are being used due to fears of retribution. The AP found children working on plantations and corroborated accounts of abuse, whenever possible, by reviewing police reports and legal documents. Reporters also interviewed more than 100 activists, teachers, union leaders, government officials, researchers, lawyers and clergy, including some who helped victims of trafficking or sexual assault. ___This story was funded in part by the McGraw Center for Business Journalism at CUNYs Newmark Graduate School of Journalism___Indonesian government officials said they do not know how many children work in the countrys massive palm oil industry, either full or part time. But the U.N.s International Labor Organization has estimated 1.5 million children between 10 and 17 years old labor in its agricultural sector. Palm oil is one of the largest crops, employing some 16 million people. In much smaller neighboring Malaysia, a newly released government report estimated more than 33,000 children work in the industry there, many under hazardous conditions with nearly half of them between the ages of 5 and 11. The study was conducted in 2018 after the country was slammed by the U.S. government over the use of child labor, and it did not directly address the large number of migrant children without documents hidden on many plantations in its eastern states, some of whom have never seen the inside of a classroom. Many producers, Western buyers and banks belong to the 4,000-member Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, a global not-for-profit organization that provides a green stamp of approval to those committed to supplying, sourcing, financing or using palm oil thats been certified as ethically sourced. The RSPO has a system in place to address grievances, including labor abuse allegations. But of the nearly 100 complaints listed on its case tracker for the two Southeast Asian countries in the last decade, only a handful have mentioned children. It is an issue, and we know its an issue, said Dan Strechay, the RSPOs global outreach and engagement director, adding that the organization has started working with UNICEF and others to educate members about what constitutes child labor. Strechay said many parents in Indonesia and Malaysia believe its the cultural norm for their kids to work alongside family members, even if it means pulling them out of school. And thats not OK, he said. Palm oil is contained in roughly half the products on supermarket shelves and in almost three out of every four cosmetic brands, though that can be hard to discern since it appears on labels under more than 200 different names. And in a world where more and more consumers are demanding to know the provenance of the raw materials in the products they purchase, many companies are quick to issue assurances that they are committed to sustainable sourcing. But supply chains often are murky especially in the palm oil industry and developing countries that produce commodities in large volumes cheaply often do so by disregarding the environment and minimizing labor costs. Most people take words like organic, fair trade and sustainable at face value. But not Olivia. She became increasingly worried about palm oil, rifling through the kitchen cupboards in her familys century-old farmhouse in Jonesborough, Tennessee, to inspect the ingredients printed on cans and wrappers. Then she began digging through her shampoos and lotions, trying to make sense of the scientific-sounding names she saw there. Read more on AP's investigation: Fruits of LaborNow 14, Olivia has fired letters off to the head of Girl Scouts of the USA, demanding answers about how the palm oil is sourced for the organizations cookies. Shes started an online petition to get it removed. And she and some other members of Troop 543 have stopped selling them. The Girl Scouts did not respond to repeated requests for comment before the AP published its findings Tuesday. But after widespread criticism on social media, the organization sent out a tweet the next day calling on its bakers and the RSPO to take action. I thought Girl Scouts was supposed to be about making the world a better place, Olivia said. But this isnt at all making the world better.___Many kids are introduced to palm oil soon after theyre born its a primary fat in infant formula. And as they grow, its present in many of their favorite foods: Its in their Pop-Tarts and Capn Crunch cereal, Oreo cookies, KitKat candy bars, Magnum ice cream, doughnuts and even bubble gum. Let them enjoy it, said Abang, a skinny 14-year-old who dropped out of the fifth grade to help his father on an Indonesian plantation and has never tasted ice cream. He has accepted his own fate, but still dreams of a better future for his little brother. Let me work, just me, helping my father, Abang said. I want my brother to go back to school. ... I dont want him in the same difficult situation like me.Though many consumers arent familiar with it, palm oil became ubiquitous nearly two decades ago after warnings about health risks associated with trans fats. Almost overnight, food manufacturers began shifting to the highly versatile and cheap oil. Indonesia is the worlds largest palm oil producer and, with a population of 270 million, there is no shortage of strong backs. Many laborers migrate from the poorest corners of the country to take jobs that others shun, often bringing their wives and children as helpers in order to meet impossibly high daily quotas. Others have been living on the same plantations for generations, creating a built-in workforce when one harvester retires or dies, another in the family takes his place to hold onto company-subsidized housing, which often is a dilapidated shack with no running water and sometimes only limited electricity. Its a cycle that 15-year-old Jo was trying to break. Even though he had to help his family in the fields each day, heaving palm fruits high over his head and lobbing them onto trucks, his parents let him keep $6 a month to cover school fees so he could attend morning classes. I am determined to finish high school to find a job outside the plantation, said Jo, who toiled alongside his mother, father and grandfather. My parents are very poor. Why should I follow my parents?But for many migrant children in neighboring Malaysia which relies almost entirely on foreign workers to fill constant labor shortages the hurdles to a brighter life seem insurmountable. Male harvesters technically are not allowed to bring their families to plantations on Borneo island, which is shared by both countries. So children often follow behind, sometimes traveling alone on illicit smugglers routes known as jalan tikus, or rat roads. The perilous border crossings to the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak can take place at night, either on foot across winding jungle paths or in packed speed boats racing without lights, sometimes colliding or capsizing in the dark. An official estimate says 80,000 children of illegal migrants, mostly from Indonesia and the Philippines, are living in Sabah alone, but some rights groups say the true number could be nearly double that. Without birth certificates and with no path to citizenship, they are essentially stateless denied access to even the most basic rights, and at high risk of exploitation. Migrant workers without documents are often treated inhumanely in Malaysia, said Soes Hindharno, an official from Indonesias Manpower Ministry. He said he had not received any complaints about child labor occurring in his own country, but an official from the ministry that oversees women and childrens issues acknowledged it was an area of growing concern in Indonesia. Malaysias Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but Nageeb Wahab, head of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association, a government-supported umbrella group, called allegations of child labor very serious and urged complaints to be reported to authorities. Children of migrant parents grow up living in fear they will be separated from their families. They try to remain invisible to avoid attracting the ever-watchful eyes of police, with some keeping backpacks with supplies ready in case they need to flee their houses and sleep in the jungle to avoid raids. Many never leave their guarded plantations, some so remote that workers must climb hills to search for a phone signal. And for those who dare to go out, trouble can come quickly. Alex was 12 when he began working 10 hours a day on a small plantation with his father, hoisting fruits so heavy his aching muscles kept him awake at night. One day, he decided to sneak off to visit his favorite aunt in a nearby village. With no passport, Alex said authorities quickly found him and carted him off to a crowded immigration detention center where he was held for a month. There were hundreds of other people there, some my age, and also younger children, mostly with their mothers, he said. I was very afraid and kept thinking about how worried my mother and father must be. It made it hard to even eat or drink.But the biggest obstacles faced by Alex and other child workers in the two countries are lack of access to adequate, affordable education and medical care. Some companies in Indonesia provide rudimentary elementary schooling on plantations, but children who want to continue their studies may find they have to travel too far on poor roads or that they cant afford it. In Malaysia, the problem is even bigger: Without legal documents, tens of thousands of kids are not allowed to go to government schools at all. Its such an extensive problem that Indonesia has set up learning centers to help some of its children on plantations in the neighboring country, even sending in its own teachers. But with such heavy workloads on plantations, one instructor said he had to beg parents to let their sons and daughters come for even just a half-day of classes. And many children, especially those living in remote, hard-to-reach areas, still have no access to any type of education. Why arent companies playing a role in setting up schools in collaboration with the government? asked Glorene Das, executive director of Tenaganita, a Malaysian nonprofit group concentrating on migrant issues for more than two decades. Why are they encouraging the children to work instead?Medical care also is woeful, with experts saying poor nutrition and daily exposure to toxic chemicals are undermining child laborers health and development. Many Indonesian plantations have their own basic clinics, but access may be available only to full-time workers. Travel to a private doctor or hospital can take hours, and most families cannot afford outside care. Migrant children without documents in Malaysia have no right to health care and often are too scared to seek medical help in villages or cities even in life-threatening emergencies. Many young palm oil workers also have little understanding about reproductive health. Girls working on remote plantations are vulnerable to sexual abuse, and teen pregnancies and marriages are common. Ana was just 13 when she first arrived in Malaysia, quickly learning, as she put it, that anything can happen to the female workers there. She said she was raped and forced to marry her attacker, but eventually managed to break free after years of abuse and return home to start a new life. Now a mother with kids of her own, she abruptly left Indonesia last year again to look for work in Malaysia. Many children do not have the option to ever leave. They are born on plantations, work there and sometimes die there. Overgrown headstones and crosses marking graves in crude cemeteries are found on some plantations near the towering palm trees. Others, like 48-year-old Annas husband, are buried in community graveyards along the Indonesian and Malaysian border. A month after the palm oil harvesters death, Anna lovingly tended his plot at the Christian site in Sabah, crammed with the bodies of hundreds of other migrants. She said her son, whose own newborn baby was buried in the adjacent grave, had inherited his fathers job. He is the familys main breadwinner now. The cycle continues. ___Olivia is not the first Girl Scout to raise questions about the way palm oil makes its way into the beloved American cookies. More than a decade ago, two girls in a Michigan troop stopped selling them because they worried palm oils expansion in Indonesia and Malaysia was destroying rainforests and killing endangered animals like orangutans. After they campaigned for several years, the Girl Scouts of the USA became an affiliate member of the RSPO and agreed to start using sustainable palm oil, adding the green tree logo to its roughly 200 million boxes of cookies, which bring in nearly $800 million annually. The RSPO was created with the best of intentions and it attempts to factor in the interests of a wide array of groups, including environmental organizations, industry leaders and banks. Its mission was not to flip a switch overnight, but to encourage the mammoth palm oil industry to evolve after years of breakneck growth and little outside oversight. Still, for many food and cosmetic companies facing increased pressure from conscientious consumers, the RSPOs stamp of approval has become the go-to answer when questions are raised about their commitments to sustainability. Monitoring the millions of workers hidden beneath palms covering an area equal to roughly the size of New Zealand, however, is next to impossible. Some women and children on remote, sprawling plantations told the AP and labor rights groups that they are ordered to hide or stay home when sustainability auditors visit. They said only the optimal, easiest-to-reach parts of a plantation are typically showcased, with poor living and working conditions in distant areas hidden from outside eyes. The RSPO promises sustainable palm oil. But it doesnt mean that that palm oil is free of child labor or other abuses, said Robin Averbeck of the Rainforest Action Network, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that has found pervasive problems on plantations, including those certified as sustainable. It has simply become a tool for greenwashing.When contacted by the AP, companies reaffirmed their support of human rights for all workers, with some noting they rely on their suppliers to meet industry standards and abide by local laws. If evidence of wrongdoing is found, some said they would immediately cut ties with producers. We aim to prevent and address the issue of child labor wherever it occurs in our supply chain, said Nestle, maker of KitKat candy bars. Unilever the worlds biggest ice-cream maker, including Magnum noted that its suppliers must not, under any circumstance, employ individuals under the age of 15 or under the local legal minimum age for work or mandatory schooling. There was no response from Mondelez, which owns Oreo cookies, or Capn Crunch parent company PepsiCo. Consumers have their own challenges in trying to buy responsibly. Those, like Olivia, who want to make sense of where their palm oil really comes from often find themselves confused, since the dense terms used to explain what makes palm oil sustainable can sometimes raise even more questions. Take Girls Scout cookies, for instance, which are made by two different U.S. bakersBoxes from both are stamped with green palm logos. The maker of Olivias cookies, Little Brownie Bakers in Kentucky, has the word mixed beside the tree, meaning as little as 1 percent of the palm oil might be certified sustainable. ABC Bakers in Virginia says credits, which means money is going toward promoting sustainable production. The bakers parent companies Italian confectionary brand Ferrero and Canadian-based Weston Foods would not comment on the issue of child labor, but both said they were committed to sourcing only certified sustainable palm oil. Weston Foods, which owns ABC Bakers, would not provide any information about its palm oil suppliers, citing proprietary reasons, so the AP could not determine if its supply chain was tainted. Palm oil, the highest-yielding vegetable oil, is an important part of the two Southeast Asian countries economies and the governments bristle at any form of criticism, saying the industry plays an important role in alleviating poverty. They have banned products touted as palm oil-free from supermarket shelves and created slogans calling the crop Gods gift. And when students at an international school in Malaysia were criticized last year for staging a play questioning the industrys effect on the environment, school administrators responded with an apology. Back in Indonesia, Ima could give a very different classroom presentation about palm oil, but she has no chance. She continues to toil full time on the plantation alongside her family, even though her mother had promised she eventually could resume her studies. Sometimes my friends ask me, Why did you drop out? Why are you not at school? Ima said, her resentment readily apparent. Because I have to help my father. If you want to replace me and help my father, then I will go to school. How about that?After learning about Ima, Olivia is even more determined to fight on. She had previously sent letters to her customers explaining her reasons for no longer selling Girl Scout cookies, and many responded by donating money to her Southern Appalachian troop to show support. Now, Olivia is asking Girl Scouts across the country to band with her, saying, The cookies deceive a lot of people. They think its sustainable, but it isnt. Im not just some little girl who cant do anything about this, she said. Children can make change in the world. And were going to.___This story has been edited to remove an erroneous reference to Girl Scouts selling Smores more than a decade ago. Child labor in parts of Asia fuels the palm oil industry and the corporate products that depend on it including some varieties of Girl Scout Cookies, according to the Associated Press. The massive $65 billion sector relies on palm oil plantations in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, where entire families often work backbreaking 12-hour days for minimal pay, the AP found. The outlet estimated that tens of thousands of child laborers work in the industry in the two nations and are often forced to forgo their educations to do so. The worlds most-consumed vegetable oil is used in a wide variety of foods produced by companies like Kelloggs, Nestle, Pepsi and Unilever, according to the AP. Ferrero, one of two firms that produce wildly popular Girl Scout Cookies, also uses palm oil, the report found. In addition to long hours and scant pay, children on palm plantations are often exposed to toxic chemicals and can be vulnerable to smuggling and sex trafficking, the AP said. In some cases, an entire family may earn less in a day than a $5 box of Girl Scout Do-si-dos, the report stated. Poverty-stricken kids often follow their families into the palm oil fields in order to bolster their meager income. Doing so frequently makes schooling impossible. The AP reported that the substance is used in about half of all products on supermarket shelves and in most cosmetic brands. The outlet contacted several companies that use palm oil to press them about the prevalence of child labor in its production. Several responded by saying they rely on suppliers to not run afoul of standards and local laws. Some pledged to sever relations with any producers found in violation.

###CLAIM: actually, shortly after i received the dm i received some photos from fans who spotted luke and lucie together in cornwall. ###DOCS: Lucie Donlan and Luke Mabbott shared the online abuse they've received from trolls after his ex-girlfriend Demi Jones claimed he cheated on her during their four-month relationship. The surfer, 22, and the former heating engineer, 25, took to their Instagram Stories on Monday to highlight offensive comments they've been met with from trolls, with some branding the couple 's****'. The Love Island stars, who appeared on the show in 2019 and 2020 respectively, urged their followers to 'be the solution, not the problem' as they spoke about the effects of the harsh criticism on their mental health. 'Be the solution, not the problem': Lucie Donlan and Luke Mabbott shared the online abuse they've received after his ex Demi Jones claimed he cheated on her during their romanceOriginally shared to Luke's account, the media personality wrote: 'Deleted message when he found out I was going to post. What a shocking comment. 'Just a hand full of all the stuff we get daily. Mental health is huge right now!! Come on guys. BE THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM.' (sic)But the reality TV star did not stop there and also shared another Instagram post addressing the online abuse directed at him and Lucie. He cryptically penned: 'We see every comment, every message. 'My parents always said: if you have nothing nice to say dont say it at all. Being nice costs nothing'BE THE SO SOLUTION, NOT THE PROBLEM.' The hunk told his side of the story and accused his former partner of attempting to fake their romance for the sake of her clothing brand launch. She said on Youtube: 'So we were all happy, we came out of the villa, we came third which was absolutely amazing, we were all caught up in the Love Island craziness. 'Then we had two weeks worth of freedom, it was red carpets, it was events, and then Covid-19 happened and we were pushed into lockdown. 'As time went on over lockdown, I wasn't really getting my energy reciprocated so I was getting left on read quite frequently, I wasn't really getting any phone calls, texts or nothing.' Their blossoming bond was captured on the 2020 winter series of Love Island, but cracks started to appear when they tried to maintain a long-distance relationship at the start of the pandemic. She continued: 'I was thinking "it's lockdown so surely you're more likely to be on your phone and making an effort?" So I knew in my heart that something wasn't right, it wasn't really working. 'I did say to him on numerous occasions, "how do you feel, do you want to continue this?" And he said he did and he wanted to meet up with me when lockdown finished and I was quite satisfied with that.' As Demi lives in Portsmouth and Luke is based in Redcar, North Yorkshire, she thought it was the distance between them that ended the romance. But as the North Yorkshire native travelled across the country to embark on a relationship with Lucie, the auburn-haired beauty began to think there was more to the story. She added: 'And then all of a sudden, he rang me out of the blue and was like "I need to end it, I need to end it now." It was quite sudden which I was quite taken aback by, and it then all came out in the press very quickly. Oh no: Their bond was captured on the 2020 series of Love Island, but cracks started to appear when they tried to maintain a long-distance relationship during the pandemic'Very shortly after, I actually received some photos via my DM from a fan that had spotted Luke and Lucie in Cornwall together. I actually never told Luke this because I didn't want beef but I saw it and this was literally less than two weeks after the public breakup. 'I went back and went through all of Lucie's profile to see if there was anything on there to see that they are together, and I noticed all of these cryptic captions with loads of "shhh" emojis and about getting butterflies and secret eyes. 'I put two and two together and obviously they must have started talking during lockdown. He then obviously wanted to meet up with her or maybe was already meeting up with her, I don't know, and that's why he suddenly wanted to cut it [with me].' Luke hastily fired back on his Instagram story as he gave his own account of their separation and denied cheating. Investigating: According to Demi, she received photos from a fan of Lucie and Luke together in Cornwall just two weeks after their public breakup and cryptic captions on Lucie's profileHe said: 'This is like seven months down the line, I'm happy, she's [Demi's] dating other people and I don't see why it needs to get brought up again, but I'm going to tell you my story. 'So basically we came out of the villa, she did as well. We weren't talking for about a week and I thought to myself "I need to do something, I'm not happy" so I'm going to ring her. 'So it wasn't out of the blue, we didn't talk for a week and I thought I need to ring her and explain that we're not going to persue any further, which I did, and she said "can you wait three weeks for my clothing brand to launch to get publicity around it."' Shock! The TV star revealed that a close friend leaked his split with Demi to the press after they tried to keep up their relationship in the public eye for the sake of her clothing launchHe explained the situation: 'I was thinking "my feelings come first," I wasn't too happy about it but I did say yes, and obviously I was talking to my mates [about Demi]... and it got leaked by someone, and she wasn't very happy. 'So me and Demi split on May 29 and that's when Lucie checked in with me a couple of days after or a week after, to see if I was single and then we went on a date June 17, which wasn't in Cornwall.' Luke continued to completely deny meeting Lucie while they were an item, as he hoped to end his drama Demi, once and for all. He concluded: 'I don't know where she's got Cornwall [from]. If there were images, they would have been leaked to the press I'm sure, so I don't know where that came from, and then we [Lucie] started going out in July and that's pretty much it. 'I would just like to squish it now... I hope everyone can get on with their lives because me and Lucie have never been happier.'

###CLAIM: the fbi has already warned of plans in washington and all 50 state capitals for armed protests in the run-up to the inauguration, including a separate plot to attack the capitol. ###DOCS: AdvertisementSecurity measures are intensifying in Washington DC with razor wire now installed on anti-climb fences outside the Capitol and the National Mall set to be closed off during Joe Biden's inauguration - as the FBI warns police chiefs across the US to be on 'high alert' for extremist activity. Authorities continued to erect fences, set up road blocks and boarded up building across much of downtown DC on Thursday in a bid to fortify the capital ahead of next week's inauguration. Banning access to the National Mall, which is where crowds usually gather during inaugurations, is the latest security measure to be announced, sources say. Access to the Capitol grounds and Washington Monument is already prohibited. A spokesman for the National Park Service, who oversees the National Mall, said an official announcement would be made by the Secret Service when a decision had been made. It is not yet clear when the National Mall will be blocked off. The move comes as security continues to intensify in DC with up to 20,000 National Guard troops being called in to protect and fortify the capital and law enforcement on heightened alert over possible armed protests and attacks. A dire bulletin put out by the National Counterterrorism Center and the Justice and Homeland Security Departments on Wednesday warned of threats from armed militia groups and racist extremists. It did not detail specific plots to target next week's inauguration but warned that extremists largely viewed the violent breach of the Capitol as a success. Further perimeters and additional road closures are expected in the coming days. Access to all roads, parking garages and loading docks - including residential and commercial building - in the White House perimeter will be banned from Thursday morningThe joint intelligence bulletin, obtained by the New York Times, said extremists 'may exploit the aftermath of the Capitol breach by conducting attacks to destabilize and force a climactic conflict in the United States'. The warning has been sent out to law enforcement agencies across the country. The FBI has already warned of armed protests being planned in Washington and all 50 state capitals in the run-up to the inauguration, including three separate plots to attack the Capitol. In a call with thousands of police chiefs across the country on Wednesday, the FBI also urged law enforcement to be on high alert for any extremist activity and to share any intelligence they come across. The FBI said it was closely monitoring online activity related to planned plots and extremists but urged local law enforcement to be aware of lone wolf attacks, as well as violence planned by larger groups. Federal authorities warned in the bulletin that extremists have been roused by the death of military veteran Ashli Babbit, who was fatally shot by police after storming the Capitol. The bulletin warned that Babbit's death could be considered 'an act of martyrdom' by some extremists in their plots to target the inauguration. The bulletin said it was possible some extremists and militia groups believed 'violent action is necessary' because there 'is no political solution to address their grievances' given the false narrative of a stolen election that has been peddled by President Trump. Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton told NBC's Today that he would be more concerned about lone wolf militant attacks rather than plots involving larger groups. He warned that states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Minnesota were at higher risk of local attacks because of the less strict gun laws and militia history. 'I'd be more concerned about what you don't see in terms of serious militant type who'd try to upset this event rather than the large crowds we saw on January 6. But, thankfully the law enforcement officials are united this time,' Bratton said. It comes as the National Guard, who descended on Washington DC in the aftermath of the Capitol siege, were told to prepare for the possibility that those plotting inauguration attacks will be using improvised explosive devices and be heavily armed. The troops were briefed on the IED threats after pipe bombs were uncovered in the aftermath of last week's deadly siege on the US Capitol, sources told Politico. A total of 20,000 National Guardsman have now been authorized to descend on Washington to help safeguard the capital ahead of Biden's inauguration. There are already 6,200 troops on the ground in DC and at least 10,000 will be in place by Saturday. The FBI is warning police chiefs across the US to be on 'high alert' for extremist activity because the deadly siege on the Capitol will be a 'significant driver of violence' during Joe Biden's inauguration. Members of the Military Police are pictured assembling in DC on Thursday morningA member of the Military Police stands besides equipment in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on ThursdayMembers of the Military Police are pictured sleeping in the Dirksen Senate Office on Thursday morningThe troops have now been cleared to carry handguns and rifles after previously only been authorized to carry protective equipment. National Guard members operate under strict rules of engagement on the use of force. It is not yet clear how many Guardsman will be armed. The troops, thousands of other law enforcement officers and layers of eight-foot, anti-climb steel fencing are among the reinforcements being used to fortify DC a week out from the inauguration in a bid to protect the capital from any violence. The Secret Service is now in charge of inauguration security preparations with the FBI, National Guard, US Marshals Service, local law enforcement and other federal agencies now falling under their command. The increased security measures are being implemented days earlier than scheduled as a direct result of the Capitol siege and the planned plots subsequently uncovered by authorities. Police vehicles sealed off a huge swath of downtown DC on Wednesday, causing immediate traffic snarls. The public is banned from entering the Capitol grounds and access to the Washington Monument is now prohibited for the next two weeks due to ongoing threats. Starting from Wednesday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said that anyone inside the inauguration perimeter might be stopped and questioned. From Friday, all parking garages in the downtown restricted zone will be sealed until after the inauguration. 'Clearly we are in uncharted waters,' Bowser said, adding that last week's attack had 'impacted the way we are approaching working with our federal partners in planning for the 59th inauguration'. It comes after law enforcement faced intense scrutiny in the wake of the Capitol siege. While Capitol Police have faced the majority of criticism, it has since emerged that the FBI and DHS did not do a formal threat assessment before the riots despite being aware of potential threats. Starting from Wednesday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said that anyone inside the inauguration perimeter might be stopped and questioned. Some are sharing knowledge of how to make, conceal and use homemade guns and bombs in advance of the inauguration. The messages are being posted in Telegram chatrooms where white supremacist content has been freely shared for months, but chatter on these channels has increased since extremists have been forced off other platforms. A US Army field manual and calls to 'shoot politicians' and 'encourage armed struggle' have been posted in a Telegram channel that uses 'fascist' in its name. Facebook has also reported seeing an increase in signals indicating potential acts of violence associated with efforts to contest the result of election since the Capitol siege last week. A company spokeswoman said the Capitol siege appeared to be a galvanizing event, spawning efforts to organize gatherings across the country for multiple dates around the inauguration. Signals Facebook tracked included digital flyers promoting the events, some of them featuring calls to arms or the insignia of militias or hate groups. Facebook has banned content promoting the phrase 'stop the steal,' which has become a rallying cry at armed pro-Trump protests. The company was also blocking searches for 'storm the Capitol' and flagging posts that include those phrases for further review, the spokeswoman said. Authorities have already spoken of three separate plots to attack the Capitol ahead of the inauguration, including an 'organized group' of 4,000 people who are planning to prevent Democrats from entering the Capitol. In a closed-door briefing this week, law enforcement informed lawmakers of that plot and said they are following a published 'rules of engagement' on when to shoot and start taking more serious action. Another protest is being planned in honor of Ashli Babbitt, the USAF veteran who was shot at point blank range by a police officer as she tried to clamber into the Speaker's Lobby during the Trump mob's siege. An FBI internal memo warned of a group that was calling for the 'storming' of state, local and federal government buildings, as well as court houses if Trump is removed from office. It is not yet clear how many other plots law enforcement are already aware of.

###CLAIM: this article was adapted from a comment made by tucker and carlson on the 21st of june, 2021, on the "tucker & carlson: tonight" edition. ###DOCS: This is a rush transcript from "Tucker Carlson Tonight" June 21, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS HOST: Good evening and welcome to TUCKER CARLSONTONIGHT. Happy Monday. It was a year ago this month -- we checked the calendar -- that aUniversity of Chicago Economics Professor called Harald Uhlig questioned inpublic the wisdom of defunding the police. Now, Uhlig is German by birth,he is a macroeconomist by trade, so he is a fairly rational person, it'shis job. And it struck Harald Uhlig that maybe a functional society might want tohave police around so that say old ladies don't get beaten up on the way tothe grocery store, and fewer people get shot to death, less rapes. Youknow, the basics. That seemed reasonable to him. Unfortunately, for Harald Uhlig, in the weeks right after George Floyd'sdeath extending to the present day, rational thinking of any kind has beenprohibited by law. Nothing that is true can be said out loud. The truer itis, the more forbidden it is. So, in Uhlig's case, the Federal Reserve of Chicago promptly fired him fromhis job as an advisor, then they went online to attack him and his supportfor the police as quote, "not compatible with our commitment to diversity,equity, and inclusion." All of which require no police apparently. Then the University of Chicago, his employer began an investigation intoHarald Uhlig's racial views, which went on for some time. Then JanetYellen, then the Chairman of the Fed; now, the Secretary of the Treasurydenounced Uhlig effectively as a racist. Everybody did. "Defund the police, we'll be safer if we do." That's whatthey were saying a year ago, everyone in charge. It was lunacy. And precisely because it was lunacy, no one was allowed to disagree withit. Here is the formula. The more self-evidently absurd a statement is, themore clearly untrue, the more viciously they have to attack anyone whopoints out that it is untrue, who dissents. Trans-women are women. January 6 was an insurrection. Defund the police. It's childish. It's all so ridiculous and no sane person believes a word ofit. But until the fever of the moment passes, most people who have no powerfeel obligated to play along with whatever orthodoxy it is until realityre-emerges as inevitably it does because you can't beat nature. In the case of crime, that may be happening no. The White House announcedtoday that on Wednesday of this week, Joe Biden will outline a new plan tofight rising crime rates -- which are skyrocketing -- and the body countsthat accompany them. Now, we haven't seen the plan. We can't know what's init. The White House won't tell us. But we do have two fairly informed guesses for what we're going to discoveron Wednesday. First, there will be no apologies. You will not hear JoeBiden beg forgiveness from the thousands of families whose loved ones havebeen killed by the Democratic Party's nihilistic embrace of crime anddisorder. "Looting as reparations. You go looters." They should apologizefor that, they never will. The left's ideology destroyed America's cities, but they will never underany circumstances admit that -- ever. Instead, they will blame you. That'sguaranteed. Our second guess is this. Whatever Democrats propose to fix the problemsthat they created, will in the end make them more powerful. See how thatworks? They create a problem and the solution empowers them. That's alwaysthe way it goes. So, with that in mind, we expect Joe Biden to remind us on Wednesday whothe real criminals are, who the threat is. People who didn't vote for JoeBiden, whereas Joe Biden himself puts it, white supremacists. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've taken steps toacknowledge and address systemic racism and the scourge of white supremacyin our own country. Yes, forced us to confront systemic racism and white supremacy. It's justbeen weeks since all America witnessed a group of thugs, insurrectionists,how political extremists and white supremacist violently attacked thecapital of our democracy. I believe we're in a battle for the soul of this nation and the simpletruth is, our soul will be troubled as long as systemic racism is allowedto persist. (END VIDEO CLIP)CARLSON: Yes, white supremacy is America's biggest problem. As we've notedmany times before, we still don't know despite fervent and sincere effortsto find out what a white supremacist is. The White House has not told us. They have refused. So, as of tonight, that remains a term without definition. By the way, ifyou've got a definition, send it to us. We'll read it on the air. But they don't need a definition. They keep screaming, "It's the greatestthreat we face," so because we're highly literal on this show, we believein language, we went searching for the numbers. Are there numbers to provethat? Because there are numbers on everything. Well, they are busy tryingto create those numbers now. But for the moment here's what we've got. Researchers at the University ofMaryland run something called the Global Terrorism Database. Some of thedata they produce are clearly highly political. For example, they count theParkland School shooting as an act of white supremacist violence, itwasn't. There is no evidence that it was. How could you say that? But theysay it anyway. So, the numbers they have are inflated and yet, the researchers at theUniversity of Maryland could find fewer than 70 people in the entirecountry who died from white supremacist violence over the entire periodbetween 2015 and 2019. How many people is that? Well, of course it's too many. Any death is toomany, but for some perspective, more people die in this country every yearfrom lightning strikes -- literally. Look it up. So, no, white supremacist violence, bad as it may be is not a major threat. It is not even on the list, actually. What's at the top of the list? Well, let's see. Crime. Crime tops the list. There's no second place on that list. In the year 2019 alone, there were more than 10, 000 arrests for murder inthis country. By the way, more murders than that, but 10,000 were arrested. Just in 2020, last year, more than 750 people were murdered just in theCity of Chicago, 750, and we can say, not that anyone is asking, but incase you're wondering, with some confidence that the overwhelming majorityof those suspects in the City of Chicago were not practicing whitesupremacists or members of QAnons. How do we know this? Well an informed guessed, but in some cases, there isvideo. For example, this show has obtained exclusive surveillance footage of ashooting that took place this weekend, a horrifying shooting, on thenorthwest side of Chicago. This one took place right after a Puerto RicanDay Parade there. You may have seen an abbreviated version of this clip on social mediatoday. We have the full version, it's on your screen as we speak. It istaken directly from a closed-circuit television camera in the City ofChicago. Now as you watch this, ask yourself: what country is that? It's America. It's not some third world hellhole. It's not Haiti. It's a major street inyour third largest city. So, a couple with a Puerto Rican flag waving from their car, apparentlyminding their own business, ambushed by a mob, dragged from the car andshot execution style right in the middle of the road. The men who shootthem take off, and then maybe the worst part, the victims just lie therebleeding because nobody comes to help. Again, what country is this? Who is running it? And why haven't we broughtthose people up on felony neglect charges? They deserve it. If we accept a country where things like this happen, then we are thesavages. We should not accept it. Joe Biden does, though. He hasn't said aword about that shooting and he won't because there are no whitesupremacists to blame. It's one crime he'll never mention. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Here is a Podcam video of the horrificaltercation. The brother who didn't want to be identified says his brotherhad rear-ended a parked car. After that, a group of up to six men inside ofthat car jumped out, started attacking them, and also throwing up gangsigns. Twenty-four-year-old Gyovanni Arzuaga was shot in the head, hip, and thigh. He died at Saint Mary's Hospital. His wife, 23-year-old Yasmin Perez wasshot in the neck and remains in critical condition. (END VIDEO CLIP)CARLSON: Shot in the neck and just laid there with no one helping. Butthat wasn't the only shooting this weekend in Chicago, far from it. InChicago, a city by the way that just banned its own police from chasingsuspects on foot, in all, 54 people were shot in Chicago this weekend. And it wasn't just happening there. Chicago gets a lot of attention, butit's not constrained to Chicago. In New York where the geniuses alsodefunded the police, surveillance footage shows two children were nearlyshot to death on Thursday in the middle of an attempted murder, in themiddle of the day. Watch this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): This disturbing surveillance video showsa gunman firing his weapon at a 24-year-old man inches away from two youngchildren, brother and sister ages 10 and five. It happened in broaddaylight, Thursday. The kids were walking to this bodega before they were caught in the middleof this. At one point, you can see the sister trying to shield her youngerbrother with her own body. (END VIDEO CLIP)CARLSON: So, normal people watching that would say to themselves,"Whatever we're doing, we have to change. You can't have things like this." Innocent people are getting killed, even guilty people are getting killed. People getting killed flat out, and we can't have that because we're acivilized society. This is a decent nation and the one thing you can'tallow is that, and yet that's not the conclusion they're reaching. By the way, new polling -- there's a mayor's race going on in the City ofNew York right now. The primary is tomorrow, which in effect is theelection, because it's a democratically controlled city. Fewer than 20percent of New Yorkers would like to see fewer cops on the street, so mostpeople aren't for this at all because it's insane, but the people in chargeapparently haven't noticed. So now, New York may change its approach even further in the wrongdirection. Just days ago, officials in the city announced they weredropping charges against hundreds of rioters and looters who were arrestedlast year. So, you wreck the city and you're not punished. It is scary, but it's not as scary as the attitudes on display in thisclip. This really gets you asking deep questions about the future of thecountry. This is from Oakland, CaliforniaNow, several people were shot, one died during Juneteenth celebrations thisweekend. That's bad, but the worst part is how people in the neighborhoodreacted. They didn't seem bothered at all. Here's how they responded to theambulance when it arrived. [VIDEO CLIP PLAYS]CARLSON: Last week, we showed you footage of people in Chicago dancing ona police cruiser and now we have this, sociopaths and that is the word forthem, celebrating a shooting by twerking. What kind of society producespeople like that? Who would behave like that? Do you know anyone who wouldbehave like that? When you see people behave like that, you have to ask yourself, what arewe, as a society, doing wrong? Is it no fathers? Is it the schools? Whoknows what the answer is, but if we're not trying to find the answer, thenwe are going to be guaranteed more of it. Anyone who'd celebrate a shooting is not someone you want to share acountry with, so we should fix that. Is there a more important task? Probably not. But it's completely ignored. Instead our irresponsible, low IQ political leaders patronize us with thesame mindless talking points, the same talk about gun control, and assaultweapons like AR-15s are the problem, and not our political class, which isclearly the problem. Here for example, we can show you many examples, but here is just one. Thisis the Mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot featured in a local news report. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): Tuesday, little Kayden Swann was shot onLake Shore Drive, 18 others were shot, five of them died. Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said part of the crime issue is guncontrol. MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT (D), CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: If you can go over the borderin Indiana and literally buy military grade weapons with any -- at anyquantity. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice over): CPD numbers show that crime is up. Around this time last year, there were 521 people shot. Now, that number is743. (END VIDEO CLIP)CARLSON: It's tiresome even to repeat it, but again because we are literaland connected to physical reality, we feel honor-bound to tell you oncemore something that Lori Lightfoot, of course, knows herself -- virtuallyevery gun crime in the City of Chicago is committed with a handgun, notwith an AR-15. Virtually no crimes nationwide are committed with assaultweapons. So, why is she focused on assault weapons? Well, because the people who ownassault weapons don't live in Chicago and didn't vote for her. So, she'd behappy to disarm them and the Biden administration of course feels the sameway. That's why in March, the White House's lawyers argued before theSupreme Court of the United States in a development that did not get theattention it deserved that police should be able to enter the homes of law-abiding American citizens and seize their firearms without a warrant. Nojudge involved, neither any finding of mental impairment or threat ofviolence, nor any of that. In other words, your means of self-defense belong to the Bidenadministration. Right? This will not solve crime, it will only disarm you. The real problems herehave nothing to do with the weapons used and nothing to do with the race ofthe people committing the crimes. It's not a black person problem, it's nota white person problem. It's not white supremacy, it's not black supremacy. It is bad leadership by the people in charge and it's on display all aroundus. Prosecutors, many of them funded by one man, George Soros refusing toenforce the law, and the results are immediate. In the City ofPhiladelphia, for example, where George Soros helped elect Larry Krasner asthe DA, arrests are hitting record levels, but convictions are dropping. Inother words, the cops are doing their part and the prosecutors are refusingto do theirs. Result: the city is now on pace to far exceed its murder ratefrom 30 years ago, 1990 was the previous high, they're about to beat it. So, what happens when prosecutors do enforce the law and use it to targetthe people committing crimes? Well, that's the way the country used towork, and by the way it works, and we have new academic research tonight toshow that. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton found that gangtakedowns by cops explain nearly a quarter of all reduction in so-calledgun violence in housing projects in New York City after 2011. In otherwords, you go after the people you know are committing the crimes and thenyou've got a lot less crime. The gangs are committing the crimes in these cities, particularly inChicago, so if Joe Biden was serious about protecting children from beingmurdered on the street or people at the Puerto Rican Day Parade fromgetting killed next to their car, he would go after the gangs. Oh, but heis probably not going to do that on Wednesday. He is also not going to say a word about prosecutors like Larry Krasnerfunded by his friend, George Soros, call on them to enforce the law, no. Wealso don't think he is going to call on criminals to stop twerking onambulances in Oakland or police cars in Chicago. Those are Biden voters. The people Joe Biden is going to target on Wednesday are the ones who don'tsupport him and live far from the collapsing cities. In other words, it'syour fault. He will tell you that. You watch. Ray Stevens is a radio show host in the City of Chicago. We're happy tohave him on with us tonight. Ray, thanks so much for coming on. So, it seems like and I don't live in Chicago, but it's true in almostevery city that the overwhelming majority of violent crime is committed bya very small number of people who the police can identify. Is that true inChicago? And if so, why aren't they doing something about it? RAY STEVENS, CHICAGO RADIO SHOW HOST: Well, it absolutely is true, andhere is the frustrating part. I work with a lot of outreach programs. We gointo the cities, Tucker. We go into some of the hardest core cities withthe biggest crime rates and we do clean-up projects. We go and we wantpeople to know that maybe somebody that doesn't look like them is here tohelp. And when they see us, they're happy. They are glad that we're there. The problem happens at night when things get crazy and it just gets out ofcontrol, and the problem is, most people are good. They want to live theirlives. They want their kids to be able to go to school in a zone where theydon't have to walk through a safe zone, but the problem is, it's such asmall amount. And this is what's maddening, it's a small amount of people in theserelatively good neighborhoods where moms and kids and dads just want tolive and they can't because of these gangs that you just mentioned. CARLSON: So, how is it liberation to allow armed gangs to control thestreets? Like who benefits from this exactly? Why is the City of Chicagoputting up with it? STEVENS: If you were to ask me, my conjecture would be this. You mentionedthis earlier when you were just speaking and that is, it is that, there arepoliticians and all they want to do is pander for the vote. They want topander because they know who is going to get them elected. If they talk about a Hispanic boy that was 13 years old and he was a goodboy and he was shot, although he happened to be a Latin King, see thatdoesn't that wash well with their constituents. There is a guy named Raymond Lopez, and Tucker, I know you're aware of him. He is the only guy in my estimation in one of the hardest hit neighborhoodsin Chicago that will call out the activity, say what needs to be said andthen he gets, you know, castrated for it because he is speaking the truth. And it's maddening because every Monday, we're going to sit back, we'regoing to do shows like this, and moms are going to cry, kids are going todie, the pastors that I work with, they need a mental health break becausethere's just so much going on. CARLSON: That's awful. It is shocking, actually. And I agree with you onRaymond Lopez. Great leader. Ray Stevens, thank you. STEVENS: Thank you, Tucker. CARLSON: Our old friend, Candace Owens is the host of "Candace." She joinsus now. Candace, thanks so much for coming on. So, Joe Biden's party has -- I mean, they didn't create crime. Crime is afeature of human nature, but they have made possible this terrifying jumpin crime rates and murder rates, and now, they're going to, quote "solvethe problem." What are the chances their solutions make them more powerful? CANDACE OWENS, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: One hundred percent. The chances areone hundred percent of the solutions are going to make them more powerful. Look, I'll say and I'll spell it out plainly. The United States governmentat this point is engaged in criminality. There's really no other way to sayit. They know exactly what they're doing. They are using black people andracism as pawns to distract people from what's actually going on, which isour government has increased its power exponentially over the last twoyears. I mean, COVID-19, they've extended their powers into telling you when youcan open your businesses, when you can breathe, literally, when you canbreathe, right? COVID-19, among other things will be remembered as one ofthe greatest wealth transfers of the government to itself, right? CARLSON: That's right. OWENS: Taking our taxpayer dollars and giving themselves trillions upontrillions. You bring up Lori Lightfoot. This is a woman who just decided that she isgoing to use COVID-19 funds. She is going to transfer $10 million of thosedollars, Tucker, to explore a public health crisis that is racism. Whatdoes it even mean? I'll tell you what it means. It means that there isgoing to be more government, right? They are going to employ more people. CARLSON: Man, that was about the crispest summation I've heard in a longtime of a very complex issue and every word of it true, in my view. CandaceOwens, thanks so much for coming on tonight. Thank you. OWENS: Thank you. CARLSON: So, schools across the country are forcing students to take theCOVID-19 vaccine even though there is growing evidence that for youngpeople particularly young people who have been infected and recovered fromCOVID. That is bad medicine, and it can be dangerous. Now, some parents and some students are fighting back in court. We'll giveyou an update on their progress just ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)CARLSON: So, the World Health Organization, we think they are corrupt, butthe people in charge revere the World Health Organization. We have tofollow their directives, we've heard that for a year and a half now. Here'san interesting point in light of that. W.H.O. is now saying that kids under the age of 18, young people, shouldnot take the coronavirus vaccine because the risks outweigh the benefits. What are some of those risks? Well, researchers in Israel have found thatthe COVID vaccine could increase the risk of potentially fatal heartinflammation in young people by as much as 25 times. And it's also clear that people who have been infected with the coronavirusand recover do not need to take the vaccine in many cases because theirantibody levels will protect them naturally, and yet, despite the mountingevidence that there could in fact be profoundly negative consequences toforcing students to take the vaccine, colleges are doing it across thecountry. And people feel like they have no choice. They're not going to commit afelony by getting a fake vaccine card, though clearly some are, so theyneed people to protect them in court and that's now happening. A new lawsuit filed today on behalf of parents and students at IndianaUniversity calls the school's vaccine mandate unconstitutional. Jim Bopp isthe lawyer who took up that case and we're happy to talk to him tonight. Jim, thanks so much for coming on. JIM BOPP, ATTORNEY: Great to be on, Tucker. CARLSON: Before I get to the rationale behind your suit, which I think isself-evident, I'd love to hear you explain it, but let's just get right tothe point. For parents who have been told they have until like next week toshow proof of vaccination for their kids to return to campus, is there anychance that you will win this case in time for those student? BOPP: Well, we're certainly going to give it hell, Tucker. We filed thecase, we've asked for expedition. We were seeking a preliminary injunctionto enjoin this mandate from taking effect and adversely affecting IndianaUniversity students. CARLSON: Were you aware that Americans could be forced to take medicinethey don't want and don't need. Has that ever happened before in Americanhistory? BOPP: It has in the progressive era forced sterilization and vaccinationwas approved by the Supreme Court and of course, that was in the era in1904 when the progressives were basically anti-individual liberty. Theywere in favor of experts deciding all these issues. They were veryskeptical of democracy because they didn't want the experts to beinfluenced and that of course led to first forced vaccination and thenimmediately as authority for forced sterilization where the Supreme Courtgave one of the most notorious statements ever, which was three generationsof imbeciles is enough, justifying forced sterilization. Well, things have changed. We respect individual liberty now. We're notceding the authority that students have or that adults have to experts andthe government. You know, there are cases and it seemed like the beginningof this pandemic that it was extremely serious that it justified severemeasures and of course, those were applied. But a year and a half -- years later, we have wonderful therapeutics thathave ameliorated the effects of the infection. We have vaccinations thatprevent people from getting it. I mean, most governments now are liftingrestrictions and limitations, and then Indiana University suddenly kind ofout of the blue requires one of the most severe rights violatedrequirements which is every student needs to be vaccinated. CARLSON: Yes, so I'm sorry that it fell to you to do this. I don't knowwhere lawmakers in the State of Indiana are tonight. They should have donethis first, but I'm glad that you are doing it. Jim Bopp, thank you andGodspeed on that. BOPP: Thank you. CARLSON: So, Don Lemon is more than just a low-rated cable news host, heis a representative he often tells you of all people who look like DonLemon. He is the leader of his people. So with that in mind, we've got some new information on Don Lemon tonightthat might make you consider his commentary a little differently. That'snext. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)CARLSON: Mr. Don Lemon is a cable news host on our competitor over at CNN,and most of the time, he talks about cable news host type things. What theRoyals are up to? How a commercial airliner might have flown into a blackhole? You know, the news. But Don Lemon is, most importantly, more than that. Don Lemon is a CivilRights leader, and just the other day, he spoke to "The Washington Post"about his feelings on Civil Rights and he declared -- you may not besurprised by this -- that America is a racist country, quote: "We're livingin two different realities, as black and white people," said Father Lemon. It was interesting, we read that and we thought, well, here's a guy whomakes millions of dollars a year for presiding over a show that is failing,that seems like a pretty good deal, but like so many, Don Lemon is also avictim, a successful victim. And so we asked on the victim scale on the scale of say Meghan Markle toMichelle Obama just how oppressed is Don Lemon? What is the differentreality he is forced to live in and as a black man in America? Well, we dida little digging, and here are the details. Don Lemon lives in a $4.3 million home in Sag Harbor, New York. No, he doesnot live in Section 8 housing, he lives in one of the whitest towns inAmerica. In fact, 80 percent. Sag Harbor is just three percent African-American. Now in the interview, Mr. Lemon said America needs to see more people likehim. He regularly lectures America about diversity. What he didn't tell"The Washington Post" is that in his free time, he runs away fromdiversity. His reality is that he doesn't like diversity at all, none ofthem do. But here's the most troubling discovery about Mr. Lemon. Now, you haveheard from the White House, from the President himself that white supremacyis a lurking threat. You might not always see it, but it's always there. Like Russian spies, white supremacists come in the dark of night in themost surprising form. They are shape shifters. Now, we're not calling anybody a white supremacist here, but you have toask yourself. I want to put this on the screen now. What is this? Thissymbol of hate? A symbol of hate posing as a cookie jar doing in DonLemon's kitchen? Do you see that? That right there, ladies and gentlemen,is a white supremacist QAnon cookie jar. Now, we're not calling for the Department of Justice to look more deeplyinto this because that's not our place. We're a cable news show, not a lawenforcement agency. Now, let's just put it this way. If you find yourselfwith a blackface cookie jar in your own kitchen, it's time to reflect. That means you, Don Lemon. We've got good news for you tonight. It turns out we're not all going to bedead as a species in a dozen years, that's the word from Steve Koonin. Hewas one of the climate scientists who looked into this in the Obamaadministration. He spent many years looking into it in fact. He is not a conservative, buthe is an honest man, and he has found that much of the data that we are fedas if it is science, is in fact manipulated and/or false. We had an amazing conversation with Steve Koonin in the latest episode of"Tucker Carlson Today." Here's part of it. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)CARLSON: The idea that human behavior is causing more extreme weather,droughts, hurricanes, you're smiling. STEVEN KOONIN, THEORETICAL PHYSICIST AND DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR URBANSCIENCE AND PROGRESS, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: It's a fiction of the media andthe politicians who would like to promote that notion. When you look at theactual data and what I've written in the book is a summary of the data andthe official science as written by the IPC, the U.N. and the U.S.government. There are no detectable human influences on hurricanes overalmost a century. The heat waves in the U.S. are no more common today than they were in 1900,and the warmest temperatures have not gone up in the last 60 years. Sea level is rising at the grand rate of one foot a century. We can go intothe details of that, but it was rising the same if you go back 60 yearsago. So, there's a lot of natural variability in the system and it's verydifficult to untangle or discern human effects in extreme weather. When I hear people talking about these existential threats, you know, I'mreminded of the line from the "Princess Bride" movie where Vizzini keepsusing the word "inconceivable" and Inigo Montoya says to him, "You keepusing that word. I don't think it means what you think it means," and Idon't think the science says what Mayor Pete or now Secretary Pete thinksit says. In fact, I can guarantee you, he has never read the science. In fact, I can guarantee you that Senator Sanders, President Biden,Ambassador Kerry, and Secretary Granholm have never read the sciencebecause you need to be a scientist in order to do that, right? And in fact, when you read it, there's very little in terms of extremeweather that has changed over the last many decades. CARLSON: But that claim is ubiquitous. KOONIN: Of course, it is. Okay. CARLSON: Why is that? KOONIN: That's part of the corruption of climate communications that'staken place as you go from the literature to the U.N. and U.S. governmentreports, to the summaries of those reports, to if you'll excuse me, themedia and the politicians. CARLSON: So, that is just -- and I think you have standing to say this. You're saying that specifically -- it's a complex topic, I think you madethat pretty clear, it is complicated, but that specific claim is just flatout not true. KOONIN: It's just wrong. It's just wrong, okay. We've seen no nationalchange in the incidence of floods or droughts. Yes, there are certainregions that have gotten drier and other regions that have gotten wetter,but overall, no more variation than what we've seen naturally. It's justwrong. (END VIDEO CLIP)CARLSON: If you have a sincere and open-minded interest in climate changeand you should because the responses to it will affect you, they probablyhave already, you ought to watch that. It's the latest episode of "TuckerCarlson Today." It's at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__foxnation.com&d=DwICAg&c=cnx1hdOQtepEQkpermZGwQ&r=tgDLkJy54PfJyWJwul3dKe54qGxqO7b7d5vjo7RcZds&m=ZhH6Nxmkbf32b-FLxZhFJZvheBy4AYVQSLyN7gX-E7c&s=3hlnlnurd9utKFEJXn14vYOPRbRqGpawRuXEN_IXLyc&e= right now. Up next, an amazing story. There are reports, doubtless you've seen them,that a top Chinese official with top secret information about the WuhanInstitute of Virology and much more has defected to the United States andis currently being debriefed by the U.S. government. Is that true? And ifit is true, what would this official know exactly about the origins ofcoronavirus? We'll try to get the bottom of that after the break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)CARLSON: There are rumor tonight including rumors circulating in Chinathat that country's Vice Minister of State Security, a man called DongJingwei has defected to the United States, came in mid-February withdaughter. Apparently, the reports say, Dong Jingwei had supplied the U.S. withinformation about the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the true origins ofthe coronavirus. Is this story true? If it is, what does it mean? Gordon Chang is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute. He is theauthor of "The Great U.S.-China Tech War," and we're happy to have him ontonight. Gordon, thanks for coming on. Is this story true, do you think? GORDON CHANG, SENIOR FELLOW, GATESTONE INSTITUTE: I think that it is. Beijing says it isn't and as a matter of fact, Beijing's "Beijing Daily"and Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post" have issued stories that Dong isbusy at work discharging his obligations, but I don't believe that and thereason is that China has every reason in the world to parade this guy infront of cameras that would squelch all sorts of rumors that are damagingto the regime. Now, China has not done that and that to me says that we have him and thathe in fact defected. CARLSON: So, one of the reasons that this seems true to me is that thegreat American propaganda machine, the liars in charge at managing the liesthat we receive and consumer unthinkingly, in one week changed theirofficial story on where the virus came from. And all of a sudden, they were, oh, well, I guess it came from a lab andthat suggested to me that there was some person who had unimpeachableinformation on this, who would contradict the official lie. CHANG: Yes, and clearly what we have right now is a change of heart onsome people -- of some people in the Biden administration. Now, it could bedue to various things, it could be due to political pressure for instance,but I think that they have now gotten evidence that indeed, this was a leakfrom the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and perhaps as important that theChinese military was working in the lab itself and that suggests abiological weapons program. CARLSON: So, the Chinese scientist we have interviewed a couple times onthis show and we kind of deemphasize this because I don't know what to makeof it, but said unequivocally, she was in Wuhan when this happened. Shebelieves this was released as a bio weapon intentionally. I hate almost tosay that because it's such a radical thing to say, but I have to ask, howyou assess that claim? CHANG: Well, it is possible, but I think that it is unlikely, and thereason is that China did not have the vaccine, so you know, there arepeople who have said, well, they wanted to see the effect of thecoronavirus on the population and they thought they could contain it, andyou know, that's possible, and as a matter of fact a lot of Chinesenationals do believe that it was an intentional release. It is the foreigners who think that this was accidental. I believe itprobably was a mistake and that China was not able to contain it. CARLSON: Yes, I mean, you've got to think and as an American, it's justtoo hard to get into my head the evil required to do it on purpose, butit's interesting that they think that. Gordon Chang, I appreciate you coming on tonight. That's for that amazingstory. CHANG: Thanks, Tucker. CARLSON: So in move unprecedented in American history, the Biden WhiteHouse tried to award stimulus money to farmers based on their skin color. Ajudge blocked that program. Now, one disabled farmer is fighting backagainst the discrimination, and he joins us next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)CARLSON: A Federal Judge has thankfully blocked the administration's $4billion agricultural aid program because it was openly discriminatory andtherefore, unconstitutional. The program awarded money to farmers dependingon what color they were. They excluded a lot of people. Adam Faust is a disabled farmer. He has lost both his feet. He might haveused some of that government aid, but he wouldn't have gotten a dime underJoe Biden's plan because he is the wrong color. He joins us tonight withhis attorney, Rick Esenberg. Adam and Rick, thank you both, very much for coming on. Adam, it is nice to speak to you again. Tell us your response to theJudge's ruling here. ADAM FAUST, FARMER: Well, I definitely think he got it right. It waspretty obvious that it was absolutely a racist move. I mean, the only thingthat the entire program was based on was something as simple as skin color. CARLSON: Right, I mean, does it surprise you -- you grew up in the country-- that something like this could happen and get basically no attention inthe media, whatsoever, most Americans aren't aware that it happened andthat it would require a Federal Judge to stop it. I mean, why didn't thewhole country rise up and say, no, you're not allowed to do this? FAUST: Oh, I think it's like almost everything in agriculture, people areso far removed from the farm that they just take for granted the fact thatfood shows up on the table and they really have no concept of where itcomes from and all the challenges that are involved, and this is justanother one that nobody noticed. CARLSON: Man, is that -- that is absolutely true. Rick, how does thisprogram stand tonight? Can it, now that it's been blocked by the Judge, byinjunction, I suppose, does that mean it's done? They are going to havereorder it? RICK ESENBERG, ATTORNEY: Well, this is a preliminary ruling. The Judgeissued a temporary restraining order blocking the program. There will beadditional briefing that it is undergoing right now, but I don't really seeanything that the Biden administration can say that has not already saidand that obviously has not convinced the Judge that this program should bepermitted. This is an unusually broad, abnormally blatant form of racial preference. It is clearly at odds with precedence of the United States Supreme Courtand it's not unusual -- the Biden administration has been doing this againand again and again as part of its racial equity program. My organization,Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty has halted two of these programsalready. We, and others will keep suing until the Biden administrationlearns to follow the law. CARLSON: Because you're absolutely right. This is not -- I mean, this ishappening in the agricultural sector and you're right, no one noticedbecause it was agriculture and as Adam points out, no one knows where thefood comes from. But it is happening everywhere and until people like you sue to stop it,you know, we become more a divided country in a deep and sick way. I appreciate your suing, Rick. I appreciate, Adam, your coming on tonight. Thank you very much. ESENBERG: Thank you. FAUST: Thank you. CARLSON: We are out of time, unfortunately. You can watch a brand-new episode of "Tucker Carlson Today." If you have any interestat all in climate change and global warming and whether it is real and whatits effects are and what people can do to stop it, and what our policyought to be, this is an honest -- completely honest, non-polemical, non-ideological, science-based conversation on that topic. Best I've ever hadanyway. We will be back tomorrow night. The sworn enemy of lying, pomposity,smugness and groupthink. Have the best night. Here is a surprise for you, Sean Hannity is taking over at 9:00 p.m. forthe full hour, ladies and gentlemen. Here he is. Content and Programming Copyright 2021 Fox News Network, LLC. ALLRIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2021 VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. Allmaterials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may notbe reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcastwithout the prior written permission of VIQ Media Transcription, Inc. Youmay not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice fromcopies of the content.

###CLAIM: in december, the european and union presidents adopted the green and deal program, backed by 650 million dollars in funding over seven years. ###DOCS: More green deals, more global warmingThis week, we look at which countries are using coronavirus stimulus plans to push green agendas and how the pandemic has wiped out decades of progress on some global sustainability goals. THE BIG IDEAActivists in Germany attempt to pin thousands of protest signs and banners to the lawn in front of the Reichstag in April. | Sean Gallup/Getty ImagesGREEN DEALS SPROUT ACROSS THE GLOBE Momentum is gathering worldwide for investment packages and policy agendas with green labels, a movement driven partly by the rise of young consumers, progressive voters worldwide and the coronavirus shutdowns, which give governments the perfect reason to act. Democratic leaders in the U.S. have embraced the contours of the Green New Deal legislation co-authored by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass. ), if not its exact words. Green-minded politicians in Europe have no such qualms about labels. The European Union adopted a Green Deal program in December, backed by a $650 billion in funding over seven years and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will use her State of the Union speech on Wednesday to announce a more aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 55 percent reduction by 2030. The current target calls for a 40 percent reduction (measured against 1990 levels). Germans are putting their money where their votes are. The Green party is sitting a comfortable second in national polls, and the German Treasurys $7 billion in green bond offering this month was oversubscribed by $26 billion. (A total of $33 billion chased the offer.) Canada will be next to join the party. In a speech scheduled for Sept. 23 setting out his legislative agenda, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised "bold new solutions" on the theme of Build Canada Back Better mirroring a Biden campaign slogan with an eye on reducing inequality and carbon emissions. Trudeau has suggested that Canada will follow Europe in investing economic stimulus in long-term and green projects, in contrast with the U.S., which has been free-spending during the Covid-19 pandemic but focused on short-term welfare payments . Green advocates appear to have learned from the case study of French President Emmanuel Macron, who is suffering a prolonged low approval rating after he attempted to introduce a gas tax in 2018 to help pay for his countrys green transition that hit the poorest French hardest. Low- and middle-income groups need to be acclimated to the idea of a greener economy: They can't just be forced into higher gas bills or greener cars. Green promises also have been a popular theme during national elections around the world this year. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this month made 100 percent renewable energy by 2035 and net-zero emissions by 2050 the centerpiece of her reelection campaign . South Koreas government was reelected in April on the promise of delivering East Asias first Green New Deal . Even the Polish government, long a climate refusenik, this month announced new nuclear and wind energy investments to help it meet a tougher emission target. YOU TELL USWELCOME TO THE LONG GAME! Be sure to catch up on our last issue, on the tension between protecting union jobs and transitioning to a cleaner economy, in case you missed it. We want to know what you think and what were missing. We wont take anything personally, promise. Send tips, critiques and all your sustainability questions and answers to [email protected] . Find me on Twitter @ceboudreau. Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe here! CLIMATE WEEK KICKS OFF SEPT. 21. The United Nations recently said current global climate policies aren't enough to keep temperatures from rising above catastrophic levels this century. We want to know: Do you think we can reverse that trajectory and how? Tell us and we might feature your answers in next week's edition. DATA DIVETHERE'S A BIG BUT More than 100 countries are delaying committing to the new climate targets theyre required to announce by the end of 2020 under the Paris Climate agreement, and the outcome of Novembers presidential election in the U.S. could have a big impact. China and other nations are waiting to see whether President Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Joe Biden wins before locking in new national targets and international cooperation. Biden has promised a net-zero emissions economy by 2050 in line with the EU, United Kingdom and New Zealand and says a clean energy economy is an obligation.And while European governments love to play up their green bona fides, the continent still is tightly enmeshed with fossil fuels. The Nordstream 2 pipeline will carry Russian gas to Germany. Dirty diesel-fueled cars are still popular, and Europe is headquarters for major oil majors such as Shell, BP and Total. A report from the United Nations found that greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase despite scientific warnings and Paris commitments. Current climate policies merely level off emissions by 2100, which could raise temperatures beyond 3 degrees Celsius. To avoid the worst effects of climate change, human-caused emissions would need to be nearly eliminated by 2050. IDEAS LABEUROPE HYPES GREEN HYDROGEN TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY High school chemistry teaches us that hydrogen is everywhere: Its the most abundant element in the universe. The same could be said of industry. Hydrogen is used in fuel cells that power the transportation sector. It is the base substance for ammonia, a chemical widely used by farmers to fertilize their crops and in plastics and steel production. But the vast majority of hydrogen is derived from fossil fuels, such as natural gas or oil, and lately it's become a top target of green-minded politicians looking for solutions for hard-to-decarbonize sectors of the economy. In France and Germany, scaling up so-called green hydrogen derived from renewable energy and electrolysis of water is also a key part of coronavirus recovery packages. Last week, Frances top finance official unveiled a plan to carve out an edge in the race to develop green hydrogen, pledging to invest 7 billion by 2030, POLITICOs America Hernandez reports from Paris. The goal is to ensure the hydrogen is made in France to avoid importing it from other countries, and is part of its broader economic recovery strategy. Parisians walk across the Pont des Arts bridge. Last week, Frances top finance official pledged to invest 7 billion euros by 2030 in the race to develop green hydrogen. | Kiran Ridley/Getty ImagesWe are helping so there will be jobs. We are helping so there will be factories. We are helping so there will be industrial relocalization, Finance and Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told an assembly of hydrogen executives. We are helping at the level of 7 billion to be the best not second or third. The best.Germany is in the race, too, with its own 9 billion plan as part its larger economic stimulus package. Germany plans to import some low-carbon hydrogen because it doesnt have enough domestic renewable energy production like wind and solar to meet a new target, including from sunny African nations like Morocco. France, on the other hand, plans to lean on its nuclear power to generate clean hydrogen. That puts it slightly out of step with the broader European Union, which wont decide until late 2021 whether nuclear power counts as sustainable energy. U.S. utilities are also exploring the use of green hydrogen to reduce emissions, per The Wall Street Journal . Right now, it doesnt compete with natural gas on price, but utilities view it as a long-term investment that can appease state lawmakers and regulators increasingly enacting climate laws. AROUND THE WORLDCOVID SLOWS GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY GOALS Decades of progress in fighting poverty and disease have come to a stop in the fallout from Covid-19. And in some cases, that progress has been wiped out, according to a new report from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that tracks world performance on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Take vaccine coverage, which the report notes is a good proxy for how health systems are functioning around the world. This year, coverage is dropping to levels last seen in the 1990s, or a setback of about 25 years in 25 weeks, POLITICO's Carmen Paun reports. Nearly 37 million people have been pushed into extreme poverty or less than $1.90 a day in just a few months, after two decades of annual declines in the number of people living that reality. That represents a 7 percent increase in extreme poverty, after drops of more than 1 percent during each of the previous two years. These newly impoverished people are more likely to be women than men, in part because women in low- and middle-income countries work overwhelmingly in the informal sector that is now inaccessible, like peoples homes and public markets. Women also do most of the unpaid home and child care activities. The report recommended that social protection payments and emergency business loans be targeted to women, because they direct more of their income to their families, which leads to durable prosperity.62 years How far behind schedule the world is in achieving the UN sustainability goals for 2030, based on the latest Social Progress Index. The index ranks 163 countries based on dozens of criteria, including basic needs like food and water, environmental quality, access to information and inclusiveness. While the world was already off track last year, SPI estimates the pandemic has delayed progress by at least a decade, to 2092. Covid is perfect proof that there are things that seem noneconomic, like the global health infrastructure, that have huge economic impacts and are essential for building sustainable growth in the long term, Michael Green, CEO of SPI, recently told Ryan . SPI found that the world is still making social progress, overall, despite the pandemic, but that it is slow and uneven. Theres virtually zero headway on environmental quality, and a retreat in personal rights in much of the world, Green said. Costa Rica is the very big consistent overperformer, said Green, while Saudi Arabia is the biggest underperformer, relative to income. Follow us on Twitter Debra Kahn @debra_kahnGreg Mott @gwmottJordan Wolman @jordanwolmanAllison Prang @AllisonPrang

###CLAIM: the investigation started after the national center for missing and exploited children received a tip that kik instant message tips could be used to download child pornography. ###DOCS: Gift Article ShareA math teacher at Roberto W. Clemente Middle School in Germantown was arrested Wednesday on multiple counts of possessing child pornography, authorities said. The alleged offenses do not involve students. Fast, informative and written just for locals. Get The 7 DMV newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. ArrowRight Kevin Bremerman, 35, has been placed on administrative leave from the Montgomery County school system. He began working there in 2017, teaching at Goshen Elementary School for three years, and had been at Roberto Clemente since July, according to school officials. The investigation started in January after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip from the instant messaging app Kik that a user was possibly uploading child pornography, according to arrest records filed in court. That user was determined to be Bremerman, police said. They searched his residence Monday and say they found numerous videos and photographs of child pornography on his cellular phone.AdvertisementThese charges are deeply troubling and are a violation of the core values of our school and school system, Clemente Principal Jeffrey T. Brown wrote in a letter to parents on Wednesday. Goshens principal, Stephanie Dinga, sent out similar remarks. Bremerman was being held without bond Wednesday in the Montgomery County jail. He is expected to appear in court on Thursday to have his bond conditions reviewed by a judge. There was no attorney for him listed in online court records as of Wednesday evening. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: matt and dornic, head of strategic communications for cnn, said wednesday that a company with a key content utilization ratio of 44 percent had entered a one-week agreement. ###DOCS: A self-styled leftist activist disavowed by Black Lives Matter leaders said he was paid tens of thousands of dollars by major media outlets that wanted to use the video footage he shot at the Capitol as he encouraged the mob during the siege on Jan. 6. John Sullivan, founder of Insurgence USA, was indicted in early February for a host of crimes, including two felonies related to obstruction during Congresss efforts to count and certify President Bidens Electoral College victory over former President Donald Trump. Video taken by the 25-year-old showed him following and encouraging Trump supporters from the entrance of the Capitol all the way to the moment when 35-year-old Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran and Trump supporter who attempted to climb through a window into the Speaker's Lobby, was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer. "On January 6th, CNN was contacted by a reputable agent regarding an eye-witness video from the Capitol Hill riots. The company entered into a one-week agreement for use of 44-seconds of key content, which was attributed to the witness on air," CNN's head of strategic communications, Matt Dornic, said in a statement on Wednesday. "When his role in the event was later called into question, the company informed staff to cease all use of the video." The Justice Department previously laid out how Sullivan allegedly violated a Utah judges conditions of release, including accessing three of his Twitter accounts in contravention of the courts instructions, flouting the supervision officers instructions by buying a new phone, appearing on InfoWars to defend his actions, and to encourage people to follow his group, and mass emailing his Insurgence USA members to Pack The Courtroom." "Insurgence USA is not deemed to have been involved in any criminal activity," Sullivan's lawyer claimed Tuesday as he attached the media invoices. "Defendant is legitimately self-employed as a documentarian and it is oppressive to require that he not be allowed to continue his primary area of employment for an extended period of time." His lawyer added: The government is seeking to limit his use of the internet and to expressly prohibit him from using the following: Twitter, Facebook, encrypted platforms. The requests by the United States to limit defendants ability to communicate the way the vast majority of Americans communicate is oppressive, overbroad, and unconstitutional. I am rejecting the broader prohibition on Twitter and Facebook and encrypted social media platforms, Magistrate Judge Robin Meriweather ruled, according to Politico, which said she ordered that Sullivans 24-hour GPS monitoring end as well. She also ruled, though, that Sullivan is to no longer work for Insurgence USA and will not be allowed to use social media to incite violence or riots. Insurgence USA is absolutely the instrumentality through which Mr. Sullivan committed the relevant acts, Assistant U.S. Attorney Candice Wong said, according to Politico. It is Mr. Sullivans reason for being there and for his criminal participation in the riot. The prosecutor called Sullivan a sort of expert resource for rioters as she alleged that under the guise of journalism ... he is engaged in and incited violent activity." Sullivan told InfoWars he stands by his actions, saying, I am definitely not responsible for anything that took place." Sullivan voluntarily spoke with the FBI and claimed to be an activist and journalist that filmed protests and riots, but admitted that he did not have any press credentials," the bureau wrote. When Sullivan reached the Speakers Lobby, he allegedly told police guarding the door, We want you to go home. The FBI said officers began to exit, and members of the crowd moved toward the doors, with Sullivan yelling, Go! Get this s---!" The crowd can be seen trying to bust out the glass in the entryway door windows, and his video shows Babbitt getting shot trying to climb through a window. Before entering the building, Sullivan filmed the crowd pushing through police barriers, and as Sullivan approached the Capitol with a large crowd, he said, Let's go! This s--- is ours! ... Lets burn this s--- down. Sullivan can be seen joining a crowd trying to open doors guarded by law enforcement and telling the crowd, I have a knife let me up, as the group broke windows. A member of the crowd said officers are giving us the building, and Sullivan said, Haul that motherf---er out this b----.The Justice Department argued that Sullivan positioned himself with a front seat to not one, but multiple confrontations with officers at multiple locations, and made consistently gleeful exhortations about burning and breaking things.The description of Sullivans Insurgence USA website recently changed. Insurgence USA was started in 2020 in response to the Gorge Floyd [sic] tragedy, Sullivans website said on Jan. 7, the day after the Capitol siege. The lack of care for the human life was unacceptable so we set out to end police brutality. We then set out to empower and uplifting [sic] black and indigenous voices.We are on the frontlines, giving you unedited raw footage, photos, and news of the insurrection here in America, Sullivans website claims. Revealing the truth about Antifa and BLM's communist plans to overthrow democracy. Exposing the sinister motives of Proud Boys and Right-Wing militias as they plot to topple the government. Welcome to the revolution.The Justice Department has mentioned that Sullivan faces charges of rioting in Provo, Utah, his hometown, for a Black Lives Matter protest he helped organize in June 2020. An August video showed Sullivan encouraging a group to attack the White House. Lex Scott, leader of BLM's Utah chapter, described Sullivan as a loose cannon and said, We do not want to be associated with him. In January 2019, Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann became an overnight infamous household name after a video of his interaction with Native American activist Nathan Phillips went viral. On Saturday, a video went viral, seemingly showing a group of Catholic high school students confronting and harassing a Native American protester who appeared to be peacefully playing a drum, but by Saturday night it was clear the confrontation wasnt the end of the story, the Daily Wire reported at the time. The three-minute video was posted online by a group of Native American protesters who claimed they were harassed and intimidated by a group of Covington Catholic High School students waiting for their bus near the Lincoln Memorial. On CNNs website, Nick Sandmann is mentioned in 30 articles, including the presumptive headline March For Life teens confrontation with Native American reveals an ugly divide.The Washington Post mentioned Nick Sandmann 52 times, and the New York Times mentioned him 11 times since early 2019. Covington Catholic High School is referenced 92 times by the Washington Post, and 169 times by the New York Times. The incident was also caught on video, showing Anwars crumpled body on the sidewalk, as the two teenage girls appeared to show more concern for their phones than the man left dead on the street. Nick Sandmann was not guilty of any crime, while these two teenage girls whose names have not been released appear to have murdered an innocent man after assaulting him and stealing his car. Surely, in terms of objective reporting, Mohammad Anwars murder deserves far more scrutiny and coverage? Thanks to the media, the death of Mohammad Anwar will remain hidden from the majority of the country. There wont be any marches for him, no furious protests, and no concerned phone calls from Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. The same celebrities who jostled to condemn Nick Sandmann for the crime of standing still are now as silent as the disinterested media who without a racially convenient perpetrator have immediately moved on. All that matters to the media is whether they can use the skin color of victims and/or alleged perpetrators to promote the narrative of systemic and unrepentant white supremacy. For them, Mohammad Anwars alleged killers dont fit the bill, and so he has been immediately forgotten. Ian Haworth is an Editor and Writer for The Daily Wire. Follow him on Twitter at @ighaworth. The views expressed in this piece are the authors own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

###CLAIM: set in the 60s and 70s, the original series -- starring and featuring a young chess prodigy named beth and harmon who climb the american and international circuit -- was streamed on television. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareSelena Lucien was in control, locked in on the squares on her phone, her opponent on the run. Downstairs, her friend was waiting. They had agreed to go for a walk around Toronto. But Lucien couldnt just leave. She was in the middle of a chess match. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight If I left my apartment and played while I walked, I would lose, she said later with a semi-embarrassed chuckle. I couldnt risk it.So she kept playing, ignoring her friends texts, pursuing the strangers king. She won, eventually. And when at last she joined her incredulous friend, Lucien shrugged and blamed her apartment buildings shockingly slow elevator. Eight months ago, newly shut in and under siege by the coronavirus, people around the world diverted their worries and experimented with newfound free time. Some fed flour to slime, telling themselves this was the beginning of a sourdough empire; others dusted off musical instruments, screenplay ideas, long to-do lists. Lucien is among the millions who learned, played and gradually became consumed by chess. Playing is therapy. Winning is a high. AdvertisementI know it sounds really nerdy, she would say. I feel it, and it makes me feel exhilarated.These feelings have only intensified recently, a month after Netflix began streaming the original series The Queens Gambit. Set in the 1950s and 60s, the show features as its main character an orphaned young woman named Beth Harmon, a chess prodigy who climbs the American and international circuits while battling personal trauma, self-doubt and addiction. Netflix said this past week that 62 million households have watched the series since its Oct. 23 premiere; the service said it is the most-watched show in dozens of countries. The show has fueled a chess renaissance that actually began in the spring. Since March, chess.com has added nearly 13 million new members, according to Nick Barton, the platforms director of business development. More than 2.3 million of them have joined in the past month. An amateur chess tournament called PogChamps became a sensation in June, drawing a combined 50 million viewers on gaming platform Twitch and becoming the most-watched chess event of all time. AdvertisementIt's one of those perfect storm moments for chess, Barton said. Last month, The Queens Gambit pushed interest into overdrive. Chess sets are selling out, and last week an executive at a game company told NPR that October sales were up more than 1,000 percent. Seth Makowsky, who uses chess to teach mental skills training to sports stars and celebrities, said interest in his program has skyrocketed and went so far as to call roll-up chess boards an unlikely fashion item. Its bigger than chess, said Makowsky, whose clients include Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, actress Cameron Diaz and the U.S. artistic swimming team. Its an exciting moment for society in this way because its making smart cool.Lucien, a young attorney at Canadian law firm Borden Ladner Gervais, said she identified with the fictional Harmon for reasons beyond chess. After the character discovers her talents, she must quickly find her footing in an unfamiliar and male-dominated world. She does so tentatively at first, then confidently, bolstered by the support of mentors. She kind of walks in there, Lucien said of Harmon, led by the whim of her intellect and her love for something, and doesnt let these barriers get in her way. Thats very empowering, especially in all these spaces where you feel like you dont want to stand out too much because you want to be included and not excluded. And she tells you thats okay.Lucien was a casual player when she was younger. She would watch as two neighborhood boys set up a board at a playground, jockeying for position and the all-important center squares. Sometimes the boys played in father-son chess tournaments, and Lucien secretly wanted to go, too. But her father was busy with work, she said; though Lucien and her younger sister, Irma, tinkered with the game, they never developed a particularly intense chess rivalry. AdvertisementIt wasnt really anything that could happen at the time, she said. Early in the pandemic, Lucien went on long bike rides and caught up on podcasts. She downloaded the chess.com app and played casual games. The weeks turned to months, and each morning she found herself completing chess puzzles as she made coffee. She would sneak in a move or two between client calls. Eventually, like Harmon, Lucien began seeing the world almost through the prism of chess. She would notice gambits in the coronavirus responses in Canada and the United States, and the November presidential election highlighted opposing sides attempting dramatically different strategies. Lucien came to believe chess can symbolize life, especially that of a young professional. Advancement can follow purposeful maneuvering, to those who can identify patterns, by those willing to sacrifice. AdvertisementChaotic and polarized as these months have been, Lucien said, the world seemed to make the most sense on these 64 squares. A game is always one-on-one, guided by the same limitations and rules. I dont walk into a game feeling like Im different, she said. In life, its very hard to transcend those boundaries. You come into a room, and theres all these assumptions on you. In chess, none of those things matter.Her opponents could come from anywhere in the world. On the day she kept her friend waiting, Lucien beat a player from India. They dont know that Im a woman. They dont know what I look like, she says. I dont walk into a game feeling Im different.What does matter, she said, is the way playing makes her feel: productive and accomplished, even if she loses. Recently she began playing chess online against her father and issued a few challenges to colleagues. This gave Lucien an idea. AdvertisementBefore the pandemic, her law firm played in a volleyball league against some of Torontos other big firms. Her sister worked at one of those firms. So Lucien proposed starting The Bay Street Chess League, imagining a showdown between the sisters and a chance at sweet revenge. It wouldnt exactly be a meeting of grandmasters, as in The Queens Gambit. But after these past few months, as an uncertain winter approaches, Lucien liked the idea of a fun little distraction and a reason to hope. Read more:GiftOutline Gift Article Everybody loves a story of transformation: about an underdog who triumphs over adversity, a girl who is mocked for her shoes and then becomes a stylish swan. But we apparently really love a story of affirmation: a world in which a girl can move freely, in control, and be respected for her strategy and skill; in which a female character succeeds in a mans world without being harassed, assaulted, abused, ignored, dismissed, sidelined, robbed or forgotten. This story is so vanishingly rare in the real world that it comes across as utopian in fiction. The Queens Gambit is a fantasy, and one we rarely see depicted the fantasy of a functioning meritocracy for women, in which they are free to do what they want. After Beth wins her second tournament, in Cincinnati, Alma asks to be her agent. Beth accepts, and together they embark on a rule-breaking mother-daughter buddy-adventure tournament tour. In the montage, Alma gleefully lies to the school while applying lipstick, inventing illnesses for Beth as she decides between outfits to pack. The two of them jet around from city to city, wrangling excellent upgrades and eating at restaurants. In fancy hotel rooms, Beth goes over her games while Alma lounges on the sofa in a slip, enjoying a cocktail and laughing at the TV. The convention-flouting swagger of it is especially thrilling, as Alma realizes shes free from the whole 1950s domestic trap. At tournaments, star-struck young boys clamor for Beths autograph and her approval. (One nerdy kid tells her hes started a chess club.) It has been established that Beth is a genius, and a genius gets to do whatever she wants as a rapt world cheers her on. Right? The tragic tale of the doomed girl genius is a perennial favorite. In literature and film, the male genius is lionized; the female genius is institutionalized. This is just how it goes. These stories reinforce the idea that a woman can either be a genius or be loved/happy/sane/free not because she threatens the male-supremacist power structure (or so were told), but because theres no place in the world for an anomaly like her. Even sympathetic narratives show how this is true, reclaiming the genius from obscurity, as in the case of Hidden Figures; or depicting the nearly impossible trials she had to go through to be acknowledged, as in the R.B.G. documentary; or not acknowledged until its too late, as in Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story. Nobody cheers for the girl genius while shes out there, being a genius.

###CLAIM: the allegations were launched into a public health campaign with advertisements claiming the benefits of treating early-stage coronaviruses with a cocktail of anti-plague drugs has been common since mid-02020. ###DOCS: Brazil's Main COVID Strategy Is A Cocktail Of Unproven DrugsEnlarge this image toggle caption Andressa Anholete/Getty Images Andressa Anholete/Getty ImagesIn January, Thalita Rocha stood by her mother-in-law, Maria da Cruz Lima, at a public health clinic in Manaus, Brazil. Lima, a 67-year-old retired nurse, had caught the highly contagious COVID-19 gamma variant (formerly called P.1) assailing the Amazon's largest city. She was waiting for a spot to open up at an intensive care unit but was feeling optimistic a nurse had started her on oxygen, and she seemed to be improving. An oximeter clipped onto Lima's index finger measured her blood oxygen saturation and was finally showing healthy levels, around 98%. That afternoon, though, Rocha noticed her mother-in-law's skin turning purple. Lima also broke out in a cold sweat and was feeling breathless. A sense of panic filled the room. Lima was not the only one: The oxygen at the unit had run out. An hour later, a police car showed up at the door with two extra tanks. A team of young men hauled the heavy 5-foot tanks into the clinic. Patients took turns breathing in the lifesaving gas. For Lima, it wasn't enough. She died that day, along with 31 others. "The oxygen ran out so unexpectedly," Rocha said. "We had no warning." But Brazil's government did. Just a week earlier, the oxygen supplier in Manaus had sent government officials an urgent letter warning that the company's oxygen would soon run out due to the sudden surge in critical COVID-19 cases caused by the gamma variant. Despite the letter, the Ministry of Health failed to secure sufficient oxygen in time or encourage a lockdown in Manaus to limit the virus's spread. Instead, the federal government decided to combat the rising COVID-19 cases by launching a public health campaign advertising the alleged benefits of treating early-stage coronavirus with a loosely defined cocktail of unproven drugs, commonly called tratamento precoce since mid-2020, Portuguese for "early treatment." Enlarge this image toggle caption Jonne Roriz/Bloomberg via Getty Images Jonne Roriz/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAlthough other early COVID-19 interventions with existing drugs have shown promise, proponents of tratamento precoce which include Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro lean on discredited or skewed experiments to trumpet the regimen's effectiveness, even after several of the pills were proven not to work against COVID-19 in conclusive clinical trials last year. Some of the more concerning albeit rare side effects include rapid heartbeat, or tachycardia, and liver toxicity. In Brazil, where more than 488,000 people have already died due to COVID-19 second only to the United States pseudoscience has become government policy. Bolsonaro regularly promotes repurposing unproven and cheap drugs to his nearly 40 million social media followers as he continues to minimize the gravity of the pandemic and dismiss its victims. Meanwhile, his administration has spent millions of dollars to produce, purchase and promote pills such as the lice medication ivermectin, the antimalarial chloroquine and popular antibiotic azithromycin as well as anticoagulants, painkillers and a set of vitamins. The Ministry of Health and numerous doctors endorsed using a combination of these medications to treat COVID-19, even though there is no solid evidence that it works. "It's not because they believe it works, but because it is a way for them to escape their responsibility for controlling the pandemic," said Jesem Orellana, a Manaus-based epidemiologist at Fiocruz Amazonia, one of 16 units of the public health research center Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. For at least a month last fall, Orellana urged local authorities to implement a lockdown. David Nemer, a Brazil political analyst and assistant professor at the University of Virginia, agrees. "Bolsonaro is doubling down on his bet on early treatment to give people a sense of security to keep going to work," said Nemer, adding that Bolsonaro's strategy appears to favor an open economy over health and to distract citizens from his vaccine failures. "He needs something to contain his rising rejection rates." With recorded daily deaths breaking national records earlier this year 4,249 deaths on April 8 the dangers of the Bolsonaro administration's method are becoming clearer. Just in the city of Manaus, 4,430 people died within the first two months of the year, raising the death rate to among the highest in the world. Lima had not taken any "early treatment" pills but still fell victim to the government's focus away from real measures securing more vaccines and oxygen, tracing and testing, lockdowns, advocating mask use, social distancing in favor of pseudoscience. A false sense of protectionAs COVID-19 spread over the past year, reports of possible off-label uses of existing medications started to pop up. In March 2020, a French scientist published a now-discredited study purporting to show that hydroxychloroquine taken with the antibiotic azithromycin reduced mortality. Later, an Australian study found that the anti-parasite drug ivermectin reduced the viral load of the coronavirus in cells in a dish, even though the concentrations used in the lab were not viable in a human body. For zinc and vitamins C and D said to improve immunity and a flood of other medications, the story is the same: small, biased or false studies rather than solid scientific support. Researchers continue to look more deeply at some of these treatments, including ivermectin, although it is still unclear whether the drugs will show promise. Over the course of the pandemic, the politicized approach has gained a footing in almost every sector of Brazilian society. Medical professionals are prescribing unstandardized drug cocktails to their patients. Mayors of small and large cities have built their COVID-19 response around it, stockpiling the drugs for public consumption. Bolsonaro-allied doctors and influencers are using effective social media to tout it. This has led to individual Brazilians desperate to save themselves with a $30 kit of unproven drugs and vitamins. When Enilson Mesquita, 52, and his family in Manaus fell sick with the coronavirus in April 2020, he treated himself and his wife and son with traditional teas and herbs that he referred to as "jungle medicine." The COVID-19 drug kit still wasn't popular then. But as cases began to rise again in the Amazonian city in the last quarter of 2020, he said he was determined to prevent reinfection and protect his mother, 76, and father, 70. So, prompted by news reports promoting ivermectin, he decided that both he and his parents would take the pills. "I explained to my mother that until the vaccination comes through, we could at least use it to prevent coronavirus," Mesquita said. In the months leading up to January's oxygen crisis, Mesquita said residents swapped stories of which drugs helped them prevent or survive the coronavirus. After the family took ivermectin, Mesquita said he felt relieved. Neither of his parents caught the coronavirus. "I felt protected," he added. But the drugs may have provided people in Manaus a false sense of protection. The best evidence for this comes from a longitudinal study of 3,046 Manaus residents developed by scientists from Fiocruz Amazonia and the Federal University of Amazonas and published as a non-peer-reviewed preprint. Participants who admitted in August they were self-medicating to prevent the coronavirus were more likely to have contracted it. "That person feels protected, and therefore they lower their guard," said Jaila Borges, an infectious disease expert at the Federal University of Amazonas and an author of the study. Borges added that proven interventions such as mask-wearing and physical distancing lose value with people who think the drugs will prevent the coronavirus. The study examines risk factors associated with a positive coronavirus test result. Participants took a coronavirus blood test and answered relevant questions on sociodemographic characteristics, presence of symptoms, testing, and whether they were self-medicating or taking prescribed medications every eight to 12 weeks. Alexandre Naime Barbosa, the head of infectious diseases at Sao Paulo State University, has been working on the front lines since the beginning of the pandemic and says he has seen more than 1,000 COVID-19 patients. For him, the claim that the drugs constitute an early treatment of COVID-19 is misleading, using a catchy term to give people false hope. "It's pseudoscience to even call this 'early treatment' because it's a term that seeks to legitimize a strategy that doesn't have scientific validity," he said. "No sane person would be against a real early treatment with drugs that were capable of preventing the progression of mild COVID-19 to a severe case." Millions for pills with no proof of effectivenessDespite the lack of evidence for the early treatment, Bolsonaro's government has taken at least $6 million out of public coffers to buy and produce the pills and advertise the approach, which is supported by Brazil's Ministry of Health and Federal Medical Council. Three days before Manaus' oxygen supply ran out, the Health Ministry launched TrateCOV in the city, an app that was supposed to help guide doctors in treating COVID-19 cases. But in every case, the app recommended prescribing chloroquine, ivermectin and five other medications, Brazilian media reported. The app, available for use nationwide, was eventually taken down on Jan. 21. For the Ministry of Health's secretary of labor management and health education, Mayra Pinheiro, the main official behind Manaus' January "early treatment" campaign and the TrateCOV app, the regular rules of medical practice can be suspended in an emergency. "In a pandemic situation, ideal scientific evidence on pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures can take time, which has a high cost in human lives," she said. "It is necessary to not interfere in the autonomy of patients and their doctors in promoting this solution even if it is a temporary one." With drawn-out lockdowns falling out of favor among Brazilian constituents, there are political advantages to touting an easy fix. Numerous cities and states aligned with Bolsonaro had already implemented the "early treatment" as standard in their health systems in 2020. Several mayoral candidates adopted the treatment as a campaign platform in the November 2020 elections. Bolsonaro openly declared he would not be taking the vaccine, claiming he was immune after having contracted the virus. From August to December, his administration ignored repeated offers from Pfizer, even with the pharmaceutical company offering doses for half the price of those sold to the U.S. and Europe. Brazil only launched its vaccination campaign because the Sao Paulo state governor had made a deal to secure a Chinese-made shot. Today, 14% of the population is fully vaccinated, and the Ministry of Health has projected an additional 563 million doses by the end of 2021. As Brazil's health care system collapsed in several cities in April, resulting in thousands of people waiting for an intensive care bed, politicians continued insisting on the treatment. The mayor of Sorocaba, a city of 600,000 people in the state of Sao Paulo, authorized the "early treatment" to confront its COVID-19 crisis as recently as mid-March. Bolsonaro supporters have taken to the streets of large cities to protest new lockdowns and advocate for the unproven pills. "We don't want the vaccine. We have chloroquine!" one sign read in Curitiba, the capital of the state of Parana in southern Brazil. Another, held by a woman wearing a Brazil flag shirt, read: "Prophylactic treatment. Ivermectin NOW!" Enlarge this image toggle caption Andressa Anholete/Getty Images Andressa Anholete/Getty ImagesDoctors endorse unproven pillsIn May 2020, a group of Brazilian doctors united to promote the use of chloroquine and their right to prescribe whatever medications they feel are appropriate, naming themselves Doctors for Life. Later in the year, the group met with Bolsonaro in person, along with former Minister of Citizenship Osmar Terra, the parliamentarian who has tweeted the most fake news about the pandemic, according to Brazilian fact-checking agency Aos Fatos. Even though a Brazilian Medical Association survey shows that around two-thirds of doctors in Brazil don't believe the drugs work, many have embraced the treatment. In February, Doctors for Life paid to publish a half-page manifesto signed by more than 4,800 doctors and counting in eight of the country's largest newspapers. Carolina Muniz Ferreira is one of 70 doctors on the group's website. Ferreira said that she sees it as her obligation to do everything in her power to help her patients. After weighing the potential benefits and harm of the early treatment medications, she opted toward administering unproven pills such as ivermectin, and today is convinced that they work. "We are human beings," she said. "We can't sit idly by waiting for someone to die nor hearing their family members pleading, 'Save my family,' or 'Save my husband,' and do nothing." Some doctors are even choosing to take the unproven drugs themselves. When urologist Marcio Nobrega, 48, contracted COVID-19, he delayed his trip to the hospital, even after several days of breathing difficulties. According to Barbosa, the infectious disease doctor, who treated him in the hospital, the medications he was taking at home gave him a false sense of security. But Nobrega said he would do it all over again. "It's agonizing to have an unknown disease and do nothing to treat it. Maybe the early treatment with hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin isn't effective, but from the psychological point of view, at least you are trying to do something," he said. "Just for this reason, I think it is worth it. The scientific guidelines say it doesn't work. But I don't know if I didn't die or not because of it. It's hard to know whether it helped." Prescribed by social mediaLast December, Fabio Malini, a social scientist at the Federal University of Espirito Santo who regularly collects social media data on online movements, noticed an explosion in the amount of online content posted by Bolsonaro supporters on the early treatment. Just as Manaus' gamma variant gained steam and deaths mounted between late December and early January, the number of Twitter profiles promoting the treatment doubled. Fake news and conspiracies about masks, vaccines and lockdown spread like wildfire on social media, dominating the conversation on these topics. Similar to this, information on the so-called early treatment overwhelmed its naysayers, Malini wrote in a Jan. 15 tweet. According to CrowdTangle, a social media monitoring platform owned by Facebook, Bolsonaro published the most popular Facebook post on the early treatment on Nov. 19, encouraging Brazilians to start the drug regimen with the arrival of the first COVID-19 symptoms. Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are where Bolsonaro, right-wing influencers and even doctors hawk the benefits of unproven drug cocktails. Agencia Publica, a nonprofit publication focused on investigative journalism, recently revealed that Brazil's Ministry of Health contracted social media influencers to post about early treatment in January. Bolsonaro supporters gathered to protest lockdown measures in Rio de Janeiro in March amid surging COVID-19 cases. Signs read "No lockdown" and "I just want to work." While Twitter and Facebook have repeatedly removed and added warnings to some of the more prominent tweets, including those by Bolsonaro and the Ministry of Health, this has inadvertently added to the Brazilian president's anti-establishment rhetoric, according to a 2020 paper on medical populism published by the Getulio Vargas Foundation. To understand the phenomenon better, Malini mapped out the keyword tratamento precoce and found that in early January, its supporters vastly outnumbered those critical of the treatment, overwhelming the internet with voices that, at first glance, seem reliable, authoritative and science-based. Malini's mapping reveals that nearly all of these voices are intimately interlinked with pro-Bolsonaro online communities, which have previously been called "digital militias." "This 'magic cure' has its scientific connotation upheld by doctors, the same doctors that are making YouTube tutorials on how to self-medicate using these drugs," Malini said, adding that doctors hold an outsize influence in Brazilian culture. Doctors in these videos, many of whom don't specialize in pandemics or infectious diseases, explain why they support the treatment and even recommend specific dosages. With their encouragement, Carla Ferreira Ramos, 48, has been taking ivermectin since July. "I saw some doctors talking about tratamento precoce on YouTube. Television rarely shows this," said the Rio de Janeiro state government employee and enthusiastic Bolsonaro supporter. Ramos started taking ivermectin once a month and then increased it to every two weeks, based on independent online research on these platforms. After she tested positive for the coronavirus in January, she credited ivermectin for limiting her symptoms. Now, she gives the drugs to all five family members in her house, including her three kids. Raymundo Parana, an expert in drug-induced liver injury and head of gastro-hepatology at the Federal University of Bahia in northeast Brazil, said the craze can cause liver damage. "One patient came in with clear symptoms of liver toxicity, with high levels of liver enzymes, yellowed eyes and dark urine," he said. "They were taking ivermectin, nitazoxanide and hydroxychloroquine. That was an easy case to diagnose." While the drugs are generally considered safe for their intended uses, the sheer number of people and amounts being taken have sparked reports of negative side effects. Ivermectin sales increased more than 550% in 2020 over 2019 (from 8 million individual pills to over 53 million), and there was more than a 100% increase in hydroxychloroquine sales (from 963,000 in 2019 to 2 million in 2020), according to Brazil's Federal Pharmaceutical Council with data from IQVIA. Because valid scientific studies on the use of ivermectin for COVID-19 have not yet been completed, the prescriptions have no standardization or pattern, Parana said. "I've seen people taking pills once a week, three times a week, every day, three times a day," Parana added. "Today, I saw a prescription recommending a dose 12 times higher than the dose that has been studied in humans." But a four-pack of ivermectin costs around $5 and is available at most pharmacies, some of which have announced deals under $30 for a complete drug cocktail. Even in states that now require prescriptions, most pharmacies will sell the drugs without one. Enlarge this image toggle caption Lucas Silva/picture alliance via Getty Images Lucas Silva/picture alliance via Getty ImagesAs the COVID-19 death count continues to rise, the federal government is showing no sign of reversing its unfounded approach but has warmed up to vaccines. On April 27, the Brazilian Senate opened a formal investigation into the government's contentious handling of the pandemic. In recent hearings, key figures of the early treatment movement and pro-Bolsonaro politicians reaffirmed their support for the use of chloroquine and ivermectin in the fight against COVID-19 amid fiery debate. But Bolsonaro's minister of health, Marcelo Queiroga, recently admitted at the hearings that there is no evidence proving hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine or ivermectin work against COVID-19. "If these drugs work, then why is it that after one year, the situation is getting worse in the country?" asked Orellana, the Fiocruz epidemiologist. "We are in a moment of deconstructing this wrong notion that this early treatment works. It's fairly clear already. It's one thing to do that in science, but it's another thing to do that in the social imaginary. That takes months or even years." This story originally appeared in Undark, a nonprofit, editorially independent digital magazine exploring the intersection of science and society. Shanna Hanbury is a Brazil-based journalist and social scientist covering science, society and the climate crisis. Her extensive reporting from Latin America has been published in The Guardian, BBC, Mongabay, Time and more. Kiratiana Freelon is an independent journalist based in Rio de Janeiro. Her reporting focuses on social injustice, Afro-Brazilian communities and Brazil's dynamic economic and political landscape. The Harvard graduate has worked for The New York Times, and her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Essence magazine, New York magazine and other publications.

###CLAIM: just as the campaign was gaining steam, companies with ties to the soon-to-be-president and major legislative accomplishments like a permanent corporate tax cut severed their ties with the campaign because of comments about immigrants. ###DOCS: A version of this story appeared in CNNs What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. CNN The ever-moving tectonic shift underneath American politics is prime for another quake as civil rights starts to outweigh corporate tax rates in the calculating minds of big American businesses. Corporate Americas years-long move toward a political awakening has increasingly put large companies in direct opposition to the GOP, a political party that spent generations crusading as the friend of business and slasher of corporate taxes. Our private sector must stop taking cues from the Outrage-Industrial Complex, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday in a written statement, in which he also accused companies and Democrats of disinformation.Americans do not need or want big business to amplify disinformation or react to every manufactured controversy with frantic left-wing signaling, he said. Related: Fact Check: What the Georgia election law actually doesThe decision by Major League Baseball, after President Joe Biden endorsed it, to move its 2021 All-Star Game out of Georgia to protest that states newly restrictive voting laws is only the newest example. The Trump years accelerated the desire of large companies to at least appear responsive to civil rights. Companies severed ties with the soon-to-be President over his comments about immigrants just as his campaign was gaining steam, a move that seems strange in hindsight since his major legislative accomplishment was a permanent cut in corporate tax rates. Now, the Biden administration is plotting to raise corporate rates without help from Republicans and pay for a massive infrastructure plan. The GOP effort to stop Bidens infrastructure plan is built around making voters see it as a tax hike rather than a necessary upgrade to the countrys infrastructure and reliance on carbon-emitting fuels. Whether large companies see the tax hikes or the government spending as a bigger boon will have to wait. What the bottom line saysRight now, big business is most vocal in its disapproval of the GOPs naked effort to cut down on Democratic votes and reclaim the House and Senate in 2022. Lets not assume that public companies, generally, do things because theyre the right thing to do, but rather acknowledge they are legally required to be motivated by the bottom line. So it says something about the direction of the company and the importance of perception that a company like Delta would condemn Georgias new law and, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tempt Republicans to revoke of a state tax cut related to jet fuel, is notable. Republicans, meanwhile, are pointing out the hypocrisy of companies like Delta and Coca-Cola calling out the Georgia voting rights law, while also, as multi-national corporations do, pursuing business in China. As Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican, said in a tweet:Dear @Delta:You are business partners with the Communist Party of #ChinaWhen can we expect your letter saying that their ongoing genocide in #Xinjiang is unacceptable and does not match Deltas values??? #WokeCorporateHypocritesThe Wall Street Journal wondered if Bidens endorsement of sports boycotts related to justice will extend from the Georgia law to the upcoming Winter Olympics scheduled to take place in 2022. Looking beyond GeorgiaThe activists pushing for changes in places like Georgia arent exactly satisfied with the corporate nods, which will have a debatable effect in Georgia, where the law has already been put in effect and now faces a court battle. Republicans in other states, however, have their own plans to make voting more difficult. The Georgia example could certainly have an impact in those places. These companies sell their products across the country, and across the country there are Black and brown voters who need to know theyre not being left behind, Stacey Abrams, the voting rights leader, told the Journal-Constitution of the companies who have spoken up more forcefully now that the Georgia law is in place but were mealy-mouthed when it was being debated. How the culture wars have changedAnother thing to consider is the evolution of culture wars in the US. While few companies will want to take a stand on a issue like abortion, that is complicated by personal and religious beliefs, its much easier for companies to take stands on something as simple as voting rights. Of course the government should be making it easier for people to vote. Other companies might be looking for some image rehab of their own. Facebook, Twitter and Google, targets of Democratic frustration about access to misinformation on their sites and Republican allegations they minimize conservative views, have all criticized the Georgia law and some have endorsed Democrats proposal to create more national voting standards. The journey to corporate wokeness has been a long time in the making. A boycott of Arizona for an law widely perceived as anti-immigrant may have cost the state more than $100 million, but it largely fizzled after courts defanged the state law. North Carolinas anti-transgender bathroom bill led to boycotts by sports leagues and other companies in 2016 and cost the states economy more than $3.75 billion, according to an AP analysis. State leaders, after the Republican governor lost his bid for reelection, rolled back elements of the law. Nike is enough invested in the perception of social justice that it sponsors a quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, who says hes been blackballed by the league. The NFL, while not finding room for Kaepernick on a roster, has pledged to spend $250 million to fight systemic racism. On Saturday, former President Donald Trump released a statement through his political action committee urging Republicans and Conservatives to fight back against the corporate entities that have spoken out against the partys new raft of state bills and laws to restrict voting rights. He cast a broad net, calling for boycotts on Major League Baseball (MLB), Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, JPMorgan Chase, ViacomCBS, Citigroup, Cisco, UPS, and Merck, and urging supporters, dont go back to their products until they relent. He threw in a reiteration that the 2020 election was stolen from him, again, for good measure. AdvertisementWhile Trumps baseless howling about the stolen election is a point of discomfort for many other top elected Republicans, the party has had no problem harnessing the energy from that rage to tighten up voting restrictions. And Major League Baseballs announcement last week that it was pulling the All-Star Game from the Atlanta area has united the party in defense of its state-by-state voting-law push and against the woke turn from corporate America. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGeorgia Gov. Brian Kemp, still trying to restore his credibility among the Republican base after Trumps postelection attacks on him, said that Major League Baseball caved to fears and lies from liberal activists. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott opted against throwing the first pitch at a Texas Rangers game, saying he wouldnt participate in an event held by MLB. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the master of performing a symbolic gesture here or there against corporate America in his latest rebrand as a tribune of the working class, has called on MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to ditch his membership to Augusta National if hes truly committed to pressuring Georgia. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton has observed that corporate America seems far less concerned about the human rights abuses by their business partners in China than they do about those in Georgia. A group of senators is engaging in the ritual, go-nowhere exercise of drafting legislation to take away a sports leagues antitrust exemption when it does something they dont like. AdvertisementAdvertisementBut more notable than these scattered displays of anger were choice words from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell about the corporate environment more broadly. From election law to environmentalism to radical social agendas to the Second Amendment, parts of the private sector keep dabbling in behaving like a woke parallel government, McConnell said in a statement on Monday. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEven the use of corporate as a dirty word from Republicans is a recent development, and the pushback from Delta, MLB, Coca-Cola and others against the Georgia voting law is the latest in a string of incidents that have frayed the relationship between Republicans and corporate America. Democrats dominated in dark money spending in the 2020 election, and various corporations adopted a donation freeze after the pro-Trump Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The Chamber of Commerce, the business trade group that was once one of the GOPs most powerful outside supporters, endorsed dozens of Democrats in the 2020 election and appears to be, politically, up for grabs. This all comes amid a changing electorate in which Democrats have been accruing more upscale voters while Republicans orient their messaging around a distrust of powerful institutions thats supposed to appeal to the working class. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCongress itself is always a little behind on the news, and Republicans most powerful senior elected legislators are still traditional, pro-business movement conservatives. AdvertisementThe Rubio op-ed, much like what weve seen of this nascent Republican pussyfooting with taking on corporate America, was ridiculous. He doesnt like Amazons cultural politics and doesnt like Jeff Bezos, and so he supports this one bargaining units efforts to organize at this one corporation. Thats not a labor policy, and he shares no thoughts on other pressing federal issues swirling around Amazon, like its negligible tax contributions. AdvertisementAdvertisementIf Republicans want to array themselves as the anti-corporate party, it takes more than op-ed potshots complaining about how a hypothetical multinational company bowed to woke leftists by scrapping, say, its ketchup brands racist mascot. And there are some policy opportunities afoot for Republicans to demonstrate a more meaningful break from corporate Americas ownership of the party. AdvertisementUnfortunately, those policies would require them to work with Joe Biden. The president, for example, has proposed a broad, multitrillion-dollar infrastructure plan to be paid for by a partial rollback of the corporate tax rate that Republicans instituted in 2017, a doubling of the corporate minimum tax Republicans instituted, and a crackdown on international tax havens. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, meanwhile, is working with allies to create a global minimum corporate tax rate to stop the race to the bottom among countries seeking to lure corporations. The Biden administration, separately, is looking to pass a law increasing the federal minimum wage for workers, a change that hasnt been made in 14 years due to complete Republican opposition. And if Republicans want to show that theyre ready to break the backs of corporate monopolies that are using their leverage to wage culture war, they could support some of Bidens more adversarial nominees for Senate confirmation. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith a few strays here or there, Republicans in Congress wont go along with any of this, not only out of a distaste for working with Democrats, but because they dont believe in what its all meant to accomplish. Theyre still wedded to supply-side economics and the conservative movement, even after Trump showed how flexible Republican base voters are in their dedication to small government and free markets. And while its a notable change that theyre allowing themselves to yell at major corporationsjob creators!theyve restricted that yelling to the culture war. Large corporations dont mind throwing liberals a social-justice PR bone because they know that Republicans will always be there to protect their economic interests. When Republicans decide to break that link, then we can have a real conversation about the war between them and corporate America.

###CLAIM: another piece in the wall street journal, the myth, of, systemic, police, and racism, is fantastic, including the fact that the murder rate among blacks in the police has declined. ###DOCS: The justifiable anger that rippled through the country over the killing of George Floyd spawned unjustifiable looting and rioting. Floyds trial and another northern accidental police shooting (in Minnesota) have CNN hyperventilating over racial injustice.Liberal mayors have stood aside and let looters rampage and attack their police with impunity. Restoring order to protect people and property is the first job of a mayor. While the mayor of Atlanta feigned concern about looting, she essentially winked a statement to the looters: She wears a size 7 1/2 Nike. With the help of Stacey Abrams, Georgia will manage to call not allowing looters to exchange stolen shoes for the right size racist. Out of habit, California Gov. Gavin Newsom will blame looting on global warming. The left only has three go-to culprits: racism, global warming and corporate greed. Sadly, all this violence is based on myths perpetuated by the left and the media. Stanford researcher on the matter Heather MacDonald updated her book and wrote The Myth of Systemic Police Racism, another fantastic op-ed piece with facts about the declining murder rate of blacks at the hands of police, in The Wall Street Journal. Read the full piece here. Police shot nine unarmed black people and 19 unarmed whites in 2019. That rate is down from Obama-era numbers of 38 and 32 in 2015, respectively. There were 7,407 African-American murder victims in 2018, and the vast majority were killed by other black people. This is the real problem no one wants to address. The facts are clear and indisputable. Nine unarmed blacks were shot by police in a country of 330 million. Our nation is being destroyed based on a lie. Black people are 53% of known homicide offenders and commit 60% of robberies, even though black males are only 6.5% of the U.S. population. Why then would black people not want strong policing in their neighborhoods since they are the most at risk? In reality, when there is outrage over an unjust police action, black people do not effect meaningful change by stealing 72-inch Sony TVs. All that does is reinforce stereotypes and harm their community. The Ferguson Effect becomes a reality. Yes, there was looting in 1968, but you had to give the looters A for effort. Back then a color TV weighed 500 pounds. When police step aside, criminals step up, especially when motivated by the myth that blacks are being killed unjustifiably by police in record numbers. Atlanta is a prime example; people refuse to come to Buckhead as they once did. This path toward chaos is rooted in BLM lies and self-aggrandizement. According to reports, their self-described Marxist leader, Patrisse Cullors, recently purchased a $1.4 million home on a secluded road a short drive from Malibu. What we learn with socialism/communism is that it only works well for those in charge of it. You cannot simultaneously fight violence while doing violence. Looting is costly. On the bright side, after the recent mistaken shooting looters in Minnesota got their liquor cabinets filled. We must hold accountable the few police who abuse their power. Yet there is zero evidence of systemic racial bias in policing. In fact, given current fears, they are not as aggressive as they should be to protect minority neighborhoods most hurt by crime. Charles Barkley needs to be in charge of race relations. He gets it. Liberal elites keep the myth alive and wax pious about police brutality. For their part, Taylor Swift and Yoko Ono have announced plans to record a new song about racial harmony. And if civility is not restored, they have threatened to release it. In predictable and irrational overreaction mode, the left wants to defund the police because of isolated incidents. Close to 100,000 deaths per year are caused by medical errors. So we should defund hospitals, too? The lefts contempt for police is so bad they are demanding that the cop be kicked out of the Village People. For those who are wondering where COVID went, apparently throwing bricks at store windows is the cure we were seeking. I will admit, I was caught off guard. It became looting season and I still had my COVID-season decorations up. I did protect my business with my AR-15, and I also hid my jokes in my house in case looters came to steal my material. In these complex times I wonder, when I go to a store these days, do I need to bring a mask or a brick? Ron Hart, a libertarian syndicated op-ed humorist, worked at Goldman Sachs and is an award-winning author and TV/radio commentator. He can be reached at Ron@RonaldHart.com, or visit www.RonaldHart.com. The riots that have erupted after the killing of Daunte Wright reinforce a familiar pattern. This response is rooted not only in tragedy, but in a distorted perception of reality. Chelsea Handler, for example, suggested that people of color have a 50-50 chance of being shot by police. This is a complete distortion, but fits a broader pattern. My latest report for the Manhattan Institute, based on multiple surveys, shows that being exposed to news and social media, having left-wing views on race, and being anxious or depressed explains a great deal of how much racism a person perceives. And when someone says racism in America has risen, this perception is almost entirely a figment of their imagination. In fact, racist attitudes and behaviors have been declining for decades. Progressives are deeply invested in the critical race theory narrative that America is a racist society that seeks to victimize people of color, especially black Americans. They believe this consciousness will lead us toward racial justice. But while the concrete benefits of this radical narrative are difficult to prove, the costs in the form of lost black lives and prosperity are painfully measurable. Law enforcement officers clear an area of demonstrators during a protest after the killing of Daunte Wright. John Minchillo/APMoreover, my report shows that exposing black survey respondents to a concentrated dose of critical race-inspired writing reduces their belief that they have control of their lives. This affects their trust, health, economic achievement and other aspects of well-being. Young black men are around 10 times more likely to die in a car accident than from a police bullet. Yet when I asked people which was the more common cause of death for young black males, 81 percent of black Biden voters in my survey, and 70 percent of whites who agreed that white Republicans are racist said police shootings claimed more young black mens lives. This was the case even though people who didnt know the right answer could have selected a neither option. By contrast, only 15 percent of white Trump voters believed this fallacy. Psychologists tell us that we are often motivated by subconscious emotions, telling ourselves a story that makes sense of our feelings. We reach for vivid images that are easily recalled and reinforce our emotion-laden stories, rather than paying attention to what the data say. When it comes to racism, ideology, media exposure and peer influences skew our picture of reality. The media serves up the stories and images we become attached to, shaping what we believe. Since 2014, major American newspapers like The New York Times and Washington Post, as well as progressive online news sites like BuzzFeed, have greatly increased their focus on racism, sexism and other aspects of identity politics. This has produced what Matthew Yglesias terms The Great Awokening, a major leftward attitude shift among liberal, especially white liberal, Americans. A demonstrator holds a sign along a perimeter fence guarded by law enforcement officers. John Minchillo/APOne result of this is that the share of Americans saying race relations are good, which was stable at around 70 percent from 2002 to 2014, has plummeted to 40-50 percent since. The gap between Democrats and Republicans on how big a problem racism is, which was around 10 points between 1995 and 2014, stands at over 50 points, entirely because of the rise in the share of Democrats saying racism is a big problem. In surveys, black people on social media report experiencing significantly more racism than those not on it. When asked whether people acted suspicious of you or acted like you werent smart, over 50 percent of blacks on social media said they had experienced this racism compared with barely 30 percent of those not on social media. This effect remained powerful even after controlling for age, income, ideology and education. Most African Americans in my surveys felt political correctness was demeaning rather than necessary, and preferred a future where they had become so confident that racial insults did not offend them over one where the price for racist remarks was so high that none took place. Most white liberals backed the opposing view. Blacks prefer resilience and agency over protection and dependency, but when they hear radical narratives based on critical race theory, this damages their belief in themselves. Just 68 percent of black respondents who read a short passage from radical writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, starting with In America, it is traditional to destroy the black body it is heritage, said they could make their plans work out compared with 83 percent of blacks who did not read that paragraph. Demonstrators gather after Wrights death. John Minchillo/APWhites who are killed by police rarely make the news. Even when these stories are reported, they dont resonate with the core plotlines that most people live by. The medias post-2014 tendency to flag images of racism, however, resonates with myths and symbols that run deep in the liberal American psyche. When tragic events like the killing of Daunte Wright or George Floyd take place, this triggers a wave of emotion, powering a politics of unreason that is doing more harm than good. Eric Kaufmann is a professor of politics at Birkbeck College, University of London, and is affiliated with the Manhattan Institute and the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology. Prabal Gurung, the Nepalese-American designer, has been a vocal proponent of inclusion and diversity since his first show in 2009. In the wake of the Atlanta shootings and an upswing in anti-Asian violence, he talked to The New York Times about his own experiences and what his work has to do with it. How do you grapple with whats going on? To watch a video of a 65-year-old woman being brutally attacked is triggering and heart-wrenching, not just for me but for my friends and people from my community. We all are so worried for our loved ones. My mother goes on walks every morning and evening. Shes 75-years-old. A couple of weeks ago, I bought a blond wig for her, and I said, You know, just wear it when you go outside, wear a hat, wear glasses. She tried it on. But the next day she came over to my place, and she was like: Im not going to wear it. Just buy me a big, strong cane. That is the reality of this. Is that why you were an organizer of a Black and Asian solidarity march with other designers and activists in March? We didnt know how many people were going to show up, but thousands and thousands of people showed up across races and gender: L.G.B.T.Q. friends, Latin friends, Black friends, Asian friends, white friends. What we recognize is that for this particular moment to turn into a movement, we have to have all the marginalized groups and our white counterparts coming together.

###CLAIM: sir richard said the sale of the stake in virgin and the stake in the space tourism company, virgin atlantic, would take place in june 2020 as part of other business support. ###DOCS: Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity comes in for a landing after its suborbital test flight on December 13, ... [+] 2018, in Mojave, California. - Virgin Galactic marked a major milestone on Thursday as its spaceship made it to a peak height, or apogee, of 51.4 miles (82.7 kilometers), after taking off attached to an airplane from Mojave, California, then firing its rocket motors to reach new heights. (Photo by Gene Blevins / AFP) (Photo credit should read GENE BLEVINS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty ImagesVirgin Galactic, (SPCE) a space tourism company that has yet to send a tourist into space, seemed to defy gravity when it touched an all-time high of 62.80 in February. But more recently the space tourism company has fallen out of orbit, dropping -13.57%, to close at 23.06 on April 15. On a day when the Dow Jones went up over 300 points, closing above 34,000 for the first time, Virgin Galactic was one of the biggest losers. Although the company took its beating on the traditional tax day of April 15, IRS issues were not behind the sharp decline. Instead, stock sales by founder and major investor Richard Branson are thought to have influenced the rush to the exits. As CNBC reported, a securities filing on April 14 revealed that founder Sir Richard Branson sold more than 5.5 million shares of Virgin Galactic at over $150 million over the previous three days. Branson, with venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, took Virgin Galactic public in 2019 through a SPAC merger. In March, a month before Bransons share sale, Palihapitiya sold his personal stake in the company of 6.2 million shares for around $213 million, regulatory filings showed. Nonetheless, Palihapitiya, whose fund still controls 15.8 million shares, declared, I continue to be a significant investor in Virgin Galactic through Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings and I remain as dedicated as ever to Virgin Galactics team, mission and prospects.Although Virgin Galactic was listed on the stock market in 2019, Branson actually founded the company in 2004, based on a collaboration with Scaled Composites, creators of record-setting Spaceship One. Although Branson announced his intention to launch the worlds first commercial space tourism company in 2004, Virgin had registered the Galactic name as far back as 1999. Chamath Palihapitiya, left, founder of Social Capital Hedosophiaon, and Sir Richard Branson, center, ... [+] founder of Virgin Galactic, meet with specialist Peter Giacchi at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) ASSOCIATED PRESSThe fledgling venture reaped huge publicity after Spaceship One completed its X-Prize winning flight to the edge of the atmosphere in 2004. (This reporter was there.) Spaceship One is now in the Smithsonian, as Virgin Galactic built a spaceport in the New Mexico desert as well as more advanced motherships and SpaceShip Two. But despite this long history, Virgin Galactic has put none of 8,000 potential space tourists into orbit on a $250,000 flight. Celebrities, including Ashton Kutcher, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber, were reportedly on the Virgin Galactic waiting list although sadly Stephen Hawking didnt get to use his free ticket. A 2014 article noted, Virgin Galactic, which initially announced the arrival of commercial spaceflight as soon as 2007, then 2008, 2009, 2010, and so on, recently stated they will begin as early as next year. Unfortunately, this was followed by a 2014 accident that killed a test pilot. After an investigation, the company resumed test flights, but in December 2020 electromagnetic interference caused a flight computer to reboot in the midst of rocket ignition. Fortunately the pilots were able to glide to a safe landing at Spaceport America in New Mexico. With the new problem, tests of the SpaceShipTwo flight vehicle Unity was pushed from February to May of this year. The first commercial flight has now been pushed back to 2022. Meanwhile, travel-focused Virgin Group was suffering during COVID-19. Already struggling with a $3.1 billion debt load before the pandemic, Virgin Australia laid off many employees and went into administration, comparable to U.S. bankruptcy. Whats left is now owned by Bain Capital, although the airline has recently shown signs of life as the domestic market picks up. In May of 2020, Bransons other airline, Virgin Atlantic, announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline would be laying off 3000 staff, cutting its fleet size to 35 and sending Bransons beloved Boeing 747-400s to the boneyard. In August of 2020, Virgin Atlantic filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in New York as part of a refinancing plan. The Virgin Atlantic website is still up, but I tried to book a couple of sample flights (LAX to LON and HKG to LON) going out until September, but could not. LAS VEGAS - JUNE 15: Founder and President of Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson (L) and burlesque ... [+] artist Dita Von Teese appear on a lift in front of a painting of Von Teese on the side of a Virgin Atlantic Airways 747-400 aircraft at McCarran International Airport June 15, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Branson is celebrating his British airline's 10th anniversary of flying between London and Las Vegas. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Getty ImagesDespite talk of re-opening, COVID-19 damage is endemic throughout the travel industry. Airlines are now saying that 2021 could be another lost summer for European travel, as borders remain closed. Against this background, Branson has been surprisingly consistent about what he would do to save his companies. Although SPCE reportedly plunged on April 15 due to Bransons share sales, back in June of 2020, Sir Richard said he will sell a stake in his Virgin Galactic space tourism business to support his other businesses, including Virgin Atlantic. Branson even used his luxury Necker Island as collateral to help secure a government loan. So after the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars, will Virgin Galactic be able to safely send tourists into space and ultimately make a profit? For SPCE, that may be the final frontier.

###CLAIM: this combination of brand continuity and prestige software makes for a multi-generation, deeply passionate fanbase. ###DOCS: 'Super Mario Bros. 35' Evokes Nintendo's Strained Relationship With Fan DevelopersEnlarge this image toggle caption Nintendo NintendoIn early 2019, game developer and Youtuber Infernoplus had an idea what if he took a classic video game and gave it a contemporary twist? That game was the original Super Mario Bros for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and to lend it a modern touch, Infernoplus who prefers to go by his online username wanted to turn it into a Fortnite-inspired "battle royale" game. "I had kind of jokingly said at the time you can make anything into a battle royale," he tells NPR. "Every single game publisher in the world wanted to make one at that particular moment." The battle royale genre sees a large number of players compete against one another to be the last player standing. Using some code borrowed from a prior game design project, Infernoplus got to work. He designed a map-editing tool that allowed him to painstakingly re-create the original Super Mario Bros. levels. Then, he built a multi-player system that supported a lot of players at once even though he didn't expect the presence of "too many players" to be a problem. The project was called Super Mario Royale, and within a month of its original inception it was finished and released to the world on Infernoplus' personal website. The morning after its release, the game had nearly a thousand active players. Soon after, major blogs like Kotaku and Vice were writing about the game. But about two weeks after the initial release, Infernoplus received an email from Nintendo's lawyers. "They said: 'take this down, it's infringing on our copyright, we don't like this,'" Infernoplus shares. So he reworked the game, removing all of the Nintendo assets and replacing them with custom art and music. He called the new game DMCA Royale. Enlarge this image toggle caption Infernoplus InfernoplusBut even with those changes, Nintendo didn't budge. They still wanted the game gone. Fearing a lawsuit, Infernoplus decided it was easier to take the game down than fight a costly legal battle. "I don't have buckets of cash to throw away on something like that," he says. This year marks the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. To celebrate, Nintendo has released a collection of games called Super Mario 3D All-Stars. It compiles several acclaimed and influential games from the series, including the award-winning Super Mario Galaxy and the often maligned but underrated Super Mario Sunshine. Also released last week was a brand new addition to the Super Mario universe: a competitive, battle royale style game called Super Mario Bros. 35. A strained relationshipNintendo is one of the biggest video game companies in the world. From Mario to Zelda to Donkey Kong, Nintendo has built a catalogue featuring many of the most recognizable figures in gaming. It is also a company that has made these characters central to their profit margin. Before all else, Nintendo remains a gaming company. While competitors like Sony and Microsoft continue to roll out gaming consoles that also function as do-it-all entertainment systems, Nintendo positions high-quality software with recognizable mascots as the selling point of its systems. This combination of brand continuity and prestige software has made for a deeply passionate and multi-generational fanbase. As with all things beloved, there is a passionate community of Nintendo fans who make their own stories and experiences derived from Nintendo's intellectual property. In other words: fan fiction. Unlike traditional fan fiction though, many Nintendo fan projects take the shape of playable software in the form of standalone games, or modifications to games that already exist. For years, Nintendo has drawn criticism from these fan developers. They claim that Nintendo too often requests removal of their projects on the grounds of copyright infringement. In 2016, Nintendo issued takedown notices for 562 fan games. Some simply wish that Nintendo would leave fan projects alone, especially those that aren't being sold for profit. Other criticisms are more pointed. Some claim Nintendo has actively taken ideas from their projects, later using those same ideas in official Nintendo releases. Nintendo's announcement trailer for Super Mario Bros. 35. YouTubeIn the case of Super Mario Bros. 35, it's easy to see why its resemblance to a fan game released over a year ago and targeted by lawyers has re-ignited conversations about Nintendo's relationship to its fan community. Infernoplus does not feel like Nintendo "stole" his idea for a battle royale Mario game. But, he says, "I do think that Mario Royale showed them such a thing is profitable. That this little fan game had all these players." Nintendo declined a request for comment. A history of fan influenceSuper Mario Bros. 35 is not the first time that an official Nintendo release has resembled an existing fan project. Famously, a fan game called Another Metroid 2 Remake (AM2R) looked to modernize Metroid II: Return of Samus, a 1991 Game Boy game that had never received a remake from Nintendo proper. The developer of that game, Milton Guasti, spent years on his free remake. Over time, what began as a personal project became a group effort as artists joined in to create original artwork for the game. When AM2R was finally released for free in 2016 after many years of work, Nintendo sent DMCA notices to both the official project site and several websites hosting the game. About a year later, Nintendo released their own official modernized remake of Metroid II on the Nintendo 3DS console. In 2013, another fan developer speculated that his 2013 project called Full Screen Mario influenced the game Super Mario Maker. There are many other instances where fan developers have met fan demands before official releases did so especially when it comes to making Nintendo titles inclusive and accessible to more players. Fire Emblem is one of the few Nintendo series that deals explicitly with romantic relationships. And until recently, romance options between characters of the same sex were not permitted within the game (despite many a tome being written about existing queer subtext). Fan projects like the Fire Emblem's Gay Awakening work to address this by re-writing some of the game's dialogue and making it possible for characters of the same sex to form romantic relationships. Although same sex marriage options were implemented by Nintendo in 2015's Fire Emblem: Fates as well as last year's Fire Emblem: Three Houses, the series has been often criticized for its limiting portrayal of queer relationships. A Fire Emblem: Awakening mod that makes romantic same-sex relationships possible between characters. YouTubeSimilar ROM hacks exist for the Harvest Moon series (a series often published by Nintendo, but not developed by them). Fan developer Sean Gibbons created a ROM hack called Harvest Moon: A Proud Life that changes the gender of its lead protagonist in essence enabling same-sex marriage options. "If they are not gonna make a game with the kind of representation we want we'll just do it ourselves," Gibbons says. It's a feature that is now being implemented in a remake of a Harvest Moon game called Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town. Piracy vs. preservationOther fan projects have made old or difficult-to-find games available to more players. For example, the classic RPG EarthBound was released in the United States in 1994. Since it's original release, the game has grown in cult-classic status ironically in large part thanks to its vibrant modding community. Despite fan demand, Nintendo has yet to localize its Japan-only sequel, Mother 3. The Mother 3 fan translation project, which contains an entire English translation of the game, remains one of the only ways to experience the game with English dialogue. Video game preservationists and historians say that fan communities have often been crucial to archiving old games. "Most of video game history has been safely and correctly digitized not by the companies themselves, but by fans," says Frank Cifaldi, founder of the Video Game History Foundation. In 2018, Nintendo filed a lawsuit against several of these popular websites. The biggest of them, LoveROMS, hosted thousands of old and new Nintendo games. "On the one hand, no doubt these sites were serving ads. They were essentially profiting off of piracy of other people's intellectual property," says Cifaldi. "But on the other hand there isn't really another method to access most older games." Cifaldi says that most of these archives are now gone from the "easily accessible" internet. By attempting to defend their intellectual property, Cifaldi argues that Nintendo has hurt a valuable piece of video game history. "It wasn't just the Nintendo games that went down. It was everything. It was games made in the 70's by companies that haven't existed since the 70's. It was every Atari game, every Intellivision game. Everything from SEGA." Cifaldi says that Nintendo has been hard on emulation since at least the late 90's. Language on the legal section of their website clearly articulates their stance: "emulation of Nintendo software represents the greatest threat to date to the intellectual property rights of video game developers," it reads. While it's not particularly surprising that a company like Nintendo often threatens legal action when it comes to defending its intellectual property, it's also not the way all game publishers operate. Other big name entities like SEGA, Bethesda, and Valve often work with or alongside fans to develop these experiences. When SEGA involved figures from the Sonic modding community to work on Sonic Mania, the result was one of the most well received entries to the franchise in years. "That's the best case," fan developer Infernoplus says. "What Nintendo does is the worst case: attacking people with lawyers."

###CLAIM: the dual challenge of ensuring continued access to affordable energy for american families will be addressed while greenhouse gas emissions are reduced through transparent and market-based solutions. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareAfter years of negotiations, the District of Columbia and three Northeastern states have signed a landmark agreement aimed at substantially curbing emissions from gasoline and diesel over the next decade, targeting the nations largest source of greenhouse gases. 10 steps you can take to lower your carbon footprint ArrowRight The District is joining Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island in committing to cap and reduce transportation pollution by 26 percent by 2032 and promising to invest in clean transportation and public health in communities that have been disproportionately affected by climate change. The Transportation and Climate Initiative is an ambitious effort to cut the carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide that pour from vehicles and contribute to global warming. Transportation accounts for nearly 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region. AdvertisementBy working together across our borders at the state level, we can take on the greatest challenges posed by climate change, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said in a statement. Through this multi-jurisdictional commitment, we will cut pollution, improve health outcomes, and deliver much-needed investments for our most vulnerable communities.Through the accord, the participating states will require large fuel distributors to pay an allowance for the pollution their fuel produces. The money will be used by the District and the states on green transportation initiatives such as electric buses. The number of allowances would decline each year, resulting in fewer emissions. Initial annual proceeds from the so-called cap-and-invest plan would result in nearly $276 million for the four jurisdictions, and more than $3.2 billion between 2023 and 2032, organizers said. AdvertisementKatie Scharf Dykes, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said that because gasoline and diesel prices vary widely over time, it is difficult to predict the implications for consumers should fuel suppliers pass along costs. Our modeling estimates show a potential increase around 5 cents per gallon, which is far less than regular fluctuations the customers see in retail fuel prices, she said. Kirk McCauley of the Washington, Maryland, Delaware Service Station and Automotive Repair Association, which represents service stations and convenience stores in the Washington region said the new policy amounts to a gas tax and that small businesses and consumers would pay the price. He estimates drivers would pay up to 17 cents more per gallon at the pump, much higher than what state officials are projecting. AdvertisementMoving forward with a new regional gas tax hike and the establishment of a regional compact up the Northeast makes no sense for the DMV area. Our customers will be left paying higher prices for gasoline, McCauley said. The American Petroleum Institute said in a statement it was reviewing the memorandum of understanding signed by the three states and D.C.Our focus remains on addressing the dual challenge of ensuring that American families have continued access to affordable, reliable energy while reducing [greenhouse gas] emissions through transparent, market-based solutions, said Ron Chittim, an API vice president. Environmental groups welcomed the news Monday. Efforts like the Transportation and Climate Initiative will help to not only curb transportation emissions, but revitalize state economies and create new jobs at a time when states need the relief the most, said Alli Gold Roberts, director of state policy at the sustainability nonprofit Ceres. Projects could also include development of interstate electric-vehicle charging corridors and improved high-speed wireless Internet in rural and low-income areas to allow for teleworking, officials said. Under the agreement, the states and the District will allocate at least 35 percent of their proceeds to underserved communities known to experience disproportionately high levels of pollution. That could mean up to $100 million in annual investments to those communities at the onset of the program, and up to $130 million by 2032. AdvertisementBackers of the program cite health and economic analyses projecting broad benefits. Improved air quality would result in fewer cases of lung and heart ailments and other serious health conditions linked to pollution, they said. A recent Harvard School of Public Health report found that prolonged exposure to air pollution may make it more difficult to recover from covid-19. We believe that a responsible climate action strengthens our economy, protects our communities and residents, and improves public health impacts, said Kathleen Theoharides, the secretary of energy and environmental affairs for Massachusetts. We know that local air pollution that disproportionately affects communities of color and low income communities also makes covid-19 outcomes worse.Black people and Hispanics are at a higher risk of becoming ill from covid-19 and are dying at higher rates. AdvertisementEight other states Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and North Carolina have been involved in the planning of the program in recent years, and could join the agreement in the future, organizers said. The eight states issued a statement Monday signaling plans to continue to work with Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and the District on the regional effort. If all of the jurisdictions join the initiative, total proceeds available for investment in clean transportation could exceed $2 billion annually. This process was designed to be flexible so states could join at a time that works best for them, said Jeff Marootian, the Districts director of transportation. The District of Columbia has ambitious goals, including to be carbon neutral by 2050. So we need to start now.AdvertisementThe District in recent years has doubled efforts to discourage car travel and promote alternative modes of transportation, adding protected bike lanes and pushing greener modes of transportation including e-scooters and e-bikes. This year, the city launched new bus lanes, created a slow streets program to promote walking and biking, and reduced the default speed limit to 20 mph all efforts to change the way people travel. The D.C. Council recently mandated that future private developments include electric-vehicle charging stations and gave officials more flexibility to increase parking rates in high-demand areas to discourage driving two measures that city leaders say will help the District meet its climate goals. But officials said that meeting the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 will require more collaborative action. Marootian said the city plans to work with Maryland and Virginia, which havent yet signed onto the pact. AdvertisementThe participating jurisdictions say the program is designed to encourage distributors to use cleaner-burning biofuels or new technologies and the alliance will enable the jurisdictions to work together on policies to reduce pollution and advance shared goals of equity and environmental justice. Transportation and climate change transcend state borders, and thats why we are tackling these challenges together, Theoharides said. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: the masterplan for the british museum was created in 1823 at the heart of a magnificent courtyard by spencer de grey, head of design at foster + partners sir robert smirkes. ###DOCS: Satvinder Jandu, senior project manager, British MuseumIts hard to imagine now, but the courtyard at the centre of the museum used to look like a mini Manhattan. It was cramped with multilevel concrete buildings that housed the book stacks for the British Library. They were joined by walkways at different levels, and an internal labyrinth of corridors. Demolishing this whole structure was the riskiest and most complicated part of the whole project they turned out to be much better built than anyone had expected. People think of the roof as the defining image of the Great Court, but its just the icing on the cake. There was a huge subterranean development to create the education centre, and the scope of work extended right to the front gates, with new landscaping of the forecourt, as well as new galleries to the north. Some fascinating finds were made during the excavations, from the foundations of the old Montagu House building [where the museum first began in the 1700s], to lots of old clay pots. One key concept was how the Great Court would act as a public thoroughfare through Bloomsbury, open to visitors beyond the usual gallery hours. The entrance was a real bottleneck. It was not a pleasant experience to be there on a Saturday with 10,000 people trying to get into the museum. You arrived in an underwhelming space with a dark and dingy corridor leading to the reading room. The construction took 33 months but we didnt close the museum to the public for a single day. A real low point was when we discovered that our supplier had switched the stone for the south portico fromPortland stone which was specified in the contract and which matched the original to a more creamy coloured French limestone. We had no idea until the finished blocks started arriving on site. It hit the press, but it was too late for anything to be done. The roof was already being assembled, and the portico had to be ready to receive the roof structure. If we had delayed, the whole project would have ground to a halt for 18 months and we would have missed the millennium deadline. After much deliberation , we decided to proceed with the alternative stone, which is geologically the same: the seam goes from Portland, down the English Channel and then appears in the middle of France. Its colour has mellowed over time. The Great Court roof at night. The impact of the project was transformational not just for visitors, but also for staff. It elevated the whole institution to another level. There are still some occasional niggles today. The acoustics in the Great Court are not particularly good and it can be problematic if youre holding large functions or concerts in it. And the way the building is serviced is quite complex, because of how things had to be weaved in and out of the old structure. Twenty years on, were having to replace some of the equipment. Over the years, tastes change and people tend to take a different view about buildings, but the Great Court is timeless and remains largely untouched from how it was conceived. Spencer de Grey, head of design, Foster + PartnersSir Robert Smirkes 1823 masterplan for the British Museum created a magnificent courtyard at its heart. However, it only lasted a few years before a new library, designed by Smirkes brother Sydney, was built in its midst the Round Reading Room and the rest of the courtyard was then submerged under lean-to book stacks. It was a lost space waiting to be rediscovered, an opportunity finally triggered 150 years later by the move of the British Library to a new building at St Pancras. Our first recommendation in the architectural competition was to remove the empty book storage buildings and open up the original courtyard, raising its floor to the same level as the entrance to the museum. Integral to this was the painstaking restoration inside and out of the round reading room, with its dome that is bigger than St Pauls. We retained the original fittings, the tables and bookcases, and reinstated the original Victorian decorative scheme for the dome: pale blue and gold. The symmetry of the original courtyard, with its four mighty classical porticos, had been undermined when the southern portico was demolished in the late 19th century to make way for more accommodation. We all felt that it was important to reinstate it, but the approach to this and its detailing, whether historic or contemporary, was much debated. Ultimately, we agreed to honour Smirkes original design. A 19th-century print of the British Museum courtyard. The biggest challenge was the new glass roof, whose geometry had to reconcile the asymmetrically placed, circular reading room with the rectangular courtyard. We started with a more traditional, flat-trussed design, but then developed an arched, shell-like structure that would allow carefully controlled natural light into the courtyard. We worked with the University of Bath and Buro Happold, who were developing new CAD technology, and created a gently curved glass roof with 3,312 triangulated individual glass panels. I vividly remember the final stages of its erection and the shared sigh of relief when the two separate halves of the steel structure met precisely on the join line, all to within 3mm accuracy. My daughter, and that of the then chief executive of the museum, were given the honour of clambering on the erection deck on to the roof and placing in position the final pane of glass. Below the courtyard we built the African galleries and a new lecture room. The cast iron structure of the adjacent 150-year old reading room meant the excavation around it was extremely sensitive. Working in an historical setting is always difficult there are so many unknowns and I was woken up one morning to be told that movement had been detected in its framework which was of concern. But we were able to quickly confirm that it met the tolerances specified, and work was able to continue. Nearing completion, the museums chairman of the trustees announced that he wanted to use the new lecture room before completion for a talk by a special guest. The air-conditioning system was not commissioned, nor were all the doors fixed. Anxiety levels increased 10-fold when we were told that the special guest was Nelson Mandela. He gave a memorable speech to a capacity audience. We had never been so glad when the event ended without a hitch.

###CLAIM: indianapolis has deforest and buckner at interior lineman, darius and leonard at linebacker, quenton and nelson on the offensive line and george and odum as special teamers. ###DOCS: FILE - New England Patriots wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (80) celebrates after returning a punt for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Inglewood, Calif., in this Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, file photo. Olszewski was selected Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, to The Associated Press All-Pro Team. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, FIle)FILE - New England Patriots wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (80) celebrates after returning a punt for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Inglewood, Calif., in this Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, file photo. Olszewski was selected Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, to The Associated Press All-Pro Team. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, FIle)Dynamic defensive star Aaron Donald and unstoppable tight end Travis Kelce were unanimous choices Friday for The Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was selected for the third time, finishing ahead of Kansas Citys Patrick Mahomes in voting from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Last seasons Super Bowl MVP shared second-team honors with Josh Allen of Buffalo. Tennessee running back Derrick Henry, who ran for 2,027 yards to win his second consecutive rushing title, was named All-Pro for the first time after leading the AFC South champion Titans to their first division title in 12 years. Very consistent, very durable, very impressive, coach Mike Vrabel said of the NFLs first winner of back-to-back rushing titles since Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006-07. Donald, who has helped the Los Angeles Rams to the top-ranked defense in the NFL, earned his sixth All-Pro selection. It was the third for Kansas Citys record-setting Kelce . I think the best display of greatness is making people around you better, Rams coach Sean McVay said of Donald. And thats exactly what he does, by the way he influences them every single week.ADVERTISEMENTMahomes lauded Kelce for the way he approaches his job. For a guy to have that much talent, work that hard and be able to learn really every single day like that, thats what makes him so special on the field, Mahomes said. Joining Donald and Kelce were 15 players returning to the squad, and 14 newcomers. Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner also made his sixth squad. The marvelous durability that hes demonstrated for middle linebacker after all these years is just off the charts, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. Kansas City receiver Tyreek Hill is now a three-time All-Pro along with Rodgers, among the favorites to win MVP after guiding the Packers (13-3) to the top seed in the NFC. Joining Henry as first-time choices among skill players were Buffalo wideout Stefon Diggs, who led the NFL in catches and yards receiving, and Rodgers favorite target, Davante Adams. For me, honestly, I think its just been finding different small things that I can get better at, Adams says. I feel like Im a pretty complete receiver. ... Its just fine-tuning the things I do well and just figuring out a way to do them even better.Diggs was traded by Minnesota to Buffalo in the offseason and made a huge impact as the Bills won their first AFC East title in 25 years. For me, it was just in whatever situation I was going to be put in or chosen in, I was just going to embrace, said Diggs, who finished the regular season with 127 catches for 1,535 yards and eight touchdowns. The Packers and Colts led all teams with four All-Pros apiece. Green Bay left tackle David Bakhtiari, who is out for the playoffs after injuring a knee in practice during the final week of the regular season, made it for the second time. Center Corey Linsley was a first-time selection. Indianapolis has interior lineman DeForest Buckner and linebacker Darius Leonard on the defense, left guard Quenton Nelson on offense, and George Odum as the special teamer. Nelson is a three-time All-Pro, Leonard a double selection, while Buckner and Odum made it for the first time. Rounding out the offense were Cleveland right tackle Jack Conklin (second selection), and Washington right guard Brandon Scherff (first). Also on defense were edge rushers T.J. Watt, the NFLs sacks leader for Pittsburgh who is on his second All-Pro Team, and newcomer Myles Garrett of Cleveland; San Francisco linebacker Fred Warner (first selection); cornerbacks Xavien Howard (first) of Miami, the leagues interception leader, and Jalen Ramsey (second) of the Rams; and safeties Tyrann Mathieu (third) of Kansas City, Minkah Fitzpatrick of Pittsburgh and Budda Baker of Arizona, both for the second time. There was a tie between Fitzpatrick and Baker for the second safety spot. The long snapper position is new to the All-Pro Team in 2020, and Baltimores Morgan Cox was the choice. Chicago kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson made it for the fourth time. The rest of the special teams positions were newcomers: Miami kicker Jason Sanders, New England punter Jake Bailey and punt returner Gunner Olszewski. Repeaters from 2019 were Donald, Wagner, Nelson, Watt, Fitzpatrick, Mathieu and Patterson. In all, 18 players represent the AFC, which is considered the stronger conference this season, and 11 for the NFC. Exactly half of the 32 clubs have a 2020 All-Pro. ___AP Pro Football Writers Simmi Buttar, Josh Dubow and Teresa M. Walker, and Sports Writers Greg Beacham, Tim Booth, Steve Megargee, Dave Skretta and John Wawrow contributed. ___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

###CLAIM: staff had to interrupt other tasks including testing schedules, entry of results and contact with patients about covid 's results. ###DOCS: A top state physician allegedly was ordered to carry out several hours-long visits to Andrew Cuomo's brother Chris as part of the New York Governor's VIP Covid testing scheme. The embattled governor's relatives including his fashion designer brother-in-law Kenneth Cole and high-powered friends are said to have received preferential treatment for tests at the start of the pandemic when resources were thin. Medical staff members claimed they had to interrupt important Covid tasks to carry out tests for the 'inner circle' of people connected to Cuomo. The samples were then rushed by state troopers to a laboratory and results were often returned within hours, while other New Yorkers had to wait for a week, according to The Washington Post. Nurses said Cuomo's family was 'treated like royalty', adding: 'I didn't understand why they were able to jump the line.' People with firsthand knowledge of the priority scheme told the newspaper that figures with links to Cuomo could bypass the burdened testing process in New York last March. Chris Cuomo, the CNN host, is said to have been tested with his family in his Hamptons home by Eleanor Adams, a top state physician who was tasked with coordinating testing in nursing homes. Sources quoted by The Washington Post said she visited multiple times, often for several hours, despite her senior role in the Department of Health to manage testing issues for high-risk settings in the state. Adams, who is now a senior adviser to Howard Zucker, the state health commissioner, allegedly was dispatched to Chris's home in Southampton, 90 miles away from New York City. The presenter announced he tested positive on March 31 last year, and later revealed his wife Cristina and their 14-year-old son had contracted the virus. The latest revelations come on top of myriad scandals surrounding the governor, including nine women who have now come forward with allegations of sexual harassment and assault against him. The US Attorney's Office and the FBI are also investigating his office for undercounting COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. Cuomo is facing an impeachment probe by New York's Joint Commission on Public Ethics, as well as an FBI investigation into the scandals. The office of Attorney General Letitia James, Cuomo's fellow Democrat, said: 'The recent reports alleging there was preferential treatment given for COVID-19 testing are troubling. While we do not have jurisdiction to investigate this matter, it's imperative that JCOPE look into it immediately.' The embattled governor's relatives including his fashion designer brother-in-law Kenneth Cole and high-powered friends are said to have received preferential treatmentOfficials who worked at testing sites in March last year during the early chaotic weeks of the pandemic said that a system to give special treatment was implemented. The high-profile figures were referred to as 'priorities', 'specials', 'inner circle' or 'criticals', five people involved with the scheme, including three nurses, claimed. Two staff at the New Rochelle hub said the priority system started with people passing notes with testing data to hide the identity of priority patients. These requests became a top priority, even surpassing people ranked highest for possible exposure to Covid in a separate general database. The priority status of more than 100 people was then recorded in an online data sheet which was kept separate from the database for the general public. Staff had to interrupt other tasks including scheduling testing, entering results and contacting patients about their Covid results. People with firsthand knowledge of the priority scheme said figures with links to Cuomo could bypass the burdened testing process in New York. Pictured: people lining up for tests in New York last MarchCuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi has denied the claims, saying: 'There was no "VIP" program as the Washington Post describes when priority was given, it was to nurses, guardsmen, state workers and other government officials central to the pandemic response and those they were in direct contact with, as well as individuals believed to have been exposed to COVID who had the capability to spread it further and impact vital operations.' New York Department of Health spokesman Gary Holmes also said the allegations were 'not factually accurate', saying healthcare workers tried to test people on a priority of how many they might have exposed to the virus. But medical staff claimed they were told to provide special treatment for people and were even dispatched from an operations center in New Rochelle to test patients in private homes. One nurse who worked at two state-run testing sites said: 'I'm trained that there is no such thing as a preferential medicine. We don't say "this person is more important so their results are more important." That's just not fair.' Gov. Cuomo receives a nasal swab Covid-19 test during a news conference in the Red Room of the New York State Capitol Building in Albany, New York, U.S., on Sunday, May 17, 2020The nurse said people were pushed to the front of the line because of their connections, not for any medical reasons, and staff were told the orders came from the 'governor's chamber'. Another nurse claimed staff would frantically prepare for the arrival of VIP figures at state-run centers in spring last year to rush their samples via state troopers to the Wadsworth Center, an Albany lab. Another whistleblower revealed how staff helped Kenneth Cole who is married to Cuomo's sister Maria. Azzopardi insisted: 'In the early days of this pandemic, when there was a heavy emphasis on contact tracing, we were absolutely going above and beyond to get people testing including in some instances going to people's homes, and door-to-door in places like New Rochelle to take samples from those believed to have been exposed to COVID in order to identify cases and prevent additional ones. Testing on Cuomo's family members came at the height of the pandemic when ordinary New Yorkers struggled to get access to screenings. Cuomo and his mother in 2016'Among those we assisted were members of the general public, including legislators, reporters, state workers and their families who feared they had contracted the virus and had the capability to further spread it.' The revelations come at a perilous time for Cuomo who has now been accused of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior by nine different women. The most recent accusation was made by Sherry Vill who claimed he 'aggressively' kissed her on both cheeks but not on the lips while touring her flooded home in upstate New York in 2017. She claims she felt uncomfortable about it at the time. Her daughter posted a photo of it on Facebook, saying 'the governor kissing my mom', but she is only speaking out now after hearing from eight other women who say he was inappropriate with them. Alyssa McGrath previously told The New York Times how the governor ogled her body, called her and her co-worker 'mingle mamas' and asked about her lack of a wedding ring. This came after another female aide, who has remained anonymous, claimed he called her to his Executive Mansion last year, reached under her blouse and fondled her. Sherry Vill shared this image of Governor Cuomo kissing her on both cheeks in 2017 when touring her house which had floodedSherry Vill, 55, appeared at a press conference with her attorney Gloria Allred on Monday. She says he grabbed her face and kissed her in 2017Letitia James' office is investigating the allegations and an impeachment investigation was also launched by state Democrats, while top New York lawmakers including Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer are demanding he resign. The governor has said he 'never touched anyone inappropriately' but apologized for making anyone feel 'uncomfortable' and has vowed he will not stand down. McGrath told the NY Times of several alleged incidents of sexual harassment while working for the governor. She claimed Cuomo looked down her shirt to compliment her on her necklace, told her she's beautiful in Italian and kissed her on the forehead during an office Christmas party in 2019. She described a pattern of flirtatious behavior which began not long after she started working for him in May 2018. A total of nine women have now come forward to accuse Cuomo of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior, with two of the accusers still working for him. Alyssa McGrath (pictured) became the first named current aide Friday'He has a way of making you feel very comfortable around him, almost like you're his friend,' McGrath said. 'But then you walk away from the encounter or conversation, in your head going, 'I can't believe I just had that interaction with the governor of New York'.' McGrath also doubled down on the allegations made by her coworker - the anonymous accuser - saying the woman had told her about the incident. The unnamed woman, who was Cuomo's sixth accuser, has made the most damning accusation against the governor to date claiming he groped her breast in the Executive Mansion. 'She froze when he started doing that stuff to her,' McGrath told The New York Times. McGrath (pictured) claimed Cuomo looked down her shirt to compliment her on her necklace during a meeting with himLindsey Boylan, a former Cuomo aide, came out in December with allegations against him she further detailed her experience in a February post to MediumMcGrath said the co-worker told her Cuomo had asked her not to talk about the alleged incident. 'He told her specifically not to tell me,' McGrath said. Cuomo's administration last week hired outside counsel to investigate the specific groping claim. He has denied inappropriately touching anyone but said he may have inadvertently made some women feel uncomfortable in the past by hugging and kissing them as a greeting. Cuomo was asked last week to respond to critics who say he can no longer do his job as governor amid the probe into the harassment accusations. 'I say it is clearly not true; the reality is the exact opposite,' he said. Anna Ruch (left) and Ana Liss both accused Cuomo of inappropriate behaviorKaren Hinton (left), a press aide, and Jessica Bakeman accused Cuomo of inappropriate actionsCharlotte Bennett, 25, accused Cuomo of propositioning her in his office in JuneCuomo has also been slammed for his treatment of nursing homes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Cuomo issued a directive on March 25 last year ordering nursing homes to readmit COVID-positive patients because of a lack of space in hospitals. The move has been slammed for costing many lives given the elderly were especially vulnerable and that nursing homes were hotbeds for the virus. The ruling was reversed on May 10, barring nursing homes from accepting COVID-19 patients without a negative test first. Cuomo also vowed to reform the state's nursing homes - as he continues to also come under fire over the COVID-19 nursing home deaths scandal. Pictured, a COVID-19 patient at a Broolyln nursing home last AprilRelatives of those who died of COVID-19 in New York nursing homes gathered on Sunday in Brooklyn, New YorkThis January, New York AG Letitia James said the state had downplayed the number of deaths of nursing home residents by 50 percent. The death toll was actually 15,000, up from the 8,500 previously disclosed. The new figures mean around one-seventh of the state's entire nursing home population of 90,000 have been killed by the virus. The state's total death toll was unchanged following the revelation as the deaths had been counted in overall figures. The change in number was down to nursing home residents who had been transported to hospital where they then died not being counted in the nursing home death tally. In February Cuomo was then accused of intentionally hiding the data and federal prosecutors began investigating a possible cover-up. Dozens of people gathered Sunday at the We Care Memorial Wall in Brooklyn at the weekend holding signs saying they were 'Cuomo Covid Orphans' because of his nursing home policies.

###CLAIM: relatively, melbourne 's five million residents are allowed to leave home without restraints and gather outdoors in groups of up to 10 people. ###DOCS: A woman dubbed 'pet shop Karen' refused to wear a mask and breathed on workers in defiance of coronavirus regulations. Fish and Feather in Kilsyth, east of Melbourne's CBD, shared a picture of the woman taken on CCTV when she visited the store on Sunday afternoon. The owner claimed that she entered without wearing a mask and was rude to staff from the outset. She was asked to wear a protective face mask in order to be served, but manager Naomi Lawlor claims the woman yelled 'no'. Fish and Feather in Kilsyth, east of Melbourne's CBD, shared a still image from CCTV when the woman visited the store on the weekend'She started ranting and raving that she didn't have COVID and doesn't need to wear a mask,' Ms Lawlor told the Lilydale and Yarra Valley Leader. Instead, the woman 'deliberately breathed on a staff member' before she left the store. Not wearing a face mask without an exemption and deliberately breathing or coughing on others is punishable by a fine under new COVID-19 legislation. The Fish and Feather owner also revealed they knew the woman's name and address. After she was refused service, the woman is accused of ringing the store repeatedly and hanging up when they finally answered the phone. The childish prank meant the store was able to find out exactly who she was by tracing the phone number she called from. 'Take note of caller ID,' a post shared on Facebook from the mum-and-dad store read. '[Your] number ends in 227, you're in the white pages and you live more than 5km away.' It is an offence to travel more than 5km from your home in Melbourne under current coronavirus restrictions, which were implemented to stem the spread of the second wave. The woman also signed into the guest room when she arrived. The owner claimed that she entered without wearing a mask and was rude to staff from the outsetCustomers who visit the family-owned pet store expressed disappointment in the woman for putting staff and other customers at risk. The overwhelming majority said they hoped she would be caught and fined for appearing to flout coronavirus restrictions. The store claimed police have been made aware of the incident and have indicated that they will follow up on the claims. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Victoria Police for comment. What is a 'Karen'? A 'Karen' is a newly-emerged term for a self-righteous woman, usually middle-aged, who tells people how to do their jobs, asserts their rights and complains to the manager. The origins of the term are unclear, however it quickly became popular in meme culture on internet forums such as Reddit to describe problematic women. A Karen meme is often combined with the quote: 'Can I speak to the manager?' It is also associated with anti-vaccination activists who favour unproven essential oils to medical science. The 'Karen' was also associated with a side-swept bob haircut that is long at the front and short at the back. AdvertisementVictoria recorded six new cases of COVID-19 overnight and two more deaths from the virus - but the figures may still not be low enough to justify a further easing of restrictions in Melbourne. The 14-day rolling average in metropolitan Melbourne decreased to 9.9 from 10.6 on Wednesday, while the number of cases with an unknown source fell from 13 to 12. The Andrews government has though set an ambitious target of a rolling two-week average of just five cases a day if lockdown is to be eased by October 19. Under stage-three restriction easing, Melbourne's five million residents would be allowed to leave the home without restraint and gather outdoors in groups of up to 10 people. Up to 10 people would also be able to eat together at restaurants and cafes - both of which are only allowed to serve takeaway and delivery under the current rules. The state's Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said on Monday easing restrictions too soon would risk Victoria losing control over 'mystery cases'. Regional Victoria has already moved from the second to the third step of removing restrictions on September 15 but Melbourne can only do so if the targets are met.

###CLAIM: the smaller feature on the lower right which has the nickname red, spot and jr. appears to have been known by japanese scientists as oval or ba. ###DOCS: Infrared images of the gas giant Jupiter show the massive planet's churning atmosphere like never before - beyond what we can see with the human eye. Hawaii's Gemini North observatory and the NASA Hubble space telescope captured the largest planet in the solar system in a range of light wavelengths. The images show the planet at infrared, visible, and ultraviolet, revealing details of the atmosphere of the gas giant not visible without specialist observatories. These views reveal a range of details in atmospheric features such as the Great Red Spot, superstorms, and gargantuan cyclones stretching across the planets disk. Viewing planets at different wavelengths of light allows scientists to glean otherwise unavailable insights such as features of storms previously hidden, the team said. Three images of Jupiter show the gas giant in three different types of light 'infrared, visible, and ultraviolet'Labels added to this visible-light Hubble Space Telescope image of Jupiter point out several atmospheric features on the planet, including a 'brown barge', four hot spots, a superstorm, the Great Red Spot, and Red Spot JrWHAT IS THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM? The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of frequencies covering the spectrum of radiation. It covers wavelengths from thousands of miles to a fraction of the size of an atomic nucleus. Bands of electromagnetic waves are: Gamma radiationX-ray radiationUltraviolet radiationVisible lightInfrared radiationMicrowave radiationRadio waves AdvertisementAll of the images were taken at the same time, 15:41 BST, on January 11, 2017, and act to highlight the advantages of 'wavelength astronomy,' the team said. The visible and ultraviolet views were captured by the Wide Field Camera 3 on the Hubble space telescope, while the infrared image comes from the Near-InfraRed Imager (NIRI) instrument at Gemini North in Hawaii. In the case of Jupiter, the planet has a vastly different appearance in the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet observations. The planets Great Red Spot - the famous persistent storm system large enough to swallow the Earth whole - is a prominent feature of the visible and ultraviolet images, but it is almost invisible at infrared wavelengths. Jupiters counter-rotating bands of clouds, on the contrary, are clearly visible in all three views, the team behind the images confirmed. Observing the Great Red Spot at multiple wavelengths yields other surprises, according to the astronomers at the observatory. The dark region in the infrared image is larger than the corresponding red oval in the visible image. This discrepancy arises because different structures are revealed by different wavelengths. The infrared observations show areas covered with thick clouds, while the visible and ultraviolet observations show the locations of chromophores. These are the particles that give the Great Red Spot its distinctive hue by absorbing blue and ultraviolet light. The Great Red Spot isnt the only storm system visible in these images though, as the smaller storm system known as Red Spot Jr appears in visible and UV. This storm to the bottom right of its larger counterpart formed from the merger of three similar-sized storms in 2000 and has a defined red outer rim in visible light. This infrared view of Jupiter was created from data captured on 11 January 2017 with the Near-InfraRed Imager (NIRI) instrument at Gemini North. It is actually a mosaic of individual frames that were combined to produce a global portrait of the planetIn the infrared, however, Red Spot Jr is invisible, lost in the larger band of cooler clouds, which appear dark in the infrared view. Like the Great Red Spot, Red Spot Jr is coloured by chromophores that absorb solar radiation at both ultraviolet and blue wavelengths, giving it a red colour in visible observations and a dark appearance at ultraviolet wavelengths. Just above Red Spot Jr in the visible observations, a Jovian superstorm appears as a diagonal white streak extending toward the right side of Jupiters disk. One atmospheric phenomenon that does feature prominently at infrared wavelengths is a bright streak in the northern hemisphere of Jupiter. This feature - a cyclonic vortex or perhaps a series of vortices - extends nearly 45,000 miles in the east-west direction. This ultraviolet image of Jupiter was created from data captured on 11 January 2017 using the Wide Field Camera 3 on the Hubble Space Telescope. The Great Red Spot and Red Spot Jr absorb ultraviolet radiation from the Sun and therefore appear dark in this viewAt visible wavelengths the cyclone appears dark brown, leading to these types of features being called brown barges in images from NASAs Voyager spacecraft. At ultraviolet wavelengths, however, the feature is barely visible underneath a layer of stratospheric haze, which becomes increasingly dark toward the north pole. Similarly, lined up below the brown barge, four large hot spots appear bright in the infrared image but dark in both the visible and ultraviolet views. Astronomers discovered such features when they observed Jupiter in infrared wavelengths for the first time in the 1960s. As well as providing a beautiful scenic tour of Jupiter, these observations provide insights about the planets atmosphere, with each wavelength probing different layers of cloud and haze particles.

###CLAIM: last year, the average rent for a one bedroom apartment in san francisco fell 20 percent. ###DOCS: You may have noticed we often make fun of California on "Tucker Carlson Tonight," but we're not really joking. California matters, and not just because it's our biggest state. What happens there is, at some point, almost certain to happen where you live. Find a national trend that didn't begin in California. There may be some, but there aren't many. If you want to know the future, or if you want to prevent it, look west. With that in mind, here's the bottom line: California is falling apart. Over the course of the last several decades, California has gone from one of the richest places in the world to the poorest state in our country. More than a third of its population hovers around the poverty line. Even before COVID, more than four million Californians were collecting food stamps. More than 150,000 people in California are homeless. They're living on the streets, in parks, under overpasses, in tents on the sidewalk. This is a human tragedy caused by the selfishness and the stupidity of bad leaders and their bad policies. If these leaders were judged by their performance, no big-city politician in the state of California would have a job. They know that, so they're working hard to make certain that they're not judged by rational standards. Instead, they inflame racial wounds to try to keep the population distracted and divided, to keep the attention away from them and their failures. GARCETTI SAYS HE TURNED DOWN BIDEN ADMINISTRATION POSITIONHere's shamefully incompetent Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in June:GARCETTI: When I talked about killers, I said our collective burden here in this society is that we let black men and women die ... I pointed at myself. We collectively have a choice of whether we'll be those who heal or whether we'll continue being the killers. It turns out there are killers in Garcetti's city, but they're not collective. They're individuals, they're criminals, and there are a lot of them. Under Eric Garcetti, crime in Los Angeles has skyrocketed and many innocent people have died as a result of that. But he's not mourning them. He's not giving speeches in their memory or apologizing for the policies he supported that led to their deaths. Neither, by the way, is the city's new head prosecutor, George Gascon. He's announced he will be using the pretext of COVID to release still more criminals into the city of Los Angeles. TUCKER: GEORGE SOROS, GEORGE GASCON AND THE FALL OF LOS ANGELES"The plan that we do have is, we're working to expeditiously release as many people as we can, especially those that have been proven to be at high risk, vulnerable people and obviously people that are not a threat to society," Gascon told MSNBC last week. "So we are going to try to remove as many people from that confinement ... Justice is really about public health and keeping our community safe." Got that? Justice is not punishing the guilty, keeping the dangerous away from your children, or enforcing laws. No, justice is making certain that criminals get critical government services before you do or your parents do. That attitude distills the emerging politics of California, politics that you should be deeply afraid of, because when they come to your town, they'll wreck your life. If we were to put it in one sentence, it's this: Those who contribute the least get the most. But don't you dare complain about it. Shut up and hate yourself in silence, that's an order. Meanwhile, California's elected leaders divide the spoils. That's their job, taking what other people built and giving it to themselves and to their supporters. As is now official policy in the state, they do this in the most divisive, immoral way possible: Along lines of color. NEWSOM PICKS CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE PADILLA TO FILL HARRIS SEATObserve the controversy over Gov. Gavin Newsom's choice to replace Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate. Here's Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., explaining what kind of person Newsom should pick. WATERS, DEC. 12: He has a decision that he has to make, and I think that it will be a Black woman. I think he understands that. You know, when Kamala Harris leaves the Senate, that's only one Black woman who was serving. And certainly it would be, you know, kind of, you know, unfair not to have at least another Black woman replace her. This really is the high point of stupidity in this country's history. Who cares what color or gender your senators are? You want good government. You want wise, competent people in charge. But that's not what you're getting, because those aren't the criteria. In the end, Newsom appointed California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to replace Harris. When he did, no one debated whether Padilla might be a good senator, whether he might improve the schools or lower the cost of housing or bring jobs back. Instead, they argued about his race. Here's San Francisco Mayor London Breed, an utter buffoon most famous for defying her own lockdown orders in order to dine at The French Laundry in Napa, explaining that Padilla is a bad choice because he's the wrong color. SF MAYOR CALLS NEWSOM PICK TO REPLACE HARRIS 'REAL BLOW TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY'BREED: When you think about the history of this country and the challenges that exist for African-Americans, especially African-American women in the Senate, definitely this is a real blow to the African-American community, to African-American women, to women in general. It was definitely a surprise and it's an unfortunate situation as we are trying to move this country forward and making sure that Black lives truly matter. First of all, Breed's record as a mayor is so terrible that she's disqualified herself from any comment on goverment for the rest of her life. Second, thinking this way is poison, and anyone who lets remarks like this pass without standing up and saying, "Wait a second, color and gender are irrevlevant to good government and we're not putting up with this garbage anymore" is complicit in the destruction of this country. Again, California, is an actual place inhabited by 40 million people. It's our most beautiful and most economically important state. The electrical grid is failing. The power flickers on and off like a Third World country. The state's forests are so mismanaged they keep catching fire and burning uncontrollably. That's not climate change, that's bad management. Women can't jog in public parks for fear of being attacked by the mentally ill homeless. For the privilege of all of this, California residents pay the highest, the most burdensome taxes in the country. No one in power is paying any attention because they're debating the color of the new senator. So what's happening? You know the answer: People who can leave are doing so. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPCalifornia's largest export used to be advanced aerospace products. That and Hollywood movies were the economy of Southern California. Now, the state's main export is population. More than 40% of Bay Area residents tell pollsters they want to leave, and that's one of the happiest places in the state. It's no wonder the average rent price on a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco fell 20% in the last year. Why is that? Because no one wants to live there. The most recent estimates show that California lost more than 135,000 people in the last year. Among those people, by the way, is Kamala Harris. She's in Washington now, and she's bringing California-style governance to the rest of us. You should pay attention to that. This article is adapted from Tucker Carlson's opening monologue on the Dec. 23, 2020 edition of "Tucker Carlson Tonight."

###CLAIM: designed to support a level playing field ensuring that projects delivering policy objectives are assessed well first and foremost rather than focusing on pure economic assessments that do not consider benefits. ###DOCS: The Chancellor is to tear up notorious Treasury rules blamed for starving the North of England of investment. Rishi Sunak will use his comprehensive spending review next week to abandon decades of Treasury orthodoxy blamed for skewing investment in infrastructure and the economy towards London and the South East. The move is part of a drive to underline Boris Johnsons levelling up agenda and will be accompanied by the promise of tens of billions in investment. Measures will include 1.6billion for local roads next year to tackle potholes and deal with congestion pinch points. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to tear up Treasury rules next week that have been blamed for starving the North of investmentA Treasury spokesman said the spending review would also deliver a massive down-payment on a number of flagship infrastructure programmes, including fibre broadband, flood defences and key transport schemes. A new National Infrastructure Plan setting out transport schemes across the country will also be published. And a shared prosperity fund will replace billions of pounds of EU funding, with local communities given a greater say in its allocation. Mr Sunak will also confirm plans to relocate 22,000 civil service jobs out of London and the South East in the next decade, with the Treasury establishing a Northern headquarters next year. Mr Sunak will be abandoning the Treasury's 'Green Book' rules, which favour spending that produces short-term financial gains. Critics say the regulations have unfairly benefited wealthier parts of the UK, leaving parts of the North and Midlands, like Rochdale, pictured, behindOther key priorities in the spending review will include investment in education, with a focus on driving up standards in left-behind areas. But the most significant change may be the abandonment of the Treasurys Green Book rules which have governed public investment for decades. The rules favour spending that produces short-term national gains in GDP. Critics say this unfairly benefits wealthier parts of the country including London and the South East over the North and Midlands. A Treasury spokesman said Mr Sunak would publish new guidance designed to support levelling up by ensuring that projects are being assessed first and foremost on how well they deliver policy objectives rather than focusing on a purely economic assessment that doesnt consider who benefits. All new spending commitments will also have to be vetted to see how they affect different parts of the country. Mr Sunak said last night: We are absolutely committed to levelling up opportunities so those living in all corners of the UK get their fair share of our future prosperity. All nations and regions of the UK have benefited from our unprecedented 200billion Covid support package. And after a difficult year for this country, this spending review will help us build back better by investing over 600billion across the UK during the next five years.A Treasury spokesman said Mr Sunak would publish new guidance designed to support levelling up,' under-funded parts of the North, such as Liverpool (pictured)The move comes amid concern that the Prime Ministers election-winning pledge to level up opportunity across the country has been knocked off course by the pandemic. Ben Houchen, Tory mayor of Tees Valley, warned this week that patience is wearing thin among new Conservatives in the North who are desperate to see change. In an article on the Conservative Home website yesterday, Mr Houchen said Mr Johnsons government reset had to focus on the North. He added: If a reset means a return to the Notting Hill sets 2010 vintage policies, with their almost slavish devotion to the Green Book and its bias towards investments in London and the South East, then it also means abandoning the Norths new Blue Wall. 'I know voters in the Tees Valley and similar regions wont stand for this.

###CLAIM: flemming, who represented australia at three olympic and two commonwealth games in the late 1980s and early 1990s, said transgender athletes were a safety risk for competitors. ###DOCS: Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jane Flemming has declared transgender athletes should be banned from competing in female sport on safety grounds. The 55-year-old retired track and field champion has weighed into the divisive issue as several sporting codes, including rugby, face calls to restrict female sport to competitors born as girls. The federal Sex Discrimination Act however bans gender or gender identity-based discrimination. Flemming, who represented Australia at three Commonwealth and two Olympic games during the late 1980s and early 1990s, said transgender athletes were a safety risk to female competitors. Poll Should transgender women be banned from women's rugby? Yes No Undecided Should transgender women be banned from women's rugby? Yes 1158 votesNo 114 votesUndecided 31 votes Now share your opinion'The difficulty is that for the human species that's been born biological male, if they go through puberty in particular, they have, absolutely, have some physiological advantages,' she told the ABC's 7.30 program. 'Whether it is bone strength or extra capillarisation or larger muscle bulk, but then there are other aspects of that as well, not only does that affect performance but there is a health or a danger aspect.' The issue of transgender athletes is so politically toxic Tasmanian Liberal senator Claire Chandler was labelled as 'transphobic' after calling for transgender rugby players to be banned to 'protect women's safety'. Labor senator Nita Green likened Senator Chandler to Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has angered trans activists by suggesting only someone born biologically female could understand what it was like to be a woman. Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jane Flemming has declared transgender athletes should be banned from competing in female sport on safety groundsFlemming, who represented Australia at three Commonwealth and two Olympic games during the late 1980s and early 1990s, said transgender athletes were a safety risk to female competitors'Senator Chandler has made at least two speeches... trying to veil her transphobic views as faux-feminist values,' she told the Senate in late August. 'We know where Senator Chandler's getting her speeches from because she said in a speech to the senate "I stand with JK Rowling and millions of women around the world who are determined to ensure our rights as women are not traded off in the name of diversity".' Senator Chandler has previously told Daily Mail Australia that Rugby Australia needed to 'look at the research that's within the report, adopt the findings and prioritise women's rugby being for women'. 'Women's sport was invented for people of the female sex and any suggestion that it is somewhat provocative or controversial to articulate this view I think is pretty ludicrous,' she said. The issue of transgender athletes is so politically toxic Tasmanian Liberal senator Claire Chandler was labelled as 'transphobic' after calling for transgender rugby players to be banned to 'protect women's safety'. Labor senator Nita Green likened Senator Chandler to Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has angered trans activists by suggesting only someone born biologically female could understand what it was like to be a womanUnder World Rugby rules, which echo Olympic guidelines, trans women can play in the women's game if they take drugs to lower their testosterone for at least 12 months. Rugby Australia is facing growing calls to ban transgender women from the female game after scientists found it was potentially unsafe for them to play. In 2018 Australian women's handball player Hannah Mouncey, a trans woman who is 1.88metres tall and weighs 100kg, withdrew her nomination from the draft for the Australian Football League's professional women's competition. She said the stress of trying to meet the AFL's standards was 'too great'. The AFL released its Gender Diversity Policy, which governs the participation of 'trans and non-binary people' in August 2018. The policy demands that players can prove that their testosterone levels have been maintained below a threshold for at least two years.

###CLAIM: the children 's nannies and agents include miss and george, whose husband charles loves diana 's children lord and lady spencer. ###DOCS: Princess Diana was allegedly tricked into granting her Panorama interview after Martin Bashir showed her a faked abortion 'receipt' for royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke. The shocking claim is among bombshell evidence given to the inquiry into the BBC and Bashir. Retired Supreme Court judge Lord Dyson has interviewed 17 witnesses as he probes allegations the broadcaster covered up a trail of deceit by the journalist. Bashir is accused of peddling lies and vile smears to the vulnerable princess to land his explosive 1995 scoop, in which she famously proclaimed 'there were three of us in this marriage'. Diana was said to have been obsessed with the bizarre idea that Charles wanted her murdered in order to marry the nanny. The princess was so convinced Miss Legge-Bourke had become pregnant by Charles that an investigation was launched by Sir Robert Fellowes, the Queen's private secretary and Diana's brother-in-law, after the princess allegedly approached Tiggy at a party and hissed: 'So sorry to hear about the baby.' Princess Diana is pictured with Martin Bashir during their Panorama interviewTelevision sources have told the Daily Mail that Lord Dyson, commissioned by the BBC in November, has started writing his report, which could be damning of former corporation chiefs. The sources said yesterday that Lord Dyson was 'determined' to stick to the six-month estimate for his inquiry, and has been interviewing witnesses via Zoom video meetings. An insider said: 'He's been making really good progress. He's been going great guns and doing it a lot quicker than expected.' While the former judge's final report into Panorama is expected in May or June, ironically the BBC is preparing another Panorama on the case to be broadcast first, in mid-April. Princess Diana was allegedly tricked into granting her Panorama interview after Martin Bashir showed her a faked abortion 'receipt' for royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke (pictured)Meanwhile, sources have been busy briefing out Bashir's version of events, before Lord Dyson issues his verdict. BBC sources are said to be furious at briefings given on behalf of the corporation's religion editor to The Daily Telegraph about his evidence to Lord Dyson, in which he blames Diana for many of the royal smears. While the senior BBC correspondent admits using fake bank statements, he is said to have disputed claims by Diana's brother Earl Spencer that they were used to gain his trust, the sources have told the Telegraph. The Mail's own investigation has uncovered a wide variety of claims made to Lord Dyson. One source said the former judge had been 'courteous', 'extremely well informed' and 'forensic' in his interviews with witnesses, and had asked many former staff what they 'thought of Martin Bashir'. They added: 'He was exactly what you expect a wise judge to be the best of British.' All requests for interviews with Lord Dyson, Bashir and Lord Spencer have been declined. It is understood the judge is considering evidence that Diana was stung into the Panorama interview by a series of preposterous lies including about the nanny's 'abortion'. She told lawyer of assassination fears On sick leave: Martin Bashir One or two days after meeting the BBC's Martin Bashir, Princess Diana raised her fears about an assassination plot with her lawyer, Lord Mishcon. The extraordinary meeting took place at Kensington Palace at 4pm on October 30, 1995. The late Lord Mishcon made a detailed note, which was read out at her inquest. It said: 'Her Royal Highness said she had been informed by reliable sources that: 'A: The Queen would be abdicating in April and the Prince of Wales would then be assuming the throne. 'B: Efforts would then be made, if not to get rid of her, be it by some accident in her car, such as pre-prepared brake failure or whatever, between now and then, at least to see that she was so injured or damaged as to be declared 'unbalanced'. 'She was convinced that there was a conspiracy and that she and Camilla Parker Bowles were to be put aside. 'She had also been told that [Tiggy] Legge-Bourke [the former royal nanny whom Princess Diana believed Prince Charles wanted to marry] had been operated on for an abortion and that she, HRH, would soon be in receipt of 'a certificate'.' AdvertisementIn an explosive interview with the Mail last year, Lord Spencer revealed how he had reluctantly helped to introduce Bashir to his sister in 1995. To clinch his scoop, the BBC reporter claimed to have evidence the siblings would be interested in. Bashir allegedly gained the trust of the earl by showing him forged bank statements purporting to reveal falsely that his head of security Alan Waller was in the pocket of national newspapers and the security services. Then, during a September 1995 meeting with Diana and Lord Spencer, Bashir peddled an astonishing catalogue of jaw-dropping smears about the royals designed to play to the princess's paranoias including that her husband Charles was 'in love' with her children's nanny, Miss Legge-Bourke. The BBC reporter allegedly told her that her bodyguard was plotting against her, her friends were betraying her and MI6 had recorded Charles and his private secretary planning the 'end game'. He said Charles and Miss Legge-Bourke went on a secret holiday together. He lied that Prince Edward was having treatment for Aids at the Royal Marsden Hospital, that the Queen was a 'comfort eater' with 'heart problems', and that both Charles and Diana's private secretaries were taking bungs from the security services. The Mail has been told Lord Dyson is aware of claims that, although Diana was motivated by 'all this nonsense filling her head' to speak out, she had last-minute nerves and was thinking of pulling out of the Panorama interview. However, around the end of October 1995, her mind was changed when she was 'fired up' in a last-ditch meeting with Bashir and possibly Steve Hewlett, the then editor of Panorama, on the final weekend of October a week before she eventually sat down in front of the BBC cameras. The exact contents of this meeting are unknown. However, just a day or two later on Monday, October 30 Diana met with her lawyer Lord Mishcon, who wrote a bombshell note later read out at her inquest. It detailed Diana's fears that she would assassinated, and mentioned Miss Legge-Bourke's 'abortion'. The nanny's relationship with William and Harry had led to jealousy from Diana and by 1995 the princess was open to rumours about a closeness between Miss Legge-Bourke and her estranged husband. Bashir is accused of playing on that false belief. Now Lord Dyson has been told a 'receipt' of the supposed abortion that never happened had convinced Diana she needed to go ahead with the Panorama interview. The 'frightened' princess allegedly felt she must speak out publicly, despite her fears about doing so. Having just been told the Queen would renounce the throne and Charles wanted Miss Legge-Bourke to take Diana's place, the urgency to speak to Panorama was said to be acute. The Mail previously revealed how Earl Spencer regarded Bashir as a 'fantasist' at the extraordinary meeting with him and Diana on September 19, 1995, but did not realise his sister had kept in touch afterwards leading to the explosive interview. The princess's brother has said he would never have introduced them if Bashir had not shown him the faked bank statements. But according to sources briefing the Telegraph, the mocked-up statements were shown to the earl only after the reporter had been introduced to Diana. Bashir ordered BBC artist Matt Weissler to create the forgeries. According to Bashir, this was done in September or October. But Earl Spencer has previously insisted he was shown the forgeries in August. Lord Dyson will have to decide which version to believe. BBC bigwigs, including former director-general Lord Hall, are expected to come in for serious criticism for an alleged 'cover-up' in 1996 after The Mail on Sunday exposed Bashir's methods. Bashir, 59, who is on sick leave from the BBC, is believed to have told Lord Dyson it was Diana, rather than him, to blame for the vast majority of the shocking comments. He apparently said many of the allegations were consistent with Diana telling him on a later occasion that she spoke with mystics and clairvoyants. Bashir ordered BBC artist Matt Weissler to create the forgeries. According to Bashir, this was done in September or October. But Earl Spencer has previously insisted he was shown the forgeries in August. The journalist is facing an independent investigation into how he secured the explosive Panorama interview with Princess Diana in 1995 about her marriage to Prince Charles. Bashir previously admitted ordering mocked-up financial documents by a BBC graphics artist. Martin Bashir says the faked statements were not used to gain the trust of Earl Spencer to instigate a meet, as he had already met Diana, ahead of their infamous interview in 1995 (pictured)But according to the Telegraph the 59-year-old, currently the BBC's religious affairs editor, says they were shown to Earl Spencer after his initial introduction to his sister, Princess Diana. The claim goes against previous reports which claimed the faked documents were shown to him to gain his trust and earn a meeting with the princess. Earl Spencer says he introduced the pair, leading to the interview. The revelation comes days after Bashir blamed Diana for the royal smears he allegedly spun to clinch his Panorama scoop with her. Martin Bashir, the BBC's religious affairs editor, faces a probe into the Panorama chat with the princessGiving evidence to the official inquiry into how he secured the historic interview, Mr Bashir denied inventing preposterous lies about the royals. Earl Spencer claimed to have introduced the pair, leading to the interview. Instead, he is said to have claimed that Diana herself and the 'mystics' she consulted were more likely to be responsible for the outlandish remarks. Former Supreme Court judge Lord Dyson's inquiry is examining claims the BBC covered up a trail of deceit and forgery, and that Bashir allegedly peddled 32 lies and vile smears to land his interview. Last year Diana's brother Earl Spencer gave details of a string of alleged falsehoods Bashir allegedly told Diana to gain her trust, including cruelly pretending he had evidence her staff were spying on her. The alleged smears included an allegation that Prince Edward was being treated for Aids in a London hospital, the Queen was a 'comfort eater' with 'heart problems', and Prince Charles was 'in love' with their children's nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, and went on a secret holiday with her. The Panorama interview is thought to have led to the Queen demanding that Charles and Diana swiftly divorce. Lord Dyson, who is expected to heavily criticise Bashir as well as senior corporation executives, will deliver his findings late next month or in early May.

###CLAIM: two additional funds have been added to the focus, including an early stage fund to invest in start-up companies developing solutions for climate change and carbon neutrality. ###DOCS: June 3 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) is rebranding its corporate investment arm as Toyota Ventures and adding two early-stage funds, including one focused on investing in startups developing solutions for climate change and carbon neutrality. The Japanese automaker is beefing up its four-year-old investment arm, formerly known as Toyota AI Ventures, with the addition of the $150 million Frontier Fund and the $150 million Climate Fund, Toyota said on Thursday, boosting total assets under management to more than $500 million. The Frontier Fund will continue to invest in such areas as artificial intelligence, automated vehicles, cloud computing and robotics, while expanding its purview to include smart cities, digital health, fintech, materials and energy, the company said. The Climate Fund will be focused on technologies and companies working on accelerating carbon dioxide reduction. "We think there's going to be a tremendous amount of disruptive innovation in these areas," especially at startup companies, said Jim Adler, founding managing director of Toyota Ventures. "Toyota wants us to look outside, into the startup community where companies are chasing the same kinds of goals as Toyota - lowering the carbon footprint and getting to carbon-neutral." Toyota's venture arm, since its founding in 2017, has invested in nearly 40 startups in a variety of sectors, from e-scooters to self-driving shuttles. The venture group also has co-invested in several startups with the venture arms of BMW AG (BMWG.DE), Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS), Airbus SE (AIR.PA) and Intel Corp (INTC.O). Toyota has a second, newer venture arm called Woven Capital, which works with the company's Woven Planet team on future transportation strategy and investments. Adler said Toyota Ventures will continue to focus its investments on early-stage companies, while Woven Capital aims to fund more mature growth-stage companies. Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

###CLAIM: what makes me recall hanging out with cryamir's teta when he was a kid and learning the skill of cooking? ###DOCS: Its Masters Week! And what better time to watch our favourite contestants crumble before the all-knowing gaze of the high council of culinary mastery? Last weekMonday was all about pasta, but many teams tried to make ragu (a meat sauce that can take upwards of four hours to simmer) in an hour, dismaying pasta master Andreas Papadakis. Therese, Dan and Justin cooked it in more ways than one, and would be joined by Brent, who missed last weeks pressure test due to his Covid-quarantine microwave cooking research trip. Tuesday summoned the cruel sorceress of pressure tests of yore: chocolatier Kirsten Tibballs. The purveyor of existential torment uttered a series of dark charms (ruby chocolate financier, cocoa mass screen-printing) before the contestants descended to the ninth circle of Dantes Inferno: the river of tempered chocolate. Humble Tradie Brent surprised all, approaching his desserts with the precision of, well, a tradesman. Justin screamed WHERES THE RASPBERRIES! ?; Dans lollipops suffered the effects of gravity; but not even the tortured screams of contestants and judges pleading desperately for her to PLAY. THE. PIN!! could sway Thereses firm belief that desserts are my thing. After presenting a nearly irredeemable cook, she did a Dani Venn and sunk into the fires of Mordor still clutching the gewgaw above her. Play the pin! Photograph: Network TenPLAY THE PIN! ! Photograph: Network TenDesserts are my thing. Photograph: Network TenThere was relative respite on Wednesday, with the contestants tasked with creating a balanced bento box inspired by Ishizukas Chef Yomo, whose own bento honestly looked like what happens when the Forest Spirit takes a step in Princess Mononoke:I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as this bento. Photograph: Network TenThursdays cooking with fire immunity challenge masterminded by Scott Pickett was so intense the music team employed the Bay_Area_Thrash.mp3 sting within the opening teaser; you know stuffs going to get hectic when the producers invoke the spirit of Death Angel before the first ad break. After much flailing over flames by the others, it was Depinder who snared Sunday immunity (again!) with her tandoori chicken and smoked lassi. Last nightAnd so we are at Sundays episode, which brings one final Master to take the contestants through their paces. Hes got a passion for butchery... Jock teases, introducing not the latest subject of a Netflix murder documentary but Australias own Curtis Stone! Curtis joins the team from within the Matrix plinth, appearing via satellite in his LA restaurant, Gwen. Its 2047, and anyone who says Ive always loved the art of cutting meat is imprisoned in an LED chrysalis. Photograph: Network TenCurtis prepares eight cuts of beef, from eye fillet to gravy beef, and explains how to use them. And it all comes from Coles, Curtis intones as he trims a tenderloin in a different time zone. Guess someone drove one of those jaunty nicknamed Coles delivery trucks onto an A380 and straight out the other side to Gwen, huh Curtis! Split into pairs, the contestants bid on their preferred cuts using cooking time, because temporality is a Eurocentric capitalist construct. They all start with 100 minutes in the bank (clock? ); whatever they dont spend will be their cooking time, for their cut plus two sides. Dan and Justin go mad large mental times and blow 52 minutes on the sirloin. What happens in the time auction stays in the time auction, bromosapien! (Explosion noise.) Photograph: Network TenSabina and Linda sit tight through the other auctions and get their gravy beef for free, with 100 minutes to cook it. Presumably they are not going to cook my grandmothers CWA braised beef with a selection of Deb and McCains accoutrements. Aaron and Eric are doing schnitties. By the end of Jock and Andys visit to their station, Aarons said schnitty so many times Im about to get in Curtis temporal obelisk and go back in time to rampage through 17th-century southern Germany and prevent the invention of the wiener schnitzel. A foreboding zoom on Conor and Amirs pressure cooker gives me flashbacks to the ragu catastrophe. Its the terror of knowing what the cook is about / Watching your beef stew screaming: Let me out! Photograph: Network TenFlash forward to the end of the cook and quicker than you can say Chekhovs pressure cooker, Conor and Amirs beef is in dire straits: it might have dried out while cooling down. Linda and Sabinas massaman curry is tender! Scott and Jess dirty-grilled steak is elegant! Kishwar and Petes steak and Jenga-like chips are so good theyre accompanied by the dear lawyers this is absolutely not Fedde Le Grands Let Me Think About It! cue! Jenga! Jenga! J-j-j-jenga! Photograph: Network TenAlas, respectively dry and overdone beef fells Conor n Amir and Dan n Justin and my new favourite bromances are plunged into round two to demonstrate, in 75 minutes, something they have mastered. Justins masala sweet potato taco feast, which he makes when his mates come around to his place, is a hit, its blue corn tortillas absolutely, spankingly perfect. Taco night at MC Jazzy Juzzys. Photograph: Network TenAfter initially forgetting to put baking powder in his dough, Dans duck bao is triumphant. But theres trouble for Conor, whose grainy green olive ice-cream leads the judges to question his decision to master ice-cream (mastering is heroing for when you reckon youre good). After forgetting to wash his first round of herbs, Amirs falafel frenzy results in a hurried cook. This tastes like he made it in six minutes, which he did. Photograph: Network TenSadly, neither I, nor you, nor the judges, all screamed for Conors ice-cream and as Amirs falafels are still deemed tasty, the bejewelled one heads home, or possibly to the club. May choirs of olives sing him to his rest. What made me cryAmir recalling that he wasnt about hotrods as a kid, but instead hanging out with his teta to learn her cooking skills. TFW tetas falafel > hotrods. Photograph: Network TenThe white chocolate veloute award for failureBloody pressure cookers!! What are they good for! Hisssss >:-) Photograph: Network Ten

###CLAIM: while the margin dropped to 7. 30 dollars per barrel, variable payments for security services saw a maximum of 1. 8 cents per liter paid to refineries. ###DOCS: Taxpayers could be on the hook for up to $2bn over a decade due to a fuel security payment committed by the federal government to protect Australias refining industry. The Morrison government is seeking to ensure fuel security and save 1,250 jobs at the Viva refinery in Geelong and Ampols Lytton refinery in Brisbane. Tuesdays budget revealed the government would introduce a production payment to support domestic refiners and direct support for the refiners to upgrade their infrastructure, but the cost of both was not for publication due to commercial sensitivities. On Monday Scott Morrison revealed the latter will cost up to $302m for infrastructure upgrades to help refiners bring forward the production of better-quality fuels from 2027 to 2024. The variable fuel security service payment will see refineries paid a maximum of 1.8 cents per litre when the margin drops to $7.30 a barrel. The payment will drop to 0 cents when the margin hits $10.20 a barrel, meaning refineries are only supported in downtimes and will not receive government support when they are performing well. The payment has been costed at up to $2.05bn to 2030 on a worst-case scenario. Keep Australias last two refineries open could save drivers 1c a litre at the bowser. The government will introduce the fuel security bill to parliament in coming weeks so the fuel security payment can begin on 1 July 2021. The bill will also set the key parameters for the minimum stockholding obligation that will commence in 2022. The Greens oppose the measure and have indicated they will attempt to redirect funding to electric vehicles and renewables. Rather than supercharge the electrification of transport, the government is throwing billions of dollars of public subsidies at two of Australias biggest polluters, said Greens leader, climate and energy spokesman, Adam Bandt. Public money should not be used to make the climate crisis worse.The Australian Workers Union secretary, Daniel Walton, said it was fantastic news for the nations most critical assets - our fuel refineries. We couldnt afford to become a nation without the capacity to produce crucial fuels, hoping shipping lanes remain open.The government will also accelerate the industry-wide review of the petrol and diesel standard to 2022, including a consideration of aromatics levels. This aims to create a Euro-6 equivalent petrol and diesel standard that are appropriate for Australia. Morrison said this is a key plank of our plan to secure Australias recovery from the pandemic, and to prepare against any future crises. Shoring up our fuel security means protecting 1,250 jobs, giving certainty to key industries, and bolstering our national security. Summary Viva Energy, Ampol to keep plants open to at least 2027Refiners to start making ultra-low sulfur petrol by end-2024Viva, Ampol to work with government on energy transitionAmpol shares jump 10%, Viva shares up 9%SYDNEY, May 17 (Reuters) - Australia has agreed to pay its last two oil refineries up to A$2.3 billion ($1.8 billion) through 2030 to keep the struggling plants open and protect the country's fuel security. The package props up refineries owned by Ampol Ltd (ALD.AX) and Viva Energy Group (VEA.AX) and will save 1,250 jobs across their two plants, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. Ampol's shares jumped nearly 10% and Viva's as much as 9% as investors applauded the big subsidies which will shield the companies from refining losses and help them upgrade their ageing plants. "This is a key plank of our plan to secure Australia's recovery from the pandemic, and to prepare against any future crises," Morrison said in a statement. The package includes up to A$125 million each to Ampol and Viva to upgrade their refineries to produce ultra-low sulfur petrol. In return, the companies have agreed to start making the cleaner fuel by end-2024, catching up with the world's major markets three years earlier than planned. Viva Chief Executive Scott Wyatt said securing the deal was a "huge relief". "It retains a material critical mass of refining capacity across the two sites and I think that allows us to continue to work closely with government on not just the future of refining but the whole energy transition," Wyatt told Reuters. Australia's four refineries were just emerging from years of losses when the pandemic hit fuel demand last year, aggravating the pain of competing against Asia's mega refineries. Combined, the four had a capacity of 464,000 barrels per day, dwarfed by Asia's biggest refinery, the 1.24 million bpd Jamnagar plant in India. Pandemic-induced supply disruptions in other industries sparked fear over long-term fuel security in Australia and spurred the government to look for ways to rescue the industry. However BP plc (BP.L) has since shut its Kwinana plant in Western Australia and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) is set to close its Altona plant in Victoria later this year. Viva and Ampol have committed to keep their refineries open until at least 2027, with an option to receive support to 2030. Ampol Chief Executive Matt Halliday said the government's generosity was justified, because it ensured Australia would retain advanced manufacturing skills and assets that could eventually handle future fuels such as hydrogen. "We're playing our role to support them in terms of meeting their fuel security objectives, where they apply a broader lens," Halliday told reporters. Both plants will be aided when refining margins drop below an agreed level and will not receive help during good times, Energy Minister Angus Taylor said. "The cap payment of 1.8 Australian cents per litre (around $2.20/bbl) provides a big lifeline during low refining margin periods, which is our most likely scenario for the next six years, given global refining overcapacity," said Sushant Gupta, research director at consultants Wood Mackenzie. Analysts congratulated the companies on securing a "great deal". "You say thank you to Angus Taylor and Scott Morrison. As shareholders, we thank them too," Bank of America analyst David Errington told Viva executives on an analyst call. ($1 = 1.2857 Australian dollars)Reporting by Renju Jose; Editing by Peter CooneyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

###CLAIM: he hopes it will put an end to the partisan nonsense that has been raining down on the virginia people for months, amusing and condescending. ###DOCS: A Melbourne columnist is facing backlash for an opinion piece he wrote about Sydney's Covid lockdown, with critics accusing him of stoking hatred between the two cities. Former ABC Radio host Jon Faine published a column detailing his two opinions of Sydney's outbreak, from the perspective of 'good' and 'bad' Jon. 'Bad Jon' wrote that while he 'sincerely hopes no one dies... their two-week lockdown will prick their self-righteous balloon'. He hoped it would 'put an end to the partisan, condescending and patronising nonsense that has been raining down on Victorians for months'. The comments sparked outrage among Sydneysiders, who are enduring the 'scariest' period of the Covid pandemic to date, and Australians in general. Former ABC Radio host Jon Faine published an article detailing his two opinions of Sydney's two-week lockdown, from the perspective of 'good' and 'bad' JonSo far 112 local cases of Covid have been detected, spreading from a hub in Sydney's east throughout the state. Critics accused Faine and the Melbourne-based paper of relishing in the suffering of millions. Journalist Bridie Jabour said she couldn't believe there were Melburnians genuinely seeming to 'wish Covid on Sydney'. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been repeatedly condemned for his handling of the pandemic in Melbourne, in contrast to widespread praise directed toward NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Ms Berejiklian was adamant her state would never need to lockdown again and has repeatedly called on other governments to end their border closures and lockdowns in an attempt to keep the economy running. Ms Berejiklian was adamant her state would never need to lockdown again and has repeatedly called on other governments to end their border closures and lockdowns in an attempt to keep the economy running'Bad Jon' wrote that while he 'sincerely hopes no one dies... their two-week lockdown will prick their self-righteous balloon'But on Saturday she was forced to backtrack on that statement as the highly infectious Delta strain of Covid infiltrates the community. Rather than express any sympathy, Faine said it would 'do Sydney some good to be knocked off their high perch'. Faine admitted to having conflicting feelings about Sydney's crisis, but ultimately still published an opinion that Ms Berejiklian wrongly held off on plunging the city into lockdown to 'justify their thinly disguised political posturing'. 'NSW Health have been making brave and exaggerated claims that have been undoubtedly putting their own people and the rest of us at risk. Then they made the absurd and irresponsible decision to defer a full lockdown,' he wrote. 'As things go wrong, it is on their heads and they will regret not going into lockdown when they found significant transmission.' Rather than express any sympathy, Faine said it would 'do Sydney some good to be knocked off their high perch'. Pictured: Deserted Sydney in lockdown on Sunday, June 27Ms Berejiklian on Sunday dismissed such claims, arguing her government had always followed advice of its health experts. 'I do not regret a single decision we have taken because it has been based on health advice,' she said. 'Also when you are making a major decision to lock down millions and millions of people, you have to make sure it is based on health advice and not because you want to have zero cases every day.' Faine then took aim at Sydney itself, along with its residents, calling it 'so smug and self-important'. He then, with some bitterness, accused the 'Sydney-centric' federal government of 'unquestioningly' supporting Ms Berejiklian because she is from the same party. 'Too many people regarded Covid as a Melbourne thing; now they have to accept it is more than that,' he wrote. 'At least as they now have a decent cluster in Sydney, Scott Morrison will finally be forced to fast-track mass vaccination with the urgency it requires and stop dawdling on getting the nation inoculated.' Since the beginning of the pandemic, 910 Australians have died and there have been nearly four million fatalities globally. Of the victims in Australia, 820 were in Victoria. Pictured: Busy Flinders Street in Victoria during the latest lockdown in MayFaine's musings sparked an enormous backlash, not just from Sydneysiders, with some describing them as 'contemptible'. 'What sort of lunatic not only desires a lockdown on a whole city but actually commits those mean spirited thoughts to print? Save your projections for your therapist I suggest,' one critic said. Another, a barrister from Victoria, said: 'Mock and criticise the governments and leaders. Go hard. I will be. But to say that our fellow Australians in NSW 'deserve' this, or that it 'serves them right' is contemptible.' Faine was a long time host of ABC Radio Melbourne's morning program and is a regular columnist in the Nine-owned newspaper. In spite of all the backlash, many dedicated former listeners and fans said Faine had succinctly summed up their own conflicting feelings in response to the Sydney cluster. Critics have accused Faine and the Melbourne-based paper of relishing in the suffering of millionsSeveral admitted to niggling feelings of schadenfreude (taking pleasure from another person's misfortune), when hearing updates out of Sydney each daySeveral admitted to niggling feelings of schadenfreude (taking pleasure from another person's misfortune), when hearing updates out of Sydney each day. 'Thank you Jon, on behalf of all of Melbourne. I've been horrified by Gladys & Morrison sniping about Victorian lockdowns and the NSW gold standard approach. While wishing them well, a bit of Victorian schadenfreude is in order,' one said. Another wrote: 'I have to admit to having these thoughts too, Jon. I'm not proud of it, but you've summed it up perfectly.' Since the beginning of the pandemic, 910 Australians have died and there have been nearly four million fatalities globally. Of the victims in Australia, 820 were in Victoria. There have been no deaths linked to the latest outbreak in New South Wales. Faine called Sydney 'smug and self-important' and noted 'too many people regarded Covid as a Melbourne thing; now they have to accept it is more than that'. Melbourne columnist and former radio star Jon Faine has hit back at his detractors following a furious online response to an opinion piece he wrote about Sydney's Covid lockdown. The former ABC Radio host published a column detailing his two opinions of the city's outbreak, from the perspective of 'good' and 'bad' Jon. On Tuesday, Sydney 2GB morning radio host Ben Fordham joined angry locals, branding the respected Melbourne journalist a 'dope'. Former ABC Radio host Jon Faine published an article detailing his two opinions of Sydney's two-week lockdown, from the perspective of 'good' and 'bad' JonSydney radio star Ben Fordham branded respected Melbourne broadcaster and journalist Jon Faine a 'dope''Good Jon' is a dope, 'Bad Jon' sounds deranged both of them can get stuffed,' Fordham barked. Faine had one word for Daily Mail Australia in response to Fordham's on-air rant. 'Who?' Poll Are you sick of states treating Covid as a competition? Yes No I don't care Are you sick of states treating Covid as a competition? Yes 210 votesNo 9 votesI don't care 25 votes Now share your opinionThe furore kicked off after sections of Faine's opinion piece, which appeared in The Sunday Age, were picked up on social media and quickly spread across mainstream news. 'Bad Jon' wrote that while he 'sincerely hopes no one dies... (Sydney's) two-week lockdown will prick their self-righteous balloon'. He hoped it would 'put an end to the partisan, condescending and patronising nonsense that has been raining down on Victorians for months'. Faine, who retired in 2019 from his Melbourne morning radio program with the ABC after 23 years, told Daily Mail Australia he believed most people jumping on the bandwagon to slam him had not even read his piece. '(I'm) happy to leave my piece to speak for itself,' he said. 'If people read the entire piece instead of selecting out a line or two out of context they might just understand what it is saying.' 'Bad Jon' wrote that while he 'sincerely hopes no one dies... their two-week lockdown will prick their self-righteous balloon'Faine said it would 'do Sydney some good to be knocked off their high perch'. Pictured: Deserted Sydney in lockdown on Sunday, June 27Ben Fordham's extraordinary attack on Jon Faine 'Imagine being so bitter and twisted that you publicly admit that you get a kick out of seeing Sydney in trouble,' Ben Fordham told listeners. 'He talks about himself as 'Good John' and 'Bad John'. 'Good John' is a dope, 'Bad John' sounds deranged both of them can get stuffed.' AdvertisementOn Wednesday, the fallout from his media rivals continued. The Australian's Janet Albrechtsen penned a scathing opinion piece that accused Faine of suffering from a dangerous case of sour grapes. 'The unstated precis of Faine's thesis was: Damn Sydney. Damn you for managing Covid differently, doing it better for so long,' she wrote. The piece, which appeared in the Murdoch publication on Wednesday, accused Faine of being a 'purveyor of outrage'. 'Instead of trying to persuade people with sound arguments, Faine opted to divide, preying on people's base instincts,' the piece stated. Although Albrechtsen - who sat on the ABC board for five years while Faine worked there - conceded her ex-colleague did have a few 'sensible points' about the Federal Government including 'playing politics over Covid when it suits, and its feeble handling of the vaccination program'. Faine told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday he had not read Albrechtsen's article and he stood by his previous defence of his own piece. Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Janet AlbrechtsenFaine had written that he was 'torn in (his) reactions' to Sydney's lockdown plight. In his near 1,000 word opinion piece, the veteran journalist began by expressing pity for Sydneysiders and wished them well. Melburnians know all to well the hardship of lockdowns after enduring four of their own - one of them spent day-after-day watching the death count rise to more than 800. While the piece has been largely dusted off by Melburnians bored with tired notions of media-hyped rivalry, it has been savaged by bored Sydneysiders now cooped-up in their own lockdown nightmare. Critics accused Faine and The Sunday Age of relishing in the suffering of millions. Journalist Bridie Jabour said she couldn't believe there were Melburnians genuinely seeming to 'wish Covid on Sydney'. Critics have accused Faine and the Melbourne-based paper of relishing in the suffering of millionsSeveral admitted to niggling feelings of schadenfreude (taking pleasure from another person's misfortune), when hearing updates out of Sydney each day'What sort of lunatic not only desires a lockdown on a whole city but actually commits those mean spirited thoughts to print? Save your projections for your therapist I suggest,' another online critic said. Another, a barrister from Victoria, said: 'Mock and criticise the governments and leaders. Go hard. I will be. But to say that our fellow Australians in NSW 'deserve' this, or that it 'serves them right' is contemptible.' In spite of all the backlash, many dedicated former listeners and fans said Faine had succinctly summed up their own conflicting feelings in response to the Sydney cluster. Several admitted to niggling feelings of schadenfreude (taking pleasure from another person's misfortune), when hearing updates out of Sydney each day. 'Thank you Jon, on behalf of all of Melbourne. I've been horrified by Gladys & Morrison sniping about Victorian lockdowns and the NSW gold standard approach. While wishing them well, a bit of Victorian schadenfreude is in order,' one said. Another wrote: 'I have to admit to having these thoughts too, Jon. I'm not proud of it, but you've summed it up perfectly.' Since the beginning of the pandemic, 910 Australians have died and there have been nearly four million fatalities globally. Of the victims in Australia, 820 were in Victoria. There have been no deaths linked to the latest outbreak in New South Wales.

###CLAIM: making it difficult for former incarcerated who live within the law to get a job or find a place to live. ###DOCS: TERRY GROSS, HOST:This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. Mass incarceration has directly affected the life of my guest, Reuben Jonathan Miller. His father and brothers did time and Miller nearly did. He grew up poor on Chicago's South Side and spent four of the first five years of his life in foster care after his mother abandoned him and his brothers, leaving them in front of a police station. He was raised by his grandmother, who got custody when he was 5. Now, Miller is a sociologist who studies the lives of people after they leave prison and the laws and policies that restrict their lives when they get out. These restrictions have produced what he describes as a new form of citizenship through practices of punishment and exclusion that make it difficult for the formerly incarcerated to get a job or find a place they are legally allowed to live. Their families and loved ones frequently end up being punished by these policies, too. Reuben Jonathan Miller is the author of the new book "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." He teaches at the University of Chicago in the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice. He formerly taught at the University of Michigan and has been a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. He started his career counseling children in foster care, then working as a volunteer chaplain in Cook County Prison. His book is based on 15 years of research in Detroit, Chicago and New York City following the lives of currently and formerly incarcerated men and women and talking with their family and friends. Reuben Jonathan Miller, welcome to FRESH AIR. There are hundreds and in some cases over a thousand state laws, not to mention federal laws and policies restricting people who are released from prison. Describe a few that make it difficult for people getting out of prison who have been convicted of felonies to get back on their feet. REUBEN JONATHAN MILLER: Well, some include the 19,000 laws, policies and administrative sanctions that prevent people with records from gaining employment. For example, in the state of Illinois, it took a legislative act to allow people with criminal records who were trained as barbers in U.S. jails and prisons to get their cosmetology license. And that law didn't change until 2016. There are thousands of laws like that. And there are additional laws that prevent people, for example, with criminal records from doing things like sitting on a jury. But I think the most insidious of them are the laws that prevent people with records from accessing homes, that allow landlords and employers to reject applications based on the fact that people have criminal records. GROSS: A lot of the men and women who you followed, did they have trouble finding a place to live and where their family is, like, afraid to take them in because of the consequences the families or loved ones could face? MILLER: Every one of the people that I followed. I followed about 250 people over the course of the years, spending time with them, trying to understand what life was like for them when they returned home. And everyone, without exception, was unable to rent an apartment in the very beginning on their own without help from others. In most leases, there's a clause that bars people with criminal records from being able to live in the apartment. And since changes in liability law, which happened in about the 1980s, took place, we see that landlords are held responsible for the crimes, for example, that happen on the premises of a building. And their response to that has been to evict people with criminal records and, in fact, to evict families who allow people with criminal records to stay in their homes. And a second strain, a strain that's on families who face the consequence of eviction, would often keep them from spending time with people who care for them most. A great example from the book is from a man named Jimmy (ph). And Jimmy's mother loved him dearly. Jimmy had been in and out of jails and prisons for quite a while. He was trying to get his life back together. And he would often stay with his mother. Well, her landlord told her, you know, if you let Jimmy stay with you again, I'm going to have to put you out. And so Jimmy, who was effectively alone - you know, at this point, he was sleeping in buildings that were about to be rehabbed. He was, you know, sleeping on couches. But he wouldn't come around his mother because he knew that she would offer him a place to stay. So he stayed away from her because if he stayed there, she would be evicted. GROSS: So what are some of the options that people came up with after prison so that they'd have a place to stay? MILLER: Well, there was a lot of couch surfing, a lot of staying temporarily with people who would take them in. A lot of folks avoided putting their name on leases, so it would never be their apartment. A lot of work to stay under the radar. This is what I saw. I saw a lot of work to stay under the radar of state management offices or employers or something like that. But very many people who had returned from jail or prison ended up being homeless. In fact, there was a study that showed that people who had been incarcerated were seven times more likely to be homeless than members of the general population. And I saw that over and over again, where people would have to, for example, not stay with family or friends. They'd go sleep in a shelter. They'd sleep on the street. They'd do their best to make things workGROSS: So with your brother Jeremiah, when he got out of prison, he couldn't live with you. And you tried to find him a place to stay but kept running into obstacles. So, like, what is it like when you're trying to help your family and there's real limits and legal limits on what you can do? MILLER: It's incredibly frustrating. It's frustrating. And it's painful, really, because you're extending yourself to the best of your ability. You know, for example, with my brother, we lived at. That time in faculty housing. And in faculty housing, there's a box that you check and people with criminal records, people with felony records specifically aren't allowed to live in faculty housing. I offered to cover his rent. I offered to co-sign apartments for him. I offered my word and my reputation, even with friends who may have a place for him to stay. And all of those things fell short. For one reason or another, the application would still be rejected. Now, I've got an inquiry on my credit, say. The landlord may not care that I'm well-off and middle class. The fact of my brother's felony record means that they have the right to say no legally, and so they don't take him in. And even friends and family, you know, they put themselves at risk if they allow someone with a criminal record to stay. So even my friends who, for example, owned real estate, owned a building or something like that or maybe had a spare room in their home, they put themselves at risk. So what we learn is that the probation officer has the right to, for example, raid a home where someone with a felony record lives. It doesn't matter who else is in the home with them. And so it creates this kind of cycle of housing instability that's very hard for people to pull themselves out of. GROSS: Your brother, Jeremiah, his parole was actually delayed because you couldn't find a place for him to live. MILLER: He stayed in prison for several additional months on that. And I felt incredibly guilty. I felt incredibly - I felt as if I failed him because he ended up doing more time than he would have done because there was no place for him to return to. GROSS: Where did he end up going? MILLER: So he ended up being paroled to a halfway house in Michigan. At this point, I had moved to Chicago. So he ended up - there was a halfway house that had a space that opened up for him, and he ended up being able to parole there. GROSS: And then there's another problem for a lot of people who have gotten out of prison, and that is getting to the parole officer and getting there for the urine tests. So what are some of the things that you have to do or that, for instance, your brother had to do when he got out of prison that make it, again, more difficult to have a job because the hours conflict. MILLER: That's right. So between - my brother had a curfew at 3 o'clock. So between 9 a.m. or - I'm sorry - 8 a.m., when he had movement, and 3 p.m., my brother had to go to drug treatment, AA meetings. He had to go - he had to do weekly check-ins with his parole officer. He had to go to workforce development training, which is training to prepare people for the worlds of work. He had to find and check in with a case manager. And then he had to look for work and find a job all within a certain period of time. So for him, he had 30 days to look for and find a job. All of this had to be done before 3 p.m.And missing any one of these appointments - so let's say he had four appointments in the course of a day. Missing either one of these appointments would be considered a, quote, "violation of his parole." And this is serious because all - when we consider prison admissions in a given year, about a quarter of all prison admissions are for violations of parole like this - missing an appointment with a probation officer, not reporting to workforce development or workforce training, maybe missing one of the two or three AA meetings you're required to attend, missing an appointment with a counselor or something like that. This accounts for a quarter of our annual prison admissions, these small things. GROSS: And getting to those appointments can be hard because you have to have the bus or train fare. You're not going to be reimbursed for that, are you? MILLER: That's absolutely right. I mean, returning to Jimmy's story, you know, Jimmy was effectively indigent. He had no income. His income was the $40 gift card that I handed him at the end of each of our interviews. And he was dependent on that $40 gift card to get to one of his nine appointments in a given week. And so - and missing those appointments meant that he could be sent back to jail or prison. But he didn't have the money to make those appointments, nor did he have money to cover, for example, the phone calls that he would have to make to the parole officer to say, I may miss this appointment because cellphones aren't free. So these costs are borne by people with criminal records. But we know that something like 80% of all people who go to jails or prisons qualify as indigent for the purposes of legal defense, meaning these are people who qualify to get a public defender. And to qualify to get a public defender, you must be declared indigent. So we punish the poor, and these folks are expected to cover their transportation, cover their bills, make sure that they eat - like these sorts of things - all while being locked out of the labor market, which would generate the income that they need to attend to these things. GROSS: One of the problems faced both by the person who has left prison and trying to re-enter the world and by their family and friends, is that often in prison, you've accumulated debt and you've accumulated debt from right before you were sent to prison. And so you don't - if you don't have a job and you were poor before you went to prison and you're poor coming out of prison, where are you going to get the money to pay off your debt? And then you have to turn to family and friends to help you. So let's start with the kind of debt that's accumulated before and during prison. And can we use your brother as an example? MILLER: Certainly, certainly. So my brother was charged $600 to be represented by a public defender whom he met on the day of his conviction for 20 minutes. GROSS: Can I just stop you right there? A public defender is supposed to be somebody who you don't have to pay, I thought. MILLER: Well, you get charged (laughter). The public defender is someone who the courts assign for you that you don't pay up front. But certainly, he was charged for that representation. GROSS: OK. So that's $600, which is a lot of money if you're poor. MILLER: It's a lot of money if you're poor. He was charged an additional $1,600 in other court fees. So my presumption is that these things go to cover the cost of the judgment, bailiffs, you know, these sorts of things associated with just general court costs. He was charged an extradition fee. I think that was around $400. This is to get him from - he was arrested in Chicago and transported back to Michigan, so it was the cost of the transport van to get him there. He was charged about $60 for the cost to record his felony record in the state archives. And so most people, by the time they go to a jail or prison, they've already racked up thousands of dollars in legal fees just like these. GROSS: We need to take a short break here. So let's do that, and then we'll talk some more. If you're just joining us, my guest is Reuben Jonathan Miller. His new book is called "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." We'll be right back after a break. This is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF JOHN COLTRANE'S "OUT OF THIS WORLD")GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to my interview with Reuben Jonathan Miller, author of the new book "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." It's based on his sociological research into the lives of men and women after they've been released from prison. He also draws extensively on what he's witnessed in his own family. Two of his brothers and his father have been in prison. Miller teaches at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. When we left off, we were talking about the debt that's accumulated by people in prison because they're charged for court costs and other related fees. This debt can add up to thousands of dollars, and then more money gets added on top of that because everything you buy in prison is more expensive than it is outside of prison. You say everything is just about twice as expensive when you're in prison. So what kind of things do you have access to to buy in prison? And give us an example of the costs that you face. MILLER: Certainly. So things to buy might include the cost of ramen noodles. It might cost 10 cents or 20 cents a package of ramen noodles on the outside. If you buy a single package at the store, it costs about 30 cents. Well, this is a small thing. Let's think about the cost of phone calls, for example. On average, to talk to my brother for 15 minutes, it cost me $6.55. That was per phone call. That was in the state of Michigan. And that was after a series of reforms that got the costs of phone calls inside jails and prisons down. But then there was the cost of sending notes. So there's the letters that you can write, but there's also a service called JPay, which allows you to send something like an email, and they charge you a dollar a page to send an email to your incarcerated loved one. These small things that aren't well accounted for, families take on the burden of these expenses. And then, of course, there's the cost of food. So prisoners just aren't fed enough. I can't tell you how many people talk to me from the inside. You know, I followed about 250 people over these years who have been in jails and prisons, and all of them told me - or just about without exception - that they were always so hungry because no matter how much of the prison food you ate, you didn't get enough because they neither feed you enough nor is the food nutritious enough. But what I will say is that they don't feed enough. They don't give you enough to sort of live. So the families are responsible for subsidizing the food, for subsidizing the expenses for the food. And so you send, you know, money each month to cover the cost of ramen noodles. But then there are also things like toiletries, soap, toilet tissue, writing utensils, calendars. And then there's their shoes. The articles of clothing, the shoes that the prison gives you, gives everybody blisters. A pair of gym shoes that you could buy at Marshalls or Target or any big box store that would cost you about $30 or $35 cost you $60 or $65 or $80 at the prison commissary store. And you have to buy it from the commissary store. So these little things, these small expenses, add up and it's these little things, I think, that do the work of wearing you down. GROSS: What is the rationale for charging so much money for phone calls and emails? I mean, I would like to think that communication with prisoners would be encouraged because it's healthy for the prisoners to stay in touch with family. It's like if you want somebody to be connected to the world, to be sane when they get out of prison, you know, staying in touch with family is really important. Why are you asked to pay so much money in order to do that? MILLER: The truth of the matter is when you ask why, one of the reasons why is that phone calls, food services, telecommunications services of all types in prisons aren't run by state government offices. They're run by private entities. And so to communicate, to accept a phone call - you know, I was accepting a phone call from Securus, not from the Michigan Department of Corrections. It was Securus telecommunications service that would charge these exorbitant fees and not just Securus. There are other telecommunication services, of course, that do this by a set and series of private companies. And so the problem is privatization. And this is one form of privatization that doesn't get enough attention. GROSS: So I think, you know, looking at the big picture here, you're likely to accumulate a lot of debt from the court costs before you're sent to prison and from fees once you're in prison. And that's all going to accumulate. Meanwhile, while you're in prison, people are making a profit off of you. MILLER: That's right. And those debts are borne by the family. So even the debt that the incarcerated person bears - their legal costs, their court fines - the family takes up much of that debt. In the case of my brother, for example, one Christmas, I sent him $250 because he requested a pair of boots, which inside the prison cost something like $125 or something like that, and a pair of shoes. And also, he wanted money for ramen noodles. And it was Christmas and I was trying to give him an additional bump, you know, buy things that you want and need, here's a present, you know, kind of thing. So I sent him $250. I didn't know when I sent him the $250 that everything over $50 - half of everything over $50 that I sent to him would be taken by the Department of Corrections and applied to his legal fees. So I sent $250. He ended up getting something like $150 or $175 or something like that. So this giant chunk out of that money got taken and applied to those debts. So the family is bearing the weight of this debt because the prisoner is in prison. He cannot or she cannot earn money to cover those debts themselves. GROSS: Well, let's take a short break here, and then we'll talk some more. If you're just joining us, my guest is Reuben Jonathan Miller. He's the author of the new book "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." It's part sociological study and part memoir about his family. We'll be right back. I'm Terry Gross, and this is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF DARRELL GRANT'S "FILS DU SOLEIL (FOR TONY WILLIAMS)")GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. Let's get back to my interview with Reuben Jonathan Miller, author of the new book "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." It's part sociological study, part memoir. It's based on 15 years of his research following men and women after they've been released from prison and draws on his own experiences. He grew up in poverty on Chicago's South Side, spent four years in foster care and was then raised by his grandmother. His brothers and fathers have spent time in prison, and Miller has helped his older brother during the years he's been in and out of prison. Reuben Jonathan Miller teaches at the University of Chicago in the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practices. So your brothers did time in prison. Your father spent the better part of 20 years in prison. You can almost say that you were on a prison track when you were a child. Your mother left you and your brothers outside of a police station. She abandoned you there. What is your understanding of why your mother did that? MILLER: She had problems. You know, she had problems. She struggled with her own issues, and there were very few resources for a woman who's struggling either with a drug addiction or mental health or even, you know, women who, say, have trouble raising their kids. I mean, this is - you know, I was born in '76. I grew up in an era where the so-called welfare queen was scandalized and shamed. You know, it wasn't OK really to admit that you didn't know what you were doing. So I don't know. I can't tell you exactly why that happened, but I can tell you that life couldn't have been easy for her. GROSS: So you spend four of the first five years of your life in foster homes and then your grandmother was able to get custody. So it sounds like your grandmother, once she took custody of you, really tried to make sure you were educated. She had you read a book a week. MILLER: That's absolutely right. We need to read a book a week. We'd offer a oral book report to her. She made us lip-sync Michael Jackson at family functions so that we were comfortable speaking to people. I think I understood in a deeper way as I grew up how and why she was doing the things that she did. I mean, so now that in the profession of a professor, someone who has to talk to people fairly regularly, I can see why the lip-syncing matters. I can see why the reading matters. I can see what she was doing. GROSS: You started your work counseling children in foster care. Was that because of your own experiences in foster care? MILLER: It was because it was a good job (laughter). It was a good job. And I hadn't yet finished college. I had started college, and I was looking for work. And social services was one of the routes to social mobility. So there was certainly a sense of mission. But I wasn't - you know, I began that work at 21. I wasn't fully aware at 21 of the depth of, for example, the reach of these very many systems that are all intertwined - foster care, jails and prisons - that is, the criminal justice system - how anti-poverty policy affected our lives. But a good part of why I took that job was because it was among the best jobs that were available to me at the time. GROSS: After you worked with children in foster care, you worked as a volunteer chaplain at Cook County jail in the minimum, medium and maximum security units. Why did you become a volunteer prison chaplain? MILLER: I'm a religious guy. I have a faith tradition, and there was a scripture that moved me. It was Matthew 25. And in this scripture, this is the, quote, "valley of decision" where nations are gathered and the thing that determines whether or not a nation is welcomed into the beloved, as it were in the scripture, is how they treated the most vulnerable. And so one of the lines - of course, the most famous of the lines are, you know, when I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was naked, did you clothe me? And then the line that really grabbed me was, when I was sick and in prison, did you visit me? And that touched me. It touched me in a deep way. And maybe it touched me in a deep way because of, you know, my prior experiences, maybe because of this work with the kids. But for whatever reason, that line, those verses, really took hold in a deep way for me. And I started - I asked my pastor at the time if we had a prison ministry and we didn't, and she allowed me to go and start a prison ministry. And so I began volunteering with men who volunteered, visiting, sitting with, going to the Cook County Jail and spending time in those various divisions. But for me, it was an ethical commitment that drew me to this work. GROSS: You carried a Bible under your arm when you met the men. What was the reaction to the Bible and how did that affect reaction to you? MILLER: It was so varied. So some men welcomed me and they welcomed the idea of a Bible study, and they were very happy to have someone come and visit with them. And I was also one of the younger chaplains. I was in my mid-20s and among the youngest religious volunteers. Most of the men who visited were older, were middle-aged, in their 40s or 50s or 60s. And some of the men were very happy to see me and some of the guards, too. And some of the men weren't so happy to see me and some of the guards, too. Some called me a fraud. Some thought I was there to peddle, you know, fake religion. Or maybe they believed in different things than I did. And so the reaction was really mixed. But there were these powerful, incredibly sweet moments when even a guard who maybe had a kid who found themselves in the Cook County jail would sneak over and ask me or one of my colleagues to go and sit with their child, or when a man who's locked in a cage would talk to me about their children and would ask me to go visit their children on the outside, and I would. And so while the welcome was varied, there were these beautiful moments of connection that I carry with me. GROSS: You know, you describe the smell in Cook County jail when you started doing your work. You write the smell of must, instant coffee, hastily brushed teeth, unwashed jumpsuits and stomach flu tells you precisely where you are. So when you first started doing the prison work, when you got a whiff of that, what did you think? MILLER: Wow, I'm here. This is it. And the reason why I lay it out like that in the book, the reason why I report the smell of a prison and the fact that it tells you where you are is because subsequently, I've been able to visit prisons, you know, in many different countries, in Sweden, in Belgrade, in Glasgow, Scotland and other places. And everywhere, the prison smells the same to me. And everywhere prisons and jails smell the same to me because this is the result of what my dear friend Michael Walker (ph) might call - he's a sociologist. He calls it batched living because people are held together. And, you know, we know that prisons and jails are vectors for chronic and communicable diseases, certainly for communicable diseases. It's one of the reasons why COVID is so dangerous in prisons is because people are batched, they're held so close together. They use the bathroom together. They're in showers together. When someone in a cell gets tuberculosis, the whole wing gets tuberculosis. And so we know that diseases that aren't even common in the, quote, "free world," those diseases are very common in the prison. And so anyway, the smell leads (laughter). You know, you walk into a place - and I know when I walk in where I am by how it smells and how I feel when I'm encountered with seeing these men walking in coffles down the hallways. GROSS: You must have been asked for help a lot when you were volunteering as a prison chaplain. What kind of help did you give? And what kind of help were you asked for where you just - you couldn't give it or you didn't want to or you thought it was ethically, you know, wrong in some way or you just weren't allowed to? MILLER: You know, most people would ask me to pray for them. That was the No. 1 request. Will you pray for me? My case is coming up. Will you go meet with my mother and tell her that I'm here and I care, I love you, I miss you? Will you meet with my children and tell them that I'm, you know, thinking about them? You know, let people know that we're human beings inside here. Most of the requests were for, you know, bits of human kindness. You know, no one asked me for money. No one asked me to do anything super unethical. Nobody even asked me - I wasn't even asked to testify on anybody's behalf. The requests that I got were mostly for prayer and for visits. GROSS: What kind of prayer would you say for them? MILLER: I'd pray for their strength. I'd pray for their peace. I'd pray that justice would be done, whatever that look like. And I'd pray that they'd have the wisdom and patience and understanding to get beyond it. Sometimes, a lot of times, I'd pray for their freedom because a lot of men and women in this country are arrested for standing around. A lot of men and women in this country are accused of crimes that they did not commit. We know that there have been 2,800 exonerations since 1989. And a lot of people are going to jail for crimes that we might not consider a crime if we stopped and thought about it for a little while. Maybe we wouldn't send a man to prison or a woman to prison for forging a check. Maybe we wouldn't send a man or a woman to prison for using drugs. And maybe we wouldn't send a man or a woman to prison for 50 or 60 years, even if they committed murder, if we thought about what the punishment should be for a crime or if punishment is warranted for it. So oftentimes, I'd pray for the men's freedom, too. GROSS: Let's take a short break here, and then we'll talk some more. If you're just joining us, my guest is Reuben Jonathan Miller. He's the author of the new book "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." We'll be right back after a break. This is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF AVISHAI COHEN'S "GBEDE TEMIN")GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to my interview with Reuben Jonathan Miller, author of the new book "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." It's based on his sociological research into the lives of men and women after they've been released from prison and while they were in prison. He also draws extensively on what he's witnessed in his own family. Two of his brothers and his father have been in prison. Miller teaches at the University of Chicago in the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice. So - you know, after working with children in foster care and then working as a volunteer prison chaplain, you became a sociologist. And the work that you've been doing is, you know, researching the lives of prisoners and what happens after they leave prison and all the obstacles to getting a foothold after they leave. Why did you turn from actually directly trying to help prisoners to, you know, basically, reporting on them, to researching on them and looking at the bigger picture in a more policy-oriented kind of way through their personal stories? MILLER: I initially went to social work school because I wanted to be a better chaplain. And some people are arrested for nothing. You know, I know kids whose arrest trajectory started at 10 or 11 years old for doing things like standing on a corner, congregating in groups. They're arrested for playing with each other (laughter). They're arrested for being on the corner too long when there's nowhere else for them to go. And some people are arrested for coping with trauma and violence in the best ways that they know how, which might be drug use, which might be lashing out. And by the time they eventually commit an actual crime that we would consider a punishable offense, that arrest history will be used against them. They'd say, you've got this long history of arrests. Even though you're being caught right now with three crack rocks in your pocket and maybe you could benefit from treatment, or maybe you could benefit from some counseling or something like that, we see a pattern of criminality. We're going to throw the book at you. You're going to do three years in prison, five years in prison, something like that. I wanted to know what drives all this stuff. And I wanted to stop thinking so much about the behavior that's expressing itself in the moment and think about some of the root causes and some of the consequences. And so I went to, initially, social work school because I wanted to be a better chaplain. I thought this is what I wanted to do with my life. I - my interests changed. And I started to study mass incarceration and mass incarceration's fallout. So that's sort of how we get to the research trajectory. GROSS: Do you feel like you carry around a certain amount of survivor's guilt in the sense that you were the one in your family who made it to the middle class. You teach at a university. You have a new book. I mean, you've been very successful. Your book is getting great reviews. Your brother has been in and out of prison. Is he in prison now? MILLER: He's out now. And he's doing well, as well as can be, with support from me and from my loved ones. And no, I don't feel survivor's guilt at all because I want us all to be free. You know, I - my grandmother made me read. My grandmother forced me to give her a book report once a week. My grandmother made me lip-sync Michael Jackson with my brother to prepare us to enjoy life and to have a full life. You know, this is the same woman who came up from Louisiana during a wave of the Great Migration and put herself through secretarial school. She came up from Baton Rouge, La., the dead of the South, running from the problems, I'm sure, that were emblematic of that period in time. And she put herself through secretarial school. And it's on no more than $8 an hour - that was at the height of her income - and decided to raise three fairly bad boys who had been left behind. And this woman wanted my success, and I embraced it. And so I don't have survivor's guilt. I also don't look at myself as some super-exceptional person. I certainly look at myself as someone who is able to thrive, given the support of my family and the people who love me because I've been given chances to thrive. And I want those same chances for the brothers and sisters who are locked away in cages right now. GROSS: You know, I'm thinking about the question I asked you about whether you have any form of survivor's guilt because you made it into the middle class and have established an important role for yourself, both in the lives of people in prison and coming out and also in the world of sociology. And thinking about my question, I think, that's a kind of stupid question to ask, you know, because, of course, you should feel good and not bad about having, you know, broken out of all of the societal economic traps that are set for the poor. MILLER: I appreciate that very much. And I want us to think about why we set those traps and whether or not we need those traps. Why do we need those traps? You know, why do we make it so that half of the people in a given family will find themselves locked away? You know, why did we make a world in which 49% of Black men will be arrested before they're 23 and 38% of white men will be arrested before they turn 23? I want us to think about all these traps that we've created, we've produced, and I want us to unmake them. That's my hope. GROSS: Reuben Jonathan Miller is the author of the new book "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." He teaches at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice. This is FRESH AIR. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. Let's get back to my interview with Reuben Jonathan Miller, author of the new book "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." It's based on his sociological research into the lives of men and women after they've been released from prison. He also draws extensively on what he's witnessed in his own family. Two of his brothers and his father have been in prison. Miller teaches at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice. I think your brother was jailed while you were writing your new book. Do I have that right? MILLER: That's absolutely right. GROSS: So it's this great responsibility for you because you're worried about him. You're trying to do everything you can to help him. You're trying to pay for some of his needs. You're trying to find a home for him after he gets out. And in the meantime, you're doing your research. You're writing your book. You're teaching. Can you tell us a little bit what that period was like for you, trying to do right by your brother while also keeping up your commitments to your work and to, you know, your wife and your son? MILLER: Thank you for that question. It was difficult. It's interesting that the feeling that I came to often was a feeling of shame. And it was a feeling of shame of being alone. It felt, to me, given the circles that I was running in, that no one else had experienced this. But that's what it felt like. That wasn't true. GROSS: By the circles you were running in, you meant like the university circles as opposed to...MILLER: Absolutely, university circles. Absolutely. I'm in the pastoral scene of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J. I'm spending time with amazing scholars like Joan Scott and Didier Fassin and these folks who are giants in my field. And I'm having wine and cheese dinners. And in the middle of the wine and cheese dinner, I'm getting a collect call from my brother, and I have to get up from the table and take the call. Or I'm in the library trying my best to concentrate, trying my best to move life forward. In the middle of it, I get a phone call from my brother. Or I need to make a court date on the day that I have a presentation at a university for a conference with other important people who I presumed didn't have the same problems that I had. And so I felt profoundly alone. But the truth is that I wasn't alone. One in two people in this country have a loved one who's been to jail or prison. This is where we live. This is so many people's experiences. I'll tell you, when I give presentations, all sorts of people - deans, judges, presidents of this or that company - come to me and say, thank you for the presentation. Let me tell you, though - like, that was a really interesting presentation. Let me tell you about my son. Let me tell you about my daughter. Let me tell you about this person who I love very deeply. There's something profoundly wrong with that. And so the feeling was isolating. You know, it felt like a rupture from the world that I was trying to move in or something like that. But this is one of the reasons why I decided to write about it, to write about my own experiences, because the truth is, it wasn't a rupture. The truth is many of the people in the spaces that I was moving through, if they paid attention to their family and friends, had these very same experiences and many would often tell me. MILLER: Did you initially try to keep your brother's imprisonment a secret, thinking that it would work against you and that it would work against against you in how people regarded your research or work against, you know, your career path in the university? And if you did try to keep it at some point, what changed your mind? MILLER: I was very worried about his incarceration, for example, in a Michigan penitentiary, resulting in me being unable to do research out of a Michigan penitentiary. GROSS: Because you'd seem too biased by the standards of the profession? MILLER: And also there just being rules about, you know, like so - so who's visitor's list are you on? GROSS: Rules from the prison. MILLER: Rules from the prison. I was I was worried about the prison kicking me out of that. I was worrying about the professional costs. My world is a world of jails and prisons. I need to be able to move freely through jails and prisons. You know, what does it mean for my brother to be in a jail or prison while I'm trying to do this work? And so that was a concern. And so I decided to write myself in for those reasons. GROSS: So if there were any reforms in the criminal justice system that you could single handedly, you know, legislate, what would they be? MILLER: I'd start with the 45,000 laws, policies and administrative sanctions that target people with criminal records. And I'd ask myself a very simple question. Do we need 45,000? Is that what you need to make yourself feel safe? Is that what we need for, quote, "safety"? So that's the first place. That's a very important place. And that's a practical thing to do. But really, the question isn't just a question of specific laws and policies. It's a question about making a world in which people belong. This is the place to start from. The question shouldn't be, what do I need to do to make myself feel safe? The question could be, and I think should be, what does this person who's coming out of jail or prison, need to thrive? Because if we get people to the place of human thriving, then we'll be safe. GROSS: Thank you so much for talking with us. I've really gotten a lot out of your book. And I really appreciated talking with you today, so thank you. And I wish you all good things. MILLER: Thank you so much, Terry. GROSS: Reuben Jonathan Miller is the author of "Halfway Home: Race, Punishment And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration." He teaches at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice. Tomorrow on FRESH AIR, we'll talk about the threats caused by domestic terrorism from right-wing extremist groups, white supremacists and militias. My guest will be Elizabeth Neumann, who served as assistant secretary for threat prevention and security at the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump administration. She warned about the growing threat by extremists, but she said not only didn't the Trump White House address it, Trump's rhetoric contributed to it. She resigned from the administration. I hope you'll join us. FRESH AIR's executive producer is Danny Miller. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham. Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Amy Salit, Phyllis Myers, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Heidi Saman, Therese Madden, Ann Marie Baldonado, Thea Chaloner, Seth Kelley and Kayla Lattimore. Our associate producer of digital media is Molly Seavy-Nesper. Roberta Shorrock directs the show. I'm Terry Gross. Copyright 2021 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record.

###CLAIM: members of asian, pacific and islander groups and lawmakers have criticized mr. and mrs. biden's cabinet for lack of representation. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareThe top political organization representing Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is forming a policy-focused arm in response to new engagement in their community following a year of racially motivated attacks, record voter turnout in the 2020 election and the killings last month of six Asian women in Atlanta. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The AAPI Victory Fund super PAC announced Monday the creation of a new nonprofit group aimed at developing a greater understanding of the complex and nuanced population that has long been excluded from conversations about issues such as racial justice, economic disparity and politics generally. But the coronavirus pandemic brought both of those issues to the forefront for Asian Americans, who have been subjected to racist slurs, perpetrated by former president Donald Trump and other Republicans using derogatory and stigmatizing terms to describe the virus, such as the Chinese virus or Wuhan flu.AdvertisementAsian workers in low-wage jobs also have been hit hardest by the economic fallout of shuttered businesses such as nail salons, dry cleaners and shopping centers. Long-term unemployment among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the first quarter of 2021 surpassed that of Blacks, Whites and Latinos, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Then, the March 16 shooting of six Chinese and Korean American women working at spas and massage parlors in Atlanta shone a spotlight on our community like nothing before and created a sense of urgency for a more issue-based, educational effort, said Varun Nikore, who will serve as executive director of the new entity, the AAPI Victory Alliance. It fills a critical gap in the AAPI community right now, and thats because its focused on lifting up the AAPI political agenda which is much broader than most people realize, said Janelle Wong, an AAPI Victory Alliance board member and professor of Asian American studies at the University of Maryland. The past year has made it clear to both Asian Americans and the broader population that race matters for Asian Americans and we have to think about those particularized needs in a different way than we have in the past.Part of the groups mission will be to dispel the model minority myth that persists around the Asian population that they are well educated and successful and thus dont require the same attention as other marginalized groups. AdvertisementMore than 22 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders live in the United States, making up about 7 percent of the U.S. population. Viewed together as one group, nearly 50 percent have a college degree, but when broken down by ethnicity, data show that less than 20 percent of other subgroups such as Pacific Islanders, Cambodians or native Hawaiians have bachelors degrees. You cant understand the experience of Asian Americans through a single lens like aggregate income or educational achievement; instead, a more multifaceted understanding will help highlight areas that still remain quite challenging, like political representation, Wong said. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders represent the fastest-growing segment of the countrys electorate. AAPI voters turned out in record numbers last year to support Democrat Joe Biden over Trump by a roughly 2-to-1 margin, and were critical to Bidens victory in states such as Georgia, which had not swung Democratic since 1992. AdvertisementIn Georgia, a week before the 2020 election, more AAPI voters had cast early ballots than had voted in the 2016 presidential election, said Tom Bonier of TargetSmart, which analyzes voting data. Across 47 states and the District of Columbia that had data on Asian American and Pacific Islander voting, AAPI voting was up 47.3 percentage points over 2016 compared to 12 percentage points across the general population, Bonier said. Moreover, he said, 23 percent of AAPI voters were first-time voters in 2020. Ive never seen a surge in turnout like this before, Bonier said. Nikore said: All the data and research has shown it was Trumps rhetoric that drew out the numbers. This was a largely organic effort ... no one invested and yet it still happened.Part of the new groups mission will be to harness that voter engagement and build grass- roots support for AAPI candidates and for candidates who support causes of importance to the community. AdvertisementThe AAPI Victory Fund super PAC endorsed Biden in January 2020 at a critical point in the Democratic primary in exchange for an assurance that he would name a visible AAPI person as a campaign co-chair, but that never happened. AAPI groups and lawmakers were then disappointed that the Biden administration didnt nominate an Asian American Cabinet secretary. Although you promised to build the most diverse Cabinet in history, AAPIs have so far been excluded from the 15 Cabinet Secretary slots that oversee executive departments and are responsible for shaping and implementing your administrations policies, read one letter from more than 100 members of Congress to Bidens transition team sent in December. Bidens team has repeatedly pointed to Vice President Harris, whose mother immigrated from India, whenever AAPI groups have raised their concerns. Frustration came to a boil last month when Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) threatened to vote no on most of Bidens remaining Cabinet nominees until the White House addressed what they said was a lack of sufficient AAPI representation. AdvertisementTo be told that, Well, you have Kamala Harris. Were very proud of her. You dont need anybody else, is insulting, Duckworth said then. And that is not something you would say to the Black Caucus: Well, you have Kamala. Were not going to put any more African Americans in the Cabinet, because you have Kamala. Why would you say it to AAPI?The White House has said it will add a senior-level administration member who will act as a liaison to the Asian American Pacific Islander communities. That person has not yet been named. The White House and Democratic lawmakers have prioritized combating hate crimes against Asians. The Senate returned Monday from a two-week break and its first legislative action will be debate on a bill to require the Justice Department to appoint a point person at the agency to address the coronavirus-related hate crimes against Asian Americans. It sends a very important signal from the Congress of the United States to the American public: These crimes will not be tolerated and there will be consequences, said Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) in a floor speech. We all know, every one of us, that racism against one is racism against all. We must stop it.GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: in 2018, high-profile republican office officials and political staff acknowledged the affair to senior members of the office, according to two sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. ###DOCS: ToplineThe FBI is currently investigating Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, according to the Associated Press, amid allegations from former members of Paxtons staff that he engaged in crimes including bribery and used the power of his office to benefit a wealthy donor. Ken Paxton, Attorney General State of Texas attends the forum 'Partnerships to Eradicate Human ... [+] Trafficking in the Americas' at the 2019 Concordia Americas Summit on May 14, 2019 in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Gabriel Aponte/Getty Images for Concordia Summit) Getty Images for Concordia SummitKey FactsLast month, seven senior lawyers on Paxtons staff wrote a letter to the director of human resources in the attorney generals office accusing their boss of criminal activity. These top deputies wrote they reported Paxton to the appropriate law enforcement authority for potentially violating laws in his official capacity as the current Attorney General of Texas. According to the Associated Press report, it is currently unclear what stage the FBI investigation into the allegations has reached. Critical Quote:After reviewing the claims made by former employees of this office, their allegations are overblown, based upon assumptions, and to a large degree misrepresent the facts, said Paxton in a statement on Tuesday. Key Background:Paxton has previously acknowledged that the accusations stem from his appointment of an outside attorney into the investigation of an Austin real estate developer named Nate Paul, who had donated $25,000 to the attorney generals reelection campaign in 2018. The Austin American-Statesman reported in October that Paxton asked a Houston lawyer to act as special prosecutor in the investigation of Pauls claims that the FBI improperly searched his home and business in 2019. Since reporting him last month, each of Paxtons accusers has either resigned, been put on leave or been fired. In a recent deposition, Paul said that Paxton recommended a woman for her job with his company. The Associated Press has reported that Paxton acknowledged in 2018 having an extramarital affair with that woman, who was a state Senate aide at the time. Tangent:Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican congressman from Texas, called for Paxtons resignation in October. The allegations of bribery, abuse of office, and other charges levied against him by at least seven senior leaders of the Office of the Attorney General are more than troubling on the merits, Roy said. Further Reading:AP Sources: FBI is investigating Texas attorney general (AP)Texas congressman calls on state attorney general to resign (AP)

###CLAIM: the jordanian health minister first said the aim of the vaccination campaign was to target 20-25 percent of frontline workers and vulnerable groups. ###DOCS: FILE In this April 18, 2020 file photo partitions are installed between beds as work is performed to turn Sleep Train Arena into a 400-bed emergency field hospital to help deal with the coronavirus, in Sacramento, Calif. The state has reopened the arena and other facilities to help handle a new surge of coronavirus patients, but is using little more than a handful of volunteers from Gov. Gavin Newsom's California Health Corps who originally helped staff the facility. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)FILE In this April 18, 2020 file photo partitions are installed between beds as work is performed to turn Sleep Train Arena into a 400-bed emergency field hospital to help deal with the coronavirus, in Sacramento, Calif. The state has reopened the arena and other facilities to help handle a new surge of coronavirus patients, but is using little more than a handful of volunteers from Gov. Gavin Newsom's California Health Corps who originally helped staff the facility. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)MEXICO CITY Mexico has posted another daily record for newly confirmed coronavirus cases, with 16,105 new infections reported Saturday, and a near-record of 1,135 deaths related to COVID-19 in the latest 24-hour period. The country has now topped 1.5 million total infections and over 133,000 deaths so far in the pandemic. Given Mexicos extremely low level of testing, official estimates suggest the real death toll is over 180,000. Health authorities said 6,722 shots of coronavirus vaccine were administered Friday, for a total so far of about 75,000. In Mexico City, the current center of the pandemic in Mexico, 90% percent of hospital beds are full. ___THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:Ten months into Americas viral outbreak, low-income workers are still bearing the brunt of job losses an unusual and harsh feature of the pandemic recession that flattened the economy last spring. The most populous U.S. state needs more medical workers at facilities swamped by coronavirus patients. But almost no help is coming from the California Health Corps , a program that recruited 95,000 volunteers and has just 14 now working in the field. And the pandemic meets politics in Germany, where the start of 2021 heralds the end of the Angela Merkel era. With a federal election scheduled for September, frustration over the slow start of vaccinations has brought jockeying among potential successors to the chancellor. Elsewhere,___Follow APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic , https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreakADVERTISEMENT___HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:MONTREAL A curfew meant to curb a rising tide of COVID-19 cases took effect across Quebec on Saturday evening. Premier Francois Legault says the measure is needed to prevent gatherings that have fueled the rampant spread of the virus, The French-speaking Canadian province has a population of more than 8.4 millionThe rules will see most residents face police questions or fines of up to $6,000 Canadian (U.S. $4,728) if theyre out between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. for the next four weeks. There are exceptions for essential workers, people walking dogs, and those who have medical reasons to be out, such as a doctors appointment. ___TOKYO Japanese opposition lawmakers slammed the governments emergency declaration Sunday, as too little too late to stem the surging coronavirus case. They also pushed for more testing, which have lagged in Japan, being expensive and hard to get unless severely ill.Its essential to consider the worst possible scenario, but the response has always been based on an overly optimistic outlook, Yukio Edano, a former economy minister, said on public broadcaster NHK TV. Opposition lawmakers Toranosuke Katayama and Kazuo Shii also criticized the state of emergency as too limited in scope, area and duration. The declaration, which kicked in Friday, centers around asking restaurants to close at 8 p.m., lasts a month and focuses on the Tokyo area. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga defended the focus of the declaration as needed for it to be effective. He stressed the rising curve in the infections spread will get flattened in a month. Deaths related to COVID-19 have totaled about 4,000 nationwide so far. Worries are growing about hospitals getting stretched thin. Tokyos cases have surged recently to more than 2,000 a day. Other urban areas have asked the central government for emergency declarations. PROVIDENCE, R.I. Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Daniel McKee is quarantining at home after coming into close contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Saturday. The lieutenant governor learned of the close contact Saturday morning, has since tested negative and is showing no symptoms, officials said. He will continue to be tested and will remained quarantined until midnight on Jan. 12, officials said. McKee is poised to serve the remaining two years of Gov. Gina Raimondos term after Raimondo was named Democrat Joe Bidens Bidens pick for commerce secretary. McKee said in a statement that no one is above the rules of quarantine.As a state official, I am committed to modeling the kind of response to this virus that I hope all Rhode Islanders would have. I will continue to meet with public health leaders and receive other critical briefings remotely, he said. ___LAS VEGAS Nevada is reporting one of the states highest daily increases in coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began, and its worst week yet. The state on Saturday reported 2,648 additional known COVID-19 cases and 56 additional deaths. Thats close to the record of 60 deaths reported only on Wednesday. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the states one-week total of 299 COVID-19 deaths was the worst yet. Nevada has now had 246,309 known COVID-19 cases and 3,450 deaths since the pandemic began. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nevada increased from 2,115.3 on Dec. 25 to 2,373.6 on Friday while the rolling average of daily deaths rose from 33.6 to 35.4, according to data from Johns Hopkins University and The COVID Tracking Project. Officials anticipate a spike in cases and deaths in coming weeks, following Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years gatherings. ___LOS ANGELES California health authorities on Saturday reported a record high of 695 coronavirus deaths as many hospitals strained under unprecedented caseloads. The state Department of Public Health said the number raises the states death toll since the start of the pandemic to 29,233. A surge of cases following Halloween and Thanksgiving produced record hospitalizations in California, and now the most seriously ill of those patients are dying in unprecedented numbers. Already, many hospitals in Los Angeles and other hard-hit areas are struggling to keep up and warned they may need to ration care as intensive care beds dwindle. ___OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma judge has extended a temporary restraining order allowing bars and restaurants across Oklahoma to stay open past an 11 p.m. curfew issued in November by Gov. Kevin Stitt in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. District Judge Susan Stallings heard arguments in the case Friday and extended the Dec. 29 order while she considers ruling in the lawsuit by bar owners who argue the governor doesnt have legal authority to impose the curfew, according to court records. Attorneys for the governor say state law gives Stitt broad and flexible authority needed to combat the spread of the virus. On Saturday, Oklahoma has the sixth most new cases per capita in the nation with 1,218.16 per 100,000 residents, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The state health department on Saturday reported 324,875 total cases and 2,738 deaths since the pandemic began. ___JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday received the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine after becoming the first Israeli to be inoculated last month. Israel is in the midst of a third nationwide lockdown after seeing a surge in cases despite unleashing one of the worlds fastest vaccination campaigns. The country has given the first of two vaccine doses to nearly 20% of its population, and Netanyahu said Saturday that it has secured enough vaccines to inoculate the whole adult population by the end of March. Netanyahu has placed the vaccination drive at the center of his campaign for reelection that month, when Israel will hold its fourth nationwide vote in less than two years. In the meantime, he has called on Israelis to make one last big effort to halt transmission by adhering to the tightened restrictions. Most schools and businesses were closed starting Friday, with people required to remain within 1,000 meters (yards) from home except for essential needs. Public gatherings are heavily restricted and public transportation is limited. The restrictions are to last for at least two weeks. ___VATICAN CITY Pope Francis has confirmed in an interview with an Italian broadcaster that he has an appointment to get the anti-COVID vaccine when the Vatican starts its vaccination program next week. The pope also said everyone should get the vaccine, calling it an ethical option, because you are playing with your health, life, but also with the lives of others.Excerpts from the sit-down interview were released by Mediaset on Saturday, a day before it is scheduled to be aired. It is the first confirmation that the 84-year-old pope who is missing part of one lung will get the vaccine, although the Vatican had already announced it would begin administering the vaccines later this month. The Vatican has previously said that its morally acceptable for faithful to receive COVID-19 vaccines whose research used cell lines from tissue obtained from abortions. Vatican City has had at least 27 confirmed cases of COVID-19. ___AMMAN, Jordan Jordan announced it is expecting the first doses of a coronavirus vaccine to arrive in the kingdom late Saturday. Wael Hayajneh, the Health Ministrys official in charge of COVID-19, said the vaccines are coming from state-owned Chinese drugmaker Sinopharm. Another shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is expected to get to the Middle Eastern kingdom on Monday, Hayajneh said. Jordan plans to start its vaccination drive on Wednesday. It has arranged to secure 200,000 doses in the first quarter of 2021 from Pfizer and Sinopharm and possibly other vaccine suppliers. Jordans health minister has said the inoculations will first target 20% to 25% of the frontline workers and vulnerable groups. Jordan, with a population of 10 million, has recorded over 4,000 deaths and 305,000 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. ___ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Health officials in Anchorage said appointments for the citys residents to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine filled up in a matter of hours this week, leading to frustration for people still trying to sign up for vaccination clinics planned for throughout the weekend and early next week. Local television station KTUU-TV reported that Anchorage Health Department Director Heather Harris said all 1,800 available time slots were reserved within a four-hour period on Thursday. Clinics are not accepting walk-ins. Harris said Anchorage is expecting to receive about 14,600 vaccine doses this month. Residents age 65 and older are eligible to get vaccinated and there are about 33,000 people in that category. ___LONDON Another 1,035 people in the U.K. have died within 28 days of testing positive for the coronavirus, bringing the countrys total death toll in the pandemic to over 80,000. The British government reported Saturday that the number of confirmed deaths has reached 80,868, the most in Europe and the worlds fifth-highest pandemic death toll. The United States, Brazil, India and Mexico are in the top four. Hospitals around the U.K. are under heavy pressure treating COVID-19 patients. Londons mayor declared the capitals COVID-19 situation to be critical Friday, when the countrys daily reported deaths hit a record high of 1,325. Official data also show that the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.K. has exceeded 3 million. ___SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California desperately needs more medical workers at facilities swamped by coronavirus patients, but almost no help is coming from a volunteer program that Gov. Gavin Newsom created at the start of the pandemic. An army of 95,000 initially raised their hands, and just 14 are now working in the field. Newsom says the program has been incredibly effective. But very few volunteers actually met qualifications for the California Health Corps, and only a tiny sliver have the high-level experience needed to help with the most serious virus cases. Other states have had similar difficulties making volunteer programs work. A researcher says many eligible volunteers may have found other jobs before the latest coronavirus surge. ___PHOENIX -- Arizona, which is a COVID-19 hot spot in the United States, has now recorded more than 10,000 deaths and 600,000 confirmed cases since the pandemic began. The Department of Health Services reported 11,094 new cases and 98 deaths on Saturday, the second straight day that Arizonas new confirmed cases exceeded 11,000. The daily numbers brought Arizonas total confirmed cases to 607,345 and the states death toll in the pandemic to 10,036. Arizona and Rhode Island are tied for the countrys highest COVID-19 diagnosis rate, with 1 in every 109 people diagnosed with the disease between Jan. 1 and Friday. There were 4,920 COVID-19 patients occupying hospital beds on Friday. ___NEW DELHI The government of India is planning to kick off a vaccination drive on Jan. 16 to stem COVID-19 in the worlds second-most populous country. The Health Ministry said Saturday that priority will be given to healthcare workers and others performing frontline duties during the pandemic, categories that together are estimated to include around 30 million people. They will be followed by individuals over age 50 and younger people with underlying health conditions, numbering around 270 million, the ministry said in a statement. Last week, Indias drugs regulator gave emergency authorization for the vaccine developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca, and for another developed by Indian company Bharat Biotech. The ministry said that both vaccines would be administered in two dosages. With 10.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases, India has the second-highest total behind the United States. Indian has reported almost 150,800 virus-related deaths during the pandemic. ___CALUMET, Michigan A cafe in a small town in the U.S. state of Michigan has been found in contempt of court and fined $2,500 for continuing to serve customers indoors. A judge held a hearing on Friday involving Cafe Rosetta, which serves soup, sandwiches and more in Calumet, a town of roughly 750 in Houghton County. When it comes to court orders, in my opinion, civil disobedience is not an option. It just absolutely is not, Judge Wanda Stokes said. The cafes food permit has been yanked. State regulators then got a Dec. 30 order from Stokes to shut down the business. Since mid-November, Michigan restaurants and bars have been restricted to outdoor service or carry-out orders to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Cafe Rosetta co-owner Amy Heikkinen said she cant afford to limit business to carry-out orders. Hundreds of people rallied to support her on Jan. 2. Stokes suspended the contempt fine until Wednesday to allow the cafes attorney to file legal arguments, The Daily Mining Gazette reported. MEXICO CITY, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Mexico reported 10,003 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 502 more fatalities on Sunday, according to health ministry data, bringing its total to 1,534,039 infections and 133,706 deaths. The real number of infected people and deaths is likely significantly higher than the official count, the ministry has said, due to little testing. Reporting by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

###CLAIM: the people who flout the rules because they begin to think they can get away with it are the ones who begin to question the rules themselves. ###DOCS: AdvertisementThe number of journeys being made on foot, by car and on public transport during England's third lockdown is still significantly higher than in the first - but much lower than during the second, figures revealed today. The latest mobility data has shown pedestrians, motorists and people using trains or buses are moving around more again across seven major UK cities after levels fell over the Christmas and New Year period. It comes as many self-employed workers continue to visit homes to provide services allowed under law, such as nannies, cleaners, tradespeople and social care workers providing support to children and families. The figures from Apple, based on requests for directions using its Maps app, show the UK average level based on a pre-pandemic baseline of January 2020 is 30 per cent down for walking - roughly where it was in mid-December. While this is significantly above the figure of about 70 per cent down at the start of the first lockdown in March last year, it is still below the figure of 20 per cent down during the second lockdown in November. The latest figure for driving is 40 per cent down - and this is also compared to 70 per cent down during the first lockdown and 20 per cent down in the second lockdown. The data also shows public transport is 70 per cent down - compared to 85 per cent down at the start of the first lockdown, and 50 per cent during the second. The data also reveals walking levels are much lower in London than any other major UK city at 52 per cent down - far below Sheffield at 13 per cent down, Leeds at 17 per cent and Manchester and Birmingham, both 22 per cent. But the gap when looking at public transport is much smaller, with this down 67 per cent in London compared to 64 per cent down in Manchester, 69 per cent in Sheffield and 58 per cent in Birmingham and Liverpool. Meanwhile rush-hour congestion in London this morning was at its highest level since England's third national lockdown began as concerns grow that Britons are not complying with lockdown rules closely enough. In the capital, the 7am figure last week according to the data provided by TomTom was 19 per cent on Friday, 20 per cent on Thursday, 22 per cent on Wednesday, 22 per cent on Tuesday and 18 per cent on Monday. How self-employed people can still travel and work in others' homes during third lockdown People are allowed to continue working in other people's homes during the third national lockdown in England if they fit into a category set out under law. Those who are allowed to do so include nannies, cleaners, tradespeople and social care workers providing support to children and families. But guidance also states that work should not take place in a private home or garden when it does not need to. In addition, guidance says that tradesmen who are allowed to continue working includes but is not limited to people working in repair services, fitters, meter readers, plumbers and surveyors. During the first lockdown, there had been confusion of whether construction workers and tradespeople should count their jobs as essential. But Michael Gove said at the time that construction workers should still be going to work while tradespeople could attend emergencies in people's homes. And as the weeks went on, people became happier to invite workmen into their home - especially with many furloughed and therefore looking to spend their time at home carrying out home improvements. AdvertisementThe real-time data for the 8am period last week was 20 per cent on Friday, 21 per cent on Thursday, 23 per cent on Wednesday, 23 per cent on Tuesday and 19 per cent on Monday. However, the levels for both times were still less than half the average figures in 2019 for the period, which were 52 per cent for 7am and 63 per cent for 8am. Data on London Underground and bus use for today is not yet available, but Transport for London last week revealed that travel in the capital was running at more than double the level in the first lockdown last year. London Mayor Sadiq Khan formally declared a 'major incident' in the capital last Friday - and called for restrictions to be toughened, saying that coronavirus was 'out of control' and threatened to 'overwhelm' the city's hospitals. As for other major UK cities at 8am this morning, congestion in Birmingham was at 23 per cent - which was roughly in line with figures of 19 to 24 per cent during the same time period last week. In Manchester, the congestion level at the same time this morning was 21 per cent - again in line with figures of 18 to 21 per cent recorded at the same time last week. It came as the Government said all key workers unable to work from home in England will be eligible for a test twice a week to try to 'break the chain' of coronavirus transmission by asymptomatic carriers. The announcement by Matt Hancock will make lateral flow tests which take 30 minutes to get a result a key way to avoid tightening the lockdown. The first million tests will be delivered by the end of this week. Around one third of the UK workforce are key workers totalling 10.61million people and include food manufacturers, warehouse employees and healthcare staff. Covid-19 has spread most rapidly in London and the South East according to the Office for National Statistics. Key workers have been calculated to have around 29 daily contacts with other people, seven times as many as someone working from home. Just one in six key workers is able to work from home. Britain has not yet hit the Covid-19 infection peak, says Chris Whitty The UK has not yet hit the peak of the current wave of Covid-19 infection, with the next few weeks being 'the worst' of the pandemic for the NHS, England's chief medical officer has warned. Professor Chris Whitty said the vaccine rollout offered hope that lockdown restrictions could be lifted in the coming months, but described the current UK death rate as 'appalling'. During a BBC phone-in on the current high case rates, he said: 'I don't think we're yet at the peak, I'm afraid. 'I think we will be at the peak if everybody can double down and absolutely minimise their contacts. 'The point of the lockdown is to bring that forward, but it only works if everyone really thinks about every individual interaction they have and try and minimise them.' Prof Whitty said the the new variant of coronavirus was causing a 'significant problem', telling BBC Breakfast: 'We will get through together, but at this point in time we're at the worst point in the epidemic for the UK.' Asked if coronavirus is being spread outdoors, Prof Whitty said the risks were much lower than for indoors, but said problems could occur if people gathered in groups, such as huddled round a market stall. It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson has reportedly discussed the prospect of introducing tougher controls to ensure the public abide by the restrictions, such as stopping people exercising with one other person. AdvertisementAs the Government launched a drive to ensure the public abide by the coronavirus rules, Mr Zahawi said he is worried that social interactions are taking place in parks under the cover of exercise and masks are not being worn inside shops, which may be becoming too crowded. England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty urged the public to 'stay at home unless you absolutely have to' as the next few weeks will be 'worst weeks of the pandemic'. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to have discussed the prospect of introducing tougher controls to ensure the public abide by the restrictions, with the new highly-contagious variant raising the stakes. As mass vaccination sites opened today, Mr Zahawi was unable to assure that the current restrictions are sufficient and raised concerns of people not complying with the rules. 'We don't want to use tougher measures, the lockdown is tough, schools are shut, but it is important to remember this virus loves social interactions,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'We're reviewing all the restrictions, but these are pretty tough at the moment. I am worried about supermarkets and people actually wearing masks and following the one-way system and making sure when it's at capacity they wait outside the supermarket. 'I'm worried about some of the pictures I've seen of social interactions in parks, if you have to exercise you can go out for exercise only.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that 'every flex can be fatal' as he backed more stringent enforcement of the lockdown by police yesterday. A Government source has been quoted as suggesting restrictions on exercise could be tightened while expressing concerns that people are using the allowance to socialise. Mr Whitty said that the 'new variant undoubtedly makes every situation slightly more dangerous than it was', but that the risk outdoors 'remains low' providing the rules are followed. 'It still remains the case that it's much lower transmission outdoors provided people keep their distance,' he told Today. 'If people for example are crowded together in a queue outdoors, if they're really huddled together round a market stall or something that is a risk with this virus and in that situation there might be some logic to people thinking about wearing masks.' A total of 166 came from workplaces, 79 from hospitals, 33 were from educational settings such as schools and 11 were from food outlets. Some 257 incidents were recorded as being from other settings. Devon and Cornwall Police deputy chief constable Paul Netherton warned that people are getting 'fed up' of lockdown restrictions and compliance has dropped. 'What's happening is people are beginning to flout the rules, they are beginning to think 'how can I get away with the rules?'' he told BBC Breakfast. 'I can understand that but we have to be firm, we have to save lives, we have to make sure people are keeping apart, isolating and staying at home.' Some experts have said the current lockdown measures are not strict enough, in the face of the more transmissible variant which has spread rapidly in many parts of the country. Professor Peter Horby, who chairs the Government's new and emerging respiratory virus threats advisory group (Nervtag), said the Kent variant has made the situation 'more risky' and 'we're going to have to be even stricter' if the infection rate does not decrease.

###CLAIM: he was also charged with attempted murder and two counts of criminal use of a firearm and possession of a weapon. ###DOCS: The gunman who opened fire outside of Brooklyn's famed Peter Luger Steakhouse during a family feud Thursday night has been charged with two counts of attempted murder. Arkies Sommerville, 24, walked out of the restaurant after fighting with one of the 11 people at his table and allegedly opened fire from the sidewalk, hitting two innocent diners in the cross fire, the NYPD said. He was arrested a few blocks away from the steakhouse on Bedford Avenue and S. 10 Street and was in the hospital Friday morning for an 'unknown reason,' according to the NYPD, which delayed the formal charges. In addition to the attempted murder charges, he was also charged with two counts of criminal use of a firearm and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. The gunshots sent diners scrambling. Travis, a diner from Arizona, told The New Daily News that when shots rang out, 'People hit the ground and were crawling on top of one another.' The gunfire broke out at about 9:45pm - before the rowing family members had even eaten their food, The New York Post reported. Two diners at a table of 11 got into a heated argument, and one of them, later identified as Sommerville, allegedly pulled a gun and started firing. Instead of hitting his target, two men eating outside were hit - a 30-year-old struck in the shoulder and a 57-year-old hit in the stomach. Both men were taken to Bellevue Hospital, where they were expected to survive, the paper reported. With servers and customers ducking for cover, someone inside the steakhouse called 911, and police officers monitoring a nearby anti-police demonstration responded in seconds. The gunman was arrested with the help of his cousin, who identified him. The gun was recovered from a garbage can around the block, on South 10th Street, police said. Police are seen outside the restaurant following the shooting in Brooklyn on ThursdayThursday's shooting outside the upscale Brooklyn restaurant comes amid a surge in gun violence in New York City following the bloodiest week so far this year, with 50 people shot across the city. That is a 257 per cent spike from the same time last year, when the pandemic forced New Yorkers into their homes. Last weekend, 31 people were wounded and six were killed in 28 shootings. Earlier this month, a concerned Brooklyn mother called Nicole confronted the mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio, during a radio phone-in about shootings, and asked him: 'What's being done?' The mayor blamed COVID-19 for the crime spike, saying: 'I think it comes back to this horrible combination of things we saw, you know, people didn't have jobs, almost a million people lost their jobs, schools were closed, houses of worship were closed. Things really were falling apart.' De Blasio shifted to the focus to the city's reopening measures, which he says will cut crime as people return to work. He also cited his 'community based solutions to gun violence' and two anti-gun crime initiatives, called Cure Violence Movement and Crisis Management System. New York City has seen 257 per cent spike in gun violence from the same time last yearCURE's website claims it 'leverages young men of color' to act as 'credible messengers of an anti-violence message' in areas hit hard by gun crime. Crisis Management System deploys mediators to try and cool down brewing conflicts before they spill into violence, and connect 'high risk individuals' to services aimed at stopping them from offending. De Blasio oversaw in June a $1 billion reduction in New York Police Department's $6 billion budget, at the height of the 'defund the police' protests. The deal involved moving school safety agents, who are unarmed but wear police uniforms, into the Department of Education; canceling a July class of roughly 1,100 police recruits; and shifting certain homeless outreach operations away from police control. Critics say it has made the city less safe. De Blasio has been met with widespread disdain by New York's officers, and will complete his second and final term as mayor in office in November.

###CLAIM: then we learn that whilst most senior people in britain are still serving in whitehall, one of them has begun working as an adviser to a financial firm to get approval from cabinet and the office. ###DOCS: Jessica Elgot and Martin Kettle run through the weeks biggest stories, including the growing Greensill scandal. Rory Carroll and Naomi Long discuss whats happening in Northern Ireland. Plus, Aubrey Allegretti previews that all-important byelection in HartlepoolDavid Cameron finally responded to the story that broke a month ago, that he lobbied current ministers on behalf of the lender Greensill Capital, which recently collapsed. Then on Tuesday we learned that one of Britains most senior civil servants began working as an adviser to the finance firm while still serving in Whitehall, with the approval of the Cabinet Office. So, how will the government get through this mess? Rory Carroll spoke to the Northern Ireland justice minister and leader of the Alliance party, Naomi Long, about what political leaders need to do in response to the riots that broke out last week. And, as 6 May approaches, Aubrey Allegretti speaks to Will Tanner of the Conservative thinktank Onward, and Peter Mandelson, the former MP for Hartlepool. Listen to Rory Carroll talk to Anushka Asthana on Tuesdays episode of Today in FocusSend us your questions and feedback to podcasts@theguardian.comHelp support the Guardian by going to gu.com/supportpodcasts

###CLAIM: did the kangaroo that stood outside the window for 20 minutes at a time leave the cover inside? ###DOCS: A kangaroo attacked a female jogger and chased her to a house in a scene 'like a horror movie' in Australia which was blamed on her perfume driving the animal wild. Tracy Noonan was knocked to the ground and scratched in the back by the kangaroo while going for a run near Melbourne, saying she had 'felt a massive thump in the middle of my back' and turned round to see the marsupial standing over her. After taking refuge in a nearby house, she looked outside and saw the animal continuing to watch her for the next 20 minutes, she told 3AW radio. A ranger told her that the scent of the Sarah Jessica Parker perfume she was wearing had likely attracted the kangaroo's attention, she said. A kangaroo attacked a female jogger and chased her to a house in a scene 'like a horror movie' which was blamed on her perfume driving the animal wild (file photo)Noonan's ordeal was blamed on her Sarah Jessica Parker perfume (pictured is one such perfume)'It's so funny because who puts perfume on to go on a run?,' Noonan said as she recounted the attack. 'I left early in the morning and I was fumbling around for deodorant and that's all I could find. I was not trying to attract any kangaroos, I can assure you that.' Noonan said she often sees kangaroos while running, but this time the lone marsupial came jumping over fences to confront her. After trying to take cover, she was thumped in the back and knocked to the ground, fearing that the kangaroo was about to claw her to death. She managed to pick herself up and threw some rocks at the animal to keep it at bay, buying herself enough time to take refuge in a nearby house. But the kangaroo continued to give chase, following her up the driveway of the house before the residents invited the woman in and scared away the animal. A ranger told Ms Noonan that the reason for the attack was due to the Sarah Jessica Parker (pictured) perfume she sprayed before going for her runStill the kangaroo would not leave, standing outside the window for 20 long minutes while she took cover inside. 'It was something out of a horror movie. It just kept coming and coming. I thought, oh my God, this kangaroo is going to kill me,' she said. Noonan was running in Beaconsfield, a suburb of Melbourne, where the ranger told her that the fragrance was likely to blame. Authorities in Australia say the risk of kangaroo attack is generally very low, but their behaviour can be 'unpredictable when they feel threatened'. When they do attack, they will push with their forepaws or kick out with their hind legs, treating their human target like another kangaroo. Experts advise people to curl into a ball and lie still with their hands covering their face if they are attacked by a kangaroo, and wait for the animal to move away. A jogger who was attacked by a kangaroo while on a morning run has blamed her popular perfume choice for the rogue assault. Tracy Noonan occasionally sees the iconic Australian marsupial while exercising in Beaconsfield, about 44km south-east from Melbourne's CBD. But on Saturday before heading out on her usual route, Ms Noonan decided to spray some Sarah Jessica Parker perfume. She would soon learn that seemingly innocent decision would be a grave mistake. Soon after spritzing herself Ms Noonan spotted a kangaroo from afar which then 'jumped a couple of fences' to reach her. 'I thought, ''Oh my God, this kangaroo is not going to stop'',' she told 3AW's Ross and Russel. Tracy Noonan occasionally sees kangaroos while out running in Beaconsfield, about 44km south-east from Melbourne (stock)On Saturday before heading out for her run, Ms Noonan sprayed some Sarah Jessica Parker perfume (pictured is one such perfume)Suddenly Ms Noonan felt a 'massive thump' in the middle of her back and she fell to the ground. She turned to see the kangaroo standing over her and feared the marsupial was going to 'claw her to death'. She began to threw rocks at the animal in hopes of stunning it and managed to get up and run away, but the kangaroo kept following. Ms Noonan managed to escape to a nearby house and watched the kangaroo wait outside for another 20 minutes. 'It was something out of a horror movie. It just kept coming and coming,' she said. Ms Noonan spoke to a local ranger who explained that the attack was likely because of the scent of her perfume. 'Who wears perfume on a run? No one ... but it was early in the morning and I was fumbling around for deodorant and that was all I could find,' she said. 'I was not trying to attract any kangaroos, I can assure you that.' It's not known exactly which type of Sarah Jessica Parker perfume she was wearing, but Lovely is a popular choice.

###CLAIM: the arduous march was used in north korea to describe the famine the country suffered in the 1990s and early 2000s during which an estimated 1. 5 million people died according to the new york times. ###DOCS: At a party meeting Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un compared the ills the country currently faces to the severe famines it suffered in the 1990s, according to AP. Why it matters: Groups monitoring North Korea have not seen signs of mass starvation or a growing humanitarian disaster, but the comparison may underscore how Kim views the country's current economic difficulties. The same groups have said that China, North Korea's biggest trading partner and aid benefactor, won't allow a famine to occur in the country because it fears refugees crossing over the Chinese-North Korean border. What they're saying: "There are many obstacles and difficulties ahead of us, and so our struggle for carrying out the decisions of the Eighth Party Congress would not be all plain sailing," Kim told party members on Thursday, according to AP, citing the Korean Central News Agency. "I made up my mind to ask the WPK (Workers' Party of Korea) organizations at all levels, including its Central Committee and the cell secretaries of the entire party, to wage another more difficult 'arduous march' in order to relieve our people of the difficulty, even a little," Kim added. Of note: "Arduous march" is used in North Korea to describe the famine it suffered in the 1990s and early 2000s, during which an estimated 1.5 million to 3 million people died, according to the New York Times.

###CLAIM: mike and mike pompeo, the secretary of state, disrupted proceedings by refusing to mention climate change in a routine foreign policy declaration that gives diplomats marching orders after such gatherings. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article SharePresident Trump called Europe a foe. He said the continents cities were immigrant-ridden, dangerous no-go zones. He threw leaders into a panic with threats to withdraw from NATO. And as Europeans watched the United States elect Joe Biden as its next president, many embraced his promises to respect long-standing alliances and regain the worlds trust in his country. Few Europeans expect Inauguration Day to repair all the damage the close election suggests that Trumpism will endure in some capacity, and the divergence of U.S. and European interests is part of a long-term trend. But policymakers here say they will be glad for summits without Trump there to dominate the agenda and burn valuable face time complaining that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been invited. It has been like a roller coaster, said Margot Wallstrom, who was Swedens foreign minister until last year, including when Trump mysteriously warned his supporters, You look at whats happening last night in Sweden.AdvertisementIts erratic behavior from the president and his team, Wallstrom said, so you never know how this might end.Trump spent four years dismantling U.S. policies that many Europeans consider key to their security interests. Sometimes, policymakers here felt, he made decisions specifically because he knew they would infuriate them. They were shattered when he pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord. They have spent years holding together the Iran nuclear deal, which has been faltering ever since Trump denounced it and slapped new sanctions on Tehran. They have been exasperated by his admiration for authoritarian leaders and his distaste for them. And when they have been the target of his funhouse-mirror approach to distorting the truth, they have found it deeply disconcerting, such as when Swedes found themselves searching for what, exactly, had happened the previous evening in their country. When we heard it, we wondered, What? What happened last night? Wallstrom said. Trump later said he was referring to a misinformation-filled segment about Swedish migration that he had seen on Fox News. Trump is not universally disliked in Europe. His 2016 election gave a jolt of energy to the continents populists. The right-wing leaders of Poland and Hungary who have come under European Union sanctions for dismantling courts and undermining their opponents get along well with him. The far-right prime minister of Slovenia fired off a tweet this past week declaring that Trump had won the election. AdvertisementBut most leaders here will be glad to see Trumps back and eager to trade him in for a more conventional counterpart. You had people working in the White House, all the way up to the national security adviser, who would sometimes be completely surprised by decisions the president had taken, said Boris Ruge, who was Germanys deputy ambassador in Washington until last year. Once, Ruge said, he was at the White House discussing Iran policy when there was a substantial announcement from the president on the Iran nuclear deal that people working on the file werent aware of. At the end of the day, on a whole range of issues, you could not be sure of U.S. policy until you had heard it from the president himself, he said. That was different.Bidens first-day promises alone could fill a European wish list. He has said he will immediately rejoin the World Health Organization by executive order. Same for the Paris climate accord, only he says he wants to make it tougher. AdvertisementDay 1, if I win, Im going to be on the phone with our NATO allies saying were back, he told Phoenix TV station KPNX in July. Were back and you can count on us again.Biden wants to return to the Iran nuclear deal, too, though that may take more time. But with Trump allies still in control of the Senate, at least for now, and making gains in the House and in state legislatures across the country, some Europeans say a Biden presidency may offer only temporary respite from a United States that is more permanently inward-looking and skeptical about global entanglements. And there is bipartisan agreement in Washington on issues ranging from the need for greater European defense spending to fears about Chinas role in the world, issues that have fueled tensions in the Trump era and wont go away in a Biden presidency. AdvertisementThe relief that many people feel here should not crowd out the fact that those people are there. Trump has created a movement that will continue, Ruge said. Given that Europe will still have to work with both sides of the aisle, some of the more gleeful comments from Berlin have been not well-advised, he said. Still, few European policymakers are likely to miss contorting themselves to mollify Trumps moods. At NATO, diplomats carefully choreographed their summits to reduce the chances that, in a huff, the U.S. president would pull out of the alliance. U.S. diplomats would ask us not to compliment him too much when we met him in person at the summit, said Tomas Valasek, a Slovak lawmaker who was his countrys ambassador to NATO ahead of the first summit with Trump in 2017. His own diplomats didnt want him to know too much about what his own administration was doing for NATO and against Russia, because they didnt think the president would approve.After Trump deliberately avoided mentioning the foundational all-for-one, one-for-all defense pledge at the 2017 summit, diplomats the following year signed on to a wide-ranging set of agreements ahead of a second summit so that Trump couldnt derail them. He still nearly did, by threatening not to defend countries if leaders didnt increase their military spending on the spot. AdvertisementBy last year, the NATO summit had been shortened to half a day the better to avoid Trumps mischief and moved to London, so he wouldnt be infuriated by NATOs expensive new headquarters in Brussels, diplomats said. We know his instincts are to take the United States out of NATO, so there is a sense of relief, Valasek said. Whatever the Biden era can throw at us will be better than the uncertainty of whether the alliances will be around at all.In Germany, a main target of Trumps anger about trade and defense spending, the close U.S. vote put a damper on the cork-popping. The election shows a country more divided than ever, said Norbert Rottgen, chairman of the foreign policy committee in the German parliament and a contender to take over Christian Democratic party leadership from Chancellor Angela Merkel. Overcoming these rifts will take a lot of time and energy for the Biden administration, he said. He said that he welcomed a return to multinational cooperation and that he expected changes in climate and foreign policy. But there will be no return to the good old days, he said. Among leaders who have dealt with Trump and his subordinates, there is excitement about a return to more-conventional diplomacy. At a meeting last year of foreign ministers of the Arctic Council, which is composed of countries that ring the Arctic, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disrupted the proceedings when he refused to mention climate change in the routine declaration that gives diplomats their marching orders after such gatherings, said Wallstrom, the former Swedish foreign minister. Climate change was of course part of every discussion, it was part of every story about what life is like for people who live in the Arctic zone, she said. This was totally absurd.In the end, the meeting broke up without an agreement. It was an insensitivity that I have almost never experienced, she said. It was just horrible, just awful. They just imposed their power onto everyone else.GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: the 100-member house of delegates opted for a virtual meeting to prevent the spread of the virus like the majority of the special session last year. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareRICHMOND The visitors' entrance to the state Capitol is boarded up. The governor is isolated in the Executive Mansion with covid-19. Coveted parking spots around the General Assembly office building are mostly empty. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Downtown Richmond seems more like its braced for a hurricane than humming with a legislative session. But, yes, the General Assembly is still meeting, seven weeks after convening Aug. 18 for what was originally intended as a brief gathering to patch up the state budget. This extraordinary special session has now gone on longer than the 46-day regular session set to begin in January. The slow pace is a product of both caution and ambition as Democratic leaders tackle such big issues as overhauling police oversight while wrestling with the logistics of legislating during a pandemic. AdvertisementWe all obviously expected and hoped that this session would be shorter, but on the other hand, we also recognize that the most important thing is to get it right, said House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax), who has been the only lawmaker inside the state Capitol as the House convenes virtual sessions on Zoom. Most delegates log in from home. The Senate has continued meeting in person in a conference room at the Science Museum of Virginia that allows them to sit a safe distance apart. But the rental space isnt always available. This week, the Senate was booted on Thursday and Friday to make way for a wedding party, adding another week to the budget process. Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) blamed Republicans for that delay, saying their refusal to waive certain procedural steps prevented part of the budget process from being done before the wedding. AdvertisementIts usually a formality, and it has cost us a lot of days, Saslaw said, complaining that his GOP colleagues also make too many long speeches. If that crowd had been at Philadelphia 200 years ago, wed still be under the British.But Republicans say the new Democratic majority has bitten off too much by adding criminal justice and social issues to the agenda. The supposed purpose of the special session was to deal with the budget, and that wasnt even brought up for a vote until day 46, said Sen. Ryan T. McDougle (R-Hanover), the GOP caucus chairman. In my opinion, its misplaced priorities, said Del. Jason S. Miyares (R-Virginia Beach). You have a certain level of inexperience on the other side of the aisle that has only dealt with ideas and not reality. . . . The nitty gritty of legislating can be difficult.AdvertisementDemocrats say the times demanded broader action. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who called the special budget session, urged lawmakers to also take up pandemic relief and police oversight. After a summer of protests over police violence against African Americans, all of a sudden, these were key issues that needed to be addressed, Filler-Corn said. So far, the House and Senate have yet to resolve their differences on most of the major criminal justice legislation, such as barring police use of chokeholds, establishing citizen oversight panels, limiting police use of military gear and expunging criminal convictions from someones record. Both chambers have passed versions of those measures, and theyre being hashed out in conference committees. Bills dealing with broad social justice or pandemic relief issues have advanced more quickly. They make up the majority of the 27 bills that Northam has signed into law during the special session an unusually high output. Most General Assembly special sessions deal with a single topic, such as last years session on gun control. Republicans who controlled the legislature at the time shut that one down after only 90 minutes. AdvertisementMeasures signed this time include establishing Juneteenth as a state holiday, extending a short-term compensation program to help people who see their hours reduced, and allowing the governor to purchase personal protective gear such as masks and gowns on behalf of private entities such as nursing homes. Another bill signed into law creates a civil penalty for violating an executive order of the governor. Thats intended to make it easier to enforce Northams pandemic-related restrictions, which otherwise carried only criminal penalties that officials have been reluctant to impose. Northam also signed identical measures passed by the House and Senate to limit the legal liability of hospice or long-term-care facilities if they lack the resources to treat someone suffering from covid-19. But dealing with the states pandemic-stricken budget has been the single greatest contributor to the drawn-out legislative session. The new Democratic majorities had been proud of their $135 billion, two-year spending plan when they passed it in March. Then the pandemic hit, and Northam put a freeze on all new spending. Priorities such as raises for teachers and state employees went out the window, along with social programs and huge deposits to the states reserve funds. In August, Northam proposed keeping most of that new spending frozen. AdvertisementThe House and Senate always take different approaches to a governors budget, but this time, negotiations were hampered by virus-related safety measures, which prevented lawmakers from huddling in a room together as usual to hash things out. Each chamber finally passed separate versions of the budget last week. Their differences are not enormous: The House would restore a $150 million deposit in the states reserve fund, and the Senate would not; the Senate would restore more money to health-related initiatives than the House. But both propose using federal Cares Act coronavirus-relief funding for several expenses related to the pandemic, and both identify areas of spending, such as raises for teachers, that they would make contingent on improvements to state revenue. Northam has warned lawmakers that he takes a dim view of those approaches, saying that he needs flexibility to use federal relief money as the virus emergency dictates and that contingency spending restricts future options. AdvertisementLeaders in the House and Senate bristled this week at Northams threat that he might not sign their budget. Were the appropriators, hes the signer. Well just have to wait and see, Saslaw said. But he and Filler-Corn said that negotiators were nearing a deal and that they were confident something could be worked out that the governor would sign. Another item that prolonged the budget debate is a difference between Senate and House Democrats on the proposed constitutional amendment creating a bipartisan redistricting commission thats on the ballot this fall. Most House Democrats oppose the measure, saying it fails to take politics out of redistricting and doesnt protect racial equity, while Senate Democrats support it as a way to prevent gerrymandering. The Senate put language supporting the amendment into its budget. House Democrats have insisted that the language come out. Several Democrats with knowledge of negotiations said the Senate appears likely to concede that point for the sake of advancing the budget. AdvertisementEven if agreement is reached by the beginning of the week, both chambers still have to go through an official approval process that could take until the end of October. Which leaves Virginias part-time lawmakers on the hook. Miyares, a lawyer, said he had a judge ask him the other day when the session would wrap up so they could schedule a court hearing. I had to give him the answer, I have no idea, Miyares said. GiftOutline Gift Article House speaker Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, exits the center isle of the empty VirginianHouse of Delegates chamber after a Zoom Legislative session at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)House speaker Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, exits the center isle of the empty VirginianHouse of Delegates chamber after a Zoom Legislative session at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)RICHMOND, Va. (AP) The coronavirus pandemic is again upending the daily routines of the tradition-bound Virginia General Assembly. The body that traces its lineage back more than four centuries to 1619 has been working under extraordinary circumstances, legislating to a substantial degree by video conference. The situation has led to persistent technical difficulties, an uncharacteristically profane hot mic situation and more serious complaints from lawmakers and advocates alike. Critics say legislating over Zoom has limited transparency, stifled public participation and diluted the democratic process. ADVERTISEMENTIf we were to do this year in and year out, I would think it was terrible. I mean, given our situation, I think its OK, said Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government. The House speaker has said the adjustments - made in consultation with public health experts - were essential and have succeeded in keeping lawmakers and staff healthy. The 100-member House of Delegates opted to meet virtually to prevent the spread of the virus, like it did for the majority of a special session last year. The smaller Senate has been meeting in person, but members were given the option to participate remotely after Sen. Ben Chafin died in January after contracting the coronavirus. Neither chamber opens committee and subcommittee hearings, where much of the work shaping legislation gets done, for in-person public attendance, though they can be viewed online. In normal circumstances, those meetings are open to the public. Some Democrats tout the benefits of the virtual system, including the ability to testify on a bill by video without taking a day off from work to travel to Richmond, the chance to provide written comment, and the livestreaming of all public meetings. I would say this is the most transparent session perhaps in Virginias history, said Kunal Atit, a spokesman for House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn. He said Thursday that the change had achieved its most important goal of keeping people safe, noting there have been no deaths among House staffers and lawmakers or Capitol Police. But many GOP lawmakers, who opposed the Houses virtual format, have raised concerns about slow internet access for members in rural areas, annoying crosstalk and technical glitches when casting votes. The most strenuous complaints have come from advocates who have been unable to testify on bills or were cut short in the middle of their testimony. Its not unusual for public comment to be limited, even in normal times. But when lawmakers meet in person, they, the press and the public can see who else in the room may not have gotten a chance to speak. People on various sides of an issue can collaborate on who will speak, and on what points to emphasize if time is limited. ADVERTISEMENTAsra Nomani, whose son is a senior at the elite Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, signed up to testify at a House subcommittee hearing about legislation related to Governors Schools in Virginia. While numerous supporters of the bill were allowed to speak, only one opponent was allowed to testify. Nomani was not invited to speak, despite letting staffers know she was present in the virtual waiting room and ready to testify, according to video of the meeting and chat records she provided AP. I do believe it was point-of-view discrimination, Nomani said, noting that she was required to identify herself as an opponent of the bill when she signed up to speak. Nomani, an Asian American and Muslim, believes the legislation, which seeks to increase diversity at Governors Schools, discriminates against Asian-Americans, who make up the majority of the student body at Thomas Jefferson. She has previously clashed with Gov. Ralph Northams administration over the issue. In an email shared with AP, the Democrat running the hearing, Schuyler VanValkenburg, apologized to Nomani that she was not offered the chance to speak, and noted she was able to weigh in during a subsequent hearing. He didnt respond to a message seeking comment. Virtual sessions make it easy to silence opposition. And that should scare anyone who believes in democracy, House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert said in a statement after the incident. In the Senate, Republican Ryan McDougle recently had an embarrassing moment during a hearing to interview judicial candidates. Several members of the public dialed in to testify, but then began to cross-examine one of the candidates, something that has never previously been allowed, McDougle said. A few minutes later, McDougle was picked up on a hot mic repeatedly saying: This is a f-ing s-show.The words I chose were wholly inappropriate; the sentiment they expressed was not strong enough, McDougle said in an interview. McDougles profanities were later edited out of the recording posted online, which raised concerns among some transparency advocates. Senate Clerk Susan Clarke Schaar said she made the call, deeming the language irrelevant. Lobbyists also have found the virtual setup less than ideal, in part because it offers fewer opportunities to catch lawmakers face-to-face or ensure they receive a message. I think a virtual legislature is certainly worse than an in-person legislature, said Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters and a longtime environmental advocate at the legislature. And I think that most legislators would agree with that.____Associated Press writer Matthew Barakat contributed to this report from Falls Church.

###CLAIM: police arrested both after they arrived at 1:00 a. m. to find a shattered casserole dish on the kitchen floor, wildenstein 's neck and arms bruised and klein 's forehead cut. ###DOCS: AdvertisementCreditors for Jocelyn Wildenstein, the plastic surgery queen dubbed Catwoman, have sold off one of her three Trump World Tower units in Manhattan for just under $2million. The apartment, on the 51st floor of 845 United Nations Plaza, has been completely gutted and looks drastically different from the lavish associations it once had. The unit sold for $1,980,000, according to property records. The apartment was sold last month and Jason Haber of Warburg realty was the broker for the listing. Wildenstein, 80, had three apartments at the tower but was forced to relinquish them as creditors seek to get money she owed. Her other two apartments at the property are still for sale by her creditors for $5.59million for both, though they can be sold separately, the New York Post reports. Altogether, the three apartments were around 5,200 square feet. It isn't clear where Wildenstein is living now. The Swiss-born socialite, who earned the nickname Catwoman in a nod to her cosmetically-altered feline features, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2018 according to federal court papers. The apartment, on the 51st floor of 845 United Nations Plaza, has been completely gutted and looks drastically different from the lavish associations it once hadThe Swiss-born socialite, who earned the nickname Catwoman in a nod to her cosmetically-altered feline features, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2018 according to federal court papers. Pictured in AugustWildenstein first became a fixture in the New York press around the time of her 1999 split from Alec N. Wildenstein - where she got a $2.5billion settlement - as she bragged about the high costs of her lavish lifestyle and penchant for plastic surgery. Two decades later, the woman who once purchased a capuchin monkey as a pet found herself with no checking or savings accounts, no retirement fund or pension plans and no investments, according to her filing. The bankruptcy filing, in 2018, came after an involuntary petition was filed against Wildenstein by three of her creditors including the Board of Managers at Trump World Tower Condominium. The other two petitioners were the law firms of Carter Ledyard & Milburn and Matalon Shweky Elman, who claimed to be owed $124,605.46 and $78,474.23 respectively for unpaid legal services. The once exquisite unit sold for $1,980,000, according to property recordsThe filing came after an involuntary petition was filed against Wildenstein by three of her creditors including the Board of Managers at Trump World Tower CondominiumRemnants of the kitchen after that too was gutted before the sale of the propertyMeanwhile, Wildenstein's longtime beau Lloyd Klein, 54, was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2013. He had a tumor the size of an orange removed from his armpit and underwent three rounds of grueling chemotherapy. In 2017, he was told the cancer had spread to his spine and liver and he only had six months to live. In Jan. 2019, he reported to Dailymail.com that he was in remission. The couple have been engaged since 2017 when Lloyd presented the New York socialite with a 32-carat diamond ring which is reportedly 'worth millions.' Wildenstein is said to be in talks to produce a 'docu-series' about her life, the New York Post reported earlier this month. 'She now really wants to talk about her life, what drove her, how she built a business with her fiance in the craziness of their life together in New York,' spokesman Brandon Cohen told the publication. In 2017, Jocelyn and Lloyd hit headlines as they dismissed claims of a late night fight. Neighbors had heard screaming coming from their apartment and police arrested both after they arrived at 1am to find the shattered casserole dish on the kitchen floor, bruises to Wildenstein's neck and arms and a cut to Klein's forehead. Canadian-born couturier Lloyd said he had raced to the shower to wash the scalding broth off his legs where he says he slipped and fell, suffering a small cut to the forehead. Wildenstein joined him the bathroom to check he was OK but before long the couple had moved to the bedroom and started to have sex. Wildenstein's plastic surgery has given her the nickname 'catwoman', and some friends say they have rarely seen her when she's not recovering from a procedure. In December 2016, Wildenstein was arrested for sinking her claws into Kleins face and scratching him with scissors in a now-notorious catfight. The designer escaped by bundling her into a closet before Wildenstein called the police herself only to be arrested when they saw her partner's wounds. Klein would face the ignominy of arrest himself just days later when police accused him of pushing Wildenstein when he went back to collect his belongingsAdditional photos show the surrounding neighborhood on the East Side of New York for the Trump World Towers One of three units owned by the formerly free-spending Jocelyn Wildenstein, otherwise known by her plastic surgery moniker, Catwoman, has been sold by her creditors. The apartment, on the 51st floor of Trump World Tower at 845 United Nations Plaza, was sold for $2 million, according to property records. Listing broker Jason Haber of Warburg Realty, declined comment. Wildenstein, 80, had originally owned three apartments at the tower that first went on the market for $17.5 million in 2015. The apartments described by a past listing broker as an apartment in the sky with airplane views had been gutted and left as raw space. Together, the three apartments totaled 5,160 square feet. They are side by side but not connected, and feature views of the East River, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, said a broker familiar with the listing. The remaining two apartments are still on the market and asking $5.59 million. They can also be sold separately. The seller is an administrator appointed by her creditors. Previous 1 of 4 Next The place was once opulant with beatiful furniture and rooms. The bedroom was anyone's dream. Even a soaking tub in the bathroom. The kitchen area had hangings lights and chandeliers. Swiss-born Wildenstein was once married to the late billionaire art dealer/heir Alec Wildenstein and known as the Bride of Wildenstein.Wildenstein reportedly got an unbelievable $2.5 billion in the divorce settlement. But she seemed to have been swindled out of much of it. Previous 1 of 5 Next Now the former home has been gutted and sold. A not-so-appetizing kitchen now. A least a few well-sunned plants remain. And a "home office." And, of course the view -- the true star of the show. By 2018, she was so far removed from her billion dollar lifestyle that she had filed for bankruptcy. She has since been the on-again, off-again fiance of fashion designer Lloyd Klein, 54 they have been together for 17 years and she once sported a 32-carat diamond engagement ring. Klein had dressed women of all ages, from Nicki Minaj to Joan Collins. But the two often got into, well, cat fights domestic spats that ended up in the papers. Wildenstein has publicly spoken about her plastic surgery procedures. They include canthopexy, which gave her eyes their cat-like appearance. In March, Page Six revealed that Wildenstein was shopping a docuseries about her life, and back together with Klein, chilling in Miami.

###CLAIM: ms and cooke said its review confirmed that the benefits of the astrazeneca vaccine for preventing 19 had outweighed the risk of side effects overall. ###DOCS: AdvertisementWHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE RARE BLOOD CLOTS LINKED TO ASTRAZENECA'S VACCINE? Only Britons who suffer one of the below symptoms four days post-vaccination need to contact their doctor. Shortness of breathChest painSwollen legPersistent stomach painSevere headacheBlurred visionSkin bruising beyond the site of injection AdvertisementMatt Hancock today warned people under the age of 30 that refusing a coronavirus vaccine because of blood clot fears could 'ruin your life' due to the risk of catching the disease and developing 'debilitating' long Covid. The Health Secretary launched a media blitz this morning to reassure the public over the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine as he insisted the nation's vaccination drive remains on course to offer all UK adults a jab by the end of July. Mr Hancock said a decision by UK health chiefs to rule the AstraZeneca jab should not be given to Britons under the age of 30 as experts continue to investigate its link to rare blood clots showed 'the safety system is working because the regulators can spot even this extremely rare event'. The Government's vaccine advisory group yesterday ruled that people aged between 18 and 29 should be offered an alternative to AstraZeneca's vaccine. Asked for his message to young people who may be reluctant to get a jab, Mr Hancock said all of the vaccines being used in the UK are safe and 'when you get the call, get the jab'. He added: 'Covid is a horrible disease and long Covid affects people in their 20s, just as much it seems as any other age group and can have debilitating side effects that essentially ruin your life.' Mr Hancock said the UK has 'more than enough' Pfizer and Moderna jabs to cover all of the people in the 18 to 29 age group who are yet to receive a vaccination - approximately 8.5million. He said 'all three vaccines that are in use in the UK are safe and they are safe at all ages' and that there is simply a 'preference for the under-30s, if they want to have the Pfizer of Moderna jab instead then they can'. The comments came after a series of Government figures, opposition politicians and medical experts rushed to shore up confidence in the vaccine programme amid fears the AstraZeneca decision could damage the public's faith in the jab. Boris Johnson tweeted that the British-made vaccine was 'safe' and that the benefits far outweighed the risks for the vast majority of adults, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was 'looking forward' to getting his second dose. A review by the drugs watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) found that by the end of March, 79 out of 20million Britons vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine had suffered blood clots in the brain or arteries, a rate of about one in 250,000. Nineteen of the cases died and three were under the age of 30. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advisory group said healthy people aged 18 to 29 should be offered either the Pfizer or Moderna jabs instead when the programme moves to younger groups in the coming months. Slides presented at a press conference announcing the change in guidance showed that younger people are more prone to blood clots after vaccination than older groups. Anyone who has already had their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, regardless of their age, is being advised to go for their second appointment as planned. Former Tory leader Sir Ian Duncan Smith told Politico the move could be a 'real blow' to uptake of the vaccine, adding: 'I'm concerned that this statement by the MHRA will lead to a lack of confidence in the jab.' Imperial College London epidemiologists found while Covid infections appeared to have levelled off in early April, fatalities linked to the virus were still falling - which would not have been expected during the first or second wave. More than 31million Britons - or three in five adults - have already received a jab, with separate experts today suggesting the speedy roll-out could see the UK hit herd immunity - when the virus stops spreading - next month. The REACT-1 study - which randomly swabbed 140,000 people in the latest round - also suggested Covid cases had more than halved in a month and fallen in every age group, adding the reopening of schools had little impact on the epidemic. They estimated 0.2 per cent of England's population, or one in 500, were infected between March 11 and 30 compared to 0.49 per cent in February, a fall of 60 per cent. The biggest drops were recorded in the South East, where prevalence went from 0.36 per cent in February to 0.07 per cent in March, in London (0.6 to 0.16 per cent), and in the East of England (0.47 to 0.15 per cent). They also suggested cases may have 'flattened off' in early April. But experts said this was nothing to worry about and insisted this was actually 'good news' because it means the slight easing of restrictions in late March has not caused a spike. Boris Johnson has given the go ahead to outdoor pubs and restaurants reopening on Monday, saying his four tests for moving to the next stage of England's roadmap out of lockdown - including cases still falling and ramping up vaccinations - had been met. Further relaxations will see foreign holidays allowed from May 17, and the earliest date all restrictions on daily life could be relaxed - excluding face masks and social distancing - is June 21. Separate data from the Department of Health - which publishes daily case updates - also shows the virus is still in retreat, with cases yesterday dropping by a third to 2,763 compared to last Wednesday. AdvertisementThe latest coronavirus developments came as:Professor Beverley Hunt, an expert in thrombosis and haemostasis at King's College London, who has been working with the MHRA on the clot cases, said 'we don't know whether it's causal or not' when it comes to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford vaccine group, said 'this is not the time to waver' over rare blood clots linked to the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine because coronavirus cases are rising in Europe and other nations around the world. Mr Hancock did not deny that AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in the UK have been sent to Australia after reports 717,000 doses had been sent. Professor Anthony Harnden, the deputy chair of the JCVI, said the clots are 'extremely rare events much, much more rare than, for instance, clots due to common drugs that we prescribe such as the contraceptive pill'. Professor Steven Riley, an expert from Imperial College London's Real-Time Assessment of Community Transmission (React-1) study, said its most recent finding that there are increasingly 'fewer deaths per infection' in the UK is partly due to the vaccine rollout. Mr Hancock told Sky News this morning that the AstraZeneca decision will not impact the Government's target of offering every UK adult a jab by the end of July. He said: 'The vaccine programme is proceeding well. The speed of the vaccine programme is not affected by the decisions yesterday.' Asked how concerned he is about the potential for a drop off in uptake of vaccinations, the Health Secretary said: 'Well, there is no need for that. We have seen this incredible level of uptake of the vaccine in this country and what we have learned in the last 24 hours is that the rollout of the vaccine is working. 'We have seen that the safety system is working because the regulators can spot even this extremely rare event, four in a million, and take necessary action to ensure that the rollout is as safe as it possibly can be. 'And we are seeing that the vaccine working, it is breaking the link between cases and deaths, the number of people dying from Covid halved again just in the last nine days since I last spoke to you and is down 98 per cent from the peak. 'So we can have confidence, people can take confidence that we have a system that we are extremely careful on the safety front but that the rollout is progressing at pace so when you get the call, get the jab.' Mr Hancock insisted the MHRA was correct to be 'totally transparent'. He said: 'I think people can be reassured that we have the high class safety system run by our world class regulator if you like at the MHRA and then we are totally transparent with all of the side effects, no matter how extremely rare they are like these ones.' He added: 'Well, it is absolutely right that we are completely transparent and that we have this highly sensitive safety system that can spot even these extremely rare events and it is important though that we are clear about the policy. 'All three vaccines that are in use in the UK are safe and they are safe at all ages but there is a preference for the under-30s, if they want to have the Pfizer of Moderna jab instead then they can. 'But not only the British regulator but even the European regulator and indeed the world health authority yesterday said that the Oxford AstraZeneca jab is safe and we know that it is highly, highly effective.' Asked how the rollout of vaccinations will work for people under the age of 30, he said: 'There are 10.16million people aged 18-29 in the UK, 1.6million of them have already had their first jab. 'Anybody who has had the jab should continue with the second jab because there is no evidence of this effect after a second jab. 'And we have enough, more than enough, Pfizer and Moderna vaccine to cover all of the remaining eight and a half million people aged between 18 and 29 if necessary. 'It is some time before we will get onto that cohort, the next step once we have made sure we have got that offer out to everybody in the current groups one to nine, the over-50s, then we will move onto people in their 40s, people like me, and then people in their 30s. 'After that we will come to people aged 19 to 29 and we will make sure that they have the option of having the Pfizer or the Moderna jab if they want to and we have large numbers of jabs coming on stream, we have 40million Pfizer jabs in production, we have 17million Moderna jabs that are coming through. 'So as you can see thankfully, because we have been working on this for over a year now, we have got more than enough jabs and we are on track to hit the target that we have set that we will ensure every adult in the UK is offered the jab by the end of July.' Asked for his message to people in their 20s who may be reluctant to get a jab, Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast: The first thing to say is that the vaccines are safe and if you want to have the Pfizer vaccine or Moderna vaccine instead then that is fine. The second thing to say is that Covid is a horrible disease and long Covid affects people in their 20s, just as much it seems as any other age group and can have debilitating side effects that essentially ruin your life. We have seen some of the stories of the impact on people unable to get their breath many, many months after and the mental health impacts of having Covid are increasingly clear as well. If Covid was still more prevalent, as it is in Europe, he suggested that the vaccine would still be recommended for all ages, including young people. The MHRA insisted there was still no concrete proof that the British-made vaccine is causing the clots, but admitted the link was getting firmer. The review prompted the Government's vaccine advisory group, the JCVI, to recommend that people aged 18 to 29 be given an alternative jab. Professor Wei Shen Lim, coronavirus chairman for the vaccines committee, said: 'The Covid-19 vaccines have already saved thousands of lives and the benefit for the majority of the population is clear if you are offered a vaccine, you should take it.' However, the European Medicines Agency, the EU's regulator, took a bolder approach, saying that blood clots should be listed as a 'very rare' side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine but it stopped short of imposing any age restrictions on its use. The Government wheeled out a series of graphs comparing the risk of falling ill with Covid compared to the threat of developing blood clots after getting the AZ vaccine in various age groups. In low Covid levels, every 100,000 vaccines prevents 0.8 ICU admissions from coronavirus in people under 30 but 1.1 people will suffer blood clotting after having the jab, making the threat higher than the virus itselfWhen coronavirus is prevalent in society, 100,000 AstraZeneca vaccines prevent 127.7 Covid ICU admissions among 60 to 69-year-olds. For 20 to 29-year-olds, every 100,000 vaccine administered stops seven people in that age group from being admitted to intensive care with the diseaseThe EMA, which polices the safety of drugs used on the continent, spotted 169 cases of cerebral vein thrombosis (CVST) and 53 cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT), from 34million jabs. CVST occurs when a vein that drains blood from the brain is blocked by a clot. It can lead to a stroke. SVT is the same type of blood clot but it occurs in the digestive systemPrime Minister Boris Johnson, pictured during a visit to Truro, Cornwall, yesterday said the Government believes the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 'safe'Jonathan Van-Tam, England's deputy medical officer, led a press conference this afternoon, where it was announced the AZ vaccine is being restricted in under 30sWhat should I do if I've had the AZ jab? What are the alternatives for under-30s? And what are the tell-tale symptoms of blood clots? WHAT HAS HAPPENED? The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that healthy adults aged 18-29 are offered an alternative vaccine to the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, if available. The recommendation follows a review by the UK's medicines regulator, the MHRA, which found there was a 'strong possibility' that very rare blood clots, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), could be caused by the vaccine. Dr June Raine, chief executive of the MHRA, yesterday said the possible side effect was 'extremely rare', while the balance of benefits from having the jab are 'still very favourable for the majority of people'. However, for healthy younger adults, for which the risk from coronavirus is far lower, it is more 'finely balanced'. SHOULD I STILL GET MY SECOND AZ JAB? Anyone who has already had their first dose of AstraZeneca's jab, regardless of their age, was today urged to still attend their second appointment as planned. Trials have shown the jabs work better after two doses, with the UK's current campaign based on getting the top-up 12 weeks after the first. The decision only applies to healthy under-30s who should not yet have been invited for vaccines. Regulators insisted the benefits of the jab which has been repeatedly been proven to save lives and stop people falling severely ill with Covid clearly outweigh the very small risk for everyone else. Addressing the fears today, Boris Johnson said it was 'very important for everybody to continue to get their top-up jab when you're asked to come forward for your turn.' CAN I CHANGE AND GET A DIFFERENT VACCINE? Currently, you cannot switch jabs in between first and second doses. The JCVI is not currently recommending the mixing of vaccines because there is not yet the evidence to support its effectiveness. Trials mixing doses of Pfizer and AstraZeneca are ongoing with data expected soon. At the moment, people will be offered a second dose in line with the first. Furthermore, there have so far been no recorded cases of serious clotting incidents in the UK after a second dose of the vaccine all have been following the first. People are advised to get their second dose of the jab, whatever their age. IF I'M PREGNANT, SHOULD I GET THE VACCINE? The advice on this has not changed, meaning it's recommended that those who are pregnant should not be vaccinated, with some exceptions. This is because the vaccines have not yet been tested in pregnancy. While there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccine would harm the baby, pregnancy is more likely to lead to thrombosis. Therefore women should discuss with their healthcare professional whether the benefits of having the vaccine outweigh the risks for them. WHAT ALTERNATIVE JABS COULD BE GIVEN TO UNDER-30S? The MHRA ruled that Britons under 30 should not be given AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine due to mounting evidence linking it to rare blood clots. More than 20million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have now been given in the UK, with the jab used as the main weapon in the UK's arsenal. The roll-out is unlikely to move on to under-30s for several weeks, perhaps months, meaning that supplies of the other jabs could be saved for younger adults. The chief scientist behind the US-developed Novavax vaccine, which Britain has secured 60million doses of, has said he expects it to be given the green light this month and rolled out in May. A separate vaccine made by American pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson, which uses the same type of technology as AstraZeneca's but is administered via a single injection, is slated for a summer rollout. But, given that AstraZeneca's vaccine is the main driver of the campaign, the roll-out could be slowed if the change of heart on blood clots knocks public confidence in 30-50 year olds. I'M 29. WHAT IF THEY ONLY OFFER THE OXFORD VACCINE? Officials say this will not happen unless you have an underlying medical condition and are prioritised. In such instances, they say the benefit of having the vaccine far outweighs any issues as you have an equivalent risk from coronavirus as 65 to 70-year-olds. For healthy under-30s, officials are confident there are sufficient supplies of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines coming on stream to vaccinate all 10million 18 to 29-year-olds in the UK. WHAT ARE THE BLOOD CLOTS LINKED TO ASTRAZENECA'S JAB? European health chiefs today ruled that AstraZeneca's Covid jab should come with a warning that, in very rare cases, it may cause potentially deadly blood clots. The EMA, which polices the safety of drugs used on the continent, spotted 169 cases of cerebral vein thrombosis (CVST) and 53 cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT), from 34million jabs. CVST occurs when a vein that drains blood from the brain is blocked by a clot. It can lead to a stroke. SVT is the same type of blood clot but it occurs in the digestive system. WHAT SYMPTOMS DO THEY CAUSE? The EMA said symptoms of the two blood clots included: Shortness of breathChest painSwelling of legPersistent stomach painSevere headacheBlurred visionSkin bruising beyond the site of injection IS THERE ANY PROOF THE JAB CAUSES THE BLOOD CLOTS? Scientists have repeatedly insisted there is no proof yet that AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine causes the blood clots. But officials are still investigating the link and can't rule it out completely. Although there isn't any evidence that the clots are developing because of vaccinations, some academics have a theory that it is the immune reaction making it happen. Research teams in Germany and Norway claim the blood clotting issue may be caused by the jab, in very rare cases, making the body attack its own platelets. Platelets are tiny chunks of cells inside blood that the body uses to build clots to stop bleeding when someone is injured. But they can also make unwanted clots. Experts from Oslo and Greifswald University believe the jab could cause the body to produce antibodies normally used to fight off viruses which mistake platelets in the blood for foreign invaders and attack them. To compensate, the body then overproduces platelets to replace those that are being attacked, causing the blood to thicken and raising the risk of clotting. The researchers say the phenomenon is similar to one that can occur in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), when sufferers take a drug called heparin. HOW OFTEN ARE THE CLOTS OCCURRING? Figures presented by the EMA today which took into account data up until April 4 suggested the clots were occurring once in every 150,000 jabs. They also said most of the cases had occurred in women under 60. The MHRA, which plays the same role in the UK, found 79 cases of clots in 20million doses by the end of March. Officials said the risk was around one in every 250,000 doses. They also insisted the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people but that the ratio was more 'finely balanced' in younger people. EMA chiefs said that the clots were occurring more often than expected, prompting them to say the jabs need to come with the warning that it is a rare side effect. But it said the committee investigating the link did not conclude that age and gender were clear risk factors for the very rare side effects. WHICH COUNTRIES HAVE ALREADY RESTRICTED THE JAB TO OLDER PEOPLE? Germany last week temporarily banned the AstraZeneca vaccine for under-60s, while France took the same controversial move for under-55s. Iceland has restricted it to over-70s, while Finland, Sweden and Lithuania all say it can only be given to adults over the age of 65. Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Latvia have all suspended the jab completely, while regulators probe the link further. But the EMA refused to back any of the nations in their age-restricted roll-outs. Last week it publicly said there was no evidence to justify sweeping bans for younger people. I'VE HEARD ASPIRIN CAN STOP BLOOD CLOTTING. SHOULD I TAKE IT BEFORE THE JAB? No. The risks of an adverse clotting event are extremely low. Taking aspirin or anti-coagulants can increase the risk of bleeding and is not AdvertisementBritons over the age of 30 are still being advised to take the AstraZeneca jab because the risk of Covid far outweighs the chance of developing the extremely rare conditions. But the JCVI said the benefit to risk ratio was 'more finely balanced' in younger people. Professor Van Tam said the new advice marked a 'course correction' for the UK's vaccine rollout - and reiterated that for the vast majority of people the 'benefits outweigh the risks'. Displaying three slides that showed the relative risk of coronavirus versus blood clots after vaccination, Professor Van Tam said that for older age groups the risk of the disease always outweighs the risk after having the AstraZeneca jab. He said that when coronavirus is prevalent in society, 100,000 AstraZeneca vaccines prevent 127.7 Covid ICU admissions among 60 to 69-year-olds. For 20 to 29-year-olds, every 100,000 vaccine administered stops seven people in that age group from being admitted to intensive care with the disease. However, he justified the change in course on the AstraZeneca vaccine by pointing out that when Covid levels are low - as they currently are in the UK - the benefit per vaccine is lower. In low Covid levels, every 100,000 vaccines prevents 0.8 ICU admissions from coronavirus in people under 30 but 1.1 people will suffer blood clotting after having the jab, making the threat higher than the virus itself. The EU currently has much higher levels of coronavirus than the UK and is in the midst of a third wave, likely driving the EMA's decision not to issue any age restrictions for the vaccine. Professor Van-Tam insisted the under-30s ban would have no bearing on the UK's ambition to vaccinate all adults against coronavirus by the end of July, so long as Pfizer and Moderna can meet their scheduled deliveries. However, leaked figures have revealed that the AstraZeneca jab makes up 75 per cent of Britain's jab roll out. The country is set to start vaccinating under-50s next month but has only comparatively small numbers of Pfizer and approximately 100,000 Moderna jabs available every week. Any slowing of the vaccine roll-out would be a political body blow to Mr Johnson who has enjoyed a recovery in the polls thanks to his success deploying jabs after a series of missteps at the start of the pandemic. The UK's drive had already suffered a set back, with NHS bosses effectively blocking over-40s from getting jabs this month following India's decision to block a shipment of five million AstraZeneca doses that officials hoped would speed up the rollout. Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said he does not believe the announcement would slow vaccine uptake, saying that being 'over-cautious' will 'cost lives'. He said: 'This is a fascinating issue for the very simple reason that the EMA ... is also recommending that the Oxford AZ vaccine remains safe for all age groups. 'That was another thing that was interesting. Individual EU countries have restricted its use, I think that there is a real danger that being over-cautious as is happening in France and Germany will cost more lives than it saves.' 'Because what we can see in this country is that we have a death rate from Covid nine times lower than for example in France because we have this vaccine rolled out quickly.' 'A lot of that is thanks to Oxford AstraZeneca so I think most people can see we are really benefiting from a rapid rollout from the vaccine. Mr Johnson said the Government believes the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is 'safe' and had already saved countless lives, insisting that Britons who have had a first dose of AstraZeneca should continue to get their second jabs. The Prime Minister said: 'But the crucial thing for everybody is to listen to what the scientists, the medical experts, have to say.' He added: 'You can really start to see some of the benefits of that - it's pretty clear that the decline in the number of deaths, the decline in the number of hospitalisations is being fuelled, is being assisted, the steepness of that decline is being helped by the rollout of the vaccines so it's very important for everybody to continue to get your second jab when you're asked to come forward for your turn.' 'You can really start to see some of the benefits of that it's pretty clear that the decline in the number of deaths, the decline in the number of hospitalisations is being fuelled, is being assisted, the steepness of that decline is being helped by the roll-out of the vaccines so it's very important for everybody to continue to get your second jab when you're asked to come forward for your turn.' Announcing the updated guidance, Dr June Raine, head of the MHRA, told a press conference: 'Based on the current evidence, the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca against Covid-19 and its associated risks hospitalisation and death continues to outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people. Our review has reinforced that the risk of this rare suspected side effect remains extremely small.' Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chairman of the JCVI, said there was a slight gradient of risk of blood clots in younger age groups with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Speaking at a briefing hosted by the Science Media Centre (SMC) yesterday, Prof Harnden said: 'We on JCVI have decided that that risk-benefit ratio doesn't really stack up when it comes to the very well under 30-year-olds. 'We felt on JCVI having weighed up all the data that the benefits outweighed the risks in anybody over the age of 30. 'But under the age of 30 it was not clear the benefits did outweigh the risks and they were more similar, and therefore we decided... as a precautionary approach we would advise an alternative vaccine for that particular age group. 'We just thought there was enough doubt in our minds that the benefits did not completely outweigh the risks of the vaccine in the very young, well age group.' Professor Van-Tam said it was not unusual for doctors to alter their view on medicines and vaccines. He acknowledged the change in recommended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine might result in delays and longer journeys to receive the jab. He told the press conference: 'The NHS has a message that we will get the right vaccine to you in the right time according to the new JCVI advice. 'There might be a small delay sometimes, there might be a slightly greater distance that some people might be asked to travel. But the NHS is all over this and understands the challenge of making the advice from JCVI truly operational in a smooth way.' Of the 79 people who suffered clots after getting the AstraZenca vaccine in the UK, a total of 19 people have died, although it has not been established what the cause was in every case. The 79 cases occurred in 51 women and 28 men, aged from 18 to 79. Of the 19 who died, three were under the age of 30, the MHRA said. Some 14 cases of the 19 were cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), a specific type of clot that prevents blood from draining from the brain. The other five cases were thrombosis in the arteries. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi tweeted that there was 'reassurance' that drug safety standards worked well 'in both the United Kingdom & the EU'. He added: 'This is important in maintaining confidence in the largest vaccination program in history. As @BorisJohnson has said; We will follow the advice & are confident in meeting our programme targets.' Reacting to the guidance change in the UK, independent experts said the link between the jab and clotting was becoming 'increasingly plausible', but they reiterated they were still 'rare'. Dr Michael Head, Senior Research Fellow in Global Health, University of Southampton, said: 'We have seen an update from the UK and EU regulators, suggesting that these thrombotic events may have been a causal, but rare, adverse event from the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. This link is still not proven, but is now thought to be increasingly plausible. 'It's important to emphasise that adverse events happen with all medicines, and vaccines are no exceptions. Safety surveillance is vital in picking up and assessing signals that emerge from the data. There were some cases of severe anaphylaxis with the Pfizer vaccine early in the UK rollout. 'These were openly investigated, guidance subsequently updated, and the rollout continued with high public confidence. Hopefully, we will see similar outcomes here in the UK with the Oxford AstraZeneca product, and also that European countries can get their vaccine administrations back on track. 'The harm from withdrawing the vaccine altogether is almost certainly going to be much greater than the harm from rare adverse events. 'The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is a vital tool in the global strategy to contain the pandemic. It is being manufactured in large numbers, is stored at refrigeration temperatures and thus easier to transport, cost per dose is cheap, and key to the COVAX distribution to low- and lower-middle income countries. 'Maintaining public confidence is so important. An open transparent process to assessing safety concerns must be part of that.' The EU's medical regulator said that AstraZeneca's vaccine should come with a clear warning that blood clots are a 'very rare side effect'. No specific risk factors had been identified based on current evidence, the regulator confirmed at a press briefing yesterday afternoon. The EMA refused to back Germany and other nations banning the jabs for under-60s, saying they could not prove that age or gender was a risk factor for the 'very rare' side effect. When there is medium prevalence, the threat of Covid still outweighs the chance of clots after AZ vaccine in every age groupLeaked delivery schedules reveal the Government is expecting AstraZeneca's vaccine to make up 75 per cent of its Covid jab supplies over the next two months. The document, published on the Scottish Government's website in January and quickly taken down, showed Britain was anticipating about 29.4m doses of AstraZeneca's jab between April and the first week of June. By comparison, officials expected just 8.5m of Pfizer's vaccine in the next two months and 1m of the new Moderna jab, which is being rolled out for the first time in Wales todayClots are similar to condition linked to blood-thinning medicine, says Europe The rare but potentially fatal blood clots associated with the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine are similar to a condition suffered by patients treated with a blood-thinning medicine, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has said. Analysis of the jab, prompted by concerns about severe blood clots, concluded that most of the incidents occurred in women under 60 within two weeks of vaccination with the AstraZeneca product, but said no specific risk factors have been identified based on current evidence. They said the body's natural response, similar to conditions seen in patients treated with the anticoagulant heparin, might be a plausible explanation for the blood clotting side effect. EMA safety committee chairwoman Dr Sabine Straus told a Brussels briefing on Wednesday: 'Current available data did not allow us to identify a definite cause for these complications. 'However possible plausible explanations have been put forward, including an immune response that leads to a condition that seems similar to atypical heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.' The EMA said data showed the blood clots reported had been found in veins in the brain, the abdomen and arteries, combined with low levels of blood platelets and sometimes bleeding. Symptoms associated with the blood clots include shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling in the leg, persistent abdominal pain, severe headaches, blurred vision and tiny blood spots under the skin beyond the area where the injection was administered, and anyone who displayed them should seek medical attention. The EMA's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee carried out an in-depth review of 62 cases of clots in the brain and 24 cases of clots in the abdomen as of March 22, with 18 of the combined cases proving fatal. They came from reporting systems in the European Economic Area and the UK, from around 25 million people who had received the vaccine. The committee has requested new studies and amendments to ongoing ones to provide more information. Emer Cooke, executive director of the EMA, said its review 'confirmed that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 overall outweigh the risk of side effects', adding: 'Vaccination is extremely important in helping us in the fight against Covid-19.' AdvertisementEuropean health chiefs said they had spotted 169 cases of CVST and 53 cases of a separate blood clot called splanchnic vein thrombosis out of 34million doses dished out by April 4 the equivalent of one blood clot for every 150,000 doses. But many of these clots would have occurred naturally, meaning the true risk will be smaller. Health ministers from EU countries will hold a virtual conference this evening to discuss their next steps with the AstraZeneca jab. The EMA said the risk of deadly side effects from AstraZeneca's vaccine is far lower than the risk of death from Covid. It suggested the vaccine should come with a warning and individual countries should decide who is vaccinated with which company's jab. Emer Cooke, executive director of the EMA, sought to downplay any concerns about blood clots. She said: 'These are very rare side effects. The risk of mortality from Covid is much greater than risk of mortality from these side effects.' Dr Sabine Straus, the regulator's chairwoman, said the available data found a 'very rare event that might occur'. She told a press conference: 'The frequency is difficult to assess, but we feel if you state the reporting rate is approximately one in 100,000 or even a little bit higher, that would reflect the risk. 'Based on that information we ask national vaccination authorities to make up their mind on who they would like to vaccinate with which kind of vaccine.' The EMA's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) said the blood clots reported had been found in veins in the brain, the abdomen and arteries, combined with low levels of blood platelets and sometimes bleeding. It said symptoms associated with the blood clots included shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling in the leg, persistent abdominal pain, severe headaches, blurred vision and tiny blood spots under the skin where the injection was administered. Anyone who displayed them should seek medical attention, the EMA said. The committee carried out an in-depth review of 62 cases of clots in the brain and 24 cases of clots in the abdomen as of March 22, with 18 of the combines cases proving fatal. The EMA said most of the cases of blood clots reported have occurred in women under 60 within two weeks of vaccination with the company's jab. They came from reporting systems in the European Economic Area and the UK, from around 25 million people who had received the vaccine. Ms Cooke said its review 'confirmed that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 overall outweigh the risk of side effects'. Britain's daily Covid cases fall by a third in a week with 2,763 more infections - while deaths rise slightly to 45 Britain's daily Covid cases have fallen by a third in a week but deaths rose slightly, official figures revealed today. Department of Health data showed there were 2,763 new lab-confirmed cases recorded and 45 Covid deaths, which was two more than last Wednesday. More than 31.7million Britons - or three in five adults - have also now received their first dose, after the national drive began to pick up the pace yesterday following the Easter bank holiday. In a boost to Britain's roll-out today, however, Wales became the first UK nation to start dishing out the Moderna Covid vaccine. More than 100,000 doses of the US-made jab are set to arrive in the country this month, with deliveries expected to 'significantly increase' from May. AdvertisementShe said: 'Vaccination is extremely important in helping us in the fight against Covid-19. 'This vaccine has proven to be highly effective. It is saving lives, vaccination is extremely important in helping us in the fight against Covid and we need to use the vaccine we have to protect us from the devastating effects. 'We will continue to monitor the scientific evidence and issue further recommendations, if necessary, on the grounds of science and robust evidence. 'When millions of people receive these vaccines, very rare events can occur that were not identified in clinical trials. 'Our conclusion is that these clotting disorders are very rare side effects of the vaccine.' Ms Straus said the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 overall outweigh the risk of side effects. She said: 'This vaccine has proven to be highly effective, it prevents severe disease and hospitalisation and it is saving lives. 'Vaccination is extremely important in helping us in the fight against Covid-19 and we need to use the vaccines we have to protect us from the devastating effects. 'Prac, after a very in-depth analysis, has concluded that the reported cases of unusual blood clotting following vaccination of the AstraZeneca vaccine should be listed as possible side effects of the vaccine.' She added: 'I think that the cases that we have evaluated, the 62 together with the expert group, those cases provided quite good and extensive information. 'But nevertheless, the number is very limited. On the one hand, that's of course very good and fortunate that the number of cases is limited. At the same time, that also makes it very difficult to find common factors. 'And on the other hand, what we also know is a lot of cases that are spontaneously reported, they are not as complete as we would like to have them in order to further analyse them. 'So I would like to repeat again, my kind request for people who suspect that they might have a side effect, please report it, and report it as extensively, and as complete, as possible.' Elle Taylor, 24, today became the first person to receive the Moderna jab in the UK. She said it would help her care for her grandmother 'properly and safely'A TIMELINE OF THE ASTRAZENECA BLOOD CLOT SAGA March 7: Austria suspended the use of one batch of the vaccine after a woman, 49, who had been given it died of a 'severe coagulation disorder' and a 35-year-old developed a blood clot in her lung. March 11: Authorities in Denmark, Norway and Iceland suspended all use of the vaccine following a 60-year-old woman in Denmark died of a blood clot after the reports emerged in Austria. Danish health minister Magnus Heunicke said: 'It is currently not possible to conclude whether there is a link.' March 11: European Medicines Agency's safety committee began an investigation into the cases. It confirms 30 cases of 'thromboembolic events' clots were reported after five million vaccines in the EEA. March 12: Thailand suspended the use of the vaccine off the back of European worries. Bulgaria also stops using it. March 12: The European Medicines Agency, Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Health Canada, the World Health Organization and AstraZeneca itself, all spoke out to defend the vaccine and say there is no proof it's linked to blood clots. March 13: The Netherlands, Italy and Ireland temporarily stopped using the vaccine as fears about the cases in Austria and Denmark snowballed. March 14: Germany and France suspended the vaccine. March 15: Spain, Portugal and Slovenia suspended use of the jab. March 15: Professor Andrew Pollard, the Oxford expert who ran the clinical trials of the jab, insisted safety data are 'reassuring' and said 'clearly those blood clots still happen' as often as they would in unvaccinated people. March 16: World Health Organization officials met to discuss the issue. European Medicines Agency is still investigating. March 17: Scientists accuse governments of banning the jab on political grouns. AstraZeneca's vaccine has been a flashpoint in the past. March 18: European Medicines Agency holds a press conference on its investigation and rules that the vaccine is 'safe and effective'. It said there wasn't enough evidence to rule out a link to blood clots, but also not enough to prove one. On balance, it would be safer for countries to keep using the vaccine to stop Covid. The investigation would continue. March 18: Germany, France and Italy resume use of the jab after the EMA's conclusion. March 19: Finland suspends the jab after finding blood clot cases in its own population. March 19: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Spain all confirm they will start using the jab again. Scandinavian countries did not follow suit and kept the ban in place. March 22: A study is published that found public trust in the AstraZeneca vaccine collapsed in Europe at the time of the blood clot saga. A YouGov survey found more than half of people in Germany, France, Italy and Spain believed the jab was unsafe. March 30: Germany bans the vaccine for people under the age of 60 after officials said they had found 31 cases of CSVT after 2.7million vaccinations. April 2: UK regulators announce a total of 30 blood clots, 22 in the brain, have now been discovered in Britons vaccinated with the AZ jab. April 5: UK regulators begin reviewing their guidance amid concern the jab is considerably more likely among younger people. April 7: The UK's chief vaccine advisory group concludes the jab should not be given to Brits aged between 18 and 29. It said an 'alternative' vaccine should be given, if one is available. April 7: The EU's regulator took a different approach, saying that blood clots should be listed as a 'very rare' side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine but stopping short of imposing any age restrictions on its use. AdvertisementSome 34million AstraZeneca jabs had been dished out in the EU by April 4, with 169 cases of CVS and 53 cases of splanchnic vein thrombosis. This is the equivalent of one in every 150,000 doses, according to Google. The EMA said the updated figures which were slightly higher than the headline numbers in the main release did not change the recommendations. Scientists believe the combination of clots and low blood platelets could be caused by an immune response leading to a condition similar to those seen in heparin patients. Patients who use the blood thinner sometimes fall into heparin induced thrombocytopenia a condition involving thrombosis. Professor Van Tam insisted that the MHRA's updated guidance would not impact Mr Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown, which targets the lifting of all major restrictions by June 21. Officials have put the AstraZeneca jab at the heart of the country's rollout and a leaked delivery schedule reveal the Government is expecting it to make up 75 per cent of its Covid vaccine supplies over the next two months. The document, published on the Scottish Government's website in January and quickly taken down, showed the UK was anticipating about 29.4million doses of AstraZeneca's jab between April and the first week of June. For comparison, officials expected just 8.5m of Pfizer's vaccine which is already being rationed for second doses in the next two months. Britain's supply comes entirely from the EU, which has threatened to block exports of the jab. Officials were also only expecting 1million doses of the new Moderna jab, which is being rolled out for the first time in Wales today. But supply will trickle in at around 160,000 doses a week, if the leaked plans are still correct. And the UK has only bought 17million enough to vaccinate 8.5million people. Professor Adam Finn, from the University of Bristol and a member of the Government's vaccine advisory group, the JCVI, admitted pausing the AstraZeneca jab could threaten Britain's roadmap out of lockdown. He said today: 'We do need to keep the programme going if the plan to open things up and allow things to get back to normal is to proceed without another wave of the pandemic coming through. So it's quite a tricky balancing act here, getting the balance right, getting vaccines coming through... getting the risk-benefit right for people coming forward.' One Tory MP told MailOnline that halting the jab would 'certainly put things back', adding: 'Clearly it would have very adverse consequences because AstraZeneca is the workhorse of the vaccination programme.' However, the UK inoculation programme could be bolstered if two other promising jabs under review are given approval by the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the coming weeks. The chief scientist behind the US-developed Novavax vaccine, which Britain has secured 60million doses of, has said he expects it to be given the green light this month and rolled out in May. All of the Novavax supplies on order will be manufactured within the UK under a new Government deal announced last week, which could drastically speed up its distribution. A separate vaccine made by American pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson, which uses the same type of technology as AstraZeneca's but is administered via a single injection, is scheduled for a summer rollout. Because people given the J&J vaccine don't need a 12-week follow-up appointment, it means ministers don't have to reserve supplies for second doses and can unleash them all at once. Britain's inoculation drive drastically slowed down over the Easter weekend, figures showed. Just 100,000 vaccines were dished out on Sunday and Monday, reaching 88,000 Britons. Number 10's scientific advisers had already hinted that supplies of Moderna's jab could be reserved for younger people, if the MHRA pressed ahead with a German-style ban. People under 30 have been told there may be a small delay to when they will receive a coronavirus vaccine, given adults in that age group are now being recommended to take an alternative jab to the one produced by AstraZeneca. Jonathan Van-Tam, Englands deputy chief medical officer, said the rollout change was a course correction and a precaution against the vanishingly rare side-effect of blood clots. It came after there were 79 reports of rare blood clots with low platelets some, but not all of them, in the brain, in the UK up to 31 March. There were also 19 deaths, among more than 20m AstraZeneca jabs administered so far. Van-Tam said it was quite normal and business as usual for experts to alter their preferences on how to treat patients, but acknowledged it could have a knock-on effect for when people get offered a jab, given that only the Pfizer vaccine is now being distributed across the UK, while the Moderna one began to be offered in Wales on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference alongside experts from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) and Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI), Van-Tam said: There might be a small delay sometimes, there might be a slightly greater distance that some people might be asked to travel. But the NHS is all over this and understands the challenge of making the advice from JCVI truly operational in a smooth way.About 10 million people are likely to be affected by the change, with the ONS estimating there were 10,161,904 people in the UK aged 18 to 29 as of 2019. Under-30s who have already had the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine are being advised to still take the second dose of the same vaccine. Van-Tam predicted the effect of delays to the overall vaccine rollout should be zero or negligible because of the supplies already ordered by the UK of alternative vaccines. While a fourth vaccine from Johnson & Johnson has not yet been authorised by the MHRA, Van-Tam said it was in the frame of thinking about future supplies and added it had always been part of the UK strategy, to have multiple horses in the race so that we would always be in a good position if we needed flexibility to be able to exercise it. Boris Johnson insisted there would be no major disruption to the rollout. The prime minister said: I dont see any reason at this stage at all to think we need to deviate from the roadmap and were also very secure about our supply.Quick Guide Covid vaccine side-effects: what are they, who gets them and why? Show What are the most common side-effects from the Covid vaccines? According to Public Health England, most side-effects from the Covid vaccines Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca are mild and short-lived. These include soreness where the jab was given, feeling tired or achy and headaches. Uncommon side-effects include having swollen lymph nodes. Why do the common side-effects occur? The sore arm can be either due to the trauma of the needle in the muscle, or local inflammation in the muscle probably because of the chemicals in the injection, said Prof Robert Read, head of clinical and experimental sciences within medicine at the University of Southampton and director of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre. The other common side-effects the muscle aches, flu-like illness and fatigue are probably due to generalised activation of the immune system caused by the vaccine. What this means is that the white blood cells that are stimulated by the vaccine to make antibodies themselves have to secrete chemicals called cytokines, interferons and chemokines, which function to send messages from cell to cell to become activated. Are blood clots a side-effect of the vaccines? The Oxford/AstraZeneca jab has been linked to a small but concerning number of reports of blood clots combined with low platelet counts (platelets are cell fragments in our blood that help it to clot). Distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been "paused" in the US while scientists investigate six incidences of a rare type of blood clot. These include a rare clot in the brain called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). In an unvaccinated population, upper estimates suggest there may be 15 to 16 cases per million people per year. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said recipients of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab should look out for new headaches, blurred vision, confusion or seizures that occur four days or more after vaccination. The MHRA also flagged shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal pain, leg swelling and unusual skin bruising as reasons to seek medical advice. Up to and including 31 March, the MHRA said it received 79 reports of cases of blood clots combined with low platelets, including 19 deaths, following more than 20m doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab. That equates to about four cases for every million vaccinated individuals. Two cases of blood clots with a low platelet count have also been reported among recipients of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab. The European Medicines Agency is also examining three cases of venous thromboembolism blood clots involving the Johnson & Johnson jab. The MHRA says blood clots combined with low platelets can occur naturally in unvaccinated people as well as in those who have caught Covid, and that while evidence of a link with the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has become stronger, more research is needed. Nicola Davis Science correspondent Was this helpful? Thank you for your feedback. The vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, maintained the same position, promising: We will follow the advice and are confident in meeting our programme targets.A government source said people dont need to worry about not getting vaccinated before current targets. They said the country was still on course for all over-50s to be offered their first injection by mid-April, and for that to expand to all adults by the end of July. Weve got enough supplies of all the vaccines coming on stream in the next few weeks and months, including 17m doses of Moderna, they added. Concerns about the UKs supply of vaccines began rising a few days ago, when the number of jabs given dipped to its lowest point in months earlier this week 96,000 shots on Sunday and just over 105,000 on Monday, the lowest figures since the government started publishing daily numbers in January. The government had previously warned the rollout would slow in April, due to manufacturing issues of the AstraZeneca vaccine, including at a site in India.

###CLAIM: mike and tyson, whose hotboxin podcast has been plagued by drinking and cocaine taking before its successful launch in early 2019, have since revealed this to the hosts. ###DOCS: Heavyweight legend Mike Tyson has revealed how he turned his life completely around by giving up cocaine and alcohol, before admitting he wants to reach 'God status' in the ring after making his remarkable comeback. The boxing icon returned to the boxing ring for the first time in 15 years last November when he battled it out with fellow golden oldie Roy Jones Jr in Los Angeles. Tyson's body transformation was incredible ahead of the exhibition bout after he went on a strict diet and training regime, but it was his ability to walk away from cocaine and alcohol consumption that enabled the 54-year-old to be in the remarkable shape he was in. Mike Tyson enjoyed an incredible body transformation ahead of his fight with Roy Jones JrTyson wowed boxing fans during the eight-round exhibition bout last November in Los AngelesDuring an appearance on Below the Belt, host Brendan Schaub put to Tyson how he realised how much the former heavyweight had changed since their last meeting five years ago. And Tyson replied: 'That must of been my cocaine days. That was probably just a day I zoned out. 'I stopped doing cocaine and drinking, I'm serious man, everything changed, my whole life.' The 54-year-old has spoken up about his past problems with drink and drugs during his time at the top of boxing. Tyson explained the reasoning behind his incredible transformation after returning to the ringDuring his prime years, Tyson suffered from addictions and his substance abuse carried on after he retired in 2005. He often made headlines for the wrong reasons during his 20-year boxing career, including when he stunned the sport by biting Evander Holyfield's ear twice during their world title bout in 1997. In his autobiography The Undisputed Truth, Tyson said he had taken marijuana and cocaine before his fight against Lou Savarese in 2000, and also said he took drugs prior to his defeat by Danny Williams in 2004. But Tyson has since revealed to the Below the Belt host that he stopped drinking and taking cocaine before the successful launch of his Hotboxin podcast in early 2019. But while Tyson is keen to keep out of trouble, he did reveal after his first fight in 15 years that he had smoked marijuana before stepping into the ring against Jones Jr. The heavyweight icon revealed that his life has changed after giving up cocaine and alcoholTyson also disclosed that it was his wife who inspired him to start training again in a bid to lose weight and after putting in the hard graft, it motivated him to put on the gloves once more ahead of a return. Tyson wowed boxing fans during his eight-round draw with 52-year-old Jones Jr and he has since admitted he is willing to 'die' in the ring to reach 'God status' after revealing his plans to fight again this year. He explained on the podcast: 'I'm born to do this. I'm born to do this, 'til I reach God status. I'm just born to do this man. 'Dying (in the ring). That's real talk man. That's real talk. I don't even know why I became this way. 'This is just what it is, this is how I'm built. I don't know why.'

###CLAIM: kylie played in front of a greenery-backed outdoor lounge, her new blonde hair cascading down the middle in a new parted in the side. ###DOCS: She is used to making major waves for her 202M followers on Instagram. And Mondays flurry of social media activity was no exception for Kylie Jenner who debuted a lovely new hair color in a series of playfully sexy images and videos posted to her feed and Stories section. The 23-year-old reality TV superstar appeared in a pair of posts in a maroon leather zip front pants and a gorgeous matching paisley crop top. Mondays flurry of social media activity: Kylie Jenner debuted a lovely new hair color in a series of playfully sexy images and videos on InstagramShe can't stop looking at her hair! The siren pulled her locks out to get a look at the henna tintThe main feature of the pictures, however, were Jenner's newly dyed tresses, which were in a beautiful shade of amber-crimson. The first post showed Kylie in a gallery of images, playing with her long, newly tinted hair in front of an outdoor lounge backed by greenery. 'What should we name her?' the KylieSkin mogul asked her followers in the caption. Beauty in nature: The reality superstar, 23, appeared in a pair of posts in a maroon leather zip front pants and a gorgeous matching paisley crop topAn hour later, the next post saw the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star in profile, bent over slightly with her hands on her thighs, as she threw the camera a dramatic look. 'ariel who?' she wrote in that caption, surely a reference to the Disney character from The Little Mermaid. On her Instagram Stories, Jenner kept up her usual habit of filming herself pouting in the car, as The Weeknd was playing. Just like the Little Mermaid: The posts showed Kylie in a gallery of images, playing with her newly tinted hair in front of an outdoor lounge backed by greeneryShe was clearly enjoying her new locks, as they cascaded down the sides of her face, parted in the middle. The Life Of Kylie star complemented her lovely hairstyle with soft blush and eye makeup, along with a matte lip that picked up the same shade as her do. The Forbes cover girl was also seen walking in a parking lot in her sleeveless cream top and black leather pants. She did not wear a mask as she was getting her hair done. The posts come one day after Kylie modeled a skintight cheetah print bodysuit and winter coat, which she posed in against a snowy outdoor backdrop. Before and after: The clip showed her hair from before with blond locks to after

###CLAIM: frieman, noting that seeing one of her three daughters in the beauty pageant was a joy, but that research into the event and its correlation with juneteenth attendance has pushed her through and ready for it. ###DOCS: Precious Maku, 16, didnt know the history of Juneteenth when she moved to Fort Worth, Texas, with her family about two years ago. I saw my friends posting about it on Snapchat in 10th grade saying Happy Juneteenth! Maku said. Thats how I found out it was even a thing. Then I started doing my research.A teacher suggested she check out the local Miss Juneteenth pageant as a way to celebrate the holiday and learn even more. She did. And then she won. From left, Miss Unity, Jaria Gibson; Miss Juneteenth, Precious Maku; and runner-up Miss Freedom, Ariane Gibbons. GenuineshotzMaku, a teen who prefers jeans to sparkly dresses, found herself marching across the stage at Texas Wesleyan University in an elaborate gown to be crowned Miss Juneteenth. Its not like me to enter a pageant and win, she said. Im still processing everything. Like, Im Miss Juneteenth!Maku joins a long line of young Black girls who have taken home the coveted crown in the decades-old pageant, in which teens compete for a scholarship, usually to a historically Black college or university, and other prizes. The girls display their talent, wear an evening gown, write an essay and answer questions on stage. But, over the years, Fort Worths Miss Juneteenth pageant has become even more significant: Its a chance for Black girls in Texas to promote the historic holiday and gain funding for college, while commemorating the pain and joy of the life-changing day. Similar pageants have popped up in Texas and several other states over the years, and 2020 marked the first National Miss Juneteenth Pageant held in Tennessee. Delawares Miss Juneteenth, Saniya Gay, claimed the national title. The pageant was even the subject of the 2020 film Miss Juneteenth, by Channing Godfrey Peoples about a single mother (played by Nicole Beharie), who wants her 15-year-old daughter (Alexis Chikaeze) to win the Fort Worth pageant. Former Miss Juneteenth Triniti Franklin made an appearance in the film. With that, Andrea Sledge, director of the pageant, said shes ecstatic to see the pageant making headlines. This is more than a pageant, Sledge said. Its an opportunity for character-building, self-esteem building and helping the girls cultivate what they want to do with their lives post-high-school and beyond. This is literally like watching these girls blossom. They come to you in their shells, and theyre shy. Theyre not really sure of themselves. Theyre quiet. Then the lights come on and something happens when their excellence is put on a platform for all to see.The competition is just one of many celebrations birthed from the historic event. On June 19, 1865, the news had finally reached Black Texans in Galveston, still living in slave conditions, that Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery two years prior. In 1872, a group of ministers and businessmen bought 10 acres of land in nearby Houston and created Emancipation Park, where they planned to hold official Juneteenth celebrations. A mural at the spot in Galveston where Gen. Gordon Granger issued the orders that resulted in the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas. Montinique Monroe / Redux PicturesJuneteenth has remained a day full of events and joy. In fact, said Brenna Greer, a history professor at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, the celebrations began almost immediately when the enslaved African Americans first learned the news. They called it Jubilee Day or Freedom Day. In the area of Galveston and radiating out of that, Black people in Texas were taking that day to observe this event in the Black experience, Greer said. You can even find photographs from the 1880s of African Americans in their best clothing posing for pictures on Juneteenth or decorating carriages, decorating their houses in celebration of Juneteenth.Texas officially recognized Juneteenth as a state holiday in 1980, and at least 45 states now also recognize the occasion to varying degrees. Opal Lee, 94, an activist in Fort Worth, has made it her lifes work to have Juneteenth designated as a national holiday. Lee, who was also featured in the movie, said she will campaign for the cause for as long as she lives. Incidentally, both the U.S. House and the Senate passed legislation this week to make the occasion a legal public holiday called Juneteenth National Independence Day. Her love for the holiday is palpable each year as she attends or takes part in several Juneteenth events. In 2016, at 89, she set out on a journey from her Fort Worth home to Washington, D.C., walking 2 1/2 miles a day in a public effort to have Juneteenth made a national holiday. She didnt complete the journey, but she walked hundreds of miles, she said. On June 19, she will lead a group on a 2 1/2-mile walk through Fort Worth from Evans Avenue Plaza to Panther Island Pavilion in honor of her effort. The local figure is often involved in several Juneteenth events, especially the annual pageant. The young people learn so many things and they take pride in it. Its something in our community thats so worthwhile to do, she said. Before Congress voted this week to recognize the holiday, Lee predicted she would be around to see Juneteenth become a nationally recognized day, "if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise!" she said. She added, "this is not just a Texas thing. None of us are free until we're all free, and we aren't free yet. There are too many disparities that we need to be addressing, and we can do it together." Even for all its historic significance, the Miss Juneteenth pageant fell prey to the Covid-19 pandemic like many other annual events in the country. The illness and its economic fallout had an outsize effect on Black people. This, Sledge said, meant that many Black girls could not afford to pay the competitions registration fee or buy the elegant gowns needed for the big day. Sledge said several of the 15 girls who signed up for the competition last year were forced to drop out due to financial woes or because they had to help care for their families throughout the pandemic. This year, the pageant organizers decided to offer financial assistance through scholarships, reduced fees and sponsors. The registration fee, usually $100, was halved, and girls could use donated gowns instead of shelling out hundreds of dollars for a pageant dress. "I take it personally when a young lady tells me, 'I really would like to be a part of this, but I cant afford the $50,' or, 'My mom cant afford it, and I cant afford a dress,'" Sledge said. "Weve been extremely blessed this year to have the venue donated, so we dont have to worry about a lot of overhead. So we were able to cut some fees because we dont have a large operating expense budget." The financial assistance certainly came in handy. Maku said she would not have been able to enter the pageant without it. Meanwhile, other pageant participants were eager to help those who needed it. Former Miss Juneteenth Triniti Franklin, 19, donated gowns to the pageant, and her family served as a sponsor for one participant this year. Ariane Gibbons, the runner-up who was crowned Miss Freedom, opted out of the financial assistance to make sure funds were available for her competitors. Gibbons, 17, grew up learning about Juneteenth. The recent competition marked her second shot at the Miss Juneteenth crown. Although she snagged the runner-up position, her mother, Amera Frieman, said the teen is still eager to celebrate the holiday. She is a little disappointed, but shes pushing through and getting ready to research what events she will attend for Juneteenth, Frieman said, noting that its been a joy to see one of her three daughters in a beauty pageant. As a Black mom who is very knowledgeable about Juneteenth, I may have had one or two dreams about seeing one of my three girls in the Miss Juneteenth pageant.Follow NBCBLK on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

###CLAIM: meanwhile, a department of health official revealed that another 450, 000 doses of the vaccine were to be administered tuesday and that more than 13, 000 britons had now received the first dose. ###DOCS: AdvertisementMotorists rolled up to have Covid jabs through their car windows yesterday as Boris Johnson appealed to the remaining two million most vulnerable Britons to get vaccinated. Drive-through centres have been set up to help the UK meet its target of inoculating 15 million people by Monday. But while 13 million in the most vulnerable categories have had the jab, the Prime Minister warned there was still a group numbering roughly twice the population of Birmingham who had yet to receive one. He said: 'With less than a week to go until the target date of Monday the 15th, there's no doubt we've made great strides with just over 13 million people now vaccinated in our United Kingdom, including one in four adults in England, over 90 per cent of everyone over 75 and over 90 per cent of eligible residents of care homes for the elderly.' Speaking directly to the two million vulnerable Britons yet to be vaccinated, he said: 'Now is the moment to do it.' He added: 'I think the people of this country absolutely understand the importance of protecting the most vulnerable first, and that's what we are doing.' Drive-through centres, which allow motorists to be vaccinated without leaving their cars, have been set up in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and at Queen Margaret University near Edinburgh, where Mary Foster was one of the first to have the jab yesterday. The retired home help worker said: 'I think this is great, I'm really excited and I think people who don't want to be vaccinated should think again.' Motorists roll up to have Covid jabs through their car windows yesterday as Boris Johnson appealed to the remaining two million most vulnerable Britons to get vaccinated. Pictured: A healthworker administers a vaccine at a drive-through centre at Queen Margaret University near Edinburgh on WednesdayDrive-through centres have been set up to help the UK meet its target of inoculating 15 million people by Monday. Pictured: A drive-through centre at Queen Margaret University near Edinburgh on WednesdayThe centre at the university can vaccinate about 720 people a day, seven days a week. It comes as Britain yesterday announced 13,013 more coronavirus cases and 1,001 deaths, as the winter wave continues to be brought under control by draconian lockdown restrictions. Wednesday's Covid infections are down by a third on last week's figure, while fatalities have shrunk by a quarter compared to the tally a week ago. The number of Covid patients in hospital has also fallen by more than a fifth in a week, with just over 26,000 beds now taken up by sufferers compared to almost 40,000 at the peak last month. Meanwhile, Department of Health officials revealed another 415,000 vaccines had been administered on Tuesday, with more than 13million Brits having now received their first dose. With five days still to go, Britain is now cruising towards the Government's target of injecting the 15million most vulnerable by February 15. With all the key metrics now pointing towards a quickly shrinking epidemic, and with the vaccine rollout steaming ahead, pressure is mounting on the Government to start dropping the most brutal lockdown curbs. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to lay out a 'route map' out of the national shutdown on February 22, with schools expected to be the first to go back sometime after March 8. Figures also show Britain has dished out 10 per cent of the entire world's coronavirus vaccines and more than France, Germany, Italy and Spain combined. Drive-through centres, which allow motorists to be vaccinated without leaving their cars, have been set up in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and at Queen Margaret University (pictured) near EdinburghThe centre near Edinburgh at the university can vaccinate about 720 people a day, seven days a weekDespite its small population in the global standings, the UK has administered a whopping 13.5million out of 146million doses given out internationally almost 10 per cent of all the world's jabs so far. According to the statistics compiled by the Oxford University-based research platform Our World in Data, this puts Britain in third place behind only the US and China, which have far larger populations. The figures also show more doses have been dished out here than in France, Germany, Italy and Spain combined. European commission president Ursula von der Leyen yesterday issued a grovelling apology for the EU's jab shambles, admitting the bloc acted 'late' and was 'over-confident'. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday said the speed with which Covid jabs were developed and rolled out was an 'inspiration' but added that it was 'unfair' poorer countries were missing out due to a lack of a global strategy. Number 10's pandemic response has come in for widespread criticism on the whole, although ministers have been roundly praised for their vaccine rollout being one step ahead of the rest of the world. Ministers spent more than 6billion developing and procuring the jabs a fraction of the 200-plus billion spent on supporting businesses during the economically-crippling lockdowns despite no guarantees any would work. But critics have warned against getting too complacent as latest figures from the Department of Health suggest the Covid drive has plateaued. The number of doses given to Brits on Monday rose by just one per cent compared to the same time last week, hovering at around 350,000. Another 414,973 Britons received their first or second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine yesterday, figures published yesterday reveal, up 10 per cent on the 376,922 jabs recorded the same time last week. But this was a marked slowdown from the week before when the number administered jumped by 20 per cent. Boris Johnson last night suggested summer holidays for Britons who have had both Covid jabs are on the horizon. The top 30 countries where the highest number of doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered, with the UK in third place. The data was from Our World in Data, which monitors the vaccines rollout across the worldAnd this is the number of doses administered as a percentage of the population covered. Experts have said to achieve 'herd immunity', where the virus stops spreading', around 85 per cent need to be vaccinated. The data is from Our World in DataThe Prime Minister said the Government was looking at all kinds of apps and all kinds of possibilities for unlocking travel as the vaccine rollout is ramped up. He confirmed ministers are in talks with other countries and the aviation industry about an international certification system. But he added: When were in that different world, which I hope will be as soon as possible, then all kinds of apps and all kinds of possibilities will be open to us.However, the row over travel and holidays look set to continue after advice from the Government descended into farce last night as ministers bickered over whether it is safe to book a summer break in the UK this year. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps sparked a furious backlash after declaring yesterday morning: People shouldnt be booking holidays right now not domestically or internationally.As anger mounted, Downing Street appeared to distance itself from Mr Shapps at lunchtime, saying it was a choice for individuals. But Boris Johnson, who earlier this month said he was optimistic about the prospect of summer holidays, appeared to change his mind yesterday. The Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference it was just too early for people to be certain about what we will be able to do this summer. On a chaotic day, Health Secretary Matt Hancock then revealed to Tory MPs he has already booked a holiday in Cornwall this summer. Whitehall sources told the Mail that, despite the cautious message from the PM, Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden are working on packages to promote holidays in the UK. One insider said: We are going to strain every sinew to let people have a holiday this summer.Another senior Tory said: We are in danger of making holiday a dirty word when it should be exactly the sort of aspirational thing we are celebrating.' Despite its small population in the global standings, the UK has administered a whopping 13.5million out of 146million doses given out internationally almost 10 per cent of all the world's jabs so far. The Prime Minister, speaking from a Downing Street press conference last night, said: 'With less than a week to go until the target date of Monday the 15th, there's no doubt weve made great strides, with just over 13 million people now vaccinated in our United Kingdom, including one in four adults in England, over 90 per cent of everyone over 75 and over 90 per cent of eligible residents of care homes for the elderly. 'But that still leaves nearly two million people a population roughly twice the size of Birmingham that we still hope to reach. Now is the moment to do it.' According to the statistics compiled by the Oxford University-based research platform Our World in Data, this puts Britain in third place behind only the US and China, which have far larger populations. The figures also show more doses have been dished out here than in France, Germany, Italy and Spain combined. European commission president Ursula von der Leyen yesterday issued a grovelling apology for the EU's jab shambles, admitting the bloc acted 'late' and was 'over-confident'. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday said the speed with which Covid jabs were developed and rolled out was an 'inspiration' but added that it was 'unfair' poorer countries were missing out due to a lack of a global strategy. Boris Johnson said at a Downing Street press conference tonight that Britain had made 'great strides' in its vaccination programme but that there were still 2million more people to reach by next Monday to hit the February 15 target of 15millionNumber 10's pandemic response has come in for widespread criticism on the whole, although ministers have been roundly praised for their vaccine rollout being one step ahead of the rest of the world. Ministers spent more than 6billion developing and procuring the jabs a fraction of the 200-plus billion spent on supporting businesses during the economically-crippling lockdowns despite no guarantees any would work. Ursula von der Leyen issues grovelling apology over EU's vaccine shambles Ursula von der Leyen yesterday issued a grovelling apology for the EU's vaccine shambles, admitting the bloc acted 'late' and was 'over-confident'. The European commission president also conceded its rollout was still not 'where we want to be' in a humbling speech in Brussels. However, she defended trying to thrash out at unified approach for the 27 member states, even though she has likened it to a 'tanker' compared to the UK's 'speedboat'. UK government figures last night showed 12,646,486 people have now received initial jabs, with another 516,392 having had their booster. By contrast the EU as a whole has administered fewer than 18million doses to its population of around 450million people. Globally there are around 4.6million jabs being given every day, with around one in 10 of those happening in the UK. Speaking at an EU Parliament plenary session, Ms von der Leyen said: 'We are still not where we want to be. We were late to authorise. 'We were too optimistic when it came to massive production and perhaps we were too confident that, what we ordered, would actually be delivered on time.' AdvertisementThe UK Vaccines Taskforce, run by venture capitalist Kate Bingham, played a key role in secure huge numbers of doses of vaccines ahead of international competition. And the running of the Covid vaccine programme through the NHS, which operates a successful national flu vaccination scheme every year, has smoothed over the rollout. But critics have warned against getting too complacent as latest figures from the Department of Health suggest the Covid drive has plateaued. The number of doses given to Brits on Monday rose by just one per cent compared to the same time last week, hovering at around 350,000. The Adam Smith Institute think-tank told MailOnline that while the programme had been a success so far, there was 'no excuse' for blips, because 'the virus doesn't sleep - the virus keeps spreading'. Despite concerns, Britain is within touching distance of delivering on its goal of vaccinating 15million of the most vulnerable by mid-February, which paves the way for the UK become one of the first countries to drop lockdowns completely. Another 414,973 Britons received their first or second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine yesterday, figures published yesterday reveal, up 10 per cent on the 376,922 jabs recorded the same time last week. But this was a marked slowdown from the week before when the number administered jumped by 20 per cent. It comes Department of Health figures yesterday suggested the UK's second wave is still shrinking. They announced another 13,013 cases, 32 per cent lower than the same time last week. A further 1,001 deaths from the virus were also reported, 24 per cent lower than last Wednesday. This took the total number of Covid deaths to 114,851. Speaking at last night's Downing Street briefing, chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance said it was 'really critical' that everyone who is offered a vaccine accepted it. Boris Johnson said that if the speed of vaccination the supplies can be kept consistent, the Government planned to have reached everyone over the age of 55 by the end of April. James Lawson, author of the study Worth a Shot: Accelerating Covid-19 Vaccinations, and fellow at think-tank the Adam Smith Institute, yesterday urged ministers not to be complacent because of early success. 'While the Government has made significant progress since January in boosting the amount of daily doses we can't be complacent,' he told MailOnline. 'We need to keep up the pace, keep accelerating and ultimately should be aiming to even double or triple the number of doses that we are doing compared with yesterday. 'There is ultimately no excuse for slowing down. We can't use the excuse of weekends and weather because ultimately the virus doesn't stop for weekends, the virus doesn't sleep - the virus keeps spreading so we do need to accelerate.' He added that ministers must make the most of the time before second doses need to be delivered, which will mean vaccinators can reach fewer Britons with first doses every day. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) said the speed with which Covid jabs were developed and rolled out was an 'inspiration' but added that poorer countries were missing out due to a lack of a global strategy. The WHO has officially recommended the use of the vaccine in adults of all ages and said that doses should ideally be spaced by between eight and 12 weeks. The statement is a hit back against European countries that criticised the jab and refused to use it among their older populations, claiming there was not enough proof it worked. Countries including Germany, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Poland and Italy decided not to roll out the vaccine to older people. News reports from Germany in January sensationally claimed that the vaccine was only eight per cent effective among over-65s, but it later emerged that ministers had put an inaccurate percentage on clinical data that was so vague it was meaningless. However yesterday, Dr Alejandro Cravioto, a director at the WHO, said in a briefing that the jab could be given 'without an upper age limit'. Dr Cravioto said there was 'no reason' that places with the South African variant of the virus should not use the vaccine to keep down hospital admissions and deaths with the virus, in the wake of a study suggesting it may be less effective against it. Advertisement'The intent behind doing the first dose is to get the maximum coverage of vulnerable groups and that is something we are supportive of - at the same time they should be extending to a wider audience,' he said. 'The worry we have got is without the number of doses increasing on a daily basis you are going to see a slowdown in the number of new doses being given out or first doses being given out as we catch up on second doses. 'For every person we give a second dose to we can't give another first dose out. We do have a worry that if they don't increase the capacity to distribute doses then we are going to see a slowdown either in the number of people who get their second dose or in the people who get a first dose - neither of which is ideal.' Department of Health figures show the vaccination drive ramped up by at least 25 per cent every week over the first three weeks it was opened as nurses and volunteers rushed to get Britain moving again. But it ticked up by just one per cent on February 8, the latest day data is available, when 356,291 doses were administered compared to 352,935 on Monday last week. Our World in Health data shows Britain has dished out 35 times more doses of Covid vaccines than Germany, which is leading the jabs drive in the EU. Germany has managed 337,000 doses so far, followed by Italy at 270,000, France at 222,000 and Spain's 217,000. The figures also reveal a sharp disparity between the drive in different continents, with the whole of Africa having given out 17,600 doses so far. Tony Blair yesterday called on countries around the world to co-ordinate their vaccine strategy saying they have an 'opportunity to learn the lessons from the early vaccine rollout'. 'The speed with which Covid-19 vaccines were developed and are being rolled out has been an inspiration,' he said. 'In just six weeks, the world has already administered 134million shots, with a current rolling average of over 4.5million doses per day. But the unequal distribution of those vaccines is both unfair and unsustainable. Elderly people and patients with underlying health conditions are among the top four priority groups which make up 15million set to be vaccinated by February 15'The main challenge has been the lack of any global strategy to co-ordinate and maximise production, and then ensure their swift and equitable distribution to every country in the world. Nicola Sturgeon branded 'ridiculous' over demand that England quarantines ALL international arrivals heading to Scotland Nicola Sturgeon was facing fury yesterday after her Government demanded English authorities quarantine all travellers flying into England if they were planning to go to Scotland. The First Minister was accused of trying to extend Scottish laws south of the border with the demand that would force England to lock people up in hotels for 10 days even if local rules said they did not need to. Under plans unveiled by Health Secretary Matt Hancock last night, only arrivals from 33 Red List nations would be required to stay locked in a hotel for 10 days in England. Scotland however, is forcing all international arrivals into its airports to undergo the stay at a cost of 1,750. Scots Transport Secretary Michael Matheson last night confirmed the SNP government in Edinburgh wants Boris Johnson to adhere to Scotland's policy for travellers heading north of the border via England. Tory MP Peter Bone said Ms Sturgeon needed to clarify what her government was demanding. 'If someone arrives in England and then travels to Scotland they have to abide by the Scottish laws but it is wrong for the First Minister of Scotland to try and impose her laws on English airports,' he told MailOnline. 'Thats ridiculous and bears no logic. If that is what she means I think the UK Government should firmly reject that idea. 'She should clarify ... and make it clear that quarantine rules will apply once someone goes into Scotland.' Passengers arriving at UK airports have to fill out a 'passenger locator form' in the 48 hours before arriving in Great Britain. Advertisement'Given the potential for vaccine resistant strains to develop in any part of the word and then spread globally, the whole world is in peril if we allow this situation to persist. 'As more vaccines achieve regulatory approval and new vaccines to deal with new variants arrive, the world must be prepared. Closed borders are not sustainable in the medium or long term. 'We need to create a globally co-ordinated vaccine strategy now, bringing together representatives from science, medicine, the pharmaceutical industry, manufacturing, financiers, distribution and logistics to consider how to accelerate vaccine production and oversee allocation and procurement processes with governments.' It comes after Ms von der Leyen yesterday issued a grovelling apology for the EU's vaccine shambles, admitting the bloc acted 'late' and was 'over-confident'. The European commission president also conceded its rollout was still not 'where we want to be' in a humbling speech in Brussels. However, she defended trying to thrash out at unified approach for the 27 member states, even though she has likened it to a 'tanker' compared to the UK's 'speedboat'. Globally there are around 4.6million jabs being given every day, with around one in 10 of those happening in the UK. Speaking at an EU Parliament plenary session, Ms von der Leyen said: 'We are still not where we want to be. We were late to authorise. 'We were too optimistic when it came to massive production and perhaps we were too confident that, what we ordered, would actually be delivered on time.' Ms von der Leyen also said she was sorry for the confusion over the threat to suspend the Northern Ireland protocol in order to block vaccine exports - which was humiliatingly dropped. 'The bottom line is that mistakes were made in the process leading up to the decision,' Ms von der Leyen said. 'And I deeply regret that. But in the end we got it right.' Ms von der Leyen said she still believes that 70 per cent of the EU's adult population can be vaccinated by the end of summer, swiping at pharmaceutical companies for not keeping pace with scientific advances. 'Industry has to match the groundbreaking pace of science,' Ms von der Leyen said. 'We fully understand that difficulties will arise in the mass production of vaccines. 'But Europe has invested billions of euros in capacities in advance, and we urged the member states to plan the vaccine rollout. So now we all need predictability.' Despite the chaos, the three groups of MEPs stuck with Ms von der Leyen's approach of member states moving together. 'The key decisions were right,' Manfred Weber, leader of the Christian Democrat European People's Party, said. The Socialists and Democrats party leader Iratxe Garcia said: 'Fiasco, catastrophe, disaster: they ring very true to our citizens. 'But she added that her party would stick with Ms von der Leyen on the bloc moving together. 'Criticism is necessary but with a constructive spirit,' she said.

###CLAIM: more connections are needed to link billions of devices to the internet of things, ensuring continued investment in the sector. ###DOCS: FILE PHOTO: Brochures with the logo of Deutsche Telekom AG are pictured at the shop in the headquarters of German telecommunications giant in Bonn, Germany, February 19, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayBERLIN (Reuters) - German telecoms group Deutsche Telekom and Spanish cell phone mast operator Cellnex said on Thursday they would combine their tower business in the Netherlands and set up a joint fund to invest in digital infrastructure. Once the deal closes, Cellnex Netherlands will operate 4,314 sites, including 180 new ones which will be built over the next seven years. Cellnex will own 62% of the new entity, while Deutsche Telekom will hold 38% through the fund. The companies will become anchor investors in a newly established Digital Infrastructure Vehicle (DIV), an investment fund focused on European digital infrastructure. Deutsche Telekom will transfer its T-Mobile Infra business to the fund, they said. Deutsche Telekom will receive a 250 million euro ($303 million) cash payment and a shareholding in DIV, they added in the statement. This translates into a capital commitment of Deutsche Telekom of around 400 million euros to the fund. Cellnex also agreed to commit 200 million euros of capital to DIV, they said. Telecoms towers are increasingly prized by investors navigating a world of low returns thanks to their steady, inflation-linked cash flows and prospects for more development as next-generation 5G internet expands. More connections will be needed to link up billions of devices in an Internet of Things, likely ensuring continued investment in the sector. ($1 = 0.8247 euros) BERLIN, Jan 21 (Reuters) - German telecoms group Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE) and Spanish cell phone mast operator Cellnex (CLNX.MC) said on Thursday they would combine their tower business in the Netherlands and set up a joint fund to invest in digital infrastructure. Once the deal closes, Cellnex Netherlands will operate 4,314 sites, including 180 new ones which will be built over the next seven years. Cellnex will own 62% of the new entity, while Deutsche Telekom will hold 38% through the fund. The companies will become anchor investors in a newly established Digital Infrastructure Vehicle (DIV), an investment fund focused on European digital infrastructure. Deutsche Telekom will transfer its T-Mobile Infra business to the fund, they said. Deutsche Telekom will receive a 250 million euro ($303 million) cash payment and a shareholding in DIV, they added in the statement. This translates into a capital commitment of Deutsche Telekom of around 400 million euros to the fund. Cellnex also agreed to commit 200 million euros of capital to DIV, they said. Telecoms towers are increasingly prized by investors navigating a world of low returns thanks to their steady, inflation-linked cash flows and prospects for more development as next-generation 5G internet expands. More connections will be needed to link up billions of devices in an "Internet of Things", likely ensuring continued investment in the sector. ($1 = 0.8247 euros)Reporting by Thomas Seythal; Editing by Maria SheahanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

###CLAIM: english said the combination of hilly terrain and pilots ' geographical orientation towards clouds made the warning system a confusing factor. ###DOCS: Safety investigators said on Tuesday a pilot flew through clouds last year in an apparent violation of federal standards and likely became disoriented just before the helicopter crashed, killing the basketball star Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others. Pilot Ara Zobayan was flying under visual flight rules, which meant he needed to be able to see where he was going, Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said during a hearing to specify the likely cause or causes of the crash. Zobayan piloted the aircraft to climb sharply and had nearly broken through the clouds when the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter banked abruptly and plunged into the southern California hills, killing all aboard. The helicopter did not have so-called black box recording devices, which were not required. Bryants widow had blamed the pilot. She and relatives of the other victims also faulted the companies that owned and operated the helicopter. The brother of the pilot didnt blame Bryant but said he knew about the risks of flying. The helicopter companies have said foggy weather was an act of God and blamed air traffic controllers. The NTSB hearing focused on the long-awaited probable cause or causes of the tragedy that unleashed worldwide grief for the retired basketball star, launched several lawsuits and prompted state and federal legislation. I think the whole world is watching because its Kobe, said Ed Coleman, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor and aircraft safety science expert. Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and six other passengers were flying from Orange County to a youth basketball tournament at his Mamba Sports Academy in Ventura County on 26 January 2020 when the helicopter encountered thick fog in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles. The Sikorsky S-76 helicopter banked abruptly and plunged into hills below, killing all nine aboard instantly before flames engulfed the wreckage. There was no sign of mechanical failure and the crash was believed to be an accident, the NTSB said previously. The NTSB is an independent federal agency that investigates transportation-related crashes but has no enforcement powers. It submits suggestions to agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration or the US coast guard, which have repeatedly rejected safety recommendations after other disasters. Over the past year, experts have speculated that the crash could lead to requiring Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems, devices that signal when aircraft are in danger of crashing, on helicopters. The helicopter that Bryant was flying in did not have the system, which the NTSB has recommended as mandatory. The FAA requires it only for air ambulances. NTSB investigator-in-charge Bill English said on Tuesday that the system, known as Taws, would likely not have been helpful in the scenario in which Bryants helicopter crashed. The hilly terrain, combined with the pilots spatial disorientation in the clouds, would have been a confusing factor, English said. The pilot doesnt know which way is up, English said. Federal investigators said Zobayan, an experienced pilot who often flew Bryant, may have misperceived the angles at which he was descending and banking, which can occur when pilots become disoriented in low visibility, according to NTSB documents. Investigators on Tuesday also faulted Zobayan for banking to the left instead of ascending straight up while trying to climb out of the bad weather. The others killed in the crash were Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife, Keri, and their daughter Alyssa; Christina Mauser, who helped Bryant coach his daughters basketball team; and Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton. Alyssa and Payton were Giannas teammates. The crash has generated lawsuits and countersuits. On the day a massive memorial service was held at the Staples Center, where Bryant played most of his career, Vanessa Bryant sued Zobayan and the companies that owned and operated the helicopter for alleged negligence and the wrongful deaths of her husband and daughter. Families of other victims sued the helicopter companies but not the pilot. Zobayans brother, Berge Zobayan, has said Bryants survivors arent entitled to damages from the pilots estate. Island Express Helicopters denied responsibility and said the crash was an act of God. The company also countersued two FAA air traffic controllers, saying the crash was caused by their series of erroneous acts and/or omissions. The countersuit claims one controller improperly denied Zobayans request for flight following or radar assistance, as he proceeded in the fog. Officials have said the controller terminated service because radar could not be maintained at the altitude the aircraft was flying. According to the lawsuit, the controller said he was going to lose radar and communications shortly, but radar contact was not lost. When a second controller took over, the lawsuit said, the first controller failed to brief him about the helicopter, and because the radar services were not terminated correctly, the pilot believed he was being tracked. Vanessa Bryant also sued the Los Angeles county sheriffs department, accusing deputies of sharing unauthorized photos of the crash site. California now has a state law prohibiting such conduct.

###CLAIM: bullock was raised in the glen and forrest country-region of perth hills by a father and sister who developed an early love for farming and appreciation for sustainable food production. ###DOCS: When Perth lawyer Ben Bullock shook hands with shoe salesman Ben Ungermann on the set of MasterChef, he had little idea that just a few years later he would be fighting for his freedom. Bullock - an associate at Perth legal firm Lynn & Brown Lawyers - had only received the call from his old mate late last week. Ungermann was in trouble - big trouble. Laywer Ben Bullock (right) and former shoe salesman Ben Ungermann (left) in Indonesia in 2017. The pair met on MasterChef that season have remained matesBen Bullock (far right) and Ben Ungermann (third from left) during season nine of MasterChef AustraliaBen Bullock (pictured) appeared in a Melbourne court on Wednesday to defend mate and former MasterChef contestant Ben UngermannOn Wednesday, Bullock appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on behalf of Ungermann, who faces three counts of sexual assault against a child. The pair had quickly become good mates upon meeting on season nine of the popular cooking show, which aired in Australia in 2017. The show, which in the following years would suffer a dramatic fall from grace, was still at the top of its game. Ungermann would go onto play-off in the grand finale that year only to be pipped at the post by Diana Chan. Bullock had been bundled out from the program months earlier after he failed to adequately champion a bunch of bananas. Both had been popular contestants and the pair had hit it off like a house on fire despite being rivals on the cooking contest. When Bullock was eliminated from the show, he made no secret of his bromance with Ungermann. 'I made a couple of really good mates. I shared a room with Trent, Ray, Lee and Ben (Ungermann) and we'll remain mates for life,' Bullock said at the time. Ben Ungermann and Ben Bullock in Indonesia in 2017. It was the same year Bullock said he would remain life-long friends with UngermannBen Ungermann and Ben Bullock during a cooking expedition abroad. Bullock appeared in court on behalf of Ungermann, asking for the school records of his alleged child victimThe 2017 cast of MasterChef Australia, which featured Ben Ungermann and Ben BullockUnlike Ungermann, Bullock already had a successful career as a lawyer in Western Australia. By the age of 26, he had been admitted to the Supreme Court of Western Australia, worked for a number of legal firms and was acting director of Philipoff Legal. Together with his younger sister Eliza, Bullock had been raised in the Perth Hills of Glen Forrest and developed an early love and appreciation for sustainable food production from his father, who worked as a farmer. After graduating from Perths Guildford Grammar in 2006, he started degrees in law and commerce at Murdoch University. In his final year, he was selected as one of six students nationally to compete for the Law Student of the Year Award - the greatest achievement of his education. After university, the young graduate took a year off to travel, driving across the United States in a van for three months with another mate. Ben Ungermann (right) and Ben Bullock. Bullock had taken his motorbike across the globe when he joined up with Ungermann in Indonesia for some celebrity chef dinnersBen Ungermann (right) and Ben Bullock arm in arm in happier times. The pair have now joined forces in a courtroom battleBen Ungermann (right) and lawyer Ben Bullock. Bullock was thrown in the deepend last week when Ungermann's Melbourne barrister abandoned him just weeks before his contested hearingThe Case Against Ben Ungermann MasterChef star Ben Ungermann was charged by Victorian sexual crime squad detectives after a report was made alleging he had sexually assaulted a teenage old girl on February 23 in Melbourne. He had been in Victoria filming in Melbourne for the MasterChef: Back to Win program, which he was quickly dumped from. Court documents state police allege Ungermann intentionally touched his alleged child victim without her consent - and he knew it - at least three times. Police allege the teenage girl states that Ungermann 'sexually touched her right breast skin-to-skin' against her wishes. Ungermann denies the allegations. AdvertisementThe trip cemented his love of big, bold flavours, as he learnt to cook southern style BBQ. Bullock trekked through Canada where he worked under a fleischmeister - a German 'meat master' - before travelling across Europe, exploring the food scenes of France, Italy, Greece and Germany. With plans to open his own small restaurant, focusing on fresh, locally-grown seasonal, sustainable and organic produce, Bullock applied for a spot on Masterchef and got the call. Riding the wave of celebrity, Bullock co-founded a charity which aimed to raise funds and awareness for depression and suicide prevention. In September 2017, he embarked on a trip across 30 countries, riding a motorcycle 30,000km from Perth, Western Australia to Perth in Scotland. Again, he teamed up again with Ungermann while in Indonesia, joining him for some fundraisers and celebrity dinners. The trip saw the two mates cook everywhere from rubbish dumps to five-star restaurants. They hung out with elephants and posed for photos on the back of motorcycles together. The pair would be lauded for their charitable work while in Bali, where they helped raise money for the local community. Ben Ungermann is defending allegations he sexually assaulted a teenage girl last year, He has employed the services of fellow MasterChef contestant Ben BullockBen Bullock had to video into a Melbourne court on behalf of mate Ben Ungermann after his barrister dropped out at the last minuteMasterChef Indonesia contestant Chef Juna joined them at a curated dining event at the five-star Westin Resort in Nusa Dua - a gated community of luxury resorts in countrys south. The pair would eventually settle back into regular life - Ungermann in Queensland and Bullock back in Perth. Bullock did not respond to requests to speak to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday. A day earlier he had been dumped in the deep end by Ungermann, who had only days earlier lost the Melbourne barrister he had expected to defend him in court. Bullock must have known he was in for a hard time when he tuned into the Melbourne Magistrates' Court for what was expected to be a two-day hearing to discuss ground rules for Ungermann's upcoming trial. Ungermann's barrister had been expected to have been in attendance to discuss the sensitive matters of dealing with child witnesses. Ben Ungermann enjoys almost 100,000 followers on Instagram who swoon over buffed-up images of the former MasterChef contestantBen Ungermann came second in MasterChef in 2017 and went onto forge a career in the food industryBen Ungermann will contest allegations he is a child sex offenderAs Ungermann's instructing solicitor, Bullock could only hope that he could have the matter delayed so he could brief and commission a new Melbourne barrister. Bullock was read the riot act by Melbourne Magistrate Mia Stylianou, who demanded to know what had gone wrong. Things went from bad to worse as police claimed they intended to use a previous complaint by Ungermann's alleged child victim to use against him now. Bullock, who showed sparks of his MasterChef charms throughout the hearing, was forced to request the school disciplinary records of his mate's alleged victim in the hope of using them to attack her credibility. It's a request defence lawyers suck-up and submit on behalf of their clients often through gritted teeth. Bullock was granted the materials, which he will handover to Ungermann's new barrister Abbie Roodenburg. It is Ms Roodenburg who will now go to bat for Ungermann in the hope of clearing his name. But not before she is fully briefed by Ungermann's 'life-long mate' Bullock.

###CLAIM: meanwhile, page six reports that kim's and kanye's failed presidential run was finally the straw that broke the marriage's works, as they struggled to make it work. ###DOCS: Kim Kardashian recently bid farewell to her family's star-making reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians. And the SKIMS mogul is already getting nostalgic for some memorable moments from the E! show. She screamed bloody murder in a throwback clip she posted Monday to her Instagram Story of sister Kourtney Kardashian tricking her into riding the Tower of Terror at Disneyland. Nostalgia vibes: Kim Kardashian screamed bloody murder in a throwback clip from Keeping Up with Kardashians she posted Monday to her Instagram Story of sister Kourtney Kardashian tricking her into riding the Tower of Terror at DisneylandThe 40-year-old wrote with the hilarious clip: 'That time Kourtney tricked me and said tower of terror wasn't scary.' 'Oh my god! I f***ing hate you,' she screamed, among other expletives, at Kourtney, 41, who could be seen laughing at her sister. She also posted a scene from 2011 of baby sister Kendall Jenner, 25, goofing off during runway lessons with pageant coach Lu Sierra. Although the brunette beauty has become one of the industry's highest paid models, she wasn't quite so sure about doing runway at the time, running out of the room after a spat with Kim. Tricky sister: The 40-year-old wrote with the hilarious clip: 'That time Kourtney tricked me and said tower of terror wasn't scary'Cussed out: 'Oh my god! No one's gonna wanna work with her'Living vicariously: Kendall theorized in her own confessional: 'Kim originally wanted to do runway but she was too short for it, so I think she's taking her fantasy out on me'Kim was not amused with her baby sister, venting in a confessional: 'Kendall cannot, from the start, act like this diva and really difficult to work with. No one's gonna wanna work with her.' Kendall theorized in her own confessional: 'Kim originally wanted to do runway but she was too short for it, so I think she's taking her fantasy out on me.' Kim shared a drink with the KUWTK crew earlier this month, after filming the final episode of their E! show's 20-season run, which premiered back in 2007. She appeared in a video on the show's Instagram, captioned: '20 Seasons. 14 years. Bible, we cant believe today is the last day of filming for #KUWTK. Final season coming soon to E!' The KKW Beauty founder sat in her backyard with a plastic cup of champagne in her hand, addressing her fans: 'Hey guys, we just finished filming forever... like forever, ever. We're done. We're never filming again. Is that so crazy? 'So, we're having a drink with the crew in my backyard, hanging out. Cheers to... I don't know, 15 years, 20 seasons of craziness and lots of love.' It comes as she and husband of six years Kanye West, 43, have 'completely' stopped going to marriage counseling, amid reports of their looming divorce. Raise a glass: Kim shared a drink with the KUWTK crew earlier this month, after filming the final episode of their E! show's 20-season run, which premiered back in 2007Final day: She appeared in a video on the show's Instagram, captioned: '20 Seasons. 14 years. Bible, we cant believe today is the last day of filming for #KUWTK. Final season coming soon to E!' That's a wrap! The KKW Beauty founder sat in her backyard with a plastic cup of champagne in her hand, addressing her fans: 'Hey guys, we just finished filming forever... like forever, ever. We're done. We're never filming again. Is that so crazy?' Cheers: She added: 'So, we're having a drink with the crew in my backyard, hanging out. Cheers to... I don't know, 15 years, 20 seasons of craziness and lots of love'Kim has reportedly been meeting with divorce lawyer Laura Wasser in recent weeks, as a source now tells People of Kanye: 'He is talking to divorce lawyers this week.' She's been living separately from the YEEZY creator as their relationship has become 'downright toxic' after months of therapy. A source recently told Us Weekly of their divorce: 'Kim and Kanye had no option but to live apart in the end because the communication between them had gotten so downright toxic. 'They went into the latter part of 2020 with the very best of intentions and wanted to find a way to get along when they spent time together. 'But it reached the point where the bickering turned to nasty blowups and confrontations, and since neither of them wanted the kids exposed to that type of hostility, they [stayed] apart.' Kim and Kanye married in Florence, Italy back in May of 2014, and they share daughters North, seven, Chicago, three, sons Saint, five, and Psalm, one. Another insider told Us Weekly: 'Kanye is jealous of the amount of time Kim has dedicated to prison reform and the kids. It's where he sees this direction of his life going. Kim just doesn't see their lives full-time in Wyoming.' They also said that although the couple has been working on their marriage in counseling, they 'havent had a joint session together in a while.' 'Kim has continued to meet with their marriage counselor in solo sessions. Kim's singular focus is about how this will impact the kids, and Kanye has been receptive to engaging in those discussions.' Meanwhile, Page Six reported that Kanye's failed presidential run was 'the final straw' for Kim, amid their struggle to make the marriage work. A source said that the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star 'needed to end the marriage for the sake of her kids and her own sanity.' Things seemingly came to a head in July, when Kanye revealed that they almost had an abortion when she was pregnant with North, ultimately sparking rumors of a divorce. Multiple outlets have reported that Kim is working with Wasser, who handled her divorce with Kris Humphries, 35, in 2011, after 72 days of marriage. Kim Kardashian dug deep into her photo archives for an Instagram post on Thursday. The 39-year-old siren was seen in a teeny Burberry bikini with a Band-Aid on her chest as she wore wraparound sunglasses. The wife of Kanye West was with her sisters Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian. The siren called the three of them the 'trifecta' as she urged her 188M followers to watch the season 19 debut of her show Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Vintage Kimmy: Kim Kardashian dug deep into her photo archives for an Instagram post on Thursday. The 39-year-old siren was seen in a teeny Burberry bikini with a Band-Aid on her chest as she wore wraparound sunglasses'Trifecta 2006 Watch Keeping Up With The Kardashians Season 19 tonight on E!' said the KKW Beauty mogul. Kim looked much younger in the image with a fuller face and less makeup as her black hair was pulled back. The mother-of-four appeared slender but she still put a hand over her stomach as she may have been a little self-conscious. Kourtney, 41, had on a purple, pink and white bikini on as she failed to smile. Thrice as nice: The wife of Kanye West was with her sisters Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian. The siren called the three of them the 'trifecta' as she urged her 188M followers to watch the season debut of her show Keeping Up With The KardashiansColors: Kourtney, 41, had on a purple, pink and white bikini on as she failed to smile. And Khloe was in a lime green bikini with her dark hair worn down and oversized sunglasses onAnd Khloe was in a lime green bikini with her dark hair worn down and oversized sunglasses on. The trip seemed to be on a yacht at the time. The year was 2006 and their TV show KUWTK had just debuted making her family instantly famous. Earlier this month the family announced the show would end in 2021 after 20 seasons. The debut of season 19 should be fascinating as Kim was heard in a trailer asking Kourtney if she is having a fourth child with her ex Scott Disick. Kourt and Scott have been spending a lot of time together this year, especially after he split from Sofia Richie, causing fans to wonder if they are back on. They already have Mason, 10, Penelope, eight, and Reign, five. And the POOSH founder is also seen being asked point blank if she is pregnant again to which she gives a deer-in-headlights look. She spilled: Kim states in the supertease for the next season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians that Scott Disick told her he and Kourtney are trying for a fourth childThis surprising question is asked toward the end of the trailer. Kim Kardashian is seen in a crochet top by a swimming pool as she says, 'Scott's like we're going for baby number four, is that serious I want to know.' The faces of Kourtney, Khloe and Scott are all flashed as they appear to be at a family lunch on a patio of a mansion. Well is it true? Scott does not seem to say anything as Kim makes her claimUh-oh: Kourtney is like a deer in headlights as she does not want to seem to answer'Are you pregnant?' another voice is heard asking Kourtney. Kourtney, who has on a red shirt with her dark hair half up, looks put on the spot and not happy about it. Her answer is not heard. The eldest Kardashian seems to be single, though in 2019 she was linked to ex Younes Bendjima. And Scott has been single for months now. Aunty Khloe shoots that look: Khloe looks up at big sister Kourtney for some informationSo it is likely that the two may be back together. In the past, Kourtney has said she would 'love' to have another child and prays for it. Kourtney and Scott started dating in 2006 after meeting at Joe Francis' house in Mexico and in 2007 he became a fixture on KUWTK. In 2009 they welcomed their first child, son Mason. They were on and off for years as Scott was accused many times of cheating on his partner; he also had to check into rehab more than once. In 2014 she was linked to Justin Bieber, and in 2015 Kourtney pulled the plug on the relationship with Scott. Disick moved on to Bella Thorne then Sofia while Kourtney spent time with Younes. Will they be a family of six? They already have Mason, 10, Penelope, eight, and Reign, fiveBut by 2017, Kourtney and Scott were spending time together again during vacations as they promised to be mature about handling hand offs with the kids. And in April of this year, Disick started liking old photos of Kourtney where she looked sexy. A trip to a lake this summer where she posed in a bikini caused fans to wonder if the two are back on. Season 19 of Keeping Up with the Kardashians premieres this Thursday, September 17 at 8pm ET/PT on E! and as previously announced, Season 20/The Final Season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians will air in early 2021.

###CLAIM: he is scheduled to travel to a place outside dhaka sacred to the matua community of indias, west bengal. ###DOCS: Bangladeshis raise their footwear and shout slogans during a protest after Friday prayers, against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, March 19, 2021. Hundreds of people including Muslim devotees and left-leaning student activists on Friday rallied in Bangladesh's capital to denounce the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join the celebration of the country's 50th anniversary of independence. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)Bangladeshis raise their footwear and shout slogans during a protest after Friday prayers, against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, March 19, 2021. Hundreds of people including Muslim devotees and left-leaning student activists on Friday rallied in Bangladesh's capital to denounce the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join the celebration of the country's 50th anniversary of independence. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)DHAKA,Bangladesh (AP) Muslims and student activists rallied in Bangladeshs capital Friday to denounce the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join the celebration of the countrys 50th anniversary of independence. Modi is due to arrive in Dhaka on March 26, which Bangladesh celebrates as its independence day. It was the date in 1971 when Bangladesh declared itself independent from Pakistan. Aided by India, Bangladesh emerged as a new nation after nine months of bloody war. After Friday prayers, about 500 Muslims marched onto the streets outside the countrys main Baitul Mokarram Mosque in downtown Dhaka amid tight security. ADVERTISEMENTThe protesters carried no banners and did not declare if they have any allegiance to any political parties. They took their shoes in their hands to show disrespect to Modi. They chanted anti-India and anti-Modi slogans, asking him not to come to Dhaka. Separately, about 200 left-leaning student activists marched through streets on Dhaka University campus where they called Modi as the butcher of Gujarat.Some protesters carried posters reading Go Back Modi, Go Back India and Go Back Killer Modi.Modi was chief minister in the western state of Gujarat in 2002 when Hindu-Muslim riots left more than 1,000 people dead. Allegations that authorities allowed and even encouraged the bloodshed have long followed Modi, who has repeatedly denied having any role. Indias Supreme Court has said it found no evidence to prosecute him. The protesters criticized Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for inviting Modi, saying the two countries had many disputed issues. The protesters said Modi and his Hindu-nationalist party oppressed Muslims in India. They also criticized the killings of Bangladeshis by Indian border guards. India says such casualties happen when Bangladeshis are involved in cross-border smuggling and attempt to cross the border illegally. Indias subordinate government of Hasina has invited Modi, we are here to protest against that, Hossain Mohammed Anwar said in front of the mosque. Modis visit is the first foreign trip since the coronavirus pandemic began. He is scheduled to travel to a place outside Dhaka that is sacred to the Matua community of Indias West Bengal state. Matua is a Hindu religious sect that is expected to determine the winner of at least seven constituencies in the Indian states assembly elections next month.

###CLAIM: the ftc said many victims reported being lured into investing in currency by sophisticated websites offering investment opportunities. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareIf there is a perfect storm for cryptocurrency scam victims, its happening right now. Uberrich people have touted the speculative investment, making others feel like fools if they dont get in on the game. Tesla mogul Elon Musk has been a champion of cryptocurrency, although he backed off bitcoin mining recently, citing environmental concerns. Despite being highly volatile, the price of cryptocurrencies has surged to record levels. Finally, cryptocurrency enthusiasts have a great command over social media platforms, enabling them to relentlessly plug the investment, which is pushing up prices. Scammers know that many people suffer from FOMO, or the fear of missing out. This is the kryptonite for unsophisticated investors. Add all those forces together and you have a tenfold increase in reported losses in the past 12 months from victims of cryptocurrency-related investment scams, according to new data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). AdvertisementThis trend is really striking, said Emma Fletcher, a program analyst with the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection. Its pretty alarming and concerning. So we definitely want to bring attention to this issue so that people can take steps to make sure that this doesnt happen to them.Consumers have reported losing more than $80 million to cryptocurrency investment scams, the data shows. The FTC said it received nearly 7,000 scam reports in the last quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, 12 times the number reported over the same period a year earlier. The median amount consumers lost in the scams was $1,900. That is nearly 1,000 percent more in reported losses compared to the same period a year earlier, the agency said. Let me put the loss for cryptocurrency scam victims in perspective. The median loss reported to the FTC for fraud generally is about $400, Fletcher said. AdvertisementAdults 20 to 49 were more than five times more likely than older age groups to report losing money on cryptocurrency investment scams, the FTC said. People in their 20s and 30s lost more money to investment scams than any other form of fraud, and more than half of their losses were the result of crypto cons. Although people 50 and older were far less likely to report losing money on cryptocurrency scams, their losses were higher a median of $3,250. Devotees say bitcoin, Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies will someday revolutionize the way electronic transactions are handled. Its super cool to be in cryptocurrency. Theres also a lot of high pressure to this market where people are like, Youve got to get in now. Dont wait. Dont question it, said Joe Rotunda, director, enforcement division at the Texas State Securities Board. But investors need to be on guard.AdvertisementIn March, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) listed cryptocurrency-related investment scams as a top investor threat. Investigate before you invest, Rotunda said. Check out any investment offerings with your state securities regulator. The FTC said many victims reported being lured to sophisticated websites offering an opportunity to invest in cryptocurrencies. People set up accounts using real cryptocurrencies, which would of course be stolen. The sites use fake testimonials and cryptocurrency jargon to appear credible or show that their investments were growing. However, when people tried to withdraw the nonexistent profits, they were told to send even more cryptocurrency, Fletcher said. In other schemes, people were told the more money they put in to climb investment tiers, the bigger returns they could expect. AdvertisementEven the tried and true romance scam has evolved to include cryptocurrency. But instead of getting lovestruck individuals to fork over cash, scammers sweet-talk them into cryptocurrency investments. The FTC said about 20 percent of the money reported lost through romance scams since October 2020 was sent in cryptocurrency. Another scam involves pitches using celebrity names. You give the celebrity-backed investment some of your cryptocurrency and you supposedly get back more than you put up. Consumers reported losing more than $2 million to Musk impersonators since October, the FTC said. Crooks are also using the Social Security number con to collect cryptocurrency. People are told their Social Security number will be suspended because of criminal activity. Or they are threatened with arrest. To clear up the issue, victims are told they have to pay a fee in cryptocurrency. AdvertisementIf youre promised a guaranteed return, run. If youre told that your deposit of cryptocurrency will be multiplied, dont take the bait. The cryptocurrency itself is the investment, Fletcher wrote in a report about the surge in the scams. You make money if youre lucky enough to sell it for more than you paid. Period. Dont trust people who say they know a better way.Ric Edelman, the founder of Edelman Financial Engines, said it was inevitable that criminals would exploit the interest in cryptocurrencies. Scams involving bitcoin are no surprise, any more than the fact that as soon as we invented cars we started having car accidents, he said. So drive defensively and be just as defensive when investing.GiftOutline Gift Article Crypto traders lost an estimated $10million over the weekend Elon Musk hosted SNL after being duped by a Twitter scam, a financial expert has claimed. The Tesla CEO, 49, hosted Saturday Night Live on May 8 and across the weekend beginning May 7. People trading crypto currencies were tricked by the scam involving verified Twitter accounts that had been hacked and were impersonating celebrities, Business Insider reported. These hacked accounts promoted offers to people promising crypto currency in exchange for an initial crypto investment. Crypto traders lost an estimated $10million over the weekend that Elon Musk made his appearance on SNL (pictured), a financial expert claimsSatnam Narang, a research engineer at cyber-exposure firm Tenable, claims that as much as $10million was harvested by scammers - with the people behind snlmusk.com taking almost $150,000 of Ethereum, Bitcoin and Dogecoin. Celebrities who were impersonated included hockey player Troy Stecher, Miley Cyrus and Brazilian politician Luiz Fernando Pezao. Additionally, some scammers also set up accounts pretending to be the show SNL, Tesla and Elon Musk himself, though these did not have the blue verification ticks and were simply imposter accounts. Stecher had his account hacked, with the scammers transforming his profile into an SNL impersonation account, but because his Twitter handle stayed the same, the account retained its blue verification tick. These fake accounts promoted offers to people promising crypto currency in exchange for an initial crypto investmentWith the convincing fake accounts set up, the scammers then supplied a link to websites promising quick cash - but to sign up for the prizes, users had to first send over a fraction of the promised amount to a specific crypto address. People trading crypto currencies were tricked by a scam involving verified Twitter accounts, which had been hacked, impersonating celebritiesThe websites promised the money was purely for verification purposes and would be returned to users, but this was not the case. It wasn't just Twitter that attempted to scam people though, with similar schemes also having been set up on YouTube prior to Musk's SNL appearance. Fake SNL YouTube accounts were set up, running archive footage of Musk - livestreaming videos to add authenticity. Narang said: 'I just think this was a perfect storm, because you also had Elon Musk tweeting, "Hey, for international viewers that can't watch SNL, they're going to be streaming it on YouTube.' The expert also believes that nine tenths of the $10million dollars scammed from people came from the YouTube schemes. Celebrities who were impersonated included hockey player Troy Stecher, Miley Cyrus, Brazilian politician Luiz Fernando Pezao, the show SNL, Tesla and even Elon Musk himselfFollowing the scam, Troy Stecher took to his Twitter account, after gaining control once again, to apologise to fansWhen approached, the FBI declined to comment and Twitter said that the affected accounts had been restored to their rightful owners. This is also not the first time that scammers have attempted to trick people by pretending to be Elon Musk. A recent Federal Trade Commission report showed that $2million had been stolen by Musk impersonators between October 2020 and March 2021. Co-founder and chief scientist of Elliptic, Tom Robinson, said that over the weekend of Musk's SNL appearance, one account linked to the scam received $353,519 from 295 separate transactions. He said: '"All of this Bitcoin has now been moved out of this wallet and is in the process of being laundered. Around 20% has been sent to exchanges so far in particular exchanges based in Asia.' Following the scam, Troy Stecher took to his Twitter account, after gaining control once again, to apologize to fans. He tweeted: 'Im back! I have my account restored. I apologize to all for any content posted without my consent while my account was hacked. Thank you for your understanding.' A similar incident occurred in August 2020 after Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion partnered with Cash App to promote their song WAP. CEO Musk tweeted last week to say the electric car manufacturer 'has suspended vehicle purchases using Bitcoin' (stock image)They tweeted they were giving away $1million to lucky winners who provided their usernames for digital payment app Cash App, and a reason they should win. But scammers latched onto the competition and encouraged users to send between $15 and $20 to take part. Speaking about the incident, Narang said that Cash App usernames can be used as bait for cybercriminals. He said that the username is an easy way for scammers to contact people with their fake schemes because you become an easier target. John Breyault, the VP at National Consumers League, said that the ease of use of digital payment apps such as Cash App, Venmo and Zoelle make it easy for scammers to rake in cash. Breyault also suggested that increased screen-time caused by the coronavirus pandemic could be another reason why so many people are falling victim to crypto-scams. Creating Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies requires a lot of electricity, releasing massive amounts of greenhouse gases (stock image)It comes after CEO Musk tweeted last week to say the electric car manufacturer 'has suspended vehicle purchases using Bitcoin'. Creating Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies requires a lot of electricity, releasing massive amounts of greenhouse gases. The cryptocurrency is 'mined' by high-powered computers that continuously solve computational math puzzles, the complexity of which means the processors require huge amounts of energy. With each solved problem, a certain amount of coin is produced. While the machines use electricity, fossil fuel is a major category in electricity generation. Musk wrote: 'We are concerned about rapidly increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions, especially coal, which has the worst emissions of any fuel.' Bitcoin, the world's biggest digital currency, saw its value fall by 15 per cent after the tweet. With the convincing fake accounts set up, the scammers then supplied a link to websites promising quick cash - but to sign up for the prizes, users had to first send over a fraction of the promised amount to a specific crypto address'We are also looking at other cryptocurrencies that use <1% of bitcoin's energy/transaction,' Musk said. Musk said in March Tesla customers can buy its electric vehicles with Bitcoin, jumping up the price of the currency. But on Wednesday he tweeted: 'Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment. 'Tesla will not be selling any Bitcoin and we intend to use it for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy.'

###CLAIM: general motors says its new electric drive system, sometimes referred to as an e-wheel in the industry, has enough power output to allow for use with vehicles ranging from beefy pickup trucks to performance vehicles. ###DOCS: (Reuters) - General Motors Co is set to announce plans on Wednesday to put into production an interchangeable family of electric vehicle (EV) drive systems and motors, boosting manufacturing efficiencies as it transitions to a fully electric lineup. GM engineers test the 'Ultium Drive' unit in the dyno chamber at the General Motors Propulsion Systems Center in Pontiac, Michigan, U.S. in an undated photograph obtained September 16, 2020. Jeffrey Sauger/General Motors/Handout via REUTERSThe move, which follows earlier GM initiatives on next-generation batteries, comes as the Detroit automaker looks to build a vertically integrated electric car business, comparable to Tesla, inside its ongoing operations. According to a GM media release viewed by Reuters, the automaker is set to announce that it has designed and plans to produce on its own five interchangeable drive units and three motors, which it calls the Ultium Drive system. GM said its new electric drive systems, sometimes referred to as e-axles in the industry, will have a versatile enough power output to allow them to be used with vehicles ranging from beefy pickup trucks to performance vehicles. GM already has some EV partnerships, such as with truck startup Nikola Corp, but has chosen here to design its own e-drive technology, rather than buy from suppliers that might be able to offer greater scale and lower cost. Adam Kwiatkowski, GMs executive chief engineer for global electrical propulsion, said that by designing its own e-axles, GM could better integrate them with an EVs battery and the rest of the car. E-axles combine gear, motor and power electronics into a single system and help convert the electricity from batteries efficiently to propel the vehicle. GM designed these drive units simultaneously with a full gambit of electric vehicles that fill out our portfolio, Kwiatkowski told Reuters in an interview last week. They become synergistic and make them a really efficient package thats good for the performance of the vehicle, good for driving customer enthusiasm, and most importantly its good for cost efficiency, he said. The new self-designed technology means more of the battery energy now goes to the road, which helps make GMs EVs more economical, Kwiatkowski said. That in turn meant GM could give its EVs greater driving range, or vehicles could have less batteries, he added. Other benefits include size, leading to a smaller drive train and more room for passengers, and also a more spontaneous motor response, Kwiatkowski said. There is very very little, totally imperceptible motor lag, so as soon as you touch the accelerator pedal the vehicle responds in a very smooth fashion.The new technology highlights GMs effort to transform itself and catch up with Tesla, whose share price has jumped over 400% this year as it has reported improved profitability. GM will still consider purchasing drive units and components from suppliers in some cases, said Detroit-based company spokesman, Phil Lienert. However, it will continue to lead the design, development and manufacturing of Ultium Drive units, he said.

###CLAIM: if you go to johns hopkins or covid the information websites up during the entire pandemic will make it very clear that the majority of populations are vaccinated. ###DOCS: Johns Hopkins surgeon Dr. Marty Makary called out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under Biden appointee Rochelle Walensky as "the most political CDC in history," after recent guidance has led critics to question whether the agency was following science or political pressure in their recommendations. Makary, a Fox News contributor, told "The Story" on Monday that many people in the U.S. have taken the latest order suggesting vaccinated people can go out and about without a mask as "back to normal." "We achieved the thresholds that we wanted to achieve. Where people debated herd immunity is in the definition: If you go to the John Hopkins COVID information website that's been up the entire pandemic, it says very clearly that herd immunity is when a majority of the population have been inoculated. That's where we are," he said. COVID RESTRICTIONS: WHAT STATES HAVE EASED RULES FOLLOWING UPDATED CDC GUIDANCEHost Martha MacCallum noted that until recently, Facebook and other mediums' fact-checking apparatus labeled Makary's and others' previous predictions that a shift toward "normal" would come in Spring or Summer 2021 as "missing context" or false. Makary responded that indeed the announcement by the CDC on Friday seemed "rushed." "People are looking at this saying are they responding politically or was this planned? I think this has been the most political CDC in history. "They parade around science but most of this is discretion. It's not science," he said of the CDC's recommendations. MacCallum noted that public premonitions about herd immunity from months ago are bearing out, despite aforementioned fact-checkers or critics. "You have said all along that more people had COVID than realized it ... so what we're seeing now is exactly what you said we would be seeing: With a certain number of people vaccinated and way more people that realized that they had it, the virus starts running into walls; it can't find people to go into." Later in the segment, media critic Joe Concha noted the timing of Walensky's announcement, even as the White House reportedly is scrambling to clarify the apparent about-face on masks. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"When you have a gas crisis going on in the southern states ... the Middle East on fire in Israel and Gaza -- when you have a border catastrophe going on ... when inflation is a very real fear for Americans, this announcement last week, it's hard not to argue that there weren't politics in play when the data wasn't supporting the move, to [Makary's] point earlier." NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said as recently as March that the masking requirements shouldn't be rescinded until at least much later in the timeline of the pandemic.

###CLAIM: the antidote to bad ai is dropping sessions that give actors immediate feedback allowing them to start retorting to attacks. ###DOCS: VP Shape Intelligence Center at Shape Security. gettyTelecommunications companies are in the crosshairs of hackers around the world, and its a problem that everyone should be concerned about. Nearly everyone has an account with a telco, and those accounts can be gateways into your bank accounts, investments, digital currencies and other high-value targets. In this industry, one misstep by a skilled security team could result in millions of dollars in losses for a company and its customers, not to mention embarrassing headlines, costly fines and brand damage that could last decades. Compounding the challenge is that its not just a matter of securing the network and writing good code. The mere act of providing services to customers results in inherent vulnerabilities that attackers can work to exploit. Giving customers the ability to create and log into accounts, port phone numbers out to other providers, swap SIM cards, or even simply send and receive text messages all create avenues of attack for bad actors. These vulnerabilities are not due to coding errors, misconfigurations or other mistakes. They cannot be patched in a traditional sense because they result from genuine business requirements. And because they blur the lines between applications, processes and people, combatting these inherent vulnerabilities is an effort that must be undertaken in perpetuity by the entire organization not just the security team. The key to winning the battle is to understand the types of attacks that target the industrys inherent vulnerabilities and gain visibility into the application traffic around those vulnerabilities. Credential Validation Attacks (Or Credential Stuffing)The primary threat facing telco companies is an attack format known as credential stuffing. In this type of attack, bad actors obtain hundreds of thousands, millions or even billions of username and password pairs from the dark web or by compromising an organization. They then use automation to try those username password pairs against the login applications of other organizations. Because people tend to reuse passwords, these attacks typically identify valid credentials 0.1% to 3% of the time. When credentials are identified, it often leads to an account takeover (ATO) that gives the attacker control over whatever assets are in the compromised account. In the context of a telco account, an ATO can represent a nightmare scenario for subscribers. One of the most problematic examples is a SIM swap, where a users cellular account is effectively transferred to a different mobile device via the SIM card. This gives the attacker access to the victims text messages and emails, and that access enables them to circumvent text and email-based two-factor authentication (2FA) implemented at other organizations. Generally speaking, accounts that are secured by 2FA are among the most valuable properties and usually include banking, investment accounts, digital currency exchanges and corporate networks. Another type of attack targets the create account and forgot password features common to every online service. This can be done either to verify a stolen identity has an account at the target or to use automation to create multiple fake accounts. Those fake accounts can then be used for money laundering, to abuse loyalty and reward programs, or even to create entirely new, synthetic identities to perpetrate anything from spreading harmful misinformation on social media to committing wire fraud. Protecting Your OrganizationSo what can telco companies do to protect themselves from these targeted, sophisticated attacks that arise from the very services they provide? For the security team, the first and most important step is to gain visibility into application traffic, identify what part of that traffic is automated, and determine whether the automation is normal or malicious. You wont find automation if you are not looking in the right places. It requires fluency in the applications and workflows, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the types of automation that have been used against other organizations. Understanding automation well enough to confidently categorize it as good or bad is also a challenge. There are often large volumes of automation in some applications where the actors intentions are not clear. Unsanctioned testing from an employee? A fintech? A competitor? Perhaps a loyal customer who has a legitimate reason to use automation? Its important to understand the automation prior to mitigating it. The second step is to allow-list the good automation and to mitigate the bad automation. Here companies should avoid allow-listing transactions using attributes that can be easily spoofed, and avoid mitigating bad automation by dropping the session because that gives the actor immediate feedback that allows them to start retooling the attack. This brings us to the third step and the reason this entire process is perpetual. Motivated actors retool. Hacking is a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry where skills and resources are only growing. Organizations must conduct ongoing retrospective analysis on transactions hitting the targeted application to quickly identify retools or other unwanted automation. This cannot be done effectively without human-supported artificial intelligence and machine learning systems. Todays most sophisticated defenses use a combination of automation and human-assisted artificial intelligence to invisibly detect whether a request is coming from a bot or human and whether the request was made with malicious or benign intent. Responding to retooled threats also means the organization must retool its own defenses. It is not sufficient to just find unwanted automation. You must also have a means for quickly updating your real-time defenses without impacting legitimate customers. Building those capabilities from scratch and continually updating them would be a big lift for any organization, so its important to have the right security partner if you cannot handle that process on your own. In an industry with so much to lose, having the right tools and skills is a critical component to stave off the inherent risks of just doing business. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?

###CLAIM: jake and hager registered big league hits in the 12th and 13th as the automatic runners advanced to third and fourth respectively. ###DOCS: 1 of 10 New York Mets' Khalil Lee gestures after hitting a double to score Dominic Smith during the 12th inning of the team's baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, May 21, 2021, in Miami. The Mets won 6-5 in 12 innings. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)1 of 10 New York Mets' Khalil Lee gestures after hitting a double to score Dominic Smith during the 12th inning of the team's baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Friday, May 21, 2021, in Miami. The Mets won 6-5 in 12 innings. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)MIAMI (AP) Rookie Khalil Lee picked a pivotal time to finally put a ball in play. Lee hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the 12th inning for his first career hit after strikeouts in his first eight plate appearances a major league record and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 Friday. This is about the best scenario you could draw up, to come up in a big situation with the team counting on me, and to come through with the lights shining, Lee said. Jake Hager also registered his first big league hit, a leadoff single in the 12th off Adam Cimber (0-1) that advanced the automatic runner to third. After Lee pulled a double to right field, Johneshwy Fargas hit a two-run triple but was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into an inside-the-park homer. Lee made his big league debut last week, and manager Luis Rojas said it was exciting to see him come through after looking uncomfortable at the plate in earlier games. ADVERTISEMENTHe was trying to hit the ball 600 feet, Rojas said. The kid has pop. Thats what got him here. He just has to make contact.The Mets won despite totaling only eight hits against 10 Miami pitchers. The Miami bullpen retired 15 consecutive batters during one stretch. Its a big win, Rojas said. Its emotional because of all the things we had to do.The Marlins debuted uniforms with bright red pinstripe jerseys honoring the Cuban Sugar Kings, who won the Triple-A championship in 1959, but the new look failed to spark their sputtering offense. They went 3 for 17 with runners in scoring position and fell to 4-9 in one-run games. We just werent able to get the big hit when we needed it, manager Don Mattingly said. Miamis Garrett Cooper tied the game with a two-run homer in the seventh, his fourth. But he struck out against Trevor May with the bases loaded to end the eighth. Drew Smith (1-0) stranded a runner at third in the 11th. Jacob Barnes got the games final out for his first save since 2018. The pen has been incredible, Mets starter Marcus Stroman said. Theyve showed up every single time.Stroman allowed two runs in six-plus innings and struck out eight, but he remained winless since April 18. He departed after giving up a leadoff walk in the seventh, and Cooper followed with his homer off Miguel Castro. Francisco Lindor and Tomas Nido contributed RBI doubles for the Mets. Lindor drove home the first run in the first inning, and he scored from second on a flyout when center fielder Magneuris Sierra made an errant throw to third. Nidos RBI double came in the fourth, but he was thrown out by Sierra trying to score on a two-out single. New York has six consecutive victories in Miami since July 13, 2019. ADVERTISEMENTOOPSThe ups and downs in extra innings included a pratfall by Marlins catcher Sandy Leon. He was trotting to the mound for a visit in the 10th when he stumbled and fell to all fours. DeGROM UPDATEMets RHP Jacob deGrom (right side tightness), who worked three hitless innings Thursday in a rehabilitation outing for the St. Lucie Mets, is scheduled to throw a side session Sunday and pitch in another game on Tuesday. It has yet to be determined whether that outing will be with the Mets or another rehab start, Rojas said. TRAINERS ROOMMets: 2B Jose Peraza (bruised right calf) left the game in the fifth inning after being hit by a pitch. ... INF Pete Alonso (sprained right hand) and RHP Tommy Hunter (lower back pain) went on the 10-day IL retroactive to Wednesday. An MRI was planned for Hunter. Marlins: RHP Jordan Holloway (right groin) left the game after pitching a perfect second inning. ... CF Starling Marte (broken rib) and C Jorge Alfaro (strained left hamstring) might return during the homestand, manager Don Mattingly said. ... RHP Edward Cabrera (right biceps) is scheduled to throw a 20-pitch live bullpen session Saturday. METS PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONSBeginning with the Mets next homestand that starts Monday, fans at Citi Field will no longer be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. The team will open 21 sections to fully vaccinated fans that will not require social distancing, bringing capacity to 12,222. ROSTER MOVESMets: RHP Yennsy Diaz was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, and INF Brandon Drury was selected from Syracuse. RHP Sam McWilliams reinstated from the minor league IL, and LHP Daniel Zamora was designated for assignment. UP NEXTMarlins RHP Pablo Lopez (1-3, 3.12), who beat the Dodgers in his most recent start, is scheduled to take the mound Saturday. The Mets starter had not been announced. ___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports___Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Steve_Wine Rookie Cody Poteet pitched seven scoreless innings, retired the last 14 batters he faced and collected his first major league hit and RBI in a five-run second inning to help the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets 5-1 Sunday. Miami took the rubber game of the three-game series to close to within two games of the NL East-leading Mets (21-19), who have been riddled by injuries and finished 3-6 on a three-city Southern swing. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMPoteet (2-0) allowed three hits, walked none and lowered his ERA to 1.06 in three career starts. The right-hander from UCLA, a fourth-round draft pick by Miami in 2015, posted a 19-39 record in the minors before reaching the majors this month at age 26. The Mets, who rank last in the majors in slugging, managed just six hits and totaled 19 in 30 innings in the series. Miamis Jesus Aguilar, who began the day second in the NL in RBIs, singled home a run to end a 1-for-28 skid. Jazz Chisholm singled for the Marlins' other run-scoring hit. Jordan Yamamoto (1-1) lasted four innings in his first start of the year and his first against his former team. He allowed five runs, four earned, and left the game with right shoulder soreness. The Marlins' second-inning outburst included a 40-foot single by Poteet, a hit batsman, a walk and a throwing error by shortstop Francisco Lindor, which led to an unearned run. Wilfredo Tovar singled home the Mets' only run in the eighth. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPTRAINERS ROOMMets: OF Kevin Pillar (nasal fractures), who was hit in the face by a fastball last week, underwent surgery Friday and is scheduled to begin light activities Monday. ... RHP Dellin Betances (right shoulder) joined the team and threw a side session for the first time since going on the injured list. ROSTER MOVESMarlins: They placed INF Isan Diaz on the injured list (no reason given) and recalled INF Jose Devers from Triple-A Jacksonville. UP NEXTMets: They begin a seven-game homestand Monday against Colorado with LHP David Peterson (1-3, 4.97) expected to start. Marlins: LHP Trevor Rogers (6-2, 1.74) will try to win his fourth start in a row Monday when Miami opens a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies and faces RHP Zach Eflin (2-3, 3.77).

###CLAIM: as a legal challenge was filed against the march, complaints gathered that poll watchers might have been biased in the voting process. ###DOCS: AdvertisementIvanka and Donald Trump Jr. defended their father's most staunch supporters on Sunday as they excoriated those who exhibit violence against conservatives and lashed out at the media for exacerbating the problem by not covering these violent clashes enough. 'The media's near total silence about the physical violence being perpetrated against conservatives is shameful & dangerous,' Ivanka Trump, who serves as a White House senior adviser, tweeted Sunday morning. 'Just image (sic) the outrage and indignation if this went the other way,' she continued. 'Violence is never the answer and instigators must be condemned and prosecuted.' Her older brother, Don Jr., also tweeted his outrage Sunday and said the press has emboldened this violence by likening Trump supporters to Nazis and essentially putting a target on their backs. 'By not covering all of the violence from the left over the last four years the media has allowed this to continue and to get worse,' he claimed. 'If they even did a little bit of 'journalism,' public sentiment would be against these piece of sh** fascists pretending to be anti-fascists,' Don Jr., who helps lead his father's campaign, continued. In another tweet he added, 'The media's silence on the violence against Trump supporters is deafening.' 'After four years of calling them Nazis, at this point they might as well just dox them all or add the (sic) to AOC's lists for the Gulags,' he wrote. 'They are complicit in the violence. They are the worst of the worst.' The tweets also came the morning after Trump called on cops to 'do your job' as he blasted counter protesters who turned up at the Million MAGA March as 'Antifa scum'. The president joked on Twitter that they 'ran for this hills' after violent scenes erupted in Washington D.C. Saturday night. The president claimed 'Antifa' had waited until the end of the march to attack 'elderly people and families' as he praised his supporters who 'aggressively fought back'. 'Antifa SCUM ran for the hills today when they tried attacking the people at the Trump Rally, because those people aggressively fought back,' he tweeted. 'Antifa waited until tonight, when 99% were gone, to attack innocent #MAGA People. DC Police, get going do you job and don't hold back!!!' Trump was referencing a mass brawl that broke out at about 8pm just five blocks from the White House as counter protesters clashed with a group of Proud Boys and Trump supporters. A man in his 20s, believed to be a Black Lives Matter protester, was left with serious injuries and rushed to the hospital after being stabbed in the back during the altercation and two police officers were also injured. The ugly scenes lasted for several minutes as the two groups wielded batons and pushed and shoved each other until cops intervened. Another female Black Lives Matter protester was knocked the ground where she was left lying with blood covering her face as the pro-Trump group filmed her and screamed 'F*** Antifa'. She was eventually helped from the ground and carried to a nearby bench by a police officer as the violence continued around her and cops rushed to try and separate the two groups, according to a video shared by Daily Caller contributor Matthew Miller. Earlier, anti-Trump protesters were seen throwing fireworks and bottles at his fans as they dined outside a restaurant at around 6pm, with one Trump supporter throwing a chair back in retaliation after a firework exploded right beside him. The Trump supporters initially tried to shout back at the large group of protesters gathered around them chanting 'people are dying while you are dining', before being forced to flee inside when the fireworks began. D.C. police reported at least twenty arrests as of Saturday night. The tensions appeared to die down after cops successfully separated the groups and Trump supporters gathered around their hotels to celebrate. Scroll down for videoSupporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gesture towards anti-Trump protesters while dining near Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C. on Saturday before they were set on with fireworks and bottles and forced to flee insideA Black Lives Matter protester bleeds from the mouth as she lays in the middle of the street during a protest following the 'Million MAGA March'. At least twenty people were arrested as of 10pm SaturdayA man in a white shirt getting liquid thrown at him, is escorted away by police from protesters near BLM plaza in D.C. The violence erupted after tensions mounted through the day as thousands of Trump fans flocked to the Capitol to support the president's longshot legal challenges to overturn President-elect Joe Biden's election victory. Trump spent Saturday night slamming the counter protesters who came out to march against them, accusing them of violence and claiming that the media was ignoring the crowds who came out to support him. President Trump called on cops to 'do your job' as he blasted counter protesters who turned up at the Million MAGA March as 'Antifa scum' on Twitter on Saturday nightHe also blasted D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, with whom he has an ongoing feud, and accused her of not doing her job. The president also accused the media of ignoring the march despite a heavy press presence'Radical Left ANTIFA SCUM was easily rebuffed today by the big D.C. MAGA Rally crowd, only to return at night, after 99% of the crowd had left, to assault elderly people and families. Police got there, but late. Mayor is not doing her job!' Trump wrote. He then went on a tweeting rampage about the media who he said had not covered the march, despite a heavy press presence. 'The Free and Fair Press is gone in our country. They only write about what they want to write about. SUPPRESSION!' he fumed. 'The Fake News Media hardly even discussed the tens of thousands of people that came to D.C. Formed organically, and in many parts of the Country!' Pro-Trump groups gathered in Freedom Plaza at noon on Saturday afternoon, listening to speeches before marching toward the Supreme Court. Left-wing activists also arrived to counter-protest, and minor skirmishes of pushing and shoving broke out, but police formed lines to separate the two groups. Multiple police lines blocked Trump supporters from entering the Black Lives Matter Plaza area as night fell and tensions rose. Those who managed to get inside the area were doused with water and saw their MAGA hats and pro-Trump flags snatched. Videos posted on social media showed some demonstrators and counterdemonstrators trading shoves, punches and slaps. A man with a bullhorn yelling 'Get out of here!' was pushed to the street by a man who was then surrounded by several people and shoved and punched until he fell face first into the street. Bloody and dazed, he was picked up and walked to a police officer. VIDEO: A group of Trump supporters were dining at P.J. Clarkes near the White House and counter protesters started launching bottles and a firework at them. A man who was dining picked up a chair and threw it at some journalists. They threw projectiles and a large firework. pic.twitter.com/w96nbZaJ8F Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) November 14, 2020As the night wore on, the clashes turned more and more violent as groups of Proud Boys organized and were joined by tens of Trump supporters as they claimed: 'We're not done cleaning the city tonight, let's go'. Just as many left-wing protesters faced off with them, targeting the president's fans who remained. The group were dressed all in black and attacked anyone wearing Trump attire. Cops surrounded the entrance to The Capitol Hilton near the White House after a confrontation with the anti-Trump protesters. Inside were the president's supporters who held up flags to taunt those outside and rallied outside to sign the national anthem. One man was detained after a Trump sign was set on fire outside the hotel, according to USA Today, while protesters slashed the tires and defaced a truck with a red Trump hat inside. Police were eventually forced to use a chemical agent on the protesters as they tried to push them back from the hotel and more arrests were made. The Proud Boys held their own rally from about 9pm after several altercations between them and protesters. They chanted 'Break out Kyle!' in reference to Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old charged with shooting dead three protesters during Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Wisconsin in August. The group concluded the march at several hotels where large unmasked groups gathered and further speeches were delivered as the crowds chanted 'Four more years,' 'USA!' and 'Fox News sucks'. They carried it as far as they could toward the White House before stopping to take down some of the anti-Trump posters erected on the wall around the building. Social media footage also showed them pulling down Black Lives Matter posters from a nearby building and tearing them in two. A smaller scuffle broke out again just after midnight when a group of counter protesters argued with a man holding up a Trump flag as he hung from a pole. Police were seen tackling two people on the sidewalk. Fear of brawls had emerged earlier in the day as the pro-Trump crowd marched through the heavily Democrat federal district. Tensions rose as the afternoon wore on, with sporadic but heated screaming matches between participants in the pro-Trump rally and groups of masked counter-protesters bearing signs supporting Black Lives Matter and Antifa. Cops were quick to intervene, and there were no immediate reports of major violence until later in the evening. DC Metropolitan Police said they made at least twenty arrests as of 10pm Saturday, on charges including simple assault, assault on a police officer, and weapons violations. Four people were arrested for firearm violations, two for assault, one for not having a permit, one for assaulting a police officer and two for disorderly conduct, according to public affairs officer Alaina Gertz. A counter-protester burns a Trump 2020 flag after supporters of President Donald Trump held pro-Trump march in D.C. The motorcade was greeted by applause, cheers, waving and whistles from hundreds of Trump supporters lining both sides of the street. They punched the air, took photos and held signs that included 'Best prez ever' and 'Stop the steal'. The crowd also waved flags with messages including 'Trump 2020: Keep America great', 'Trump 2020: No more bulls**t', 'All aboard the Trump train! ', 'Women for Trump' and 'Trump 2020: Pro life, pro God, pro gun'. Inside the armored presidential state car, Trump was spotted smiling, waving and pointing at his supporters. 'I just want to keep up his spirits and let him know we support him,' one Trump loyalist, Anthony Whittaker of Winchester, Virginia, said from outside the Supreme Court, where thousands assembled after a march along Pennsylvania Avenue from Freedom Plaza, near the White House. The official event ended around 4pm, with organizers telling the crowd to follow a safe exit route protected by police. The Journey song Don't Stop Believin' played as the exuberant crowd dispersed. Few in the massive crowd were observed wearing masks. The clashes between protesters began almost immediately. In front of Union Station, one Trump supporter was beaten bloody in the head by counter-protesters. In another shocking scene, a little girl screamed in terror as counter-protesters clashed with a Trump supporter who appeared to be escorting her and her mother away from the Trump event. The march had gathered Saturday to support Trump's campaign as it files legal challenges complaining that their poll watchers were unable to scrutinize the voting process. Many of those challenges have been tossed out by judges, some within hours of their filing. A former administration official, Sebastian Gorka, whipped up the crowd by the Supreme Court by saying, 'We can win because he did win.' But, he added, 'It's going to be tough.' Greene, who has expressed support for the QAnon conspiracy theory, urged people to march peacefully toward the Supreme Court. Police formed a line to keep the two sides separate after a large group of counter-protesters gathered, wearing black and carrying umbrellas, hallmark tactics of Antifa. 'No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA,' a counter-protester with a bullhorn chanted. 'Punch MAGA in the face,' read a large banner displayed by the counter-protesters, also showing the circled 'A' symbol of anarchists. Other counter-protesters had signs supporting BLMTrump supporters, who appeared to massively outnumber the counter-protesters, lobbed insults at the black-clad group. 'Commie, commie,' chanted one man, as another jeered 'Go back to the basement.' Some Trump supporters ran excitedly after the motorcade. There were chants of 'USA! USA! ', 'We want Trump! We want Trump!' and 'Four more years! Four more years!' Many people wore red, white and blue flag patterns. One man had on a T shirt reading: 'I'm deplorable.' A stand had been set up to sell merchandise as if at a Trump rally. U.S. park police were present, as Freedom Plaza is administered by the National Park Service. At noon, speakers took the stage, leading the crowd in chants of 'Stop the steal!' and 'Trump won!' More than 93 percent of Washington DC's voters chose Biden in last week's election, suggesting that many of the participants at the rally had traveled to the capital for the event. Though large scale left-wing demonstrations are a regular occurrence in DC, pro-Trump events have rarely been held on this scale so deep in Democrat territory. A counter-protester with the group Refuse Fascism protests with a bullhorn at the Million MAGA MarchThe large crowd filled the surrounding blocks, as Trump supporters changed 'Stop the steal!' and 'Trump won!' Controversial Infowars radio host Alex Jones led a 'Stop the Steal' caravan from Texas to DC, arriving Friday night ahead of Saturday's march. During his show Tuesday, Jones said 'the cavalry is coming' as he urged Trump supporters to descend on Washington in 'caravans'. Jones was spotted at Saturday's event with a heavy security detail, walking alongside Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio. The rally, dubbed the Million MAGA March, is being held in support of Trump's unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud that threw the race for his opponent. Trump has made little headway in the courts with his lawsuits and for the first time on Friday he began to sound doubtful about his prospects, telling reporters 'time will tell' who occupies the White House from January 20. There have been other pro-Trump protests around the country since Biden was projected the winner on November 7, but they have been small and unfolded with few incidents. Organizers had predicted 10,000 would attend the rally, and as noon approached it looked like that many or moreTrump supporters punched the air, took photos and held signs that included 'Best prez ever' and 'Stop the steal'The crowd cheers as Trump's motorcade passed by in a surprise visit early on during the Million MAGA MarchSome Trump supporters ran excitedly after the motorcade. There were chants of 'USA! USA!' and 'We want Trump!' In addition to the Washington event, pro-Trump protests and counterprotests are planned in other major cities around the country. 'Heartwarming to see all of the tremendous support out there, especially the organic Rallies that are springing up all over the Country, including a big one on Saturday in D.C. I may even try to stop by and say hello,' Trump wrote on Twitter on Friday. The pro-Trump demonstrations in Washington and other cities on Saturday are scheduled to feature a mix of the president's backers, far-right personalities and members of the Oath Keepers militia and Proud Boys in a public display of support for his effort to stay in power. Organizers have given the rallies various names, including the Million MAGA March, the March for Trump and Stop the Steal. MAGA is an acronym for the Trump campaign slogan 'Make America Great Again.' Trump has tweeted his support. Protesting against the marches, opponents on social media sought to create confusion by flooding the hashtags #MillionMAGAMarch and #MarchforTrump with photographs of pancakes. Some left-wing groups are planning counter-demonstrations in Washington and other cities. Law enforcement had warned of potential violence around the election, including from extremist groups, which so far has not come to pass. Experts on extremist groups said that the Washington demonstrations had the potential to become violent if protesters clashed with counterprotesters. Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio (center) arrived at the rally flanked by members of his right-wing group. 'I don't want anyone to think we are talking about large numbers of folks,' he said at a news conference on Thursday. Rodriguez stressed that those attending the rallies would not be allowed to carry weapons. 'Violence will not be tolerated,' he said. Other Trump protests took place in Delray Beach, Florida, where several hundred people marched, some carrying signs reading 'Count every vote' and 'We cannot live under a Marxist government'. In Lansing, Michigan, protesters gathered at the Capitol to hear speakers cast doubt on results that showed Biden winning the state by more than 140,000 votes. Phoenix police estimated 1,500 people gathered outside the Arizona Capitol to protest Biden's narrow victory in the state. Before leaving the White House on Saturday, Trump launched a series of tweets on various topics. He attacked officials in Georgia over voting procedures there, earning a warning label rebuke from Twitter. The president also called on Congress to agree to a pandemic stimulus bill and wished the country a happy Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. As well, he also struck out at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, saying that any delay in distributing an eventual COVID-19 vaccine there would be the fault of state authorities. Meanwhile, Biden was spotted spending his Saturday morning on a bike ride at Cape Henlopen State Park in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Meanwhile, Biden was spotted spending his Saturday morning on a bike ride at Cape Henlopen State Park in DelawareU.S. President-elect Joe Biden goes for a bike ride at Cape Henlopen State Park in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware on SaturdayBiden further solidified his victory on Friday as results from Edison Research showed him winning Georgia, giving him a final tally of 306 Electoral College votes, far more than the 270 needed to be elected president and above Trump's 232. The 306 votes was equal to what Trump won in his 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton, which he then called a 'landslide.' Trump briefly appeared close to acknowledging the likelihood he will be leaving the White House in January during remarks at a White House event. 'This administration will not be going to a lockdown. Hopefully the, uh, whatever happens in the future - who knows which administration it will be? I guess time will tell,' Trump said in his first public remarks since Biden was projected as the election's winner a week ago. With the election outcome becoming clearer, Trump has discussed with advisers possible media ventures and appearances that would keep him in the spotlight ahead of a possible 2024 White House bid, aides said. He is considering starting a television channel or social media company to compete with those he felt betrayed him and stifled his ability to communicate directly with Americans, according to several advisers. In the near term, Trump is expected to campaign for Republican candidates in Georgia ahead of two Jan. 5 runoff elections that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. Trump has refused to concede to Biden and claims without evidence that he was cheated by widespread election fraud. State election officials report no serious irregularities, and several of his legal challenges have failed in court. Trump cheer alongside the presidential motorcade at Freedom Plaza near the White House in Washington, DCSupporters of U.S. President Donald Trump cheer alongside the presidential motorcade at Freedom PlazaIn addition to the Washington event, pro-Trump protests and counterprotests are planned in other major cities around the countryA Michigan state court on Friday rejected a request by Trump's supporters to block the certification of votes in Detroit, which went heavily in favor of Biden. And lawyers for Trump's campaign dropped a lawsuit in Arizona after the final vote count there rendered it moot. Federal election security officials have found no evidence that any voting system deleted, lost or changed votes, 'or was in any way compromised,' two security groups said in a statement released on Thursday by the lead U.S. cybersecurity agency. To win a second term, Trump would need to overturn Biden's lead in at least three states, but he has so far failed to produce evidence that he could do so in any of them. States face a December 8 deadline to certify their elections and choose electors for the Electoral College, which will officially select the new president on December 14. Trump's refusal to accept defeat has stalled the official transition. The federal agency that releases funding to an incoming president-elect, the General Services Administration, has yet to recognize Biden's victory, denying him access to federal office space and resources. 'We're charging ahead with the transition,' Jen Psaki, a senior adviser to Biden's transition team, said while stressing Biden still needs 'real-time information' from the Trump administration to deal with the resurgent coronavirus pandemic and national security threats. Although the national popular vote does not determine the election outcome, Biden was ahead by more than 5.3 million votes, or 3.4 percentage points. His share of the popular vote, at 50.8%, was slightly higher than Ronald Reagan's in 1980 when he defeated incumbent Jimmy Carter.

###CLAIM: work will continue with regional and global partners including taiwan to overcome this global pandemic, combat corruption and increase transparency and accountability. ###DOCS: ASUNCION (Reuters) - Paraguayan opposition lawmakers lost a bid on Wednesday to impeach President Mario Abdo over the governments handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the South American country. Slideshow ( 4 images )Abdos conservative government has faced fierce protests in recent weeks as a surge in COVID-19 cases has left hospitals on the brink of collapse and out of drugs, while the country has been slow to secure vaccines. Opposition lawmakers in the lower house of deputies put forward the motion to impeach Abdo and his vice-president. Fifty-three votes were needed for the motion to pass and in the end, the president was thrown a lifeline by a voting bloc within the ruling Colorado Party led by former President Horacio Cartes. Just because you have a majority does not always mean you are right, said opposition deputy Edgar Acosta during the plenary session. They may have won the political trial but they lost the citizens trial.Those who argued against the motion said the country needed stability to move forward with the purchase of vaccines and medicine critical to address the COVID-19 crisis. The failed push will nonetheless pile further pressure on Abdos government, which has been forced to shuffle several ministers, including the health minister and chief of staff, to help calm public anger. Shortly after the result came through, police dispersed stone-throwing protesters with rubber bullets and water cannons near the congressional headquarters in the historic center of Asuncion. A smaller group of protesters attacked the headquarters of the ruling party, starting a small fire in part of the building which was later brought under control by police with no major damage or injuries reported. Paraguays health ministry reported a record daily high of 2,540 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections in the landlocked Latin nation to 185,888 and 3,588 people dead.

###CLAIM: again, any particle for testing follows a trajectory laid out by the underlying geometrical curvature of space. ###DOCS: The fabric of expanding space as illustrated over cosmic time. One of the consequences of the ... [+] expansion is that the farther away a galaxy is, the faster it appears to recede from us, and that the farther away a light source is, the greater the redshift of the light's wavelength by the time we receive it. NASA, Goddard Space Flight CenterIts been almost 100 years since humanity first reached a revolutionary conclusion about our Universe: space itself doesnt remain static, but rather evolves with time. One of the most unsettling predictions of Einsteins General Relativity is that any Universe so long as its evenly filled with one or more type of energy cannot remain unchanging over time. Instead, it must either expand or contract, something initially derived independently by three separate people: Alexander Friedmann (1922), Georges Lemaitre (1927), Howard Robertson (1929), and then generalized by Arthur Walker (1936). Concurrently, observations began to show that the spirals and ellipticals in our sky were galaxies. With these new, more powerful measurements, we could determine that the farther away a galaxy was from us, the greater the amounts its light arrived at our eyes redshifted, or at longer wavelengths, compared to when that light was emitted. But what, exactly, is happening to the fabric of space itself while this process occurs? Is the space itself stretching, as though its getting thinner and thinner? Is more space constantly being created, as though it were filling in the gaps that the expansion creates? This is one of the toughest things to understand in modern astrophysics, but if we think hard about it, we can wrap our heads around it. Lets explore whats going on. An animated look at how spacetime responds as a mass moves through it helps showcase exactly how, ... [+] qualitatively, it isn't merely a sheet of fabric. Instead all of 3D space itself gets curved by the presence and properties of the matter and energy within the Universe. Multiple masses in orbit around one another will cause the emission of gravitational waves. LucasVBThe first thing you have to understand is what General Relativity does, and doesnt, tell us about the Universe. General Relativity, at its core, is a framework that relates two things that might not obviously be related:the amount, distribution, and types of energy including matter, antimatter, dark matter, radiation, neutrinos, and anything else you can imagine that are present all throughout the Universe,and the geometry of the underlying spacetime, including whether and how its curved and whether and how it will evolve. If your Universe has nothing in it at all, no matter or energy of any form, you get the flat, unchanging, Newtonian space youre intuitively used to: static, uncurved, and unchanging. If instead you put down a point mass in the Universe, you get space thats curved: Schwarzschild space. Any test particle you put into your Universe will be compelled to flow towards that mass along a particular trajectory. And if you make it a little more complicated, by putting down a point mass that also rotates, youll get space thats curved in a more complex way: according to the rules of the Kerr metric. It will have an event horizon, but instead of a point-like singularity, the singularity will get stretched out into a circular, one-dimensional ring. Again, any test particle you put down will follow the trajectory laid out by the underlying curvature of space. In the vicinity of a black hole, space flows like either a moving walkway or a waterfall, depending ... [+] on how you want to visualize it. At the event horizon, even if you ran (or swam) at the speed of light, there would be no overcoming the flow of spacetime, which drags you into the singularity at the center. Outside the event horizon, though, other forces (like electromagnetism) can frequently overcome the pull of gravity, causing even infalling matter to escape. Andrew Hamilton / JILA / University of ColoradoThese spacetimes, however, are static in the sense that any distance scales you might include like the size of the event horizon dont change over time. If you stepped out of a Universe with this spacetime and came back later, whether a second, an hour, or a billion years later, its structure would be identical irrespective of time. In spacetimes like these, however, theres no expansion. Theres no change in the distance or the light-travel-time between any points within this spacetime. With just one (or fewer) sources inside, and no other forms of energy, these model Universes really are static. But its a very different game when you dont put down isolated sources of mass or energy, but rather when your Universe is filled with stuff everywhere. In fact, the two criteria we normally assume, and which is strongly validated by large-scale observations, are called isotropy and homogeneity. Isotropy tells us that the Universe is the same in all directions: everywhere we look on cosmic scales, no direction looks particularly different or preferred from any other. Homogeneity, on the other hand, tells us that the Universe is the same in all locations: the same density, temperature, and expansion rate exist to better than 99.99% precision on the largest scales. Our view of a small region of the Universe near the northern galactic cap, where each pixel in the ... [+] image represents a mapped galaxy. On the largest scales, the Universe is the same in all directions and at all measurable locations, with the major difference being that distant galaxies appear smaller, younger, denser, and less evolved than the ones we find nearby: evidence for cosmic evolution with time, but no changes in isotropy or homogeneity. SDSS III, data release 8In this case, where your Universe is uniformly filled with some sort of energy (or multiple different types of energy), the rules of General Relativity tell us how that Universe will evolve. In fact, the equations that govern it are known as the Friedmann equations: derived by Alexander Friedmann all the way back in 1922, a year before we discovered that those spirals in the sky are actually galaxies outside of and beyond the Milky Way! Your Universe must expand or contract according to these equations, and thats what the mathematics tells us must occur. But what, exactly, does that mean? You see, space itself is not something thats directly measurable. Its not like you can go out and take some space and just perform an experiment on it. Instead, what we can do is observe the effects of space on observable things like matter, antimatter, and light and then use that information to figure out what the underlying space itself is doing. When a star passes close to a supermassive black hole, it enters a region where space is more ... [+] severely curved, and hence the light emitted from it has a greater potential well to climb out of. The loss of energy results in a gravitational redshift, independent of and superimposed atop any doppler (velocity) redshifts we'd observe. NICOLE R. FULLER / NSFFor example, if we go back to the black hole example (although it applies to any mass), we can calculate how severely space is curved in the vicinity of a black hole. If the black hole is spinning, we can can calculate how significantly space is dragged along with the black hole due to the effects of angular momentum. If we then measure what happens to objects in the vicinity of those objects, we can compare what we see with the predictions of General Relativity. In other words, we can see if space curves the way Einsteins theory tells us it ought to. And oh, does it do so to an incredible level of precision. Light blueshifts when it enters an area of extreme curvature and redshifts when it leaves. This gravitational redshift has been measured for stars orbiting black holes, for light traveling vertically in Earths gravitational field, from the light coming from the Sun, and even for light passing through growing galaxy clusters. Similarly, gravitational time dilation, the bending of light by large masses, and the precession of everything from planetary orbits to rotating spheres sent up to space has demonstrated spectacular agreement with Einsteins predictions. A photon source, like a radioactive atom, will have a chance of being absorbed by the same material ... [+] if the wavelength of the photon doesn't change from its source to its destination. If you cause the photon to travel up or down in a gravitational field, you have to change the relative speeds of the source and receiver (such as driving it with a speaker cone) in order to compensate. This was the setup of the Pound-Rebka experiment from 1959. E. Siegel / Beyond the GalaxyBut what about the Universes expansion? When you think about an expanding Universe, the question you should be asking is: what, observably, changes about the measurable things in the Universe? After all, thats what we can predict, thats whats physically observable, and thats what will inform us as to whats going on. Well, the simplest thing we can look at is density. If our Universe is filled with stuff, then as the Universe expands, its volume increases. We normally think about matter as the stuff were thinking about. Matter is, at its simplest level, a fixed amount of massive stuff that lives within space. As the Universe expands, the total amount of stuff remains the same, but the total amount of space for the stuff to live within increases. For matter, density is just mass divided by volume, and so if your mass stays the same (or, for things like atoms, the number of particles stays the same) while your volume grows, your density should go down. When we do the General Relativity calculation, thats exactly what we find for matter. While matter and radiation become less dense as the Universe expands owing to its increasing volume, ... [+] dark energy is a form of energy inherent to space itself. As new space gets created in the expanding Universe, the dark energy density remains constant. E. SIEGEL / BEYOND THE GALAXYBut even though we have multiple types of matter in the Universe normal matter, black holes, dark matter, neutrinos, etc. not everything in the Universe is matter. For example, we also have radiation: quantized into individual particles, like matter, but massless, and with its energy defined by its wavelength. As the Universe expands, and as light travels through the expanding Universe, not only does the volume increase while the number of particles remains the same, but each quantum of radiation experiences a shift in its wavelength towards the redder end of the spectrum: longer wavelengths. Meanwhile, our Universe also possesses dark energy, which is a form of energy that isnt in the form of particles at all, but rather appears to be inherent to the fabric of space itself. While we cannot measure dark energy directly the same way we can measure the wavelength and/or energy of photons, there is a way to infer its value and properties: by looking at precisely how the light from distant objects redshifts. Remember that theres a relationship between the different forms of energy in the Universe and the expansion rate. When we measure the distance and redshift of various objects throughout cosmic time, they can inform us as to how much dark energy there is, as well as what its properties are. What we find is that the Universe is about 23 dark energy today, and that the energy density of dark energy doesnt change: as the Universe expands, the energy density remains constant. When we plot out all the different objects we've measured at large distances versus their redshifts, ... [+] we find that the Universe cannot be made of matter-and-radiation only, but must include a form of dark energy: consistent with a cosmological constant, or an energy inherent to the fabric of space itself. NED WRIGHT'S COSMOLOGY TUTORIALWhen we put the full picture together from all the different sources of data that we have, a single, consistent picture emerges. Our Universe today is expanding at somewhere around 70 km/s/Mpc, which means that for every megaparsec (about 3.26 million light-years) of distance an object is separated from another object, the expanding Universe contributes a redshift thats equivalent to a recessional motion of 70 km/s. Thats what its doing today, mind you. But by looking to greater and greater distances and measuring the redshifts there, we can learn how the expansion rate differed in the past, and hence, what the Universe is made of: not just today, but at any point in history. If we extrapolate backwards, based on what we infer about today, we can learn what type of energy dominated the expanding Universe at various epochs in cosmic history. The relative importance of dark matter, dark energy, normal matter, and neutrinos and radiation in ... [+] the expanding Universe are illustrated here. While dark energy dominates today, it was negligible early on. Dark matter has been largely important for extremely long cosmic times, and we can see its signatures in even the Universe's earliest signals. Meanwhile, radiation was dominant for the first ~10,000 years of the Universe after the Big Bang. E. SiegelNotice, very importantly, that the Universe responds in a fundamentally different way to these differing forms of energy. When we ask, what is space doing while its expanding? were actually asking which description of space makes sense for the phenomenon were considering. If you consider a Universe filled with radiation, because the wavelength lengthens as the Universe expands, the space stretches analogy works very well. If the Universe were to contract instead, space compresses would explain how the wavelength shortens (and energy increases) equally well. On the other hand, when something stretches, it thins out, just like when something compresses, it thickens up. This is a reasonable thought for radiation, but not for dark energy, or any form of energy intrinsic to the fabric of space itself. When we consider dark energy, the energy density always remains constant. As the Universe expands, its volume is increasing while the energy density doesnt change, and therefore the total energy increases. Its as though new space is getting created due to the Universes expansion. Neither explanation works universally well: its that one works to explain what happens to radiation (and other energetic particles) and one works to explain what happens to dark energy (and anything else thats an intrinsic property of space, or a quantum field coupled directly to space). An illustration of how spacetime expands when its dominated by Matter, Radiation or energy inherent ... [+] to space itself, such as dark energy. All three of these solutions are derivable from the Friedmann equations. Note that visualizing the expansion as either 'stretching' or 'creating new space' won't suffice in all instances. E. SiegelSpace, contrary to what you might think, isnt some physical substance that you can treat the same way youd treat particles or some other form of energy. Instead, space is simply the backdrop a stage, if you will against or upon which the Universe itself unfolds. We can measure what the properties of space are, and under the rules of General Relativity, if we can know whats present within that space, we can predict how space will curve and evolve. That curvature and that evolution will then determine the future trajectory of every quantum of energy that exists. The radiation within our Universe behaves as though space is stretching, although space itself isnt getting any thinner. The dark energy within our Universe behaves as though new space is getting created, although theres nothing we can measure to detect this creation. In reality, General Relativity can only tell us how space behaves, evolves, and affects the energy within it; it cannot fundamentally tell us what space actually is. In our attempts to make sense of the Universe, we cannot justify adding extraneous structures atop what is measurable. Space neither stretches nor gets created, but simply is. At least, with General Relativity, we can accurately learn how it is, even if we cant know precisely what it is.

###CLAIM: dado\/ruvic : european and u. s. bonds suffered the worst start to the year since 2013 as investors dumped government debt in anticipation that a trillion u. s. dollar fiscal stimulus package would power economic recovery and global inflation. ###DOCS: LONDON (Reuters) - Some of the worlds biggest investors are slashing exposure to government bonds on expectations that the debt sell-off is just getting started, and without too swift a rise in borrowing costs, most central banks will not intervene. FILE PHOTO: Rolled Euro banknotes are placed on U.S. Dollar banknotes in this illustration taken May 26, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationU.S. and European bonds have suffered their worst start to the year since 2013, with investors dumping government debt in anticipation that the $1.9 trillion U.S. fiscal stimulus package will power economic recovery and fuel inflation globally. The speed of the move stunned fund managers -- even those who had begun positioning for higher yields. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields are up 64 basis points (bps) this year at 1.5%, jacking up borrowing costs elsewhere. Graphic: Move in 10-year sovereign bond yields this year -Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell has appeared unconcerned, possibly viewing the rise in yields as a sign of economic recovery. He has pledged to keep rates low and may believe any upcoming inflation will be transitory. If yields continue to drift higher with significantly stronger [economic] growth rates, central banks will be fine with that, said Iain Stealey, international CIO at JP Morgan Asset Management, with assets under management of $2.3 trillion. Stealey sees 10-year U.S. yields as high as 2% by year-end and said that unless the rise becomes unruly or stocks crash, the Fed is unlikely to push against a further 30 to 50 bps rise in borrowing costs. Most investors saw 2% as a limit, stressing that it was the speed of the move that mattered. The European Central Bank was seen as most likely to intervene if rises got out of hand and Australias central bank has already done so. Other big investors have also cut government debt exposure, with BlackRock going underweight Treasuries. Amundi Asset Managements Gilles Dauphine, who manages 200 billion euros ($238.4 billion) worth of government bond investments as head of the credit and insurance businesses, has been betting against U.S. Treasuries. I dont think the move (higher in yields) has gone too far, he told Reuters, but cautioned that the move was probably too fast. He remains short duration, including in U.S. Treasuries and said the Fed was unlikely to be very worried unless yields topped 1.75% soon. Graphic: Bond returns in 2021: not so great-EXCEPTIONALISMThe variable speed of COVID-19 vaccination rollouts and economic recovery is enabling bond market exceptionalism, said AllianceBernsteins co-head of European fixed income, John Taylor. After years in which bond yields followed each other lower, investors today can wager on a rise in rates in some countries, such as the United States and Britain, even as yields stay lower elsewhere. Taylor has a 2% end-of-2021 target for 10-year Treasury yields. JP Morgan Asset Managements Stealey expects Britains 10-year gilt yield to top 1% -- implying a further 28 bps rise from current levels -- while German yields will lag. Few investors believe euro zone bonds will endure as significant a sell-off given the regions weaker growth and inflation. The OECD forecasts the euro area economy to grow 3.9% in 2021; it estimates U.S. growth at 6.5%. The ECB, meeting on Thursday, is worried about rising yields. We think that this current sell-off in Europe at least is a more temporary phenomenon, because Europe will take several years to recover from this COVID episode, said David Zahn, European fixed income head at Franklin Templeton. He anticipates the ECB would likely remain incredibly accommodative. Investors expect significant ECB intervention should Germanys Bund yield near 0% from -0.30% currently. Graphic: Bond selloff just a blip in decades long bullrun? -CALLING ITRising bond yields, echoing the 2013 bond tantrum, raise questions over whether its time to call an end to the decades-long bond bull run. Maybe not. Marc Seidner, a senior fund manager at bond giant PIMCO, wrote in a blog post on Monday that inflation will not rise as fast as markets anticipate -- so, long-dated yields could stay within recent ranges. Mike Riddell, head of macro unconstrained at Allianz Global Investors, plans to move back into government debt if yields rise sharply again in coming months because a spike in inflation would prove temporary and Chinese economic momentum would slow. And higher U.S. yields could attract investors back to Treasuries since yields in much of Europe and Japan are negative. Others, however, say this bond sell-off is no blip. The bull market is done, said AllianceBernsteins Taylor, arguing that yields could get stuck at relatively higher levels because inflation, at least in the United States will rise. ($1 = 0.8391 euros)

###CLAIM: real estate prices have been a common cause of recession due to unrealistic high prices at a time of weak economy which caused a burst of bubbles. ###DOCS: Founder of Apartment Loan Store a Commercial Mortgage Firm. Author of The Encyclopedia of Commercial Real Estate Advice," Publisher- Wiley. gettyImagine you are out shopping for toilet paper. You go to a large grocery and find the shelves completely bare. The manager says they are getting more in soon. Uncertainty is not your thing; you are relieved to find some (at an exorbitant price) at a convenience store. Darn, its the one-ply rough type youre not fond of but it's yours if you want to pay three bucks a roll. Should you wait a bit longer to see what the large store gets in? Maybe it will even be the soft cushy stuff you like? I know, it seems like a joke to compare shopping for toilet paper to shopping for real estate, but in todays market, there are some similarities. Yes, really: Both are affected by the laws of supply and demand. Remember, the scenario above actually did happen at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic when toilet tissue became a rare find. And today, except for retail, office and hotel properties, there is a historically low inventory of almost all types of real estate for sale, pushing prices up. And instead of buyers waiting to find that property that really fits their practical, financial and aesthetic objectives, many opt to buy something that is far from their dream and overpriced to boot. Why? Because they are afraid if they dont buy today, prices will only go higher tomorrow. Why is it such a seller's market right now? According to realtor.com, housing inventory declined by 39.6% in 2020. This is huge and, combined with an increase in demand, has created unrealistically high prices. To add insult to injury, many owners who would like to sell have been hesitant to list their properties for sale. They seem to be worried about finding a suitable replacement property with so few to choose from and most being overpriced. And some think they will lose out if they sell today. They think prices will go up even higher if they wait. Compounding this, the pandemic has caused many sellers to be sluggish in showing their properties, hesitant to offer viewings to buyers who may expose them to the virus. With mortgage rates still at all-time lows, you might think there would be an abundance of new construction starts. This would solve some of the problem by adding more inventory. But this is not happening, because there is nothing lenders hate more than uncertainty. We are talking about high unemployment, the number of properties in forbearance, the record number of tenants paying late or not paying at all and not knowing how long new properties will take to get occupied. So, with lenders calling the shots, loan guidelines are more stringent and loan-to-cost and loan-to-value ratios are lowering. This has resulted in many borrowers not qualifying and fewer residential and commercial construction starts. How do you know if you are buying at the bottom of the market? I've covered the four stages of the real estate market cycle and the best time to buy in detail for my book. Simply, the recession phase is followed by the recovery phase, expansion phase and hyper-supply phase. As the recession phase moves into the recovery phase, prices are at their lowest, foreclosures are at their highest and this is usually the bottom of the market and the best time to buy. We have been in the coronavirus recession for about a year now, and real estate prices should be coming down. In fact, we should be hitting close to the bottom of the market. But conversely, prices are still going up. This is likely due to this recession being an anomaly caused by a pandemic during strong economic times. Recessions are commonly caused by unrealistically high real estate prices during weak economic times, which causes the bubble to burst. High prices topple because they have been based on smoke and mirrors, or should I say the whims of buyers, sellers and real estate brokers. Ideally, they should be supported by growth in jobs, wages and GDP. How do you know if you are buying at the top of the market? If real estate prices have gone up because of a strong economy we are talking about growth in jobs, wages and GDP then you are likely not buying at the top of the market. But if prices are at their highest because of low inventory, and it doesnt look like more will be coming online soon, this could be a sign that you are buying at the top of the market. After all, it is just a matter of time before there is a correction. Yes, the market cycle will change just as it always has. There will be new construction again and more properties put up for sale, causing inventories to rise and prices to come down. Commercial and investment real estate have an additional factor. If you are paying a price that currently does not even come close to giving you the cash-on-cash return you should be earning, then you are almost certainly a candidate for buying at the top of the market. Be careful if you are leaning toward buying a property today that is overpriced thinking it will be worth more in the future. Does this really make sense? OK, if its in a great neighborhood with under-market rents and you dont have to make many improvements to raise rents and you can achieve this in a year, then maybe yes. Foremost, keep in mind that buying at the top of the market creates sellers who win and buyers who lose. Be clear about which side of this coin you want to be on. In other words, if the shelves are almost bare, dont panic and buy a property because its the best of the worst that are available. Sit back and relax. Take the time to find the property that meets your practical, financial and aesthetic objectives. Forbes Real Estate Council is an invitation-only community for executives in the real estate industry. Do I qualify?

###CLAIM: liss said she was hugged from behind by the governor, who then put his arm around her waist as they posed for the photo. ###DOCS: Lindsay Boylan, 36Former aide Lindsay Boylan, 36, was the first woman to accuse Cuomo of sexual harassment in a Medium post on February 24. She claimed that the governor asked her to play strip poker and kissed her on the lips without her permission when she worked for him in 2017. Lindsay Boylan, 36Charlotte Bennett, 25Charlotte Bennett, 25, came forward a few days after Boylan and claimed that Cuomo sexually harassed her last June while she was working as a health policy adviser in his administration at the height of the COVID-19 crisis. Bennett accused Cuomo of 'grooming' her and asking inappropriate questions about her sex life. She also claimed that he told her he was open to dating women in their 20s. BENNETT said the governor asked her about her love life - including whether she ever had sex with older men - and talked about his own, saying that age differences didn't matter in relationships and he was open to dating women over 22. During a meeting alone in his office, the governor said he was lonely and talked about wanting to hug someone, Bennett said. She said she swiftly complained to Cuomo's chief of staff and was transferred to another job. She said she spoke to a lawyer for the governor, but didn t insist on further action because she liked her new post and wanted to move on. Charlotte Bennett, 25Anna Ruch, 33Anna Ruch was the third woman to accuse Cuomo of sexual harassment and the only one thus far who did not work with him in a professional capacity. She claimed that Cuomo put his hands on her face and asked if he could kiss her just moments after they met at a September 2019 wedding in Manhattan. Anna Ruch, 33Ana Liss, 35Ana Liss, 35, a former aide, said Cuomo asked her whether she had a boyfriend, once kissed her hand at her desk and called her by patronizing names, including 'blondie,' 'sweetheart' and 'honey.' At a reception, the governor hugged her then put his arm around her lower back and waist as they posed for photo, Liss said. She said she eventually asked for a job transfer. In an interview, Liss said she was 'not claiming sexual harassment per se,' but felt the administration 'wasn't a safe space for young women to work.' Liss, who previously served as Cuomo's policy and operations aide between 2013 and 2015, told the Wall Street Journal that during her time in his administration, the governor had subjected her to unsolicited advances, including touching her lower back, kissing her hand and quizzing her about her love life. Ana Liss, 35Karen Hinton, 62The oldest allegations against Cuomo came from Karen Hinton, who served as a press aide for him when he led the US Department of Housing and Urban Development two decades ago and she was a consultant for the agency. Hinton told the Washington Post about a 2000 incident when she said Cuomo summoned her to his 'dimly lit' hotel room and embraced her after a work event. She said she tried to pull away from Cuomo when he pulled her back and held her before she managed to escape the room. Karen Hinton, 62Unnamed sixth accuserThe most damning allegations leveled against Cuomo to date came from a sixth accuser, whose name has not been released. The accuser, who is a member of Cuomo's staff, alleged that he closed a door, reached under her blouse and fondled her after summoning her to the governor's mansion in Albany for help with his cellphone, according to the Times Union of Albany. It first reported on her accusation last month; she then gave more detail in her first interview on the matter. The woman spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect her privacy, although her identity is known within the governor s circle, the Times Union reported. The woman, an executive assistant, told the Times Union the governor gave her kisses on the cheek and inappropriately tight hugs for years and made remarks including, 'If you were single, the things that I would do to you' and 'I'm single and ready to mingle.' Then, one day in November, she was summoned to his Executive Mansion office to help him with a cellphone problem, she said. He got up from his desk, started groping her and told her 'I don't care' after she tried to deflect him by saying he was going to get them into trouble, and then he slammed the door, she said. Then he reached under her blouse and clutched one of her breasts over her bra, she told the newspaper. The woman told a colleague this winter about the alleged encounter, and the co-worker told a supervisor in early March, according to the newspaper. Cuomo called the report 'gut-wrenching' in a March statement and said: 'I have never done anything like this.' Another female aide, who has remained anonymous, claimed he called her to his Executive Mansion last year, reached under her blouse and fondled herJessica BakemanJessica Bakeman claimed in a first-person article for New York Magazine that she was sexually harassed by Cuomo on several occasions since the start of her journalism career in 2012. Bakeman added her voice as the seventh accuser as she detailed inappropriate touching by the governor as he continued to deny all of the claims. 'He took my hand, as if to shake it, then refused to let go,' Bakeman wrote of an interaction with Cuomo as she said goodnight at a holiday party in 2014 when she was only 25 years old. 'He put his other arm around my back, his hand on my waist, and held me firmly in place while indicating to a photographer he wanted us to pose for a picture.' At the time Bakeman had been working for what is now Politico New York and claimed that red flags went up as her 'job was to analyze and scrutinize him'. 'I didn't want a photo of him with his hands on my body and a smile on my face,' she wrote. Jessica Bakeman, a reporter who once covered the Cuomo administration, was the seventh woman to come forward with claims of harassment'But I made the reflexive assessment that most women and marginalized people know instinctively, the calculation about risk and power and self-preservation. I knew it would be far easier to smile for the brief moment it takes to snap a picture than to challenge one of the most powerful men in the country.' In an earlier 2012 incident while she was working for USA Today, Bakeman also claims that Cuomo kept her pinned to his side as he told a story to her male colleagues. 'He left it there, and kept me pinned next to him, for several minutes as he finished telling his story,' she said. 'I stood there, my cheeks hot, giggling nervously as my male colleagues did the same. We all knew it was wrong, but we did nothing.' The reporter, who now works in Florida, claimed that Cuomo 'never let me forget I was a woman' as she also alleged that he made frequent attempts to humiliate her, including calling out her purple phone instead of answering her question during a press gaggle. Alyssa McGrath, 33McGrath, a current administrative assistant in Cuomo's office, told The New York Times that he looked down her shirt, quizzed her about her marital status, and told her she was beautiful, using an Italian phrase she had to ask her parents to interpret. McGrath didn't say the governor made sexual contact with her but thought his behavior was sexual harassment. She recalled Cuomo kissing her on the forehead and gripping her firmly around the sides while posing for a photo at a 2019 office Christmas party. Alyssa McGrath (pictured) is one of two aides who have come forward to accuse the governor of harassmentSherry Vill, 55Sherry Vill, 55, accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct during a press conference with her attorney Gloria Allred on Monday. She alleges Cuomo grabbed her face and kissed her 'aggressively and in a sexual manner' on both cheeks in May 2017 while he was touring her home in Greece, near Rochester, as he inspected local flood damage. Vill, who said she felt uncomfortable at the time, shared an image her daughter took on the day that showed Cuomo holding her face as he kissed her cheek and her attorney held up multiple photos showing the Governor inside her home. The same photos appear on Cuomo's Flickr account, as well as multiple others that show him kissing and greeting residents as he toured the town. None of the women in the other photos have accused the governor of inappropriate behavior or wrongdoing.

###CLAIM: according to the deloitte report, there could also be tax advantages in helping companies benefit from investment in aircraft. ###DOCS: By Amber OgdenAt the same time, industry experts are observing a more resilient recovery in the private aviation sector, with sources reporting business jet activity steadily hovering around 85% of its pre-crisis traffic and even occasionally exceeding last years volume. For corporate leaders aiming to maintain business continuity in todays challenging climate while also securing an edge for the post-pandemic era, these trends in the private aviation market could point to an appealing solution. Here, well explore why investing in a business jet could be a smart move for your business, helping leaders stay productive and safe throughout their journeys while benefiting the companys bottom line. Maybe they run through a preflight mental checklist, calculating precisely how much time to allot without cutting it too close. Checked in? Unexpected delays accounted for? A bag that fits in the overhead space? What about squeezing in a meeting without disturbing other passengers? Given the variety of hassles and delays possible with commercial air travel, some business travelers may be looking for more control, predictability and efficiency. With a company jet, passengers could fast-track their journey from the start, potentially accessing private terminals and skipping lines, avoiding luggage mishaps and long layovers, flying directly to areas that lack airport service and more. Ultimately, these efficiencies could help busy executives save significant time and energy, reserving space to accomplish actual work rather than nurse a travel-induced headache. While flying private can help prevent wasting precious time at the airport, opportunities for efficiency exist inside the aircraft, too. Adequate space and proper working conditions arent necessarily a given when you fly. Fussy babies and cramped seating can make it tough to handle a client call or even think straight. Many business jets, however, are designed specifically for elevated comfort, space, privacy and noise control. Textron Aviations Cessna Citation lineup, for example, offers seven jet models of various sizesfurnished with different cabin management systems, soundproofing features, seating configurations, wireless technologies and more. These possibilities mean you can select an aircraft thats tailored to the work you need to accomplish in transit. Repeated contact with frequently touched airport surfaces or time spent around others in congested terminals or on packed planes increase possible exposure to Covid-19, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a result, some frequent travelers appear to be opting for lower-risk options. A recent article suggests that increasing interest in flying private could be attributable to the fact that some Americans consider it a safer alternative to the often cramped commercial flights filled with strangers during the pandemic.As companies balance these legitimate health concerns with core business needs like meeting clients in person, private aviation could prove a saferand less stressfulroute to keeping business running smoothly while minimizing risk. Certain jets feature advanced technologies that contribute to passenger health and safety. Every Cessna Citation aircraft, for example, provides an air filtration system to ensure a clean breathing environment on board. Some are equipped with fresh air systems that circulate clean air from outside the plane into the cabin, while others use advanced filtration systems to decontaminate and recirculate air during flight. In a private aircraft, a small number of passengers spread throughout a roomy interior supplies the personal space and environmental control that passengers need to stay socially distanced while flyingor to simply feel comfortable in a post-Covid-19 era. If you and your team have a long flight ahead, these calm and controlled surroundings are even more essential so that employees can stretch, relax and recharge in transit. If regular travel is on your companys schedule, ensuring that every journey is optimized for productivity, safety and general enjoyment could boost employee satisfaction and engagement, and in turn drive profits. But given the up-front expensethe Cessna Citation jets range from $5.5 million to $28 millionhow exactly can investing in private aircraft pay off for the business down the road? Weighing the costs and benefits of jet ownership may seem overwhelming, but it doesnt have to be. With an assortment of aircraft models available at a variety of price points and ownership levelschartering to full or fractional ownership, for examplebusinesses have an array of affordable and customizable choices. Theres also advice available. At Textron Aviation, prospective customers are encouraged to consult with the companys financial experts to design a payment plan that complements specific budgets and business needs. According to a report from Deloitte, there may also be tax advantages to help companies benefit from their aircraft investment. From takeoff to touchdown, flying private could enhance the corporate travel experience all around, offering a reprieve from the hustle in an environment optimized for both work and rest. With elevated productivity and safety, a private jet could generate the return on investment your business needs to reach its desired destination. With flight activity nearing 90% of pre-COVID levels, private aviation is one of the few bits of good news across the decimated travel and hospitality industry. Charter operators and brokers have reported triple-figure increases in call volume and, more importantly, record numbers of new customers. According to the advocacy group No Plane No Gain, in the U.S. alone the industry supports over 1.1 million jobs and generates $219 million in economic benefits. A lot of times business aviation is the best mode of transportation. Sometimes, its the only mode of transportation.-Ed Bolen, CEO, National Business Aviation AssociationWith corner office level business travel often still on hold, the recovery has been primarily driven by high net worth families. They are seeking to minimize exposure to COVID-19 or fill the gap from reduced airline schedules. Most of the trips are between homes they own. In some cases, they are renting villas or chartering yachts, sometimes for months at a time. ADVERTISEMENTVBACE Report: VistaJet says 80% of its program customers have signed up for its carbon offset ... [+] program since its launch in January. However, a survey of operators and corporate flight departments found only two-tenths of a percent who said sustainable aviation fuels are a priority for passengers. (Photo by Marina Lystseva\TASS via Getty Images) TASS via Getty ImagesData from McKinsey estimates only about 100,000 from as many as 1.5 million affluent domestic households that have the means to charter a private jet were doing so before the pandemic. In other words, theres plenty of room for growth. Last month, IATA said it expects the worlds airlines to lose at least $118 billion this year, an upwards revision of $34 billion than was expected in June. ADVERTISEMENTAt the same time, executives of the largest fractional, charter, and jet card providers were offering a bullish outlook for private travel. The CEO of Wheels Up with the second largest fleet of for-hire aircraft said flight volume at his company is exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Thanksgiving flights were off only 7.6% for private jets compared to a 60% drop in travelers who passed through TSA checkpoints. However, business aviation, as the industry mainly calls itself, may rightly be considering the thorns lurking beneath the rose petals. The industrys never-ending pressure to thread the needle of how its seen by the outside world was on display last week during VBACE, a virtual rendition of its annual convention. The normal NBAA BACE originally set for Orlando in October was canceled due to the pandemic. During a panel moderated by aviation journalist Christine Negroni, best known for her reporting on air crash investigations, Ed Bolen, CEO of the National Business Aviation Association, was asked if he was concerned about the increased press of high-net-worth families taking off on private jets during a severe economic downturn. ADVERTISEMENTBolen countered, (Business aviation is) a big, broad, diverse industry. Sometimes, its the only mode of transportation.Still, the industry is smart to be alert that the multitude of positive stories of how private aircraft have bridged the gap left by airlines can shift quickly. Reports about Austin, Texas Mayor Steve Adler, admonishing citizens to stay home over Thanksgiving from a condo in Mexico, gratuitously mentioned he flew there by private jet. From Prince Harry to Elon Musk, the rich and famous have long been an easy lightning rod to strike the industry. Those same super rich and corporate elite may also be a powerful force in helping the industry achieve its carbon reduction goals. Matteo Atti, executive vice president of global charter operator VistaJet, said since launching a carbon offset program this year during Davos, 80% of members have signed on. Those customers commit to flying at least 50 hours per year, with many tallying hundreds of flight hours. The company has also been educating them that by booking earlier, they can reduce repositioning flights. Flight planning technology providing improved routings has cut CO2 output by six to eight percent. ADVERTISEMENTMark Masluch, director of public affairs at Bombardier, said, The disproportionate amount of criticism (business aviation gets) is something we take to heart and gives us even more resolve to tackle these issues. While the manufacturer has been working to decrease the carbon output of its jets for more than a dozen years, he said sustainable aviation fuels offer the best near-term solution. SAFs cut carbon emissions by up to 80% and can be used on new and old jets. However, access is still limited. When NetJets launched an umbrella for its sustainability initiatives in October, it was notable there was only one location in the U.S. where it said there was SAF availability. By making a large commitment the goal is to spur more supply via the demand side. Dan Hubbard, senior vice president for NBAA, said big companies are helping that push. CEO-level sustainability commitments filter down through various departments, including travel and aviation. ADVERTISEMENTIts not clear how strong the message is either from the wealthy or corner office. A JetNet IQ quarterly survey released during VBACE of private jet operators, including companies that manage aircraft for UHNWs, charter fleets, and corporate flight departments, found only two-tenths of one percent said using sustainable fuel ranked among the top concerns of passengers. Over 60% listed COVID-19 related cleaning and health protocols, while 22% pointed to the cost of a flight. WiFi availability scored 15 times more important than SAF.

###CLAIM: johnston and bourdillon said the complaint was caused by a meeting on january 7, 2020 to discuss the complaint with andy and harries, the founders of the left-wing bank's post-production staff, wilson and two additional members who did not name the choice in the guardian's choice. ###DOCS: ITV has cancelled the airing of Noel Clarke's hit show Viewpoint tonight after 20 women accused the star of being a 'sexual predator'. The broadcaster says 'it is no longer appropriate' to show the final part of the show at 9pm - instead it will be uploaded to ITV Hub until it is deleted on Sunday because of the scandal engulfing the actor, 45. Sky today halted all work with Noel Clarke and cancelled filming of the fourth series of Bulletproof over sexual harassment claims as his co-star Ashley Walters posted a statement on social media supporting his alleged victims. An ITV spokesperson said: 'In light of the very serious nature of the allegations against Noel Clarke raised by 20 women in the Guardian's report, ITV has decided it is no longer appropriate to broadcast the final episode of the drama Viewpoint on ITV main channel this evening. 'ITV has a zero tolerance policy to bullying, harassment and victimisation and robust procedures in place to investigate and deal with any complaints. We strongly believe that everyone deserves to work in a supportive and safe environment. 'We are mindful that some of our viewers have already invested four hours of their time over the past four nights in following this thriller which was due to conclude this evening, and they have yet to see the final episode. As such we plan to make it available on ITV Hub tonight for a limited time for any viewers who wish to seek it out, and watch its conclusion.' An ITV source said there has been no complaints about his behaviour while making Viewpoint. Noel Clarke pictured in the five-part drama Viewpoint. Sky said 'effective immediately' it would be 'halting' Clarke's 'involvement in all future productions' until an undefined date. The actor, 45, has starred in three series of Bulletproof, an East London crime drama, with filming on the fourth set to start later this year. Young appeared in the penultimate episode of Viewpoint yesterday, which aired an hour after 20 women accused him of sexual harassment, groping and bullying between 2004 and 2019 in claims he has vehemently denied. Before it was cancelled, TV presenter India Willoughby joined growing numbers of Twitter users calling on the channel to 'do the right thing' . She wrote: 'Let's see if ITV do the right thing and drop tonight's final episode of Noel Clarke drama #Viewpoint , while the allegations are investigated. Big on statements this year. One for the women, seeing it's a female orientated channel?' Others criticised ITV for continuing to air last night's episode of Viewpoint, which included a sex scene involving Clarke as lead character DC Martin Young and the actress Alexandra Roach. A spokesperson for Sky said today: 'Sky stands against all forms of sexual harassment and bullying and takes any allegations of this nature extremely seriously. Effective immediately, we have halted Noel Clarke's involvement in any future Sky productions.' Clarke said in response to the allegations: 'In a 20-year career, I have put inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of my work and never had a complaint made against me. 'If anyone who has worked with me has ever felt uncomfortable or disrespected, I sincerely apologise. I vehemently deny any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing and intend to defend myself against these false allegations.' 'Incredibly crass decision to broadcast this,' one Twitter user wrote last night, with a second adding: 'Well this is uncomfortable.' Others also vented their anger on the social network. Debbie Blackman tweeted: 'Very awkward about showing #Viewpoint tonight. I want to see what happens but doesn't seem right somehow.' Christian Bevan said: 'Why are @ITV still showing #Viewpoint? Surely you have to pull the programme.' And Noel Elkins added: 'Totally wrong decision for @itv to be showing #Viewpoint.' Clarke has starred in three series of Bulletproof, an East London crime drama, (pic) with filming on the fourth set to start later this yearOthers also vented their anger against ITV on the social network. MailOnline has contacted the channel for commentITV bosses took urgent steps to remove all mention of Clarke from the continuity announcements for Viewpoint yesterday, according to reports. A source told Daily Star: 'Viewpoint was billed as ITV's big crime drama but it's now in turmoil. 'The news broke an hour before episode 4 was due to air and ITV made an active decision not to mention Noel in the voice over announcement on Thursday. 'Bosses are now in talks about how to proceed promoting the rest of the show which continues on Friday.' MailOnline has contacted ITV for comment. ITV bosses took urgent steps to remove all mention of Clarke from the continuity announcements for Viewpoint yesterday, according to reports. Pictured is Twitter reaction against ITVBafta has now suspended the award-winning director's membership and his outstanding British contribution to cinema award, which he was handed earlier this month at the Royal Albert Hall. Clarke, who is married to former make-up artist Iris Da Silva with three children, wrote and starred in the acclaimed film trilogy Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood as well as many TV hits including Doctor Who. But he has been rocked by allegations by women that he has worked with that he is an alleged 'sexual predator', who claim he harassed, groped and bullied at work, which he denied in a statement from his lawyers. He said he 'sincerely apologised' to colleagues who felt 'uncomfortable or disrespected', but slammed claims of sexual misconduct or wrongdoing as 'false allegations'. The claims were levelled against Clarke, best known for appearing in Doctor Who and for co-creating The Hood Trilogy, in The Guardian last night. Paul Ritter as Leonard Vance, Alex Kingston as Ruth Hattersley, Reece Shearsmith as DS Sean Stone and Clarke as DCI Carl Prior in the TV programme 'Chasing Shadows'One woman, who worked as a producer alongside Clarke between 2014 and 2017, alleged that the actor had secretly filmed a naked audition of another woman and bragged about it. She also claimed Clarke exposed himself to her in a car before groping her in a lift the next day. According to several accounts, Clarke showed colleagues sexually explicit photos and videos of women, or implied he had access to them. He was also accused of unsolicited sharing of sexually explicit images. Other women have alleged that the actor would subject them to unwanted physical contact, which included kissing or groping. Another, who as a teenager starred in Kidulthood, Clarke's debut film, said one day near the start of filming he 'put his tongue in my mouth' and afterwards would constantly grab her and try to kiss her. It is alleged that when Clarke heard about a newspaper investigation into the allegations, he attempted to contact several of his accusers. FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 file photo, British actor and director Noel Clarke, displays his Orange Rising Star Award at the British Academy Film Awards 2009 at The Royal Opera House in London, England. Britains motion picture academy on Thursday April 29, 2021, suspended actor-director Noel Clarke after a newspaper reported that multiple women had accused him of sexual harassment or bullying. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 file photo, British actor and director Noel Clarke, displays his Orange Rising Star Award at the British Academy Film Awards 2009 at The Royal Opera House in London, England. Britains motion picture academy on Thursday April 29, 2021, suspended actor-director Noel Clarke after a newspaper reported that multiple women had accused him of sexual harassment or bullying. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)LONDON (AP) British actor-director Noel Clarke said Friday he would be seeking professional help to change for the better, after 20 women accused him of sexual harassment, intimidation and bullying. Clarke, who starred in Doctor Who and created the film trilogy Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood, said he vehemently denied any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing. Recent reports, however, have made it clear to me that some of my actions have affected people in ways I did not intend or realize, he said in a statement. To those individuals, I am deeply sorry. I will be seeking professional help to educate myself and change for the better.Clarke, 45, issued the statement a day after The Guardian newspaper said it had spoken to 20 women who accused him of misconduct including sexual harassment, unwanted touching, sexually inappropriate behavior on set and bullying. The newspaper named several of the women. ADVERTISEMENTAfter the allegations were published, Britains motion picture academy suspended Clarkes membership and his award for outstanding British contribution to cinema, given to him earlier this month, immediately and until further notice.Broadcaster Sky said it was halting work with Clarke, and television channel ITV pulled the final episode of the crime series Viewpoint, which stars Clarke and was due for broadcast on Friday. The broadcaster said it had a zero tolerance policy to bullying, harassment and victimization.

###CLAIM: the retrial was declared necessary because the public interest in prosecuting a very serious criminal offense requires a jury to determine guilt. ###DOCS: Double police killer Jason Roberts has had his conviction for the shooting murders of two officers in 1998 sensationally quashed. Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller were killed while on duty, investigating a series of robberies in the Melbourne suburb of Moorabbin. Roberts and Bandali Debs were found guilty by a jury in 2002, but Roberts had always maintained his innocence. Double police killer Jason Roberts has been granted an appeal against his conviction for the shooting murders of two officers in 1998Roberts (pictured with his girlfriend) has always maintained his innocenceColleagues carry Constable Rodney Millers coffin at the funeral service in 1998. Police lined the road for more than a kilometre to honour him in deathOn Tuesday, the now 40-year old got the news he has waited almost two decades to receive - he would return to trial. He had been aged just 17 on the night the officers were murdered. The decision was handed down in the Victorian Supreme Court of Appeal on Tuesday. Justices Osborn, Forrest and Taylor had considered the appeal for four months. Barristers acting for Roberts made no comment as they left the court this morning. Earlier, Roberts lawyer Peter Matthews told the court his client would apply for bail within days. The astonishing decision comes amid revelations his original trial was corrupted by police misconduct involving the doctoring of a statement, failing to disclose evidence and alleged perjury. The hearing came only after Roberts exhausted all appeals and new legislation was introduced to allow appeals in cases where fresh evidence gave the accused a second chance. In March, on learning the appeal hearing would be granted, Senior Constable Miller's widow Carmel Arthur said it was expected. 'It's all going to be good. No surprises. Onward and upward,' she said leaving court after the decision. The public were not allowed into Tuesday's hearing due to the ongoing COVID-19 concerns. Roberts' previous appeal was dismissed in April 2005 and a High Court bid was refused months later. Judges believe now that serious questions had been raised about the fairness of his trial, and the reliability of evidence given by police. Accordingly, the Court was satisfied that there had been a serious departure from the prescribed processes for trial and that there had been a substantial miscarriage of justice.' 'Further, whilst the Court concluded that it was not strictly necessary to consider whether the non-disclosure made a difference to the outcome of the trial, the Court found that it could not be satisfied that the non-disclosure of material evidence did not make any difference to the outcome of the trial, ie conviction was not inevitable. In consequence, the Court ultimately found that the appellant had established a substantial miscarriage of justice by reason of procedural irregularity on either of two bases.' AdvertisementCentral to the prosecution case at trial was whether there was one or two offenders, and they relied on evidence from officers at the scene that Senior Constable Miller's dying words indicated there was more than one offender. In a statement used at trial, Senior Constable Glenn Pullin said, knowing he had been mortally wounded, Senior Constable Miller told him 'they were on foot'. Other officers recorded him as saying 'two, one on foot' when asked about the number of offenders. But it was revealed last year Senior Constable Pullin's statement from the trial had actually been made 10 months after the murders, and was passed off as another one he made four hours after the killings. The judges said the officer also made false statements during Roberts' pre-trial committal hearing about the date of his second statement. In handing down its ruling, the court found that Senior Constable Pullins 'undisclosed dishonest conduct' influenced the trial in the prosecutions favour and to the detriment of the appellant on a critical issue, namely whether there was more than one offender. 'This conclusion was fortified by other aspects of police misconduct in the brief preparation process,' the court ruled. The court was scathing of Victoria Police in its handling of the investigation. 'The court found that the non-disclosure constituted by the police misconduct rendered the case one in which impropriety and unfairness permeated and affected the trial to an extent that it ceased to be a fair trial according to law,' it stated. Floral tributes are seen at a memorial for two Victorian police officers killed in the line of duty 22 years ago. Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rod Miller were gunned down in Moorabbin in 1998. Police lined the streets for more than a kilometre to farewell themThe fairness of Roberts' trial had been in serious doubt for some time. There was evidence officers had been dissuaded from including evidence about the Sen Const Miller's dying remarks in their original statements, that those first statements had been revised later, records of that process had been destroyed and none of those matters were disclosed at trial, the judges noted. Officers Silk and Miller were investigating a series of 10 robberies at outer suburban restaurants and were patrolling a potential target just after midnight on August 16, 1998. Roberts now admits he was involved in the robberies, but says he was with his girlfriend Nicole - Debs' daughter - when the murders happened. He was sentenced to life with a minimum of 35 years. The court stopped short of acquitting Roberts and releasing him on the spot, declaring that the public interest in prosecution of very serious criminal offences and in the determination of his guilt by jury required a retrial. A man jailed for life for the killing of two Melbourne policemen has had his convictions overturned because of the reprehensible conduct of investigating officers. Jason Roberts had convictions for the 1998 murders of Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller overturned on Tuesday, after two decades behind bars. His lawyers have flagged plans for a bail application after three of the states most senior judges ordered he remain behind bars ahead of a retrial. Roberts and Bandali Debs were found guilty by a jury in 2002 and sentenced to life behind bars. Roberts has served 20 years of a minimum 35-year sentence, which has now been overturned. The appeal judges said they determined the long-undisclosed misconduct of one particular officer had so corrupted Robertss initial trial as to poison it to its root. Senior Constable Glenn Pullin destroyed his original statement about the murders and substituted a backdated statement which included dying declarations of Miller, indicating there were two offenders. They were on foot, he said the officer, knowing he was mortally wounded, had said. Pullin then committed perjury by lying about the second statement, and failed to disclose its existence, which the court found amounted to a gross and fundamental corruption of the trial process. That was combined with the fact initial and potential relevant statements by four officers were not kept and are now missing, only revised statements were included in a brief of evidence and a senior detective initially told officers not to include Millers remarks in their statements. The judges concluded it would not be unfair or unjust for Roberts to face a fresh trial. While they are not convinced conviction is inevitable, they noted the Crowns case remained strong. Although the non-disclosure did not result from innocent mistake and reflects reprehensible conduct by police officers, we do not accept that the need to deter repetitions of such behaviour is of itself sufficient to justify an acquittal, they said. The quashing of the appellants convictions and the fact of a retrial will themselves have a deterrent effect.Roberts has been in custody since August 2000, when he was 19 years old. He has always maintained his innocence in the murders. While he admitted being involved in the robberies being investigated by the officers that night, he claimed he was with his girlfriend Nicole Debss daughter when the officers were killed. Anti-corruption watchdog Ibac investigated allegations police used dodgy evidence-gathering methods and failed to disclose vital information in Roberts prosecution. A report handed down in July condemned Victoria police for improper evidentiary and disclosure practices. Ibac commissioner Robert Redlich said historically some officers were taught improper practices at the Victoria Police Academy. Because Victoria police has never clearly called out and stopped such improper practices, Ibac has found there is a real risk these practices continue to be used by some police today, he said.

###CLAIM: the strain of separation appeared to take its toll on gorka as he emotionally told hosts rylan and clarke : `` what do we think about it at the time? ###DOCS: Strictly Come Dancing pro dancer Gorka Marquez has revealed his struggle at being separated from girlfriend Gemma Atkinson and daughter Mia while training for the show. Due to coronavirus restrictions, the dancer, 30, was forced to live apart from his family in a bid to form a social bubble with EastEnders star partner Maisie Smith, 19, so they can train together. But appearing on It Takes Two on Friday, the strain of the separation appeared to be taking its toll on Gorka as he emotionally told host Rylan Clark-Neal: 'There were times where I thought, 'What am I doing?' Tough: Strictly Come Dancing pro dancer Gorka Marquez has revealed his struggle at being separated from girlfriend Gemma Atkinson and daughter Mia while training for the showGorka and Maisie had appeared on the Strictly spin-off show ahead of the grand final on Saturday night, where they'll be competing for the coveted glitterball trophy. And after over two months away from home, Gorka admitted that sometimes he questioned why he was leaving his actress girlfriend, 36, and baby behind. Rylan said: 'Gorka, youve had two months away from your family as well, we know how much you love them. Apart: Due to coronavirus restrictions, the dancer, 30, was forced to live apart from his family in a bid to form a social bubble with EastEnders star partner Maisie Smith, 19, so they can train together'Surely getting to the final now with Maisie going the full way is a little bit of a consolation for it?' The Spanish dancer replied: 'Obviously there were times where I thought, "What am I doing? Why am I not going home?" 'Its very hard to be away from Gemma and Mia. 'But coming into the studio every day and to have [Maisie] there pushing and smiling trying to be her best, it pays off.' Emotional: The strain of the separation appeared to be taking its toll on Gorka as he emotionally told host Rylan Clark-Neal: 'There were times where I thought, 'What am I doing?' Difficult: after over two months away from home, Gorka admitted that sometimes he questioned why he was leaving his actress girlfriend, 36, and 17-month-old baby behind for the showMissing them: 'Obviously there were times where I thought, 'What am I doing? Why am I not going home?' 'Its very hard to be away from Gemma and Mia' (pictured in April)Trying to turn his sadness into a positive, he added: 'I am just grateful she's in the final and hopefully it ends on a happy ending for you. 'We can get that trophy for you and it would be my way to thank her for the work.' Things then took a very emotional turn as Rylan, 32, then surprised Gorka with a message from former Emmerdale star Gemma and their baby girl, who had drawn him a picture. As Gemma told her partner how much they loved and missed him, Gorka broke down in tears as things became too much. Sweet: Things then took a very emotional turn as Rylan, 32, then surprised Gorka with a message from former Emmerdale star Gemma and their baby girl, who had drawn him a pictureTearful: As Gemma told her partner how much they loved and missed him, Gorka broke down in tears as things became too muchSupport: He was comforted by celebrity partner Maisie, who had also become emotional at the clipHe was comforted by celebrity partner Maisie, who had also become emotional at the clip. It comes after Gemma joked that her mother has warned her it's 'too soon' for another baby as she is set to be reunited with her boyfriend Gorka this weekend. The ex Hollyoaks favourite and the dancer have been apart for almost 87 days as he competes on the 2020. Gemma, who appeared on the 2017 season, and Gorka will be reunited on Sunday after he competes in the show's final with celebrity partner Maisie. Hilarious! It comes after Gemma joked that her mother has warned her it's 'too soon' for another baby as she is set to be reunited with her boyfriend Gorka this weekendTalking about their reunion, the actress said her mother has already warned that it's 'too soon' for another baby. Speaking on Friday's episode of Steph's Packed Lunch, Gemma said: 'He's back on Sunday and it'll be 87 days I've not seen him for...'My mum's already said to me, "Mia's too young yet, no more siblings, wait until she's older...", she's given me the warning!' Talking about who she thinks will win the Glitterball Trophy on Saturday's final, Gemma admitted that it is 'so close'. Not long! The ex Hollyoaks favourite and the dancer have been apart for almost 87 days as he competes on the 2020 (pictured in November)Saturday's finale will see Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse, Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer, HRVY and Janette Manrara, and Gorka and Maisie take to the dance floor one last time. Gemma said: 'This is the first year where I can't pinpoint it... it's so close, they've all been so good. Jamie's got so much enthusiasm, Bill's been on his journey, Maisie and HRVY have been really consistent and got better and better each week. 'It's anyone's game, anyone can win it. Obviously, I'm rooting for Gorka and Maisie and all my votes will be going for them.' Due to the pandemic, Gorka has been away from Gemma and daughter Mia, having formed a social bubble with dance partner, Maisie, so they can compete in the BBC show. Yay! Gemma, who appeared on the 2017 season, and Gorka will be reunited on Sunday after he competes in the show's final. The couple have daughter Mia, 17 monthsGemma and Gorka confirmed they were expecting their first child together via the radio presenter's Instagram page on February 1 2019. They first crossed paths when they met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 but they weren't partnered up together on the show. Their romance didn't come to light until they went on their first mini break and made their love Instagram official in February 2018, a few months after the show wrapped. Steph's Packed Lunch returns on Monday 4 January at 12.30pm on Channel 4. Exciting: Saturday's finale will see Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse, Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer, HRVY and Janette Manrara, and Gorka and Maisie (pictured) take to the dance floor one last time He and his celebrity dance partner, Maisie Smith, placed as runners-up in the Strictly Come Dancing final on Saturday evening. And Gorka Marquez reunited with his daughter Mia and girlfriend Gemma Atkinson on Sunday, 78 days after leaving them to enter the BBC show's COVID-19 bubble. The professional dancer, 30, appeared overcome with emotion as he held onto his 17-month-old daughter tightly in a series of heartwarming Instagram snaps. Sweet! Strictly Come Dancing's Gorka Marquez reunited with his daughter Mia and girlfriend Gemma Atkinson on Sunday, 78 days after leaving them to enter the BBC show's COVID bubbleGorka was seen sporting a taupe tracksuit and khaki beanie hat in the images which he captioned: 'HOME '. Toddler Mia bore a striking resemblance to her mother Gemma, 36, as she rocked a full head of blonde hair and wrapped her arms around her father. His Strictly comrades expressed their fondness over the sweet moment, as judge Motsi Mabuse penned: 'We are counting the hours.I cant stop crying this picture .' Dancing With The Stars winner Pasqua Le Larocca wrote: 'What a picture. pure love,' while fellow professional dancer AJ Pritchard and 2020 contestant Max George appreciated the post through a series of love hearts. 'HOME': The professional dancer, 30, appeared overcome with emotion as he held onto his 17-month-old daughter tightly for a series of heartwarming social media snapsDue to the pandemic, Gorka was forced to spend time away from his family so he could participate in the 2020 production of Strictly. In an interview on It Takes Two on Friday, the pro dancer revealed his struggle at being separated from his girlfriend and daughter while training for the show, and admitted he sometimes questioned his decision. TV host Rylan said: 'Gorka, youve had two months away from your family as well, we know how much you love them. 'Surely getting to the final now with Maisie going the full way is a little bit of a consolation for it?' Bless: His Strictly comrades expressed their fondness over the sweet moment, as judge Motsi Mabuse penned: 'We are counting the hours.I cant stop crying this picture 'Home is where the heart is: Due to the pandemic, Gorka was forced to spend time away from his partner Gemma, 36, so he could participate in the 2020 production (pictured in March)The Spanish dancer replied: 'Obviously there were times where I thought, "What am I doing? Why am I not going home?" Its very hard to be away from Gemma and Mia. 'But coming into the studio every day and to have [Maisie] there pushing and smiling trying to be her best, it pays off.' Trying to turn his sadness into a positive, he added: 'I am just grateful she's in the final and hopefully it ends on a happy ending for you. 'We can get that trophy for you and it would be my way to thank her for the work.' Things then took a very emotional turn as Rylan, 32, surprised Gorka with a message from former Emmerdale star Gemma and their tiny tot, who had drawn him a picture. Tearful: In an interview on It Takes Two on Friday, the pro dancer revealed his struggle at being separated from his family and admitted he sometimes questioned his decisionAs Gemma told her partner how much they loved and missed him, Gorka broke down in tears as things became too much. He was comforted by celebrity partner Maisie, 19, who had also become emotional at the clip. Maisie and Gorka brought the festive feel to the final with their beautiful dance to We Need A Little Christmas by Idina Menzel, earning them their first 30 of the night. Motsi praised the performance: 'Content of the highest quality - tap, jazz , musical, everything,' while Craig added: 'Annoying because I couldn't find anything wrong with it.' Sweet: Gorka shed a tear when TV host Rylan, 32, surprised him with a message from former Emmerdale star Gemma and their tiny tot, who had drawn him a pictureDespite their best efforts, Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse were ultimately crowned the winners of Saturday night's final, also beating HRVY and Janette Manrara, in addition to Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer. Maisie competed on the most recent season of Strictly in the hopes it would boost family morale, after her dad Stephen lost his job at a bank. And in an interview conducted before the finale, her mum and manager Julia revealed that the star was hoping a win would lift her close-knit family's mood. Julia, 50, told The Sun of Stephen: 'He looked after the office premises. When everyone was sent home he didnt have anything to do. Valiant effort: He and his celebrity dance partner, Maisie Smith, 19, placed as runners-up on Saturday's final as Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse walked away victorious'Having Maisie on Strictly has been a massive distraction from what we were going through. Hes so proud, hes not into the limelight, he likes to sit back and watch us have fun.' Julia was in the studio audience along with Maisie's lookalike sister Scarlett, 22, for the semi-finals, where they watched the actress advance to the final stage of the competition after a largely impressive season. And while much has been made of fellow finalist HRVY, 21, revealing that he'd like to take Maisie on a date once the series ends, Julia said: 'Hed have to come round and get to know us for six months first. But he seems like a genuinely lovely guy.'

###CLAIM: the man who grabbed mr. danovski by the elbow tried to pull him back at most an inch. when he saw blood spilling out, he grabbed the road. ###DOCS: Gruesome photos have shown the aftermath of a rapper allegedly being hacked to death with a samurai sword in a leafy Sydney street. Jett McKee's head was allegedly sliced with the weapon in broad daylight in the middle of a road on Hereford Street at inner-city Forest Lodge on August 10, 2018. Hannah Quinn, 26, and Blake Davis, 31, have pleaded not guilty to murdering the 30-year-old. Ms Quinn has also denied a charge of being an accessory after the fact to murder. Pictured: The body of Jett McKee lies in the middle of a leafy Sydney Street after his head was sliced with a Samurai swordPictured: One of the 200 horrific alleged crime scene photos tendered to the court show a thick pool of blood on the road and with smears along the side of the white vehicleWitness Michael Mullan told the New South Wales Supreme Court on Friday, he saw Mr McKee lying on the road 'struggling to get up'. The Irish-born carpenter who was working in the area that day said Mr McKee pulled himself onto a white car and slid along it. One of the 200 horrific photos tendered to the court show a thick pool of blood on the road and with smears along the side of the white vehicle. Mr Mullin also said he could see parts of Mr McKee's brain scattered on the road, news.com.au reported. As the alleged victim staggered past the car, he then tripped on a kerb and fell into a bush or plant area, the court heard. As blood continued to pour from Mr McKee's head, police images show a trail of blood from the road, to the car, in a gutter, on a kerb and on a letter box. As blood continued to pour from Mr Mckee's head, police images show a trail of blood from the road, to the car, in a gutter, on a kerb, and on a letter boxThe Crown has alleged Frank O'Connor and Mr McKee, who had a balaclava, knuckledusters and a blank-firing gun, planned to rob the couple, said to be drug dealers. After Mr O'Connor drove them there and Mr McKee entered the home, the couple are accused of chasing him down the street before Davis struck him with the sword. Another witness Saz Danovski told the jury of seeing a car in the middle of the road next to an object which he had first thought was a dog and then realised was a person. He then thought the person had been hit by the car, so parked his delivery van, saw people gathered and a man told him someone had got shot. 'I saw the deceased lying on the ground and someone standing over him calling 'Jett, get up, get up, let's go',' he said. 'He looked like someone with a lot of freckles, but when I approached I noticed it was blood splatter,' the Lite and Easy delivery driver said. Hannah Quinn, 26, and Blake Davis, 31, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Mckee (pictured together at the New South Wales Supreme Court on November 20)Jett McKee's (pictured) head was sliced with the weapon in broad daylight in the middle of a road on Hereford Street at Forest Lodge on August 10, 2018The man was quite animated and in a panicked state. 'I said is that his name, do you know him, are you his mate?'. The man tried to grab the person on the road, lifting him no more than an inch which is when Mr Danovski saw blood spilling out from the back. He told the man to let him go as he was bleeding. The man 'gave me a cold stare' before backing towards the car and driving off. The man on the ground was gasping for air and his eyes were twitching. 'That is when I noticed his head was split open,' Mr Danovski. 'It was a large slice from the back of the head and didn't look like a shot.' The Crown has alleged Frank O'Connor and Mr McKee, who had a balaclava, knuckledusters and a blank-firing gun, planned to rob the couple, said to be drug dealers (Mr McKee's body is pictured on the Forest Lodge street)A photo of the Samurai sword allegedly used to murder Mr McKee was tendered to the courtPrior to this Mr Mullan said he heard 'a guy running up the road', followed by a woman and a man wearing only boxers who was carrying a long sword. The woman, who had 'strange-coloured hair' and tattoos, was shouting 'who the hell are you'. 'Me and my colleague looked at each other in disbelief and said 'was that a sword? ',' Mr Mullen said. He heard a 'really loud bang, crack, like a slapping noise' and saw the first man on the ground covered in blood with a large gash on his head. Mr Mullan said someone pointed out a balaclava, gun and knuckledusters on the ground. Hannah Quinn (pictured left) and Blake Davis (pictured right) are accused of chasing the rapper down the street before Davis struck him with the swordHe said he had not seen a gun in anyone's possession at any stage at all. 'Did you see anyone holding the gun, pointing a gun,' prosecutor Chris Taylor asked. 'No,' the witness replied. Under cross-examination, he agreed his police statement said: 'I didn't see if he was carrying anything.' The defence have raised self-defence, contending Mr McKee was holding the gun at Quinn when Davis struck him with the sword. The trail continues before Justice Natalie Adams. Defence counsel have argued self-defence, contending Mr McKee was holding the gun (pictured) at Quinn when Davis struck him with the sword A man saw a handgun, black balaclava and knuckle duster near a large pool of blood coming from a man allegedly murdered on a Sydney street after a failed robbery attempt, a jury has been told. Phillip East told the New South Wales supreme court on Wednesday he was in his Forest Lodge home watching the banking royal commission on television on 10 August 2018 when he heard a woman screaming outside his unit. East said he then saw a bare-chested man in black boxer or rugby shorts and another woman running down his street. He left his home and walked to where a group was gathered in the middle of the road, he told the court. He noticed blood smeared on a white Mazda hatchback and a very large pool of blood ... which was still pooling. East said he saw the black balaclava in the blood while the other objects were scattered nearby. Hannah Quinn, 26, and Blake Davis, 31, have pleaded not guilty to murdering 30-year-old Jett McKee after he allegedly burst into the couples home and demanded money. Quinn has also denied being an accessory after the fact to murder. The crown has alleged the pair chased McKee about 100 metres down the street before Quinn pulled him to the ground and Davis struck his head with a samurai sword. McKee wanted to rob drug dealers to feed his gambling addiction and had been using the drug ice, the crown prosecutor Chris Taylor has told the supreme court. A painter who was working in a nearby loft at the time gave evidence he heard a woman screaming what the fuck are you doing, who the fuck are you? before he hoisted himself up onto a ledge for a better view. Rossinni Palmer then saw a woman he thought was holding a bag backing away from a man she had just chased down the road, he told the jury. The man was on his hands and knees, or elbows and knees, before another man holding what looked like a big stick appeared. It was not overly aggressive, it was a quick bang on top of the head and that was it, Palmer said on Wednesday. The painter said he saw the duo running back up the street and heard the woman shout what the fuck have you just done? Daviss barrister, Margaret Cunneen SC, said on Tuesday her client was not guilty of murder or manslaughter because he had been acting in defence of his girlfriend when he killed McKee. Davis had suffered multiple facial fractures after McKee hit him while wearing knuckledusters after entering the home through an unlocked door and demanding valuables, the jury was told. The trial continues.

###CLAIM: it consistently outperformed the broader market year after year, composed of companies with strong revenue growth, healthy profits, lots of cash and low risk. ###DOCS: UKRAINE - 2020/11/24: In this photo illustration a medical syringe and a vial with fake coronavirus ... [+] vaccine seen in front of the Johnson & Johnson logo. (Photo Illustration by Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesJohnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is seen as a key player in the Covid-19 vaccine race. The company started phase 3 trials in September and expects to file for emergency approval by early 2021 if the vaccine is safe and effective. While rivals Pfizer and Modernas vaccines will have a head start, given that they have completed phase 3 trials with exceptionally strong results and are likely to start shipping their vaccines in the coming weeks, Johnson & Johnsons candidate remains promising for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the company is targeting a single-dose regimen for the vaccine, unlike most of the other players which require two doses (although it also started a two-dose regimen to evaluate incremental benefits). This should make it much easier to administer at the time of a pandemic, putting less stress on the healthcare infrastructure. Secondly, the distribution could also be relatively seamless as the vaccine is expected to remain stable for at least three months at refrigerator-like temperatures, unlike some other vaccines (such as Pfizers) that need specialized freezers. The vaccine is also likely to be relatively affordable. Per a deal with the U.S. government, Johnson & Johnson has priced its vaccine at about $10 per dose. Thats well below Pfizers ($19 per dose) and Moderna ($25 to $37 per dose). Although the vaccine is unlikely to move the needle for the company in the near-term, as it will provide the shots for a not-for-profit basis through the pandemic, it could have an incremental impact post that. See our indicative theme of Covid-19 Vaccine stocks which includes a diverse set of U.S.-based pharma and biotech companies developing Covid vaccines. [Updated 11/4/2020] Covid-19 Vaccine stocksOur indicative theme of Covid-19 Vaccine stocks which includes a diverse set of U.S.-based pharma and biotech companies developing Covid vaccines is up by about 560% year-to-date, on an equally weighted basis, compared to the S&P 500 which has gained just about 4% over the same period. While most vaccine stocks declined last week, amid a broader sell-off in the markets, they are likely to come back into the spotlight as efficacy data from late-stage trials is expected from frontrunners Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) in the coming weeks. Below is a bit more on the companies in our theme of Coronavirus Vaccine stocks and their relative performance. Novavax, a vaccine development company, began late-stage trials of its Covid vaccine in the U.K in September, and large-scale phase 3 trials are due to begin in the U.S. and Mexico this month. While the company doesnt have any other products on the market yet, its flu vaccine NanoFlu could be ready for potential FDA approval. The company has received about $1.6 billion in funding from the Federal government. The stock has soared 2,000% year-to-date. NVAXModerna , a clinical-stage biotech company, is carrying out phase 3 trials of its Covid-19 vaccine, completing enrollment of 30,000 participants. The company is likely to have data on whether its vaccine works or not by this month, and has noted that it would seek emergency approval from the FDA if the vaccine is at least 70% effective. The stock is up 253% this year. Johnson & Johnson: Unlike most other vaccine candidates, which are likely to require two shots, J&J is targeting a single-dose vaccine. While the company had to pause trials in mid-October after an illness was reported in a volunteer, the company is now preparing to resume trials. The stock is down by -5.1% this year. Pfizer is working with German partner BioNTech on a Covid-19 vaccine. The company is likely to have efficacy data from late-stage trials available shortly. The company could supply about 40 million doses in the United States in 2020 if the data is positive and regulators approve the vaccine. The stock is down by about -7.6% this year. TrefisWhat if youre looking for a more balanced portfolio instead? Heres a high-quality portfolio to beat the market, with over 100% return since 2016, versus about 55% for the S&P 500. Comprised of companies with strong revenue growth, healthy profits, lots of cash, and low risk, it has outperformed the broader market year after year, consistently. See all Trefis Price Estimates and Download Trefis Data hereWhats behind Trefis? See How Its Powering New Collaboration and What-Ifs For CFOs and Finance Teams | Product, R&D, and Marketing Teams (Reuters) - Emergent BioSolutions Inc beat fourth-quarter profit expectations on Thursday, benefiting from manufacturing deals to help produce COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics. The company has entered into more than seven manufacturing collaborations, including with AstraZeneca Plc, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, Vaxart Inc, Humanigen Inc, since the outbreak of the pandemic. The company said it has set up a large-scale manufacturing infrastructure, which will help it produce and supply drug substance for the vaccine candidates on time. Were right online with doing that, timing-wise, as well as capability for both Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca Plc, Chief Executive Robert Kramer said on a conference call with analysts. Specific to J&J, their short-term goal is to provide as many as 100 million doses to the U.S. government in the first half of 2021. And were right on schedule to support that.Revenue from the companys contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) unit rose to $199.1 million in the quarter from $25.5 million a year ago. Expect our CDMO business to continue to be a significant contributor to our future growth and expansion, Kramer said. Excluding items, Emergent earned $3.67 per share in the quarter ended Dec. 31, ahead of the analysts average estimate of $3.19. Shares of the Gaithersburg, Maryland-based company were up 1.52% in extended trading.

###CLAIM: instead, fauci said, the emphasis would remain on the practice of what is now familiar -- wearing masks, physical separation and frequent hand washing -- as key steps in controlling virus transmission. ###DOCS: Story at a glance Anthony Fauci discusses how public health measures will help the U.S. emerge from the pandemic. He says that he trusts the experts at the FDA to approve a safe and effective vaccine. New COVID-19 cases are accelerating across the U.S., rising swiftly above previous record case counts set during the tumultuous spring and summer months. There has been a documented 30 percent increase in testing positivity rates over the past two weeks and more than 8 million COVID-19 cases reported in the country. But, even as the U.S. enters a potentially troubling winter season, Anthony Fauci, the countrys leading infectious diseases expert, says that a nationwide lockdown may not be the best solution at this time. Speaking to 60 Minutes, Fauci says outbreaks would have to get really, really bad before he would advocate for a national lockdown. ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE COULD GET WORSE DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMICPROPOSAL TO LET CORONAVIRUS SPREAD NATURALLY THROUGH US POPULATION INTERESTS WHITE HOUSE, ALARMS MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTEUROPE REENTERS LOCKDOWNS AS COVID-19 CASES SURGETHE FIRST DEATH FROM A CORONAVIRUS REINFECTION HAS BEEN REPORTEDFirst of all, the country is fatigued with restrictions. So we wanna use public health measures not to get in the way of opening the economy, but to being a safe gateway to opening the economy, Fauci said. So instead of having an opposition, open up the economy, get jobs back, or shut down. No. Put shut down away and say, Were gonna use public health measures to help us safely get to where we want to go.Instead, Fauci says, the emphasis remains on practicing now-familiar public health measures like wearing masks, physically distancing and washing hands frequently key steps in controlling virus transmission. He elaborated that these practices are not intended to halt the reopening of public spaces, but to facilitate a gradual reopening while still mitigating transmission levels or how quickly the virus spreads. Responding to President Trumps criticism that he suddenly reversed course on his stance regarding the public wearing facial coverings, Fauci explained that his initial decision to discourage public mask-wearing came during the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). When masks, especially homemade ones, became widely available and were shown to prevent virus transmission, Fauci advocated for their universal use. It became clear that cloth coverings...not necessarily a surgical mask or an N95, cloth coverings, work, Fauci said. Now theres no longer a shortage of masks. Number two, meta-analysis studies show that, contrary to what we thought, masks really do work in preventing infection.Still, he admits he was wrong in his initial decision to discourage widespread mask-wearing. When you find out youre wrong, its a manifestation of your honesty to say, Hey, I was wrong. I did subsequent experiments and now its this way, he said. Many are looking toward an upcoming COVID-19 vaccine as a final piece to the puzzle of ending the COVID-19 pandemic. A treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is on the distant horizon, with multiple pharmaceutical companies in late stage clinical trials with their vaccine candidates. Public confidence in a forthcoming vaccine, however, is relatively low, with only just more than half of the population willing to take the first round of a low-cost vaccine when it becomes available. Fauci says that the decision as to whether or not to take it will, personally, come down to the data. Im gonna look at the data upon which the FDA makes that decision. I trust the permanent professionals in the FDA, he said. The director, the commissioner of the FDA, has been very public that he will not let politics interfere. We have an advisory committee to the FDA who are made up of independent people who I trust. Put all those things together, if the final outcome is that the FDA approves it, I will take it.Most public health experts and officials believe a vaccine will be available for mass distribution by spring or mid-2021. US SENATOR TOOK OFF MASK REPEATEDLY ON FLIGHT. HE CHAIRS COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES AIRLINE SAFETYHERE ARE THE EFFECTS THE STEROID DEXAMETHASONE COULD BE HAVING ON TRUMPFAUCI SAYS ITS OBVIOUS HE HASNT BEEN INVOLVED IN TRUMPS CAREFAUCI WARNS TRUMPS RECOVERY COULD GO INTO REVERSAL

###CLAIM: people who follow her on facebook know that she is moving on and has met someone new, and the caption of the photo says "coming out" is her boyfriend revealing his new girlfriend. ###DOCS: Teresa Giudice went Instagram official with her new beau Luis Ruelas on Tuesday by sharing a charming image. And soon after the 48-year-old reality TV personality shared another image with the 46-year-old man for her 2M followers. They were side by side as they stood by a tall Christmas tree in the foyer of her New Jersey mansion which she once shared with ex-husband Joe Giudice. It's love: Teresa Giudice went Instagram official with her new beau Luis Ruelas on Monday by sharing a charming image. And the next day the 48-year-old reality TV personality shared another image of the twoThe beauty had on a low-cut black dress with her raven hair down as she was glammed to the nines. The Bravo star added diamond jewelry. Her new man was dapper in a dark suit as he put an arm around his lady love and held her hand. In her caption she said, 'It's official.' The Christmas tree was impressive with so many large gold ornaments the green branches could hardly be seen. A big red heart: The beauty had on a low-cut black dress. The Bravo star added diamond jewelry. Her new man was dapper in a dark suit as he put an arm around his lady love and held her hand. In her caption she said, 'It's official'The star looked content as she smiled at the camera, suggesting she has found love at last after splitting from her husband. In her first photo to social media with Luis she looked just as happy. And she said in her caption, 'The BEST thing that came out of 2020.' Teresa looked stunning in a low-cut black dress with her hair down as her boyfriend put his arm around her. They're serious! In her first photo to social media with Luis she looked just as happy. And she said in her caption, 'The BEST thing that came out of 2020'In early November, the reality TV personality posted an image to her Facebook account to let her followers know that she was moving on and had met someone new; the caption for the post read: 'Excited to reveal my new boyfriend.' It was made known that month that Giudice had begun a relationship with Ruelas. Last week, the two were spotted having a date night in Manhattan. The two packed on the PDA as they made their way through the bustling New York City streets hand-in-hand, and even wore matching face masks at one point. Making it known: In early November, Giudice made a post to her Facebook account to tease that she had found someone new after her divorceStepping out together: Last week, Giudice and Ruelas had a PDA-filled date night in Manhattan, and could be seen with matching face masksTeresa was previously married to Giuseppe 'Joe' Giudice from 1999 until this year. The former couple were heavily featured on The Real Housewives Of New Jersey and share four daughters. In 2009, the couple filed for bankruptcy, which set off a chain of legal battles culminating in the two being convicted for various forms of fraud. Five years later, the two were handed prison sentences; Joe's status as an illegal immigrant was also brought into question, as he had never gained citizenship despite living in the United States since he was a year old. At the end of his time being incarcerated, Joe went to live with his family in Italy to await the results of his deportation hearing and subsequent appeals. The Giudices separated in December of 2019, months after Joe was released, and finalized their divorce in September. The media personality's former husband is reportedly both aware and supportive of her new relationship.

###CLAIM: when there is negligible evidence of problems, it tends to be introduced to document the identity of voters who have less trust in elections, paradoxically making them less trusting. ###DOCS: Democracy has many flaws, as Winston Churchill pointed out. It is also extraordinarily precious: the painstaking achievement of centuries of progress. In the UK, the system is stagnant. First past the post, defended for years on grounds that it excluded extremists, has done no such thing: since the 2016 referendum, a faction of hardline Brexiters has risen to power. But imperfect as current arrangements are, the right of all adults to vote in elections remains hugely important a principle that ought to be shared by all democrats. That Boris Johnsons government appears to be backtracking from this idea is one of the grimmest indications yet of where the current Tory party is heading. The requirement to show photo ID in polling stations, which is expected to be introduced from 2023, looks very much like an attack on voting rights. Evidence of fraud, which the government claims is behind it, is minimal. Between 2010 and 2016, when there were two general elections and a referendum, there were just seven convictions. Research by the Electoral Commission following two pilots showed that the requirement for identification reduced the number of votes cast: in 2019, around 750 people sent away from polling stations did not come back. The Local Government Chronicle highlighted cases where even a small number of rejections could lead to a changed result: in Mid Sussex, where 78 people were turned back, several council seats were won with margins of fewer than 25 votes. Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National party, Plaid Cymru and the Greens all oppose voter ID. So do important civil society groups. This resistance is why the implementation of proposals put forward in a report by Eric Pickles in 2016 has been delayed. But the government is now ready to trample the arguments of its opponents. Besides the lack of evidence of fraud, these include the impact on marginalised groups, whose members are less likely to have suitable documents: 47% of black people have no driving licence, for example, compared with 24% of white people. While in other European countries where ID is used for voting, governments issue national ID cards, in the UK 11 million people have neither a passport nor a driving licence. But neither facts like this, nor the low turnout in many elections (in English local elections in 2018, for example, it was 35%), nor the warnings of US civil rights groups have deterred ministers. Instead, in pursuing measures that are expected to increase their share of the vote (since those excluded are more likely to be Labour supporters), they appear determined to mimic Donald Trump. In the US, voter suppression measures of which ID requirements are one are rooted in the Jim Crow south, and opposed by some on the right as well as left (on Monday the second-highest ranking Republican in Georgia refused to preside over a session in the state senate in which new restrictions were passed). For Mr Trump and his supporters, spurious claims of fraud are used to stoke racial hatred and paranoia. To say that importing such measures to the UK is provocative is an understatement. At a time when cultural divisions are inflamed, and minority ethnic communities have been hit hard by the pandemic, it is incendiary. As well as penalising minorities and the parties they support, the talk of fraud that is sure to accompany legislation threatens to undermine trust in democracy and institutions more widely. It is not too late for the government to change course. If it refuses, these proposals must be resisted every step of the way.

###CLAIM: two nine-year-olds who were also arrested for assisting police in the inquiry were released after the inquiry. ###DOCS: An urban explorer has captured eerie footage from inside the abandoned Big Brother house on the Gold Coast. The TikTok video reveals what remains of the original compound, which is tucked away in the Dreamworld amusement park. The swimming pool is now filled with algae and the outdoor area is a maze of overgrown walkways having been reclaimed by nature. Chilling: An urban explorer has captured eerie footage from inside the abandoned Big Brother house on the Gold CoastThe set has graffiti-sprayed walls, windows are smashed, and some walls have been torn down. The mini-pool area, where housemates used to relax, is also green with algae and the surrounding concrete tiles are usurped by weeds. Meanwhile, mirrors and windows have been smashed by vandals and wallpaper is peeling off the walls. Destroyed: The set has graffiti-sprayed walls, windows are smashed, and some walls have been torn downThrowback: The original Big Brother house was once one of Australia's most iconic mansionsIn June 2019, the abandoned Big Brother house was deliberately lit on fire. Four children aged between 11 and 15 were later charged with arson after it was set ablaze. Two nine-year-olds who were also arrested were released after assisting police with inquiries. Before: The mini-pool area, where housemates used to relax, is also green with algae and the surrounding concrete tiles are usurped by weeds. Pictured as it appeared on Big BrotherAfter the show was axed in 2014, the original house was left to rot for five years. Last year, Seven confirmed a Big Brother reboot but production company Endemol Shine ruled out returning to Dreamworld after the original house was destroyed. The new house was built at the former Army Artillery training school at North Head, near Manly in Sydney, New South Wales. An adventurous crew of urban explorers have captured eerie footage from inside an abandoned multimillion-dollar mansion in Australia. The group of curious teenagers investigated the deserted property hidden away in an unnamed suburb in Australia. In footage posted to TikTok the front of the multi-storey home has a Greek-inspired fountain fitted with two stone horses. A group of urban explorers captured eerie footage of an abandoned mansion in AustraliaThe home has been tagged with graffiti and broken windows have allowed piles of old leaves and debris to gather across the floor of the rundown mansion. The once grand staircase spiralling toward the entrance of the home is destroyed with the bannisters strewn on the floor and a shattered glass chandelier laying beside it. Meanwhile another seating area with high ceilings has been left with nothing but smashed glass and tiles as deserted white curtains blow eerily in the wind. The multimillion-dollar home was abandoned and filled with graffiti and smashed glass (pictured)The once grand staircase spiralling toward the entrance of the home is destroyed with the bannisters strewn on the floor and a shattered glass chandelier laying beside itThe destruction continues inside the home with a kitchen filled with smashed bottles and an electricity box that ripped out from a wall. The bathroom that once had a glamorous spa inside it is now tagged with graffiti and mirrors are left smashed by vandals. The footage that emerged online on Tuesday has amazed other explorers. 'How on earth do you find these places?' One user asked. 'Why is this place abandoned it's so beautiful,' another questioned. 'Wow I want to fix it up and live in there,' another said.

###CLAIM: since the eu slapped sanctions on the company in 2014 after it built a 12-mile bridge between crimea and russia, 68-year-old arkady and rotenberg, a childhood friend of putin, have entered the u. k. ###DOCS: Vladimir Putins judo sparring partner is fighting his ex-wife in a London courtroom over the ownership of a luxurious British mansion with tennis courts, swimming pool, and a panic roomdespite the fact that neither of them is allowed to live in the U.K. Billionaire Russian oligarch Arkady Rotenberg, 68, a childhood friend of Putin, has been banned from entering the U.K. since 2014, when the EU slapped sanctions on him after his company built a 12-mile bridge between Russia and Crimea, the Ukraine territory that Russia illegally annexed. His former wife, Natalia, 39, an interior designer, no longer lives in Britain because the Home Office refused to renew her visa after 2018. This has not deterred either of them from choosing British courts in which to argue over the fate of Ribsden Manor, near Bagshot in Surrey, which was bought for $35 million in 2012. Just one year later the couple separated, beginning protracted divorce proceedings. The litigation remained secret until 2018 when British newspaper The Times overturned privacy orders granting Natalia anonymity. In 2016, the High Court ordered Arkady, one of the richest men in Russia and estimated to be worth some $2.7 billion, to transfer ownership of the property to his former wife as part of a financial settlement brokered in 2016. The Times has now reported, however, that the issue is back in court owing to the complex offshore structures surrounding the ownership of the house. Arkadys lawyers argue that the property was not his to transfer. They said that Ribsden Manor was bought in 2012 by a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, owned by an associate and financed with a loanwhich appeared, oddly enough, to have come from a company Rotenberg controlled. A judge ruled last year that the loan was a red herring and the true beneficial owner of the house was indeed Rotenberg. In the most recent court hearing, as reported by The Times, it was also revealed that because Natalia Rotenberg was no longer living in Britain there are now doubts about whether U.K. courts even have jurisdiction in the case. The legal battle with his wife is just one part of Arkady Rotenbergs complex life. With his brother Boris, he is co-owner of the Stroygazmontazh Group, the largest construction company for gas pipelines and electrical power supply lines in Russia. The company became embroiled in geopolitical controversy when it built a 12-mile bridge between Crimea and Russia, shortly after the country was illegally annexed by Russia from Ukraine. The Rotenberg brothers were sanctioned and made subject to travel bans because Ukraine did not give its consent to the construction of the bridge. Arkady Rotenberg has known Putin since childhood, and they have been photographed together doing judo training. Putin personally presented him with Russias Medal of Honor for his work on the bridge, a long-dreamed-of project whose completion has been used as a focus for rallying Russian nationalist sentiment by Putin. He and his brother are among Russias richest people, with interests in banking and construction. They even own a slice of Moscow airport. Rotenberg companies appear to have benefited handsomely from their close relationship with Putin. They reportedly got $7.4 billion in government contracts for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi and $5 billion for the 2018 World Cup in addition to the $3.5 billion bridge contract. The Rotenbergs were reportedly being lined up as investors in the proposed Trump Tower Moscow by middleman Felix Sater. In 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned both brothers, identifying them as members of Putins inner circle. They were also accused by U.S. authorities of using million-dollar art deals to bypass sanctions. A congressional report claimed that the Rotenbergs spent $18 million buying art in the months after sanctions were imposed in 2014 to get their money out of the U.S. The Senate subcommittee alleged that the billionaire family used a Moscow-based art consultant, Gregory Baltser, to facilitate the art purchases in the U.S. The scheme saw the consultant purchase art for clients, paying auction houses directly through wire transfer and not bidding at auction. The report stated: Despite having voluntary [anti money laundering] and sanctions policies, auction houses failed to ask basic questions of Mr. Baltser, including for whom he purchased art. This allowed Mr. Baltser to continue to purchase art despite the imposition of sanctions by the United States on the Rotenbergs, completely undermining any action taken by the auction houses to block transactions by sanctioned individuals.

###CLAIM: amanda and zupancic, 32, from ohio, who had just left the house 20 minutes before 11:23 a. m. on november 23 when the intruders broke in, went downstairs to investigate the noise. ###DOCS: An Ohio special-education teacher was conducting a class via Zoom when a burglar armed with a knife broke into her home and attacked her. But the suspect, identified as convicted felon Charles Derosett, proved no match for Amanda Zupancic and her two dogs, Lady and Wellington. At around 11am on November 23, Zupancic, 32, was in an upstairs office at her home on Baltic Road in Cleveland conducting a private online lesson with a middle school student and his mother when she heard glass shattering downstairs. Zupancic, who works at Kirkland Local Schools, jokingly told her student's mother that someone was breaking into her house, unaware that was exactly what was happening. Amanda Zupancic, 32, from Ohio, was teaching a private class on Zoom on November 23 when an intruder armed with a knife broke into her Cleveland homeZupancic, whose husband and baby had just left the house 20 minutes earlier, went downstairs to investigate the noise and came face-to-face with an intruder armed with a knife walking through a baby gate at the foot of the staircase leading up to the second floor. He started threatening me, yelling at me, calling me names, Zupancic told News 5 Cleveland. He grabbed me upstairs into my bedroom.The suspect, later identified as Derosett, began ransacking the teacher's home, stealing watches and wedding rings, while Zupancic's student and his mother were still listening in on the Zoom call. The boy's father called 911 from his home in Lake County, telling the dispatcher that his wife has heard the burglar yell at their son's teacher: Get on the floor, I am going to cut your f***ing throat.' Zupancic said she told the attacker he could have her car keys, but they were downstairs. He agreed to let her retrieve them, but the quick-thinking educator instead let her two dogs, a German shepherd and a Great Dane-boxer mix, loose on him. Charles Derosett, 43, was arrested on aggravated robbery and felonious assault charges after Zupancic chased him with scissorsSo the German shepherd stood between myself and this guy, and the Great Dane-boxer mix went at him, she said. While the robber was fending off the dogs, Zupancic grabbed a pair of scissors and chased the unwelcome guest to the front door. She continued pursuing the knife-wielding man down the street in her slippers while yelling for help. A contractor who was working on a nearby house heard the teacher's cries for help, tackled the suspect to the ground and held him down until police arrived to arrest him. Derosett was indicted last week on charges of aggravated robbery and felonious assault. The 43-year-old is a convicted felon who previously served time for aggravated robbery. At the time of the home invasion, he had been out of jail for just 36 days. This individual needs to be taken off the street, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael OMalley told WJW. He needs to go back to prison.

###CLAIM: does the game allow you to play with people using different consoles online, otherwise known as cross-platform games? ###DOCS: The Microsoft Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S have finally and officially launched today we outline some available retailers that have the gaming consoles in stock below but prepare to see stock run out and get replenished regularly over the coming weeks. Below, we'll help guide anyone looking to buy an Xbox today, as well as anyone unsure between the two gaming consoles. It's been seven long years, but Sony and Microsoft are releasing their new game consoles this week: The Playstation 5 and the Xbox Series X, respectively. But between the different models of each edition, their exclusive games and lots of technobabble otherwise, buying a game console is starting to feel as complex as picking a health insurance plan. If you're looking for a great gift this holiday and one particularly attuned to a gamer but aren't steeped in the world of video games yourself, here are the things you actually need to know. PlayStation or Xbox? If you aren't sure which platform to go with (and your giftee hasn't already made it abundantly clear), here are some ways to figure out the best path forward. PS5 vs Xbox: Which games do they play? Significantly, most video games come out for both PlayStation and Xbox (as well as desktop PCs), but each company does have a few games exclusive to their platform, which can make all the difference. PS5 vs Xbox: What do their friends have? Historically, games haven't allowed you to play online with people using a different console, otherwise known as cross-platform gaming. So if all your friends have PlayStations, you'll probably want one, too. (This generation's PlayStation 4 was, overall, much more popular than the Xbox One, so Sony has a lot of momentum going into this generation but you'll still want to see what your giftees crew uses.) Many games are starting to allow for cross-play, but we haven't quite reached the utopian future of "any game, any system" just yet. PS5 vs Xbox: Which console is more powerful? While tech nerds (like me) love to debate the specs of these systems, the most important factor will always be the games themselves. But if graphical power matters to your tech-savvy gift recipient, it's worth consideration. We don't know for sure which will perform better in real-world scenarios. Right now, it's looking like the Xbox Series X is going to be the more powerful system (at least in terms of raw graphical horsepower), with the PlayStation 5 just a bit behind it, and the Xbox Series S providing a lower-fidelity experience on a budget. PS5 vs PS 5 Digital vs Xbox Series X vs Xbox Series S: Which model should I gift? If that last sentence confused you, let me explain: Each platform has two different models this year. Once you finish the schlep and finally decide between PlayStation and Xbox, you'll have to then decide which PlayStation or Xbox to buy. Fret not, the options arent complicated. Sony's top model will be the $500 PlayStation 5, a powerful next-gen console with a 4K Blu-ray player built-in. It'll play games like Marvel's Spider-Man: Mile Morales, Demon's Souls, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and the ever-popular Fortnite all with high-end graphics. It will also play most PS4 games. You can pre-order the console now (on and off, anyway, as stock becomes available) and it launches on Nov. 12. The PlayStation 5 Digital Edition, also launching Nov. 12, has the exact same hardware as the PlayStation 5, but eschews the disc drive for a more affordable price tag: $400. It'll play all the same games with the same top-tier graphical fidelity, but you'll have to buy those games digitally and download them rather than buy them on disc. It also won't be able to play 4K Blu-rays without that disc drive. Personally, I think $100 is worth the disc drive capability so youre left with at least one device able to read the medium. If you go with the PlayStation 5, you might also consider grabbing an extra controller, a charging station and a wireless headset like Sony's Pulse 3D or the HyperX Cloud Flight S.Just launched, The Xbox Series X looks like it'll be the most powerful console of this generation, at the same $500 price tag as the PlayStation 5. It'll have many of the same games as the PS5, including Fortnite, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, with a few of its own exclusive titles, like Gears 5 and the upcoming Halo Infinite. It can also play all Xbox One games, as well as some Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, giving it a leg up on Sony for those that like to revisit older titles. It also has a 4K Blu-ray drive for movie buffs. Also just launched, the Xbox Series S is a lower-cost alternative to the Series X. It plays the same games, old and new, but gets rid of the disc drive and downgrades the graphics a bit games might not look quite as good as they do on the Xbox Series X or on either of the PS5 models, but it hits a far more affordable $300 price point. Xbox players may also want a second controller or a wireless headset like the HyperX CloudX Flight. Do you need to buy now? Demand is high for these new consoles and we're already seeing models selling out, but we should see stock trickle in and out over time now that some of the consoles have launched. If you aren't in a rush, though, don't feel like you need to buy them right now for the time being, a lot of the newest games will still come out for the current-gen PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, including Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Cyberpunk 2077 and others. Some games may even come with a free upgrade to the PS5/XSX versions, if and when you decide to grab the latest console. So if you'd rather make your decision once more reviewers get their hands on these new systems I'll be taking both for a spin myself feel free to hold off and give your current hardware a bit more playtime. Catch up on Selects in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.

###CLAIM: stuart and mckay were revealed to have delivered the baby in a new interview, revealing that the home birth was planned but not much choice as he came quite quickly. ###DOCS: Dr Zoe Williams has revealed she's named her newborn son Lisbon Lion. The This Morning star gave birth to her first child three weeks ago, and explained her partner Stuart McKay had to help deliver their baby after a surprisingly quick labour. Speaking to HELLO! magazine, Zoe revealed that she had a water birth at home but the process was so quick there was no time for the midwife to arrive. Introducing Lisbon Lion! This Morning star Dr Zoe Williams, 41, showed off her newborn son and revealed boyfriend Stuart McKay delivered their baby in a new interviewShe revealed: 'I had planned on a home birth, but as it turned out, there wasn't much choice because he came quite quickly. 'It was a beautiful moment when Stuart and I were facing each other in the (birthing) pool, we looked down and he was there in the water. 'I picked him up and we had five minutes where we held him, before even checking if he was a girl or boy.' Stuart added: 'It sounds stressful but the reality was far from it. Zoe was incredible and I had complete confidence everything would be okay.' Baby news! Zoe announced she'd welcomed her first child last week in an adorable Instagram post as she gushed that she's 'enjoying her newborn love bubble'Zoe revealed they decided to name their son, who weighed eight pounds, Lisbon as she met Stuart at a bar in Portugal 20 months ago and decided shortly afterwards that would be the name of their child. The doctor now plans to take a year off from her work as an NHS GP but hopes to return to This Morning sooner. Zoe announced she'd welcomed her first child last week in an adorable Instagram post. She gushed that she's 'enjoying her newborn love bubble,' alongside an image of her baby's hands clasped between Stuart's and her own. Out now: Read the full interview in Hello! magazine, out nowZoe first revealed she was expecting her first child with boyfriend Stuart in January, having previously said she considered using a sperm donor in her quest to motherhood. In the post's caption Zoe said: 'So delighted to announce that baby Williams-McKay has arrived and we are all safe, sound and doing great. 'We are taking a week away from social media to enjoy our newborn love bubble but I promise to share all the details once I'm back online next week.' In a recent interview, Zoe described pregnancy as 'magical' and admitted she was considering trying to conceive via a sperm donor before she met her partner. The doctor, who previously revealed she froze her eggs in 2018, explained: 'Having my scan was just the most amazing thing. It's so magical, the wonder of seeing this little life that's growing inside you.' Read the full interview in Hello! magazine, out now. Zoe Williams has given birth to her first child with boyfriend Stuart McKay. The This Morning star, 41, shared the exciting news with fans on Instagram on Sunday, and gushed she's 'enjoying her newborn love bubble,' alongside an image of her baby's hands clasped between Stuart's and her own. Zoe, who is yet to reveal the name or gender of her bundle of joy, first revealed she was expecting her first child with boyfriend Stuart in January, having previously said she considered using a sperm donor in her quest to motherhood. Baby news! This Morning doctor Zoe Williams, 41, has given birth to her first child with boyfriend Stuart McKay, and shared the news with fans on Instagram on SundayIn the post's caption Zoe said: 'So delighted to announce that baby Williams-McKay has arrived and we are all safe, sound and doing great. 'We are taking a week away from social media to enjoy our newborn love bubble but I promise to share all the details once I'm back online next week.' Zoe announced in January that she is expecting her first child with Stuart, and recently admitted she's nervous as she looks ahead to the birth. Sweet: The This Morning star shared the exciting news with fans and gushed she's 'enjoying her newborn love bubble'I'm feeling a bit apprehensive, but also there's a small side of me that's looking forward to the birth and I can't wait to meet the baby,' she told HELLO! 'I can't believe I am saying that! I've witnessed my body go through this incredible thing and have got this newfound trust and faith in what it's capable of.' Zoe, who made her first TV appearance as Amazon in the UK television series Gladiators after qualifying as a doctor, added that she 'came into her pregnancy with a doctor's mindset'. The medical professional also revealed she has enlisted the help of a doula - a trained companion employed to guide her through pregnancy and childbirth. She said: 'Having worked in obstetrics and gynaecology, I've been exposed to many more complicated births than straightforward ones.' 'But we've got a doula who's attended many births and she is helping me readdress what my ideas are around everything. 'Thinking about a home birth is a massive shift for me, although I'm still weighing up all my options.' In a recent interview, Zoe described pregnancy as 'magical' and admitted she was considering trying to conceive via a sperm donor before she met her partner. The doctor, who previously revealed she froze her eggs in 2018, explained: 'Having my scan was just the most amazing thing. It's so magical, the wonder of seeing this little life that's growing inside you.'

###CLAIM: he said those kinds of waves do not just affect landlords, but devastate communities much like the mortgage foreclosures of 2008. ###DOCS: President Joe Biden speaks with members of the press near a waiting motorcade vehicle after stepping off Air Force One at Delaware Air National Guard Base in New Castle, Del., Friday, March 26, 2021. Biden is spending the weekend at his home in Delaware. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)President Joe Biden speaks with members of the press near a waiting motorcade vehicle after stepping off Air Force One at Delaware Air National Guard Base in New Castle, Del., Friday, March 26, 2021. Biden is spending the weekend at his home in Delaware. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Bidens administration has less than a week to decide on extending the nationwide eviction moratorium, a measure that housing advocates say has helped keep most cash-strapped tenants across the country in their homes during the pandemic. Housing advocates are confident the ban, due to expire March 31, will be extended for several months and possibly even strengthened. Still, they argue the existing moratorium hasnt been a blanket protection and say thousands of families have been evicted for other reasons beyond nonpayment of rent. The key to restoring and strengthening our economy is defeating COVID-19. To do that, we must keep people safely housed as we work towards vaccinating more people. This is what the American Rescue Plan does, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said in a statement. But for now, an extension of the moratorium is clearly warranted until more people are vaccinated, more supportive housing programs come on line, and more help is deployed.ADVERTISEMENTThe White House has indicated it is weighing an extension of the ban. The Department of Housing and Urban Development did not respond to a request for comment on the issue. Eric Dunn, director of litigation for the National Housing Law Project, noted signs that a decision has already quietly been made. Last week, Dunn said, a HUD official conducted a call with housing advocates to field opinions on a new, streamlined form that tenants can use in order to gain protection from eviction. Why would they be doing that if they didnt plan to continue this for a while longer? Dunn asked. The question is: What is the extension going to look like?Dunn and others would like to see the moratorium extended and improved. Last week, more than 2,000 advocacy organizations signed on to a letter to Biden and new HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge urging them to extend the ban via executive order and also address the moratoriums shortcomings by improving and enforcing the order.Implemented in September by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, President Donald Trumps directive was extended until the end of January. Biden extended it until March 31. The rationale for the moratorium was that having families lose their homes and move into shelters or share crowded conditions with relatives or friends during a pandemic would further spread the highly contagious coronavirus. To be eligible for protection, renters must earn $198,000 or less for couples filing jointly, or $99,000 for single filers; demonstrate that theyve sought government help to pay the rent; declare that they cant pay because of COVID-19 hardships; and affirm they are likely to become homeless if evicted. ADVERTISEMENTBidens $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package included more than $25 billion in emergency rental assistance, plus more to help tenants who were behind on their utilities, but no extension of the eviction moratorium. And while that money works its way out to citizens, the need for relief remains dire. John Pollock, coordinator of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, said current surveys show that 18.4% of all tenants owe back rent. That number also revealed significant racial disparity; the percentage of Black tenants behind on their rent was 32.9%. Pollack called the ban the only thing holding back the flood of evictions that would spiral through the still shaky American economy. That kind of wave wont just affect the renters themselves; it will devastate communities, much as the 2008 mortgage foreclosure crisis did, he said. But simply extending the moratorium is not enough, advocates said. One of the biggest changes being advocated is for Biden to make the bans protections automatic and universal. Currently, tenants have to take active steps to invoke the bans protections which leads to exploitation of the uniformed. Its often the most vulnerable that dont have the information they need to be protected, said Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, citing recent immigrants and the elderly as those least likely to know their full rights. Its really been left to organizations like ours to get the word out, she said. Another flaw: Landlords in some jurisdictions have been initiating eviction proceedings in court, a tactic the Trump administration opened the door to in a much derided amendment to the ban. It has allowed landlords to have these evictions just teed up and ready to go, Dunn said. Many families have chosen to leave their homes at the first threat of legal proceedings, fearing that the eviction even one still in the courts would be a stain on their record that would make finding a home challenging. Not everyone supports keeping the moratorium in place. Landlords in several states have sued to scrap the order, arguing it was causing them financial hardship and infringing on their property rights. There are at least six prominent lawsuits challenging the authority of the CDC ban; so far three judges have sided with the ban and three have ruled against, with all cases currently going through appeals. One judge in Memphis declared the CDC order unenforceable in the entire Western District of Tennessee. Individual eviction cases are still heard by state court judges far and wide many of who never liked the CDC halt order to begin with and were just itching for ways to circumvent it or disregard it, Dunn said. ___Casey reported from Boston.

###CLAIM: according to a new poll out this morning by the washington post and abc news, former vice president joe biden leads trump by 17 points in wisconsin. ###DOCS: Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Sharewith Brent D. Griffiths It's Wednesday. Six days until Election Day. Across the country, 67.8 million people have already voted that's 49 percent of the total 2016 vote And I think we'll be hearing quite a bit today about the aftermath of the president's rally in Omaha last night where rescue efforts were required to help elderly supporters stranded in the very cold weather. Thanks for waking up with us. The campaignHONEY BADGER DON'T CARE: Former vice president Joe Biden leads President Trump by 17 points in Wisconsin, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll out this morning. That's a stunning gap less than one week from the election in one of the states Trump picked off in 2016 to pull off his surprise upset over Hillary Clinton. It could herald a more substantial win by Biden than some Democrats are afraid to say aloud but are whispering about. AdvertisementThe survey showed the coronavirus pandemic which Trump claims is ending is the albatross hanging around Trump's neck in Wisconsin in particular: Seventy percent of voters in the state say they are very or somewhat worried about the virus and 59 percent gave the president failing marks for his handling of the pandemic. Our polling also showed Biden ahead by 7 points in Michigan, another battleground state key to the president's reelection chances. Just last night, for the second week in a row, the president traveled to Wisconsin, one of the worst coronavirus hotspots in the country that set a record for 5,200 new infections and 64 deaths in what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported was the worst day yet of the pandemic there. The state's chief medical official called the situation a nightmare scenario.But at an outdoor rally in La Crosse, Trump railed against Gov. Tony Evers (D), calling on him to reopen the state and falsely claiming again the country is rounding the curve on the virus. AdvertisementIts a choice between a Trump boom and a Biden lockdown, Trump told the crowd. Speaking of lockdowns, lets get your governor to open it up. He again insisted that the media is exaggerating the severity of the virus that has so far killed 226,000 Americans to make him look bad and claimed that the virus will not be a topic of conversation after the election. The facts: This past week brought the highest number of coronavirus cases since the pandemic started. Dozens of states have seen a seven-day average of more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people, with more than 700 per 100,000 in North Dakota population-wise, that would be the equivalent of Florida reporting more than 20,000 cases during the same time period, our colleagues This past week brought the highest number of coronavirus cases since the pandemic started. Dozens of states have seen a seven-day average of more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people, with more than 700 per 100,000 in North Dakota population-wise, that would be the equivalent of Florida reporting more than 20,000 cases during the same time period, our colleagues Hannah Knowles and Jacqueline Dupree report. The state Department of Health Services reported 5,262 new cases and 64 deaths Tuesday, both records far above any previous daily counts. The death toll now stands at 1,852.The state is experiencing a massive upsurge in cases that rivals the numbers seen in much bigger states. Hospital beds are at about 85% capacity statewide. The state just Hospital beds are at about 85% capacity statewide. The state just opened a field hospital near Milwaukee that can accommodate more than 500 patients, according to NPR's James Doubek and David Greene. Nevertheless, Trump spoke before a crowd of thousands at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway in an area of the state experiencing some of the highest rate of infections. Among independents, trust in Biden has increased by 17 points, from 42 percent in September to 59 percent in the latest poll.Voters judged Biden as a stronger leader than Trump by nine points in Wisconsin. Nearly 7 in 10 registered voters there support current Wisconsin mitigation efforts including restrictions on public gatherings and mask requirements which the president has also mocked. It's partisan, though: In Wisconsin, more than 9 in 10 Democrats and about 7 in 10 independents back the rules while 6 in 10 Republicans oppose them, our colleagues report. We should note that The Post-ABC news findings showed Biden further ahead in Wisconsin than Trump than in other public polls. Our last poll of the state, conducted one month ago, showed Biden with a six-point lead among likely voters but that shift may be due to variation in random sample surveys, per our colleagues. Slightly more registered voters in the current poll report voting for Clinton than Trump in 2016, whereas the previous survey showed voters essentially split. If the survey is adjusted to match the 2016 election result, Biden maintains a 12-point lead, they write. Breaking news from the Badger State might also affect the state of the play: ... the Supreme Court ruled Monday night that ballots received after Election Day cannot be counted, no matter when they were mailed, our colleague Rosalind Helderman reports. By the numbers: As of Tuesday, voters in the key battleground state But that means that nearly 327,000 absentee ballots had not yet been returned. As of Tuesday, voters in the key battleground state had returned more than 1.45 million of the 1.79 million absentee ballots they had requested so far a return rate of more than 80 percent. In Wisconsin, late ballots could be critical if the election is close. In 2016 , Donald Trump defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by fewer than 23,000 votes in the state, Roz notes. :Last month, the Trump campaign told Power Up the president could win the election without any of the vital battleground states he flipped in 2016 to capture the White House Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin if he wins Minnesota. The campaign, however, cut back on its ad spending in Minnesota earlier this month and Biden currently leads Trump by an average of 6 points there, according to a RealClearPolitics. Trump's path to 270 is quite limited if he fails to win at least one of those three states key to his 2016 victory. AdvertisementBut a reminder: Clinton led by 4 points in Michigan and 5 points in Wisconsin in our final polling averages in those states in 2016, and then lost both states by less than one point. But Bidens extra cushion means he could survive a 2016-magnitude miss, writes Five Thirty Eight's Nate Silver. : 4 points in Michigan5 points in WisconsinIn Michigan, the race is much closer: The surveys show Biden narrowly ahead of Trump among likely voters in Michigan by 51 percent to 44 percent, with Libertarian Party nominee Jo Jorgensen at 3 percent, our colleagues report of the new polling. Among registered voters, Biden only leads Trump by five points. Likely female voters are carrying Biden by double digits in both Michigan and Wisconsin: He leads Trump by 24 points among those women in Michigan and by 30 points in Wisconsin. Biden trails Trump among Michigan men by double digits and the two are running about even among men in Wisconsin.Biden also held overwhelming leads among women with college degrees in both places. Another demographic shift? : ... majorities of older voters in both states are currently backing Biden. He has a wide 61 percent to 37 percent lead in Wisconsin and a slimmer 55 percent to 43 percent lead in Michigan among voters age 65 and above. Four years ago, Trump narrowly carried these older voters in Michigan and split about even with Clinton in Wisconsin, according to our colleagues. AdvertisementThe president, however, is viewed more positively than he is in Wisconsin: 52 percent of Michigan voters approved of his handling of the economy compared to 44 percent who disapproved. But a majority still rated the president poorly on his overall job approval (46 percent positive vs. 52 percent negative) and handling of the coronavirus (42 percent positive vs. 55 percent negative). And while voters see Biden as more honest and trustworthy than Trump in both Michigan and Wisconsin, the two are judged evenly in Michigan on who is a stronger leader. In Michigan, Trump is doing slightly better at holding his Republican base than in Wisconsin with 92 percent support, just a tick below Bidens 94 percent support among Democrats. Also, Trump has 51 percent support among White likely voters but Biden has the support of 81 percent of non-White voters. Biden leads by 89 percent to 6 percent among Black registered voters, just shy of Clintons 92 percent support in 2016, according to network exit polls .Today's polling suggests that if Trump is to close the gap in either state, Election Day turnout will be the key. Trump leads among likely voters who plan to vote on Election Day with 65 percent support in Michigan and 70 percent in Wisconsin. Among voters who have already voted or plan to do so before Election Day, over 7 in 10 in both Michigan and Wisconsin support Biden, according to Scott, Dan and Emily. The peopleVOTING NEARS HISTORIC LEVELS: After weeks of early and mail voting, at least 69 million Americans have already cast their ballots for next weeks election, a historic figure that has upended expectations about Election Day and which states could decide the presidential contest, Amy Gardner and Rosalind S. Helderman report. AdvertisementWe're on the verge of history: The massive number equals roughly half of the total turnout in 2016 all but ensuring, with early voting continuing through the weekend, that the majority of ballots will be cast before Election Day for the first time in history.There is a massive partisan divide: For now, the early numbers overwhelmingly favor Democrats in 16 of 19 states that provide such data. But the gap between Democratic and Republican voters has narrowed in recent days in several battleground states, and Trump and Biden campaigns noted that more Republicans are expected to vote on Nov. 3, our colleagues write. Biden's camp concedes no lead is yet insurmountable: On Monday, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien told reporters that the president will win the Election Day vote easily, in part because of an extensive get-out-the-vote operation. Republicans in conservative-leaning states were helped by the confirmation, he argued: But liberal donors have unleashed a deluge of cash against his members that has made some seats more competitive, he said. You know, the other side has done a great job with ActBlue, he said, name checking the Democratic donation platform. We always knew we were going to have spirited races in Montana, Colorado, Arizona, Iowa, North Carolina and Maine. Theyve been able to make it competitive in Kansas, Georgia, South Carolina and Alaska.He was always going to fill a vacant seat on the high court, if an opportunity arose: It was entirely premeditated, McConnell told our colleague. and find another one who was able to do something as consequential as this, McConnell boasted to the New York Times's Carl Hulse of the three conservative justices that are expected to cement a right-leaning majority on the Supreme Court for decades to come. And he was always wanted Barrett: Despite White House interest in others, such as Judge Barbara Lagoa in Florida and Judge Allison Jones Rushing in North Carolina, McConnell was insistent on Justice Barrett, arguing that she was a known figure because of her previous confirmation for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and that she was very popular in conservative legal circles.Some Democrats fired back:McConnell needs his judges to matter because he doesn't have anything else. They'll matter in the short term. But if Democrats win the WH and Senate on Tuesday, they can take away McConnell's entire legacy - and rebalance our democracy - within months, with just a few bills. https://t.co/EeCi6fLt4S Adam Jentleson (@AJentleson) October 28, 2020Outside the BeltwayINSIDE A WEEK: Biden launched a closing campaign argument that sought to look in part beyond next weeks election, promising in a speech and two campaign ads to heal the nation and bring it together as he evoked the memory of Franklin D. Roosevelt and drew mostly implicit contrasts with Trump, Sean Sullivan, Anne Gearan and Felicia Sonmez report. AdvertisementHis closing message: With our voices and our votes, we must free ourselves from the forces of darkness, from the forces of division, and the forces of yesterday, Biden said in Warm Springs, Ga., a town FDR, who was a polio survivor, regularly visited for therapy. Back in Trump world: The president is playing down the pandemic and raising unfounded concerns about the vote, seeking to energize his base and set the stage for a potential challenge to the election results, our colleagues write. Gov. Tom Wolf (D) authorized the deployment of troops after protests turned destructive: Mondays demonstrations and looting left shops damaged and at least 30 officers injured, including one hospitalized with a broken leg after being struck by a truck. On Tuesday, police and protesters clashed again, but officers, aided by National Guardsmen, took a more aggressive tack, filling the streets with lines of riot cops who stopped marchers and made several arrests earlier in the evening.Wallace was experiencing an apparent mental health crisis when he was killed: Police said Wallace 27 was wielding a knife and ignored orders to drop the weapon before officers fired shots Monday afternoon. But his parents said Tuesday night that officers knew their son was in a mental health crisis because they had been to the familys house three times on Monday, the Associated Press's Claudia Lauer reports. pic.twitter.com/x3KGKl7q9c Holly Otterbein (@hollyotterbein) October 27, 2020Trump alleged Democrats stand with the rioters: White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany echoed those attacks in a statement late last night claiming the destruction is the most recent consequence of the Liberal Democrats war against the police.Wallace and his family were not mentioned in the statement: Instead, the White House offered all lethal force incidents must be fully investigated. The facts must be followed wherever they lead to ensure fair and just results." ViralFans gathered across Los Angeles on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28 to celebrate the Dodgers' first World Series title in more than three decades. (Video: The Washington Post)MORE PARTIES IN LA: Validation came at 10:37 p.m. Central time, wearing the classic home whites of the Los Angeles Dodgers and streaming out of the first base dugout for a dogpile near the pitchers mound of Globe Life Field. The World Series was over. The Dodgers tortuous, 32-year wait for another championship was over. The 2020 baseball season, bent and misshapen by a global pandemic, was over. And validation had arrived to drape itself on each and every one of them, Dave Sheinin and Scott Allen report from Arlington, Tex. Another reminder of how unusual this season is:A picturesque and historical evening as fans get to witness LA's #WorldSeries win over the Rays from their cars during a drive-in viewing at Dodger Stadium. pic.twitter.com/4W5LSUAjSq Gina Ferazzi (@GinaFerazzi) October 28, 2020The triumphant Los Angeles Times's front page:Heres an early look at the front page of Wednesdays @latimessports section. Catch up on the Dodgers World Series win: https://t.co/SkfIXdr14T pic.twitter.com/mbiBrFcZWk Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 28, 2020GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: according to deadline, this film is positioned as a prequel to the lord of the rings trilogy set 250 years prior. ###DOCS: Lord of the Rings fans have plenty to celebrate this year, including a forthcoming Amazon series and the 20th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.And now, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation are working together to make an anime accompaniment to the notable LOTR films, Deadline reported Thursday. The new animated project, The War of the Rohirrim, will center around the King of Rohans epic battle with Helm Hammerhand. This film is positioned as a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, according to Deadline, set 250 years prior. Ringers, as fans are called, are thrilled this specific battle will finally be on the big screen since there will be an extensive exploration into the Helms Deep fortress. Fans of the trilogy arent the only ones excited for another J.R.R. Tolkien creation, either. All of us at New Line feel a deep affinity for the extraordinary world J.R.R. Tolkien created, so the opportunity to dive back into Middle-earth with the team at Warner Bros. Animation is a dream come true, New Line and Warner Bros. Pictures Group told Deadline in a joint statement. Fans know Helms Deep as the stage for one of the greatest battles ever put to film and, with many of the same creative visionaries involved and the brilliant Kenji Kamiyama at the helm, we couldnt be more excited to deliver a fresh vision of its history that will invite global audiences to experience the rich, complex saga of Middle-earth in a thrilling new way.The War of the Rohirrim will center around the King of Rohans epic battle with Helm Hammerhand. Alamy Stock PhotoSola Entertainment will be spearheading the animation work, Kamiyama will be directing and Philippa Boyens, co-writer of the trilogy, will be a consultant on the production. It is notable that Kamiyama is directing this feature given his acclaimed work in the anime genre, including Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Blade Runner: Black Lotus.LOTR fans are also bracing for Amazons Lord of the Rings series, which began filming in New Zealand before the pandemic interrupted production. Amazon has already renewed the show for a Season 2 ahead of Season 1 and rights reportedly cost a whopping $250 million. LOS ANGELES, June 10 (Reuters) - The Warner Bros. movie studio will produce an anime feature film set in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien's popular "The Lord of the Rings" books, officials announced on Thursday. "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" will tell the story of a legendary battle that shaped Middle-Earth in the years leading up to events in 2001 film "The Lord of the Rings," a statement from the studio said. The new movie will explore the fortress of Helm's Deep and feature the King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand. Anime filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama will direct the film. No release date was set. Warner Bros. distributed "The Lord of the Rings" live-action film trilogy starting in 2001 and "The Hobbit" trio of movies starting in 2012. The six films have grossed nearly $6 billion at box offices worldwide. Warner Bros. is currently owned by AT&T Inc (T.N) but is in the process of merging with Discovery Inc (DISCA.O). Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) is working on a "Lord of the Rings" television series, which is currently being filmed in New Zealand. Reporting by Lisa Richwine; editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

###CLAIM: she said she heard a man trying to leave near the secretary 's office before the shooting by roof. ###DOCS: Six years ago, a White gunman opened fire in the basement of a predominantly Black church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine of its congregants and shaking the nation. Today, the church is still operating, providing a symbol of hope and forgiveness that the clergy, families and victims say is led by the church's rich historical legacy and faith. Established in 1816, the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, commonly referred to as Mother Emanuel, was the site of speeches by abolitionists and civil rights leaders like Booker T. Washington, Martin Luther King Jr. and Wyatt T. Walker. The church has been the subject of racist attacks throughout its history: In 1822, the church was burned down by an angry White mob; in 1832 the city outlawed the church for having an all-Black congregation. In 2015, 21-year-old Dylann Roof targeted Mother Emanuel with what investigators later said were intentions to ignite a race war. Eight people died on the scene, and a ninth died later at a local hospital. The following year, Roof was convicted on 33 federal charges. He was sentenced to nine life sentences on state murder charges and sentenced to death on federal charges. CBS contributor Antjuan Seawright spoke with families of the victims on how the massacre impacted their lives and on their outlook for the future. Reverend Eric Manning, pastor of Mother Emmanuel: "Still we rise"Reverend Eric Manning, right. CBS NewsReverend Eric Manning became pastor of Mother Emmanuel about a year after the mass shooting. Despite the long history of attacks on his church, he said that his congregation is still encouraged about the future. "Even in the face of all of the political turmoil, even still in the systemic racism that we are continuing to deal with day in and day out...there is a hope," Manning said. "Every morning when we wake up, it becomes a day of hope. It becomes a day of thanks-giving and it becomes a day of reflection and doing the best that we can do to bring all of God's children together." Forgiveness has been crucial in keeping Mother Emanuel running for more than 200 years, he said. "Forgiveness doesn't necessarily ever excuse anyone for the act that they have done," he said. "You still have to have the consequences for your actions, same way as Dylann Roof. Forgiven? Yes, but he has the consequences for his actions but what forgiveness begins to say to us is that, 'I am no longer going to allow you the power over me. I'm going to release that.'" Manning said messages of love, grace and understanding continue to be shared within his congregation. He encourages everyone, regardless of race, to attend his church's services, and urges congregants to "leave your party affiliation behind" to focus on justice. "Every day, when I come in, I'm always constantly reminded that downstairs on the lower level there was a murder that took place of nine beautiful people," he said. "And every morning when I come in, I pause, and I reflect. And I do I try to do my job, first always bringing glory to God, and then second, remembering the Emanuel Nine, remembering the survivors, and then praying that I will continue to be able to uphold their legacy, uphold their memories in a way which will continue to draw more people." The pastor said that he doesn't believe that the country's environment has gotten better six years after the massacre. "It has progressively gotten worse," Manning said, referencing police brutality incidents and mass shootings of recent years. "I pray that it will begin to change a little bit." South Carolina is one of three states in the country that does not have legislation to protect citizens against hate crimes. The state has also yet to close what is widely referred to as the "Charleston Loophole," which allows people to purchase firearms after three days if the FBI has not yet completed a background check. Eliana, Malana and Jennifer Pinckney, family of victim: "I want to make sure that change happens"Eliana Pinckney, who was 11 years old when her father, Reverend Clementa Pinckney, was murdered in the attack, said that she too is "frustrated by the lack of change" in the country, but added that she is "hopeful" for her generation as they reach voting age. "I'm very, very excited to see the revolution that my generation is capable of," said Pinckney, who is now 17. The teenager said that she is proud to be regarded as a hero, along with her younger sister Malana and her mother Jennifer. On the day of the shooting, Eliana said she was home with her grandmother while her mother and Malana attended Bible study with Clementa, who was the pastor at the time. When shots rang out in the basement, Jennifer recalled grabbing her young daughter and hiding in a secretary's office, where she locked the door and hid underneath a desk. "Bullets came flying through the office," Jennifer told CBS News. "[Malana] was asking me like, is her daddy going to die and so forth." She said that she heard what sounded like a man trying to leave near the secretary's office before Roof shot the person. Jennifer said that she heard him say that he "had to do this." The mother and her young daughter sat under the desk with their hands over each other's mouths until she retrieved her phone from her husband's office to call 911. "When it was time for me to walk out there was pools of blood, ceiling, walls, floor," Jennifer recalled. "It was a sight I'll never forget for the rest of my life." Malana said that she doesn't regret going to church on that night. "I do give my gratitude because, without this, I don't know where I would be today and I'm just really thankful for that part." "It's six years later and I still have my ups and downs," Jennifer said. "I still can remember that day like it was yesterday. I've had to become not only just mom but dad as well and we've had our little times." Eliana, Malana and Jennifer Pinckney CBS NewsEliana described her mother as "the best parent of all time" and said her dad "is the greatest teacher" that she has ever had. Eliana will be attending Temple University in the fall, where she said she will study musical theater and public relations. Malana will be going into the eighth grade, which she said she is "very excited" for. Jennifer said that her late husband would be proud of his girls if he was still alive today. This weekend, CBSN brings you to Charleston, where community members continue to lean on each other six years after nine people were killed at Mother Emanuel AME Church. Download the CBS News app on your cellphone or connected TV to watch "The Charleston Church Shooting: Six Years Later" on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. ET.

###CLAIM: the russian commercial market has boomed this year as a coronavirus lock-out forced consumers to switch to online shopping. ###DOCS: MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russias largest lender Sberbank expects its non-financial businesses to generate 60% of company revenues by 2030, with e-commerce at the heart of a new three-year strategy, unveiled by Chief Executive German Gref on Monday. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Russian bank Sberbank is seen on a screen during a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia June 6, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File PhotoIn a shift away from its core banking business, Sberbank wants to become one of Russias top three e-commerce players by 2023 and is taking a majority stake in online platform SberMarket, a joint venture with internet group Mail.Ru, the company said. Sberbank has invested some $2 billion on acquisitions and IT as it attempts to join Apple and Google on the big tech stage. It also has the Rambler media group and Okko online cinema among the other assets. Over the next three years, revenue from Sberbanks non-banking businesses should reach at least 5% of group revenues, said Lev Khasis, first deputy chairman of the Sberbanks executive board, during the banks online investor day. We will make substantial investments of around 4% of our capital to implement this strategy, he said. And we will direct most of that on developing the e-commerce business.Khasis said Sberbanks total investment in SberMarket now stands at 12 billion roubles ($156 million). He said Sberbanks growth in the sector would likely be organic and that partnerships were possible, but ruled out large mergers and acquisitions. Russias e-commerce market has boomed this year as coronavirus lockdowns forced consumers to switch to online shopping. Despite the change in focus, the banking business will still account for approximately 70% of net operating income by 2023, based on forecasts presented by Gref. The banks return-on-equity, one of the key measures of profitability, is forecast at over 17% in 2020-2023. Retail lending is set to grow by 10-12% a year and Sberbanks corporate portfolio is expected to expand by another 5-7% annually in 2020-2023, the presentation said. Sberbank said it was also planning to channel 50% of net profit to dividends in the next three years. ($1 = 76.1660 roubles)

###CLAIM: the 57-year-old scot said : `` to say much is due to goals and penalties is impossible to talk about it without talking about whelan. ###DOCS: David Moyes has called for VAR rules to be 'sorted out' after goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was marginally caught off his line for a penalty in West Ham's 2-1 win at Leeds. The Hammers rose to fifth in the Premier League after headers from Tomas Soucek and Angelo Ogbonna earned their side a first win at Elland Road in 20 years. But the game started badly for the visitors when Fabianski fouled Leeds forward Patrick Bamford in the second minute. David Moyes has called for VAR rules to be 'sorted out' after West Ham's win against LeedsThe game started badly for West Ham when Lukasz Fabianski fouled Patrick BamfordThe Pole appeared to atone for his error after saving compatriot Mateusz Klich's penalty, but VAR ordered the spot kick to be retaken with the goalkeeper off his line, and the midfielder made no mistake at the second time of asking. Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Moyes was initially reluctant to discuss the incident but believes bosses at more high-profile Premier League clubs must start kicking up a fuss about such decisions. 'I think you [Whelan] should talk about it because of the goal and the penalty, there is not much I can say,' the 57-year-old Scot said. 'You might as well let the referees talk about it. We played really well tonight but until we get the rules sorted out I don't think I'm gonna be too happy, but it doesn't matter what I say. The Pole appeared to atone for his error by saving compatriot Mateusz Klich's penaltyBut VAR ordered the spot kick to be retaken with Fabianski having come off his line marginally'Maybe there will be more influential managers that can make a difference with what they say. 'It is probably better for you to discuss it because we are not discussing the football anymore, you're discussing VAR decision all the time so you are better asking me about the football so that I can answer those the best I can.' In a separate interview with Match of the Day after the game, Moyes however added: 'It's a really good result but we had another setback after 30 seconds. 'There are some terrible decisions that are happening at the moment. Whoever saw it must have had [Fabianski's foot] X-rayed. The decision was rubbish. Klich made no mistake from the second penalty and put Marcelo Bielsa's men into the leadMoyes urged 'more influential managers' in the Premier League to start complaining about it'It was a definite penalty. I was angry. I am still angry. This is the way football has gone. 'I think his heel is on the line. You need to have a microscope to see it. Surely the benefit should go to the goalkeeper, he has made the save. The game continued for 15 seconds and carried on. I am disappointed and angry with it.' West Ham have now won four games out of five and reached the 20-point mark by beating Marcelo Bielsa's men.

###CLAIM: barr wrote of the new cnn where "her calling pat buchanan and buchanan nutters nutters" is giving the president the green light to restrict the industry wide standards of impartiality, while under jeff and zucker saying "i want some opinions even if they are actually mean" is giving the president the green light to attack decency. ###DOCS: The president of far-left media watchdog Media Matters for America praised CNN for its shift to what the Washington Post called "more opinionated journalism," saying it had moved away from so-called false equivalence in its reporting. In a lengthy feature on the increased tendency by CNN newscasters and reporters to emote and editorialize, Angelo Carusone told the Post it was a positive development after CNN received criticism from liberals for hiring pro-Trump commentators and dedicating extensive airtime to Donald Trump's rallies during his 2016 campaign. "From that standpoint, many critics on the left see CNNs shift to a more opinionated journalism as a corrective," the Post's Jeremy Barr wrote. CNN PANEL MELTS DOWN AFTER CHENEY OUSTER, PREDICTS COLLAPSE OF TWO-PARTY SYSTEM: 'THIS IS EXISTENTIAL'"Theyre moving in a direction away from false equivalence, false balance, mollifying bad-faith critics from the right and focusing instead on what the story is," Carusone said. CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter, whose "Reliable Sources" newsletter often cites Media Matters, also praised fellow anchors and reporters this week for delivering what he called "first-person monologues" on the air. Anchors like Stelter, Brianna Keilar, Jake Tapper, and Anderson Cooper, as well as left-wing opinion hosts like Don Lemon, Jim Acosta and Chris Cuomo, are known for their liberal commentaries on the news. CNN'S STELTER LAUDS KEILAR FOR MONOLOGUES DEFENDING 'DECENCY' A DAY BEFORE SHE CALLS RAND PAUL AN 'A--'"Welcome to the new CNN, where journalists and anchors, traditionally restricted by industry-wide standards of impartiality, have been given the green light under network president Jeff Zucker to say what they actually want to say even if it strikes some as opinionated," Barr wrote. Barr avoided using the word "liberal" to describe CNN in his piece, but he acknowledged examples of hosts tipping their hands on the air, such as Tapper celebrating the end of a "long national nightmare" for millions of Americans with President Biden's election victory, as well as Chris Cuomo's maligned interviews with his older brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. CNN President Jeff Zucker, a former friend of Trump's after producing NBC's "The Apprentice," said he had given the go-ahead to CNN personalities to offer their opinions on the air in the name of being more "human." He took over CNN in 2013, and the network has notably shifted to the left during his tenure. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"One of the things that Ive tried to encourage is authenticity and being real," Zucker told the Post. "If we pretend not to be human, its not real." Comment on this story Comment Gift Article ShareAs the first presidential debate of the 2020 general election came to a close last fall, CNNs top anchors and political correspondents stepped up to offer their seasoned perspective and analysis. That, said anchor Jake Tapper, was a hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck. But political correspondent Dana Bash insisted on cutting to the chase. You used some high-minded language, she parried. Im just going to say it like it is: That was a s--- show.In fairness, the chaotic Sept. 29 debate left a lot of journalists sputtering for words, as Donald Trump relentlessly interrupted both Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace. But Bash and Tappers casually vivid language highlighted the dramatic tonal transformation of a once-staid network over the past decade. "I can't imagine that being accepted in 2001," said former CNN anchor Carol Costello, who speculated that Bash might have faced internal discipline in an earlier era. But, she added, "It was what anybody was thinking, so it wasn't wrong to say that." AdvertisementWelcome to the new CNN, where journalists and anchors, traditionally restricted by industry-wide standards of impartiality, have been given the green light under network President Jeff Zucker to say what they actually want to say even if it strikes some as opinionated. One of the things that Ive tried to encourage is authenticity and being real, Zucker said. If we pretend not to be human, its not real.These days, its not uncommon for CNN personalities to cry on air. In March, anchor Brianna Keilar got tearful during a segment about a mass shooting at a grocery store in Colorado. And after correspondent Sara Sidner apologized for getting choked up during a January report about pandemic deaths (Its really hard to take, she sighed), the boss called to reassure her. What I told her was, Dont ever apologize like that again, Zucker recounted. She was just being real. Shes a human being. She was expressing an emotion that probably many people in the audience were feeling. And Im totally comfortable with that happening on television. What people react to is authenticity and reality.AdvertisementYet to some ears, and during some stories, CNNs new emotional rawness can sound like bias at a network that built its reputation on studiously neutral impartiality. For tens of millions of our fellow Americans, Tapper intoned after CNN called the election for Biden, their long, national nightmare is over. Awaiting the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial last month, host Don Lemon confessed that Im anxious about it. . . . We shall see what the value of a Black life is. When the Minneapolis police officer was convicted in the death of George Floyd, Lemon proclaimed, justice has been served.And prioritizing personal connections to current events can backfire. Chris Cuomo who has exemplified the New CNN as much as any on-air personality won over many viewers early last year when he both chronicled his own battle with covid-19 and hailed the public-health efforts of his brother, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, in regular segments where the two would banter cutely about their childhood. Even after CNN anchor Chris Cuomo was diagnosed with covid-19, he and his brother Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D-N.Y.) have continued to publicly joke with each other. (Video: Blair Guild/The Washington Post)That decision put CNN in an uncomfortable position when the New York Democrat became mired in scandal allegations that he sexually harassed women and that his administration concealed the number of covid deaths in the states nursing homes and the network decided that one of its prime-time stars is now too conflicted to discuss one of the biggest political stories in the country. AdvertisementBut while some viewers may miss the old strait-laced, just-the-facts CNN, the new strategy seems to be working: In 2020, an extremely newsy year, it attracted its largest audience in its 40-year history. (Fox News and MSNBC also set records.) That is what they used to call good television, said Syracuse University professor and television historian Robert Thompson. It shows personality, it creates characters, it introduces a sense of dramaturgy that makes for compelling viewing.Back in the day, the news was the star at CNN far more so than any particular news anchor. Nobody was turning it on because Bernie Shaw was necessarily on, said Lisa Napoli, author of a book about the networks origins. CNN got its start in 1980, founded on the radical notion that viewers might want news 24 hours a day, back when the big broadcast networks only offered a few hours. AdvertisementAaron Brown joined CNN in 2001, when they were really serious and they took themselves very seriously way too seriously, he said. They werent public television, but they were pretty damn boring.But Brown famous for covering the 9/11 terrorist attacks over a 17-hour shift applauded CNN for sticking to the middle while MSNBC targeted the political left and Fox News targeted the right. CNN has a brand, and its an incredibly valuable brand, he said. There was an adherence to traditional journalism, as opposed to opinion commentary, said Kiran Chetry, who joined CNN as an anchor in 2007. They were trying to showcase that we have more bureaus than any other news network. That we have people that are very plugged in.Theres no obvious moment when CNN pivoted away from its traditional approach, but there were personalities along the way who embodied the shift. AdvertisementAnderson Cooper joined the network in 2001, but it was his 2005 coverage of Hurricane Katrina that drew notice for its urgent tone. Cooper scolded officials in confrontational interviews that crossed a line into advocacy journalism, and he visibly choked up on camera. Today, hosting his nightly news show, Anderson Cooper 360, he often strikes a more sober Brokaw-esque tone than the many colleagues who have adopted his heart-on-sleeve sensibility but hes also been liberated to get silly, and seemingly tipsy, while holding court on CNNs annual New Years Eve broadcast. And his news show includes a deeply opinionated segment called The Ridiculist, in which Cooper sometimes plays the role of insult comic. Last fall, he compared Trump to an obese turtle on his back, flailing in the hot sun, realizing his time is over, a comment he later apologized for but which might have triggered more severe consequences in a different era. Yet it was a new president who joined CNN several years later whom most credit for the network's new vibe. After a quick rise to the job of executive producer of NBC's morning show "Today" at age 26, Zucker shifted to NBC's entertainment division as its president in 2000, the later years of the network's sitcom-studded "Must See TV" peak. He was responsible for "The Apprentice," the boardroom docudrama that helped expand Trump's celebrity, and, many argue, put him on the path to the White House. AdvertisementBy 2007, Zucker was president and CEO of all of NBCUniversal. But he was pushed out in 2010, amid tumbling ratings and the networks acquisition by Comcast Corp. In 2012, CNNs then-parent company, Time Warner, hired Zucker to juice the networks flagging ratings and, as he put it at the time, to inject more passion into the programming. The pick was controversial, considering his background in reality television and lighter-side morning news. But Zucker largely succeeded in making the network profitable, at first by broadening the networks programming beyond news, to travel shows such as Parts Unknown, hosted by Anthony Bourdain; a newer hit show features actor Stanley Tucci eating his way across Italy. I think that as an anchor, I knew what CNN was about under Jeff Zucker in a way that I never knew under anyone else, said Costello, who left the network in 2018. He wanted you to be in-your-face, no-holds-barred, ask the right questions. . . . But, stick to the facts. Dont be irresponsible.AdvertisementWithout sharing specific examples, Zucker acknowledged he has had to hit the brakes a few times. There are times where Ive called folks and said, Hey, I think that might have been a little too much, he said. Thats the role of the coach. The coach is supposed to encourage you and then bring you back.Lemon, the prime-time host, said as much during a podcast interview last month with Kara Swisher for the New York Times. I have a lot of support from the big guy, Lemon told her. And if I go too far or whatever, then well talk about it.It was during the Trump era, though, that the network's new tone became most evident. CNN's chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, pushed back on Trump's press secretaries and critiqued the administration in a way that raised the eyebrows of news traditionalists. AdvertisementThis is a nation without a president, Acosta said last year, criticizing Trumps response to the coronavirus crisis. In a November appearance, he postulated that when Trump leaves office, he just goes back to being another crackpot on the Internet. In January, as the outgoing president sought to challenge the election results, Acosta put it in terms of Trump scrambling to scam his way into a second term.Acostas detractors say that he made himself the story perhaps less of an insult these days in a personality-driven medium like cable news. CNN recently rewarded Acosta with a new position as a weekend news anchor. The White House announced that it was suspending Jim Acosta's press pass on Nov. 7, accusing the CNN journalist of placing his hands on a young woman." (Video: Reuters)But the network was also becoming part of the story during these years notably when the White House suspended Acostas press credentials in 2018 and he went to court to get them restored. Zucker jousted publicly with the White House and with Trump, his onetime friend, while CNN spokespeople called out the president in pithy replies on Twitter. There was a history here, of course: Many critics believed Zuckers CNN, in hopes of hooking viewers, had lavished excessive airtime to Zuckers reality TV superstar as he launched his unlikely 2016 campaign. Zucker later apologized for that, though not for his other controversial practice of hiring staunchly pro-Trump pundits to tangle on-air with CNNs political analysts. From that standpoint, many critics on the left see CNNs shift to a more opinionated journalism as a corrective. Theyre moving in a direction away from false equivalence, false balance, mollifying bad-faith critics from the right and focusing instead on what the story is, said Angelo Carusone, president of the liberal media watchdog group Media Matters for America. But some found the adversarial stance toward Trump to be one-note, as Chetry put it, and less than fearless. Youre not necessarily going out on a limb when youre criticizing the Trump administration, said Chetry, who left CNN in 2012. Its really easy to have an opinion when you dont have to be afraid that anyone disagrees.Zucker has said that he will probably leave the network at the end of 2021, when his contract ends, but has not explicitly ruled out the possibility of signing an extension. Some employees are hoping he will do that. Despite his faults, hes been the best leader CNN has had in my many, many, years here, said a senior producer who was not authorized to comment. (Zucker declined to discuss his future beyond what he said in February.) The Zucker era at CNN has been marked by the elevation of anchors who are comfortable veering from pure-news delivery to call out what they see as misinformation and bad-faith arguments. A cable news schedule is a zero-sum game, and Tappers extra hour is coming from Wolf Blitzer, who joined the network back in 1990, becoming a cable-news icon with his coverage of the Gulf War that helped make CNN a household name. His neutral affect is a trait once valued in broadcast news but makes him seem like an outlier at the new CNN, noted Carusone. This model of just standing there and leaving it there is not where CNN seems to be going, which is that they are going to actually do the secondary piece of helping digest and making assessments, he said. Yet few cable news anchors are better known and respected than Blitzer, who was a steadying presence during the networks coverage of the unnerving early days of the pandemic, and who remains a symbol of its long-standing identity, as the channel to turn to when a big breaking news story happens. Zucker, however, said that CNN will always have room for multiple approaches to news. I dont want everybody doing the same thing all day long, he said. Yes, youre going to have folks who are more comfortable, folks who are more traditional, and I think thats what gives it a dynamic feel.Cuomo, who worked as a traditional correspondent for ABC News, came to CNN in 2013 as a traditional morning news co-anchor until 2018, when the network gave him his own show in the more opinionated prime-time hours and let him run wild. As he began gleefully skewering both Democrats and Republicans, network management put one key restriction on him: that he not cover his governor brother because of the inherent conflict of interest. But CNN dropped the policy during the early weeks of the pandemic, arguing that his conversations with Gov. Cuomo were of significant human interest.So when Cuomo explained a year later that he couldnt interview his brother about the allegations lobbed against him, some network critics saw a double standard at play. Why is this different from spring/summer of last year? Mary Katharine Ham, a right-leaning CNN contributor, asked on Twitter. Cuomo, meanwhile, also has drawn criticism for his other way of personalizing the pandemic. Some raised questions about the timeline of his covid-19 recovery, which the host commemorated with a live-TV emergence from the basement where he had been in quarantine. And after The Washington Post and other news organizations reported that his brothers administration arranged for the newsman to get preferential diagnostic treatment, critics accused CNN of dismissing or downplaying the story. Andrew Cuomo remains governor of New York, despite myriad calls for his resignation, which means that CNN will probably continue facing criticism for ignoring the controversy during a key evening hour. But viewers dont seem to mind: During the first three months of this year, Cuomo Primetime was the most-watched show on cable news among the 25-to-54 demographic coveted by advertisers. And although he wouldnt discuss the networks decision-making about Cuomo, Zucker said the controversy has changed nothing in his view of the hosts role in CNNs future. Not at all, he repeated. GiftOutline Gift Article

###CLAIM: `` the formal announcement today of the exploratory committee for the u. s. senate is accompanied by enthusiasm, '' booker said monday. ###DOCS: FILE - In this Feb. 19, 2020, file photo, state Rep. Charles Booker advocates for the passage of Kentucky HB-12 on the floor of the House of Representatives in the State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. Democrat Booker, whose unabashedly progressive campaign in Kentucky came up just short in last year's Senate primary, said Monday, April 12, 2021, he's forming an exploratory committee as he weighs a follow-up Senate race in 2022 against Republican incumbent Rand Paul. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston, File)FILE - In this Feb. 19, 2020, file photo, state Rep. Charles Booker advocates for the passage of Kentucky HB-12 on the floor of the House of Representatives in the State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky. Democrat Booker, whose unabashedly progressive campaign in Kentucky came up just short in last year's Senate primary, said Monday, April 12, 2021, he's forming an exploratory committee as he weighs a follow-up Senate race in 2022 against Republican incumbent Rand Paul. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston, File)LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Democrat Charles Booker, whose unabashedly progressive campaign in Kentucky came up just short in last years Senate primary, said Monday that hes forming an exploratory committee as he weighs a follow-up race in 2022 against Republican incumbent Sen. Rand Paul. Booker, a Black former state lawmaker, continued to tout themes of racial and economic justice, universal access to health care and environmental activism in taking a big step toward challenging Paul a libertarian-leaning conservative and ally of former President Donald Trump. Kentuckians deserve a senator who will fight as hard for us as we fight for each other, and thats why Im formally announcing an exploratory committee for U.S. Senate, Booker said in a news release. We can, we will and we must build a future that works for all of us instead of just for a wealthy few.ADVERTISEMENTBookers announcement is a step short of officially launching his candidacy, but hes long been seen as a leading Democratic prospect for the 2022 Senate race in Kentucky. Forming an exploratory committee allows Booker to poll, travel the state, make phone calls and fundraise while testing the waters without officially declaring himself as a candidate. Despite the strong name recognition Booker garnered in last years Senate campaign, the former Louisville lawmaker would face an uphill fight against Paul in Republican-trending Kentucky a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since Wendell Ford in 1992. Last year, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell trounced well-funded Democratic challenger Amy McGrath, who narrowly defeated Booker in the states Democratic primary. Responding to Bookers announcement Monday, Paul spokeswoman Kelsey Cooper said Kentuckians know there is no greater champion for the values they hold dear than Paul. And like President Trump stated in his recent endorsement, Dr. Paul has a proven record of fighting the liberal Washington agenda, she said. Paul, an eye surgeon, will be seeking his third Senate term in 2022. Booker seized momentum late in last years Democratic Senate primary on the strength of a Hood to the Holler campaign that highlighted the common interests of Black Democrats in the cities and middle- and low-income white people in the mountains of eastern Kentucky which he collectively has defined as people in forgotten places.He returned to those themes in his social media announcement Monday. Booker referenced the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor in her home during a botched Louisville police raid last year. When our sisters door was kicked in, we marched, Booker said. Those choices have already changed Kentucky forever.Last week, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a partial ban on no-knock warrants after months of demonstrations set off by Taylors death. Taylor, a 26-year-old Louisville emergency medical technician studying to become a nurse, was shot multiple times in March 2020 after being roused from her bed by police. No drugs were found, and the warrant was later found to be flawed. ADVERTISEMENTIn his announcement, Booker also called for guaranteed, quality health care for everyone and a Green New Deal in coal-producing Kentucky to ensure a healthy planet for generations to come.___Associated Press Writer Piper Hudspeth Blackburn contributed to this report.

###CLAIM: both beltrán and richarlison waited for the meeting only to get the defender just ahead. ###DOCS: They are not exactly playing with the swagger of a side who believe a top-four place is their divine right but Everton are doing enough. A moment of brilliance from Richarlison, who has become a predator under Carlo Ancelotti, was enough to keep them well in the running. You feel that Everton need the stadium to be full as much as any club. It was exactly a year ago today that they played Manchester United in a thumping occasion here and when fans were briefly allowed back, we saw something far better from them. The three points put right a grim recent home record, though they way they allowed Southampton back in will be a concern to Ancelotti. If they really are to hit the top four, they will have to do better than this. Ralph Hasenhuttl declared before the game that Southampton needed to be nastier, yet said in the same breath that having a Machiavellian streak in the end doesnt make you happy. This, then, was the night to resolve the paradox at the heart of Ancelottis team an ability to perform in testing conditions away from home while failing to do so in this stadium when the going looks less tough. The win at Anfield last week made it 26 points away from home for Everton in the Premier League this season their most after 12 games in the clubs history. Yet they had won only 14 points at Goodison Park before this game. In only three seasons have they won fewer home games after the equivalent number of matches. If Everton really are to win their game in hands and push for a top-four place, Ancelotti must prove that he can do more than secure defensive away wins and his censure for his team after the 2-0 defeat against Newcastle here did seem to have some effect. MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS AND PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE Everton (4-3-1-2): Pickford 7; Holgate 6.5, Keane 7, Godfrey 7, Digne 6; Doucoure 6, Allan 5.5, Sigurdsson 7; Gomes 7.5 (Iwobi 88); Calvert-Lewin 6.5, Richarlison 8 (King 90+1). Subs not used: Virginia, Bernard, Astley, Broadhead, John, Nkounkou, Onyango. The two took only nine minutes to contribute to an opening goal which revealed a malaise at the heart of a shell-shocked Southampton defence. Calvert-Lewin won an aerial challenge with Mohammed Salisu, Gylfi Sigurdsson threaded the second ball through the Southampton defence and Richarlison took it beyond Fraser Forster and cut it into the net on the acute. Some finish and some riposte from a player whom Ancelotti had declared before this game was a left-sided forward, whatever designs he might have on be a centre forward after scoring four in four games. Because he is young he plays where I tell him to play, the Italian declared. Jannik Vestergaard (2nd left) sees a late chance to equalise saved by Jordan PickfordThe game would have gone for Southampton had a VAR decision not ruled offside a Michael Keane header from close range after a smartly worked free-kick on 25 monutes. Keane and Mason Holgate were both offside but Everton were clearly looking to exploit a set-piece weakness. The disallowed goal seemed to shake Southampton from their lethargy. They rallied and became the better side, with Stuart Armstrong beginning to make some inroads for them. Southampton are vanishing fast, though. Their fall is extraordinary to behold, with the high energy ethos that Hasenhuttl introduced to the side now lost without trace and the 53-year-old struggling to rediscover it again. They have been written off before under his management and re-emerged but as Everton regained the ascendancy in the second half you wondered where the away team go from here. There was no creative plan and little pressure on Everton. Carlo Ancelotti and assistant Duncan Ferguson celebrate following the full-time whistleSouthampton relied on occasional moments of opportunity. There was good work from Che Adams to win a corner off Ben Godfrey which James Ward-Prowse, whose delivery was excellent, floated in to find Nathan Redmond at the back of the box. He looked to pick out the far corner but curled the ball harmlessly wide. Everton were solid and held on to their lead, offering Southampton nothing through the middle. Allan was an immovable object at the back of midfield. The game had seven minutes to run when the impressive Armstrong worked a one-two with substitute Nathan Tella and located Moussa Djenepp unmarked at the back post. He drove his shot wide. It was a decisive moment. Scroll down to see how it all unfolded with Sportsmail's live runner.

###CLAIM: millions of trump supporters who believe the truth have been absorbed back into a civil society based on reality. ###DOCS: The most pressing issue facing the nation right now is how to grind out the closing days of the Trump era without further irreparable harm to the Republic. No more Americans should have to lose their lives to a transition of presidential power. Starting Wednesday evening and on into Thursday, teams of workers were cleaning the broken glass and the leftover film of tear gas from the floor of the U.S. Capitol. Graffiti was being scoured from walls. Discarded Trump flags and plastic water bottles and broken furniture were being collected. With impressive efficiency, the visible wreckage from Wednesdays assault on the heart of American democracy is being cleared away. But the wounds to the nation remain, as does the specter of further unrest. America is in uncharted, unsettling territory. What happens when a sitting president incites thousands of his followers to attack the government that he ostensibly leads? There is deep division even about what to call the events that unfolded: A failed coup? An insurrection? Domestic terrorism? The country is in for much soul-searching and fact-finding about precisely how the attack was allowed to happen. The failures of the Capitol Police, for starters, demand scrutiny. There also will be many long-term, big-picture challenges to tackle, including how to begin reabsorbing back into a reality-based civil society the millions of Trump supporters who have been radicalized by the presidents campaign of lies and truly believe that an overwhelming win for Joe Biden was a victory stolen from Donald Trump.

###CLAIM: if universal and permanent credit backing can be put back on the books, their frustration will be summed up in the question of why the government kept losing against marcus and rashford. ###DOCS: There is no one vignette about the governments handling of the pandemic that says it all, but there will always be a broken place in my heart for the fact that at the end of the first lockdown, the government opened the pubs before the schools. Hey, give the Johnson administration a break. Theyd only had three and a half months to think about it, which the likes of Gavin Williamson had instead spent not thinking about how to handle the looming exam results fiasco. Whether ministers will make more humane and intelligent choices this time round for the millions of children in various stages of crisis is as yet tantalisingly unclear. The precedent set by their dealings with Marcus Rashford suggests that the government needs to make the same mistake many more times than an average primary school pupil before it learns. And so to Rashford, whose success in forcing government U-turns is increasingly infuriating backbench Tory MPs particularly those who represent the so-called red wall. From school meals to food hampers to, perhaps, the permanent universal credit top-up the footballer has endorsed, their frustration is broadly summarised by the question: why does the government keep losing against Marcus Rashford? Once the impossible has been eliminated, they might have to face the improbable truth that Rashford is simply better at it than them. The government has found it so difficult to know how to play Rashford (for reasons that can only be guessed at) that they had largely settled into a rather excruciating form of sycophancy. On each of their unsuccessful outings against the Manchester United forward so far, ministers have fallen over themselves to salute him, to be inspired by him, and to judge he is doing an incredible job, at the same time as voting against said incredible job. Last week the prime minister further formalised this admiration, declaring that in comparison with the Labour leader, Rashford was doing quite an effective job ... in holding the government to account. Johnson using his own Dickensian incompetence as the setup to some Westminster joke is certainly ... innovative. In private, however, there are reports that the false bonhomie is failing. The Tory MPs education WhatsApp group has lit up with discontent on both this issue and the continuing performance-art piece entitled Gavin Williamson. Several MPs are said to have accused the government of dancing to Rashfords tune, or giving in to him, with the fact he is a millionaire footballer either mentioned disparagingly or in ways that suggest his success disqualifies him from speaking on the subject. Well, now. Its somewhat confusing to find Conservatives practising both the politics of envy and the politics that decries aspiration. Why do they hate football so much, given that the top flight of the game is an engine of social mobility that levels up a lot of talented and dedicated working-class men into millionaires? Perhaps the answer is in the question. It certainly cant be that millionaires are, per se, the sort of people whom Conservative politicians believe shouldnt be listened to. After all, huge swaths of Conservative policy have been formulated as a direct result of listening very hard to them; and over the past 10 months of the pandemic, huge numbers of incredibly lucrative private contracts have been outsourced to them. In general, the Conservatives have always liked millionaires and as long as they pay their taxes, why not? So what is it about Marcus Rashford that makes him the wrong kind of millionaire to be listened to? None of the possible answers to that question would seem to flatter his detractors. Its still notable that the only people any cabinet minister has chidingly suggested take a pay cut during this entire pandemic are Premier League footballers. Matt Hancock called for this back in April, of all bizarrely skewed priorities at the time. Oddly, he has since remained silent on the question of pay cuts for anyone from test-and-trace consultancies to health or education secretaries, all of whom have deserved a 100% pay cut at various times during the pandemic. Maybe footballers have for so long been a lazy target for lazy politicians that the latter just cant adapt their game. Consider the red wall MP who in October expressed frustration that Rashford was repeatedly out-strategising the government. As they put it: Rashford is clearly a smart guy, but hes not exactly fucking Clausewitz, is he?Interesting that this government should regard the Prussian general as a worthy foe, and not some 23-year-old part-timer whose day job is being extremely good at something else entirely. As the next U-turn percolates and an entire generation of children continues to be an afterthought, do enjoy the implication that Boris Johnsons strategists might JUST lose honourably to Clausewitz. If they drew him away in the Cup, for instance otherwise, his is very much the league in which theyre playing.

###CLAIM: sinema urged her colleagues to see that the revocation could be used against them once again in the future when republicans hold the majority in the senate. ###DOCS: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rebuked the legislative process on Tuesday as she went after Republicans for blocking the Senate from beginning debate on Democrats' voting rights bill. 'Call me radical, but I do not believe a minority of Senators should be able to block voting rights for millions of people,' the New York progressive congresswoman tweeted Tuesday evening. 'But I guess I'm just from that far-left school of thought that legislation should pass when a majority of legislators vote for it.' Ocasio-Cortez also included a video of Vice President Kamala announcing from the Senate floor that the motion failed. In her tweet, Ocasio-Cortez is arguing against the filibuster and the American legislative process in the Senate. For the Senate to get a bill to the floor for debate, the measure must earn 60 votes in order to avoid a filibuster. Currently, the upper chamber is split 50-50 between the two parties and Harris holds the tie-breaking vote. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rebuked the legislative process on Tuesday by claiming a split Senate shouldn't allow Republicans to block Democrats' voting rights legislation. AOC speaks with reporters at the Capitol on June 17'Call me radical, but I do not believe a minority of Senators should be able to block voting rights for millions of people,' the New York progressive tweetedThe Senate vote on the Democrats' voting rights legislation was split 50-50 between along party lines. Sixty votes were needed to break a GOP-led filibusterProgressives are trying to get rid of the filibuster as lumping it into other legislation, but Republicans and centrist Democrats are not on board. Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have both notably spoken out against nixing the filibuster, claiming it could be used against them in the future. Manchin has also said he won't support any major legislation that doesn't include at least some attempts at bipartisanship. All 50 Democratic lawmakers, including Manchin, voted to progress the For the People Act on Tuesday evening, but not one Republican voted along with them. H.R. 1, or the For the People Act, passed in the House in March on a party-line vote. While Schumer was able to persuade Manchin on Tuesday to get on board with the party, he was not able to convince a single Republican to bring the current version of the bill to the floor for debate. President Joe Biden accused Republicans of supporting 'a Jim Crow era in the 21st Century' after every single GOP senator voted against the electoral overhaul bill. Republicans claim the Democrat bill is a federal takeover of voting. 'A Democratic stand to protect our democracy met a solid Republican wall of opposition,' Biden said. 'Senate Republicans opposed even a debate even considering legislation to protect the right to vote and our democracy.' President Joe Biden, seen on Tuesday in the White House, insisted the fight for the For The People Act - which he said was designed to end voter suppression - was just beginningHe described their vote as 'the suppression of a bill to end voter suppression another attack on voting rights that is sadly not unprecedented.' Republicans labelled the bill a 'power grab' and a bid to orchestrate the 'federal takeover of elections'. But Biden told them the fight was just beginning. 'The creed 'We Shall Overcome' is a longtime mainstay of the Civil Rights Movement,' he said in a statement. 'By coming together, Democrats took the next step forward in this continuous struggle not just on Capitol Hill, but across the country and a step forward to honor all those who came before us, people of all races and ages, who sacrificed and died to protect this sacred right. 'This fight is far from over far from over. 'I've been engaged in this work my whole career, and we are going to be ramping up our efforts to overcome again for the people, for our very democracy.' Harris had earlier insisted: 'The fight is not over.' Harris, immediately after the Republican block, insisted that the fight was not overShe said: 'It is clear, certainly for the American people, that when we talk about the right to vote it is not a Republican concern or a Democratic concern - it is an American concern. 'This is about the American people's right to vote, unfettered. It is about their access to the right to vote, in a meaningful way. 'The issue here is: is there actually access to the voting process, or is that being impeded.' Harris said that she and Biden had been 'very clear' that they back the bill. 'Today every single Democratic senator stood together in the fight to protect the right to vote in America,' Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the vote, also vowing to explore 'every last one of our options.' 'Voter suppression has become part of the official platform of the Republican Party', he added, and attacked Donald Trump's 'big lie' on election fraud. Harris, on the Hill to make another tie-breaking vote, stayed on the Capitol and chaired the debate and vote. She has been tasked by Biden to lead the administration's voting rights push. Tuesday's result was a foregone conclusion with party leaders digging in on the legislation that would have been the basis of the sweeping voting reforms. It was a bid to counteract Republican voter overhaul bills across the country that Biden has compared to Jim Crow-era laws. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell criticized the proposal earlier on Tuesday, calling it a 'transparently partisan' effort that shows the left's 'disdain' for Americans. 'Many Democrats would pass [H.R.1] with the slimmest possible majority, even after its companion faced bipartisan opposition over in the House,' McConnell said in remarks from the Senate floor. Vice President Kamala Harris, on the Hill to make another tie-breaking vote, stuck around and chaired the debate and voteSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said voting rights legislation was needed thanks to the 'big lie' that was pushed by former President Donald Trump'What a craven political calculation. What a way to show your disdain for the American people's choices,' the Kentucky Republican added. GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham called it 'the biggest power-grab in modern American history.' For two days straight, Schumer used the coming vote as a way to bash former President Donald Trump. 'Donald Trump, fresh off a resounding loss in the 2020 presidential election, cried foul and lied lied that the election was stolen from him, like a petulant child,' the New York Democrat said. 'There is a rot at the center of the modern Republican Party,' he continued. 'Donald Trump's big lie has spread like a cancer and threatens to envelop one of America's major political parties.' 'Even worse, it has poisoned our democracy, eroded faith in our elections, which is so detrimental to the future faith people need to have in our democracy,' Schumer said. 'And of course, it became the match that lit a wildfire of Republican voter suppression laws sweeping across the country. Because of one man's lie, Republicans are now doing the dastardly act of taking away voting from millions of Americans, making it much harder for them to vote, and many, many will not.' He repeated the sentiment on Twitter and added: 'Republicans claim they're making it easier to vote and harder to cheat in an election. But in reality, they are making it harder to vote and easier to steal an election.' Without filibuster reform, Democrats need 10 Republicans to defect in order to get legislation passed in the U.S. Senate. Sixty votes are needed in the Senate to override a filibuster. On Tuesday morning, after a Monday meeting with Biden, Sinema announced she was against getting rid of it. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (left) has been working on a proposal that could get GOP support and voted in favor of starting debate on a voting rights package, something that President Joe Biden (right) backsSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said from the Senate floor Tuesday that Democrats' voting rights bill is 'transparently partisan' and shows the left's 'disdain' for Americans'My support for retaining the 60-vote threshold is not based on the importance of any particular policy. It is based on what is best for our democracy,' Sinema wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post. 'The filibuster compels moderation and helps protect the country from wild swings between opposing policy poles.' Sinema urged her colleagues to see that if the filibuster is revoked, it could be used against them in the future when Republicans once again hold a majority in the Senate. But Sinema expressed that she was against using the filibuster on an early procedural vote, like the one senators took Tuesday, to merely open debate. She welcomed full debate on the voting bill 'so senators and our constituents can hear and fully consider the concerns and consequences.' Manchin, who previously said he was against H.R. 1, the House-passed voting rights bill, voted yes to start debate on an amended version he's been working on. Manchin suggested making voter registration automatic, setting Election Day as a holiday, requiring at least 15 days of early voting for federal elections and reducing partisan gerrymandering. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden would continue to push for voting rights legislation even if a test vote fails in the Senate TuesdayBut he also said voter ID regulations should be stricter a measure most of his Democratic colleagues oppose, though some prominent voting rights activists have softened on. Stacey Abrams, a former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate credited for her state's voting rights push, slapped down the idea that Democrats were against voters having to prove their identity. 'That's one of the fallacies of Republican talking points that have been deeply disturbing,' Abrams said last week on CNN. 'No one has ever objected to having to prove who you are to vote. It's been part of our nation's history since the inception of voting.' Abrams said that she's been against Republican-pushed voter ID provisions that would restrict voting - such as limiting the kinds of ID to only driver's licenses and not, for example, student IDs. The Manchin proposal, however, is less strict than most backed by Republicans in recent years. A White House official said that during the meeting on Monday, Biden 'expressed his sincere appreciation for Senator Manchin's efforts to achieve reform.' 'The President conveyed that he sees voting rights as one of the most urgent issues facing our nation during his administration, and made it clear how important he thinks it is that the Senate find a path forward on this issue,' the official continued, in a statement on the meeting between the two. White House press secretary Jen Psaki called Manchin's proposal a 'step forward' during Monday's press briefing. 'We don't expect there to be a magical 10 votes. I'm not suggesting that. But just two weeks ago, there were questions about whether Democrats would be aligned,' she added. 'If the vote is unsuccessful tomorrow, we suspect it will prompt a new conversation about the path forward and we'll see where that goes,' Psaki predicted.

###CLAIM: in arizona, bidens ' win gave the democrats 290 electoral votes in the state electoral college, more than the 270 needed to claim victory. ###DOCS: WASHINGTON/WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) - President-elect Joe Biden will win the battleground state of Arizona, Edison Research projected on Thursday, dealing another blow to President Donald Trumps struggling effort to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 presidential election. Bidens win in Arizona gives the Democrat 290 electoral votes in the state-by-state Electoral College that determines the winner, more than the 270 needed to claim victory. Biden is also winning the popular vote by more than 5.2 million votes, or 3.4 percentage points. With a few states still counting votes, the electoral math is daunting for Trump. The Republican president has repeatedly claimed the election was marred by widespread fraud, with no evidence to support his assertions. He would need to overtake Biden in at least three battleground states where Biden currently leads by varying margins. The Trump campaign has filed lawsuits challenging the vote counts in individual states, although some have already been thrown out by judges. Legal experts have said the litigation stands little chance of altering the outcome, and state election officials have said they see no evidence of serious irregularities or fraud. Hand-count audits in more than six Arizona counties, including Maricopa County, where a majority of the states residents live, found only minor discrepancies, the secretary of states office reported earlier on Thursday. The audits involve hand counts of a random sampling of ballots. Thus far, most Republican officials and lawmakers have publicly backed Trumps attempt to contest the election results and declined to recognize Biden as the president-elect. But a handful of Republican senators on Thursday urged the Trump administration to allow Biden to receive intelligence briefings, implicitly acknowledging he could eventually occupy the White House even as they refused to recognize his win. The president-elect traditionally receives such briefings from the intelligence community to learn of threats facing the United States before taking office. I dont see it as a high-risk proposition. I just think its part of the transition. And, if in fact he does win in the end, I think they need to be able to hit the ground running, Senator John Cornyn told reporters. Slideshow ( 5 images )Other Republican senators also said Biden should have access to classified briefings, including Lindsey Graham, a vocal Trump supporter, as well as Ron Johnson, James Lankford and Chuck Grassley. The top House Republican, Kevin McCarthy, opposed the idea. Hes not president right now. I dont know if hell be president January 20th, McCarthy said. Biden remained focused on preparing to govern. The former vice president, who is set to become Americas second Roman Catholic president, following John F. Kennedy in the 1960s, spoke with Pope Francis on Thursday, thanking him for his blessing and congratulations and vowing to work together on issues such as climate change and poverty, his transition team said.

###CLAIM: the drastic restrictions came after nicola and sturgeon suggested the ban should also be considered and warned scots not to travel to blackpool because of recent links between 180 cases in the north of the country and the town. ###DOCS: Quarantine for people returning to the UK will be slashed to seven days under a radical overhaul of the Government's coronavirus travel ban. Grant Shapps told the virtual ABTA travel industry conference today that travellers will self-isolate at home and take a Covid test a week after landing. The Transport Secretary ruled out testing on arrival at UK airports and ports, adding: 'We're proposing a domestic test regime, where people land and wait a week, have a test and get early release.' The test will need to take place 'in person,' he said, and will be provided by the private sector, in order to prevent putting additional strain on the NHS. Mr Shapps added the test will be paid for by the traveller. 'We're also proposing an internationally recognised system, in which Britain would be a trailblazer, where tests and isolation take place prior to travel and after travel and would require no quarantine,' Mr Shapps said. He added that he believed the measures described 'will result in significantly more people flying in the months ahead'. Anyone arriving in the UK from overseas must currently self-isolate for 14 days unless they have travelled from an exempt destination. Travellers will self-isolate at home and take a coronavirus test a week after landing under new plans to reduce the travel quarantine, Grant Shapps said todayThe test will need to take place 'in person,' he said, and will be provided by the private sector, in order to prevent putting additional strain on the NHS. Pictured: Arrivals in Heathrow Airport (file image)Shapps criticised by Abta for 'failing to bat for' UK travel industry UK travel association ABTA slammed Grant Shapps for failing to 'bat for his sector', being too slow to provide support and create an airport Covid-19 testing regime. ABTA said thousands more jobs were at risk when the furlough scheme ends, while government policies on quarantine because of coronavirus were deterring travel. ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer called Shapps' speech, designed to assuage fears, 'very worrying' and 'didn't take onboard that we are still in the middle of this crisis'. Tanzer said: 'The travel corridors he mentioned, they're mainly shut. We've seen none of the results. 'It absolutely has to hit the ground, this testing regime, if we're to move out of this crisis.' AdvertisementHowever, the Transport Secretary stopped short of providing a start date for the planned testing scheme, according to The Daily Telegraph. Earlier today, Health officials announced 19,724 more infections and 137 new deaths as Britain's daily Covid-19 cases have jumped 40 per cent in a week. Department of Health figures show 14,162 cases and 70 deaths were recorded last Wednesday, as well as 17,234 cases and a four-month high of 143 fatalities yesterday. For comparison, more than 100,000 Britons were getting infected and at least 1,000 were dying every day during the darkest period of the first wave in March and April. Last week, Mr Shapps announced the launch of the Global Travel Taskforce. The group will be jointly chaired by Mr Shapps and Health Secretary Matt Hancock, and will look at how a testing operation could be rolled out. It will consult with the aviation, travel, healthcare and coronavirus testing sectors, and is expected to make initial recommendations next month. The Transport Secretary did not today specify during the ABTA convention which day a coronavirus test would be taken on. The UK's travel sector has repeatedly called for testing at airports to be introduced as a way of reducing quarantine periods for those who get a negative result. The chief executives of Heathrow Airport, Manchester Airports Group, easyJet and Virgin Atlantic said in a joint statement that the creation of the task force represented a 'step in the right direction'. Last week, Mr Shapps announced the launch of the Global Travel Taskforce. The group will be jointly chaired by Mr Shapps and Health Secretary Matt Hancock (pictured), and will look at how a testing operation could be rolled outMr Shapps said: 'The current measures at the border have saved lives. 'Our understanding of the science now means we can intensify efforts to develop options for a testing regime and help reinvigorate our world-leading travel sector. 'This new task force will not only help us move towards safer, smoother international travel as we continue to battle this virus but will also support global connectivity helping facilitate more Covid-secure travel whilst protecting the population from imported cases.' Britain's Covid cases rise 40% in a week with 19,724 more infections and 137 new deaths Britain's daily Covid-19 cases have jumped 40 per cent in a week as health officials today announced 19,724 more infections and 137 new deaths. Department of Health figures show 14,162 cases and 70 deaths were recorded last Wednesday, as well as 17,234 cases and a four-month high of 143 fatalities yesterday. For comparison, more than 100,000 Britons were getting infected and at least 1,000 were dying every day during the darkest period of the first wave in March and April. The figures come as Boris Johnson today sounded defiant on his local 'Tiers' lockdown plan, despite warnings from scientists that it is the 'worst of all worlds'. Rumours were swirling that the Prime Minister is seriously considering a 'circuit breaker'. But in brutal clashes at PMQs, Mr Johnson dismissed calls from Sir Keir Starmer and SAGE for a 'miserable' national 'circuit breaker'. He insisted that his job was to balance the economic and wider interests of the country with the science. Northern leaders today backed Sir Keir Starmer's calls for a nationwide 'circuit breaker' lockdown and refused to accept the Prime Minister's plans for tier three restrictions. The Greater Manchester mayor and its local council leaders said they were resisting the 'fundamentally flawed' highest level of local restrictions without more financial help, adding to calls also made by the Labour leader for new national measures. And Welsh ministers faced fury today after unveiling an extraordinary bid to ban people from coronavirus hotspots entering the country. First Minister Mark Drakeford was accused of being obsessed with 'banning the English' after he announced the move saying people were 'anxious and fearful' about importing infection. AdvertisementHealth Secretary Matt Hancock said: 'It is vital we do everything we can to control the spread of the virus and our measures at the borders are designed to help keep the country safe, by preventing imported cases of Covid-19. 'We know how these measures have a significant impact on people's lives and on the travel and tourism industries, so we are working hard across Government to explore ways to open up international travel in a safe way.' Work is ongoing with the help of industry, clinicians, health experts and the private testing industry to develop an effective approach. A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'The Global Travel Taskforce is working at pace to establish how a testing model could be implemented in the UK. 'As part of this work, the Taskforce will consider what day that testing should be taken on, informed by public health analysis of when this would be effective and taking into account economic and other factors.' Last week Mr Shapps announced that travel from Lesvos, Tinos, Serifos, Santorini and Zakynthos will no longer require self-isolation upon arrival in England. He also revealed that no countries are being added to the 'red list' this week. The week before, Mr Shapps added Turkey and Poland to the quarantine list as well as the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba. The Transport Secretary tweeted : 'TRAVEL CORRIDOR UPDATE: We are ADDING Lesvos, Tinos, Serifos, Santorini and Zakynthos to the #TravelCorridor list this week. 'From 4am Saturday 10th Oct, if you arrive from those Greek islands, you will NO LONGER need to self-isolate. We are not REMOVING any countries.' He added: 'REMINDER: You MUST complete a Passenger Locator Form by law if you enter the UK from ANY location (travel corridor or otherwise) to protect public health and help keep everyone safe.' During the ABTA convention, Mr Shapps also admitted that flights between the UK and the EU could be grounded when the Brexit transition period ends. The Cabinet minister said it is 'critical' that air links are not severed, stressing the 'mutual importance of aviation and travel'. Both sides agreed prior to the first scheduled Brexit date of March 29 last year that flights would continue for 12 months even if no trade deal was reached. But Mr Shapps revealed that the UK is still waiting to hear if the EU will consider a similar scheme for the end of the transition period on December 31. UK visitors to Italy MUST take a Covid test Italy has introduced compulsory coronavirus testing for UK visitors. Minister of health Roberto Speranza announced that arrivals from European countries 'at greater risk for Covid-19' - such as the UK, France and Spain - must provide evidence of a negative test taken in the 72 hours prior to travel. Visitors unable to provide proof of a negative result at the border have to take a test in Italy. Some airports offer free tests, while others may cost around 11. Travellers will not be allowed to leave until they have received their result. Anyone who tests positive is quarantined until two consecutive negative results are recorded. Italy trialled a coronavirus swab test in July that can give results in as little as 15 minutes. Health chiefs in Rome hope the rapid diagnostic test, made by South Korean firm SD Biosensor, will be used at airports to screen tourists for the infection. It has already been used on 1,000 people in the northern region of Veneto giving an incorrect result twice, in comparison to the standard swab test. AdvertisementPost-Brexit trade talks are continuing between the UK and the EU, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson wanting to know if an agreement is possible by Thursday. Mr Shapps said: 'Negotiations, as you know, have been intensified in recent weeks and although time is now tight we remain hopeful that an agreement can be achieved. 'But in order for there to be agreement on transport issues, there will need to be an agreement on all of them, and important work remains to be done. 'Of course, it's critical that flights between the UK and the EU can continue to operate as normal at the end of the transition period, regardless of the outcome of these negotiations. 'That's why we expect the EU to bring forward contingency measures as done before to ensure flights will continue if negotiations are unsuccessful. 'Of course, we will look to reciprocate that.' ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer said he was 'concerned' by Mr Shapps' comments. He said: 'A year ago when we were coming up to potentially no deal, we had a sort of standstill agreement that for a year, whatever the outcome, aviation rights to be able to fly back and forth to Europe would be in place. 'What the Secretary of State was suggesting was we're waiting for a proposal from Europe that that will be the case, and if it is we will reciprocate.' If people are 'not sure that the flights will fly' it will be 'another deterrent' against booking, Mr Tanzer said. Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, said: 'Both sides have always maintained that they want connectivity between the UK and EU to continue and we expect this to be the case because of the mutual importance of aviation and travel to both the UK and EU. 'In the event of a no-deal scenario there is precedent from the 2019 no-deal regulations that would have protected air travel in both directions.' Wales says it will BAN people from Covid hotspots in England travelling across the border from Friday - but how will they enforce it? By James Tapsfield, Political Editor For Mailonline and Faith Ridler For MailonlineWelsh ministers faced fury today after unveiling an extraordinary bid to ban people from coronavirus hotspots in England entering the country. First Minister Mark Drakeford was accused of being obsessed with 'banning the English' after he announced the move saying people were 'anxious and fearful' about importing infection. He put the blame for the action squarely on Boris Johnson, saying the PM had ignored two letters requesting he introduce travel restrictions in areas of England with high case rates. But there were immediate questions about how the measure, due to come in from 6pm on Friday, can possibly be enforced. Police commissioners in Wales suggested they could set up road blocks and follow up tips from the public. However, they have admitted there is not the capacity to 'line the border with patrol cars'. Critics also warned that the policy could deal a hammer blow to the tourism industry in Wales, already reeling from the impact of the pandemic. Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford (left) was accused of being obsessed with 'banning the English' after he announced the travel ban saying Boris Johnson (right) had ignored his lettersTory member of the Welsh Parliament Andrew RT Davies said: 'The Welsh Government's unhealthy obsession with travel restrictions and ''banning the English'' flies in the face of all the evidence. 'Last month's SAGE advice said such a move would have a ''low impact'' and would be 'complicated' to enforce.' Former minister Simon Clarke voiced anger at the 'balkanisation of the UK. 'The balkanisation of the United Kingdom in this way is profoundly to be regretted. Not what devolution ought to be about,' he tweeted. Tory MP Michael Fabricant said it was 'understandable' that Wales wanted to limit infections. But he added: 'Talk by a minority of Welsh nationalists of ''stopping the English at the border'' creates tensions and damages tourism in Gwynned and elsewhere in Wales. 'The last lockdown was extremely damaging to the hospitality sector. Watch your language!' The drastic restrictions come after Nicola Sturgeon suggested she is also considering a ban, and warned Scots not to travel to Blackpool because 180 cases north of the border had been linked to the seaside town recently. In Wales, there are 17 areas under higher local lockdowns, which include rules against entering or leaving the area without a reasonable excuse such as work or education. However, currently people living in Covid-19 hotspots elsewhere in the UK are free to enter areas of Wales not under restrictions where levels of the virus are low. Under regulations being prepared, people living in areas with high levels of coronavirus in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will not be able to travel to Wales. Mr Drakeford told the Welsh Parliament: 'I have therefore asked for the necessary work to be brought forward, which would allow for devolved powers to be used to prevent people from travelling into Wales from high-prevalence areas of the United Kingdom.' He said it was 'important' to emphasise that it was not an issue regarding the border between Wales and England but a 'matter of fairness'. 'We've already heard from the First Minister of Scotland and she's eager to support what we're trying to do here. Now is the time for the Prime Minister to do the same thing,' Mr Drakeford told the Senedd. 'If he isn't willing to do so then the timetable is for us to use the powers in Wales by the end of the week.' Before the announcement police commissioners had already been voiced doubts about enforcement. 'I can't see us lining the border with patrol cars because none of the police forces in Wales have the resources to do that,' the North Wales commissioner Arfon Jones said, while making clear he agreed with the idea 'in principle'. The drastic restrictions come after Nicola Sturgeon (pictured today) suggested she is also considering a ban, and warned Scots not to travel to Blackpool because 180 cases north of the border had been linked to the seaside town recentlyMs Sturgeon earlier told the Scottish Government's press briefing she supported Mr Drakeford's push for travel restrictions to be imposed across the UK, and would not rule out imposing her own. 'I want to be clear today that I back the calls from the First Minister of Wales and I'll be writing to the Prime Minister today to seek urgent talks on that issue,' she said. Ms Sturgeon added: 'On the specific about travel restrictions, if we think putting formal travel restrictions in places necessary, we will do that and I don't rule that out I don't rule anything out.' The chief executive of the Welsh NHS, Dr Andrew Goodall, said he would also 'welcome any actions that help us have a control of the levels of community transmission' when asked if he was in favour of the travel ban. The quarantine period for travellers arriving in the UK is likely only to be cut to about a week, according to the transport secretary, under a test and release scheme being considered by the governments taskforce. Grant Shapps said the new regime, which is due to be confirmed in November, would require a single coronavirus test, to be taken about a week after arrival and paid for privately. In a recorded speech to the annual convention of the UK travel association, Abta, Shapps said the government had been working extensively with health experts since the announcement last week of a global travel taskforce, examining testing proposals put forward by the industry. Shapps said: As I announced last week, this will include the feasibility of one test taken after a period of self-isolation provided by the private sector and at the cost of the passenger.He said Britain could be a trailblazer for an alternative proposal, an internationally agreed regime where tests and perhaps isolation take place prior to travel and after travel, and we would require no quarantine. However, Abta accused Shapps of failing to bat for his sector, being too slow to provide support and create an airport Covid-19 testing regime. Abta said thousands more jobs were at risk when the furlough scheme ends and that confused government policies on quarantine were deterring travel. In a withering assessment of Shapps speech, which was designed to reassure the beleaguered travel industry, Abtas chief executive, Mark Tanzer, said it was very worrying and didnt take onboard that we are still in the middle of this crisis. Grant Shapps introduced regional quarantine rules for international arrivals in September. Photograph: House of Commons/PABut Tanzer said: The travel corridors he mentioned, theyre mainly shut. Weve seen none of the results ... it absolutely has to hit the ground, this testing regime, if were to move out of this crisis.He was scathing about Shapps assertion that the taskforce would be building on work already done by the government, including establishing that Covid-19 tests would not work on day zero of transmission. If its taken six months to realise that, its not huge progress, Tanzer said, adding: He is the secretary of state for transport. A lot of other sectors will be queueing outside No 11 ... he has to go in and bat for this sector. We havent seen the evidence, the financial support just hasnt been there. We need to see the evidence of what hes doing.Abta said the 60bn travel sector needed urgent, tailored government support, including recovery grants for firms and a review of the job-support scheme, otherwise more companies would collapse and jobs disappear. Abta unveiled research that showed 15% of Britons took a foreign holiday in the six months to July 2020, compared with 64% in the 12 months to July 2019. It also found 93% of potential customers had been deterred from booking by potential last-minute changes to travel advice. Tanzer said he was also concerned by Shapps admission that no deal had been reached over air travel between the EU and the UK at the end of the transition period on 31 December, with no backstop agreement of the kind agreed before the original Brexit date in 2019. Sign up to the daily Business Today email or follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDeskShapps said: We expect the EU to bring forward contingency measures as it has done before to ensure flights will continue if negotiations are unsuccessful.Tanzer said: Its only 78 days. If people arent sure that the flights will fly, that will be just another deterrent before they book.He added: We need to move beyond words, get systems in place and customer confidence that they work and theyre able to travel ... otherwise this will be a very prolonged depression for the travel industry.

###CLAIM: president donald trumps infamous throw in the towel on puerto rico, asking if the united states could trade with greenland. ###DOCS: Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. Puerto Ricos leading newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, has endorsed Joe Biden in what his campaign says is the first presidential endorsement in the papers 50-year history. In an editorial published on Sunday, El Nuevo Dia concluded that the Trump administration has shown an overwhelming amount of inattention, disdain and prejudice against our people. Along with President Donald Trumps infamous paper towel throwing, it mentions the president asking about whether the United States could trade Puerto Rico for Greenland. More broadly, the editorial catalogues his disastrous response to Hurricane Maria. (For more on this front, be sure to read Mother Jones reporter AJ Vicens.) After Cuban Americans, Puerto Ricans are the second largest group of Latino voters in Florida, where polls show Biden only slightly ahead of Trump. Compared to Cubans, Puerto Ricans are much more likely to support Biden, but theyve tended to vote at lower rates. Biden traveled to the Orlando area last month to make his pitch to Puerto Rican voters. In contrast to Trumps actions, El Nuevo Dia wrote that Biden has promised to create a Puerto Rico working group that would report directly to the president, expand Puerto Ricans access to Medicaid and food assistance, and increase federal funding for education on the island. The editorial concludes by stating that endorsing Biden puts El Nuevo Dia on the side of our most democratic values and in opposition to the politics of hate, division and chaos that President Trump and a significant part of the Republican Party have supported.The world is a much more dangerous and unsustainable place, in large measure, because of this Presidents domestic and international policies, the editorial argues. The votes from our extended homeland in favor of Bidens Plan for Puerto Rico will make our island and the world safer and more prosperous places for everyone.Read the editorial in English and Spanish here.

###CLAIM: the british academy of films, television and the arts, aware of the accusations nearly two weeks before the annual ceremony earlier this month, honored mr. and mrs. clarke with the outstanding british contribution to cinema prize. ###DOCS: FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 file photo, British actor and director Noel Clarke, displays his Orange Rising Star Award at the British Academy Film Awards 2009 at The Royal Opera House in London, England. Britains motion picture academy on Thursday April 29, 2021, suspended actor-director Noel Clarke after a newspaper reported that multiple women had accused him of sexual harassment or bullying. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 file photo, British actor and director Noel Clarke, displays his Orange Rising Star Award at the British Academy Film Awards 2009 at The Royal Opera House in London, England. Britains motion picture academy on Thursday April 29, 2021, suspended actor-director Noel Clarke after a newspaper reported that multiple women had accused him of sexual harassment or bullying. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, File)LONDON (AP) British actor-director Noel Clarke said Friday he would be seeking professional help to change for the better, after 20 women accused him of sexual harassment, intimidation and bullying. Clarke, who starred in Doctor Who and created the film trilogy Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood, said he vehemently denied any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing. Recent reports, however, have made it clear to me that some of my actions have affected people in ways I did not intend or realize, he said in a statement. To those individuals, I am deeply sorry. I will be seeking professional help to educate myself and change for the better.Clarke, 45, issued the statement a day after The Guardian newspaper said it had spoken to 20 women who accused him of misconduct including sexual harassment, unwanted touching, sexually inappropriate behavior on set and bullying. The newspaper named several of the women. ADVERTISEMENTAfter the allegations were published, Britains motion picture academy suspended Clarkes membership and his award for outstanding British contribution to cinema, given to him earlier this month, immediately and until further notice.Broadcaster Sky said it was halting work with Clarke, and television channel ITV pulled the final episode of the crime series Viewpoint, which stars Clarke and was due for broadcast on Friday. The broadcaster said it had a zero tolerance policy to bullying, harassment and victimization.

###CLAIM: the briefing on the incident that two officials received included information on the driver's facebook and instagram accounts that showed he had friends in iran and afghanistan. ###DOCS: US military, intelligence and law enforcement officials were briefed late last month regarding a threat against the Pentagons most senior leaders while on American soil, not just traveling overseas, a new report by NBC has revealed. Five senior US officials with direct knowledge of the matter made the shocking disclosure to the network on Thursday. The briefings of FBI, CIA and military officials were held after an incident on September 22, when a senior leader at the Defense Department was 'aggressively' tailed by an unknown vehicle for several miles after leaving the Pentagon. The officials said the briefings suggested the threat, which is still active, could possibly be a retaliation for the US Militarys assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in January. Information shared at the briefings indicated the targets are those who were directly involved in the decision to assassinate Soleimani, the sources said. The officials were also reportedly informed of a list, compiled by adversaries, that names the military leaders who are to be targeted. While the names of the targets were revealed by some of the sources, NBC declined to specifically name them in their report. The officials said the briefings suggested the threat, which is still active, could possibly be a retaliation for the US Militarys assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani (center) in JanuaryThe Pentagon is headed up by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, along with Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Hyten. Notably, Esper has been travelling in the Middle East and South Asia this week, but details of his trip were held closer to the chest than usual, suggesting a possible security concern. Journalists travelling with Esper were reportedly not allowed to report on his visits to Bahrain or Israel until he had left each country, despite the fact he spent two nights in Bahrain. The briefings were spurred following an incident on the evening of September 22, which involved a senior leader at the Defense Department. The leader, who was not named, left the Pentagon that evening in a government-owned SUV driven by a member of his security detail. An unknown vehicle then immediately began to follow them, according to NBCs sources. The driver, later identified as an Iranian national, was in a vehicle with Virginia license plates and trailed closely behind the SUV for approximately seven miles. Officials said they were told the Iranian national was, at times, driving aggressively, behind the SUV. While the Pentagon raised more concern, the bureau conducted an investigation of the incident and determined it was not part of any wider threat to senior military leaders or connected directly back to Iran. Officials said they could not account for the disparity between the Pentagons understanding of the incident and the FBIs. The Defense Department requested NBC not name the individual, citing security concerns. One senior administration characterized the incident to the network as concerning. The security detail eventually lost the trailing vehicle that was pursuing the Defense Department leaders SUV and changed routes. The Pentagon then issued a Be on the Lookout alert (BOLO), and shared the trailing vehicles information with federal law enforcement. The alert reportedly included photos of the driver and the vehicle, in addition to the vehicles license plate. Briefings that officials received on the incident included information about the driver's Facebook and Instagram accounts, showing that he has friends in Iran and Afghanistan, two officials told NBC. Its unclear if the man was ever question or taken into custody, with officials declining to comment on the matter. The Department of Defense takes seriously the safety of all of our personnel, said Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman. We will not discuss intelligence regarding potential threats to senior leaders nor the range of force protection measures we have in place to address these threats.In reference to the apparent secrecy shrouding Espers visit to the Middle East and South Asia, Hoffman added: security measures [are decided] on a case-by-case basis in coordination with appropriate U.S. and host nation law enforcement officials to protect our hosts, traveling officials, their support staff and accompanying media. We are constantly evaluating the threat environment.A supporter of an Iran-backed militia holds a poster of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, deputy commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis during a protestPresident Trump's team justified the strike of Soleimani as a necessary defensive measure, citing intelligence reports that found Iraq was plotting an attack on Americans (Mark Esper, left, and Mike Pompeo, right)The FBI and CIA have not yet responded to a Dailymail.com request for comment. Its unclear if Donald Trump was briefed on the September 22 incident. Three congressional aides said the eight leaders of the Congressional caucuses and the intelligence committees have not been briefed. The Pentagons top leaders have 24-hour security and typically travel in official vehicle convoys. Two officials said the driver of the vehicle with Virginia plates may not have known who was in the official SUV when it left the Pentagon. They said the car may have followed the vehicles simply because whomever was in the SUV was likely a military leader. For more than a decade, intelligence officials have security experts have long warned of the existence of Iranian terrorist sleeper cells operating within the United States, with the agents lying in wait for a coded signal to wreak havoc or commit mass murder. Fears that Soleimani's assassination would active the cells have remained prominent since his January death. Experts have warned that Tehran could launch terrorist attacks targeting American interests at any moment, either through its cells or through its arm Lebanons Hezbollah, which is active in Latin American countries. In Latin America, Hezbollah cells are openly active, which also means that Iran may take Latin America as an advanced launching pad for attacks on US territory or on Washingtons interests in the region whenever it wishes. Iran has a series of proxy networks that are violent, New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, warned in January. They can have sleeper cells inside the United States. It is possible for sympathizers and supporters of the Quds Force in Iran to attack here.President Trump's team justified the strike of Soleimani as a necessary defensive measure, citing intelligence reports that found Iraq was plotting an attack on Americans. 'It was time to take action so that we can disrupt this plot to deter further aggression from Qassem Soleimani and the Iranian regime,' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at the time. 'As well as to attempt to de-escalate the situation. The risk of doing nothing was enormous.' Similar sleeper cells are also said to be in operation all over the world, including across Europe and in the UK. Similarly, Bahrains Ministry of Interior revealed last month that it had foiled a terrorist attack by a group backed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) just last month. The group, called the Qassem Soleimani Brigade, was planning to attack several security and public structures in Bahrain. Senior U.S. officials revealed Thursday that security threats have been made against top Pentagon authorities not only when traveling outside the U.S., but when on American soil. Frist reported by NBC News on Thursday and verified for Fox News by a senior Department of Defense representative, security officials believe the threats made could be linked to the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani by American forces in January, though definitive links could not reportedly be made. The names of the Pentagon officials were not released, but they are believed to have been senior leadership involved in the operation that oversaw the takedown of Soleimani. Military leaders have also reportedly been targeted. FROM PANDEMIC TO POSTAL PROBLEMS, OVERSEAS VOTERS WORRY THEIR US PRESIDENTIAL BALLOTS WON'T GET COUNTEDA person familiar with the threats told Fox News that U.S. concerns of Iran harming American officials, extends to civilian officials as well. U.S. military, intelligence and law enforcement were briefed last month alerting them to the threats. The FBI, CIA and military officials first met on Sept. 22 following an incident that reportedly involved a senior Department of Defense official who was followed by an Iranian national. The DOD official, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, was followed after getting into a black, government-owned SUV driven by his security detail after leaving the Pentagon. The driver of the tail, later identified as an Iranian national driving a car with Virginia plates, followed them for five to seven miles, reportedly driving aggressively at times. The security detail was able to lose the suspected tail after changing routes, officials told NBC. The Pentagon issued a Be on the Lookout alert, also known as a BOLO, and informed federal law enforcement authorities of the incident -- releasing details of the Iranian national's Facebook and Instagram accounts, which showed he had friends in Iran and Afghanistan. Though according to the report by NBC, Pentagon and FBI officials disagree on whether or not the event constitutes an actual attempt to target a senior DOD official. The FBI allegedly investigated the event and found no relation between the Iranian national and the Iranian government, or any reason to suspect it was a part of a larger security concern. These findings apparently drew greater concern from Pentagon officials and one senior administration official said the incident was "concerning." U.S. officials could not address why there was a disagreement on the level of concern surrounding the incident, or confirm whether or not the Iranian driver was questioned or taken into custody. The Department of Defense takes seriously the safety of all of our personnel, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told NBC. We will not discuss intelligence regarding potential threats to senior leaders nor the range of force protection measures we have in place to address these threats.The CIA and FBI reportedly declined to comment on the incident. The White House also declined to comment on whether or not President Trump was informed of the event. CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APPBut Trump did release a tweet in mid-September drawing attention to suspected Iranian threats. According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, which was carried out for his planning a future attack, murdering U.S. Troops, Trump wrote. Jennifer Griffin and Rich Edson contributed to this report. Linguist Mariam Taha Thompson, 62, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Wednesday for passing the classified names of American intelligence sources in Iraq to her romantic interest, a man linked to the Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah. Thompson, a Lebanese-born U.S. citizen who resided in Rochester, Minnesota, was working overseas as a linguistics contractor for the U.S. military in 2017 when she began a video chat relationship with a man identified only as her unindicted co-conspirator in public documents. Thompson developed a romantic interest in the man, fully aware that he had ties to both the dismal Lebanese government and Hezbollah. Among other things, he allegedly boasted of receiving a ring as a personal gift from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Thompson was reportedly assigned to a Special Operations Task Force facility in Erbil, Iraq, in December 2019 when the U.S. launched airstrikes against the Iran-backed terrorist organization Kataib Hezbollah (KH), which had been attacking bases where American personnel were stationed, killing a civilian contractor to the U.S. military in one instance. A U.S. airstrike in January 2020 killed KH founder Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis along with Iranian terrorist mastermind Gen. Qassem Soleimani. After Soleimanis death, prosecutors said Thompsons co-conspirator asked her to provide information about the American assets in Iraq that helped the U.S. military target the Iranian general. Thompson testified in court that she knew the information would be passed along to the Iran-sponsored Lebanese terrorist organization and divulged it anyway. Thompson, who pleaded guilty to the charges in March, said her co-conspirator told her his contacts were pleased with the information and that the Lebanese Hezbollah military commander wanted to meet Thompson when she came to Lebanon.The FBI confirmed it arrested Thompson in February 2020 at an unspecified overseas U.S. military facility where she was still working as a contract linguist with a Top Secret security clearance. A search of her living quarters reportedly discovered a handwritten note in Arabic hidden under her mattress, containing classified information from Department of Defense (DOD) computer systems, identifying human assets by name and warning a Hezbollah operative that DOD investigators were on their trail. The note recommended monitoring the phones of the human assets Thompson had identified. The FBI also found a screenshot of classified information on her phone. Thompson waived her Miranda rights after she was arrested and admitted she was passing classified information to a romantic interest, claiming at the time she thought he might be affiliated with Hezbollah or a rival Lebanese Shiite political party called Amal. Thompson told FBI agents she thought Hezbollah was a bad group with terrorist members but, in court filings, she allegedly said she knew the classified information she was passing would end up in Hezbollahs hands. U.S. District Judge John D. Bates described Thompson as a sympathetic individual with an otherwise inspiring life story who served her adopted country alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria and sentenced her to 23 years, noting that she could be out of prison by the age of 81 with good behavior. This case should serve as a clear reminder to all of those entrusted with national defense information that unilaterally disclosing such information for personal gain, or that of others, is not selfless or heroic; it is criminal, said Assistant FBI Counterintelligence Director Alan E. Kohler, Jr.